When the 2023 Coachella lineup was announced, Frank Ocean topped the bill alongside Bad Bunny and BLACKPINK as this year's headliners. And when the schedule for the Californian festival's first weekend was announced, his top slot on the Sunday night — Monday Down Under — was eagerly anticipated. But for folks watching along from home, that date with Ocean didn't occur, with his set pulled from YouTube's online feed. It won't happen on Coachella's second weekend, either, with the artist now dropping out completely. As Variety reports, Ocean has pulled out of his second 2023 Coachella set for medical reasons. "After suffering an injury to his leg on festival grounds in the week leading up to weekend one, Frank Ocean was unable to perform the intended show but was still intent on performing, and in 72 hours, the show was reworked out of necessity," a statement from his management advises. "On doctor's advice, [Ocean] is not able to perform weekend two due to two fractures and a sprain in his left leg." There's no word yet from Coachella's organisers, either regarding Ocean taking himself off the bill or a replacement. But Variety reports that blink-182 is expected to slip into the Sunday-night headlining slot, after being a late addition to the first weekend's lineup — playing on the Friday, and breaking out the newly reunited group's classic lineup. Set times for the second weekend also haven't dropped yet, for those keen to make shapes at home while pretending you're at the real thing (and live the Coachella life without heading to Indio, California, as well) regardless of who takes to the stage. Fellow big name Björk didn't livestream her set on the first weekend either, and there's no indication so far regarding if that'll be the case for weekend two as well. As for the rest of the Coachella 2023 lineup, it includes The Chemical Brothers, Gorillaz, Blondie, Kaytranada, Pusha T, Idris Elba, Calvin Harris, The Kid LAROI, ROSALÍA, Charlie XCX, boygenius, The Breeders, Underworld, Fisher, Porter Robinson, Gordo, Weyes Blood and more. Bookmark Coachella's YouTube channel ASAP — or hit it up below: Coachella's second 2023 weekend runs from Friday, April 21–Sunday, April 23 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. To watch the livestream, head to YouTube from 9am AEST on Saturday, April 22 Down Under. Via Variety.
Mitzi began as an alias for two guys from Brisbane to make some music under so that nobody knew they were two guys from Brisbane. Now there are four guys, one EP and one era-defying single, and anonymity is pretty much a thing of the past. Mitzi are at the forefront of an Australian electro-dance tidal wave propelled by acts like Cut Copy and Midnight Juggernauts, except they're doing it with disco. Mitzi will support Foals at their sold-out Oxford Art Factory shows before joining Lindstrøm and Classixx at Future Classic's Sydney Festival bash. Future Classic will also release their debut album Truly Alive on February 15 (you can pre-order it here). In the interim we pulled drummer Cale Suesskow aside to talk about what it's like to be one of the most exciting things happening in Australian music right now. You had a well-received eight-date single tour at the end of last year to promote single 'Who Will Love You Now'. How did you spend Christmas and New Years? Did you manage to get some time off? Yes, time off was welcomed with a few celebratory drinks. We spend Christmas and New Years with friends and family, did some writing (without any pressure) and have also been DJing quite a bit. Now that were all refreshed, we're pretty keen to get out there and play some more shows. You've performed sets at Parklife, Splendour and Stereosonic, and supported acts including Neon Indian, Little Dragon and Whitest Boy Alive. What have been some of the highlights? Neon Indian support was our third ever show and the first time we played to a packed room, there was such an energy that night and I think it really helped cement the thought that we might be onto something good. The Whitest Boy Alive tour was incredible, we are all massive fans of their music and it was great to see how they work close-up. The best thing about being given the opportunity to support great acts is learning things from people that are more experienced than we are. Sydney's electronic/dance scene has been swelling lately. Have you seen similar things happening in Brisbane or do people still associate it with Brisvegassy clubs? There isn't really much of a scene for good house music in Brisbane and people don't go crazy for it, but there are a few places where tasteful bangers like Disclosure go down a treat. We went and saw Todd Terje before Christmas, playing a small club to a half full dance floor, which pretty accurately portrays dance music in Brisbane. How did you come to work with Jono Ma on 2011's EP All I Heard? His new project Jagwar Ma just signed to Future Classic too, which is pretty cool. We had all known Jono before Mitzi started, he's a talented guy and we wanted him to mix our EP so we asked him, not much of a story, sorry. But yeah, it's great they're releasing through Future Classic, more good music to welcome to the family. What local artists/tracks have you been vibing to lately? Jagwar Ma, hahah. Oh, and new Seekae with vocals. Your music draws from a wide range of influences. What acts were you listening to while you were making the new album? Nothing out of the ordinary really, stuff like Fleetwood, Chic, Fela Kuti, lots of house music and electronica, a little bit of Hip Hop and RnB. The Kindness album dropped last year and we were pretty blown away by the production. The Blood Orange album also came out while we were in the studio and it showcased, in our opinion, some pretty awesome songwriting. How do you achieve that familiar retro sound while also creating something new and something that has longevity? I guess that comes from the way we record, which stems from our musical influences. We like to record the core elements of the band in a way that is true to the 70's style, that is, with vintage pre-amps and mics, lots of compression and lots of muffling things up. But then we add lots of synths and effects that stems from our house and electronic influences. Sometimes these sounds can be quite spatial and reverberated, which is a nice contrast to the retro sounding drums and bass. How did you come to work with Ash Workman on the upcoming album? How has that, and signing with Future Classic, influenced your sound? Another boring story here, basically we loved Metronomy's The English Riviera and emailed Ash's manager to ask if he'd be up for working with us. We had already finished the songs, so I don't think these factors influenced the sound, rather the sound influenced who we wanted to mix and release the album. We've been with Future Classic since the E.P and we haven't made any acute changes in direction so its only fitting that we would wish to continue the relationship. You're also known for putting on great DJ sets and doing cool mix tapes. What are some of your favourite venues to DJ at? For us, Djing can be great fun, especially places where we can play the club music we love and the audience vibes just as hard. Spice Cellar is always a good time, and we played a place called Moloko Night in Townsville just before Christmas that went pretty crazy, contrary to what we had assumed it would be like. We've also had some good nights at Bowler Bar in our hometown too.
From the remnants of war and conflict, Saught aids the creation of wearable pieces of art. Aiming to support sustainability in post-conflict countries worldwide, with a current focus on Cambodia, the organisation strives to make the entire jewellery-making process a collective effort on the part of people recovering from a period of war, from metal scrap collecting through to design and sale. For the 'Freedom From Fear' collection, pieces of discarded metal from landmines and unexploded ordnance were collected by the Cambodia Mine Action Centre. Then, artisans from Cambodia NGO partner workshops, with input from designers, handcrafted individual jewellery pieces. On sale for AU$160, the necklace pictured above, called the 'Bricks of Hope Statement Necklace', is made with brass pieces plated in rhodium to symbolise three decades of bombing in Cambodia; the orange silk is incorporated to represent hope for reconstruction. These workshops allow local Cambodian artisans to both collect income and to improve their craft and business skills. The result is a simple yet striking piece of jewellery. [Via Lost At E Minor]
Occult is a vibrant and engrossing project started by two imaginative individuals hoping to share a bit of their creative flair and eye for culture with the rest of Brisbane. The pages of their creation, Occult, contain a wide cross-section of written pieces, lively illustrations, design, music and fashion — all sourced by Brisbane’s best and brightest. The team behind the zine are throwing a party to celebrate their fourth issue, released recently, and are inviting the whole town to attend. Located at The End, the night will feature live music by Karl S. Williams, Millions DJs and a few artists yet to be announced. It is an 18+ event, but it is free. Come along and rub shoulders with some creative types and make sure you pick up a copy of the latest issue of Occult if you see one around town.
"He came to Italy, moved into Dickie's house. He just wouldn't go away." That's what Patricia Highsmith's 1955 book The Talented Mr Ripley charted when it introduced fictional con artist Tom Ripley. It's also the plot of 1960 crime-thriller Purple Noon starring French acting icon Alain Delon, then of 1999's Matt Damon (Oppenheimer)-led The Talented Mr Ripley as well. And, it's part of Netflix's new Ripley, too. Move over Damon, Delon, the great Dennis Hopper, Lawmen: Bass Reeves star Barry Pepper and John Malkovich: there's a new Ripley in town. Actually, Malkovich hasn't gone far. Netflix's upcoming limited series stars All of Us Strangers and Fleabag favourite Andrew Scott as its namesake, but he's joined by an actor who has also played the Highsmith-penned part. That was unveiled in the show's initial teaser; now, Ripley has just dropped a moody full trailer. An eight-part effort arriving on Thursday, April 4, Ripley isn't short on drawcards, then — Scott chief among them. He's stepped into classic characters' shoes before, and suave yet scheming folks that can't be trusted, thanks to his stint as Moriarty in Sherlock. So one of the internet's boyfriends taking on Tom Ripley feels like a stellar and natural next step. Where The Talented Mr Ripley also featured Gwyneth Paltrow (The Politician) as Marge Sherwood and Jude Law (Peter Pan & Wendy) as Dickie Greenleaf, Dakota Fanning (The Equalizer 3) and Johnny Flynn (One Life) are doing the honours this time. As seen in the initial sneak peek at Ripley, Malkovich (Billions) also pops up in the series, which follows its eponymous figure to Italy. Tom's gig: being paid by a rich man to persuade his son to come home. Steven Zaillian, who has excellent fellow miniseries The Night Of on his resume alongside screenplays for Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York and The Irishman, plus an Oscar for Schindler's List, scripted and directed all eight episodes. He takes his cues from the novelist who also gave the world Strangers on a Train and The Price of Salt — with the first brought to cinemas by Alfred Hitchcock and the second adapted as Carol. And if you're wondering about Malkovich's time as Tom Ripley, he played the character in 2002's Ripley's Game, the second adaptation of Highsmith's third Ripley novel of the same name after 1977's The American Friend with Hopper. The author also wrote Ripley Under Ground, which was turned into a 2005 Pepper-led film, plus The Boy Who Followed Ripley and Ripley Under Water. Check out the full trailer for Ripley below: Ripley streams via Netflix from Thursday, April 4, 2024. Images: Lorenzo Sisti / Stefano Cristiano Montesi, Netflix.
By now, you've probably had an absolute gutful of winter, not to mention of everyone else's European holiday snaps clogging up your Instagram feed. Plus, daydreaming about tropical getaways doesn't quite stack up to the real thing, right? Well, wannabe jetsetters, if you've got a vacation-shaped hole in your life, it turns out this is your lucky week, because a mammoth travel sale is hitting the internet tonight. The bargain-filled Click Frenzy Travel sale returns for a 29-hour online shopping riot, kicking off at 7pm on Tuesday, August 2019. And it's chock full of airfare, cruise, accommodation, tour and holiday package deals, for all kinds of budgets. Though, with a lineup of over 600 sales, it's going to be pretty hard to book just one trip. Virgin Australia's offering up to 40 percent off a range of domestic and international journeys, with prices starting from just $69. You can nab some wild discounts on holiday packages in the likes of Bali, London, Europe and Fiji from the crew at Luxury Escapes, or take advantage of savings of up to 50 percent on select Intrepid Travel trips to destinations including the Galapagos Islands and Croatia. [caption id="attachment_661817" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Intrepid Travel trip to the Galapagos Islands[/caption] Cantik Bali Villas is offering luxury private pool villas from $85 per night, G Adventures is knocking 25 percent off some of its worldwide tours, and Kogan Travel is slinging an array of hot deals including an 11-day China tour from $699. You'll also find $1057 return Air New Zealand flights departing Melbourne and Sydney for sunny Buenos Aires, as well as a stack of Beyond Travel deals, including mega savings on a 2020 Iceland cruise tour. In a Click Frenzy Travel first, this week's sale will also feature a cool 99 percent off 'Go Overboard' deals, up for grabs in limited quantities. The lineup is set to include everything from $2 Beats headphones (usually $250) to $500 Flight Centre vouchers priced at just $5. Dust off that suitcase and start plotting your annual leave — it's holiday time, finally. The Click Frenzy Travel sale runs from 7pm on Tuesday, August 20, until midnight on Wednesday, August 21. You can find it and all the tasty travel bargains here. Top image: Underwater temple ruins in Bali.
