Cinephiles, picnic-lovers and everyone in between, rejoice — the annual combination of movies, outdoor eating and park hangouts that is Moonlight Cinema is back for another round. After locking in their dates back in September, Australia's biggest outdoor cinema this morning announced their full 2026-17 summer program — and it's a goodie. Kicking off on the first day of summer (how fitting) in Sydney and Adelaide before launching in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth just a few days later, this year's setup boasts all the regular features that make this one of the country's most popular summer events. Big screen shimmering beneath the stars? Check. Food trucks serving the ultimate movie munchies? Check. Letting super-organised patrons BYO their own snacks? Check. A huge lineup of new releases and cult classics? You betcha. Expect all the big summer releases, like sci-fi thriller Passengers, the much-anticipated La La Land with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, and Lion, based on the true story of Saroo Brierley who found his birth mother in India via Google Earth after 25 years of separation. Naturally, they'll also be playing Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (which was released today) as well as the yet-to-be-released Star Wars: Rogue One and game-turned-film Assassins Creed. As always, they'll also throw in a few cult favourites — this year it's Grease and Back to the Future — and some Doggie Nights, which will kick off with The Secret Life of Pets. Of course, heading to Moonlight isn't just about the movies shown, as fun as getting a sneak peek of upcoming flicks or sharing the joyous glow of watching iconic favourites on a big screen is. It's also about the experience, which is why you're allowed to start getting excited without knowing which films you'll be watching — and why you should be blocking out December through to April in your calendar. Tickets are on sale now. MOONLIGHT CINEMA 2016-17 DATES: Sydney: December 1 – April 2 (Belvedere Amphitheatre in Centennial Park) Melbourne: December 8 – April 2 (Central Lawn at Royal Botanic Gardens) Brisbane: December 8 – March 5 (New Farm Park at Brisbane Powerhouse) Adelaide: December 1 – February 19 (Botanic Park) Perth: December 3 – April 2 (Kings Park and Botanic Garden) Moonlight Cinema's 2016-17 season starts screening around the country from December 1. For more information and to buy tickets, visit moonlight.com.au.
If you're a long-term fan of Veronica Mars, you can be forgiven for taking an 'I'll believe it when I see it' attitude to news of the show's resurrection. It eventually worked for the Veronica Mars movie, however, and it also seems to be working for the series' small-screen comeback, with a teaser dropping for the long-awaited fourth season. Veronica Mars initially lasted three seasons across 2004–2007, then set a crowdfunding record to get a film off the ground in 2014, and even spawned two novels and a web series spin-off after that. Now, as confirmed in September last year, an eight-episode revival is slated to hit television screens in 2019. The teenage private eye drama is getting a similar treatment to Twin Peaks — it's a revival featuring original cast members, rather than a new effort that remakes the same concept with different folks and starts all over again with its narrative. And yes, crucially, Ms Mars herself is back, with Kristen Bell resuming the role that brought her to fame. Bell is also the star of Veronica Mars' first fourth-season sneak peek, with her character sat at her desk and listing everything that's in store during spring break in her home town of Neptune — "drunks, derelicts, flashers, frat boys, sorority vomit, pickpockets, bottomless drinks and topless dancers" all included. Crucially, the teaser also delivers an important piece of information: a US air date of July 26. https://twitter.com/veronicamars/status/1116744093646905344 Hulu, the streaming platform that turned The Handmaid's Tale into the phenomenon that it is, is behind the new season. As reported by Variety last year, Veronica Mars creator and writer Rob Thomas (no, not that one) has also returned — and is executive producing and writing the first episode. Bell also executive produces alongside Diane Ruggiero-Wright and Dan Etheridge, who were both involved in the original seasons and film. The new season will see Neptune's favourite blonde-haired, pint-sized sleuth again solving mysteries in the seaside town. This time, she has been hired by the parents of a dead spring breaker to investigate a string of murders and is drawn into a power struggle between the town's wealthy elite and its working class. Familiar faces such as Enrico Colantoni, Percy Daggs III, Jason Dohring, Ryan Hansen, Francis Capra and Max Greenfield are all returning, along with new inclusions such as Patton Oswalt, Clifton Collins Jr and Bell's The Good Place co-star Kirby Howell-Baptiste. There's no word yet on whether any other big names have been signed on for the show — or if any of Veronica's other ex-boyfriends will re-emerge — but, given that the original show featured appearances from Amanda Seyfried, Arrested Development's Alia Shawkat and Michael Cera, Buffy's Alyson Hannigan and Charisma Carpenter, Thor: Ragnarok's Tessa Thompson and more, you can probably expect a few familiar faces to pop up. With Hulu airing the revival, we're not sure when Veronica Mars 2.0 will be hitting Aussie and NZ TV screens — or where it'll air. Here's hoping it won't take long to head down under. We'll update you as soon as we know more.
Australia's most sinister festival, Dark Mofo, is back for its seventh year and is set to be as boundary-pushing as ever, with its full lineup announced today. As always, the festival will take place in the lead up to the winter solstice, exploring connections between old and contemporary mythology through art installations, performance, talks and music — all taking place in the darkness of Tasmanian winter. Hosted by the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), Dark Mofo will takeover most of Hobart between June 6–23, showcasing a melting pot of artists, creatives and thinkers who dwell in the shadows of mainstream culture. Just-announced musicians include FKA Twigs — who's also bringing her experimental dream pop to Vivid Sydney this year — New York-based composer Nicolás Jaar, American singer John Grant and multi-instrumentalist Roger Eno. Other highlights of the music program include an audiovisual 'soundbath' by Sigur Rós; an international metal program, featuring Brazil's Mystifier; and the return of Night Mass — a ritualistic series of multi-venue, late-night parties featuring Sampa the Great, FAKA and Empress Of. These musicians and creatives join those announced in the first lineup drop last week, which included boundary-pushing speakers in the Dark + Dangerous Thoughts program, artists Ai Weiwei and Mike Parr, and singer and actor Sharon Van Etten. [caption id="attachment_716526" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Saeborg, Pigpen. Courtesy of Dark Mofo and the artist.[/caption] The festival's dark and quirky arts lineup has grown, too, with the addition of a latex-filled installation and performance by Japan's Saeborg and an immersive group exhibition — of ten international artists, including Canada's Cassils, USA's Paul McCarthy and India's Shilpa Gupta — inside the former Forestry Tasmania Building. The award-winning building — which once housed its own forest — is just one of many new venues to join this year's program. Come June, revellers will also be able to party inside the Old Hobart Blood Bank, the Avalon and Odeon theatres, the Old Davey St Congregational Church and aboard a floating natural wine bar, dubbed Natty Waves. Of course, all the festival favourites are set to make a triumphant return, too. You'll be able to drink and eat amongst inverted crosses and candles at the Winter Feast, try not to freeze during the very cold Nude Solstice Swim and absolve your sins at Night Mass. Dark Mofo returns to Hobart from June 6–23. Pre-sale tickets are available from 6pm on Monday, April 15 with general tickets on sale from midday on Tuesday, April 16. For more information, and to check out the full lineup, head to the festival website. Images: Andy Fraser; Meagan Streader, Response VII — Partition III, photo by Sam Whiteside; and All This Coming and Going, Terrapin.
Every December, fans of sparkling sights are gifted a luminous feast for their eyes. No, we're not talking about Christmas lights. Regardless of whether you're bathing in a festive glow or hardly fond of all the merriment, 'tis the season for the Geminids meteor shower to soar through the sky — starting on Monday, December 4 and finishing for 2023 on Wednesday, December 20. Even better: Down Under, it's at its peak on the evening of Thursday, December 14 and the morning of Friday, December 15. If you have a telescope at hand, it's clearly a great time to put it to use. Eager to catch a glimpse, even from just your backyard or balcony? Here's everything you need to know. [caption id="attachment_754955" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A composite of 163 photos taken over 90 minutes during the Geminids by Jeff Smallwood for Flickr.[/caption] WHAT IS IT? Lighting up the end-of-year skies, the Geminids meteor shower is considered the most spectacular meteor shower of the year. Again, Christmas lights aren't the only spectacle worth peering at this month. The Geminids is caused by a stream of debris, left by an asteroid dubbed the 3200 Phaethon, burning up in Earth's atmosphere — and it was first observed in 1862. Some years, you can catch as many as 150 meteors every 60 minutes, so this definitely isn't just any old meteor shower. [caption id="attachment_699423" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Jeff Dai.[/caption] WHEN TO SEE IT The 2023 shower kicks off on Monday, December 4, running through till Wednesday, December 20. As with every year, it's expected to be at its peak in Australia overnight mid-month — between Thursday, December 14–Friday, December 15, specifically. If you fancy a stint of stargazing, the best time to look up is on Thursday, December 14 from around 9pm in Brisbane, 10pm in Perth, 11pm in Sydney, 11.30pm in Adelaide and 12am in Melbourne. The best time to catch an eyeful will be after midnight, when the moon has set and its light will not interfere, but before sunrise. [caption id="attachment_882304" align="alignnone" width="1920"] ESO/G. Lombardi via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] HOW TO SEE IT For your best chances, it's worth getting as far away from bright lights as possible. This could be a good excuse to head out of the city to a clear-skied camping spot — and pray for no clouds. To see the meteors, you'll need to give your eyes around 15–30 minutes to adapt to the dark (so try to avoid checking your phone) and look to the northeast. The shower's name comes from the constellation from which they appear to come, Gemini. So that's what you'll be looking for in the sky. To locate Gemini, we recommend downloading the Sky Map app — it's the easiest way to navigate the night sky (and is a lot of fun to use even on a non-meteor shower night). If you're more into specifics, Time and Date also has a table that shows the direction and altitude of the Geminids. The Geminids meteor shower runs from Monday, December 4–Wednesday, December 20, and will be at its peak during the night on Thursday, December 14–Friday, December 15. For further details, head to Time and Date. Top image: A composite of 88 photos taken over 60 minutes during the Geminids by Paul Balfe via Flickr.
