While in lockdown, you've probably been battling with your hairstyle a little. Should you attempt to trim your bangs? Shave your head? Dye it blue a la Hilary Duff? Well, if you decide to cut yourself a mullet, you'll score some free beer courtesy of the folk over at Melbourne's Moon Dog Craft Brewery. The team behind Abbotsford's OG Moon Dog and Preston's OTT Moon Dog World is celebrating the launch of its new strawberry sour ale, Jean-Strawb Van Damme, by giving away four-packs of the brew to everyone who takes on the mullet challenge. To prove you've gotten your new 'do in iso, you'll need to post a before and after photo and tag both @moondogbrewing and @beefsbarbers. And not only will you score yourself a four-pack, you'll also go into the running to win a year's supply of beer. The 365 days of brews — plus and epic prize pack — will go to the best/worst mullet, so go all out. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_EcsWFjDXs/ If you need some inspo, we suggest heading on over to the Mulletfest website. Held every year in the regional NSW town of Kurri Kurri, the festival awards prizes to the best mullet hairstyle in a heap of categories, from 'grubby' to 'extreme' and 'everyday'. Those who don't want to look like Patrick Swayze in Point Break (or Road House), can still try the tasty sour ale. Moon Dog is delivering it across Australia ($20 a four-pack or $100 a 24-pack) and it's available at select bottle-os across the country, too. To score yourself a free four-pack of Jean-Strawb Van Damme — and go into the running to win a year's supply of beer — you'll need to post a before and after photo and tag both @moondogbrewing and @beefsbarbers. To buy the beer, head to the Moon Dog website.
If you thought extreme skiing didn’t get much wilder than the Perisher Blue half-pipe, have we got news for you. From sliding down steep ascents at incomprehensible speeds, chasing avalanches (or being chased by them), to batting away thoughts of stupid sexy Flanders in the name of adrenalin, extreme skiing is almost as wild to watch on the slopes as it does on the big screen - and if there’s one film production company that knows blood, sweat, tears and ice better than anyone else, it’s Warren Miller Entertainment. Since the 1950 release of Deep and Light, the first extreme skiing movie, they’re latest production Ticket to Ride, proves a friendly, and exhilarating reminder of the high-octane, clean-cut, icy-precise production that comes from 64 years in the snow business game. Capturing the athletic elite-ship of Sochi Gold medallist Ted Ligety, Seth Wescott, Julia Mancuso, Sean Pettit and Chris Davenport in action, Ticket to Ride shows off some of the worlds finest skiers, on backdrops of some of the world's most dangerous snow ranges. The Judith Wright Centre will be screening Ticket to Ride this Thursday and Friday over four sessions. Experience the most epic ski adventure to date, with some of the globes most dangerous, sought-after and gob-smackingly beautiful ski locations on show – from Alaskan Tordrillos, Iceland’s Troll Peninsula, the fjords of Greenland and the Big Sky country of Montana, Ticket to Ride covers more snowy terrain than The Rocky Mountaineer, and shows off twice as many thrills. Check out the Ticket to Ride trailer here.
Heading to a bar and truly being yourself don't always go hand-in-hand. Whether you're a veteran hospitality worker who spends too much of your life pouring beverages, or you're just fond of hitting your local once the working week is done, navigating the nightlife scene usually involves being on guard — especially for women. Enter Brisbane's newest pop-up: Cream. Here, relaxing, tearing down barriers, and feeling welcome and respected are all on the agenda, as is — according to co-organiser Gibby Odlum — "letting your freak flag fly". The regular event is the brainchild of Odlum, Kayla Reid and Allison Jones, who all work in Brisbane's watering holes — Odlum is the venue manager at Blute's in Fortitude Valley, Reid holds the same role at Savile Row and Jones does the same at Super Whatnot in the CBD. Once a week, the trio would get together over margaritas and let their hair down, inviting different friends and colleagues along to join them. Then, after being approached by Black Bear Lodge owner Aidan Beiers, the three decided to turn their regular gathering into a public party. [caption id="attachment_729537" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Brendan Grimley[/caption] After kicking off back in February, Cream's second event will take place on Monday, July 15 — and the galactic rodeo theme offers a great insight into what's in store. Think dressing up, letting loose and getting into the partying spirit, all while sipping drinks from Jagermeister, Puerto Pacifico and Young Henrys, and making shapes to Moon Spoon and Thicc Shake Crew. "We all know you have a cowboy hat somewhere in the back of your cupboard," Odlum says. While plenty of bars and shindigs combine tunes, booze and a chilled mood, Cream's focus on providing a safe, judgement-free space for everyone is a welcome one. "Our mission statement is simple: no matter how you identify or your background, it's a place we can all come together and just enjoy a really honest event," says Jones. "Being a woman in a male-dominated industry isn't easy, but, for the three of us, we wanted to use this platform to not fight it in an aggressive way, but to turn the image of women being on the outside to women being these hardcore, badass legends." From here, Cream doesn't have a firm plan, but eager Brisbanites can expect more pop-ups, including potential collaborations with other events. Venturing to Sydney could also be on the cards, too. "We want to keep our options open as much as possible and branch out where we can," says Reid. Cream's Galactic Rodeo takes place at 7pm on Monday, July 15 at Black Bear Lodge. For more information and upcoming events, keep an eye on Cream's Facebook page. Top image: Blute's Bar.
If you stare at something long enough, you don't just see the obvious. You notice everything, from the details that fail to immediately catch your attention to the way things can change instantly right in front of your eyes. The Killing of Two Lovers is all about this idea, and on two fronts. It puts a fractured marriage before its lens, ensuring its struggles and troubles can't be ignored. It also takes its time to peer at its protagonist, the separated-and-unhappy-about-it David (Clayne Crawford, Rectify), and at all that his new life now entails. In a sparse small town — with the film shot in Kanosh, Utah — its central figure attempts to adjust to living with his ailing widower father (Bruce Graham, Forty Years From Yesterday). His wife Niki (Sepideh Moafi, The L Word: Generation Q) remains in their home with their four children, as they've agreed while they take a break to work through their problems. David isn't coping, though, a fact that's apparent long before his teenage daughter Jess (Avery Pizzuto, We Fall Down) gets angry because she thinks he isn't fighting hard enough to save their family. He's trying, but as Crawford conveys in a brooding but nervy performance — and as writer/director/editor Robert Machoian (When She Runs) and cinematographer Oscar Ignacio Jiménez (Immanence) can't stop looking at in lengthy and patient takes — he can't quite adapt to the idea of losing everything he knows. Not just wed young, but welcoming Jess into their lives when they were basically kids themselves, David and Niki have spent their entire adulthood together so far — and as parents. They've agreed that they can date other people during their time apart, which Niki is doing; however, David just wants what he's always had. Indeed, The Killing of Two Lovers opens with him appearing poised to put that title into effect. He even has a gun, in fact. But nothing is that simple here, or for everyone in the movie's frames, or for anyone. From that very first moment, with the camera lingering on him wrestling with a big decision and radiating pain, anger and uncertainty, this is a feature that's determined to keep staring while its characters grapple with complexities both intimate and commonplace. David can't handle that Niki has started seeing Derek (Chris Coy, The Deuce), who works in the same building. He can't face the fact that she's been promoted at work, which brings more opportunities for her to be independent. And he certainly can't abide by only spending time with his beloved kids — including pre-teen boys Alex, Theo and Bug (Arri, Ezra and Jonah Graham, God Bless the Child) in agreed slots, instead of being there for their every moment. The Killing of Two Lovers watches David rage and fray. It sees him try to be the cool part-time dad, buying his brood toy rockets to send soaring into the sky in the local park, and waking up his sons in the middle of the night to show them he's taken their comedy advice. The film observes as he weathers Jess' anger, fear and disappointment, too, and as he tries to make his date nights with Niki the kind of evening that'll get them back together. It notices his self-centred wish to keep everything frozen in time, his stubbornness to accept any other fate, and his posturing with the unpleasant, jerk-ish Derek. Crucially, though, this is a movie about domestic disharmony that witnesses as much as it can, and lets as broad a spectrum of its protagonist's life as possible tell its tale. The Killing of Two Lovers ensures that Niki's predicament is just as complicated as well. This isn't just a movie that explores what happens when a man could lose everything that's made him who he is; it's also a portrait of a woman torn between a past she knows and a future that's on her own terms. And, it definitely isn't a film that condones David's actions, or offers any neat or predictable answers, explanations or options, but rather it's a snapshot of just how tangled and elaborate life always becomes. There's an element of Scenes From a Marriage at play here, although The Killing of Two Lovers pre-dates the new remake — and so much of the feeling in this gorgeously shot movie comes from its imagery. When it's hard to look away from such rich and enticing visuals, it's impossible not to spot and soak in everything they depict. Each frame is postcard-perfect, not that those pieces of cardboard ever capture such everyday sights, but wide vistas and the snowy mountains hovering in the background are just the beginning. With its long takes, The Killing of Two Lovers forces its audience to glean the naturalistic lighting that never casts David and Niki's hometown in either a warm glow or grim glower. Repeated images of David alone, especially in his car, also leave a firm impression of a man moving and solo. And, presenting most of its frames in the 4:3 aspect ratio, the film also possesses an astonishing and telling sense of space. Nothing is bluntly boxed in here, but everyone is trying to roam within the claustrophobic patch of turf they've scratched out. And, within the feature's square-shaped visuals springs an added fountain of intimacy that cuts to the heart of such close relationships, such as when David and the kids all pile into his truck, or during one of David and Niki's car-bound dates. Of course, without the right actors inhabiting those shots — and the right performances emanating from them — Machoian's stunning sights would ring hollow. Crawford is as soulful as the film's cinematography, and as jumpy as the metallic-sounding audioscape that echoes during its 84-minute running time. He's both masterful and devastating as he, like the overall feature itself, tussles and jostles with David's internal and external chaos. His is a raw and invested portrayal, so it comes as little surprise that he's one of the picture's executive producers. Crawford is aided by spot-on work by his co-stars, though; by smartly penned, stirringly insightful dialogue that most scripts wish they could muster, too; and by a piercing use of silence to let everything sink in. The devil isn't in the detail here — the minutiae is the entire movie, and what an unflinching, evocative and heady vision of yearning and emotionally churning it is.
