There have been many times in my life when I have wished I was born creative and artistic, so I would have the ability to design a super popular, top tier website full of memes and praise whilst flouncing around taking photos with a Holga. Alas I realised long ago that my dreams were fruitless (sad face). However for all of you out there with even a smidgen of talent, Design College Australia are holding an open day on 2 July to talk about potential career pathways for you. My impression upon perusing the invitation and site is that it sounds like a normal open day, except a million times better. Who cares what elderly Law lecturers have to say, if you can be hearing, seeing and enjoying firsthand Design College Australia’s campus. And what about bossy Business majors? Their course doesn’t involve anything fun like graphic design, multimedia or photography! With lecturers, as well as both current and past students on hand to show you sample work and portfolios from themselves and their industries, the day sounds like a great opportunity to narrow down your career path and maybe prove to your parents that there’s money in design after all.
Everyone loves to peruse Etsy; scrolling through pages and pages of handmade skirts and handbags, only to find it's 4am on a Sunday morning and you don't have the money for postage. Don't get down on your knitted sweater-self, you soon could have the feather brooch or lego necklace of your dreams before the weekend's over. On Saturday and Sunday, the Old Museum will transform into a wonderland of DIY crafts and knick-knacks, all ready for your perusal. You can take full bragging rights when you were the first to discover and purchase pieces from some of Australia and NZ newest craftspeople. And who doesn't love a one-off? Maybe your 12 year old Supre-loving self, but not your reinvented indie self, oh no. You'll also be privy to the music of locals Winter Solstice and Bity Booker, and the promise of a garden bar. The Old Museum is only a hop, skip and a handsewn jumper away from wherever you were the night before, even if it was Etsy. If that doesn’t get you erasing hangover plans this weekend, maybe you cannot be pleased? Go forth this Saturday and Sunday and get yourself the felt shoes your feet legitimately need.
For a long time, my friends and I have not-so-secretly wished we were in a retirement village instead of finishing high school/working at Generic Retail Store or Government Job/writing uni essays/living the Hard Life. Retirees seem to just have great lives, you know? They live in a community with all their friends, play mah jong (undeniably the best board game ever), and for the most part, get to sit around and chew the fat all day. Hell, at the ripe age of 20 I still obnoxiously want that lifestyle, though deep down I know I have to “earn it” through decades of hard work, buying a house and maybe even pushing out a kid or two. In the meantime, though, I can settle for Nanna Nights. Nanna Nights at Vinyl is not a new thing; in fact, it’s been kicking around for a little while now, providing that perfect mid-week musical hit you’ve been craving from local and interstate acts, while keeping your kidneys warm with its $15 Roast n’ Red special – just like Nanna would like. It’s finally having its official launch this Wednesday, with the help of The Gin Club’s Ben Salter, plus a couple of his friends. If you’re like me and prematurely dreaming of your senior’s card, or if you just like good food and music on a Wednesday, then Nanna Nights is where it’s at. I’ll be the one setting up the mah jong tiles.
The difference between the Southern Cross covered, singlet-donning, fluro short-shorts wearing idiot ‘Australians’ at the Fox and Torres Strait Islanders is that Torres Strait Islanders are, you know, actual Australians – and they don’t need to don a crappy tat to prove it. That’s why it’s fair to say that their culture and history deserves the four-month celebration being hosted by Brisbane’s Cultural Centre. Among exhibitions and displays at the State Library, the Museum and QPAC, GoMA will be showcasing a great selection of new and old Torres Strait Islander artwork. The display, called Land, Sea and Sky, will focus specifically on those three nouns, their significance to the Torres Strait Islander people and the influence they have on their artwork. The display that opens this Friday will use film, print, objects including ceramics and dance objects, all with the aim to not only strengthen the grip Torres Straight Islanders have on their culture but also to expose that rich and diverse culture to a much wider audience. So if you’re dry reaching at the thought of Toohey’s New and horrible $2 steaks, maybe visit Land, Sea and Sky this week and make your mother proud. Image credit: 'Dugong and baby' by Dennis Nona, via ABC
What happens when you (metaphorically) mix one part dubstep, one part classical, one part house and one part post-rock in a gigantic music bowl and feed the goods to three dudes from Sydney? Yeah, you’re right, you’d get Seekae. You are so good at Donna Hay electronica! If you’ve never heard Seekae, it would seem that introducing those four very contrasting genres and turning them into one is a very strange thing to do, but Seekae make it work oh so well and have received mountains of acclaim for their 2008 debut album, The Sounds of Trees Falling On People. Three years later they’ve succeeded yet again with their sophomore album, +Dome, and they wanna share the love with you with their +Dome tour. Brisbane’s the first stop for the East Coast tour, so put on your finest duds, get your hair did (hey, they did it for you!) and head down to Woodland on Friday to hear Sydney’s finest live electronic offerings before everyone else. While you’re at it, bake them some cookies too, Indie MasterChef. They totally deserve it!
Lets not judge each other on this one guys. You can all get high and mighty about your highbrow taste in music, but I know deep down you enjoy a bit of Snoop-da-loop. I've seen you dancing to Nelly's 'Hot in Here' at 3am in the morning and let's face it – we all know the words to Timberland's grammatically challenged 'Way I are,' so don't even bother pretending otherwise. You shouldn't be embarrassed about it. I'm not. Be proud that you can appreciate a good tongue twisting wrap and get excited about urban music festival Supafest. I know I am. After a long festival season that featured acts most of us have already seen, Supafest is offering up a whole other kettle of fish by the way of Snoop Dogg, Timberland, Nelly, Busta Rhyms, Ciara, Fat Joe (who is visiting Australia for the first time) The Game, Keri Hilson, and T Pain. Yes T Pain! Maybe he'll be on a boat – who knows. Maybe Keri Hilson and Timberland will perform a few duets together – that'd be pretty awesome. Maybe Snoop Dogg will be wearing piggytail plaits – by Jo I hope so! Start practicing your 'Drop it like its hot' tongue clicks now.
