When the time came for Hannah Gadsby to follow up her international smash-hit show Nanette, that seemed a rather difficult task. After all, the one-woman stand-up performance copped serious praise on its 18-month travels across Australia and the UK, even scooping the top honours at both the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe — and spawning its very own Netflix special. But, then Douglas was born, with the beloved Aussie comedian returning to the stand-up stage with a performance named after her own pet pooch. While Nanette pulled apart the concept of comedy itself, dishing up an insight into Gadsby's past, Douglas took comedy fans on a "tour from the dog park to the renaissance and back". It toured stages across Australia and New Zealand in late 2019 and early 2020, and then hit Netflix a year ago. Next on the agenda: following up both of those supremely popular shows, and doing so in-person. Between July and November this year, Gadsby will be doing just that thanks to her new stand-up set Body of Work. It'll tour Australia in 2021, before heading to the UK, European and North America in early 2022. Despite spending the past year sitting out the pandemic, as we all have, Gadsby's humour won't have lost its charms. She'll be kicking off her tour in Canberra, then heading to Albury, Newcastle, Hobart, Launceston, Darwin, Bendigo, Albany, Bunbury, Mandurah, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane. And yes, she'll be playing Sydney, too, although those dates and details haven't yet been revealed. https://twitter.com/Hannahgadsby/status/1391545052564914176 HANNAH GADSBY 'BODY OF WORK' TOUR DATES: July 23–24 — Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra July 26 — Albury Entertainment Centre, Albury July 29 — Newcastle Civic Theatre, Newcastle August 5–7 — Theatre Royal, Hobart August 15–16 — Princess Theatre, Launceston August 22 — Darwin Entertainment Centre, Darwin August 27 — Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo September 1 — Albany Entertainment Centre, Albany September 3 — Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, Bunbury September 4 — Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Mandurah September 10–11 — Regal Theatre, Perth October 26–31 — Comedy Theatre, Melbourne November 26–27 — QPAC, Brisbane Dates TBC — Sydney Hannah Gadsby's 'Body of Work' will tour Australia from July to November 2021. For further details — and to buy pre-sale tickets from Wednesday, May 12 and general tickets from 9am on Friday, May 14 — head to the comedian's website.
Feeling a little chilly, Brisbanites? That's understandable — the sky is grey, rain keeps drizzling down and the cooler weather isn't expected to lift until tomorrow. But it's not just a cold spell in summer that's making the city shiver, but the fact that Brisbane just experienced its coldest February day since 1961. Yesterday, the mercury didn't pass 22 degrees. And if you can't remember the last time it was this cool at this time of year, that's because it has been 15 years since anything came close. Back in 2003, Brisbane hit a top of just 22.1 degrees one February day, but we're usually sweltering through 30.2-degree average temperatures. In fact, some parts of south-east Queensland recorded their lowest-ever maximum February temperatures yesterday, Brisbane Times reports, including Oakey, Gatton, Warwick, Toowoomba, Kingaroy, Gayndah, Stanthorpe, Applethorpe, Gympie, Archerfield and Coolangatta. To put the dip in context, 21.4 degrees is the month's average minimum temperature — but yesterday's top temp only exceeded it by 0.6 degrees. And, the drop comes after a warm and dry January, with the Bureau of Meteorology stating that "daytime temperatures were much warmer than average overall," over the past month. Indeed, Brisbane experienced 30-degrees-plus temperatures at the beginning of this week, but is expected to hit the same low maximum of 22 degrees today. Showers are expected to hang around all week, but temps will start creeping up again from Sunday, though exceeding 30 degrees isn't forecast until Friday. Via Brisbane Times / 7 News / Weatherzone / Bureau of Meteorology.
If the Venice Film Festival can dedicate an entire island to virtual reality, and Brisbane can host its own VR festival, then Melbourne's year-round cinema hub can make the interactive technology a permanent part of its collection. As well as launching a new limited-offering VR commission, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image is adding a VR Lounge to its screen-filled spaces. Come September 23, ACMI will not only say hello to Prehistoric VR, a free two-week step back in time, but will also ask visitors to get comfy in their newest addition. The former, called the first 360-degree VR puppetry experience of its kind, comes from performing arts company Erth Visual & Physical Inc and award-winning visual artist and filmmaker Samantha Lang, while the latter will showcase a rotating array of VR works. The third ACMI commission that has asked established performing artists to turn a live stage work into realistic 360-degree virtual reality, where Prehistoric VR is headed isn't a surprise — when it comes to interacting with creatures that no longer roam the earth, life finds a way. Until October 8, the immersive experience dives onto the ocean floor, and back 200 million years, to encounter the aquatic critters from the Ediacaran to the Cretaceous periods. On the permanent front, ACMI's new ongoing VR Lounge will form part of its free Screen Worlds exhibition, kicking off with mystical fairy tale The Turning Forest. Created by Melbourne-based VR company VRTOV, who also have space at ACMI's co-working space ACMI X, it premiered to rave reviews at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival, even earning comparisons to The NeverEnding Story. ACMI's commitment to virtual reality isn't new, with the centre premiering the spooky Ghost, Toast and the Things Unsaid and immersive dance experience Stuck in the Middle With You in 2016. As ACMI Director and CEO, Katrina Sedgwick explains, "as the national museum for film, TV, games digital culture and art, ACMI is fascinated by the rapid evolution of VR and the new ways practitioners are engaging audiences through this platform." Image: Renee Stamatis Photography.
You can never have too many occasions to eat cheese, but this returning Australian cheese festival isn't just keen to shower cheese fiends with creamy goodness. A collaboration between Bruny Island Cheese Co cheesemaker Nick Haddow and the organisers of Pinot Palooza, Mould wants dairy lovers to explore and devour the mild, hard and soft bites that Australia's best cheese wizards have to offer. Returning for a fourth time in 2022 — after a chaotic couple of years, as all fests have endured — the cheesy event will paint Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney yellow for a couple of days in each city this winter. And there won't just be a few cheeses on the menu. More than 75 artisan cheeses from around the country will be ready and waiting for you to devour, spanning dairy from 27-plus producers. That lineup includes Bruny Island Cheese Co, naturally, plus Grandvewe, Milawa Cheese, Yarra Valley Dairy and Stone & Crow. There'll also be wares from Section 28, Red Cow Organics, Nimbin Valley Cheese, and newcomers such as Dreaming Goat, Long Paddock Cheese and Second Mouse Cheese. The 2022 events will span multiple days in each stop — running over three days in Brisbane and Melbourne, and two days in Sydney. For the first time ever, Mould is also headed to Hobart in October, if you feel like a cheese-eating trip to the Apple Isle this spring (with exact festival dates still to be announced). Alongside unlimited tastings of Australia's best cheeses, Mould will also feature flavoursome fare from cheese specialists that've been created just for the fest, too. Think of it as a cheese tasting trip around Australia without leaving the city. Of course, snacking on samples and purchasing slices and slabs to take home with you are just two ways to enjoy cheese. The fest will have cooking demonstrations, masterclasses and talks so you can stretch your cheese knowledge as well as your cheese stomach. And it wouldn't be a cheese festival without beverages to wash it all down with, so expect a bar serving Aussie wines, whisky, vodka, gin, beer, cider, cocktails and sake — all of which match nicely to a bit of cheese. Unsurprisingly, Mould is rather popular. Last year, attendees tucked into a one million samples across the fest's three cities, and also took home over 3.5 tonnes of Aussie dairy products. So, if this the kind of event that your cheese dreams are made of, you'll want to nab a $45 ticket ASAP. MOULD — A CHEESE FESTIVAL 2022 DATES: July 1–3 — John Reed Pavilion, Brisbane Showgrounds, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills July 22–24 — The Timber Yard, 351 Plummer Street, Port Melbourne August 12–12 — Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh October TBC — Hobart TBC Mould — A Cheese Festival tours Australia from July. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the event's website.
A visit to Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art until Monday, October 7, 2024 means peering at Beyoncé-, Björk- and Cate Blanchett-approved haute couture, all thanks to the venue's spectacular Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses exhibition. A range of the Dutch fashion designer's stunning pieces are on display — works that could only hail from a truly unique figure in an industry where genuinely earning that label is all too rare. Whichever day of the week that you head by, the results are dazzling. Go along on a Friday night, however, and you'll also be in for a party. Sashaying through GOMA's exhibitions usually means not only scoping out its pieces while the sun is shining, but getting a couple of chances to hit up the gallery after dark — and for this showcase, that's the case every Friday night until Friday, October 4. Entry runs from 5.30–8.30pm, with DJs spinning tunes and drop-in drawing classes on offer during the extended opening hours. In the River Room, the GOMA Bar is pouring drinks and serving up bites, with the menu spanning green apple and ginger old fashioneds, strawberry Aperol spritzes, a small list of wine options, beers from Aether and Felons, cheese-filled and panko-crumbed olives, black truffle chips, a choice of antipasto or cheese plates, and more. If you're keen to take some stylish wares home with you, the foyer shop is also up and running during GOMA Friday Nights, complete with a number of exclusive Iris van Herpen belts and scarves to purchase. You can catch free films, too, courtesy of the Transcendence: A Cinema of Awe program that features The Boy and the Heron and Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), among other highlights. Images: Installation view of 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses' Photograph: C Callistemon and J Ruckli © QAGOMA.
