Feel like scoring a dose of da funk on a Thursday evening, losing yourself to dance and getting lucky? Of course you do. You'll be burnin' up the floor, getting derezzed and giving life back to music in no time at La La Land from 8pm on Thursday, April 14, in fact — and if you do so harder, better, faster and stronger, you'll be doin' it right indeed. If you haven't guessed just who is in the spotlight at Discovery: Daft Punk Tribute, then you probably need to take your helmet off and prepare to give some of the best albums of the past two decades a spin one more time. There'll be robot rock, plenty of digital love and you might even think you've been around the world while you're throwing shapes. Yep, indulging your instant crush on the electronic duo best known as Daft Punk is easy as this gig works its way through the French headpiece fans' discography. The dance music-fuelled party will help you work through your feelings about the duo calling it quits just last year, too — because that news still takes some getting used to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmi60Bd4jSs
Farewells are important. When something you love is coming to an end, you want to say goodbye in as fitting a way as possible. That's clearly the Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art's plan with the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, which finishes its season on Monday, April 25 — after the two-day APT10 Festival takes over both South Bank sites first. Since early December, Brisbanites have been able to head to QAG and GOMA to see 69 artworks from more than 150 Asia-Pacific creatives, covering more than 30 countries. That remains the case right through until the exhibition's closing day, of course. But make a date with the exhibition across the weekend Saturday, April 23–Sunday, April 24 and a huge (and free) art party featuring more than 140 artists and performers across 40-plus events is also on the agenda. Highlights include pop-up performances by APT10 artist Brian Fuata and the Brisbane Pride Choir, as well as art-making workshops that've been designed by Phuong Ngo, Shannon Novak and Vipoo Srivilasa — all of which have pieces on display in the exhibition, too — as well as the Brisbane Tongan Community. Or, there's a story garden with Gordon Hookey, writers Nadine Chemali and Sandhya Parappukkaran, and members of The Pacific Climate Warriors, which'll let you hear tales about the Asia-Pacific region as told by local storytellers. Former Masterchef contestant and chef Emily Yeoh will be teaming up with the aforementioned Srivilasa for a cooking demonstration that'll highlight the importance of food in celebrating culture, too. Still on all things culinary, there'll be food trucks serving up international cuisine — and pop-up bars quenching your thirst. Plus, the onsite GOMA Bistro, GOMA Restaurant and QAG Cafe will be doing what they normally do, naturally. If you're eager to see a show, gig, both or several, make plans for 2–5pm on the Sunday afternoon. That's when drag performers Shivannah (Fez Faanana) and Kween Kong (Thomas Fonua) will also host the Performance Extravaganza, which'll showcase Queensland dance troupes and musicians. On the bill: Digi Youth Arts doing a clap stick flash mob, Dance Masala breaking out some Bollywood moves, local Pasifika performers Conscious Mic, and sitar sounds from Sudha Manian and YATRA. Or, there's Japanese drumming team Kizuna Taiko, Filipino-Australian folk dancers Hiraya Performing Artists, the House of Alexander's ballroom performances and the five-piece Shanasheel Arabic Music Ensemble. Also on the lineup: a series of talks with titles such as 'So…where are you from?', 'Art Futures', 'Wit: A Weapon of Mass Disruption' and 'I'm Not Racist But…' to get everyone thinking. The whole event is free — other than whatever you feel like eating and drinking — and much of it will be outdoors. Or, if you can't make it along to say goodbye to APT10 in-person, everything hosted on the Maiwar Green outside GOMA will be live-streamed. [caption id="attachment_849401" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shivannah (Fez Faanana) & Kween Kong (Thomas Fonua) / Image courtesy: Fez Faanana & Thomas Fonua[/caption] Top image: The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT10). 04 Dec 2021 – 25 Apr 2022. Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. QAG Gallery 4, installation view, C Callistemon. Vipoo Srivilasa, Thailand/Australia b.1969. Shrine of Life / Benjapakee Shrine 2021 Mixed-media installation with five ceramic deities / Installed dimensions variable / Commissioned for APT10 / Purchased 2021 with funds from the Contemporary Patrons through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane.
Any venue can serve up a brunch that goes on for hours, or so it seems given the sheer number of such mid-morning sessions across Brisbane. Cloudland's Brunch with Bite fits that mould, offering plenty of food as well as bottomless booze — but it also adds something a little different to the menu. Fancy getting a bit of camp drag comedy with your meal? Watching an uproarious game show? Belting out a tune while brunch rolls on? They're all on the bill at this banquet, with the lineup changing weekly. Food-wise, you'll tuck into an Italian-inspired spread and nab a drink on arrival, all as part of your $79.90 ticket. The event kicks off at 11am, with two hours of bottomless spritzes, mimosas, bloody marys, select beers and sangria on offer between 11.15am–1.15pm. And, if you're going booze-free, you can opt for mocktails instead. Back for 2022, Brunch with Bite also does occasional Saturday sessions as well, if you're keen on a raucous brunch to start your weekend rather than help wrap it up.
Trying new wines can be a stressful pursuit. There are just so many vinos to choose from, hailing from such a wide array of wineries, that it's hard to know where to start. Fresh Blood simplifies that process for you — by doing the choosing for you. That means that you can sit back, take whichever glass comes your way and get sipping. It's no wonder that the concept was a hit in London, or that it made its Australian debut in 2021. Returning to Brisbane on Saturday, May 7, Fresh Blood's latest Aussie event will focus on ten emerging South Australian winemakers — and also show some love to a few producers from New Zealand and France as well. Wondering what you'll be knocking back? From SA, Moorak, Evans Evans, Parley and State of Nature are among the labels. From further afield, ultra-rare natural drops from A Thousand Gods, Bryterlater, Bonnet-Ponson and Fumey Châtelain are on the bill. With the event taking place at Rita's, Siffredi's and Zero Fox, you'll snack on stand-up snacks from the three restaurants as well. You've gotta line that stomach, after all. Tickets cost $65 per day, which covers entry at either 12pm or 5pm, a take-home tasting glass, wines to sip and one snack. And yes, while originally meant to go ahead on Saturday, January 22, Fresh Blood is now taking place in May in response to the current COVID-19 situation.
Feel like you've experienced every date option that Brisbane has to offer? Run out of new ways to spend an ace night with your mates? If glitz, glamour, drinks, dinner and feeling like you're in a speakeasy several decades ago sound like your idea of a good time, then make a beeline to Cloudland's Big Band Cabaret dinner and show. Taking place in the Valley venue's Rose Room, the decadent shindig will have you and your loved one tapping your toes to live tunes, and lapping up burlesque performances. And, you'll do all of the above while eating your way through a three-course meal and enjoying a three-hour package of beer, wine and sparkling. The event has been such a hit over the last couple of years, it's no wonder that Cloudland keeps bringing it back. The next dinner-and-show combos happen from 6.30pm on Friday, February 4 and Friday, March 4 — with Lulu Lemans and Swing Central on the bill. Tickets are limited, in line with current COVID-19 restrictions. They aren't cheap either, at $119 per person. Still, this party is certain to liven up your Friday night with something more than a little different. Top image: Cloudland.
If Tuesday night tacos are regularly on your agenda, then you don't need any convincing about the merits of filling tortillas with tasty toppings. Washing them down with tequila and playing a round of trivia mightn't be on your at-home menu, however, but that's what Bloodhound Bar is now serving up every single week. The Fortitude Valley venue has dubbed its taco-fuelled shenanigans Triple T Tuesdays, and exactly what's on offer really is all there in the name. You'll pair the Mexican staple with a margarita, then bust out all that general knowledge you've spent a lifetime collecting in your head. The taco deal starts from midday, with three on offer for $10 — and you can mix-and-match between beef, curry chicken and vegetarian. Add a marg on top for another $10, and then stay to play trivia from 6.30pm And yes, there are prizes up for grabs if you emerge victorious. Images: Hennessy Trill.
