Time may be a flat circle, as Matthew McConaughey told us in the first season of True Detective; however the entertainment industry seems to be one too. Every popular property lives on, comes back, is remade or jumps to a different format these days, or so it appears — including another high-profile effort featuring McConaughey and his fondness for saying "all right" over and over again. Continuing the movie-to-stage musical trend that has swept up all of your favourite films in recent years, Magic Mike is making the leap to the theatre, bolstering the feature's hefty lineup of dancing and stripping with plenty of singing. It'll add to the two-film franchise in another way as well, with the production framed as a prequel to the flicks, showing how the titular character first found his disrobing mojo. Sorry, Channing Tatum fans — although he's billed as a producer on the stage version, along with Magic Mike director Steven Soderbergh and Magic Mike XXL filmmaker Gregory Jacobs according to Playbill, you can bet that he won't be treading the boards. While cast details haven't been announced, the show has just undergone a creative reshuffle. Writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Riverdale), composer Tom Kitt and lyricist Brian Yorkey (who worked together on musical Next to Normal) have all recently left, but the musical does boast director Trip Cullman and choreographer Camille A. Brown, who've been collaborating on star-studded, Tony-nominated Broadway play Choir Boy. Magic Mike The Musical is due to world premiere on November 30 at Boston's Emerson Colonial Theatre, running until early January. Next stop, or the show hopes: Broadway. It shouldn't be confused with the Magic Mike Live strip and dance show, aka the stage version that was always going to happen, which is currently playing in London until October. Magic Mike joins a lengthy list of films becoming theatre productions of late, including Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Bring It On, The Lion King, Mean Girls, Clueless, The Bodyguard, Amelie, Waitress, Muriel's Wedding and Moulin Rouge!. Versions of The Devil Wears Prada, Empire Records, Mrs Doubtfire, The Notebook, The Princess Bride and Aussie classic Starstruck are also in the works. Get a refresher on what might be in store in the all-stripping, all-singing Magic Mike musical with the trailer for the original movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd0XPRo4LZQ Via Playbill.
Horiren's journey leading her to become a famous tattoo artist is a very interesting one. Though none more than the interesting attributes of her tattoo artwork itself. After graduating from the Nippon Institute of Design and beginning her career designing computer games, she ventured forward to develop a professional career as a self-taught tattoo artist. She received her first ever tattoo in Australia and it was this occurrence that inspired her to consider what it would be like to design her own tattoos. Go Australia! If we can even claim we are one tenth responsbile for the introduction of Horiren to the tattoo world, that's something to shout loudly about. Now, many dedicated years later, she is officially known and refereed to as Horiren the 1st. Seriously, how fucking cool can one lady get? Specialising in traditional japanese traditional style tattoos, Horiren has made one hell of a name for herself as an artist. On Thursday, Horiren 1st will be demonstrating her Tebori tattoo style during the exhibition launch by her official photographer, Hara Hiroyuki at Lust For Life. She will also be accompanied by her former apprentice, Horimasu who specialises in Japanese style pieces using tattoo machine. Amazingly, this is a free event. Don't miss it! Image credit: shockmansion.com
Everybody knows that Macaulay Culkin’s once adorable image has taken a bit of a hit since the good ol’ days of Home Alone and My Girl. But his latest charade is in a whole new league. A tribute band like no other, Culkin’s Pizza Underground was first heard of in December last year, with the band since performing a string of gigs across the New York anti-folk scene. With their only agenda being to spread the good news of pizza to the world, the group finally have a video to accompany their debut hit. And it certainly does not disappoint. Dressed all in black and donning matching, dark shades, Culkin and his musical counterparts (Matt Colbourn, Phoebe Kreutz, Deenah Vollmer, Austin Kilham) have delivered a clip both entertaining and bizarre. A mash up of amended hit Velvet Underground tracks including 'All Tomorrow's Parties' ('All the Pizza Parties') and 'Femme Fatale' ('Pizza Gal', obviously) and featuring killer lines like "Hey babe take a bite of the wild slice", this psychedelic ode to pizza and Lou Reed is a fusion of madness and hilarity. Notable highlights include pizza lining the walls and ceiling, and Culkin playing a kazoo solo through a cheesy slice. A star fallen from grace? Or Culkin’s greatest triumph yet? Either way, this vid can’t help but leave you jiving in your seat. As well as craving a slice. Via Huffington Post. Go behind the scenes on the shoot with Vice.
Have you been looking for some music to get lost to? Not in a mean sense, more like to lose yourself in; to submerge yourself within an all encompassing sound and to lose yourself between the sonic waves — that sort of thing. If the answer is yes, then listen to this. "That's really good!", I hear you say. "I know!", I reply. That is the new single from Brisbane band Morning Harvey. These lads have been producing some solid music for a few years now, and they have just returned after a brief absence from the scene to drop 'Girl Euphoria (Come Back To Me)'. As you might have heard, this is a song full of lush arrangements and some superb sonic soundscapes — which is Morning Harvey's calling card. In addition to dropping this beauty of a song in our laps, the band have announced a small East Coast tour to support it. We spoke to frontman Spencer White about the single, how it came to be and what is coming next. Morning Harvey have been playing for a couple of years now; how have you guys grown stylistically and musically from 2013's Well For Wishes EP? We now dress well and Jimmy has overcome his fear of heights. Now everyone pretty much devotes each day to writing and is generally feeding off one another's ideas. So I guess it's become more and more creative within the songwriting process. Our EP was a lot darker than the stuff we're producing now but I think generally, writing changes depending on your mood and where your mind state is during that time. Hah, that sounds pretty deep… Tell us more about the single! What was the inspiration behind it? The song started from a loop that Jimmy and I had come up with one day and just left it playing over and over again while we walked around the house until we came up with the chorus. I couldn't really say what the song was about; it's probably a touch risque. I'd probably say listen to the lyrics and make your own assumption. https://youtube.com/watch?v=iuPyA4adUmA I hear you guys went for self production on this release, rather than sending it to another party. Why was that, and how was the process? Is it something that you will continue in the future? If you don't really have the money to spend a decent amount of time in studios, then it's probably not worth doing so. I think it gets kind of stressful and nutty if your time is limited. It started to become really exciting for us to start recording everything ourselves and seeing how it turned out. Most of our friends are doing the same thing, so there's always help if something goes wrong or we need extra ears to listen. 'Girl Euphoria' is being listed as a stand-alone single. Any thoughts on what you guys will do next? We wanted to give everyone a look at what we've been creating and a feel of what's next. What's next? We're announcing that very shortly. About that whirlwind tour, what can audiences expect from a Morning Harvey live show? Have you ever watched GG Allin live? Morning Harvey has a few members that also play in other bands, so you all probably have a good feel for the scene. Tell us what is great about Brisbane music right now. There seems to be so much going on in Brisbane at the moment. Honestly I can't say I've been listening to much besides our circle of buddies. We have a pretty tight-knit group of friends. It's always great to hear what everyone is writing, I think it keeps all of us constantly on our toes. What bands would you recommend to someone wanting to experience good Brisbane music? Moses Gunn Collective, the furrs, The Belligerents, The Jungle Giants, Millions etc. Where are your favourite places to eat, drink and hang out in Brisbane? Besides our house, I guess The End (West End) is a great bar to drink at. Makanan Indonesian (West End) Trang Vietnamese (also West End) are staples in my diet. The Morning Harvey East Cast tour dates are as follows: Saturday, April 5 | Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane w/ Salvadarlings (Free Entry) Thursday, April 10 | Brighton Up Bar, Sydney w/ The Jones Rival & Dead Radio ($5 on the door) Friday, April 18 | The Alia Arthouse, Melbourne w/ The Citradels & The New Pollution ($5 on the door)
This year, Australia's arts calendar is steadily making up for lost time, compensating for all of 2020's missed gigs, exhibitions and experiences with a slew of brand new large-scale festivals and events. And, plenty of them are arriving this winter — including Rising, Melbourne's latest addition; Sydney Solstice, which will take over Vivid's usual June slot this year; and Illuminate Adelaide, which has just unveiled its first program reveal. Kicking off on Friday, July 16 and delivering 17 jam-packed days of music, art and light, Illuminate Adelaide kicks promises to fire up all of the South Australian city's senses. On the bill: a diverse lineup of installations, collaborations, world-premiere works and tech-driven immersive experiences, which should help fill locals' calendars and also tempt folks across the rest of Australia to SA for a mid-year getaway. In total, there'll be more than 150 installations, performances and events, including 41 world premieres. Helping to launch the festival's inaugural Luminary Artists in Residence program, legendary electronic act The Avalanches will take part in five events throughout Illuminate Adelaide. They'll perform their debut album Since I Left You live with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, present an art exhibition exploring the works that influenced their most recent album We Will Always Love You and descend on the outdoor music stage for a massive DJ set to help soundtrack the closing block party. In between all of that, Robbie Chater and Tony Di Blasi will also chat about their career, and their residency will include Michaela Gleave and Fausto Brusamolino's sky-high Messages of Hope, Messages of Love as well. Innovative light shows and illuminated works feature heavily throughout the program, starting with Light Cycles — an Aussie debut from Canada's Moment Factory that's set to transform the Adelaide Botanic Gardens with two kilometres of light projections, lasers, sound and special effects across each night of the festival. Adelaide Zoo will come alive after dark with a series of enchanting interactive animal installations for Light Creatures, while Van Gogh Alive, a multi-sensory digital art immersion from the minds behind The Lume, will let you experience the works of Van Gogh like never before. And City Lights will see a range of acclaimed artists transform the CBD into an after-dark art trail, featuring over 40 free site-specific works from kaleidoscopic projections to a giant inflatable deconstructed rainbow in Rundle Mall. [caption id="attachment_806650" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Light Creatures, A Blanck Canvas[/caption] The Adelaide Film Festival has jumped on board, collaborating on two world premiere VR works to be screened in a specially designed dome inside Queen's Theatre. And Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute is set to team up with Music SA for Kinara — a free celebration of art and culture led by a cast of groundbreaking First Nations artists. You'll also catch freshly commissioned public artworks by the likes of South Australia's own Jason Sims, dig into unique music experiences from acts such as Paul Grabowsky AO and head to the reimagined Adelaide Festival of Ideas, too. And, on the final weekend, Illuminate Adelaide wraps up with a bang, dishing up a high-energy block party dubbed MAAD (Music & Art After Dark). Galleries and venues across the West End will come alive with gigs from a broad-ranging lineup of emerging and well-known talent, along with more exhibitions, short film screenings and light installations. The inaugural Illuminate Adelaide runs from July 16–August 1. Check out the festival's website for the full program and to grab tickets. Images: North Forest Lights at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Moment Factory; Airship Orchestra, ENESS.
