New to Bird Gallery in the CBD, New Arcadia is a thought provoking exhibition exploring the nature of Australian iconography and its character as a continually evolving topic through constant and evolving representations. The idea that what Australia ‘is’ is not a constant or static ideal has inspired a collection of artists to see how they can interpret the nations identity through art. The exhibition includes 24 works by 11 artists, all of whom have used their varied styles to present their ideas on what is Australian – drawing on ‘the illusion of Australia as a Tropical Arcadia’. The exhibition runs until Thuirsday, so head to Brid Gallery, order one of their sublime coffees and spend some time looking at Australia through a different pair of eyes. The artists on display are as follows: CALLUM ROSS JOEL REES GEOFFREY ZABELL AIMEE HAN ROLAND PARTIS JOE NIGEL COLEMAN MCKENZIE BRIGGS BLAINE THOMAS WATSON SOPHIE RICHARDS SAMUEL J DAVISON CRAIG ALLSOP
Now here's some casually beautiful design for your day. Japanese design house Nendo have created a box of chocolates that wouldn't be out of place in a contemporary art museum. Having already made you insatiably hungry with chocolate pencils and ice cream cakes far too beautiful to eat, Nendo decided to celebrate their new title as Maison&Objet's Designer of the Year by creating some of the most stunning truffles you're likely to come across. Geometric little bite-sized pieces they are, Nendo's truffles were created for M&O's upcoming design show in Paris; an event for which they're also creating the visitor lounges where visitors can soothe their weary tootsies. There are nine chocolates in total, all of which will be handed out to these weary visitors — a stunning little treat we'd be likely to attempt a furious commute home to the fridge with. According to Co.DESIGN, the cubic chocolates represent different geometric forms; everything from a representation of a soundwave to a wireframe cube. Nendo's chocolate boxes will only be available to buy at the Maison&Objet design show in Paris from January 23 - 27. All we're saying, if you're desperately trying to impress someone with a romantic gesture, bringing a box of chocolates that look like modern art back from a Parisian design show is a decent idea. Via Dezeen and Co.DESIGN.
Anything that Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo and Aladdin can do, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, Lady and the Tramp, Mulan and now Pinocchio can, too — if by anything you really mean get the live-action remake treatment by Disney, that is. The Mouse House sure does adore giving its animated classics do-overs with actors, realistic CGI or both, and it's now doing just that with the wooden puppet who wants to become a real boy. Indeed, the company's new take on Pinocchio will arrive on Disney+ on Thursday, September 8, Pinocchio has hit screens before with humans rather than pixels filling the frames, including recently via a fantastical Italian movie that starred Roberto Benigni as Geppetto. Also, back in 2002, Benigni made his own version first, but played the titular role instead. The key difference with this new Pinocchio: Disney remaking Disney, although the underlying tale behind every version always hails back to 1883 children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Italian author Carlo Collodi. Disney boasts two big drawcards for its latest remake: America's dad Tom Hanks and filmmaker Robert Zemeckis. The former returns to the screen fresh from getting somewhat villainous in Elvis, the latter opts to give an already-beloved book-to-film story another spin after not faring so well with The Witches, and the pair reteam following everything from Forrest Gump and Cast Away to The Polar Express. Hanks plays Geppetto, obviously. And in the just-dropped full trailer for the new film, he looks the kindly, loving part. As always, the story sees the wood carver build and care for a wooden puppet who then wants to become more than timber, but faces challenges finding his way in the world. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (The Haunting of Bly Manor) voices Pinocchio, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber) does the same with Jiminy Cricket — and the cast also includes Cynthia Erivo (Chaos Walking) as the Blue Fairy, Keegan-Michael Key (The Bubble) as 'Honest' John, Lorraine Bracco (Blue Bloods) as new character Sofia the Seagull and Luke Evans (Nine Perfect Strangers) as The Coachman. Clearly, this is one of those Disney remakes that considers hefty doses of CGI as closer to live-action than animation. No need to wish upon a star to see the end result, Disney fans — and yes, that song does feature, as performed by Erivo. If you're wondering why Mouse House's latest remake is heading to Disney+, and so soon, it'll drop on what the Mouse House has dubbed 'Disney+ Day' — alongside Thor: Love and Thunder's streaming debut, a behind-the-scenes look at Obi-Wan Kenobi, and sing-along versions of Frozen and Frozen 2. Check out the trailer for Pinocchio below: Pinocchio will be available to stream via Disney+ from Thursday, September 8. Images: courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This Summer is shaping up to be a cinematic treat for movie buffs. The latest Bond film hit cinemas last week, Peter Jackson's The Hobbit will be clogging theatres come Boxing Day and for those who like their movies filled to the brim with obscure pop culture references, gratuitous amounts of stylised violence and a pumping soundtrack, then there is Quentin Tarantino's latest offering Django Unchained. But if you are too busy to get to the cinemas this Summer or you like your pop culture in bite size pieces then check out this awesome video by YouTube aficionado Jonathan Keogh of the "IMDB Top 250 in 2 1/2 Minutes". This manic and masterful mash-up of everything from Gone With The Wind to Fight Club to The Lion King will have you reliving all your favourite movie moments and reenacting history's most iconic movie scenes in front of your bedroom mirror. Set to a remix of The Beatles, Joan Jett, Cypress Hill and House of Pain we must warn you that this video will have you fighting the urge to re-account yourself with your local video store and crying "You can't handle the truth!" at unsuspecting passersby.
Another day, another international ride-share company prepares to hit the streets of Australia. This time, it's an Indian-born platform called Ola, which we're told operates in over 110 cities, hosting a whopping one billion annual rides worldwide. That's over two million trips each day, and growing fast. Less than a week after rival Taxify launched in Melbourne (with half-price rides, no less), Ola today announced plans to roll out across Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, and has already put the call out for potential local drivers to register. The company counts its driver-partner focused approach as its main point of difference, hoping to tempt Australian drivers with incentives and upskilling opportunities. As Ola co-founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal explains, that should result in a more competitive industry all round. "With a strong focus on driver-partners and the community at large, we aim to create a high-quality and affordable travel experience for citizens and look forward to contributing to a healthy mobility ecosystem in Australia," he said. Expect to see Ola cars cruising around town and competing with Uber within a matter of months.
First, the bad news: if you're not fond of peanut butter of you have an allergy (and therefore you've decided deep down in your stomach that it tastes awful), Krispy Kreme's latest batch of limited-time-only doughnuts definitely isn't for you. For everyone else, get ready to treat yourself to a dreamy mashup, because the fried pastry chain and Reese's have joined forces. A couple of years back, gelato brand Gelatissimo scooped up Gelato made with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Now, it's Krispy Kreme's turn to give those American sweets the doughnut treatment. The three-option range does indeed go all in on peanut butter — two with chocolate, too, and one in a cheesecake variety. If you opt for Krispy Kreme's peanut butter cheesecake made with Reese's doughnut — a mouthful to say and to eat — you'll be munching on the brand's original glazed doughnut, which has been dipped in white truffle, topped with peanuts and then given a Reese's Peanut Butter cream cheese frosting swirl. As for the others, the Krispy Kreme Reese's Peanut Butter and choc doughnut takes the usual Krispy Kreme shell, fills it with Reese's Peanut Butter sauce, then dips it in chocolate ganache, and sprinkles on peanuts and Reese's Peanut Butter Chips. Then there's the Krispy Kreme Peanut Butter choc brownie made with Reese's doughnut, which jams its shell with Reese's Peanut Butter and choc brownie butter, then gets plunged in milk chocolate ganache, and comes with Reese's Peanut Butter drizzle, choc crumbs and peanuts on top. You'll find the first two varieties — the Krispy Kreme's peanut butter cheesecake made with Reese's doughnut and the Krispy Kreme Reese's Peanut Butter and choc doughnut — on sale from today, Tuesday, September 20, at all Krispy Kreme stores nationwide. The cost: $3.90 each and $29.90 for a dozen. The Krispy Kreme Peanut Butter choc brownie made with Reese's doughnut will only be available from Tuesday, October 4 from 7-Eleven stores for the same price. Krispy Kreme's Reese's range is available for $3.90 each/$29.90 for a dozen for a limited time — with two varieties available at Krispy Kreme stores from Tuesday, September 20, and a third from 7-Eleven stores from Tuesday, October 4.
There is a lot more to dance than Sonia Kruger and the soap stars of Home and Away have to offer. Dancing with the Stars may be your embarrassing Sunday night vice (yes Mum, that’s you) but it’s time to open your mind and expand your dance loving horizons to reach a point that is far and beyond the six-thirty screenings of Channel 7. The season finale is over and now is the perfect time to get up off the couch and experience some real, subversive, sexy dancing that cannot be ruined by horrific hosts and jaded judges. Zen Zen Zo is a leading physical theatre company based in Brisbane. The quality of their live performance has developed a strong reputation for the company leading them to produce a new performance in the style of physical theatre cabaret. With promises to be visually stunning in choreography and stage design featuring a world class cast and production team, the cabaret will also be lead by an array of local musical talent with singer/song writers Emma Dean, and Sandro Colarelli in the show and musical directors John Rogers performing live. Screening at the beautiful QPAC Theatre you can spoil yourself on a lovely night out. Take your friends, splurge on some good wine and enjoy a night of quality live performance. Who knows, it may even inspire you to take up some dance classes yourself?
Praise be, Handmaid's Tale fans — the iconic novel behind everyone's favourite dystopian TV series is getting a sequel. The Hulu-produced, Emmy-winning television show has already aired a second season, with a third due to hit next year. But now author Margaret Atwood is penning a printed follow-up to the 1985 book that started it all. Called The Testaments, it's set 15 years after Offred's final scene in the novel, and is narrated by three female characters. Fans will have to wait a bit for their return to Gilead, with the book releasing on September 10, 2019. While Atwood's original novel built a rich, immersive and oh-so-bleak world that's rife with sequel potential, that's not her only inspiration for The Testaments. Announcing the second effort on Twitter, Atwood noted that she's taking some cues from today's Handmaid's-like times. "Everything you've ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we've been living in," Atwood said in the post. Given how scarily prescient the first book was, and how close to home it hit, that's hardly surprising. Just imagine what the Canadian writer will be able to dream up this time — or, if you don't want to fret about the state of the world, perhaps don't. Pre-orders are now open for The Testaments, if you're keen to get your red-cloaked mitts on it the moment it's available. We're betting that the new book will be a hot topic of conversation when Atwood visits Australia in March next year to chat about — what else? — dystopian futures. The Testaments is scheduled for released on September 10, 2019.
