The National Gallery of Australia is no stranger to big names. Last year saw a short-term showcase of pre-Raphaelite masterpieces from London's Tate Britain and Yayoi Kusama's infinity room become a permanent fixture. Earlier this year, it played host to Monet: Impression Sunrise. Now, perhaps some of the most celebrated artists in history — Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso — are coming to the nation's capital. Kicking off on Friday, December 13 and running till Monday, April 13, 2020, Matisse & Picasso will give art fans the chance to see iconic works by two major artists in the same space. Drawing pieces from more than 40 collections around the world, the exhibition will feature more than 200 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, illustrated books and costumes by the 20th century artists. Plus, it'll highlight the artistic rivalry and the famously turbulent friendship between the two figures, as well as their influence on 20th century Western European art, both individually and collectively. The NGA's fondness for Picasso shouldn't come as a surprise — the gallery is already home to a rare set of 100 of the artist's works on paper, called The Vollard Suite, which has been touring the country with stops in both Brisbane and Victoria. Matisse & Picasso will be on display between December 13, 2019 and April 13, 2020. For further details and to book tickets, visit the NGA website. Images: Installation view of Matisse & Picasso, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, © Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency 2019, © Succession H. Matisse/Copyright Agency 2019.
You don't have to go to Tokyo to enjoy an immersive Japanese experience. You can, of course, and you should at some point — especially now that Japan is slowly opening back up to tourists — because there's really nowhere else in the world quite like it. But if you're eager to eat like you're already there, watch performances and take part in cultural activities, you can save yourself the airfare at the Matsuri Japanese Festival. Your bank account will thank you, and you'll take care of that nagging travel envy for an afternoon. A one-day celebration returning to Mount Gravatt Showgrounds from 11am–5pm on Saturday, September 3 after past fests proved such a hit pre-pandemic, it's Brisbane's own ode to the country that brought us sushi, katsu, yakitori, sake, matcha lattes and more. Expect to find more than a few things from that list on offer, and plenty of things to see and do as well. Admission is free and, like every great cultural festival, you can expect a little bit of everything that makes Japan so ace.
What's better than celebrating pink-hued wine for an entire afternoon? Spreading the love across a month. That's the plan for Rosé Revolution 2022, which has popped up as a one-off event in the past — but is keeping the pink drink-fuelled fun running across October this year, starting on Saturday, October 8, all at Fish Lane. In fact, the afternoon of sipping that's usually called Rosé Revolution isn't on the lineup; instead, it has been replaced with six different excuses to indulge in the titular wine, as well as three all-day (and night) offers that run until Monday, October 31. So, it's a choose-your-own-adventure kind of shindig, where you can decide to spend an afternoon, several or even longer getting into the rosé spirit. Among the specific events, it all starts with a tasting — and drinking — pop-up party from 2–6pm on Saturday, October 8, which'll take over Fish Lane Town Square with vino from more than 32 wineries around Australia, New Zealand, Italy and France. Tickets start at $55 per person, but you'll pay for your tastings from there — or you can opt for the $89 option, which includes an hour or sampling. Chu the Phat provides two other highlights: a rosé-themed paint and sip evening on Wednesday, October 12; and weekly Sunday-afternoon banquets across the month with two hours of rosé, rosé spritzes, sparkling rosé, Aperol spritzes and more for $60. Or, you can pick from two different four-course lunches with matching rosés at two different venues: at La Lune Wine Co on Saturday, October 15 (for $170 per person) and Maeve on Saturday, October 23 (for $150 per person). Billykart West End is also hosting a bottomless rosé brunch on Sunday, October 30 for $85 per person — and those ongoing specials cover rosé margaritas at Kiki and rosé martinis at Bar Brutus. Warm weather, rosé for days, hanging out in Fish Lane: yes, it's a classic Brisbane spring experience. Rosé Revolution 2022 runs from Saturday, October 8–Monday, October 31. For more information, or to buy tickets, head to the event's website.
Farewells are important. When something you love is coming to an end, you want to say goodbye in as fitting a way as possible. That's clearly the Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art's plan with the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, which finishes its season on Monday, April 25 — after the two-day APT10 Festival takes over both South Bank sites first. Since early December, Brisbanites have been able to head to QAG and GOMA to see 69 artworks from more than 150 Asia-Pacific creatives, covering more than 30 countries. That remains the case right through until the exhibition's closing day, of course. But make a date with the exhibition across the weekend Saturday, April 23–Sunday, April 24 and a huge (and free) art party featuring more than 140 artists and performers across 40-plus events is also on the agenda. Highlights include pop-up performances by APT10 artist Brian Fuata and the Brisbane Pride Choir, as well as art-making workshops that've been designed by Phuong Ngo, Shannon Novak and Vipoo Srivilasa — all of which have pieces on display in the exhibition, too — as well as the Brisbane Tongan Community. Or, there's a story garden with Gordon Hookey, writers Nadine Chemali and Sandhya Parappukkaran, and members of The Pacific Climate Warriors, which'll let you hear tales about the Asia-Pacific region as told by local storytellers. [caption id="attachment_836710" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art' (APT 10) Members Preview, GOMA, C Callistemon.[/caption] Former Masterchef contestant and chef Emily Yeoh will be teaming up with the aforementioned Srivilasa for a cooking demonstration that'll highlight the importance of food in celebrating culture, too. Still on all things culinary, there'll be food trucks serving up international cuisine — and pop-up bars quenching your thirst. Plus, the onsite GOMA Bistro, GOMA Restaurant and QAG Cafe will be doing what they normally do, naturally. If you're eager to see a show, gig, both or several, make plans for 2–5pm on the Sunday afternoon. That's when drag performers Shivannah (Fez Faanana) and Kween Kong (Thomas Fonua) will also host the Performance Extravaganza, which'll showcase Queensland dance troupes and musicians. On the bill: Digi Youth Arts doing a clap stick flash mob, Dance Masala breaking out some Bollywood moves, local Pasifika performers Conscious Mic, and sitar sounds from Sudha Manian and YATRA. Or, there's Japanese drumming team Kizuna Taiko, Filipino-Australian folk dancers Hiraya Performing Artists, the House of Alexander's ballroom performances and the five-piece Shanasheel Arabic Music Ensemble. [caption id="attachment_849401" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shivannah (Fez Faanana) & Kween Kong (Thomas Fonua) / Image courtesy: Fez Faanana & Thomas Fonua[/caption] Also on the lineup: a series of talks with titles such as 'So…where are you from?', 'Art Futures', 'Wit: A Weapon of Mass Disruption' and 'I'm Not Racist But…' to get everyone thinking. The whole event is free — other than whatever you feel like eating and drinking — and much of it will be outdoors. Or, if you can't make it along to say goodbye to APT10 in-person, everything hosted on the Maiwar Green outside GOMA will be live-streamed. Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art's 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art runs until Monday, April 25, with the APT10 Festival taking place from Saturday, April 23–Sunday, April 24. For more information, head to the GOMA website. Top image: The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT10). 04 Dec 2021 – 25 Apr 2022. Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. QAG Gallery 4, installation view, C Callistemon. Vipoo Srivilasa, Thailand/Australia b.1969. Shrine of Life / Benjapakee Shrine 2021 Mixed-media installation with five ceramic deities / Installed dimensions variable / Commissioned for APT10 / Purchased 2021 with funds from the Contemporary Patrons through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane.
Next time you sip gin, you could be hanging out in a double-decker bus in scenic surroundings — and either enjoying free tastings of strawberry eucalyptus-flavoured gin on the vehicle's bottom level, or heading upstairs to work your way through a three-drink cocktail flight. Thanks to Brisbane Distillery, this very experience is now on the menu, with the West End-based spirits company launching its new True Spirit of Brisbane bus. Hitting up the Riverside Markets in the City Botanic Gardens every Sunday, the True Spirit bus sports a blue exterior, serves samples out of the window and features booth seating under the pop-up roof on the top deck. For those happy with a tasting (or several), you'll be able to choose from Brisbane Distillery's Game of Eucalyptus Gin, Queensland Dry Gin and Brown Snake Rhum. You'll also be able to buy bottles to take home with you, too. Fancy hanging for a bit longer? The cocktail flights cost $24.99, and feature three beverages, each coming in at half a standard drink. Two different flight menus are available — both starting with a G&T, of course. From there, you can opt for a tomato-flavoured tipple and a citrusy drink called Parks and Recreation. Or, you can channel your inner Paddington with a marmalade cocktail, then follow it with a pink concoction.
First, one piece of good news: Easter upon us for another year. Now, another: because every occasion and holiday is now an excuse to set up markets, this chocolate-loving period is being celebrated in a big way at the Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets. While more than a few similar events are slinging Easter eggs and other sugary treats this April, this one also happens to be by the beach. And, Easter on the Esplanade is running for three nights — from 4–9pm between Friday, April 7–Sunday, April 9. Head on down to The Esplanade to shop, eat, soak in the scenic setting, listen to tunes and checkout handmade wares — all underneath twinkling lights and with the sea breeze doing its thing. There'll be over 100 stalls selling everything from fashion items to pet accessories, as well as roving entertainment and dance performances to help spread the Easter mood as far along the beachside as possible.
For the past decade, fans of Asian fusion cuisine have had a delicious reason to hit up Treasury Brisbane. Since 2012, Fat Noodle has been serving up Executive Chef Luke Nguyen's dishes, with his menu heroing authentic southeast Asian family recipes made with fresh Australian produce — and treating Brisbanites' tastebuds to everything from peking duck wraps and caramelised pork belly through to seafood laksa and Luke's famed pho. How do you celebrate ten years of such mouthwatering cuisine? By whipping up more of it, of course. From Friday, December 9–Saturday, December 24, open for lunch and dinner Tuesday–Sunday, Fat Noodle has a limited-edition favourite's menu stacked with past dishes that've tempted in diners — and including new and future hits as well. Expect all of the aforementioned bites, as well as seafood stir-fried udon; grilled pork skewers; chargrilled scallops with burnt butter, fish sauce and green mango; and chargrilled beef with Asian chimichurri and bok choy. The cha ca tacos feature banh xeo 'taco shells' filled with turmeric-marinated coral trout, and salmon sashimi and pepper beef also sit among the savoury options. For something sweet, get ready for a Vietnamese–style mille feuille, banana fritters and pandan brulee. Bookings are recommended — and if you're keen to celebrate ten years of Fat Noodle on the venue's exact birthday itself, head along on Monday, December 12. There'll be entertainment, too, and meet-and-greets with Nguyen.