Jurassic World: The Exhibition is a thing, and it's coming to Melbourne. Based on the blockbuster film of the same name, the exhibition will have its world premiere at Melbourne Museum in March next year. And, according to Dr. Patrick Greene, Museum Victoria's CEO, it's sure to "wow audiences and inspire young minds". The exhibit will feature incredibly life-like animatronic dinosaurs created by Melbourne locals, Creature Technology Company — the same team who developed the dinos for the Walking With Dinosaurs arena spectacular. Did you see the announcement? Terrifying. So it's a good thing they're not real — because if you've seen at least one of the Jurassic Park films, you'd know that dinosaurs aren't always friendly. The exhibition instead gives you a chance to get up close and personal with the creatures in a unique and engaging way. "Visitors to [the exhibition] will get an unprecedented opportunity to be in close proximity to the most amazing creatures to have ever roamed the earth," says Sonny Tilders, creative director at the Creature Technology Company. Jack Horner, one of the film's paleontological advisors (or, Official Dinosaur Guy), is working with the exhibition to make sure that it's both educational and fun. Visitors both young and old will be able to learn more about these prehistoric creatures without having to pore over a dry textbook. Gone are the days of boring museum presentations. Now you can learn about dinosaurs from interactive and theatrical exhibits that might scare your pants off at the same time. This unique experience allows you to experience the events of the film, without having to travel to reception-less Isla Nublar with its dubious emergency protocol. Jurassic Park: The Exhibition features encounters will the realistic life-size dinosaurs, so we can only assume that there will be thousands of people taking pictures pretending to be velociraptor-whisperer, Owen Grady, doing some 'Prattkeeping'. Jurassic World: The Exhibition runs from March 19 to October 9, 2016 at the Melbourne Museum. Advance purchase of tickets is strongly recommended. Image: Universal Pictures
The future. What will it look, feel, sound, smell and taste like? What's the logical progression of everything that's happening today, in our rapidly changing technological and social landscape? Will the future be like now, only more so? Auteur film director Spike Jonze answers this question via the plaintive eyes and breaking voice of Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) as he wanders the Los Angeles of the near-future in Her. This future is a warm and technologically intuitive space, where highly evolved, Siri-like operating systems are capable of falling in love with humans. Watching the film, we found that despite its themes of loneliness and emotional surrogacy, there's a few predictions we hope do come true. Computers are basically therapists In the future, while artificial intelligence-based computers programs like Samantha (dreamily voiced by Scarlett Johansson) definitely listen to what you say, what really matters to them is how you say it. In classic psychoanalyst form, they listen for signs of hesitation, anxiety or affection. When his OS quizzes him about his feelings for his mother, Theodore's ambivalent tone tells the computer all it needs to know. Video games are just as savvy: Theodore spends a lot of time chatting with a funny little virtual creature with a bad case of Tourette's, whose needless rudeness greatly amuses him. So, what happens when an OS can sense and respond to your emotions? You end up getting entertainment, companionship, sympathy and advice from an entity that also has the power to sort through infinite data and provide all kinds of practical services. It becomes the 100 percent efficient bosom friend you never had. The pedestrian is king Today, Nobody Walks in LA, because everyone has a car. It's a proverbial truth well documented by SNL's The Californians. But Spike Jonze's' LA of tomorrow is one big, car-less New York Highline (he even consulted with the Highline's creators to get the feel right). Broad and tranquil sky walkways connect Theodore from work to home, and a metro system takes him from the city to the beach. What's the advantage of travelling through life on foot? Safer, more populated public spaces; a healthier body; and the end of road rage. Despite Her's overarching theme of loneliness, from developments here in Sydney we know that pedestrian spaces tend to attract food trucks, live music and events, making everyone feel happier and more connected to their local community. Something we didn't see in the film that we hope to see in the cities of the future, is a skyline of buildings carpeted with vertical gardens. Clothes, technology and interiors are kind of friendly-looking Do we see any robo-babes or steampunks in future LA? No. We see an affluent middle-class clad in garb that references the 1930s, with high-waisted pants and clean colour-blocking. No one's trying to look cutting-edge; just well-presented. The style is actually shoppable — check out Opening Ceremony's Her capsule collection. As for interior design and gadgets, there's none of the usual super-slick chrome interiors, overly stark minimalism and cold blue lighting that films usually use to represent the world of the future. Nor are there paleo-future aesthetics or dystopian ruins. Instead, we experience lights that gently illuminate when Theodore enters his apartment; a smart pocketbook that looks like an old-timey picture frame; an elevator whose walls display a moving silhouette of trees. It's a wholesome, comfortable environment accessorised with objects and furniture in shades of blush and ochre. In fact, the colour blue is largely filtered out of the movie, to create a feeling of warmth and comfort deliberately at odds with Theodore's personal isolation. While we can't exactly filter out blue IRL, we Spike Jonze's vision of a cosy, inviting built environment that isn't trying too hard to be cool. Communication is hands free and softly spoken In future LA, almost every appliance is a voice-activated Siri. From printers to video games to letter-writing computer programs, machines respond to softly murmured voice commands much like Google Glass today. Riding the metro home, Theodore discreetly instructs his smart pocketbook to show him nudie pictures of a pregnant celebrity. What's the upshot of this subtle way of communicating needs? People become more softly spoken in general. The trend carries into advertising: Theodore first hears about the new artificially intelligent OS from a slo-mo advertisement in which a soothing voice heralds a new era in technology. Machines themselves also speak enticingly, as epitomised by the husky Samantha . Her is in cinemas now. Read our review of the movie here.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, there are restrictions on where Melburnians can travel. Check out the latest information on the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website. You can also check out more figures and graphs on its Victorian coronavirus data page. But, this doesn't mean you can't start dreaming — bookmark this for when you can explore once again. If a winter trip to Tasmania is on your agenda — and plenty of stomach-warming wine, too — then a pitstop at Devil's Corner probably forms part of your plans. Thanks to its towering onsite lookout, the well-known winery is a must-visit east coast destination even if you're not fond of vino. But for those who are partial to a drop or several, you'll find yourself sipping and soaking in the view at the vineyard's new pop-up cellar door over the next few months. Usually, Devil's Corner's cellar door is a hive of activity — and, between now and summer this year, it's undergoing a big revamp. The winery is expanding the facilities, in fact, but it isn't leaving vino lovers hanging in the interim. Instead, you'll hang out outdoors, enjoying your wine while hovering around a roaring fire pit. Called The Little Devil, the pop-up cellar door is doing wine tastings — by the glass, bottle and paddle — seven days a week. It's serving up takeaway wine sales, too. And, to line your stomach, food van Governors Bicheno is also onsite doing snacks and coffee. Like Devil's Corner's vines, visitors to The Little Devil will be exposed to the elements during the expansion. So, consider a coat, hat and even a rug mandatory accessories. When the expansion is complete, the permanent cellar door will sprawl across more space — and include both more shelter fo0r future winters, and revamped food and wine experiences. Find The Little Devil at Devil's Corner, 1 Sherbourne Road, Apslawn, Tasmania — open from 10am–4pm daily.
The 2013 Sydney Film Festival is bringing out Jeff Desom's intense, insanely complex-looking video installation Rear Window Loop. Projected on a 10m-long surface, the panoramic piece allows you to see the world as it appeared to Jimmy Stewart's paranoid, wheelchair-bound photojournalist Jeff in Hitchcock's Rear Window — possible murders and all. The effect is created by splicing scenes together in After Effects, a process more complicated than it sounds in this sentence. "I dissected all of Hitchcock's Rear Window and stitched it back together in After Effects," says Desom on his website. "I stabilised all the shots with camera movement in them. Since everything was filmed from pretty much the same angle I was able to match them into a single panoramic view of the entire backyard without any greater distortions. The order of events stays true to the movie's plot." The three-channel projection runs for 20 minutes. You can get a good idea of the process as well as the finished product in this video, also from Dessom's site. Rear Window Loop won Best Remix in the Vimeo Awards and Golden Nica at Ars Electronica and will be installed at the Sydney Film Festival Hub at Lower Town Hall, which since last year has been the festival's route to incorporating art happenings, interdisciplinary works and playtime, acknowledging the role of film outside the cinema. It's curated by Sydney's favourite cultured revellers, The Festivalists (Jurassic Lounge). The Sydney Film Festival has also announced the first 27 films of its 2013 program as a taster. Most hotly anticipated is the neo-Gothic thriller Stoker from Park Chan-Wook (Old Boy), which stars Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman and Jacki Weaver. Other highlights include Wadjda, the first feature film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia (and by a Sydney Uni graduate no less, Haifaa Al Mansour); Miss Nikki and the Tiger Girls, a documentary about Burma's first girl band by Australian director Juliet Lamont; and Comrade Kim Goes Flying, a romantic comedy that's also the first North Korean movie to screen at the festival. The full program will be revealed on May 8. You can see Rear Window Loop at the Sydney Film Festival Hub at Lower Town Hall from June 6-14 at 5-6pm and again from 10pm-midnight. The SFF itself runs from June 5-16.
Daniel McKwewn's got a lot goin' on. He's a founding member and co-director of Boxcopy, a Brisbane-based, artist-run-initiative that is working to provide exhibition opportunities and support for emerging artists, writers and curators and he is also a local video artist featuring in many solo and group exhibitions across town. His latest production is a fashion, pop culture video installation exploring the intersection of roles between the Hollywood Entertainment Industry and the impulses of its fans as they engage with and consume popular culture. Yep, he's dropped all his eggs in the right basket with this one. The installation titled Distance, presents the tension between fan behaviour and critical artistic practice by processing celebrity images from high-end fashion magazines to create a painterly shifting landscape. By questioning societies obsessions with beauty, Daniel McKewen draws upon many queries relating to our vein, personal attributes. They say beauty is only skin deep, right? Maybe she's born with it? Maybe it's the obsessions created by fashion magazines? How has really Hollywood impacted on us as a generation? What ever the question, Daniel McKewen's got the answer in his funky, modern video installation, Distance.
Each year, we all anticipate the arrival of December 25. Because of the day off, that includes the promise of an afternoon spent dozing in a hammock — and for dessert fiends, it also includes Gelato Messina's annual Christmas cake. We hope you like a certain quintessential Australian dish, because that's what is on the gelato chain's menu again. Yes, Messina is bringing back its version of the trifle. The Christmas Coma will return for its fifth year running — and, although it seems like we say this every festive season, this time it's especially decadent. In fact, it's a choc-hazelnut trifle that's topped with choc gold sheet, as well as a milk chocolate hazelnut globe that's filled with Messinatella — aka Messina's version of Nutella — and it also comes in a pack with a bake-at-home gingerbread and dark choc chip cookie pie. First, the epic trifle. In 2021, the Christmas Coma will once again feature layer upon layer of everything that is good about Christmas — but instead of being soggy and slightly regrettable, this one will have you licking the glass bowl. So what's in it? Well, Messina is going with layers of Messinatella crémeux, chocolate mud cake made with Messinatella fudge, caramelised white chocolate mousse, choc-coated puffed rice and candied hazelnuts, vanilla cream chantilly, hazelnut semifreddo and choc-hazelnut crumble. Plus, it'll come with some Messina brandy custard to douse all over the mess. And, it all serves 20–30 (or less if you really commit). With the gingerbread and dark choc chip cookie pie, it's exactly what it sounds like. Messina has been slinging cookie pies for a few years now, and you'll just need to bake this one for 12 minutes before eating. All of the above comes in a Christmas Coma mega pack, which costs $2s0 and can be pre-ordered from Monday, November 22 — with times varying depending on your state, as the gelato chain has been doing with its specials this year. That said, if you sign up on Messina's website in advance, you'll get access to pre-sale window before pre-orders open to everyone, too. You'll then be able to pick up your Christmas Coma between Tuesday, December 21–Friday, December 24, all within regular store opening hours — and from all Gelato Messina stores across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It comes in a Messina cooler bag and, if you keep it in there all sealed up, can survive for up to one hour. In each of the last few years, the trifle sold out super fast, so we suggest you don't wait on this one. The Christmas Coma will be available to order from Monday, November 22. Keep an eye on the Messina website for further details — or sign up to get access to a pre-sale window before pre-orders open to everyone.
We don't really think about garbage too much after it has been thrown into a dumpster or plopped out on the sidewalk ready to be picked up by trash collectors. The quicker the smelly bags of banana peels and egg cartons are out of our sight, the better. But what if we had to constantly live with the consequences of consumption? Outside of Cairo lies the small town of Garbage City, inhabited by a working community of the poverty-stricken Zabbaleen people. For the Zabbaleen there is no way of disposing of the never-ending flow of trash, making Cairo and its surrounds one of the most polluted areas in the world. Workers collect, reuse or resell the waste but the accumulated rubbish on every street corner and rooftop of the city remains. Mekano Architects have recently proposed a plan that could help the area use the trash to its advantage. The Seeds of Life project is a proposal to recycle the trash from Garbage City into material to build a multipurpose skyscraper. The building consists of an exoskeleton of "wind stalks" in which living and working units can be inserted, with floor plans including everything from family homes to basketball courts, terraces for agriculture and water collection, and designated areas to bury organic waste and produce electricity. Garbage City gone green seems a nearly impossible feat, but if accomplished could mean a significant improvement in both the standard of living in the outskirts of Cairo and cleanliness of the environment. Maybe the architects could even use TED's Global Village Construction Set to assemble the recycled skyscraper city.
