There's not a lot that can be said about Fortitude Valley indie mecca Ric's that isn't already known, but if you are in fact unfamiliar, we suggest you drop by for a guaranteed fun Saturday night — or any night of the week, really. There truly is something for everyone here. Okay, so lovers of Pink, Ed Sheeran or football may not find it their scene, but if you're a live music fan, Ric's hosts bands and solo musicians nearly every night of the week. If eclectic DJ sets are your thing, head to the dancefloor upstairs, or if you just want to chill, head out back to two large seating areas and join the ever hip, friendly clientele for a drink. Beer, wine and spirits are available at reasonable prices. While a change of ownership and large renovation a few years ago aroused fears Ric's would lose its unpretentious, grungy soul, we feel it only served to enhance the venue. There's now more room, a better sound system and beer on tap — and the decor is still just as delightfully divey as it ever was. If punters are peckish or craving a coffee during the day, head next door to Ric's equally iconic cafe Fatboys, which serves breakfast and lunch daily from 7am, as well as various themed dinner menus most nights (although at time of writing, pleased be advised Fatboys currently closes early afternoon due to the Brunswick Street Mall redevelopment). The legendary $4 brekkie (well, $4 with any drink purchase — heck, still brilliant) has withstood numerous interest rate rises over the years but the Fatrics Breakfast ($12.90) is worth shelling out for too, along with many lunch delights including burgers, sandwiches ($10.90) and pizza ($14.90). So forgo the unjust cover charge at that sterile, dubstep-peddling, dime-a-dozen club and travel to the real heart of Brisbane music. And if you're a student (or just stingy), do head in for some Thursday night discounts also.
Slumbering surrounded by red kangaroos, emus, echidnas and koalas just got cosier, and more targeted to couples keen on an animal-filled getaway without their mates in tow. Up at Australia Zoo, the Queensland tourist attraction has been welcoming overnight guests to Beerwah since 2022, launching The Crocodile Hunter Lodge with two-bedroom cabins. Now, it's expanded its accommodation options to include one-bedroom spaces, adding four new rustic lodges. If you're keeping count, that gives Australia Zoo 12 cabins in total now, all tailored for memorable and unique holidays. Here, patrons can visit the zoo, check out all creatures great and small, then stay the evening. There's even a wild group of eastern grey kangaroos that are seen hopping around the place each day. The four new one-bedroom 'Red Kangaroo' cabins come complete with wraparound decks that peer out over the site's bushland surroundings, as well as the wildlife within it. Expect to spy microbats, owls, kookaburras, possums and parrots, too, with nest boxes placed around the lodges to create homes for each. Also included: king-size beds, kitchens in each cabin, heated floors, smart TVs in the lounge, private carports and stone bathtubs for post-zoo soaks. Plus, guests all get access to The Billabong, the Crocodile Hunter Lodge's 25-metre infinity pool, which also looks out over the native wildlife. "We're delighted to introduce four wonderful one-bedroom cabins for guests, which will help us cater to groups of different sizes," said Terri Irwin. "The Lodge offers a unique and immersive experience that not only reflects on our conservation work, but honours Steve's important dream to connect people with wildlife and encourage them to become true conservationists." Whichever size cabin you stay in, your visit comes with unlimited Australia Zoo entry, where more than 1200 animals await — and a peek inside the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. Getaways here still don't come cheap, though, with prices starting at around $949 for an overnight visit for two adults. For larger groups planning a visit, three-bedroom cabins will also join the site in 2023, with an exact opening date yet to be revealed. When it first opened its doors, The Crocodile Hunter Lodge launched alongside the zoo's Warrior Restaurant & Bar, if you're looking for somewhere to grab a bite during your trip. Boasting a focus on Aussie cuisine, locally sourced ingredients, and paying homage to Indigenous Australians and the plants that have long been part of First Nations diets, it welcomes in lodge guests and general punters for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and also for group bookings in its private dining room. The Crocodile Hunter Lodge's grounds also spans more than 3000 native trees and shrubs, including greenery that provides food for species such as the endangered glossy black cockatoo, with sustainability and conservation is a big focus. Find The Crocodile Hunter Lodge at 88 Irwin Road, Beerwah, Queensland. For further information, or to make a booking, visit the venue's website.
He lived there. He spent his last moments there. In between, he recorded music, played small gigs, and based his studio and record label there, too. We're talking about Paisley Park, the house formerly known as Prince's private and creative sanctuary. Only a few hundred people have had the privilege of entering — but now, the compound that shares its name with one of his songs is open to the public. Six months after his tragic passing, the multi-talented musician's siblings have allowed the first tours of the massive mansion 30 minutes outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota; however not everything has gone according to plan. Until the local Chanhassen City Council meets in December to consider zoning issues and safety concerns, the midwest site is only open on a limited basis — currently on October 6 to 8, and 14. It is hoped that people will be able to celebrate his life, musical output and legacy at the 65,000-square-foot complex on a more regular basis after the council meeting. Fans that have stepped through the doors of the Prince-focused equivalent of Elvis Presley's Graceland so far have not only wandered through the main floor of the site (which was built in the mid '80s), or spied the recording and mixing studios where Prince recorded, produced and mixed many of the iconic tracks we all know and love. They also reportedly spotted an urn containing the late performer's ashes, plus his personal office, with his belongings untouched since he was last in the room. The rest of Paisley Park also boasts Prince's private NPG Music Club, as well as the massive soundstage and concert hall where he not only rehearsed for tours, but also held exclusive private events and concerts. Thousands of artifacts from Prince's personal archives are also display. If you've ever wanted to feast your eyes on his concert outfits, awards, musical instruments and artwork — or rare music and video recordings, concert memorabilia, automobiles and motorcycles — you'll find them here. According to Prince's sister Tyka Nelson, "opening Paisley Park is something that Prince always wanted to do and was actively working on." While the lyrics of his 1985 song advised that "admission is easy, just say U believe and come 2 this place in your heart", ticketing — which is still on sale now — costs either US$38.50 for a 70-minute self-guided tour, or US$100 for a longer, more extensive VIP experience within what we're hoping are purple-coloured walls.
Leave it to the Europeans to design something this good looking. Parisian electronics artisans Withings may have just cracked the code to creating appealing wearable tech devices this week. The secret? More wearable, less tech. This recently announced smartwatch is one of the first offerings that doesn't overshoot its target. Not endeavouring to become an iPhone strapped to your wrist or a creepy maligned face computer, the Withings Activité is a beautiful Swiss-made watch that happens to also track your exercise activity. "We tried to really turn the equation upside down," said Withings CEO Cedric Hutchings. "[We wanted] to stop trying to make a piece of technology with a screen, a piece of rubber, something you need to charge every day. We tried to start with a watch." This minimalist-as-blazes watch, which is set to be released in a few months, comes with a large analogue face and two shades of leather strap. It boasts a regular watch battery with a guaranteed life of one year, and is actually waterproof up to five metres. Its only difference from the analogue standard is a small second dial to the right of the clock's centre. This one measures either your steps or your sleep, then syncs the information to your iPhone via Bluetooth. In another cute feature, the Activité can also act as an alarm clock, gently vibrating to wake you at the lightest point in your sleep cycle. While it may not sound all that revolutionary, it certainly is refreshing in a tech market flooded with unrelentingly hideous gadgetry. Like any burgeoning technological field, there are some design issues that need to get ironed out in the smartwatch market and we need to burn our way through a few Nokia 3315s before we get to the iPhones, if you know what I mean. This is probably one of the first worthwhile products of the bunch. Of course, nerdier types are still holding out for the much-hyped Google smartwatch next month — a nifty little piece of tech that even we got excited about. But for those who are more about simplicity and style, the Activité is the way to go. It's maybe the first thing that can be useful without completely resembling a Tamagotchi. Maybe for that we can forgive its cheesy promo clip. Via The Verge.
While working with one of the first female master gin distillers in the world, Joanne Moore of Greenall's Gin, to develop a bluffer's guide to the botanical drop and to get the lowdown on some top gin drinks to make at home, we were inspired by Joanne's story. She's helped pave the way for female distillers and within a heritage company like Greenall's. So, we thought we'd have a look at some other ladies who are also shaking things up, making things happen and pioneering some pretty excellent projects. We've sourced the creme de la femme from a wide range of careers and corners of the globe and asked them, well, pretty much everything from where French mademoiselles hide their croissant crumbs (though, spoiler alert, we still don't know) to how to actually master the barbecue to what it takes to go head-to-head with Tommy Shelby of Peaky Blinders. Here we present some inspiring women to put on your radars — if they're not there already, that is. JOANNE MOORE — MASTER DISTILLER, GREENALL'S GIN Joanne Moore is one of the world's first female master gin distillers, and seventh master distiller for Greenall's, which has been in operation since 1761 — making it Britain's oldest gin distillery. Knowing that she wanted to work with one of the oldest and most revered gin distilleries in the world, Joanne started her way in quality control, where she learned about the production process. Raw ingredients, distilling and bottling eventually led her into the wonderful world of botanicals and creating gins. Around the same time as the Peaky Blinders were creating their fictional gins, Greenall's was creating a single powerful enterprise: they were distillers, rectifiers, wine and spirit merchants, importers, brewers, maltsters and ale, beer and porter merchants. And as much as we'd like to believe it's all sipping and nattering for a master distiller — though, we're not necessarily saying it's not, either — it does take years of expertise. A typical day for Joanne can involve approving samples on the Greenall's tasting panel (raw ingredients or finished products), taking customer visits, doing house tours or hosting masterclasses. Joanne's advice for anyone getting into distilling is "do it for the right reasons…You won't be an expert immediately, but have fun, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. That's how we evolve and learn." [caption id="attachment_668102" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Peter Tarasiuk.[/caption] KATE REID — FOUNDER, LUNE CROISSANTERIE Kate Reid can't remember her first ever croissant, but estimates that "it sure as hell wouldn't exactly have been an artisan one!" She's come a long way since to prove what one innovative woman unbound to traditional methods can truly achieve. Slung in the back streets of Fitzroy, Lune is notorious for selling out of its creations (think cruffins with lemon curd and twice-baked black forest beauties) plus it's been said with authority that the croissanterie is serving up quite probably the best croissants in the world. Yet, when Kate started Lune, she realised her stint in France (where she trained at top Parisian boulangerie Du Pain et des Idees) saw her learning only 15 to 20 percent of the entire artisan craft. "My background in engineering played a big part in the development of techniques. I would change one variable at a time and analyse the differences it made to the final baked product. If it was an improvement, it would become the new baseline technique. "This has the bonus knock-on effect of not being tied to a century-old classic French technique; all of our processes are always up for improvement and development," she says. And when it comes to any advice for us antipodeans oneating a pastry like a French mademoiselle, the whole 'no crumb left behind' sort of deal is still a mystery to her, too. But if anyone were to work it out, it'll surely be Kate. [caption id="attachment_668103" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Izzy Gramp.[/caption] LISY KANE — CO-FOUNDER, GIRL GEEK ACADEMY AND LEAGUE OF GEEKS To those thinking the only roles for women in STEM involve being the social bridge (here's looking at you IT Crowd's Jen Barber), then think again. In a global movement aimed at encouraging women to learn technology and build more of the internet, the Girl Geek Academy (GGA) squad has more arms and intelligence than an octopus. Co-founder Lisy Kane has also curated the first ever Australian all-female game-making day #SheMakesGames and was recognised by Forbes in the prestigious top 30 list, Forbes 30 Under 30 2017: Games. "Whether directly or indirectly, I'm now on the map and I get invited to provide keynotes at really prestigious industry events in Australia, the US and the UK. Through these opportunities, I get to hold myself up as a young woman in the game dev industry and show other young women that it's normal to be a girl in games. That's exactly the image we need to project out there to help bridge the gender gap in the industry." [caption id="attachment_668101" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Madeline Kate Photography.[/caption] JESS PRYLES — PITMASTER AND CO-FOUNDER, AUSTRALASIAN BBQ ALLIANCE Having co-founded the Australasian BBQ Alliance, Jess Pryles is an internationally respected authority on live fire cooking and barbecue and has been breaking the outdated barbecue code (see: male-dominated) for the past ten years. She explains how there's so much more to the title of pitmaster than one may realise. "Generally, the term is bandied about and there's no regulation for it. But there's a consensus that it should be reserved for someone who has reached the top of their art and not just somebody who happens to be a barbecuer," says Jess. Jess was lured into the craft when she had her first taste of intensely smoked meat in Texas. "It's such a different experience for the palate that it became this 'aha' moment." She's now whipping up everything from beef tongue that perfectly falls apart for tacos to whole deer neck that she makes into smoked venison stock. Her advice on smoking meats and firing through to the top? "You've got to have a tremendous amount of patience. It's expensive and laborious, and the reality is, you [need to] cook and fail, and do it again and again and understand how to troubleshoot. That's what it takes." [caption id="attachment_668104" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Greg Holland.[/caption] SIOBHAN MCGINNITY — MUSICIAN AND AUDIOLOGIST, MUSICIANS FOR HEARING The most sensory gigs happening in Australia right now could rightly be the Musicians for Hearing events. Established by Siobhan McGinnity, the company presents live music translated into Auslan and performed in tandem by interpreters. Her quest involves helping raise awareness and creating connections — plus, bridging an ironically unheard of gap in healthcare: hearing. Siobhan found her way into audiology by stumbling into a clinic and quizzing the doctor. She's now on the path to specialise in rehabilitating hearing loss and balance disorders. "I want to work in a niche area: protecting musicians and their hearing," she says. And with one in six Australians being affected by some sort of hearing loss — 74 percent of musicians with a form of hearing injury — it makes sense we should care about how we appreciate music. The gigs according to Siobhan are "a music fruit salad" — rock, pop, contemporary, hip hop, you name it — and funds raised from events being donated overseas toward hearing care in countries like Cambodia. "It's the most beautiful thing seeing people who are deaf and hearing standing side-by-side and being able to communicate through music," says Siobhan.
