In this or any other galaxy, whether here, near or far, far away and a long time ago, Star Wars streaming shows can't all be Andor. In cinemas, the franchise's movies can't all be Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, either. So, in both formats, they aren't always the weightiest and most grounded instalments that the series has ever delivered, all while demonstrating about as much interest in nostalgia as Jar Jar Binks has in not being annoying. The latest TV effort in the George Lucas-started space-opera saga, Ahsoka doesn't want to follow exactly in the last new Star Wars small-screen entry's footsteps, however, even if it's another sidestep tale about battling evil that champions folks who are rarely thrust to the fore. Instead, it has intertwined aims: serving up a female-led chapter and drawing upon the franchise's animated realm. For many, Star Wars is 11 live-action movies, the bulk of which arrived in three trilogies that splashed around Roman numerals aplenty. For those with a Disney+ subscription, the pop-culture universe covers the streaming platform's live-action shows, too, with not just Andor but three seasons of The Mandalorian, 2021–22's The Book of Boba Fett and also 2022's Obi-Wan Kenobi connected to those flicks. Star Wars has always expanded further since its 70s beginnings, though, via TV specials and films, books (Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope's novelisation actually released before the feature) and animation. So, from the latter — and specifically from animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the TV series it spawned, plus fellow animated shows Star Wars Rebels and Tales of the Jedi — springs Ahsoka and its eponymous ex-Jedi padawan Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson, Clerks III) from Wednesday, August 23. Ahsoka appeared in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett as well, with the series that the character now anchors also spinning off from the former. The show's inter-franchise Star Wars links are strong, then, but it isn't just for fans who've watched every frame that the saga has ever sent hurtling across screens — thankfully so. Ahsoka creator Dave Filoni has given himself a tricky task, diving deeper beyond the obvious Star Wars fodder while still engaging more-casual franchise viewers. Nods and references abound for diehards, and to key figures and beloved creatures alike, yet so does a supremely well-cast spin on the space opera's well-loved formula. As Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill, The Sandman) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness in the original 1977–83 big-screen trilogy), Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen, Obi-Wan) and Kenobi (Raymond & Ray's Ewan McGregor since the 1999–2005 prequel trilogy), the latter and Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson, Marlowe), and Rey (Daisy Ridley, Chaos Walking) and Leia Organa Solo (Carrie Fisher, Catastrophe) have all demonstrated — such pairings go on — Lucas and his successors in steering all things Star Wars love a master-and-apprentice story. Ahsoka provides two tied to the force, with its namesake once a pupil to Anakin before he went to the dark side, and also a mentor to her own student in rebellious, flame-haired Mandalorian Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Guns Akimbo). Thanks to the man who became Darth Vader, Ahsoka is wary about the Jedi order and unsurprisingly cautious in general. Via her prior time with Sabine, she knows the difficulties of being a guide to a headstrong protégée. While the show gives its central figure nefarious foes to battle, it also has her grappling with her past traumas, mistakes and regrets. She's guarded there, too; when rebel crew member and now-New Republic general Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)) suggests that the way forward might involve enlisting Sabine's help, Ahsoka is reluctant. But only the youngest of the main trio can unlock a pivotal orb that holds a map that could lead to exiled Imperial officer Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen, The Kingdom) and Ahsoka's fellow one-time padawan Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi, The Inspection). With just the 2015–19 sequel trilogy and animated series Star Wars Resistance set after it, Ahsoka's plot hones in on fending off the fallen Empire's attempts to rebuild and strike back again. Hoping otherwise: Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto, The Last Tour), who starts the program imprisoned but is swiftly freed thanks to former Jedi-turned mercenary Baylan Skoll (the late Ray Stevenson, RRR) and his own his trainee Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno, The Reunion). Bringing back Thrawn from banishment is their next step, putting them on a collision course with Ahsoka, Hera and Sabine — amid early Indiana Jones-style treasure hunting, vivid lightsaber duels, reminders of how insidiously that greed can lure people in, a stunning hoverbike race, a loth-cat's cuteness, a tad too much exposition and droid Huyang (Good Omens' David Tenant, lending his voice again as he did in The Clone Wars) hanging around, all in the first two episodes. If the storyline sounds all Star Wars 101, that's because it is, yet a change of perspective and a stacked cast ensure that Ahsoka never feels like it's lazily sticking to a template. Filoni, who also worked on both the film and TV versions of The Clone Wars, as well as Rebels, Resistance, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Tales of the Jedi and more, clearly knows the drill — and how to make this take on it stand out. It isn't just that this is the first series focused on a woman connected to the Jedi, and one of the few within its ranks. Ahsoka cares about the way that conflict has scarred and wearied its hero and her colleagues, and shaped them and stretched their bonds in the process. It could easily be called Ahsoka, Hera and Sabine, which would suit three of its core performances. Still, beneath the character's head tails, Dawson turns in a portrayal to build a show around — serene, wry, fierce, thoughtful, purposeful, formidable, haunted and determined — which Ahsoka wisely does. Perhaps a Sabine offshoot will join the Star Wars fold in the future, with Bordizzo that magnetic in her stubborn, impulsive and daring role. In one of his final performances given his passing in May, the reliably commanding Stevenson is similarly arresting — and Sakhno, too, even if largely through her presence, a killer glare, and pitch-perfect costuming and lighting that helps her instantly look the entrancing part. Ahsoka gets that last aspect right throughout and across the board, taking as many visual cues from Star Wars' animated forays as its live-action jaunts, yet always sporting its own glow. This isn't Andor, but after those franchise-best heights it's still a series that intrigues, engages and often soars. Check out the trailer for Ahsoka below: Ahsoka streams via Disney+ from Wednesday, August 23. Images: ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd & TM. All Rights Reserved.
By almost every conceivable metric, 2020 wasn't great. It was downright terrible, in fact. We know that you already know this, but let us share a sliver of good news: it was still a fantastic year for cinema. That's true even with picture palaces across Australia, New Zealand and the rest of the world closing for considerable periods. Indeed, when silver screens reopened again Down Under, and everyone was able to once again sit in darkened rooms and stare at celluloid dreams blown up big just as they're meant to be, we all remembered why the term 'movie magic' exists. And, in those theatres with their popcorn smells and booming sounds, we were able to see truly exceptional films. Every year delivers a treasure trove of movies — so much so that, here at Concrete Playground, we always put together multiple lists of film gems. As part of our end-of-year wrap-ups for 2020, we've already highlighted ten excellent movies that hit cinemas but sadly didn't set the box office alight, as well as 20 other standout titles from this year that really you owe it to yourself to have seen. From everything that flickered through a projector in general release in 2020, we're now down to the pointy end. Each year delivers awful, average and astonishing movies, and we've picked the cream of the crop when it comes to the latter. Some released pre-pandemic, in what seems like another life. Some are yet to hit cinemas, but will before the year is out. From movies that'll have you dancing in the aisles to unsettling head trips, these are the ten absolute best films of 2020 that made their way to the big screen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSFpK34lfv0&feature=youtu.be NOMADLAND Frances McDormand is a gift of an actor. Point a camera her way, and a performance so rich that it feels not just believable but tangible floats across the screen. That's the case in Nomadland, which will earn her another Oscar nomination and could even see her win a third shiny statuette just three years after she nabbed her last for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Here, leading a cast that also includes real people experiencing the existence that's fictionalised within the narrative, she plays the widowed, van-dwelling Fern — a woman who takes to the road, and to the nomad life, after the small middle-America spot she spent her married life in turns into a ghost town when the local mine is shuttered due to the global financial crisis. Following her travels over the course of more than a year, this humanist drama serves up an observational portrait of those that society happily overlooks. It's both deeply intimate and almost disarmingly empathetic in the process, as every movie made by Chloe Zhao is. This is only the writer/director's third, slotting in after 2015's Songs My Brothers Taught Me and 2017's The Rider but before 2021's Marvel flick Eternals, but it's a feature of contemplative and authentic insights into the concepts of home, identity and community. Meticulously crafted, shot and performed, it's also Zhao's best work yet, and 2020's best film as well. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsWV2qTX21k NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS When some movies mention their titles, they do so via a line of clunky dialogue that feels forced, overstressed and makes viewers want to cringe. Never Rarely Sometimes Always isn't one of those films. It does indeed task a character with uttering those exact words, but the scene in which they're voiced is the most devastating and heartbreaking movie scene of the year. Given the premise of writer/director Eliza Hittman's latest feature, that perhaps comes with the territory. It shouldn't, which is one of the points this layered film potently makes, but it does. Upon discovering that she's expecting — and being told by her local women's centre that she should go through with the pregnancy — 17-year-old Autumn (first-timer Sidney Flanigan) has no other choice but to take matters into her own hands. With her cousin Skylar (fellow feature debutant Talia Ryder), she hops on a bus from her Pennsylvania home town to New York to seek assistance from Planned Parenthood. Given that Skylar has stolen the funds for Autumn's abortion out of the cash register at work, and that they don't have enough to cover a place to stay, this isn't a straightforward quest. Hittman's naturalistic style, as previously seen in 2014's It Felt Like Love and 2017's Beach Rats, makes every second of Autumn's ordeal feel intimate, real and unshakeably affecting, as does Flanigan's internalised but still expressive performance as well. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97nnV0fNd30 AMERICAN UTOPIA On paper, American Utopia's concept doesn't just sound excellent — it sounds flat-out superb, stunning and spectacular. A new David Byrne concert film, capturing his acclaimed American Utopia Broadway production, as directed by Spike Lee? Sign the world up, and now. In the most welcome news of the year, the execution matches the idea in this instant masterpiece (and wonderful companion piece to 1984's Stop Making Sense). It'd be hard to go wrong with all of the above ingredients, but Lee's second film of 2020 (after Da 5 Bloods) makes viewers feel like they're in the room with Byrne and his band and dancers like all concert movies strive to but few achieve in such engaging a fashion. Every shot here is designed with this one aim in mind and it shows, because giving audiences the full American Utopia experience is something worth striving for. Byrne sings, working through both solo and Talking Heads hits. He waxes lyrical in his charming and accessible way, pondering the eponymous concept with an open and wise perspective. And he has staged, planned and choreographed the entire performance to a painstaking degree — from the inviting grey colour scheme and the open stage surrounded by glimmering chainmail curtains to the entire lack of cords and wires tethering himself and his colleagues down. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-fxRXzfi0U KAJILLIONAIRE Awards bodies don't tend to recognise performances like Evan Rachel Wood's in Kajillionaire, but they should. It's a career-best effort from an actor with an array of terrific work to her name (most recently in Westworld), and it operates so firmly on the same wavelength as the film she's in that it's impossible to imagine how it would work without her. Kajillionaire is filmmaker Miranda July's latest movie, following Me and You and Everyone We Know and The Future, so it was always going to stand out. It was always going to need a knockout portrayal at its centre, too. Wood plays a 26-year-old con artist called Old Dolio Dyne, who has spent her whole life working schemes and scams with her parents Robert (Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water) and Theresa (Debra Winger, The Lovers) — to the point that it's all that she knows, and it has made her the closed off yet still vulnerable person she is. But when her mother and father take lively optometrist's assistant Melanie (Gina Rodriguez, Annihilation) under their wing, Old Dolio is forced to reassess everything. That might sound standard, but July has never made a movie that's earned that term and she definitely doesn't start now. Kajillionaire is a heist-fuelled crime caper, and an eccentric and idiosyncratic one; however, it's also a rich and unique character study, an astute exploration of family and a love story — and Wood is essential at every turn. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFqCTIdF7rs POSSESSOR The possibility that someone could hijack another person's brain, then use their body as a vessel to carry out corporate-sanctioned murder, is instantly distressing and disturbing. Whatever your mind has just conjured up reading that sentence, it has nothing on Brandon Cronenberg's vision of the same idea — as Possessor, his sophomore feature, illustrates in a brilliant and brutal fashion. As chilly and also as mesmerising as his first film, Antiviral, this horror-thriller spends its time Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough, The Grudge). It's her job to leap into other people's heads and carry out assassinations, and she's very good at it. When the movie opens, however, she experiences difficulties on a gig. Then she takes on another, infiltrating Colin's (Christopher Abbott, Vox Lux) brain, and struggles to maintain control over his personality and actions as she attempts to kill his fiancé (Tuppence Middleton, Mank) and her business mogul father (Sean Bean, Snowpiercer). Possessor's writer/director is the son of David Cronenberg, of Shivers, Scanners, Videodrome and The Fly fame, so exploring unnerving body horror has been implanted into his own head in a way, too. He certainly carries on the family name in a daring, determined and expectedly gruesome manner. Also striking and unforgettable here: the concepts that Possessor probes, including present analogues to Possessor's body-jumping technology. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLNXHJB5Mto BABYTEETH Filmmaker Shannon Murphy made her feature debut with Babyteeth, but she shows no signs of merely cutting her chompers on this heartwrenching film. Based on the Rita Kalnejais-penned play of the same name and scripted for the screen by the writer as well, this Australian drama tackles a well-worn premise — that'd be: terminally ill teen falls in love as she endeavours to manage her grim health situation — with such shrewdness, vivacity and understanding that it puts almost every other movie about the same concept to shame. Milla (Eliza Scanlen, Little Women) is the cancer-afflicted high schooler in question. When she meets and clicks with 23-year-old small-time drug dealer Moses (Toby Wallace, Acute Misfortune), it takes her pill-popping mother Anna (Essie Davis, True History of the Kelly Gang) and psychiatrist father Henry (Ben Mendelsohn, The Outsider) time to adjust. Their struggles have nothing on Milla's own, though, because Babyteeth sees its protagonist as a person rather than an illness, and as someone with their own hopes, dreams, troubles and disappointments instead of the reason the folks around her have their lives disrupted. That's such an important move, but's just one of the many that the movie makes. Aided not only by superb (and AACTA Award-winning) performances all round, but also by arresting visuals and clever but realistic dialogue, Babyteeth proves both raw and dynamic from start to finish. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFOrGkAvjAE SOUND OF METAL It's one thing to tell viewers that the character they're watching is losing their hearing. It's another entirely to ensure that they understand exactly how that feels. Sound of Metal adopts two methods to achieve the latter feat — one expected but still extraordinary, the other truly earning the usually overused term that is 'immersive'. Firstly, Riz Ahmed (Venom) gives his all to the role of heavy metal drummer and ex-heroin addict Ruben Stone. Realising that one of his senses isn't just fading but disappearing obviously upends every facet of Ruben's life, which Ahmed conveys in a powerfully physicalised performance (and his second portrayal of a musician coping with health struggles after this year's festival hit Mogul Mowgli, too). Just as crucial, however, is the soundscape created by debut feature director Darius Marder and his team. It mimics what Ruben can and can't hear with precision, and it couldn't be more effective at plunging the audience inside his head. Both choices — lead casting and the film's audio — invest weight and depth into a story that isn't lacking in either anyway. Putting his tour with his bandmate and girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke, Ready Player One) on hold, Ruben reluctantly moves to a rural community for addicts who are deaf to learn to live with his new situation, does whatever is necessary to rustle up the cash for a surgically inserted cochlear implant and faces more than few hard truths along the way. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gOs6gKtrb4 THE LIGHTHOUSE It initially hit cinemas pre-pandemic, but The Lighthouse might just be the most relatable movie of 2020. There are no prizes for guessing where it is set, but The Witch filmmaker Robert Eggers has zero time for scenic seaside escapades, turning his attention to two men holed up in the coastal structure, unable to leave and going stir-crazy (to put it mildly) instead. Those lighthouse keepers are played by Willem Dafoe (At Eternity's Gate) and Robert Pattinson (Tenet), who both commit to the narrative with gusto. The former steps into the shoes of cantankerous sea dog Thomas Wake, while the latter endures quite the uncomfortable welcome as eager newcomer Ephraim Winslow — and, as anyone could predict given their talents and respective filmographies, they're gripping to watch. That sensation only increases when a storm sweeps in, with the fact that Winslow frequently fondles himself while holding a mermaid figurine marking just the beginning of The Lighthouse's claustrophobic chaos. Shooting in black and white, and boxing the film in via the 1.19:1 Movietone aspect ratio that's a throwback to a century ago, Eggers dives right into a vivid and entrancing nightmare that simultaneously unpacks masculinity, unfurls a manic head-trip and explores how people react when they're thrust together in a heightened scenario. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU-Z90SEqGQ CORPUS CHRISTI An Oscar nominee this year — losing the Best International Feature Film category to Parasite — Corpus Christi examines faith with blistering and unflinching intensity. This quietly powerful Polish drama doesn't just contemplate what it means to believe, but how the supposedly pious actually enact their convictions (or don't, as the case often proves). Freshly released from reform school, Daniel (Bartosz Bielenia) is drawn to the seminary after connecting with the facility's head priest, Father Tomasz (Lukasz Simlat), during his sentence. Alas, his record instantly excludes him from following that calling, even though he's only 20 years old. Then, through a twist of fate that always feels organic, he's given the opportunity to act as the new spiritual advisor in a rural town after its residents mistake him for a man of the cloth. Given that this is an imposter tale, Corpus Christi proves inherently tense and bristling from the outset; however, just as much of that mood and tone stems from the way that Daniel's new community say one thing but act in a completely different manner involving a recent tragedy. Warsaw 44 and The Hater filmmaker Jan Komasa willingly steps into thorny territory as he tells the young man's tale (with top-notch help from Bielenia), and wonders why it's so easy for so many to cling to centuries-old concepts and stories, but so hard for most to put them in a modern, realistic and everyday context. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzqevBnUUZU THE ASSISTANT Charting an ordinary day in the life of a junior staff member at a film production office, The Assistant is as unsettling as anything else that reached screens in 2020. Jane (Julia Garner, Ozark) has the titular position, working an entry-level job for a demanding head honcho who everyone in the office indulges — although viewers never get to meet him. She arrives at work before daylight, trudges through menial tasks and is treated poorly by her male colleagues. She's expect to anticipate everything that her boss could ever need or want, or face his wrath if she doesn't. And, as the day progresses, she realises just how toxic her workplace's culture is and how deep its inappropriate conduct burrows. Seeing how predatory the man she works for acts on a daily basis, and how his behaviour has a significant impact, she also learns how those who even try to speak out can still be powerless to effect change to stop it. If you've kept abreast of the #MeToo movement over the past few years, you'll know exactly what has inspired The Assistant, of course. However, Australian filmmaker Kitty Green wants her audience to experience this devastating scenario via Jane, rather than merely read about it. She doesn't just succeed; although she's working in fiction here, she directs a film as searing and perceptive as her last project, the excellent documentary Casting JonBenet.
