Every day, every beach becomes an art gallery in its own way. If you've ever taken a bucket, filled it with sand, plonked it onto the shore and shaped it with your bare hands, then you've sculpted something — and you've added a tiny piece of temporary art to the shoreline, too. So, it makes sense that part of the Gold Coast would celebrate this specific art form right by the water. At this annual festival, there's more than just sandcastles on offer, though. Now in its 19th year, Swell Sculpture Festival turns the Currumbin Beach coastline into an openair art gallery — in 2021, for ten days between Friday, September 10–Sunday, September 19. Visitors can expect to get an eyeful of stunning creations all dotted across a one-kilometre stretch of sand. Yes, by simply walking along the beach, you'll view some stellar art (and you'll also enjoy getting some grains between your toes, soaking in the sea breeze and scoping out quite the view, obviously). This year's fest features more than 65 works, including pieces made with everything from concrete, stainless steel, copper, bronze, wood and glass to plastic, natural fibres, fibreglass, bamboo, wire, silk, stone and aluminium. And, in terms of artists, it boasts creations by a lengthy list of mid-career and emerging talents, including Atelier Sisu, Clayton Blake, Danger Dave, Greg Quinton, Jessica Harris and Shiloh Perry. Some pieces take inspiration from 1000 origami cranes, while others turn everyday household rubbish into flowers — and you can also expect to see sea dragons, windows, and musings on both the environment and the pandemic as well. Also part of the festival, at a pop-up hub at Helensvale: Homer Homer. This isn't any old likeness of The Simpsons character, however. Rather, it's a five-metre-tall inflatable version that combines his yellow-hued face with that the Ancient Greek poet Homer, who is presumed to have written the Iliad and the Odyssey. The 2021 fest spans fellow pop-ups at Mudgeeraba and Lower Beechmont, and at Chevron Island Park, too — and, via guided walks and just appreciating its treasures at your own pace, is all about letting its attendees engage with the pieces on display. Images: PBR Images/Leximagery.
The lofty title of the ‘World Wide Web’ implies that we can access the internet, well, all over the world. However, with 71 percent of the Earth’s surface covered by oceanic bodies, the web is more limited than you think. Researchers at the University of Buffalo may have found a way to cross the digital gap between land and sea. Their ‘deep sea Internet’ is a sunken wireless network that will provide instant communication from beneath the surface to any device on land. Since wireless access has expanded everywhere, from subways to third world countries, why hasn’t this been thought of before? Although the internet feels like an omnipresent force that floats invisibly above our heads like the particles of a broadcast chocolate bar in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, it’s a little more complicated. Wireless communication on land relies on radio waves from satellites and antennas, which don’t work well out in the middle of the ocean. Deep-sea communication technologies function on sound waves, which are converted above the surface and transmitted to our devices. This interaction is a bit dodgy, given that it’s nearly impossible to communicate in real time because of the various methods and standards involved when it comes to communicating with underwater sensors. To make things easier, the masterminds in New York are developing a framework that would create a singular way to collect and send data from an underwater sensor to any computer in the world. The possibilities are endless with this superpower technology. Tsunamis and hurricanes could be detected and warned of earlier, oil and gas could be detected more efficiently, pollution could be better monitored, and law enforcement agencies could track down drug-smuggling pirates. The underwater modem seems to be well on its way to doing these things; it is currently being tested at the bottom of America’s Lake Erie and will be presented at the International Conference on Underwater Networks & Systems in Taiwan this November. So on your next deep-sea dive or fishing trip, check your smartphone for Wi-Fi: BIG BLUE, password: n3m0. Via Fast.CoExist.com.
The world's greatest artworks belong in galleries where everyone can see them. With Lego's help, however, you can also put a few on your walls. The brand has already turned Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night into plastic bricks, then Katsushika Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa. Next up: the one and only Mona Lisa. Lego's art range not only lets you display iconic works in your own home, but gets you building these masterpieces, too — so, in this case, you'll be taking Leonardo da Vinci's lead. Of course, while he used oil paints back in the 1500s, you'll be snapping together 1503 Lego elements. Maybe you've seen the real thing at the Louvre. In 2024 so far, perhaps you've hit up Melbourne's immersive da Vinci exhibition and the Gold Coast's Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition for a larger-than-life, multi-sensory Mona Lisa experience. Or, you could've only seen photos of the piece. Whichever fits, being able to construct your own version will ensure that you can look at it whenever you want. The Mona Lisa Lego kit features pieces in new colours — and if they look a bit brighter than the real artwork, that's because the hues are designed to reflect the tones that da Vinci actually used, not the paint as it looks today after 500-plus-years of ageing. We weren't kidding about hanging it on your wall, with a detachable frame in drum-lacquered gold included in the set. Once built, the full piece will measure 43 centimetres in height, 30 centimetres in width and four centimetres in depth. Also, while the eyes are a famous part of the work, Lego's iteration gives you two options with the peepers, including blank blocks to make the design more abstract. If you want to hear more about the Mona Lisa as you put it together, Lego is dropping an art podcast to coincide with the kit's release. Both will arrive on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, but you can pre-order the set now — it costs AU$169.99 and NZ $179.99. On Saturday, June 1, 2024, as part of the brand's architecture range, Lego is also releasing a Notre-Dame de Paris kit, which'll get you building the landmark from 4383 bricks. For more information about Lego's new 'Mona Lisa' kit, which goes on sale on Down Under on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, head to the company's website.
It's been 12 years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. Heading back to their collection of unconventional venues for another year, Laneway Festival has announced its 2017 lineup. Returning to Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle, Auckland and Singapore next January and February, Laneway will raise a plastic cup to the middle of summer with one heck of a killer lineup. Following the already announced appearance of AB Original and Chet Faker (or is it Nick Murphy now?), Laneway will see one heck of a crew on their stages, including Aussies Tame Impala — who will be only doing Laneway this time, no sideshows. Oxford band Glass Animals will be coming out for the festival, along wiht other international acts Tourist, Tycho, Nao and riot grrl Kathleen Hanna. There's plenty of local love on the lineup too, with Gang of Youths, Jagwar Ma, Sampa the Great and Camp Cope all making appearances. In short, you'll want to be getting a tickie — they go on sale at 9am AEST on Wednesday, September 21. But, enough chat, here's the full lineup. LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2017 LINEUP A.B.Original AURORA Baro* Bob Moses Camp Cope Car Seat Headrest Clams Casino Ecca Vandal* Fascinator Floating Points (live) Flyying Colours* Gang of Youths GL Glass Animals Jagwar Ma Jess Kent Julia Jacklin Koi Child Luca Brasi Mick Jenkins Mr. Carmack NAO Nicholas Allbrook Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker)** Roland Tings Sampa The Great Tame Impala** Tash Sultana The Julie Ruin Tourist Tycho White Lung Whitney *Melbourne only **Exclusive to Laneway, no sideshows LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2017 DATES Brisbane — Thursday, January 26 Melbourne — Saturday, January 28 Auckland — Monday, January 30 Adelaide — Friday, February 3 Sydney — Saturday, February 4 Fremantle — Sunday, February 5 Tickets go on sale Wednesday, September 21 at 9am AEST from Laneway Festival. Image: Andy Fraser.
For the inner bookworm in all of us, French designer and inventor Oscar Lhermitte has come up with a way to make torn, dog-eared pages a thing of the past. By rethinking the traditional bookmark, the Albatros is a simple yet functional product which will help keep your novel in pristine condition. Made from polyester and long lasting adhesive, the nifty structure and shape of Lhermitte’s invention follows your reading without the hassle of fumbling around with pages. The days of frustratingly forgetting your page number in a novel may be over. Currently available on IndieGoGo, you can pre-order a set of 6 for $10.
When Sony phoned the Narrabri Council to ask if Daft Punk could launch their latest album at the Wee Waa Showground, Mayor Conrad Bolton assumed the proposition was a hoax. "I thought a mate was pulling my leg," he told the Narrabri Courier. But the call was very much for real. A fortnight ago, a group of Sony's hard-hitters jetted to the 2000-person town to determine its suitability for a serious party. They liked what they saw, so May 17 will see the launch of Random Access Memories alongside the region's finest livestock at the Wee Waa Annual Show. Only 4000 tickets are going on sale. Several will be reserved exclusively for members of the Show Society and the remainder will be up for grabs from this Friday at Narrabri's Crossing Theatre. The rest of the French electro band's fans, which number in the millions, will be able to attend the celebration remotely, via live stream. Daft Punk will not be appearing live at the show; the launch of Random Access Memories will take place via playback. Last night, Wee Waa Show president Brett Dickinson told triple j, "We're still pinching ourselves. We don't know why, but why not?" According to Bolton, the tiny town's quintessentially Australian ambiance appeals to Daft Punk's maverick tendencies. "We think Wee Waa is so uniquely Australian, so the folks at Sony Music along with Daft Punk thought it fitted the bill perfectly," he explained to the Courier. "Daft Punk is known for breaking down barriers and coming up with new creative, innovative ideas to launch their albums."
Although it's tempting to live in your swim shorts all season, it's not socially acceptable unless you live on the beach. But with warmer days and nights, we don’t blame you for wanting to keep things cool and casual. This summer, there are plenty of modern styles that can be easily added to any wardrobe. We've also got a style guide for women. Here it is over here. Classic For the style-conscious man who knows what he likes: this season, be on the lookout for well-tailored and timeless pieces. Tailored shorts, short-sleeved shirts and anything in beige, white or tan are your signature summer go-to's. But classic doesn't have to mean boring, so don't be afraid to roll up your (pant) cuffs and get a little creative. Blue Suits Have to wear a suit for work? You don't have to stick to your banal black and greys. Nobody wants to be caught sweltering in the sun on their lunch break. Instead, opt for lighter-coloured suites in tans and blues. The spring and summer has seen all fifty shades of cool, from nautical navies to pale pigeons. Wear a crisp white or striped collared shirt underneath, throw on a fedora and voila: instant update. Images: Milan street style by Lee Oliveira Look from Shipley & Halmos’ SS 14 collection shot by Yannis Vlamos for GoRunway.com Suit from Dolce & Gabbana’s SS 14 men’s collection Nautical Stripes Ah, sailor stripes, a pattern that faithfully returns every season. When worn outside of the summer months, you look like a Frenchman. But once the season begins those black/navy and white stripes become the universal flag of leisure time. Whether you own a sailboat, yacht or (k)not, these laidback lines give the appearance that you know your way around a dock. Pair a tee with some Nantucket Red chinos and deck shoes, and you're ready to go. Or, if you're not exactly on holiday, throw one of those equally stylish blue blazers over for a smarter look. Striped shorts are also popping up this season, but please, limit the lines to one piece. You’re going for the seaman look, not inmate. Images: Jumper from J.Crew shot by Yannis Vlamos Jumper from Burberry Prorsum's SS 14 men’s collection Sydney Streetsyle shot by Carolina Falk for Style Creeper Cuffed Hem and No Socks Ok, this look might seem a little trendy, but if you think about it, those Italians have been doing it for years. Envision the mod Roman gentleman, propped up against a wall in a perfectly tailored suit, smoking his cigarette. Yep, his cuffs are rolled. Socks? No way. It's summer, too hot for that. The look is a no-brainer to pull off, and it's definitely not limited to suits or any type of shoe. Keep it casual by rolling up anything you like, from khakis to jeans. (Extra bonus points if you're wearing a striped tee and navy sport coat.) Images from Pinterest. Trendy When it comes to staying with-it, the trendy guy knows what's up. He's probably been rolling his pants and going sockless for years. Mixing prints and and implementing bright colours are standard. There is, however, a sexy simplicity in going monochromatic. Whichever look you prefer, you're not afraid to mix things up. Florals Once restricted to Mediterranean and Polynesian holidays, the floral print is taking spring and summerwear to the next level. Blooms are sprouting up everywhere on shirts, suit detailing, hats, jackets, shoes and, for those brave enough, pants. Think of this as the new 'real men wear pink'. Mixing other small prints such as polka dots or stripes with florals is being popularised by those who are extra adventurous. But if that's literally too bold for you, pair your piece of choice with something basic like a chambray button-up or chino shorts. We swear, you'll feel like every day is Friday. Images: Shirt from Burberry Prorsum’s SS 14 men’s collection Shorts by D’Marge Look from Marcs’ SS14 mens collection Denim on Denim (aka the Canadian Tuxedo) This has been a look sported by our North American friends for a while. Traditionally worn with flannels and work boots, the quintessential lumberjack vibe is a favourite of hipsters. Pair this tux with the three Bs (Beanie, Beard and cheap Beer), and you're pretty for the party. But the Canadian tuxedo is a little too cosy for an Aussie summer. More realistically, you'd ditch the jacket and wear a chambray over jeans or jorts. Beer is still an appreciated accessory. Images: Street style snap by Romeo Style Denim look from Calvin Klein’s SS 13 collection at men’s Fashion Week in New York Sydney street style snap by Carolina Falk for Style Creeper Neon There is nothing new about neon. Everyone has a bright thing or two, but it's probably limited to sports wear. Nike and other companies have been incorporating electric colours into their shoes and clothes for ages. Now, neon has spread outside the gym for men. Making its way onto chinos, shoes, windbreakers and even suits, neon is a huge