It has been 12 years since RuPaul's Drag Race first premiered in the US, and its mission to unearth the next drag superstars shows no signs of stopping. Currently, the original series is reaching the pointy end of its thirteenth season, while international versions also exist in the UK — also hosted by RuPaul — plus Thailand, Holland, Chile and Canada. Next, it's finally making the leap to Australia and New Zealand. RuPaul's Drag Race already airs locally, but now it's being made here as well. The eight-part RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under will focus on Aussie and NZ drag queens battling for supremacy, and will air on Stan in Australia and TVNZ OnDemand in New Zealand. That was announced back in January, with the show's debut set for Saturday, May 1. If you've been wondering exactly what's in store, though, you've probably hanging out for a trailer. And, just a couple of weeks out from the show's arrival, a proper sneak peek is finally here — complete with drama and eye-catching outfits, naturally. While not all overseas iterations of Drag Race are hosted by RuPaul, RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under definitely is. RuPaul is also taking on judging duties, alongside show veteran Michelle Visage and Australian comedian Rhys Nicholson. Ten contenders will strut their stuff for drag supremacy, spanning seven Australians and three New Zealanders. So, prepare to see plenty of Art Simone from Geelong, Melbourne's Karen from Finance, and Sydney's Coco Jumbo, Etecetera Etcetera and Maxi Shield. Newcastle's Jojo Zaho and Perth's Scarlet Adams round out the Aussie queens, while Auckland's Kita Mean, Anita Wigl'it and Elektra Shock comprise the NZ contingent. Fans already know the format, which features fashion challenges, workroom dramas and lip sync battles aplenty. If you're a newcomer to all things Drag Race, you'll watch these Australian and NZ competitors work through a series of contests to emerge victorious, and join the likes of US contenders Jinkx Monsoon, Sasha Velour and Sharon Needles in being crowned the series' winner. Check out the RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdcgf5I6Qb8&feature=youtu.be RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under will start streaming via Stan and TVNZ from Saturday, May 1, with new episodes airing weekly. Top image: RuPaul's Drag Race.
Back-to-back festivals, day spa dates, Sunday markets, afternoons at the pub: sounds like a busy social calendar, doesn't it? Lock 'em into your diary, but prepare to take a friend of the four-legged variety. If your pupper isn't just generally bounding with excitement because all puppers always are, then Brisbane's hectic array of doggo-friendly events is certain to do the trick. In fact, it'll have your furry BFF barking with excitement. Whether your pooch likes pampering, is the tiniest mutt you've ever seen or has a few party tricks, there's something on offer.
El Camino Cantina's approach to margaritas is like Gelato Messina's to frozen desserts, taking inspiration far and wide from other beloved foodstuffs. In the past, the lively Tex-Mex chain has served up candy-flavoured margs, Long Island iced tea-flavoured ritas and soft drink-influenced tipples. Next on the list: Vodka Cruiser versions. On offer at the chain's Queensland venues at South Bank, Bowen Hills, Chermside, Robina and Sunshine Plaza: nine flavours of its beloved ritas that pay tribute to the ready-to-drink staple. You'll be able to knock them back until Saturday, September 30 — in 15-ounce ($21) and 24-ounce ($25) glasses topped with a Grand Marnier float, and as happy-hour specials from 4–6pm Monday–Friday (costing $12.50 and $15). Flavours on offer include Summer Peach, Lush Guava, Pure Pineapple and Wild Raspberry — and also Ripe Strawberry, Sunny Orange Passionfruit and Bold Berry. Or, you can sip Juicy Watermelon and get some tang with Zesty Lemon Lime. If you're a fan of its margs, you'll probably have noticed that El Camino mixes up its menu regularly with specials like these — which gives you more excuses to try more flavours.
The Museum of Brisbane really does love Brisbane; let's face it, their affection is right there in their name. In 2016, they're showing their love in another way as well. As part of their calendar of events for this year, the City Hall-based showcase of the Queensland capital's living history is staging a semi-permanent interactive exhibition that uses the people of Brisbane as its basis. Running for three years from July 15, 100% Brisbane doesn't just turn the spotlight on the city — it deconstructs the population and reflect the real face of the community. Using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, it has scoured the city for 100 everyday folks that represent the entirety of Brisbane. It all started with one chosen local, who then sparked a search that spanned over 100 days. That resident will then had 24 hours to recruit the next Brisbanite, who then selected the another person and so on, until 100 people were connected. Fans of globally renowned theatre company Rimini Protokoll might recognise the concept, given that the Berlin-based group has rolled out the project all around the world, including in London, San Diego, Paris, Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Their Brisbane stint marks the first time they've ever collaborated with a museum, as well as being one of the biggest undertakings to date by the Museum of Brisbane. As acting director Christopher Salter puts it, 100% Brisbane presents "the story of Brisbane today in an authentic way, through 100 of our city locals. The heart of the experience is real people with real stories and their experiences in our city today." Those who didn't make the final 100 also have their chance to participate now that the exhibition is open, of course. Attendees can share their information and opinions to compare themselves with the participants. In fact, beyond the performance aspect, the project aims to map how attitudes and perceptions change within the city over its three-year run. 100% Brisbane alsos feature a documentary covering the history of the city's population, as written and narrated by author and actor William McInnes, plus Brisbane-focused contemporary art commissions from Australian artists.
There are plenty of ways to cut a rug — different styles, spots and reasons among them — but the best way is just to hit the dance floor and go for it. That hasn't always been possible over the past two years; however, that's not the only motivation to bust out your fanciest footwork at the The People's Dance Party. The number one reason to head along: because there's nothing like losing yourself to the music. Losing yourself to dance is firmly the main aim at this inclusive shindig hosted by Bring a Plate. Here, it doesn't matter how you dance — or why. Whichever shapes you choose to make, you'll be showing off your smoothest dance floor movies amid professionals and community performers, with this 75-minute party also including pop-up showcases that just might teach you a thing or two to try out yourself. It all takes place at Metro Arts' New Benner Theatre, with tickets costing $25 and two parties being held on Saturday, April 2. If your afternoon could use some cutting loose, make a dance floor date at 3.30pm — which'll be a relaxed show with reduced lighting and sound. Or, strut your stuff to start your night at the evening session at 8.30pm. Images: Janna Imperial.
Usually when a hungry Brisbanite wants to tuck into dishes whipped up by e'cco Bistro's Philip Johnson, Lyndon Tyers at Donna Chang and Tuan Nguyen at Ngon, then sip City Winery's vino thanks to winemaker Dave Cush, multiple stops around the River City are in order. But for the month of March, a simple trip to Brisbane Powerhouse will do the trick — all thanks to Night Feast, the waterside New Farm venue's new neon-lit food market. At an event that's as much a festival as a market, the above Brissie culinary names will be joined by Lek Senee from Lek's Thai and Patricio Sarno from Mary Mae's Kitchen & Bar on the inaugural lineup, which'll debut from Wednesday, March 1–Sunday, March 26, 2023 — operating 4.30–9.30pm Wednesday–Sunday. As initially announced in 2022 among a slate of additions and changes to Brisbane Powerhouse, Night Feast will pop up twice a year after its first-ever run, with a second 2023 fest already locked in for Wednesday, October 4–Sunday, October 29, 2023. The market's just-announced March headliners join the already-revealed Martin Boetz from Longrain, as part of a full bill that's set to span Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Italian, Greek and modern Australian cuisine — and more. Also included: 20-plus gourmet food stalls, an open fire pit for roasting and a dedicated dessert bar, plus cocktails and a top-notch wine list to wash it all down with. [caption id="attachment_886619" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ngon's Tuan Nguyen, by David Kelly.[/caption] Communal feasting will be one of Night Feast's big focuses — and getting the restaurants taking part in Night Feast to dish up the absolute top thing on their menus is another. "Night Feast gives visitors an opportunity to sample the best of Brisbane's gourmet food scene within an immersive, outdoor neon-noir environment," said the event's food curator Lizzie Loel. "Our handpicked restaurants have been invited to showcase their signature dishes only, meaning you can experience the city's most exclusive gastronomic delights in one location." [caption id="attachment_850754" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Atmosphere Photography[/caption] Night Feast's autumn kickoff isn't just about enjoying a bite and a sip, however. Also on the menu: installations, DJs, live music and roaming performances, plus work from visual and performance artists. That'll all take over the Powerhouse forecourt and surrounding parks, which'll be decked out with Blade Runner-meets-Queensland theming — with a dash of Cantonese culture. The entire event is aiming for a dreamlike multi-sensory experience across its own temporary village. As for the design of the site itself, that comes courtesy of Bruce McKinven, with Night Feast capitalising upon his experience at Dark Mofo. From an arts lineup also overseen by Brisbane Powerhouse Arts Program Director Brad Spolding, Amanda Parer leads the bill so far, which likely means more glowing, towering, eye-catching pieces (see: her past Brisbane works Intrude, What's That, Lost and Fantastic Planet). Night Feast's premiere overlaps with Powerhouse's also-debuting "festival of other music" ΩHM, and is set to share Australian audiovisual artist Robin Fox on its program with that other newcomer. And, Swiss site-performance designer and fog artist Tom Mùller will also bust out his best for Night Feast. [caption id="attachment_827164" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Night Feast follows Brisbane Powerhouse's new Pleasuredome, a riverside events and performance space with bars and al fresco lounges that popped up permanently in late 2022 — as well as the temporary Kaleidoscope, a 700-square-metre maze of mirrors which stopped by last year. A permanent outdoor cinema was also announced back in June 2022, initially to launch this past spring and run year-round, screening movies under the stars — and taking advantage of the fact that that's something you can do no matter the season in Brissie, even in winter. Exactly when that'll now arrive hasn't yet been revealed. Night Feast will debut at Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington Street, New Farm, from Wednesday, March 1–Sunday, March 26 — operating 4.30–9.30pm Wednesday–Sunday. For more information, head to the Brisbane Powerhouse website. Night Feast will then return again from Wednesday, October 4–Sunday, October 29 — plus twice a year after that. Top image: Bruce McKinven Design.