There is nothing more beautiful than the nostalgia of love letters. It’s the long lost art of putting pen to paper that makes the perfect dialect of affection that can be cherished and remembered. The Women of Letters road show is returning to Brisbane this Sunday with a line up of lovely ladies to share their letter lovin’ with us all. The afternoon celebration will feature musical favorites Katie Miller-Heidke and Patience Hodgson of The Grates (pictured), journalist and award-winning novelist Kris Olsen, food writer and editor Morag Kobez-Halvorson and Queensland’s first indigenous magistrate Jacquie Payne. Not only will there be a line up of amazing female talent along with a wine/aerogramme-penning combo, but proceeds of the event will be donated to animal rescue shelter Edgar's Mission, so you're afternoon of listening to whimsical words and drinking wine can be written off as guilt free. Last year's event was a sell out so booking this year is essential. Grab your girlfriends and enjoy a pleasant Sunday afternoon listening to the stories of our favourite females love correspondence.
Both Brisbane and pizza have come a long way in recent years, and we’ve done our darndest to bring you seven of the best vendors of those ancient, mesmerising frisbees of dough, sauce, cheese and miscellany. Now, these sorts of lists are, of course, a little subjective, but we can assure you a lot of pizzas were harmed in the compiling of it. While nigh on impossible to narrow down our city’s ever-growing population of excellent pizza-makers, we’ve done our best to offer you seven of the finest that we feel nail the right balance of sauce, cheese, toppings and thickness/thinness of base. From traditional, wood-fired stalwarts to experimental, relatively non-Italian creations, there ought to be something for you here. Alas Dominos’ hot dog-stuffed-crust meatlovers with extra bacon fat narrowly missed the cut of these artisanal marvels. What do you look for in a pizza? Traditional or cutting-edge? Tell us some of your favourite Brisbane pizza places in the comments. Below, in no particular order, are our picks. SUGO MI Located on Bulimba’s cosmopolitan Oxford Street, Sugo Mi makes its pizzas in a contemporary, simple yet unique style, cementing it as a staple of the precinct and of any Brisbane pizza-lover. 'Sugo Mi' translates fairly literally into “sauce me” — and they certainly don’t disappoint in the sauce stakes. But then, they also impress without it. Sugo Mi offers two varieties of base: rosso (red, with house-made tomato sauce) and bianco (white, without sauce). Menu standouts include the Termolese (smoked leg ham, olives, anchovies) from the more traditional, rosso menu and the Zucca (pumpkin, pine nuts, goat’s cheese, rosemary and balsamic) from the more adventurous bianco selection. Sugo Mi offers great atmosphere and even a happy hour from 5pm-6pm Thursday to Sunday, where pizzas are $19. It also has its own attached groceria, should you wish to attempt your own Mediterranean delights. 3/190 Oxford Street, Bulimba ALFREDO'S PIZZERIA One of 2013’s most vibrant additions to the Valley eat-sphere, Alfredo’s adds to Damian Griffiths’ growing backstreet hub of Alfred & Constance, Limes Hotel and the new Kwan Brothers. Once upon a time, late-night pizza consisted of five-day-old slices slumped unappealingly on display trays under heaters (or 'lukewarmers') in greasy snack bars — but no more. Alfredo’s offers genuinely great-quality, fresh pizza until 3am Fridays and Saturdays. And they home-deliver alcohol (oh, and food too) on sleek vespas — now that’s pretty cool, right? Alfredo’s quirky pizza names run the gamut of rock history, such as the Piggy and the Stooges (roast pork, crackling, potato, apple sauce) and Red Hot Chilli Peppers (chill and peppers, understandably, with 'inferno' salami). You can’t go wrong at Alfredo’s, no matter the time of night. Cnr Alfred Street and Constance Street, Fortitude Valley TINDERBOX KITCHEN Tucked behind Harveys bar and bistro on the bright lights of James Street, Tinderbox Kitchen is staking a claim as one of the city’s pizza frontrunners. Using free-range pork, Moree stoneground wheat and seasonal produce in the pizzas, Tinderbox ticks all the gourmet boxes of inner-city fine dining while serving up reasonably priced pizza treats. Fresh from their custom-made wood-fired oven come such simple yet inspired toppings as the Broccolini and Scarmorza (which also comes with chorizo — instant win — oregano and parmesan). The Tinderbox house special sports the likes of Mooloolaba prawns, chilli and zucchini. Adjacent to the Palace Centro cinemas, Tinderbox Kitchen is an ideal pre-movie stop-off. 7/31 James Street Fortitude Valley IL FORNO Northside pizza fans will likely be familiar with Sandgate’s Il Forno. The pizzeria is establishing itself as a much-lauded destination among the many iconic fish ’n’ chipperies of the popular seaside precinct. Well-travelled owners Jane and Marco Agostini offer a diverse menu of woodfired pizzas, as well as antipasti, pastas and desserts. Among their cross-cultural signatures is L’Anatra, with crispy duck, hoisin sauce, cucumber and spring onions, and the Moroccan beef is hard to beat too. Fans of traditional margheritas and capricciosas won’t go hungry though, as the menu truly caters for all tastes. Ideal for romantic or group dinners, Il Forno is a must for any Bris Vegas pizzaphile. Even if you’re on the other side of town, it’s worth an adventure. 3 Third Avenue, Sandgate PICCOLO PIZZA Piccolo is an underrated player in the pizza market but has nonetheless recently grown to the point of opening a third southside store, at Highgate Hill. We attended Piccolo’s old-school pizza and espresso bar at East Brisbane for a satisfying pepperoni pie (complete with red peppers, meatballs and oregano). Other winners include Tandoori Chicken, the chorizo-packed Madrid and the Funghi, with its wild porcini mushrooms, asiago and truffle oil. Thin, crispy bases and herbaceous, full flavours characterise Piccolo’s handiwork. The pizzeria also offers $15.95 large pizzas every Tuesday — prices that compete with lesser, big-chain fare. Get in early for a stool at the bar and enjoy one of Piccolo’s many classics. 53 Lytton Road, East Brisbane; 589 Old Cleveland Road, Camp Hill; 36 Gladstone Road, Highgate Hill VESPA PIZZA Vespa Pizza, which has two stores at New Farm and Woolloongabba, is just as much an icon as a delivery service as it is for dining in, due to its delivery staff’s eponymous charming mode of transport. But the restaurants are so much more than their Italian scooters, providing many hungry Brisbane pizza-lovers with untold joy. Vespa offers a wide range of tastes on their thin-crust, wood-fired pizzas, from the traditional margherita and napoletana to the more eclectic Vespa Reigns Supreme, which is home to artichoke hearts, pancetta, bocconcini, capers and anchovies. And even the staunchest of carnivores will consider the Veg-edible (olives, artichokes, mushrooms, tomato, caramelised onion, capsicum). Dine in, take away or let these pizza sorcerers vespa it to your door. 148 Merthyr Road, Fortitude Valley; 617 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba TARTUFO Effortlessly nestled among the sleek chic of Emporium, Tartufo’s aritsanal pizzas are not to be missed. Culinary veteran Tony Percuoco’s connoisseur pizza menu is made to be enjoyed in the pristine European-bistro interior accompanied by a few vinos. Cheese-lovers will find it difficult to look beyond the Quattro Formaggi (four cheeses: gorgonzola, emmental, fontina and provolone) and another standout is the Rustica alla Noel Staunton - an ode to his friend, the Brisbane Festival artistic director whose name this fine work of edible art takes - which has potato, pork sausage and taleggio rosemary on Percuoco’s signature crispy base. It’s a sign of a good pizza when you don’t leave the crust behind - and Tartufo lives up to that rule exceptionally. 1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
A decade ago, Australia's film festival circuit caught a winter chill. Thanks to both the Sydney Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival, the country's cooler months were already a prime time for checking out cinema's latest and greatest from around the world, but the Scandinavian Film Festival levelled up the idea. Do you feel welcomely frostier if you're watching flicks set in and hailing from icy climes while the weather is cold? At this excuse to head to the pictures, yes, yes you do. Focusing on movies from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, the Scandinavian Film Festival has spent the past ten years highlighting both the region's big names and its emerging talents. In 2024, cinemagoers are in for the same format; however, every film fest fan knows that no two iterations of any film fest are ever exactly the same. When it tours the nation between Wednesday, July 17–Wednesday, August 14, this year's event has everything from straight-from-Cannes newcomers to a retrospective dedicated to two of the area's biggest icons on its lineup — plus a span of genres from historical dramas and romances to detective tales and sci-fi epics. Making stops in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Perth, and Byron Bay and Ballina, the festival will kick off with The Riot, which relives an IRL battle by miners in the second-largest workplace in Norway against dangerous conditions at the start of 20th century. Still on period-set tales, Stormskerry Maja is the Scandinavian Film Fest's centrepiece flick, with the Finnish movie about a peasant woman married off to a fisherman bringing the book series by Anni Blomqvist to the screen. Also making the leap from the page to cinemas is Boundless, the latest in Denmark's Department Q franchise, which is no stranger to this festival thanks to past entries The Keeper of Lost Causes, The Absent One and Conspiracy of Faith. From Everest, Adrift and Beast filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur, there's also Iceland's Touch, a romantic drama that adapts the novel of the same name, and hops across continents and decades. Elsewhere, When the Light Breaks similarly hails from Iceland — hitting Australia direct from opening Cannes' Un Certain Regard, in fact — alongside thrillers Cold and Natatorium. From Sweden, 2004's King's Game gets a sequel in Kingmaker, Hammarskjöld — Fight for Peace spins a true Cold War tale and Hunters on a White Field heads off on a weekend away in a forest. And Norway's contribution also spans closing night's Songs of Earth, a documentary about the country's wilderness that boasts Wim Wenders (Perfect Days) as an executive producer. The feast of Danish cinema includes Nordic noir Sons starring Borgen's Sidse Babett Knudsen as a prison guard, the Trine Dyrholm (Mary & George)-led Birthday Girl and the World War II-set Before It Ends with Pilou Asbæk (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom). Or, there's also sci-fi Eternal, about a climate change scientist and a singer falling in love when a fissure splits the ocean floor — and The Promise, about a woman in her car trying to save her nephew's life. 2024's Scandinavian Film Festival's retrospective spotlight is shining on the great Liv Ullmann and Ingmar Bergman, heroing their collaborations, which means screening Autumn Sonata, Persona, the OG Scenes From a Marriage (not the recent American remake) and Cries and Whispers. The fest is also looking backwards with a 35th-anniversary session of Leningrad Cowboys Go America from Finnish auteur Aki Kaurismäki (Fallen Leaves). Scandinavian Film Festival 2024 Dates: Wednesday, July 17–Wednesday, August 7 — Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Adelaide Thursday, July 18–Wednesday, August 7 — Palace James St and Palace Barracks, Brisbane Friday, July 19–Wednesday, August 7 — Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Penny Lane, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema and The Astor Theatre, Melbourne Wednesday, July 24–Wednesday, August 14 — Palace Norton St, Palace Moore Park, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema, Sydney Thursday, July 25–Wednesday, August 14 — Palace Electric, Canberra Thursday, July 25–Wednesday, August 14 — Luna Leederville, Luna on SX and Palace Raine Square, Perth Friday, July 26–Wednesday, August 14 — Palace Byron Bay and Ballina Fair Cinemas, Byron Bay and Ballina The Scandinavian Film Festival tours Australia in July and August 2024. For more information or to buy tickets, visit the festival's website.
Not knowing where your bag is when you disembark from a plane is a downright travel nightmare, and also now hopefully a thing of the past if you're flying with Virgin Australia. In 2023, the carrier rolled out a free baggage-tracking tool to fix this much-hated situation, starting with a heap of domestic routes. Now, it's available across its whole network. Flying to Japan? Bali, Fiji, Samoa or Vanuatu? Queenstown? The bag-tracking app covers those destinations. Wherever you're heading, you'll get notifications when your luggage is ready to fly, then when it's on the plane and again once it is at the baggage carousel. Virgin started testing the new technology in May 2023, then launched it in August domestically on almost 70-percent of flights before January's full rollout. Unsurprisingly, the feature has been popular. Since last year, the app has been used around 1.3-million times by Aussie travellers. Obviously, this feature covers checked luggage only. If you're carrying your bags into the cabin with you, you'll know where they are. For those stowing their suitcases in cargo, however, you'll be able to see where they are across your entire journey. Here's how it works: you'll need that aforementioned app, and to check your bag. You'll also want to enable push notifications. From there, expect to be buzzed with all the relevant info — the app will tell you which baggage carousel to head to as well, solving another airport annoyance. "Australians find comfort in the ability to track food deliveries, postal deliveries, technology, even their heart rate, all via apps, and it made sense for travellers to be able to do the same thing when flying Virgin Australia," said Virgin Australia Group Chief Customer and Digital Officer Paul Jones. Virgin Australia's baggage-tracking tool is now available across all flights. Find out more via the airline's website, and download the app online as well.
