Whether you were one of those iso bakers tending to your sourdough starter, or simply glued to MasterChef's elimination challenges these last months, there's certainly been something comforting about spending more time in the kitchen right now. And someone who's made a career out of joyfully sharing his passion for at-home cooking is The Living Room co-host and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! winner for 2020, Miguel Maestre. The Murcia-born, Australian chef is well known for repping Spanish cuisine, as well as for his flamboyant presenting style. He's the author of best selling cookbooks Miguel's Tapas and Spanish Cooking, as well as being the ambassador for Stockland Shopping Centres and the owner of Maestre Enterprises — one of Australia's largest Spanish food importers. But not everything Miguel cooks is Spanish leaning. In this live-stream cooking class, he'll show you how to make an easy, midweek meal that'll take just 15 minutes to knock up at home. Miguel's Chicken San Choy Bow borrows from Hong Kong origins and is a zesty crowd-pleaser, plus he'll show you a veggie option and some handy cooking skills along the way. You'll also learn how to whip up Miguel's Fudgy Chocolate Cake with chocolate glaze, as another family favourite. Cook along with Miguel from 6pm AEST on Thursday, June 18. The online cooking class is free to watch, and you can find all the necessary ingredients here. Simply click through to the Facebook event post and click 'going' to make sure you're updated with the live-stream link on the day. And if you're keen to share your prep ahead of or during the event, use the hashtag #stocklandfood for your chance to win a gourmet hamper worth $300. Competition ends at 6pm AEST on Sunday, June 21.
It isn't often that Americans seek inspiration from Australia; our humble shores are prone to mimicking rather than leading by example. And yet, just last week, Melbourne boys Chris McPherson and Chris Rendell launched Flinders Lane, a New York eatery inspired by their home city. "Most of the Australian restaurants in the city are like Outback Steakhouse or the Crocodile Dundee sort of vision," McPherson told the Village Voice. "We wanted to bring back what's actually there." Their venue, which opened on February 3, is full of the cross-section of cultures and cuisines that is so unique to Australia. McPherson and Rendell met a few years back, quickly agreeing on the need to plot a restaurant that would pay homage to modern Australian food. Predominately driven by a serious case of homesickness, the Aussie expats quickly set to work, establishing a spot for contemporary Australian cooking, a long way from home. The result? A delicious array of fresh seafood and Australian fruit and veg, from chef Rendell. Many dishes also sport an identifiable Asian influence — highlights include tandoori rabbit, steamed snapper in sesame broth and a chicken san choy bau. Drinks-wise, the boys aim to offer a boutique selection of domestic and international wines, as well as a seasonal cocktail list, steering away from the heavy Shirazes that characterise many stereotypical perceptions of an Australian drop. Three tap beers, including the classic Coopers Green, are also available to accompany your grub. The 40-seat eatery isn't covered with Melbournalia; its sleek, pared-back look is a more subtle nod to the city. There is, however, a stunning collection of Melbourne photography, including a massive print of namesake Flinders Lane on the back wall. Flinders Lane New York is located in the East Village: 162 Ave A, 212-228-6900. Via Fork in the Road.
If you love movies and the magic that goes into making them, it's easy to get spirited away when you head to the cinema. Come late August, however, that will definitely prove the case, because Studio Ghibli's moving castles, cat buses and cute balls of fluff are taking over screens around Australia. From August 24, the acclaimed and adored Japanese animation house will be floating across movie theatres thanks to a month-long Celebrate Studio Ghibli showcase. The jam-packed program spans all 22 of their gorgeous flicks plus a behind-the-scenes documentary. Yes, that means devouring everything from Hayao Miyazaki's early efforts such as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Laputa: Castle in the Sky, to perennial crowd-pleasers My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away, to later efforts like Ponyo and The Wind Rises. Of course, while Miyazaki might've become synonymous with the studio he helped build, he's not their only filmmaking force — as doco The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness demonstrates. Ghibli's other stars also get their time to shine, with the likes of Isao Takahata' Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, Tomomi Mochizuki's Ocean Waves, Hiroyuki Morita's The Cat Returns, and Gorō Miyazaki's Tales from Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill also on the bill. Basically, whichever Ghibli movie is your favourite, you'll get the chance to revisit it on the big screen. Plus, Melburnian Ghibli fans can also catch 15 titles on 35mm during the showcase's stint at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, doing justice to their eye-catching artistry. Celebrate! Studio Ghibli screens at various cinemas around Australia from August 24 to September 25. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the showcase website.
Queer intergenerational relationships lie at the heart of The Foundation, a major film installation by renowned UK/USA artist Patrick Staff. A combination of passive, historical footage and created contemporary dance sequences explore the exhibition’s themes from different angles. The footage revolves around the Tom of Finland Foundation, a Los Angeles organisation devoted to preserving the work of erotic artist and gay icon Touko Laaksonen (1920–1991), known as Tom of Finland. Largely observational in nature, the footage paints a picture of the foundation as a space that serves many different roles: an archive of homoerotic art, a private home, a business place and the heart of a community. The people associated with the foundation, and the work of the artist himself, represent the different generations that responded to Tom of Finland’s legacy. The Foundation exhibits at the Institute of Modern Art from 8 August to 10 October. Image: Patrick Staff, The Foundation (still from HDV, 28 mins, 2014). Co-commissioned by Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane; Chisenhale Gallery, London; Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver; and Spike Island, Bristol. Co-produced by Chisenhale Gallery and Spike Island. Courtesy of the artist.
The 21st-century has not been kind to the vampire. Between Stephenie Meyer's sparkling high schoolers, the leather-clad killers of the Underworld series and whatever the hell those things in I Am Legend were meant to be, the once noble creatures of the night have been reduced by pop-culture to cringeworthy caricatures. Bela Lugosi must be turning in his grave. Enter Jim Jarmusch, director of Dead Man, Ghost Dog and Broken Flowers, to name just a few. One of the enduring figures of the American indie film movement, Jarmusch has made a career out of minimally plotted, post-modern genre subversions, and his latest work is no exception. Mixing traditional vampire mythology with the director's distinctively aloof brand of cool, Only Lovers Left Alive is a handsome, compelling, meditative take on the lives of the eternal undead. An appropriately gaunt and pasty Tom Hiddleston plays Adam, a centuries-old bloodsucker living on the outskirts of Detroit. A reclusive figure, Adam's only human contacts are a crooked hospital doctor (Jeffrey Wright) who provides him with fresh batches of O-negative, and a wide-eyed rock 'n' roll fan (Anton Yelchin) from whom the vampire buys vintage guitars. Aside from his music, the one thing Adam cares about is his wife, Eve (Tilda Swinton), with whom he is reunited not long after the movie begins. For a while, the immortal lovers live in peace, but their solitary existence is shattered by the arrival of Eve's impulsive younger sister (Mia Wasikowska). Read our full review of Only Lovers Left Alive here. Only Lovers Left Alive is in cinemas on Thursday, April 17, and thanks to Madman, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=ycOKvWrwYFo
Christmas is coming to Rocklea, and that shouldn't come as a surprise. Since launching earlier in the year, Brisbane Night Markets has celebrated winter, mango season and Halloween — so dedicating three December Friday nights to all things festive was always going to happen. Taking place from 4pm on Friday, December 6, 13 and 20, Festive Flavours will be filled with holiday treats. There'll be old favourites, new takes on classic dishes and particularly creative concoctions. Tuck into flame-grilled turkey drumsticks, then follow it up with a pudding — or maybe you'd prefer fruit mince pie ice cream and spiced sarsaparilla ice tea? They're all on the menu from a range of food trucks and vendors. For gifts, you'll be able to browse the markets' dedicated Christmas Lane (just don't let your loved ones see what you're buying them). Because it's the time of year for it, get ready for Christmas carollers, too. Santa Claus will also be doing the rounds for the littlies. And, the markets will also be breaking out the snow machines — now that'll make you feel mighty jolly.
To fall in love and start a travelling folk band seems the impossible, unticked box on every romantic's bucket list. He wields a banjo, she sings, photos are taken, albums are released and life becomes one big beautiful folk ballad. It's impossibly unlikely for most, but for musical duo Those Folk it came quite naturally — as will your jealousy upon learning their story. He, Lawrence, was from California; she, Clare, was from Brisbane. They met in Scotland and before Nicholas Sparks had a chance to steal their story, they were up and away, writing tunes and performing for those who couldn't help but fall in love with their sound. You could listen to their songs with no context of their journey and still feel the heart of the story that precedes their sound. Between Clare's howling voice, and Lawrence's knack for just about everything with strings, keys and buttons, the talent that orbits around these two is rather unbelievable — talk about landing a catch. Now, for what seems like once in their career, they're keeping within 100km radius of home, as they tour their first album, Pacific Passages. https://youtube.com/watch?v=JBr3Bm_Z-14
Each year, Curryfest transforms the town of Woolgoolga into a bustling centre for celebrating the Punjabi heritage of the region. On September 23, the festival celebrates its twelve years by showcasing Indian music, dance, culture and of course, plates upon plates of curries. Head to the Woolgoolga Beach Reserve where the town's breathtaking Sikh temple is visible from its hilltop location. Apart from the Australian beachside views, you'll feel transported to the vibrant streets of India with all of its sights, sounds and smells. While a host of events take place in the lead up to the festival day, the main draw is of course the 170 food and market stalls that draw in thousands of visitors each year. The aroma of the brightly coloured curries will make for one mouthwatering day and a food coma should be expected by the end of it. The tents also include a mindfulness and meditation zone, along with a a special kids zone with rides and entertainment.
In a normal year, the Sydney Film Festival doesn't just host the huge city-wide event that it's best known for, but also takes a touring program around the country via its Travelling Film Festival. We all know that there's little that's normal about 2020, of course, so the fest has been adapting accordingly — firstly, by going virtual for its big attraction; and now, by launching a new film event designed to encourage movie buffs to head back to the nation's independent cinemas. Running across November and December, My Cinema My Film Festival is a collaboration between SFF's Travelling Film Festival and Independent Cinemas Australia — and it's hitting up 19 picture palaces across New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and the ACT. Crucially, the event is heading to both cities and regional locations, with different programs and timeframes for each. So, whether you're a cinephile in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Bunbury or Mt Gambier, you'll be able to head to the flicks and check out new indie and arthouse movies. When the mini film fest arrives in regional and rural cinemas from November 19–30, and then metropolitan cinemas from November 27–December 10, viewers will be able to check out Adam, a moving Casablanca-set drama about a pregnant woman and the single mother who helps her; documentary The Painter and the Thief, which picked up a prize at Sundance; and Descent, a doco about free diver Kiki Bosch. Max Richter's Sleep peeks behind the scenes of Richter's eight-hour Sleep performance, while drama Charlatan steps inside the Nazi Occupation of Czechoslovakia — and, in regional areas only, powerful Aussie western High Ground is also on the bill. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yJ4r7ON974 Across both legs of the event, 12 features will screen in total, as will five Australian short films. Announcing My Cinema My Film Festival, SFF CEO Leigh Small noted that "Australian cinemas everywhere have been struggling under the weight of COVID-19 factors such as lockdowns, reduced audience capacities, or access to films due to delayed and limited theatrical film releases globally". She continued, "this is one step we can take together to help bring audiences back to the cinemas responsibly, with outstanding films they are unlikely to see anywhere on streaming platforms". MY CINEMA MY FILM FESTIVAL LOCATIONS: New South Wales: Dendy Newtown, Forum Cinema Wagga, Scotty's Cinema Raymond Terrace, Picture Showman Merimbula, Forum 6 Cinema Tamworth, Odeon 5 Cinema Orange, Gala Cinema Warrawong Queensland: Dendy Coorparoo, Dendy Portside, Big Screen Cinemas Hervey Bay, Gympie Cinema, Gladstone Cinema Western Australia: Bunbury Grand Cinemas, Grand Cinemas Armadale, Grand Cinemas Joondalup South Australia: Oatmill Cinema Mt Gambier, Wallis Mt Barker, Wallis Mitcham ACT: Dendy Canberra My Cinema My Film Festival screens in regional and rural cinemas from November 19–30, and in metropolitan cinemas from November 27–December 10. Head to the festival website for further details, session times and to buy tickets.
