At a time when we've all been spending more of our minutes, hours, days and months on home turf, Instagram has just launched a new feature to help you make the most of it — and to help throw some love towards all of the small businesses in your area. Hitting the social media platform from today, Tuesday, September 14, the new 'Map Search' function lets you use Instagram to find restaurants, bars, shops and venues near you. Can't decide where to grab lunch? Looking for a hair salon in your vicinity? This'll assist. How does it work? Map Search uses a map (obviously) that highlights popular tagged locations. You might've seen these spots pop up in your feed anyway, and you could've even tagged some yourself. And, you can access the new function in a few different ways. You'll see an icon in Instagram's Explore feature, which is where you can hit up the map, and even filter locations by fields such as salons and restaurants. You'll also now see maps pop up whenever you search for particular hashtags — the very pandemic-appropriate #takeaway, for instance — which'll then highlight the relevant places that fit the hashtag near you. The aim: to support small businesses, and to help Instagram users do the same. Thinking local has been one of the mantras of the past 18 months or so, due to lockdowns, restrictions and border closures — and we all know that the hospitality industry, and small businesses in general, have been doing it tough during the pandemic. Map Search also helps give small businesses a boost on a platform plenty of them are using, and that many of us are using to find them anyway. So, the proprietors of restaurants, bars and shops get another way to be seen by potential customers, and patrons get another way to discover their local haunts. Fancy looking further afield? While Map Search definitely lets you find places immediately around you, users can also search anywhere they like. Either pinch and drag the map to wherever you're interested in, click on an Instagram geotag — which'll bring up the map, so you can start searching from there — or just type wherever you're looking for into Explore. For more information about Instagram's new Map Search function, head to the social media platform's website.
For firm believers that all good things come to those who wait, or even casual ones, that patience is set to be rewarded at Portside Wharf's soon-to-open new seafood restaurant. Fosh was first announced in 2022, and originally targeted a March 2023 launch date. Now, the waterside spot will start welcoming in patrons from August, and boast plenty of reasons for Brisbanites to stop by. Fosh hails from Michael Tassis, the restaurateur behind Opa Bar + Mezze, Massimo Restaurant, Yamas Greek + Drink and George's Paragon — as well as Eagle Street's now-closed Fatcow Steak & Lobster and Rico Bar + Dining — and has an enticing concept. Fancy staring at the river while tucking into fish, oysters, prawns, scallops and bugs? Peering at the water while enjoying lobster with bottomless fries for lunch and doing caviar bumps with your fellow diners? That's what's on the menu at this Portside seafood venue. The full culinary lineup hasn't yet been revealed, but there'll be a focus on sustainable, high-quality local line-caught catches that are served to guests within 24 hours. In the kitchen, a team boasting an impressive restaurant pedigree will be doing the cooking. Head Chef Vikash Gurung comes to Fosh from Greca, as well as Fatcow Steak & Lobster, Rico Bar and Dining, and Jellyfish — and sous chef Daniel Hernandez boasts Agnes, Restaurant Dan Arnold and La Cache à Vin on his resume. Rounding out the restaurant's core crew are Daniel Burton and Erik Di Luca, Manager and Operations Director, respectively, with the former spending five years at Matt Moran's Aria and the latter working for Tassis Group since 2012. Fosh will operate both as a dine-in eatery and an upscale takeaway fish 'n' chippery. "This will be next-level takeout," advises Tassis. The restaurant won't be small, either, settling into a 700-square-metre space at Portside as part of the precinct's current revamp, which is set to be complete this December. The makeover has already seen the Gold Coast's Rosé Gelateria launch its debut Brisbane ice creamery in Hamilton. Rise Bakery, which also originated on the coast, is slated to set up shop as well. Whether you're eating in or dropping by to grab some takeaways, you'll notice the luxe yet naturalistic and relaxed decor, which is inspired by The Hamptons. As part of a $3-million fitout, Fosh will boast both indoor and outdoor dining areas, too — with boosting the latter year-round one of the big aims of Portside's facelift. "Our indoor space includes a glamorous island bar which will flow to the al fresco area, where guests can enjoy uninterrupted river views," says Tassis. Launching a dedicated seafood restaurant at Portside, and one run by Tassis, seems like an obvious step for a number of reasons. The location screams for it, and Tassis' father George founded George's Paragon Seafood Restaurant in Sanctuary Cove more than three decades ago. "It's very much in my roots," Tassis notes. Tassis Group also has two other high-profile dining spots on the way, also heroing their water-adjacent locations, but over in Kangaroo Point: overwater restaurant and bar Bombora, plus landing cafe Mulga Bill's, which are set to open in the new green bridge in 2024. Find Fosh at Portside Wharf, 39 Hercules Street, Hamilton, from August 2023 — we'll update you with an exact opening date when one is announced. Images: Markus Ravik.
Dom Dolla just keeps making history. Back in December 2023, the Australian DJ and producer notched up a hefty achievement, playing his biggest-ever hometown show in Melbourne at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Then, come 2024, his national tour became the largest ever by an Australian electronic artist, selling 170,000-plus tickets in four cities. What does 2025 hold, then? Oh, only the Grammy-nominee doing his first-ever Aussie stadium show and biggest headline gig ever. He's played Coachella, Lollapalooza, Wildlands, Spilt Milk and more — including soldout Madison Square Garden gigs with over 30,000 attendees, plus Ultra Miami and EDC Las Vegas. When Europe's summer hits, he's doing a ten-week residency at Hï Ibiza. Then, on Saturday, December 20, 2025, Dom Dolla will head home in a massive way, headlining Sydney's Allianz Stadium. The three-time ARIA-winner (and 16-time ARIA-nominee) also has something else sizeable to add to his resume in 2025: with 'No Room for a Saint' featuring Nathan Nicholson, he's making his film soundtrack debut. The movie: the Brad Pitt (F1)-starring F1. Also this year, Dom Dolla has released two other tracks: 'Dreamin' featuring Daya and 'Forever' with Kid Cudi. On his 2024 Aussie tour, the venues weren't small, given that he played Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse, Sydney's Domain, Brisbane's Riverstage and Perth's Wellington Square. But making the leap to a headline stadium gig is no minor feat. Only the sole Allianz Stadium show has been announced, so if you're keen to head along and you're outside of the Harbour City, you'll also want to make travel plans. Dom Dolla is playing Allianz Stadium, Sydney on Saturday, December 20, 2025. You can sign up for ticket presales from 11am AEST on Monday, May 19, then buy presale tickets from the same time on Thursday, May 22, with general sales from 12pm on Friday, May 23. Head to Dom Dolla's website for more details. Images: shevindphoto / Beyond the Valley, Chloe Hall.
If you're a firm believer that you can't have too much of a good thing, then the news that Mrs Luu's just keeps spreading the love is certain to go down well. First, they set up in shop in Milton. Then, they spread the love to Bowen Hills. Just this year, Tank Street in the CBD and now Southpoint in South Brisbane have followed. On brother and sister combo Johnny and Frankie's menu, of course, are cheap, healthy, tasty Vietnamese delights that will have you craving more. Whether bread, bowls or rolls are your thing, you'll find plenty here — and enough to come back several times. Banh mi standouts include the 3 Little Piggies with Viet porchetta, barbecue pork and Viet ham, as well as the omelette and sautéed onion, and the marinated pork chop varieties. From the salad selection, who doesn't want a spring roll rice noodle version? Or, grab beef, chicken, pork, tofu or more pork (in meatball form) on steamed rice, or once of six types of rice paper rolls.
On Saturday, July 26, 2025, First Nations artists are firmly in the spotlight at one of Brisbane's must-attend returning gigs. It was back in 2022 that Blak Social debuted Blak Day Out, which has popped up each year since. This time, it's heading to The Princess Theatre for an event that's celebrating Indigenous female talent. In fact, that's the entire lineup at Blak Day Out 2025, starting with Christine Anu not only joining the party but leading it. Thelma Plum and Miss Kaninna are also on the bill, as are Stiff Gins, GLVES, Dameeeela and Kritty — and if you've been before, you'll know that some of these names aren't new to this stage. [caption id="attachment_1006558" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Star[/caption] The focus at the all-ages festival remains the same — and also essential — with Blak Day Out celebrating Indigenous music, culture and community. 2025's run forms part of Open Season, the city's midyear music series, as well as falling into QPAC's Clancestry. Doors open at 5pm — and while Blak Day Out has been free in some past years, the event is ticketed in 2025.
Yes, Queenstown is the adventure capital of the world, but there is only so much one can do before needing to refuel. That, or the weather pulls a finger, and the day's activities need to be re-planned. For both of those types of situations, I suggest trying the delightful Vudu Cafe & Larder. The tiny cafe on Rees St has a solid following from both locals and exotic ski bunnies alike, and it's not particularly hard to figure out why. For one, it's organic; and the meat and egg production's all free range. There's your tick for being a good person. Secondly, it's darn tasty. Especially when working on a steady half-hangover, you'll want to cast your eyes towards the Immunity Booster juice. This particularly sassy number introduced me to the joys of having beetroot, ginger and carrots in a juice, together. Immunity boosted? I think so. Then there's the food. Try anything in the cabinet or off the menu, anything. It's all be good. I had a bean burrito ($9) for a late lunch, which effectively filled my tank until around midnight. So it's fair to say you're getting a lot of bang for your buck. Add in some cool hanging jar lamps, and an aerial shot of Queenstown to the decor, and you've got yourself a pretty cute wee cafe. But be warned, all good things come to those who wait, so be prepared to stand in quite a bit of line for seating. Vudu Cafe & Larder 03 441 8370 16 Rees St, Queenstown Mon - Sun 07:30am - 5pm
It's time to get excited about dinosaurs again, not that anyone ever stopped being fascinated with the planet's ancient creatures. Come May, one of 2022's best new shows is making a return for 2023 with a brand-new season filled with dino love — yes, David Attenborough's spectacular Prehistoric Planet is returning. Apple TV+ has just announced the roaringly great news, and will again air the show's second season as a five-part nightly event. So, across Monday, May 22–Friday, May 26, one instalment will arrive each day, serving up more stunning dinosaurs, more informative insights voiced by the one and only Attenborough, and more of Hans Zimmer's soundtrack. "The award-winning first season of Prehistoric Planet brought dinosaurs back to life in a way global audiences had never seen before," said Jay Hunt, Creative Director, Europe, Apple TV+, announcing the news. "Collaborating with the brilliant Jon Favreau and our fantastic partners at the BBC, we are thrilled that viewers will once again have the opportunity to be immersed in our world as it was 66 million years ago and to experience even more weird and wonderful creatures." This time around, the team at BBC Studios Natural History will be using photorealistic visual effects by MPC — the kind that Favreau used in his versions of The Jungle Book and The Lion King — to focus on new dinosaurs, habitats and scientific discoveries. So, you'll spend time with the Tarchia, one of the largest Ankylosauri, for instance. That said, the Tyrannosaurus rex will be back among other dino favourites. Of course it will. What's better than one of the Attenborough siblings marvelling over our planet's ancient creatures? None other than David following in his brother Richard's footsteps, of course, just as it was in 2022. While the latter showed dinos some love back in Jurassic Park — with the now-late actor and filmmaker even uttering the iconic words "welcome to Jurassic Park" — his broadcaster, biologist and natural historian sibling largely surveyed the rest of the earth's living creatures in his iconic documentaries before Prehistoric Planet. With its first season, the show instantly earned its place among David Attenborough other doco highlights — a list that spans The Living Planet, State of the Planet, The Blue Planet, Frozen Planet, Blue Planet II, Our Planet, Seven Worlds, One Planet, A Perfect Planet and Green Planet, as well as Planet Earth and Planet Earth II, plus documentary David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet), just to name a few. There's no trailer for Prehistoric Planet's second season yet, but you can revisit the season one trailer below: Prehistoric Planet season two will hit Apple TV+ across Monday, May 22–Friday, May 26, with a new episode available to stream each day. Read our full review of Prehistoric Planet season one.
Christmas is coming up and there’s only one way to bypass the mad Queen Street Mall rushes and giving all your hard earned cash to Mr David Jones — shop local. Karen White Gallery and New Farm Cinemas are hosting the Artisan Market at the Movies, and it’s just in the nick of time for all your Chrissie shopping needs. On the market will be a everything from jewellery to locally made fashion, art and food, all crafted by the hands of indie makers, small business owners and local artisans of our Brisbane community. There will also be food and drinks for sale, plus live music, and the biggest bonus of all — air con. The markets kick off at 11am, and will round up around 6pm. Take a Christmas list, a wad of cash, and your festive spirit, because this might just be your one-stop shop for everything that needs to go under this year’s tree.