Back when streaming platforms and digital television were just a futuristic dream, and when every Australian TV network only had one channel, SBS was an Aussie cinephile's go-to source for free international cinema. The public broadcaster has continued to uphold that role over the past decade or so, especially via its online service SBS On Demand. But now it's giving movie buffs what we've always wanted: a new, free-to-air, 24-hour world movies channel. SBS World Movies will launch on Monday, July 1 on channel 32, playing flicks from around the globe all day, every day. Prepare for quite the movie marathon, as more than 700 films will be broadcast each year. The channel will also become the network's third in HD — a far cry from the days when folks at home would record the station's international movies on grainy VHS tapes to watch again later. While the full launch slate hasn't been revealed, a selection of recent high-profile titles will be heading SBS World Movies' way, including Yorgos Lanthimos' dark and twisty The Killing of a Sacred Deer with Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman; moving French drama Amanda, which just screened at this year's Alliance Française French Film Festival; and applauded 2018 festival hit Ash is the Purest White, the latest film by acclaimed auteur Jia Zhangke. Norwegian historical drama The 12th Man, French thriller Just A Breath Away and Belgian Cannes winner Girl round out the just-announced first movies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=QT3KlMWHfzw The channel will also showcase women in film via a weekly double focusing on female filmmakers and lead actors, highlight favourites from the international film festival circuit, delve into up-and-coming cinema from far-flung corners of the world, and curate seasons around events like Diwali, Lunar New Year, International Women's Day and Mardi Gras. Along with programming world movies on its existing channels, as well as on SBS On Demand, SBS is no stranger to the dedicated film channel game. For nearly a quarter of a century up until January 2018, World Movies was available via subscription TV services such as Foxtel. When SBS World Movies joins the network's lineup, it'll sit alongside existing channels SBS, SBS VICELAND, SBS Food and NITV. SBS World Movies launches on Monday, July 1 on channel 32.
Cast-off materials are their paintbrushes and their infinite imagination is their canvas. Mason Sinclair present a range of clever pop-inspired, hand-printed artworks with a nostalgic twist. Melanie Mason and Belinda Sinclair are Bayside artists who celebrate each and every literal piece of their cultural heritage, using bits and pieces, including the wood from demolished Queenslander homes. They give second life to once beloved materials facing the loneliness of the scrapheap. “By adopting these re-purposed works, we hope they will be given a new home and to honour the legacy of the timbers that housed our ancestors.” Their exhibition Trash Bandits, Scrounge Lizards will be hosted by Lust For Life Tattoo in Fortitude Valley, the exhibition will be housed here until the end of March in the Lust For Life Tattoo Gallery Espresso Bar.
I find band names to be strange sometimes. The images that are conjured in my head when I hear the name Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys is, well, strange at the very least. Originally hailing from Cairns, the original Bed Wetters made the big move to Sydney three years ago, screen printing t-shirts, pressing 7”s and practising from home, gaining speed (and a fourth member) along the way. Their DIY-rock sensibilities have placed them as support for the likes of Eddy Current Suppression Rung and The UV Race, as well as sharing the stage with Dinosaur Jr and Eat Skull in recent years. Melbourne’s Woollen Kits are three nice-looking dudes who play rock n’ roll in a The-Cribs-or-The-Vaselines-esque sense, but with a little extra punk thrown in. Both Woollen Kits and Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys have 7”-ers that they’re launching this Saturday at Woodland, and they’re being joined by Bristown’s own Blank Realm! Take a stroll down Coniston Lane for this Bed Wettin’ Woollen Realm combo – it’s only a solid fiver to get in.
If you've been looking for an excuse to eat cake, don't wait around for the next office birthday. Gelato Messina thinks every day is a good day to eat an entire cake by yourself, which is why the frozen treats expert has launched a new range of its single-serve gelato cakes last year — and now its finally bringing them to Brisbane. Already on the menu at Sydney's Rosebery and Darling Square outposts and Melbourne's Fitzroy, Messina Monoporzione (or Monos for short) is now available to buy at its South Brisbane digs. Unsurprisingly, these single-serve cakes are just as gorgeous as Messina's usual creations, but you don't have to share them. The six adorable mini cakes include the brand's signature Dr Evil's Magic Mushroom (dark chocolate mousse with dulce de leche and peanut butter, placed atop edible grass) and the Bombe Alaska (marsala-soaked sponge cake, vanilla gelato, strawberry mousse and compote, wrapped in torched meringue). [caption id="attachment_745192" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ballin'[/caption] There's also a striking bubble tea-shaped number — the white chocolate 'cup' is filled with earl grey and lychee mousse, topped with lychee compote and finished with a red and white striped chocolate 'straw'. Then there's the all-black Lamington³, with milk chocolate mousse, raspberry gel, coconut gelato and almond crunch. For nut lovers, the final two in the Monos range are the spherical malt and peanut praline Ballin' and the Seymour Nuts: a disc of chocolate hazelnut ganache and hazelnut gelato, finished with caramel glaze and cocoa nibs. These beautiful babies will cost you $12 a pop or, if you still have it in your mind to share, you can also nab a box of three or six for $33 and $63 respectively. Gelato Messina's Monos are available in-store at Gelato Messina South Brisbane, 1/109 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane. If you're choosing to go out and support local businesses, have a look at the latest COVID-19 advice and social-distancing guidelines from the Department of Health.
Brisbanites, if catching a train is on your agenda today, Wednesday, June 16 — and catching one to get to or through the inner-city in a hurry in particular — then you might want to start making other plans. Every line that runs through Central Station is currently experiencing major delays due to a track fault near the CBD transport hub. All services on all lines that run through the inner city are affected, which spans a lengthy list, including the Airport, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast services. Also impacted: the Beenleigh, Caboolture, Ipswich/Rosewood, Springfield, Cleveland, Doomben, Ferny Grove, Shorncliffe and Redcliffe Peninsula lines, too. Buses haven't been brought in to replace trains, but commuters can expect delays of up to 50 minutes on all lines — so, if you don't have any option but to catch a train, prepare to spend some time waiting. https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1404958025660747777 At the time of writing, Translink has advised that technicians are onsite attending to the fault. Fingers crossed that it's fixed before the end-of-day commute hits. Today has been an eventful day for Brisbanites when it comes to leaving the house, with a blanket of thick fog sparking weather warnings and road visibility issues first thing this morning. For further details about the rail delays, head to the Translink website — or keep an eye on the Translink Twitter feed.
If you’re cursed by the eternal mind battle of whether to use Calibri, Times New Roman, Arial, or Verdana when using Word, then you need to get familiar with Wayne Thompson. With an esteemed career in type concept and design, he’s spent 17 years as an art director in various advertising and design agencies, and worked on the typefont of everything from NRMA to NRL. Needless to say he’s got quite the know how on why Joker isn’t actually the best font for a resume (disputable, but whatever) and why Comics Sans doesn’t scream fun, okay Jerry. Fortunately for you, Wayne is jetting up from Newcastle to present his workshop, Hindsight, at Jugglers Art Space. Wayne will be leading participants through design process, with reflection on his own journey as a type-master. For anyone in the design world, this is a unique opportunity to get right inside the head of someone who knows all the tricks of the trade, and isn’t afraid to share a few. Tickets for Hindsight are $15 for students, and $20 for general admission – nab them here.
Black cats and witches go hand-in-hand, if many a fictional tale is to be believed. And even if such stories aren't 100 percent accurate, no one is going to complain about combining the cuteness of the former with an occasion oft-associated with the latter. No, they're not, because who doesn't want to go Black Cat Market this Halloween? Thank the clever folks behind Annerley's Lucky Cat Cafe for having a stroke of genius that'll help you stroke more than a couple of cute kitties. Yes, free mingling with the establishment's felines is one of the things on offer on October 29, much to the delight of cat lovers around town. So is a vegan bake sale, a sausage sizzle, designer arts and crafts stalls, a raffle, bargain pet supplies and free cat treats. Image: Mark Richards.