Fancy staying in a room that takes inspiration from Pinot or Grigio wines? Or one that looks like a French log cabin? How about bunkering down in a space that a spy might book for the night? Or a nautical-themed abode? Maybe you'd like a room styled after Tavi Gevinson? The list really does go on. Plus, more than that, do you fancy picking from 39 unique rooms yourself? That's the concept at Sydney's newest hotel, The Collectionist. Yes, the Camperdown place is so keen on the whole 'choose-your-own-adventure' idea that it lets guests select their own rooms upon check-in. Billed as the city's "first authentic custom designed hotel", The Collectionist pushes the concept of individualised patron experiences to a whole new level, letting them nab a favourite from the assortment of designer suites on offer. Here, instead of being allocated a random suite, guests at The Collectionist will suss out the available rooms at check-in and choose exactly where they want to spend their stay. Access codes are sent via email and SMS, in another change to the standard process — and from 4–8pm, the hotel hosts welcome drinks for all patrons. Now open in a former warehouse space, the rooms are the product of seven designers from four design studios, plus 13 artists, who spent teamed up to create the unique spaces. It's a concept Collectic Hotels co-founder Daniel Symonds likens to browsing works of art, and no two two rooms are the same, with each boasting its own unique colours, textures and style. It's a great idea if you're in the mood to choose, but probably less than ideal when you're crashing hard after a long-haul flight. Or if all the rooms have already been taken by people who arrived earlier than you. Unsurprisingly, The Collectionist has also done away with the usual room number caper, in favour of eclectic names like the Queenie Fah Fah, Cloud Runner and La Chamber Noir. Just don't expect them all to be your cup of tea. "I would be surprised — and a little disappointed, to be honest — if there weren't some divided opinions on the rooms designs," said Symonds. "We have purposely set about creating rooms that will challenge the 'norms' on hotel room design." The Collectionist Hotel is now open at 9–13 Marsden Street, Camperdown. Visit the hotel website for bookings and further details.
Japanese photographer Shinichi Maruyama has captured nude dancers from an unsual viewpoint, representing their motion in a series of complex whirls and swirls. The result is an elaborate yet beautiful depiction illustrating some of the amazing movements the human body is capable of. Maruyama has gracefully encapsulated the swaying of legs, swinging of hips and twirling of arms and combined the movements to create a single, intertwined image of motion patterns that enthralls and amazes. Take a look at these shots from Maruyama's remarkable series of blurred nude dancers.
When you're deciding how to spend your next brunch — and where to spend it, more importantly — perhaps it's a case of what you'd like to drink. Tired of mimosas? Fancy something stronger with your first Sunday meal? Or, maybe you just really love gin. West End gin joint Covent Garden has been in the bottomless brunch game for a while now, and shows no signs of stopping. Here, you can tuck into gin tap cocktails — including the monthly spritz special — for two hours, or opt for a few Pimm's cups. Pimm's is based on gin, after all. For $49 per person, you'll also sip red or white wine sangria, and munch on a shareboard spread — featuring charcuterie, cheeses, pickled vegetables and crackers, plus that breakfast and brunch staple, aka bread, too. The food and drink feast goes down between 11am–5pm each week and, while bookings aren't essential, it's recommended that you secure your spot in advance anyway.
What if a trio of old guys robbed a bank? That'd be funny, wouldn't it? That seems to be the only line of thinking behind Going in Style, which remakes a 1979 flick of the same name and brings together a thoroughly likeable cast of elderly actors, but doesn't rise above "aren't geriatrics hilarious?"-style humour. Attempting to bulk up its premise with a hefty tug at the heartstrings and a weak statement about ruthless financial institutions proves about as effective as chewing steak with dentures. Sure, you can give it a shot, but everyone knows that it's not going to work. Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Alan Arkin play old friends Joe, Willie and Albert, who toiled away for decades together at a Brooklyn steel works, only to find themselves stripped of their pensions after a corporate takeover by an overseas company. But after Joe witnesses a slick holdup at his uncaring bank — an establishment that tricked him into a loan with a nasty interest rate, is now threatening to take his house away, and happens to be handling the pension debacle — the three hatch a plan to reclaim their entitlements via a caper of their own. Given the talent the film puts on screen, Going in Style probably could've worked quite well without throwing in the sob stories. Alas, the script by Hidden Figures writer-director Theodore Melfi is determined to justify the characters' newfound criminal urges in the most blatantly sappy and cliched ways that it can. Accordingly, Joe has to save the home where his daughter and granddaughter also live, while Willie is in dire need of a new kidney. Former musician Albert takes longer to warm to the stickup idea, probably because he isn't blighted with his own sad tale; instead, he's more preoccupied with his new romance with a grocery store clerk (Ann-Margaret). The fact is, Caine, Freeman and Arkin are all much, much better than the material they're saddled with. If there's any fun to be had here, it's in watching the three Oscar winners sit in a diner bickering and bantering. Any time they're tasked with supposedly comic hijinks, you're left wishing they were all in a better film; a horribly executed sequence in which they attempt to shoplift from a local supermarket as a practice run for their big heist is a prime example. Still, they fare much better than their poor co-star Christopher Lloyd, whose hammy performance might make you exclaim "great Scott!" in horror. Although he's helmed two movies already, in Garden State and Wish I Was Here, Actor-turned-director Zach Braff is still best known for starring in the small screen hospital comedy Scrubs. Perhaps it's not a coincidence, then, that his latest effort feels more like a bland, formulaic sitcom pilot than it does a feature film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6Qq3pIWMHk
Prepare yourself for a serious case of house envy. The winners of the 2017 Houses Awards have been announced and, well, it's easy to see why they won. Taking out the gong for House of the Year is the Auchenflower House in Auchenflower, Queensland. Designed by the team at Vokes and Peters, the deceptively simple dwelling was described by the jury as "the result of the architecture practice's sustained investigations into the Queensland vernacular, and the straightforward application and sensory qualities of utilitarian materials." The Auchenflower House also won the award for House Alteration and Addition Under 200m², an accolade it shared with Branch Studio Architect's A Pavilion Between Trees in Balnarring, Victoria. The Melbourne-based practice also took home the chocolates for Best New House Under 200m² with Balnarring Retreat, while Best New House Over 200m² went to Edition Office's Fish Creek House in Foster, Victoria. Check out the full list of House Award winners, below.AUSTRALIAN HOUSE OF THE YEAR – Auchenflower House by Vokes and Peters (Auchenflower, QLD) NEW HOUSE UNDER 200m² – Balnarring Retreat by Branch Studio Architects (Balnarring, VIC) NEW HOUSE OVER 200m² – Fish Creek House by Edition Office (Foster, VIC) HOUSE ALTERATION AND ADDITION UNDER 200m² – Auchenflower House by Vokes and Peters (Auchenflower, QLD) and A Pavilion Between Trees by Branch Studio Architects (Balnarring, VIC) HOUSE ALTERATION AND ADDITION OVER 200m² – Street House by ME (Burleigh Heads, QLD) APARTMENT OR UNIT – Bobhubski by March Studio (Falls Creek, VIC) OUTDOOR – Waterloo House by Anthony Gill Architects with Budwise Garden Design (Waterloo, NSW) SUSTAINABILITY – Fish Creek House by Edition Office (Foster, VIC) and Garden Pavilion by BLOXAS (Brunswick, VIC) HOUSE IN A HERITAGE CONTEXT – Jac by Panov Scott Architects (Dulwich Hill, NSW) EMERGING ARCHITECTURE PRACTICE – ME (QLD)
Anyone afraid that the team at Pixar may have lost their edge can officially put those concerns to rest. After an uncharacteristic run of (relative) disappointments in the form of Cars 2, Brave and Monsters University, their most recent effort, Inside Out, signals a stunning return to form. With a wonderfully inventive premise supported by a cerebral sense of humour along with vibrant animation and a bucketload of pathos, this isn’t just one of Pixar’s best films of the past few years, but one of their best films full stop. And yes, it is going to make you cry. Co-written and directed by Pixar regular Pete Docter, who previously manned the ship on both Monsters Inc and Up, Inside Out takes place inside the brain of 11-year-old Riley, home to Joy, Fear, Disgust, Anger and Sadness. Voiced by Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Lewis Black and MVP Phyllis Smith, respectively, the mismatched group are in control of Riley’s mood and take care of her core memories — memories which in turn create the basis for her personality. But things get more complicated when Riley’s family decide to move to San Francisco, a change that neither Riley nor her emotions quite know how to handle. Aesthetically speaking, it should almost go without saying that Inside Out is astounding. The fantastical setting gives the animators full license to unleash their imaginations, an opportunity they obviously relish. The world of Riley’s brain is one of life and vivid colour, a cartoon fairyland that you’ll never want to leave. Each of her five emotions boasts its own unique and expressive design, while the voice cast is terrific across the board. Of course it helps that both cast and production team are working with one of Pixar’s best ever scripts, one that’s not only highly original but very, very funny. There’s tons of straightforward physical humour for the kids, but the true gems of Docter’s screenplay are the jokes about the mind itself. After Joy and Sadness are inadvertently transported to the outer recesses of Riley’s brain, the return journey takes them through such territories as Imagination Land and Long Term Memory, as well as the Hollywood-style studio responsible for producing Riley’s dreams. A trip through Abstract Thinking will fly straight over a six-year-old’s head, but anyone who’s ever taken an Introduction to Psychology class will be rolling in the aisles. But the most incredible thing about Inside Out is how it deals with sadness. Plenty of Pixar movies have the capacity to make people cry, but Inside Out is about why we cry. While Joy spends a majority of the film trying to stop Sadness from affecting how Riley feels, the reality is that sometimes Sadness is the most important emotion of all. Without her, and the catharsis that she provides, how does anyone learn to cope with pain or loss? Sometimes there’s nothing better than a good cry. That’s an incredibly important lesson, and not just for the kids.
One of the world's most acclaimed galleries is coming to Australia, and it's bringing more than 70 works that chronicle the past 200 years in art history with it. For a five-month season from mid-June, the UK's Tate will take over Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image with a hefty exhibition that'll span everything from painting, photography and sculpture through to drawing, kinetic art and installations — and, of course, the moving image. Given the time period covered by Light: Works from Tate's Collection, the list of artists that'll be on display is a varied one — as drawn from pieces in the Tate's four separate sites in Britain. Art lovers will be able to see works by famed English romantic painter and watercolourist Joseph Mallord William Turner alongside the light- and space-focused efforts of American artist James Turrell, plus pieces by impressionist Claude Monet and Japanese favourite Yayoi Kusama. Running from Thursday, June 16–Sunday, November 13, the unifying theme is light, as the exhibition's name makes plain — and if you're wondering how this connects to ACMI's remit as a museum for the moving image, light is obviously crucial to all recorded vision. While Light: Works from Tate's Collection will step through art history, ACMI will further put its pieces into broader artistic context by presenting it alongside its permanent The Story of the Moving Image exhibition, which examines the origins and genesis of film and television. From the impressive roster of art and artists, Turner's 1805 painting The Deluge will make its Australian debut, while Kusama's characteristically kaleidoscopic 2005 sculpture The Passing Winter gets viewers peering into a mirrored cube. Turrell's Raemar, Blue, from 1969, is an immersive spatial environment that surrounds visitors in infinite and immersive light. And among the other highlights sits paintings by John Constable, Wassily Kandinsky, Bridget Riley and Joseph Albers; more impressionist pieces from Camille Pissarro and Alfred Sisley; and rotating crystalline sculpture Stardust Particle by Olafur Eliasson. The ticketed exhibition will be accompanied by talks, performances, workshops and late-night events, as well as film screenings. Although the events lineup hasn't yet been revealed, masterclasses with cinematographers, artist discussions, and magic lantern and 16mm presentations will all be on the bill, as will two free exhibits — from Australian artist Mikala Dwyer in ACMI's lightwell and by Lis Rhodes in Gallery 3, with the latter's Light Music also coming from the Tate Collection. [caption id="attachment_858887" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raemar, Blue, 1969, James Turrell. Tate: Presented by the Tate Americas Foundation, partial purchase and partial gift of Doris J. Lockhart 2013. © James Turrell. Photo: Phoebe Powell[/caption] [caption id="attachment_858889" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Passing Winter, 2005, Yayoi Kusama. Tate: Purchased with funds provided by the Asia-Pacific Acquisitions Committee 2008. ©Yayoi Kusama. Tate. Photo: Phoebe Powell.[/caption] Top images: Installation view, 'Light: Works from Tate's Collection', showing at ACMI, 2022. Photos by Phoebe Powell.
