It's been a busy 12 months or so for the folks at Montrachet, one of Brisbane's favourite French fine diners. Under the ownership of Shannon and Clare Kellam, the restaurant moved across town to Bowen Hills' King Street, then opened its own boulangerie — and now it's given the latter a makeover. King Street Bakery is the end result, with the multi-purpose spot open from Monday to Friday for both breakfast and lunch, and on Saturdays for a long, lazy brekkie. You can drop by to pick up freshly made brioche, baguettes, pastries, and sweet and savoury tarts to take home with you, or enjoy them in-store with a coffee. Or, you can settle in for a meal, with chefs Tara Bain and Jamie Pearce whipping up a small but significant menu. Early morning options include Granny Smith apple and caramel baked with brioche, rainbow trout fillet with poached eggs and marinated feta, and sautéed mushrooms with aged sheep's milk cheese and tarragon — plus takes on good ol' bacon and eggs, avocado on sourdough, and eggs benedict. Unsurprisingly, bread features heavily among the range of breakfast dishes. For lunch, diners can choose from seven options, including a seared black Angus onglet with French fries and French salad, and a Dutch cream potatoes with creme fraiche, gremolata, salmon roe and chives. With the bakery licensed, customers can also wash it all down with one of 14 wines or three beers.
Authentic Nordic cuisine isn't easy to come by in Brisbane, but the city's first Norwegian-inspired eatery wants to put an end to that. In fact, Lokal + Co has the market cornered. No, Ikea's Swedish cafeteria food doesn't count as competition. Of course, a sunny spot in West End probably isn't the kind of location you'd expect to serve up gingerbread waffles with chocolate hazelnut sauce, house-cured gravlax with rye soldiers, or Danish open rye sandwiches with sardines. Closing your eyes, biting into anything on the menu, and pretending you're on the other side of the globe is completely acceptable. So is soaking up the minimalist vibe, which brings a Scandinavian look to an airy split Queenslander. Well, that's what the inside looks like, at least. If you're pulling up a chair outdoors on the deck, expect the next best thing to the traditional Aussie backyard (yep, we're talking about astroturf aplenty). The mix of Norwegian and Australian elements stems from the venue's owners, with Helge Olsen hailing from the former, Corey Thom calling the latter home. The chef duo boast seven years cooking up a storm at Cicada before branching out on their own. And when their liquor license is approved, the cafe intends to extend that blend to their booze lineup too. Nordic beer, anyone?
From a cinema to one of the world's best hotels, plus plenty of food and drink options as well, James Street is home to many things. Also now included: a garden sanctuary in a brand-new woodfired diner that heroes Jordanian and Moroccan flavours. That's what Brisbanites will find at just-opened newcomer ēmmē. All-day dining is on the menu, with the latest addition to the Fortitude Valley precinct doing breakfast, brunch and lunch daily, plus slinging coffees from 6am–5pm — and opening for dinner Wednesday–Saturday. Whatever meal tempts your tastebuds, or even just a caffeine fix, you'll be heading opposite James St Market to Spoon Deli Cafe's former site. The look is luxe, but the vibe is laidback. Think: hues that bring flames to mind, fittingly, whether you're settling in at the bench seating by the window, perching at the bar — where you will indeed see fire — or surrounded by greenery outdoors. A source of inspiration for ēmmē is wabi-sabi, the Japanese take on impermanence and imperfection — which comes through in the textures around the place, the hues and also an aesthetic that isn't afraid of raw edges. In the kitchen, Thomas Tze Lian, fresh from Greca, oversees the culinary lineup. The range of dishes is tightly curated from avocado with harissa and native dukkah on sourdough to start the day through to mustard-spiced wagyu striploin for a big midday meal. Breakfast highlights also span pickled eggplant with fried egg and chilli, french toast paired with date caramel and whipped yoghurt, and crab and eggs. Come lunch — and dinner when ēmmē starts serving it — swordfish kofta with saffron yoghurt, wagyu rib skewers and barbecue chicken with garlic labneh are among the standouts. And for dessert? A plate of brie, quince, lavosh and fresh fruits is one option. Or, opt for the chocolate tahini cake or rosewater custard. Images: Ciaran Murphy.
If you're one to track down wholesome treats on Instagram — particularly sweet bites of the vegan, dairy-free or gluten-free variety — then you've probably come across Ines Scholtes's feed. But sharing an image of an aesthetically advanced dish is one thing — whipping them up everyday and selling them in a cafe is quite another. But with Mylk + Ko, Scholtes is setting out to do just that. The New Farm cafe brings the aspiring pastry chef-turned-lawyer-turned cafe owner's nourishing, dietary requirement-friendly fare to the hungry Merthyr Road masses. That includes caramel slices, cookies, cakes and more in a significant range of raw, vegan and gluten-free varieties. Snickers mousse, anyone? How about Nutella cake, or raw peanut butter and jelly cheesecake? Red velvet waffles? "You should be able to nourish your body and make your tastebuds dance at the same time," says Scholtes of Mylk + Ko's menu, which also features its namesake mylkshakes, using almond and soy milk, plus other non-dairy alternatives. Allpress coffees, smoothies and fresh cold-pressed juices help round out the selection, making the cafe a daytime pit-stop dream for anyone after something indulgent but healthy. Plus, consider Mylk + Ko's initial offerings just the beginning of a broader range of all-round goodness. In the future, Scholtes plans to add cooking classes and talks to the eatery's array of delights, plus something to satisfy sweet cravings when evening hits: a nighttime dessert bar.
Think of the possibilities: that's a statement at the heart of science as a discipline, and it must be a guiding principle at World Science Festival Brisbane as well. Since it held its first event in 2016, this celebration of curiosity about the world we live in — and beyond — keeps finding new ways to surprise with its annual program. Head along in 2025 and you'll be able to unpack the physics of skateboarding, let seafaring cinema flicks float your movie-loving boat, explore the affects of awe, peer at the Antarctic landscape, dive into the quantum realm, hang out with Australian wildlife, peer inside labs and more. This is the tenth time that the Brisbane offshoot of the New York-born event has taken place, this time filling Brisbane and heading to Ipswich from Friday, March 21–Sunday, March 30. Your destinations: Queensland Museum, the Cultural Precinct, South Bank Piazza, Fish Lane and Queensland Museum Rail Workshop, for starters, for talks, panels, installations and events across a full lineup of 200-plus sessions. Skating joins the program via an arena show that blends gravity-defying extreme sports with science — and expect to never think about hopping on a board the same way again. A reliable favourite at the Gallery of Modern Art's Australian Cinematheque, the festival's film program is screening six flicks: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou for a bit of Wes Anderson comedy, 1954 page-to-screen adaptation 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Studio Ghibli's Ponyo and recent Disney sequel Moana 2, as well as a double dose of fearsome creatures via documentary Playing with Sharks: The Valerie Taylor Story and classic blockbuster Jaws. [caption id="attachment_816357" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Digital scanning by Oscans in 2019 on authority of Carl Reinecke of WildBear Entertainment.[/caption] Why do humans seek the feeling of awe? Brisbane artists Counterpilot will help you understand, setting up a makeshift laboratory at Queensland Museum — and letting you either take part, complete with using biometric sensors, or watch on. Does the Antarctic landscape inspire awe? Answering that isn't part of Counterpilot's addition to the program, but you'll find out at The Cube at QUT, where icy climes will feature across 26 multi-touch screens spanning two storeys in height. A Co-Founder of World Science Festival, Professor Brian Greene is back on the bill for another year, chatting quantum physics. For more on the subject, Quantum Australia's Quantum Conference is also on the lineup. From there, when you're not checking out family-friendly activities at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary — or going behind the scenes at State Library of Queensland, Queensland Herbarium, QUT Centre for Robotics and other interesting organisations — you can hear about research that might suggest that ageing isn't inevitable, watch battling machines, learn about crustaceans and ponder all things Mars. Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb return for another Afternoon of Science chat, and the fest's yearly debate is again bringing humour to the topic. At QPAC, you can also listen to free string tunes — or at Fish Lane, culinary experts (think: flavour chemists, sensory scientists and food researchers, plus chefs and mixologists) want you to contemplate the science behind food and drinks, including by doing some tasting. For those eager to switch off, the detox sessions have that in mind, such as on a birdwatching walk in the Archerfield Wetlands. [caption id="attachment_993691" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Atmosphere Photography[/caption]
With Rhiannon Campbell's first plant-centric venture Botanic Box, she was sending monthly bundles of greenery to eager subscribers. With her second project, she's still keeping things green — but is now welcoming Brisbane plant aficionados into a bricks-and-mortar store. Open on Station Street in Nundah, The Plant Lounge is all about indoor plants and accessories that have been sourced from local nurseries. They've been selected to showcase plenty of variety and chosen to suit Queensland's unique (read: usually warm and moist) climate. Here, you'll find many a leafy gem to brighten up your home, plus a range of artisanal and designer pots to put them in. Giving up her full-time corporate job to embrace her green thumb, Campbell will help you pick the right plant for your space, too. The Plant Lounge also hosts workshops, with its upcoming slate focusing on perennial greenery favourites such as kokedamas, terrariums, pottery and macrame plant hangers. Need some advice on tending to your green babies properly (and not killing them with kindness and enthusiasm)? Classes on that very topic are also on the agenda. Find The Plant Lounge at Shop 1, 8 Station Street, Nundah. It's open from 9am–4pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11am–7pm on Thursdays and Fridays, 9am–4pm on Saturdays and 9am–1pm on Sundays.
When asked to sum up what 2020 has been like so far, Cottonmouth Records owner Zach Williams is dryly understated. "'Interesting' would be the best description of this year," he says. "Everyone's alcohol intake is definitely going up though, that's for sure." Cottonmouth Records, a bar meets record store, opened its doors in Enmore, Sydney, in 2019 and quickly grew a loyal following among local vinyl lovers and imbibers. The bar had just celebrated its first birthday in March before the coronavirus struck. Like other hospitality businesses, it was forced to close its doors for a few weeks but is now operating as close to normal as possible, with Williams and his teams adjusting to the new conditions. "It's difficult, I'm not going to lie," says Williams. "I mean, we went from a 60-person capacity, and having two staff manage that, to five staff managing 25 people. On top of that, there's all of the logistics. You're making less money and at the same time you're putting out more money." [caption id="attachment_781462" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Reuben Gibbes[/caption] Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, Williams is grateful to the community for getting behind the business. "In a year, we've amassed a lot of local support, which is fantastic, and we can't thank our locals enough for all the support they've shown in this pretty dire time. So many locals have been there supporting us, and, at the beginning, lots of people were buying records online and saying 'I don't even have a record player; I just want you guys to stay open'." This sense of community is central to Cottonmouth Records' ethos, says Williams. "It gets me a bit emotional when I think about it. We aren't in this for accolades, we aren't in this to win bar awards. I don't care about being rewarded for what we do. Our reward is people coming in and enjoying our venue. You can't put a price on that as far as I'm concerned. Just having this place and people populating it is a big enough reward for me." Customer comfort has been front and centre for Williams and his team as they adapt to the new trading environment. "We've got a hygiene marshal and a security guard on at all times. The community is our highest priority and we just want to make sure everyone feels safe," he says. "We have enough sections to be able to spread everyone out, to adhere to that 1.5-metre distancing [rule] and to give everyone a section where they feel comfortable has been fairly easy for us." [caption id="attachment_781468" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Reuben Gibbes[/caption] The COVID-19 marshal is also responsible for making sure patrons don't get too carried away when Williams gets behind the decks. "People just want to dance as soon as the music comes on," says Williams, but for now such things are not allowed. Instead, there's "lots of chair dancing". Another thing that has kept the business ticking along for Williams is Square, the contactless payment system and online store used by Cottonmouth Records. "Square was with us from day dot," says Williams. "It was a completely blank canvas where I could input every single thing I wanted and build it from the ground up. Now it's at a point where it perfectly runs itself." "It makes things so much easier for us, just being able to let the customer do their thing," he says. "They put in their payment, put in their tips and they can just do it all themselves." For Williams, another handy thing about Square is the integration between the in-store and online shop. "If I sell something on Square in store, within two seconds it's been taken off the website as sold. It's just fantastic. It's great functionality." While it may take a while for business to return to what we knew before COVID-19, Williams is grateful to be able to bring some cheer to Enmore and hopes the bar and record shop will be there for many years to come, chair-dancing or otherwise. Find out more about Square and how it's supporting small businesses in Australia, here. Images: Reuben Gibbes
Air guitar enthusiasts will be treated to a garment that makes it even easier to live out their rock star fantasies. Old Navy have collaborated with ThinkGeek to create a shirt that not only features an image of a guitar, but also sounds like one when a button is pressed on the guitar neck and the hand is moved in a strumming motion. Sound is projected through a small guitar amp which can clip to your belt, with adjustable volume depending on how hard you're shredding. But make sure you detach all electronic parts before you throw this bad boy in the wash. Importantly, the design of the shirt also features flames to let everybody know that you're the real deal. See how far you can get into a Jimi Hendrix song on one of these. Wear this under a button-up to work, and only unleash it when you're ready to rock. [via PSFK]
The Sydney-born monarchs, the sultans, nay, the emperors of iced confection, Gelato Messina, have extended their cold, creamy love to the north with a brand new store opening in Coolangatta. No more interstate escapades for salted caramel crack. Opening a shiny new store in Marine Parade's brand new retail complex, The Strand, Messina have set-up right across the road from the beach. The team know how to make themselves at home too — with a locally-themed flavour. Slurp up a special edition 'Cool in Gatta' flavour (bravo guys), vanilla gelato and mango sorbet with macadamia crunch. Bringing 40 special gelato flavours with them, the whole Messina team have trekked up for the occasion, including head chef Donato Toce and Messina co-owners Declan Lee and Nick and Danny Palumbo. After opening multiple stores in Sydney and their very first Victorian store in Fitzroy last year, Messina have been long-awaited in our fair city. Sure, we've got our fair share of frozen treat spots in Brisbane — Cowch must be pretty shaky right now — but we've never been able to dabble in the weird and wonderful Messina flavours without fronting an airfare. So what's behind the northern trek (besides countless pleading requests from Queenslanders)? "Why Coolangatta you ask? We handpicked this to be our second interstate stomping ground because of its iconic sunshine and surfing reputation," says the Messina team on their website. "We’ll be front and centre at Quicksilver and Roxy Pro comps as well as The Strand to be part of the new foodie epicentre of Queensland, wedged between hatted restaurateurs and like-minded retailers." Find Gelato Messina Coolangatta at The Strand, 72–80 Marine Parade, Coolangatta, Open daily from 12pm–10pm.