trend for men this season. We're not expecting the execs of the CBDs to start running around in hot pink suits; rather, the gym junkies, beach bums and trendily bold will enjoy this craze. It's most sensible to limit your exposure to a pair of shorts, tee shirt or light windbreaker. You don't want to go about blinding anyone. Images: Shorts from Ben Sherman Suit from Salvatore Ferragamo’s SS 13/14 collection Milan Vukmirovic at Men’s Fashion Week 2013 in Milan shot by Lee Oliveira Maverick The true maverick isn’t afraid of to go out on a limb. You probably already own a neon suit and are about to buy ones in floral and camo prints after seeing the spring/summer runway photos. You’re also not afraid to steal ideas from the girls. Hey, they adopt men’s looks all the time (hello, blue suits), so why shouldn’t you? Hot items such as studded slipper/loafers and clutches are being revamped on such a masculine level, you'd think they'd been yours all along. The true maverick knows how to own even the craziest trends. The Man Clutch Although a man carrying a bag has been a stigmatic subject in the past, I think we can all agree that the times are a-changin'. In an age where men have increasingly more things to lug around — tech devices, work papers, gym essentials, etc — a guy needs a place to stash his stuff. If you think satchels and messenger bags are overdone, then consider this your new and lighter briefcase. But fear not, for the male clutch is nothing like its female counterpart. Depending on the size, they look more like document holders, tablet covers or big leather/suede pouches than the feminine envelope-styles. Tucked under your arm as you dash about town, an oversized pouch will make you look like man on a mission. Images: Look from Paul Joe’s SS 14 collection shot by Yannis Vlamos for GoRunway.com MBFWA street style by Style Creeper Parisian street style shot by Lee Oliveira Camouflage Suits Camouflage print was one of the biggest trends for men this past European summer. Popping up on clothes, shoes and accessories (clutch included), the print is best limited to one item per outfit. However, with the monochrome/print sensation taking off for both women and men this season, it's only natural that camo pieces have grown together to create the ultimate organic ensemble. And this G.I. Joe-inspired look is a very real thing. Directly interpreted from the New York runways by the likes of American designer Mark McNairy (who is infamous for his crazy combos), the camo combination has been seen on carpets both concrete and red. Lucky for you, it's been modified for warmer weather with shorts options. So if you're feeling like a real rebel, feel free to try out this oxymoron of army-inspired fashion. Images: Camo street style by The Sartorialist Look from Mark McNairy’s SS 14 collection shot by Yannis Vlamos Singer Pharrell Williams in a Moncler Bleu Camo Tux at the 60th Art Basel Miami Party by Getty Images Studded Loafers Leave it to the rappers and basketball players to take a female trend and make it rock star-worthy. Stars like Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Dwyane Wade have been seen sporting spiked slippers at fashion shows and NBA finals. Somehow the trend has made it all the way down here, with sightings of the studded loafers at this year's MBFWA and on the streets of Melbourne. It's a bold look, since these kicks quite literally have an edge to them. They take any outfit, from a tux to a tee and jeans, to the next level. Images from Pinterest
Swing into London's Tate Modern until April 2018, and you'll literally be swinging thanks to their latest large-scale installation. Teaming up with Danish artists' collective SUPERFLEX, the gallery's Turbine Hall now boasts playground equipment as part of its newest commission, which comes with the apt title of One Two Three Swing! The numbers in the piece's moniker don't just refer to the countdown everyone does in their head before they set a swing in motion. They also indicate that each of the installation's pieces has been built for three. That means gathering up two pals and heading for a swinging good time is on the agenda, with the work designed to get audiences to be more social through collaboration — the coordination it takes to get a three-person swing to do its thing, for example. 22 swings feature in total, all connected by their orange frames and all conceived "as an assembly line for collective movement," according to the exhibition's press release. They comprise of the movement section of the work, which also features apathy and production components. In the former, attendees can lie on a 770-square-metre carpet — in a colour scheme inspired by British currency — and view a a large pendulum suspended from the ceiling by a 20 metre cable. In the latter, a factory station assembles swing seats, storing them for later use. During the installation's six-month run, One Two Three Swing! will also expand beyond the Tate Modern, with plans to spread the swings throughout London and even possibly further afield. If that sounds like an ambitious project, it's just the latest for SUPERFLEX, who were formed in 1993 by Jakob Fenger, Bjørnstjerne Christiansen and Rasmus Nielsen, and helped designed Copenhagen's 30,000-square-metre Superkilen park. One Two Three Swing! runs at the Tate Modern, London until April 2, 2018. For more information, head to the gallery's website. Via The Guardian. Images: Tate Modern.
Ever-fascinated by transforming the human body, Australian artist Lucy McRae has collaborated with biology professor Sharef Mansy to develop Swallowable Parfum, a perfume that isn't applied to the skin but taken as a pill. According to the website, the perfume capsule "enables human skin to emit a genetically unique scent about who we are we are and how we perform our identities." Sounds great, but what if the resulting "unique scent" isn't appealing? The prototype perfume is part of McRae's ongoing exploration of the human body and how it interacts with technology. In addition to a unique scent, "tiny golden droplets" appear on the skin upon perspiration. Wouldn't it be nice if all scents glittered too?
Brisbane is set to score a huge influx of music this festive season, thanks to the city's newest festival: Wildlands. Taking over the Brisbane Showgrounds on Saturday, December 28, the one-day event will focus on dance, electronic and hip hop, showcasing a heap of local, Australian and international talent. And while the full lineup is yet to be announced, the fest will have an exciting Aussie act among its headliners: Rüfüs Du Sol. The ARIA Award-winning three-piece — who completed a sold-out national tour earlier this year, and made appearances at Coachella and South America's Lollapalooza — have released two chart-topping (and platinum) albums in their short career, with Atlas in 2013 then Bloom in 2016. The song 'You Were Right' — from their second album — also won an ARIA Award for Best Dance Release in 2015. [caption id="attachment_728646" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Rüfüs Du Sol[/caption] Joining the Sydney alternative dance stars — as revealed today, August 1 — will be chart-topping American rapper Tyler, The Creator, who'll be heading to Australia for the first time since releasing his highly lauded album IGOR. Also on the lineup are Grammy Award-winning R&B singer Ella Mai, MC Skepta, funk duo Lion Babe and local producer What So Not. Wildlands already has an impressive pedigree, too — it's the latest venture from the teams behind two other popular Australian festivals, Melbourne's Beyond The Valley and Perth's Origin Fields. The former has played host to the likes of The Kooks, Chance the Rapper, Jamie XX, Stormzy and Mura Masa, while the latter has welcomed Cardi B, A$AP Rocky, Khalid, ScHoolboy Q, Kehlani, M.I.A and Hayden James. Although Wildlands won't simply combine the two interstate festivals into one Brissie-set package, Beyond the Valley's Michael Cristidis does describe the new fest as "bringing the best of the East and West Coast together for one very special day". Still, even if the lineups overlap somewhat, the aim is to give Brisbane a unique fest experience. "I feel that we will be able to create an event that is unique to Brisbane as Beyond The Valley is unique to Melbourne and Origin is to Perth," explains Origin Fields' Saran Bajaj. WILDLANDS 2019 LINEUP Rüfüs Du Sol Tyler, The Creator Ella Mai Green Velvet Jauz Mallrat RL Grime Skepta What So Not 16BL Big Words Claptone Don Dolla Gunma Hobo Johnson & The Lovemakers Jordan Brando Lastlings Lion Babe Made In Paris Shoreline Mafio Willaris K Wildlands hits the Brisbane Showgrounds, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills, on Saturday, December 28. Tickets go on sale to the general public and midday on Wednesday, August 7 with pre-sale starting at 6pm on Tuesday, August 6. Top image: Beyond The Valley. Updated August 1, 2019
When bushfires raged across Australia over the spring of 2019 and the summer of 2019–20, the Hunter Valley's wine community was among the areas affected. Due to smoke from the blazes, huge hordes of grapes can no longer be used for their original winemaking purpose — so distillery Archie Rose is getting experimental and salvaging more than 50 tonnes as part of a new spirit range. The first of the series' three products is eau de vie Hunter Valley Shiraz Spirit, which is made from smoke-tainted Hunter Valley 2020 shiraz and cabernet sauvignon grapes. Clear, colourless and fruity, it's described by the company as having "notes of shortbread, icing sugar and vine leaves" — as well as hints of pineapple, guava and honeydew. Expect to taste mango, raspberry jam, crème fraîche and wafers, too, plus a slight suggestion of campfire. When you're sipping a glass, you'll be aiding Archie Rose's efforts to help Hunter Valley producers and growers, especially those with team members and and families affected by crop and income write-offs due to the fires. As well as receiving support themselves, Tulloch Wines and First Creek Wines worked with the folks at Archie Rose to identify eight smaller growers in need of assistance — particularly in the Pokolbin, Broke Fordwich and Upper Hunter sub-regions. On sale from Monday, May 25 from the Archie Rose Bar in Rosebery, Sydney, bottle shops and the company's website, 1000 bottles of the Hunter Valley Shiraz Spirit are available — in 700-millilitre sizes, for $99. Archie Rose has also suggested a range of cocktail recipes using the Hunter Valley Shiraz Spirit, so prepare to pair it with oat milk in the 'Milk & Honey' and with grapefruit in 'The Pokolbin'. Also in the works is a Hunter Valley Shiraz Brandy, using the salvaged smoke-tainted grapes — however, given that the spirit will need to be aged, it'll be available in future years. Archie Rose's Hunter Valley Shiraz Spirit goes on sale on Monday, May 25 from the Archie Rose Bar in Rosebery, Sydney, bottle shops and the company's website, with pre-orders currently available online.
In the 22 years since they formed out of Melbourne's underground scene, Eddy Current Suppression Ring haven't ever played a free headlining show — until September 2025 rolls around, that is. Whether you're a fan of Aussie Rules football or you just like an excuse for a public holiday, here's one way to spend this year's AFL Grand Final eve: catching the iconic band taking to the stage in Federation Square, putting on their first gig in nine years and doing so without punters needing to pay a cent. Over the years, Melbourne's Fed Square has hosted free concerts by the eclectic likes of Robbie Williams, Kneecap, Caribou, Glass Beams and more. Now, Eddy Current Suppression Ring are jumping onto that list. They'll take to the stage for their first major appearance since the garage-punk group's last-minute Dark Mofo set in 2016, and for their first headlining Melbourne show since playing The Palace in 2010. Word of the Friday, September 26, 2025 gig follows Eddy Current Suppression Ring's release of their new split 7-inch Shapes and Forms — and sees the group, aka Brendan Suppression, Eddy Current, Danny Current and Rob Solid, keep adding to a career that started after a jam session at a Melbourne vinyl pressing plant's Christmas shindig back in 2003. For company in Fed Square, the Australian Music Prize-winning and ARIA Award-nominated band will be joined by New York's EDAN and the Melbourne-based Wrong Way Up. "Eddy Current Suppression Ring is a band woven into the fabric of Melbourne's music history. Raw, fearless and utterly electrifying live," said Fed Square Director of Programming Sarah Tutton. "We're delighted to welcome them back to the city for what promises to be a truly unforgettable night at Fed Square, continuing our commitment to creating unmissable free, all-ages events that celebrate the best of local and international music, right in the heart of Melbourne." Eddy Current Suppression Ring are playing Federation Square, Melbourne, on Friday, September 26, 2025 — head to the Fed Square website for more details.
When Die Hard first appeared on screens back in 1988, it instantly set the new gold standard against which every action movie would be held. Sparkling dialogue, an intelligent plot and enormously charismatic leads, both as villain and (anti)hero, proved top-shelf action could absolutely exist alongside conventional storytelling elements rather than at their expense. Four sequels and 25 years later, Die Hard remains that gold standard, but sadly its latest manifestation, A Good Day to Die Hard, looks decidedly dull by comparison. Set in Moscow, it sees John McClane (Bruce Willis) team up with his son Jack (Aussie Jai Courtney) to take on a corrupt oligarch and his seemingly endless supply of expendable goons. That fact alone represents both a major and perilous departure from the franchise's initial winning formula. In the original Die Hard, even the minor henchmen were defined characters with names, looks and distinctive personalities. When it comes to A Good Day To Die Hard, the only name I can remember isn't even a name; it's just 'the Dancer' — and that's about as close as we get to knowing any of its characters, both good and bad. On the action front, things do at least begin well, with a tense and heart-thumping terrorist assault to set in motion the remainder of the day's chaos. From that moment on, however, while the action never slows down, it also fails to offer even a passing nod to plausibility. Again, in the original Die Hard, all it took were a few shards of glass to seriously impede its hero and imbue him with a genuine sense of fragile mortality. Here, now in round five, characters leap unprotected from 20-storey buildings and plough through countless panes of glass with little more than dust and one-liners to show for it. All signs point to the future of this franchise resting in the hands of Jai Courtney, with his Jack McClane taking over from John as the man who repeatedly finds himself in the wrong places at the wrong times. That raises the question, though: can it survive without Willis, whose charm and playful bombast cannot be overstated. Even in A Good Day To Die Hard, Willis exudes more charisma in a largely semi-comatose state than most of the cast combined. Courtney definitely looks, acts and sounds like a conventional action hero, and he plays the role well; however, it's John McClane's disarming smirk and New York swagger that will forever underscore much of Die Hard's enduring appeal. Without Willis at the helm, it's hard not to think this latest instalment may indeed be a very good day for the franchise to lay itself to rest and whisper 'yippee-ki-yay' no more.
