It might seem like another festival pops up every weekend, but you won’t hear us complaining. The more the merrier, especially when they combine local bands, gourmet bites and craft brews into one fun package — which is exactly what Brisbane's latest returning event promises. The Bites and Brews Laneway Festival will take over the Shafston Hotel and its surrounding laneways from on February 27 for its second annual outing, and what a treat it is shaping up to be in 2016. Live performances from Millennium Band, J-Funk, Danny Kewell and John King will set a festive mood, but that’s only the beginning. Want a delicious meal? Of course you do — and food trucks such King of the Wings, The Bun Mobile, Vira Lata and Char Baby have your tastebuds covered. Want to wash it all down with a refreshing drink? That’s where stalls from everyone's favourite brewers come in, serving up Stone & Wood, Brews Brothers, Somersby, Cricketers Arms and more.
If you watch American movies, you've probably been brought up thinking that the end of summer is a pretty big deal. Incessant sunshine gives way to milder weather, and carefree days become weeks and months of work and responsibility. Alas, that's rarely the case in Australia, particularly in Queensland. The temperature dips slightly, and… that's all, really. Don't tell the folks at Brewski that, though. The Caxton Street bar is always keen on throwing together a celebration — and as February comes to a close, they've found an occasion that fits the bill. To mark the change of season, the Petrie Terrace hangout is embracing the tart, sharp, sometimes bitter, sometimes biting, often fruity end of the beverage spectrum. Here, cooler climes means sourer suds, courtesy of six tipples that are certain to put a spring in your step. Mango-flavoured ale, a hybrid of beer and sake, or a brew made with sauerkraut, anyone?
You've been to West End, but have you been to West Village? Given that the latter hasn't opened yet, that's actually a trick question — but come May 1, you'll want to flock to Brisbane's newest hangout. With apartments, shops, offices, bars and wide-open public areas built around the old Peters Ice Cream factory, the Boundary Street Markets site is about to become even more of a vibrant community hub than it already is. And with an official launch to end all official launches, it's going to start its new life in the style locals have become accustomed to: funky and fun. Live music from Bree de Rome, Henry James and TJ Quinton will transform the space into a ready-made celebration, while state-of-the-art light projections will provide visuals to match the smooth sounds. Roving performances from the Ice Cream Crew and Jaran Indigenous Dance Group will help every inch of the place burst with entertainment, and there are shows by the Ultrafantastics and the Rooftops at the Motor Room, too. Welcome to the neighbourhood indeed.
Chances are, if you were born before the dawning of Bratz, your first BFF was a blonde-haired, busty chick with pin legs and a (quite literally) killer waist. And she probably went by Barbie. Now she's back with a little more height on her side in Little Black Dress Creatives' latest production, Babushka: Doll. The Babushka girls are reinventing your childhood bestie in a musical dream house for a very grown-up play date. Forget the old Barbie and her childish catchphrases; these dolls have an endless drawstring and will be belting out tunes all night long. It'll be a little creepy, ocasionally cute and darkly comedic as they tackle opera, '80s pop, nursery rhymes and rock 'n' roll. Expect some Regurgitator and Offenbach in the mix. Whether you grew up with an Action Man, Cabbage Patch Doll or a bald Barbie because you were sure her hair would grow back, Babushka dolls will have you seduced, comforted and in touch with the sinister side of memory lane.
If smooth, often improvised sounds get your toes tapping, then the Brisbane International Jazz Festival probably gets your heart racing. Where else can you celebrate experimental melodies and witness some of the best musicians in the world? Or move and groove to what just might be one-off performances. That's the joy of jazz: no show is ever the same. There's so much in the festival's third-year program that you probably won't get to test that — but you will get to enjoy the talents of an impressive array of performers from Norway, Poland, South Korea, Japan and, of course, Australia. Jazz luminaries including the Tord Gustavsen Quartet, the Near East Quartet and the Hiroyuki Minowa Trio are certain to be a highlight. In a lineup that includes a longer list of free sessions than you've ever seen on a music festival schedule, you can also jam with other jazz fans, watch Brisbane's own Enthusiastic Musician’s Orchestra blow their own horns, and celebrate one of the city's hottest nightspots from 1957.
Bringing together three celebrated documentary photographers, The Hold Artspace's newest exhibition is life photography at its finest. Interruptions is a collection by Isaac Brown, Tammy Law and Nina White that link memory and place as an expression of family. Interruptions provides three different insights into family relationships and human stories from three photographers who've utilised their craft almost exclusively to document just that. Brown is a photography lecturer who has photographed for the Museum of Brisbane and Frankie and has worked extensively on his own projects that create an effective narrative in photographic representation. Law's work has appeared in Monocle, Jetstar Magazine, The Saturday Paper, Asia Geographic and The Big Issue, and inquires into the larger social context of the stories within people's lives. White is a Brisbane-based photographer who tells "stories visually in a way that makes people take notice." Interruptions runs from April 15 to 18, with opening night April 17 at 6pm, and artist talks April 18 at 10am.
Leave your Hunters and your oversized sunhat behind to spontaneously frolic and make out with strangers. Pepa Knight, Jinja Safari's co-frontman, is launching his solo career with the announcement of a 2015 album release. But fans won't have to wait until next year to take off their shoes and enjoy that unmistakably JS-popularised brand of atmospheric, drum-thumping pop. On Friday, November 28, the first collection of Knight's solo recordings, Hypnotized Vol. 1, will be released — following on from his two critically-acclaimed singles 'Rahh!' and 'Clams'. Throughout November, Knight will be performing a series of headline shows to celebrate this first half of his highly-anticipated double album. Presented by Artists Voice and Rare Finds, the confirmed dates include appearances in Melbourne, Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle and this free show in Brisbane. Yep, totally free. In the coming weeks, Knight will also be releasing another single in support of the tour, giving fans a further insight into the infectious, whimsical sounds of his debut solo effort. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ysx8lssBeIE
Look, we’re not above this kind of humour — and, let’s be honest, neither are you. Comedian Jon Bennett isn’t either, and he’s beginning to make a blossoming career out of it, collecting awards on the international comedy circuit from San Diego to Perth. The show’s title may say it all, and his more than 15,000 Facebook fans already know and love it; however, there’s more to Pretending Things Are a Cock than photos of phallic shapes made prominent for puerile amusement. Expect a slew of heartwarming stories, and a healthy slice of insight into looking at the world differently. Still, mostly dicks though. Pretending Things Are a Cock is part of Wonderland at the Powerhouse. Check out our top five picks of the festival.
From Woody Guthrie telling us whose land is whose, to the Black Eyed Peas asking where the love is, the protest song is one that transcends generations and genres as the ultimate tool against oppression. Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and just about every band with a slither of social conscience has tried their hand at writing one, and now to celebrate a collection of songs that could make a genre of their own, The Triffid will be showcasing some of the best. Children of the Revolution: The History of the Protest Song will be held on the January 17, two days after what would have been the 86th birthday for civil rights leader Martin Luther King. The night will feature performances by Jackie Marshall, Luke Peacock (with his full band), Sahara Beck, Kahl Wallis of The Medics, CKNU, Lucy Star of Satellite and Celestino. All artists will be performing pieces of protest and passion that have inspired them. Between singers will be speakers to clue you in, with drinks will on tap until the night wraps up.
Irish-French singer Camille O’Sullivan left a burgeoning career as an architect after embracing the cabaret on display in Berlin and Dublin. Since then she’s won international acclaim for her singular interpretations of the songs of artists like Nick Cave, Kurt Weill, Tom Waits and Jacques Brel, drawing on the German tradition of “art song”, and the narrative music of Weimar composers. In O’Sullivan’s modern incarnation, this tradition manifests itself in radical retellings of classic songs — her rendition of Nick Cave's 'The Ship Song' is well worth a listen. On tour in Australia, for her show at the intimate Fairfax Studio at the Arts Centre O’Sullivan will be playing songs from her album Changeling, including works from Radiohead, David Bowie and Arcade Fire.
