After headlining Splendour in the Grass earlier this year, The National are bringing their moody, Nick Cave-esque brand of indie rock back to Australia in February 2014. The tour kicks off in Adelaide before heading to Sydney (where they'll be performing on the Opera House forecourt), Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Given we're an island on the other side of the world, it took the New York-based band a while to make their way Down Under, but better late than never right? We've loved them doubly ever since. The National first came to Australia in 2008 to promote their fourth album, Boxer, before coming back in 2010 and 2011 for the Falls Festival and Harvest. They took a break for a few years before returning with their sixth album, Trouble Will Find Me, which is being hailed as their best to date. After appearances at several major festivals like Reading and Leeds and Lollapalooza, The National are fast building a reputation as a must-see live act. Fans can expect to hear some of their older songs, like 'Demons', 'Bloodbuzz Ohio' and 'Fake Empire' (which was controversially used in a Mitt Romney election video without their knowledge) as well as newer stuff from Trouble Will Find Me. https://youtube.com/watch?v=N527oBKIPMc
"I didn't want to simply be a socialite," Jep Gambardella (Toni Servillo) tells us. "I wanted to become the king of socialites." He has succeeded grandly in this most empty of ambitions; his life seems an endless parade of high-society gatherings, fashionable soirees and art gallery openings. A louche writer resting on the laurels of his lone novel and the occasional magazine piece, Jep has turned recently turned 65 and is shaken from his decadent torpor when he learns that his first love has died. The news acts as a reminder of his own looming mortality and is a chance to reflect on the gradual decline of Rome. Writer-director Paolo Sorrentino's last film was the somewhat divisive little gem This Must Be The Place; this is a much more elaborate affair, stuffing dozens of vignettes of city life into its 142-minute running length. It evokes comparison with his great countrymen Federico Fellini and feels like a belated companion piece to La Dolce Vita, in its ambition, sweep and affectionate but pointedly warts-and-all portrait of a decaying, decadent metropolis. The Great Beauty is in cinemas on January 23, and thanks to Palace Films, we have 15 double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Read our full review here. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=koxRDhAQOpw
After more than a year of teasing — including initial hints in 2019, official confirmation in 2020, a first teaser a week ago and a full trailer a couple of days back — Friends: The Reunion will finally hit screens this month. HBO's US streaming platform HBO Max has gotten the gang back together, reuniting Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow to chat about orange couches, smelly cats and whether a couple is on a break. And, in just-announced news, Australian viewers will be able to get their own hefty dose of 90s sitcom nostalgia at the same time as folks in America. Local streaming platform Binge has just announced that Friends: The Reunion will hit the platform at 5.02pm on Thursday, May 27. Aussie fans were always going to be able to watch the special somewhere, and Binge was always the likely destination, but that has only been confirmed less than a week out from the show's airdate. Dubbed 'The One Where They Get Back Together' in the special's teasers, the reunion comes 27 years since the TV sitcom about six New Yorkers made audiences a promise: that it'd be there for us. And, as well as making stars out of Aniston, Cox, Perry, LeBlanc, Schwimmer and Kudrow, Friends has done just that. Sure, the hit series wrapped up its ten-season run in 2004, but the show has lived on — on streaming platforms, by sending an orange couch around Australia, by screening anniversary marathons in cinemas and in boozy brunch parties, for example. Friends: The Reunion promises to take pop culture's lingering affection for the show to another level, though. During the unscripted special, the actors behind Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey, Ross and Phoebe will chat about their experiences on and memories of the show — all on the same soundstage where Friends was originally shot, so expect to see some familiar faces and some recognisable decor. Aniston, Cox and the gang also have a few other famous pals for company, with the hefty guest lineup spanning folks with connections to the show and others that must just love it. On the list: David Beckham, Justin Bieber, BTS, James Corden, Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Lady Gaga, Elliott Gould, Kit Harington, Larry Hankin and Mindy Kaling, as well as Thomas Lennon, Christina Pickles, Tom Selleck, James Michael Tyler, Maggie Wheeler, Reese Witherspoon and Malala Yousafzai. Check out the Friends: The Reunion trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYB1HvwHnkg Friends: The Reunion will be available to stream in Australia via Binge, hitting the platform at 5.02pm on Thursday, May 27.
Exploring dreams, memory and emotion is the brand new exhibition, Grace, by well known photographer Tina Fiveash. This series uses stop-motion animation and lenticular photography to create dream-like imagery that evokes emotional responses, enabling audiences to engage with the evolving narrative within the works. Grace is one of several new exhibitions currently on display at the Queensland Centre for Photography, so make a day of it and explore the brand new images from some of Queensland’s best.
As if Bill Murray's moustache wasn't excitement enough, the entire soundtrack to Wes Anderson's new film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, is currently streaming ahead of its release at Pitchfork. And true to the director's form, the 32 songs have enough whimsy and intrigue in them to knock Jude Law on his pipe-smoking, tweed-wearing back. Unlike Anderson's more gutsy early offerings like Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, the Grand Budapest soundtrack easily favours Russian folk songs over anything like The Ramones or The Velvet Underground. In that way, it's much more akin to the music found in Moonrise Kingdom or Fantastic Mr. Fox — one could easily imagine the characters scurrying around while looking at ornate objects from above. In fact, that's what the film looks like as a whole. From the trailers already released it seems much less like Wes's early, thoughtful character studies, and much more a madcap reunion of his on-screen favourites. Not that we're ones to complain about another opportunity to see Jason Schwartzman with cigarettes morosely hanging out of his mouth, or Bill Murray in high-waisted pants. Like all things Wes, this soundtrack is an acquired taste. If you're already a fan, the music has the ability to transport you — its folksiness is almost otherworldly. If you're not, we recommend you stay clear of it. If Wes couldn't win you over with The Beatles and Elliott Smith, I doubt the Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra is going to do the trick. The Grand Budapest Hotel will be released in Australian cinemas on April 10. Stream the soundtrack here.
From slinging back a shot of whisky with a frosty lager to chase, to sampling a flight of single malts with paired craft brews, whisky and beer have walked hand in hand for years. But what is it about these two particular drinks that just works? What other possibilities exist on the horizon of adult beverages, beyond the humble boilermaker? We caught up with Michael Nouri, brand ambassador of single malt whisky, Auchentoshan (pronounced 'ock-un-tosh-un'), to delve deeper into the world of fermented grains. No stranger to the heavenly duo, Auchentoshan are serving up their own take on whisky and beer throughout June in Sydney and Melbourne with the Auchentoshan & Ale, a refreshing cocktail of Auchentoshan American Oak, pale ale, fresh lemon juice and sugar syrup. So strap in, friends, to see why whisky and beer make up a power couple that rivals even the Underwoods. THE IRREFUTABLE FACTS OF CHEMISTRY While the idea of actually mixing whisky and beer together might seem a little counterintuitive, the result exposes a whole new level of flavours. By the very nature of their chemistry, the brew and spirit are simply destined to be partners in crime. "Whisky starts its life as beer," Michael explains, so from the get go, the two share characteristics that complement one another. "You're taking whisky back to its origins. The spirit has a great cereal-like, grain structure to its flavour profile, and so does beer," so putting the two together is a no brainer, like with the Auchentoshan & Ale, where the scotch's distinctive nut and citrus base notes match those of many pale ales. However, even though whisky and beer have so much in common, another important part of the pairing equation is the fact that they're also so different. As their shared characteristics are enhanced by combining the two, the differing aspects of their profiles are also accentuated. Since beer is so refreshing, it adds a nice counterbalance to the warmth and intensity of a straight spirit like whisky, Michael explains. Auchentoshan American Oak, for example, balances the sweetness of the oak with the subtle fruity hops and citrus acidity of pale ale; ice-cold frothiness meets with a slick heat, and that's where the magic happens. "You know what whisky tastes like, and you know what beer tastes like, but when you put them together, it's a completely different beast." AN ENDLESS WORLD OF POSSIBILITY When you've got two ingredients that both complement and contrast each other, you're left with a combination that's too great to fail, and what's even better is how there's an absolutely endless stream of pairing possibilities. From matching a young bourbon to a rich porter, to combining a crisp pale ale with a rounded scotch like in the Auchentoshan & Ale, there are endless whiskies and beers to try together, and the industry is always coming out with new variations. "The beer camp, just by virtue of the industry itself, is quite progressive," Michael says. And while the whisky world can be a little conservative, it is catching up with new trends and ideas. You have distillers like Auchentoshan who are challenging the norms, and triple distilling their whisky to create a delicate flavour that's great on its own, but also makes for an interesting drop to experiment with. "You've got a whole variety of experimentation happening now, with different grains, with rice, with quinoa and a whole variety of other stuff," and these new variations mean boundless products to pair up. BEYOND THE BOILERMAKER With these endless possibilities, comes a lot of experimentation. The boilermaker is almost old hat now that both brewers and distillers are trialling more and more combination styles. "That's the whole beauty of what we do, it's experimental. We're trying new things, we're discovering combinations, and we're finding new ways to bring something interesting to people that they've never thought was interesting before" — like combining scotch, pale ale, fresh lemon juice and sugar syrup into one refreshing tipple. But when it all comes down to it, it's important to bear in mind that "ultimately, all you want to do is sit there, close your eyes and enjoy that drink." We couldn't agree more. Sit back, close your eyes and enjoy an Auchentoshan & Ale found around Sydney and Melbourne until the end of June.