Spring, plus light- to medium-bodied red wine: what a pairing. It's the duo that not only sits at the heart of Australian wine-tasting festival Pinot Palooza, but has helped the vino-swilling event become such a hit. The weather is sunny, the tipples are heady, and sipping your way through a heap of the latter is on the menu — including in 2023. Earlier in 2023, the beloved wine fest announced that it was not only returning for 2023, but also settling back into that coveted spring timeslot. Now, it has locked in venues and put tickets on sale. The Melbourne-born wine tasting festival will celebrate its 11th year by hitting up Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane again. To close out winter, it'll also make its debut in Perth. On offer at Claremont Showgrounds in Perth, Sydney's Carriageworks, Brisbane Showgrounds and The Timber Yard in Port Melbourne: more than 50 winemakers slinging their wares. Pinot Palooza will spread the party over three August days in Western Australia, as well as three October days in the Sunshine State. In New South Wales and Victoria, it'll be a two-day affair. In its decade of life until now, the fest has welcomed in thousands of vino lovers. Indeed, an estimated 65,000 tickets were sold globally before its 2022 events. When COVID-19 hit in 2020, the popular celebration was shelved for two-and-a-half years, before making a comeback last year. The response? More than 12,000 folks heading along around the nation. 2023's vino-sipping fun will cover organic, biodynamic, vegan and low-intervention wines, and more. Set to share their tipples among producers from Australia, New Zealand and further afield: New Zealand's Burn Cottage and CHARTERIS; Small Island, Ghost Rock and Meadowbank from Tasmania; M&J Becker from NSW and Moondarra from Victoria. The food lineup will feature cheese, salumi, terrines, patê, olives and other perfect vino accompaniments, with Tasmania's Grandvewe Cheese and Victoria's Mount Zero among the suppliers. And, while Pinot Palooza is a standalone fest only across the east coast dates, in Perth it's part of an already-announced collaboration with cheese festival Mould. PINOT PALOOZA 2023: Friday, August 25–Sunday, August 27: Centenary Pavilion, Claremont Showgrounds, Perth Friday, October 6–Saturday, October 7: Carriageworks, Sydney Friday, October 13–Sunday, October 15: John Reid Pavilion, Brisbane Showgrounds Friday, October 27–Saturday, October 28: The Timber Yard, Port Melbourne Pinot Palooza will get pouring around Australia from August–October 2023. For more information and tickets, head to the event's website.
Riverside bars are hardly rare in Brisbane. We are a river city, after all. But if you haven't had an excuse to stop by Blackbird Bar and Grill recently, World Gin Day might just be the reason you need. We know, we know — another day ending in 'y', another food or booze-fuelled celebration. These kinds of days pop up all the time. At this one, though, you'll be saying cheers to juniper spirits. Blackbird is even welcoming in Brookie's Gin, who'll be setting up a pop-up bar for the occasion. From 2pm on Saturday, June 12, gin cocktails will be flowing. Blackbird's usual food lineup will be on offer, too, so you won't go hungry. You'll be paying as you go for both your drinks and your bites to eat, of course — but that gorgeous view over the river is free.
Here's the exceptional thing about being a movie lover: you're never short on stuff to watch. And, because where you see something can have a big imprint on your viewing experience, you're rarely lacking great places to get your cinema fix. Brisbane's latest: the city's riverside CBD brewery. On Tuesday nights until July 25, thanks to its returning Cinema Sessions, Felons Brewing Co is turning its Barrel Hall into a cinema and showing classic flicks — for free. From 7pm, you can lock your eyes on the big screen and enjoy a movie fave, all without paying a cent. You can also get comfy on a bean bag and reserve your seat at the same time; however, that part will cost you $25. That amount is redeemable on the night, though, on food and drinks. Either way, sipping beers with your movie isn't free unsurprisingly. There'll be cinema snacks on offer as well and, again, you'll need your wallet. As for the films flickering across the screen, it's an impressive retro lineup. The season includes plenty of nostalgic delights — Night at the Museum (May 30), Flubber (June 6, and outdoors) and The Princess Bride (June 13) included. Or, check out The Greatest Showman (June 20), Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (June 27), Legally Blonde (July 4) and The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy (July 11), plus We Bought a Zoo (July 18) and National Treasure (July 25).
Halloween is here for 2024 — and if you'd like to celebrate with music trivia, Not On Your Rider has the night for you. The event runs regularly throughout the year, but it themes up its October session. The date: Thursday, October 31, of course, from 6.30pm at The Triffid. If you like music and you like trivia, then TV shows such as Spicks and Specks and Never Mind the Buzzcocks likely sit high on your favourites list, with both combining tunes, musicians and questions about them. But in Brisbane, you don't have to confine your music trivia fix to staring at a screen. One of the city's most reliably entertaining evenings out comes in the form of this IRL quiz show that's also filled with well-known faces — but staged live in the River City, with Brisbanites invited not only to watch but to also play along. This pop-culture delight has been doing the rounds for a few years now, and testing its contestants via rounds of questions. If you're not already acquainted with Not On Your Rider, it takes something that everyone loves — showing off their music trivia knowledge — and dials it up a few notches. Here's how it works: the event is hosted by The Creases' Aimon Clark, and features Velociraptor's Jeremy Neale and The Grates' Patience Hodgson as team captains. Also, while the two on-stage teams are always filled with musos, comedians, drag queens and other guests, anyone can buy a ticket, sit at a table and answer questions along with them. Previous events have boasted folks from Powderfinger, Ball Park Music, The Jungle Giants, The GoBetweens, Dune Rats, DZ Deathrays, The Kite String Tangle, Butterfingers, Last Dinosaurs, The Chats and more, because you never know which music figures might be involved on the night. Guests change each show, but the past lineup has also spanned Robert Irwin, Kate Miller-Heidke, Ben Lee and Steven Bradbury, as well as Trent Dalton, Ranger Stacey, Mel Buttle and Ian 'Dicko' Dickson. And as for the quiz itself, it's accompanied by chats about the music industry, plus other mini games involving attendees — and, at the October event, Halloween touches, of course.
When the middle-of-the-week blues hit, there are two solutions. Hitting a bar for a midweek drink is a tried-and-tested pick-me-up, while listening to someone else sing away their troubles also remains an old favourite. Acoustic Wednesdays, The Triffid's Wednesday night acoustic session, combines both — and the free music series is livening up your hump day every week. The music lineup changes each time, but that just means that you've got multiple excuses to head along . The Triff usually announces its artists in monthly batches — and if you make a music date for Wednesday, August 25, you'll be seeing Meg Ripps take the mic, as well as Anna and Jordan. These talented performers will do their unamplified thing and make your midweek brighter, with the laidback festivities taking over the Newstead hangout at 7pm. The venue's relaxed beer garden proves the perfect place for it, and an ideal spot for grabbing a few beverages — and even a bite to eat. Updated August 23.
When Suicide Squad reached cinemas screens back in 2016, it garnered plenty of attention. Critics largely hated it, fans loved it and some folks tried to shut down Rotten Tomatoes because of it. Come awards season, it picked up an Oscar (for best achievement in makeup and hairstyling) as well as two Razzie 'worst' nominations. The divisive reactions just kept coming, although there were two things that almost everyone agreed on. Firstly, most people rightfully loathed Jared Leto's interpretation of the Joker. Secondly, the majority of viewers adored Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. While the DC Extended Universe hasn't gotten a whole lot right in its attempts to emulate the Marvel Cinematic Universe (see Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, for example), its powerbrokers did seem to pay attention to the super-sized Suicide Squad debate. In response, they're giving the world what it wants: more Robbie as everyone's favourite ex-psychiatrist turned antihero. In Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), Harley Quinn has moved on from the clown prince of crime (much like DC has moved on from Leto, at least for now, with Joaquin Phoenix playing the character in last year's standalone Joker film). In the aftermath of their breakup — an explosive event, as the film's just-dropped new trailer shows — she rounds up a crew filled with other fearsome Gotham ladies. Prepare to spend time with Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), the Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) as they try to thwart supervillain Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). Directed by Cathy Yan (Dead Pigs), also co-starring Chris Messina and Ali Wong, Birds of Prey marks Quinn's first solo cinematic outing — and as the both the first sneak peek and the new trailer demonstrates, it's going big, bold and over-the-top. Bright, vibrant, fun and frenetic are all terms that apply, too. When it hits theatres next month, expect plenty of colour, chaos and formidable gals wreaking havoc, in what's been rumoured to be the first in a Quinn-focused trilogy. With Suicide Squad getting a sequel in 2021, confusingly titled The Suicide Squad and helmed by Guardians of the Galaxy's James Gunn, the pigtailed prankster definitely isn't leaving screens anytime soon. Check out the new trailer for Birds of Prey below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygzqL60kvwU&feature=youtu.be Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) will hit Australian cinemas on February 6, 2020.
Feeling a little chilly, Brisbanites? That's understandable — the sky is grey, rain keeps drizzling down and the cooler weather isn't expected to lift until tomorrow. But it's not just a cold spell in summer that's making the city shiver, but the fact that Brisbane just experienced its coldest February day since 1961. Yesterday, the mercury didn't pass 22 degrees. And if you can't remember the last time it was this cool at this time of year, that's because it has been 15 years since anything came close. Back in 2003, Brisbane hit a top of just 22.1 degrees one February day, but we're usually sweltering through 30.2-degree average temperatures. In fact, some parts of south-east Queensland recorded their lowest-ever maximum February temperatures yesterday, Brisbane Times reports, including Oakey, Gatton, Warwick, Toowoomba, Kingaroy, Gayndah, Stanthorpe, Applethorpe, Gympie, Archerfield and Coolangatta. To put the dip in context, 21.4 degrees is the month's average minimum temperature — but yesterday's top temp only exceeded it by 0.6 degrees. And, the drop comes after a warm and dry January, with the Bureau of Meteorology stating that "daytime temperatures were much warmer than average overall," over the past month. Indeed, Brisbane experienced 30-degrees-plus temperatures at the beginning of this week, but is expected to hit the same low maximum of 22 degrees today. Showers are expected to hang around all week, but temps will start creeping up again from Sunday, though exceeding 30 degrees isn't forecast until Friday. Via Brisbane Times / 7 News / Weatherzone / Bureau of Meteorology.
If the Venice Film Festival can dedicate an entire island to virtual reality, and Brisbane can host its own VR festival, then Melbourne's year-round cinema hub can make the interactive technology a permanent part of its collection. As well as launching a new limited-offering VR commission, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image is adding a VR Lounge to its screen-filled spaces. Come September 23, ACMI will not only say hello to Prehistoric VR, a free two-week step back in time, but will also ask visitors to get comfy in their newest addition. The former, called the first 360-degree VR puppetry experience of its kind, comes from performing arts company Erth Visual & Physical Inc and award-winning visual artist and filmmaker Samantha Lang, while the latter will showcase a rotating array of VR works. The third ACMI commission that has asked established performing artists to turn a live stage work into realistic 360-degree virtual reality, where Prehistoric VR is headed isn't a surprise — when it comes to interacting with creatures that no longer roam the earth, life finds a way. Until October 8, the immersive experience dives onto the ocean floor, and back 200 million years, to encounter the aquatic critters from the Ediacaran to the Cretaceous periods. On the permanent front, ACMI's new ongoing VR Lounge will form part of its free Screen Worlds exhibition, kicking off with mystical fairy tale The Turning Forest. Created by Melbourne-based VR company VRTOV, who also have space at ACMI's co-working space ACMI X, it premiered to rave reviews at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival, even earning comparisons to The NeverEnding Story. ACMI's commitment to virtual reality isn't new, with the centre premiering the spooky Ghost, Toast and the Things Unsaid and immersive dance experience Stuck in the Middle With You in 2016. As ACMI Director and CEO, Katrina Sedgwick explains, "as the national museum for film, TV, games digital culture and art, ACMI is fascinated by the rapid evolution of VR and the new ways practitioners are engaging audiences through this platform." Image: Renee Stamatis Photography.
