They're the sticky cinnamon scrolls that come drenched in glaze, are famous all across the USA, and also have quite the following in Australia. And, since 2019, they've been available in Brisbane. We're talking about Cinnabon, with the Seattle-born chain finally making the leap Down Under over the past few years — and setting up stores inside Brissie's Toombul and Garden City shopping centres. By the time that August is out, the bakery brand will have a third Brisbane location to its name, too. The new sticky scroll-slinging spot: Indooroopilly Shopping Centre. So, now the city's north, south and west will all be in close proximity to the coveted, icing-slathered baked goods. You'll find the new store on level one at Indro, outside Coles — and it's planning to open on Thursday, September 2. From then onwards, you'll be able to grab a scroll from 8am seven days a week. The world has changed since the first two local stores opened, but you can probably expect a queue. Even months after opening, the Toombul store still had a lengthy line, after all. Just like its other outlets, this one will sling a trio of Cinnabon cult classics, including the classic cream cheese cinnamon roll, the popular chocolate-drizzled Chocobon and very extra Caramel Pecanbon. They're available in both mini and large sizes, along with packs featuring either four or nine 'minibons'. There's coffee and lots of sugary drinks to pair with your snacks, too, including a cinnamon bun frappe. If you're yet to get acquainted with the decadent dessert creations, prepare yourself for aromatic, cinnamon-spiked dough made to a long-held recipe, decked out with stacks of signature cream cheese frosting and loaded with extras. They're notoriously tough to replicate. The Australian launch was first announced in January 2019, when family-run Queensland company Bansal Foods scored the Aussie rights to Cinnabon. Cinnabon has been going strong in America since 1985, so it has already picked up plenty of Aussie fans along the way. But it's only been in the past few years that Aussies have been able to get our hands on those sticky, cinnamon-infused baked goods on home soil. Cinnabon has also opened stores at Robina on the Gold Coast and in Melbourne, making its Indro outlet its fourth in Queensland fifth in Australia. Cinnabon will open on level one of Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, Moggill Road, Indooroopilly on Thursday, September 2. Updated August 30.
Youth Arts Queensland are getting into the festive spirit, while bidding goodbye to the 2013 program at the Bleeding Heart Gallery in Brisbane’s CBD. This is an evening of networking as much as it is celebration; some of the state’s finest emerging young artists will be showcasing their work, and what better way to celebrate the talents of these young artisans than unveiling the best of the year’s offerings. This is also a rare opportunity to purchase the works on display, and what better (and unique) gift than a piece created by a future big-time artist? Youth Arts Queensland is an organisation intended for the benefit of youth arts and cultural development across the state. YAQ provides support to young artists, and to the community networks that assist them, engaging professional sectors and individuals alike, to foster the amazing works you will see at the celebration. Be sure to arrive early, as there are canapés and raffle tickets shared on arrival. $10 will get those of age a glass of wine or beer and entry; $5 for the under-aged a softdrink.
The Brisbane Ethinic and Multicultural Arts Centre invites you to bask in the warm glow of the Christmas tree, for a concert of our city’s best world music. The free yearly event at King George Square showcases the most exciting artists new and old that exist within Brisbane’s world music scene, giving anyone the chance to come along and shake it to the rhythm of the pounding African drum or Bollywood Sitar. With a crowd of five thousand people from across all diverse cultural backgrounds and ages dancing beneath the stars, World By Night is bound to be one Christmas event you won’t soon forget.
When one door closes, another one opens, or so the cliche goes — but that's proving true at 35 Peel Street in South Brisbane. Peel St Kitchen is packing up to make way for newcomer 35 Bar & Bistro. The name and menu might be changing, however, the love of location-based monikers just can't be beaten. At the revamped eatery overseen by executive chef Sean Calliste, casual Mediterranean-inspired dining is on the menu whether you're stopping by for breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks. Calliste has quite the resume, including his previous role as head chef at Jellyfish, and being mentored by Gordon Ramsay early in his career. As for just what he'll be whipping up, expect familiar dishes with a few twists. Yes, that's what every restaurant claims, sure, but with breakfast selections that include spiced roast plum and almond French toast, plus signature pancakes with mixed berry compote and Tim Tam dust, 35 Bar & Bistro is aiming to please. Come lunch and dinner, expect to snack on savoury goat's cheese cheesecake (say that ten times fast) and antipasto platters. A selection of pizzas, wraps and sandwiches are also available in the middle of the day, while desserts include lavender and vanilla crème brûlée, and the most Queensland option imaginable. Who doesn't want a trio of mango, with parfait, sorbet and carpaccio? Find 35 Bar & Bistro at 35 Peel Street, South Brisbane. For more information, check out their website and Facebook page.
Fortitude Valley’s Institute of Modern Art is currently home to an all-star exhibition featuring works that explore the concept of ‘therapy’. Prompted by the work of Melbourne artist Stuart Ringholt and his autobiographical book Hashish Psychosis: What It’s Like to be Mentally Ill and Recover, the IMA presents Let the Healing Begin. In this exhibition, the idea of therapy is tackled from all possible perspectives, with some pieces endorsing therapeutic imperatives and others providing a critical discussion of them. Featuring artists as wide-ranging as Otto Muehl, Marina Abramovic and Turner Prize winner Grayson Perry, the exhibition traverses a number of mediums including mixed-media, video and installation, as well as the more traditional kinds. Particularly enticing are Matt Mullican’s hypnosis-induced alter-ego’s art, Mike Kelley’s political poster about the major health issue resulting from celebrity-induced low self-esteem, and Abramovic’s video piece in which she and fellow performance artist Ulay take turns to slap one another across the face - therapeutically, of course. The IMA never fails to produce original and thought-provoking exhibitions, and this one is a must-see. The show also features work by Julia Dashper, Robin Hungerford, Pierre Molinier, Rose Nolan, Tony Oursler, Grant Stevens, Peter Tyndall and Gillian Wearing.
For a few days the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre is hosting a sales event of most peculiar stock. Strange things they are, full of pages, rampant with words and with covers of the most beautiful colours. You can’t charge them, they don’t run out of battery, their brightness is unalterable, and they won’t smash when you drop them and have them lost forever. Lifeline Bookfest is back for another round of vintage bargains and startling ranges of everything from Australian Women’s Weekly Cookbooks to a bit of cheeky erotica. If you’re been before, you’ll know there are warehouse quantities of books for sale – your grade five diary is probably hidden under a copy of Shantaram, and you’ll come across at least three copies of Cooking with Days of Our Lives. Prices range from cents to the big bucks – bring a trolley and your glasses and absorb yourself in books.