From global behemoth Netflix to the arthouse, indie and documentary-focused Kanopy, picking a streaming platform can take as much time as actually picking something to watch on a streaming platform. The latest to enter the market has quite the point of difference, however — and not just because it's free. If viewing the likes of Bronson, Drive, Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon has you on the same wavelength as filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn, then you're in luck — the Danish writer/director has started his own streaming service. Called byNWR.com, it's a self-appointed "an unadulterated expressway for the arts", according to the site itself. After opening in beta in July, it's now officially up and running. A venture in conjunction with existing platform Mubi as well as the Harvard Film Archive, byNWR.com highlights a different restored cult classic each month, with the selection picked by a guest editor. Each film is supported by content themed around the chosen flick, such as essays, videos, photos and music. If you're thinking that you've probably seen the movies on offer (and that they're probably available elsewhere), think again. The site launched with three titles chosen by journalist Jimmy McDonough, and it's highly unlikely that you've watched and rewatched 1965 horror effort The Nest of the Cuckoo Birds, 1967's Hot Thrills and Warm Chills and 1967's Shanty Tramp endlessly, or even seen them on a big or small screen recently. The second volume will start rolling out from September, and will include 1961 thriller Night Tide starring Dennis Hopper, 1971's If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?, and 1967's Spring Night, Summer Night — all curated by film publication Little White Lies. "I hope my site will inspire people to see the world a different way," Refn explained The Guardian, while also touching upon something fans of the filmmaker's own work will be more than familiar with: pushing people out of their comfort zones. If Refn's choices sound like the kind of thing you would like to see in a cinema, Little White Lies also reports that the streaming site will be accompanied by special screenings around the globe.
Between Saturday, January 18 and Monday, January 27, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre is hosting a sales event of most peculiar stock. Strange things they are, full of pages, rampant with words and with covers of the most beautiful colours. You can't charge them, they don't run out of battery, their brightness is unalterable, and they won't smash when you drop them and have them lost forever. Lifeline Bookfest is back for another round of vintage bargains and startling ranges of everything from Australian Women's Weekly Cookbooks to a bit of cheeky erotica. If you're been before, you'll know there are warehouse quantities of books for sale – your grade five diary is probably hidden under a copy of Shantaram, and you'll come across at least three copies of Cooking with Days of Our Lives. Prices range from cents to the big bucks — bring a trolley and your glasses, and absorb yourself in books. Bookfest runs from 7.30am–6pm on its opening day, then from 8.30am–6pm afterwards. Image: Bookfest.
After eight days in lockdown again in a bid to stop another COVID-19 outbreak — including an initial three-day snap lockdown, and then an extra five days to keep cases under control — southeast Queensland emerged from stay-at-home conditions at 4pm on Sunday, August 8. Gone are the four reasons to leave your home, as well as the travel radius — which means that you can now head out of the house whenever you like, for whatever reason you like and to go almost anywhere you like. Still, new restrictions are in place until at least 4pm on Sunday, August 22, and the list of rules can be a bit overwhelming. To help, we've broken down just what you can and can't do. This information is correct as of Monday, August 9. For what reasons am I allowed to leave the house? Remember those four reasons announced at the end of July? They're no longer in effect. So, after eight days of only being able to leave home to purchase groceries and other essentials, for care and caregiving (including getting vaccinated), for permitted work, for outdoor exercise and recreation, you can now leave for any reason you like. For how long can I leave the house? There's no time limit on leaving the house, as long as you're abiding by all other restriction. Is there a curfew? No, there is no curfew. You are allowed out of your house at any hour — and for any reason and for as much time as you like, too. Do I still have to wear a mask? Yes, masks are still compulsory whenever you leave home. Masks must still be worn both indoors and outside whenever you're anywhere other than your own home. You can only ditch your mask if you're alone in your car or with members of your household, you're alone outdoors or with folks you live with, if you're eating or drinking, if you're doing strenuous exercise, or if it is unsafe to do so. And, you must always carry a mask with you, too. How far can I travel? You can travel within the 11 Local Government Areas that were in lockdown as much and as far as you like — so in the Brisbane City Council, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim LGAs. But, residents of these areas are asked to avoid travelling to regional Queensland for the next fortnight. And if you wanted to travel interstate, border rules in other parts of Australia may hamper your trip — check the relevant state for details. Can I see friends and family? Yes, but there are a few caveats. You can catch up with up to ten people both inside and outside of your home — but if you're doing so at home, that number includes the people who live in your house. Outside, you can exercise in groups of up to ten, have a picnic — socially distanced, of course — or do whatever else you like. Can I have a session with a personal trainer in a park? Yes, groups of ten are allowed to meet up for personal training and bootcamp sessions. Can I have a picnic in a park? Yes, as long as it's with up to ten people (including yourself). Also, it'll need to be within the 11 LGAs that are under restrictions. Here are some of our favourite spots. Can I go to the beach? Yes, but you can only go with up to ten people (including yourself) — and as long as it is within the 11 LGAs that are under restrictions. Can I drive to a park or beach? You most certainly can, as long as it is within the 11 LGAs that are under restrictions. Can I visit a regional town? Residents of the 11 LGAs that have just come out of lockdown are asked to avoid travelling to regional Queensland for the next fortnight. You can travel within the 11 LGAs that were in lockdown as much and as far as you like, however. Can I go shopping? For any reason, yes. But some shops may still have altered hours, so check before you head off. And, capacity and density restrictions have been put in place. The one person per-four-square-metres rule is in effect inside, and the one person per-two-square-metres outside. How about to a restaurant or cafe? Yes, you can head to a hospitality venue, but capacity and density restrictions are in effect. The one person per-four-square-metres rule applies inside, and the one person per-two-square-metres outside — but smaller venues up to 200 square metres can have one person per-two-square-metres overall, up to a maximum of 50 people. Also, you must be seated to eat and drink — so vertical consumption isn't allowed. Can I dance? At a bar, club or other venue? No. Dancing is not permitted under the current restrictions, either inside or outside — except at weddings (see below). Can I go to gyms or other recreational services? Yes. But like at retail and hospitality venues, capacity and density restrictions apply — so the one person per-four-square-metres rule is in effect inside, and the one person per-two-square-metres outside. How about a movie? Yes, indoor seated venues such as cinemas can reopen. Again, capacity and density restrictions are in effect. So, the one person per-four-square-metres rule applies — but, where there's ticketed and allocated seating (which is all cinemas, generally), venues can fill to 50-percent capacity. Can I play sport? Community sport is not permitted to go ahead under the current restrictions. That includes organised sport of any description — including community, club and recreational sport. Professional sport is allowed to go ahead, however, under COVID Safe Professional Sport Plans. Can I attend a funeral? Yes, however funerals are limited to 20 mourners, plus the people conducting the service. Can I attend a wedding? Yes, however weddings are limited to 20 people, including the celebrant and two witnesses. Dancing is also permitted at weddings, but nowhere else. Eleven LGAs in the Greater Brisbane area came out of lockdown at 4pm on Sunday, August 8. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. More details about restrictions can also be found on the Queensland Health website. Top image: Brisbane City Council, Flickr.
Look, it was only a matter of time before this happened. Following on from the success of similar places in New York and Amsterdam, Australia's first avocado pop-up cafe is coming to Sydney. And it'll be avocado everything, seven days a week. Don't act surprised — we created this monster. The pop-up — named Good Fat, because everyone knows that's the best health benefit/justification for eating copious amounts of avo smash — will opens its doors on November 2 in Surry Hills with about 20 items on the menu that incorporate avocado. Sydneysiders will be able to indulge in creations such as the avocado breakfast skin (an avocado smoothie bowl served in its own skin) and a Cornetto-inspired avo ice cream cone. If you haven't already twigged, the whole thing is a promo for Australian Avocados, a non-profit representative body for the Australian avocado industry. But even so, avocados are a brand we're happy to support with our love and money. If you feel the same, the pop-up will be open will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner until November 30 and all dishes will be under $20. Good Fat will be open from November 2–30, from 7am to 9pm on Monday through Saturday and 8pm to 5pm on Sundays, at 355 Crown Street, Surry Hills.
Call this 'The One with Familiar But Still Exciting News': Friends! The Musical Parody is bringing its comedic, song-filled take on a certain 90s sitcom to Brisbane in 2022. Yes, this announcement has been made before, and more than once. The show has even opened its umbrellas in Brissie and on the Gold Coast already. But we all know how the past two years have turned out — so the fact that the production is doing the rounds again should still make your day, week, month and even this year. This time around, Friends! The Musical Parody will be there for audiences at The Tivoli from Wednesday, July 20–Sunday, July 24. So, get ready to spend time with the show's versions of Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey and Phoebe — hanging out at their beloved Central Perk, of course, and sitting on an orange couch, no doubt. The musical starts with caffeinated catch-ups, but then a runaway bride shakes up the gang's day. From there, you'll get to giggle through a loving, laugh-filled lampoon that both makes good-natured fun of and celebrates the iconic sitcom. Yes, no one told you that being obsessed with the Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer-starring show about six New Yorkers would turn out this way — with on-stage skits and gags, recreations of some of the series' best-known moments, and songs with titles such as 'How you Doin?' and 'We'll Always Be There For You'. And no, no one told us that being a Friends aficionado would continue to serve up so many chances to indulge our fandom 17 years after it finished airing, either.