Almost a decade has passed since pop-up Star Wars weddings arrived in Brisbane. The next River City trend for couples looking for something other than the standard big matrimonial to-do: Vegas-inspired nuptials without the plane fare. That's Wham Bam Thank You Sam's remit, with the new Windsor space betting on both theming and intimacy. Here, you can say "I do" — then "thank you, thank you very much" if you're really channelling Elvis — with just 12 of your nearest and dearest on hand to celebrate. Whether you've already gotten hitched yourself or you know someone who has, you'll be well aware that weddings can be chaotic, even though the act of two people committing to each other should be simple. Wham Bam Thankyou Sam founders Kady Capewell and Amey Rosenthal are all about scaling tying the knot back stress-wise, while still making the occasion one to remember. And, in the process, they've set up Brisbane's first-ever Vegas-leaning pop-up micro-wedding spot. "Kady and I have worked together for years. One night she sent me a message, completely out of the blue, suggesting the idea of Wham Bam Thankyou Sam. Over a cocktail, we nutted it all out on the back of a napkin," explains Rosenthal. "We loved the building and its beautiful characteristics, so we've really drawn on that to create a space that's truly one of a kind." Open since July, Wham Bam Thankyou Sam won't be sticking with its Vegas decor forever, however. Hopefully that's how long the folks that get married inside the Lutwyche Road site's walls stay together — but, if you're getting betrothed come March 2024, something different will surround you. The space will get a revamp every eight months, in fact, although its whole affordable and easier wedding idea will always owe a debt to Vegas. "Creativity is at the heart of who Kady and I are. We love bringing new, unconventional ideas to life — so why not update and change the space to reflect that? It caters to couples who want to do things differently and have a wedding that is totally unique," notes Rosenthal. "No matter what the theme is, we can promise it'll be something that hasn't been seen before. One thing that won't change, though, is the quality. The fitout, along with our furniture, are completely custom made. So while the theme is temporary, the space still invokes a sense of permanency." Right now, nuptials in the 45-square-foot venue involve retro decor — think: neon and rock and roll influences — with prices starting from $1900. Opt for 'The Quickie' and you'll be in and wed in 30 minutes. With 'The Hour of Power', you obviously get an hour, as well as charcuterie, a bar cart and a personalised photobooth. And with the 'Whole Lotta Lovin' package, that's here bouquets and canapes come in. Dalton Catering provides the food, and your chosen package includes getting your marriage licence filed, but any photography and videography is on you. Also, that 12-person guest limit is strict, and so is the time limit. Want your pet to be involved in the ceremony? In glorious news, Wham Bam Thankyou Sam is also pet-friendly. If you're not planning to get married until between March and October 2024 and you're wondering what the next theme is, Capewell and Rosenthal will switch from Vegas to 'wham bam soft deco'. And, if getting hitched isn't in your immediate future but you're keen to party in the space, Wham Bam Thankyou Sam will host whatever kind of small shindig you like — up to 18 people if you're doing private dining. Find Wham Bam Thank You Sam at 384 Lutwyche Road, Windsor until March 2024 — and head to the venue's website for bookings.
This time last year, Sampa the Great was the first artist named on the Vivid 2021 lineup; however, due to the pandemic, the Sydney festival didn't go ahead. Now, the Zambian-born musician is giving her new stage show An Afro Future another run, including setting up a new Vivid stint — and hitting up Melbourne and Brisbane as well. Sampa will tour the east coast capitals this May and June, starting at The Tivoli in Brisbane. From there, she's headed to Sydney for two Vivid gigs in the Joan Sutherland Theatre at the Sydney Opera House, and then to Melbourne for two concerts at its own citywide arts festival, Rising. Joining her across all five shows will be Zimbabwe-born, London-raised, Australian-based singer KYE and Sampa's younger sister Mwanjé, plus sounds by C.Frim. And, while that's all mightily impressive, the tour will also mark the first time that audiences can see Sampa live with her full band from Zambia. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sampa The Great (@sampa_the_great) Sampa's 2022's tour marks her return to Vivid after supporting Hiatus Kaiyote in 2016 and performing as part of The Avalanches' Since I Left You Block Party back in 2017. It'll also finally let her show An Afro Future to fans, after it was originally set to premiere over the summer of 2020–21 as part of Live at the Bowl in Melbourne, Summer in the Domain in Sydney and Womadelaide, but was forced to cancel due to border restrictions. As for what's in store now that An Afro Future is hitting Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, attendees can expect to be treated to songs from Sampa's critically-acclaimed debut album The Return. Released in 2019, the album received universal praise at the time, winning Best Hip Hop Release and Best Independent Release at the 2020 ARIA Awards, and being named the eighth best Australian debut album of all time by Double J. And, Sampa will be playing new tunes, too — because a lot's been going on over the past few years. SAMPA THE GREAT 'AN AFRO FUTURE' TOUR 2022: Wednesday, May 25 — The Tivoli, Brisbane Friday, May 27–Saturday, May 28 — Vivid, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Wednesday, June 1–Thursday, June 2 — Rising, The Forum, Melbourne Sampa the Great's An Afro Future tour will head to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in May and June. For more information or to buy tickets, visit Sampa's website. Top image: Sampa the Great, Lucian Coman.
Finding a host of tasty Indian dishes in Brisbane isn't hard to do, but finding healthy yet hearty meals is another matter. Boasting vegan as well as gluten-, nut- and dairy-free options, that's the gap It's Mirchi Healthy Indian Restaurant hopes to fill from its base on Paddington's busy Given Terrace. Even a quick glance at their menu shows that they're on the right track. Dining wise, whether eating in or taking away, that includes nutritious takes on all the usual curries, complete with a choice of free-range chicken and organic lamb. Salad and vegetarian concoctions comprise a substantial portion of their offerings, alongside snacks such as roasted — rather than fried — poppadoms, and the delicious delight that is their avocado milkshake. It's not all about the food at It's Mirchi, though, with the figure behind the feast just as important as what she's cooking up. One of Australia's finest female Indian chefs, Urvashi, heads up the restaurant's kitchen in a departure from the typically male-oriented profession — and she's not just defying convention but sharing recipes handed down from her mother. That sounds like boundary-breaking, wellbeing-friendly yumminess.
If there’s one thing Brisbane does better than bridges, it’s arts. We’ve got A-grade galleries, jam-packed libraries, street artists that won’t quit and that upside down elephant statue near GOMA. And even better, we are home a talented selection of comics, zine-makers and writers and for three days they’re all going to be hubbed in one place – The Zine and Indie Comic Symposium. ZICs will be held at The Edge in the Queensland State Library on August 30 and 31, with opening night the Friday before. If you’re up for the full package, trek along at 6.30pm for the launch and hear local bands My Fiction, Flangipanis, Tagline and Fox’n’Flirkin raise the roof. Plus, there will be a real life Scribble Slam a.k.a. extreme art-off between two painters, later in the evening. Tickets are $15 at the door, but if you don’t feel up to a healthy pre-symposium dance, head along at 12pm on either Saturday or Sunday with a wad of cash. You can expect to find some real treasures on show – from cult classic zine makers like Bad Teeth, Slubs, and Wasted Opportunities, to some fresh faces, you’ll be sure to find something to add to your zine library. Keep your eyes peeled for these names, cos we reckon they’re some of Brisbane's best prints. Clear your weekend, throw out all your trashy mags, and head to The Edge to get behind the local creative all about doin’ it for themselves.
Getting your culture fix in Brisbane shouldn't come at the expense of your bank balance. From brilliant deals to free exhibitions, there are endless things to do in the River City on any budget — you just have to know where to look. That's where we come in. In collaboration with Great Southern Bank, we've compiled a list of eight ways to explore Brisbane's cultural side while still sticking to your savings goals. In fact, with its clever tool The Boost, you can automatically top up your savings account with a small amount of money every time you use your debit card. So, when you spend on art exhibitions and fabulous drag brunches, you can simultaneously put a bit of cash towards those long-term financial goals. Or if you're a bit of an impulse buyer, The Vault lets you hide your savings account from yourself, meaning you can't easily dip into it. What are you waiting for? Hit the pavement and get a big ol' dose of culture, stat — without spending all your hard-earned bucks. [caption id="attachment_677201" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gallery of Modern Art Exterior South & East face James Turrell artwork[/caption] CHECK OUT SOME AFTER-HOURS ART South Bank is arguably even more beautiful as the sun sets — and thanks to some after-dark art shows, there are even more reasons to explore. QAGOMA's series of after-hours events, which usually coincide with its major exhibitions, offers both free and ticketed experiences in and around the galleries to soak up world-class art after dark. Night is also the best time to experience American artist James Turrell's permanent light installation that adorns the building's eastern and southern façades. Down the road, Queensland Museum also runs semi-regular nighttime sessions, with the next adults-only event allowing you to enter the wonderful world of Lego. [caption id="attachment_780268" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Van Gogh Alive[/caption] BANK ON LAST-MINUTE TICKET DEALS The thrill of watching a live performance is that extra bit thrilling if you know you've scored an epic deal. For nights when you're feeling frivolous (but frugal), Lasttix is your one-stop shop for last-minute discounted concert tickets. Keep an eye on the website — it's updated regularly with cheap tickets for all manner of shows — from dazzling magic acts to thought-provoking conversation panels and more. Here's hoping Lasttix includes some cheap tickets to the much-anticipated multi-sensory exhibition Van Go Alive, which is set to land in Brisbane from October 29. [caption id="attachment_791909" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Queensland Ballet[/caption] USE YOUTH TO YOUR FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE Turns out that discounts aren't limited to students and seniors. In fact, if you're still of a certain age, you could be in line to claim a cheeky discount, too. Queensland Theatre offers discounted season passes to people under 35, while Queensland Ballet offers cut-price tickets to its world-class performances to anyone under 30. With Brisbane's performing arts scene back in full force, there's never been a better time to support local creative talent — and you can do so without breaking the bank. SIT DOWN AND WATCH SOME STAND-UP A surefire way to boost your mood is sharing a laugh with friends. Thankfully, Brisbane is home to a number of excellent comedy clubs hosting local and international talent to get those ribs tickled. Paddington's legendary Sit Down Comedy Club hosts regular comedy nights at various venues around town, including three free gigs per week. It's hosted the likes of Trevor Noah, Hannibal Buress, Josh Thomas and more, so it's no stranger to some top talent. Nearby, Good Chat Comedy Club hosts a regular lineup of laughs in its Petrie Terrace digs, with some tickets sure to leave you change from a $10 note. After something a little more unpredictable? Leading improv studio Big Fork Theatre hosts regular shows with ticket prices that won't blow the budget. If you're feeling inspired, you can even sign up to an improv class— they're open to all experience levels, and your first class is free. GO ON A CULTURAL TOUR For an eco-friendly and low-cost way to explore the crystal blue waters, pods of majestic dolphins and sandy stretches of Minjerribah — AKA North Stradbroke Island — book a ride with Yura Banji Scooters. The First Nations-owned and -run business is committed to respecting and caring for its Quandamooka Country and sharing rich cultural and historical knowledge with visitors via guided island tours. If you want to explore on your own, you can hire electric scooters for $20 an hour or level up to an electric bike for an extra tenner. CATCH A CHEAP FLICK With so many streaming platforms at our fingertips nowadays, it's easy to forget about the magic of going to the movies. But a night at the pictures doesn't have to eat into your savings thanks to a range of great deals around town. First up, you can head to Palace Barracks or Palace James St on Monday for its Cheap Mondays deal. With all tickets less than $10, you can get that upsized popcorn, too. If you don't want to be confined to Monday movies, Cineplex offers cheap tickets at its seven Brisbane locations every single day, with tickets ranging from just $6–14. [caption id="attachment_784635" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cloudland[/caption] BE DAZZLED AS YOU DINE AT CLOUDLAND Brunch with a side of razzle-dazzle? Sign us up. Fortitude Valley mainstay Cloudland hosts glitzy drag brunches every Sunday (and the occasional Saturday), featuring Italian-inspired dishes, cocktail jugs and riotous performances by some of the city's most fabulous queens for $75 per person. If it's evening entertainment you're after, book a seat at the Big Band Cabaret. Taking place on Friday nights, this lively event combines a three-course menu and three hours of free-flowing drinks with swinging big bang and vocal performances, punctuated with captivating burlesque shows. [caption id="attachment_641267" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Triffid[/caption] KICK BACK AT A FREE LIVE GIG As we enter the warmer months, the idea of setting up a picnic and enjoying live music in the sunshine is beginning to sound like an ideal afternoon. And picnic backdrops don't get much dreamier than the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, especially with its free-to-enter Gigs & Picnics program that sees great local musos take to the outdoor stage. As the name suggests, picnics are encouraged here — you can pack your own basket or treat yourself to a bite from one of the food trucks parked around the grounds. There are more free gigs to be found around town, too. Cure your hump day blues by kicking back at Acoustic Wednesdays at Newstead's The Triffid, or end the weekend on a high note at Brisbane Powerhouse for Livespark, its monthly Sunday sesh of free live tunes. Great Southern Bank is empowering Aussies to get clever with their banking. Whether you want to stick to your savings goals with The Boost or hide your house deposit fund from yourself with The Vault, Great Southern Bank helps you get there. For more information on savings tools and home loan options, head to the Great Southern Bank website. Top image: Van Gogh Alive
When the Gallery of Modern Art hosts the Brisbane International Film Festival for the second time this October, it's shaping up to be spectacular spectacular. Announcing the event's first titles for 2019, GOMA has revealed that it'll be focusing on the work of Baz Luhrmann, who is one of this year's festival patrons alongside four-time Oscar-winning costume and production designer Catherine Martin. Together, the duo has worked on all of Luhrmann's on-screen projects, from early films such as Strictly Ballroom and Moulin Rouge! through to his Netflix TV series The Get Down. Those two flicks will get a big-screen showing at this year's festival, while BIFF will also program a number of movies by other filmmakers that Luhrmann loves — such as Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now: Final Cut (which is also showing in cinemas at the moment), Federico Fellini's 8½ and a recently restored version of Sergei Bondarchuk's seven-hour adaptation of War and Peace. Brisbane cinephiles can also look forward to opening night's Judy & Punch, starring Mia Wasikowska and Damien Herriman; Pedro Almodovar's Cannes Best Actor-winning Pain and Glory, featuring a sublime performance by Antonio Banderas; Jim Jarmusch's zombie comedy The Dead Don't Die, which boasts everyone from Bill Murray to Adam Driver to Iggy Pop among its cast; and seeing Tilda Swinton act opposite her talented daughter Honor Swinton Byrne in The Souvenir. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brxU_Qi1eOM While the rest of the 100-plus film lineup won't be unveiled until Thursday, August 22, BIFF will also span workshops, conversation sessions, panels, events with food and live music, as well as the festival's new Short Film Awards and an exhibition at GOMA called Setting the Stage. If you're wondering just where you'll be watching its program of features, shorts and documentaries, the fest's venues have been announced as well. In addition to GOMA's own Australian Cinematheque, the fest will screen at Dendy Cinemas Coorparoo, The Elizabeth Picture Theatre, New Farm Cinemas, Reading Cinemas Newmarket and the State Library of Queensland The 2019 Brisbane International Film Festival runs from Thursday, October 3 to Sunday, October 13 at a variety of Brisbane venues. The full program will release on Thursday, August 22 — head to the festival website for further details.
