Nearly two decades have passed since a pair of Melbourne talents made a low-budget horror flick that became a franchise-starting smash, sparking their Hollywood careers. Thanks to Saw, James Wan and Leigh Whannell experienced every aspiring filmmaker's absolute fantasy — a dream they're still living now, albeit increasingly on separate paths. Wan's latest, Malignant, is firmly grounded in those horror roots, however. Most of the Insidious and The Conjuring director's resume has been, aside from recent action-blockbuster detours to Fast and Furious 7, Aquaman and the latter's upcoming sequel. With Malignant, though, he shows how strongly he remains on the same page as his former collaborator. Anyone who's seen Whannell's excellent Upgrade and The Invisible Man will spot the parallels, in fact, even if Malignant is the far schlockier of the three. Malignant is also an exercise in patience, because plenty about its first half takes its time — and, when that's the case, the audience feels every drawn-out second. But after Wan shifts from slow setup mode to embracing quite the outrageous and entertainingly handled twist, his film swiftly becomes a devilish delight. Heavily indebted to the 70s-era works of giallo master Dario Argento, David Cronenberg's body-horror greats and 80s scary movies in general, Malignant uses its influences as fuel for big-swinging, batshit-level outlandishness. Most flicks can't segue from a slog to a B-movie gem. Most films can't be saved by going so berserk, either. Wan's tenth stint behind the lens can and does, and leaves a limb-thrashing, blood-splattering, gleefully chaotic imprint. Perhaps it's a case of like name, like approach; tumours can grow gradually, then make their havoc felt. Regardless, it doesn't take long within Malignant for Dr Florence Weaver (Jacqueline McKenzie, Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears) to proclaim that "it's time to cut out the cancer" while treating a locked-up patient in the film's 1992-set prologue. This is a horror movie, so that whole event doesn't turn out well, naturally. Jump forward a few decades, and the feature's focus is now Seattle resident Madison Mitchell (Annabelle Wallis, Boss Level), who is hoping to carry her latest pregnancy with her abusive husband to term. But then his violent temper erupts again, she receives a head injury, and childhood memories start mixing with visions of gruesome killings linked to Dr Weaver's eerie hospital — visions that Madison sees as the murders occur. Bearing telepathic witness to horrific deaths is an intriguing concept, although hardly a new one — and, that aforementioned first scene aside, it's also the most interesting part of Malignant's opening half. Wan and screenwriter Akela Cooper (Grimm, The 100) play it all straight and obvious, including when the cops (Containment's George Young and Songbird's Michole Briana White) are skeptical about Madison's claims. That leaves only her younger sister Sydney (Maddie Hasson, Mr Mercedes) believing what's going on, and leaves the movie a plodding psychological-meets-supernatural thriller predicated upon routinely predictable but improbable character decisions. It makes the second half feel positively electrifying in contrast, when the big shift in tone comes, but also makes viewers wonder what might've been if that lurid look and kinetic feel had been present the whole way through. When the change arrives — with exactly why and how clearly one of those horror-movie details best discovered by watching — Malignant proves deliriously riveting. It sports a creepy yet slinky vibe, as well as a surging and hypnotic sense of physicality, all attuned to an inventive revelation that's all its own. The script's huge surprise isn't actually hard to pick, but Wan's execution is masterful and mesmerising. Here, the film becomes gloriously slick and pulpy, instead of relying upon the usual gradual zoom-in shots or sticking with an almost-house style (cinematographer Michael Burgess also lensed the Wan-produced Annabelle Comes Home, The Curse of the Weeping Woman and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It). It also evolves from a formulaically jangling score and soundscape to one with nervy purpose, embraces the kind of ridiculousness that'd be downright silly if it wasn't so well done, and adds a fresh sense of spirit to the possession-fuelled side of the genre. Wan has rarely made dull movies, after all, which is another reason that Malignant's long-gestating first section feels like a drag. Indeed, when the sagas his movies have sparked have been at their most generic, he hasn't been at the helm. That said, the fact that Malignant truly needs to grow on its audience, that it's firmly a picture of two halves, and that it starts with the unrestrained, lets it fall away, then sneaks up on the unsuspecting — that really couldn't be more apt once the film spills its narrative secrets. While Malignant isn't a character study by any means, Wallis breathes as much depth as she can into Madison in the movie's flatter half — and, in her third appearance in a Wan-related flick after The Conjuring spinoffs Annabelle and Annabelle: Creation, commits to the lunacy when it hits. Her co-stars have a much more standard time, including acclaimed stuntperson and Quentin Tarantino regular Zoe Bell (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) in a brief appearance, but this isn't a performance-driven film, either. It also isn't all that scary. Although Malignant can be sublimely off-kilter, that isn't the same eliciting genuine bumps and jumps. Still, when a horror flick shocks, delights and takes viewers on the type of wild and audacious ride that Malignant eventually serves up, it stands out. And yes, like much of Wan's work, it'll undoubtedly spawn a franchise.
Sustainable design company SMIT has been busy developing solar power solutions as simple as putting up some sun protection in your backyard. Tensile Solar Structures are "lightweight, modular systems that produce solar power". And they're not limited to decorating your place. The product has real-world applications: providing shade in car parks by day and generating power to light up at night is just one example. The SMIT design team who created this versatile product were inspired to combine technologies of fabric architecture, composite materials and thin film photovoltaic technology. Designers Samuel Cochran, Teresita Cochran and Benjamin Wheeler Howes have also worked on the Solar Ivy project, a solar energy device attaches to the sides of buildings like ivy vines. [Via Good]
By this point in 2020, you probably feel like you've spent most of your year at home — and either watching or cooking something while you've been there. Thanks to both country-wide stay-at-home requirements and city-specific lockdowns, that's how the past six months have played out. And, as a result, you likely feel as if you've seen every cooking show and made every recipe there is, too. Enter Raph's Mean Cuisine, the YouTube culinary series hosted by Melbourne restaurateur Raph Rashid, who the city's residents will know from Beatbox Kitchen, All Day Donuts and Juanita Peaches. In bite-sized episodes clocking in at under 12 minutes, the show adopts a very nostalgic approach to helping you up your kitchen game — because if there's one thing we're all experiencing this year, it's a yearning for a time before the pandemic. Specifically, Rashid is focusing on 80s cooking classics, with each instalment of his seven-part first season showcasing a dish that's bound to bring back memories. They're simple, easy recipes, too, which you'll be able to recreate at home without any trouble. As Rashid explains, "I just wanted to inspire people to cook in real kitchens, in sharehouses. And I just love cooking with friends. It's kinda what life's all about". Accordingly, he teams up with a different guest in each episode, and together they whip up the cuisine in the spotlight in Rashid's home kitchen. And, as well as recipes, every episode includes tips and hacks as well. On the menu: apricot chicken made with sommelier Matt Skinner, chow mein made with artist Esther Olsson's help and curried sausages with assistance from 1800-Lasagne's Joey Kellock. Six episodes are available at present, also covering Mars bar slice, chicken kievs and tacos, as cooked with florist Hattie Molloy, chef Mike Hoyle and artist Nadia Hernandez. Fancy trying your hand at a lamb roast as well? In the show's finale, that's on offer. Dropping at 6pm on Tuesday, September 8, it'll see Rashid join forces with pro skater Nick Boserio and Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Creative Director Pat Nourse to revive an 80s (and Sunday) staple. Check out Raph's Mean Cuisine's first episode, focusing on apricot chicken, below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVHsUwQAlhk The first six episodes of Raph's Mean Cuisine are available to view on YouTube, with the seventh — the season finale — dropping at 6pm on Tuesday, September 8.
Picture this for your next Sunday afternoon: watching a theatrically dressed performer make bird call noises, and play music on a saw. Sounds a bit odd, yes? That’s only if you haven’t seen Christine Johnston perform. This incredibly talented performer, who is also a Kransky Sister, is bringing her unique brand of music to GoMA this Sunday. Performing alongside her will be Gareth Skinner, again with his very different but very beautiful style of cello music. Entry to this performance is free with your ticket purchase to the Surrealism exhibition, thus you really will have the surrealist experience - with the whacky art on the walls and the unique artist making birdcall noises. Christine will perform in the character of big haired Madame Lark, she will explore the chatter and warbles of the different birds she learnt of as a child who had chooks in the backyard and a penchant for bushwalking. Enjoy a journey into the rainforest, the seaside, the wild Australian bush and the farm as Christine takes on the personas of these feathered creatures. You will soon forget you are in a landmark gallery and presume you have been transported amongst the trees… heavenly.
When Sky Deck was first announced, the soaring platform at the $3.6-billion Queen's Wharf precinct promised Brisbanites and tourists alike more than just a new place to peer down on the River City. The idea was always that it'd provide a sky-high spot to grab a bite, drink and take in stunning views in tandem, including at multiple venues. Queen's Wharf opened at the end of August 2024, and launched with not only Sky Deck sitting 100 metres above the CBD, but with resident openair bar Cicada Blu and all-day dining haven Babblers welcoming in patrons heading up. The final Sky Deck piece: signature restaurant Aloria, which will open its doors on Wednesday, October 30. Centre stage at Cicada Blu on the lofty deck, cocktails are a drawcard, At Babblers on Sky Deck's eastern side, casual meals and coffee are on the menu. Aloria is located on Sky Deck's western end — with dry-aged steak and seafood among its specialties, European and Australian influences flavouring the cuisine, Australian ingredients in the spotlight, and the open kitchen pumping out woodfired and grilled dishes. Standout menu options include dry-aged beef bistecca as a main, or roast coral trout with almond cream if you'd prefer the ocean's finest. Opt for seafood to start and you'll also be picking between kingfish crudo with pickled rhubarb and buttermilk, plus Fraser Island spanner crab crumpet with finger lime and brown butter — or caviar. Returning to Brisbane, Michelin-trained Chef Shayne Mansfield oversees all three venues, with Aloria favouring simplicity and elegance in its dishes — as well as sustainability and a minimal-waste ethos. "Aloria's smoked carrot tartare involves smoking the body of the carrot to create the tartare filling, followed by the sauce from the carrot skin. The green tops are then cooked to form a cracker, with the dish completed by cooking red capsicums over charcoal to produce a sauce. The whole dish is prepared without any food waste, which is something we are immensely proud of," explains Mansfield. "The Aloria experience isn't just about the food, though. From our considered arrival via an exclusive entrance to unparalleled views from the mountains to the bay and extensive beverage pairings, Aloria offers an elevated and unique dining experience that I cannot wait to share with Brisbane." Another highlight: a dedicated martini menu that spans classics and inventive variations (think the marguerite, martine, martigny, martina, martineau and the Bradford à la martini). One more reason to grab a glass: a hefty range of wine, with a list curated by Aloria Head Sommelier Damian Danaher that spans 12 pages — which is why it has been dubbed a 'cellar in the sky' — and vintages from Château Lafite Rothschild among the sips. Overall, Sky Deck features a 250-metre rooftop runway with a glass-floor viewing platform, plus 360-degree views out over the Brisbane CBD, Brisbane River, Mt Coot-tha and Moreton Bay. While Aloria will serve lunch and dinner five days a week, Sky Deck itself is open all day and night, every day and night. Find Queen's Wharf Sky Deck at Level 23, 33 William Street, Brisbane, with Aloria opening on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 — and operating from 12pm–late Wednesday–Sunday. Head to the Queen's Wharf website for more details.
When it comes to the long-running animated television sensation that is South Park, there are two kinds of people. There are the ones who just watch and laugh along, and then there are the others. They know how many times Kenny has been killed and can rattle off all the celebrities ever featured or mentioned in all 257 episodes. It's the latter obsessive types that Beach Burrito Fortitude Valley is seeking for their latest trivia competition. For one night only, South Park's biggest fans can battle it out for supremacy while eating tasty Mexican food. They can also express their love for Trey Parker and Matt Stone's comic creations by dressing up, and win prizes for their efforts — and for emerging victorious in the contest of the facts and tidbits of course. Orange hoodies count, though you might want to make sure it doesn't cover your mouth if you want your answers to be heard.