Three Blue Ducks is expanding its collection of ever-popular farm-to-table eateries with a new road trip-worthy regional restaurant. Following the opening of a Snowy Mountains outpost in 2020 (and closures of its Brisbane restaurant and original Bronte cafe), the hospitality group has now turned its attention to the New South Wales mid-north coast to showcase the area's renowned produce at a venue in Bellingen. Opening on Thursday, July 13, this new addition to the Three Blue Ducks family will be located at scenic Bellingen hotel The Lodge, expanding the group's current slate of locations to five alongside Rosebery, Byron Bay, Melbourne and Nimbo. Located on the hotel's 16-acre gardens, the restaurant will offer all of the hallmarks of Three Blue Ducks with a menu that favours bold, spice-packed dishes. "We've always loved working with spice, lemongrass, ginger, chilli, makrut, et cetera, and after working closely with the local producers and farmers, we've created a menu for the restaurant that showcases these flavours," says Three Blue Ducks' Darren Robertson. "The menu draws from some of the favourite dishes we've cooked during our travels and at our other locations over the years, combined with new dishes to keep it fresh and exciting for us, our staff and people that drop in." The Three Blue Ducks crew has been working with a range of local suppliers including Levenvale Farms, The Patch Organics, Nautical Wholesale Seafood, Coffs Coast Mushrooms and Promised Land Organics to pull together a menu that places the spotlight on the best beef, seafood, chicken and vegetables that the region has to offer. The all-day restaurant will kick things off early on Saturdays and Sundays with Single O coffee and brekky favourites like the restaurant group's beloved granola, bacon and egg rolls, avocado and roasted mushroom toast, and cocktails like Bloody Marys and cherry blossom spritzes. From there, Bellingen locals, hotel guests and tourists alike can settle in for a flavour-packed lunch or dinner, with a hefty a la carte selection available alongside a series of set menus. There's a prominent Asian influence throughout the menu, with dumplings and bao on offer as starters, salt and Szechuan pepper squid and prawn toast available on the smaller plates, cauliflower curry on the mains and a chocolate yuzu eclair ready to round out your meal. Other highlights diners can expect at Three Blue Ducks Bellingen include beef tartare with fragrant chilli oil and togarashi; lemon, lime and south plum duck; fried chicken sandwiches; ponzu-topped oysters; flat-iron steak with citrus butter and curry leaf; and miso caramel cheesecake. There will also be a separate functions menu, with the Three Blue Ducks team working with The Lodge to offer private events and catering for weddings. The Lodge boasts 30 individual rooms, luxury glamping options, a pool with day beds and a bar, and five alpacas that wander the gardens. Reservations for the restaurant are open now. [caption id="attachment_834387" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Three Blue Ducks, Rosebery[/caption] Three Blue Ducks Bellingen will open on Thursday, July 13 at The Lodge, 1381 Waterfall Way, Bellingen. It'll be open for dinner Monday–Sunday, lunch Friday–Sunday and breakfast Saturday–Sunday.
When JK Rowling dropped those last terrible three words on us at the close of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, all was not well. It would never be well without Harry, Ron, Hermione and co. in our lives. But great things are bubbling in the wizarding world, with Supreme Mugwump Rowling announcing the release of an eighth Harry Potter book. If we look Petrified, it's because HOLY SHIT. According to Pottermore, Rowling's own kickass content website, 2016 will see a special rehearsal edition of the script book of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts I & II — Rowling's first play on London's West End that picks up 19 years after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and that abominably cheery epilogue on Platform 9 3/4. Print and digital editions of the book will publish right after the play's world premiere in winter 2016. You'll be able to read the version of the script from the Cursed Child's preview performances (a Definitive Collector's Edition will come later). JUST. LOOK. AT. IT. What's in store for Harry and the gang? The Cursed Child is set 19 years after the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Harry is now a Ministry of Magic employee, and the play focuses on his youngest son Albus Severus Potter — the heart pangs. The official synopsis of the play (and now official eighth book) was released by co-writers J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany on October 23, 2015: "It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places." It's been 20 years since the UK publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Twenty. Re-read it, go see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them when the film comes out and sit on your sorting hats until the EIGHTH HARRY POTTER BOOK arrives. Oh god, I need a butterbeer. Via Pottermore.
It's been one heck of a tough year for the country's bar industry, as venues spent months navigating lockdowns, restrictions and, more recently, capacity limits. But despite all the craziness, Australia has still managed to make a splash at this year's edition of the World's 50 Best Bars Awards. Four local drinking establishments each nabbed themselves a spot among the 51–100 top bars in the world, as announced last week. Those voted in the top 50 will be revealed at a separate virtual awards ceremony held on Thursday, November 5. All four Aussie bars to make the 51–100 list are located in Melbourne, which has just lived through some of the world's toughest COVID-19 restrictions as part of its second-wave lockdown. Fitzroy bar The Everleigh snagged the 73 spot, while newer CBD haunt Byrdi came in at 80. Petite Collingwood bar Above Board followed not too far behind at number 84 and the long-running Black Pearl — which has scooped a spot in the Top 50 list numerous times throughout the award's 12-year history — was voted in at 98. [caption id="attachment_748362" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Byrdi by Kate Shanasy[/caption] Elsewhere on the list, London's Scout (by the now Sydney-based bartender Matt Whiley) came in at 51, while the USA had seven bars in the lineup, including The Dead Rabbit in NY and San Francisco's Trick Dog. The annual awards are voted on by over 540 bar industry experts from around the world, including bartenders, consultants, drinks writers and cocktail specialists. Australia will now wait to see if any more local venues make it into the World's 50 Best Bars list later this week. Last year's one–50 lineup featured just one Aussie bar, with Sydney's Maybe Sammy taking out position 43. Check out the full World's 50 Best Bars Awards 51–100 list at the website. The one–50 list will be revealed at 3pm UK time on Thursday, November 5, via Facebook and YouTube. Top image: The Everleigh by Gareth Sobey
By the time the triple-headline Blind Date Tour comes to an end with final shows in Sydney and Brisbane, the bands will have visited seven cities across Australia, bringing the nation together for eight fantastic shows. Sydney’s Jinja Safari were recently called “a bristling force of nature” by New York label Neon Gold. And before jetting off to the UK for a massive set at the Isle Of Wight Festival, they’re eager to remind their fans exactly why they’ve been given that title. Auckland’s Opossum deliver a sound drenched in groove-laden psychedelia, with homespun tales about love and drugs from the just-released Electric Hawaii that’ll take the crowd on a hazy roller coaster. Playing a set labelled as “a cul-de-sac of orgasmic, sweet indie-synth psychedelic-pop” that’ll blow minds, Los Angeles’ White Arrows round off the triple bill.
If New Year’s Eve isn’t an excuse to get all dolled up and treat yourself to a fancy meal at an expensive restaurant, well, nothing is. Whether you’ve been to celebrity chef Matt Moran’s Brisbane establishment before, or if this will be your first time, the three-course set price menu will get your mouth watering. There’s more than the food, of course; there’s also Aria’s extensive wine list to caress your palate. Possibly the classiest and tastiest way to spend the evening, it also puts you in the thick of the city action thanks to the restaurant’s river views and Eagle Street Pier location.
If you're a fan of Gelato Messina and its sweet treats, the past couple of years have just kept on giving. That saying doesn't apply to much at all during the pandemic, but it definitely fits in this situation. The dessert chain has released all manner of one-off specials, launched a new range of chocolate-covered ice cream bars in supermarkets, dropped a merchandise line and brought back its Christmas trifle, for starters — and, as it did in 2021, too, it's also doing Easter cocktails. A collaboration with Cocktail Porter, Messina's DIY drinks kits let you whip up your own boozy beverages — and, because it's that time of year, you'll be doing so inside an Easter egg. Yes, you read that correctly. What's the point of being an adult at Easter if you can't combine sweet treats with alcohol? Basically, these kits answer a familiar dilemma, especially at this time of year. No one likes choosing between tucking into an orb of chocolate and having another beverage, after all. Flavour-wise, get ready to sip and eat a whole heap of salted caramel. These packs come with Messina's popular dulce de leche topping, as well as Baileys, cold-drip coffee and Mr Black Coffee Liqueur. You'll also receive chocolate Easter eggs, obviously, which you'll pour your mixed liquids into — as well as pieces of salted caramel popcorn to pop on top. You can pick between two different-sized packs, with the small kit costing $80 and making five drinks, and the large costing $145 and making 12. Fancy drinking Easter cocktails out of rabbit-shaped mounds of chocolate? That's on the menu as well. This kit doesn't actually feature Messina products, but espresso martinis served out Lindt milk chocolate bunnies should still tempt your boozy tastebuds. This one also comes with vodka, cold-drip coffee, sugar syrup and Mr Black Coffee Liqueur, and the prices for both small and large batches are the same as the salted caramel kits. Cocktail Porter delivers Australia-wide, if that's your Easter drinking plans sorted. It's now doing pre-orders for both packs, which'll start shipping from mid-March. To order Cocktail Porter's Easter cocktail kits, head to the Cocktail Porter website.
If you, like us, have been cooking at home much more frequently since the pandemic hit, you've probably also become more aware of your food-related waste. Luckily for us — and the environment — though, more and more companies are focusing on sustainability in the kitchen. Next on that list: Great Wrap, a compostable alternative to cling wrap that's made from 100 percent plant-based material. The Australian-owned, family-run business was co-founded by Julia and Jordy Kay, who spent 18 months developing the Great Wrap formula. While many compostable plastics can take ages to decompose, Great Wrap is made from plants and breaks down into non-toxic molecules in less than 180 days — faster than an orange peel. If you're already a sustainability warrior, you know that's an impressive feat. The cling wrap is (of course) food safe and durable as well. Each roll is 30-metres long and perforated in 30-centimetre intervals for easy tearing. And, most importantly, it's another way for home chefs to enjoy cooking while minimising their environmental impact. Apart from the cling wrap, the company also produces pallet wrap for businesses — something that's especially useful in breweries, bottle shops and other venues. It's currently out of stock, but will be back in September, so keep an eye out. For domestic use, you can buy three rolls for $29.90 or six rolls for $49.90, with free shipping on all orders — and a ten percent discount currently on offer for all new accounts too. Great Wrap has also garnered the support of online natural wine shop Drnks. If you're interested in trying the product out on a smaller scale, you can grab a single-roll order on the Drnks website for a tenner. To find out more about Great Wrap and order a three- or six-pack, head over to greatwrap.co.
