They say you should never stop learning new things — and with the great range of classes on offer at Laneway Learning, why would you want to? Case in point: Plastic Fantastic – Christmas Presents with a Difference. That’s your stockings stuffed and sorted. Recycling a humble everyday item everyone has too many of (yes, we know what’s under your sink), this crafting session teaches all the tricks for turning plastic bags into ecologically conscious gifts. Jewellery, placemats, coasters: they’re just a few of the items and accessories you can make by melting and fusing together this overlooked, abundant resource. The festive fun doesn’t stop there, with the next few weeks filled with ways to spread more Christmas cheer and find some seasonal bliss. Reduce stress with your own essential oils, whip up some super-healthy vegan chocolate truffles, and calm your mind by making your own Mandala. You know you want to.
Remember those childhood days sat in front of the television, watching your beloved Disney flicks over and over? Of course you do. While you were binging on The Lion King or The Little Mermaid on repeat, you probably weren't thinking about your future adult self partying to 'Hakuna Matata' or 'Under the Sea' — but The Brightside is about to blow your inner kid's mind. From Beauty and The Beast to Aladdin to Frozen, if it's a piece of music from a Disney flick, you'll likely hear it on Saturday, February 5. The soundtrack will also span a heap of Disney TV shows and their stars, plus hits by former Mouseketeers. Think Hilary Duff, The Jonas Brothers, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera — and back on the movie front, High School Musical obviously. Kicking off at 11pm, this Disney Party will get you dancing to your Disney faves and belting out many a tune while you do so. Tickets cost $15.30, and are on sale now.
Festival season is well and truly upon us, with the Woodford Folk Festival the latest event to announce its program. If you fancy seeing out 2019 and welcoming in 2020 while catching a heap of bands, wandering between arts performances and getting a little muddy across a grassy patch of southeast Queensland, the fest has you covered for its whopping 34th year. Taking place at Woodfordia about 90 minutes north of Brisbane, this year's event will be held for six days between Friday, December 27, 2019 and Wednesday, January 1, 2020 — with Amanda Palmer, Lior, Horrorshow, The Herd, Kate Miller-Heidke, Electric Fields, Emma Louise, Archie Roach with Paul Grabrowsky, and Kasey Chambers among its high-profile talent. In total, over 2,000 artists will put on more than 1600 shows across the festival's 25 stages, all in venues that range from a 25,000-seat amphitheatre to chilled-out hangout spots. With the lineup featuring everything from music, art, circus and cabaret to yoga, dance and comedy, there's plenty of other highlights — including a spoken word, comedy and performance program that tasks American Gods and Stardust author Neil Gaiman with reading from his work as the sun sets on the first day of the new year. Elsewhere, Woodford's 2019–20 bill spans arts, dance and meditation workshops, plus a heap of circus and cabaret shows. And, if you're bringing littlies, the event's Children's Festival within the broader fest is also returning. Or, you can explore Woodfordia's rainforest plants on a guided tour, eat a feast of bush foods, play a real-life fantasy game and soak in the flames at the fest's annual closing fire ceremony. Fancy celebrating New Year's Eve with an Elton John sing-along? Woodford won't go breaking your heart, because that's on the agenda also. While the annual Queensland festival has weathered an uncertain future in recent years, it remains a staple of the state's end-of-year calendar — and visit will also boast a whole heap of stalls around the grounds (195 in 2018–19), turning the site into a mini-village for its duration. That includes everything from bars, cafes and restaurants, to an on-site doctor's surgery and two general stores. As always, camping is available at one of the fest's multiple campgrounds, or you can nab a ticket just for the day. Either way, expect to have company, as around 132,000 people attend each year. The 2019–20 Woodford Folk Festival runs from Friday, December 27, 2018 and Wednesday, January 1, 2019 at Woodfordia on the Sunshine Coast. To view the program and buy tickets, head to woodfordfolkfestival.com Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
When Brisbane first got all revved up about Speed: The Movie, The Play a few years back — and more than a few times since — it was just the beginning of the city's love affair with comical stage interpretations of famous 90s films. And while there's sadly no blank-faced Keanu driving a bus in the other immersive and amusing adaptation that's known to float into town, there's something just as good. Titanic: The Movie, The Play is back to take on the tragic romance of Kate and Leo — as well as the just-as-tragic collision of a boat and some frozen water. Yes, your heart will go on as two lovestruck ship-dwellers attempt to overcome their different backgrounds, ignore any rules about getting hot and steamy in someone else's car, and try to avoid a pesky iceberg. And, chances are you'll still laugh along — even though you know how it all turns out. Actually, maybe you don't; if anyone was going to work in Winslet's revelation a few years back that there was actually room for DiCaprio on the door that proved so pivotal to the movie's final scenes, it's this spirited bunch. If you fancy being king of the world for a night, the show hits Brisbane Powerhouse between Thursday, August 19–Sunday, September 12.
Another year, another excuse to head into colourful surroundings, take a heap of photos and pack your social feeds with colourful snaps. First, the Sugar Republic team brought its original pop-up dessert museum to Brisbane. Then, it set up The Selfie Lab, recognising exactly why people flock to such supremely photogenic surroundings. Now, for two weeks to end winter and start spring, the same crew is setting up Colour in the City. The overarching theme this time: dazzling hues and plenty of them, all to add some brightness to this time of year. And, as the installation's name also makes plain, it's heading into the CBD, setting up shop in and around Queen Street Mall from Friday, August 26–Friday, September 9. To enjoy this one — and to take a year's worth of Instagram pics while you're at it — you'll be embarking upon a walking trail, hitting up a number of empty shopfronts that are getting quite the temporary makeover. In total, there'll be seven spaces to wander through, as well as a pop-up funhouse in the Wintergarden called the Pastel Palace. First, the shopfronts. Some will sit on Adelaide Street, too, and you'll also want to make a trip to Edward and Albert streets. And, if you haven't scoped out the lower-ground levels of the Myer Centre and Queens Plaza, add them to your list as well. That's where you'll find smiley faces beaming, a pink-hued floral wonderland, glowing neon art and street poster art that's been given a positive twist. Or, you can peer at a traditional candy shop, or channel some optimism against a Singin' in the Rain backdrop. And, there'll also be a hidden plant wall to hunt down. Once you've moseyed to all of the above Colour in the City stops, wrapping things up at the Pastel Palace will give you more reasons to grab your camera. There, you'll be greeted by a pastel ball pit, a confetti shower and a positive message wall, as well as a rainbow-coloured shaggy hanging that'll sit outside. While you'll probably remember forking out an entry fee for Sugar Republic's past installations, this one is completely free. And if you're wondering why it's popping up, the aim is to attract more folks into the city to eat, shop and stay as well — just like the free metered parking deal did earlier this year. Colour in the City will pop up in and around the Queen Street Mall, Brisbane, from Friday, August 26–Friday, September 9. For more information, head to the Sugar Republic website.
After an epic ticketing hack spoiled everything for hyperventilating punters on release day, Splendour in the Grass has rectified the situation with a fresh batch of tickets. Initially released in early May, Splendour tickets found themselves both the target of more festival-seekers than ever in Splendour history and hackers who charged said ticket buyers thousands in sneaky fees. Attempting to put smiles back on the dials of festivalgoers and shareholders alike, Splendour and North Byron Parklands applied for a capacity increase of 2500 tickets. Prompting high fives Australia-wide, the Department of Planning and Environment have approved the increase. The new load of tickets will go on sale at 9am AEST on Thursday, June 12 via Moshtix. Splendour are releasing a mixture of three-day, single-day and camping tickets. If you miss out on this predictably chaotic bid for tickets, Splendour's Re-sale facility allows ticketholders who bail on Byron plans to offload their ticket to anyone who missed out. The Re-sale will be open through Moshtix from 9am AEST Monday, June 16. Splendour is pleading with punters to avoid buying through online auction sites or dodgy-looking creeps outside the front gate. Your name and DOB will be printed on your ticket. The Splendour in the Grass lineup and more details are over here.
Flicked through all of your various streaming queues, watched everything that takes your fancy and wondering what to feast your eyes on next? On Friday, March 27, let the folks at Static Vision and Prototype do the choosing for you. One usually specialises in weird, wonderful and cult cinema screenings around Sydney, while the other is an e-newsletter dedicated to new experimental art and short films — and they're joining forces to put on Lockdown: An Interactive Livestream. Beamed to viewers online from 6pm AEDT (5pm AEST), Lockdown will screen six hours of movies — including three features and three shorts programs, plus e-chats, Q&As and interviews. As for exactly what you'll be watching, the program is top secret until the night, with being surprised by the lineup choices all part of the fun. Lockdown will be setting up an online screen room for the event; however you can decide just how interactive you'd like your experience to be. Natter along with other viewers in the live-text chat, or hit full-screen mode simply sit back and watch — it's up to you. To register your participation — and to receive updates — head to the event's Eventbrite page.
Many an hour spent in many a school history lesson has taught us all that history doesn't change. But, what if it does? Sure, the words written in record books years ago still remain the same today, but the past isn't just an account of what happened — it's shaped by our knowledge and understanding of what happened. Accordingly, unearthing new information can always cast everything we thought we knew in a different light. With his latest exhibition taking the title Our Mutable Histories, it's clear that Perth-born, Brisbane-based Indigenous Australian artist Robert Andrew feels the same way — and from March 3 to July 16, Brisbanites have the chance to discover why. Walking through his free showcase at the Museum of Brisbane is like stepping into a shifting landscape designed to reflect the space where the country's Anglo-European and Australian Indigenous cultures and histories come together. Don't take the shifting part literally, of course. Nothing moves here other than your perception. Using materials such as natural ochres, oxides and chalks in conjunction with contemporary technologies, Andrew aims to unearth the evolving identities that lurk beneath, with his pieces acting as a response to his own once-hidden family heritage.