If you live in the Brisbane City Council, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim Local Government Areas, it has been some time since you've been able to flash your smile at people outside of your own home. Since the end of June, in an effort to stop the region's recent COVID-19 cases from spreading, wearing masks has been compulsory across the region — but that mandate is relaxing slightly from 4pm on Friday, August 20. Masks were compulsory under lockdown conditions, obviously, and that requirement remained in place when Brisbane's latest lockdown ended. Come Friday, though, the rules are changing. The big shift: if you're outdoors, you'll only need to mask up if you can't socially distance. Announcing the change — which will be accompanied by relaxed rules regarding gatherings and venues — Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said "face masks have played a big part in our ability to contain the latest clusters. A mask is a simple weapon against a complex virus." She continued: "you must wear it indoors — places like shopping centres, supermarkets, retail outlets, hospitals and aged care facilities — or if you are outside and unable to physically distance." So, you'll now only be required to cover your face in indoor spaces, while waiting for or using public transport or ride share services, at schools, and if you're outdoors and can't socially distance. Also, Queensland has a standing mask mandate for flights, airports and stadiums, so you'll always need to mask up there. And, you'll still always need to carry a mask with you. Indoor and outdoor events and stadiums can have 75% ticketed and allocated seating capacity. People in these local government areas must still carry a mask at all times and wear it when you are indoors, or when you are outside and unable to physically distance. — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) August 18, 2021 At this stage, the new mask rules will apply until 4pm on Friday, August 27. Queensland currently has 97 active COVID-19 cases, with zero new locally acquired cases reported in the past 24 hours. As always, the usual requests regarding social distancing, hygiene and getting tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms also still apply — as they have since March last year. Southeast Queensland's COVID-19 restrictions will relax further from 4pm on Friday, August 20, including regarding masks. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
Decking Latrobe Terrace with boughs of holly? That's Paddington Christmas Festival's job come 4pm on Friday, December 6. Once again, the street's retailers are combining for a one-night seasonal market that'll boast in-store festivities and a range of outdoor stalls — all the way down to Given Terrace, actually. Vintage clothes, doughnuts and dumplings are just some of the items on offer, plus negronis, wine tasting, ham tasting and everything that Paddington usually boasts. Expect the area's bars and restaurants to get right in on the fun, adding their dose of festive cheer. And, yes, there'll be entertainment and a petting zoo as well. The highlight? Other than getting your gift shopping done early, it has to be the doggy Christmas market. You'll be able to pick up a whole heap of pet accessories and gifts (and stuff for pet-loving humans as well).
Sculpture meets spectacle and acrobatics meets outdoor art when Bleach* 2024 arrives. The annual Gold Coast festival has announced its latest program, aka the feast of 110-plus performances that'll fill the Glitter Strip this winter, with Playbook among its standouts. One of several shows by circus company Gravity & Other Myths, it uses people and light to create an immersive piece about connection and life's franticness, and it's a firm reasons to head to the fest's North Burleigh hub. Each year, Bleach* makes the most of being a coastal event by setting up shop at North Burleigh, and will do so again in 2024 from Thursday, August 1–Sunday, August 11. Attendees will also kick off the festival with the First Light opening service at the same spot, this time showcasingf vocalist Mohini Cox and four-piece band The Snack. Ten, a new performance by dance company The Farm, is also on the bill. So is The Walking Track, a suite of six performance works curated by Indigenous dance group Karul Projects, which are designed to be experienced along the Burleigh Esplanade. When you're not spending Bleach* by the water, the festival's three other hubs await: at HOTA, Home of the Arts, the Broadbeach Cultural Precinct and in the Tallebudgera Valley. A range of events will fill the first two, while the third will take you to a 20-acre Gold Coast hinterland spot for three-hour show Slow Art — Sounds of the Valley. Featuring pianists Karl S Williams and Erik Griswold, percussionist Bree van Reyk and singer Christine Johnstone, the performance plays out amid the greenery as 30-minute mini concerts, complete with picnics by HOTA's Palette Restaurant. Back at HOTA itself, Gravity & Other Myths wants audiences to peer at The Mirror, which uses an LED wall and cameras on selfie sticks to ponder what entertains us and why screens are such a focus. Or there's Fourteen, Shake & Stir Theatre Co's stage adaptation of Shannon Molloy's memoir about being a queer teenager at an all-boys Catholic school; Locked In, with Shock Therapy Arts stepping into the shoes of someone with locked-in syndrome; and rockers Selve unveiling part of their visual album Red Desert Dream. [caption id="attachment_961242" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andy Phillipson[/caption] In Broadbeach, music is a highlight. The hub's tunes will again echo from a floating 15-metre stage, whether 100 Pasifika voices are forming a community choir or the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University Brass Orchestra is picking up their instruments. Gravity and Other Myths is also back again, this time with Us and All of This featuring 100 local dancers. And if you'd like to see the Nerang River lit up, River of Gold is here to do just that. Across all its 2024 locations, the Bleach* lineup continues, including with live tunes free by the beach in North Burleigh from Friday–Sunday, a daily outdoor bar in Broadbeach, and both a series of two-person performances heroing Lucy Guerin and an installation built from 21 screens that steps through 21 years of her past works. [caption id="attachment_961243" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Art Work Agency[/caption] In total, the 110-plus performances will spring from more than 30 shows — eight world premieres among them — boasting over 400 artists. "It's an incredible privilege to be delivering the 13th Bleach* festival for the City of Gold Coast. The program is full of heart, full of soul and has place, this place, our place, the Gold Coast, at its core," said Artistic Director Rosie Dennis. "With a program full of free performances in Broadbeach and North Burleigh as well as a Bleach* HOTA takeover and a special 'slow art' concert series in Tallebudgera Valley, I encourage everyone to brace the winter chill and immerse themselves in this year's festival." [caption id="attachment_961246" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shuttermain[/caption] [caption id="attachment_961245" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gregory Lorenzutti[/caption] [caption id="attachment_961244" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lindsay Moller Productions[/caption] [caption id="attachment_786592" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Art Work Agency[/caption] Bleach* 2024 runs from Thursday, August 1–Sunday, August 11 at various locations around the Gold Coast. For further information, head to the festival website. Top image: Gravity & Other Myths.
Following the introduction of Nike+, the sporting giant has created its most technologically-savvy and personalised piece of performance measurement yet. The Nike FuelBand uses Nike Fuel, a new measurement system developed by the company. This allows you to measure your data such as steps, calories and distance throughout the day against other competitors of different body types and skill levels. You can also set goals for yourself and the band's screen will notify you if you have achieved them by changing from red to green. Perhaps the greatest tool of the Nike FuelBand is its ability to sync with iPhones via Bluetooth, where the information can then be shared through social media or explored in greater depth. The Nike FuelBand also has a built-in USB drive for computer access. At midnight, the FuelBand resets itself so that all your daily information is kept succinct. Technology is now playing a pivotal role in fitness, where data is now becoming more in-depth and accessible for athletes. Such technology offers much more than standard pedometers, and Nike Vice President of Digital Sport Stefan Olander believes that this has a tremendous psychological benefit for those wanting to keep in shape. He states that Nike are attempting to allow customers to "make it really easy to level something — give yourself a goal, but then allow yourself to adjust that all the time to what you want to do." The Nike FuelBand is now avaliable for preorder in the United States, with plans to become avaliable in Europe in mid-2012. This idea of data-collection and goal-setting for fitness has been explored by other products such as the Jawbone UP, a similar wristband that also comes with an app. However, the Nike FuelBand has built upon what was criticised as one of UP's major flaws - an inability to transfer data via Bluetooth because of battery life issues. Therefore, transferring such data from the UP became much more intrusive on daily routines. In any case, the development of such devices have seen technology become a double-edged sword within modern society. On one hand, the increasing dependence on computers and iPhones have been blamed for tragic obesity levels, yet such technology can also be used as a great motivational and measuring tool for physical exercise. Certainly, we are far removed from the days where an Mp3 player was only used to blast uptempo techno music while running on the treadmill. Nike FuelBand https://youtube.com/watch?v=-eAjsFl22HM [via CoolHunting]
Playground Weekender is, for the uninitiated, a four-day extravaganza in arguably the most gorgeous festival location near Sydney, Del Rio's Riverside Resort on the Hawkesbury. We're talking lush green bush land, a sparkly river and all the trimmings of a 'Riverside Resort' - nine hole golf courses, tennis courts, riverside chalets and kangaroos that serve you cocktails. Add yoga, the Club Tropicana (!) swimming pool, cabaret, cinema, a beauty salon and a 24 hour general store, and there's little wonder if features very near the top of our list of favourite festivals. Now back for its sixth year with a cavalcade of amazing artists and things to do, the 2012 edition will feature performances by artists such as Chic ft. Nile Rodgers, Boy and Bear, Roots Manuva, Black Lips, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Unkle Sounds, Shapeshifters and Lanie Lane. If you need a break in between shows go and visit the Village Green, home to an array of food stalls, stand up comedy, and a beer and cider garden. Or, if you prefer, do a session of yoga and have a massage in a teepee. Playground Weekender takes place from March 2-5 at Del Rio Riverside Resort, Wiseman's Ferry. Want to get your hands on a four-day double pass? To win, simply subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already), then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au. Entries close at 5pm on February 29, 2012. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Z5ExV8ABNNU
Folks can't stop talking about Christy Tania. Not only did the renowned dessert chef bend minds with her 'Floating Ice Cream' creation on MasterChef earlier this year, but she has also launched her own permanent dessert shop. Opening its doors on Windsor's Peel Street, Tania's new sweet wonderland offers artisanal frozen treats for eating in and taking away. Fancy ice cream stores mightn't be a rare occurrence these days; however, as Tania's first permanent solo venture, Glacé is every bit as impressive as the rest of her artisan treats. The contemporary space offers a hefty range of frozen desserts and innovative flavours, crafted with local ingredients — such as her trademark ice cream push pops, with their layers of cake sponge and ice cream. Diners will find ice cream eclairs and ice cream macarons on the menu, because every dessert is better in ice cream form. When it comes to flavoursome scoops themselves, think creative concoctions such as boozy date (sticky date pudding soaked in rum with vanilla ice cream and salted butterscotch), coffee caramel (caramel milk chocolate ice cream with Kahlua and orange cinnamon crumble), and lamington (coconut ice cream and chocolate brownie with a swirl of raspberry sorbet), plus the zig-a-zig-ah-inducing ginger spice (vanilla ice cream with salted butterscotch and gingerbread crumble). Those keen on something more traditional can try the likes of 72% dark chocolate ice cream, strawberry passionfruit sorbet and coconut ice cream with pure coconut droplets. The fixed digs come hot on the heels of successful pop-ups in Sydney and Melbourne in May, which gave sweet tooths a taste of the flagship store's range. As for Tania herself, the chef first popped up in 2013, after famously steering Melbourne dessert bar Om Nom into its first chef's hat within just two months of heading up the kitchen. Since then, her inspired sweet treats have continued to dazzle and astound, both out of the Om Nom kitchen and during a host of MasterChef guest judge appearances, making jealous messes of audiences across the country. Find Christy Tania's Glacé at 1A Peel Street, Windsor. For more information, check out the eatery's website. By Libby Curran and Sarah Ward.