If you get to and from work via Translink public transport, or anywhere else across Queensland, your wallet won't be getting as much of a workout for the next six months. First announced in May and in effect from Monday, August 5, 2024, fares across Translink services have dropped in price to 50 cents per journey no matter how far you're going. The price-slashing move is both a cost-of-living relief measure and an effort to reduce traffic congestion, and it impacts a hefty range of travel options. Translink, which falls within Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads, runs trains, buses, ferries and trams in southeast Queensland, for starters. So for Brisbanites, whether you ride the rails as part of your daily commute, hit the road or hop on a CityCat, you're now scoring a hefty discount, getting there and home for just $1 a day. [caption id="attachment_796727" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] This is a statewide measure. Translink also runs buses in Bowen, Bundaberg, Cairns, the Fraser Coast, Gladstone and Gympie — and in Innisfail, Kilcoy, Mackay, Rockhampton, Yeppoon, the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Toowoomba, Townsville, Warwick and The Whitsundays. The 50-cent price applies to everyone, including concession cardholders, but is only available on Translink services. Accordingly, privately operated transport services won't be doing the cheap fares. Airtrain fares also aren't being slashed to 50 cents; however, they are being cut in half for the same six-month period. The most that you'll pay if you're travelling to and from Brisbane Airport is $10.95 each way. [caption id="attachment_630654" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Thomas via Flickr[/caption] Running for six months until the beginning of February 2025, the fare drop isn't a permanent change — but it will help you stop spending more than a fiver to get to and from your job if you work a five-day grind. When it was initially announced, The Sunday Mail reported that the Queensland Government will reassess the move in early 2025 if Labour is re-elected in October's state election. [caption id="attachment_857365" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] [caption id="attachment_958247" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Robert McPherson via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] [caption id="attachment_749921" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] John via Flickr[/caption] [caption id="attachment_754201" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] All fares across Translink's Queensland public transport services now cost 50 cents as at Monday, August 5, 2024, running for six months. To find out more information about Translink's services, head to the company's website. Top image: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.
Before our always-on devices and the internet meant that everyone could discover almost anything in seconds, how did anyone know about spectacular surfing spots that weren't in their own backyard, or near enough — and about what people were doing on those waves? When the sport was just becoming popular in Australia in the 50s, taking advantage of the fact that this is indeed a nation girt by sea, how did word of where the best breaks are spread, and the latest techniques? The answer to these questions sits at the heart of Australian documentary You Should Have Been Here Yesterday. To be exact, the solution to sharing tips on where and how to hit the waves provides the bulk of the film. By rustling up 16mm cameras however they could, the era's surfers shot their own footage, then screened the results far and wide to eager crowds. Filmmaker Jolyon Hoff — also a surfer — now splices his latest feature together from such material. First, he made another surfing-related film — and if it wasn't for 2009's Searching for Michael Petersen, about one of the country's legends of 70s surfing, You Should Have Been Here Yesterday wouldn't exist, either. "It all started with that film. I was a film student when I first started making that film — and Michael Peterson was the ultimate iconic mythological character of 1970s Australian surfing. But when I went to make the film, he was also schizophrenic and whenever he saw a camera or an interview, he couldn't talk to people, he couldn't be around people, he found that very difficult," Hoff tells Concrete Playground. [caption id="attachment_981744" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steve Otton[/caption] "When you're setting out to make a film about someone like that, you've got to find some footage — and you've got to find some surfing footage. You can't show the rubbish stuff because it's the icon, he's this mythological character. So that journey took me to Dick Hoole's garage up behind Byron Bay," Hoff continues. Inside, he went into one of the surf photographer and fellow filmmaker's rooms, which was filled with 16mm films and surfing paraphernalia. "And we found some footage of Michael, but that whole time — and this is what, 2007, maybe 2008? — I was looking around at all these other film reels and thinking 'wow, I wonder what other gold is hidden in those?'. So that's where the kernel of the idea began." More than a decade and a half later, You Should Have Been Here Yesterday weaves that rediscovered gold into a cinematic poem that takes inspiration from non-surfing docos Moonage Daydream and Mountain. As Bret Morgen's stunning David Bowie tribute and Australian director Jennifer Peedom's ode to towering peaks both are, it's also designed to be as immersive as a movie can be. The best surfing films can't replace the real-life experience, of course, but they can make you yearn to catch waves yourself — or to see them ebb and flow in front of you with the naked eye. They also give non-surfers and surfers alike a close-up look at one of the planet's great joys, and ensure that a quote from Point Break always rings true: "surfing's the source, it'll change your life". [caption id="attachment_981743" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamish Ludbrook[/caption] Australian lives were changed by surfing, and Australia was as well, as You Should Have Been Here Yesterday explores via its gorgeous restored footage. As clip after clip of waves rolling across the Aussie coastline fills the screen, scratches and other markers of the material's heritage still visible, voices give the imagery context. Morning of the Earth director Albe Falzon, surfer and surfboard shaper Wayne Lynch, 1993 Women's World Champion Pauline Menczer, author Tim Winton and others get talking. The documentary covers how jumping on a board became the nation's new youth culture, the response to the filmed material at the time, how surfing connected the land Down Under to the world, the sport's local commercialisation, the reaction to women riding the waves and more. You can also see You Should Have Been Here Yesterday as compiling examples of behaviour that's oh-so-familiar today: people taking the art of capturing their experiences, and of sharing stories as well, into their own hands. They filmed waves; today, anyone with a phone can record anything. We chatted to Hoff about that, too, and about making movies about surfing, why surfing has such big-screen appeal, his inspirations, retaining the imperfections in the imagery and what surfing culture means to Australia. [caption id="attachment_981747" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew McAlpine[/caption] On Getting Into Making Documentaries About Surfing and Australian Surf Culture "I'm a lifelong surfer, and then by trade I'm more of a filmmaker — I'm a filmmaker who surfs rather than a surfer that makes films. With Searching for Michael Peterson, I was fascinated by the idea of heroes and legends, and what it is about these people that captures our imagination, that we just become so enamoured about this person and somehow project all of our ideas onto that person. So that film was really about heroes and myths, and why we're drawn to these kind of people, troubled people in particular. This film, You Should Have Been Here Yesterday, it was a little bit different. It was a bit of a response to something that I feel. Well, it's a few things. I feel that surfing undersells itself in a whole lot of ways. So back in the 60s and 70s, surfing was the leading youth culture, and youth culture was part of this movement within Australia where everything was changing. Everything was shifting as a country — modern Australia, I'm talking about — we were becoming more confident, we're starting to do things for ourselves, making our own films, our own art movement, the Australian film industry began. And surfing was right there at that moment. [caption id="attachment_981746" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bob Evans[/caption] We were a leader in so many things that are now deeply part of the Australian cultural DNA — when we headed up the coast and experimented with not working for the man, and healthy living and connecting to country, connecting to nature. Beginning to explore Eastern philosophies and different ways of living, all of this was part of surfing. And surfing was there, because the young people were so desperate to go catch waves, it was there before the hippies and before a lot of those other more well-known movements. So in one way, I wanted to remind surfers who we are and how important that was as part of a shift in modern Australia — and maybe remind the rest of the world to look back at that time in Australia, a beautiful time in Australia. It feels to me like an adolescent period of Australia. There was this freedom, but also this naivety, like an adolescent — full of energy and going everywhere, but we made some mistakes. At the same time, there were beautiful things about that period. I'd like maybe as Australia moves forward to look back and go 'what was brilliant, what was fantastic about that that period in Australia?'. So that was the motivation behind this film." [caption id="attachment_981750" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steve Otton[/caption] On the "I Need to Make This Movie" Moment with You Should Have Been Here Yesterday "I think it gestated a long time. I must have thought about that moment when I was in Dick Hoole's garage in 2007 and 2008, thinking what other gold is on those film reels. Film technology became better, so you could go back and rescan that old 16mm film. I became a father, I've got teenage children, my interest in that generational change and how information is transferred across generations became stronger. I think these ideas are just always kicking around in the brain and little pieces pop together. The first moment would be would be Dick Hoole's garage, and the idea that maybe there's some gold, some really important pieces of Australian history, in those film real scattered around his garage. [caption id="attachment_981754" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew McAlpine[/caption] And it is important. It was important. Those surf filmmakers that went out and started filming their mates, their friends, that was the first time kids started filming themselves, ever. Before that you would have seen ABC, channel networks, Channel 9 or whatever it was, government propaganda — that was the only film footage you saw. And this was kids going 'we're not interested in that bullshit. This is what we think is important. This is what we think is invaluable'. Then they got their hands on cameras, and at great expense and great lengths, to film those moments, whether it's surfing or life or what their friends were doing. And that's the process that's gone through until now. You see now that kids everywhere, whatever they're doing, they're filming their friends and they're sharing it with each other. And that whole conversation is taking place. So they really changed the landscape, and it was part of this process of change in that mediascape that's just continuing at at a rapid rate now." [caption id="attachment_981748" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alan Rich[/caption] On the Appeal of Surf Films as a Genre — Especially on the Big Screen "It's just beautiful. It's just incredible shots. There are a whole lot of things within those early surf films that, to me, are everything that film is about. So in those days, you couldn't see surfing anywhere else. So if you're a surfer and you're in New South Wales, you want to know what the Queenslanders were doing or what was happening in Hawaii, you had to go to the surf film — you couldn't see it anywhere else. So in that way, it became the way that we shared stories and transferred information. [caption id="attachment_981751" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Esta Handfield[/caption] Then those kids from New South Wales would see what somebody's doing in Hawaii, and then they try and copy it, and then they'd come out with a new way, and then that film would go back. And so, along with the conversation, it became really important as a community-building exercise — and cinema as a community-building and information-, knowledge-sharing kind of place. To me, that's what storytelling and filmmaking is all about: bringing us together around these stories. But surfing specifically, you've got giant waves, you've got water, everything's moving all the time. It's like one huge, giant special effect. If you can have a giant wave 50-foot high on the screen in front of you and it comes crashing over you, it's still just an amazing, visceral feeling. [caption id="attachment_981760" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew McAlpine[/caption] Surf films are a genre. This film is more of an experimental form than your standard surf adventure film. But surf films as adventure films do have a genre. They're about escapism. Surfers left the cities in Australia in our film in the 50s and 60s to go and explore new ways to live, and I think that still there's a yearning to be out there in nature, and to be enveloped by nature and to be free. So much of our lives is driven by work and consumerism, and we're always constantly being put in a box, that you have to behave like this and that, and follow this rule and follow that rule. And surfing and catching waves, and other adventure sports as well that have grown from this, just provide this opportunity to feel free of all of that, and to be connected to nature and connected to the world in those place, rather than stuck in these regimented boxes that so many of us find ourselves in." [caption id="attachment_981753" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dennis MacDonald[/caption] On You Should Have Been Here Yesterday Taking Inspiration From Moonage Daydream and Mountain "Because we had all of this archive footage — we had 150 hours of archive footage, and it was all beautiful. And so we wanted to, like Moonage Daydream and Mountain, we wanted to get at an idea. Mountain is using absolutely stunning footage to get at an idea of why are we drawn to the mountain. Why are you drawn to climb a mountain? It's a madness in many ways. Why would you do that? It's dangerous. You could die. It's cold. I don't climb mountains, but it was trying to get at the idea of what it is that draws us to these places. And so in that way, Mountain by the incredible Jen Peedom, an amazing Australian filmmaker, inspired us. And then Moonage Daydream, just the form, that was just so radical — that form of 'hey, you don't need to have talking heads. You don't need somebody to come up and tell you what to think at any one moment. You can just sit back and absorb a film'. Moonage Daydream is an experience. It was a cinematic experience. You come out of that and you're jingly jangly — you're like 'what did I just see?'. [caption id="attachment_981761" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bob Evans[/caption] I was really hoping to get that feeling of surfing across, and that idea of being in nature and being connected to the world. So Moonage Daydream really gave us the confidence that we could do this film. For the first 90 percent, 95 percent of the film, there's no talking heads. It's just footage and voice. And I love that everybody in the audience takes their own journey through the film. It evokes something in them. They're not told 'this is what you should be thinking now. This is the moment'. Usually the talking head comes up and tells you 'well, that was a really great moment, we were all amazed'. I don't want to be derogatory, it's a really great filmmaking technique, but I wanted people to take their own journey through it and experience it. I tried make an experiential film." [caption id="attachment_981755" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bob Evans[/caption] On Retaining the Imperfections in the Restored Footage So That It Really Does Look Like a Treasure Trove of Material On-Screen "We love it. It was too much to fix it all up, and then why would you? It would have cost a fortune and taken years. And I love that idea of everything not being perfect. Some of the most-imperfect footage is some of my favourite, actually — some of the scratchy stuff that you can just barely see. I think those imperfections speak to where it's come from — that it was lost and it was made by essentially amateur filmmakers, and it was made by kids. And they went out there and they gave it a good shot. It wasn't polished. It was innocent and naive, the films. It was innocent and naive times. And then the footage, this is what we've managed to capture. [caption id="attachment_981757" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dick Hoole[/caption] So I really just adore those imperfections. Maybe it's getting older or something, and I go 'oh well' — and I look around at all the older people around me, and I think we're all, once we've been through things, once we've been on journeys, we all collect all these imperfections along the way. The footage is like that. We love it, and we couldn't do anything different. So we cleaned it up. Kade [Bucheli, who also worked on Hoff's 2022 documentary Watandar, My Countryman, about former Afghan Refugee and photographer Muzafar Ali] spent 14 months scanning. And literally the process, it's a physical process — like white gloves and cleaning it, and fixing splices, and then maybe a little bit of a certain solvent. But that was it. And then when we got it as good as we could physically, then we scanned it, and went 'well, we've given it love and care'. [caption id="attachment_981758" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bob Evans[/caption] It feels as it should to me. I've seen some films that have been restored. What they do with surfboards now, the analogy is maybe surfboards — they fix up the old surfboards, and then sometimes they fix up the old surfboards to the point that they look brand new. And then everyone goes 'oh, it just looks brand new. I loved that little ding or that little bit of discolouration or that mark that it had'. So I think it's like that. And I've seen that in some restorations as well, that it just ends up looking like any old digital kind of modern-affected piece, and you're losing something that's now a part of that artefact. Those blemishes now belong to that footage. They are what that footage is now." [caption id="attachment_981759" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alan Rich[/caption] On What Surfing Culture Both Means to Australia and Says About Australia "I don't know what it means to Australia, but what I think about is that — I'm talking modern Australia, we came over here and then really post-Second World War, we started to get more confident, and that's when the kids decided they were going to head out of the cities. And they found these beautiful places up and down the coast, and around Australia. And then they came to them to surf, to ride waves. But I have begun to think — I'm really interested in this idea of connection to Country. And I see that surfers are getting more and more connected to these places. They revere these places. We go on pilgrimages to these places. We love these places. And I sometimes question whether it's the land, this ancient land that we find ourselves on, calling us to come — and to come to us. Because surfers, we don't go there to farm it or to make money or anything. We go there to have joy, to meet friends, to have beautiful times together. Or maybe for solace, to dive into the water and wash away our difficulties. [caption id="attachment_981752" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew McAlpine[/caption] So I think it's a part of the process of this country beginning to speak to us as a people, as a modern Australian people, and draw us away from that really big British empire or imperialist force that keeps us really locked into these very regimented lives. Surfing's been a leader culture in a lot of different ways, and I feel that maybe in this way, maybe in the most humblest of senses, maybe it's the beginning of a connection to Country that Indigenous people have had for 40,000, 60,000 years. And maybe it's the beginning of us being able to understand what maybe a sacred site means, or what maybe it means to be connected to Country. So I think it's a little window into that. But it could be a whole lot more, a whole lot of other things as well." You Should Have Been Here Yesterday opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, November 21, 2024. Top image: Dick Hoole.