Wherever you are in Australia, you're never far from nature. But, when you really need to unwind, your best bet is to find somewhere remote — preferably, a place where emails, phone calls and bosses can't reach you. Plus, you should find some serious natural beauty on which to feast your weary eyes. To that end, we've taken a good look around the nation at some of the most spectacular spots — from the coral-filled waters of Queensland's Heron Island to the empty beaches of NSW's Mimosa Rocks National Park to the granite boulders of Tasmania's Bay of Fires. And just like us, Stoneleigh Wild Valley is all about celebrating the wondrous work of nature. The New Zealand winery follows a wild fermentation process for its wines resulting in flavours that are rich in complexity. So, together, we've scoped out five spots around the country where you can unwind — perhaps even with a glass of vino in hand. Next time you're planning a weekend getaway, make tracks to one of these beauties. Your overworked body and fatigued brain will thank you. [caption id="attachment_728904" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland.[/caption] HERON ISLAND, QLD 72 kilometres off Gladstone lies Heron Island, one of the Great Barrier Reef's most unspoilt islands. Just 800 metres long and 400 metres wide, it's mostly national park — fringed with white sands and, beyond that, coral reef. Between November and March every year, green turtles and loggerhead turtles (both threatened) nest here and you're welcome to watch them, as long as you stick to turtle watching guidelines. Any time of year, expect to meet seabirds a-plenty, plus many a sea critter if you go on a snorkelling or scuba diving excursion. There's just one place to stay: the eco-friendly Heron Island Resort, where you can choose from private rooms surrounded by pisonia forest, suites with incredible sunset views and a beach house with room for up to four guests. [caption id="attachment_728989" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Aragunnu Walking Track via Destination NSW.[/caption] MIMOSA ROCKS NATIONAL PARK, NSW Found on the NSW South Coast, around five-and-a-half hours' drive south of Sydney, Mimosa Rocks National Park is a land of empty beaches, rocky headlands and forests filled with wildlife. If you're keen to immerse yourself in nature, pitch your tent at a beachside campground, such as Aragunnu or Picnic Point. Prefer the comfort of four walls? Book the heritage Myer House. Either way, be sure to take a dip at Moon Bay, go for a stroll along Middle Lagoon Walking Track and check out the surf at Nelson Beach. [caption id="attachment_728931" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lisa Kuilenburg.[/caption] BAY OF FIRES, TAS Bay of Fires takes its name from its flaming colours. Granite boulders covered with bright orange lichen frame the coastline and, in contrast with the deep blue of the sea, create an extraordinary effect. The bay stretches for 50 kilometres along Tasmania's northeast coast, from Binalong Bay in the south to Ansons Bay in the north. Get back to nature in a tent at a free campground, sleepover at a luxe glamping site or sink into comfort at a B&B. Wherever you sleep, make sure you spend some time exploring on foot — whether you conquer the four-day Bay of Fires Walk or stick to day hikes. [caption id="attachment_688566" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trevor King via Destination NSW.[/caption] LORD HOWE ISLAND, NSW Take some time off the mainland at Lord Howe Island, a rugged paradise that's a two hours' flight east of Sydney with a population of just 382. To spend your entire break wrapped up in nature, embark on the Seven Peaks Walk, a five-day, 45-kilometre hike that takes in banyan forests, coastal cliff faces and magical beaches. If that sounds too long, there's a bunch of day walks to try, too. Alternatively, go snorkelling in clear waters, laze about on beaches or paddle board around. And forget all about crowds: no more than 400 visitors are allowed on the island at once. [caption id="attachment_719735" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria.[/caption] THE GRAMPIANS, VIC Clear your head with some invigorating mountain air in The Grampians, a mountain range three hours' northwest of Melbourne dotted with waterfalls, wildflower meadows and dizzying peaks. Begin your adventures at MacKenzie Falls, one of Victoria's biggest waterfalls, before heading to mystical Silverband Falls, surrounded by lush ferns and flowers. For views that go on forever, drive to Boroka Lookout, Reeds Lookout or Mount William, which, at 1167 metres, is the highest peak in the range. Or, if you're keen to get moving, take a hike. A good place to start is The Pinnacle, accessible by a variety of walking tracks, which range from 2.1 to nine kilometres. Enhance your adventure through nature with Stoneleigh Wild Valley, whose 2017 sauvignon blanc recently won gold at the New York International Wine Competition 2019. Top image: Lord Howe Island.
Troye Sivan has something to give Brisbane: his Something to Give Each Other tour. The Grammy-nominated and ARIA Award-winning 'Rush', 'I'm So Tired...', 'My My My!' and 'Youth' artist has spent part of 2024 playing shows in Europe to sellout crowds, and hitting America for a co-headline arena tour with Charli XCX. After that, he's making an Aussie return. The Perth-raised pop star hits Brisbane's Riverstage on Tuesday, November 26, with Nick Ward in support. Set to get a huge workout: the 2023 album that gives the tour its name, of course, which was Sivan's first since 2018's Bloom, earned a heap of placings on best-of-2023 lists at the end of last year and hit number one on the album charts in Australia. But given that his discography dates back to 2007's Dare to Dream — and includes fellow EPs TRXYE and Wild, plus his debut album Blue Neighbourhood — he has tracks from across almost two decades to bust out. It's been a huge few years for Sivan — as a musician, acting in Boy Erased and The Idol, being parodied by Timothée Chalamet (Dune: Part Two) on Saturday Night Live. Dance to this, obviously.
After the work-week marathon, holing up at home all weekend can be mighty tempting. Still, while technology has gifted us with the amazing ability to get both food and entertainment without changing out of our PJs, you might still feel like fresh air and socialising. So, on the first Sunday of each month — including on Sunday, November 5 — swap the hermit life for an outside hangout. The Sound Society is an initiative that fills Roma Street Parklands with music on the regular, with live tunes echoing through different parts of the inner city spot depending on the day and date. This time around, if a slow Sunday lunchtime with a soundtrack is your style, this is the place to head — picnic blanket in hand. [caption id="attachment_793757" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane City Flickr[/caption] Head along from 11am–2pm for tunes by various musicians, with Brother Fox doing the honours in March on the Banyan Lawn. Food trucks will also be onsite, including Gelato a Go-Go and Catch and Kiss. Also, The Garden Room Cafe does picnic hampers — or you can BYO snacks if you prefer. Updated November 3.
There’s something enticing about a Hollywood passion piece. Moneyball took Brad Pitt four years to get off the ground, The Avengers didn’t enter production until seven years after it was announced and Christopher Nolan spent the better part of a decade trying to nail down his script for Inception. For Warner Bros, it was way back in 2001 when they first acquired the rights to a Three Stooges film and attached brothers Peter and Bobby Farrelly to direct. But then came the inevitable delays, prolonged writers’ strikes and ongoing casting dilemmas (Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jim Carey were all at one time set to play the trio before each withdrew for separate reasons) – not to mention that no one was really clamouring for a Stooges film to be made in the first place. Finally, though, filming began in May of last year and the result has just hit our screens; or rather - punched, jabbed, boinked, slammed, slapped, spanked and slugged our screens. The old Stooges brand of comedy was the epitome of slapstick and the Farrelly brothers have boldly stayed true to its form in this offering. Larry, Curly and Moe bash each other with the frequency, wantonness and utter inconsequence of a WWE match, using anything from a salmon to a chainsaw to land their blows. Sometimes it’s funny; usually it’s not, and therein lies the problem of basing an entire movie around a single (and in many ways out-dated) style of entertainment. This is definitely a movie for the old Stooges fans; an homage that’s impressive in its recreation but unlikely to attract many new enthusiasts to the cause. Sean Hayes (Jack from Will and Grace) plays Larry in an almost unrecognisable performance – completely transforming himself via the iconic ‘shaved up top / uncontrollably curly out the sides’ haircut. Will Sasso, meanwhile, tackles the hardest of the three roles with his version of Curly: the high-pitched, hot-headed and dog-barking barrel of a man used by the others as anything from a trampoline to a battering ram. Then finally there’s Chris Diamantopoulos as Moe: the interminably surly ringleader with the bowl haircut and Brooklyn inflection. Together they bust out every “soytenly”, “why I oughta” and “nyuk nyuk nyuk” you’d expect from a Stooges film with remarkable fidelity to their predecessors’ accents and expressions. Plot was rarely the focus of the two hundred or so original Stooges shorts and it doesn’t factor a whole lot here, either. When the boys’ orphanage runs into financial trouble, they head out into the world to try to raise the necessary $830,000 themselves, one hair-brained scheme after the next. Femme fatale Lydia (Sofia Vergara) spies an opportunity to capitalise on their naivety by recruiting them to murder her husband, while the producers of Jersey Shore see a chance to cash in on their eccentricities by throwing one of them into ‘the house’. It’s one of those films where the writers threw a gag into every line based on the idea that if you swing at every pitch, you’ll eventually hit a few out of the park. Others might call it a war of attrition. Either way, while The Three Stooges may not set the world on fire, it also never stops trying to win you over. What’s more, when it does land a joke it’s so harmless and well intentioned that you can’t help but laugh from that wonderful, wholesome part of your belly where dad-jokes normally reside.
We can't all live in a dance movie, sadly; however, for one Saturday evening, we can do the next best thing. The culmination of nine weeks of classes taken by the next batch of aspiring toe-tappers, Mad Dance House's latest performance pays tribute to — and recreates — all of the filmic fancy footwork you know, love and wish you could fill your days with. It's called Hype - A Night at the Movies, but it may as well be called "now that's how you put together an end-of-year showcase". Across two sessions at 6pm and 8pm, the eager dancers will show you the meaning of Saturday Night Fever, white flares optional. Just which other flicks they'll be taking their cues from is anyone's guess, though there's plenty to choose from. Whatever your favourites might be, more than a few are bound to pop up as you have the time of your life and everybody cuts footloose.