When Bong Joon-ho makes a new movie, the world takes notice. It has never paid quite as much attention as it has to Parasite, though. Since premiering at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, the twisty Korean thriller has picked up the Palme d'Or, the Sydney Film Festival Prize, a Golden Globe, plenty more awards and nominations, rave reviews and an enormous cult following. And rightly so. It's best movie of the past year — a call we don't make lightly. It seems that no one can get enough of this dark and devious film, its class war between rich and struggling families, and the scathing mayhem that follows. Case in point: more than six months after the film first released in Australian cinemas, it's still showing on big screens around the country. And in the near future, Parasite will be flickering across small screens, too — not just via DVD or streaming, but adapted into a new limited TV series for HBO. As revealed by The Hollywood Reporter, the US network is set to join forces with Bong to turn Parasite into a television show, winning the rights over Netflix. Bong will adapt and executive produce alongside Adam McKay — the director of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, its sequel and a heap of other Will Ferrell-starring comedies, who then made the jump to more political and topical fare with The Big Short, Vice and TV's Golden Globe-winning Succession. The final deal on HBO's iteration of Parasite hasn't been done as yet, so there's no word on whether it'll be an English-language remake or a Korean-language follow-up to the film. Casting and timing haven't been revealed either. Parasite marks the second of Bong's stellar flicks to earn a small-screen version, with an American TV show-based Snowpiercer due to hit screens this year — although Bong himself isn't involved with that adaptation. Need a reminder of Parasite's greatness? Check out the film's trailer below or go see it in cinemas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEUXfv87Wpk Via The Hollywood Reporter.
When Godzilla first crawled out of the ocean and into cinemas, the famous movie monster made its debut appearance in the shadow of the Second World War. The link between the film's fears of nuclear holocaust and what Japan had just experienced wasn't an accident, in a picture that isn't just an excellent creature feature — the franchise-starting flick is stellar all round, including its glorious score. It was back in 1954 that Godzilla initially greeted the world. Now, almost seven decades later, 37 other movies have followed. The latest: Godzilla Minus One, which gives Zilly fans a long-awaited new Japanese Godzilla movie and takes its namesake back to the country's postwar era. As seen in the just-dropped first trailer for Godzilla Minus One, Japan is still coping with the aftermath of WWII's atomic bombings when the kaiju appears. The question: in a place that's already rebuilding, how will everyone both endure and battle against this towering critter? In a feature written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki (Lupin III: The First, Ghost Book), cue plenty of rampaging through the streets by Godzilla, plus fleeing by the film's humans. Cue buildings levelled, the ground both rumbling and crumbling, and explosions wreaking more havoc, too. Referencing going backwards from zero in its moniker, cue a film that follows people trying to survive and fight — all back in the time that gave birth to all things Godzilla. Reaching cinemas in Japan on Friday, November 3 and the US on Friday, December 1, but without a release date Down Under as yet, Godzilla Minus One marks the first live-action Japanese Godzilla release about its namesake since 2016's excellent Shin Godzilla. Since then, three animated efforts — 2017's Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, and 2018's Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle and Godzilla: The Planet Eater — have arrived on streaming, however. The franchise also includes America's take on Godzilla, starting with a low in 1998, then including another try in 2014, 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters and 2021's Godzilla vs Kong. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, a sequel to the latter, is due in 2024. And, TV series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is due to hit before the end of 2023. Check out the trailer for Godzilla Minus One below: Godzilla Minus One will hit cinemas in Japan on Friday, November 3 and the US on Friday, December 1, but doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when one is announced.
After eight days in lockdown, residents of southeast Queensland will be permitted to leave their houses for whatever reasons they like from 4pm today, Sunday, August 8. As a result, a heap of restrictions will change throughout the 11 Local Government Areas in the region that's been under stay-at-home conditions since last weekend — but wearing masks isn't one of them. If you live in the Brisbane City Council, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim LGAs, it has been some time since you've been able to flash your smile at people outside of your own home. And, that isn't changing now. Since the end of June, in an effort to stop the region's recent COVID-19 cases from spreading, wearing masks has been compulsory across the region — a mandate that's remaining in place until at least 4pm on Sunday, August 22. This is familiar news, because the State Government has extended the mask requirement for these 11 LGAs not just once but multiple times now. Masks were compulsory under lockdown conditions, obviously. Announcing the extension of the mask mandate for the next fortnight, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that "until we can get to those 70 and 80-percent vaccination rates, masks are absolutely critical. These masks are absolutely crucial, because they are your protection against the Delta virus, as well as getting the vaccine." https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1424166496717086722 If you need a refresher, the mask rules apply whenever you're spending time indoors somewhere other than your own home — and outdoors as well. In all of these situations, you must wear a mask. Accordingly, you also always need to be carrying a mask with you. They must be worn at all times when you're not in your own house, unless specific conditions apply. So, you don't have to mask up if you are alone in your car or with members of your household, you are alone outdoors or with folks you live with, if you're eating or drinking, if you're doing strenuous exercise, or if it is unsafe to do so. Obviously, these rules cover — but aren't limited to — all indoor spaces other than your house, all indoor workplaces unless it is unsafe to do so, public transport, and in taxis and ride share vehicles. Queensland currently has 148 active COVID-19 cases, with nine new locally acquired cases reported in the past 24 hours. As always, the usual requests regarding social distancing, hygiene and getting tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms also still apply — as they have since March last year. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
One of Brisbane's historic sites is enjoying a new life. Since 1889, the building at 271 Grey Street in South Brisbane has been a police station, a squatter's den and a Spaghetti House, as well as a Ship Inn and, most recently, Little Big House. In its new guise, the two-level Queenslander remains a watering hole. It's still benefiting from the significant spruce up that the building received as Little Big House, in fact. But head by now for a drink, a bite or to while away an afternoon doing both and you'll be hitting up a London-inspired gastropub. Alex Derrick has taken over the heritage-listed spot, renamed it The Rose & Crown and gleaned inspiration from more than two decades spent in Britain — including working in pubs, and winning awards for doing so. "I fell in love with two things in the UK: the great British pub and my wife Bella," he advises. "So much so, I changed my plans for a career in medicine and started operating some of the first gastropubs in London. These were pubs that really took food seriously, using the best available seasonal ingredients and producing a small but ever-changing menu." "At the time this was a revelation," Derrick continues. "The secret was keeping the informal atmosphere of a local pub, not trying to be fancy or pretentious but blowing customer expectations out of the water with restaurant-quality food." Gastropubs may no longer be new; however, Derrick's addition to Brisbane's pub scene upon his return to Queensland still takes the idea seriously. He calls The Rose & Crown "a place you can feel at home in, whether you are looking for a three-course freshly cooked meal or a spontaneous pint with a mate". "I really want to recreate the famous feel of a good British pub where regulars love bringing friends to their local and staying up later than they should, having a ball — a true home away from home." Drop in for a drink and you can get a brew of cask beer, with The Rose & Crown the only place in Queensland pouring it straight from the cask. In digs decked out by the aforementioned Bella Derrick, an interior stylist — complete with nods to the UK, of course, and a new three-metre olive tree taking pride of place in the garden — you can also sip your way through the 40-selection wine list, which includes pudding wine. Or, there's the pub's house lager, a heap of other beers on tap and by the bottle, two types of spritzes, and classic cocktails such as margaritas and gimlets. The food menu owes a debt to Britain, naturally, with Head Chef Kevin Honeywood also experienced working in the UK. Expect to tuck into scotch eggs, homemade steak and ale pies, pork scratchings, grilled sardine and tomato tarts, beer-battered fish with mushy peas, and Cumberland sausages with mashed potato and onion gravy. Every Sunday, roast dinners are available all day — in beef, chicken and nut varieties, complete with Yorkshire puddings — while dessert options span sticky date pudding and treacle tart. Open since the end of February, The Rose & Crown also hosts a weekly pub quiz. Prefer belting out a tune instead (whether or not it is by a British artist)? Make a date with the karaoke room. Screens around the place show sport, while live music is on the bill. Also, soaking in a London vibe here comes far cheaper than an airfare to the other side of the world. Find The Rose & Crown at 271 Grey Street, South Brisbane — open from 11am–10pm Monday–Wednesday, 11am–12am Thursday–Saturday and 11am–9pm Sunday. Head to the venue's website for more details. Images: Axis Productions.
If you've ever said "XOXO" aloud, you've obviously seen Gossip Girl, the glossy, quickly addictive drama about Manhattan teens, their hectic lives and their glam outfits that initially aired between 2007–2012. It's the show that introduced the world to Blake Lively, Chace Crawford, Leighton Meester and Penn Badgley, and made everyone want to sit on the steps of The Met. It also demonstrated that you can never have too many headbands, and had us all wishing that Kristen Bell could narrate our every move, too. Gossip Girl is getting a follow-up series with a brand new cast that's also heading to Binge, because nothing says goodbye forever these days — and because all that drama was never going to subside for too long. But there's still nothing quite like the original, which starts with the return of Serena van der Woodsen (Lively) to the Upper East Side and the fallout within her inner circle, as constantly chronicled by an all-knowing blogger.
The petite but mighty Red Hook has been flipping burgers and trucking duck tacos from its kitchen into our hearts since August last year. Located down Gresham Lane, the hole-in-the-wall drinking spot and takeaway joint is the casual place to refuel at lunch or catch up for after-work drinks. Ticking every box, this on-trend laneway bar serves equally on-trend craft beer and American cuisine with a twist. A short but sharp menu of New York street eats tempts the tastebuds, and with sides such as deep-fried pickles, salt and vinegar shoestring fries and popcorn chicken, there is no excuse not to pair a snack with your beer. If something more substantial is needed to fill the belly, the aforementioned duck tacos ($16) are a Brisbane bucket list must-eat item. Two delicious tacos (often served in a truck-shaped taco holder) are filled with purple slaw, fresh coriander and tasty tasty duck pieces in an east-meets-west fusion. Otherwise the Brooklyn cheeseburger, wagyu beef burrito or Bubba's shrimp roll should satisfy your appetite. Overall the venue only seats about 20-30 people across chairs and benches within Gresham Lane. The bar itself is made up of lacquered chipboard, an unusual but aesthetically appealing difference, with copper piping features and a backlit noticeboard used to display witty messages. Owners Bonnie Shearston and Tom Sanceau, the same duo behind Public on George Street, know what makes a venue work, and while Red Hook couldn't be any more different from Public, they understand city folk want an easy and unpretentious place to kick back and enjoy quick, easy food. Red Hook ticks that box too.