After putting on everything from margarita weeks and gin and tonic festivals through to Easter celebrations and music trails, Howard Smith Wharves is adding a new event to its calendar: FESTA ITALIANA, the Brisbane CBD precinct's first-ever Italian food market. And, it isn't any old celebration of Italian cuisine and beverages. This one boasts a guest of honour: chef Orazio D'Elia of Bondi Beach's Da Orazio in Sydney. The Naples-born and -raised, Sydney-based D'Elia is also one of the driving forces behind FESTA ITALIANA alongside HSW. He heads to Brisbane with quite the reputation, including a stint as Head Chef at Sydney's iconic Icebergs Dining Room and Bar alongside Maurice Terzini, then keeping that collaboration going by opening Da Orazio Pizza + Porchetta. "It's an honour to have guest Chef Orazio D'Elia join us in Brisbane over two weekends to share his culinary skills, passion for delicious flavours and cultural background," said Howard Smith Wharves CEO Luke Fraser, announcing FESTA ITALIANA. The event will arrive to see out autumn and welcome in winter, settling into its riverside home to showcase Italian bites and sips with a live music soundtrack, and spreading the festival across HSW's main lawn in the process. The market-slash-festival is also stretching its Italian-themed fun out over two weekends, running from Friday, May 26–Sunday, May 28 and Friday, June 2–Sunday, June 4. Thanks to Orazio's involvement, several of his well-known dishes will be on offer, including vodka rigatoni (made with tomato and vodka sauce) and focaccia con porchetta (with the meat fresh from the rotisserie, and paired with chilli-marinated grilled eggplant, cos lettuce and mayonnaise on schiacciatina bread). The food range extends to woodfired bread, fritto misto and gelato, plus a live pasta station making fresh pasta onsite. And drinks-wise, fans of Italian beverage can expect a heavy focus on Aperol spritzes and peach bellinis. Entry is free, with everything you're keen to eat and drink purchased as you go. And like all events on HSW's main lawn, this one is pet-friendly, should you have a very good pup who enjoys hanging out by the river while you tuck into an Italian feast. [caption id="attachment_893402" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Reuben Nutt[/caption] FESTA ITALIANA takes place at Howard Smith Wharves in the Brisbane CBD from Friday, May 26–Sunday, May 28 and Friday, June 2–Sunday, June 4. Head to the precinct's website for further details.
Successful artist, Stephen Russell, is no stranger to the Brisbane art scene. He has graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours from QUT and is currently a founding co-director of the Artistic Run Initiative, Accidentally Annie Street Space. His art exists in the realm of sculpture and painting and has been shown in galleries across Australia such as, Boxcopy, QUT Art Museum, Metro Arts and as part of the 2012 Next Wave Festival in Melbourne. Torpor Audit is Stephen's latest exhibition showcase. In it he explores the duplicity of art works, in particular, the multiplicity of meanings expressed by a single piece. He displays how the social environment interacts with objects and images and the consequences of this. The opening night of the exhibition will be held on Friday 1 November 6.00pm. You can catch Torpor Audit from 31 October – 14 November.
For one night only you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a sensory bombardment like no other. Hosted by WITCHMEAT, Food Show is a celebration and expression of food. It is in keeping with their informal, unconstrained art showcases, and in this case, will give artists and chefs alike the opportunity to provide a visual feast. WITCHMEAT is a non-profit gallery space, which encourages and accommodates local artists of an eclectic background. The space has been moulded inside a residential house, adding to the homely feel that they strive for. Food Show has it all. Performance, sculpture, painting, installations, and best of all, food. After receiving an overwhelming number of applicants, the resulting showcase truly will be the cream of the crop.
That rush you get when you knock off work, then work up a sweat? It's a great (and addictive) feeling. That said, when the end of the week hits, you might want to do a little more than simply bend and stretch. That's one of the reasons that boozy yoga was invented — and, now, why Live DJ Yoga exists as well. You won't be sipping tipples at this exercise session, so consider it a post-work, pre-drinks kind of activity. But, you will be busting out your best downward dog while listing to DJs drop beats right there in front of you. If the pose calls for it, you'll probably also find yourself watching a heap of Brisbane's best behind-the-decks talent do their thing while you test our your flexibility. Fish Lane's just-opened Pilgrim Hot Yoga is hosting the 90-minute classes each Friday at 6pm, and you can expect a who's who of Brissie DJs spinning tracks. And, price-wise, tickets cost $20 for studio members and $35 otherwise.
You shouldn’t really need an excuse to get behind the empowerment of women – but a panel discussion is a panel discussion and we’ll take any reason to see some pretty magnificent people sharing their know-how. Luckily for us, the Ladyfest movement is back and bigger and better than ever in 2013, and to celebrate they’re hosting an evening of discussion with some pretty incredible faces to match. Ladyfest have foraged for some of Brisbane’s most marvellous creative women – we can assume without too much trouble – and gathered some real gems. Musician Seja Vogel, author Krissy Kneen, Greens candidate Rachael Jacobs, tattoo-artist Aureole McAlpine, founder and creator of Spare Parts, Priscilla Sutton, and writer Michelle Law will be at the forefront of the discussion. Engaging in conversation, and possibly debate about their challenges and experiences in the Brisbane arts scene, this is an event not to be missed by budding artists, fans or anyone in need of a healthy dose of motivation. Join these wonderful ladies at The Zoo in what will be an exciting and inspiring afternoon.
It’s not hard to look hella-hot in locally desgined threads, so when a fresh label arrives on the scene the swoons tend to follow. Drop Shred Gorgeous is the Gold Coast born, skate and surf brand that just won’t quit – it’s makes cool, relaxed and trendy apparel that’s can turn any skag into the finest of culture kings. Now, to launch the label they’ll be trading in fine champagne and canapés, for a messy, beat-heavy night at Oh Hello. Hopefully the ‘skate brand launch party’ label will rid most of the Oh Hello dancefloor of it’s Ralph Lauren-sponsored yuppy crowd, but if not, just drop the term kickflip into conversations and they’ll migrate to The Met in a minute. The DJing likes of Dimestore Diamonds, The Gatling Gun, DJ Dzyr, Lu-na and Sezzo will be pumping out only the tastiest of beats all night, and better still, it will be EKKA eve so you can dance till the sun comes up and head straight on over to the RNA for a strawberry Sundae after. Tickets are $10, and while there won’t be a lucky door prize, Dropped Shred Gorgeous will be handing out gifts all night. They promise. Practice your skate talk, and get along to help launch a brand your wardrobe is soon going to be crowded with.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Brisbane is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to help you celebrate the little things that bring a sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Brisbane. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, rally your mates for a round of trivia, go swimming on horseback and switch out your usual Sunday brekkie for a bao Benedict. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
More than 80 years after it was first sung and heard, Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit' still isn't easily forgotten. Drawn from a poem penned to protest lynchings, it's meant to shock and haunt. It's designed to galvanise and mobilise, too, as drawing attention to the extrajudicial killings of Black Americans should. Indeed, so vivid is the song in its language — "Black bodies swingin' in the southern breeze" describes the third line — US authorities demanded that Holiday stop performing it. She refused repeatedly, so there were repercussions. Concerned that the track would spark change, inspire Holiday's fans to fight for civil rights and justice, and perhaps motivate riots against against oppression and discrimination as well, the US Treasury Department's Federal Bureau of Narcotics went after the musician for her drug use. If it couldn't get her to cease crooning the controversial tune via other means, such as overt warnings and a prominent police presence at her shows, it'd do whatever it could to keep her from reaching the stage night after night. So tells The United States vs Billie Holiday, the latest Oscar-nominated biopic to step through its namesake's life. Back in 1972, Lady Sings the Blues loosely adapted Holiday's autobiography of the same name, enlisting Diana Ross to play the singer — but, in taking inspiration instead from Johann Hari's non-fiction book Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs, this latest big-screen vision of the music icon's story adopts its own angle. Holiday's troubled childhood and youth has its part in this tale, which is scripted for the screen by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks. Her addiction, and the personal woes that she tried to blot out, clearly don't escape filmmaker Lee Daniels' (The Butler) attention, either. But The United States vs Billie Holiday also falls in alongside Seberg, MLK/FBI and Judas and the Black Messiah in interrogating bleak truths about mid-20th century America. That includes the misplaced priorities of its government during multiple administrations, and the blatant determination shown by an array of agencies under various presidents to undermine, persecute and silence those considered a supposedly un-American threat to the status quo. Framed by a late 50s interview between Holiday (Andra Day, Marshall) and a gossip journalist (Leslie Jordan, Will & Grace), Daniels' film flits back and forth through the former's life. Her career heyday takes pride of place, but complexity seethes through every facet of her existence — whether she's ignoring commands not to sing 'Strange Fruit' in the 40s, being sentenced to prison for narcotics towards the decade's end, making a sold-out comeback at Carnegie Hall, cycling through relationships with several abusive men or peering back at memories of her unhappy upbringing. The narrative anchor: Jimmy Fletcher (Trevante Rhodes, Moonlight). Tasked by crusading Federal Bureau of Narcotics head Harry Anslinger (Garrett Hedlund, Dreamland) to infiltrate Holiday's inner circle, he becomes a pal, a lover and