In Victoria, enjoying a meal at a restaurant run by chef Scott Pickett's hospitality group is always a good bet. Whether you're after a European bistro experience at Chancery Lane, modern Australian dishes at Estelle and Matilda, or Thai dishes at Longrain, Melbourne has an option. On the Mornington Peninsula, there's also the eateries at The Continental Sorrento. Smith St Bistrot is Pickett's French restaurant in Melbourne, too, but it isn't the only place that Gallic dishes will be on the menu under his watch in April. For one night only, he's heading to Brisbane to team up with Woolloongabba's C'est Bon. The date to mark in your diary: Wednesday, April 10. Keen to experience the Melbourne culinary figure's dishes without a trip south? This is your chance. There'll be sittings at 6pm and 8.30pm, with Pickett teaming up with C'est Bon's own Andy Ashby — after they initially collaborated at Pickett's The Point in Albert Park more than a decade go, where Ashby worked under Pickett — for C'est Bon and Beyond: A French Affair. Patrons will enjoy four snacks and four courses, with Pickett also bringing Scott Pickett Group Executive Chef Stu McVeigh to help. C'est Bon advises that the night "draws inspiration from the rich history of French gastronomy, with the menu paying homage to classic French techniques while incorporating innovative twists and locally sourced ingredients". On the snacks menu: oeuf mayonnaise caviar, parfait onion jam brioche, barbecue redclaw with basque piperade and mustard flowers, and smoked potato croissant with truffle. After that, the courses start with Moreton Bay bugs with sweetcorn, kelp and shellfish sauce — and then move on to Murray cod a la Grenobloise with roasted cauliflower and finger lime. Next, dry-aged quail and foie gras pithivier with rouge cherry and chicory will be on offer. Finally, the evening will go out with roasted chestnut 'Mont Blanc' with burnt vanilla crème. Consider it the meeting of two standout Gallic restaurants over one impressive evening. Expect $135 tickets to sell out quickly, too, when they go on sale on Wednesday, March 6. Pay extra and you'll get wine to match.
In Beats, one of the best movies you probably didn't see last year, two Scottish teenagers are desperate to attend their first rave. Even if you've done your fair share of dancing to electronic tunes, it was easy to understand how they felt in 2020. With Brisbane's event scene still finding its way back to normal, that feeling remains the same now. South Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art has a big-screen option, however, thanks to a nicely curated lineup of movies about rave culture. The free program is called Rave, too, and it's filled with bangers of the cinematic kind until March 10. As well as Beats, you can tap your toes along to Gaspar Noe's nightmarish Climax, 2000 classic Groove and the Ewan McGregor-starring 90s masterpiece Trainspotting. The sublime Paris-set Eden dives into the 90s scene that gave us Daft Punk, while documentary Raving Iran explores Tehran's underground techno scene — and the selection also includes the moving BPM (Beats Per Minute), plus docos Bring Down The Walls, If It Were Love, Everybody in The Place: An Incomplete History of Britain 1984-1992, Modulations: Cinema for the Ear and A Life in Waves. Films screen on Saturday afternoons from around midday (with times changing per session) and on Wednesday evenings from 6pm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l1T9xs-o0o
In a world where fashion trends and technology change at an incredibly high rate, it’s become very important to be ‘in the know’ if you are serious about fashion. God forbid you invest in oversized knits this winter only to be the laughing stock of your peers when everyone knows it’s all about the faux fur. The Future of Fashion talks are here to help. The first talk for 2012 features a panel of industry professionals including social strategist Susannah George (ëssgeorge), Mikki Brammer (Map Magazine) and Teresa Gomez (Threadbare) who will be addressing topics such as online shopping vs. retail, print media vs. blogging, the rapidly evolving consumer and manufacturing trends as well as upcoming trends for the new season. There is no better time then right now to get some expert advice on the future of fashion, what with whole world ending and everything. You could be one of the first to find out what’s going to be ‘in’ post apocalypse (my money’s on rat capes). Or on the off chance that the world doesn’t actually end, it’s possible that you will be needing some advice on what or what not to invest in this coming season. Be in the know to avoid awkward faux pas or just to act smug around you fellow peers.
It’s a shame sometimes that extremely talented artists aren’t privy to the sorts of audiences that Matisse and Warhol’s art draws – though, it could also be a blessing in Marisa Purcell’s case. Marisa Purcell has a list of exhibitions and achievements a mile long, but you won’t see her name in flashing lights. Her art is to be coveted, enjoyed in low light, and to be discovered, not thrusted at the masses and forced upon us. Her newest collection exists on the premise of pervasive conditions, using atmospheric and changeable images incognito and ready to emerge. The images are colourful and almost ink blot-like, similar to pictures you made in kindergarten. You’ll need to pay attention in this exhibit, as your focus and connection is imperative to the work coming to life. Once you have focused, you’ll be immersed in the art, which hints that these conditions surround us in our everyday life. In other words, this exhibition takes participation to a new level. If it sounds like there’s too much to take in, don’t be afraid; be assured that you’ll be in awe even if you don’t understand the inner workings of this creative genius.
The quest of Neil Young to revive the magic that has been squeezed out of digital music has now been realised with the launch of his portal listening device and digital music service called Pono [meaning righteous in Hawaiian]. Young has been working on the service and music player for last several years, chasing the goal of restoring music to its original artistic quality – as it was in the studio. The 128GB triangular, touchscreen gadget named PonoPlayer makes use of zero-feedback circuitry, a minimum phase digital filter and a whole lot of other technical stuff to eliminate the “unnatural pre-ringing” that can often be heard on digital tracks. The PonoPlayer comes alongside the online music store PonoMusic.com , which will offer downloads of songs formatted from artist-approved master recordings. Young officially launched both products at the South by Southwest music conference in Austin, Texas with a Kickstarter campaign complete with video endorsements from a plethora of music stars and offering preorders of the PonoPlayer at a discounted price. Pledgers are given the option to purchase a special edition “Artist Signature Series” PonoPlayer with autographs from the likes of Young himself, Arcade Fire, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, as well as being pre-loaded with the artist’s all-time favorite two albums. Just don't ask Mr Young about what cut he gets, things will just get awkward.
Let's face it, for most of us the number one reason to go on holiday is, well, to eat. And when we travel, we want to know the best of the best to maximise our often limited time in a city. This is especially true in Adelaide, which, though small, is packed with cafes, eateries, bars and restaurants, some of which are easily the best in the country. We're bringing you the top five foodie experiences in Adelaide so you can live it up with the limited time you'll likely have. NATIVE AUSTRALIAN FARE AT RESTAURANT BLACKWOOD While Restaurant Blackwood's big sister, Orana, is perhaps the most renowned restaurant in Adelaide, its downstairs sister is, in our opinion, just as impressive. Both restaurants focus on using native Australian ingredients in ways you've probably never see before — think saltbush crisps and kangaroo puffs to start. The smoked pumpkin ($19), served with wild spinach and fresh goats cheese, reinvents the way you think about simple veg, while the creamy broth of the Goolwa cockles ($35) demands extra bread for dipping purposes. As in Orana, the ingredients are bush-foraged and fresh as can be. Blackwood may not be laid back, but it is relatively casual compared with Orana and is an ideal start to a night exploring the bustling Rundle Street. BLOOD ORANGE MARGARITA AT PINK MOON SALOON Pink Moon Saloon is possibly the coolest looking bar in the city — located in the site of a former service laneway, the space best resembles a log cabin set in between two tall city buildings. Just in October 2016, the team won Best Bar Australia/Pacific at the London Restaurant and Bar Design Awards. The space is well matched for Adelaide's blooming small bar scene and, while the vibe itself is worth the visit alone, the cocktail are where it's at. The menu is inventive and playful — think a spiced wine sour and a tangelo ginger julep ($18 each). Our favourite is by far the blood orange margarita ($19). The perfect tangy-sweet combination, the drink is miles away from the classic and yet is still reminiscent of the Mexican mainstay. If you're peckish, the food menu is also well designed for drink-induced nibbling. Try the barbecue pork belly in a lettuce cup or smoked trout on cuttlefish ink toast ($8 each) to keep the hangover at bay. [caption id="attachment_584445" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Lucas Richarz.[/caption] DIY PLOUGHMAN'S LUNCH AT CENTRAL MARKET Adelaide's Central Market is quintessential to the city's food scene and is very much the root cause of why Adelaide became such a foodie haven to begin with. Opened in 1869, the 'old world' market still draws such a demand that it's still boasting a 29-vendor waiting list. Central Market even houses the oldest pizza joint in town — Lucia's, opened over 50 years ago and a true Adelaide institution. The market acts as melting pot of cuisines, from Latvian to Korean and everything in between, making it the perfect spot to DIY a top-notch ploughman's. First, head to Barossa Fine Foods for your free-range, ethically sourced meat component. Next, hit up Say Cheese, which has been around for 20 years and is, as the name suggests, dedicated to all things cheese. While they have an impressive international selection, go for the local — when in Rome, after all. They also have plenty of locally-made smallgoods to accompany your ploughman's. Finally, check the Wild Loaf for freshly baked sourdough, find a seat and dig in. ECO-CONSCIOUS BRUNCH AT CAFE TROPPO The leafy Cafe Troppo is set in an airy eco-building and they've taken such planet-friendly design as their mantra — spanning from the mismatched, crafty tableware to the eco-friendly cleaning products and locally sourced produce. The building itself looks like a grounded treehouse and the menu is seasonal, using the maximum amount of South Australian ingredients. Dishes include a poached pear toastie with ricotta, honey and walnuts ($9), along with a harvest bowl of fresh grilled veggies, organic feta and topped with a poached egg ($15). The coffee is also ethically sourced, fair-trade and organic, while the teas are single origin and hand-blended in the Barossa Valley. If you're after a boozy brunch, the two beer taps house local craft brews like Little Bang and Big Shed — two of the best in the region. COLD PRESSED JUICE FROM THE TAP AT THE MARKET SHED The Market Shed is a gem among markets. Open on Sundays only, Adelaide's certified organic market has quickly gained much love since opening last November. While the stalls include vegan and organic waffles from Live a Little and woodfired pizza from Little Orange Arancini and Pizza Bar, the only way to start your trip among these exquisite stalls is at Juice Quest — situated right up front and boasting some seriously delicious, hangover-curing drinks, these cold-pressed juices will prepare you for all else that is in store. Even more epic is that they've just started kegging said juices and are poured straight from the tap going forward. Drink on, organic-loving friends. Drink on. Marissa Ciampi travelled as a guest of the Adelaide Beer and BBQ Festival.