After dinner, you're sure to need supper. Billed as "the ultimate nightcap", the Vivid Sydney Supper Club will transform Mary's Underground into a cabaret club on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the festival. Like any cabaret worth its salt, there's a wide range of entertainment disciplines on the roll call: musical theatre, dance, comedy, burlesque, jazz, DJing and more (think Mahalia Barnes with her soulful music and theatrics and singing from First Nations actress and singer Ursula Yovich). Legendary local drag artist Trevor Ashley (pictured above) has the unenviable task of keeping all the plates spinning and, according to the Vivid Sydney website, "he'll leave the stage door ajar in case special guests drop by for an impromptu jam". Quelle intrigue! Image: John McRae
Passion is a pivotal part of every cocktail enjoyed at the end of a long week, every glass of wine sipped with dinner and every cold brew cracked open just because. If you've made the choice to drink a particular tipple, you should be passionate about it. Life's just too short to waste it on average drops. Unsurprisingly, passion is also one of the driving forces behind every spirit, vino and beer before it even reaches your lips. No one dedicates their life to making standout beverages if they're not devoted to the field. And that passion has been particularly important in 2020, with drinks brands everywhere forced to adapt to quite the challenging year — as South Australia's Never Never Distilling Co, Paracombe Wines and Little Bang Brewing Company can attest. For the past few months, BWS has tapped into both of the aforementioned sources of passion — into the enthusiasm of Aussie drinkers, and into the excitement of those responsible for the country's favourite bevvies. Via its Local Luvvas initiative, the bottle shop retailer asked the nation to pick its top local drinks, with the three chosen companies receiving an extra helping hand with getting their products stocked in more BWS stores. That means you now have more excuses to pick up Never Never, Paracombe and Little Bang's wares. To celebrate the news, and the passion behind it, we've chatted to the committed folks behind the scenes at each. [caption id="attachment_789218" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Meaghan Coles[/caption] A PASSION FOR COMPLEXITY When you're pouring yourself some gin, then adding tonic and whichever garnishes you prefer, it all seems so simple and straightforward. But the juniper-based spirit delivers a complicated array of flavours — and it's that complexity, as well as a "huge passion for South Australia's incredible food and beverage industry", that actually sparked Never Never Distilling Co co-founder and managing director George Georgiadis to start the business in the first place. His fellow co-founders Tim Boast and Sean Baxter share that passion, obviously. Boast, who is also Never Never's head distiller, is a staunch believer in tipples made with purpose, too. "Assuming you can get the fundamentals right and build from a strong foundation, a spirit crafted with a purpose in mind for the end product will ultimately deliver a better liquid," he explains. If you need an example, he suggests Never Never's Triple Juniper Gin, which was specifically designed to be the best gin possible for classic cocktails and G&Ts. A drink made with passion — and complexity and purpose — inspires the same in return. Awards bodies have shown that by showering the McLaren Vale-based distillery with accolades, including in this difficult year. In March, Never Never picked up the Best Regular Gin prize at the San Francisco World Spirit Awards, in fact. But it's the passion of the brand's local supporters that has helped immensely in a period where the company has been forced to "quickly take stock of our focuses, and be brave in what our strategies needed to be," says Baxter. "South Australians are probably some of the most discerning drinkers — you look at the history of wine in SA and the producers who put Australian wine on the map. We're seeing it now in SA gin, where local punters have access to so many incredible smaller producers that they'll actively seek out what's new and what's the best". A PASSION FOR HISTORY When Kathy and Paul Drogemuller bought an old dairy farm in the Adelaide Hills more than three decades ago, they were clearly fond of a good drop. Neither had a background in growing grapes or making wine, but they decided to plant a vineyard at their property at Paracombe, which had been burnt out by the Ash Wednesday bushfires in 1983. They still kept full-time jobs outside of the farm; however, when they did some research on the area, they found a significant source of inspiration for their hobby. "We discovered that Paracombe had a history of wine going back to the mid-1800s," says Kathy. "There was a vineyard and operational winery exporting wine to England, and the first vintages of Penfolds Grange came from Paracombe. All this valuable history had died out, so we made it our mission to revive the district, raise it back from the ashes and put Paracombe back on the map." From there, the Drogemullers infused their passion into making the very best wine — and making the very best of their location in the process. "Great wine happens in the vineyard and should reflect a sense of place," notes Kathy, explaining how Paracombe Wines capitalises upon the area's ironstone, buckshot gravel and quartz-layered soils, as well as its cooler climate. The result, all these years later, is a range of wines across both whites and reds that locals love. "To start something from nothing, be involved in every process — growing, making, bottling, storing and distributing — all from our property and vineyard, and to produce a product that connects and brings people together around a table with food and family: that is a joy," says Kathy. And if anything was going to help Paracombe Wines "rise above adversity", as Kathy describes the company's journey in 2020, it's that local love. "We have seen that in these difficult times, people seek out to support local more than ever," she says. A PASSION FOR DELICIOUS AND CREATIVE BEER Asked how Little Bang Brewing Company came about, cofounder Ryan Davidson gives the most honest answer there is: "making things is fun, beer is delicious, beer costs money and we were unemployed," he says. But that was just the beginning of his beer-making journey with co-founder and head brewer Fil Kemp, with whom he worked in the games industry prior to starting their Adelaide brewery. "It was once we started brewing together that the fervour really kicked in. We're both rather obsessive when it comes to learning something new, and we encouraged each other a lot in those early days, seeking out every little bit of knowledge, history and expertise we could lay our hands on." That passion for learning has played a big part in Little Bang's 2020 journey, too, and in the kind of year that Davidson could never have imagined back when the company launched in 2014. "We've pivoted so much, we're getting dizzy. It's been a lesson in agility, that's for sure — keeping a constant eye on the news and being ready to redefine what we do, in almost every way, and at a moment's notice," he says. To the surprise of no one, Ryan notes that it has been exhausting. Still, he also says 2020 has been "extremely informative". He continues: "we've learned a lot about our customers, our business and ourselves that we wouldn't have had the chance to know otherwise". All those lessons — the early learnings when the brewery was starting out, and the new gleanings over the past ten months — help shape Little Bang's beverages. Davidson is passionate about something else, though. Naturally, he's still keen on free beer, but he's also enthusiastic about the local community that has blossomed around the company's brews. "We don't see Little Bang as just our business," he says. "It's just as much a creation of the day-to-day attitudes and ideas of all the staff here, and the huge variety of people who spend time at the taproom. We're just lucky enough to work here." To find these or other South Australian drinks as part of the BWS Local Luvva's initiative, head to your nearest BWS store.
When Riceboy Sleeps charts the passage of time from 1990 to 1999 partway into the movie, the Canadian film does so with Dong-hyun at its centre. As a six-year-old (played by debutant Dohyun Noel Hwang) navigating his initial taste of school from behind his large round glasses, he's shy, sensitive, and constantly reminded that he's different by teachers and classmates. As a 15-year-old (Ethan Hwang, The Umbrella Academy) with bleached-blonde hair and faux blue eyes, he's adopted a coping mechanism: trying to blend in. Riceboy Sleeps isn't just about Dong-hyun, who takes the anglicised name David in his attempts to assimilate. It's as much about his mother So-young (fellow feature first-timer Choi Seung-yoon), who relocates him from South Korea to North America after his soldier father's suicide. Writer/director Anthony Shim's sophomore release after 2019's Daughter hones in on the act of seeing, too — gleaning what's around you, who, why, the past that lingers, the stories that echo — as Dong-hyun and So-young survey where they are, where they've been, and how their history keeps dictating their present and future. In that aforementioned time jump, Shim — who helms, pens, edits and acts — and cinematographer Christopher Lew (Quickening) make eyes the focus. When Riceboy Sleeps dwells in the first year of the 90s, Dong-hyun's spectacles are frames within the frame, giving the boy his own windows to the world that he fidgets with, seems burdened by and, in an act of bullying by his peers, has dinged up and taken away. When the movie hits the end of the decade, Dong-hyun is putting in his contacts, therefore making the lens with which he perceives his existence invisible. Semi-inspired by his own childhood as a South Korean arrival to Vancouver Island in the 90s, including attending a school where he was the only Asian student, Riceboy Sleeps is this thoughtful at every level. The movement, and later lack thereof, of Lew's camerawork is just as loaded with meaning: in Canada, it's restless in long wide shots, careening around gracefully but noticeably and finding points to fixate on; back across the Pacific Ocean in the picture's bookending segments, it's still but just as observational. Riceboy Sleeps' opening unfurls a tale, with narration in Korean explaining that a baby girl was found at a temple in 1960. She'd grow up to be strong, flee the orphanage as soon as she was old enough, then fall for the son of a rice farmer. When her love took his own life, she had a newborn, wasn't married and attracted social stigma for both, hence shifting across the sea. The mountains and water that take centre stage during the film's introduction are dreamy and hazy. In Canada, even though greenery instantly awaits, the view is sharper and crisper. Again, Shim layers his 16-millimetre-shot feature with symbolism and significance everywhere that he can, ensuring that how So-young and Dong-hyun feel sweeps through every moment whether or not they're in sight — and especially when they're doing what settlers beyond their homeland do often, holding back their true thoughts and emotions. Inhabited with steeliness and deep-seated sorrow in equal parts by Choi, a dancer- and choreographer-turned-actor, So-young takes a job at a factory in her quest to give Dong-hyun the best life in their new surroundings that she can. She sends him to school with flavoursome Korean lunches. She makes his favourite kimchi at home. She's also anything but withdrawn when it comes to being treated fairly, reprimanding sexist colleagues at work and rallying against discriminatory decisions by Dong-hyun's principal. But with her son, she avoids answering when he asks about his dad. Alone, she scolds herself for her tears. She advises the younger Dong-hyun that there's only three times in a man's life that it's permissible to cry; being taunted by other kids in the playground, then singled out for punishment afterwards, isn't one of them. Shim spies the effort that's always coursing through So-young: to hide her pain, persevere, make the most of her new life, bring her boy up right, fit in but not be a victim and perhaps cement a fresh family dynamic with Korean Canadian Simon (Shim himself). He also spots the uncertainty streaming just as potently within Dong-hyun, who wants desperately to make sense of his place in the world, but isn't sure who he sees when he reflects upon himself. There's stubbornness to the boy as a child, as he ignores his mum when he's not getting what he wants and has tantrums in the car. Rebelliousness swirls in his teens, when getting stoned and tussling with fellow students are his forms of acting out. Riceboy Sleeps is patient in its pacing and visuals, even the latter frequently roams, and yet it's also a jittery film in its midsection to again mirror So-young and Dong-hyun's internal states. The Farewell, Monsoon, Minari, Everything Everywhere All At Once and Past Lives have probed the immigrant experience eloquently, expressively and weightily, not to mention recently, putting Riceboy Sleeps in excellent company rather than making it overly familiar. That the first two titles listed above also explore homecomings, complete with the intricacies and whirlwind of complicated emotions when the place that you're returning to isn't the place you really know, has the same impact. As with The Farewell, Monsoon, Minari and Past Lives particularly, this touching film never feels anything less than personal. That's accurate in its third act as well, when tragic news hits, South Korea becomes the movie's setting again and lingering hurt is confronted. There's a vast difference between trading in cliches and accepting life's inescapable reality — and when a feature is this lived-in, there's no tropes, just universal sensations. Riceboy Sleeps' dénouement is exceptionally affecting for its willingness to sit and contemplate. It's impossible not to garner that the frame stops roving and searching, as the characters do — and that valuing connection, time with the ones you love and small details, including in tough circumstances, comes tenderly to the fore. Of course, minutiae is important in every second of Shim's movie. Indeed, thematically, this is also a film about valuing what you have, and who, but mightn't properly understand or appreciate. It's a picture of acceptance and gratitude, too, and of realising when you're finally seeing the whole picture constructed from its various parts.
No matter which city you live in, if you have a fondness for trivia — and a head full of otherwise pointless tidbits just waiting to be scribbled down quickly — then you've likely been to one of the many nights dedicated to such knowledge. During stints at home, you've probably tested your skills virtually, too, to help fill all that time within your own four walls. In 2020, Isolation Trivia hit the scene as a lockdown-friendly trivia night. It's still running strong this year, too, which is particularly great news for Greater Sydney and Greater Brisbane residents under lockdown. No, all the questions aren't just about staying indoors — but because that's now a regular part of our lives, these trivia nights are live-streamed. Aimon Clark, from Brisbane's Man vs Bear and Not On Your Rider trivia events, plays quizmaster. As you join in, you'll jot down your answers at home — and everyone can compare scores virtually, and battle for trivia supremacy. Isolation Trivia pops up around once a week, but to keep an eye on the next sessions — and to play along — you're best to head to the event's Facebook page. Top image: Not On Your Rider
If you've worn that one summer outfit to death, are in need of a new set of sandals for all the beach trips you've got planned or are looking to start prepping your winter wardrobe, it might be time to pick up some new threads. Luckily, you can currently refresh your wardrobe with this huge 40 percent off sale over at The Iconic. There are hundreds of items on sale from a range of sought-after brands including Dazie, M.N.G and Commune as part of the site's Exclusive Edit Sale. Pick up a silky slip dress for your next night out, a tan overshirt that can slip over any autumn outfit or a black leather pair of sandals from Atmos + Here. You can browse the full selection of both women's and men's outfit as well as shoes, jewellery and accessories here. Once you find what you're looking for, the 40 percent discount will be applied on any sale items at the checkout. The sale is running through until 11.59pm on Monday, March 8. Find all the details here. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Low-fi. Wild ferment. Skin contact. Sounds like different incarnations of your mate's high school band, but actually this is just the lingo of the world of minimal intervention winemaking. It's a movement that's been gaining popularity in Australia and New Zealand for a while now, and the wines produced as a result of it have been floating around restaurants and bars for the better part of a decade. For some, seeing 'skin contact' on a wine list is like a guiding light — but, often, it can be confusing as to what that actually means. So what is minimal intervention winemaking exactly? In its purest form, minimal intervention means winemaking that doesn't add or remove anything at the cellar — it's about turning grapes into wine with as little interference from the winemaker as possible. Unlike your typical drop made with more traditional methods, there are less sulfites and commercial yeast added throughout the process. Instead, yeast that was already on the grapes when they were picked is left to ferment and make it into wine. So, how can you tell when you're sipping one? What flavours should you expect in the glass? And how long can you keep a bottle in your fridge before it ends up down the sink? To help you wade through the winemaker speak, we've teamed up with Stoneleigh to deliver the ultimate untraditional wine cheat-sheet. With this, you won't have to fumble your way through weighty wine lists (and, after that, chicken out and order the house red anyway). We'll have you picking the most interesting wine on the menu in no time. HOW IT'S MADE Let's start at the vineyard. In the case of minimal intervention wine this is, arguably, the genesis of every great bottle. The process begins with fruit picked at optimum ripeness, which is then harvested and crushed. From here, juices are drained and pressed from the skins, then poured into a fermentation vessel and left at room temperature. This is where things really kick into gear. The fermentation of the natural yeast usually begins within a few days and continues for up to a month. It's similar to the style of fermentation that happens in kombucha, kimchi and sourdough. In the case of Stoneleigh's Wild Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 70 percent of the wine is aged in French barrels, while the other 30 percent goes into stainless steel tanks. Once fermentation is complete, the two are blended to produce a balanced and ripe wine that has more texture and depth. The key difference here from conventional winemaking is there's no chemicals, herbicides, and pesticides, added yeast, sugar or machinery in sight. The result? Keep reading to find out. [caption id="attachment_644048" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brook James[/caption] HOW IT TASTES As minimal intervention winemaking adopts a hands-off approach, it's often said these wines are the ultimate representation of the land from which the grapes are sourced. Each vineyard will have its own unique environment that produces naturally occurring micro-flora (the stuff that makes wild fermentation happen) and, as such, its own distinct taste. Without the typical stabilisers and filtering process of conventional wines, the flavour profiles of this wine vary wildly from cellar to cellar. It's a spectrum that shifts from wild and crisp to cloudy and funky. Oh, and expect there to be plenty of sediment in the bottom of your glass. Unlike conventional wines, there are no agents (typically egg white or gelatin) added or filtering prior to bottling — so there will be floaties. But don't worry, these are completely harmless and 100 percent fine for ingestion. Think of it like the pulp in a freshly squeezed OJ. Grown in New Zealand's Rapaura valley, Stoneleigh's Wild Valley Sauvignon Blanc is a wine as very distinct. If you track down a glass, you'll smell stone fruit and lemon curd, and maybe even taste some paw paw. HOW TO STORE IT These wines, unlike their conventional counterparts, are best enjoyed young. Without stabilisers and additives, they prove more unstable and harder to age than a traditional drop. So Stoneleigh recommends consuming its Wild Valley Sauvignon Blanc within two years of purchasing to drink it at its peak. The same rules around typical wine storage still apply for low-intervention wines. Store horizontally away from sunlight in a cool, dry place and keep sealed and corked until you're ready to drink. Once open, the wine's flavour will be at its for the next two or three days — don't leave it any longer. [caption id="attachment_644050" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brook James[/caption] HOW TO PAIR IT Being region-specific wines, many wild fermented wines are a perfect match for vegetable dishes. Look for savoury low-fi drops that play on the earthiness of root vegetables like carrots, parsnips and beetroot. Next time you're hosting a barbecue, skip the six-pack and nab a chilled glass of natural vino instead. Grab bottles with light, bright acidity that work well alongside charred seafood dishes like prawns and scallops or grilled barramundi. Stoneleigh's Wild Valley Sauvignon Blanc is suited to a range of dishes. The winemakers recommend pairing it with an oily fish such as salmon, topped with parmesan herb crust drizzled with fresh lemon or perfect with a range of cow's and goat's milk cheeses. Start your journey through minimal intervention wine with Stoneleigh Wild Valley, whose 2017 sauvignon blanc recently won gold at the New York International Wine Competition 2019. Top image: Brook James.