Early in Good Will Hunting, a maths professor (Stellan Skarsgård) tries to convince his therapist friend (Robin Williams) that a troubled janitor (Matt Damon) is actually a genius. To make his case, he mentions Srinivasa Ramanujan, a self-taught Indian prodigy who compiled thousands of theories at the beginning of the twentieth century. For many viewers, that's probably the only time they've heard his name — and they may not even remember it. Stepping through Ramanujan's story, The Man Who Knew Infinity endeavours to explain why he's held in such high esteem, and to bring the mathematical pioneer to wider attention. Given that Ramanujan taught himself complex equations, earned the intrigue of academics on another continent and then proved his prowess to even the most skeptical of onlookers, he's certainly worthy of acclaim and recognition. As played by Dev Patel, his tale is filled with extraordinary achievements, spanning his childhood in Madras, his acceptance into Cambridge and his bond with his mentor, G.H. Hardy (Jeremy Irons). Sadly, it's also blighted by the prejudice of his peers, as well as numerous physical, emotional and spiritual struggles along the way. There are only so many ways that a film can cycle through the life and times of people of note, with biopics often judged on three factors: how closely they stick to the usual formula, whether they're based around a convincing central portrayal, and if they manage to shine a spotlight on little-known facts or under-appreciated figures. While The Man Who Knew Infinity is guilty of the former in the most dutiful and conventional of ways, it's also boosted by Patel's measured yet moving performance, as well as the feature's earnest and noble attempt to pay tribute to Ramanujan. Just as the groundbreaking maths wiz benefited from his working relationship with Hardy, however, Patel is at his best when Irons is by his side. The Slumdog Millionaire star might be working with his most significant role since his breakthrough appearance, but it's his veteran co-star who threatens to steal the show. As Irons exudes a mix of world-weariness, tenacity and elegance in every scene, Patel rises to match him. Of course, they're not merely playing their tweed-suited, teacher and student parts. Here, art is clearly imitating multiple layers of life. Accordingly, as a showcase for its two key talents and as a celebration of its subject, The Man Who Knew Infinity never proves less than interesting — although writer-director Matt Brown doesn't always seem to realise that. In fact, in adapting the biographical book of the same name, the second-time filmmaker could've used a little of Ramanujan's dedication and enthusiasm, not to mention Patel's passion and Irons' charm. Preferring the slow, steady and sentimental approach, he makes all the obvious storytelling and stylistic choices, including keeping everything as polished as possible. Thankfully, the broader details win out over the overall method of delivery.
Something extraordinary is happening in Brisbane this year, with the city playing host to the AFL Grand Final on Saturday, October 24. This is the first time that the code's biggest game has been held outside of Melbourne, so it's a huge deal — and, as well as the match itself, Brisbane is also welcoming the traditional AFL Footy Festival. Part of the pre-GF celebrations, the festival will take over a variety of Brisbane locations in the lead-up to the big game. Heading to the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens between Thursday, October 22–Saturday, October 24 is particularly recommended, however, as that's when you'll be able to tuck into bites to eat, pal around with footy stars and take part in a heap of family-friendly activities. The inner-city spot will be pumping with entertainment, kids' activities and food — including currywurst, Sri Lankan dishes and ice creams — from 9am–3pm Thursday and Friday, and 9am–10pm on Saturday. If you'd like to watch the game, you can also mosey over to the Brisbane Riverstage and catch it on the big screen on Saturday evening. [caption id="attachment_787112" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Martin Keep/AFL Photos[/caption] South Bank's Streets Beach is also hosting activities, food and a big screen from 4–10pm on Saturday, if you find yourself over on that side of the river. Disclaimer: even though you might want to, you will not be allowed to drink your drinks out of a Premiership Cup. Top image: Brisbane City Council via Flickr.
Seven years ago Dustin Hoffman, himself a former chemist, issued a stinging rebuke of the increasingly 'dumb' science fiction movies making their way onto our screens. Laziness was at the heart of his complaint, as he accused writers of opting for meaningless techno-babble instead of taking the time to invent intelligent solutions to their characters' scientific problems. Hoffman even went so far as to help sponsor the Science and Entertainment Exchange in order to promote films deemed to respect scientific principles and debunk those which are unrealistic. It wasn't that sci-fi movies couldn't have action in them, he explained, they just needed to ensure the sci remained the prevalent part. Arrival, the new film by Sicario and Prisoners director Denis Villeneuve, is a movie of which Hoffman would be proud. Beginning conventionally in the vein of an Independence Day or The Day The Earth Stood Still, the film opens with the sudden arrival of twelve mysterious alien spaceships in various locations around the world. Yet rather than launch an attack, they sit curiously idle, as the humans debate their origin and intent. Rather than focusing on action, Arrival instead veers much more towards the themes of Sphere (which starred Hoffman) or Contact, in that the world's scientists, rather than its soldiers, form the core team around which the story revolves. Fronting the US team are Dr Louise Banks (Amy Adams), America's foremost linguistics expert, and Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), a theoretical physicist. Their goal is singular, yet phenomenally complex: figure out how to communicate with the aliens and convey one simple, critical question: "what is your purpose here on earth?" What follows is a fascinating study in language, history and non-verbal communication, where variables and complexities in even the most rudimentary grammatical expressions become seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Add to that the paranoia of military and CIA liaisons (Forest Whitaker and Michael Stuhlbarg, respectively) whose focus rarely extends beyond fears of an invasion, along with the vicissitudes of international diplomacy wherein sharing and cooperation are considered hallmarks of weakness, and you find in Arrival an intensely engaging, cerebral and often gripping sci-fi thriller. Based on the cult novella "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang, Arrival blends sumptuous cinematography with weighty abstractions that, for the most part, land with an assured touch. Glimpses into Louise's personal life raise questions about time and our linear perception of it, and only rarely does the script indulge in the kind of corny musings traditionally found in freshman philosophy essays. Adams's performance is the clear standout, around which her supporting cast plays it with impressive reserve. The score by Jóhann Jóhannsson, meanwhile, shifts effortlessly between beautiful and bombastic. Intelligent and restrained, Arrival is a welcome addition to the sci-fi canon that wows you with its brains rather than simply its special effects. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFMo3UJ4B4g
Were you the type of kid who spent too much time trying to win prizes from claw machines? Are you now the kind of adult who likes your spirits with an amber hue? In great news for everyone who falls into both categories, Whisky Whisky combines the two — because who said that sipping drams and testing your hand-eye coordination to win whisky-themed prizes can't go hand in hand? Taking place across two sessions, from 1–3.30pm and 4.30–7pm on Saturday, October 19, 2024 at Fish Lane, Whisky Whisky comes from the folks behind Supping Club. As the event's name makes plain, this afternoon is all about whisky appreciation. With your ticket, which starts at $149, you'll be able to taste your way through more than 100 different local and international whiskies from 30-plus brands, including varieties from Bladnoch, Amber Lane, Archie Rose, Starward and Kilchoman. That's plenty to say cheers to, clearly. You'll also get your own glass to keep, and a lunchbox of pan-Asian-inspired eats from Hello Please to line your stomach. And, you'll score a token for one top-shelf dream dram of your choosing as well. When you're not sampling whisky — or vying for prizes at the claw machine — you can opt for beers and non-boozy beverages, although they'll all cost you extra.
No one has ever just wanted to eat one lonely little chicken wing. Few among us have ever stopped at two, three or less than half a dozen, for that matter. One of the easiest dishes to consume copious amounts of, wings have inspired many a dedicated eatery — and all-you-can-eat joint Chook Wings and Beer is Brisbane's latest such establishment. The newest eatery from the folks behind Phat Elephant, Phat Boy, Chapter IV, Asian Republic and Brisbane Chai Thai, this chicken haven is the city's new go-to for endless piles of its eponymous food. Opening in The Hamptons' former site on Gerler Road at Hendra on Friday, January 24, it'll serve up all the pieces you can handle (and, let's be honest, probably more pieces than you should) for $21.90. You'll also be feasting on unlimited sides as part of the buffet, which includes fries, fried rice and salads. And for covering and dipping those wings, eight sauces will be available, with buffalo, barbecue, and sour cream and chive all featuring on a lineup that's still being finalised. Fancy something other than wings? A range of burgers and sliders will also be on offer separately. Yes, chicken will feature heavily. And, with beer also part of Chook Wings and Beer's name, it'll be serving up a hefty selection of brews — think James Squire, VB, Corona and more, plus a selection of ciders. Find Chook Wings and Beer at 49 Gerler Road, Hendra from Friday, January 24.
Roll up, roll up, it's show time — and not just in the obvious spot. The Ekka is back for 2024, but it isn't the only place for games and fun in August. Indeed, it's not even the only place in and around Fortitude Valley, with Netherworld arcade game bar upping the ante for nearly two weeks of the month. From Saturday, August 10–Sunday, August 18, the St Paul's Terrace hangout is hosting its very own Netherworld Sideshow as it does every year, combining the usual offerings with a few extra special inclusions. Expect its existing array of tables, machines and consoles, plus added carnival games, guest machines, fairy floss — and even creepy clowns. We'll let you decide if that last one is a good or a bad thing. [caption id="attachment_605033" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Sarah Ward[/caption] The onsite cafe, aka the Hellmouth Diner, will also be cranking out carnival-style fare, so your stomach can get in on the action as well. And, you'll be able to buy Netherworld showbags filled with merchandise and goodies. Entry is free, but you'll need your wallet to eat, sip and play. [caption id="attachment_622335" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sarah Ward[/caption] Top image: Cole Bennetts.
When a French store slashed the price of Nutella a couple of years ago, customers went wild. Brawling and rioting was reported. So, yes, it's safe to say the chocolate hazelnut spread has more than a few fans. Here in Australia, we've had a Nutella food truck, a Nutella festival and a Nutella dessert bar. And, from Friday, April 10 to Sunday, April 12, a dedicated Nutella menu at Salt Meats Cheese as well. Available for delivery from the chain's Drummoyne and Cronulla stores in NSW, and Surfers Paradise and Newstead stores in Queensland, the seven Nutella-filled items are here just in time for the Easter long weekend (which most of us will be spending predominantly indoors eating Nutella, it seems). Fancy a Nutella calzone, in both peanut butter ($14) and Oreo ($18) varieties? Nutella and banana-topped pizza? Nutella panna cotta ($14)? Nutella Toblerone cocktails? A half-litre ($30) of Nutella espresso martini? Of course you do. To order, you'll need to download Salt Meats Cheese's new app and pray you're in the delivery zone. The Nutella menu is available for delivery from Salt Meats Cheese stores in Cronulla and Drummoyne in NSW, and Surfers Paradise and Newstead in Queensland.
Sometimes, your tastebuds crave something special. They hanker for the kind of dish you're not going to eat every day, aka a treat yo'self type of culinary experience. Here are three things that they'd likely demand in that situation: lobster, truffles and champagne. If that sounds like your idea of an indulgent meal, Lobster & Co has you sorted this winter, which is when it's returning to the Gold Coast for a new stint of decadence. As always, you'll find those three aforementioned items on the core menu, with the Lobster & Co van all about serving lobster rolls with truffle fries and flutes of Pommery champagne. You'll pay $50 for the food combo, which features a whole confit lobster tail served warm on a caramelised brioche bun with buttermilk fennel slaw, plus a side of parmesan truffle fries. A chilled glass of the champers will cost you $20 extra. Also on offer: a second roll, a Thai fusion number, which includes cabbage, green papaya and sriracha mayo — and lobster, obviously — on a brioche bun. Lobster & Co's latest southeast Queensland stint will hit up Pacific Fair in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast from Monday, July 18–Sunday, August 7 — and if you can't make it then, it'll also head north and stop off at the Moreton Bay Food and Wine Festival from Friday, August 19–Sunday, August 21. Images: Karon Photography.