Asteroid City isn't 2023's only new Wes Anderson film. Wonka, if it does hit cinemas and isn't delayed to 2024 due to Hollywood's current strikes like the also Timothée Chalamet-starring Dune: Part Two, won't be the year's sole Roald Dahl adaptation, either. Adding a second title to both piles is The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, which sees filmmaking's foremost fan of symmetry and pastels take on a tale by the author who has defined many a childhood. Instantly excited? The end result arrives in September. Netflix is bringing this 40-minute film to streaming, via a world-premiere slot out of competition at the Venice Film Festival first. Viewers at home will get to see the flick mere weeks after it plays the prestigious event, with The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar landing on the small screen on Wednesday, September 27. The story? It's one of seven in Dahl's 1977 book The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More, telling of a wealthy man who is so fond of wagering that he comes up with a crafty plan. After discovering a guru who can see without using his eyes, he decides to learn to the same to cheat while having a bet. Playing the gambler for Anderson is Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), as part of a cast that also includes Dev Patel (The Green Knight), Ben Kingsley (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Richard Ayoade (The Souvenir: Part II). In glorious news for The Grand Budapest Hotel fans, Ralph Fiennes (The Menu) also reteams with the director. Fingers crossed for more line readings that are so completely perfect that they're unforgettable. [caption id="attachment_914800" align="alignnone" width="1281"] The Grand Budapest Hotel[/caption] In fact, Fiennes is stepping into Dahl's own shoes in the film, as well as playing a policeman. All five announced high-profile cast members are doing double duty, which sounds wonderfully Andersonesque. Anderson directs, writes and produces, while the filmmaker's regular cinematographer Robert D Yeoman and composer Alexandre Desplat also notch up their second of his projects this year — so it'll definitely look and sound like an Anderson film. There's no trailer yet for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, but you can enjoy the Asteroid City and The Grand Budapest Hotel clips instead in the interim: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar will be available to stream via Netflix from Wednesday, September 27. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar images: courtesy of Netflix.
Lawless, written by Nick Cave and directed by John Hillcoat, is a film about bootleggers, secretly distributing moonshine in Franklin County, Virginia: one of the biggest moonshine centres of the prohibition period. Based on the historical novel written, The Wettest County in the World by Matt Bodurant, Lawless is an action packed tale of three brothers trying to make a living on the wrong side of the law. Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Guy Pearce, Gary Oldman and Australia’s own Mia Wasikowska are part of an extensive cast who bring Depression-era Virginia to life. Lawless is a must see for fans of blood-soaked, booze-soaked, gun-slinging action.
Without a doubt this summer’s hottest cultural ticket has been in residence at GoMA for a couple of months now. Yayoi Kusama’s “Look Now, See Forever” exhibition is drawing in large numbers of fascinated people wishing to play with polka dots and become immersed in her trademark modern art. What most people don’t realise without further investigation though, is that Yayoi Kusama’s work is heavily influenced by the respective world of fashion. When flipping through a magazine these days it’s not uncommon to come across long tributes and interviews with the artist in Russh or Oyster, describing how she embraces fashion to create her art and vice versa. So in order to educate people as part of the exhibition, GoMA are offering a discussion on Turning Art into Fashion this Saturday, where a group of guests will be analysing the relationship between the two creative fields and how it impacts both worlds. QUT's Deputy Vice-Chancellor Suzi Vaughan, fashion historian Ben Byrne and art curator Alison Kubler will all be sharing their opinions on how contemporary art and fashion design are becoming more and more intrinsically linked. If you’d like the ability to show off your art and fashion world knowledge next time you accompany someone to Look Now, See Forever this talk is highly recommend – especially as it’s free.
Home of arty and romantic sleepovers in Australia's capital city since 2013, Canberra's Hotel Hotel has been sold. Owners Molonglo Group recently handed over the keys to Ovolo, an independent hotel company with digs in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Hong Kong. The Sydney outpost occupies a sizeable chunk of Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf, where designer rooms overlook the Harbour. If you're a fan of Hotel Hotel and its steady program of experimental cultural happenings, you'll be pleased to know that the staff won't be going anywhere when the venue officially becomes an Ovolo on 1 March. Unless, of course, they're keen to work for the company in another city. "We are proud to bring our signature concept to the Australian capital," said Ovolo Hotels CEO Girish Jhunjhnuwala. "We believe this venture is the perfect alignment and are delighted to be associated with this property." Meanwhile, the Molonglo Group — which is both a property developer and a production house — has a bunch of Australian and international adventures coming up, involving architecture, design and culture. "We wanted to do something special in both Canberra and Australia; I think we've achieved that," said Molonglo Group director Nectar Efkarpidis,. "Hotel Hotel was the physical manifestation of ideas that we had been exploring for several years about architecture, design, objects and furniture, and how they can help us to evolve and expand Canberra's civic sense of itself with others." Back in August 2017, several of Australia's other arty hotels fell under the ownership of a major international company, when Mantra bought the Art Series for a cool $52 million. Images: John Gollings / Tom Roe.
When a show is named after a space battleship, it's instantly worth paying attention to. And when it tracks a war between humanity and an android race known as the Cylons, it isn't going to be short on intrigue. That's especially true when the flesh-and-blood side of the equation hail from a distant star system, and originally live across a group of planets known as the Twelve Colonies — and their very survival is at stake. That's the tale that Battlestar Galactica tells, and has in multiple shapes and forms since 1978. With no disrespect meant to the original series and its 1980 sequel, the reimagining that first hit screens in 2003 has become the version of record. The latter started as a miniseries, then served up four seasons of sci-fi drama, political battles, space-set adventures and all-round entertaining television until 2009, making stars out Katee Sackhoff and Jamie Bamber in the process.
If there's one thing that you can count on at MONA's arts festivals, it's that they never deliver the exact same experience twice. That's doubly true of next year's Mona Foma, which is making the huge move to Launceston — and doing so with a seriously noteworthy lineup. After hosting part of the 2018 event, the entirety of 2019's Mona Foma will take place across the Tasmanian city, shifting from its previous home of Hobart. Arriving in town from January 13–20, it'll bring everything from music legends to thumping beats to new Aussie heroes to the stage. Attendees can also expect a sensory blend of music, theatre and art, an exhibition that combines creativity with scientific specimens, and oh-so-many onesies. Of course, the list goes on. Headlining this year's bill are Swedish star Neneh Cherry and Welsh electronic music icons Underworld, so prepare to get in a buffalo stance and get born slippy. They'll be joined by Mona Foma's big Aussie premiere and exclusive: a four-part performance by producer and composer Oneohtrix Point Never and the MYRIAD ensemble. Also called Myriad, it's framed from the perspective of an alien intelligence that has absorbed earth's entire history, and mixes the seemingly unlikely combination of medieval folk, dance music, R&B, and sci-fi imagery. Music-wise, Mona Foma-goers can also catch Courtney Barnett on her return to Tassie, as well as Mulatu Astatke and the Black Jesus Experience as they blend Ethiopian music with jazz and Afro-Latin. Or, there's Finland's Satu Vänskä playing her 292-year-old violin with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Aussie stoner rockers Bansheeland doing their psychedelic grunge thing and Central Niger's all-female Les Filles de Illighadad with their inimitable brand psychedelic Saharan desert rock. On the arts side of things, Art of the Body: Health, Beauty and Desire brings together a heap of artists to respond to medical body part specimens — and the actual body parts will be on display as well. Then there's Onesie World 2.0, a new iteration of Adele Varcoe and Self-Assembly's onesie extravaganza, with the designer and label whipping up 2000 DIY all-in-ones. Other highlights include morning meditation sessions in Cataract Gorge, endurance performance artist Ben Landau's 24-hour attempt to keep humming non-stop, as well as a rather curious inclusion from British composer artist Nick Ryan: a machine that tracks the position of 27,000 pieces of space junk, then transforms them into sound as they pass overhead. And, with Mona Foma committed to inviting a new audience to experience the festival each year, they're focusing on the Amish of Lancaster County for 2019 — which means putting up a bunch of billboards around Pennsylvania and letting the local Amish into the festival for free. For everyone else, tickets go on sale from midday on Monday, October 15. Mona Foma runs from January 13–20, 2019, in Launceston, Tasmania. For more information or to grab tickets from midday on Monday, October 15, head to mofo.net.au
The fact that quaint Sydney born band Sparkadia emerged in 2008, released a ton of hit songs, only to disappear, adds to the mysterious enigma they have going on. Now the Sydney crew is back again, fresh from a recording jaunt in London, with a new CD, a new tour and a chance for new fans to discover them. The Great Impression is Sparkadia’s sophomore album and there are only good things to say about it. Despite a reshuffling of group members it still has a distinctive smart-pop flair to it that was so well liked the first time around. The debut single off it 'Talking Like I’m Falling Down Stairs' is crazy catchy, has eaten up a fair amount of air time already and I’m sure has also inspired many conversations analysing its hidden meanings. The accompanying tour is their biggest so far, spanning four weeks and the majority of Australia’s main cities. Brisbane’s turn comes on April 8 and at The Hi-Fi. Accompanying them throughout are fellow Australian bands Operator Please and Alpine. You would be a fool not to go; after all, they might explain how exactly one talks like they’re falling down stairs.