Expressions Dance Company (Brisbane) and Cathy Sharp Dance Ensemble (Basel, Switzerland) have teamed up for a 60min performance, giving Australians the rare opportunity to experience European-styled contemporary dance at its very best. Inspired by old-fashioned letter writing and modern social networking between dancers from both companies, Scripsi Scriptum is a program of two dance works where the art of communication is questioned. Following the evolution of communication, conversations and questions are explored uniquely through each company’s own style. Although physically and visually contrasting, refined subtleties link the program and take the audience on a thought-provoking journey. The show comes to us after a successful opening season at The Roxy Theatre in Basel, Switzerland, where both companies enjoyed standing ovations every night. Each group are highly regarded in their own countries and the fusion of the two is proving to be an incredible success. Described by the European Press as striking, sophisticated, playful, sexy and acrobatic, each company paint imaginative pictures with their own distinctive choreography and unique style. Come explore the questions of communication and enjoy a completely new fusion of European and Australian styles of contemporary dance through this highly praised program.
Spotting the gap in Brisbane's CBD where Eagle Street Pier used to be still comes as a shock, with the riverside locale getting torn down to make way for a new $2.1-billion waterfront precinct. It isn't just the space that Brisbanites might be missing, however, but the eateries and bars that called it home. Thankfully, if it's Fatcow's steaks that you're hankering for, the restaurant has just announced some great news. One of the many hospitality venues in restaurateur Michael Tassis' portfolio — see also: fellow steak-focused joint Rich & Rare, plus Yamas Greek + Drink, Massimo, Opa Bar + Mezze and Fosh — Fatcow is making the move from one famous Brissie street to another. It's goodbye Eagle Street, where it shut up shop in July 2022, and hello James Street from autumn 2024. When Fatcow initially opened in December 2020, it did so in Cha Cha Char's former digs. When it reopens in Fortitude Valley, it'll nestle into the spot that Space Furniture and David Jones have previously called home, with the site getting a revamp as a hospitality establishment. The restaurant will sport a new name to go with its new location, too, so you'll be heading to Fatcow on James St. It's also set to level up its dining experience, including with a design led by Allo Creative and Clui Design. "We always knew the lifespan of Fatcow Steak & Lobster on Eagle Street Pier would be short and sweet — we saw the opportunity to take over the venue until 'd-day'. But the success of the restaurant and loyalty of our patrons blew us away," said Tassis. "Nearly 18 months after closing, we are still fielding emails and calls daily asking if, when, and where the restaurant will reopen. We are so thrilled to now be able to give them an answer —Fatcow is coming back!" "We are seizing the opportunity to completely reinvent the venue, which we're referring to as Fatcow's 'glow up'." Also opening in 2024 for Tassis: overwater restaurant and bar Bombora, plus landing cafe Mulga Bill's, will be part of Kangaroo Point's new green bridge. Find Fatcow on James St at 10 James Street, Fortitude Valley sometime in autumn 2024 — we'll update you with an exact opening date when one is announced.
Think of a way to group movies together — any way you like — and there's probably a film festival doing just that. Some celebrate features from a particular country or part of the world, and others revel in the weird and wonderful side of filmmaking. There's even film fests for dog flicks, and retrospectives focusing on filmmakers and genres have become as common as popcorn. But Brisbane's latest cinematic celebration, the Brisbane Only Rotoscoped Lightning Film Festival, just might've found itself a unique niche. Its focus: movies that feature hand-drawn lightning effects. Those distinctive visual touches have graced everything from David Lynch's OG big-screen adaptation of Dune through to the early-90s all-ages delights that are The Addams Family and Addams Family Values — which are on BORLFF's lineup, naturally. The fest will make its debut from Friday, July 29–Sunday, August 7, screening at New Farm Cinemas. And yes, that acronym does sound like the noise you might make when you see hand-drawn lightning effects and are so excited that you just have to exclaim something — anything — out loud. In total, 11 films will screen over the fest's ten-day run, with Lynch's Dune opening the program. While the recent Timothée Chalamet version is spectacular, that original, lightning effects and all, is also its own kind of cinematic treasure. Also on the bill: John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China, because every film fest needs a bit of Kurt Russell; martial arts comedy The Last Dragon; 1950s sci-fi wonder Fantastic Planet; early Marvel adaptation Howard the Duck; and the one and only Hellraiser. There's also Lifeforce, from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre director Tobe Hooper; Invasion of Astro-Monster, because every film fest needs a Godzilla flick as well; and 1993's Super Mario Bros, complete with Dennis Hopper as King Koopa. BORLFF stems from Netherworld, Two Bit Movie Club — the regular cult and classic movie event that often screens at the arcade bar — and New Farm Cinemas. It'll also feature an art show, via Feature Presentation, showcasing new interpretations of movie posters for the fest's films. They'll display at New Farm Cinemas during the festival, and you'll be able to buy prints of them, too. And yes, thanks to its Addams Family pinball machine, New Farm Cinemas is clearly the ideal venue for a fest like this.
Writing a prescient tale is the science-fiction holy grail, and a feat that Philip K Dick firmly achieved. Making a movie that becomes the prevailing vision of what the future might look like in the entire world's minds? That's a stunning filmmaking feat, and one that Ridley Scott notched up as well. The reason for both? On the page, 1968's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. In cinemas, 1982's Blade Runner. And if you need reminding of how stunning a story that the iconic sci-fi author penned, or how spectacular a film that the legendary director then turned it into, look no further than Blade Runner's return to the big screen — with a live score. When Dick pondered the difference between humans and artificial intelligence more than half a century back, he peered forward with revelatory foresight. When Scott followed fresh from Alien, he did the same. Now, in both 2023 and 2024, with the clash between the organic and the digital a daily part of our lives in this ChatGPT-heavy reality, of course it's time for Blade Runner to flicker again. Film lovers, get ready for another dream movie-and-music pairing. Get ready for synths, too. Vangelis' stunning score will echo as Scott's feature screens in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane for Blade Runner Live — an event that premiered in London in 2019, made its way around the UK, then hit Japan earlier in 2023. If this sounds familiar, that's because Melbourne's dates were announced earlier this year; however, now Sydney and Brisbane are joining in. The Victorian capital will host four sessions at Hamer Hall, two each on Saturday, November 4–Sunday, November 5, 2o23. Sydney currently has one date at the Aware Super Theatre on Saturday, February 3, 2024 — and Brisbane will welcome the sci-fi magic at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday, February 10, 2024. Each session will screen the Final Cut version of the movie. Wondering how it differs from the OG release, and also the House of Gucci, The Last Duel and Napoleon filmmaker's Director's Cut? First unveiled in 2007 for the feature's 25th anniversary, it's the only version that Scott truly had full artistic control over. Blade Runner's narrative, if you're new to the franchise — which also includes exceptional 2017 sequel Blade Runner 2049 and recent animated series Blade Runner: Black Lotus, with a new Blade Runner TV series also on the way — focuses on the one and only Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) as cop Rick Deckard. His task: finding replicants, aka androids, which turns into quite the existential journey. It's almost impossible to name a movie or TV series in sci-fi that's popped up over the four decades since Blade Runner first arrived that hasn't owed Scott's film a massive debt — and any synthesiser-fuelled score that hasn't done the same with Vangelis. And yes, add Blade Runner to the list of favourites getting another silver-screen run that celebrates their tunes heartily, alongside everything from Star Wars: Into the Spider-Verse to The Lion King to Star Wars and Harry Potter, plus The Princess Bride, Home Alone and Toy Story. Check out the trailer for Blade Runner below: BLADE RUNNER LIVE AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Saturday, November 4–Sunday, November 5, 2023 — Hamer Hall, Melbourne Saturday, February 3, 2024 — Aware Super Theatre, ICC, Sydney Saturday, February 10, 2024 — Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane Blade Runner Live will play Melbourne in November 2023, then Sydney and Brisbane in February 2024. Head to the event website for further details and tickets — with Brisbane pre-sales from Tuesday, October 24 and general sales from Friday, October 27.
If all you want for Christmas this year, or at any time of the year, is to make your own gin, Brisbane's latest distillery is here with excellent news. First, Comiskey Distillery has revealed that it exists, opening on Friday, November 25 just in time for 2022's festive season. Secondly, as well as whipping up vodka, rum, bourbon and whisky itself, it also hosts gin-making workshops where you can craft your own 500-millilitre bottle of spirits, then take it home to drink. The latest addition to Comiskey Group's Eatons Hill setup, settling in next to the Eatons Hill Hotel on South Pine Road, Comiskey Distillery will offer cocktail classes as well, and also operate as spirit and cocktail training facility for the company's staff. And, obviously, it's where a heap of booze will be made — for use at Comiskey sites, and to buy at them as well. The Comiskey portfolio includes Eatons Hill Hotel, Sandstone Point Hotel, Samford Hotel and Beachmere Hotel, plus bottle-os, so there'll be no shortage of places to pick up a tipple. That's due to happen from early 2023, and the new distillery will sell it online from then, too. Overseeing the booze-making: award-winning Master Distiller Colleen Walters, who boasts more than 12 years experience in food and spirits. She'll be guiding a range of beverages made in a 1000-litre copper still onsite, which takes pride of place in the space. Take one of those gin workshops, though, and you'll be using a mini traditional Alembic copper still, and picking from 100-plus botanicals. Announcing Comiskey Distillery, Comiskey Group Director Rob Comiskey said that "tThis really is a passion project of ours, something my dad, brother and I have talked about for a long time. Having owned pubs and bottle shops for many years, it feels like a natural progression for us. We've been actively working on this project for over a year and are very much looking forward to seeing the concept come to life." Eleven years after the Eatons Hill Hotel opened its doors, this new addition also forms part of a big renovation of the Harry Brown bottle shop — where patrons can access Comiskey Distillery. The revamp is underway now, with the bottle-o still trading while it happens. Decor-wise, expect 300 authentic wine barrels, antique trucks and exposed brick touches, as well as a European-marketplace look and a glass window to see the the distillery's still. Also in the works for Comiskey Group: a new 150-hectare music and camping festival site 80 minutes north of Brisbane, as well as a big new Sunshine Coast music venue and hotel next to an 11-hectare parkland. Find Comiskey Distillery next door to at Eatons Hill Hotel, 646 South Pine Road, Eatons Hill.
The 2024 Paris Olympics didn't turn out as planned for the Matildas, sadly. The next Women's Asian Cup, which Australia is hosting, isn't until 2026. You can still watch Australia's national women's soccer team in action between now and then, however, starting with four friendlies against Brazil and Chinese Taipei to close out the Tillies' 2024 games — all at home, taking the squad to Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Geelong. First up is Brazil, who'll face off against the Matildas on Thursday, November 28 at the Queensland capital's Suncorp Stadium (which was home to plenty of 2023 Women's World Cup action) and again on Sunday, December 1 at Cbus Super Stadium at Robina. After that, Steph Catley, Ellie Carpenter, Caitlin Foord, Mackenzie Arnold and company will take on Chinese Taipei in Victoria. AAMI Park hosts the match on Wednesday, December 4, followed by a game at Geelong's GMHBA Stadium on Saturday, December 7. If you're keen to head along, there are still select tickets left to all four matches. And if you can't make it, you can still tune in from home, or the pub. To watch, 10Play and Paramount+ are your destinations — plus Network 10 on regular TV. After Tony Gustavsson stepped down following the Olympics, the Matildas don't yet have a new permanent full-time coach. Tom Sermanni, who did the job between 1994–97 and 2005–12, is taking the reins for these four friendlies. Sam Kerr remains injured, and Mary Fowler has withdrawn from the squad for the quartet of games to put her mental and physical health first, but high-profile names are still taking to the pitch — including Catley donning the captain's armband, Ellie Carpenter as vice captain, and also everyone from Ford, Arnold, Alanna Kennedy and Kyra Cooney-Cross to Hayley Raso, Michelle Heyman and Claire Polkinghorne. After this, the Tillies will play in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup in the US, making their debut in the competition, with games against Japan on Thursday, February 20; the US on Sunday, February 23; and Colombia on Wednesday, February 26. When those matches roll around, more than a year will have passed since Kerr's knee injury — so cross your fingers that she'll be back on the pitch then. The Matildas vs Brazil and Chinese Taipei Friendlies 2024 Brazil: Thursday, November 28 — Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Sunday, December 1 — Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast Chinese Taipei: Wednesday, December 4 — AAMI Park, Melbourne Saturday, December 7 — GMHBA Stadium, Geelong The Matildas' friendlies against Brazil and Chinese Taipei take place between Thursday, November 28–Saturday, December 7 — and you can watch via 10, 10Play and Paramount+. Images: Tiffany Williams, Football Australia.