The fact that quaint Sydney born band Sparkadia emerged in 2008, released a ton of hit songs, only to disappear, adds to the mysterious enigma they have going on. Now the Sydney crew is back again, fresh from a recording jaunt in London, with a new CD, a new tour and a chance for new fans to discover them. The Great Impression is Sparkadia’s sophomore album and there are only good things to say about it. Despite a reshuffling of group members it still has a distinctive smart-pop flair to it that was so well liked the first time around. The debut single off it 'Talking Like I’m Falling Down Stairs' is crazy catchy, has eaten up a fair amount of air time already and I’m sure has also inspired many conversations analysing its hidden meanings. The accompanying tour is their biggest so far, spanning four weeks and the majority of Australia’s main cities. Brisbane’s turn comes on April 8 and at The Hi-Fi. Accompanying them throughout are fellow Australian bands Operator Please and Alpine. You would be a fool not to go; after all, they might explain how exactly one talks like they’re falling down stairs.
The evocative lyrics of Oh Mercy's new album Great Barrier Grief has had listeners hooked from the get-go. The band is currently touring Australia to promote the new release, exciting existing fans and attracting plenty of new ones as they go. The band relates the experience of listening to the album to "sailing on a beautiful boat on a calm blue sea in a cloudless sky." Sounds peaceful right? Except there is a shadow lurking beneath the water, a dark twist to each song that presents a challenge to accept and overcome. This one's an emotional rollercoaster. The acoustic pop sound of the album was inspired by the Australian way of life and makes for an energetic live show. Singles 'Keith St' and 'Stay, Please Stay', already familiar favourites from the album, will be brought to life with a new sound throughout the tour to keep fans guessing. https://youtube.com/watch?v=oYMSJFwtmcM
The nights are cooler, the mosquitoes have eased up and hopefully the rain will hold off for awhile because Openair Cinema is back in Brisbane. After screening movies on a rooftop in Melbourne and a beach in Sydney, it's now Brisbane's turn to play host to Openair Cinema. The travelling cinema is set to make itself at home amongst the lush greenery at South Bank Parkland's Rainforest Green, so get ready for some balmy, peaceful autumn nights underneath the moon and the silver screen. In keeping with previous years, the Brisbane leg of the Openair tour will once again showcase both international movies and local musical talent. Previous pre-movie performances have included artists such as Dan Parsons, Tara Simmons and The Little Stevies, and this year a whole breed of new up-and-coming acoustic acts are set to take to the Sunset Stage. A selection of tasty gourmet food and frosty beverages from the licensed bar will also be available to enjoy each night. This year's film schedule is a mixed bag of new blockbusters, rom-coms, Oscar winning performances and cult classics to keep just about everyone enthused. Our picks? Watching Black Swan outside at night is bound to increase the thrill, When Harry Met Sally is the classically cliched date movie, while The Never Ending Story and Labyrinth are must-sees for those who are keen to revisit their childhoods via the big screen.
Bliss n Eso could never be accused of being underground. For the last 12 months, it has been a non-stop hip hop showdown for the band; a #1 ARIA debut, going platinum, touring internationally and rocking the main stage at Big Day Out. Even though they have been in yo face, they are hardly annoying: the lovable Sydney boys are still rounding up sold-out audiences Australia-wide. If, like me, Aussie hip hop isn't normally your thing, you'll still feel the love at a Bliss n Eso show. The vibe is electric and the crowd participation brings the house down. Also, who can resist a sing-a-long to crowd favourites Sea is Rising and Addicted? The Aussie patriotism and douchebag cliches that deter many are hardly noticeable. You'll be too busy jumping up and down to give a damn if the guy next to you has a southern cross on his neck! Despite dropping their latest album and this tour's namesake, Running on Air, almost a year ago, Bliss N Eso definitely haven't run out of puff, they will be blowing into town at Riverstage this Friday.
Sometimes the cheesy photos that grace a lot of the fodder news stories in our daily newspapers make me cringe. Nah, I take that back. They always make me cringe. Too-carefully-composed images make the pages of an apparently prestigious paper look like the print version of A Current Affair. Is the art of photojournalism dead? Certainly not. Want proof? Find it at World Press Photo ’11. It’s the world’s leading international competition in press photography, which last year attracted over 108, 059 entries from 5, 961 photographers. The jury whittled the entries down and awarded prizes to 54 photographers, including three Australians (phew! There’s still hope for us yet). Look out for World Press Photo of the Year – awarded to South African photographer Jodi Bieber for her portrait of 18 year-old Afghani woman Bibi Aisha. After fleeing her husband’s house complaining of violent treatment, the Taliban found Aisha and brought her back to her husband’s family for punishment. Bieber’s won eight World Press Photo awards previously – local photographers, this is a Bieber you’ll want to look up to. The World Press Photo exhibition contains images that may offend – it’s recommended for patrons 15 years and older. Image credit: ‘The Flying Cholitas, Bolivia’ by Daniele Tamagni, via Brisbane Powerhouse
There are way too many festivals around these days. What pair of shredded denim short shorts and flimsy excuse for a singlet (applicable to both lads and ladies) will I wear to Big Day Out/Creamfields/Summadayze/Stereosonic? Same goes for club nights. What’s that, another Thursday student night? Another rendition of the classic Sunday Sesh? I dunno if you’ve noticed it yet, but I’m pretty tired of all these washed up and recycled versions of exactly the same damn thing. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was some kind of medium between the two tired concepts? Ah, but there is! And it comes in the form of Track & Field – a new boutique (that means it’s fancy) music event that’s coming to The Old Museum for the first time this Saturday. Lying somewhere in the void between music festival and club night, Track & Field will be held several times a year. First off the marks are Last Dinosaurs, Ball Park Music, The Belligerents and The Jungle Giants, with DJ sets from Hungry Kids of Hungary, The John Steel Singers and The Honey Month. Track & Field – it’s on this Saturday! Leave the festival gear and drink cards at home.