You can never have too many occasions to eat cheese, but this returning Australian cheese festival isn't just keen to shower cheese fiends with creamy goodness. A collaboration between Bruny Island Cheese Co cheesemaker Nick Haddow and the organisers of Pinot Palooza, Mould wants dairy lovers to explore and devour the mild, hard and soft bites that Australia's best cheese wizards have to offer. Returning for a fourth time in 2022 — after a chaotic couple of years, as all fests have endured — the cheesy event will paint Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney yellow for a couple of days in each city this winter. And there won't just be a few cheeses on the menu. More than 75 artisan cheeses from around the country will be ready and waiting for you to devour, spanning dairy from 27-plus producers. That lineup includes Bruny Island Cheese Co, naturally, plus Grandvewe, Milawa Cheese, Yarra Valley Dairy and Stone & Crow. There'll also be wares from Section 28, Red Cow Organics, Nimbin Valley Cheese, and newcomers such as Dreaming Goat, Long Paddock Cheese and Second Mouse Cheese. The 2022 events will span multiple days in each stop — running over three days in Brisbane and Melbourne, and two days in Sydney. For the first time ever, Mould is also headed to Hobart in October, if you feel like a cheese-eating trip to the Apple Isle this spring (with exact festival dates still to be announced). Alongside unlimited tastings of Australia's best cheeses, Mould will also feature flavoursome fare from cheese specialists that've been created just for the fest, too. Think of it as a cheese tasting trip around Australia without leaving the city. Of course, snacking on samples and purchasing slices and slabs to take home with you are just two ways to enjoy cheese. The fest will have cooking demonstrations, masterclasses and talks so you can stretch your cheese knowledge as well as your cheese stomach. And it wouldn't be a cheese festival without beverages to wash it all down with, so expect a bar serving Aussie wines, whisky, vodka, gin, beer, cider, cocktails and sake — all of which match nicely to a bit of cheese. Unsurprisingly, Mould is rather popular. Last year, attendees tucked into a one million samples across the fest's three cities, and also took home over 3.5 tonnes of Aussie dairy products. So, if this the kind of event that your cheese dreams are made of, you'll want to nab a $45 ticket ASAP. MOULD — A CHEESE FESTIVAL 2022 DATES: July 1–3 — John Reed Pavilion, Brisbane Showgrounds, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills July 22–24 — The Timber Yard, 351 Plummer Street, Port Melbourne August 12–12 — Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh October TBC — Hobart TBC Mould — A Cheese Festival tours Australia from July. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the event's website.
A visit to Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art until Monday, October 7, 2024 means peering at Beyoncé-, Björk- and Cate Blanchett-approved haute couture, all thanks to the venue's spectacular Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses exhibition. A range of the Dutch fashion designer's stunning pieces are on display — works that could only hail from a truly unique figure in an industry where genuinely earning that label is all too rare. Whichever day of the week that you head by, the results are dazzling. Go along on a Friday night, however, and you'll also be in for a party. Sashaying through GOMA's exhibitions usually means not only scoping out its pieces while the sun is shining, but getting a couple of chances to hit up the gallery after dark — and for this showcase, that's the case every Friday night until Friday, October 4. Entry runs from 5.30–8.30pm, with DJs spinning tunes and drop-in drawing classes on offer during the extended opening hours. In the River Room, the GOMA Bar is pouring drinks and serving up bites, with the menu spanning green apple and ginger old fashioneds, strawberry Aperol spritzes, a small list of wine options, beers from Aether and Felons, cheese-filled and panko-crumbed olives, black truffle chips, a choice of antipasto or cheese plates, and more. If you're keen to take some stylish wares home with you, the foyer shop is also up and running during GOMA Friday Nights, complete with a number of exclusive Iris van Herpen belts and scarves to purchase. You can catch free films, too, courtesy of the Transcendence: A Cinema of Awe program that features The Boy and the Heron and Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), among other highlights. Images: Installation view of 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses' Photograph: C Callistemon and J Ruckli © QAGOMA.
After the work-week marathon, holing up at home all weekend can be mighty tempting. Still, while technology has gifted us with the amazing ability to get both food and entertainment without changing out of our PJs, you might still feel like fresh air and socialising. So, on the first Sunday of each month — including on Sunday, November 5 — swap the hermit life for an outside hangout. The Sound Society is an initiative that fills Roma Street Parklands with music on the regular, with live tunes echoing through different parts of the inner city spot depending on the day and date. This time around, if a slow Sunday lunchtime with a soundtrack is your style, this is the place to head — picnic blanket in hand. [caption id="attachment_793757" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane City Flickr[/caption] Head along from 11am–2pm for tunes by various musicians, with Brother Fox doing the honours in March on the Banyan Lawn. Food trucks will also be onsite, including Gelato a Go-Go and Catch and Kiss. Also, The Garden Room Cafe does picnic hampers — or you can BYO snacks if you prefer. Updated November 3.
There’s something enticing about a Hollywood passion piece. Moneyball took Brad Pitt four years to get off the ground, The Avengers didn’t enter production until seven years after it was announced and Christopher Nolan spent the better part of a decade trying to nail down his script for Inception. For Warner Bros, it was way back in 2001 when they first acquired the rights to a Three Stooges film and attached brothers Peter and Bobby Farrelly to direct. But then came the inevitable delays, prolonged writers’ strikes and ongoing casting dilemmas (Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jim Carey were all at one time set to play the trio before each withdrew for separate reasons) – not to mention that no one was really clamouring for a Stooges film to be made in the first place. Finally, though, filming began in May of last year and the result has just hit our screens; or rather - punched, jabbed, boinked, slammed, slapped, spanked and slugged our screens. The old Stooges brand of comedy was the epitome of slapstick and the Farrelly brothers have boldly stayed true to its form in this offering. Larry, Curly and Moe bash each other with the frequency, wantonness and utter inconsequence of a WWE match, using anything from a salmon to a chainsaw to land their blows. Sometimes it’s funny; usually it’s not, and therein lies the problem of basing an entire movie around a single (and in many ways out-dated) style of entertainment. This is definitely a movie for the old Stooges fans; an homage that’s impressive in its recreation but unlikely to attract many new enthusiasts to the cause. Sean Hayes (Jack from Will and Grace) plays Larry in an almost unrecognisable performance – completely transforming himself via the iconic ‘shaved up top / uncontrollably curly out the sides’ haircut. Will Sasso, meanwhile, tackles the hardest of the three roles with his version of Curly: the high-pitched, hot-headed and dog-barking barrel of a man used by the others as anything from a trampoline to a battering ram. Then finally there’s Chris Diamantopoulos as Moe: the interminably surly ringleader with the bowl haircut and Brooklyn inflection. Together they bust out every “soytenly”, “why I oughta” and “nyuk nyuk nyuk” you’d expect from a Stooges film with remarkable fidelity to their predecessors’ accents and expressions. Plot was rarely the focus of the two hundred or so original Stooges shorts and it doesn’t factor a whole lot here, either. When the boys’ orphanage runs into financial trouble, they head out into the world to try to raise the necessary $830,000 themselves, one hair-brained scheme after the next. Femme fatale Lydia (Sofia Vergara) spies an opportunity to capitalise on their naivety by recruiting them to murder her husband, while the producers of Jersey Shore see a chance to cash in on their eccentricities by throwing one of them into ‘the house’. It’s one of those films where the writers threw a gag into every line based on the idea that if you swing at every pitch, you’ll eventually hit a few out of the park. Others might call it a war of attrition. Either way, while The Three Stooges may not set the world on fire, it also never stops trying to win you over. What’s more, when it does land a joke it’s so harmless and well intentioned that you can’t help but laugh from that wonderful, wholesome part of your belly where dad-jokes normally reside.
