On February 17, 1936, when Sir Reginald Ansett first took flight in his Fokker Universal passenger plane from Hamilton, Victoria, he wasn't to know that his would be a legacy in two acts. A legacy not just of iconic Southern Hemisphere aviation, but also of the dankest wearable swag this side of that $19 Bunnings cap with the built-in torch. Yet, some 82 years later, in a rural tin shed-cum-hangar-cum-museum — located at the birthplace of the aforementioned national aero-identity — lies, in mint-ish condition, the most complete collection of Ansett Australia paraphernalia you never knew you were in grave spiritual free fall without. And much of which money can buy. Because we're suckers for nostalgia and weird experiences accessible from the city, it was time to beeline — nay, V/Line — 288 kilometres west to the good township of Hamilton (town slogan: "One place, many possibilities") and examine the loot. But first: the 'museum'. There she blows. If you're not familiar with Ansett Australia, it was an airline — much like Qantas is currently an airline — until 2001 when it was placed into administration following a gnarly financial collapse. At its peak, it sponsored the cricket, provided Winnie The Pooh pencil cases and colouring books for kids, and served hot food on board when the competition bothered not to. It was the official airline of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, flying the torch from Auckland to Uluru, and it sponsored Neighbours during the iconic Kylie era of the late 80s. The museum tells of the erstwhile airline's rise and fall (mostly the fall) and houses a neat grab of quintessential airline detritus. It also houses a heap of derelict (and creepy) mannequins — perhaps the most complete collection of derelict mannequins in the entire Southern Grampians region — cracking out in costume, for your pleasure. Some are more headless than others. About halfway through the museum, we hit a room covered with testimonials from former employees penning some pretty deep plane's-going-down truths. Some were undyingly positive — "It should not have gone down / We were fabulous / We could have blasted QF and VG out of the sky" — others more sombre — "To everyone, for everything, thank you" — and some a little bit extraterrestrial: "We might all be gone but our spirits will last forever". Also in the room was this scary unexplained bus. Aside from the reminiscing and the scrutinising decaying mannequins, what you're really here for is that euphoric airline swag of yore. Like this 90s schoolyard must-have. What a ride. If you're not ready to go home, or you can't for whatever reason, a volunteer — let's call him Gary — who'll put on a historical Ansett Australia DVD in the headless mannequin room. It's ok — two stars. Otherwise it's an exit through the gift shop, where you'll find many things you can buy with your money and wear to cool nightclubs. You can buy this stubbie cooler ($8). That you can pair with this beanie ($10). Or this fresh self-mulleting legionnaires hat ($10). And put it all in this nightclub-essential bum bag ($9). Probably drape one of these ($5) around your best finger, too. It all feels a bit like when an elderly relative dies and you have to spend a weekend going through their things — only the deceased was an airline and owned more stuff. But, hey, treasure is treasure. The Ansett Australia Museum is located just three and a half hours from Melbourne in Hamilton, and is weird and good. Did I say good? I meant strange. Entry is $10 for adults, $8 for concession, but you can also not go into the museum and just go to the gift shop — though you'll have to explain that to Gary. You can also just go to this website and buy heaps of this stuff online, but you would really be missing out on the whole experience. Ansett Museum is located at the corner of Ballarat Road and Riley Street, Hamilton, Vic. It's open daily from 9am–4pm. To book a visit call (03) 5571 2767. Images: Frank Sweet.
Join Metro Arts as they attempt to re-write history, re-imagine culture and re-define our Australian identity in their latest Cross-Stitch event, Invasion, Take 225. In true Metro Arts form, Artistic Director Lisa Fa'alafi and her team have whole heartedly invested their time and imagination to ensure this two-night party is nothing short of a riot.Through the rich combination of dance, video, performance and music, participants will join in a celebration and mock-media campaign to re-imagine the Australian culture. On arrival audiences will be handed a fresh passport to a New Australia, will join a campaign and in turned be forced to rethink what is means to be a 'true blue Aussie'. Cross-Stitch: Invasion, Take 225 is not only a chance to witness the dramatic collaboration of various art forms, but also one to re-evaluate the stereotypical and often over-dramatised depiction of what it means to be Australian.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions, you can't go on a holiday (locally or overseas). But, the government has hinted travel between Australia and New Zealand may be allowed in the near future, so it's time to start dreaming. Bookmark this for when you can explore once again. New Zealand's South Island has more nature than you can throw a stick at. Just over 17 percent of the island is dedicated national park, within which there are countless hikes for both multi-day trekkers and half-hour stroll-takers. While the South Island is consistently amazing and pretty much any walk you go on will exceed expectations, we've handpicked these five as our particular favourites. When you need to quiet your mind, they'll be there for you. [caption id="attachment_687371" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Miles Holden.[/caption] ROUTEBURN TRACK With waterfalls, snowy mountains and views in spades, Routeburn is an absolute show-off in the nature department. Open to the public since the 1880s, the 32-kilometre track winds along the glacial Route Burn river and up past both the Routeburn and Earland Falls. It's an easy South Island favourite and has truly earned its place as one of New Zealand's Great Walks. The Fiordland National Parks-based track takes about two to four days to finish depending on your fitness level and how long you want to spend taking in the various majestic views. The track is only open from October through to April, and it pays to reserve a spot at one of the Department of Conservation huts or campsites early, as the department has a monopoly on park accommodation and spots are guaranteed to fill up fast. HEAPHY TRACK Based in the Kahurangi National Park, the Heaphy Track spans across the Nelson-Tasman and West Coast regions, taking hikers through dense Nikau palms and forest and out towards the beautiful, choppy Tasman Sea. The track also has quite a few cute little side trips, including a small expedition through an "enchanted forest" filled with beech trees and the remains of old caves. Take a torch and go exploring inside the caves a little, especially the one that has a small waterfall pouring out of it. The Heaphy Track totals 78.4 kilometres, so should take you between four and six days. The track's open all year but use your common sense and check the Department of Conservation site for up-to-date alerts before embarking on your trip. [caption id="attachment_687373" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Will Patino.[/caption] MILFORD TRACK The Milford Track was historically used as a practical route for Maori to traverse the Fiordland area, but British immigrants quickly cottoned onto the four-day track's potential as a recreational walk when they stumbled upon it. By the early 1900s the news had even spread to London about this beauty-saturated route, the poet Blanche Baughan describing it as "the finest walk in the world" in the London Spectator in 1908. The 53.5-kilometre track is still the most famous of all New Zealand hikes due to its iconic and varied Kiwiana landscape and views. But with fame comes the necessary bureaucracy; to walk the track, hikers need to book months in advance. [caption id="attachment_687375" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Corey Parsons.[/caption] MUELLER HUT TRACK According to Reddit rumours, Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant wrote 'Stairway to Heaven' after going up to the Mueller Hut. The ten-kilometre return hike starts with a gentle incline to the Sealy Tarns, where on a sufficiently bluebird day you'll be blessed with a view of Aoraki/Mount Cook. This is about your halfway point. After that, the two-hour alpine track through the tussock to get to the hut begins. The view from the Mueller Hut itself is a combination of glaciers and New Zealand's highest peaks in all directions. A stairway to heaven indeed. [caption id="attachment_687374" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Julian Apse.[/caption] ALEX KNOB TRACK Alex Knob is a track that will give your quads a baptism of fire, with about a four-hour steady climb. The Rata Lookout over what is just an absolutely glorious view of the Franz Josef Glacier will make it worth though. The track is for experienced and well-equipped trampers only, so stay below the snow line if you don't have alpine hiking experience or crampons. Don't be that guy in the news for getting seriously injured or lost in one of our national parks. Start planning your trip to New Zealand's south with our guide to the South Island journeys to take here.
Hellenika might be your favourite eatery in Brisbane, Greek or otherwise. Perhaps you can't go past sAme sAme's Thai dishes and two-storey venue. You could be fond of ESSA's moody space, the wine and people-watching at Cru Bar and, of course, the frosty sweet treats at Gelato Messina. Congratulations — you're a fan of James Street, which fills a stretch from Fortitude Valley to New Farm with impressive culinary options galore. You should also be a devoted attendee at the precinct's annual food and drink celebration: the James Street Food and Wine Trail. Thanks to the event, which attracted more than 20,000 people in 2022, nothing says classic Brisbane like spending four whole winter days eating and drinking your way up and down this patch of the River City. Indeed, if you're a Brisbanite with a healthy appetite, there's only one place to be between Thursday, July 27–Sunday, July 30. Take your rumbling stomach and its yearning for something scrumptious down to the well-known stretch of shops — and then fill it with tasty treats from everywhere from Gerard's Bar and Harveys Bar + Bistro to Jocelyn's Provisions and Mosconi. Over JSFWT's 2023 run, James Street will become a culinary wonderland again, and highlight the gastronomic delights of the area. That includes devouring delicious dishes and drinks, of course, regardless of what kind of food, beverage or event takes your fancy. And, it also boasts a whole day of market activity. Whenever you decide to head by, you can hop on the trail. Follow the roadway to a feast of dishes and drinks; think: the returning favourite that is Gerard's Bar's Lebanese pizza party to start things off on the Thursday, Jocelyn's launching a funfetti cake sandwich on the same date, The Green doing a Friday-night dinner and Cantinho cooking up souvlaki to end the working week. Come Saturday, champagne menus and rooftop garden shindigs join the spread at ESSA and The Calile, respectively. Then, on Sunday, 33 businesses will unleash their wares on Market Day, which'll take over the entire street. Even though Gerard's Bistro will be closed for refurbishment, it's even hosting a stall. So is Mexican newcomer Carmen, plus The Nixon Room, Sunshine and more. Also on the agenda at the picnic-style Market Day event, which turns the roadway into a 300-metre-long outdoor dining room: live performances and live music. Yes, the street will be shut between McLachlan and Arthur Streets, to make room for five live music stages, tables and dance parties. Across the trail's full duration, one-off menu pairings, set menus and tastings at James Street's residents remains a big highlight. So does Messina's contribution: five limited-edition flavours, with one per day from Thursday–Saturday and two on Sunday. James Street Food and Wine Trail returns to James Street, New Farm from Thursday, July 27–Sunday, July 30. For more information, head to the JSFWT website. Images: courtesy of James St.
Ah, the joy of gift-giving. And by 'joy,' we mean the stressful task of finding the perfect present for your loved ones who seem to have it all. But fear not, fellow gift-giver, we've got a guide that's as picky as your loved ones. Together with House of Suntory, we've put together this handy guide so you can find something perfect, no matter how niche. FOR LOVERS OF JAPANESE CRAFT SPIRITS There are scotch buffs and bourbon fans, but nobody is more discerning than a Japanese whisky enthusiast. People who have great respect for Japanese culture can be pretty specific when it comes to their spirit preferences. Nothing says "I appreciate your refined taste", like a bottle of Toki Whisky from House of Suntory. Toki means time, and this dram aims to combine different eras in one effortless blend. It combines whisky from three Japanese distilleries: Chita, Hakushu and Yamazaki. The palate is brimming with grapefruit, green grapes, peppermint and thyme with a subtle sweet and spicy finish with hints of vanilla oak, white pepper and ginger. It's ideal in a classic highball. Want to go all out with craft spirits? Suntory has just released its Hibiki Japanese Harmony 100th-anniversary edition. It's a delicate blend of malt and grain whiskies that promises a honeylike sweetness of candied orange peel and white chocolate on the palate and a nose bursting with rose, lychee, rosemary and sandalwood. FOR THE ONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE ANY PROPER GLASSWARE There's no point gifting an awesome whisky if they are just going to sip it out of some crappy mug they got for free at a festival three years ago. Level up their glassware with some luxury high-ball super-thin (but durable) glasses, like these Usuhari High-Ball Glass Set from Bokksu. Made in Japan and sent in a classy wooden case, they are a perfect gift for the whisky-lover who desperately needs some high-quality glassware. FOR YOUR MATE WHOSE VINYL COLLECTION IS TAKING OVER THEIR HOME Vinyl collectors are on another level and living in another era. Given the heaving shelves in their living room, there's little point trying to source their next favourite vinyl — because, likely, they already have that planned out. Instead, think outside the box for something that showcases their love for vinyl but is also useful, like Vinyl Coasters. It is ideal for the vinyl-lover who loves coffee or whisky and cares about protecting their coffee table. There are many options out there, but these novelty nostalgia ones from Retro Room have titles on the vinyls like Tea Time (Don't Spill This) and Topo Hot To Handle by The Nostaligics. Want to go further? Get them a vintage-inspired suitcase record player from Crosley to add some retro charm to their place. FOR THE FASHIONISTA WHO ALWAYS DRESSES THEIR BEST We all have that one friend who looks effortlessly fabulous. Who buys high-end wardrobe staples and with the addition of classic accessories like a silk scarf, stunning jewellery, or even on-point makeup can elevate even the most relaxed sweatpants look. If your fashion-forward bestie is in need of classic footwear, look no further than Onitsuka Tiger, currently having something of a resurgence in the fashion world. And what's a completed outfit without a signature fragrance? Check out Comme des Garçons (CDG) unisex scents, the brainchild of Japanese fashion rebel Rei Kawakubo. The range is inspired by 'anti-perfumes', like the scent of gunpowder or laundry — we're partial to the concrete fragrance. FOR SCREEN BUFFS WHO LOVE A TIPPLE WITH THEIR FAVOURITE MOVIE OR TV SHOW Lights, camera, action...and a good cocktail. If your mate can't go five minutes without referencing a movie or television show, then Cocktails of the Movies and Cheers to TV are two deep cuts to gift them. These books are the perfect blend of screen magic and mixology, ensuring your friend's movie night is Oscar-worthy, even if their cocktail skills are still in the supporting actor category. The movie book includes iconic cocktail recipes from Marilyn's Manhattan in Some Like It Hot to The Dude's white russian in The Big Lebowski, whereas the television version includes cocktails inspired by Game of Thrones, Fleabag and Jerry Seinfeld. They're the ultimate pop-culture accessory and make for excellent coffee table books, with each cocktail accompanied by a history of the beverage, some movie or television show insight and original artwork. [caption id="attachment_862472" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Luisa Brimble (Unsplash)[/caption] FOR THE PLANT PARENT WHO HAS COVERED EVERY SURFACE Normal planters are so last season, and your green-thumbed friend has probably used up all their surfaces with devil's ivy vines and monstera cuttings. Help them spruce up their home and their plant collection with a hanging disco ball planter. Now your friend can turn their house into a disco jungle, where even the plants groove to the beat of the water droplets. FOR THE TRAVELLER WHO IS PROBABLY ALREADY ON THEIR NEXT ADVENTURE If your mate returns from one adventure only to start planning the next one, their passport probably needs some protection. And what better way to keep their most treasured item than by gifting a luxe leather passport holder embossed with their initials? Perfect for the seasoned globetrotter, it's like a first-class ticket for their travel documents. Toki Whisky is available from all premium liquor outlets. For more information, check out the website.