Do you ever find yourself wondering what is inside some of Brisbane's most iconic buildings? Brisbane Open House is here to illuminate the answer. Held on October 8 and 9, this weekend-long, free event invites you inside some of the city's prized buildings to allow the architecturally fascinated and generally curious the opportunity to poke around behind some otherwise closed doors. Some of the buildings set to open their doors to the public include Brisbane's City Hall, Old Government House at QUT, Customs House, QPAC and a host of the stunning churches populating the Brisbane skyline, as 2016's impressive list of locations shows. Get the fully immersive experience by taking part in tours, attending concerts, taking in the photography film competition and all up reacquainting yourself with this city of secret treasures.
One thing is for sure: Avenue Q is not your average puppet show. It follows the story of recent college graduate Princeton, who moves to a drab apartment on the colourful street of Avenue Q in New York to follow his dreams. As they say, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Along the way, Princeton meets girl-next-door Kat,; the neighbourhood Republican named Rod, an internet sexpert called Trekkie, and Lucy, who has a bit of a street corner reputation. They help him along the way, teaching him the ways of the Big Apple, as well as discovering what Princeton was meant to do with his life. This Tony Award-winning act has circled the globe, and returns to Brisbane Arts Theatre's stage for the fifth time after sell-out shows of the past. While the whole escapade is one big nod to Sesame Street, the target audience is nostalgic, quarter-life-crisis-having adults, and the show is not recommend for children. Hit songs from the soundtrack include 'Everyone's A Little Bit Racist' and 'The Internet Is For Porn'. Avenue Q runs from Thursday–Sunday between November 10 and December 22.
Maybe you really love Patrick Swayze. Perhaps you've always loved terracotta or ceramics. Or, the idea of pottering around a clay-based showcase and taking home standout pottery pieces could just be your idea of a great time. Whichever category you fall into, coast on over to the Clayschool shop and Clayschool: Current and Alumni, both of which are celebrating ten years of works made out of its chosen medium during 2023's massive Brisbane Art Design festival. Even if you've never tinkered yourself, you might be familiar with the Brisbane clay institution thanks to its seasonal shows and markets. With its latest excuse to get shopping from Wednesday, May 3–Sunday, May 28, you'll be heading to West End's Vacant Assembly to browse and buy from 10am–5pm Wednesday–Friday and 10am–4pm Saturday–Sunday. Then, across three days from Friday, May 26–Sunday, May 28, the Current and Alumni exhibition focuses on celebrating not only the best of the best, but also the full range of Clayschool's output. So, you'll see pieces from beginners and professionals. Jewellers and ceramic artists will be covered as well. And, there'll be potters that've won major art awards, plus creatives who've featured in galleries elsewhere. In total, more than 40 potters will have works on display, names such as Ray Cavill, Ky Curran, Laura Pascoe and Jennifer Hillhouse included. Entry to the exhibition is free, with opening night running from 6–9pm, Saturday's session spanning 10am–4pm and Sunday's from 10am–2pm.
Electronic festival Let Them Eat Cake managed an eight-year run of tune-filled New Year's Day parties before COVID-19 hit pause on its 2021 edition. But, you can bet it's making up for that skipped beat, announcing today that the festival will return for a huge comeback outing on Saturday, January 1, 2022. The much-loved music and arts celebration returns to its Werribee Mansion home in just over six month's time. It is Australia's first New Year's Day festival that has been announced since the pandemic hit. Organisers, Novel — the same minds behind Pitch Music & Arts and Smalltown — are yet to reveal full details about the event's music lineup, though they're aiming high, with festival director Daniel Teuma saying, "We want to ensure this is our best one yet." Teuma also hinted that the musical offering will be largely local, saying "with the uncertainty around international borders re-opening, we decided to take a more sensible approach to the lineup. We can't say too much, but we are confident our 2022 edition will have something for everyone." The crew at Full Throttle Entertainment will be making the music side of things extra memorable, installing what's set to be the biggest sound system in town on New Year's Day. There'll also be a diverse lineup of food vendors, curated specifically to complement the tunes, artworks and visuals under the organisers' new, more cohesive approach. Delivering a finely tuned COVID-Safe festival has been top of the planning agenda — Let them Eat Cake 2022 will activate the sprawling Werribee Mansion grounds in a whole new way, with improved traffic flow and more opportunities for exploration beyond the main stage set-up. Under current public health guidelines, the new-look event would be allowed to safely host up to 7500 attendees. Let Them Eat Cake will descend on Werribee Mansion on Saturday, January 1, 2022. Pre-registration for tickets opens from 4.30pm Tuesday, June 22, with pre-sale tickets up for grabs on July 6 and general tickets available from July 7. The full program will be announced in September — hit the website for details and to buy tickets. Top Image: Duncographic
If gin's your thing, that undying love is being pushed front-and-centre at your new favourite event: the Brisbane Gin Festival. Hosted by the Australian Gin Distillers Association and headed to Lightspace for its 2022 go-around, the three-day festival will bring 27 craft gin distillers from around the country under one roof between Friday, May 13–and Sunday, May 15. Apart from bottomless tastings, punters will also have the chance to chat directly with the makers. Stallholders will be hawking over 100 gins, including Never Never Distilling Co, Broken Heart Spirits and Prohibition Liquor Co, plus Gingle Bells, Australian Distilling Co, Wolf Lane and Nostferatu. And, once you've picked your favourite, you can purchase bottles for takeaway. Tickets cost $70, with five tasting sessions to choose from: 1–4pm and 5–8pm on both Friday and Saturday, and just the 1–4pm session on Sunday. While you'll clearly find plenty of gin on offer, there'll also be a coffee bar and snacks to fill your stomach — although they'll cost extra.
UPDATE, December 9, 2020: McQueen is available to stream via Stan, Doc Play, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Glamour meets the grotesque in the couture of designer Alexander McQueen. Indeed, it's not by accident that a recent hit museum retrospective showcasing his work took the moniker Savage Beauty. For two decades as the enfant terrible of British fashion, he crafted clothing that didn't just make a statement, but screamed it down the catwalk, splashed it across glossy magazine pages and shouted it at the world at large. "I don't want to do a show that you walk out feeling like you've just had Sunday lunch," he once said. "I want you to walk out feeling repulsed or exhilarated — as long as it's an emotion." That telling soundbite joins many others in McQueen, the film that ostensibly unpacks the life, career and death of its titular working-class lad turned tailoring apprentice turned provocative toast of the town. But, making their first full-length documentary, directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui do much more than that. Theirs is a movie made in McQueen's image, keen to show more than tell even though it doesn't shy away from talking heads. The filmmakers are well aware that everyone already knows its rise-and-fall story, with the man called Lee by his friends ultimately committing suicide in 2010. Instead of pretending that it's telling viewers something new, the movie focuses on how it approaches its subject as much as it does the specific details of McQueen's story. Cue chapters that take their names from his famous runway shows, in a segmented yet still cohesive film that takes its concept from another of McQueen's own comments. (In one of his trademark displays of cheek, he dubs his own candid home videos 'The McQueen Tapes'.) Each part stitches together a narrative about his fashions — from both his own label and his time at Givenchy — and the context surrounding each highlighted collection. The end result isn't as obvious as it might sound, of course. McQueen refuses to simply state that one particular aspect of McQueen's experiences gave rise to a specific element in his work. Rather, it explores the fabric of his life while demonstrating how he wrangled fabric in bold ways in his designs. The documentary doesn't need to blatantly connect the dots, as each sartorial series makes its own statement. With names such as Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims and Highland Rape, and challenging pieces within each collection to match, how could they not? Throughout it all, McQueen remains a constant presence thanks to archival footage, while his family members, friends and colleagues offer their intimate recollections and reflections. Even for those unfamiliar with the minutiae, there's much that's recognisable. Never seeming the typical fashionista, McQueen parlayed his talent, artistic eye and hard work into a thriving career from the early 90s onwards. But with success, attention and notoriety came drugs, depression and despair, matters that the movie perhaps doesn't touch on in as much depth as it could've. Still, even when it somewhat skirts over a few areas, the documentary proves revelatory in how it captures McQueen's complicated essence. The designer's clothing pieces were always going to feature prominently, but with its incredible detail, intricate construction and willingness to get dark, the film they're in feels like it was cut from the same cloth. If one scene in McQueen particularly stands out, it's one that's all McQueen's doing. More than that, it's one that he staged with as much theatricality, spectacle and flair as he ever displayed: his 1999 spring show. In a stunning sight to behold, model Shalom Harlow wears a white strapless dress made voluminous with layers of tulle, spins on a rotating platform like a jewellery box ballerina, and is sprayed with paint by two adjacent robots. As a depiction of life splattering and changing something luminous, it's vivid, almost violent and certainly intoxicating, all as its creator intended. McQueen was clearly relaying a message and, in both featuring the runway moment within the film and adopting its attitude, Bonhôte and Ettedgui ensure that McQueen sports the same force and power. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKwCd6WLPdE
There’s nothing worse then spending a heap of hard earned dollar on a really nice shirt, then having it shrink in the wash 24 hours later. Well, working in thw sweatshop that made the shirt would probably be quite a bit worse, but lets live in the here and now. Outside of Sizzler, quality should always trump quantity in terms of what we own, eat and wear, and through artistic collaboration, Llewellyn Millhouse and Sarah Poulgrain explore this balance in their latest exhibition. Feel the Quality explores the potential for forms, objects and narratives to last and act as portals into social and cultural context. From mundane signs, behaviours and everyday products, both artists bring critical attention to their significance and meaning, in turn questioning whether they hold any value at all? Chances are, nope. Feel the Quality runs from September 10-27 at Metro Arts Gallery, with an artist talk on the 17th of September at 6pm.
