No city can ever have too many places that encourage you to relax. We all lead busy lives, and we all need every reminder that we can get that slowing down, relaxing and putting our wellbeing first are important. So, while Brisbane has no shortage of wellness studios, adding another one is always welcome. By the time that April is out, Contro Wellness in Lutwyche will be River City's latest place to chase bliss. Opening on Lutwyche Road on Saturday, April 20, 2024, this pastel-hued spot is going Mediterranean-style with its bathhouse setup — and dreamy, too, as its calming colour palette helps evoke. Inside, patrons will find both traditional and infrared saunas, float therapy, ice baths, steam rooms and mineral soaks. And if that's not enough, there's red-light therapy and salt therapy as well. "Contro Wellness is the ultimate escape from the everyday hustle and bustle of city life," said Madeleine Snaith and Jake Salomone, the venue's co-founders. The pair are Brisbanites, but are opening Contro Wellness as part of their homecoming after establishing pilates and yoga studios — also called Contro — in north Queensland, in Mackay and Rural View. "Our extensive range of private health solutions offer calm amongst the chaos. Whether you're after a float, sauna or ice bath, we've got something for everyone to help rebalance, revive and rejuvenate." If you're keen on not just relaxation, but some alone time — or sharing your experience with a date or mate — this isn't the kind of place where you'll be using the facilities with other folks. All services are private, which is handy if you're also the type of person who finds trying to de-stress surrounded by people who don't know anything but calming. Price-wise, you'll be forking out at least $40, which is where Contro Wellness' services start. The bathhouse will also let you book in via its app, so you can lock in your next stint of unwinding at the touch of a button. Find Contro Wellness 488 Lutwyche Road, Lutwyche, from Saturday, April 20, 2024. Head to the studio's website for further information. Images: renders.
Before 2021 is out, Australian will finally get to see the Tony Award-winning Moulin Rouge! The Musical, with the stage adaptation of Baz Luhrmann's beloved 2001 film set to hit Melbourne once the city's lockdown ends. Also happening this year — and also spreading the movie-inspired love — is a big Brisbane gig called Spectacular Spectacular, which'll turn the Fortitude Music Hall into a Parisian club to celebrate Moulin Rouge!'s 20th anniversary. It's news so exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer. That said, despite the song lyrics that you now have stuck in your head, Spectacular Spectacular will only play for one evening. Still, this event is going to make the most of its single night, serving up what's being dubbed a '20th anniversary live music show'. Think: a heap of Brisbane musos hopping on stage to play through Moulin Rouge!'s iconic soundtrack, all backed by a 15-piece band, accompanied by dancers and decked out in costumes. Powderfinger's Darren Middleton, The Grates' Patience Hodgson and Superjesus' Sarah McLeod will all take to the stage, the latter pair sharing the songs of Satine — the character played by Nicole Kidman in the film. The show's lineup also includes Sahara Beck, Hope D and Tia Gostelow, as well as actor Eddie Baroo playing Harold Zidler. And, Anji Greenwood VOIID, Zach Britt from Dream on Dreamer and Pauline Maudy from MZAZA are all on the bill, too, alongside opera aficionado Bradley Daley, theatrical art collective Boss Moxi and the award-winning Phluxus2 Dance Collective. If you're now thinking "come what may" — or planning to break out your best can-can — you'll want to block out Friday, December 10 in your diary. Pre-sale tickets go on sale from 9am AEST on Wednesday, October 20, and general tickets from 9am Thursday, October 21, with VIP packages that include champagne upon arrival and table service afterwards also available. And if you just can't wait for this celebration of truth, beauty, freedom and love — and a 2001 classic, obviously — you can check out the trailer for the film below:
Exclaiming "I'm already a star. You don't become a star: you either are one or you aren't. I am!" to get into the hottest party in Los Angeles, aspiring 1920s actor Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie, Amsterdam) has ambition. Gracing the same Golden Age soirée after ending his latest marriage with an overplayed joke that could've sprung from Inglourious Basterds, veteran leading man Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt, Bullet Train) wouldn't have gotten where he is without the same drive and determination. And, helping the shindig be the only place to be, including wrangling an elephant for the night's entertainment (a pachyderm that empties its bowels on everyone pushing it up a hill no less), Manny Torres (Diego Calva, Narcos: Mexico) has the eagerness to do something — anything — in show business. Meet Babylon's zeal-dripping on-screen threesome, a trio matched only in their quest to rocket sky-high as the man conjuring them up: jazz-loving, La La Land Oscar-winning, Tinseltown-adoring writer/director Damien Chazelle. As Babylon unfurls across its hefty 189-minute running time, it takes a colossal heap of ambition — perhaps as immense as the pile of cocaine that Nellie gravitates towards inside the party — to make it or even fake it in the film industry. For his fifth feature, and first since 2018's First Man, Chazelle waves around his own as enthusiastically as he possibly can. Even just considering his hefty list of conspicuous influences makes that clear, with the filmmaker unshackling his inner Baz Luhrmann, Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson and David Lynch, to name a mere few overt nods. The Great Gatsby, Goodfellas, The Wolf of Wall Street, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Mulholland Drive: swirl them together with Kenneth Anger's 1959 publication Hollywood Babylon, plus everything from Sunset Boulevard to Hail, Caesar!, and that's just the beginning of Chazelle's plans. The end result also makes for a relentless and ravenous movie that's always a lot, not just in length, but is dazzling (and also very funny) when it clicks. That elephant crap doesn't just make quite the opening, as splattered from a visible opening. Beneath the glitz and glamour, and aiding all things shiny and starry to appear that way, lurks something far less seductive — so Babylon posits from the outset, then keeps pulling back the curtain like it's The Wizard of Oz. Before the film's first 15 minutes are up, it has also sprayed urine, waded through orgies, thrown around furniture, thrust about drugs and danced frenzied dances (Robbie does an entrancing one, No Time to Die cinematographer Linus Sandgren does another with his soaring and swooping camerawork, and Chazelle's usual composer Justin Hurwitz sets the bouncy tone with his Golden Globe-winning score, then keeps doing so). Also, before the initial revelry recedes, Manny is smitten with Nellie, while she has an acting job the next day. Hollywood: it's where shit explodes and snakes are wrestled literally and metaphorically, and where enough wishes are granted on-screen and behind the scenes to keep everyone returning for more. In the rest of its first act, Babylon is a filmmaking western; to spend time on a silent-era set here is to gallop across cinema's frontier. Nellie is a natural, and feted for crying on cue (that she's getting her start when big gestures and performances are a necessity also assists). Manny nabs an opportunity as well, his efforts to secure a replacement camera for a pivotal epic shot before a moody director loses his light instantly one of the film's most hilarious stretches. While the preceding party was a vibe, Babylon's best bursts through this madcap on-the-lot day. Simply surveying the packed-together sets, movies made next to movies upon movies, is a delight — and the pacing, zippily juggling Nellie, Manny and Jack's exploits, is among the picture's tightest. With the feature kicking off in 1926, though, the noisy, frenzied chaos that buzzes in this sequence has a talkie-sparked expiration date. For the fools who dream, Chazelle worships stories of artists chasing lifelong fantasies and meeting stark realities, with Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, Whiplash, La La Land and streaming series The Eddy all leading to Babylon. He's equally fond of Tinseltown's favourite tales about Tinseltown: the path-crossing of new starlets and established players as change reshapes the business forever, as a couple of A Star Is Born versions, The Artist and the masterpiece that is Singin' in the Rain have all covered. It's the boldest of moves that any director can make to fashion a film as a copy or an origin story to the latter, or both, but that's where Chazelle's ambition brilliantly heads. So, with the advent of synchronised sound, and as Manny keeps working his way up, cue Jack striving to maintain his fame and Nellie struggling with her New Jersey voice. Babylon doesn't say anything new — when you're openly going where so many flicks and filmmakers have gone before, is there anything much new to say? — but it does pull off the Luhrmann-esque feat of making its style part of its substance. This has to be a flashy, energetic, excess-laden affair, selling the allure that draws Nellie, Jack and Manny in, plus the emptiness behind it. Babylon has to be slick but messy, decadent but corrosive, and affectionate but clear-eyed about Hollywood's ills, and a heady, hectic experience. It has to be jam-packed at the same time, but it could've been that and given Li Jun Li (Devils) and Jovan Adepo (The Stand) more to do. Their characters, Anna May Wong clone Lady Fay Zhu and talented trumpeter Sidney Palmer, traverse a rise-and-fall trajectory as well. They're exuberant, fascinating, and meant to demonstrate how Asian, Black and queer figures were pushed aside. To genuinely address that point, though, they're deserving of greater focus and a weightier part in Babylon's narrative. Among the trio receiving the bulk of Chazelle's attention, Robbie is exhilarating; understanding how Nellie demands the eyeballs of everyone in her orbit is easy. Nuanced layers of pain and sorrow also linger in her non-stop portrayal when she does slow down, or sometimes glistens in her eyes alone. Her Once Upon a Time in Hollywood co-star Pitt remains in that movie's mode, happily and fittingly so — and relative newcomer Calva is terrific as Manny. Add in a well-cast Jean Smart (Hacks) as a Louella Parsons- and Hedda Hopper-inspired gossip queen, plus Tobey Maguire getting villainous and channelling Alfred Molina, and Babylon keeps stacking in moving pieces as much as moving pictures. On that, this flick doesn't end subtly. But, ambition splashing heavily again, it also has its big finale work as an ode as much as a lament.
Imagine a place where cheese reigns supreme, other than in your own kitchen. Imagine more than 100 different varieties on offer for the tasting. Imagine being able to sample whatever you liked from this dairy feast, too. And, picture just buying one ticket to devour all the cheddar, brie, camembert, raclette and whichever other cheeses take your fancy. Is this the real life? It isn't just a cheesy fantasy at Australian dairy festival Mould, which started making cheese-loving dreams come true in 2017. In 2024, it's not only returning — it's back for its biggest festivals yet, including for three days in Brisbane at the John Reid Pavilion at Brisbane Showgrounds across Friday, May 24–Sunday, May 26. If you're a cheese fiend, then you'll know that there's only one suitable way to tuck into the beloved dairy product: all the time, or at least as much as possible. As presented by Revel — who are also the organisers of Pinot Palooza — that's an idea that Mould not only understands but encourages, celebrating the mild, hard and soft bites made by Australia's best cheese wizards. There won't just be a few cheeses on the menu. More than 100 artisan cheeses from around the country will be ready and waiting, spanning dairy from around 27 producers. In past years, that lineup has included Bruny Island Cheese Co, Grandvewe, Milawa Cheese, Yarra Valley Dairy and Stone & Crow, as well as Section 28, Red Cow Organics, Nimbin Valley Cheese, Dreaming Goat, Long Paddock Cheese and Second Mouse Cheese. Alongside unlimited tastings of Australia's best cheeses — snacking on samples is included in your ticket, but you'll then pay extra to purchase slices and slabs to take home with you — the fest features cooking demonstrations, masterclasses and talks. Courtesy of 2024's The Grate Cheese Commission, a range of cheeses created solely for the fest will also tempt your tastebuds. This year's events will include more of the foodstuffs that pair extremely well with cheese, too, such as olives, crackers and conserves. 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. Archie Rose and Hartshorn will be among the tipples featured.
We all know that solid dose of 'the good feels' you get after you've done something nice for yourself/your body (like exercise). And from Saturday, March 1–Thursday, May 1, 2025, you can expect those feelings to increase two-fold. Thanks to the return of Brisbane's Feel Good Program for autumn, the city will again welcome a series of outdoor fitness classes — and, unlike that fancy new yoga studio in your neighbourhood that smells like acai berries and only serves charcoal tea, these classes are all entirely free. Ranging from sessions to get your blood pumping (Zumba, body combat, body attack) to classes to get your zen flowing freely (yoga, pilates), the Feel Good Program is an initiative designed to suit any and all fitness levels. Also, most classes will bathe you in neon. Sessions are held around South Bank Parklands, at either Flowstate (for most classes) or the Boat Pool (for aqua classes). BYO water bottle, towel and, where required, a yoga mat. Classes happen every day except Fridays and Sundays, and they all run for 45 minutes. Times vary depending on the day, but your options include getting started early on a weekday with a 6am mat pilates session or on a weekend with a 7.30am yoga session, hitting the pool on a Saturday, or finishing up your working day with dancing at 5.30pm or a body balance class at 6.30pm. Whichever you choose, it'll have you embracing the weather outdoors and feeling good — check out the timetable online.