Is the story of the Presley family angling for a trilogy, each with a different cast, different acclaimed filmmaker at the helm and different person in the spotlight? After Baz Luhrmann's Elvis in 2022 and now the upcoming Priscilla by Sofia Coppola, that idea is two-thirds of the way there. Whether there'll also be a Lisa Marie movie is yet to be seen, but Coppola's take on the famous music name — which has A24 behind it — has just dropped its first teaser trailer. Coppola reteams with the coveted American distributor after The Bling Ring and On the Rocks to adapt Elvis and Me, Priscilla Presley's 1985 memoir that was co-written with Sandra Harmon. This isn't the first time that the book has hit the screen thanks to a 1988 TV movie, but it clearly has its namesake's approval given that she's one of the film's executive producers. (Another: Coppola's brother Roman.) The focus: the tale from when a teenage Priscilla Beaulieu met rock 'n' roll superstar Elvis Presley at a party, following their courtship and marriage. It's a well-told affair both on-screen and in the media, taking the couple from a a German army base to Graceland, with Coppola's version seeing its ups and downs — thrills and struggles, too — through Priscilla's rather than her hip-swinging husband's eyes. Playing the rock 'n' roll couple, thank you very much: Mare of Easttown, Devs, On the Basis of Sex, Bad Times at the El Royale and Pacific Rim: Uprising actor Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla, plus Australian Euphoria and The Kissing Booth star Jacob Elordi as Elvis. The first sneak peek at Priscilla teases its eponymous figure's well-known look, first moments with Elvis, arrival at Graceland, wedding, pregnancy and being a mother to Lisa Marie. Elvis' music stardom also features, including the singer at the piano, onstage and being snapped by photographers. Coppola writes and directs Priscilla, making her first film since 2020's On the Rocks, while Succession and Hello Tomorrow!'s Dagmara Dominczyk also stars. The movie is due in US cinemas in October, with release details Down Under yet to be announced. Check out the trailer for Priscilla below: Priscilla doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when one is announced.
Kids do and say the funniest things, with no opportunity spared in reminding us of this fact. We were all children once, so we’ve been there and done that — and an endless parade of movies and TV shows, fictional and otherwise, just wants to keep bringing it up. What We Did On Our Holiday is the latest, the first feature written and directed by the folks behind British child-centric sitcom Outnumbered. Writer/director duo Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin have found what they think is a winning formula, and they’re sticking to it — but should they? Or should audiences? That’s the more pressing question, particularly for those without their own offspring in tow. Showing the amusing side of having a family while managing more than just nodding at those exasperated at their own kids is a far trickier feat than it seems. It’s the entertainment equivalent of a social media feed filled with someone’s proud photos of their children; there needs to be something more than just smiling baby faces for others to have fun. What We Did On Our Holiday brings a likeable, recognisable cast and broad sentiments about not sweating the small stuff along for its journey out of English suburbia and into the Scottish Highlands, in an attempt to package the pitter-patter of tiny feet into something more universally relatable. Recently estranged couple Doug (David Tennant) and Abi (Rosamund Pike) try to keep up the appearance of happiness at the 75th birthday bash of Doug’s cancer-stricken father Gordy (Billy Connolly). Their kids — the sensible older daughter, the cheeky son and the curious youngster — have other plans. Doctor Who and Gone Girl’s Amazing Amy Tennant and Pike are not, instead bickering over their emotional baggage and left looking uncomfortable with their jaws agape at the antics they can’t stop their brood getting up to. Connolly is as charming as ever, even toned-down and waxing lyrical with nostalgia, but the film’s sights are constantly aimed at the trio of tykes under ten spouting semi-improvised dialogue to wring the biggest laughs. To be fair, children can be cute and they can utter hilarious yet insightful pearls of wisdom, particularly in silly situations — which What We Did On Our Holiday has plenty of. Social-climbing relatives and eccentric neighbours provide some of the drama, all of the stereotypical, easily predictable type, of course. Needlessly trying to keep secrets — about a marriage, an illness and from the police after a particularly ridiculous, darker twist — takes care of the rest. The film’s tone of sweet, simple, observational humour is certainly well intentioned, as are the picturesque country and beachside settings. However, 95 minutes of kids stumbling into contrived adult chaos against a pretty backdrop also acts as a test of patience, and some will find their limits exceeded long before the Hollywood ending.
Fans of The Handmaid's Tale have had to wait longer than expected for its fourth season, with the dystopian series' next batch of episodes among the many things that were postponed due to the pandemic. But, this coming week, that delay will come to an end — and yes, the word you're looking for is 'finally'. The new season will kick off Down Under on Thursday, April 29, airing weekly on SBS and streaming episodes via SBS On Demand in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Based on the three trailers so far — a first teaser last year, a second glimpse early in 2021 and a third back in March — you can expect your anxiety levels to ramp up several notches while you're watching. Of course, viewing The Handmaid's Tale has never been a stress-free experience. Given its storyline, that was always going to be absolutely impossible. As seen in the sneak peeks so far, season four will see June (Elisabeth Moss, The Invisible Man) still battling against Gilead after season three's cliffhanger ending. In fact, after everything that the oppressive regime has done to her and her loved ones — and the ways in which it has changed life for women in general — she's firmly out for justice and revenge. That'll involve taking new risks, but that's what a rebel leader has to do, even if it threatens the relationships that she holds dear. So, that's what you'll be seeing play out on-screen when the new season hits. Fans will be watching where the show's narrative heads for some time to come, too, with a fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale green-lit before the fourth even airs. Toppling a totalitarian society that's taken over the former United States, tearing down its oppression of women under the guise of 'traditional values', and fighting for freedom and equality doesn't happen quickly, after all. Neither does exploring the tale initially started in Margaret Atwood's 1985 book via an award-winning TV series. Check out the latest season four trailer below: The fourth season of The Handmaid's Tale will hit start airing in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday, April 29 — on SBS TV, and to stream via SBS On Demand and Neon, with new episodes arriving weekly.
Finding a new bar in Brisbane isn't a difficult task, but finding one particular new bar certainly is. The city has a new speakeasy, and it's not the kind of place anyone can just mosey on into. First, you'll need to decipher co-ordinates to find their CBD location — then you'll need a password to get through the door. Inspired by 1920s prohibition-era clandestine watering holes and boasting a steampunk vibe, Legends Speakeasy Bar knows we all want to hide away from the usual scene (and maybe that we really enjoy secrets). Think of it as a drinking adventure that starts before you even walk in the door. Of course, as Brissie's first password-protected bar, it won't stay a secret for very long. Those sought-after entry codes change weekly, and will be uploaded to Facebook and Instagram at 3.30pm each Thursday. It's quite nifty timing, with the bar then opening from 4pm to late from Thursday to Saturday — and they really are strict about their no password, no entry stance. Once inside, you'll find old-world charm that matches its theme, complete with retro furniture and fixtures, plus a drinks selection spanning beers, wines and spirits, and both classic and exclusive cocktails. As for food, an array of tapas will provide sustenance for further secret-keeping, including fried brie, nacho cups and barbecue pork sliders. Find Legends Speakeasy Bar at -27.469738, 153.021169, Brisbane City. Head to their website for more information, and keep an eye on their Facebook page and Instagram feed for their weekly passwords.
This post is presented by the All New Toyota Corolla Sedan. The best urban adventures are not only beautiful, stimulating and stacks of fun; they're fresh. They put you ahead of the curve. They make you one of the testers and connoisseurs. And they probably give you the Instagram coup of the day. There's plenty of fun to be had in this city each week, but there's only a small handful of these intrepid moments. We've partnered with Toyota to find the very best shiny-new experiences in Brisbane. Presented by the All New Toyota Corolla Sedan, these are our picks to put you on the road to a life of goodtimes. Now your only challenge is getting to them all. Eat: Mighty Mighty Cue and Brew As you might have noticed, American food is having a moment in Brisbane. And what’s not to love? I mean, seriously, smoked, fried, cheesy, sauced-up deliciousness may not be the best choice for the waistline, but it’s so goddamn good that we just don’t care. In Mighty Mighty, Brisbane has scored a veritable goldmine of smokehouse favourites; in fact, lovers of smoked flavours can enjoy them not only in their main course, but also in their drinks and desserts. That’s right, the cocktail menu features several smokey tipples, including the Hickory Mary (Mighty Mighty’s twist on a Bloody Mary) made with smoked tomato juice and smoked salt ($17). Meanwhile, hardcore fans can find a smoked chocolate pie ($14) on the dessert menu. 100 McLachlan Street, Brisbane Drink: Blackbird Bar and Grill The bird is the word, and in this case it is Blackbird that is on everyone’s lips. Causing quite a ripple throughout the river city, Eagle Street Pier’s newest addition boasts two large bars, plus the restaurant itself all set in a luxurious 1920s prohibition theme. Blackbird has imported a special grill from the US and serves up the usual meat and seafood offerings plus the rarer likes of octopus and rabbit. Only new, the establishment is fast becoming known for its ‘tomahawk steaks’ – see if you can finish the 2kg cut all in one sitting. Riverside Centre, Brisbane See: French Film Festival Bonjour! If you can’t get to France, let France come to you at the 25th French Film Festival. The annual event is a chance to see some excellent films before they get a general release in cinemas (if they ever get a general release in cinemas). Film-faring Francophiles are covered, with light-hearted comedies to searing dramas, as well as hat-tips to two of France's most legendary filmmakers. If you’ve never seen a French comedy, there is no time like the present and we’re keen for Under The Rainbow. March 6-25, Palace Cinemas Do: Gig it up with Illy The hotly anticipated resurgence of Melbourne MC Illy will explode on to Brisbane’s own Zoo Stage this week. On Tuesday Triple J announced Illy as the first artist for its One Night Stand this year, and the Zoo will see him celebrate the success of his latest album, Cinematic, by way of an extended tour, which is already proving a sold-out success. He’ll be joined by party favourites Jackie Onassis, as well as the cheeky Remi. Saturday night is already sold out, so don’t miss out on Sunday tickets. March 16, 711 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
First it was clap lights. Then it was Siri. Then Amazon released the Echo, their wireless voice-activated device. Now, Google (in true Google style) has swept in, taken all these ideas, made them better, and announced their plans to release their own voice-controlled speaker and device: Google Home. Announced at Google's I/O developer conference in California last week, Google Home is a device that isn't meant to be a device, as such. You don't swipe it or tap it — it doesn't even have a screen. Basically, it's a really smart small speaker that can both play music and listen to what you're saying. It's got a series of always-listening far-field mics that can hear you from across the room, so you can ask it questions, control your connected devices and play music and video through Chromecast. It also looks like a giant salt shaker. So it'll blend right in to your benchtop (we assume that was Google's thinking). Home will be integrated with Google Assistant, Google's voice technology (and essentially their version of Siri). Assistant will pull info from the Internet to answer your questions — like 'what's the temperature today?' and 'do you love me, Google Assistant?' — and allow you to have two-way convos with an empty room. Apparently 20 percent of all queries on Google's mobile app and Android devices are voice searches so, y'know, it's a thing. Home is essentially the same product as Amazon Echo, but it looks as though Google's voice technology and sound quality could be of a higher calibre. All remains to be seen. There's no date set as to when Google Home will be available to buy, but you can sign up to get updates on the product here. Via The Next Web.
They topped Triple J's Hottest 100 in 2002. They've featured Dave Grohl on drums. Their third studio album Songs for the Death is one of the all-time-great 00s records. They're Queens of the Stone Age, of course, and now they're bringing their latest tour Down Under in 2024, with the band heading our way for the first time in six years. The Josh Homme-fronted group's The End Is Nero tour will be their first trip to Australasia since 2018, and comes after their eighth album In Times New Roman... released in June this year. Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita and Jon Theodore are giving their latest shows an apocalyptic theme, which fans can look forward to seeing at 11 stops in February and March. [caption id="attachment_923130" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andreas Neumann[/caption] On the itinerary: kicking off the tour in Perth, then heading to Adelaide, Hobart, Torquay, Melbourne, Sydney, the Gold Coast and Brisbane — plus Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The Hobart gig will take place on the Mona Lawns, with the date coinciding with Mona Foma 2024 — and yes, they're the Tasmanian fest's first act, with the rest of the event's lineup yet to be revealed. Concertgoers can look forward to a setlist that steps through QOTSA's 27-year history, including their Hottest 100 winner 'No One Knows', plus everything from 'Go with the Flow' and 'Make It Wit Chu' to 'Emotion Sickness' and 'The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret'. In support: Pond and Gut Health on most Australia shows, with The Chats, Spiderbait and Lola Scott joining them in Torquay and on the Gold Coast. In NZ, Pond and Earth Tongue will do the honours. [caption id="attachment_923129" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wünderbrot via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Queens of the Stone Age formed in Seattle in 1996 after Homme's prior band Kyuss split up, is linked to the Palm Desert music scene and have seven Grammy nominations to their name. Despite the long gap since their last trip Down Under, they're no strangers to playing Australia, including a joint tour with Nine Inch Nails back in 2014. See QOTSA in February after catching Foo Fighters on their November–December Australian and New Zealand tour and you'll have quite the 00s rock experience. QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE 'THE END IS NERO' AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR 2024: Saturday, February 10 — Red Hill Auditorium, Perth Tuesday, February 13 — The Drive, Adelaide Friday, February 16 — Mona Lawns, Hobart Sunday, February 18 — Lookout, Torquay Common, Torquay Monday, February 19 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Wednesday, February 21 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Saturday, February 24 — Lookout, Broadwater Parklands, Gold Coast Sunday, February 25–Monday, February 26 — Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Thursday, February 29 — Spark Arena, Auckland Friday, March 1 — TSB Arena, Wellington Sunday, March 3 — Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch Queens of the Stone Age are touring Australia and New Zealand in February and March 2024, with presales from 11am local time on Wednesday, October 25 and general ticket sales from 1pm local time on Monday, October 30 — head to the band's and ticketing websites for more information. Top image: Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons.