Not all gin and tonics are created equal, and at Paddington's new spirit-swilling hangout, that couldn't be more accurate. The boozy offshoot of Chinese eatery Sichuan Bang Bang, Bang Bang Bar lets thirsty patrons build their own G&Ts. Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, you can create whatever blend of juniper booze, bitter bubbles and garnish you like in this one. Choosing from breakfast, pink and shiraz gins, flavoured and standard tonics, and colourful embellishments like rose and peppercorns is only part of Bang Bang Bar's selection, however. In addition, the revamped space on Given Terrace serves up eight different cocktails, many referencing its moniker — like the Bang Fashioned (with rosemary-infused bourbon, grapefruit, bitters and sugar) and the Bangbang Bubble Club (with Calvados, Grand Marnier, Benedectine Dom, Campari and French Champagne). Food-wise, one-handed Sichuan bites stem from its food-focused neighbour, alongside ten types of pizza — a nod to the previous inhabitants of the already-open bar's spot. When Sichuan Bang Bang first came to Paddo, it was with Pizzeria Violetta. The latter's five bianche-based, five rosse-based slices are now available for BBB's customers. And, despite sharing its name with the Roadhouse from Twin Peaks, Bang Bang's connection with David Lynch's ace television series is merely coincidental. Rather, Sichuan Bang Bang owner Renata Roberts wanted a space to showcase Australian gin distilleries she discovered on travels through Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania — though the venue's darkly painted ceiling and use of red velvet still sound suitably Lynchian. Find Bang Bang Bar at 167 Given Terrace, Paddington from 5pm daily. For more information, head to the Sichuan Bang Bang website or Facebook page.
With hundreds of events on its hefty annual lineup, Brisbane Festival is never short on highlights — but if it's dazzling colour that you're after, keep an eye out for Japanese Australian artist Hiromi Tango's regular contributions to the program. In 2018, she teamed up with Craig Walsh on A Force. In 2020, she brought both Rainbow Circles (Healing Circles) and Brainbow Magic the River City's way. In 2023, it's now time for Hiromi Hotel: YU KA 夢花 — and to get floral. Taking its cues from a poem by fourth-century BCE Chinese philosopher Zhuang Zi, and from the use of the peony in Buddhist imagery as well, Tango's new installation features giant flowers towering over South Bank in a rainbow of hues. You'll find the peonies at Bris Fest's festival garden, adding brightness to 186 Little Stanley Street — to see for free from Friday, September 1–Saturday, September 23, as open from 5–11pm Tuesday–Thursday, 4pm–12am Fridays, 12pm–12am Saturdays and 12–11pm on Sundays. That's just one part of the Hiromi Hotel experience, however. At Brisbane Quarter over in the CBD and at Brisbane Airport, pop-up installations are also part of the fun. The BQ event runs for an extra week, until Saturday, September 30, taking over the venue's podium 1. A number of Brisbane Quarter's bars and eateries are also getting in on the action via themed dishes. Fancy a Citrus Smile or Drink of Flower cocktail? Chinese doughnuts stuffed with prawns? Hiromi Hotel's vibrant palette and blooms, but edible and drinkable? Then head to W Brisbane's Living Room Bar, Brisbane Phoenix, Phat Boy, Tenya, Persone and more. Drink images: Claudia Baxter.
When the Godzilla franchise first started rampaging through Japanese cinemas almost 70 years ago, it was in response to World War II and the horrific display of nuclear might that it unleashed. That saga and its prehistoric reptilian monster have notched up 38 movies now, and long may it continue stomping out of its homeland (the American flicks, which are set to return in 2024, have been hit-and-miss). In such creature-feature company, the films of Makoto Shinkai may not seem like they belong. So far, the writer/director behind global hits Your Name and Weathering with You, plus The Place Promised in Our Early Days, 5 Centimetres per Second, Children Who Chase Lost Voices and The Garden of Words before that, sadly hasn't applied his talents to good ol' Zilly, either. But Japan's animators have been musing on and reflecting upon destruction and devastation for decades, too — stunningly and heartbreakingly so. In Studio Ghibli's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Grave of the Fireflies and The Wind Rises — in Howl's Moving Castle, Porco Rosso and From Up on Poppy Hill as well — conflict lingers in a variety of ways. In 2016's gorgeous and affecting In this Corner of the World, war is utterly inescapable. And in Shinkai's recent work, it's another catastrophe that casts a shadow: the Great East Japan Earthquake and the resulting Fukushima nuclear disaster. He's made his past three movies, including his latest beautiful and heartfelt effort Suzume, with that incident clearly in mind. Indeed, although it hops all over Japan, acting like a travelogue in magnificently realistic animated form, this new tale about a teenage girl, matters of the heart and the earth, supernatural forces and endeavouring to cancel the apocalypse firmly has its soul in the part of Honshu that forever changed in March 2011. Suzume meets its namesake (Nanoka Hara, Guilty Flag) on Kyushu, Japan's third-largest island, where she has lived with her aunt Tamaki (Eri Fukatsu, Survival Family) for 12 years. More than that, it meets its titular high schooler as she meets Souta (SixTONES singer Hokuto Matsumura), who catches her eye against the gleaming sea and sky as she's cycling to class. He's searching for ruins, and she knows just the local place — an abandoned onsen, which she beats him to. There, Suzume discovers a door standing mysteriously within a pool of water, then opens said entryway to see a shimmering sight on the other side. That's an ordinary act with extraordinary consequences, because Shinkai adores exactly that blend and clash. To him, that's where magic springs, although never while spiriting away life's troubles and sorrows. Every single door everywhere is a portal, of course, but this pivotal one takes the definition literally. Suzume can't walk through the opening; instead, she's left peering at the enticing evening-hued realm lurking within its frame. That said, she does unwittingly unleash a monster that Souta and his family have spent generations trying to contain. The worm lives up to its moniker, sprawling high into and across the sky, and sending its red tendrils far and wide. As his grandfather was, plus a long line of other relatives before that, Souta is a closer, which means he's tasked with shutting the doors that pop up at Japan's abandoned places — including a school and an amusement park — to keep the worm away and humanity safe. Sometimes, he needs a keystone to do so; however, the one in Suzume's hometown turns into a cat when she picks it up. Also transforming, but not by choice: Souta himself, who swiftly takes the form of a three-legged yellow chair that his new pal has owned and loved since she was a pre-schooler. What's a girl, a walking-and-talking seat and a tiny white kitty — Daijin, aka that metamorphosed keystone, which can also speak (as voiced by newcomer Ann Yamane) — to do? The latter cutely but quickly scampers, unsurprisingly attracting ample social-media attention, while Suzume and Souta follow as fast as they can. Most road trips don't involve attempting to save the planet, but Suzume's is as scenic as any cross-country jaunt by ferry, scooter, van, train and car thanks to one of Shinkai's ever-reliable hallmarks: his breathtaking visuals. Whether or not any member of the film's audience has been to Japan themselves, watching this spectacular affair feels like stepping right into Miyazaki, Shikoku, Kobe, Tokyo and more. Once again, as he did with Your Name and Weathering with You as well, Shinkai brings the Japanese capital to the screen with detail so gloriously lifelike that it makes for simply exquisite animation. That gift is shared with everywhere that Suzume, Souta and Daijin visit, mesmerisingly so. It's both a fitting and knowing touch to get Suzume's heroine residing in the city that shares its name with Studio Ghibli great Hayao Miyazaki. By the watching world, Shinkai has been anointed the Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro filmmaker's successor frequently since Your Name proved such a delight and smash — and so stirring, melancholy and dazzling — and, while thoroughly earning those comparisons yet another time, he leans in. Whisper of the Heart, which is similarly about a teen chasing a cat, gets a direct (and lovely) shoutout. Nods to Kiki's Delivery Service also ripple, again thanks to the crucial adorable feline. As its characters tumble through episodic adventures sparked by that fateful first door, Suzume adds references elsewhere, starting with Alice in Wonderland. It's easy to see the thematic trilogy it's happily forming with Shinkai's last two movies, too. There's a mythic air and a determination to make something meaningful and with a message that's oh-so Ghibli always, though; like the animation house, Shinkai crafts films as devoted to getting viewers marvelling at the planet, life on it and the relationships forged as they are committed to entrancing the eyes with their radiant sights. Already the fourth-grossing Japanese film of all time globally — Your Name is third, and Weathering with You ninth — Suzume is vivid in every moment. Aided by its music from Shinkai regulars Radwimps and composer Kazuma Jinnouchi (Star Wars: Visions), it's rousing in all the fashions that a feature can be, in fact. Its guiding light makes cosmic romances, fantastical voyages and supernatural disaster flicks as well, plus contemplations of growing up and taking care of nature, and ensures that they swell and swirl with all the emotions that they demand. In a national cinema industry so well-known for confronting the country's past that it turned part of it into a giant stalking lizard, Shinkai keeps finding bewitching and sensitive methods to achieve that feat, and wonderfully. Here, as Suzume battles her own hulking force, she faces life-changing heartache that no one can ever truly get over, still learns how to go on but never lets her history slip away. It's no surprise that Suzume is as sweet and swoonworthy as Shinkai's work comes, and as earnest, intricate, intelligent, involving and enchanting.
Brisbanites, the last long weekend of the year before Christmas is upon us, and there are plenty of ways to spend it. But only one will have you dancing to an impressive lineup of bands at Kings Beach Amphitheatre — soaking in the spring weather, enjoying the beachside spot, and catching everyone from The Presets and Baker Boy to Client Liaison, Ben Lee and Art vs Science. That event? The returning Caloundra Music Festival, which marks its 15th year in 2022. The all-ages fest runs from Friday, September 30–Sunday, October 2, which is perfect if you've actually given yourself a four-day long weekend (with Monday to recover), are keen to head along after work to get your break started with live tunes, or even just have a day or two to fill. Also taking to the stage: Missy Higgins, Skunkhour, The Black Seeds and The Waifs, all from a wide-ranging bill that spans a diverse range of genres — and up-and-comers alongside veteran talents. The list goes on, too. Camping facilities are available at Caloundra State Primary School, if you're coming along from Brisbane and don't want to make the trip up and back multiple times. And, because it's a family-friendly affair, there's also a zone for kids — if that helps make your festival experience easier. CALOUNDRA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2022 LINEUP: Adam-James Alys Ffion Andy V Art vs Science Asher Beau Aspy Jones August River Band Baker Boy Bearfoot Ben Lee Bobby Longstaff Bradamon Burger Joint Caitlyn Shadbolt & Melanie Dyer Client Liaison Coterie Darcy Kate DÉ SAINT. Dorah Jacson Drop Legs DUB ZOO East Coast Alien Felicity Lawless Felivand Flag Duty Fools Frank and Louis Hallie Harry James Angus Hayden Hack Hellhound Brown Hope D Horns of Leroy featuring Thando Hot Potato Band In2natioN James Desbrow Jason Daniels JaZZella JC and the Tree Katie Who Lachy Doley and The Horns of Conviction Lamkin Lane Lucy Gallant Mason Hope and The Teachers Mayah Missy Higgins Monique Clare Nanas Pie Pat Tierney Ruby Jo Skillz FJ Skunkhour SoLar Sugarbag Blonde Sunny Coast Rude Boys T H U M P Tanya George The Black Seeds The Fins The Holy Rollercoasters The Moonsets The Moving Stills The Presets The Regime The Rolling Stones Revue The Waifs Those Folk Transvaal Diamond Syndicate Ukulele Death Squad Vaudeville Smash
The world reigning Queen of Burlesque is coming to Brisbane with many treats by way of historical satires in an unmissable, joyous romp. Herstory is a fun, skilled and sexy hour; from Marie Antoinette and Lady Diana, to Marlene Dietrich and the Virgin Queen, Imogen Kelly revels in her iconic storytelling. Dance, aerials, magic, interactive projections, puppetry and short films will provide a night’s worth of ravishing entertainment. Imogen is an Australian who has made a name for herself through striptease identified performance. She took out her international title at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas in 2012, which is but one of her many accomplishments. She is a trail blazer in her art and a world renowned comedian, performance artist and character actor. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see her in her element in a show that she has taken to the world.
