Roll out the blankets: after launching in 2023 to make the most of Brisbane's enviable winter weather, Providore Park is again set to unleash picnics amid greenery-filled scenery when the food festival returns for another year. The idea was a winner from the start, giving attendees a feast of reasons to wine and dine in Roma Street Parkland across two July days. For its second run, the same formula is at work — and the lineup of talents and businesses taking part is enough to make you hungry just reading about it. Again free to attend in general, but with paid experiences also on offer — and your wallet needed for whatever you'll eat and drink, of course — this two-day affair will make its 2024 comeback from 10am–5pm daily across Saturday, July 13–Sunday, July 14. Over that one big weekend, Brisbanites can drop by Providore Park's 16-hectare inner-city home for bites while you're there and to take away, craft brews, food-and-drink masterclasses, live tunes and simply sprawling out on the grass. [caption id="attachment_962449" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cocom[/caption] For whatever you're keen to snack on and sip, The Village awaits with its roster of stalls for browsing, buying and sampling. Lune Croissanterie and New Farm Confectionery are among the highlights that'll be slinging delicious wares, as will Bunya Cheese, 3Geese, 31 Degrees, Lirah Australian Vinegar, Ugly Duck Fine Foods and Noosa Black Garlic. Plus, the folks behind them will be on hand, all chatting about their goods as well. Providore Park is also welcoming Bisou Bisou and Blackbird Bar, plus Catch and Kiss Seafood, Gelato à Go Go, Coco's Plant Powered, That Arancini Guy and Church Mouse Cheese for more culinary options. And when you're not getting a brew from the Stone & Wood Garden Bar as DJs spin up a soundtrack, you'll have City Winery, Seabourne Distillery and Sobah among the beverage options. Keen to leave the fest with more food knowledge than you arrived with? That's where the chef masterclasses come in, featuring Katrina Ryan from The Golden Pig Restaurant and Cooking School; Arte Assavakavinvong from sAme sAme; Peter Kuruvita from Alba Noosa; and Ben Williamson from Agnes, Bianca, Honto. The event's second run isn't promoting itself as a croquet club this time around, but it does also span the return of its food- and wine-matching sessions and VIP lounge, as well as a main stage pumping out live music on Roma Street Parkland's Celebration Lawn. [caption id="attachment_962452" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cocom[/caption] [caption id="attachment_962451" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cocom[/caption] [caption id="attachment_784308" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane Marketing[/caption] Providore Park 2024 runs across Saturday, July 13–Sunday, July 14 at Roma Street Parklands, Brisbane City. Head to the festival website for further details. Top image: Cocom.
Dance and classical aren't music genres you'd usually find swirling around in the same basket — unless you have a particular bent for the orchestral 'Sandstorm' covers found in the depths of YouTube. Synthony — A Generation of Dance Music is here to prove that the disciplines go hand in hand. Touring Australia since 2019, the event is returning to Brisbane from 5pm on Saturday, March 25, 2023. It'll see a live orchestra join forces with a selection of DJs and onstage performers at the Riverstage, all to play the biggest dance tracks of the last 30 years — think tunes by Disclosure, Eric Prydz, Flume, Calvin Harris, Wilkinson and more. Expect the venue to take a few cues from the nightclub scene, with lights, lasers and mapped video all part of the experience — and a selection of dance floor bangers note-for-note. The lineup of talent includes Camerata, Queensland's Chamber Orchestra; conductor Sarah-Grace Williams; and Rogue Traders' Natalie Bassingthwaighte, The Potbelleez' Ilan Kidron, Thandie Phoenix, Cassie McIvor, Greg Gould, Matty O, Mobin Master and host Aroha.
Over the past few years, Gelatissimo has whipped up a number of creative flavours, including frosé sorbet, gelato for dogs, and ginger beer, Weet-Bix, fairy bread, hot cross bun, cinnamon scroll, chocolate fudge and bubble tea gelato. Earlier this year, it made its own spin on Caramilk gelato, too. For its latest offering, the Australian dessert chain is getting festive, all while still turning something that everyone loves into gelato. The new source of inspiration: gingerbread — and it's mixing it with choc chip cookie dough. Can't choose between tucking into gingerbread or licking your way through a few scoops of choc chip cookie dough ice cream? Why not do both, because Gelatissimo now has the short-term solution. That very combination is on the menu all throughout December. 'Tis the season and all that. Whether you opt for a cone or a cup, you'll be tucking into gelato made with choc chip cookie dough, a ginger cookie crumble, ginger creme and ginger caramel. That ginger hails from Buderim Ginger on the Sunshine Coast — and apparently the limited-edition flavour goes mighty well with Christmas pudding. If your stomach is now rumbling, you can get gingerbread cookie dough gelato in stores Australia-wide. Or, Gelatissimo also delivers take-home packs via services such as Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Menulog and Doordash. Gelatissimo's gingerbread cookie dough gelato is available from all stores nationwide throughout December.
Sydney lad Kilter (aka Ned East) is a beatmaker well and truly at ease in the current electronic scene. The locally-applauded producer has already supported Australian electronic bigwigs RÜFÜS, The Kite String Tangle and Art vs. Science, also remixing cuts from the likes of Duke Dumont, London Grammar and Jamie xx. But make no mistake; you won't see this 22-year-old Sydney producer playing a show solemn-faced behind the bright lights of a laptop screen. Kilter much prefers playing a more physical part in his live music, keeping mighty busy with all those keys and knobs on his MPC and microKorg, while working up a real sweat with synths and drum pads. Kilter's brand new EP Shades is released on July 11 — the same date that his 16-venue Australian and New Zealand tour hits the ground running. With the very talented producer Hatch playing in support, Kilter will turn it up at The TBC Club with a late night set on August 9. https://youtube.com/watch?v=fFHI_iyB6QM
Move over New York — it's time for New South Wales to be overrun by a simian civilisation. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes doesn't swap the Statue of Liberty for the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Rather, it was just made in Australia; this franchise is long past needing to anchor itself in a specific location, but America's west coast is the in-narrative setting. No it-was-earth-all-along twists are necessary, either, as France's famous gift to the US signalled back in 1968 when Pierre Boulle's novel La Planète des singes initially made it to the screen. More than half a century later — plus four sequels to the OG Planet of the Apes, both live-action and animated TV shows, Tim Burton's (Wednesday) remake and the reboot flicks that started with 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes — the saga's basics are widely known in pop culture. The titular planet is humanity's own. In this vision of the future, a different kind of primate runs the show. Since day one, every Planet of the Apes tale has been a mirror. Gazing into the science-fiction series means seeing the power structures and societal struggles of our reality staring back — discrimination, authoritarianism and even the impact of a world-ravaging virus should ring a bell— but with humans no longer atop the pecking order. These are allegorical stories and, at their best, thoughtful ones, probing the responsibilities of being the planet's dominant force and the ramifications of taking that mantle for granted. Not every instalment has handled the task as well as it should've, but those that do leave a paw print. Coming after not just Rise of the Planet of the Apes but also 2014's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and 2017's War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes falls into that category. First helmed by Rupert Wyatt (The Gambler), with Matt Reeves (The Batman) taking over for the second two titles, the most-recent Apes trilogy had Caesar (Andy Serkis, Andor) at its centre. Raised by humans before the simian flu devastated the population and evolved apekind, he spearheaded the latter's uprising. That said, Caesar also retained his compassion for homo sapiens, especially as he gleaned how the worst traits in all primates are the same no matter what they're covered in. His time has now been and gone in the franchise. Swapping from one dystopian saga to another, The Maze Runner, The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and The Maze Runner: Death Cure director Wes Ball picks up briefly with a farewell to Caesar — but then, for the bulk of the picture, he takes Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes forward through many generations and several hundred years. The influential figure's name is now revered, and his wisdom — but, like humans, apes mould the plights and teachings of historical leaders to suit their own agendas. To some, Caesar is the reason to treat people, or "echoes" as they've been dubbed after losing the ability to speak, with kindness, understanding what the species once was and how it has fallen. For others, particularly of the power-hungry variety, he's the justification for retaining control of the planet by violence and at all costs. But in the peaceful eagle clan, birds not long-ago commanders are the main focus. So, when adolescent Noa (Owen Teague, You Hurt My Feelings), his crush Soona (Cowboy Bebop) and pal Anaya (Travis Jeffery, Before Dawn) leap into the story early, they're collecting eggs to take home, nurture and then rear the hatchlings, one of their community's rites of passage. In a narrative penned by Josh Friedman (Foundation) that nods eagerly to classic westerns, the pursuit of dominance at its most vicious at the hands of a warrior tribe taints young Noa's life quickly. Soon, everything that he knows is gone, sparking a hero's journey to rescue those among his loved ones that he can. When he crosses paths with orang-utan sage Raka (Peter Macon, The Orvill), he receives guidance, including about Caesar's pleas for ape unity. He's also counselled to tamper down his anger at and disdain for the feral human (Freya Allan, Baghead) shadowing his tracks, who he partly blames for his status quo turning to tragedy. Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand, Abigail), the ruler directing a monkey regime of carnage, only has eyes for as much authority and supremacy as he can amass — and so in him, the encampment that he's made where apes enslave apes and his staunchly anti-human ideology, Noa finds a threat. Decades since dressing up actors in costumes to play the series' apes was the norm, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes doesn't just have thematic and emotional realism on its side — it's never been hard to spot the franchise's parallels with reality — but also the verisimilitude gifted by its motion-capture approach (with Wētā FX doing the honours). That's how Serkis inhabited his part, and how Teague and company (everyone except Allan and Ricky Stanicky's William H Macy from the top-billed cast, in fact) follow in his footsteps. Serkis was a special consultant on the production, aiding the actors with their simian performances; the feelings conveyed through their work as a result are deep and affecting. Whether Teague is charting Noa's coming-of-age arc away from blissful naivety, the scene-stealing Macon is making Raka's appeal for empathy resonate or Durand is commanding every second that he's in sight as the hubristic Proximus, their portrayals are rich and insightful. Yes, you could call the performances that drive Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' "human". Painted with pixels over the top, the film's digital fur looks so vivid that audiences can be forgiven for thinking they can touch it — and that combination of naturalistic, grounded and relatable portrayals with special effects that get viewers investing in the movie's animals as animals is potent and pivotal. In a saga that's always been committed to aping the state of the off-screen world, that reflective effect is essential. Ball and his team, cinematographer Gyula Pados (Shazam! Fury of the Gods, plus the last two Maze Runner flicks) among them, also do detail and world-building well, rendering the planet a mix of lush greenery and decaying human relics that equally appears as authentic as CGI can. Their biggest struggle: that there's so much to explore in this new Planet of the Apes beginning that not everything is told as gracefully and clearly as it could be, even across 145 minutes. As with almost everything that hits screens of late, this has been conceived as the catalyst for more to come — and it earns the enthusiasm to keep swinging.
Money can't buy you love, as four mop-topped Brits first sang 59 years ago, but it can buy you tickets to see the music legend who wrote one of the catchiest pop tracks ever released — and co-performed it — play it live in Australia. When Paul McCartney heads Down Under this spring, he'll have a wealth of material to choose from. One of his favourite openers: 'Can't Buy Me Love'. Hitting our shores for the first time since 2017 on his Got Back tour, McCartney will work through a massive catalogue of hits from his time in The Beatles, Wings and also across his solo career. In Brisbane, Sir Paul has a one-night date with Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday, November 1. This tour will commemorate almost six decades since the band that helped McCartney make history famously toured Australia in 1964 amid a wave of Beatlemania. In Adelaide all of those years back, it's estimated that 350,000 people lined the streets to get a glimpse of the group, packing the stretch between the airport and Town Hall. McCartney's Got Back setlist has featured everything from 'Hey Jude', 'Let It Be' and 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' to 'Love Me Do', 'Blackbird' and 'Got to Get You Into My Life' from The Beatles across its stops so far. Yes, 'Get Back' gets a whirl. Wings tunes 'Live and Let Die', 'Band on the Run', 'Letting Go' and 'Junior's Farm' usually pop up, too, as does McCartney's own 'Maybe I'm Amazed'. The Got Back tour kicked off in the US in February 2022, wrapping up last year's run with a massive Glastonbury set. McCartney now brings his usual band — keyboardist Paul 'Wix' Wickens, bassist and guitarist Brian Ray, fellow guitarist Rusty Anderson and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr — our way after picking up a Helpmann Award for Best International Contemporary Concert for his last visit. Images: MPL Communications.