A mere three months in, 2023 has already been an eventful year for Brisbane's oldest-surviving CBD pub. Back in February, it was announced that The Victory Hotel was closing its doors, with ALH Hotels deciding not to renew its lease on the 168-year-old Edward Street venue. But now it's up, trading and pouring beers again — since mid-March, under new management and with big plans in its future. Athena Group has inked a long-term lease on the site with owners Precision Group, and also revealed that it's giving the trusty spot a revamp. The Vic is heritage-listed thanks to its hefty history — it was first constructed in 1855, initially known as the Prince of Wales, and is a prime example of 19th-century corner hotels — and the facade will remain. But an interior makeover is in the works. [caption id="attachment_894546" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] "We are committed to creating a landmark development that will serve as a cornerstone of Brisbane's revitalisation," said Athena Group Founder Michael Dixon. "Our partnership with Precision Group reflects our shared visions for innovation and excellence in property development, and we look forward to working collaboratively to achieve this goal." "The Victory Hotel has played an important role in Brisbane's history, and we're excited to be partnering with Athena Group to reimagine its future," added Precision Group's Leasing Executive Rory O'Brien. "Our focus is on creating a world-class destination that will attract visitors from across Australia and around the world, while preserving the heritage of the site for future generations." [caption id="attachment_894552" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Victory Hotel beer garden in 2009 via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] The redevelopment's budget will hit the multimillions, and a development application is expected to be lodged in 2024 after design and planning work has been finalised in conjunction with the Brisbane City Council. Beyond that, however, no specifics in terms of cost or exactly what'll be done to the site have been unveiled. The Vic is no stranger to facelifts, though. This'll be one of many in its lifetime, including during the 1880s, 1920s–30s — when the venue's name was changed to the moniker Brisbane knows today — and then the 1950s as well. The beer garden area scored a makeover in the 1980s, with an awning added in 1995 and more changes to the outdoor space in the 2000s. Find The Victory Hotel at 127 Edward Street, Brisbane City, with a development application for the pub's revamp expected to be lodged in 2024.
Garlic bread — representing the holy trinity of bread, garlic, and butter — is something created by the gluten gods to make us mortals (sans coeliacs) very, very happy. Welcome to Bowen Hills is aware of this, as demonstrated by its two whole days devoted to your fave carbohydrate situation: the Garlic Bread Festival. But April 7 and 8 aren't just for standard garlic bread. You'll also find genius hybrids such as garlic bread burgers and garlic bread gozlemes on offer. So prepare thy tummy — while the food truck lineup hasn't yet been revealed, garlic bread toasties, garlic pizzas and garlic sausages in toasted garlic bread buns have also been promised. There is an ATM on-site for emergency carb top-ups. Kids are welcome from noon until 9pm, doggos are welcome all day and all night, and both will probably lose their minds over the tasty scraps. Praise be to wheat.
There's no shortage of things to do on a trip to Paris, or iconic sights to see. Between now and September, visitors can add taking a dip in a canal to their travel bucket list — and while it mightn't initially sound all that special, it's the first time Parisians have legally been able to do so in nearly a century. As part of the annual Paris Plages, a summer-long event that turns the banks of the river Seine into short-term artificial beaches, the Bassin de La Villette now boasts three temporary pools. Measuring 100 metres in length in total and 16 metres across, the trio of splash-tastic bodies of water is comprised of a shallow paddling pool for kids, a second shallow pool with a depth of 1.2 metres and a 2.2-metre deep pool for adults. Given that going for a swim isn't just about jumping into some refreshing H20, with lazing around afterwards also part of the fun, the pool area includes a beach with huts, deckchairs and palm trees — aka a tropical getaway right in the heart of the city. And if you're wondering why it's all so novel, Paris' canals have historically been known for their murky state, making the fact that the Bassin de La Villette is now clean enough for people to soak in an event worth celebrating. While the pools will be dismantled at the end of the season, it is hoped they'll return next year. Paris has further plans to open up its waterways, including in the Daumesnil lake in the Bois de Vincennes on the eastern side of the city, as well as part of its 2024 Olympics bid. In Australia, similar plans have been mooted for Melbourne and Brisbane, although neither have come to fruition yet. Via The Local / The Guardian. Image: Jmpoirier1
Wearable technologies seem to be at a bit of an impasse. We vaguely recognise that they're the way forward but haven't quite got the design down. Do we want to draw pictures in the air with a ring a la Minority Report, or are we actually going to embrace the clunky computer-faced chic of Google Glass? Presumably neither. New technologies always start in the dorkiest way possible. But with Google's latest release of Android Wear — and, more specifically, a smartwatch that isn't at all ugly — the future of wearable technologies is looking a little more bright. Android Wear is basically a wrist-sized version of Google's already released Now software. The service, which is surely putting actual personal assistants out of business, is a nifty little program that self-organises information from your email, calendar, maps and apps to create appropriately timed reminders and messages on your smartphone. Yes, it's got that familiar brand of Skynet creepiness, but it sure is helpful all the same. As a smartwatch, this service appears a lot less intrusive. There won't be a million windows popping up on your phone and the miniaturised, clean aesthetic allows for brevity and concision. Also, as the video shows, you now have the opportunity to say "OK Google" into your wrist like a freakin' special agent. The watches are set to be released by Motorola and LG sometime in the next few months so keep an ear out for the no-doubt exorbitant prices and stockists. A bit further down the track, the plan is to team up with fashion labels, starting with Fossil, to produce watches fitted with the operating system. Via The Verge.
If you're a Brisbanite who was looking forward to the local debut of music festival Heaps Good, you won't find your dreams coming true this summer, sadly. After announcing that the event was heading to the River City and unveiling the lineup, the fest no longer mentions its Sandstone Point plans on its website, in its ticketing or via its social media. Still keen to see Foals and The Avalanches, plus Declan McKenna, SBTRKT and more, in Brissie? Secret Sounds, which is behind Heaps Good, has revealed that they'll all be playing Fortitude Music Hall in January instead as part of two big days of tunes at the Brunswick Street venue. These gigs don't have a special moniker, but will see a heap of musicians take to the stage on Tuesday, January 2 and Wednesday, January 3. If you'd like to get dancing on the second day of 2024, you'll have Foals, McKenna, Griff, Sycco and Felony providing the soundtrack. Prefer to liven up the first hump day of the new year? The Avalanches, SBTRKT, Holly Humberstone, MAY-A and Logan have you covered. [caption id="attachment_804365" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grant Spanier[/caption] The big name missing from the bill from Heaps Good's lineup is Flume, who isn't part of these two new events. The Australian favourite was always only playing the fest with no sideshows — but so are Foals and The Avalanches down south. One of several Secret Sounds festivals alongside Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival, Spilt Milk and Harvest Rock, Heaps Good debuted in January 2023 in Adelaide, with Melbourne and Brisbane then locked in for its second year. While Queensland has dropped off the list, the fest is still hosting dates in the South Australian and Victorian capitals to see out 2023 and welcome in 2024. SECRET SOUNDS JANUARY 2024 FORTITUDE MUSIC HALL LINEUPS: TUESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2024: Foals Declan McKenna Griff Sycco Felony WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2024: The Avalanches SBTRKT Holly Humberstone MAY-A Logan Top image: Rashidi Noah.
For some, friendly banter with whoever happens to be behind a car's wheel is a regular part of booking a ride. For others, the obligatory bout of awkward conversation with the driver is the most dreaded part of the trip. Or, maybe you're just having a bad day and don't feel like chatting. Perhaps you're usually happy to talk away, but you're stressed, have too much on your mind, and have emails to check while you're getting from point A to point B. Whether you like a good chinwag with your driver or prefer riding in silence, Uber has introduced a new feature that lets customers choose their level of conversation. It's called quiet mode, and it gives riders three options — 'quiet preferred', 'happy to chat' and 'no preference' — when booking a trip. The catch: it's only available for Uber Black customers, and it has currently only launched in the US. According to the Uber website, the ridesharing service's premium offering has also added a suite of other 'enhanced features', including asking for help with your luggage, requesting a specific temperature within the car, giving passengers a bit of extra time to make their way to the vehicle, and offering a consistent kind of ride in terms of car models, makes, interiors and exteriors. While there's no word on if or when the features will be rolled out beyond America — or if any will be adopted by regular Uber — there is obviously already option for folks who'd like to get across town without natter. It's certainly a sign of the times that ordering a conversation (or lack thereof) can now be done at the touch of a button, rather than in person. That said, pre-selecting quiet mode will stop the dreaded, always uncomfortable "I don't feel like chatting" convo before the uncomfortable silence, as well as awkward small talk.
Already one of the most scenic areas in Australia, the Whitsundays are about to give visitors something else to look at — an installation of underwater and inter-tidal art. As part of the Whitsundays Reef Recovery and Public Art Project, six artists will create six artworks that'll sit beneath the sea, with tourists and locals able to snorkel and dive around them from the end of 2019. Selected from 73 expressions of interest, Brian Robinson, Adriaan Vanderlugt and Col Henry will create their pieces individually, while Caitlin Reilly, Jessa Lloyd and Kate Ford, from the Arts Based Collective, will work together. And although everyone will have to wait a year to enjoy the underwater creations at Langford Reef, some of the artworks will be designed with a dual purpose. As Lloyd explains, Arts Based Collective's contribution — called Anthozoa — "not only performs aesthetically in its sculptural form, but importantly doubles as a site for reef restoration. As the underwater form matures, visitors snorkelling and diving the site will see a sculpture festooned with a myriad of coral species, tentacles encrusted with soft and hard corals, marine animals sheltering in and peeking from small holes." Other pieces include a turtle, manta rays, Maori wrasse, coral polyp and an indigenous sculpture, 'Bwya', that contains 12 local species of fish and sharks. Made out of concrete, stainless steel and aluminium, they'll be placed in spots accessible to snorkelers and scuba divers. Although they'll vary in size, the largest sculpture will span six metres in length. The announcement follows a trial that began at the beginning of August, marking the first sculptures to ever be placed in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Local artist Vanderlugt earned those honours, with four of his sculptures placed near Langford Reef — including a fish, a nudibranch (aka a type of mollusc) and a crab that ranged up to 1.8 metres long, and weighed around 300 kilograms. Other than celebrating creativity, the Whitsundays Reef Recovery and Public Art Project aims give the region a new attraction, unsurprisingly. "This artwork will provide a new experience for people travelling to the Whitsundays and will help the marine tourism industry recover after Cyclone Debbie," said Queensland Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones in a statement earlier this year. "Around the world — from the Caribbean, to the Maldives, Spain, Bali and Australia's west coast — underwater art has been used to lure visitors." Images: Tourism Whitsundays / Lauren Vadnjal.
