Biannual art and design markets The Finders Keepers is returning for its spring/summer iterations, bringing shoppers the latest and greatest from its stellar lineup of Australia's most creative makers. The Meanjin edition is taking over Brisbane Showgrounds from Friday, September 2 till Sunday, September 4. Joining the creatively charged stalls is a tasty range of food and beverage offerings — all the makings of a prime day to get out, have a chat with artists and support the industry. At the core of the conscious shopping space is a focus on helping you discover and connect with the next wave of independent and emerging artisans — specifically, local designers. So, you can expect to find everything from jewellery, fashion and ceramics to leather goods and body products. And, for the market's return to Brisbane, there's more than 100 stores to peruse. Nicoco Design will have you sorted for your bold and bright fabric pieces, Paxy & Flora are bringing oodles of cute-as-pie ceramic creations and Brisbane-fave Claire Ritchie has her joy-inducing floral artworks at the ready (pictured above). Plus, if you're into slow fashion, you'll be able to shop the excellent creations from Rex & Isla (which keeps maternity wear front and centre), Rose + Reggie and Al Elé. Don't miss the beauty delivered via the Finders Keepers Indigenous Program, which will be shining a spotlight on the collaborative works from Ikuntji Artists (pictured below). This collective — the first Aboriginal art centre for Western Desert women — has been producing fine art from the rich red soil of Haasts Bluff since 1992. As well as nabbing a ticket to enter — which is just $5 for daily general admission — be sure to remember that the market is completely cashless. So check (then check again) that you've got your digital or plastic payment methods at the ready — it would be a travesty to leave the market empty handed. The Finders Keepers Autumn/Winter Markets will take place on Friday, September 2 (4–9pm), Saturday, September 3 (9am–4pm) and Sunday, September 4 (9am–4pm) at Brisbane Showgrounds. For more info and to check out the full vendor lineup, head to the website. Location images: Samee Lapham
Back in 2007, Daft Punk played Brisbane's Riverstage. If you were there, you'll never forget it — and if you missed out, you'll never forget that, either. Now that the band has parted ways, no one will get that chance again, sadly. Head down to HOTA, Hone of the Arts on the Gold Coast, however, and you can pretend for one evening. Feel like scoring a dose of da funk on a Saturday night, losing yourself to dance and getting lucky? Of course you do. You'll be burnin' up the floor, getting derezzed and giving life back to music in no time from 6pm on Saturday, September 17, in fact — and if you do so harder, better, faster and stronger, you'll be doin' it right indeed. If you haven't guessed just who is in the spotlight at The Daft Punk Experience with Alternative Symphony, then you probably need to take your helmet off and prepare to give some of the best albums of the past two decades a spin one more time. There'll be robot rock, plenty of digital love and you might even think you've been around the world while you're throwing shapes. And, for this one-night-only gig, Alternative Symphony is playing Daft Punk's greatest hits with an orchestral spin. That means you'll be listening to the band's tracks as played by a full orchestra, assisted by DJs, drums, strings, horns, trumpets, live vocalists and MCs. It all takes place at HOTA's outdoor stage, with seven-metre-tall installation Alcazar will be in place — so dancing around it and inside it is also on the agenda. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmi60Bd4jSs
There's a bandwagon riding around Hollywood at the moment, built on books of the young-adult sci-fi dystopia variety. Yes, contemplating teens in trouble in futuristic times is the current trend du jour, one that Insurgent happily mines. The second film based on the popular novels by Veronica Roth, Insurgent picks up where Divergent left off. As a refresher for those with short memories, the time is 200 years from now, and the place is a walled-in, post-apocalyptic Chicago. Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) scandalised the factionalised society by daring not to conform to type. Everyone is supposed to fall into one of five categories, but her personality just wouldn’t fit, branding her divergent. After attempting to hide her true nature, incurring the wrath of power-hungry wannabe leader Jeanine (Kate Winslet), romancing the sullen Four (Theo James) and threatening to expose a few frightening home truths, Tris is now an enemy of the state — but running can only get her and her pals so far. As Jeanine’s tactics of control over the populace become more violent, rebellion and confrontation becomes Tris’s only option Sound familiar? Of course it does, because you’ve seen this before. Not just in the first film, but in the growing pile exactly like it — The Hunger Games, The Giver and The Maze Runner, just to name a few. Disaffected youth, shady dealings, unscrupulous adults, hidden agendas and the pursuit of the bigger picture: it’s a checklist they all stick to, ticking off items one by one. Slight details change; however, for the most part, everything follows the formula. That feeling, not of deja vu or of second chapter-itis, but of seeing too much of the same thing over and over again, just can’t be shaken in Insurgent, not that director Robert Schwentke (RIPD) seems to be trying too hard. With a moody electronic score reminiscent of Tron: Legacy and bleak visuals of running, scowling and fighting that could be taken from any film, the filmmaker’s vision of events paints by the numbers as much as the material it is based on (a few dream sequences aside). Instead, it is left to the high-profile cast to spice things up. Seeing strong female roles on screen is always welcome, but Woodley’s fired-up heroine and Winslet’s cold villain aren’t given too much new to do but frown and argue. Octavia Spencer flits in and out, woefully underused. Though Naomi Watts joins the ensemble, she’s really just setting up the drama for the two films still to come. It’s actually Miles Teller, fresh from Whiplash and made to play a snarky comic foil, who adds some character to the blandness. He’s clearly the only actor having fun, with no one else looking remotely like they want to be in the movie. That's the problem with bandwagons — the more people jump on them, the more others just want to fall right off. That’s the problem with Insurgent, too, as it just keeps circling around the same old teen dystopian block.
Do you live for lava lamps? Is Austin Powers right up your alley? Do you revere the odd rave party? Psychadeliaphiles near and far will be scintillated by news that there is a very cool new exhibition showing at the University Art Museum at UQ. Drawing on the aesthetics of 60s and 70s psychedelia, the UAM’s New Psychedelia exhibition is a contemporary take on the idea, exploring the ‘new psychedelia’ that has emerged in contemporary art as an off-shoot of the rave party, as well as the aesthetics of virtual reality and the ‘consensual hallucination of cyberspace’. The exhibition displays new acquisitions to The University of Queensland art collection as well as exhibiting works from the existing collection in new light. This includes work from Nathan Gray, Irene Hanenbergh, Brendan Huntley, Madeleine Kelly, Tim Maguire, Laith McGregor (yes, that’s biro), Roy McIvor, Kate Shaw, Jemima Wyman, Dale Frank and Sandra Selig.
Much to the delight of rollerskate-loving Brisbanites, RollerFit finally made it to our fair city last year. This class isn't just about learning to skate, although that's definitely on offer. It's also about exercising on four wheels. On Friday, June 21, RollerFit will add another component to the mix: 90s disco fun. Hit the rink, skate under mirrored lights, listen to killer tunes from two decades ago and bust out your best retro roller dance moves. Plus, if you dress for the occasion — 90s-style, with plenty of lycra, neon and fluoro, obviously — you could also win a prize. An all-ages affair, the RollerFit 90s Roller Disco runs from 6–9pm, with tickets only available on the door. Getting your skate on will set you back $20 if you're a RollerFit member and $25 for everyone else, while hiring some wheels will cost an extra $5. EFTPOS facilities will be limited, so cash is preferred. While you have your wallet out, there'll also be a RollerFit shop set up should you want to buy your own protective gear, accessories or merch.
If it seems like only yesterday that Regurgitator, Custard, Butterfingers, Resin Dogs and Screamfeeder were playing every venue around Brisbane every night, then you obviously have strong recollections of the city's 90s and 00s music scene. It was only a few months back that most of the above names teamed up to help celebrate The Zoo's 30th birthday, in fact, so your thoughts don't need to span back too far. Come Saturday, March 25, you can also cement new memories at Units, aka what just might be the most Brisbane music festival ever. Described as "25 years of Unit in one electric stream of sound and colour", this new one-day event nabs its name from Regurgitator's 1997 album Unit, its second record and the source of synth pop-meets-alt rock bangers like '! (The Song Formerly Known As)', 'Polyester Girl' and 'I Like Your Old Stuff Better Than Your New Stuff'. In fact, this fest is completely based around celebrating Unit's big anniversary — with more than a little help from some other huge Brisbane music names. So, that's where Custard, Butterfingers, Resin Dogs and Screamfeeder all come in, all as part of a fest that'll take over Eatons Hill Hotel's ballroom and outdoor gig space. It's a two-stage, no-clash affair, so you'll be able to see everyone on the bill. And yes, the Gurge is playing Unit in full. Dance to the band's 90s hits, with the Brissie legends also working through plenty else from their hefty catalogue — then enjoy the fellow acts that've been making Brisbane the music-filled city it is for decades. DZ Deathrays weren't releasing tunes back when Unit first released, of course, but they're also on the bill. The rest of Units' roster of talent includes Models, Flangipanis, Glitoris, Mitch, Please, The Stress of Leisure and Platonic Sex, in what's set to be a helluva day. Things don't get no better, better than you and this lineup, clearly. UNITS LINEUP: Regurgitator performing UNIT in full (and more) DZ Deathrays Custard Models Butterfingers Screamfeeder Resin Dogs Flangipanis Glitoris Mitch, Please The Stress of Leisure Platonic Sex
Beer halls aren't just for drinking brews, at least where Felons Brewing Co is involved. The Howard Smith Wharves mainstay regularly puts its barrel hall to a range of other uses, whether by hosting movies or markets — or the Seasonal Fruit music festival. On Sunday, June 16 from 4pm, the latter is on the agenda for its winter 2024 edition, with this riverside fest curated by Jet Black Cat Music. Here's one way to start the new season: with a lineup of international and local acts taking to the stage over one afternoon. Leading the bill this time: Tirzah from the UK, Bonny Doon from the US, plus Glass Beams, Skeleten, Tex Crick and Middle Name Dance Band. And for the sips? Well, you will be in a brewery after all, with Felons' beers on offer. Doors open at 4pm, tickets cost $69 for the gig, and you'll pay for your beverages on top. Summer Fruit — Winter Edition Lineup: Tirzah Bonny Doon Glass Beams Skeleten Tex Crick Middle Name Dance Band Images: Darcy Goss Media.