Brisbanites, if you're ready to laugh this autumn, the River City has just the festival for it. Now taking place in late April and all throughout May each year, Brisbane Comedy Festival is the Sunshine State capital's excuse to get giggling. On the 2023 lineup: 350-plus gigs by more than 110 comedians across five weeks. BCF revealed a heap of its bill for this year late in 2022, but that was just the beginning of its roster of chuckle-inducing talent. Now, the full program has just dropped, complete with over 70 more comedians joining the fun from Friday, April 28 till Sunday, May 29, 2023. Across both announcements, the Brisbane Powerhouse-hosted event isn't short on big names, including returning favourites and first-timers alike. David O'Doherty, Danny Bhoy, Micky Bartlett, Ed Byrne, Ed Gamble, Sara Pascoe, Chris Parker and Ivan Aristeguieta sit on the bill alongside Ross Noble, Jason Manford, Jason Leong, Daniel Kitson and Alfie Brown. Fans of homegrown comedy talent can also look forward to Tripod, Nat's What I Reckon, Rhys Nicholson, Akmal, Mel Buttle, The Umbilical Brothers, Wil Anderson, Dave Hughes, Peter Helliar, Rove McManus, Anne Edmonds and Lloyd Langford, as well as Tom Ballard, Tommy Little, Michael Hing, Andrew Hansen, Dilruk Jayasinha, Claire Hooper and Geraldine Hickey. And these days, we basically count Irish comedian Jimeoin as a local, don't we? Other highlights include Karen From Finance, Reuben Kaye, Lizzy Hoo, the cabaret-style Dirty Fame Flash Candles Club, the Aboriginal Comedy Allstars, the Multicultural Comedy Gala and Queerstories. Or, there's the return of Two-Man Tarantino, the Sunday Roast and Shit-Faced Shakespeare — the latter doing Romeo and Juliet. BCF attendees can check out comedy cabaret Brisbaret, magic circus stunt show Flabbergasters!, free after-work Friday knockoff sessions and Agatha Christie-inspired improvised whodunnit Murder Village as well, plus James Schloeffel from The Shovel and Charles Firth from The Chaser teaming up for Wankernomics. 2023's Brisbane Comedy Festival comes after the event has enjoyed impressive growth over the past five years, its audience increasing by 25 percent since 2019, and also attracting more than 20,000 BCF first-timers. This year, those crowds will be heading to Brisbane Powerhouse, of course — including six stages in its main Powerhouse Theatre, Underground Theatre, The Studio, Rooftop Terrace, Park Mezzanine and Graffiti Room, and its new Pleasuredome deployed as an outdoor comedy club — and to Fortitude Music Hall for the opening gala, plus The Tivoli as a satellite festival hub. The 2023 Brisbane Comedy Festival will take place between Friday, April 28–Sunday, May 29. For further details and tickets, head to the festival's website. Top image: Atmosphere Photography.
What happens when you absolutely, hand-on-heart adore desserts, but you've got a whole host of food allergies that makes indulging in sweets a bit tricky? Well, friend, we've saved this one for you. The products at Badboys Doughnuts are safe for anyone avoiding gluten, dairy, eggs, and nuts — and they're vegan. You won't be sacrificing taste either, with flavours on offer like vanilla chai, raspberry chilli chocolate and lemon passion. If you want to give your kitchen a workout, Badboys also has a range of gluten-free home baking kits — take your pick from cake, shortbread, doughnuts, pizza bases and soy muffins. And, since a sweet treat always tastes better when paired with caffeine, it sells cold brew concentrates, too. We often see Badboys at markets around Brisbane — including Redcliffe, Bardon and Kelvin Grove — and at New Farm's pop-up cafe Oxlade, but you can also have the doughnuts delivered directly to the comfort of your living room. All you need is coffee, or hot chocolate, and you are primed for a solid movie marathon. Images: Hennessy Trill
The premise behind the Anywhere Theatre Festival is simple: It's all about talented performers bringing exciting shows to life anywhere but in old, traditional (okay, stuffy) theatres. Shed any preconceived ideas you may have of going to the theatre as this vibrant festival turns these expectations on their heads — and you'll be glad they do. During the 12-day festival performances will be held in a bunch of venues such as museums, bowls clubs, cafes, bedrooms, backyards, trains — basically anywhere that doesn't usually host theatre. At the core of the Anywhere Theatre Festival is the celebration of the human desire to tell stories, in all of their forms. The event breaks down the barrier between performer and audience, making the theatre experience one that is shared and enjoyed. The festival is also focused on making theatre accessible to the general public and keeping the spirit of live performance alive in our media-dependent society. The local, interstate and international companies involved will be showing off their best performances in a range of genres such as clowning, drama, poetry, cabaret, theatre, opera and dance. Performances include Metamorphosis, the tale of Gregor Samsa, who wakes from a restless sleep as a gigantic insect. If comedy is more your thing, head to My Struggle: The Life and Times of an Individ (In a World Full of Hipsters) for a side-splitting show. The number of performances to choose from is dizzying and there is something for everyone. Don't miss this unique festival that will see talented performers sprinkled across all of Brisbane's nooks and crannies. Check out their website for timetables and more information.
When a play has the tagline “engagement ring, wedding ring and suffering...” you know you're in for a wild ride. Created by a team of talented writers, Mixed Doubles is a series of eight short plays depicting various marriages. The production is filled with witty dialogue and stories that serve to show marriage, warts and all. Basically, Mixed Doubles portrays marriage from the heart fluttering, butterfly inducing honeymoon days right to the double plot in the cemetery. The play will be performed from 1 February to 1 March at 8pm Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 6.30pm Sundays. If you're an arts buff, why not buy a season pass to the Brisbane Arts Theatre and get your regular theatre fix.
When David Bowie starred in 1976's The Man Who Fell to Earth, playing an alien who crash lands on our planet, it became one of the musician's iconic on-screen roles. It's also one that he returned to nearly four decades later, in a fashion — co-writing the musical Lazarus, as inspired by the Walter Tevis novel that the sci-fi film was based on. Written with playwright Enda Walsh, and one of Bowie's final projects before his passing in January 2016, Lazarus opened off-Broadway in December 2015. The production made the jump to London in 2016, and brought its otherworldly story — and its soundtrack of 18 Bowie tracks — to Melbourne in 2019. But if you haven't seen it yet, you can now do so from your own couch. When Friday, January 8, 2021 rolls around, it would've been Bowie's 74th birthday. When Sunday, January 10, 2021 hits, it'll mark five years since his death. In honour of those two occasions, a stream of the London production of Lazarus will be available to watch. It was captured live on stage during the show's run, and stars Dexter's Michael C Hall, who followed in Bowie's footsteps by taking on the part of Thomas Jerome Newton — and it's streaming at 7pm AEDT on Friday, January 8 and Saturday, January 9, and at 3pm AEDT on Sunday, January 10. Tickets cost $28.50. Those eager for a date with this starman — and to start loving the alien, again — can expect a sequel of sorts to The Man Who Fell to Earth. The enigmatic Newton remains on earth, unable to die; however, the arrival of another lost soul might offer the solution that he's been looking for. As for the familiar songs that this story plays out to, it's basically a best-of catalogue of Bowie's greatest hits. 'Heroes', 'Changes', 'Life on Mars?', 'The Man Who Sold the World' and 'Sound and Vision' all feature — as do four of the star's final recordings, including the title track 'Lazarus'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9iw6yoMk3I
By this point in the year, a certain three words have been overused and then some. That trio? 'Tis the season. That said, it truly is the season for booking in cheap holidays for the year ahead, starting with Black Friday sales and now going into Boxing Day sales. If you're after discounted flights to a heap of places — including around Australia and the globe — yes, Virgin is getting into the post-Christmas spirit and slashing prices again. For Boxing Day — starting at 12.01am AEDT on Monday, December 26 and running till midnight on Thursday, December 29, or earlier if sold out — there's a hefty 800,000 discounted domestic and international fares up for grabs. Sticking with home turf, you can head to Byron Bay, Cairns, the Gold Coast, Darwin, Hobart and more. And, if you're eager to journey overseas, you can hit up Bali, Vanuatu and Tokyo. With discounts of up to 30-percent off, one-way domestic fares start at $55, which'll get you from Sydney to Byron Bay. As always, that's cheapest route. Yes, we say that every time one of these sales drop, but it's genuinely always the case. Other cheap flights include Brisbane to Cairns for $89, Melbourne to Hobart from $79, Adelaide to Darwin from $139 and Perth to Sydney from $209. Internationally, return deals include Brisbane to Vanuatu from $539, the Gold Coast to Denpasar from $479 and Cairns to Tokyo from $699. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, there's a range of dates across 2023, all varying depending on the flights and prices. As usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick. Actually, given how much everyone loves a Boxing Day sale — in-person or online — setting an alarm to make your New Year's travel resolutions come true isn't outlandish. Virgin's Boxing Day sale runs from 12.01am AEDT on Monday, December 26 until midnight on Thursday, December 29 — unless sold out earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
The wonders of the animal kingdom are coming to Brisbane Powerhouse, courtesy of a huge exhibition of nature photography. Headed to the venue for the first time ever, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year showcase comes direct from London's Natural History Museum — which has run the prestigious competition since 1965. Highlighting the astonishing sights that the natural world has to offer, this year's contest attracted nearly 50,000 entries from 92 countries. That not only sows how much we all love creatures great, small, cute, majestic and everything in-between, but how much we love both taking and looking at snaps of them as well. From that huge number, 100 winning pics were chosen for their creativity, originality and technical excellence, and then tour internationally. You can see the eye-popping, awe- (and 'awwwww') inducing results during its Brissie stop from September 1 to November 4. Prepare to rove your eyes over everything from up-close-and-personal shots of gorgeous creatures to astonishing visions of sweeping landscapes, and prepare to do so for free, too. It'll be open every day of the week during its two-month season — from 9am–5pm on Mondays, and 9am–9pm from Tuesday to Sunday. Image: Laurent Ballesta.
Seeing a lighthouse near the beach isn't anything new. When that glowing beacon by the shore is solely made from recycled sails, however — with animation to help it get luminous up top and rotate the beam — it stands out. The structure in question: a 10.6-metre-tall sculpture fittingly called Lighthouse, hailing from Simone Chua and Amigo & Amigo, and a big drawcard of the returning Swell Sculpture Festival when it takes over Currumbin Beach on the Gold Coast for 2023. A trip to the tourist spot between Friday, September 8–Sunday, September 17 now involves checking out the impressive towering work — and 75-plus sculptures by 190 artists in total as part of this year's program. Every year for more than two decades now, the event turns a one-kilometre expanse of sand into a huge outdoor art gallery for ten must-visit days. Thanks to all of those hefty figures, visitors to this free festival will score an eyeful of stunning creations. Yes, by simply walking along the beach, you'll view stellar art almost as far as the eye can see. Other 2023 pieces include a life-size shark, aka Shark Rod, that's been built over weekends from vintage car parts; the bright orange Basking in the Sun — Eastern Water Dragons, as fashioned from 20-millimetre aluminium pipe and flat bar; a series of turtles and manta rays; and Treasure, which looks like an archaeological dig. The word "giant" comes up frequently in descriptions of Swell's artworks each year, with 2023 no exception; a huge conch shell and oversized coral are just the beginning. Contemplating climate change is also common, including in Surge, which muses on melting ice and rising seas. Storms, erosion, dystopias, the Gold Coast's future, Australian animals, flowers, oyster shells, marine pollution, inflation, the passing of time — they all get a nod as well. Exactly what each artist, pairing or collective whips up isn't the only highlight. The themes and topics that their works ponder is just as fascinating, of course, and so is the variety of materials used. Swell's talents tend to deploy everything from concrete, stainless steel, copper, bronze, wood, glass, plastic and natural fibres to fibreglass, bamboo, wire, silk, stone and aluminium. Art is the main part of the lineup, but Swell also includes a beachside fringe fest, guided walks, yoga among the sculptures, masterclasses and more. And if you feel like taking a bucket, scooping up some sand and making your own art there and then, you can — you're on a beach, after all. Updated September 8. Images: PBR Images/Leximagery/Katie Bennett/Embellysh/Room4Graphics/Carey Cam/Edward Trost/Katie Bennett/Dee Steinfort.