Black Springs Cabin is one of four beguiling stays on Budgee Budgee Farm, a beautifully secluded, gum-lined 33-acre property just outside of Mudgee. From the outside, the lodging transports you back in time and gives big frontiersman energy thanks to a rustic facade of raw timber, brick and corrugated iron. Step inside, however, and thoughtful contemporary creature comforts like quality linen, attractive lighting, a Nespresso machine and walls adorned with artwork make the space feel anything but dated. While the term 'cabin' might imply limited space, once inside you'll immediately appreciate the generous size of the main living area which features a luxurious king bed positioned fireside for those cold country evenings that make Mudgee such an appealing destination for winter weekenders. [caption id="attachment_904521" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A spacious bedroom-living area with wood fireplace[/caption] For the uninitiated, Mudgee is a three-and-a-half hour drive from Sydney and has earned its now-stellar reputation as a destination for lovers of great produce and wine. Sheltered in the Cudgegong River Valley and surrounded by fertile farm land, the region is the third largest grape-producing area in the state, primarily for red varieties like shiraz and cabernet sauvignon. If you do book a stay during cooler months, you'll be kept warm by the indoor wood-burning fireplace that's fuelled by a pile of pre-chopped wood. For the marshmallow-inclined, there's an outdoor fire pit (an ideal spot to partake in the spoils of the region's rich winemaking history), and there's also a freestanding claw foot bath which, if you time it properly, provides an incredible vantage point from which to watch the sunset. As the essential amenities go, the kitchen includes an electric stovetop, fridge, microwave, toaster and kettle, and there's a BBQ out back if you want to keep things completely self-contained for your stay. Alternatively, Black Springs is an easy 15-minute drive to the cafes, restaurants and wine bars of charming Mudgee village that are well worth seeking out, as are the nearby vineyards and producers like Pipeclay Pumphouse, Small Batch Brewery and Robert Stein Winery. Black Springs Cabin is recommended for a couple's weekend away when your main criteria includes being surrounded by nature, unwinding in stylish comfort and peaceful seclusion. You can book now through Airbnb. Image credit: Amber Creative Now you can book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations everywhere.
For decades, if you wanted to eat a burger patty topped with cheese, there was only one way to do it. Then a number of hybrid culinary creations started popping up — like cheeseburger spring rolls, that now-popular pub menu inclusion, as well as cheeseburger dumplings and even cheeseburger soup. Or, at Banjo's Bakery Cafe, you can opt for a double cheeseburger pie. Part of the Aussie chain's signature range, it's back on offer to help simultaneously satisfy your cheeseburger and your pie cravings. Yes, the double cheeseburger pie is exactly what it sounds like. Encased in pastry, you'll find layers of burger patty, cheese, onion, tomato sauce and mustard. And, if you're wondering about that most controversial of cheeseburger fillings — yep, that'd be pickles — they're sandwiched inside as well. This isn't the first time that Banjo's, which has stores in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, has served up this foodie mashup. But when it does offer up items from its signature range — such Tasmanian scallop, bangers and mash, and chicken parmigiana pies — they're only available for a limited time. That's the case here, too, so you'll want to get in quick if you're suddenly, unsurprisingly feeling hungry. In NSW, you'll need to head north to Glendale to get your fix. In Victoria, stores are located in Mornington, Traralgon and Mildura. Queenslanders can pick from ten spots, including Darra, Cleveland, Park Ridge and Redcliffe, while pie-loving SA residents can hit up Glenelg — and there's 29 stores in Tasmania. Banjo's Bakery Cafe's double cheeseburger pie is currently on the menu for a limited time at the chain's store's nationally. To find your nearest location, visit the company's website.
Picking where to have brunch isn't always easy, especially in a city that likes mid-morning meals as much as Brisbane does. Here's a new way to make a choice: opting for the venue that lets you hang out by the pool afterwards. Located at the W Brisbane hotel, Three Blue Ducks is adding a top-notch meal and bottomless booze to your Sundays, starting from October 10. Each week between 11am–2pm, you can book in for an al fresco brunch session that comes complete with seafood dishes, breakfast favourites and desserts. Think: Moreton Bay Bugs with fermented chilli and lemon, freshly shucked oysters with mango hot sauce, and grilled local prawns with pickled seaweed, chilli, garlic and avocado mousse — plus harissa scrambled eggs on sourdough with grilled chorizo, pickles and red onion, as well as sea salt meringues and vanilla ice-cream sundaes. The food spread will cost you $90 per person, and if you'd like to add two hours of drinks — including spritzes and mimosas made using Australian Distilling Co's gin — that'll up your price to $126 each. That's all great, and so is the live tunes providing a soundtrack; however, the best part comes afterwards. Once you're done eating and drinking, you can access the hotel's Wet Deck — to either laze around by the eye-catching zebra-patterned pool or swim in it.
It's won 11 Tony Awards and is one of the Obamas' favourite musical, and now Lin-Manuel Miranda's game-changing musical Hamilton is finally coming to Australia. The critically acclaimed hip hop musical, for which Miranda wrote the music, lyrics and the book, is about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, as well as inclusion and politics in current-day America. As well as its 11 Tony Awards, which include Best Musical, it has nabbed a Grammy Award and even a Pulitzer Prize. After hitting Broadway in 2015, then West End in 2017, and beginning its third tour of the US earlier this year, Australians can finally catch Hamilton — when it makes its Southern Hemisphere premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in March 2021. According to the SMH, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane began vying for the rights to stage the musical in mid 2018, and Sydneysiders will be happy to have come out on top (this time). There's no word yet on whether it'll head to other Aussie cities later on — it's possible, other big musicals, such as The Book of Mormons, have. But, if you don't want to risk it, those located interstate should to start planning a trip ASAP — we think it'll be more than worth it. [caption id="attachment_722617" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamilton by Joan Marcus.[/caption] It's not Miranda's first musical to hit Australia, either, his take on the classic 200s film Bring It On: The Musical hit Melbourne last year and quadruple Tony Award-winning In The Heights just finished a short season at the Sydney Opera House this January. Hamilton will make its Australian premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in March 2021. You can sign-up for pre-sale tickets now. Image: Hamilton, Broadway. Photo by Joan Marcus.
Let’s face it, the past few months have been a boon for Mayan 2012 doomsayers. Floods in Australia, Christchurch flattened by an earthquake, and most recently Japan suffering the triple blow of quake, tsunami, and nuclear catastrophe. The scenes of devastation have led people to donate cash and their own time to help with relief efforts. But what do you do if the tyranny of distance and the fact you’re a struggling artist make it impossible to help out? Well, why not donate your art? Proving that the internet can actually be used for good, BuzzFeed has collated a gallery of art works inspired by the disaster in Japan, with the artists donating proceeds to relief efforts. A number of the works are from the Threadless Japan and Pacific Relief T-shirt Challenge, which called for designs reacting to the events in Japan — the most popular design will soon go into production and be sold to raise money for the Red Cross. Others come from the Poster Cause Project, which gets artists to design posters for a new cause each month and donates 50% of all profits to charity. Others still, like the charitable storm troopers are the artists’ own initiative. Browse the Art for Japan gallery and, if something grabs your attention, don’t be afraid to purchase – after all, it’s going to a good cause. Or, if you’re feeling arty, why not donate your creative juices to something meaningful? Threadless are now calling for submissions on the theme ‘Acts of Green’ to support Earth Day.
Already boasting Yellowface author Rebecca F Kuang and Roman Empire scholar Mary Beard on its program, and tapping into two huge facets of 2023 in the process — one of the most-talked-about books of the year and one of TikTok's biggest memes — the 2024 All About Women festival has dropped its characteristically packed full lineup. Now in its 12th year, the Sydney Opera House event will span 24 sessions with 40-plus artists, and will again make its chats and panels available both in-person and online. All About Women explores gender, justice and equality, doing so as a concise one-day event on Sunday, March 10 after expanding to two days in 2022 and to three in 2023. Kuang heads to Sydney to chat about her satirical novel, which dives into cancel culture, cultural appropriation and diversity in the world of publishing — and Beard is coming to the Harbour City fresh off the release of her latest book The Emperor of Rome to explore misogyny, power, murder and gossip. From there, held as the week of International Women's Day wraps up, All About Women will see Grace Tame join a discussion about who controls women's bodies, which will also feature Indigenous social activist Tanya Hosch, tattoo artist Madison Griffiths and documentarian Tara Rae Moss. Miles Franklin-winning author Anna Funder will unpack the patriarchy, Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss's Glossier's Marisa Meltzer will step through the beauty industry's changes, and Consent Laid Bare's Chanel Contos has porn and consent on the agenda. A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing scribe Jessie Tu is part of a panel about "sad girl" novels, The Wren, The Wren's Anne Enright will talk about her latest book, and stylist Aja Barber will examine fast fashion. Or, there's Barkaa and Steph Tisdell unfurling who gets to be an anti-hero in pop culture, plus Osher Günsberg in a discussion about parenting gender roles. [caption id="attachment_936209" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Luke Currie-Richardson[/caption] Plus, life behind bars, influencer culture, storytelling as a way of creating social change, mothering on the margins and the role of gossip all feature in their own sessions. Among the workshops for folks attending physically: mindful journalling, candle-making, femininity through dance and supporting someone dealing with gender-based violence. Sydney Opera House Talks & Ideas's Chip Rolley has put together the 2024 program alongside Clementine Ford, Nakkiah Lui and Bri Lee, each of whom have co-curated specific sessions. [caption id="attachment_929572" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Packman[/caption] All About Women 2024 takes place on Sunday, March 10 at the Sydney Opera House, and also stream online. Tickets for the full program go on sale at 9am on Thursday, January 18 with pre sales from 8am on Wednesday, January 17 — head to the event website for more details. All About Women images: Jaimi Joy / Cassandra Hannagan.