Perhaps you're fond of crusty sourdough with your breakfast or brunch. Maybe you have a sweet tooth for cakes, muffins and brownies. Either way, with everyone presently spending more time at home — and zero time eating out at bakeries and cafes — we're betting that you've probably cranked up your oven and put your baking skills to the test in recent weeks. Next time you get creative in the kitchen, however, you don't just have to stick to a packet mix or try out the recipe on the back of your packet of flour. And if you've been craving treats from one of Brisbane's favourite spots for tasty baked goods, you don't have to miss out. Adapting to the current situation, Jocelyn's Provisions is now selling 'take & bake' kits, which'll let you whip up some of its wares yourself. For folks who can't resist the smell of baking cookies wafting through the house, the choc chip cookie dough kit ($18.50) features 500 grams of ready-to-bake cookie dough — which is enough to make 24 cookies. And for those who are fine with leaving the baking to the experts, but would love to get crafty with icing, the cupcake decorating kit ($22.50) comes with six vanilla cupcakes, piping bags filled with raspberry and vanilla icing, and edible pink and gold decorations. Both kits are available for pick up only — with orders taken online, and collection available from Jocelyn's Provisions' stores on Sandgate Road in Albion, James Street in New Farm and Samuel Street in Camp Hill. Jocelyn's is also selling its regular range for takeaway and delivery, as well as a weekly selection of take home meals — with the current menu, at the time of writing, featuring cacio e pepe spaghetti and tomato and bacon pasta for two ($16.90 each); minestrone soup with a mini garlic bread, which also serves two ($23.50); garlic, fresh herb and parmesan sourdough that'll cater for between four and six ($18.50); and a four-person classic beef lasagne ($48.50). For more information about Jocelyn's Provisions' 'take & bake' kits — or to order one — visit the store's website. If you're choosing to go out and support local businesses, have a look at the latest COVID-19 advice and social-distancing guidelines from the Department of Health.
Gareth Moody knows what he’s doing. After six years of working as one of the Ksubi co-founders, he went off to do his own thing and launched Chronicles of Never in 2006, a jewellery brand that is now iconic for Moody’s trademark symbols, materials and colours used. Following the success of the jewellery line, Moody expanded into a complete Chronicles of Never clothing line and less-exxy-but-just-as-amazing sub-label Black Noise White Rain. The amazing thing about Chronicles of Never is that you can spot someone wearing it from a mile away – and not in the sense that Moody’s used diamontes to emblazon the CoN logo across some t-shirts or something (though that is also effective if you go for that kinda thing). Quite the opposite – Moody’s designs have been cohesive within each collection and throughout the seasons, creating and developing on the CoN ‘signature style’ while establishing a cult following along the way. For two days Chronicles of Never are setting up shop on Ann Street for an AW11 end of season sale, boasting seconds, samples and rarities. If you haven’t joined the Cult of Chronicles yet, this is the perfect time to establish your membership.
Ever wanted to watch Simon Pegg recreate Eat Pray Love? Then you're in luck. It may head to China, Africa and Los Angeles in a quest for contentment, but there's little in Hector and the Search for Happiness that wasn't first seen in that well-known book turned film — other than numerous references to Tintin, that is. Pegg plays the titular therapist, living a seemingly satisfactory life with his devoted girlfriend, Clara (Rosamund Pike). He thinks he is happy, until a dream featuring Hergé's boy adventurer starts him wondering about the meaning of the word. His practice is flourishing and patients accept his guidance willingly, yet he's no longer certain his orderly existence qualifies him to dispense advice. Broadening his horizons becomes the obvious course of action, as Hector sets off around the world in the pursuit of exhilaration and enlightenment. Food, spirituality and romance ensue in the adaptation of psychiatrist-turned-author François Lelord's novel of the same name, in an effort comprised of episodic encounters with thinly drawn characters. A wealthy businessman (Stellan Skarsgård), ruthless drug lord (Jean Reno), former flame (Toni Collette) and distinguished professor (Christopher Plummer) cross Hector's path, each imparting life lessons. To ensure audiences are paying attention, every piece of wisdom Hector gleans is also emblazoned on the screen in scribbled handwriting. In a travelogue film brimming with platitudes, it feels fitting that what is seen in Hector and the Search for Happiness — scrawled statements of supposed knowledge aside — fares better than what is heard. The feature's central performances are amiable, with Pegg more earnest than usual, and Pike luminous, though barely used. From the UK to the US and everywhere in between, the far-flung settings are handsomely and brightly photographed. Alas, a likeable cast and lush images can't overcome trite and troubling material that shouts its sentiments as loudly as it can. Though poised as a warm comedy, there's little that's funny about a script sketchily espousing "be yourself" teachings likely to be found in fortune cookies and overdosing in schmaltz as Hector mingles with babies and the dying — and they're the less concerning elements. Insensitive cultural tourism reinforces stereotypical perceptions and highlights the film's privileged perspective, as does the handling of Hector and Clara's relationship, with marriage and parenthood posed as the real sources of happiness. Coming from the director of Hannah Montana: The Movie and Serendipity, Peter Chelsom, the feature plays out like a cartoonish fairytale, but the lack of serious intent and the overt adherence to formula doesn't excuse its offensiveness or laziness. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty did soul-searching globetrotting before, and better. Hector and the Search for Happiness merely wades along the shallow and sugary edges of the self-help pond. https://youtube.com/watch?v=JElca1Latos
Like cocktails? Like devouring them at one of the Valley's favourite hangouts? No, they're not trick questions. If you answered yes to both — and we're certain that you did — then you're going to love Dutch Courage Officers' Mess returning boozy masterclasses. Not content with wowing thirsty folks with its drinks list, the Alfred Street hotspot wants to impart its beverage-shaking wisdom to its patrons. So, on select Saturdays each month, it enlists its bartenders to share the tricks of the trade in themed afternoon sessions. Each class covers everything from the tools you need to the basics of cocktail structure, as well as the history of alcoholic concoctions and tips for making your own recipes, too. The drinks change each time, with 2021 lineup so far showing you how to whip up a twisted spanish maids (on January 23), mojitos (January 30), breakfast martinis (February 13) and gin classics (February 27). Whatever the subject, we're betting that a certain clear spirit will feature among the ingredients; this is a bar that boasts more than 150 gins on site, after all. Times vary each session, too, but you'll generally be able to head along at 1.45pm and 3.30pm. Your ticket also includes two cocktails, plus a house wine, beer or spirit upon arrival.
Sundays are all about rounding out your weekend the right way. There's work to be done the next day, no one wants to think about it and we all want to make the most of every single second before that happens. One surefire approach: coast into the week to come with lasting good vibes from the most cruisy activities possible — meaning an afternoon of free live music at Livespark at Brisbane Powerhouse. Slide into a seat in this cathedral-like space, then kick back to live sounds before the working week begins again. You'll be heading to the Turbine Platform, so you'll really feel like you're in the thick of the iconic building. The lineup changes each time, with 2022's Livespark sessions happening monthly — or thereabouts. To kick off the year, head along from 3–5.30pm on January 30, with Freight Train Foxes and Megan Cooper doing the honours to keep you entertained. Top image: Studio Impressions.
Sundays are all about rounding out your weekend the right way. Coast into the week-to-come with lasting good vibes from the most cruisy activities possible — bonus points if this includes food and drink. So tick all the boxes with an afternoon of free live music at Livespark, hosted by the SUGARRUSH Music crew at the Powerhouse Turbine Platform. Slide into a seat in this cathedral-like space, and listen to the mellow sounds of I Heart Songwriting Club. Post-gig you can slip downstairs to keep your Sunday session going with a jug of Pimm's and tasty share plates at the riverside Watt Restaurant. Image: Brisbane Powerhouse.
The namesake of the river-top rum distillery that floated along Queensland's rivers in the nineteenth century, The Walrus Club, is refreshed and ready to welcome party people back to its cosy quarters. And to herald its return, the speakeasy is putting on a spectacular long weekend of live music to accompany the rum- and Cuban cigar-fuelled fun it's known for. With the choice of tipple ranging from 50-year-old Jamaican rums and Pusser's British Navy through to rare spirits handpicked from the world over, you're sure to find a winning drop. There'll be musos crooning sweet tunes, moodily lit corners and deftly made cocktails. The debauchery kicks off at 6pm sharp on Thursday, August 11, and will flow through to Sunday, August 14. And, as an added treat, the first 50 guests to arrive each night will receive a gift. You are invited to celebrate The Return of The Walrus Club from Thursday, August 11 till Sunday, August 14. Make sure you stay up to date by signing up to the club's newsletter.
Come Friday, November 20, it's time for a night at the museum — but you won't find Ben Stiller roaming the halls here. But, given what'll be on display at Queensland Museum at the time, the revelry will feel rather ominous. Walking, talking and drinking while taking a tour of QM's new Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Ocean Predators exhibition is on the agenda at the venue's latest adults-only After Dark shindig. You'll check out and learn all about giant ancient marine reptiles, and there'll be expert chats about the fossil remains on display, too — and you'll be able to sip your way through the night over a bite as well. A word of warning: these shindigs often sell out, and this one will be COVID-19 safe, which means it'll have a limited capacity. In other words, you'll want to nab a $35 ticket quickly (and note that that price doesn't include food and drinks). Top image: Queensland Museum.