Sydney Festival has revealed its massive 2017 program, with a renewed focus on dance and theatre along with bold new works from Australian artists. Running from January 7-29, the lineup is comprised of 150 events, almost half of which are free. From sensory installations to shows in Parramatta Lebanese restaurants and performances by iconic musicians, your dose of summertime culture is basically sorted. Most visually, the city will also play host to a number of major installations, including The Beach by Snarkitecture at Barangaroo — a ball pit made up of 1.1 million recyclable polyethylene balls that you can jump into — and House of Mirrors in Hyde Park, which comes from Hobart's Dark MOFO (and most recently Brisbane), and and is more or less what it sounds like. Treading the boards at this year's festival are some of the country's most celebrated stage companies, including Brisbane's La Boite Theatre Company — who'll present the four-time Helpmann nominated play Prize Fighter — and Australia's longest running Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander theatre company, who've teamed with writer-performer Katie Beckett on her play Which Way Home. They'll be joined by an impressive international contingent, including the London-based Complicite company, whose play The Encounter arrives direct from Broadway; Pushkin Theatre Moscow, whose co-production of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure with the UK's Cheek by Jowl also stands out as another surefire festival highlight. Immersing you further in this year's festivities are a number of works that play upon the senses. Cat Jones' Scent of Sydney is a free immersive exhibition based on — you guessed it — smell, while Imagined Touch, by deafblind artists Heather Lawson and Michelle Stevens, lets audiences experience the world without vision or sound. Musical highlights include live performances from PJ Harvey and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, as well as an Opera House performance of 1967 Music in the Key of Yes, a concert of remembrance on the 50 year anniversary of the Indigenous rights referendum. You'll also be able to catch free tunes every night at the Meriton Festival Village in Hyde Park. Sydney Festival also revealed its complete program for Western Sydney last night, which includes an interactive 'Circus City' and the first posthumous exhibition of works by Myuran Sukumaran. Sydney Festival will run from January 7-29, 2017. For more information visit sydneyfestival.org.au. Image: The Beach, Snarkitecture. Shot by Noah Kalina.
For beer lovers, the Great Australasian Beer Spectapular is the kind of festival that you plan your calendar around. When one year's fest is over, everyone instantly starts looking forward to the next year's. It was back in May and June that 2023's GABS took place, and you can now lock in your 2024 dates around the same time in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Of course, the New South Wales, Victorian and Queensland capitals host beer festivals most weekends, but GABS is its own unique beast. It dedicates itself to weird, wild, wonderful and inventive varieties that are made exclusively for the booze-fuelled party. Think of a foodstuff — peanut butter, coffee, earl grey tea, chicken salt, pizza, fairy floss, bubblegum, doughnuts, red frogs and sour gummy bears, for instance — and there's likely been a brew made to taste exactly the same at GABS. Only dates have been confirmed so far, and not venues, the brewers heading along or the beers they'll be whipping up. Still, attendees can look forward to an event that's considered to be one of the best craft beer and cider festivals in the Asia Pacific region. If you're a newcomer to GABS, it started off as a Melbourne-only celebration of ales, lagers, ciders and more. Then it began spreading along Australia's east coast capitals, as well as to New Zealand. Now, in its Aussie stops, it pours at least 120 different types of brews each year. The event surveys both Australian and New Zealand breweries, with more than 60 normally showcasing their wares annually. Also on the bill: other tipples, including non-alcoholic beers, seltzers, whiskey, gin, cocktails and wines. GABS is known for dishing up a hefty lineup of activities to accompanying all that sipping, too, which usually spans a silent disco, roaming bands, circus and sideshow performers, games and panels with industry leaders, plus local food trucks and vendors to line your stomach. Fancy getting in on the GABS fun at home now? Every year, the crew behind the fest also pust together the Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beer poll, which is open for votes until Sunday, January 14 for 2023's best brews. GREAT AUSTRALASIAN BEER SPECTAPULAR 2024 DATES: Friday, May 17–Sunday, May 19 — Melbourne Friday, May 31–Saturday, June 1 — Sydney Friday, June 14–Saturday, June 15 — Brisbane GABS will take place across Australia's east coast throughout May and June 2024 — head to the event's website for further details.
The Sydney Opera House's groundbreaking Festival of Dangerous Ideas is being replaced in 2017 by ANTIDOTE, a new festival that will not only explore ideas and art — but how we can turn them into action and positive change. The new festival will take place at the Opera House over the weekend of Saturday, September 2 and Sunday, September 3. ANTIDOTE is a replacement for the eight-year-old FoDI, taking it to the next level by celebrating artists, thinkers and doers who have spearheaded change with a program of immersive performances, speeches and workshops. Curated by Danielle Harvey (who was also behind last year's inaugural Bingefest), the new festival responds to the time we live in. Featured in the inaugural program is a performance of Cherophobia by Noëmi Lakmaier, which wowed onlookers in London earlier this year. In the performance, Lakmaier is lifted by 20,000 party balloons over nine hours. The experimental artwork aims to unite the audience in shared suspense while exploring the conflicting emotions of control, desire and restraint. Other international heavyweights include transgender rights activist Janet Mock and the satirists behind The Onion, along with Tamika D. Mallory (national co-chair of the Women's March on Washington) and Reni Eddo-Lodge (author of Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People about Race). The festival also features local change makers such as Indigenous figures Uncle Jack Charles and Archie Roach, as well as LGBTQI+ rights activist Julie McCrossin (Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras '78er), and blogger Celeste Liddle (Rantings of an Aboriginal Feminist). A focus on interactive performances will immerse the audiences throughout the two-day festival — these will include sketches by UK interactive theatre groups Kaleider and Blank Placard Dance, as well as a performance by choreographer Anne Collod, who will revisit Anna Halprin's legendary dance movement that took place in 1950s–80s San Francisco. ANTIDOTE is about fostering hope and change in a time when a lot of us are angry and anxious about what's happening in the world. If you want some action point, tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday, July 6 and free registrations for Cherophobia open at 9am today. ANTIDOTE will take place at the Sydney Opera House from Saturday, September 2 through Sunday, September 3. Tickets start at $25 and the full program is available through the festival website. Image: Cherophobia, Noemi Lakmaier, shot by Grace Gelde.
The CBD is teeming with bland, generic cafes and their catering-company egg-and-lettuce sandwiches, might-as-well-call-it-cake muffins and wraps that have seen better days. It’s hard to find a hearty lunch that will fill you up without the guilt of of consuming a 7/11 pie, fried chicken or oily noodles. The Cutting Board is just what the CBD ordered for lunch — fast, fresh, home-style cooking that’s both good for you and doesn’t break the bank. The best way to describe TCB is it’s a carvery, but cool. At lunch time, if you can reach the glass counters, the place is packed with city workers. Within one counter sits an exciting range of gourmet salads that change daily, in another is the carvery part — think slow-cooked meats and roast vegetables. Behind the counter, large boards let you pick and choose burgers and sandwiches that are made-to-order. Overall the place has an Americana meets Aussie carvery influence. Beef brisket or beef ragu lasagne? Reuben or chicken burger? The best idea is to pick a meat and combine it with two sides — The Cutting Board let you choose your sides from all the salads on offer, roast vegetables and chips — for around $12-14. If you eat in, they will serve it up on one of those white, blue-rimmed tin plates with real cutlery. The decor is on-trend with hanging edison bulbs, brown butcher’s paper menus and sheeny wooden walls. The venue itself is a grab-and-go kinda space, but round the side The Cutting Board have set up a courtyard of ample tables and wooden stools (usually in the sun) to help make the most of your lunch hour. If you get in early enough, The Cutting Board have a shorter breakfast menu too. Our hot tip is to grab a muffin with your coffee. The flavours change daily but on rotation is rocky road; nutella, peanut and coconut; orange poppyseed and double choc; raspberry, white choc and cherry ripe; blueberry, cream cheese and fig; and strawberry, thyme and coconut. Need we say more?
All of the taste, none of the after effects: it's a cocktail lover's dream, and it's the reason that we have mocktails. Everyone has been in a situation where they're eager for a tasty beverage, but need to keep a clear, booze-free head — and the next solution to this predicament comes from the virtual realm. London may boast a bar that sells virtual reality cocktails (real drinks, but with a virtual reality preamble experienced by strapping on a headset), and Vienna might have a VR bar dedicated to having a bev while hanging out in an intangible space, but the Vocktail makes the tipple, not the experience, virtual. A project stemming from the National University of Singapore under researcher Nimesha Ranasinghe's guidance, it involves a special glass that connects to an app to alter your perception of what you're drinking. Here's how it works: once liquid splashes into the glass, users can customise its colour, smell and taste. The first arrives via LED lights, which sounds straightforward enough. The second comes from bursts of scent that are emitted from the vessel in your hand. And the third? It uses digital taste simulation — or electrical pulses on the tip of the tongue that simulate saltiness, sourness and bitterness. Yep, even though there's no alcohol involved, you'll still be getting a buzz. Basically, if you're sipping on water but want your senses to think that you're consuming something boozy — or if you have a hankering for a sugary beverage but don't want to put your body through the real thing — the Vocktail has the answer. It was just unveiled at the Association for Computing Machinery Multimedia Conference, so don't expect to put one to your lips just yet; however, add drinking to the list of things (booking holidays, reading the news, travelling, touring landmarks, shopping, going to gigs) that are going virtual. Via New Scientist.
Someone somewhere has dressed up as one of IKEA's coveted blue bags for Halloween, or fashioned an outfit out of them for the eerie occasion. This year, in the lead up to spooky day, you can do that too if you like. Or, you can just wear whatever frightening threads you prefer, or even your normal getup, to the Swedish chain's four-course Halloween dining experience. Yes, two faves are joining forces: IKEA and Halloween. No, you won't just be eating those Swedish meatballs. Happening at the brand's Logan store in Brisbane, the Halloween feast costs $30 for adults and $25 if you're an IKEA Family member. On the menu: nachos or wings to share as a starter, a soup for an entree, either a mushroom or chicken burger with fries, and mousse for dessert. IKEA's food events are always popular, with this one happening from 5pm on Thursday, October 26. The furniture and homewares giant is also hosting kids' activities around the dinner at some locations, complete with trick-or-treat sessions, scariest drawing competitions and costume contests, if you feel like being a favourite aunt or uncle for the night.