Brisbane's busy market scene loves an occasion. Mother's Day markets, winter markets, Christmas in July markets, spring markets, festive markets, Halloween markets — this city has seen them all, including in 2022, and will continue to do so. Accordingly, it should come as zero surprise that Christmas markets are a massive thing around town, including at Redcliffe's regular excuse to get shopping by the sea. Indeed, only the Redcliffe Christmas Twilight Market will take you browsing and buying by the Redcliffe jetty. Fancy a merry theme and an ace waterside location? That's on offer from 4–9pm on Saturday, December 10. Also on the bill: a whole Christmas wonderland set up, complete with fireworks, a sideshow alley, festive-appropriate decorations all over the place, and music and live entertainment to fit the mood. And, a heap of food stalls serving up bites to eat, and drinks, also to suit the theme. Entry is free, but you'll want your wallet for all that browsing and buying — there's usually hundreds of stalls to peruse. And yes, dressing up is welcome for this wander along Redcliffe Parade till 9pm.
UPDATE, Friday, November 3: Fingernails screens in select cinemas from Thursday, November 2, and streams via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 3. In the world of Fingernails, 'Only You' isn't just a 1982 pop song that was made famous by Yazoo, is easy to get stuck in your head, and is now heard in this film in both French and English. It's also the philosophy that the first English-language feature by Apples filmmaker Christos Nikou has subscribed its characters to as it cooks up a sci-fi take on romance. In a setup somewhat reminiscent of Elizabeth Holmes' claims to have revolutionised blood testing (see: The Dropout), Fingernails proposes an alternative present where love can be scientifically diagnosed. All that's needed: an extracted plate of keratin, aka the titular digit-protecting covering. At organisations such as The Love Institute, couples willingly have their nails pulled out — one apiece — then popped into what resembles a toaster oven to receive their all-important score. Only three results are possible, with 100 percent the ultimate in swooning, 50 percent meaning that only one of the pair is head over heels and the unwanted zero a harbinger of heartbreak. When Fingernails begins, it's been three years since teacher Anna (Jessie Buckley, Women Talking) and her partner Ryan (Jeremy Allen White, The Bear) underwent the exam, with the long-term duo earning the best possible outcome — a score that's coveted but rare. Around them, negative results have led to breakups and divorces as society's faith is placed not in hearts and souls, but in a number, a gimmick and some tech gadgetry (one of the sales pitches, though, is that finding out before getting hitched will stop failed marriages). Even folks who've obtained top marks aren't always content to stop there. Some seek to reaffirm their positive result years down the track. To boost their chances of nabbing a love certificate, other couples take courses to amplify their amorous feelings for each other. Sessions include watching Hugh Grant movies ("nobody understands love more," exclaims the cinema marquee), tracking your paramour's scent, getting breathless underwater while staring into your other half's eyes and the adrenaline rush of tandem skydiving. As their friends go the retesting route — satirising the need for certainty in affairs of the heart pumps firmly through this movie's veins — Anna hasn't been able to convince Ryan to attend The Love Institute as a client. She's soon spending her days there, however, feeding her intrigue with the whole scenario as an employee. When she takes a job counselling other pairs towards hopeful ever-after happiness, she keeps the career shift from her own significant other. Quickly, she has something else she can't tell Ryan: a blossoming bond with her colleague Amir (Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal). As the operation's head Duncan (Luke Wilson, Fired on Mars) steps her through the official details, including the fact that it is biologically impossible for one person to be in love with two people according to the testing method, Anna starts feeling sparks fly with the co-worker assigned to show her the ropes. Amir has his own girlfriend (Annie Murphy, Black Mirror), but clearly reciprocates. Haddaway's Saturday Night Live- and A Night at the Roxbury-adored 1993 tune 'What Is Love' doesn't get a spin in Fingernails, but that's the question that Nikou and co-screenwriters Stavros Raptis (returning from Apples) and Sam Steiner (a feature first-timer) probe. The Greek writer/director and his collaborators contrast fondness as a contrived series of sensations with affection as a lived-in routine and passion as a butterflies-in-the-stomach response. So, Nikou's picture sees the mechanics, the comfort and the involuntary swirl — and sees Anna torn between everything that she's told, what she's supposed to be satisfied with and the yearnings that she's not meant to be experiencing. The filmmaker also makes a flick that pairs well with fellow new release Foe, exploring what technology can and can't tell us about love, and what will always remain innate, although Fingernails is never as dystopian, nor a thriller — and trades a definite future date for an undetermined era where mobile phones are welcomely absent. When he made his full-length debut with 2020's Apples, Nikou also sought love in an offbeat place, amid a pandemic of amnesia. In the process, he dived into the Greek Weird Wave that's become synonymous with The Favourite's Yorgos Lanthimos, whose own breakout Dogtooth was nominated for the Best International Feature Oscar. Fingernails' helmer was the second assistant director on Dogtooth, in fact, and now adds a picture to his resume that follows in the wonderfully absurdist footsteps of Lanthimos' The Lobster. Both are deeply romantic movies at their core, as well as sharply shrewd and witty flicks about human nature and societal norms. Both rally against conformity and expectation, too, and make physical the pains and struggles that come with the pursuit of affection. That said, Fingernails takes a more tender approach to its scenario. Dispelling the fascination with chasing one definitive perfect match by flouting that itself, it'd also make a great double with Celine Song's Past Lives, where there's nothing simple about a heart torn in two directions. Nikou's knack for casting is no different to Lanthimos' supreme skill in the same domain; what a quietly pining duo that Buckley and Ahmed make. Never seeming at risk of demanding that "yes chef!" be yelled his way, White gets myopic about relationships rather than cooking in a canny supporting role as someone who's blissfully emotionally oblivious — but, like Anna and Amir themselves, viewers are desperate to spend more time amid the real heat. Buckley and Ahmed turn in vulnerable portrayals that sear, even when the pacing unfurling their tale and the hues splashed around them are both muted. Nikou knows how feelings can both explode and simmer, serving up each. As he did in Apples, he also provides more memorable and meaningful dancing, this time as Amir cuts loose, Anna watches on, everything is evident and nothing needs to be said. The film looks away from the actual ripping out of nails — the idea remains suitably squirm-inducing, yet is never seen in gory detail because the audience flinches at the very notion anyway — but cinematographer Marcell Rév (Euphoria, The Changeling) utterly adores peering at Buckley and Ahmed. With different stars, he demonstrated the same focus in Malcolm & Marie with similarly intimate results. The premise here might be as high-concept as plots come, but seeing the longing, loneliness, melancholy, uncertainty, desire and revelations in Fingernails' two key performances couldn't feel more real. This is a movie that tingles with emotion — in its fingertips and everywhere.
If you're in the midst of a mid-life crisis, you might want to skip over this news: it's been 20 years since Placebo released their debut album. Yep, 'Nancy Boy' has been around since 1996. The album Without You I'm Nothing (which included 'Every Me and Every You') was released in 1998, and even 'Running Up That Hill' is almost 15 years old now. It's been so long since these songs were released that fans band of the UK band probably never expected to hear them live again. But this morning Placebo has announced they will bring their 20 Years of Placebo tour to Australia this September. And yes, they'll be playing old stuff. The worldwide tour kicked off this late last year — the band is currently touring Mexico and will head to Europe before coming to Australia in September. As well as Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, they'll make stops in Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle and Canberra too. It will be their first Australian appearance since Soundwave in 2014. 20 years is a long time and the band has a huge discography (seven albums) to pull bangers from — and they've promised to play all those songs you listened to on repeat as a teenager. "Let's just say there will be songs in the set that I've sworn never to play again," said frontman Brian Molko. "I think it's time that we purposefully acknowledged what a lot of Placebo fans really want to hear. They've been very patient with us since we rarely play our most commercially successful material. A 20 year anniversary tour seems like the right time to do so. That's our intention. This tour is very much for the fans and a chance for us to revisit a lot of our early material." Tickets will go on sale at noon on Monday, May 29 through Ticketek. Or, if you're a Telstra customer, they have a pre-sale happening this week. 20 YEARS OF PLACEBO TOUR DATES Monday, September 4 — Perth Arena Wednesday, September 6 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre Friday, September 8 — Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne Saturday, September 9 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Monday, September 11 — Brisbane Convention Centre Tuesday, September 12 — Newcastle Entertainment Centre Thursday, September 14 — AIS Arena, Canberra
Childhood cartoons painted a pretty impressive picture of what the future would hold – flying cars, robots, space travel, a three day work week… sure, we've got smart phones now, but we're still a long way from The Jetsons. So it's good to see that boffins are hard at work bringing those old sci-fi ideas to the real world, and have built a prototype car that you can control with your mind. Seriously. German researchers have used available-now technology to create BrainDriver, a car (VW of course) that can be controlled by thought alone. The electrical impulses of brain waves are picked up by an EEG headset, originally designed for gaming, which allows the 'driver' to order the vehicle to accelerate, brake, turn left or turn right by simply thinking it. Unfortunately, given the complexities of the human brain not everyone is capable of giving clear instructions, and the car is a proof of concept rather than something that will be available to all, so your X-Men fantasies will have to stay off the road for now. To date, they've taken the mind controlled car for a spin at an airport, but also plan a test in Berlin traffic later in the year. Now if only they could make it fold down to the size of a briefcase, we'd really be living in the future. https://youtube.com/watch?v=iDV_62QoHjY [Via Wired]
Every December, the Geminids meteor shower lights up our skies. Considered to be the most spectacular meteor shower of the year, it's caused by a stream of debris, left by an asteroid dubbed the 3200 Phaethon, burning up in Earth's atmosphere. The shower kicked off back on December 4, but it's expected to be at its peak in Australia overnight between Sunday, December 13–Monday, December 14. So, if you fancy starting off your week with a stint of stargazing, you'll have something spectacular to look at — from around 9pm in Brisbane, 10pm in Perth, 11pm in Sydney, 11.30pm in Adelaide and 12am in Melbourne. The best time to catch an eyeful will be after midnight, when the moon has set and its light will not interfere, and before sunrise. Some years you can catch as many as 120 meteors every 60 minutes — and this year the peak happens the day before the new moon, which will make it easier to see. [caption id="attachment_699423" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Jeff Dai.[/caption] For your best chances, it's worth getting as far away from bright lights as possible — this could be a good excuse to head out of the city to a clear-skied camping spot — and pray for no clouds. To see the meteors, you'll need to give your eyes around 15–30 minutes to adapt to the dark (so try to avoid checking your phone) and look to the northeast. The shower's name comes from the constellation from which they appear to come, Gemini. So that's what you'll be looking for in the sky. To locate Gemini, we recommend downloading the Sky Map app — it's the easiest way to navigate the night sky (and is a lot of fun to use even on a non-meteor shower night). If you're more into specifics, Time and Date also has a table that shows the direction and altitude of the Geminids. The Geminids meteor shower will be at its peak during the night on Sunday, December 13–Monday, December 14. Top image: A composite of 163 photos taken over 90 minutes during the Geminids by Jeff Smallwood for Flickr.