Homegrown and drawing inspiration from rock legends of the past and present – Velvet Underground, Nirvana, The Clash and The Libertines to name a few – Lunch Tapes are a five-piece who, despite their big-name influences, have hashed out a sound that Lunch Tapes can call their very own. It combines, in their own words, a reverb-drenched electric violin with intricate lead guitar work and a tight-driving rhythm section, with a vocal sound that is both haunting and melodic yet raw and chaotic. Aurally aroused yet? Yeah, well, you’re in luck. They’re playing The Zoo this Saturday, launching their new single ‘Barefoot Daze’. This is the first chance you’ll be able to hear the single live before they flit off for their national tour. Joining them are The Keep On Dancin’s, The Deer Republic and Kate & Max. Pre-sale tickets are going for $5 – since when do you get to see four amazing bands for $1.25 a pop? Like, never! So it would be silly to miss out.
With Queensland's COVID-19 restrictions easing since mid-May and more Brisbanites heading back to work, commuters are once again piling onto the city's public transport network. But, social distancing is still required, so the government is putting on more than 1000 extra buses and trains. From Monday, August 10, the Queensland Government will add an extra 960 bus and 105 train into service across the network as part of its COVID-19 Safe Public Transport Plan. They'll run Monday–Friday, with a focus on peak-hour commutes in both the morning and the afternoon — totalling almost 58,000 more seats for bums across the city. In terms of services, an extra 85 bus services will be on offer each weekday morning, as well as an additional 107 services on weekday afternoons — increasing bus availability around the CBD. On the rail network, there'll be 11 extra morning services and ten added afternoon train services. Trains will also ramp up their frequency on a range of busy lines; instead of every 30 minutes, they'll come every 15 minutes on the Beenleigh, Caboolture, Cleveland, Ipswich, Redcliffe Peninsula, Shorncliffe and Springfield routes. The train changes are here to stay, too, with the new services becoming permanent across the seven aforementioned lines. For buses, though, this is a short-term change for now; however if Brisbanites respond via increased demand for services, it could remain in place. As Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey explained in a statement, the aim is "to roll out the extra buses until the end of the school year and then assess patronage levels". He continued, "if the demand is there, we will consider if these bus services should become permanent for the longer term". Temporary hand sanitiser stations will also be rolled out across the public transport network — at entry and exit points at busy bus stops, and at every one of southeast Queensland's 152 train stations — progressively from Monday, August 10. And, if you commute by bus, you'll still be able to board via the rear where possible — and payments will remain cashless. Even with the added services, the Queensland Government and TransLink are still asking Brisbane commuters to adhere to general social-distancing rules, of course. "As more passengers return to public transport, we're asking everyone to leave a gap, keep it clean by following health advice and adjust your travel to avoid travelling in peak periods if possible," Minister Bailey said, with TransLink also suggesting that folks stagger their work and travel hours. To plan your journey and for more information about Brisbane transport options, head to the TransLink website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the state's online COVID-19 hub.
Brisbanites, if catching a train is on your agenda between Friday, April 2–Monday, April 5, you might want to rethink your travel plans. Translink has announced that track work will take place over Easter, with a number of stations closing as a result. Buses will replace rail services in the affected areas. The closures kick off from the first service on Friday, April 2 and run through until the last service on Monday, April 5 — and a sizeable number of stations will be impacted. In the CBD, everything from Roma Street to Northgate will close, having an effect on every line. So prepare to hop off the train at either spot, then jump on a bus to complete your journey. Additional stations will be out of bounds, too, but it depends on the line. The Beenleigh and Gold Coast lines will be shut from Roma Street to Coopers Plains, and the Cleveland line from Roma Street to Lindum. The Doomben and Ferny Grove lines won't operate at all — and the Airtrain won't run either. On Tuesday, April 6–Wednesday, April 7, the Beenleigh and Gold Coast lines will still be affected from Roma Street to Yeerongpilly. Gold Coast trains will run express from Roma Street to Altandi over the two days, departing five minutes earlier than usual. Both routes will return to normal on Thursday, April 8. The works involve general maintenance across the lines, upgrade works and works for the Cross River Rail project. If you're thinking that this'll add some time to your journey, you're absolutely right. Travellers should factor extra time into their trips. For more information, and to check train and bus timetables, visit the TransLink website.
On the outskirts of Paris, an epic electronic legend is working harder, better, faster and allegedly on a solo album. One half of Daft Punk, Guy-Manuel Homem-Christo, has been reported by French magazine Tsugi as working on his own solo release — and apparently Charlotte Gainsbourg's on board. Dates are in the dark at present, with the album actually yet to be announced. Tsugi have reported the presence of guests on the album, taking the liberty to confirm the appearance of fellow French legend Charlotte Gainsbourg. Yep. Formidable. The absence of Daft Punk co-captain Thomas Bangalter is a pretty Big Deal, but the pair have their own solo ventures from time to time — Guy-Man produced Kavinsky and Sébastien Tellier's albums and Waves compilations out on his own Crydamoure label. The first new material since last year's Grammy-blitzing album Random Access Memories, the album whisperings come with crossed fingers of an Australian return. We're all too aware this is absolute blue sky, but we'll keep shining up our helmets anywho. Via Tsugi and Your EDM.
Cleveland-based, alt-punk trio Cloud Nothings is set to head our way this week, armed with brand new album Here and Nowhere and ready to play Meredith Music Festival — as well as a bunch of sideshows. Since starting out jamming around singer-songwriter Dylan Baldi's basement, Cloud Nothings' trademark sound has become bigger, bolder and more powerful; nostalgic in its references to the Buzzcocks, Husker and Blink-182, yet very much its own thing. It's been an unexpected year for Cloud Nothings. After moving from a quartet to a trio in early 2014 (former guitarist Joe Boyer can't actually leave Ohio for legal reasons), the band's blistering live shows — including recent appearances at Pitchfork Music Festival and Primavera — have played a huge role in boosting their fanbase. In fact, you'll probably want to nab yourself a ticket super-fast: their 2013 Australian tour was a sell-out. In addition to Meredith, Cloud Nothings will play Sydney's Oxford Art Factory on Wednesday, 10 December, supported by Palms and Bed Wettin' Bad Boys; Melbourne's Corner Hotel on Thursday, 11 December, supported by Palms and Power; and Brisbane's The Zoo on Sunday, 14 December.
Grab a paintbrush, find something pretty, pick a surface, add a little texture, finish it off with some shadow, and you’ve got yourself a still life. While these types of paintings tend to shoot straight as far as execution, Brisbane artist Claire Stening adds a unique tranquility to her depiction of everyday objects. Stening plays with light on fabric, the transparency of glass, and contours of solids, to create almost calm and natural compositions and motions in her work. Her neutral palette further softens her pieces into a light that draws the radiant from the real. From old copper pots to antique bottles she paints the aged in a means that is fresh, and rife with immediacy. Stening has exhibited extensively throughout Australia, was the finalist in the Portia Geech Memorial Award 2010 and was invited to show with the Salon Des Refuses from 2008 to 2010. Now, you can see her calming and creative work in the flesh at Edwina Corlette Gallery till the 16th of August.
Drinking a beverage and watching a band ranks among life's simplest pleasures. Enjoying one of hundreds of craft beers and ciders from more than 60 independent brewers and cideries, while being entertained by The Smith Street Band, The Jungle Giants and more — now that's how you take something great and make it even better. Ensuring a good time is had by all is part of the aim of the Beer InCider Experience in its 2018 iteration over the weekend of Friday, September 21 and Saturday, September 22. Well, that and showcasing the best in brews and music, plus throwing in some delicious food and fun entertainment options. And, like last year, the tasting festival is taking over the Brisbane Showgrounds. To line the stomach, local food-slinging folks will also do their bit — and 2017's event also featured a ginger beer bar and an espresso martini bar, so cross your fingers that they'll make a return. After all that eating and drinking — including of collaborative beverages and exclusive brews made just for Beer InCider — you can then work it all with a bout of ping pong or handball. Yes, this truly is the ultimate in drinks-focused festivals. And if that's not enough, here's the full music lineup: The Jungle Giants The Smith Street Band Tired Lion Mallrat Bad//Dreems Alice Ivy Press Club Bugs Bris182 Morning Harvey Sweater Curse Updated July 30.
It's no secret that the film industry isn't the most inclusive, accessible or safe space for women, one of the matters that the #MeToo and #TimesUp campaigns have been addressing over the past six months. It's also a subject that Frances McDormand highlighted in her rousing best actress acceptance speech at this year's Oscars, when she had the whole world scrambling to look up two words: inclusion rider. The industry's gender imbalance not only encompasses the treatment of women involved in filmmaking in front of and behind the lens, however, but also the field of film criticism. Take Rotten Tomatoes, for example. If it's your go-to review aggregator, then you've probably noticed that the bulk of critics listed are men. Indeed, according to a 2016 study by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, men outnumber women on the site by 73 percent to 27 percent. It's a topic that everyone from Jessica Chastain to Meryl Streep to Reese Witherspoon has drawn attention to in recent years, and now a new initiative is aiming to offer an alternative. That'd be CherryPicks, which will exclusively focus on female film critics. Expected to launch later this year, it'll provide "perspectives on film, tv, music, and more with reviews, ratings and high quality original content, all though a female lens," as its website explains. "This is where you can find out what women like, and what they don't," the site continues, in an aim to more accurately represent the full spectrum of critical voices. The project spearheaded by director, producer, actor and distributor Miranda Bailey and author, producer and entrepreneur Rebecca Odes. Speaking to IndieWire, Bailey noted the need for the film industry to not only change to "include more minorities and females on both sides of the camera", but to "change the perceived desires of consumers" as well. "How can we possibly change what consumers consider good and worthy content if the majority of critics who tell them what to want are predominately older white males?" she asked. CherryPicks will rate films on its own scale, ranging from a 'Bowl of Cherries' to 'The Pits', while also analysing each title's representation of women and considerations appropriate to women according to its own 'Cherry Check' system. In addition, it'll feature newsletters, podcasts, lists, articles and more, and spotlight women — critics, filmmakers, actors, writers and other creatives — working across the movie business. Via IndieWire.