If you're a lover of contemporary art, there are two things you've probably found yourself in repeated fights over. Firstly, why a canvas with naught but a single monotone colour deserves to hang in a gallery and, secondly, why live art is more than just 'crazy for the sake of crazy'. So, the artist nailed his arm to a wall? It's about politics. She had all her clothes cut off by strangers? Gender. It's an artist's job to test the bounds of acceptance and cover unchartered ground, but some artists are notorious for taking that extra step into the unknown. We thought we'd take a look into the extreme history of the artform — the highs, the lows, and all the wilfully mutilated body parts. (TW: self harm and sexual content.) Pyotr Pavlensky nailed his testicles to some cobblestones November last year saw millions of men sympathetically shift in their seats as Russian performance artist Pyotr Pavlensky drove a decent-sized nail through his scrotum and into Red Square. After receiving worldwide attention (that headline is clickbait in any language), Pavlensky stated his actions were a form of political protest against Russia's ever-increasing "police state". "The performance can be seen as a metaphor for the apathy, political indifference and fatalism of contemporary Russian society," he said. Such tactics were not new to this ballsy artist either as 2012 saw him sew his mouth shut in support of the recently imprisoned Pussy Riot. It's one way to get people talking, but at what cost? Vito Acconci hid under gallery floorboards while masturbating While we're on the topic of male genitals, it's definitely worth bringing up American artist Vito Acconci and his seminal work 'Seed Bed' (pun entirely intended). First performed in 1972 at New York's Sonnabend Gallery, this controversial and generally well-regarded work involved the artist hiding under a makeshift ramp in the gallery space and masturbating for eight hours a day. While it outwardly seems like the engineered scheme of a sexual deviant, the work is famous for being enormously effective on its audience members. While standing in the desolate gallery space, gallery-goers could hear Acconci murmuring explicit sexual thoughts via a loudspeaker, and were uncomfortably conscious of his presence under their feet. 'Seed Bed' has since been re-performed by Marina Abramovic in a very welcome inversion of the original work's testosterone overload. Marina Abramovic stared at thousands of strangers in silence until they cried This woman is the queen of all things performance art. Aside from taking on 'Seed Bed', she has a wealth of her own legendary artworks including 'The Artist is Present', a piece that inspired a documentary in its own name. For 736 hours and 30 minutes, Abramovic sat in silence at the Museum of Modern Art staring at whoever sat opposite her. The piece proved so cathartic for audience members it has spawned not only a film, but a fan blog called Marina Abramovic Made Me Cry — the artwork had this effect on the artist herself too when her ex-lover came to visit. Don't be fooled though; Abramovic is tough as guts. In her work 'Rhythm 0' she had audiences inflict pleasure and pain on her body with objects including honey, a scalpel, a rose, and a loaded gun; and in 'Rhythm 10' she played a Russian knife game dodging her fingers with 20 knives in quick succession. There are a lot of men in live art, but this woman may be the most hardcore there is. Tehching Hsieh punched a time clock every hour, on the hour, for a year Abramovic has described Hsieh as a "master" of the form. He's done the dirty stuff — he lived alone in a wooden cage unable to read, write, or listen to radio or TV for an entire year. He then went the other way — wilfully living outside for another whole year. But in the time in-between, he undertook 'Time Clock Piece'. From 1980-1981, Hsieh punched a factory-style time clock every hour, on the hour. After shaving his head at the outset, the artist took a photo of himself each hour and the subsequent documentary evidence, as the hair grows and grows, shows a passing of time equal parts beautiful and woefully depressing. Santiago Sierra tattooed these women's backs in exchange for heroin It's impossible to be indifferent to the kind of work that Sierra does. With most pieces including people from disadvantaged backgrounds in less than desirable positions, to many the art looks a lot like exploitation. In '160cm Line Tattooed on 4 People', Sierra found four heroin-addicted sex workers who were willing to have their backs tattooed in exchange for a single shot of heroin. While on the surface this seems outright despicable, the self-aware nature of the act did serve as a counter-point for many. After all, structures of power can never change if they aren't first exposed. Taras Polataiko had women contractually obliged to marry strangers In the live art piece 'Sleeping Beauties', Ukrainian artist Taras Polataiko found five female volunteers to feign sleep in an art gallery and endure the kisses of thousands of strangers. And here's the kicker: if they ever opened their eyes after a smooch, they were contractually obliged to marry the kisser. The agreement stood for gallery-goers too — in order to gain kissing privileges you had to present a valid ID and sign a legal document promising you to marriage. The performance ended on a meaningful note however, as the beauty opened her eyes to find a woman's lips. As Ukraine still hasn't legalised same-sex marriage, the work raised important questions about the issue and thankfully gave the participants a loophole to wriggle out of . Chris Burden was crucified to a Volkswagen There's nothing artists love more than a good crucifixion to dredge religion up in their work. If you thought Madonna jumping on a cross for a music video was out there, in his 1974 work 'Trans-fixed', American artist Chris Burden actually crucified himself to a Volkswagen Beetle. For no immediately apparent reason, either. The car came out of a garage for two minutes, revved a little, then returned inside. Obviously he was never one to shy away from pain. In 1973's 'Through the Night Softly' he got down to his underwear and crawled through glass, and in his aptly-titled 1971 work, 'Shoot', he was shot point blank in the arm with a rifle. More power to him. Joseph Beuys spent three days in a small room with a coyote The creeper to inspire all creepers, Joseph Beuys was an influential German artist whose 1974 work 'I Like America and America Likes Me' consisted of him skulking around a gallery in New York with naught but a coyote, some straw to sleep on, and a disturbing get-up that made him look like a gothic shepherd. He was taken from the airport via ambulance, never having stepped on American soil and stated of the work, "I wanted to isolate myself, insulate myself, see nothing of America other than the coyote." Once his time was up, he shared an awkward hug with the somewhat domesticated creature and boarded a plane home. Mike Parr had his lips, eyes, and ears sewn together The only Australian addition to this list, Parr has made a name for himself in the field of self-mutilation. This six-hour endurance piece, 'Close the Concentration Camps', was done in protest to the prolonged detention of asylum seekers during the Howard era, and has a disquieting resonance to this day. In 2002 there were reports some detainees had sewed their mouths shut in protest, but the trauma felt very distant to many Australians. Parr's act of solidarity at the Monash University Museum of Art brought this violence uncomfortably to the fore. Francis Alys enlisted the help of 500 volunteers to move a sand dune 10cm to the left One of the main arguments people have against modern art is that it's inconsequential, and Francis Alys' work certainly makes a good case for them. In his most-famous piece, 'When Faith Moves Mountains', this Belgian artist took to the outskirts of Lima and recruited 500 people to move a sand dune, one shovel at a time, slightly to the left. In response to intense confusion from everyone in the world, he responded, "Sometimes making something leads to nothing, sometimes making nothing leads to something." Artists are nothing if not riddlers, I guess.
Visit Bowen Hills for nine days each August and the sounds of the Ekka echo through the suburb. Hit up the inner-city spot since August 2023, however, and you'll hear plenty of cracking at Claw. This crustacean-slinging joint on King Street is an American-influenced crab shack, pairing seafood with barbecue fare in a massive sports bar. How massive? Taking over the space that food truck park Welcome to Bowen Hills previously called home, Claw can cater to 1000 people donning bibs, slicing into a steak, sipping boozy slushies and watching a match. Obviously, the crab shack heroes its fondness for seafood in its moniker, with king crab its signature menu item. You'll nab it in buckets, prepared Baja-style, and paired with chilled shrimp, oysters, lemon and cocktail sauce — and you'll pay $199 for the venue's delicacy. Also on offer: plank-roasted salmon, shrimp enchiladas, rib-eye steaks topped with half a lobster tail, jalapeño bacon burgers, fried chook, beef short ribs, Texas smoked beef brisket, Carolina pulled pork, buffalo chicken wings and blackened shrimp tacos. Add Cheetos mac 'n' cheese as a side, then feast on a salted choc brownie sundae for dessert. To wash down all of the above, frozen cocktails and craft beers are in the spotlight. Claw's drinks list features boozy slushies — think: margaritas, mango daiquiris and beergarita made with Coronas to share — plus both local and international brews, with an exposed keg room heroing the latter. If you prefer wine, there's a short array of options. And for more cocktails, go for guava or cactus apple margs, the root beer float, an apple pie-inspired tipple and a two-person concoction that's served in "a shark-infested fishbowl". For sports fans, large-screen TVs are a given, while DJs and live music will provide a soundtrack. Plus, because this is a family-friendly joint, there's even a playground for children. And, for everyone, arcade games will get you mashing buttons.
Some museums are filled with art. Others are dedicated to interesting pieces of history. The National Communication Museum in Melbourne, Australia's latest, falls into the second category. It's also a museum with a hyper-specific focus, celebrating the technology that's allowed humanity to interact and, in the process, shaped how we engage with each other. Rotary phones, cyber cafes, MSN Messenger: they all get a nod here. Opening to the public on Saturday, September 21, 2024, and marking the first new major museum in Melbourne for more than two decades — since the Melbourne Museum launched — the National Communication Museum lives and breathes nostalgia, then. Phone boxes, burger phones, the speaking clock that you could call to get the time and only shut down in Australia in 2019: they receive some love as well. But this space isn't solely about looking backwards, with peering forwards also part of its remit. Yes, that means grappling with what artificial intelligence might mean for communication in the future. Emily Siddon, NCM's Co-Chief Executive Officer and Artistic Director, calls the two-level Hawthorn site "a trip down memory lane", but also notes how it looks at the present and what might come. "The technologies featured in NCM were developed in response to the innate human need to communicate and connect — yesterday, today and tomorrow," she explains. "It also answers the pressing questions about communication technology today. Things like: how far away are we from uploading our consciousness? How am I tracked and where does my data go? And how can I tell real from fake or human from machine?". Across an array of rooms featuring both permanent and temporary exhibitions — located in an old 1930s telephone exchange building, which includes a working historical telephone exchange — visitors can dive into First Nations storytelling, celebrate the speaking clock, explore a 90s-era internet cafe and check out an interactive display that takes its cues from regional Australia's phone booths. There's also a section dedicated to research, spanning both successful and unsuccessful ideas, plus launch exhibitions dedicated to surveillance, the human-made satellites sent into space to circle the earth and the infrastructure underpinning digital communication. Find the National Communication Museum at 375 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, from Saturday, September 21, 2024 — open 10am–5pm Wednesday–Sunday. Head to the venue's website for more details. Images: Casey Horsfield.
Having won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at both the Sydney Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival in 2010, Bill Cunningham New York is finally landing in Australian cinemas on November 3. Directed by Richard Press, the documentary follows the life and work of 80-year old Bill Cunningham, photographer for The New York Times and candid fashion icon. For decades he has documented the world's fashion trends through his lens, and subsequently become one of the best renowned street photographers of all time, becoming king of his craft while The Sartorialist and Garance Doré were still running around in nappies. Bill Cunningham New York highlights the man's work in one of the world's busiest fashion capitals. Cunningham captures both the elegance of high fashion and the eccentricity of downtown street culture beautifully. What results is a visually stimulating piece of cinema that represents Bill and the Big Apple. His impressive catalogue of work has been treated as a testament to the changing nature of fashion trends throughout the last century. Notable American icons Anna Wintour, Tom Wolfe, Brooke Astor and David Rockefeller all appear in the film. More than just a showcase of fashion, Bill Cunningham New York takes a deep insight into the history behind the man responsible for such stunning images. It reveals his relationship with celebrities and the public, his often secretive personal life and the reasons behind his fascination with clothing and culture. Thanks to Madman Entertainment, Concrete Playground has ten double passes to giveaway. To win tickets to see Bill Cunningham New York, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=NYqiLJBXbss
When Inside popped up on Australia's film festival circuit in 2024, including at the Melbourne International Film Festival, SXSW Sydney Screen Fest and Brisbane International Film Festival, it was instantly one of the must-see homegrown titles doing the rounds. If you didn't catch it then, the Guy Pearce (The Clearing)-, Cosmo Jarvis (Shōgun)- and Toby Wallace (The Bikeriders)-starring thriller should be at the top of your to-watch list in 2025 when it hits local cinemas in February — and it has just dropped its trailer to demonstrate why. Fresh from earning a well-deserved Golden Globe nomination for The Brutalist — and likely on track for an Oscar nomination for the same role, too — Guy Pearce (The Clearing) leads the prison-set film as Warren Murfett, an inmate on the cusp of parole. As he's preparing for potentially earning his freedom, he's asked to take Mel Blight (Vincent Miller, Plum) under his wing after the latter is transferred from juvenile detention to adult prison. Also giving the newcomer a guiding hand is the infamous and widely despised Mark Shepard (Cosmo Jarvis, Shōgun). Inside doesn't just bring the three men together in a powderkeg of a location; it immerses them in a violent plot that could change each of their lives forever, all while thoughtfully and empathetically pondering choices, repercussions, and the impact of inherited damage and trauma. Also among the cast: Toby Wallace (The Bikeriders), Chloé Hayden (Heartbreak High) and Michael Logo (Colin From Accounts), with the film boasting impressive names on- and off-screen. Inside marks the feature debut of writer/director Charles Williams, who won the 2018 short film Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for the also-excellent All These Creatures. The Stranger and Acute Misfortune filmmaker Thomas M Wright is onboard, too, as an executive producer. "Inside is a movie that's been with me in some form or another for the better part of a decade. I wanted to make the kind of film that resonated with me growing up. Movies that you could get lost in, often uncovering very specific worlds and complicated characters," explains Williams. "They felt very real but also oddly transporting and almost spiritual — while still being visceral, cinematic experiences for the big screen. It's been such an honour to collaborate with this incredible cast and crew to bring Inside to life." Check out the trailer for Inside below: Inside releases in Australian cinemas on Thursday, February 27, 2025. Images: Mathew Lynn.