When Brisbane was initially started to make a name for itself in the craft beer world, Newstead Brewing Co was one of the driving forces. Just over a decade later, the early pioneer in helping ensure that the River City wasn't just known for XXXX has closed its doors. The brand was no longer based in the suburb that shares its name, but said goodbye to its Milton site — just down the road from XXXX, in fact — before Tropical Cyclone Alfred. As Brissie was closing down ahead of the wild weather, so was this favourite — but permanently, sadly. Newstead Brewing Co announced the news afterwards, via a social media statement on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. "It's a sad time for Brisbane craft beer and our beloved industry," the message begins. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Newstead Brewing Co (@newsteadbrewingco) In its farewell, the Newstead Brewing Co crew looks back fondly on its beginnings, plus what came next, then notes the impact of the 2022 floods, and how it avoided closure at the time but is now saying goodbye. "Thirteen years ago, the beginning of the craft beer movement in Brisbane was wild. Discovering what hops in beer were was total transcendence; it was new and exciting. Filled with optimism, incredible collabs with international icons and style exploration, along with its fair share of ego. Being an OG of an industry, you aren't immune to being taken advantage of nor making mistakes." "Be it our generosity and trust sometimes besting our common sense, the great brand confusion of 2021 or a mid-strength lager with a big cow on the can, we have certainly learned some lessons along the way. While I'm sure all Brisbanians will have a Newstead story to share, Newstead Brewing's story certainly isn't singular. Where it does walk the line of uniqueness though, is in its shear grit," the message goes on. "Three years ago, after a crippling pandemic that bought the industry to its knees, we flooded. The humbling of that moment sparked a massive focus on integrity and authenticity. It was do or die. So we dug deep and did!" "At our core, we have always been a small family business. Built on a deep passion for pushing boundaries and exploring possibilities. With an enthusiasm to be a part of something wonderful and contribute to building a community and an industry. We could have been forgiven for closing the doors after the floods of 2022 and the experience of watching nine years of our hard work go under water. But something amazing happened. Those who were 'meant' to show up didn't and those who did show up, were meant to." Of the period since those floods, "it's been an inspiring three years and every single one of our team were integral to every breath Newstead took, so it's heartbreaking for us all, that in these times of industry crisis, we just couldn't weather this final storm," the crew advises. "The old girl is done." "We leave with our heads held high. All of our work was not for nothing. We kept the heart beating of an industry that needs help from its friends right now and we proved that passionate authenticity, heart and sheer grit truly do make an impactful difference." In its prime, Newstead Brewing Co not only boasted its original location on Doggett Street — which it left in 2023 — and its second home in Milton, but also a taphouse inside Brisbane Airport's domestic terminal. "From Doggett Street to Milton, it has been an honour serving you all. If anything can be taken from Newstead Brewing's story, it's to remain humble, keep evolving and bettering yourselves and please support your mates," the closure statement continued. [caption id="attachment_994852" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Newstead Brewing Co has closed its doors at 67 Castlemaine Street, Milton — head to the brewery's website for more details.
Same iconic facade, big changes inside: that's the vibe at the Fortitude Valley General Post Office building, aka GPO Hotel. Earlier in 2022, it was announced that the Ann Street locale is getting a $7-million-plus revamp behind its heritage-listed exterior, with Artesian Hospitality doing the honours. Now, you can look forward to hitting up the renovated spot sometime in early 2023, including eating and drinking at its new food and wine venue. Clearly, it's a significant makeover for the site, which dates back to 1887. An exact opening date hasn't yet been announced, or much in the way of detail about the site's changes, but sommelier Alan Hunter — also ex-General Manager of OTTO Brisbane — will oversee the new contemporary dining venue. He'll be joined by Executive Chef Richard Ousby, who'll use his experience overseas and locally to shape the restaurant's menu. Hunter comes to the new GPO with plenty of accolades, including being named the Pol Roger 2013 Sommelier of the Year, and helping lead OTTO Brisbane to nabbing the Wine List of the Year award in the Good Food Guide in 2019. As for Brisbane local Ousby, he'll draw upon his time in England at Michelin three-star restaurant Waterside Inn, in Sydney at Sous Chef at Quay, and as Executive Chef of Stokehouse restaurants's in Melbourne and Brisbane. "I am thrilled to join Artesian in delivering a truly exceptional venue offering to a place that is close to the hearts of so many Brisbanites," said Hunter. "It's a really exciting project to be a part of. The GPO revival is set to create a new benchmark for Brisbane's burgeoning foodie scene and I can't wait to welcome guests through its doors next year." [caption id="attachment_866375" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Artesian will make its Brisbane debut with the revamped GPO, with Cali Beach Club, Surfers Pavilion, White Rhino, Saké Sisters and Havana RnB on the Gold Coast on its resume so far. "We are delighted to have Alan and Richard join the group. They're the perfect team to lead us into a very exciting new era for Artesian and for one of Brisbane's most beloved establishments," said Matthew Keegan, Artesian Hospitality's Founder and Managing Partner. "The talent and experience of Alan and Richard epitomise the nature of what will be unveiled within the new GPO precinct. We're so excited for what's to come, and can't wait to cement the precinct's status as a staple within the Brisbane social scene, while introducing it to a broader audience of sophisticated food and wine lovers." The Fortitude Valley General Post Office building is located at 740 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, and will reopen in early 2023. We'll update you when Artesian Hospitality announces an exact launch date. Top image: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.
Maybe you're always on the hunt for new experiences. Perhaps you can't go past a meal with a view. You could be keen to indulge your adrenaline-junkie side any way that you can. Or, you just might want to see Brisbane from a different perspective. All of the above is on the menu at Vertigo, as is dinner. Sure, a great bite to eat should satisfy your tastebuds and your stomach; however, this one will also get your blood pumping and pulse racing. Initially announced in August and now serving sky-high diners Thursday–Sunday weekly, Vertigo is a brand-new addition to the River City's iconic Brisbane Powerhouse. The twist: it isn't just located on top of the riverside New Farm venue, but hangs off of the site's industrial facade. Forget just living on the edge — this is dining on the edge, and literally. Obviously, the views are spectacular. Given that patrons climb out to their seats while donning a safety harness, then eat four stories (and 17 metres) up, so are the thrills. An Australian-first vertical dining experience, Vertigo's levelled-up dinners welcome in tables of two to peer out over Brisbane. It comes with a big caveat, however, with the restaurant at the mercy of the weather. That'll certainly play a factor over Brissie's stormy summers, but the night's sitting will still go ahead if it's only lightly raining. Once you're seated, Brisbane Powerhouse's Bar Alto downstairs provides Vertigo's food across its eight tables — and each reservation's two-hour sitting — with the two-course menu featuring local ingredients to go with what's certain to become a local attraction. Unsurprisingly, a visit here doesn't come cheap, costing $250 per person. Another caveat: you can't head up if you've been drinking, with everyone breathalysed first and required to return a 0.00-percent blood alcohol reading. That said, while you need to be sober to climb over the edge, a matched glass of wine will be served with dinner. You'll also get a post-descent champagne, beer or soft drink. If you're not fond of heights, this won't be for you. But if you're fine with towering not just atop but over the side of an old power station-turned-arts precinct that dates back to the 1920s — whether you're a Brisbane local or a tourist — you'll be in for quite the unique experience. To make the evening even more dramatic, diners can also choose to come back to earth post-meal via dropline down the facade. Or, if that's too much adventure for you — especially after eating — you can just head back to the ground through the venue. If star chef Luke Mangan achieves his dream of setting up a restaurant on the Story Bridge, too, Brisbane might need to rename itself the Sky-High City. "Vertigo is unlike anything else in the world, it is an unexpected combination of adventure tourism and fine-dining on a heritage site," said Brisbane Powerhouse CEO/Artistic Director Kate Gould when the restaurant was first announced. "Stepping off the roof of Brisbane Powerhouse to take a seat suspended at your table, four stories above the ground, will be the ultimate thrill. Experience silver service dining — albeit one with unbreakable crockery and cutlery attached to the table!" "We are creating a uniquely Brisbane dining experience, at height. You will be on the edge of your seat in the open air before descending via an unforgettable exit," added Riverlife creator and co-founder John Sharpe, with the outdoor tour operator partnering with Powerhouse on the venture. "Vertigo will inspire fear but with the knowledge that safety is the priority of our experienced team of adventure tourism guides." Find Vertigo at Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington Street, New Farm, Brisbane, operating from 5pm Thursday–Sunday — head to the venue's website for further details and bookings. Images: Markus Ravik.
Money can't buy you love, as four mop-topped Brits first sang 59 years ago, but it can buy you tickets to see the music legend who wrote one of the catchiest pop tracks ever released — and co-performed it — play it live in Australia. When Paul McCartney heads Down Under this spring, he'll have a wealth of material to choose from. One of his favourite openers: 'Can't Buy Me Love'. Hitting our shores for the first time since 2017 on his Got Back tour, McCartney will work through a massive catalogue of hits from his time in The Beatles, Wings and also across his solo career on a six-city stint around the country. Arenas and stadiums will welcome Sir Paul, starting at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Wednesday, October 18, then heading to Melbourne's Marvel Stadium, Newcastle's McDonald Jones Stadium and Allianz Stadium in Sydney before the month is out. Then, to kick off November, McCartney will take over Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium and finally Heritage Bank Stadium on the Gold Coast. This tour will mark the Beatles icon's first-ever Newcastle and Gold Coast shows, and also commemorate almost six decades since the band that helped McCartney make history famously toured Australia in 1964 amid a wave of Beatlemania. In Adelaide all of those years back, it's estimated that 350,000 people lined the streets to get a glimpse of the group, packing the stretch between the airport and Town Hall. McCartney's Got Back setlist has featured everything from 'Hey Jude', 'Let It Be' and 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' to 'Love Me Do', 'Blackbird' and 'Got to Get You Into My Life' from The Beatles across its stops so far. Yes, 'Get Back' gets a whirl. Wings tunes 'Live and Let Die', 'Band on the Run', 'Letting Go' and 'Junior's Farm' usually pop up, too, as does McCartney's own 'Maybe I'm Amazed'. The Got Back tour kicked off in the US in February 2022, wrapping up last year's run with a massive Glastonbury set. McCartney now brings his usual band — keyboardist Paul 'Wix' Wickens, bassist and guitarist Brian Ray, fellow guitarist Rusty Anderson and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr — our way after picking up a Helpmann Award for Best International Contemporary Concert for his last visit. PAUL McCARTNEY 'GOT BACK' TOUR 2023 DATES: Wednesday, October 18 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Saturday, October 21 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Tuesday, October 24 — McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle Friday, October 27–Saturday, October 28 — Allianz Stadium, Sydney Wednesday, November 1 — Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Saturday, November 4 — Heritage Bank Stadium, Gold Coast Paul McCartney tours Australia in October and November 2023, with Telstra Plus members pre-sale tickets from Thursday, August 3, Frontier members pre-sale ticketing available from Wednesday, August 9 and general tickets from Friday, August 11 — all at staggered times. Head to the tour website for further details. Images: MPL Communications.
Australia has been welcoming a steady stream of stunning new hotel properties from local brands, from dog-friendly boutique stays to history-filled inner-city escapes. But that's not the case for our latest grand arrival, which officially opened today, Thursday, March 23, towering above Melbourne CBD's Lonsdale Street. After much hype, the Ritz-Carlton Melbourne has finally been unveiled in all its luxurious 80-storey glory. It marks the second Aussie property for the international Marriott-owned brand after an existing site in Perth, with the next slated to open on the Gold Coast by 2026. The new 257-room hotel is a high-end affair, with renowned Aussie architects Cottee Parker behind the build and BAR Studio to thank for the elegant interiors. Here, they've flipped the script on the usual hotel formula, placing the impressive Sky Lobby Reception way up on Level 80, where lofty ceilings and huge windows offer panoramic views to greet its guests. Rooms are kitted out with hand-made glass panels, dark timber and gold finishes, while artworks pay tribute to both the city location and the area's indigenous heritage. Splash out to stay in the enormous Ritz-Carlton Suite and you'll enjoy your own in-room sauna, walk-in wardrobe and private pantry. Last year, the hotel named Michael Greenlaw (London's Bibendum, Vue de Monde) as Executive Chef and Mark Best (Peninsula Bistro, Marque) in the role of Culinary Advisor, hinting at some buzz-worthy food and drink offerings to come. That looks set to be the case, with three onsite venues now unveiled — Atria is the innovative fine-diner celebrating hyper-seasonality, Cameo is the glam cocktail bar promising top-shelf sipping and the Lobby Lounge is the more casual counterpart that'll also play host to high-tea sessions. All of these sit at the top of the hotel, showcasing eye-popping views across the city. Of course, with all that luxury there had to be a standout wellness offering involved — and the Ritz-Carlton Spa promises not to disappoint. Here, you'll find six treatment rooms and a hefty menu of therapies, as well as a soaring infinity pool, yoga studio and fitness hub. The hotel is also home to no less than 2500 square metres of event space, including the expansive Ritz-Carlton Grand Ballroom, which boasts space to sit 550 guests. Find the Ritz-Carlton Melbourne at 650 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. 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.
Dry July hasn't turned out how many Australians would've liked, thanks to lockdowns in Greater Sydney, Victoria and South Australia. But whether you were trying to take a break from booze for a spell, you've been cutting down on your drinking in general or you don't touch the hard stuff anyway, gin brand Gordon's has released a new tipple you'll want to sip even when ditching alcohol isn't the centre of attention for an entire month. The popular gin label has unveiled its own booze-free version, Gordon's 0.0% — and yes, that moniker makes its alcohol content clear. It still heroes the usual juniper flavour, and is still distilled using the same botanicals, but pairs it with zero booze. Two options are now available in bottle shops: Gordon's 0.0% in 700-millilitre bottles, so you can mix your own alcohol-free G&Ts and other cocktails; and 330-millilitre ready-to-drink gin-and-tonic mixes that come in four-packs. Whichever you choose, one thing is certain: however much you drink, you won't have a hangover the next day. Whether you're new to cutting out the sauce or you've always preferred your beverages sans booze, the alcohol-free drinks industry has been expanding in a big way over the past few years. Melbourne has its own booze-free gin joint, Sydney has a bottle-o dedicated to the concept, and actually decent mocktails are available on plenty of bar menus around the country now. The range of wines and beers with low or no alcohol has also been growing, too, so having a drink but skipping the headache — and not just sipping orange juice, sparkling water or soda — has never been easier. Gordon's 0.0% is now available in Australian bottle shops — in 700-millilitre bottles (RRP$34.99) and 330-millilitre ready-to-drink gin-and-tonic mixes (RRP$14.99 for a four-pack).