As winter closes in, you might be tempted to take anything that requires leaving your warm and toasty home off of your schedule. We get it. But it's no excuse. Even if it's cold outside, there are plenty of winter-friendly (and delicious) reasons to get out and about this season — especially down south. Tasmania might be known for its chilly weather, but, these days, it's also got quite the reputation as a culinary destination — and for good reason. Top-notch culinary menus make use of the freshest, seasonal and local produce and can be found all over the Apple Isle. That's why we've made it our mission to discover the Tassie restaurants that'll warm both your belly and your cold little hands this winter. Here are five of the best. Hope you're hungry. [caption id="attachment_719307" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chris Crerar.[/caption] STILLWATER — LAUNCESTON Stillwater is quite possibly the best-known restaurant in Tasmania. Situated on the edge of the Tamar River in Launceston — and set within a restored 1830s flour mill — the space is cosy, with warm lighting and timber furnishings, and boasts stunning views. The seasonal menu is a love letter to the island state, celebrating fresh, local produce and the region's best vineyards, distilleries and brewhouses. Our tip: opt for the Arras sparkling, which some might call Australia's best answer to Champagne, paired with flavour-packed seafood dishes like the fresh Moulting Bay oysters or the Tasmanian blacklip abalone with whipped tofu, brown butter ponzu, enoki and avruga caviar for a particularly indulgent experience. A visit on a clear winter day is something special — not only will you get a great view over the water, but be treated to the spoils of a Tassie winter. Expect a menu that makes the most of the abundant and rich produce available in winter like cauliflower, beetroot and brussels sprouts along with treats like oysters and black truffle. TEMPLO — HOBART Tucked away in the back streets of Hobart, Templo is all about intimacy. Which makes it a dream find on a cold winter night. Eating at this 20-seat restaurant feels as if you're at a friend's dinner party, with the exposed brick walls, low hanging lights and close quarters creating a warm atmosphere and cheerful vibe. Choose from a concise list of unique wines, and look to the large blackboard for the ever-changing, seasonal food offering. But while the dishes rotate often, they have a consistently Italian flair to them that's unmistakable and are all made with the freshest produce. If it's available, the gnocchetti with crunchy fried bread will knock your socks off. While seemingly simple, Templo is about shared food, unique wines and a solid communal vibe, making it a charming neighbourhood stalwart and an absolute must during Tasmanian winters. FRANKLIN — HOBART There's a confidence to Franklin that's reflected in every aspect of the restaurant. The contrast of the raw, exposed concrete interior and the soft kangaroo hides and heated floors (which are a real godsend when you step in from the cold) elevates the large space from a classy wine bar to something unexpectedly elegant. Housed in an old Ford showroom within Hobart's historic Mercury Newspaper Building, Franklin is the epitome of industrial-chic. And it's not just the interior design that's special — the food is distinctive, too. With one of Australia's most talented young chefs, Analiese Gregory, and a ten-ton woodfired scotch oven both in the open kitchen, the restaurant serves a menu featuring a made-from-scratch mentality. Everything occurs on-site — whole beasts are broken down, bread is baked daily, cheeses are made and meats are cured. It's a feast for both the eyes and the tastebuds that truly champions local produce. GERONIMO APERITIVO BAR AND RESTAURANT — LAUNCESTON The second you walk into Launceston's Geronimo Aperitivo Bar and Restaurant, your winter blues will disappear. Packed with old-school charm, the space is adorned with Carrara marble, recycled timber, Greek metals, Italian ceramics and lots of warming Euro food on every table. Each dish is designed to share, so it's best to cosy up with some mates and order up. When it's cold outside you'll want to make a beeline for the confit duck leg — which is spiced with orange and star anise and comes with hazelnuts and cabbage — or maybe the fried polenta dumplings and a serve of winter veg. The bar's cherry-tinted take on the manhattan will send you home warm, full and slightly boozed. DIER MAKR — HOBART Dier Makr is made for winter. Broody and a little bit dark, the eatery sits within a large, nondescript, grey building. It doesn't exactly scream "this is one of the best restaurants in town" — but that's beside the point. Once you've found your way inside, you'll find a sleek, intimate bistro and bar where a playful degustation menu will take you on a journey of the senses. Try the seared mussels with chicken fat and mizuna-spiked golden ale. And opt for the cauliflower cooked so many different ways — you'll never look at the humble vegetable the same. Dier Makr is all about showing off the best Tasmanian produce, with a selection of natural and minimal intervention wines to match. Plus, there's a walk-in cellar if you want to bring back a souvenir. Top image: Stillwater, courtesy Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett.
You know a show is a big deal when you have to Google whether the musician is still alive or not. Thankfully for us, the legendary tambourine man is still very much alive and kicking. And, to celebrate his 73rd birthday yesterday, Bob Dylan has announced a month-long run of Australian and New Zealand tour dates to kick off in August. Though this birthday would signify the age of retirement for many, this world-renowned singer-songwriter is showing no signs of slowing down. Having last toured the country with his 2012 album Tempest, Dylan has recently been leaking new content on his website. After releasing a cover of Frank Sinatra's 'Full Moon and Empty Arms', some have suggested the prolific musician's next album — number 36 — could be a compilation of covers. Either way, it'll be a treat to see this living legend perform live. But be sure to get in early! With an iconic sound that has spanned generations, these all ages shows are bound to sell out quick. Tour dates: Saturday, August 9 - Claudelands Arena, Hamilton. Wednesday, August 13 - Riverside Theatre, Perth. Thursday, August 14 - Riverside Theatre, Perth. Monday, August 18 - Palais Theatre, Melbourne. Tuesday, August 19 - Palais Theatre, Melbourne. Monday, August 25 - Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane. Friday, August 28 - Royal Theatre, Canberra. Sunday, August 31 - Entertainment Centre, Adelaide. Wednesday, August 3 - State Theatre, Sydney. Thursday, September 4 - State Theatre, Sydney. Wednesday, September 10 - CBS Canterbury Arena, Christchurch. Tickets for the Australian shows go on sale Tuesday, June 3 at 9am via Ticketek and Ticketmaster.
With Snapchat, Facebook Live and Instagram Stories, we thought we'd already seen peak selfie. But last week Nokia unveiled its new flagship device, the Nokia 8, which has been built for just that: streaming selfies. The brand new smartphone is primed for personal content sharing, with world-first technology that allows use of its front- and rear-facing cameras simultaneously. Dubbed the 'bothie' by Nokia, this feature uses the phone's dual sight mode to pull footage from both cameras into a split-screen visual, which can be live-streamed in real-time to your social feeds. You can record what's in front of you and your reaction to it for your fans (read: mum) to watch — most probably on Facebook Live or Instagram Stories. It's a cool little spec for sure, but, as the phone's flagship feature, we can't help but feel Nokia is differentiating the 8 through trend rather than technology. After all, the phone's longevity relies on selfies being a thing. But while the popularity of this bothie feature has a limited lifespan, the phone itself might just have enough to keep you hooked, even after you've grown bored of live-streaming your entire existence. For this device, Nokia has worked with ZEISS optics for the first time to ensure both front and back cameras are as slick as can be. The Nokia 8 is also first smartphone to feature Nokia OZO Audio to capture and play audio with 360-degree surround sound — a function that'll really take those 4K videos to the next level. It 64GB storage and also includes unlimited uploads to Google Photos. The device runs smoothly on Android — much like the Google Pixel — and is powered by the Qualcomm® SnapdragonTM 835 Mobile Platform. A bit longer than in iPhone, it feels nice in the hand and is engineered with a graphite-shielded copper cooling pipe to suck out the heat and keep it running without overheating. The best part about the phone is that is will retail at $899, which is a bit cheaper than many of its competitors — the iPhone 7 128GB and Samsung Galaxy S8 64GB currently retail for round $1200. The Samsung has just announced the Note 8, which is expected to be even more expensive, while Apple will announce the new iPhone 8 early next month. It will be interesting to see how the Nokia 8 compares to the new release of iPhones — but if you're looking for a usable Android phone at a reasonable price, the Nokia 8 is a really solid contender. The Nokia 8 is available now for pre-order from JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman for $899. By Libby Curran and Lauren Vadnjal.
When you've fought for your life, plus a massive cash prize, while donning a green tracksuit, you're probably not going to shake off the deadly endeavour easily. So shows the latest teaser trailer for Squid Game season two. Lee Jung-jae (The Acolyte) is back as Gi-hun, and there's a familiar face — or mask — at his door, awakening him from a restless slumber. Soon, he's back on bunks as competitor 456. Let the games begin — again. Following a three-year wait since its award-winning first season, and after teasing the show's 2024 return since January, Squid Game will start playing once more on Boxing Day. If you usually spend the day after Christmas shopping, at the cinema or recovering from your food coma by trying to play backyard cricket, you now have other plans if you want to catch the next instalment of the South Korean thriller ASAP. It was back in August that Netflix not only advised when its huge 2021 hit — one of the best new TV programs of that year, in fact — will finally make a comeback, but also announced that there's even more in store. After Squid Game season two arrives on Thursday, December 26, 2024, Squid Game season three will drop sometime in 2025. There's no exact date for the latter as yet, but it will be the final season, closing out the Squid Game story. The streaming platform revealed both pieces of news with a date announcement teaser that featured a running track, competitors in recognisable green tracksuits, and also-familiar folks in red watching on alongside the masked Front Man — and with a letter from series director, writer and executive producer Hwang Dong-hyuk. Now, Netflix has dropped its next sneak peek at the second season — including at new games. Also back: Gi-hun's nemesis (Lee Byung-hun, The Magnificent Seven). If you're wondering what else is in the works after the hefty gap — Squid Game was such a huge smash in it first season that Netflix confirmed at the beginning of 2022 that more was on the way, and also released a teaser trailer for it the same year, before announcing its new cast members in 2023 — a few further details were dropped earlier in the year. That's when Netflix previously unveiled a first brief snippet of Squid Game season two in a broader trailer for Netflix's slate for the year, as it releases every 12 months. In the footage, Seong Gi-hun answers a phone call while at the airport sporting his newly crimson locks. He's soon told "you're going to regret the choice you've made". Cue his statement of vengeance; Squid Game meets John Wick, anyone? Wi Ha-joon (Little Women) is also back as detective Hwang Jun-ho, as is Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) as the man in the suit who got Gi-hun into the game in the first place. A show about a deadly competition that has folks battling for ridiculous riches comes with a hefty bodycount, which means that new faces were always going to be essential in Squid Game season two — so that's where Yim Si-wan (Emergency Declaration), Kang Ha-neul (Insider), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations) all come in. If you somehow missed all things Squid Game when it premiered, even after it became bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton, the Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series serves up a puzzle-like storyline and unflinching savagery, which unsurprisingly makes quite the combination. It also steps into societal divides within South Korea, a topic that wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but has been given a boost after that stellar flick's success. Accordingly, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between Parasite and Squid Game, although Netflix's highly addictive series goes with a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup. Here, 456 competitors are selected to work their way through six seemingly easy children's games. They're all given numbers and green tracksuits, they're competing for 45.6 billion won, and it turns out that they've also all made their way to the contest after being singled out for having enormous debts. Netflix turned the show's whole premise into an IRL competition series as well, which debuted in 2023 — without any murders, of course. Squid Game: The Challenge has already been picked up for a second season. Check out the latest teaser trailer for Squid Game season below: Squid Game season two streams via Netflix from Thursday, December 26, 2024. Season three will arrive in 2025 — we'll update you when an exact release date for it is announced. Images: Netflix.
Every December, fans of sparkling sights are gifted a luminous feast for their eyes. No, we're not talking about Christmas lights. Regardless of whether you're bathing in a festive glow or hardly fond of all the merriment, 'tis the season for the Geminids meteor shower to soar through the sky. It began on Wednesday, December 4 and finishes for 2024 on Friday, December 20. Even better: Down Under, it's at its peak on the evening of Friday, December 13 and the morning of Saturday, December 14. If you have a telescope at hand, it's clearly a great time to put it to use. Eager to catch a glimpse, even from just your backyard or balcony? Here's everything you need to know. [caption id="attachment_927790" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A composite of 88 photos taken over 60 minutes during the Geminids by Paul Balfe via Flickr.[/caption] What Is It? Lighting up the end-of-year skies, the Geminids meteor shower is considered the most spectacular meteor shower of the year. Again, Christmas lights aren't the only spectacle worth peering at this month. The Geminids is caused by a stream of debris, left by an asteroid dubbed the 3200 Phaethon, burning up in Earth's atmosphere — and it was first observed in 1862. Some years, you can catch as many as 150 meteors every 60 minutes, so this definitely isn't just any old meteor shower. [caption id="attachment_882304" align="alignnone" width="1920"] ESO/G. Lombardi via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] When to See It The 2024 shower kicked off on Wednesday, December 4, and runs through till Friday, December 20. As with every year, it's at its peak in Australia overnight mid-month — between Friday, December 13–Saturday, December 14, specifically. If you fancy a stint of stargazing, the best time to look up is on Saturday, December 14 from around 3.08am in Brisbane, 3.30am in Perth, 4.01am in Sydney, 4.13am in Melbourne and 4.18am in Adelaide — all local time. [caption id="attachment_699423" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Jeff Dai.[/caption] How to See It For your best chances, it's worth getting as far away from bright lights as possible. This could be a good excuse to head out of the city to a clear-skied camping spot — and pray for no clouds. To see the meteors, you'll need to give your eyes around 15–30 minutes to adapt to the dark (so try to avoid checking your phone) and look to the northeast. The shower's name comes from the constellation from which they appear to come, Gemini. So that's what you'll be looking for in the sky. To locate Gemini, we recommend downloading the Sky Map app — it's the easiest way to navigate the night sky (and is a lot of fun to use even on a non-meteor shower night). If you're more into specifics, Time and Date also has a table that shows the direction and altitude of the Geminids. The Geminids meteor shower runs until Friday, December 20, 2024 and will be at its peak during the night on Friday, December 13–Saturday, December 14. For further details, head to Time and Date. Top image: Asim Patel via Wikimedia Commons.
Eli Manning and the Giants. Tom Brady and the Patriots. No, we're not talking indie alternative pop rock folk jam bands. We're talking football, of the American variety. Yesterday, New York rose up and once again again beat New England to take out the biggest sporting event of the year. In what has been dubbed by some as the greatest Super Bowl of all time, it was, as usual, the half time antics and ad breaks that captured the imaginations of those outside of the 50 US states. This year's Ad Bowl, the name given to 'the battle of the big ads', was taken out by Volkswagen, who charmed audiences with 'The Force' last year. This year's winner, 'The Dog Strikes Back', pipped Doritos to make VW the most talked about brand of Super Bowl XLVI. Relief for their marketing team, no doubt; the average 30 second ad slot goes for US$3.5 million. Here are the ten best ads of 2012 for your viewing pleasure. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0-9EYFJ4Clo 1. Volkswagen - The Dog Strikes Back https://youtube.com/watch?v=y3bqbJduK2w 2. Doritos - Man's Best Friend https://youtube.com/watch?v=hyFWSys3TJU 3. Bud Light Rescue Dog https://youtube.com/watch?v=P6C2G5I1Z1g 4. M&M's - Ms. Brown https://youtube.com/watch?v=MlYCBJSYWBQ 5. Skechers - Mr. Quiggly https://youtube.com/watch?v=4GIeIpcRv7o 6. Doritos - Sling Baby https://youtube.com/watch?v=VhkDdayA4iA 7. Honda - Matthew's Day Off https://youtube.com/watch?v=tFAiqxm1FDA 8. Chrysler - Clint Eastwood Halftime https://youtube.com/watch?v=lHZbXvts0LE 9. Kia - Dream Car https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ae52ourE3Pw 10. Chevy - Happy Grad
When it comes to street art exhibitions, it really doesn't get any bigger than this. A retrospective of Banksy's work is making its way to Australia, featuring more than 80 of the artist's off-street masterpieces. From October 7 to January 22, The Paddock in Melbourne's Federation Square will play host to The Art of Banksy, a massive collection of pieces by the art world's chief enigma — including the darkly satirical, overtly political work that has turned the stencil-loving artist into such an infamous icon. Endeavouring to take audiences on a journey through Banksy's output and mindset, the exhibition will include the well-known Girl with Balloon, Flag Wall and Laugh Now pieces, as well as three efforts that have never before been displayed to the public. If it sounds epic, that's because it is. The art featured has been sourced from over 40 different private collectors around the world, and comprises the largest showcase of Banksy pieces to ever make its way to our shores. As curated by the artist's former manager Steve Lazarides, the exhibition is also a little controversial. While every piece is original, unique and authentic, The Art of Banksy proudly boasts that the entire show is 100% unauthorised. No, Banksy hasn't signed off on the event. As well as displaying Banksy's work in a custom-built enclosure, The Art of Banksy will also shine a light on a range of pieces by well-known and emerging local street artists. Expect to find them on the surrounding external surfaces and the inside walls of the exhibition's own Circle Bar, which will serve craft beers and cocktails. Outside, the Welcome to Thornbury team will corral a heap of food trucks into an area called 'The Railyard'. Plus, on Friday nights and Saturday arvos, DJs will also provide appropriate tunes to suit the occasion. Of course, Melbournites will know that this isn't the mysterious figure's first dalliance with the city. The artist's stencils have popped up around the city previously courtesy of a visit in 2003, though many have been destroyed and damaged in the years since. The Art of Banksy will run from October 7 to January 22 at The Paddock in Federation Square, Melbourne. For more information or to buy tickets, visit the exhibition website.