If you've spent the past year with your nose buried in a book, that's about to pay off beyond the everyday joys and thrills of reading. Sydney Writers' Festival returns for 2023 with another hefty catalogue of thought-provoking events — 226 of them, with almost 300 writers and thinkers involved. Every writers' festival converges around an annual theme, with Sydney's focusing on 'Stories for the Future' for its 2023 iteration from Monday, May 22–Sunday, May 28 at various venues around the city — and also beamed digitally. Today's most current Booker Prize-winner, plus three from past years as well, top the lineup: Shehan Karunatilaka, who won in 2022 for The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida; The Luminaries' Eleanor Catton; The Narrow Road to The Deep North's Richard Flanagan and Girl Woman Other's Bernardine Evaristo. Still on highly applauded attendees, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Colson Whitehead — for The Underground Railroad, which was then adapted into a TV series, and for The Nickel Boys — also leads the bill, arriving between Harlem Shuffle's 2021 publication and sequel Crook Manifesto's arrival this July. Among the international names at the Sydney Writers' Festival, the above headliners have ample company. When Trinidad-born UK musician Anthony Joseph isn't talking poetry — he is 2022's TS Eliot Prize for Poetry winner — London restauranteur Asma Khan from Darjeeling Express, and also seen on Chef's Table, will chat about comfort food; Daniel Lavery from Slate, who penned the Dear Prudence column from 2016–21, will run through his best advice; and Vietnamese author Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai will introduce her new novel Dust Child. On the local front, get ready for two iconic pairings: former Prime Minister Julia Gillard being interviewed by Indira Naidoo, plus Jurassic Park favourite Sam Neill discussing work, life and writing with his Sweet Country, Dean Spanley, Dirty Deeds and Palm Beach co-star Bryan Brown. Also on the must-attend list: Grace Tame chatting about The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner: A Memoir, Heartbreak High's Chloé Hayden doing the same with Different, Not Less: A neurodivergent's guide to embracing your true self and finding your happily ever after, and Stan Grant on The Queen Is Dead. Also, on Monday, May 15 before the main festival, Tim Winton will discuss writing the ABC TV documentary Love Letter to Ningaloo. And, if your main relationship with the printed word is through recipe books, the 2023 festival is going all in on the topic for one day at Carriageworks Farmers Market. Stephanie Alexander and Maggie Beer will talk with Adam Liaw, while fixing the food system and family recipes will also nab chats by culinary talent. Capping off the bill will be foodie gala The Dinner That Changed My Life, with everyone from Nat's What I Reckon and Jennifer Wong to Alice Zaslavsky and Colombo Social's Shaun Christie-David involved. As always, free events are a big part of the program as well, with more than 80 on this year. And, also in the same category, the spread of venues is hefty — including Carriageworks, Town Hall, and 25 suburban venues and libraries across Sydney. [caption id="attachment_893385" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grace Tame by Kishka Jensen[/caption] Images: Prudence Upton.
When a new year rolls around, an annoying change often comes with it, forcing Brisbanites to fork out a bit extra to get around town. That won't be the case when 2020 wraps up, however, with the Queensland Government advising that public transport fares won't be changing when 2021 kicks in. Instead, the price of hopping on all Translink and QConnect services across the state will remain at 2020 levels. So, whether you need to hop on a train, bus, ferry or CityCat, you already know how much that'll cost you based on this year's prices. Announcing the news on Wednesday, December 2, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that it was partly motivated by trying to "encourage Queenslanders back on to public transport". Unsurprisingly, not as many folks have been using the network in 2020, although that has been slowly changing as the state has opened back up after COVID-19 restrictions. This news means that, in Brisbane's Translink network, an adult one-zone journey will still cost $3.37 in peak times in 2021, $2.70 between 8.30am–7.30pm and 7pm–6am on weekdays and all day on weekends, and $4.90 whenever you buy a paper ticket. At the upper end of the scale, an eight-zone trip — which'll take you from the CBD to Noosa and Gympie — will come in at $20.34 in peak times, $16.27 in off-peak and $29.50 for paper tickets. Top image: Philip Mallis.
There is something very interesting about the concept of ‘emptiness’ in relation to the art of printmaking. Printmaking, by its nature, relies just as much on its positive elements as it does on its negative, ‘empty space’ elements. Its very essence lies in deciding what to remove; what to make empty. In mathematics, the ‘empty set’ is the “unique set having no numbers”. It looks like this: { }. According to D.J. Darling’s The Universal Book of Mathematics (2004), the empty set is not nothing, but rather "the set of all triangles with four sides, the set of all numbers that are bigger than nine but smaller than eight, and the set of all opening moves in chess that involve a king". The empty set, therefore, is the possibility of something; the endless possibility of something impossible. The same might be said for artist group The {Empty Set}, comprised predominantly of graduates of Griffith University's Queensland College of Art. They are Gwenn Tasker, Alex Gillies, Karen Kase, Heidi Stephens, Ann Roworth, Carolyn McKenzie-Craig, Louise Irving, Belinda Sinclair, Kathryn Danger Sawyer and Ky Curran. "Transience, fragmentation, dissolution, ritual, hybrid forms, myth, magic, new cosmologies and the undead are some of the soft fruits of metamorphosis that inhabit the liminal landscape and are some of the themes explored by the artists in The {Empty Set}.” Working in print and paper, this exhibition will showcase the set’s diverse contemporary talents across a wide range of media including installation, video, jewellery and artist books, demonstrating the place for printmaking in cross-disciplinary practices. Image credit: Belinda Sinclair - “Wolfberries for the Goldwitch”, courtesy of White Canvas Gallery
Whenever a new blockbuster exhibition opens at the Gallery of Modern Art, it comes bearing plenty of gifts. You'd expect a heap of paintings, sculptures and installations, and you'd be right; however GOMA's high-profile attractions also boast their own series of parties — after dark, when the gallery is usually closed. With Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection currently gracing the South Brisbane spot's walls, it's time for a new batch of evening shindigs. From 5.30pm every Friday between June 8 and July 7, Patricia Piccinini Up Late will feature bars, bands and talks alongside the artist's distinctive creations, with Amaya Laucirica, Xylouris White, Lydia Lunch Retrovirus, Zola Jesus, Miss Blanks, Cable Ties and The Gooch Palms on the bill. Given that the Curious Affection exhibition and its accompanying film program both contemplate the intersection of science, nature, fiction and the unconscious, this isn't going to be your usual late-night art party. Also on offer is a series of chats that will explore the emotions conjured up by Piccinini's work. Yep, you're going to have plenty to talk about. Images: Patricia Piccinini, Australia VIC, b.1965, Teenage Metamorphosis. 2017. Silicone, fibreglass, human hair, found objects. 25 x 137 x 75cm. Courtesy the artist, Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne; Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney; and Hosfelt Gallery, San Francisco / Zola Jesus.
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 2023 go-around, the three-day festival will bring 30 craft gin distillers from around the country under one roof between Friday, May 12–and Sunday, May 14. Apart from bottomless tastings, punters will also have the chance to chat directly with the makers. Stallholders will be hawking over 120 gins, including Barossa Distilling Co, Broken Heart Spirits and Prohibition Liquor Co, plus Australian Distilling Co, Hickson House and Nosferatu. 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 a 12–3pm 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.
Purrfect news, feline fans: everything a dapper doggo can do, a cute cat can as well. While that's an accurate statement in general, as anyone who has ever shared their life with both a pooch and a kitty will know, it's also the thinking behind Brisbane's brand-new animal event. From the folks behind the Dog Lovers Festival comes the mouser equivalent: the Cat Lovers Festival. If you wear the 'crazy cat person' label as a badge of honour, stop to pat every moggie you meet while you're walking down the street or spend your all of your spare time watching cat videos (or all of the above), then you'll want to block out Saturday, March 9–Sunday, March 10, 2024 in your calendar. Expect the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre to come alive with the sounds of meows, and expect pussy lovers to come out in force. On the agenda: feline-focused education and celebration. Before you go thinking about adorable kitties wearing glasses and sitting at desks, or popping streamers and wearing party hats (awwwwwwwww), humans will be doing the learning and rejoicing. Really, what's more informative and exuberant than entering the Pat-A-Cat zone and getting cosy with cats of all shapes and sizes — and possibly taking one home with you? If that doesn't tickle your whiskers, expect to meet more than 200 kitties, hit up a cat supermarket, listen to talks about felines, watch cat shows, see a Hello Kitty! performance and grab a bite to eat. Just remember: there'll be plenty of mousers in the Cat Lovers Show house, so you'll need to leave your own moggie at home. Also, over the same two days, the Brisbane Dog Lovers Festival will be on next door.
The hit rock musical based on Green Day's iconic album American Idiot will return to Brisbane in 2018. Following a hit season in 2017, this next run of Green Day's American Idiot will see Grinspoon frontman Phil Jamieson reprise his lead performance as St Jimmy — a role played internationally by the likes of Melissa Etheridge, Chris Cheney and Green Day's own Billie Joe Armstrong. The acclaimed Aussie musician will again be joined on stage by Phoebe Panaretos, whose performance as Whatsername during the show's Brisbane run scored her a Helpmann nomination. Hailed as a bold and explosive production, the Tony and Grammy award-winning show features every song from the band's eponymous album, along with a number of tunes from Green Day's follow-up record, 21st Century Breakdown. It's the tale of three lifelong mates, torn between remaining in their safe, aimless ruts, and challenging the status quo to embark on a journey of self-discovery. The American Idiot 2018 tour will begin with a brief season at the Sydney Opera House, before runs in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane. Images: Dylan Evans.