Cyclists in the city could soon find themselves with their heads in the clouds, with Premier Daniel Andrews yesterday announcing that the State Government will build an elevated bicycle highway in Melbourne's inner west. If you're a regular commuter cyclist from Footscray, Yarraville or Werribee, this should be music to your just-beeped-at ears. The proposal — which was floated by the government in June last year — is set to come to life as part of the West Gate Tunnel Project, which will see a four-kilometre tunnel and freeway above Footscray Road be built as an alternative to the always-congested West Gate Bridge. The two-and-a-half-kilometre cycling 'veloway' — starting at Footscray's Shepherd's Bridge and finishing on Dudley Street in Docklands — will sit above Footscray Road, elevated from street-level and underneath the future flyover. As well as allowing cyclists to skip traffic lights and get to the city much faster, the separation of cyclists and motor vehicles will significantly increase the safety of those on their bikes. While Footscray Road does have a bike lane, the new elevated infrastructure will allow cyclists to bypass dodgy intersections (like at Sims Street and Shepherd Bridge) and more fluidly connect with other major bike paths, such as the Capital City Trail. The Footscray Road bike path won't be disused though — in fact, it will be widened. And with the new flyover road and the 24/7 truck ban that is set to be instated on surrounding Francis Street, Somerville Road, Buckley Street and Moore Street, we're guessing it will be a bit less precarious too. The West Gate Tunnel Project now has to be assessed through an Environment Effects Statement (EES), with construction set to start in early 2018. It's very focused on car transport, so we're happy to see that cycling infrastructure is getting a look-in too. The more we can do to encourage people to give up their cars for a healthier, more environmentally-friendly form of transportation, the better. Via The Age. Image: Yarra River Business Association. By Tom Clift and Lauren Vadnjal.
Need some encouragement to do something other than destroy brain cells this weekend? Take a look at this handy infographic, which suggests that Facebook's Ultimate IQ Test might have been lying to us all along. Unbelievable, I know! Apparently only 2.5% of the people really do fall into the "very superior intelligence" bracket, possessing an IQ of 130 or more, while only 0.5% of the population are sitting comfortably within the "genius" category with IQs of 140 or over. There's still plenty of room for the argument that it's accomplishments rather than IQ that make one smart. Take for instance theoretical physicist and decoder of the universe Steven Hawking who, as it turns out, has an IQ of only 160. Ha! That puts him 20 whole smart points behind James Woods, who dropped out of college to appear in Family Guy and voice Mike Toreno in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (though granted he also won three Emmy Awards and gained two Academy Award nominations). One of the even more genius geniuses is television writer Rick Rosner, who changed his name to stay in high school into his 20s. Rosner has an IQ of 192. Some dudes you may or may not have heard of have IQs well over the 200 mark, though I will leave the job of revealing details up to the chart because it's actually scary to talk about. Tthough not as scary as this list of 10 Supersmart Musicians put together by Time Entertainment, which reveals that Dexter Holland from The Offspring used to be a molecular biologist who went by the name of Brian Keith Holland. via Buzzpatrol
If popular culture-inspired tights, skater dresses, catsuits, shorties and gymwear are your kinds of threads, then you're probably a fan of BlackMilk Clothing. The Brisbane fashion label has been improving wardrobe options for years now, including via its super-popular Star Wars and Harry Potter lines. Before the pandemic, it was also well-known for its sample sales; however, they've been on hold for the past few years. Until now, that is, with BlackMilk busting out a heap of discounted items from 7am–1pm on Saturday, June 4. First, make some room in your cupboard. Then, head over to The Joinery in West End for this hefty sale. Previously sold-out pieces, limited-edition styles and one-off designs will all be up for grabs, plus other samples in all sizes. Whether you like BlackMilk's colour choices, designer fabrics, hand-drawn prints or those licensed pop-culture collabs, there'll be plenty to choose from. Given BlackMilk's following, expect to have company while you shop. Actually, the fact that nothing will cost over $35 is also certain to draw a crowd.
Michael Bay movies, Michael Bay movies, whatcha gonna do? Since the action-film director leapt from commercials and music videos to his big-screen debut Bad Boys more than a quarter-century back, there's only been two options. Slickly and unsubtly dripping with gleeful excess, his high-concept flicks embrace explosions, chases, heists, shootouts, jittery chaos and perpetual golden-hour hues with such OTT passion that you surrender or roll your eyes — having a blast or being bored by the bombast, basically. Too often, the latter strikes. That proved true of all five of his Transformers films, which are responsible for more cinematic tedium than any filmmaker should legally be allowed to crash onto screens. That his pictures are lensed and spliced as if lingering on one still for more than a split second is a heinous crime usually doesn't help, but it's what Bay is known for — and yet when Bayhem sparkles like it mostly does in Ambulance, it's its own kind of thrilling experience. Following a high-stakes Los Angeles bank robbery that goes south swiftly, forcing two perpetrators to hijack an EMT vehicle — while a paramedic tries to save a shot cop's life as the van flees the LAPD and the FBI, too — Ambulance is characteristically ridiculous. Although based on the 2005 Danish film Ambulancen, it's Bay from go to whoa; screenwriter and feature newcomer Chris Fedak (TV's Chuck, Prodigal Son) even references past Bay movies in the dialogue. The first time, when The Rock is mentioned, it's done in a matter-of-fact way that as brazen as anything Bay has ever achieved when his flicks defy the laws of physics. In the second instance mere minutes later, it's perhaps the most hilarious thing he's put in his movies. It's worth remembering that Divinyls' 'I Touch Myself' was one of his music-clip jobs; Bay sure does love what only he can thrust onto screens, and he wants audiences to know it while adoring it as well. Ambulance's key duo, brothers Will (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, The Matrix Resurrections) and Danny Sharp (Jake Gyllenhaal, The Guilty), are a former Marine and ostensible luxury-car dealer/actual career criminal with hugely different reasons for attempting to pilfer a $32-million payday. For the unemployed Will, it's about the cash needed to pay for his wife Amy's (Moses Ingram, The Tragedy of Macbeth) experimental surgery, which his veteran's health insurance won't cover — but his sibling just wants money. Will is reluctant but desperate, Danny couldn't be more eager, and both race through a mess of a day. Naturally, it gets more hectic when they're hurtling along as the hotshot Cam (Eiza González, Godzilla vs Kong) works on wounded rookie police officer Zach (Jackson White, The Space Between), arm-deep in his guts at one point, while Captain Monroe (Garrett Dillahunt, Army of the Dead), Agent Anson Clark (Keir O'Donnell, The Dry) and their forces are in hot pursuit. Everything from Armageddon, Pearl Harbour and The Island to 2019's Netflix flick 6 Underground has trained viewers in what to expect from Ambulance — plus the movies name-checked in Ambulance's frames, obviously — but Bay is also the filmmaker who gave cinema 2013's exceptional Pain & Gain. His latest doesn't reach the same savvy heights, and it's both boosted by its hearty embrace of Bayhem and occasionally a victim to it, but it's rarely less than wildly entertaining. As the director's best efforts have long shown, he boasts a knack for heist-style films. Capers about break-ins of various sorts, even into Alcatraz, suit Bay because they're typically about chasing hefty scores no matter the cost. Ambulance was made for only $40 million, which is a fifth of most Transformers movies and somehow around half of non-Bay-directed recent release Morbius' budget, but bold moves with eyes on a big prize aren't just fiction in Bay's orbit. When Ambulance works, it enthrals with its shameless hug of classic Bay trademarks — putting them to fitting use, rather than simply splashing them around because that's his familiar schtick. Drone shots (yes, Bay has discovered drones) are frequently a bane of modern filmmaking, trotted out just because they can be, but they careen and prowl here to add urgency, capture the on-the-road frenzy and plot out LA. Bay's fondness for constantly circling camerawork, as seen when director of photography Roberto De Angelis (Faces Places) can't even shoot Will asking Danny for cash without revolving around Abdul-Mateen and Gyllenhaal, also conveys the many non-stop onslaughts crucial to the movie. In that specific scene, the relentless motion expresses the toll of Will's ongoing struggle for funds, the heady excitement of Danny's lifelong grifting and also the continually spinning dynamic between the two brothers. Of course, Ambulance's pièce de résistance is all that time spent in its key mode of transport, intensely zipping and zooming around the City of Angels like Bay is making Point Break-meets-Mad Max: Fury Road (and after attempting to riff on Heat first). His commitment to kinetic and frenetic practical effects and stunts instantly makes the movie's stellar midsection stand out — and yes, that Bay's overall aesthetic and approach now looks worlds away from the franchise action fare that monopolises blockbuster cinema at present is part of what makes Ambulance feel like such a treat. Given this was never going to be a flick with clever dialogue, as those nods to The Rock and company make plain, Abdul-Mateen, Gyllenhaal and González all get their finest moments to shine while speeding along as well. All three turn in charismatic performances that invest one-note parts with flair and as much depth as they can in the circumstances, but it's Gyllenhaal in villainous mode who's always utterly mesmerising. Just like Bay, he's having a ball, it shows and it's infectious. Absent, thankfully, is the filmmaker's past fondness for leering at women (see: the first two Bad Boys movies and anytime Megan Fox appears in the Transformers flicks for especially egregious examples). Instead, that's swapped for ogling LA, its skyscrapers and landmarks, and the chases that blow past them — but Ambulance is still noticeably a sausage fest. It also can't resist overextending its running time at 136 minutes, resulting in a dragging finale. And, it throws in law enforcement- and military-worshipping patriotism that comes as no surprise from the helmer of the dire 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, and clumsily leans on stereotypes with queer and Latino characters. Ambulance's rough patches are eclipsed by its rush, rollicking, dash and dazzle, though, inherent absurdity and all — even if welcoming Bayhem as the current pinnacle of action cinema sounds as preposterous as, well, hijacking an ambulance.
Perhaps you have great memories of rides, sideshows and taking home a goldfish. Maybe even just mentioning Bertie Beetles and strawberry sundaes gets you thinking about all those Wednesdays, year after year, spent away from school and at the Ekka. Whichever fits, every Brisbanite has had their Ekka moment — and we're all glad that the show is back in 2022. Still, that doesn't mean that we all head along each year. Can't make it this time? Don't have a day to spare? Avoiding crowds? Every Brisbanite has been through that, too, and thankfully a number of events around town are spreading the Ekka love if you're not actually hitting up the Ekka. Here are our five picks — and yes, strawberries feature heavily. Of course they do.
Acclaimed the world over — and named the World's Best Gin Producer for two years running to prove it — Australian's Four Pillars has built up quite the following in boozy circles. Since 2013, the Yarra Valley-based distillery has given Aussie gin lovers plenty of covetable drops to drink, including via famed tipples such as its beloved Rare Dry Gin and bloody great Bloody Shiraz Gin. Even if you don't sip the hard stuff, you've heard of Four Pillars. You've also got a mate with a gin shrine filled with Four Pillars bottles, because everyone does. But now, thanks to the distillery's latest range, folks who don't indulge in alcohol can taste what all the fuss is about — and anyone who is having a break from cocktails for whatever reason can keep knocking back the brand's beverages. Meet Bandwagon, Four Pillars' new booze-free line, which'll arrive for hangover-free drinks at the end of June. Those two popular tipples mentioned above, Rare Dry Gin and Bloody Shiraz Gin, have been given the sans-alcohol treatment — after the distillery spent two years getting everything just right. With Bandwagon Dry, the Four Pillars team started with the same ten botanicals that make up the Rare Dry Gin. Those flavours are extracted in a different way for this boozeless version, though, with the oils and flavours from juniper, lemon myrtle, coriander seed and the like gathered using steam distillation. And, each is distilled separately in order to control the flavour contribution and the quality. They're then mixed together with a water base, and combined with steamed and vacuumed fresh chilli to give the not-quite-gin the heat that comes with alcohol — and with a natural fructose from plants for weight. As for Bloody Bandwagon, it starts with Bandwagon Dry. Bloody Shiraz Gin is made with a base of Rare Dry Gin, too, so that process is replicated — but without alcohol. Then, the clear Bandwagon Dry liquid is mixed with shiraz juice, which is crafted with shiraz grapes that haven't been fermented (so, no booze). Basically, forget soft drinks — you only need to drink these booze-free spirits from now on. When the Bandwagon range hits shelves just in time for Dry July, you'll find it at the Four Pillars Healesville Distillery and Surry Hills Laboratory, as well as from BoozeBud, Coles Local, Dan Murphy's, IGA, Liquorland and Sans Drinks. You'll also be able to pick up just Bandwagon Dry at First Choice Liquor, Vintage Cellars and Woolworths. Wondering how to drink both tipples? Four Pillars co-founder and distiller Cameron Mackenzie recommends using "around 60 millilitres of Bandwagon Dry with 100 millilitres of of your favourite tonic. As ever, use plenty of ice and an orange slice as a garnish." For Bloody Bandwagon, Mackenzie says "this is a unique, purple, and slightly sweet alcohol-free spirit that you can use just as you would your Bloody Shiraz Gin. Combine 60 millilitres of Bloody Bandwagon with 100 millilitres of tonic or soda and you'll have yourself a deliciously grown-up, booze-free drink." It's also advised to use a bit more of the Bandwagon drinks with your mixers to help highlight the flavour. And no, Mackenzie didn't initially think a decade back that this is something that Four Pillars would ever whip up. "When we launched in 2013, never in our wildest dreams did we think we would make a non-alcoholic product. But as we've grown older and wiser, booze is not always your go-to and you a need quality alternative. Enter Bandwagon," he said. Four Pillars' Bandwagon Dry and Bloody Bandwagon will be available to buy from the end of June at the Four Pillars Healesville Distillery and Surry Hills Laboratory, as well as from BoozeBud, Coles Local, Dan Murphy's, IGA, Liquorland and Sans Drinks. You'll also be able to pick up Bandwagon Dry at First Choice Liquor, Vintage Cellars and Woolworths.
The pandemic, an idea and a twist. That's the path that brought Rita's, Teneriffe's new — and proudly unauthentic — taco and tequila joint to fruition. First, when COVID-19 started wreaking havoc in 2020, Aleks Balodis and Ollie Hansford were made redundant from their jobs as Head Sommelier and Executive Chef at Stokehouse Q. That inspired them to open Vernon Terrace spaghetti bar Siffredi's; however, they also kept being asked to whip up cocktails. So, they decided to take over the space next door, and to go heavy on tortillas and everyone's favourite agave spirit — but neither had been to Mexico, and nor had Daniel Pennefather (ex-Blackbird Bar & Grill), who joined the venture with them. Rather than try to serve up traditional dishes, the trio decided to embrace that lack of first-hand experience by coming up with their own blatantly unorthodox Australian-influenced taco menu. And they really have taken their cues from local sources, complete with a braised kangaroo tail taco that comes with Sriracha mayonnaise, salsa and pickled apple. The biggest Aussie nod: the kransky taco, which is Rita's ode to the humble Bunnings snag. Featuring both caramelised and crispy onions, as well as curry sauce, the highly creative taco came about exactly as you'd expect, with Balodis and Hansford spending a heap of time at the hardware chain. On Saturdays, they tucked into snags during their visits, naturally. That led to Balodis joking that they should do 'snag and mustard' on a taco, a concept the pair ran with. Other Rita's menu highlights include Korean cauliflower tacos with macadamia cream, crispy buffalo bug tacos with pickled red onion and grilled snapper tacos with potato. Patrons can also tuck into oysters with mezcal mignonette, grilled scallop and caramelised cashew skewers, raw tuna tostadas, and black bean and goat's cheese empanadas, as well as a tres leches cake made with salted tequila caramel for dessert. As for those much-requested cocktails, Rita's mixes up three types of signature margs thanks to Balodis and Pennefather, so you can sip versions with vanilla and coconut, prosecco and Aperol, and honey and lemon citrus. Or, there's both classic and Tommy's options, two Mexican lagers and Rita's own pale ale. And, obviously, tequila is a big feature — heroing small-batch boutique tipples.