I'm no kidnapper. I've never tried and, unless this film critic thing really falls through, I hopefully never will. That said, were I to give it a crack, I can't help but think the overarching guideline for a successful 'grab' must be that my victim isn't dead by the time I get him. But look, I'm getting ahead of myself here. To the movie... In 2013 the world found itself subject to a ridiculous 'White House Being Taken Over By Terrorists Only To Be Saved By One Gritty Muscled Dude' genre battle between Olympus Has Fallen and the far superior White House Down. Now, three years later, we get London Has Fallen – the sequel to the former nobody was calling for. Starring Gerard Butler as Secret Service agent Mike Banning, London Has Fallen chronicles a devastating series of attacks throughout London on the morning of a state funeral, with the goal of assassinating world leaders and kidnapping the US President (Aaron Eckhart). Ah. There we are again. Kidnapping. I guess I'm just saying I'd be reluctant to use explosives near my target because of the potential for hurting him. I probably wouldn't, for example, instruct one of my generic 'international terrorist' henchmen to spend several minutes simply lobbing rocket-propelled grenades directly at the President's car. Or his hiding spot. Or his face. Anyway, minor side point. London Has Fallen boasts arguably the most outstanding supporting cast of Academy Award winners and nominees asked to do nothing but stare at a screen. Morgan Freeman, Jackie Earle Haley, Melissa Leo and Angela Bassett all shine for the several seconds that they're given in the White House Situation Room, and... Sorry. Not to get sidetracked again, it's just – they shoot his helicopter down. The President's helicopter. While he's in it. From an aviation safety standpoint alone, statistically that's a huge risk to take when you want to capture him alive. It's like using a nuke to get the toy out of a Kinder Surprise. As for the script, the terrorists speak in advertising slogans like "Vengeance must always be profound, and absolute", while Butler's hero Banning consistently spouts racist gems like "why don't you go back to Fuckheadistan or wherever it is you came from?" In fact, London Has Fallen is so astoundingly jingoistic and overtly xenophobic, you half-expect the credits to conclude with "Paid for by Trump 4 President". Plus...they just shoot at the President all the time. Especially when he's in cars. And then they ram those cars with garbage trucks, even before they know whether or not he's wearing a seatbelt. And it's not as though seatbelts are a guarantee of survival in a major collision... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AsOdX7NcJs
He gave The Social Network five stars, Hostel none, famously refused to grade Romper Stomper, and declined to cover Wolf Creek 2 at all. But how would David Stratton rate a documentary about his own life and love of film? It's a question we'll never know the answer to, although the fact that we're all wondering speaks volumes about the veteran film critic's impact. It also explains why there's now a doco about him and the Australian cinema landscape he has helped shape for more than half a century. Let's face it — for most Aussie film and television viewers, movies and David Stratton go hand in hand. For 28 years on SBS's The Movie Show and then ABC's At the Movies, he dissected the week's big screen releases on the small screen, with much of the country tuning in to catch his insights and hear his banter with co-host Margaret Pomeranz. He'd profess his hatred for shaky cam, she'd sigh "oh David," and their back-and-forth would make a conversation about an average film much, much more interesting. They even have their own board game. And while that might've all come to an end, the movie buff's movie buff isn't done sharing his love of cinema. Indeed, from the end of May, he'll talk audiences through the best flicks Australia has to offer in a three-part TV series. Consider David Stratton: A Cinematic Life the feature-length appetiser. Directed by experienced television helmer Sally Aitken, the documentary endeavours to do two things: step through Stratton's life and career, and explore a selection of influential Australian titles. The former comes complete with tales of the critic's cinema-obsessed youth, photos of his pre-beard days, a glimpse inside his catalogue of movie notes (which he refuses to digitise), and a number of famous faces popping up to sing his praises, including Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Mad Max director George Miller. To achieve the latter, the film takes Stratton around the country to visit locations immortalised on film while diving into explorations of the titles in question – from outback horror Wake in Fright and beloved comedy Muriel's Wedding, to the roadway thrills of the original Mad Max and the relatable warmth of The Castle. Understandably, there's plenty to fit in — the British-born Stratton arrived down under for what was supposed to be a two-year visit, became the director of the Sydney Film Festival for 18 years, and was the subject of ASIO interest thanks to his trips to overseas film festivals. Similarly, with around 100 flicks earning a mention, there's no shortage of movies in the spotlight. Using one as a gateway to the other, David Stratton: A Cinematic Life does an impressive job of weaving its two points of focus together. Hearing about Stratton's fascinating experiences will make you want to discover more (thankfully, his 2008 autobiography I Peed on Fellini can help fans do just that), while discovering his thoughts on an array of local films will make you want to dedicate the foreseeable future to an Aussie movie marathon. Deftly edited and filled with affection, David Stratton: A Cinematic Life is the kind of film the man himself would likely give several stars and probably more. We reckon Pomeranz would feel the same way, although here we have to be content with her commenting on her former sparring partner's shoes. Yes, that's another reason the documentary is worth watching. Come for the moving tribute and informative trip through Aussie film history, stay for the long-awaited David and Margaret reunion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoTbplWKvOg
The omnipresence of satellite imaging, thanks particularly to our friends at Google, has meant we have become increasingly desensitised by the awesomeness that is mankind's ability to take detailed photographs of our neighbour's backyard from thousands of kilometres up into space. However, every so often we stumble upon images that reignite our wonder in our seemingly endless technological capacity and the epic majesty that is the natural world. These satellite photographs from John Nelson, a mapping manager at data visualisation company IDV Solutions, capture hurricanes, earthquakes and wildfires across the globe using colour coding and cutting edge data visualisation technology to beautifully and innovatively map some of the most devastating storms throughout history. 11 Years of Major US Fires After devastating fires blazed across Utah and Colorado earlier this year, Nelson gathered satellite imagery from NASA to visually map the spread and intensity of wildfire across the US over the last 11 years. The differing colours represent the intensity of the fire as compared to the average output of a nuclear power plant during Summer. The bright yellow spots, spread primarily across the West Coast, represent fires burning at a heat and intensity of roughly three or more nuclear power plants, with the hottest recorded at approximately 14 nuclear power plants in June, 2005. Every Hurricane and Tropical Storm Over the Last 150 Years With the help of a plethora of data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration including wind speeds, dates and names, Nelson was able to map every hurricane and tropical storm over the last 150 years. Using this data along with some educated predictions about the movements of 19th Century storms, Nelson "slapped it on a polar projection" and added some colour coding depicting storm intensity to create these incredible images. The maps however serve much more than an artistic purpose, with Nelson creating them in the wake of Hurricane Isaac in order to assist meteorologists in analysing storm trends and even allowing us to detect storms before they have occurred. The World's Earthquakes Since 1898 This map provides an awe-inspiring view of the tectonic boundaries of the Earth's surface. The yellow and green glow represents every earthquake over the last century that measured 4.0 or over on the richter scale, with the more luminous the glow the higher the magnitude of the earthquake.
After debuting in 2023 with Solange and Sampa The Great taking to its stages, the Art Gallery of New South Wales' Volume music series is going big again for its 2024 return. André 3000 making an Australian-exclusive stop with the Outkast rapper's experimental jazz project André 3000 New Blue Sun LIVE, Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon, Ghanaian Australian talent Genesis Owusu and Zimbabwean Australian singer-songwriter Tkay Maidza: they all lead a lineup that shouldn't just get Sydneysiders excited, but is worth travelling from the rest of the country for. Volume's main names will each play their own dates between Friday, July 5–Sunday, July 21 at The Tank, a Second World War oil tank that's been turned into a performance and art venue. It's located inside Naala Badu, AGNSW's $344-million extension that opened in late 2022 — and this is quite the way to check it out if you haven't had the chance before. [caption id="attachment_954053" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dexter Navy[/caption] Genesis Owusu will kick off Volume across Friday, July 5–Saturday, July 6 with a visual arts-inspired show. Audiences will hear tunes from his records Smiling with No Teeth and STRUGGLER, with The Black Dog Band — aka Kirin J Callinan, Touch Sensitive and Tim Commandeur — doing the backing honours. The next weekend, on Saturday, July 13, Tkay Maidza will play her first Aussie headline show in 2024 — and she has Sweet Justice, her second album, to showcase. This is a one-night-only return to Australia for the LA-based rapper, because she's also playing Chicago's Pitchfork Music Festival in June. Kim Gordon's Aussie tour — which is also stopping at Illuminate Adelaide, as well as in Brisbane and Melbourne — will bring her to Volume on Thursday, July 18–Friday, July 19. The main focus: The Collective, her latest solo record. And on Saturday, July 20–Sunday, July 21, André 3000 New Blue Sun LIVE will wrap up the AGNSW lineup. The performance takes its name from André 3000's debut solo album, which released in 2023 — and will also feature percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Carlos Niño, and guitarist and guitar synthesist Nate Mercereau, alongside Surya Botofasina playing the keyboards, plus Deantoni Parks on synthesiser and drums. This is André 3000's first trip Down Under in ten years, with Outkast's headlining slot at 2014's Splendour in the Grass his latest live gig in Australia. [caption id="attachment_954055" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @trippydana[/caption] "We are thrilled to be inviting some of the most innovative and bold local and international musicians to The Tank to create unique music experiences that will make audiences think, feel and move. We look forward to seeing how each artist responds to this remarkable space," said Art Gallery of New South Wales Director Michael Brand. There's still more details to come for Volume, which will pair its headliners with a lineup of free events that's still to be announced. If it sounds huge, that's because it is — and both AGNSW buildings, aka north building Naala Badu and south building Naala Nura, will play host. [caption id="attachment_954056" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bec Parsons[/caption] Volume 2024 Headliners and Dates: Friday, July 5–Saturday, July 6 — Genesis Owusu Saturday, July 13 — Tkay Maidza Thursday, July 18–Friday, July 19 — Kim Gordon Saturday, July 20–Sunday, July 21 — André 3000 New Blue Sun LIVE [caption id="attachment_880681" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Tank space in the Art Gallery of New South Wales' new SANAA - designed building, 2022, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter[/caption] Volume 2024 runs from Friday, July 5–Sunday, July 21 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, with ticket presales from 11am on Tuesday, May 21 and general sales from 11am on Wednesday, May 22 — head to the festival website for further details. Top image: Sven Mandel via Wikimedia Commons.
How many dumplings can you eat in one sitting? Would you like to find out? On the last Saturday of every month, Dumpling Republic puts your stomach to the test by offering up a bottomless feast of the dish that gives them their name. Here's how it works at their All You Can Eat Dumpling Night: you arrive and you eat, with a three-course meal on offer. Well, given you can gorge on as many dumplings as you like — in 11 different varieties, served in a particular order, and ranging from pork and kimchi to beef and onion to deep-fried wontons — you could say that there's as many courses as you like too, but non-dumpling entrees and desserts will also be served. Your dumpling-filled evening will set you back $35, and booking in advance is recommended. Two sessions are offered each month, so keep an eye on their Facebook page for details — sometimes they run at 5pm and 7pm, sometimes at 12pm and 6pm.
At skate parks around the world — and on consoles in lounge rooms, too — many an hour has been spent kickflipping and ollieing because of Tony Hawk. He's the professional skateboarder who became a household name, and the man whose licensed video game series had everyone sliding and grinding just by furiously mashing buttons. And, come 2024, he's coming to Australia to chat about his career. The skater icon is taking part in a talkfest aptly called An Evening with Tony Hawk. The Brisbane leg has sold out, sadly, but the River City is in for another treat. For one day only, on Saturday, January 27, Hawk is also going to turn the Fortitude Music Hall into an immersive Tony Hawk's Pro Skater experience. Hawk's THPS25 event will drop in to celebrate a quarter century of the games series, with the venue becoming a replica of one of the levels from the game. Yes, Hawk will hop on a board on an 11-foot-plus vertical ramp that'll sit in the centre of the venue. Joining him from the Birdhouse skate crew, including Lizzie Armanto, Elliot Sloan Felipe Nunes and Reese Nelson. [caption id="attachment_924147" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joshua Cutillo[/caption] The THPS25 event is split into two sessions, with the daytime slot an all-ages affair and the evening session only for over 18s. Birdman: Or the Unexpected Virtue of a Tony Hawk Pro Skater Cover Band are picking up their instruments at both, too, as joined by DZ Deathrays doing a DJ set at each. Yours Truly and Teenage Joans will also take to the stage during the day, and Bodyjar and Alex Lahey at night. If you're keen to play Tony Hawk's Pro Skater while you're there, that's understandable and will also be an option. Show off your moves on a five-metre video wall, plus console stations set up around the venue.
The trailer for the fourth instalment of George Miller’s Mad Max franchise was released at Comic-Con in San Diego this weekend, and it's a total, jaw-dropping attention hog. Mad Max: Fury Road sees Tom Hardy take the reigns as 'Mad' Max Rockatansky, with appearances from Charlize Theron, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Zoe Kravitz, Megan Gale, Abbey Lee Kershaw and Nicholas Hoult thrown into the high-speed mix. From what we can gather the film revolves around a huge car chase sequence set in an unmerciful desert, complete with all the trimmings of daredevil motorbike jumps, rolling car crashes and explosions. Lots of explosions. There's some captivating end-of-days imagery going on, showing this classic Australian franchise has not been left to idle in the '80s. The fourth Mad Max has had film fans on tenterhooks for decades. It has a potted production history, having spent 25 years in what is known as "development hell". Most recently, filming was moved from Broken Hill to Namibia, after unexpected heavy rains turned the necessary desert landscape into inappropriate lush wildflowers. It's looking formidable from the trailer, so let's hope the movie — due for release on May 15, 2015 — delivers on the impact promised.