Combining the hypnotic works of M.C. Escher, one of the 20th century's most celebrated artists, with the design aesthetics of acclaimed present-day Japanese design studio Nendo, the National Gallery of Victoria's newest blockbuster exhibition Between Two Worlds discovers a stunning and unexpected middle ground. The first ever merging of these acclaimed creators, the exhibition features more than 150 of Escher's woodcuts, lithographs and sketches. Described as the NGV's most ambitious exhibition design to date, Nendo — led by renowned designer Oki Sato — was invited to produce the spectacular space that features several large-scale rooms and installations, and reflects upon the complex themes found within the surrounding Escher works. Running until April 7 2019, Between Two Worlds covers the full spectrum of Escher's artistic vision, which was largely ignored during his lifetime. Showcasing everything from Escher's early works as a student, his newfound inspiration while travelling across Italy, and his final creations in the lead up to his death in 1972, the exhibition showcases virtually all of his most famous works, including Drawing Hands, Relativity and Day and Night. Mirroring the optical illusions and mathematically inspired works of Escher, Nendo has contributed a variety of immersive spaces that will warp your perspective and bring a new light to the works displayed throughout the exhibition. Conveying Escher's theories through the studio's own motif, the rudimentary outline of a house, it appears in various shapes and forms throughout the exhibition and references Escher's unique perspective on space and patterns. With not one, but two creative geniuses on display at the NGV's newest exhibition, we've selected six works (three Escher, three Nendo) that you can't miss out on seeing at Between Two Worlds. [caption id="attachment_700134" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugene Hyland[/caption] DAY AND NIGHT (ESCHER) Perhaps the Dutch artist's most celebrated work, Day and Night perfectly illustrates Escher's uncanny ability to combine art and science with resounding impact. Uniting a complex understanding of mathematics and perspective with his undeniable creative talent, here, Escher depicts two Dutch towns attached by a series of rolling hills that melt away into a soaring flock of birds. At once day and night, real and unreal, this woodcut offers two simultaneous perspectives that remove the distinction between foreground and background. [caption id="attachment_700137" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugene Hyland[/caption] DRAWING HANDS (ESCHER) Another widely known artwork of Escher's that has been reproduced in various pop culture mediums since its creation in 1947, Drawing Hands is a clear example of Escher's obsession with paradoxes. Produced in a more photorealistic style than many of Escher's other works, this lithograph displays two hands conceiving each other into existence. While conveying Escher's interest in the concept of infinity, it also demonstrates his desire to produce two-dimensional drawings that leap off the page. [caption id="attachment_700274" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugene Hyland[/caption] SNAKES (ESCHER) Finished in 1969, Snakes was the last work that M.C. Escher would ever produce. But while he might have passed away just a few short years later, this piece demonstrates just how highly advanced his work became. Showcasing Escher's legendary understanding of symmetry and interlocking arrangements, the work features a rotational symmetry as snakes weave their way between an ever-shrinking pattern. Recognising the significance of this artwork, Nendo has produced a specially designed space, Snake House, where a brightly lit pathway serpentines through an otherwise dark room and ends with the work. [caption id="attachment_700126" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy[/caption] ZOOMING HOUSE (NENDO) Serving as a connecting corridor between two of the exhibition's distinct rooms, Zooming House is a vast architectural structure that once again recalls Escher's obsession with perspective and illusion. Following the same house motif seen throughout the exhibition, here the pathway starts as a wide four-metre chasm before gradually shrinking into a tight 55 centimetres. The contrasting black and white pattern amplifies this effect before you turn off into another hypnotic space. [caption id="attachment_700282" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugene Hyland[/caption] HOUSE IN PERSPECTIVE (NENDO) Both luminous and reflective, while the floor-to-ceiling rods in this room first appear to be simply an interesting way to display Escher's works, on closer inspection — when viewed from a specific spot in the room — the rods merge together and the form of Nendo's house motif appears. Here, you'll find a selection of Escher's most mind-bending drawings and prints. [caption id="attachment_700133" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy[/caption] GATHERED HOUSE (NENDO) While this grand circular space is dedicated to Escher's many works fixated on the concept of infinity, it's hard to ignore the massive Nendo installation featured in the centre of the room. Constructed from thousands of miniature house motifs, the dazzling installation echoes Escher's artworks presented throughout the space, which explore eclectic geometric loops and images of limitless tessellation. Escher x Nendo: Between Two Worlds is on display at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne until April 7, 2019. You can grab tickets here.
Quiet and understated, Adelaide isn't always easy to navigate if you're a tourist. So much of the good (and there is a lot of good) is hidden in plain sight. That's where it helps to have some insider advice. We've teamed up with Pullman Hotels and Resorts to bring you a guide to Adelaide's less obvious but obviously fabulous experiences. Putting our heads together with Pullman Adelaide's chief concierge Enrico Angelletti, we've curated a list of must-dos that will leave you wanting more of Adelaide — from new art spaces to old smelly cheese shops, and from pizzeria nightclubs to tranquil gardens. Enrico (aka Ric) has been in the hotel business for nearly 38 years, and is looked up to by junior staff for his passion and expertise for helping guests find extraordinary experiences in Adelaide. His food knowledge is particularly strong — it comes at least in part from his Italian background. Check out the rest of our Explore More content series to hone your itinerary for some of Australia's best holiday destinations. ART & DESIGN ACE OPEN Born in response to dramatic cuts in arts funding, ACE Open is a new and innovative gallery space dedicated to creating challenging conversations with its audience. It showcases a diverse range of Australian and international artists who present experimental, unconventional work. Only launching in early 2017, ACE Open has quickly made a name for itself as being one of the most exciting art spaces in Adelaide, uncompromising in its dedication to quality and enthusiasm for creative risk-taking. Don't miss: Next Matriarch — an exhibition showcasing art from Indigenous women. SISTER GALLERY Created by artists Mia Van den Bos and Ashleigh D'Antonio, Sister burst onto the Adelaide art scene with its incredible stream of contemporary and experimental art from all over Australia. The gallery celebrates young, upcoming and underground artists with a bold point of view and a non-traditional approach. Located just outside of the city in Bowden (near some fabulous cafes and markets), Sister is easily accessible via the tram from the city. It's actually the perfect way to experience something totally different while exploring one of Adelaide's burgeoning cultural centres. Don't miss: Sister's October Openings, which will run in the gallery for two months. JAMFACTORY An Adelaide institution, JamFactory is a haven for all things ceramic and sculptural. Doubling as an education institute, it has purpose-built studios for the design and manufacture of jewellery, ceramics, furniture and glass. Because of its educational bent, visitors are not only able to buy direct from the artists but are able to get a sneak peek into cutting-edge processes and the next wave of influential Australian designers and makers. There's also the opportunity to participate in workshops and classes from industry leaders. Don't miss: Confluence. Presented in association with Tarnanthi Festival, it's an exploration of the work of Indigenous artists from all around Australia. ENSEMBLE ADELAIDE A concept store by and for locals, Ensemble is a new independent retail experience that puts good, sustainable design above all else. The recent home of the Slow Fashion Festival, Ensemble houses the work of local designers and artists, including BB Shoemaker and Goods Studios, and allows shoppers to buy direct from makers and artists. Beautifully curated and wonderfully relaxed, Ensemble is a space of beauty and collaboration that also highlights the innovation and spirit of the Adelaide creative scene. Don't miss: Seeing the makers work and chatting to them about their process. FOOD & DRINK NOLA Travel to New Orleans in the heart of Adelaide. Located in the city's relaxed East End, Nola is all about good beer, even better whiskey and delicious creole cuisine. Transforming Adelaide's stables building into the quintessential New Orleans speakeasy, the bar is a completely singular experience in the city's somewhat overcrowded small bar scene. Pouring at least 26 different craft beers at any given time, and having an ever-changing lineup of artisan whiskies, a menu designed for sharing (which features classics like cornbread, beignet and gumbo) and outdoor dining all summer, it's southern hospitality done right. Don't miss: The fried chicken is the most celebrated dish on Nola's menu for very good reason: it's light, crispy and just spicy enough to cut through all those beers. SUNNY'S This isn't your nonna's pizza. She'd probably like it, though. Serving Naples-style woodfired pizza with the best in South Australian beer and wine (and some very good cocktails), Sunny's is part restaurant and part club, with tables being cleared for live DJ sets every weekend. Located in the newly revitalised Solomon Street in the city's West End, Sunny's regularly involves collaborators representing the best of Adelaide's food scene. Delicious from start to finish. Don't miss: For all of its experimentation, Sunny's is still all about the classics. Their margherita is second to none. Pair that with their zesty Campari watermelon cocktail and you're set for summer. EAST END CELLARS Part bottle shop, part bar and 100 percent gourmet, East End Cellars is the perfect place to get your wine education. The shop has been pouring local wines (as well as a large variety of international labels), running educational tastings and preparing some of the most delicious food and decadent cheeseboards in the city for two decades. Everything is dedicated to getting the most out of your drink. Wines are expertly paired to your meal, and every week there is a guided tasting of their featured winery, where you can learn more about South Australian product from the best in the business. Don't miss: The huge selection of South Australian spirits, beers and wines exclusive to East End Cellars. THE SMELLY CHEESE SHOP An Adelaide Institution, The Smelly Cheese Shop has all your cheese needs covered. Located in the Central Markets, the shop stocks high-end and artisanal cheeses from all over South Australia and the world. With everything from imported French brie to Kangaroo Island feta, The Smelly Cheese Shop places quality above all else, offering customers the opportunity to have a real and in-depth experience with a true cheesemonger at the counter. In a state known for its passion for quality food, this shop is the pinnacle of excellence. Don't miss: The Smelly Cheese Shop runs classes all year round for the budding cheese connoisseur in all of us. They sell out notoriously quickly, so it pays to do your research and book in advance. WELLBEING & LIFESTYLE [caption id="attachment_643375" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] National Parks SA[/caption] MORIALTA CONSERVATION PARK While Adelaide is often derided as Australia's biggest small town, walking through Adelaide, you can see that size or space doesn't matter — it's all about how you use it. Located just 10 kilometres from the CBD, Morialta Conservation Park feels like another world, filled with rugged ridges, waterfalls and native woodlands. Visitors can challenge themselves with a variety of different hiking trails and, as they walk, be treated to expansive panoramic city views of the city and coast. And while you're walking, keep your eye out for native animals (koalas 24x7). Don't miss: A park. Adelaidians love Morialta, so it's best to head there early to save an inevitable car argument. BOTANIC GARDEN AND HIMEJI GARDEN If you can't leave the city but still want to get back to nature, the Botanic Garden and Himeji Garden should be at the top of your list. Designed by Japanese landscape artist Yoshitaka Kumada, the Himeji garden is a slice of beauty and tranquillity in the middle of Adelaide's bustling southern quarter. Featuring beautiful Japanese plant life, including black pine trees and gorgeous blossoms, the gardens are a favourite for Adelaidians who want to switch off and take some time out for reflection. Don't miss: Spring/summer sees the gardens truly come to life. Explore more with Pullman. Book your next hotel stay with Pullman and enjoy a great breakfast for just $1.
When I was in school, I was never allowed to go to a PCYC Bluelight Disco, as apparently the activities that went down were too scandalous and the music was too terrible for my parents to handle. Obviously it was all very upsetting and my life was ruined. Luckily I’m now old enough to make my own decisions about attending ‘Light’ themed bashes, although I have to say my taste has matured somewhat. Also lucky, is that the kids from Sceneless have run with the same idea and taken it to a place a million times better than the original. For the second year in a row, the Lightspace venue in Fortitude Valley will be home to the BLACKLIGHT warehouse party, with heaps of bands, light installations, DJs, and delish food and drink for everyone to consume. With bands including The Medics, Lunch Tapes, Pluto Jonze, Pigeon, and Boss Moxi, the night is going to go off! It will also be a jam-packed schedule so you’re getting plenty of bang for your buck. Ending the night will be the Cobra Kai DJs who are absolute pros at getting people moving. If you never got to corrupt yourself at a Bluelight Disco, like me, take back the night from your parents and get down at BLACKLIGHT this Friday.