Just a few weeks after Sydney copped that 'vote no' skywriting, it appears the campaign against marriage equality has again taken to the skies, with at least three potential anti-same-sex marriage messages scrawled above Melbourne this afternoon. This time around, whoever's in charge has opted simply for the word 'NO', written in huge block letters. While it was confirmed that the Sydney Skywriting Company — the only one of its kind in city — is owned by active members of the Australian Christian Lobby, it's unclear whether yes campaigners are up against a similar situation in Melbourne. And, admittedly, the 'no' could be directed towards homophobic protestors or people who don't like puppies. Well, we can hope. Whatever its intentions, 'no' seems like a bad vibe to place in the sky. In a counter move to Sydney's 'Vote No' skywriting, marriage equality supporters banded together to raise funds for a huge rainbow flag to be pulled by helicopter above Bondi Beach on October 1. Melbourne, take note.
Cruising is a classic way to holiday. The stress-free system has you forgo most responsibilities in favour of fun, be it a two-week romp through the Pacific Islands or a midweek run up or down the Australian coastline, there's a leg of voyage suitable to any traveller. In the case of this ocean-bound writer, it was the latter, and I was in for an unfortunate surprise. Waking on day three of a five-day voyage on the Pacific Adventure to the sight of Moreton Island just out of reach, the passengers were informed that the small transfer boats would be unable to ferry us to the island due to rough seas. Would you believe the same thing happened on the last Moreton Island cruise I was on mere months earlier? I think that makes me uniquely qualified to answer this next question. What do you do on a cruise with no destination? Plan Ahead When Packing No matter how fine-tuned and considered your itinerary, the universe is unlikely to obey your wishes for the whole trip. When it comes to the weather, you should naturally be planning ahead. A good book is a must, plus headphones, a portable charger, sunglasses, a lanyard to carry around your cruise card and, probably most importantly, sea sickness medication. If the weather is bad enough for a shore visit to be cancelled, it means there's likely a large swell on the water. Everyone handles motion sickness differently, so a simple travel calm ginger might cut it, but if you need something stronger, the onboard medical centre stocks plenty of the good stuff. Make Use of the Onboard Itinerary The serious advantage of cruising is the fact that it's just as much about the journey as it is about the destination. In the case of a Moreton Island cruise from Sydney, you're scheduled for two full days at sea on either side of the shore stop. On our cruise, that became three full days at sea. Our itinerary adapted in a flash, with a fresh day of activities available to replace our cancelled stop by the time we'd finished breakfast. Exact activities vary on a ship-by-ship basis but almost all vessels share some similarities: pools, gyms, spas, theatres, arcades and lounges. You can choose to spend your time however you'd like, be it a visit to the spa, catching a comedy show or theatre act, or kicking back on the outer decks. Every night while you're at dinner, a new itinerary is left in your room for the following day. On board the Pacific Adventure, we kept our sea days busy with shopping and reading mostly. One evening was spent with In Pour Taste, a comedy show crossed with a wine tasting, helmed by Melbourne comedy duo Sweeney Preston and Ethan Cavanagh. The following day saw us hit the spa and the Byron Beach Club. Then on the final day, we took a cocktail mixing class and watched the wildly raucous Blanc De Blanc Uncorked cabaret show after dinner. Dine Differently Every Day You're massively spoiled for choice with dining while onboard a cruise ship. Buffet dining is typically the easiest choice for breakfast, with no extra cost and a great variety of dishes on offer. Come lunchtime, there are several options. The Pacific Adventure includes Luke's Burger Bar, which serves up the finest surf shack-style feeds you can get at sea. When day rolls into night, cruise ships open up multiple venues for dinner. In the case of Pacific Adventure, Waterfront Restaurant is a reliable go-to and Angelo's offers a fine-dining spin, as does Luke's Bar and Grill (the sibling of the burger bar, both created by restaurateur Luke Mangan). [caption id="attachment_967826" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Alec Jones[/caption] For more specific cuisines, there's a great mix of Italian dishes available at P&O Trattoria, or you can enjoy high-end Asian eats at Dragon Lady. Plus, since this is almost like a floating resort, you can always opt to stay in your room and order room service instead. Pacific Adventure is also home to 13 bars and nightclubs — from easily accessible spots like the Adventure Hotel (think quintessential Aussie pub but floating) to more out-of-the-way attractions like the onboard speakeasy The Bonded Store and Altitude Nightclub, where you can get a drink and have a boogie at the highest point on the whole vessel. Don't let naysayers dissuade you. A cruise with no destination is entirely survivable. Take it from us. Check any cynicism at the door (or gangplank, in this case), and you'll have a great time. In early 2025 P&O's Pacific Adventure, along with Pacific Encounter, will be integrating into the Carnival Fleet, becoming Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter. While sailing under new names both ships will continue to offer the same great holiday experience. Voyages from now until 2026 are available to book via pocruises.com.au. Concrete Playground was invited on the Sydney to Tangalooma cruise by the P&O Group. Images courtesy of the P&O Group.
Ever heard of pasta from a cheese wheel? It's a thing at Il Verde. And it's a thing that you probably want to find out more about. Located in the heart of Fortitude Valley on King Street, Il Verde offers the full gamut of Italian cuisine in an upmarket yet relaxed (and cheese wheel-wielding) setting. You might want to have your next date night here. Make an advance booking and you and your beloved (or fellow pasta fiend) can have your pasta or gnocchi stirred up in a big melty wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and dished up onto your plate. Yep. Dinner also includes a glass of wine and a dessert too, so wear your stretchy pants.
Christmas means many things: chaos in the shops, carols invading your brain, and a focus on all things red and green. In Brisbane, it also means Queensland Ballet's final production for the season, with The Nutcracker brightening up the QPAC stage every year. It really wouldn't be the festive season without it. Whether you've experienced the Tchaikovsky-scored two-act performance about sentient toys, dancing snowflakes and the Sugar Plum Fairy before, or you're joining little Clara on her Christmas Eve journey for the first time, you're certain to get swept up in the show's magic. And if you don't already have a ticket, don't delay — selling out is also an annual tradition. Queensland Ballet's The Nutcracker dances across the Playhouse stage from Friday, December 2–Friday, December 23 — and, depending on the day, you can either hit up an evening session or a matinee. The company has been bringing the show to the stage since 2013, but the ballet itself dates back more than 120 years because this kind of Christmas magic never gets old. Top image: David Kelly.
Brisbanites, if catching a bus is in your future on July 27 and 28, then we have good and bad news. The city's bus drivers are going on strike again. However, before they stop work, they'll also be refusing to collect fares for an entire day. First, the good news. On Thursday, July 27, hopping on a Brisbane City Council bus service at any time throughout the day will cost you nothing. Translink, the Queensland Government body with responsibility for public transport, states that you should still swipe on and buy paper tickets from machines, but — according to the Rail, Tram and Bus Union — bus drivers on-board won't be taking your money or checking that you're using your Go Card. Then, come Friday, you'll also be saved the cost of a bus fare between 2pm and 6pm — but for a completely different reason. That's when bus drivers will strike to end the working week, so you might want to make other plans for getting around town that afternoon. The move is part of a continuing campaign by the RTBU's Queensland Branch for safer buses, a fair wage increase and modern rostering practices, and also marks the third day of industrial action in two weeks. If you were up early last Tuesday and Wednesday, you might've noticed that buses were absent from the roads between 4.30am and 6.30am — but given the peak-hour timing of the forthcoming strike, this one is bound to make a bigger impact. Image: Andrew Thomas via Flickr.
Despite popular demand, The European Bird Census Council has yet to put on a ravin’ music festival for all the kids out there who want a bit of dove with their Dvorák. Don’t stress though, as the East Brisbane Community Centre has picked up the loose reigns, and put on a showcase that promises a flock of Brisbane talent. The EBCC Music and Arts Festivals holds a line up of artists, whose specialties range from contemporary classical to a sound a little jazzier. With seven acts on the bulletin, this cosy collection of artists will tuck themselves into the Judith Wright Centre shopfront for an evening of entertainment. Jack Saunders’ Killfloor Project, Macarthur Clough, Hannah Reardon-Smith, Magee, Fowler-Roy and Green Trio, Luke Carbon Quartet and Graeme Jennings and Ben Marks Due, will be just a few names leading the show – it may be a mouthful of a line up, but it sure is a tasty one of new up and comers from our very own city. Don’t miss seeing some of Brisbane’s musically brightest this Saturday.
Throughout 2020, Australia's elected leaders have spent hours and hours addressing televised press conferences, all to update the country and its states and territories about the status of COVID-19 on our shores. But, despite all that time spent and all those words uttered by all those folks, there's one phrase that every Australian will always remember as peak 2020: "get on the beers". When Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said those words back in March, at the beginning of the pandemic, he was telling people not to have their mates around for a few drinks just because bars and pubs were closing. It was important advice, but Premier Andrews couldn't have known just what he had unleashed — or that we'd all be echoing and even singing his words for months to come. In April, Mashd n Kutcher turned the statement into a song — because making a tune out of a government caution is also peak 2020. Now, in Melbourne, a few folks have decided that a mere track isn't enough. So, they've taken inspiration from the single for their Christmas lights. At two separate houses — on Grange Road in Sandringham and Gillepse Road in Kings Park — festive displays brighten up the December night. As a soundtrack, Mashd n Kutcher's track blares Premier Andrews' words, too. At the latter location, you'll also 'get on the beers' pop up in text as part of the lights, taking the tribute to 2020's number-one phrase up yet another notch. Unsurprisingly, both sites have been proving popular — and the Grange Road house is using the attention to raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Thanks to social media, you don't need to be in Melbourne to check them out, of course. You can watch videos of both displays below — and start thinking about how 2021's lights can possibly top them. https://twitter.com/GordyPls/status/1340944007652753411 https://twitter.com/GordyPls/status/1340895946255679488 Melburnians can check out the Daniel Andrews-themed Christmas lights at Grange Road, Sandringham and 108 Gillespe Road, Kings Park. Top image: Grange Road Christmas Lights.
Themes of consequence and redemption lie at the heart of Christopher Nolan's grim and brooding epic The Dark Knight Rises. Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, Batman (Christian Bale) has long since vanished and Bruce Wayne's former double life has left him a cripple and a recluse. Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman), too, grapples with a conscience burdened by lies to protect the late Harvey Dent, while all of Gotham City stands on the cusp of an anarchist revolt borne of greed and apathy. Difficult choices await them all, pitting self-interest against selflessness — often to the extremes of life and death — as the prophesised class war finally erupts and the city’s reluctant saviour is spurred back into action. Squaring off against Batman is the heavyset mercenary Bane (Tom Hardy). Following in the footsteps of Heath Ledger was never going to be easy, and any attempts to compare the two are probably as unnecessary as they are unfair. Hardy’s job was made all the more challenging, however, thanks to his character’s now infamous facemask, a spiderlike device that not only resulted in an awkward and muffled voiceover track but also limited Hardy’s capacity for emotional expression to nothing but his eyes. The result is a sort of effete Darth Vader, absent any real menace beyond Hardy's sheer hulking physical presence. Given Bane's objective is also identical to that of his predecessor in Batman Begins, there’s an overall "R'as al Ghul Version 2.0" air to the character, which feels like a missed opportunity for both fans and Hardy alike. The remainder of the cast is distinctly Inception-esque, with Hardy and the old Batman regulars joined by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard. Anne Hathaway rounds out the ensemble as the beguiling Selina Kyle, a cat burglar with a conscience who acts as both temptress and tormentor to the Wayne/Batman double act. Hathaway sparkles as the implied (but never named) Catwoman, bringing both a playfulness and sensuality to the role. Filmed principally within New York City, including inside the Stock Exchange, Nolan's allusion to the global financial crisis and the Occupy Wall Street movement feels a little heavy-handed at times, as does the uncharacteristically expository dialogue scattered throughout the film. On the flipside, the cinematography is predictably stunning and the main set pieces once again bring out the very best in Nolan: the pursuits are frenzied, the fights are savage, and the explosions are enormous. You get the sense Nolan’s at his most comfortable when the stakes are at their highest; the bigger and more imaginative the shot, the better he delivers. Epic in its scale and setting an imposing benchmark for all future films (not just comic book adaptations), The Dark Knight Rises represents an ambitious, honourable, and utterly satisfying conclusion to this genre-defining trilogy.