Let's change things up this Easter break. Instead of spending the weekend feeding on store-bought chocolates and lamb roast at home, why not go on a little adventure? You can escape the city (and, perhaps, your family) by running away to South Australian wineries to sample the latest vintage or to a Tasmanian farm to delight in world class produce. You can even join the world's first helicopter gin tour around Queenstown to marry your love of epic views with your fondness for gin. The world is your oyster — and you can either have it freshly shucked, served Kilpatrick or battered and fried down in Hobart. Read on to find four exclusive food and wine-filled travel packages that you'll only find on Concrete Playground Trips — each of which will have you spending the Easter break with a full belly and a glass in hand. A WINE LOVERS' LONG WEEKEND IN BAROSSA VALLEY AND MCLAREN VALE Wine tours can be such a hassle to organise. You've got to find a driver, pick the wineries and cellar doors, book lunch and find the best place to stay. That's why we teamed up with some of the best wineries and food producers in the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale to create one mighty indulgent food and wine trip. We've done the research, all you have to do is rock up and enjoy this ever-thriving wine region. During this four-day trip, you'll have the opportunity to explore Adelaide's city centre before spending two big days out in wine country. During your big afternoon out in the Barossa Valley, we've organised guided tours and cellar door experiences at a few of our favourite wineries as well as a special tasting at Maggie Beer's Farm Shop and lunch with wine pairings at another vineyard. This will be followed up by an entire day of wine, beer and gin tastings in McLaren Vale — with morning tea and lunch included. It's a packed itinerary made for true wine enthusiasts. BOOK IT NOW. FIVE-DAY FOOD AND WINE ADVENTURE IN HOBART AND ITS SURROUNDS Tassie's culinary scene is booming. Whether you're road tripping around the north or south of the state, you're set to find some of Australia's most brilliant food and drink producers making all sorts of delicious things to eat and drink. To celebrate this, we've created a sensational Hobart travel package that will take you to local farms, wineries, breweries and distilleries — with exclusive tastings and tours at each spot. The package also includes car hire for all five days, so you can explore each of these spots at your own leisure. And lastly, we're putting up guests in the Vibe Hotel Hobart's Harbour View Room. Wake up to stunning water views before going out to explore this amazing part of Australia. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_869501" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Australia[/caption] THE ULTIMATE VINEYARD GLAMPING GETAWAY Sanctuary By Sirromet is a sprawling vineyard located in the bucolic hills of Queensland's Mount Cotton and boasts a collection of luxury glamping tents overlooking a lagoon and a bushland home to wallabies and birdlife. It's an idyllic slice of wine country just 40 minutes south of the Brisbane CBD. That's why we teamed up with the Sirromet team on this one-of-a-kind wine-filled weekend getaway package. Guests will be treated to a behind-the-scenes winery tour and tasting, a picnic in its beloved lavender fields (with wine and a packed food hamper included), a three-course dinner with paired wines, and daily breakfast delivered to the door of your glamping tent. The Sanctuary by Sirromet team is throwing in a complimentary bottle of Le Sauvage 'The Wild' to be enjoyed on the tent's private balcony or taken home. Go on, spoil yourself. BOOK IT NOW. THE MOST EPIC QUEENSTOWN ROAD TRIP We've created the ultimate Queenstown holiday, combining the area's famous adventure experiences with its famed culinary scene. You'll go on the world's first heli gin tour — riding from distillery to distillery via helicopter — and visit a series of local wineries during your self-led road-trip around the region. We've even added a scenic flight up to the dramatic mountain ranges, pairing it with a speed boat ride back to your hotel. You're not gonna find a trip like this anywhere else. BOOK IT NOW. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
Wake up, Prime Video viewers: come October, your streaming queue is getting nostalgic. If The Wiggles can top the Hottest 100, take their rainbow-hued skivvies to Mardi Gras and motor their big red car to the same Falls Festival as Little Nas X, then of course they can be the subject of a new documentary that'll hit the online service this October. First announced in 2022, Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles will tell exactly the tale you think it will, following the group's career over more than three decades, including the new levels of fame and popularity that 2022 sent their way. Sure, Dorothy the Dinosaur mightn't need an origin story, but OG Wiggles Anthony Field, Murray Cook, Greg Page and Jeff Fatt are getting one, with Sally Aitken (Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks, David Stratton: A Cinematic Life) directing. Also featured: never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage, too. Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles will arrive on Prime Video on Tuesday, October 24; however, that isn't the film's first stop. Before that, it'll enjoy its world premiere at the first-ever SXSW Sydney, showing as part of the event's Screen Festival. At the fest, The Wiggles in attendance for this trip down memory lane — their own, and everyone in Australia's as well — including for Q&As and performances. "When we first formed The Wiggles more than three decades ago, our aim was to educate and inspire children through music, and that continues today," said Field back when Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles was first announced. "Looking through the archives has brought back so many incredible and emotional memories, from our first shows for 30 children to touring America and the world, playing to arenas. It's been such an incredible and evolving journey and we can't wait to share our story with everyone." "At first glance, the notion of preschool teachers selling out Madison Square Garden is downright absurd," said Aitken. "What a phenomenal story for a director to unpack: how did a group of teachers become like The Beatles for preschoolers? I have been entertained and moved in making this film, discovering an amazing journey of self-belief and the power of purpose. The Wiggles' story comes with heartache and joy, reinvention and the wisdom of children. So grab your tissues and your smiles, because with intimate interviews and unique, behind-the-scenes moments, I hope you see the individuals behind the iconic sweaters — musicians and artists driven by genuine passion, resilience, reinvention and joy." There's no trailer for Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles — we'll update you when one drops. Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles will stream via Prime Video from Tuesday, October 24.
Last decade, when Disney started snapping up companies like Pixar, Marvel and LucasFilm, it clearly had huge plans. Not only is the mouse house now home to many of the biggest movie releases each and every year, but to enormously popular properties that it can spread across multiple avenues — its forthcoming streaming platform, for example, and its theme parks. Both are beginning to ramp up, with Disney+ due to release in America this year and the first Star Wars-themed zone now open at Disneyland in California (with a second due to launch at Florida's Walt Disney World in August). Indeed, in the theme park space, Disney also has both Toy Story and Marvel hotels in the works. And, it's planning to add a dedicated Marvel area to Disneyland as early as 2020. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, the company has just received permits to begin the necessary building works to bring its first Marvel area to life — and, like the initial Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge attraction, it'll pop up at Disney's Anaheim site. While few official details have been revealed as yet, it's expected to include a microbrewery, a character meet-and-greet area and a 192-square-metre merchandise store. Plus rides, of course, including a Spider-Man attraction that'll sit alongside the existing Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout ride. [caption id="attachment_726218" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout via Disney Parks Blog[/caption] With a heavy focus on the Avengers, the zones have been in the making for a couple of years, and will also join Disney's other parks, too. Both California's Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris will jump into the Marvel fun in 2020, Florida will suit up in 2021 and Hong Kong Disneyland will unleash its superpowers in 2023. Via Los Angeles Times.
Zeus Street Greek has been rolling hot, fulfilling pitas off its spits and into your stomaches since 2014. Providing traditional Greek food with more of a 'healthy nourishing meal' feel than a '3am greasy food' vibe, Zeus cooks up street food that covers several important food bases: meaty pitas, healthy salads and sides, traditional Greek desserts and, of course, chips. The eatery's tag is #foodhonestly, and there's nothing more honest than a big pile of crispy hand-cut fries. To celebrate World Fries Day on Friday, July 13, Zeus Greek Street is offering a very chip-tastic giveaway. Knowing that fries were an integral part of Yia Yia's kitchen has meant that they've ended up a big part of the Zeus menu — and a bonanza of them will be given away. One lucky person can win a year's worth of chips, with 365 vouchers to be redeemed at any store across the country. Zeus offers Yia Yia's fries seasoned simply with rock salt and oregano making them the perfect accompaniment to your pita or Spartan box, or — if you're a big fry fan — on their own. You'll also nab a winner's party at your chosen branch of Zeus Street Greek, with a $100 voucher to share with your hungry pals. Just pause for a moment and think about what this will do to your overall comfort levels throughout winter. To enter, see details below. [competition]674243[/competition] Image: Dominic Loneragan
It's a scientific fact that the only way to survive summer is to get down to a luxurious beach resort and lie still in the shade like a lizard, rising only for an occasional dip in the pool. Bannisters Pavilion also know this, and have built one such luxury resort on NSW's pretty, pretty South Coast. And it looks so good that, honestly, we can't wait for the brutal heat of summer to hit so we can head out to Mollymook Beach and get our lizard on. The Bannisters chain are all set to open their newest boutique hotel in the picturesque beachside town next week, and it's only 100m from the beachfront. The place has been cleverly designed to let you move seamlessly between the best parts of a holiday — between the private lounge, bar and grill and suspended pool, that is. The rooftop is the hub of aforementioned activities and also features a full menu inspired by Mediterranean, Southern Californian and Mexican cuisines (i.e. the most summery places in the world), as well as booze for days. Bannisters Pavilion was crafted by a crack team of designers and blends accents of the Aussie landscape (eucalypt and sea) with a nuance of Scandinavian design. The best part, though, is the size — the whole resort consists of only 33 guest rooms and two penthouse suits, which means you won't be fighting anyone for a recliner or have to navigate through hordes of screaming kiddies in the pool. Thanks team, you know us well. Oh, and did we mention there's a day spa? Yep, summer is coming — and it's gonna be fancy. Bannisters Pavilion will open on Tuesday, December 1 at 191 Mitchell Parade, Mollymook Beach. For more information, visit their website.