Calling all sleuths of Brisbane — again. If you haven't fulfilled your murder-mystery fix on the big and small screens over the past few years, and if you missed a whodunnit play hailing from the one and only Agatha Christie back in 2022, then you'd best make a new date with The Mousetrap. Here are two questions for you to solve before you get there: why is it a big deal when is it coming your way once more? The answers: as well as being penned by Christie, it's the world's longest-running play; and after last year's season proved such a hit — and a sellout — it's returning to Brisbane from Friday, May 26–Saturday, June 10. Initially premiering in London's West End in 1952, The Mousetrap has been treading the boards in the UK ever since, only pausing during to pandemic venue closures. When theatres reopened in Britain, so did the show. Indeed, when it arrived in Australia last year, The Mousetrap did so 70 years to the month that it first debuted. Unsurprisingly, that hefty run means that the show has enjoyed the longest stint for any West End production, and for any play anywhere in the world. So far, there's been more than 28,500 London performances. To answer the other obvious question, yes, it's all about an unexpected death. The murder-mystery starts with news of a killing in London — and with seven people snowed in at a guest house in the country. They're strangers, which is classic Christie. When a police sergeant arrives on skis, they're told that the murderer is among them (which, again, is vintage Christie). They all have wild pasts, too, and all those details are spilled as they're interrogated, and also try to work out who among them is the killer. Those guests at Monkswell Manor include a pair of newlyweds who run the house, a spinster, an architect who is handy in the kitchen, a retired Army major, a man who says his car has overturned in a drift, and a jurist. Naturally, there's another death as they're all puzzling it over — and a twist conclusion, which audiences have been requested not to reveal after leaving the theatre for seven decades now. Again, it's all Christie all over, which'll be evident if you've seen the recent film versions of Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile — or the original cinema adaptations, or read the books, or devoured anything else that Christie ever wrote. And, if you caught 2022's See How They Run, you'll be more than a little familiar with The Mousetrap as well. This theatre work started as a short radio play, which was written as a birthday present for Queen Mary. It aired in 1947 under the name Three Blind Mice, after which Christie rewrote it as a short story, then adapted it again for the stage as The Mousetrap. And no, there isn't a movie of it — because Christie stipulated that it can't leap to the screen until at least six months after the West End production closes. Clearly, that hasn't happened yet. In Australia, the play boasts Robyn Nevin directing and John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia producing. Cast-wise, Anna O'Byrne (My Fair Lady, Love Never Dies) is Mollie Ralston, who owns Monkswell Manor, and Alex Rathgeber (Anything Goes, The Phantom of the Opera) is Giles Ralston, Mollie's husband. Also featuring: Laurence Boxhall (As You Like It, Jumpy) as Christopher Wren, a young guest; Geraldine Turner (Present Laughter, Don's Party) as Mrs Boyle, a former magistrate; Adam Murphy (Shakespeare in Love, Aladdin) as retired British military officer Major Metcalf; and debutant Charlotte Friels as the aloof Miss Casewell. Gerry Connolly (Cyrano de Bergerac, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui) pops up, too, as unexpected guest Mr Paravicini, and Tom Conroy (Jasper Jones, My Brilliant Career) plays Detective Sergeant Trotter. Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap will hit QPAC's Playhouse in Brisbane from Friday, May 26–Saturday, June 10. For further details, head to the play's website. Images: Brian Gleach.
One of the reasons that it's so easy to lose yourself at teamLab Borderless, the acclaimed and hugely popular Tokyo digital art gallery that should be at the top of every visitor to Japan's must-visit list, is the way that its stunning sights keep moving around you. No one just looks at art here — they're truly immersed in it. At RISING 2025, expect that same sensation. When Melbourne's annual winter arts festival returns, expect to step into a field of red beams, too. Whether you're a local or hitting up the Victorian capital just for the fest, expect to never see The Capitol the same way again as well. After first announcing that it'd be getting swinging in 2025 — at mini golf, that is, courtesy of an art exhibition that's also a nine-hole mini-golf course that's taking over Flinders Street Station Ballroom — RISING has unveiled its full program. Hailing from teamLab alum Shohei Fujimoto, intangible #form is a massive highlight. The Japanese artist's free installation will take over The Capitol each evening complete with all of that crimson lighting, which'll respond to your movement. Sparking the feeling losing yourself in its beams and hues is 100-percent the piece's aim. With 65 events featuring 327 artists on RISING's 2025 lineup between Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15, intangible #form is just one of the fest's standouts this year. Another comes courtesy of Suki Waterhouse playing her first-ever Aussie shows, which you can only see in Melbourne at the fest. After proving a drawcard in 2024, Yasiin Bey is returning to RISING in 2025, this time joined by Talib Kweli. Still on tunes, Portishead's Beth Gibbons, Aotearoa favourite Marlon Williams, septuagenarian grime stars Peter Bowditch and Basil Bellgrave, Black Star, RONA, Soccer Mommy and Japanese Breakfast are also on the bill — as is the return of eight-hour music fest-meets-block party Day Tripper, with DIIV, Mount Kimbie, Annie and the Caldwells, Bktherula, Paul St Hilaire and Bad Vacation taking to the stage. [caption id="attachment_994703" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mathieu Bitton[/caption] If you haven't seen Hedwig and the Angry Inch before, this is your chance to redress that gap in your theatregoing, with this new Australian production of the rock musical starring Filipino Australian singer Seann Miley Moore. And if you've ever wondered if you could manage to sit still — completely — for 90 minutes, Woopsyang's "do nothing" challenge is part of RISING, and asking festival attendees to participate. Or, catch the Australian premiere of Olivier-winning hip-hop dance work BLKDOG by Botis Seva — and then grab a seat for The Wrong Gods, a new piece by S Shakthidharan, the playwright behind RISING 2024's Counting and Cracking. Celebrating Divinyls legend Chrissy Amphlett via cabaret, hearing sound artist Sara Retallick dive deep into The City Baths as a composition space, dancing again at the return of SHOUSE's Communitas, spotting Melbourne Art Trams' latest iteration rolling around town, embracing a playful stage musing on heartbreak with the appropriate soundtrack: that's all on offer, too. [caption id="attachment_994693" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ryan Cara[/caption] Also on the agenda: peering at large-scale projections that champion Yorta Yorta ancestral connections as they flicker across Hamer Hall, all thanks to Moorina Bonini; discovering what happens when time and sound bend in the void beneath Federation Square; watching six performers work through 36 Shakespeare plays using household objects; and another date with the Bard, with Hamlet staged by a neurodiverse cast. BLOCKBUSTER, also at Fed Square, looks set to live up to its name, giving RISING a free ode to South Asian culture. Think: street food, Pakistani R&B, Punjabi rap, art trucks, workshops and more. To similarly feel spoiled for choice while hitting up just one part of the festival's program, head to Night Trade, which is again part of the program, bringing street, karaoke and microbars to a late-night art market between Capitol Arcade and Howey Place. The list goes on — including Soda Jerk switching from bringing TERROR NULLIUS and Hello Dankness to the big screen to designing a mini-golf hole for the aforementioned Swingers: The Art of Mini Golf. [caption id="attachment_994700" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Woopsyang[/caption] "RISING is about breaking conventions — bringing wild, intimate and unexpected creativity into the heart of Melbourne," said the event's Co-Artistic Directors Hannah Fox and Gideon Obarzanek, announcing 2025's lineup. "We are a festival of art music and performance that is proudly challenging and uncompromisingly inclusive. This year, audiences are invited to navigate a storm of lasers in the prismatic fantasy of the Capitol Theatre, swim through a composition of tactile sound in the City Baths, join in an audio-visual experiment deep under the ground of our town square or compete in the defiant act of doing nothing." [caption id="attachment_994704" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mandy Wu[/caption] [caption id="attachment_994692" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Netti Habel[/caption] [caption id="attachment_994695" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Marr[/caption] [caption id="attachment_994702" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugene Hyland[/caption] [caption id="attachment_994691" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Remi Chauvin[/caption] [caption id="attachment_994699" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Katsuyuki Seki[/caption] RISING 2025 runs from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 across Melbourne. Head to the event's website for further information.
Everyone remembers studying ancient Egyptian history in school. Pyramids, pharaohs, boy kings, mummification: they aren't easily forgotten. Your next chance to explore this chapter of the past will get you walking through works from centuries ago, covering the time of Tutankhamun, Ramses II, Nefertari, Khufu and even Alexander the Great, all as part of an impressive exhibition at Melbourne's NGV International called Pharaoh. Meet the venue's midyear blockbuster for 2024, which will fall into Victoria's annual Melbourne Winter Masterpieces season. Following on from 2023's Pierre Bonnard: Designed by India Mahdavi, this middle-of-the-calendar spectacular will run from Friday, June 14–Sunday, October 6 and feature items from the British Museum. That loan is quite significant, too, with Pharaoh including the venue's biggest-ever borrowing of ancient Egyptian jewellery, as well as pieces that previously haven't been shown. [caption id="attachment_918948" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Statue of Ramses II as a high-priest, Abydos, Egypt, 19th Dynasty, reign of Ramses II, about 1279-1213 BC, Limestone, H 171cm, W 71.5cm, D 98cm, © The Trustees of the British Museum.[/caption] In total, more than 500 works will be on display as the NGV peers back at Egypt from the 1st Dynasty to the Roman era — so, from around 3000 BCE to the 4th century CE. Expect to see plenty of gleaming artefacts given that focus on ancient Egyptian jewellery. The exhibition will also span coffins and other funerary items, as well as examples of architecture spanning tombs, temples, and also massive monuments and sculptures. "Pharaoh seeks to introduce a new generation of visitors to the perennially fascinating visual culture of ancient Egypt through an unprecedented exhibition of sculpture, architecture, jewellery and more from the British Museum in London," said NGV Director Tony Ellwood AM, announcing the exhibition. "The NGV's exhibition will place precedence on the exceptional craftsmanship of the ancient Egyptians, highlighting their refined artistic sensibility and technical skill." [caption id="attachment_918946" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shabti of Pharaoh Sety I, Tomb of Sety I, Valley of the Kings, Thebes, Egypt, 19th Dynasty, reign of Sety I, about 1294-1279 BC, Blue faience, H 22.8 cm, W 9.6 cm, D 9.6 cm, © The Trustees of the British Museum.[/caption] Among the specific highlights, a hefty wall from a 2.5-metre-high, three-metre-wide limestone wall from a mastaba tomb dating back to the Old Kingdom is one of them — complete with hieroglyphic texts carved into the surface. Also going big: a huge fist made of stone from a statue of Ramses II that hails from Memphis, in the temple of Ptah, and weighs in at almost 1.5 tonnes. Still on that particular ruler, Pharaoh will feature an enormous limestone statue of Ramses II that shows him as a high priest. Visitors will also be able to see a seated statue of Sety II, Ramses II's grandson, which is also notable for being one of the most complete sculptures that still exist from the time. Or, check out Pharaoh's oldest item, a five-centimetre-wide ivory label that shows the 1st Dynasty's King Den. Jumping forward, a green siltstone head of the 18th Dynasty's Tuthmose III wearing the cobra headdress will also feature. [caption id="attachment_918943" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ivory label with King Den, Abydos, Egypt, 1st Dynasty, about 2985 BC, Ivory, H 4.5cm, W 5.3cm, D 0.3cm, © The Trustees of the British Museum.[/caption] Among the gold, silver and gemstone-studded jewellery, everything from rings and necklaces to collars and girdles will be on display — and as sourced from tombs, so will amulets that were placed to protect the deceased, to examine the role that adorning bodies played in ancient Egyptians' beliefs about the afterlife. Pharaoh won't just focus on jewels used after death, however, with pieces from places such as Akhenaten's royal city Amarna also part of the exhibition as it examines everyday life. Still on royals, the showcase will boast objects from Deir el-Medina, where the craftspeople who were responsible for carving and decking out the Valley of the Kings' royal tombs resided. Here, attendees will see letters, notes, sketches and poems carved on limestone fragments. "The British Museum's collection of ancient Egyptian objects — one of the most comprehensive outside of Egypt — tells the fascinating story of life and death in the ancient Nile Valley in unparalleled depth and breadth. We are thrilled to be able to share the collection with the Australian public and celebrate the extraordinary artistry of the ancient Egyptians with a new international audience," added Daniel Antoine, the British Museum's Keeper, Egypt and Sudan. While Pharaoh is exclusive to Melbourne, it's about to become a great time to step back to this chapter in the past Down Under, with Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs also on the way to the Australian Museum in Sydney to display more 181 rare artefacts and treasures. [caption id="attachment_918944" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ornament of a winged scarab holding a sun-disc, Provenance unknown, possibly Thebes, Egypt, 12th Dynasty, reign of Senusret II, about 880-1874 BC, Electrum, lapis lazuli, cornelian and feldspar, H 1.8cm, W 3.5cm, D 3cm , © The Trustees of the British Museum.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_918947" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Statue of a lion erected by Amenhotep III, reinscribed by Tutankhamun, Gebel Barkal, Sudan, 18th Dynasty, reign of Amenhotep III, about 1390-1352 BC, Red granite, H 117cm, W 216cm, D 93cm, © The Trustees of the British Museum. [/caption] [caption id="attachment_918942" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Head of colossal statue, probably of Amenemhat III Bubastis, Egypt 12th Dynasty, reign of Amenemhat III, about 1854-1808 BC Granodiorite H 83cm, W 85cm, D 71cm © The Trustees of the British Museum.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_918950" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ostracon showing Khnummose worshipping Meretseger, Deir el-Medina, Egypt, 19th–20th Dynasty, about 1295-1069 BC, Limestone, H 16.5 cm, W 20.2 cm, © The Trustees of the British Museum.[/caption] Pharaoh will display at NGV International on St Kilda Road, Melbourne from Friday, June 14–Sunday, October 6, 2024 — head to the NGV website for further details and tickets. Top image: Plaque of Amenemhat IV, Probably Byblos, Lebanon, 12th Dynasty, reign of Amenemhat IV, about 1808- 1799 BC, Gold, H 2.9 cm, W 3.1 cm, D 0.1 cm, © The Trustees of the British Museum.