There's always some sort of party going at Welcome to Bowen Hills, and that's been the case ever since it first opened its doors a few years back. One type of shindig is always cuter than the rest, though — because when there's dogs involved, everything instantly gets more adorable. Pooches are always welcome at the venue, but Dog's Day Out is throwing the spotlight their way — and, ideally, will see the place swarmed by pups. If you have your own dog at home, it now has weekend plans. If you don't but you wish you did, prepare to pat plenty of others people's pets from 1pm on Saturday, May 14. The site's food trucks and bars won't just be catering to humans, either. And, there'll also be market stalls filled with goodies for you to buy for your pup. In the past, Welcome to Bowen Hills has hosted best-dressed dog competition, although it isn't officially on the agenda this time. That said, if your pupper has great style, it'll get Brisbanits saying "awwwwwww" anyway.
If popular culture-inspired tights, skater dresses, catsuits, shorties and gymwear are your kinds of threads, then you're probably a fan of BlackMilk Clothing. The Brisbane fashion label has been improving wardrobe options for years now, including via its super-popular Star Wars, Harry Potter and Stranger Things lines. Before the pandemic, it was also well-known for its sample sales; however, they unsurprisingly went on hold for a few years. After making a comeback in 2022, this chance to pick up discounted BlackMilk items returns for 2023 from 7am–1pm on Saturday, April 29. First, make some room in your cupboard. Then, head over to The Joinery in West End for this hefty sale. Previously sold-out pieces, limited-edition styles and one-off designs will all be up for grabs, plus other samples in all sizes. Whether you like BlackMilk's colour choices, designer fabrics, hand-drawn prints or those licensed pop-culture collabs, there'll be plenty to choose from. Given BlackMilk's following, expect to have company while you shop. Actually, the fact that nothing will cost over $35 is also certain to draw a crowd. The sale runs on a first in, best dressed basis, so arriving early is highly recommended.
Activewear fans, we've got some big news: P.E. Nation is bringing back its warehouse sample sale — but, this year, it's all online. The athleisure experts hosted their first ever sample sale in 2016 (and everything sold out in the first day) but, luckily, you don't have to worry about being crushed in a throng this year. You just need to have your mouse at the ready. Whether you're stocking up your own balcony-gym wardrobe (or WFH outfit, if we're totally honest) or doing a solid for sporty loved ones, you'll find an extensive array of swim, activewear, accessories, sweaters and jackets available from 12pm on Thursday, April 16 — and all for 60 percent off. There'll be accessories from $40, tops and bottoms from $60, outerwear from $140 and snow (for those future holidays) from $230. Remember the age-old advice of when it comes to sample sales, you need to get in quick. Given the following the label has amassed since General Pants Co. design director Pip Edwards and former senior Sass & Bide designer Claire Tregoning joined forces, its functional, fashionable bits and pieces are bound to be popular. So, keep an eye on the website. P.E. Nation's Online Warehouse Sale goes live on Thursday, April 16. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Dust off your lederhosen or dirndl — Oktoberfest is returning to the Brisbane Showgrounds. Now in its 12th year, the festival will extend over two weekends: October 11–13 and 18–20. Australia's largest German culture festival spans traditional live music tents, Munich-style biergartens and carnival rides. An all-day lineup of live music — including Oompah band Münchner Buam, Heidi the Yodeller and Alpenrosen Dance Group — will keep visitors entertained while they eat, drink and celebrate all things Bavaria. A handful of stalls peddling Christmas merch, traditional clothing and toys will also be on-site. There'll be plenty of food stalls offering hearty German cuisine when hunger strikes, including gravy-doused schnitties, candied apples, pork knuckle and sauerkraut. On Saturdays, you can also add a Bavarian brekkie and beer combo to your ticket, which includes two veal sausages served with sweet mustard, a giant soft pretzel and a weissbier (wheat beer). On the topic of beer, the festival likes to keep things traditional: all beer served on-site has been brewed specifically for the event, following the Bavarian Purity Law, and all brews are served in steins. Not a big beer-lover? There'll be classic German wines and non-alcoholic drinks available, too.
You sure couldn't accuse Sydney restaurant Bill & Toni's of expanding too quickly. After all, it's only now — with more than 50 years under its belt — that the Darlinghurst institution is preparing to add three more venues to the family, including one in both Victoria and Queensland. So, why now? Well, the venue has a new owner, Chris Montel, who, since taking over last year, has swiftly made plans to launch three more outposts by the end of 2018. Surfers Paradise and Melbourne's Lygon Street will each get their slice of Bill & Toni's in the coming months, followed by a venue in Montel's own stomping ground of Cronulla later in the year. The aim for each, according to Montel, is to recreate the vibe and offering of the original — everything from the retro-leaning decor to the memorabilia lining the walls will be reimagined for the new spaces. The loveable old-school diner has cemented its status as a cult favourite of Sydney's Italian dining scene with its generous fare, pinball machines and the complimentary orange cordial that makes its way onto most of the tables. But, arguably, its charm lies in the fact that it's been around forever, and we're not quite convinced that will resonate with new cities and communities — especially Lygon Street, which is full of long-running old-school Italian joints already. While details for the Cronulla restaurant are still vague, the planned interstate outposts will be a little smaller, each boasting just one level and room for about 150 people, though they'll be dishing up the same short and snappy menu Darlinghurst folks have been loving for years. Time will tell if those hefty serves of crisp chicken schnitzel and spaghetti bolognese will win over a few new lifelong fans. Bill & Toni's will open on the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Cronulla in Sydney's south this year. We'll let you know opening dates and exact locations of the three new venues as they drop. Until then, you can visit the OG Bill & Toni's at 72–74 Stanley Street, Darlinghurst. Images: Kimberley Low.
Had the eponymous smoking man not been killed by a rocket in season nine of X- Files, what type of cancer would he most likely have died of? Cue ominous music. Southside Tearoom are hosting the trivia night we've been waiting for since 2002 - X-Files Trivia. We shouldn't give you a hand, but if one of the questions is who wrote the theme song - it's from Flume's back catalogue. And few people know David Duchovny had a brief stint hosting children's tv show What's in the Box before starring in to Californication. Some of those answers may be incorrect - you've been warned. Don't be that awkward team without a witty trivia name - putting together the first letters of all your names to create an inaudible term just won't cut it. Scully & the Mike Wazowskis, The 202's (number of x files episodes) and Leonard and the Nimoys are all names you’re free to steal from the Concrete Playground creative Lab. X-Files Trivia will be on the 11th of April, kicking off at 7pm. Book now, organise your car pool, rewatch every series backwards incase their are any satanic backmasked messages you've missed out on, and don’t be afraid - do you understand?
From Thursday, February 15 at QPAC's Lyric Theatre in Brisbane, expect three words to echo with enthusiasm: "be our guest". The venue is the latest home to the Australian season of Disney's Beauty and the Beast musical, which has arrived Down Under as a newly reimagined and redesigned production. Playing until mid-May, this huge show brings a tale as old as time to the Queensland capital after its Aussie-premiere run in Sydney — and marks the latest in a growing line of Disney hits to come our way. Frozen the Musical did the rounds in recent years, as did the musical version of Mary Poppins. This version of Beauty and the Beast first made its way to the stage in the UK in 2021, and reworks the original show that premiered in the US in the 90s — adapting Disney's hit 1991 animated movie musical, of course. Fans can expect the same Oscar-winning and Tony-nominated score courtesy of composer Alan Menken and lyricist Tim Rice, including all the beloved tunes such as 'Be Our Guest' and 'Beauty and the Beast'. It also comes with new dance arrangements by David Chase, and with original choreographer Matt West revisiting his work. Cast-wise, the production features all-Australian talent, including Brisbanites Shubshri Kandiah as Belle and Jackson Head as Gaston, the Gold Coast's Jayde Westaby as Mrs Potts, Melbourne's Gareth Jacobs as Cogsworth, plus Brendan Xavier as Beast and Rohan Browne as Lumiere. Images: Daniel Boud.
Maybe you don't ever manage to find the time to celebrate International Lobster Day each September. Perhaps you're just keen on an indulgent October and November feast. Or, you could simply want to treat yo'self to lobster whenever and wherever you can. Whichever one of these categories fits, you've got a date with Kangaroo Point's One Fish Two Fish from Sunday, October 1–Thursday, November 30. The Main Street eatery is celebrating all things lobster, clearly — and, yes, by serving up the obvious. And, it's doing so across two whole months. No wonder that it's calling the event House of Lobster. Make plans to dine in and you can tuck into a $120 three-course feast, which starts with lobster-filled jacket potatoes or grilled lobster in lemon butter sauce — your choice. From there, there's two options to pick from for mains and dessert. So, you can go for barbecued half lobster with sea urchin butter and Japanese noodles or the lobster mornay with salad — and then either raspberry sorbet or deep-fried vanilla ice cream. Booking quickly is recommended, with seats available for dinner Wednesdays–Thursdays and lunch Fridays–Sundays. Updated Thursday, November 2.
Food. Drinks. Tickets. Parking. Wherever you're heading after work or on a weekend, they're all essential inclusions in your budget — but no one likes forking out a fortune just for the convenience of leaving their car somewhere nearby for a few hours. If you think your money could be better spent elsewhere, and you're planning on spending time in the Brisbane CBD at night or on a weekend this August, then you might want to drive your vehicle to a Wilson Parking site. You'll need to book in advance online or via the app, and then you can nab an off-peak spot for a flat rate of just $5. The deal applies to more than 550 night and weekend car parking bays across 11 Brisbane CBD car park locations — including the Riverside Centre, Eagle Street Pier, Central Plaza 2 ad Brisbane Quarter, as well as sites at 42 and 123 Albert Street, 10 Eagle Street, 12 Creek Street, 340 and 363 Adelaide Street, and 119 Charlotte Street. Wilson Parking's $5 night and weekend deal is available until Monday, August 31.