Already in 2023, the various streaming services available in Australia have delivered must-see game-to-TV adaptations like The Last of Us, blasts from the pasts multiple times over such as That '90s Show and glorious cult-comedy revivals with Party Down. From there, the list goes on. But if you've read Trent Dalton's Boy Swallows Universe, the Netflix series based on it is likely at the top of your must-see list — and it'll hit before the year is out. The streaming platform hasn't revealed exactly when Boy Swallows Universe will arrive, but it is locked in for a 2023 release. Also, it just finished production in Brisbane. Smartly, the Brissie-set tale has been filmed in the Sunshine State capital for its jump to TV — after it also became one of 2021's stage hits in Brisbane, too. Boy Swallows Universe spins a story about a young boy, his prophetic brother and his jailbreaking best friend as they navigate the heroin-filled underworld of 80s Queensland. Netflix's adaptation was first announced in 2022, and will span eight episodes, running as a self-contained limited series. Travis Fimmel (Black Snow) stars as Lyle Orlik, while the cast also includes Simon Baker (Blaze) as Robert Bell and Phoebe Tonkin (Bloom) as Frances Bell — plus Felix Cameron (Penguin Bloom) as Eli Bell and Lee Tiger Halley (The Heights) as Gus Bell. Also set to feature: Bryan Brown (Hungry Ghosts) as Slim Halliday, Anthony LaPaglia (Nitram) as Tytus Broz, and Sophie Wilde (Eden) as Caitlyn Spies, plus Christopher James Baker (Ozark) as Ivan Kroll, HaiHa Le (Back to the Rafters) as Bich Dang and Deborah Mailman (Total Control) as Poppy Birkbeck. And, you'll see Ben O'Toole (Barons) as Teddy, Zachary Wan (Never Too Late) as Darren Dang, and Millie Donaldson and Eloise Rothfield as Shelley Huffman (aged 17 and 13, respectively). For the second time since shooting began, the streaming service has also dropped a heap of behind-the-scenes photos, if you're keen for a sneak peek before a trailer drops. Boy Swallows Universe is directed by Bharat Nalluri (The Man Who Invented Christmas), Jocelyn Moorhouse (The Dressmaker) and Kim Mordaunt (The Rocket), and scripted by screenwriter John Collee (Master and Commander, Happy Feet, Hotel Mumbai). The impressive names involved extend to the show's executive producers, too, which include Troy Lum (The Water Diviner, Saving Mr Banks, Mao's Last Dancer), Andrew Mason (The Matrix, The Water Diviner), Sophie Gardiner (Howard's End, Chimerica), Kerry Roberts (Foe, Boy Erased), and Aussie actor and filmmaker Joel Edgerton (The Stranger, The Underground Railroad). On the page, Boy Swallows Universe has snagged a slew of local awards, including Book of the Year, Literary Book of the Year and Audio Book of the Year at the 2019 Australian Book Industry Awards. The novel, which has sold a hefty amount of copies in Australia alone — 160,000 in 2019, when the play was announced — was also longlisted for Australia's most prestigious literature prize, the Miles Franklin Award. And, while bringing Boy Swallows Universe to the screen has been in the works for some time — with Harper Collins selling the television rights to the novel back in 2019, and Edgerton set to produce the show since then — if you've been waiting to actually lock your eyes on a Boy Swallows Universe series, 2023 is your year. Boy Swallows Universe will hit Netflix sometime in 2023. We'll update you with an exact release date when it's announced. Images: Netflix.
Music is an integral part of Brisbane's identity, with many of the country's most beloved musicians getting their start in the Queensland capital. Powderfinger, Ball Park Music, Kate Miller-Heidke, Waax, The Go-Betweens and many more spent their formative years gigging around the city. From the punk scene that emerged in the seventies and eighties to the thriving Fortitude Valley suburb and multiple music festivals held each year, Brisbane is also something of a cultural hub. Whether you're a local wanting to support Australia's live music scene or are heading to the Sunshine State and need a steer for your itinerary, here's a curated list of live music venues to check out in Brisbane. [caption id="attachment_1029305" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Supplied[/caption] LiveWire Located in The Star Brisbane, LiveWire is your destination for headline entertainment and a vibrant mix of weekly events. Whether you're into live music, drag bingo, or music trivia, the variety on offer ensures there's always something exciting happening. One act to watch out for is on Friday, October 24, when Brisbane musician Jarryd James will perform his hits, including his ARIA award-winning song "Do You Remember," at LiveWire. Several other singers, DJs and artists perform at LiveWire every week, so check out The Star Brisbane's schedule to see what's on. Looking for a pre-gig tipple? Head to one of The Star Brisbane's cocktail bars, the panoramic Cicada Blu and 360º bar Cherry, before the performance and get into the party spirit. If you'd prefer dinner before dancing the night away, Cucina Regina is The Star Brisbane's Italian eatery. It offers hand-stretched pizzas and delicious homemade pasta. Meanwhile, Aloria is a rooftop restaurant with a European-Australian menu and delicious cocktails. For those making a weekend of it, consider a stay at The Star Brisbane's five-star hotel. If you're a music lover, The Star Brisbane is a one-stop shop for drinks with your mates, dinner with a view, and a free gig to top the night off. [caption id="attachment_1029306" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Marlon Trottman[/caption] Fortitude Music Hall The Fortitude Music Hall was built to offer the city of Brisbane a middle ground venue between its small dive bars and larger sports stadiums. Located in the city's CBD entertainment precinct, Fortitude Valley Music Hall is a 3000-person venue that hosts a number of international and local acts. In 2025 and 2026, acts such as Royel Otis, Noah Cyrus, CMAT, Ben Folds, and Travis will take to the stage, making Fortitude Music Hall a venue to add to the top of your live music list. Fortitude Music Hall is located in the middle of the buzzing Brunswick Mall, giving you a number of options for a pre-gig beverage or takeaway on the way home. [caption id="attachment_1029307" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The Triffid[/caption] The Triffid If you're looking for live music and pints on tap, head to The Triffid. Located in Newstead, the venue is within walking distance of the buzzy Fortitude Valley area and has everything a music lover could want. Housed in a converted World War II aircraft hangar, The Triffid has an indoor venue and a smaller stage outside in the beer garden, making it an excellent spot for a Sunday session. The venue was created by Powderfinger bassist, John Collins, who knows the importance of fostering local acts and building a community around music. As a result, The Triffid is a hub for music fans—plus, their beer garden serves a mean hot chips if you're looking for a snack to pair with your pint. The Tivoli Originally built in 1927 as the Adams Bakery, today The Tivoli (or The Tiv, as locals call it) is one of the city's most beloved music venues. The Tivoli has hosted some of the country's most prolific artists, such as Powderfinger, Silverchair, Missy Higgins, and Paul Kelly, as well as international acts including Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Bob Dylan. Housed in an art deco building, the Fortitude Valley venue combines heritage, charm, and a roster of iconic acts all in one place. Head to the Jubilee Hotel for a pint and pub meal before the gig, or, if you're after something a little more elevated (literally), the Soko Rooftop Bar is a great shout. [caption id="attachment_1029308" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Crowbar Brisbane[/caption] Crowbar A favourite among punk, metal and rock fans, the Crowbar has endured a lot in recent years. After launching in 2012, the venue sadly closed during the pandemic. Thanks to the locals' efforts, Crowbar Brisbane has moved to Ann Street in the Valley and is once again a thriving music venue. No need to make multiple bookings if you're heading to the Crowbar, as the venue offers burgers and barbecue at its bar and restaurant as well as a selection of local beers on tap, making it an easy stop on a night out. This list scratches the surface of iconic venues in Brisbane, Australia's unofficial music capital. Be sure to check out each schedule and make a booking to support live and local music. Explore more at The Star Brisbane. Lead image: LiveWire at The Star Brisbane. Guests must be 18 years or over to enter LiveWire and the casino.
No trip to Japan is complete without introducing your tastebuds to the country's creative array of KitKats, which span everything from pumpkin, wasabi and sake to cough drop-flavoured versions. If you're making the visit from the end of September 2019 onwards, your chocolate-eating quest will now double as a change to enjoy a spot of origami, too — and will be much more environmentally friendly as well. Nestlé Japan has announced that it's changing the packaging on local KitKat products, swapping from plastic to paper wrappers. At first, it'll make the change with the outer packaging on share packs, with five flavours (including regular, matcha and dark matcha) affected. By September 2020, the company plans to do the same for all of its large bags, before replacing all individual wrappers in 2021. With the switch to paper, Nestlé Japan is also making the obvious connection, including origami instructions on the new packaging. Now, when you've finished with your sweet treat, you can fashion the wrapper into a crane — and again a colourful keepsake. The move comes as part of Nestlé's worldwide efforts to ensure that 100-percent of its packaging is recyclable or re-usable by 2025, a plan that it announced last year. While KitKats are sold in more than 80 countries worldwide, just when the packaging might change elsewhere — and if it'll entice chocolate fiends to turn their used wrappers into origami — is yet to be revealed. Images: Nestlé Japan.
Wanting a little romantic indulgence? Make a bee-line straight for Onsen Hot Pools where there aren't even the words to describe how heavenly it is. Located just ten minutes from Queenstown, perched on the cliffs within a stunning mountain range, this onsen gives you a chance to soak in the breathtaking scenery while you soak in warm 38-degree waters. As you recline in the cedar pool with your choice of tipple, the retractable roof will open up to reveal cascading views across the Shotover River by day or the mesmerising star-filled sky by night. It's the epitome of relaxation. Each pool room can accommodate up to four adults, so you can share with family and friends or keep it strictly 'lovers only', just you and bae. For extra indulgence, book in for an onsite massage. We suggest the 120-minute experience which includes a massage and facial followed by herbal teas and raw-pressed refreshments in the lounge. Go on, you deserve it.
At the beginning of 2012, when the world discovered that Channing Tatum was starring in a movie about male strippers — and that it was based on his own experiences working in the field — everyone was a little sceptical. Which was understandable. Magic Mike boasts a great director in Steven Soderbergh, and a cast that also includes Matthew Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Olivia Munn, Riley Keough and peak McConnaissance-era Matthew McConaughey, but, on paper, it was hardly a sure thing. Of course, once the film hit the screens, it was a hit. More than that — it was a smart and sensitive look at men chasing the American Dream by taking off their clothes. Sequel Magic Mike XXL, which released in 2015, not only repeated the feat but added more depth, and Tatum successfully turned what could've been a forgettable chapter of his pre-fame life into a successful big-screen franchise. Actually, he's turned it into a stage and screen franchise. Yes, Magic Mike was always going to go back to where it all began. In Las Vegas and London (and soon Berlin), Magic Mike Live has been steaming up venues and letting real-life male dancers strip up a storm for eager audiences. Not to be confused with Magic Mike the Musical — because that's something that's also happening — the "immersive" dance show is coming to Australia in 2020. Hitting Birrarung Marr in Melbourne from Tuesday, May 26 — then heading to Sydney, Brisbane and Perth — Magic Mike Live will unleash its stuff in a 600-seat spiegeltent called The Arcadia. It's the world's largest spiegeltent, because clearly this kind of show has plenty of fans. This is the first time that the performance will be held in the pop-up two-storey spot, which comes with 360-degree views of the stage, a glass lobby, custom bars, a mini food hall, and a lounge area both inside and out. And while it's blazing a trail venue-wise, on the stage, the Aussie show will combine elements of the Magic Mike Live's three other international productions. While Tatum came up with the idea for Magic Mike Live and co-directs the show, the Step Up, 21 Jump Street, Logan Lucky and Kingsman: The Golden Circle star isn't actually one of the performers. Instead, a cast of 20 — including 15 male dancers — will showcase a combination of, dance, comedy and acrobatics. Continuing her role from the films, stage show co-director and choreographer Alison Faulk is behind the sultry moves, drawing upon a career spent working with Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Missy Elliott, P!NK, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin. It probably goes without saying, but if you're already thinking about buying Magic Mike Live tickets, expect to have plenty of hens parties for company. [caption id="attachment_753643" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jerry Metellus[/caption] MAGIC MIKE LIVE AUSTRALIAN TOUR Melbourne — Birrarung Mar, from Tuesday, May 26, 2020 Sydney — Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, from Thursday, November 19, 2020 Brisbane — TBC Perth — TBC Magic Mike Live tours Australia from Tuesday, May 26, 2020, when it kicks off its shows in Melbourne. For more information — or to buy tickets for the Melbourne and Sydney legs, or sign up for the Brisbane and Perth waitlists — visit the website.
When Betty's Burgers and Concrete Co started dishing up burgs, fries and shakes, it gave hungry (and grateful) Australian tastebuds a Shake Shack-style burger experience. The chain has done well with that approach, unsurprisingly, expanding from its Noosa beginnings to now boast joints in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth — and a trio of ex-staff members are aiming for the same success with new venture Slim's Quality Burger. There's plenty that's familiar about Slim's template, in fact. Swap out the Shake Shack nods, substitute in a 50s and 60s-inspired setup that takes its cues from American diner culture, and that's the concept. Once again, the focus is on classic-style burgs rather than OTT numbers in this new spot from Michael Tripp, Nik Rollison and Betty's founder David Hales; however, the burgers here are paired with old-school ice cream sundaes instead of Betty's frozen custard 'concretes'. Now open in Marrickville in Sydney, with other stores set to come around the country — details of which haven't yet been revealed — Slim's is all about a lean menu of options made with simple but quality ingredients. Burger-wise, customers can choose between original, cheeseburger, deluxe cheeseburger and 'the works' burgs all made with angus beef, plus five different chicken varieties — including with crispy fried or grilled chook — and a veggie option using a plant-based patty. Sides focus on fries either with sea salt, loaded with cheese and grilled onion, or also featuring maple-smoked bacon. As for those sundaes, they come in hot fudge, salted caramel and strawberry flavours. And to wash it all down, there are spiders — because plonking a scoop of ice cream in some soft drink never gets old — plus post-mix from the fountain, and chocolate, vanilla and strawberry thickshakes. And with its vibrant red bench seating, the same hue beaming up from the chequerboard-tiled floor and a curved order counter — in the Marrickville setup at least — the decor clearly takes Slim's chosen retro aesthetic seriously. Also a feature in Sydney: outdoor dining, plus a blast from the past-meets-modern overall feel. Slim's Quality Burger has opened its first store at 20 Smidmore Street, Marrickville, with more locations to come across Australia — we'll update you when new sites are announced.