It's happening again: if a particular hit murder-mystery comedy is going to keep living up to its title, there's set to be another murder in the building. Viewers are currently watching what happens when someone is killed in New York's fictional Arconia complex for the fourth time, thanks to Only Murders in the Building season four — and a fifth round is now on the way as well. Everyone is already well-aware of the show's setup, too. Each season, a new murder takes place in the apartment tower that its main sleuthing trio call home. It was true in 2021's season one, 2022's season two and 2023's season three, as well as in the now-streaming season four. When season five will arrive hasn't been revealed, but the series has been dropping new episodes annually so far. Variety reports that there'll be ten episodes in the fifth season — so, ten more chances to see Selena Gomez (The Dead Don't Die), Steve Martin (It's Complicated) and Martin Short (Schmigadoon!) as neighbours and podcasters Mabel Mora, Charles-Haden Savage and Oliver Putnam. There's no word yet on guest stars, with Only Murders in the Building fond of enlisting plenty of other famous faces. Sometimes they play themselves, as Sting (The Book of Solutions) and Amy Schumer (IF) have. Sometimes the show gets Meryl Streep (Don't Look Up), Paul Rudd (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), Tina Fey (Mean Girls) and more into character. At present, in a season that's also taken them to Hollywood, Mabel, Charles and Oliver are looking into the death of Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch, Velma), Charles' stunt double. They're also grappling with the fact that a Tinseltown studio wants to turn their podcast into a film. Cue Molly Shannon (The Other Two), Eugene Levy (Schitt's Creek), Eva Longoria (Tell It Like a Woman) and Zach Galifianakis (The Beanie Bubble) all popping up, with season four's new cast members also including Melissa McCarthy (Unfrosted), Kumail Nanjiani (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) and Richard Kind (Girls5eva). Alongside Short, Gomez and Martin, plus Lynch, fellow long-running Only Murders in the Building regulars Michael Cyril Creighton (American Fiction) and Da'Vine Joy Randolph (a newly minted Oscar-winner for The Holdovers) are also a part of season four. As always, knowing that there'll be another death in the Arconia doesn't mean knowing what's to come in season five — other than Mabel, Charles and Oliver getting sleuthing, with a heap of fellow big-name talent both helping and hindering their investigations. There's obviously no trailer yet for season five, but check out the full trailer for Only Murders in the Building season four below: Only Murders in the Building streams Down Under via Star on Disney+, with season four streaming now. Season five does not yet have a release date. Read our reviews of season one, season two and season three. Via Variety.
Have you ever wondered how Concrete Playground articles comes to life? It's not quite as glamorous nor thrilling as TV shows such as The Bold Type and Succession make out, but, hey, indulge us for a second. Of course, most of the time we're writing about exciting and important things happening in the city right now. We keep an eye on breaking news — and what our readers are enjoying reading — and go from there. Every now and again we start off just by knowing we want to use certain imagery. And sometimes, ideas for articles come from somewhere completely random — like passing conversations with colleagues and mates. That's right boss, sometimes shooting the shit pays off. "I was looking back at some of our past articles with illustrations and it became clear that commissioned artwork can really lift a piece of content," says Concrete Playground staff writer Ben Hansen. "Later, I was having a conversation with a colleague about surf 'n' turf and wondering where the idea for the RSL staple came from. Knowing I wanted to do something fun with illustrations, a deep dive into the origins of much-loved dishes and drinks sort of just fit." And so Ben came up with a plan to up our illustrated article game whereby cartoons came first and concept came (sort of) second. Why? Well, why the hell not. The result: Seven Highly Entertaining Stories Behind Some of Australia's Most Loved Dishes and Drinks. THE BACKSTORY Before the fun fact-filled, beautifully illustrated article graced our homepage, Ben had a bit of work cut out for him. After he figured out the overarching idea, he had to decide what food and drinks to include. Luckily, we have a pretty good idea here at CP. For instance, we've had some luck with doughnut stories in the past, we know many Sydneysiders have heated debates over who does the best bahn mi in town and our readers go wild for bottomless espresso martini brunches. And, of course, the food-obsessed CP editors had some suggestions: footy fan Ellen Seah suggested the almighty Four'n Twenty pie and Cordelia Williamson threw in the prawn cocktail because of its retro pool party-vibes. It was looking good, the bread and butter was sorted. But there was one hold up, which was the fact that CP doesn't have an in-house illustrator. Considering this conquest all began with Ben wanting to level up our illustrated content game, he needed to find a freelancer — and fast. So, who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters Fiverr. For those not in the know, Fiverr is a freelance marketplace that connects you with experts from a range of disciplines — and we were in search of an A-class digital doodler. "The advantage of Fiverr is its huge database of freelancers, so you can find someone with your required skill set easily and quickly." After doing some digging, Ben put together a shortlist of illustrators and reached out to them. Most responded within about 30 minutes or, as Ben puts it, "almost too quickly". Once he had nailed down the talented asu_ad, based in Italy, as the chosen one, Ben says it was smooth sailing from there — and that "collaborating with an illustrator through Fiverr gave us the opportunity to flex our creativity". THE TAKEAWAY All up, the article took about a week to come together, with Ben describing the experience as "pretty seamless". He continues: "Fiverr made it simple to communicate with the illustrator, from briefing and commissioning to feedback and then receiving the final illustrations." He also mentioned Fiverr's integrated messaging system was a cinch to use, particularly as you can upload any file type. "It's also pretty affordable." Ben also shared some hot tips: "Just check your finances before you commit. We made the assumption that our chosen illustrator's rates were in AUD, when they were actually USD. And also be sure to factor in Fiverr's service fees, too." The good news? With basically no feedback on initial illustrations, and a tasty-looking end product, it was all worth it. With experts in everything from social media marketing, SEO services and website design to illustration, music and audio, and video and animation, Fiverr is a one-stop spot for when you need to outsource some work. "If there's a skill set you — or your team — don't have, then Fiverr makes it easy to find someone to fill that gap," says Ben. In our case, it was great to have so many illustrators at our fingertips. And the result was better than we expected. So, watch this space (AKA our website) for more illustration-packed articles in the future. Have your own booming side hustle or small business and need a task done stat? Check out the Fiverr website and connect with freelancers around the world, all just a click away. Want more? See how two Aussie businesses — The Dough Co and The Zythologist — used Fiverr to give their side hustles a leg up. Images: asu_ad
It truly is the greatest time of the year to eat. From towering grazing platters to prawn cocktails and unnecessary cheese courses at every meal, this is where you can really pull the rip cord and unleash your BES (Best Eating Self). But let's face it, tis the season for eating meat (with apologies to our plant-based friends). And while it's hard to beat the enduring festive classics like a gleaming glazed ham dotted with cloves or the once-a-year visit to turkey town, Christmas is also a great time for doing things differently so they feel special — and your third and fourth helpings are really well-earned. In this quest for memorable Christmas meat feasts, we turned to the experts. The carnivore whisperers. The ones behind the slabs representing that great trade that will never die. We asked the butchers. DARREN O'ROURKE - VIC'S MEATS, NSW "When it comes to something new as the showstopper on your festive table, in my world it's all a fantastic cut of meat. If I have the energy after the madness leading up to it, I would try a milk-poached pork neck in a bread sauce (pork neck is really versatile and where a scotch fillet steaks comes from), a slow-cooked lamb leg with a whiskey and pepper berry glaze or whole roast beef tri-tip with salsa verde as that centrepiece. And you can't forget the greens, of course." Here is Darren's beautiful collection of recommended sides: Brined and roasted whole cauliflower, anchovy and thyme beurre noisette Broccolini, kale and green beans, lemon vinaigrette Iceberg lettuce (yes iceberg lettuce!), eschallots, green olives and chardonnay vinaigrette Roast potatoes and fried caper berries and chilli Raw vegetables, bagna cauda LUKE LEYSON - GOODWOOD QUALITY MEATS, SA "Starter — Sausage rolls should be front of mind when thinking of Australian Christmas starters. To start with, you want to grab some English pork sausage meat from your local butcher. If they don't sell it separately, just remove the skins of their pork sausages (they won't be offended). Add some Christmassy flavours, such as sage and macadamia nuts, and these beauties can be prepared before the big day so you can pop them into the oven on Christmas, hassle-free." "Main course — For me, Christmas is about two things: being organised and pork (I could fit family in there somewhere, but I'm happy with my decision). This Christmas Eve, or Beermas as we call it in our family, I am slow-cooking a Boston Butt for pulled pork for the big day so all I need to do is re-heat and eat. Two things, amazingly delicious and you can use your favourite ham glaze on this whilst smoking to add a bit of Christmas spirit. Wraps, burgers, sliders, or part of a salad; pulled pork is very versatile." "Glazed ham – If you love your Australian ham and want to take your relationship with it to the next level, you need to be glazing your ham. Peel the skin off, score the fat, heat up the ham in your oven or BBQ and lather that good flavour of an amazing glaze over the top. Normally, I would go anything sweet and citrussy as my go-to but this year calls for Australian Pork's newest glaze recipe Spiced Coffee, Maple Syrup and Bacon Glaze. After all the work involved during the Christmas Week rush, us butchers will need the extra caffeine to get us through the day." ANDREW VOURVAHAKIS - ANDREW'S CHOICE, VIC "There is something really comforting about a meal centred around a roast. It's about so much more than putting food on a plate as it seems to somehow capture a theatrical element of cooking and eating whilst honouring the cook who has infused the meal with their very own meraki. We strongly believe food is a celebration and we aim recreate flavours that transport you back to time spent around the family table." "This Christmas you can't go past an Italian favourite: the porchetta. A noble dish that usually takes centre stage of family feasts around the festive season. There is a certain opulence reminiscent of Medieval banquets, sans the wild boar with an apple stuffed into its mouth. At Andrew's Choice our St. Andrews Roast Porchetta is made using the finest Australian pork loins that are hand rolled and seasoned with a traditional spice blend of garlic, rosemary and a hint of chilli, before it is tied and slowly roasted to perfection." ALASTAIR STEVENSON - GILLY'S SMALLGOODS, QLD "I think a rolled collar butt with some sweet glaze would be a great roasting option, obviously the loin is very popular but I think the collar butt is perfect with the marbling through the meat. At Gilly's we also produce mini portion hams utilising the primal cuts in the leg but I don't think you can beat the traditional bone-in leg ham … it is Christmas!" Alastair is right: it is Christmas. So whether you're sticking with a classic leg of ham, going all-out on slow-cooked lamb and homemade sausage rolls, or saying 'screw you, meat, I'm barbecuing a whole fish!', we salute you and wish you the warmest tidings for the festive season. Happy beermas, everyone. Main image: Darren O'Rourke (L) and Luke Leyson (R),
Guess who's back? Marshall Bruce Mathers III, better known mononymously as Eminem — or as his alter ego Slim Shady — is back, again. So, get ready to relive your angsty teen years when the controversial rapper brings the second instalment of his Rapture Tour Down Under in February, 2019. While we can't promise any renditions of 'Without Me', Eminem will be performing songs off his tenth (and latest) album Kamikaze, which was produced by Dr. Dre and features hits like 'Fall', co-written by Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, and 'Venom' from the new Marvel movie of the same name. The album also features appearances by American rappers Joyner Lucas and Royce da 5'9 and Canadian singer Jessie Reyez — and Ticketek has promised special guests will be joining Eminem on this latest tour, too. When Eminem last visited Australia — in 2014, for the first instalment of Rapture to promote The Marshall Mathers LP 2 — he brought Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and Action Bronson with him, so we can expect some big names to join this time round as well. EMINEM RAPTURE 2019 DATES Brisbane — QSAC, February 20 Sydney — ANZ Stadium, February 22 Melbourne — MCG, February 24 Perth — Optus Stadium, February 27 Wellington — Westpac Stadium, March 2 Rapture 2019 pre-sale tickets are available from 10pm on Sunday, October 21, and general admission tickets will go on sale at 2pm on Monday, October 22. NZ tickets go on sale at 10am on Tuesday, October 23 and can be found here.
Walking around Tokyo at night should rank high on everyone's travel bucket list. The glittering lights, the towering buildings, the hustle and bustle in busy streets and tiny alleyways, the sprawling city that seems to go on forever: they're all at their best when the sun goes down. And, that's when the Japanese capital's futuristic aesthetic shines brightest too — as Australian photographer Tom Blachford has captured in his new series, Nihon Noir. Across his array of images, Tokyo gleams with a sci-fi-like sheen, cloaked in shades of blue and red. It's part of a project with Asahi, with the Melbourne-based photographer aiming "to communicate the feeling that struck me the first time I visited Tokyo, that somehow you have been transported to this advanced and amazing parallel universe," as he explained to Wallpaper. Blachford cites Blade Runner as inspiration, which is gorgeously apparent in every image, as well as the distinctive visuals of Drive, Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn. The photos are the result of six nights straight spent scouring the city and showcase the striking architecture on offer, as seen both from afar and up close. And, they'll make you want to book a Japan trip asap, of course. Via Wallpaper. Images: Tom Blachford.
Last week in Sydney, a Heartbreak High-themed uniform shop in Newtown was handing out free threads. This week, handmaids are taking over the Pitt Street Mall in their red-hued attire. Ever wondered what the Harbour City would look like if it fell under Gilead's reach — and no, we're not talking about the Sydney's masterplanned community called Gilead? Then you just need to pop by the CBD to find out. Whether you're a local or you'll just be visiting this week, you can spot SBS' The Handmaid's Tale pop-up opposite Myer until Sunday, September 25. The show returned just last week, on Thursday, September 15, for its fifth and penultimate season, if you're wondering why Australia is currently under his eye. Visitors to the Pitt Street Mall will spot two things: a shop window filled with red-dressed mannequins, all wearing the requisite handmaids' getup, and also a real-life handmaid keeping watch. The inspiration for filling a store display with handmaid attire, other than celebrating the series? A quote from the show: "they should have never given us uniforms if they didn't want us to be an army". And the vibe? Not quite on the eerie level of the show's 2017 SXSW promotional stunt, which saw the Austin festival filled with handmaids — a concept that hit Sydney as well in 2018 — but expect to feel tense anyway. It's been a big year or so around Australia for these kinds of pop culture-themed displays, including a Rick and Morty #wormageddon scene in Sydney also this month, and everything from House of the Dragon, The Gray Man and Everything Everywhere All At Once through to Squid Game, Stranger Things and Borat-inspired fun across both the NSW capital and Melbourne. This is the only one that'll have you saying "praise be" and "blessed be", though. Find SBS' The Handmaid's Tale pop-up in Sydney's Pitt Street Mall, Pitt Street – opposite Myer — until Sunday, September 25. The fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale airs weekly in Australia via SBS TV and SBS On Demand.