The street is ours! Bring your banners, bring your megaphones or just BYO beer to the Tribal Theatre this Sunday for some motion picture activism to get you raging and revolting. It’s time to sit down and see what other people are standing up for because the Activist Film Festival is in town showcasing some of the film industry’s finest docos that are making a change. From corrupt companies, to political change in Iran, the Earth Liberation Front and even some of that bad ass, Banksy, our militant, advocate filmmakers are showing there is always something to stand up for. There will be four films featured throughout the day as well as some live music from Daisie May, Jason Lowe, Lunch Tapes and Dune Rats. 2011 marks the first year of the festival, and coinciding with World Environmental Day the program notes the interdependence of long term environmental health through the illustration of independent expression. Check out the movie trailers and showing times here. Get vigorous this Sunday. Image: Gasland (2010)
I remember Sunday afternoons when I was ten. Mum and Dad would take me down to the local roller-skating rink so I could glide around aimlessly and win Redskins and Milkos in the best game to come out of the 90s: Red Rover. It was a short time after when Red Rover became violent and people started pushing, skidding, jumping and thumping, that I realised contact sport is definitely not for me. I only wished I was strong with shins of steel so I could take on the fifteen year-old bullies who, over time, won all the candy. I also wish this story would go on to tell that I grew up, got tough as shit and became a derby girl, though that’s definitely not the case. If you, like me, skated as a child, rode your roller blades up ramps and stacked it so many times your knees ran dry of blood, head down to the Brisbane Convention Centre this Saturday and support the lovely ladies who are stickin’ it to the man, roller style. I’m hoping their toughness somehow transfers over to me (maybe by osmosis?) so I can win those Milkos back. Image by Paper Fox Studio
Head to Alhambra on student night Thursdays for a night you'll be raving about. Lambda is getting a facelift, with blacklights and rave tunes, all you need to do is dress for a big night, indulge in the UV face painting and soak up the enveloping tunes. If you aren't already sold, your friends The Delta Riggs will be blowing the roof off the rave cave with their psychedelicious garage tunes, accompanied by The Walking Who and Little Odessa, plus a splattering of DJ guests. Students should take advantage of the discount that comes with flashing your student card at the door. Don't be too fashionable about your lateness; this party will definitely be starting early. https://youtube.com/watch?v=5IXKnpwyVTM
Piecing together Ron Howard's petrol-headed extravaganza Rush is a bit like piecing together one of the F1 racers that this film is so in love with. It begins as little more than a mishmash of scrap metal. A love interest here, a chiselled six-pack there, but nothing quite manages to gel together to create a cohesive whole. Once the various touchstones and expectations of the biopic genre have been ticked off, a more fully formed picture begins to take shape. When the film finally does take off, somewhere near the hour mark, it has all the power and explosive energy of a supercharged engine. Well, it almost does. For anyone with even a smidgen of gasoline running through their veins, the 1976 Formula One season is the stuff of sporting folklore. For the rest of us, Rush is your classic tale of warring rivals: McLaren's loveable British rogue, James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) versus Ferrari's reigning world champ, and the biggest "asshole" in racing (this is not my judgment, this is the film's recurring insult-of-choice), Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl). If the trailers are anything to go by, then Rush is targeting two groups of movie-goers: (1) those who like their movies filled with vintage cars whooshing across pretty landscapes and (2) those who like their movies filled with porny shots of a shirtless (and often pants-less) Hemsworth. While the film includes plenty of both, these are perhaps Rush's weakest points. The early race scenes look more like well-funded car ads then the work of the guy that made A Beautiful Mind, and Hemsworth, while perfectly adept at shouting expletives and glaring angrily, ain't no Marlon Brando. His attempts at bad boy charm are consistently wooden and occasionally quite laughable. Because Hollywood has inundated us with so many films about fast cars, filmmakers cannot simply show a couple shots of burning rubber and shifting gears and expect audiences to get a rise out of it. The stakes need to be higher. When Rush does set the bar higher, the film is quite irresistible. Once Howard shows us what makes these two racers click, we begin to care about them, with every race becoming a thrilling, heart-in-mouth experience. We feel their fear when the film puts us in the driver's seat and when the camera cuts to the reaction shots of loved ones. These shots do not simply instruct our emotions but actually reflect them. Much of this emotional engagement is thanks to Brühl's star-making turn as Lauda (for those playing spot the actor, he's the Nazi soldier in Inglourious Basterds). Apart from his uncanny resemblance to the real Lauda, the loveable German makes a delightful prick. His single-mindedness modulates from callous to hilarious to downright heartbreaking over the course of the film. And while Rush is, at times, a bit of a mixed bag, Brühl's engrossing performance provides the picture with the sort of poignancy that would put the kazillionaires at Marvel to shame. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZKqB987FpMI
Some people would argue that all a creative arts degree gives students is the fashion taste to stand behind a coffee machine. And sure, there may be an almost impossible to ignore relationship between the astounding number of cafes we have in Brisbane and the number of creative arts students who consider their degree a diploma in café aesthetics, thus reason enough to start one. But here in Queensland, the hopeful state, we’ve got more than enough reason to invest faith in this year’s talented graduating Griffith design students and hope they go on to make great art and not an okay latte. Crossover is the Queensland College of Art Design Graduate Exhibition 2013 and it promises to showcase it’s finest talents that emerged from years of studying what they know best – design and art. An ever evolving artform, this event aims to shed a little light on the current understanding of design and a explosively engaging manner – to expect anything boring from design students is plain ignorant. The showcase will be held for one night at the cosy Ship Inn on South Bank, kicking off at 5.30pm. Pop along if you’re interested in design, a student or just want a little affirmation that this year’s design graduates will be pulling themselves back from the abyss of cuffed jeans and coffee, and making good in a far more appropriate field.
Indie rocker and singer/songwriter Neko Case (of The New Pornographers) has announced a tour of Australia and New Zealand for the release of her newest solo album, The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I fight, The More I Love You. Released this past September, this is Case's first album since 2009's extremely popular Middle Cyclone. The Worse Things Get... is full of tracks with the same vigour and bluntness that audiences appreciated in past hits such as 'People Got a Lotta Nerve' and 'I'm an Animal'. Her lyrical candour is particularly riotous in 'Man', where she declares, "And if I'm dipshit drunk on the pink perfume / I am the man in the fucking moon / 'Cause you didn't know what a man was / Until I showed you." Indubitably, Case is a force to be reckoned with.
Head along to The Block for an evening of complete immersion, an ethereal experience that will engage and inform you about the medium, by the medium. Sans Faute is a demonstration of how contemporary Chinese society and culture has come to be through technology. Interactive environments and video installations will guide your senses as you discover how similar Western and Chinese means of communication are, where technology is bridging divides and offering a mutual place of understanding, enjoyment, expression and growth. This exhibition is presented in unison by IDAProjects, Platform China and QUT Creative Industries Precinct, where you will find the evening’s venue. It is supported by the Queensland Confucius Institute. The celebrations on the opening night will feature the talents of Dropbear, presenting a special DJ and VJ performance. No need to book or purchase entry – head to QUT for a free and freeing experience.