"Something takes over once I'm on stage. The whole point of it, for me, is to transcend my conscious brain; which is sometimes not the most pleasant place to be... There's nothing more in the moment than being on stage. Things can fail. The stakes are high. I mean, the stakes aren't high like cancer high, but it is do or die. You're reacting to how the crowd is feeling and that kind of energy I find very effervescent and fun. I thrive off it." Annie Clark, better known as St. Vincent — a stage name taken from a Nick Cave song referencing the hospital where the poet Dylan Thomas died — talks to me from Melbourne about performance nerves. "I think I have some nerves; I think it's healthy. It seems that the stakes wouldn't be very high, if you felt just as comfortable in your living room as you did on stage. But it's also energy, rather than a lack of it; so you could also call it adrenaline or excitement. It's two ways of looking at the same energy." After making her first guitar out of cardboard at the age of five, Clark got her fingers around some real fret boards at twelve and went on to study at the Berklee College of Music. After three years of "grading and measurement" she dropped out to start making music. Since then, she's found her way to The Polyphonic Spree, toured with Sufjan Stevens and David Byrne, and created four solo albums — the most recent of which, St Vincent, was released on February 24. After selling out Melbourne's The Howler two nights in a row, she's heading to Sydney for Vivid. "I've thought a lot about what it means to go up on stage and ask people to listen to you and look at you for an hour and a half," she says, explaining how her approach to performance has changed over time. "I don't take it lightly, in the sense that I think (especially in this day and age) we are a distractable lot. When we have everything at our finger tips — at the internet or whatever — it means even more to say, 'Hey, everybody, let's be in this moment together. Let's go some place together'. "I've tried to make the performance aspect more elevated — to acknowledge what it actually is, which is a strange and unnatural act — and to dig into that, lean into it, believe in it and try to make it take us all some place else." At the same time, Clark's been dealing with what she describes as her own "delusions". "At various points, I've been delusional enough to think that someday I would tour less, that I was living one life — not that I wasn't meant to — but that there was a parallel life that I was supposed to be leading. Yet I was doing this other thing. But I've come to realise the silliness of that idea. I'm living the life that I want to be living and enjoying being in the ether and the constant change and undulation and stimulation. I need it, now." These days, she spends months and months on the road. "Sometimes, I get confused with which season it is," she says. "The other day, I could have sworn it was September and I was planning my life as if it was, and then I realised, no, it's May, where am I?" So where does she go to hide and reorient herself, if and when there is a break in the schedule? In keeping with her commitment to life as it is, she wants to talk about where she is. Right now. "I know this sounds really corny and cloying," she laughs, "but I love coming to Australia, because no matter how many shows you play, it feels like a vacation. Everything is pleasant here. People are attractive, coffee's amazing, food's amazing, wine's amazing, there's great galleries,there's great art... I usually end up with a lot of free time in Australia. This particular trip is basically run and gun, feels cosy and fun — like fun, sexy, cool time." https://youtube.com/watch?v=Itt0rALeHE8 When there is a moment to spare, she spends it releasing her own signature coffee blend, collecting outsider art, reading books and "hanging out". "What everybody does," she explains. "The only thing I don't do is cook and be domestic — you know knit a sweater or some bullshit [laughs]. I don't have any patience for that. I wish I could live in a hotel." Having just finished Karen Joy Walker's page-turner We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, she's currently into "a book about Sigmund Freud and his being a big proponent of cocaine as a panacea — a cure-all drug. It sounds like something someone on cocaine would say," she laughs. "I'm trying to enjoy Evelyn Waugh, too. I picked it up because my dad was a big Anglophile and he's all about Kingsley Amis and Martin Amis and all that. I tried to read that stuff when I was younger but what is a 13-year-old going to do with Vile Bodies? They have no context for that and you don't understand the satire because you haven't lived." St Vincent plays at Sydney Opera House for Vivid LIVE tonight. Details and tickets over here.
At Concrete Playground, we know the makings of a great trip when we see one. Our team of writers and editors is made up of hardcore travel enthusiasts — myself included. We're the ones who make detailed spreadsheets of recommendations for friends heading to a destination we've visited. Day-to-day for work we cover the best new hotels, travel-worthy experiences, and carefully craft itineraries and guides to the most fantastic places in Australia and abroad. Now, we're translating that passion and experience into a brand new travel inspiration and commerce platform called Concrete Playground Trips. From there, you can purchase trips that are exclusively curated by our editorial team, featuring experiences you genuinely can't find anywhere else, exclusive deals to places you hadn't considered, and trips that do justice to the spots that have long been on your bucket list. We do the groundwork so you don't have to. You just book and go. First up is an incredibly luxe (and fun) trip to Auckland to coincide with dance music festival Spring City, headlined by Groove Armada. You'll get exclusive VIP access and stay in New Zealand's hottest hotel with a couple of extraordinary dining and drinking experiences in the mix. Take in the full itinerary here. There's so much more to come and we're thrilled to get it out into the world and, hopefully, inspire your next great adventure. Happy trails. Discover more at Concrete Playground Trips. Image credit: Pietro de Grandi
Nineteeen-year-old genius Boyan Slat has proposed building an Ocean Cleanup Array, a device that could remove 7,250,000 tons of plastic waste from the world's oceans. While in school, Slat analysed the size and number of all the plastic particles in the ocean. Slat continued to develop this project and went on to start the Ocean Cleanup Foundation, a non-profit responsible for the development of his projects. The Ocean Cleanup Array would be placed in gyres, which are five areas in the world's oceans that have accumulated the most amount of plastic and garbage. Its anchored network of 'floating booms and processing platforms' would span the whole radius of the gyre, acting as funnels that are slightly tilted, creating a force towards the platforms. The debris enters the platforms and is stored in containers within the device until being collected for sales and recycling. If you weren't already impressed with the feat of removing over 7 million tons of plastic waste from the oceans, then listen to this: According to Inhabitat, the Ocean Cleanup Array could save hundreds to thousands to millions of aquatic animals every year. It would also reduce the number of pollutants that are building up in the food chain, including PCB and DDT. And it could eventually save millions of dollars every year in ocean clean-up costs, lost tourism to designated areas and damage to marine ships. According to Slat's website, it would take approximately five years to clean up the world's oceans. Even though the device would clean billions of kilograms of plastic, the solution isn't perfect. It has drawn concern from some critics who worry about negative effects to marine life and it still requires more research. The ocean won't ever be 100 percent clean of plastic and debris, but this is a start. Via Inhabitat.
When Disney isn't keeping huge pop-culture franchises on our screens or ensuring that everyone's childhood favourites never fade into memory — and sometimes doing both at the same time — it happens to be mighty fond of scandals and true crime. Well, to be precise, the Mouse House-owned US streaming platform Hulu is, and its shows keep making their way Down Under via Disney+. The latest even promises a massive stripping-empire saga, sordid deeds driven by money and murder because of the dance floor. After exploring the story behind Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee's sex tape in the 90s-set Pam & Tommy to start 2022, Disney+ plans to end it with a jump into back to the 70s and 80s — aided by a whole heap of disrobing male dancers — courtesy of Welcome to Chippendales. And if watching the just-dropped first teaser trailer for the latter gets you thinking about the former, there's another reason for that: writer/executive producer/creator Robert Siegel is behind both. The focus here: Somen 'Steve' Banerjee, who was born in India, moved to the US, bought a Los Angeles nightclub and founded the striptease troupe turned worldwide hit that shares Welcome to Chippendales' name. Banerjee's tale involves outrageous success, but also turns into sinister territory. That's put it mildly; however, if you don't already know the details, you'll want to discover the rest while watching. Fresh from a superhero stint in Eternals, Kumail Nanjiani plays Banerjee — and the rest of the star-studded cast includes newly minted The White Lotus Emmy-winner Murray Bartlett, Yellowjackets' Juliette Lewis and American Crime Story's Annaleigh Ashford, as well as Dan Stevens (I'm Your Man), Andrew Rannells (Girls5eva), Nicola Peltz Beckham (Holidate), Quentin Plair (The Good Lord Bird) and Robin de Jesús (Tick, Tick... Boom!). WandaVision's Matt Shakman is in the director's chair and, if you're fond of the era, expect the appropriate soundtrack (and vibe) when the show starts streaming from Tuesday, November 22. It'll drop two episodes first up, then new instalments weekly afterwards across the eight-episode limited series' run. Move over Magic Mike: Welcome to Chippendales looks set to be everyone's next stripper-fuelled obsession, and new true-crime addiction as well. Check out the trailer below: Welcome to Chippendales will be available to stream via Disney+ from November 22.
Ever considered a quick jaunt to Sydney to experience Vivid? Now's the time to take the plunge. The epic light festival is back for its tenth birthday, and there's more to see and do this year than ever. With so much to fit in, it's often hard to know where to start and how to get off the well-beaten track. As always, there are the big lights dotting the harbour, but there are also heaps of hidden gems worth seeking out — down alleyways, against the water and even up in the air. With the help of our mates at Samsung, we've pulled together a list of some of the best works tucked away in and around The Rocks and Circular Quay. And once you find them, it'd be remiss not to snap a shot or two so you can take them home with you — especially if you have Samsung's new Galaxy S9 and S9+ phones, which allow you to take beautiful photos in the dark with its Super Low Light camera. Check out our Galaxy S9+ snaps taken by photographer Cole Bennetts, take note of his tips and make tracks to these hidden Vivid gems. CHRYSALIS — REIBY PLACE Just as a caterpillar in a cocoon needs the right conditions to emerge, so too does the butterfly within each of the illuminated shells in Chrysalis. The sound of the audience approaching causes the butterflies to stir, and as people get closer and their collective noise grows louder, the butterflies awaken. Finally, they spread their wings within their five neon homes and flit and flutter with the crowd's presence. Cole's tip: Avoid contributing to a newsfeed clogged with identical Vivid snaps by changing your perspective. Get down low or shoot from up high to make the picture more interesting. OASIS — ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN Oasis is a shimmering, bioluminescent-inspired sea of light. Set in a corner of the Botanic Garden devoted to "lonely, frightened, lost and abused children who never knew the joy of a loving family", the work is dedicated to Australia's forgotten children — those raised in orphanages, children's homes and institutions. Playing on the relationship between light and water, courage and vulnerability, the seemingly floating lights move with nature but are always steadied by their underlying strength, returning them to their upright position. PARROT PARTY — ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN Is it a flock of birds in the gardens? Or a clandestine party among the flora? Well, it's a bit of both, actually. The festive Parrot Party in the Botanic Garden bursts with colour and sound, that grows brighter and more jovial as people join in. Perched in a pavilion, the birds' song is modulated by the crowds who come and go. Made up of Kiwi kea parrots and Australian rainbow lorikeets — a nod to the close relationship between our two countries — the flock's song grows louder as the crowd draws in, bursting with a display of sweet calls and chatter. Cole's tip: Vivid has excitement at every turn. You don't want to miss the money shot, so keep your S9 at the ready. When you stumble across a hidden gem worth snapping, double-tap the power button to bring up the camera quickly. 555 NANOMETERS — KENDALL LANE Hanging above a historic laneway in The Rocks, 555 Nanometers' sheets of green light and integrated soundscape also draw people in with the sound and sights of Australian flora and fauna. Follow the noise of cicadas calling into the night, pulling you toward this canopy of light. The name of the installation is a reference to its yellow-green hue that specifically sits at colour spectrum 555 nanometers. The human eye is most sensitive to the colour and feels most at ease when looking at it. As you look up at the illuminated perforated sheets, you'll find yourself reminded of looking at light streaming through leaves on a bright summer's day. FUGU — THE ROCKS If watching David Attenborough's Blue Planet has taught us anything, it is that the goings-on in our oceans are both compelling and crucially important. Artists Amigo and Amigo depict this in their installation Fugu. It's a kinetic light sculpture in the form of a pufferfish, a peculiar critter that changes form for protection against predators. As audiences surround the spiky creature it comes to life, expanding, contracting and pulsating in glowing multi-colour. The piece represents the fragility of life under the surface and highlights the importance of conservation. As you explore and uncover the hidden gems of Vivid, get the best snap on the new Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, designed especially for low light. Images: Cole Bennetts.