For nearly a century, the Capitol Theatre has stood on Melbourne's Swanston Street — initially playing host to silent films that were preceded by live theatre productions before each screening, and also accompanied by Australia's first large Wurlitzer organ. First opening in 1924, it's a crucial part of the city's entertainment history; however since 2014, the space has remained closed. Owner RMIT is eager to change that, launching a crowdfunding campaign to restore the theatre and put it back into use. With $20 million in restoration and improvement works mooted, the university is seeking to supplement the Victorian Government's pledged $2.5 million with $2 million in public funding — with every dollar donated to be matched by RMIT. And, for folks who give $250 or more, their name will be featured on the building's wall. Running since late 2017, the campaign aims to "give Melbourne a spectacular and world famous space to house festivals, film premieres and screenings, concerts and conferences" — according to the appeal's website — plus learning spaces for RMIT students. It's the latest chapter in the theatre's eventful lifespan, which has seen it closed in the 60s, renovated to turn its stalls-level seating into the Capitol Arcade, and then remodelled again when RMIT took over in 1999. If you've ever stepped inside the space — which was used as a venue for the Melbourne International Film Festival as recently as 2014 — you will have noticed the decor. Designed by architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin, who also designed the city of Canberra, its striking, geometric-shaped, light-filled ceiling attracts as much attention as anything on the venue's stage or screen. The entire structure, aka Capitol House, has been on the Victorian Heritage Register since 1989 — with the Capitol Theatre pre-dating both the nearby Forum and Regent Theatre. For more information, visit the Capitol Theatre campaign website. For images of the site, visit the campaign blog. Images: Michelleyesf / Stephen Bain / Adam Carr.
For years, a trip to 224 Given Terrace meant burning a (reasonably sized) hole in your pocket with fine diner Montrachet ranking among Brisbane's pricier restaurants. The beloved French eatery moved shop back in 2017, making its new base on Bowen Hills' King Street — and its former patch of Paddington has welcomed a more casual restaurant. The latest venture from ex-Moda duo Kevin Docherty and Sebastiaan de Kort (also behind the kitchen at The Cheese Pleaser), Nota serves up seasonal dishes that won't break your bank account. With a focus on "simple yet satisfying meals", according to de Kort, the menu aims to be uncomplicated, accessible and approachable, while still highlighting quality ingredients. That means snacks from $5, including smoked sesame cheese and semi-dried tomato-topped puffed rice crisps; mains kicking off at $22, like the standout slow-cooked octopus with raspberry emulsion, fennel and citrus; and desserts starting at $12, such as the warm house crumble with vanilla anglaise. Also on offer is a tempura fish sandwich with house tartare, confit pork on toasted brioche, and blinis with caviar and egg yolk, all from the smaller bite lineup. Among the mains, you'll find Brisbane Valley quail with sweet corn polenta and burnt butter, market fish with pipis and caviar, and sirloin with bone marrow sauce. Nota's decor takes the same straightforward but stylish tact — think exposed brick walls, mirrors aplenty, small but elegant light fixtures, and a palette of white, black and camel. And drinks-wise, Nota keeps its range small in number but big on taste, spanning a 14-strong wine list, plus beers on tap and draught from Stone & Wood, Balter and Bridge Road. Split into old classics and new house favourites, 11 cocktails are also avalable. Opt for the familiar taste of an Aperol spritz, negroni, margarita or espresso martini, or try a 'Nota Sour' (with Frangelico, hazelnuts and egg white), 'Bloody Gazpacho' (with vodka, tomato, aged balsamic and Tabasco) or 'Smoked Old Fashioned' (with Starward Two Fold, orange and thyme). Find Nota at 224 Given Terrace, Paddington. It's open from 5pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, between 11am–3pm and again at 5pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and between 11am–6pm on Sundays.
Concrete Playground readers have the chance to win a special night out thanks to Brisbane Festival. One lucky reader will win two tickets to see URBAN on Saturday, 14 September, at 9.30pm, and two $30 Festival Flavours vouchers to use at 5ifth Element for a pre-show feast. Here after sell-out seasons from Columbia to Paris, URBAN is a high-energy circus show that tells a story of the streets. Through dance, music and acrobatics, Circolumbia reveal the real joys and violence the young artists grew up around. Brisbane Festival has paired up with 19 great restaurants to offer some mighty fine wine and dine deals for the duration of the festival. Audiences can tuck into a Festival Flavours dish and a beverage for just $30 from September 7 to 28. For your chance to win, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already) then email your name, address and phone number to daniela@concreteplayground.com.au with 'Brisbane Festival' in the subject line by Tuesday, September 10. The winner will be drawn at random.
It's considered one of the greatest whodunnits of all time. Or rather, one of the greatest whodidn'ts. Penned by Agatha Christie back in 1934, and first adapted into a film in 1974, Murder on the Orient Express takes a train full of passengers, kills one of them off, then asks "probably the greatest detective in the world" to find the person responsible. Naturally, everyone's a suspect, especially to the famous Hercule Poirot. He's soon slinging questions and making deductions, in a story full of mystery and suspense. At least, that's how it played out both in the book and the initial film. But try as it might, Kenneth Branagh's new version doesn't quite manage the same feat. The British actor and filmmaker stars, directs and fills his locomotive with high-profile performers including Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Michelle Pfeiffer, Josh Gad and Daisy Ridley. And yet despite their efforts — and the fine work of Pfeiffer and Ridley in particular — the end result is far from an engaging or intriguing journey, or even one worth taking. We first meet Branagh's arrogant (and ludicrously moustachioed) Belgian investigator as he's fussing over eggs at the Wailing Wall, before showing off his prowess in a case that involves a priest, a rabbi and an imam. Once the job is done, Poirot is eager for a break, but duty calls even when he's mid-railway trip. After the discovery of a body with a dozen stab wounds, our hero sets to work. Among the potential culprits caught in his gaze: a princess and her servant, a count and a countess, a nun, a doctor, a governess, a professor, a car dealer, a divorcee, a butler and a secretary. Working with cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos (Denial, Cinderella), Branagh approaches the tale with aesthetic flair — shot with the same 65mm cameras used on Dunkirk, Murder on the Orient Express is a feast of roaming shots, inventive angles and visual detail, with the production and costume design teams also putting on a show. There's little sign of the same texture or care in the rest of the movie, however, with the director himself the main offender. As depicted on the screen by everyone from Orson Welles to Alfred Molina, Poirot has always been a bundle of quirks, but here he's as pompous and self-satisfied as he is eccentric — while also being presented as a genius and a source of laughs. Christie herself grew tired of the character after he appeared in more than 80 of her stories. Watching Branagh's performance, you probably will as well. Perhaps we've just seen too many brilliant masterminds of late, considering the number of Sherlock Holmes adaptations we've all sat through. Or perhaps there's simply more to portraying a famous character than wearing ridiculous facial hair, acting smug and leaning on an accent. Also hindering the film is the obvious and easy way that Poirot pieces everything together, and Branagh's failure to properly utilise his ensemble cast. If the film's protagonist can join the dots faster than he can brush his moustache, audiences aren't likely to be enthralled. And sticking a heap of well-known faces in the same frame isn't the same as giving them all something to do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFDGjNdRqTk
Venture inside the newly restored City Hall and you will find one of Brisbane's much-loved and recognisable cafe restaurants, the Shingle Inn. This quaint venue has a history as long as its selection of teas and an unparalleled charm that gives it a unique quality. Originally located in Edward Street, the traditional English style teahouse has become an icon and many locals have fond memories of its delicious treats and distinctive décor. After closing in 2002, it has recently found a new home and maintains its original fit out. Upon walking into Shingle Inn, a cabinet of fresh and scrumptious cakes greets diners giving a tantalising preview of what's in store. Friendly waitresses don black and white maid uniforms, elegant dining areas are made from polished walnut and chandeliers hang from the ceiling, all of which add to the warm and relaxed atmosphere. A lovely tradition that has survived the move is found in the positioning of the gleaming sugar bowls, which signals to the staff whether or not a customer has been served. A great way to sample different goodies is The Grande Duke High Tea ($45.00 per person). This decadent three tiered super-treat includes fresh sandwiches, scones and jam, and a top layer of petite sweet treats. Standouts include the camembert, pistachio, fig and ginger confit ribbon sandwiches and the mini crème brûlée. Chai Marsala or Organic English Breakfast tea compliment the food beautifully as does the glass of sparkling Seppelt Salinger Cuvee 2009. Bookings are required for the high tea, served daily from 2:30pm - 4:30pm and between 11.30am - 1.30pm on weekends. Lovers of sweets who haven't yet experienced Shingle Inn's delights, settle into a cosy booth and make your own memories of good company and great food in a special setting.