Imagine if you could get a sneak peek of your next holiday destination before you arrived. No, looking at photos online and scrolling through Instagram doesn't count. Taking the concept of trying before you buy to the travel industry, a company called Navitaire has unveiled what they're calling "the world's first virtual reality travel search and booking experience". Their VR system places would-be jetsetters in a room with a globe, lets them spin away, pick a place somewhere on the planet and then dive right in. After wandering through their chosen location in a virtual sense — spying tourist attractions and seeing the general sights — users can then search for flights, walk through the plane to pick their seat, give a few rental cars a try and purchase their trip, all within the virtual reality realm. Down the track, Navitaire, which is owned by travel technology company Amadeus, hopes that touring and booking hotels, and sharing searching experiences via social media, will also be able to be incorporated into their VR platform. At the moment the project is still in development, with a patent pending. Plenty of other places have combined virtual reality with scoping out ace spots — Qantas has an app that lets you take a virtual tour of Australia, and the Sydney Opera House has their own that peers behind the scenes at the iconic venue — but doing all of that and then locking in a trip straight away might be the future.
Television has delivered many great characters over the decades, but Leslie Knope is the best there is. As played to perfection by Amy Poehler, she's the determined, passionate and persistent local government employee and later politician — not to mention a huge fan of waffles and Joe Biden, too — that we all wish really existed. Where The Office turns a regular paper company's operations into must-see comedy, Parks and Recreation weaves the same magic with the titular department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. Creators Mike Schur and Greg Daniels worked on both shows, but P&R evolves into its own overwhelmingly good-natured, heartwarming, hilarious creation. If you wanted to call it literally the best TV comedy of the 21st century, Chris Traeger-style, we'd wholeheartedly agree with you. And yes, with Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Aziz Ansari, Adam Scott and Rob Lowe among its cast, it's the show that just keeps giving.
Saddle up, folks: Ghost Donkey, the Big Apple's beloved mezcal and Mexican bar, is set to gallop into Australia. The New York-born watering hole will open at Crown Melbourne on Friday, October 20, presenting the city with a rather lovely conundrum: how much mezcal is too much mezcal? Following expansions in Las Vegas, Denver, Phoenix and even across the ditch in New Zealand, Melbourne is the latest outpost for the popular bar. When its doors swing open, expect more than 35 kinds of mezcals and tequilas, served in either handmade copitas (and in generous pours) or shot glasses. Accompanying them will be the sort of fresh seasonal fruit and salts that'll make you wonder why you ever sipped the agave spirit any other way. As for food, expect Mexican but with a Ghost Donkey twist. Think: Baja kingfish tacos with a dash of ponzu and sambal, or perhaps nachos topped with wild mushroom and poblano salsa. And let's not forget the cocktails, because what's a bar without its signature drink? Ghost Donkey will serve its namesake cocktail, aka El Burro Fantasma, in a ceramic donkey cup (yes, really), topped with a zesty mix of fresh flowers — and featuring a blend of Pelotón de la Muerte mezcal and Aperol, plus agave, lime, pink grapefruit and chilli. Ghost Donkey isn't just a catchy name. It's an homage to the actual donkeys of mezcal production. In traditional processes, they lug heavy stones over agave hearts, crushing them pre-fermentation. So the bar isn't just a novelty — it's a celebration of Mexican heritage and tradition, splashed with an unapologetically electric design sure to enthral Melburnians and tourists alike. Whether you're a mezcal fiend, a taco enthusiast or simply looking to dip your hooves into something new, Ghost Donkey promises a dash of New York flair, a generous pour of Mexican tradition and a straight-up good time — all in a Yarraside location. Lovely. Ghost Donkey will open at Riverside at Crown (near Clarendon Street), 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank, on Friday, October 20.
If you've been to Fortitude Valley in the past few years, you've probably noticed a couple of particularly tall buildings shooting up on Alfred Street, around the northern end of Brunswick Street. You can't really miss them — they're part of the $600 million FV precinct. The Valley House and Flatiron, which houses the FV by Peppers hotel, are already operating; however now they have company. Not only has the new FV No. 1 joined the fold, but it has also thrown open the doors on an all-day eatery dubbed Foresters Restaurant and Bar. First announced in May, Foresters is overseen by Peter Popow, with the chef whipping up breakfast, lunch and dinner options that showcase pub staples such as parmigiana, pizzas, burgers and steaks. From a menu with a strong local focus — sourcing its ingredients from local farmers and producers — highlights include smashed avocado on a quinoa loaf, topped with beetroot hummus, dukkha and cashew cream; chicken parmigiana with prosciutto and fior di latte; and house-made damper, which uses milk stout from Sea Legs Brewing Co. in Kangaroo Point. For dessert, you can't go past a classic: pavlova. Drinks are a feature, obviously, complete with a separate cocktail lounge nestled around the corner from the main restaurant. There's a separate bar menu, too — but tipples such as the 'Bush Fire Negroni' (made with Mt Uncle 'Bushfire' smoked gin) are the main attraction. Decor-wise, the 150-seater heroes neutral tones and a laidback feel, with tables for two and leather banquettes that can fit in six all scattered beneath exposed brick walls. The latter makes the most of the building's existing façade, because this is a site with a hefty history. Built in 1889, it was originally known as Foresters' Hall, as referenced in the restaurant's name. Back then, the structure housed a community meeting place, until it became Fortitude Valley's first cinema in 1910. Signature Hospitality Group and developers of the FV precinct, Gurner, are taking charge at Foresters Restaurant and Bar, while Signature will go it alone on the site's other new spot — a rooftop bar called Altitude. Set to open at the end of July, it'll sit on the sixth floor of the building, welcoming patrons into its 250-square-metre space from midday daily. As well as views, it'll sling cocktails, a hefty beverage list and a small range of bar snacks, and host DJs on the dance floor underneath its retractable roof. In total, once it's all open, the FV's dining options will sprawl over 1000 square-metres. Find Foresters Restaurant and Bar at FV No. 1, 209 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley — open Sunday–Thursday from 6.30am–10pm, and Friday–Saturday from 6.30am–midnight.
Some TV shows start with a wild and wonderful premise, such as strange things happening in a small town, teenage girls fighting to survive in the wilderness and solving mysteries across America because you're a human lie detector. Others stick with everyday scenarios, which is what Beef has chosen. So, if you've ever been involved in a road-rage incident, or witnessed one — if you've ever held a grudge against a stranger for a petty reason, too — you'll instantly empathise with this newcomer's concept. In the ten-episode Netflix and A24 dramedy — which marks the latest show from A24 after everything from Ramy and Euphoria to Mo and Irma Vep — Danny Cho (Steven Yeun, Nope) and Amy Lau (Ali Wong, Paper Girls) get in a fender bender, and neither handles it well. Cue a feud that they can't shake, infiltrating their lives and relationships. If their quest for revenge each other just fizzled out, there obviously wouldn't be a series. Part of Beef's ongoing beef stems from a comedy staple: putting opposites together and seeing what springs. Danny is struggling as a contractor and isn't happy about it, while Amy lives a seemingly idyllic life thanks to her success as an entrepreneur. They both share a need to get back at each other, though, as the just-dropped first trailer for the show makes clear. The series premiered at this year's SXSW — the OG version in the US, not Sydney's offshoot to come later in 2023 — before plunging streaming viewers into its faceoff on Netflix from Thursday, April 6. Yeun and Wong also executive produce, while Beef hails from creator and showrunner Lee Sung Jin (a veteran of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Dave and Silicon Valley). On-screen, as well as Minari Oscar-nominee Yeun and Always Be My Maybe's Wong, the series features Joseph Lee (Searching), Young Mazino (Prodigal Son), David Choe (The Mandalorian) and Patti Yasutake (Pretty Little Liars) — plus Maria Bello (NCIS), Ashley Park (Girls5eva), Justin H Min (After Yang), Mia Serafino (iCarly) and Remy Holt (The Afterparty). Check out the trailer for Beef below: Beef streams via Netflix from Thursday, April 6. Images: Netflix.
If you're looking for a sandwich on the east side of the river, you can now head to a new home of the humble bread-and-filling combo. Setting up shop on Oxford Street in Bulimba, Crumbs only serves up one kind of food — but its seven different varieties definitely won't bring back bad memories of oh-so-many school lunches. Instead, thanks to a menu designed by Ben Williamson (Gerard's Bistro), Crumbs' sandwich lineup is classic but classy. The Cubano ($14) features ham, roast pork, mustard, swiss cheese, coriander and pickled pepper, while The Green Out ($12) is a vegetable and salad-filled combination of avocado, zucchini, spinach, pesto, feta, za'atar and lime. Feeling indulgent? The Venetian ($10) is filled with mozzarella, then deep-fried and served with tomato garlic dip — and the PB&J ($10) takes crunchy peanut butter, throws in some jam and serves it on brioche, complete with candied peanuts, too. What you won't find here is pulled pork or beef brisket, with Crumbs going old-school rather than serving up the kind of sangas on many other menus in town. Blackstar Coffee will take care of your caffeine hit, with Crumbs open for breakfast and lunch from Tuesday to Saturday. If you're keen to try a sandwich — and you love a cuppa — Crumbs is also giving away free coffees on Thursday, October 17 from 9am–12pm.
The pandemic isn't something to giggle about, including when it's interrupting the Brisbane Comedy Festival two years in a row. After 2020's event didn't quite go as planned, the annual fest returned to Brisbane Powerhouse this past July, only to be impacted by lockdowns and changing restrictions. So, the event is coming back again in 2021 — this time, to unleash a heap of shows that were affected by the tightened rules and conditions. Welcome to the Brisbane Comedy Festival 2021 Take 2, which'll kick off on Friday, October 29 and pop up on intermittent dates all the way through until the end of May 2022. Big names, local talent, excuses to get chuckling again and again — they're all on the bill. Highlights include sets by Ross Noble, Tom Ballard, Judith Lucy, Jude Perl, Josh Earl and Lizzy Hoo, plus an Aboriginal Comedy Allstars gig, Nat's What I Reckon and sketch comedy show Brisburned. What's better than a month-long comedy festival? A comedy festival that makes a triumphant comeback, then runs covers another seven-month period — obviously.
Do you spend your working hours wishing you were far, far away from your desk? Does fantasising about your next holiday get you through the week? Don't worry, we've all been there. And while we can't all always make our far-flung dreams a reality, Brisbanites can head on down to Blackbird every Friday afternoon to keep the jet-setting pretence going. Faking it till you make it overseas is part of the fun of Jet Set Fridays, which occur weekly but celebrate a different destination each month. During March, Japan is in the spotlight — which means themed cocktails, oyster shooters, Asahi and Nikka boilermakers, prawn and scallop dumplings, Japanese drummers and plenty of cherry blossoms. Oh, and sipping Chita Suntory Highballs while overlooking the river. Image: Blackbird Bar & Restaurant.