Asked why he broke into Oslo's Gallery Nobel in 2015 and stole two large oil paintings in broad daylight, Karl-Bertil Nordland gives perhaps the most honest answer anyone could: "because they were beautiful". He isn't responding to the police or providing an excuse during his court appearance, but speaking to Czech artist Barbora Kysilkova, who wanted answers about the theft of her work. Captured on camera, the pilfering of Kysilkova's Swan Song and Chloe & Emma initially appeared to be a professional job. As the two pieces were removed from their frames in such an exacting manner, it was presumed that experts were behind the crime. But Nordland and his accomplice didn't plan their brazen heist, or have a background in purloining art. Thanks to the effect of illicit substances, Nordland can't even remember much about it, let alone recall what happened to the stolen works that Kysilkova desperately wants back. That said, as the thief tells the painter when she first talks with him, he does know that he walked past Gallery Nobel often. He's aware that he saw her photorealistic pieces — the first of a dead swan lying in reeds, the second of two girls sat side by side on a couch — many times, too. And, he's candid about the fact that he marvelled at and was moved by the two canvases long before he absconded with them. As a result, he doesn't seem surprised that his life led him to that juncture, and to snatching Kysilkova's creations. A victim confronts a perpetrator: that's The Painter and the Thief's five-word summary, and it's 100-percent accurate. But such a brief description can't convey how fascinating, thoughtful, moving and astonishing this documentary is as it unfurls a tale so layered and wild that it can only be true — a story that stretches far beyond what anyone could feasibly anticipate of such an altercation and its aftermath, in fact. Nordland was arrested and charged for his crime, with Kysilkova initially making contact with him at his trial. From there, the skilled carpenter and heavily tattooed addict unexpectedly gained a friend in the woman whose works he took. Kysilkova first asked to paint Nordland as part of her attempts to understand him, and he then became her muse. As all relationships do, especially ones forged under such unusual circumstances, their connection evolved, adapted and changed from there. As Norwegian filmmaker Benjamin Ree (Magnus) pointed a camera in their direction for three years, the duo weathered their own ups, downs, twists and turns, as did their friendship. If Nordland's reply to Kysilkova feels disarmingly frank and unguarded, that's because it is. The same tone remains throughout The Painter and the Thief's entire duration. Absent the usual tropes and stylistic markers that true-crime documentaries are known for, the film eschews the standard mix of talking heads, re-enactments and explanatory narration in favour of truly observing and stepping inside its subjects' unique bond. Demonstrating an abundance of empathy that's as haunting as Kysilkova's striking pieces, Ree also gravitates to moments as equally sincere and direct as Nordland's initial admission. To see the latter's response to Kysilkova's first painting of him — physically cycling through shock, amazement, wonder and gratitude, and starting with his eyes wide in bewilderment before being overwhelmed with emotion to the point of sobbing — is to witness the most intimate and complicated of reactions. It's to no one's surprise that Ree lets his movie linger here, and lets his viewers soak in the full breadth and depth of Nordland's reckoning with who he is, how he has long felt about himself, what it means to him to be immortalised in an object of beauty and how it feels to be truly be seen by someone else. When it comes to its titular figures, The Painter and the Thief's focus doesn't just flow in one direction. Kysilkova helps piece together Nordland's story, including voicing a montage of photos and clips that takes a snapshot of his life from his childhood onwards; however, she's just as much of a subject of Ree's film as he is. Indeed, when it's time to expand upon her own tale, Nordland returns the favour by recounting what he knows about his friend in the same fashion. Both have experienced tumultuous histories. Neither's path from their first meeting is straightforward, either. Nordland is involved in an accident that leaves him hospitalised. Kysilkova struggles with her finances, and with her partner Øystein's worries about her new connection. Flitting back and forth between the two — but always leaving an extra impression whenever they're together — The Painter and the Thief offers a level of detail that also matches Kysilkova's paintings, all while charting the intersection of two unlikely kindred spirits. When this affecting and sensitive documentary premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in early 2020, it won a special jury award for creative storytelling — and the intuitive way in which Ree weaves together Kysilkova and Nordland's stories is worthy of the recognition. The gentle tone, the willingness to let things unravel as they will, the care and attention shown in all directions, the utter lack of sensationalism: they're all instrumental in shaping an extraordinary film. So too is the blend of raw yet gorgeously observed imagery by Ree and fellow cinematographer Kristoffer Kumar (Arctic Superstar), the delicate and patient editing by Robert Stengård (Rebels), and the engaging score from Uno Helmersson (Bobbi Jene). An intricate and unflinching insight into kindness and compassion in even the strangest of circumstances needs all of the above, as does a considerate and ruminative exploration of trauma, redemption, addiction, art, power and friendship. The Painter and the Thief is exactly that film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yJ4r7ON974
When it comes to all things gaming, Brisbane has been levelling up over the past few months. First came Netherworld, the city's first arcade game bar. Then Super Combo arrived with its Street Fighter-themed burgers. Come April 22, add 1UP Arcade's retro-style freeplay gaming to the mix. Setting up shop in a yet-to-be-disclosed Lytton Road, Morningside location, 1UP has more than just pumping coins into machines in mind. In fact, the 80-machine joint wants you to mash buttons on usual suspects such as Street Fighter and NBA Jam and rarer finds like Garou: Mark of the Wolves without needing to reach for your wallet. Here, patrons will pay a flat entry fee or opt for a membership, and then play to their heart's content. If you've been having Timezone lock-in withdrawals, you'd best start stretching your fingers now because you'll be in your element. "We want to attract players of all ages and skill levels, and that means removing all roadblocks to enjoyment," says owner and founder Stephen Holmes. "Usually you have to feed a machine dollar after dollar to get enough playtime to improve — but not at 1UP." Yes, gaming is firmly in the spotlight — and, in a departure from the current trend, drinking and eating at the same venue isn't. 1UP proudly stands alone as dedicated arcade, rather than falling within a bar or cafe. Staying true not only to a retro vibe but also old-school parts is also on the agenda, with Holmes focusing on authenticity among the close to 60 machines he's already confirmed. Prepare to stare at arcade-standard CRT monitors in original cabinets for hours on end, with anything needing a bit of love being rebuilt from original bits and pieces. Game on. Find 1UP Arcade in a yet-to-be-disclosed location on Lytton Road, Morningside from April 22. For more information, keep an eye on their website.
They're two of the biggest food trends filling stomachs around the globe, and they're making their way to Brisbane. We're talking about poke bowls and sushi burritos. One is a Hawaiian salad dish combining rice, greens and raw fish, while the other is exactly what you think it is — and they'll both be available at South Bank newcomer Suki from April 18. Originally slated to open last November, the latest venture from The Ole Group (aka the folks behind Mucho Mexicano, Ole Restaurant and Mister Paganini) will be Brisbane's first specialty sushi burrito and poke bowl eatery. And, while pre-designed options will be available, Suki won't just provide its scrumptious offerings from a set menu. Making your own is all the rage here, with diners selecting the grain base, protein filling, other accompaniments and type of wrap for their burritos, and stepping through a similar process for their bowls. Prepare to be spoilt for choice, basically. Seaweed wraps, bamboo rice, kelp leaves, swordfish, sticky beef with soy and ginger, pickled daikon, wasabi peas, soy eggs, pickled ginger and nine different types of sauces are all on the bill — and that's just a tiny selection of the various ingredients everyone conjuring up their own bowls and burritos can choose from. As well as quite the hefty array of edible components, Suki will boast both indoor and outdoor seating for 60 as it serves up its wares from 11am to 9pm seven days a week. A second store is already in the works, and while the location hasn't yet been revealed, it's set to open in the coming months. Find Suki at 182 Grey Street, South Bank from April 18. Check out their website for further information.
After bringing hobbits, dwarves and walking trees to life in The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, New Zealand's Weta Workshop has their sights set on something smaller for their next project: bugs. Forget sending creepy crawlies scurrying across cinema screens, however. A creative collaboration between the five-time Academy Award-winning special effects wizards and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, Bug Lab: Little Bugs, Super Powers will be scampering through the Melbourne Museum. With its Australian premiere season due to infest the Nicholson Street institution between 23 June and 15 October, the immersive exhibition gives little critters a big stage — and a boost in size as well. Visitors can get up close and personal via ultra-detailed large-scale models that look like a cross between colourful bug art and everyone's giant bug nightmares, with six particular specimens in the spotlight: the orchid mantis, bombardier beetle, jewel wasp, dragonfly, Japanese honeybees and katipō, aka New Zealand's most dangerous native spider. If you're easily spooked by insects, you might want to stop reading. Or, perhaps going along and getting a bug's-eye view of the world will help? Physical and digital adaptive stations will allow attendees to explore bugs' abilities in detail, test their own against them, and probably inspire a few folks to pretend to be Spider-Man. Elsewhere, bug chambers will showcase their adaptive skills, delving into camouflage, mind control, super speed, swarm intelligence and deadly venom. A section dedicated to the ways in which the creatures in question are influencing new technologies — think fly-like collision-tolerant drones, nanotechnology based on butterfly wings and 3D printed objects created from silk — will also be included, in what promises to be much, much more interesting than any bug-related science lessons you took at school. And if you just can't get enough, the attached IMAX theatre will be screening Bugs: Mighty Micro Monsters 3D during the exhibition's run. Bug Lab: Little Bugs, Super Powers comes to the Melbourne Museum from 23 June and 15 October, 2017. For more information or to buy tickets, head to their website.
Already home to Vietnamese food hall Fat Noodle and upmarket steakhouse Black Hide by Gambaro, the Treasury Brisbane is expanding its food range — with potstickers, dim sum, barbecued meats and other Cantonese-style food. When mid-March rolls around, the Brisbane CBD spot will welcome Mei Wei Dumplings, with the new hawker-style eatery setting up shop on the basement level. Head underground from Thursday, March 12 to eat your way through plenty of Mei Wei's titular dish — at the chain's second location, with its first restaurant already a favourite at The Star Gold Coast. Whether you like your dumplings fried or steamed, you'll find a variety of flavours on offer. Although Mei Wei hasn't unveiled its Brisbane menu as yet, its existing store serves up prawn dumplings, vegetable dumplings, three varieties of potstickers (beef, chicken and pork) and the trusty combination that is pork and prawn as well. Also on the lineup: char siu pork, crispy pork belly and crispy duck, as part of an extended Brisbane-only menu filled with new signature dishes. Mei Wei's Gold Coast site also serves up a range of wok-cooked options, including sichuan prawns, kung pao chicken and beef with chilli bean sauce, so you can expect them to make the jump to Brissie as well. Plus, it boasts a separate congee menu, with the rice porridge coming topped with the likes of pork and preserved egg, seafood, or chicken and mushroom. Design-wise, Mei Wei's Brisbane eatery will feature elements of Chinese design while also taking into consideration the Treasury's 134-year history. If you're already thinking about gathering the gang for dumplings next time you're in the vicinity of the casino, Mei Wei will also feature a 14-person private dining room. And, patrons can enter via a separate George Street entrance, rather than through the Treasury. Find Mei Wei Dumplings at Treasury Brisbane, corner of Queen and George streets, Brisbane from Thursday, March 12.
Newstead residents looking for nutritious dining options, your suburb is about to get a whole lot healthier. Of course, anyone keen on grabbing their groceries from a wholefood market, eating wholesome cafe meals and learning to cook dishes that are delicious and good for you can get in on this hype too. Regardless of where you live, new food hub About a Boy and a Girl will be worth heading to the inner-city outskirts to visit. Taking over a massive 430 square-metre space on Proe Street, the new venture from former Fundies Wholefood Market nutritionist Jodi Lanchester and wine-buyer partner Stephen Hazlett aims to nourish and educate. Oh, and provide a spot to pick up organic plonk and natural skin care products as well. Yep, it's a one-stop healthy-eating and -living shop, with its classes on topics such as on fermentation and gluten-free cooking certain to be a drawcard. When you're not cooking up a storm or selecting something to take home with you, you can snack on something tasty in-store — even if food allergies usually make dining out tricky. Now that should get you rushing through the door. Find About A Boy & A Girl at 18 Proe Street, Newstead from mid-September. Check out their Facebook page for further updates.
It's been a while in the making but planning for the 'adult Triple J' is now well underway, with Myf Warhurst at the helm. After taking control of digital music channel Dig in October last year, Triple J today announced that the over-30s station will be rebranded as Double J and officially launched on April 30 with Warhurst as regular presenter. The new station name is a throwback to Triple J's early days as Double J — a time when listeners were introduced to The Ramones and Joy Division and the station became a landmark in Australia's music history. Now, Double J will focus on the nostalgia of the '80s and '90s "celebrating the iconic music you grew up with" (N.B. This means a lot of Nick Cave, Nirvana and INXS), while adding in some palatable new sounds. "We have wanted to build a station like this for a number of years and now, with your help, we are really proud to deliver Double J," says Triple J manager Chris Scaddan. "While it won’t be a throwback to the music of the original Double J, it will be a station that takes the best elements of triple j’s past - a name, a presenter and the incredible archives, thrown headlong into the future with the best new sounds around." The reaction on Twitter has been positive with a touch of needling. — Callum Wilson (@Cal___) April 8, 2014 HEY! Gen X (old people) stop listening to @triplej its sad & you're making it uncool.We made you another thing over here #DoubleJ #TripleJ — Michael Davis (@MikeyMikeD) April 8, 2014 Regardless, the move is a necessary step to satisfy those who have felt disconnected from the national youth broadcaster of late. Alongside the usual complaints — "The Doctor sucks"; "Dubstep sucks"; "I hate hipster music and banjos" — Triple J has courted some controversy in the past few months about the homogenisation of their playlists. Faced with the familiar, high-rotation airplay of young indie acts like San Cisco, upcoming bands and old favourites alike have been reportedly feeling pressure to conform to a specific sound. Double J will hopefully help to quell this unrest and provide a bit of diversity to the listening landscape. "One of the best things any of us working in the media can do is to deliver something that audiences genuinely want," says ABC director of radio Kate Dundas. "We recognise people want to stay connected to music and discover new artists as they go through life — that’s the simple aim of Double J." Double J will launch at midday on Wednesday, April 30, with a live broadcast from Warhurst. The former Spicks and Specks favourite will present a daily show from 11am–3pm weekdays. The full list of programs and presenters will be revealed on air and you can listen in via the ABC radio app, online at www.doublej.net.au, or on your digital radio or TV.