Come winter 2025, Carseldine's markets aren't celebrating Christmas in July — but they are still celebrating in the middle of the year. And, they're popping up later in the day, too. There mightn't be an overt emphasis on festive cheer at this stint of browsing, buying and eating, but winter is well and truly in the spotlight instead. So, expect to feel merry while revelling in all things frosty when the weekly northside market makes a one-off move to twilight from 4–10pm on Saturday, June 14. Dubbed Carseldine Wintertide Wonderland Twilight Markets, this event is putting food firmly in the spotlight, with culinary stalls and trucks serving up everything from brisket to German sausages. Continuing to take cues from Europe, there'll be a Swiss Alps-inspired pop-up bar serving glühwein, plus bonfires to keep everyone warm. Shopping is still on the agenda, of course — and, if you want to go home with all your present-buying taken care of well in advance of Christmas, that's an option. Attendees can look forward to a sizeable array of handmade wares to peruse, including Carseldine's usual array of vendors. In total, there'll be more than 200 stalls to check out. Entry costs $3, and you'll also score a soundtrack to your eating, drinking and shopping thanks to two stages filled with live music.
Just ten short years ago, few people cared about Westerosi power struggles, how many times Sean Bean dies on-screen, if Jon Snow really does know nothing and whether winter is coming. Game of Thrones has existed on the page since 1991, but it was the first season of HBO's huge fantasy-drama series in 2011 that made that three-word title a household term, got everyone hooked on the fight to assume the Iron Throne and had us all watching along for seven more action-packed seasons. Over the past decade, no TV series was bigger — not only in popularity and pop culture impact, but when it comes to small-screen battles and bloodshed, plus labyrinthine plots filled with cunning plotting and double-crossing. Oh, and dragons, too. Whether you loved or hated how it ended, Game of Thrones is always going to sit high on everyone's rewatch list (because, let's face it, everyone has watched it once already).
Spotify, the digital music service that allows you to instantly discover, play and share over 16 million music tracks on demand, has arrived on Australian shores. Available locally from today, Spotify allows music-lovers to enjoy music whenever and wherever they like. Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon developed the program in Sweden in 2008. Since its launch Spotify has risen to become the largest and fastest growing music service of its kind, now available in over 15 countries. Spotify allows its 10 million users worldwide to simply search for any artist, song or album on their phone, iPad or computer and immediately start playing without any buffering. Spotify tapped into the inherently social nature of music and that’s why users can easily share music with friends, create playlists and check out what their mates are listening to. The service's integration with Facebook makes sharing and collaborating easier than it’s ever been. There are three services offered by Spotify. A free (but ad-supported) option is available, as is an ad-free subscription for $6.99 a month. A premium service, which offers enhanced quality and exclusive content and offers, costs $11.99 a month. Spotify also offers a range of helpful apps, which open up a whole new world of discovery and enjoyment. Some of these include the Triple J app, which showcases all the music playing on Triple J's airwaves; Tunewiki, letting you sing along to your favourite lyrics; Rolling Stone Recommends, which provides reviews for users; and Songkick Concerts, to find out all the upcoming tours and shows in your area. Head to Spotify.com to register.
If you don't already have a date with Bluesfest in 2025, here are two new reasons to head along: ten-time Grammy-winner Chaka Khan and rains-blessing rock group Toto. The pair have joined the Byron Bay festival as part of a new lineup drop — the fest's fourth for this year's event — that showcases its commitment to variety. There aren't many fests in Australia where audiences will find the Queen of Funk and the yacht-rock favourites behind 'Africa' on the same bill. Across the Easter long weekend, so from Thursday, April 17–Sunday, April 20, 2025, Bluesfest will also welcome 'Sailing' and 'Ride Like the Wind' singer Christopher Cross — another yacht-rock inclusion — as well as the Polynesian tunes of Maoli. Clarence Bekker Band, Hussy Hicks, Eric Stang, The Steele Syndicate and The Royals round out the latest batch of artists. Khan is playing an Australian-exclusive set to celebrate 50 years in music, and returns to Australia two years after headlining the 2023 Melbourne International Jazz Festival. Among the Chicago-born singer's hits: 'I'm Every Woman', which was later covered by Whitney Houston; the Prince-penned 'I Feel for You'; and 'Ain't Nobody' with her funk band Rufus. As well as hearing the drums echoing tonight in 'Africa', Toto's discography includes fellow anthems 'Hold the Line' and 'Rosanna' — and its members are known for playing on a wealth of albums from other artists in the 70s and 80s, including 'Thriller'. [caption id="attachment_986631" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michelle Brody[/caption] Bluesfest's 2025 lineup already features Crowded House, Ocean Alley and Vance Joy, plus Hilltop Hoods, Budjerah, Kasey Chambers and The Cat Empire — and Xavier Rudd, John Butler, Tones and I, Missy Higgins, George Thorogood & The Destroyers and many more. Before it started announcing its roster of talent in August 2024, the festival advised that it would bid farewell with its 2025 event, marking the end of an era — and coming at a time when Australian fests have been struggling and cancelling (see: Groovin the Moo, Splendour in the Grass and Spilt Milk, for just three high-profile examples). Bluesfest saying goodbye may no longer be happening, however, with reports that discussions are underway about the festival's future and also that artists are already being booked for 2026. [caption id="attachment_969986" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] [caption id="attachment_969990" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joseph Mayers[/caption] Bluesfest 2025 Lineup: First announcement: Crowded House Vance Joy Ocean Alley Tones and I Gary Clark Jr Rag'n'Bone Man RY X Allison Russell Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram Brad Cox Here Come the Mummies The California Honeydrops Marc Broussard Pierce Brothers Taj Farrant Fanny Lumsden 19-Twenty WILSN Cimafunk Neal Francis Second announcement: Hilltop Hoods Xavier Rudd John Butler The Cat Empire Kasey Chambers Melbourne Ska Orchestra CW Stoneking Budjerah Lachy Doley Group Ash Grunwald Kim Churchill Miss Kaninna The Beards Velvet Trip FOOLS ROSHANI Sweet Talk The Memphis Three featuring Fiona Boyes, Jimi Hocking and Frank Sultana Third announcement: Missy Higgins George Thorogood & The Destroyers Rodrigo y Gabriela Nahko BJ The Chicago Kid Melody Angel Don West Fourth announcement: Chaka Khan Toto Christopher Cross Maoli Clarence Bekker Band Hussy Hicks Eric Stang The Steele Syndicate The Royals [caption id="attachment_969988" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Roger Cotgreave[/caption] [caption id="attachment_969989" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] [caption id="attachment_969987" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] [caption id="attachment_867504" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kurt Petersen[/caption] Bluesfest 2025 will run from Thursday, April 17–Sunday, April 20 at Byron Events Farm, Tyagarah. Tickets are on sale now — for further information, head to the Bluesfest website. Top image: Lachlan Douglas.
If there's two things that the end of the year always includes, it's Christmas decorations and plenty of drinks. They're both all well and good separately, but they might be even better combined — in a Christmas tree made out of tinnies, for instance. A real object that now exists ready for the merriest portion of the 2021 calendar, this Christmas tinnie tree isn't fashioned out of old cans. So, it doesn't merely celebrate the remnants of your past beverages. Instead, it gives you a place to stack new cold ones just waiting to quench your thirst. And yes, it comes with beers, as they're obviously essential to the whole concept. Craft Cartel is slinging these mighty jolly centrepieces this festive season, after giving beer lovers Australia's largest case of craft beer back in 2020. If you're keen to add one to your home — and to get sipping — it'll cost you $399, which covers a flat-pack tree that you then put together yourself, 48 brews ready to wet your whistle and delivery to your door. If you're wondering what you'll be drinking, those 48 tinnies span 24 different varieties — so, two of each. And, alongside cans from Ballistic, Slipstream, Sydney Brewing, Gage Roads, Modus Operandi and Brick Lane, there's seven limited releases among them, such as Stockade's The Mountie Maple Imperial Stout, Akasha's Korben Double IPA, Sauce's Caribbean Fogg Hazy Pale Ale and Moon Dog's Splice of Heaven Mango Ice Cream IPA. Design-wise, the tree itself uses sustainable timber, and is crafted to resemble a traditional pine tree — all thanks to Australian designer Ian Tran of Domus Vim. Who doesn't want to place all their presents around a tower of beer? No one, that's who. And if you decide it needs some tinsel as well, that's up to you. For more information about the Christmas tinnie tree, or to buy one, head to the Craft Cartel website.
It's been four years since Queensland's Containers for Change refund scheme launched, doing the planet a solid by encouraging the state's residents to recycle their drink containers, and also giving everyone who participates some cash back for their efforts. It instantly proved popular, receiving more than 102 million empty drink containers in its first two months, rocketing up to over 400 million containers in its first five months and now sitting at more than 5.5 billion recycled containers. We're guessing that adding glass wine and spirits bottles to the program will help ramp up those numbers as well. The Queensland Government has announced that it's looking to expand Containers for Change, and glass booze containers are in its sights. So, your gin shrine might be able to help the planet, and each bottle might soon score you a ten-cent refund. "Making more containers eligible for refunds makes it easier for people to recycle, particularly in more regional and remote communities where they mightn't have a recycling bin," said Queensland Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon in a statement. "From the perspective of Queensland's fast-growing recycling industry, it also means beverage containers can be sorted and manufactured into new products quicker." The CRS, as the scheme is also known, currently accepts water bottles, beer cans, juice containers and more — saving a hefty amount of aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and liquid paperboard items from landfill and our waterways, with a focus on beverage containers between 150 millilitres and three litres in volume — but glass vino and spirits bottles aren't currently covered. Before making the change, however, the Queensland Government is seeking input. "Of course, we want to make sure that any decision to expand the scheme to include wine and spirit bottles is one that is backed by the community, so we'll be going out next month to Queenslanders to get their feedback," said Scanlon. The consultation period is expected to launch in December 2022 and finish in February 2023, seeking Queenslanders' views on nabbing ten-cent refunds for their at-home wine and cocktail drinking. Until the change is brought in, however, Queenslanders will need to keep popping them in their yellow bins at home — and not getting any money in return. For more information about Containers for Change, visit the scheme's website — or check out our how-to guide. We'll update you if and when glass wine and spirits bottles are added to the Queensland scheme, and you can keep an eye on the Queensland Government website in the interim.