also one of the key figures responsible for her incarceration. He's regarded warily by Holiday's dutiful entourage, which spans her best friend Roslyn (Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Kajillionaire), stylist Miss Freddy (Miss Lawrence, Star) and saxophonist Lester Young (Tyler James Williams, Detroit). And yet, Holiday consistently warms to Fletcher, including both before and after he starts questioning his real purpose. Holiday's status as a legend will never be diminished. Despite the US Government's concerted efforts otherwise, 'Strange Fruit' has cemented its place in history, too. But even given The United States vs Billie Holiday's iconic point of focus, her vitally important song, and the crucial and committed approach taken to both, the film that results here often feels little more than standard. It adheres to the biographical drama playbook, and uses Anslinger as a cartoonish villain. Its arrival on-screen in such close proximity to the aforementioned Seberg and Judas and the Black Messiah also imparts an unshakeable air of familiarity. The United States vs Billie Holiday is often rousing and moving. It tells an essential story, and tracks the tragedies and the triumphs alike. But it remains forcefully wedded to convention, to the extent that almost every second of the narrative plays out as expected, and every filmmaking choice as well — regardless of whether viewers already know the minutiae of Holiday's life intimately or are learning it anew. That well-worn sensation applies to most areas of the movie, except one. Day took her stage name from Billie Holiday's nickname, with Young dubbing the icon Lady Day — and in her first lead role, the 'Rise Up' singer turns in an absolute powerhouse performance. A Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama has already come her way, along with a Best Actress Oscar nomination, because this is an intense, impassioned, career-defining portrayal. Even when the feature itself becomes unfocused, including through Daniels' erratic stylistic flourishes, Day is simply mesmerising. She sings Holiday's songs flawlessly, and she also conveys the lifetime of struggle that lingers behind every word. She mirrors the star's presence, too; when she's centre stage, or placed in the centre of cinematographer Andrew Dunn's (The Children Act) frame, everything else seems to fade away. Day's rendition of 'Strange Fruit' isn't easily forgotten, fittingly; however, neither is anything about her performance. The raspiness of her voice expresses Holiday's pain, even when just uttering a single word. The fixed gaze her character continually directs Fletcher's way manages to be equally withering and melting, and the complicated rapport she shares with the also-excellent Rhodes makes for many of the movie's best moments. But if Day constantly vividly and memorably honours the woman she's playing — and she does, especially when she's belting out her songs — The United States vs Billie Holiday can't always claim to do the same. No one's life story should feel like it's ticking boxes, and Holiday's certainly didn't, but Daniels seems to forget that more often than anyone should. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGLmTd8q3Ec Image: Takashi Seida.
If your Friday knock-offs are more bland than banging, then you ought to consider getting this Aussie hip hop act to kick off your weekend. Horrorshow has played all the major national festivals (think Big Day Out, Splendour and Groovin' the Moo) and toured Europe while supporting local faves Hilltop Hoods. These guys regularly play for crowds of up to 10,000 people, but this upcoming gig at Woolly Mammoth promises to be a more stripped-back intimate set. Hang around after the show to crush a few lawn games on the AstroTurf — think bocce and (perennial fave) giant Jenga. Image: Steven Woodburn.
UPDATE, April 9, 2021: Chaos Walking is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. From battles in a galaxy far, far away to caped crusaders trying to save the day, cinema's big franchises currently dominate popular culture. They spark months of anticipation before each new film hits screens, top the box office, inspire constant chatter year-round and have even begun to sink their teeth into TV. And, they influence how audiences see other features, too — because watching almost any flick at present involves spotting cast members from Hollywood's ongoing blockbuster sagas. In Chaos Walking's case, for instance, the most recent Spider-Man finds his life disrupted when Star Wars' latest heroine crash-lands on his planet. In the tense aftermath, another Star Wars alumni and an Alien franchise veteran are involved, as is an actor with ties to Star Wars and Marvel, and an upcoming role in the Harry Potter realm. Boiling a feature down to the film behemoths also on its stars' resumes is simplistic, but it's a movie marketer's dream, with the powers-that-be hoping their talent will bring their existing aficionados with them. Here, it's also the most interesting thing about this tedious and generic space western. Adapted from the book series of the same name, Chaos Walking has weathered a difficult path to cinemas. It releases ten years after the rights to turn Patrick Ness' novels into films were first acquired, four years since the movie was originally shot and two years after major reshoots following unfavourable test screenings. The feature went through a plethora of rewrites, with I'm Thinking of Ending Things' Charlie Kaufman on scripting duties at one point, and Ness (A Monster Calls) and Spider-Man: Homecoming's Christopher Ford getting the final credit. Navigating such a mess rarely bodes well for a movie, so the fact that Chaos Walking proves dull and derivative shouldn't come as a surprise. It's hard to see how it might've fared better, though, with its premise an instant struggle. Set in 2257, the film follows colonists from earth on a planet called New World, who are plagued by a strange phenomenon. A multi-coloured haze hovers around men's heads — and only men — showing their every thought. The sensation has been dubbed 'the noise', and experiencing it while watching sure is rackety. In his pioneer village, teenager Todd (Tom Holland, The Devil All the Time) can rarely control his noise. While the Mayor (Mads Mikkelsen, Another Round) is able to filter the words and images that project from his mind — and also rock a furry red coat and wide-brimmed hat far better than anyone should — few others have the same ability. Seeing what everyone is thinking is a tricky way to live at the best of times, and it applies to the entire population, because women have been wiped out in a war attributed to the planet's original inhabitants. But Todd's troubles multiply when he discovers a spaceship, as well as Viola (Daisy Ridley, Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker), its sole surviving occupant. The mayor and his followers don't take kindly to the first female in their midst for years; however, supported by his adoptive fathers Ben (Demian Bichir, The Midnight Sky) and Cillian (Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter), Todd isn't willing to surrender the only girl he's ever seen to an angry mob. On the page, the Chaos Walking series dates back to 2008, when first instalment The Knife of Never Letting Go hit bookshelves — but its tale of toxic masculinity feels timely in the current social, political and cultural climate. That said, this isn't a complex, layered or thoughtful film. Instead, it's content to stress its themes in such a broad and easy manner that getting Holland to hold up a sign saying "the patriarchy is bad" would've been more subtle. Cue one-note villains, including Mikkelsen's mayor and David Oyelowo (another The Midnight Sky cast member) as a cartoonishly frenzied preacher. Cue Todd's self-reprimands to "be a man", too. There's no faulting the underlying idea that constantly enforcing stereotypical visions of manhood has damaging consequences, and that the behaviour it inspires (and the sense of entitlement that goes with it) is dangerous and destructive. But Chaos Walking really just uses these notions as a backdrop for a predictable and formulaic dystopian story, and as a handy reason to motivate its conflicts. As told here, the material is so thin and blunt — and so desperately endeavouring to set up a Hunger Games-esque franchise — that thinking about Holland, Ridley and their co-stars' roles elsewhere comes naturally. The awkwardness that has served Holland so well as Spider-Man peeks through, and Ridley's Star Wars steeliness is on full display, but neither actor is ever tasked with extending their talents. Mikkelsen, Oyelowo and Bichir are only asked to hit one note (nefarious, maniacal and caring, respectively), while Cynthia Erivo (The Outsider) is criminally underused. With all that distracting and frustrating noise literally hanging around and screaming for attention, it's hard for anyone to stand out. It's harder still in a movie that plays like a hodgepodge of far better sci-fi and western fare. Just try to see the orange suspenders that Ridley sports in the second half — or realise that this is a flick about a woman falling out of the sky and into a man's life, who then has to protect her on her quest to save the world as everyone knows it — and not wish you were watching The Fifth Element instead. He has Swingers, Go, Mr and Mrs Smith and American Made to his name, but filmmaker Doug Liman is no stranger to helming movies that recall 90s greats. While Edge of Tomorrow instantly impressed for many reasons, using time-loop trickery in a smart action flick and never just feeling like a cheap Groundhog Day ripoff was chief among them. Sadly, Liman doesn't have the same luck with Chaos Walking. Even its busy chase and fight scenes are a slog, although the feature's frontier-town production design and clever visual use of a buried spaceship do catch the eye. As for everything else, 'noise' is the absolute right word for it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ICPoXlmTO0
We hate to jump on the bandwagon of retailers telling you to get onto your Christmas shopping early this year, but sometimes we all need a little push and one retailer knows just the thing. Gift problem solvers since 2005, Etsy are stepping into the real world to host a four-day Christmas market. Thankfully, you (and that impossible-to-buy-for family member/partner/friend) are invited. If you're a regular Etsy trawler, you'll know that the rapidly growing host of online boutiques is home to many a talented designer and craft maker. Now, 53 of those excellent jewellers, artists, artisans, fashion and homewares designers are setting up shop at BrisStyle HQ from November 27-30. Get ahead of the last-minute department store stampedes and do your Christmas shopping in style this year. The market is open from 10am-2pm.