When is a flute recital not just a flute recital? Stick with us here. Brisbane-based flautist Janet McKay is dedicated to bringing new music to a wide audience, and her latest performance — Dreams, Layers, Obsessions — does just that. The award-winning contemporary musician takes the works of three fascinating and diverse young American composers, turning them into a triptych. It’s not just the sounds of their arrangements that take centre stage, nor the high level of collaboration between composer and performer. In their world premieres, each piece also goes on a visual and electronic journey. Then there’s the diversity of themes, topics and styles, in an eclectic mix if ever there was one. Jen Wang’s composition riffs on concepts of time derived from novel Einstein’s Dreams, Nomi Epstein’s piece plays with textured looping effects, while Jenny Olivia Johnson’s arrangement takes the perspective of an '80s sitcom fan. That this is no ordinary flute recital couldn’t be more clear.
If you drink beer, you’ve heard of hops. Even if you don’t drink beer, surely you have as well. Knowing the term is one thing — but do you really know what they are? And how they look, feel, smell and taste? Or what the secret is to 'New World' hops? And why there’s so many varieties available? Wonder no more, thanks to Milton’s favourite dive bar. The fine folks at The Scratch don’t just have a passion for pouring tasty brews but for teaching their patrons all about them as well. From that enthusiasm, Alementary was born. Each weekend, beer aficionados can learn the basics, as the series covers a variety of topics. On March 14, Croft Brewing head brewer Gavin Croft will step through everything hops-related, in the best excuse anyone has ever had to get up early on a Saturday morning and head to a bar. Yes, it’s educational. Yes, learning and drinking go hand in hand. Yes, you won’t only be talking shop — you'll also be sampling different beers to help put the theory into practice.
No sugar. Less fat. Organic. Locally grown. Seasonal. When it comes to what we eat, these are the things we’re used to thinking about. The fairness of how food makes it to our plate may not always cross our minds, but that’s where Food Connect comes in. Under the guidance of ex-dairy farmer Robert Pekin, they’ve been aiming to create a better food system since 2005. Ten years later, Food Connect is still going strong — and they’re throwing a real food street party to prove it. Think local bands, food-based trivia, and apple bobbing. Also think food and drink stalls spanning everything from gourmet ice blocks to Stone & Wood brews, as well as a celebrity chef cook-off pitting Matt Golinski against Josh Lopez from GoMA Bistro. Celebrating Food Connect’s role in pioneering the paddock to plate movement is the main attraction, and there’s plenty on offer for those interested in delving into the details behind their work. For $25, you can also attend a ticketed session, with TIME Magazine’s ‘World Number 1 Farmer’ Joel Salatin talking sustainability in the food industry. You’ll be thinking about food in a whole new way.
Want to know what the future of art and design looks like? Just look to the present. No, don’t worry, we don’t think that times won’t change. What we do think is that today’s students are tomorrow’s innovators — because they are. QUT’s aptly titled annual SHAPE of Things to Come exhibition clearly thinks so too, showcasing the university’s most recent graduating class. The Creative Industries Faculty’s newly minted breed of artists, designers and creatives show their best work, and there’s plenty of it. Spanning acting, fashion, architecture, interactive and visual design, or visual arts, 2014’s batch of folks with a fresh bachelor’s degree know their stuff. 'Adapt or Die' is this year’s theme, investigating the very fitting notion of adaptability. It’s a necessary element for transformation, progress, innovation and sustainability, and one for artistry too. How these creatives will adapt over the course of their fledgling careers — well, that really is the future.
Once puberty wraps up, chances of touching your toes again are kind of nigh, so it’s best to join the circus while you’re young, right? Control Alt Delete is the latest performance by the Flying Fruit Fly Circus – the only circus troupe parents should happily let their kids run away to. This production is put on by some of Australia’s best young physical artists who’ve taken the traditional concept of the circus and boiled in down to a high-octane performance that stands, flips and delivers. Through circus acts, physical theatre and dance to an original soundtrack by Australian hip-hoppers Morganics, Control Alt Delete delves into the ideas and emotions of its performers. Every trick has a meaning, and every routine is a reflection – sure it’s all pretty impressive, but there’s underlying persuasions and plots to the remarkable acts on show here. Pay attention. Tickets range from $20 to $39, with family packages available – grab them here. Then, find out what you’re really in store for by checking out the preview for Control Alt Delete right here.
Good news for those of the hardcore punk generation — or those who wish they were. After the disappointment felt due to the cancellation of their scheduled 2013 tour, Dead Kennedys are returning with their Bedtime for Democracy tour, playing a comprehensive string of shows around the country. Dead Kennedys — in all their changing forms — have been galvanising the masses against political apathy since 1978. The current lineup is East Bay Ray, Klaus Flouride, D. H. Peligro and Ron 'Skip' Greer, who'll take tunes from the group's extensive back catalogue. Show them your support (and your utter disdain for The Man) at The Hi-Fi on October 3, and be more punk than anyone else you have met in your life. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ds_TRSoQkJ0
Gravity isn't just that Oscar-winning space film with George Clooney and Sandra Bullock that everyone was talking about back in 2012. It's also the force that keeps us anchored to the earth, and the one humanity is constantly trying to thwart. Artist Mira Oosterweghel understands this, as her latest exhibition, Unstable Moments, shows. Once again exploring the relationship between the body and its surroundings, she uses performance, play, sculpture and installation to tap into our psychological desire to exceed our physical bounds. The way people navigate sites and structures is her particular point of interest, as she puts to good use at Metro Arts. The gallery is more than just place to display her work, though it does that rather well, of course. The space is also a part of the presentation, as Oosterweghel engages with the architecture. How else can she create a situation steeped in our dreams of flying free, and in the reality of coming crashing back to earth?
It’s 1982, Amsterdam, and tough economic times are hitting hard. So what’s a ragtag gang of close-knit friends to do to make a living — especially when they can’t get a bank loan to pursue legitimate business interests? Abducting a beer baron might not be the obvious answer, but it is the course of action Cor Van Hout (Jim Sturgess) and his brother-in-law Willem Holleeder (Sam Worthington) take. They’ll need to rob a bank to finance their ingenious get-rich-quick idea, and they’ll need the help of some pals (fellow Aussies Ryan Kwanten and Thomas Cocquerel, plus Dutch actor Mark van Eeuwen) to put their plan into action. Welcome to Kidnapping Mr Heineken, a snatch-and-grab caper that can only tell a true tale. This isn’t the first time these circumstances have earned the big screen treatment, with 2011’s De Heineken ontvoering from The Netherlands doing the same. The capture of Alfred Heineken for what was the largest ransom ever at the time made headlines in its day; however, that was three decades ago. Now, it’s a footnote in history, and even with several movies reliving the saga, that’s likely the way it will stay. Journalist Peter R. de Vries turned the entire affair into a book in 1987, his investigative attitude coming through in the film adaptation. Kidnapping Mr Heineken maps the planning and the aftermath in standard crime procedural fashion, more concerned with the perpetrators and their fraying friendship — 35 million Dutch guilders is a lot of money to share, after all — than the plight of their victim. Perhaps director Daniel Alfredson, a veteran of The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, just wanted to showcase his younger stars, all strangely keeping their native accents. Perhaps it’s just because, apart than the initial abduction and the inevitable downfall, not much happens — other than squabbling and sitting around waiting. As is often the case, what Van Hout and Holleeder thought was a sure path to easy money quickly proves otherwise. After capturing Heineken (Anthony Hopkins) and his driver (David Dencik), neither the police nor the beer company plays ball. Cue an average dramatisation of actual events, with the usual backstories and complications. Everyone has issues: Holleeder’s father previously worked for Heineken, his sister (and Van Hout’s wife) is pregnant, one of the group has a family to care for, no one really likes another of their so-called friends. Alfredson is workman-like in bringing it all together, ensuring the movie looks sleek while matching the 1980s period, and even throwing in a few great car chases. His cast does the same, each hitting their marks, though nothing bubbles under the surface of their characters — or the film. It’s a fitting approach for a feature that doesn’t try to be anything more than a faithful, sometimes emotional retelling of real-life circumstances, but it is also unfulfilling. Alas, Kidnapping Mr Heineken is content with just showing us what happened, rather than telling us anything that inspires more than a passing interest.