Since February, Brisbane Powerhouse has been home to the River City's latest festival: ΩHM (pronounced "ohm"). Filled with music and art, it's all about pushing the boundaries while celebrating sound, tunes and performance — a "festival of other music" is what the New Farm venue has badged it, too, and fittingly. Thanks to a program curated by Room40's Lawrence English alongside Brisbane Powerhouse Arts Program Director Brad Spolding, ΩHM hasn't been lacking in highlights; however, its triple bill on Friday, March 31 with Robin Fox, Yann Novak and mHz promises something truly special. Audiovisual artist Fox, Los Angeles-based composer Novak and Iranian sound artist mHz are teaming up for a night showcasing three stunning large-scale audiovisual creations. [caption id="attachment_880278" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yann Novak[/caption] Accordingly, the evening will host the Australian premiere of Fox's Triptych straight from UNSOUND KRAKOW, featuring three RGB laser projectors working in synchronicity. If you've seen his past works — Night Sky for Brisbane Festival, Aqua Luma for Mona Foma 2021, BEACON for Mona Foma 2022 and MONOCHORD for Rising Festival 2022, for instance — you'll know you're in for something special. As for Novak, he'll be using sound and light to explore how both can focus one's awareness on their experiences, as informed by his partial colour blindness and dyslexia. And, the New Zealand-based mHz will take inspiration from material and architecture to hone in on sound and light production. [caption id="attachment_895200" align="alignnone" width="1920"] mHz[/caption] Top image: Robin Fox, Single Origin, Diego Figueroa.
It has been an immensely tough few weeks for southeast Queensland's Binna Burra Lodge, with the beloved Gold Coast hinterland site devastated by bushfires at the beginning of September. While the heritage-listed venue is currently planning its reconstruction process, including when it'll welcome patrons back through the doors, the iconic spot has announced a piece of good news — a new climbing attraction that'll open in 2020. While a specific launch date is yet to be revealed — unsurprisingly, given that the 86-year-old site is in rebuild and fundraising mode — Binna Burra Lodge will become home to Australia's first commercial via ferrata. The Italian term translates to "iron path", and is used to describe cliff-face climbing routes that use steel cables, fixed metal rungs, bridges and ladders to let folks of all skill levels to make the journey. Receiving $1.48 million in funding from the Queensland Government, the via ferrata will open up a section of cliff that's usually only accessible to highly experienced rock climbers (and even then, only by using special equipment). When it launches, anyone will be able to scale the track safely, enjoying its adventurous thrills and impressive views, with 30 people at a time able to use the system. Binna Burra Lodge expects that its new addition will be popular, anticipating that more than 50,000 Australian and international visitors will flock to the region as a result. The via ferrata will join the site's range of existing outdoor activities, which — when the venue becomes operational again — include bushwalking, abseiling, flying fox, archery, camping and trekking through the hinterland. [caption id="attachment_742692" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Binna Burra Lodge's sky lodges, before September's bushfires. Via Binna Burra Lodge.[/caption] Via ferratas are common in Europe, especially through the Alps — and particularly in the Dolomites in Italy, as well as throughout Austria, Germany and Switzerland. If you're wondering how they work, they typically rely upon a length of steel rope, which is affixed to the rock at certain intervals. Climbers then attach themselves to the cable, while also stepping on metal pegs and rungs, and using ladders and bridges, to make their way through the course. Binna Burra Lodge's via ferrata is expected to open in 2020. For more information, visit the site's website. To donate to the venue's reconstruction fundraising campaign, visit the GoFundMe page. Top image: Binna Burra Lodge.
UPDATE, APRIL 4: Disney has announced a new release date for Mulan, with the film now hitting cinemas on July 23, 2020. UPDATE, MARCH 13: Due to concerns around the coronavirus, Disney has announced that Mulan will no longer release on its initially scheduled date of Thursday, March 26, 2020. At present, a new release date has not been announced — we'll update you when one has been revealed. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. In Chinese history, the legend of Hua Mulan dates back to the sixth century. At the movies, the formidable female warrior first fought her way across the big screen in a 1927 silent film. The character is no stranger to the page, stage or cinema, but many folks know the tale thanks to Disney's 1998 animated musical. Now, as it has done with everything from Alice in Wonderland to The Jungle Book to Aladdin, the Mouse House is turning the story into its latest live-action remake. Once again, Mulan (played by Chinese American actor Liu Yifei) will evolve from dutiful daughter to kick-ass combatant, all to protect her family in a time of war. She's originally due to be married off to a husband chosen by a matchmaker, until the Emperor of China issues a decree stating that one man per household must serve the Imperial Army as it endeavours to fend off northern invaders. To save her ailing ex-soldier father from having to fight, Mulan disguises herself as a man, takes on the name Hua Jun and becomes an icon. Forget rousing tunes and talking dragons voiced by Eddie Murphy — this time, the tale hits the screen without the singing and smart-talking sidekicks, but with plenty of sword-swinging, arrow-flinging antics. In New Zealand director Niki Caro's (Whale Rider, The Zookeeper's Wife) hands, this version of the story goes heavy on the action and empowerment, as seen in the spectacularly choreographed scenes in the just-released first trailer. As well as Liu (whose resume includes The Forbidden Kingdom and The Assassins), the new Mulan features Jet Li as the Chinese Emperor, Gong Li as a witch, Donnie Yen as the protagonist's mentor, Jason Scott Lee as a villainous army leader, and Yoson An (The Meg, Mortal Engines) as her fellow fighter and love interest. The film hits cinemas next year — check out the teaser below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01ON04GCwKs After being delayed from its original release date of March 28, 2020, Mulan will now open in Australian cinemas on July 23, 2020.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER What do you call a movie filled with giant screaming goats, magic weapons vying for attention like romantic rivals, a naked Chris Hemsworth and a phenomenally creepy Christian Bale? Oh, and with no fewer than four Guns N' Roses needle drops, 80s nostalgia in droves, and a case of tonal whiplash as big as the God of Thunder's biceps? You call it Thor: Love and Thunder, and also a mixed bag. The fourth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to focus on the now 29-title saga's favourite space Viking, and the second Thor flick directed by Taika Waititi after Thor: Ragnarok, it welcomely boasts the New Zealand filmmaker's playful and irreverent sense of humour — and the dead-serious days of the series-within-a-series' first two outings, 2011's Thor and 2013's Thor: The Dark World, have definitely been banished. But Love and Thunder is equally mischievous and jumbled. It's chaotic in both fun and messy ways. Out in the cosmos, no one can swim, but movies about galaxy-saving superheroes can tread water. Thor Odinson (Hemsworth, Spiderhead) has been doing a bit of that himself — not literally, but emotionally and professionally. Narrated in a storybook fashion by rock alien Korg (also Waititi, Lightyear), Love and Thunder first fills in the gaps since the last time the Asgardian deity graced screens in Avengers: Endgame. Ditching his dad bod for his ultra-buff god bod earns a mention. So does biding his time with the Guardians of the Galaxy crew (with Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Bradley Cooper and company popping up briefly). Then, a distress call from an old friend gives Thor a new purpose. Fellow warrior Sif (Jaimie Alexander, Last Seen Alive) has been fighting galactic killer Gorr the God Butcher (Bale, Ford v Ferrari), who's on a mission to do exactly what his name promises due to a crisis of faith — which puts not only Thor himself but also New Asgard, the Norwegian village populated by survivors from his home planet, at grave risk. In MCU movies before Ragnarok, many of which Thor has smouldered and smiled his way through, he would've attacked the problem — this time literally — with enchanted hammer mjolnir. It's been in pieces since the last standalone Thor film. Courtesy of the god's ex, it doesn't stay that way for long. Love and Thunder nabs itself two Thors for the price of one, after Dr Jane Foster (Natalie Portman, Vox Lux) hears mjolnir a-calling following a stage-IV cancer diagnosis. Soon, the astrophysicist is also the Mighty Thor, brandishing the mallet, wearing armour and sporting flowing blonde locks. When the OG Thor finds out, he's overcome with post-breakup awkwardness, but there's still a god killer to stop and also kidnapped kids to rescue. Cue a couple of Thors, plus Korg and New Asgard king Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson, Passing), trying to prevent the worst from happening. Love and Thunder is a film where those yelling oversized goats pull a boat into the heavens; where Hemsworth is gloriously in the goofiest mode he has, aka the best mode; and where Russell Crowe (Unhinged) plays a tutu-wearing, lightning bolt-flinging Zeus with the worst on-screen accent this side of House of Gucci (Greek instead of Italian, though). The movie is rarely more than a few seconds from a one-liner or a silly throwaway gag, and it loves colour more than a rainbow does — except when it doesn't, including in the desert-set opening that introduces Gorr and his god-slaying necrosword, and when it follows him into an eerie shadow realm. Love and Thunder also adds Bale, an actor forever linked with helping bring superheroes back to the blockbuster realm via Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, to the ranks of terrific caped crusader foes. This Thor flick contains plenty, clearly; however, for everything that works, something else doesn't. Read our full review. COMPARTMENT NO 6 Handheld camerawork can be a gimmick. It can be distracting, too. When imagery seems restless for no particular reason other than making the audience restless, it drags down entire films. But at its best, roving, jittery and jumpy frames provide one of the clearest windows there is into the souls that inhabit the silver screen in 90-minute blocks or so, and also prove a wonderful way of conveying how they feel in the world. That's how Compartment No. 6's cinematography plays, and it couldn't be a more crucial move; this is a deeply thoughtful movie about two people who are genuinely restless themselves, after all. Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen (The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki) wants what all of the most perceptive filmmakers do — to ensure his viewers feel like they know his characters as well as they know themselves — and in his latest cinematic delight, he knows how to get it. How Kuosmanen evokes that sense of intimacy and understanding visually is just one of Compartment No. 6's highlights, but it's worthy of a train full of praise. With the helmer's returning director of photography Jani-Petteri Passi behind the lens, the film gets close to Finnish student Laura (Seidi Haarla, Force of Habit) and Russian miner Ljoha (Yuriy Borisov, The Red Ghost). It peers intently but unobtrusively their way, like an attentive lifelong friend. It jostles gently with the locomotive that the movie's central pair meets on, and where they spend the bulk of their time together. It ebbs and flows like it's breathing with them. It rarely ventures far from their faces in such cramped, stark, 90s-era Russian surroundings, lingering with them, carefully observing them, and genuinely spying how they react and cope in big and small moments alike. Pivotally — and at every moment as well — it truly sees its key duo. With their almost-matching names, Laura and Ljoha meet on a train ride charting the lengthy expanse from Moscow to Murmansk. She's taking the journey to see the Kanozero petroglyphs, ancient rock drawings that date back the 2nd and 3rd millennium BC, and were only discovered in 1997; he's heading up for work. Laura is also meant to be travelling with Irina (Dinara Drukarova, The Bureau), her Russian girlfriend, but the latter opted out suddenly after an intellectual-filled house party where mocking the former for her accent — and claiming she's just a lodger — threw a pall of awkwardness over their relationship. Making the jaunt solo is still sitting uneasily with Laura, though. Calls along the way, answered with busy indifference, don't help. And neither does finding herself sharing compartment number six, obviously, with the tough- and rough-around-the edges Ljoha. It's been 71 years now since Alfred Hitchcock gave cinema the noir thriller Strangers on a Train. It's been 27 years since Richard Linklater also had two unacquainted folks meeting while riding the rails in Before Sunrise, which started a terrific romance trilogy starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Accordingly, the idea behind Compartment No. 6 is instantly familiar. Here, two strangers meet on a train, a connection sparks and drama ensues. Kuosmanen, who nabbed an award at Cannes for The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki and then earned the 2021 competition Grand Prix, which comes second only to the prestigious Palme d'Or, for this, is clearly working with a well-used setup. But even though this isn't a movie that's big on surprises, it's still a stellar film. It's also a reminder that a feature that's personal and raw, also attuned to all the tiny details of life in its performances, mood and style, and firmly character-driven, can make even the most recognisable narrative feel new. Read our full review. SUNDOWN In Sundown's holiday porn-style opening scenes, a clearly wealthy British family enjoys the most indulgent kind of Acapulco getaway that anyone possibly can. Beneath the blazing blue Mexican sky, at a resort that visibly costs a pretty penny, Alice Bennett (Charlotte Gainsbourg, The Snowman), her brother Neil (Tim Roth, Bergman Island), and her teenage children Alexa (Albertine Kotting McMillan, A Very British Scandal) and Colin (Samuel Bottomley, Everybody's Talking About Jamie) swim and lounge and sip, with margaritas, massages and moneyed bliss flowing freely. For many, it'd be a dream vacation. For Alice and her kids, it's routine, but they're still enjoying themselves. The look on Neil's passive face says everything, however. It's the picture of apathy — even though, as the film soon shows, he flat-out refuses to be anywhere else. The last time that a Michel Franco-written and -directed movie reached screens, it came courtesy of the Mexican filmmaker's savage class warfare drama New Order, which didn't hold back in ripping into the vast chasm between the ridiculously rich and everyone else. Sundown is equally as brutal, but it isn't quite Franco's take on The White Lotus or Nine Perfect Strangers, either. Rather, it's primarily a slippery and sinewy character study about a man with everything as well as nothing. Much happens within the feature's brief 82-minute running time. Slowly, enough is unveiled about the Bennett family's background, and why their extravagant jaunt abroad couldn't be a more ordinary event in their lavish lives. Still, that indifferent expression adorning Neil's dial rarely falters, whether grief, violence, trauma, lust, love, wins or losses cast a shadow over or brighten up his poolside and seaside stints knocking back drinks in the sunshine. For anyone else, the first interruption that comes the Bennetts' way would change this trip forever; indeed, for Alice, Alexa and Colin, it does instantly. Thanks to one sudden phone call, Alice learns that her mother is gravely ill. Via another while the quartet is hightailing it to the airport, she discovers that the worst has occurred. Viewers can be forgiven for initially thinking that Neil is her cruelly uncaring husband in these moments — Franco doesn't spell out their relationship until later, and Neil doesn't act for a second like someone who might and then does lose his mum. Before boarding the plane home, he shows the faintest glimmer of emotion when he announces that he's forgotten his passport, though. That said, he isn't agitated about delaying his journey back, but about the possibility that his relatives mightn't jet off and leave him alone. Sundown is often a restrained film, intentionally so. It doles out the reasons behind Neil's behaviour, and even basic explanatory information, as miserly as its protagonist cracks a smile. The movie itself is eventually a tad more forthcoming than Neil, but it remains firmly steeped in Franco's usual mindset: life happens, contentedly and grimly alike, and we're all just weathering it. Neither the highs nor lows appear to bother Neil, who holes up at the first hotel his cab driver takes him to, then starts making excuses and simply ignoring Alice's worried calls and texts. He navigates an affair with the younger Berenice (Iazua Larios, Ricochet) as well, and carries on like he doesn't have a care in the world. His sister returns, frantic and angry, but even then he's nonplussed. The same proves true, too, when a gangland execution bloodies his leisurely days by the beach, and also when violence cuts far closer to home. Read our full review. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on April 7, April 14, April 21 and April 28; and May 5, May 12, May 19 and May 26; and June 2, June 9, June 16, June 23 and June 30. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Fantastic Beasts and the Secrets of Dumbledore, Ambulance, Memoria, The Lost City, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Happening, The Good Boss, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman, Ithaka, After Yang, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Petite Maman, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Firestarter, Operation Mincemeat, To Chiara, This Much I Know to Be True, The Innocents, Top Gun: Maverick, The Bob's Burgers Movie, Ablaze, Hatching, Mothering Sunday, Jurassic World Dominion, A Hero, Benediction, Lightyear, Men, Elvis, Lost Illusions, Nude Tuesday and Ali & Ava.
When Christmas Eve hits, most of us are already feeling the festive spirit. If you work in retail or hospitality, however, you might have to press pause on your merriment until your shift is over. Even worse — while the majority of folks are getting into the swing of seasonal celebrations, those left serving food and drinks, manning store counters and just working in general aren't being compensated more than their usual rates. Following in the footsteps South Australia and the Northern Territory, the Queensland Government is proposing a solution: turning Christfmas Eve into a public holiday. Well, turning part of December 24 into a public holiday, at least. Their plan would see penalty rates come into effect once 6pm hits, meaning anyone left working when it's literally the evening before Christmas would be paid accordingly. If that's you, don't go spending that potential extra cash just yet. At the moment, the idea is open for public consultation to weigh up the broader benefits and costs, with Queenslanders able to submit their thoughts on the move until 4pm on Monday, September 2. If the part-day public holiday receives community support, it could even apply this Christmas. Affected workers would receive penalty rates of up to 250 percent of their normal wages, as well as the option not to work, where reasonable. For further information about the proposed Christmas Eve public holiday, or to submit your feedback, visit the Queensland Government Industrial Relations website.
They're the scenes every dog owner pictures when they leave their beloved pooch home alone. Maybe their loyal canine sits by the door, pining for human company. Maybe the crafty critter jumps on the furniture and makes a mess. Maybe it does a bit of both. With an excellent understanding of the bond between people and their furry companions, The Secret Life of Pets turns these imaginings into an animated adventure. If Toy Story swapped kids' playthings for the dogs, cats, birds and bunnies (and assorted other animals) that people of all ages adore, this highly entertaining movie would be the end result. Terrier Max (voiced by Louis C.K.) is the apple of his owner Katie's (Ellie Kemper) eye. Or least he is, until she brings him home a shaggy rescue mutt as a brother. Not only is Duke (Eric Stonestreet) bigger, he's determined to take Max's bed, his food bowl, and – the smaller dog worries – his place in Katie's heart. Before long, the tussle between the unhappy new housemates spills onto the streets during their daily walk, with the duo soon finding themselves scooped up by dog-catchers. Enter former magician's rabbit Snowball (Kevin Hart) and his motley crew of discarded beasts, who not only prove skilled at escaping to their secret underground lair, but are also plotting to overthrow humanity. There's knowing humour in everything Despicable Me director Chris Renaud and his co-helmer Yarrow Cheney assemble in this jovial animal jaunt, with the script from fellow Despicable alums revelling in anarchic but endearing comedy that trickles down to the smallest details. And it really is the little things that help The Secret Life of Pets showcase its modest charms, as demonstrated by the supporting characters. Both nodding to and twisting stereotypical traits and behaviours, the film features everything from a hamster (voiced by Renaud) who can't find his way out of a building's vents, to a pampered Pomeranian (Jenny Slate) who turns feisty when she discovers that Max is in trouble. More quirky creatures pop up, sporting recognisable celebrity tones, including Lake Bell as a cat, Hannibal Buress as a dachshund and Albert Brooks as a grumpy hawk. Each inspires a few funny sequences and sight gags, in a film that's otherwise content with the usual pop-friendly soundtrack, pop culture references and riffs on other movies. Indeed, with an action-packed homewards trek that's reminiscent of Finding Dory, and a wiener-oriented musical number that's better than anything in Sausage Party, much about The Secret Life of Pets feels familiar. There are no Zootopia-like musings about diversity and acceptance here — but there is a whole lot of awww-inducing love. Such fuzzy feelings will no doubt help viewers in overlooking the film's flaws. This is a movie that's as swift as a dog chasing a ball, as light as a budgie fluttering around an apartment, and as cute as an over-fed cat lounging in the sun. And, for its brief 87 minutes, that's mostly enough. Just make sure you leave time to visit a pet store after the movie, or scurry home to hug the four-legged friends you already have.
When Milky Lane opened in Bondi back in 2016, it immediately generated a cult following. Thanks to its calorific concoctions, casual any-night-of-the-week vibe and celebrity endorsements, the venue has become a go-to for many Sydneysiders when an indulgent meal is a must. The chain made the jump to the Gold Coast in 2018, but for non-locals, the slog down south can be long and painful (albeit worthwhile once the mega shake and burger-induced coma hits). So it might be welcome news that there will soon be a solution a little closer to home for those who live in Brisbane — the team is opening a new venue at Gasworks Newstead in late-June. The formula has remained pretty much the same across Milky Lane's six stores so far, with five in Sydney and one in Queensland to date. On the menu: artery-clogging burgers, loaded fries and shakes. Hey, if it ain't broke. Graffiti typically lines the walls, transforming the burg joint into the sort of place that instantly makes you feel cool by association. And as for culinary favourites, there's the fried chicken Chic Kanye burger, the bacon-stuffed Kevin Bacon burg, mac 'n' cheese croquettes, deep-fried Golden Gaytimes and Kit Kat Choc Fudge Booze Shake cocktails, among others. An exact opening date hasn't been revealed, but the venue will be sizeable, seating 200 burger fiends both inside and out. It'll also be mighty close to the other burg, shake and dessert-swilling eatery in the area, Betty's Burgers — but we all know how much Brissie loves meat between two pieces of bread, hefty piles of fries, milky drinks and over-the-top sweet treats. Milky Lane Brisbane opens at Gasworks, 76 Skyring Terrace, Newstead, in late-June. For further details, visit the chain's website — or keep an eye on the Surfers Paradise store's Facebook page. Images: Milky Lane Bondi by Bodhi Liggett.