It's time to get the word "Jellicle" stuck in your head once more: to mark 40 years since it first hit the stage in Australia, Cats is prowling through theatres again in 2025 and 2026. Back in July 1985, Aussie audiences initially experienced Andrew Lloyd Webber's acclaimed production, which turned a tale inspired by poems from T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats into an award-winning theatre hit. In Brisbane, your next chance to see Cats starts from Friday, February 6, 2026. Four decades ago, the show pranced through Theatre Royal Sydney to begin with — and after a stop there, then Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne, too, the new season is scampering across the boards at QPAC Lyric Theatre in the Queensland capital to help you make some new Cats memories. If you're new to Cats, it spends its time with the Jellicle cat tribe on the night of the Jellicle Ball. That's the evening each year when their leader Old Deuteronomy picks who'll be reborn into a new Jellicle life by making the Jellicle choice. And yes, "Jellicle" is uttered frequently. Of late, audiences might be more familiar with Cats as a movie. In 2019, the musical made the leap from stage to screen with a star-studded cast including Idris Elba (Hijack), Taylor Swift (Amsterdam), Judi Dench (Belfast), Ian McKellen, (The Critic) James Corden, (Mammals) Jennifer Hudson (Respect), Jason Derulo (Lethal Weapon), Ray Winstone (Damsel) and Rebel Wilson (The Almond and the Seahorse) playing singing, scurrying street mousers. If you ever wanted to see Swift pouring cat nip on a crowd of cats from a suspended gold moon, or were keen to soothe your disappointment over the fact that Elba hasn't yet been James Bond by spotting him with whiskers, fur and a tail, this was your chance. For its efforts, the Tom Hooper (The Danish Girl)-directed film picked up six Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture. But while the movie clearly didn't hit the mark, you can see why this feline-fancying musical has been such a huge theatre hit thanks to its Aussie stage comeback. Images: Alessandro Pinna.
What happens when you take the site of an old Fortitude Valley nightclub that's been shut for eight years, deck it out with vinyl and boomboxes, and dedicate it to retro vibes? Brisbanites are about to find out. With a name like Superfly Disco, the new venue sliding into Alhambra Lounge's old space on McLachlan Street was always going to feel like a throwback — and that's entirely the point. Get ready to hit the dance floor from Friday, October 7 — and to strut around a Saturday Night Fever-style light-up dance floor like you've travelled back five decades, too. Forget DeLoreans; making a night of it at Superfly Disco will send you back in time, although disco classics will pump through the speakers alongside recent party hits. Whatever the venue's disc jockeys happen to be spinning at any given time, they'll be doing so from a DJ car, another piece of Superfly Disco's retro look and mood. The space has been completely gutted from its Alhambra days, and given an entirely new fitout — including raising the floor by an inch and a half to accommodate the lights underneath. Yes, when you're not hanging out in private booths, you should be dancing here — and feeling the city breakin' and everybody shakin', and obviously thinking about other Bee Gees disco tracks. Unsurprisingly, the team behind Superfly Disco see a big future in functions and parties, and the venue's opening is timed just before festive season. [caption id="attachment_869149" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Drunken Monkey Group's Harlen Pointing and Adam Barton at Suzie Wong's Good Time Bar.[/caption] That crew? The Drunken Monkey Group team, adding another venue to its portfolio alongside Brooklyn Standard, Fat Angel Sports Bar and Suzie Wong's Good Time Bar. Suzie Wong's venue manager Michael Pattison will become the general manager role across the group's Valley sites, while Kyle Weir, who owns fellow nightclub Queens, will oversee DJ bookings. Drinks-wise, cocktails will be the tipples of choice, with the beverage menu yet to be revealed. Wearing flares and platform shoes: totally optional, but it'd fit the atmosphere. [caption id="attachment_869150" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Drunken Monkey Group's Manny Sakellarakis at Brooklyn Standard.[/caption] Find Superfly Disco at 12 McLachlan Street, Fortitude Valley, from Friday, October 7.
Woolloongabba has always been the cultural and historic crux of Brisbane, though we might not acknowledge it. It has food and antiques, it has a killer view of the river, and now it houses one of Brisbane’s most exciting events of the year — End of the Line Festival. This isn’t you’re average RNA-hosted, do-my-Vans-match-my-half-dilated-pupils festival – it’s the creme de la creme of Brisbane culture compounded into a free, 12-hour party. If you ask us, that's well worth crossing the river for! "It’s a food festival, it’s a music festival, it’s a festival of diverse markets and eclectic wares and it's a community street party!" says festival director Morgan Jenkins. And, what a party it is! Local cafes and food trucks will be catering, crazy wares will be on sale, and over a dozen bands will be laying down the party beats. This isn’t strictly an event about music or food or even markets — it’s a 'to hell with it, we’ll cover it all' kinda deal! "Thats the whole idea of the festival — to showcase and celebrate the talent, diversity and history of this area as something of immense value to Brisbane, and something that is worth retaining as the population increases here in the coming years," Morgan says. "We love the fact that we'll have music lovers, foodies, dancers, cyclists, wine connoisseurs, antiques and vintage buyers, AFL heroes and kiddies all in the same space ... That’s what makes it great." The End of the Line is set to take place in that trendy little, café-dense enclave off Logan road in Woolloongabba, or as Morgan calls it, the suburb of "happy chaos". "[Woolloongabba] has a very long indigenous history, a very long migrant history, a complicated and intricate history as a transit convergence and catchment point and its sporting history doesn't need any explanation. The thing that makes it so interesting for us is as a space where all of these things converge and intertwine," Morgan says. "This happy chaos, coupled with the density of such incredible culinary talent makes for a pretty good starting point for a festival." As for music, expect a bunch of local acts whose styles range from heavy beats to '70s pop-rock. "We have predominantly local songwriters playing stripped back shows (Thomas Calder, Mardi Lumsden, Tom Cooney, Laneway). We have big brass bands and funk tunes (Bullhorn and Golden Sound). We have tunes to stomp your boots to (Suicide Swans and Emmett and Mabel). We have thick beats to boogie to from Vinnie La Duce. We have a return to the '70s in The Babe Rainbow, and we have Australian songwriting royalty in Darren Hanlon." And that’s just the music. We haven’t even mentioned the food trucks, historical displays, antique stalls, horse-drawn trams and the Penny Farthing Parade. End of the Line Festival kicks of at 10am this Saturday, and promises fun for tots, adults and everyone in between. Though Morgan says you best not arrive empty handed. "We're doing our best with shade, but it will be a good idea to bring a hat and sunscreen. Bring a camera. Bring a friend. But most of all my advice would be to bring an empty stomach." The End of the Line Festival takes place at Little Logan Road cul de sac from 10am-10pm. Entry is free.
Over the past five years or so, Brisbane's hospitality scene has heartily embraced two trends: rooftop bars and craft breweries. Brisbanites like sipping their beverages with a sky-high view, it seems, and we also love getting our beers straight from the source. So, it was obviously only a matter of time until a new brewery set up shop on a rooftop. That brewery is Valley Hops Brewing, and it's set to start pouring its beers — and making them — on top of Cloudland sometime this spring. An exact opening date hasn't yet been announced, but you'll be able to head to the Ann Street venue's rooftop to have a few bevvies at Valley Hops' new bar by the time that summer hits. As its name makes plain, this brewery is all about its location. Patrons will drink brews named after people, places and moments in the Valley's history, all while looking out over the inner-city spot. "Valley Hops will be home to Fortitude Valley's very own beer, something the locals can drink and be proud to call their own," explains Head Brewer Josh Warren, who did his training in the Valley and joins from Green Beacon. "We created Valley Hops Brewing to celebrate the wonderful playground and entertainment precinct that is the Valley. We think it deserves its own beer," says Paul Janssen, Valley Hops' General Manager. Brews-wise, those Valley-made beers will span a core range of six signature tipples, including a light-bodied lager, a tropical ale, a fruity sour, a pale ale, an IPA and a Hazy IPA. And, you'll be able to pair them with brewhouse-style food, with woodfired pizzas and dishes from the charcoal grill set to feature heavily on the menu. The exact culinary lineup hasn't been revealed as yet, but it'll focus on bite-sized options that are designed to be eaten without cutlery. In terms of design, the Katarzyna Group — the team behind Cloudland — is decking out the place as a glam brewpub. That'll include the two-vessel 15BBL brewing set up, plus a bar area filled with metalwork, stone, brick and greenery. Behind the bar itself will sit a bespoke leadlight made with coloured glass, while you'll be getting comfy at either wooden picnic-style, booth or high bar seating while you're knocking back brews and peering out over the Valley. Valley Hops Brewing will open on Cloudland's rooftop at 641 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley sometime this spring — we'll update you when an exact opening date is announced. Top image: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.
When you're wandering through the Canadian Rockies, you're probably thinking about many things. The sheer size of the mountains around you, for one. The cold, depending on the time of year you visit. And perhaps spotting a mythical creature, depending on your thoughts on Bigfoot. The folks behind Chermside's newest bar and eatery might've been pondering all that, but they were contemplating something else as well. Inspired by the splendour around them — and the food and drink that they enjoyed along the way — they decided to bring a slice of Saskatchewan back to Brisbane. That's where Sasquatch was born — and like its namesake, you'll find it hiding in plain sight (just down the road from Chermside shopping centre, in this case). The presence of plenty of timber fixtures and furniture evokes thoughts of the titular creature's natural habitat, but this craft beer and charcoal grill bar really is all about its menu. Whether you're keen on a breakfast coffee and sweet treat, something more exciting than a sandwich for lunch, an after-work beverage or a share plate for dinner, Sasquatch has you covered. Food-wise, expect something special no matter what time of day it is — that is, jaffles first-up, sticky pork belly and miso glazed barramundi hero subs come noon, and grilled hunks of meat, whole chickens and fillets of fish with waffle fries and other sides to finish up. Alas, you won't find the Canadian staple that is poutine on the menu yet, but keep your eyes peeled for a future addition. To wash it all down, patrons can choose between a rotating selection of craft brews — including 20 bottled and eight on tap — plus wine, spirits and Cleanskin Coffee Co.'s signature blend. Sasquatch is now open at 763 Gympie Road, Chermside. For more information, check out their Facebook page.