Not so long ago, going on a health kick meant shutting yourself off from the world, rejecting all dinner invitations and telling yourself you could never eat out again. Not anymore it seems. Brisbane restaurant meal options now include organic, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, raw — the list goes on. To think we can still remember a time when white rice was considered good for you and only coeliacs had to worry about gluten. Mindful eaters and health fanatics should find much to celebrate in the following list of the top healthy eating spots in Brisbane. There may even be a little something for everyone else. Coco Bliss Bulimba How ready you are to embrace Coco Bliss Superfood Bar is probably directly proportionate to how deeply you have accepted that most pervasive of buzzwords: superfood. The list of favoured ingredients here contains items so oft-touted for their health boosting properties they have reached the level of cliche: raw cacao, coconut water, acai, chia seeds and goji berries. Plus, some ingredients sound unfamiliar enough to mean they simply must be good for you: maca, lucuma and mesquite. 1a/204 Oxford Street, Bulimba Botanica Botanica sits among a string of shops on the corner of Enoggera Tce and Waterworks Road. It’s easy to spot, with a table of freshly made cakes visible through the storefront window. Along with their gluten-free and vegan baked goods, Botanica also supplies a range of salads and just might be the healthiest takeaway shop in Brisbane. 9/1 Enoggera Terrace, Brisbane Fundies Fundies Wholefood Market in Paddington is dedicated to natural foods, nutrition and sustainable agriculture. It has long been a favourite place of Brisbanites looking to stock up on all things healthy and good. The attached cafe of course shares this philosophy, serving up dishes like scrambled tofu with oven-roasted tomato, wilted baby spinach and organic sourdough toast. 219 Given Terrace, Paddington Paleo Cafe This place has developed a bit of a reputation as a paleo establishment where non-paleo practitioners still like to eat. Juices and acai bowls may be slightly obvious as menu items, but grass fed sirloin with served with sweet potato bake, fresh garden salad and creamy peppercorn sauce keeps paleo-sceptics and naysayers quiet. 10 Market Street, Brisbane Kitchen Sanitarium Established by health food company Sanitarium, Kitchen Sanitarium’s menu is built upon plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, breads, cereals, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds, making it the perfect dining option for vegetarians. Many of the dishes are also vegan. For a quick, easy and nutrient-dense lunch, try a plate of their assorted salads. 145 Eagle Street, Brisbane Sourced Grocer Located in an old warehouse in Teneriffe, Sourced Grocer is at once a speciality food store and cafe. The fit-out is cleverly conceived and manages to attract waves of punters on weekend mornings. The focus is on simple, healthy and fresh food and the coffee is very highly regarded. 11 Florence Street, Newstead Mondo Organics To be fair, the food at Mondo Organics is definitely more indulgent than may be expected of a restaurant qualifying for this list. However, Australia’s first fully licensed organic restaurant deserves a mention we feel. Food is nourishing, restorative and delicious. Plus, surely being healthy doesn’t mean giving up wine. 166 Hardgrave Road, West End
Thirty days. A 100-minute drive out of Brisbane. Fifty-three community events and tours. A whopping 190,000 blooms. Over 350,000 attendees. That's some of the maths behind 2023's Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, which has just dropped its annual program for its whopping 74th year celebrating blossoms and colourful petals as far as the eye can see. Winter might not be here yet, and autumn hasn't even reached its final month, but it's never too early to start making spring plans. Once again, this bloom-filled festival will return for the entirety of September — and if its record-breaking popularity in 2022 is any guide, it just might top its attendance figures again. This excuse for Brisbanites to head west to frolic among the flowers didn't always run for 30 whole days, but it's been brightening up the Darling Downs city for as long as it can since 2021. For 2023's event, it'll also mark the 50th anniversary of the carnival's exhibition garden program, which sees folks around Toowoomba open up their own patch of turf to visitors. From Friday, September 1–Saturday, September 30, garden lovers can look forward to blossoms and floral displays galore as the event takes over a variety of locations — including Laurel Bank Park and the Botanic Gardens of Queens Park — to showcase all of the gorgeous florets and growths and gardens around town, kaleidoscopic arrays of tulips, petunias and poppies included. Among the 2023 highlights, the floral parade returns and there'll be an extra batch of twilight tours through Laurel Bank Park. Or, there's a succulent fest with plenty of plants to buy, a bonsai show, a heap of strolls across Toowoomba, a sideshow alley filled with games, the dog-friendly Petals and Pups program, and three nights of fireworks mid-month. The beloved ferris wheel is making a comeback, letting attendees scope out the flowers from great heights. For film buffs, so is the cinema under the stars. And, it wouldn't be the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers without the three-day Festival of Food and Wine, which celebrates regional produce and Australian music, with the onstage talent still to be revealed. Still on bites to eat, the #trEATS regional food trail showcases local eateries, and sees participating cafes, restaurants and bars serve up floral-inspired dishes. And, for those fond of a sip, there'll be a pubs tour as well. Beer-loving outfit 4 Brothers Brewing is whipping up a signature floral tipple for the fest, while Pechey Distilling Co is getting botanical — naturally — with its gin and vodka. Basically, there's no bad time to head along throughout September, so much so that you might want to make the trek more than once. Indeed, when it comes to scenic spring sights, there's no prettier place to be. And, given it takes less than two hours to head up the mountain from Brisbane, it's perfect for a weekend day trip. The 2023 Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers will run Friday, September 1–Saturday, September 30 across Toowoomba. For further information, head to the event's website. Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland.
More than once in Heartstopper, a question drifts from the lips of the Netflix series' British teens, asking something that every adolescent has contemplated. That query: "why are we like this?", pondering why hitting puberty always brings an utter lack of elegance with emotions, identity, relationships and expressing yourself. It can't be answered in any satisfactory way, but in this delightful streaming newcomer — with an eight-part first season that's become a must-see within a week of hitting the platform — what that question isn't referencing is also crucial. The LGBTQIA+-championing show doesn't ever have its gay, trans and bisexual characters pointlessly wonder why they love who they love or feel how they feel, welcomely, refreshingly and heartwarmingly so. That's enough to earn the series its title; for viewers, plenty about this webcomic-to-page-to-screen charmer will cause entranced tickers to miss a beat. Within the story, though, it takes mere minutes for Heartstopper to warrant its name — showing rather than telling, as all great art should. A year ten student at Truham Grammar School for Boys, Charlie Spring (first-timer Joe Locke) finds himself seated in his form class next to year 11 rugby player Nick Nelson (Kit Connor, Little Joe) at the start of a new term. Sparks fly on the former's part, swiftly and overwhelmingly, as a crush and then a life-changing love story is born. It's not the only moment that'll make Charlie pause, his heart all a-flutter and his cheeks a-glow — or any of the show's figures for that matter — but it leaves an imprint that sets Heartstopper's astutely endearing tone. Nodding to the series' graphic-novel origins, Charlie and Nick's first meetings inspire a flurry of hand-drawn animated hearts on-screen, illustrating how we all know that such an experience feels. The cute twinkling imagery is such a small but pivotal touch, used to illuminate small yet essential moments, and couldn't be more perfect. Others that follow, all also flawless: lightning bolts, flowers, stars and rainbows, all whizzing around when the sweetest of emotions run high. Everything isn't all rainbows for Charlie and Nick, narrative-wise, though — although the colour scheme favoured by director Euros Lyn (Dream Horse) goes heavy on pink lighting, blue and yellow school walls, the green grass of sports fields, and violet-hued clothing. In Heartstopper's opening episode, Charlie has a secret boyfriend, Ben Hope (Sebastian Croft, Doom Patrol). Their clandestine rendezvous in empty classrooms aren't his choice, but Ben won't even acknowledge Charlie in public. He's also cruel, rude and demanding without ever caring about Charlie's feelings, and filled with loathing about his sexuality — and fear that he might be found out. Thankfully, Charlie realises that he deserves much, much better, including with Nick's help. Also an issue: Charlie hardly thinks of himself as sporty, even after Nick asks him to join the school rugby team because he's super-fast at running. That train of thought speaks to a lifetime of self-doubt, with Nick telling Charlie to stop apologising for, well, everything — and Charlie's high-drama best friend Tao (fellow debutant William Gao) describing him as having "a tendency to believe him just existing is annoying for other people". Accordingly, while a friendship quickly solidifies between Heartstopper's central duo, Charlie is initially unsure whether anything more can happen. And, after spending a year being bullied by homophobic classmates after coming out — often hiding in the art room at lunch with a kindly teacher (Fisayo Akinade, Atlanta) to escape — he's anxiety-riddled in general. The nervy Charlie and calm-and-collected Nick — a self-described "gay nerd" among "borderline outcasts" and Truham's rugby king — don't simply cycle through an opposites-attract scenario, thankfully. This is an upbeat, soaring and joyful tale, too; yet another take on Romeo and Juliet, it definitely isn't. Heartstopper's focus: all those things that Charlie, Nick, Tao, recently out trans pal Elle (Yasmin Finney), her lesbian school friends Tara (Corinna Brown, Daphne) and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell), and the quietly happy-go-lucky Isaac (Tobie Donovan) navigate as they grapple with their feelings, working out what they want, self-acceptance, and relationships both romantic and platonic. The series isn't afraid of teen tropes or rom-com cliches, such as grand gestures in the pouring rain, blissful montages and the stress of text messages, but it also isn't willing to deliver anything other than a thoughtful and tender account of high schoolers being and finding themselves, even amid unavoidable teen angst and taunting. As well as writing Heartstopper's source material, Alice Oseman pens every episode of this perceptive gem, which bubbles with warmth, care and honey-coated emotions from the outset. Its coming-of-age story and central love story alike prove wholly relatable, aptly awkward but also wonderfully sweet and sensitive; Skins, Euphoria or either version of Gossip Girl it isn't, either. In short, it's a series that plunges so convincingly and inclusively into its characters' experiences that it feels like its heart is constantly bursting with affection for everything they do, want, hope for, dream of, pine over and go through. First crushes, young love, the swirling swell of feelings that comes with both and also figuring out who you are: all of this dances through Heartstopper's frames, and marvellously. Also, when Oscar-winner Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter) pops up, she's glorious as always — although her teen colleagues are truly the stars of the show. The first season of Heartstopper is available to stream via Netflix. Images: Rob Youngson/Netflix.
For its 21st birthday, Splendour in the Grass is giving Australia the party we all wish we could've had hitting that milestone: a party headlined by Lizzo. Ahead of announcing its full 2023 lineup, the Byron Bay-based festival has just revealed one of its major acts, with the 'Juice' and 'Truth Hurts' singer set to take to the North Byron Bay Parklands stage this July. In the words of the US rapper herself, it's about damn time. Splendour hasn't revealed any other 2023 talents as yet, so watch this space — but if a fest is going to kick off its announcements with just one name, this is the one to do it with. The songwriter, singer and flautist — and Grammy- and Emmy-winner, too — will add to a whirlwind few years by making her Splendour debut. Yes, it's set to be good as hell. [caption id="attachment_750739" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Luke Gilford[/caption] Expect to hear hits from 2019's CUZ I LOVE YOU and 2022's Special — including, of course, Grammy Record of the Year-winning single 'About Damn Time'. Expect a set filled with dance-ready beats as well, in what's certain to make Splendour 2023 a fest to remember. After 2022's Splendour in the Mud — or Splendour in the Pool if you like — the two-decade-old festival could use some good news. Lizzo fans, pop Friday, July 21–Sunday, July 23 in your calendar now, and start searching for your gumboots (while crossing your fingers that this year's fest won't be as boggy). Splendour hasn't revealed when the full lineup will drop but, pre-COVID-19, the fest's full roster was always here by April at the latest — so expect further details soon. For now, the festival has also announced that first-release tickets go on sale at 9am AEDT on Thursday, March 23. Head to the Splendour website to sign up for access ASAP. Splendour in the Grass will take over North Byron Bay Parklands from Friday, July 21–Sunday, July 23, 2023. We'll update you with the full lineup details when they're announced. For more information in the interim — and to sign up for first-release tickets, which go on sale at 9am AEDT on Thursday, March 23, head to the festival website.