This week has really shown we need to chill out about our phones. Demand for the iPhone 6 has created endurance-testing queues outside every Apple store in the country. People are bartering, arguing and crying; one woman nearly got arrested. This obsession is even starting to find its way into legit infrastructure — China introduced a footpath exclusively for people on their phones. We clearly have a problem. Now, a group of friends from New York have come up with the perfect solution. Currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, the NoPhone is a "technology-free alternative" to the new iPhone. Putting an end to our obsession with rudely 'gramming our meal at dinner or Facebooking mid-conversation with someone, the NoPhone doesn't have internet capabilities. In fact, it doesn't work as a phone either. It's just a block of plastic. "With a thin, light and completely wireless design, the NoPhone acts as a surrogate to any smart mobile device," the KickStarter reads. "[Now you can] always have a rectangle of smooth, cold plastic to clutch without forgoing any potential engagement with your direct environment. Never again experience the unsettling feeling of flesh on flesh when closing your hand." Despite launching as a satirical statement about our relationship with technology, in the past week the NoPhone has amassed some serious backers. So far, the project has received nearly US$6,000 in proposed funding and there are still 21 more days to go. One supporter of the project has even made a request for a NoPad. Really, it makes sense. The NoPhone is the first phone to be both completely waterproof and free to run. No hiked up data charges, no extra cost for international calls — it's the dream. It even offers an optional selfie upgrade. "Enjoy sending yourself selfies in real-time. Share selfies with your friends if they’re standing behind you. Add a verbal hashtag by syncing your brain and vocal cords." Despite the surprising popularity (and our absolute love) of the idea, it might be some time before NoPhones actually hit the stands. The proposed funding goal is set at a whopping US$30,000. If you'd like to get in on the ground floor of this stunning investment, pledge some funds over here. The handset will set you back US$12 plus shipping. Alternatively, you could just stop being a douche and put down your iPhone every once in a while.
If you want to catch a bus, train, tram or ferry in Sydney, the Opal card has been the main way to pay for your trip for a while now. But that's about to change — for some commuters, at least. After News Corp reported the impending demise of Australia's transport ticketing cards back in January, Transport for NSW has announced that, from today, contactless card payments — and devices that have the service enabled — will be available on ferries and light rail services. Yep, you can leave your Opal in your wallet/on your desk/down the side of the couch — with this new technology, you can just tap your card or device (Visa, Mastercard and American Express are all accepted) right onto the regular Opal scanners. Doing this will charge you for an Adult Opal single trip ticket — so if you have a concession, you might want to stick with a regular Opal card for now. Plus, using your card won't cap your fare when you travel multiple times in a day or week. Nonetheless, it's a welcome leap in technology — and one that was always going to happen at some point soon. Moving away from dedicated transport cards — or adding other payment options — will make things easier for tourists and travellers (and people who, god forbid, leave their Opal at home), who shouldn't have to buy a new piece of plastic just to catch a bus or train (or pay extra for a paper ticket if they don't) when they're visiting. However, if we're moving towards a contactless future, ensuring the new system remains accessible for anyone that doesn't have a smartphone, smartwatch or bank card remains a concern. So what about the other cities? Melburnians can expect to scan on with a credit or debit card in trials due to start this year, focusing on Routes 11, 86 or 96, according to The Sunday Herald Sun. And in Brisbane, The Sunday Mail reports that a trial will commence either later in 2018 or sometime in early 2019, starting with the Airtrain.
With the 89th Academy Awards here again, we're at once proud and legally hesitant to again bring you Concrete Playground's Annual Oscars Drinking Game. Play by the rules, and by the time the Best Visual Editing in a Foreign Animated Short Documentary category comes around*, you'll be dancing on tables better than Gosling and Stone could ever dream of. As always, Concrete Playground encourages both the responsible consumption of alcohol, and the soonest-possible-end to all reboots of movies that were fine the first time round. Read up on our predictions and settle in for a big Monday afternoon. ONE SIP (EVERGREEN OSCAR STAPLES) Anyone makes a President Trump joke. Jack Nicholson wears sunglasses. Diane Keaton wears gloves. Harrison Ford wears an earring. Jennifer Lawrence does something adorably "real" (three sips if it's a fashion mishap). Leo brings his mother as his date. Winner thanks God or Jesus. Winner's speech is played off by the orchestra. Winner pays tribute to his/her extraordinary fellow nominees. Winner describes his/her film as "important". Winner describes his/her film's director as "a genius" and/or "visionary". TWO SIPS (THE OSCARS ARE PREDICTABLE) Anyone makes an almost-President Hilary joke. Kimmel jokes that one day, thanks to advances in technology, translators like Amy Adams' character in Arrival might be able to decipher some sort of intelligence from President Trump's tweets. Whenever you catch yourself humming 'City of Stars' after it's performed during the ceremony. When the cast and crew of La La Land are invited to look under their seats to find a complimentary Oscar already taped to the bottom. Whenever Ben Affleck smiles, but remains dead behind those cold, joyless eyes. Nicole Kidman rocks up with her hair in the killer '80s 'do from Lion. The Manchester By The Sea video package depresses everyone so profoundly they all just pack up and go home. Nobody can figure out how to remove the default nominee settings of 'Steven Spielberg' or 'John Williams' from the teleprompter, so both men are named as contenders for Best Supporting Actress (three sips if one of them wins). Whilst presenting an award, DiCaprio plays it all cool as if Oscars don't really matter anyway. Alicia Vikander offers words of inspiration to all nominees from the Best Actress category by proving you can win for drama and finally graduate to playing Lara Croft like you always dreamed of. THREE SIPS (IF MOVIE STARS WERE INTERESTING PEOPLE) Anyone makes a President Nixon joke. Trump actually does tweet about the Oscars while they're happening. Meryl Streep turns up with a band of sherpas carrying all her previous Academy Awards. Dev Patel wins Best Supporting Actor and immediately does a flawless impersonation of whoever presents him with the award. A congratulatory kiss or embrace from the presenter "gets awkward". You've actually seen one of the nominees for Documentary Short Subject. Lady Gaga abseils onto stage for no apparent reason and hangs suspended for the remainder of the evening. Suicide Squad wins for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, resulting in a world-ending vortex as soon as the first person utters the words: "Academy Award-Winning Film Suicide Squad". FINISH YOUR DRINK (WOULD BE TREMENDOUS) Anyone makes a President Martin Van Buren joke. I Am Not Your Negro wins Best Documentary (Feature), but never receives the award after the progressive white presenter doesn't know if it's okay to say the title aloud. After winning the Best Actress award for Jackie, Natalie Portman jokes about 'a more preferable Presidential assassination' and is promptly taken down by the Secret Service. Someone forgets to thank Harvey Weinstein, so he summons a 50-foot demon and begins stealing the souls of everyone present. To prove he's no longer an anti-Semite, Mel Gibson instead goes on a tirade about Sentinelese tribesmen. * If at any stage you believe this is actually a legitimate category, put the drinks down — you've played hard enough. Tom Glasson is one of Concrete Playground's senior film writers and a regular Oscars Drinking Game participant. You can read his reviews here, here and here.
If you live or work in Brisbane's inner west, or have a trip to the western suburbs in your afternoon plans, read this first. The Queensland Police Service is responding to an incident along the Auchenflower stretch of Coronation Drive, and have closed the road. It's also advising Brisbanites to avoid the area. QPS has made an emergency declaration for the affected spot, which has been in place since shortly after midday. It encompasses every block between Coronation Drive, Lang Parade, Dunmore Terrace and Chasely Street, as well as the the section of Coro Drive that extends down to Land Street — which includes the Wesley Hospital, Moorlands Park and a hefty number of both office and residential buildings. [caption id="attachment_700346" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Queensland Police Service[/caption] As a result, Coro Drive is closed to all motorists. Translink has advised that buses that usually head along that part of the road are taking a detour, with services diverting past three stops between Chasely Street and Cribb Street. CityCats have also been suspended between the Milton and Regatta ferry terminals, and the Riverwalk is closed as well. AUCHENFLOWER: Coronation Drive remains closed to all motorists while police respond to an ongoing incident. The Brisbane River and River Walk are also blocked at this time. pic.twitter.com/HhnvxkjtYs — Queensland Police (@QldPolice) December 3, 2018 QPS has confirmed that two armed men have been seen in the area, although no shots have been fired. Their investigation is ongoing, and according to Brisbane Times, the police believe that the men are in an apartment biding within the cordoned-off area. AUCHENFLOWER: Coronation Drive remains closed to all motorists while police respond to an ongoing incident. The Brisbane River and River Walk are also blocked at this time. pic.twitter.com/HhnvxkjtYs — Queensland Police (@QldPolice) December 3, 2018 With Milton Road is the obvious detour route, anyone heading that way by car or bus can expect delays along the notoriously busy thoroughfare. Catching trains west is likely your best option — as is keeping an eye on Translink and Queensland Police for further details. Image: Wikimedia Commons.
Nature documentaries rarely simply spy the earth's wonders, point cameras that way and let the planet itself do the talking. Instead, films such as 2017's The Ancient Woods are by far the exception rather than the rule. And yet, the best footage within any movie about our pale blue dot makes viewers wish that more favoured the "a picture is worth a thousand words" approach. Take The Giants, for instance. When it includes talk, which is often, it's no lesser a feature. The conversation and commentary offered is illuminating, in fact. But when it wanders through Tasmania's colossal foliage within the Styx Valley, Southern Forests and the Tarkine, which is also regularly, it feels like it barely needs to utter a single thing. This isn't merely a factual affair about flora, with environmental campaigner and pioneering former Greens senator Bob Brown firmly at its core, but The Giants knows that paying tribute to both is best done by staring at leafy surroundings as much as it can. It's no everyday feat to get a movie-watching audience admiring the natural world while peering at a screen, even if the frequency with which David Attenborough's docos arrive has helped everyone both think and expect otherwise. Indeed, notching up that achievement is a mammoth accomplishment on the part of The Giants' filmmakers Laurence Billiet (Freeman) and Rachel Antony, plus cinematographer Sherwin Akbarzadeh (Carbon — The Unauthorised Biography). Crucially, it assists what was always going to be a fascinating ode to bloom as much as any plant that it waters with attention. When you're crafting a documentary that intertwines a love letter to Australia's ancient native forests and their ecosystems with a powerful portrait of a hefty figure who has devoted much of his life to fighting for them, showing all the green splendour it possibly can is equally a must and a masterstroke. A doctor who turned politician after first establishing roots in Tasmania's environmental movement in the 70s, Brown has spent many of his years either around or battling for The Giants' woody namesakes. The film tells that tale, plus more before it, deploying the familiar birth-to-now doco format. Thanks to its human subject, aka the movie's other giant, it's a greatly inspiring story — one that on its own, assembling the usual archival photos, news clips, home videos and talking heads, is a hearty piece of motivation to follow in Brown's activist footsteps. As an interviewee, he adds insights about his experiences, dreams and goals, and the way that Australia's lavish landscape has been treated. Among those joining him: his twin sister Jan, partner Paul Thomas, successor as Greens leader Christine Milne and current Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. Brown was born to a family of police officers, but enforcing the law wasn't his calling, as The Giants steps through. His closeness with his mother also earns the spotlight, as does the way that nature provided solace and excitement from his early years onwards. The decision to study medicine, his struggles with his homosexuality, his shift to Australia's southernmost state, the first sprouts of his passionate crusading and his move into politics are all covered, as are his stint fasting on top of Mt Wellington to protest the nuclear-powered USS Enterprise sailing into Hobart, the jump to the federal level and interrupting US President George W Bush's 2003 speech to Australian parliament. There's no surprise that the film needs 112 minutes to fit all of the above in and more, like Brown's status as the first out gay man in parliament, and also to highlight the breathtaking beauty that's been Australia's for millennia. On-screen as in away from the cinema, don't ever underestimate the impact that trees can and do make. Here, in a picture that starts with 100-metre-tall eucalypts regnans that dwarf dinosaurs, and similarly heroes Huon pines and Tasmanian myrtle beech, majestic rainforests and the gargantuan plants within them make a rousing and riveting documentary even better. The arresting imagery would bring to mind Peter Dombrovskis' famous photography of the Apple Isle's Franklin River — specifically Rock Island Bend, as captured in a snap that's widely credited with saving the waterway — even if it wasn't given a shoutout. Courtesy of the University of Tasmania's Terra Luma research project, 3D forest scans dazzle as well, as turned into surreal and striking cloud animation by Alex Le Guillou. As much as roving one's eyes over the wilderness speaks for itself, The Giants gets chatting to deepen viewers' understanding of nature's marvels. Accordingly, an appreciation of algae and mushrooms also springs — 2023 is the unofficial year of the fungus on screens big and small, after all, given that it's a year that's seen both The Last of Us and The Super Mario Bros Movie become hits. Regardless of how popular spore-producing organisms are in pop culture right now, knowledge about their pivotal function is a call to act within Billiet and Antony's film. The Giants also gleans that explaining what's threatened by logging, damming and climate change, especially while showing it in intricate and impressive detail, is a stirring way to encourage viewers to do their part for the cause. It's one thing to ask people to make an effort to make a difference when the movie stops rolling, whatever their personal version of facing deforestation, bulldozers, expansive mining operations and the like is. It's another to demonstrate that playing a part for the planet can and does bring about change, as Brown's life story epitomises. He has the right words to stress the case as well, whether he's noting that "there is nothing a small group of people can't do when the idea they're espousing's time has come" or championing civil disobedience as obedience to nature — and, yes, aiding with justifying why the film isn't solely gorgeous shots of tremendous trees. The Giants has the right overview of his five-decade impact to go with it, alongside all that wondrous forest footage that says everything, including that the living world in the 21st century always needs all the help that it can make blossom.