In the ballad of the Barden Bellas, it's time for another verse. That gang of college pals is back — aspiring record producer Becca (Anna Kendrick), group stalwart Chloe (Brittany Snow) and outspoken Australian Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) included — and they're trying to sing their way to supremacy once more. Is their second outing a toe-tapping rehash of their catchy debut tune, or does it drag on past the natural fade-out point? The answer is both. Pitch Perfect 2 alternates between the cinematic equivalent of the catchy melody you don't mind having stuck in your head, and the earworm you quickly grow tired of. Just three short years ago, an a cappella comedy was considered a gamble, but now we don't just have a repeat effort — we have a ready-made formula to follow as well. With mashups of songs old and new, rivalries getting heated, against-the-odds challenges to overcome, and one-liners a plenty, there's not much that's different, save for a new character setting up for a potential third instalment. That'd be freshman Emily (Hailee Steinfeld), a wannabe Bella since birth thanks to her ex-member mother. Fresh blood aside, everyone is older this time around, given that three years have passed in the film as well. They're also clouded in scandal, after an important show exposes too much of Fat Amy, leaving the Bellas banned from performing as punishment. Chloe finds a loophole that will see them on stage again, but only if they can beat their stereotypically tough-talking German counterparts at the world championships. Becca's focus is elsewhere, though, as she's thinking of life beyond study and competitive singing. It was the jukebox-like playlist of tracks and the loveable cast playing quirky characters that helped Pitch Perfect hit the high notes the first time around, so here, it isn't surprising to see a whole lot of doubling down on both. Expect an eclectic compilation of Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus tunes, as well as '90s hiphop jamz and songs about butts. Expect Kendrick and the group cycling through sing-offs, fall outs, bonding sessions and realisations about what's really important — and copious amounts of harmonising. What you shouldn't expect is anything beyond a more is more approach — more music, actors, complications and reminders that it's all about a singing sisterhood, that is. If it sounds routine, that's because returning screenwriter Kay Cannon, once again taking inspiration from the book Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory, doesn't stretch anything very far. Pushing boundaries is left to Wilson, who steals the show all over again. In a lineup that includes Arrested Development's David Cross, Key and Peele's Keegan Michael-Key, Snoop Lion and the Green Bay Packers (yep, the American footballers), it helps that she's the only one who doesn't seem like she's just going through the motions. Of course, it's always difficult for a sequel to a breakout hit to pave its own way, a problem Pitch Perfect 2 clearly struggles with. Sitting in the director's chair as well as popping up again as sarcastic commentator Gail, Elizabeth Banks bubbles over with enthusiasm, but not with flair. She's pitch-slapping audiences and staying in key; however, her film isn't a fun new must-listen track — it's more like movie karaoke. The verdict (sing it with me): aca-average.
Peace aren't the kind of typical, indie rock band who want to make every party a downer. In fact, they really hone in on the sweet stuff, and the proof is in their debut album In Love and their recently released follow-up Happy People. Known for their indie anthems and youthful zing, Peace have really set themselves up nicely in the international indie scene. They hit the gold by working on their latest album, Happy People, with Jim Abbiss, who has worked with The Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian and Bombay Bicycle Club. This ten-track album has transformed these Birmingham lads into a band demanded by music fans around the world — and they're giving in to the demands of Brisbane fans this Wednesday. Peace will be supported by locals Rolls Bayce, and tickets will be for sale at the door for $50 (they're a little cheaper online though).
The Brightside is throwing a Mean Girls party, and not being there would be social suicide. Revising the correct usages of 'fetch', 'grool' and 'ESPN' is just part of the fun. So is channelling your inner queen bee and donning your best pink outfit. Okay, okay, it's not Wednesday, but we think you're allowed to break that rule just this once. The film will be playing on repeat, but watching and rewatching its blistering take on teenage life isn't the only way you can indulge your Mean Girls love. You can drink a punch concoction that may or may not be jungle juice. You can dance just like it's the Spring Fling to a live set of pop punk classics from Hollywood Heartache. And you can prove your devotion by battling it out in a Man vs Bear-hosted trivia quiz. Every team gets a plastic crown, of course.
There's a reason Queensland Theatre Company's newest production bears the name of its hometown: this is a Brisbane story through and through. This isn't the city you know and love, though, unless you were alive more than seven decades ago. This is the war-torn times of 1942, when the state's capital was known as a big country town. Welcome to the world premiere of Matthew Ryan's Brisbane, as directed by the no-holds-barred Iain Sinclair. The coming-of-age performance enters the life of 14-year-old Danny Fisher as he tries to cope with the death of his brother in the bombing of Darwin, warms to the company of an American pilot and plots revenge. Not only does Brisbane bring the detail and devastation of the period to the stage, but it also draws upon true tales. It's a slice of history as well as a snapshot of the city at make or break point. Let's call it time travelling by theatre, and a good evening's entertainment.
Have you ever wondered whether there is something - someone - else out there? Joel Pinkerton believes there are no extraterrestrials, no life forms other than us. An insurance fraud investigator, Joel works for a company that has introduced UFO abduction insurance which, you know, is a bit weird. What’s even weirder is Joel’s call to the next investigation. Storm, a 16-year-old schoolgirl claims herself as the most recent victim of intergalactic intrusion, with the conspiracy theories to match. It would all be very easy to dismiss… except, how did Storm end up in that field far out of town? What happened during her 24-hour disappearance? As alien life grows more and more familiar for Joel, he finds himself alienated from his family. His wife, Holly, needs him back home - his bouncing baby girl is acting a little bit weird. Pale Blue Dot is the work of Kathryn Marquet. The story of togetherness and alien behaviour, what is real and what we wish to be; La Boite has taken on the tale, as foreign as it is relatable, and added their twist for modern audiences.