If you're lucky enough to score tickets to Meredith Music Festival in any year via the event's ballot, one of Australia's best fests awaits no matter the lineup. 2025's roster of acts is characteristically impressive, however. On the bill: TV on the Radio, Atarashii Gakko! and Perfume Genius, for starters, as well as Thee Sacred Souls, Pa Salieu, HAAi, Bar Italia, Colin Hay and Mildlife. And, there's still more where the came from. Folk Bitch Trio, Saya Gray, RONA. and Omar Souleyman are on the lineup, too. So are Dames Brown, Radio Free Alice, Sam Austins RP Boo, Wax'o Paradiso, Florist and Jack J. Add in Drifting Clouds, Dr Sure's Unusual Practice, Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir, Mouseatouille, Brown Spirits and Lazy Susan on MC duties, and expect a jam-packed three days across Friday, December 5–Sunday, December 7, 2025. [caption id="attachment_1017125" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chip Mooney[/caption] How is the fest crew describing this year's event? "One of the best places on earth to spend a weekend, the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre has been natured and nurtured and then natured again, for the singular purpose of hosting the time of your life," organisers advise. So, expect "a permanent and purpose-built underground wunderland that provides optimal conditions for rarefied reverie", as well as to get "lost in music, lost in one another, for three days and two nights of Sup'ed up saucery". [caption id="attachment_1017126" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sumner Dilworth[/caption] Meredith Music Festival 2025 Lineup TV on the Radio Atarashii Gakko! Perfume Genius Thee Sacred Souls Pa Salieu HAAi Bar Italia Colin Hay Mildlife Folk Bitch Trio Saya Gray RONA. Omar Souleyman Dames Brown Radio Free Alice Sam Austins RP Boo Wax'o Paradiso Florist Jack J Drifting Clouds Dr Sure's Unusual Practice Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir Mouseatouille Brown Spirits Lazy Susan Top images: Leah Hulst, Cody Critcheloe.
Last Christmas, Woolloongabba's South City Square did what plenty of other patches of Brisbane tend to when things get festive. Yes, it played host to a sprawling market setup. It isn't that time of year again yet, but the site is still welcoming in a collection of stalls selling plenty of items — this time from 9am–2pm on Saturday, March 28. That's when The Market Folk will once again take over the place, putting on an autumn pop-up. We hope you like clothes, jewellery, ceramics, plants, pots, homewares and art, because you'll find it all here. Expect a big focus on design — so you won't be browsing and buying just any old wares. It all tales place in a brick-lined, industrial-style space, which'll make you feel like you're wandering around a European-style market. As well as the shopping, there'll be live music and creative workshops. There'll be bites to eat as well, thanks to a range of food trucks.
Doing your bit for the environment has never looked quite so good as it does with Frank Green's colourful range of reusable cups. The durable containers are not only helping to quash Australia's single-use coffee cup waste problem, they're also super stylish and beautifully designed. And you've got the perfect excuse to add a couple to your collection (or someone else's) with Frank Green's storewide 20 percent off sale this weekend. From Friday, November 27 until Monday, November 30 you'll be able to treat yourself, a friend or your family to a stylish and sustainable cup on the cheap. Frank Green's entire catalogue — apart from sale items and gift cards — is on sale and there's something for everyone. You'll find the core reusable cup and bottle range featuring the brand's recognisable pastel colour palette and in-built tap-to-pay feature, as well as the Sustainable Sips range of tea, coffee and the new ceramic french press. If you're looking for holiday presents for the kids or your nieces and nephews, Frank Green also has a range of Disney and Minions cups and bottles. The pastel yellow Winnie the Pooh cup is so adorable you might end up getting it for yourself. Plus, $1 from every order will be donated to Reforest Now, an organisation that grows and plants trees in subtropical Australia. You'll be saving the planet in more ways than one. [caption id="attachment_792088" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
UPDATE: THURSDAY, JULY 16: The Parking Lot Social has been postponed. No official tickets have been sold for the event. Drive-in cinemas have long been a part of the movie-going landscape, but they've been experiencing a resurgence in popularity due to COVID-19. In fact, the whole drive-in concept is proving a go-to way to keep folks entertained in this time of social distancing, with the idea expanded to live gigs as well. That's just the beginning, it seems. Thanks to The Parking Lot Social, the drive-in premise now encompasses huge parties too. When the new Australian event rolls around the country between July and September, attendees will sit in their cars, sing karaoke (well, 'car-a-oke', as it's being called), dance at a silent disco, play trivia and bingo, and laugh at standup comedy — and watch flicks, see live bands and grab a bite to eat from food trucks as well. Basically, the event mashes up of a whole heap of entertaining pastimes, combining them in one place while complying with physical-distancing measures. Weekend evenings will have an in-car party vibe, while movies will screen late to folks kicking back in their vehicles. Plus, there'll be separate dedicated midweek nights for films and comedy. The brainchild of the folks behind Big Bounce Australia, aka the world's largest inflatable theme park, The Parking Lot Social will also feature two 12-metre-tall big-screens, a huge stage, a 16-metre-tall fire hydrant that shoots rainbows and inflatable gorillas. Exactly where in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra all of the above will be popping up hasn't yet been disclosed; however it'll do so in venues in that can accommodate 250 cars each evening. Ticket costs haven't been announced yet either, nor has the music, movie and comedy lineup. That said, The Parking Lot Social has revealed that it will settle in for multiple nights at every stop, and that it'll also feature an all-ages 'Social Kids' event for families as well. THE PARKING LOT SOCIAL 2020 DATES Sydney — July 9–19 Melbourne — July 23–August 2 Brisbane — August 6–16 Canberra — August 20–30 Adelaide — September 3–13 The Parking Lot Social tours Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra between July 9–September 13. For further information, or to register for early-bird tickets, visit the event's website.
Travelling in our own backyard is one of the most sustainable and planet-friendly options we can make when planning a well-deserved getaway. If you're starting to pencil in some strategic long weekends for the latter half of this year, here's one to consider: Port Douglas, a tropical paradise conveniently located just an hour's drive from Cairns. Nestled perfectly between the Great Barrier Reef and the oldest tropical rainforest in the world, Port Douglas offers an alluring long weekend proposition for city travellers looking to put nature at the forefront of their next holiday. Port Douglas is home to a number of sustainable tours, accommodations, and opportunities for conscientious involvement, so here are five ways you can reduce the carbon footprint of your next getaway. [caption id="attachment_913642" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy[/caption] CHOOSE ECO-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION Consider camping if you're looking to keep your holiday footprint low. Douglas Shire Council coordinates powered and unpowered camping grounds, along with a range of caravan sites. In order to protect the unique environment, overnight stays are only permitted at licensed caravan parks and camping grounds, so make sure to plan and book ahead. If you're looking for luxury accommodation, The Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort boasts over two hectares of sparkling saltwater pools in Tropical North Queensland. Lagoons on-site include spots with sandy beaches, as well as serene private cabanas nestled on the waterfront. As part of your trip, all Sheraton guests are invited to participate in a conservation activity hosted by Marriott Bonvoy in partnership with Good Travel. The Four Mile Beach cleanup is hosted by a marine biologist, allowing travelers to meaningfully engage with the environment while giving back. [caption id="attachment_888046" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas[/caption] BOOK WITH ECO-CERTIFIED OPERATORS If you are keen to venture further during your stay, there are a variety of eco-friendly and sustainable tour options you can book. Locally-run and eco-certified Back Country Bliss run swimmable tours through the Daintree Rainforest, which includes a snorkel and float tour of Mossman Gorge. As part of the Mossman Gorge Back Country Bliss tour, guests can experience a Welcome to Country and smoke ceremony with a Kuku Yalanji guide. Acknowledging and paying respects to the Traditional Owners of the lands you are visiting is a great way to show deep respect for the place you're visiting. The Kuku Yalanji People are the Traditional Owners of this land. [caption id="attachment_844375" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Sailaway Reef Cruises - Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] CHOOSE EXPERIENCES THAT GIVE BACK Sailaway is a family business running half-day and full-day charters to Great Barrier Reef, including the Low Isles and Mackay Coral Cay on the Outer Reef. The business holds an advanced eco-certification, meaning they're recognised for their work in conserving and protecting the Great Barrier Reef. A qualified marine biologist attends cruises, so you can learn about the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef as the boats go out. The company also donates $20 from every ticket to its reforestation and carbon offsetting. [caption id="attachment_913718" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] LOOK FOR GREENER TOUR OPTIONS If you want to experience Four Mile Beach from a different angle, adventures with a twist can be booked with locally-operated Port Douglas Segway Tours. Segways use electric power to recharge but produce zero emissions and are extremely energy efficient. Cruise along a trail which features the spectacular Four Mile Beach, rainforest paths and sandy flats. [caption id="attachment_913719" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] SUPPORT FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITIES There are lots of ways you can support First Nations communities and creators during your stay in Port Douglas. Booking tours and experiences with First Nations-owned or operated businesses, purchasing locally-created art and wares or attending a Welcome to Country are all meaningful ways you can pay respect to the Traditional Owners of this land. Concrete Playground travelled to Port Douglas as a guest of The Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas. If you want to extend your Queensland getaway, check out our curated Whitsundays packages on CP Trips which includes a four-day stay, snorkel and sail adventure with a day cruise. Top image: Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy.
Simple yet sophisticated, the negroni has been a staple of bar menus for over a century. Since its inception in Florence, Italy, in 1919, the cocktail of gin, Campari (because there's no negroni without Campari), and sweet vermouth has captivated drinkers. I mean, there's even a whole week dedicated to the apéritif. This September, Negroni Week is being upgraded to Negroni Month. That means four whole weeks of national celebrations, rooftop parties, bar takeovers, and negroni-obsessed menus across the country. Want to get in on the action, Brisbane? To celebrate Negroni Month, here are our picks for Brisbane's best negronis. [caption id="attachment_795639" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Millie Tang[/caption] The Gresham Located in the heritage-listed National Australia Bank building, visiting The Gresham is like taking a step back in time. With its charming decor and famous whiskey back bar, The Gresham serves a negroni that'll have you remembering why it's a beloved classic. Plus, the purveyor of fine liquor's numerous Bar of the Year awards doesn't hurt its negroni ranking either. Dr Gimlette Taking inspiration from the world's top bars such as The Savoy in London, The Dead Rabbit in New York and Black Pearl in Melbourne, Dr Gimlette is a Brisbane CBD staple. The 30-beverage cocktail menu covers all the classics, including the negroni, of course. Sip the Italian apéritif on Dr Gimlette's leather stools, surrounded by the 19th century building's charm and heritage. Bar Rosa Situated in the cultural hub of Brisbane's Fish Lane Arts Precinct, Bar Rosa leans heavily into the European aperitivo lifestyle. Bar Rosa's negroni strikes a balance between bright and bitter. It's like a Brisbane spring afternoon in cocktail form, basically. With a food menu consisting of freshly-made pasta, octopus and meatballs, add Bar Rosa to your date night spot list. Head there during September and you'll be able to try a twist on the Italian drink with a specially curated Negroni Month menu. Next Episode Inspired by New York City, Next Episode is a post-work spot with personality. Ring the phone (there's a new entry code each week) to be let in and enjoy the hip hop haven that's hidden behind a barbershop. During Negroni Week, which runs from September 22 to Sunday, September 28, Next Episode is adding its unique twist to the Italian cocktail. Select from the Salted Chocolate Negroni, the Cucumber and Yuzu Negroni, or the Classic Negroni to help celebrate the apéritif. Maeve Wine Bar While you might not pick a wine bar for the ultimate negroni, Maeve certainly does the cocktail justice. The South Brisbane bar features an effortlessly chic atmosphere and a menu that'll have you believing you're in Europe, not Queensland. Enjoy an afternoon apéritif as you people-watch by the window, or celebrate the Italian classic over a long, lazy lunch. During Negroni Month, Maeve Wine Bar will have its own curated menu, so you can enjoy the Campari-centred cocktail in a new light. La Lune Wine Co La Lune Wine Co is a Fish Lane Arts Precinct venue dedicated to Parisian luxury and dining. The French bistro utilises seasonal produce and can change its menu monthly, making no two visits the same. Its negroni, however, is a staple and offers a fresh and bright version of the bitter tipple. Head to La Lune Wine Co during Negroni Month to peruse the specially curated menu. Savile Row Hidden behind a bright orange door, Savile Row in Fortitude Valley offers an extensive whisky and cocktail list. Don't be fooled by the encyclopaedic back bar, though. While there may be over 1000 bottles to choose from, the talented bartenders at this Valley staple can make your negroni any which way with precision and craft. Enjoy the cocktail under Savile Row's glistening chandelier this Negroni Month before heading out into Fortitude Valley's party atmosphere. Whether you're an after-work cocktail-lover or fancy celebrating the Italian apéritif as the weather warms up, Negroni Month is your excuse to round up the crew and cheers to the classic cocktail. See which Brisbane venues are serving curated negroni menus this September here. Please remember to Drinkwise.