For the past three decades, catching live tunes at The Zoo has been a Brisbane staple, with local favourites like Resin Dogs and Screamfeeder, Aussie greats such as Nick Cave and Silverchair, and international acts including The Pixies and The Black Keys all taking to its stages. It really has been 30 years of such gigs, with the venue launching back on December 11 in 1992. Obviously, that's something worth celebrating. Can't remember a time without The Zoo? That's understandable. Keen to mark this huge birthday at the Ann Street spot? That is, too. For the latter, the venue's team has put together a hefty December slate of gigs to commemorate its massive anniversary — spanning nine events, including jazz afternoons, art exhibitions, reunions and love letters, and featuring more than 100 artists. Whether you're keen to celebrate by enjoying what The Zoo has always served up best — bands, bands and more bands — or you're eager to get nostalgic, there's something on the venue's The Zoo Turns 30 lineup for you. Current co-owners of Cat Clarke, Luke 'Boo' Johnston and Shane Chidgzey, who've added a pizzeria, launched a separate punk-inspired bar and started a bottle-o this year as well, have collaborated with OG co-founder Joc Curran on the bill. The roster aims to mark as much of what The Zoo has done, embraced and represented in Brisbane's music history as possible, with the end result running from Friday, December 2–Sunday, December 11. "Thirty years ago in December 1992, myself and C Smith opened a venue with the help and support of our community; our families, local artists, musicians, tradies, and even the government did their bit to help us open the doors. We came together to create The Zoo. We started as a simple BYO café where art adorned the walls and music flowed through the open windows," explains Curran. "Fast forward to 2022, the stage is larger, the room is now air-conditioned. The keeper of the keys are now Boo, Cat and Shane. Community, music and art are still the binding elements that keep The Zoo's heart beating just as strong." [caption id="attachment_873288" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Luke Henery[/caption] The Zoo's birthday shenanigans kick off with A Love Supreme doing its thing — aka curating an ace night of tunes — presenting Nu Genea and Bárbara Boeing. Next on the list: an official birthday bash, headlined by original opening-night performers FAT, and also paying tribute to Brisbane's Punkfest events. For seven years, Jazz on a Sunday Vibe took over The Zoo on the last Sunday of each month — and it's doing it again on the first Sunday in December, including performances by Katie Noonan and Zac Hurren. Still looking backwards, the venue's birthday art show will exhibit photographs and memorabilia captured and collated over the past 30 years, and also act as a reunion of past and present Zoo crew members. Plus, Ben Ely will perform, as he has at The Zoo countless times before. Airlock Studios will present an evening of tunes, with the studio established by Powderfinger's Ian Haug — a former Zooie himself — bringing in The Predators alongside a lineup of fellow Queensland talent. These festivities aren't all about The Zoo's (and Brisbane's) history, however, with one big gig dedicated to up-and-comers. That said, another regular old favourite, Dub Sessions, will make a return — and there's a The Zoo OG All Stars show that'll feature the aforementioned Resin Dogs and Screamfeeder (of course), and more. And, wrapping it all up is Why I Love The Zoo, a spoken-word session where 12 friends of the Zoo have been asked to commit their affection for the place to paper. Among the list: Clarke, Curran, Haug, Butterfingers' Eddie Jacobson, Screamfeeder's Kellie Lloyd and Violent Soho's Luke Henery. THE ZOO TURNS 30 LINEUP: Friday, December 2 — A Love Supreme presents Nu Genea and Bárbara Boeing Saturday, December 3 — Punkest presents The Zoo 30th Birthday Bash Sunday, December 4 — Jazz on a Sunday Vibe Anniversary Concert Wednesday, December 7 — The Zoo 30th Birthday Art Exhibition and Zooie Reunion Thursday, December 8 — Airlock Studios presents Friday, December 9 — The Zoo 2022 Saturday, December 10 — Dub Sessions featuring DJ No MC Saturday, December 10 — The Zoo OG All Stars Sunday, December 11 — Why I Love The Zoo The Zoo's 30th birthday lineup will run from Friday, December 2–Sunday, December 11 at 711 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley. For further information and to buy tickets, head to the venue's website. Images: Cat Clarke / Luke Henery.
Queensland residents will all soon be able to holiday in New Zealand again, in the latest change to the trans-Tasman bubble. Quarantine-free travel between Australia and NZ was put on pause back in June due to rising COVID-19 cases in the former, and was then reinstated with some Australian states at the beginning of July — and now it's returning in Queensland as well. From 11.59pm NZT/9.59pm AEST today, Monday, July 12, folks who live in the the Sunshine State will be permitted into NZ without quarantining — so if you're a Brisbanite in need of a holiday after the city's lockdown earlier this month, that's great news. The trans-Tasman bubble will now only sill remain suspended with New South Wales, which is unsurprising given Sydney's current lockdown. https://twitter.com/covid19nz/status/1414406542367940615 In a statement today, Tuesday, June 29, on Twitter, the NZ Government advised that "a public health risk assessment for Queensland has been carried out by the Ministry of Health, and they have assessed travel with the state as presenting a low public health risk." It continued: "The last community case was 7 July 2021. The last time a case was infectious in the community was on 4 July 2021. There have been no unexpected wastewater detections and community testing rates have been good. Queensland is also easing restrictions within the state." Queenslanders keen to head to NZ when the bubble kicks back in will need to provide evidence of a negative pre-departure test before they're able to fly. Also, you can't have been in New South Wales on or after 10.30pm NZT/8.30pm AEST on Saturday, June 26. No word was given regarding a timeframe for reinstating the quarantine-free travel between NZ and NSW, but again that isn't a surprise. The latter reported 112 new locally acquired cases in the past 24 hours, and isn't expected to get out of lockdown this week — even though a target date of July 16 was set a week ago. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. To find out more about the virus and travel restrictions in New Zealand, head over to the NZ Government's COVID-19 hub.
That glorious summer staple, Maltesers Moonlight Cinema, is back for its 18th season of open-air cinema. And they've put together another cracking program to tickle the cinematic tastebuds of old and young alike — from advance screenings of the hottest blockbusters to cult classics, blood-rushing action flicks to heart warming rom-coms. New Farm Park at Brisbane Powerhouse will be the venue for this year's cinema. Hire a beanbag or simply sprawl out on the grass under the stars with a loved one. Don't forget to indulge in some delicious snacks and perhaps a few beverages to complete your cinematic experience. It's the perfect way to unwind after a hard day and usher in those balmy summer nights. There's also the option of 'Gold Grass' tickets, which gets you a bean-bed in the front rows and designated waitstaff. New releases include the much-anticipated return of Ron Burgundy in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues as well as sneak previews of big Boxing Day releases The Railway Man and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Sometimes it's the classics that can be most fun, however. Embrace your inner dag and negotiate how much a set of jousting sticks should cost with the much-loved and highly quote-able Aussie comedy The Castle. Or roll out the picnic rug and share a meal fit for Jehovah over Monty Python's 1979 gut-buster, The Life of Brian. If there's one thing Moonlight Cinema has proven itself more than capable of, it's cherry-picking the most enjoyable moments in cinema and creating a relaxed and sociable atmosphere to boot. Maltesers Moonlight Cinema runs from December 12, 2013, to February 23, 2014, and Concrete Playground has five double passes to give away (valid for a screening of your choice). To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address at win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au.
As the drummer for Nirvana and the frontman for Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl doesn't have many mixed bags on his resume. The music superstar has been in the spotlight for three-plus decades now, and boasts success after success to his name, complete with a list of awards and hits bound to make almost everyone else in the industry envious. But all their lives, Grohl and his fellow Foos must've dreamt of being horror movie stars — and the result, the pandemic-shot Studio 666, shouldn't entice any of them to quit their day jobs. A haunted-house horror-comedy, this rockstar lark is gonzo, gory and extremely goofy. It's a clear bit of fun for everyone involved, and it's made with overflowing love for the genre it slips into and parodies. But it's an indulgent and stretched exercise in famous folks following their whims at times like these, too. Achievement unlocked: there's Grohl's mixed bag. Studio 666's setup revolves around Grohl, drummer Taylor Hawkins, guitarists Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear, bassist Nate Mendel and keyboardist Rami Jaffee packing their bags for a live-in recording session at an Encino mansion. As the movie's 1993-set prologue shows, their temporary new home has a dark past, after the last group that inhabited the spot met bloody ends; however, ignorance is bliss for the Foo Fighters. Actually, an obligation to deliver their tenth album to their overbearing manager (Jeff Garlin, Curb Your Enthusiasm) inspires the move, as does the band's creative lull in conjuring up the record otherwise. Grohl instantly falls for the sound of the space as well, to an unhinged degree, and his bandmates begrudgingly agree to the month-long stay to make musical magic happen. Recording an album doesn't usually spark The Evil Dead-style murderous mayhem, cursed book and all, but that's Studio 666's gambit. Its Californian abode isn't just stalked by a grisly ghoul with a love of gut-rumbling tracks — it possesses Grohl with the need to craft a killer song, length be damned, and with satanic bloodlust, cannibal cravings and prima-donna rocker behaviour. Is he monstrous about doing whatever it takes to get the tune because he's bedevilled by the house's resident evil, he's on a power trip or both? That's one of the film's big gags, and also a hefty splatter of the kind of sense of humour it's working with. Winking, nudging, satirising, and sending up fame, egos and the all-devouring nature of entertainment stardom: they're all on the movie's menu, alongside as much gleefully cheap-looking viscera as any feature can manage to splash around. Amid the deaths by cymbal, barbecued faces and projectile-vomited guts — no, what's left of the Foos at the film's end won't be getting their bond back — there's zero doubt that Grohl and company are enjoying themselves. Actors, they aren't, but playfulness has always been part of Foo Fighters' mood. When the band began in 1994, initially as a one-man project by Grohl after Kurt Cobain's suicide the same year, it was instantly perkier and sillier than Nirvana. For the 'Big Me' music video from the group's self-titled first album, they shot an unforgettable Mentos ad parody in Sydney. With the 'Learn to Fly' clip in 1999, they satirised airline flicks — Airplane!, which was already a send-up, plus disaster fare Airport 1975 and Airport '77 — aided by Tenacious D's Jack Black and Kyle Gass. Getting so delightedly bloody might be new, but refusing to take themselves seriously definitely isn't. Surrounded by Lionel Ritchie cameos and Will Forte's (MacGruber) bit-part as a delivery driver-slash-wannabe muso, all in the house where they did actually record 2021's Medicine at Midnight, the Foos are in on all of the jokes — Grohl goes overboard with his eye acting, Jaffee couldn't be more buzzed to revel in New Age-y stereotypes and Smear is gloriously flippant about sleeping on the kitchen bench — but they also overestimate how entertaining their mucking around is for audiences. The ever-longer it sticks around, the more Studio 666 resembles viewing your mates' holiday videos and hearing them relive their in-gags from that trip you didn't take with them. The Grohl-originated story, as scripted by the Pet Sematary remake and latest American The Grudge flick scribe Jeff Buhler with Rebecca Hughes, a veteran of mid-00s sitcom Cracking Up, has more to it than a mere clip for a Foo Fighters song could sustain. There isn't enough for Hatchet III and Slayer music video director BJ McDonnell's 107-minute movie, though. Splitting the difference, a tight half-hour short like the Beastie Boys' 2011 Fight for Your Right Revisited might've hit the mark perfectly, but then no one could've sold cinema tickets. Studio 666 is a tad haunted by those other alliterative American music icons given that the Beastie Boys made ridiculously parodying movie genres an art in their clips for 'Sabotage' — aka the best music video ever made — and 'Body Movin'. This Foos' effort strives for the same vibe, but more is less here. There's a bit of A Hard Days Night to Studio 666, too. Obviously, The Beatles-starring 1964 film doesn't care too much for horror, or at all, but the two movies share a days-in-a-life angle that peers beyond the facade of fame. That's a nice piece of music synergy, in fact, given that Grohl was part of a makeshift band tasked with playing the British group's songs for the Backbeat soundtrack back in 1994, the same year Foo Fighters was born. Not just due to Grohl's flannelette-heavy wardrobe, the Nirvana of it all proves a monkey wrench for Studio 666. In coming up with a story that includes a hit early-90s band's demise after the suicide of their lead singer, it's impossible not to see Grohl's bad-taste cribbing from his own history — a piece of satire that doesn't land for a second, was never going to and is mind-bogglingly ill thought-out. When the film does work, however, it's a screwy, entrails-strewn jape. When it toys with horror fans' knowledge of the genre by using Halloween-style text with an opening theme to match, then reveals the track to be the product of the iconic John Carpenter (who also cameos on-screen), it's knowing in an ideal way. But, when Jason Trost of the cult-fave The FP franchise shows up briefly, Studio 666 lays bare its own demons. This Foo-driven film wants to be the best of that exact kind of midnight movie, but is really just a cover version.