If you're looking to dip into a few fresh literary delights, why not opt for a deep-dive into some of the world's oldest storytelling traditions? That's what you can expect to enjoy when this week's Blak & Bright First Nations Literary Festival serves up a celebration of First Nations stories and writers, fusing tradition and innovation. Running from Thursday, March 17 until Sunday, March 20, the festival will spotlight over 67 talented storytellers — both emerging and familiar — across a program of conversations, workshops, readings and performances. Most events will be held at Melbourne's Wheeler Centre, with many also streamed online. The festival's launch night kicks off with a Welcome to Country and multi-disciplinary performance piece Solace, as traditional owners and artists Philly, Bryan Andy, James Henry and Steven Rhall explore ideas around men's mental health. During Borrow a Living Book, you'll have the chance to sit down with an elder at Indigenous-owned eatery Big Esso and immerse yourself in the stories of their lived experiences. With Kimmy Lovegrove as MC, Gammon (Aboriginal slang for 'joking' or 'kidding') delivers a serve of Blak comedy, while The Monologues showcases words from celebrated First Nations playwrights including Kodie Bedford, Anita Heiss and Jane Harrison. Elsewhere, you'll catch a series of ten-minute talks by social justice activists, an in-depth exploration of Aboriginal aesthetic within the Australian design landscape, and a group poetry read featuring writers like Jazz Money and Charmaine Papertalk Green. Can't make it in person? A stack of the events will also be available to enjoy streamed online, with various ticketing options on offer. [caption id="attachment_846280" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maurial Spearim, by Tiffany Garvie[/caption] Top Image: Richard Frankland and Stan Yarramunua, by Tiffany Garvie
Craig O'Shanesy doesn't just enlighten bright young minds about visual arts — the educator also puts his teachings into practice. It's fitting, then, that an exhibition of his work will adorn the walls at Gallery 61 at the Queensland Academies Creative Industries Campus. Confluent Decay tries to reconcile two parts of modern life. One one side sits the fact that the possibility of a dystopian future isn't just something we see in science fiction films, but lurks in the back of our minds; and on the other, the on-the-go, always-online enthusiasm we pump into cyberspace each and every day. Where the two concepts combine, an interrogation of control, order and categorisation blossoms. That's the theoretical side of things. In his technique, O'Shanesy merges landscapes and portraits with virtual imagery. Expect a collection of oil paintings that blend the real world with its internet counterpart as a result, as well as an emotional journey into fiction, memory, reality and history.
In the very near future, a patch of Eagle Street will be changed forever, with Eagle Street Pier about to be torn down and replaced by a new precinct. As a result, the riverside spot's tenants are all saying farewell to their current digs — including Saké Eagle Street Pier. The Japanese favourite is shutting its doors on Saturday, July 16, but it's doing two big final days of food, drinks and beats first to go out with a bang. That's what's in store at Saké's Itterasshai! (See You Again!) Closing Party, taking place on Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16. A DJ will be spinning tunes, while the four-course food and drink menu will set you back $99 for a tasty evening. On offer: kingfish jalapeno, oysters with white ponzu, sashimi ceviche tacos, popcorn shrimp, gyoza and karaage among the entrees — with cold and hot selections spanning their own courses — plus mains such as miso marinated toothfish and wagyu steak with truffle cream. For dessert, there's Japanese cheesecake. Each course comes with a matched drink, and you'll also sip a cocktail upon arrival. And if you're wondering why the party is called 'see you again!', that's because the Saké crew hopes to return to a new Brisbane location, although nothing has been announced as yet. Unsurprisingly, Saké's final sittings are proving popular, so booking ASAP is recommended.
This winter, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre is hosting a sales event of most peculiar stock. Strange things they are, full of pages, rampant with words and with covers of the most beautiful colours. You can't charge them, they don't run out of battery, their brightness is unalterable, and they won't smash when you drop them. After being forced to shake up its usual schedule over the past few years due to the pandemic, Lifeline Bookfest is coming back for another round of vintage bargains between Saturday, June 4–Sunday, June 12. It's where you'll find everything from Australian Women's Weekly Cookbooks to a bit of cheeky erotica, as well as games, DVDs and puzzles. If you've been before, you'll know there are warehouse quantities of books for sale – your grade five diary is probably hidden under a copy of Shantaram, and you'll come across at least three copies of Cooking with Days of Our Lives. In fact, over this year's nine-day winter run, more than one million items will be up for grabs. Prices tend to range from $2.50 to the big bucks — and when it last unleashed its treasure trove in mid-2021, the $1 selection got the axe so that the sale could spread out in these social-distancing times. Don't go thinking you won't have plenty to choose from, though. Whenever Bookfest hits Brisbane, it always brings hundreds of crates of reading materials with it. You'll still want to bring a trolley and your glasses, obviously, and to clear some space on your shelves at home. And, you'll want to bring your cards, because this Bookfest is cashless. Also, you'll need your own bags, as books won't be wrapped for you this year. Head along from 7.30am–6pm on Saturday, June 4; 8.30am–6pm between Sunday, June 5–Thursday, June, 8; 8.30am–9pm on Friday, June 10; and 8.30am–6pm between Saturday, June 11–Sunday, June 12. Images: Bookfest.
In winter 2024, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre is hosting a sales event of most peculiar stock. Strange things they are, full of pages, rampant with words and with covers of the most beautiful colours. You can't charge them, they don't run out of battery, their brightness is unalterable, and they won't smash when you drop them. Lifeline Bookfest is coming back for another round of vintage bargains between Saturday, June 29–Sunday, July 7. It's where you'll find everything from Australian Women's Weekly cookbooks to a bit of cheeky erotica, as well as games, DVDs and puzzles. If you've been before, you'll know there are warehouse quantities of books for sale – your grade five diary is probably hidden under a copy of Shantaram, and you'll come across at least three copies of Cooking with Days of Our Lives. In fact, over this four-day run, more than one million items will be up for grabs. As debuted last year, this round will also feature more than 10,000 comics, manga and graphic novels. Prices range from $2.50 to the big bucks, and you'll have plenty to choose from. Whenever Bookfest hits Brisbane, it always brings hundreds of crates of reading materials with it. You'll still want to bring a trolley and your glasses, obviously, and to clear some space on your shelves at home. And, you'll want to bring your cards, because this Bookfest is cashless. Also, you'll need your own bags, as books won't be wrapped for you this time around. Images: Bookfest.
Anything a human can do, a dog can do too — at least according to every single canine that's become someone's best friend. If you have a pet pooch, you know the drill. Wherever you go, they want to go. Wherever you sit, they want to sit. Whatever you eat, they want to eat as well. Sadly for your four-legged bestie, that mindset doesn't always pay off — but throughout August at The Prince Consort in Fortitude Valley, it's Pawgust time again in 2023. The Wickham Street pub is dedicating the entire month to pairing pints with pooches. The beers are for you, obviously, not your barking companion. A heap of special events are on the agenda, including the venue's Four-Legged Pub Crawl on Saturday, August 5, a Paws and Pints session on Sunday, August 6 and a fundraising brunch on Saturday, August 12. Also on offer: cocktails named after canines and fundraising for the Animal Welfare League Queensland. Indeed, $1 from each of those special tipples will go to the AWLQ.
If you're serious about bacon, then there's only one place to be over the weekend of Friday, August 18–Sunday, August 20. That's the town of Kingaroy, about two-and-a-half hours north-west of Brisbane. As it does every year, it's dedicating three whole days to one glorious type of foodstuff. Whether you're keen on eating it or buying a heap of it, if there's bacon involved, it's on offer during Kingaroy BaconFest. Browse the bacon market, watch bacon cooking demonstrations, catch pork masterclasses or try your hand at the tastiest eating contest there is. Yes, it's about bacon, obviously. Getting cooking: headlining chef Miguel Maestre, plus Alastair McLeod leading the Ready, Steady... Bacon food series. There'll also be a big bacon breakfast and a wine-and-swine party. Live music is also on the bill, plus bacon ice cream. And, you can get jogging at the running event called Rasher's Fun Run, then have your tastebuds tempted again a barbecue pork smoke-off competition. [caption id="attachment_854893" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nancy Jayde Photography[/caption] Updated June 19.
If your resolutions for any new year involve being your best self in the kitchen, here's one way to help achieve it in 2024: with the one and only Nigella Lawson enjoying her latest visit Down Under to hit up three cities that she didn't make it to when she last was here in May 2023. Dubbed An Evening with Nigella Lawson, this second leg of the tour will see the television and cookbook favourite again chat through her culinary secrets — and food in general, her life and career, and more. If you're the kind of person who starts plotting your next meal before you've even finished the last, or loves eating more than anything else, Lawson's visit will help get right to the guts of your food obsession. And, the Brisbane event at QPAC's Concert Hall from 7.30pm on Thursday, March 14 will also feature a Q&A component so that you can ask Lawson whatever you've always wanted to yourself. Even when she isn't answering audience questions, Lawson will have plenty to cover — she has a hefty pile of cookbooks to her name, starting with 1998's How to Eat: Pleasures and Principles of Good Food and including 2020's Nigella's Cook, Eat, Repeat. When she hasn't been filling our bookshelves with recipes, she's been whipping through them on TV, too, on everything from Nigella Bites, Nigella Feasts, Nigella Kitchen and Nigellissima through to Simply Nigella and Nigella: At My Table. And, she's been popping up on Top Chef, MasterChef Australia and My Kitchen Rules as well.