With its pristine rivers, wild surf and lush valleys, Tassie's east coast produces some of the freshest, tastiest food and wine in Australia — if not the whole darn world. We're talking oysters that melt in your mouth, unbelievably decadent cheeses and Pinot Noirs that James Halliday can't get enough of. Plus, all you have to do to sample them in one fell swoop is drive onto Spirit of Tasmania at Port Melbourne, which will sail you across Bass Strait to Devonport and make your journey to Australia's southernmost state one to remember. Here, you can get a jump on your foodie road trip before you've even hit land. Partake in Tasmanian oysters in the ship's restaurant, indulge with ice cream from The Pantry shop, and enjoy the brews and sea views in the ship's bars. May to October there's even a Flavours of Tassie showcase, where you can sample everything from local cheeses and chocolates to wines and spirits. Once off the ship, head east until you hit the Great Eastern Drive, which travels for 176 blissful kilometres from St Helens in the north to Orford in the south. Here's your guide to eating, drinking and sleeping along the way. [caption id="attachment_665949" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Flow Mountain Bike[/caption] PYENGANA DAIRY Make your first destination Pyengana Dairy, which lies between Devonport and St Helens. Here, the Healey family has spent more than a century perfecting the art of cheese production. It's now in the hands of the fourth generation, Jon Healey and his wife, Lyndall, and you get to reap the rewards. Sample a range of cheddars — from four-week-old mild to an intense one-year-old dubbed Devilish – and stock up on non-homogenised milk. If you're hungry, slip into the Holy Cow Cafe for brekkie or lunch overlooking the farm's fertile pastures. You can also watch the cheese-making process in action. Pyengana Dairy is at St Columba Falls Road, Pyengana GALA ESTATE VINEYARD Your next stop is Gala Estate Vineyard in Cranbrook, a pretty area about 100 kilometres south of St Helens. The cellar door is a cute weatherboard building that once served as the local post office and general store, where you can now try an award-winning Pinot Noir or two. If the tasting couch happens to be free, then make sure you claim it and take your time. Once you're done, grab a bottle or two of your favourite drop and a gourmet hamper packed with local produce, then set off for a picnic – either in Gala's idyllic vineyards, at a nearby beach or further afield. For spectacular wilderness, head to Freycinet National Park. Gala Estate Vineyard is at 14891 Tasman Highway, Cranbrook SPRING VALE WINES From Gala Estate, it's just five minutes' drive south to Spring Vale Wines. This fifth-generation vineyard, founded in 1826, is all about producing wines that express the local area (technically referred to as terroir). Taste their latest creations at the cellar door, which is a heritage-listed stable built by convicts in 1842, or settle in for a long lunch at the seafood restaurant, which pops up among the vines. Loosen your belt: you can expect to be overwhelmed by a cornucopia of crayfish, scallops, oysters, octopus and woodfired lamb, with an array of matching wines. Spring Vale Wines is at 130 Springvale Road, Cranbrook MILTON VINEYARD Right nearby is Milton Vineyard, which began as a sheep farm back in 1826, but, like Spring Vale, is now dedicated to interesting small-batch drops. In fact, its 13 hectares inhabit a microclimate, where pinot noir, pinot gris, riesling and gewurztraminer grow. Handpicked in April, they're the only grapes that go into Milton's bottles. If you've time for lunch, book at Sophie's Restaurant, where you'll be feasting on the creations of head chef Sophie Bermudes, who turns premium local produce into French-inspired fare. Milton Vineyard is at 14635 Tasman Highway, Swansea MELSHELL OYSTERS Next up, oysters. We don't mean just any old ordinary bivalves, but some of the best on the planet, served up at a humble shack, a stone's throw from Coles Bay. Melshell Oysters spend their entire lives in superbly clean water, starting out in the Swan River before transferring to Great Oyster Bay, where they enjoy views of the Hazard Mountain Range. You'll get to sample them in the simplest, freshest way possible, shucked to order and accompanied by a slice of lemon. Most of the time, you'll catch the oyster farmers at work. Melshell Oysters is at 9 Yellow Sandbanks Road, Dolphin Sands [caption id="attachment_666231" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] by Eugene Hyland[/caption] SLEEPING Freycinet Lodge has been around since the 1990s, but its brand new Coastal Pavilions take things to the next level. Surrounded by national park and fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, they look out over either forested wilderness or sparkling Coles Bay. Either way, you can count on a king-sized bed, an outdoor bath, a spacious deck and plenty of native timbers. Yep, it's pretty much luxe designer hotel meets glamping, immersed in world-famous scenery. THE NITTY GRITTY DETAILS HOW TO GET THERE: The most adventurous way to travel to Tassie from the mainland is on Spirit of Tasmania, which journeys between Port Melbourne and Devonport. Take your car with you and drive right off the ship. Added bonus: no weight restrictions means that for the journey back, you can load up your car with food, wine and souvenirs to your heart's content. WHEN TO GO: The Great Eastern Drive is beautiful at any time of year. WHAT DOES IT COST: This varies, depending on how many award-winning pinot noirs you plan on buying. Expect to spend anywhere between $50 and $200 a day (plus accommodation). To book your Tasmanian adventure today, head to the Spirit of Tasmania website.
Sydney vino makers and switched on marketers Cake Wines have always been pretty savvy when it comes to marketing activations — from label art comps to pop-up bars at All of the Creative Launches Around Town. But their latest brims with pure love for the little guy - the support band. In a new Australia-wide campaign dubbed 'Support the Support', the Redfern-based crew are rewarding the punters who turn up early and check out the support band instead of wasting the time pre-drinking at a mate's. "By heading to gigs earlier in the night and checking out the support act, no matter what happens...everyone wins," says Cake. "The artist plays to a crowd, you'll be supporting the venues that showcase music, the more people in the venue the better the vibe, and maybe, just maybe, that little support act no one’s heard of yet, could well be the next Radiohead or James Blake or Fugazi or Arcade Fire...and you saw them first." Support the Support runs through May across 35 music venues in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Early birds turn up to check out the support, post a sweet, sweet filtered pro shot to Instagram with the hashtag #cakewines, show the bartenders and you'll get a free wine. FREE (ACTUALLY GOOD) VINO. Egads. The actual support bands get some love too, gig listed and given a shout out in the Support the Support calendar and given bespoke posters of their band to help bring in more of a crowd than their obligated high school chums. Fashionably late ain't so any more. You can support the support here: SYDNEY Good God Small Club, Oxford Art Factory, The Green Room, 505, Civic Hotel, 616 Foundary, Beach Rd Hotel, Spice Cellar. MELBOURNE Howler, The Toff, Revolver, The Retreat, Bennetts Lane, Wesley Anne, The Post Office Hotel, The Old Bar, The Evelyn, New Guernica BRISBANE Dowse Bar, Black Bear Lodge.
Your dog-child shuns the common doghouse you expect it to live in, and this leaves you feeling hurt and confused. But luckily Dogchitecture, a new exhibition in Mexico City, is presenting revolutionary doghouse proposals by ten design firm to help dogs feel at home. It must have been interesting getting inside the mind of man's best friend to create these functional and visually intriguing puppy palaces. Inspired by Kenya Hara's Architecture for Dogs project, which paired designers with a particular breed for all kinds of unexpected results, the firms exhibiting in Dogchitecture include BNKR Arquitectura, Rojkind Arquitectos, Broissin, PRODUCTORA, a-001, Taller 13, PMS Arch Buro, ROW Studio, Laboratorio Arquitectura Básica and ESOS. Polyforum Siqueiros in Mexico City hosts the exhibition until August 18 2013, when it goes on the road. Below is a look at some of the proposals on offer to tempt the fastidious chihuahua in your life. Productora 'Pencil House' PRODUCTORA's 'Pencil House' aims to please the eye. a-001 'Tangle Nest' a-001's Tangle Nest looks fun and interactive, like those alarming foam pits you used to be forced to leap into during gym class. ESOS 'El Wokdog' This ESOS doghouse is called "Wok" by day, cosy "Igloo" by night. BNKR BNKR Arquitectura channels dogs' enjoyment of burrowing and chasing their own tails. Broissin Broissin's proposal bypasses functional concerns and opts for aesthetic bewilderment, befitting the more esoteric dog. Beneath One Fern And here is Beneath One Fern, hosted by Zach Galifianakis. Via PSFK
Melbourne masquerades as New York in Predestination, the latest film from German-Australian directing duo Michael and Peter Spierig. Reuniting the twin filmmakers with their Daybreakers star Ethan Hawke, this slickly produced time-travel noir attempts to put its own distinctive spin on one of sci-fi's most thoroughly exploited sub-genres. There are plenty of intriguing concepts beneath the movie's stylish surface, although often their delivery leaves a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, some old-school vibes — and an astounding, career-making performance from actress Sarah Snook — ensures Predestination is worth your precious time. Adapted, and expanded, from Robert A. Heinlein's 13-page short story All You Zombies, much of the first half of the film takes place in a dive bar in New York, where a time-travelling secret agent (Hawke), on the trail of a terrorist mastermind, is working undercover serving drinks. One evening, he strikes up a conversation, seemingly at random, with a sullen young man named James (Snook), who bets the barkeep a bottle of whiskey he's got the best story the place has ever heard. And it's certainly a corker of a yarn. James, it would seem, began his life as Jane, abandoned by unknown parents on the steps of a Cleveland orphanage. A bright, tough young woman, Jane very nearly becomes one of the first female astronauts, only to be ruled out by an unexpected pregnancy. The father of the child abandons her soon after, although the shock is overshadowed by a revelation from her doctor: it turns out Jane has a second set of fully functioning (albeit internal) male reproductive organs, and that complication from her pregnancy will leave her no choice but to transition into a man. How James's incredible story is connected to Hawke's manhunt isn't immediately clear — although it's obvious from the cryptic way the brothers frame the flashbacks – always obscuring certain faces — that the cogs will eventually interlock. The second half of the film, wherein Hawke offers James the chance to travel back and change his past, is positively overflowing with time paradoxes and plot twists. The problem is, anyone with even a passing familiarity with time-travel stories will see them coming at least three scenes before they do. It's not that the revelations aren't interesting on an intellectual level; they just never result in the dropped jaws and shocked gasps that the Spierigs would obviously like. Still, if their script could use some polish, they succeed in delivering style. From Hawke's fedora and six-shot revolver to his portable time machine disguised as a violin case, the feel of Predestination is a particular brand of retro-futuristic cool. Likewise, the narrative device of two strangers swapping stories across the bar has an enjoyably hardboiled quality to it and helps disguise the fact that the entire first half of the movie is basically one giant dump of exposition. It also helps a great deal that Snook is the one who's delivering it. Hawke brings his typical mix of wryness and intensity, while Noah Taylor is dapper is his seemingly all-knowing handler. But it's the Adelaide-born actress who clearly runs away with the film, ranging from tough and emotionally guarded to devastatingly raw. So affecting are the scenes immediately before and after James' transition that you could almost do away with the time travel story altogether. https://youtube.com/watch?v=UVOpfpYijHA
Australia keeps going dotty for Yayoi Kusama — and this time, one of the Japanese artist's dot-filled installations is coming to our shores on a permanent basis. Canberra's National Gallery of Australia has acquired Kusama's pumpkin-focused infinity room The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens, which will form part of the NGA's collection and go on display from December this year. The piece was first exhibited in 2015 and last seen in Australia earlier this year, in Brisbane as part of the Gallery of Modern Art's Yayoi Kusama: Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow exhibition between October 2017 and February 2018. Comprised of a mirrored cube filled with yellow, dot-covered pumpkins, it's a quintessential Kusama piece. Whether you're a devoted fan who considers visiting the artist's own Tokyo museum a bucket-list moment, or someone who has simply placed stickers around one of her obliteration rooms, you would've noticed that dots and the concept of infinity are crucial to her work — "our earth is only one polka dot among a million stars in the cosmos", she says. Inside the cube, the bulbous vegetables appear to create an endless field thanks to the shiny surface. On the outside of the cube, the structure's mirrored exterior reflects the yellow-and-black walls in the surrounding installation room — again, making it appear as though the pattern stretches on forever. The acquisition was made possible via a gift to the NGA from Andrew and Hiroko Gwinnett. "It has long-been my ambition to see a major contemporary Japanese artwork housed in Australia's national collection," said Andrew in a statement. "Kusama's playful installation is a legacy that will keep giving for generations to come." Find The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens at the National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place, Parkes, Canberra from a yet-to-be-revealed date in December 2018. Images: Yayoi Kusama, THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO HEAVENS 2015. Installation view at The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara (Museum MACAN). © Yayoi Kusama. Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo/ Singapore/ Shanghai.
Despite what governmental and mainstream media outlets may have you believe, Australia isn't the only nation where people are desperately seeking asylum. Europe's currently in the middle of a very real refugee crisis, with the civil war in Syria leaving over four million Syrians displaced and looking for a new, safe home. That's an absolutely unfathomable amount of people. And while most of us have gawked and sat around wondering what we can do to help refugees, three Dutch twenty-somethings have actually gone and done something about it, creating a new non-profit accommodation platform for refugees. Refugee Hero essentially works like Airbnb. It looks a lot like it too. The website allows people to advertise their spare room to refugees looking for a place to stay when they arrive in a new country. It's geared around people putting up rooms available in their residential homes, but organisations are encouraged to open up their facilities, such as churches, mosques, schools and universities as well. And the best part is, the service 100 percent free. In that regard, it's more like Couchsurfing than Airbnb — but with hosts that are socially conscious legends with hearts of gold. The Netherlands-based startup was founded by Germaine Statia, Jamal Oulel, and Ayoub Aouragh, who are all aged 23-25. "We want to give back humanity to mankind," says Germaine Statia on their website. Since launching in September last year, Refugee Hero has rooms listed everywhere from Bulgaria to Johannesburg to Maryland in the States. And while there aren't any Australian listings yet, we can't see any reason why you can't get involved. Hop to it! Via PSFK.
If December to you means luminous festive decorations — November as well, or basically the second that Halloween is over — then simply driving through your neighbourhood can be a jolly good time. Wherever you look, there just might be a glowing set of Christmas lights sharing its seasonal merriment and brightening up the suburban streets. Of course, these lit-up displays really shouldn't cause such a fuss. They pop up everywhere every year, after all, and we're all well and truly aware of how electricity works. But twinkling bulbs are just so hard to resist when it's the happiest portion of the calendar. Perhaps you're a casual Christmas lights fan, and you're completely fine just checking out whichever blazing displays you happen to pass in your travels. Maybe you have a few tried-and-tested favourite spots, and you return to them every year. Or, you could want to scope out the best and brightest seasonal-themed houses and yards. Whichever category you fall into, an Australian website called Christmas Lights Search is likely to pique your interest, especially given that it has been updated for 2023. Christmas Lights Search is as nifty and handy as its name suggests, covering festive displays all around the country. To locate all the spots that you should head to, it's as easy as entering your postcode or suburb — or those of places nearby — and letting the site deliver the relevant options. Plus, it also rates the lights displays, if you want to either go big or stay home. It's also constantly being updated, so, like the best combos of glowing trees, sparkling bulbs and oversized Santas, you might want to check it out more than once. When you pick an individual address listed on the site, you'll be greeted with some key information, too. The level of detail varies per listing, but expect to potentially peruse photos, the ideal hours to swing by, a date range and a description of what's on offer. All that's left is to get searching, plot out where you'll be heading every night between now and Christmas Eve, and get ready to see oh-so-many reindeer, candy canes and snowmen. Putting up your own Christmas lights for the neighbourhood to see? Spotted something in your travels that you think everyone else would like to check out? You can add both to Christmas Lights Search as well. [caption id="attachment_882325" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] To find festive displays near you, head to the Christmas Lights Search website. Top image: Donaldytong via Wikimedia Commons.
A few years ago, facial recognition technology seemed like the stuff of the future, some nifty application you'd see only on the big screen. Now, we're using it in real life, to unlock our phones, to hustle through the passport queue at the airport and even to order our morning latte. That's right — cafes across the country are getting high-tech, implementing facial recognition systems in an effort to improve customer service. And the one system that's being used by most was developed right here in our own backyard. Geoff Cropley, owner of Sydney's Bahista Cafe, told the Sydney Morning Herald he spent two years working with developer John MacLean to create his own system prototype, NoahFace, which he first started using on customers in July 2016. "I searched the world for a low-cost face recognition [system] and there was nothing out there, all the solutions were multimillion-dollar ones," he explained. "So I went about creating what we have today." Willing customers simply have their face scanned by an iPad as they approach the front counter, with information, including their name and go-to coffee order, then instantly relayed to the barista. NoahFace is now in use across the country, having raised more than $1 million in seed funding, not to mention the backing of big names like Toby's Estate founder Toby Smith. Currently, you'll spy it operating at venues like Sydney's Bar Bellaccino, Adelaide's Hotel Richmond and a whole swag of Toby's Estate cafes — and, it'll spy you too. Via smh.com.au
For all of you who've been obsessing over the case of Steven Avery, you might now have the chance to get the answers you crave. Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos, the filmmakers behind the addictive and highly frustrating Netflix true crime series Making a Murderer, have just been announced as a last minute addition to the Spectrum Now Festival talks program. The pair, whose ten-part series has become a cultural phenomenon since premiering on Netflix in December, will travel to Sydney for an hour-long interview and audience Q&A session with festival ambassador and The Weekly host Charlie Pickering. Set to take place at 7pm on Thursday, March 10, tickets for the event will cost $49.90 and go on sale on Wednesday, February 24 (or you can sign up to their newsletter to access the pre-sale one day earlier). If you've been living a nomadic lifestyle out in the bush for the past few months and thus haven't heard, Making a Murderer follows the infuriating case of Wisconsin native Steven Avery, who served 18 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, only to be arrested and tried for murder shortly after he was released. If you've got a spare ten hours, you can binge watch it on Netflix right now. Just don't expect to finish with your faith in humanity intact. "We always wanted Making a Murderer to start a dialogue around important issues in our criminal justice system," say directors Ricciardi and Demos. "We are thrilled that so many people all over the world are responding to the concept of fairness and equality, and we can’t wait to come to Australia to continue this discussion." Making a Murderer: In Conversation with Charlie Pickering will take place at 7pm on Thursday, March 10 at The Star Event Centre as part of Spectrum Now Festival 2016. For more information and to buy tickets, visit their website.