This winter, Carseldine's markets aren't celebrating Christmas in July — but they are still celebrating. And, they're popping up later in the day, too. There mightn't be an overt emphasis on festive cheer at this stint of browsing, buying and eating, but you'll still be feeling merry when the weekly northside market makes a one-off move to twilight from 4–9pm on Saturday, July 23. Dubbed CarselDINE Twilight Markets, this event is putting food firmly in the spotlight, with more than 40 culinary stalls and trucks serving up their best. Shopping is still on the agenda, of course — and, if you want to go home with all your present-buying taken care of well in advance of Christmas, that's an option. There'll be a sizeable array of handmade wares to peruse, including Carseldine's usual array of vendors. In total, there'll be more than 200 stalls to check out. Entry costs $2, and you'll also score a soundtrack to your eating, drinking and shopping thanks to two stages filled with live music.
Mid-April 2018 was a great period for Beyoncé fans, with the superstar singer taking to the Coachella stage and making it her own across two huge sets. Bey isn't playing the festival in 2019, but she's still staking a claim on this part of the year. After simultaneously releasing a Netflix documentary about the epic show and a 40-track live album just this week, it looks like more Beyoncé specials are heading to the streaming platform. As part of the deal for Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé, Netflix signed on for three Beyoncé projects, according to Variety. Just what the other two will be and when they'll land is yet to be revealed; however the streamer has been growing its music library in recent years — it also has concert and music docos about Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake and Quincy Jones in its catalogue. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB8qvx0HOlI For now, Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé remains the concert documentary you definitely knew you needed, but didn't know existed until recently Picking up where the most-watched live-streamed performance of all time, the film follows all of the on-stage and behind-the-scenes action, including the 100-plus dancers, the show's powerful homage to America's historically black colleges and universities, and "the emotional road from creative concept to cultural movement". Like the real-life performance, the film clocks in at 137 minutes, so expect a lengthy and intimate tour through the festival set everyone has been talking about for 12 months, including behind-the-scenes footage and candid chats that delve into the preparation process and Bey's stunning vision. You know what else is lengthy? The 40-track live album Bey also dropped on Spotify. As well as live renditions of 'Sorry', 'Crazy in Love' and 'Soldier' — the latter which was performed with former Destiny's Child group mates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams — from Coachella, the album, also called Homecoming, features a song by Blue Ivy (Bey's daughter) and two bonus tracks. It's also doubly exciting that the album is available on the easier-to-access Spotify, as Bey dropped her most-recent album Lemonade exclusively on Tidal, her husband Jay-Z's streaming service. Head to Netflix to watch Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé and listen to the album below: Images: Courtesy of Parkwood Entertainment
No matter what he's singing, or whether he's crooning tunes as Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane or The Thin White Duke, David Bowie has always been a talent like no other. That isn't just confined to his time behind the microphone, though. On-screen just like onstage, Bowie has always been inimitable, unique and iconic — and he has the filmography to show it. Only two years back, a fantastic new documentary arrived about that very fact, actually — and Brett Morgen's Moonage Daydream is indeed part of the Gallery of Modern Art's new The Cracked Actor: Bowie on Screen film season. But that's just one of the program's delights, alongside a wide array of blasts from the legend's past that deserve to be seen on a big screen (with some showing on rare 35mm prints). From Saturday, August 17–Saturday, October 5, playing each Saturday and on most Wednesday evenings, Brisbanites can discover why Bowie couldn't have been better cast in The Man Who Fell to Earth (the movie, not the recent TV series sequel). And, you can dance, magic dance along with Labyrinth, aka the 80s gem to end all 80s gems, plus one of the most wonderful things that Jim Henson has ever made. Also on the bill: Bowie sinking his teeth into vampire territory in 1983's The Hunger, playing a centuries-old bloodsucker with effortless cool; Bowie heading to World War II with Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence; Bowie teaming up with Martin Scorsese for The Last Temptation of Christ; and Bowie entering a place both wonderful and strange in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. The program takes its name from 1975's documentary Cracked Actor, but features everything from The Prestige and Basquiat to Absolute Beginners and The Linguini Incident as well. Catch short film The Image and you'll see Bowie's first-ever on-screen role. And for a killer double feature, Moonage Daydream is followed by concert film Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars on Saturday, August 31.
After the pandemic forced the music festival industry into two years of uncertainty, cancellations and postponements, one mainstay of the scene is definitely making the most of 2022. Port Macquarie's longstanding boutique music gathering Festival of the Sun (FOTSUN) has already returned for one edition in 2022, and it's backing that up with a second before the year is out — and the lineup for its second iteration within 12 months is full of local favourites. Usually popping up at the end of the year, FOTSUN jumped at the first opportunity it had to return to the Port Macquarie foreshore, hosting a two-day festival back in May. Not content with its one-off autumn edition, it will now be popping back up at the Port Macquarie Breakwall Holiday Park for three days between Thursday, December 8–Saturday, December 10. Round two's lineup is a genuine party starter, with the majority program based around vibrant pop acts and sunny indie rock bands. Leading the way are Canberra duo and KFC tastemakers Peking Duk, with Vera Blue, Cosmo's Midnight, Confidence Man and Alex the Astronaut joining them at the top of the bill. [caption id="attachment_636238" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Confidence Man at BIGSOUND 2017 by Bec Taylor.[/caption] Further down the lineup, you'll find a who's who of up-and-coming rock bands — namely Pacific Avenue, The Terrys, The Dreggs, Eliza & the Delusionals, Stumps and Teenage Dads. Also on the lineup: Benson, Nyxen, Felivan, Rum Jungle and Good Lekker. Plus, there will be a rare appearance from fast-rising pop singer-songwriter ASTON who has helped pen hit songs for K-pop group aespa, as well as Jessica Mauboy, Ricki-Lee and FOTSUN lineup mates Cosmo's Midnight. Festival of the Sun does things a little different to most other festivals in Australia. Not only is it BYO — meaning that you can bring in your favourite craft brews and you won't be stuck forking out the exuberant prices most festivals charge for alcohol — but it's also located in a beachside caravan park. Thanks to the latter, hot showers, mid-festival ocean swims and even cabin stays are all on the cards as well. Here's the lineup: FESTIVAL OF THE SUN DECEMBER 2022 LINEUP Peking Duk Vera Blue Cosmo's Midnight Confidence Man Alex the Astronaut Pacific Avenue The Terrys The Dreggs Eliza & The Delusionals Stumps Benson Nyxen Felivand Teenage Dads Rum Jungle South Summit Caroline & Claude Full Flower Moon Band Good Lekker ASTON Holiday Scuffs Mild West The Colliflowers Mikk Psychoda Festival of the Sun will return to the Port Macquarie Breakwall Holiday Park from Thursday, December 8–Saturday, December 10. Tickets are on sale now.
You’d be hard pressed rivalling a Friday night event that fuses fashion, music, drinks and helping people. That’s why this year’s TIME Charity Fashion Show will no doubt have every Brisbane fashionista, muso, alcoholic and good Samaritan lining at the doors of The Zoo for a night tailored to any taste. After six successful years of Charity Fashion Shows, this year the team at TIME (Towards International Medical Equality) present a display of design talent bigger and bustier than ever – swimwear and lingerie making a strong appearance on this year's catwalk. The show branches beyond fashion too, with Sleepy Circus, headed by Brisbane synth-angel Kurt Sines, taking the stage to treat audiences to a dash of dreamy pop. Best of all, while the show will profile Brisbane's most eclectic designers with a tasty band to match, proceeds will go to purchasing essential medical equipment and supplies for struggling medical centres in developing countries around the world. Admire some fine wears, have a groove and give a little at this year's TIME Charity Fashion Show. Check out Sleepy Circus' 'Glasshouse'
Since first opening its doors back in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has played host to a wealth of performances, spanning far further in genre than just the art form that gives the venue its name. But it was only during Vivid Live 2016 that the iconic locale serenaded visitors into an evening-long slumber, all as part of Max Richter's live recital of his eight-and-a-half hour work Sleep. Across 31 tracks comprised of 204 movements, the German-born British composer's concept album unfurls music based on the neuroscience of getting some shuteye. In its intonation, the ambitious yet soothing piece favours the range that can be heard in the womb for much of its duration. When performed for an audience, it is played overnight, with beds set up — and doing as the work's title suggests is highly encouraged. Attendees recline, listen and let Richter's blend of strings, synthesisers and soprano vocals lull them into the land of nod. If they'd prefer to stay awake, that's fine as well, but soaking in Sleep's ambient sounds while you're snatching 40 winks is all very much part of the experience. In its live version, Sleep has echoed through spaces in London, Berlin and Paris, too; however, it's the first openair performance in Los Angeles' Grand Park in 2018 that takes pride of place in the documentary Max Richter's Sleep. A filmmaker was always bound to be so fascinated with the concept that they'd turn their lens Richter's way, and that director is Natalie Johns (an Emmy nominee for Annie Lennox: Nostalgia Live in Concert), who endeavours to capture the experience for those who haven't had the pleasure themselves. The resulting film doesn't run for more than eight hours, or anywhere close — but those watching and listening will quickly wish that it did. As a feature, Max Richter's Sleep isn't designed to advertise its namesake. Rather, it documents, explores and tries to understand it. Still, the movie so easily draws viewers into the music, and so deeply, that making its audience want to snooze in public while Richter and his band plays is a guaranteed side effect. In its observational footage, Max Richter's Sleep wanders and peers as Angelenos arrive, settle in, turn their attention to the stage, get comfortable and drift off. It keeps gazing their way as they slumber, as Richter and his fellow musicians keep playing, and, later, as a change in pitch in the music and the dawning sunrise both eventually herald the morning. Johns and editors Michael Carter (Dayveon), Matt Cronin (the Arctic Monkeys' 'Four Out of Five' video) and Dom Whitworth (Lily Allen and Friends) weave in footage from other concerts, too, including Sydney. The film also flits between interviews with Richter and Yulia Mahr, his partner and an artist and filmmaker, plus other collaborators. And, it speaks to ordinary folks who've signed up for a night of music — some knowing exactly what they were in for, others not quite as aware — and been moved by the experience, As a concert film, Max Richter's Sleep is entrancing; again, viewers won't want those segments of the documentary to end. And if the feature had simply played the Los Angeles concert in its entirety, or as an abridged glimpse, it would've conveyed many of its points without further explanation. So much of the music's power — and the live performance's as well — is evident without words. An eight-plus-hour album that's engineered to be listened to in a sleeping state is a clear anomaly in popular culture, and in our non-stop world. Every artwork demands an investment of time, whether it's a song that plays for just a few minutes, a movie with a two-hour duration or a painting that requires more than a moment to soak in its beauty, but when something takes up a third of one's day, it forces a shift in engagement. Mindfulness, meditation, slowing down, switching off — all of these words and phrases apply to Sleep, both as a record and as a gig, and that always comes through in Max Richter's Sleep's concert footage. When Richter speaks about Sleep, he mirrors these aforementioned ideas, and stresses how much he wants his listeners to disengage from the regular hustle and bustle while they're taking in his music. First released in early September 2015 and initially played live later that month, the album was obviously ahead of its time. The documentary is too, after premiering in November 2019, then playing Sundance in January 2020. Viewed now in the middle of a pandemic, it feels like a calming balm for the soul — as it was clearly always supposed to, even long before the world dissolved into its current status quo. The interviews in Max Richter's Sleep aren't superfluous, of course, and neither are the film's dives into Mahr's Super 8mm-filled personal archive. Hearing not only about the immense amount of work that went into Sleep, but the ways in which Richter had to alter his own thinking to even compose it, ensures that viewers appreciate the magnum opus for its artistry and effort, and not just its effect and prescience. The tales that flesh out these chats, including Richter and Mahr's frank admissions about struggling to make a living as artists, and to afford to raise their family, help put the massive quest to bring Sleep to fruition into context. Also known for scoring films and television shows, Richter has everything from Waltz with Bashir, Perfect Sense, Lore and Wadjda to The Leftovers, an episode of Black Mirror, Mary, Queen of Scots and Ad Astra on his resume, but Sleep is undeniably a labour of love. This tranquil cinematic examination of his lengthy lullaby makes that plain, and plunges its audience into the album's dreamlike state. The ethereal and insightful movie's soundtrack is a highlight as well, naturally. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb9PBr7Qhec Top image: Stefan Hoederath.