Ever been to a comedy fest, hopped between amusing folks tickling your funny bone, and wished you could also catch some live tunes in the middle? Or, maybe you've done the reverse — spent a day seeing band after band, but felt like giggling and guffawing to break up the music? Either way, Brisbane festival Super Fun Day wants to get you dancing as well as laughing, combining comedy and music on the same bill. The event debuted in 2022, enjoying its first-ever outing in March at Eatons Hill Hotel across two stages, both indoors and outside. And, it had such a good time of it, it's making the shindig an annual event. Mark Saturday, March 18, 2023 in your diary and get ready to enjoy a heap of talent — including headliners Dune Rats and Patti Harrison. [caption id="attachment_879216" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tonje Thilesen[/caption] Brisbane's own Dunies will top the music bill, heading home during a European tour to do the honours. As for Harrison, she'll make her Australian premiere on the comedy lineup, hitting the stage after appearing in The Lost City, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, A Simple Favour, High Maintenance and Search Party, and writing for I Think You Should Leave and Big Mouth. Also taking to the stage: FIDLAR, Ruby Fields, Pale Waves, Beach Bunny, Ocean Grove and The Reytons. More acts are set to be announced closer to the fest and, if it brings back everything from last year, you'll be able to play giant games while you're there, too, including Jenga, Connect Four and Noughts and Crosses. SUPER FUN DAY 2023 LINEUP: Dune Rats FIDLAR Ruby Fields Pale Waves Beach Bunny Ocean Grove Patti Harrison The Reytons Dan Rath Danielle Walker Frenchy & The Talent Hevenshe Hot Department John Cruckshank Juno Late November The Moving Stills Karaoke with Shaggy Knees
We could all use a bit of a mood boost and if there's one surefire way to up those dopamine levels, it's a weekend spent lazing by the harbour, soaking up a taste of that luxe waterfront lifestyle. A holiday from reality, featuring sunshine, water vistas and maybe even a private pool. Well, dotted all around Sydney, you'll find chic harbourside retreats and beachfront villas you can call your own for a couple of nights, offering exclusive addresses and hard-to-match views. We've done the hard work for you and rounded up Sydney's most exclusive harbourside stays you can book right now. Choose a favourite, pack those bags and get ready to live your best-ever holiday life. Stylish Apartment, Pyrmont Taste the high life with a stay at this next-level apartment, kitted out with luxury features and boasting sweeping harbour views. From $1410 a night, sleeps six. Cloudbreak, Mosman This sprawling hillside home makes for one luxurious group getaway, complete with smart styling, an infinity pool and absolute water frontage. From $385 a night, sleeps two. The Boathouse, Kurraba Point Set right on the shoreline of Kurraba Point, this roomy retreat features both a sunny waterfront lawn and a boat shed-turned-entertaining space. From $1833 a night, sleeps six. Harbour Hideaway, Clontarf A bright, breezy coastal escape for two, set right on the shores of Clontarf. Enjoy barbecues on the spacious balcony, overlooking the beach. From $499 a night, sleeps two. Camp Cove Tropical Retreat, Watsons Bay Your own tropical oasis, set just metres from Camp Cove Beach, featuring modern styling, a pool and leafy private garden. From $300 a night, sleeps three. Postcard View, Kirribilli A spectacular apartment on the water edge with direct view of the iconic Opera house and Sydney Harbour Bridge. With ideal views and luxe furnishings, this is the perfect stay for immersing yourself in the Harbour city. From $491 a night, sleeps four. Manly Beach Views, Manly Centrally located with a two minute walk from Manly Beach and Corso shopping strip, you'll have easy access to everything Manly has to offer - stunning views included. From $260 a night, sleeps two. Luxury Yacht Overnight Stay, Rose Bay Indulge yourself in a night of romance on board your own private French built Beneteau yacht moored in Rose Bay. On the waterfront with the Harbour Bridge and Opera House in the background, it will be a stay to remember. From $517 a night, sleeps two. Balmoral Beach Beauty, Mosman This stunning absolute beachfront apartment offers magnificent views of Middle Harbour and Balmoral Beach. From $330 a night, sleeps two. Magnificent Waterfront Living, Double Bay Step into your own peaceful harbourside sanctuary complete with it's own private ten metre marina berth, when you stay in this chic Double Bay apartment. From $1008 a night, sleeps five. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: courtesy of Airbnb
It's now been 23 years since a certain modern-day retelling of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew had us all swooning over Heath Ledger and wishing we were Julia Stiles. Yes, that'll make you feel old. And if you're one of the scores of Aussie teens who devoured smash-hit flick 10 Things I Hate About You when it first came out — and then about a million times on VHS since — you've probably taken up every occasion there is to celebrate the 1999 movie. Your next chance: Yatala Drive-In's latest weekend screening — aka an excuse to hop in the car, head down the highway and revisit the timeless high school-set tale. Yatala's movies-on-wheels site is hosting a special throwback showing on Saturday, October 15 from 7pm, which is perfect for you and your 90s-worshipping pals (because you'll pay $40 for a carload of up to six people). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVHxKeFZU1s Prepare to revisit all those late-90s feels as you catch those classic movie moments — from the cheer-worthy smashing of Joey Donner's car to that pre-formal pregnancy suit. You can pack your own food for the session (Ms Perky would definitely recommend bratwurst), but BYO booze obviously isn't allowed. Otherwise, you can make the most of Yatala's 50s-style diner.
It's mid-August, so you should probably start getting your New Year's Eve plans in order. Victorian NYE festival Beyond the Valley has just announced the lineup for their celebrated four-day festival in Lardner, Victoria and it's pretty bloody good, so could be a solid option. Just four festivals old, the Victorian festival is still pretty fresh on the New Year's circuit, starting out in 2014. Despite this, they've managed to secure a rather colossal lineup, featuring charismatic rap headliner Schoolboy Q, Sydney electro legends The Presets, falsetto-flaunting folk favourite Matt Corby, UK grime gem Stormzy, East London 'wonky funk' singer Nao and 21-year-old Channel Islands-born producer Mura Masa. Beyond the Valley takes over Lardner Park, Warragul, Victoria from December 28 to January 1. Anyway, here's what you came for. BEYOND THE VALLEY 2017 LINEUP: Schoolboy Q The Presets Matt Corby Stormzy Mura Masa Stephan Bodzin (live) Little Dragon 2MNANY DJs (DJ Set) Adana Twins Âme (live) Amy Shark Andhim The Belligerents B.Traits Crooked Colours Cub Sport Cut Copy Dean Lewis DMAs Dom Dolla FKJ GL George Maple Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda Hayden James Hot Dub Time Machine Ivan Ooze Jack River Lastlings Late Nite Tuff Guy Marek Hemmann Meg Mac NAO Patrick Topping Pleasurekraft The Preatures Princess Nokia Ruby Fields Sampa The Great San Cisco Skegss Beyond the Valley is happening December 28 to January 1 at Lardner Park, Warragul, Victoria. Presale tickets on sale Wednesday, August 16, with general tickets on sale Thursday. August 24, from www.beyondthevalley.com.au. Images: Beyond the Valley.
When Kirra Beach Hotel reopened in November 2023, a Gold Coast favourite made a comeback in a brand-new guise. And when the similarly named Kirra Beach House also launched in Coolangatta's Kirra Point Precinct in December the same year, the site welcomed a fresh spot to enjoy a bite and sip. Both are about dining and drinking beachside with ocean views and cruisy vibes; however, only one will let you and 19 mates hang out in a cabana on its northward terrace. Kirra Beach House is perched on the precinct's second level. Here, patrons can find a 1200-square-metre venue by SITE Hospitality's Dave Galvin (Kōst, Mozza Mozza) — and a spot that boasts a number of spaces within its one big space. There's a wine bar, two cocktail bars (one, Preston's, is for intimate soirées), indoor spots to drink, outdoor places to settle in, a seafood barbecue area, and room for events such as weddings and shindigs. The views at Kirra Beach House naturally feature the sea and sky — so, plenty of blue — from almost everywhere within its walls. Obviously, when you're out on the terrace cocktail bar, seeing the beach is a given (also expect to spy Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise's skylines). While you're soaking in the vistas, you can listen to DJs and acoustic tunes, and get comfortable in those three 20-person cabanas. Head around to the western terrace and a kitchen, bar and asado barbecue await, as well as foliage as a backdrop. The Mediterranean-skewing food menu by Kōst Executive Chef Sebbie Kenyon includes seafood platters both raw and cooked, plus steaks, burgers, flatbreads and pizzas. Patrons can enjoy kingfish ceviche in a citrus dressing, smoked ham hock croquettes, fried fish burgs with pickled zucchini, and burrata featuring yellow peach, aged balsamic and smoked salt. The tempura bug roll comes on a milk bun and is paired with smoked cocktail sauce — and those platters feature everything from the kingfish ceviche, bug tails and rock oysters to spanner crab remoulade and king prawns. As for the cocktails, they fittingly take their cues from holidays, with a Bahamas champagne piña colada and a Cancun spicy watermelon margarita among the options. Also on offer: house-made spritzes and Aussie wines.
Whether you're a big nature nerd or err on the indifferent side to the science of it all, chances are you've seen at least some of Sir David Attenborough's Blue Planet. The BBC nature documentary series — narrated by the man himself and accompanied by an epic score from Hans Zimmer — first aired back in 2001, and its follow-up second season, Blue Planet II, was released just last year. But the bits you've seen on TV or YouTube are sure to be belittled when the BBC brings the live show to Australia this April. Like the performances of Harry Potter and Star Wars we've seen in recent months, Blue Planet II Live in Concert will see the documentary screened in all its glory accompanied by a live orchestra. And it's a big score. The music for Blue Earth II was composed by none other than Hans Zimmer (responsible for epics like The Lion King, Gladiator, The Dark Knight Rises and Inception) alongside Jacob Shea and David Fleming. In Australia, the score will be performed by three of the country's leading orchestras and, in lieu of Attenborough, Ab Fab's Joanna Lumley will be narrating in real time. The show will travel around Australia in March 2019, visiting Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney for just three shows all up. Tickets go on October 15. In the meantime, you can watch ehe first season of Blue Planet on Netflix. BLUE PLANET II LIVE IN CONCERT TOUR DATES March 8, 2019— Sydney Theatre, International Convention Centre, Sydney (with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra) March 9, 2019 — Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) March 11, 2019 — Great Hall, Convention and Exhibition Centre (with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra) Blue Planet II Live in Concert will tour Australia from May 8–11, 2019. Presale tickets will go on sale on Monday, October 15. For more info, visit blueplanet2live.com.au. Image: Hugh Miller, copyright BBC NHU (2016).
Throw a stone in Brisbane and you might just hit a venue where flinging bladed weapons is the main attraction. The River City now boasts three spots for safely hurling hatchets. Lumber Punks in West End was the first to bring the concept to the Queensland capital back in 2018. Maniax's debut Brissie outpost in Newstead has also be open for five years. Now, a second local site for Maniax has arrived in Adelaide Street in the CBD, boasting the chain's trademark viking theme, and also spanning bar and restaurant Ragnar & Sons. Clearly, you can never have too many places to throw axes at targets — responsibly, of course — as the team at Maniax patently believe. The brand has been offering Australians this exact experience for almost a decade, after launching in 2014, compete with a Gold Coast site, two in Melbourne, plus one apiece in Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and Canberra. One of the big drawcards at the new Brisbane location, which sits in an Adelaide Street basement: the full bar and a restaurant. Ragnar & Sons takes its cues from all things vikings, as the venue around it does, and pours appropriately themed cocktails in drinking horns. As for the food, punters can tuck into house-made pizzas, burgers, and also vegan and vegetarian options. The brisket and pulled pork burgs come highly recommended, while the snack range features chips and chocolates if you're not having a meal. The Ragnar and Sons bar concept debuted on the Gold Coast, and also serves up local craft beers, cider and wine, as well as non-alcoholic sips. That said, although Maniax's Brisbane CBD locale is licensed like Newstead and the Goldie, there are rules given that you're in a place where chucking around sharp implements is the main attraction. There's a limit of three drinks per person during any axe-throwing session — and if you're under the influence, you can't join in. BYO booze also isn't allowed. When it comes to the flinging, patrons get hurling in special axe-throwing lanes, with the Adelaide Street venue featuring six private lanes with two targets, as well as 12 lanes with single targets. As is always the case, no one lifts a hatchet without being shown the ropes — and taught all the necessary safety essentials, crucially — by one of Maniax's axe-perts first. From there, folks can pick between a range of blade-hurtling activities. The chain's locations do solo and small group sessions, axe-throwing events for larger parties and also date-night options (because the couple that hurls hatchets together stays together). And, if this seems like your kind of sport, it also hosts a competitive league. As for how it all works, it's comparable to darts. Basically, you chuck axes at a board and try to hit a bullseye. Don't even know the first thing about picking up a hatchet? Again, that's completely to be expected, which is why those lessons are included in every session, as well as in the league competition. And, the axe-throwing experts are also on hand to help even when you think you've mastered the basics. You won't need any guidance if you want to sit on Maniax's warrior's throne and take some snaps — including of the helmets, shields, axes and horns around the place — of course. Find Maniax Brisbane CBD on the basement level at 79 Adelaide Street, Brisbane — open from 9am–10pm Monday–Thursday, 9am–11pm Friday–Saturday and 9am–9pm Sunday.