It's time to start practising your alphabets, folks, because The Jacksons and Village People are heading Down Under for a huge classic R&B-filled concert touring the country. It was announced earlier this year that the start-studded lineup would be kicking of Sydney's new Summer series, and now it's been revealed that it'll also be heading to Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Perth. The concert will be headlined by rock 'n' roll royalty The Jacksons, who are set to make their first Aussie appearance in five years, with four of the original crew — Jermaine, Jackie, Tito and Marlon. They'll be dishing up hits like 'ABC', 'Blame It On The Boogie' and 'Can You Feel It'. The four will be joined on stage by acclaimed artists Kool & The Gang, tapping into a back catalogue of tunes like 'Cherish', 'Celebration' and 'Jungle Boogie', as well as disco kings Village People, unleashing iconic songs like 'YMCA', 'Macho Man' and 'Go West'. California R&B trio The Pointer Sisters are also coming along for the ride, with Sister Sledge and Sounds of The Supremes rounding out that huge serve of old-school disco magic. They'll mostly be playing under the stars, embracing summer at some of the country's best al fresco venues. 2019 DATES Brisbane — Sandstone Point Hotel, January 13 Gold Coast — Gold Coast Convention Centre, January 15 Melbourne — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, January 16 Perth — Sandalford Winery, January 19 Tickets go on sale at 10am, Thursday, October 18 at mjrpresents.com.
Confirming one of our predicted food trends for 2015, it seems chefs and restaurateurs worldwide want to get out of their own kitchens and test their wares in another. Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck flew over to Melbourne last year, the Rook and Black Pearl exchanged places last year, and now Denmark's Noma has popped up in Tokyo. Open for five weeks at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Tokyo, the pop-up Noma restaurant will be run off its feet until February 14. Heralded the world's number one restaurant for four years running, Rene Redzepi's Noma obviously isn't the cheapest pop-up you've ever heard of — $420 per person for lunch or dinner. But as Good Food pointed out, 6500 tickets were sold out within hours of release and there are no less than 60,000 people on the waiting list. Yep, 60,000 individual people. Taking over the space usually housing the Mandarin Oriental's 37th-floor Signature Restaurant, Noma has gutted and refitted the space with elegant, natural (and considerably more permanent-looking than your usual pop-up) designs by Danish firm Carl Hansen & Son. We're talking super exxy oak tables and serving crockery embellished by local Japanese artisans. But it's not just Noma bells and whistles in the space — the whole Noma team has been flown in, a whole 77 people including Coffs Harbour-raised souf chef Beau Clugston, Adelaide restaurant manager James Spreadbury and Sydney team leader Katherine Bont, and Noma's long-suffering and mysterious dishwasher. So, the living-vicariously details you've been waiting for — what's on the menu? Redzepi told GF he'd be straying from the usual Noma menu. Having visited Japan multiple times on reconnaissance over the last year, Redzepi and research and development chefs Lars Williams and Thomas Frebel have devised 16 dishes to be served over three hours. Not for the faint-hearted (or squeamish vegetarian), the degustation even features a whole roasted wild duck dissected at the table and served with a matsubusa berry sauce. Here's a menu sampler: Assorted Japanese citrus and long pepper Shaved monkfish liver Just-steamed tofu with wild walnuts Sea urchin, maitake mushroom and cabbage Scallop dried for two days, beech nuts and kelp Hyokkori pumpkin, cherrywood oil, salted cherry blossom Garlic flower origami Sweet potato simmered in raw sugar all day Fermented shiitake mushroom in dark chocolate Noma pops up in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Tokyo until February 14. Tickets are unbelievably, undeniably, don't-even-think-about-it sold out. But we can dream. Via Good Food. Images: cyclonebill cc.
If you are keen to kick off the New Year with a party, make Summafieldayze your destination. The team behind the 2013 edition of the dance/electro/hip-hop festival are going all out to make sure that this year starts with a bang. They have amassed a credible line-up of party starting artists that will get people bouncing, swaying and sweating all day long. Acts like The Chemical Brothers, M.I.A, Hot Chip, SBTRKT, Mark Ronson, Kimbra, Fedde Le Grand and heaps more will be playing to thousands of revellers at Doug Jennings Park at Main Beach. If your new years resolution is to have more fun, this should be the place where you put that plan into action.
If you feel like Melbourne's getting busier and busier, well, you're not just becoming a grumpy ol' adult. New numbers from the Australian Bureau of Statistics have revealed that the city's had the largest and fastest population growth in the whole country. Having welcomed more than 125,000 extra people between June 2016 and July 2017, Melbourne's now looking at hitting the five million resident mark before the end of 2018. By comparison, Sydney grew by 100,000 people, which has brought its population up to 5.1 million. The ABS found that the increase in population is largely due to migration, with 80,000 foreigners making up 64 percent of the Melbourne's recent growth in 2016–17, and seven percent attributed to people moving interstate. It you average it all out, there's around 350 people moving to the city each day, with Cranbourne East booming larger than any other Aussie suburb. Interestingly, Sydney lost more people to other parts of Australia than it gained. Population growth is mainly concentrated in the three major east coast cities — Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane — though, as Perth, Darwin and Adelaide all saw no more than one percent growth. The revelations have prompted calls for improved infrastructure and public transport across the city — some of which is already underway, but really can't come soon enough.
Popping up might be all the rage at the moment, but Londoners are on their way to developing an appetite for Popping Down. Soon, their city will see a new underground public space, with a disused tunnel being transformed into a subterranean walkway, lined with urban mushroom patches. Last year, the Landscape Institute, in conjunction with the Green Museum and the Mayor of London, ran the High Line for London Competition, an open call for ideas for green infrastructure. According to the contest guidelines, submissions did not need to "be constrained by any restrictions such as current planning law, land ownership, budgets or health and safety issues". Of the 170 entrants, Fletcher Priest Architects came out on top. The tunnel central to their plan is known as the 'mail rail' and runs under Oxford Street. Posties once used it to enable speedy delivery of letters and parcels between Paddington and Whitechapel, avoiding London's over-crowded streets. Pedestrians will enter and exit 'Pop Down' at street level. Above ground, a sequence of glass-fibre mushroom sculptures will delineate the passageway, simultaneously letting in controlled amounts of light, to be supplemented by interior fibre optics. What's more, there'll be a chance to sample some subterranean goodness, with pop-up 'fungi' cafes at the tunnel's entrances sourcing their produce from below. The competition was inspired by New York City's 'High Line', a public park constructed on an abandoned freight train railway elevated above Manhattan's West Side. In winning, Fletcher Priest beat a 20-strong shortlist of impressively creative rivals. The runner-up was Y/N Studio, with its 'Lido Line' plan, which would have seen the construction of a clean basin in the Regent's Canal, enabling water babies to swim to and from work.
Early in Phoenix, Nelly (Nina Hoss) wakes up after facial reconstruction surgery and follows another bandaged woman into an office. There, she spots a noticeboard featuring a few photos from her past — and discovers that she's not only trailing someone in a hallway, but confronting the ghost of her former self. Yes, the film tells a tale of duality and doppelgangers, but it's not quite what that description might lead you to expect. Set amidst the rubble of post-war Berlin, it is haunted by the difficulties of moving forward when the past remains ever-present. Of course, getting a makeover, righting previous wrongs, seeking revenge and starting life anew are all familiar film tropes. Luckily, there's little that's routine or commonplace about the way writer-director Christian Petzold and his frequent co-scribe Harun Farocki bring Hubert Monteilhet's 1961 detective novel The Return from the Ashes to the screen. Their effort is part atmospheric drama, part slow-burning thriller. Phoenix is composed and compelling, rather than pulpy or clichéd. In other hands, it might've been exaggerated and cheesy; here, it's understated and moving. WWII is over and cabaret singer Nelly has survived not just a German concentration camp but a bullet to the head, though her nearest and dearest — including her husband Johnny (Ronald Zehrfeld), who might've sold her out to the Nazis — think otherwise. Despite her friend Lene (Nina Kunzendorf) urging her to escape her troubles and move to Palestine, Nina is determined to return home. Alas, when husband and wife cross paths at the nightclub that gives the film its name, Johnny doesn't recognise her; instead, he thinks she merely resembles Nelly, and asks for her assistance in obtaining his wife's hefty inheritance. Forget Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, and Wes Anderson and Bill Murray: Petzold and Hoss are this generation's quintessential director-star duo. Here they reteam for their sixth film together and once again make movie magic, conjuring up strong reminders of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo in the process. His choices — the smoke and shadows that linger around Nelly, the repeated sounds of the song 'Speak Low', the gradual build to a quietly powerful ending — are masterful. Her performance — conveying so much conflict with little more than a look or a gesture — is equally as commanding. Indeed, taking your eyes off of Hoss proves close to impossible, though Phoenix is a polished affair all round. Zehrfeld, who also co-starred in Petzold and Hoss' last pairing, Barbara, is equally hypnotic in a far less sympathetic but just as complicated role. Together, they help convey two sides of a nation struggling with its identity in the aftermath of a great tragedy — a recurrent topic for Petzold. That's not a cause for concern; his characters might be toying with the past, but his layered, lingering film does much, much more than just recreate his former glories.