Combining sustainability, style and shopping, the Recreate Fashion Show and Twilight Market returns for 2018. You'll stare at fashion made from reused materials, and you'll wonder what creations you could whip up yourself (if only you knew how — unless you do, then good work to you). You'll also browse and buy at the accompanying markets. That's what's on the agenda from 4–8pm on Friday, November 16. Recycling is the theme, with the event forming part of this year's National Recycling Week. In the part that definitely won't be recycled, there'll be food trucks onsite to keep your stomach happy too. Expect the preloved and the repurposed to star when it comes to both the outfits worn down the catwalk, and the accompanying chance to do a bit of perusing and purchasing as day turns to night. Expect one-of-a-kind clothing sashaying along the runway as well, all thanks to local Brissie designers. Finally, as tends to happen at markets in general — let along markets in the lead up to Christmas — expect plenty of items to tempt your wallet. Images: Brisbane City Council.
Excusez-moi mes amis? Que faites-vous le Vendredi? Quelque chose excitant? Haha! See what I just did there? Instantly made myself look cool and chic (don’t fight it), whilst also retaining a bit of je ne sais quoi. It’s almost ridiculous how feigning knowledge of a second language instantly lifts your level of intrigue. But what can you expect, really? Everyone knows that French equals chic, and god knows it wouldn’t hurt if everyone were a tad more sophisticated. If, like me, you’re in the mood for croissants and champagne, or perhaps macaroons and un café, look no further than the Powerhouse. Their 2012 installment of the So Frenchy So Chic franchise is just around the corner so it’s time for your berets and stripy tops to make an appearance. This year the performances are by two vastly different yet amazing acts, ready to seduce you with their dulcet French tones. Asa has been described in the past as a young Bob Marley and is sure to bring a high amount of soul to the evening. Moriarty Moriarty is also set to impress as the five-piece band accompany their voices with an eclectic range of instruments - including a drill. If you are the mood for some international intrigue, So Frenchy So Chic is the event for you. Who knows, you may even find your own foreigner to feed you wine and cheese and whisper sweet accented nothings into your ear.
Last year, Jim Beam once again proved its love and support for live music via its hit series Welcome Sessions. The online event series was aimed at bringing people together, albeit virtually, by connecting music lovers and artists when they needed it most. It's returned for 2022, only this time it has stepped outside of the digital realm. Brisbane music fans, listen up. You have the opportunity to score a free double pass to an exclusive and intimate DJ set from Australia's favourite musical corp dorks Client Liaison on Saturday, July 16, at Buffalo Bar. As far as we're concerned, bopping to electronic beats with pals — and a Jim Beam in hand — is a recipe for a great Saturday arvo. Want to head along to this money-can't-buy experience? You'll need to enter the ballot. Simply enter the competition for your chance to win one of 85 double passes up for grabs. All you have to do is tell Jim Beam what your most memorable live music moment is and why. But be quick, entries close July 8. Want to find out what's happening at the Melbourne Welcome Sessions? Visit the website.
Like commemorating the birth and life of famous figures? Like multicultural festivities that shed a light on diversity and harmony? If so, it's party time. Brisbane's annual Buddha Birthday Festival is back for its 2025 festival, once again taking place at the Chung Tian Temple in Priestdale. Running from Friday, May 2–Sunday, May 4, this year's program is serving up three jam-packed days of lasers light shows, lion dances, art, performances and more. While it might not cater to 200,000 people as it did in pre-pandemic years, you still won't find yourself lacking in either company or something to watch. Talks, bonsai, temple tours: they're all on the agenda as well. The festival isn't just about seeing other people strut their stuff, though. With a vegetarian market serving up culinary delights — including dishes from Malaysia, Singapore, India, China, Japan, Vietnam, Europe and the Middle East — you won't go hungry. With tea ceremonies keeping you hydrated, meditation sessions taking care of your mental bliss and red lanterns on display, this isn't just a feast of entertainment. Instead, think of it as a complete mind and body experience. Images: Buddha Birthday Festival.
Get ready to get lit: Enchanted Garden, one of the big highlights of Brisbane's festive calendar in recent years, is returning to celebrate Christmas in 2023. The luminous show lets you see one of the city's favourite places in a completely new light, and will switch on its seasonal brightness for a month leading up to the jolliest day of all — complete with food trucks and a bar so that you can make a night of it. To be accurate, Enchanted Garden fills 22,000 square metres of Roma Street Parkland with lights flickering in, around and over the top of its lush greenery. The local favourite pops up year after year, delighting Brisbanites of all ages — and 2023 is no different. This year, you'll be heading along from Thursday, November 23–Wednesday, December 20, with the event sticking around for an extended season due to past demand. We all sure do love glowing lights, clearly. Designed to take around half an hour to wander through, The Enchanted Garden combines custom-made LEDs — plus special effects, light sculptures, lasers, projections and holograms — with an immersive audio soundscape. The aim: getting merry and celebrating nature, with the 2023 installation telling a tale about a possum getting mischievous in an island cave, then breaking a magical crystal, which shattered into four pieces. For your $9 entry fee, attendees shouldn't go expecting the kind of setup that you've been ignoring on every street corner in Brissie's suburbs. Lights will twinkle and decorations will sparkle; however, this isn't a tacky DIY display at all. That said, a word of warning: people love all things glittery, so prepare to a heap company. Also, tickets usually get snapped up quickly, with this year's going on sale at 10am on Monday, November 13. Sessions run from 6.30pm, letting folks in every 15 minutes until 9.15pm — and, if you're organised enough, you can always pack a picnic, arrive early and enjoy dinner beforehand. Food trucks will also be onsite at the Celebration Lawn from 5pm daily, as will a licensed bar, if you don't get around to taking care of your own nosh.
Were you a little underwhelmed with all the tech news this week? A new iPhone or fandangled watch from the future is great and all, but most of us aren't all that up for throwing another $1000 at Apple. If so, here's a little piece of the tech revolution that won't leave you bankrupt (except maybe morally so). The world is about to get it's very first GIF keyboard for iPhones. The upcoming app PopKey will be available for those using the new iOS 8 and will enable users to save, select and send a variety of GIFs in exactly the way they currently use the emoji keyboard. Just like emojis, the GIFs will be organised into different sections. Categories supposedly include 'LOL', 'shocked', 'facepalm' and 'swag'. Basically, your phone will no longer be a means to communicate and articulate yourself with loved ones, it will be an interactive version of Buzzfeed. We have a lot of feels about this. At first we were nerdily excited. Then we remembered how people over-do it with emojis. GIF onslaughts could be a whole new level of crazy. Finally, we realised there's no other option than deleting our younger siblings numbers from our phones completely. But aside from all that, it's a pretty excellent concept. In addition to the library of GIFs you accumulate yourself, the app will update in realtime with those which are currently trending online. This means you'll be the first to know when Jennifer Lawrence or Tina Fey do something quirky, or the internet goes crazy for whatever this creepy thing with Emma Watson was all about. iOS 8 is set to launch on Wednesday, September 17 and PopKey shouldn't be too far behind it. Soon you can test out the technology for yourself. Give up your beloved red salsa lady emoji for a bit of Queen Bey. Let Emma Stone communicate your approval from here on out. Either that or throw your iPhone off a bridge. This is the way of the world now. Via Mashable.
With his eagerly anticipated latest film, Quentin Tarantino journeys back five decades. On Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's opening night, New Farm Cinemas wants to take you back almost that far. The movie may be set across the summer of 1969; however the venue is throwing a swinging 70s-themed costume party to launch the star-studded flick in retro style. Whatever retro threads you have in your wardrobe, you'll want to wear them — flares, jumpsuits, maxi dresses, fringed jackets and all. The best outfits will win prizes, and you'll be able to strut your stuff to era-appropriate live music. A drink will be provided upon arrival, while the food menu will showcase a few snacks that were originally served by New Farm Cinemas' predecessor, the Village Twin, all that time ago. Then, after the shindig, it'll be time for the movie. See Leonardo DiCaprio brighten up the silver screen as western star Rick Dalton, who, with his trusty body double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), is navigating the changing face of Tinseltown. Unless you've actually been living in the 60s and 70s for the past year or so, you'll already know that Margot Robbie pops up as Sharon Tate, while Damon Herriman plays Charles Manson. Tickets cost $25, with the one-off party happening from 6.30pm on Thursday, August 15. You'll be revelling in the joys of yesteryear for an hour before the film screens at 7.30pm.
Already home to stunning sights across its coastal landscape, Victoria's Great Ocean Road is set to welcome a new attraction: a 50-acre nature park dedicated to observing and learning about native animals in their natural setting. Called Wildlife Wonders and expected to commence construction this year, the site will sit just outside Apollo Bay, overlooking the ocean — and will offer guided walking tours conducted by qualified conservationists. Under their guidance, visitors will stroll through bushland to see Australia's native critters living freely — and predator-free — in their own habitats. Expect to spot the area's animals like you've never been able to before, spying koalas sleeping in trees, bandicoots scampering through the foliage and kangaroos hopping wherever they please. More than that, patrons will mosey through an experience designed by Brian Massey, the art director on the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. If you're thinking "wasn't he blessed with great landscape on those flicks?", well, you're not wrong — but he also turned landscape designer with New Zealand's Hobbiton tourist attraction. Here, he'll be involved in a site that includes a themed field-research base, a visitor arrivals building, and a cafe and retail outlet that'll highlight local products. The Victorian Government will support Wildlife Wonders via a $1.5 million grant to the Conservation Ecology Centre, while the Federal Government has already $2 million to the project. When it's up and running, the park's profits will be used to further the centre's conservation efforts, including ecosystem restoration, ecological research, species recovery programs and community education programs. For more information, visit the Conservation Ecology Centre website.
James Street is no stranger to laid-back luxury, as St. Agni has clearly realised. When it came to setting up its second flagship store — and its first outside of its home base in Byron Bay — the Australian designer outfit made a beeline for the Fortitude Valley precinct. And with its sleek clothing and accessories, its all-round minimalist aesthetic and its timeless approach, it obviously fits right in. If you're new to the label, which was founded by designer Lara Fells, St. Agni favours a less-is-more mentality. That's evident in a range that spans cocoa-hued silk slip dresses, vintage linen blazers, pearl drop earrings, tan leather totes and woven knit loafers — just to name a few of the threads and other items that you'll find on the store's shelves. St. Agni also applies the same mindset to its eye-catching Brisbane shop itself, which marks a collaboration with design studio Triibe. Natural tones feature prominently, as do clean lines, custom joinery and even hemp plinths, with the store welcoming customers since Saturday, June 1. The new location is part of the brand's increased focus on the offline shopping experience, with much of its sales usually conducted via the internet. Given the earthy colours and textures that have become St Agni's trademark, the shift is hardly surprising — these are threads, belts, footwear that you'll want to reach out and touch. Images: Cieran Murphy.
The oldest floral festival in Australia, the Grafton Jacaranda Festival focuses on the hundreds of lilac-blossomed trees that line the town's streets. First held in 1935, the festival brings together art exhibitions, live music, markets and parades for a week-long celebration from October 28 through November 5. While the jacaranda blooms are of course the main attraction, it's by no means the only event you'll have to look forward to during the festival — think a 30-team dragon boat race and a Venetian-style circus and carnival, along with buskers, fireworks and stallholders aplenty. Grafton takes their tree heritage seriously and currently holds the title for biggest jacaranda on the National Tree Register of Big Trees (yes, it is a real registry). While in town, visit 'The Gorge', a tree which measures at a massive 30 metres high with a six-metre circumference. It deserves a nice big hug, we reckon.