Canberra might once have been described as 'the ruination of a good sheep paddock', but tables have turned. Global travel publisher Lonely Planet has ranked the Australian capital third on its 2018 Best in Travel: Top Cities list. That's the highest position ever achieved by an Australian city — Melbourne and Sydney included. What's more, Canberra's the only of our metropolises to have made the top ten for next year. The guide describes Canberra as packing "a big punch" for a small city, noting its abundance of "national treasures", "boutique precincts" and "gastronomic highlights". Next year the capital will also host its first test cricket match and the 100th anniversary of the WWI Armistice. "These are the cities our travel experts say you should experience in 2018," Alex Howard, managing editor of Lonely Planet magazine US, told CNN. "Whether they've been overlooked, are celebrating milestones next year or have crept up on our radar lately, they all offer compelling reasons to go soon." Topping the list is Seville, a city in southern Spain that featured in Game of Thrones, but is probably better known for its tapas and flamenco. Seville is currently preparing to host the 31st European Film Awards next year. In second position is Detroit, also known as the Motor City, which took a hit when the US motor industry collapsed, but has since developed a thriving arts scene. If you're keen to take up Lonely Planet's recommendation, our weekender's guide might come in handy.
There aren't many directors whose work we look forward to more than Joel and Ethan Coen. The Oscar winning siblings behind Raising Arizona, Barton Fink, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men and Inside Llewyn Davis among many others, the pair have made a name for themselves with their memorable characters and masterfully constructed plots, often seasoned with liberal lashings of dark, esoteric humour. Their latest film is set to be released on February 25, and we've managed to get our hands on some complimentary tickets. Hail, Caesar! is a screwball comedy set in 1950s Hollywood, and concerns a famous film star, played by George Clooney, who is kidnapped by a mysterious organisation. Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson, Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Jonah Hill and Frances McDormand make up the star-studded ensemble, along with Channing Tatum dressed as a sailor (which, quite frankly, seems like it'll be worth the price of admission on its own). [competition]558865[/competition] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMqeoW3XRa0
Australia doesn't have many famous figures that are referred to by their first names alone, but Margaret and David are definitely two of them. Yes, they have full names — Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton — but when you're on TV together for almost three decades, and you're as entertaining to watch as this pair, those surnames just fall away. It has been six years since their second film review series, the ABC's At the Movies, finished up in 2014. It started in 2004, and followed their previous program, The Movie Show, which aired on SBS from 1986–2004. Both Margaret and David have still been active as film critics since, but not together — until satirical news site The Shovel asked them to reunite on-screen to share their thoughts on the past 12 months as part of the Chaser-produced digital War on 2020. No, they don't review movies from the past year, although Christopher Nolan's Tenet gets a mention. Rather, they use their familiar style — including their bickering and bantering — to discuss just how ridiculous 2020 has been. David is disappointed all round, noting how little sense it all makes, while Margaret finds it quite humorous. So, as fans of the pair will know, it's classic Margaret and David, right down to the contrasting star ratings. That's the point, of course, but it's still very amusing to watch. You can view the clip below — and here's hoping that if Margaret and David repeat the feat in 2021, they have something brighter to argue about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJHUxHQxI9A
For viewers, three years have passed since Squid Game became an award-winning Netflix hit. For Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae, The Acolyte), the same amount of time has elapsed in the show's storyline. Audiences and Player 456 are alike are in for a new round of life-or-death matches when the streaming smash finally returns on Boxing Day 2024 — but only the series' protagonist will be fighting for survival again while on a quest to shut down this chaos forever in season two. No one watching should ever want Squid Game to end; however, the show itself will wrap up in 2025 with season three. First comes the long-awaited second season to end 2024, though, where Player 456 is back in the game with new fellow competitors for company. "We are not trying to harm you. We are presenting you with an opportunity," the guards tell the latest batch of contestants battling it out for 45.6 billion won in the series' just-released full season-two trailer. Another pivotal line in the latest sneak peek: "the game will not end unless the world changes". Netflix has been dropping multiple early looks at season two, including a teaser trailer to kick off November — and its finishing off the month with a new glimpse at what's to come. These games don't stop, clearly, even after three years. As the show's protagonist dons his green tracksuit once more, his new fellow competitors are wary of his motives. Also part of the recent teases: Lee Byung-hun (The Magnificent Seven) as Gi-hun's nemesis Front Man, plus Wi Ha-joon (Little Women) also back as detective Hwang Jun-ho. Squid Game was such a huge success in its first season that Netflix confirmed at the beginning of 2022 that more was on the way, and also released a teaser trailer for it the same year, before announcing its new cast members in 2023 — and then unveiled a first brief snippet of Squid Game season two in a broader trailer for Netflix's slate for 2024, as it releases every 12 months. For season two, Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) also returns as the man in the suit who got Gi-hun into the game in the first place; however, a show about a deadly competition that has folks battling for ridiculous riches comes with a hefty bodycount. Accordingly, new faces were always going to be essential — which is where Yim Si-wan (Emergency Declaration), Kang Ha-neul (Insider), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations) all come in. If you somehow missed all things Squid Game when it premiered, even after it became bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton, the Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series serves up a puzzle-like storyline and unflinching savagery, which unsurprisingly makes quite the combination. It also steps into societal divides within South Korea, a topic that wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but has been given a boost after that stellar flick's success. As a result, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between Parasite and Squid Game, although Netflix's highly addictive series goes with a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup. Netflix turned the show's whole premise into an IRL competition series as well, which debuted in 2023 — without any murders, of course. Squid Game: The Challenge has already been picked up for a second season. Check out the full trailer for Squid Game season below: Squid Game season two streams via Netflix from Thursday, December 26, 2024. Season three will arrive in 2025 — we'll update you when an exact release date for it is announced. Images: No Ju-han/Netflix © 2024.
Usually, Australia's various film festivals only pop up once every 12 months; however, there's little that's been usual about the past few years. So in these chaotic times, the fact that the Jewish International Film Festival is returning for a second stint in 2022 doesn't seem all that out of the ordinary. Already enjoyed the fest during its March and April run? Get ready to do so all over again. JIFF will screen 50 features and documentaries at this iteration, alongside episodes from two TV shows and three short films — covering titles from 21 countries as it tours Australia between October–December. Leading the highlights, filling JIFF's biggest-ever lineup: opening night's Armageddon Time, which arrives after premiering at this year's Cannes Film Festival and will have its Aussie debut at the fest. Starring Anthony Hopkins (The Father), Anne Hathaway (Locked Down) and Jeremy Strong (Succession), and written and directed by Ad Astra and The Lost City of Z's James Gray, it tells a coming-of-age story in 80s-era Queens. Also among the standouts, Charlotte Gainsbourg (Sundown)-led French drama The Accusation tackles sex and consent; Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic World Dominion) narrates Fiddler's Journey to the Big Screen, about bringing Fiddler on the Roof to the big screen; and Israel's Karaoke arrives after being nominated for 13 Ophir Awards. Or, there's doco The Art of Silence about mime Marcel Marceau — plus 60s-set comedy My Neighbour Adolf, featuring Udo Kier (Swan Song) as a Holocaust survivor in Colombia who thinks the German man who just moved in next door is Hitler. The full lineup includes closing night's As They Made Us, the directorial debut of directorial The Big Bang Theory's Mayim Bialik; Reckonings, about the negotiations between Jewish and German leaders that led to the 1952 Luxembourg Agreement; and three episodes of Bloody Murray, which follows the titular film lecturer, who specialises in romantic comedies. The list goes on, spanning — as always — a sizeable contingent of movies that examine World War II, the Holocaust and their lingering impact. JEWISH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2022 DATES — OCTOBER–DECEMBER SEASON Monday, October 24–Sunday, November 27 — Classic Cinemas and Lido Cinemas, Melbourne Tuesday, October 25– Monday, November 28 — Ritz Cinemas and Roseville Cinemas, Sydney Thursday, October 27— Sunday, November 6 — Dendy Cinemas, Canberra Thursday, October 27— Sunday, November 6 — State Cinema, Hobart Thursday, November 10–Sunday, November 20 — New Farm Cinemas, Brisbane Thursday, November 17–Sunday, November 27 — Dendy Southport, Gold Coast Thursday, November 24—Wednesday, December 7 — Luna Palace Leederville, Perth The Jewish International Film Festival's second 2022 season runs from October–December. For more information, or to buy tickets, head to the festival's website.
Brisbanites, if heading to a big event or catching a busy train is on your agenda for the next few days, the Queensland Government wants you to make one change to your plans. In response to the latest community COVID-19 case, folks across the city are being asked to wear masks in crowded situations while they're out and about this weekend. "What we are going to ask is people in the Brisbane City Council areas and in Moreton, if you are in crowded areas, to wear a mask. If you're going to a football match on the weekend, wear your mask going into the venue. If you are on a crowded train, put a mask on," Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said at a press conference today, Friday, March 26. "These are the sensible precautions, and we will be updating you over the weekend if there are any more cases. The Premier revealed that a 26-year-old man from Stafford has tested positive to the coronavirus — and that he has been out in the community while infectious since last Friday, March 19. A list of places that he has visited over the past week has been announced, too, with anyone who has visited those spots on the dates and around the times outlined required to get tested for COVID-19 immediately and then quarantine until receiving a negative result. Face masks still aren't compulsory in crowded situations, but they are strongly recommended. They haven't been mandatory in most circumstances across the state since late January, once the cases the sparked the Greater Brisbane area's snap three-day lockdown earlier that month passed. It has remained compulsory to wear face coveringgs in airports and on planes, as required by the Federal Government, though. And, if you can't social distance elsewhere — whether indoors or outdoors — masks are advised. The same applies if you're in a shopping centre, travelling on public transport or using a taxi or rideshare service. Basically, Queenslanders have been encouraged for the past two months to still carry masks with them at all times when leaving home, and pop one on if they find themselves in any of the above circumstances. As always, the usual hygiene and social-distancing advice still applies, too — including frequent hand-washing, maintaining a 1.5-metre distance from other people and getting tested if you have even the slightest of COVID-19 symptoms. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
Great renewal news for fans of Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated) usually means bad news for the folks that the trio know on-screen. Only Murders in the Building viewers get more episodes, but that means more deaths within the hit murder-mystery comedy's narrative. That's exactly the case right now, with the series just wrapping up its Paul Rudd (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania)- and Meryl Streep (Don't Look Up)-guest starring third season, then revealing that there's more in store — with the show locked in for season four. More instalments, more killings and more amusing antics are all on the way, then, for the series that first got Gomez, Short and Martin sleuthing in 2021's season one (aka one of the best new shows of that year), then followed it up with 2022's season two (aka one of the best returning shows of that year, too) before arriving for its third go-around in 2023. Details of when the series will return, who else will pop up and the like haven't yet been announced, but expect to spend more time in Only Murders in the Building's world. The show started with three residents of the same New York apartment building crossing paths after a murder in their building — hence the title — then bonding over true-crime podcasts. Next, they did what everyone that's jumped on that bandwagon knows they would if they were ever in the same situation, starting their own audio series that's also called Only Murders in the Building. That's how season one kicked off — and continued, proving a warm, funny, smart and savvy series at every step along the way. In the show's second season, another death needed investigating. That time, it was someone the main trio were all known not to be that fond of, so suspicions kept pointing in their direction. Indeed, every season, another death has given aspiring artist Mabel, Broadway producer Oliver and actor Charles-Haden another case to dive into. In season three, that involved looking into who caused Ben Glenroy (Rudd) to shuffle off this mortal coil at the opening night of Oliver's latest show. "Is this really happening again?" asked the theatre figure in the first teaser trailer for season three. "Yes, yes it is" was the answer from Only Murders in the Building's audience then — and still now. "The trio's journey is far from over," US streaming platform Hulu, which produces the show, announced on social media. There's no sneak peek at season four as yet, but you can check out the full trailer for Only Murders in the Building season three below: Only Murders in the Building's streams Down Under via Star on Disney+. Read our full reviews of season one, season two and season three. Images: Hulu.