Before the pandemic, we all had a friend who has moved to our neck of the woods from interstate or overseas, and then spent far more time exploring the state than we ever had. Back then, we all thought we'd follow in their footsteps one day, at some point, somewhere in the future. Thanks to COVID-19 restrictions and Australia's closed international border — the latter of which is expected to remain that way until at least mid-2022 — that has changed, of course. Queenslanders, your time is now. At the moment, we're all holidaying locally. Instead of planning big European getaways or Japanese jaunts, Queenslanders are making the most of our own backyard. With The Whitsundays part of the state, we obviously have plenty of supremely scenic choices — and, come September, we'll now have another way to get there if heading north is on the cards. From Friday, September 17, Qantas will start flying from Brisbane to The Whitsundays, adding a new route to its operations. It'll run seven return trips a week to and from Proserpine, which'll add more than 1000 seats on the route each week — all on a 74-seat Q400 turboprop aircraft. Other airlines already make the trip, but you now have more options. Until Saturday, July 10, you can also nab $109 direct flights if you're now thinking about your next holiday. [caption id="attachment_785976" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Whitehaven Beach in The Whitsundays[/caption] "With international borders still largely closed, we're pleased to be making it easier for Australians to experience the world-famous beaches of the Whitsunday region and access the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef," said QantasLink CEO John Gissing — with the new flights falling under the QantasLink banner. For Brisbanites who'd rather jet off to colder climes, Qantas has already added new routes to the Snowy Mountains and the Victorian Alps this year. Keen on leaving the mainland? It has been flying from Brisbane to Norfolk Island, too. Qantas' new flights to Brisbane to The Whitsundays will start flying from Friday, September 17. For more information, or to book, head to the airline's website.
In 2014, the ultimate celebration of French cinema in Australia will mark its silver anniversary with one of its most impressive programs yet. Lighting up Palace Cinema locations around the country, the 25th annual Alliance Française French Film Festival has film-faring Francophiles covered, with light hearted comedies to searing dramas, as well as hat-tips to two of France's most legendary filmmakers. The festivities kick off on opening night with a screening of Nils Tavernier's inspiring sports drama The Finishers followed by a post-film cocktail party. Other big tickets include the bloody Palm d'Or nominated epic Michael Kohlhaal, Bruno Dumont's lauded biopic Camille Claudel 1915 and the Monaco-set espionage thriller Möbius starring The Artist's Jean Dujardin. Lighter options can be found in the festival's romance and comedy streams. Stylish indie ensemble 2 Autumns, 3 Winters has garnered plenty of positive buzz internationally, while Bright Days Ahead offers something for the older crowd, recounting the tale of a newly retired senior who strikes up an affair with a much younger man. Patrons can also preview the works of France's future filmmaking elite, with a program of short films from renowned Parisian film academy La Fémis. At the other end of the spectrum, fans of the classics might enjoy a retrospective of the works of new-wave pioneer François Truffaut, including his medium-shifting masterworks Jules and Jim and The 400 Blows. Closing night serves up another iconic slice of French cinema, in the form of Jacques Tati's wonderful 1958 comedy Mon Oncle. For the full Alliance Française French Film Festival program, visit www.affrenchfilmfestival.org. We have six double passes to give away to the Alliance Française French Film Festival in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Anyone can drink a lager, pilsner or pale ale. Not everyone can knock back a stout or porter. And while the former are available everywhere, you won't find a celebration of the latter just anywhere. That's why Milton's favourite dive bar started the Weekend of Darkness. Since 2013, the Scratch has dedicated a couple of days year to showing their love for brews on the blacker end of the beer spectrum — and offering a home for those who feel the same way, of course. If it's yeasty, liquid and overflowing with smoky, coffee, chocolate, spiced and even bourbon flavours, you'll find it here. You'll also find snacks, offbeat vibes and strange happenings galore. This year's sixth dalliance with the dark side runs from Friday, July 27 to Sunday, July 29, with five sessions of dark-coloured drinks on offer for another year. Expect a hefty beer lineup, as well as some hearty grub to go with it courtesy of the Hellmouth Diner. Expect everything, be it food, booze or atmosphere, to warm up your insides too. There's a reason this takes place in winter, after all.
All the single ladies, put your hands up, grab your girlfriends and head to Saké for a wonderful girls night out this Valentine's Day. Their cocktails are made by one of Australia’s top shakers, and built with unique flavours including their saké-based mixes. To really kick the night off well, start with a Godzilla, which has Green Fairy Absinthe and lychee liqueur with lime and fresh shisho leaves. The taste is unlike anything you may have tried before, but boy does it taste good. When it comes to the food, sharing is the key at Saké. Start off with the incredible new-style wagyu — juicy and flavoursome, this will melt in your mouth. The edamame is an oldie but a goodie, and the chicken karage is sinful and delicious. The waitstaff are incredibly helpful and more than happy to explain the dishes and also help you to decide just how much food you will need. It's a Japanese restaurant, so it would be remiss to overlook the array of sushi and sashimi on offer. If you just want a taste of a couple of different fish, then the sashimi appetiser will be perfect for you. For sashimi lovers, the kingfish with jalapenos is off the hook (and straight onto your plate). Sushi-wise, you cannot go past the popcorn roll, which is filled with tempura prawns and spicy mayo. It’ll be hard to go back to the sushi train after this. Meat lovers will enjoy delicious options such as the beef sirloin, pork dumplings, and quail, which are all spectacular. Whatever you do, though, you must leave room for dessert. If you don’t think you can squeeze anything more in, go by the old adage ‘there’s always room for ice cream’ and get the bitter chocolate sorbet. Good god, it's good. The Chocolate Garden is the signature dessert and features a decadent plate full of, you guessed it, chocolate. White, dark, milk, it's on the plate, and there is certainly enough to share around. Finish your night with a saké bomb and you and your girlfriends will be merrily trotting home, completely satisfied and with a light buzz. What better way to spend Valentine's day than with great friends, exceptional food, and Saké?
Since opening in October 2018, West Village has provided West End with grassy spaces, lively festivals and multiple places to eat. But, the expanding development isn't done yet. Over the coming months, it's adding a new dining and retail precinct, starting with the just-opened Middle Eastern eatery Beirut Bazaar. Taking up residence on the ground level of the Peters Ice Cream Factory building, the 75-seat restaurant is serving up traditional-style feasts, with cumin, sumac and coriander featuring heavily. Expect to taste the spices in specialty dips and breads, Lebanese mezze, savoury pastries and sweet treats — and in the shawarma, the main attraction. Shawarma is Beirut Bazaar's signature dish, in fact. Patrons can expect to tuck into a fillet of lamb, beef or chicken that has been marinated in traditional spices for 48 hours, and is then served on pita with parsley, tomato and legumes. A vegan and vegetarian selection is also on the menu and, drinks-wise, Beirut Bazaar's cocktail list is curated by the bar team from Nineteen at The Star. Owner Andre Samra has taken inspiration from his father, who migrated from Lebanon to Australia — and, continuing the family connection, he has launched Beirut Bazaar with his daughter Vanessa. Featuring both indoor and outdoor seating, Beirut Bazaar will be joined in mid-May by a larger range of stores. Locals will be able to head by to go to a new Woolworths supermarket, check out Harris Farm Markets' second Brisbane location, hit the gym, and shop at specialty and lifestyle retailers. Just which other restaurants will also make the precinct home is yet to be revealed. Find Beirut Bazaar at West Village, 97 Boundary Street, West End — open seven days from 11am–late.
Even after 112 years, creating a musical comedy about a disaster that claimed more than 2200 lives could feel tone deaf. So it's important to note that Titanique is not about a historic tragedy. Not really. This raucous and rib-tickling show began its life as an in-joke between three Broadway luminaries — performers Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli and director Tye Blue — who wanted to pose the question: what if the true hero of James Cameron's Titanic was, in fact, Canada's greatest icon, Céline Dion? The result is 90 minutes of pure joy, underpinned by the belting power ballads of Québec's most famous daughter and a shade of outrageous humour bluer than the Heart of the Ocean. Much like its humble off-Broadway origins, the Australian premiere of Titanique has been staged in one of Sydney's smaller theatres, The Grand Electric in Redfern. While packing a larger auditorium would have been an easy task for such a feel-good show, producers Michael Cassel and Eva Price's decision to place this production in such an intimate space is a master stroke. In these close quarters, where the performers are within touching distance, there are even more opportunities to bulldoze the fourth wall and amp up the camp extremes of the show's bawdy zingers. But Titanique doesn't just deliver laughs. While the bizarre plot — a fever dream retelling of Cameron's cinematic epic from the perspective of Céline Dion, via the songs of Céline Dion — offers comedy of the silliest kind, the singing prowess on display is no joke. Marney McQueen delivers a forensically detailed impression of Dion, backed up with astonishing vocals all but indistinguishable from the real thing. Indeed, the entire cast wow with their voices, which only acts to make the narrative absurdities even more hilarious — it's a truly unique experience to hear McQueen, Abigail Dixon as the "unsinkable" Molly Brown and Georgina Hopson as Rose, flawlessly nailing the chorus of 'Tell Him' while suggestively rubbing an eggplant. Much like The Book of Mormon (which is returning to Sydney next year), Titanique taps a rare yet potent duality: the guilty pleasure of gutter humour and the soaring thrill of a virtuosic performance. Through this double-dose of serotonin, peppered with crude one-liners, pop culture references (with some fresh Australian content added for local benefit) and a generous drenching of fabulosity, this is a show that will leave your heart full and your sides split. Images: Daniel Boud
Controversial, uncompromising, riveting. “The Economist” is the first play written as a response to the massacre that took place on Utoya Island, Norway. Inspired by Anders Breivik’s journal, this disturbing and entertaining play portrays the worst depths of the human psyche. Andrew has been having nightmares. He’s been doing everything he can to stop them. World of Warcraft. Neo-fascism. Plastic surgery. When the girls next door starts coming around, it seems like maybe they’ll stop. But then again... “Disarmingly imaginative... superbly acted” – The Australian. Adapted for the stage by playwright Tobias Manderson-Galvin of Melbourne’s MKA: Theatre of New Writing. There are a range of group discounts available to patrons, including those who see three or more plays.