With the news finally confirmed that Aussies can begin visiting New Zealand shores once again, you're likely to be more than ready to book that holiday to our easterly neighbour. Home to some of the best slopes that the southern hemisphere has to offer, New Zealand is a no-brainer when it comes to choosing a winter vacay destination. No matter which stunning ski region you choose, there's just as much to do off the slopes as there is on them. Between world-class eateries, jaw-dropping hotel views and walks to remember, you're going to want to wring as much out of each place as you can. Together with Ski NZ, we've put together this guide on where to eat, play and stay in New Zealand's best ski regions across both the North Island and South Island. QUEENSTOWN/WANAKA [caption id="attachment_846406" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Little Aosta, Arrowtown[/caption] EAT Queenstown is known for its world-class food and cocktail offering. Yes, you're there for the serious business of skiing but it would be a crime not to indulge. If you're staying in the heart of Queenstown, fuel up early for a day on the slopes with strong coffee and delicious cabinet goods from Vudu Larder — the carrot cake is a particular standout (and a breakfast food, in our opinion). At the end of the day, travel 20 minutes down the road to the charming historic village of Arrowtown to try authentic Italian family-style fare at Ben Bayly's recently opened Little Aosta. Après-ski cocktail hour around the fire starts at 3pm here, so get your spot early. For fancier fine dining, you can't go past Rātā, celebrity chef Josh Emmett's main Queenstown fort, for a taste of the best Aotearoa has to offer in a deconstructed degustation. [caption id="attachment_806669" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Coronet Peak[/caption] PLAY You're down south? You're in luck, because Queenstown and Wanaka are home to some of the best ski fields in the country — even the world. If you're looking for a reliably good run, Cardrona is just a short drive from either side of the valley. For experienced skiers wanting a challenge, ski and snowboard hotspot Treble Cone features the South Island's "biggest vert" (you're going to want to say that to feel like part of the in-crowd) — AKA the longest vertical drop in the region. Queenstown's closest ski field, Coronet Peak, is located an easy 20-minute drive from the town centre, while the unbelievable views from atop the family-friendly slopes of The Remarkables make it worth the slightly longer 40-minute roadie (or just hop on one of the regular shuttles from the city's centre). And if you're in town at the time, don't miss alpine music festival Snow Machine in September, set to turn the slopes into the dance floor of your sub-zero dreams. The following day, reward yourself for all that hard work with a day in the vines: Amisfield and Akarua are our top winery picks. Don't miss a day up the Queenstown gondola for the best views you can imagine — and a thrilling luge ride on the way down, of course. And if you want to restore your body after a day on the slopes, Align, Queenstown's first reformer pilates studio, offers dynamic classes of equal strength and stretch to help get you back in shape for the next day's skiing. [caption id="attachment_846407" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mahu Whenua[/caption] STAY If you're planning on waking up with the sunrise to make the most of your day on the slopes, you're going to need million-dollar views to make it easier. Luckily, you'd be hard-pressed to find a bad view in this corner of the world. For a wake-up as good as it gets, Eichardt's Private Hotel boasts one of the best lakefront positions in Queenstown. If you prefer cosy intimacy and a bold print, notoriously quirky hotel chain Naumi's The Dairy Private Hotel transformed Queenstown's original 1920s corner store into colourful boutique accommodation with a bottomless happy hour between 5pm and 6pm. For an eco-friendly stay without sacrificing on luxury, rest your weary head at Mahu Whenua luxury eco-accommodation. Any of the rustic suites at this luxury lodge will make you feel like the king or queen of the castle, worlds away from the hustle and bustle of Wanaka township (rather than a mere 25 minutes). CANTERBURY [caption id="attachment_846515" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Inati, Christchurch[/caption] EAT Thanks to Canterbury's spot in the central South Island, meat-eaters and vegetarians alike will be in paradise with locally-sourced meats and produce at many a farm-to-table spot. Keen to splurge? Head to Inati for a degustation from head chef Simon Levy who trained under a pretty well-known chef named Gordon Ramsay — you may have heard of him. With a menu split into earth, land and sea, Inati directly translates from Te Reo to mean "to share a portion of food or to be exceptional and exciting". Either sound good to us. If only a giant steak will do, hit up the city's classic steakhouse Bloody Mary's and follow it with a post-dinner cocktail to die for at speakeasy-style bar OGB in Christchurch's stunning old government building (get the name?). Thanks to giant heaters and overhead cover, you can sit out in the courtyard overlooking Cathedral Square year-round, with a few negronis to beat the winter chill. [caption id="attachment_852204" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mount Hutt[/caption] PLAY For an easy day ski trip just outside of the city, head to two of the closest mountains to central Christchurch: Mount Hutt, Canterbury's premier ski field, or Mount Cheeseman. Both are sun-soaked (even in winter), family-friendly and set up for a fun day on the slopes. If you feel like journeying a little further afield, Mount Dobson is just two hours from Christchurch and an underrated jewel with sensational views across Lake Pukaki and Tekapo towards New Zealand's highest peaks, Mount Cook and Mount Tasman. After a day on the slopes, soak the aching muscles away in Methven's brand new Ōpuke hot pools at the base of Mount Hutt. This new wellness destination has adults-only 'tranquillity pools' and family-friendly 'discovery pools', with a swim-up bar that will make you feel like you're in the islands, despite being surrounded by a mountain range. They'll even bring you a cocktail right to your spot in the pool — no slapping around in wet swimwear required. For those staying closer to the city, the He Puna Taimoana hot pools in New Brighton offer views over the beach and can be booked in time slots so you'll never feel crowded. If the weather is playing ball and you want a little greenery after all of that snow, Christchurch's Botanic Gardens are stunning year-round thanks to the hot greenhouse, Wintergarden, which will warm your bones no matter the weather. [caption id="attachment_846409" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Britten Stables[/caption] STAY For stunning boutique accommodation in the heart of Christchurch, Britten Stables is a key piece of Christchurch history that has been lovingly restored into luxe accommodation with an indoor plunge pool, hot tub, billiards room and spacious gardens. For accommodation closer to the slopes, Terrace Downs resort was recently purchased by luxe hotel chain Fable and offers villas nestled below the Southern Alps, only a 45-minute drive to the ski field — or a five-minute helicopter to the top of the slopes. You can recover the next morning with a round of golf right outside your room. RUAPEHU [caption id="attachment_757144" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pinnacles Restaurant[/caption] EAT For lunch with an out-of-this-world view above the dual UNESCO World Heritage-listed Tongariro National Park, ride the Sky Waka gondola up Mount Ruapehu to the award-winning Knoll Ridge Chalet — which, sitting 2020 metres above sea level, is NZ's highest dining experience. With breathtaking views of the Pinnacles, as well as skiers and boarders hooning down the slopes, visitors can choose from a delicious and varied menu that shines with high-quality, locally sourced produce. On your return to town, once you've had a hot shower and dropped off your gear, head to Osteria, a cosy family-run Italian restaurant in the heart of Ohakune. The lasagne al forno and a large glass of red is the perfect pairing to warm the bones after a day on the field. [caption id="attachment_852205" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mt Ruapehu[/caption] PLAY Part of the UNESCO Dual World Heritage Tongariro National Park, Mt Ruapehu has some of the North Island's most rugged terrain, formed by solidified lava. On its flanks, Whakapapa and Tūroa ski areas boast the country's most exhilarating ski runs, as well as world-class beginner slopes and lessons for those just venturing out, across its combined 1050 hectares — no intimidating vibes here. Feel like working your legs even more? Have a crack at one of the area's incredible walks. The 20-kilometre Tongariro Crossing offers views previously only seen in Lord of the Rings, or, if you're nursing sore legs from skiing, the six-kilometre loop of the Taranaki Falls is equally stunning (but takes a quarter of the time). If you've still got the energy for a boogie after nightfall, head to the famous Powderkeg Bar which hosts a series of gigs throughout the winter months, including Ohakune Mardi Gras, the George FM Snowball and a host of others. [caption id="attachment_846413" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Powderhorn Chateau[/caption] STAY Knowing where to look is key to booking luxe accommodation around Ruapehu. For an intimate stay offering jaw-dropping views of the stars, Night Sky Cottage is a five-star, fully self-contained cottage in Ohakune with two baths perfectly positioned to gaze at the celestial wonders above. For an authentic alpine hotel experience, you'll be hard-pressed to beat the iconic Powderhorn Chateau when it comes to both location and winter ambience. The room's wooden interiors will give you Fargo vibes (in the best possible way) — and as a bonus, each room has a drying closet for your ski gear. To start planning your trip to New Zealand's top ski regions, visit the website. Top images: Coronet Peak, Little Aosta, Eichardt's Private Hotel
German artist Martin Klimas is painting with sound, endeavouring to answer the question: 'what does music look like?' Klimas put his idea into practice by splattering paint on a scrim, placed over a speaker while playing music. By turning the volume up, the paint colourfully vibrates off the scrim allowing Klimas to seize these moments as photographs. Through this series, Klimas has captured what music would look like as a physical object. Taking over 6 months and 1000 photographs to create, music from the likes of Miles Davis, Kraftwerk and Steve Reich and Musicians was featured. It makes you wonder what it would look like to have your favourite song framed. [via Gizmodo & NY Times]
Brisbane's music scene has long been one of the city's big sources of pride, and understandably so, delivering icons such as The Saints, The Go-Betweens, Powderfinger and Custard over the years. So, when a legendary live music venue celebrates three decades of putting on gigs, of course a heap of famous Brissie names are coming together — Regurgitator, Butterfingers, Resin Dogs and Screamfeeder, in fact, and all on the same bill. Regurgitator, Butterfingers, Resin Dogs and Screamfeeder, all on one huge night? That's a lineup worth repeating, and it just might be the most Brisbane gig ever. They're all taking to the same stage at The Zoo, as part of the Ann Street spot's 30th-birthday celebrations, for night the venue is calling The Zoo OG All Stars. If you made your way up the stairs in the 90s and early 00s, odds are you saw one, some or all of these groups behind the mic — and Saturday, December 10 from 6.30pm is your chance to do so again. Resin Dogs and Screamfeeder were always on this big night's bill, but Regurgitator and Butterfingers are new — and huge — additions. Things don't get no better, better than you and this lineup, clearly. Tickets are on sale now, with The Zoo OG All Stars starting with a Welcome to Country, and also featuring Isis, IIWII, Alison St Ledger and Guy Webster, Danny Widdicombe, Marcello Milani and Paddy Dempsey, and DJ Black Amex. [caption id="attachment_873286" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cat Clarke[/caption]
It's now a whole lot easier to get your mitts on one of those recognisable (and authentic) Fjällräven rucksacks, as the Swedish outdoors label behind the bags has launched its first-ever southern hemisphere store. Opening on level two of Melbourne Central, the new space will give locals a chance to shop the internationally renowned brand in person, browsing an extensive range of its sustainably made clothing, accessories and outdoors equipment. Here, those brightly coloured box-shaped Kanken rucksacks (and the mini versions) will be on show in 55 different colours alongside menswear, womenswear, tents, sleeping bags, and plenty of other travel accompaniments. The 'concept store' also offers complimentary coffee, free wi-fi and loads of expert advice for those plotting their next outdoors adventure or even just an overseas jaunt. Fjällräven, now famous worldwide for its clever fusion of functionality and style, has been kicking on since 1960, when founder Ake Nordin made and sold his first aluminium-framed backpack. The label has since expanded to a huge line of fashion and equipment for nature-lovers and style-savvy city dwellers alike. Find Fjällräven at Shop 241, Level 2 Melbourne Central, Corner Latrobe and Swanston Streets, Melbourne. Updated: December 8, 2018.
Supported and run by UnitingCare Community, the Lifeline Bookfest helps raise funds for the Lifeline 24-hour Crisis Line and several other bereavement and crisis support groups throughout Queensland. The Bookfest is always an enjoyable event for attendees looking to find quality bargains on books and other selected materials. This year is bound to be bigger than ever, with extensive collections of books in categories such as Children’s books, Science Fiction, Art and Music, Travel, Health and many, many more. The Bookfest will be divided into three sections - High Quality, which will include near new and rare stock; Priced, which will feature a huge range of quality books; and Unpriced, where some of the best bargains can be found. The event will be running until the end of January at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Make sure you get there early to get your hands on some great books!
Blending Homer Simpson and Piet Mondrian might be the most unlikely of team-ups, but two Russian designers have begged to differ. Seeing a primary colour-based no-brainer in the pair, Constantin Bolimond and Dmitry Patsukevich have created a line of wine bottle packaging called Wine, or maybe not?. Stripping Homer and Marge back to minimalist Mondrian-like lines and restricted colour areas, the Simpsons have rarely looked so MOMA Gift Shopworthy. Although there's no wine yet created to inhabit the Simpsons, we'd be happy to chuck some Duff in there, work a couch groove and tune into the rest of your life. Via Fubiz. Images by Constantin Bolimond and Dmitry Patsukevich. Keen for more minimalist pop culture wine design? Sure you are. We're on it, head over here for a drop of Westeros.
Your must-see movie list just keeps growing, but your wallet doesn't want to play ball. Call Dendy Cinemas' returning special a case of great timing, then, with the chain offering up discount tickets that'll solve your problem. Every night of the week until Wednesday, November 13, 2024, as long as you head to the flicks from 8pm onwards, you'll only pay $8 for your movie of choice at Dendy Coorparoo. Buy online or buy at the box office — either way, you'll nab a bargain. The one big caveat: there is still a booking fee if you get your tickets via the Dendy website, but your 8pm movie-going will remain at a discount — just with that fee on top. With everything from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Kneecap, Alien: Romulus and Deadpool & Wolverine currently screening — and Joker: Folie à Deux, Smile 2 and plenty more on the way as well — there's a heap to watch if you're keen to spend as much time in a darkened room as possible. The offer isn't available for special events, previews, film festivals or Dendy Arts sessions, but remains valid for everything else.