Your favourite afternoon of ladies, literature and endless love for Marieke Hardy is back. Women of Letters is back at the Powerhouse launching Between Us, a special new collection of letters from Australia's most eloquent ladies. If you haven't yet been, Women of Letters is a regular event co-curated by writers Marike Hardy and Michaela McGuire that attempts to drag the long lost art of letter-writing back into popular usage. Asking a host of successful ladies to the stage, Women of Letters is all about sharing stories and the celebrating the indomitable spirit of girl power. This instalment will be hosted by much-loved Brissie local Krissy Kneen. She will then be joined on stage by writer Kristina Olsson, journalist Susan Johnson and media superstar Madonna King. Grab tickets via Brisbane Powerhouse or at the door, if still available.
It's a longstanding qualm some people have with female comedians that they're always talking about their genitalia. Those people might not enjoy this show. Returning to Australia again after her last batch of sold-out performances and seriously high praise, US comedian, performance artist and one half of the Wau Wau Sisters Adrienne Truscott is quite literally baring all in her critically-acclaimed, one-woman show about rape culture. Dressed only from the waist up, Truscott is taking aim at the likes of Daniel Tosh and his controversial comments of last year, and is dragging the art of the 'rape joke' to breaking point. After five-star reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe, Adrienne Truscott's Asking for It is one the most-talked about shows of the past year (for better or worse).
If you wouldn't trust Gumtree, Domain or Craigslist to find you a new roommate, you're not alone. You're probably pretty smart, as well. To help you avoid the slob, the creep, or the no-concept-of-personal-space roommate, Friends With Rooms has created a Facebook roomie-finding app. The app utilises Facebook's social graph to match you up with other people whose profiles contain similar information and interests. Users answer a series of general questions designed to get a more in-depth concept of what type of roommate he or she might be (Do you prefer to stay out late or to rise early?). If you do happen to find a 'match', you can even have a mutual friend vouch for the other person. So rest assured that, thanks to this app, not every roommate has to be like your infamous first-year uni roommate. [via Mashable]
Are you the kind of person who looks for hot cross buns on your local supermarket shelves the moment that December 26 hits each year? If so, congrats — you know that these seasonal treats really should be available all year round, as everyone should. And, you're likely also aware that not all hot cross buns are created equal. Lune Croissanterie's hot cross cruffins are in a league of their own, for instance. The highly coveted Easter bites are back for 2024, too, to the delight of pastry lovers across Melbourne and Brisbane. Whether you've had plenty of Lune Easters or just a few — Lune only opened its first interstate store in Brissie in 2021, after all — these baked goods are a must-try. Also, they're available all month in March this year. Yes, they're exactly what they sound like. Forget plain old croissant-muffin hybrids — Lune's Easter version throws hot cross buns into the mix as well. The croissant-muffin-hot cross bun mashups come filled with a spiced custard and traditional hot cross bun fruit blend, which includes sultanas and candied citrus peel. They're then topped with a cross (obviously) and brushed in a sweet glaze. And, they're both vegetarian- and Halal-friendly. Similarly Easter-friendly and returning for March: Lune's twice-baked pain au chocolat, which features a Mork chocolate frangipane, guanaja molleux, melted chocolate, mascarpone chantilly and cocoa nibs. Last but not least, there's also a lamington-croissant hybrid that's been created to celebrate the Australian Grand Prix, because Lune founder Kate Reid is an ex-Formula 1 aerodynamicist. The F1 takes a twice-baked traditional croissant, then packs it with coconut frangipane, dark chocolate ganache, vanilla sponge and raspberry gel. On top: a tempered chocolate chequered flag. If you're keen, you'll find all of the above in-store until Sunday, March 31 at almost all Lune sites. The chain is serving up hot cross cruffins and triple-choc pains au chocolate at its Melbourne CBD, Fitzroy, Armadale, South Brisbane and Brisbane CBD venues. For The F1, you can pick it up everywhere except the Melbourne CBD across the month — and at that venue from Thursday, March 21–Sunday, March 24 only. Lune's March specials are available until Sunday, March 31, with details and dates varying per store. Head to Lune's website or to the bakery's Melbourne CBD, Fitzroy, Armadale, South Brisbane and Brisbane CBD venues for more details. Images: Peter Dillon.
Combine classical minimalism with metal and punk and you have for yourself the hand-coined genre unique to Ben Frost. This Australian-born, Iceland-based musician is heading to the Brisbane Powerhouse this Wednesday to deliver his latest instalment of powerful work. Frost's most recent album Aurora succeeds a string of five albums all praised for being musically gutsy, almost to the point of physically assaultive. BBC's David Stubbs says Frost's sound "reaches right out of the thought bubble and punches you out of your skin." This isn't your male take on Enja — Frost draws on the mysterious energies of Icelandic music, to produce a rather roof-shaking sound. Frost is joined by fellow sonic artist Lawrence English for a special Room40 event at the Powerhouse. Expect to be entranced by a sonic blending of brute force and percussive intensity. This music is meant to be felt, not just heard.
Most of the time, when bands take a break, they disappear into the land of never-to-be-heard-of-again. It's a kind of ex-rockers' purgatory, where would-have-, could-have- and should-have-beens sit around listening to early demo tapes, bemoaning the halcyon days when a record deal was forever just around the corner, and growing bitter about the fact that such-and-such became too egotistical or whatshisname retreated to the countryside to clean up his act. Not so The Basics. In their three-year hiatus, they've managed to win three Grammys (via Wally de Backer's transformation into Gotye), write a film score (Tim Heath's contribution to The Rise and Rise of Richard Latt) and catch malaria while checking out Kenya's local music scene (just one chapter in Kris Schroeder's excellent adventures). With all of that out of (or should that be in?) their system, they're ready for a reunion. So they've released new single 'So Hard For You' and will be touring nationally throughout September and October. "It's been a great challenge nutting out how to bring a large band, visuals and studio compositions together for the Gotye live shows over the last two years," Wally says. "But right now I'm looking forward to getting sweaty behind the drums and playing rock 'n' roll in these fab clubs with my brothers Kris and Tim." https://youtube.com/watch?v=bnDf9zLiUII
As part of a tour of thirty-five shows spanning five capital cities that will see them play each of their six albums in full, Melbourne legends The Living End are coming to Brisbane’s The Zoo, with support from The Medics. The Retrospective Tour is a tour for the fans. As a thank you for fifteen years of loyalty the band are moving from their normal stadium sized stages, to smaller, more intimate venues, where fans will get a chance to see The Living End pull off their most memorable, fiery live shows ever. Truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. At The Zoo The Living End will be playing their 2000 platinum album, Roll On, with classics like Triple J favourites Pictures In The Mirror and Roll On, and Dirty Men and Carry Me Home. The Medics are from Cairns. Their debut album, Foundations, is out now.
