When it comes to televised singing battles, there's only one that matters. Regardless of what reality television keeps throwing our way, that's Eurovision. So, back in 2015, Australia became the first country from Oceania to join the clearly Europe-centric competition. It what was supposed to be a one-off move, but we've been singing along ever since. In 2019, to celebrate five years of belting out pop tunes on the world stage, we even scored our very own pre-Eurovision event to pick the Aussie entrant — and it's coming back in 2020. Yes, SBS Australia is once again hosting Eurovision - Australia Decides, putting together a series of live performance shows to highlight potential entrants. The general public can attend, and then vote for the song and singer that'll follow in Guy Sebastian, Dani Im, Isaiah Firebrace, Jessica Mauboy and Kate Miller-Heidke's footsteps. As for who's doing the singing, prepare to hear Vanessa Amorosi, Casey Donovan, Mitch Tambo, iOTA, Montaigne and Didirri — as well as Diana Rouvas, Jack Vidgen, Jordan-Ravi and Jaguar Jonze. Eurovision - Australia Decides will be hosted by Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey, who've hosted Australia's Eurovision coverage since 2017. Head along to one of the three shows on Friday, February 7 and Saturday, February 8 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Dutch Courage Officers' Mess might be known for slinging plenty of gin, but the Fortitude Valley bar also knows a few important boozy truths. Sometimes, your favourite watering hole is closed. Sometimes, you don't really feel like hitting the club. Sometimes, you just want to kick back on the couch with a cocktail (or several) in your hand. To help, the bar puts on regular masterclasses — teaching you the tricks of its trade and serving you up a few beverages in the process. And the first class of 2020 sure does have a buzz about it. Yes, it's all about making espresso martinis. From 4–5.30pm on Saturday, January 4, you'll discover how to whip up a classic espresso martini, plus Dutch Courage's own variation: the Cradle Snatcher, which features butter vodka, agave and a Nutella rim. Learn, make, drink — that's all on the agenda as part of your $42 ticket, as is an energetic start to your Saturday (and 2020) shenanigans. Bookings are essential.
The words "bottomless brunch" sound mighty fine whenever they're uttered. An endless array of food and booze will do that (even if, thanks to time limits, such events do always come with a finishing point). But, the best concepts can still be improved. With this one, all that's needed is three extra words. Combine the all-you-can-eat-and-drink set-up with New Year's Day, and you've got yourself a meal that'll kickstart your 2020 in a stellar fashion. Accordingly, that's how Salt Meats Cheese South Bank will be spending its first morning of the new year, with its New Year's Day Hangover Cure Breakfast and Brunch running from 10am–1pm. On the menu: as many Italian breakfast treats from the buffet as you can manage, as well as two hours of bellinis. Hair of the dog that bit you, and all that. The food portion will set you back $39, and the booze an extra $29 — and if you're feeling a little tender, you can just opt for the former. Bookings are essential — but your future self will thank you.
Brisbane's next beer and food festival arrives on Sunday, February 23, bringing brews and bites to the city's south. Finish your weekend with a cold one from a range of craft breweries, and use it to wash down the array of cuisine — all between 3–8pm at Yeronga Services Club. Brews-wise, plenty of breweries will be on beer duty — and they'll all know a thing or two about top craft tipples. Last time the event was held, locals Ballistic and Helios were among the folks on hand. Given that they're based in Salisbury and Yeerongpilly, they fit the term perfectly. On Yeronga Craft Beer and Food Festival's culinary lineup, expect food trucks serving up an array tasty dishes. Entertainment-wise, there'll also be live music — plus a jumping castle for those bringing littluns. Entry is via gold coin donation, which will go towards the Victorian bushfire appeal.
When Winghaüs set up shop in Brisbane, no one needed to guess what kind of food it focused on. You'd best like chicken pieces, because they're on the menu here in a big way — all day, everyday. How does a chook-loving joint up the poultry ante? Across the entire 2020–21 summer, it hosts an event called Wing Fest. Again, it really doesn't require too much explanation. From Tuesday, December 1–Sunday, February 28, Winghaüs isn't just doing its usual wing lineup, though. As well as its nine always-available types of rubs and sauces, the chicken-centric joint is adding a huge 13 more varieties. So, you can pick from 21 different styles — including salt and vinegar, garlic and parmesan, sweet and sour, mango habanero and vindaloo. Ever wondered what chicken wings with chicken salt taste like? That's on offer as well. Chicken may be the focus — either classic or boneless — but you can also opt for cauliflower wings. You'll get one complimentary sauce or rub for every ten-piece serve of wings ($12), with extra sauces and rubs costing $3 each. There are also 20-piece ($22), $50-piece ($49) and 100-piece ($94) options — and beers and cocktails on tap, plus margaritas served frozen, on the rocks and in shareable one-litre steins.