Online shopping go-to The Iconic has no shortage of sales, but now it has launched a permanent sale in the form of an outlet site. The best part? Discounts start at a whopping 50 percent off. Called The Iconic Outlet and live to shop right now — say goodbye to your plans of a productive Monday at work — the site features heaps of women's, men's and kids' clothes, as well as accessories and shoes, for pocket change. You'll find heels and sandals for under $15, sneakers under $50, tops under $10, dresses under $20, shirts as little as $14 and a whole heap more. All the usual brands are on offer, too, including Nike, Speedo, Tigerlily, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Camilla and Adidas. As well as discounted clothes, The Iconic Outlet is offering a flat-rate delivery fee of $7.95 across Australia and $9.95 across NZ. The site's launch has come at a great time, too, with spring in full swing from tomorrow. So, if you need new bathers, beach shoes, dresses or hats, The Iconic Outlet has got your back. Alternatively, if you're still working from home and those trackies you've been thrashing are looking a little threadbare, you'll find some cheap new ones on the site. The Iconic Outlet website is now live in Australia and NZ. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
When a supermoon graced the skies in April, you probably trotted out to your backyard to stare at the heavens. And, you might've nabbed a decent-enough look at the impressive lunar sight. But if you'd like to get a bit closer to the astronomical body during this month's next supermoon — the second and last for 2021 — you now have the option of jumping on a plane. On Wednesday, May 26, Qantas is running a special supermoon flight — and yes, its sole purpose is to let its passengers get a better look at the moon. Not only will the date bring a supermoon, but there'll be a full lunar eclipse as well. That's when the Earth gets between the sun and the moon, covering the latter with its shadow and giving it a reddish hue. If you'd like to take to the skies, rather than just peer up at them, you'll need to be in Sydney. Just one supermoon flight is departing from Sydney Domestic Airport (T3) at 7.30pm, and only just over 100 seats will be available. Passengers will hop onto a B787 Dreamliner, then take a three-hour trip over the city — including Sydney Harbour — complete with a stint cruising above the clouds at 43,000 feet for maximum moon viewing. The lunar eclipse is due to begin at 6.47pm, reach its maximum at 9.18pm and end at 11.49pm, according to Timeanddate.com, so you'll be in the air at the absolute best time. Before departing, you'll also enjoy a cocktail party in the Qantas business lounge from 5.30pm. And, once you're onboard, you'll eat, drink, lock your eyes on the window and listen to CSIRO astronomer Dr Vanessa Moss — who'll be giving a live commentary, and also working with the pilots in advance to design the optimal flight path. Unsurprisingly, tickets for the supermoon flight don't come cheap — starting at $499 for economy, $899 for premium economy and $1499 for business. To offset the environmental impact of taking to the sky purely to get a closer look at the moon, Qantas will offset 100 percent of the flight's carbon emissions. Qantas' supermoon flight will depart Sydney Domestic Airport (T3) at 7.30pm on Wednesday, May 26, with tickets going on sale at 12pm on Tuesday, May 12.
The golden child of Sydney's Japanese culinary scene — and a hit in southeast Queensland thanks to Kiyomi, too — Chase Kojima has launched a revamped omakase experience at his Gold Coast restaurant inside the bright lights of The Star. Featuring 20 courses, the chef's permanent new table-style menu is exclusively prepared for eight extremely fortunate diners every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening, starting on Tuesday, March 29. Derived from the phrase 'leave it to the chef', the daily-changing omakase features the freshest locally sourced seafood, served at Kiyomi's intimate sushi counter. "Kiyomi has always been about paying respect to traditional Japanese cooking while giving it a burst of fresh energy, and this new omakase offering is no different," Kojima explains. "This intimate and indulgent menu offers our Queensland guests an opportunity to savour exclusive dishes not available on the current menu and a first-hand look at some of the secrets behind the dishes we create in the Kiyomi kitchen." While the omakase menu is founded in traditional Japanese flavours and techniques, service is crafted all for the modern diner. Each course is personally presented with a side of theatricality by either Kojima himself or Kiyomi's Head Chef Winson Law. While exactly what'll be on the $225-per-person menu is a surprise that's unveiled to each evening's diners, those sitting down at the counter could find themselves tucking into tuna tataki with carbonised leek aioli and pickled ginger gel, or seared scampi with foie gras. Other potential standouts: apples and shiso leaf, and grilled black cobia with Japanese curry butter. This excuse for quite the culinary experience also includes a sake flight featuring four premium drops from Kiyomi's collection. The aim: to enhance not just the flavour but also the ritual of the meal. If you happen to find yourself even further south, in Sydney rather than on the Goldie, Kojima has launched a new omakase experience at Sokyo as well — and, in his latest venture, he's behind Sydney newcomer Senpai Ramen, a ramen omakase restaurant. Kiyomi's omakase experience runs every Tuesday—Thursday from Tuesday, March 29, costing $225 per person. For more information or to book, head to The Star's website.
History is repeating in the latest change to Fortitude Valley's music scene. When disco started to wane in popularity from the late 70s and early 80s, rock slid in to help take its place — and that's exactly what's now happened on McLachlan Street in Alhambra Lounge's former home. In October 2022, the space welcomed in SuperFly Disco, which even sported a light-up dance floor. Half a year later, the retro nightclub has been reborn as SuperFly Studios, and now focuses on live tunes. The new approach kicked in at the beginning of March, complete with a hefty stage and sound system to match. In its rebranded guise, SuperFly can fit in 400 people, and also now welcomes in patrons for free — including until 3am on Friday and Saturday nights. The dress code is also more casual, too. And, in the future, Thursday and Sunday gigs are on the agenda. Given that the venue always hailed from the Drunken Monkey Group team, which also boasts Brooklyn Standard and Suzie Wong's Good Time Bar in its portfolio, the switch from DJs to bands is hardly surprising. Spokesperson Adam Barton said that Superfly Studios can now ensure that the company can host larger shows and names. "We've been approached in the past to take on bigger acts at our other venues but didn't have the capacity. Now, with the new stage and sound system, we're excited to be able to accommodate both national and international touring acts at SuperFly Studios," he explains. "We are stoked to be introducing live music to SuperFly Studios. We want to build on our success with Brooklyn Standard and Suzie Wong's, and create a space where music lovers of all ages can come together and just have a really solid night out with some of Brisbane's best live bands," Burton continues. "I think I speak for all of us [at The Drunken Monkey Group] when I say live music is such a big part of our nights out. Nothing beats a jam-packed dance floor filled with people just singing their lungs out — it just makes your night." In its initial form, SuperFly leaned into the tunes, attitude and decor of five decades back, including a fitout boasting walls of records, neon lights, disco balls aplenty — including in the bathrooms — and murals featuring famous music faces from the bar's celebrated era. Some of that remains, including mirrored tiles and all that vinyl, but you'll now spot Amy Winehouse, for instance, gracing the plaster. Drinks-wise, the venue pours beers and classic cocktails, with its bartenders still on hand to mix something up. And on the upcoming gigs list at the time of writing: The Fonoti Brothers, One Sound, Imessa and La Boum. Find SuperFly Studios at 12 McLachlan Street, Fortitude Valley — open from 7pm–3am Friday–Saturday.
Whether or not Noora Niasari was ever explicitly told to write what she knew, the Iranian Australian filmmaker has taken that advice to heart. Her mother listened to the same guidance first, even if it was never spoken to her, either. The latter penned a memoir that has gone unpublished, but helped form the basis of the powerful and affecting Shayda. This account of a mum and her daughter attempting to start anew in a women's shelter doesn't entirely stick to the facts that writer/director Niasari and her mother lived through. The Sundance-premiering, Melbourne International Film Festival-opening, Oscar-contending feature — it's Australia's entry for Best International Feature Film at the 2024 Academy Awards — isn't afraid to fictionalise details in search of the best screen story. Still, the tale that's told of courage, resilience, rebuilding lives and finding a new community is deeply and patently personal. Perhaps even better, it's inescapably authentic. Add Shayda to the list of recent features that couldn't be more moving while flickering across the screen like they're projections of a memory. Aftersun, Past Lives and now this Melbourne-shot and -based effort sport not only that sensation but also that look. None closely visually resemble any of the others, and yet each plays like a window into their directors' histories. What a glorious trend that cinema is enjoying right now: films made by helmers grappling with and sharing their own stories, all crafted by feature first-timers and each hailing from female directors as well. A fourth movie bonded by the same elements is on its way in How to Have Sex, and may more follow. Also magnificent: how so much connects Aftersun, Past Lives, How to Have Sex and Shayda in spirit and origin, and yet each is its own exceptional film. In Shayda's case, Niasari peers back at being barely of primary-school age and making a new home. Fleeing to a women's shelter is the only option that the film's eponymous figure (Zar Amir Ebrahimi, 2022's Cannes Best Actress-winner for Holy Spider) has to get away from the abusive Hossein (Osamah Sami, Savage River), whose controlling nature is matched by that of their patriarchal culture. So, Shayda leaves with six-year-old Mona (debutant Selina Zahednia). As she waits for her divorce proceedings to go through — a complicated task under Iranian law and customs — she seeks refuge at a secret site overseen by the caring Joyce (Leah Purcell, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart). Even surrounded by kindness and filled with desperation for a better future, every iota of Shayda's decision is fraught and tense; Niasari starts the film with Mona at an airport being told what to do if she's ever there with her father, should he try to take her not only away from her mum but also back to Iran. Exceptional French domestic thriller Custody also chronicled the difficulties faced by a woman striving to break free from a dissolving and dysfunctional marriage, including for her safety and that of her children. The setting varied, as did the cultural context. It wasn't additionally a picture about displacement, as Shayda is; however, it too rippled with anxiety and intensity that dripped from the screen. Niasari's film sees the terror and the trauma, as well as the infuriating bureaucracy that makes an already-distressing situation even more upsetting. It shreds nerves as Hossein receives unsupervised visitations with Mona, and simply as its namesake literally makes her way through the world with the fear of her husband's threatening presence always lurking over her shoulder. Again, this is a feature packed with been-there-seen-that minutiae, and made to echo from the screen with that very air. Shayda spies hope just as clearly, though. Someone endeavouring to spark a new existence half a world away from everything they've ever known has to possess that feeling, which the movie never loses sight of. Neither does cinematographer Sherwin Akbarzadeh (The Giants), who lenses a lived-in, closed-in but also visibly warm film — plus a fluidly shot feature, and yet one that knows how meaningful it is to sit in the moment. Accordingly, hope keeps lingering as Niasari's on-screen surrogate for her mum makes the utmost that she can of living with Joyce and fellow women needing a safe space, and as she fights for Mona, battles for independence and reclaims her agency, too. It's there as she still ensures that Farsi, Persian dance and celebrating Nowruz, or Persian New Year, remain entwined in her daughter's upbringing. Shayda isn't merely hoping for a brand-new way forward; she's doing everything that she can to be herself again, which still means cherishing her background and passing on its traditions. Among the talented women attached to this Sundance Audience Award recipient — emerging victorious in 2023's festival's World Cinema — Dramatic competition — Cate Blanchett is the best globally known name. The Tár and The New Boy actor executive produces, lending the kind of attention that her involvement can give a debut feature, but Shayda belongs to filmmaking star-on-the-rise Niasari, plus the always-wonderful Ebrahimi and fresh discovery Zahednia. With the film arriving so closely with Aftersun, Past Lives and How to Have Sex, it might seem as if making a movie that's so ripped from the heart and soul is easy, although that's unquestionably not true. Another thing that all four features have in common: they feel effortless to watch, but also like the product of hard, meticulous, all-in work. Here's one more: they also make something so personal resonate universally. With Shayda, conveying the fact that Shayda and Mona's plight sadly isn't unique is a clear but never heartstring-tugging aim. That Ebrahimi plays Niasari's lead so soon after winning Cannes' top acting prize is a pure stroke of lucky timing, with casting happening before that accolade. She would've been marvellous without the gong on her mantle already, of course — and marvellous she is. Quiet power shimmers in Shayda's strongest moments. Determination simmers silently even when the character is at her most fragile. Being resolute and being vulnerable aren't positioned as opposites in her devastatingly multi-layered performance. First-timer Zahednia is a find and also just as understated as Ebrahimi; their pairing as mother and daughter is a dream. Not that Shayda skimps on dialogue, but words aren't often needed thanks to their potent portrayals, including to see the world through Shayda and Mona's eyes.