When the working week is done, folks just wanna have fun. We're paraphrasing Cyndi Lauper because she knows what she's singing about. If your idea of taking her advice involves listening to ace musos belt out a few tunes, then QPAC's Green Jam has long been the Friday afternoon session you're looking for. All about live music, tasty bites to eat and kicking back in a grassy spot a stone's throw from the inner city, this regular event offers an ace start to your weekend every week, returning for 2021 from Friday, January 8. But, because Shrek the Musical is also hitting up QPAC to start the year, Green Jam is unleashing a 'monster edition' — and running not only on Friday arvos, but on Saturdays as well. Held between 5.30–7.30pm on both Fridays and Saturdays from Friday, January 8–Saturday, February 6, the outdoor songfest takes over the Melbourne Street Green (aka that vibrant patch of turf just past the Cultural Centre walkway) with live tunes — with plenty of street food, of course. The music lineup changes every week and, as for your stomach, it can feast on pizzas, broad bean and feta dip (with warm bread to go with it), and pumpkin and provolone arancini — while sipping spritzes, wine and beer. You'll have to pay for the eating part of the evening (and any bevs you place in your hand), but it'll be worth it.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. HOUSE OF GUCCI For the second time in as many movies, Lady Gaga is caught in a bad romance in House of Gucci. Yes, she's already sung the song to match. The pop diva doesn't belt out ballads or croon upbeat tunes in this true-crime drama, unlike in her Oscar-nominated role in A Star Is Born, but she does shimmy into a tale about love and revenge, horror and design, and wanting someone's everything as long as it's free. Eschewing the earthy naturalism of her last film performance and tapping into her famed on-stage theatricality instead, she's perfect for the part of Patrizia Reggiani, aka Lady Gucci, aka the daughter of a trucking entrepreneur who wed into one of the world's most prestigious fashion families, helped unstitch its hold on its couture empire, then went to prison for murder. She's exceptional because she goes big and lavish, and because she knows that's the type of feature she's meant to be in: a soapy spectacle about money and power that uses its depiction of excess as an interrogation technique. Complimenting Gaga for nailing the brief — for acing it so dazzlingly that she's sauntering down her own catwalk as most of her co-stars virtually watch from the floor — gives House of Gucci a tad too much credit, though. Ridley Scott's second film in mere months following The Last Duel, and his third in a row to examine wealth and influence after 2017's All the Money in the World, this fashion-world saga skews large, lush and luxe with each choice, too, but doesn't land every sashay with quite the outsized lustre of its crown jewel. If House of Gucci's veteran director was picking an outfit instead, he would've chosen a killer gown, then wavered on the accessories. Some of his other decisions gleam, as seen in the movie's knowingly maximalist and melodramatic air. Others prove fine, like its jukebox-style soundtrack of 70s and 80s bangers. A few moves are so cartoonish — Jared Leto's ridiculousness, and the Super Mario-style accents sported by almost everyone on-screen — that they play like cheap knockoffs. The story itself is a standout, however, as adapted from Sara Gay Forden's 2001 book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed. When Patrizia meets law student Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver, Annette) at a 70s-era party, mistakes him for a bartender, then realises who he is, it sparks a rollercoaster of a relationship — starting with Maurizio being disinherited by his father Rodolfo (Jeremy Irons, Love, Weddings and Other Disasters) for their marriage. Still, the newest Gucci knows what she wants: a place in the family's dynasty. She isn't the lone cause of the Guccis' unfolding, thanks to Rodolfo's brother Aldo (Al Pacino, Hunters), his penchant for watering down the brand and tax evasion, and his wannabe-designer son Paolo (Leto, The Little Things), but she's the Lady Macbeth pushing Maurizio to seize the company by any means. And, because the reason that House of Gucci even exists was written in news headlines over a quarter-century ago, she's behind Maurizio's killing in 1995. "I don't consider myself a particularly ethical person, but I'm fair," Patrizia offers partway into the movie, a moral code that still sees her order his hit after their divorce — helped by a TV psychic-turned-pal (Salma Hayek, Eternals), because that's the kind of tale this is. Interviewed in 2016, Patrizia called herself "the most Gucci of them all", an idea that Scott and his screenwriters Becky Johnston (Arthur Newman) and Roberto Bentivegna (short El otro lado) don't ever give Italian-lilted voice to, but still use as their basic pattern. In the sartorial realm, Gucci might stand for high-end indulgence, but House of Gucci sees both the allure and the cost of the brand reflected in Patrizia's status-hungry actions. Read our full review. GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE Spraying reboots, remakes, sequels and prequels across cinema screens like a spirit supposedly sprays ectoplasm — gushing reimaginings, spinoffs and seemingly never-ending franchises, too — Hollywood ain't afraid of no ghosts. It loves them in horror movies, obviously, but it adores the spectre of popular intellectual property even more. These phantoms of hits gone by can be resurrected again and again, all to make a profit. They haunt both cinemas and box-office blockbuster lists, making film-goers and the industry itself constantly feel like they're being spooked by the past. With 14 of Australia's 15 top cash-earning flicks of 2021 all falling into the been-there-done-that category in one way or another, looking backwards in the name of apparently going forwards is now mainstream filmmaking 101, and the big end of town rarely likes bustin' a money-making formula. After more than a few pandemic delays, that's the world that Ghostbusters: Afterlife floats into — a world that's made worshipping previous glories one of the biggest cash-spinners show business could've ever dreamed up. The fourth feature to bear the Ghostbusters name, but a new legacy sequel to the original 1984 film, this reanimated franchise entry certainly sports a fitting subtitle; treating its source material like it's nirvana is firmly filmmaker Jason Reitman's approach. To him, it might've been. Although he established his career with indie comedies such as Thank You for Smoking and Juno, he's the son of director Ivan Reitman, who helmed the OG Ghostbusters and its 1989 follow-up Ghostbusters II. To plenty of fans, those two initial comedy-horror flicks were something special as well; however, acknowledging that fact — and trying to recreate the feeling of being a kid or teen watching the first Ghostbusters nearly four decades ago — isn't enough to fuel a new film. To be fair, the younger Reitman isn't particularly interested in making a new movie; Be Kind Rewind's "sweded" Ghostbusters clips are more original than Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Instead, he directs a homage that sprinkles in links to its predecessor so heartily that it's probably easier to name the scenes and details that don't scream "hey, this is Ghostbusters!" as loudly as possible. And, even when Reitman and co-screenwriter Gil Kenan (Poltergeist) appear to shake things up ever so slightly, it all still ties back to that kid-in-the-80s sensation. Sure, Ghostbusters: Afterlife's protagonists aren't adult New Yorkers, but they're small-town adolescents who might as well have ambled out of one of the era's other hot properties: Steven Spielberg-helmed or -produced coming-of-age adventure-comedies about life-changing, Americana-dripping, personality-shaping escapades. Phoebe (Mckenna Grace, Malignant) is one such child, and a new inhabitant of the cringingly titled Summerville, Oklahoma at that. With her mother Callie (Carrie Coon, The Nest) and brother Trevor (Finn Wolfhard, The Goldfinch), she's made the move because the granddad she never knew just passed away, leaving a dilapidated rural property to his estranged family. The townsfolk speak his nickname, "dirt farmer", with mocking and intrigue, but his actual moniker — and all that equipment he's left behind — brings big changes Phoebe's way. While being Dr Egon Spengler's granddaughter doesn't initially mean too much to her, other than giving her love for science a genetic basis, she's soon segueing from testing out ghost traps with local teacher Mr Grooberson (Paul Rudd, The Shrink Next Door) to cracking Egon's secret efforts to stop a world-shattering supernatural event. Read our full review. NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN Start how you mean to go on is common-sense filmmaking advice. It's the medium's obvious first step, but it's also an elusive achievement. And, it's a feat that's usually only evident in hindsight — when a viewer can see if a stellar introduction really did signal just as sublime things to come, or vice versa. Never Gonna Snow Again perfects the concept, however. In its arresting opening moments, a man walks out of a forest and into a gated community in eastern Poland, and everything about the scene ripples with moody intrigue. The grey fog infusing the film's setting, the enigmatic look on the mysterious protagonist's face, the feeling that anything and everything could happen: filmmakers Malgorzata Szumowska (Mug) and Michal Englert (also the movie's cinematographer) deliver it all at the outset, and then back it up over their feature's 116 minutes. In Never Gonna Snow Again's initial images, that inscrutable man is Ukrainian masseur Zhenia (Alec Utgoff, Stranger Things), who walks out of a forest and into a gated community in eastern Poland. His destination is lined with lavish identical houses — the kind that the song 'Little Boxes' has satirised for almost six decades now — but he's about to be its most extraordinary visitor. His hands can help knead away physical troubles, a must for everyone with his profession. But as he works his physical magic, his touch can soothe minds as well. Trundling his massage table from well-appointed home to well-appointed home, he quickly builds up a devoted client list of well-to-do residents desperate for his help. He steps into their worlds, spying their outward gloss — the similar wreaths on each door, the doorbells chiming with snippets of classic music — and palpating away their inner pain. As that glorious opening scene establishes almost-unnervingly well, there's a surreal, seductive and otherworldly atmosphere to Never Gonna Snow Again, which Szumowska and Englert let float through their frames like a lingering breeze. There's also a devastatingly savvy interrogation of the type of rich lives that pine for Zhenia's involvement, including their complete obliviousness to him as anything more than a salve for their ennui. Much festers in the feature's McMansions. As it contemplates the everyday malaise that dulls wealth's superficial glow, as well as the vast chasm between gleaming exteriors and empty insides, much haunts Never Gonna Snow Again, in fact. Thematically, it wades into familiar territory — at a time when Succession and The White Lotus are the best shows on TV, and Parasite won the Best Picture Oscar just a year ago, it's probably easier to name movies and TV shows that don't shred the rich to pieces — but it stands out like a pink-hued home in an estate plastered with white and grey. Plenty dazzles in Never Gonna Snow Again, too, including Szumowska and Englert's confident handling, which knits together magical realism and razor-sharp observations about class — and about modern life's rubbish in general as well — with canny precision. Indeed, the movie could've easily crumbled in other hands, and likely will if anyone ever erroneously decides it needs an English-language remake. Perhaps the filmmaking duo's smartest decision is also their most visible, however, because Utgoff's performance is just that magnetic. He's the presence that all those well-to-do clients warm to, lean on and rely upon, and the source of comfort so reliable and cosy that they aren't ever challenged to shatter their bubbles to think about him as a person rather than a set of helping hands — but he has Never Gonna Snow Again's audience constantly pondering and questioning. CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG Nostalgia might be one of pop culture's most-called-upon forces — see also: Ghostbusters: Afterlife — but it can't turn every childhood favourite that reaches cinemas into a winner. Leaping from the pages of Norman Bridwell's illustrated books, the new live-action Clifford the Big Red Dog film is a huge generic slog, shoehorning its oversized, crimson-hued hound into a jumble of routine scenarios that are about as rare as wayward dog faeces in a public park. The giant scarlet woofer gallops into a by-the-numbers, family-friendly action-adventure flick that's a missive against judging things by their appearances, a cautionary tale about bullying and a takedown of nefarious corporate interests. Ron's Gone Wrong barked up all the same trees recently and, while it was hardly an instant classic, it runs circles around this. The point of Clifford the Big Red Dog, no matter what the narrative spins, is right there in the title: it's a story about an abnormally large, unusually ruby-coloured canine, and that's what people want to see. Despite 80 books to the character's name, it's a one-note idea that screenwriters Blaise Hemingway (Vampires vs the Bronx), Jay Scherick and David Ronn (Baywatch) — working with a screen story by Justin Malen (Yes Day) and Ellen Rapoport (Desperados) — unsurprisingly set about fleshing out, but also often sideline their eponymous mutt in the process. Clifford's hijinks couldn't sustain an entire feature, but he's really just a big red sidekick for the bulk of the film. He's an enormous cherry-toned sign for accepting things that are different, too, a well-intentioned message that couldn't be more glaring given that a big red dog yaps the very concept. Clifford isn't originally a giant pet when Emily Elizabeth Howard (Darby Camp, Dreamland) first makes his acquaintance in a Central Park animal-rescue tent run by the mysterious Bridwell (John Cleese, The Very Excellent Mr Dundee). He's definitely the same shade as a tomato, though, and his bond with Emily is instant — even if her mess of an uncle, Casey (Jack Whitehall, Jungle Cruise), says she can't take him home. And yet, this little critter still finds his way into his new pal's backpack. The next morning, he's also no longer a tiny pup. Plus, when he starts attracting attention around New York, he's targeted by a tech billionaire (Tony Hale, Being the Ricardos) who wants him for scientific purposes — but the already-teased Emily, who is taunted at her private school for being there on a scholarship, won't let anyone either take or victimise Clifford for standing out. The look and mood in Clifford the Big Red Dog is sunny with a side of saccharine, and it has John Debney's (Home Sweet Home Alone) relentlessly cheery score to match. With the movie's namesake blazing away in every frame he's in — not due to his hue or size, but via the terrible CGI bringing him to digital life — director Walt Becker (Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip) was never going to helm a subtle film, but everything here is exactly as nuanced as a towering vermillion puppy. The result isn't quite as doggone awful as pooch-driven buddy cop flick Show Dogs, although that's an extremely low bar. It's never as goofy as it should be, however, and it really should sport all the goofiness it can dig up (smatterings of toilet humour don't count). Clifford the Big Red Dog can also only wish it was as visually creative and emotionally endearing as the recent page-to-screen all-ages movie standard: the Paddington films, which keep being pushed into a menagerie of their own by every pale imitation. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on September 2, September 9, September 16, September 23 and September 30; October 7, October 14, October 21 and October 28; November 4, November 11, November 18 and November 25; and December 2, December 9, December 16 and December 26. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Streamline, Coming Home in the Dark, Pig, Big Deal, The Killing of Two Lovers, Nitram, Riders of Justice, The Alpinist, A Fire Inside, Lamb, The Last Duel, Malignant, The Harder They Fall, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, Halloween Kills, Passing, Eternals, The Many Saints of Newark, Julia, No Time to Die, The Power of the Dog, Tick, Tick... Boom!, Zola, Last Night in Soho, Blue Bayou, The Rescue, Titane, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, Dune, Encanto, The Card Counter, The Lost Leonardo, The French Dispatch, Don't Look Up, Dear Evan Hansen, Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Lost Daughter, The Scary of Sixty-First, West Side Story, Licorice Pizza, The Matrix Resurrections, The Tragedy of Macbeth and The Worst Person in the World.
You might have thought King George Square looked pretty fine during the day and maybe a tad finer at night, but it's at twilight City Hall really shows off its colours. And what better backdrop when you're shopping the evening away — especially when the King George is filled with some of Brisbane's best designers and makers, and you're looking for Christmas presents, The festive offshoot of the regular Brisbane Twilight Markets, this event will show off a sizeable array of stalls — usually more than 60, in fact — all staffed by some pretty nifty and talented local artists. Expect an eclectic selection of items, so prepare to browse and buy. You'll be perusing everything from handmade clothing, accessories and leather goods to paper goods, homewares, art and ceramics (and more). And seasonal gifts, obviously. [caption id="attachment_666947" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] BrisStyle[/caption] This market is all about sound, smell and sales — so live music will provide a soundtrack to the evening, and expect to be hit with that spring flowerbed smell that always lingers when there's a soap stall around. Food trucks are also on the agenda, with the market running from 4–9pm on Friday, December 15. So take along some cash and stock up on all things crafty. Top image: Brisbane City Council.
You've played the video games, bought the toys, collected the trading cards, enjoyed the anime and watched Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. When Pokémon Go was the only reason that everyone was picking up their phones, you caught 'em all then, too. So, we're guessing that Netflix's upcoming Pokémon series will jump straight into your must-watch list — with the streaming service reportedly working on a new live-action take on everyone's favourite pocket monsters. Yes, Detective Pikachu also combined all things Pokémon with flesh-and-blood humans, and it proved a big box office hit to the tune of $433 million worldwide. So, it is far from surprising that Netflix wants to give the concept a spin. The platform already streams a few existing animated Pokémon titles, with Indigo League, Sun and Moon: Ultra Legends and Journeys currently available via the service Down Under. And, it is known to like padding out its catalogue with, well, pretty much everything it can get its hands on. As reported in Variety, the new live-action Pokémon series doesn't yet have a name — and if or how it might tie into Detective Pikachu is also unknown. That said, writer and executive producer Joe Henderson is expected to be behind the project, hopping over from Lucifer, which is set to end this year following its sixth and final season. When the inherently nostalgic new series might turn up, how many episodes it will span and who else could be involved also hasn't been revealed, because that's how early-stage the show is. But Netflix does love bringing back childhood favourites, as it has previously done with She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and the just-released Masters of the Universe: Revelation — not that Pokémon has gone anywhere since first debuting in the 90s. Obviously, there's no trailer yet for Netflix's potential live-action Pokémon show, but you can check out the trailer for Detective Pikachu below: Netflix's live-action Pokemon series doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when further details are announced. Via Variety.