Already home to a natural landmark that can be seen from space, as well as a luminous installation that brightens up the night sky, the Northern Territory is about to add another stellar sight — and site — to its list. From next year, Australia's Top End will make history when it becomes the first privately-owned location outside of the United States to launch NASA rockets. The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Space Flight Center/Wallops Flight Facility is partnering with the NT's Arnhem Space Centre, SBS reports, with private outfit Equatorial Launch Australia receiving the contract to provide temporary launch facilities in the southern hemisphere. Four rockets, measuring approximately 15 metres high, are expected to launch from the spaceport next year according to the ABC, with each spending around 15 minutes in suborbital space. Their purpose: scientific investigations. Already a lure for tourists, it was Arnhem Land's distinctive landscape and geographical location that reportedly proved an attraction — with NASA clearly taking the Top End moniker literally. The ASC is located in Nhulunbuy, around 700 kilometres east of Darwin. While NASA won't take off from the site until next year, it's expected that the ASC will be ready to launch small rockets by the end of this year. Even better — the centre is planning to launch spaceflights in 2020. The news comes as Australia keeps stepping up its space game — or reigniting it after closing down the Australian Space Office back in 1996. The federal government announced formed the Australian Space Agency in 2018, and revealed that it'd be headquartered in Adelaide from this year. In a statement, ASA Head Dr Megan Clark AC said that "NASA's interest in conducting a sounding rocket campaign in Australia shows the increasing importance of commercial launch activities from Australia". Via: SBS/ABC. Image: NASA/Bill Ingalls.
We all work hard so when the weekends roll around, you want to make them count. That could mean enjoying a bottle of vino or a craft beer over some quality eats. Perhaps you hot-foot it out of the city to explore our beautiful country. And then on the rare (or perhaps not so rare) occasion, it will be spent tearing up the d-floor. So, what if we told you that you could enjoy all three activities in one epic weekend? Wine Machine promises just that. Now in its second year, the event is heading to Canungra Valley on Saturday, March 3, 2018, to throw the ultimate dance party amongst the grapevines. Proceedings will kick off in the early afternoon with Australian acts including Kite Street Tangle, Touch Sensitive and Sneaky Sound System all taking to the stage. DJ Tom Loud will end the evening with one of his now-legendary Hot Dub Time Machine sets, which will see audiences dancing their way from 1954 to today, as he mixes an iconic song from each year. And it's all set within the picturesque fields of O'Reilly's Winery with top-notch bites and drinks — including frosé and bottles of O'Reilly's wine — to keep you going. It'll be a weekend that's hard to top but we're going to try: we're offering you the chance to win double AAA passes to the festival. You and a mate will spend the evening at the Artist Bar enjoying complimentary drinks and rubbing shoulders with the musos before they head onstage. When the time comes for Hot Dub Time Machine's set, you get the coolest seats in the house: side stage. And to top it off, you get to be part of the magic by throwing confetti and giant inflatable grapes into the crowd. To enter, see details below. [competition]656585[/competition]
Waking up to a perfect sunrise on an almost empty beach. Spotting a true-blue Aussie icon. Or sticking your head out of the window when you're cruising with the fam. Each one of these TikTok videos has us dreaming of epic adventures with our besties, lazing in the sun, and rising early to catch a wave or two. In short, they make us miss the best parts of summer — and make us want to extend that carefree holiday vibe into autumn, too. To help inspire you to live your best life, we've teamed up with TikTok to bring you five videos that'll have you handing over that resignation and GTFO to bigger and brighter things. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@kendallandglenn/video/6885137289199095042[/embed] Kendall and Glenn are really channeling that sun-kissed, no-worries Australian dream right now. The couple is travelling around Australia in a VW — called Vance — and they're capturing the best (and worst) parts of living on the road together. They've been to Magnetic Island, Uluru, Flinders Ranges and the Fleurieu Peninsula. Here they're really flexing that perfect #vanlife morning. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@yeetus_mcfeetus/video/6716434036241206534[/embed] In 2010, the Big Prawn came close to death when the Ballina Shire Council voted in favour of its demolition. Luckily, the public had other ideas and today you can still find it in Ballina, NSW. KT, or @yeetus_mcfeetus, picked a true-blue legend to soundtrack their encounter with two other Aussie greats: Bunnings and the Big Prawn. Make like KT and plan your own trip to see these extremely Australian big things for yourself. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@genuine_spud/video/6858869469809249541[/embed] Emilee Flood's 'Electric Love' is one of those tracks synonymous with TikTok. (It's a real Sad Girl TikTok banger). But here, Kel-C uses that 'lightning in a bottle' lyric to show us all their feels about a perfect summer road trip — kangaroos, beaches, sunsets and snacks. Take. Us. Back. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@gemmacatherine29/video/6828566161651666181[/embed] How good's WA? Gemma Catherine, maker of this extraordinarily good case for getting out of bed before sunrise, shows us it's the state to be in for escaping iso and getting out for a surf. Now, being back at work isn't strictly the same as iso, but we're feeling the itch to travel all the same. If you're looking for inspiration, here are ten must-visit locations in Australia. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@_.lilyhaynes._/video/6894561223736691969[/embed] If there's one video in this roundup that speaks to us most it's this gem from Lily Haynes. She's filmed her pup Alfie living his best self, chilling with the fam, seeing what's up, riding shotgun. If that doesn't push you to book a long weekend on the road, we don't know what will. Alfie, we ❤️ you. Download TikTok to watch more blissful travel videos. Top image: Wikimedia Commons
It's an event that has been six years in the making. Damon Albarn's been busy with Blur, so we won't hold the sizeable wait between albums against him. But hey, when you start a virtual band as a side project and people start listening, they're going to want more music. Bistrotheque's Feel Good: Gorillaz Party could've happened before new tracks dropped, of course, but it just wouldn't have felt good enough. Jump back and forth, and do more than feel like you were there yourself as Feels Club, Reckless and the Bistrotheque DJs take you to plastic beach and beyond.
When you drink a spritz, it might get you dreaming of Italy, the country that gave the world the summery tipple. Sip one of the cocktails at South Brisbane's latest addition and you'll definitely be thinking about the other side of world. A ten-option spritz menu that themes its sips around different Italian regions — Venice, Rome, Milan, Sicily and Bologna included — will do that. As its name makes plain, Como takes inspiration from a specific part of the European country in general: Lake Como. Cue Euro summer vibes all year long and no matter the weather in Brisbane or in Italy, all on Melbourne Street. Formerly of Bacchus, Head Chef Isaia Dal Fiume leads the fine-diner's kitchen, putting together dishes that hero seasonal produce. The small bites begin with oysters, sago chips, crispy polenta with mushroom, pan brioche with raw kangaroo loin, fried calamari and caviar. There's also a selection of cured meats and focaccia, which are recommended to be paired. Or, from the antipasto range, tuck into beetroot tartare and yuzu-marinated swordfish. Among the pastas, spaghetti champagne lobster stands out, albeit with a hefty price tag to match; pappardelle with wild boar ragu and rigatoni with mussels will also tempt your tastebuds. For mains, porchetta, duck breast and market fish sit alongside two types of wagyu and dry-aged black angus sirloin. And as for dessert, watermelon yoghurt, raspberry sorbet and cheese all feature. If you can't choose what to eat, two degustation menus are on offer, including one for groups that spans six courses for $110 a head and an eight-dish feast that'll set you back $149 per person. Pizzas are available for takeaway via the restaurant's Fish Lane entrance all day from Tuesday–Sunday, while Como's bar also operates from open till close six days a week. But for dining in, you'll need to make a date for lunch from 12–2.30pm and dinner from 5.30–9.30pm. As well as spritzes, Como's drinks selection boasts multiple takes on the negroni, classics on request, non-boozy cocktails and eight pages of wine choices — with Italian, Australian, New Zealand, French, American and Spanish drops all getting their own menu sections. The mood is refined but laidback, encouraging patrons to while away their visit with their nearest and dearest. You can start at the bar, then settle in at a table. Also, if you let the staff know when you book, Como will cater to your timing if you're heading in before seeing a show somewhere around South Bank. Find Como at 119 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane — open 12pm–12am Tuesday–Sunday, with lunch from 12–2.30pm and dinner from 5.30–9.30pm. Head to the restaurant's website for further details.
Dinner parties always seem like a good idea. But just thinking about the shopping, setting up, cooking and cleaning can be enough to drive you to drink, often at a pricey bar. Never fear, there are some easy tricks to hosting a cracker of a meal that is easy on the wallet and won’t test your sanity. As spring beckons urging us to act on our festive impulses, many of us will brave it. Let us present to you our tips for the time poor and culinary challenged in our bluffer’s guide to hosting the perfect dinner party. Setting Up Alfresco dining is always preferable. As George Michael will tell you, people just have more fun outside. And don’t worry if your backyard is wearing the wounds of less classy occasions. Do a quick sweep-up (no need to be too fussy) and fill the place with random objects, fairy lights and lots of candles – I like to stick them in old booze bottles. Imperfections, somehow, become charming in dim lighting. Light a fire. Cover the table in something black - it’s forgiving - and pour all the wine into carafes. It is an undeniable fact that wine tastes more expensive when poured from a carafe. Vases or glass containers of any description will work also. Once setup, get the tunes going. It’s important that your playlist is tailored to accompany the swim of lady alcohol through your guests. Regardless of your preferred genre, there is a formula I’ve found never fails. Start with something new, slowly move into some cult classics, finally, if the mood is right, get a little bit tragic. Entrée Save the unnecessary effort, and washing up, that comes with preparing individual dishes and simply throw a nice platter together. The key is to know where to pick up some good grub for picking. Thankfully the city is teeming with amazing delis. Throw everything straight on the platter, no little dishes. And you need some bread. This is not the time for Wonder White, though. Try a spelt or a kamut if you want to go gourmet. Rip it up and serve straight on the board with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic for dipping. Discarded jar lids come in handy. Set it beside the table and let the guests graze casually. Main course I opted for a vegetarian risotto. It’s cheap, easy and will keep your vegetarians and gluten haters at bay (you can hold out on the cheese if need be, but it seems lactose intolerance has become a bit passé). Any old Google recipe will do, just toss through your favourite bits and pieces and be sure to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Throw together a simple salad. Rocket, pear, walnut and parmesan is my go-to. The nightcap As the evening curtails, it is nice to introduce a new beverage. Boil some cheap plonk with oranges, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla (or whatever condiments you’ve got!) and voila! Mulled wine. I like to throw some rhubarb in also. And maybe a splash of port if it’s on hand. Whether the night evolves into a political debate or a living room dance-off, you’ve certainly set your guests up for a good one. Sit back, relax and bask in the host’s glory.