Taking its title from the French euphemism for orgasm, The Little Death wears its risque approach as a badge of honour. Erotic fetishes furnish six slight vignettes, purporting to normalise types of between-the-sheets behaviour; as the saying goes, everyone's doing it. Alas, more than parodying private peccadillos is needed to turn apparently twisted trysts into a smart sex comedy. Edginess doesn't equal astuteness, nor does painting with sitcom-style strokes cover ill-explored content. Any Questions for Ben? and House of Lies' Josh Lawson writes, directs and stars in an effort destined to be labelled a physicality fuelled Love Actually. Four couples monopolise the anthology feature, each with relationship issues. Maeve (Bojana Novakovic) wants Paul (Lawson) to fulfil her rape fantasies. Rowena (Kate Box) finds herself aroused whenever husband Richard (Patrick Brammall) cries. Phil (Alan Dukes) finds Maureen (Lisa McCune) at her most attractive when she is sleeping. Dan (Damon Herriman) and Evie (Kate Mulvany) make a foray into roleplaying that backfires. As the linking device between the tales, a new neighbour (Kim Gyngell) makes visits to disclose he's a registered sex offender. A final segment tackles phone sex and disability, as the hearing-impaired Sam (T.J. Power) places a call aided by operator Monica (Erin James). Finding farce in intimacy is far from a new conceit; however, it isn't enough to simply bring up taboo topics in contrived circumstances, especially in a superficial manner devoid of depth, discussion or development. Courting controversy and causing a reaction appears the film's only ambition, not thoughtfully examining sources of sexual satisfaction rarely addressed, or contemplating the human core of our deepest desires. Indeed, in pursuing broad and easy amusement, characterisation is absent — particularly regarding women. Unacceptable categorisations and implausible choices prevail, rendering female protagonists naive, cruel, selfish or complaining, whilst attempts to place Maeve and Rowena in charge of their destinies are undone by one-note personalities. Men, contrastingly, are presented with sympathy, even when potentially crossing the line. Consider Paul planning an elaborate rape upon request, and Phil drugging his wife to escape her nagging, the feature skirting around the latter's creepy consequences. The last standalone story may boast sincerity and sweetness otherwise lacking, followed by awkwardly offering comeuppance, but a late burst of heart and consequences can't overcome the bulk of the film's horrific skewering of kinkiness in rom-com confines. Though the ensemble cast toils valiantly and Lawson helms competently, each is poorly served by sketches neither dark nor different. Alas, The Little Death is not the subversive work it intends, instead just gratifying a too-neat account of the same offensive, over-used stereotypes of middle-class sex and romance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=BnnhesQ8Rxc
Eastsiders, prepare to worship the spongy dessert pastry that's swiftly taking over the city. Soon, Oxford Street will have its own home for handmade doughy goodness, as this Facebook page has let slip. Yes, Donut Boyz is coming to Bulimba. That'll make the third Brisbane store for the fast-growing chain, following West End and Paddington. It also means that enjoying one of the Boyz's similarly expanding array of flavours — pineapple curd with lemon frosting and toasted coconut, or strawberry and white chocolate ganache, anyone? — will be doable in three parts of the city. This is just the latest development in what is fast becoming a full-blown, area-wide doughnut obsession. Since June, mobile eatery-turned-permanent store Doughnut Bar has helped fill the CBD's need for glazed goodness, while just this week, Gramercy Coffee popped up in the mall to get in on the action. And, of course, there's Doughnut Time in the Valley — plus wherever their food truck may roam to. Perhaps the Brisbane just needs to take a leaf out of Springfield's book — yes, The Simpsons' Springfield — and build a massive monument to our current favourite sweet. If we can have giant letters spelling out the city's name, then surely we can have this? Find Donut Boyz on Oxford Street, Bulimba in the near future — and keep an eye on their Facebook page for more updates.
Roll up, roll up, the big top is here — but when you step into Infamous' spiegeltent, you're not stepping into an ordinary circus. A blend of acrobatics, clowning, dancing, comedy, cabaret and burlesque, this is strictly an adults-only affair. Think performers getting a little risqué, acrobats with ripped abs and displays of raunchy dancing, as well as death-defying acts with a devilish dash and plenty of cheeky laughs. Yes, this is a show that comes with a word of warning, so prepare for a two-hour stint of naughtiness that ramps up the indulgence and the hedonism — and the sauciness as well. After packing out previous seasons on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane, Infamous hits Helensvale between Friday, January 31 and Sunday, March 8. You'll find its big top at Westfield Helensvale, with performances running from Thursday to Sunday during its six-week stay — and with tickets ranging from $39.85 all the way up to $247.35 for the best seats in the house.
Traditionally, autumn is a season filled with orange, red, brown and yellowing leaves, as spring and summer's greenery makes way for winter. Come mid-March, just over an hour outside of Brisbane, it'll also be a time for golden stems — all as part of the Scenic Rim's returning, much-loved and obviously stunning-to-look-at Kalbar Sunflower Festival. Expect to spot sunflowers as far as the eye can see at the Jenner family farm in Kalbar. In past years, there have been more than 200,000 of the vibrant blooms reaching up to the sky, which is a hefty number. For 2023, however, over a million sunflowers have been planted across 24 acres. And, all those golden petals will help the fest play host to a highlight to get lost in, literally: a four-acre sunflower maze. The 2023 festival will take place across Friday, March 10–Sunday, March 12, and will also feature a painting class — yes, you'll be channelling your inner Vincent van Gogh and painting sunflowers — plus helicopter rides over the field, sunflower crafting, cooking demonstrations and classes, photography classes and photo sessions. The fest's popular sunset gala dinner with a golden backdrop won't be taking place this year, but there will be a sunset soirée instead, with Laura Frank performing. And, chef Richard Ousby will be serving up a lunch over champagne. Food trucks will help line your stomach, too, and provide bites for picnics among the blooms, serving up pizza, ice cream, coffee and more. Also, for sunflower goodies to take home, there'll be a sunflower shop onsite. Tickets to this event always get snapped up fast, even in just the two short years since it launched back in 2021, so note the on-sale date of Sunday, February 19 — at 12pm — in your diary now.
Time to update your MySpace status and rock out to that mix CD your friend made, The Kooks and Julian Casablancas have just announced they're both coming to Australia. While we're currently quietly chuffed by the news — they're both still indie greats — our 2006 self is absolutely losing their shit. We're going to elbow our way to the front row and finally make that eye contact we've been pining for since first hearing 'Someday' on our Discman. Though there are no current plans for solo shows, Casablancas has been added to the lineup for Falls Festival and Southbound with his side project The Voidz. Trading in the polished guitar riffs of The Strokes for a more raw punk sound, Casablancas and The Voidz have released their new album Tyranny just this week which will no doubt make up the majority of his festival sets. It's not all that often that Casablancas makes the trip down under, so we've secretly got our fingers crossed for some of his older work to hit the stage. In an ideal world we'd get treated to the stripped back demo version of 'I'll Try Anything Once', but we'd also settle for some solo stuff from Phrazes For the Young. The new collaboration is fine and all, but post-punk is admittedly hard to swoon over. Alternatively, The Kooks are just as boppy and Brit-poppy as you remember them on your car radio on the way to high school roll call. Their most recent album Listen has seen a little electro added to the mix, but the tunes are as upbeat as ever. Plus it's still super fun to sing along while emulating Luke Pritchard's accent. Though they visited just last year for Groovin' The Moo, The Kooks will be embarking on a full national tour in January 2015. Supported by The Griswolds and Catfish & the Bottlemen, they'll be hitting up Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne with enormous (mostly) all ages shows. Sure, it's been close to a decade since you added 'Naive' or 'Seaside' to your MySpace playlist. Yes, Julian Casablancas has lost a little of that babyface rockstar charm. That shouldn't stop you doing a favour for your 2006 self and buying a ticket. You won't even need to pull a double shift at Maccas to raise the cash this time! Julian Casablancas December 28 - January 1 — Falls Festival Lorne (SOLD OUT) December 29 - January 1 — Falls Festival Marion Bay December 30 - January 3 — Falls Festival Byron Bay (SOLD OUT) January 3 - 4, 2015 — Southbound Festival The Kooks January 17, 2015 — Belvoir Amphitheatre, Perth. January 20, 2015 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney. January 23, 2015 — Riverstage, Brisbane. January 24, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne. All tickets on sale 9am Friday, October 3 via Ticketmaster.