With its four-word title, Brisbane's latest music festival sends a clear message. After more than a year of lockdowns and restrictions, all of which have impacted the city's live music scene, this new event wants to let gigs go on. It wants to Let the Music Play, to be exact, and it's taking to multiple Fortitude Valley venues on Saturday, September 18 to make that statement — and to show Brisbanites a good time.. Taking place at the Fortitude Music Hall, The Zoo and outside at The Brightside, this fest celebrates everything we know and love about heading to a gig — including being able to hop onto the dance floor. So, you'll be able to do just that as you mosey between venues and check up an impressive lineup that spans The Jungle Giants, Shag Rock, Nerve, Voiid, Concrete Surfers and more. Also appearing: supergroup Expo88, which features members of Ball Park Music, The Jungle Giants, Good Boy, Sweater Curse and Simi Lacroix. They'll ring in a few special guests, too, and play a selection of Brissie's greatest hits — so expect tunes by Powderfinger, Custard, Veronicas, The Go-Betweens, Violent Soho and Savage Garden, obviously. Top image: Vincent Shaw.
"Your nose like a delicious slope of cream / And your ears like cream flaps / And your teeth like hard shiny pegs of cream." Diner en Blanc — like Howard Moon's poem — will have you in all white. But sorry, Booshers: the fifth edition of this Brisbane event is just for the sophisticated. Now on five continents, the Diner en Blanc began in Paris 28 years ago thanks to François Pasquier and friends. This year, 2000+ of Brisbane's creme de la creme will once again dress in all white on Saturday, October 22 for the event held at a predictably stunning location that remains secret until the very last moment (over the last few years, the beautiful banks of the Brisbane River at Portside and Roma St. Parklands proved welcoming venues). Following an evening of elegance, fine dining and live music, the foodies then pack up their crystal, dinnerware, tables and litter. Like ghosts (white 'n' all), they leave behind no sign of their rendezvous (but don't get any ideas, a white sheet thrown over your figure will not do for an outfit). Diner en Blanc guests must either be invited by a member from the previous year, or get on the waiting list for a ticket. Here's what happened in 2014:
With 24 percent of London's rush-hour traffic now made up of cyclists, the call for infrastructure upgrades is growing louder. Following the deaths of six cyclists within a fortnight last November, more than 1000 concerned riders staged a 'die-in' outside the Transport for London headquarters in mid-December. Now, architect and cycling fan Lord Norman Foster is proposing a solution: the SkyCycle. It's 135 miles (or 217km) of car-free cycle paths that would be built in the air, supported by pylons, at a height of three storeys, above the routes established by London's current railway lines. Fifteen metres of width would handle up to 12,000 cyclists every hour. More than 3 million people would live and work within ten minutes' of one of SkyCycle's 200 access points. "It's a lateral approach to finding space in a congested city," Lord Foster said. "By using the corridors above the suburban railways we could create a world-class network of safe, car-free cycle routes that are ideally located for commuters." SkyCycle is a collaboration between Foster and Partners, Space Syntax and Exterior Architecture. Space Syntax director Anna Rose compared the system's potential to that of previous major infrastructure changes that have "transformed the fortunes" of London. "Bazalgette's sewer system helped remove the threat of cholera to keep London at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution; the Underground strengthened London's core by making long-distance commuting possible," she said. "SkyCycle is conceived in this tradition as a network of strategic connections from the suburban edges to the centre, adding the much needed capacity for hundreds of millions of cycle journeys every year with all the social, economic, environmental and health benefits to London that follow." However, London is not the final stop. Sam Martin of Exterior Architecture told the Guardian that SkyCycle's ambition is, ultimately, international in scope. "The dream is that you could wake up in Paris and cycle to the Gard du Nord. Then get the train to Stratford, and cycle straight to London in minutes, without worrying about trucks and buses." The catch? The usual — time and money. The current projected cost is £220 million and the construction period is up to 20 years. In the meantime, however, Londoners have been taking advantage of their new cycle super highway. Via Inhabitat.
There will be spice in 2023's sandiest movie, the eagerly anticipated sequel to 2021's Dune. With a war a-brewing on the planet Arrakis, seeing Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet, Bones and All) and the Fremen face off against the folks who destroyed his family, there will be blood as well. And, in the centrepiece to Dune: Part Two's glorious first trailer ahead of its November release in cinemas, there will be sandworms and wormriding — including the internet's boyfriend going for a cruise on one of the sci-fi franchise's mammoth creatures. When its predecessor hit the big screen, it was after a year-long delay due to the pandemic, and as a second movie adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel. Following in David Lynch's footsteps might seem a foolish move, even when it's making a new version of one of the most unfairly maligned sci-fi films ever crafted, but Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) managed what Alejandro Jodorowsky sadly couldn't (see: excellent documentary Jodorowsky's Dune), and a new science-fiction cinema classic arrived. Villeneuve's picture only told part of Dune's story, though, which is where Dune: Part Two comes in. The first film had Paul head to Arrakis because his dad Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac, Moon Knight) had just been given stewardship of the sandy celestial body and its abundance of 'the spice' — aka the most valuable substance in the universe — and then get caught up in a bitter battle with malicious forces over the substance. It also saw Paul meet the population of people known as the Fremen, including Zendaya's (Euphoria) Chani and Javier Bardem's (Lyle, Lyle Crocodile) Stilgar, which is who he and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson, Doctor Sleep) are with when the new flick's trailer begins. Amid that expansive desert landscape, those hulking sandworms, Villeneuve's reliable eye for a spectacle and Hans Zimmer's (The Son) latest likely Oscar-winning score, Paul, Chani, Stilgar and company have vengeance to seek — but Paul also has to choose between love and preventing a dark future. And, he has new players to face, with Austin Butler ditching his Elvis locks as Feyd Rautha Harkonnen, the nephew of Stellan Skarsgard's (Andor) Baron Harkonnen, plus Florence Pugh (The Wonder) joining the saga as Princess Irulen, daughter of Christopher Walken's (Severance) Emperor Shaddam IV. From the first film, which scored ten Oscar nominations and six wins, Josh Brolin (Outer Range), Dave Bautista (Knock at the Cabin), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Beau Is Afraid) and Charlotte Rampling (Benedetta) return, while Léa Seydoux (Crimes of the Future) also joins the cast. Off-screen, Villeneuve has brought back not just Zimmer, but Oscar-winning Australian director of photography Greig Fraser (The Batman), Oscar-winning production designer Patrice Vermett (Vice), Oscar-winning editor Joe Walker (The Unforgivable), Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert (First Man) and Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West (Song to Song). Check out the first Dune: Part Two trailer below: Dune will release in cinemas Down Under on November 2, 2023.
Whiplash is a film about a drummer, and it might just be the scariest thing you see all year. It's not Annabelle scary, as in paranormal pant-soiling scary, nor is it Silence of the Lambs scary, aka psychological pant-peeing. It's more disturbing, a sort of 'do whatever it takes', Talented Mr Ripley kind of film, chronicling the terrifying lengths people will go to in pursuit of a goal. It's a 'jazz thriller', really, and it's an exceptional, engrossing movie. Narrow in its focus, Whiplash concerns an ambitious young drummer named Andrew Neyman (Miles Teller), a first-year student at a prestigious New York music academy. When the school's premier conductor, Terence Fletcher (JK Simmons), invites him to join the marquee jazz ensemble, Neyman quickly finds himself embroiled in a gripping, exhausting, unsettling and even violent clash of egos driven by Fletcher's unyielding pursuit of excellence and Neyman's own determination to be the next musical great. Chairs are thrown, punches are thrown, and in any given practice session the trinity of 'blood, sweat and tears' becomes almost mandatory. The one small mercy for panic-stricken viewers who found The Exorcist to be an exercise in endurance rather than enjoyment was that the terror occurred predominantly within the confines of the bedroom. You knew when to be afraid, and in Whiplash that room is Fletcher's rehearsal space. What ought to be the epitome of cool is instead the Roman colosseum, with Fletcher its sitting Emperor. One of the bad ones. More Caligula than Caesar. He rules through fear and exploits his students' aspirations as a means of ensuring his own reputation remains one of excellence and achievement. A few minor roles notwithstanding (Paul Reiser has a nice turn as Neyman's softly spoken father), this is a movie focussed on the performances by Teller and Simmons, and they're both first rate. Teller spent hours on the kit every single day rehearsing for the role, and his percussive skills are as impressive as his acting ones. Both arrogance and insecurity bubble just beneath his character's surface, and his descent into physical and mental ruin is painfully believable. Opposite him, Simmons is a powerhouse of brute force and bravura; a fedora-wearing, baton-wielding drill-sergeant right out of Full Metal Jacket. He bullies, he abuses and he hurls bigoted slanders so often it's almost as though that's how he breathes. The explanation he offers is as unapologetic as it is simple: greatness only comes from being pushed beyond the comfort zone and penetrating the unknown. For a jazz movie there's surprisingly little of it, and while the final performance is nothing short of extraordinary, the lack of jam sessions and gigs feels at odds with Neyman's professed love of the art and his dogged pursuit of pre-eminence. The film's conclusion, too, is troubling, for while it delights on the musical front, conceptually it appears to reinforce what is plainly a flawed and dangerous approach to nurturing talent. Still, this a showcase of two outstanding performances and a clear standout in what has otherwise been a largely mediocre run of films in 2014. Must see. https://youtube.com/watch?v=8J6JH-R-TN0
UPDATE, SATURDAY, MAY 23: Snowpiercer, the series, will hit Netflix Down Under from Monday, May 25. The below article has been updated to reflect this. On a futuristic earth that's been rendered a frozen wasteland, a constantly hurtling train plays host to the world's only remaining people. Humanity's attempts to combat climate change caused their dire predicament, leaving the speeding locomotive as their only solution — and instead of banding together, the residents of the Snowpiercer have transported society's class structure into the carriages of their new home. That's the story that drives Bong Joon-ho's 2013 film Snowpiercer, which marked the acclaimed South Korean writer/director's first English-language film, and one of the movies that brought him to broader fame before Netflix's Okja and 2019's Cannes Palme d'Or-winning and Oscar-winning Parasite. As well as boasting a smart, immersive and all-too-timely concept — and unpacking its underlying idea in a thoroughly thrilling and involving manner — the flick was a star-studded affair. Among the jam-packed cast: Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, John Hurt, Ed Harris and Bong's frequent collaborator Song Kang-ho. Given how great its premise is, it's hardly surprising that Snowpiercer has now been turned into a US TV series. First announced back in 2016, it'll finally speed across screens in May 2020 — including Down Under, where it'll drop new episodes weekly from Monday, May 25. While Snowpiercer, the series, doesn't feature any of the film's high-profile lineup, it does include a few big names of its own, such as Oscar-winner Jennifer Connelly and Tony-winner Daveed Diggs. Alongside Frances Ha's Mickey Sumner, Slender Man's Annalise Basso and The Americans' Alison Wright, they inhabit Snowpiercer's new world order. The planet outside the titular train may be a dystopia with a temperature of -119 degrees celsius, but everyone from the wealthy to the poor have been put in their place inside. Of course, that's until matters such as class warfare, social injustice and the politics of trying to survive start to fester almost seven years into the circling vehicle looping journey. Parasite is being turned into an American TV series, too, by HBO; however, that's a little further off — especially with film and TV production currently out of action during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the interim, revisiting the world of one of Bong's other excellent films will help fill the gap. And, if you need to watch or rewatch the original flick itself, Snowpiercer, the movie, is currently streaming on both Netflix and Stan. Watch the Snowpiercer series trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lFMpmwn_hQ Snowpiercer, the series, will hit Netflix Down Under from Monday, May 25, with new episodes airing weekly. An exact start date hasn't been revealed yet — we'll update you with further details when they come to hand. Images: Netflix.