Been spending the first few months of 2021 pondering the future? Given how the past year has panned out, that's only natural. But tonight, on Tuesday, April 27, you might want to look to the skies as well — and feast your eyes on a luminous lunar sight. For folks located Down Under, this is when you'll see this year's 'pink supermoon'. While super full moons aren't particularly rare — two usually happen each year — there are plenty of reasons to peer upwards this time around. If you're wondering why, we've run through the details below. WHAT IS IT? If you're more familiar with The Mighty Boosh's take on the moon than actual lunar terms, here's what you need to know. As we all learned back in November 2016, a supermoon is a new moon or full moon that occurs when the moon reaches the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit, making it particularly bright. They're not all that uncommon — and because April 2021's supermoon is a full moon (and not a new moon), it's called a super full moon. It's also a pink moon, too, which doesn't refer to its colour but to the time of year. In the northern hemisphere, April and spring go hand-in-hand — which means the April full moon usually arrives with the onset of the year's floral blooms, and with the first flowers from the pink-hued wild ground phlox specifically. Of course, it's currently autumn in the southern hemisphere, and the wild ground phlox are native to North America — but the name still sticks. WHEN CAN I SEE IT? If you're keen to catch a glimpse, you'll want to peek outside on Tuesday, April 27. While timeanddate.com notes that the super pink moon is expected to be at its peak at 1.31pm during the day today in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane — and at 1.01pm in Adelaide, and 11.31am in Perth — it's still worth looking up for once evening hits. If you're eager to take some pictures — and see if you can outdo previous supermoon snaps — moonrise is expected at 5.33pm AEST tonight. That's when the moon will first peek above the horizon for the evening, and it'll move higher into the sky across the night. WHERE CAN I SEE IT? You can take a gander from your backyard or balcony, but the standard advice regarding looking into the night sky always applies — so city-dwellers will want to get as far away from light pollution as possible to get the absolute best view. Typically, haze is predicted for Sydney, and Brisbane and Perth have partly cloudy forecasts — but the Bureau of Meteorology only tips light morning showers for Melbourne, and sunny conditions for Adelaide. If you miss out tonight, another supermoon is due on Wednesday, May 26 — and it's called the flower moon. Via timeanddate.com / space.com. Image: Andrew C.
Australians, it's time to break out the gin and juice again — because Snoop Dogg is coming back to our shores. For the first time since 2014, the rapper is hitting stages Down Under as part of this new 'I Wanna Thank Me' tour, which'll be playing arenas in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in October and November 2022. Clearly, the musician/actor/cook book author/wrestling MC/wine brand owner will be dropping shows like they're hot as he raps his way through the RAC Arena, Qudos Bank Arena, Rod Laver Arena and Brisbane Entertainment Centre. He'll also be inspiring hip hop fans to be the life of the party and, if you can remember his time as Snoop Doggy Dog and Snoop Lion across his career, to ask about his name as well. Yes, you can expect to hear singles such as 'What's My Name?', 'Gin and Juice', 'Drop It Like It's Hot' and 'Snoop's Upside Ya Head', as well as tracks from his latest album — which shares its moniker with the tour. His 17th record, I Wanna Thank Me came out in 2019. So did a documentary with the same title, which you can watch in parts on Snoop's offical YouTube channel if you need something to tide you over while you wait for his new live shows. After a lack of big international tours coming our way for the past two years due to the pandemic, Snoop joins a growing list of musicians that are planning to head to Australia in 2022. So, you might need to slot his shows into your diary alongside gigs by Tyler, The Creator, Alanis Morissette, Lorde and My Chemical Romance. SNOOP DOGG 'I WANNA THANK ME' 2022 AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES Perth — Wednesday, October 22, RAC Arena Sydney — Friday, October 28, Qudos Bank Arena Melbourne — Saturday, October 29, Rod Laver Arena Brisbane — Tuesday, November 1, Brisbane Entertainment Centre Telstra pre-sale tickets for Snoop Dogg's 'I Wanna Thank Me' tour go on sale at 12pm local time on Friday, September 10. Then, general public tickets on sale at 4pm local time on Monday, September 13. Visit the tour website for further details.
In 2012, Imogen Heap appeared on a Wired stage wearing what seemed to be magical gloves. Every time she moved, the music responded. One sweeping gesture would incite a dramatic crescendo; one wiggle of the index finger would provoke a shift from major to minor; one flick of the wrist would mute an entire string section. Liberated from laptops and mixing decks, Heap was transformed into a wizard/conductor/interpretive dancer who seemed to have every sound in the universe at her command. She liked it so much that she wants to pass her superpowers onto the world. She and a team of tech-experts have been hard at work creating a set of electronic gloves that anyone can use. Having come up with a prototype, they’re now looking for Kickstarter support to raise the £200,000 necessary to facilitating a first production run. The gloves, dubbed Mi.Mu, allow the user to interact with their computer through gestures. A series of sensors measure the hand’s position, direction and force of movement and this data is transported wirelessly, then transformed into musical elements. Heap has been developing the technology for four years, initially motivated by a desire to inject more expression into her live performances. "In order to free myself up on the stage from my various bits of technology and to bridge the gap between what’s going on on stage and the audience, I wanted to create something where I could manipulate my computer on the move wirelessly so that music becomes more like a dance rather than a robotic act like pressing a button or moving a fader," she told Dezeen. Early versions of the gloves were connected to a pack worn on the upper body and required elaborate set-up procedures. But the latest are much more accessible. The inclusion of an x-IMU board containing an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer and wifi has rendered the pack unnecessary. "It's really simple," Heap explains. "It just sees this exoskeleton as a device and then it comes up on your computer as a wifi device and you're ready to go. It's super simple and it's great." It’s expected that Mi.Mu’s uses will expand beyond music, to include design, sign language and, um, driving a vehicle. "I suppose as long as you can access your computer inside your car, there's no reason why you couldn't just sit in the back of your car and indicate right or left," Heap muses. "It's a remote control. It feels like an expressive musical instrument sometimes but it's essentially a remote control and anything that you could potentially do with your hands, you could do with your gloves." With Heap at the wheel, that could be one interesting ride. [via Dezeen]
Victoria's Grampians National Park is already home to a number of world-class hiking trails, but, come next year, it will have a giant new one that's will be a whole trip in itself. Start stretching, because this will be a big one. When completed in late-2020, the Grampians Peaks Trail will cover 160 kilometres and take 13 days to traverse. It'll connect some of the Grampians' best mountain peaks, providing panoramic views of the southern volcanic plains from Mount Abrupt, winding through the parks low-lying greenery and waterfalls to Mount Zero in the north. The track has been designed so everyone can get some use out of it — whether you're looking for a leisurely day trip or an overnight hike, or ready to commit to an epic two-week adventure. Gariwerd — as it's known by the land's Traditional Owners, the Jardwadjali and Djab Wurrung people — is more than just its rugged, sandstone mountains. The park is heritage listed for its Aboriginal significance (there is a large number of ancient rock art paintings and shelters in the area), its abundance of animal and plant life, and its damn spectacular views. If you're raring to get started, a section of the Grampians Peaks Trail is already open — and it's a three-day circuit, so you can easily make a weekender out of it. As it stands, the 36-kilometre walk starts and ends at Halls Gap and has two campsites — Bugiga Hiker Camp and Borough Huts Campground — and takes in highlights like the Pinnacle, Spitters Falls, the Gate of the East Wind, Mount Rosea and Bellfield Lake. The Grampians Peaks Trail will open in full in late 2020. We'll keep you updated with new details on the track as its launch gets closer.
If you're the kind of person who loves new years for new calendars — and, the thrill of filling in all of the fun things on your agenda for the 12 months ahead, specifically — then you just scored something huge to pop in. It wouldn't be a winter in Australia without Splendour in the Grass, which has locked in its 2024 midyear dates. From Friday, July 19–Sunday, July 21 this year, North Byron Parklands beckons. That timing might be exactly what you expected; however, knowing the exact dates means that you can start planning, booking your leave and getting excited. Camping will be available from Wednesday, July 17 if you'd like to make more than a few days of it for Splendour's 22nd birthday. Now that you've blocked out a massive weekend, you're probably wondering who'll be on the bill. That hasn't yet been revealed, but organisers promise that details are coming soon. 2023's full lineup arrived in April, with Lizzo announced as a headliner in March. Pre-COVID-19, Splendour's lineups would start being unveiled between February and April. For now, the Splendour crew is promising "your favourite, freshest and most-exciting global acts" to follow in the footsteps of everyone from Flume, The Strokes, Lorde and Mark Ronson to Outkast, Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, Florence + the Machine and more from past years. Ahead of the 2023 lineup announcement, Splendour Member applications are now open until 5pm on Tuesday, January 30 for guaranteed tickets in a dedicated presale. To qualify, you need to have purchased tickets and attended Splendour five times or more before. And, if approved, you can buy up to four tickets. Who are you hoping will be on Splendour's 2024 bill? Start speculating. Splendour in the Grass will take over North Byron Bay Parklands from Friday, July 19–Sunday, July 21, 2024. We'll update you with the lineup details when they're announced. For more information in the interim, head to the festival website. Images: Charlie Hardy, Bianca Holderness and Claudia Ciapocha.
After 18 days of the world's finest and most cutting edge films back to back to back, the Melbourne International Film Festival has packed up the popcorn and projectors. Here's what our critics loved, loathed, admired and squirmed over. The Best Films MOMMY The latest film from 25-year-old enfant terrible Xavier Dolan pours unconstrained emotion into a claustrophobic space. Shot in boxy 1:1 aspect ratio, the film tells the story of fiery widow Dianne and her troubled teenager Simon, a pair of bombastic outsiders in a white-bread, buttoned-down world. Anne Dorval and Antoine Olivier Pilon are both stunningly good, their performances positively glowing with uninhibited feeling. The tightness of the frame, meanwhile, reflects Di and Simon's limited options, even as their energy threatens to force the edges apart. This is a funny, earnest, devastating film, one that's vitalised, rather than limited, by its intriguing technical conceit. -Tom Clift https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ifhu51tLv5g FORCE MAJEURE I really wish this wasn't my favourite film of the festival. For the sake of my own credibility, I would prefer that my favourite film wasn't a film released by the company for whom my wife works as marketing manager. But the heart wants what it wants, and I'm talking about both her and the film when I say that. Force Majeure, which won the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival, is a film that manages to completely deconstruct the concept of masculinity while also being utterly hilarious at almost every moment. It leaves you in a state of shock, but it's so entertaining and funny, you immediately want to watch it again regardless. An amazing achievement on every level. -Lee Zachariah https://youtube.com/watch?v=Jkjn5ICqmJI LISTEN UP PHILIP The blending of ambition, arrogance, inspiration and irrelevance troubles Jason Schwartzman's titular Philip in Alex Ross Perry's third feature. His second novel isn't garnering the requisite attention, and his girlfriend, Ashley (Elisabeth Moss), is better off without him. So when his mentor, Ike (Jonathan Pryce), offers up his holiday home, Philip quickly accepts. Yet, as astute as Perry's rendering of the familiar writer's self-absorbed struggle is, the film tells not just his story but Ashley's and Ike's too. Such structural daring matches an embrace of the abrasiveness of artistry, as played with acerbic comedy, cast with perfection and shot with the warm texture of super-16mm. -Sarah Ward https://youtube.com/watch?v=cX4Hhqjt6J8 BLIND Forgive the pun, but sometimes at a festival, it's best to go in blind. A film without a huge amount of pre-MIFF buzz, the directorial debut of acclaimed Norwegian screenwriter Eskil Vogt concerns a woman named Ingrid struggling with the loss of her sight. Alone in her apartment, she constructs an elaborate fictional narrative through which she works through her fears and insecurities — particularly in regards to her husband, who she fears may be having an affair. It's compelling, self-reflexive, sensual and funny. Think Stranger than Fiction — only full of incredibly graphic sex. -TC The Boldest Experiments MAIDAN You'd think that a largely static camera quietly observing the protests in Ukraine, with no narration and very little context, would be dull as dishwater. Yet Maidan is one of the most incredible documentaries I've seen in a very long time. When the protests begin in the Ukrainian square, they are peaceful and friendly. Children sing on a stage to an appreciative crowd. As the months drag on, the authorities become more tense, and we observe the situation devolve into something horrific and violent. The final moments, which include possibly the most beautiful sequence ever captured on film, leave not a dry eye in the house. -LZ https://youtube.com/watch?v=UgwSi3XVT4E LA ULTIMA PELICULA Alex Ross Perry didn't just direct one of the best features of the festival, he also stars in a creative highlight. Focused on a filmmaker trekking through Mexico circa 2012 to make an apocalyptic effort on the last reels of celluloid, La última película channels a distinct sense of the disjointed in its pseudo-documentary callback to Dennis Hopper's The Last Movie. Formats switch alongside tone and intention, the narrative meanders and rambling improvisation reigns — yet so does affection for its thematic aspiration and aesthetic beauty. That Mark Peranson and Raya Martin's film both probes and parodies the conversation surrounding its conceit also adds to its offbeat appeal. -SW https://youtube.com/watch?v=r2GN3wdfqbA OBVIOUS CHILD A brilliant response to weirdly conservative pregnancy comedies like Juno and Knocked Up, Gillian Robespierre's Obvious Child is probably the most entertaining movie about abortion you'll ever see. Former SNL cast member Jenny Slate is hilarious as Donna Stern, a struggling New York comedian who gets pregnant after a drunken one night stand. The film's progressive, level-headed treatment of abortion makes it a rarity amongst American films, which when you think about it is fairly depressing. In any case, Obvious Child was early one of smartest, funniest comedies at the fest. -TC Most WTF Moments https://youtube.com/watch?v=ibffxoK5gs0 GOODBYE TO LANGUAGE 'Trolling' is something that is usually the domain of adolescents on social media. It's rare that an 83-year-old director will engage in such behaviour, but that's where Jean-Luc Godard — hero of the French New Wave — disagrees. Following on from his nigh-unwatchable Film Socialisme in 2010, Godard again creates something deliberately designed to irritate his audience. Goodbye to Language is filmed in 3D, and some shots contain the most impressive 3D I've ever seen. There is a depth to many of these shots that no Hollywood film has yet achieved. Yet for the majority of the running time, the 3D is specifically designed to make you cross-eyed, pushing the two angles just a little too far away from each other. Or in some cases, way, way too far away from each other. Detachable eyes are essential to watching this film without incurring a migraine. -LZ OUT 1: NOLI ME TANGERE The entirety of Jacques Rivette's 13-hour opus invites exclamation; it's not called the cinephile's holy grail without reason. Seemingly impenetrable extended sequences of experimental theatre, intertwined with a man (Jean-Pierre Leaud) caught in a conspiracy and a woman (Juliet Berto) fleecing the unsuspecting, evolve into a patchwork portrait of a time, place and mood. As it ebbs and flows, plays and provokes, everyone strives for but struggles to achieve their target. Though Out 1 offers no neatness in narrative or certainty in climax, neither does it leave the viewer unsatisfied. Instead, Rivette constructs an experience unparalleled in its insidious intrigue. Once you commit, you can't look away. -SW https://youtube.com/watch?v=_-ZtW5fWRjI WHY DON'T YOU PLAY IN HELL The shining star of the otherwise tepid Night Shift section, the latest film from Japanese splatter-head Sion Sono is a blood-soaked love letter to the movies. An absurd, exuberant mix of western, mob movie and samurai flick, the story follows a group of amateur filmmakers who get hired to 'direct' the showdown between two rival Yakuza clans. Packed with profanity, gore and over-the-top action, Why Don't You Play in Hell? is two straight hours of cinematic insanity. -TC Most Disappointing Films https://youtube.com/watch?v=aCponfeWNOI WISH I WAS HERE To say we were disappointed by Zach Braff's Wish I Was Here implies we were looking forward to it. Even those with fond memories of his debut Garden State (and hey, we count ourselves among them) will find it hard to stomach this privileged, tone-deaf family dramedy. It's a shame the phrase 'first world problems' has now been overused into oblivion, because it would be aptly deployed in this film, where very few of the problems faced by the leads are possible to sympathise with. Rich people struggling with not being quite rich enough? Yeah, it's not exactly Sophie's Choice. -LZ JACKY IN THE KINGDOM OF WOMEN It's a premise with promise and a production and pedigree with the same potential: a Monty Python-esque skewering of gender stereotypes and fundamentalism, filtered through a Cinderella-like story from graphic artist turned filmmaker Riad Sattouf (The French Kissers), and brought to life by a cast including Charlotte Gainsbourg and The Artist director Michel Hazanavicius. It's also a plain example of an idea ill served by its execution, with everything broad and blatant in the role-reversal comedy that eventuates. Laughs are few, as are subtleties, despite the spirited attempts of the director and performers. Jacky in the Kingdom of Women should boast ingenuity but instead languishes in obviousness. -SW https://youtube.com/watch?v=9KrhMbS9uh8 THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ELEANOR RIGBY The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby was one of the more unique entries of the program, in that it's actually two separate films that together recount the breakdown of a marriage. Eleanor Rigby: Her is told the perspective of the wife, Eleanor, played by Oscar-nominated actress Jessica Chastain. Unfortunately, while the formal conceit is fascinating, the script leaves a lot to be desired. Dull, mopey and full of unconvincing dialogue, the first film ended up being so disappointing that we didn't even bother with part two. -TC By Tom Clift, Sarah Ward and Lee Zachariah.