If you've caught more than one or two shows at South Bank's Queensland Performing Arts Centre in your time, as every Brisbanite has, then you've likely watched a thing or two at its Cremorne Theatre. But you've probably never seen the space like it will be at The Kaye Hole, the new performance by cabaret star Reuben Kaye — which is turning the venue into a cocktail-slinging speakeasy. Those libations will pair well with the show's blend of circus, comedy, burlesque and drag — and cabaret, of course — which is firmly an adults-only affair. While sipping, you can say cheers to a performer who's nabbed the Best Cabaret Awards at Fringe World Perth and Adelaide Fringe Festival 2021, and also earned a nomination for the most outstanding show at last year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Kaye will unleash his cabaret variety act with a little help from his friends, which include fellow cabaret star Tina Del Twist, dance and fire artist Jacqueline Furey, aerialist and contortionist Ashleigh Roper, pole dancer Charlie Love, beat box artist Hope One, performance artist Leah Shelton and the THICC shake crew's drag artists and dancers. You can check out their delights from Thursday–Sunday until Saturday, February 12, with 8pm shows every night except Sunday and 4pm gigs each weekend as well. Images: Joel Devereaux.
Art of either great or dubious origins. Airport facilities where items can be stored — art masterpieces included — without their owners abiding by taxation rules. Both played parts in Christopher Nolan's Tenet; however, it's no longer the only recent thriller to include the two. The Lost Leonardo doesn't feature a phenomenal heist of a disputed piece from a freeport, but it is as tense and suspenseful as its 2020 predecessor. It also tells a 100-percent true tale about the artwork dubbed the 'male Mona Lisa'. Exploring the story of the Salvator Mundi, a painting of Jesus that may hail from Leonardo da Vinci, this documentary is filled with developments far wilder and stranger than fiction (sorry not sorry Dan Brown). And while there's little that's astonishing about the film's talking heads-meets-recreations approach, it still couldn't be more riveting. Although the Salvator Mundi itself is thought to date to the 15th century, The Lost Leonardo only jumps back as far as 2005. That's when the High Renaissance-era piece was sold for US$1175, and when Alexander Parrish and Robert Simon, art dealers eager to dig up sleepers — works from renowned masters that've been mislabelled or misattributed — suspected there might be more to it. The pair tasked restorer Dianne Modestini with tending to the heavily overpainted and damaged work, which revealed otherwise unseen details in the process. Cue a now-prevailing theory: that the Salvator Mundi sprung from da Vinci's hands. That's a shattering revelation given that, despite the prominence that the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper enjoy, the list of surviving works attributed to da Vinci barely hits 20 — and that's with questions lingering over his involvement in quite a few. Uncovering one of his previously unknown paintings was always going to be huge as a result; locating it in such a way, and for so cheap, only bolsters the extraordinary tale. Debates over the painting's provenance have continued for the past 16 years, although that's not the only reason that The Lost Leonardo exists. The piece has increased in fame over the last decade thanks to two factors, including the Salvator Mundi's inclusion in a 2011–12 da Vinci exhibition at the National Gallery, London, placing it alongside the author's accepted works — and its sale for US$75 million in 2013, then for US$127.5 million, and finally again in 2017 for a whopping US$450.3 million. Its unglamorous discovery, the ongoing argument over authenticity, the legitimacy gained by exhibiting in one of the world's most influential galleries, that it's now the most expensive painting ever sold: these details are unpacked and analysed by writer/director Andreas Koefoed (At Home in the World) via his array of interviewees — and so is the fact that, when that mind-blowing sale occurred, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was the secretive buyer. It's little wonder that the filmmaker has chosen to unfurl the ins and outs of these remarkable events as if he's joining the dots and puzzling together the pieces right in front of viewers' eyes, making The Lost Leonardo a detective story of a doco. It isn't a new approach, let alone a unique or unusual one, but it savvily relies upon the combined force of a ripping yarn and rollicking storytelling. Within all those twists and turns also sits a vital examination of art, money and power. That works by artists such as da Vinci can end up lost at all is a marker of art's links to wealth and class, and of pieces being controlled by the rich behind closed doors to the detriment of the artistic greater good and public access. The same notions play out in the jaw-dropping Christie's auction, as bids rise to more than double the expected amount (which still would've made it the most expensive painting ever sold) and it becomes evident that the Salvator Mundi won't be purchased by a gallery for public display. The frenzied atmosphere, which the auction house stages like a piece of theatre, is all about control and status. Letting the world see a masterpiece isn't even an afterthought. An entire documentary could be made about that auction alone, and the techniques deployed to turn it into such a production. Case in point: a Christie's promotion that showed the emotional reactions of art lovers peering at the piece — ordinary folks all visibly moved, and also Leonardo DiCaprio. The reality that art is a business couldn't be painted on a larger canvas. That art is about prestige, too. In getting these points across, Koefoed's choices aren't always subtle — Sveinung Nygaard's (Huss) score would suit a heist film, there's a slow-drip pace to the documentary's early sections to ramp up the intrigue, and sparking a future fictionalised feature based on The Lost Leonardo feels like a clear aim — but everything about the film is always entertaining and effective. Here's hoping that certain-to-arise dramatisation turns out more like American Animals than The Goldfinch; the former was based on a true story, the latter on a Pulitzer Prize-winner for fiction, but the details here are so juicy, gripping, layered and important that they deserve to be told with the greatest care. As one interviewee puts it, it's the tale of finding a spaceship with unicorns on one's lawn. As the whole cast of talking heads explains — dealers, academics, restorers, art critics and buyers alike, vocal naysayers included — it's the story of commerce usurping creativity and history, regardless of the mystery behind the potential da Vinci work. Perhaps there'll even be a sequel: an NFT of Salvator Mundi now exists, because of course it does.
By now, we're all well and truly in the festive mood. The big day is inching closer by the moment, too, and trying to get ready early is no longer an option. That said, even the most organised among us always have a few last-minute things to pick up. It really wouldn't be Christmas otherwise. While the Milton Markets has already hosted its usual festive shindig, it isn't done helping you out with your festive shopping just yet. On Thursday, December 23 from 7am–12pm, it's hosting a last pop-up pre-Christmas morning market. Mark your calendars accordingly. Gourmet food, artisanal wares, farm-fresh produce, gift ideas — they'll all be available. It isn't just your final chance to get market goodies before Christmas, but one of your last opportunities to avoid shopping centres, their crowds, and their rush and chaos. As always with markets, arriving early is recommended.
Some events feel like they've always been part of Brisbane's cultural scene, and Stones Corner Festival is one of them — even though it'll only host its seventh fest when it returns in 2022. That's the sign of something special, with this street party swiftly becoming one of the city's must-attend festivals. It's been sorely missed during the pandemic, too. Come Sunday, May 1, Stones Corner Festival will once again unleash a day of food and music on the inner east when it finally makes a comeback after a two-year hiatus. And when that happens, the event is going big. On the lineup: Sneaky Sound System, The Porkers and Quentin & The Tarantino's, as well as Good Will Remedy, Jollee, Full Power Happy Hour, Sofia Isella & Cheap Date. That's who you'll be listening to — or dancing in the street to, to be more accurate — however, the music bill is only part of the Stones Corner Festival fun. You can also expect more than 20 craft breweries pouring beers, including Little Creatures, 4 Pines, Slipstream, Balter, Eumundi, Brookvale Union, Mountain Goat and Green Beacon. Four Pillars Gin, Your Mates Brewing Co, Heads of Noosa and Better Beer will be on hand as well, so you'll have sipping options. Eating-wise, a heap of food trucks will pop up to keep your stomach lined — including with burgers, paella, tacos and pizza. And as for what else awaits on the corner of Logan and Old Cleveland roads — and during the Labour Day long weekend, handily — there'll also be market stalls via The Market Folks. If you're planning a big one, that public holiday the next day is oh so convenient. Also, entry remains free, but giving a gold coin donation to the MND and Me Foundation is recommended.
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 and non-alcoholic beverages as well, and you'll be welcoming the year of the tiger in style. That's something we all want every time any calendar resets, and it's also something we could all do with after everything the past 12 months has thrown the world's way. Those drinks and dumplings are on the menu for two hours at Emporium's sky-high The Terrace, as part of the South Bank venue's Lunar New Year party. While you're eating and drinking, you'll be on the 21st level, scoring a mighty fine view over the city — and being entertained by a lion dance performance. The food menu includes pork buns, siu mei, dumplings and gyoza, while the cocktail list spans the lychee-heavy The Spring Bloom and the Cai Shen Dao!, which is made with sugarcane spirit, rosé vermouth, grapefruit and lemon myrtle. It all happens across multiple sessions from 6pm on Tuesday, February 1, with tickets on sale for $80. Emporium's lunar new year shenanigans are usually popular, so nabbing a ticket quick smart is recommended.