With everyone spending more time at home — and zero time eating out at restaurants and cafes — we're betting that you've probably cranked up your oven and put your baking skills to the test in recent weeks. Unfortunately, though, we are not all destined to be Betty Crockers. Next time you want to get creative in the kitchen, you don't have to resort to a packet mix — even if you're a bit of a novice in the kitchen. A bunch of Aussie bakeries, cafes and restaurants are adapting to the current situation and one thing we're seeing more of is bake-at-home cookie dough. And it's safe to say these top-notch spots know what they're doing in the kitchen — so you don't have to. Here are some of the best you'll find in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, which you can pick up or get delivered. Then, soon enough, you'll be feasting on gooey, chocolatey cookies straight from the oven. SYDNEY Home of the cookie pizza, Bennett Street Dairy is selling its handmade chocolate chip dough and offering citywide delivery within two business days. The old school-inspired joint sources its ingredients straight from the farm, with its dough containing big chunks of chocolate and no raw products. You can get 500 grams of the goods, which will make about six to eight large biscuits, for $12. You can store your roll of dough in the fridge for or up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months, so you can stock up and have cookies on-hand for a while to come. To order, head here. Firedoor has also jumped on the cookie wagon, offering pre-made dough through its new online grocer Fireshop. The online store has a bunch of 'almost-ready' dishes, pantry staples and produce, which you need to order between Thursday–Tuesday for pick up on Friday between 2–4pm. In your virtual basket, you'll want to throw in at least one 400-gram roll of native cookie dough ($20). Made with white chocolate and native Australian fruits, this cookie is for those who like the finer baked things in life. Sydney's king of desserts Andy Bowdy is slinging some top-notch dough, too. Head down to Saga between 9am–4pm any Tuesday through Sunday, and nab yourself a roll of salted chocolate chip or peanut butter — or both. Each comes in 480 grams and costs $12.50. MELBOURNE Shannon Martinez and Mo Wyse's spin-off vegan New York-style delicatessen, Smith & Deli, is selling frozen dough. So, if you're vegan — or just looking to get your hands on some high-quality cookies — look no further. The dough is frozen fresh, loaded with chocolate chunks and will make ten to 20 biscuits, depending on size. A roll costs $15 and can be ordered via Mr Yum for pick up and delivery. Earl Canteen is selling two different types of cookie dough through its online shop Earl at Home. There's a Callebaut chocolate, sea salt and walnuts one or one filled with raspberry and pistachio — both will make about 20 deliciously chewy cookies and cost $22. To order, head here. The choc chip dough comes in its Favourites Pack ($125), too. Delivery is available within 20 kilometres of the CBD and is free for order amounting to $125 or more. Contactless pick up is also available from Earl's head office at 15–17 Cubitt Street, Cremorne. BRISBANE Brisbane's go-t0 for baked goods, Jocelyn's Provisions, is now selling 'take & bake' kits, including a choc chip cookie kit ($18.50), featuring 500 grams of ready-to-bake dough, which is enough to make 24 cookies. Kits are available for pick up only — with orders taken online, and collection available from Jocelyn's Provisions' stores on Sandgate Road in Albion, James Street in New Farm and Samuel Street in Camp Hill. If you're a cookie fiend and want more, Flour & Chocolate — as the name would suggest — is also selling some choc-filled dough for $15. You can pick them up from the Morningside patisserie every Tuesday to Saturday from 6.30am–2pm. To preorder, email morningside@flourandchocolate.com or call (07) 3161 6246. If you do go outside to pick up cookies, have a look at the latest COVID-19 advice and social-distancing guidelines from the Department of Health.
Clearly I have been living under a rock because I thought White Canvas Gallery was a brand spanking new art space for Brisbane, but it turns out it has been around for well more than a year now, showing awesome works by contemporary Brisbane artists. The latest exhibition is no exception, featuring a collection of diverse, cutting edge works by nine of Brisbane’s most promising emerging artists. Some of the artists included in the exhibition are well known on the Brisbane art scene, while others are fairly new but are already proving that they’ve got the skills. There is no stylistic theme to the exhibition, with a diversity of styles on display. Some works have their foundation in street art and graffiti, while others are based on illustration and fine art practices. There are also those that sit in-between all of these genres. Essentially Contraband is an exhibition that is post-everything (yep all those posts- modern, colonial, feminism and so on), the works explore contemporary concepts through painting and sculpture to further the visual language and ignite discussion on contemporary ideas and issues.
You've watched your way through every episode of Stranger Things to date, including the just-dropped first part of the show's fourth season. Thanks to your latest binge, you've now got Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill' stuck in your brain permanently, too. You've eaten a demogorgon burger, seen an Upside Down rift open up in Bondi and played Netflix's Stranger Things mobile game as well. Yes, there's no shortage of ways to indulge your love for the 80's-set streaming hit — but only one involves both singing and laughing. Stranger Things is heading to the stage — well, Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical is, to be exact. Because every popular TV show and movie seems to tread the boards eventually, whether in a serious (Back to the Future, Moulin Rouge!, Amelie) or satirical (Friends, Shrek, The Simpsons) guise, everyone's favourite tale about kids fighting monsters in Hawkins, Indiana has also made that leap. Even better: it is now venturing Down Under for the first time. Already an award-winner in the US, where it picked up seven 2021 BroadwayWorld Off-Broadway Awards — including Best New Musical (Off-Broadway) — Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical retells the tale we all already know, but on-stage, with amusing songs and while making fun of the whole thing. So, you'll be watching Mike, Eleven, Dustin, Lucas and the rest of the Hawkins gang navigate the wild antics that've made their town the worst place to grow up in since Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Sunnydale, and both tapping your toes to tunes and giggling along. Obviously, creepy creatures are a feature — singing and dancing ones, in fact. And, so are pop-culture references aplenty, big hair, throwback fashions, a synth-heavy soundtrack and possibly justice for Barb. Penned by Jonathan Hogue — book, music, lyrics and all — Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical will make its Australian debut thanks to Melbourne's Salty Theatre, with co-founders Ashley Taylor Tickell directing and Sarahlouise Younger assisting. So far, only dates for the Victorian capital have been announced — so lock November 3–19 in your diary, and get ready to hear a song-filled account of Hawkins' weirdness at Meat Market Melbourne. Tickets aren't yet on sale, but you can sign up to be notified when they do at the production's Australian website Fingers crossed that Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical eventually brings the Upside Down to other Aussie cities, obviously. Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical will play Meat Market Melbourne from November 3–19, 2022. For more information, or to sign up to be notified about tickets, head to the production's Australian website. Images: Bruce Glikas / Danny Hildago.
Concrete Playground recently caught up with Mexican-Canadian tech artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. Lozano-Hemmer is famous for art that lurks in public spaces, galleries and even beaches, amplifying passers-by into new creatures with a city-sized will. He's taking over a slice of the as-yet unfinished Museum of Contemporary Art over summer, with his hands-on exhibition Recorders. Lozano-Hemmer mashes-up tech, art and his audience, with an effortlessness that would leave the mechanism invisible — if he didn't then go on to scrupulously explain, in-situ, how his works work. How would you describe what do you do? I work primarily with the intersection of architecture and performance art. Most of my installations are in the form of either displays or lights, or sounds that react to the presence of the public. And to do that there are things like sensors and tracking systems, and biometric scanners which allow the artworks to detect the presence of people. I like always to reveal the mechanisms by which these works function. So oftentimes in my work you get to see the tracking systems, or you get explanations about what equations are at work to make a project happen. I pretentiously call it a 'Brechtian moment'. You remember how in Brecht, all of a sudden all the actors stop and just look at the public and say "Well, you know, this situation is just make believe. This is just a simulation of reality. We are actors. You're the public." So there's this moment where you all get back, anchored in reality. You've said one of the things you liked about an outdoor work of yours was that you had people outside in public, just hanging around and not shopping. It must be very interesting for you, watching the Occupy movements around the world. When it first started in Spain in May it was just so exciting. I'm from Latin America, so oftentimes protests and so on turn out to be these ideology-based, adversarial kinds of movements. And that's not what I saw with the Occupy movement, when it started in Spain. With the indignados ('indignant ones') it was mostly professionals, architects, dentists, students, professors, whatever. And they were just taking over public space. And that was just such a beautiful statement, and they did so in such a sophisticated way. The indignados started in Madrid, where there's a tradition of young people going out and drinking in the streets. There's a sense of ownership of the street. Real estate was so expensive that everybody lives with their parents. And so you needed to go out in order to see your friends. And that produced very lively street life. But it's also just a sense of being seen. It's almost as if the actual protest is the message all by itself. Just a we're here. Yeah. Just this idea of just occupying space is radical. You know, you're there. You're existing. Just spending time, and connecting, and being present, is in my opinion extremely radical. Especially in Latin countries where people used to just disappear under the dictators, the idea of just being there.. That's a really good way to understand the sense of presence and absence, in terms of the political dialogue. It's like "Yeah, what are you going to do? You cannot wipe us out. We think these things, and therefore we are taking space. These ideas take space." I just came back from Art Basel Miami Beach. Which is this art fair. I mean, I'm not a moralist. And I love money. And I love champagne as much as the next guy, but there is something really absurd about a system that only reserves this sort of superior cultural production to this tiny fraction of the population. And I'm telling you this because there was an Occupy Art Basel Miami. There were all these artists. You know, local artists and so on, and educators, camping out of Art Basel Miami saying "We can't afford the 50 bucks it costs to go in. And, even if we could, we would never be able to afford any of the art that is on display here." Something else you try to bring to people's awareness is the surveillance around them all the time. These technologies come mostly from a desire to control the public, a desire to seek out, search and detect suspicious activity. The surveillance aspect of my work is more about acknowledging this kind of darker, predetorial side of where these things come from. But then creating critical or poetic experiences with these very same technologies. I would love people to come out of Recorders with a sense of inclusion, a sense that these technologies are neither this Orwellian, ominous threat — it's already happened — and also not like an infantile, fun, hands on science experiment thing. In between those two extremes, there's a whole range of different poetry that is possible. Image courtesy and © Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. Photo: Ana Cristina Enriquez
Embedding sustainable practices in the hospitality industry is a quest many a bar, cafe, eatery and associated organisation has taken up, spanning bans on straws, an attempt to recycle takeaway coffee cups, rewards for carpooling customers and more. One Japanese watering hole has taken the concept and not only run with it, but built their entire establishment out of it. Yes, the Kamikatz Public House is made out of 100% recycled rubbish. From the windows and walls to the furniture found inside, everything in this pub, brewery and sundries store would probably be considered trash in any other town. You'll find the environmentally conscious structure in the town of Kamikatsu, which is committed to not only reducing their wastage, but eliminating it — attaining an 80% recycling rate, and sorting their waste into 34 categories, for starters. Of course, when you fashion a dwelling with in such an eco-friendly manner, you want everyone to know about it, which is why Kamikatz Public House features an eight-metre-high wall of windows, all sourced from abandoned homes. You'll also find discarded tiles used as flooring, a chandelier made out of bottles, and newspapers doubling as wallpaper. Other design elements, such as an elevated ceiling and double-layered window fittings, are designed to increase ventilation and insulation respectively. No wonder the building won World Architecture News' Sustainable Buildings Award for 2016. As well as a cute pub to put on your must-visit list if you're ever in the vicinity of Tokushima prefecture on Japan's Shikoku Island, it's also great motivation to think about more creative ways to recycle. Images: Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP. Via: Inhabitat.
Whenever Vivid takes over Sydney to kick off winter, the city instantly gets brighter. Unleashing a huge festival of lights and vibrant installations, live music, food and talks will do that, of course. Mark Friday, May 26–Saturday, June 17 in your calendars for 2023, with the annual festival returning — and with its just-announced program featuring more than 300 activations and events across its 23 days. Lights-wise, more than 50 installations will be bringing bursts of colour to the Harbour City, with public installations, 3D projections and ticketed events all part of the lineup. The Vivid Light Walk is back with free public works inspired by nature popping up from over 100 light collaborators and 26 international light artists from 13 countries. First Light will also return, celebrating Australia's original custodians and opening the festival with a performance from Yolngu supergroup Yothu Yindi. Other notable installations include Written in the Stars, which will see over 1000 drones like up the night sky; projections on the Sydney Opera House's sails from John Olsen; and a huge Tumbalong Park activation called Dance Together, which will have you shaking your hips underneath three giant floating rings suspended above your head. Plus, the previously announced Lightscape will also be a part of the program. The after-dark light festival will be taking over the Royal Botanic Garden from 5.30pm each night. Prepare to see the garden illuminated by immersive and large-scale installations scattered along a 2.1-kilometre route, including sparkling trees, luminous walkways and bursts of colour that look like fireworks. A big highlight: large-scale works like giant flowers and glowing tunnels, both of which will make you feel like you're being bathed in radiance. Vivid 2022 marked the first time food was given its own spot on the lineup with the inaugural Vivid Dinner, and this year the festival's gone one better with a full-sized food program celebrating Sydney's hospitality scene. Standout moments from this portion of the festival include the return of the Vivid Dinner, this time with chefs Ben Greeno and Danielle Alvarez at the helm; and a revamp of Luke Mangan's restaurant on top of a Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon that will give guests the chance to take in the lights from atop the bridge accompanied by wine and snacks from the acclaimed chef. The Vivid Fire Kitchen will bring smoked meats and barbecues to Barangaroo's The Cutaway, the Carriageworks Night Markets will also make a one-off comeback during the festival, and a series of residencies will see Barangaroo House and Mary's underground taken over with a mix of food, wine, music and art. Beyond the official Vivd Food program is a heap of special activities planned across a huge number of vendors within the CBD including a special limited edition Vivid-only creation from Black Star Pastry in The Galeries — the yuzu and raspberry flavoured 'glonut' finished with icing designed with vibrant orange and pink polka dots (only available Saturday until 17th June). Meanwhile at the QVB, for those wanting to indulge in a more sophisticated culinary experience, Manon Brasserie is inviting guests to unwind, Paris-style, on the street-side tables and take in the special happy hour menu conceived just for Vivid crowds. And if you really want to elevate your happy options, Golden Hour at Reign will be serving drinks special and bar snacks for champagne aficionados including $20 Mumm 'Grand Cordon' Champagne (a real bargain, trust us) from 5pm to 7pm every Wednesday to Sunday throughout the festival. [caption id="attachment_892843" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] Music is always a huge component of the festival, and this year's lineup does not disappoint. The Sydney Opera House has rolled out a predictably showstopping and diverse mix of artists, starting with Devonté Hynes (also known as Blood Orange) performing selected classical works with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The bill also features José González celebrating the 20th anniversary of his album Veneer, Cat Power recreating and reinterpreting a 1966 performance by Bob Dylan, and appearances from the likes of Thundercat, Yaeji, Ella Mai, Weyes Blood, Hiatus Kaiyote, Ethel Cain, Sleaford Mods, Squarepusher, Iceage, Kimbra and Budjerah. The Opera House's studio parties are also making a return, with party collectives Mad Racket, Picnic, Future Classic and House of Mince all bringing the tunes to the venue's artist studios until the early hours. Outside of the Sydney Opera House, Vivid's music lineup will include A Bend in the River: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Archie Roach at the Sydney Town hall with Paul Kelly, Emma Donovan, Dan Sultan, Kutcha Edwards and Becca Hatch among the friends, collaborators and contemporaries that will perform during the tribute. [caption id="attachment_892841" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archie Roach, Lisa Businovski[/caption] Tumbalong Park will again host 12 nights of free live music featuring Yothu Yindi, Hatchie, Kaiit, A.Girl, Ziggy Ramo, Cornelius and a celebration of 15 years of triple j's Unearthed High competition. And, Carriageworks has curated a genre-spanning lineup with the like soft Desire Marea, Flying Lotus, Molchat Doma, Liv.e, Floodlights and Soft Centre. Rounding out the lineup is Vivid Ideas, which will feature 60 talks and workshops spanning love, community, authenticity, body positivity and sustainability. World-renowned British author Jeanette Winterson will be in the country for her talk LIFE AND MARS: The Future of Human; Could the Ocean be the Solution? will explore how technology is helping to clean up the world's oceans; and Melbourne-based artists have created NOCTURNE, an immersive journey through The Rocks. If you want to get into the nitty-gritty of the program, you can head to the Vivid Sydney website. Yes, you'd best clear your calendar for the end of May and the first few weeks of June — Vivid is about to keep you mighty busy. Vivid Sydney 2023 will run from Friday, May 26–Saturday, June 17. For further information and tickets, head to the event's website.