Batman. Superman. Wonder Woman. Aquaman. Ask someone to name a DC superhero and one of these figures might be their first response. They're the characters that've also been anchoring the big screen's DC Extended Universe for the past decade. Shazam, Harley Quinn, Black Adam and The Flash each scored movies bearing their monikers over that period — some have popped up in Justice League and not one but two Suicide Squad flicks as well — but the franchise's best-recognised players still remain unchanged. Enter Blue Beetle, which brings a lesser-known caped crusader to picture palaces, but one that dates back 84 years on the page to 1939. The DCEU's 14th entry also achieves a feat that no other caped-crusader film has before it, among the company's own flicks or the rival Marvel Cinematic Universe. It shouldn't have taken a decade since this specific franchise began, and 15 years after the MCU initially arrived, for the first live-action superhero movie with a Latino lead to hit. This important achievement shouldn't be forgotten from here on in, either. Blue Beetle's significance isn't lost on filmmaker Ángel Manuel Soto, who leaps from 2015 Puerto Rican drama La Granja and 2020 Sundance Film Festival standout Charm City Kings to helming Hollywood history. It isn't the type of feature he ever saw himself making, but it's an opportunity that he's wholeheartedly embraced. As he tells Jaime Reyes' (Xolo Maridueña, Cobra Kai) tale, charting his journey from ordinary Mexican American twenty something to Spider-Man-meets-Venom-meets-Iron Man-style hero, he tells of Latinx culture, of the importance of family, and of everyday experiences and struggles. Indeed, as he explains to Concrete Playground, that's the only way he could ever envisage spinning this story. Accordingly, this is a caped-crusader flick that nods to 90s telenovela María la del Barrio, shoots a crucial scene like an immigration raid and knows how difficult keeping secrets can be in close Latinx families where the bonds of blood are everything. In dialogue around Jaime's name, it references Ángel's own experience having his moniker mispronounced daily. With a scientist played by What We Do in the Shadows' Harvey Guillén, it calls out racist tendencies to give everyone from a particular culture the same term. Again and again, Blue Beetle grounds its narrative in authentic details, all as Jaime comes into contact with an alien gadget that turns him into the titular figure. And, it does so with its protagonist's mother Rocio (Elpidia Carrillo, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities), father Alberto (Damián Alcázar, Acapulco), sister Milagro (Belissa Escobedo, Hocus Pocus 2), Nana (Adriana Barraza, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels) and uncle Rudy (George Lopez, Lopez vs Lopez) always by his side. With Blue Beetle in cinemas Down Under, we chatted to Soto about his journey from adoring cinema to his latest film, his approach to introducing a Latino lead to the superhero genre, building in that crucial authenticity and making a family drama as much as a save-the-world feature. ON THE JOURNEY FROM GROWING UP LOVING MOVIES TO DIRECTING A SUPERHERO FILM "I never saw myself making a movie like this. It's still — I have to pinch myself all the time because after Charm City Kings, I didn't know it was going to cause the impact that it did, and I didn't know it was going to draw that much attention. Because at the end of the day, I try to do everything out of love and and passion, especially for the communities that I represent in my films. Having a movie like this happen was very humbling. Being able to also tell stories that I want to tell within the superhero genre is something that I'm going to be forever grateful for to the guys at DC, because they respected the stories that I wanted to tell. At the same time, it gave me another another stepping stone in in my career to explore this passion that I have for my craft in a genre that's so beloved by many." ON MAKING THE THE FIRST LIVE-ACTION SUPERHERO MOVIE WITH A LATINO LEAD "That that was probably the reason why I accepted to do it — because it was introducing a Latino character to the DC world. It being the first live-action Latino superhero [film], I felt a great responsibility and an opportunity at the same time to be able to tell our stories in a way that is reflected through the lens and the eyes of a Latino as well. It helped a lot to have the writer, Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, be from Querétaro in Mexico. And he bringing his own authenticity to the script, and me coming with my experiences from Puerto Rico. And working together to create something that felt authentic to our experiences growing up — and translating that into Jaime Reyes and Blue Beetle, that made it very easy for us. The whole team was onboard, and casting the right talents, and having them be from Mexico as well, was part of the plan. So we wanted to do it the right way. We cannot tell the story of of every Latino in the world, because one, we're not a monolith, and two, we're too many. But being able to tell at least one story of those, our hope is to hear and see and enjoy other stories from all over Latin America as well." [caption id="attachment_918339" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Blue Beetle[/caption] ON BUILDING AUTHENTICITY INTO EVEN THE SMALLEST OF EXCHANGES AND DETAILS "Well, the truth is that the ongoing joke with Jaime is something that I experience daily. My name is Ángel. Some people call me Angel [Ángel pronounces it like the spiritual being]. Some people call me 'on-hell'. Some people call me Angel [Ángel pronounces it 'angle']. And the whole thing of trying to explain my name and how to pronounce it phonetically, it's a daily thing, so we wanted to to have fun with that and show what we have to deal with all the time. Also, the way Victoria Kord [Blue Beetle's villainous CEO, as played by Maybe I Do's Susan Sarandon] treats Sanchez [her chief scientist, as played by Guillén] is something that as Latinos — and this happens with other communities as well — sometimes they they try to minimise us by calling us one name. You know, like "hey Jose, come here Jose", with a little bit of a racist, biased joke behind them. But we wanted to to really showcase in the case Doctor Sanchez that there is power to our name. And there's an individual power that everybody has, and our name carries that. Because our name comes from, especially in our culture — like, I go through Ángel Manuel Soto Vázquez — we have both our parents names. For us that means a lot because we honour our ancestors, and we try to go as far back as we can and wear that name with pride because we would never be where we are without them. So it was very important to to give Doctor Sanchez that arc, because when he says his name, that's when he gets empowered, and that's when he actually becomes his hero of his story." ON MAKING A FAMILY DRAMA AS MUCH AS A SUPERHERO FILM "It was definitely very important for us to to tell the story of the whole family. We wanted to do a fresh take on the superhero origin story. And the writer and I, we were very keen to treat the first act like Latin cinema, where we spend time with our characters, with their environment, where you get to know bits and pieces of everyone so that before all the action starts to happen you're already invested — not only in in our superhero, not only in our main character Jaime, you're also invested with the family. Because how they relate and everything that they're going to end up giving to the story and to the character of Blue Beetle, it's as important as the hero himself. Another thing that we wanted to flip on its head a little bit is the fact that most superheroes, what happens to them happens in secret. And they keep this secret from their family, you know to protect them — and it does make sense. But both the writer and my experience is that it's very hard to keep a secret from a Latino mother — and my parents and my family, they're very nosy. They still are. It was crazy for us to think that the family wouldn't have any involvement in the creation of the superhero. Like I mentioned before, what our parents and our ancestors have done for us make us who we are, and we wanted to honour that. So we really felt that that was something that we wanted to protect — and not just in terms of like teachings or mentorship; we also wanted them to have an active participation in the success of our hero, giving them all heroic arcs as they end up protecting and saving Jaime. Part of that comes from the fact that we feel that way about our family. They're not just passive bystanders, they're actually active components to who we are and how far we're able to go. But also in this whole family adventure, we wanted every single family member from the youngest sister to the oldest grandfather to see themselves also in a movie that treats them with respect, but also sees them as heroes — so they can see themselves as heroes, too. And to that end, we really focused it on trying to be like 'let's make this into a family adventure that does have these superhero elements'. And as an introduction to the world of Jaime and Blue Beetle, we felt like this is a beautiful first act to what his whole journey is going to be." Blue Beetle opened in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on July 27. Read our review.
Get your shopping done under twinkling lights while surrounded by real (not plastic) Christmas trees. No, this isn't a festive dream — it's the reality of the annual South Bank Christmas Gift Market. Whether you've been every year since you can remember, or you've never gone a-browsing at the inner-city spot, it's worth the trip. Nightly carols will help add to the mood, although they can't steal the show from the most important part of the proceedings: the wares on offer at the rows of stalls. From 3pm daily between Friday, December 14 and Sunday, December 23, you'll find handmade toys, jewellery and other trinkets just begging to be given as gifts, as well as tasty treats to add to your Christmas feast. Yep, everyone's a winner here.
Pablo Picasso jammed plenty of creativity into his 91-year life, including paintings, sculptures, prints, ceramics, stage design, plays, poetry and more. During the 1930s, he also etched and engraved a set of 100 pieces, in a series that was named after the art dealer who commissioned them: The Vollard Suite. Produced over an eight-year period, the collection takes inspiration from stories, tales and myths, as well as the human form, his mistress and politics at the time. In other words, it proves an artistic overview of his favoured themes and fascinations, while also offering an autobiography of sorts. It's the kind of intimate work that gives fans an insight into the Spanish master beyond his more famous pieces. And, courtesy of the National Gallery of Australia — who boast a complete set — the suite is on display at the Queensland Art Gallery from December 2 to April 15. Image: Pablo Picasso, Spain 1881 - France 1973, Minotaure aveugle guidé par une fillette dans la nuit. [Blind minotaur led by a little girl at night.] between 3-7 December and 31 December 1934, or 1 January 1935 from the Vollard Suite (97). Etching and scraper, printed in black ink. National Gallery of Australia. ©Succession Picasso. Licensed by Viscopy, 2017.
Why drink at one watering hole, when you can head to two, three, six or more? That's always been the motivation behind everyone's favourite boozy journey, aka a pub crawl. And, it's the exact same type of thinking behind the Urban Wine Walk. Taking its first wander around Brisbane after previously strolling through Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth during 2017, it's the bar-hopping excuse every vino lover has been waiting for. Think Bite, Sip, Stroll, but without the restaurant meals — or Grapest, but without convincing yourself that you're going to run five kilometres. From midday until 5pm on February 17, you'll saunter between the likes of La Lune Wine Co, Super Whatnot, Wandering Cooks, Greenglass, Saccharomyces, The Laneway and more, sampling wines and having a mighty fine time. As for the tipples, they'll be taken care of by South Australia's Commune of Buttons and By Jingo Wines, and Queensland's Bent Rd / La Petite Mort and Cush & Cush, among others. Early bird tickets are currently on sale for $45, with full tickets costing $55 once the initial allocation has run out. Places are limited, but this moving cellar door will not only serve up wine tastings, but also your own tasting glass — plus a voucher for another beverage, and a guide to help you plan your mosey between bars.
It's time to party like it's 1999 — over breakfast, of course. The iconic children's morning show that once brought you Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon, Sailor Moon, SpongeBob SquarePants and Digimon while you ate your Coco Pops is back and all grown up. For two days only, hosts Jade and Ryan from Cheez TV will be serving up nostalgia in the form of "letters from the mailbag", a Q&A session, retro console gaming, cartoon shorts and more. Wearing your pyjamas and sending in letters in advanced is highly encouraged — in fact, host venue Netherworld is currently waiting for your handwritten notes and accompanying hand-drawn pictures at 186 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley. That's where you'll be headed from 9.30am on December 2 and 3, with $20 tickets including a schooner of anything on tap as well as a bowl of cereal. At the time of writing, only tickets to the Sunday session were available (and they're likely to get snapped up fast), so you'd best get in quick. By Imogen Baker and Sarah Ward.
They're the business with one of the best names we've come across — and they've been one of Brisbane's favourites for a few years now. From March 10 to 11, they're also one of the reasons you should mosey on over to Portside Wharf for their annual Cheese & Champagne Pop-Up. Yes, we're talking about The Cheese Pleaser, those purveyors of a certain dairy product. If you've bought any of their sharp or creamy wares before, you'll know that they well and truly live up to their moniker. At Portside, they're not just showcasing artisan cheeses, although they'll be doing plenty of that, don't worry. They'll also be teaming up with Gusto da Gianni and Moët & Chandon to showcase great bites and beverages, all set to the sounds of some rocking live music. It's the kind of event that you'll want to bring a picnic blanket to, then settle in for an afternoon of drinks, tunes and $15 platters. That's right, this pop-up won't just be yum — it'll be fun, too.
At Mac From Way Back, one thing monopolises the menu: creamy, gooey macaroni and cheese. And at Sabotage Social, it's taking over their kitchen as well, with the food truck and the Valley bar teaming up to create Brisbane's first dedicated mac 'n' cheese eatery. Throwing open its doors at the beginning of October, Mac From Way Back has made 143 Wickham Street its permanent base, serving up its 100 percent indulgent creations from within Sabotage Social. That means loaded bowls, fries and burgers are permanently on offer to complement the venue's whiskey, beer and cocktail range. Operating from Wednesday to Sunday, there's be meal deals too. For those who haven't experienced the food truck's existing mac dishes, think overflowing containers filled with the good stuff, such as the old favourite that is the five-cheese original — plus m'n'c drizzled over chips and smashed onto burgs. Their new digs offer all of the above, with more mouthwatering varieties, and in monster-sized servings that might just feed two. Truffle mushroom and parmesan and chilli chorizo bowls are just two of the fresh, special flavours that'll be popping up to tempt your tastebuds, with fried haloumi and mozzarella sticks as sides, as well as onion rings. Coming just over a year after first hitting the road, it's a big move for Mac From Way Back, as well as indication of just how popular they've proven. Getting a mac attack more often is the stuff mac-lovers' dreams are made of; like their Mac Daddy burger, it'll make you jump jump into the Valley for some cheesy goodness. Mac From Way Back will open at Sabotage Social, 143 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley from mid-to-late October. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for further details.
Back in 2012, when Daniel Radcliffe was trying to shake a certain boy wizard from his system, he stepped into a different kind of supernatural thrills. His first post-Harry Potter role saw him take on The Woman in Black — a gothic horror tale that pitted him against a curse and a ghost. And yes, the latter did have quite the fondness for wearing dark clothing. The film adapted the 1983 novella of the same name for the second time, but before The Woman in Black made it to the cinema, it first spooked out the theatre. Because hauntings often keep coming back, it's doing so again, with Brisbane Arts Theatre staging their very own version between June 10 and July 15. If you don't like scary tales about sinister spirits seeking revenge for past ills, you might want to sit this one out. If you love them, then prepare to put your nerves to the test. We're betting that the Petrie Terrace venue will be at their unnerving best for the occasion — it's not every day you put on a show that ranks among West End's longest-running productions, after all.
Hankering for a fresh cup of caffeinated goodness, but just don't know whether you feel like an espresso or a flat white? We've all been there and agonised over that, and Kelvin Grove's latest coffee stop knows this. And, it has come up with a solution. Meet Earth & Steam Coffee Co. and their potentially life-changing tasting board, aka Brisbane's first foray into coffee flights. You'll get a taste of both of the above hot beverages, plus an accompanying cold-pressed on ice. Yep, it's a caffeine fiend's dream, whether you just can't choose the brew that suits your mood, or want to sample a range of styles. A full array of specialty coffees are also available at the Earth & Steam's Brissie offshoot from their Helensvale Northquarter store, should you decide that just one drink will do — as are a selection of teas for those who prefer steeped leaves to roasted beans. Add a range of healthy brekkie and lunch bites, and that's your weekday daytime meals and breaks covered if you're an inner-northerner of just happen to be in the vicinity.