Last year, Barbara proclaimed that Jazz Is Dead — and then, in a weekly experimental evening, set about proving that that statement wasn't really true. Now the Valley bar has a new regular jazzfest, filling its small confines with more sweet, sweet music from 6pm every Sunday. Still enthusiastic about exploring new sounds, The Jazz House mixes its live offerings with complementary tunes. When you're not listening to jazzy performances between 6–9pm, your toes will tap to house and world music afterwards, as spun by some of the city's up-and-coming DJs. A fixture of Barbara's calendar until the end of May, the event also comes with a liquid sweetener: drinks specials. Everyone knows that getting all up in some smooth jazz goes down extra well with your favourite tipple in hand. That's why jazz nights at bars are always such a hit, after all.
Peer into worlds you mightn't look at otherwise at QUT Art Museum's latest exhibition. Focusing on documentary photography, this showcase is all about examining society's fringes — whether snapping London's skinhead subculture in the 70s, stepping into Egyptian neighbourhoods during the Arab Spring, exploring the minutiae of mental treatment facilities and delving into Brisbane's 90s club scene. Displaying until Sunday, April 28, Exchange Value features 11 Australian and international photographers, all of whom bring thought-provoking and illuminating pieces to the Art Museum's walls. Among the artists included are Queensland's own Kim Guthrie, Mick Richards, Leah King-Smith and Raphaela Rosella; Gavin Watson and Simon Terrill from the UK; and Bieke Depoorter from Belgium. While entry is free, the George Street venue is also offering a two-for-one deal — two exhibitions at the same time, that is. Displaying at the same time is In Focus: Blind Photography, which features work from nine international blind and partially sighted photographers. Image: Atong Atem, Makour, 2018, C type print, 84.1 x 59.4cm.
UPDATE, August 16, 2020: Cold War is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. "I knocked, I cried; she wouldn't open up," sing violin and bagpipe-playing musicians in Cold War's very first moments. What apt and evocative words they prove. Set in a decimated Europe as the Second World War gives way to the film's titular period, Pawel Pawlikowski's sweeping, melancholic romance is steeped in a place and a time where deeds, sobs and pleas for help go unnoticed. The writer-director's native Poland might sport a facade of recovery, and charge a folk ensemble with crooning appropriated music to set the requisite tone, but the nation remains an unforgiving master for those that walk its lands. When the movie spends much of its second half in the jazz-soaked bars of the Parisian music scene, it treads through just as complicated terrain. Meeting during an audition — she sings and confirms that she can dance; he decrees that she has "energy, spirit; she's original" — Cold War's star-crossed lovers navigate a rocky path that unfurls across the 50s and 60s. Music director Wiktor (Tomasz Kot) is soon desperate to leave the country, an action that's as simple as walking across the border while touring near East Berlin. As rumours about her background demonstrate, the youthful Zula (Joanna Kulig) is not one to comfortably submit to anyone or anything. Other than the strength of their feelings, nothing is easy about Zula and Wiktor's relationship. Nothing is easy, period. The movie jumps forward in fits and spurts, and yet three things stay constant: music that adds a haunting soundtrack to both hopeful and bleak days; unease that chips away at even the happiest of times; and Zula and Wiktor, who forever orbit around each other. Cold War may be a film where the yearnings of the many go unnoticed by the cruel, harsh world, but the same never applies to the deep-seeded bond between its protagonists. Wiktor notices every sentiment and sensation that courses through Zula's veins, and vice versa. Yet their love can't penetrate the fraught, uncaring environment they're living within. There's a resigned air to the movie, one mirrored by the changing tones and moods of the song that Zula's always singing. Pawlikowski may have based the picture's narrative on the most personal of stories — that of his parents, who share the characters' names and earn the film's dedication — but his gaze is clear. The winner of the Best Director award at this year's Cannes Film Festival is resolute in depicting the oppressive turbulence of the era, and in relaying the crushing vagaries of life in general. Making his first movie since the similarly exceptional Oscar-winner Ida, Pawlikowski retains his penchant for crisp, black-and-white visuals, all constrained within tight 4:3 frames. The boxed-in shape draws the eye just as Zula and Wiktor are repeatedly drawn together, and the smaller space makes every detail count. As sumptuously shot by cinematographer Łukasz Żal, the result is imagery so dense, luminous and intoxicating that it seems as if the filmmaker is painting every possible emotion across the screen. Visions of cavernous churches and busy clubs prove pregnant with feeling, and the expressions adorning Kulig and Kot's faces even more so. Where Cold War is at its aesthetic best, however, is when the camera floats and wanders and keeps pace with the picture's main players. A fluid late dance scene where Zula moves with abandon to 'Rock Around the Clock', the lens following along with her, is filmmaking at its most enthralling. It helps that Pawlikowski and his frames clearly adore Kulig and Kot. It helps, too, that the entrancing central pair don't so much invite but demand adoration. Whenever the camera shifts away from either, their absence is instantly felt, although this masterpiece never shifts away for very long. Zula and Wiktor's knocks and cries might largely remain silent, yelled with their eyes rather than their words, however Cold War's devastating lead performances convey the impact of every internalised ache and pain. Indeed, in a bittersweet finale that sears itself into memory like few celluloid moments ever manage, Kulig and Kot unburden a world of insights about simply trying to survive. And they do so while uttering the scantest — yet still most utterly perfect — of lines. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSYHHLk12x8
As fun as parties, feasts and downing eggnog all are at this time of year, one thing can make them better: games. We're not just talking about guessing how long until your uncle falls asleep after lunch, or seeing who knows all the words to every pop Christmas carol. Instead, we're talking about eating, drinking, playing and being merry in Brisbane's very own bar-slash-arcade. 'Tis the season for all of the above at Netherworld, and they're throwing quite the shindig to prove it. Just bring your button-mashing self, some cash for tokens, brews and a Hellmouth roast, and a wrapped can of beer that you can swap for another in the Secret Santa pit. It all takes place from 5pm on Saturday, December 22, complete with Santa pictures in-between rounds of whatever pinball, arcade, console or board game takes your fancy. Photos require a donation, with funds going the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. And a karma keg will be pouring at the bar, raising more cash for those needing some festive help. Image: Cole Bennetts.
Tibet is the type of place everyone wants to visit — and the kind of destination few of us will actually make it to. Don't worry, the Festival of Tibet offers up the next best thing. It'll either help ease the pain of not jumping on a plane, or make you book a ticket overseas as soon as you can. Learning how to practice meditation, paint, whip up momos, do yoga and make sand mandalas, all Tibetan-style, will do that of course. And there's more where that came from. For the 11th year running, the event celebrates the resilience and optimism of a people and culture under threat through a showcase of the country's way of life. Hitting up Brisbane Powerhouse from Friday, April 26 to Sunday, April 28, that includes 1000 Stories, a performance art piece that combines live painting with a live score, plus a night of songs and tales all about the country. Or, head along to discussions about Tibetan nomads and their traditional way of life, as well as using compassion as a guiding principle. Image: Festival of Tibet.