Beyond the Pale, opened in the new Coorparoo Square development in 2017, aims to cover all bases. An extensive menu offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, with the takeaway coffee kicking off at 6.30am every day. Health aware but tasty is the breakfast vibe, with pumpkin and haloumi on rye, wild rice breakfast bowls and smashed avo with goats cheese. Tuck into some popcorn chicken or mac 'n' cheese nuggets for an after work snack, or go all out with a Wagyu cheese burger for dinner. Drinks wise, there are 12 beer taps of Queensland staples, including brews from Burleigh Brewing, Newstead Brewing and Green Beacon. An expansive cocktail and wine list covers the rest of the alcohol field. And, there's a Dendy Cinema right next door, making it a perfect pick for date night.
As fun as it is, Easter isn't just about staying home and eating chocolate. Given that most of us have four days off, it's also a great time for a road trip. In keeping with the eating and drinking theme, might we suggest a cheese, wine and food festival? If heading to the Sunshine Coast sounds like your idea of fun, then the Kenilworth Cheese, Wine & Food Fest should be your first destination. Sample cheese and wine all day long, watch cooking demonstrations, and enjoy some live music. And then there's the cheese rolling contest, which is exactly what it sounds like. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
If you could use a good giggle right about now, the annual GC Laughs Festival is happy to oblige between Friday, March 17–Sunday, March 25. The Gold Coast's annual comedy fest returns for 2023 with a heap of impressive comedy names taking to the microphone — and taking over HOTA, Home of the Arts, to tickle ribs. The festival officially kicks off on the Friday with a big guffaw-inducing gala hosted by Nick Cody, but that's just the beginning of the lineup. For the rest of the fest, you'll also get chuckling at Mark Watson, Tom Ballard, Rove McManus, Lizzy Hoo, Paul Foot and Claire Hooper. Also on the bill: Stephen K Amos, Akmal, Hard Quiz hosted by Tom Gleeson, Michelle Brasier, Diana Nguyen, Josie Long, Lano & Woodley and more. That's a wealth of comedy worth hitting the coast for, but GC Laughs actually extends beyond its main dates, too. Firstly, it kicks off with a launch party offsite at Burleigh Brewing on Thursday, March 16. And, come Tuesday, April 4, Daniel Sloss will hit up HOTA as well. Images: Anneliese Nappa.
Sometimes, watching a movie is all about escapism. Sometimes, it's a thought-provoking and eye-opening experience. You won't forget the world's troubles at the Environmental Film Festival Australia, but you will find out more about them — especially as they relate to the state of this planet we all call home. As its name makes plain, EFFA shines a spotlight on cinema that puts the environment in firmly focus. The 2021 event is going virtual, hosting its lineup online; however, the same remit remains between Thursday, October 14–Sunday, November 14. So, eco-conscious cinephiles can explore the struggles and splendours of the natural world, all from their couches. Leading the charge is The Weather Diaries, which sees Australian director Kathy Drayton chronicle her daughter's teen years as the planet is increasingly affected by climate change — and it's joined by The Fourth Kingdom, about illegal immigrants living in a New York recycling centre; That's Wild, where teens traverse Colorado's mountains; and The Forum, focusing on the World Economic Forum. The list of flicks goes on, including documentaries about everything from Nobel Prize-winning scientist Jacques Duboche and local farmers on the French island of Martinique to the School Strike 4 Climate movement.
We've all been there, and more than once: a pal returns from a holiday, assaults you with an endless parade of their happy pics, and doesn't quite realise when they've tested the limits of your friendly enthusiasm. You won't feel like that while you're viewing Chris Hoopmann's journal of his 2014-15 trip to Japan. Trust us The name of his exhibition — ii kanji, roughly translating to 'good vibes' — offers the first indication that this isn't your usual snapshot slideshow. Plastering his pieces over the walls of Hoo Ha Bar is another promising sign. And then there's Hoopmann's own aim, with the Brisbane-based shutterbug seeking to create a fusion of documentary, fine art and travel log. Across his first photo series shot exclusively overseas, he achieves just that. Attempting to merge the roles of tourist and photographer, his images offer insights into Japanese culture that should fascinate seasoned travellers and newcomers alike.
Everyone should see Henry Rollins on a stage. Luckily, audiences have had ample opportunities for more than four decades. The musician first came to fame singing behind the microphone in punk-rock band Black Flag and then Rollins Band, but is now just as renowned for his spoken-word shows, where he waxes lyrical (and candid and amusing) about his life, fame and the state of the world. Australians are no stranger to Rollins getting chatty; however, thanks to the pandemic, he hasn't taken to stages Down Under since 2016. That's about to change come winter, with the icon, actor, author and radio host heading around the country on an 18-show, 17-city tour. The place scoring a double dose of Rollins? Brisbane. Rollins' spoken-word gigs always sell out, and they're always an entertaining — and unflinchingly honest — night spent listening to the Sons of Anarchy, Lost Highway and Heat star. This time, he's visiting both capitals and regional centres, and notching up every Aussie state and territory, on a tour dubbed 'Good to See You'. Attendees can look forward to Rollins looking back over the past seven years since he last visited Australia, stepping through his life from 2016 until COVID-19 hit — and, of course, exploring what's happened since. Fingers crossed for more mullet insights, too. Rollins makes his way around Australia after a massive leg in Europe, where he's currently flitting from Croatia, Poland and Finland to Sweden, Germany, France and the United Kingdom — and more. And, his latest tour comes after he added two more books to his name in 2022: Sic, which draws upon the frustration of not knowing if his touring life would ever return; and Stay Fanatic!!! Vol. 3. [caption id="attachment_888225" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Morten Jensen via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] HENRY ROLLINS 'GOOD TO SEE YOU' TOUR 2023: Monday, June 5 — Perth Concert Hall, Perth Tuesday, June 6 — Margaret River HEART, Margaret River Thursday, June 8 — Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide Friday, June 9 — Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs Saturday, June 10 — Darwin Entertainment Centre, Darwin Tuesday, June 13 — Cairns Performing Arts Centre, Cairns Thursday, June 15–Friday, June 16 — The Tivoli, Brisbane Saturday, June 17 — The Events Centre Caloundra, Sunshine Coast Tuesday, June 20 — Llewellyn Hall ANU, Canberra Wednesday, June 21 — Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo Thursday, June 22 — Civic Hall, Ballarat Saturday, June 24 — Hamer Hall, Melbourne Tuesday, June 27 — Anita's Theatre, Thirroul Wednesday, June 28 — State Theatre, Sydney Friday, June 30 — Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle Sunday, July 2 — Princess Theatre, Launceston Monday, July 3 — Odeon Theatre, Hobart Henry Rollins tours Australia in June and July 2023, with ticket pre sales from 11am local time on Monday, February 13 and general sales from 11am local time on Wednesday, February 15. Head to the tour website for further information.