Electronic whiz kids don't come more stylin' than Sydney's multitalented Caitlin Park. With her 2011 debut album Milk Annual applauded Australia-wide and the 2012 Qantas Spirit Of The Youth Award under her belt, Park inked a deal with Create/Control in February this year (home to fellow Aussies Oliver Tank, Feelings, Go Violets and internationals Parquet Courts and Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros). Marking the team-up with the release of her second album The Sleeper, the smoky-voiced Sydneysider will bring her brand new tunes to The Hive on Saturday, August 2. Disarmingly catchy singles like 'Lemonade' are sure to get this all-ages gig significantly toe-tappin'. (She's releasing a just-announced EP of instrumental tracks and spoken word on July 11, so she's a busy lady.) Park toured recently to promote the album's first single, 'Hold Your Gaze', but we're certainly not objecting to more of her brand of dreamy folktronic. Park has been cranking tunes aroundaboutown of late, dominating East Coast stages as well as the UK's Great Escape, New York's CMJ conference and support slots for Butterfly Boucher. Headlining her own tour aptly dubbed 'The Sleeper Tour', Park is proud to present her super slick electro-meets-acoustic album to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane crowds. The Sleeper is a sharpening of everything her first album, Milk Annual, was about — slick production, soothing sounds and deep vocals that make me wish I could use the word husky without feeling like a creep. Listen out for 'Lemonade', the album's second single. The video is a woozy, aesthetically and sonically-pleasing journey through the main character's gender identity that should appeal to anyone who appreciates good-looking people in technicolour garb dancing in slow motion (that's everyone, surely?). "I am so proud and excited about this release!" said Park. "It's louder, more rhythmic, more energetic and more complex than anything I have written before. It was made in a quiet place, so I felt like we had to fill the space. It was made with love and light and darkness. I can't wait for people to hear it." Words by Jessica Surman and Shannon Connellan. https://youtube.com/watch?v=AS1htl7smnk
The pinnacle of Brisbane’s fashion events, the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival is back for its ninth year, touted to be its most stylish event yet. The event will return to Brisbane’s City Hall for the second year in a row following the building’s make-over, once again injecting added class and awe to the festivities. Come along to see the work of our state’s creatives — including fashion designers, hair stylists and make-up artists - culminate in Queensland’s only major runway program. Every year the event marks the beginning of a new season, but also a boost for retailers and buyers who fall in love with the collections year in, year out. Six stylish days and nights comprise the fashion festival, of which the events are eclectic and the designs inspired. Art meets glamour meets opportunity; don’t miss your chance to see the best and latest in fashion, at the place where it all starts.
My my, at the Waterloo Hotel from Wednesday, April 5–Sunday, April 9, chocoholics can surrender to their tastebuds. This Newstead mainstay is doing Easter-themed food and drink specials — including Easter cocktails — for five days. Your next pub session just got 100-percent more chocolatey. What's better than Easter cocktails, though? Easter cocktails over an Easter egg hunt for adults. Usually, searching for foil-wrapped orbs of chocolate is for kids. Yes, you can create your own version at home, but we all know that that isn't the same. The Waterloo is also well aware that adults want in on the fun, too — and it's delivering. [caption id="attachment_896234" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Ravik[/caption] While the Easter at The Waterloo festivities run across the full range of dates, that adults-only Easter egg hunt is taking place on Sunday, April 9. Pop by from 4pm each day from Thursday and you'll also enjoy live tunes at the Ann Street and Commercial Road spot, which comes with a history — it's been there since 1880. [caption id="attachment_746664" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] Top image: Markus Ravik.
Easter isn't just about eating all the chocolate in every form you can find. It's also about embracing rabbits however you can, too. At Victoria Park / Barrambin, that means catching a double feature of suitable flicks in the open air — because the Herston patch of turf is bringing back its outdoor cinema for an Easter Treats Movie Night. Taking place from 5.30pm on Saturday, April 8, this event is free to attend. The onsite food trucks will start serving at that kickoff time, however, so you will need your wallet for that. Or, you and your mates/date can pack your own snacks and drinks, and enjoy a picnic. Movie-wise, Disney's Zootopia will play from 6.30pm, while Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland then hits the screen with its imaginative antics from 8.30pm. And, if your dog likes flicks under the stars, too, you can bring them along — but they need to remain on a leash.
Everyone has a type of food that they just can't get enough off. We all have several if we're being completely honest. So, perhaps you adore sausages — or maybe you've never met a schnitzel that you can say no to. You could get salivating over meat platters, fancy feasting on ribs or get in a flap about chicken wings as well. If one of the above dishes is your favourite, so much so that you're keen to tuck into all that you can manage, The Bavarian has you covered Monday–Friday between Monday, March 20–Friday, March 31. Each weekday, it's serving up a different bottomless deal. Arrive hungry, whichever you pick — and especially if you opt for all of them. So, Mondays are all about non-stop snags (frankfurters, kielbasas and cheese kranskys with mash, rye bread and bier jus) for $28, while Tuesdays go all in on schnitties for $32 (with parmigianas, classic schnitzels and one with mushroom sauce to choose from). On Wednesday, the regular $35 all-you-can-meat platter special is still on — aka a glorious way to spend hump day. Come Thursday, there's ribs, ribs and more ribs (slow-cooked and coffee-and-spiced barbecue pork ribs, in fact, with coleslaw and fries) for $56. And on Friday, $20 gets you non-stop wings with either hot buffalo or barbecue sauce. In terms of caveats, you'll need to note a few, including the need to buy a full-priced drink to get each deal. The Bavarian also has a five-percent service fee, and you can't combine your chosen special with another offer, get it to take away or bring any leftovers home with you after your sitting. In Queensland, you'll find The Bavarian at Chermside, The Barracks, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Robina, Broadbeach, Coomera, Mackay and Rockhampton.
When you're a film festival that's all about the best cinema from Spain and Latin America, and you've been showcasing flicks from the two regions for a quarter century, how do you mark the occasion? If you're Australia's annual Spanish Film Festival, you put together a hefty 25th-birthday festival filled with 32 movies. That's the just-announced plan for 2023's event, which will take over the screens at Palace James Street and Palace Barracks in Brisbane from Wednesday, June 14–Wednesday, July 5 — complete with Spanish box-office hits, stars from beloved series, a focus on female directors and plenty more. Kicking off the fest is the Australian premiere of culinary comedy Two Many Chefs, which follows a father-and-son pair reuniting in the high-cuisine scene in Bilbao. Also a high-profile must-see is the festival's centrepiece selection Alcarràs, the winner of the Berlin Film Festival's Golden Bear in 2022. It popped up at a few local fests last year, and is now finally being made available to a wider Aussie audience. Other highlights include five-time Goya Award-winner Prison 77, a smash in its homeland starring Miguel Herrán from Netflix's Money Heist; The Kings of the World, which focuses on five Medellín teenagers; and Four's a Crowd, the latest from The Bar, Witching and Bitching and As Luck Would Have It filmmaker Álex de la Iglesia. Plus, there's thriller A Singular Crime, about a wealthy businessman's disappearance in Argentina in the 80s — and Staring at Strangers, where The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent's Paco León spies on a family from inside a closet (and yes, sounds like it takes its cues from Parasite). Film lovers can also look forward to rom-com My Father's Mexican Wedding, about two Spanish siblings travelling abroad for the titular nuptials; Mighty Victoria, which sees residents of a small town try to build their own steam train in 1930s Mexico; black-and-white horror film History of the Occult; and feminist Argentinian western The Broken Land. The 2022 fest boasts an Australian link as well via Greg Mortimer, about the passengers and crew on the Australian cruise ship that left for Antarctica just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic being declared. And, the Spanish Film Festival's survey of prominent Spanish and Latin American women directors includes seven movies, while its five-title 2023 retrospective is dedicated to iconic Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura, who passed away earlier in 2023.
If your ideal winter involves sipping warmed-up wine and getting cheesy in the tastiest possible way, then it probably also includes pretending that you're somewhere far frostier than Brisbane. Both are easy on King Street this June and July, with the Bowen Hills precinct serving up wintry dishes and taking its cues from the French Alps. All that's left is to dress as cosily as the River City's weather calls for at any given moment. This two-month-long excuse to embrace the season has been dubbed Après Ski — what else? — and it's all about bites and sips to suit the occasion. Head to King Street Bakery for a croque monsieur, then hit Il Verde for some mulled wine. There's also pork wonton noodle soup at Fat Dumpling and jalapeño cheese bites at Xin Chao. The menu features gravy-slathered black angus steaks at Winghaus as well, plus lamb ragu stirred through gnocchi at Kuhl-Cher. Whatever you decide to tuck into, and wherever, expect to find fur cushions and warm blankets to really lean into the European skiing-holiday vibes.