If pub grub with a touch of class is your jam, then the QA Hotel is the place for you. Good steak? Check. Plenty of beers on tap? Check. Pool tables for those lazy Sunday afternoon sessions? Check. The QA - short for Queens Arms - is a classic sprawling Australian public house on James Street, Fortitude Valley. Though it may appear slightly out of place in between the boutique fashion houses and trendy cocktail bars, a major renovation several years ago has given this hotel the polish it needs to live up to its fashionable location. Beer drinkers will rejoice at the 17 brews available on tap, including Stone & Wood, James Squire 150 Lashes, Pure Blonde and Asahi as well as all the classic favourites. A wide range of wine, cider, spirits and cocktails is also on the menu. In the restaurant, the food is a level above your standard pub fare. Try the QA signature oven baked crab lasagne with laksa carbonara sauce for an unexpected but delicious twist on the Italian classic. Other pasta options on offer are ragu Bolognese and seafood marinara, while the Char Grill menu includes steaks, chicken and market fish of the day. If you're after something slightly smaller or a little cheaper, look for the specials board or check out the 'Fingers and Forks' bar menu for a range of snacks, pizzas and and pub meals all coming in under the $20 mark. Facilities are available to accomodate all sorts of functions, ranging from board meetings to parties for over 100 people. There are also regular events, including trivia nights and degustation dinners, and weekly food and drink specials. The QA Hotel has all the charm and authenticity of a classic pub with that extra inner-city shine. Images: Grace Smith.
Southeast Queenslanders now have another excuse to hit the water, with GoBoat splashing into the region. The Denmark-born company has been busy launching its eco-friendly picnic boats in cities all over Europe, as well as in Canberra and Melbourne — and, as announced late in 2019, it has just made its Gold Coast debut. Punters now have a fun new way to cruise through Sanctuary Cove, the Coomera River and the Goldie's canals. Aimed at making the whole boating caper more accessible for everyday folk, the 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. In a win for the planet, they also run on silent, pollution-free, electric engines, and are crafted from a mix of reclaimed timber and recycled PET bottles. [caption id="attachment_701554" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Lean Timms[/caption] Each of the contemporary GoBoats clocks in at 18-feet long, boasting a central picnic table with room for eight people (and all the necessary snacks and booze). And despite what you might be thinking, 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 you less than $13 per person, per hour. That's $99 hourly in total. GoBoat's Queensland fleet set sail out of Sanctuary Cove Marina. Oh, and did we mention they're pet-friendly? Surely you've got a very good boy who deserves a river jaunt this summer. For more information about GoBoat, or to make a booking, visit the service's website. Top image: GoBoat Gold Coast.
If it's true that the things that don't kill you only serve to make you stronger, we can all expect Melbourne's Rising festival to come out fighting fit for its long-awaited premiere run this year. After COVID-19 unravelled its planned 2020 debut, then returned to cancel all but opening night of its 2021 program, the blockbuster citywide multi-arts festival will this year, finally, get its moment. As announced today, Rising is set to descend on Melbourne from Wednesday, June 1–Sunday, June 12. Determined to make this third time a charm, the festival is delivering a hefty, carefully-honed program of art, music and performance. "Overall, we're expecting one million people to experience Rising across 225 events, with over 800 artists involved," festival co-director Gideon Obarzanek tells Concrete Playground. Over 12 days and nights, those artists will transform the streets and spaces of Melbourne into their canvases and stages, serving up a diverse, supersized culture fix to kickstart winter. With borders reopened, a stack more international names have been able to join the bill, too. [caption id="attachment_846653" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Wilds, 2021[/caption] While the program has evolved and morphed since last year, some of its key experiences are built on return concepts. "The Wilds and Golden Square are the two big pillar pieces," explains co-director Hannah Fox. "But a lot of the content within those projects is new." The Wilds will return to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, this time dishing up a fluorescent-tinged fusion of art, sound and flavour courtesy of renowned New York-based Aussie artists Tin & Ed. It'll play host to performances, quirky large-scale structures, and an ice-skating rink beating to the sound of 80s and 90s bangers. Exceptional eats here include snacks from the likes of 1800 Lasagne and Smith & Daughters, and a 'glowing glasshouse bistro' manned by celebrated chefs David Moyle, Jo Barrett and Matt Stone. [caption id="attachment_846649" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul Yore's 2018 work 'It's All Wrong But It's Alright'. Credit Rémi Chauvin.[/caption] Golden Square will again transform a multi-storey Chinatown carpark into a vibrant, sensorial art park, featuring parades, rooftop bars and a compelling site-wide exhibition from artists like Paul Yore, Scotty So, Atong Atem and Jason Phu. Patricia Piccinini's otherworldy exhibition A Miracle Constantly Repeated will continue its popular run, gracing the Flinders Street Ballroom until the festival's end on June 12. Leading audio-visual artist Robin Fox is also creating a mesmerising laser and sound work, Monochord, that will beam one kilometre along the Yarra each night. And, thanks to Keith Courtney, one of the folks behind House of Mirrors and 1000 Doors, a 20-metre-long kaleidoscopic labyrinth will invite attendees to immerse themselves in a playground of mazes and light. [caption id="attachment_846648" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robin Fox's work MONOCHORD[/caption] Gig-starved music-lovers can expect a smorgasbord of sonic delights throughout the fest, as international names like Moses Sumney, Welsh electro star Kelly Lee Owens and the multi-talented Andy Shauf join homegrown talent including renowned drummer Jim White, Tkay Maidza, Harvey Sutherland and the legendary Sampa the Great. Meanwhile, a diverse program of dance performances will share stories from around the world, with unmissable works from the likes of Stephanie Lake Company, Denmark's Mette Ingvartsen, Indonesian choreographer Rianto and Uruguay's Tamara Cubas. Legendary text-based artist Jenny Holzer will transform a 19th-century building facade with her six-storey projection work I CONJURE, too — and for The Invisible Opera, the constant buzz of Federation Square will be mapped in real-time, creating an immersive multi-disciplinary performance piece. [caption id="attachment_846654" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tkay Maidza[/caption] Jurrungu ngan-ga (meaning 'straight talk') explores refugee detention and the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in custody via a captivating, culture-bridging dance performance by the Marrugeku crew. Plus, the return of the famed Melbourne Art Trams will showcase six trams emblazoned with designs by First Peoples artists, alongside a reproduction of the 1991 tram work by acclaimed artist, painter and sculptor Lin Onus. And, nodding to one of the city's greatest sporting loves, there's the work that has Hannah Fox most excited, Still Lives. "It's a performance we commissioned back in 2020, which is now going to take place in the NGV, in the Great Hall," the festival director explains. "It's essentially two artists, Luke George and Daniel Kok, who are working with five retired AFL players to suspend them in rope bondage from the ceiling… in the form of an iconic mark from the AFL's history. Yeah, I'm very excited for that." Rising will run from Wednesday, June 1–Sunday, June 12 at venues and public spaces across Melbourne. Presale tickets are available from 12pm on Monday, March 21, with regular tickets selling from 12pm on Friday, March 25.
Every studio wants a Marvel Cinematic Universe to call its own, or an equivalent that similarly takes a big bite out of the box office — and that very quest explains why Morbius exists. On the page, the character also known as 'the Living Vampire' has been battling Spider-Man since 1971. On the screen, he's now the second of the web-slinger's foes after Venom to get his own feature. This long-delayed flick, which was originally due to release before Venom: Let There Be Carnage until the pandemic struck, is also the third film in what's been dubbed Sony's Spider-Man Universe. As that name makes plain, the company is spinning its own on-screen world around everyone's favourite friendly neighbourhood superhero, because that's what it owns the rights to, and has started out focusing on villainous folks. So far, the movie magic hasn't flowed. If that explanatory opening paragraph felt like something obligatory that you had to get through to set the scene, it's meant to. That's how Morbius feels as well. Actually, that's being kinder than this draining picture deserves given it only has one purpose: setting up more films to follow. Too many movies in too many comic book-inspired cinematic universes share the same fate, because this type of filmmaking has primarily become $20-per-ticket feature-length episodes on a big screen — but it's particularly blatant here. Before the MCU's success, the bulk of Morbius would've been a ten-minute introduction in a flick about supervillains, and its mid-credits teasers would've fuelled the first act. Now, flinging every bit of caped crusader-adjacent material into as large a number of cinematic outings as possible is the status quo, and this is one of the most bloodless examples yet. Jumping over to the SSU from the DCEU — that'd be the DC Extended Universe, the pictures based around Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad and the like (but not including Joker or The Batman) — Jared Leto plays Morbius' eponymous figure. A renowned scientist, Dr Michael Morbius has a keen interest in the red liquid pumping through humans' veins stemming from his own health issues. As seen in early scenes set during his childhood, young Michael (Charlie Shotwell, The Nest) was a sickly kid in a medical facility thanks to a rare disease that stops him from producing new blood. There, under the care of Dr Emil Nikols (Jared Harris, Foundation), he befriended another unwell boy (debutant Joseph Esson), showed his smarts and earned a prestigious scholarship. As an adult, he now refuses the Nobel Prize for creating artificial plasma, then tries to cure himself using genes from vampire bats. Morbius sports an awkward tone that filmmaker Daniel Espinosa (Life) can't overcome; its namesake may be a future big-screen baddie, but he's also meant to be this sympathetic flick's hero — and buying either is a stretch. In the overacting Leto's hands, he's too tedious to convince as a threat or someone to root for. He's too gleefully eccentric to resemble anything more than a skit at Leto's expense, too. Indeed, evoking any interest in Morbius' inner wrestling (because saving his own life with his experimental procedure comes at a bloodsucking cost) proves plodding. It does take a special set of skills to make such OTT displays so pedestrian at best, though, and that's a talent that Leto keeps showing to the misfortune of movie-goers. He offers more restraint here than in Suicide Squad (not to be confused with The Suicide Squad), The Little Things, House of Gucci or streaming series WeCrashed, but his post-Dallas Buyers Club Oscar-win resume remains dire — Blade Runner 2049 being the sole exception. It mightn't have revived the film, but the answer to one of Espinosa's troubles could've been Matt Smith, who cuts a far more compelling figure as the grown-up version of Morbius' ailing pal Milo. The lanky Last Night in Soho star is saddled with a role somehow more cartoonish than Leto's, and with a character who doses himself with the same bat-derived serum but loves it — and, even without a spot of remorse for the body count he swiftly causes, he's the the most fascinating thing on-screen. Alas, in the latest underwhelming script by Dracula Untold, The Last Witch Hunter, Gods of Egypt and Power Rangers screenwriters Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama, Morbius and Milo are meant to be two sides of the same coin, but there's no depth or poignancy to their relationship. It just feels like a means to an end, giving Morbius another struggle to brood over. That shouldn't come as a surprise seeing that's the movie's whole gambit as well. It doesn't help that the entire idea behind Morbius and Milo's friendship, and their reason for seeking a solution in bat DNA, is abhorrently ableist. Positing that both men can only be happy if they're free of their genetic ailment could never be anything else. Folks with a health situation that causes suffering may wish to farewell it, but the image of throwing away crutches, becoming more mobile, gaining extra senses and floating in the air is thoroughly tasteless when presented as the only alternative to having a medical condition. Doing something different would've required thought, however, which Morbius lacks again and again. No one could be bothered to flesh out its protagonist, or wonder why its villain outshines him, or worry that Leto and Smith have zero chemistry together, after all. And clearly nobody was concerned that the film looks wearyingly dull to suit its story, that its CGI is laughably atrocious and overdone at every moment, or that it's a vampire flick that's afraid of blood and gore. Amid the murky cinematography by Oliver Wood (Holmes & Watson) and erratic editing from Pietro Scalia (Solo: A Star Wars Story), each compounding the movie's woes, Morbius also includes a weak attempt at a romance courtesy of fellow researcher Martine (Adria Arjona, 6 Underground), plus a crime angle via detectives Stroud (Tyrese Gibson, Fast and Furious 9) and Rodriguez (Al Madrigal, Physical) — all thankless. Its stab at giving the superhero/supervillain realm a mad scientist skew, a monster-movie chapter and a gothic horror spin proves dead on arrival as well, as does its evident pilfering from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. That this is the best version of Morbius after almost two years spent sitting on a shelf is as illogical as the film's many plot holes. This misfire only sinks its teeth into bland monotony; vampires aren't the only things that suck within its frames.