It's no secret that we live in a digital age. Most of the things we do involve staring at some form of a screen: replying to emails, reading news, Facetiming friends on the other side of the world, binge-watching Netflix on the train. Take away our screens and what are we? Lost! Fortunately, there's a simple solution to the problem of spending so much time online, and that is making sure you're getting paid for it. If you spend more time online than you'd like to admit, it's worth making sure you have the skills to make it your profession. Love playing video games? Learn how to design them. Always find yourself correcting people's Instagram post? A Bachelor of Communications will give you complete grammatical bragging rights. As it turns out, you can complete all of these courses, and more, online. Open Universities Australia (OUA) helps you find a degree to fit your goals and study it online with leading Australian universities. So, no matter your physical proximity to the university running the course, or your life commitments, you can make it happen. Check out these degrees that can help you carve a profession out of your screen loving ways — and they won't interfere with the time you spend online. YOU SPEND LOTS OF TIME: READING THE NEW YORKER ONLINE Consider studying: A Bachelor of Arts in either Creative Writing or Internet Communications and Professional Writing and Publishing with Curtin University. Have you ever imagined yourself sitting in a villa somewhere in southern France, fingers poised over a typewriter as you ponder your next plot twist? Fancied yourself the next J.K Rowling, or perhaps a modern-day Jane Austen? Do what E.L James never did and enrol in a writing course that's sure to get those creative juices flowing. Curtin University's Creative Writing degree will allow you to explore a range of writing styles, as you study everything from the poetry of Walt Whitman to the screenplays of Alfred Hitchcock. And, if you study through OUA, you can access online support at all hours of the day, so no matter when you're squeezing in your study time, you'll have someone to help you along the way. YOU SPEND LOTS OF TIME: IN YOUTUBE HOLES Consider studying: A Bachelor of Digital Media with the University of South Australia. Is keeping on top of digital trends your thing? The University of South Australia's Bachelor of Digital Media will help you curate your passion into an employable skill set. Always watched National Geographic documentaries with envy? This course will teach you everything to do with video and documentary production as well as digital humanities, so you'll be equipped to travel the globe with little more than a camera and a laptop. Perhaps design is more your forte? You'll have a front seat (figuratively) to the creative process of creating web design, coding, and multimedia and graphic design. If you've always wanted to live inside the digital world and have the skills to manipulate it, this course is for you. YOU SPEND LOTS OF TIME: LATE-NIGHT GAMING Consider studying: A Bachelor of Information Technology in Game Design and Development with Murdoch University. The saying 'do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life' has never been more true. If you find it hard to tear your eyes away from Call of Duty, Fortnite or Mario Kart (hey, whatever tickles your fancy) this degree is definitely for you. Have you ever shouted out when you spot errors in your favourite games, even when no one is around? Here's your chance to be the brains behind the screen, building a solid foundation in IT — as well as getting creative with new game ideas. YOU SPEND LOTS OF TIME: LIVE TWEETING ABOUT TV SHOWS Consider studying: A Bachelor of Communication with Griffith University. If you're that friend who narrates each episode of The Bachelor non-stop, claiming you can see through their fake words and even faker smiles just from their body language, you're perfect for a career in communciations. Griffith University's Bachelor of Communication can help you spend the rest of your life investigating, critiquing and gathering knowledge about all kinds of comms. It opens a realm of possibilities to sink your teeth into. You might work towards becoming the next Miranda Priestly (except, you know, nicer), or learn about communications in other countries so that you can spend your days travelling the globe helping people connect. Perhaps your new digital media skills can help you edit and produce video campaigns, or become a PR wizard and get loads of free stuff. The possibilities are endless. YOU SPEND LOTS OF TIME: SILENTLY CORRECTING PEOPLE'S GRAMMAR ON FACEBOOK Consider studying: Graduate Diploma of Writing with Swinburne University. Think you're pretty good at writing, but could stand to fine-tune your skills? Ever find yourself wanting to comment on grammatical errors on Facebook? It's no surprise. When we're online, we're absorbing information. After reading so many reviews on new restaurants or articles dissecting the latest Queer Eye episodes, no wonder some of us are drawn to the written word. Fortunately for you, a Graduate Diploma of Writing from Swinburne University is a surefire way to turn surfing the web into full-time employment. Whether you use your newfound skills to write press releases for the next big tech startup or to review every cafe that serves turmeric lattes in your city — well, that's up to you. Explore hundreds of degrees from leading Australian universities — available online through Open Universities Australia. You could get paid to spend more time on the internet before your know it.
Already an enormous success on Broadway, in London's West End and in Melbourne, Tony and Olivier award-winning musical Come From Away is touring its remarkable true tale around Australia's east coast. Based on real post-September 11 events, the acclaimed production has been back in Melbourne since January 2021 for an encore season of kind-hearted charm, before heading to Brisbane in March — to QPAC's Lyric Theatre from Friday, March 26–Sunday, May 2, in fact — for the first time. If you aren't familiar with the musical's plot or the actual events that inspired it, it's quite the exceptional story. In the week after the September 11 attacks in 2001, 38 planes were unexpectedly ordered to land in the small Canadian town of Gander, in the province of Newfoundland. Part of Operation Yellow Ribbon — which diverted civilian air traffic to Canada en masse following the attacks — the move saw around 7000 air travellers grounded in the tiny spot, almost doubling its population. Usually, the town is home to just under 12,000 residents. To create Come From Away, writers and composers Irene Sankoff and David Hein spent hundreds of hours interviewing thousands of locals and passengers, using their experiences to drive the narrative — and, in many cases, using their real names in the show as well. The result is a musical not just about people coming from away (the term that Newfoundlanders use to refer to folks not born on the island), but coming together, all at a time when tensions were running high worldwide. Since being workshopped in 2012, having a run in Ontario in 2013, then officially premiering in San Diego in 2015, Come From Away has become a global smash hit. After opening on Broadway in 2017, it was still running before the theatre district closed due to COVID-19. The musical wowed crowds in the West End, too — and, when it first opened in Melbourne in July 2019, it became the Comedy Theatre's most successful musical in the venue's 91-year history. Along the way, the show has picked up a Tony Award for best direction of a musical, six other nominations, and four Olivier Awards out of nine nominations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zmvy1p2FOE&feature=emb_title Images: Jeff Busby.
Whatever you already had planned for the last weekend of July in 2024, we recommend rejigging your schedule to fit in a trip or two to James Street. Once a year, this patch of Fortitude Valley throws a big food and wine party. Venues spanning the roadway not only take part, but get folks eating and drinking along the road. And for one day of it, the street itself shuts down to traffic from Arthur Street down to McLachlan Street, turning into a dining space instead. The event: the James Street Food and Wine Trail, which will return across Saturday, July 27–Sunday, July 28. 2024's run is a shorter affair than in recent years — 2023's trail took place across four days, starting on Thursday — but it'll still be jam-packed with venues and stalls. In fact, this year's Market Day on the Sunday will feature 39 stalls, the most in James Street Food and Wine Trail's 12-year history. If Hellenika is your favourite eatery in Brisbane, Greek or otherwise — or you can't go past sAme sAme's Thai dishes and two-storey venue, ESSA's moody space, the wine and people-watching at Cru Bar, or the frosty sweet treats at Gelato Messina — you'll already be a fan of the area and its impressive culinary options galore. Now, it's time to celebrate everything that makes the precinct one of Brisbane's go-to places for a bite and a drink. Prepare to have company, too, with more than 25,000 people anticipated to attend Market Day alone, filling out a 7500-square-metre space. As always, nothing says classic Brisbane like spending winter days feasting your way up and down this patch of the River City. The festivities start on the Saturday with a four-course set-menu champagne lunch at ESSA, bubbles at the freshly renovated Cru Bar and newcomers ēmmē hosting a Middle Eastern-inspired dinner, plus an aperitivo hour at The Calile's Lobby Bar. On the Sunday, Jocelyn's Provisions will have special sweet treats — and Gelato Messina will serve up limited-edition desserts across the entire weekend. The free-entry Market Day is the main attraction, of course, given that the picnic-style event turns James Street into a 300-metre-long outdoor dining room while also hosting live performances and live music. Get excited about ēmmē, Agnes Bakery, James & Antler and Sushi Room joining the lineup for the first time, the latter with live tuna carving. Arrive hungry, but don't expect to leave that way.
As summer kicks off in Victoria, the Victorian music industry is gearing up for its biggest event for the year: ALWAYS LIVE. This festival celebrates the diversity of music in Victoria, with a mix of international headliners and local musicians alike taking to stages statewide from Friday, November 22, to Sunday, December 8. When the festival nears its conclusion on the final weekend, some of the most anticipated events will be taking place. One of those is Garage Band, or rather the culmination of Garage Band since it's a longer-term initiative running as a part of ALWAYS LIVE, coming together for a free concert at Bunjil Place and Federation Square on Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8. Since its inception in 2021, the program has run yearly to find and elevate young musicians from across Victoria with professional coaching. The 2024 class of Garage Band includes 30 artists and bands, and as usual, every musician is between 16 and 21. The artists will refine their skills through workshops and mentorship during the festival. Ten artists will perform at Bunjil Place on Saturday, December 7, while twenty artists will be found on multiple stages in Fed Square on Sunday, December 8. With individual artists and after-school indie bands in equal amounts, it's the perfect chance to get up close with the next generation of Aussie musicians, and it's free, so really, there's no reason to miss it. Garage Band will take over Fed Square on Sunday, December 8. For more information, visit the ALWAYS LIVE website.
UPDATE, APRIL 19, 2020: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Queensland government has extended the public consultation period for the proposed single-use plastics ban — from Wednesday, April 15 to Thursday, April 30. The below article has been updated to reflect this change. Over the past few years, Queensland has introduced a container refund scheme and scrapped disposable plastic bags, and the Sunshine State ramping up its war on waste once again. In 2019, it released its Plastic Pollution Reduction Plan, with the government proposing a ban on single-use plastics — and now it's asking for community feedback in advance of potentially introducing legislation this year, then kicking off the ban in mid-2021. In the immediate crosshairs are plastic straws, cutlery, plates and stirrers, which could be banned from July 1, 2021 if plans proceed as currently outlined. Crucial to the proposed idea is the existence of already-available alternatives — whether they're reusable, in the case of cutlery and plates, or 100-percent compostable, as seen with paper straws and stirrers. For people with disability, some alternative products to plastic — such as bamboo, paper and metal straws — aren't always a viable option. It's worth noting that straws or cutlery that form part of another product — so if they're attached to poppers or included with tuna — won't be subject to the regime. In a second phase, which doesn't yet have a timeline, the Qld Government also committing to investigate banning coffee cups, plastic cups, heavy-weight plastic shopping bags and polystyrene containers as well. If you're eager to provide your thoughts about the plan to ban single-use plastics, you can do so online by Thursday, April 30. From this year, the Qld Government will also start banning the products from their own events; however an exact timeline from there hasn't been revealed. Also on the state's agenda: developing facilities to process and repurpose plastic, mandating the use of recycled plastics, and expanding the Plastic Free Places program, which works with retailers, events and markets at the community level to wipe out single-use water bottles, straws, coffee cups and lids, takeaway containers, food ware (such as cutlery, plates and cups) and bags. In Noosa, more than 200 businesses have signed up to the scheme. While Qld's powers-that-be are calling their proposal an Australian first, they're not the only authority figures looking to tackle the growing waste problem. Similar laws are being drafted in South Australia, Hobart is progressing down the same track and, as a nation, Australia is working towards banning all non-recyclable packaging by 2025. That's on top of plenty of smaller-scale initiatives, not only including bag bans and container schemes, but the phasing out of single-use plastics in various guises at the company level, with McDonald's, IKEA, Coca-Cola Amatil and Qantas among those making steps in the plastic-free direction. You can read more about the Queensland Government's Plastic Reduction Plan over here — and provide your feedback online by Thursday, April 30.