Listening to music, grabbing a bite and enjoying a refreshing sip: when it comes to life's simple pleasures, that's right up there. One way that Brisbanites can make it better? Knocking back gin and vodka while catching live tunes and eating from food trucks at a distillery named after the city itself. That spirits-slinging spot is Brisbane Distillery in West End, and it's serving up a weekend program that'll keep your ears and tastebuds tempted alongside your fondness for a stiff drink. On Fridays, the music will start between 5–6.30pm depending on the week, with Wood Fired Pizza, My Latino Fusion, Sate House, Bimm's BBQ Chargrill and Kraut N About among the meals-on-wheels joints dishing up something to eat from 5pm, too. On Saturdays, the tunes kick in from 6.30pm — and on Sundays, the food trucks will be back, starting from between 12.30–1.30pm and running through until 6pm. Given that the lineup varies weekly, you can also expect to tuck into feeds from Sorella, Black Sheep Brew & Chew, The Tasty Pocket, Dumpling Master, The Bun Mobile and One World Food Truck. And, on the music bill, performers across the ongoing program include Jason McGregor, Hannah May, Jack Bratt and Chris Palmer.
Next time you slurp down some oysters, you needn't solely opt for natural molluscs served with lemon and Tabasco. There's nothing wrong with that old favourite; however you can get a bit more adventurous with your oyster dishes at One Fish Two Fish's Oyster Frenzy. Between Friday, January 14–Sunday, January 16, the Kangaroo Point eatery is serving up a six-course oyster feast, taking seafood lovers through six different flavours. Start with the tried, tested and aforementioned combination, then move onto oysters with champagne, jelly and caviar; steamed and served with XO sauce; and paired with cucumber and lychee. You'll also be snacking on barbecue mornay oysters with pancetta, plus oysters paired with an oak-aged chardonnay mignonette. In total, you'll eat your way through 18 oysters all up — three per dish — for $89 per person. Because oysters are always popular, bookings are essential — with Oyster Frenzy running two sittings (from 12–2pm and 2.30–4.30pm) on all three days. And, if that isn't enough to satisfy your slurping, there's also a separate oyster shooters menu — which is where you'll find bloody mary, gin and tonic, and dirty martini options, all for an extra $12 each.
For 134 years, The Princess Theatre has sat in Woolloongabba — but on Friday, November 4, it's throwing its first birthday party. How does that maths work? Back in 2021, the venue reopened after a huge revamp by the team behind The Tivoli, and Brisbane concertgoers have loved it ever since. After a year of top-notch gigs in the impressive heritage-listed space, it's time to celebrate. How do you mark this type of unique occasion? The Princess Theatre is Queensland's oldest-standing theatre, after all. So, it's getting BUGS, Peach Fur and Jaguar Jonze to hit the stage — aka a homegrown lineup showcasing Sunshine State talent. That's just the first announcement, so watch this space for further acts. The QUIVR DJs will also hit the decks in the courtyard, and tickets to the whole get-together start at $39. The venue will also officially launch its line of Princess Theatre merchandise (including shirts and tote bags) on the night, as designed by local artist and Princess bartender Shani Finch. And, you'll be able to sip The Princess Theatre's new pale ale, which has been made in collaboration with Brisbane brewers Green Beacon, too. Images: James Griffin/Mitch Lowe/Zennieshia Butts/Lachlan Douglas.
Escaping the hustle and bustle of daily life can sometimes be as easy as escaping into a vibrant art installation — in Brisbane over the past few years, at least. In recent times, the River City has played host to multi-sensory Van Gogh exhibitions, recreations of the Sistine Chapel, giant kaleidoscopes you can walk through, inflatable spaces and more, all aiming to take you out of your routine and into a place most wonderful and dazzling. The latest event to join them: pop-up mindfulness installation DayDream, which is taking the luminous part of these kinds of activities firmly to heart. Located on the bottom level of the Wintergarden shopping centre in the Queen Street Mall until Sunday, October 30, it's filled with more than 20,000 lights, which beam along to an ambient soundscape. An array of colours also flicker through the installation, with four different experiences on offer during the pop-up's run. Until Tuesday, October 18, it's going with 'Into the Wild' and 'Over the Rainbow' themes, while the rest of the dates will opt for 'Summer Solstice' and 'Deep Space'. Whenever you drop by, you'll be soaking up the space's calming vibes in 90-second bursts — including on bean bags — and endeavouring to drift far away from your everyday ebbs and flows. The one caveat: to enter, you do need to spend $10 at the Wintergarden first, then show your receipt to walk through DayDream's darkened archway. That's as good an excuse as any to go shopping, of course. Also, if you're photosensitive or respond to strobing lights, DayDream features flashing LEDs — so take that into consideration before heading along.
One of Brisbane's venues is going green this summer, celebrating a big pop-culture phenomenon that's still getting plenty of affection two decades after it first hit. Yes, after all this time, everyone still loves animated favourite Shrek. So, Kickons is hosting the ultimate Shrek party for adults: Shrek Rave. Rediscover why it really isn't easy being an ogre while listening to a Shrek DJ set, and joining in on a Smash Mouth sing-along. Still remember the words to the band's version of 'I'm a Believer'? Of course you do, and you have the song stuck in your head right now. Also part of the fun: Shrek-themed drink specials including Shrek Juice, Donkey Drank and Farquaad Fizz; free green glow sticks; an all-green dress code (obviously); a free green glitter bar; and a prize for best Shrek-inspired outfit. Here, all that glitters is indeed gold — and green — with the party happening from 9pm on Friday, December 9. Tickets cost $26.91 per person.
UPDATE, Friday, December 2, 2022: The West End Christmas Twilight Market has been postponed from Friday, December 2 to Friday, December 9 due to wet weather. This article has been changed to reflect the new date. Please visit the event's Facebook page for further details. Loving Christmas is easy, especially when Brisbane delivers so many ways each year to get into the festive spirit — including seasonal flicks, Xmas putt-putt and more. But here's the secret about Christmas markets: even if you're not usually a fan of the season and all the trimmings, who doesn't adore an excuse to spend an evening browsing, buying, eating and drinking, all under glittering lights? The West End Christmas Twilight Market is one such place to do all of the above in 2022, taking place from 4–10pm on Friday, December 9. Once quittin' time comes for the week, make a beeline to the West End Markets' usual spot in Davies Park and prepare to get jolly — or to make the most of another night market, no matter your feelings on the theme. A familiar festive spread will be on offer, which involves a heap of stalls to shop for artisanal gifts, Christmas decorations all over the place, live entertainment and Mariah getting a spin on the stereo. Kids can also get the obligatory snap with Santa. And, the food and drink menu will go all in on Christmas fare. Try saying "bah, humbug!" to that.
Maybe it's the massive layout, which everyone traverses from the front door to the checkouts without taking any shortcuts. Perhaps it's all the display-room setups, turning almost every nook and cranny of a huge warehouse into dream homes. It could be the promise of those Swedish meatballs mid-shop, the coveted blue bags, or just knowing that your house will get a makeover when you return after browsing and buying oh-so-much. Whichever fits, a trip to IKEA isn't an ordinary shopping experience — although that'll prove true in a different way for 16 days between Friday, August 26–Saturday, September 10. That's when The IKEA Festival, aka your latest excuse to hit up the chain's closest store, will host a heap of free activities. Fancy hitting an IKEA disco, where you can probably expect ABBA to get a whirl? Of course you do. Also on offer across IKEA's Brisbane stores: plant workshops, cooking demonstrations, DJ sets, food tastings and Indigenous art. Can't make it along in-person? There's also an online live shopping event — and, of course, you can also hit up the brand's newly launched As-Is Online marketplace for discontinued, ex-display and pre-loved products.
If your go-to cocktail owes a debt to Pascal-Olivier de Negroni — as well as its name — then you probably celebrate Negroni Week however you can. Actually, we're sure you mark the occasion in the best possible way: by drinking the Campari-red beverage of honour, obviously. South Brisbane's Fish Lane is getting into the spirit, and also helping you sip spirits, with seven days of specials. Think of it as a choose-your-own-adventure negroni fest, with different places doing various specials — and different events popping up on certain days. One part of the fun you shouldn't miss, though, is the Town Square Negroni Block Party, which is taking over the titular patch of pavement from 4pm on Friday, September 16 and Saturday, September 17. Fish Lane aperitivo go-to Bar Brutus is behind the two-day shindig, with co-owner and bartender Stefan Angelovski overseeing the negroni-sipping shenanigans. Whether you're popping by after work, before a bite to eat or after dinner, you know what'll be on the menu — and plenty of them. Heading along is free, but you'll obviously pay for what you drink from the pop-up bar.