It's happening a month later than last planned, but holidays in Western Australia are finally back on the agenda effective Thursday, March 3. And if you live in WA, getaways somewhere other than your home state will become an easy possibility again as well, with Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan locking in a new border reopening date. There's more than a little deja vu to this announcement, given that Western Australian Government set a February 5 date back in December 2021, then suspended those plans indefinitely due to the Omicron wave elsewhere in the country. But now there's a new firm date, with the Premier revealing the news on Friday, February 18. Consider it a late new year's gift, a chance to see friends and family, or — for folks now keen to head west ASAP — an excuse to visit WA's newly minted best Australian beach for 2022. When the borders reopen, the state will adopt its updated safe transition plan that'll allow travellers from other states and overseas destinations to visit again. And yes, the reopening will apply to both WA's domestic and international borders. Today we announced the new date for WA's full border opening – and it's worth talking through how we got here. Four weeks ago, on January 20, we took the difficult decision to delay Western Australia's full border opening. pic.twitter.com/zEpV2tQRoR — Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) February 18, 2022 There'll be different rules in place depending on where you're entering from; however, you'll need to be triple-vaccinated to enter from interstate, also undertake a rapid antigen test upon arrival, and have one of WA's G2G passes registered. For those making the journey from an international location, there'll be no quarantine for vaccinated arrivals — and the same testing requirements will be in place for both domestic and overseas travellers. If you're unvaxxed, you'll still need to go into hotel quarantine for seven days. The border news comes as WA's COVID-19 case numbers have been rising — 194 local cases were reported on the same day as the announcement — with the Premier advising that "we held back Omicron as much as we could". "There comes a point where the border is redundant, because we'll already have the growth of cases here, having the border is no longer effective," McGowan also noted. Effective Monday, February 21, WA also brought in a range of new public health and social measures for the Perth, Peel, South West, Wheatbelt, Great Southern and Pilbara regions, limiting at-home gatherings and venue capacities, and requiring COVID-19 safety checklists or plans for events with more than 500 people. The mask mandate for indoor settings was also extended to apply statewide. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Western Australia, and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub. Top image: Tourism Western Australia.
If there is one band in the Brisbane music scene that you can point to and say, “They are doing great things,” that band is Go Violets. Seriously, no other band is on a greater upward trajectory. They’ve played BIGSOUND, they’ve played numerous gigs in support and on their own and pretty soon they’ll be earning a spot of their own on the Brunswick Mall Walk-Of-Fame. After the success that was their previous single, ‘Teenager’, (and their appearance on the great new Jeremy Neale track, ‘In Stranger Times’) Go Violets are back with their latest offering, ‘Josie’. Recorded and produced by Sean Cook (Yves Klein Blue), Josie is a great new track from a great young band. Start paying attention now so you can say you were there in the beginning; they’ll be big before you know it.
Whether you first heard about it on Wondery's Dr Death podcast, from the recent streaming drama of the same name or by reading the news, the tale of Christopher Duntsch conjures up all the terrors of a horror movie. As it should, given that the neurosurgeon is currently imprisoned for life after maiming and harming some patients, and killing others. In total, 33 people who went under his knife for spinal surgeries in the Dallas, Texas area during the early 2010s found their lives forever changed — or, in some cases, lost. Thanks to the aforementioned dramatisation, which stars Joshua Jackson (Little Fires Everywhere) as Duntsch, these chilling events have been getting plenty of attention recently. You've probably spent some time this month binge-watching it, and been creeped out — again, rightly so — the whole way. And if you're now eager to find out more about this horrific case (not that 'eager' is really the right word when it comes to this kind of nightmare fuel), you can check out new docuseries Dr Death: The Undoctored Story. Stan, which is also streaming Dr Death, will drop the four-part true-crime documentary on Friday, July 30. Obviously, if you've already watched the former, you'll already know some of the details covered by the latter; however, you'll also get to see some of the real-life figures involved chat about the story. On the interviewee list: the real-life Dr Robert Henderson, Dr Randall Kirby and Michelle Shughart. In the scripted series, the trio were played by Alec Baldwin (Pixie), Christian Slater (Dirty John) and AnnaSophia Robb (Words on Bathroom Walls), respectively. Dr Death: The Undoctored Story also features chats with Jerry Summers, the best friend that Duntsch's paralysed in surgery, and Wendy Young, his ex-girlfriend and mother of his two sons — as well as with other former colleagues, patients and lawyers from the trial. Obviously given the details, this won't make for feel-good viewing, but it will let you dive deeper into this shocking tale. Check out the trailer below: Dr Death: The Undoctored Story will be available to stream via Stan from Friday, July 30.
Whenever a new Ghostbusters movie reaches screens — which has been happening pretty frequently of late — we all want a few key things. We want ghosts to be busted, obviously. We want a goofily comedic vibe that suits the premise, of course. And, getting into the spirit of the franchise's theme song, we want this stint of bustin' to make us feel good. These days, with the series almost reaching 40 years old, we must want nostalgia, too. That's what Ghostbusters: Afterlife promises to serve up, at least. In this threequel — which seems to ignore the fact that a great recent Ghostbusters film already exists, thanks to Paul Feig's wrongly maligned all-female version from 2016 — there's something strange in the town of Summerville. So, a group of kids are calling upon themselves to bust it, in a movie that swaps New York for Oklahoma and grown men (and women) for children, and jumps firmly on the Stranger Things-led 80s nostalgia bandwagon in the process. Whether siblings Phoebe (Annabelle Comes Home's McKenna Grace) and Trevor (Stranger Things' Finn Wolfhard) are seeing things runnin' through their heads or they'll catch an invisible man sleepin' in their beds is yet to be gleaned, but both the film's first trailer and its just-dropped new sneak peek lay out the basics of Ghostbusters: Afterlife's plot. The central duo has moved to the isolated locale with their mother (The Nest's Carrie Coon), and into a rundown old house they've inherited from their grandfather. It's filled with ghost traps, containers of spores, mould and fungus, beige jumpsuits emblazoned with the name 'Spengler' and a recognisable car — which is going to come in handy when the ground starts shaking for no reason, a mysterious green light begins to glow, ghosts suddenly walk the earth and tiny marshmallow men scamper around supermarket shelves. Yes, even just from the trailer, there's plenty that's familiar about this latest addition to the Ghostbusters saga — including a few faces making a return from the original flick. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts are all set to reprise their roles; however, Harold Ramis, aka Spengler, passed away in 2014. The new Afterlife trailer is filled with other nods to the first two films, with writer/director Jason Reitman (Tully, The Front Runner) making both obvious and subtle references to the movies originally directed by his dad Ivan Reitman. This time around, Paul Rudd also stars as teacher Mr Grooberson, who schools the kids in Ghostbusters lore — because this is a direct sequel to the original 1984 Ghostbusters and its 1989 follow-up Ghostbusters II. Check out the trailer below: Ghostbusters: Afterlife will open in Australian cinemas on December 2, 2021.
The great American poet Walt Whitman has a poem called 'Splendour in the Grass'. It's about the fleeting nature of youth, and the pain and suffering of old age, and the acknowledgement that all good things must pass. What though the radiance which was once so bright Be now for ever taken from my sight, Though nothing can bring back the hour Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower, We will grieve not, rather find Strength in what remains behind; In the primal sympathy Which having been must ever be; In the soothing thoughts that spring Out of human suffering; In the faith that looks through death, In years that bring the philosophic mind. Unlike old Walt, though, our hour of Splendour in the Grass is only just beginning. And there's sure to be a little somethin-somethin for everyone, with Frank Ocean headlining, festival favourites like Of Monsters and Men, Mumford & Sons, a topnotch Aussie contingent (including You Am I performing their classic albums, Hi-Fi Way and Sound As Ever in full!), exciting newcomers like Haim and Fidlar. And when you add to that Polyphonic Spree performing The Rocky Horror Picture Show, you just know this is going to sell out faster than you can say 'It's just a jump to the left'. Here's the lineup in full: Mumford & Sons (Only Aus show) Frank Ocean The National (Only Aus show) Of Monsters & Men Empire of the Sun Bernard Fanning The Presets TV on the Radio (Only Aus show) Klaxons Flume Babyshambles Passion Pit Birds of Tokyo James Blake Architecture in Helsinki Laura Marling Matt Corby Drapht Mystery Band Flight Facilities Polyphonic Spree (Performing Rocky Horror Picture Show) Boy & Bear Fat Freddy's Drop Cold War Kids The Rubens Sarah Blasko Darwin Deez You Am I (Performing Sound As Ever & Hi-Fi Way) Hermitude Haim Airbourne The Drones Ms Mr Gurrumul Everything Everything Clairy Browne & The Bangin' Rackettes Cloud Control Portugal. The Man Daughter Something For Kate Wavves Chet Faker Snakadaktal Robert Delong Unknown Mortal Orchestra Whitley Fidlar Jake Bugg The Bamboos Surfer Blood Deap Vally Palma Violets Alpine Little Green Cars Vance Joy Jagwar Ma Villagers Violent Soho Dune Rats PVT The Jungle Giants Cub Scouts Art of Sleeping The Growl Twinsy The Chemist Songs Mitzi Splendour takes place from July 26-28, 2013, at North Byron Parklands, Byron Bay (its permanent home), and get ready to pounce on www.moshtix.com.au when tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday, May 2. With this calibre of acts, there's no reason for misplaced excitement, a la these fans (of nonexistent bands) caught out at Coachella. https://youtube.com/watch?v=W_IzYUJANfk
Since setting up at 10 Neild Avenue late last year, "total food hub" Rushcutters has established itself as a genuine champion of fresh, seasonal produce and community spirit. Head honcho Martin Boetz (ex-Longrain) has been keeping inner city diners connected with the country through immersive techniques: an all-day menu, workshops, produce markets and cooking classes. Most of the ingredients involved come direct from Boetz’s Sackville-based Cooks Co-Op Farm, just 50 km from the big smoke. And now? Farmer’s Feast Dinners at just $25 a head. On the last Tuesday of every month, Rushcutters will put a handpicked selection of its favourite local producers and artisans on display. Diners will have the chance to meet the faces behind their dinner plates while enjoying a tasty, seasonally-designed meal. Prepared with seasonal, local produce, the Farmer's Feast menu features braised venison with beetroot and horseradish, brought to the table with a butter mash from Pepe Saya and Valhalla organic wine. The reasonable $25 cover includes a glass of vino, matched by the Keystone Group’s sommelier Sarah Limacher. First cab off the rank is Tim Hansen of Mandagery Creek Venison, who’ll be in house this Tuesday, May 27. Since 2002, he’s been rearing free range deer out in Orange without the use of nasties — antibiotics, stimulants and growth hormones don't have any part in the process. Hansen's sister, Penny Hanan, takes the by-products and transforms them into suede goods and hand crafted knives. She’ll be coming along for the ride to Rushcutters, showcasing her wares from 1803 Artisan Deer Design. Farmer's Feasts start Tuesday May 27. For bookings, call Rushcutters on 02 8070 2424.
Heading off on holidays should feel like an adventure, right down to the place you choose to rest your head after a fun-filled day. With this in mind, London's Miller Kendrick Architects have come up with what might be one of the most imaginative and impressive hotels possible. Created for Visit Wales's 'Year of Legends 2017' design contest, not only does it celebrate the Welsh landscape, but it is inspired by the legend of King Arthur — and the cave him and his knights allegedly stayed in. As far as unique accommodation goes, the aptly named Arthur's Cave proves a two-for-one affair: soak in the natural surroundings in a cabin that really has been crafted to emulate a cave, and soak in a slice of British legend. It's also a case of blending the old with the new, namely all of the above with building materials and techniques. Inside the timber and glass structure — which uses locally sourced sheep's wool insulation for thermal insulation against the elements — you'll find a cosy sleeping space with a bed, chair and fireplace, aka everything you need for snuggling up and staring out over the landscape around you. Don't spend all of your time looking outside, though; with the cabin made from plywood rib-like shapes that expand and contract, the undulating and sinuous interior is a sight to behold too. Sadly, Arthur's Cave hasn't been built yet; however it is slated for construction early this year. Until then, add this one-of-a-kind pop-up glamping hotel to your must-stay travel bucket list. Via AWOL.