Splendour might be done and dusted, but that doesn't mean you have to pack away your rainbow wellies until summer shows its face. Rekorderlig, ever keen to demonstrate that we Aussies should be tackling winter with a tad more brio than a pack of grizzlies, has just announced the headliner for free upcoming music event Sounds in the Snow. On September 13, just as the flakes start to melt and smack bang in the middle of the Toyota One Hit Wonder Mountain Festival, Sydney synth pop boys Panama will appear in Thredbo to deliver their so-called hopeful house music live. Fronted by Perth-born songwriter and classically-trained pianist Jarrah McCleary, the trio are currently touring Europe and the United States on the back of sophomore EP Always. The only thing we can't tell you is where in the Alps you'll find them, as Rekorderlig is keeping the venue top secret — for now at least. To be among the first to find out, join the Rekorderlig Facebook page. Sounds in the Snow is just one of the many excuses that Rekorderlig's giving you to head to the snow this season. Afternoon sessions are happening at the Thredbo Alpine Hotel every Thursday, Friday and Saturday between 3pm and 6pm; fire pits are burning; the Rekorderlig Hot Pool is providing serious apres-ski relaxation; and their tasty cinnamon and vanilla-fused Winter Cider is at the top of the drinks menu. https://youtube.com/watch?v=UylPrMcurB8
Harry Potter is dead. He has ceased to be. He has expired, gone to meet his maker, 100 percent Avada Kedavra'd and this time love 'aint gonna bring him back. Be it known that his murderer was one Daniel 'never gonna pigeonhole me' Radcliffe, who killed off the boy wizard with a lethal dose of convincing American accent and a heady trinity of straight sex, gay sex and self-sex. But Kill Your Darlings is not a murder mystery. The title actually refers to some sage literary advice that writers ought delete their most beloved passages since they're inevitably the most self-indulgent. The film does open with a murder and revisits it in the climax, yet at its heart it is a coming-of-age tale for its protagonist — famed US poet Allen Ginsberg (Radcliffe). It's set in Manhattan during the early 1940s, when Ginsberg was just a college freshman at Colombia University, studying the classics but experiencing a growing disdain for the established order. Inspired by the free verse of Walt Whitman and the free spirit of his dormitory buddy Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan), Ginsberg quickly fell down the sex-drugs-and-alcohol-fuelled rabbit hole of the underground literary sect, befriending future luminaries like Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston) and William Burroughs (Ben Foster). This was the beat generation finding its rhythm, and in that sense Kill Your Darlings tells something of an origin story for some of America's great storytellers. In the lead, Radcliffe's Ginsberg is a performance of transformation, not just of the character but for the actor, too. Both begin the film as timid young men in an alluring yet perilous world, burdened with complicated pasts and uncertain of how their contemporaries will judge them. By its end, they emerge as commanders of their art; fearless poets and performers. The wide-eyed wonderment with which Radcliffe's Potter viewed his magical world appears again here, though the temptations and possibilities are of an entirely different nature. Most notable is his infatuation with the manipulative Carr, played to perfection by DeHaan (The Place Beyond The Pines). Though never fully demonised, Carr's very much the villain in Kill Your Darlings — a blue-eyed, blonde-haired paramour whose hapless devotees (including Michael C. Hall) will do anything to please him, including writing assignments on his behalf. There's more than a bit of DiCaprio in the young actor, who's quickly ratcheting up an impressive backlog of performances, and his on-screen chemistry with Radcliffe is entirely engaging. There's a lot to like about this movie, and compared to other recent beat-era films (On The Road, Howl) it is easily the best. Filmed over just 24 days, it suffers from the occasional rough edges — both cinematically and textually — however, its fine performances and fascinating subject matter make it more than worth your while. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WRY2ogQpbvg
Ever been to a comedy fest, hopped between amusing folks tickling your funny bone, and wished you could also catch some live tunes in the middle? Or, maybe you've done the reverse — spent a day seeing band after band, but felt like giggling and guffawing to break up the music? Either way, Brisbane's new festival Super Fun Day wants to get you dancing as well as laughing, combining comedy and music on the same bill. Debuting on Saturday, March 26 at Eatons Hill Hotel across two stages (both indoors and outside), this fest isn't skimping on talent, either. If it ran either its comedy or music lineups separately, it'd still draw a crowd. Headlining the hilarity are none other than Aunty Donna with a festival-exclusive set — so head along after you've had your morning brown and expect everything to be a drum. Leading the tunes are Hockey Dad and Middle Kids — and, across the whole bill, the rest of the roster spans everyone from Beddy Rays and Cheap Date to Aaron Gocs and Gen Fricker. The day kicks off at 12pm, DJs will also be on the decks, and karaoke is part of the fun as well — given it involves music and, often, giggling, it's a no-brainer, obviously. You'll be able to play giant games, including Jenga, Connect Four and Noughts and Crosses, because this fest really does have a bit of everything. [caption id="attachment_847506" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hockey Dad, Ian Laidlaw[/caption] SUPER FUN DAY 2022 LINEUP: Hockey Dad Aunty Donna Middle Kids Aaron Gocs Becky Lucas Beddy Rays Cheap Date Concrete Surfers Gen Fricker Michelle Brasier Pacific Avenue Sam Campbell Shag Rock Sweater Curse The Vanns Tia Gostelow
Gigs and shows are well and truly back, and a series of affordable gigs is bringing a collection of beloved local acts to concert venues for just $10. The Live At Last Tour was unveiled by Jack Daniel's and Secret Sounds last year as a way of placing fan-favourite bands back on stages during the pandemic, offering free gigs in intimate venues around the country like Frankie's Pizza and The Triffid. Now, it's back, taking to larger venues this time in order to raise money for Support Act. This year's iteration of the tour will see Triple J and festival circuit favourites play on stage for the very affordable price of $10. The bands in question are Pond, San Cisco, Ruby Fields and Psychedelic Porn Crumpets — each of which will take to one city on the tour. You can catch Pond in the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday, April 12; Psychedelic Porn Crumpets in Sydney on Thursday, April 21; San Cisco in Brisbane on Sunday, April 24; and Ruby Fields in Melbourne on Thursday, April 28. All the acts on the lineup will be joined by yet-to-be announced special guests. Tickets to the gigs are on sale now, and with the $10 price tag, they're sure to be snatched up quickly. If you want to head along you can find all the venues and ticketing information on Secret Sounds' website. Best of all, the whole thing is supporting a good cause. Support Act has been a massive driving force of positivity in the music industry over the last two years. The not-for-profit assists musicians through tough times, whether that be financially or personally, by providing crisis relief grants, mental health workshops, online resources and funeral assistance among a host of other things to people in the music industry. [caption id="attachment_814499" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pond, Matsu[/caption] LIVE AT LAST TOUR DATES Pond — Tuesday, April 22 at SolBar, Sunshine Coast Psychedelic Porn Crumpets — Thursday, April 21 at Factory Theatre, Sydney San Cisco — Sunday, April 24 at Fortitude Music Hall Ruby Fields — Sunday, April 24 at The Espy, Melbourne Live At Last is set to kick off on Tuesday, April 12. Tickets are on sale now via the Secret Sounds website. Top image: Vincent Shaw
Fortitude Valley's Cloudland — the lavish Italian dinner-destination-meets-event-space — presents Vintopia, the event designed to warm up the cooler months. A celebration of all things plonk, the in-house wine tour is here to top up your Friday-night glass with a stunning array of drops. The grand space, complete with magnificent high ceilings and sparkling chandeliers, welcomes guests to tables set for a nine-part tasting journey. And there to guide you through your somm-selected sampling? Your 'tasting guru' — a person with the expertise to solve your vino curiosities and ensure you finish up sipping on something triumphant. The boozy business is happening on Friday, July 22, and is tailored especially to those who lean towards ripe reds with lots of character (and those who simply love to sample the vinos recommended by the best). Vintopia: Bold and the Beautiful spotlights nine gutsy reds that keep things a little interesting. There's sure to be a new fave flave, and a whole lotta new intel into the scarlet liquid. Your $20 ticket will see you sip through the lot before picking your favourite for a full glass to finish. If you simply can't pick which glass is for you, don't fret. Each of the wines is available at the bar (in a glass or bottle), as well as a snackable antipasto spread to keep you fuelled throughout the evening. So, if you're looking to vamp up your Friday wine-day with red-hot rouges, Vintopia is the destination for you. For tickets to Vintopia: Bold and the Beautiful on Friday, July 22, and to check out the full lineup of Vintopia events, head to the website.
If you came here to learn about whisky from a snobby expert who will judge you for every wrong move you make, you're in the wrong place. I love a good whisky but I'm no connoisseur. In fact, there's every chance you know more about this fantastic spirit than I. But, if you've come here for some earnest advice from one of the most respected names in the world of whisky then stick around. What follows is a distilled (see what I did there) version of Bruichladdich head honcho Jim McEwan's evening of whisky and tall tales at Spring Hill’s United Service Club. "Right now you don't know anything about me. I'm not your best pal," he said. "But by the end of the night you're going to love me. I will be your best pal, because of this wonderful drink. I've had so many proposals from drunken men it's not funny. Not so much from women." With that, we knew we were off to a good start. Whisky tasting is a science Yes, you should add a few drops of water to a good single malt, but McEwan says you can throw out all scientific formulas suggesting a drop of water for every 4.1364 per cent of alcohol or some such variation. Just test it in your mouth and if it's too 'hot', add water. "Measure the temperature on the tongue and then add water accordingly. It's like rain drops for roses. When you add a little bit of water to whisky it opens it up. There's no right way and wrong way of tasting whisky. There's a lot of whisky snobbery out there and it's rubbish." You have to pay attention to the colour "Colour means absolutely nothing," McEwan says. A darker whisky generally means there is more caramel food colouring added to it. "There's no tree in the world that will make whisky the same colour every single time. Look at the back bar in any bar. Look at some of the colours. Some of the colours are frightening." Ideally, you should drink out of a fancy tumbler No matter how much Mad Men you watch, the best way to drink a good whisky is not with a short, fat glass cupped in the palm of your hand and draped languidly over the edge of an expensive chesterfield armchair from the 1960s*. Instead, grab yourself some good sherry glasses. Just as with wine, the curve of the glass will force the aroma straight up that big schnoz of yours. It's all in the taste buds Jim McEwan is well aware of the sweet, salt, sour progression of taste buds from the tip of your tongue to the back (with bitter around the edges) but he says there's one more element you can’t forget when drinking a good single malt. "Lick your lips straight away," he says. "Lips are so sensitive they send a signal straight to the brain. They're sensitive enough for you to marry a person over a kiss. If the lips don't like it, like sour milk, they'll tell the brain. But if they do, you'll know." Whisky makes you dopey Of all the drops at Bruichladdich, the most experimental is perhaps the most famous: Octomore. Known as the most heavily peated — smoky, like your Uncle Dave’s lounge room — scotch in the world, with 167 phenol parts per million, Jim saved this treat 'til second last for a special performance. He asks the audience to take a big gulp and hold the smokiest whisky they have ever tasted in their mouths until he says to swallow. The seconds tick by, someone has a minor spluttering attack, one or two glasses explode from the sheer suspense of it all. "When you swallow you will get that A-bomb feeling of power," he said. "This is the best orgasm your mouth will ever have." And let us tell you first hand — he's not wrong. Bonus: Best places to taste good whisky in Brisbane Fortunately Brisbane is home to a number of good whisky bars. The Gresham sits in the heart of the city, housed in a historic building and decked out with leather chesterfield couches and rich mahogany — you can't go wrong. Further afield, Nant Whiskey Bar in Fortitude Valley distills its own drops and The Morrison Hotel in Woolloongabba harbours Naked Whiskey Bar within. The Walrus Club tucked underneath The Regatta is a dimly lit rum cavern that also serves up a decent list of whiskies and last but not least, the secret bar at Kwan Brothers has an exciting range of Japanese whisky. What do they all have in common besides whisky? Like everything good, they are a little bit hard to find. *Note: expensive 1960s armchair may or may not improve whisky tasting experience.