For us device-addicted youths, consuming content on non-back-lit material (otherwise known as paper) has become somewhat of a novelty. So, Australian publisher Pantera Press has decided to help change that by dedicating themselves to getting the digitised back into analogue. Its newest imprint, Lost the Plot, is aimed at publishing titles by millennials for millennials. Launching with a curated but diverse selection of books, Lost the Plot instils Pantera Press's longstanding mission to support the next generation of writers and readers. And with titles like The Quit Smoking Colouring Book and Space is Cool as Fuck, they've also found that the book series even appeals to those who were way into adulthood when the popularity of books on good ol' fashioned paper began to decline. Along with helping smokers quit mindfully and admiring the amazing 'AF' properties of the next frontier, the series brings writings on being #single: Dating in the 21st Century, as well as the complementary Just the Tip: Sex Tips for Chicks by Gay Dudes. They've got modern 21st-century living covered. To celebrate the series' launch, we're giving away five book sets with all four titles included, so you can get back into the papery-stuff (without forgetting your friends at Concrete Playground, of course) and live your best millennial life. For your chance to win (and give your phone a break), see entry details below. [competition]645082[/competition]
Shut up and take my money: Futurama is continuing its latest return with even more episodes on its way. The animated hit made another comeback this winter, slipping out of stasis to riff on pandemics, vaccines, bitcoin, streaming, cancel culture and life's general chaos. That new stint with the Planet Express team was dubbed season 11, and season 12 was locked in at the same time — but now season 13 and season 14 will officially follow. The Matt Groening-created show about life in the 31st century was in vintage form when it dropped its recent batch of ten episodes, and embraced the fact that anything and everything can and will happen as it always has. When Futurama's return was first announced in 2022, it was for a 20-episode run, which has been doubled with the latest renewal. So, viewers are going back to the future for even longer. Yes, this is good news, everyone! And yes, Futurama will just keep coming back, baby. Streaming Down Under via Disney+, the added seasons will keep audiences saying hello to the 20th-century's Philip J Fry (voiced by Billy West, Spitting Image), distant uncle to Planet Express cargo company Professor Hubert J Farnsworth (also voiced by West), plus the rest of the outfit's crew. That means more antics with one-eyed ship captain Turanga Leela (Katey Sagal, Dead to Me); fellow employees Hermes Conrad (Phil LaMarr, Craig of the Creek), Amy Wong (Lauren Tom, Dragons: The Nine Realms) and Zoidberg (also West); and everyone from self-obsessed starship captain Zapp Brannigan (West again) and his amphibious 4th Lieutenant Kif Kroker (Maurice LaMarche, Rick and Morty) through to scheming corporation owner Mom (Tress MacNeille, The Simpsons). Bender Bending Rodríguez will be causing more mayhem as well, with John DiMaggio, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts also back with the cast when season 11 arrived. When the revival was first announced, that wasn't the case — but it wouldn't be Futurama without its constantly sauced robot exclaiming "bite my shiny metal ass!". You can put a beloved show into suspended animation, but someone is going to thaw it out one day — and more than once, as fans have experienced for decades now. Initially airing from 1999–2003, the futuristic series then returned from 2008–2013, before now being given another run. Hulu, which is behind the return in the US, called this first new comeback season 11 — even though Futurama spans a past seven seasons and four direct-to-DVD movies so far. Season 12 is expected in 2024, with seasons 13 and 14 after that. There's no trailer yet for Futurama's 12th, 13th and 14th seasons, but check out the sneak peek for Futurama season 11 below: Futurama streams Down Under via Disney+, with season 12 expected in 2024, then seasons 13 and 14 after that. Read our review of season 11.
In important news for cocktail connoisseurs and budding mixologists, the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards made its grand return to Melbourne Showgrounds' Victoria Pavilion on Wednesday, October 26, celebrating the country's best-distilled spirits, liqueurs, and aromatics. This year saw an especially tight competition, with more than 200 exhibitors entering a record-breaking 863 entries across 11 categories. Never Never Distilling Co took out the top spot as Champion Australian Distiller — the third consecutive win for the South Australian distillers, making them the first distillery team to do so. Earlier in the evening, Never Never also took home the Best New World/Contemporary Gin award for its Southern Strength Gin. It was also a big night for Victorian distilleries, taking out almost a third of the top gongs. Yack Creek claimed Champion Victorian Distiller for the second time, as well as gaining three gold medals for its amber rum, spiced rum, and wheat whisky. Champion Victorian Gin went to Naught Distilling's Sangiovese Gin — an off-court win for the distillery's founder, former professional basketballer Chris Cameron. Now he's swapped his sneakers for distilling tools he's been racking up the wins — last year he earned trophies for Champion Victorian Gin and New World/Contemporary Gin. Gongs were also handed out for exciting flavour combinations: Mornington Peninsula-based distillery Penni Ave won Best Vodka thanks to its wattle seed and burnt honey combination, while Best Liqueur went to Kilderkin Distillery in Mount Pleasant for its Larrikin Bramble and Apple Pie Liqueur. Melbourne Royal CEO Brad Jenkins said in a statement the awards recognise the "long tradition" of distilling in Australia, and "the emergence of the new generation of spirits". Head on over to the Melbourne Royal website to check out the full list of winners — and stock your bar cart accordingly. Top image: Adam Wilson
After a four-year hiatus, all-femme rockers Electrelane are back! Announcing their re-emergence to play a number of festivals throughout the UK and Europe, the quartet is now set to come to Australia for shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this March. Having built a cult following since forming in 1998, Electrelane are renowned for their ability to fuse a cappella ensembles, Spanish sonnets, krautrock and indie-pop (and actually make it sound good). Having toured with the likes of Arcade Fire and worked with renowned producer Steve Albini (Nirvana, PJ Harvey), Electrelane reach an audience as eclectic as their sound. Originally from Brighton, UK, these British ladies had us all worried when they called it quits in late 2007 but their recent announcement has had fans frothing at the mouth with the thought of their return. There are few bands that can cover so much musical ground by perfectly mixing equal measures of cerebral with visceral, pop with expressionism and gritty rock with sweet harmonies. With a focused and thrilling live show that minimises audience interaction, come witness their unique collision of genres, which has already had punters and critics alike heralding their sweet return.
Finally, furious pub debates have some legs. After months of pitching, analysing and suspiciously eyeing off touring schedules, we can rest easy: the 2014 Splendour in the Grass first lineup announcement is out of its cage. After Outkast leaked their own headlining spot this week, attention turned to the remaining Maybe Pile - with every last artist from Massive Attack to Action Bronson pitched with smug confidence. So who's in? Confirmed as headliners after an awkward leaked post by the duo on the Splendour website, Outkast will be taking out the top spot on the first night. After a seven-year hiatus, Big Boi and Andre 3000 made a triumphant return to the stage recently at Coachella Music and Arts Festival in California. Cailfornian festival favourites Foster The People were a 'Pumped Up Kicks'-loving Splendour crowd favourite in 2011 and will return with more material this year. British trio London Grammar will bring their ethereal trip hop to Byron after their billing last year didn't work out due to timing. Two Door Cinema Club and Lily Allen will return to Australia for their first shows here in over a year. But one of the biggest surprises is the addition of Brooklyn's beloved Interpol, who no one really saw coming. After letting tour plans slip on triple j, Sky Ferreira can now officially confirm her spot on the lineup, returning quite soon after a recent Australian tour. Others who couldn't keep away include Danny Brown, Darkside, Parquet Courts and CHVRCHES, all of whom recently played killer shows around these parts. The Australian contingent (lead by deadset legends Hoodoo Gurus) sees Angus and Julia Stone and Spiderbait return to the stage, as well as RÜFÜS, Vance Joy, The Preatures, Sticky Fingers, The Jezabels, Ball Park Music, Courtney Barnett, DZ Deathrays, Violent Soho and more homegrown favourites sure to prompt All The Singalongs. There's a few wildcards sure to stir significant hype closer to the date, including Icelandic melodic folkster Ásgeir, New York punk rockers Skaters and returning eclectic folk-pop queen tUnE-yArDs. Splendour in the Grass 2014 will take place from Friday July 25 through to Sunday July 27, returning to the festival's new home of North Byron Parklands, Yelgun. Full lineup: Outkast (Only Aus Show) Two Door Cinema Club (Only Aus Show) Lily Allen Interpol (Only Aus Show) Foster The People Angus & Julia Stone City And Colour London Grammar Vance Joy Darkside (Only Aus Show) RÜFÜS Ben Howard Kelis Metronomy Hoodoo Gurus Chvrches (Only Aus Show) Grouplove The Jezabels Tune-Yards 360 Wild Beasts Danny Brown (Only Aus Show) Illy First Aid Kit Violent Soho Ásgeir Spiderbait The 1975 Ball Park Music Art Vs Science Buraka Som Sistema (Only Aus Show) The Preatures Parquet Courts (Only Aus Show) Sticky Fingers Peking Duk Sky Ferreira Future Islands Courtney Barnett Phantogram DZ Deathrays Skaters Gossling Jungle The Strypes Hot Dub Time Machine The Kite String Tangle Ry-X Mikhael Paskalev Wave Racer The Acid Saskwatch Kingswood Circa Waves Broods Dustin Tebbutt The Head And The Heart DMA'S Darren Middleton Little May Darlia D.D Dumbo Tkay Maidza The Creases The Wild Feathers Chrome Sparks Fractures Mas Ysa Nick Mulvey Triple J Unearthed Winners Plus DJs & Producers: Nina Las Vegas Yacht Club DJs Motez Touch Sensitive Indian Summer Wordlife L D R U & Yahtzel DJs Cosmos Midnight Sable Kilter Basenji KLP Fishing DJs Paces Charles Murdoch More information and tickets over here at the Splendour website.
A lot can happen in seven years — and, since sketch-comedy series Key and Peele aired its last episode back in 2015, plenty has. Forget all the chaos that's occurred in the world in general; just for Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, life has been hectic. Key has filled his resume with everything from Archer, Veep and Schmiggadoon! to The Predator, The Lion King and The Prom, while Jordan Peele just went and made three instant horror classics called Get Out, Us and Nope (oh, and won an Oscar). The next thing on the pair's agenda: a reunion, with the two voicing scheming demons in new Netflix movie Wendell & Wild. And if that wasn't enough exciting news for just one film, the stop-motion animated flick is directed by Henry Selick, who'll always have a place in every cinephile's heart thanks to The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline. In fact, this marks his first feature since the latter, which arrived back in 2009. Unsurprisingly, gorgeously creepy sights fill Wendell & Wild's just-dropped first teaser trailer, because that's exactly what Selick usually serves up. In a picture that he not only directs, but co-wrote with Peele — who also co-produces — the filmmaker focuses on two demon brothers, the titular pair, who want to be summoned into the Land of the Living. To achieve that feat, Wendell (Key) and Wilde (Peele) need the help of teenager Kat Elliot (voiced by Lyric Ross, This Is Us). But, as the movie's first sneak peek shows, that bargain comes with consequences — because Kat isn't just willing to assist without asking for something in return. Wendell & Wild's voice cast also includes other well-known names, such as Angela Bassett (Gunpowder Milkshake), James Hong (Everything Everywhere All At Once) and Ving Rhames (Mission: Impossible — Fallout). And, because it's almost that time of year, of course the film is dropping in time for Halloween — hitting streaming on October 28, in fact. Check out the trailer for Wendell & Wild below: Wendell & Wild will be available to stream via Netflix on October 28. Images: Netflix © 2022.