New decade, new director, new word in the title — and a mostly new cast, too. That's The Suicide Squad, the DC Extended Universe's new effort to keep viewers immersed in its sprawling superhero franchise, which keeps coming second in hearts, minds and box-office success to Marvel's counterpart. Revisiting a concept last seen in 2016's Suicide Squad, the new flick also tries to blast its unloved precursor's memory from everyone's brains. That three-letter addition to the title? It doesn't just ignore The Social Network's quote about the English language's most-used term, but also attempts to establish this film as the definitive vision of its ragtag supervillain crew. To help, Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker James Gunn joins the fold, his Troma-honed penchant for horror, comedy and gore is let loose, and a devil-may-care attitude is thrust to the fore. But when your main aim is to one-up the derided last feature with basically the same name, hitting your target is easy — and fulfilling that mission, even with irreverence and flair, isn't the same as making a great or especially memorable movie. A film about cartoonish incarcerated killers doing the US government's dirty work — one throws polka dots, one controls rats and one is a giant shark — The Suicide Squad is silly and goofy. Welcomely, that comes with the territory this time. In another OTT touch, if these fiends disobey orders, no-nonsense black-ops agent Amanda Waller (Viola Davis, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) explodes their heads. And yet, even when a supersized space starfish gets stompy (think: SpongeBob SquarePants' best bud Patrick if he grew up and got power-hungry), this sequel-slash-do-over is never as gleefully absurd as it should be. Again and again, that's how The Suicide Squad plays out. It's funny, but also so enamoured with its juvenile humour that it tickles the same beats and spits out the same profanities with repetition. It sports an anarchic vibe, yet sticks to a tried-and-tested narrative formula. It ruthlessly slaughters recognisable characters, while also leaving no surprises about who'll always remain its stars. Visually, it's flashy and punchy, and never messy or overblown, but it splashes similar flourishes across the screen like a pattern. The Suicide Squad screams "hey, I'm not that other movie!!!!!!!!!". It's right, thankfully. But simply not being that other film earns far too much of its focus. Mischief abounds from the outset — mood-wise, at least — including when Waller teams up Suicide Squad's Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman, The Secrets We Keep), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney, Honest Thief) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie, Dreamland) with a few new felons for a trip to the fictional Corto Maltese. Because this movie has that extra word in its title, it soon switches to another troupe reluctantly led by mercenary Bloodsport (Idris Elba, Concrete Cowboy), with fellow trained killer Peacemaker (John Cena, Fast and Furious 9) and the aforementioned Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian, Bird Box), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior, Valor da Vida) and King Shark (Sylvester Stallone, Rambo: Last Blood) also present. Their task: to sneak into a tower on the South American island. Under the guidance of The Thinker (Peter Capaldi, The Personal History of David Copperfield), alien experiment Project Starfish has been underway there for decades (and yes, Gunn makes time for a butthole joke). Waller has charged her recruits to destroy the secret test, all to ensure it isn't used by the violent faction that's just taken over Corto Maltese via a bloody coup. Jumping to DC in-between Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — a move sparked when Disney temporarily fired him from the Marvel realm after tasteless old tweets resurfaced — Gunn pens The Suicide Squad's screenplay, too. Plot isn't the film's big drawcard, with the writer/director sketching out a threadbare setup that lets his main players bust out their key traits and lets him display his playful action-filmmaking skills. Cue scant backstories to give Bloodsport and company some depth, just as cursory nods to western intervention in other countries, plenty of frays littered with viscera and peppered with gross-out sight gags, and a movie that's all about surface pleasures. Whenever a character strikes a chord emotionally, Gunn is happy to tap that note briefly but repeatedly, for instance. Viewers keep being reminded of the same basic attributes and themes over and over, but wrapped in spirited and eye-catching visual slickness. Some touches are pitch-perfect, like the floral aesthetic evident during one of Quinn's killing sprees. Others are stylish padding, as seen in her dalliance with Corto Maltese's new dictator Luna (Juan Diego Botto, The European). The pervasive sensation: that witnessing these characters crack wise and spill guts in a showy, anything-goes fashion is meant to be something inherently special. Sometimes, Gunn's gambit works in the moment. Overall, however, The Suicide Squad's charms are fleeting. It's the better movie of its moniker, it never manages to match Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) for fun, and it isn't ever as enjoyably ridiculous as fellow DCEU flick Aquaman, either. Of course, superhero stories are always about polarised extremes, even now they're Hollywood's favourite big-screen format. They pit the very best against the absolute worst, with names on both sides standing apart from regular ol' humanity due to supernatural forces, genetic enhancement, experiments gone right or wrong, or otherworldly sources. These figures tussle over the fate of the world to save it for normal folks in movie after movie, but little attention is paid to anyone that's just ordinary. Being standard and average is something to fight for and then sweep past, even though that's where so many superhero and supervillain movies ultimately land themselves. Indeed, a film can be funny and lively, use its main faces (that'd be Elba and Robbie) well, have a few nice moments with its supporting cast (Dastmalchian, Melchior and Stallone, particularly) and improve on its predecessor, and yet still fall into a routine, unsuccessfully wade into murky politics, never capitalise upon its premise or promise, keep rehashing the same things, and just be average, too — and right now, that film is The Suicide Squad.
Local Newtown legends Young Henrys are taking their brewhouse to the next level — and it's all in the name of sustainability. The beer brand has added a glowing bioreactor among its tanks, which they hope will drastically reduce the brewery's carbon emissions. While the green tank may look like a radioactive science project, it's actually just a big ol' vat of microalgae. The single-celled organism is basically the super computer of photosynthesis and produces more than 50 percent of the world's oxygen. It does so by consuming CO2 (carbon dioxide) — one of the main byproducts of the brewing process — and produces O2 (oxygen) in its place. To give you a sense of the impact, it takes a tree 48 hours to absorb the CO2 emissions created from brewing just a single six-pack. Young Henrys' 400-litre bioreactor has the potential to produce as much oxygen as one hectare of Australian forest and to consume a lot of the brewery's CO2 byproduct in the process. If you're wondering why producing lots of CO2 is a bad thing, let us detour into some chemistry 101 for a hot minute. Carbon dioxide is a key greenhouse gas, which collectively trap heat from the sun and keep it close to the earth's surface. Initially that was great, it meant the earth was habitable for humans and animals — but, thanks primarily to the burning of fossil fuels, the earth's atmospheric levels of CO2 are the highest they've been in the past 400,000 years, which has lead to global warming and the increase in extreme weather events, ie. climate change. This project is partly funded an Innovation and Connections government grant and is in partnership with the scientists from the Climate Change Cluster (C3) at UTS. The group is working to find and develop uses for algae that can help combat climate change, and this project aims to pave a path for the wider brewing industry to become a carbon neutral process. Young Henrys' microalgae bioreactor is just the first phase of the partnership with C3. The second phase will involve a large biomass of algae that will provide even more carbon capture and help the brewery to eventually become carbon neutral — more details on this will be released later in the year, so keep an eye on this space. Find Young Henrys at 76 Wilford Street, Newtown.
You're in a rush trying to make it to work on time when you see them — that one acquaintance that just does not know when to stop talking. You try to duck into the nearest alleyway, but they've already spotted you. Cloak, a new app for the iPhone that calls itself "the antisocial network", can now help you avoid these situations. Cloak gathers location information from Instagram and Foursquare and uses this knowledge to create a map of where the user's 'friends' are currently based on places they have recently tagged as their location. It then creates a map that displays the distance between a user and their friends built around where the user is situated. Cloak allows users to flag particular people they are not especially keen to run into on the street, so when that person comes within a pre-determined radius, a notification is sent directly to the user's phone. Living in self-obsessed time, where friends are constantly sharing their latest haircut on Instagram, mundane thoughts on Twitter and relationship status on Facebook, more and more people are becoming fed up with the barrage of useless updates from friends, co-workers and acquaintances. This feeling of fatigue is met with the rise of the antisocial network. Instead of creating the next Facebook, app developers are more concerned with creating the complete antithesis to Facebook. Nextt is designed to help users plan in-person meet-ups with their friends, and Rando is a picture sharing site similar to Instagram, but users have no followers and no ability to like photos; instead, they randomly view photos from users all over the world. No stranger to antisocial networking, former creative director of BuzzFeed Chris Baker is one of the creators of Cloak. He has also developed apps like unbaby.me that replaced pictures of babies in your Facebook newsfeed with pictures of cats, which expanded into Rather, a Google Chrome extension that blocks unwanted Twitter and Facebook content. Hate with Friends, another app Baker created, allows the user to select Facebook friends they hate and will notify the user if the feeling is mutual between any of these "friends". Currently, the only apps Cloak collects location information from are Foursquare and Instagram, but the creators hope to eventually incorporate Facebook as well. Via Mashable.
For a short time only, the internationally acclaimed Bangarra Dance Theatre are putting on a display of timeless and vibrant dance, inspired by and emulating the beauty of the Australian landscape. Their new show, TERRAIN, transports audiences to Lake Eyre; one of the most beautiful, natural waterways in the world and explores its connection with Australia’s Indigenous people. Choreographed, composed and designed by several award winning Aboriginal artists, Bangarra’s TERRAIN reveals the true beauty of nature and the power it holds for a culture, visually and spiritually.
Living in a river city like Brisbane means making the most of that winding waterway every chance you can, especially when the climate is sultry and sunny, too. When it opened back in late 2020, Will & Flow offered Brisbanites another way to do just that with the ol' brown snake: by sipping drinks over the water while peering out at South Bank. The city's second overwater bar in the last few years — following Mr Percival's over at Howard Smith Wharves — Will & Flow boasts a killer location, stunning views and an impressive deck where you can enjoy both. Obviously, plenty to eat and drink is also on the menu. But that spectacular spot meant it was susceptible to Brisbane's floods when they wreaked havoc earlier in 2022. Now, after a few months spent recovering, the venue has reopened. Up and running again since late June, Will & Flow is back doing what it has always done best: pairing sips and bites to eat with that dazzling vista. Run by the Treasury Brisbane — marking its first off-site location, in fact — the bar has also undergone an interior revamp, and given its menu a makeover as well, all while bringing back one of its beloved regular events. Part of the Queen's Wharf precinct, and sitting between the QUT Gardens Point CityCat stop and the Goodwill Bridge, Will & Flow has gone natural with its new furnishings. There's also a new deck area, plus an outdoor kitchen. The menu still spans coffees during the day, cocktails after work and meals from morning till evening, but now starts with woodfired open omelettes with mushrooms, onions, tomato and buffalo mozzarella for breakfast — and breakfast pides with bacon, pork sausage, mushroom and egg. The lunch range includes cheesy baked potato gnocchi with creamy mushroom, woodfired pizzas, and pork meatballs with pomodoro sauce and pecorino, while pides feature there as well. Think: garlic and cheese pides, one topped with salt and vinegar potato and buffalo mozzarella, and a barbecue beef brisket flat bread with sour cream, avocado and tomato relish. Also getting a shakeup: the cocktail range, with dessert cocktails now on offer to suit the colder weather. Enjoy chocolate hazelnut martini made with Frangelico, crème de cacao and vodka, a lamingtini made with Baileys, Frangelico, Coconut Monin, cream and chocolate bitters, as well as a 'Winter Warmer' that combines custard, Makers Mark, Mozart chocolate liqueur and Baileys. And if you head by on a Thursday night from 4.30pm, Beats and Eats is back. For $20, you can choose from a menu of woodfired pizzas and pides, and get a glass of sparkling glass of prosecco — with DJs providing the tunes. Find Will & Flow in the Queen's Wharf precinct, between the QUT Gardens Point CityCat stop and the Goodwill Bridge — open Thursdays from 4.30–9.30pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 6.30am–10pm, and Sundays from 6.30am–9pm. Images: Mitch Lowe.