UPDATE: July 3, 2019 — Since publication, Neuron has confirmed that its e-scooters will cost the same as Lime's: $1 to unlock, then 30 cents per minute. It has also revealed that its first batch of 200 e-scooters will hit the streets on July 22, with the remaining 400 rolling out in mid-August. Since November last year, Brisbane's inner-city streets have been littered with a sea of green, all thanks to Lime's electric scooters. Pick any corner between Bulimba, Paddington, West End and Teneriffe, and you'll likely spot one of the bright-coloured two-wheeled modes of transport. Soon, they'll have orange company. While Lime's arrival in the city hasn't been smooth by any means — including accidents, fines for safety breaches and, sadly, fatal injuries — e-scooters are here to stay. Last week, Brisbane City Council not only extended the company's tender, but welcomed a competitor. Singapore-based Neuron Mobility has received the nod to enter the market — adding to its operations in Thailand and Malaysia, it'll unleash 600 tangerine vehicles onto the streets. With Lime's fleet being reduced to 400 (from around 750), it will take Brisbane's motorised stand-up scooters tally up to 1000. Brisbane is the one of Neuron's first two Aussie sites — a 12-month trial will start in Darwin this year. In both cities, it'll introduce a brand new scooter, the N3, which features 12-inch tyres and a 21-centimetre-wide floorboard — which is apparently all the better for standing on safely, comfortably and with greater stability. The vehicle also includes a GPS-enabled parking indicator on its handlebar display, which'll help users find designated parking zones. So, while they're still dockless, hopefully the orange scooters won't be left just anywhere. [caption id="attachment_729081" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Neuron Mobility in Singapore[/caption] As yet, a Brissie launch date hasn't yet been announced, and nor has pricing. In Bangkok and Chiang Mai, two of Neuron's existing cities, a scooter costs 20 baht to unlock, then one baht per minute to use — around 93 cents and then five cents, in Australian currency. Neuron also offers daily, weekly and monthly passes overseas, for the equivalent of AU$4.65, $9.30 and $28. But given Lime's current fees ($1 to unlock and 30 cents per minute), it's safe to expect that Neuron may up its Aussie prices. Overall, Neuron's service works in a familiar way. Patrons download the company's app, scan a QR code on their chosen scooter, ride to wherever they need to, find a parking spot and then add a photo of the stationary scooter to the app to end their transaction. It will also have an on-ground operations team taking care of daily maintenance, making sure that the right spread of scooters are available across the city, swapping out batteries to keep the vehicles juiced and overseeing parking. For more details about Neuron Mobility, visit the company's website. We'll keep you updated on news of a Brisbane launch.
Port Macquarie's Festival of the Sun has been running for 15 years, and the boutique summer music festival is still bringing the goods. The lineup for this December has just been released and it looks like it'll be a doozy of a 15th birthday celebration. Vera Blue and Pond will headline the three-day fest, with Winston Surfshirt, Skegss, Tkay Maidza, Angie McMahon, Emily Wurramara and Remi lending their voices too. Didirri, Slowly Slowly and West Thebarton — among others — round out what looks like it'll be a big couple of days of music, with more acts still to be announced in September. The camping festival is also — excitingly — BYO, so you don't need to spend your hard-earned cash on overpriced UDLs. Alongside the lineup of live music, there will also be a heap of food trucks (serving everything from burgers to vegan fare), silent discos and silent comedy. On Thursday, dubbed 'Wabi Sabi Thursday', you'll also encounter a heap of crafty workshops, artist stalls and a glitter bar — to help you kick off the colourful weekend in style. The festival is themed each year, and this year it's the "Roll On Up" edition — looks like it's time to whip out your circus costumes and maybe start practising your stilt walking. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Thursday, August 9. FESTIVAL OF THE SUN 2018 LINEUP Vera Blue Pond Winston Surfshirt Skegss Tkay Maidza Remi Angie McMahon West Thebarton Didirri Slowly Slowly Kwame Emily Wurramara Clowns Boat Show Pist Idiots Good Doogs Clews Jess Locke Body Type Triple One Clypso Halcyon Drive Grace Turner Unearthed
Start the Lunar New Year as you intend to continue it: with a bottomless feast of dim sum and cocktails. Throw in non-stop Tsingtao beers, wine and non-alcoholic beverages as well, and you'll be welcoming the Year of the Dragon in style. Those drinks and dumplings are on the menu for three hours at Emporium's sky-high The Terrace, as part of the South Bank venue's Lunar New Year party for 2024. While you're eating and drinking, you'll be on the 21st level, scoring a gorgeous view over the city — and being entertained by a dragon dance performance. The food menu includes barbecue pork buns, siu mai, and scallop and prawn dumplings from the unlimited dim sum station. Shiitake and leek spring rolls, crispy squid and coconut crumbed prawns will also be doing the rounds, while sticky black rice and mango will take care of your sweet tooth. And, yes, there'll be fortune cookies for everyone. As for the drinks, the cocktail list includes the Boba Boi, which is made with Midori, aloe vera and melon. It all happens from 6–9pm on Saturday, February 10, with tickets on sale for $150. Emporium's lunar new year shenanigans are usually popular, so nabbing a ticket quick smart is recommended. A DJ will spin tunes from 7.30pm, too, while someone will win a lucky door prize.
Oi oi oi! If there's one nation who knows how to party, it's Brazil. Now we Aussies can take a leaf from their notebook at our very own Brisbane Brazilian Day Street Festival. Think wild colours, energetic music, fierce dancing and more churros than you can poke a stick at. The festival begins at 12pm in the Fortitude Valley's Alden Street, just behind the Wickham Hotel. From then till late in the evening there will be live music by a lineup of authentic South American bands, as well as possibly the biggest carnival parade Brisbane has ever seen. The food and drink on offer is worth going alone. Various vendors and food trucks will be dishing up famous Brazilian barbecue, feijoda stew, savoury pastries, cakes and sweets. There will also be Caprioskas, Caipinha and Batida cocktail tents in case you need a little kick before attempting the samba. Tickets for the Brisbane Brazilian Day Festival are $20 and can be purchased through Moshtix. We're also going to leave this samba tutorial right here. Just incase.
If you're looking to break up the workday with a lunch so good it'll make you forget all the spreadsheets waiting for you back in the office, Saké Restaurant and Bar has your back. The contemporary Japanese spot recently released a new lunchtime special to feast upon and, while it might set you back a bit more than a sandwich from the deli, it'll also make that to-do list seem a little less daunting. Available Monday to Thursday, the Saké Favourites Lunch offers up a selection of the most popular dishes for $60 per person. You'll feast on the likes of hiramasa kingfish paired with lime and jalapeno koshu, steamed prawn dumplings, spicy tuna hand rolls and miso glazed Glacier 51 toothfish, with green tea ice cream to finish. The team haven't forgotten your liquids either — you'll also get a glass of riesling, grenache or draught beer. Whether you want to start off strong on a Monday, break up the work week or you're looking to impress some colleagues, book ahead and get ready to indulge your taste buds. The Saké Favourites Lunch is available Monday to Thursday. To make a booking, head this way.
In the low-budget prison drama Rise, an innocent young man is sentenced to six years in jail after being falsely accused of rape. It's a troubling tale inspired by the real life experiences of first time writer/director Mack Lindon, who himself was incarcerated for more than 18 months before being completely exonerated on appeal. Lindon's lingering sense of outrage is palpable throughout the film, and justifiably so. At the same time, it's difficult not to feel uncomfortable with the way that his screenplay, intentionally or not, plays into false myths about sexual assault. For the record, I have nothing but sympathy for Mack Lindon. Ultimately though, a film has to exist separately from the events on which it is based. To that end, Rise totally fails to acknowledge the fact that, in a vast majority of rape cases, the accused party actually did it. It's perfectly reasonable for Lindon to want to publicly reaffirm his innocence. Yet by dramatising his story for the screen, he has ended up perpetuating the commonly held belief that phony rape complaints occur more frequently than they do. Gone Girl copped flack for a similar issue, admittedly, but there you could argue it was part of a broader social critique. No such defence can be mounted here. Even without the dodgy gender politics, however, Rise is fairly atrocious. Once in lock-up, Lindon's onscreen surrogate Will (Nathan Wilson) learns to navigate prison life, doing his best to stay out of trouble, and eventually bonding with a number of inmates. These secondary characters hold some dramatic promise, particularly hardened criminal Jimmy Cove (Martin Sacks). But the dialogue, though earnest, sounds painfully forced, and frequently lapses into melodrama. When one inmate tells Will he's been in prison "in here" while placing his hand on his head, there's little you can do to suppress a snigger. The self-righteous Christian overtones don't exactly help matters, either. Lindon attempts to inject some additional gravitas via his directorial choices, including an angst-ridden soundtrack and a handful of instances of "arty" slow-motion. Sadly, it's all pretty cringeworthy, particularly when you take into account the movie's strange tonal imbalance that neuters any stabs at dramatic weight. While Will languishes in prison, his bumbling lawyer attempts to recruit the services of Queen's Council Julie Nile (Erin Connor), in a strange comic subplot has no place in such a (supposedly) serious film. That said, it's not nearly as bad as the unintentional comedy of the climax, a contrived courtroom scene with the most ludicrous 'eureka!' moment since the finale of Legally Blonde. At the end of the day, Lindon obviously had some things that he needed to get off his chest. If nothing else, Rise is clearly an intensely personal story, and under the circumstances, perhaps its questionable content can be partially forgiven. But it's a lot harder to overlook the film's basic technical ineptitude. If Lindon has any desire to keep making movies, there's a lot he needs to learn. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Jiq2NTjut8c
There's nothing particularly noteworthy about British actors playing Americans, since by now they've pretty much all done it. But it is a little weird when (a) every single one of a film's American characters are played by Brits, and (b) none of them actually need to be American for the story to make sense. In fact, in Bastille Day, the fact that all but one of the Americans also work for the CIA only adds to the mystery, given the film is set entirely in Paris, has nothing to do with America and any other spy agency would have made as much sense, if not more. Still, Americans they all play and – to be fair – they do a fine job playing them. Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) plays Michael Mason, a gifted American pickpocket who steals and then discards a bag from an anarchist bomber's naive girlfriend Zoe (the delightful Charlotte Le Bon), unaware that it contains a powerful explosive. When the bomb goes off killing several French citizens, Mason is presumed to be a terrorist, and – for no particular reason – the CIA decides they want to nab him before the French do. Sent in to retrieve him is the gruff, burly and comically maverick agent Sean Briar (Idris Elba), whose 'to hell with protocol' attitude is so inexplicably extreme it borders on parody. When Briar realises Mason is innocent, the pair teams up to track down the real bombers before they can carry out their final objective: setting Paris ablaze with race riots to provide cover for a daring robbery. Filmed on what appears to be a shoestring budget, director James Watkins (also British) manages to keep the pace snappy and the action altogether interesting, enough to gloss over most of the threadbare plot. The film's rooftop chase sequence would feel comfortably at home in any Bourne movie, while a close-quarters fist-fight inside a minivan provides Bastille Day's most inventive and engaging scene. Everything has a real Luc Besson feel about it, but not always in the good way. Secondary characters are just caricatures, the violence is hyper-stylised and rarely believable, and what little dialogue there is tends towards corny cliches. Bastille Day also contains perhaps the greatest line of instantly-dated dioalogue ever recorded, with one of the villains saying (without a single shred of irony) "the hashtags will tip them over. Release the final hashtag." Much has been made recently of Elba's potential selection as the next Bond, and this film certainly does nothing to harm his action man credentials. Elba is a giant, unstoppable juggernaut whose impressive physicality imposes itself in every scene. When asked early on why he ran from Briar, Mason's reply of "because you were chasing me. Have you seen yourself!?" is as amusing as it is fair. Still, it seems a waste to squander all this acting talent on a film that asks so little of its players and gives so little in return. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5R0bI8EJCQ
There's always something happening in New South Wales, no matter what time of the year. So whether you're a local looking for extravagant summertime surf carnivals on the coast or an interstater on the hunt for cosy winter festivities, there's something for everyone. So why not get a weekend getaway on the books? We've scoured the calendar for festivities taking place across the state, and here's our round-up of the outdoor events. Depending on where you go, you'll need some sunscreen, a good jumper or a couple of napkins. Adventure awaits.