Two years after getting a makeover, changing its layout and adding three more screens, Palace Centro has undergone another revamp. In fact, it's no longer called Palace Centro. Now badged Palace James St, the 18-year-old cinema has built three more cinemas, bringing its New Farm total to ten. The new screens also mark the company's first premium offerings — Palace Platinum — in Brisbane. With the projectors firing up on Friday, November 16, cinephiles can get put their feat up in reclining leather seats, which is what everyone that goes to Gold Class-style sessions wants. You can also tuck into dine-in meals and snacks. And, if your stomach is rumbling mid-movie, just press the call button to get your beverage — or popcorn — topped up. Food and drink-wise, patrons can choose from bites that include $14 mini choc top flights (which feature five flavours), as well as cocktails, sparkling, wine and craft beers. Or, ordering in from along the street is an option. Local eateries such as Chow House and Jocelyn's Provisions will be serving up mini menus so that you can eat lunch or dinner while the film is rolling. But this is the best bit. To mark the relaunch, Palace James St is offering $10 platinum tickets, which means that A Star Is Born, Bohemian Rhapsody, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Old Man and the Gun can dance in front of your eyes until Thursday, November 22 for the same price as a regular session. Pretty good considering standard Platinum tickets cost $32 Monday to Wednesday and $42 all other days. Bottomless popcorn and $5 (not bottomless) glasses of prosecco will also be available across the week. Unsurprisingly, sessions are selling out quickly. Find Palace James St at 39 James Street, Fortitude Valley, with Palace Platinum launching on Friday, November 16.
Though the news isn't a total surprise to anyone paying attention to Good Charlotte's social channels, or to anyone who spied the mysterious billboards around the nation, Good Charlotte has confirmed dates and venues for a 2026 ANZ tour. As per Rolling Stone AU/NZ, the US pop punk group have today confirmed a lineup of arena shows in Perth, Brisbane, Bendigo, Sydney and Auckland. Joining Good Charlotte for the tour will be fellow US heavyweights Yellowcard, and Australia's own Kisschasy. "Australia is such a special place to Good Charlotte and to me personally, it feels like a home away from home in many ways, and we can't wait to head back there for some big shows," Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden said. "It's been far too long since we've spent time with our Aussie fans, we're all in for a big treat." [embed]https://open.spotify.com/album/5IbeeWff9kyS6ZU67NdyQD?si=uWyoDRgLQK-cBxUnpamSBg[/embed] In a recent interview with Rolling Stone AU/NZ in support of their latest album, Motel Du Cap – the US band's first album in seven years – Madden confirmed that they intend to hit Australia in early 2026 for arena shows around the country. "We were trying to surprise dates this year, but it's been too hard with something with the venues or something," Madden revealed. "I don't know. It's been too hard to get dates, whatever the complications have been this year, because we wanted to drop [the dates] around when the record comes. I think it'll be arena shows, so it's harder to move those things around. So I think we're gonna come as quickly as we can at the top of '26." [embed]https://youtu.be/-DfXG1IozRU?si=apjjTG76wTu04Y5d[/embed] "That's what we're talking about right now." Motel Du Cap is the band's first full-length release since 2018's Generation Rx. In 2020, Good Charlotte released the single "Last December." Since then, band leaders and brothers Joel and Benji Madden have focused on various business ventures outside of music, including livestream platform Veeps, Joel's Artist Friendly podcast, and an entire artist management company MDDN. [caption id="attachment_1033843" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Scott Dudelson/Getty Images[/caption] General public tickets go on sale from 11am on Monday, October 20th. Click here for more details and to view all the dates and venues.
Picking just one film that Quentin Tarantino will always be known for is impossible. Pulp Fiction might seem to be the obvious answer, but given that his resume spans Reservoir Dogs, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill and Inglourious Basterds as well, alongside Death Proof, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, his career is filled with standout flicks. Only one looks set to score a Brad Pitt-starring follow-up with David Fincher directing, however — and with QT writing the script. As Variety and The Playlist are reporting, the tale of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's Cliff Booth won't be over if this new film comes to fruition. Netflix are behind it, and the focus on Booth is why Pitt (Wolfs) is in the lead, returning to the role that won him an Oscar. There's no name for the movie yet, or much else in the way of details — including whether fellow Once Upon a Time in Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio (Killers of the Flower Moon) and Margot Robbie (Barbie) will also feature or even briefly pop up. Whatever title it has and whoever else is in it, the picture will see Pitt working with two familiar filmmakers. For Tarantino, he also starred in Inglourious Basterds. For Fincher, he's led Seven, Fight Club and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. If you've been hanging out for a new movie from the latter director since 2023's The Killer, this might be it. If the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood-related film retains a look at Tinseltown and the entertainment industry, Fincher will add it alongside Mank on his resume. QT just keeps showing Once Upon a Time in Hollywood love, after releasing a novelisation based on the ten-time Academy Award-nominated as part of a two-title deal with publisher Harper Collins. The text not only retraced the tale seen on-screen, but added to it. And yes, Tarantino penned the book, which marked his first foray into printed fiction and saw him embrace his love of novels that relay the narrative of big-screen releases. It's been almost three decades since QT wrote a feature script that someone else directed, since the screenplay for 1996's From Dusk Till Dawn — which he also acted in, and Robert Rodriguez (Spy Kids: Armageddon) helmed. Tarantino is no stranger to Pitt starring in a flick that stems from his words, but with another filmmaker behind the camera, though, courtesy of 1993's Tony Scott (Unstoppable)-directed True Romance. Obviously there's no sneak peek yet for the new film, but you can check out Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's trailer below: Netflix's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood follow-up doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you with more details when they are announced. Read our review of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Via Variety / The Playlist.
The City Sounds are one of Brisbane’s most underappreciated entertainment outfits. Almost every week there are bands playing right in the middle of Queen Street Mall, performing free shows for anyone on their lunch break or shopping trip. This week, The City Sounds have a new act each day, so if you happen to be in the city, why not spend some time listening to some great music. We’ve done you a favour and have listed below when and where each act will be playing. Wednesday 15th: The Phoncurves (pictured) @ noon, 1pm, 2pm @ Intersection of Queen St Mall & Albert St Thursday 16th: Jorja May @ noon, 1pm, 2pm @ Intersection of Queen St Mall & Albert St. Friday 17th: The Imprints @ 4.30pm, 5.30pm & 6.30pm @ Milano Café Fox Lane @ 5pm, 6pm & 7pm @ Visitor Information Centre June @ 5pm, 6pm & 7pm @ Intersection of Queen St Mall & Albert St Saturday 18th: Amon and Audra @ 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm @ Milano Café Flap! @ noon, 1pm & 2pm @ Queen Street Mall Main Stage Sunday 19th: Danny Widdiecombe @ 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm @ Milano Café Max Savage & The False Idols @ noon, 1pm & 2pm @ Queen Street Mall Main Stage
If your wardrobe is filled with pop culture-themed attire, odds are that you're a fan of Brisbane's BlackMilk Clothing. Star Wars outfits, Harry Potter activewear, Avatar threads, Squid Game tracksuits, The Witcher dresses — the company has released them all. Next on its list: a new range of Stranger Things-inspired pieces. This isn't the first time that BlackMilk has teamed up with Netflix to pay homage to the 80s-set sci-fi hit; however, given that the series finally returned for season four this year — and that Halloween is almost upon us, too — the brand has whipped up another collection. Need something to run up that hill in? Not sure what to wear while battling Vecna? Just keen on a new trick-or-treating outfit? Consider all of those boxes ticked. Whether you've spent the last few years wishing you went to Hawkins High or you just want to wear clothing decked out with demorgogons, there's something here for you, too. The new 17-piece line spans includes Hawkins Demogorgons varsity jackets, Upside Down-themed dresses and leggings that look like Vecna's lair. A hoodie features the gang riding their bikes the right way up and all that evil lurking below, while a few particularly ace-looking items include Stranger Things movie posters. Another standout: a shirt paying tribute to Eddie Munson, name-checking his band Corroded Coffin. And, because the range really is timed for the spookiest period of the year, cartoon pumpkins also feature. The past few months haven't been short on ways to indulge your Stranger Things love, ranging from Spotify playlists to themed burgers — and, of course, that giant rift that arrived temporarily on Bondi Beach. A full preview of BlackMilk's new Stranger Things collection is available on its website — and if you're as keen to pick up a few pieces as Eleven is about Eggos, they go on sale at 7am AEST on Thursday, September 8. Getting in quickly, like a demon is chasing you, is recommended; items are available until sold out, and, yes, that often happens quickly. BlackMilk Clothing's new Stranger Things collection goes on sale at 7am AEST on Thursday, September 8. For more information about, head to the brand's website.
Last year, just as the pandemic started shutting down our regular routines, a handy browser plug-in popped up to make life a little more bearable. That'd be Netflix Party, which helps you watch movies with your mates while still social distancing — synchronising everyone's playback so you're truly watching each and every frame at the same time. That's all well and good if you're watching via a browser, and you're watching Netflix. If you and your pals are keen on an iOS alternative that'll slide right into your chats and span other platforms, you'll soon have one. As part of its big iOS 15 announcement, Apple has revealed that it is launching a new Facetime feature called Shareplay. It'll allow you to view films and TV shows together and in sync — and listen to music as well — complete with shared playback controls. So, once you and your friends are on a Shareplay session, anyone can pause whatever you're watching or hearing. Also, you won't all need to be using an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple TV to access the service. Apple also announced that it's going to extend Facetime calls beyond its own devices, so folks who use Android or Windows devices will be able to access the application via their web browser. A heap of other platforms will be integrated into Shareplay, if you're wondering what you and your crew will be able to binge together. They include Disney+, TikTok and Twitch, as well as Paramount+ — which will launch in Australia this August. You'll obviously all need to subscribe to whichever platforms you're planning to view or listen to — so this won't be a way to watch The Mandalorian on your mates' account. Shareplay will work with Apple Music and Apple's own range of movies and TV shows, naturally, and you'll also be able to share your screen via the feature to view other apps together. Other updates slated for iOS 15, which is expected to start rolling out from spring 2021, include redesigned notifications, a big Safari revamp, a Live Text function that'll be able to read handwritten writing in photos, enhanced features in Apple Maps and ramped up privacy controls. The weather and notes apps are getting a makeover, too, and there'll also be a new Live Translate feature as well. Apple's iOS 15 is expected to start rolling out from spring 2021. For further details, head to the Apple website.