If seasonal change has left you in a dizzy headspin of new colours and fabrics and prints and jackets — or if, y'know, you just like some fancy new clothes now and then — you'll be pretty pleased to know that the Big Fashion Sale is back. Usually, it's a physical affair that takes place in Sydney and Melbourne; however like plenty of other events at the moment, the shopping extravaganza is going online — and national — for its next outing. The name pretty much says it all. This thing is big. You'll find a hefty array of lush items from past collections, samples and one-offs from a huge lineup of cult Australian and international designers, both well-known and emerging — including Romance Was Born, Alexander McQueen, Isabel Marant, The Row, Dries Van Noten and more. With discounts of up to 80-percent off, this is one way to up your count of designer threads while leaving your bank balance sitting pretty, too — whether you're keen on clothes, shoes, swimwear or accessories. The Big Fashion Sale's online edition kicks off at 9am on Monday, May 18 on the event's website — and you can register in advance to be notified when it kicks off.
If you class waterslides and festivals under the category of 'things you are into', then boy, are you in luck. Brisbane is set to host Australia's largest waterslide festival, so grab your swimmers, whack on those goggles and start working on your slide form — there's going to be over two kilometres of slides ready for you to slip down at Slideapalooza. Happening over two weekends at Sirromet Wines in Mount Cotton, Slideapalooza will bring huge inflatable waterslides and slip 'n' slides, with single-lane, multi-lane and 'sky-high' slide options — and some of them are up to 150 metres long. Huge — and huge amounts of fun. There'll be food and drink options to keep you going too, with licensed bars on-site. Slides and sipping wine? This is why we love summer. Slideapalooza runs over January 18–20; 25–27. Ticket prices start at $47 for adults (and $34 for kids) for a two-hour slide session. If that's not enough, you can keep sliding for an additional $30 (or $22 for kids). Plus, if you get an early bird ticket, you'll nab a slide ring for free. For more information and to purchase tickets to Slideapalooza, visit the website.
In Disney's non-stop quest to not only remake its animated hits, but to make them look as lifelike as possible, the Mouse House has already brought Dumbo, Aladdin and The Lion King back to our screens so far this year alone. But it's not done yet, with the company's new streaming platform set to welcome another high-profile do-over before the end 2019: a live-action version of Lady and the Tramp. To answer the question you've all been wondering, yes, it'll feature real spaghetti and meatballs. In all seriousness, the film does actually star real dogs — not photo-realistic canines cooked up by a special-effects team. The adorable pooches will still be given human voices, of course, with Tessa Thompson lending her tones to everyone's favourite pampered pupper and Justin Theroux doing the honours for her street-smart love interest. Playing an American cocker spaniel and a schnauzer, Thompson and Theroux aren't the only big-name talents going to the dogs. A Star Is Born's Sam Elliott will get gravelly as a bloodhound, Catastrophe's Ashley Jensen is a Scottish terrier, Avengers: Endgame's Benedict Wong voices a bulldog and Janelle Monae pops up as a pekingese. They'll be joined by a few cast members who'll stick with their two-legged forms, including Hearts Beat Loud's Kiersey Clemons, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl's Thomas Mann, and Community co-stars Yvette Nicole Brown and Ken Jeong. Story-wise, the film will wag the same tale, as the upper middle-class Lady crosses paths with — and then eats pasta with — a downtown stray called Tramp. Directed by The Lego Ninjago Movie's Charlie Bean and co-written by US indie filmmaker Andrew Bujalski (Computer Chess, Results, Support the Girls), Lady and the Tramp will sport a few changes when it drops on Disney+ upon the service's November launch, however. Monae is reworking 'The Siamese Cat Song' to remove the original's offensive connotations, and will also perform two new tunes for the soundtrack. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2ZDDU34gYw The live-action Lady and the Tramp remake will be available on Disney+ when it launches Down Under on November 19.
You know what kind of music sucks? The kind people have heard of. You know what kind of music is good? The kind that is played live, by bands. Fortunately, Brisbane is starting to become a little bit famous for it’s underground gigs, and no one hosts one quite like Spunk. Actually, maybe Hand Games could give them a run for their money. Man, if those two organised a show together it would be amazing… Presenting Spunk X Handgames – Unofficial Big Sound Showcase. Starting at 7pm there will be a whole line-up of awesome music from the likes of Bored Nothing, Kieran Ryan, Ocean Party, Fascinator and others! Haven’t heard of them? That means they are cool. Have heard of them? That means you're cool. The showcase is on the 10th of September, starts at 7pm and will be jamming till 1.50am the next day. So, if you have $11 and you don’t have a bed time, why not come down, listen to some great music, and meet some just as great people. Check out Bored Nothing's 'Popcorn'
UPDATE, November 18, 2022: See How They Run is still screening in Australian cinemas, and is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. As every murder-mystery does, See How They Run asks a specific question: whodunnit? This 1950s-set flick also solves another query, one that's lingered over Hollywood for seven decades now thanks to Agatha Christie. If this movie's moniker has you thinking about mouse-focused nursery rhymes, that's by design — and characters do scurry around chaotically — however, it could also have you pondering the famed author's play The Mousetrap. The latter first hit theatres in London's West End in 1952 and has stayed there ever since, other than an enforced pandemic-era shutdown in COVID-19's early days. The show operates under a set stipulation regarding the big-screen rights, too, meaning that it can't be turned into a film until the original production has stopped treading the boards for at least six months. As that's never happened, how do you get it into cinemas anyway? Make a movie about trying to make The Mousetrap into a movie, aka See How They Run. There's a clever-clever air to See How They Run's reason for existing. The same proves true of its narrative, the on-screen explanation about how The Mousetrap sits at the centre of this film's story, and the way it details those rules around adapting the play for cinema. Voiced by in-movie director Leo Köpernick (Adrien Brody, Blonde), that winking attitude resembles the Scream franchise's take on the horror genre, but with murder-mysteries — and it also smarts in its knowing rundown about how whodunnits work, who's who among the main players-slash-suspects and what leads to the central homicide. First-time feature filmmaker Tom George (This Country) and screenwriter Mark Chappell (Flaked) still craft a film that's enjoyable-enough, though, albeit somehow both satirical and by the numbers. Keeping audiences guessing isn't the picture's strong suit. Matching its own comparison to Christie isn't either. But the leads and snappy sense of fun make this a mostly entertaining game of on-screen Cluedo. Was it actor Richard Attenborough (Harris Dickinson, Where the Crawdads Sing), his fellow-thespian wife Sheila Sim (Pearl Chanda, War of the Worlds), big-time movie producer John Woolf (Reece Shearsmith, Venom: Let There Be Carnage) or his spouse Edana Romney (Sian Clifford, The Duke) getting murderous in the costume shop at the backstage party celebrating The Mousetrap's 100th show? (And yes, they're all real-life figures.) Or, was it the play's producer Petula Spencer (Ruth Wilson, His Dark Materials), the proposed feature adaptation's screenwriter Mervyn Cocker-Norris (David Oyelowo, Chaos Walking) or his Italian lover Gio (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, The Queen's Gambit)? They're among See How They Run's other enquiries, which Scotland Yard's Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell, Richard Jewell) and Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan, The French Dispatch) try to answer. After the death that kicks off the film, the two cops are on the case, working through their odd-couple vibe as they sleuth. Naturally, everyone that was in the theatre on the night in question is a suspect. Just as expectedly, convolutions and complications abound. Plus, possible motives keep stacking up — and there's plenty of in-fighting among the stage and screen in-crowd who might've done the deed. In other words, even with equally parodying and paying homage to all things murder-mystery chief among See How They Run's aims (alongside showing off that it thinks it knows the basics as well as Christie), it isn't blind to following the standard formula. The guiding narration, which notes that it's always the most unlikeable character that gets bumped off, takes a ribbing approach; "seen one, you've seen 'em all" it advises, because Köpernick was charged with helming The Mousetrap's leap into movies, wasn't so impressed with the source material, then advocated for violence and explosions to spice up the whole thing. Yes, viewers are meant to see parallels between what he's saying and what they're watching. Yes, being that self-aware and meta truly is a feature-long commitment. The Mousetrap mightn't actually ring a bell for everyone going into See How They Run, however. That's not overly astonishing — Christie not only put her demands regarding a movie version into a contract, thinking it'd only be onstage for a handful of months, but also decreed that each show finishes with the cast getting the audience to promise that they won't give away the play's secrets. As a result, it hasn't enjoyed Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile's broader recognition, and this flick mightn't make you want to seek it out. A rousing advertisement for The Mousetrap, See How They Run definitely isn't. There's an odd feeling to Chappell's gags at the play's expense, which are as thudding as they are superfluous. Thankfully, there's nothing surplus about the central double-act that is Rockwell and Ronan, two consistently stellar actors proving just that again here. While their co-stars do exactly what they need to and no more, he plays fraying and shambling with an attention-grabbing sense of physicality — he doesn't dance, sorry, but movement is still pivotal to building Stoppard as a character — and she sports a keen-as-mustard vibe that could've carried over from her Wes Anderson film appearances. The strongest feeling emanating from See How They Run when it's all over and solved: teaming up Rockwell and Ronan again, and ASAP. If there's room on-screen for multiple middling-at-best recent Hercule Poirot pictures, there's room for movies about a cracking pair inspired by the moustachioed Belgian and the English scribe behind him. That lead casting is pivotal to helping See How They Run weather its excess of nudging — and those ill-thought-out The Mousetrap digs — but the film is still never quite the three things it blatantly wants to be. It isn't up there with Christie's page-turner best, and nor is it as sharp as the smart and slick Knives Out, or what'd happen if Wes Anderson was indeed directing Ronan and his fellow frequent star Brody in an immaculately styled whoddunnit. Looking the part isn't a problem; the delightful aesthetic, with its symmetry, rich hues and ornate detail, shines bright. Just as lively and enticing: the gleaming cinematography by Jamie Ramsay (Mothering Sunday) and the jazzy score by Daniel Pemberton (Slow Horses). But if See How They Run was one of its own characters, it'd be the know-it-all who thinks they've fulfilled their role perfectly, yet doesn't quite. Every murder-mystery has one; this film, while largely engaging to play along with, is one.