As first announced back in 2018, Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image will soon look rather different, with the screen culture-focused Federation Square site currently undergoing extensive $40 million renovations. When it reopens in 2021, visitors can expect revamped exhibition spaces, new immersive experiences and added interactive activations, including a permanent ode to Mad Max. Also part of the huge makeover: increasing the ways that everyone can engage with ACMI digitally, both when heading by in-person and from home. Yes, that sounds like a very 2020 move; however, the decision to implement a new experience operating system, or XOS, pre-dates the pandemic. The idea is to give visitors an integrated, multiplatform visitor experience, including before they arrive, as they're wandering around onsite and after they've left. And while some of ACMI's new additions will be familiar — an online exhibition space and its own video-on-demand service, for example — it has one particularly creative initiative up its sleeves. That'd be The Lens, a handheld device made out of compressed cardboard and featuring an NFC tag. Visitors will use it while they're physically moseying through ACMI's galleries, and can take it home with them as a keepsake. As you walk around and view the museum's exhibitions, you'll tap the device at around 200 different touchpoints to collect objects of interest — which'll then be available for you to explore on any device afterwards, no matter where you are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=ez82jLMVpmM&feature=emb_logo Explaining ACMI's new push to combine the physical and the digital, Director and CEO Katrina Sedgwick notes that "we often consume the same stories via different platforms; we might read the comic book then watch the film adaptation and later play the videogame. Each platform brings out something new in the story. We have taken this concept of multiplatform storytelling and applied it to our museum. Thanks to our XOS, what we can now offer is a deeply integrated journey that extends, expands and enriches your visit, be that in person, or online". While no one will be able to get their hands on The Lens until next year, with ACMI's exact relaunch date yet to be revealed, the museum is unveiling some of its new digital additions before it opens. Online right now is The Story of the Moving Image, a multimedia exhibition currently focused on three main topics — Australian television, video games, Australian film — with additional sections on digital art, social video and Black women on-screen to come. It expands one of the site's forthcoming permanent physical exhibitions. Also, in November this year, ACMI will unveil its aforementioned online exhibition space and online viewing platform. Arriving first is Gallery 5, which will stream artwork and performances from November 11, launching with the premiere of Delusional World by Shanghai-based video, installation and performance artist Lu Yang. Then, on November 19, Cinema 3 will start rolling, with the VOD service streaming a curated range of classics and new movies. It'll kick off with a digital restoration of Claire Denis' 1999 standout Beau Travail, plus Toshio Matsumoto's 1969 Japanese drama Funeral Parade of Roses and 2019's acclaimed Romanian flick The Whistlers. The Australian Centre for the Moving Image will reopen its doors sometime in 2021, with an exact date yet to be revealed. Its The Story of the Moving Image exhibition is currently available to view online, while its Gallery 5 digital exhibition space will launch on November 11, 2020 — with its Cinema 3 video-on-demand service following on November 19, 2020. Top image: Field Carr.
“Industry has moved abreast of art & we now trade culture as capital, Enthusiasm is currency, and here is no better Petri-dish for new forms & expressions of the contemporary than the warehouse. ...a return to the village ...except the candlestick maker, the butcher & the blacksmith are now the zinester, the permaculturalist & community theatre director.” While the vast majority of us get up every morning, go to work, and earn money to pay the rent or mortgage, some others opted out. Inspired by artistic ideals and the bohemian movements of days gone by, artists, performers and assorted creatives have been reclaiming warehouses and setting up counter-cultural enclaves where they can work among like-minded souls, and by the looks of things, throw some pretty awesome masquerade balls. Bohemianism is thriving, especially in Melbourne. This City Speaks To Me is the work of British music photographer Luke David Kellet, who spent several years living among Melbourne's bohemian community. Inspired by the artists and their lifestyle, Kellet has created a photobook which is both a documentary of, and dedication to the raw, wild energy and enthusiasm of the culture and its characters. The fluid, gonzo-esque text from poet Si complement the images and give them a hallucinatory life of their own. It’s good to see that alternative art and culture are thriving, and even better to see it portrayed so eloquently. As well as the full, print version, a shorter version of the book is available as a free download (NSFW). This City Speaks To Me
Melbourne artist Sayraphim Lothian doesn't make art that hangs on walls in galleries. You're more likely to find her work hiding in a tree, resting on a bench or nestled under a bush. She likes to leave people little gifts, just to make their day that little bit more special and fun. This March Sayraphim's mission is to bring guerrilla kindness to Christchurch, which is still rebuilding following the horrific 2011 earthquake. Journey - The Kakapo of Christchurch is a two-week public art project that uses the Kakapo's journey to recovery as a metaphor for Christchurch's journey to regeneration. A native of New Zealand, the Kakapo is the world's heaviest flightless parrot. It's population dwindled to a mere 18 in the 1970s, and since then, the Kakapo has been on its own journey of healing thanks to conservation group Kakapo Recovery. Even though the Kakapo is still endangered, there are now 124 birds alive and well in the wild. "I want to do this project to celebrate the resilience and unity of the people of Christchurch after the earthquakes and the recovery of the Kakapo from near extinction," Sayraphim says. "Neither of these things could have happened without the resourcefulness and kindness of the people involved." From March 13-23, 2014, the artist will travel to Christchurch to install 124 soft sculpture Kakapos around the city. These birds will be left for people to find and move, hide, remove, adopt or throw away. Part participatory art project, part game, part scavenger hunt and part social media check in, Journey invites people to get involved with an art project on a personal level. Each soft sculpture bird will have a tag attached, introducing it to the finder as well as having Journey's website address to provide more information about the project. There will also be a hashtag for social media so people can follow the Kakapos' journey around the city. You can help make this project happen by contributing your own act of guerrilla kindness. In exchange for your pledge you will receive a reward, which could include your very own handmade Christchurch Kakapo.
Legos: the colourful building blocks that adults pretend they don't miss. They began as toys for children to use their imagination to create miniature houses and spaceships, but have become tools for the construction of life-size sculptures across the world. Who claims the glory of building the largest Lego masterpiece? Brazil, as of April 10, has triumphed over cities across the world in building the tallest Lego tower. In a shopping centre parking lot in San Paulo, Brazil, over 6000 children and parents spent four days putting together the tower, which now stands at 102 feet and three inches, breaking Chile's latest record set in 2008 by 9.8 inches. Children assembled over 500,000 individual Lego pieces which were later stacked together by a crane and held together with wire supports for stability against strong winds. The World's Tallest Lego Tower has come a long way since London's first attempt in 1988, which resulted in a 50 foot structure. Since then, Toronto, Moscow, Tokyo, Munich and our very own Sydney have held the coveted title. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qvRIcASivqQ [via Nerdist]
Don't want a big New Year's Eve? Done partying for the year? Keen for something low-key instead? Avoiding the bigger, busier parts of the occasion doesn't mean hiding out at home watching Netflix — unless you want to, of course. If you're keen to send of 2017 with a feast — and an affordable one, too — Il Molo has the solution. They also have breezy river views at Bulimba as well. For $75 per person, you'll sip prosecco on arrival, then munch your way through three Italian courses by the waterfront. And, even if you have a hectic evening planned, you can grab dinner from 5pm for tasty sustenance.
The Preatures are back for their final national tour for the year. Not content with two critically-acclaimed EPs, the Sydney fivesome released their debut album Blue Planet Eyes late last year to many a raised plastic cup. The Sydneysiders have really been kicking goals as of late. After gaining serious momentum overseas, The Preatures are returning home for one more tour supporting Blue Planet Eyes before holing up and creating their much-anticipated second album. With applauded performances at this years Vivid LIVE and Dark MOFO festivals, The Preatures are taking their last Australian tour of 2015 with no holds barred.
2014 has been a massive year for Sonic Masala. Originally started as a humble local music blog, Sonic Masala has slowly become a reputable and respected presence in the ever expanding music blog community. For a while now Sonic Masala have been hosting live shows around Brisbane with some of the coolest bands around and have even started their own record label; releasing some critically acclaimed albums this year from Roku Music and Tape/Off. Sonic Masala Fest is the biggest and most ambitious project from the blogging team to date, with heaps of local and interstate bands set to perform at Greenslopes bowls club this Saturday. If you are fan of local music you cannot pass up an opportunity to attend. The line-up is massive, seriously. Check this out: TURNPIKE ROKU MUSIC (Pictured) NARROW LANDS TAPE/OFF SPARTAK GAZAR STRIPS THE STEADY AS SHE GOES COBWEBBS SEAPLANE THE STRESS OF LEISURE BRAINBEAU BARGE WAAOI TINY MIGRANTS ANDREW TUTTLE GHOST NOTES PALE EARTH NANA VIGILANTE EL MOTEL SECRET BIRDS BOSS FIGHT + MYSTERY GUESTS... Tickets are $10 on the door. What great value for money!
Throughout the history of Australian film and television, plenty of movies and shows have thrust their characters into the Aussie outback. That's exactly why the country's sunburnt expanse is so recognisable, with our dusty ochre-hued deserts common on-screen fodder. Upright follows the trend, but it also carves its own path through a crowded field — with Lucky Flynn (comedian Tim Minchin) trying to take his family's upright piano from Sydney to Perth, and crossing paths with runaway Meg (Milly Alcock) in his eventful travels. Minchin also helped develop Upright, co-wrote the eight-episode show and co-directed two episodes, so he's part of the series in a big way. He's in stellar company behind the scenes, too, with Upright created and co-written by Chris Taylor from The Chaser, and co-directed by Noise, Felony and A Month of Sundays filmmaker Matthew Saville.
When it rolls around each year, Eat Local Week serves up a massive incentive to wander through southeast Queensland's Scenic Rim, showcasing the absolute best in food and drink — and related experiences — that the region has to offer. Can't manage to fit in a trip south across its usual nine-day run? Always wanted to head along, but the end-of-June dates haven't worked? In 2023, there's a solution: expanding the festival to take place over a whole month. Goodbye Eat Local Week, hello Eat Local Month — which'll run from Thursday, June 1–Sunday, July 2. That actually means that it'll span across a huge 32 days this year. The festival turns 12 in 2023, and taking over an entire month is an ace way to mark the occasion. [caption id="attachment_852790" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Glenn Hunt[/caption] "In its 12th year and from now on, Australia's most authentic paddock-to-plate, food and farming experience in Eat Local Week will become Eat Local Month, which means more time to shine the light on the farmers, growers, producers, artisans, chefs and creators in our region, and on our spectacular local and seasonal produce," said Scenic Rim Regional Council Mayor Greg Christensen. "This expansion reflects the success and hard work of our entire community, and of the support of visitors from across the country," the Mayor continued. "Eat Local Week is a significant economic driver for the region, with the event pumping $2 million into the region, and playing an important role in placing farmers, growers and producers centre stage. We can't wait to celebrate for a full month in 2023." While it's too early to announce this year's Eat Local Month lineup, which'll drop in April, it'll still involve exploring, eating and drinking — all while showcasing Scenic Rim produce and the people behind it. 2022's bill spanned more than 125 events at 42 locations, in a region that was named one of the best places to visit in 2022. On offer last year: a winter harvest festival, street food festival and a carrot festival; picnics with alpacas among the vines and cocktails with camels; plus brewery brunches, jam sessions amid lambs and more. Expect an even bigger feast of festivities in 2023, from a fest that kicked off in 2011 with ten events attended by a few hundred people, then evolved to host 80 events with 15,000 attendees in 2014, before notching up almost 40,000 folks heading along in 2022. While 2023's lineup is still to come, Eat Local Month does already have the support of some impressive food names thanks to its ambassador chefs. Alison Alexander, Ash Martin, Brenda Fawdon (Picnic Real Food Bar), Cameron Matthews (Mapleton Public House), Caroline Jones (Three Girls Skipping), Glen Barratt (Wild Canary), Javier Codina (Moda), Josh Lopez (Monstera Group), Kate Raymont (Scenic Rim Farm Shop Café) and Richard Ousby (Ousby Food) are on the list so far, with more to be added this year. Scenic Rim Eat Local Month 2023 will runs from Thursday, June 1–Sunday, July 2 at various locations in the Scenic Rim. We'll update you with program details when they're announced in April. For more information in the interim, visit the festival's website.
Mother's day comes and goes every year but no matter how many times you write in a card, buy a bunch of flowers or hit the shops hoping to find that special something, it never seems to show just how much we love our mums. C Gallery is hosting a cracker mum date so you can spoil your favourite lady early and surprise her with a high-tea party in her honour. The day will feature an array of activities including a tea seminar by Slurp Chief Flavour Guru Dr Matthew Hynd, tea-leaf readings, a fashion show by Ivy & Bird and Catepillar as well as make-up and hair touch ups by Vanilla Salon. Woot woo! On top of all this, your ticket will include a gift bag with over $300 worth of vouchers and products from Stone and Metal Gallery, Ivy & Bird, Gary Castles and other local businesses. But the best is still yet to come. What is a high tea with out a glorious arrangment of cakes? Local baker Spencer Thomasz will decorate an edible masterpiece for the mammas to enjoy as will Brisbane artist David Behrens, whose work also featured in the gallery last month. Treat your mum this mother day, even if it's a week early.
Family dramas are always told best with a bit of humour, especially when wrestling is involved. Set in New Jersey, Win Win director Tom McCarthy delivers an offbeat comedy-drama about Mike Flaherty (played by Paul Giamatti), a family man who tries to stay afloat of financial and familial woes by volunteering as a wrestling coach at the local highschool. Flaherty attempts to keep his law practice from going under by posing as the legal guardian of an elderly client Leo Poplar (Burt Young) while coaching a team of high school wrestlers. But when the client's grandson Kyle Timmons (Alex Shaffer) shows up looking for somewhere to stay, Flaherty's plans are altered; Timmons proves to be an asset to his wrestling team. But things take another turn when Timmon's mother turns up to claim him. McCarthy's directing caliber includes indie films The Station and The Visitor and critics are calling his latest installment a funny and humane portrayal of American suburbia. Win Win opens on August 18. Concrete Playground has twenty double passes to giveaway to our readers courtesy of Fox Searchlight. To get your hands on one, simply make sure you're a CP subscriber then email us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ci_I6n2j5Uw