When a hit show comes to an end, the network behind it often tries to fill the gap with something similar. It's the situation that HBO found itself in last year when Game of Thrones wrapped up, with the US cable channel quickly launching new fantasy series His Dark Materials and committing to making a GoT spinoff called House of the Dragon. And, with Big Little Lies looking like it's also all done and dusted, the station seems to be in the same predicament in the star-studded murder mystery genre as well. Enter The Undoing. Starring Nicole Kidman, and written and produced by Big Little Lies' David E. Kelley, it's definitely a case of HBO sticking with what they know. Kidman plays a successful therapist who appears to have the perfect life, with a loving husband (Hugh Grant), a son (Honey Boy's Noah Jupe) attending an elite school and her first book about to be published. Then a violent death sparks a chain of revelations that shatters her life as she knows it. Also part of the plot, as seen in the show's first teaser, its second teaser as well and now its just-dropped new full trailer: a missing spouse, plenty of public attention, a heap of interrogations and a plethora of tough choices for Kidman's Grace Fraser. It'll all play out as a once-off limited series — although that was originally the case with Big Little Lies before it came back for a second season. Based on the novel You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz, The Undoing also features The Burnt Orange Heresy's Donald Sutherland and American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace's Edgar Ramirez — with Bird Box director Susanne Bier behind the camera on every episode, just as she was on excellent Emmy-winning mini-series The Night Manager. As for when you'll be able to watch it, it was originally set to premiere sometime in May; however now it'll launch on Monday, October 26. In Australia, it'll screen via Foxtel, Foxtel Now and Binge. Check out the latest teaser below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWoiNlLqLR8&feature=emb_logo The Undoing will screen in Australia via Foxtel and Binge, with episodes airing weekly from Monday, October 26. Top image: Niko Tavernise/HBO.
If you're looking an enchanting shindig, prepare to hop aboard the Hogwarts Express. Or pretend to, complete with all the Harry Potter costumes such a journey needs. To mark more than twenty years of book and movie magic, the Brightside is once again celebrating a certain boy wizard, his wondrous world, and the stories that defined many a childhood. Of course, their latest Harry Potter party is a grown-up affair as always, complete with freshly brewed Butterbeer. Plus, apart from drinking and dressing up (which everyone does, so consider yourself warned), there's plenty of other potty party fun to be had. You'll be partying in spaces decked out like the great hall, the forbidden forest and a giant quidditch pitch (complete with live matches) — and if you need help getting around, you'll be given a marauder's map upon entry. Take a Defence Against the Dark Arts class from a magician, find out whether the sorting hat thinks you're a Gryffindor or a Hufflepuff, get your fortune told, grab a free house badge, get snapped in the photobooth with glasses and wizard hats, and just generally magic the night away. Tickets cost $24 if you get in quickly — because the early owl catches the worm — and $29.10 afterwards.
The start of the week is always rough, but when you've got something to look forward to in the evening, it makes the day that little bit easier. Book in for a creative night out at Cork and Chroma in South Brisbane to make your Monday a memorable one with two things that go stupendously well together: art and wine. At this 'paint and sip' studio you'll be free to wield a paintbrush in one hand and clutch a glass of Pinot in the other. The focus here is on having fun, so book in — don't forget to BYO (they supply the glasses) — and let your inner creative run free. Each session runs for around two-and-a-half to three hours.
Few Australian actors just starting out — not even half a decade into their resumes, in fact — have enjoyed the jump into the spotlight that Eliza Scanlen did between 2018–2020. After a 15-episode run on Home and Away in 2016, Scanlen made her international debut on HBO's Sharp Objects, so in a miniseries based on a novel by Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn, and starring Amy Adams (Nightbitch) and Patricia Clarkson (She Said). Her initial role in a US film came next as one of the March sisters, Beth, in Greta Gerwig's (Barbie) adaptation of Little Women, with Scanlen starring alongside Saoirse Ronan (Blitz), Florence Pugh (We Live in Time), Emma Watson (The Circle), Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Laura Dern (Lonely Planet) and Meryl Streep (Only Murders in the Building). Then, for her first Aussie movie, she earned a well-deserved AACTA Best Actress Award for Babyteeth, where she played a 16-year-old navigating a cancer diagnosis; Essie Davis (Apple Cider Vinegar) and Ben Mendelsohn (The New Look) portrayed her parents. Amid those impressive television and film parts, Scanlen also hit the stage at home, featuring in Sydney Theatre Company's 2019 production of Lord of the Flies with Mia Wasikowska (Blueback), Yerin Ha (Dune: Prophecy, and soon to be seen in Bridgerton's fourth season) and Daniel Monks (Kaos). On Broadway that very year, she did the same, but in To Kill a Mockingbird with Ed Harris (Love Lies Bleeding) and Nick Robinson (Damsel). 2025 sees the screen and stage sides of Scanlen's career collide. After past movies The Devil All the Time, Old, The Starling Girl and Caddo Lake, plus TV's Fires, The First Lady and Dope Girls, Scanlen is back in Australian cinemas thanks to her theatre work. From late November 2024–late January this year, the Aussie actor trod the boards in London in National Theatre's glorious new staging of The Importance of Being Earnest. Down Under, viewers can now watch Scanlen as Cecily Cardew in the Oscar Wilde-penned farce via NT Live. The British theatre company's love of recording its productions and beaming them around the world has long been an initiative to celebrate, and the reason that stunning works such as Danny Boyle's (Yesterday) version of Frankenstein with Benedict Cumberbatch (Eric) and Jonny Lee Miller (Guy Ritchie's The Covenant) alternating between Victor Frankenstein and his monster, the Carey Mulligan (Spaceman)- and Bill Nighy (That Christmas)-starring Skylight, and Jodie Comer (The Bikeriders) in Prima Facie have been accessible to audiences who couldn't attend the live shows in the UK. Add The Importance of Being Earnest to NT Live's must-sees and sparkling gems, with Scanlen joined by Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who) as Algernon Moncrieff, Hugh Skinner (Wicked Little Letters) as Jack Worthing, Sharon D Clarke (Wicked) as Lady Bracknell and Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ (Alex Rider) as Gwendolen Fairfax. Director Max Webster — who also helmed National Theatre's Macbeth, Life of Pi and Henry V, all of which enjoyed the NT Live treatment — couldn't be having more fun with Wilde's now 130-year-old work. Neither could Scanlen and her co-stars, visibly so from the moment that this iteration opens with Gatwa in a hot pink dress. The last play by its author, premiering mere months before his imprisonment for homosexual acts and clearly drawing upon Wilde's own experiences as it tells of living double lives, The Importance of Being Earnest has always possessed queer subtext. Webster pushes that further forward, alongside the search for identity, plus what it means to be your own person and break free of expectations. This is still "a trivial comedy", as its originator himself dubbed it. It remains a story about impersonation and romance, too. No one has brought it to the stage like this before, however. Of course, the narrative still charts Jack's attempts to be an upstanding custodian to his ward Cecily in his country existence, only to live it up in town under a different name with his friend Algernon — and the latter's own similar scheme, aka "Bunburying", aka making up a fictitious ailing friend that often needs his attention as an excuse to ditch the city. And, this The Importance of Being Earnest remains the tale of two young women, Cecily and Gwendolen, with their sights set on married futures, but the reality of their hopes and dreams impacted by Jack and Algernon's duplicity. What's Scanlen's take on Cecily's journey? When the character falls in love with Jack's made-up brother Ernest, "I think she knows that deep down that he might not exist, but she's so invested in this imaginary world that she's built for herself to escape the boredom of her life in the country that she's willing to do anything to will this person into existence," she tells Concrete Playground. "And so when Algernon shows up at her home, she assumes him to be Ernest, her fiancé. I guess he represents to her freedom, an escape from the boredom of her life, and a promise of wealth and fun. I think she's a kindred spirit with Algernon in the play." Asked if her path to here, to acting on the London stage in a famous farce that's now screening in cinemas afterwards, was something that she could've imagined when she booked her stint in Summer Bay almost a decade ago now, and Scanlen notes that "never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I'd be onstage playing Cecily at the National Theatre. I think that is pretty special". She continues: "I don't think I was looking that far ahead. I knew that my heart was in films and television, and I knew that I wanted to make films, too. But I did find acting through theatre originally, so theatre has always had a special place in my heart — and I returned to theatre when I was 19, I think, at Sydney Theatre Company." "I guess with this career, it's not really something that you can plan. You just have to give yourself up to whatever happens, and I'm really lucky to find myself here," Scanlen also advises. "I can't see myself doing anything else. I've been doing it for so long now that the idea of pivoting careers seems crazy to me. I can't really see my life without acting and film and TV and theatre. I've just followed my curiosity along the way, and I don't really know exactly where I'm going, but I think that's how it works. You just have to stay inspired and stay curious. And I've been lucky enough that it's taken me to some just some wonderful places and I've met some wonderful people along the way." One of those people: Gerwig. Taking inspiration from her Little Women director is part of the reason that Scanlen is in The Importance of Being Earnest at all — and Gerwig came to see her in the production during its London stage season. The actor-turned-filmmaker's influence on Scanlen's career; the excitement of playing Cecily; Webster's vision for the play; being part of such a phenomenal cast; what she looks for in roles; the experience of that whirlwind Sharp Objects, Little Women and Babyteeth run: we also dug into them all with Scanlen, among other topics. On What Excited Scanlen About Being Part of The Importance of Being Earnest Onstage "It didn't take much — it didn't take anything for me to audition for this. When I heard that the National Theatre was putting on The Importance of Being Earnest, I was so excited to take a crack at it. And I auditioned and it was quite daunting, because it's such a well-known play and the language is quite challenging. And physically, too — the physical comedy is quite specific. So going into the audition, there was a lot I was thinking about. And I think also this play can be interpreted in a number of different ways, depending on what lens you're looking at it through, so I didn't really know what Max, the director, wanted to do with it at that point. So I was just taking a shot and I just gave it my best, and it worked out." On Getting Into Cecily's Mindset in Webster's Version of the Play "I guess Oscar Wilde wrote Cecily as this farcical character. Cecily is based on this farcical character of the time, which was this bloomer-wearing, cigarette-smoking, bicycle-riding, independent woman. And I guess in this play, all the characters in the play are based on tropes and stereotypes of characters at the time, and he sets them up to subvert them. So Cecily is illustrated as this young, innocent woman, but she's actually very much in charge of her own destiny and makes all the decisions. To get into character, it felt like to get into the head of Cecily, I had to do a lot of mental gymnastics — because Cecily, she doesn't feel real sometimes. And her way of seeing the world is quite convoluted because of her diary. I think Cecily is usually seen as a fantasist, but I don't think that's the most-helpful way for an actor to access the character. So I did a lot of mental gymnastics trying to understand what Cecily wanted, and why she is so attached to her diary. And she spent so much time with her diary that now her diary is the compass for truth and reality, so anything that diverges from what she's written in her diary is false. She's got a very specific worldview, I suppose. I think a lot of getting into character for this play, though, was just having fun and enjoying the surface-level nature of the play. And also interacting with the audience. The audience is really important for this play and we had very direct contact with them whilst we were performing. So just getting comfortable acknowledging the audience and getting the audience onside. It was a huge learning experience for me." On Working with the Rest of The Importance of Being Earnest's Cast "It was such a joy to come in every day and be onstage with this group of people. It's a very special time that I know I won't get back. And I think that the beauty of theatre is that it's all so temporary, but what we created together was beautiful. Honestly, I don't really know any other way to describe it other than pure joy. It was just a joy to be onstage with the company every day. Obviously, there's days where you're tired and maybe you didn't sleep well or someone's sick, but you can't really do this play without having fun. So even if you rocked up in a bad mood, you're bound to come out of it in a good mood." On NT Live Bringing the Production Beyond London and Broadening the Show's Audience "I think it's incredible. I think it's the closest thing to being there and the technology has improved so much that what NT Live is bringing out to the world is incredible and hugely impactful, too. I think theatre can feel inaccessible at times, and what NT Live does is make it really accessible, and people from all around the world can watch this play. I also think that this play has a really important message to share about being yourself and expressing yourself. And queer pride, queer joy, all of those things, I think are really important for younger audiences, and it makes me really excited to know that this play can be seen by so many school kids around the world, too. This play, it's been done many, many times before, but it's for a reason, and I'm really happy that it's been immortalised. It's really cool." On Digging Into the Play's Interrogation of Identity and Breaking Free of Expectations "I think that was a really important theme to our interpretation of the play. In the past, other versions of this play feel quite stuffy, and it is more about the snobbery of high society than it is about identity and expression and queerness. And we wanted to make it feel fresh and use the queer lens more than anything. This play is about young people inventing themselves in virtuosic expression.The opening of the play, too, the dance sequence that we put in the opening of the play, I think really represents that. It's the dream. We wanted it to be feel like an empowering play rather than weighed down by the satire of it." On the Experience of Starring in Sharp Objects, Little Women and Babyteeth in Such Short Succession at the Start of Scanlen's Career "It was pretty overwhelming. I'm aware that most people, it doesn't happen in such quick succession, usually. And I did find it quite overwhelming and felt the urge to withdraw from it all, but knew that I couldn't — and was very aware that the opportunities I was getting were really special and it would be silly not to ride the wave. But I was very young, and I think I handled it as well as I could've. But now that I'm older and I have a bit more experience and am probably a bit more mature, I can look back on that time and think to myself 'how did I do that?'. I would say that now I feel a bit more robust and in control. I think I'd be more prepared if something like that happened again. But I wouldn't change it for the world, though." On Scanlen's Trend of Starring in Adaptations, Screen and Stage, of Classic Works "It's not something that's intentional, but I feel really honoured that I'm a part of these incredible classic texts. I did To Kill a Mockingbird onstage as well, and I studied To Kill a Mockingbird in high school, so it's really cool to be able to return to these texts as an actor — and there's still so much to be learnt from these texts. I guess I'm really lucky." On What Being Cast in Little Women Meant to Scanlen — and the Influence It Still Has "It was pretty life-changing being a part of that film. Looking back now, I realise that getting roles like that are few and far between, and to be that excited about a role is pretty rare. And to get no-brainer roles as well, it's very rare. Again, I was so young, and spent a lot of time watching other people and learning. And obviously that's a text that most young women have read and have a relationship with. I think Greta, in particular, was a huge inspiration for me, because I really am inspired by the way she's moved into writing and directing, and that's something I want to keep exploring. I remember being on set on that film and thinking about going into theatre, and she was super encouraging. And so I went on to do that. I think she had a huge part to play in how I made decisions on my career and made decisions on what I wanted to do. And she actually came and saw The Importance of Being Earnest, and it felt like a really special full-circle moment." [caption id="attachment_997124" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Max[/caption] On What Else Inspires Scanlen's Choice of Roles — Other Than Gerwig "My choices on roles are informed by a few different things, but usually the question I ask myself 'is have I done this before?'. I think that's a question that most actors ask themselves. And I know I'm in a privileged position to be able to ask myself that question and not have to take every job, but I think that I'm at a stage in my career where I feel like I'm having to resist, a bit, falling into stereotypes or falling into typecasting. And I'm constantly looking for things that push myself as an actor. I felt like, for example, The Importance of Being Earnest was a huge challenge for me. I'd never done a comedy before. And I had never been entrusted with a character as substantial as Cecily and as iconic as Cecily onstage. So I felt like I was really stretched as an actor in the rehearsal room, and I guess that's the kind of thing that I'm looking for. But it's hard. It's really hard, especially in film and TV. There's so many things that need to fall into place for a film or a show to happen, and it's really hard for all of those things to be right. But I guess that's how I see things." On the Joy of Making Babyteeth in Scanlen's Home Town, and What She Looks for in Australian Projects "I love making things at home. It's an incredibly special experience. And what I loved about Babyteeth was that we shot it in my home town, so it was an incredible experience seeing a city I know so well become a set for a film. And there's parts of Sydney that I now look at in a completely different way because of it — and I just think that's really amazing. But I'm not looking for anything in particular. I think the script is obviously incredibly important, and I would love to make a film here next. But I guess I'm just waiting for the right thing to come along — but I'm desperate to work in Australia again." NT Live's The Importance of Being Earnest opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, March 27, 2025. The Importance of Being Earnest images: Marc Brenner.