In 2023, Thursday, June 22 marks an important occasion: winter solstice, or the day with the shortest span of daylight and longest stretch of night for the current 12-month period. Since ancient times, it has been a time of celebration — and that's what Northey Street City Farm does each and every year. Hosting this stint of revelry on a Thursday wouldn't be much fun, though, so this year's Winter Solstice Festival will take place on Saturday, June 24. At the Windsor spot, everything from food and live music to talks and workshops is on the bill, and there's also a lantern parade and a sizeable bonfire. The leafy venue has been getting into the wintry spirit for more than 25 years now, so expect quite the party. Community fire-twirling, chats on a variety of topics, organic markets, poetry slam, building your own glow-in-the-dark coral reef and more than 60 musicians are all on offer as well. The event kicks off from 3pm, with $40 tickets on sale now. You can also purchase a pay-it-forward ticket for $25, which'll go to someone who can't afford one. And, this year's festival will also be a zero-waste affair, so bring your own reusable containers, crockery, cutlery and water bottles, as none will be given out at the food and drink stalls. Image: Northey Street City Farm.
Everyone in Brisbane has been to the Ekka on more than one occasion, but have you heard of the food and drink-focused equivalent? There mightn't be any rides, sideshows, goldfish, fireworks or flu at the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show; however, there are plenty of tasty delights of the edible and drinkable kind, all vying to be crowned the state's finest in their respective category. Don't worry — if you're wondering why you haven't come across RQFWS before, that's because it's not open to the public. Well, not usually, anyway. Grape Grazing by Night is a delicious, alcohol-infused exception. Yes, it's all there in the name. Here, vino is in the spotlight. That's the case for one celebratory evening in the Exhibition Building at Brisbane Showgrounds — although this year's event will also showcase award-winning brews from the Royal Queensland Beer Awards for just the second time. The big boozy evening takes place on Friday, July 14, and hundreds of wines have been submitted for the judges' seal of approval. Now, they can also compete in another taste test: yep, that'd be yours, for $98 a ticket. You'll sample award-winning tipples, snack on cheese, beef, lamb and other canapés, and chat with the experts, too — all while raising your glass, or several, to the best boozy grape drinks in the country.
Add another date into your doggo's diary — the NewBARKet Markets are upon us for another year. On Saturday, July 22, Newmarket Village is going to the dogs again, but in a good way, with the adorable event taking over the inner north shopping centre. Take your pupper along from 11am–3pm, with plenty of treats and pats on offer. Fingers crossed that your cute canine can hit up the bone bar again — in previous years, it has given out free bones to all good woofers (while stocks last). The main attraction, as the name makes plain, is stalls selling all kinds of goodies for your four-legged friend. Expect dog food, accessories, threads and grooming, and usually dog desserts as well — dog ice cream and pupcakes have also been on offer in past years. For attendees of the two-legged variety (no, your clever canine standing on their two back legs doesn't count), there'll also be food for humans. And if you're sadly lacking in the pooch department, don't worry — everyone else will have you covered, so you'll be in for a top day of dog-watching.
It calls itself a "micro mezcal mecca". It's small, adores agave spirits, and prides itself on being one of the best places in Sydney for a margarita (and for a drink in general). And, it's coming to Brisbane for one night only: Cantina OK!, that is, for a pop-up at Fortitude Valley's Savile Row that'll not only bring the former's top-notch cocktails north, but also raise money for a great cause. If you're wondering why Cantina OK! is considered such a standout watering hole, that's partly because the pint-sized bar's tequila and mezcal collection is that extensive, and also packed with both rare and wild varieties. The venue keeps earning worldwide acclaim, becoming a World's 50 Best Bars list mainstay since opening. In 2023, it came in at 41st, as one of only two Aussie venues on the list. Cantina OK! also placed 23rd in 2021 and 28th in 2020. [caption id="attachment_714476" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] So, behind Savile Row's orange door and beneath its eye-catching chandelier, that's what's in store for Brisbanites from 7pm on Monday, August 14. With Cantina OK!'s Creative Director Storm Evans and Group Manager Ryan Bickley in attendance, the Ann Street bar will pour a trio of cocktails from its Sydney guest: a margarita made with mezcal and orange oil; a sour with salted peanut and banana meringue; and the Nevada OK!, which features lime leaf, Thai basil, watermelon and jelly. All three will hero Los Arcos Tequila. The good cause mentioned above isn't just letting Brissie agave fiends sip Cantina OK!'s drinks. The evening will also raise money to help boost the quality of life in rural Mexico via charity S.A.C.R.E.D. Cantina OK! will whip out its seltzers, too, thanks to Seltzer OK!. The bar's own line of sparkling margaritas in a bottle, its sips come in regular and passionfruit flavours.
It's a shopper's dream: walk into a store, browse the racks, and then nab a highly discounted bargain. Trust those vintage fiends at Vinnies to put the idea into practice, and to keep raising money for charity in the process. The Vinnies Feel Good Finds: 50 Percent-Off Sale is exactly what it sounds like. Expect the usual array of clothing, accessories and other items to grace their racks, not that there's anything usual about trawling for secondhand treasure. Not knowing what you'll find is all part of the experience — but, this time, you're paying much less than what you'd normally pay. The sale runs from Thursday, June 1–Saturday, June 3 at Vinnies stores across Queensland, with the full list of sites — which includes Fortitude Valley, Newstead, Paddington, West End, Annerley, Coorparoo, Stones Corner, Wilston, Cannon Hill, Corinda and Kenmore shops — available on the organisation's website. As well as boosting your wardrobe, you'll be helping a good cause — so, this shopping spree is a win-win situation.