From family classics like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to hard-hitting documentaries in the league of Camp 14 – Total Control Zone to black comedies such as Invasion, this year's Audi Festival of German Film promises the bravest, brashest and most bizarre in German film. There'll be panel discussions, Q&As, special cultural programs and parties. The selection for opening night, Georg Maas' Two Lives, makes it clear the festival is seeking the cutting edge, new generation of German filmmaking. It's a 2012 post-Berlin wall spy thriller about the exercise of state control over individual identities. Another highlight is This Ain't California, a Cannes winner that explores the development of skateboard culture in East Germany during the 1970s and 1980s. With over 20,000 people expected to attend, representing a 37 percent growth in popularity over the past six years, this year's festival is set to be the biggest on record. The festival is on in May around the country: Sydney: April 30 to May 14, Chauvel Cinema and Palace Verona Melbourne: May 1-15, Palace Cinema Como and Kino Cinemas Brisbane: May 3-9, Palace Centro Thanks to the Audi Festival of German Film, we have 15 double passes, valid for any screening throughout the festival, to give away in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. To be in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email us with your name and postal address at hello@concreteplayground.com.au. https://youtube.com/watch?v=8noDewE16iM
By now, every Brisbanite should've heard of the Urban Wine Walk, aka your excuse to mosey around town and drink vino at various bars across a mighty fine afternoon. It's coming back in May for this year's Dine BNE City — but it isn't alone. Meet the Urban Cocktail Trail, which is exactly what it sounds like. This time, from 1–5pm on Saturday, May 28, you'll make your way around the CBD to sip cocktails. John Mills Himself, Coppa Sputino, The Gresham, Red Hook and Dawn are some of the places involved, with the list topping out at 11 bars. They'll each be making their own special cocktail for the occasion, so you'll basically be venturing to them all and catching those different drinks like Pokémon. Tickets cost $75 and are on sale now, with places limited. You can choose where you kick off, and you'll get a glass of bubbles and something to eat at your initial port of call. After that, you'll be able to redeem six vouchers for six mini cocktails at whichever participating places you feel like visiting. Top image: The Gresham, Millie Tang.
It's a great time to be a cinephile in Brisbane. Over the last couple of years, film fans have seen New Farm Cinemas open their doors, Cineplex build a shiny new addition in Hawthorne, Dendy announce another site in Coorparoo, Queensland Film Festival expand the city's festival offerings and Palace Centro begin a revamp. Now, add Metro Arts' refurbed cinema space to that list. Called The Lumen Room, consider it the arts venue's attempt to bring a different range of movies to the city. Befitting the theatre's quirky vibe, its single screen will boast a range of flicks that you're unlikely to see elsewhere, plus encore seasons of indie gems you might've missed and sessions of old cult favourites. That includes the likes of Aussie-made doco The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe fresh from the Sydney Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival programs, dance-focused effort Mr Gaga and a screening of beloved '80s vampire film The Lost Boys for Halloween. Since re-launching in August, sensation American indie The Fits and recent Aussie standouts 52 Tuesdays and Spear have all popped up. Yep, they've been busy. Tickets are $12 per film, offering another point of difference from the usual multiplex experience. And as for what comes next? Well, keep an eye on their website — but keep expecting an eclectic lineup, aka just what Brisbane needs. Find The Lumen Room at Metro Arts, 109 Edward Street, Brisbane. Check out the Metro Arts website and Facebook page for more information.
Plenty of us think we have seen the most terrible film in existence, but Twilight pales in comparison to the actual, literal, worst movie ever made. Plan 9 From Outer Space was made in 1959 and it's one of those movies you can tell how old it is not by the timid nostalgic notions, but the overall crap quality of production. The special effects, the acting, the entire movie is laughable, but somehow endearing, and like any shitty flick, you just can't look away. The premise is a tad bit hard to follow, but hey, they didn't have the biggest budget or best director to work with. Hint: the director was cross-dressing afficiando Edward D. Wood. The story follows an old couple that die a day apart (don't worry, I'm not spoiling anything), and space 'soldiers' try and resurrect them. The plan 9? To have a dead army rule the earth. Cue the worst graphics ever, plot holes, and an eerie mess of motion picture all in one. There's something therapeutic about watching rubbish films, but even more so when you get a drink included in the entry fee. Room 60 is waiting for you to find out about that pop-culture reference you never knew they were referring to.
Already one of the country's go-to spots for sand, surf and sun, the Gold Coast now boasts another reason to plan a visit this summer: Sandtunes, a massive two-day beachside music festival. Debuting this year across Saturday, November 30 and Sunday, December 1, the new event will take over the Coolangatta Beach with a jam-packed lineup of live tunes, with Travis Scott, Logic, Chvrches and Carly Rae Jepsen leading the bill. The festival will mark Scott's only Australian performance this year, so if you're keen to see the Texas-born rapper play tracks from his 2018 album Astroworld, this is the place to be. If you're a fan of fellow US hip hop star Logic, you'll also be treated to his first-ever Aussie show. While Scottish trio Chvrches are no strangers to our shores — they're on this year's Spilt Milk lineup as well — Sandtunes will also welcome Canadian pop star Carly Rae Jepsen for her debut performance in Australia. When you're not singing along to 'Call Me Maybe' live, you can also check out the rest of the just-announced first lineup, which spans Juice WRLD, Dean Lewis, Sampa the Great, Tkay Maidza, Cub Sport, Kait, Kwame, WAAX, Kian, Alice Ivy,Genesis Owusu and Saint Lane. A word of warning: while you'll be partying on the sand right by the ocean, the festival dates do overlap with part of Schoolies — although, thankfully Coolangatta is never as hectic with revelling school leavers as Surfers Paradise. Sandtunes Music Festival takes place on Saturday, November 30 and Sunday, December 1 on the Coolangatta Beach at the Gold Coast. Tickets go on sale at 12pm on Wednesday, July 31, with a Telstra pre-sale from 10am on Friday, July 26 — visit the festival website for further details.
Last year, Scotland's BrewDog created the world's first craft beer hotel and launched the world's first craft beer airline, letting beer lovers drink more of its cold ones in more places. Basically, the boozy flight is an ideal way to get to the brand's Ohio holiday spot, however it's not a regular service. But after the first return trip took to the skies earlier in 2019, two more flights have been announced. Aptly named BrewDog Airlines by the beer fiends— and yes, it's all about downing craft brews at 30,000 feet — the repeat trip will take eager drinkers from London to the company's Columbus facility and back. Want to mosey the other way? A second flight will also soar through the heavens while serving its passengers plenty of brews, leaving the US to head to Scotland for some beer- and whisky-sipping. If you're keen to make either journey, the London-to-Ohio leg departs Britain on Thursday, October 31, making the return leg on Tuesday, November 5, while the Ohio-to-Edinburgh trip leaves Columbus on the same departure date and heads back on the same return date as well. As was the case with the airline's maiden voyage, you'll also need to be one of BrewDog's Equity Punks, which is what it calls its shareholders — and pay between £1350–1450 per person (or £2550–2750 for two people sharing a room). Starting to pack now? Happy to make your own way to either start point? Then here's what else is in store. Boarding a Boeing 767, passengers will enjoy a spot of beer tasting, tuck into a BrewDog-inspired menu that's paired with matching beers, watch the brewery's BrewDog Network — its own streaming platform — and receive a branded eye mask and blanket. More brews will be served during the flight, obviously. And, once the plane lands, you're in for a tour of either BrewDog's Columbus or Ellon facilities, as well as relevant boozy trips in Ohio and Scotland. To ensure the flight goes smoothly — or boozily, really — BrewDog has also created its own beer that tastes better at a flying altitude. If you hop on board its airline, you'll get to enjoy more than a few sips. Cathay Pacific also did something similar back in 2017, launching a bottled beer that was made to taste as great in the air as it does on the ground. With BrewDog also opening an Australian base in Brisbane in 2019 — albeit without a hotel — here's hoping it brings this idea with it. Image: BrewDog.