Walking around Sydney CBD over the last year or so, you might have noticed the amount of construction taking place, but even more so, the vibrant colours and art brightening up these building sites across town. These are works from the creative hoardings initiative, which saw ten artists chosen by the City of Sydney to have their designs adorn drab construction sites. Following a massively successful first round, the City of Sydney is once again inviting artists nationwide to submit their creations to be a part of the next group of hoarding designers. Encouraging both established and emerging artists to apply, another ten creatives will be selected by a panel of industry experts, and receive a tidy $11,400 for their hard work to boot. Whether you want to submit your own work or encourage a friend, don't delay as entries close 5pm, Friday, December 14. To give you a better idea of what the creative hoardings initiative is all about, we took a look at the original ten artists and found out how the project impacted their creative practices. [caption id="attachment_701053" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Katherine Griffiths.[/caption] THE TERMINAL FACE OF THE PERITO MORENO GLACIER BY TIM HARLAND For landscape photographer Tim Harland, the creative hoardings project was the perfect medium to express his elongated panoramic images. Having considered submitting many of his works, he eventually decided on his image of the famous Perito Moreno glacier in Patagonia. Created from more than 50 individual photographs, Harland captured the image while travelling in a boat parallel to the glacier. On the project, Harland explains: "it's been lovely to be walking through the city, turn a corner and be presented with my giant, icy blue photograph…I've never been able to print my work as big as I'd like, so to see it two metres high and 100 metres long was deeply satisfying." [caption id="attachment_632113" align="alignnone" width="1620"] Katje Ford.[/caption] BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA BY EGGPICNIC Promoting important dialogue around wildlife conservation, Camila De Gregorio and Christopher Macaluso of popular creative duo Eggpicnic have used their hoarding design, Birds of Australia, to reach out to others with their message. With their design popping up on construction sites across Pyrmont, Surry Hills and The Rocks, their work has proved popular even with bird watching groups that go on tours of the hoardings. Plus, Camila and Christopher are often told by strangers how admired their design is. "I was on the bus at Town Hall, and I see this email that our hoarding is up at Ken Street," De Gregorio says. "I told the bus driver to stop, I got off and then two blocks away, I could see this giant cockatoo. I started running; I get there and I completely lose my breath. I felt like I'd won an Oscar. I was standing alone in complete awe for ages, watching how others were taking selfies and videos of my bird." "People care; it's just a matter of inviting them to participate. We are privileged to have our work displayed throughout Sydney and we hope that this platform starts fundamental conversations," says De Gregorio. [caption id="attachment_632100" align="alignnone" width="1620"] Katje Ford.[/caption] DOUBLE-TAKE BY RACHEL HARRIS Creating playful images that challenge our perceptions, South Australian designer Rachel Harris worked alongside the City of Sydney's archives, taking historical photographs and photoshopping them in subtle and fun ways. For Harris, creating something that could be viewed multiple times was one of her primary concerns. And Double-Take achieves that by giving commuters something interesting to focus on during their journey to and from work. "The feedback has been great, seeing people engaging with the work and sharing it with each other is wonderful," says Harris. "It feels like I have contributed something meaningful and positive to the community." A SONG FROM NATURE BY DANLING XIAO Having built up a huge Instagram following thanks to her playful daily food-art creations with her Mundane Matters project, Danling Xiao once again used these cute artworks to communicate her philosophy on zero waste and sustainability. Xiao said it's "an honour" to be able to contribute her artwork to the city's landscape with A Song From Nature. "I am surprised that although friends see my work on Instagram on a regular basis, they are still surprised when they see them on the streets," says Xiao. "I think we must be doing something right here." SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE AT NIGHT BY EMILY CROCKFORD Emerging artist Emily Crockford took inspiration from perhaps Sydney's most iconic landmark with her interpretation of the Sydney Opera House. Depicting the sweeping structure's celebrated sails lit up by the New Years Eve fireworks, this work follows Crockford's colourful style, which you can also see in her paintings, sculpture and plush works of art. Supported by Studio A, a local social enterprise providing support for artists living with intellectual disabilities, Crockford has exhibited her work as part of the Cicada Press at UNSW Art & Design, Underbelly Arts Festival and numerous galleries across Sydney. CHILDREN VERY UPSET BY EDWIN BUDHI Spending time wandering the streets of Sydney, photographer and filmmaker Edwin Budhi was struck by the number of lost animals signs he came across tapped to signposts. With his bright, eye-catching portraits of missing animals and street scenes, Budhi wanted to convey the feeling of what it's like to live in a large metropolis such as Sydney. Through Children Very Upset, Budhi thoughtfully explores the nature of family, hope and loss within the context of the urban environment. [caption id="attachment_632099" align="alignnone" width="1620"] Katje Ford.[/caption] STONE JEWELS BY FIONA CURREY-BILLYARD Featuring glowing stone cutting tools used by Indigenous populations throughout past centuries, emerging filmmaker, photographer and painter Fiona Currey-Billyard makes the most of new media in her hoarding design, Stone Jewels. Astounded by the quality of these tools that were handcrafted hundreds of years ago, Currey-Billyard was inspired to showcase their excellence to a wider audience through her submission. Made from materials such as glass, basalt and greenstone, the vibrant stone cutting tools resemble precious jewellery, which Currey-Billyard conveys through her vibrant artwork. [caption id="attachment_632106" align="alignnone" width="1620"] Katje Ford.[/caption] REAL MYTH BY CAPTAIN PIPE Perhaps the most lively of all the hoarding designs selected for the initial creative hoardings project, Neil McCann, aka Captain Pipe, wanted to create something that passers-by simply wouldn't be able to ignore. Inspired by the eccentric works of 15th-century Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch, Real Myth illustrates a scene that could be the party to end all parties. In addition, McCann's design considers the stories we tell ourselves and how artworks can have "co-created" meanings depending on your life's perspective. Putting his work on a scale that's made it virtually unmissable by anyone who comes near, McCann was proud to have such a towering and colourful work take over the city streets. POLY UBIQUITOUS BY CYNTHIA SCHWERTSIK Disturbed by the amount of plastic pollution taking over the environment today, Adelaide-based artist Cynthia Schwertsik decided to reimagine plastic bags with a slightly more positive connotation. It's easy to miss at first, but Poly Ubiquitous doesn't just display a bright and mysterious creation, but images of colourful plastic bags submerged underwater. On her artwork, Schwertsik explains, "I started to collect plastic bags and treat them as if they were precious. These bright, artificial colours were the entrance to an ambiguous appreciation for the material that is supposed to be useful." [caption id="attachment_632104" align="alignnone" width="1620"] Katje Ford.[/caption] OBSTACLE COURSE BY ELLIOTT BRYCE FOULKES Sydney native, art director and designer Elliot Bryce Foulkes has long been basing his bold creations around the use of typography, language, graphics and space. For his chosen Site Works hoarding, titled Obstacle Course, Foulkes delved into his knowledge of Sydney to develop an imaginative reinterpretation of ongoing building projects and future Sydney architectural landmarks. Exploring the concepts of design, art direction and identity through his creative practice, here, Obstacle Course depicts an artistic look at individuals searching the streets of Sydney and uncovering the many interesting shapes and designs that make up the urban environment. Keen to see your own art on a large scale? Answer the City of Sydney's call for artists to get a chance to be part of the initiative.
Australia's best hotel — according to the World's 50 Best Hotels — is welcoming one of Australia's very best bars — according to the World's 50 Best Bars — for a one-night takeover this winter. Sydney's pocket-sized mezcal mecca, Cantina OK!, is headed north and landing at The Calile's Lobby Bar on Tuesday, June 17, for a very special collaboration. Part of The Calile's Rooftop Harvest series — which showcases the seasonal produce grown on the hotel's rooftop kitchen garden — this one-off event will bring together two stars of Australia's hospitality scene for a sunset session of creative cocktails. Cantina OK! Venue Manager Jordan Grocock and Creative Lead Jaxon Kite will be flying the flag for the Sydney bar, and they'll be shaking up a bespoke cocktail just for the occasion. Inspired by the pastel tones of The Calile's pool, the Sandia OK! is a vibrant green and pink margarita that features fresh lime and hibiscus leaf harvested from the hotel's rooftop garden. They'll be mixed with makrut lime leaf tequila and topped with shaved watermelon for a textural and visual punch. The Calile crew will also be behind the stick, serving one of the hotel's signature creations that again makes use of ingredients from the rooftop. The Marigold Highball is a twist on the classic highball, with a mix of Red Mill coconut rum, soda, coconut vinegar and a house-made shrub crafted using marigold leaves picked from the rooftop garden. Both drinks will be paired with seasonal snacks that also showcase ingredients from the June harvest. [caption id="attachment_909116" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Calile SS22[/caption] Clocking in at just 17 square metres, the six-seat Cantina OK! — tucked at the end of an otherwise nondescript Sydney CBD laneway — is perhaps Australia's smallest bar. It punches well above its diminutive size, though, often named among the world's very best bars thanks to its extensive program of hand-sourced, hand-imported and handmade mezcal, and thoughtful, personalised service. Entry is free but registration is recommended — and you'll want to get in early, as drinks are only available from 5–7pm. Don't miss your chance to experience one of Sydney's most celebrated bars, no flight required. [caption id="attachment_909117" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Calile SS22[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1006984" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dexter Kim[/caption] [caption id="attachment_973394" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Calile James St, Cieran Murphy.[/caption] Rooftop Harvest: Cantina OK! x The Calile takes place on Tuesday, June 17, from 5–7pm at The Calile's Lobby Bar, Ground Floor, 48 James Street, Fortitude Valley. For more information and to register, head to the event website.
We're in the thick of summer festivals, and organisers of Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival have launched a brand newie: Sydney City Limits. A sister festival for Texan mega-fest Austin City Limits, Sydney's version will be a one-day all-ages event full of music, food, art and market stalls aplenty. Gracing four stages in Sydney's Centennial Park will be a serious lineup of Australian and international artists. Over 30 huge names — including international acts Justice, Beck, Phoenix and Grace Jones, and local artists Gang of Youths, Tash Sultana, Vance Joy, Dune Rats and Allday — will converge on the inner-city park for the festival. Not a bad debut lineup. You'll also be nourished by a handful of Sydney's top chefs, restaurants and food trucks, all curated by the team behind Mary's and The Unicorn. And just like the festival's American counterpart, the creative arts will get a strong representation here, too. You'll be able to explore an openair art space that showcases snapshots of the city through painting, street art, photography, video and performance art by Sydney artists. There will also be artisan markets, with the opportunity to bring home fashion, jewellery, art and merchandise.
Mention the name Weird Al Yankovic and a pop parody song likely slips into your head. Maybe you're now humming 'Eat It' to yourself, or 'My Bologna' — or perhaps 'Like a Surgeon', 'Another One Rides the Bus', 'Smells Like Nirvana' and 'Amish Paradise' are echoing in your brain. They're some of the musical-comedy tunes the singer is famous for, but they won't be getting a workout on his just-announced 2023 tour. First, the exciting news: Weird Al is heading to Australia in March, hitting up Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane on a five-show whirl around the country. Next, the possibly surprising news: The Unfortunate Return of the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, as it's called, isn't about playing Yankovic's satires of other well-known songs. Instead, the musician is swapping his usual parodies for his other musical-comedy standouts across his 14-album catalogue. Clearly, he has plenty of tracks to choose from — and they'll all be played with his original band of four decades in an intimate, stripped-down show. Don't go expecting costumes, props or video screens, either. AUSTRALIA, here I come!!! #TheUnfortunateReturnOfTheRidiculouslySelfIndulgentIllAdvisedVanityTour comes to Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane in March 2023! https://t.co/o0riivPZ37 — Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) November 27, 2022 This deep cut-focused tour follows Yankovic's successful 2018 and 2022 North American Vanity Tours, which featured sold-out performances at The Kennedy Centre and Carnegie Hall. In Australia, he'll be joined by comedian Emo Philips, his The Vidiot From UHF co-star, at gigs at the Palais Theatre, Norwood Concert Hall, Enmore Theatre, Perth's Astor Theatre and QPAC. "I don't very often get an opportunity to tour outside of North America, so it's a huge thrill for me to come back to Australia and play a bunch of songs that most people would rather not hear." Al said, announcing the tour. His trip Down Under follows the release of comic biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, which isn't currently available in Australia — but Yankovic has thoughts on how to see it. WEIRD AL YANKOVIC'S THE UNFORTUNATE RETURN OF THE RIDICULOUSLY SELF-INDULGENT, ILL-ADVISED VANITY TOUR 2023: Friday, March 10 — Palais Theatre, Melbourne Monday, March 13 — Norwood Concert Hall, Adelaide Wednesday, March 15 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Saturday, March 18 — Astor Theatre, Perth Monday, March 20 – QPAC, Brisbane Weird Al Yankovic is touring Australia in March 2023. Tickets go on sale at 11am local time on Friday, December 2 — head to the tour website for further details.