There's nothing like getting out into the sunshine with your mates, a jug of beer and a few hours on the green to make for an awesome arvo. Since 1930, Coorparoo Bowls Club has been a go-to bowlo for locals to play, drink, dance and eat. The heritage-listed building is a much-loved hangout for the community, regardless of whether you're a newbie bowler or an old hat. Live music is thrown into the mix here every weekend with local soloists and bands playing to Sunday sessions from 2–6pm. The club also hosts weekly trivia on Thursday nights and glow-in-the-dark bowls after dark. Images: Kiel Wode
Mother once said: "If you've nothing nice to say, say nothing at all." On that basis, it's likely The Counselor will receive little to no press coverage whatsoever. To begin with, then, something nice. When production first began, this movie was promise itself. Potential made manifest. One of those films where every ingredient seemed perfect: directed by Ridley Scott, written by Cormac McCarthy and starring everyone you've ever heard of. Then something went wrong. Badly. In fact, in that respect the film closely reflects the story of the film, where a well-conceived drug deal completely falls apart to the ruin of many. To suggest, however, that this was Scott's masterful meta-direction would be far too generous. No, in more realistic terms, The Counselor is simply an incoherent piece of crap. It opens with a sex scene, and a none-too-subtle one at that. But just as it is in real life, sex in film requires at least a modicum of foreplay. With the darkness of the cinema only seconds old and the choc-tops largely intact, the audience was still drier than the days-old popcorn kneaded into the lining of its seats. Why this scene was in there, let alone as the movie's opener, remains entirely unclear. If its goal was to establish Penelope Cruz as a sexy woman, then Scott should probably have taken that 'as read'. If it was to set Michael Fassbender up as someone who likes to talk dirty, please break the emergency glass and retrieve your copy of Shame. Then comes the second scene (don't worry, this won't be a scene by scene account — nobody's that cruel), during which yet another crazy-haired Javier Bardem character sits alongside a cheetah-tattooed, gold-toothed, hombre-haired Cameron Diaz as they watch an actual cheetah hunt its prey. In case you missed it: yes, that's a metaphor. Then Bardem says, "Don't you think that's a bit cold?" to which Diaz replies, "The truth has no temperature." Together they stare off into the distance, as if silently aware that way off in that distance, the audience is already laughing at them. Finally, the third scene. Fassbender now discusses the purity and majesty of diamonds with a diamond expert in Amsterdam. Their attention turns to a particularly beautiful specimen which the expert calls his "cautionary diamond", saying "The flaws are there, but they are not visible." So, as the saying never goes: just like a diamond, getting involved with Mexican drug cartels might seem like perfection, but in the end one should exercise caution, because Mexican drug cartels are actually terrifically hard and can cut things. Ridiculous as it sounds, that is honestly the closest The Counselor gets to having a point: don't get involved with Mexican drug cartels, because it will probably end badly. There really isn't a whole lot more to say about this movie. Almost tragically, Cruz's performance is magnificent, representing one of The Counselor's few redeemable features. Bardem is similarly impressive, but everyone else either phones it in (Brad Pitt) or gets buried under impossibly dense dialogue (Diaz's script is, almost without exception, stupefying). With Scott at its helm, of course it looks fantastic and the action sequences are suitably menacing, but as the credits roll you find yourself shaking your head and wondering: what the hell was that actually about? https://youtube.com/watch?v=6ML50I0mVHY
Most humans love burgers, however, if you like protein between two pieces of bread but you're not fond of animal products, getting your fix can be tricky. Enter MooFree Burgers, the new Brisbane burger joint and food van from the folks behind Charlie's Raw Squeeze that only serves up meat-less fare. If you've been looking for an alternative to the token mushroom burgs and veggie patties that many greasy spoons offer, albeit with the best of intentions, this is it. Now open at North Lakes, slated to add Maroochydore, Labrador and Redbank Plains stores to the fold, and soon slinging its wares around the rest of the south-east Queensland courtesy of their own meals-on-wheels offshoot, too, MooFree Burgers is all about 100 percent vegan burgers, sliders and chips. Yes, that includes a stacked mushroom burger, as well as the requisite smashed patty of diced and sliced vegetables, but the menu does more than your average vego option. Pulled smoked jackfruit burger, anyone? House-made falafel with grilled eggplant, capsicum and sautéed kale? How about a Mexican concoction oozing salsa and corn chips? Or hashbrowns and beetroot, together at last? MooFree also caters for dairy and gluten intolerances, making it a haven for those with specific dietary requirements. And because no burger place is complete without a stomach-testing option — even one focused on plant-based foods — you can also feast on a massive monster burg that layers three single burgers into one. Find MooFree Burgers at 53 Endeavour Boulevard, North Lakes. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for further details.
Fashion, art, homewares and handcrafted goods as far as the eye can see — that's The Village Markets. A Gold Coast favourite ever since setting up shop over a decade ago, this regular browsing and buying mecca combines a specially curated stall lineup with food, drinks, live local music and creative workshops, plus a super relaxed vibe. In fact, TVM hasn't just spent ten years slinging wares. On Sunday, October 1, this market is celebrating its 15th birthday. How? With a birthday festival that's worth driving down the highway to Burleigh Heads for from 8.30am–1pm. Given how the year is creeping by, the event will be perfect for anyone looking for a gift — for others, and for themselves — as Christmas approaches. TVM usually boasts everything from colourful dresses to luxe jewellery and accessories for your pupper across its stalls, plus its famed pre-loved designer and vintage rack sales. Seeing that this is a birthday, there'll be even more sellers than usual, including success stories from over the years. And, expect bites to eat, live tunes, workshops and special offers, too. Images: Soda Photography.
From the people who brought us Firefly, Cicada and The Cutting Board comes a new edition to Brisbane's riverside precinct that promises to revolutionise your standard workday lunch. This is HIVE Coffee and Eat House, opening today. Though the new cafe is located in the Riverside Centre, you can expect anything but the usual food court fare. The innovative approach to fresh, home-style cooking that we've come to love from The Cutting Board has inspired the gluten-free, vego- and paleo-friendly menu at the new eatery, where a white-on-white interior is set against front-and-centre views of the river and Story Bridge. While the breakfast menu covers both regular favourites and more inventive options, lunchtime is when HIVE really comes into its own. Designed to cater both for eating on the go and eating in, the diversity of the midday menu will impress CBD workers tired of the same-old-same-old. Here, you can choose between 'Cuts from the Oven', a meaty selection of slow-cooked beef brisket, lamb shoulder, schnitzels, meatballs and pastas with sides from the salad bar. Alternatively, opt for something from the speciality sandwich menu — think chorizo, sauerkraut and red peppers (The Spaniard) or smoked chicken, aioli, pickles and slaw (The Pier). And don't forget the burger options — with Brisbane being burger mad, HIVE offers up three varieties, including the Signature Hive Burger. Find HIVE Coffee & Eat House in the Riverside Centre Food Court, 123 Eagle Street, Brisbane City. Open from 6:30am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
Music lovers Down Under are accustomed to bands only playing in parts of Australia and New Zealand, sparking fan travel plans to other cities. When Coldplay brought their Music of the Spheres world tour this way on Saturday, November 18–Sunday, November 19, it did so only at an exclusive Perth leg of the tour that marked their only stop in this neck of the woods for 2023. Start getting excited about 2024, however — because Coldplay already have. It'll be all yellow in Melbourne for two October dates next year, then in Sydney for a pair of November shows — and also in Auckland for a one-night visit the same month. The Chris Martin-fronted band will play Marvel Stadium on Wednesday, October 30–Thursday, October 31, then Accor Stadium across Wednesday, November 6—Thursday, November 7, before heading to Eden Park on Wednesday, November 13. Coldplay's current tour kicked off in March 2022, meaning that the band will have been on the road for almost three years when they make their return to Australia and Aotearoa. Packed stadiums have also been awaiting; every show between now and October 2024 has already sold out, with the group playing Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore, Bangkok, Athens, Bucharest, Budapest, Lyon, Rome, Düsseldorf, Helsinki, Munich, Vienna and Dublin before their return trip Down Under. So far, over nine million tickets have been sold since the beginning of the tour. When they take to the stage in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland, the British band will play their first shows in each city since 2016. Fans can look forward to a setlist that covers Coldplay's 26-year history — 27 by the time those October and November 2024 dates roll around — including everything from 'Clocks', 'Fix You' and 'Sparks' to 'A Sky Full of Stars', 'Viva la Vida' and 'The Scientist. PinkPantheress and Emmanuel Kelly will be on supporting duties — and the tour's infinity tickets will be back, releasing at a later date and letting fans attend for $32 per ticket. COLDPLAY 'MUSIC OF THE SPHERES' WORLD TOUR AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND DATES 2024: Wednesday, October 30–Thursday, October 31 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Wednesday, November 6—Thursday, November 7 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Wednesday, November 13 — Eden Park, Auckland Coldplay will tour Australia and New Zealand in October and November 2024, with pre-sale tickets available from 10am local time on Wednesday, November 29 and general sales from 10am local time on Friday, December 1. Head to the Coldplay website for further details and to register for the pre sale. Images: Anna Lee.
Laughing in a doubled-over, can't breathe, feels-like-you-have-a-stitch kind of way isn't a planned thing. It happens spontaneously. It happens without warning. It happens at times and from sources you mightn't expect. That's what Brisbane Comedy Festival's After Hours component is all about — making the humorous magic happen in a different fashion, away from the usual routines, well-oiled jokes and hilarious shows that unleash the same comic gems night after night. Taking over the Brisbane Powerhouse Turbine Studio on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the fest, this always-changing late-night show is a chance for everyone involved to get loose. As for who that might be each evening, well, that's part of the surprise. This is one of our top picks for this year's Brisbane Comedy Festival. Read the whole list. Image: Studio Impressions/Brisbane Powerhouse.
In 1946, a 26-year-old Mr. Howard H. Scott was discharged from the Army, got a job at Columbia Masterworks and was assigned to a top-secret project - developing a long-playing record to replace the 78 rpm. disc, which could hold about four minutes of music on each brittle shellac side. What resulted was the Long Player. From The Dark Side of the Moon to Nevermind, the LP has since held home to some of our most appreciated music milestones – and there's no better mark of appreciation than witnessing a band cover an LP from start to finish. Now, after a stellar series in 2012, The Long Player Sessions are back for round 2 at the Brisbane Powerhouse. Your favourite LPs will be given the royal treatment by a series of bands who recognise the responsibility they hold in their hands. Danny Widdicombe and Friends kick of these season with Jimi Hendrix’s Bold as Love, followed by The Last hotel performing The Black Crowes’ Southern Harmony Musical Companion in one evening of entertainment. Watch and listen as some of modern talents breathe fresh air into a few classics at the Powerhouse's returning Long Player Session.