The Gold Coast might be known for its sandy beaches, sizeable array of shopping strips and more than a couple of theme parks, but beyond all that lurks plenty of interesting and architecturally significant buildings. Luxe houses, sky-high residential buildings, cute seaside chapels, a towering art gallery — the list goes on. It's a side of the Goldie that many never ponder, and it's on display for two days across Saturday, October 12–Sunday, October 13. That's when Open House hits the sunny tourist spot for 2024, and welcomes in anyone who'd like to take a sticky beak at 25-plus locations. Public buildings, sites and structures opening their doors include HOTA, Home of the Arts, plus the Broadbeach Cultural Precinct, Gold Coast Airport International Terminal, the former Southport Town Hall, Gold Coast Hinterland Heritage Museum, Broadbeach Library, Robina TAFE and Broadwater Chapel by the Sea. Fancy peering inside homes and cabins? That's where the Tugun Hill House, a cabin in Tallebudgera, Dolphin Court House and more all come in. Remember your childhood dreams of getting to run rampant in a department store after hours? Or your grown-up version, involving IKEA? Think of this as a more realistic version. And, it's also a way to satisfy your architectural and design curiosity. The 2024 lineup also includes talks on Surfers Paradise's 60s and 70s apartment towers, plus future-proofing the Goldie, and a Coolangatta walking tour.
Every Brisbanite with a vinyl collection has bought something from Rocking Horse Records — and over the years, with the store dating back to the 70s, we've all bought more than that, too. CDs, DVDs, band merchandise: they're just some of the reasons that stopping by the city spot has long proven a must. Back in the days before the internet, it was a go-to for gig tickets as well. Fancy trawling through the Brissie icon's wares, but in the huge surroundings of South Bank Piazza? That's about to become a reality for one day only. From 12pm on Friday, August 12, Vinyl Village will take over the South Brisbane venue — and bring Rocking Horse across the river. Browsing for and buying all the records you can dream of — thousands of them, in fact — is only part of the fun, however. The record market will run until 8pm, but there'll be DJ sets from 4.30pm, as hosted by fellow Brisbane legends Ben Ely (from Regurgitator) and Patience Hodgson (from The Grates). Ely will also hit the decks, as will DJ Elnorto. If you have a favourite track, you'll be able to request it, too. And, from 6pm, Ely and Hodgson will chair a Vinyl Listening Party, complete with a panel discussion after each song featuring Lissie Turner (aka former Triple J presenter Mel Bampton), the Brisbane Jazz Club's Malcolm Wood, Luke Henery from Violent Soho, hop hop artist Sachem and singer-songwriter Andrea Kirwin. All of the above is free — other than the records you'll be stocking up on, of course, and any food you nab from Bill's Burgers and El Corazon, plus drinks from Hop and Pickle. Updated August 9.
Before Daiso popped up in every Brisbane shopping centre, another store was helping locals get their cheap knick-knack fix. If you've ever walked along Brunswick Street — and who hasn't? — then you know which place we're talking about. With shelves filled with plastic toys, bamboo trinkets and all things in between, I Life Factory is an unsung Valley institution, as well as the kind of place where plush souvenir koalas and one-use sunglasses live side by side. And now, it's also the inspiration for The Foundry's latest event. Yep, they're throwing an I Life Factory party. It's about time, to be honest; if ever a Brissie landmark was crying out for some recognition, it's this one. In what promises to be the first of many such celebrations, Caroline, Simi Lacroix, Makeout Creek Death Cult and The Dollar Bill Murrays will be pumping out tunes to mark the occasion, alongside a secret headliner. BYO novelty wallet, waving cat or bunch of fake flowers.
When Georgia, aka Dord Burrough, doesn't paint, she babysits. And when she's doing neither, she's existing as one of the cruisiest, coolest and most genius artists that's ever spawned from Brisbane. Having shown her work in dozens of underground galleries - in both Australia and Berlin - she's an export worth keeping a creative eye on. For now she's home in the sweet state of Queensland, and will be showcasing her latest work at Ryan Renshaw Gallery for one month. With pieces that border on romance, and stray into fields of gore, this selection of Burroughs' art is one easily posed through a psychedelic lens. The fey, pale works of Dord Burrough's make for a viewing experience that induces squeamishness as much as thought. Aquatic tones upon pastel sprays, in movements that droop and drape, yet strangely stick to canvas, her art pays gentle homage to alchemy. In lay man's terms, it's trippy as jump rope. Don't miss out on seeing the Dord Burrough sometime this month - if you leave it to the last minute, you risk missing a free passage into a psychedelic unknown.
Short on the sides, long at the back, goes well with fries — and it's going free before State of Origin's second 2023 attack. We're talking about the humble mullet, of course. If it's your hairstyle of choice or you've always wanted it to be, you can get one thrown in with your pre-rugby league meal at The Lord Alfred on Wednesday, June 21. Just hit up the Caxton Street pub between 3–6pm prior to the game, order a burger with chips and a beer, and get ready for new tresses. Jimmy Rods Barbershop will be onsite to do the snipping, so you'll be getting a professional haircut. While the mullet is free, you do need to pay for the food and booze as part of The Lord Alfred's Mullet Meal Deal, which'll cost you $35. Obviously, the idea is that you get a new head of hair, then head to the game at Suncorp Stadium to show off your look.
If you grew up in Brisbane between 1988 and 2000, then the Myer Centre was likely one of your favourite places to visit. In the space that's now taken up by the venue's top-level cinemas, the CBD shopping complex was home to an indoor theme park — and, amid the arcade games, it also boasted the dragon coaster. For those unfamiliar with the concept, and with the precinct that was called Tops all those years back, it's incredibly self-explanatory. And while it has been more than two decades since the dragon coaster has gone whizzing around the complex, or at all — despite talks of bringing it back in a new spot a few years ago after the the long-discarded rollercoaster was located — an all-ages venue in Tingalpa has just unveiled a new attraction inspired by that beloved ride. Meet The Hawk — which isn't a rollercoaster, has nothing to do with dragons and isn't in the Myer Centre, but wouldn't exist if The Jungle Adventure Play owner Lachlan Walker wasn't a dragon coaster fan. "When I was a kid living on the Sunshine Coast, I loved coming down to Brisbane and going to the Queen Street Mall with my mum just so I could go for a ride on the dragon coaster," Walker advised. "I have such fond memories of those times and wanted to create a ride unique not only to southeast Queensland, but to Australia." The Hawk is an electric flying fox, and it isn't for the faint-hearted. According to The Jungle Adventure Play team, it's the longest electric flying fox in the Southern Hemisphere. Also, as well as zooming along a 140-metre track that zips both inside and outside, it gets moving at 22 kilometres per hour. So, you'll be whirling along at speed, indoors and out, all while strapped into a harness eight metres above the ground. And yes, whether it's sunny or rainy outdoors, you'll be flying through that as well. Given that The Jungle Adventure Play is a family-friendly space, Brissie adults looking to indulge their inner kidult — for nostalgia purposes, or just because whizzing around in a flying fox never gets old — can expect to have plenty of company. That said, it's open for children and adults alike. Bookings have just opened for The Hawk, but you won't be able to get zooming until Tuesday, March 29 — and yes, it sounds far more fun than the other Zooming you've been doing from your laptop during the pandemic. The Jungle Adventure Play also features a giant inflatable bag that you can jump onto, climbing walls, high ropes and an indoor ninja course if you're keen for the whole experience between flying-fox rides. Find The Jungle Adventure Play at 31 Proprietary Street, Tingalpa — open 9am–5pm Sunday–Thursday and 9am–7pm Friday–Saturday.
In the past, The Plant Market has popped up at West End's West Village — but that's not the only patch of Brisbane benefiting from its greenery. Making a return for 2021, the event is heading northside, setting up shop at The Soul Pantry in Stafford for a Saturday filled with nature's splendour. Looking for something leafy to sit on your window sill? A statement plant for your back deck? Succulents and cacti, because they brighten up any space? Expect to find them here, all from local growers. Indoor and outdoor green babies will be on offer, as will pots from Brissie creatives. Just head on down to the free event from 9am–2pm on Saturday, April 24 — and if you have some plants at home that don't quite suit, you can bring them along to the onsite greenery adoption centre. It works the other way, too, so you can pick up a plant that someone else didn't want and take it home with you for free.
Two Spanish couples on holiday, the tale of a real-life Barcelona bus driver and a crime thriller set in the Basque Country: if you're looking to swap Australia's winter for Euro vibes from your cinema seat, they're some of the highlights in store. When the middle of the year hits Down Under each year, the Spanish Film Festival brightens up Aussie picture palaces with a lineup of movies from its namesake country. Exploring the breadth of Spanish-language cinema, it also showcases flicks from Latin America. Thirty films are on the fest's program for 2025, including across Wednesday, June 11–Wednesday, July 2 at Palace James Street and Palace Barracks in Brisbane. Audiences can enjoy a roster of picks that features a Sliding Doors-style opener, this year's two Goya Best Film winners and a celebration of the 25th anniversary of Nine Queens. Among the films mentioned above, Samana Sunrise is kicking of the festival with 20-year pals on a beachside getaway to the Dominican Republic when what might've been becomes the focus. Then, both El 47 and Undercover have prime slots fresh from their shared victory at Spain's version of the Oscars. The first heads back to the 70s to tell of bus driver Eduard Fernández's peaceful act of dissidence, while the second also unfurls a true tale, this time about the only police officer in Spain's history that has worked their way into terrorist organisation ETA. If you've been watching Ricardo Darín in recent Netflix hit The Eternaut, then you'll want to head back a quarter-century to see the Argentinian star's stellar work in heist flick Nine Queens — or revisit it if you're already a fan. It's closing out this year's Spanish Film Festival, screening in 4K. Other highlights across the program include The Quiet Maid, which was completely funded by NFTs, boasts Steven Soderbergh (Presence, Black Bag) as an executive producer, and follows a Colombian maid who discovers how to enjoy her summer while working on the Costa Brava; Ocho, charting a relationship over 90 years; the page-to-screen The Goldsmith's Secret; and Spanish box-office hit Wolfgang, a comedy a nine-year-old boy being set to live with his father. Or, there's Argentinian crime-thriller A Silent Death, which heads Patagonia in the 80s; El Jockey, with Money Heist and The Day of the Jackal's Úrsula Corberó among the Buenos Aires-set film's cast; and Peru's Through Rocks and Clouds, where an eight-year-old alpaca herder gets excited about the World Cup. With Marco, The Invented Truth, another slice of reality graces the lineup, this time honing in on the man who acted as the speaker of the Spanish association of Holocaust victims. The same is the case with I Am Nevenka, Nevenka Fernández's report of harassment by her employer in the 90s. Two documentaries also demonstrate how fact is frequently more fascinating than fiction, with Mugaritz. No Bread, No Dessert all about its eponymous Michelin-starred restaurant and The Flamenco Guitar of Yerai Cortés celebrating a rising star of its titular genre.