Since opening in late 2018, Brisbane's Howard Smith Wharves precinct has continued to grow. The spot already boasts a riverfront brewery, an overwater bar and a sprawling Greek taverna, just welcomed an Art Series hotel with a rooftop pool, and is about to become home to a waterside Betty's Burgers. Don't expect the area to stop expanding just yet, either, with a Japanese izakaya next on the CBD spot's list. Although the new hangout doesn't yet have a name, it does boast an impressive pedigree, marking the second HSW venue by restaurateur Jonathan Barthelmess. Come October, the new eatery and watering hole will sit next door to his existing Greca restaurant — and it'll take inspiration from his time spent in Tokyo, where he also owns a fine diner. While specific details are scarce — including just who'll be in the kitchen — the newcomer will take over two levels, featuring a restaurant downstairs and a bar upstairs. Expect a raw section that highlights sustainable seafood and wagyu beef, plus a hefty range of sake and wine. On the second storey, there'll be Barthelmess' version of a vinyl bar, complete with a huge whiskey lineup. [caption id="attachment_640610" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cho Cho San by Nikki To.[/caption] Barthelmess already runs a Japanese izakaya-inspired joint in Sydney, called Cho Cho San, so he's well and truly in familiar territory. And if you're wondering why the restaurateur is doubling down on HSW (other than the killer location), you have all of the Brisbanites who've flocked to Greca to thank. "We love being part of Howard Smith Wharves where the huge success of Greca has taken us all by surprise," Barthelmess said in a statement. "By taking the restaurant space next door we can grow and strengthen our team and invest more into the Brisbane dining scene." Find Jonathan Barthelmess' new Japanese izakaya and bar at Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane from October. We'll keep you posted with more details as they come to hand.
Houseboats are the aquatic equivalent of packing up a camper and taking yourself where the road leads. Rather than traversing the neverending highways that cut across our broad country, why not try cruising the rivers and waterways that trail like veins through some of the remarkable landscapes Australia has to offer? From fishing on the Ord River to skippering your own sailboat in the Whitsundays, sleeping on a boat opens up a whole new world of adventure holiday. For a cruisy vacation you haven't thought of yet, here are our top ten picks of houseboats around the land, and a couple that aren't technically houseboats, but provide an unmatchable experience on the water nonetheless. FIVE STAR SPA, WISEMAN'S FERRY, NSW Able Houseboats on the Hawkesbury River has a berth for 12 people, and as the name suggests, has a nice spa for soaking while boating. Wiseman's Ferry only takes an hour or so to reach by car from Sydney, so the boat is perfect for a cheeky weekend on the river. A weekend for 12 people on the stunning Hawkesbury River starts at $4820, which is starting to verge on the exxy side, but can you really put a price on happiness? Particularly happiness induced by houseboat? THE RIVERDREAM BOATEL, RENMARK, SA So, there's a luxury houseboat, then there's an insanely luxurious houseboat. Then there's the Riverdream. Boasting five king-sized bedrooms, a spiral staircase that leads you to the control room, a tinted ceiling, central heating, barbecue and everything short of its own helipad, this is the houseboat that Elton John would probably hire if he had any interest in houseboats. Operating along the Murray River, this boat shows off some of the most picturesque landscape that South Australia has to offer, all in the comfort of a floating five star resort. Prices start at $180 per night, per person. OCEAN SPIRIT, HOPE HARBOUR, QLD It's a general rule with boat-bound holidays that the stronger the pun, the better the boat. So Ocean Spirit (from Fantaseas) has to be one of the best boats out there. Ocean Spirit is moored at Hope Harbour, just north of Surfer's Paradise. It has four bedrooms, all lined with leather and panelled with polished wood, plus a barbecue on deck and what's that? A spa? Yep, there's one of those, too. Midweek prices in the normal season start at $3200 for four nights, and the boat can sleep you and 11 friends. CRUISE AWAY, WALPOLE-NORNALUP, WA A houseboat getaway doesn't mean you have to take a whole squad of mates. Instead, tear it up peacefully on the waterways with a romantic getaway for two. Cruise Away, a four-berth houseboat moored in the Walpole-Nornalup National Park on the southern tip of Western Australia, provides ample opportunity for exactly that. Cruise through the park, set off up the rivulets on the dinghy provided, try your hand at fishing for dinner, or simply sit on the deck and soak up the natural beauty of this less-explored landscape. Three nights in the peak season starts at $1225. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT, KUNUNURRA, WA From the bottom of Australia's western edge to the top, Love At First Sight is a six-berth houseboat moored in Kununurra on the banks of the Ord River. This boat will take you away from the hubbub of urban living into the complete embrace of nature. Keep a line out for bream, catfish and even barramundi to catch yourself your very own dinner. Prices start at $1500 for three nights in peak season. PINK LADY, MILDURA, VIC It's all too often that a holiday house is a stark reminder that you've travelled far from the comforts of home. Pink Lady, however, aims to make this less and less obvious with an injection of what All Seasons Houseboats call the Platinum Indulgence. The boat has all the trimmings necessary for a fancy hotel, including a barbecue, spa, bar and a fitout worthy of a luxury hotel. Prices for a three-night sojourn on the Pink Lady start at $3200, but the upshot of this is that some of this coin goes towards the Breast Cancer Network Australia. HERO, ECHUCA MOAMA, SA Another entry on the list that isn't exactly a houseboat, but worth mentioning nonetheless. Echuca Moama sits on the banks of the Murray River, and has long been known as the paddle steamer capital of Australia, but only by those who knew Australia has a paddle steamer capital. Hero organises overnight stays in the floating hotel, where guests experience the luxury of 1874, the year that Hero was built. The crew do their best to maintain the beautiful interiors, which only accentuate the views of the countryside as they scroll past. The cost of staying on Hero varies, depending on your stay. SCALLYWAG, BLANCHETOWN, SA Although houseboats are an amazing idea for groups, it's always nice to spend a little time with just you and a special someone. In that case, the two-berth Scallywag has you covered. You can crew Scallywag, just the two of you, up the Murray River, soaking in the rugged scrub that lines the riverbanks. The queen bed sits below a panoramic window, so you can watch the moon and stars as you sleep. The roof is decked with timber, so there's plenty of space up there to soak in the sights. Scallywag is moored at Blanchetown, and prices start at $1050 for three nights in the normal period. LEOPARD 48, WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS, QLD Houseboats, given their general lack of the ability to brave any kind of surf, usually stick to rivers and canals. But what if you're feeling like an overnight holiday on the ocean? Bareboating uses the same principals as houseboating, where you acquire yourself a boat, a skipper and crew it yourself, and then return it when you're done. Whitsunday Escape provides everything from sailboats to powered yachts, including the very fancy catamaran, Leopard 48. Nightly rates for the five-star boat start at $1950 per night in the peak season, but when split between 11 mates, that's not too much to pay to captain your own sailboat around the Whitsunday Islands. SOLWAY LASS, WHITSUNDAYS, QLD While not exactly a houseboat, I think we can all agree that the Solway Lass definitely deserves to be on this list. I mean, look at it. It's a pirate ship. Tours start out at Airlie Beach, and the skipper takes you on a three-day voyage around the Whitsunday Islands, so you can cruise about on a 100-year-old pirate ship without worrying about having to steer the thing. The trip carries you to Whitehaven Beach, Hook Island, and through a whole heap of bushwalking opportunities. Prices start at $560 per person for three days with meals included, and accommodates groups of up to 30 people.
So if you're lonely, Franz Ferdinand will be here waiting for you in Brisbane before 2025 is out. Fresh from releasing their sixth album in January, the Scottish band are touring Down Under to help cap off the year, including on Saturday, November 29 at Riverstage. It's been more than two decades since the Alex Kapranos-led group made a helluva splash with the catchy second single from their self-titled debuted album. Even just reading the name 'Take Me Out' is enough to get the number-one tune in Triple J's 2004 Hottest 100 stuck in your head. The song was also nominated for two Grammys, while the record that it springs from won the Mercury Prize. Since the huge success of 'Take Me Out' and their 2004 Franz Ferdinand album, the band have dropped records in 2005 (You Could Have It So Much Better), 2009 (Tonight: Franz Ferdinand), 2013 (Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action), 2018 (Always Ascending) and this year (The Human Fear). Touring-wise, their past Aussie trips have included sets at Big Day Out, Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival. Franz Ferdinand's 2025 Aussie visit comes just a few months after Bloc Party, who benefited from Kapranos' approval when they were starting out, do the same in August. Select images: Raph PH via Flickr.
Thanks to seminal documentaries such as The Endless Summer, excellent action flicks like Point Break and even the formulaic cheesiness such as Blue Crush, surfing is no stranger to cinemas. Big waves and big screens go hand in hand quite often, in fact, as seen in everything from beach party flicks like Gidget, surf dramas such as Drift, docos including Morning of the Earth and even the animated likes of Ride Your Wave. The next addition to the ever-growing surf movie genre: documentary Girls Can't Surf, which heads back to the 80s and into the backlash by female surfers against the male-dominated industry. Sick of being told that professional surfing wasn't for them — and being considered a gimmick, sideshow and complete afterthought compared to their male peers — a group of women fought back, striving for equal pay and treatment. Yes, this doco features an important story — as told through interviews with pioneering female surfers such as Jodie Cooper, Frieda Zamba, Pauline Menczer, Lisa Andersen, Pam Burridge, Wendy Botha and Layne Beachley. Behind the lens, it's directed by Christopher Nelius, who is no stranger to the waves thanks to 2012's Storm Surfers 3D. With summer now in full swing, the arrival of Girls Can't Surf's trailer couldn't be better timed — although you will have to wait to see the film itself. After being selected as part of the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, it'll premiere locally at the Perth Arts Festival in January, then hit up Sydney Film Festival's Summer Season and Westpac Openair, before hitting cinemas nationwide on March 11. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBjcbZla2cA&feature=youtu.be Girls Can't Surf releases in Australian cinemas on March 11, 2021. Top image: Don King
Fond of baked goods? Can't process gluten? Then, if you're a Brisbanite, you're also likely a fan of Nodo Donuts. The bakery chain has been slinging its gluten-free doughnuts since 2014 — and baking them, not frying them, too — at an ever-growing lineup of local stores. From August, Nodo will be doing just that in another location as well: West Village in West End. The expanding precinct already boasts everything from gelato and burgers to Italian eats, Mediterranean cuisine and Hungarian pastries, and now it's adding Nodo's doughnuts to the mix. While the chain has cafes in Newstead, Hawthorne, Camp Hill and South Bank, plus a grab-and-go joint in Elizabeth Street in the CBD, its West End spot will be a kiosk — like Nodo's Chermside, Carindale and Garden City outposts. It'll nestle into the Peters Lane retail precinct, and more than just doughnuts will be on the menu. Yes, obviously those baked orbs of deliciousness will be on offer, with Nodo's range including raspberry white chocolate, blueberry lemon cheesecake, pumpkin maple, strawberry Oreo and banana cake doughnuts. In addition, the brand's ninth Brissie location will also serve up breakfast dishes such as egg toast, pumpkin loaf and bowls, plus cold and hot coffees, cold-pressed juices and shakes. Designed by Cameron & Co Architecture, the new Nodo won't include seating — but given its location, and West Village's abundance of green space, you won't be short on spots to get comfy with your takeaway treats and bites. Find Nodo Donuts at West Village, 45 Mollison Street, West End, from sometime in August — we'll update you with an exact opening date when one is announced.