Some events feel like they've always been part of Brisbane's cultural scene, and Stones Corner Festival is one of them — even though it'll only host its eighth fest when it returns in 2023. That's the sign of something special, with this free street party swiftly becoming one of the city's must-attend festivals. It was sorely missed during pandemic shutdowns as well, but made a glorious comeback in 2022. This year, when Sunday, April 30 hits, Stones Corner Festival will once again unleash a day of food and music on the inner east, too. And when that happens, the event is going big. On the lineup: Art vs Science, local legends Resin Dogs and the retro stylings of Yacht Rock Revival. They'll be joined by Good Will Remedy, Jem Cassar-Daley, John Hanley & The Hurricanes, Dusty and Andy Martin. That's who you'll be listening to — or dancing in the street to, to be more accurate — however, the music bill is only part of the Stones Corner Festival fun. You can also expect more than 20 craft breweries pouring beers, including Your Mates Brewing Co, 4 Pines, Slipstream, Balter, Eumundi, Brookvale Union, Stone & Wood and Green Beacon. Burleigh Brewing, Newstead Brewing, Young Henrys, Heads of Noosa and Better Beer will be on hand as well, so you'll have sipping options. Eating-wise, a heap of food trucks will pop up to keep your stomach lined, including with burgers, paella, tacos and pizza. And as for what else awaits on the corner of Logan and Old Cleveland roads — and during the Labour Day long weekend, handily — there'll also be market stalls via The Market Folks. If you're planning a big one, that public holiday the next day is oh so convenient. Also, entry remains free, but giving a gold coin donation to the MND and Me Foundation is recommended. STONES CORNER FESTIVAL 2023 LINEUP: Art vs Science Resin Dogs Yacht Rock Revival Good Will Remedy Jem Cassar-Daley John Hanley & The Hurricanes Dusty Andy Martin Stones Corner Festival 2023 takes place from 12–10pm on Sunday, April 30 on Logan Road, Stones Corner. For more information, head to the festival's website.
Whether they riff on fairy bread or come packed with pretzels, plenty of Gelato Messina's popular desserts turn other foods into a frosty sweet treat. For the chain's next endeavour, it's taking that process a step further. This time, it's transforming a heap of its gelato flavours into a variety of different chocolates. Nine different types of blocks, bars and other bites are on the menu thanks to Messina's latest special — which means that they'll only be available to order on a set day, as always happens with the brand's limited-edition wares. And, they're being sold pick 'n' mix-style. So, you can choose as many as you like, with discount codes on offer if you're nabbing three, six or nine. Some of these chocolates will sound familiar, as Messina first broke out a few of them for Father's Day. Back then, it was the first time that Messina had ever made chocolate bars and blocks itself, with the team at its Rosebery headquarters doing the honours. Clearly, it went well. Loved Messina's recent cone-ception cookie pies? That's where one of these choccies takes its cues, combining sable biscuit, waffle cone spread and cone crunch, then covering it all in caramelised white chocolate. There's neapolitan chocolate blocks, too — and yes, they're made with milk chocolate, white chocolate that features Heilala vanilla, and strawberry chocolate infused with freeze dried strawberries. Or, you can opt for fairy bread white chocolate blocks that come mixed with dehydrated toast crumbs and sprinkled with 100s and 1000s, clusters of potato chips and salted peanuts coated in white chocolate, candied pistachios covered in strawberry chocolate, and Messina's own version of chocolate honeycomb. Plus, the range also includes roasted hazelnuts coated in milk chocolate and wafer flakes, pretzel crunch covered in milk chocolate and choc-covered house-made nougat as well. However many of these choccies you now need to add to your snack rotation, you'll want to place your order at 9am AEDT on Wednesday, October 13. They'll then be shipped within five working days. Gelato Messina's pick 'n' mix chocolate range will be available to order from 9am AEDT on Wednesday, October 13.
UPDATE, September 17, 2020: Crazy Rich Asians is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. It's a throwaway joke in a film filled with smarter, funnier dialogue. Still, when Crazy Rich Asians compares its own plot to The Bachelor, the line sticks. The movie doesn't involve women competing for a man on television, thankfully. There's no cheesy host talking the audience through proceedings either, and the flick, while fictional, doesn't feel as fake and contrived as reality TV. But the big-screen adaptation of Kevin Kwan's best-selling novel does willingly, gleefully champion a world of indulgence — a world where romance has to shine twice as bright against the glittering trappings of wealth. And, just like The Bachelor, the film remains both fluffy and breezy and over-the-top and melodramatic at the same time. Of course, there's more than a little winking and nodding evident when Crazy Rich Asians connects its opulent, soap opera-like theatrics to a popular televised dating contest. Director John M. Chu (Now You See Me 2) and his screenwriters Peter Chiarelli (The Proposal) and Adele Lim (TV's Dynasty) know exactly what they're doing, and they're not backing away from it. Combining a wealth of elements within its light and luxe confines, Crazy Rich Asians is many things, including extravagant, irreverent and entertaining. It's a rom-com about love and money, a comedy about class and culture clashes, and a modern-day fairytale about an ordinary girl falling for Singapore's equivalent of royalty — and, wholly in the service of its story, it refuses to dial down any of its excess. Indeed, there's a straightforward reason that the movie bathes in ultra-rich glitz and glamour to an almost ostentatious degree: it's giving audiences the same experience as the film's protagonist. One day, Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is a New York economics professor from a working-class, single-parent household, and simply thinking about finally meeting her boyfriend Nick's (Henry Golding) parents. The next, she's flying first class to Asia, finding out that her beloved is well and truly loaded, and discovering the kind of life such a vast fortune can buy. Like falling down a rabbit hole, she's in unfamiliar, fantastical territory. Expecting to attend a low-key family dinner, she finds herself at a decadent blowout filled with folks wearing evening gowns. Heading to a bachelorette party for one of Nick's pals, she's helicoptered to a private resort. Even when she's just hanging out with her college buddy Peik Lin (Awkwafina), she's sitting in a gold-adorned mansion. What follows is a whirlwind introduction to the filthily, ridiculously rich, and it has consequences within the narrative. Rachel is understandably overwhelmed, Nick's mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) is vocal about her disapproval, and Nick is caught in the middle. Accordingly, as Crazy Rich Asians tracks the chaos that ensues — and the battle between romance, finances and family — the film is devoted to plunging viewers into the lavish lifestyle at its centre in order to align them with its protagonist. Every filmmaking choice ramps up the indulgence, be it in the onslaught of colour, the lingering shots of sumptuous parties and homes, or the upbeat editing. Chu also uses his aesthetics to heighten the story's rampant fantasy, linking the movie not just with The Bachelor, but with fairytales like Cinderella. You can't make a film called Crazy Rich Asians without stressing every part of the title, after all. That doesn't just encompass the mania and the wealth, but also the pictures' dedication to representation. Among its many guises, the movie not only presents a rare and refreshing celebration of Asian culture in general, but puts stellar Asian talent front and centre on the cinema screen. Wu is spot-on as the relatable heroine, Yeoh is at her icy best, Ken Jeong and Awkwafina reliably steal scenes, and even Australian TV favourite Ronnie Chieng makes a brief appearance. The very existence of this cast really can't be downplayed — you have to go back to 1993's The Joy Luck Club and 2001's Memoirs of a Geisha to find other Hollywood films starring so many actors of Asian descent. Blend all of the above, and a few things happen. Much of Crazy Rich Asians glimmers with emotion, exuberance and cultural specificity, engagingly and enjoyably so. That said, some parts — its largely by-the-numbers narrative, and the fact that it presents rather than probes its excess-laden surroundings — also prove a little too neat and easy. The end result is a shiny piece of big-screen jewellery filled with gems, and while not every aspect sparkles as much as the next, the overall package still looks and works a treat. Or, to use a different analogy, the film is like the abundance of delicious-looking food that graces its frames: a huge, elaborate banquet that doesn't quite perfect every dish, but nonetheless satisfies the appetite — not to mention sating cravings for something with a bit more flavour than the usual fare. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14ZHRBfpeNg
Queensland is home to 349 different species of butterflies — and until Sunday, July 7, 2024, you can see most of them at Queensland Museum. The fluttering insects aren't alone at South Bank. Their company? An exhibition featuring more than 1700 specimens of creepy crawlies. Drawn from the venue's extension collection, this showcase is all about appreciating beetles, moths, ants, flies, mosquitos, cicadas, crickets, mantids, wasps, bees and more in a new light. You'll be bugged in the best kind of way while exploring Insect Agency, which is free, brand new and developed by QM, and running in tandem with the Entomological Society of Queensland's centenary celebrations. The exhibition is split into themes, covering insect bodies, the fact that there's more insects on earth than any other type of creature and special abilities specific to insects. Expect to learn plenty of interesting tidbits while you peer at insects great and small. Did you know that Australia is home to almost 500 species of dung beetles? Or that there's a Dracula ant that can snap its jaw shut at 320 kilometres per hour? You do now. From December, you can pair these minibeasts with dinosaurs, albeit of the Lego variety, all thanks to Jurassic World by Brickman — although that part requires a paid ticket. Images: Papilio ulysses (Ulysses butterfly), Megachile macularis (a leafcutter bee) and Onthophagus dandalu (dung beetle), Queensland Museum.
We all know that solid dose of 'the good feels' you get after you've done something nice for yourself/your body (like exercise). And from Monday, October 3–Saturday, December 3, you can expect those feelings to increase two-fold. Thanks to the return of Brisbane's Feel Good Program for spring, the city will welcome a series of outdoor fitness classes — and, unlike that fancy new yoga studio in your neighbourhood that smells like acai berries and only serves charcoal tea, these classes are all entirely free. Ranging from sessions to get your blood pumping (Zumba) to classes to get your zen flowing freely (yoga, tai chi), the Feel Good Program is an initiative designed to suit any and all fitness levels. Classes are being held around South Bank Parklands this time around. BYO water bottle, towel and, where required, a yoga mat — the ones provided are subject to availability. Classes happen every day except Fridays and Sundays, and they all run for between 30–45 minutes. Times vary depending on the day, but your options include getting started early with a 7am pilates session, splashing in the pool at 9.15am or 9.30am, or finishing up with hula fit or hip hop yoga from 6.15pm. Two different mindfulness options are also part of the spring calendar, giving you a Monday midday mindfulness break at 12.30pm, and diving into mindful art at 10.30am on Saturdays. Whichever you choose, it'll have you embracing the warm outdoors and feeling good — check out the timetable online.