The word poetry has many immediate connotations: romance, passion… love. Okay, so maybe I just have an unfulfilled life dream to be read poetry and as such can only think in shades of pink and red. However, the world of poetry is far from limited to relationships, as the Queensland Poetry Festival is sure to attest. Launched in 1997, the event lasts three days and includes a range of events such as workshops, touring programs, and competitions. They also have the massive task of managing the Arts Queensland Val Vallis and Thomas Shapcott poetry prizes, the Arts Queensland Poet-in-Residence program and the annual Riverbend Poetry Series. This year as well as an excessive variety of poets performing over the weekend, the State Library will also be hosting a one-off exclusive lesson with the talented Sandra Thibodeaux. So even if you’re not the biggest fan of poetry, this weekend is a great chance to see another type of artist perform.
In most parts of Australia, watching a film beneath the evening sky with stars surrounding the big screen is a spring and summer activity. In Brisbane, it normally is, too. But that's changing in the River City from November, which is when Brisbane Powerhouse's previously announced permanent outdoor cinema is finally launching to screen flicks with the heavens as a backdrop all year round. Catching a movie outside at Brisbane Powerhouse should sound familiar. For years, the New Farm venue played host to Moonlight Cinema, with an outdoor big screen set up outside the site's Stores Building each summer. That annual setup has since shifted to Roma Street Parklands, so Powerhouse is now teaming up with Dendy to open its own replacement: Dendy Powerhouse Outdoor Cinema. The projectors will get whirring from Friday, November 10, with Dendy adding a third Brisbane site to its current footprint alongside Portside and Coorparoo (RIP Dendy George Street, which then became Tribal Theatre and is now sadly no longer a cinema). The cinema chain will bring the same mix of programming that graces its other sites in Queensland and across Australia. Think: arthouse and mainstream fare alike, and for all ages, with the launch lineup set to feature The Marvels, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Cat Person, Killers of the Flower Moon, Five Nights at Freddy's, The Royal Hotel, the remastered version of Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense and more. While Dendy Powerhouse Outdoor Cinema definitely isn't just a seasonal affair, it will keep its screenings to Thursday–Sunday evenings. Powerhouse had promised this setup, complete with a major exhibitor running the operations, back when adding a permanent openair cinema to the Lamington Street site was first revealed. Also announced then, in mid-2022: Night Feast, which has run in both March and October this year, and will keep popping up twice a year — and the Pleasuredome, a new tent-style riverside events space on the Powerhouse's Performance Lawn that arrived in 2022. Powerhouse has welcomed vertical dining experience Vertigo in 2023 as well. Dendy Powerhouse Outdoor Cinema will pop its screen on top of 40-foot shopping containers, and get patrons using wireless headphones for the best sound experience. As for the seating, you'll recline on outdoor loungers. Food-wise, there'll be the usual cinema snacks — including popcorn and choc tops — plus cheese boxes, wine and beer. Ordering will be made easy, using QR codes for to-your-seat delivery. [caption id="attachment_858079" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Past outdoor cinema sessions at Brisbane Powerhouse[/caption] "We are delighted to be partnering with the Brisbane Powerhouse to deliver a stylish and sophisticated, all-year-round outdoor cinema experience for the Brisbane community. True to the Dendy brand, Dendy Powerhouse will screen high-quality curated content across a wide range of genres, aiming to transport audiences on a journey like never before," said Dendy Cinemas CEO Sharon Strickland. "We're thrilled to partner with Dendy on this new outdoor cinema, a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to showcasing diverse art forms at Brisbane Powerhouse. This cinema will feature Dendy's impressive film selection alongside our festival programming, offering audiences a range of films from blockbusters to artistically diverse creations," added Brisbane Powerhouse CEO and Artistic Director Kate Gould. [caption id="attachment_827164" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Dendy Powerhouse Outdoor Cinema will open on Friday, November 10 at 119 Lamington St, New Farm — head to the Dendy website for bookings and more information.
While most people think of a concept before a title is given to the project, graffiti artist and satire king Banksy does the opposite. The reclusive English artist and activist ventured into the world of TV last Saturday with his show The Antics Roadshow, a title he claims was born before the show's concept. In a statement Banksy said that "Basically I just thought it was a good name for a TV programme and I've been working back from there." Banksy's foray into TV takes a look at a topic he is most familiar with: public pranks. But his approach is tongue-in-cheek; from the 2010 politically motivated prank by Russian performance art group Voina to the pie-in-face pranks of Noel Godin, The Antics Roadshow (a pun on the iconic British TV show Antiques Roadshow) celebrates the humorous side and, at times, poignant statements of recent pranks and pranksters. The hour-long TV show is currently being aired on UK's Channel 4 and is narrated by English actress Kathy Burke and produced by Jamie D'cruz (who also produced Banksy's 2010 film offering Exit Through The Gift Shop). https://youtube.com/watch?v=NdpVVgMRbKg
If Alanis Morissette was to describe this piece of news, she might say that it's like rain on your wedding day. She could note that it resembles finding a black fly in your chardonnay. Or, she might explain that it resembles hitting a traffic jam when you're already late, too. We all know where those lines come from, because we're all acquainted with her famed track 'Ironic'; however, if you were hoping to hear that song as part of 15-time Tony Award-nominated musical Jagged Little Pill in Sydney in September, there's been an unwelcome but unsurprising development. The acclaimed production was due to make its first trip beyond Broadway and head to our shores, locking in a run at the Theatre Royal Sydney — and reopening the venue five years after it closed its doors in 2016, in fact. But, due to Sydney's current COVID-19 outbreak and corresponding lockdown, that's no longer happening. Accordingly, instead of raising its curtains on Thursday, September 23, Jagged Little Pill has postponed its premiere Aussie season. New dates haven't yet been announced, though. "The decision to delay the Australian premiere of Jagged Little Pill was not taken lightly. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have caused havoc in the live entertainment industry in Australia. Jagged Little Pill will directly engage over 100 performers, musicians and crew; consequently, we are tirelessly working to minimise the impact of the delay on the production to get those talented people back to work and audiences back to enjoying live theatre as soon as possible," said the show's producers in a statement. Jagged Little Pill the Musical Broadway opening night curtain call, Bruce Glikas When it does reschedule its Sydney dates, Jagged Little Pill the Musical will weave a story around songs from Morissette's 1995 album of the same name. So yes, it's a jukebox musical like Mamma Mia!, We Will Rock You and Rock of Ages. Beloved tunes 'Ironic', 'You Oughta Know', 'Hand in My Pocket', 'Head Over Feet' and 'You Learn' all feature, in a production that boasts music by Morissette and her album co-writer and producer Glen Ballard, lyrics by Morissette, and a book by Juno Oscar-winner Diablo Cody. Songs such as 'Thank U', 'So Pure', 'That I Would Be Good', 'So Unsexy' and 'Hands Clean' all pop up as well, even though they hail from the musician's subsequent albums. And, narrative-wise, Jagged Little Pill the Musical tells the tale of the Healy family. They struggle their seemingly idyllic suburban lives after a troubling event in their community. Expect to hear Morissette's tunes — including two new songs written just for the show — used in a tale about social issues relevant to today, but with an overall message of hope, healing and togetherness. Jagged Little Pill the Musical's Australian premiere season will no longer play the Theatre Royal Sydney at 108 King Street, Sydney, from Thursday, September 23 — we'll update you when new dates are announced. For further details, head to the musical's website. Top image: Jagged Little Pill the Musical original Broadway cast, Matthew Murphy.
Melbourne's Queen Victoria Gardens will again play host to MPavilion, a four-month program of free talks, workshops, performances and installations from October 5, 2016 to February 18, 2017. This year, Indian architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai will install Australia's largest bamboo structure — of all time. The 282-square-metre art-chitecture project will be constructed using ancient building techniques and materials sourced from India and Australia. Along with the bamboo, Jain will use earth, stone and rope in order to create a structure that references both the Australian landscape and Indian tradition. Though it will be made simply from plant and earth-based materials, the structure sounds like it will be anything but simple. The roof will be made of karvi panels, which is created from a mix of cow dung and earth, and will be supported by 2.4-metre-high bamboo columns. White lime daub will act as a waterproofing agent and a 12-metre-tall tazia, an ornamental tower used in Indian ceremonies, will be constructed and viewable through the oculus in the suspended ceiling. Basically, it's going to be super, super cool. Jain told Dezeen that the creative space is meant to "suspend visitors between earth, ground and sky". Studio Mumbai is known for collaboration and often works with local artisans to design and build their projects with a connection to the environment it inhabits. If you want to get to know more about the man behind the plan, the RMIT Gallery is offering a preview, Bijoy Jain and Lore: Making MPavilion 2016, which will run September 9 through October 22. The exhibition explores Jain's inspiration and process, and features models and sketches of the new MPavilion prior to its official launch on October 4. MPavilion, presented by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, is in its third year and will again serve as a hub for free cultural activities. Past years have seen the Gardens host AL_A's immersive petal-shaped structure and Sean Godsell Architects' walled garden with moveable exterior. This year's MPavilion will remain in the Gardens until February, after which time it will be moved to a permanent home within Melbourne's CBD. Via Dezeen and Inhabitat. Images courtesy Studio Mumbai. Top image: Nicholas Watt.