In 1977, Robyn Davidson decided she would walk west from Alice Springs until she hit the Indian Ocean, taking with her only her beloved dog and four camels. She was determined to do this alone, but, finding herself in need of money, was forced to allow National Geographic photographer Rick Smolan to document her journey. Davidson was told the trek would be suicide, but, undeterred, she set out anyway on her perilous, eventful journey. Filmmakers have been trying to adapt Tracks since the early 1980s, with even Julia Roberts attached in 1993. This is the sixth (and, clearly, the only successful) attempt to bring Davidson's story to the screen, and one has to wonder: what's with all the fuss? Davidson's story is certainly remarkable in terms of human achievement, but given our cinema is notoriously awash with characters undertaking dangerous walks across the unforgiving Australian landscape, do we really need one more? 'Need' is probably too strong a word. It's made. It's here. And all told, it's pretty good. Mia Wasikowska is especially impressive as Davidson, imbuing her with a determination required to sell the character. She delivers lines with a certain brand of confidence so rare in Australian acting. Lines of dialogue that would clearly clang noisily to the ground when delivered by others float effortlessly from Wasikowska's mouth. It's pretty clear why she's enjoyed such international success. Adam Driver, best known from Lena Dunham's Girls, is equally superb as Smolan. Driver is a compelling presence, and though his character is an irritant to Davidson, he is a welcome presence to us whenever he appears. The film's biggest problem is the lack of motivation. Davidson may have felt a compulsion apropos of nothing, but the rules of film are different. If we're to invest in this journey, feel sympathy for our heroine, we need to feel some portion of what she feels. We need to care. And "I felt like it" doesn't quite get us there. This, naturally, almost undermines the entire movie. It's difficult to relate to someone doing something seemingly pointless the hard way, for the sake of doing it the hard way. I suspect Davidson's memoir does a better job selling us on this, but the audience should not be expected to read the book first. That said, it's a testament to the film that it can survive this misstep so well. John Curran's direction is effective and tangible, and Marion Nelson's screenplay depicts Davidson's isolation particularly well. Mandy Walker's superb cinematography makes the landscape seem terrifying and seductive all at once. Title cards at the end inform us what happened next, and give the proceedings an annoying retroactive feeling of unearned worthiness, souring this reviewer at the worst possible moment. Despite this, Tracks is an engaging, beautiful film that overcomes its flaws impressively. https://youtube.com/watch?v=RyDCfuYTX_U
There’s something sickly special about The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It may stem from that year nine dance when we were thrusting, jumping teens and the Time Warp was first sewn in our genes, or maybe it’s the fact adult musicals are becoming more and more popular (see Avenue Q, American Psycho the Musical). Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the deep-rooted feeling we all have towards a bit of leather and lace between the buns. Either way, Rocky Horror has always been a staple of the stage and screen world, and now Brisbane get’s its turn with this wild fusion of B-Grade horror, science fiction, and of course, bondage. The name Rocky Horror stands on enough stead by itself, but a re-imagining of this classic on stage presents a whole new layer of nightmare infused delight. Veteran stage menace Craig McLachlan is taking on the infamous role of Frank N. Furter, and guaranteed to be complimented by and equally talented and experienced ensemble. Combine this with the excellent production we’ve come to expect from QPAC productions, and you can expect nothing less than a very naughty night. It’s been scandously long since a mega-mainstream production has graced a Brisbane stage, but from the 8th of January all you Brads and Janets of Brisbane will have reason to do the pelvic thrust again. Have a sneek peak here.
Your one-stop, go-to shop for all things cutting-edge and experimental is music label Room 40. Now, to celebrate 15 years in the game, they're hosting a two experimental concerts with some international talent worth getting out of bed for. In a fitting tribute to the 150 editions produced by Room 40, spanning artists from just about every continent, this weekend will showcase some of the label's best friends from afar. William Basinski, Hypnosis Display and Jim O'Rourke will be heading over from The States, alongside Makino Takashi from Japan. Solo, each of these artists is a master of experimental innovation. Throw them on a stage together and you can expect something next level. Mono 18 + 19 takes place at The Institute of Modern Art on August 1 and 2, with each performance kicking off at 7pm sharp. If there's a particular artist you want to check out, have a squiz at the event website in advance to make sure you catch them on the night they're playing.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and in the weeks leading up to the festive day, charity organisation Street Smart Australia has partnered with restaurants and cafes around Brisbane to form Dine Smart. Diners are encouraged to add a small donation to their bill that will go towards helping the homeless. You can check out all of the participating restaurants here, and to make it easier for you, we have narrowed down our Concrete Playground top ten places to Dine Smart before Christmas. Montrachet Named after one of the most famous vineyards in the world, Montrachet in Paddington is the place to enjoy a decadent evening of wine and food. This exquisite French restaurant serves some of France's finest traditional meals such as escargot, bouillabaisse, lambs brains and crème brûlée, all executed with perfection. Wine lovers will be thrilled by the selections from regions in France including the Loire Valley, Bordeaux and from the restaurant's namesake, the vineyards of Montrachet. 224 Given Terrace, Paddington; 07 3367 0030; www.montrachet.com.au Il Centro Located on Eagle St Pier, Il Centro is one of Brisbane's most loved restaurants. Their signature dish, a rich sand crab lasagne, has won the hearts of locals and famous visitors alike. The menu has a wonderful combination of Italian cuisine and Queensland seafood, and consistently impresses. It is a dining experience second to none with attentive waitstaff, beautiful views and delicious food. Eagle Street Pier, 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane; 07 3221 6090; www.il-centro.com.au Cove Bar and Dining Down on the river at South Bank, Cove is the perfect place to enjoy sumptuous food, ice cold drinks and the sunset. Their oysters are fresh from Coffin Bay; the menu is unique and delicious; the drinks list impressive; the location ideal. Enjoy relaxed alfresco dining at its best at Cove. River Quay, Sidon Street, South Bank; 07 3844 3993; www.covebardining.com.au Bucci Bucci on James Street has the complementary hybrid of classic Italian flavours prepared with fresh modern twists. The extensive menu means that everybody will be satisfied whether after a light salad, heavy pasta or a selection of delicious cured meats. Be sure to leave room for the decadent desserts. Italian doughnuts anybody? 15 James Street, Fortitude Valley; 07 3852 3323; www.buccirestaurant.com.au Saké For an exquisite experience , Saké at Eagle St Pier is the place to go. The diverse menu incorporates the best of Japanese cuisine - sashimi, tempura, dumplings, edamame - all prepared to perfection using local Queensland seafood and traditional Japanese delicacies. And of course, you cannot go to Saké without drinking from their extensive range of Saké. Level 1, 45 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier, Brisbane; 07 3015 0557; www.sakerestaurant.com.au Piaf For French fare that is fair on the pocket, Piaf is the perfect dining experience. Their meals are uncomplicated and delightful and will leave you totally satisfied. This charming little bistro has a relaxed vibe that allows you to people watch while you sip on a beautiful pinot and nibble on your quail leg. Make sure you enjoy a bowl of their frites with aioli. Simple pleasure at its finest. 5/182 Grey Street Southbank; (07) 3846 5026; www.piafbistro.com.au Cabiria For those who like to keep lunch time simple with a sandwich, why not pop into Cabiria to try one of their innovative creations. Each sandwich has a twist on the original classic. Harry's Bar Egg Sandwich is filled with soft boiled eggs, anchovy and chives while the cheese toastie is filled with leek, garlic and onion for an added flavour explosion. You can also enjoy market fresh oysters and a range of charcuterie options. No 6. The Barracks, 61 Petrie Terrace; 07 3368 2666; www.cabiria.com.au Bavarian Bier Cafe It's the silly season, and it's time to celebrate. And what better way to kick off the season than with steins full of German beer and some pork (knuckle) on your fork? Prost! In light of the festive season, the Bavarian Bier Cafe have several Christmas-themed set menus to make dining out in a large group that little bit easier. Level 1, 45 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier, Brisbane; 07 3015 0555; www.bavarianbiercafe.com South Bank Surf Club Located in the heart of South Bank, the South Bank Surf Club is the perfect place to kick up your heels while the sun goes down. With a jazzed up surf club menu, the diverse food offerings suits all tastes and appetites. For post-work drinks or a solid hit-out on a Sunday, the SBSC is as close to the beach as you can get in Brisbane this summer. 30a Stanley Plaza, Parklands South Bank; 07 3844 7301; www.southbanksurfclub.com.au 1889 Enoteca The philosophy at 1889 Enoteca is to keep it simple, and this simplicity is what makes this place so very popular. With a non-pretentious approach, this restaurant's focus is on top-quality food and service. The waitstaff are attentive offering sage advice on wine-matching and what to order. The menu honours the 'hero' of the dish, be it the exquisitely made pasta, a red claw yabby or the delicious veal in the Saltimbocca alla Romana. A dining experience that you will revisit in your dreams. Moreton Rubber Building, 10-12 Logan Road, Woolloongabba; 07 3392 4315; www.1889enoteca.com.au
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Brisbane is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing a little adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to celebrate the landmark 40th anniversary of their iconic small cars, and in turn, help you celebrate the Brisbane landmarks and institutions we all love. This week, discover and rediscover the things that make Brisbane so great, with seven different detours through our city's classic spots. From Monday to Sunday, channel that Brissie spirit, and enrich your everyday with one completely achievable, time-honoured activity that helps bypass any mundane roadblocks in your routine. This week, rediscover the classics of Brisbane we know and love, from a heated swim at heritage-listed baths, to an iconic photography exhibit at a Brissie art institution, to the alternative styles of DJ Andrew at the Brisbane German Club. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