Stories involving someone's testicles (especially engorged ones like this) usually aren't very heartwarming. But 31-year-old Thomas Cantley is currently proving that assumption wrong. Over the course of this month, Cantley has been rolling a giant inflatable testicle across the USA to raise awareness of testicular cancer. Relying on people's kindness and support, he is currently travelling from California to New York and has been raising a lot of eyebrows along the way. Diagnosed with a stage three testicular cancer in 2009, Cantley started his ballsy mission in order to break some of the taboo surrounding the topic. "It's a 96 per cent survival rate if caught early," he told KSBW. "I want to prove you don't need billions of dollars or the promise of a cure to make a difference in the fight against cancer." His mission is instead about creating conversation. With his own cancer currently in remission, he's travelled more than 750 kilometres over the course of the month. People are inviting him to stay with them, buying him meals, and writing their own cancer-related stories on his giant testicle as he goes. With the Ball Push project now nearing its end, he's even earned himself the nickname of Mr Ballsy. Ever since Forrest Gump began running for the sake of running, we've had a fascination with these novel acts of endurance. Frankly, we're personally fascinated whenever anyone completes a regular marathon. What would compel someone to do that to themselves? But in the case of Thomas Cantley, the reason is very clear. Taking advantage of the humour all young men seem to find in their balls, Cantley is tactfully asking guys between 15 and 35 to "go check their nuts". And hey, if a cancer survivor can trek all the way across the USA dragging a very annoying inflatable ball, you can probably muster a quick fondle or trip to the doctor. Follow the rest of the journey via the Ball Push website or Facebook page. For more on the issue, check out the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation. Via A Plus and KSPW.
The stage is about to get saucy this weekend as finalists shimmy and sparkle away during the Miss Burlesque Australia 2012 Competition. Set to woo audiences and judges alike, Oz's brightest burlesque stars - one from each state - will take to the stage in a succession of themed performances. Each will show what they've got in a 'Classic', 'Gown Parade', and their choice of a 'Unique' or 'Neo' performance. Not brushed up on your burlesque lingo? Not to worry: these ladies will spell it out in feather fans and sequins. Not to be left out, burlesque-loving guys will compete in the pageant's first ever Mr. Boylesque Competition. Male entrants from around the country will perform their most outrageous 'Unique' routines in hopes of winning that crown. Regarded as one of the world's leading burlesque pageants, Miss Burlesque Australia 2012 promises to deliver the very best of this revived, tongue-in-cheek art form. Prepare for the finalists' one-two punch of sexy and sassy; it's bound to be one hell of a show. Further details can be found here. https://youtube.com/watch?v=yyfz6dJkx2s
It is definitely a hard slog for emerging bands to get noticed. There is Triple J Unearthed of course, which is a fantastic exposure tool through the interwebs, but finding the chance to play live on a major stage in front of potential new fans alongside the industry elite can be near impossible. Enter ‘Emergenza’, a unique international music festival that doubles as a band competition. Now in its twenty first year, Emergenza has helped hundreds of musical groups put their name in lights, or at least give it a red hot go. The festival and competition is global, with sub-events in different ports around the world. From Australia to Japan, to the USA and many places in between. All these mini-festivals culminate in a final major event in Rothenburg, Germany. Groups of any type are encouraged to get involved - performing originals or even covers that have been reworked. Bands are then knocked out through audience voting at each mini festival until there is a group of winners from all over the world, and they compete to reign victorious in Germany. Set to be an exciting night of competitive sets, head down to the HiFi for Emergenza, the band competition to end them all!
UPDATE, April 24, 2023: Slowdive are no longer on the Daydream bill, after drummer Simon Scott was injured. This article has been updated to reflect that change. Float on, festival fans: come April, Australia's newest excuse to see a heap of bands in one spot will make its way along the country's east coast. That touring event: the just-announced Daydream, which joins the country's ever-growing roster of excuses to see and support live music. Daydream is hitting the Riverstage in Brisbane on Sunday, April 30 with quite the roster of indie-rock talent — headlined by Modest Mouse three decades after the Washington-born group first got together. Don't listen to the title of the band's acclaimed 2004 album, though — this is good news for people who love good news, not bad. Joining Modest Mouse on the bill are Australian favourites Tropical F*ck Storm, and the roster keeps going from there. The lineup varies slightly per city, with Beach Fossils and Cloud Nothings also taking to the stage at all stops. [caption id="attachment_817946" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Somefx[/caption] Top image: Modest Mouse by Matthewvetter via Wikimedia Commons.
Anyone who's been in Sydney over the last few weeks will have noticed that it's been unseasonably warm. Winter's usual chill has been swapped for mild temperatures and, instead of regular downpours, the city has seen a stream of clear sunny days — during the day, you barely even need a light jacket. And this weird weather all came to a head this weekend, with Sydney copping one of the hottest winter days it's ever had. Earlier in the week, Weatherzone has predicted that yesterday — Sunday, July 30 — would come pretty close to topping the highest temperature on record for July: 25.9 degrees (which was set back in 1990). And they were right. At 2.10pm, the mercury hit 26.5 degrees — making it Sydney's warmest July day ever. #Sydney sets new July heat record, 26.0 degrees. Last year it took until October to get this warm https://t.co/sbzHtvvHzG — Weatherzone (@weatherzone) July 30, 2017 It's pretty insane. But while Sydneysiders reaped the benefits of the warm day — and all the warm weather has been undeniably delightful — it doesn't bode well for us in the long run. In fact, if only adds to our ever-present anxiety about global warming, an increase in extreme El Niño events and what that might mean for Australia and the world.
Like chicken? Love your poultry products slathered in spiciness? Think you can eat a whole lot of wings and then a whole heap more? Get your stomach ready and head to the Buffalo Bar. We guarantee that you won't be leaving hungry. Yep, the Mary Street hotspot is asking all brave folks to test their tastebuds at Brisbane's Hottest Wing Easting Comp. This finger lickin' good feast is exactly what it sounds like (and yes, bibs and goggles are provided). The winner will take home a Buffalo Bar voucher and prize pack, as well as bragging rights, while the audience will enjoy an afternoon of competitive eating entertainment.
In an emotional sense, things aren't really looking up in Australia at the moment. 2020's horror show has continued into 2021, thanks to new outbreaks and lockdowns, because the chaos of the pandemic hasn't passed just yet. But, for one night, it's worth literally looking up with your eyes and your noggin — because a conjunction of Venus and Mars is about to happen way above our heads. Peer skywards tonight, on Tuesday, July 13, and you'll see the two planets in close proximity. How close? According to NASA, they'll appear a mere finger's width apart. They won't actually physically be that close, of course, but they'll sure look like it. If you're not familiar with the term 'conjunction' within the field of astronomy, it refers to two objects or spacecraft sharing the same right ascension or ecliptic longitude — so they're at the same angular distance in one way or another. Specifically, it's used to describe the moment that two objects are at their closest apparent point together in the sky. You might remember the term from last year, because Jupiter and Saturn went through the same thing in December. https://twitter.com/NASAAmes/status/1414660845557125120 For this conjunction, you'll want to find a spot where you can peer in a northwestern direction. That's where you need to look — but if you're wondering when you should take a peek outside this evening, The Conversation advises looking up between 6.30–7.30pm. You'll be able to see Venus before then, from dusk, but Mars will only be visible once it gets dark. In Australia, you'll spy Mars slightly above its neighbour, and to the left. Venus isn't hard to spot; it has been called "the evening star", after all. To get a glimpse of the red planet, you'll need to peer a little harder, as it is nowhere near as bright. To get the best view, you'll want an unobstructed vantage of the sky — and, to look even closer, to use binoculars or a telescope. If you do choose some optical help, you'll be able to see both Venus and Mars in the same field of view. 2021 has already delivered a few sky shows, via pink, blood and strawberry moons, so this is just the latest astronomical gift this year. But, at a time that hasn't been big on good news, it's definitely worth looking up for. The Venus and Mars conjunction will be visible in the evening of Tuesday, July 13. For further details, head to the NASA website.