Sydney boys, Alex Cameron, George Nicholas and John Hassell make up one of the nation's best electronic acts, Seekae. The old friends formed the band in 2006 and the trio have since shared the stage with the likes of Kimbie, Cloud Control, Decoder Ring and Midnight Juggernaughts. Seekae have also sold out their own headline shows across the nation as well as impressed international audiences in a few short years. These guys have a unique sound filled with exciting and loud bursts mixed with relaxed, floaty electronica. Seekae have perfected a harmony between the human and technology with their blend of electronica, instruments and vocals. The always energetic bunch have released two albums, +Dome and The Sound of Trees Falling on People which both received critical acclaim. Brisbane electronic fans can expect a vibrant performance from Seekae this Saturday at The Zoo.
Find yourself surrounded by some of the world's brightest journalists at this year's Storyology, returning to Brisbane at the end of July. Brought to you by The Walkley Foundation, Australia's networking festival of media and storytelling welcomes Australian and international journalists who'll be leading talks and lectures on today's big questions around the forever-changing industry. The festival kicks off in Brisbane on Friday evening with a panel dubbed This Book Changed My Life. Adam Suckling from Copyright Agency will moderate as three storytellers discuss the nonfiction and fiction books that have most impacted their lives. Saturday will take a 'behind the news'-style approach to uncover what journalism looks like in 2018. First up, journalists and editors (plus one cartoonist) from the likes of Buzzfeed and Guardian Australia will lead an ethical discussion on reporting some of the year's biggest stories. At noon, photojournalist Nick Moir will share the storm-chasing stories behind dramatic weather shots, before a timely discussion at 1.30pm dubbed Power Shifts: Identity, Diversity, #Metoo. Four female journalists, led by ABC Regional Queensland editor Cathie Schnitzerling, will share insights on the 'Time's Up' movement, including how their newsrooms are approaching the ever-evolving coverage and the lasting impact on diversity. The day will wrap up with a session exploring why podcasts have become the medium-of-choice for sharing true crime stories and all nuances that play into this — from nailing the tone to reporting respectfully. Storyology 2018 will take place at Palace Cinema at the Barracks from Friday, July 27 to Saturday, July 28. See the full program of events and talks here. We also have five doubles passes to the full festival to giveaway. To enter, see details below. [competition]675850[/competition] Image: Tim Marshall.
Primavera translates to 'the season of spring' in Spanish, and while opposite to our seasonal changes in Queensland, fresh new talent is here all autumn. Presented by the QUT Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney (MCA), Primavera is an annual exhibition showcasing Australia's best creatives under 35. The exhibition brings together the work of seven artists: Akira Akira, Julie Fragar (Brisbane), Agatha Gothe-Snape (works pictured above), Alasdair McLuckie, James Newitt, Jackson Slattery and Emma White. Primavera focuses on progressive art by upcoming artists with fresh perspectives and interpretations of the contemporary art world. You won't find any similar themes here; the exhibition aims to reflect on a broad variety of styles in different disciplines and mediums, highlighting each individual artists' achievements. “The artists provide a 'criss-crossing' in-and-out of modes to find the best visual language for art expression,” National Art School guest curator Katie Dyer told Habitus Living. She cites one such example as Akira Akira's sculptures, which borrow Modernist and Utopian concepts of design and are based around the ideas of objects circulating in the world. You can see Akira Akira's work and many more inspiring pieces now at the QUT Art Museum until April 3.
They're taking the hobbits to Isengard at Dendy Cinemas this winter, with one movie marathon to rule them all. Round up the Fellowship, stock up on lembas bread for sustenance and hide your finest pipe-weed from the Southfarthing for one sitting of all three of Peter Jackson's beloved OG Tolkien film adaptations. Kicking off with The Fellowship of the Ring and ending with The Return of the King (with The Two Towers in the middle, of course), this cave troll of a marathon clocks in at over nine hours plus intermissions — with the journey starting at 10.30am on Sunday, August 28 at Dendy Coorparoo, Portside and Southport. If you make it through breakfast and second breakfast to the final handful of endings, you can pat yourself on the back and smash a ringwraith screech at the nearest person on your way home (note: do not actually screech at people). Tickets are the precious and come in at $30 for the whole ordeal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_WZxJpHzEE
There's only one Wes Anderson, but there's a litany of wannabes. Why can't David O Russell be among them? Take the first filmmaker's The Grand Budapest Hotel, mix in the second's American Hustle and that's as good a way as any to start describing Amsterdam, Russell's return to the big screen after a seven-year gap following 2015's Joy — and a starry period comedy, crime caper and history lesson all in one. Swap pastels for earthier hues, still with a love of detail, and there's the unmistakably Anderson-esque look of the film. Amsterdam is a murder-mystery, too, set largely in the 1930s against a backdrop of increasing fascism, and filled with more famous faces than most movies can dream of. The American Hustle of it all springs from the "a lot of this actually happened" plot, this time drawing upon a political conspiracy called the White House/Wall Street Putsch, and again unfurling a wild true tale. A Russell returnee sits at the centre, too: Christian Bale (Thor: Love and Thunder) in his third film for the writer/director. The former did help guide the latter to an Oscar for The Fighter, then a nomination for American Hustle — but while Bale is welcomely and entertainingly loose and freewheeling, and given ample opportunity to show his comic chops in his expressive face and physicality alone, Amsterdam is unlikely to complete the trifecta of Academy Awards recognition. The lively movie's cast is its strongest asset, though, including the convincing camaraderie between Bale, John David Washington (Malcolm & Marie) and Margot Robbie (The Suicide Squad). They play pals forged in friendship during World War I, then thanks to a stint in the titular Dutch city. A doctor, a lawyer and a nurse — at least at some point in the narrative — they revel in love and art during their uninhabited stay, then get caught in chaos 15 years later. Amsterdam begins in the later period, with Burt Berendsen (Bale) tending to veterans — helping those with war injuries and lingering pain, as he himself has — without a medical license. He once had a Park Avenue practice, but his military enlistment and his fall from the well-heeled set afterwards all stems from his snobbish wife Beatrice (Andrea Riseborough, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain) and her social-climbing (and prejudiced) parents. As he did in the war, however, Burt aids who he can where he can, including with fellow ex-soldier Harold Woodman (Washington). That's how he ends up lending a hand (well, a scalpel) to the well-to-do Liz Meekins (Taylor Swift, Cats) after the unexpected death of her father and their old Army general (Ed Begley Jr, Better Call Saul). The bereaved daughter suspects foul play and Burt and Harold find it, but with fingers pointing their way when there's suddenly another body. Two police detectives (The Old Guard's Matthias Schoenaerts and The Many Saints of Newark's Alessandro Nivola), both veterans themselves, come a-snooping — and Burt and Harold now have two tasks. Clearing their names and figuring out what's going on are intertwined, of course, and also just the start of a story that isn't short on developments and twists (plus early flashes back to 1918 to set up the core trio, their bond, their heady bliss and a pact that they'll keep looking out for each other). There's a shagginess to both the tale and the telling, because busy and rambling is the vibe, especially with so much stuffed into the plot. One of Amsterdam's worst traits is its overloaded and convoluted feel, seeing that there's the IRL past to explore, a message about history repeating itself to deliver along with it, and enough mayhem to fuel