Located within W Brisbane, Living Room Bar is home one of Brisbane's most-reliable events. If you like high tea, you'll always find one on the menu here when the weekend rolls around. If you're fond of theming your bites, too, you'll be pleased to know that this venue shares that affection, including when Easter arrives. In 2025, the bar's Golden Glow High Tea is putting on an Easter edition for three weekends only, running Friday–Sunday for sittings between 11am–3pm across Friday, April 11–Sunday, April 27. Whichever date suits your diary, expect a range of sweet and savoury dishes — and yes, Easter eggs are among them. Those orbs come in a vanilla, cherry and hazelnut combination, and pair well with hot cross scones, champagne sencha honey and passionfruit tarts, and the mango and coconut slice. Also on offer: Easter parfait to share, yoghurt and guava profiteroles, pulled chicken pinwheels with chipotle mayonnaise, green olive crumble bruschetta, tartlets with salmon and avruga caviar, and more. Your price options vary, with $79 covering the high tea, plus bottomless tea and barista coffee; $99 adding a Golden Glow martini; and $109 swapping that cocktail for Veuve Clicquot Champagne NV Brut. You can also just opt for a Golden Glow martini for $26 — it's made with Bacardi Gold rum, peach aperitif, vanilla and clarified oat milk.
No one likes cooking on Mondays — or Tuesdays for that matter. The working week has just begun, you're still wishing it was the weekend and your next batch of days off feels oh-so-far away. If you're eager to avoid your own kitchen, you happen to be in Brisbane's inner west, and you have an appetite for both vegan and Chinese food, then Paddington's King Tea has a solution — a $20 vegan banquet every Monday and Tuesday night. There is one caveat: you'll need to stop by between 5–7pm, because this is an early bird special. Afterwards, the deal is still available, but it'll cost you $25. Each week, the Sichuan-style restaurant will put together a selection of its favourite vegan dishes, you'll munch your way through them, and there'll be no meat — or fake meat, either — on the menu. Bookings are recommended, and this is a gather the gang-style of meal, with banquets designed for four or more people. If there's just a couple of you, King Tea can trim it down so you can still enjoy the special. Updated March 2.
Netflix's algorithm has clearly figured out one of the most obvious facts about humankind: we all really love dogs. With the streaming platform's latest documentary series, it's dedicating six episodes to different canines from around the globe — and the two-legged folks who care for, groom, dress and even fish with them. Of course, the barking balls of fluff are the real drawcards. Called Dogs, landing on Netflix on November 16 and just dropping its first "awwww"-inducing trailer today, the show follows puppers in Syria, Japan, Costa Rica, Italy and the US, each with their own stories to tell. One episode explores life in a dog sanctuary in the Costa Rican rainforest, another relays the tale of a Siberian Husky trapped in Syria after his owner was able to flee to German, and yet another jumps into Japan's love of cute pooches — dog strollers are a common sight on the streets of Tokyo, after all. The show is described by the streamer as "an inspirational journey exploring the remarkable, perhaps even magical qualities that have given these animals such a special place in all of our hearts", so it's clearly designed to tug at your heartstrings — but if you can't get enough when it comes to adorable canines, you won't be complaining. Given that Netflix announced earlier in the year that pets make the best binge partners, all based on a study that it commissioned, the show is hardly a surprising addition to its lineup. Dogs also boasts an impressive pedigree, with Academy Award-nominated documentarian Amy Berg (Deliver Us From Evil) both executive producing the series and directing two of its episodes. Other filmmakers involved include Life Animated's Roger Ross Williams, The Jinx's Richard Hankin, and Undefeated's T.J. Martin and Daniel Lindsay. Before the series hits your streaming queue next month, go barking mad for the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pLCmLgjiJ8 Dogs will be released globally on Netflix on November 16.
Nothing says 'I love you' like 3D-printed, artist-design chocolates, right? That's what Melbourne-born artist Ryan L Foote is banking on this holiday season. He's created a whole new meaning to Christmas chocolates by creating a range that digitises his otherwise classic chocolatier techniques. Chocolates by Ryan L Foote will launch with three 3D-printed collections — inspired by Australia, Hong Kong and the Asia Pacific (which includes singe origin chocolate grown in Vietnam, Indonesia, The Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Australia). The artist has spent the past two years living between Australia and Hong Kong, and his chocolates collections reflect this. In the Australian collection, there are flavours like avocado smash, white chocolate with wattleseed, lemon myrtle cream with macadamia nut, finger lime with hazelnut, and spicy chocolate with mountain pepperberry. The Hong Kong collection includes egg tart, buttery pineapple bun, red bean ganache, salted coconut, milk tea and even preserved three-year-old mandarin rind flavours. The chocolates' unusual contemporary design takes inspiration from architecture, Pacific geological formations and natural minerals — making these sweet treats standout from your average convenience store variety. Alongside the chocolates are 3D-printed porcelain cups and crystalline-glazed plates that have also been designed by Foote. You can pre-order for your loved ones at the Kickstarter campaign now, with orders shipping out for Christmas. Chocolate pledges range from $20 to $477, with gifts starting at a box of drinking chocolate and ending at a deluxe entertainment box that includes three boxes of chocolate, one box of drinking chocolate and two porcelain cups, plates and serving platters. You've got to really love your family to go for that one, though. Chocolates by Ryan L Foote are available to pre-order through Kickstarter campaign until November 18. After that, you'll be able to buy them from chocolatesbyrlf.com .
As a nation girt by sea, as our anthem tells us, Australia boasts plenty of water. We're surrounded by it thanks to our scenic shorelines, picturesque harbours and cosy coastal inlets. And courtesy of the gobsmackingly gorgeous pools, curvy rivers and splash-tacular waterfalls found inland as well. Indeed, it's particularly easy to take a dip if you're in Brisbane, whether you're roaming around close to home or roving further afield when the weather's warm. Sea spray, refreshing swimming holes and even crystal-clear public pools are usually only a stone's throw away. Here's where you'll find them — and cool down.
For loved ones that prefer their flowers edible, Gelato Messina is once again happy to oblige. It has created a new frozen floral creation, dubbed Feeling Thorny, a limited-edition gelato rose, which will be released exclusively for Valentine's Day this year. The glittering red rose is complex inside and out — in true Messina fashion. Petals are made from salted caramel chantilly, laced with strawberry compote and dulce de leche, and the rose is set atop a white chocolate-lined waffle cone filled with dulce de leche and earl grey gelato (and more strawberry compote for good measure). It's then placed in a 'flower pot' made from choc-hazelnut praline mousse and chocolate brownie crumble, sitting on an edible chocolate disk. Yes, it's as decadent as it sounds. To serve, the dessert needs to be removed from the freezer to the fridge ten minutes before you're ready to indulge, then cut down the middle (using a hot, sharp knife) to reveal the cross-sections of gelato inside. The treat can only be out of the freezer for 30 minutes, so plan accordingly. The rose will cost you $40 — likely less than a dozen (non-edible) V-day roses — with one rose serving two. Orders are only available for pickup on February 13 or 14 from noon–10pm and quantities are limited. Feeling Thorny is available at seven Sydney locations — Rosebery, Darlinghurst, Tramsheds, Bondi, Parramatta, Miranda and Penrith — as well as at South Brisbane, Melbourne's Fitzroy and Canberra's Braddon outposts.
If last week’s 7.30 report taught us anything it’s that blood transfusions in the animal world are bred on cruelty, murder and mass slaugher. Fortunately for humans, it’s quite the opposite. And even more fortunately for the sub-species of humans, young creatives, the term blood transfusion coincides with something far more enlightening at a cost that won’t bleed you dry. Blood Transfusion – a yearly initiative by the artistic pure breds of Young Bloods – is your upgrade from boring old O to the ritzier AB. In non-blood-analogical terms, it’s simply an opportunity to learn from some of Australia's brightest and most experienced creative minds. Creative director Jonathan Drapes, GPY&R’s Brendan Greaney and Liquid Animations’ Georgie Uppington are just a few names who will be making up this year's panel. As an added bonus one of few half-decent, full-brained My Kitchen Rules contenders – a credit in itself, Jack Harrison will be leading the panel. It won’t all be sit and listen though - in perfect white blood cell, red blood cell, platelet, plasma ratio there’s be presentation, mingling, food and drink. So if you’re looking to meet some of the brightest people in your field, or just don’t have any friends grab a ticket pronto!
You've gotta love a show that tells you what to exclaim whenever you're enjoying it, just received good news about it or simply can't stop thinking about it. For the past two years, The Great has been one such series — and "huzzah!" has been the word of choice. And, thankfully, it isn't time to stop bandying the term about just yet, with this satirical take on Russian history just getting renewed for a third season. Since it first premiered back in 2020, the concept has been all killer, no filler — following the rise and reign of Catherine the Great, including her marriage to and overthrowing of Emperor Peter III, with only the slightest regard for the actual facts. And while the series has always been supremely confident in its blend of handsome period staging, the loosest of historical realities and that savage sense of humour (it does spring from Oscar-nominated The Favourite screenwriter Tony McNamara, after all), it felt even more comfortable in its skin during its second season, which arrived late in 2021. Smoother, too, yet just as biting. In fact, The Great's ability to seesaw tonally is as sharp as a shot of vodka — or several — and you'll be able to enjoy it for ten more episodes whenever that third season hits. A release date hasn't been announced as yet, but you still now have more of Elle Fanning (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) as Catherine and Nicholas Hoult (Those Who Wish Me Dead) as Peter to look forward to. Given that the show's last batch of episodes saw Catherine waging war with Peter — via soldiers on the battlefield to begin with, and then in the royal court in the aftermath of her bloody coup — and also grappling with motherhood, The Great has spun quite the story already. Expect more devastatingly witty, entertaining and addictive dramas to follow, and for the series to keep living up to its name. Fanning and Hoult will be joined by returning co-stars Phoebe Fox (The Aeronauts), Adam Godley (Lodge 49), Gwilym Lee (Top End Wedding), Charity Wakefield (Bounty Hunters), Douglas Hodge (The Undoing), Sacha Dhawan (The Prince), Bayo Gbadamosi (War of the Worlds) and Belinda Bromilow (Doctor Doctor) when its third season hits, too, because this is a show with a phenomenally great cast. In case you haven't watched it yet, check out the trailer for The Great's second season below: The Great is available to stream in Australia via Stan and in New Zealand via Neon. The show's third season doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced.