A number of events gave rise to the Judith Wright Centre for Contemporary Arts' latest exhibition, and as far as supporting Queensland's emerging talents go, they're all ace. Firstly, Brisbane-based curator and writer Beth Jackson mentored a bunch of artists from the Bundaberg region. Then, they put together an exhibition as part of the Bundaberg CRUSH Festival. Now, it comes to Brisbane. At #tag and release, you can rove your eyes over the best pieces Bundy's up-and-comers have to offer, and experience the wonders created in other parts of the state. Together, the group contemplates notions of place, history, the earth, resources, renewal and more, one artwork at a time. The showcase features art by Ariella Anderson, Paul Beutel, Meredyth Castro, Julie Hylands, Jeremy Kiraly, Sabrina Lauriston, Marlies Oakley, Paul Perry and Kathleen Valks. Who knows — one day, one of them just might be a household name.
The hair, the hips, a whole lotta shakin' and Tom Hanks in a far less friendly role than usual: they're all part of the just-dropped trailer for Baz Luhrmann's Elvis. After a nine-year absence from the silver screen following 2013's The Great Gatsby, the Australian filmmaker returns to cinemas with a biopic about the world's most famous blue suede shoe aficionado, with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and The Dead Don't Die's Austin Butler sporting Presley's pompadour. Shot in Australia with a cast that also spans a wealth of local talent — Olivia DeJonge (Better Watch Out) as Priscilla, Richard Roxburgh (Fires) as Presley's father Vernon, newly minted Oscar-nominee Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog) as singer Jimmie Rodgers, and David Wenham (The Furnace) as country artist Hank Snow, for starters — Elvis clearly has a big story to tell. Charting the king of rock 'n' roll's rise to fame, exploring the role that manager Colonel Tom Parker played in that success and examining how Presley became the enduring symbol of rock 'n' roll that he still remains now, 45 years after his death, as everything from touring exhibitions to his enduring status in popular culture keep showing: that's all in the movie's remit, too. As Parker, Hanks also has a significant task. In the trailer, the News of the World and A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood star's first words set the mood for his character: "there are some who make me out to be the villain of this story". Launching Elvis' initial sneak peek, Luhrmann explained that Hanks' role obviously isn't quite that simple. "He ran towards that. It's interesting because 'villain' is too easy to wrap it up," the filmmaker advises. "He tells the story, [but] he doesn't go on to tell the story that says 'and they're right'... It's a device, because when it comes to a historical character, there's only ever someone's telling of that story. Even in life, if you lived with an Elvis, it's your memory — your version of their life." From its first trailer, Elvis is unmistakably a Luhrmann movie. As everything from Strictly Ballroom and Romeo + Juliet to Moulin Rouge! and his Netflix series The Get Down have already shown, the Aussie director doesn't hold back when it comes to style, flair, and embracing the look and feel of whichever world he's diving into. Describing his process, Luhrmann goes a step further. "I am the ultimate outsider. I come from a very small country town, not dissimilar to Tupelo [Mississippi, where Presley was born] — where I come from, Tupelo would've been called the big smoke or a city because my town was so small, like five houses. But I'm the ultimate outsider, so when I go and do Moulin Rouge! and it's in Paris, I come as an outsider and live it. If I do The Get Down, I come as an outsider and live it. If I do The Great Gatsby, I come as an outsider and I live like [author F Scott] Fitzgerald — I probably got a little bit too much into some of the things that Fitzgerald did — but I do live it, it's a real truth." "That's why I make films so infrequently. So the greatest joy for me is to make films and to live it," he explains. For the writer/director, who works here with a script also credited to his regular co-screenwriter Craig Pearce, plus The Get Down's Sam Bromell and The Killing's Jeremy Doner, Elvis isn't just about its namesake. "A great biopic is terrific, but something like Amadeus, for example, it's not really about Mozart — it's about jealousy. And the truth is is that in this modern era, the life of Elvis Presley could not be a better canvas on which to explore America in the 50s, the 60s and the 70s," Luhrmann notes. "It's a mythical life that he lived‚ very young, 42 years. But that 42 years is is three great lives put into a short period of time. And what's extraordinary about it is that that life is culturally at the centre of the 50s, and socially the 60s and actually the 70s. And it's a great canvas on which to us explore America. So that's what drew me in — that and a guy called Colonel Tom Parker, who I always like to say was never a Colonel, never a Tom and and never a Parker." Check out the trailer for Elvis below: Elvis releases in cinemas Down Under on June 23, 2022. Images: Hugh Stewart.
Luck, be a lady tonight: when Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour's famed floating stage returns for 2025, Guys and Dolls will be sweeping audiences off to 50s-era Manhattan from the city's — and the country's — most-stunning performance venue. As one production does each year, the hit five-time Tony-winning musical will unleash its showgirls and gangsters, as well as its incredibly catchy tunes, against a helluva backdrop. Guys and Dolls will play the unique waterfront opera venue at Mrs Macquaries Point from Friday, March 21–Sunday, April 20, following in the footsteps of West Side Story in 2024, Madama Butterfly in 2023, The Phantom of the Opera in 2022 and La Traviata in 2021 — to name just a few shows that've gotten the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour treatment over the years. This time, expect a new version of a musical that first premiered on Broadway in 1950, then on West End in 1953, and has enjoyed many a revival in the seven decades since. The story, as also conveyed in the 1955 Marlon Brando- and Frank Sinatra-starring film — which was nominated for four Oscars — follows Sky Masterson as he endeavours to win big, then crosses paths with missionary Sister Sarah Brown. Also weaved into the narrative: the tale of Nathan and Adelaide, with the former also immersed in gambling and the latter his fiancé. [caption id="attachment_968005" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Opera Australia's Performance of West Side Story on Sydney Harbour 2019, Hamilton Lund.[/caption] Tunes such as 'Luck Be a Lady', also 'Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat', 'Adelaide's Lament' and 'I've Never Been in Love Before' will echo across the harbour in the latest take on Guys and Dolls. Helping make the season even more of a spectacle is Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour veteran set designer Brian Thomson, who also demonstrated his talents on La Traviata, Carmen and West Side Story. As always, also included in this Guys and Dolls experience is not just the show on the overwater stage, but also fireworks each evening, dazzling Sydney skyline views and hitting up pop-up dining spots that are constructed onsite each year. [caption id="attachment_968004" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour 2019 — West Side Story, Hamilton Lund.[/caption] Top images: Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour 2016 — Turandot, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour 2021 — La Traviata and Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour 2022 — The Phantom of the Opera, Hamilton Lund.
If simply hearing about a particular type of food instantly makes you want to eat it, consider yourself warned: we see a hefty array of baked goods in your future. Albion has just welcomed a new haven for bread, pasta and pastries in the form of newcomer Doughcraft that heroes European-style bites. If hearing about Albion's latest additions instantly makes you think about Craft'd Grounds, too, you're on the right track here. Open since June 2022, Doughcraft has settled into the new inner-north dining precinct, which is also home to everything from coffee roastery Seven Miles and brewery Brewtide through to French fine-diner Herve's. On the bakery's menu: bread and butter pudding, Basque cheesecake and lemon tarts round out the sweet side of things, while the loaves include multigrain, sourdough and a range of traditional baguettes. Sweet, savoury, hot, cold, eating in, taking away: they're all covered at Doughcraft in Brisbane. Visitors to the Albion spot will notice the open, airy look and feel, too — amid everything tempting their tastebuds — including a glass-enclosed preparation area where you can watch pasta being made. Repurposed timbers and materials feature heavily, and Doughcraft skews as European as possible with its hanging shelves filled with baskets of bread. Sustainability is also a huge focus, with the bakery favouring local ingredients and aiming to create zero food wastage. The latter means turning leftover croissants into puddings, as well as donating excess bread to farmers to feed livestock — and finding as many other ways to tick that box as possible.
It's time to get festive beneath one of Newstead's most striking features: the Gasometer. For two nights in 2024 — one in November, one in December — The Market Folk is taking over the eye-catching Gasworks space, bring a heap of stalls with it and helping you finish your Christmas shopping (because, let's face it, no one ever gets 100-percent of their gift buying done too far in advance). From 5–9pm on Saturday, November 30 and Saturday, December 14, the Gasworks Plaza precinct will be home to plenty of market stalls as the sun goes down, all brimming with items that'd make perfect presents (for your loved ones, and for yourself). [caption id="attachment_758933" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The Market Folk[/caption] If you're wondering just what kinds of things you can expect to pick up, think fashion, art, homewares, ceramics and vintage goods — and plants as well — from 40-plus businesses. There'll be a particular focus on Brisbane creatives, too. So, you'll also be gifting them some Christmas cheer by supporting their hard work. These markets include live music on the lawn, plus bites and drinks from surrounding eateries and bars. And, they're also doggo-friendly. On the November date, you can also catch a free outdoor Christmas movie. [caption id="attachment_814294" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Top image: Andrew S via Flickr.
The return of Spilt Milk for 2025 is big news, after the Australian music festival sat out 2024. This year's four events — including on the Gold Coast — will be positively huge, however, thanks to a massive lineup headlined by Kendrick Lamar. DAMN. LOVE. Quoting those album and song titles fits right now, with the Pulitzer Music Prize-winning musician heading Down Under in this same year that he put on a helluva Super Bowl halftime show. Just as he did in 2022, Lamar has a December date with Australia, playing 2025's run of Spilt Milk fests across two weekends. Alongside stops in Canberra, Perth and Ballarat, it's the Gold Coast turn at Gold Coast Sports Precinct on Sunday, December 14. That's a headliner worth waiting a year for — and Lamar has company from Doechii, Sara Landry, Dominic Fike and ScHoolboy Q for starters. Also on the bill: d4vd, Nessa Barrett, Sofia Isella, Skin On Skin, sombr, Club Angel, The Dreggs and The Rions, plus more. In 2025, festivalgoers can also look forward to the return of sing-alongs at Guilty Pleasures, plus country bar Howdy Howdy and the Bus Da Move party bus. The art component will feature artists from Studio A. Spilt Milk's 2025 return is immense, not just due to its lineup, but because not every fest that sat 2024 out has made a comeback. Sadly, both Groovin the Moo and Splendour in the Grass have scrapped their events in both years. Spilt Milk 2025 Lineup Kendrick Lamar Doechii Sara Landry Dominic Fike ScHoolboy Q d4vd Nessa Barrett Skin on Skin sombr Baby J Chance Peña Club Angel Don West Ennaria Esha Tewari Lyric Mia Wray Ninajirachi Rebecca Black Rum Jungle Sofia Isella South Summit The Dreggs The Rions Spilt Milk image: Mackenzie Sweentnam.