Whether they're a random, your bestie, a family member or your partner, you probably never expected to spend as much time with the person (or people) you live with as you have this year. And they've spent more time with you than they were planning to, too. This means a stellar gift that says "thanks for putting up with me and all my weird quirks" is in order this festive season, which is where we come in. I In partnership with Square, we've picked out nine chic gifts to get for the person with whom you share an address. And, because we know you're going to use their stuff whether you have permission to or not, we've selected items that you'll get a kick out of, too. If you are a small business owner, Square has the tools you need to take payments and maximise your sales, including an ebook with tips to help you get started this holiday season. THE CHATS' 'THE CHATS' EP, COTTONMOUTH RECORDS ($38) If you're lucky enough to have a record player in your abode, then adding to the vinyl collection is a gift for everyone. Sydney record store and bar Cottonmouth Records' collection is as varied as it is vast with everything from Mariah Carey's Butterfly to Ella Fitzgerald's The Lost Berlin Tapes on offer. Suffice to say, you can have a little fun with your selection and pick something completely left-of-centre. Our pick is the 2016 self-titled EP from Aussie punk rock band The Chats. The year before the Sunshine Coast ratbags were catapulted onto the scene with their pub anthem 'Smoko', they recorded this seven-song EP in "a high school in a few hours", according to their Bandcamp listing. Shipping is $15, or free for orders over $100. POSIE CANDLE, FLOUR AND BLOOM ($30) Let's face it, sharehouse living means having to deal with some pretty, ahem, interesting smells. You may not be able to do anything about the questionable aromas wafting from your housemate's bedroom, but you can mask the smell of their leftovers in the kitchen with a candle. Camp Hill florist Flour and Bloom sells chic hand-poured natural soy candles by Byron Bay brand Posie for $30 in scents like watermelon, cucumber and basil, lemon myrtle, or rose, sandalwood and yuzu. Flour and Bloom usually bundle the candles with bouquet purchases, but if you'd like to buy a candle separately, you can contact the store on (07) 3843 0785. BUDDING GARDENER'S PACKAGE, THE PLANT SOCIETY ($20) Sure, you may live in a shoebox apartment with no backyard, but that doesn't mean you can't inject a little nature into the space. Provided you have some access to natural light, you can grow some beautiful greenery — or you can get your housemate to do it, and you just enjoy the fruits of their green-thumbed labour. This little gift package from The Plant Society costs just $20 and comes with three seed sachets, with a mix of food and flower seeds, plus a block of Hey Tiger chocolate. LUX BLACK AND GOLD, BLO BRUSH ($149.95) For the sophisticated glamour queen in your life (and house), look no further than this three-in-one hair styling wonder from Blo Brush. Part-hairdryer, part-straightener and part-volumiser, this nifty machine lets you recreate a salon blow-dry at home in a fraction of the time. It's pretty portable, too, so grab it for your housemate who is constantly hogging the bathroom. You can even opt to have it boxed in Christmas-themed packaging. Orders are shipped via express post, so it'll be on your doorstep in a matter of days. COCKATOO CUSHION IN ROSE, COCKATOO COLLECTION ($69) You've probably spent quite a lot of time in your living room this year, so we wouldn't blame you for getting a little bored with the decor. This vibrant Cockatoo Cushion from design business Cockatoo Collection could be the pop of colour the room so desperately needs. Like the rest of the brand's range of homewares and accessories inspired by Australian nature — which includes golden wattle tea towels, tassie devil canvas bags and gum blossom earrings — this product is handmade in its Melbourne studio. The cover is made with natural linen and cotton blend fabric, and you can opt to have it sent with or without the cushion insert. Delivery is free for orders over $25. SONNY ROUND DOORMAT, OAK AND AVE ($99) Landlord won't let you have a dog? Housemate allergic to cats? You may not be allowed to have a four-legged friend to greet you, but this joyful rainbow doormat is sure to put a smile on your weary dial when you get home every day. Available from cosy homewares store Oak and Ave, the half-circle peach and silver handwoven mat is made with durable jute, so it'll last through the many comings and goings at your house. You can order it online to pick up from the store in Shorncliffe or get it delivered right to its future resting place: your doorstep. HER BEST FRIEND JIGSAW PUZZLE, OKAY LADY ($79) Chances are at least one of your housemates developed a penchant for puzzles this year and, if that's the case, a pressie from online jigsaw puzzle company Okay Lady will be a winner. Okay Lady puzzles champion Aussie women illustrators and come in environmentally friendly packaging — no plastic in sight. If you happen to live with your bestie, get this super-cute 400-piece jigsaw by Queensland artist Sophie Beer that features two besties and some adorable pups. Shipping is free across Australia. ENTERTAINER EDITION, THE BOTANICA BOX ($130) There's nothing that propels a fledgling friendship forward like alcohol, so if your housemate situation is relatively fresh, The Botanica Box's Entertainer Edition gift pack should turn you into bosom buddies in no time. The box comes with a chrome cocktail shaker, two cut-glass tumblers, a gold-plated corkscrew, a cheese board and knife set, a card handmade with recycled paper and your choice of cocktail mixer. You'll have a choice between margarita mix, sours mix and bloody mary mix, so you and your new live-in companion can bond over an after-work tipple or two. If you want to fully pimp out your communal bar cart, add a second mixer for $30 and a third for $25. Delivery is free for some suburbs in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Northern NSW, then vary between $15–25 for areas outside this perimeter. ONE SURFER CANVAS, CASA NOOSA INTERIORS ($560) Sure, you'll have to really like your housemate to splash this much on a gift. But remember it's a gift for you, too. And whether it's the interior inspo on Instagram, the most recent season of The Block, or just spending so much time staring at the same bare walls this year, you're probably starting to realise beautiful art for your home is worth the investment. Capture those summer vibes in your home year-round with this photographic print from Casa Noosa Interiors. The black and white image features a single surfer walking along the beach, and is presented on stretched canvas framed in a thin timber veneer frame. Find out how Square is supporting small businesses with the tools they need to grow, here. If you are a small business owner, Square has guidance on how best to maximise sales in the Christmas holiday period in its ebook, found here. Top image: Okay Lady
With a new year brings new wines — and if you're a fan of vino, then that's probably why you love busting out a new calendar. We might still be a few months away from hitting 2020, but it's never too early to start thinking about next year's favourites, particularly when you can get the jump at Young Gun of Wine: The Joy of Wine. Formed 14 years ago, Young Gun of Wine showcases emerging wine producers, with The Joy of Wine highlighting the latest tipples that might just be all over menus for the next 12 months. As the name suggests, it's also about enjoying the sensual experience that is drinking wine — savouring the tastes, scents and everything that makes vino great. The one-night tasting party will feature 25 winemakers pouring their best, with around 50 tipples on offer for you to sip your way through. If you like knocking back vino with a view, the three-hour shindig is taking over the main Howard Smith Wharves lawn from 7pm on Saturday, November 23. Tickets cost $65 per person and include plenty of wine to taste, plus a Riedel crystal wineglass. You'll also be able to purchase bites to eat to line your stomach. Image: Howard Smith Wharves.
Feel like you've spent a little too much time on the couch in the past year? The Bicton Hill circuit track is the perfect way to ease back into hiking. The four-kilometre track is an approachable distance for most fitness levels and is located within the Clump Mountain National Park in Mission Beach — approximately a two-hour drive south of Cairns. As the trail winds to the summit you'll encounter lush rainforest vegetation and native wildlife including kingfisher birds, lace monitors and, sometimes, a cassowary. At the top, you'll be rewarded with sweeping views across the emerald-coloured bay where you can enjoy the incredible sights of the Family Islands National Park. Once you've looped back to the carpark, cool off with a dip in the Coral Sea at Bingil Bay situated just opposite the track. Or, head to the much-loved Bingil Bay Cafe for a freshly squeezed juice and some lunch. Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
It has dragons, shape-shifting, power struggles and Kit Harington — and someone is told that they know nothing, though not the man best known as Jon Snow. We’re not talking about Game of Thrones. If only. Instead, the latest effort to wave the fantasy flag is Seventh Son. The film is based on the novel The Spook's Apprentice and was actually shot three years ago, but it clearly really wants to be everyone’s favourite TV show. It also wants to be every other story about epic quests, long-held feuds, strange creatures and supernatural powers that has reached a screen — large, small or kindle — over the past ten years or so. The bad news: shared dashes of drama, magic and medieval theming aside, and there's plenty, trying to be just like everything fantasy fans know and love doesn’t do this movie any favours. The worse news: it also leaves it looking like a pale imitation of better work. From the computer-animated monsters to the lukewarm love story, Seventh Son comes second in every category. The title and the tale tell of a young man, Tom Ward (Ben Barnes), whose birth order sees him selected to learn the witch-hunting, realm-protecting trade. He’s not just a seventh son — he’s the seventh son of a seventh son — so legend has it that he’s something extra special. Master Gregory (Jeff Bridges) tries to teach Tom new tricks, but time isn’t on their side. A once-in-a-century blood moon is a mere week away, with evil enchantress Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore) planning to use the occasion to take over the world. If it all sounds like your average good-versus-evil scenario, that’s because it is. More than that, it’s dull, familiarity not quite breeding contempt but certainly not inspiring much interest. That every plot point just feels like an exercise in ticking the requisite boxes doesn’t help, including the complications added when half-witch Alice (Alicia Vikander), the nicer niece of Malkin, falls for our hero. The 3D action sequences do the same; even when they’re trying to ramp up the spectacle with giants, tumbles down waterfalls and shape-shifting henchmen, everything is firmly in by-the-numbers territory. What Seventh Son does boast is ample talent, though two-time Oscar nominee Sergei Bodrov (Prisoner of the Mountains, Mongol) doesn’t fare so well with his slapdash efforts in the director’s chair. Thankfully, 2011 best actor Oscar winner Bridges and newly minted best actress Oscar recipient Moore do better — or as well as they can given what’s being asked of them. Indeed, the veteran performers are the most watchable part of the movie, one grumbling, mumbling and stumbling, the other relishing an over-the-top role, and both as cartoonish as you can get. That Barnes and Vikander — and everything else — seems bland in comparison is hardly surprising. As an adaptation of the first book in a now fourteen-strong series, Seventh Son was obviously once seen as the start of a new film franchise. If there’s any real magic in this movie, it is in ensuring that that doesn’t happen.
Valley Fiesta is back for another year with a packed program, which once again means oh-so-many bands and musos filling oh-so-many Fortitude Valley spaces with tunes. Also returning: live music on King Street in Bowen Hills, which the Fiesta is clearly counting as the Valley for this occasion. And, that soundtrack will accompany a second fiesta that's coming back for the second time: the King Street Food Fiesta. Stocking up on sustenance is always a smart idea to start any festival, so Valley Fiesta is beginning with an entire celebration dedicated to tasty bites just like it did in 2022. King Street's eateries will get in on the action, serving up tasting plates from $8 featuring their signature dishes right in front of their venues. Running from 5–10pm on Friday, November 3, this food wonderland wants you to get wandering around the precinct, tucking into whatever tempts your tastebuds from nachos, bao and chicken wings to dumplings, cheese and charcuterie, and pasta. Venues taking part include Xin Chao, El Camino Cantina, Super Combo, Fat Dumpling and Bar Gusto, with Il Verde setting up a spritz bar, plus Archie Brothers' Cirque Electriq doing pizzas and cocktails. You'll also be listening to live tunes across two stages, with a focus on talents such as Taitu'uga — Talking High Chief, Kuzco and Lucy Korts. That same spotlight will see King Street also play host to Brisbane artists, and line the road with new art. Food images: Markus Ravik.