By the time October hits, 3600 Australian pharmacies will be administering COVID-19 vaccinations with the Moderna jab. It's the third coronavirus vax to be used in Australia after AstraZeneca and Pfizer, with doses of Moderna arriving on our shores in the past few days — and now being rolled out to chemists nationwide. During the week beginning yesterday, Monday, September 20, 1800 pharmacies will receive their batches and start getting Aussies to roll up their sleeves for Moderna. Next week, from Monday, September 27, that number again will join the Moderna rollout. So, if you haven't had your jabs yet, you now have more options — both in terms of which vaccination to receive and where to get it. Exactly how many pharmacies will be stocked with Moderna in each state varies; however, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed that 721 chemists across his state will be administering the shots from this week. Obviously, which pharmacists themselves are doing Moderna jabs also varies, but the Australian Government Department of Health's Vaccine Clinic Finder website lets you find where you can get it, or the other COVID-19 vaccines if that's what you'd prefer. Moderna's vax got the nod from Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration back in August, with the TGA advising that "the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has shown strong efficacy preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and severe COVID-19 in clinical trials." In early September, it was approved for 12–17-year-olds, too, meaning that it's now approved for all Aussies over the age of 12. The Australian Government has an agreement with Moderna for 25 million doses of the vaccine, which includes 10 million this year and 15 million in 2022. Elsewhere around the world, Moderna's jab has also received approval or authorisation to use in emergency situations in countries such as United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union, the United States, Switzerland and Singapore. Partly funded by a donation from the one and only Dolly Parton, Moderna's vaccine is actually the fourth to get the nod in Australia, following AstraZeneca, Pfizer and a jab from Johnson & Johnson — the latter of which hasn't been included in the country's vaccine rollout so far. Like the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna jab is an mRNA-based vaccine. So, it uses a synthetic genetic code called RNA, which tells the cells in our bodies how to make the coronavirus' unique spike protein. Then, once our bodies have done just that, making the protein that's encoded by the mRNA vaccine, we're able to recognise the spike protein as being foreign to our system and launch an immune response against it. Two doses of the Moderna vaccine are required — and while the AstraZeneca jabs are recommended four–12 weeks apart, and the Pfizer jabs three weeks apart, Moderna's should be administered within 28 days of each other. Wondering what that the Moderna approval means in terms of boosting Australia's vaccine ability (because actually getting a jab hasn't been particularly straightforward under the country's slow-moving rollout)? Back when the Moderna vax got the tick, Prime Minister Scott Morrison advised the 25 million doses would join the 125 million doses of Pfizer and 53 million doses of AstraZeneca that are already part of the vaccine campaign. "The first one million doses is on track to arrive next month and will go to pharmacies. Then we will have three million in October, three million in November and three million in December," the PM said. And if you'd like to keep an eye on the country's vaccination rates now that a third vax is in the mix — with those rates tied to easing restrictions nationally, and on a state by state level (as seen in the New South Wales and Victorian roadmaps out of lockdown) — we've rounded up where you can do just that. For more information about the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, head to the TGA website. To find out where you can get vaccinated, check out the Australian Government Department of Health's Vaccine Clinic Finder website.
It's time to get excited about dinosaurs again, not that anyone ever stopped being fascinated with the planet's ancient creatures. Come May, one of 2022's best new shows is making a return for 2023 with a brand-new season filled with dino love — yes, David Attenborough's spectacular Prehistoric Planet is returning. Apple TV+ has just announced the roaringly great news, and will again air the show's second season as a five-part nightly event. So, across Monday, May 22–Friday, May 26, one instalment will arrive each day, serving up more stunning dinosaurs, more informative insights voiced by the one and only Attenborough, and more of Hans Zimmer's soundtrack. "The award-winning first season of Prehistoric Planet brought dinosaurs back to life in a way global audiences had never seen before," said Jay Hunt, Creative Director, Europe, Apple TV+, announcing the news. "Collaborating with the brilliant Jon Favreau and our fantastic partners at the BBC, we are thrilled that viewers will once again have the opportunity to be immersed in our world as it was 66 million years ago and to experience even more weird and wonderful creatures." This time around, the team at BBC Studios Natural History will be using photorealistic visual effects by MPC — the kind that Favreau used in his versions of The Jungle Book and The Lion King — to focus on new dinosaurs, habitats and scientific discoveries. So, you'll spend time with the Tarchia, one of the largest Ankylosauri, for instance. That said, the Tyrannosaurus rex will be back among other dino favourites. Of course it will. What's better than one of the Attenborough siblings marvelling over our planet's ancient creatures? None other than David following in his brother Richard's footsteps, of course, just as it was in 2022. While the latter showed dinos some love back in Jurassic Park — with the now-late actor and filmmaker even uttering the iconic words "welcome to Jurassic Park" — his broadcaster, biologist and natural historian sibling largely surveyed the rest of the earth's living creatures in his iconic documentaries before Prehistoric Planet. With its first season, the show instantly earned its place among David Attenborough other doco highlights — a list that spans The Living Planet, State of the Planet, The Blue Planet, Frozen Planet, Blue Planet II, Our Planet, Seven Worlds, One Planet, A Perfect Planet and Green Planet, as well as Planet Earth and Planet Earth II, plus documentary David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet), just to name a few. There's no trailer for Prehistoric Planet's second season yet, but you can revisit the season one trailer below: Prehistoric Planet season two will hit Apple TV+ across Monday, May 22–Friday, May 26, with a new episode available to stream each day. Read our full review of Prehistoric Planet season one.
Sometimes, Zac Efron earns headlines because he's spending the pandemic in Australia. Sometimes, it's thanks to whichever film he has in cinemas. And, sometimes it's because he's been in the gym preparing for a movie, as has Jeremy Allen White. That flick getting the Gold and The Bear stars bulked up and bringing them together? The Iron Claw. In this wrestling drama, the Von Erich family is rumbling onto the big screen, with help from not just Efron and White but also Harris Dickinson (Scrapper), Maura Tierney (Your Honor), Holt McCallany (Mindhunter) and Lily James (What's Love Got to Do with It?). The IRL brood get the biopic treatment in this 80s-set effort from Martha Marcy May Marlene and The Nest director Sean Durkin — and if you're wondering why, then you've clearly never heard of the "Von Erich curse". As the just-dropped trailer for the A24 film shows, the Von Erich brothers are all keen wrestlers under the guidance of patriarch Fritz (McCallany), who is pushing his inseparable offspring to be the best. The line between encouraging and domineering is thin, however, in a tale that piles on more than its fair share of tragedies along with championships. "Ever since I was a child, people said my family was cursed," says Kevin (Efron) in the first sneak peek at The Iron Claw, which is named after a wrestling move associated with Fritz and the family. "Mom tried to protect us with god, pop tried to protect us with wrestling," he continues. "He said if we were the toughest, the strongest, nothing would ever hurt us. I believed him. We all did." What happens from there will hit picture palaces in the US on Friday, December 22, and then on Thursday, January 18 Down Under. From the first footage from the film — which comes set to Blue Öyster Cult's '(Don't Fear) the Reaper', cowbell and all — viewers can expect training scenes, pressure, plenty of skin, Fritz issuing his sons rankings regarding his favourites, complicated family bonds, trauma, in-the-ring action and James as Kevin's wife Pam. Check out the trailer for The Iron Claw below: The Iron Claw hits cinemas Down Under on Thursday, January 18. Images: Brian Roede / Eric Chakeen.
First, it was COVID-19 that threw Queensland's music festivals into chaos. Now, the recent spate of devastating weather is having an impact on the scene. For Jungle Love Music & Arts Festival, the latter means ditching its plans to take over a secret Fraser Coast spot across the Labour Day long weekend, with the event now moving to September instead. "It's unfortunately now not possible to hold the festival at the Gootchie site safely as we originally planned," said Festival Director Raymond Williams in a statement. "We were so looking forward to seeing our vision come to life next month, and it's a real bugger to have to change pace and reschedule." "Thankfully, we're already experienced in dealing with setbacks like these since the pandemic started," Williams continued. "The silver lining is we now have more time to create an even more immersive wonderland that will be safe and accessible for all." [caption id="attachment_843588" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Savannah van der Niet[/caption] Music fans, you'll now have some free time between Friday, April 29–Sunday, May 1 — and you'll be venturing north from Friday, September 2–Sunday, September 4. The event will still take place in Gootchie, and still offer festival-goers something other than ridiculous queues and heaving crowds clamouring for space in an ordinary city showground. Among Jungle Love's drawcards: a laidback vibe, a campground surrounded by luscious greenery, and the chance to go for a swim in the creek while you watch a gig. Oh, and did we mention that it's a BYO festival as well (though no glass is allowed)? Jungle Love announced its program back in February; however, that'll likely now change due to the new dates. "We're working with our suppliers, partners and performers to retain as many amazing acts as possible," said Williams. Still, get ready for visual arts displays, circus, cabaret, theatre, workshops, knocking back those BYO beverages and plenty of tunes — just later in 2022 than originally planned. Jungle Love Music & Arts Festival will now take place from Friday, September 2–Sunday, September 4 at a secret location in Gootchie, Queensland. For more information, head to the festival's website. Top image: Lauren Crabbe.
We've all had days that can only be salvaged by hurling an axe at a wooden target — and, from Saturday, August 11, Brisbanites can enjoy this very specific form of stress relief. Already offering both casual and competitive axe throwing on the Gold Coast, Lumber Punks is bringing its distinctive sporting antics to West End. Yes, moseying on down to Montague Road from Thursday to Monday, picking up actual bladed weapons and then chucking them across the room is about to become a very real thing. "It's kind of like darts, but with big axes," explains co-owner Tyson McMillan, who started Lumber Punks with Sam Hay. The idea came to the pair after a stint of throwing axes in the backyard, which is where the sport has traditionally been practised. Commercial outfits started popping up around the world about a decade ago, but this is just Australia's second joint — with Maniax operating in Sydney and Melbourne. Patrons can simply gather the gang and start throwing across a 90-minute session, or take part in the axe throwing league. The game is comprised of five rounds, each with five throws, with everyone flinging their axes towards a pattern of concentric circles. Get inside the outer blue ring and you'll score one point. Make it into the middle red ring and you'll nab three. A bullseye — aka inside the black ring — is worth five points, although you can earn a whopping seven if you hit an adjacent green circle on your fifth throw. For those worried about safety, Lumber Punks advises that their activities are "as safe as we can make it", with everyone using self-contained lanes to minimise the risk of wayward axes. Only the thrower is allowed into the lane, those watching and waiting have to stand behind a barrier, and everyone gets a tutorial before they are allowed to take part. You will have to sign an online waiver before you can get to chucking, however, and you definitely won't be able to drink alcohol. While Lumber Punks is all about blowing off steam in a fun and unusual way, it really is best for everyone that throwing axes and booze don't mix. Find Lumber Punks at 2/427 Montague Road, West End from Saturday, August 11.
Since Australia is now its second largest importer, it's high time we learned a thing or two about the brewing and history of the fermented rice spirit known as sake. Cue Moga's Sake Masterclass. Since 1902, Fukui's (Japan) Ippongi Sake Brewery has been renowned for its pure, high-quality dry sake and will be bringing us a rare opportunity: to meet third generation Sake Master Kakutaro Kubo. Kubo will be headed to Paddington's Moga Izayaka for the classes that give sake bluffers a clue in. For $85, participants will get an introduction to the art of brewing, an education on sake's history and an appreciation of its role in tradition. You'll also score a six-course dinner from the restaurant's head chef Satoshi-san, paired with matching sakes and house made umeshu (plum liqueur). It all happens from 6.45pm on Friday, November 8, so call (07) 3367 2808 for bookings.
Somewhere in the Australian wilderness there's a spot with tall trees, lizards sunning themselves on rocks, the sound of total solitude — and a really expensive tent. We don't know where it is, but if you can find it, it's yours to keep. The tent — along with some $3k kitty of camping goods — has been hidden in a secret campsite somewhere in Australia. It's been put there by outdoor mega brand Kathmandu as part of a new scavenger hunt that leads entrants to the location — if you can find it, you score the whole lot. So how will you find it? Clues to the Hidden Retreat will be released across the brand's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram from Wednesday, February 14 up until Saturday, February 24. The clues are said to be cryptic and will specifically test competitors' knowledge of Australian wildlife through the use of images, videos and — randomly enough — poetry. Unfortunately, there's no worm for the early bird in this case — if you do discover the secret location before February 24, you still need to wait and get to the campsite first on that day to win. You'll also have to arrive during the designated 'prize winning window', which is from 7am–12pm. The first to arrive during this window will go home with the gold, winning a seriously decked out campsite package, which will include this three-person tent, a connectable living space and two down sleeping bags, plus a bunch of extra gadgets. Sure, it's a big promo for Kathmandu and it requires a lot of commitment, but if you've got some spare time up your sleeve, the prize will be a big asset for avid (or aspiring) campers. Handy if you want to tick off these beach camping spots this year. The four runners-up will win a smaller campsite package, each valued at over $2000. For anyone else who shows (up to 200 people), you won't go home empty-handed, but will only nab a BPA-free water bottle for your efforts. To be eligible, you must first RSVP to the Facebook event page. Happy hunting.
If you love a TV show, you usually want more of it. The entire history of television is based on that fact. But with some series, you can eagerly devour every single episode and then hope that there's never another one ever. One such program: Dr Death. When it hit streaming queues in mid-2021, it instantly gave viewers their latest true-crime fix — and what a true-crime tale it told. Its focus: Christopher Duntsch (Joshua Jackson, Little Fires Everywhere), a surgeon who was full of charm when he was trying to encourage folks with spinal pain and neck injuries into his operating theatre — or when he was attempting to convince hospitals, particularly in Texas, to hire him. But again and again, those surgeries ended horrendously. Actually, that's an understatement. The result was pure nightmare fuel — and it's for that reason, and not anything else to do the gripping series, that you might've wished that Dr Death would end there. That isn't set to be the case, however, with a second season now on its way. Duntsch's story is done and dusted, but he was just the first medical professional that the OG Dr Death — aka the Wondery podcast that shares the TV show's name — has focused on. Since then, the audio series has released two further seasons, with its third batch of episodes now providing the basis for the second TV adaptation. The new doc in the spotlight: surgeon Paolo Macchiarini, who earned the nickname 'Miracle Man' for his innovative operations. But his charm starts to fade when investigative journalist Benita Alexander approaches him for a story — a tale that'll change her life forever, too. Once again, all the details are drawn from reality. Once again, Dr Death is bound to prove disturbing whether you already know the ins and outs or you're set to discover them for the first time — as horror medical stories always do. Casting details haven't yet been revealed, and neither has a release date. In Australia, the new season is headed to Stan when it does arrive. In New Zealand, TVNZ On Demand streams the series. A trailer for season two of Dr Death hasn't been released yet either, obviously, but you can check out the trailer for season one below: Dr Death streams via Stan in Australia and TVNZ On Demand in New Zealand — we'll update you with a release date for season two when one is announced. Images: Scott McDermott/Peacock.