With Australians knocking back an average of 50,000 takeaway coffees every 30 minutes, and one billion paper cups winding up in landfill each year, it's pretty clear that our on-the-go coffee habits need to undergo a drastic change. But no matter how many reusable cups hit the market, that throwaway culture is a hard one to shake. We've been taking tiny steps to address the problem, though; last year the City of Sydney trialled standalone bins for one-use coffee cups and, just recently, a Sydney cafe banned all disposable cups. But the latest product to help make our caffeine addictions somewhat better for the environment is the RecycleMe cup — a new 'more recyclable' takeaway coffee cup, which is being trialled in Sydney and Melbourne this week. This little guy is the brainchild of Australian-owned paper and packaging specialists Detpak and California-based Smart Planet Technologies, who were looking to create a disposable cup that could be easily recycled through the usual paper and cardboard recycling stream. At present, regular coffee cups cannot be recycled like other cardboard items due to their waterproof polyethylene lining, and there is currently no facility in Australia that is able to recycle them. The RecycleMe cups differ because they have a mineral-based lining that's easier to be removed, and means up to 96 percent of the cup can be recycled. The RecycleMe cups can't go straight into your regular recycling bin, though. As part of the trial, patrons who order takeaway coffees will have to turf their empty cups and lids into the special blue bins in-store. From there, the lining will be removed before the cups head to a regular paper recycling facility to be processed and made into new paper and cardboard products. While having to dispose of your takeaway cup at the cafe you bought it from sort of defeats the purpose of getting a disposable one in the first place, it is a step in the right direction — particularly if the cups can enter the regular recycling stream rather than simply going to landfill. You can test the final product at Toby's Estate in Sydney and Melbourne Museum, where the RecycleMe cups will be in use until Sunday, August 20. Detpak aims to have the RecycleMe cups on the commercial market within six months.
Before the 1988 Brisbane Expo, South Bank didn't exist. That's how much the huge world event reshaped the city. And while that fact has been easy to forget over the years, a little upcoming spectacle called the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games is about to remind us how much can change when a place needs to accommodate festivities of an immense scale — with plenty of the Sunshine State's capital set to get a makeover. Tearing down and rebuilding the Gabba is one such plan. Creating a new seven-hectare riverside parkland in South Brisbane is another. Getting us all zooming around via self-flying taxis is also on the list, and so is revamping and expanding Northshore Hamilton along an extra 1.2-kilometre stretch of the river. Initially, that transformation across current industrial land along the river's northern edge is all about setting up the Brisbane Athlete Village for the Brisbane 2032 games, which has long been part of the Olympic and Paralympic planning. But once all the sporting contests are over, Brissie will score a new waterside precinct — well, a heftier version of an existing one. Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Minister Assisting the Premier on Olympics Infrastructure Dr Steven Miles announced on Friday, October 28 that this part of Brisbane's Olympics makeover will be accelerated, with works in the Northshore Hamilton Priority Development Area — aka that expanse by the river in Hamilton — being approved. To do so, the minister gave the go-ahead for a development scheme amendment, after consulting with the community about the proposal. "An additional 1.2 kilometres of this prime waterfront location will be transformed into a vibrant, mixed-use precinct for the community," said the Deputy Premier in a statement. "It will be one of the biggest contributions of Brisbane riverfront parkland since South Bank was established. A new commercial heart will be located along Macarthur Avenue to take advantage of increased foot traffic and maximise the invaluable new riverside parkland. This development will cement Northshore as a world-class lifestyle, recreation and events destination," Miles continued. Expect big things — 304 hectares in area, in fact, which makes Northshore Hamilton Queensland's largest waterfront urban renewal precinct. When the revamp is all done and up and running, it'll play host to shops, eateries, businesses, and places for entertainment and cultural activities. Hotels and markets have been floated for the precinct, too. Also in the plan: more than 14,000 dwellings housing 24,000-plus residents. (During its tenure as the Athlete Village, it'll host 10,000-plus athletes and team officials for the Olympics, as well as 5000-plus for the Paralympics.) [caption id="attachment_831497" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eat Street Northshore[/caption] Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympics from July 23–August 8, 2032. We'll update you with further information about the plans for Northshore Hamilton as they're announced. Images: artists impressions, Queensland Government.
2020 has been a big year for Gelato Messina in a number of different ways. To help us all while we were spending more time at home, the ice cream chain has served up plenty of tasty specials, including cookie pies, 40 of its best gelato flavours and a heap of one-off desserts. It also launched a new range of gelato bars in supermarkets, its own line of candles and a new clothing range as well. And, it came up with boozy cocktail packs that you can make at home, too. Next up: a curated present range called Gifting by Messina, which'll deliver everything from Messina condiments to ceramic bowls to your door — or to someone you love. Haven't had time to go Christmas shopping? Don't fancy the hustle and bustle of trawling the mall? These packages will let you nab something special for someone special, with five types available. If you've ever tucked into a scoop of Messina's frosty wares, savoured not just the taste but the scent and wished you could soak in the latter for longer, the dessert fiends have very good news. That aforementioned candle range is included, because it was mighty popular when it launched in collaboration with perfumed candle outfit Maison Balzac earlier this year. For $75, you'll receive two mini candles, both inspired by honey. The 'Miel d'Hiver' candle (which means 'winter honey' in French) is designed to conjure up the scent of plants pollinated by bees in winter, and features notes of smoke, thyme, lemon, cedarleaf, frankincense, nutmeg, tonka bean, palo santo and peru balsam. Or, you can opt for the 'Miel d'Ete' ('summer honey'), which combines bergamot, galbanum, hyacinth, jasmine, orris, lily of the valley and musk patchouli. The kit also comes with a jar of Rosebery Honey's signature spring nectar and a voucher for 10-percent off a booking at Messina's Creative Department restaurant. After something edible? Two packs are available, including a $24 offering with Messina's dulce de leche, choc hazelnut and waffle cone spreads. Or, you can gift someone a range of seven condiments from local chefs and restaurants beloved by the ice creamery — with a $120 kit spanning everything from Dino's hot sauce and Firedoor smoked salt to Made in Yass green tomato pickles. Rounding up the Gifting by Messina lineup is a Lucy Folk beach towel ($190), which comes with a $50 Messina voucher — and a set of two gelato cups ($150) made by Sydney ceramicist Milly Dent, as paired with two gold-plated teaspoons by designer Cristina Re and a $20 Messina voucher. The entire range comes delivered in Messina gift boxes, and is available to order from Monday, November 30. They'll also be delivered Australia-wide. Some kits are only available in limited numbers, though, including 50 candle sets, 200 batches of condiments, 50 towels and 75 bowls. Gifting by Messina opens for orders on Monday, November 30. For more information, visit the Gelato Messina website.
Say goodbye checkout chick and hello farmers. Fresh produce markets seem to be popping up all over Brisbane lately, but it seems supply is not outreaching demand. Unlike Coles, where you get in, get out ASAP, these markets have become a meeting point for local communities, a place to meet friends for breakfast and a platform to test new start-ups. As lovers of gourmet and eaters with a conscience, we like to know where our food comes from and how many food miles it has done. We’ve done the dirty work and rounded up our top picks for the best farmers’ markets all over town. Eagle Farm Markets When the racecourse isn’t being used as a gamblers paradise, Eagle Farm hosts a Sunday Farmers’ Market. While great for fresh fruit and veg, and even buying an entire salmon (we recommend it), Eagle Farm is host to a stack of breakfast and brunch treats, clothing, garden and homeware stalls, and one of our favourites – Kiss The Berry acai bowls. Tip: head later in the morning when the sellers cut-price fresh produce as they want to go home. Every Sunday 7am-12.30pm; entry $2; Eagle Farm Racecourse, top of Racecourse Road, Ascot Boggo Road Sunday Markets What’s better than spending a Sunday morning visiting a significant slice of Brisbane’s history AND picking up your weekly shop. Personally I’m a big fan of a Sunday market and food prep day, and markets on Sunday are rarer to come by. Smaller in size, but nonetheless quality, the Boggo Road Markets are easy to navigate and have plenty of Sunday morning breakfast and brunch options all on the cheap. Every Sunday 7am-1pm; Old Boggo Road Jail, Annerley Road, Dutton Park Jan Power City Market Jan Power is a name that regular market goers know, and many follow the woman around religiously. The market magnate hosts her only weekly market in the city every Wednesday, making it the perfect place to pop by for that mid-week top up on everything fresh fruit and veg. Of course, being in the CBD office workers flock for their lunch and are not disappointed with the bagel boys, Leavain bakery, wholesomeness, The Goat Pie Guy, I Heart Mushrooms and many more in attendance. Every Wednesday 9am-6pm; Brisbane Square, top of Queen Street Mall, CBD. Jan Power Powerhouse Markets The Jan Power Markets at the Powerhouse are a two-birds, one-stone kinda deal. Stop by not just for your weekly shop, but for a handy dose of culture. Besides hosting a similarly delicious line-up to the Jan Power City Market, right now the Powerhouse is home to the 57th World Press Photo – an exhibition profiling the globe's top press photographers. After you shop, head into New Farm Park and dive into your produce right away with a fancy picnic. Second and fourth Saturday of every month, 6am-noon; Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington Street, New Farm Carseldine Farmers and Artisan Markets New on the scene, but a welcome addition to the somewhat-market-starved northside, Carseldine Farmers and Artist Markets launch in mid 2014. With a focus on premium quality, in-season fresh and local produce, as well as live music and gourmet brunch treats, we see it becoming a hit. We’re told to expect gourmet foods, provisions, artisan bakers, butchers, fishmongers, as well as talented local designers, painters and performers. Perfect. Every Saturday from 6am-noon; 532 Beams Rd (Cnr Beams & Dorville Roads) Carseldine Village Markets, Kelvin Grove Kelvin Grove Markets are the only market we can think of that blocks traffic to an entire street every weekend. Home to a little bit of everything, Kelvin Grove guarantees fresh fruit and veg, herbs, tea, fresh baked goods, gourmet cheeses, meat, eggs, local honey, as well as flowers, bric-a-brac and fast food from around the world. Tip: join the line for Michael’s Steamed Dumplings. Every Saturday 6am-1pm; Blamey Street, Kelvin Grove Saturday Fresh Market, Rocklea The commercial hub of Brisbane produce, it’s no surprise Rocklea is Brisbane’s biggest fresh food market on Saturdays. Home to a massive 190 stalls of fresh produce, meats, baked goods and deli foods, Rocklea is not all just produce and has a ‘food court’ of cuisine to fill your tummy before you shop. While here, stop by the Rocklea Flower Market and see one of the four flower wholesalers who source directly from growers. Every Saturday 6am-noon; Sherwood Road, Rocklea Davies Park Markets, West End Ahh, the good ol’ West End Markets. Every Saturday Davies Park turns into the place-to-be-seen and has a loyal following. I know our very own Arts & Culture Editor goes there not for his weekly shop, but for breakfast and a social catch up. Besides the $1 curry puffs, the markets are home to epic numbers of food stalls, as well as cheap or organic fruit and vegetables, music, clothing and everything in between. Every Saturday 6am-2pm; Davies Park, West End Northey Street Organic Market Finding organic food is too hard, they said. Not any more. Every Sunday the Northey Street Organic Market (strangely enough, located on Northey Street, Windsor) is home to some of the freshest produce Brisbane has on offer. Stop by for an all-organic weekly shop, breakfast or even a t-shirt made of organic cotton – but be early, these guys stop trading at 10.30am. Every Sunday 6am-10.30am; Northey Street, Windsor Moggill Markets Out to the west, the semi-rural Mogill Markets are known as the place to find the freshest produce direct from the grower. We hear their market stalls requirements are stricter than others, meaning that you’re more likely to be buying direct from the grower. Besides fresh produce and gourmet small goods, expect to come home with some native flora and herbs. The market is not-for-profit and donates all funds to charity – talk about warm fuzzies. Every second Saturday, 6.30am-11am; 550 Brookfield Road, Brookfield View all Brisbane Events.