Asked why he broke into Oslo's Gallery Nobel in 2015 and stole two large oil paintings in broad daylight, Karl-Bertil Nordland gives perhaps the most honest answer anyone could: "because they were beautiful". He isn't responding to the police or providing an excuse during his court appearance, but speaking to Czech artist Barbora Kysilkova, who wanted answers about the theft of her work. Captured on camera, the pilfering of Kysilkova's Swan Song and Chloe & Emma initially appeared to be a professional job. As the two pieces were removed from their frames in such an exacting manner, it was presumed that experts were behind the crime. But Nordland and his accomplice didn't plan their brazen heist, or have a background in purloining art. Thanks to the effect of illicit substances, Nordland can't even remember much about it, let alone recall what happened to the stolen works that Kysilkova desperately wants back. That said, as the thief tells the painter when she first talks with him, he does know that he walked past Gallery Nobel often. He's aware that he saw her photorealistic pieces — the first of a dead swan lying in reeds, the second of two girls sat side by side on a couch — many times, too. And, he's candid about the fact that he marvelled at and was moved by the two canvases long before he absconded with them. As a result, he doesn't seem surprised that his life led him to that juncture, and to snatching Kysilkova's creations. A victim confronts a perpetrator: that's The Painter and the Thief's five-word summary, and it's 100-percent accurate. But such a brief description can't convey how fascinating, thoughtful, moving and astonishing this documentary is as it unfurls a tale so layered and wild that it can only be true — a story that stretches far beyond what anyone could feasibly anticipate of such an altercation and its aftermath, in fact. Nordland was arrested and charged for his crime, with Kysilkova initially making contact with him at his trial. From there, the skilled carpenter and heavily tattooed addict unexpectedly gained a friend in the woman whose works he took. Kysilkova first asked to paint Nordland as part of her attempts to understand him, and he then became her muse. As all relationships do, especially ones forged under such unusual circumstances, their connection evolved, adapted and changed from there. As Norwegian filmmaker Benjamin Ree (Magnus) pointed a camera in their direction for three years, the duo weathered their own ups, downs, twists and turns, as did their friendship. If Nordland's reply to Kysilkova feels disarmingly frank and unguarded, that's because it is. The same tone remains throughout The Painter and the Thief's entire duration. Absent the usual tropes and stylistic markers that true-crime documentaries are known for, the film eschews the standard mix of talking heads, re-enactments and explanatory narration in favour of truly observing and stepping inside its subjects' unique bond. Demonstrating an abundance of empathy that's as haunting as Kysilkova's striking pieces, Ree also gravitates to moments as equally sincere and direct as Nordland's initial admission. To see the latter's response to Kysilkova's first painting of him — physically cycling through shock, amazement, wonder and gratitude, and starting with his eyes wide in bewilderment before being overwhelmed with emotion to the point of sobbing — is to witness the most intimate and complicated of reactions. It's to no one's surprise that Ree lets his movie linger here, and lets his viewers soak in the full breadth and depth of Nordland's reckoning with who he is, how he has long felt about himself, what it means to him to be immortalised in an object of beauty and how it feels to be truly be seen by someone else. When it comes to its titular figures, The Painter and the Thief's focus doesn't just flow in one direction. Kysilkova helps piece together Nordland's story, including voicing a montage of photos and clips that takes a snapshot of his life from his childhood onwards; however, she's just as much of a subject of Ree's film as he is. Indeed, when it's time to expand upon her own tale, Nordland returns the favour by recounting what he knows about his friend in the same fashion. Both have experienced tumultuous histories. Neither's path from their first meeting is straightforward, either. Nordland is involved in an accident that leaves him hospitalised. Kysilkova struggles with her finances, and with her partner Øystein's worries about her new connection. Flitting back and forth between the two — but always leaving an extra impression whenever they're together — The Painter and the Thief offers a level of detail that also matches Kysilkova's paintings, all while charting the intersection of two unlikely kindred spirits. When this affecting and sensitive documentary premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in early 2020, it won a special jury award for creative storytelling — and the intuitive way in which Ree weaves together Kysilkova and Nordland's stories is worthy of the recognition. The gentle tone, the willingness to let things unravel as they will, the care and attention shown in all directions, the utter lack of sensationalism: they're all instrumental in shaping an extraordinary film. So too is the blend of raw yet gorgeously observed imagery by Ree and fellow cinematographer Kristoffer Kumar (Arctic Superstar), the delicate and patient editing by Robert Stengård (Rebels), and the engaging score from Uno Helmersson (Bobbi Jene). An intricate and unflinching insight into kindness and compassion in even the strangest of circumstances needs all of the above, as does a considerate and ruminative exploration of trauma, redemption, addiction, art, power and friendship. The Painter and the Thief is exactly that film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yJ4r7ON974
When it comes to all things gaming, Brisbane has been levelling up over the past few months. First came Netherworld, the city's first arcade game bar. Then Super Combo arrived with its Street Fighter-themed burgers. Come April 22, add 1UP Arcade's retro-style freeplay gaming to the mix. Setting up shop in a yet-to-be-disclosed Lytton Road, Morningside location, 1UP has more than just pumping coins into machines in mind. In fact, the 80-machine joint wants you to mash buttons on usual suspects such as Street Fighter and NBA Jam and rarer finds like Garou: Mark of the Wolves without needing to reach for your wallet. Here, patrons will pay a flat entry fee or opt for a membership, and then play to their heart's content. If you've been having Timezone lock-in withdrawals, you'd best start stretching your fingers now because you'll be in your element. "We want to attract players of all ages and skill levels, and that means removing all roadblocks to enjoyment," says owner and founder Stephen Holmes. "Usually you have to feed a machine dollar after dollar to get enough playtime to improve — but not at 1UP." Yes, gaming is firmly in the spotlight — and, in a departure from the current trend, drinking and eating at the same venue isn't. 1UP proudly stands alone as dedicated arcade, rather than falling within a bar or cafe. Staying true not only to a retro vibe but also old-school parts is also on the agenda, with Holmes focusing on authenticity among the close to 60 machines he's already confirmed. Prepare to stare at arcade-standard CRT monitors in original cabinets for hours on end, with anything needing a bit of love being rebuilt from original bits and pieces. Game on. Find 1UP Arcade in a yet-to-be-disclosed location on Lytton Road, Morningside from April 22. For more information, keep an eye on their website.
After bringing hobbits, dwarves and walking trees to life in The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, New Zealand's Weta Workshop has their sights set on something smaller for their next project: bugs. Forget sending creepy crawlies scurrying across cinema screens, however. A creative collaboration between the five-time Academy Award-winning special effects wizards and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, Bug Lab: Little Bugs, Super Powers will be scampering through the Melbourne Museum. With its Australian premiere season due to infest the Nicholson Street institution between 23 June and 15 October, the immersive exhibition gives little critters a big stage — and a boost in size as well. Visitors can get up close and personal via ultra-detailed large-scale models that look like a cross between colourful bug art and everyone's giant bug nightmares, with six particular specimens in the spotlight: the orchid mantis, bombardier beetle, jewel wasp, dragonfly, Japanese honeybees and katipō, aka New Zealand's most dangerous native spider. If you're easily spooked by insects, you might want to stop reading. Or, perhaps going along and getting a bug's-eye view of the world will help? Physical and digital adaptive stations will allow attendees to explore bugs' abilities in detail, test their own against them, and probably inspire a few folks to pretend to be Spider-Man. Elsewhere, bug chambers will showcase their adaptive skills, delving into camouflage, mind control, super speed, swarm intelligence and deadly venom. A section dedicated to the ways in which the creatures in question are influencing new technologies — think fly-like collision-tolerant drones, nanotechnology based on butterfly wings and 3D printed objects created from silk — will also be included, in what promises to be much, much more interesting than any bug-related science lessons you took at school. And if you just can't get enough, the attached IMAX theatre will be screening Bugs: Mighty Micro Monsters 3D during the exhibition's run. Bug Lab: Little Bugs, Super Powers comes to the Melbourne Museum from 23 June and 15 October, 2017. For more information or to buy tickets, head to their website.
Already home to Vietnamese food hall Fat Noodle and upmarket steakhouse Black Hide by Gambaro, the Treasury Brisbane is expanding its food range — with potstickers, dim sum, barbecued meats and other Cantonese-style food. When mid-March rolls around, the Brisbane CBD spot will welcome Mei Wei Dumplings, with the new hawker-style eatery setting up shop on the basement level. Head underground from Thursday, March 12 to eat your way through plenty of Mei Wei's titular dish — at the chain's second location, with its first restaurant already a favourite at The Star Gold Coast. Whether you like your dumplings fried or steamed, you'll find a variety of flavours on offer. Although Mei Wei hasn't unveiled its Brisbane menu as yet, its existing store serves up prawn dumplings, vegetable dumplings, three varieties of potstickers (beef, chicken and pork) and the trusty combination that is pork and prawn as well. Also on the lineup: char siu pork, crispy pork belly and crispy duck, as part of an extended Brisbane-only menu filled with new signature dishes. Mei Wei's Gold Coast site also serves up a range of wok-cooked options, including sichuan prawns, kung pao chicken and beef with chilli bean sauce, so you can expect them to make the jump to Brissie as well. Plus, it boasts a separate congee menu, with the rice porridge coming topped with the likes of pork and preserved egg, seafood, or chicken and mushroom. Design-wise, Mei Wei's Brisbane eatery will feature elements of Chinese design while also taking into consideration the Treasury's 134-year history. If you're already thinking about gathering the gang for dumplings next time you're in the vicinity of the casino, Mei Wei will also feature a 14-person private dining room. And, patrons can enter via a separate George Street entrance, rather than through the Treasury. Find Mei Wei Dumplings at Treasury Brisbane, corner of Queen and George streets, Brisbane from Thursday, March 12.
Newstead residents looking for nutritious dining options, your suburb is about to get a whole lot healthier. Of course, anyone keen on grabbing their groceries from a wholefood market, eating wholesome cafe meals and learning to cook dishes that are delicious and good for you can get in on this hype too. Regardless of where you live, new food hub About a Boy and a Girl will be worth heading to the inner-city outskirts to visit. Taking over a massive 430 square-metre space on Proe Street, the new venture from former Fundies Wholefood Market nutritionist Jodi Lanchester and wine-buyer partner Stephen Hazlett aims to nourish and educate. Oh, and provide a spot to pick up organic plonk and natural skin care products as well. Yep, it's a one-stop healthy-eating and -living shop, with its classes on topics such as on fermentation and gluten-free cooking certain to be a drawcard. When you're not cooking up a storm or selecting something to take home with you, you can snack on something tasty in-store — even if food allergies usually make dining out tricky. Now that should get you rushing through the door. Find About A Boy & A Girl at 18 Proe Street, Newstead from mid-September. Check out their Facebook page for further updates.
It's been a while in the making but planning for the 'adult Triple J' is now well underway, with Myf Warhurst at the helm. After taking control of digital music channel Dig in October last year, Triple J today announced that the over-30s station will be rebranded as Double J and officially launched on April 30 with Warhurst as regular presenter. The new station name is a throwback to Triple J's early days as Double J — a time when listeners were introduced to The Ramones and Joy Division and the station became a landmark in Australia's music history. Now, Double J will focus on the nostalgia of the '80s and '90s "celebrating the iconic music you grew up with" (N.B. This means a lot of Nick Cave, Nirvana and INXS), while adding in some palatable new sounds. "We have wanted to build a station like this for a number of years and now, with your help, we are really proud to deliver Double J," says Triple J manager Chris Scaddan. "While it won’t be a throwback to the music of the original Double J, it will be a station that takes the best elements of triple j’s past - a name, a presenter and the incredible archives, thrown headlong into the future with the best new sounds around." The reaction on Twitter has been positive with a touch of needling. — Callum Wilson (@Cal___) April 8, 2014 HEY! Gen X (old people) stop listening to @triplej its sad & you're making it uncool.We made you another thing over here #DoubleJ #TripleJ — Michael Davis (@MikeyMikeD) April 8, 2014 Regardless, the move is a necessary step to satisfy those who have felt disconnected from the national youth broadcaster of late. Alongside the usual complaints — "The Doctor sucks"; "Dubstep sucks"; "I hate hipster music and banjos" — Triple J has courted some controversy in the past few months about the homogenisation of their playlists. Faced with the familiar, high-rotation airplay of young indie acts like San Cisco, upcoming bands and old favourites alike have been reportedly feeling pressure to conform to a specific sound. Double J will hopefully help to quell this unrest and provide a bit of diversity to the listening landscape. "One of the best things any of us working in the media can do is to deliver something that audiences genuinely want," says ABC director of radio Kate Dundas. "We recognise people want to stay connected to music and discover new artists as they go through life — that’s the simple aim of Double J." Double J will launch at midday on Wednesday, April 30, with a live broadcast from Warhurst. The former Spicks and Specks favourite will present a daily show from 11am–3pm weekdays. The full list of programs and presenters will be revealed on air and you can listen in via the ABC radio app, online at www.doublej.net.au, or on your digital radio or TV.