On the morning of Friday, January 8, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that the entire Greater Brisbane region — spanning the Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redlands local government areas – would go into lockdown between 6pm that evening and 6pm today, Monday, January 11. That meant a sudden change of weekend plans for residents in the area, and also left the whole region waiting to see what would follow after those three days. This morning, at her daily press conference, the Premier has announced the next steps. Firstly, the lockdown will indeed end as originally planned. "This is the best news we could've hoped for," the Premier said, announcing that there had been no new locally acquired COVID-19 cases overnight — and confirming that only one case of the new B117 variant has been reported in the community, in the hotel quarantine worker who picked it up at their job. So, once 6pm hits today, folks in Greater Brisbane can leave their homes for any reason they like. That said, until 1am on Friday, January 22, a range of other restrictions will be in place. Accordingly, life isn't returning to pre-lockdown normality just yet. The big one: both venue and gathering limits are being tightened, so you'll be spending time with fewer people whether you're heading out of the house or staying at home. Indoor businesses and venues are going back to the one person per four-square-metres rule, and outdoor businesses will once again adopt the one person per two-square-metres rule — and eating and drinking can only take place while patrons are seated. Smaller businesses, at venues of up to 200 square metres, will also be able to stick to the one person per two-square-metres rule; however, their capacity will be capped at 50 customers. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1348405768630898689 Dancing is banned again, except at weddings. Folks getting hitched can have up to 100 attendees, the same limit as funerals. Indoor concert venues and theatres can operate at either 50-percent capacity or under the one person per four-square-metres rule, whichever is greater. At outdoor stadiums, they'll be able to fill to 50-percent capacity. Within Greater Brisbane homes, gathering limits are going up to 20 — so you'll be able to have your friends and family over. That cap includes whoever lives at the premises, though. And, only 20 people can gather together in public spaces as well. "The evidence tells us the lockdown has done its job," the Premier said. "Dr Young has asked for these further ten days of measures in the Greater Brisbane area. It's better to be safe than sorry, and it's better to be sure," she continued. Wearing masks will still be mandatory in some circumstances, and must be carried at all times. You'll have to wear one in indoor places (such as shopping centres, supermarkets, gyms, entertainment venues like cinemas, libraries, workplaces where people can't socially distance, places of worship, public transport, taxis and ride share vehicles) — but won't have to when outside at a safe distance from other people, and in your own cars. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
Tasmania is an evocative place. The tiny island state is easily one of Australia's most diverse landscapes, featuring everything from white, sandy beaches and the inspiring peaks of Cradle Mountain to hidden wonders like Little Blue Lake. But it's not just the terrain that offers up surprises; Tasmania is also a haven for the unconventional. With Hobart's globally renowned Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), the large botanical mazes and rural towns turned into openair galleries, Tasmania knows its way around the weird and wonderful and isn't afraid to revel in it come rain, shine or snow. With that in mind, we've created a jam-packed winter guide to Tassie's most eclectic cultural and artistic experiences. So strap yourselves in (and put on your warmest winter woollies), it's going to be a strange ride. [caption id="attachment_498713" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Museum of Old and New Art (MONA).[/caption] THE MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART — HOBART Affectionately referred to as the 'museum of sex and death', MONA isn't your stock-standard cultural institution. Instead, it's more like a sprawling underground playground that could easily double as a Bond villain's home (just look at its imposing void-like entrance and spiral staircases). Each exhibition has been specially curated to provoke — from James Turrell's permanent, mind-bending light installations in the newly minted Pharos wing to the bold, ever-changing seasonal shows like Greg Taylor's famous vaginal sculptures. As MONA is the host of Australia's most sinister festival, Dark Mofo, winter is the ideal time to visit, with numerous artists and works freshly displayed within the museum's walls as well as sprawled across Hobart. And once you've finished expanding your mind, you can also expand your stomach at one of MONA's many eateries. The combination of Faro's Spanish and Greek tapas (try the martini garnished with pig eyes if you're brave), waterfront views and stark architecture is fantastic. [caption id="attachment_719412" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Jonathan Wherrett.[/caption] CASCADES FEMALE FACTORY — HOBART History often dwells on the lives of men rather than women, but that's not the case at the Cascades Female Factory, located at the foothills of Mount Wellington. Built in 1828, the factory was once a women's only convict facility and workhouse, so it seems fitting that it's now one of the only sites in Australia that is fully dedicated to highlighting the trials and tribulations of female convicts. Daily tours offer a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of the thousands of women and children that once lived and worked on the factory grounds. Or, if you love a little drama, make sure you're bundled up for the outdoors and catch the spooky two-person theatrical tour Her Story that takes place across the factory's grounds every day at noon. [caption id="attachment_719424" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Diane and Lindsay Stockbridge.[/caption] SHEFFIELD MURALS — SHEFFIELD If there's one thing that you can always rely on in Tasmania, it's that the small island knows how to exceed expectations, particularly when it comes to art. So it's no surprise that the town of Sheffield is a totally normal rural Tasmanian town, except for the fact that it also doubles as the most impressive openair gallery. Covered in murals from head to toe — or from sheds to churches, to be more accurate — the 'Town of Murals' is a colourful wonderland that is well worth the one-hour drive from Launceston. Plus, each winter there are new murals to see, with the annual mural fest occurring at the end of April. [caption id="attachment_719427" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett.[/caption] THE SHIP THAT NEVER WAS — STRAHAN Whoever said history had to be boring? Certainly not the people behind Australia's longest-running play, which turned 25 earlier in 2019. Filled with cheeky convicts and comedic tragedy, The Ship That Never Was immerses you in the true story of the great escape from Sarah Island. Intrigue, twists and laughter abound in this hilariously dramatic tale that manages to impart some interesting historical facts about the convict settlement of Macquarie Harbour while keeping the audience endlessly entertained. So get snug with one of the blankets and heat packs provided (you'll need it) and settle in for some educational entertainment. [caption id="attachment_719429" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett.[/caption] QUEEN VICTORIA MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY — LAUNCESTON If you've come to Tasmania, then chances are you're at least a little bit intrigued by the state's interesting past. If that's the case, then the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery should be your first stop during a trip to Launceston — or stops, rather. Split into two locations — the QVMAG Museum at Inveresk and QVMAG Art Gallery at Royal Park — this arty institution is a great way to get up close and personal with Tasmania's heritage and culture. Plus, both spots are great indoor options if the weather is just a bit too chilly. An exhibition by local artist Angela Casey that's full of dark sentiments and sinister depictions, The Enquiring Light will be showing throughout winter alongside the permanent archaeological exhibition, which includes life-size dinosaur replicas. Get ready to live out all of your Jurassic Park fantasies. [caption id="attachment_719414" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett.[/caption] TASMAZIA AND THE VILLAGE OF LOWER CRACKPOT — PROMISED LAND Get lost. No really, do it — but not just anywhere. Do it at the self-proclaimed 'largest maze complex in the world'. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Mount Roland, the strange tourist site that is Tasmazia is actually pretty fantastic. There are eight mazes to lose yourself (and your mind) in, plus the Village of Lower Crackpot. The miniature town's charming exterior hides a darkly subversive humour that is slowly revealed through hilarious nods to the absurd — like its monument to whistleblowers and its School of Lateral Thinking. Our favourite is the Lower Crackpot's Correctional Centre, which is filled with plush guillotines and fake punishments. [caption id="attachment_719954" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Derwent Valley.[/caption] THE WALL IN THE WILDERNESS — HOBART Staring at walls isn't generally considered a stimulating activity, but the Wall in the Wilderness isn't your average roof-holder. Using a series of timber panels, artist Greg Duncan has hand-carved a 100-metre-long depiction of the history of Tasmania's central highlands, creating a wall like no other. From the area's Indigenous people to the early pastoralists and hydro workers, the astounding artwork commemorates the people that lived in the harsh region. It has been critically compared to Michelangelo's painting of the Sistine Chapel — so you know it's worth the trip. Top image: Faro at MONA by Jarrad Seng.
In what's unsurprisingly being deemed the first of its kind, an abandoned slate mine in the Llechwedd caverns of Wales has recently been converted into an amazing trampoline playground. Featuring neon lights, huge bouncy netting, and awe-inspiring natural surrounds, this is one fantastical deathtrap that will be well worth all the hours of therapy it will inevitably necessitate. Though it officially opens next week (July 3) Bounce Below is the stuff dreams are made out of. Particularly those dreams where you wake up falling inexorably to your death. Of course, we kid. This underground wonderland has been well fitted out with safety precautions — we're just lashing out because we're bitter about being on the wrong side of the world to experience it. And, with three levels of incredible trampolines and a spiral slide measuring 20 metres in height, there's an awful lot to be jealous about. Far from your average cave tour, thrillseekers and historians visiting the seemingly unpronounceable small town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales can spend one hour bouncing around these unconventional caverns for a mere £15. Equipped with hard hat and matching overalls, both kids and adults alike can explore the many levels of bouncy bliss while enjoying the creepy serenity of being trapped underground. With the recent announcement of a a giant boobie bouncy castle at the Museum of Sex in New York, it seems like bouncing is the new hip activity around the world this week. If you need us, we'll be practicing our double-bouncing techniques at home while waiting for this giant novelty trend to hit Australia and New Zealand. Via Huffington Post.
Of course the Scandinavian Film Festival takes place in winter. When it's frosty across Australia, watching films set in snowy Nordic climes just feels appropriate. As many a cultural film fest offers, it's the next best thing to jumping on a plane and heading to the top of the world (it's also much, much cheaper). Now enjoying its fourth outing, the 2017 festival gets the Scandi celebrations started with international festival hit The Other Side of Hope, then works through the best flicks that Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden currently have to offer. Odes to real-life figures, heart-stirring dramas, explorations of indigenous plights, brooding murder mysteries and the politics of war are all included — and all make our top five picks of this year's program. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxPRRzZkpus TOM OF FINLAND How does someone become known simply by their first name and homeland? Tom of Finland has the answer. The biographical film delves into the story of, yes, Tom of Finland, aka Finnish artist Touko Laaksonen. A pseudonym became another became a legend for the man who survived World War II, struggled to be himself in a country where homosexuality was illegal, and then became an emblem for sexual freedom. Director Dome Karukoski relays his tale with passion, as does Pekka Strang, as well as shining a bigger spotlight on Tom of Finland's provocative output. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O15-xYqBDZU A CONSPIRACY OF FAITH Nordic noir is the genre that keeps on giving, be it on the page, on TV or in cinemas. Jumping from books to films, Denmark's Department Q series continues to sit at the centre of the Scandinavian-set crime wave — and, the great thing about adapting a multi-tome effort is the multiple movies that follow. Fans of previous Scandinavian Film Festival titles The Keeper of Lost Causes and The Absent One will be ready and waiting to chart detectives Carl Mørck (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) and Assad's (Fares Fares) latest exploits, while newcomers can still jump right into the procedural action. As the title gives away, this time faith plays a big part in their new mystery, and how they approach the case. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIolgEvMAJ8 HEARTSTONE When Heartstone premiered at the Venice Film Festival last year, it was a debut effort exploring the connection between two childhood pals against a stunning Icelandic backdrop. Now making its way to Australia, it's an international film fest smash. Of course, the former still rings true, as told with intimacy, precision and overwhelming sincerity. Here, best friends Thor and Christian work through the conflicts of growing up, going after love and not always getting what they want — or understanding their bond with each other. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o2FkppwDoU SAMI BLOOD In the 1930s, teenage reindeer herder Elle Marja (Lene Cecilia Sparrok) is removed from her family. The reason? She's Sámi, a member of the area's indigenous people. Taking children from their culture in an attempt to assimilate them into Swedish life was common practice at the time — and yes, that kind of oppression should sound familiar to Australian audiences. Sámi director Amanda Kernell steps through a stirring tale that proves revelatory in more ways than one, while also making a star out of Sparrok, a reindeer herder herself. Sami Blood screens in Sydney and Brisbane only. Melbourne movie buffs — watch this space. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNtu-bCGi18 THE KING'S CHOICE Shortlisted in this year's foreign-language category at the Academy Awards, and based on real events, World War II effort The King's Choice finds a personal way to tell an epic story. Two nations face off, with Germany invading Norway, but one man has to find a way forward. Sure, he's the democratically elected monarch, but that doesn't make his complicated decision any less involving. Taking its time to piece its parts together, his experiences make for the kind of drama that builds towards a stirring resolution. The Scandinavian Film Festival tours the country between July 11 and August 6, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street and Palace Verona from July 11 to August 2, Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay and Palace Westgarth from July 13 to August 2, and Brisbane's Palace Barracks from July 20 to August 6. For the full program, visit the festival website.