It'd be easy to be cynical about The Zookeeper's Wife. If it wasn't based on a true story, setting a World War II tale in a zoo could seem like an obvious attempt to wring cheap sentiment out of a tragic situation — we've already seen humans ravaged by combat, so we'll throw animals into the mix instead. Thankfully, that's not actually the case here. The drama might feature cute creatures big and small, but it's firmly concerned with the human impact in times of conflict. To be specific, The Zookeeper's Wife explores how people cope when their lives and livelihoods are threatened, and how they band together to help others subjected to unspeakable horrors. When war hits and Hitler's head zoologist Lutz Heck (Daniel Brühl) arrives, it doesn't take long for Warsaw zookeeper Dr. Jan Żabiński (Johan Heldenbergh) and his wife Antonina (Jessica Chastain) to switch their focus. If they can't run their usual operation — their best animals are shipped to Germany, while others meet a bleaker end — then they'll do everything they can to help rescue the Jewish people that have been rounded up in ghettos and treated worse than cattle by the Nazi regime. Schindler's List might've just popped into your mind, as well as a plethora of other movies based upon tales of courage and sacrifice during the Holocaust. That's perfectly understandable. Familiarity isn't always a bad thing — there's a reason that filmmakers are drawn to similar stories, particularly when they demonstrate people displaying their best possible traits at a time when civilisation as a whole is doing the opposite. There's much about The Zookeeper's Wife that follows the expected path. Whale Rider director Niki Caro brings the non-fiction book of the same name to the screen with handsome images and a solemn tone. There are grim scenes of cruelty and carnage, although the darkest deeds are alluded to rather than shown. The movie charts acts of hidden resistance that saved lives, and paints its otherwise ordinary protagonists as extraordinary heroes. Not unlike the recent Their Finest, it also provides an unmistakably female-aligned view of war, from the nurturing urge that sees Antonina shelter as many escapees as she can, to the clear threat of sexual violence that lingers every time Brühl's villainous character makes his intentions known. Of course, that's where the reliably excellent Chastain comes in. After proving so ruthless and defiant in Miss Sloane, she's softer and kinder here, yet no less compelling. Indeed, there mightn't be much nuance in the film's melodramatic storytelling, but Chastain herself brings plenty. That applies whether she's saving a baby elephant, helping her secret house-guests, conveying a world of dismay in a glance, or rallying against oppression. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ibf46kh2Ec
For the past decade, South Brisbane's Wandering Cooks has been one of the city's culinary go-tos — initially boasting a bar, restaurant and markets in Fish Lane, as well as acting as an incubator for local food and beverage businesses, then moving to a new home in Vulture Street in 2021. But Brisbanites will now no longer be able to drop by to tuck into its wares, have a meal or browse for farm-fresh produce, with the beloved spot shutting its doors. In a Facebook post, Wandering Cooks owner Angela Hirst announced that the site "is closed for good", after a chaotic few years weathering lockdowns, closed borders, the impact of the pandemic on the hospitality industry, and also moving premises. "It is time to accept that the market has made this decision an obvious, if not extremely difficult, one," Hirst continued, also noting that after the move, Wandering Cooks had "a full-blown commercial kitchen serving up to hundreds a night". But the situation has changed drastically in 2022, with Hirst advising that "borders open. New year, new world. A ghost town, again." During its decade-long run, Wandering Cooks has been an inner-city go-to if you're looking for a bite to eat, something to drink or a tasty dish to take home — and it also helped plenty of local culinary businesses get their starts. "We were, at first, an idea about good food and how it might be innovated. Food trucks in an illegally bonfire-warmed carpark. Little kitchens for great food ideas to germinate and (hopefully) blosssom. A bar. Countless community events and gatherings. Ideas shared, both good and very crap," explains Hirst in the site's farewell post. The West End spot shut its doors on Thursday, May 19. Wandering Cooks has now closed permanently at 63 Vulture Street, West End. For further details, head to its website and Facebook page.
The year was 1997. For the first time, Fortitude Valley's music scene came together to celebrate. Around the inner-city suburb, Valley Fiesta was born. A quarter century later and the event is still going strong, albeit after running in plenty of different formats over the years — and it's back in 2022 to celebrate its 25th birthday with 45-plus acts hitting stages across 13 venues. 2022's Valley Fiesta will run from Friday, November 25–Sunday, November 27, showering Fortitude Valley with live tunes, and giving Brisbanites a helluva way to spend the last weekend of spring. On the lineup: a whole heap of musicians to see, events dedicated to jazz and art, a carpark party, a laneway fest within the fest and even a food fiesta. Leading the music bill: Holy Holy, Gordi, Kian, WIIGZ and Alter Boy, all as part of an entirely free program. They're joined by Jess Day, Safety Club, Scraps, Radium Dolls, Dulcie and more, in venues spanning The Sound Garden, Fortitude Music Hall, outdoors at The Brightside, Woolly Mammoth, Ric's Backyard, Kickons and 4ZZZ. The jazz afternoon will showcase both existing and up-and-coming talent, while the arts session will be filled with creative workshops. Bringing the fun to the Winn, Bakery and California laneways is the returning Hidden Lanes Festival, running as a pop-up event, while King Street will host the King Street Food Fiesta on the Friday night to get this year's Valley Fiesta started. The program also includes a night of voice, circus, burlesque and drag artists; Quivr DJs doing their thing multiple times; a cultural celebration of People of Colour; and the return of 4ZZZ's legendary carpark party. "This year's Valley Fiesta hits upon all of the elements that make Fortitude Valley so unique — from the food experiences on Friday night, to family events in the Laneways; massive music gigs on the Saturday night through to independent community events on the Sunday. It's every reason we love the Valley!" said QMusic CEO Kris Stewart, announcing the program. Now, block out your diary. [caption id="attachment_875909" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dave Kan[/caption] VALLEY FIESTA 2022 LINEUP Holy Holy Gordi WIIGZ Jess Day Safety Club Scraps Radium Dolls KIAN Dulcie Cloe Terare Dean Brady Ash Lune Dulcie DANCINGWATER Andy Martin Moss I Was Eros Arig Guppy Doggie Heaven Valley Fiesta 2022 takes place from Friday, November 25–Sunday, November 27. For further information and to buy tickets, head to the festival's website. Images: Dave Kan.
It's been three years since the space at 224 Given Terrace became home to Nota, which took over fine diner Montrachet's old Paddington digs after the beloved French eatery moved shop, and also started serving up a more affordable European spread. With its exposed brick walls and mirrors aplenty, too, it fast became an inner-west favourite — and it'll be giving Brisbanites twice as many reasons to stop by in the near future. Prepare to spend time at Nota Restaurant & Wine Bar, with the revamped name signalling the venue's broadened focus. Actually, owners Kevin Docherty and Sebastiaan de Kort (ex-Moda) are opening up a neighbourhood wine bar in the shop next door, with Nota expanding both its remit and its floorspace. When it relaunches in the coming months, the two-in-one spot will become a 90-seater, and will knock down the adjoining wall between the two spaces so that patrons can mosey between them. On the bar side, it'll still sit amid exposed brick walls, of course — and feature a five-metre wall of wines, wines and more wines. Warm lighting will set the mood, a bar snack menu will keep your stomach from rumbling, and the full Nota menu will also be available. Whatever you opt to eat, be it a calzone, some focaccia or cappellaci, new Italian-born, French-trained Head Chef Matteo Pisanu will be taking care of the kitchen. He'll be focusing on simple-seeming dishes that prove anything but, and that use seasonal produce picked up on weekly market runs. "Simple is sometimes much harder, there's nothing to hide behind," Pisanu notes. As for all that vino, restaurant manager Yanika Sittisuntorn has already grown Nota's range from 12 bottles upon opening to 90-plus now, and is particularly fond of lesser-known and experimental varieties. So, when Nota 2.0 starts welcoming folks into its bigger space, expect to have a whole heap of wine options. Find Nota at 224 Given Terrace, Paddington — with the revamped Nota Restaurant & Wine Bar set to launch in the coming months.
Amanda Wolf and Joseph Breikers are two Brisbane-based artists who aren't afraid to poke around in the dark, humorous side of art. Their latest collaborative exhibition, Life, Death and Miscellaneous, does just that as they examine the deep, dark getaways of two of literary fiends. Wolf and Breikers use the work of Patrick Suskind's novel Perfume and Mikhail Bulgakov's Master and the Margarita to explore the transformative places that lie beyond plain sight. In Perfume, the protagonist slithers away from the world into a cave on the Plomb du Cantal — and in Master and the Margarita, Satan holds the hell -raising Spring Valley of the Full Moon in a dimension beyond the known. Ipso facto, these guys caved out the two ultimate grottos. Through disrupted and abstract art, Life, Death and Miscellaneous explores the cave as both a physical and psychological space. As both a sanctuary and place of exile, Wolf and Breifers dig deep to define what the grimmest of hollow spaces have come to represent in this exhibition. If you've got a keen interest in the unknown, we suggest you check it out. Image: 'Big Toe 3', Joseph Breikers, 2015, Digital image (dimensions variable).
First, Queensland Health ran a walk-in weekend for Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations. Then, it opened up four of the state's vax hubs to walk-in appointments every day. Now, it has extended that move to all Queensland Health vaccination clinics — so, no matter which one is most convenient for you, you can head in and roll up your sleeve whenever you have time. Jurassic Park told us that life finds a way, but sometimes life gets in the way, which is what this walk-in option aims to work around. So if you've been busy, or booking in has slipped your mind, or it's just kept falling further down your to-do list, you no longer need an appointment. "Getting vaccinated is absolutely crucial when it comes to ending the pandemic, rebuilding our economy and preserving our way of life here in Queensland," said Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, announcing the move. "Walk-ins have been successful so far and with more supply, we want to make it as easy as possible for all Queenslanders to get vaccinated." Walk-ins are now welcome at all Queensland Health vaccination clinics. We can't predict where and when the Delta strain is going to pop up - the best protection for you and your family is to get vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/qdvAAIX3IK — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) September 30, 2021 If you already have an appointment at any Queensland Health vax hubs, you can still keep it — that won't be affected by the walk-ins. And, if you would prefer to make a booking to lock yourself in to a set time, that's still possible. You can also still opt for an appointment at a GP instead, or get the Moderna jab through a pharmacy. At the Queensland Health clinics, walk-in availability is dependent upon demand on the day, so it's worth noting that you may need to wait — and each clinic has different operating times. Either way, getting vaxxed will help the country increase its vaccination rate, with more restrictions likely to ease for fully vaxxed Aussies once the nation hits both the 70-percent and 80-percent vaccination thresholds. Obviously, if you have any questions or concerns about the COVID-19 jab, you should seek advice from your GP or a healthcare professional. For further information about Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout, head to the Australian Government Department of Health website. For more details specific to Queensland, visit the Queensland Health website.
Over the past few years, El Camino Cantina has been spreading its Tex Mex vibes around southeast Queensland — and, from Friday, September 9, Surfers Paradise is next. When the chain's new store opens in the heart of the Gold Coast, it'll come with beach views. Yes, the usual taco and margarita-fuelled menu is on offer as well, because of course it is. There is something different about this El Camino Cantina's food lineup, however. It'll be the brand's first to also serve up breakfast, with brekkie tacos coming packed with grilled sirloin and scrambled egg, refried black beans and queso fresco, and streaky bacon with jalapeno and cheddar. Already hungry? Fancy giving them a try for free? Just make your way down to the Paradise Centre joint as soon as the doors swing open on launch day. Welcoming itself to the neighbourhood in the best possible way, the eatery is handing out free breakfast tacos — 500 of them from 10am on Friday, September 9. You'll need to be one of the first 500 customers to book in to get your complimentary breakfast taco, and there's a limit of one per person. And, yes, those reservations are essential. And if you miss out, the venue is kicking off a six-week Ritapalooza festival the same day.