When you're wandering through the Canadian Rockies, you're probably thinking about many things. The sheer size of the mountains around you, for one. The cold, depending on the time of year you visit. And perhaps spotting a mythical creature, depending on your thoughts on Bigfoot. The folks behind Chermside's newest bar and eatery might've been pondering all that, but they were contemplating something else as well. Inspired by the splendour around them — and the food and drink that they enjoyed along the way — they decided to bring a slice of Saskatchewan back to Brisbane. That's where Sasquatch was born — and like its namesake, you'll find it hiding in plain sight (just down the road from Chermside shopping centre, in this case). The presence of plenty of timber fixtures and furniture evokes thoughts of the titular creature's natural habitat, but this craft beer and charcoal grill bar really is all about its menu. Whether you're keen on a breakfast coffee and sweet treat, something more exciting than a sandwich for lunch, an after-work beverage or a share plate for dinner, Sasquatch has you covered. Food-wise, expect something special no matter what time of day it is — that is, jaffles first-up, sticky pork belly and miso glazed barramundi hero subs come noon, and grilled hunks of meat, whole chickens and fillets of fish with waffle fries and other sides to finish up. Alas, you won't find the Canadian staple that is poutine on the menu yet, but keep your eyes peeled for a future addition. To wash it all down, patrons can choose between a rotating selection of craft brews — including 20 bottled and eight on tap — plus wine, spirits and Cleanskin Coffee Co.'s signature blend. Sasquatch is now open at 763 Gympie Road, Chermside. For more information, check out their Facebook page.
Mid-April 2018 was a great period for Beyoncé fans, with the superstar singer taking to the Coachella stage and making it her own across two huge sets. Bey isn't playing the festival in 2019, but she's still staking a claim on this part of the year. After simultaneously releasing a Netflix documentary about the epic show and a 40-track live album just this week, it looks like more Beyoncé specials are heading to the streaming platform. As part of the deal for Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé, Netflix signed on for three Beyoncé projects, according to Variety. Just what the other two will be and when they'll land is yet to be revealed; however the streamer has been growing its music library in recent years — it also has concert and music docos about Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake and Quincy Jones in its catalogue. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB8qvx0HOlI For now, Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé remains the concert documentary you definitely knew you needed, but didn't know existed until recently Picking up where the most-watched live-streamed performance of all time, the film follows all of the on-stage and behind-the-scenes action, including the 100-plus dancers, the show's powerful homage to America's historically black colleges and universities, and "the emotional road from creative concept to cultural movement". Like the real-life performance, the film clocks in at 137 minutes, so expect a lengthy and intimate tour through the festival set everyone has been talking about for 12 months, including behind-the-scenes footage and candid chats that delve into the preparation process and Bey's stunning vision. You know what else is lengthy? The 40-track live album Bey also dropped on Spotify. As well as live renditions of 'Sorry', 'Crazy in Love' and 'Soldier' — the latter which was performed with former Destiny's Child group mates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams — from Coachella, the album, also called Homecoming, features a song by Blue Ivy (Bey's daughter) and two bonus tracks. It's also doubly exciting that the album is available on the easier-to-access Spotify, as Bey dropped her most-recent album Lemonade exclusively on Tidal, her husband Jay-Z's streaming service. Head to Netflix to watch Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé and listen to the album below: Images: Courtesy of Parkwood Entertainment
No matter what he's singing, or whether he's crooning tunes as Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane or The Thin White Duke, David Bowie has always been a talent like no other. That isn't just confined to his time behind the microphone, though. On-screen just like onstage, Bowie has always been inimitable, unique and iconic — and he has the filmography to show it. Only two years back, a fantastic new documentary arrived about that very fact, actually — and Brett Morgen's Moonage Daydream is indeed part of the Gallery of Modern Art's new The Cracked Actor: Bowie on Screen film season. But that's just one of the program's delights, alongside a wide array of blasts from the legend's past that deserve to be seen on a big screen (with some showing on rare 35mm prints). From Saturday, August 17–Saturday, October 5, playing each Saturday and on most Wednesday evenings, Brisbanites can discover why Bowie couldn't have been better cast in The Man Who Fell to Earth (the movie, not the recent TV series sequel). And, you can dance, magic dance along with Labyrinth, aka the 80s gem to end all 80s gems, plus one of the most wonderful things that Jim Henson has ever made. Also on the bill: Bowie sinking his teeth into vampire territory in 1983's The Hunger, playing a centuries-old bloodsucker with effortless cool; Bowie heading to World War II with Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence; Bowie teaming up with Martin Scorsese for The Last Temptation of Christ; and Bowie entering a place both wonderful and strange in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. The program takes its name from 1975's documentary Cracked Actor, but features everything from The Prestige and Basquiat to Absolute Beginners and The Linguini Incident as well. Catch short film The Image and you'll see Bowie's first-ever on-screen role. And for a killer double feature, Moonage Daydream is followed by concert film Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars on Saturday, August 31.
After the pandemic forced the music festival industry into two years of uncertainty, cancellations and postponements, one mainstay of the scene is definitely making the most of 2022. Port Macquarie's longstanding boutique music gathering Festival of the Sun (FOTSUN) has already returned for one edition in 2022, and it's backing that up with a second before the year is out — and the lineup for its second iteration within 12 months is full of local favourites. Usually popping up at the end of the year, FOTSUN jumped at the first opportunity it had to return to the Port Macquarie foreshore, hosting a two-day festival back in May. Not content with its one-off autumn edition, it will now be popping back up at the Port Macquarie Breakwall Holiday Park for three days between Thursday, December 8–Saturday, December 10. Round two's lineup is a genuine party starter, with the majority program based around vibrant pop acts and sunny indie rock bands. Leading the way are Canberra duo and KFC tastemakers Peking Duk, with Vera Blue, Cosmo's Midnight, Confidence Man and Alex the Astronaut joining them at the top of the bill. [caption id="attachment_636238" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Confidence Man at BIGSOUND 2017 by Bec Taylor.[/caption] Further down the lineup, you'll find a who's who of up-and-coming rock bands — namely Pacific Avenue, The Terrys, The Dreggs, Eliza & the Delusionals, Stumps and Teenage Dads. Also on the lineup: Benson, Nyxen, Felivan, Rum Jungle and Good Lekker. Plus, there will be a rare appearance from fast-rising pop singer-songwriter ASTON who has helped pen hit songs for K-pop group aespa, as well as Jessica Mauboy, Ricki-Lee and FOTSUN lineup mates Cosmo's Midnight. Festival of the Sun does things a little different to most other festivals in Australia. Not only is it BYO — meaning that you can bring in your favourite craft brews and you won't be stuck forking out the exuberant prices most festivals charge for alcohol — but it's also located in a beachside caravan park. Thanks to the latter, hot showers, mid-festival ocean swims and even cabin stays are all on the cards as well. Here's the lineup: FESTIVAL OF THE SUN DECEMBER 2022 LINEUP Peking Duk Vera Blue Cosmo's Midnight Confidence Man Alex the Astronaut Pacific Avenue The Terrys The Dreggs Eliza & The Delusionals Stumps Benson Nyxen Felivand Teenage Dads Rum Jungle South Summit Caroline & Claude Full Flower Moon Band Good Lekker ASTON Holiday Scuffs Mild West The Colliflowers Mikk Psychoda Festival of the Sun will return to the Port Macquarie Breakwall Holiday Park from Thursday, December 8–Saturday, December 10. Tickets are on sale now.
You’d be hard pressed rivalling a Friday night event that fuses fashion, music, drinks and helping people. That’s why this year’s TIME Charity Fashion Show will no doubt have every Brisbane fashionista, muso, alcoholic and good Samaritan lining at the doors of The Zoo for a night tailored to any taste. After six successful years of Charity Fashion Shows, this year the team at TIME (Towards International Medical Equality) present a display of design talent bigger and bustier than ever – swimwear and lingerie making a strong appearance on this year's catwalk. The show branches beyond fashion too, with Sleepy Circus, headed by Brisbane synth-angel Kurt Sines, taking the stage to treat audiences to a dash of dreamy pop. Best of all, while the show will profile Brisbane's most eclectic designers with a tasty band to match, proceeds will go to purchasing essential medical equipment and supplies for struggling medical centres in developing countries around the world. Admire some fine wears, have a groove and give a little at this year's TIME Charity Fashion Show. Check out Sleepy Circus' 'Glasshouse'
Since first opening its doors back in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has played host to a wealth of performances, spanning far further in genre than just the art form that gives the venue its name. But it was only during Vivid Live 2016 that the iconic locale serenaded visitors into an evening-long slumber, all as part of Max Richter's live recital of his eight-and-a-half hour work Sleep. Across 31 tracks comprised of 204 movements, the German-born British composer's concept album unfurls music based on the neuroscience of getting some shuteye. In its intonation, the ambitious yet soothing piece favours the range that can be heard in the womb for much of its duration. When performed for an audience, it is played overnight, with beds set up — and doing as the work's title suggests is highly encouraged. Attendees recline, listen and let Richter's blend of strings, synthesisers and soprano vocals lull them into the land of nod. If they'd prefer to stay awake, that's fine as well, but soaking in Sleep's ambient sounds while you're snatching 40 winks is all very much part of the experience. In its live version, Sleep has echoed through spaces in London, Berlin and Paris, too; however, it's the first openair performance in Los Angeles' Grand Park in 2018 that takes pride of place in the documentary Max Richter's Sleep. A filmmaker was always bound to be so fascinated with the concept that they'd turn their lens Richter's way, and that director is Natalie Johns (an Emmy nominee for Annie Lennox: Nostalgia Live in Concert), who endeavours to capture the experience for those who haven't had the pleasure themselves. The resulting film doesn't run for more than eight hours, or anywhere close — but those watching and listening will quickly wish that it did. As a feature, Max Richter's Sleep isn't designed to advertise its namesake. Rather, it documents, explores and tries to understand it. Still, the movie so easily draws viewers into the music, and so deeply, that making its audience want to snooze in public while Richter and his band plays is a guaranteed side effect. In its observational footage, Max Richter's Sleep wanders and peers as Angelenos arrive, settle in, turn their attention to the stage, get comfortable and drift off. It keeps gazing their way as they slumber, as Richter and his fellow musicians keep playing, and, later, as a change in pitch in the music and the dawning sunrise both eventually herald the morning. Johns and editors Michael Carter (Dayveon), Matt Cronin (the Arctic Monkeys' 'Four Out of Five' video) and Dom Whitworth (Lily Allen and Friends) weave in footage from other concerts, too, including Sydney. The film also flits between interviews with Richter and Yulia Mahr, his partner and an artist and filmmaker, plus other collaborators. And, it speaks to ordinary folks who've signed up for a night of music — some knowing exactly what they were in for, others not quite as aware — and been moved by the experience, As a concert film, Max Richter's Sleep is entrancing; again, viewers won't want those segments of the documentary to end. And if the feature had simply played the Los Angeles concert in its entirety, or as an abridged glimpse, it would've conveyed many of its points without further explanation. So much of the music's power — and the live performance's as well — is evident without words. An eight-plus-hour album that's engineered to be listened to in a sleeping state is a clear anomaly in popular culture, and in our non-stop world. Every artwork demands an investment of time, whether it's a song that plays for just a few minutes, a movie with a two-hour duration or a painting that requires more than a moment to soak in its beauty, but when something takes up a third of one's day, it forces a shift in engagement. Mindfulness, meditation, slowing down, switching off — all of these words and phrases apply to Sleep, both as a record and as a gig, and that always comes through in Max Richter's Sleep's concert footage. When Richter speaks about Sleep, he mirrors these aforementioned ideas, and stresses how much he wants his listeners to disengage from the regular hustle and bustle while they're taking in his music. First released in early September 2015 and initially played live later that month, the album was obviously ahead of its time. The documentary is too, after premiering in November 2019, then playing Sundance in January 2020. Viewed now in the middle of a pandemic, it feels like a calming balm for the soul — as it was clearly always supposed to, even long before the world dissolved into its current status quo. The interviews in Max Richter's Sleep aren't superfluous, of course, and neither are the film's dives into Mahr's Super 8mm-filled personal archive. Hearing not only about the immense amount of work that went into Sleep, but the ways in which Richter had to alter his own thinking to even compose it, ensures that viewers appreciate the magnum opus for its artistry and effort, and not just its effect and prescience. The tales that flesh out these chats, including Richter and Mahr's frank admissions about struggling to make a living as artists, and to afford to raise their family, help put the massive quest to bring Sleep to fruition into context. Also known for scoring films and television shows, Richter has everything from Waltz with Bashir, Perfect Sense, Lore and Wadjda to The Leftovers, an episode of Black Mirror, Mary, Queen of Scots and Ad Astra on his resume, but Sleep is undeniably a labour of love. This tranquil cinematic examination of his lengthy lullaby makes that plain, and plunges its audience into the album's dreamlike state. The ethereal and insightful movie's soundtrack is a highlight as well, naturally. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb9PBr7Qhec Top image: Stefan Hoederath.