Seven months after launching its first-ever food truck in Brisbane, one of Sydney's favourite Italian eateries has made its bricks-and-mortar debut in the Queensland capital. Now trading on Skyring Terrace, the long-awaited Gasworks Newstead restaurant joins five across NSW and one on the Gold Coast. And its Brissie arrival comes with gelato cocktails. Order a bellini, Espresso Freddo or Kaffirinha at SMC's new digs, and you'll find peach sorbet, Baileys gelato and kaffir lime sorbet among the ingredients, as supplied by La Macelleria in Teneriffe. Of course, they're just the frosty, boozy treats that accompany the store's extensive array of hearty Italian eats, which spans everything from antipasto to pasta to pizza. Overseen by executive chef Andrea Riva (ex-Osteria Riva, Sydney), menu highlights include croissants with prosciutto and mozzarella for breakfast and brunch, roast beef paninis for lunch, and spaghetti with clams and mullet roe for dinner. Elsewhere, the venue's pizza bar boasts eight tomato- and six white-based varieties, plus two calzones. For dessert, Nutella pizza with ricotta, fresh strawberries and vanilla gelato sits alongside apple cake, affogato and panna cotta. Across December and January, the 134-seat venue will also add a pop-up gelato cart to its outdoor space, while the indoor fitout will do its best to trick patrons into thinking they're thousands of miles away. Featuring high ceilings, natural light, bespoke floral and greenery-filled artwork — and a palette of white, light grey and blue — the design takes inspiration from the Italian Riviera beach town of Alassio in Liguria. That's where SMC co-founders Stefano de Blasi and Edoardo Perlo grew up — and if they can bring the tastes of their childhood to Australia, they can bring the atmosphere as well.
Since opening in October 2018, West Village has provided West End with grassy spaces, lively festivals and multiple places to eat. But, the expanding development isn't done yet. Over the coming months, it'll add a new dining and retail precinct, starting in late March with Middle Eastern eatery Beirut Bazaar. When it throws open its doors at a yet-to-be-confirmed date this month, Beirut Bazaar will take up residence on the ground level of the Peters Ice Cream Factory building. That's where the 75-seat restaurant will serve up its traditional-style feasts, which will feature cumin, sumac and coriander heavily — all in dishes that'll span specialty dips and breads, Lebanese mezze, savoury pastries and sweet treats. The main attraction is the shawarma, which will be Beirut Bazaar's signature dish. Patrons can expect to tuck into a fillet of lamb, beef or chicken that has been marinated in traditional spices for 48 hours, and is then served on pita with parsley, tomato and legumes. A vegan and vegetarian selection will also be on the menu and, drinks-wise, Beirut Bazaar's cocktail list will be curated by the bar team from Nineteen at The Star. Featuring both indoor and outdoor seating, Beirut Bazaar will be joined in mid-May by a larger range of stores. Locals will be able to head by to go to a new Woolworths supermarket, check out Harris Farm Markets' second Brisbane location, hit the gym, and shop at specialty and lifestyle retailers. Just which other restaurants will also make the precinct home is yet to be revealed. Beirut Bazaar opens at West Village, 97 Boundary Street, West End in late March — with the rest of West Village's new dining and retail precinct to follow from mid-May.
Have you ever found getting through more than 17 syllables of news takes far too much effort? Well luckily for you the New York Times has designed an algorithm that deconstructs news stories into everybody's favourite Japanese poem style, the haiku. For those unaware, a haiku is a short style of poetry with a specific syllabic structure of five syllables in the opening line, seven in the following and five in the concluding. Although there are other elements to haikus, this is the format the algorithm operates on as other aspects of this poetic style are "a lot harder to teach an algorithm", according to Jacob Harris, the senior software designer for the NYT and the author of the advanced algorithm. The haikus are constructed when the algorithm periodically scans articles published on the newspaper's home page. It then breaks down these articles sentence by sentence, looking for potential haikus via an online dictionary that counts syllables and even encompasses a word like 'Rihanna' to process the language employed by the New York Times. Reversing the typical trend of technology, the computer needs humans to operate successfully as it cannot distinguish between a harmonious haiku and a horrid one by itself. Once a journalist has selected a poetic pearl, many of which encapsulate the article's essence, it is then transformed into an aesthetically pleasing image in order for the poems to "retain their visual integrity" as they are shared online. The coloured lines may seem illogical but they are actually delicately designed to match the metre of the first line of the poem. Our favourites are below but check the NYT haiku blog as it is updated daily. Via PSFK.
Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are finally back together on the big screen. Whilst they may not be crashing weddings, they are still making everyone laugh, this time as 'dinosaur' salesmen torpedoed by the digital age. When they're forced to compete against the younger generation of brains for a prestigious position at Google, hilarity ensues (with Quidditch even appearing at one point). The Internship also stars John Goodman and Rose Byrne, and they are not the only big names involved; Google has played a large role. The film features a range of Google products as well as a cameo from co-founder Sergey Brin himself. It looks to have been a smart PR move from the internet giant, which must have learned from the hard lesson taught to Mark Zuckerberg when he opted not to be involved in the creative process of The Social Network. The Internship is in cinemas June 13, and thanks to Twentieth Century Fox, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
It's a new year, and with it comes a fresh crop of food trends. The twelve months of 2013 were full of sliders, Mexican waves, salted caramel anything — and it's about time those smoke alarms have a rest. This year, we've gotten a tad greener: hybrid snacks will turn some faces green (ramen burger anyone?) but spit-roasting feasts may turn others green with envy. We’re getting back to nature and becoming all green and eco-friendly by eating at zero-waste cafes, meeting farmers and salvaging scraps. Save all your jam jars, too: there’s some serious fermenting sessions bound to happen, and if we're not eating at home, we'll be dining at Korean BBQs. Hybrid snacks A new wave of outlandish fusion foods is emerging and gourmet junk is on the rise. We want high-fat, high-flavour street food. Why all this (albeit, somewhat delicious) madness? Trend forecaster Chris Sanderson of The Future Laboratory says it's all about Gen Y being "experience-hungry" and "searching for food as fun". "Some days they'll eat nutritionally well, but other days they're gorging on high-cal, high-spec treats," Chris says. Enter the cronut. A cross between a croissant and a doughnut, the calorific treat was created at a Bakery in Manhattan back in May 2013 and has attracted a loyal following since. Our very own King of Sweets — Adriano Zumbo — swiftly jumped on this fad and crafted his own version, aptly named ‘The Zonut’. What ensued were lengthy lines outside his patisserie and other bakeries across the nation dusting off their deep-fryers. Not a fan? Don't worry, it won’t be all cinnamon-sugar coated. Other hybrid snacks that are appearing include savoury waffles and ramen burgers (yes, precisely what you think they are: ramen noodles moulded into the shape of a bun with a burger patty sandwiched between). Also, keep an eye out for the fabled 'townie' — who wouldn't love a brownie and a tart all in one? Superfoods Kale and quinoa will continue to reign as superfoods. According to Sanderson, the ancient grain and verdant vegetable are still pretty obscure foodstuffs for the mainstream, so expect to see more of them for a few years yet. Oscar-worthy appearances for quinoa can be seen in dishes such as salads, soups, sushi, porridges. Sidekick freekah is set to pop up more often too: the green wheat grain from the Middle East has a nutty flavour and is also very 'super'. The 'queen of greens' has without a doubt, singlehandedly supported Breville's blender department. Morning smoothies will remain green for 2014, and keep throwing it in frittatas and salads. Kale chips are the favoured party snack now too — Smiths crinkle cut are so 2012. Hyper-provenance Hyper- what? Hyper-provenance. It involves getting up close and personal with the food we eat — literally. We’re seeking more information than just the country of origin on our food. Sanderson notes that there's a new breed of consumer demanding to know which farm produces their favourite cheese and even which cow was milked. It's all about getting back to our 'roots' and becoming deeply connected to the sources of our food. Already we’ve seen a steady increase in cafes and restaurants highlighting that the tomatoes are from Linda in Petersham and the basil is from Terry in Earlwood. Boutique butcher Feather & Bone visit every producer for firsthand experience to ensure that the farming practices are sustainable: they can tell you where it was raised, what it was fed, right through to slaughter and ageing. Pepe Saya knows the farmers down in Picton, NSW that make the cream for his cultured butter — seasoned with Murray River Pink Salt. But it's not just the small-scale quirky food producers: mainstream brands are getting involved, driving to the farms and saying g’day to Farmer Joe. Australian egg producer ecoeggs has gone one step further to allow consumers to watch its chickens live via a ChookCam. Lays Chip Company in the US has even mapped out their maize. "For a number of years now, they've been able to indicate which farm each of it hundreds of thousands of packets of tortilla chips has provided the maize," says Sanderson. Fermentation and Pickling #ferment4life #healthybugs #fermentation #picklery #picklepickle We may be indulging in the gourmet junk some days, but other days we're all about the good bacteria. We're going to get ourselves into quite a pickle this year. In a good way though — fermented vegetables are the next big thing; pickling classes are being held everywhere. So dust off the granny aprons and save all those jars for your next sauerkraut batch, because it's not just for the yoga-pant-wearing raw-food survivalists. And it is actually super-easy to make at home: all you need is salt and a vegetable in a sealed jar. Store it at room temperature for ten days or more and watch the bubbly activity build healthy bacteria. Yes — it's good for our gut. You might be squirming at the thought of it all, but fermented foods are everywhere. Who doesn't love a pungent spoonful of pickled cabbage alongside your roast chicken? Pigs on parade It might be the year of the horse, but it's all about pigs in 2014. The ovens are being fired up, the spits are turning, pork ribs are being marinated in preparation for sticky-finger feasting and charcuterie boards are being carved to lay the groundwork for a menu replete with cured meats. Continuing with the theme of sustainability, there's a new generation of butchers and chefs that are dedicated to using the entire carcass, not just the prime cuts. A new mobile phone app, called Nose to Tail, promotes full use of the animal and provides information about more than 200 cuts, including recommended preparation. Moreover, embracing a paddock-to-plate attitude means that the pigs being used are healthier and fatter. And we know what fatter means — more flavour and better texture. Hungry diners are enjoying slow-roasted spit roasts and smoky platters of sticky ribs with homemade BBQ sauce. Chefs are perfecting the art of crispy, succulent pork belly that is dripping with all the evils of tastiness: you can get it sandwiched between a soft white bun with cabbage salad and mayo now at any cafe. And if they're not roasting or BBQing it, they're curing it. Move over cheese platter, it's time for the charcuterie board to take the limelight. Think spicy salamis; rich, gamey pates; and translucent, paper-thin prosciutto. Zero waste Food waste is hitting an all-time high. We might all be embracing the sustainable food production and living culture, albeit according to Oz Harvest, Australians are throwing away 3 million tonnes of food every year — the equivalent of 136 kilos per person. So what shall we do with all this? Sanderson's trend alert team says that brands are taking action and "transforming out-of-date produce into edible feasts". Charities all over Australia such as FareShare have a team of volunteers and chefs that transform wasted food from eateries into edible, nourishing meals and also distribute all those untouched restaurant meals to the less fortunate. It may sound off, but it's not the scraps. An estimated 20-40 percent of fruit and vegetables don't reach the shops due to the supermarkets unreasonable aesthetic standards — that’s a lot of jamming and chutney-making to be done here. And if we’ve done all the jamming we can do, visit eateries such as Silo by Joost in Melbourne, who have a "loop-based system whereby packaging and waste is reduced to a minimum", says Sanderson. It literally is a zero-waste cafe: all organic waste is treated in a waste dehydrator and steriliser. Time to take a trip to Bunnings to get that compost bin, perhaps? Korean food We were all about burgers and hot dogs in 2013 — and the American cuisine is set to stick around for a bit longer. Bust out the bibs again, as there's a trending forecast for Southern fried chicken and smoky barbecue stuff to continue hitting our menus. However, Asian food is something we're familiar with and now we're starting to apply great things to it. Korean dishes are set to take centre stage. We’ve done our dash with Thai and Vietnamese, but the travelled foodies are realising that if you venture not too far east, there's an incredible Korean experience waiting to happen. The pickling affair will fit right in here too: the fermented vegetable dish kimchi hits the mainstream, along with ssamjang and gochujang. Fire up those hot pots and spicy BBQs — it's fresh, healthy, packed with vegetables and spice and an ideally complimented with an icy cold lager. One-food wonders Restaurants have been specialising in just one or two dishes for a while now, be they dumpling houses, burger joints, espresso bars, bagel places — there's even an artisanal food craze in San Francisco with cafes solely serving toast (and the lines aren't short). Is it a sign of the economic times or just the tip of the hipster spear? Either way, these extremely curated menus may only have a few items but are all about idiosyncrasy and creating an atmosphere. The increasing taste for specialisation means the chefs can focus on the ingredients and achieve the best possible buns/crepes/tacos/ramen possible. Diners are craving the authentic tastes and more characteristic variations with fewer dishes. Case in point: Mary's in Sydney has a concise food menu of only three burgers. Los Hermanos in Melbourne has only eight menu items, mainly tacos. Wonderbao only sells steamed buns. But isn't there a danger in having such limited choice? Not at all; if it means more time chatting to our pals and less time spent reading the novel-like menus, we're all for one-food wonders. To hear more from the Future Laboratory, check out their Australian events: SYDNEY TREND BRIEFING SERIES Date: Wednesday 19 February Time: 8am – Registration and light breakfast 9am – 12.30pm – Trend Briefing Venue: Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh Tickets from Eventbrite. LUXURY FUTURES FORUM, SYDNEY Speakers: Chris Sanderson, Martin Raymond, Megan Quinn, Chris Kyvetos, Loh Lik Peng Date: Thursday, 20th February 2014 Time: 1.30-6.30pm Venue: Golden Age Cinema, Paramount House, 80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills Tickets via Eventbrite. MELBOURNE TREND BRIEFING SERIES Date: Wednesday 12 February Time: 8am – Registration and light breakfast 9am – 12.30pm – Trend Briefing Venue: ACMI, Federation Square/Flinders Street, Melbourne Tickets via Eventbrite FOOD AND DRINK FUTURE FORUM, MELBOURNE Speakers: Chris Sanderson, Martin Raymond, Jill Dupleix, Any Gaunt, Andrew McConnell Date: Thursday 13 February 2014 Time: 1.30pm to 6.30pm Venue: RMIT University Design Hub – Building 100, Carlton Tickets via Eventbrite.