It's been a long wait in Australia if you want to rock 'n' roll with AC/DC live. 2025 marks ten years since the iconic Sydney-formed band last took to the stage Down Under. It's also the year, thankfully, that they're making their Aussie concert return. After kicking off in 2024, the group's Power Up tour has finally locked in Australian dates, with Brian Johnson, Angus Young and company hitting up five cities in November and December 2025. Getting thunderstruck: Melbourne to kick off the Aussie leg on Wednesday, November 12; Sydney on Friday, November 21; Adelaide on Sunday, November 30; Perth on Thursday, December 4; and Brisbane to wrap up the Australian shows on Sunday, December 14. As one of the biggest bands that the country has ever produced, AC/DC are putting on huge gigs at every one of their homegrown dates. Let there be rock at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Accor Stadium, the bp Adelaide Grand Final, Optus Stadium and Suncorp Stadium, then. This is the first time that the legendary Australian rockers have toured Down Under since their 2015 'Rock or Bust' world tour. For this run of dates, Amyl and The Sniffers are onboard in support to make these massive Aussie concerts even more so, and to give attendees a taste of two different generations of Aussie rockstars. Playing Sydney isn't just part of a fitting homecoming for AC/DC, but comes more than half a century since the band played their first-ever show in the Harbour City. Their 2025 gig will be just over a month and a half short of 52 years since that 1973 debut. Power Up is also the name of the group's 2020 album, their most-recent record — which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, made multiple best-of lists for that year and scored Grammy nominations. For those about to rock, AC/DC's high-voltage current set list spans their entire career, however, including everything from 'If You Want Blood (You've Got It)', 'Back in Black' and 'Hells Bells' to 'Highway to Hell', 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' and 'You Shook Me All Night Long'. So far, the Power Up tour has played Europe and North America, selling more than two-million tickets across 24 shows in the former and notching up ten soldout gigs in the latter. AC/DC will be back in Europe, hitting the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, France and Scotland, before their Aussie dates. AC/DC Power Up 2025 Australian Tour Wednesday, November 12 — Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Friday, November 21 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Sunday, November 30 — bp Adelaide Grand Final, Adelaide Thursday, December 4 — Optus Stadium, Perth Sunday, December 14 — Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane AC/DC are touring Australia in November and December 2025, with tickets on sale from Thursday, June 26, 2025 — at 9am AEST for Sydney, 10am ACST for Adelaide, 11am AEST for Brisbane, 1pm AEST for Melbourne and 1pm AWST for Perth. Head to the tour website for further details. Images: Christie Goodwin.
Revenge is a dish best served sandy in Dune: Part Two. On the desert planet of Arrakis, where golden hills as far as the eye can see are shaped from the most-coveted and -psychedelic substance in author Frank Herbert's estimation, there's no other way. Vengeance is just one course on Paul Atreides' (Timothée Chalamet, Wonka) menu, however. Pop culture's supreme spice boy, heir to the stewardship of his adopted realm, has a prophecy to fulfil whether he likes it or not; propaganda to navigate, especially about him being the messiah; and an Indigenous population, the Fremen, to prove himself to. So mines Denis Villeneuve's soaring sequel to 2021's Dune, which continues exploring the costs and consequences of relentless quests for power — plus the justifications, compromises, tragedies and narratives that are inescapable in such pursuits. The filmmaker crafts his fourth contemplative and breathtaking sci-fi movie in a row, then, after Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 as well. The vast arid expanse that constantly pervades the frames in Dune: Part Two isn't solely a stunning sight. It looks spectacular, as the entire feature does, with Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser (The Creator) back after winning an Oscar for the first Dune; but as Paul, his widowed mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson, Silo), and Fremen Stilgar (Javier Bardem, The Little Mermaid) and Chani (Zendaya, Euphoria) traverse it, it helps carve in some of this page-to-screen saga's fundamental ideas. So does the stark monochrome when the film jumps to Giedi Prime, home world to House Harkonnen, House Atreides' enemy, plus Arrakis' ruler both before and after Paul's dad Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) got the gig in Villeneuve's initial Dune. People here are dwarfed not only by their mammoth surroundings, but by the bigger, broader, non-stop push for supremacy. While there's no shortage of detail in both Part One and Part Two — emotional, thematic and visual alike — there's also no avoiding that battling against being mere pawns in an intergalactic game of chess is another of its characters' complicated fights. When the tales that Herbert started penning almost six decades ago — the first Dune book hit shelves in 1965 — made their 2020s-era cinema debut, it was by splitting the writer's introductory trip to Arrakis in half. As the film's title card made plain, Villeneuve always hoped-slash-planned that a second movie would follow. It was a savvy gamble, and it's still paying off. Even in just the opening recent Dune flick (David Lynch got there first in the 80s), breaking the 896-leaf text in two for cinema allowed the story's intricacies to unfurl unhurried. It also ensured that its figures gained flesh and complexity beyond propelling the plot. Crucial to Villeneuve's take on Dune, and to his work in general, is seeing and feeling the minutiae; Paul's path and inner conflict, and Chani's reaction to it in particular, wouldn't cut as deeply otherwise. Without personal stakes, neither would the overall narrative, with its musing on what it means to seek command and dominance — or perhaps shirk it — as well as the resulting ripple effects. House Atreides' move from the lush, ocean-filled Caladan to Arrakis fuelled Part One. Relocating came via decree, not choice — and the bloodthirsty Harkonnens, led by Baron Vladimir (Stellan Skarsgård, Andor) with his brutish nephew Beast Rabban (Dave Bautista, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) doing his bidding, were about as happy with the change in planetary control as expected of their usual vicious demeanour. Before the movie was out, management had reverted back by force, leaving Paul and Jessica in hiding after House Atreides was betrayed and decimated. As scripted by its director with the also-returning Jon Spaihts (The Mummy), that's where Dune: Part Two picks up, with many Fremen still wary of aiding the two outlanders. But Stilgar is unwavering in his certainty that the new saviour that's been heralded for generations — the Lisan al Gaib, as incited by the Bene Gesserit, a string-pulling sisterhood sect — is Paul. Although 1998 album You've Come a Long Way Baby doesn't contain Fatboy Slim's overt reference to Dune, aka 'Weapon of Choice' with its "walk without rhythm and it won't attract the worm" lines, that record's moniker does describe Paul's journey throughout Dune: Part Two. Also, while Hans Zimmer (Top Gun: Maverick) is on score duties again, commandingly so, thinking about 'Weapon of Choice' is unavoidable when Villeneuve has added Christopher Walken (Severance) to the cast as Emperor Shaddam IV. So, as the House Corrino head and leader of the known universe believes that the Atreides bloodline has been vanquished — daughter Princess Irulen (Florence Pugh, Oppenheimer) isn't as confident — Paul trains to be one of the Fremen's guerrilla-esque Fedaykin fighters. He conquers riding sandworms like chariots, and also Chani's heart, even as she's unfailing in her contention that a messiah is another form of dictator and promising one is purely a method of subjugation. Wresting back Arrakis from the Harkonnen, partly by sabotaging their spice-mining operations, is one of Paul's aims. Again, revenge over his slain father is another. Dune: Part Two makes its time with the Fremen, both in the desert and in cave cities, so rich and textured and human that its departures elsewhere are jarring. That's by immaculate and meticulous design, of course, with the aforementioned shift from Arrakis to Giedi Prime — where the twisted Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler, Elvis) is another nephew to the Baron, and even more savage and ruthless, especially in a helluva unsettling yet entrancing gladiatorial scene — proving especially impactful. The two settings are desolate in their own ways, but there's no trace of warmth or hope in the black-and-white realm where the Harkonnens only know callousness. As the Bene Gesserit, via Jessica, her superior Gaius Helen Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling, Benedetta) and the resourceful Lady Margot Fenring (Léa Seydoux, Crimes of the Future), keep trying to bend the galaxy to the matriarchal group's will, grappling with power is a desolate endeavour, too. In a telling that earns its 166-minute length due to its sheer weight, through being so nimble in laying out its story and anchoring more possible chapters (there's another five Herbert novels, and others on top since his death), Paul's is a tale of being haunted by his role, future and its implications. Unsurprisingly for a film where dialogue is not just spoken aloud but also communicated telepathically, there's a compelling interiority to Chalamet's second Dune turn. It's pitch-perfect, and in line with everything that Paul is wrestling with; he's equally excellent in action-hero mode in crisply staged and shot heists and frays, doing the Benjamin Millepied (Carmen)-choreographed sandwalk, giving rousing speeches, being plagued by visions and swooning amid the spice with Zendaya's Chani. In one of her best performances yet, she's the second of the feature's standouts and its emotional centre. Every feeling that's pumping through Chani's veins, from love and dedication to skepticism and disappointment, the audience experiences as well. The third: Butler's ferocious effort, which gets everyone shaking in a far different manner to his Academy Award-nominated stint as the king of rock 'n' roll. Indeed, with portrayals this potent, and everything seen and heard matching — the feature's technical feats are again impeccable and astounding — Dune: Part Two leaves its viewers saying thank you, thank you very much not only to this grand marvel and its predecessor, but to the potential for more spiciness to come.
Just like Ross and Rachel and all the other sitcom couples we've been way too invested in, the on-again off-again relationship between Uber and technical legality is the love affair of our time. And in the newest chapter of the saga, Uber is very much on again in NSW after the Baird government moved to legalise the beloved service. Yep, from midnight tonight Uber will be legal in the state of NSW, but not without some compromises. According to The Daily Telegraph, the taxi companies — playing the role of the jealous love rival in this narrative — will be compensated $20,000 per registered number plate. This might seem excessive, but the current cost to register as a cab is bonkers — in Victoria, metropolitan taxi rego currently sits at $22,703 per year. Under the new rule, Uber drivers will have to pay a license fee, although, how much that fee will be is yet to be determined. Normal taxis also get complete dibs of cab ranks (naturally) and Sydney Airport pick-ups. Guess we're still gonna have to drag out suitcases to the boundary of the airport to wait for an Uber, after all. NSW is the second Australian state to legalise Uber, following the ACT's ruling in October. It's a stark contrast to the other side of the border, where the Victorian government have just set a legal precedent that may effectively outlaw the ridesharing app. Although, there have been no signs of change yet — as all Victorian Uber users know, apart from some surging immediately after the news broke, the service has generally gone on unaffected. So what's going to happen to the landscape of private transport love now that Uber is a genuine competitor in NSW? What dramatic twists and turns can we expect next season? Stay tuned to find out. Via The Daily Telegraph.