What's better than a brand-new live music venue that gifts Brisbanites another place to head to gigs? A space that also gives a heritage-listed site a hefty refresh and opens it up to the city. That's the kind of alchemy that's just taken place on Annerley Road, with The Princess Theatre — which happens to be Queensland's oldest-standing theatre — officially reopening on Thursday, October 28 after quite the makeover. For years, The Princess Theatre has been the kind of place that Brisbanites took notice of whenever they drove past, but probably hadn't ever been inside. Sat just around the corner from the Mater Hospital, the 133-year-old spot stands out; however, for the past couple of decades, it's been owned and run by a church. That changed early in 2021, when The Tivoli owners Steve Sleswick and Dave Sleswick joined forces with local businessman Steve Wilson to snap up the building — and quickly announced their new places for the venue. After a few pandemic delays, it's now time for Brisbane to see the results of that revamp — and to start heading by for gigs. As they did with The Tiv back in 2016, the Sleswick brothers have helped preserve and revamp The Princess, aiming to turn it into Woolloongabba's new music and arts hub. The results are luxe, inviting and eye-catching, all while adding a new must-visit spot to the inner east just a stone's throw away from the CBD, South Bank and the Gabba. Outside, the white facade remains. Inside, the building now boasts a state-of-the-art auditorium that can cater to a 920-person standing crowd, or seat 520 — enabling it to host concerts, shows and everything in-between. Plus, there's also four different bars, a public cafe and private event spaces, giving Brissie residents several reasons to drop in. Fables Bar and Cafe already opened at the beginning of October, serving up coffee by day and cocktails at night, as well as breakfast and brunch options (think: avo on toast, and ham and cheese croissants), sandwiches, and cheese and charcuterie plates. The venue's outdoor space, Clarence Courtyard, has also been welcoming in punters already. Revamped courtesy of architecture firm JDA — who also helped revitalise the Elizabeth Picture Theatre — alongside interior designer Sophie Hart and builder Herron Coorey, Princess Theatre's renovation includes a rehearsal room, co-working creative office and workshop space, too. And, visual theatre company Dead Puppet Society will now call it home, using it as its base and a workshop and gallery space. As for what you can expect to check out at the venue over the coming months, the lineup includes everything from gigs by Regurgitator, The Murlocs, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and Custard Tropical Fuck Storm to Dead Puppet Society production The Wider Earth. Find The Princess Theatre at 8 Annerley Road, Woolloongabba. For further details about upcoming shows, head to the venue's website.
It kicked off more than four decades ago with one of the best horror movies ever made; however, the Halloween franchise has been through quite a few ups and downs over the years. Clocking up ten follow-ups and 11 movies in total so far, the slasher series has delivered excellent and terrible sequels, veered into remake territory, both killed off and brought back its heroine, and completely erased parts of its own past several times. But, like its mask-wearing villain Michael Myers, it always finds a way to go on. Since 2018's Halloween, that's been especially great news — with the Jamie Lee Curtis-starring, Jason Blum-produced 11th flick in the franchise proving a smart, thrilling horror delight, and ranking second only to the movie that started it all. Indeed, the film was such a success that two more sequels are set to come from the same team (aka Blum, writer/director David Gordon Green and co-scribe Danny McBride): Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends. Originally, Halloween Kills was due to hit screens this year, in October — when else? — but, as announced earlier this year by franchise creator John Carpenter, it moved back its release to October 2021. Although fans won't be able to make a return trip to Haddonfield until then, and have another encounter with Curtis' spirited Laurie Strode and her lifelong nemesis, too, a new teaser for the film has just dropped to help fill the gap. It's a brief clip — following a first, also short teaser that was released back in July — but it's suitably eerie. In voiceover, Strode tells us that "next Halloween, when the sun sets and someone is alone, he kills". The sneak peek then shows Myers picking up his mask and doing what he's done in oh-so-many movies so far. Cue the iconic, Carpenter-composed theme music, obviously. Check out the latest Halloween Kills teaser trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgWlruoQoLI Halloween Kills will release in Australian cinemas on October 15, 2021.
Pubs, clubs, gyms, indoor sporting venues, cinemas, casinos and places of worship will be forced to close from midday today, Monday, March 23, with the Australian Government introducing a stricter crackdown on mass gatherings in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19. Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the announcement last night, after the national cabinet meeting, saying "social distancing is our biggest weapon in fighting this virus". The Prime Minister also slammed those who disregarded social distancing practices over the weekend — including those who crowded Sydney's Bondi Beach — telling Australians to "do better". [caption id="attachment_640478" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bondi Beach is now closed. Maxim 75 via Wikimedia[/caption] The stage one closures, as the above have been called, will be reviewed after one month and will likely remain in place for six months. In Victoria, Premier Dan Andrews has announced the closures will remain in place to at least midnight on April 13. At the moment, schools are not impacted by the closures — except for in Victoria, where school holidays have been brought forward to Tuesday, March 24 — and bottle shops, attached to pubs and clubs, will be allowed to stay open. Restaurants and cafes will also be allowed to continue running as takeaway and delivery only. Even more local closures are likely to be announced this morning in NSW, Victoria and ACT, where statewide shutdowns of non-essential services are being rolled out over 48 hours. While restaurants, cafes and bottle shops are allowed to continue offering takeaway and delivery, you can continue supporting them. We've rounded up some of the spots offering at-home eats in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Julia Sansone
If you live in Brisbane and you were born from 1997 onwards, you've never known life in the River City without the Valley Fiesta. Twenty-six years back, Fortitude Valley put on a big celebration of live tunes in the inner city, starting an event that's still going strong in 2023. Sure, last year's fest marked a milestone, hitting a quarter century — but every Valley Fiesta is always a huge party. This time around, Valley Fiesta will run for two days across Friday, November 3–Saturday, November 4, once again getting Fortitude Valley echoing with music. As always, the QMusic-produced lineup spans a whole heap of musicians to see, plenty of stages around both the Valley and Bowen Hills, a food fiesta and a bar trail. Leading the music bill: Mallrat, Mildlife and Hatchie, all as part of an entirely free program, and also on a lineup that's been curated by the team at The Tivoli. Skeleten, Miss Kaninna, First Beige and Party Dozen will join them, as will Selve, Middle Name Dance Band and JayBird Byrne — and also Ixaras, Kuzco, Taitu'uga and Lucy Korts. If you're keen on DJ-spun tracks, the roster of talent also features names programmed by Quivr. So, that's where David Versace, Eljae, Greer and Hol Hibbo come in, plus Jake Amy, Jimmy Ellis, Kodos and Moths to a Flame. Rounding out the list so far: Nejmere, Quiet Storm DJs, Ryzen Shine and Squidgenini. As it did in 2022, King Street will host the King Street Food Fiesta on the Friday night to get this year's Valley Fiesta started. Expect a culinary fest featuring the precinct's eatery and soundtracked by two stages of live tunes. Bringing the fun to the Winn and Bakery laneways is the Hidden Lanes Bar Trail, highlighting venues in each stretch and featuring DJs. Then there's the part of the program called The After Parties, which is exactly what it sounds like in spots around the Valley until late. "For more than 25 years, Valley Fiesta has been captivating audiences and contributing to our incredible local music scene," said Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, announcing the 2023 lineup. "Last year, the festival included 115 events across 24 venues — showcasing 63 performers and seeing more than 400,000 music fans in attendance." "The festival's two jam-packed days will provide an incredible platform for local artists to strut their stuff, while bring more free and affordable activities to our entertainment precincts. "We're so excited to be bringing the best version of Valley Fiesta back, with awesome live music and cultural experiences free on the streets. There's nothing like a street party to celebrate our vibrant music scene, and Valley Fiesta is the best free street party in Brisbane," added QMusic CEO Kris Stewart. "Valley Fiesta is more than just a festival; it is a testament to the enduring power of music, culture, and community. It showcases the vibrant heartbeat of Fortitude Valley, inviting everyone to join in the celebration and create lasting memories." VALLEY FIESTA 2023 LINEUP: Mallrat Mildlife Hatchie Skeleten Miss Kaninna First Beige Party Dozen Selve Middle Name Dance Band JayBird Byrne Ixaras Kuzco Taitu'uga Lucy Korts DJ lineup: David Versace Eljae Greer Hol Hibbo Jake Amy Jimmy Ellis Kodos Moths to a Flame Nejmere Quiet Storm DJs Ryzen Shine Squidgenini + with more acts to be announced Valley Fiesta 2023 takes place from Friday, November 3–Saturday, November 4. For further information and to buy tickets, head to the Brisbane City Council website. Images: Dave Kan.
The start of the week is always rough, but when you've got something to look forward to in the evening, it makes the day that little bit easier. Book in for a creative night out at Cork and Chroma in South Brisbane to make your Monday a memorable one with two things that go stupendously well together: art and wine. At this 'paint and sip' studio you'll be free to wield a paintbrush in one hand and clutch a glass of Pinot in the other. The focus here is on having fun, so book in — don't forget to BYO (they supply the glasses) — and let your inner creative run free. Each session runs for around two-and-a-half to three hours.
Natalie Portman doesn’t. Neither does Pamela Anderson, Bill Clinton or Ellen Degeneres. That’s right, none of these people eat animals. We’re always hearing about how going vegetarian or vegan can have health benefits, but what will it do to your social life? We’ve pulled together five of the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants and cafes in Brisbane to negate that last fear. Vege Rama For a CBD lunch option that’s 100% free of animal products, you can’t go past Vegerama. There’s a range of hot foods including soups, curries, enchiladas and lasagna; a salad cabinet brimming with fresh veggie combinations; and even some raw desserts, so you’re covered no matter what you’re craving. Don’t ask us how they do it, but nothing served at this place is short of absolutely delicious. Shop 30 Post Office Square 270-280 Queen Street, Brisbane City; Level E Myer Centre 91 Queen Street, Brisbane City Botanica Botanica has been making friends with salad since early 2013. Stepping slightly away from the CBD, Botanica flies the vegetarian flag for Red Hill. Appearing on ‘best of’ lists all over the place and famed for its flavour-packed salads, the menu is also vegan-friendly and offers a range of mouthwatering, gluten free desserts. Shop 9 1 Enoggera Terrace, Red Hill Banana Lounge Having only opened this year, The Banana Lounge has hooked its fair share of animal-free fans. Proving that vegan food is most certainly not boring food, you can expect colourful fare such as quinoa muesli trifle, raw pasta dishes (with pasta made from zucchini), generously piled burgers, raw cheesecakes and tropical breakfast pancakes. 1 170 Boundary Street, West End Fundies Among the trendy cafes of Paddington, it’s easy to discount this little green shop on Given Terrace. However, they do one of the best tofu scrambles in town, so make sure you drop in next time you’re in the area. Fundies is also a health store stocking all of your vegan and vegetarian essentials, from groceries to hair products. 219 Given Terrace Paddington 4064 Kuan Yin Teahouse Everything at Kuan Yin Teahouse is vegan, but you’d never know. This popular postage stamp-sized eatery in Fortitude Valley serves imitation meat dishes such as Peking duck rolls and Taiwanese fried chicken, but you can be assured that there are no animal products to be found in anything on the menu. The meals are cheap (it’s not hard to stuff yourself silly on less than $15) and the décor is no-nonsense. There are no EFTPOS facilities, so take some cashola. 198 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley
When a band is just starting out, with just one album to its name, you're treated to most — if not all — of it live in the early days. To get the full-record experience again, though, you normally have to wait for big anniversaries. Bloc Party are celebrating two on their 2025 tour of Australia: two decades of the group and the same since their debut album Silent Alarm. Hitting up Brisbane's Riverstage on Friday, August 8, Bloc Party will play Silent Alarm from start to finish. 'Banquet', 'Helicopter', 'This Modern Love', 'Like Eating Glass': yes, they'll all be on the setlist on this seven-city trip. The band aren't leaving their other tunes out, though, with the tour featuring not just Silent Alarm's tracks but the group's greatest hits. They do have five other albums to their name, after all: 2007's A Weekend in the City, 2008's Intimacy, 2012's Four, 2016's Hymns and 2022's Alpha Games. If you're a fan, you'll know that it has been more than 20 years since the band first formed, and since the British group scored some hefty approval in 2003 via Franz Ferdinand's lead singer Alex Kaprano — but 20 is a nice round number to commemorate. This makes two Aussie tours in a row now with a point of difference for Bloc Party, after 2023 trip with Interpol. Before that, they last rocked Aussie stages in 2018. Supporting Kele Okereke and company this time are Young The Giant, who'll be playing Australia for the first time in 14 years. Live images: Bruce Baker via Flickr.