At Concrete Playground we know that Mexican food can be really hit and miss. When it’s good, it is a flavour-packed and thrilling experience. When it’s bad, it’s a bit like eating plane food circa 1992 – mushy, saucy and you can’t really tell what’s in there. So to make sure that all of your Mexican food experiences are positive ones, we have handpicked Brisbane’s top Mexican joints, all offering their own unique gifts. Tuckeria Tuckeria is your healthy Mexican option. With influences from the Cali coast, meals here are served fresh and vegetarian. With mostly outdoor seating, this is the perfect place for enjoying the sun. The Mexican Taco Salad is packed full of flavour and hearty enough to fill you up, leaving you comfortably satisfied. 421 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley; 07 3162 4823; www.tuckeria.com.au Vinyl Vinyl, the restaurant section of the Hi-Fi Bar in West End, offers some seriously satisfying Mexican food, namely tacos. With reasonable prices and flavour-explosions guaranteed, Vinyl is the perfect place for a casual bite to eat mid-week or before a concert. Their tacos are special. Using contemporary combinations, but throwing back to the original Mexican flavours, we recommend the crispy pork belly with charred corn salsa and hot sauce in particular. 125 Boundary Street, West End; 07 3010 6301; www.thehifi.com.au Dos Amigos If you’d like a more Tex-Mex experience, then Dos Amigos is the place to go. Located in Taringa, Dos Amigos has been around since 1987. The ‘Tex’ contribution to Mex equals a hell of a lot of melted cheese and the delightful spice, cumin. This means that meals such as chilli con queso and fajitas are Tex-Mex and Dos Amigos specialties. Chili con queso is a spicy cheese dip that you eat with homemade chips, and is sinfully delicious. The fajitas come out with a sizzling plate with the meat of your choice, fresh ingredients and warm tortillas. These meals, served with a Dos Equis lager, are for those nights when you plan on rolling home. 185 Moggill Road, Taringa; 07 3870 8092; www.dosamigos.com.au Guzman Y Gomez Located in Fortitude Valley and on Albert Street in the City, the people of Guzman Y Gomez (GYG) know how to do quick and satisfying Mexican. This might be because most of the people who work there are Mexican. Greeted with an 'hola' as you walk in the door, if you dare you can test out your Spanish here. Serving the Mexican basics – quesadillas, burritos, nachos, tequila – GYG is your best option for a quick-fix. The meals are so tasty they can be addictive. And with the option to take away you can also enjoy in your own home. If you are after some drinks with your food then sip on a frozen margarita and enjoy the fiesta vibe of GYG. 1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley; 07 3188 1701; www.guzmanygomez.com La Quinta For a night out with a group, head to La Quinta. Known for its party atmosphere, it is the perfect place for a boozy dinner with friends, and some good honest Mexican. Aiming to achieve genuine Mexican food rather than the hybrids of Tex Mex or Cal Mex, La Quinta serves up authentic, fresh and delicious meals. With a focus on crowd-pleasing, they have banquets on offer for those in a big group, as well as Mexican feast options. Try La Quintas' Ensalada for a fresh but filling option, with edible bowl and all. 1/189 Oxford Street, Bulimba; 07 3399 2800; www.laquinta.com.au
Sunnybank is renowned city-wide as the hub for authentic Asian cuisine, and like any authentic food hub, everyone has their opinions about the best place to eat. It can be overwhelming to try and pick just one restaurant with so many options before you, but thankfully now you won’t have to. The Sunnybank $2 Food Trail is back again this winter, on June 20 from 2–8pm with free entry. There are 30 vendors participating, offering $2 tasting plates so you can try it all and never have to suffer from FOMO again. There’s food on offer from China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan as well as live music and lion dancers. Now that winter has finally arrived, the food trail is the perfect place to get your hands on warm dumpling soups and spicy stir-fries. The SunnyBank $2 Food Trail is on June 20, 2.00pm-8.00pm at the Sunnybank Plaza.
From boats filled with luminous inflatable sculptures to Vincent van Gogh-inspired sunflower rooms — and including digital recreations of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel artworks and extremely photogenic dessert-themed pop-ups, too — it's been a huge year for immersive art installations in Brisbane. One of the big highlights: multi-sensory playground Imaginaria, which brought its light-filled mazes, inflatable spaces, electronic hall of mirrors and more to town in September 2021 for Brisbane Festival. Unsurprisingly proving popular, the otherworldly event is now sticking around until 2023. Imaginaria has extended its Brisbane stay multiple times since initially popping up, and now it's committing in a big way, with tickets on sale until Sunday, January 29, 2023. If you haven't already bounced by, that gives you almost a year to make a date. If you've been, seen and loved it, you have that amount of time to revisit. Set up underneath the Goodwill Bridge next to Queensland Maritime Museum at South Bank, the installation is made up of different structures, each filled with lights, sounds and smells. First, you take your shoes off — and then you wander through a space filled with artificial intelligence projections, sensor-triggered LED waves and giant silk parachute canopies. Also included: cosmic gardens, an anti-gravity sunset, an electronic hall of mirrors and a digital wishing well that whispers your greatest desires. Entering a serene white bubble, touching a digital eclipse, engaging with an interactive constellation — they're all featured, in an event that was always going to prove popular in Brisbane. When Imaginaria first set up in Melbourne before making its way north, more than 100,000 people went along. Open for patrons to wander through at their own pace, and filled with chairs and lounges so you can stop wherever you want to linger, Imaginaria spans ten rooms in total — and the choose-your-own-adventure setup means you can spend 15 minutes skipping through or take your time. An all-ages-friendly event, it still has capacity limits and strict hygiene measures — and tickets start at $29.95 a pop for adults. Imaginaria will remain underneath the Goodwill Bridge, next to Queensland Maritime Museum at South Bank, until Sunday, January 29, 2023 — with tickets on sale now for all dates until then. Top images: Annette Dew / William Hamilton-Coates
Over 20 years, Lee Mathews' collections have rarely strayed from its founder's relaxed and minimalist style. The Sydney-born designer has a penchant for creating everyday garments like utilitarian shirts, structured cotton dresses and gauzy blouses for people just like her. From Italian-made toothbrushes to indie magazines, the epynomous label also carries an eclectic range of homeware from all over the world. Just a few doors down from Lee Mathews' Fortitude Valley boutique, the label is holding a Brisbane-exclusive sample sale this weekend. Sift through one-of-a-kind samples, archival styles and a tidy curation of giftable accessories and knick-knacks. Prices start at $50 for clothing at $20 for other objects — a fraction of usual triple-digit prices. Doors open from 8am–6pm on Friday and Saturday. Note that on Sunday, the sale only runs from 9am–4pm.
When something shows you its true colours, believe it. The Kingsman franchise certainly did when it debuted in 2014, as viewers have been witnessing ever since. That initial entry, Kingsman: The Secret Service, gave the espionage genre an irreverent and energetic spin, and landed partway between update and parody. But, while making Taron Egerton a star and proving engaging-enough, it didn't know when to call it quits, serving up one of the most ill-judged closing moments that spy flicks have ever seen. Since then, all things Kingsman haven't known when to end either, which is why subpar sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle arrived in 2017, and now unnecessary prequel The King's Man. Another year, another dull origin story. Another year, another stretched Bond knockoff, too. Stepping from 007's latest instalments, including No Time to Die, to this pale imitation, Ralph Fiennes takes over leading man duties in this mostly World War I-centric affair. He looks as if he'd rather be bossing Bond around again, though, sporting the discomfort of someone who finds himself in a movie that doesn't shake out the way it was meant to, or should've, and mirroring the expression likely to sit on viewers' faces while watching. Simply by existing, The King's Man shows that this series just keeps pushing on when that's hardly the best option. It overextends its running time and narrative as well. But as it unfurls the beginnings of the intelligence agency hidden within a Saville Row tailor shop, it ditches everything else that made its predecessors work — when they did work, that is. Most fatally, it jettisons its class clashes and genre satire, and is instead content with being an outlandish period movie about the rich and powerful creating their own secret club. Adapted from Dave Gibbons and Mark Millar's 2012 comics, the Kingsman series hasn't cut too deeply in its past two movies, but it did make the most of its central fish-out-of-water idea. It asked: what if a kid from the supposed wrong side of the tracks entered the espionage realm that's so firmly been established as suave and well-heeled by 007? Finding out why there's even a covert spy organisation staffed by the wealthy and impeccably dressed for that young man to join is a far less intriguing idea, but returning filmmaker Matthew Vaughn — who has now helmed all three Kingsman films — and co-screenwriter Karl Gajdusek (The Last Days of American Crime) don't seem to care. Vaughn has mostly ditched the coarse sex gags this time, too, and for the better, but hasn't found much in the way of personality to replace them. It's in a prologue in 1902 that Fiennes makes his first appearance as Orlando Oxford, a duke travelling to South Africa during the Boer War — and soon made a widower, because The King's Man starts with the tiresome dead wife trope. Twelve years later, Oxford is staunchly a pacifist, so much so that he forbids his now-teenage son Conrad (Harris Dickinson, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) from enlisting when WWI breaks out. But the duke hasn't completely given away serving his country himself, overseeing an off-the-books intelligence network with the help of his servants Shola (Djimon Hounsou, A Quiet Place Part II) and Polly (Gemma Arterton, Summerland). That comes in handy when a nefarious Scottish figure known only as The Shepherd interferes in world affairs, with King George V of England, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (all cousins, and all played by Bohemian Rhapsody's Tom Hollander) his targets. Using real-life history as a backdrop, The King's Man weaves in Rasputin (Rhys Ifans, Spider-Man: No Way Home), too. If only it possessed the sense of humour to include Boney M's 70s dance-floor filler of the same name, or even a vodka-filled shot glass of its vibe. Rasputin, the character, is actually the best thing about the film, and solely because he's the most entertaining. Ifans plays the part like he's in on a joke that no one else in the production has gotten, amping up a goth mystic, busting out dance-inspired fighting moves and proving the liveliest thing in a feature that's frequently ridiculous yet rarely fun. Making a screwy but banal First World War spy-fuelled action flick surely wasn't on the franchise's agenda, but The King's Man can barely be considered a comedy. Vaughn does stuff his overladen plot with lip-service sentiments fired in a few directions, however, tearing into war and colonialism — but that, like everything that The King's Man purports to do, comes across as half-hearted. In showing the horrors of combat, it doesn't help that 1917 is so fresh in cinematic memories (and it's definitely unfortunate that Dickinson could easily play the brother of 1917's star George MacKay). It's also hardly handy that Vaughn and Gajdusek's script manages to both rally against imperial rule and eagerly celebrate monarchies and the British Empire. That's the kind of thematic muddle the film wades through, making it clear that no one has thought too deeply about any of these concepts. The same applies to Oxford's pacifism, given that The King's Man heartily splashes around OTT violence. Here, an idea or position is only convenient when it's needed to further the story, and it's thoroughly disposable seconds later. Manners may maketh man, as the series' eponymous society has intoned in three pictures now, but throwing together whatever disparate parts happen to be at hand doesn't make a good movie. If the same approach was taken to tailoring, the resulting suits wouldn't pass the central secret service's sartorial standards. Poking fun at the past, name-dropping historical figures, giving Hounsou and Arterton so little to do: none of that turns out well, either. Plus, while zippily staged, all of the film's action scenes that don't involve Ifans get repetitive fast. But The King's Man still commits to its franchise duty, pointlessly setting up a sequel that no one wants in its dying moments. A follow-up to The Golden Circle, called Kingsman: The Blue Blood, is also in the works, as well as a TV show about its American Statesman offshoot. Keeping on needlessly keeping on: that's still this spy series' main trait, as it always has been.
The fashion industry is known for being notoriously tricky to break into. Hard work, long hours and personal connections are just some of the prerequisites needed to gain a foot in the door. Despite these unglamorous traits, more people than ever are signing up to join one of the world’s largest industries. Current dwellers of Brisbane are no different, but luckily for them they are following a generation of locals who have already “made it” and are have lived to tell the tale. Initiated by student group I.S, Alhambra Lounge will host a panel comprised of five successful fashion industry insiders willing to share their own experiences and discuss how to make a living in fashion. The night will feature speakers from various fields of expertise within the industry, providing an opportunity to hear a range of perspectives on the fashion world. Speakers will include designers Joshua Schaeri of Subfusco and Jono Cottee of Vanguard, Drobe boutique owner Lydia Woolcott, Andy Wilson of Bad Art Agencies, City Beach buyer Blake Jennings and public relations practitioner Jessie Larcombe from Jesselle PR. The night will also include a question and answer session, drinks and music by John St John and Pipes. Those wanting to ask questions should email them to ask@illiteratesociety.com in advance.