With La Nina working her unholy magic, you may need to take shelter in your nearest cinema on more than a few summer eves. See how many of the fine flicks on Concrete Playground's Summer 2011/12 hit-list you tick off your list. Best use of twee Restless (now showing) Can a misfit with a Kamikaze pilot ghost friend find love with Mia Wasikowska? Gus Van Sant says yes. Best action flick Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (in cinemas December 15) With Pixar's Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille) in the director's chair, the fourth instalment of the Tom Cruise spy franchise may get a whole lot cooler. Best movie to enjoy with your mum Iron Lady (in cinemas December 26) Meryl Streep is Margaret Thatcher. This can't go wrong. Best revival The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (in cinemas December 26) Some purists will disagree, and motion-capture animation is nobody's favourite, but Steven Spielberg and the UK's hippest moviemaking talent have done well bringing the intrepid boy adventurer/journalist/detective back into our lives. Best mind-fuck The Skin I Live In (in cinemas December 26) Pedro Almodovar's sensational new film is not a Boxing Day flick to which to take the whole family. Best crowd-pleaser Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (in cinemas January 5) He's now a wit, a cad and a brawny crime-fighter. Few can resist. Most unabashed nostalgia The Muppets (in cinemas January 12) We've been following the parody trailers for months, so there's no question we'll pack the theatres for the full-length journey. Best animation Arrietty (in cinemas January 12) Studio Ghibli continues to restore the magic, whimsy and watercolour-rich palette to a form that can get distracted by technology. Best nail-biter The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (in cinemas January 12) Sure, a perfectly competent Swedish adaptation already exists, but this intense, David Fincher-directed take on the Stieg Larsson novel is something else. Most intimidating cast list Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (in cinemas January 19) Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy. Eep. Best use of 3D The Darkest Hour (in cinemas January 19) Invisible aliens invade Moscow. It might turn out half-baked, but both the locations and effects are stunning. Best date movie Young Adult (in cinemas January 19) Because saccharine romance makes most people vomit into their mouths a little, this gem from the Juno team is a safer bet to keep you both giggling while it hits home life's little lessons. Best love story Weekend (in cinemas January 26) A hook-up at a house party becomes something deeper. Oh, and this couple's gay. A good omen for 2012? Best indie Martha Marcy May Marlene (in cinemas February 2) If you were fleeing an abusive cult in the Catskills, you might be paranoid, too. Most justifiably bleak Shame (in cinemas February 9) Carey Mulligan breaks out of her nice-girl box by starring in this powerful story of sex addiction with Michael Fassbender. Most unlikely blockbuster Coriolanus (in cinemas February 23) Ralph Fiennes and Gerard Butler recover the rarely heard-of Shakespeare tragedy. But in modern, war-scarred Europe. Epic. Most dreaded by bibliophiles Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (in cinemas February 23) Jonathan Safran Foer's great American po-mo novel comes to the screen, with Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock and a swag of sentimentality. Most street cred The Rum Diary (in cinemas March 13, but previewing at St George Open Air Cinema) Johnny Depp retrieved this himself from the depths of Hunter S. Thompson's drawers. Enough said.
Vertical gardening is one way to prevent the Blade Runner-ifying of our urban environments. But how about an invisible skyline, made up of anti-skyscrapers? South Korea is about to get a first taste of the concept, with construction set to start on 'Tower Infinity'. At 450 metres, it's definitely one of the ten tallest buildings in the world. What's attracting headlines, however, is the fact that you can't see it. (What?) By employing cameras, a special skin and optical technology, GDS Architects have designed the tower so that its pinnacle appears to vanish into the sky. Their concept won a 2008 international competition involving 146 entries from 46 nations, but they've only just been granted permission to begin construction. To be built in Seoul's Yongsan International Business District, near Incheon International Airport, Tower Infinity will, for the most part, fulfil recreational, rather than residential, purposes. There'll be eateries, a theatre, amusement park rides, observation decks (including one at 392 metres) and landscaped gardens. GDS Architects' principal, Charles Wee, argues that it's not merely an exercise in vanity. "Instead of symbolising prominence as another of the world's tallest and best towers, our solution aims to provide the world's first invisible tower, showcasing Korean technology while encouraging a more global narrative in the process," he said in World Architecture News. "We are elated that the many years of design, testing and coordination have led us to that all important step of beginning the building process. We look forward to providing Korea and the world with a completely new model for what it means to be an observation tower." [via Inhabitat]
Australian designer Marc Newson has placed his golden touch on everything from clothing to aircrafts, and now he has unleashed what may be his most awesome creation ever - the Riva Aquariva. Newson is renowned for his simple yet immediately recognisable work across a diverse range of spectrums. This time round, Newson collaborated with the very fancy-sounding Officina Italiana Design for a brilliant re-interpretation of the luxury speedboat. Although it made its initial appearance in 2010, the Riva Aquariva again pleased viewers at Arte-Fiera, an art fair in Bologna, Italy, earlier this year. Adding to the extravagance and opulence of these boats, only 22 were made and they sell for around $1.5 million. Featuring a traditional colourway with eye-catching turquoise accents, this vessel's distinct vibe will teleport you straight to the Port of Miami on a summer's day. Throw on a pastel button-up, some slim-cut khaki pants and bring your finest champagne before you climb on board. [via The Cool Hunter]
Spring isn't the only time of year to see flowers in Brisbane, especially if you make a date with the Museum of Brisbane. The King George Square venue is letting its walls and halls blossom, showcasing works that feature, celebrate and take their cues from florals. At Rearranged: Art of the Flower, expect blooming great pieces from more than 20 artists. Running from Saturday, November 25, 2023–Sunday, September 29, 2024 and free to enter, this exhibition is filled with variety in three different ways: in the types of stems and bouquets that the talents with works on display have included in their art, the kinds of items that are in the spotlight and the rainbow of colours shining from all of the above. So, expect walls filled with pink roses, intricate still-life portraits of potted plants, stained-glass pieces, lavish fabrics and more. One commonality: exploring Brisbane's landscape and greenery across the collection. Attendees can see paintings, textiles, sculptures, ceramics and new media works that sport plenty of petals. One big highlight: six paper arabesques measuring four metres by two metres, with Karen Stone making the flowers out of recycled garments. Another must-see involves stepping inside a room that's been decked out like a Queenslander, then filled with works by Margaret Olley, Vida Lahey, William Bustard, Michael Zavros, Bronwyn Searle, Judith Sinnamon and others. Surveying local names, spanning both up-and-coming and established artists alike, Rearranged: Art of the Flower visitors will spy pieces from Tony Johnson, Frank Waldo Potts, William Grant, Tony Johnson and Dorothy Thornhill as well, and also by Keith Burt, John Honeywill. Among the ceramics, Jaishree Srinivasan, Clairy Laurence and Sarah Rayner. The full artist list spans Boneta-Marie Mabo, Man&Wah, Norton Fredericks, Pamela See (Xue Mei-Ling) and Lyndall Phelps, plus Christopher Bassi, Ashlee Becks, Elisa Jane Carmichael, Julian Podmore, Milomirka Radovic, Edith Rewa, Monica Rohan and Anna Varendorff. As it brings Brisbane's backyards inside, the part that flowers play in Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities, linking to Country, is among the topics pondered by Rearranged: Art of the Flower. Highlighting First Nations, multicultural and queer talents is another focus. The exhibition expands the venue's collection, too, adding 15 new acquisitions by 12 local artists to the City of Brisbane-run museum.
Architectural fusion with nature has been taken to a new level with Villa Vals. Constructed in 2009 by Bjarne Mastenbroek (of SeARCH) and Christian Muller (of Christian Muller Architects), the villa is designed to 'completely integrate into the landscape to avoid disturbing the unspoiled nature.' The building's underground location does not diminish visual access to the external world. A central patio and slanted facade provide scope for mountain views. Given that Villa Vals' address is above thermal springs, at a 1,250-kilometre height in the Swiss Alps, this means the kind of landscape that would have had Tolkien reaching for his pen: wildflowers, singing streams and secret valleys. Peter Zumthor's famous Therme Vals is just next door. A contemporary minimalist aesthetic informs the interior, expressed through airy, uncluttered perspectives and straight lines. Several Dutch designers, including Hella Jongerius, Demakersvan, Scholten & Baijings, Marcel Wanders, Claudy Jongstra, Royal Tichelaar Makkum and Vitra Nederland, have contributed furnishings and decorative objects. Despite this eclecticism of sources, the overall feel is coherent and tranquil. Villa Vals holds up to 10 people. A cool 3,850 Euros will buy a week's stay in the high season, and this drops to 2,100 during the low period. It is also possible to book for just 2 nights. Couples seeking one room only receive a 20% discount. An alpine village is just up the road and the area is brimming over with opportunities for hiking, cycling and skiing adventures. [via PSFK]
Based on James Patterson's world wide best selling novels, Alex Cross follows the action-packed journey of young detective/psychologist (Tyler Perry) as he meets his match in a serial killer (Matthew Fox) who is fascinated by pain and specialises in torturing his victims. In this psychological thriller Cross is pushed to his moral limits and when the mission gets personal, he is willing to protect his family at all costs. Alex Cross (previously played by veteran Morgan Freeman in Kiss The Girls & Along Came A Spider) embarks on a high-stakes mission to put an end to a vicious serial killer in this high-speed, suspenseful action thriller. Concrete Playground has 15 double passes to giveaway to see Alex Cross. To go in the running just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Ah The Melbourne Cup. It’s the race that stops a nation and has a public holiday in Victoria in its honor, though after twenty-six years it’s easy to become a tad weary of the spectacle. If you’re no longer excited by fast-paced equine action and fascinators you may be looking for a new way to celebrate the day. Enter Byblos, a tea party, a Mad Hatter as a host and a whole lot of fun. For the 4th year in a row, the Portside restaurant will be opening its doors to whomever enjoys horse races but dislikes the generic crowds and atmosphere that normally come with them. For those who are keen to enter the world of Lewis Carroll for a day, enjoy a three-course gourmet meal and associate with those who would rather chat than drink, this is the setup for you. To fill in time before the 2pm race, the exclusive Mad Hatter’s Tea Party will have cupcakes, rides, themed cocktails and an Ella Bache Beauty bar. Really, it is quite the antidote to your usual day of racing. Tickets however are selling fast and this is quite the exclusive event – we wouldn’t want any riff raff getting in – so make haste, you wouldn’t want to be late for this very important date.
Every concert-goer has had that sinking feeling. That gut-wrenching moment when you realise that the artist you forked out the big bucks to see isn't going to play your favourite song at their concert. It's about mid-set, they are starting to wind down through their songbook of classic hits and and you realise — with that awful mix of regret and sheer pissed-off-ness — that the little-known dirge from their underrated third album you love so much just ain't going to make the cut. That's set to change at this year's SXSW, however. Doritos is sponsoring a giant vending machine stage that will host an interactive concert where audience members and fans from around the world can choose rap superstar LL Cool J's encore number. All they need to do is tweet in their favourite song using the hashtag #BoldStage. The six-storey vending machine includes an LCD screen collating, calculating and encouraging your tweets (through the incredible Mass Relevance software, which can process up to 400,000 tweets a minute), allowing you to help control the performances of such hip hop royalty as Public Enemy, Ice Cube and Doug E. Fresh. But organisers are taking the concept of an "interactive" concert one step further. Not only can you help select the songs but fans also control what photos appear on the LCD screen; when smoke, lasers, confetti, beach balls and other special effects are used; and even choose the concert's opening act. Prior to the concert, three of hip hop's rising stars — Devin Miles, Snow Tha Product and Aussie Seth Sentry — will battle it out for the chance to perform one song at the opening the concert, with the song that receives the most #BoldStage votes getting the gig. The iconic SXSW features a whole host of conferences, events, panels and products showcasing and celebrating the way new technologies are shaping the arts and the way we interact with world around us. The BoldStage also made an appearance last year's festival. The interactive element was less low-tech then, though you could search the town for giant quarters with which to purchase the giant bags of (giant) chips in the vending machine. Via Mashable.