What do you do when wild weather hits, Brisbanites? Watch the radar to see just when and where it'll strike? Stay glued to your couch? Come up with a new festival of contemporary dance? The latter was Kate Usher and Glyn Roberts's answer in 2017, and after a successful first two outings, their venture is returning for a third time in 2019. Yes, things are about to get stormy on the stage instead of in the sky again (although, given the time of year, the latter is still likely to happen as well). From March 30 to April 7, SUPERCELL: Festival of Contemporary Dance Brisbane will take over Brisbane Powerhouse and other locations around town for a repeat bout of frenetic footsteps. Celebrating Queensland's place in the dance world, the festival brings together local and international artists, performances, workshops and conversations. Highlights include the contemplation of time that is Lucy Guerin's Helpmann-winning Split, a night of short works from Hong Kong, and the sci-fi inspired Jupiter Orbiting — as well as a big screen exploration of dance on screen. Image: Gregory Lorenzutti
Thanks to our sunny, warm weather almost all year round, Brisbanites are always willing and ready for a pool party. The event happening at Musgrave Park swimming pool on Sunday, February 24 isn't any old splashfest, though. For the third year in a row, it's all about celebrating several good causes. Here's what's on the agenda at the Body Positive Pool Party: having a dip, having some fun, and reclaiming a space and a pastime in that have traditionally caused plenty of stress about beauty standards and gender norms. So, grab your togs and cannonball into action. On second thoughts, maybe scrap the last part. No one wants to be that person. There'll be swimming, obviously. There'll also be live music, food, thematically linked art and market stalls. As for where the other worthy causes come in, that's thanks to the beneficiaries of your entry fee — although neither the exact cost or the recipients of your funds have been announced just yet. 2018's event was a pay-what-you-can-afford affair, ranging between $5–25. And in past years, the likes of Sisters Inside, Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, 4ZZZ and Right to the City Brisbane have received a helping hand.
When Green Beacon Brewing Co opened its doors back in 2013, few could've known the yeasty, tasty joy that would follow. Actually, that's not true. Predicting that a brewery in Newstead was going to be a hit — well, that can't have been all that difficult. Now, six years later, it's doing what every brewery is obliged to do on such an occasion, aka throwing a massive birthday bash. Come 11am on January 26, it'll be marking the occasion in style, aka with drinks and a damn fine time. That's what the Beacon does every January; however this year's shindig is a little different. Dubbed Daylight Lockdown, it's not actually taking place at its home base, but rather in a warehouse at 22 Bailey Street in West End. This takeover party will feature a sneak peek of GB's latest Milkshake IPA release, plus a street art extravaganza. In-between sips, you'll watch some of Brisbane's best turn the space into an open-air gallery. The T-Shirt Mill will also be onsite, printing shirts with the same images that will be painted all over the walls — so you'll get quite the unique souvenir. Tickets are on sale now, and your $5 entry fee will go to local non-profit Micah Projects, which helps people in need. So will the container refunds that GB will nab from all the brews consumed across the day.
Is there anything better on a hot summer day than a refreshing beverage? Sippin' on a 7-Eleven Slurpee is a time-honoured tradition for surviving a road trip, beach day or really any day when the mercury skyrockets. So, however your 2019 is going so far, it's time to celebrate all that is good in the world — and by that we mean limited edition Slurpee flavours that'll give you all the nostalgic feels. Slurpee has partnered with the much-loved lollipop brand, Chupa Chups, to release two classic lollipop Slurpee flavours. You can sip the strawberry and cream flavour, or lose your mind with refreshing watermelon. And if you thought the news couldn't get any sweeter, guess again, because they're completely free. Yep, zero dollars for these flavour-filled treats. There's just one small catch — you've only got four hours to hunt these babies down. The limited-edition flavours will be available exclusively from the George Street store this Saturday, February 23. Get in there quick. 7-Eleven's Free Chupa Chups Slurpees will be available from 12–4pm at 7-Eleven George Street. One free large Slurpee per customer.
You can never have too much greenery in your life, both inside and outside your house. And, whether you're decking out your interiors or setting up a luxe outdoor hangout zone, you can never have too many homewares either. At least that's what you'll keep telling yourself while you're browsing around The Home Collective, with northside market offering up an array of plants, pots, furniture, cushions, art and more. If you're keen for a sneak peek, or some design inspiration, check out the event's Instagram page. That'll motivate you to head along, we're certain Taking place in Wavell Heights from 9am to 1pm on Sunday, March 3, the market will kit out your abode with plenty of choices, with more than 50 stalls ready for you to peruse. Sure, there's an excuse to boost your garden and homewares cred every weekend in Brissie, or so it seems, but you just can't have to much of a good thing.
Last Christmas, VEND Marketplace helped you deck your halls with all types of greenery, and it isn't stopping there. The northside spot is now adding a new space dedicated to plants, and it's launching with a huge opening weekend. To welcome the Greenhouse, as the new area is aptly known, you'll want to drop by from 9am on either Saturday, February 9 or Sunday, February 10. The 250-square-metre space will become an indoor garden, so get ready to take a few green babies home with you — and yes, we know you're already thinking about succulents, cacti, indoor plants, hanging plants and more. For the opening shindig, there'll also be a pop-up bar slinging mojitos, food trucks serving up tasty bites, lawn games to play and free plants on offer. If you're taking along little nature lovers, they'll find face painting and a garden treasure hunt as well.