Bond and big-name festival hits. Everyone from Paul Mescal and Lily James and to Olivia Colman and Colin Farrell. Established and up-and-coming filmmakers from across the UK. That's the British Film Festival's 2022 lineup, which'll hit Brisbane's Palace James Street and Palace Centro from Wednesday, October 19–Wednesday, November 16. Get ready to catch Mescal's latest post-Normal People role, Aftersun, then check out a rom-com starring James (Pam & Tommy) with Shazad Latif (Toast of Tinseltown), before seeing the Australian premiere of Colman's (Mothering Sunday) newest movie Joyride. As always, it's a star-studded affair, including opening with Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, as set in the world of French fashion, with Oscar-nominated Phantom Thread actor Lesley Manville in the titular role. At the other end, that aforementioned rom-com What's Love Got to Do With It? will wrap things up, with James and Latif joined on-screen by Emma Thompson (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande). Other standouts include The Banshees of Inisherin, which reunites In Bruges writer/director Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and his stars Farrell (After Yang) and Brendan Gleeson (The Tragedy of Macbeth); plus the Bill Nighy (The Man Who Fell to Earth)-starring Living, about a terminally ill man in the 1950s. Also on the complete bill, and a huge inclusion: Empire of Light, the new film from 1917, Skyfall and Spectre's Sam Mendes. Skyfall will also play as part of the Bond retrospective, but the director's latest has been called a love letter to cinema — because charting a romance in an old picture palace in the 1980s was always going to earn that description. An Emily Brontë biopic, aptly named Emily, and directed by Australia actor-turned-filmmaker Frances O'Connor (The End), also sits on the lineup — as do more sea shanties in song-filled sequel Fisherman's Friends 2: One and All. Or, there's Rogue Agent, which dramatises conman (and fake undercover MI5 agent) Robert Freegard's IRL story; In From the Side, about an affair between two members of a fictional South London gay rugby club; and Aisha, focusing on a young Nigerian woman seeking asylum in Ireland. As for that shaken-not-stirred contingent, it celebrates six decades since Dr No, the first movie in the 007 franchise, initially graced cinemas — and includes 14 films, with tickets $13 for each. The title that started it all is well and truly on the lineup, as are the fellow Connery-led You Only Live Twice, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger and Thunderball; Roger Moore-era titles Live and Let Die and The Man with the Golden Gun; On Your Majesty's Secret Service with Australia's Bond George Lazenby; Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill; Goldeneye and The World Is Not Enough with Pierce Brosnan; and Daniel Craig's Casino Royale and Skyfall.
What's better than celebrating pink-hued wine for an entire afternoon? Spreading the love across a month. That's the plan for Rosé Revolution 2022, which has popped up as a one-off event in the past — but is keeping the pink drink-fuelled fun running across October this year, starting on Saturday, October 8, all at Fish Lane. In fact, the afternoon of sipping that's usually called Rosé Revolution isn't on the lineup; instead, it has been replaced with six different excuses to indulge in the titular wine, as well as three all-day (and night) offers that run until Monday, October 31. So, it's a choose-your-own-adventure kind of shindig, where you can decide to spend an afternoon, several or even longer getting into the rosé spirit. Among the specific events, it all starts with a tasting — and drinking — pop-up party from 2–6pm on Saturday, October 8, which'll take over Fish Lane Town Square with vino from more than 32 wineries around Australia, New Zealand, Italy and France. Tickets start at $55 per person, but you'll pay for your tastings from there — or you can opt for the $89 option, which includes an hour or sampling. Chu the Phat provides two other highlights: a rosé-themed paint and sip evening on Wednesday, October 12; and weekly Sunday-afternoon banquets across the month with two hours of rosé, rosé spritzes, sparkling rosé, Aperol spritzes and more for $60. Or, you can pick from two different four-course lunches with matching rosés at two different venues: at La Lune Wine Co on Saturday, October 15 (for $170 per person) and Maeve on Saturday, October 23 (for $150 per person). Billykart West End is also hosting a bottomless rosé brunch on Sunday, October 30 for $85 per person — and those ongoing specials cover rosé margaritas at Kiki and rosé martinis at Bar Brutus. Warm weather, rosé for days, hanging out in Fish Lane: yes, it's a classic Brisbane spring experience.
It has been eight years now since Nodo Donuts first gave Brisbanites the gluten-free doughnuts they were craving. That's eight years of baked-not-fried pastries served at a growing range of stores — including, from Friday, September 16, at West End's West Village. Obviously, this is an occasion worth celebrating, so Nodo is doing just that in the tastiest possible way: with free doughnuts. Head to the Mollison Street shop throughout the day — the earlier the better — and you'll score a free doughnut as long as you buy a coffee. That's probably the combo you were going to buy anyway, but now you'll just be paying for the caffeine hit, not the pastry. The deal is only available at West Village, for this one day from 7am, and only while stocks last — and it's a one-per-person special. Need some more motivation? Nodo's range including raspberry white chocolate, blueberry lemon cheesecake, pumpkin maple, strawberry Oreo and banana cake doughnuts. If you make a breakfast date of it, you're hankering for a bite to eat beyond the doughnut and you're willing to pay, the brand's ninth Brissie location will also serve up brekkie dishes such as egg toast, pumpkin loaf and bowls, plus cold-pressed juices and shakes. Images: Kate House.
Wondering how to spend spring in southeast Queensland's great outdoors? If you like eye-catching outdoor displays, you have options. Up in Brisbane, giant moon sculptures, a boat decked out with glowing orbs and a tower of bubbles have popped up for Brisbane Festival. Head west to Toowoomba and Carnival of Flowers is back and blossoming. At Currumbin Beach, Swell Sculpture Festival is about to take over a one-kilometre stretch of sand again — and, still on the Gold Coast, HOTA, Home of the Arts' Wonder arts festival is back from Friday, September 16–Sunday, September 25. One big highlight: a glowing palace called Alcazar, which spans seven metres in height — and 13 metres in width. Mixing art and architecture, it looks like a series of stacked circles, reaching up three levels. It also offers a different experience during the day and at night, which gives you an excuse to head by multiple times. Alcazar hails from the artists at Sydney-based design studio Atelier Sisu, and will also be used for an early-morning yoga session — and for the Lux de da Luna dinner, which'll serve up a five-course meal with the installation as a backdrop. There's plenty more on the Wonder lineup, including Alternative Symphony taking on the music of Daft Punk, plus a candlelit Queen tribute concert. The big Friday-night lineup features an art battle between six artists on Friday, September 16, as hosted by Tom Thum, and then Flamenco House with Cameron De La Vaga providing a Spanish soundtrack on Friday, September 23.
If you're partial to roast pork topped with plenty of crackling, then you're probably a fan of the Brisbane German Club's pork knuckles. If you're fond sipping German brews in giant steins — after you've managed to pick one (or several) from a very hefty menu, that is — then you're likely a fan of the Woolloongabba venue in general. There's never a bad time to stop by, whether you're heading to or from the Gabba, you're just in the neighbourhood or any other reason you can think of. But heading along across two October weekends means celebrating Oktoberfest for 2022. Across six days — from Friday, October 7–Sunday, October 9, and again from Friday, October 14–Sunday, October 16 — the beloved spot is doing everything it can to mark the occasion. Yes, that means German food, German music, German brews and more. How's that different to a usual stop a the Brisbane German Club? This time it's officially calling it a party. When it comes to that aforementioned pork, it's a cult-favourite dish — and it comes slow -cooked, weighing in at one kilogram, and served with fried potatoes, sauerkraut and smoked beer gravy. No matter when you make a visit, it's always popular. And, as well as drinking your way through the bar's enormous range of German beers, you can opt for schnapps as well. One-day tickets cost $5 for members and $10 otherwise. Top image: Anwyn Howarth.