With its award-winning barrel-aged, bloody shiraz, rare dry, spiced negroni, Christmas and overproof gins, Four Pillars has won plenty of fans — and as of today, one big buyer. If you're keen on creative takes on juniper spirits, you might've snapped up plenty of the brand's coveted tipples, but only beer giant Lion has become the distillery's new partner. It's the first foray into the craft spirit market for the huge beverage company, which is owned by Japan's Kirin Holdings and boasts beer labels such as James Squire, Little Creatures, Furphy, White Rabbit, Hahn, Tooheys, James Boag's and XXXX to its name. Picking up a 50 percent stake in Four Pillars, it's clearly hoping to capitalise upon the gin outfit's growing popularity. According to the Australian Financial Review, the Healesville-based boozemakers are expected to sell half a million bottles this year. The sale comes little more than five years after Four Pillars was established by Stuart Gregor, Cameron Mackenzie and Matt Jones — and Gregor say it's "the start of a really exciting new chapter for our business". It's not the first time the trio has been approached by potential buyers, but when it came to pairing up with Lion, they liked "the fact we will be their first and most important craft spirit brand". Gregor, Mackenzie and Jones will still be running the show, and they'll still keep their existing Yarra Valley digs as their base. But Four Pillars aficionados can look forward to a few changes — including more small batch gin experiments, more attempts to push boundaries, when it comes to both distilling and botanicals, and more collaborations with renowned bartenders, chefs and other creatives. The company will also build a new hospitality and production space next to its current location, which'll give it the capacity to make and bottle more than one million bottles of gin a year. And, in good news for anyone who considers Bloody Shiraz Gin day the best day of the year, a new website that doesn't crash when each new batch goes on sale is also on the cards. If you're wondering, as it has previously, the much-loved variety will go on sale on June 1.
Advanced Style is a fashion documentary with a twist. Based on a blog by the same name, it is a movement away from thin models on catwalks and glossy magazine trends. The documentary focuses on the lives of older New York women who dress with flair and refuse to succumb to expectations of how older women should present themselves. The camera follows these women as they go about their daily lives, explaining how individual style and dressing up makes them feel. These characters were captured by street photographer Ari Seth Cohen, who wanted to gain an insight into the lives of women who he perceived as the caretakers of style. All the women spiritedly challenge established ideas about beauty and ageing in Western culture — one says dressing up is an "an exercise in creativity". Advanced Style is in cinemas on October 2. Thanks to Madman Entertainment we have ten double in-season passes to give away. One major prize winner will also get copies of The September Issue on DVD and the CR Fashion Book Issue 1. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=ccai-E36BfI
The golden age of Cabaret is upon us — if you discount the early 1900s — and Queensland is about to come alive with feathers, sequins and a lot of skin to celebrate. The Queensland Cabaret Festival is celebrating this fine performance art in the many cultural hubs of the Sunshine State. From the Judith Wright Centre, to Ipswich Civic Centre, there’s going to be a cavalcade of cabaret till June 21. The Festival itself will encompass a range of acts — if you’re a discotheque cabaret fusion gal, Dum Diva Disco is your go to. If you want something a little more smokey, Caroline Din will be showing off her Parisian chic appeal for one night only. And if you just want your run of the mill, stock standard cabaret, the Festival can accommodate to that too – check out all the events here. This festival is all encompassing of the cabaret ‘style’ – there will be comedy, social satire, exotic music, local legends, and a celebration of all things song, dance and sparkles. You’d be a fool to miss out, and an even bigger fool to assume cabaret doesn’t get better than the movie. Because trust me, Liza ain't go nothing on this.
There are some big, green changes afoot in the ACT, with the nation's capital today — Wednesday, September 25 — legalising the possession and cultivation of cannabis for personal use. The ACT Parliament gave a green light to the bill put forward by Labor backbencher Michael Pettersson, called Drugs of Dependence (Personal Cannabis Use) Amendment Bill 2018, which allows residents over the age of 18 to possess up to 50 grams of dry cannabis (or 150 grams of wet) and to have two cannabis plants growing at their house, with a maximum of four per household. The new laws, which are set to come into effect from January 31, 2020, aren't clearcut, however. You still won't be able to buy, sell, give or even share marijuana under the new laws — which means your only option is to grow your own. The ACT's Chief Police Officer Ray Johnson told the ABC Radio earlier today (via The Canberra Times), that even sharing a joint would be considered 'drug supply'. "If there's evidence that someone is providing cannabis to someone else, that's supply and that's an offence," Johnson said. Cannabis will still remain an illegal drug under Commonwealth law, which means that Canberrans risk fines and prison time for possessing the drug. At the moment, it's unsure how ACT police offers will react, as they have the ability to enforce both ACT and Commonwealth laws. It's also possible the Commonwealth could overrule the ACT decision, as it did with the Territory's same-sex marriage decision back in 2013 (yes, the ACT independently legalised same-sex marriage before any other jurisdiction), saying the ACT's law was inconsistent with the Federal law. You also can't smoke in public places or around minors, and, just as before, there'll also be penalties for any minor caught with cannabis, for driving under the influence and, importantly, artificial cultivation. Which means, any cultivation with the aid of light or heat is still illegal — so you won't be able to set up a hydroponics system in your cupboard or basement a la Pineapple Express. So, while things are looking suitably murky for now, if all proceeds as expected, Canberrans will be able to light up from early next year. It'll be interesting to see if this influences laws in any other states or territories. The ACT's Drugs of Dependence (Personal Cannabis Use) Amendment Bill 2018 is set to be signed in on January 31, 2020. We'll let you know if anything changes. Via The Canberra Times
Big Fork Theatre's addition to Anywhere Theatre Festival 2016 isn't about the destination — it's about the journey (don't hurt us, HSC-survivors). Come on, given that their show is actually a comedy walking tour of West End, that's a completely understandable reference. In character as Bevan, Beryl, Bob, Barb and Benjamin of the Edenglassie Historical Society, the group will enlighten interested parties about the past, present and future history of the inner-city area over a leisurely stroll. Whether you're a newcomer or a local, you're certain to learn something — or to laugh at a feast of sketches and improv. Or both.
The alarming amount of surf bands coming out of the music industry’s woodwork these days has left many wondering where the hype and love for all things surf, sand and stoned has come from. Turns out Californian band Wavves has a lot to do with it. He may be ironically poking fun at the recent indie surf infatuation, but the self proclaimed ‘King of the Beach’ Nathan Williams is riding the wave to critical acclaim with his band’s collection of lo-fi pop-surf-punk melodies. Most of us have probably never stood on a surf board in our entire lives, but this summer it seemed we were all dreaming of our own reckless beach bum lifestyle, making Wavves’ catchy tunes the ideal soundtrack for our sun drenched fantasies. Just in time to see the end of our summer, Wavves will be bringing their controversial live show to Australia. The band will be in the country for a five date tour including an appearance at the much loved Meredith Golden Plains festival as well as shows in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane. Traveling with Wavves but on a separate tour of their very own, is Williams’ girlfriend Bethany Cosentino’s band Best Coast, in what is being unofficially toted as the “Sweetheart Tour.”
4ZZZ and All Day Breakfast Enterprises are putting on a ‘do' to celebrate the year that was, with food, company and entertainment – the things they do best. They’ve dubbed it Turkey Breakfast (2) because the festivities will be served in two courses, one in the morning, one in the evening. The morning celebrations include a sit-down treat, breakfast served by Kat Martin, and sing-a-long performances by Marisa Allen, Enderie Nuatal, Gerald Keaney and Makeda Zucco. The A-CH Gallery will also provide the perfect backdrop for new works by Matthew Linde and Callum Galletly. Dining attendees are encouraged to purchase their tickets online before the event ($12 via paypal to alldaybreakfastenterprises@gmail.com, with personal details) while non-dining attendees are welcome to pay their $5 entry fee on arrival. The evening event will take place at the new Globe Theatre in Fortitude Valley, where attendees will be dazzled by performances from Angie, ASPS, Bitchratch, Per Purpose, Swim Between The Shags, Sarah Spencer and Nathan Roche. Multimedia works from Angela Garrick (Angie), Rachel Archibald and Jay Cruikshank will also be on display, culminating in a late night of merriment. Tickets ($15) for this event can be paid beforehand or on the door. There are also limited combined tickets for both events ($20) which are to be paid for via paypal before the event. You’ll be hard-pressed to find an all-inclusive event like this, and no better way to farewell a stellar year for the presenters.
Stare at The False Mirror at Magritte, one of the Art Gallery of New South Wales' big summer exhibitions for 2024–25, and the masterpiece of a painting from 1929 will peer right back. Among the Belgian surrealist René Magritte's most-famous creations, the piece features a giant eye looking at the viewer, while also filled with a cloudy blue sky. It's an unforgettable work, and it's one of the stars of the latest showcase as part of Sydney International Art Series. Another striking painting that's on display in the Harbour City from Saturday, October 26, 2024–Sunday, February 9, 2025: Golconda, Magritte's 1953 work that brings two other pieces of popular culture to mind. Just try not to think about Mary Poppins and The Weather Girls' song 'It's Raining Men' while you feast your eyes on the sight of bowler hat-wearing men streaming down from the heavens. At Magritte, which is exclusive to Sydney, The False Mirror, Golconda and 1952's The Listening Room (La Chambre d'Écoute) — which shows an oversized apple — have ample company at AGNSW's south building Naala Nura. In total, 100-plus works are on display. This is not only a huge retrospective dedicated to the artist, but also Australia's first retrospective dedicated to Magritte. More than 80 of the pieces are paintings, demonstrating why Magritte is considered one of the most-influential figures in 20th-century surrealism; however, archival materials, photographs and films also feature. Sydney International Art Series isn't just about one major exclusive showcase, of course. From Saturday, November 30, 2024–Sunday, April 13, 2025, AGNSW is also hosting Cao Fei: My City. Over at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia from Friday, November 29, 2024–Sunday, April 27, 2025, Julie Mehretu is on display as well. Images: installation view of the 'Magritte' exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, 26 October 2024 – 9 February 2025, artworks © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Mim Stirling.