If you're someone who habitually forgets to grab your dear ol' dad a Father's Day gift until the last minute, now is your chance to get him something really special — especially if he loves a dram and his motorsports. Glenfiddich has partnered with the Aston Martin Formula One Team to release a limited-edition 16-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (ABV 43%). Housed in an Aston Martin Racing Green presentation box, this will really pop on dad's bar shelf (when he isn't pouring himself a glass, that is). When it comes to whisky, few names are as renowned as Glenfiddich. Founded in 1887, this Scottish distillery has long been a pioneer in the production of single malt Scotch whisky and is one of the few remaining family-owned distilleries. Continuing to embrace the innovative practices of its founder, William Grant, it's responsible for some of the best-selling whiskies on the market, including the most awarded single malt Scotch whisky in the world. Its commitment to such a high level of craftsmanship is exactly why Glenfiddich has partnered with Aston Martin to release this limited-edition bottle. Announced at the Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024, this 16-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky celebrates the precision and mastery of these two iconic brands. "At Glenfiddich, we're committed to creating exceptional whiskies that honour tradition while embracing innovation," commented Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich's Malt Master. "The Glenfiddich 16-Year-Old is a true testament to this philosophy. It combines craftsmanship and precision in a whisky that invites exploration and discovery, much like the journey of our partnership with Aston Martin Formula One Team. It's a celebration of blending tradition with the thrill of innovation." So what exactly makes this single malt Scotch whisky special? Like all of Glenfiddich's spirits, the devil is in the details. This 16-year-old whisky is aged in a carefully selected marriage of American oak wine casks, new American barrels and second-fill bourbon casks. Through the distillery's meticulous blending process, the result is a bottle that features distinct notes of maple syrup, caramelised ginger and, subtly, toasted oak. As it goes down, it has a silky and syrupy palate that tastes like fresh fruit salad and Chantilly cream. All of this culminates in a finish that's smooth and bold, with a sustained sweetness. What wouldn't Dad love about that? If he considers himself a bit of a whisky connoisseur or has an eye for the more luxurious things in life, this limited edition bottle is sure to go down smooth. It's also the perfect Father's Day gift if your dad is the kind of guy who saves spirits so he can crack them out for "special occasions". Every dram of Glenfiddich's 16-Year-Old Single Malt is sure to be enjoyed. If you're lucky, he might even let you have a glass. The Glenfiddich 16-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (RRP $150) is available at First Choice, Liquorland, Vintage Cellars and independent retailers. You can purchase it here. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: Glenfiddich
When it opens its borders in early March, Western Australia will allow travellers from interstate and international destinations to visit for the first time in nearly two years — and, if it's beaches you're after, you have plenty of reasons to make the trip. Already in 2022, WA's Misery Beach was named Australia's best beach for the year. Now, the state's Turquoise Bay has nabbed its own accolade, topping a list of best beaches in the South Pacific for 2022. In Tripadvisor's just-announced 2022 lineup of the region's best beaches, which ranks ten idyllic locations, seven Aussie spots made the cut — and two from New Zealand. In fact, the only patch of sand that wasn't from either country was Bora Bora's Matira Beach, which came in fifth. Yes, that means three Aussie beaches and one NZ spot pipped French Polynesia. Located in Exmouth, Turquoise Bay came in third in Tripadvisor's top ten list of beaches around the world, too, moving up a spot from sixth in 2021. So, if you're making beachy holiday plans, this WA locale has been given the tick twice over. [caption id="attachment_844142" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Greens Pool, Denmark, Western Australia[/caption] On the South Pacific list, Broome's Cable Beach, also in WA, came in second — followed by New Zealand's Kaiteriteri Beach at third, then Greens Pool in Denmark, WA at fourth. Norfolk Island's Emily Bay ranked sixth, Queensland's Mooloolaba Beach came seventh, Cape Le Grand National Park in Esperance, WA sits eighth and 2021 best beach in the world winner Whitehaven Beach in Queensland came ninth. Rounding out the rankings: Tahunanui Beach in Nelson, NZ. Clearly, WA beaches scored big — with most locations named this year also placing in 2021. [caption id="attachment_844140" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kaiteriteri Beach, New Zealand[/caption] On the worldwide list, Grace Bay Beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands emerged victorious — moving up from fourth place in 2021 — followed by Varadero Beach in Cuba at second. Brazil's Quarta Praia in Morro de Sao Paulo came fourth, Aruba's Eagle Beach sits fifth and Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island in India ranked sixth. They were followed by Baía do Sancho in Fernando de Noronha, Brazil at seventh; Trunk Bay Beach in the Virgin Islands National Park, US Virgin Islands at eighth; Baía dos Golfinhos in Praia da Pipa, again in Brazil, at ninth and Italy's Spiaggia dei Conigli in Lampedusa at tenth. The global list also named spots from 11th to 25th place, with Broome's Cable Beach coming in 11th. Across both the worldwide and South Pacific rankings, winners were chosen as part of Tripadvisor's Traveller's Choice awards, which is based on reviews and ratings left on the online platform across 2021. [caption id="attachment_844145" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grace Bay Beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands[/caption] TOP TEN BEACHES IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC FOR 2022: Turquoise Bay, Exmouth, Western Australia Cable Beach, Broome, Western Australia Kaiteriteri Beach, Kaiteriteri, New Zealand Greens Pool, Denmark, Western Australia Matira Beach, Bora Bora, French Polynesia Emily Bay, Norfolk Island, Australia Mooloolaba Beach, Mooloolaba, Queensland Cape Le Grand National Park, Esperance, Western Australia Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Queensland Tahunanui Beach, Nelson, New Zealand TOP TEN BEACHES IN THE WORLD FOR 2022: Grace Bay Beach, Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos Varadero Beach, Varadero, Cuba Turquoise Bay, Exmouth, Western Australia Quarta Praia, Morro de Sao Paulo, Brazil Eagle Beach, Palm, Eagle Beach, Aruba Radhanagar Beach, Havelock Island, India Baía do Sancho, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil Trunk Bay Beach, Virgin Islands National Park, U.S. Virgin Islands Baía dos Golfinhos, Praia da Pipa, Brazil Spiaggia dei Conigli, Lampedusa, Italy To check out the full list of top beaches for 2022, head to Tripadvisor. Top image: Tourism Western Australia.
Make a comic-book blockbuster, then make a smaller-scale but still star-studded comedy: that's been Taika Waititi's formula of late. The first time that he jumped into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Thor: Ragnarok, he followed it up with Jojo Rabbit, an "anti-hate" comedy mocking Hitler that won the New Zealand filmmaker an Oscar. Now, after returning to the MCU with Thor: Love and Thunder, he's turning a true tale about American Samoa's soccer team into his next flick. If Next Goal Wins sounds familiar, there's a few reasons for that. Firstly, it's already the title of a documentary from 2014 about the national football squad and their efforts to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Also, Waititi's dramatised version of that story has been in the making for four years, both beginning and wrapping initial production pre-pandemic — before doing reshoots in 2021. And, of course, the details themselves might ring a bell if you're a fan of the world game and you remember the American Samoan team's big 2001 defeat. Playing Australia in a qualifying match two decades back, the squad lost 31–0. Cue the hiring of Dutch American coach Thomas Rongen, who Michael Fassbender (X-Men: Dark Phoenix) plays in Waititi's movie. As the just-dropped trailer for Next Goal Wins 2.0 shows, Rongen has just lost his job when he gets the new gig in the South Pacific. From there, Waititi and the film are in classic underdog sports-film territory, but stepping through events that genuinely happened. There's another important part of this story, too, with American Samoa squad member Jaiyah Saeluathe first non-binary player to compete in a FIFA World Cup qualifier. The doco made for rousing viewing, which the latest flick overtly aims to ape — mixed with the brand of comedy that Waititi has established in everything from Eagle vs Shark and Boy to What We Do in the Shadows to Hunt for the Wilderpeople before he hit the MCU. And yes, to answer the immediate question that any trailer for one of the writer/director's pictures inspires, Waititi does indeed pop up on-screen. Alongside the filmmaker and Fassbender, the latter of which hasn't made a movie since 2019, Next Goal Wins also stars Oscar Kightley (The Breaker Upperers), Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid's Tale), Will Arnett (Murderville), Uli Latukefu (Young Rock), Rhys Darby (Our Flag Means Death), David Fane (Duckrockers), Lehi Falepapalangi (Doogie Kamealoha, MD), Semu Filipo (The Justice of Bunny King), Rachel House (Heartbreak High), Angus Sampson (Bump), Beulah Koale (Dual) and more. Check out the trailer for Next Goal Wins below: Next Goal wins releases in cinemas Down Under on January 1, 2024.
With its pools, gardens, restaurants, bars, array of events and riverside views, calling South Bank a multi-sensory playground isn't a stretch. But since September 2021, the inner-city precinct has been home to Imaginaria, an immersive series of installations that firmly earns that term. Bringing light-filled mazes, inflatable spaces, electronic hall of mirrors and more to town will do that. Haven't had a chance to head by yet? Keep meaning to make a date with the pop-up underneath the Goodwill Bridge next to Queensland Maritime Museum? Brisbanites, you now have another chance. Because it proving so popular, Imaginaria has extended its Brisbane stay yet again, ditching its plans to wrap up at the end of January and sticking around until Sunday, April 30 instead. Wondering why it's been proving such a hit? The installation is made up of different structures, each filled with lights, sounds and smells. First, you take your shoes off — and then you wander through a space filled with artificial intelligence projections, sensor-triggered LED waves and giant silk parachute canopies. Also included: cosmic gardens, an anti-gravity sunset, an electronic hall of mirrors and a digital wishing well that whispers your greatest desires. Entering a serene white bubble, touching a digital eclipse, engaging with an interactive constellation — they're all featured, in an event that was always going to prove popular in Brisbane. When Imaginaria first set up in Melbourne before making its way north, more than 100,000 people went along. Open for patrons to wander through at their own pace, and filled with chairs and lounges so you can stop wherever you want to linger, Imaginaria spans ten rooms in total — and the choose-your-own-adventure setup means you can spend 15 minutes skipping through or take your time. An all-ages-friendly event, it still has capacity limits and strict hygiene measures — and tickets start at $23.95 a pop for adults. Imaginaria will remain underneath the Goodwill Bridge, next to Queensland Maritime Museum at South Bank, until Sunday, April 30 — with tickets on sale now for all dates until then. Images: Annette Dew / William Hamilton-Coates.
UPDATE, June 14, 2020: Devs is also now streaming in full on new Foxtel-run platform Binge. This article has been updated to reflect that change. If you're a fan of watching smart, rewarding, deep-thinking science fiction, then you're probably a fan of Alex Garland's. Originally an author, he initially came to fame as the writer of 90s bestseller The Beach, before moving into screenwriting with the script for 28 Days Later. More screenplays followed, including Sunshine, Never Let Me Go and Dredd — but it was his 2014 directorial debut Ex Machina that showed the extent of his filmmaking prowess. Annihilation proved a highly worthy addition to his resume in 2018, too, even after it was shuffled onto Netflix rather than screening in cinemas in much of the world. Given his track record so far, any new project by Garland is cause for excitement. This year, direct your enthusiasm towards new series Devs. The writer/director has made the leap to television with a cast led by Nick Offerman, Ex Machina's Sonoya Mizuno, Love's Karl Glusman, American Horror Story's Alison Pill and Bad Times at the El Royale's Cailee Spaeny — and, as currently streaming on Foxtel Now and Binge in Australia, it's a trippy ride into cerebral sci-fi territory. The eight-part show also radiates unease from its very first moments, all while sporting both a mood and a futuristic look that prove simultaneously unsettlingly and alluring. The setting: Amaya, a US technology company that's massive in size yet secretive in its focus, especially when it comes to its big quantum computing project. When Sergei (Glusman) is promoted to its coveted, extra clandestine Devs division, his girlfriend and fellow Amaya employee Lily (Mizuno) is thrilled for him. But when Sergei doesn't come home from his first day, Lily starts looking for answers — including from the company's guru-like leader Forest (a long-haired, very un-Ron Swanson-like Offerman). As intriguing as it is involving — as both Ex Machina and Annihilation were, too — Devs is the kind of series with twists and turns that are best discovered by watching; however as each second passes by, the stranger and more sinister it all appears. Expect conspiracies, tech thrills and big questions, in a series that does what all the very best sci-fi stories do: tackle big existential questions and intimate everyday emotions in tandem, all while asking 'what if?'. Also a highlight is Devs' spectacular set design and overall look, with Garland bringing striking, dark yet vivid images to his first small-screen project. Giant woodland areas, floating cube-like workspaces glimmering in golden hues, shimmering fields, a towering statue of a small child — they're all part of the show's appearance, and its mysteries. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8klax373ds The first season of Devs is available to stream on Foxtel Now and Binge. Images: FX Networks.
Surrounded by water on three shores, The Entrance is nearly an island. It's an ideal place to spend a winter weekender staring into endless blue, especially when you've been desperately longing to forget all about work, traffic and the general chaos of life. And it's just a 90 minutes' drive north of Sydney. On one side lies tranquil Tuggerah Lake, and on the other, the mighty Tasman Sea. Further north are the tiny settlements of Magenta and Norah Head, where you'll come across friendly cafes, rugged lookouts and white-sand beaches backdropped by national park. Set up home base at the Pullman Magenta Shores Resort and follow our guide to fending off the winter blues with a sneaky getaway. EAT All great weekenders start with ace coffee. Get yours at the Burrow Coffee House. This cosy spot offers nice brews and beautifully composed brekkies, including a bacon and egg roll with avocado, haloumi and balsamic. When you're ready for your next brew, head a couple of kilometres south to Long Jetty. Here you'll find The Glass Onion Society, a fun, art and music-loving cafe that does Sonoma baked goods, vegan doughnuts and 'Soul Soup', among other eats sure to warm up even the frostiest morn. When lunchtime arrives, explore a bit of history in the best way possible: while eating cake. Do so by booking high tea at The Entrance Lake House, an airy, elegant cafe that's been licensed since 1905 but underwent a reno in 2012. If you happen to be around Norah Head when hunger hits, then swing by The Ark Cafe, which serves Campos coffee and gourmet bites, such as a poppyseed bagel loaded with heirloom tomatoes, haloumi, spinach, avo and pine nut pesto. This place isn't just an eatery but a social enterprise, too. A percentage of profits goes to The Welcome to Paradise Foundation, which supports aid workers in South Sudan and a food program in Nepal, among other worthy causes. There's also a quirky retail space, where you can invest in a hand-shaped surfboard created by local Christian M. Laing and peruse a bunch of ethically produced clothing and homewares. Been saving up your pennies for a posh feast or looking to impress your date? Reserve a table for dinner at Ocean, a fancy restaurant whose floor-to-ceiling windows let you gaze straight out over the Tasman. You'll get premium seafood transformed into cracking dishes, such as ocean trout with lemon mayonnaise, beetroot, asparagus, peas and potato, or mussel and shellfish chowder. A more affordable option is The Shallows Bar where you can build your own charcuterie board or grab a few wood-fired pizzas. Or head to Bistro Jinja to sample dishes from all over Asia. Tuck into Shanghai braised pork belly, Chiang Mai chicken curry and dark chocolate tart with honeycomb and sticky fig ice cream, while seeing the sunset over Lake Tuggerah. DO One of the best things about visiting The Entrance during winter is that you get all the beaches but none of the crowds. Soldiers Beach, just south of Norah Head, has the whitest sand on the Central Coast and backs onto the lush greenery of Wyrrabong National Park. While you're there, keep an eye out for whales, which pass by from May until August. An even better vantage point is Pelican Beach Road Lookout, from where you can walk the 3.4-kilometre Red Gum Trail through towering red gum forest and the 3.5-kilometre Lillypilly Loop through rainforest, cabbage palms and burrawangs. Whales aren't the only creatures worth watching around here, either. The Entrance is famous for its pelicans. It's been named the 'Pelican capital of Australia', in fact. These kooky and characterful birds make great subject matter for photos, particularly if you stop by the waterfront at 3.30pm, their daily feeding time. It's not purely about feeding either — it's a chance for volunteers to make sure none of the little guys are tangled up in hooks, lines or other debris. Make your next stop spectacular Norah Head, whose lighthouse has been operating since 1903. In fact, this became the very last lighthouse in New South Wales to lose its lighthouse keeper when it became fully automated in 1995. Half-hour tours, which take you up the building's 96 stairs for epic 360-degree views are available every day for just $6 per person. Keen to travel further? Continue another 15 kilometres north to reach Munmorah State Conservation Area, a coastal wonderland of empty beaches, lookouts and walking trails. SLEEP To sleep with still water on one side and roaring surf on the other, check into Pullman Magenta Shores Resort. This beautifully designed luxe five-star resort is ten minutes' drive north of The Entrance, on the southern edge of Wyrrabalong National Park. The resort offers apartment-style accommodation options, complete with views overlooking the landscaped gardens. Recreation is the name of the game here, so don't even think about complaining of boredom. You've got the exclusive Magenta Shores Golf Course and Country Club, a day spa, tennis courts and three swimming areas: a 2o metre indoor heated lap pool, rock pools and the Lagoon with a swim-up pool bar, all at your fingertips. Go to the AccorHotels website to book your stay in The Entrance, and to discover more of regional NSW, check out Visit NSW.