Doggy day spa and pet boutique Dogue has finally landed in Brisbane, with the group's first Queensland store opening its doors in Bulimba this week. And your four-legged friends are definitely going to want to get involved in the launch celebrations, which'll take over the Oxford Street boutique on Saturday, May 26. The grand opening party has a program packed with fun for humans and pooches alike, kicking off at 10am with a Dogue goodie bag for the first 50 guests through the door. There'll be face painting for kids and colour chalking for the dogs, a 'pup-arazzi' photo booth, plus grooming demonstrations in case you're thinking of signing up your pup for a spot of pampering by Dogue's team of experts. What's more, you'll likely head home with a few treats in tow, thanks to a swag of giveaways and a range of specials on both grooming services and products. And don't forget the dapper outfits if you want to be in with a chance to take out the prize for Best Dressed Pooch.
It doesn't snow in Brisbane. Sometimes, if it gets cold enough, the skies can whiten around the Granite Belt; however, that isn't Brissie. For seven days in Fortitude Valley, however, you will be able to surround yourself with the best thing that winter has to offer without leaving the city — and there'll be 50 tonnes of the stuff, in fact. Yes, all that snow will be real. You'll find it at The Prince Consort as part of the venue's returning Snow Week, and it'll be falling from the sky from Tuesday, June 25–Monday, July 1. The Wickham Street spot is turning into a winter wonderland, because it's that time of year. And, it's hosting a heap of snow-themed festivities to help you make the most of the event. Fancy a round of Snow (Drag) Queen Bingo? Have an ugly sweater you'd like to bust out at a party dedicated to terrible woollen wares? Fancy pretending you're at a ski resort? They're all options throughout the week. So is attending a shindig dedicated to Canada, to celebrate Canada Day — poutine included — and, for the same occasion, a Shania Twain appreciation party. Also on offer: nooks to get cosy in, live tunes and DJs, and special food menus to suit the occasion. Even the week's State of Origin viewing is happening in the snow. Rugging up is recommended, obviously.
Since late in 2020, if you've been near the South Bank and North Quay stretch of the river – or even just driven along the Riverside Expressway — then you've likely seen Will & Flow. It's the overwater bar that's perched right on top the river on the CBD side, and it's hard to miss. After the floods forced a revamp, it's also been back up and running since mid-2022. You can stop by whenever you like to pair a bite to eat and a few drinks with the venue's view, of course. Or, you can make a visit on a Sunday between 11.30am–6pm. That's when Will & Flow hosts Sundaze sessions — and yes, they're really just an excuse to kick back in a scenic spot over a couple of beverages and a snack. [caption id="attachment_860072" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mitch Lowe[/caption] Entry to Sundaze is free, but there's usually specials to tempt your tastebuds. In April, you can enjoy a $50 deal for two that includes a rosé each and an antipasto platter to share, while the May offer swaps in gin with a mixer as the beverage. Whether you go for that option or sip and munch on whatever else you feel like, you'll pay as you go — and you'll also be treated to live tunes. The music lineup changes weekly, but you might find yourself listening to Kirby Lunn Duo, The Fonoti Brothers Duo, Nik Conomos Duo, Parallel Duo by Michael Hickey or Bros of Eustance Road.
If you have an observant eye, you've might've spotted the work of Brisbane illustrator Niqui Toldi — aka Milkitea — around the place. In the past few years, she has created artwork for The Peel Street Band and The Rational Academy. Her style: well, let's just say you'd know if you'd seen it. Whether you're familiar with her pieces or you're keen to discover a new creative force, Junky Comics' latest artistic foray has you covered. Unbeing highlights her efforts across digital prints, screen prints and paintings, and also marks her first-ever solo show. The exhibition presents a series of personal works that explore inadequacy, vulnerability and anxiety. Individually, each piece is designed to represent a fragment of the incomplete self. As a whole, they add up to much more — including a great showcase of Toldi's efforts, which kicks off with an opening night event on November 6, then runs through until the end of the month.
Darlinghurst's Forbes and Burton is under fire after the cafe's owner denied a Brazilian-born Australian man a barista job, telling him his customers wouldn't want their "coffee made by black people," according to the Daily Mail. Yep, WHAT. Although Nilson Dos Santos is an Australian citizen and has worked as a barista in Australia for nine years, the owner (who would only give the Daily Mail his name as 'Steven'), told the 39-year-old he "only wanted locals" for the job. A recent migrant from Shanghai, Steven is taking some furious heat for his hypocritical and outrageously racist actions. "There are a lot of white customers at the cafe and I think the clients here want local people, not African people," Steven said after this weekend's events. "We need to offer good service at this cafe and I think the coffee culture is more about white people." He keeps going. "I prefer the barista to be local, not from Italy or other countries ... In some people's opinions African people can’t make good coffee." Dos Santos saw the ad on Gumtree and rang Steven on Saturday, telling the owner he was from Brazil on the phone. When Dos Santos arrived at the cafe the next day for his interview, Steven pulled an incredibly racist (and geographically ignorant) switch. "When I came to the cafe for the interview today, he looked at me and looked surprised. He didn’t like what he saw," Dos Santos said. "We sat down and he said, 'But you’re black?' I said yes and he told me, 'But my customers are white. I don’t think they’d like to have their coffee made by black people. That’s not part of the coffee culture. You’re African.' I said to him, 'I’m sorry.' But he said I was not able to do the job because I am black." Dos Santos kept a cool head for someone who's just been point-blank discriminated against. "I thought to myself, what do I do? I wanted to punch him but I thought that if I reacted badly, that wouldn’t be the right thing either. But I thought that if I just left and closed the door, he’ll do that over and over again to everybody else that comes. So I felt I had to do something, to show him that he needs to learn his lessons and that's not the way to treat people." According to DM, Dos Santos stood up and addressed the Darlinghurst cafe, informing customers why he'd missed out on the job and asked if they'd have any problem having a coffee made by a black man. In a moment of pure high-fivery, many customers ditched the cafe in a walk-out, a bunch hit up Facebook and a staff member quit right then and there. Forbes and Burton are truly taking a hit on Facebook, with reams of angry posters shaking fists at owner Steven and calling for a boycott (although some are being outright racist in return about Steven's Chinese heritage, not cool): "I have never experienced anything like that in Australia," Dos Santos said. "I love it here, I am free here, that’s why I chose to stay. I’ve always felt welcomed and accepted. For me, it was never a problem that I am black until today." According to the Daily Mail, Steven needs to run Forbes and Burton for two years to nab his Australian visa. Good luck with that. Via Daily Mail.
Back in 2021, Queensland's Scenic Rim region was named one of the best places in the entire world to visit in 2022. The folks behind Yonder Festival clearly took note. When the three-day music, arts and camping fest returns this spring — running from Thursday, November 24–Saturday, November 26 — it'll make a massive move, shifting down from the Sunshine Coast. The Mary Valley's loss is the Scenic Rim's gain — and the fest's laidback atmosphere, plus the jam-packed lineup of stellar tunes and performances, will obviously make the jump as well. It's safe to assume that campers will once again slumber surrounded by luscious greenery, and cross your fingers that the new site still lets you go for a swim in the creek while you watch a gig. [caption id="attachment_829123" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josephine Cubis[/caption] Even if those dips aren't part of the 2022 festival, Yonder will obviously still celebrate creativity and kicking back in a big way, just in the Gold Coast Hinterland instead. And, it'll boast Meanjin-based Gunggari illustration and digital artist Desirai as its feature artist, with the full lineup announced in late September. Last year's fest boasted everything from a stacked music roster across four stages to a feast of roving theatrical and visual artists, plus a heap of workshops and panels on wellbeing, if you're wondering what's likely to be in store. The 2021 event also placed a significant focus on Indigenous producers, artists and communities, as well as local creatives. Listening to Ruckus Slam's poetry, wandering through the visual arts displays, taking part in a laughter yoga session, walking across a slackline, doing water aerobics, and browsing the boutique food and market stalls — that's usually on the Yonder bill as well, as is being able to BYO alcohol. Those drinks do need to be in plastic containers, and you can also only show up with a reasonable amount of booze. Keen even without the lineup? Tickets go on sale from 9am AEST on Wednesday, August 17. Yonder Festival runs from Thursday, November 24–Saturday, November 26 in the Scenic Rim, Queensland. For more information or to buy tickets from 9am AEST on Wednesday, August 17, head to the festival website. We'll update you when the festival lineup is announced.