"It's a shock to the system. It's a change to the everyday, regular routine. It's where the unhappy gene comes out — and it's a sign of the times today." That's the gloriously candid and empathetic Sandra Pankhurst on trauma, a topic she has literally made her business. Later in Clean, the documentary that tells her tale, she describes herself as a "busy nose and a voyeur"; however, that's not what saw her set up Melbourne's Specialised Trauma Cleaning. For three decades now, her company has assisted with "all the shitty jobs that no one really wants to do," as she characterises it: crime-scene cleanups, including after homicides, suicides and overdoses; deceased estates, such as bodies found some time after their passing; and homes in squalor, to name a few examples. As she explains in the film, Pankhurst is eager to provide such cleaning services because everyone deserves that help — and because we're all just a couple of unfortunate turns away from needing it. The 2008 movie Sunshine Cleaning starring Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) and Emily Blunt (Jungle Cruise) fictionalised the trauma-cleaning realm; if that's your touchstone at the outset of Clean, prepare for far less gloss, for starters. Prepare for much more than a look at a fascinating but largely ignored industry, too, because filmmaker Lachlan Mcleod (Big in Japan) is as rightly interested in Pankhurst as he is in her line of work. Everything she says hangs in the air with meaning, even as it all bounces lightly from her lips ("life can be very fragile", "every dog has its day, and a mongrel has two" and "life dishes you out a good story and then life dishes you out a shit one" are some such utterances). Everything feels matter of fact and yet also immensely caring through her eyes, regardless of the situation that her Frankston-headquartered employees are attending to. Sometimes, STC does confront harrowing and grimy messes that could be ripped straight out of a crime drama, but ensuring that the families don't have to swab up themselves after a gory incident is a point of pride. Sometimes, it aids people with disability or illness by playing housekeeper when they can't, or sorts through a lifetime of possessions when someone has turned to hoarding. There's no judgement directed anyone's way, not by Pankhurst or the crew of committed cleaners who've formed a family-like bond under her watch. It takes a particular sort of person to do this gig, everyone notes, and the group is as sensitive and considerate as their boss because most have experienced their own hardships. They can also see what she sees: "everyone's got trauma; it's not the demographic, it's the circumstance". Pankhurst's company and tale isn't new to the public eye, thanks to Sarah Krasnostein's award-winning 2018 book The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life in the Business of Death, Decay and Disaster — and both there and here, the role she has played and the fortitude she has displayed while sifting through her own personal traumas earns merited attention. Mcleod keeps his focus on STC for the film's first third, aided by Pankhurst's frank insights, but the many layers to the business, its workers and its clients are paralleled in her own multifaceted story. Clean takes her lead, though; never within its frames does Pankhurst offer up a simple assessment of herself, other than saying she'd liked to be remembered "as a kind human being — nothing more, nothing less". As a transgender woman who was adopted at birth, grew up in an abusive household, married and had a family, performed as a drag queen, undertook sex work, survived rape and drugs, transitioned, and became one of Australia's first female funeral directors, nothing about her can be deduced to a few mere words. The raw honesty, quick wit and spirited sense of humour continues as Pankhurst mentions many of these details, largely in passing or onstage when she becomes a motivational speaker after health woes stop her from cleaning. It's due to her medical conditions that she's vigilant about staff wearing PPE on the job — Clean's naturalistic, on-the-ground shoot, with cinematographer Louis Dai (Hakamada: The Longest Held Death Row Inmate in the World) behind the lens, began in 2019 well before the pandemic. There it is again: that unfaltering, highly moving, deeply inspirational compassion for others, whether they're the vulnerable struggling or employees lending the former a hand day in, day out. Clean looks upon Pankhurst with as much industrial-strength humanity as she sees in the world around her, even one where "people die in horrific ways every day", but never smoothes away her faults, doubts, rough experiences or tough edges. Mclean and Dai both double as the doco's editors and, as they begin splicing Pankhurst's time away from the business together with her team's everyday duties across the feature's second two acts, a touch of movie magic does filter in. To provide a wider array of imagery for the film's two strands, Mclean adds a number of brief recreations of Pankhurst's childhood and younger years, and of reconstructed crime scenes. They're unnecessary, and also don't suit the already affecting and absorbing tone that springs from Pankhurst and her employees telling it plain but with brimming understanding. There's a tender tenor in Patrick Grigg's (Australiana) score, too, that finds a better balance. Those dramatisations don't jumble the film by any means; they're just superfluous. Another reason that Clean's reenactments don't sit well: the feature has such a wealth of narratives to follow anyway, including time spent with specific members of the STC crew such as Brian Gaciabu, Rod Wyatt and others. Pankhurst gets the chance to search for her birth mother, her health gets pushed further to the fore, and some of the clients that the company helps also get a glimpse of the spotlight. Mcleod could've made several documentaries or a series about the overall situation, and even simply about the no-nonsense but endlessly entertaining Pankhurst; that COVID-19 impacted his timeline is apparent. This energetic but thoughtful tribute still cleans up, though — and that it has its imperfections fits every tale that it unfurls.
It's happening again: for the third time in a mere 12 months, the Brisbane Lions are into a grand final. The AFL club's women's team made the last dance in their 2022 season, then the men's did the same in their 2023 season — and now the women's squad is back on the big stage, qualifying for their season decider again this year. The success of Brisbane's AFLW team over the women's competition's eight-season run to date is phenomenal. When captain Bre Koenen and her fellow footballers run out at Ikon Park in Melbourne on Sunday, December 3, they'll be into their fifth grand final since the AFLW started in 2017. That's a record, and has seen the Lions' women's squad contest the first two grand finals, then win a premiership in 2021, and now make back-to-back deciders in 2022 and 2023. Last year, they didn't emerge victorious — but here's hoping that'll change this year. [caption id="attachment_928654" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Russell Freeman/AFL Photos[/caption] Keen to watch along in a crowd right here in Brisbane? South Bank is bringing back a sporting favourite from across the last 12 months, because the River City loves coming out in force to see pivotal games — be it the 2022 Men's World Cup, multiple times during the Women's World Cup, for the Lions' men's team and now for the Lions' women's squad. Yes, it's hosting a live viewing site. Expect to see plenty of maroon, blue and gold again. Watch Koenen, Ally Anderson, Cathy Svarc, Sophie Conway, Nat Grider, Belle Dawes, Courtney Hodder and more take on North Melbourne from 1.30pm AEST at South Bank's Rainforest Green, with the big-screen coverage running from 12–4pm. As well as the game, there'll be face painting for kids, a photo wall, merchandise stalls — slinging Lions gear, of course — and giveaways. If you're an AFL fan, there's no better way to spend the first Sunday in December. [caption id="attachment_928655" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Ryan via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Top image: Chris Hyde/Getty Images via AFL Photos.
That's right, folks, Banksy's been at it again. The infamous camera-shy street artist sure knows how to draw a crowd, all without showing his face. Back in October 2013, Banksy took over the Big Apple for a month-long stint of pop-up installations and ol' fashioned street art. Now, you can watch the best bits in Chris Moukarbel's doco Banksy Does New York. From the Central Park stand where priceless originals were anonymously sold for $60 to the livestock delivery truck carrying bleating stuffed animals, Banksy's 'New York residency' was designed to shock, inspire and amuse. Eager fans followed Banksy's daily social media updates for hints to his location. What ensued can only be described as the best kind of adult art scavenger hunt across New York's city streets. Comprised of clips from fans plus footage recorded by Moukarbel and his team, Banksy Does New York looks at the audience, rather than the artist. Focusing on frenzied crowds of New Yorkers, iPhones at the ready, the film begs the question: who really is Banksy's subject? Banksy Does New York is in select cinemas (Dendy Newtown, Cinema Nova, Palace Centro, Palace Eastend, Luna Leederville and Palace Electric) on April 23. Thanks to Madman Films, Concrete Playground has ten double passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to our mailing list and then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
More, less, something, nothing: whether they're used to describe the difference between the amount of time you need and the time you have, or what you have to do and what you'd like to do, these words get bandied about with frequency these days. Have you ever wondered how they apply to artists? Is less more? When they're trying to reflect nothing, can they truly create something? Aaah, minimalism — that's what we're talking about, and it's not a new thing. Less Than: Art and Reductionism tries to condense five decades of thinking into one exhibition. Yep, QUT Art Museum is keeping on trend. The field of reductionist techniques — think repetition, limited or monochrome colour, geometric abstraction, symbolism and the like — is in the spotlight from March 18 to May 21; however, so is a crucial contrast. "The very nature of art is about creating something new, not reducing to less," points out curator Katherine Dionysius. Image: Peter ATKINS, Hume Highway Project (detail) 2010, Fifth of twelve colour screenprints, QUT Art Collection, Purchased 2010.
Standing atop Yosemite National Park's El Capitan after scaling it alone and without ropes, harnesses or any other safety equipment, Alex Honnold cut a surprisingly subdued figure. As the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo captured, he was obviously ecstatic, but he isn't the type to leap and scream with excitement. So, he smiled blissfully. He also advised the cameras that he was "so delighted". In the opening moments of new doco The Alpinist, however, he is effusive — as enthusiastic as the no-nonsense climbing superstar gets, that is. In a historical clip, he's asked who he's excited about in his very specific extreme sports world. His answer: "this kid Marc-André Leclerc." Zipping from the Canadian Rockies to Patagonia, with ample craggy pitstops in-between, The Alpinist tells Leclerc's tale, explaining why someone of Honnold's fame and acclaim sings his praises. Using the Free Solo subject as an entry point is a smart choice by filmmakers Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen — industry veterans themselves, with 2014's Valley Uprising on their shared resume and 2017's The Dawn Wall on Mortimer's — but their climber of focus here would demand attention even without the high-profile endorsement. Indeed, dizzying early shots of him in action almost say all that's needed about his approach to great heights, and his near-preternatural skill in the field. Scaling hard, immovable rock faces is one thing, but Leclerc is seen here clambering up alpine surfaces, conquering glistening yet precarious sheets of ice and snow. Any shot that features the Canadian twenty-something mountaineering is nothing short of breathtaking. Describing it as 'clambering up' does him a disservice, actually, and downplays The Alpinist's stunning footage as well. Leclerc is just that graceful and intuitive as he reaches higher, seemingly always knowing exactly where to place his hands, feet and axe, all while heading upwards in frighteningly dangerous situations. As Mortimer notes, narrating the documentary and almost-indulgently inserting himself into the story, alpine free soloing is another level of climbing. No shortage of talking-head interviewees also stress this reality. Protective equipment is still absent, but all that ice and snow could melt or fall at any second. In fact, the routes that the obsessive Leclerc finds in his climbs will no longer exist again, and mightn't just moments after he's made his ascent. Simply charting Leclerc's impressive feats could've been The Alpinist sole remit; Mortimer and Rosen certainly wanted that and, again, the film's hypnotic, vertigo-inducing imagery is just that extraordinary. Some shots peer at the mountains in all their towering glory, letting viewers spot the tiny speck moving amid their majesty in their own time, before zooming in to get a closer look at Leclerc. Other nerve-shattering scenes intimately capture every careful choice, every movement of his limbs and every decision about what to hold on to, inescapably aware that these are sheer life-or-death moments. But The Alpinist isn't the movie its makers initially dreamed of, because Leclerc isn't Honnold or The Dawn Wall's Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson. While affable when posed in front of the camera, he's also silently begrudging, because he'd visibly rather just be doing what he loves in total anonymity instead of talking about it, having it filmed and earning the world's eyes. Climbing documentaries frequently unfurl in layers, pairing character studies, astonishing feats and the history of the field, as The Alpinist does. But films about this risky pastime often need to grapple with their own existence and ethics, too, and the difficulties and complexities faced when making such features. Where Free Solo mused on how the act of filming might influence Honnold as he attempted his rocky quest, either putting him in more peril or encouraging him to do that himself because he was being watched, The Alpinist ponders how recording Leclerc's climbs impacts his mental experience. As touched upon again and again, including by the man himself, Leclerc sees alpinism as a transcendent mindset. It's where he's at his most free, where his body and mind work as one, and where he's firmly in the moment. He doesn't feel that with lenses pointed his way and camera crews right there with him, unsurprisingly. So, partway through the documentary's filming, he starts ducking the directors' calls and just mountaineering for himself again. Eventually, after months of chasing — and after Mortimer and Rosen's vocal frustration at learning about Leclerc's latest alpine achievements via other climbers' social media feeds — they all agree that he'll do his thing alone first, then he'll repeat it for the cameras. The footage is no less phenomenal as a result, and the tension no less gripping. This is an affectionate movie, complete with Leclerc's mother Michelle Kuipers looking back on his childhood and free-spirited teen years, and his girlfriend and fellow climber Brette Harrington also sharing her thoughts, but it also values immersing its audience in the vivid experiences at its centre. Sweaty palms are a side effect, as they are with all the best climbing docos — which is where this film easily fits. With his mop of shaggy hair, a mountain of enthusiasm even his camera shyness can't hide, a wide grin and a complete commitment to climbing (with Harrington, he spent years living in stairwells and tents because this type of life can take you everywhere and anywhere), Leclerc is still a dream doco subject. Although that description clearly didn't apply logistically while The Alpinist was in production, his love of reaching great heights radiates across the screen. Existing fans will already know where the film has to finish, and know why it can only have a celebratory tone, but that doesn't diminish the movie's thrills, joys, goosebumps, insights and intrigue. Similarly, it doesn't temper its interrogation of alpine climbing's frozen beauty versus its inherent dangers, or its thoughtful and compelling portrait of a person eagerly embracing both extremes.