D4vd has officially been removed from the touring lineup of Spilt Milk, in the midst of official investigations into a dead body discovered in a Tesla registered in the artist's name. His 2025 touring schedule has been up in the air ever since the investigation began, but after quietly being scrubbed on the weekend, the organisers have confirmed their decision today as reported on Rolling Stone. The body was discovered in the Tesla trunk after police were called to a tow yard in Hollywood to investigate reports of a foul smell coming from the car. It took a week for medical examiners to identify the victim as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas, who had been missing for over a year. Burke was on tour when Rivas' body was discovered, and he continued to play shows. "Last week we removed d4vd from our website and marketing out of respect for the unfolding story," a statement reads. "We can now confirm d4vd will not perform at Spilt Milk and we are working on a replacement booking which we'll announce as soon as it's finalised." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Spilt Milk (@spiltmilk_au) Tickets for d4vd's headline shows while in the country have also been quietly scrapped. Rolling Stone AU/NZ has contacted promoters for comment. According to a previously released statement, Burke has been "cooperating" with authorities during the investigation. He has not been named as a suspect or a person of interest, nor has he been accused of any crimes. While authorities haven't identified a suspect or person of interest yet, several details about the investigation have come out. For instance, the impounded Tesla was towed from the affluent Bird Streets neighbourhood in the Hollywood Hills, with neighbors telling Rolling Stone that it had been spotted in various places. It was eventually towed from a spot on Bluebird Avenue, where sources said it had been sitting for at least three weeks. After Rivas was identified, law enforcement searched a house around the block from where the car was towed. Police left with several items, including a computer. The home's owner later confirmed to Rolling Stone that the residence had been rented to Burke's manager, Josh Marshall, last year, starting in February 2024. Spilt Milk will take place in Ballarat, Perth, Canberra and the Gold Coast between Saturday, December 6 and Sunday, December 14. For more information on the lineup, visit the website.
Snapping a few selfies over Christmas, and then sharing them with the world? Aren't we all. In this selfie-taking, uploading, sharing and Instagram-filling age, the days of only being able to spy your own image in a mirror or reflective surface are long gone. But, what if you could see it on a cookie, cupcake or even on top of your iced coffee? That's what New York's Selfee promises — and they can place your likeness on cold beverages and other baked goods as well. They've been holding pop-up events for the past six months, and are currently running a crowdfunding campaign to open their own store. At the time of writing, they've raised $23,516 towards their $30,000 goal with six days remaining. https://www.instagram.com/p/BOQBxEVAIgu/?taken-by=selff.ee How does it work, you're probably wondering? Flavourless, FDA-certified edible inks hold the key to feasting on food boasting your own picture — or another snap of your choosing. So does a quick printing method that happens as you watch, which gives it an advantage over existing methods of decorating food with your own image (such as cake transfers that have topped bakery fare for years — or online photo-printed marshmallow ordering service Boomf, which is co-owned by James Middleton, the brother of the Duchess of Cambridge). The New York shop will produce selfie-adorned cold-brew iced coffee, iced green tea, cupcakes, cookies, marshmallows and milkshakes, while an online store will ship cookies across America. Add it to your must-try list if you're heading to the US any time soon, or keep your fingers crossed that something similar pops up in Australia. (If you're heading to Asia, Selfie Coffee has proven popular in Singapore)> For more information about Selfee, visit their website.
Painting sky-high grain solos and 20-storey housing complexes is all in a day's work for Matt Adnate, with the Melbourne street artist earning plenty of attention in recent years for his soaring pieces. For his next project, he's going even bigger, taking on Perth's new Art Series Hotel — which, in keeping with the chain's tradition, will also bear his name. Due to open this October, The Adnate will pay tribute to Australia's renowned big wall artist both inside and out; however you won't need to book a stay to enjoy the site's exterior displays. In a work dubbed the 'Mega Mural', Adnate will splash his creative magic across the entire west-facing side of the hotel, painting a 27-storey-high piece. If that sounds huge, that's because it'll eclipse his work in Collingwood, which became the tallest mural in the southern hemisphere when it was unveiled. In fact, this new record-holder will stand just five storeys shorter than the world's tallest mural in Toronto, which measures 32 storeys. The Adnate's towering external artistry mural won't simply earn a place in the record books; it'll highlight the city's cultural history and community. Three large-scale portraits will emblazon the wall, with the mural depicting "the past through the cultural representation in the subject's dressing elements, the present with contemporary faces, and the future as the subjects are the youth of today," according to the artist. "What excites me most about this collaboration with Art Series is the opportunity to capture the stories and emotions of my subjects and to share them with a new audience in the west," Adnate explains. "I've always held a personal connection towards the First Nation people I paint. Whether it be a connection to country or a strong emphasis on spirituality, I believe we have a lot to learn." With The Adnate marking the first Art Series hotel dedicated to street art, its namesake will also contribute a 50-metre-long external painting known as the 'Laneway Mural', which will include multiple portraits in collaboration with a local Indigenous artist. Inside the hotel, Adnate is completing a 'Staircase Mural', as well as two original canvases. They'll be joined by up to 650 reproductions of 30 of his most famous works from around the world, which guests will spy on the site's internal walls and in its hallways. Other than a vast array of Adnate's art, the hotel will feature 250 rooms, a centrepiece pool area on its first floor, plenty of cocktails and a focus on Mediterranean cuisine. It slots into Art Series' existing hotel portfolio, which spans five sites in Melbourne (The Olsen in South Yarra, The Blackman on St Kilda Road, The Cullen in Prahan, The Larwill in Parkville and The Chen in Box Hill), one in Adelaide (The Watson in Walkerville) and two in Brisbane (The Johnson and The Fantauzzo). The Adnate will open at a yet-to-be-announced date in October at 900 Hay Street, Perth. For further details, head to the hotel's website.
Almost one year after their break-up, a film documenting the final chapters of alternative powerhouse LCD Soundsystem will premiere on January 22 at the Sundance Film Festival. Shut Up and Play the Hits, directed by Dylan Southern and William Lovelace, shows frontman James Murphy in the hours prior to the band's farewell show at Madison Square Garden. This will be combined with unbeatable footage from their epic ultimate performance, as well as Murphy's reactions and reflections on what has been an illustrious career. With a devotion to both the personal and performance aspects of Murphy's character, Shut Up and Play the Hits gives fans an intimate insight into the brains behind one of this generation's most innovative and critically acclaimed bands. The anticipation before the LCD's grand farewell is balanced with the sense of loss the morning after, giving viewers a complete experience on this emotional and artistic rollercoaster. On top of three studio albums and numerous Grammy nominations, LCD Soundsystem were able to forge a cult following which reflected their diverse sound combining disco and punk rock with a distinct indie tinge. Murphy was also the co-founder of DFA Records, home of fellow alternative favourites Holy Ghost! and The Rapture.
Haute couture. Murder. Disco tunes and Studio 54. Throw in one of the biggest names in fashion — and a tale that's filled with both glam and grim strands, too — and that's House of Gucci. Ranking highly among the most anticipated movies set to hit the big screen across the rest of 2021, this Ridley Scott (All the Money in the World)-directed drama steps inside the Gucci family fashion dynasty, charting its successes and shocking moments over the course of three tumultuous decades. If you've read the book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed, which this new film is based on, then you'll know the details. If you've seen news coverage about or can remember the events that rocked the Italian family back in 1995, you will as well. The focus: Maurizio Gucci, grandson of company founder Guccio Gucci, and the head of the fashion house throughout the 80s and early 90s — until he was assassinated by a hitman in 1995. Adam Driver steps into also Maurizio's unsurprisingly stylish shoes, in what's proving a big year for him in cinemas. He'll also grace the big screen in Scott's next film The Last Duel, which is due to release in October — a month before House of Gucci arrives in November. In the latter flick, he's joined by Lady Gaga in her first big-screen role since A Star Is Born, this time playing Maurizio's wife Patrizia. Obviously, there's quite the tale to tell — and, as the just-dropped first trailer for House of Gucci shows, Scott is going big on striking threads, 70s and 80s tunes and vibes, indulgence and luxury dripping through in every frame, and also an unavoidable air of melodrama. To help, the star-studded cast also includes Jared Leto (The Little Things) sporting plenty of prosthetics and makeup, as well as Al Pacino (The Irishman), Jeremy Irons (Love, Weddings and Other Disasters) and Salma Hayek (The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard). As the trailer reminds us, that's a whole lot of Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated talent in one flick. Check out the trailer below: House of Gucci will release in Australian cinemas on November 25.
Australia keeps going dotty for Yayoi Kusama — and this time, one of the Japanese artist's dot-filled installations is sticking around on a permanent basis. Acquired by the National Gallery of Australia earlier this year, Kusama's pumpkin-focused infinity room The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens is now on display at the Canberra gallery, opening today, Saturday, December 1. The piece was first exhibited in 2015 and last seen in Australia earlier this year, in Brisbane as part of the Gallery of Modern Art's Yayoi Kusama: Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow exhibition between October 2017 and February 2018. Comprised of a mirrored cube filled with yellow, dot-covered pumpkins, it's a quintessential Kusama work. Whether you're a devoted fan who considers visiting the artist's own Tokyo museum a bucket-list moment, or someone who has simply placed stickers around one of her obliteration rooms, you would've noticed that dots and the concept of infinity are crucial to her art — "our earth is only one polka dot among a million stars in the cosmos," she says. Inside the cube, the bulbous vegetables appear to create an endless field thanks to the shiny surface. On the outside of the cube, the structure's mirrored exterior reflects the yellow-and-black walls in the surrounding installation room — again, making it appear as though the pattern stretches on forever. The acquisition was made possible via a gift to the NGA from Andrew and Hiroko Gwinnett. "It has long-been my ambition to see a major contemporary Japanese artwork housed in Australia's national collection," said Andrew in a statement. "Kusama's playful installation is a legacy that will keep giving for generations to come." Find The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens at the National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place, Parkes, Canberra. Images: Yayoi Kusama, THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO HEAVENS 2015 — Installation view at The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara (Museum MACAN). © Yayoi Kusama. Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo/ Singapore/ Shanghai. / Courtesy of National Gallery of Australia, installation view.
It may come as a surprise but boutique fashion-cafe Denim Co. in South Bank has one of the best acai bowls going round. With a serious dose of acai (thank goodness, because after serious sampling one can tell when places are stinging out on the good stuff) the bowl, or rather, hipster-jar-complete-with-denim-bow-embellishment is both rich in colour and flavour. Tangy and refreshing it comes finished with Irrewarra granola on top (or accommodatingly switched for a crumbled cranberry bliss ball and slivered almonds). A pure winner in every sense.
He's played a shimmering vampire in the Twilight films, a circus newcomer in Water for Elephants, a photographer friend of James Dean in Life and a desperate small-time criminal in Good Time. Also on his resume: battling in the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, stepping into Salvador Dali's shoes in Little Ashes, roaming around the Australian outback in The Rover, heading to space in High Life and enduring a nightmarish seaside ordeal in The Lighthouse. Yes, we're talking about Robert Pattinson, who'll also add Batman to his hefty list of roles next year — but, before then, he's playing a creepy man of faith in Netflix's new thriller The Devil All the Time. Since leaving terrible supernatural teen romance franchises behind, Pattinson has chosen many an impressive, interesting part. Indeed, add the David Cronenberg-directed Cosmopolis and Maps to the Stars, the unnerving The Childhood of a Leader, biographical drama The Lost City of Z and Shakespeare adaptation The King to the above lineup, too. So, playing an unholy and unsettling preacher in a small Ohio town between World War II and the Vietnam war seems right up his alley. That said, as The Devil All the Time's just-dropped first trailer shows, Pattinson is just one of the film's many stars. Tom Holland leads the charge as Arvin Russell, who finds himself surrounded by sinister figures — including not only Pattinson as Reverend Preston Teagardin, but Jason Clarke and Riley Keough as a twisted couple, plus Sebastian Stan as a corrupt sheriff. In a movie adapted Donald Ray Pollock's novel of the same name, IT's Bill Skarsgård also pops up, as do Aussie actors Mia Wasikowska and Eliza Scanlen. If it all sounds rather disquieting, that's the point, in a tense feature that promises a fight between the just and the crooked. It certainly looks the part and, hitting Netflix on September 16, The Devil All the Time also boasts Simon Killer and Christine's Antonio Campos behind the lens as well. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIzazUv2gtI The Devil All the Time hits Netflix on September 16. Top images: Glen Wilson/Netflix.