Christopher Nolan has never made a Bond film. He certainly didn't helm The Matrix franchise, either. But combine the two — picking and twisting elements of each, including narrative tropes, sci-fi trickery and special effects wizardry — and the writer/director's latest slick, bold, mind-bending action-thriller Tenet is the end result. The movie's spy flick credentials are established at the outset, thanks to a tense, taut, supremely well-executed opening attack on the jam-packed Kiev Opera House. In a sequence that feels especially unnerving in today's crowd-phobic world, Tenet's nods to late 90s and early 00s sci-fi are evident here, too. Guns fire frequently, but when one in particular discharges, a bullet returns to the weapon rather than shooting out from it. It doesn't occur slowly, yet it still happens noticeably; if you wanted to dub it 'reverse bullet time', that wouldn't feel out of place. Soon afterwards, in case viewers weren't already thinking about Bond or The Matrix, Tenet's CIA operative protagonist — who is literally called 'the Protagonist' (John David Washington) — navigates his way through a familiar exposition dump-style sequence. A scientist (Clémence Poésy) talks him through some of the nuts and bolts of the shadowy situation he finds himself in, including explaining the inverse trajectory of the bullets. She has gadgets to mention as well. Actually, she has a lot more to say, specifically about inverted objects being sent back through time from the future. They're "the detritus of a coming war," she advises, which the Protagonist needs to prevent or life as everyone knows it will cease to be. Tenet wants you to pay very close attention at this point, with the film laying out oh-so many of the details, tidbits and stakes its plot balances upon. But it's the sight of the Protagonist learning how to fire a reverse bullet, then exclaiming a Keanu-esque "whoa!", that's extra memorable. If Tenet's premise so far sounds a little vague and convoluted, well, that's its wavelength. As obsessed with time, space, existence and consciousness as many of Nolan's movies, the cerebral film doesn't get any less tangled or labyrinthine from there, and it doesn't ever try to. Teaming up with suave English handler Neil (Robert Pattinson), the Protagonist hops around the globe from India and Estonia to Oslo and the Bay of Naples, with the pair wearing immaculate suits and endeavouring to stop the impending battle. Getting to know an arms dealer, Priya (Bollywood veteran Dimple Kapadia), is a key part of the plan. So is becoming entangled in the strained marriage between art expert Kat (Elizabeth Debicki) and her thick Russian-accented, clearly up-to-no-good husband Andrei Sator (Kenneth Branagh) and, at Neil's suggestion, also crashing a large freight plane into an airport. There's more to Tenet — much, much, much more, including twists upon twists that are best experienced while watching. But, as it charts the Protagonist's quest, the film boasts the kind of plot that is actually quite straightforward, yet is told in an overly complicated fashion (and in a lengthy way as well, with the feature's 150-minute duration felt). Keeping viewers puzzling for as long as possible is the main aim, and that sometimes comes at the expense of telling a great story in the clearest possible manner. It's a tale that, as a result, can occasionally feel cumbersome instead of thrilling. Nolan likes messing with audiences' heads, as Following, Memento and Insomnia established early, the Dark Knight trilogy continued, and even Dunkirk's structural approach demonstrated, so none of this should come as a surprise. Here, however, he jumps even beyond Inception's leaps, The Prestige's magic tricks and Interstellar's temporal dilations. When Poésy's character tells the Protagonist "don't try to understand it; just feel it," she's obviously speaking to Tenet's viewers as well — and, regardless of who is in the director's chair, that's a lazy cop-out. Tenet is entertaining, though. When it's at its best, it's downright spectacular. Some of its big setpieces — the aforementioned opera house scene, a breathtaking fight that stretches, sprawls and weaves through narrow corridors, and a narratively superfluous but enthrallingly shot catamaran race, for example — are simply stunning. In fact, like The Matrix's bullet time, fellow action films will be trying to ape Tenet's standout moments for decades to come. Nolan's feature is also impeccably cast, with Washington as charismatic as he was in BlacKkKlansman, Pattinson continuing to choose excellent roles and Kapadia a shrewd delight. Debicki and a forceful Branagh play characters with one-note functions and arcs, but they still have a sizeable impact. Throw in the percussive, suspenseful score by Ludwig Göransson (The Mandalorian) doing his best Hans Zimmer impression, as well as evocative production design by Nolan regular Nathan Crowley and glossy visuals lensed by Hoyte Van Hoytema (an Oscar nominee for Dunkirk), as there's plenty here to love. That said, there's also a sense that Tenet is bounding forward in some ways, while also needlessly looping back on itself in others. This a film with a palindromic name, and that inverts and reverts time again and again, so that's apt — although, given how meticulous Nolan's work always is, including this movie, the end sensation is unlikely to be intentional. Tenet is stirring, but also laborious. It's designed to not just immerse viewers in an inventive head trip, but to overwhelm; however it makes the audience work hard and feel like they're working. It's intricate and exacting, and also messy and repetitive. Right down to its penchant for frustratingly drowning out some of the dialogue with its thrumming score, it's a Nolan film through and through, in other words — usually to a mesmerising degree, but too indulgently as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3zIWteWCMY
Where: Numerous venues around Sydney When: January 8-30, 2012 (tickets on sale November 9) Web: www.sydneyfestival.org.au The reinvigorated Sydney Festival has completely transformed our city in summer (note the flagpoles which every year proclaim just that) and it’s made Sydney a truly amazing place to be in January. The whole city is turned into a summer wonderland, there’s something amazing to do every single night, and people flood The Domain to see sophisticated performances while merrily sipping beer, cider, goon or all three. But mostly what the Sydney Festival does is bring us some truly spectacular performers – Sufjan Stevens, Grizzly Bear, Emmylou Harris, Camera Obscura and this year's headliner, PJ Harvey – whose artistic merit is second only to their ability to entertain. The Sydney Festival now has a total audience of about 1 million, making it the most attended cultural event in Australia. Every year the festival grows and improves, and with the state government recently giving the Festival a heap of cash to extend their program, it makes the prospects for this summer’s partying very exciting indeed. Concrete Playground has compiled a short list of musical, theatrical and artistic must-sees and -dos during Sydney Festival 2012. Click on the images below to read on...
Fancy cruising around on a glass-walled boat, partying over three levels, and pairing a killer view with a beach club vibe and plenty of beverages? Then you'll want to book a berth on Australia's new floating bar and party venue, Glass Island. Now sailing through Sydney Harbour until April — and then making its way up north for a Brisbane season, too — it's the country's latest excuse to live it up on the water. If the concept sounds familiar, that's because Seadeck has been doing the same thing in both cities for the past couple of years. In fact, Glass Island is actually the brainchild of one of that luxe vessel's creators. This time around, hospitality entrepreneur Scott Robertson has paired up with his frequent design collaborator Alex Zabotto-Bentley, aiming to mastermind "the most iconic hospitality location afloat in Australia". The resulting boat certainly stands out — surrounding out the ship with glass will do that, of course. Those gleaming, glistening panels are found on Glass Island's middle deck. In a space inspired by Miami pool clubs and beach front hotel lobbies, patrons will also find a seven-metre-long bar covered in mint-hued tiles, raw timber flooring, and a heap of lounges and other seating. The windows slide open, too, so you can enjoy the sea — or river — breeze. Upstairs, Zabotto-Bentley nods to Mediterranean beach clubs. Think dark orange, red and white colours, lounges you can sink into, VIP seating and crimson-toned umbrellas. There's one other big highlight up here as well: the 360-degree views. Both the top and middle decks place a big focus on music, with Glass Island playing host to resident DJs across a number of regular events. The first Sunday of each month sees Sneaky Sundays take over, with Sneaky Sound System's parties hitting up the venue. Also set to hit the boat are Yolanda Be Cool, Poolclvb and Colour Castle, as well nights dedicated to soul and retro 80s tunes. For those eager to chill downstairs, it houses a champagne and cocktail lounge — and a range of natural wines that you can only find on that level. Drinks-wise, the 18-strong cocktail list spans both classic and creative concoctions, so you can choose between espresso martinis and two types of negronis, or opt for a Pretty in Peach (with gin, prosecco and white peach) or Rib Tickler (with tequila, absinthe, pineapple, lime and cucumber). Food is also available, spanning flatbread pizzas; sliders with halloumi, wagyu or friend chicken; charcuterie boards and cheese plates; and Moreton Bay bug rolls. Glass Island is floating around Sydney until Sunday, April 5, setting off from King Street, Wharf 6, Darling Harbour, with tickets starting at $30. It'll return again in October — and head to Brisbane in-between, with exact dates yet to be announced. For more information — or to buy tickets to its current season — visit the venue's website. Images: Glass Island.
If seeing movies and TV shows you love pick up shiny trophies is your preferred form of sport, congrats — awards season is here for another year. We're never too far away from Hollywood's latest opportunity to celebrate itself, given that the Emmys were only a couple of months back. But the period between December and March tends to be the entertainment industry's version of Christmas (or until April in 2021, given that the Oscars happened later than usual). Accordingly, it's that time of year for the Golden Globes, which has just announced its latest batch of nominees. That said, if you're keen to actually watch a heap of people collect their accolades come Monday, January 10, Australian and New Zealand time, think again — the ceremony won't be televised due to multiple controversies surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organisation behind the awards, and whether it'll stream somewhere (and if any celebrities will actually show up) hasn't yet been revealed. The list of films and series competing still spans plenty of 2021 favourites — covering both the big and small screens, because the Globes likes to have it both ways. Among the cinema fields, Jane Campion's phenomenal western The Power of the Dog leads the charge with seven nods, a feat only matched by nostalgic Kenneth Branagh-directed drama Belfast, which was inspired by the filmmaker's own childhood. And in the TV categories, Succession picked up five nominations, Ted Lasso and The Morning Show nabbed four, and a heap of shows — including Squid Game — picked up three. The Power of the Dog received Australian funding — and from New Zealand, too — so there's a local tie to this year's nominees. Campion also scored a nod for Best Director for the film, and Aussie actor Kodi Smit-McPhee earned a spot among the Best Supporting Actor nominees. Still staying local, Nicole Kidman is a Best Actress in a Drama contender in the cinema fields for playing Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos, while Succession's Sarah Snook scored a Best Supporting Actress nomination in the TV categories. A heap of other excellent flicks and shows earned some love as well — including a Best Drama nod for Dune, a Best Comedy nomination for Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza, acting recognition's for the latter's first-timers Alana Haim (yes, of Haim) and Cooper Hoffman (son of the Philip Seymour Hoffman), plus a trio of nominations for The Great, Hacks and Only Murders in the Building. Other highlights span the Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical nod for Annette's Marion Cotillard, Lupin's two showings, and Jennifer Coolidge's recognition for The White Lotus. Plus, after making history in 2021 for nominating three women for Best Director for the first time ever — after only ever nominating seven other female filmmakers in the Golden Globes prior 77-year run — the awards have given not only Campion but also The Lost Daughter's Maggie Gyllenhaal some love this time around. If you're wondering what else is in the running, here's the full list: GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES: BEST MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Belfast CODA Dune King Richard The Power of the Dog BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos Lady Gaga, House of Gucci Kristen Stewart, Spencer BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Mahershala Ali, Swan Song Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog Will Smith, King Richard Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth BEST MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Cyrano Don't Look Up Licorice Pizza Tick, Tick … Boom! West Side Story BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Marion Cotillard, Annette Alana Haim, Licorice Pizza Jennifer Lawrence, Don't Look Up Emma Stone, Cruella Rachel Zegler, West Side Story BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Leonardo DiCaprio, Don't Look Up Peter Dinklage, Cyrano Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick … Boom! Cooper Hoffman, Licorice Pizza Anthony Ramos, In the Heights BEST MOTION PICTURE — ANIMATED Encanto Flee Luca My Sunny Maad Raya and the Last Dragon BEST MOTION PICTURE — FOREIGN LANGUAGE Compartment No. 6 Drive My Car The Hand of God A Hero Parallel Mothers BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Caitríona Balfe, Belfast Ariana DeBose, West Side Story Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard Ruth Negga, Passing BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Ben Affleck, The Tender Bar Jamie Dornan, Belfast Ciarán Hinds, Belfast Troy Kotsur, CODA Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog BEST DIRECTOR — MOTION PICTURE Kenneth Branagh, Belfast Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter Steven Spielberg, West Side Story Denis Villeneuve, Dune BEST SCREENPLAY — MOTION PICTURE Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza Kenneth Branagh, Belfast Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog Adam McKay, Don't Look Up Aaron Sorkin, Being the Ricardos BEST ORIGINAL SCORE — MOTION PICTURE Dune Encanto The French Dispatch Parallel Mothers The Power of the Dog BEST ORIGINAL SONG — MOTION PICTURE 'Be Alive', King Richard 'Dos Orugitas', Encanto 'Down to Joy', Belfast 'Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)', Respect 'No Time to Die', No Time to Die BEST TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Lupin The Morning Show Pose Squid Game Succession BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Uzo Aduba, In Treatment Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show Christine Baranski, The Good Fight Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale MJ Rodriguez, Pose BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Brian Cox, Succession Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game Billy Porter, Pose Jeremy Strong, Succession Omar Sy, Lupin BEST TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY The Great Hacks Ted Lasso Reservation Dogs Only Murders in the Building BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Hannah Einbinder, Hacks Elle Fanning, The Great Issa Rae, Insecure Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish Jean Smart, Hacks BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Anthony Anderson, Black-ish Nicholas Hoult, The Great Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Dopesick Impeachment: American Crime Story Maid Mare of Easttown The Underground Railroad BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jessica Chastain, Scenes From a Marriage Cynthia Erivo, Genius: Aretha Elizabeth Olsen, WandaVision Margaret Qualley, Maid Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Paul Bettany, WandaVision Oscar Isaac, Scenes From a Marriage Michael Keaton, Dopesick Ewan McGregor, Halston Tahar Rahim, The Serpent BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick Andie MacDowell, Maid Sarah Snook, Succession Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TV Billy Crudup, The Morning Show Kieran Culkin, Succession Mark Duplass, The Morning Show Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso Oh Yeong-su, Squid Game The 2022 Golden Globes will be announced on Monday, January 10 Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website. Top image: The Crown, Des Willie/Netflix.