Michael Winterbottom and Steve Coogan, the team behind the cult favourites 24 Hour Party People and The Trip, are teaming up on the big screen again, this time presenting a biopic of the infamously rich British entrepreneur Paul Raymond in The Look of Love. Raymond, famous for opening Revue Bar in Soho and cultivating an empire built on the famous message 'sex sells', is portrayed by Coogan, who is perhaps a perfect fit given he once showered a topless model with £5000. The movie does much more than explore his world of erotica though, focusing on the King of Soho's personal relationships with the women closest to him and how he lost them on his way to gaining millions of pounds. The exploration of his life as a professional, husband, lover and father has already garnered acclaim, and whilst not everything Coogan touches recently has turned to gold, he seems to be onto a winner here. The Look of Love hits Australian screens June 27 and we have ten double in-season passes to give away, courtesy of Madman Entertainment. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Winter in Brisbane — it's not exactly the coldest place to be at this time of year. But hey, when your home lacks insulation and there seems to be only one fireplace per 1000 people, it's tricky to stay warm even if temperature rarely go below 10 degrees. One way to heat up when the temp drops is with a good old-fashioned party and a tasty gin in hand. We've teamed up with Tanqueray to let you know the best things happening in Brisbane worth getting out from under the doona for. Whether you're more of a G&T person or a Tom Collins kind of drinker, you're bound to enjoy these winter soirees, events and festivities while sipping on your favourite gin-based drink. CELEBRATE WORLD GIN DAY What better way to kick off winter (aka gin season) than with a whole day dedicated to your favourite spirit? Saturday, June 8 is World Gin Day, and there's no better way to experience it in our beautiful city than with a gin in hand. Celebrate this momentous date by catching up with friends at your favourite bar or restaurant, while sipping on a G&T. Or, really lean into the occasion with an OTT cocktail — an appropriately festive option is the Mad Tea Party from Canvas in Woolloongabba, which features raspberry, crème de cacao, lemon and rhubarb. Alternatively, stay at home, fix yourself a Tanqueray martini and watch the sun go down from your balcony while listening to Powderfinger's 'My Happiness' on repeat. What's more Brisbane than that? SALUTE YOUR UNIQUE FIND AT A LOCAL DESIGN MARKET WITH HIGH TEA No matter the time of year, you can always count on GOMA to host some killer free creative events in Brisbane. And its Winter Design Market is no exception. On June 8, head down to the GOMA Forecourt to shop the wares from some of the best ceramicists, jewellers, designers, craftspeople and makers that call Brisbane home. Armed with an enviro bag full of beautiful local creations, make your way to Covent Garden for a sophisticated high tea. Enjoy the triple-tier platter of sweet and savoury bites coupled with its twist on your classic G&T — a Gin and Tea — made with Tanqueray, creme de mure, grapefruit, strawberry and cream tea soda. Now that's a tea we wouldn't mind drinking on the daily. UNLEASH YOUR INNER FRANCOPHILE AT BRISBANE FRENCH FESTIVAL Looking for a unique outing that celebrates all things French food, music and culture? Then the Brisbane French Festival or Le Festival is an event you won't want to miss. Happening across Friday, July 5–Sunday, July 7, South Bank will come alive with the diverse music, food, education and lifestyle of the French. Celebrate Bastille Day over three days of markets, bars, tasting trails, masterclasses and a VIP lounge. Once you've indulged in all things French, make your way to South Bank's Aquitaine Brasserie, which makes one of Brisbane's best Tanqueray No.10 dirty martinis. COMMEMORATE 10 YEARS OF TENERIFFE Promising a diverse range of programming — from folk music to punk rock — plus, health and fitness, decadent food offerings and historical celebrations, the Teneriffe Festival is celebrating ten years of Teneriffe's official suburb status on Saturday, July 6. Check out the hidden laneways, entertainment, food vendors, and market stalls, then make your way to the local bars and restaurants in the area to wet your whistle. Hello Gorgeous, Gerties Bar, The Dalgety Public House and At Sixes and Sevens are standouts for great drinks and nibbles. And, of course, Fortitude Valley is only a hop skip and a jump away if you want to keep the celebration going. [caption id="attachment_707134" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Naomi Blacklock, Padma. 2018. Performance documentation from NETHERWORLDS exhibition, Spring Hill Reservoir, Brisbane, 9 June 2018. Photo: Charlie Hillhouse. Courtesy of the artist.[/caption] DELVE INTO THE DARK SIDE AT AN ENCHANTING WITCHCRAFT EXHIBITION Hosted by the University of Queensland, Second Sight: Witchcraft, Ritual, Power is a unique exhibition showcasing artists who explore the themes of witchcraft, sorcery and magical practices. The supernatural themes are sure to build up a thirst, so make your way to Merles Bar at Regatta Hotel and ask the bartender to mix up a potion of your very own. Or, you could order a Southside — this simple (yet very special) tipple has a dark past, having been invented during the Prohibition era with possible connections to Chicago mobsters. It'll keep the sinister theme going well into the night.
When The Many Saints of Newark ends, will it cut suddenly to black? Will Journey's 'Don't Stop Believing' somehow get a spin, even though the film is set in the 60s and 70s? How much ziti will be served throughout the course of the feature? And, how many overt and obvious links to The Sopranos will pop up? These are some of the questions you might have if you're a fan of one of the best TV shows ever made, you're excited about big-screen prequel The Many Saints of Newark, and if you woke up this morning and got yourself a hankering for a sneak peek at the latter. Fourteen years after HBO's hit mobster drama wrapped up its TV run, creator David Chase has penned this jump back to Tony Soprano's formative years. Yes, it's obviously one of the most-anticipated flicks of the year. The Many Saints of Newark hops into Soprano's story when he's a teen in the titular New Jersey city — a place under the sway of the DiMeo crime family, struggling with race relations and about to be caught up in the race riots of 1967. Young Anthony plans to go to college, but he also has a strong relationship with his uncle Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola, The Art of Self-Defense). And, to answer the question that's just sprang into your head, Dickie is indeed the father of series regular Christopher Moltisanti. Anthony's connection to his uncle Dickie will have a huge impact on his life, and sway his path to becoming the panic attack-suffering, hot-tempered mob boss that The Sopranos followed for six seasons between 1999–2007. Family is a huge part of the film, as it was in the influential drama before it — and as as both the initial glimpse and just-dropped second trailer for The Many Saints of Newark both show. That's true not just in the narrative, however, but also in the casting. If young Anthony Soprano looks familiar, that's because he's played by Michael Gandolfini (The Deuce, Cherry) — son of the late, great James Gandolfini. Enlisting the younger Gandolfini leaves a significant imprint, even just from the trailers. Watching these clips, it's impossible to imagine this movie being made without him stepping into his dad's shoes. The Sopranos aficionados can also look forward to spending time with a few familiar characters other than Young Anthony — including Corey Stoll (The Report) as Uncle Junior, Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) as Anthony's mother Livia, and Billy Magnussen (Made for Love) and John Magaro (First Cow) as his future righthand men Paulie Walnuts and Silvio Dante. And, Leslie Odom Jr (One Night in Miami) and Jon Bernthal (Those Who Wish Me Dead) also co-star, while seeing Ray Liotta (Marriage Story) jump back into the gangster genre immediately conjures up memories of Goodfellas, the Martin Scorsese classic that also charted the rise of a young man within the mob. Check out the latest trailer for The Many Saints of Newark below: The Many Saints of Newark releases in Australian cinemas on November 4.
It has been 12 years since RuPaul's Drag Race first premiered in the US, and its mission to unearth the next drag superstars shows no signs of stopping. Currently, the original series is airing its thirteenth season, while international versions also exist in the UK — also hosted by RuPaul — plus Thailand, Holland, Chile and Canada. Next, it's finally making the leap to Australia and New Zealand. RuPaul's Drag Race already airs locally, but, in exciting news, it's now it's being made here as well — courtesy of the aptly titled RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under. The just-announced eight-part series will focus on Aussie and NZ drag queens battling for supremacy, and will air on Stan in Australia and TVNZ OnDemand in New Zealand sometime later in 2021. And, while not all overseas iterations of Drag Race are hosted by RuPaul, RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under definitely will be. RuPaul will also take on judging duties with show veteran Michelle Visage, with the final judge yet to be announced. Just who'll be competing, and which celebrities will make guest appearances, will also be unveiled later in the year. Fans already know the format — so expect to see fashion challenges, workroom dramas and lip sync battles aplenty. If you're a newcomer to all things Drag Race, you'll watch Australian and NZ drag queens work through a series of contests to emerge victorious, and join the likes of US contenders Jinkx Monsoon, Sasha Velour and Sharon Needles in being crowned the series' winner. Revealing the news, RuPaul said "I cannot wait for everyone to see that Down Under queens have some of the biggest charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talents in the world". If you're eager for more until RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under hits, you can also check out the show's announcement below — featuring RuPaul, of course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmlnWG_slkk&feature=youtu.be RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under will hit Stan and TVNZ OnDemand sometime later in 2021 — we'll update you with an air date once further details are announced. Top image: RuPaul's Drag Race.
We all know someone who thinks they're French. You know the type, they offer up French words in normal conversation (complete with faux accent), drink espressos at night and waffle on about their ‘recent’ trip without prompting. Sure, who doesn’t secretly want to be French (ok maybe the English), but there is only one time of the year when this kind of behaviour is acceptable. That time is now upon us. It’s time for the Alliance Française French Film Festival! Every year we are presented with over 40 of the best films to come out of France and this year’s line up looks superb. A few highlighted picks include Declaration of War (which received a 15-minute standing ovation at Cannes last year), Jane Birkin’s documentary Souvenirs of Serge, two new Audrey Tautou films Against The Wind and Delicacy and the enchanting Romantics Anonymous. Tickets do tend to sell out fast, so make sure you secure a seat in advance. With so many outstanding films in a wide array of genres, there is sure to be something to suit your highly cultivated tastes. It’s hard not to get caught up in all the excitement, so enjoy this chance to be a fully-fledged Francophile. Je suis trés heurex! …Ahem.
After kicking off the summer with boozy frosé sorbet, Gelatissimo has turned its attention to another iconic beverage — Bundaberg ginger beer, but in gelato form. With the warm weather in full swing, the national ice cream chain has turned one of the country's favourite non-alcoholic drinks into its newest flavour. And yes, the chilled dessert is made using bottles of the iconic beverage, so expect each scoop to not only boast a familiar tanginess, but the fizziness of the carbonated brew as well. Why sip your beverage of choice when you can turn it into dessert? That clearly continues to be Gelatissimo's guiding principle. The ginger beer gelato is a short-term addition to Gelatissimo's menu, available in stores nationwide at present — but for a limited time only. It's also the ice creamery's third new summery flavour, joining not only frosé sorbet but a blue-hued sea salt butterscotch blend inspired by Aussie swimwear brand Speedo. For more information, visit Gelatissimo's website.
Plastic straws are slowly but surely disappearing from venues across the globe — including plenty of switched-on bars and eateries here in Australasia. And now, even fast food giant McDonald's is taking a stand against single-use plastic straws, announcing it'll start phasing out the unnecessary drink accessories across its UK stores next month. According to Sky News, McDonald's hopes to reach a point where 100-percent of its packaging is recyclable, having already phased out polystyrene and foam. Although, the company is yet to find an alternative to its plastic drink lids. Its next move is to start trialling the use of biodegradable and recyclable paper straws, in place of its less eco-friendly plastic alternatives. McDonald's UK restaurants will also start keeping its straws behind the counter, making them available only upon request. With 90% of the UK's population indulging in at least one Macca's run a year, and the Marine Conservation Society estimating 8.5 billion single-use plastic straws are used annually across the country, this new initiative is no small win for the planet. No word yet on whether McDonald's restaurants in other countries will follow suit, though here's hoping we're not too far behind.