Aaaaaah, bacon. Is there any dish it can't improve? No. No, there is not. But, as great as the plain old store-bought variety can be in pretty much any meal you can think of, we're always up for taking our bacon game to the next level. In fact, it's as simple as knowing what to do. Enter Shank Brothers, those barbecue-loving fiends that they are, with the kind of workshop that public holidays were made for. We Can Bacon That won't just teach you how to use bacon — it'll show you about building smoke flavours, preparing and curing, trimming and marinating, and turning a variety of meats into the rashers you love. And if you think that making bacon even better isn't really possible, we'll throw some varieties at you: maple-infused pork bacon, smoked duck prosciutto or lamb bacon, anyone?
Get excited, festivalgoers: Pitch Music & Arts is returning to Grampian Plains in 2025, complete with a jam-packed roster of talent. Joy Orbison, Honey Dijon, Funk Tribu, 2manydjs: they're all on the bill. So are Daria Kolosova, SPFDJ, 999999999, Shanti Celeste, FJAAK, Lady Shaka and Job Jobse, with the list going on from there. Everyone should make the trip to the Grampians at least once, and here's as ace an excuse to do so as any: the return of the much-loved camping festival, which will host its eighth edition, taking over Moyston again. Next years' festivities are happening from Friday, March 7–Tuesday, March 11. Not only will its three stages play host to a sparkling lineup of local and international musical talent, as always, but the tunes will be backed by a hefty program of interactive art and installations. Basically, no matter who makes it onto the bill, attendees are in for a very big, very busy four days. Joy Orbison's 'flight fm' and 'better' were used in teaser videos for 2025's fest, which was indeed a huge advance lineup hint. You can also look forward to catching Gabber Eleganza, BASHKKA, Funk Assault, Baraka, ISAbella, Ogazón, southstar, Midland, Dax J, Anetha and plenty more, including Osmosis Jones, Moopie, DJ PGZ, Stev Zar, Jennifer Loveless and Mabel. On the Pitch Music & Arts arts lineup: Adnate, Anatolik Belikov, Ash Keating, Builders Club, Clayton Blake, EJ Son, ENOKi, Georgia Treloar, Henry Howson & Ambrose Zacharakis, Jaqui Munoz, Joan Sandoval, Lukas Rafik Mayer, ØFFËRÎNGŠ (aka Melissa Gilbert), Petra Péterffy, Rachel Lyn & Cameron Trafford, Raquel Villa, Reelize Studio, Sam Hayes, TERRAIN, Tetrik and UnitePlayPerform. In between all of the dance-floor sessions and arty things, festivalgoers will again be able to make themselves at home in the Pitch Pavilion, which is where yoga classes, meditation and sound baths usually help patrons unwind. The local-focused Club Serra will be new in 2025, championing homegrown talent. Pitch Music & Arts 2025 Lineup 2 LUBLY 2manydjs (DJ set) 6 SENSE 999999999 Anetha Audrey Danza BADSISTA Baraka (LIVE) BASHKKA D. Tiffany Daria Kolosova b2b SPFDJ Dax J Diffrent DJ Fuckoff DJ Gigola DJ Paulette DJ PGZ b2b Moopie Ed Kent Ela Minus Elli Acula Fadi Mohem FJAAK (LIVE) Funk Assault Funk Tribu Gabber Eleganza presents the Hakke Show GiGi FM Guy Contact Honey Dijon ISAbella Jennifer Loveless Job Jobse Joy Orbison Kasper Marott Kia Kuzco (LIVE) Lacchesi Lady Shaka Leo Pol Maara Mabel Maruwa Mia Koden Midland Mikalah Watego Miley Serious Naycab Ned Bennett Objekt Ogazón Ollie Lishman Osmosis Jones Pablo Bozzi Pegassi Shanti Celeste southstar Stev Zar Sugar Free Surf 2 Glory Taylah Elaine The Illustrious Blacks Trym VOLVOX Y U QT Images: Duncographic, William Hamilton Coates, Max Roux and Ashlea Caygill.
Calling all wizards, witches and muggles: a nail-biting Harry Potter trivia is coming to South Bank. Taking place at Little Big House, the night will feature two hours of Harry Potter fun. This is a must-attend event for all Potterheads who have read all eight books from cover to cover, know their alohomoras from their sectumsempras, and have seen Harry Potter and the Cursed Child — because of course they have. Dressing up is highly encouraged, and while butterbeer isn't on the menu, you will be able to purchase the regular variety. There'll also be live music, themed specials and plenty of potty contestants. Entry is free, with the questions flying from 6pm on Monday, September 16 on Little Big House's verandah. Choose your team wisely.
If jungle vibes inside a Brisbane warehouse sounds like your perfect outing, head along to the Jungle Collective's indoor plant sale on Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28. It's the latest greenery-filled Brissie market from The Jungle Collective, a Melbourne nursery that stocks all kinds of weird and wonderful species. Yes, it's trucking its way up north again for another Queensland venture — and this time, it's focusing on pet-friendly plants. Whether you're after a hanging pot plant, some palms for the garden or a giant Bird of Paradise, chances are you'll find it here. Have a reputation for killing your cacti? Overwatering your ferns? Don't worry — there'll be horticulturalists onsite on the night to give you advice and chat through any questions you might have. At a Coorparoo location, you'll be inspired by greenery aplenty — and learn to incorporate plants into your home and living spaces — all while browsing and soaking up some tunes. Best get in quick though, as these markets are always popular. With more than 150 different species usually on offer, of course they are. Due to expected demand, the sale will be held in four sessions on Saturday (8–10am, 10am–noon, 12–2pm and 2–4pm) and two on Sunday (10am–noon, 12–2pm), and attendees will need to register for free tickets from noon on Monday, July 22. Plus, this sale has a Christmas in July theme — so if you dress up like the jolly figure (yes, the hat is necessary) and spend at least $10 on plants you'll get $5 off your purchase.
Scenic sights, food-filled days and nights, a jam-packed program teeming with event highlights: that's how winter starts each year in the Scenic Rim. For the month of June, this world-renowned southeast Queensland region gets into festival mode, celebrating the eating and drinking options that the area is known for. When you're not touring farms, for instance, you're tucking into farm-to-table feasts. When you're not settling in for long lunches and fire-cooked meals, too, you're learning how to make cheese, saying cheers to spirits, meeting camels or picking edible flowers. That's the Scenic Rim Eat Local Month way, as attendees can enjoy from Friday, May 30–Sunday, June 29 in 2025. By the numbers, this year's fest is going big, with more than 100 food events on the itinerary — and almost 40 of them newcomers to the program. Among that total figure, there's also over 40 long lunches, dinners and degustations; 64 on-farm activities; and 25 workshops and classes. It falls at the end of 2025's Scenic Rim Eat Local Month, but the fest-within-a-fest celebration that is the Winter Harvest Festival remains one of the event's standouts, taking over Kalbar for three days. Beforehand, across a region that spans from Beaudesert, Kerry and Mount Alford to Beechmont and Tamborine Mountain, too, camel tours, vodka tastings, becoming a brewmaster for a day, high tea and cocktails in a rainforest, a market put on by Towri Sheep Cheeses and learning to make citrus liqueur are among the month's offerings. Also included: a fest dedicated to fermented food, taking to the sky in a hot-air balloon, crafting your own rum, picnicking and walking with alpacas, meandering along an edible garden trail and marking the winter solstice with a camping cookout. If you've ever tasted carrot ice cream, that's likely because you've hit up Scenic Rim Eat Local Month before — or Scenic Rim Eat Local Week, as it was known until 2022. This is the only time of the year that Moffatt's Fresh Produce whip up the unique dessert. The event's annual Kalfresh Carrot Day is also on the agenda, and is always popular. This is a part of the world where 600 million of the orange vegetables are grown each year, after all.
Since day one in 1941, bad times at the Merthyr Bowls Club have never existed. You'll have a crackerjack of a day no matter what — whether you're taking to the green overlooking the river, sitting on the front deck admiring the view, or enjoying a meaty (or vego) barbecue. Good times are guaranteed. Brisbane might have plenty of places for a leisurely bowl, but Merthyr has remained a favourite for over 75 years. Here, it's all location, location, location with that view, that breeze and those post-game wanders through New Farm Park. Plus, even if you don't feel like getting barefoot and bowling up a storm, the chill vibes and tasty barbecue make Merthyr a perfect hangout. On Fridays, expect to keep the good times rolling until midnight.
Taking over the slice of Newstead that Chester Street Bakery once called home, Hello Gorgeous has one thing in common with its now-defunct predecessor: wherever you look, something catches the eye. In the site's previous incarnation, colourful and inventive cakes screamed out for attention. Now, it's the vivid decor. Given its name, this new watering hole isn't pretending to be modest. It might be compact in size, accommodating up to 100 people, but Hello Gorgeous is designed to make an impact. Emblazoned with the venue's moniker, a pink neon sign lights up one corrugated iron wall. Elsewhere, tropical prints and plants are scattered around the joint. Patrons grab drinks from a bar decked out with pastel pink tiles and gold detailing, then sit and sip at teal banquettes. In short, Hello Gorgeous is the kind of place that is luxe but casual — somewhere Brisbanites can head after work, settle in for a lazy arvo on a weekend or grab a meal up until 10pm every night of the week. Owner Justinn De Beer describes it as a place "for everyone to just relax, enjoy great food and wine, and have fun", an ethos that shines not only in the vibrant interiors by Bea Berry Designs, but in its multiple spaces. As well as the main bar, there's a deck out the front, a private dining room for 20 and the ability to host functions of up to 80 guests. With Matthew Wrench (Eleven Rooftop Bar) overseeing the kitchen, variety reigns on the menu as well. Primed for sharing, the food range spans sesame-crusted tuna sliders, a pan-seared cuttlefish salad and lamb cutlets with harissa and pumpkin purée — plus sides that include roasted bone marrow with sourdough crisps. That's just the beginning. Although, it's the seven-page drinks list that visitors will spend most of their time flicking through, whether they're after boozy or non-alcoholic options. House cocktails on tap and by the glass take pride of place, and Hello Gorgeous' staff can make most classic and contemporary concoctions by request; however, the venue's list of non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic beverages is just as sizeable. Here, you can indulge in a few Hello Gorgeous gimlets or a trio of tipples made from the booze-free spirit Seedlip — or, back on the strong stuff, choose from more than 45 wines, 20-plus beers and ciders, and over 100 different types of spirits. Find Hello Gorgeous at 32A Chester Street, Newstead, open from 4pm Monday–Thursday and from 12pm Friday–Sunday.