several romps to spill out around it. The pacing doesn't help, flitting between zipping and dragging — and usually busting out the wrong one for each scene. Among all of the above, there's also no shortage of characters; that lengthy list of well-known names has to get up to something, and that jam-packed story has to get as many cogs whirring as possible. Valerie Voze (Robbie) sweeps back in just as pandemonium kicks in, under her brother Tom (Rami Malek, No Time to Die) and his wife Libby's (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Northman) watch. Old war buddy Milton King (Chris Rock, Spiral: From the Book of Saw) warns Burt and Harold about helping Liz from the start, but autopsy nurse Irma St Clair (Zoe Saldana, The Adam Project) — who Burt is visibly fond of — dutifully assists. Also popping up: celebrated army buddy General Gil Dillenbeck (Robert De Niro, The War with Grandpa), as well as intelligence officers Paul Canterbury (Mike Myers, The Pentaverate) and Henry Norcross (Michael Shannon, Bullet Train). Russell uses his supporting players to inject as many quirks and as much energy as he can, including via Canterbury and Norcross' cover as purveyors of glass eyes — something that Burt needs, in dark hazel green — and their keen and genuine interest in birdwatching as a hobby. Those and other eccentricities are also sprinkled around heartily as flavour, setting up and deepening the madcap mood with more than a tad too much force, particularly given that the score by Daniel Pemberton (See How They Run), roving and Dutch-tilting cinematography from Emmanuel Lubezki (Song to Song), and intricate production and art design more than do their showy and flamboyant part. Still, there's little faulting the spirited actors circling around Bale, Washington and Robbie — Malek, Saldana, Riseborough and De Niro especially — or that lead threesome. Whenever Amsterdam lags or rushes, the performances bring viewers in. Alongside Bale's engaging sense of comedy, Washington wears understated charm as well as a suit, and Robbie is just as charismatic playing free-spirited yet tenacious. Lubezki's floating lensing truly is magnetic; if ever given the option to go large or go home, Russell is rarely known for holding back or getting his collaborators to. The filmmaker is fond of idealistic protagonists making their way through a trying world with their sizeable personalities, hopes and hearts shining bright, recognisably so — and contemplating what his boisterous bounces through fictionalised/dramatised blasts from the past say about America today. Being aware of how quickly fascism can infiltrate, and via whom, isn't a new or novel message for 2022. Amsterdam is never as simplistic in stating the obvious as Don't Look Up was about climate change, though, and it isn't patronising, insulting or irritating, thankfully. It's no The Grand Budapest Hotel or even American Hustle, either, but worse can happen, a notion that the screwball flick's characters keep learning.
The Gold Coast, with its enviable combination of good weather and beaches, already gives off festival vibes all year round. But the real kicker happens when you add beer to all of that goodness. Add vitamins B (beer) and C (cider) to the vitamin D you cop on the coast with the Crafted Beer and Cider Festival, which takes place for 2021 from 12–9pm on Saturday, September 11. Held at Kurrawa Park in Broadbeach each year, the beer festival will unite more than 40 of Australia's top craft breweries, over 250 different brews, and some good food and live music to line your stomachs and ears. It's as good an excuse as any for a cheeky getaway to the Goldy. Locals like Balter Brewing Company, Black Hops Brewing and Currumbin Valley Brewing will be joining up with visitors from elsewhere in Queensland and interstate, such as Brouhaha Brewery, Heads of Noosa, Soapbox Beer and Gage Roads Brewing Co — and that's but a few of the many beer houses to be represented on the day. More of a cider person? Expect a range of cideries making the pilgrimage to the Coast, too. Food-wise, there'll be food trucks and other street food eats, spanning tacos, wings, toasties, calamari, pizzas and more. As for music lineup, Luca Brasi, Teenage Joans, Electrik Lemonade, Debbies, The Flowers, Pure Milk and Beatniks DJs are among the acts providing the soundtrack to your day. Also on the day's agenda is beer yoga, where you can perform a few downward dogs before you down your beer — it's all about balance, after all. Or, play ping pong, shoot hoops and take part in a beer paddle race.
It’s always inspiring to hear about the successes of our local Brisbane folk. When it comes to inspiration, 24-year-old fashion designer Ana Diaz takes the cake. The 2010 fashion graduate is the guest speaker at the Brisbane Beginnings segment of Fashion Talks at QUT. Discussing her experience in the industry and her amazing achievement of debuting in the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival, Diaz is a shoe in to captivate an audience of eager fashion folk. Already in its second month of seminars for 2011, Fashion Talks is fast becoming a popular source of first hand information and insight into the fashion industry. Wanna find out what it takes to get your collection on the catwalk? Wanna be in on the secrets of the working fashion world? Let the experts fill you in. It’s the perfect opportunity for any students, artists, designers, writers and all fashion enthusiasts to look through the eyes of our successful achievers to understand the ways of the contemporary fashion field.
In the next few years, Brisbane will score its own sprawling 45-hectare park in the middle of the city — something that, according to the Brisbane City Council, will become our own version of New York's Central Park and London's Hyde Park. But there's a bit of work to be done before that's the case, including a public consultation period. As part of the latter, there's also a party. You can offer your thoughts on the revamp of Victoria Park any time you like by heading online before Sunday, September 29 — or, you can mosey along to the Victoria Park Party on Sunday, September 22 to find out more. The free shindig runs from 10am–3pm, and will include plenty of opportunities to chat to the team behind the project, and to share your own ideas. Also on the agenda: the chance to explore the entire site, plus live tunes, talks, food trucks and activities for kids.
Throwing axes: yay or nay? Unsurprisingly, hurling hatches is the type of activity that probably has you leaning one way or another. Curious about giving it a go, but haven't gotten around to hitting up Brisbane's Maniax in Newstead? Let Winterfest tempt you in. This one-afternoon-only event is all about coming along and trying — and it'll let you get chucking weapons for cheap. From 12–5pm on Sunday, August 6, Maniax is doing 15-minute sessions for just $15 per person. Already sent a few Maniax blades flying in the past? You can still head on over to score some cheap entertainment for the afternoon. For the uninitiated, Maniax gives you the chance to very safely throw a hunk of sharpened steel attached to a handle, and compete with your partner and/or friends to see who has the most Viking blood coursing through them. Sling those axes, sink a bullseye, then calm down after all the hatchet-lobbing excitement with a drink. To assist with the latter, Winterfest is doing pizza-and-beer deals for two for $30, too.
Life can be tough. Sometimes, things gets better. Sometimes, they don't. That's the seesaw we're all riding, the ebbing and flowing waves we're all surfing, and the merry-go-round we're all on. Yep, there's plenty of ways to describe the ups and downs we all experience, and just as many sayings that try to offer hope as well. UQ Art Museum's latest exhibition addresses one of them in its moniker: The Dust Never Settles. We've all heard the phrase "when the dust settles". But, what if it doesn't? Recognising the reality of human existence, that's the idea at the heart of their latest showcase. From April 13 to July 30, nearly 30 artists will probe just what it means when a better future doesn't come, conflict remains, and problems still simmer across 73 art works spanning everything from prints to etchings to video installations. Image: Angelica Mesiti, born 1976 Sydney, New South Wales. Lives and works Paris, France and Sydney, New South Wales. The Calling (video still), 2013–2014. Three-channel High Definition digital video, sound. Duration: 00:35:36, edition A/P 2. Collection of The University of Queensland, purchased 2016. Reproduced courtesy of the artist and Anna Schwartz Gallery, Melbourne.