Andy Bull is on one big ol' ride. The Sydney-based singer/songwriter has been unfathomably busy over the past year, juggling tour dates and life commitments while penning and producing his second album, Sea Of Approval. Just released on July 11, the 29-year-old's new record is a brilliant blend of insightful lyricism and exquisite electro pop. Bull's unique vocals and his knack for catchy hooks have caught the ears of listeners Australia-wide. Bull's latest three singles have notched up hours of radio play; you've definitely heard his voice on the airwaves. 'Talk Too Much', 'Keep On Running' and 'Baby I Am Nobody Now' have helped build anticipation for his second LP, which was almost entirely written and self-produced by Bull. We spoke to the Sydneysider not long after the announcement of his national tour in support of Sea Of Approval, starting September. An insightful young pop virtuoso with a unique take on the creative process, Bull took us through his penchant for DIY, staying sane in the business and dealing with second album demands. You've been unbelievably busy this year, how has 2014 run so far? I worked on the album over the last 12 months and I was busy, like some sort of insect in its hole, which was intense and strangely removed. Now that it is done, it's busy in this really external way; promoting, talking, playing and emerging back into the world sort of thing. You've just put out your second album, Sea of Approval, how long has it been in the works? Although it's been four years since I've put something out, this album was really done in the last 12 months. It was a pretty intensive period. There were ideas that were a bit older that had been hanging around, but the earnest work was pretty compacted. When you started piecing together the songs, was there any overall stylistic plan that you were working towards? Before I had songs, I had a vague idea of mood and sentiment. I had a sense of what I wanted, what I wanted it to feel like. It's a really hard thing to articulate until you start writing and recording and trying to materialise it. You have a sense of it all, but you don't really know if you can do what you are feeling and you don't really know how you will do it. The songs kind of came out of that initial mood and vision, but I didn't necessarily set out to do a full album. It began as a couple of tracks to see how they would go, to see if I could produce them myself and if anyone would care. It went well initially and then there was an expectation to do an album, so I got to work on it. At what point did you hit your groove? When did you know these songs would make a good second album? To be frank, it was very hard to get a groove going for a while. I did everything myself — I was being songwriter, lyricist, musician, producer, technician and rough mixer. I was doing all of those things constantly and I was trying to find solutions to creative problems and I didn't know where to locate the solutions. I got on a roll intermittently, but I wasn't cruising for 12 months. I generated so many ideas and about 30 percent clicked. You have a good day and on that day you will be more productive than the past two weeks. It's about slow builds; one day something will click. Did you do anything differently this time around? I wanted to take a hard look at myself. What you realise is when you step into a room you see that you aren't really on your own, because you have brought with you ten years of habits, values and aesthetics that you have inherited from other people. You've always got tonnes of baggage. Being alone and being willing to change your process, work hard and work against your old habits really makes a difference. The biggest change was an internal change where I didn't want to do what I had done before; I wanted to dig a little deeper and make music that matched my internal world in a more compelling way, using sounds and lyrics that told a vivid story and that the sounds would feel more personal, less traditional and more human. I wanted a change in tone, a different intent — not just to make things that worked and was pretty, but something that was useful to me. https://youtube.com/watch?v=JSGUxRWR_r8 Is it more nerve-wracking for you that this album is focused entirely on you and what you can create alone? Not nerve-wracking in the way you might think or that I might have expected. I am trying to, in my adult life, develop values and standards that are mine regardless of the expectations of other people. While I am sensitive to the reactions of other people, what I realise is that what I do has no potential value unless I am going to adhere to standards that are personal to me. It's a weird paradox; if you're not willing to abide by what you have done it might not have value in the outside world. In a way it's not nerve-wracking because I stand by what I have done, and although it's not perfect, it's a result of genuine questions and intent. When people judge it or decide that they like it or don't like it, that's fine because it is part of the process. It's not the end point or the beginning point, it's just part of the 'biz'. You've had three songs from the album do very well already, was that always part of the plan – to slowly trickle the songs to gauge a reaction? It was mostly because I didn't have an album finished. In the beginning I didn't know if I wanted to do an album or anything. I put a song out that I quite liked, 'Keep On Running', and it did quite well and people wanted another one. The next one I finished was 'Baby I Am Nobody Now' and then 'Talk Too Much' — it was really all on the go. Maybe it was the idea, but it also gives you a lot of pressure. There is no way to do this stuff without pressure. Once you put out a single, people expect another one. When you put out another one, people expect a record. I was constantly working to finish a record and to make it a good one, not a rushed one. You have to find a way to work comfortably, to have a buffer. If you are more focused on meeting a deadline then it narrows your options prematurely. If you are trimming before you have time to play, then sometimes your ideas don't come to fruition. You've mentioned how important it is "to stay sane and keep your integrity" when creating new work — how do you do that? How does that statement hold now that your album is out there? This is the key question in any process. Staying sane is basically about being gentle; having a self awareness and integrity means choosing what you are going to put your attention on and how you are going to interpret the events you are experiencing. To me, that's what sanity and integrity are — being able to analyse but not judge, being able to experience emotion without losing yourself to it, that sort of thing. How do you do that? It's difficult, but it's key. You've got to go slowly, appreciate that what you are doing is a long difficult process. You take a step forward and two steps back, you have to have a level of gentle acceptance if you want to stay sane in this environment. Keeping your integrity or authenticity is almost the same thing; if you can keep a calmness about yourself it allows you to choose what you are going to focus on and stay a step ahead. It takes constant maintenance to keep control of your attention and focus. Humility, patience and all the stuff that gets a bad wrap is important; we love the stories of creativeness being a huge, violent mess. That is a part of it but only a small part of it. I didn't necessarily do it well along the way, but the songs that I finished are the songs where I managed to find that headspace. If you gave your album to someone to listen to for the first time, what would you hope they respond to or take away from it? It's hard to say. Now that it has been given to people, it is amazing how many different responses there have been. The most you can hope for is that it would be of some use to people. You hope that it makes them feel ok about where they are at. In music you try to handle the ambiguities of life, the hope, the despair, all of the things because that is what life is. The best thing that music can do is even out the kinks in life. If you can even people out, that would be good. Sea Of Approval is out now through Island Records. Andy Bull National Tour Dates: Sep 7 — Spiegeltent at Brisbane Festival, Brisbane Sep 13 —The Metro, Sydney Sep 27 — Corner Hotel (SOLD OUT), Melbourne Sep 28 — Corner Hotel, Melbourne
We all know that solid dose of 'the good feels' you get after you've done something nice for yourself/your body (like exercise). And from the end of January through until late March, you can expect those feelings to increase two-fold. Thanks to the return of Brisbane's Feel Good Program for 2021, the city will welcome a series of outdoor fitness classes — and, unlike that fancy new yoga studio in your neighbourhood that smells like acai berries and only serves charcoal tea, these classes are all entirely free. Ranging from sessions to get your blood pumping (Zumba) to classes to get your zen flowing freely (yoga, tai chi), plus aqua classes held at the Boat Pool, the Feel Good Program is an initiative designed to suit any and all fitness levels. Classes are held at both South Bank Parklands and in the city at Queens Park. BYO water bottle, towel and, where required, a yoga mat — the ones provided are subject to availability. Adapting to the times, you'll also need to register for each session in advance. Classes happen every day except Fridays and Sundays, and they all run for between 30–45 minutes. Get started early and face the day with a 7am bootcamp session, or finish it with pilates from 5.30pm — or ballroom or Bollywood dancing from 6.30pm. Whichever you choose, it'll have you embracing the warm outdoors and feeling good — check out the timetable online.
Never fear, the Room 60 Christmas Party is here, and boy does it sound fun, just like the festive season should be. Starting at the very respectable time of midday, there will be Christmas cocktails and punch, parlor games, live music all afternoon, and lots and lots of dancing. If you haven’t ventured there yet, Room 60 is a super cute but also super cool bar tucked away in the Kelvin Grove Urban Village. It is the hot spot for all the QUT folk on the campus, but is also a saving grace for those that live close to the city/Valley but not quite in it. The space has a special Mad Men chic feel, with fabulous records on rotation, delicious cocktails and lovely lounges. But, when the bands get going, it transforms into an all-in disco venue. This a great opportunity to enjoy your Christmas with friends, or with complete strangers, either way; you know it is the perfect way to get merry.
It has been more than six months since the Australian Government introduced an effective ban on international travel in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 within the country. And, over that time, there has been plenty of speculation about when jetting overseas might resume — including predictions that the entire global travel industry mightn't return to normal until 2023, and that Australia's borders could remain closed until 2021. When it comes to Australia's prolonged border closure, an exception has been floated, however. Receiving ample chatter over the past few months is the concept of a travel bubble with New Zealand, which would allow international travel between the two countries, even as they potentially remain closed to other nations. Now, the first stage of the bubble has been announced — but, sadly for some, it's only one way. In a media appearance today, Friday, October 2, Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack announced that New Zealanders will be allowed to visit New South Wales and the Northern Territory, without having to quarantine on arrival, from 12.01am on Friday, October 16. "This will allow New Zealanders and other residents in New Zealand who have not been in an area designated as a COVID-19 hot spot in New Zealand in the preceding 14 days to travel quarantine free to Australia," McCormack said today. [caption id="attachment_773731" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NT by Tourism Australia[/caption] The Deputy PM also said he hopes this is just the start of the two-country travel bubble, hinting to it expanding to further parts of Australia in the near future. "This is the first stage in what we hope to see as a trans-Tasman bubble between the two countries, not just that state and that territory," he said. Responding to the announcement, a spokesperson for New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden said the travel arrangements have not changed for New Zealanders. Which means, travellers to Australia would need to enter 14 days of managed isolation on return to NZ — and pay for it. Unfortunately, as mentioned, this is currently a one-way travel bubble, so Aussies shouldn't rush to book a holiday across the ditch — just yet. The ABC reported earlier in the week that Ardern had mentioned that travel from Australia to NZ might be possible on a state-by-state basis before Christmas. Here's hoping. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. To find out more about the virus and travel restrictions in New Zealand, head over to the NZ Government's COVID-19 hub.
Radiohead are going down in history as one of the greatest bands of all time. This ground-breaking group of musicians have awakened imaginations and expanded the appreciation for alternative music globally, thanks to their inspired and diverse catalogue of music. The Oxford-bred five piece haven’t been to Australia in nearly a decade, so it is safe to say their current Australian tour is highly anticipated. For more than 20 years Radiohead have been masters of reinvention and sonic exploration; Their live shows have been hailed as ‘must-see’ by critics and fans; their latest album 2011’s King of Limbs saw the band delving into the depths of computer driven music and synth laden soundscapes. They are playing the Brisbane Entertainment Centre for one night only. The sad news is that tickets have already sold out, but, I’d highly recommend that you keep an eye out for re-sales or any spare tickets - this chance may not come again for many years.