Feel like treating yo'self this long weekend? Of course you do. How about a trip to the Gold Coast for an afternoon of basking in the sunshine and sipping delicious beverages that'll keep you buzzing well into the evening? That's what's on offer at Sunset Affair Gold Coast — aka the annual event's first trip to the QT Hotel's Stingray Lounge. Wear your best summery cocktail outfit and prepare to make a day of devouring delicious drinks and canapés. Live acoustic music will help get you in the mood, food stands will keep your stomach satisfied, and everyone from animal handlers to magicians to champagne pourers on stilts will make the occasion one to remember.
Cheer until your throat gives out as gold and black collide in a melee of mud, sweat and blood in the final test of the Bledisloe Cup 2012. Ranked first and second respectively New Zealand and Australia have clashed for the converted Bledisloe cup since, depending on who you ask, 1931, and the All-Blacks have dominated the majority of the time, including a recent ten year winning streak. With Suncorp Stadium awash in a sea of gold and filled with the shouts and screams of undeterred wallabies fans, the haka might fall on deaf ears. Regardless, it will be a great game; not to be missed.
Since 2020, the Museum of Brisbane has been throwing the city some major love as part of exhibition The Storytellers. Alas, even sprawling showcases that turn Brissie history into a storybook must come to an end — but this huge celebration is evolving rather than wrapping up. Meet The Storytellers: Next Chapter, which is taking over MoB from Thursday, December 9–Sunday, January 23. Targeted at the school-holiday crowd but open to everyone — kids and kidults alike — it's morphing into a community installation and giving the whole storytelling concept an interactive spin. That ripped-from-the-pages look mentioned above? You'll be able to colour it in, with drawing on the walls 100-percent allowed here. You'll be stepping inside the black and white interior of a dilapidated Queenslander, in fact, which you can add hues and patterns to however you see fit. (Think of it as an obliteration room, which every Brisbanite should be familiar with thanks to GOMA, but with pencils instead.) Other highlights include sharing your memories of last decade's floods, creating paper poinciana blossoms, making lanterns, crafting an ibis — yes, this is still all about Brisbane, so bin chickens obviously feature — and fashioning handmade fabric sunflowers to add to a wall blooming with them. While entry is free and some events won't cost you a thing, there is a $3 fee on a range of the crafting activities.
“Your nose like a delicious slope of cream / And your ears like cream flaps / And your teeth like hard shiny pegs of cream.” Diner en Blanc — like Howard Moon's poem — will have you in all white. But sorry, Booshers: the third edition of this Brisbane event is just for the sophisticated. Now on five continents, the Diner en Blanc began in Paris 26 years ago thanks to François Pasquier and friends. This year, 2000+ of Brisbane's creme de la creme will once again dress in all white on Saturday, October 11, for the event held at an iconic location that remains secret until the very last moment (last year it was the beautiful banks of the Brisbane River at Portside). Following an evening of elegance, fine dining and live music, the foodies then pack up their crystal, dinnerware, tables and litter. Like ghosts (white 'n' all), they leave behind no sign of their rendezvous. (But don't get any ideas: a white sheet thrown over your figure will not do for an outfit). Diner en Blanc guests must either be invited by a member from the previous year, or get on the waiting list for a ticket.
As a certain Christmas carol has told us all for our entire lives, decking the halls with boughs of holly is a one way to mark the jolliest season of the year. As the festive period rolls around for 2020, Cocktail Porter has another suggestion: trimming your tree with baubles filled with ready-to-drink cocktails. They ornaments look like tiny bottles of booze, because they are tiny bottles of booze. So, you won't mistake them for something else. Each is filled with the equivalent of 1.5 standard drinks, and they'll give you something to say cheers to (and with) while you're standing around the tree. Four different types of cocktails are included — and, given that they come in either four-piece ($99) or five-piece ($109) sets, you'll either just get one of each or also score two of a particular variety. And they've been given festive names, but you'll already be familiar with negronis, gimlets, martinis and old fashioneds. In the 'Rudolf's Negroni', you'll be sipping sweet vermouth, Italian bitters, Tanqueray London dry gin and blood orange. As for the 'Santa's Old Fashioned', it features Bulleit Bourbon, honey, sea salt and orange oils. If you'd prefer the 'Elf-flower Gimlet' (with elderflower, Ketel One Vodka, fortified wine and lime) or 'Gin-gle Bells Martini' (with Tanqueray London dry gin and French Vermouth), they're actually supposed to be served cold — so you'll need to plan ahead and pluck them from the tree before cocktail hour. For more information about Cocktail Porter's cocktail baubles — or to order them for delivery Australia-wide — visit the service's website.
Imagine starting the day with a spot of yoga and one of the best views of the city. That's the new weekly promise at Eleven Rooftop Bar, with the Ann Street venue adding a spring and summer season of sky-high wellness sessions to its lofty repertoire. And each class is free. From 6am every Tuesday between October 17 and December 12 — other than Melbourne Cup day on November 7 — early risers can stretch their limbs at a great height with yoga and Pilates sessions, or get the blood pumping with some boxing or circuit training. With all of that on offer, you'll probably want to take the lift up to the 11th-floor rooftop — best save your energy for working out while staring at the city below. The appropriately named Rooftop Wellness at Eleven is a collaboration between the Fortitude Valley spot and The Cove Workplace, with Facilities Fitness, Studio Pilates Newstead and Eka Shakti Yoga all pitching in as well. Registration is required, and if you'd like to hang around afterwards, an optional breakfast session will serve up juice and a chia bowls after each class for $17. Rooftop Wellness at Eleven takes place on Tuesday mornings from 6am to 7am between October 17 and December 12, apart from Melbourne Cup day on November 7. For the detailed schedule, head to the event website.
Pulsing synths, addictive percussion and mellow crooning have seen this Perth trio launch from strength to strength, making waves both locally and abroad. From Unearthed beginnings through to shows at Groovin' the Moo and Laneway, Crooked Colours have generated a following hypnotised by their feelgood ambience. These electronica lads are currently on their first ever national tour, promoting the brand spanking new EP, In Your Bones. Hot off the back of sold out shows in Melbourne, Crooked Colours will be touching down at Alhambra Lounge, ready to churn out some tender tunes and audiovisual witchery. Cranking up the tempo, there will also be killer support from electronica duo Deja. This is going to be a seriously vibing, all-night dance party, so get down and sweat it out before these guys get all expensive. https://youtube.com/watch?v=UvVPInNtU_Y
For a lot of people, DIY is a way of life. We aren’t talking about home renovations and Better Homes and Gardens-type craft, think more along the lines of independent artists and creative minds starting movements and trends from small beginnings. Huge in street culture, the DIY ethos is something that is relatable and effortlessly cool and, while grassroots in origin, anything DIY is something worth sharing and celebrating. The Brisbane Collective is hosting a pop-up exhibition to celebrate the launch of issue two of To Be Continued magazine, a street press publication dedicated to promoting culturally relevant happenings in Brisbane. Taking place at Turf Studios, DIY Till You Die will people a pop-up bar, tacos from Juan More Taco Truck, live painting and numerous artists and musicians on hand to provide the atmosphere. Presale tickets are $5 from Oztix or $10 on the door. To keep track of who will be attending and showing off their artwork, check out the event page here!
In the film that bears her name, Wadjda (Waad Mohammed) resides within a system of oppression, yet refuses to accept her restrictions. On the cusp of adolescence, the ten-year-old rallies against her surroundings in Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, be it the strictness of her schooling or the expectations of her gender — appropriate interests, friends and public behaviour included. In class, Wadjda is admonished for laughing, leaving her head uncovered and trading forbidden items. At home, she watches her mother (Reem Abdullah) worry about her husband taking a second wife, and struggle with the rude driver who escorts her to work. In response, Wadjda's manifestation of rebellion comes in the humblest — and most age-appropriate — manner. She desires a green bicycle, but is told no. She wants to cycle in the street, but is strongly discouraged. She yearns to enjoy the same freedoms as her male counterparts, such as her neighbour, Abdullah (Abdullrahman Al Gohani). The feature's missive of female empowerment is evident in its protagonist, though its message is never bluntly handled. Wadjda, the film, carefully and thoughtfully presents the reality of the role of women in Saudi society, without hiding or heightening the difficulties. Wadjda, the character, remains a shining emblem of possibility and potential, her choices complex and considered, not easy or simple. Of course, Wadjda's on-screen statement and subversion bears the weight of its revolutionary off-screen status, as the first feature shot entirely in Saudi Arabia, and the first full-length film made by a female Saudi director. Again, writer/director Haifaa Al-Mansour (Who studied at the University of Sydney) remains subtle in her debut fictional effort, with documentary Women Without Shadows her sole other helming credit. Her story says it all, the parallels obvious but the narrative independently affecting. Lightness, rather than solemnity, provides the pervasive tone. Her images are plain and stark against a dusty background, yet her atmosphere is one of optimism — for the little things. The broader truth is not forgotten; indeed, as Wadjda moves towards triumph, the tale remains one of tragedy. Being able to ride a bike in the street is no small feat, though life in Saudi Arabia is repeatedly filled with similar — and often insurmountable — challenges. The non-professional cast incisively articulates the dichotomy between the feature's dream and the production's actuality, none more so than Waad Mohammed in her only film role to date. Her wide eyes and expressive face convey Wadjda's determination, but also her growing acceptance. Her performance is feisty and finessed in turn, straddling the line between youthful exuberance and dawning realisations. Mohammed's portrayal truly gets to the centre of the hopeful and heartbreaking feature: cognisant of limitations, but forever striving for change. https://youtube.com/watch?v=v-4kosdSXR8
Halloween is an ideal time for watching spooky movies; however whatever viewing you've already got planned, cancel it. There's one movie that's even more perfect for the occasion that usual this year, and it's showing at Dendy Portside for one night only. With the beloved Gene Wilder passing away recently, revisiting his work in the comedy-horror classic Young Frankenstein is a must. You'll laugh, you'll enjoy an all-time great, and you'll get to watch a masterful performer at his absolute best. Plus, dressing up as Wilder from this or any of his other movies is encouraged.