We all joke about pulling a 'don't you know who I am' card on a joint, but when Big Time rockers pull it on a tiny, tiny Seattle cafe there's some dramatic head-shaking to attend to. After finishing a gig this weekend in Seattle, Rage Against the Machine's guitarist Tom Morello attempted to skip the queue at Seattle's 5 Point Cafe — to no avail. According to Grub Street, 5 Point was at capacity when the Rage legend waltzed up to the front of the line and demanded entrance, after the cafe team "who's told bigger rock stars than him no," gave him the ol' hell no. Like any self-respecting, hospitality-burned celeb, Morello decided to get on his 4am Twitter soapbox. Having long supported worker's rights and wage raises, Morello thought now was the perfect, out-of-context time to drop this rant: Five Point restaurant in Seattle is the WORST. Super rude & anti-worker. Shittiest doorman in the Northwest. Prick. Spread the word. — Tom Morello (@tmorello) September 27, 2014 After his early-morning "so, ner" went rampaging online for a spell, restaurant owner David Meinert didn't let the guitarist have the last say, taking to Facebook with a response to the "tweet from our pal": "For the record Tom Morello — The 5 Point is totally pro-worker. We try to pay more than any other small restaurant, and on top of the higher pay, we offer health insurance, paid sick days, paid time off, retirement and profit share. Sorry if you had an issue with our staff, but typically our staff is awesome, and when they are not, it's usually a reflection of the customer. Act like a prick = get treated like a prick. "I have to say, your attacking a small business without knowing anything about it, or addressing your problem with them directly before you go on a public rant, pretty much sucks. Just lost a ton of respect for you, and I've been a fan for years, both of your work in Rage and your work for workers rights since. "PS — rock stars don't get special treatment at The 5 Point. We couldn't give less of a shit. Sorry. "And PSS — I'm the owner of the 5 Point and have worked to raise the minimum wage in Seattle and support the same nationally, worked to get paid sick days law in Seattle, and am supporting a City sponsored retirement plan for employees of small businesses. I hope you do the same for your employees on the road..." "PSSS — turns out he and his crew didn't get let in as the place was at capacity and there was a line. No one was being let in. According to our doorman who I totally trust, Tom and his crew were all totally rude. Quote from the door guys "I knew who he was, we had no room, his whole party was being rude. He wanted a special room in the back. Clearly had no ideas what it is like inside. I've told bigger rock stars than him no." Since his kneejerk reaction, Morello had time to come up with some kind of 'forgiveness' — with conditions. Willing to forgive the Seattle Evil (Egg) Empire 5 Points Cafe doorman powertrip if good guy owner D Meinert fully embraces #15Now min wage — Tom Morello (@tmorello) September 29, 2014 Meinert has somewhat relented and offered this on Facebook an hour ago: "Hey all, about this Tom Morello thing... I think Tom was in the wrong, and his tweet was offensive and pissed us off, BUT, Tom stands up for workers and uses his fame for some very good causes, almost always for those most in need. Yes he's very rich, yes he was on a big corporate record label. But every other interaction I've had with him has been cool. I would far rather people be enraged about the issues Tom is trying to bring up than wish Tom ill. So if you want to get pissed, be pissed that companies like iHop or Darden are spending millions to fight raising the minimum wage, and are supporting politicians who want to oppress women, minorities and workers, in order to get higher corporate profits. If everyone spent as much time posting about these issues as they have about Tom, we'd all be better off." Pancake Gate update: Luv&respect the workers.Glad to sit down w/owner next time in Sea, happy about his commitment to pay raise for workers — Tom Morello (@tmorello) September 30, 2014 So Morello's put his manners back in and Meinert's smoothed things over. And we can absolutely get behind Morello's famously Damn The Man activism, any day of the week. Perhaps next time ranting about workers' rights and equality is best done when you're not rock-starring your way past a queue? Via Grub Street and Stereogum.
What kind of holidaymaker are you? Do you seek sun and sand on your break from the daily grind? Country-hopping and site-seeing? Or just comfortable surroundings and a cold brew or two? Those keen on the latter can now put their feet up at the ultimate accommodation for beer lovers from Monday, August 27. In fact, The DogHouse is so steeped in yeasty tipples, it's attached to and run by a brewery. After a successful crowdfunding campaign, Scottish outfit BrewDog has set up the boozy venture, which lives next to its US facility in Columbus, Ohio. So, what does the world's first craft beer hotel entail? In addition to a sour brewing facility, it includes beverages and lots of them, of course. Visitors sleep in beer-themed rooms, eat craft beer-infused meals with brews tailored to every course, take brewery tours and check out the onsite beer museum. In-room beer taps are also on the agenda, as well as shower beer fridges. And, when you check in, the concierge gives you a beer — naturally. There are 32 rooms in total, including eight deluxe suites and four that are dog-friendly, should you find yourself in America with your pooch in tow. And if you're not going to be in that neck of the woods any time soon, BrewDog is also opening a second hotel at its Scottish headquarters in 2019. The company is also heading to Australia to launch its first $30 million Aussie facility in Brisbane; however that won't have a hotel attached. Images: BrewDog.
Fast food doesn't seem all that speedy when you're sat in your car, queued nine vehicles deep and trying to get through a drive-thru that's at a standstill. For folks who want their finger lickin' good fried chicken as soon as possible, with minimal waiting and hassle, KFC has a new solution — its first drive-thru-only store. Moving away from the usual one-lane drive-thru model, the chain has just opened a five-lane drive-thru-only concept in Newcastle. The first spot of its kind in the world, it features three lanes for the pick-up of online and app purchases, as well as two lanes for regular drive-thru transactions. Customers can order and pay in advance, then whiz through and pick up their food, or choose on the spot and and then collect their chicken. The idea reflects the growth on online ordering, and endeavours to respond to the rise of home delivery services such as Deliveroo and UberEats. It also nods to an obvious truth — for many folks, eating in at a suburban KFC doesn't often cross their minds. For Broadmeadow customers who choose to order by the KFC app or website, they'll receive a four-digit code with their transaction, which they'll then enter on a touchscreen when they drive up. Whichever way Newcastle residents decide to ask for their fried chook, they'll still need to wait for it to be cooked — but the whole concept is designed to speed up the time between asking for a two-piece feed and snatching those drumsticks through the drive-through window. Of course, if you need something to listen to in your car while you wait, KFC has that covered as well. Last year, it launched KFChill, a wellness website that lets you unwind to the sound of chicken frying, gravy simmering or bacon sizzling away in a pan. Yes, it'll make you hungry. You can find the drive-thru-only KFC at 80 Lambton Road, Broadmeadow. It's open from 10am–midnight daily.
He was one of the youngest cast members in Saturday Night Live's history. During his eight-season run on the iconic US sketch-comedy series, he riffed on his own life aplenty, then did the same in The King of Staten Island on the big screen, plus in streaming series Bupkis. If you've caught Pete Davidson's comedy specials, you'll know that the same applies when he's onstage, too — which Australian audiences can witness live in September and October 2025. Davidson has just locked in an Aussie leg on his latest stand-up tour, playing three cities: Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. The whirlwind trip will see him perform three gigs three nights in a row, kicking off at Riverside Theatre in the Western Australian capital on Monday, September 29. Next stop: Palais Theatre in Victoria's counterpart on Tuesday, September 30, then Enmore Theatre in the Harbour City on Wednesday, October 1. [caption id="attachment_776175" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The King of Staten Island © 2020 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] Beyond SNL and otherwise fictionalising his own experiences in cinemas and on TV — and beyond his Pete Davidson: SMD, Pete Davidson: Alive From New York and Pete Davidson: Turbo Fonzarelli specials as well — Davidson has rarely been far from screens over the past decade. Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Trainwreck, Big Time Adolescence, The Suicide Squad, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Fast X, Dumb Money: they're all on his resume. Davidson's Aussie dates come just after his latest film, heist comedy The Pickup co-starring Eddie Murphy (Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F), drops on Prime Video in early August. [caption id="attachment_897860" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bupkis, Heidi Gutman/Peacock[/caption] He also has the Australian-shot Wizards!, which is directed by Animal Kingdom's David Michôd and co-stars Orlando Bloom (Deep Cover) on its way to the screen. Similarly in the works for Davidson: How to Rob a Bank, the latest film from Atomic Blonde, Bullet Train and The Fall Guy director David Leitch, which will release in 2026. Pete Davidson 2025 Australian Tour Dates Monday, September 29 — Riverside Theatre, Perth Tuesday, September 30 — Palais Theatre, Melbourne Wednesday, October 1 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Pete Davidson is touring Australia in September and October 2025, with presale tickets available from 10am local time on Thursday, July 31 and general tickets from 10am on Friday, August 1. Head to the tour website for more details.
On the big screen, Beetlejuice has already made a comeback, with a sequel hitting cinemas in 2024. The original 1988 film is rarely far from cinemas anyway, proving a staple at retrospective screenings. But watching the ghost with the most sing and dance onstage? That's a brand-new experience for Australian theatre audiences. Start chanting three times: seeing the Beetlejuice musical Down Under is a reality in 2025. Penned by the nation's own Eddie Perfect and debuting on Broadway in 2019, this take on Beetlejuice still focuses on the character from Tim Burton's beloved 80s flick, of course — just with songs and dance routines. Cinema's famous 'bio-exorcist' haunts Melbourne's Regent Theatre from Saturday, May 17, 2025 for its Aussie-premiere run, with Perfect starring. You don't need a Handbook for the Recently Deceased in your ghostly hands to head along, but you will spend time with a couple with one: Barbara and Adam Maitland. And, you'll see what happens when they start to suspect that they're no longer alive, a new family moves into their house and they decide they need that bio-exorcist. In the Beetlejuice musical's Aussie debut, audiences are also in for an acclaimed production directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge! The Musical), and with a book by Emmy-nominee Anthony King (Broad City) and Scott Brown (Sharp Objects) — plus Perfect's Tony-nominated original score, of course. The show picked up a whopping eight Tony nominations in 2019, and won Timbers a Drama League Award for Excellence in Directing, plus both Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk nods for set design. Images: Matthew Murphy, 2022.
By now, every Brisbanite should've heard of the Urban Wine Walk, aka your excuse to mosey around town and drink vino at various bars across a mighty fine afternoon. Prefer hopping around a particular patch of the city to drink cocktails instead? Meet the Urban Cocktail Trail, which is exactly what it sounds like. This time, from 1–5pm on Saturday, November 19, you'll make your way around the Fortitude Valley to sip cocktails. Your destinations: Baja Modern Mexican, Summa House, Savile Row, Osbourne Hotel, Gerard's Bar, Baedeker, Alfred and Constance, and Dirty Sultan. All eight spots will each be making their own special cocktail for the occasion, so you'll basically be venturing to them all and catching those different drinks like Pokémon. [caption id="attachment_584697" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Emily Jane Davies[/caption] Passionfruit mojitos, tequila concoctions with elderflower and jalapeño syrup, moraba martinis, all the fruit mixed with gin: they're some of the one-off tipples you'll be sipping. Tickets cost $84.04 and are on sale now, with places limited. You can choose where you kick off, and you'll get an arrival cocktail and something to eat at your initial port of call. After that, you'll be able to redeem five vouchers for five cocktails at whichever participating places you feel like visiting. Or, there's also a $69.46 option, which only includes three cocktail vouchers.