Ain't nothing better than a well-placed cameo. They keep the Muppet movies relevant, made The OC better than it actually was (you know it) and give A$AP Rocky the chance to include even more of his friends on tour. When one of music's biggest calendar events, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, kicked off its opening weekend in Indio, California, the cameos ran freely and generously, with almost more pop-in names appearing than the actual lineup. Here's a little recap of the stuff you might have missed on Twitter, though we're not sure how you could have; the large majority of Coachella-goers were brutally happy to tweet their highlights right in your face. While there were plenty more Coachella cameos where these came from (Future, Killer Mike and Janelle Monae casually dropping in on Outkast, Drake and Donald Glover popping into Jhene Aiko's Gobi-tent, whatevs), it remains to be seen how jealous and grumbling second weekend ticket holders will be. Rumours will undoubtedly fly for the next few days; the usual finger crossing for David Bowie will commence. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZpFeb-pnATE Debbie Harry Danced With Streamers and Arcade Fire Closing the final day of Coachella's 'gang's all here' first weekend, the legendary Debbie Harry joined Arcade Fire for a rendition of Blondie's 1979 single 'Heart of Glass'. Régine Chassagne matched soprano heights with Harry, with Win Butler playing them all the way to 'Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)'. Streamers were thrown, days were made, VIP tents were dissed on. https://youtube.com/watch?v=DcZ_XN-4hK4 Mary J Blige Brought the '90s Back to House with Disclosure Following AlunaGeorge's routine 'White Noise' appearance, Mary J Blige fronted her powerhouse vocal for 'F For You', recently re-released with Blige and sounding even more '90s British house than usual. Sam Smith also popped in to lend some vox to the duo's hit single 'Latch'. https://youtube.com/watch?v=zjsoBPD4rnM Beyonce and Solange Threw Down Slumber Party Choreography One for the Knowles fridge. For those of us who've choreographed unbeatable dance routines with our sisters (haven't you?), this cameo couldn't have been any better. Making a surprise appearance during Solange's super single 'Losing You', the formidable Ms. Carter took off her crown to share the stage with her sister, where they box-stopped, hair-flipped and step-touched like nobody was watching. https://youtube.com/watch?v=MwhtcruhT-8 Pharrell Held an A-List Karaoke Party In a set Spin called "the most well-attended karaoke party of all time", everyone's favourite mountie/producer Pharrell Williams jigged in his Vivienne Westwood hat beside Snoop Dogg; Tyler, the Creator; Diplo; Puff Daddy; and Busta Rhymes. Rasping his way through the set due to Californian dust throat irritation, Pharrell finally brought out his favourite 'Hollaback Girl', Gwen Stefani, for a big ol' throwback. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qqFbgBN5zKY Nas and Jay-Z Celebrated Their Make-Up Anniversary Once bitter rivals in the early 2000s, master MCs Nas and Jay-Z put their differences aside in 2005, publicly shaking on it and performing "Dead Presidents II" at Jay's I Declare War concert. Almost a decade later, Coachella 2014 marked the return of the legendary Queensbridge MC to the stage, delivering his seminal album Illmatic from start to finish. After midnight Nasty Nas was joined by Jay-Z to reignite 'Dead Presidents II' and 'Where I'm From', when rap fans collectively lost it. Chance The Rapper Allowed a Competition Winner On Stage... Sporting a white bucket hat and neckerchief, a fresh-faced young competition winner made his way on sta... Wait. Bucket-hatted pop drag racer Justin Bieber joined Chicago MC Chance The Rapper on stage to perform latest collaboration 'Confident'. Internet chaos ensued.
The Big Day Out has become a summer festival institution, with some of the biggest musical acts in the world making the trip to our sunburnt country to be a part of one of the biggest touring festivals in the southern hemisphere. It is no surprise to anyone that this years Big Day Out is shaping up to be huge – the organisers have pulled out all the stops and amassed an impressive line-up for the punters this time around. Headlined by mega-stars, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers (pictured), the Big Day Out could have been labelled a success based on this announcement alone. However, the line-up has much more to offer with The Killers, Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, Vampire Weekend, Animal Collective and Foals also appearing on the line-up, alongside a heap of other amazing acts. If you aren’t attending, prepare to be envious of all your friends who are. It is called a Big Day Out for a reason, this year could be the biggest of all.
It's the huge exhibition that took the world by storm, sending David Bowie's lightning bolt-adorned face everywhere from London and Berlin to Tokyo and Melbourne. His Ziggy Stardust costumes, various handwritten lyrics, an assortment of album artwork, rare photographs and even the magic orb he fondled as Jareth in Labyrinth, too. Organised by London's Victoria and Albert Museum, David Bowie is showcased a stunning range of around 400 objects from the David Bowie Archive, visiting 12 cities over six years and attracting more than two million visitors — and while it just finished its final run in Brooklyn, it's coming back in a new virtual format. In the coming months — autumn in the northern hemisphere, so expect it from September onwards — David Bowie is will exist as a digital recreation that you can access on your phone, as well as via virtual reality platforms. Fans can expect to tour the Bowie bonanza as an augmented reality experience, which will feature a sequence of audio-visual spaces highlighting the work and artifacts from Bowie's life. It won't just involve looking at 2D representations, either, with 3D scans used to preserve and present the artist's costumes and objects in detail. And while the final details are yet to be revealed, Bowie obsessives might even be able to virtually step into one of his out-of-sight outfits and see themselves in it. If you've ever wanted to become Aladdin Sane, the Jean Genie or just look like a real cool cat, this might be your chance to turn and face the strange — and experience some ch-ch-changes. A collaboration between Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc, the David Bowie Archive and the V&A, "these new digital versions of David Bowie is will add unprecedented depth and intimacy to the exhibition experience, allowing the viewer to engage with the work of one of the world's most popular and influential artists as never before," according to the exhibition website. How much it will cost is yet to be announced, but a portion of the profits will be donated the V&A and Brooklyn Museum. For further information — and to sign up for future updates, head to davidbowieisreal.com.
Has your dog always wanted to sit on a 'Game of Bones'-style throne? More importantly, have you always wanted your four-legged sidekick to pretend that they're in Westeros — all so you can take the world's most adorable photo? If so, then you might just go barking mad for Australia's latest pop-up installation. It calls itself a museum, but it's really just an excuse for you to snap pics of your cute canine against extremely photogenic backdrops. Think Sugar Republic and Melbourne's Christmasland — but, instead of focusing on desserts and all things festive (and human), Pet Stars is all about those gorgeous little animal critters that we choose to spend our lives with. The name is a little misleading, because the pop-up is "encouraging dogs only", according to its website. That said, it is hosting VIP cats-only nights as well, should you have a Ser Pounce to take along. If you're the proud parent of a "larger animal, snake or scary creature", though, you'll definitely have to leave them at home. Debuting at the Gold Coast's Carrara Market Event Space on Thursday, November 28 ahead of planned 2020 seasons in both Sydney and Melbourne, Pet Stars will boast an array of themed spaces for puppers to frolic through. In addition to 'Game of Bones', there's a Kong dog ball pit, a room that's all about chewed shoes and a doggy high tea set-up. Or, maybe your furball needs a trip to the 'Doggy Style' grooming roomor the glamour room? Given the season, of course there's a Christmas-focused room on the premises — there's your end-of-year pics taken care of. As well as more than 20 snap-happy scenes, Pet Stars will feature pet cosplay and a hall of fame room. You can also hang out in a park area with your pooch, and meet other dogs and dog owners. And, you can buy merchandise while you're there — but if you want to treat your doggo to some actual edible treats, you're encouraged to bring them with you. During its Queensland run, which spans three weekends until Sunday, December 15, Pet Stars will be donating $1 from each entry ticket to the Animal Welfare League of Queensland (and it's safe to assume it'll do something similar in New South Wales and Victoria, too). Don't have your own pet? You're still welcome to head along. In fact, if you stop by the Pet Rescue Area run by AWLQ, you might even find a dog and cat to adopt, take back through the installations, snap in heaps of pics and become your life-long best friend. Pet Stars will launch at the Carrara Market Event Space, on the corner of Gooding Drive and Manchester Road at Carrara on the Gold Coast, from Thursday, November 28–Sunday, December 15 — with tickets on sale now. It's open Thursday–Sunday during its run, welcoming dogs from 12–6pm on Thursdays, 12–8pm on Fridays, 10am–8pm on Saturdays and 10am–4pm on Sundays. Cat nights take place on Thursdays from 6–7pm. Pet Stars will also head to Sydney and Melbourne in 2020, although dates haven't been announced — we'll update you when they are.
In his latest role after becoming everyone's favourite fictional TV chef in The Bear, Jeremy Allen White isn't cooking up a storm in the kitchen. There's still plenty of heat in sci-fi romance Fingernails, however. Here, the Shameless and Homecoming actor stars alongside Jessie Buckley (Women Talking) and Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal), with the trio involved in a love triangle — even though science definitively tells people how their hearts feel. The idea beating inside Fingernails: what if couples took tests to prove whether they were really, truly, genuinely head-over-heels in love? What would that do to romance and relationships? Also, what would happen if the results went one way but you started having feelings for someone else? And, how complicated would the situation be if you worked at a love-testing institute, but still found your emotions disproving its theory? As the just-dropped trailer for Fingernails steps through, Anna (Buckley) and Ryan (White) took the test three years back, got a positive result and settled into their relationship. Then Anna meets Amir (Ahmed) at her job at the love-testing institute, which is where all that questioning comes in — as soundtracked in the sneak peek by Yazoo's 'Only You'. The film marks the English-language debut of Greek writer/director Christos Nikou, who first made a splash with the similarly high-concept Apples — and took a few cues there from The Lobster and The Favourite's Yorgos Lanthimos by adding a new entry to the Greek Weird Wave. That flick pondered and parodied a pandemic in glorious deadpan, imaging a world where amnesia has wipes memories at random. Nikou both helms and pens again with Fingernails, which premiered at this years Telluride International Film Festival and will release in select cinemas on Thursday, November 2, then stream via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 3. Alongside White, Buckley and Ahmed, the film features Luke Wilson (Fired on Mars) and Annie Murphy (Black Mirror). Check out the trailer for Fingernails below: Fingernails will release in select cinemas on Thursday, November 2 and stream via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 3.
Dubbed as the biggest night of the year for Sydney, the Mardi Gras Parade usually fills the streets of Darlinghurst and Surry Hills. In 2021, however, the celebration of LGBTQIA+ culture and communities — and its colourful array of hundreds of floats and performers — will actually take place in the Sydney Cricket Ground. Announced back in November, the parade has been moved to the SCG to help ensure social distancing is maintained. The 23,000-capacity event has been sold out for a while; however, a final release of tickets will go on sale from 2pm on Wednesday, February 17. If you're in need of some motivation to nab a seat, the parade's lineup should help. Rita Ora leads the bill, alongside Electric Fields, Montaigne and G Flip. Before the parade, DJs Kitty Glitter and Dan Murphy will hit the decks, with hosts Bob Downe and Julie McCrossin helping to get the crowd excited. When the floats start, however — after a Welcome to Country ceremony at 6pm — Nell Schofield and Kyle Olsen will be on voiceover duties. The full Mardi Gras festival runs from Friday, February 19 until Sunday, March 7, should you be wondering what else is in store around the main festivities. You can view all currently announced programming and events and stay up to date with all the news at Mardi Gras website. And, if you can't make it to the parade, it'll be broadcast live on SBS. Updated February 17. Images: Jeffrey Feng
Brisbanites, you might currently be hanging out on your home turf, but that doesn't mean that you can't still celebrate this year's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The event kicks off on Friday, February 19, and there are plenty of ways to get involved remotely — including checking out the online Mardi Gras Film Festival, and watching this year's parade (which will be taking place at the SCG). You can also get into the spirit of the occasion by heading along to Toombul Shopping Centre's festivities. It's hosting a number of activities, including something that you're likely to see across your social media feeds: a dedicated mirror ball room. Dubbed the 'Selfie Love Crate', this disco ball-adorned space will be shining, glittering and gleaming whenever Toombul is open for the next few weeks. That means that you can head by, step inside and start dancing from 6am–12am right up until Sunday, March 14. It's COVID-safe, too, so you won't have a crowd for company. There's also a love-themed installation in Toombul's upper area, Upstairs, where rainbow hues feature in a big way. At 11am on Saturday, February 20–Sunday, February 21, Rainbow Craft and Story Time is all about diverse tales and activities for families, while Dapple + Waver is hosting drag queen bingo at 7.30pm on Tuesday, March 2.