If any month could be crowned as one of wonder, it'd have to be December. The festive season has us all pondering what Santa will bring, and what the new year might hold. Plus, we're all rewatching It's A Wonderful Life as Christmas approaches. At the Brisbane Powerhouse, though, that's not where the end-of-year festival of wonder ends, but where it begins. Since 2014, the venue has been adding to the onslaught of amazement and cavalcade of celebration with an event designed for the astounding, joyful and curious. That'd be the aptly named Wonderland, which unleashes its second serving of burlesque, circus, cabaret, music, comedy, poetry, theatre and variety shows from December 3 to 20. Your jaw will be agape, your mind alive with happiness and possibility, and you'll be feeling truly wonderful — particularly if you head along to our ten picks of the festival. Top image: Studio Impressions.
Everyone likes accumulating unusual items, a pastime that dates back centuries. In Renaissance Europe for example, storing strange objects in cabinets of curiosities — also called wunderkammer — was the done thing. Natural wonders, religious relics, works of art, antiquities and other odds and ends would line shelves, often taking up entire rooms. These collections weren't just eclectic and eccentric; they were designed to offer a microcosm of the broader world. Think of them as the precursors to museums, because that's what they were. And that's what the University of Queensland Art Museum is celebrating in an exhibition comprised of two parts: groups of bizarre, peculiar and all-round interesting items, all placed together for people to marvel at. First, witness a showcase of scientific and medical instruments, religious paraphernalia, coins, illuminated manuscripts and contemporary artworks, displayed as they might have been years earlier. Then, feast your eyes on a wunderkammer conceived by Her Divine Holiness Pope Alice, aka Australian artist Luke Roberts. If the whole collection isn't strange and curious, then we don't know what is. Image: Peter Madden, 1966-; Butterfly bones 2007. Plastic, wood, paper and resin. 28.0 x 25.0 x 40.0 cm. Collection of Dr Morris Low, Brisbane. Reproduced courtesy of the artist and Robert Heald Gallery, Wellington. Photo by Carl Warner.
If you've already covered your dining table with jigsaw puzzles, spent hours live streaming koalas and are looking for something else to do with your house mate, why don't you organise a night of friendly competition and whip out some board games. Helping you do just that is Australia's newest subscription service. The Board Game Box, as it has fittingly been dubbed, delivers a new board game to your door each month. You can sign up for one ($20), three ($60), six ($120) or 12 ($220) months, with a $12.20 shipping fee. There's no word on exactly what games you'll be sent each month, but it's promising that boxes will contain "latest releases, as well as the classics board games" and images hint to the likes of Monopoly and chess. Board games not your thing? The same company also offers subscription puzzle boxes, Lego boxes and soap boxes. Check out all of the options over here. If you're sick of being on your screen — sliding down endless Twitter holes and glued to live streams — this may be the perfect antidote. If you can't get enough of your screen, however, check out our round up of the best virtual events. You can sign up to The Board Game Box over here.
It’s rarely socially acceptable to exchange sanity and bodily competence for loss of mind, spirit and dignity at the hands of copious amounts of alcohol. Birthdays, deaths, Breaking Bad finales, and Oktoberfest are just a few green cards – but only one calls for a fresh pressed pair of lederhosen to accompany. It’s Oktoberfest time again, and if you’ve successfully shaken last year’s hangover you’ve got no excuse but to join in the hoo-ha. Oktoberfest Brisbane will be Germaning up the RNA Showgrounds with traditional food, hand crafted beer, rock und roll, and we’ll mention the beer again for safe keeping. There are also plenty of family activities like a petting zoo, tasty gingerbread and traditional German dodgem cars, so don't be thinking this is strictly for the anti-AA; it's completely kid friendly. Brisbane’s Oktoberfest has been voted in the top 10 best outside of Germany, so stick local for this booze up day of cultural appreciation, and head to the RNA Showgrounds this, and/or next weekend, beer stein in hand.
No one should ever need a specific excuse to celebrate Australia's First Nations culture, but Quandamooka Festival offers one anyway: a three-day event on Minjerribah, also known as North Stradbroke Island, that heroes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, music, dance, food, stories and more. Returning to Country for the first time since 2019, this year's event is jam-packed with highlights — including Roger Knox, Shakaya and Electric Fields leading the music lineup. Also on the bill: Sycco , Emma Donovan and the Putbacks, Joe Geia, Benny Maza, Georgia Corowa, Keely and CKNU. And, given that the festival also heroes Quandamooka talent — with the Quandamooka Peoples hailing from the Moreton Bay region — local musicians Sachém, Nix Grose and Maibre Grenfell will also perform. They'll take to the stage across the fest's three-day run between Friday, August 26–Sunday, August 28, as part of a wide-ranging program that'll spans everything from eco boat tours and art exhibitions through to whale watching and cultural tours — and more. Dance groups will come from across southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales to perform, and storytelling, plus insights into the region's cultural heritage, will fuel the lineup as well. There's plenty to celebrate; the Quandamooka Peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the Quandamooka Estate, have ties to Minjerribah dating back 20,000 years. Quandamooka Festival also highlights the diverse landscape across the Redlands and Moreton Bay islands, and the creatures that call it home, as explored from a First Nations perspective. The festival includes food stalls and artisan market stalls, too, alongside fibre art and weaving workshops, plus Kunjiel (corroboree).
Lock up your bowler hats and crack pipes, Babyshambles are coming to town! Already announced as part of a whopping Splendour in the Grass lineup, Pete Doherty and co have added a run of sideshows to take place in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth. Originally a side project for Doherty when he took some time off from his first band, The Libertines, Babyshambles have had a tumultuous existence, releasing two occasionally brilliant albums while on a rollercoaster of substance abuse, no shows and lineup changes. But when they are at the top of their game, there are few better writers of Britpop than Pete Doherty — just listen to 'Fuck Forever' or 'Albion' for proof. Who even knows if they'll be able to keep it together throughout the tour, but with a new album planned and Doherty seemingly in good health (maybe living with Macaulay Culkin helps?), these sideshows could be something special. Thurs 25 July – Palace Theatre – Melbourne Fri 26 July – Splendour In The Grass – Byron Bay - SOLD OUT Sun 28 July – Enmore - Sydney Mon 29 July – HQ - Adelaide Wed 31 July – Metro City – Perth https://youtube.com/watch?v=IpeJFVvwz6A
Fashionistas take your marks, get set, go! Yes, it's that time of year again when Blonde Venus and The Outpost drastically reduce their prices and open their doors for the hoards of fashion hungry trend setters eager to snatch a bargain. Held from Friday to Sunday, this bi-annual sale has developed a bit of a rep around our town. Known for its awesome brands and super duper cheap prices, missing out on this sale means you will spend the next six months kicking yourself and drooling over the pretty pieces your friend picked up. Brands on sale include Karen Walker, Lover, Antipodium, Dr Denim, Cheap Monday, House of Cards and many more. Plus, the stores have slashed their prices by as much as 80%. Head to 65 James Street this weekend and get your hands on some gorgeous goodies. Both your wallet and your wardrobe will thank you!