In 2014, the ultimate celebration of French cinema in Australia will mark its silver anniversary with one of its most impressive programs yet. Lighting up Palace Cinema locations around the country, the 25th annual Alliance Française French Film Festival has film-faring Francophiles covered, with light hearted comedies to searing dramas, as well as hat-tips to two of France's most legendary filmmakers. The festivities kick off on opening night with a screening of Nils Tavernier's inspiring sports drama The Finishers followed by a post-film cocktail party. Other big tickets include the bloody Palm d'Or nominated epic Michael Kohlhaal, Bruno Dumont's lauded biopic Camille Claudel 1915 and the Monaco-set espionage thriller Möbius starring The Artist's Jean Dujardin. Lighter options can be found in the festival's romance and comedy streams. Stylish indie ensemble 2 Autumns, 3 Winters has garnered plenty of positive buzz internationally, while Bright Days Ahead offers something for the older crowd, recounting the tale of a newly retired senior who strikes up an affair with a much younger man. Patrons can also preview the works of France's future filmmaking elite, with a program of short films from renowned Parisian film academy La Fémis. At the other end of the spectrum, fans of the classics might enjoy a retrospective of the works of new-wave pioneer François Truffaut, including his medium-shifting masterworks Jules and Jim and The 400 Blows. Closing night serves up another iconic slice of French cinema, in the form of Jacques Tati's wonderful 1958 comedy Mon Oncle. For the full Alliance Française French Film Festival program, visit www.affrenchfilmfestival.org. We have six double passes to give away to the Alliance Française French Film Festival in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Anyone can drink a lager, pilsner or pale ale. Not everyone can knock back a stout or porter. And while the former are available everywhere, you won't find a celebration of the latter just anywhere. That's why Milton's favourite dive bar started the Weekend of Darkness. Since 2013, the Scratch has dedicated a couple of days year to showing their love for brews on the blacker end of the beer spectrum — and offering a home for those who feel the same way, of course. If it's yeasty, liquid and overflowing with smoky, coffee, chocolate, spiced and even bourbon flavours, you'll find it here. You'll also find snacks, offbeat vibes and strange happenings galore. This year's sixth dalliance with the dark side runs from Friday, July 27 to Sunday, July 29, with five sessions of dark-coloured drinks on offer for another year. Expect a hefty beer lineup, as well as some hearty grub to go with it courtesy of the Hellmouth Diner. Expect everything, be it food, booze or atmosphere, to warm up your insides too. There's a reason this takes place in winter, after all.
Controversial, uncompromising, riveting. “The Economist” is the first play written as a response to the massacre that took place on Utoya Island, Norway. Inspired by Anders Breivik’s journal, this disturbing and entertaining play portrays the worst depths of the human psyche. Andrew has been having nightmares. He’s been doing everything he can to stop them. World of Warcraft. Neo-fascism. Plastic surgery. When the girls next door starts coming around, it seems like maybe they’ll stop. But then again... “Disarmingly imaginative... superbly acted” – The Australian. Adapted for the stage by playwright Tobias Manderson-Galvin of Melbourne’s MKA: Theatre of New Writing. There are a range of group discounts available to patrons, including those who see three or more plays.
Located within W Brisbane, Living Room Bar is home one of Brisbane's most-reliable events. If you like high tea, you'll always find one on the menu here when the weekend rolls around. If you're fond of theming your bites, too, you'll be pleased to know that this venue shares that affection, including when Easter arrives. In 2025, the bar's Golden Glow High Tea is putting on an Easter edition for three weekends only, running Friday–Sunday for sittings between 11am–3pm across Friday, April 11–Sunday, April 27. Whichever date suits your diary, expect a range of sweet and savoury dishes — and yes, Easter eggs are among them. Those orbs come in a vanilla, cherry and hazelnut combination, and pair well with hot cross scones, champagne sencha honey and passionfruit tarts, and the mango and coconut slice. Also on offer: Easter parfait to share, yoghurt and guava profiteroles, pulled chicken pinwheels with chipotle mayonnaise, green olive crumble bruschetta, tartlets with salmon and avruga caviar, and more. Your price options vary, with $79 covering the high tea, plus bottomless tea and barista coffee; $99 adding a Golden Glow martini; and $109 swapping that cocktail for Veuve Clicquot Champagne NV Brut. You can also just opt for a Golden Glow martini for $26 — it's made with Bacardi Gold rum, peach aperitif, vanilla and clarified oat milk.
No one likes cooking on Mondays — or Tuesdays for that matter. The working week has just begun, you're still wishing it was the weekend and your next batch of days off feels oh-so-far away. If you're eager to avoid your own kitchen, you happen to be in Brisbane's inner west, and you have an appetite for both vegan and Chinese food, then Paddington's King Tea has a solution — a $20 vegan banquet every Monday and Tuesday night. There is one caveat: you'll need to stop by between 5–7pm, because this is an early bird special. Afterwards, the deal is still available, but it'll cost you $25. Each week, the Sichuan-style restaurant will put together a selection of its favourite vegan dishes, you'll munch your way through them, and there'll be no meat — or fake meat, either — on the menu. Bookings are recommended, and this is a gather the gang-style of meal, with banquets designed for four or more people. If there's just a couple of you, King Tea can trim it down so you can still enjoy the special. Updated March 2.
Netflix's algorithm has clearly figured out one of the most obvious facts about humankind: we all really love dogs. With the streaming platform's latest documentary series, it's dedicating six episodes to different canines from around the globe — and the two-legged folks who care for, groom, dress and even fish with them. Of course, the barking balls of fluff are the real drawcards. Called Dogs, landing on Netflix on November 16 and just dropping its first "awwww"-inducing trailer today, the show follows puppers in Syria, Japan, Costa Rica, Italy and the US, each with their own stories to tell. One episode explores life in a dog sanctuary in the Costa Rican rainforest, another relays the tale of a Siberian Husky trapped in Syria after his owner was able to flee to German, and yet another jumps into Japan's love of cute pooches — dog strollers are a common sight on the streets of Tokyo, after all. The show is described by the streamer as "an inspirational journey exploring the remarkable, perhaps even magical qualities that have given these animals such a special place in all of our hearts", so it's clearly designed to tug at your heartstrings — but if you can't get enough when it comes to adorable canines, you won't be complaining. Given that Netflix announced earlier in the year that pets make the best binge partners, all based on a study that it commissioned, the show is hardly a surprising addition to its lineup. Dogs also boasts an impressive pedigree, with Academy Award-nominated documentarian Amy Berg (Deliver Us From Evil) both executive producing the series and directing two of its episodes. Other filmmakers involved include Life Animated's Roger Ross Williams, The Jinx's Richard Hankin, and Undefeated's T.J. Martin and Daniel Lindsay. Before the series hits your streaming queue next month, go barking mad for the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pLCmLgjiJ8 Dogs will be released globally on Netflix on November 16.
Nothing says 'I love you' like 3D-printed, artist-design chocolates, right? That's what Melbourne-born artist Ryan L Foote is banking on this holiday season. He's created a whole new meaning to Christmas chocolates by creating a range that digitises his otherwise classic chocolatier techniques. Chocolates by Ryan L Foote will launch with three 3D-printed collections — inspired by Australia, Hong Kong and the Asia Pacific (which includes singe origin chocolate grown in Vietnam, Indonesia, The Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Australia). The artist has spent the past two years living between Australia and Hong Kong, and his chocolates collections reflect this. In the Australian collection, there are flavours like avocado smash, white chocolate with wattleseed, lemon myrtle cream with macadamia nut, finger lime with hazelnut, and spicy chocolate with mountain pepperberry. The Hong Kong collection includes egg tart, buttery pineapple bun, red bean ganache, salted coconut, milk tea and even preserved three-year-old mandarin rind flavours. The chocolates' unusual contemporary design takes inspiration from architecture, Pacific geological formations and natural minerals — making these sweet treats standout from your average convenience store variety. Alongside the chocolates are 3D-printed porcelain cups and crystalline-glazed plates that have also been designed by Foote. You can pre-order for your loved ones at the Kickstarter campaign now, with orders shipping out for Christmas. Chocolate pledges range from $20 to $477, with gifts starting at a box of drinking chocolate and ending at a deluxe entertainment box that includes three boxes of chocolate, one box of drinking chocolate and two porcelain cups, plates and serving platters. You've got to really love your family to go for that one, though. Chocolates by Ryan L Foote are available to pre-order through Kickstarter campaign until November 18. After that, you'll be able to buy them from chocolatesbyrlf.com .