From 'King of the Mountain' to federal minister for the arts, Peter Garret knows the Australian music industry better than most. The now former minister, activist and legendary Midnight Oil frontman is locked in to deliver a keynote address at this year's BIGSOUND music conference in Brisbane, running September 9-11. It'll be the first major music industry appearance for Garrett since leaving federal parliament, so we're sure he's going to have few things to get off his chest; about public policy and activism in the music industry and of course, his own marvellous career in Midnight Oil. Joining Garrett on the keynote lineup of dreams, rapper and activist Brother Ali is heading to BIGSOUND for his very first Australian speech. The albino child of white Muslim parents, Brother Ali is one of the most unique voices in contemporary hip hop. You might have seen him throw down some serious truths in his recent keynotes at the Nobel Peace Prize Forum and Princeton University. Australia's answer to CMJ in New York or South by Southwest in Austin, BIGSOUND sees all corners of the Australian music industry converge on Fortitude Valley for days of panels, workshops, aforementioned keynotes, and (most importantly) live gigs, showcases and parties. With plenty of A&R talent also booked in to lay some knowledge on BIGSOUND conference-goers, this year's lineup is already one the event's most internationally-focused yet (bringing it ever closer to CMJ-ness). Of course, it's not all keynotes and panels; BIGSOUND's live music element is one of the prime poaching grounds for the best new talent in Australia, with Courtney Barnett, Flume, Megan Washington, Boy & Bear and more blitzing previous BIGSOUND instalments. If you're wanting to throw your hat in the ring, applications to play at this year’s event will close on May 15 with the first artist lineup announced in early June. So bands, producers, singer/songwriters? Here's who you need to impress. BIGSOUND 2015 INDUSTRY SPEAKERS: Peter Garrett – Keynote (AUS) Brother Ali – Keynote (USA) Ashanti Abdullah – Rhymesayers Entertainment (USA) Alex Maxwell – Troubadour (USA) Amy Morgan – Beggars Publishing / Glass Animals (UK) Avery McTaggart – The Windish Agency (USA) Ben Munro – Hostess (JPN) Ben O’Connor – Chapter Music (AUS) Eric Barleen – Another Planet Entertainment (USA) Guy Blackman – Chapter Music (AUS) Jacob Daneman – Pitch Perfect PR (USA) Jacqueline Saturn – Harvest Records (USA) Josh Moore – Bowery Presents (USA) Julia Wilson – Rice is Nice (AUS) Justin Sweeting – WME / Clockenflap (HK) Laura Snapes – Freelance Writer (UK) Lesley Olenik Golindo – Goldenvoice (USA) Lio Kanine – Kanine Records (USA) Lorrae McKenna – Remote Control Records (AUS) Marshall Betts – The Windish Agency (USA) Meg Helsel – Grandstand Media (USA) Melissa Yong – Other Sounds / Village Sounds (SGP) Meredith Fraser – Panache Booking (USA) Paul Buck – Coda Agency (UK) Phil Waldorf – Secretly Group (USA) Rachel Cragg – Nettwerk Music Group (USA) Robin McNicol – Superfly (USA) Sat Bisla – A&R Worldwide (USA) Talya Elitzer – Capitol Music Group (USA) Tunji Balogun – RCA Records (USA) BIGSOUND will take over Fortitude Valley from September 9-11, with early bird tickets capped at 100 this year from $350 for three days of panels, discussions and industry seminars and two nights of 140 bands across 14 venues. The limited allocation of early-bird tickets sold out quickly when they went on sale earlier this year, but another 50 have been released today with prices rising when they are sold out or on May 15, whichever comes first. Head here for details.
RollerFit is finally coming to Brisbane — and to celebrate, it wants you to go for a spin. Regular Wednesday and Sunday classes will kick off at the YMCA Bowen Hills in November; however you can get a sneak peek on Sunday, October 28. Even better: you can hit the rink for free. RollerFit's Open Day will run across two one-hour sessions, with beginners and intermediate skaters getting their skates on between 12.30–1.30pm, and intermediate to advanced speedsters lacing up between 2–3pm. And if this is the first time you've ever even thought about living out your Whip It or Xanadu dreams, don't worry — the novice class also includes learn-to-skate lessons. If you don't have your own wheels, you can rent them for the class — but while entry is free, skate hire will cost you $5. Rental covers sizes 5–13, and it's a first-come, first-served kind of deal. Whether you're hiring or bringing your own, all skaters are advised to arrive at least 15 minutes before their session.
Boasting scenic sights at great heights and snowy peaks aplenty, the Swiss Alps are well covered when it comes to adventure. Making this bucket-list tourist destination even more thrilling is its newest addition, a half-a-kilometre suspension bridge casually slung between two towering mountains. Opening for pedestrians on July 29, the Charles Kuonen Hängebrücke literally bridges the gap between Grächen and Zermatt — all 494 metres of it. For those keen on some more stomach-churning figures, the 65-metre pathway reaches 85 metres above the ground at its highest point, and 2200 metres above sea level as well. It's part of a six to seven hour hike from either direction, and replaces a previous bridge that closed in 2010 due to unstable terrain. Needless to say, the world-record breaking crossing isn't recommended for those suffering from acrophobia; however those eager to climb high will always have either the Matterhorn or the Bernese Alps in view, depending on which way they're trekking. As well as soaring into the sky and offering astonishing vistas, the suspension bridge also proves a feat of speedy engineering, with the entire thing erected in just 10 weeks. Via Zermatt Tourism. Image: Europaweg / Valentin Flauraud via Zermatt Tourism.
One building, four different places to grab a drink: that's what the space lurking behind a 132-year-old facade on Brunswick Street now serves up. Already home to rooftop bar Cielo, restaurant and bar La Costa, and wine bar and bottle shop La Valle, the location that started its life as Foresters' Hall back in 1889 has now welcomed yet another new watering hole, all thanks to the opening of The Parlour. Just like its sibling venues, The Parlour takes its cues from the Italian riviera. It has a specific far-flung destination in mind, though: the Gulf of La Spezia. Also known as the Gulf of Poets, the region has links to literature greats such as Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf and Lord Byron. It's also where Percy Bysshe Shelley, husband of Frankenstein author Mary Shelley, drowned — although that's probably not the kind of tidbit you'll want to discuss while you're sipping cocktails. Instead, you might prefer to chat about The Parlour's drinks list itself, which has been curated by the folks at Sydney's acclaimed Maybe Sammy. Cielo can claim the same, too, so you now have a couple of choices if you want to knock back beverages by a venue that was named one of the top bars in the world last year (ranking 11th on the 2020 World's 50 Best Bars list). From the 'signatures' section of the cocktail list, you can enjoy the Fenhurst ($23) — a mix of Tanqueray No. 10, Massenez Crème De Pêche, Lillet Rouge, citrus and coconut that also comes topped with a citrus bubble. Or, from the literary-inspired 'Classics', The Tilted World ($23) pairs Johnnie Walker Black, Domaine De Canton ginger liqueur, citrus, egg white, pear and spiced red wine ice. Every cocktail has been crafted to provide a multi-sensory experience, but you can also opt for wine, beer and spirits if you're after something a little less theatrical. Open evenings until late from Wednesday–Saturday, the bar also serves up a small range of bites, such as beef carpaccio with parmesan, pine nuts and truffle oil ($21); cheese ($32) and charcuterie ($21) boards; and arancini specials ($14), which change daily. Decor-wise, The Parlour favours a glam retro look; think: dim mood lighting, marble tiles, framed vintage photos, curved booths and cocktail trolleys. And if you head by on a Saturday night, DJs will soundtrack your drinks.
The BrisStyle team is a rather busy bunch. A few times a year, it puts on twilight markets in King George Square, but that isn't its only regular event. If you're particularly after a treasure trove of handmade goodies — and who isn't? — it hosts another opportunity to browse and buy that's dedicated to exactly those kinds of objects. Fashion, art, jewellery, homewares — if someone's been using their nimble fingers to make it, then you can probably trade your hard-earned cash for their hard work. In fact, there'll be more than 60 artisans selling their wares. And, while you're shopping, you'll also be able to grab a bite at the onsite cafe and listen to live tunes from local musos. The Handmade Markets always take place on Saturdays — and they're happening monthly from May onwards — so mark May 14, June 11, July 9, August 13, September 10, October 8, November 12 and December 10 in your calendars now. Head along from 9am–3pm, with it all taking place in the Queensland Museum's whale mall. Image: BrisStyle.
Since setting up shop in 2015, Morning After. has become one of West End's go-to weekend brunch spots. Like the name says, it's the place you go the day following a bit evening out. Now, every Friday and Saturday in November, it's the place you go to have some nighttime fun as well. Meet the Night Before. It's an obvious title, but it works. With a new sign to match its temporary new name, from 5.30pm to 9.30pm, the Vulture Street eatery will be serving up share plates of the delicious kind — you know, dinner fare. Options include crispy chicken bao, prawn and truffle gnocchi, seared sea bass and pork belly skewers, plus Turkish Delight for dessert. There's more where they came from, including a dish that helps tie the morning and evening concepts together. That'd be corn flakes, but of the honey mousse, banana mascarpone and milk dust kind.
You step inside a room, painted white from floor to ceiling. All surfaces, fixtures, furniture and objects are white, and not just the usual things, either. The fireplace decked with stockings, the kitchen filled with utensils: they’re white too. It’s up to you and your fellow visitors to add spots of colour in sticker form. The interactive project stems from Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s childhood perception, seeing the world through a screen of tiny dots. In her work that followed, she covered everything with dots in a process she calls “obliteration”. That’s what Kusama asks everyone to do here: obliterate the installation’s pristine state. And yes, running around sticking spots on everything is as fun and therapeutic as it sounds. Developed for the Queensland Art Gallery in 2002, The Obliteration Room has toured the world, now returning to Brisbane for the first time since 2011. It may be a feature of GOMA’s Children’s Centre; however, witnessing and participating in the transformative process is a delight for big kids as well. You’ll want to go back again and again during the five-month run, but to satisfy your urges in-between visits, there’s even an online version you can play with at home.
More than 60 people have been injured and 19 hospitalised after a stampede at Falls Festival's Lorne leg on Friday evening. The incident occurred after DMA's finished their set on the Grand Theatre Stage, when many in the crowd tried to make their way to see London Grammar on the Valley Stage. The Age reports that a number of patrons slipped and lost their footing during the move, resulting in leg, rib, hip, pelvic, head, facial and spinal injuries and fractures, as well as cuts and bruises. "It was quite a chaotic scene and required a major response," said Ambulance Victoria state health commander Paul Holman. Punters took to social media to post about the traumatic and chaotic experience, including reports of broken bones, panic attacks, people passing out, trampling and many fearing for their lives. "This was the most scariest thing ever! I will never forget what I saw last night," wrote one Falls attendee. "It's hectic and she said it was the worst thing she has ever experienced in her life," posted the sister of another. https://twitter.com/kewesting/status/814859083740102656 Festival organisers also took to social media to issue a statement, reflecting the fact that entertainment in the Grand Theatre was suspended for the remainder of the evening, but noting that normal programming will resume on Saturday. Many responses to their post have been rightfully critical of the setup that allowed the incident to occur in the first place — this isn't their first time hosting a popular event of this size, with a mass migration between stages and sets a common occurrence not just at Falls, but at every other music festival. The Lorne crowd crush occurs just days after a 21-year-old woman was struck and killed by a falling tree branch at the Lost Paradise festival on the NSW Central Coast. With plenty of festivals in full swing over New Year's — and the peak festival period upon us during summer — here's hoping for a safe rest of the season. If you're attending a fest, look after each other. Image: Falls Festival.
To combat the multitude of incoming phone calls which remain unheard in the depths of your purse, Nokia is seeking a patent for magnetic-ink tattoos which would alert you to every phone call. The company's 'Haptic Communication' patent describes an electronic device (your smartphone) which will generate a magnetic field. This will stimulate the ferromagnetic ink that has been stamped on, taped to, or - yes - tattooed on skin. The ink will then react with stimuli that corresponds to the digital content of the original device. Similar to the 'vibrate' setting on existing phones, different vibration patterns would be received, and felt, for a voicemail, text message, etc. This technology may aid users in distinguishing which type of notification their phone is receiving from their back packet or book bag - all without audio. It all may sound a tad drastic, but who knows? Perhaps some fresh ink will finally allow us to unglue our phones from our palms. [via Wired]
It was true in the 90s, and it remains that way now: when Jim Carrey lets loose, thrusting the entire might of his OTT comedic powers onto the silver screen, it's an unparalleled sight to behold. It doesn't always work, and he's a spectacular actor when putting in a toned-down or even serious performance — see: The Truman Show, The Majestic, I Love You Phillip Morris and his best work ever, the sublime Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind — but there's a reason that the Ace Venture flicks, The Mask and Dumb and Dumber were some of the biggest movies made three decades back. Carrey is now a rarity in cinemas, but one franchise has been reminding viewers what his full-throttle comic efforts look like. Sadly, he's also the best thing about the resulting films, even if they're hardly his finest work. That was accurate in 2020's Sonic the Hedgehog, and it's the same of sequel Sonic the Hedgehog 2 — which once again focuses on the speedy video game character but couldn't feel like more of a drag. The first Sonic movie established its namesake's life on earth, as well as his reason for being here. Accordingly, the blue-hued planet-hopping hedgehog (voiced by The Afterparty's Ben Schwartz) already made friends with small-town sheriff Tom Wachowski (James Marsden, The Stand). He already upended the Montana resident's life, too, including Tom's plans to move to San Francisco with his wife Maddie (Tika Sumpter, Mixed-ish). And, as well as eventually becoming a loveable member of the Wachowski family, Sonic also wreaked havoc with his rapid pace, and earned the wrath of the evil Dr Robotnik (Carrey, Kidding) in the process. More of the same occurs this time around, with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 taking a more-is-more approach. There's a wedding to ruin, magic gems to find and revenge on the part of Robotnik. He's teamed up with super-strong echidna Knuckles (voiced by The Harder They Fall's Idris Elba), in fact, while Sonic gets help from smart-but-shy fox Tails (voice-acting veteran Colleen O'Shaughnessey). Gone are the days when an animated critter's teeth caused internet mania. If that sentence makes sense to you, then you not only watched the first Sonic the Hedgehog — you also saw the chatter that erupted when its initial trailer dropped and the fast-running creature's humanised gnashers looked oh-so-disturbing. Cue a clean-up job that couldn't fix the abysmal movie itself, and an all-ages-friendly flick that still made such a ridiculous amount of money (almost $320 million worldwide) that this follow-up was inevitable. The fact that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 arrives a mere two years later does indeed smack of a rush job, and the end product feels that way from start to finish. That isn't the only task this swift second outing is keen to set up, with bringing in fellow Sega characters Knuckles and Tails the first step to making a Sonic Cinematic Universe. Yes, with Morbius reaching theatres on the exact same day as Sonic the Hedgehog 2, it's an ace time for sprawling start-up franchises sparked by a quest for cash rather than making great cinema — an ace time for the folks collecting the money, that is, but not for audiences. Both otherwise unrelated movies are flimsy, bland and woefully by-the-numbers, and seem to care little that they visibly look terrible thanks to unconvincing CGI. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 also falls victim to one of the worst traits seen in family-appropriate pictures: being happy to exist purely as a distraction. That means pointless needle drops that shoehorn in pop hits for no reason other than to give kids a recognisable soundtrack to grab their attention, and an exhausting need to whizz from scene to scene (and plot point to plot point) as if the film itself is suffering a sugar rush. Also covered: unnecessary pop-culture references, including inexplicably name-dropping Vin Diesel and The Rock, and also nodding to all things Indiana Jones. Sonic the Hedgehog 2's fondness for dashing through its sequences and setpieces like it's racing against a clock could be seen as a simple case of the film endeavouring to emulate its protagonist — but it also runs for over two hours, so truly delivering a turbo whirlwind isn't on returning director Jeff Fowler's mind. Rather, the feature seems to flit by at a breakneck pace so that nothing could possibly linger, which is one of its few attempted gifts to viewers. The other is still Carrey, although he can't carry the movie this time around. To be specific, he doesn't appear to want to. He also seems to be leaning heavier on easy gimmickry rather than genuine goofiness, but he's happily still in anarchic mode. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 definitely can't match him, though, despite zipping as much chaos across the screen as it can (and as hurriedly as can). Try as it might, the film doesn't make anyone forget its inane Hawaiian wedding scenes, which earn far too much focus because they shouldn't receive any. In the year 2022, second-time Sonic writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller — plus newcomer John Whittington (The Lego Ninjago Movie) — somehow thought it was okay to rely upon bridezilla tropes in the name of supposed humour, and the result is unfunny and lazy. This narrative choice also gives The White Lotus' Natasha Rothwell a thankless part, but then no flesh-and-blood actor who's playing it straight fares well here. That leaves Carrey, and also the voice work behind the movie's primary colour-toned animated creatures. Schwartz still sounds as if he's doing Parks and Recreation's Jean-Ralphio right down to a "the woooorst" joke, but Elba's line readings at least raise a smile by being so self-serious. Throw in an over-emphasised message about the importance of family like this is a stealth Fast and Furious flick — yes, clearly the title would fit, and there's also that Vin Diesel and The Rock mention — and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 just keeps getting more and more derivative. It knows it, actually. It even makes a gag about it. But as with almost everything it serves up, throwing things at the screen like blazes and being well-aware you're doing it doesn't make for an entertaining, average or even passable-enough time at the movies. Image: courtesy Paramount Pictures and Sega of America.