Since setting up its local base back in 2019, BrewDog has been serving Brisbanites plenty of cold ones, with the Scottish beer behemoth making this sunny city of ours its Australian home. Over that time, you've probably sat by the river and knocked back the company's brews — but at its annual Collabfest festival, you'll be encouraged to try yeasty bevvies from other breweries. Running from Thursday, October 20–Sunday, October 23, this weekend-long event will celebrate brews from four other beer-making outfits from across southeast Queensland. In 2022, Parched Brewing, Revel, Froth Rookies and Bacchus Brewing are getting some love, and the chosen spots always brew brand new (and unique) beers for the occasion, too — so expect to taste something that you haven't sipped before. On that list: a Monte Carlo biscuit ale, a hemp IIIPA, a coconut cream pie sour and a hoppy Saison. Also, there are two parts to the shindig. First, it all kicks off with a Thursday night launch, which is obviously when the party begins. Then, until Sunday, you'll be able to drop by and drink the Collabfest brews whenever you like. Although BrewDog is making a big deal of teaming up with other brewers, this fest is simply an expansion of its current approach. Already, its DogTap taproom serves up other tipples from the Sunshine State — but when it comes to beer, any excuse for a party will do.
Come on Barbie, let's go party — at Brisbane's one-night-only Barbie-themed shindig. Add this to the pile of events that never want you to grow up; if you've been to a boozy Lego night, enjoyed Disney-themed shenanigans or gotten nostalgic with some So Fresh-soundtracked revelry, you'll know the feeling. Here, life in plastic, it's fantastic. So is pink as far as the eye can see. Also on the bill at Kickons from 9pm–3am on Friday, September 9: 'Barbie Girl' sing-alongs every hour, because what else is going to pump through the speakers? Actually, you can expect pop tunes aplenty, with the party taking over two dance floors on two levels. Amid the shape-making, attendees can also hop in a ball pit, enjoy pink confetti explosions and add some sparkle at the free pink glitter station. Drinks-wise, you'll be sipping Barbie-themed cocktails — think: 'Barbie juice', 'Ken's punch' and 'doll drank'. Free Chupa Chups and fairy floss are on the menu as well. Dressing up in Barbie-style attire, or pink at least, is clearly a must — and yes, you'll get plenty of chances to take snaps as part of your $21.75 ticket. And if you're wondering why this event even exists, the Barbie Party is getting in early to celebrate the Greta Gerwig-directed Barbie movie. So, channelling your inner Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling is on the agenda, too.
When it comes to showcasing up-and-coming Australian musical talents, and also celebrating the country's music industry in general, Brisbane's BIGSOUND has never held back. Going big is right there in its name, after all. So, with the event finally making its in-person return after a pandemic-afflicted couple of years — and also marking its 21st birthday — it should come as no surprise that it's hosting its biggest lineup ever. Running from Tuesday, September 6–Friday, September 9, this year's event will pop up at 21 different venues, too — and with a whopping 182 bands and artists taking to its stages. That's 38 artists more than the last in-person event, in 2019, boasted — and they'll take to 23 stages at those Fortitude Valley spots. Leading the charge: Adrian Dzvuke, Budjerah, flowerkid, Dallas Woods, Mia Wray and Teenage Joans, as well as Dulcie, Ghost Care, Ashwarya, Birdz, Jem Cassar-Daley, Concrete Surfers and VOIID. The list goes on, and also includes the event's first BIGSOUND Country lineup, spanning country The Buckleys, Hinterland, DARLINGHURST, Loren Ryan, Melanie Dyer, Taylor Moss and The Wolfe Brothers. A contingent from New Zealand will head over as well, with JessB, Soaked Oats, Troy Kingi, TE KAAHU, Church & AP, MELODOWNZ and Jenny Mitchell making the trip. [caption id="attachment_861894" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lachlan Douglas[/caption] Wondering which venues will be doing the honours? The list features everywhere from Black Bear Lodge and both inside and outdoors at The Brightside through to The Wickham and The Zoo. If you're a BIGSOUND regular, you'll know what all of this entails: jumping between as many spaces as possible, all teeming with as many bands, industry folks and music-loving punters as possible, and enjoying the latest and greatest tunes and talent that's on offer. Expect 2022's iteration to be no different to usual — well, the pre-pandemic usual — although the vibe is set to jump up a few notches given that there's so much to celebrate. This year's fest will also include 300 artist showcases and more than 20 parties, while the conference side of things will welcome in 150-plus speakers over 55 sessions (and more than 1500 delegates as well). Leading the conference bill so far: 'Friday' singer Rebecca Black; activist, author and #MeToo movement founder Tarana Burke; Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski; and Jaguar Jonze and Example. [caption id="attachment_851420" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bianca Holderness[/caption] BIGSOUND 2022 VENUES: Black Bear Lodge Blute's Bar The Brightside The Brightside Outdoors EC Venue Ivory Tusk King Lear's Throne La La Land O'Skulligans The Outpost Press Club The Prince Consort Hotel Prohibition Ric's Bar + Backyard Stranded Bar Summa House Tomcat The Warehouse The Wickham Woolly Mammoth Mane Stage The Zoo Top image: Jess Gleeson.
Wandering Cooks has already tempted Brisbanites' tastebuds plenty of times. From Saturday, August 22, the South Brisbane foodie hub is going to shake up your Saturday morning shopping routine, too. For the first time, the venue is launching an urban produce market — and it'll be running from 7am–1pm weekly. That means that you'll be able to start each and every weekend with artisanal pastries from the Tweed Valley's beloved The Bread Social and a coffee by Small Batch Roasting, then fill your basket with fruit and vegetables. Thai Hoa Grocer, Neighbourhood Farm, The Falls Farm, Little Acre Mushrooms and Spring Lakes Farm are just some of the names that'll be slinging their wares, ready to help fill your fridge. You'll also be able to pick up some zero-waste preserves and and ferments, which have been made using market produce leftovers, as well as excess backyard and farmer offerings. And, if buying food instantly makes you hungry, save some post-pastry room for a bite to eat onsite — potato hash with slow-roasted hogget, mint jelly, carrot relish and dressed greens is just one of the dishes that'll be available. In line with current safety requirements, inly 100 shoppers will be allowed in at a time — so arriving early is recommended. The Wandering Cooks Urban Produce Market takes place from 7am–1pm every Saturday from August 22.
Calling all architecture fans, folks keen to explore another side of Brisbane and just anyone who likes to peek behind closed doors. While Open House Brisbane isn't taking place physically in its usual guise in 2020, it is launching a new year-round tour and cultural experience program called Brisbane Open. That means that, even when Open House can't take Brisbanites through 100-plus buildings around town in the condensed space of one weekend, it can still showcase the city's buildings and structures, let you peer beyond their facades, and welcome you into nooks and crannies that aren't usually open to the public — and on an ongoing basis, too. These are paid activities, but they'll obviously still help you wander around and discover more about this fine city of ours. Fancy a walking tour of Paddington? That's on the agenda, and will showcase the area's cultural and architecture highlights. Prefer a jaunt over to Straddie to take a squiz at some island properties? Yes, you can do that as well. Also on offer across various dates (and at various prices per event): a mosey down Ann Street and a look inside the Masonic United Grand Lodge, a stint searching for old signs in Burnett Lane, climbing up to the CBD's forgotten rooftops, learning all there is to know about the history of Fortitude Valley and exploring Woolloongabba. [caption id="attachment_779613" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Malcolm Middleton[/caption] Brisbane Open currently has events scheduled from Sunday, August 23–Saturday, October 17 — with more to be added as part of its year-round program. Head to its website for details and bookings. Top image: Christopher Fredrick Jones.
Roll up, roll up — but not to the place that's usually filled with carnival-themed antics at this time of year. We all know that the Ekka isn't happening as normal in 2020 but, over at Kangaroo Point, Sea Legs Brewing Co is getting in on the show-themed action. Head there, and you can also sip dry-hopped strawberry sour that goes by the name 'Sideshow Alley'. Also on offer at the inner-city brewery's three-day festivities: a heap of food, such as dagwood dogs, loaded fries, churros, burger and wings; and, unsurprisingly, fewer people than you'd usually find at the showgrounds in a normal year. If that sounds like your ideal way to get into the spirit of show season — even without the show — drop by from midday daily between Friday, August 14–Sunday, August 16. That includes the Ekka public holiday, should you be in need of a watering hole to while away your day off. Sea Legs Brewing Co's Ekka-ish Long Weekend celebrations run from Friday, August 14–Sunday, August 16.