Prepare to live out your Wet Hot American Summer dreams, Brisbanites — again. This Brissie autumn just got a whole lot better thanks to the eagerly awaited return of one of the best new events of the past few years. Yes, Death Valley Fun Camp is rolling out another year of back-to-nature mayhem. You don't just head to the picturesque Lake Moogerah, splash around, sing around the campfire, toast marshmallows and sleep under the stars at DVFC, although they're definitely on the agenda. From May 26 to 27, you also take a break from devices, status updates and technology in general during a weekend of crafts, food, drink, tunes, good ol' fashioned human connection and fun put together by Southside Tea Room, Death Valley and The Grates' duo John Paterson and Patience Hodgson. Keen for ziplining, kayaking, swimming, archery, pinata making, cupcake piping, rediscovering the lost of art letter writing and cooking up a storm on the open fire? You will be here. Or, have fun with some of SSTR's favourite events — Plaster Fun House and Disney Karaoke — in the great outdoors, dance the night away at a Late Night Disco and tell ghost stories when you're all tucked in. Meals-wise, you'll feast on three squares cooked up by Lucky Egg's Jacob Knauth and grab a midnight snack at the on-site tuckshop. And when it comes to refreshing beverages, expect to down beer and cider from Young Henrys — plus a camp cocktail that features The Bucha of Byron's kombucha. Tickets, which include accommodation, food, activities, t-shirt, s'mores, and your choice of a bunk or campsite, go on sale at 9am on March 15 for $189. For an extra $79, all of your tipples will also be taken care of, and you'll even get a take-home enamel mug as a souvenir. Plus, you'll be helping a good cause, as profits from the food and drink will go to Kids Help Line. Image: Alana Potts.
Time flies when you're slurping up Japanese noodle soups and having fun, as Paddington's Hai Hai clearly knows. It has been two years since they've opened their doors, and they're throwing a party to celebrate. Unlike any old birthday shindig, however, this one comes with free ramen. When the merriments kicks off on March 12, you'll want to arrive as close to 5pm as you can — the free brothy bowls will only be available to the first 200 customers. And, it's a dine-in only affair, so prepare for a line to get into the eatery's cute, cosy Latrobe Terrace digs. Sticking around past 6pm is recommended as well, as that's when some of Brissie's most dedicated ramen fiends will take part in Hai Hai's slurping competition. We're not quite sure how you win such a comp — fastest individual slurp? Loudest? Quickest person to slurp up the whole bowl? All of the above? — but it sounds tasty and entertaining either way.
Feel so down, Brisbane? Feel left out? Don't know why you keep walking for miles? People, they don't understand — but The Foundry does. On February 7 from 9pm, the Valley venue is throwing a 2000s indie party so you can dance away your worries. Named after The Strokes track, you can expect plenty of their tunes to get a spin at Last Nite, with DJ Clarktic Monkeys, DJ Gabeyshambles and DJ Lykke Leach on music duties. As for the rest of their picks, expect to party like it's 2009 — and the entire decade prior. That means everything from the Arctic Monkeys to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, plus the likes of Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem, Phoenix, The Killers, The Shins, The White Stripes and Vampire Weekend in between. Entry is free, which means that all you need to do is clear your Thursday evening, show up and prepare for a dose of nostalgia in the best possible way.
It's a pretty clever move — and one that probably made you think about this event more than you might've otherwise. Rather than just calling the celebration of New Zealand's finest craft beers what it really is (aka a boozefest), the powers that be have labelled it a symposium. That means that you can feel like you're partaking in something scholarly as you're sipping on brews from across the ditch. Given that you'll be able to sample a whole host of beverages you probably haven't come across before, there really is an educational side to it. In Brisbane, three places are getting in on the action: Bloodhound Bar, Saccharomyces Beer Cafe and Tippler's Tap. Each will offer up their own take on the event, plus their own selection of world-class NZ brews, on their own days. Basically, whichever you pick you're in for an afternoon and evening of themed, informative fun — or several. The fun kicks off on February 6 for Waitangi Day, which really couldn't be any more appropriate, and runs until February 11.
When a French store recently slashed the price of Nutella, customers went wild. Brawling and rioting was reported, and now the country's government is looking to change the laws regarding cheap supermarket promotions. Yes, it's safe to say that the chocolate hazelnut spread has more than a few fans. Here in Australia, we have a Nutella food truck, a Nutella festival and a Nutella dessert bar. And, from February 5 to 28, a dedicated Nutella menu at Salt Meats Cheese as well. Kicking off on International Nutella Day, because of course that's a thing, SMC 's Gasworks digs will be serving up 12 Nutella-filled items for your eating and drinking pleasure. Fancy a Nutella calzone, in both regular and Oreo varieties? New York-style Nutella ricotta cheesecake? Nutella deep fried in pastry? Nutella panna cotta? Gelato topped with Ferrero Rocher, Kinder Bueno and Nutella sauce drizzle? Of course you do. Or, sip and slurp up your favourite spread, with the Nutella espresso martini — with Skyy vodka, Nutella, coffee liqueur, muscovado sugar and cold drip espresso — certain to be popular. Marocchino Nutella, like they make in the substance's Italian home town, will also be available, as will Nutella lattes and frappes.
UPDATE, December 7, 2020: Game Night is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Game Night is a comedy of such extreme highs and lows, if you plotted it on a graph it would look like the EKG of a heart attack victim. It's a film with some outstanding moments, as well as some truly awful ones. It's got terrific characters alongside characters so thin and underdeveloped they barely feel like characters at all. It takes a familiar setup, only to dispense with it far sooner than you'd expect. It is, in short, an epic mixed bag, one that some will regard as a disappointing film with redeeming qualities, and others as a great farce let down by its weaker moments. Neither perspective is strictly unfair, but the latter perhaps feels closer to the mark – especially since the film never pretends to be anything more than what it is. Game Night is directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the same duo responsible for both the awful Vacation reboot and the surprisingly funny Horrible Bosses series. It stars Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams as Max and Annie, two competitive trivia nerds who fall in love via their mutual love of games and who, once married, host regular game nights for their friends (Lamorne Morris, Billy Magnussen and Kylie Bunbury). Things go awry, however, when Max's older, more handsome and definitely more successful brother Brooks (Friday Night Lights star Kyle Chandler) returns home and raises the stakes by hosting a kidnap game in the vein of a murder-mystery night. The twist? Brooks gets kidnapped for real right in front of them and the players have absolutely no idea. The scenes that follow centre almost exclusively on that easy source of dramatic irony, with the characters bumbling around absent any idea of how much danger they're in. But, as we mentioned above, Game Night shows its cards on that front before things get too tired, and instead invents newer, fresher story threads to carry things forward. Performance wise it's all very familiar territory for Bateman, playing the outwardly-polite, inwardly-screaming suburbanite he's inhabited ever since Arrested Development. McAdams is similarly likeable if also largely unchallenged, saving her best stuff for the film's few (relatively) serious moments. We also get some fun cameos from the likes of Danny Huston, Michael C. Hall and Sharon Horgan – although the scene-stealer award goes to Jesse Plemons, whose creepy neighbour character lands a near-perfect laugh-per-line scorecard. At its best, Game Night is laugh out loud funny, subverting some classic comedy tropes and delivering scores of killer one-liners. On the flip-side, its secondary characters are flat and underwritten (Magnussen's in particular), throwing down the kinds of punchlines you can see coming a mile off. Even so, it's probably one of the better Hollywood black comedies we've seen in the last few years, and ultimately entertains enough to justify the price of admission. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNtLIcyjsnI
What's better than a brand new arts and culture precinct that literally glows? One that matches its bright sights with a weekly dose of music, obviously. Indeed, if you haven't already made your way down to the former, aka South Bank newbie Flowstate, then the latter is all the excuse you need. From March 2 onwards, kicking off at 5.30pm each week, Friday Feels will be taking over the Flowstate green to start your weekend with a party. A different DJ will hit the decks each time around, spinning tracks that'll have you forgetting about work in no time. And if you're wondering who'll be making your toes tap, Joey Taouk will do the honours first up, with Rosie Turner, The Gaitling Gun and DJ Bacon also confirmed over the coming months.