Why serve sushi on a train when you can serve it on a plane? Okay, it's not exactly a plane, but it's pretty close. London's YO! Sushi, renowned for being the first sushi chain in the UK to provide its goodies via a conveyor belt, is now the first to deliver them with wings. Currently on trial at YO! Sushi's Soho restaurant, with a view to national roll out in 2014, the 'iTray' has been developed using sophisticated RC Drone quadicopter technology. Dependent on four propellers, and made of super-light carbon fibre, the 'flying waiter' is remote controlled with an inbuilt Wifi system, connected to an iPad. Two HD cameras enable the restaurant's kitchen staff to ensure that their creations experience a smooth and accurate arrival at their destination. Given that the iTray can travel at speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour, and can make journeys as long as 50 metres, a crash landing could get kind of messy. In other air borne-cuisine related developments, attendees at South Africa's Oppikoppi Music Festival, happening August 8-10, will be able to use their mobile phones to order drone-delivered beer. [via Springwise]
While wearable tech is impressive, it's not necessarily subtle or very stylish. You can always tell when someone's wearing a Fitbit and we all know how Google Glass went down. But Google's new piece of wearable tech is integrated into one of society's more practical pieces of clothing: a Levi's denim jacket. Google's Advanced Technology and Projects arm (ATAP) has teamed up with the iconic denim brand to redesign their Commuter Trucker Jacket with Google's Project Jacquard technology. It is the first garment to be made with the tech, which works by weaving a conducive yarn into the fabric. On the jacket, the tech is installed in the left sleeve, which acts as a touchpad and allows for touch and gesture interactivity with your phone. That means that when riding your bike (which is what this technology has been primarily designed for) you will be able to swipe up to get directions, tap to change the song you're listening to or swipe down to answer a call. It's all powered by a clip-on tag, which acts as a battery and, as far as we can tell, is the only real noticeable difference to the jacket. The technology has been in the works for some time now, but further details were announced on-stage by Levi's global product innovation head Paul Dillinger and ATAP's Project Jacquard lead Ivan Poupyrev at SXSW in Austin this weekend. The jacket — which will be made in both women's and men's sizes — will be released in spring this year and retail for about $350 USD. That's not saying the jacket will be officially released in Australia or New Zealand, but it will be available for consumers to purchase. Until then, you'll just have to be content with listening to a shitty song that snuck into your Spotify shuffle until you pull up at a traffic light. Via Mashable. Images: Levi's/YouTube.
Okay, so it's actually a statue of King Joffrey. But still! Think of the satisfaction! Everyone wants to see that smarmy little ferret face smashed into the ground and now you finally have the means with which to make it happen. Do it for Ned Stark! Do it for Sansa! Do it for that little kid in Batman Begins who had no idea of his evil destiny. The marketing geniuses over at Sky (New Zealand's equivalent of Foxtel) have set up a statue of King Joffrey in the middle of Auckland's CBD and, using the power of social media (for realsies) you can help topple the unlawful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. Each tweet including the hashtag #bringdowntheking will contribute to a rope around the statue's neck tightening — a slow but inevitable means with which to bring the statue down. The public execution, which is estimated to take around five days, is available to watch via livestream here. Although, it may be a little dull until the final moments. The more entertaining things to keep an eye on at the moment are people's emotive tweets. The North remembers. Filthy Joffrey. #bringdowntheking #GOT — a little bit of ???? (@_magiciscoming) April 3, 2014 You bastard Joffrey!!! #bringdowntheking — Sam Pascoe (@PascoeSam) April 3, 2014 Something tells me these kind of fans really didn't need a marketing stunt to remind them to tune in to the season premiere on April 6.
Poor Things is still screening in cinemas Down Under, and its swag of Oscars — including for Emma Stone for Best Actress — is mere weeks old, but you can already start getting excited about Yorgos Lanthimos' next film. The Greek director is reteaming with Stone (The Curse) for their third feature, after The Favourite as well, on Kinds of Kindness. Movie lovers will see the end result soon, with the feature due to start hitting cinemas around the world from midyear. For now, it has just dropped its first teaser trailer. This time, Lanthimos and Stone have made a triptych featuring three fable-like tales. One is about a man who doesn't have choice as he attempts to seize control of his existence. Another follows a policeman whose wife goes missing at sea, then returns but doesn't seem like herself. And the last charts a woman trying to find a person with a unique ability that's meant to become a spiritual leader. That's all the narrative detail that's been revealed about Kinds of Kindness so far. The initial glimpse at the movie spans speeding cars, dragged bodies, slaps, dancing, dogs, licking and Stone talking about the moment of truth, all soundtracked by the Eurythmics' 'Sweet Dreams'. If you're thinking "isn't it wonderful" about this combination of elements, the movie understands — they're Stone's last words in the footage. On-screen, Stone — who also worked with Lanthimos on short film Bleat — has her Poor Things co-stars Willem Dafoe (Asteroid City) and Margaret Qualley (Drive-Away Dolls) for company. Joining them: Jesse Plemons (Killers of the Flower Moon), Hong Chau (The Menu), Joe Alwyn (Stars at Noon), Mamoudou Athie (The Burial) and Hunter Schafer (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes). Lanthimos helms, co-writing the script with Efthimis Filippou (who penned the filmmaker's Dogtooth, Alps, The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, too), on a flick that'll release in the US in June (likely after premiering at the Cannes Film Festival the month earlier, given the timing) and Down Under on Thursday, July 11. Check out the first trailer for Kinds of Kindness below: Kinds of Kindness will release in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 11, 2024.
There's only one thing in life that's almost as ace as a holiday: looking forward to a holiday. The planning, counting down the days, just having something to get excited about — they all help liven up the daily grind. So when a flight sale drops, like Virgin's latest round of discounted fares, it's an instant way to brighten up your mood. Start looking forward to trips around Australia and overseas, and for cheap. This new sale spans over 500,000 fares for both domestic and international legs. Prices start low, at the usual $49, which once again gets you from Sydney to Byron Bay — the normal cheapest fare in any flight sale — and vice versa. From there, the domestic side of the sale covers everywhere from Hamilton Island and Hobart to Darwin and Mt Isa. Virgin's Flight Frenzy sale runs until 11.59pm AEST on Friday, August 25 — unless sold out earlier, with fares to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide also covered. That means paying $69 one-way from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast, $79 from Melbourne to Hobart, and $99 for a trip from Brisbane to Cairns or Canberra to the Gold Coast. Or, still on local deals, the specials also cover $59 from Melbourne to Launceston, $119 from Adelaide to Sydney, $179 from Brisbane to Darwin and $209 from Melbourne to Perth. Internationally, Tokyo visits are included, from Cairns only from $699 return. Among the other global return options: Bali (from $469 from Adelaide, $489 from the Gold Coast, $599 from Brisbane, and $629 from Melbourne or Sydney), Fiji ($499 from Brisbane or Sydney, and $539 from Melbourne), Vanuatu ($469 from Brisbane) and Samoa ($569 from Sydney and $579 from Brisbane). And, Queenstown is also on the agenda, with both one-way and return legs. One-way from Melbourne and Sydney starts at $265, and return from $425. From Brisbane, those prices are $309 and $539. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, the fares cover select periods between Wednesday, October 11, 2023–Thursday, June 20, 2024, with all dates varying per route. Inclusions also differ depending on your ticket and, as usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick if you're keen to stack the rest of 2023 and the first half of 2024 with a getaway (or several). Virgin's Flight Frenzy sale runs until 11.59pm AEST on Friday, August 25 — unless sold out earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
The global juggernaut revolutionising music festivals around the world, Optus RockCorps, has hit Australia with the promise of free tickets to a kick-arse festival — in exchange for just four hours of your time. This groundbreaking program offers festival-lovers a fairly irresistible exchange: simply spend four hours volunteering for the local community and in return you will get yourself a ticket to the Optus RockCorps on April 11 at the Hordern Pavilion. They're the world's only festival tickets that money literally cannot buy. The event is produced through a partnership between Optus and the RockCorps organisation, which has rocked its way across the globe, with over 130,000 volunteers from France to Venezuela to the US giving up a combined 500,000 hours in order to put on over 40 live concerts. This innovative strategy has not only allowed RockCorps to promote and pump out some pretty awesome live music but also allowed volunteers to make a difference in poor and struggling communities all over the world. Confirmed for the line-up of the first Optus RockCorps in Sydney are The Script, Labrinth and Guy Sebastian. If you fancy registering or just want to find out more about the project, visit the Optus RockCorps website or give them a call on 1800 ROCK 1800. 8 March 2013: The organisers of Optus RockCorps have announced that British MC Tinie Tempah will replace Labrinth, who is unable to perform due to scheduling difficulties.
“Save Live Australia’s Music (SLAM) is a collective of non-politically aligned, independent, local music-loving citizens. The only pre-requisite to getting involved is a love of live music.” That is the mission statement of SLAM, an organisation dedicated to creating a vibrant and entertaining live-music industry, nation wide. SLAM Day itself involves live music fans in every state organising gigs of every size and genre – celebrating local musicians and die-hard punters. This year, hundreds of live shows have been organised, making 2013 the biggest SLAM day to date. Check out the extensive list of gigs on the SLAM Day website for shows near you. If you are simply looking for a recommendation, we reckon My Fiction (Pictured) and The Familiars are playing at The Zoo and should be extremely entertaining.
Jarno Smeets has always believed he could fly. Now he knows he can. On March 18, Smeets successfully flew using his pair of custom-built wings, controlled by video game controllers and an Android phone. The project, which took eight months of research and testing, was inspired by sketches by Smeets' grandfather depicting a futuristic flying bicycle. Smeets' grandfather spent much of his life working on the design, yet never completed the project; Smeets says that it has always been his dream to complete his grandfather's goal. While Smeets was studying engineering at Coventry University in England, he altered his grandfather's design and began working on a Leonardo Da Vinci-inspired set of flying wings. The idea was based on the mechanics involved with robotic prosthetics. Smeets' aim was to supplement his arm strength to enable his arms to carry his entire body while in flight. With the help of neuro-mechanic Bert Otten, the design eventually became a reality. The flight lasted 60 seconds, a "magical moment", according to Smeets. Of course, a video like this brings the skeptics out of the woodwork, and with the creator's CV not checking out, their case has been gaining momentum. Update: yep, it's a fake. https://youtube.com/watch?v=GYW5G2kbrKk [via Wired]