At some point in most zombie movies, the ravenous undead stop rising from the grave, shuffling through the streets and craving the taste of human flesh. Alas, it seems the same just might be true for city-wide strolls filled with living, breathing people pretending that their pulse isn't beating — the Brisbane Zombie Walk might be coming to an end. Now, we say might because there's a little uncertainty about just what will happen with the blood-splattered walk next year. And while the prospect of this celebration of the undead dying out is sad news for a whole heap of reasons — it is the biggest zombie walk in the world, after all — its possible reanimation after being declared deceased couldn't be more fitting. In the lead up to the eleventh Brisbane Zombie Walk on October 23, organisers announced that this year will be the last due to a combination of rising costs and the fact that most participants take part in the trek for free. It's not cheap to pay to for things like shutting down parking meters on the route, closing roads and hiring Roma Street Parklands. And while attendees have had to buy a ticket for the market and music component of the day since 2012, actually joining the procession of the walking dead doesn't cost a thing. But then, after the news broke, Brisbane City Council reportedly agreed to waive the main fee — however the future of the walk still remains uncertain. Operations manager Mat Bryant told the Brisbane Times that a decision wouldn't be made until after Sunday's event, which is tipped to attract 20,000 Brisbanites doing their best not-quite-living impression. Moving to another council area is also under consideration, but, at the time of writing, the BZW Facebook page is still calling the forthcoming trek "the very last Brisbane Zombie Walk EVER". Basically, if there was ever a good reason to awaken from your not-actually-eternal slumber, head to Brissie's CBD and start muttering "braaaaaaaaaains" — and, honestly, who needs a good reason when that's something you can really do? — then this is it. Of course, the Brisbane Zombie Walk doesn't just give everyone an excuse to look ghoulish and have fun, but also raises funds for The Brain Foundation. Braaaaaaaaains indeed. Via Brisbane Times. Image: greyrose.
In years to come, when music critics reflect on this time period of Australian music, one song will ring loud – Bad//Dreems’ 'Hoping For'. And such critics will say, how was this not on Triple’s J’s 2013 Hottest 100? Or 2014? Or of all time? How was there no push for this tune to replace our current national anthem? Bad//Dreems are a perfect encapsulation of modern Oz-rock and, as of late, have been stomping, screaming and strumming their way out of pubs and onto bigger stages. There’s something richly unique about Bad//Dreems’ sound – imagine Sid Vicious, Bon Scott and Farny sitting around a campfire, and stringing tunes together. There are traces of punk amongst riff-heavy rock, matched with knock-about lyrics and rasped vocals of lead singer Ben Marwe. They’ve just released new single 'Dumb Ideas', but before that was 'Caroline', 'Chills', 'Too Old' and of course Hoping For. If you haven’t heard of Bad//Dreems that’s okay - like all great pub rock, they’ve kept on the down low, confining their performances to hotels, RSLs and taverns, with the occasional hip dance-club in there for good measure. Now they’re branching out further, performing this Saturday at Rocking Horse Records in the city. Our local legends Tempura Nights will be supporting at this all ages show – that means no tallies, okay. You can grab a ticket for a blue swimmer ($10) and the afternoon will kick off at 1pm.
What will open with a Melbourne-set drama that won an Audience Award at Sundance for telling a Tehran-born, Australian-raised writer/director's autobiographical tale? What'll then pay tribute to Australian record executive and promoter Michael Gudinski in its centrepiece slot? And, what will feature everyone from Hugo Weaving to Michael Cera, a satire about a smartphone, and documentaries about vinyl cover art and the Australian Open, too? That'd be the 2023 Melbourne International Film Festival, with MIFF adding 20 more movies to its 2023 lineup. Cinephiles, get excited. MIFF announced opening night's Shayda as well as the world premiere of Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story back in May, but its program was only getting started. Given that the Victorian capital's annual cinema showcase spans almost a month including both its in-person and online runs — this year playing in cinemas in Melbourne from Thursday, August 3–Sunday, August 20; at regional Victorian locations from Friday, August 11–Sunday, August 13 and Friday, August 18–Sunday, August 20; and also bringing back online platform MIFF Play from Friday, August 18–Sunday, August 27 — the number of flicks on its yearly bill runs into the hundreds. So, even the just-revealed new 20 movies on its list is still only the beginning. Weaving (Love Me) will pop up in The Rooster, a thriller about a hermit and a cop who form a bond during a crisis, starring opposite Phoenix Raei (The Night Agent). Shot in regional Victoria, it's the feature directing debut of actor-turned-writer/director Mark Leonard Winter (Elvis), and it's also one of the MIFF Premiere Fund titles on the festival's 2023 program — aka homegrown movies that the fest has financially supported. Also in that camp this year: the aforementioned Shayda; The Slam, a standout for tennis aficionados from director Ili Baré (The Leadership); cine-poem Memory Film: A Filmmaker's Diary; and This Is Going to Be Big, about Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School in Bullengarook staging a John Farnham-themed musical. After appearing in Barbie in July, Cera will grace MIFF's screens in August in The Adults. Yes, he'll be awkward — of course he will be — this time as a thirtysomething heading home. That film sits within the festival's international contingent, which is overflowing with impressive names and titles. Indeed, MIFF will also screen the latest feature by acclaimed filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who won a Venice Special Jury Prize for No Bears. The Iranian great directs and stars, playing a fictionalised version of himself as he's fond of doing (see also: Tehran Taxi), and blending truth and fiction to examine how artists can too easily become scapegoats. After wowing audiences in Park City earlier this year, there's also Celine Song's debut feature Past Lives, telling a bittersweet romance about two childhood friends (Russian Doll's Greta Lee and Decision to Leave's Teo Yoo) who briefly reunite after decades apart. And, the lineup also includes Bad Behaviour, the feature directorial debut of actor-turned-filmmaker Alice Englert (You Won't Be Alone) starring Jennifer Connelly (Top Gun: Maverick); BlackBerry, which delves into the smartphone's rise and fall — and satirises it — with Jay Baruchel (FUBAR) and Glenn Howerton (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) among the cast; Passages, from Love Is Strange's Ira Sachs; environmentalist tale How to Blow Up a Pipeline; and the competitive hairdressing-focused Medusa Deluxe. Plus, fans of settling in for the long haul can also see four-and-a-half hour disappearance mind-bender Trenque Lauquen. MIFF will screen The Kingdom Exodus, Lars von Trier's latest followup to 1994's miniseries The Kingdom and its 1997 second season, too. Béla Tarr's 2000 drama Werckmeister Harmonies, a slow-cinema great, will also play the fest thanks to a new 4K restoration. Lovers of movies about music can add Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis), which hails from Control's Anton Corbijn and hones in on the titular photo-design company and its contribution to record cover art, to their MIFF schedule. Louder Than You Think is similarly part of the same program strand, with Gary Young from Pavement at its centre. Throw in documentaries The Disappearance of Shere Hite (about the 70s sexologist), The Echo (about rural Mexican life) and A Storm Foretold (about Roger Stone, adviser to Donald Trump), and MIFF 2023 is already off to a massive start for its 71st edition. As for what else is in store — including which movies will compete in the festival's Bright Horizons Competition, which launched in 2022 — that'll be unveiled on Tuesday, July 11. For now, MIFF Artistic Director Al Cossar is teasing "essential, incredible, unexpected cinema from the whole world before us, far beyond the streamers, far beyond the multiplex – hotly anticipated works by iconic filmmakers, alongside new and breakthrough voices waiting to be discovered". [caption id="attachment_904296" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Zan Wimberley[/caption] The 2023 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 3–Sunday, August 20 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 11–Sunday, August 13 and Friday, August 18–Sunday, August 20 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide with MIFF Play from Friday, August 18–Sunday, August 27. For further details, including the full program from Tuesday, July 11, visit the MIFF website.
Forget the trashy mags conveniently placed just near supermarket checkouts, and forget whatever the real-life royals are up to, too. These days, if you're keen on regal intrigue, then you're hooked on Netflix drama The Crown. And, after two eventful seasons, you're definitely eagerly awaiting the show's third batch of episodes — following the same characters but with an all-new cast. Since 2016, The Crown has peered inside both Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street, unpacking the goings-on behind Britain's houses of power. Set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the series has charted her wedding to Prince Philip, her coronation and the birth of her children (aka Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward). As well as delving into the monarch's marital ups and downs, The Crown has also explored the romantic life of her sister, Princess Margaret, plus the major political events throughout the late 40s, entire 50s and early 60s. During all this, viewers have become accustomed to seeing Claire Foy as Elizabeth, Matt Smith as Philip and Vanessa Kirby as Margaret. In the third season, however, they've all been replaced to better reflect the passing of time. Fresh from winning an Oscar for The Favourite earlier this year, Olivia Colman steps into ol' Lizzie's shoes, while Tobias Menzies and Helena Bonham Carter do the same with Philip and Margaret. Also joining the show is Josh O'Connor as Prince Charles, Erin Doherty as Princess Anne and Marion Bailey as the Queen Mother. Given the change of cast, and the fact that The Crown's last episodes hit Netflix at the end of 2017, the show's third season has been eagerly anticipated. While neither last month's first teaser nor the just-dropped new sneak peek provide much at all in the way of detail, they both offer a glimpse at Colman as the Queen — with the latest teaser making fun of Her Majesty's transition from young woman to "old bat", in the words of the royal herself. Eventually, a full trailer is bound to drop, giving fans a broader look at the show's new stars. And, hopefully, touching upon the third season's storyline, which'll chart the years between 1964–1977, including Harold Wilson's (played by The Man Who Killed Don Quixote and The Children Act's Jason Watkins) two stints as prime minister. If you're waiting for the Margaret Thatcher era, and the arrival of Princess Diana, they're expected to be covered in The Crown's fourth season. For now, check out the third season's latest teaser below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_TE8yi58S8 The Crown's third season will hit Netflix on November 17. Image: Des Willie / Netflix.
A whole century ago, Count Camillo Negroni reportedly sat at Florence's Caffè Casoni, asked for an americano cocktail, and requested that the bartender add some extra booze instead of soda water. The year was 1919, and boozy history was made. Behold: the negroni. To celebrate this momentous milestone occasion, Salt Meats Cheese's Gasworks joint is dedicating a Sunday session to pouring gin, vermouth rosso and Campari cocktails — and pairing them with Italian bites, as well as jazz sounds played by Eddie Ganzani and the Gypsy Family. Drink, eat and tap your toes by popping by between 4–7pm on Sunday, June 23. Your $25 gets you a cocktail, a dish and a mighty fine afternoon, with plenty of beverage and meal options to choose from. On the drinks front, pick between a burnt orange sbagliato, a negroni sour and a smoked café negroni. Food-wise, jaffle bolognaise with parmesan dip, a triple-cream jaffle with truffle and mushroom, sweet chilli oil burrata with salted olives, and a prawn cocktail with orange salt and Tabasco Marie Rose sauce are all on the menu.