Brisbane's love of authentic Italian gelato just keeps going strong, and La Macelleria just keeps opening new stores to serve up its delicious desserts. Already a favourite in Teneriffe in West End, the chain has now moved its eastside base from Coorparoo to Woolloongabba. Behold: the artisanal ice creamery's new shop in South City Square. Even better: on Saturday, November 25, just for the afternoon and evening, the new Logan Road location will be in celebratory mode at its grand opening. Stop by for freebies and specials, plus music and family-friendly entertainment. Yes, there'll be free gelato. The fun kicks off at 1pm, with freebies available for the first 100 people at the counter of the new hole-in-the-wall joint. After that, you'll pay $4 for a small cup with up to two flavours, $5 for a medium cup with up to three varieties and $6 for a large with up to four types.
Australia and New Zealand, you're getting more chances to dance the night away: Dua Lipa's already-huge Radical Optimism tour has expanded its trip Down Under. When it was first announced, there were three shows on the itinerary. Due to demand — and before general tickets even go on sale — the tour has been expanded to nine gigs. It's still only playing three cities, however. Accordingly, Dua Lipa fans will still need to head to Sydney, Melbourne or Auckland to catch the Grammy-winner's live shows. She's now doing three gigs in the New South Wales capital, four in the Victorian capital and two in Aotearoan city. Dua Lipa last travelled this way to bring her Future Nostalgia tour Down Under in 2022, and hit the stage at the post-parade party at the 2020 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras before that. The Radical Optimism gigs kick off in November 2024 across Asia, with concerts in Singapore, Jakarta, Manila, Tokyo, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Seoul. Fans in Australia and Aotearoa get their turn to find the star under lights and turning the rhythm up in March and April 2025, thanks to shows at Rod Laver Arena, Qudos Bank Arena and Spark Arena. [caption id="attachment_963582" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Raph_PH[/caption] 2024 has been a huge year for the 'Don't Start Now', 'Physical', 'Break My Heart', 'Cold Heart' and 'Houdini' singer, with her third studio album Radical Optimism releasing in May and then the artist headlining Glastonbury. She also popped up in Argylle in cinemas. 2023 was no slouch, either, given that 'Dance the Night' graced the Barbie soundtrack and Dua Lipa featured in the film as a Barbie. The Aussie and NZ leg will restart the Radical Optimism tour in 2025, with dates also locked in across Europe in May and June next year, and in North America in September and October afterwards. As well as Radical Optimism and Future Nostalgia, Dua Lipa has tracks from her self-titled 2017 debut record to bust out, including 'Be the One', 'Hotter Than Hell', 'Lost in Your Light', 'New Rules', 'IDGAF' and 'Blow Your Mind'. [caption id="attachment_972947" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tyrone Lebon[/caption] Dua Lipa Radical Optimism Tour 2025 Australia and New Zealand Dates Wednesday, March 19–Thursday, March 20 + Saturday, March 22–Sunday, March 23 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Wednesday, March 26 + Friday, March 28–Saturday, March 29 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Wednesday, April 2 + Friday, April 4 — Spark Arena, Auckland Dua Lipa's Radical Optimism tour heads Down Under in March and April 2025, with general ticket sales from 1pm local time on Friday, September 20. Head to Dua Lipa's website for more details. Live images: Raph_PH via Flickr.
Cast your eyes on the YouTube diary of Canada Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield and you will never be impressed by the notion of man placing a flag on the moon again. Canada's first commander of the International Space Station has been furiously tweeting and video blogging live from Expedition 35 for the past five months, creating the closest thing the world has seen to the Big Brother diary room in outer space in the process. While the CSA website lists the mission's objectives as "to carry out scientific experiments" and "perform robotic tasks", Renaissance man Hadfield has also managed to produce the astronaut's answer to Cindy Crawford's Buns of Steel and show his tender side in an attempt to find out what happens to tears in space (hint: not the same as what happens in heaven). Most recently, Hadfield has been busy staging a music video of 'Space Oddity' by David Bowie. Turns out Bowie's understanding of outer space is pretty bang on — the clouds look very different up there, Hadfield floats in a most peculiar way and while planet Earth is blue, there's nothing left to do, hence the Soyuz capsule is set to touch down to Earth tomorrow. Via Slate.
Ever wish you could teleport out of the office and into, say, the idyllic surrounds of the Versailles Palace? Well, that need no longer be the stuff of dreams. Using Street View technology, Google has launched the World Wonders Project, an initiative that aims to bring the world's most breathtaking heritage sites directly to you. In a virtual experience like no other, users will be able to access high resolution photographs, 3D imagery and YouTube videos of up to 132 landmarks and architectural sites from 18 countries around the globe. Partnering with Getty Images and UNESCO among others, the World Wonders Project is part of Google's mission to preserve ancient and modern heritage sites, and to make these cultural landmarks accessible for future generations in an ever-expanding digital archive. Whether you're an avid traveller or average procrastinator, Google's highly interactive application is designed to virtually transport you into new, exciting worlds from the convenience of your desk. The Project site has a range of user-friendly functions to navigate your chosen destination. To embark on your virtual globe-trotting experience, you can access information compiled about the site, flick through albums of stunning photos, or for the more adventurous - click on the 3D modelling option and experience the wonders of navigating your dream location in all its 360 degree, street-level glory. Visit Google World Wonders
Almost one year after their break-up, a film documenting the final chapters of alternative powerhouse LCD Soundsystem will premiere on January 22 at the Sundance Film Festival. Shut Up and Play the Hits, directed by Dylan Southern and William Lovelace, shows frontman James Murphy in the hours prior to the band's farewell show at Madison Square Garden. This will be combined with unbeatable footage from their epic ultimate performance, as well as Murphy's reactions and reflections on what has been an illustrious career. With a devotion to both the personal and performance aspects of Murphy's character, Shut Up and Play the Hits gives fans an intimate insight into the brains behind one of this generation's most innovative and critically acclaimed bands. The anticipation before the LCD's grand farewell is balanced with the sense of loss the morning after, giving viewers a complete experience on this emotional and artistic rollercoaster. On top of three studio albums and numerous Grammy nominations, LCD Soundsystem were able to forge a cult following which reflected their diverse sound combining disco and punk rock with a distinct indie tinge. Murphy was also the co-founder of DFA Records, home of fellow alternative favourites Holy Ghost! and The Rapture.
With its Cheap Trick-sung opening theme tune, 90s and 00s sitcom favourite That '70s Show described its setup perfectly: hangin' out down the street, the same old thing we did last week. The decade clearly changes in sequel series That '90s Show, and viewers don't yet know if the introductory track does as well, but the same idea will still ring true in the new Netflix sitcom — based on its just-dropped full trailer, at least. Prepare for nostalgia on plenty of levels — including for the OG series itself, and for the 90s era that this follow-up is set in. Helping the former: the fact that the bulk of the initial comedy series' cast is back this time around, although they're not the focus. Instead, teenager Leia Forman (Callie Haverda, The Lost Husband) is. So, while Topher Grace (Home Economics), Laura Prepon (Orange Is the New Black), Mila Kunis (Luckiest Girl Alive), Ashton Kutcher (Vengeance) and Wilmer Valderrama (NCIS) all pop up, returning to the characters of Eric Forman, Donna Forman, Jackie Burkhart, Michael Kelso and Fez — and Debra Jo Rupp (WandaVision) and Kurtwood Smith (The Dropout) are also back as Eric's parents Kitty and Red — a new group of high schoolers will be hanging out both down the street and in the Forman family basement. In his typical cantankerous manner, Red is hardly thrilled about it. Kitty, though, revels having more kids to look after. If you're keen on That '90s Show for the returning old faves, take note: the new crew is firmly in the spotlight in this sneak peek. But all of those aforementioned original characters do indeed make an appearance in the trailer, and make it feel like no time has passed at all. That '90s Show hits Netflix on Thursday, January 19, with the 1995-set series revisiting Point Place, Wisconsin during Leia's summer trip to see her grandparents. Hardly popular at school, she finally feels like she belongs with Kitty and Red's rebellious teen neighbour Gwen (Ashley Aufderheide, Four Kids and It), her brother Nate (Maxwell Acee Donovan, Gabby Duran & The Unsittables), his girlfriend Nikki (Sam Morelos, Forgetting Nobody), and their pals Ozzie (Reyn Doi, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) and Jay (Mace Coronel, Colin in Black & White). As well as nostalgia, expect déjà vu to strike amid the familiar sets — clearly by design. Behind the scenes, creators Bonnie and Terry Turner are back, also with their daughter Lindsey Turner. Yes, the multi-generational vibe flows on- and off-screen. In fact, in front of the camera, that even includes Tommy Chong (Color Out of Space) returning as Leo. Check out the trailer for That '90s Show below: That '90s Show will hit Netflix on Thursday, January 19, 2022. Images: Patrick Wymore/Netflix © 2022.
AFC Richmond supporters, rejoice — and get ready for a hefty rivalry. If you're a fan of the fictional soccer team, then you're obviously a fan of Ted Lasso, the award-winning hit Apple TV+ sitcom that tells its tale. After a year gap, sitting on the bench in 2022, the Jason Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live)-starring show is finally set to return in 2023. Even better: Apple TV+ has confirmed that season three will arrive sometime in autumn Down Under, which is sometime in the next few months. There's no exact release date as yet, but the streaming platform has dropped an initial image for the new episodes which teases quite the clash in the works — between perennially optimistic American Ted and his former offsider Nathan 'Nate' Shelley (Nick Mohammed, Intelligence). View this post on Instagram A post shared by Apple TV+ (@appletvplus) While Ted Lasso has felt like streaming's biggest warm hug across its first and second seasons, it wasn't afraid to skew darker in the latter, including as Nate felt pushed aside, ignored and unloved by Ted. Viewers will know that the last batch of episodes culminated with Nate's defection to opposing club West Ham United, as owned by Rupert Mannion (Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anthony Stewart Head), ex-husband to AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham, Hocus Pocus 2). Also part of the Ted Lasso crew: sweary now-retired veteran champion Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein, Uncle), recent hotshot player Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster, The Devil's Hour), Jamie's ex-girlfriend and Roy's current partner Keeley Jones (Juno Temple, The Offer), Ted's laconic second-in-charge and long-time friend Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt, Bless This Mess), and AFC Richmond Director of Football Operations Leslie Higgins (Jeffrey Swift, Housebound). As the sitcom's first two seasons have shown, viewers definitely don't need to love soccer or even sport to fall for this series' ongoing charms — although if you obsessed over the 2022 World Cup, it might help fill the gap until the 2026 version arrives. Kind-hearted in the way that Parks and Recreation, Wellington Paranormal, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Abbott Elementary have also proven, Ted Lasso will be in for a significant obstacle in 2023, thanks to Ted and Nate's battle. Usually, this series celebrates people who support each other, are always there for each other and form close bonds as a result. Indeed, that's what has made it so instantly likeable. But with Nate now working for the competition, change is afoot — don't expect to see the show mess too much with its winning formula, though. There's no trailer for season three just yet, but you can check out the trailer for Ted Lasso's second season below: Season three of Ted Lasso will stream via Apple TV+ sometime in autumn 2023 Down Under — we'll update you with an exact release date when one is announced. Read our full review of season two.
The beginning of a new year isn't solely about deciding how you'd like to change your life for the better. That's just one January tradition. Another: plotting out where around the world you'd like to travel to across the 12 months to come. Arriving mere days into 2024, The New York Times' annual '52 Places to Go' list is a handy guide for inspiration — including for Down Under spots earning global recognition. After 2023's list included Auckland, Kangaroo Island and Australia's Red Centre to soak in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park's wonders, 2024's counterpart features New Zealand by train, the entire state of Tasmania and Queensland capital city Brisbane. Experiencing Aotearoa's charms by rail placed fourth, while the Apple Isle came in at 29 and Brissie took 39th spot. The NYT gave a 17-day journey across NZ some love for being "a simpler and more sustainable way" to see the country, calling out stops at "transcendent sites like the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park and Te Papa Tongarewa Museum" to begin with. Also earning a mention: getting the ferry to the South Island, then taking "a ride through world-class vineyards and along the jagged coast", plus whale- and dolphin-watching in Christchurch, before hitting the Southern Alps for "views to white-capped peaks, rushing rivers and alpine lakes". Tasmania earned its placing for enabling visitors to get out in nature via guided walks, celebrate Indigenous culture and focus on local produce. Taking a three-day trek across Bruny Island, foraging for wattle seeds and pepperberries, and chef Analiese Gregory's wild-cooking dishes all scored a specific callout. Brisbane keeps popping up on lists like this lately — see also: travel guide Frommer's, which also named the city one of 2024's best spots to visit; TIME, which put it on its world's greatest places list for 2023; and the World's Best 50 Hotels, which picked The Calile as its only Australian and Oceanic entry in its inaugural countdown in 223 — and the obvious reason was called out in the NYT's first sentence. Yes, that'd be hosting the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Queen's Wharf precinct and its towering Sky Deck, restaurant Agnes and the Brisbane Powerhouse — including eating dinner hanging off the side of the building at vertical dining experience Vertigo, and the upcoming Melt OPEN queer arts fest — all were singled out. So was The Calile, which is clearly Brissie's most-famous hotel. [caption id="attachment_921654" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Ravik[/caption] Topping the '52 Places to Go' rankings for 2024: North America's path of totality, where a total solar eclipse will be take over the skies in April, followed by Paris — the host of the 2024 Olympics — and Yamaguchi in Japan. Maui in Hawaii rounded out the top five, while Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni in Arizona (the sacred Indigenous land around the Grand Canyon), Singapore, O'Higgins in Chile, Ladakh in India and Geneva in Switzerland filled the rest of the top ten. Across the full 52 picks, Manchester in England, Negombo in Sri Lanka, Morocco, Lake Toba in Indonesia and Ireland's Waterford also featured. So did Mustang in Nepal, Vienna in Austria, the Albanian Alps and Flamingo in Florida — and plenty more spots to instantly put on your must-visit list. For The New York Times' full 52 Places to Go list for 2024, head to the publication's website. Top image: Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
A big windy river that stretches the length of the city. A coastline that, while it isn't located among all the hustle and bustle, is still a definite part of this town of ours. When it comes to hanging out in, on top of or near the water in Brissie, they're the main choices — and whether you opt for a leg of the Brisbane River, or make the trip to either north or east to various foreshore spots, there's plenty to keep you occupied while you're there. Perhaps you're a wanderer who enjoys meandering at your own pace with a scenic view. Maybe you're certain that any beverage or bite to eat goes down better when you can feel the river or sea breeze against your skin. Or, you could like getting active on the water itself, but in a creative fashion. Whichever category you fall into, we've picked the best ways to make the most of your chosen body of H20 in Brisbane. Head to a Waterside (or Overwater) Cafe, Restaurant, Bar or Brewery Just a few short years ago, Brisbane didn't have any bars perched over the water. That's no longer the case thanks to Mr Percival's. The River City only had two big central waterside precincts where you could eat, drink and hang out, too, and now — with Howard Smith Wharves and Queen's Wharf joining South Bank and Eagle Street — it has four. Brissie didn't boast a riverside brewery to its name either, but Felons Brewing Co and BrewDog both have that covered. You can spot the trend here, of course, because this town isn't short on places to satisfy your hunger and quench your thirst by the water. And while riverside haunts have been popping up with frequency of late, the idea is hardly new. Newstead, Hamilton and Kangaroo Point have been home to waterside cafes, restaurants and bars for decades as well, for instance. Back at HSW, there's a new wave of must-visit joints near the water: upstairs hangouts at Stanley and Yoko Dining, aka Stan's and B-SIDE, with one taking inspiration from Hong Kong and the other from Tokyo. [caption id="attachment_807855" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lean Timms[/caption] Here a Picnic Boat for You, Your Date, Mates and Dog Picnicking by the water in Brisbane is a tried-and-tested way to spend an afternoon — and it's featured on this list a bit further down. But you can also picnic on top of the water, all thanks to Denmark-born company GoBoat, which is sailing its 18-feet-long, dog-friendly vessels from Breakfast Creek. The company is all about making the whole boating caper more accessible for everyday folk, and its Scandinavian-designed vessels are slow-moving, a breeze to operate and don't require a boating licence — making for some fun, fuss-free sailing sessions. Each GoBoat boasts a central picnic table with room for eight people (and all the necessary snacks and booze). And they're even affordable enough to fit your budget — simply BYO food and drinks, find enough eager sailors to jump aboard and a GoBoat session will start at around $10 per person, per hour. [caption id="attachment_711839" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Paul Giggle/Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] Pair a Stroll or Cycle with a Watery View Some folks prefer putting one foot in front of the other and seeing just where that