There's rarely a still moment in BlackBerry. Someone is almost always moving, usually in a hurry and while trying to make their dreams come true everywhere and anywhere. Those folks: Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel, FUBAR) and Douglas Fregin (Matt Johnson, Anne at 13,000 Ft), who created the game-changing smartphone that shares this movie's name; also Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), the executive they pitch to, get knocked back by, then hire as co-CEO. That near non-stop go-go-go look and feel — cinematography that's constantly roving and zooming to match, too — isn't just a stylistic, screenwriting or performance choice. It's a case of art imitating the impact that the BlackBerry handsets and their tiny QWERTY keyboards had on late-90s and early-00s life. Before the iPhone and its fellow touchscreen competitors took over, it was the key device for anyone with a work mobile. The big selling point? Letting people do their jobs — well, receive and send emails — on the move, and everywhere and anywhere. Should you blame Research in Motion, the Canadian technology company that Lazaridis and Fregin founded, for shattering work-life balance? Dubbed "crackberries", their phones played a significant part in extending the office's reach. Is anyone being inundated with after-hours emails on a BlackBerry today? Unless they have an old handset in their button-pressing hands, it isn't likely — and BlackBerry the film explains why. Spinning on-screen product origin stories is one of 2023's favourites trend, as Tetris, Air and Flamin' Hot have demonstrated; however, history already dictates that the latest addition to that group doesn't have a happy ending. Instead, this immersive and gripping picture tells of two friends with big plans who achieved everything they ever wanted, but at a cost that saw the BlackBerry become everything, then nothing. Like its fellow object-to-screen flicks, it follows a big leap that went soaring; this one just crashed spectacularly afterwards. "A pager, a cell phone and an e-mail machine all in one": that's how Mike and Doug explain the PocketLink, the idea that'll turn into the BlackBerry, when they're trying to drum up investors. It's a winning concept, including in 1996 when the film kicks off, but these two pals know computers, coding and tech better than getting their creation out into the world. Balsillie, after rejecting them in a job he's feeling undervalued in, approaches the pair with an offer to assist. Give him a title, authority and a stake in the company, and he'll put in his own cash, become their business saviour and get their phone out into the world. And he does. BlackBerry devices were everywhere in the 2000s. Then Steve Jobs launched the handset that's become ubiquitous since, RIM responded, and the aftermath is well-known in everyone's pockets. There's a cautionary-tale air to this quickly compelling third feature from Johnson, who doesn't just slip into Doug's shoes while rocking an ever-present red headband — he directs and writes, as he did with The Dirties and Operation Avalanche, co-scripting here with Matthew Miller (Nirvanna the Band the Show, another Johnson-starring and -helmed project). BlackBerry isn't content to merely chart an upswing and downfall, plus a trouncing by a corporate adversary, digging into the perils of at-any-cost perspectives in every frame. Always as glaringly evident as a BlackBerry's buttons: if RIM hadn't made short-sighted choices and shady deals, cut corners, and played everything fast and loose while splashing around cash, the film mightn't wrap up as it does irrespective of the iPhone's success. Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs inspired dramas (see: The Social Network, Jobs and Steve Jobs), but Lazaridis, Fregin and Balsillie have sparked a tragedy meets farce. Stepping through IRL events that concluded badly, famously so, doesn't stop Johnson from staying playful as a filmmaker. Indeed, BlackBerry is firmly a satire. Non-fiction book Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry by journalists Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff provides the movie's starting-off point, the overall rise-and-fall arc sticks to the facts, and the era-appropriate aesthetic and pop-culture references — including The Strokes, Moby and The White Stripes needle drops; The Breakfast Club quotes; and Point Break posters — are spot on, but this flick would also go well with The Office or Office Space. The core character dynamic demands a sense of humour, pairing a smart but socially awkward couple of mates with big hopes with a ruthless and shark-like salesman. Reality demands it, too, with the film taking a "what else can you do but laugh?" approach to capitalism in action at its worst. That restless, shaky, zipping-around cinematography by Jared Raab (also The Dirties, Operation Avalanche and Nirvanna the Band the Show, plus We're All Gonna Die (Even Jay Baruchel)) captures plenty that's ridiculous and yet also never surprising. BlackBerry is an eager parody — it purposefully isn't 100-percent accurate in every single detail, and it's as offbeat in vibe as Johnson's past work — but the peppily paced picture remains affectionate about an undersung chapter of Canadian history. So, it chuckles, boggles and chronicles. It perfects the gist of RIM's journey to great heights and back to earth again so savvily that everything feels authentic (emotionally at least) and winking at once. BlackBerry makes cheeky jokes about the device's name, shows LANs and movie nights that couldn't be further away from the corporate normality, giggles when eye-watering figures are thrown at other company's employees and lets Howerton lean into the cut-throat exec type with visible relish — and always keeps clicking as a portrait of faking it till you make it, chasing a quick win over a long-term plan, tech-industry greed and hubris, and selling out over going with your gut. The cast, especially Howerton, buzz on the film's wavelength on the strongest setting possible. While he'll forever be Dennis Reynolds, as he has on the small screen across 16 seasons so far since 2005, he's also a powerhouse as the relentlessly calculating, hockey-loving, take-no-prisoners figure who knows that he's a predator — and he's equally and astutely hilarious. Sporting a shock of greying hair even while playing a thirtysomething, Baruchel is similarly excellent, and subtler. BlackBerry isn't chortling at Balsillie, or at Lazaridis and Fregin, though. Rather, it's amused by the fact that each does exactly what they were always bound to based on their personalities, taking RIM's tale down the only path they probably could with this trio thrust together at the helm. Blackberry phones were once a character-defining status symbol; this can't-look-away movie is three fascinating character studies inside a comedic corporate horror show.
2024 marks ten years since La Macelleria set up shop in Brisbane, gifting the city's residents with an array of inventive gelato and sorbet flavours. Over that period, it has taught ice cream lovers how to make their own, served up all-you-can-eat sweet treats and expanded its footprint by adding more than a few new shops — and, as it likes to whenever it's birthday time, now it's throwing a big Italian fiesta on Sunday, August 11 to celebrate. For its latest huge milestone, La Macelleria will spend a day doing what it does best, but also doing more than that. Gelato will be on the menu, obviously. Also, it's whipping up gelato cocktails, with free sips on offer if you buy a pizza from Scugnizzi, which will be onsite with Roman-style slices for the occasion. The merriment runs from 12pm, which is when Scugnizzi will serve lunch, finishing at 2pm. If you're keen on pizza for dinner — and those gelato cocktails — that's available from 5–7pm. Also on the agenda: Casa Motta stretching mozzarella and burrata live, plus balloon art for kids, as well as supporting one of Brisbane's dessert havens.
Not content with terrifying southeast Queenslanders with their unsettling shipping container installations just once, the folks at Realscape Productions keep bringing back their disquieting Darkfield experiences again and again. The next chance to set your nerves on edge? HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast, and in the lead up to Halloween. The event inducing chills? Well, the fact that it's called Flight says plenty. This immersive favourite involves stepping inside a 40-foot steel box, sitting in pitch darkness and listening to a particularly heightened soundscape while the production plays with your sense of reality. For those who aren't fond of flying or don't cope well with the possibility of things going awry in the air, you might want to stay away. If your stomach can handle all of the above, step onboard. You won't actually be jetting anywhere, of course; however you will be strapping yourself into a section of a real commercial airliner, then pondering the many possible outcomes if the cabin suddenly happened to lose pressure. Created by Glen Neath and David Rosenberg, Flight draws upon the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics while taking attendees on a multi-sensory journey. If you're keen, Flight's latest run spans Thursday, September 7–Sunday, October 1 at the Surfers Paradise venue. Buckle up, and prepare to have your head completely messed with — unless you're claustrophobic, pregnant, or suffer heart or back conditions, in which case you'll have to firmly stay on the ground. So fare, more than 88,000 people have gone on the Flight journey — so expect to have company as well. Images: Mihaela Bodlovic / Realscape Productions.
On any given Saturday morning across Brisbane, plenty of pooches can be found descending upon the city's markets. Come 6am–12pm on Saturday, October 14 in Carseldine, dog lovers and their furry four-legged BFFs will be doing what they usually do — with the added bonus of attending the northside spot's returning Barktoberfest. What do cute canines have to do with celebrating this time of year? Nothing, but don't let that get in the way of a dapper doggo-friendly morning out. As well as the usual food and fresh produce, an array of pet-related stalls will ramp up the fun to barking great levels. There'll also be a pupper fashion parade and a pawparazzi photo contest — to determine just which canine cutie friend is the most adorable. Also on the lineup this year is canine cool-down station with pools. It is getting warm again, after all, and we're betting that your pupper also feels the heat. Dog-focused demonstrations, pupper prizes — they're all on offer, too. Entry is free, and live entertainment is part of the 200-plus-stall market as well.
It's the studio that's given Brisbanites the gift of puppy pilates and kitten yoga over the years; however, with Stretch Yoga's community classes, it's sharing its bending and stretching for free. On Saturday afternoons from 3–4pm throughout January and February in Holland Park, sessions won't cost you a cent. How's that for getting your 2024 fitness resolutions started? You'll benefit from a class without challenging your budget, which is perfect if you're a newcomer keen to finally try yoga, or you're just feeling a little less financial. And Stretch Yoga's graduate instructors will benefit, as they'll be teaching the classes as they approach their 350-hour teacher training certification. Beginners are welcome — in fact, they're encouraged — with the sessions taking you through vinyasa-style yoga. And gathering the gang to bring along with you is encouraged as well. That said, places are limited, so bookings online are essential, even though this won't cost you a thing. Top image: Stretch Yoga.