Between Thursday, March 12–Sunday, March 22, you won't need an excuse to sink a few brews in Brisbane. You don't need one any day anyway, of course, but these 11 days are all about beer, more beer and then even more beer — because that's what Brewsvegas is all about. Returning for its huge seventh year, the city-wide festival is celebrating ales, lagers, stouts, porters and pilsners all around town — and with quite the range of events. A whopping 59 venues are taking part, basically turning Brissie into one big bar crawl. Start with the big launch party at Stone & Wood's recently opened Fortitude Valley digs, then pack out your diary with more beer-focused activities and festivities than you can currently imagine. Among the highlights: beer karaoke, beer painting sessions, beer cocktails, beer and board games, a four-course 'beergustation', and beer with both bowling and boules. Young Henrys is bringing its Rock & Roll Circus to town for the first time, everything from beer and jazz to a New Kids on the Block vinyl night will get your toes tapping, and you can choose between multiple block parties and multiple crawls of Brisbane's brewery-filled suburbs. Because pairing beer with different foods is always on this fest's agenda, expect beer with oysters, doughnuts, flapjacks, bacon, cheese, shanks, brunch and ice cream — with the latter turning your humble brew into a beer float. A soiree dedicated to one of the most under-appreciated drinks there is, the shandy, is also on the bill. A new burger challenge is part of the fun too, featuring 20 different Brissie bars and 20 new burgs — all paired with a craft brew, naturally. And for the fourth year running, Brewsvegas will be hosting its Pint of Origin battle, with nine venues each focusing on different Aussie states and overseas countries — so you can take your beer-loving tastebuds on a whirlwind tour without leaving the city.
Sport. Seafood. Think about Petrie Terrace's Caxton Street and one of the two, if not both, always comes to mind. The inner-city Brisbane roadway is the home of Lang Park. It's also long been synonymous with festivals celebrating the ocean's finest. On Saturday, October 19, 2024, it's adding another type of fest to its roster of events, with Good Chat Comedy Club launching the inaugural Caxton Street Comedy Festival for a jam-packed day overflowing with laughs. Already a place go get giggling inside Caxton Street Brewing Company — which was previously Fritzenberger, and also Casablanca before that — Good Chat is sharing its sense of humour with its base venue, plus Lefty's Music Hall, Alfie's at The Lord Alfred and The Haunt upstairs at The Caxton Hotel. Each spot is hosting a feast of shows, with more than 20 on the lineup across the full day. Boasting a program featuring talents both local and from further afield, the fest will get patrons splitting their sides thanks to Lloyd Langford, Michael Hing, Geraldine Hickey, Chris Ryan, Luke Heggie, Nick Cody, Damien Power, Amy Hetherington, Emma Zammit and more. The Death by Birding podcast is recording live, as is Who Knew It with Matt Stewart — so whether you like watching avian life or comedians answering quizzes, it's on the bill. For those keen to see multiple comedians at once, The Caxton Street Comedy Festival All-Star Gala will get you guffawing at a hefty roster taking to the Lefty's stage, while The Gong Show at The Haunt is enlisting more than ten comedians to bust out their best in three-minute slots — and attempt to avoid being gonged off. Another certain highlight: Game On Mole Live!, which hails from Not on Your Rider and Isolation Trivia's Aimon Clark. Yes, it's another game show, but this time there's a sabotaging twist. Alongside Ian 'Dicko' Dickson, two groups of comedians face off; however, one player's entire job is to undermine their team. You'll watch. You'll laugh. You'll attempt to pick who is bad at answering questions and who is doing it on purpose. Caxton Street Comedy Festival will take its hilarity outdoors as well via streetside entertainment, and sling tins of its own Tight Five beer, which Caxton Street Brewing Company is making just for the occasion.
When The Westin opened in Mary Street, finally filling the CBD's giant hole in the ground, it brought with it Brisbane's first swim-up watering hole within a body of water. That was great news for everyone planning a luxe staycation — and now it's great news for everyone, with Nautilus Pool Bar open to the public from Friday–Saturday until the end of April. The hotel has anointed its weekend shindigs with the moniker of Endless Summer, which is a mighty apt term given how toasty warm it still is in our fair city at this time of year. Cool off with a dip and a drink, with your $20 ticket including both. Beverage-wise, you'll get one spritz cocktail, boutique wine or craft beer. You can keep reaching to your wallet for further tipples, and you can lounge around on the daybeds while you're sipping — and between splashes — too. Endless Summer runs from 3pm on Fridays, and from midday on Saturdays and Sundays, with bookings essential.
Sofia Coppola is not the first director that comes to mind when you think Disney. In fact, with her consistent focus on complicated and dreamy sadness — see Lost in Translation, The Virgin Suicides and Somewhere — she seems like the perfect buzzkill to all the joy and greatness that Sebastian the crab worked for all those years ago. Nonetheless, this divisive filmmaker is currently in negotiations to direct a live-action adaptation of the classic Hans Christian Anderson tale. Deadline reports that the script has already gone through multiple drafts from Kelly Marcel (Fifty Shades of Grey) and Abi Morgan (Shame) and is currently in the hands of Caroline Thompson (Edward Scissorhands). With that in mind, it's safe to assume the film will in fact be a darkly sexual story that may or may not feature either Johnny Depp in BDSM gear or Michael Fassbender in no clothes. Although this will Coppola's first feature where she didn't write the screenplay, it's easy to see how her brand of 'beautiful and bothered young things' will work seamlessly with the original story. Ariel is, after all, a girl with problems. She's besotted with a boy she can't have, she's split between two worlds, and the story finishes with her taking the less than lovely form of sea foam (I'd warn for spoilers but, hey, you've had over 100 years to read it). As ridiculous as it first sounds, we're actually excited by the news. Now all that's left is to decide whether Kirsten Dunst or Scarlett Johansson would make the better hipster Ariel.
This Christmas, all you need is love — plus a festive little cabaret that showcases all of the hit tunes from Love Actually. It's the way to celebrate the season when you're not just leaving the seasonal favourite flick on repeat at home. Yep, that's Christmas Actually. Created by the folks behind Rumour Has It and Lady Beatle, Christmas Actually features all of the tracks that've become synonymous with this merry time of year — including Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You', naturally. Songs by Joni Mitchell, Norah Jones, Eva Cassidy, The Beach Boys and The Beatles are all on the bill as well — and, to help belt them out, Price will be joined by Luke Kennedy, Irena Lysiuk, Doron Chester, Scott French, Mik Easterman, OJ Newcomb and Luke Volker. There'll even be more than one nativity lobster, plus a jolly mood and a whole room full of festive cheer. That room is Brisbane Powerhouse, where Christmas Actually plays its 2024 season from Tuesday, December 10–Sunday, December 15. Get excited by revisiting Love Actually's trailer below. 'Tis the season, after all. Top image: Katy Bedford.
Clare Bowditch is a pretty busy lady. She writes killer songs, acts in Offspring (haters be quiet, that show is incredible), runs Big Hearted Business (a company aiming to help creatives make money and vice versa), has two kids and boasts a knack for making you feel like you're the only person in the room when she performs. This is rather good news for you, because she's coming to the Powerhouse. Bowditch is lacing up the tour boots this July for her Winter Secrets Tour, the perfect lure to get out and about in the middle of winter. We probably should have mentioned she has eight successful albums and a 15 year music career to pack on the tour. Why should you go? Because Bowditch describes the shows as an 'Interactive Co-Creative Transformative Absurd Joyful Experiences between Audience and Performer'. How can you say no to that? Ex-Magic Dirt frontwoman turned solo artist, Adalita, will be the opening act in each state with tunes from her latest album All Day Venus. She'll also be joining Bowditch onstage for a joint performance. Bowditch is continuing her Winter Secrets tour tradition. One local musician in each state is getting the chance to join Bowditch on stage to perform one of her songs and be in the running to win $1000. Hello music career. This year, the song to nail will be 'I Thought You Were God'. Winners will be announced closer to each date. https://youtube.com/watch?v=aqppMH8_uYQ
Surfing and gig-going have always been two of Australia's best-loved pastimes, and now we've scored a festival celebrating the best of both worlds. Debuting this autumn, The Drop festival will cruise around the country as it follows the Aussie leg of the World Surf League Championship Tour and it's bringing a banging little lineup of musical gold along for the ride. Surfing the festival wave for 2018 are Canberra favourites Safia, Indie pop darlings San Cisco and Brisbane rockers Dune Rats, along with other local legends Holy Holy and Ruby Fields. Held on the first weekend of each area's surfing event, The Drop's set to grace some of the Australia's most iconic surf spots, each outing featuring a locally-focused offering of food, drink and culture, to match the tunes. Catch it at Tweed Heads' Ebenezer Park on March 17, Torquay Common in Torquay on March 31 and then on April 14 at Margaret River's Three Oceans Winery. First release tickets for The Drop are $75, available here for Tweed Heads and Torquay, and here for Margaret River. For more info, visit thedropfestival.com.au.