Beach umbrellas aren't new, but they're making a comeback in a big way this spring thanks to the popularity of social-distanced picnics. So, you can enjoy these sun-filled bliss outdoor sessions without worrying about sunburn, we suggest investing in a great shady beach umbrella. It'll be useful now and when summer hits, too. There are enough patterns, prints and fringes to satisfy even your wildest 70s design cravings, as well as clever bamboo and and biodegradable PVC eco designs, laser-prints to create dappled shade where you sit, understated parasols, and many, many, many eye-catching prints. With so much choice, there's really no excuse to be sporting a sunburn this summer. KEN DONE BEACH UMBRELLA, BASIL BANGS It was a hard choice between the many bangin' prints this company has on offer (check out their other options for extra inspiration). But this print by famed Australian artist Ken Done won our hearts. Inspired by tropical reefs with plenty of pinks, oranges and blues, it's a suitably bold park (and beach) accessory. Started by surfer and industrial designer Mike Durante, Basil Bangs has made it its mission to reimagine the vintage beach umbrellas Aussies love. That means the latest fabrics, pop art prints, and hard-wearing fixtures. Oh, and and matching, red-wine-proof picnic rugs. TAKE YOUR PICK FROM SUNDAY SUPPLY CO We couldn't choose between the lush designs at Sunday Supply Co. Each comes with cotton tassels, an extendable timber pole and a sturdy, custom-designed aluminium alloy hinge and hardwares. The premium fabric canopies are UPF 50+ and, with a diameter of two metres, will cast shade aplenty. But apart from all that, they look so damn pretty it's hard not to pick up more than one. BLOCK PARTY UMBRELLA, SUNNY LIFE Sunny Life has a whole range of umbrellas splashed with bold, playful prints. But who could resist this vibrant geometric number to shade their summer beach playground? Like many of the modern beach brollies popping out about the place, this one comes with a carry bag and sturdy, adjustable pole. But it's also waterproof, with a UPF 30 sun protection coating and a nifty 360-degree tilt function. Plus, that bold print is mighty hard to miss, even on a crowded beach. DAYTRIPPER BEACH UMBRELLA, BEACHKIT Here's one for the practical picnickers and beachgoers. While this classic blue-and-white striped number doesn't have quite the same look-at-me factor as some of its bolder counterparts, it does have some great design features that will make your beach trip a whole lot more comfortable. Like the two-piece vented top, designed to stop any gusty winds from flipping it inside out. The Daytripper's also got an extra wide 210-centimetre canopy for full coverage, and a self-anchoring sand lock that should help avoid any fly-away mishaps. WELLEN AND TIER SUN UMBRELLA, LIFE! Available in two hand-drawn prints, these sun umbrellas from lifestyle brand Life! are destined to get a solid workout over the coming balmy months. Each comes with a colour-coordinated carry bag for easy transport and a sand anchor to keep things nice and secure down at the beach. The design also features a UPF 50 canopy coating, a rust-resistant pole and a nifty tilt function to help you stay shaded all day long. Right now, you can even nab one on sale for $80. WHITE COAST, SUNBELLA There's something about the sheer simplicity of this umbrella that we really, really like. A cool white hue reminiscent of those Greek island houses we dream about, a summery cotton-blend canopy, a wooden sand-spiral handle and a UPF rating of 50+. With an 80-centimetre diameter and lightweight frame, this one easily doubles as a personal parasol to shade you while you're strolling around. And shipping to most Aussie locations will only cost around $10. Need more sun shade than this? How about a whole beach tent? Top image: Sunday Supply Co.
Some shows commence with a dead girl wrapped in plastic. Others begin with a plane crash on a spooky island. With Outer Range, it all kicks off with a void. On the Abbott family ranch in Wyoming, in the western reach that gives the show its name, a chasm suddenly appears. A perfect circle swirling with otherworldly mist and resembling an oversized golf hole, it's just one of several troubles plaguing patriarch Royal (Josh Brolin, Dune), however. There is indeed a touch of Twin Peaks and Lost to Outer Range. A dash of Yellowstone, The Twilight Zone, The X-Files and whichever family-focused prime-time soap opera takes your fancy, too. As a result, while Royal is visibly disconcerted by the unexpected opening staring at him in an otherwise ordinary field, he has other worries. His rich, ostentatious and increasingly madcap neighbour Wayne Tillerson (Will Patton, Halloween Kills) suddenly wants a parcel of the Abbotts' turf, claiming mapping inaccuracies. One of Tillerson's mouthy and entitled sons, Trevor (Matt Lauria, CSI: Vegas), ends up in a bar spat with Royal's sons Rhett (Lewis Pullman, Them That Follow) and Perry (Tom Pelphrey, Mank). And there's also the matter of Perry's missing wife, who disappeared nine months back, leaving both her husband and their young daughter Amy (Olive Abercrombie, The Haunting of Hill House) searching since. Into this sea of faith-testing chaos amid such serene and dreamlike scenery, a stranger arrives as well: "hippie chick" backpacker Autumn Rivers (Imogen Poots, The Father). She just wants to camp for a few days on the Abbotts' stunning and sprawling land, she says. She just happened this way, she claims in the process. But the always-guarded, fiercely protective Royal is immediately suspicious — and while he still takes the fat wad of cash she waves around as payment to stay on the outskirts of the property that's been owned by his wife Cecilia's (Lili Taylor, Perry Mason) ancestors for generations, he remains openly and grimly wary. That's Outer Range's setup, although it's also just where the genre-bending new addition to Prime Video launches into its many mysteries. Across its eight-episode first season, it's a ranch-dwelling western, complete with a family battling secrets and struggles of both the internal and external kind, and left grappling with existential doubts when they keep being stripped of everything they believe in. It's an offbeat enigma, too, where bottomless gaps in the centre of the earth aren't the only things that can't be easily explained. Thanks to said hole and surrounding supernatural occurrences, it dives into eerie sci-fi as well. And with Indigenous acting sheriff Joy (Tamara Podemski, Run) trying to work out what's going on on several levels, all while campaigning to be elected to her job outright, it's also a detective quest and a thriller. In other words, it's a puzzle box of a program — and the weirder that Outer Range gets, and moodier as well, the more it intrigues and engrosses. Its giant twists are obviously best discovered by watching, but its small quirks are quickly compelling. This is a series where an ethereal feeling permeates the land, even when Royal is nowhere near the void he's desperate to keep hidden. It's a show where one of the other neighbour sons, the quiet yet perturbing Billy (Noah Reid, Schitt's Creek), loves breaking out into song, crooning 80s and 90s pop and rock hits at odd moments. At a funeral, he even sings Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush duet 'Don't Give Up', covering both parts himself and leaving mourners utterly bewildered. Reid is unnervingly difficult to peel your eyes away from in Outer Range, but the series is well-cast in every part — starting with Brolin as Royal, naturally. While the Milk Oscar-nominee has been happily dallying with sci-fi of late, including getting villainous in Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame and Deadpool 2, his is a grounded performance here. He sidles in as a stern-and-silent western archetype, unfurling more of Royal's layers — and unpacking what it means to embody that portrait of western masculinity in the process — with each grimace and glare. Taylor does phenomenal work in support, and although Poots sometimes suffers from the thinner writing establishing Autumn's moves and motivations, she still commands the frame. Family, faith, fate, the land, legacies, the ties of love, the disappointments of life, the inexplicable elements inherent in all of the above: they're all baked into Outer Range, providing plenty of puzzle pieces for its actors to play with. That said, as created and co-written by TV first-timer Brian Watkins, the series turns those familiar components into something shadowy and surreal. Its narrative path isn't always tricky to predict — one huge late revelation especially — however, it constantly surprises in how it tackles its moments and dynamics on a scene-by-scene basis. That's what lingers in Billy's songs, overtly so. It's there in Cecilia's response to every trying development that's sent the Abbotts' way, usually with her at home, on the sidelines, yet no less impacted. And it blazes through in the choice of shots, which bask in the glory of nature's vast expanse but also see far more than just postcard-perfect wonders. The latter stem from a strong roster of contributors, spanning filmmakers such as She Dies Tomorrow's Amy Seimetz and A Cop Movie's Alonso Ruizpalacios in the director's chair, as well as cinematographers such as Waves and Red Rocket's Drew Daniels, The Last Black Man in San Francisco's Adam Newport-Berra, and Seimetz regular Jay Keitel. Helping ramp up the tension, composers Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans' (Windfall, Becoming Cousteau, The White Tiger) anxiety-inducing score drips with tension, too. Pondering big ideas with heaving style and hefty ambition, Outer Range frequently looks and sounds cinematic — and, from the moment it first spies its gaping chasm, swiftly makes for beguiling viewing. With Jordan Peele's latest horror epic Nope also on its way in the coming months, 2022 seems set to be a big year for disquieting screen stories set amid vast American ranches and springing from stellar talent. What that film will bring is currently yet to be seen, of course, but Outer Range gives this entrancing trend an impressive start. Check out the trailer for Outer Range below: Outer Range's first two episodes are available to stream via Prime Video from Friday, April 15, with two new episodes dropping weekly until Friday, May 6.
All things come to an end, including beloved West End hangouts. Lock 'n' Loaded is shutting up shop and making way for something new, so they're ending their ten-year Boundary Street run in the expected fashion: with one last blowout. At Loose 'n' Loaded, bands, food and fun come together in the Sunday session to end all Sunday sessions — here, under this name, literally. Kicking off at 3pm on September 10, the free farewell party will mark the end of an era in style. The bar says they've poured 13,189 Bloody Marys over the past decade, and we believe them. Cheap Fakes, Som de Calçada, Age Champion and a secret headliner will crank out the live tunes for the occasion, while LnL themselves will hand out free nibbles (until stocks last). And, while you'll have to buy your beverages, there'll be plenty on offer, with the venue serving up plenty of their last brews.
What's better than Ability Fest, Australia's most-inclusive music festival, returning for another year? The fully accessible event, which launched in 2018 as the brainchild of 2022 Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott, taking its setup and live tunes to two spots around the country. The fest started in Melbourne, which is the only place that it has called home since — but in October 2024 it'll play both the Victorian capital and its Queensland counterpart. Melburnians, you have a date for your calendar. Brisbanites, so do you, for a music festival that's arriving in the River City for the first time ever. And for folks everywhere else, you have two locations to choose from if you're keen to book a weekend away to head along. [caption id="attachment_963996" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Chloe Hall[/caption] Ability Fest will first unleash its 2024 lineup — which hasn't yet been revealed — on Saturday, October 19 at Alexandra Gardens/Birrarung Marr in Melbourne. Then, the following week on Saturday, October 26, it'll make its Sunshine State debut at Victoria Park/Barrambin in Brisbane. "First and foremost, Ability Fest is a ripper festival at its core, but with the added plus that it can bring people of all abilities together," said Alcott about bringing the event north. [caption id="attachment_963997" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Glenn Hunt[/caption] "We'll have a completely accessible venue with elevated viewing platforms, pathways, quiet zones and sensory areas, ensuring that everyone has the ability to have an unreal day." "Gaining the support of the Queensland Government means we get to share our passion for great music and good vibes with the Sunshine State, and offer an inclusive and incredible festival experience for every single person," Alcott continued. [caption id="attachment_963992" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] The Brisbane festival will cater to around 5000 people, and Ability Fest is committed to being financially accessible during the current cost-of-living crisis in both of its stops. Accordingly, tickets will only cost $60 plus booking fee, and carers will receive complimentary entry. The fest is also lowering the age of admission to 16 so more folks can head along. "For many Australians, the cost-of-living crisis has created significant financial strain. We believe that music has the power to unite communities, bring people together and lift our spirits, especially during challenging times," said Alcott. [caption id="attachment_963990" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Chloe Hall[/caption] From the get-go, Ability Fest has been carefully designed to be completely accessible and as inclusive as they come. It features ramps and pathways for easy access, Auslan interpreters working alongside the artists, and elevated platforms to give everyone a shot at seeing the stage. Plus, there's also quiet zones, dedicated sensory areas and accessible toilets. While dishing up primo live tunes and music experiences to Aussies of all abilities, the not-for-profit fest also raises money for the Dylan Alcott Foundation, with 100-percent of its ticket proceeds going to the organisation. Ability Fest 2024 Dates and Venues: Saturday, October 19 — Alexandra Gardens/Birrarung Marr, Melbourne Saturday, October 26 — Victoria Park/Barrambin, Brisbane [caption id="attachment_963995" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Chloe Hall[/caption] [caption id="attachment_963991" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Chloe Hall[/caption] Ability Fest 2024 will hit Melbourne and Brisbane in October 2024. Pre-sale tickets will be available from 12pm AEST on Wednesday, July 10 (register online), with general tickets selling online from 12pm on Thursday, July 11. Head to the festival website for more details.
There hasn't been much to look forward to in 2021, but we're all eagerly anticipating one big thing. That'd be the moment that 11.59pm on Friday, December 31 passes by, ticking over to 12.00am on Saturday, January 1, 2022. And, because it's actually almost that time of year, plenty of events have started announcing their New Year's Eve plans so you can work out how to spend that long-awaited moment. Here's another one: Annus Finis, MONA's first-ever NYE shindig. Taking place from 6.30pm on Friday, December 31 (obviously), this New Year's Eve party will take over MONA's lawns and main stage with live tunes, food and drinks, and the general kind of end-of-year shenanigans that every NYE get-together needs. Here, that also means an all-Tasmanian lineup, with Indigenous singer-songwriter Denni, hip hop artist Greely and audio visual artist and DJ Dameza helping do the honours. Also on the bill: Medhanit, Too Many Jasons, Scraps, Silver Fleet Ships, and what's being described as "an absurdist, anarchist ensemble boasting some of Tasmania's most talented performers" who'll pair up punk and Japanese influences. So, if a trip to Tassie is now on your NYE agenda — with the state reopening to double-vaccinated arrivals in mid-December, handily — you now know how can say goodbye to 2021. As for what you'll be eating and sipping, MONA's burger bar Dubsy's will be dishing up its diner-inspired fare, and the Moorilla Wine Bar will be doing both food and drinks. "Here at MONA, we love to throw a party, and I think we're pretty good at it," said MONA CEO Patrick Kelly, announcing Annus Finis. "We're excited to see our lawn full of punters again, and hopefully we can cast some MONA magic over New Year's Eve after what has been another challenging year for tourism and events, saying goodbye to arguably the worst year since 2020." MONA has also already announced that it's bringing back Mona Foma in January — so if you can't spend NYE in Tassie, you still have options for a 2022 trip to the Apple Isle. Annus Finis will take place at MONA from 6.30pm on Friday, December 31. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the MONA website. Images: Mona/Jesse Hunniford.