If you live your life a quarter-mile at a time, then you'll want to travel a few of them for Dendy Coorparoo's latest movie festival. In the kind of film frenzy we could all use right now, the eastside picture palace will be screening seven flicks from the Fast & Furious franchise over four days. From Thursday, August 20–Sunday, August 23, prepare to rev up your excitement — with the movie that started it all, plus the high-octane cinema spectacle's fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth instalments, and its recent spinoff as well. If you've mixed up the franchise's many titles featuring the words 'fast' and/or 'furious', here's what you're in for: 2001's The Fast and the Furious (aka Point Break with vehicles), 2009's Fast & Furious (now with more heists and spying), 2011's Fast Five (the one where The Rock joins the fun), 2013's Fast & Furious 6 (featuring a back-from-the-dead favourite), 2015's Furious 7 (otherwise known as "hey, let's throw Jason Statham into the mix as well"), 2017's The Fate of the Furious (with added Charlize Theron) and 2019's Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw (aka the movie that was always going to eventuate). Bringing your family, whether they're related by blood or they're the friends you consider as close as kin, seems like a fitting thing to do. You'll have to buy your tickets separately per film, though — so it's up to you whether you strap in for just a movie or two, or ride out the whole thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeKBMdYaM3U Dendy Coorparoo's Fast & Furious Fest runs from Thursday, August 20–Sunday, August 23.
Brisbanites are gifted brag-worthy sunshine and clear skies almost all year around, which makes for perfect outdoor gig and picnic weather. So, as the site did back in 2018 and 2019, the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens is letting everyone make the most of Brissie's ace climate with a Gigs & Picnics series. Taking place on the fourth Saturday of each month from August–November — running from 12–4pm on August 29, September 26, October 24 and November 28, in fact — the event will rustle up some of the city's best food trucks, put on some free tunes and invite folks to get cosy on their own blanket all afternoon. Entering through the main gateway at the intersection of Alice and Albert Streets, attendees can expect everything from jazz and modern reggae to dub and gypsy, all in gorgeous greenery-filled surroundings. You can also order a picnic basket in advance, which'll be there for you on the day. Or, if you're bringing your own feast, just remember that the gardens aren't BYO. Gigs & Picnics takes place from 12–4pm on August 29, September 26, October 24 and November 28 in the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. Image: Gigs & Picnics.
Painting a plaster figurine isn't just for kids. Sure, Carina's Plaster Fun House usually caters for bright and creative young minds — but, from 5.30–9pm on Saturday, August 8, it's hosting an Adult Plaster Painting Night. On the agenda: an evening where you and your mates can get crafty, make something you can treasure and likely feel mighty nostaligic. Pick from over 100 pieces on offer, get into the arty spirit and see what you can whip up. You'll have your own multi-coloured animal, cartoon character or motivational plaque in no time. When else will you get to paint a plaster figurine with glitter? Or possibly win a lucky door prize, too? You'll also tuck into snacks, dinner, dessert and a drink — all of which are included in your $20 ticket. [caption id="attachment_648988" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Plaster Fun House in Belmont Brisbane[/caption] Plaster Fun House Brisbane East's Adult Plaster Painting Night takes place from 5.30–9pm on Saturday, August 8.
Gone are the days when a Sizzler seemingly sat in every second suburb, tempting Brisbanites with its all-you-can-eat buffet — and, let's admit it, with the real drawcard that is the chain's delicious cheese toast. Over the past few years, the company has downsized in a big way. But, at the few local stores that still exist, that favourite dish is still on the menu. On Saturday, August 1, it's the star of the show, in fact. Sizzler knows how much everyone loves its pecorino-slathered grilled bread, and it's eager to help support local community groups, so it is combining the two at Cheese Toast for a Cause. Head on in between 11am–3pm and you'll score yourself some free cheese toast without needing to buy a meal or take a trip to the salad bar — which means you might have some spare gold coins to donate to worthy organisations. If you're wondering where you can find a Sizzler these days, you'll need to head down to Loganholme or up to Caboolture. For those further afield on Saturday, stores also still exist at Mermaid Beach, Maroochydore and Toowoomba. Cheese Toast for a Cause takes place from 11am–3pm on Saturday, August 1 at all Sizzler stores in Queensland. Images: Sizzler.
It doesn't snow in Brisbane. It doesn't really get all that cold in winter either. But, until the chilliest season on the annual calendar is over for this year, Brisbanites can still walk through snow, build a snowman and make snowballs — all by dropping by South Bank. No, the weather won't be extra frosty just at the inner-city riverside precinct. No, we're not living in a Hollywood disaster movie. Rather, Snow4Kids is returning for 2020. The idea is simple: this winter wonderland brings a heap of real snow to the South Bank Piazza, then lets anyone with a $20 ticket frolic through it, with the space open from Friday–Sunday weekly until August 30. This is a family-friendly event, as the name gives away. If you have littlies to bring along, that'll be welcome news. If you're an adult without any kids in tow, you're still able to head along — but the organisers ask that you be mindful of the fact that you'll have plenty of pint-sized company. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there's no tobogganing this year. And, to keep everyone safe and socially distanced, you'll be allocated your own snow zone with your own small snow mountain. Heavy sanitising will also be happening all over the place, and numbers will be limited — so if you're keen to get snowy on your way home from work one Friday night, or across a weekend, you might want to nab a ticket sooner rather than later. Snow4Kids runs from Friday–Sunday weekly until Sunday, August 30 — open from Fridays from 3.30–7.30pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 9.30am–6.30pm.
It's the market equivalent of one of cinema's new favourite gimmicks — instead of all your favourite superheroes jumping into one film, two of Brisbane's markets are joining forces for one day. At Carseldine's Christmas in July Markets on Saturday, July 25, the weekly northside market is teaming up with the folks at Love Handmade Markets and focusing on all things crafty and handmade. And Christmas-themed too, because this market mash-up is pretending it's five months down the track for some extra fun (and, given the year we've all had so far, a much-needed distraction). You could always browse, buy and go home with all your gift shopping taken care of well in advance — or that's what you could tell yourself, at least, while you tuck into some festive bites to eat. There'll be Brisbane's biggest array of local handmade artists and makers, as well as Carseldine's usual 150-plus food, flower and fresh produce stalls. The market opens as normal at 7am, entry is free and it all runs until midday. [caption id="attachment_776684" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Carseldine Markets[/caption] The Carseldine Christmas in July Markets run from 7am–12pm on Saturday, July 25. Image: Carseldine Farmers & Artisan Markets.