Enjoying a Cantonese meal with cracking river views at Stanley, the Howard Smith Wharves restaurant that pairs the two in fine style, is an all-year-round treat. That said, stopping by to celebrate Lunar New Year is obviously a must. And, to mark the Year of the Dragon, Head Chef Louis Tikram is adding special dishes to the menu. The sample menu includes mixed seafood and black truffle dumplings, garlic butter mud crab, five-spice roast duck with blood plum sauce, and southern rock lobster steamed with white soy, ginger and shallots. Whatever ends up on offer, your tastebuds won't be disappointed based on how delicious Stanley's regular spread always proves. LNY specials such as grilled baby abalone, XO pipis with crispy noodles, and truffle and spanner crab egg fried rice with caviar will be available alongside the usual a la carte and banquet offerings, too, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds. You'll need to make a date between Friday, February 9–Tuesday, February 13, with seatings for lunch and dinner. At 6.30pm and 8.30pm each evening on the Friday and Saturday, there'll also be lion dances.
If you're all about thinking green, living in a more eco-conscious way and doing your utmost for the planet — as we all should be — then you likely already know about Brisbane's Green Heart Fair. Twice a year, the event takes over a leafy public space to celebrate sustainability, all by giving away plants, teaching attendees about beekeeping, serving up plant-based food truck dishes and hosting markets selling locally made wares. The next event takes place from 9am–3pm on Sunday, May 29, and all of the above is on the agenda once again. Also part of the fair, which'll be settling into Victoria Park in Herston: workshops on sustainability, gardening and other related topics; activities for kids; and live music. If adding some greenery to your yard has particularly piqued your interest, there'll be 3000 native plants on offer — all for free. They're available on a first-come, first-served basis, so arriving early is recommended.
Fond of Betty's Burgers and its Shake Shack-style burgs? Keen to share the love with someone you love? On Thursday, May 5, the chain of eateries wants Brisbanites to come in for a bite — and to bring their besties in as well. To mark the 2022 return of Betty's Bestie Day, the brand's Brissie joints will be serving up two-for-one burgers all day long. Pay $11.50 for a Betty's Classic — which stacks angus beef, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and Betty's special sauce on a soft bun — and you'll score a pair of them. The offer also applies to Betty's Crispy Chicken Supreme burgers ($15.50) and the Betty's Classic Vegan burg ($14); however, whichever you pick, you both have to get the same one. If you're already salivating, make plans to head to one of Betty's Brisbane stores — including at Chermside, Indooroopilly, Newstead and Howard Smith Wharves. Again, the two-for-one deal is available all day. It's also on offer via dining in and takeaway, too. So, if you and your favourite fellow burger fiend are especially eager, you could always hit up one for lunch and another for dinner.
You can never have too much greenery in your life, both inside and outside your house. And, whether you're decking out your interiors or setting up a luxe outdoor hangout zone, you can never have too many homewares either. At least that's what you'll keep telling yourself while you're browsing around The Home Collective's wares. At its next event, the northside market will be offering up an array of plants, pots, furniture, cushions, art, ceramics, candles and other items that belong in your house or garden. If you're keen for a sneak peek, or some design inspiration, check out the event's Instagram page. That'll motivate you to head along, we're certain. Taking place at the Wavell Heights Community Hall from 8am–12pm on Sunday, July 31, the market will kit out your abode with plenty of choices — there'll be more than 55 stalls ready for you to peruse. Sure, there's an excuse to boost your garden and homewares cred every weekend in Brissie, or so it seems, but you just can't have to much of a good thing. Entry is via gold coin donation, which'll go to the folks at Animal Welfare Queensland. And there'll also be caffeinated beverages on offer to help perk up your Sunday morning — plus bites to eat from a range of food trucks.
With apologies to Bonnie Tyler, cinema isn't holding out for a hero — and hasn't been for some time. The singer's 80s-era Footloose-soundtrack hit basically describes the state of mainstream movies today, filled as screens now are with strong, fast, sure and larger-than-life figures racing on thunder and rising on heat. But what does heroism truly mean beyond the spandex of pop-culture's biggest current force? Who do we hold up as role models, and as feel-good champions of kind and selfless deeds? How do those tales of IRL heroism ebb, flow and spread, too? Pondering this far beyond the caped-crusader realm is Asghar Farhadi, a two-time Oscar-winner thanks to A Separation and The Salesman. As is the acclaimed Iranian filmmaker's gambit, his latest movie is intricately complicated, as are its views on human nature and Iranian society. As Farhadi has adored since 2003's Dancing in the Dust — and in everything from 2009's exceptional About Elly to his 2018 Spanish-language feature Everybody Knows as well — A Hero is steeped in the usual and the everyday. The 2021 Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix-winner may start with a sight that's the absolute opposite thanks to necropolis Naqsh-e Rostam near the Iranian city of Shiraz, an imposingly grand site that includes the tombs of ancient Persian rulers Xerxes and Darius, but the writer/director's main concerns are as routine, recognisable and relatable as films get. One such obsession: domestic disharmony, aka the cracks that fracture the ties of blood, love and friendship. A Hero sprawls further thematically, wondering if genuine altruism — that is, really and wholeheartedly acting in someone else's interest, even at a cost to oneself — can ever actually exist. But it charts that path because of the frayed and thorny relationships it surveys, and the everyman caught within them. When A Hero begins, calligrapher and sign painter Rahim Soltani (Amir Jadidi, Cold Sweat) is no one's saviour, victor or ideal. While he definitely isn't a villain, he's just been given a two-day pass from an Iranian debtor's prison, where he's incarcerated over a family financial feud. Owing 150,000,000 tomans to his ex-wife's brother-in-law, he's stuck serving out his sentence unless he can settle it or his creditor, copy shop owner Bahram (Mohsen Tanabandeh, Capital), agrees to forgive him. The latter is unlikely, so with his girlfriend Farkhondeh (debutant Sahar Goldust), Rahim hatches a repayment plan. She has stumbled across a handbag filled with 17 gold coins, and together they hope to sell it, then use the proceeds to secure his freedom — except, when they attempt to cash in, they're told that their haul won't reach anywhere the sum they need. Instead, with a mixture of guilt and resignation — and at Farkhondeh's suggestion — Rahim decides to track down the coins' rightful owner. Cue signs plastered around the streets, then an immensely thankful phone call. Cue also the prison's higher-ups discovering Rahim's efforts, and wanting to cash in themselves by eagerly whipping up publicity around their model inmate's considerate choice. The media lap it up, as do the locals. Rahim's young son Siavash (newcomer Saleh Karimaei), a quiet boy with a stutter that's been cared for by his aunt Malileh (fellow first-timer Maryam Shahdaei), gets drawn into the chaos. A charity that fundraises to resolve prisoners' debts takes up the cause, too. Still, the stern and stubborn Bahram remains skeptical, especially as more fame and attention comes Rahim's way. Also, the kind of heroism that's fuelled via news reports and furthered by social media is fickle above all else, especially when competing information comes to light. It's always been apt that Farhadi loves warm hues — tones that are even golden here, as lensed meticulously by cinematographers Ali Ghazi (Zero Day) and Arash Ramezani (Headless). His pictures are so intimate, and so engrained in homes and daily lives, that the cosy neutral colours that shade these spaces automatically become the director's own. His work is never about black-and-white situations, either, and his exacting search through a plethora of shades of grey is also never cold or calculating. A Hero uses the glow of its imagery to help offer plenty of questions about its underlying scenario, in fact, including who might be right and wrong within it. Of course, solving that binary battle is not the movie's aim; rather, poking, prodding and probing it, examining why we're so obsessed with heroes and villains, and exploring what that means when social media's moods, whims and affinities can turn in a second, flickers scorchingly at the film's core. Also searing is Jadidi's performance, which couldn't be more complex. His smile charms, yet also has a flimsy tenor, the grin of someone who knows how embracing the world can be to him — and how closed. When the movie opens with Rahim making the difficult albeit spectacular climb up the Tomb of Xerxes to speak with his brother-in-law Hossein (Alireza Jahandideh, another debutant), who is working amid the scaffolding, it also immediately casts its protagonist as an ordinary man facing an insurmountable and age-old situation. Jadidi plays the part exactly that way, as someone striving to get by, grasping rare and unlikely chances with visible desperation, yet still bound by so much that's long proven unmovable about his country. His character is caught in a morality play where no good deed goes unpunished, too, and the weight of that truth ripples in his posture. But he's also the centre of a reckoning on what's worthy of praise and scorn — "where in the world are people celebrated for not doing wrong?" asks Bahram — and what that says about those cheering, condemning and flipping between the two. The brilliantly layered premise, the deep and cutting dissection of Iran today, the devastating lead portrayal, the incisive visual gaze, the station-full of trains of thought set in motion: it's all classic Farhadi, and he has the applauded past flicks to prove it. Thankfully, A Hero also sees the writer/director back at his best; despite that wealth of familiar elements, the feature is never as oh-so-expected as Everybody Knows and The Salesman, both of which felt like the filmmaker on autopilot. Tough, tight, tenacious, and terrifically disdainful of opportunism and obstinance alike, and of people and institutions guilty of both, A Hero is an excavation of secrets and lies as well — but its power can't be hidden, and its emotional impact is as true as cinema gets. And, although almost everyone in its frames is indeed holding out for some style of hero, few movies realise how fraught and futile that is, let alone with the same patient but unshakeable feeling and intelligence.