Every film is a portrait of ups and downs, no matter the genre. Without change and complications, plus either a sprinkling or a shower of chaos, there's little in the way of story for a movie to tell. In just three features, each hitting cinemas Down Under in successive years since 2022, Macedonian Australian filmmaker Goran Stolevski has demonstrated how deeply he understands this fact — and also that life itself is, of course, the same rollercoaster ride. So, when Housekeeping for Beginners starts by jumping between a joyous sing-along and a grim doctor's visit, he lays that juxtaposition between existence's highs and the lows bare in his third picture's frames. He has form: You Won't Be Alone, his folkloric horror film set in 19th-century Macedonia, segued early from new life to a witch's fate-shaping demands; Of an Age, a queer love story that unfurls in Melbourne, kicked off by flitting between dancing and a desperate against-the-clock rush. In You Won't Be Alone, the shapeshifting Wolf-Eateress who chose an infant to be her protege was played by Anamaria Marinca, the Romanian actor who has proven an unforgettable screen presence ever since the one-two punch of 2004's TV two-parter Sex Traffic — which won her a Best Actress BAFTA — and 2007's Cannes Palme d'Or-winning film 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. Stolevski reenlists her assistance for Housekeeping for Beginners, and also illustrates his awareness of another immutable fact: that the eyes of Anamaria Marinca relay tales all by themselves. Here, they're weary but sharp and determined. They're devoted yet fierce, too. They possess the unrelenting gaze of someone who won't stop fighting for those she loves no matter what it takes, and regardless of how she initially reacts, a path that her social-worker character Dita is no stranger to traversing. That aforementioned crooning comes courtesy of precocious five-year-old Mia (newcomer Džada Selim), her rebellious teenage sister Vanesa (fellow debutant Mia Mustafa) and the charming Ali (Samson Selim, another first-timer), the young man who newly shares their Skopje abode. Everyone, including Vanesa and Mia's mother Suada (Alina Șerban, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn), dwells under Marinca's Dita's roof — with the latter not just cohabitating with her girlfriend and her kids, but turning the house that she inherited into a refuge for those that North Macedonian society frowns upon. Ali is the latest lover of Dita's longterm gay roommate and friend Toni (Vladimir Tintor, Kumovi), hanging around after an app hookup. Young lesbians Elena (Sara Klimoska, Tin Kamp), Flora (Rozafë Celaj, Sophia) and Teuta (Ajshe Useini, yet another newcomer) also call the spot home. Being queer isn't a criminal offence in Housekeeping for Beginners' setting, but both same-sex marriage and adopting children by LGBTQIA+ couples are illegal. In the country's class system, being anything but Macedonian is also hardly greeted with warmth; Dita is Albanian, while Suada, her children and Ali are Romani. This motley crew is navigating each and every day the best that they can together; however, their safe space has grief in its future. It's Suada and Dita who attend the medical appointment at the movie's start, with Suada diagnosed with stage-four pancreatic cancer. Her one wish: that Dita adopt her girls, and also get married to and play happy families with Toni, who is Macedonian, so that Mia and Vanesa will be free of the stigma that Suada has always had to weather as a Roma woman. Stolevski is a plunge-in director — and screenwriter and editor, again taking on all three roles on Housekeeping for Beginners as he did on Of an Age. He dives into lives already in action and motion, crafting films that feel like they're dropping in. Ups and downs have preceded the events that his movies spin into their plots, then, and more will follow after his flicks tap out. Accordingly, he isn't one to spoon-feed specifics and context. The dynamics between his characters in Housekeeping for Beginners are revealed to audiences naturally, as are the setbacks and discrimination they encounter, often as viewers spend time in Dita's always-noisy, always-bustling home. While this isn't a one-location picture — Šutka, the Skopje municipality that's the world's only local administrative area with Balkan Romani as its official language, also features heavily — it is a film where observing its key figures in surroundings both comforting and challenging conveys as much as dialogue. Putting Marinca at the fore, a mix of grace and intensity beaming from her performance as Dita, was always going to rank among Stolevski's best choices in a feature filmmaking career that's already filled with stellar casting (see: Constellation's Noomi Rapace, Bad Behaviour's Alice Englert and Elite's Carloto Cotta in You Won't Be Alone; and also Swift Street's Elias Anton, Eden's Thom Green and Savage River's Hattie Hook in Of an Age). He's also a detail-driven director, making emotions and complexities plain in decisions as simple as the arrangement of people at a wedding and where the camera peers (or doesn't) when someone is speaking. And, again and again, he guides portrayals to match. From Șerban, he gets blistering power, with Suada explosive from the moment that she questions whether her medical treatment is being shaped by her ethnicity. Džada Selim, Samson Selim and Mustafa are all discoveries, too, breathing realism and vitality into the movie's youngest hearts and minds. Roving and intimate cinematography from Naum Doksevski (Sestri) also ensures that watching Housekeeping for Beginners feels akin to stepping inside it — and pondering the same questions that Dita, Suada, Toni, Ali and company each are. As the film that was selected as North Macedonia's Oscar contender in 2024's Best International Feature category (The Zone of Interest won) rides just a sliver of the ups and downs that its characters will face in their days, albeit significant ones, it gets them examining what comprises a family. There might be no such thing as a smooth-sailing journey from birth to death, or a surefire way to avoid heartbreak and loss, for anyone. There certainly isn't within Housekeeping for Beginners, which can also skew darkly comic when it comes to the bureaucratic hoops that require jumping through. But as Stolevski charts in his third movie about yearning for a place to belong, it's the people that you share those travails with day in and day out that makes a household.
Brekkie for dinner: was our favourite dinner as a kid. And you can keep up the tradition as a grownup thanks to The Rabbit Hole Cafe. On Fridays and Saturdays, the cafe offers dinner service, serving burgers, share-style plates and, of course, brekkie for dinner — including breakfast gnocchi, corn fritters and haloumi bruschetta. The Seven Hills joint serves up plenty of vegetarian and vegan dishes, like a tasty chia pudding bowl with toasted almonds, coconut flakes, strawberries, passionfruit pulp and coconut yoghurt. For something fresh and light, there's the Nourish Bowl with a plant-based protein ball, pumpkin hummus, sliced red radish, avocado, roast tomatoes, sweet potato, edamame, pomegranate seeds, spinach and tahini dressing. For those with a substantial hunger, go for the veggie brekkie complete with house beans, plant-based protein balls, mushroom, roast tomatoes, hash browns, avocado and house relish served on ciabatta with tofu scramble or eggs. Oh, and did we mention it's BYO between 12–2pm?
The QAGOMA Store is an obvious choice for those who like their gifts with a splash of creativity. However, there's nothing obvious about the selection on display at Brisbane's major art gallery. Items linked with their previous and current exhibitions are just the start. Books — of both the picturesque coffee table and the quirky in prose and presentation variety — are probably the store's strongest drawcard, with something on the shelves to suit all tastes. There's more, of course, so expect silly stationery items, artistic umbrellas, the cutest children's toys and even hard-to-find DVDs.
Already in 2024, one huge Australian music festival that calls Byron Bay home has shut up shop, hopefully only temporarily. After Splendour in the Grass announced its dates for this year, then its lineup, only to swiftly cancel mere weeks later, another event that's synonymous with the coastal New South Wales spot is now also taking itself off the town's calendar. Bluesfest is bidding farewell — and its plans to say goodbye are definitely permanent — but it will host a final hurrah in 2025 on its way out. So, the sad news: once Thursday, April 17–Sunday, April 20, 2025 passes, Bluesfest will be no more. The silver lining is that last fest, a four-day event that'll mark the Easter long-weekend mainstay's 36th year. [caption id="attachment_969990" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joseph Mayers[/caption] "After more than 50 years in the music business, Bluesfest has been a labour of love, a celebration of music, community and the resilient spirit of our fans. But after the 2025 festival, as much as it pains me to say this, it's time to close this chapter," advised Festival Director Peter Noble in a statement. "As I said earlier this year at Bluesfest 2024, next year's festival will be happening and it definitely is, but it will be our last," Noble continued. "To my dear Bluesfest family, I want to make it the most unforgettable experience yet. If you've been thinking about it, now is your last chance to experience our beloved festival." [caption id="attachment_969986" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] There's no word yet on who'll be gracing the stages at Bluesfest's swansong, following on from 2024 headliners Tom Jones and Elvis Costello. Since 1990, everyone from Bob Dylan, BB King, Mavis Staples, Robert Plant, Paul Simon, Bonnie Rait and Santana to Kendrick Lamar, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Mary J Blige, Beck, Midnight Oil and Crowded House have played the fest. And even if you've only ever been to one Bluesfest, you've likely seen Jack Johnson and/or Ben Harper on the bill. The last few years have been tumultuous for the Byron Bay event. 2023's fest lost a number of acts, including King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and Sampa the Great, after Sticky Fingers were added to the bill. Bluesfest ultimately dropped the controversial band. And while the fest went ahead in 2022 after two years of pandemic cancellations (and a thwarted temporary move to October for the same reason), it showcased a primarily Australian and New Zealand lineup. [caption id="attachment_969988" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Roger Cotgreave[/caption] Bluesfest calling time follows Mona Foma doing the same after its 2024 event — plus a lengthy list of festivals beyond Splendour that've ditched their plans this year, sometimes also without announcing their intentions for the future. Just two years after debuting, Adelaide's Harvest Rock has scrapped its 2024 fest as well. Spilt Milk cancelled its 2024 festivals, while Groovin the Moo did the same after announcing its lineup. Summergrounds Music Festival, which was meant to debut at Sydney Festival 2024, also pulled the plug. As announced in 2023, Dark Mofo took a breather in 2024. Yours and Owls has postponed its next fest until 2025, too, but is hosting a pre-party in October this year. [caption id="attachment_969989" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] [caption id="attachment_969987" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] [caption id="attachment_867504" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kurt Petersen[/caption] Bluesfest 2025 will run from Thursday, April 17–Sunday, April 20 at Byron Events Farm, Tyagarah. Early-bird tickets are on sale now — for further information, head to the Bluesfest website.
In 2023, Kylie Minogue was one of the headline acts at the first-ever Sydney WorldPride. In 2024, Australia's favourite homegrown pop star is leading the bill at another huge event: Splendour in the Grass. 'Padam Padam' will echo across North Byron Bay Parklands to warm up winter — and festivalgoers will be spinning around to the music megastar's three-plus decades of hits. Kylie tops a lineup that also boasts Future and Arcade Fire, with Minogue headlining the Friday night with an exclusive set, then Future doing the Saturday and Arcade Fire taking to the stage on the Sunday. The dates, in case you don't already have them in your diary: Friday, July 19–Sunday, July 21. And yes, 2024's biggest Splendour names have plenty of company. [caption id="attachment_870885" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Darenoted Ltd[/caption] You'll also be catching G Flip, Turnstile, The Presets doing a DJ set, Yeat, Hayden James, Girl in Red, Baby Gravy, Tash Sultana, DJ Seinfeld, Fontaines DC, Royel Otis, Tones and I and more. Of course the list goes on from there — it's Splendour. Omar Apollo, The Last Dinner Party, Lizzy McAlpine, The Kills, Thelma Plum, Partiboi69, Angie McMahon, Viagra Boys: add them all to your schedule for the three days, then a whole heap more. [caption id="attachment_945649" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leonardo Samrani via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Splendour 2024, which is the festival's 22nd birthday, will feature beats and projections at The Forest, LGBTQIA+ dance club Rainbow Bar, everything from immersive installations to giant sculptures as part of its arts program, and Little Splendour turning a trip to the fest into a family-friendly experience, too. Don't forget that there's also a lineup for the Thursday night as well, with Jimi the Kween, Krissy Jaman, Victoria Anthony and Summer Lover kicking off the proceedings. Splendour in the Grass 2024 Lineup: Friday: Kylie G Flip Turnstile Tash Sultana Omar Apollo Partiboi69 Angie McMahon Viagra Boys ISOxo Confidence Man Otoboke Beaver Allday A.B. Original Yard Act Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers JK-47 Leisure Kita Alexander Skeleten Radio Free Alice Becca Hatch Nick Ward Triple J Unearthed Mix Up DJs: Dameeeela Baschoe Reenie The Forest: Anthony Pappa Wongo Morgazmk Miles Jackson Arya Data Roaming K Dizzy Saturday: Future Yeat Hayden James Fontaines D.C. Lizzy McAlpine Tones and I The Last Dinner Party The Presets (DJ set) Pond Boywithuke Middle Kids Beddy Rays Swim Coco & Clair Clair Michael Marcagi Floodlights Rona. The Dreggs Teenage Joans Good Neighbours Rum Jungle Willo Miss Kaninna Logan. Mix Up DJs: Naynay Naycab The Forest: Grouch Marnie Megapixel Ish K Sophdexx Lucidream Justtim Camila Rosa. Sunday: Arcade Fire Girl in Red Baby Gravy (Yung Gravy X Bbno$) Royel Otis DJ Seinfeld The Kills TV Girl Thelma Plum Fletcher Polaris Eyedress Sofia Kourtesis Sam Alfred Pacific Avenue Erika De Casier Grentperez Danny Ocean Old Mervs Paris Paloma 6 Sense The Slingers Vv Pete Belair Lip Bombs Triple J Unearthed Mix Up DJs: Jhassic & Rakish Bria The Forest: Opiuo Godlands Käse Kochen Grouch in Dub (solo) April Kerry Surge Crooks Farfetchd Smish Wren Thursday night: Jimi the Kween Krissy Jaman Victoria Anthony Summer Lover Splendour in the Grass will take over North Byron Bay Parklands from Friday, July 19–Sunday, July 21, 2024, with ticket presales from 9am–9pm AEDT on Thursday, March 14 for Splendour members, 10am–4pm AEDT on Sunday, March 17 for locals, 9am–9pm AEDT on Monday, March 18 for PYP, 9am–12am AEDT on Tuesday, March 19 for Optus and 9am–9pm AEDT on Wednesday, March 20 via TikTok — and general sales from 9am AEDT on Thursday, March 21. For more information, head to the festival website. Images: Charlie Hardy, Bianca Holderness and Claudia Ciapocha.