There are two major joys to a good whodunnit: the puzzle and the journey. Whichever intriguing narrative is being thrust their way, audiences want to sleuth along with the characters, piecing clues together in their heads. They want to enjoy each and every one of the story's many ins, outs, twists and turns as all the details unravel, too. The greats of the genre, both on the page and the screen, understand this. It's what made Agatha Christie the queen of suspense, and what kept viewers glued to the screen during 2019's stellar mystery flick Knives Out. The makers of The Translators get this concept as well, and embrace it heartily. In fact, writer/director Régis Roinsard (Populaire) and his co-scribes Romain Compingt and Daniel Presley go a little heavy on convoluted minutiae and attempts to keep everyone guessing, but still mostly serve up an entertaining thriller. The Translators' premise is killer — in a film that doesn't shy away from a body count, but is actually more concerned with stolen pages from the yet-to-be-released last book in the bestselling The Man Who Did Not Want to Die series. The latest novel has only been seen by its secretive author, who refuses to reveal his identity to the world; arrogant French publisher Eric Angstrom (Lambert Wilson, The Odyssey), who made his entire fortune by releasing the first two hit instalments; and the nine translators the latter has assembled to prepare the text in multiple languages for a simultaneous worldwide debut. The enlisted team of experts are only being given 20 pages at a time, however, and they're all living and working in a lavish, highly secure, internet-free and heavily guarded underground bunker beneath a remote chateau for the duration of their two-month contract. Accordingly, when Angstrom receives an email threatening to leak the new book unless a huge ransom is paid, he's both perplexed and angry. Fleshing out its main players isn't high among The Translators' priorities, with Angstrom a cookie-cutter publishing sleaze and his sequestered translators all fitting clearcut types. The Lisbeth Salander-esque Portuguese twenty-something Telma (Maria Leite) arouses immediate suspicion, for example, while Italian Dario (Riccardo Scarmarcio, John Wick: Chapter 2) is dashing and enigmatic, German Ingrid (Anna-Maria Sturm) is a stickler for procedure and Chinese employee Chen (Frédéric Chau) always takes a practical approach. The film attempts to be a tad more furtive about Katerina (Olga Kurylenko, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote), a Russian who purposely dresses to resemble the fated heroine in the book the group is working on, and Englishman Alex (Alex Lawther, The End of the F***ing World), who is noticeably young — but casting choices, with the two ranking among the film's most recognisable faces, already tell the audience that these characters will stand out. Including beleaguered mother Helene (Sidse Babett Knudsen, In Fabric), stuttering Spaniard Javier (Edouardo Noriega) and cynical Greek Konstantinos (Manolis Mavromatakis), The Translators treats everyone on-screen like pawns, all in service of its twisty mystery. That's standard for the genre, though — if you're going to quickly strip a group of suspects down to their underlying motives in intriguingly heightened circumstances, it often helps if there's not too much padding on top. And while that whole tactic is glaringly apparent here, The Translators endeavours to keep proceedings humming along by zipping between new developments at a frantic pace. The movie takes time to establish its concept, naturally, and to explain everything that's relevant about the locked-in situation its titular figures find themselves in (complete with tours of gleaming subterranean pools and bowling alleys). After the groundwork has been laid, it then hurtles forward like someone furiously thumbing through an airport novel. At times, it gets a little too carried away with the exaggerated drip-fed clues, surprise reveals and reversals, but this is still a slick, swift-moving affair that ticks all the whodunnit basics. Sometimes, and usually entertainingly so, it navigates through plenty of heist flick staples as well. As a result, The Translators is understandably a story and style-driven film rather than an actor showpiece; however Roinsard has amassed a considerable group of talent. Ensuring that a mystery's characters demand the audience's attention, even if they're little more than archetypes, is another crucial aspect of the genre — and, thanks to the convincingly slimy Wilson, the slippery Lawther and the melodramatic Kurylenko especially, that's achieved. Also generally hitting the spot while remaining as overt as possible: the movie's contemplation of art versus commerce, and of literary fandom. Nothing new is spouted or revealed, particularly given the obsessiveness that some books garner in real life, but tussling with these ideas gives the feature a bit of extra bite nonetheless. That doesn't make The Translators an overly memorable whodunnit, but that's the thing with page-turners and their filmic equivalent — if you enjoy the game and the ride enough once, it doesn't matter if you won't be clamouring for a second helping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THXebxAFCzY
If you're dedicated to avoiding meat and animal products, then you probably became an instant regular at Brisbane Vegan Markets when they first popped up a couple of years back. And, now that Brisbane's COVID-19 lockdowns are easing, we're guessing you've remade your acquaintance. Mark every second and fourth Sunday of the month in your diary, which is when Brisbane Vegan Markets unleashes its regular gathering dedicated to animal-free wares. Celebrating ethical eating choices is the name of the game, and in the best way that anyone can: bringing together all of the stalls selling all of the vegan products. Whatever type of cruelty-free food you're after, there's a very good chance you'll find it here — from 9am–3pm, with the next market taking place on Sunday, October 25. Stallholders always change each time, but attendees can expect guilt-free grab bites from a rotating range of top spots. Based on past markets, expect guilt-free grab bites and wares from a rotating range that has previously included I Should Coco, Grassfed, Tibetan Momo, Kings Indian Fusion, Fire & Dough, Tapioca Traders, Organic Frog Doughnuts, Chai Cart, Vegan Van, Vurger, Green Street Foods, Flour of Life and Popcorn Downunder — and they're just some of the Brissy traders known to sell their animal-free goods. [caption id="attachment_755499" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane Vegan Markets[/caption] Brisbane Vegan Markets take place on the second and fourth Sunday of each month from 9am. Top image: Grassfed. Updated October 16.
It's time to mark another food-based commemorative occasion. Yes, another one. By now, we all know that they're just excuses to eat more of a certain dish — and there's so many of them that you really could use them to plan your daily eating choices. But we keep celebrating dates like International Lobster Day because they're both tasty and fun. At Kangaroo Point, One Fish Two Fish is getting into the spirit of this lobster extravaganza in 2020 by, well, serving up the obvious. And it's doing so across three days — from Wednesday, September 23–Friday, September 25 (which is actual International Lobster Day). Make plans for dinner from 5pm on the Wednesday or Thursday or lunch from 12pm on the Friday, with $79 three-course feasts on offer. You'll eat your way through a bisque paired with a pastry disc, then tuck into a brioche roll with scampi caviar and sriracha mayo, and finish with grilled western rock lobster on tagliatelle with tarragon butter. Booking quickly is recommended, with only limited seats available. One Fish Two Fish's International Lobster Day menu is on offer from Wednesday, September 23–Friday, September 25.
A skating session that's all about exercise rather than rolling freely, RollerFit finally arrived in Brisbane a few years back — and, post COVID-19 lockdowns, it wants you to go for a spin. Two days a week, you can hit the rink at the YMCA Bowen Hills, with separate one-hour sessions for beginners just learning to skate and intermediate to advanced speedsters. Yep, if this is the first time you've ever even thought about living out your Whip It or Xanadu dreams, don't worry — you're covered. The novice class takes place on Tuesdays from 7–8pm, while the more experienced skaters lace up on Wednesday nights at the same time. Dropping in costs $25, or you can take that down to $20 if you plan to visit regularly and sign up for a $25 membership. Five, ten and 20-class passes are also on offer, which can bring your per-session fee down to $14. If you don't have your own wheels, you can also rent them for an extra $5 per session. Rental covers sizes 5–13, and it's a first-come, first-served kind of deal unless you email a week in advance. Rollerfit's Brisbane classes take place at the YMCA Bowen Hills on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 7–8pm. Images: Susie Yang.
If there's ever been a dish that's tailor-made for winter, it's fondue. Sure, it instantly conjures up visions of the 60s and 70s, but dipping bread, fruit, marshmallows and more into hot, melted cheese or chocolate is as timeless as it is delicious. It's also the centrepiece of Living Room's returning winter menu, with W Brisbane's resident bar getting gooey in a big way. Make a date and get plunging from Friday–Sunday each week between Friday, July 17–Sunday, September 20. Designed for at least two people, there are two options available. Feeling like something sweet? Then stick strawberries, mini waffles, honeycomb, raspberry muffins, marshmallows, or pancake and croissant pieces into a tub of Valrhona chocolate. Fancy something savoury? Do the same with apricots, figs, dates, charcoal breadsticks, dehydrated banana pieces, seasonal mushrooms, and Woombye washrind and triple cream brie. Your fondue feast will set you back $49 for you and one other person, and you can get the rest of your gang in on the action for an extra $24.50 each — up to six people in total. You can also spike your chocolate fondue for an extra $20, with espresso martini, brandy alexander, whisky and Kahlua on offer I'm Fondue of You is available at W Brisbane's Living Room bar from Friday–Sunday each week between Friday, July 17–Sunday, September 20. For bookings, contact the venue.
Booze-sipping wannabe Picassos, take note: it's your time to shine. While there are regular classes and even entire businesses devoted to the concept, Brisbane's next excuse to get creative while indulging in a beverage or two is offering something different. Instead of painting any old picture, you can whip up a portrait of your favourite four-legged creature. Keen on having a few drinks, picking up a paintbrush and creating a masterpiece that makes a star out of your beloved cat, dog, goldfish, budgie, rabbit, hermit crab or whatever other pet you might have? That's one of the options at Brush & Barrel's Paint Your Pet nights. How else will your favourite critter know that you love it if you don't paint their likeness? Classes cost $60 — and, because you're not expected to sketch your pet first, you'll need to email through a photo of Fido beforehand. Brush & Barrel's in-house artist will then pre-sketch it on a 40 x 50-centimetre canvas, so all you need to do is paint and drink. This is a BYO affair, so bring your own bottle of wine for liquid inspiration. You can also purchase food to be served to you during the session, too. The next class with tickets currently available takes place at the Fortitude Valley studio (at Shop 12, 421 Brunswick Street) on Friday, July 17, with another session on Saturday, July 25. Or, you could head to B&B's Newstead site (at Shop 2, 22 Masters Street) on Saturday, July 25, Friday, July 31 or Saturday, August 8. A warning: unsurprisingly, these classes are popular and sell out fast, so getting in quickly is recommended. Image: Brush and Barrel.