When that slice of inner-city delights known as Teneriffe was officially named a suburb back in 2010, locals threw a party to celebrate. More than a decade on, the shindig is still going strong — you know it as the Teneriffe Festival. For its 2022 outing, the event will boast another wide-ranging day of fun, aka the kind of shindig that previous attendees have come to expect. When 10am–9pm rolls around on Saturday, May 28, there'll be music, food, markets and more, all helping locals and visitors alike make the most of the bustling locale. Leading the all-Australian bill: Ben Lee, so expect a 'Catch My Disease' singalong, and also local legends Resin Dogs. If you've lived in Brisbane long enough, you'll know that isn't really a party in this town of ours if the latter isn't on the lineup. The music program is curated by the crew from The Triffid — they are right there in the neighbourhood — and doesn't stop with its headliners. Also hitting Teneriffe Festival's two stages: the likes of The Steele Syndicate, Will Wagner, The Predators, Great Sage and Melaleuca. Between stints of dancing in the street — including at a jazz-fuelled, wine-pouring riverside garden — attendees will be able to sample the area's bars and restaurants, find a feast of from a food truck, hit up pop-up beer gardens, then walk around more than 100 bespoke market stalls. Food and drink-wise, everyone from Botany, Zero Fox and Rita's Tequila Tacqueria to Siffredi's and Dalgety Public House are joining in — and more than 50,000 people have attended in previous years, so you'll also have plenty of company. Updated May 26.
Both Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement will be present when Flight of the Conchords make a long-awaited, eagerly anticipated return to television — as part of a one-off live special filmed during the duo's recent sold-out tour. Announced earlier in 2018, Flight of the Conchords: Live at the London Apollo now not only has a US airdate but also an Australian one. The special will screen on HBO in America on Saturday, October 6, and on The Comedy Channel in Australia on Tuesday, October 9 at 8.30pm. As the name really does makes plain, it was recorded in the UK, where Flight of Conchords took their show on the road in March and then returned in late June and early July, following a forced break after McKenzie broke his hand. Yes, it'll be business time, Bowie will be in space and no one will have hurt feelings. Fans can expect to hear the classic tracks that everyone has had stuck in their heads since the folk parody pair's TV series aired between 2007 and 2009, of course, as well as a few new songs. It's also a case of Conchords almost coming full circle, with nabbing a spot on HBO's One Night Stand in the mid-00s one of their big breaks. Foxtel Now subscribers can stream the special live when it airs, but whether it'll be available on demand afterwards has yet to be revealed. In the interim, check out the trailer, as well as the initial HBO date announcement video featuring McKenzie and Clement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLZQfnFyelTBOQ15kmHSgEbdjzLMWzZpL7&v=xz_-9PlcouE
Frontmen rarely come as charismatic as Henry Wagons. A storytelling character and a half, the Melburnian native has returned from the dark desert highways of the US to reunite with his band and bring Wagons' shiny new album to the townspeople. Seeing music as a joyous occasion rather than a moment to wallow in your sorrows, Wagons' shows are downright shindiggerous in their approach. "'Music is a public activity — the very birth of music was designed to be joined in on,'' Wagons told SMH. ''The first music was played at celebrations. The insular emo songwriter in the bedroom is this recent offshoot of what music is at its core. Music for me is for other people. I write it alone, but with the idea of playing it for other people.'' Wagons have just released their latest single, 'Beer Barrel Bar', taken from brand new, sixth studio album Acid Rain and Sugar Cane and nabbing a four-star rating from Rolling Stone. With Mick Harvey (The Birthday Party/Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds) behind the mixing desk and Wagons himself bringing his US-inspired country stomping style to the plate, Acid Rain and Sugar Cane has quite the Nashville twang to it. Best enjoyed with a whiskey in hand and a soulmate far away, the LP is a natural evolution of Wagons' indie country blues into an Ameristralian tavern hootenanny. WAGONS AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES: Thurs May 22 – Pirie & Co Social Club, Adelaide Fri May 23 - Fly By Night, Fremantle Sat May 31 - Republic Bar, Hobart Fri June 6 - Barwon Club, Geelong Sat June 7 - The HiFi, Melbourne Sun June 8 - Karova Lounge, Ballarat Thurs June 12 - The Abbey, Canberra Fri June 13 – Rad (Yours & Owls), Wollongong Sat June 14 - Factory Theatre, Sydney Sun June 15 - Lizottes, Newcastle Fri June 20 - The Zoo, Brisbane Sat June 21 - Railway Hotel, Darwin Thanks to Spunk Records, we have three double passes to give away to Wagon's Acid Rain and Sugar Cane tour — one double pass each for the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane shows. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=WXoiX2bFPDY
Why wait until Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to eat, drink and be merry? Saccharomyces Beer Cafe and the folks at Swirl Spit Sniff are in favour of doing all of the above and doing it early — they're putting together a festive dinner. From 6.30pm on December 20, prepare your stomach for quite the feast of food, wine and beer. Four courses are in order, with each accompanied by a matching tipple of both the yeasty and grapey kind. As far as the edible portion of menu is concerned, expect cheese and deli boards, mango prawn cocktails, roast turkey with salad and Christmas pudding with Champagne cream (and expect to feel mighty full at the end, as you should after every seasonal meal). Drinks-wise, everything from Prosecco to Shiraz and lager to Christmas ale will dance across your tastebuds. The whole event will set you back $92.95, but a yuletide spread like this is definitely worth it.
This post is presented by the All New Toyota Corolla Sedan. The best urban adventures are not only beautiful, stimulating and stacks of fun; they're fresh. They put you ahead of the curve. They make you one of the testers and connoisseurs. And they probably give you the Instagram coup of the day. There's plenty of fun to be had in this city each week, but there's only a small handful of these intrepid moments. We've partnered with Toyota to find the very best shiny-new experiences in Brisbane. Presented by the All New Toyota Corolla Sedan, these are our picks to put you on the road to a life of goodtimes. Now your only challenge is getting to them all. Eat: Mighty Mighty Cue and Brew As you might have noticed, American food is having a moment in Brisbane. And what’s not to love? I mean, seriously, smoked, fried, cheesy, sauced-up deliciousness may not be the best choice for the waistline, but it’s so goddamn good that we just don’t care. In Mighty Mighty, Brisbane has scored a veritable goldmine of smokehouse favourites; in fact, lovers of smoked flavours can enjoy them not only in their main course, but also in their drinks and desserts. That’s right, the cocktail menu features several smokey tipples, including the Hickory Mary (Mighty Mighty’s twist on a Bloody Mary) made with smoked tomato juice and smoked salt ($17). Meanwhile, hardcore fans can find a smoked chocolate pie ($14) on the dessert menu. 100 McLachlan Street, Brisbane Drink: Blackbird Bar and Grill The bird is the word, and in this case it is Blackbird that is on everyone’s lips. Causing quite a ripple throughout the river city, Eagle Street Pier’s newest addition boasts two large bars, plus the restaurant itself all set in a luxurious 1920s prohibition theme. Blackbird has imported a special grill from the US and serves up the usual meat and seafood offerings plus the rarer likes of octopus and rabbit. Only new, the establishment is fast becoming known for its ‘tomahawk steaks’ – see if you can finish the 2kg cut all in one sitting. Riverside Centre, Brisbane See: French Film Festival Bonjour! If you can’t get to France, let France come to you at the 25th French Film Festival. The annual event is a chance to see some excellent films before they get a general release in cinemas (if they ever get a general release in cinemas). Film-faring Francophiles are covered, with light-hearted comedies to searing dramas, as well as hat-tips to two of France's most legendary filmmakers. If you’ve never seen a French comedy, there is no time like the present and we’re keen for Under The Rainbow. March 6-25, Palace Cinemas Do: Gig it up with Illy The hotly anticipated resurgence of Melbourne MC Illy will explode on to Brisbane’s own Zoo Stage this week. On Tuesday Triple J announced Illy as the first artist for its One Night Stand this year, and the Zoo will see him celebrate the success of his latest album, Cinematic, by way of an extended tour, which is already proving a sold-out success. He’ll be joined by party favourites Jackie Onassis, as well as the cheeky Remi. Saturday night is already sold out, so don’t miss out on Sunday tickets. March 16, 711 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
When a business celebrates a birthday in a big way, its customers might be lucky enough to receive a present themselves. That's the case with cinema chain Hoyts, which is hitting 115 years old with two days — an entire weekend, in fact — of cheap movie tickets. Book in a big-screen date across Saturday, October 12–Sunday, October 13 to score $8 general-admission tickets. The special is open to everyone and you don't need to sign up for a membership; however, as there always is with these kinds of deals, there are a few caveats. If you reserve your $8 ticket are online, there'll also be a booking fee. And again, the deal applies just to standard sessions, not Hoyts LUX and special events — but you can pay extra to sit in a D-BOX motion recliner, for a lounge or daybed, or to get the Xtremescreen experience. If you want to head to Hoyts LUX, that'll cost you $25. Movie-wise, your viewing options include supervillain sequel Joker: Folie à Deux, more comic book-inspired antics with Hellboy: The Crooked Man, Sebastian Stan (Dumb Money)-starring Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice, gore aplenty thanks to Terrifier 3, and all-ages-friendly animation with The Wild Robot and Transformers One.