Put down your croquet mallet, plaster on your best game show host smile and grab a slushie: it's Heathers' dance party time, again. For the tenth time, the fun-loving folks at Black Bear Lodge are celebrating one of the most very films of the '80s once more, and the whole decade in general of course. Big hair, blazers with shoulder pads and giant red scrunchies are a must. Complaining about everyone you know called Heather — that's optional. Whether you channel your inner Veronica or JD, or broaden your remit to other cult flicks of the era, you certainly won't lack in fashion inspiration in what will definitely be a night of big fun. The party's DJs won't lack in ace retro tracks to spin, either. Whatever will be, will be, after all. So, what's the regular event's damage? It's free, it starts at 11pm, and drinking blue beverages isn't recommended. Be there, or be a pillowcase — or be jealous much.
The term 'ladies night' mightn't always make you want to rush to a bar, but Dolls 'n' Drams should. Held on International Women's Day on March 8, it's The Gresham's way of celebrating a tasty type of amber spirits and the ladies who love it. We'll say cheers to that. Cocktails on arrival, tastings, samples and just all-round tasty beverages: they're all on offer. So are charcuterie, spending time with fellow whisky aficionados and just generally giving a dram. Attendees will get all of the above for $45, with the fun kicking off at 7pm. As for the exact tipples you'll be drinking, Suntory's Yamazaki Japanese whisky will be in the spotlight, plus a few others from Scotland, Ireland and the US. It's basically a global tour just for your whisky-loving tastebuds, and it sounds like a successful evening to us.
The 2018 Alliance Française French Film Festival might be one year short of a major milestone, but the Gallic cinema showcase is still celebrating its 29th iteration in style. As always, that means a feast of films is on the agenda at the crowd-drawing and -pleasing annual event — 47 features, two documentaries and one televisions series, in fact. Touring the country from February 27, starting in Sydney before heading to Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth, Hobart, Adelaide, Parramatta and Casula, this year's AFFFF will bookend its program with amusement. The festival kicks off with comedy C'est la vie! from The Intouchables duo Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, before coming to a close with rom-com 50 Is the New 30. In-between, everything from acclaimed efforts to star-studded dramas to the latest work from master directors will grace cinema screens around Australia, celebrating the best in French film from the past 12 months. Sitting high amongst the highlights are the AIDS activism-focused BPM and the Juliette Binoche-starring Let the Sunshine In, which will both receive a nation-wide run after screening at last year's Melbourne International Film Festival. In the high-profile camp, they're joined by a Marion Cotillard double, with the acclaimed actress featuring in last year's Cannes opening night pick Ismael's Ghosts and comedy Rock'n Roll; romantic drama The Return of the Hero with Mélanie Laurent and The Artist Oscar-winner Jean Dujardin; Isabelle Huppert in coming-of-age effort Reinventing Marvin; and Gael Garcia Bernal in If You Saw His Heart. Or fans of prominent French filmmakers can get their fix courtesy of François Ozon's Double Lover and Xavier Beauvois' The Guardians, marking the latest flicks from the respective directors of Frantz and Of Gods and Men. The Artist's Michel Hazanavicius tackles an icon, turning the life of Jean-Luc Godard into Redoubtable, while Laurent Cantet jumps from 2008 Palme d'Or-winner The Class to thriller The Workshop. Elsewhere, actor-director Mathieu Amalric helms and features in Barbara, about an actress starring in a biopic about a famed chanteuse. AFFFF 2018 will also shine a spotlight on queer cinema for the first time, to celebrate marriage equality, and also include its usual selection of family-friendly fare for younger cinephiles. And, for those keen on catching some TV on the big screen, three episodes of Paris, Etc will whisk you away to the French capital, following the lives and loves of Parisian women.
Forget worms — the early bird gets gourmet bites to eat, farm-fresh produce to line the cupboards, and an enjoyable morning of browsing and shopping at Milton Markets. Every Sunday morning from 6am — and 7am in winter — more than 80 stalls descend upon the corner of Cribb and Little Cribb streets in the inner western suburb to sell tasty wares. From whenever you feel like waking up until midday, you can wander through massive fig trees to join them. With a new seating area part of the fun in 2018, the Milton Markets know that you probably have a hankering for a few things, and they're set to deliver. If duck egg pasta, Dutch syrup waffles, artisan honey and handmade goats cheese gets your stomach grumbling, you can stock up here. Don't worry if all of the above sounds familiar, too — and not just because you've been to a market around town before. In fact, if you went to the Red Hill Farmers Markets when they were up and running, you know what you're in for. Milton became the new site (and provided the new name) for the local favourites in early 2016.
Pop-up bars are no stranger to Brisbane's streets — but none deliver a message quite as blatant as Trash Tiki. It's operating waste-free and travelling the world showing customers and bar owners how to do it too. In the hopes of drawing attention to over-consumption and single-use ingredients in the craft cocktail industry today, UK bartenders Kelsey Ramage and Iain Griffiths have designed the pop-up to be a launchpad for a conversation on waste. It's travelled Europe, Asia, South America, the US and now Australia. As part of their stint in the country, Trash Tiki is heading to Brisbane to do something a little different — and it comes with dinner. In celebration of World Bartender Day, the duo will settle in at Electric Avenue on February 26 and host a three-course meal that comes complete with four anti-waste cocktails. The drinks selection will be created using a combination of fresh local ingredients and things from the kitchen or bar that'd otherwise end up in the bin, including a special one-off Wild Card concoction that uses waste items from the dinner itself. Also on the menu: the Black & Tan Sour, which features Jim Beam Black Label, honey cream, lemon juice and stock, wattle seed syrup, whey, lemon husks and egg yolks. Two seatings will be held, at 6pm and 8pm, with tickets costing $93.50. Image: Steven Woodburn.