Apart from being Rebecca Black's favourite day and the subject of her so-bad-its-amazing song, Friday in Brisbane is now known for Friday SpeaksEasy, an event where music industry enthusiasts can hang out, relax and talk music. We're told to think of it as happy hour for people who don’t have real jobs or are interested in that stuff. But more than that it's a convenient excuse to catch up with people who you might not ever see outside of a festival or gig and to talk to new people from other corners of the non-traditional career world. Taking place in the relaxing confides of Alloneword's courtyard every Friday evening, Friday SpeaksEasy will feature a different interview each week with a prominent figure in the business including both local to international guests. Last week SpeaksEasy made it's Friday debut with Ben Preece of Mucho Bravado. This week Maggie Collin from Golden District will be on hand to drink a beer and share her knowledge as a band manager (she's the manager to DZ Deathrays), a presenter (she's a regular on triple j) and music director (she once managed 4zzz).
If you're serious about bacon, then there's only one place to be over the weekend of Friday, August 19–Sunday, August 21. That's the town of Kingaroy, about two-and-a-half hours north-west of Brisbane. As it does every year — well, when the pandemic isn't getting in the way — it's dedicating three whole days to one glorious type of foodstuff. Whether you're keen on eating it or buying a heap of it, if there's bacon involved, it's on offer during Kingaroy BaconFest. Browse the bacon market, watch bacon cooking demonstrations, catch the smoking pork masterclass or try your hand at the tastiest eating contest there is. Yes, it's about bacon, obviously. Live music is also on the bill, as is bacon ice cream, a wine and swine evening, a cycling and running event called Rasher's Rush, and a barbecue pork smoke-off competition. Celebrity chef Miguel Maestre and Queensland favourite Matt Golinski will be in attendance, too, at a fest that deserves one straightforward but fitting word: sizzling. [caption id="attachment_854893" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nancy Jayde Photography[/caption]
UPDATE, January 16, 2023: The Menu is now streaming via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Whichever new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory adaptations hit screens in the future — beyond the already-slated Timothée Chalamet-starring origin story and Netflix's animated plans to whatever else might pop up — no one need cast Ralph Fiennes as Willy Wonka. The Menu has already done so, and fantastically, albeit not in name but in tour-guiding, court-holding, string-pulling and monologue-delivering spirit. In this slickly appetising culinary thriller, the ever-versatile No Time to Die, The King's Man and The Forgiven star plays Julian Slowik, the head chef at the most exclusive of exclusive restaurants: the fictional Hawthorne, which adorns its own private island, is pickier than a fussy eater about its guest list, and comes with a cult-esque crew of kitchen and hospitality staff. And at the eatery's latest sought-after sitting, Slowik takes his patrons through an unforgettable edible adventure, unfurling surprises with every meticulously selected, prepared, served and introduced degustation course. Getting "yes chef" bellowed his way by Slowik's underlings on command, Fiennes is a sinister delight in this vicious and delicious flick. With his character terrorising staff and customers alike, but similarly trapped with his employees in the hospo grind, Fiennes is also visibly having a ball in an entertainingly slippery role. He plays the part with the instant presence to make a room of well-paying patrons snap to attention just because he's there, and his facial expressions — his eyes in particular — are a masterclass in passive malevolence. There's a cruel streak in Slowik, as there is in the movie, but The Menu is a black, bleak, vengeful comedy as well. Director Mark Mylod (What's Your Number?) and writers Seth Reiss and Will Tracy (The Onion) know the best thing to eat, aka the rich, and turn their fine-dining factory into a savage, savvy and scathingly amusing satire about coveting $1250-a-head meals but letting the workers behind them slice, steam, stir and sweat through upscale kitchen drudgery. Babbling snootily about mouth-feel before even getting to Hawthorne by boat, Tyler (Nicholas Hoult, The Great) doesn't spare a passing thought for the restaurant's workers. A self-confessed foodie who can't abide by the eatery's no-photography rule for a single course, he's in fanboy heaven after finally scoring a booking — and doesn't his companion Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy, Amsterdam) know it. She's less enthused, and her lack of fawning over her surroundings, Slowik, each plate and the theatre of it all rankles her date. She's the least-excited diner of the evening's entire list, in fact, which also spans status-chasing finance bros (The Terminal List's Arturo Castro, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series' Mark St Cyr and The Now's Rob Yang), a cashed-up couple (Mass' Reed Birney and Julia's Judith Light) who attend regularly, an arrogant food critic (Janet McTeer, Ozark) and her editor (Paul Adelstein, The Greatest Beer Run Ever), and a movie star (John Leguizamo, Encanto) with his assistant (Aimee Carrero, Spirited). Mylod and Tracy share Succession on their recent resumes — the former directing 13 episodes, the latter writing two — which has them prepped for exactly this kind of dressing down; if you're going to boil down the one percent to size, there's no better cooking school. That background shows not just in the cleaver-sharp script or dedicated attention to glossy detail, but in the commitment to bite hard into a spate of targets. Where 2022 TV sensation The Bear carved up toxic kitchen life by displaying its chaos to a so-stressful-and-accurate-it-feels-like-you're-there degree, The Menu shreds and skewers by going after money and the performative culinary antics it can bring. That's part of what makes Fiennes' role so compelling, and his portrayal with it: the film's audience can see the pull that Slowik has over his staff and customers, and the screenplay spells out his professional misdeeds, but they also know what enables such behaviour. As breadless bread courses come Tyler, Margot and company's way, plus other just-as-precisely curated dishes — the feature is structured around Slowik's titular array — Charlie and the Chocolate Factory proves just one easy influence for The Menu. The Game, David Fincher's twisty quarter-century-old thriller, is another, with Slowik and his offsiders, warden-like restaurant manager Elsa (Hong Chau, Homecoming) included, pushing and prodding Hawthorne's latest intake unbeknownst to them. Yet another source of flavour springs from 1962 surrealist gem The Exterminating Angel, about guests at a lavish party who aren't permitted to leave. There's nothing subtle in The Menu's borrowings and nods, or about The Menu overall, but that doesn't make its class warfare-fuelled cinematic feast any less satisfying. In the hospitality realm, this cutting morsel is diligent in bringing together recognisable ingredients, too; satires, even delectably brutal ones, can't be vague. The Menu's audience can give some of their thanks to Ethan Tobman's (Pam & Tommy) production design and Lindsey Moran's (Animal Kingdom) art direction, providing Hawthorne with the style and sheen of Magnus Nilsson's shuttered Fäviken in Sweden, Ferran Adrià's El Bulli in Spain and René Redzepi's Danish drawcard Noma. From San Francisco's Atelier Crenn, Michelin-starred chef Dominique Crenn acted as the movie's chief technical consultant, overseeing dishes cooked by her IRL culinary partner Juan Contreras. Like The Bear, this vision of making and plating cuisine feels so authentic that you can imagine it appearing on Chef's Table — and, continuing the flick's credentials, that show's creator David Gelb is The Menu's second unit director. All the technical proficiency anyone can amass means little if the end result isn't mouthwatering, though, but that's a problem The Menu doesn't have. Also, an extravagant meal can wow the tastebuds but dull the joy if it doesn't feel like an experience, which isn't a struggle The Menu faces, either. As tense as a pressure cooker, as smooth as a squirt of the finest olive oil and bubbling with high-quality wares — Taylor-Joy and Chau join Fiennes among the cast's standouts — Mylod's film perfects a necessary balancing act as well. Amid silky lensing by cinematographer Peter Deming (Twin Peaks season three), rhythmic splicing by editor Christopher Tellefsen (The Many Saints of Newark) and a nerve-rattling score by composer Colin Stetson (Color Out of Space), The Menu knows the difference between the artistry that restaurants like Hawthorne champion and cultivate, and the woes, disparities and oppressions of the culinary world. One it still appreciates, the other it eviscerates, and battle between the two it scorches and sears, right down to the blunt but gratifying ending.
The downstairs bar at X & Y is now known as The Sean Connery. Here gentleman and ladies are invited to socialise in a civilised manner, sip on cocktails and lounge on the retro furniture. It's a suave sight on any given occasion but particularly on Wednesday nights when the bar celebrates Sean Connery's favourite spirit, scotch. The silky, woody, Ron Burgandy form of alcohol is much cause for celebration, which is why every Wednesday at The Sean Connery is affectionately known as Scotch Night. This week marks the fourth Scotch Night to go down (smoothly of course) and to make a good thing even better, this Wednesday will also known as Ladies Night. Not in the sense that Ladies get in for free and rowdy penis-straw drinking hens nights are welcomed, but rather that the live music on offer will be come courtesy of some of Brisbane's most talented female musicians. Delicate songbird Carry Nation, acoustic angle Jacinta Walker and Dana Hock of the all girl group The Madisons will be waxing lyrical while patrons enjoy a winning glass of scotch. Escape the chill and warm up with some lively tunes and fire-lighting scotch while you can. Cheers.
When that slice of inner-city delights known as Teneriffe was officially named a suburb back in 2010, locals threw a party to celebrate. More than a decade on, the shindig is still going strong — you know it as the Teneriffe Festival. For its 2022 outing, the event will boast another wide-ranging day of fun, aka the kind of shindig that previous attendees have come to expect. When 10am–9pm rolls around on Saturday, May 28, there'll be music, food, markets and more, all helping locals and visitors alike make the most of the bustling locale. Leading the all-Australian bill: Ben Lee, so expect a 'Catch My Disease' singalong, and also local legends Resin Dogs. If you've lived in Brisbane long enough, you'll know that isn't really a party in this town of ours if the latter isn't on the lineup. The music program is curated by the crew from The Triffid — they are right there in the neighbourhood — and doesn't stop with its headliners. Also hitting Teneriffe Festival's two stages: the likes of The Steele Syndicate, Will Wagner, The Predators, Great Sage and Melaleuca. Between stints of dancing in the street — including at a jazz-fuelled, wine-pouring riverside garden — attendees will be able to sample the area's bars and restaurants, find a feast of from a food truck, hit up pop-up beer gardens, then walk around more than 100 bespoke market stalls. Food and drink-wise, everyone from Botany, Zero Fox and Rita's Tequila Tacqueria to Siffredi's and Dalgety Public House are joining in — and more than 50,000 people have attended in previous years, so you'll also have plenty of company. Updated May 26.
Add three more names to the hefty list of big music stars heading Australia's way in 2023: Ice Cube, Cypress Hill and The Game. In what's basically a 90s and 00s hip hop and rap fan's dream come true, the trio are teaming up on the same bill for an Aussie arena tour, including hitting the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in autumn. This isn't just any old nostalgia-dripping tour, either. It'll also mark the 30th anniversary of two influential albums: Ice Cube's Lethal Injection and Cypress Hill's Black Sunday. The former was the N.W.A member's fourth solo release, and included singles 'Really Doe', 'You Know How We Do It' and 'Bop Gun (One Nation)', while the latter gave the world 'Insane in the Brain', 'Hits from the Bong', 'When the Shit Goes Down' and 'I Ain't Goin' Out Like That'. Expect to hear plenty of those songs get a whirl on Tuesday, March 28 in the River City. For Ice Cube, the tour marks his first visit to Australia since 2018, when he became the first-ever rap artist to headline at the Sydney Opera House. "I love performing in Australia. It's been four long years since my last visit and I can't wait to return for a couple of history-making shows in 2023," said the rapper, aka O'Shea Jackson Sr (and yes, his son O'Shea Jackson Jr did play him in N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton). Ice Cube and Cypress Hill will be joined by The Game, who came to fame in the 00s in the West Coast scene. The US talents will also feature Aussie talent in support, with exactly who else will take to the stage yet to be announced.