Even under normal circumstances, heading to the UK to see a theatre show isn't in most folks' budgets — which is why, for years now, Britain's National Theatre has beamed its performances into cinemas around the world via a series called NT Live. At the moment, with venues closed across the globe, the latter is obviously on hiatus. Enter a new initiative: National Theatre at Home. As the name makes plain, National Theatre is making its previously recorded productions available to viewers at home — so you can now get cosy on your lounge, put your feet up and pretend you're at the theatre. Shows will stream for free via NT's YouTube channel, with a different performance available each week. Each production will launch on a Friday morning, Australian and New Zealand time, then be available to stream for seven days. It all kicks off with Richard Bean's One Man, Two Guvnors starring James Corden, who won a Tony Award for his performance in the production's 2012 Broadway run. Catch it from 5am AEST on Friday, April 3 (7pm UK time on Thursday, April 2). Then, head back on April 10 for Sally Cookson's stage adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, journey to Bryony Lavery's version of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island on April 17 and enjoy William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night on April 24. On May 1, one of National Theatre's biggest and best shows will drop: its stripped-back version of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, as directed by Trainspotting and Yesterday's Danny Boyle, and starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller. When the production was performed live back in 2011, Cumberbatch and Miller swapped roles each night, alternating between playing Victor Frankenstein and his revived creation — and both versions are hitting the NT's YouTube Channel. After that, on May 7, comes more Shakespeare: Antony & Cleopatra, featuring Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo as the fated titular couple. Then, when May 14 rolls around, viewers can check out a never-bef0re-seen archival recording of Inua Ellam's Barber Shop Chronicles. Fans of classic American plays and fantastic actors can look forward to A Streetcar Named Desire from May 21 — with none other than Gillian Anderson as Blanche DuBois, alongside Ben Foster and Vanessa Kirby. On May 28, James Graham's This House will hit YouTube, while June 4 sees Tom Hiddleston join forces with the Bard for a performance of Coriolanus. Keep an eye on the National Theatre at Home website, too, because more productions are likely to be added afterwards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh9_EdHDsV4 Top images: A Streetcar Named Desire, Johan Persson. Frankenstein, 2011, photo by Catherine Ashmore. Jane Eyre, 2015, Manuel Harlan. One Man, Two Guvnors by Bean, Author - Richard Bean, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Mark Thompson, Lighting - Mark Henderson, The National Theatre, 2011, Credit: Johan Persson. Updated May 9.
Formerly known as The Fantauzzo, the Crystalbrook Vincent is an art-inspired hotel located beneath Brisbane's Story Bridge amid the fantastically buzzy Howard Smith Wharves. The site still pays tribute to world-renowned Australian painter and photographer Vincent Fantauzzo. A winner of plenty of weighty prizes — the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, the Archibald Packing Room Prize, and the Archibald People's Choice Award a whopping four times — Fantauzzo has committed everyone from Heath Ledger and Matt Moran to Brandon Walters and Julia Gillard to his canvas. Prepare to feast your eyes on six original artworks, plus 500 of his most recognised pieces, with reproductions gracing The Fantauzzo's walls. Of course, given the location, that's not the hotel's only stunning sight. Built into the cliff bordering the CBD and Fortitude Valley, the $100 million site boasts one mighty fine view of the city and the Brisbane river, plus custom furniture and dark-toned interior decor that heroes concrete finishes, black glass, natural rock and timber. The pool, overlooking the river, is a definite highlight. But if you manage to tear yourself away from the water, you're super close to the excellent Howard Smith Wharves precinct, which is home to a brewery, overwater bar and gorgeous Greek restaurant Greca. The art, the location and the design of the building all help make Crystalbrook Vincent one of Brisbane's best hotels.
Eight days after going into lockdown in the latest attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19, 11 Local Government Areas in southeast Queensland will emerge from stay-at-home conditions at 4pm today, Sunday, August 8. Since the same time on Saturday, July 31, residents in the Brisbane City Council, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim LGAs have only been permitted to leave their homes for the four reasons that were identified at the beginning of the pandemic. Initially, the lockdown was put in place for three days after new instances of the Delta variant were identified in Brisbane's western suburbs, but it was then extended for another five when new locally acquired COVID-19 case numbers remained high. "It will end at 4pm, but we are not out of the woods. I just want everyone to have a really good understanding that we are dealing with the Delta strain. It is highly, highly infectious," said Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at Queensland's daily COVID-19 press conference. "I can tell you from my conversations in Tokyo, with people around the world, this strain is sweeping the world. So we need to make sure that we are making some extra precautions," the Premier continued. While ending the latest lockdown across southeast Queensland is obviously welcome news, restrictions will obviously still apply — as also happened after Brisbane's January, March and June lockdowns — until Sunday, August 22. So, Brisbanites will be able to leave their homes again once 4pm hits today — and for any reason. That said, new rules will limit what you can do, where and with how many people, as we've all become used to during the pandemic. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1424160294612307971 A ten-person limit on at-home gatherings will be put in place, which includes people who live there. That cap will also apply to public gatherings outside of the house as well. And, weddings and funerals will only be able to have 20 people in attendance. Venues can reopen, including retail, gyms, convention centres, hairdressers, and beauty and personal care services; however, the one person per-four-square-metres rule will be in effect inside, and the one person per-two-square-metres outside — and dancing isn't allowed, except at weddings. Where there's ticketed and allocated seating, venues can fill to 50-percent capacity. Also, community sport isn't allowed to resume yet. In hospitality, you'll need to remain seated to drink or eat in cafes and restaurants. The aforementioned density requirements will also apply, but smaller venues up to 200 square metres can have one person per-two-square-metres — up to a maximum of 50 people. Masks remain mandatory whenever you're not at home — and you'll always have to have one with you as a result. So, they must be worn in all indoor spaces other than your own house, all indoor workplaces unless it is unsafe to do so, on public transport, in taxis and ride share vehicles, and outdoors, unless you're doing vigorous exercise. Folks in the 11 LGAs are also asked to reconsider their need to travel outside of these areas, and are asked not to do so. https://twitter.com/qldhealthnews/status/1424166253443252228 The usual requests regarding social distancing, hygiene and getting tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms all apply, too, as they have since March last year. In the past 24 hours, Queensland reported nine new locally acquired cases, with 148 cases currently active in the Sunshine State at the time of writing. The state is also implementing a three-day lockdown in Cairns and Yarrabah due to a new case out in the community in that northern region, with stay-at-home conditions coming into effect there at 4pm today, Sunday, August 8. Queensland Health is maintaining an active register of locations that have been visited by positive COVID-19 cases, which you can check out on its website. You can also check out this nifty map that uses Queensland Health's data. Eleven LGAs in the Greater Brisbane area will come out of lockdown at 4pm on Sunday, August 8. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. More details about the lockdown and associated restrictions once it lifts can also be found on the Queensland Health website. Top image: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.
Residents of Warrnambool, a huge festival is coming your way. Music lovers, you're heading to the Victorian town. The coastal spot has been named the host of Triple J's One Night Stand for 2024, with G Flip, Ruel, What So Not — with some friends — and Thelma Plum leading the lineup. Warrnambool was picked by the Australian radio station from a huge 2087 submissions, with the nation clearly excited about the return of the fest for the first time in five years. The roster of talent taking to the stage at Friendly Societies Park three hours out of Melbourne also includes Sycco and DICE, a competition winner from Unearthed, and special guests as well. [caption id="attachment_966668" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Callum Walker Hutchinson[/caption] Triple J announced back in April that the event would make a comeback this year, then revealed at the beginning of July that it'd return on Saturday, September 14, 2024. Next came the lineup details, and now finally where the fest is rolling into town. Victoria was the site of the very first One Night Stand, too. Twenty years ago, the ABC station gave the town of Natimuk a day to remember when the spot 300 kilometres out of Melbourne hosted its very own major music fest, with Grinspoon, Eskimo Joe and The Dissociatives (aka Daniel Johns and Paul Mac) all getting behind the microphone. So began an event that became a yearly tradition, but taking place in different regional locations, with Triple J putting on a fest every year between 2004–2014, then again from 2016–2019. There's no prizes for guessing why One Night Stand pressed pause from 2020, but that gap in the event's history is finally coming to an end. The all-ages event is returning at time when the Australian live music scene has been suffering, and after a spate of festivals have been cancelling or saying farewell forever. In 2024 alone, both Groovin the Moo and Splendour in the Grass announced lineups, then scrapped this year's fests mere weeks later. Summergrounds Music Festival, which was meant to debut at Sydney Festival 2024, also didn't go ahead. As announced in 2023, Dark Mofo took a breather this year — and Mona Foma, the summer fest also held by Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art, has advised that its 2024 event was its last ever. With the state of the industry in mind, bringing back One Night Stand is not only much-needed and well-timed, but will also raise funds Support Act, the charity for the Australian music industry. In the past, the event has also been to Ayr, Dalby and Mt Isa in Queensland; Port Pirie, Tumby Bay and Lucindale in South Australia; Cowra and Dubbo in New South Wales; Collie and Geraldton in Western Australia; Sale and Mildura in Victoria; Alice Springs in the Northern Territory; and St Helens in Tasmania. One Night Stand Lineup 2024: G Flip Ruel What So Not + Friends Thelma Plum Sycco DICE triple j Unearthed Competition Winner + special guests 2024's triple j One Night Stand will take place on Saturday, September 14 in Warrnambool, with tickets on sale from 19am on Thursday, July 25. For more information, head to the radio station's website. Top image: Drew de F Fawkes via Wikimedia Commons.
The biggest event on the horticultural calendar is almost upon us. And no, we're not talking about the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, although that did kick off today. What we're talking about is the second ever ShitGardens Exhibition, a green gathering at the Lulu Café and Gallery in North Melbourne celebrating the most disastrous gardens the world has to offer. Running from Friday, March 31 until Sunday, April 2, the exhibition has been organised by the guys behind the ShitGardens Instagram account. If you're not already familiar with their work, know that they've racked up more than 18,000 followers cataloging the most ill-advised, outrageous and downright shitty landscaping choices to spring forth from the fertile ground. The show will feature some of their best (read: worst) Instagram submissions along with "a selection of original works". There'll also be a pop-up bar, and a menu of "garden-esque" tapas plates to snack on. Best of all, all proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. Harrowing hedge creature spotted in the Swedish village of Molle. A post shared by Shit Gardens (@shitgardens) on Mar 22, 2017 at 4:37pm PDT Number four- the clipped form of a hedonist A post shared by Shit Gardens (@shitgardens) on Mar 14, 2017 at 11:32pm PDT Answer me these questions three... A post shared by Shit Gardens (@shitgardens) on Mar 12, 2017 at 4:46pm PDT Happy Valentines Day 😏 A post shared by Shit Gardens (@shitgardens) on Feb 13, 2017 at 7:13pm PST When the garden stares right back at you. A post shared by Shit Gardens (@shitgardens) on Jan 21, 2017 at 12:54pm PST Image via Wikimedia.
The ability to shop online, in-between emails and before we drift off to sleep, is a thing of beautiful convenience. But despite international brands like Zara, H&M and COS launching a string of retail stores in Australia, we've been largely left in the cold (or in long fitting room lines in shopping centres) when it comes to buying these clothes online — which, in a world where we can order same-day deliveries from The Iconic, seems a little behind. But today — Wednesday, March 14 — Spanish fashion chain Zara has officially launched its Australian online store, seven years after its first bricks and mortar store opened on our shores. The site is now live, with the brand's extensive women's, men's, kids and TRF collections all available to peruse and — most importantly — get your hands on without having to enter the chaos that is the Pitt Street/Bourke Street/Queen Street store. Delivery is the game-changer for Zara fans here. Next-day delivery is free on orders over $75 (or $7.95 if you're spending under that) as long as you're in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra or Brisbane and order before 4pm. Sydneysiders can get same-day delivery for $12.95 if they order before 2pm — the goods will arrive between 6 and 9pm that evening. Importantly, there are no charges for exchanges and returns, which you can do in-store or via a drop-off point. Zara's Australian online store is now live. You can spend all your money at zara.com/au.
What does it take to amuse a city? How many funny folks need to hit the stage, showcasing an array of different jokes, formats and comedic styles? By the numbers, 2025's Brisbane Comedy Festival is set to host over 135 acts, getting the Queensland capital giggling and chuckling at four venues across five weeks. When you're not laughing along with Rhys Darby, Ross Noble, Nazeem Hussain, Melanie Bracewell and Sh!t-faced Shakespeare doing A Midsummer Night's Dream, you'll be enjoying the comic efforts of Sara Pascoe, Tom Allen, Matt Okine, Janty Blair, Guy Montgomery and Shrek burlesque parody Shreklesque. Each year, Brisbane Comedy Festival unveils its lineup in stages — but as the event's 16th edition approaches, happening across Wednesday, April 23–Sunday, May 25, it has locked in its full program. Attendees will be heading to Brisbane Powerhouse, The Tivoli, Fortitude Music Hall and The Princess Theatre to catch Danny Bhoy, Mark Watson, Elf Lyons, Andrew Hansen, Adam Kay, Claire Hooper, Joel Creasey and Zoë Combs Marr, too, and also Jimeoin, Ray O'Leary, Luke Heggie, Becky Lucas, Bron Lewis, Chris Parker, Guy Williams, Laurence Mooney and Schalk Bezuidenhout. The fest is filled with impressive names — and also galas and all-star celebrations teeming with them, such as the annual Brisbane Comedy Festival Opening Gala, the Aboriginal Comedy Allstars and the Best of the Edinburgh Fest. For fans of late-night laughs and free after-work shows, BCF's popular After Hours and Knockoff sessions are also back. But stand-up isn't the only type of amusement on offer. A comedy troupe giving one of the Bard's great works a go while one member of the group is completely sloshed is just the start there, as is getting saucy with Shrek as well, joined by improvised whodunnits, a dog-friendly screening of Best in Show and a cabaret paying tribute to Kate Bush. Fancy a comedy show that's also a wine-tasting session? The return of Wankernomics? Brisbane's LGBTQIA+ improvisers making Thank God You're Queer a must-see? A performance of every Penguin Classic novel ever written, all in an hour? They're just some of the other highlights on the bill. "As always, we have a few viral sensations making the leap from your phone screen to the stage, international icons, people you see on the telly and hear on the radio, as well as a pack of up-and-comers ready to make you lol. No matter your taste in comedy, there's something for everyone," explains Brisbane Comedy Festival Director Phoebe Meredith. A number sessions have already sold out — so if you're keen to see Aunty Donna's Broden Kelly, for instance, you'll need to grab a ticket for his July return, because seats to his two BCF dates have already been snapped up. The 2025 Brisbane Comedy Festival takes place across Wednesday, April 23–Sunday, May 25. For further details and tickets, head to the festival's website.