Restrictions on how many people can attend restaurants, entertainment sites and other venues have been a regular part of managing the COVID-19 pandemic, but they're about to become a thing of the past in Queensland. When the state reaches the 80-percent double-vaccinated mark, venue caps and density rules will no longer apply — because all of these places will only be welcoming in double-jabbed patrons. If you've already rolled up your sleeves twice by the time that 80-percent threshold is hit — which is expected around Friday, December 17 — you'll be able to head to all hospitality and entertainment venues, as well as stadiums, festivals, libraries, galleries and museums, all without needing to abide by any other density or patron restrictions. If you aren't double-vaxxed by then, however, you won't be able to go to any of these places at all. BREAKING: Fully vaccinated Queenslanders will be rewarded to keep our freedoms from 17 December or when we reach the 80% double dosed milestone. #covid19 pic.twitter.com/WICAlLvxl0 — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 9, 2021 Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the change today, Tuesday, November 9, in her second big piece of COVID-19 news for the day — after revealing that wearing masks indoors will be ditched at the 80-percent single-vaxxed mark, which should be reached either today or tomorrow. The new double-jabbed-only rule could kick in earlier than December 17 if the 80-percent double-vaccinated threshold is reached before then, too. The Premier noted in a statement that it'll "take effect from December 17 or once the state reaches 80 percent of eligible Queenslanders fully vaccinated, whichever comes first". It'll also affect everyone 16 years of age and older. Here's where it'll apply: at hospitality venues including pubs, clubs, hotels, bars, restaurants and cafes; at entertainment venues including cinemas, live music and karaoke; at both indoor and outdoor music festivals; and at government-owned galleries, museums and libraries. It'll also be in effect at all Queensland government stadiums — such as Suncorp, The Gabba, Queensland Country Bank and Metricon, and covering Big Bash, T20, One Day Internationals, NRL, AFL, State of Origin and concerts — as well as at weddings. And, it'll apply at hospitals, disability services, aged care and prisons as well, except in end of life, childbirth or emergency circumstances. There is another requirement for venues, however, with all staff needing to be double-vaccinated as well. Performers need to be double-jabbed at music festivals, too. #BREAKING From 17 Dec, only Queenslanders who are fully vaccinated will be allowed to enter: 🍽️ Pubs, restaurants & cafes 🎥 Nightclubs, live music venues & cinemas 🏈 Sporting stadiums & theme parks 🎨 Gov owned galleries, museums & libraries Full details to come. pic.twitter.com/hzwXgqRonp — Queensland Health (@qldhealthnews) November 9, 2021 The change will kick in at the same time that Queensland will let double-jabbed interstate travellers arrive by either road or air and, if they've received a negative COVID-19 test result in the 72 hours before arriving, ditch quarantine as well. And yes, it looks like this summer in Queensland is going to be mighty bright. This is the Sunshine State, after all. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. Top image: Somefx.
UPDATE, February 22, 2024: The Queen's Wharf precinct is now due to start opening from August 2024. Brisbane's Queen's Wharf precinct has been in the works for years — at least seven now — but it's slowly inching closer to becoming a new inner-city riverside destination that you can actually visit. Now targeting a mid-2023 opening date, it'll sprawl between Alice, George, Queen and William streets in the CBD, and feature everything from restaurants and bars, a sky deck and a riverfront moonlight cinema through to hotels, shops and a heap of public space. And, as just announced, it'll also be home to the city's first riverside bikeway cafe. That spot: Velo Cafe, which'll be a two-in-one, two-storey venue. Perched near the Bicentennial Bikeway that runs along the Brisbane River — and also near the North Quay City Cat terminal, plus the Queen's Wharf foreshore — it'll operate as a cafe and a bar, and sport purpose-built bike facilities and a workshop. Given its location, river views are also set to be a big drawcard. So, in addition to stopping by pre-, mid- or post-ride for a drink and a bite to eat, you'll be able to use the cafe's lockers, change facilities, toilets and showers. And, with its two-level setup, you'll also be able to get up to Queens Wharf Road via a lift and stairs, and back into the CBD. Velo Cafe won't open until sometime in 2023, like the rest of the Queen's Wharf, but cyclists will notice some changes in the area in the interim. Due to upgrades to the space beneath the Riverside Expressway, and to connect over-river landing areas to the foreshore, the Bicentennial Bikeway route has been diverted since Tuesday, May 24 — and will remain that way for around the next 12 months. "Bikeway users will be the first people to use the new landing areas, which have created around 6000 square metres of new public space and push out over the river by up to 40 metres beyond the Riverside Expressway," said Destination Brisbane Consortium Project Director Simon Crooks. "The bikeway diversion, which will take bikeway users out along the edge of the landing, is quite straightforward compared to the diversion we implemented in 2018 behind QUT when the Consortium built the mangrove walk and upgraded the first 500-metres of Bicentennial Bikeway," he continued. "Plenty of signage is in place to ensure the safety of all bikeway users and make sure there are no surprises for those that travel along this popular riverside route." Queen's Wharf and Velo Cafe are slated to start opening in mid-2023. We'll update you when a specific date is announced — and you can find out further details in the interim via the development's website.
Tree-lined, open green space with adjacent rooftop gardens. A network of publicly accessible, New York-style laneways and arcades lined with markets, shops, restaurants, bars and cafes. Rooftop gardens. Community-use and artist-in-residence studios. A knowledge incubator. West End's Boundary Street doesn't currently boast all of the above, but it will in the near future. Alongside a car-sharing scheme and space for markets, festivals and events, this is all part of the West Village development, which has just been given the government's tick of approval. The $800 million project will revamp the area around the original 1920s Peters Ice Cream factory and warehouse, and preserving the two heritage-listed buildings is all part of the plan. Across the 2.1 hectare site, seven new structures will also be added, ranging from eight to 22 storeys high and including a maximum of 1250 apartments. If you're thinking that the heart of Brisbane's inner west is going to look rather different when West Village comes to fruition, you'd be right. And if you're a little concerned about the changes taking place in an area so beloved by so many, and with such a distinctive sense of character and history, then you have company. Providing a potent example of the range of feelings flying about the project, the announcement of West Village's official green-light sparked a heated Facebook exchange between Deputy Premier Jackie Trad and Greens Councillor for The Gabba, Jonathan Sri. With much of the city in a constant state of redevelopment at any given time, particularly in the CBD and neighbouring suburbs, West Village was always bound to be controversial. Locals have been wary for some time now, with more than 700 submissions reportedly received during the call-in period. For more information about West Village, visit the development's website. Via Brisbane Times.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest through to old and recent favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue in February. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL NOW THE CONSULTANT If there's a question that no employee wants to hear from the person setting company agendas, pulling strings and signing paycheques, it's "what do we do?". In The Consultant, the small screen's latest moody and mysterious workplace nightmare — which adapts horror author Bentley Little's 2016 novel of the same name, but plays like Severance filtered through Servant — Regus Patoff (Christoph Waltz, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio) asks a variation of it early. "What do we make?" he queries at CompWare after he arrives amid grim circumstances. The mobile gaming outfit came to fame under wunderkind Sang (TV first-timer Brian Yoon), so much so that school groups tour the firm's office. Then, during the visit that opens this eight-part, excellently cast and supremely easy-to-binge thriller, a kid shoots and kills the company's founder. That doesn't stop Regus from showing up afterwards clutching a signed contract from Sang and spouting a mandate to do whatever it takes to maximise his legacy. Regus is as stern yet eccentric as Waltz has become known for — a suit- and tie-wearing kindred spirit to Inglourious Basterds' Hans Landa, plus Spectre and No Time to Die's Ernst Stavro Blofield. He first darkens CompWare's door in the thick of night, when only ambitious assistant Elaine Hayman (Brittany O'Grady, The White Lotus) and stoner coder Craig Horne (Nat Wolff, Joe vs Carole) are onsite, and he won't take no for an answer. There's no consultant job for him to have, Elaine tells him. There's no business to whip into shape, she stresses. By the next morning, he's corralling employees for an all-hands meeting and telling remote workers they'll be fired if they don't show up in-person within an hour, even if he proudly doesn't know what CompWare does — or care. From there, The Consultant gets creator Tony Basgallop, who is also behind Servant, doing what he loves: kicking off with a blow-in, unsettling a group already coping with tragedy and reordering their status quo with severe methods. Both of his current shows lace the chaos that follows with nods towards the supernatural, too, and both ask what bargains we're willing to make to live the lives we're striving for. The Consultant streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. CUNK ON EARTH If you've ever watched a David Attenborough documentary about the planet and wished it was sillier and stupider, to the point of being entertainingly ridiculous and ridiculously entertaining alike, then Netflix comes bearing wonderful news. Actually, the BBC got there first, airing history-of-the-world mockumentary Cunk on Earth back in September 2022. Glorious things come to waiting viewers Down Under now, however — and this gleefully, delightfully absurd take on human civilisation from its earliest days till now, spanning cave paintings, Roman empires, Star Wars' empire, 1989 Belgian techno anthem 'Pump Up the Jam' and more, is one of the best shows to hit Australia and New Zealand in 2023 so far. This series is a comedy masterclass, in fact, featuring everything from a Black Mirror-leaning skit about Beethoven resurrected inside a smart speaker to a recreation of a Dark Ages fray purely through sound also thrown in. It's flat-out masterful, too, and tremendously funny. This sometimes Technotronic-soundtracked five-part show's beat? Surveying how humanity came to its present state, stretching back through species' origins and evolution, and pondering everything from whether the Egyptian pyramids were built from the top down to the Cold War bringing about the "Soviet onion". The audience's guide across this condensed and comic history is the tweed-wearing Philomena Cunk, who has the steady voice of seasoned doco presenter down pat, plus the solemn gaze, but is firmly a fictional — and satirical — character. Comedian Diane Morgan first started playing the misinformed interviewer in 2013, in Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe, with Black Mirror creator Brooker behind Cunk on Earth as well. Over the past decade, Cunk has also brought her odd questions to 2016's one-off Cunk on Shakespeare and Cunk on Christmas, and 2018's also five-instalment Cunk on Britain. After you're done with the character's latest spin, you'll want to devour the rest ASAP. Cunk on Earth streams via Netflix. Read our full review. EMILY THE CRIMINAL Enterprising, astute, intelligent and accepting zero garbage from anyone: these are traits that Aubrey Plaza can convey in her sleep. But she definitely isn't slumbering in Emily the Criminal, which sees her turn in a performance as weighty and layered as her deservedly Golden Globe-nominated portrayal in the second season of The White Lotus — something that she's been doing since her Parks and Recreation days anyway. Indeed, there's more than a touch of April Ludgate-Dwyer's resourcefulness to this crime-thriller's eponymous figure. Los Angeles resident Emily Benetto isn't sporting much apathy, however; she can't afford to. With $70,000 in student loans to her name for a college art degree she isn't using working as a food delivery driver, and a felony conviction that's getting in the way of securing any gig she's better qualified for for, Jersey girl Emily breaks bad to make bank when she's given a tip about a credit card fraud ring run by Youcef (Theo Rossi, Sons of Anarchy). Her simple task: purchasing everything from electronics to cars with the stolen numbers. Writer/director John Patton Ford makes his feature debut with this lean, sharp, keenly observed and tightly paced film, which works swimmingly and grippingly as a heist thriller with plenty to say about the state of America today — particularly about a society that saddles folks starting their working lives with enormous debts, turning careers in the arts into the domain of the wealthy, and makes even the slightest wrongdoing a life sentence. Emily the Criminal is angry about that state of affairs, and that ire colours every frame. But it's as a character study that this impressive film soars highest, stepping through the struggles, troubles and desperate moves of a woman trapped not by her choices but her lack of options, all while seeing her better-off classmates breeze through life. As she usually is, Plaza is mesmerising, and adds another complicated movie role to a resume that also boasts the phenomenal Ingrid Goes West and Black Bear as well. Emily the Criminal streams via Binge and Netflix. PAMELA, A LOVE STORY If you weren't aware of Pamela Anderson's recent Broadway stint, bringing the razzle dazzle to a new production of Chicago in 2022, Ryan White (Good Night Oppy)-directed documentary Pamela, A Love Story will still feature surprises. Otherwise, from Playboy to Playbill — including Baywatch, sex tapes and multiple marriages in-between — the actor's story is well-known around the globe. Much of it played out in the tabloids, especially when she married Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee in a white bikini after four days together. She also graced what can easily stake a claim as the internet's first viral video, after intimate footage of Anderson and Lee was stolen, then sold. And that very experience was dramatised in 2022 limited series Pam & Tommy, including the misogynistic way she was treated compared to her spouse, how her rights to her image and privacy were considered trashed due to her nude modelling days, and the unsurprising fallout within her relationship. No matter how familiar the details are, Pamela, A Love Story does something that little else on-screen has, however: it lets Anderson tell her story herself. Much of the doco focuses on the Barb Wire and Scary Movie 3 star in her childhood home in Ladysmith on Canada's Vancouver Island, watching old videos, reading past diaries and chatting through the contents. She's recorded and written about everything in her life. Sitting in front of the camera without a trace of makeup, with her sons Brandon and Dylan sometimes talking with her, she gives her account of how she's been treated during the highs and lows of her career. The film coincides with a memoir, Love, Pamela, so this is a tale that Anderson is currently on the page and in streaming queues — but it's still a powerful portrait of a woman made famous for her appearance, turned into a sex symbol to the point that male interviewers in the 90s could barely talk about anything else, then cruelly judged and discarded. She's frank and sincere, as is the movie amid its treasure trove of archival footage. Pamela, A Love Story streams via Netflix. SHARPER Sharper didn't start its life on the page, with director Benjamin Caron (Andor) instead working with Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka's (both Superstore alumni) script; however, it spins the type of tale that'd flow easily in chapters. The slick-looking and smartly cast psychological thriller adopts that kind of structure anyway, unfurling its story in five parts — each named for