For loved ones that prefer their flowers edible, Gelato Messina is once again happy to oblige. It has created a new frozen floral creation, dubbed Feeling Thorny, a limited-edition gelato rose, which will be released exclusively for Valentine's Day this year. The glittering red rose is complex inside and out — in true Messina fashion. Petals are made from salted caramel chantilly, laced with strawberry compote and dulce de leche, and the rose is set atop a white chocolate-lined waffle cone filled with dulce de leche and earl grey gelato (and more strawberry compote for good measure). It's then placed in a 'flower pot' made from choc-hazelnut praline mousse and chocolate brownie crumble, sitting on an edible chocolate disk. Yes, it's as decadent as it sounds. To serve, the dessert needs to be removed from the freezer to the fridge ten minutes before you're ready to indulge, then cut down the middle (using a hot, sharp knife) to reveal the cross-sections of gelato inside. The treat can only be out of the freezer for 30 minutes, so plan accordingly. The rose will cost you $40 — likely less than a dozen (non-edible) V-day roses — with one rose serving two. Orders are only available for pickup on February 13 or 14 from noon–10pm and quantities are limited. Feeling Thorny is available at seven Sydney locations — Rosebery, Darlinghurst, Tramsheds, Bondi, Parramatta, Miranda and Penrith — as well as at South Brisbane, Melbourne's Fitzroy and Canberra's Braddon outposts.
If last week’s 7.30 report taught us anything it’s that blood transfusions in the animal world are bred on cruelty, murder and mass slaugher. Fortunately for humans, it’s quite the opposite. And even more fortunately for the sub-species of humans, young creatives, the term blood transfusion coincides with something far more enlightening at a cost that won’t bleed you dry. Blood Transfusion – a yearly initiative by the artistic pure breds of Young Bloods – is your upgrade from boring old O to the ritzier AB. In non-blood-analogical terms, it’s simply an opportunity to learn from some of Australia's brightest and most experienced creative minds. Creative director Jonathan Drapes, GPY&R’s Brendan Greaney and Liquid Animations’ Georgie Uppington are just a few names who will be making up this year's panel. As an added bonus one of few half-decent, full-brained My Kitchen Rules contenders – a credit in itself, Jack Harrison will be leading the panel. It won’t all be sit and listen though - in perfect white blood cell, red blood cell, platelet, plasma ratio there’s be presentation, mingling, food and drink. So if you’re looking to meet some of the brightest people in your field, or just don’t have any friends grab a ticket pronto!
You've gotta love a show that tells you what to exclaim whenever you're enjoying it, just received good news about it or simply can't stop thinking about it. For the past two years, The Great has been one such series — and "huzzah!" has been the word of choice. And, thankfully, it isn't time to stop bandying the term about just yet, with this satirical take on Russian history just getting renewed for a third season. Since it first premiered back in 2020, the concept has been all killer, no filler — following the rise and reign of Catherine the Great, including her marriage to and overthrowing of Emperor Peter III, with only the slightest regard for the actual facts. And while the series has always been supremely confident in its blend of handsome period staging, the loosest of historical realities and that savage sense of humour (it does spring from Oscar-nominated The Favourite screenwriter Tony McNamara, after all), it felt even more comfortable in its skin during its second season, which arrived late in 2021. Smoother, too, yet just as biting. In fact, The Great's ability to seesaw tonally is as sharp as a shot of vodka — or several — and you'll be able to enjoy it for ten more episodes whenever that third season hits. A release date hasn't been announced as yet, but you still now have more of Elle Fanning (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) as Catherine and Nicholas Hoult (Those Who Wish Me Dead) as Peter to look forward to. Given that the show's last batch of episodes saw Catherine waging war with Peter — via soldiers on the battlefield to begin with, and then in the royal court in the aftermath of her bloody coup — and also grappling with motherhood, The Great has spun quite the story already. Expect more devastatingly witty, entertaining and addictive dramas to follow, and for the series to keep living up to its name. Fanning and Hoult will be joined by returning co-stars Phoebe Fox (The Aeronauts), Adam Godley (Lodge 49), Gwilym Lee (Top End Wedding), Charity Wakefield (Bounty Hunters), Douglas Hodge (The Undoing), Sacha Dhawan (The Prince), Bayo Gbadamosi (War of the Worlds) and Belinda Bromilow (Doctor Doctor) when its third season hits, too, because this is a show with a phenomenally great cast. In case you haven't watched it yet, check out the trailer for The Great's second season below: The Great is available to stream in Australia via Stan and in New Zealand via Neon. The show's third season doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced.
At some point in most zombie movies, the ravenous undead stop rising from the grave, shuffling through the streets and craving the taste of human flesh. Alas, it seems the same just might be true for city-wide strolls filled with living, breathing people pretending that their pulse isn't beating — the Brisbane Zombie Walk might be coming to an end. Now, we say might because there's a little uncertainty about just what will happen with the blood-splattered walk next year. And while the prospect of this celebration of the undead dying out is sad news for a whole heap of reasons — it is the biggest zombie walk in the world, after all — its possible reanimation after being declared deceased couldn't be more fitting. In the lead up to the eleventh Brisbane Zombie Walk on October 23, organisers announced that this year will be the last due to a combination of rising costs and the fact that most participants take part in the trek for free. It's not cheap to pay to for things like shutting down parking meters on the route, closing roads and hiring Roma Street Parklands. And while attendees have had to buy a ticket for the market and music component of the day since 2012, actually joining the procession of the walking dead doesn't cost a thing. But then, after the news broke, Brisbane City Council reportedly agreed to waive the main fee — however the future of the walk still remains uncertain. Operations manager Mat Bryant told the Brisbane Times that a decision wouldn't be made until after Sunday's event, which is tipped to attract 20,000 Brisbanites doing their best not-quite-living impression. Moving to another council area is also under consideration, but, at the time of writing, the BZW Facebook page is still calling the forthcoming trek "the very last Brisbane Zombie Walk EVER". Basically, if there was ever a good reason to awaken from your not-actually-eternal slumber, head to Brissie's CBD and start muttering "braaaaaaaaaains" — and, honestly, who needs a good reason when that's something you can really do? — then this is it. Of course, the Brisbane Zombie Walk doesn't just give everyone an excuse to look ghoulish and have fun, but also raises funds for The Brain Foundation. Braaaaaaaaains indeed. Via Brisbane Times. Image: greyrose.
What will open with a Melbourne-set drama that won an Audience Award at Sundance for telling a Tehran-born, Australian-raised writer/director's autobiographical tale? What'll then pay tribute to Australian record executive and promoter Michael Gudinski in its centrepiece slot? And, what will feature everyone from Hugo Weaving to Michael Cera, a satire about a smartphone, and documentaries about vinyl cover art and the Australian Open, too? That'd be the 2023 Melbourne International Film Festival, with MIFF adding 20 more movies to its 2023 lineup. Cinephiles, get excited. MIFF announced opening night's Shayda as well as the world premiere of Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story back in May, but its program was only getting started. Given that the Victorian capital's annual cinema showcase spans almost a month including both its in-person and online runs — this year playing in cinemas in Melbourne from Thursday, August 3–Sunday, August 20; at regional Victorian locations from Friday, August 11–Sunday, August 13 and Friday, August 18–Sunday, August 20; and also bringing back online platform MIFF Play from Friday, August 18–Sunday, August 27 — the number of flicks on its yearly bill runs into the hundreds. So, even the just-revealed new 20 movies on its list is still only the beginning. Weaving (Love Me) will pop up in The Rooster, a thriller about a hermit and a cop who form a bond during a crisis, starring opposite Phoenix Raei (The Night Agent). Shot in regional Victoria, it's the feature directing debut of actor-turned-writer/director Mark Leonard Winter (Elvis), and it's also one of the MIFF Premiere Fund titles on the festival's 2023 program — aka homegrown movies that the fest has financially supported. Also in that camp this year: the aforementioned Shayda; The Slam, a standout for tennis aficionados from director Ili Baré (The Leadership); cine-poem Memory Film: A Filmmaker's Diary; and This Is Going to Be Big, about Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School in Bullengarook staging a John Farnham-themed musical. After appearing in Barbie in July, Cera will grace MIFF's screens in August in The Adults. Yes, he'll be awkward — of course he will be — this time as a thirtysomething heading home. That film sits within the festival's international contingent, which is overflowing with impressive names and titles. Indeed, MIFF will also screen the latest feature by acclaimed filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who won a Venice Special Jury Prize for No Bears. The Iranian great directs and stars, playing a fictionalised version of himself as he's fond of doing (see also: Tehran Taxi), and blending truth and fiction to examine how artists can too easily become scapegoats. After wowing audiences in Park City earlier this year, there's also Celine Song's debut feature Past Lives, telling a bittersweet romance about two childhood friends (Russian Doll's Greta Lee and Decision to Leave's Teo Yoo) who briefly reunite after decades apart. And, the lineup also includes Bad Behaviour, the feature directorial debut of actor-turned-filmmaker Alice Englert (You Won't Be Alone) starring Jennifer Connelly (Top Gun: Maverick); BlackBerry, which delves into the smartphone's rise and fall — and satirises it — with Jay Baruchel (FUBAR) and Glenn Howerton (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) among the cast; Passages, from Love Is Strange's Ira Sachs; environmentalist tale How to Blow Up a Pipeline; and the competitive hairdressing-focused Medusa Deluxe. Plus, fans of settling in for the long haul can also see four-and-a-half hour disappearance mind-bender Trenque Lauquen. MIFF will screen The Kingdom Exodus, Lars von Trier's latest followup to 1994's miniseries The Kingdom and its 1997 second season, too. Béla Tarr's 2000 drama Werckmeister Harmonies, a slow-cinema great, will also play the fest thanks to a new 4K restoration. Lovers of movies about music can add Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis), which hails from Control's Anton Corbijn and hones in on the titular photo-design company and its contribution to record cover art, to their MIFF schedule. Louder Than You Think is similarly part of the same program strand, with Gary Young from Pavement at its centre. Throw in documentaries The Disappearance of Shere Hite (about the 70s sexologist), The Echo (about rural Mexican life) and A Storm Foretold (about Roger Stone, adviser to Donald Trump), and MIFF 2023 is already off to a massive start for its 71st edition. As for what else is in store — including which movies will compete in the festival's Bright Horizons Competition, which launched in 2022 — that'll be unveiled on Tuesday, July 11. For now, MIFF Artistic Director Al Cossar is teasing "essential, incredible, unexpected cinema from the whole world before us, far beyond the streamers, far beyond the multiplex – hotly anticipated works by iconic filmmakers, alongside new and breakthrough voices waiting to be discovered". [caption id="attachment_904296" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Zan Wimberley[/caption] The 2023 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 3–Sunday, August 20 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 11–Sunday, August 13 and Friday, August 18–Sunday, August 20 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide with MIFF Play from Friday, August 18–Sunday, August 27. For further details, including the full program from Tuesday, July 11, visit the MIFF website.