Since the 19th century, writers, filmmakers and musicians have fantasised about moving to Mars. And now, space agencies all over the world are working furiously to make it happen, though none has a 100% firm plan of action yet. After all, Mars isn't the friendliest place: the air is almost oxygen-free, temperatures swing from -150 to 20 degrees celsius and the winds are fierce. Despite that — and the prospect of never returning home — thousands of people applied to join Mars One, a Dutch non-profit hoping to send four travellers on a one-way mission to Mars in 2031. Meanwhile, NASA has its sights set on putting humans into orbit by the 2030s and on the surface by the 2040s. With Sydney Science Festival kicking off on August 8, we thought it the perfect time to dive into the possibility of one day colonising the Red Planet. So, we put our lab coats on and tracked down some of the people working to make this interplanetary dream a reality. Here, we chat with Josh Richards, one of 100 short-listed candidates for Mars One, and Dr Mitch Schulte, a scientist working on NASA's 2020 rover mission, about what living on Mars might involve. GETTING THERE Before stepping foot on the Red Planet, before testing the environment, before figuring out how to make Mars home, the first obstacle for the next giant leap for mankind is getting there. So far, two-thirds of all spacecrafts to have tried have failed. Mars's atmosphere is 100 times thinner than Earth's, which means that when a rocket enters, it takes much longer to slow down, making a crash landing a major risk. In addition, monstrous dust storms howl across the planet's surface, which is covered in hazardous rocks. That said, seven spacecrafts have made it successfully — all free of people, however — and right now, two rovers, Opportunity and Curiosity, are up there roaming around. "The rovers travel by direct trajectory. We send them directly from Earth to arrive at a particular spot," says Dr Schulte. "That requires going from 35,000 miles an hour when the rover hits the atmosphere to 0 miles at the surface. We slow them down with hypersonic parachutes, which open at incredibly fast speeds... When you send humans into orbit, you have to use rockets to slow them down, so that gravity captures the spacecraft." So, the trick now is figuring out how to slow humans down safely. "After we've successfully accomplished that and brought people back, we can think about putting them on the ground, as happened with the moon missions." [caption id="attachment_631550" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NASA.[/caption] BREATHING When or if anyone does manage to land on Mars in one piece, the next challenge will be breathing. The air is made up of 96% carbon dioxide and 0.2% oxygen, as opposed to ours which contains 21% oxygen. To live on the Red Planet permanently, we'd need to develop the technology to do some serious harvesting and storing. "One of the goals of the 2020 mission is to demonstrate an instrument that could extract oxygen from the atmosphere, but it would be used primarily for propellant grade oxygen for rocket fuel," says Dr Schulte. "At this stage, any human travelling to Mars would have to take all the air they need with them." Should things go as planned for Mars One, there'll be rovers capable of extracting oxygen from Mars's rocks and atmosphere by the 2020s. With this technology in place, the rovers will head up in advance of the crew, ensuring hundreds of litres of breathable air are ready to go. [caption id="attachment_631541" align="alignnone" width="1922"] Twentieth Century Fox/The Martian.[/caption] SETTING UP DIGS The first humans on Mars won't be spending much time outside. Mars One's idea is to have them living in inflatable pods similar to the BEAM module currently attached to the International Space Station but much bigger. Two of these pods are currently in orbit, having their resilience tested. "Each is fifty metres long; they look like big, white caterpillars," Richards says. "The first crew [on Mars] will be four people... [though] for the first two years, they won't be going out very much, unless it's critical." Richards explains how the team will operate similarly to winter crews in Antarctica. And as with the oxygen extraction technology, rovers will travel in advance to also bring and set up modules that'll provide spare parts and life support systems, like the SpaceX Dragon Capsule, explains Richards. Meanwhile, one of NASA 2020's goals is to deepen our meteorological understanding. "We'll be flying a weather package," says Dr Schulte. "It's a set of instruments to measure temperature, pressure, relative humidity, wind speeds and ultra violet radiation levels." Knowing more about these conditions will help set up a proper living environment for the future. [caption id="attachment_631544" align="alignnone" width="1921"] Twentieth Century Fox/The Martian.[/caption] EATING OFF THE LAND (EVENTUALLY) Some will rejoice, some will mourn, but it looks like life on Mars will be more than just vegan-friendly; once a food system has been set up, life will be vegan only. "We'll land with six years' worth of food," says Richards. "Then, we'll start growing food as quickly as we can, which means setting up greenhouses and, essentially, going vegan, which for me is a terrifying thought... It's the worst thing about going to Mars." Mars will understandably be a pretty sustainable place as well, where even human waste will be reprocessed and used as a resource. "There's an old saying on the International Space Station," Richards tells, "'Yesterday's coffee is today's coffee is tomorrow's coffee'. What you pee out gets cleaned, filtered and put back into the water supply." LIVING WITH LOW GRAVITY "The gravity on Mars is about 35% what it is on Earth," says Dr Schulte. If you've ever watched the moon landing, you'll know reduced gravity can make for some bouncy fun — though the Moon is a bit bouncier than Mars, with gravity about 15% what it is on Earth — but no one's sure of the long-term effects on the body. Astronauts living on the International Space Station, which is gravity-free, have noticed their spines lengthening and, if they don't exercise regularly, muscular atrophy. Richards says that a big part of each day will be spent testing and measuring bone density and muscle strength, to find out how he and the crew are faring. (He's also planning to pack a Kindle loaded with novels and his ukulele.) Plus, if all goes well, the team will be prepping for the arrival of the second crew, who'll set off two years after the first Mars One mission. [caption id="attachment_631548" align="alignnone" width="1921"] Twentieth Century Fox/The Martian.[/caption] MEETING THE NEIGHBOURS Finally, of course, there's the question of whether or not Mars is already taken. "The bottom line is, we don't know if life exists — or did exist — on Mars, but we do know it's geologically and geochemically similar to Earth," says Dr Schulte. "There are environments that indicate there was liquid water near the surface and that [there are] the kinds of rocks from which organisms could extract chemical energy. "The problem now, though, is that the surface is very dry and liquid water is not stable there, so it exists as ice or gas. If life were to exist now, it would have to be underground, where pressures and temperatures would be high enough — at least as far as we understand how life exists here on Earth." Could we see the colonisation of Mars in our lifetime? Time will only tell, but with the ferocity in approach and devotion to the cause by the likes of Mars One, NASA and others, it looks like a strong potential to us. If you're in Sydney for the next two weeks, you can hear more about what life on Mars could be like from Dr Mitch Schulte at Life on Mars: The 2020 Rover Mission and from Josh Richards at Becoming Martian, both at Sydney Science Festival this month.
You're immersed in a virtual environment — and sporting the appropriate headgear, of course — when someone tries to get in touch with you back in the real world. What do you do? It's a #firstworldproblem hardly anyone has actually experienced yet, despite affordable VR headsets starting to hit the market; however Facebook has a solution. The social media giant does own Oculus, after all, so it was only a matter of time before they found a way to integrate one with the other. At the Oculus Connect 3 conference this week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg donned a pair of tech-savvy goggles, entered an augmented reality realm and took a Facebook Messenger video call from his wife, Priscilla Chan. The chat popped up on a device worn on his avatar's wrist, then opened in a window in his field of vision, meaning that he could both talk and keep going about his virtual business. Zuckerberg also unveiled a few more VR bits and pieces, including the ability to take a virtual selfie and share it on Facebook (hey, we already said this kind of thing was only a matter of time). Then there's what's being called "VR emoji", which are exactly what they sound like — if you gesture in an angry or happy way, your avatar's face will change to display your emotional state. Plus, you can also take 360-degree photos of actual, real-world scenes and overlay them with VR avatars of friends who are elsewhere so that you can all hang out, play cards or board games, have a sword fight or watch TV. We mightn't all be donning headsets right this moment, but developments like this show that virtual reality isn't going anywhere. In fact, with Sony's Playstation VR released this month, the field is really just beginning to roll out, so expect plenty more news where this came from. Via Tech Crunch. Image: Oculus.
Whether you're backpacking around the world, road-tripping across the country or just heading on a one-day jaunt somewhere close by, packing light and taking your favourite things with you rarely go hand in hand. Sometimes, though, everyone wants to combine a new adventure with a slice of comfort. That's where the Nomadic Life kit comes in. Recognising that we're all on the go all the time these days, product design brand Gerardo Osio has put together a collection of handy items that can be easily transported — and will instantly improve your travelling experience. Inside a portable wooden box, you'll find everything from a mat and a cushion for on-the-go relaxation to a copper tableware set. For an instant dose of added peacefulness, there's also a vase, candle and incense holder. The project also aims to link in with Buddhist and Shinto philosophies about compact living by highlighting simplicity and practicability. With that in mind, all of the objects within the kit are hand-crafted from natural materials such as copper, wood, leather, straw, cotton and stone, and made in collaboration with six different Japanese traditional craft workshops.
The Silent History is one of the first applications to expand the unchartered boundaries of e-book storytelling. It's not merely a digitised book, but a serialised novel split across hundreds of short stories released daily. It starts in the present and stretches into a future where a generation of children are hit by a baffling epidemic: the inability to speak or process language. Instead of words, these "silents" hear pure sound and nobody knows why. What is the predicament of a people with no ability to communicate or comprehend, cut adrift from their families and their society? In the tradition of the best dystopian science fiction, the guts of The Silent History is in society's reactions rather than the story's catalyst: some respond with fear and propose dumping the silents on an apartheid island, parents try in vain to get through to their impenetrable children, doctors are more concerned with how to categorise the kids then actually figuring out what to do with them and how to help them. The story is split into 1500-word first person narratives from these parents, doctors, teachers, siblings and citizens, some of whom reappear as the story continues to unfold. There are also site-specific "field reports" that expand on the central narrative in a non-linear fashion and can only be accessed when the reader travels to the physical location where the report is set. There are three such field reports in Sydney across Tempe and Marrickville, and more to be released soon (anyone can contribute one). Sitting on a bench in Wicks Park in Marrickville, reading a field report by The Lifted Brow's Sam Cooney, I madly looked around for a caramel door described in the text. There it was! As if the writer had put the doorway there himself! Of course, I knew he hadn't, but it was perfect - the exact kind of dark magic that all good writers and artists and musicians perform when their work seems to lift up walls behind walls behind walls and reveal something new and unexpected with great clarity. This is what digital literature can do and be! It's a revelation - experiential and immersive and immediate. Sometimes Sydney's Inner West seems to stretch on forever, all grey terraces and identical intersections and howling flightpaths. The Silent History field reports take ordinary, everyday patches of suburbs and turns them into places, connecting them with something bigger. The exact nature of that bigger something isn't quite clear yet. It's easy to describe The Silent History's plot and its innovative format, but its actual themes are more elusive. I can really only say what it makes me think about: the nature of language, the inability of almost everyone (mute or not) to communicate what they want and need, the necessity and difficulty of intimacy and vulnerability, the loneliness of childhood, the mysteries of deja vu and dreams and things felt instinctively rather than experienced consciously. These themes recur like birthmarks throughout the short stories, sometimes faint and sometimes darker. In this way, The Silent History, with its fragmentary narrative, is reminiscent of the works of Louise Hearman and Bill Henson, the lyrics of Talking Headsand Radiohead, and other artists more interested in questions than answers. Do not waste another minute - download this app/book/enigma and start exploring the stories and field reports now. Volume 2 of The Silent History is available now for iPads and iPhones at the iTunes Store for $1.99 per volume.