In Japan there is a deep appreciation for the iconic cherry blossom (sakura) tree. The prevalence of the tree in the Japanese landscape signifies the commencement of spring, and is worthy of a national celebration. Festivities commonly include parties and picnics under the cherry blossoms. In Australia, it's Sake Restaurant and Bar that's leading the appreciation for the cherry blossom, the spring season and a bit of Japanese feasting. For the month of September, they have organised a special food and drink menu and exclusive events. The festival includes executive chef Shaun Presland's signature spring menu ($88) and spring lunch menu ($38), a $15 sake flight with suggested food matches, and the Harajuku Pop-Up Bar, a fun and casual incarnation for the restaurant. Try the special cocktail, The Kimono Doll ($17), which shows off the tantalising flavours of ichiko shochu, cherries and coco. If you want to go all-out, join the 24-seater Cherry Blossom Dinner (September 17 only, $120pp), which comes with matched sake, shochu and tea and includes courses like cuttlefish and urchin dashi jelly shooter, ocean trout and scallop tartar with truffle ponzu and caviar, and chirashi sushi rice bowl.
If you thought seafood was best suited to sultry days, then Aussie-born chain Kickin' Inn hears you. It started in New South Wales in 2018, then hit up Melbourne when it first branched out interstate last year, and now it's headed Brisbane's way. This town of ours is home to warm weather basically all year round, after all — aka the perfect climate to eat the ocean's finest whenever you feel like it. From Thursday, April 14, you'll find Kickin' Inn at 477 Boundary Street, Spring Hill — and its signature offering of seafood tossed through punchy house-made 'Kajun' sauces as well. For the uninitiated, Kickin' Inn offers an all-in, bibs-and-gloves experience, where diners do away with cutlery and get their hands messy with bags full of prawns, mud crab, pipis and shellfish using only the tools that Jesus gave you. The Cajun-inspired house sauces — here, dubbed 'Kajun' — are more than mere support acts, with the venue boasting five flavour-charged secret recipes. If feasting is on the agenda, you'll find an abundance of snacks to kick things off including battered squid tentacles, jalapeno cheese bites, freshly-shucked Sydney rock oysters and wings. After that, you've got some big decisions to make. Choose your main event from a slew of ocean-fresh goodies including whole lobster, pounds of peeled prawns, a pile of baby octopus, blue swimmer crab pieces, or a mess of mussels and pipis. Pick a matching sauce, whack in some additions like corn or chorizo, and dial up the heat level as high as you dare — keeping in mind the 'inferno' option is only just over halfway up the scale. Meanwhile, a separate lunch menu features more solo-friendly feeds from a prawn spaghetti to peeled prawns served with rice. Kickin' Inn Spring Hill is launching with a few opening specials this Thursday, April 14 and Friday, April 15, too — so, for two days only, you can enjoy free signature shrimp martinis when you book a table, and win prizes. Find Kickin' Inn at 477 Boundary Street, Spring Hill, from Thursday, April 14.
When acclaimed actor and musician Michael Tuahine saw the life and songs of Johnny Cash turned into film, he had an idea. He imagined Australian icon Jimmy Little receiving the Walk the Line treatment — and thanks to playwright Reg Cribb and director Wesley Enoch, his dream has become a reality. The result is Country Song, a fictionalised story inspired by Little. In 1973, the entertainer is about to take the stage to perform the national anthem in front of a loving audience. As he ponders the task ahead, he is whisked on a fictional road trip through his past. The show doesn't just tell his tale but explores major social changes; shares accounts of singers Auriel Andrew, Bobby McLeod and Lionel Rose; and pays tribute to both the 1970s era and to the tunes that provided the soundtrack for a generation. It's a celebration of the healing power of music, an ode to a legendary local talent, and the world premiere of a powerful play, all in one. Rehearsal photo by Stephen Henry.
When you've already given Brisbane a wolf to spend time with — East Brisbane's The Wolfe, actually — what can you howl at next? Restaurateur Paul McGivern is keeping the theme going with La Lune Wine Co, which opens on South Brisbane's Fish Lane on March 24. La Lune doesn't just want you to enjoy a wine while the moon shines, though that's certainly on the menu, this newcomer wants to match those tipples with the perfect dishes. Sure, every wine-serving establishment wants to do the same, but here you'll find six menu selections that have been handpicked to match specific drops. This is a wine bar, so charcuterie and cheese will also be available, as will oysters, carpaccio, and house-made salumi, plus baguettes with serrano and cheese for lunch. Trading from midday to midnight, La Lune aims to offer Brisbanites a wine bar for all occasions — complete with what's being called an "interactive dining space", which will encourage patrons to chat with staff to get the skinny on the best vino to sip on. We'd go so far as to call this a regular dining space with good service, but we admire a spot of far-reaching conceptualisation. Design-wise, expect timber aplenty, including 103-year-old reclaimed oak taken from the chateaus and barns of the French countryside, paired with French tiles, small tables and an intimate air will also help bring a taste of Europe to our fair city. If you can't head to Paris, you'll always have South Brisbane. Find La Lune Wine Co at Shop 5, 109 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane from March 24. For further details, drop by their website or Facebook page.
Following the release of their fresh film clip for the catchy tune 'Create/Destroy', the favourite trio of Australian quirk pop ,Art Vs Science, have announced a national tour. Their show at The Zoo this Saturday will follow major appearances at the St Kilda Festival and the Channel [V] Open Surf event; they are ready and raring to hit the road, buzzed on the success fronting audiences in the thousands, armed with material to impress any long-time fan. Alongside their back catalogue of party anthems is their reputation for a stellar live show of bombastic proportions. These lads are not afraid to push the limits of sound and space—effects, costumes, audience participation are par for the course of a typical AvS show, being unlike any other. Tickets for this show are bound to sell out, so be sure to not miss out on an opportunity to see the best at their best.
Feeling uncertain about your identity isn't unique, but Waiata Telfer's retelling of her troubles and struggles just might be. A Narrunga-Kaurna woman of mixed heritage from South Australia, she grew up in the thick of 1970s social-political issues, then turned her search for her sense of self into a witty and moving piece of original theatre. Accordingly, SONG the story of a girl, a bird and a teapot charts the efforts of Aboriginal girl who feels disconnected from her past and becomes inspired to challenge the notion of tradition and community. With a treasured family relic in her hands and the song of an unseen bird in her ears, she goes looking for a new way forward. A poetic, personal one-woman play is the end result of Telfer's efforts, as conveyed with raw honesty and grit, coupled with ample humour, and accompanied by the sounds of musician Jay Kleinschmidt. SONG doesn't just tap into the need to belong in a different way, but invites audiences to share in the experience. Attendees aren't relegated to just watching — they're also asked to bring a small stone to the performance.