We’ve finally reached the time of year where we begin to reflect on what has been, and plan on what we want to come. The New Year is a time for people to quit bad habits, start up new health regimes, and create new life goals. On a less philosophical note, New Years Eve is the time for everybody to get drunk and be merry, preferably with delicious drinks and food on hand. While many Brisbane-ites escape the river city for sun and surf, there is still plenty of fun to be had if you are sticking around, so here we have five great options for bringing in the new year in style. Next Door Kitchen Bar’s Burlesque spectacle Gatsby lovers will be thrilled to know that Brisbane’s newest venue Next Door will be open for a spectacle of burlesque performances and 1920’s style with delicious food and drinks. From 7.30pm until 12.30am you will be able to step back in time in the flavour of the roaring 20’s with cocktail style food and drinks, music and a performance by Brisbane’s burlesque performer Sunday Lucia. Tickets cost is $110 per person and you can purchase tickets via email at: info@nextdoorkitchenbar.com.au 164 Grey Street; 3846 6699; www.nextdoorkitchenbar.com.au Cove Bar + Dining fireworks extravaganza For some front row firework action head to Cove in the River Quay precinct at South Bank. With fabulous drinks, atmosphere and food, you will have a brilliant night with friends (and strangers!). DJ Cool Hand Luke will be spinning tunes keeping you and your friends dancing well into midnight. A ticket includes canapés and drinks and you won’t pay a cent until 2013. Tickets are $180 per person. You can book via email on info@covebardining.com.au or phone. River Quay, Sidon Street, South Bank; 07 3844 3993; www.covebardining.com.au. Bar Alto Porchetta spit roast special There's no more delicious way to bring in the new year than with a spit roast. Bar Alto knows the way to any foodie's heart by offering a traditional spit roast Porchetta in the early moments of the new year. Jackpot! Start off enjoying food from the à la carte menu while enjoying the river views and watching the magnificent Porchetta spit roasting on the deck. Once its countdown time, sip on your bubbles and prepare your second stomach for the amazing spit roast - no need to get a kebab on the way home. Bookings can be made by emailing info@baralto.com.au or phoning. The Powerhouse, 119 Lamington Street, New Farm; 07 3358 1063; www.baralto.com.au. New Year’s Eve at Sake For a romantic evening with your loved one why not head to Sake for some delicious food and fireworks. Alternatively, you and a group of friends could organise a private dining room to enjoy Head Chef Shinichi Maeda’s signature dishes. Choose to have a degustation, a la carte or the special NYE 6 course menu with Veuve Cliquot NV on arrival for $110pp. At the end of the night you can enjoy a midnight fireworks display from the balcony to truly make it a momentous occasion. Level 1, 45 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier, Brisbane; 07 3339 0999; www.sakerestaurant.com.au Bavarian Bier Cafe If there's one thing the Bavarians know how to do - it's how to entertain. Whether you are hoeing into some delicious pork knuckle or chewing on a pretzel, there is something that makes festivity so effortless when you are drinking out of a stein.Prost! You can choose off the a la carte menu or enjoy the NYE 4 course set menu for $95pp. With panoramic river and surrounding views, the venue is one of the best spots in the precinct to watch Eagle Street Pier’s fireworks spectacular at midnight, so book your reservation here: reservations@bavarianbiercafe.com.au. Level 1, Eagle Street Pier, Brisbane City; 07 3339 0900; www.bavarianbiercafe.com
Get your lederhosen cleaned, your stein arm warmed up and your belly prepped for endless pork knuckles and oversized pretzels. Willkommen to Oktoberfest! This inaugural celebration of all things German starts over October 10-12 then is back for round zwei on October 17-19. Brisbane is fortunate to be the home to Australia’s largest event of this kind, so you know the beer will be flowing and the snacks piling up in greater fashion than anywhere in this hemisphere. Not only is this the only way to get your German fix (short of catching a plane), the entertainment is non-stop — yodelling, dancing, singing and cow bell ringing will bring out the giddy in young and old. Strongmen may compete in the jam doughnut eating competition or out-beard their neighbour, while the ladies are for some reason kept away from the doughnuts and funnelled towards Miss Oktoberfest Brisbane.
What is feminism? What thoughts, feelings, statements and positions drive and define it in the modern day? In 2012, contemporary artist Kelly Doley was inspired to expand her understanding. She initiated The Learning Centre: Two Feminists — a project inviting 16 participants from a variety of backgrounds to teach her more. Three weeks of workshops delivered a wealth of knowledge, and combining her interest with her art, Doley distilled her discoveries into her work. Her learnings were then concentrated into a series of catchphrases and slogans, before being painted on more than 90 posters. Yes & No: Things Learnt About Feminism is the eclectic result, with a range of words and observations emblazoned on bright backgrounds, shouting their ideas and insights. Somewhat confusingly, it's their difference that unites them. Though they're comprised of varying shades, tones, voices, designs and reasoning, together they encapsulate the complexities and contradictions of feminism. Get down to Boxcopy from October 18 - November 8. This one's sure to be a conversation starter.
Recognisable faces spilling essential facts about important topics: it worked for Damon Gameau's documentaries That Sugar Film and 2040, and it works for the Christiaan Van Vuuren-fronted Big Deal. With the same emphasis on being accessible, engaging, clear, sometimes light-hearted and even hopeful, the tactic has also done what it's meant to in Craig Reucassel's various small-screen doco series — see: War on Waste and Fight for Planet A: Our Climate Change — so it should come as little surprise that he directs this big-screen takedown of money in Australian politics. Accordingly, one of the Bondi Hipsters joins forces with a member of The Chaser to lay bare the murky minutiae behind buying sway in our democracy. The subject couldn't be worthier of attention, especially in the lead up to the next federal election, which needs to be held by May 2022. The approach taken in Big Deal couldn't be more familiar, but it proves effective for the same reason it did when sugar and the environment were in the spotlight. These films take something that's crucial, rustle up all the convincing detail, expose tidbits the average viewer mightn't know and make it personal. And, if it matters to the person on-screen as they not only explore a pivotal topic but see it through the lens of their own life, then it's easy for audiences to take their lead. Van Vuuren couches his deep dive into cash for political access, the inequity it represents and the lack of transparency behind it, in two factors: his six-month experience quarantining in hospital with a rare form of tuberculosis, and his growing awareness of the kind of world he wants his kids to live in. Those children show up to build towers of blocks that signify the significant fossil fuel donations to Australia's Labor and Liberal political parties, putting a few additional relatable faces on the subject — because the matters here really do impact everyone. That extended stretch under medical care underscores the documentary's entire perspective, though. Van Vuuren worries that Australian politics is taking more cues from the US than the nation's population realises, or can easily discern given that donations to political parties only need to be disclosed once a year, and nothing underscores one of the big chasms between the two countries like healthcare. It's a blunt card to play, especially during a global pandemic, but it makes the point savvily and well. No Aussie should want to follow America's lead if it could potentially weaken our universal healthcare scheme and the free or affordable treatment available under it, obviously. That's why Van Vuuren doesn't want Australia to be like the US, and it resounds powerfully. Also compelling: all the instances he collates of our political system following in America's footsteps anyway. If you're wondering how, lobbying and the funds filtered to political parties to gain access to leaders and members of parliament — and at the local, state and federal level alike — is the main focus of Big Deal. The film explains how easy it is to buy a dinner with a minister or premier, if you have the cash, and therefore push the interests of corporations or other groups trying to sway our laws. It contrasts that with the struggles of ordinary Aussies to get meetings with the very elected officials that are supposed to represent them. Money talks, while constituents spend months trying to. That dosh is meant to have an impact, and it does. And, if they're attempting to speak to an MP about a pressing subject — the mining and gas industries are used as examples — everyday voters mightn't get the chance to before the organisations they're rallying against have had many, and decisions have been made accordingly. Big Deal doesn't merely proclaim how wrong and dangerous it is for corporate interests to donate fat stacks of cash to politicians, who then use those funds to advertise their parties' platforms — and get to keep the source of that money secret for an entire year. It easily could've; however, following that cash and showing what big bucks in politics actually means in practical terms firmly hammers the message home. Among the doco's interviewees sit folks who are well-acquainted with greasing the political wheels, as well as ordinary Aussies working through the system as it is supposed to function. The contrast between the two and the treatment they have received or do receive when endeavouring to access Aussie pollies speaks volumes, as it's meant to. From the roster of experts, journalists, lobbyists, and current and former politicians who chat with Van Vuuren, ex-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, former senator Sam Dastyari and current senator Jacqui Lambie bring their respective political experiences to the discussion — and their candid thoughts say plenty as well. Given Van Vuuren and Reucassel's involvement — plus the tried-and-tested issues-focused documentary template they adopt — Big Deal isn't just about getting talking heads to explain their parts in Australia's political ecosystem. An oversized novelty cheque gets a workout, Van Vuuren sings and infographics pop up on-screen. The tone: rightly concerned, understandably impassioned, always sincere, and determinedly keen to highlight what's going on and why it shouldn't be. There are fewer gimmicks and pranks than might be expected given the talent behind the flick, and there's more earnestness than anticipated as well. When the film moves its focus to people across the country who've been doing their parts to thwart the status quo and fight back against the pervasive influence of money in politics, it's rousingly heartfelt, but that feeling also comes through Van Vuuren, too. All those people who stopped eating sugar after That Sugar Film? They didn't solely respond to a slickly packaged movie that delivered details people needed to know in an approachable and entertaining way, but to the person who took them on the journey. Big Deal hits the same mark, and Van Vuuren is up to the task. Mobilising people here is a bigger challenge, of course — your diet is something each one of us can change instantly by ourselves; an entrenched political norm isn't — but this film smartly and eagerly takes it on.