a character. To begin with, the kindly, soft-spoken Tom (Justice Smith, Jurassic World Dominion) meets the well-read Sandra (Briana Middleton, The Tender Bar) at the used bookstore he owns. He asks her out, she declines, then returns to take up his offer. Then, before his section of the flick is out, he's been swindled out of $350,000. To help fill in the gaps, Sharper jumps into Sandra's backstory, which involves con artist Max (Sebastian Stan, Fresh). His history comes next, and so on. Socialite Madeline (Julianne Moore, Dear Evan Hansen), paramour to billionaire Richard Hobbes (John Lithgow, The Old Man), also pops up, also scoring her own dedicated segment. The connections between characters, and the deceptions many are spinning as well — most on purpose, some on themselves without realising it — are obviously best discovered while watching this twisty Manhattan-set movie. Sharper achieves its number-one task, however, and one that's essential for any film that's actively playing up its mysteries: keeping viewers wanting to puzzle through its glossily shot pieces. It helps that eating the rich is firmly on the menu, biting in as heartily to the well-to-do and entitled as The White Lotus and Succession have earned such acclaim doing. Also crucial: the top-notch roster of on-screen talent, especially whenever Stan, Moore or both feature. He's a picture of smooth-talking charm, but sly, sneaky and making everyone in his orbit succumb against their better judgement, while she's exceptional, as always, as a woman doing whatever she must — and selling whatever she needs to — to keep moving forward. Sharper streams via Apple TV+. BAD BEHAVIOUR When high school is hellish on television, sometimes that happens literally; Buffy the Vampire Slayer's teens did their studies above a hellmouth and Stranger Things' crew is constantly trying to avoid the Upside Down. In Bad Behaviour, hell is the girls of Silver Creek, the wilderness campus of an exclusive all-female boarding school where young women decamp to spend a year learning resilience away from the wider (and supposedly wilder) world. It's where Joanna Mackenzie (Jana McKinnon, We Children From Bahnhof Zoo) attended on a scholarship, sharing a cabin with Alice Kang (Yerin Ha, Sissy) before they cross paths again ten years later — Jo striving to become a writer, but paying the bills in hospitality; Alice a musical prodigy-turned-global classical star. While Jo doesn't have fond memories of her year away, she's shocked at Alice's frosty reception. Indeed, she'd always thought that the domineering Portia (Markella Kavenagh, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) was the bully of their dormitory, making her own experience a nightmare. But this blast from the past gets Jo rethinking her own behaviour. Adapted from Rebecca Starford's book of the same name by Pip Karmel (Total Control) and Magda Wozniak (Neighbours), with Corrie Chen (New Gold Mountain) directing, Bad Behaviour is spot-on about the Mean Girls-meets-The Lord of the Flies realm it navigates. Starford's tome is a memoir, after all. For anyone who has ever been or known a teenage girl — so, everyone — this four-part series feels deeply lived-in, even if you've never attended a private school, let alone such an education institution's remote campus. With McKinnon, Ha and Kavenagh all delivering potent performances, and the latter making a memorable antagonist, the mood is equal parts tense and reflective. As Bad Behaviour flits between Jo's time at Silver Creek, including the thrall that Portia held over her, and her adult awakening to who she really was while she was there, it's unafraid to face stark truths about our teenage demons as well. Bad Behaviour streams via Stan. SOMEBODY I USED TO KNOW Gotye and Kimbra's similarly titled Hottest 100-winner doesn't get a play in Somebody I Used to Know. Instead, the Alison Brie (Happiest Season)-starring and co-written rom-com gets its lead making up her own lyrics to Third Eye Blind's 90s hit 'Semi-Charmed Life'. She plays Ally, a documentarian who has been chasing her dream by making and hosting reality TV — a cooking competition with a Survivor twist called Dessert Island — and gets singing at the wedding weekend of her ex Sean (Jay Ellis, Top Gun: Maverick). Her career is the whole reason that he's now marrying the younger Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons, Antebellum), after she traded their home town of Leavenworth, Washington, and his dream of a quiet life for Hollywood. But an impromptu trip back after Dessert Island is cancelled leads to an unexpected run-in, a promise to Sean's mother (Olga Merediz, In the Heights) that she'll be the nuptials' videographer, and old feelings resurfacing. When Ally takes to the stage, she's battling with Cassidy, who fronts a punk band, and overtly trying to win Sean back. Brie and her Somebody I Used to Know co-scribe Dave Franco, also the film's director and her IRL husband — with the pair reteaming as filmmaker and star after 2020's The Rental, too — are well aware that they're toying with familiar parts. (In cinemas rather than on streaming, What's Love Got to Do with It? also follows a filmmaker shooting a loved one's wedding while grappling with work troubles and harbouring a crush). Accordingly, Brie and Franco are also highly cognisant of how the tale they're telling usually goes. This romantic comedy doesn't avoid many of its genre's tropes, lacing them throughout the script knowingly so that it can unpack and build upon them. The whole 'workaholic discovers what she really needs after a career upset' setup is a prompt, getting Brie and Franco thinking about what that really means beyond the cliched idea of getting romance to solve your problems. That said, it mightn't have worked as charmingly as it does without either Brie or Clemons. Somebody I Used to Know streams via Prime Video. GEORGE & TAMMY Stepping into a real-life Tammy's shoes is turning out well for Jessica Chastain, as two of her most recent roles have proven. In 2022, she won an Oscar and a Screen Actors Guild Award for playing televangelist Tammy Faye in The Eyes of Tammy Faye. In 2023, she has backed that up by scoring another Screen Actors Guild Award, this time for playing country icon Tammy Wynette in George & Tammy. Chastain might run out of IRL Tammys from here. If Parks and Recreation ever makes another comeback, perhaps she can add a fictional Tammy there. For now, she's made the most of Faye and Wynnette's stories — especially the latter. This time, the Scenes From a Marriage and The Good Nurse star is on the small screen, in a six-part series that focuses not only on the singer behind 'Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad', 'D.I.V.O.R.C.E.' and ;Stand By Your Man' (and, with The KLF in the 90s, 'Justified and Ancient'), but also on fellow musician George Jones (Michael Shannon, Amsterdam). Always an on-screen powerhouse himself, Shannon hasn't been notching up accolades for his work on George & Tammy, but he deserves to — and any series that pairs these two acting titans was always going to be worth watching. The ups and downs of Jones and Wynnette's intertwined lives and careers are a matter of history, but it's all brought to the screen with fierce and committed performances that cut to the heart of the two famous figures, handsome staging and lensing, impressive supporting turns by Steve Zahn (The White Lotus) and Walton Goggins (The Righteous Gemstones), and genuine appreciation for the central pair's contribution to their chosen music genre. The soundtrack takes care of itself, and easily, and Australian filmmaker John Hillcoat ensures that this biographical affair is never a by-the-numbers effort. Indeed, the series is also worth seeing as the latest work by the Ghosts… of the Civil Dead, The Proposition and The Road director alone. George & Tammy streams via Paramount+. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK PARTY DOWN Sometimes, dreams do come true. More often than not, they don't. The bulk of life is what dwells in-between, as we all cope with the inescapable truth that we won't get everything that we've ever fantasised about, and we mightn't even score more than just a few things we want. This is the space that Party Down has always made its own, asking "are we having fun yet?" about life's disappointments while focusing on Los Angeles-based hopefuls played by Adam Scott (Severance), Ken Marino (The Other Two), Ryan Hansen (A Million Little Things), Martin Starr (Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities) and more. They'd all rather be doing something other than being cater waiters at an array of California functions, and most have stars in their eyes. In the cult comedy's first two seasons back in 2009–10, the majority of its characters have their sights set on show business, slinging hors d'oeuvres while trying to make acting, screenwriting or comedy happen. Bringing most of the original gang back together — Lizzy Caplan had scheduling issues making the also-excellent Fleishman Is in Trouble, but Jane Lynch (Only Murders in the Building) and Megan Mullally (Reservation Dogs) return — Party Down keeps its shindig-by-shindig setup in its 13-years-later third season. Across its first 20 instalments as well as its new six, each episode sends the titular crew to a different soirée. This time, setting the scene for what's still one of the all-time comedy greats in its latest go-around, the opening get-together is thrown by one of their own. Kyle Bradway (Hansen) has just scored the lead part in a massive superhero franchise, and he's celebrating. Ex-actor Henry Pollard (Scott) is among the attendees, as are now-heiress Constance Carmell (Lynch) and perennial stage mum Lydia Dunfree (Mullally). Hard sci-fi obsessive Roman DeBeers (Starr) and the eager-to-please Ron Donald (Marino) are present as well, in a catering capacity. By the time episode two hits, more of the above will be donning pastel pink bow ties, the series keeps unpacking what it means to dream but never succeed, and the cast — especially Scott and the ever-committed Marino — are in their element. Party Down streams via Stan. Read our full review of season three. SERVANT When M Night Shyamalan (Knock at the Cabin) earned global attention and two Oscar nominations back in 1999 for The Sixth Sense, it was with a film about a boy who sees dead people. After ten more features that include highs (the trilogy that is Unbreakable, Split and Glass) and lows (Lady in the Water and The Happening), in 2019 he turned his attention to a TV tale of a nanny who revives a dead baby. Or did he? That's how Servant commenced its first instantly eerie, anxious and dread-filled season, a storyline it has followed in its second season in 2021, third in 2022, and now fourth and final batch of episodes currently streaming. But as with all Shyamalan works, this meticulously made series bubbles with the clear feeling that all isn't as it seems. What happens if a caregiver sweeps in exactly when needed and changes a family's life, Mary Poppins-style, but she's a teenager rather than a woman, disquieting instead of comforting, and accompanied by strange events, forceful cults and unsettlingly conspiracies rather than sweet songs, breezy winds and spoonfuls of sugar? That's Servant's basic premise. Set in Shyamalan's beloved Philadelphia, and created by Tony Basgallop (The Consultant), the puzzle-box series spends most of its time in a lavish brownstone inhabited by TV news reporter Dorothy Turner (Lauren Ambrose, The X-Files), her celebrity-chef husband Sean (Toby Kebbell, Bloodshot), their baby Jericho and 18-year-old nanny Leanne Grayson (Nell Tiger Free, Too Old to Die Young) — and where Dorothy's recovering-alcoholic brother Julian (Grint, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities) is a frequent visitor. That's still the dynamic this season, which keeps slowly and powerfully moving towards its big farewell. Dorothy is more determined than ever to be rid of Leanne, Leanne is more sure of herself and her abilities than she's ever been — in childminding, and all the other spooky occurrences that've been haunting the family — and Sean and Julian are again caught in the middle. However Shyamalan and Basgallop wrap up this discomforting tale, and whether or not they stick the landing, Servant has gifted viewers four seasons of spectacular duelling caregivers and gripping domestic tension, and one of streaming's horror greats. Servant streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review of season four. HELLO TOMORROW! In 2022, scam culture was here to stay, as drawn-from-reality hits such as Inventing Anna and The Dropout repeatedly promised. In 2023, playing fast and loose with the truth sits at the heart of Hello Tomorrow!, too, which tells a fictional tale about the deceptions people spin to chase their dreams. The show's beaming face: travelling salesman Jack Billings (Billy Crudup, The Morning Show), the regional manager for BrightSide Lunar Residences, and a passionate pusher of timeshares on the moon. He's this intriguing dramedy's version of Don Draper, but with Mad Men's 60s surroundings swapped for The Jetsons-style robot help and hovering vehicles. There's a The Twilight Zone-meets-Leave It to Beaver feel to Hello Tomorrow!, too, as its characters seek the same thing we all do: a better life. Creators Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen (both Bloodline alumni), also co-writers and showrunners with You're the Worst's Stephen Falk, zoom in further, focusing on the reasons anyone holds onto to hope their lot will improve. Befitting any blend of all of the above series, the look of Hello Tomorrow! is retro-futuristic, steeped in 50s-era visions of what might come. The time and place is an alternative version of that decade, in a suburban enclave called Vistaville, where one of Jack's biggest fibs has its origins. He's summoned back with his crew of hawkers — the gambling-addicted Eddie (Hank Azaria, The Simpsons), promotion-coveting Herb (Dewshane Williams, In the Dark) and resident righthand-woman Shirley (Haneefah Wood, Truth Be Told) — by his mother Barbara (Jacki Weaver, Penguin Bloom) after his wife Marie (Annie McNamara, Severance) is injured by a self-driving delivery van. His son Joey (Nicholas Podany, Archive 81) is struggling to cope, a task made all the more difficult by Jack's absence from his family's lives for decades. He's skilled at sharing stories about his domestic bliss on the moon to customers, but being a happy head of a lunar household is merely one of his go-to falsehoods. Hello Tomorrow! streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. A RECENT CLASSIC MOVIE YOU NEED TO CATCH UP WITH TONI ERDMANN Standing in a bar, being interrupted by a stranger, making awkward small talk: we've all been there. Hearing from your parents more frequently than you have time for, despite your best intentions: many of us have experienced that as well. In Toni Erdmann, both scenarios combine in the way that many people might have nightmares about. What if the person accosting you while you try to enjoy a drink turns out to be your dad, just sporting a bad wig, false teeth and calling himself Toni Erdmann? At its simplest, that's the idea behind German writer/director Maren Ade's phenomenal comedy. Here, Ines (Sandra Hüller, I'm Your Man), a German consultant living in Bucharest, is irritated when her practical joke-loving, divorced and lonely father Winfried (Peter Simonischek, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore) arrives for an unexpected visit. But that soon gives way to unbridled horror when his alter ego Toni starts following her around. Once is odd, twice is annoying, and three times... well, that's something else. Then again, one of the basic elements of life is repetition, which Toni Erdmann demonstrates disarmingly well across its 162 minutes. First, you'll cringe. Then you'll laugh. Before long, you may find yourself crying. Those are the stages that audiences cycle through while watching Ade's film, and it's no accident. The mastery evident in ensuring that every detail of the movie imitates life can't be underestimated. The naturalistic camerawork and astute commentary on the importance of humour is not unlike Toni's ridiculous headpiece: it's just what's visible on the surface. Though its first half might make you yearn for a bit less time in the titular character's awkward company, that's by design; in contrast, the second half will make you hope that the movie doesn't end, all while marvelling not only at Ade's astute direction, but at Hüller and Simonischek's pitch-perfect performances. Toni Erdmann streams via SBS On Demand. Read our full review. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2022, and January 2023. You can also check out our list of standout must-stream 2022 shows as well — and our best 15 new shows of last year, top 15 returning shows over the same period, 15 shows you might've missed and best 15 straight-to-streaming movies of 2022.