takes them. Others like to sit on top of two wheels and start pedalling. Whichever one suits you best, if you live in Brisbane, you aren't lacking in options — but we all know that the riverside and oceanside options sit at the top of the list. For walkers, you can pick between the Brisbane Riverwalk from New Farm to the city, South Bank's path between its pools and the Old Brown Snake down to Kangaroo Point, heading up and over the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges (aka the Gateway Motorway), or picking either the Wynnum–Manly or Sandgate–Shorncliffe regions. If you're a cyclist, you can also choose all of the above — you'll just speed along them more quickly. Eat Seafood by the Sea Sure, you've been on a pub crawl — but have you been on a fish 'n' chip crawl right next to the water? We're guessing that you haven't, but it's one of those simple ideas that's both brilliant and oh-so-easy to execute, because it just involves taking advantage of the abundance of greasy spoons along in the Wynnum–Manly or Sandgate–Shorncliffe areas. We'll give you two options, too: you can either order something from each place you pass as you walk along the relevant seaside region, or you can come back at regular intervals to sample a new eatery. Head north and you'll be hitting up the likes of Fish on Flinders, Sandgate Fishmonger and Doug's Seafood Cafe, while in the southeast you can expect to Finn's Fish House, Baywatch Cafe and Sea Vibes Manly. Take a Kayak Tour By now, you've definitely realised that Brisbane is a town with options. In almost every instance, you can select your favourite watery or water-adjacent pastime and then pick a heap of places to indulge in your chosen activity. Kayaking is no different. Riverlife at Kangaroo Point will let you get paddling through the CBD and seeing the inner city in a completely different way, but that's merely the most central and best-known choice. You can also kayak at Enoggera Reservoir and, although the hire hut is currently temporarily closed, go across to Bribie Island as well. The list goes on, and spans professional tours and just hiring a kayak, hopping inside and making your own way at your own leisure. Picnic in a Waterside Park The weather is glorious. Your basket is packed with homemade salads, a big stack of cheese or the finest sandwiches your local deli can make. The lawn games are at the ready. A relaxing picnic is just moments away — and yes, because this is Brisbane, it's easy to add a glistening view to your outdoor meal. Brissie is home to quite the array of places that fit the bill. Whether you're keen to recline by the snaking Brisbane River or eager to sit seaside, there's somewhere to go. You can try all the usual picnic spots, including the Kangaroo Point Cliffs, New Farm Park, the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, Howard Smith Wharves and South Bank. Or, if you've whiled away more than one afternoon at all of the obvious locations, you can also make a beeline to other great waterside picnic places that you might not have visited. [caption id="attachment_703976" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Brisbane City Council via Flickr[/caption] Throw a Line Over a Pier Never thought of yourself as the fishing type? Hear us out. It's a peaceful and relaxing excuse to stare at the water, and to think about absolutely nothing other than whether you might've felt some tension on your line, the crispness of the sea air and just how gorgeous the ocean looks. In other words, it's a mindfulness bonanza — and there's no better place in Brisbane to get casting than one of the city's piers and jetties. The big places to head, aka Shorncliffe Pier and Wynnum Jetty, are popular spots for very good reasons. But if you'd rather stick closer to the city, you'll also find a small platform jutting off of the Colmslie Recreation Reserve in Morningside, too (which isn't too far from Brissie's secret beach, actually). [caption id="attachment_754201" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Cruise Along — Via CityCat or While Eating and Drinking If you were visiting Brisbane and you wanted to see the sights, you'd probably opt for one of the most obvious choices there is. Getting on a CityCat might seem oh-so straightforward, but it really does offer you quite the impressive and extensive glimpse of the city, especially if you make the full journey from Northshore Hamilton to St Lucia. You can even take your pooch with you. Also, your trip will only cost you 50 cents. If you're enthusiastic about the cruising idea but you'd like to up the ante, you have options as well. There's River City Cruises, which runs multiple tours daily — plus party boat Yot Club, although you'll need to keep an eye on its seasons, because it's Brissie dates tend to change. Learn How to Sail or Windsurf Hopping on a seafaring vessel and letting someone else do all the hard work for you is one option for cruising along the water in and around Brisbane. If you're quite fond of jumping on a boat — or a yacht for that matter — you can always learn a new skill and take sailing lessons, too. The Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron puts on a heap of classes to show you the ropes (and to make sure you know how to use any ropes necessary while you're sailing, of course). This one is a bit of an investment in terms of time and cash; however, that's not the only way you can expand your horizon at the Manly-based organisation. It'll also teach you how to windsurf, should regular ol' standing on a board and pretending you're Keanu Reeves in Point Break just not be enough. [caption id="attachment_643649" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Brisbane City Council via Flickr[/caption] Splash Around in a Man-Made Waterside Pool Brisbane isn't a beach city, but venture out of the CBD, away from the shadows of tall buildings and past the suburban sprawl, and you can find the holy grail of outdoor pools. Yes, if you head east until you can't go any further, you'll find a fine example of a man-made area filled from the sea and replenished by the tide. Built during the 1930s depression as part of the Unemployment Relief System, the Wynnum Wading Pool is the ideal place to enjoy the warm weather with an ocean view. Of course, if you're happy splashing around by the river instead, there's always Streets Beach at South Bank Parklands as well. And, also on our pools list: Settlement Cove Lagoon at Redcliffe, which overlooks Moreton Bay. Top image: Riverlife.
Google unwrapped a gift for all Internet music fans in the form of their new streaming platform Google Play Music All Access. The new service is Google’s attempt to stake a claim on the music streaming market, which now has a customer base in the hundreds of millions, and steal some of the users of already popular apps Spotify and Grooveshark. The product not only offers the streaming of music and radio online but also allows users to merge their existing music libraries with the millions of tracks available on Google Play (minus The Beatles of course who are digitally exclusive to iTunes), with new tracks suggested based on their similarity to your own music. Users can then create playlists from their amalgamated music log that can also be accessed offline. Whilst these features are very similar to platforms like Spotify, it is their unique radio features that Google is hoping will prove the difference. The primary selling point is that you can reorder and skip tracks at will. That’s right, you can organise the radio that you are listening to. Unlike many other products that offer a free version, the service is subscription-only with a fee of $10 a month. However, Google are offering a 30-day free trial to sweeten the deal. You can also purchase tracks to keep forever if you want to. It can all be popped into your cloud as well, meaning you can access it anywhere, anytime, even on your Android. Google have tried to cover all needs of the online music user here and whilst the service is only available State side at the moment, it will be soon be accessible to all World Wide Webbers. The announcement wasn’t the only reward offered by the Internet moguls at Google I/O, every tech developer’s favourite annual conference. The giants are also upgrading their maps, removing the sidebar from the platform to concentrate activity on the map itself. Maps are also set to be personalized, with your favourite restaurants and hangouts appearing so that you can find you way there quickly no matter where you are. Public transport directions are also improved, meaning all we bus users can finally find out exactly where to hop off, instead of being left with an unplanned walk resembling a marathon. Plus it just looks cooler — you can even go underwater. Having a verbal conversation with Google is about to get a whole lot easier too, with the new Conversational Search feature employing data about you to create a more relevant search result. Other announcements include a new API that will sync your notifications so that if you dismiss one on your tablet, it won’t annoyingly set your phone off too; Google Now Cards to remind you about appointments and Game of Thrones episode releases; as well as other more minor developments and upgrades. Like Google Play Music All Access, these features may not be immediately accessible in Australia and New Zealand but they should be on their way soon. [Via Gizmodo]
One of the best presents that Australians received in 2023 came from the Matildas, who had a record-breaking 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on the field and on-screen, and are also the reason that Matilda was named the country's word of the year. Australia's national women's soccer team isn't done giving us gifts yet, however. To see out 2023, the squad is taking on Canada in two friendlies, gifting fans two more chances to watch, don green and gold, and celebrate Alanna Kennedy, Ellie Carpenter, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler and company. Mark these dates and times in your diaries: Saturday, December 2 at 2pm AEDT / 1pm AEST / 11am AWST; and Wednesday, December 6 at 1.30pm AEDT / 12.30pm AEST / 10.30am AWST. Both games are taking place in Canada, but they're timed around lunchtime Down Under — which is particularly handy for the Saturday game, and will level up your lunchtime on Wednesday. This is only the second set of matches that the Tillies have played since making the Women's World Cup semi-finals, Australia's best-ever result for either the men's or women's soccer teams. Back in October and November, the Matildas returned home for Olympic qualifiers against Iran, The Philippines and Chinese Taipei in Perth, wining all three. A few familiar faces won't be taking to the turf for the Canada matches, with both Sam Kerr and Mackenzie Arnold injured and unable to play. But Kennedy, Carpenter, Catley, Foord and Fowler are all in the 23-person squad, as are Kyra Cooney-Cross, Katrina Gorry, Hayley Raso, Emily van Egmond and Tameka Yallop. The last time that the Matildas played Canada was in the Women's World Cup group stage, where they won 4–0 thanks to two goals to Raso, and one apiece to Fowler and Catley. To watch the friendlies in Australia, 10Play and Paramount+ are your destinations — plus Network 10 on regular TV. After this, the Tillies will face off against Uzbekistan in February 2024 in the next stage of Olympic qualifiers, playing two games. If you're in Sydney, you can also see Arnold, Fowler and Kennedy doing a live fan stadium event on Thursday, December 21. THE MATILDAS VS CANADA FRIENDLIES: Saturday, December 2 — 2pm AEDT / 1pm AEST / 11am AWST Wednesday, December 6 — 1.30pm AEDT / 12.30pm AEST / 10.30am AWST The Matildas' friendlies against in Canada take place on Saturday, December 2 and Wednesday, December 6 — and you can watch via 10Play and Paramount+. Images: Tiff Williams / Little Blinky via Wikimedia Commons.
Music lovers Down Under are accustomed to bands only playing in parts of Australia and New Zealand, sparking fan travel plans to other cities. When Coldplay brought their Music of the Spheres world tour this way on Saturday, November 18–Sunday, November 19, it did so only at an exclusive Perth leg of the tour that marked their only stop in this neck of the woods for 2023. Start getting excited about 2024, however — because Coldplay already have. It'll be all yellow in Melbourne for two October dates next year, then in Sydney for a pair of November shows — and also in Auckland for a one-night visit the same month. The Chris Martin-fronted band will play Marvel Stadium on Wednesday, October 30–Thursday, October 31, then Accor Stadium across Wednesday, November 6—Thursday, November 7, before heading to Eden Park on Wednesday, November 13. Coldplay's current tour kicked off in March 2022, meaning that the band will have been on the road for almost three years when they make their return to Australia and Aotearoa. Packed stadiums have also been awaiting; every show between now and October 2024 has already sold out, with the group playing Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore, Bangkok, Athens, Bucharest, Budapest, Lyon, Rome, Düsseldorf, Helsinki, Munich, Vienna and Dublin before their return trip Down Under. So far, over nine million tickets have been sold since the beginning of the tour. When they take to the stage in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland, the British band will play their first shows in each city since 2016. Fans can look forward to a setlist that covers Coldplay's 26-year history — 27 by the time those October and November 2024 dates roll around — including everything from 'Clocks', 'Fix You' and 'Sparks' to 'A Sky Full of Stars', 'Viva la Vida' and 'The Scientist. PinkPantheress and Emmanuel Kelly will be on supporting duties — and the tour's infinity tickets will be back, releasing at a later date and letting fans attend for $32 per ticket. COLDPLAY 'MUSIC OF THE SPHERES' WORLD TOUR AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND DATES 2024: Wednesday, October 30–Thursday, October 31 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Wednesday, November 6—Thursday, November 7 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Wednesday, November 13 — Eden Park, Auckland Coldplay will tour Australia and New Zealand in October and November 2024, with pre-sale tickets available from 10am local time on Wednesday, November 29 and general sales from 10am local time on Friday, December 1. Head to the Coldplay website for further details and to register for the pre sale. Images: Anna Lee.
Another day, another new film festival announcement — and while we've probably made that claim before, it really is beginning to prove accurate. Come August, movie buffs will be able to immerse themselves in the big screen wonders of Latin America courtesy of Palace Cinemas' newest fest. Meet CINE LATINO: A New Festival of Latin American Cinema. Not content with adding an American indie showcase and an Aussie offshoot of the documentary-focused Hot Docs to the mix already this year, the arthouse cinema chain is keeping the festivals coming. Screening in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane and Adelaide, CINE LATINO is the first country-wide event dedicated to Latin American cinema in Australia, featuring films from Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, Chile, Guatemala and more. Given that Latin America is made up of 20 Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries with over 600 million people — and has given rise to recent Oscar winners Alejandro González Iñárritu and Alfonso Cuarón — there's certain to be plenty of flicks to choose from. That'll be the task of Alex Castro, who previously oversaw the Melbourne Latin American Film Festival from 2004 to 2007. That makes quite the number of cultural touring film fests gracing the cinema outfit's big screens in 2016, with the French Film Festival currently doing the rounds, the Spanish Film Festival rolling out from April, and the Scandinavian, Israeli, Italian and British festivals also on Palace's slate throughout the year — not that we're keeping count or anything. And while you'll never hear us complaining about too many film festivals, we are mighty curious about what new niche they might move into next. CINE LATINO: A New Festival of Latin American Cinema will screen in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane and Adelaide from August 11 to 31. For more information, keep an eye on the festival website. Image: Ixcanul (2015).
In 2019, a horrible goose wandered around a quiet village, then chaos ensued — and instigating it became one of the most-entertaining ways to mash buttons. Untitled Goose Game first released in September that year. By the time 2020 hit, more than a million copies had been sold, getting folks controlling a pesky waterfowl with a penchant for trouble. That's honking phenomenal for an indie game out of Melbourne, and it's a feat that the city's Australian Centre for the Moving Image keeps celebrating. After giving Untitled Goose Game the live orchestral treatment back in 2022, the Aussie screen museum is now hosting a world-premiere exhibition dedicated to the title. Honk! Untitled Goose Exhibition will feature different versions of the game from its various development stages that you can play, plus sketches, concept art and design material for attendees to check out. It'll be a lovely five months in Federation Square from Tuesday, September 17, 2024–Sunday, February 16, 2025, and you'll be an adoring Untitled Goose Game fan. Sorry Mario Kart. Move over Tetris. Forget Wii Sports, Pokémon Go, Street Fighter or whatever other title first springs to mind whenever you think about video games. They're all well and good, but they aren't about to take over ACMI like this homegrown hit from House House. If you're new to Untitled Goose Game, it's a puzzle game — and, yes, it's about a goose. You play as the bird, and your aim is to move objects and other characters, and just generally cause mayhem in a small village. No description can really do it justice, though; you just need to play it. While the game has filled oh-so-many hours over the past few years, and gotten its ARIA-nominated original soundtrack by Dan Golding stuck in everyone's heads, Honk! Untitled Goose Exhibition isn't just for diehard gamers. No matter if you know every inch of the game or you're only hearing about it now, you'll be plunged into its world in an interactive showcase that's designed to get you playing. How slapstick factors in, plus the form of comedy's history, is also a big feature. We don't expect that running off with keys, socks, glasses, radios and the like will be a part of it, however. "As a museum of screen culture, video games are at the heart of what we do. Since ACMI's inception, we've been collecting and exhibiting games and bolstering their local creation," said ACMI Director and CEO Seb Chan, announcing Honk! Untitled Goose Exhibition. "Untitled Goose Game is one of Melbourne's most recognisable video-game exports of the past decade. We've been involved from playtesting its early development in the ACMI + RMIT Audience Lab, to presenting a series of live scored events in partnership with Orchestra Victoria. We're honoured to give the goose the exhibition it deserves, revealing to audiences how it was made, and the wider cultural context it has come from." "It's a very strange privilege to see our work commemorated in a public exhibition. Though we design our games to be played by a wide audience, we never imagined that that design process might itself be made accessible within the walls of a gallery," added House House Co-Director Michael McMaster. "It's been such a pleasure working with ACMI to open up our sketchbooks and hard drives and present them to the public like this — we can't imagine a better place to showcase our goose." Honk! Untitled Goose Exhibition will display at ACMI, Federation Square, Flinders St, Melbourne, from Tuesday, September 17, 2024–Sunday, February 16, 2025. For further information, head to ACMI's website.