Yayoi Kusama's dots might seem like they go on forever; however Life is the Heart of a Rainbow has an end date at the Gallery of Modern Art. Sadly, come February 12, the Japanese artist's wonders will leave South Brisbane — but you can bet GOMA is going all out on February 11. Celebrating the exhibition's last day involves more than just staring up at floating orbs, peering at pumpkins, looking into mirrored boxes and entering darkened rooms, although we highly recommend all of the above. Also on offer are tours, talks, classes and a film to really make you go dotty. From midday, head by the Kusama Art Therapy Lounge to get creative, then embark on a guided Rainbow Tour at 1pm. Next up is a talk about the artist at 2.30pm, followed by a screening of Near Equal Kusama Yayoi – I Adore Myself at 3pm.
On February 2nd in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, a furry creature pops its head out from its burrow. Taking in the conditions outside, it either decides whether to stay put due to the cold or venture out if warmer weather is ahead. The same thing happens every year, sparking an annual ceremony since 1886 — and, a quarter-century ago, one classic Bill Murray-starring comedy. That's right woodchuck-chuckers, it's Groundhog Day. And yes, it's a film that you really should watch every February to mark the occasion. It's also the answer to the question: "what would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?". Clearly, you'd watch weatherman Phil Connors relive the same day over and over again. This year, Dendy Coorparoo is making that easier, returning the looping fun to the big screen for one night only to celebrate the feature's 25th anniversary. The session takes place at 6.30pm on February 2, of course. Look out for the icy puddles on the way.
There's no such thing as 'standard' jazz. That's true of every style of music, but the genre's penchant for experimentation and improvisation makes the statement particularly accurate. And if it's inventive sounds that you're after, Brisbane's latest jazz night is here to treat your eardrums to a host of tunes you probably haven't heard before. Jazz Is Dead is Barbara's Tuesday evening jazzfest, filling the Fortitude Valley bar with sweet, sweet music from 7pm until midnight every week. It's particularly focusing on tracks and artists that breathe new life into the style, so jazz isn't really dead here — it's reborn. Running until the end of July, the regular event has also enlisted a heap of talented folks to help, many of whom have crossed paths in various local bands. The Biology of Plants' Helen Svoboda, Pink Matter's Megan Christensen and Kerry Raywood, The Grates' Jack Richardson and Ritchie Daniell, and Astro Travellers' Sam Maguire, Rohan Seekers and Jessi Lumbar are just some of the names on the bill, all set to share their jazzy highlights.
Southeast Queensland, meet your new vegan shindig — and your new excuse to spend a day on the Sunshine Coast. To its already considerable list of charms, Noosa is adding its first vegan festival, taking place from 10am on April 21. Attendees can expect a day filled with food, cruelty-free products, entertainment, cooking demonstrations and informative speakers. Or, in other words, a plant-based bonanza. There'll be around 55 exhibitors and vendors in total, helping you scratch your particular vegan itch. Doughnuts? Doggie treats? Human treats? Pizza? Ice cream? You'll find it here, as well as vegan wine. The J Noosa is the place to head to, with tickets available for $15 at the door. It's a cash-only affair, and bring some extra if you'd like to buy your own keep cup ($20), sample-filled showbag ($20) or t-shirt ($30). Plus, with the fest supporting a plastic-free environment, you're also advised to bring your own reusable water bottle, mugs, containers and bags. Image: Rawlicious Delicious.
Tuesdays: no one loves them. The weekend's fun seems like a distant memory, there's more days left in the working week than anyone wants to accept, and the 9-to-5 really is seeming like a grind. And it's not yet hump day, so no one really wants to hear you complain, even though everyone feels the same way. Salt Meats Cheese can't erase your not-quite-midweek apathy, but it can give your day a buzz thanks to their latest weekly special. Every Tuesday is now Espresso Tuesday at the Gasworks eatery — and it comes with $9 espresso martinis on tap all day. Australia's own Mr Black specialty cold brew coffee liqueur will be filling glasses — and if you're not familiar with the caffeinated tipple, it's made on the NSW Central Coast, by hand, and in batches of just 300. Sounds like the perfect bev to wash down a pizza or plate of pasta, and to brighten up your week.
Whether abstaining from red meat is part of your beliefs, or munching on the ocean's finest just sounds like your idea of a good time, the Regatta Hotel is the place to be this Good Friday. Seafood, seafood and then even more seafood will be on the menu at their annual luncheon. Enjoy seafood platters aplenty — which means prawns, fish, squid, oysters, mussels, bugs and other delicious bites from the ocean — and then top it all off with an Easter-appropriate cake and sweets selection. This mouthwatering feast will set you back $79 per person, which is much more affordable than it usually is. Drinks are extra, but c'mon, it's still better than a backyard barbecue.
Everyone loves a street party, particularly when it involves meals-on-wheels, pop-up bars and live music. That's what's on the agenda at The Block Party at the Gabba — plus, if that's your preferred form of football, some AFL. Yes, for their first home game of the season, the Brisbane Lions are doing something extra special. And it's something that everyone can enjoy, whether you're going to the match or not. From 4pm on March 31, they're turning Jurgens Street Park near the Gabba into a food truck-fuelled block party. There's never a bad reason to throw a shindig, after all. On the culinary lineup is Salt Meats Cheese, Mr Burger, Cheese Lane and Mac From Way Back, so prepare for a feast of pizza, burgs, cheese and mac 'n' cheese. Plus, the fun will run right through the evening — think pre-, during and post-match revelry.
When you were a kid, Easter Sunday meant stuffing your face with as much chocolate as you could. Just us? We know it wasn't. But now you're classed as an 'adult', there's really nothing stopping you from an annual chocolate inhaling. Hey, who's going to judge you? Alternatively, you could indulge in four hours of canapes, frose, rose, Pimm's Easter punch, Veuve Clicquot — at a mid-morning eating and drinking extravaganza. Dalgety Public House has you covered with their Easter Sunday Bottomless Brunch. It's a cool $99 per person, but it'll be worth it. We've given this advice before, and we know we will again: wear something stretchy.