Perhaps you're a Brisbanite eager to head to another state. Maybe you live elsewhere in Australia, but you're keen on holidaying in Queensland; summer is in full swing, after all. Either way, the Sunshine State is set to reopen its borders to quarantine-free travel, allowing in double-vaccinated interstate visitors from all around the country without a stint in isolation — even from places deemed hotspots. That means that whether you're a local keen to visit Sydney or Melbourne and then return home, or you reside in those cities and you've been dreaming of a sunny beach holiday, that'll be able to become a reality at 1am AEST / 2am AEDT on Monday, December 13. Queensland was already scheduled to ease its border restrictions in exactly this way, but not until Friday, December 17, so this is happening five days early. The reason? As flagged back when the Sunshine State started allowing folks from hotspots into Queensland if they went into quarantine — in November, when the state hit the 70-percent double-vaccinated mark ahead of schedule — the latest reopening stage has been fast-tracked because of high jab rates. Queensland will reach the 80-percent double-vaccinated mark earlier than expected, hence the new border reopening date. BREAKING: Queensland will reopen at 1am on 13 December as we move towards the 80% vaccination milestone earlier than expected. Nominating a time and date for reopening gives everyone certainty to book flights and accommodation and make plans to visit loved ones. pic.twitter.com/lYWnKoAUAk — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) December 6, 2021 Announcing the news, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that "we can't predict exactly when [Queensland will hit 80-percent double-vaxxed], but we know it's going to be this week. And I'm very conscious that we want to give people certainty. We want to give families certainty, and businesses certainty." The Premier also confirmed two other changes: that folks will be classed as double-vaccinated one week after getting their second jab, not two; and that all arrivals from domestic hotspots will need to get another COVID-19 test on day five after their arrival in Queensland. Double-jabbed interstate travellers still have to test negative in the 72 hours getting to Queensland, too — and anyone who isn't double-vaxxed will still be required to go into hotel quarantine for 14 days. Only double-vaccinated visitors can arrive by both air and road, with air the only option if you aren't vaxxed. Also, double-jabbed border residents will be able to move freely across the border if they have a border pass — no testing required — which is excellent news for people on the Gold Coast and in northern New South Wales. Queensland's rules around international travel will change as well come Monday, December 13, with double-vaccinated overseas travellers able to undertake 14 days of home quarantine — if they've also received a negative COVID-19 test result in the 72 hours before getting to Queensland. They'll be tested upon arrival, too. That said, the Sunshine State will still wait until Friday, December 17 to start its new rules regarding visiting venues. From that date, as previously announced, you'll need to be double-jabbed to enter places such as restaurants, bars, cafes, cinemas, stadiums, festivals, libraries, galleries and museums — but all of those types of sites across the hospitality and entertainment industries will completely ditch capacity restrictions. Queensland's border rules will ease at 1am AEST / 2am AEST on Monday, November 13. For more information about Queensland's border policies and border passes, head to the Queensland Government website.
In 2020, the pandemic forced international sport come to a halt for months, Australian football seasons to be played in condensed blocks and the AFL Grand Final to be held in Brisbane for the first time ever. In 2021 so far, it has also seen parts of the Australian Open played without spectators. Now, COVID-19 is affecting the Aussie leg of this year's World Surf League Championship Tour, too, with the WSL announcing that it's making some big changes to its upcoming stint Down Under. Usually, WSL's annual Australian events include high profile stops in Bells Beach and on the Gold Coast, but they've both been cancelled in 2021. Instead the sporting body will head to New South Wales, and over to Western Australia for two events as well. From April 1–11, the Rip Curl Cup will take over Newcastle's beaches, while the Rip Curl Classic will hit Narrabeen in Sydney's northern beaches from April 16–26. Then, Margaret River will become the centre of the surfing world from May 2–12, before the tour will head over to Rottnest Island from May 16–26. Announcing the change, WSL advised that it would concentrate on NSW and WA this year "following approvals for pre-approved quarantine bubbles" for surfers and staff. In a statement, it explained that it "could not achieve these bubbles in Victoria and Queensland in the short amount of time it needed to do so". https://twitter.com/wsl/status/1361449251172061185 Victorian surf fans — and anyone who has memorised the final Bells Beach-set scene from Point Break — can rest assured that WSL will be returning to town from 2022. Earlier this month, it announced that it had signed a deal for a three-year stint in the Surf Coast Shire until 2024. Regarding the Gold Coast event, its future hasn't been revealed; however, WSL advised that the decision to "cancel this event was based on the genuine possibility of multiple risks attached to sudden public health measures in reaction to COVID-19 such as lockdowns, state border restrictions and event cancellations". Under an agreement with the NSW Government, international competitors heading Down Under for the Australian leg of the 2021 World Surf League Championship Tour will board a chartered flight in Los Angeles that'll fly to Sydney, which is where all traveling athletes and support staff will then undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine. They'll also need to obtain a medical clearance from public health officials before they can enter the general community and start preparing for competition events. The Australian leg of the 2021 World Surf League Championship Tour will head to Newcastle and Narrabeen, plus Margaret River and Rottnest Island in Western Australia, between April 1–May 26. For further details, head to the World Surf League website.
Aussie supermarket giant Woolworths has gotten a little bit creative with its latest waste minimisation efforts, transforming unsold loaves of bread into beer. A hefty haul of over 350 kilograms of unwanted, leftover bread has been rescued and used to create a new limited-edition pale ale it has fittingly dubbed Loafer. As well as helping to cut down on a big chunk of bread going to landfill, the beer is also helping to raise funds for Aussies in need. You can pick up a six-pack of the new brew from BWS and Dan Murphy's stores, with a portion of profits heading to support the Feed Australia Appeal. Funds will be used to lend a helping hand to Aussies impacted by food insecurity, through a variety of local food relief programs. Pitched as the company's first "circular economy craft beer", Loafer was brewed by Goulburn's Tribe Breweries. Apparently, the bread-infused base gives the easy-drinking brew "the aroma of fresh toast", which mingles with bright, hoppy pear and pineapple accents. Grab a few Loafers for your fridge and, for once, you can kick back feeling pretty good about your beer drinking. Each six-pack sold raises 50 cents or the equivalent of one meal through Feed Appeal, while a carton donates $2 which is enough to feed a family of four. Last year, Woolworths joined fellow supermarket group Coles in another high-profile move in the war on waste, ditching single-use plastic bags from its stores. This latest limited-run initiative won't have quite the same widespread impact, though we're sure it'll do a whole lot better at quenching your thirst. Loafer pale ale is available from BWS and Dan Murphy's stores across Australia. A six-pack will set you back $25 and a carton $73.
Bohemian decor has been blowing up Pinterest for many years now and the trend doesn't look like it has any end in sight — especially not when you have super stylish stores like St Barts to champion it. The Gold Coast-born homewares and furniture store opened in Brisbane in 2011 and has been touting its global fashion wares to locals ever since. Inspired by global travel, the boutique sources fashion, fine furniture and handcrafted designs from all over the world. Focussing on the relaxed coastal beauty of the Caribbean with Moroccan-, Mediterranean- and Asian-inspired interiors, it's well-worth a visit to check out the broad range of wares (especially while you can't go overseas to source them yourself).
Middle-earth is about to sprawl across your TV screen — or whichever other screen you use to access your streaming queue. And, after five years of talking about it, Amazon has finally given Lord of the Rings fans what they've been waiting for: a first look at its new JRR Tolkien-inspired fantasy series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Elves, dwarves, epic cities, leafy landscapes — yes, 2022's new Lord of the Rings streaming series ticks all of those expected boxes so far in its just-dropped first teaser trailer. A young Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, Saint Maud) climbs ice, and a young Elrond (Robert Aramayo, The King's Man) features as well. Also packed into the 61-second clip: elves catching arrows, humans stuck on rafts on stormy seas, cave trolls, raging fires and orc battles. If you're new to The Rings of Power, Amazon first announced the show back in 2017, gave it the official go-ahead in mid-2018 and set a premiere date of Friday, September 2, 2022 back in 2021. In-between, it confirmed that it wouldn't just remake Peter Jackson's movies. Rather, the series will spend time in Middle-earth's Second Age, bringing that era from the LOTR realm to the screen for the very first time. According to show's official synopsis, it'll follow "the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history," with the action set thousands of years before the novels and movies we've all read and watched. The series will also "take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness." If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial rise and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. Naturally, you can expect Sauron to feature in the new show, and to give its main figures some trouble. "Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth," the official synopsis continues. "From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone," it also advises. In terms of stars, The Rings of Power will feature an unsurprisingly large cast — and some impressive talent behind the scenes. Among the other actors traversing Middle-earth are Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Undoing) as Arondir, Nazanin Boniadi (Bombshell) as Bronwyn, Owain Arthur (A Confession) as Prince Durin IV, Charlie Vickers (Palm Beach) as Halbrand and Sophia Nomvete (The Tempest) as Princess Disa. There's also Tom Budge (Judy & Punch), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (The Accountant), Maxim Baldry (Years and Years), Peter Mullan (Westworld), Benjamin Walker (The Underground Railroad) and comedian Lenny Henry. And, the series is being overseen by showrunners and executive producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay, while filmmaker JA Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) directs the first two episodes. Check out the first teaser trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power below: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be available to stream via Amazon Prime Video from Friday, September 2, 2022.
Over the Easter long weekend, plus in the days and weeks leading into it, one type of sweet treat is always on the menu: chocolate. No matter how you like getting a taste of cocoa, there's always an egg, bun or other dessert for it on offer around March and April. There's always several, in fact. But Brisbane isn't done getting a choc fix yet, even though Easter is done for 2025. Across Saturday, April 26–Sunday, April 27, the Brisbane Chocolate Festival is making its debut at The Hills of Rivermakers in Morningside. Two days, one riverside precinct, oh-so-much chocolate to feast on from 10am–5pm daily: if you're a chocaholic or just a chocolate fiend, that's your new favourite recipe. This is a ticketed affair, and then you'll pay for what you eat once you're in — but whether you want chocolate for breakfast, brunch, morning tea, lunch or afternoon tea, you have options. Think: chocolate fountains, chocolate brownies, chocolate poffertjes, chocolate soufflé waffles and chocolate cupcakes, as well as chocolate doughnuts, chocolate gelato and ice cream, chocolate slices, chocolate meringue and plenty more. Yes, there'll be chocolate eggs. There'll also be bites for lactose-free, gluten-free, nut-free, sugar-free and vegan diets. Also on the bill: hunting for those chocolate eggs, an eating contest, pop-up bars, live tunes and other entertainment — and dessert cocktails. Brisbane Chocolate Festival is the latest event from the folks behind the Sweet As Brisbane Dessert Festival, which was drawing crowds between 5000–10,000 in its pre-COVID-19 days in West End's Musgrave Park — so expect to have a whole lot of company.
Portside is no stranger to hosting markets, but its latest excuse to browse and buy will be positively blooming. After holding Mother's Day markets and welcoming in a dedicated vegan market, the Hamilton spot is devoting a blossoming day to plants and flowers. Head along from 10am–2pm on Saturday, July 16 to find all things floral taking over the riverside precinct, including 30-plus stalls to shop and a supremely photogenic flower wall. Portside Wharf Plant and Flower Market is also handing out freebies, too — with 100 free baby succulents, 50 free coffees and 50 free ice creams up for grabs for folks who get there early. As well as plants and flowers, there'll also be stalls slinging art, ceramics, handmade jewellery, pet treats and clothes fashion. If you've been to markets at the Gasworks, or in Fish Lane, Coorparoo and Gabba South City, you'll have a firm idea of what you're in for — because The Market Folk is behind all of the above, and is running this new Portside pop-up as well. Love plants, and also want something unique to put them in? That's where the free succulent pot painting workshop comes in. To give your shopping a soundtrack, live tunes by Sam Perren will echo through the precinct. And, if those hunger pangs strike — or you're just keen on having a drink — everywhere from Sono, Bamboo Basket, Burrito Bar and Ginga Sushi to Mr & Mrs Jones, Belvedere Bar 'n' Grill, Byblos Bar and Restaurant and Gusto da Gianni will be open.
An author, sailor, professor and two musicians walk into a concert hall. No, this isn't the setup to an elaborate joke, but the start of a world premiere event that pays tribute to the masses of water that surrounds our island continent, as well as the myriad of life that dwells with in it. The main folks are Tim Winton, Jessica Watson, Professor Iain McCalman, Bernard Fanning and Katie Noonan, so you know they're all serious. And the event also commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Australian Marine Conservation Society with a multimedia ode that uses projections, illuminated sculptures, dazzling light and animated art, so you know it won't be anything short of spectacular either.