In Nude Tuesday, you can take the unhappy couple out of their daily routine — and slip them out of their clothes in the process — but escaping to a mountainside commune, ditching the dacks, palling around with a goat and gleaning relationship advice from the author a book called The Toothy Vulva just can't solve all woes. What that list of absurd plot points and experiences can do is fill out a film that's gleefully silly, often side-splittingly funny, and also just as perceptive as it is playful. The basic premise behind this New Zealand sex comedy borrows from plenty of fellow movies and TV shows about stuck-in-a-rut folks seeking bliss and renewal, plus solutions to bland marriages, with a gorgeous change of scenery. But helping make Nude Tuesday such a winner is every offbeat choice that's used to tell that tale. Getting naked is only part of it, given that not a lick of any recognisable language is spoken throughout the entire feature — although plenty of words and sounds are audibly uttered. Nude Tuesday understands one key point, as everyone watching it will: that relationships are all about communication. The film is also well aware that so much about life is, too — and storytelling. Here, though, expressing emotions, connections and narrative details all boils down to gibberish and bodies. This amusing movie from writer/director Armağan Ballantyne (The Strength of Water) and writer/star Jackie van Beek (The Breaker Upperers) does indeed strip down its performers in its last third, living up to its name, but it saddles them with conveying almost everything about their characters via body language before that. Each piece of dialogue spoken echoes in unintelligible nonsense, using completely made-up and wholly improvised terms. Even covers of 'Road to Nowhere' and 'Islands in the Stream' do as well. And while subtitled in English by British comedian Julia Davis (Camping), that text was penned after shooting, in one of the film's other purposefully farcical twists. The result is patently ridiculous, and marvellously so — and hilariously. It's such a clever touch, making a movie about marital disharmony and the communication breakdown baked within that's so reliant upon reading tone and posture, as couples on the prowl for the tiniest of micro-aggressions frequently hone in on. Initially, the feature needs a few scenes to settle into its unfamiliar vernacular, which takes cues from The Muppets' Swedish Chef in its cadence. Via an opening map, which situates the story on the fictional pacific island of Zǿbftąņ, Nude Tuesday's language also resembles an IKEA catalogue. But once Ballantyne, van Beek and the latter's co-stars find their groove — with a literally bloody attempt to make adult nappies sexy, a supermarket tantrum involving tossed cans and a tense anniversary dinner — everything, including the movie's chosen tongue, clicks into place. Van Beek and Australian The Tourist actor Damon Herriman play Nude Tuesday's central pair, Laura and Bruno. In the first but not last example of just how compellingly they use their physicality, the talented lead twosome paints a picture of relatable malaise from their introductory moments together. Laura and Bruno are bogged down in a dull cycle that revolves around working at jobs neither loves — she spruiks those mature-age diapers, he sells bathroom fixtures — then trudging home exhausted and exasperated to deal with their kids, and later crumbling into bed knowing they're going to repeat it all the next day. Sex doesn't factor in, and neither is content with that, but resolving their troubles themselves is out of reach. Then, they're gifted a getaway to ẄØnÐĘULÄ to assist. But this woodland getaway, run by charismatic and lustful sex guru Bjorg Rassmussen (Jemaine Clement, I Used to Go Here), wants its new guests to expose all in multiple ways. Unfurling among gorgeously lensed New Zealand scenery (with Australian Babyteeth and High Ground cinematographer Andrew Commis behind the camera), that starkers setup keeps proving savvy. It also keeps saying plenty beyond the silliness. Nude Tuesday isn't just absurdity for the sake of it, although it'd remain perfectly and thoroughly enjoyable — if slight — if it was simply that. Evoking laughs still comes fast and easily, of course, including getting giggling about coming too fast and too easily. Davis' witty subtitling fires off gags a minute, and the frequent preposterousness of it all — with orgies, drugs, a Twin Peaks-style love of logs and a penchant for ponchos all factoring in — is constantly entertaining. But there's as much heart and smarts throbbing within Nude Tuesday as there was in van Beek's also-great The Breaker Upperers, which similarly found a nifty balance between chuckle-inducing ridiculousness and insight. Here, there are as many observant layers to Nude Tuesday's dance through married misery as there are clothes shed by its cast, too — a list of performers that spans everyone from Black Comedy's Ian Zaro and Down Under's Chris Bunton to Wellington Paranormal's Karen O'Leary and Shortland Street's Yvette Parsons. Accordingly, amid the sight gags, word play, slapstick, jokes about anatomy, plus the other wonderful lashings of ludicrousness, sits a canny undressing of Laura and Bruno's deep-seated struggle to get emotionally bare-assed. At the outset, they're the strait-laced stiffs amid the unburdened and aroused. They're outsiders in this cosy, free-thinking little community of fellow A-frame cabin-dwellers, adding to the film's familiar elements. Unpacking what that means, why, how the couple became that way and what ẄØnÐĘULÄ can gift them is never a by-the-numbers journey, however. It's revelatory several times over, even if the end destination is also hardly surprising. Whether decked out head to toe or disrobing, it'd be tough to find a situation where Van Beek, Herriman and Clement didn't delight, particularly when bouncing off of each other in an anything-goes situation. Nude Tuesday's biggest names are that adaptable, that innately comedic, and that able to smoothly zip between the off-kilter and the astute. Clement doesn't have to plumb many depths, but he always plays Bjorn with the exact right dash of charm and eccentricity. Actually, Ballantyne's film itself achieves that latter feat — while finding ample emotional nooks and crannies to explore. Nude Tuesday mightn't have quite hit the spot if it had played out in English, but not because it relies upon gimmickry; rather, by peeling away the chatter, it's a sharper, savvier and funnier picture of communication struggles, and what it truly means to bare it all.
With summer upon us and Christmas on the horizon, it's the perfect time to treat yourself and sort out your sleep. If you're tossing and turning at night it might not just be because of the state of the world, it could be your mattress and pillow as well. Luckily, premium homewares brand Ecosa wants to help you get a good night's sleep. All items on the Ecosa website are 25 percent off from Monday, November 9 to Wednesday, November 11. If you've been complaining about a crook neck, maybe head off to the physio and get yourself fancy new memory foam pillow. The ergonomic pillow boasts an adjustable height, a curved shape that suits side and back sleepers and a compressible foam that supports the natural shape of your head. Plus, two compression bags so you can pack it up and take it with you everywhere. Yep, it's one helluva pillow. If that's not enough, Ecosa also offers free shipping and returns Australia-wide, plus a 100-day free trial period. And, with everything on sale, get in early with some Christmas shopping. Ecosa is your one-stop sleep shop, with luxe bamboo sheets, silk pillowcases, wooden bed base, memory foam mattress and weighted blanket all available at the discounted price. So, you can treat yourself, your friends and your whole family to a better night's sleep. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Someone somewhere has dressed up as one of IKEA's coveted blue bags for Halloween, or fashioned an outfit out of them for the eerie occasion. This year, in the lead up to spooky day, you can do that too if you like. Or, you can just wear whatever frightening threads you prefer, or even your normal getup, to the Swedish chain's three-course Halloween dining experience. Yes, two faves are joining forces: IKEA and Halloween. No, you won't just be eating those Swedish meatballs (take children along with you, however, and that is indeed what they'll be tucking into). Happening at the brand's Logan and North Lakes stores in Brisbane, the Halloween feast costs $30 for adults and $25 if you're an IKEA Family member. On the menu: mac 'n' cheese, crispy fried chicken and veggie burgers, as well as pancakes with berry compote and vanilla soft serve for dessert. You'll want to book tickets ASAP — IKEA's food events are always popular — for 5.30pm on Friday, October 28 at North Lakes, and the same time on Saturday, October 29 at Logan. The furniture and homewares giant is also hosting kids' activities around the dinner at some locations, complete with trick-or-treat sessions, face painting, treasure hunts, craft workshops and costume contests, if you feel like being a favourite aunt or uncle for the night.
Nestled into the fast-growing Howard Smith Wharves precinct underneath the Story Bridge, Mr Percival's looks out over the Brisbane river — and, if that's not enough, the octagonal bar and restaurant is actually perched right on top of it. Here, you can grab a beverage and a bite to eat while both peering at the snaking central waterway and sitting in a structure elevated above it. It's Brissie's first venue of its type since Oxley's on the River in Milton was destroyed in the 2011 floods, although Mr Percival's is less about sit-down dinners and more focused on chilling out in a scenic and stylish spot. Once the doors open at 8pm on Thursday, November 29, Brisbanites can relax in a watering hole that's been designed with European beach clubs and the Brisbane's own park rotundas equally in mind. Think decking, six arched doorways, outdoor seats with a view underneath salmon-pink umbrellas, plus an indoor colour scheme that takes inspiration from the Mediterranean. Star windows, round lights, eye-catching wallpaper, 70s-style upholstered chairs, terracotta marble and a brass-fronted bar round out the hangout's inside decor, which was overseen by Brisbane interior designer Anna Spiro. With Damien Styles (The Fish House) taking on head chef duties, Mr Percival's menu aims to match its look and feel. And to think locally, too, with everything on offer inspired by produce from Moreton Bay and the general east coast region. Zucchini fritters, lobster rolls, whipped cod roe served with a warm baguette, and anchovies topped with olive oil, lemon and garlic all feature among the range of snacks, light meals and aperitivo-style nibbles. As for the drinks selection, it includes 17 different cocktails — complete with several types of spritz — as well as a 50-strong wine list that heroes rose and aromatic whites from artisanal producers. Beer-wise, Mr Percival's keeps things super local by pouring four brews from fellow HSW spot Felons through its taps. And if you're wondering about the moniker, it's a nod to Australia. Pelicans are a common waterside sight around the country, and the 1976 Aussie classic film Storm Boy features a pelican called Mr Percival. In a case of good timing, a remake of the flick will actually hit local cinemas in January 2019. Find Mr Percival's at Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane, open from 11am until late from Sunday to Thursday, and from 11am–1am on Friday and Saturday.
Find us an occasion that isn't improved by pie, and we'll find you a plate full of reasons why the dish should always be on the menu. Pie suits every day, date, theme and celebration, because there's just so many different types of it — and that includes Halloween. Pie Town agrees, clearly, and it's doing more than just pumping out the food it's known for. The West End eatery is cooking up edible delights, of course — and it's also hosting pumpkin-carving sessions. On sessions across Friday, October 28–Sunday, October 31, you'll be given everything you need to make your own jack-o'-lantern, covering a pumpkin, tools and a drink. Tickets cost $30 and you have three options: from 5.30–7.30pm on the Friday, for after-work ghoulishness; from 2–4pm on Saturday; and a morning session from 9.30–11.30am on Sunday. If you're keen on pie as well, that'll cost you extra — but you'll be in the right place to grab some. Go on, learn a new trick, then take home a treat.
Different people are scared by different things. Different folks can handle different levels of heat in their food, too. Do you get spooked by spice — but in a good way? If so, the Halloween Briz Chilli Fest is clearly for you. Obviously, things will be getting hot in Rocklea at this returning fest — which is taking place around the most frightening day of the year in 2022. From 12–8pm on Saturday, October 29, everything will be tongue-tinglingly hot. Face-meltingly hot. Homer Simpson running, screaming and waving his hands around hot. That's what happens when you spice up your weekend with a chilli festival, after all. Adding some zest to the Rocklea Showgrounds, there'll be plenty of stalls offering plenty of chilli — and not just in food form. Of course, there'll be enough edible hot hot heat to help you turn several different shades, but that's just part of the chilli fun. Chilli beer and chilli cocktails will all be on offer, and there's usually a chilli fancy dress competition. Basically, you'll be saying the word chilli so much that it no longer means anything. Tickets are on sale now for $12, and the full lineup of activities also includes chilli-eating contests for those with cast-iron stomachs. This year, there'll be chilli pod, chilli-covered wings, chilli meatballs and ice cream laced with chilli, all ready for you to devour as much of as possible. Also on the bill: a cooking demonstration by chef Matt Golinski, plus live music and other performances — with the event boasting spice on multiple fronts. Our tip, and one we think you'll need: remember that milk is a chilli-lover's best friend.