School's back — and so is the escalating battle between humans and folks with superpowers, no shortage of chaos and gore, and nothing being quite what it seems at Godolkin University. Also returning at the centre of all of the above, as seen in the just-dropped full trailer for Gen V season two: the blood-bending Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair, Please Baby Please), her size-changing roomate Emma Meyer (Lizze Broadway, Kinda Pregnant), gender-shifting Jordan Li (Never Have I Ever's London Thor and Shining Vale's Derek Luh), the persuasive Cate Dunlap (Maddie Phillips, Overcompensating), super-strong Sam Riordan (Asa Germann, Monsters) and superhero Polarity (Sean Patrick Thomas, High Potential). This college-set spinoff from The Boys — which takes the latter's caped-crusader satirising to the next generation — first debuted in 2023 and was quickly renewed for a second run. Season four of The Boys arrived in 2024, and now it's time for Gen V's comeback from Wednesday, September 17, 2025, ahead of the Vought Cinematic Universe's OG series wrapping up with its upcoming fifth and final season. What if dealing with possessing superpowers turned higher learning into absolute mayhem? That's one of the concepts at the heart of Gen V — although the impact of part of the population having extraordinary abilities has always been at the core of the entire franchise. As the VCU's characters cope with the fallout from Homelander's (Antony Starr, G20) actions in The Boys, what if the Godolkin gang could rival him in strength? That's where Gen V is heading, too, the new sneak peek teases. As also seen in an earlier teaser for season two, there's a new uni head, Cipher (Hamish Linklater, Nickel Boys), on the scene with a far-from-trustworthy vibe. Indeed, he wants his pupils to be more powerful than ever. Marie's stint at the Elmira Adult Rehabilitation Centre, her home since the events of season one — and for some of her friends, too — comes to an end as well; however, going back to class isn't the same as it once was, including in a "Make America Super Again" world. Then there's the discovery of a secret program dating back to God U's founding. For those who missed Gen V 's initial season, Godolkin University is the college for superheroes that's meant to help prepare the best of the best for caped-crusader life — until exploding classmates, creepy secret facilities and unnerving professors complicate matters, that is. Season one spent its time with Marie, who knows that attending God U is a pivotal opportunity. After a traumatic experience when her powers kicked in, this is her chance to completely change her life, as well as achieve her dream of becoming the first Black woman in The Seven. Then, nothing turns out as planned. Also, things on campus (and underneath it) get shady, fast. The pair of glimpses at season two so far also dive into how the show is addressing an off-screen tragedy, after season-one talent Chance Perdomo (After Everything), who portrayed the magnetic Andre Anderson, passed away in 2024. Familiar faces from across the franchise feature in the new footage as well, alongside Ethan Slater (Wicked) joining the cast as Thomas Godolkin. Check out the full trailer for Gen V season two below: Gen V streams via Prime Video, with season two releasing from Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Read our review of season one.
With hundreds of events on its hefty annual lineup, Brisbane Festival is never short on highlights — but if it's dazzling colour that you're after, keep an eye out for Japanese Australian artist Hiromi Tango's regular contributions to the program. In 2018, she teamed up with Craig Walsh on A Force. In 2020, she brought both Rainbow Circles (Healing Circles) and Brainbow Magic the River City's way. In 2023, it's now time for Hiromi Hotel: YU KA 夢花 — and to get floral. Taking its cues from a poem by fourth-century BCE Chinese philosopher Zhuang Zi, and from the use of the peony in Buddhist imagery as well, Tango's new installation features giant flowers towering over South Bank in a rainbow of hues. You'll find the peonies at Bris Fest's festival garden, adding brightness to 186 Little Stanley Street — to see for free from Friday, September 1–Saturday, September 23, as open from 5–11pm Tuesday–Thursday, 4pm–12am Fridays, 12pm–12am Saturdays and 12–11pm on Sundays. That's just one part of the Hiromi Hotel experience, however. At Brisbane Quarter over in the CBD and at Brisbane Airport, pop-up installations are also part of the fun. The BQ event runs for an extra week, until Saturday, September 30, taking over the venue's podium 1. A number of Brisbane Quarter's bars and eateries are also getting in on the action via themed dishes. Fancy a Citrus Smile or Drink of Flower cocktail? Chinese doughnuts stuffed with prawns? Hiromi Hotel's vibrant palette and blooms, but edible and drinkable? Then head to W Brisbane's Living Room Bar, Brisbane Phoenix, Phat Boy, Tenya, Persone and more. Drink images: Claudia Baxter.
Before 2020 comes to an end, Queenslanders will be able to gather in bigger numbers, outdoor events will be permitted to expand their capacity and New South Wales residents will be welcomed back into the Sunshine State. They're all on the agenda as part of Queensland's new 'COVID Safe Future' roadmap, which was revealed today, Friday, October 2, by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. While the state has unveiled similar plans before, we all know that nothing in 2020 remains certain for long — and that the situation regarding COVID-19 is constantly changing. So, this new outline responds to the current circumstances, and is designed to make clear how the state will be changing between now and the end of the year, in an effort to provide more certainty to both businesses and the community. Already, as at 1am on Thursday, October 1, the first step of the new plan has come into effect — with northern NSW residents allowed into Queensland without quarantining as part of an expanded border zone, and density restrictions easing for outdoor venues, events and stadiums. There's one more newly annonced element to this phase, however, and it'll kick off at 4pm today, Friday, October 2, with Queenslanders once again allowed to eat and drink while standing at indoor and outdoor venues with a COVID-Safe plan or checklist in place. Next, when 1am on Sunday, November 1 rolls around, a new step will start — and it'll be of great interest to anyone eager to head further into NSW, or for NSW residents keen to come north to soak up the sunshine. At that point, no one from NSW will need to enter mandatory quarantine when they come to Queensland. Relaxing that rule is contingent on the southern state having community transmission under control but, just this week, NSW reported a seven-day stretch without any new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, so fingers crossed that continues. Also on November 1, Queenslanders will be able to gather in groups of 40 at home and in public spaces, which is an increase from the current limit of 30. Plus, up to 40 people at weddings will be able to dance, as long as there's a COVID-Safe plan in place. Finally, from 1am on Tuesday, December 1, gatherings at home and in public spaces will increase to 50 people, just in time for Christmas. Outdoor events with COVID-Safe checklists will be able to host 1500 attendees, up from 1000, while weddings will no longer resemble Footloose in any shape or form (unless, for some reason, Kevin Bacon is invited) — because unlimited dancing will be permitted. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1311817281438019584 For now, Queensland will remain closed to Victoria throughout this whole period, but the roadmap notes that the state will reassess the situation when community transmission is under control. And, while the present announcement is all about opening back up again, it does specify that limits may come back into place if there's community transmission in Queensland. It's likely this'll happen in impacted areas only, and could include capping gatherings at ten people again, requiring the wearing of masks, increased testing, only allowing seating rather than standing in venues and scrapping dancing at weddings once more. Announcing the changes, Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young advised that it's thanks to the state's compliance with restrictions thus far that Queensland can reopen further. "The hard work of Queenslanders has helped us to the strong position our state is in today — it has been a fantastic result," Dr Young noted. That said, she also stressed the need to remain cautious regarding hygiene and social distancing. "So that we can keep easing restrictions, it is vital that we maintain physical distance, wear a face mask in public when physical distancing is not possible and wash your hands." For more information about southeast Queensland's COVID-19 gathering restrictions, or about the status of COVID-19 in the state, visit the Qld COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. Top image: Atlanta Bell.
Like your burgers tiny and your tipples with a fruity flavour? As the name suggests, The Osbourne's Sliders 'N' Ciders Fest has your back. When it comes to the former, prepare to tuck into pulled pork, chicken breast and mini cheeseburger varieties, as well as vegan and vegetarian options. And as for the latter, expect the taste of apple and cherry to tingle on your tongue. The one-day festival's cider lineup includes Young Henrys Cloudy Apple Cider, The Hills Cider Co's and Newstead Brewing's boozy apple concoctions, and Pagan Cherry Cider — so you can pick your favourite or enjoy them all. With the event taking place on Monday, January 28, whichever cider and slider you opt for will be surcharge-free. As anyone who's been caught out on a public holiday knows, that's a definite bonus. Anything else you order from the regular menu will attract an extra 15 percent price, however. Doors open at 10am, with sliders on offer from midday. Entry is free, but bring your wallet for those bite-sized burgs and cold beverages.
THE Rodriguez is coming back to Australia. Touring nationally this October and November, the 72-year-old enigmatic legend was last here in 1981 playing with Midnight Oil, after touring in the late '70s to small success. Now he's riding a wave of newfound support back to our biggest venues, thanks in part to two South African fans. Most people had no idea who Sixto Rodriguez was until the Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man dropped in 2012, prompting longtime fans to shake a fist and spin a bitter "I told you so." A self-taught guitarist, Rodriguez played around the traps in Detroit during the '60s but saw no real success in the States with his two albums Cold Fact (1969) and Coming from Reality (1971). Different story in South Africa, where he was pretty much bigger than Elvis — inspiring South African anti-Apartheid activists and musicians alike (unbeknownst to Rodriguez himself). One of music's most mysterious heroes, Rodriguez was even thought to have died until two Cape Town fans in the late 1990s, Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman and Craig Bartholomew Strydom went to find out if the rumours were true (cue Oscar-winning doco). The man also has a cheeky bachelor's degree in philosophy from Wayne State University, he ran for political office and he's had to work construction jobs to support his family. Undeniable and relatively unknown legend. Rodriguez will play Brisbane Convention Centre, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne's Palais Theatre, Adelaide's AEC Theatre and Perth's Kings Park and Botanic Garden. Tickets on sale on Thursday August 28 at 12pm local time. Members of the Niche mailing list and ticket agent mailing lists can purchase pre-sale tickets on Tuesday 26 August at 12pm until Wednesday 27 August at 5pm. For further details or to sign up to the mailing list please visitwww.nicheproductions.com.au. Rodriguez Australian Tour Dates: Sunday October 19 — Convention Centre, Brisbane. Tickets via Ticketek or 132 849. Tuesday October 21 and Thursday October 23 — Sydney Opera House. Tickets via Opera House Box Office or 02 9270 7111. Saturday October 25 — Palais Theatre, Melbourne. Tickets via Ticketmaster or 136 100. Wednesday October 29 — AEC Theatre, Adelaide. Tickets via Ticketek or 132 849. Friday November 7 — Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth. Tickets via Ticketmaster or 136 100. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qyE9vFGKogs