Suitcases at the ready: your latest excuse to not just dream of a getaway, but actively start looking forward to your next one, is here. Virgin is putting on another flight sale, and this one expands its usual Happy Hour promotions. For one day only, and for the first time ever, the airline is extending its weekly window for specials to a full day. That means that today, Thursday, February 23, you have until midnight AEDT to score a bargain fare to destinations around Australia. Included on the sale list is everywhere from the nation's capital cities to Sunshine State hotspots such as Hamilton Island, Cairns and the Gold Coast. So, whether you're keen to explore a different concrete playground than your own or to soak in some beach time on an endless summer, you've got options. A huge 250,000 discounted one-way flights are on offer, starting at at $55. As always, that price will get you from Sydney to Byron Bay, which is consistently the cheapest route during sales like this. Other cheap fares include Sydney to the Gold Coast from $89, Adelaide to Melbourne from $99, Brisbane to Hamilton Island from $119, Sydney to Hobart from $95 and Melbourne to Launceston from $69. And, the discounts apply both ways, and for economy seats. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, the dates cover between Thursday, March 9–Friday, September 15, all varying per route. Get ready for autumn and winter getaways, or to start off spring with a break. As usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick — quicker than usual, in fact, given the midnight deadline. Virgin's day-long Happy Hour sale runs until midnight AEDT on Thursday, February 23 — unless sold out earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
For everyone who has ever been to a festival, soaked in everything it has to offer but wished it went for longer, the Scenic Rim's annual celebration of the region's food and drink firmly understands. When it has rolled around in past years, Eat Local Week has served up a massive incentive to wander around the southeast Queensland area. Indeed, the jam-packed event has always been so overflowing with things to fit in that it has made a big move, expanding to become Eat Local Month in 2023. That hefty change was announced earlier this year, with the first-ever month-long program spanning across a huge 32 days from Thursday, June 1–Sunday, July 2. That's quite the way to celebrate the fest's 12th birthday, and it'll be overflowing with ways to do so, too, thanks to the 139 different events on the just-announced Scenic Rim Eat Local Month 2023 program. "When Eat Local Week started in 2011, ten events were staged, attended by a few hundred people. In 2014, the program featured 80 events with 15,000 attendees and last year, in 2022, there were 125 events and almost 40,000 attendees. This year, there's 139 events," said Scenic Rim Regional Council Mayor Greg Christensen, announcing the lineup. Eat Local Month also has the support of some impressive food names thanks to its ambassador chefs. Alison Alexander, Ash Martin, Brenda Fawdon (Picnic Real Food Bar), Cameron Matthews (Mapleton Public House), Caroline Jones (Three Girls Skipping), Glen Barratt (Wild Canary), Javier Codina (Moda), Josh Lopez (Monstera Group), Kate Raymont (Scenic Rim Farm Shop Café) and Richard Ousby (Ousby Food) were already on the list before the 2023 program dropped. Now, chefs Jack Stuart (Blume and The Bowl at Boonah) and Simon Furley (The Paddock at Beechmont Estate) have joined them. All that culinary talent is getting behind a heap of excuses to eat and drink — and explore — while showcasing Scenic Rim produce, the people behind it and a region that was named one of the best places to visit in 2022. On offer: 37 long lunches, degustations and dinners; 43 workshops and classes; and 37 tours and experiences. And more, spanning both new additions to the lineup and returning favourites, including an array of 'meet the producer' events. Making a comeback this year is the beloved winter harvest festival, which will feature 70-plus stalls, complete with camel milk products and carrot ice cream. Still on those orange-coloured vegetables, the usual day dedicated to them is back as well, and you'll even be able to pull them up out of the soil. [caption id="attachment_883177" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] Elsewhere, attendees can look forward to a degustation dinner at Witches Falls Winery on Tamborine Mountain; Copperhead Restaurant's first sunset soiree; and Floravesence — An Evening in the Flowers, which will take place on Elderflower Farm's flower field, and feature floral-leaning Cauldron Distillery cocktails. Or, there's a Mediterranean long-table feast in the olive grove at Olive View Estate, and the broader fest's inaugural fermented food festival — which is all about pickling and the like. Gin-blending classes, edible-flower picking sessions (and then using said blooms to decorate cupcakes), rainforest picnics, burgers and beer on the grass, a three-course feast heroing native ingredients, truffles aplenty, sunset cocktails: they're all on the agenda, too. "In its 12th year and in a new month-long format, Australia's most authentic paddock-to-plate, food and farming experience now has more time to shine the light on the farmers, growers, producers, artisans, chefs and creators in our region, and on our spectacular seasonal produce.This expansion reflects the hard work of our community, and the support of visitors from across the country," continued Mayor Christensen. Scenic Rim Eat Local Month 2023 runs from Thursday, June 1–Sunday, July 2 at various locations in the Scenic Rim. Head to the festival's website for more information and tickets.
Fancy some grime? A Euphoria star? A mix of international must-sees and homegrown up-and-comers? A swag of folks making their first trips our way? Then consider yourself sorted at St Jerome's Laneway Festival in 2024 — starting with headliners Stormzy, Steve Lacy, Dominic Fike and Raye. When the beloved event hits Brisbane in February, Stormzy will top the roster after he was meant to head Down Under in 2022, but pulled out of Spilt Milk and his Australian and Zealand tour. At the Aussie fest, he was replaced by Lacy, in fact, but now the UK sensation and the 'Bad Habit' talent will share the same Laneway bill. [caption id="attachment_915848" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] Fike heads from the screen to Laneway's stages, while Raye comes our way with 'Escapism' still stuck in everyone's heads. From there, the lineup also spans AJ Tracey, d4vd, Dope Lemon and Unknown Mortal Orchestra — and goes on from there. Stormzy and Fike are doing exclusive Laneway tours — so, of you want to see either (or both), you'll only catch them at the fest. Lacy is also exclusive in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. The date and place to pop in your diary: Saturday, February 3 at Brisbane Showgrounds. [caption id="attachment_871106" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dave Kan[/caption] LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2024 LINEUP: Stormzy Steve Lacy Dominic Fike Raye AJ Tracey Cordae d4vd Dope Lemon Eyedress Faye Webster horsegiirL Nia Archives Paris Texas Skin On Skin Unknown Mortal Orchestra Blondshell DOMi & JD BECK Hemlocke Springs Pretty Girl Angie McMahon Confidence Man Teenage Dads JK-47 Miss Kaninna Vacations Images: Maclay Heriot, Daniel Boud and Dave Kan.
What begins and ends with two massive gigs, will light up the sky three times a night, and includes everything from unsettling shipping container installations to a kaleidoscopic house of mirrors and a mind- (and body-) bending circus? That'd be this year's Brisbane Festival, which will feature nearly 600 performances across a huge 22 days when it returns between September 8–29. Marking his fourth stint as Brisbane Festival's artistic director, David Berthold has curated a stacked program of almost 70 shows for the 2018 lineup — featuring more than 1000 artists, taking over 17 venues, and serving up 100 performances for free. As always, the fest's lineup spans the full array of arts, culture, performance and music events, so if you're keen to catch an inventive new play every night at the returning Theatre Republic — or schedule your life around gigs at Brisbane Arcadia — then you're about to become mighty busy. Certain highlights include Séance, which has spooked out audiences in Sydney and Melbourne, and now comes to Brisbane to unleash its immersive sonic scares in 20-minute bursts; Horror, the already-announced production that's like bringing a frightening film to the theatre; and the return of House of Mirrors, aka the reflective labyrinth you'll want to get lost in once again. Or audiences can witness Homer's Illiad turned into a memorial for fallen soldiers in Memorial; catch the world premiere of LIFE the show, the latest cabaret-fuelled circus effort from Blanc de Blanc and LIMBO's Strut & Fret; and watch eight same-sex couples tying the knot in a joyful garden street party celebration. Want more? There's Peter Grimes, the acclaimed opera by Benjamin Britten, as well as Hamnet, which stars an 11-year-old who takes on Shakespeare by playing the bard's abandoned son. Over in Home, a house will be built on the QPAC Playhouse stage each night, with the process turning into a party. And thanks to A Force at Flowstate, a public artwork will evolve moment by moment and day by day, adding materials that have flowed through the space — and holding free workshops so that everyone can take part. Music-wise, Brisbane Festival's two bookending gigs at the Riverstage will get things started with Ball Park Music and San Cisco on September 8, and then cap it all off with Violent Soho, Meg Mac, Methyl Ethel and WAAX on September 29. In-between, Brisbanites can catch sets by Tkay Maidza, Yothu Yindi and The Treaty Project, Sarah Blasko, Destroyer, Polish Club, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Jen Cloher and Eskimo Joe — the latter with Brisbane's chamber Camerata. The list keeps going, with classical pieces combining with Circa's acrobatics in En Masse, puppet show Umami Mermaids exploring the world of mutated sea sirens, and pianist Sonya Lifschitz working her fingers as historical footage of the likes of Joseph Stalin, Ai Weiwei, Bertolt Brecht, John F. Kennedy and Julia Gillard screens in Stalin's Piano. And while it all comes to an end with Riverfire's usual bright display of blazing fireworks — for the 21st year, in fact — a thrice-nightly light show called River of Light will also illuminate the city, featuring giant spirals of water, coloured lighting and rainbow-hued lasers along the river at South Bank. Brisbane Festival runs from September 8–29 across Brisbane. For the full 2018 program, or to book tickets, visit the festival website.