If you're of an age when you can remember burning your friend's So Fresh CD so you could stay up to date with the coolest songs of the season, congrats. You're old now. But also, congrats, because you will seriously enjoy this So Fresh shindig. Returning for yet another year — and returning post COVID-19 lockdowns, too — the old-school get-together to end all old-school get-togethers is coming to Eaton's Hill Hotel on Saturday, December 12, and it'll be playing bangers strictly of the 2000s vintage. You can expect a disturbing percentage of Channel 10 alums (Australian Idol winners/losers and ex-Neighbours actors) as well as way too much Nickelback for polite company. Also, just throwing this out there: we're desperately hoping for a timely comeback of the Duff sisters duet 'Our Lips Are Sealed'. This time around, the retro tunes will come with plenty of party fun, with a ball pit, jumping castle, silent disco and face-painting, plus free fairy floss and lollipops. Tickets are on sale now, and of course it's obviously 18 and over — because if you're under 18 you definitely don't know what So Fresh is. Or CDs, probably. And if you need some motivation, let the Duff sisters take care of that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRfvBPkIQ9M
Step into your local arthouse theatre these days and you'd be hard pressed not to find a regional film festival going on. From established cinematic powerhouses like France, Germany and Japan, to less spotlighted industries such as Poland, Indonesia and Serbia, the sheer amount of world cinema on the cultural calendar means there's almost always an alternative to the latest blockbuster out of Hollywood. As long as you don't mind reading subtitles, that is. In 2014, the line-up is getting that little bit more crowded, with the inaugural edition of a brand new festival highlighting the films from Europe's frozen north. Covering Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, the first annual Scandinavian Film Festival is set to put the kvikmynd in kvikmyndahátíð. One area where contemporary Scandinavian cinema really seems to excel is the crime genre. Case in point, the Easy Money trilogy, starring Joel 'RoboCop' Kinnaman as a uni student turned drug runner. All three films will screen at the festival — see them before the scheduled US reboot featuring Zac Efron. From across the bridge in Denmark, meanwhile, comes police thriller The Keeper of Lost Causes, one the highest grossing films at the Danish box office last year. Continuing the dramatic thread, Metalhead, out of Iceland, tells the story of a pre-teen girl who copes with her brother's accidental death by taking on his identity. Sounds a little strange, sure, but the film has drawn rave reviews on the international festival circuit and scored a record-breaking 16 nominations at Iceland's prestigious Edda Awards. Thankfully, despite the region's chilly climate, not everything on the program is so severe. Finland's August Fools is a rom-com set against a Cold War era backdrop, while opening night features the informatively titled Swedish comedy The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. For more information about the Scandinavian Film Festival, visit their website.
Low Leaf and Nai Palm, by themselves they are some of the most dynamic, multi-talented artists in sound, together their reputations combine to make an unforgettable evening of contemporary soul. Los Angeles-born Low Leaf has performed with some of the biggest names in popular soul, including Jose Gonzalez and Robert Glasper, making her indelible mark for trendy meets tradition. She is a one-woman wonder, wowing audiences with the unusual stylings of the electric harp, keys, bass and vocals, with effects and samples striking through the classic sounds. Nai Palm, of Melbourne-based band Hiatus Kaiyote, a Grammy Award-nominated band who were awarded with Best Breakthrough Artist at Peterson’s Worldwide Awards in London. This fervent songstress has one of the most revered voice in the business, with talents for songwriting envied by Flying Lotus and The Roots, to name a few. Head to Depo, the lush open bar in West End, for smooth sounds and you’ll be in good company.
Thankfully, the weekend tends to swing around pretty quickly. But, with the pleasure brought by two glorious days to fill with whatever you want comes the great responsibility of choosing what exactly will occupy your free time. Luckily, Black Bear has got this Saturday night sorted. As part of their Primary Feels EP tour, Gold Coast pop-psychedelia group Salvadarlings are playing a free set. If Salvadarlings don't ring a bell, have a listen to their track, 'Positive Energy'. The rolling riffs and sweet vocals make easy listening, the perfect backing tune for a chilled Saturday evening. Prior to Salvadarlings, locals The Furrs and Cassette Cathedral will be getting the positive vibes flowing. What's more, Strange Yonder DJs will satisfy your ears between sets and long into the night... Go on, treat yourself to a night of quality music, you deserve it.
Photographer, Martin Smith works on conveying intimate and soulful elements on life. He captures the little moments, and displays them in a way that makes them seem like they are the most important thing in the world. In his eyes, they probably are. His utilisation of text and collage in conjunction with photography helps give his work a layered effect, where thoughts and ideas can merge and help properly convey is detailed artistic vision. Memories lay upon memories, stories blend into other tales and as each work becomes unique it takes on its own emotional qualities; sadness, melancholy, happiness. Martin has had works displayed across Australia and was won numerous prizes. His latest collection, More Sex, Less Death, is showcasing at Ryan Renshaw Gallery. It will be on display until June, but don’t get lax; it is an exhibition that must be seen immediately.
Choreographed by Brisbane-based Lisa Wilson, Lake is visually stunning dance theatre, partnered with elemental effects and a free-flowing storyline. Through a powerful combination of dance and water Lake delves into the murky depths of stage production to provide something quite chilling but mostly fascinating. A usually static stage juxtaposes the free-flowing, near-magical droplets of water with strong and smooth choreography performed by Timothy Ohl and Kristina Chan. The story begins with the couple, lakeside, bickering and splashing, before becoming enveloped in spectacular wrestles, careening each other through both air and water. From the beginning, the vision of Lake is brilliantly bold, and with time develops into something executed with near-perfect precision. Lake debuted at the Judith Wright Centre in 2012 and will be returning for three must see shows this week. Let this stage show flood you with fascination, drown you in a fluid of modern dance technique, and surprise you through sautees and splashes.
Director Terry Gilliam goes back to the future in the third and final chapter of his so-called Orwellian triptych. An existential tragedy in the guise of a sci-fi black comedy, The Zero Theorem explores many of the same dystopian concepts seen in Brazil in 1985 and 12 Monkeys a decade later. This is unmistakably the weakest of the trio, although in fairness the other two are amongst the best science fiction films of each of their respective decades. It's a messy and sometimes frustrating film, full of big ideas that don't always get the treatment they deserve. You certainly can't fault Gilliam's ambition though, nor the quality of the pieces with which he's working. Christoph Waltz, minus his eyebrows, plays an agoraphobic computer programmer by the name of Qohen Leth. Employed by the omnipresent ManCom Corporation, Leth's sole duty is crunching the numbers on the Zero Theorem, an intricate mathematical equation that, if solved, will prove that life in inherently meaningless. For the shut-in Leth, whose nightmares are already dominated by a terrifying black hole, the task soon transforms into an obsession. Theorem sees Gilliam, a satirist at heart, aim his guns squarely at the commercial establishment. Bucharest masquerades as futuristic London, a city in which advertisements will literally chase you down the street. Visually, the director draws on everything from Metropolis to Lewis Carroll, not to mention, of course, a healthy dose of Nineteen Eight-Four. The world he creates is full of absurd whimsy, yet a lingering sense of oppression always remains. It an environment we only see in glimpses, however. The bulk of the film takes place in Leth's home, a dank, rat-infested, fire-damaged church. It's here that he toils, the Quasimodo of the future, observed via surveillance camera perched atop a headless statue of Christ. It's not what you'd call a subtle visual, but then again, no one ever accused Gilliam of being subtle. Nor would you call him a particularly focused filmmaker. At times there's a sense he's throwing everything at wall in the hope that some of it will stick. Questions of faith, purpose and reality are interesting in their own right, but never quite coalesce into an entirely satisfying whole. In his first true starring role, Christoph Waltz gives a fantastic performance that's quite different to what we've seen in his collaborations with Tarantino. French actress Melanie Thierry, meanwhile, seems likely to break out as Leth's potential love interest, a mysterious cyber-seductress named Bainsley. Their dynamic gives the film some much-needed emotional stakes. Yet the plot that surrounds the relationship remains oddly lacking in momentum. The Zero Theorem is nowhere near Gilliam's best. At the same time, in a lot of ways it feels like his most definitive film, in that it represents all of his good and bad tendencies simultaneously. It's as bold and intriguing as it is cluttered and confused. In the end, it contains just enough interesting elements to justify the cost of a ticket. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rae7_O_6EtU
While we all get enjoyment out of reading the odd rhyming couplet inscribed on the walls of toilet stalls, it’s nothing we can call deep. Though most of us aren’t looking for prose as thoughtful as Lord Byron when nature calls, isn’t some of the best time for introspection found while on the can? If you’ve ever been looking for a comedic cabaret performance about toilet wall prose (and I’m sure there are many of you), strap yourself in because we found one. Public Toilets, Private Words is an absurdist take on public toilet tales from around the world. Dozens of characters, heaps of songs and a whole lot of fun; Public Toilets, Private Words could be your new favourite production. Robert Frost it ain’t, but when we are talking about great contemporary poetry, I know where I sit.