Chart-topping UK grime MC Stormzy is finally set to return to Australian and New Zealand before the end of 2022, with a slew of previously postponed tour dates being given new dates. Originally scheduled for 2020 before being pushed back multiple times for obvious reasons, the H.IT.H World Tour will make its long-awaited arrival across Australian and New Zealand from Wednesday, November 23. That's when the tour will begin at Perth's HBF Stadium, before continuing on to Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Wellington — and concluding in Auckland on Sunday, December 11. Folks that purchased tickets to the original tour and held onto them for the past two years need not worry, as their purchase is still valid, while limited extra tickets are on sale now. Stormzy last graced our shores for Splendour in the Grass 2018. In the following half a decade, the rapper has released his second UK #1 album Heavy Is The Head, which was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize; made history by becoming the first black British solo artist to headline Glastonbury; and set up multiple social enterprises including the #Merky Foundation and the Storzmy Scholarship at the University of Cambridge. The tour will mark the first time audiences down under will have the opportunity to catch Heavy Is The Head hits like 'Vossi Bop', 'Own It' and 'Crown', alongside favourites from Stormzy's back catalogue. With many of the tickets already snatched up back in 2020, the remaining spots are sure to fill up fast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ClYy0MxsU0 STORMZY AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR DATES 2022 Perth — Wednesday, November 23, HBF Stadium Sydney — Sunday, November 27, Hordern Pavilion Sydney — Monday, November 28, Hordern Pavilion Brisbane — Wednesday, November 30, Riverstage Melbourne — Friday, December 2, John Cain Arena Adelaide — Thursday, December 8, AEC Theatre Wellington — Saturday, December 10, TBS Arena Auckland — Sunday, December 11, Trusts Arena Stormzy will tour Australia and New Zealand in November and December 2022. For further information and to buy tickets, head to Handsome Tour's website. Top image: Raph_PH.
After a week that's seen torrential rain, flooding across the city, all public transport suspended for a few days and the main roads that have been open packed with traffic, getting around Brisbane — if you've needed to get around — hasn't been easy. But if you do have to head out until Sunday, March 6, it'll be cheaper, at least. Actually, whether you're catching a bus or train or driving on a toll road, it'll be free. The Queensland Government has announced that it has ditched fares on all public transport across southeast Queensland until the last service on Sunday, and also scrapped tolls until midnight that same night. Accordingly, if you're hopping on a bus or train from now until the end of the weekend, you won't need to touch your Go Card on or off — and if you're driving through toll points, you won't be charged a fee. Part of the motivation is to help Mud Army volunteers make their way around town to aid in the cleanup efforts. "We know the mud army will be moving around over the coming days, so the Palaszczuk Government wants to make that as easy and accessible as possible," said Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey in a statement. "This covers services from Coolangatta all the way up to the Fraser Coast and across to Toowoomba, because just about every community in between has been impacted in some way. Regarding suspending tolls, it's also about ensuring people can get around without paying a fee while other roads are flooded. "The toll road system provides drivers with connection to areas, which are currently cut off from other access due to flood damage," Bailey advised in another statement. That said, after a couple of days' reprieve, Brisbane awoke to rain and storms again today, Thursday, March 3 — and to severe thunderstorm and moderate flood warnings. So, heading far mightn't be on your agenda anyway. Also, the Queensland Government still advises reconsidering any non-essential travel. The free public transport fares only apply on government-run services — not through private operators — and, while both buses and trains have started services again, with the rail network resuming today, timetables aren't back to normal. As for the tolls, the suspension covers the Gateway and Logan motorways, AirportLink tunnel and Toowoomba Bypass, as well as the Legacy way, Clem 7 and the Go Between Bridge. If you're going out Brisbanites, stay safe and dry. Public transport and tolls across southeast Queensland will be free until the end of Sunday, March 6. Find more information about public transport services, head to the TransLink website.
While some interstate travel could be back on the cards for Australians by next month and trans-Tasman travel by July (according to the Federal Government's three-step plan for a COVIDSafe Australia), it looks like other international travel could still be a while off. Australia and New Zealand's borders are currently closed and all international travel is banned, and Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy has said he can't see this changing any time in the foreseeable future. Murphy told a Senate inquiry into COVID-19 as much yesterday,Wednesday, May 13: "I cannot see border measures materially changing for some time." Murphy also said that two-thirds of Australia's COVID-19 cases had been overseas-acquired and he had "no vision" of when strong borders could be relaxed. An analysis released earlier this week by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association for the world's airlines, and Tourism Economics has an equally dire outlook — for international travel, not so much for domestic. According to the report, the best case scenario is that air travel will be back to normal (2019 levels) by 2023. While it's expected international air travel will take four years to recover, the report predicts domestic travel will bounce back faster. "The impacts of the crisis on long-haul travel will be much more severe and of a longer duration than what is expected in domestic markets," said IATA CEO Alexandre de Juniac in the report. The average length of flights will drop — as shown by the below graph — as people preference exploring their own backyard, over international jaunts. So, while European adventures and could still be a while off, exploring Australia could be a possibility in the not-so-distant future. Many states and territories have closed borders at the moment, though — including Queensland, Tasmania, WA, SA and NT — and regional travel is still off-limits, but we'll let you know when that changes. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and what travel is and isn't allowed, head to the Department of Health's website. Domestic travel is now allowed in New Zealand — read more about COVID-19 Alert Level 2 here.
After 200 matches of hard-hitting rugby league over the past six months, only 80 minutes of play now stands between one team inscribing its name into the history books. The pointy end of the season is here, with the 2021 NRL Grand Final kicking off between the Penrith Panthers and the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Sunday, October 3 at Suncorp Stadium. But, it's not just the big game that you've got to look forward to in Brisbane this weekend. Hardcore footy fans can also get amongst the two-day Fan Fest happening at King George Square across two days in the lead up to Sunday's game. On Thursday, September 30 and Friday, October 1, you can celebrate the 2021 season with a whole bunch of free, family-friendly activities and entertainment. Across the two days, you can expect special guest appearances by league legends like Darren Lockyer, live music, giveaways, competitions, roaming performers, merch sales and heaps more in the lead up to the biggest game of the year. Plus, Friday's festivities will include the official 2021 team presentation — an essential activity for all Panthers and Rabbitohs fans. Love league? You won't want to miss out on the build-up to the biggest game of the year. The 2021 NRL Fan Fest will take place on Thursday, September 30 and Friday, October 1 at King George Square in Brisbane. For more information, visit the website.
For the first time in five years, artist Patricia Piccinini's floating artwork Skywhale is back in Victoria. The Skywhale isn't any old artwork either, it's a 34-metre-long hot air balloon in the form of a large fleshy animal — and it just flew high above the Yarra Valley. Taking off in the wee hours (when you were hopefully still curled up in bed) from Dixons Creek, it made its way across the Yarra River travelling from Yarra Glen to Tarrawarra. The theriomorphic balloon isn't floating here by chance, either, it's in the Valley to promote Piccinini's latest exhibition at the TarraWarra Museum of Art, dubbed Patricia Piccinini and Joy Hester: Through Love..., which kicks off this Saturday, November 24. On display until March 11, 2019, the exhibition not only focuses on Piccinini's weird and wonderful works — that tread the thin line between humanity and animal — but on fellow Australian artist Joy Hester. If the latter's name doesn't sound familiar, she was a Melbourne artist who passed away in 1960, favoured brushwork and ink on paper, and is considered one of Piccinini's key influences.This'll be the first time anywhere in the world that a gallery has explored the connection between the pair, with more than 50 pieces on display. But back to our Skywhale. Here it is floating in all its fleshy glory today: https://www.instagram.com/p/BqdGVb_l7a8/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BqdBj1Dhm4b/ If you missed it this AM, it might be taking flight once again this weekend. While the flight is dependant on the weather, if it does takeoff, it'll be doing so very early in the morning (around 5.45am). For updates, keep an eye on the TarraWarra Museum of Art Facebook page. Image: Patricia Piccinini Skywhale, 2013, courtesy of the artist, the Australian Capital Territory Government, Tolarno Galleries and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery.
In The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, blooms are rarely out of sight and petals never evade attention. Adapted from Holly Ringland's 2018 novel, the seven-part Australian miniseries is set on a farm that cultivates native flora. It dubs the women who tend to them, an ensemble from various backgrounds largely seeking refuge from abusive pasts, "flowers" as well. Whether stem by stem or in bunches, its characters use florets as their own secret language. And yet, as much as bouquets linger, getting all things floral on the mind, star Sigourney Weaver burns rather than blossoms. Fire is another of the Prime Video newcomer's strong recurring motifs, so it's still fitting that its biggest name is as all-consuming as a blaze. As seen via streaming from Friday, August 4, Weaver needs to be that scorching: this is a story about endeavouring to survive while weathering woes that ignite everything in their path. She also draws upon almost five decades of thriving before the camera, often playing steely, smart and sometimes-raging women. Her on-screen career began sparking with Alien, the film that made her an instant icon. Since then, everyone has heard her performances scream. Weaver's resume also boasts the Ghostbusters franchise and fellow 80s hit Working Girl, everything from Copycat and Holes to Baby Mama and My Salinger Year, and the Avatar saga — playing a 14-year-old Na'vi girl in Avatar: The Way of Water included — and, in The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, she's again dazzling. Flowers frequently surround Weaver's June Hart far and wide, and in all hues and shapes. With a carefully selected cutting — be it of wattle, Sturt's desert pea or other Australian natives — she can say all she needs to. Indeed, June is a woman of few words if she can help it. The shotgun-toting matriarch of Thornfield Flower Farm, she knows how to make her presence felt as much as the most striking bloom, and favours action over talk. That's what the eponymous Alice (Ayla Browne, Nine Perfect Strangers) quickly learns about her grandmother when she arrives at the property following a tragedy. She too becomes one of the farm's flowers, moving in after losing her pregnant mother Agnes (Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Hotel Mumbai) and violent father Clem (Charlie Vickers, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power). This is a tale about traumas, secrets and lies that lurk as deeply as the earth — about the choices and cycles that take root in such fraught soil, too. When nine-year-old Alice relocates fresh from hospital, her whole existence has been darkened by her dad's temper, but the determined June, her doting partner Twig (Leah Purcell, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson) and their adopted daughter Candy Blue (Frankie Adams, The Expanse) aim to shower the girl with sunlight in their own manners. You can't just bury problems, however, then hope that something vivid and colourful will grow over the top. Dedicating its first half to Alice's childhood and its second to 14 years later, when she's in her early twenties (Alycia Debnam-Carey, Fear the Walking Dead) and making her way away from Thornfield, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart understands this immutable fact in its core. When it spends time with its namesake while she's young, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart sees a slip of a kid who dreams of an escape, snatches what solace she can from borrowed books and loses her voice literally when fire sweeps in. The show's initial episodes witness the forces influencing Alice's life — some stormy, some luminous, many in-between — including as librarian Sally Morgan (Asher Keddie, Rams) and her police-officer husband John (Alexander England, Black Snow) contemplate battling June for custody. When it leaps forward to watch Alice flee all that she knows after a devastating revelation, it spies her heading to the Red Centre, collecting a stray pup along the journey, switching from floriography to being a park ranger, and falling for colleague Dylan (Sebastián Zurita, How to Survive Being Single). It also spots how the past keeps finding new routes to sprout no matter where she is or what she's doing. Add The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart alongside Deadloch, The English and Big Little Lies on the growing list of series that interrogate the brutality that too often surrounds women. Where Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan's excellent fellow Australian series adopted humour and satire, and the Emily Blunt-led series was a western, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart joins Big Little Lies in embracing melodrama. Forget the term's soap-opera connotations; the best examples understand that some stories demand telling with heightened emotions and by plunging viewers into a world of feelings, but can also be relayed thoughtfully, smartly and sensitively. That's exactly what showrunner Sarah Lambert (Lambs of God), fellow writers Kim Wilson (A League of Their Own) and Kirsty Fisher (Deadloch), and director Glendyn Ivin (Penguin Bloom) perfect in a series that's constantly probing, pondering and empathising. Still, it's easy to see how a lesser version of The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart could've played out — and how formulaic, neat and straightforward it would've proven. Thankfully, the show that's reached streaming queues always digs in, flourishes in its own patch and turns its specific elements, familiar as some may be, into something powerful. There's no shying away from the horrors that haunt the series' characters, some passing down through generations, others tied to Australia's atrocious treatment of First Nations people and many sadly remaining far too prevalent IRL. There's no ignoring the potency of its mysteries as savage events beget long-hidden truths. And, there's no looking away from cinematographer Sam Chiplin's (The Stranger) meticulous imagery, which enthrals and immerses whether surveying the Australian landscape, focusing on minutiae, or peering intently at Weaver and her co-stars. As phenomenal as Weaver is, she isn't short on excellent company in a miniseries flowering with lived-in performances. Also portraying formidable women with harrowing histories that will never wilt, Purcell, Adams and Keddie always have pain and perseverance simmering in their eyes even when they're at their most caring. Conveying the fields upon fields of troubles and struggles shaping Alice via their expressions and physicality, Browne and Debnam-Carey are both exceptional — especially the former when nothing can be spoken, and the latter while navigating another fight to truly have a voice. Those blooms that are used to communicate? The farm's women have a dictionary, The Thornfield Language of Flowers, explaining them. With its cast, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart takes a leaf out of that book, too, knowing how to say everything even when no one utters a thing. Check out the full trailer for The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart below: The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart streams via Prime Video from Friday, August 4. Images: H Stewart.