UPDATE, November 26, 2020: Diego Maradona is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Football god? Addict, scoundrel and swindler? Diego Armando Maradona has been called all of the above. From champion to crook and superstar to scum, he's been labelled better and worse, with his status as a walking contradiction rarely lost on anyone in his orbit. The famed Argentinian soccer player himself recognises it. During his playing heyday in the 80s and 90s, he was known to tell people that he was Maradona on the field but Diego away from the spotlight. In Asif Kapadia's probing documentary about the sportsman, Maradona's career is further summarised by another juxtaposition: "a bit of cheating and a lot of genius". While that sentiment applies broadly, the line refers specifically to his "hand of god" moment in the 1986 World Cup. During a quarter-final against England, he scored a pivotal goal by illegally using said appendage. Argentina won the game and went on to claim the entire tournament, all with Maradona as team captain. He knew what he'd done, as he admitted years later and again explains in Diego Maradona. Anyone under the misapprehension that sports players always stick to the rules — and never do whatever they can, testing the limits to see what they're able to get away with — might well be shocked. But that's Maradona, especially when he was the world's most acclaimed and expensive player, an international headline staple, and a hero not only on home soil, but in Naples where he ruled the turf for seven seasons. He describes his chosen sport as "a game of deceit", after all. In setting his sights on the polarising footballer, Oscar-winner Kapadia does what he's always done so expertly in his other celebrity-centric documentaries. In Senna and Amy, the British filmmaker trawled through a treasure trove of archival material to tell his subject's stories, knowing that their own words — and their own actions at the height of their respective success — will say more than anything else can. The same overall approach applies to Diego Maradona, but three crucial differences distinguish the director's latest picture. Maradona is still alive, firstly. His voice, not just from then but now, features prominently in the film as a result. Lastly and most importantly, his isn't a gone-too-soon tale of tragedy. If they were still here today, Ayrton Senna and Amy Winehouse's own contrasts might've become more evident, however their deaths gave their lives a recognisable narrative. Still kicking, even if he's long, long past his prime goal-scoring days, Maradona can't follow the same distinct trajectory. Faced with this predicament, Diego Maradona leans into the inescapable truth. It doesn't seek to celebrate, condemn, lionise or lament, but to present Maradona as he's been perceived by the world — both as one of the greatest soccer players of all time (if not the greatest player of all time), and as a womaniser, drug abuser and crony of the Italian mafia. Although the film focuses primarily on the decade surrounding his SSC Napoli stint, he's also seen as a stocky kid who grew up in absolute poverty, then a multi-millionaire living the life of luxury. He's the breadwinner from his teenage years onwards, and a man quick to squander a fortune. Colleagues, coaches, trainers and other industry folk lavish praise on Maradona's immense speed, skill and football smarts, then call out his arrogance, selfishness and swagger. He adores his family, but happily turns his back when scandal wafts through the air. In both his personal and professional lives, the list goes on; in fact, the doco can't cover it all. If his story was fiction, the endless incongruities would seem like overkill. If it was a soccer match, a commentator would dub it a game of two halves. As Senna and Amy have so grippingly demonstrated, there's something equally fascinating and relatable about famous figures whose plights have ended sorrowfully — stars who've soared and then crashed in the most final way, all while chasing their dreams. The same applies to someone as contradictory as Maradona, who embodies humanity's competing, fighting urges in one incredibly well-known package. Whether you're a diehard soccer fan, you flinch at the thought of calling the world game 'football' or you couldn't care less about sport at all, it's this truth that holds viewers' attention in Diego Maradona. As the movie delves into the eponymous Argentinian's life for two hours, it lays bare Maradona's labyrinthian nature. And, while his highs and lows have reached far beyond the levels that most will ever experience, who doesn't feel like they're multiple things all at once? Mirroring the grainy footage at his disposal, Kapadia doesn't smooth out Maradona's edges. The footballer is never a sympathetic hero in this entertaining and insightful film, nor a clear-cut villain. If maintaining that balance sounds like a significant feat given all that's known about Maradona and all there is to his tale, it's one that the director handles with his usual storytelling and technical prowess. Corralling the same crew that worked on his past two docos (particularly editor Chris King and composer Antonio Pinto), he weaves his audio and visuals together with silkiness reminiscent of Maradona's own on-field best. With revealing interview snippets heard rather than seen, and the picture steadfastly maintaining its gaze on its main man through both media clips and home videos, Kapadia crafts a jam-packed yet nuanced and thoughtful portrait. Yes, that's a juxtaposition again. Even decades after his career triumphs and subsequent fall from god-like standing, Maradona will never shake them, as Diego Maradona unpacks with aplomb. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjfeSdHP2ZQ
Many things have graced GOMA's walls and halls, from dots everywhere to weird and wonderful fields of not-quite-flowers. Between Monday, November 12, 2018 and Sunday, April 28, 2019, so will a secret jacaranda garden of sorts. Sure, it's easy to spot the eye-catching trees across the city at this time of year; however this creative exhibit will surround you with purple. Gary Carsley's Purple Reign is part of the 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, and it's blooming inside the gallery for five months. It's designed for children, but great art can bring out the kid inside all of us. It can also make everyone want to take a whole heap of photos. The interactive piece is inspired by R Godfrey Rivers' 1903 painting Under the jacaranda, and projects gorgeous blossoms of purple onto the space's walls. There's also animated video and touchscreens, letting attendees — especially the younger ones — really play with and dive into the artwork. Image: Installation view of 'Purple Reign'. / Photograph: Natasha Harth, QAGOMA.
As one of southeast Queensland's two go-to beach-filled holiday spots, the Sunshine Coast is known for its sun and sand. But as well as being perched right on the ocean, the region also boasts rainforests and farms in extremely close proximity. That places it among Australia's most unique food and drink regions, gives it an interesting culinary landscape and makes it a prime location for a festival that's all about eating and drinking. Bites, beverages, basking in everything that makes the Sunshine Coast ace: that's The Curated Plate's remit, and has been since it kicked off back in 2019. Returning for 2023, the festival now runs for ten days, spanning Friday, July 28–Sunday, August 6, to celebrate all of the culinary goodness that this coastal pocket has to offer. On the lineup: more than 100 events featuring 300-plus local producers and suppliers, as put together by 52 local businesses and event organisers. The festival's program takes place in venues across the region's hinterlands, rainforests and beaches, giving attendees the full Sunny Coast experience. Heading along means feasting your way from Caloundra to Coolum, Maleny to Mooloolaba and Buderim to Beerwah, including at bar crawls, overwater picnics and farm-to-fork experiences. 2023's highlights cover MooloolaBARS, which is exactly what it sounds like across one beer- and beverage-heavy day; picnics in the Maroochydore Wheel House on Bradman Avenue, with food and booze taken care of for you; and a day spent eating at Falls Farm and Mapleton Public House. Or, there's the return of the Sunshine Coast Asian Food Festival, a zero-waste garden-to-plate lunch, and Moffat Beach Brewing's beer and barbecue degustation dinner. The festival is also championing First Nations food experiences, such as at a series of bush tucker river cruises by Saltwater Eco Tours, and a four-course dinner featuring native Australian ingredients — hand-picked garnishes from the Sunshine Coast hinterland included. Also on the lineup: a kombucha workshop, classes on plant-based cooking and oyster shucking, and a session about combining whisky, tequila and chocolate. Or, there's a boozy brunch heroing locally grown oyster mushrooms, bottomless high teas, trawler-to-table cruises that obviously go heavy on seafood and farm open days.
When writer Diablo Cody, filmmaker Jason Reitman and actor Charlize Theron first teamed up for 2011's Young Adult, it really couldn't have worked out better. Charting the exploits of a thirty-something ex-prom queen returning to her home town, their acerbic and amusing movie served up a perceptive portrait of arrested development. Joining forces again for Tully, the trio have another aspect of adulthood in their sights, this time exploring the ups and downs of motherhood. It's not Cody and Reitman's first stab at the subject, given that the pair initially worked together on teen pregnancy comedy Juno. But if they'd like to keep pumping out films about different life stages every couple of years, please, no one stop them. In Tully, Marlo (Theron) is a mum of two who's days away from giving birth to her third child. Unsurprisingly, she's already utterly exhausted. When her new bundle of joy arrives, she's even more stressed and tired, with her husband (Ron Livingston) hardly a hands-on dad. Enter a gift from her well-off brother (Mark Duplass), albeit one she's reluctant to accept at first. He's adamant that a night nanny will change her life, and when serene and soothing twenty-something Tully (Mackenzie Davis) arrives on her doorstep, Marlo soon discovers that he's right. Tully doesn't just take care of the baby each evening so that Marlo can sleep. From cleaning the house and cooking cupcakes for the kids to providing much-needed pep talks and sharing sangrias, Tully takes care of Marlo too. The scenario inspires rich performances from a particularly raw Theron and a suitably sparkling Davis — the former committed to conveying the hardships of maternity in all of its unglamorous glory, the latter calm and kind as Tully brings Marlo back from the brink of desperation. The pair complement each other perfectly, while fleshing out their characters with the type of detail that can only be drawn from reality. As Theron switches from weary to anxious to utterly fed up, the star couldn't offer up a more relatable picture of parenthood. As Davis embodies the caring yet carefree figure every woman has wished she could be, she helps show why such fantasies are ultimately just that. Indeed, while the film couldn't feel more authentic than when Theron is in unhappy wife and mum mode, it kicks into another gear when its two leads share the screen. Cody's script segues from relaying honest truths about being a mother to exploring the importance of female connections, and neither element should be underestimated. Few flicks lay bare the struggles of postnatal depression in such frank but funny terms, and even fewer present complicated, unconventional but unconditionally supportive bonds between women. The writer's usual cynicism is ever-present, recognisable to anyone who's seen the screenwriter's previous films; however if she actively set out to refute every mainstream depiction of idealised mums and stock-standard gal pals, she's nailed it. That said, Tully is likely to divide audiences, all thanks to one decision that this review won't spoil. A bold choice that initially seems like Cody and Reitman might be taking the easy way out, it's actually one of the movie's most astute moves, as well as a development that the director's naturalistic, roaming visual approach subtly builds up to. Tully shows that mums don't stop being people when they usher new life into the world. It firmly demonstrates that everyone needs support. It warmly depicts women looking after each other. More than all of that — and most importantly — the film probes society's willingness to believe that mothers can do it all, often single-handedly. Admitting how ridiculous that expectation is would upset the long-held status quo, but this movie happily takes aim at the idea in a smart, savage and still empathetic fashion. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Cody wrote the script after having her own third child, or that this excellent ode to self-care ranks among her finest, most mature pieces of work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9iVra2kdD4