It was meant to be the sci-fi hit of 2020. It ended up being one of 2021's standouts instead. It picked up a heap of 2022 Oscars and has a sequel about to drop. Spice saga Dune is also now back on the big screen in Australia and New Zealand, giving audiences another chance to see it in the best way possible. Directed by Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049), the 2021 film followed in David Lynch's footsteps, making a new adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel — and managing what Alejandro Jodorowsky sadly couldn't (see: excellent documentary Jodorowsky's Dune) in the process. It also gave the world a stunning new science-fiction cinema classic, which started its return season in cinemas on Thursday, February 8, 2024 Down Under in preparation for part two arriving at the end of the month. The initial Villeneuve-helmed Dune flick scored ten Oscar nominations and six wins for beginning the space-opera series' story. In the 2021 film, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet, Wonka) headed to Arrakis because his dad Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac, Moon Knight) had just been given stewardship of the planet and its abundance of 'the spice' — aka the most valuable substance in the universe — and then got caught up in a bitter feud with malicious forces over the substance. It also saw Paul meet the population of people known as the Fremen, including Chani (Zendaya, Euphoria), plus Javier Bardem's (Lyle, Lyle Crocodile) Stilgar, which is who he and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson, Silo) are with in Dune: Part Two. The second film has also taken the long way to cinemas, after originally being slated to release in November 2023, then postponed during Hollywood's strikes. It will now keep the tale going from Thursday, February 29. This time, war has arrived on the franchise's spice-laden planet, and Paul and the Fremen are ready to fight. The former doesn't just want to face off against the folks who destroyed his family, but for the sandy celestial body, with Chani at his side. Expansive desert landscape, golden and orange hues, sandworms, Villeneuve's reliable eye for a spectacle and Hans Zimmer's (The Son) sonic best: they're all part of the first movie. So are Josh Brolin (Outer Range), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Beau Is Afraid) and Charlotte Rampling (Benedetta) among the cast. Some cinemas are also doing Dune double features on Wednesday, February 28, the evening before the second part officially releases, if you want the full Chalamet-led Dune experience so far in one sitting. Check out trailers for Dune and Dune: Part Two below: Dune returned to cinemas Down Under on Thursday, February 8, 2o24. Read our review. Dune: Part Two will release in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, February 29, 2024.
Picture a traditional Chinese landscape painting and you'll probably visualise a mountain with a pagoda half-shrouded in mist. Knowing this, and hoping to make an unequivocal comment on China's pollution problem, photographer Yao Lu has pulled a neat piece of visual trickery: in New Landscapes he creates idyllic vistas that at first appear to depict nature in all its glory but which are actually composed of landfill trash. After arranging the piles of waste into something resembling organic forms and photographing them disguised under construction netting, Yao Lu used editing techniques to insert the conventional artistic elements of trees, pagodas and the red seal. The result raises the question: is this where China's natural world is headed? The works are on show at Bruce Silverstein Gallery in New York. Via PSFK.
The summer holidays might be only just over, but chances are, you're already contemplating your big international trip (or trips) for the year. So, we thought we'd do some research for you. Whether you're gearing up to lay down a deposit on a flight or looking for some deskapism to get you through to knock-off, here are ten international destinations to add to your 2017 wish list. We've got magical Indian cities dotted with blue temples, South American wilderness filled with giant-sized glaciers and a World Heritage listed, volcanic island. [caption id="attachment_606508" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Dennis Jarvis.[/caption] TULUM, MEXICO The world's biggest natural aquarium, Mayan ruins atop a 13-metre high cliff, wild jungles, white sands on the edge of the Caribbean... Tulum is the kind of place people visit and drive their friends mad talking about when they get home. Stay in a traditional, palm-thatched cabaña just a stone's throw from the beach and linger over cocktails in rustic, waterfront bars. Unlike the touristy areas to its north, Tulum is UNESCO-protected from development, thanks to its limestone foundations and biodiversity. [caption id="attachment_606607" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Eva Blue.[/caption] CUBA Fabled land of dancing in the streets, cigars, classic cars and sticking it to the US, Cuba holds mythological status in many a Westerner's imagination. After all, it's been really hard to get to for a really long time. And, now that Fidel Castro has passed away, there's fear that the island will modernise rapidly. Should you make it this year, be sure to wander along Havana's multi-coloured Malecón boulevard meeting poets and philosophers, get lost in the winding alleyways of Camaguey and laze about on Cuba's stunning beaches. [caption id="attachment_606606" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Bernd Thaller.[/caption] MONGOLIA If you love wide open spaces, four-legged beasts running free, sleeping in gers and calligraphy, then make Mongolia your destination. It's in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, that you'll come across galleries dedicated to the mighty pen and, while you're there, be sure to catch a spot of throat singing and a contortionist show or two — Mongolia's are among the best in the world. Next up, head into the Gobi Desert's 1.3 million square kilometres, where you can experience daily life with a nomadic family and drink airag, an alcoholic spirit comprised of fermented horse milk. [caption id="attachment_606604" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Norton Ip.[/caption] SOUTH KOREA Your first reason to swing by South Korea is Jeju, a World Heritage-listed volcanic island, where former lava tubes have turned into some of the biggest caves on the planet. There are hiking trails a-plenty and a bunch of pretty, pretty swimming holes. For a startling contrast, spend the other half of your holiday among Seoul's ten million residents, drinking makgeolli (a sweet rice wine), checking out traditional arts and crafts at the Gahoe Museum, strolling around 600-year-old Bukchon Hanok Village and taking five in a tranquil tea house. [caption id="attachment_606611" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Shannon Connellan.[/caption] HONG KONG Foodies, this one's for you. To make the most of your trip, be there between October 26 and 29, 2017, when the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival takes over the city. You'll be sampling your way through more than 300 stalls, offering gustatory delights of all kinds — from single malt whiskeys to handmade cheeses. Take matters further by booking yourself in for a master chef-prepared, multi-course feast, with matching wines. Equally abundant is Hong Kong's contemporary art scene. Make your way to Kowloon to see the best of it, where a massive, new cultural precinct is under construction, or, if you're after something a little unexpected, take a hike on the lush Lamma Island. [caption id="attachment_606601" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Umesh Gopinath.[/caption] RAJASTHAN, INDIA India's biggest state, found in the country's northwest, gives you 342,000 square kilometres of intense sights, sounds and smells. Jaipur, the capital, is an established tourist destination worth dropping by, but we recommend focusing on some of the smaller cities. To meet artists and reminisce over Octopussy, get yourself to Udaipur (also known as the Venice of the East). To see one of the biggest completely preserved fort cities in the world, check out World Heritage-listed Jaisalmer. And to mix with mystics among blue temples and the humming of Hindu prayers, stay in Pushkar. Then, of course, there's the famous blue city of Jodhpur, with its labyrinthine, medieval streets. [caption id="attachment_606509" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Miguel Mansilla.[/caption] PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA Prepare to feel like a character out of Honey I Shrunk the Kids. Patagonia's one million square kilometres are filled with titanic landscapes. Make your first stop Glaciar Perito Moreno, a 30-kilometre long, five-kilometre wide, 60-metre high kingdom of ice that moves at a rate of two metres per day, causing colossal icebergs to crash into a nearby channel. After that, head to Parque Nacional Los Alerces, to wander among pristine creeks, sparkling lakes and lush mountainsides, and meet a 4,000-year-old tree species. Meanwhile, along the coastline, you'll be treated to epic whale shows, dolphins, seals and penguins — all year round. [caption id="attachment_606609" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Harshil Shah.[/caption] BRISTOL, UK Keen to experience the UK's vibrant music and arts scene, but not so keen on shoving your way through crowds in London? Skip the capital and go straight to Bristol. Found in England's southwest, on the River Avon, this 500,000-person city punches well above its weight when it comes to all things cultural and maintains a laidback, friendly atmosphere. If you can, time your vacation with the epic Bristol Harbour Festival, which takes over the waterfront from 21-23 July 2017, bringing free music, dance, circus performances, live art, food, drink and more. Any time of year, you'll get excellent coffee at Small Street Espresso and tasty vegetarian food at Roll for the Soul, a not-for-profit, community cafe, bike workshop and event space. [caption id="attachment_534322" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Peter Saw.[/caption] TOULOUSE, FRANCE Another alternative European city to add to your itinerary is Toulouse. Despite being the fourth biggest city in France, it's yet to become a tourist hot spot, so you can walk around art galleries without bumping into people. What's more, it's the nation's festival capital, which means that, during summer, rarely a weekend goes by that public spaces aren't packed with dance, live music or theatre. Be sure to explore Les Abattoirs (an ex-slaughterhouse turned contemporary gallery), the Musee des Augustins (an ex-convent seized by revolutionaries in 1793) and Marché Victor Hugo, the biggest of Toulouse's 13 food markets, crowded with local produce and wine-tasting opportunities. You'll find more Toulouse tips over here. [caption id="attachment_606610" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Tim Sackton.[/caption] BOSTON, USA Already visited NYC, LA and San Fran? Looking for a new place to explore in the US? We present, Boston. Found on the east coast of Massachusetts, this 700,000-strong city is legendary for its love of learning, innovation, ideas and the arts, partly because it's where you'll find Harvard Uni. If you're into American history, take the Freedom Trail, which carries you through the leadup to the War of Independence. For cracking Italian restaurants, hit the North End. And, when you're ready to go further afield, set sail for the Boston Harbour islands.
When it first hit the small screen between 2007–12, Gossip Girl didn't just introduce the world to Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Chace Crawford and Penn Badgley, and make everyone want to sit on the steps of The Met. Across its initial run, the series spun a lavish, soapy, usually OTT but always watchable teen-focused drama filled with secrets and scandals — and gossip, obviously. When its titular figure said "you know you love me", as she did often, everyone watching knew she was right. Because we live in a world where a big Friends reunion just hit streaming, Sex and the City is getting a television sequel and Saved by the Bell has returned to the screen as ell, Gossip Girl was always going to make a comeback in some shape or form. So, come Thursday, July 8, you'll be saying XOXO to the series once again. HBO's streaming platform HBO Max is reviving the series, and Binge will screen it in Australia. If you're wondering what you're in for, it has been billed as both a reimagining and an extension. So, that means that Gossip Girl circa 2021 will take place in the same world as its predecessor, but it'll focus on different characters. An early sneak peek back in May teased what that'll look like, and now a just-dropped new trailer offers fans a bigger glimpse of all the dramas to come. Set nine years after the eponymous and anonymous blog went dark, the new series sees its namesake return, too — otherwise the show wouldn't have a premise. This time, a new bunch of New York private school-attending teenagers are at the ever-present, seemingly all-knowing gossip blogger's mercy, with their Upper East Side lives captured and dissected via an Instagram account. Whether any familiar faces will pop up is yet to be revealed; however, in the most important news there is regarding this revival, Kristen Bell is returning to voice the titular figure. She'll narrate the comings and goings of a group played Jordan Alexander (Sacred Lies), Eli Brown (Wrath of Man), Thomas Doherty (High Fidelity), Tavi Gevinson (Halston), Emily Alyn Lind (Every Breath You Take), Evan Mock, Zion Moreno (Control Z), Whitney Peak (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and Savannah Lee Smith. The cast has changed, but the social-climbing chaos is bound to be familiar. If you were a particular fan of the threads worn by Lively, Meester and company back in the day, you'll be pleased to know that costume designer Eric Daman (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) is back for a second go-around. The creators of the initial show, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (The OC), have nabbed executive producer credits on the revival as well — so they'll have a hand in yet another adaptation of Cecily von Ziegesar's books. And the new series' showrunner Josh Safran (Smash) was a writer and executive producer on the original series. Check out the latest Gossip Girl trailer below: Gossip Girl will start streaming via Binge from Thursday, July 8. Top image: Karolina Wojtasik / HBO Max.
Earlwolf is the amalgam of Odd Future (or Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, or OFWGKTA) alumni Tyler, the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt, two of the most talked about hip hop artists of the decade. Whilst that talk is often based around the controversy they create, with Tyler's most recent artistic foray into commercial curation causing heated debate, there is no denying that when it comes to music the two are innovative virtuosos changing the sound of the genre with their subversive aural experiments. Their Australian tour is their first visit to our shores since Tyler's most recent release, Wolf, and with 19-year-old Earl's follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut, Earl, to be released so soon — and with it promising to be very tidy indeed if his new single 'Whoa' is anything to go by — there is no better time to catch the two most prestigious talents of Odd Future. Be aware, though, that whilst the two are excellent at what they do, this is probably not for you if you are offended easily. The hip hop duo are bringing their explosive sound to Brisbane on June 8, so get in quick and witness the future of hip hop.