George RR Martin is joining forces with art collective Meow Wolf to produce the most insanely magic art complex imaginable. Attempting to raise $100,000 on Kickstarter, the installation artists and the Game of Thrones mastermind want to build one epic art space: The Meow Wolf Art Complex in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Built within the site of an old bowling alley Martin bought specifically for the project, the complex will house 19 affordable artist studios, two rotating gallery spaces, and The David Loughridge Learning Center with arts education programming by local non-profit ARTsmart. But the real jaw-dropper here is Meow Wolf's plan for unprecedented 20,000 sq. ft. complex to be constructed by over 75 artists — dubbed The House of Eternal Return. Celebrated for their large-scale, immersive installation experiences, the Sante Fe-based collective Meow Wolf have just the ideas Martin was looking for when he bought the bowling alley. Following Meow Wolf's wildly successful interdimensional ship installation The Due Return in 2011, the team will likely be using most of the Kickstarter funds toward Meow Wolf's first permanent exhibition, The House of Eternal Return. Visitors will be able to crawl, climb and be immersed within the 'rooms' of the house, from trailer parks to crazy tree houses to spaceship-like condos. "The House of Eternal Return will be a radical new form of storytelling, where audiences are immersed within a multimedia art experience that unfolds through an interactive and magical narrative," says the team on their Kickstarter page. Here's their artist renditions of what's planned for the House: 'Crazy Tree Houses' 'Cactus Trailer Dream' 'Portals Bermuda' Martin and Meow Wolf have so far raised $45,654 of their $100,000 goal with 13 days to go. Martin intends to fully renovate the space ahead of Meow Wolf's 10-year lease on the property. Whattaguy. Check out the Kickstarter campaign here.
It’s kind of rare for the Valley to play host to exquisite nights of decadence. If I was to compare it to Southbank using a Toy Story 3 analogy (shut up, I watched it for the first time the other day and it really impacted me) then Southbank would be Barbie and the Valley would be that creepy Big Baby doll with a bung eye. There’s love for both of them but one is clearly cuter, cleaner and doesn’t get drawn or urinated on as much. Strange Toy Story analogies aside, the Valley’s rank in the postcode hierarchy is rising, playing location for a French-themed photography exhibition at the Sky Lounge, hosted by up-and-coming model agency Mirror Mirror Agencies. The exhibition, entitled Exposition, will showcase the latest works from six of Brisbane’s leading photographers, namely: Nyree McKenzie, Adam Finch, Elisabeth Harvey, Dex Anderson, Ian Chang and Christian Aas. This won't be your standard Thursday night out in the Valley - skip the bros and hos and get a culture injection of Parisian proportions.
If you like music and you like trivia, TV shows such as Spicks and Specks and Never Mind the Buzzcocks likely sit high on your favourites list, with both combining tunes, musicians and questions about them. But in Brisbane, you don't have to confine your music trivia fix to staring at a screen. One of the city's most reliably entertaining evenings out comes in the form of Not On Your Rider, the IRL quiz show that's also filled with well-known faces — but staged live in the River City, with Brisbanites invited not only to watch but to also play along. This pop-culture delight has been doing the rounds for a few years now — and testing its contestants via rounds of questions — and it's back again in 2023. From the end of March, Brisbanites can look forward to monthly shows at The Triffid. Yes, given there's an October 26 date on the list, you can probably expect another Halloween celebration. And, come December 14, a Christmas show as well. If you're not already acquainted with Not On Your Rider, it takes something that everyone loves — showing off their music trivia knowledge — and dials it up a few notches. Here's how it works: the event is hosted by The Creases' Aimon Clark, and features Velociraptor's Jeremy Neale and The Grates' Patience Hodgson as team captains. Also, while the two on-stage teams are always filled with musos, comedians, drag queens and other guests, anyone can buy a ticket, sit at a table and answer questions along with them. Previous events have boasted folks from Powderfinger, Ball Park Music, The Jungle Giants, The GoBetweens, Dune Rats, DZ Deathrays, The Kite String Tangle, Butterfingers, Last Dinosaurs, The Chats and more, because you never know which music figures might be involved on the night. Guests change each show, but the past lineup has also spanned Robert Irwin, Kate Miller-Heidke, Ben Lee and Steven Bradbury, as well as Trent Dalton, Ranger Stacey, Mel Buttle and Ian 'Dicko' Dickson. And as for the quiz itself, it's accompanied by chats about the music industry, plus other mini games involving attendees. NOT ON YOUR RIDER 2023 DATES: Thursday, March 30 — The Triffid Thursday, April 27 — The Triffid Thursday, May 25 — The Triffid Thursday, June 29 — The Triffid Thursday, July 27 — The Triffid Thursday, August 31 — The Triffid Thursday, September 28 — The Triffid Thursday, October 26 — The Triffid Thursday, November 23 — The Triffid Thursday, December 14 — The Triffid
We've scored giant slip 'n' slides, trampoline gyms and bouncing castle obstacle courses. Now, it's time to get on board the latest kidult craze to hit our shores, as Australia's biggest game of hide and seek takes over a cruise ship on Sydney Harbour next month. That's right: hiding and seeking is no longer just child's play. In fact, Australia's even got its own national hide and seek adults team, the Nascondingos, who took out eighth place at the most recent world championships, which are a thing. And on Sunday, February 18, these guys will be honing their finding skills, playing a team of 'seekers' as locals of all ages hide onboard one of the world's biggest cruise ships, Ovation of The Seas. It's thought to be the largest official game of hide and seek ever played at sea — and, yeah, it probably is. Applications to compete in the game are open to just about everyone, with one game for kids aged 8–14 and another for adults aged over 15. There's a solid prize pool, too, with the last person to be found in the adult's game taking home a cool $10,000 and a cruise. Of course, it's all part of a huge promo for Royal Caribbean, but that shouldn't stop it being a bit of fun. If you fancy yourself a hide and seek pro, don't be shy about it — enter here by February 5.
For the uninitiated, The Maccabees are currently considered by those in the know (including the international music bible NME) to be the latest darlings of the British rock scene. Having first made a somewhat quiet entrance in to the fickle world of the London music industry, they now find themselves at the top echelon of English guitar music. An uncanny ability to combine pop mentality with interesting and diversely themed tunes has seen their audience rapidly grow since the release of their first LP, Colour It In, in 2007. January saw the release of their third album, Given to the Wild, awarded the Triple J album of the week slot after it debuted at number five in the British charts. After two sell out shows at Brixton Academy, they have arrived on our fair shores to perform at the Groovin’ the Moo festivals. Fortunately for us city dwellers, a slew of sideshows have also been added. They take centre stage at the Hifi to showcase what will surely be a memorable set. Dust off your Chelsea boots, slip into a pair of drainpipe trousers and make sure you catch them in an intimate venue so you can brag to your friends in years to come, that you saw them back in their ‘early days’.
The Australia-wide Human Rights Arts and Film Festival is the only cultural event devoted exclusively to exploring humanitarian issues through creative media. The not-for-profit event will be showing at the Tribal Cinema in Brisbane for four days in June, and Concrete Playground has five double passes to giveaway for the opening night event on June 5. Showing an eclectic collection of films from across the country, the opening night is a celebration of Australian Shorts. Starting at 7pm, the films include an adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood, and the life and times of a much-loved transgender icon, Carmen Rupe, directed by Lucy Hayes. It's also a chance to see those films that struggle to make it to the big screen, like The Chicken Hawk and the Crow — an animation in the Yanyuwa language with English subtitles — and Unity in Diversity — a documentary featuring immigrant children from the Springvale community, who open up about their life-changing move to Australia. To get your hands on a pair of tickets, make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground, then email your name and postal address to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
For the first time in five years, artist Patricia Piccinini's floating artwork Skywhale is back in Victoria. The Skywhale isn't any old artwork either, it's a 34-metre-long hot air balloon in the form of a large fleshy animal — and it just flew high above the Yarra Valley. Taking off in the wee hours (when you were hopefully still curled up in bed) from Dixons Creek, it made its way across the Yarra River travelling from Yarra Glen to Tarrawarra. The theriomorphic balloon isn't floating here by chance, either, it's in the Valley to promote Piccinini's latest exhibition at the TarraWarra Museum of Art, dubbed Patricia Piccinini and Joy Hester: Through Love..., which kicks off this Saturday, November 24. On display until March 11, 2019, the exhibition not only focuses on Piccinini's weird and wonderful works — that tread the thin line between humanity and animal — but on fellow Australian artist Joy Hester. If the latter's name doesn't sound familiar, she was a Melbourne artist who passed away in 1960, favoured brushwork and ink on paper, and is considered one of Piccinini's key influences.This'll be the first time anywhere in the world that a gallery has explored the connection between the pair, with more than 50 pieces on display. But back to our Skywhale. Here it is floating in all its fleshy glory today: https://www.instagram.com/p/BqdGVb_l7a8/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BqdBj1Dhm4b/ If you missed it this AM, it might be taking flight once again this weekend. While the flight is dependant on the weather, if it does takeoff, it'll be doing so very early in the morning (around 5.45am). For updates, keep an eye on the TarraWarra Museum of Art Facebook page. Image: Patricia Piccinini Skywhale, 2013, courtesy of the artist, the Australian Capital Territory Government, Tolarno Galleries and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery.
Since March this year, Australians have been told to do several things over and over again: social distance, wash our hands and maintain other hygiene measures, stay at home as much as possible, and get tested if we feel the onset of even the mildest COVID-19 symptoms. Accordingly, we've all become well acquainted with Zoom calls, different types of sanitiser and bumping elbows, as well as the sight of our own four walls. And, we've become accustomed to seeking medical advice for the slightest of coughs, fevers, sore or scratchy throats, shortness of breath, and the loss of smell or taste. Where the latter is concerned, the Queensland Government has announced a new pilot program to make COVID-19 testing easier and more accessible — by allowing pharmacies to conduct the tests. If you lined up at a pop-up clinic last month after the state's most recent community coronavirus cases, or even just drove past one and saw the long queues, you'll know there's clearly a demand for added testing capacity. https://www.facebook.com/annastaciamp/photos/a.523591701005345/3410948968936256/?type=3&theater While the exact stores are yet to be announced, community chemists across the state will be able to take part in the trial over the next few months. Yes, that means that you'll be able to get tested when you're stopping by your local store for other pharmaceutical products. Some chemists already administer flu shots as winter approaches, so conducting COVID-19 tests isn't much of a leap. As Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services Steven Miles explained, "each year there are over 458 million patient visits to community pharmacies — approximately 8.8 million per week". The aim is to make testing as widely available as possible, of course, including in regional and remote pharmacies. When it is up and running — with a specific date yet to be announced — the pilot program will operate alongside Queensland's existing testing centres and fever clinics. And, anyone with possible coronavirus symptoms can still contact their local GP about testing as well. For more information about Queensland's trial of COVID-19 testing in pharmacies, read the State Government's announcement — we'll update you with more details when they come to hand.