Three Michelin stars. Two hats. One of the biggest culinary names in the world, one of Australia's best-known chefs as well, plus another Aussie wiz in the kitchen. Throw in a famed London restaurant and a top Sydney fine-diner, and you get you get one of 2023's biggest food events in Australia: Restaurant Gordon Ramsay coming to Aria. For three nights this autumn, from Monday, May 8–Wednesday, May 10, Gordon Ramsay's eponymous restaurant will hit up the Harbour City for one-of-a-kind residency — because it's never been done before. This is the first time that the London venue has popped up anywhere outside of the British capital. On the menu: a dining experience curated by Ramsay and Matt Moran, naturally. While the pair are joining forces to oversee the residency, Australian chef Matt Abé will be in the kitchen with the Aria team. Dubbed 'Restaurant Gordon Ramsay comes to Aria', the hot culinary ticket capitalises upon a hefty history between Ramsay, Moran and Abé. Ramsay and Moran have been friends for more than a quarter-century, while Abé got his first culinary job at the age of 17 at Aria — and now, 21 years later, he's chef patron at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. On offer: a seven-course menu for $495 per person, plating up signature Restaurant Gordon Ramsay dishes, but with British produce replaced with Australian ingredients. The menu hasn't been revealed; however, it's likely that shellfish raviolo and a pecan praline dessert will feature. And, Aria's wine program will be doing a premium vino pairing on top for another $295 a head. "What an absolute honour to have Restaurant Gordon Ramsay do their first residency outside London at Aria. Gordon is one of my closest mates, and Abé spent five years cooking with me in the Aria kitchen before moving to London where he has cemented his place as one of the world's finest chefs. These three nights will be a real highlight in the 23 years of Aria; I can't wait," said Moran. "Collaborating with my dear friend Matt Moran, and talented chef patron Matt Abé at Aria, with its magnificent views across Sydney harbour, and creating a menu that utilises Australia's incredible local produce whilst delivering the finesse of our three-star Michelin menu, is a dream come true," added Ramsay. "I'm so excited to be heading back to the restaurant where my love for fine dining began. It means so much to be coming home as the first and only three-star Australian chef, to showcase what I have learnt over the years of working for Gordon. It really is an honour to be stepping back into the kitchen at Aria, a place where I first met Gordon, and to show my earliest mentor and friend, Matt Moran, the chef I am today," noted Abé. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay's stint at Aria joins the growing list of high-profile Sydney culinary pop-ups in 2023, with France's Mirazur just finishing a three-week stay at The Gantry at Pier One Sydney Harbour at the end of March — and three Michelin-starred English restaurant L'Enclume, from British chef Simon Rogan, making Balmoral Beach's Bathers' Pavilion its home away from home in July and August. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay comes to Aria takes place from Monday, May 8–Wednesday, May 10, costing $495 per person with a wine pairing from $295 per person — with tickets on sale from 9am on Thursday, April 13 via the Aria website.
A George Lambert-style self portrait by Yvette Coppersmith has just nabbed the 97th annual Archibald Prize — her work Self-portrait, after George Lambert was chosen from a talented bunch of 58 finalists. This year's $100,000 prize attracted a whopping 794 entries from across the country and New Zealand, their works depicting homegrown icons ranging from NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to actor Guy Pearce. The prestigious portrait competition pulls a compelling lineup of artworks each year, portraying an eclectic mix of artists, musicians, politicians, sports heroes and other notable Aussies. Coppersmith's winning piece pays homage to the stylings of acclaimed fellow artist George Lambert, who himself took out the 1927 Archibald Prize. The win's been a long time coming for Coppersmith, who has been a finalist five times. "Hearing of the win this morning my mind was scrambling to integrate the surreal news about something that's been 20 years in the making," she said. "I'm still trying to fathom it!" She's also only the tenth female artist in history to have taken out the top prize. In more good news, the winners of the Wynne and Sir John Sulman prizes we also revealed today — and both are Indigenous women. Pintupi artist Yukultji Napangati took out the former — which awards the best landscape painting of Australian scenery or figure sculpture — for her depiction of a scene among sandhills west of Kiwirrkura in Western Australia. The Sir John Sulman Prize goes to the best mural, subject or genre painting, and was this year awarded to Kaylene Whiskey's work of Cher and Dolly Parton. Today's announcements follow last week's naming of the 2018 Packing Room Prize, which is selected by the gallery staff who unpack and hang the Archibald Prize entries each year. That title was taken out by Jamie Preisz, for his piece Jimmy (title fight), featuring legendary singer-songwriter Jimmy Barnes. All the winning portraits and finalists will be on display at Sydney's Art Gallery of NSW from tomorrow — Saturday, May 12 — up until September 9. If you do't agree with the judges, you can cast your own vote for People's Choice. Image: Self portrait after George Lambert, Yvette Coppersmith. Photo shot by Jenni Carter courtesy of AGNSW.
Would you rather spend your hard-earned pennies on a funky piece for your house than on new clothes? Are you the kind of friend that your mates come to for interior decorating advice? Then, you're also probably the kind of person that shudders at monstrous televisions that often break, not make, a living room's feng shui. Thankfully, we've teamed up with Samsung to give one lucky design geek a brand-new The Serif. This stylish TV was designed to be a focal point in the living room, and to complement interior aesthetics instead of being an eyesore taking up space in the corner. Developed through a collab between two of the world's most esteemed industrial designers — Paris-based brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec — The Serif TV features an iconic 'I' shape when viewed from the side. Its seamless form means it looks good from any angle. So, you can position it on its own legs, on a counter or on a traditional TV cabinet, and it'll not only integrate seamlessly into your home but also transform it into something resembling those chic spaces you drool over on Instagram. The major prize winner will receive one 43-inch The Serif TV and one limited-edition artwork by the Bouroullec brothers. We've also gotten our hands on 99 more of those artworks to share as runner-up rewards. To be in the running, enter your details below. To find out more about The Serif, visit the Samsung website. [competition]831045[/competition]
For years, the transport situation in Brisbane has been all over the shop. Whether it's the crazy expensive public transport, peak-hour traffic that never ends, or the many empty, expensive tunnels that criss-cross under the city like catacombs, things are a little grim if you're a Brisbane resident who wishes to leave the house at all. But thanks to some political argy-bargy, the plans for a light rail to service Brisbane's CBD are being pushed into the realm of possibility by mayoral candidate Rod Harding. The rail would operate in the same area as the CityGlider bus service. The proposed project — which is currently un-costed and being opposed by current Lord Mayor Graham Quirk on account of it being too expensive — is being pushed by Harding ahead of the March 19 mayoral election. And, while it's probably to curry favour with Brisbane’s light rail enthusiast demographic, we can't deny that he know what we want, damnit — and we want a light rail. Brisbane did have a tram system from 1885 to 1969 — the remains of which can be seen on Old Cleveland Road in Camp Hill — before it was shut down in favour of a bus system (and immediately commemorated by the Brisbane Tramway Museum in Ferny Grove). There have been a fair few proposals over the years for a tram system, most notably in 2007, but so far they've all been shot down. Light rail is a main mode of public transport in Melbourne, has been a recent addition to the Gold Coast and even Sydney are in the middle of building another light rail line from the CBD out to the eastern suburbs. The light rail proposal is scant on details but what we do know is that Brisbane’s transport infrastructure is super whack and people are keen for solutions. Whether that means light rail, trains, buses, bikes, canals that we can paddle down on stand up paddleboards or government-subsidised hoverboards for the masses — who knows! — Brisbane's gotta make a choice. Throw up your hands and raise your voice: transport infrastructure! Transport infrastructure! Transport infrastructure! Via The Courier Mail. Top image: Gold Coast tram by Bahnfrend via Wikimedia Commons
Back in 2020, the Hella Mega Tour tour was meant to come to Australia, bringing Green Day, Weezer and and Fall Out Boy our way all on the same bill. Dates were announced, tickets went on sale, but then the pandemic hit, so the event didn't go ahead. Now, three years later and within the space of mere days, both Weezer and Fall Out Boy have either locked in or teased trips Down Under. Weezer have made everything official, unveiling dates for three shows along the east coast in October. Fall Out Boy, however, are just dropping hints at the time of writing. But you don't post an Aussie flag, a kangaroo emoji and a clip from The Simpsons' Australian episode if you're not going to follow through — we hope. 🇦🇺🦘🔜 pic.twitter.com/34YUSb2dr8 — Fall Out Boy (@falloutboy) August 14, 2023 So far, the above tweet is all that fans have to go on — so watch this space for actual tour details when they're announced. If you haven't heard the name Fall Out Boy for what seems like ages, the Chicago-formed band weren't just big in the 00s — they reformed in 2013, complete with both new music and new live gigs. [caption id="attachment_913087" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rufus via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] If Pete Wentz, Patrick Stump, Andy Hurley and Joe Trohman do make the trip Down Under sometime soon — adding dates to a tour that's also taking them to Japan this weekend, then to Europe until November — they'll do so of the back of their eighth studio album So Much (for) Stardust, which released in March this year. And, of course, they'll treating audiences to everything from 'Sugar, We're Goin Down' and 'Dance, Dance' to 'Uma Thurman' from their couple of decades together. Fall Out Boy haven't announced Australian tour dates yet, but we'll update you if/when they do. Keep an eye on their website and social media in the interim. Top image: Drew de F Fawkes via Wikimedia Commons.
Sydneysiders, start bragging. Folks across the rest of Australia, start making cocktail plans for your next trip to the Harbour City. The World's 50 Best Bars list for 2022 has just been announced — the top 50, after dropping the extended 51–100 rundown in late September — and two Aussie spots have made the cut. They're both in Sydney, and they've both been in this position before. Indeed, in a piece of familiar news, the nation's highest-ranking spot to get sipping in 2022 is Sydney's Maybe Sammy. And, it's the fourth year in a row that the innovative bar in The Rocks has made the list, taking 29th place. That's a drop from 2021 when it came in 22nd, and from 2020's 11th spot, but higher than in 2019 when it sat at 43rd. Also pouring a big glass of déjà vu is Cantina OK!, another World's 50 Best Bars list mainstay. After placing 23rd in 2021, it came in 41st this year — after sitting at 28th in 2020, too. [caption id="attachment_704012" align="alignnone" width="1920"] DS Oficina[/caption] For those yet to be acquainted with Maybe Sammy in The Rocks, its luxurious styling nods to old-school Vegas glamour, all blush pink velvet banquettes and lush indoor greenery, while the list of theatrical signature drinks pays homage to the classics. At Cantina OK!, you'll find a pint-sized mezcal bar in an old garage down a service laneway — complete with bright pink and purple walls, Mexican vibes and laneway seating. That's it for Aussie showings in the top 50; however, in the longlist from last week, Melbourne's Caretaker's Cottage came in at 60th spot and Sydney's Re took out 87th position. [caption id="attachment_714476" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] The overall winner this year, and marking the first time the gong has been won by a bar that isn't in New York or London: Paradiso in Barcelona. Also, Brisbanites, rejoice — the acclaimed venue has been teaming up with W Brisbane's Living Room Bar since May, with the North Quay venue serving up a range of ten tipples created by Paradiso's owner and mixologist Giacomo Giannotti. Paradiso took out this year's top spot ahead of London's Connaught Bar, which did the same in 2020 and 2021 and now sits eighth. In the rest of the top ten: London's Tayēr + Elementary in 2nd, Barcelona's Sips in third, Licorería Limantour in Mexico City in fourth and Paris' Little Red Door in fifth, as well as Double Chicken Please in New York at number six, Barcelona's' Two Schmucks at seventh, New York's Katana Kitten in ninth spot and Cartagena's Alquímico in tenth. Making holiday plans based on the globe's best watering holes? It's as good a reason for a getaway itinerary as any. The annual World's 50 Best Bars awards are voted on by bar industry experts from around the world, including bartenders, consultants, drinks writers and cocktail specialists. For the full of the World's 50 Best Bars for 2022 (and the longlist, and past years' lists), head to the website. Top image: Kimberley Low.
Have you ever promised yourself an ice-cold beer at the pub as motivation to workout? Well, the minds behind The Beer Run are on the same wavelength. They are quite literally combining brews with a five-kilometre fun run that stops at five Brisbane breweries along the way. The run will kick off at noon on Sunday, February 17, making its way between Aether Brewing, Newstead Brewing Co and The Charming Squire, plus Fritzenberger, and Brisbane Brewing Co as well. Punters will enjoy a beer at each location before running on to the next, with the whole event expected to take around two to three hours. The $55 ticket price includes the five brews, a bottle opener medal and a numbered bib for the run. Tickets aren't yet on sale, but you can sign up to be notified when they're available — and given that the Melbourne event sold rather quickly, that's recommended.