Comforting colours are here to stay, at least for another year. For its Colour of the Year for 2025, the Pantone Colour Institute has gone with "a soft, warming brown" as its chosen hue — a tone that it says symbolises thoughtful indulgence, harmonious comfort and feelings of contentment. That shade: Mocha Mousse. Before every new year hits, the institute's colour experts select a hue for the 12 months ahead — the shade that you can expect to see popping up around the place, including in fashion and accessories, home decor, design and beauty, and more. For 2024, it also opted for a calming shade with Peach Fuzz, choosing for a tone between pink and orange. Now, it's going all in on mellow brown. Obviously given its pick, expect to see this hue in food and drink as well. "Underpinned by our desire for every day pleasures, Pantone 17-1230 Mocha Mousse expresses a level of thoughtful indulgence. Sophisticated and lush, yet at the same time an unpretentious classic, Pantone 17-1230 Mocha Mousse extends our perceptions of the browns from being humble and grounded to embrace aspirational and luxe," said Pantone Colour Institute Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman, announcing 2025's pick. "Infused with subtle elegance and earthy refinement, Pantone 17-1230 Mocha Mousse presents a discrete and tasteful touch of glamour. A flavourful brown shade, Pantone 17-1230 Mocha Mousse envelopes us with its sensorial warmth." This is the 26th year that Pantone has chosen a shade to encapsulate the year to come, and this time took cues from cacao, coffee and chocolate, as well as humanity's desire to connect to the natural world. "The everlasting search for harmony filters through into every aspect of our lives including our relationships, the work we do, our social connections and the natural environment that surrounds us. Harmony brings feelings of contentment, inspiring a positive state of inner peace, calm and balance as well as being tuned in with the world around us. Harmony embraces a culture of connection and unity as well as the synthesis of our mental, spiritual and physical well-being," Pantone Colour Institute Vice President Laurie Pressman expanded. "With that in mind, for Pantone Colour of the Year 2025 we look to a colour that progresses our embrace of the feeling of our Pantone Colour of the Year, Pantone 13-1023 Peach Fuzz, into another dimension, extending further into our desire for comfort, and the indulgence of simple pleasures that we can gift and share with others." The new shade follows not only 2024's Peach Fuzz, but also 2023's Viva Magenta, 2022's Very Peri, and 2021's Ultimate Gray and vibrant yellow Illuminating before that. In 2020, Pantone went with Classic Blue, while 2019's colour was Living Coral, 2018's was Ultra Violet and 2017's was Greenery. To find out more about Mocha Mousse — and to check out all of the previous Colours of the Year — head to the Pantone website.
Yearning to create pop music that has a little more depth than your standard dancefloor anthem is Sydney's Catcall. Catherine Kelleher, the woman behind the name, speaks to Kirstie Sequitin ahead of her debut album release and upcoming performance at Surrealism Up Late. How's The Warmer Side coming along? Yeah, it's good! We're kind of in the process of mixing it at the moment. There'll be a new single out in August, September hopefully. How long has that process been going for? It seems like you've been working on it for a while now. I put the EP out around 2008, and then I started writing for the album around the end of that year. Since then I've been kind of writing and recording and working on it. It's just taking a long time for the songs to develop to a point where we're all really happy with them, and then there was a lot of demoing done and a lot of songs disposed of. Then we had to work out how the record was going to be tied together and produced and recorded. All that kind of stuff just took a while to kind of grow into something strong, but now it's all kind of come together quickly in the last couple of months and it's at that point where we're just locking mixes off and whatnot. When it comes down to the writing process - I guess that was a while ago now - but do you focus on lyrics first or do you focus on the backing stuff first? I usually collaborate with people who start off by sending me either a simple thing with a bass line or some keys, and that inspires the vocal melody. They'll normally ask me, "What do you want to make?" and I usually tell them to make whatever they vibe. I don't like sending refs or anything saying "I want you to create me this!" It's not about creating the most interesting or exciting work; usually I just want the other person to do what they do best. They usually send me a beat or something and I'll write something over it and that'll always start with a vocal melody. From there the hardest part is basically just nutting out the lyrics and that's usually where all the time is spent, getting the lyrics perfect, because you need your meanings and you need to sing it and make sure it sounds good. Then we record and mix and get the production worked in. Do you have a specific vision in mind? I know that you said that you don't tell the collaborators what to do but do you have a template of how you want them to sound? Hm… not really - they've usually already heard something I've done. With Youth [Brisbane's Luke Foskey], he knew all of it, so he would just send me stuff. But with more recent collaborations in the past six months they do normally ask for refs and ask things like "What are you listening to at the moment?" and I'll say, "Oh, I'm really into Fleetwood Mac". But you can't get someone to truly create something that's like Fleetwood Mac, so I'll just tell them what I'm listening to, and send them stuff that I've already written and that usually forms what they'll do. Most of the time I just want them to do what they already do, and I collaborate with them because I've already heard their stuff. But they do always ask those kinds of questions like "What are you writing? Are you writing something slow or are you writing something fast?" because they want to know a point to start. Then I think, "Maybe we will go fast, maybe we'll go up-tempo" but usually I stop there because I want them to do what they do, because that's when the most exciting stuff happens. I've read that you have an emphasis on making things imperfect, can you elaborate on that? I don't want things to be necessarily perfect but just as strong as they can be, I guess. In terms of the quality of work, the show… I just want everything to have the best that I can bring it. I don't like the idea of putting something out there that's half-assed. Well, not half-assed but just something that feels like it's not finished, or complete, you know? Because I've already done that, I've put out work that's not complete, I've performed shows that have been really incomplete. Now this is my first record, and I'm going to start putting on a live show and playing regularly. I'm not a complete perfectionist but I just want everything to be the best that it can be. What it seems like to me is that you're trying to work on something that's a little more wholesome than other pop music that's coming out. Yeah, yeah, I want it to be substantial. I was at the APRA Awards the other day and I remember there were eight songwriters on one Katy Perry song and I was like, "That's why these records come out so quickly! There are eight people working on this!" It's like, there's a real formula with the production and it just feels really empty. I just want things to be soulful; I want people to connect with it and I don't think you can just do that if you do it without putting any thought or care into it. It takes a long time to write a really good record. It's so much harder than people assume. Pop records especially. I mean, good pop records. Not really forgettable, flimsy, soulless pop records. You've changed a lot in the past couple of years, how would you describe your developments? Your music style, how has that developed? I think I've become a better singer, a better vocalist, and that's opened up a lot more possibilities for me for what I can write. I've started paying more attention to song lyrics and what makes a really good song. Bry Jones and Toni Toni Lee, I think working with them has really helped me develop, and being open to criticism of what I'm doing and performances and writing. And spending a lot of time rewriting and looking at what I've done and thinking about what I've done and trying to make it better, rather than being satisfied with the first thing I put down, which is what I used to do. I used to be like "Yep, that's what we're going to do" and never edit myself or look back and think, "Hang on a second, there's so many different ways I can make this better". I think that has definitely made me a better songwriter and a better singer and a better performer all round. Catcall plays Surrealism Up Late at the Gallery of Modern Art on July 29. Thanks to GoMA we've got three double passes to give away - e-mail brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au with the subject line 'Water in my veins' by Monday July 25 for your chance to win.
It's all well and good to lock in a destination and start booking your itinerary, but when was the last time you thought about the devices and accessories that'll keep your trip running smoothly? Travelling is stressful enough, so make the journey as easy as possible with practical tech gadgets that'll help you deal with the noise of fellow passengers, having to re-wear dishevelled clothes or running out of charge at the worst possible time. From odour-reducing clothing steamers to powerful portable chargers, we partnered with Philips to put together a list of handy tools that'll take some of the hassle out of your next adventure. Philips Handheld Garment Steamer This portable tool will keep you looking (and smelling) your best throughout your holiday, so you can pack light and have plenty of room in your suitcase for shopping and souvenirs. At an affordable $79.95, the Philips Handheld Steamer 3000 Series is compact enough to throw in your luggage and safe to use on all types of iron-safe fabrics, including delicates like silk. As well as getting rid of wrinkles, the nifty gadget also removes odours and eliminates bacteria, which is ideal when you don't have easy access to a washing machine on your travels. Noise-Cancelling Headphones Ditch the tinny audio and discomfort of those complimentary airline headphones and upgrade to a pair of noise-cancelling headphones for your next flight. You might not think it makes a difference, but eliminating the background roar of the plane means that you don't have to crank up the volume and overstimulate your ears, and it also helps your chances of getting some sleep. There are a wide variety of options available, from the fancy Apple AirPods Max ($899) and Bose QuietComfort Ultra ($645.95) or the more affordable Space One by Soundcore ($135.99). And with the incredibly handy Airfly device ($54.99), you can connect to the in-flight entertainment using your own Bluetooth headphones. Portable Power Bank Imagine trying to navigate an unfamiliar city with only a 2% charge. Or arriving at a spectacular view but not having enough battery to take a photo. Don't let your phone add stress to your trip — throw a portable power bank in your bag so you can be out and about for the whole day. With wireless charging, two built-in cables, interchangeable power adaptors and additional cable outlets, the 5-in-1 Universal Travel Power Bank by Snap is worth the splurge ($169.95). You can also go for a cheaper option, like this power bank by Charmast ($47.99). It offers built-in cables and outputs to charge up to five devices at once and can charge your phone multiple times. E-Reader You don't want to waste precious suitcase space by packing multiple books for your holiday, but that doesn't mean your reading goals need to be put on hold. Both the Amazon Kindle and Rakuten Kobo are able to store more than 10,000 books and last over a month with a single charge. You can take notes, highlight important passages, adjust the font size and brightness, and even rent certain titles. At less than 170 grams, you won't even notice you're carrying it around, but it'll be on hand for those quiet moments when you're sipping coffee in a local cafe, lounging in a park or stuck in a long queue. Portable Fan If you're chasing summer in the northern hemisphere, you'll need an easy way to keep the temperature (and tempers) as cool as possible. Keep a handheld fan in your pocket for long days in the sun, like this water-spraying fan from Big W ($29.99) for a chilly boost or this multi-functional gadget from Amazon ($23.99), which includes a flashlight and power bank. There are also wearable options that keep your hands free, like this rechargeable neck fan ($50.99). The convenient tool disguises as a pair of headphones while circulating cool air across your face and back. With no danger of spinning blades, it is a great option for kids. Shop the Philips Handheld Steamer 3000 Series and other products on the website.
By the time October hits, 3600 Australian pharmacies will be administering COVID-19 vaccinations with the Moderna jab. It's the third coronavirus vax to be used in Australia after AstraZeneca and Pfizer, with doses of Moderna arriving on our shores in the past few days — and now being rolled out to chemists nationwide. During the week beginning yesterday, Monday, September 20, 1800 pharmacies will receive their batches and start getting Aussies to roll up their sleeves for Moderna. Next week, from Monday, September 27, that number again will join the Moderna rollout. So, if you haven't had your jabs yet, you now have more options — both in terms of which vaccination to receive and where to get it. Exactly how many pharmacies will be stocked with Moderna in each state varies; however, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed that 721 chemists across his state will be administering the shots from this week. Obviously, which pharmacists themselves are doing Moderna jabs also varies, but the Australian Government Department of Health's Vaccine Clinic Finder website lets you find where you can get it, or the other COVID-19 vaccines if that's what you'd prefer. Moderna's vax got the nod from Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration back in August, with the TGA advising that "the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has shown strong efficacy preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and severe COVID-19 in clinical trials." In early September, it was approved for 12–17-year-olds, too, meaning that it's now approved for all Aussies over the age of 12. The Australian Government has an agreement with Moderna for 25 million doses of the vaccine, which includes 10 million this year and 15 million in 2022. Elsewhere around the world, Moderna's jab has also received approval or authorisation to use in emergency situations in countries such as United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union, the United States, Switzerland and Singapore. Partly funded by a donation from the one and only Dolly Parton, Moderna's vaccine is actually the fourth to get the nod in Australia, following AstraZeneca, Pfizer and a jab from Johnson & Johnson — the latter of which hasn't been included in the country's vaccine rollout so far. Like the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna jab is an mRNA-based vaccine. So, it uses a synthetic genetic code called RNA, which tells the cells in our bodies how to make the coronavirus' unique spike protein. Then, once our bodies have done just that, making the protein that's encoded by the mRNA vaccine, we're able to recognise the spike protein as being foreign to our system and launch an immune response against it. Two doses of the Moderna vaccine are required — and while the AstraZeneca jabs are recommended four–12 weeks apart, and the Pfizer jabs three weeks apart, Moderna's should be administered within 28 days of each other. Wondering what that the Moderna approval means in terms of boosting Australia's vaccine ability (because actually getting a jab hasn't been particularly straightforward under the country's slow-moving rollout)? Back when the Moderna vax got the tick, Prime Minister Scott Morrison advised the 25 million doses would join the 125 million doses of Pfizer and 53 million doses of AstraZeneca that are already part of the vaccine campaign. "The first one million doses is on track to arrive next month and will go to pharmacies. Then we will have three million in October, three million in November and three million in December," the PM said. And if you'd like to keep an eye on the country's vaccination rates now that a third vax is in the mix — with those rates tied to easing restrictions nationally, and on a state by state level (as seen in the New South Wales and Victorian roadmaps out of lockdown) — we've rounded up where you can do just that. For more information about the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, head to the TGA website. To find out where you can get vaccinated, check out the Australian Government Department of Health's Vaccine Clinic Finder website.