In the year of the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday, the seventh annual Festival of Tibet returns to Brisbane. As one of the most educational, moving and finely curated events to be hosted in Brisbane, the festival is an enriching experience regardless of your level of knowledge about the country. From art to even more celestial experiences, this six-day celebration brings us so much of the beauty that defines Tibet. The Powerhouse will be transformed for the event, with a mix of free and ticketed events. Witness the creation of a superb sand mandala from millions of grains of coloured sand, learn to cook Tibetan dumplings, paint, meditate, contemplate and be swept up in beautiful music. The younger sister of the Dalai Lama, Jetsun Pema, lovingly known as ‘Ama la' (Tibetan for Mother), will be the celebrated guest of this year’s Festival of Tibet. UNESCO medal winner and first female Minister of the Tibetan Government in exile, Ama la will reflect on her experiences at a special forum and concert. All proceeds from the Festival of Tibet go to the Tibetan Children’s Village in Dharamsala, India.
If you are feeling like your wardrobe needs a bit of an update, then you're in luck. Australian clothing brand Assembly Label is hosting an online warehouse sale for a limited time, so you can buy some new linen pants, simple tees and easy breezy button-ups without going too hard on the wallet. Known for its timeless, minimalist pieces, Assembly Label is a go-to for top-quality staples that'll take you from your morning coffee to working in your living room (aka the office), lounging around on weekends and going out for lunch with mates — really, you won't need much else. The online warehouse sale kicks off Monday, March 7 with a wide range of both men's and women's wear on offer. If you've not quite accepted that summer's over — or if you're planning ahead for a mid-year trip to the northern hemisphere — you can stock up on Assembly signature summery linen dresses, swimwear, skirts and shorts. Best of all, the selection will be on sale at up to 70 percent off for a limited time only with free shipping across Australia, too. Shipping to New Zealand costs $15. Assembly Label's online warehouse sale runs from March 7-9. To check what you can nab for up to 70 percent off, head here.
When blissed out, soon-to-be-married American couple Nica (Hani Furstenberg) and Alex (Gael Garcia Bernal), set off on a hiking adventure in Georgia's remote Caucasus Mountains, they have little idea that their seemingly idealistic world is about to be profoundly challenged. To all appearances, the two share an unshakeable connection — spiritually at ease yet sexually charged. Nica is spirited and independent, and Alex adores her. They toy with language games, compete playfully over who is fastest or strongest, and are in free pursuit of their mutual wanderlust. Local guide Dato (Georgian actor and real-life expert mountaineer Bidzina Gujabidze) leads them through one breathtaking scene after another. Then, halfway through the film, a single event (not to be delineated here, for fear of giving too much away), corrupts the couple's bond, raising questions of trust, betrayal, and guilt. Russian-born, American-raised director Julia Loktev's intention is to carry us into the film's mental and physical world, one in which time seems to stretch on forever and all conviction has been thrown into doubt. Thanks to Palace Films, we have 10 double passes to give away to see The Loneliest Planet. To be in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email us with your name and postal address at hello@concreteplayground.com.au. Read our full review here. https://youtube.com/watch?v=SIIMFHcC1Fc
When the Australian Government announced on Sunday night that pubs, bars and nightclubs would be closing the following day to help contain COVID-19, it led to the mass-buying of booze across the country. Bottle shops are not impacted by the closures, but it didn't stop Aussies stocking up just in case. Booze is just the latest item to be targeted by panic-buying, with toilet paper going first, then essential food items. Supermarkets across the country have since introduced strict two-pack-per-person limits on coveted items, such as eggs, sugar, white milk, frozen desserts and canned tomatoes, and now bottle shops are following suit. BWS and Dan Murphy's, who are both owned by the Woolworths Group, introduced temporary limits on alcohol. A statement on the Dan Murphy's website reads, "these limits are in place to ensure everyone has access to the drinks they love". Thankfully, the limits aren't quite as strict as those on food. https://twitter.com/BellTowerTimes/status/1242662405701660672 At Dan Murphy's in NSW, Vic, ACT, Qld, NT, SA and Tas, the limit per customer per day is 18 bottles of wine, three casks of wine, six bottles of spirits and three cases of beer, cider and premix. BWS has implemented similar restrictions, with all states and territories (except for WA) having per customer, per shop limits of 12 bottles of wine, three casks of wine, four bottles of spirits and four cases of beer, spirits, premix and cider. WA has stricter limits, in-line with state regulations, with customers able to buy a maximum of two from the following categories: 11.25 litres of beer, cider or pre-mix spirits; 2.25 litres of wine; one litre of spirits; and one litre of fortified wine. Both chains are also encouraging social distancing, have introduced maximum capacities at their stores, and are offering pick-up and delivery services. The temporary alcohol limits are now in place at stores across the country. To order pick-up and delivery head to the BWS and Dan Murphy's websites. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Stephen Dann via Flickr.
If there's one film festival that the big-screen adaptation of Tim Winton's Breath was made to play at, it's the Gold Coast Film Festival. The book and movie might be set on the other side of the country, but screening an Aussie-made surfing-focused effort at the southeast Queensland beachside tourist spot's annual celebration of cinema just makes sense, really. Hitting up the fest before the film's general release in early May — with director and actor Simon Baker in attendance, alongside young up-and-comers Samson Coulter and Ben Spence — Breath is one of 40 features screening at this year's GCFF, which runs from April 17 to 29. Other Australian highlights include opening night's The Second and closing night's Brother's Nest. The former was made in Queensland, is destined for streaming service Stan, and stars Rachael Blake, Susie Porter, Vince Colosimo and Martin Sacks in a tale of two female friends and one tricky second novel. The latter black comedy comes from brothers Shane and Clayton Jacobson, and stumbles into much darker territory than the title they're best known for, aka Kenny. Still on the local front, the festival's 2018 program also features the South Australian-shot, Martin Freeman-starring zombie thriller Cargo, plus queer body-swap effort Pulse, two films that have been doing the rounds of the fest circuit. Scoping out flicks from the rest of the globe, German coming-of-age effort Axolotl Overkill, Cannes hit I Am Not a Witch, Oscar-nominated Russian drama Loveless, acclaimed art-house epic Zama, and the Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan-starring Ideal Home are also on the lineup. On the special events front, GCFF will once again venture onto a boat, to a brewery, by the water and more, spreading the cinematic love wherever it can. Fancy revisiting American Pie while you're cruising the Goldie waterways (and thinking of your schoolies exploits, admit it)? Or catching Fight Club at Burleigh Brewing Co.? Or the dance flick duo of Strictly Ballroom and Happy Feet by Kirra beach? They're all on the bill, as is the festival's first virtual reality showcase and two days of free anime at the Broadbeach mall. The Gold Coast Film Festival runs from April 17 to 29 at HOTA, Home of The Arts (the former Gold Coast Arts Centre) and other venues on the Gold Coast. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
The onset of those searing summer rays should remind us that skin cancer is Australia's biggest killer. But national awareness doesn't seem to mirror the scary statistics. In an attempt to rectify this, Pretty Shady is injecting some style into the skin cancer awareness campaign, with sun protection gear you can get your hands on for free — some of it rather covetable and limited edition. Included is a beautifully designed Basil Bangs beach umbrella (there are 50 of those) and a rad Lister-designed tee (just 40). There's also a stack of reversible bucket hats (800), some handcrafted sunnies (800), and a few hundred litres of sunscreen up for grabs. These items ought to help you kick the habit of poolside tanning. Pretty Shady is aiming to be the generation that stops the spread of skin cancer, one summer at a time. With high-profile ambassadors such as Nicole Warne, Anthony Lister and Gossling, they're packing a pretty powerful cool factor. Enter the competition to win Pretty Shady gear and you'll automatically go into the draw to win even more. The five limited edition items will be released one by one. So jump on in as soon as possible to increase your chances of securing a piece of the shady action. And even if you don't win, we encourage you to find a way to, in the words of a much daggier campaign, slip slop slap.