When 2018 comes to a close, the National Gallery of Australia will be home to both a permanent Yayoi Kusama infinity room and a short-term showcase of pre-Raphaelite masterpieces from London's Tate Britain — but 2019 looks set to be even bigger for the Canberra venue. The gallery has revealed its full program for next year and it's filled with huge names from the art world, with exhibitions showcasing the work of Monet, Matisse and Picasso coming to the nation's capital. Hitting the NGA between June and August, Monet: Impression Sunrise, will be focused around the artwork that gives the exhibition its title. Painted back in 1872, Impression, Soleil levant is credited as the source of the term 'impressionism' and rarely travels outside of the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris. In fact, it has never visited the southern hemisphere before. In collaboration with the French institution, the NGA will display other world-famous paintings by the artist — as well as works by other impressionist talents inspired by Monet, such as JMW Turner. From December 2019 to April 2020, the NGA will then play host to to Matisse / Picasso, which will give art fans to see iconic creations by two major artists in the same space. Drawing pieces from more than 40 collections around the world, the exhibition will highlight the great rivalry between the two figures, and how they responded to each other in their work. The NGA's fondness for Picasso shouldn't come as a surprise — the gallery is already home to a rare set of 100 of the artist's pieces, called The Vollard Suite, which has been touring the country with stops in both Brisbane and Victoria. Among its other highlights for 2019, the NGA will also become home to a new four-metre high wax 'candle' sculpture by Swiss artist Urs Fischer from March, and will unveil a major new work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in October. Monet: Impression Sunrise will display at the National Gallery of Australia between June 7 and August 18, 2019, while Matisse / Picasso will display between December 13, 2019 and April 13, 2020. For further details, visit the NGA website. Image: Claude Monet. Impression, Soleil Levant. 1872. Paris, Musée Marmottan Monet.
In the future we'll surely be able to buy things off the internet (or Google Glass, or whatever) and they'll materialise in our teleportation box as soon as the transaction is approved. But until then we still have to deal with the traversing of physical space (such a drag), which unfortunately takes time, money and human resources. But delivery companies have done pretty well with coming up with new ways of getting us our stuff so far — just last week 7-Eleven delivered their first Slurpee by drone, and Japanese postal service Yamato Transport have just announced that they'll start driverless delivery as of next year. Yamato have partnered with Tokyo-based tech company DeNA to develop and launch the delivery by self-driving car service. In what might be the only name that a Japanese tech delivery service could possibly be called, it's been dubbed the RoboNeko Yamato, which translates to "robo cat". RoboNeko has been described as an "on-demand delivery service" because customers will place an order in way that's similar to requesting an Uber. It's of course designed to be used as an e-commerce platform, but customers can also use the app to request a car to deliver bulky things like luggage or a bulk IKEA haul. Customers will be able to track the car, and when it arrives, they'll simply unload their delivery and the car will drive off into the sunset. The service will be trialled for one year, starting March 2017. During that time drivers will accompany some cars to make sure nothing goes wrong, but they hope for the service to be fully autonomous by the end of the trial. Self-driving cars are something that are being tested extensively for human transport — Uber has started testing them, as has US ridesharing service Lyft and Washington D.C. has an adorable self-driving bus — but this is the first time they'll be used for delivery purposes. Via PSFK.
First, the bad news: as announced at the end of February by creator and showrunner Jesse Armstrong in an interview with The New Yorker, HBO's award-winning version of Family Feud — aka Succession — is coming to an end. Now, the good news: in the show's just-dropped full trailer for season four, the squabbles are as sharp as ever, the insults are flying thick and fast, and no one among the Roy family can trust each other. So, it's fiery business as usual for the series' farewell lap. Arriving on Monday, March 27 in Australia and New Zealand — airing week to week — Succession's fourth season will be its last, and will see business titan Logan Roy (Brian Cox, Remember Me) leave his children Shiv (Sarah Snook, Pieces of a Woman), Kendall (Jeremy Strong, Armageddon Time), Connor (Alan Ruck, The Dropout) and Roman (Kieran Culkin, No Sudden Move) with everything, nothing or something in-between. Getting to that conclusion is going to be one helluva ride, as every season of Succession always is. The latest sneak peek includes everything from double-crossing to angry confrontations, plus Shiv's husband Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen, Operation Mincemeat) and Roy-family cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun, Zola) trying to stay relevant — and gossiping to each other, as they always do. It's Greg who utters the trailer's best line, in fact: "it's like if Santa Claus was a hitman," he says of Logan. The more things change for the Roys, the more that volatile underlying dynamic stays the same. No one is happy, the future of the company is in chaos and everyone wants the top job. In season four, that involves Logan's children teaming up with the family's foes, loyal in-house legal counsel Gerri (J Smith-Cameron, Fleishman Is in Trouble) threatening lawsuits, Logan starting rounds of chanting in the office and Roman getting in the face of Lukas Matsson, the tech visionary played by Alexander Skarsgård (The Northman) who Logan wants to sell Waystar Royco to. This is the fourth glimpse at what's in store in Succession season four, following on from an initial sneak peek in a broader HBO trailer in mid-October last year, another in late 2022 when the show's autumn return was confirmed, and one in January that locked in the exact March comeback date. If you need a refresher from season three, Shiv, Kendall, Roman and Connor have banded together to form a rebel alliance against Logan over his move to offload the company — and therefore the jobs, power, and cultural and political influence they always thought they'd inherit — to Lukas. It was back in 2021 when HBO announced that Succession would return for a fourth run, after its Emmy-winning third season proved that exceptional — and popular. Viewers are clearly in for more power struggles and more savaging of the one percent, aka more of what Succession has always done best. This time, however, it's the last go-around, so truly anything can happen. "We're pirates," shouts Logan in the new trailer, after all. Check out the full trailer for Succession season four below: Succession season four starts streaming from Monday, March 27 Down Under, including via Foxtel, Binge and Foxtel On Demand in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Check out our review of season three. Images: Claudette Barius/Macall B Polay, HBO.
In a world brimming with concrete jungles, it's time to escape the urban hustle and immerse yourself in the wonders of the wild. Together with Intrepid Travel, we've curated a list of unparalleled wildlife experiences, from heart-pounding encounters with orangutans to seeing gorillas, sea turtles and much more. All Intrepid Travel adventures are built with local communities, businesses and NGOs to support the conservation of wildlife and the people protecting the wild. So, you can rest assured knowing that the money you spend is reinvested into the protection of the wildlife you see and the communities you visit. Plus, every wildlife trip includes at least one local wildlife expert – either a local park ranger or Indigenous person with a special connection to the land. So, buckle up, fellow adventurers, and welcome to the wild side. See Rhinos at Dusk Did you know rhinos are most active at dusk? Black rhinos have made a huge comeback from their staggering low numbers of only 2500 to more than 6000 today, largely thanks to the massive conservation efforts across Africa. They are still registered as critically endangered, but there is hope. Their close cousins, the white rhinos, are near threatened. You can support their comeback from the brink of extinction by visiting the Khama Rhino Sanctuary on the edge of the Kalahari Desert — the only place left in Botswana where both black and white rhinos reside. Other wildlife that resides in this sanctuary include zebras, giraffes, leopards, ostriches and wildebeest, all of which can be seen grazing the many waterholes. Take a trip to the Okavango Delta region and visit the sanctuary and the Delta's lush waterways, where you can witness hippos and elephants going about their day. Swim with Sea Lions and Sea Turtles What wildlife experience could be better than island hopping through the Galapagos Islands? This archipelago is swarming with unique animals, from ancient giant tortoises and nesting blue-footed boobies to marine iguanas. La Lobería, located on the southwest coast of San Cristobal Island, is known for its white-sand beach and crystal-clear waters speckled with volcanic rocks that are sometimes teeming with sea lions. Don your snorkel set and swim with the locals; you might even spot a sea turtle or two. The wildlife doesn't just reside in the waters. As you take a break on land, you'll spot sea lions lounging around town. See the Big Five on Safari What's the Big Five, we hear you ask? The inhabitants of the expansive African bush: lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and African buffalo. Be immersed in the animal kingdom as you veer off the beaten track to seek out these local legends shelter under the flat-topped acacias in the epic setting of the Great Rift Valley and Lake Naivasha. Here, hippos spend their days floating among the floating islands of papyrus reeds. Monkey-Around with Orangutans Explore a mystical land of natural beauty and rare wildlife on an adventure to Sabah in Borneo. See where sea and green turtles lay their eggs; macaques, orangutans and proboscis monkeys hanging off branches; and, if you're lucky, pygmy elephants. The red-headed locals of the region are a huge draw. Orangutans are the largest arboreal mammal (tree-dwelling). They are highly intelligent, super strong, and, unfortunately, critically endangered. The world's first orangutan rehabilitation centre was set up in Sabah to support the red-headed giant. Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre opened in 1964 and now covers 43 square kilometres of the rainforest as well as a clinic, treatment ward and nurseries for orphaned orangutans. If you visit, you will see its protected orangutans in their wild habitat, as they can roam as they please. Seek Out Mountain Gorillas Follow local expert rangers through the steamy forests of Uganda to seek out and witness the rare and gentle mountain gorillas of the mountainous Bwindi National Park. These gentle giants have been pushed further and further up the mountains as their habitats are destroyed. But they are resilient, and their numbers have been bolstered over recent years thanks to conservation efforts. The silverback gorillas are calm creatures who spend their days eating, sleeping, grooming and playing. Visits to the gorillas are strictly controlled to minimise disturbance. For an unforgettable hour, watch the adult gorillas keep an eye on the scene and the smaller ones as they play or hang out in the trees. Get out, explore, dive into adventure and find your WOW with Intrepid Travel. Find out more on the website.
In any normal situation the attending of a conference would be a compulsory means to keeping your boss happy or impressing a client. It’s a chore that is neither enjoyable nor worth the hours spent cooped up in the little snap back chairs that are quite possibly the beginning of many back problems. The Semi Permanent creative conference is far and beyond this definition. In fact, if you did happen to get your hands on a ticket, you’re probably giddy in anticipation. If not and your saddened by the reminder that you’re going to miss out, today may be your lucky day. Semi Permanent brings together the cream of our creative crop. It groups together the best in the industry and fits them, along side a few thousand excited on lookers in a large, well equipped room giving speakers 45 minutes to discuss the tricks of their trade. If you're a student hoping to crack the creative industry Semi Permanent is the place to be. You can text in questions to the speakers and get a first hand account of the professional’s industry secrets on how they made the big time. In sync with its great reputation, this years Semi Permanent line up features an amazing bunch of inspiring professionals. I’m talking about Gemma O’Brien, We Buy Your Kids, Toby Dixon, T-World, Sam Leach, Reg Mombassa, and Kelly Thompson. That’s right. Get excited! And just in case all this over whelming greatness is not enough, thanks to Semi-Permanent, we have two passes to the Brisbane conference on August 5 to give away! Email brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au with the subject line 'mostly temporary' to be in the running to win! You gotta’ be in it to win it!
With the threat of increasing noise complaints hanging over Melbourne’s live music scene, campaigners, venue owners, musicians and councils have been taking action. In early September, the implementation of Agent of Change laws put the responsibility for soundproofing firmly on the shoulders of residential developers. And now, the City of Yarra is offering financial assistance to venues, to help them with acoustic-related works. All in all, the Council has plans to serve up $25,000 worth of funding under the banner ‘Live Music Venues Grants’. Each successful venue will receive an independent grant of $2,000 or a matching grant of $5,000. Of the 500 licensed premises in the City of Yarra, about 50 host live music regularly. “Of concern to all has been the increasing tension between residents living in dense housing close to major activity centres, and licensed venues disturbing the peace with loud music and noisy patron behaviour,” states the Council’s website. “There is also a growing appreciation of the Live Music Industry and the contributions it makes to the economy and to the cultural fabric of the community.” To be eligible for grants, venues must be situated in the City of Yarra and must adopt the Best Practice Guidelines for Live Music Venues, which were created by the Live Music Roundtable in collaboration with the Victorian Government. Applications are open now. Via Music Feeds.