If you live in Brisbane and rum is mentioned, everyone's minds jump to one particular tipple: Bundaberg Rum. But it isn't the only variety of boozy sugar cane juice on offer — not by far. Fancy widening your rum repertoire? Feel like experimenting? Keen to learn more about this molasses-based liquor? Enter Brisbane Rum Revolution, a returning one-day festival that'll have you sipping and tasting not just one rum, or a few, but more than 100 different rums from its hefty menu. Running across two sessions from 11am–2.30pm and 3.30–7pm on Saturday, November 5 at Brisbane Showgrounds (and calling itself Australia's biggest-ever rum festival), the event is playing host to 30-plus rum distilleries. It's also showcasing rums from South America, the Caribbean, the UK and locally, so prepared to be spoiled for choice. That lineup includes brand new tipples, as well as Brisbane Rum Revolution exclusives that you won't find elsewhere. All tastings are included in your $69 ticket — and the event also includes live music, pop-up bars and food, as well as cocktails galore. And, of course, saying cheers with a rum in your hand again and again. Fancy sticking around for both sessions? There's a $117 ticket for that.
By now, every Brisbanite should've heard of the Urban Wine Walk, aka your excuse to mosey around town and drink vino at various bars across a mighty fine afternoon. Prefer hopping around a particular patch of the city to drink cocktails instead? Meet the Urban Cocktail Trail, which is exactly what it sounds like. This time, from 1–5pm on Saturday, November 19, you'll make your way around the Fortitude Valley to sip cocktails. Your destinations: Baja Modern Mexican, Summa House, Savile Row, Osbourne Hotel, Gerard's Bar, Baedeker, Alfred and Constance, and Dirty Sultan. All eight spots will each be making their own special cocktail for the occasion, so you'll basically be venturing to them all and catching those different drinks like Pokémon. [caption id="attachment_584697" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Emily Jane Davies[/caption] Passionfruit mojitos, tequila concoctions with elderflower and jalapeño syrup, moraba martinis, all the fruit mixed with gin: they're some of the one-off tipples you'll be sipping. Tickets cost $84.04 and are on sale now, with places limited. You can choose where you kick off, and you'll get an arrival cocktail and something to eat at your initial port of call. After that, you'll be able to redeem five vouchers for five cocktails at whichever participating places you feel like visiting. Or, there's also a $69.46 option, which only includes three cocktail vouchers.
Late in 2018, Felons Brewing Co gave Brisbane a gift we didn't know we needed: the city's first CBD riverside brewery. Since then, there's never been a bad time to stop by the boozy Howard Smith Wharves spot, especially if you like brews and waterside views — but on Monday, April 25, it'll be throwing live tunes and two-up into the mix as well. Running from 11am, Felons' ANZAC Day event will let beer-loving patrons mark the day with games, music and beers. Attendees can also expect to see historical cars on display throughout the precinct, especially if you spend the day hanging out on the brewery lawn. The usual menu will keep your stomach satisfied, which means tucking into pizzas, burgers, steaks, meatballs, wings and prawn cocktails. And, you can also do more than raise a glass to Australia's servicemen and servicewomen by donating to the folks from the New Farm RSL, who'll be on hand all day.
It's the time of the year when the days begin to shorten, the evenings get cooler and your stomach starts grumbling for comfort food. But, while that'll remain true for the next few months, only one particular working week will bring free tacos. Tex-Mex giant Taco Bell has been steadily opening stores around the country since 2017, including in Brisbane — and, to treat your taco-loving tastebuds, it's giving away freebies between Monday, May 9–Friday, May 13. If you haven't tried the chain's Taco Supreme, this is your chance. If you have and you just like freebies, count yourself in as well. There is a catch, though. This is a lunchtime taco swap — to replace whatever you'd usually eat in the middle of the day. So, to get a taco without paying a cent, you need to show a photo of your regular lunch at the counter. Also, there's a limit of one free taco per person, so you won't be able to stuff your stomach full of them. And, the deal is only available from 12–2pm daily — and in-person. What's a Taco Supreme? A crunchy taco, as filled with seasoned beef, sour cream, fresh lettuce, tomato and cheese — or black beans for vegetarians. Wondering where you're heading? Taco Bell has Queensland stores in Annerley, Beenleigh, Cairns, Cleveland, Currajong, East Ipswich, Eatons Hill, Keperra, Logan Central, Morayfield, North Lakes, Robina and Southport.
Treating yo'self to tastebud-tempting dishes is what winter is all about — and for one entire month, Salt Meats Cheese is serving up a rather appetising menu that'll do the trick. That'd be its Everyday We're Truffling — Truffle Month lineup, with truffles popping up in all kinds of dishes. Yes, that includes truffle cocktails. Usually, SMC only celebrates truffles for a week this year. But in 2022, to the delight of your stomach, it's expanding the deliciousness across all of July. Accordingly, from Friday, June 1–Sunday, July 31, the Italian chain will be adding truffles to pizza, polenta, gnocchi and pappardelle — so that's four of Italian staples covered. It'll also be whipping up baked truffle brie and deep-fried bocconcini with truffles, if you feel like getting extra cheesy with your truffles. And, still on that topic, you can add a jug of truffle cream cheese to any dish you like as well. You'll need something to wash it all down with, so truffle margaritas are also on offer. They'll be garnished with freshly shaved truffle, and also feature a truffle salted rim. Or, you could opt for a truffle sour, which even includes truffle oil. For dessert, there's truffle gelato — which is made with caramelised truffle honey popcorn, and is now your new favourite type of gelato. The Everyday We're Truffling menu is taking place at all SMC venues during its month-long period, which spans Newstead and Surfers Paradise in Queensland. And if you're wondering why the Italian chain has suddenly gone truffle crazy, it's to celebrate the Australian truffle season — which is as good a reason as any.