Everything that humans can eat, dogs think that they can eat too. But as every responsible pet owner knows, your adorable canine can't share your every meal — no matter how much it might wish otherwise. On Sunday, January 19, your four-legged friend can eat pies, though. So can two-legged attendees. Pie Town's pooch-friendly event is called Pups and Pies, but naturally people are catered for as well. Head along from 11am–2pm, and enjoy a dog-friendly party where treats for both humans and puppers are on the menu. Bring your own barking bestie along, and watch the cutie's eyes light up when it gets to munch on something special. [caption id="attachment_757856" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] via Pie Town[/caption] The festivities will raise money for Safe Haven Animal Rescue Inc, including via pet portraits — so your doggo can have its likeness committed to canvas as well. You will need to pre-order if you're keen for a painting, which'll be whipped up by Art Rats. Portraits cost $60, with $20 from each being donated.
For the first long weekend of the year, The Osbourne Hotel is putting on a brand new — and supremely boozy, naturally — festival. Called Hop Fest, it's all about craft brews, as you no doubt guessed from the moniker. In fact, there'll be more than 60 different types ready for you to drink, so you'd best arrive thirsty. The Fortitude Valley pub has help, of course. On the menu: beers from Young Henrys, Mismatch Brewing Company, The Hills Cider Company, Hop Nation, Revel Brewing Co and Soapbox Beer. And that's just the first batch of breweries to be announced, with more to come. There'll also be barbecue food, plus DJs and live music — because you'll need to line your stomach for this day-long event, and every festival deserves a great soundtrack. Head by on Sunday, January 26 from midday, with entry free. Obviously you'll need your wallet to buy drinks and something to eat, though.
One day, in the not-so-distant future, perhaps Brisbanites will take their pet puppers with them everywhere. For now, we'll all just have to grab our four-legged best friends and head to Puppy Palooza at Toombul Shopping Centre. Between Friday, August 28–Sunday, August 30, the northside spot is delivering a hefty lineup of doggo fun. Obviously, you're meant to bring your pet pooch along. How else will they get to munch on free pupcakes and doggy doughnuts from Petbarn, nab a goodie bag from the store if you purchase something and score a puppaccino when you dine at Dapple+Waver? Or, receive doggy treats at Espresso Max, Max Brenner, Billy Baxter and Rashays? There'll also be puppy preschool classes and pet grooming specials — if your woofer needs help with either. And, if you don't have a dog or your pooch could use a pal, there'll be an adoption centre as well. Toombul Shopping Centre's Puppy Palooza takes place from Friday, August 28–Sunday, August 30.
'Moreish' is a term that applies to plenty of foods, and bao sit at the top of the list. Perhaps it's their versatility, given that they can be filled with all manner of ingredients. Maybe it's their bite-sized nature, because just eating one, two or three is never enough. Or, it could just be that they're absolutely delicious. We can keep coming up with reasons. Or, we can tell you that you don't need a reason to justify your bao love at Pawpaw in both Woolloongabba and Balmoral. If you're hankering for as many fluffy parcels as you can handle for dinner, you'll find them at the two eateries' regular all-you-can-eat feasts — for a 90-minute sitting, and for $25 per person. Chicken, massaman beef, tofu, crab — they're just some of the varieties on offer. Unsurprisingly, these bao nights are popular — so getting in quick for the next sessions on Wednesday, September 30 (at Woolloongabba) and Monday, October 5 (at Balmoral) is recommended. Pawpaw runs its All-You-Can-Eat Bao Nights at both its Woolloongabba and Balmoral venues, with the next taking place on Wednesday, September 30 and Monday, October 5. The deal costs $25 per person, with reservations available now. Images: Pawpaw Asian Kitchen.
Food trucks aplenty have always been on Welcome to Bowen Hills' menu. Food and booze-themed events, too. In the two years since it opened, the inner-city spot has delivered on both — and just as it did in 2018 and 2019, it's hosting a big gin festival to prove it. Not just any big gin festival, mind you. This is the Brisbane Gin Festival, taking place from 12pm on Saturday, September 19. Juniper spirits will be flowing, with a heap of different gin stalls serving up tastings from midday. If you're a fan of Four Pillars, Brookies, Tanqueray, Manly Spirits Co, Larrikin and more, then your tastebuds will be happy. There'll be food onsite as usual, and gin lovers can also expect inventive takes on the good ol' G&T as well as other creative gin cocktails. WtBH's main bar usually slings multiple varieties of the drink in question, too, because gin and meals-on-wheels go together nicely at this Ekka showgrounds hangout. After being postponed from earlier in the year due to COVID-19, Brisbane Gin Festival has made a few adjustments to its setup — splitting up the day into three sessions, with two requiring paid tickets. Fork out a $15 entry fee, and you can choose between the event's 12–3pm and 4–7pm timeslots, with tickets on sale now. Plan to head by after 7.30pm and you won't pay to get in; however capacity is limited to 250 people. Brisbane Gin Festival takes place from 12pm on Saturday, September 19, with $15 tickets for the event's 12–3pm and 4–7pm sessions on sale now — and entry free, but limited to 250 people, after 7.30pm.
Like many a Brisbane venue, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre has been forced to adjust its 2020 plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, the South Bank site has been closed since mid-March — but, come Friday, August 28, it'll be back in business with a new live performance series. That'd be QPAC Unlocked, which'll feature classical and popular music, musical theatre stars and cabaret performances. It all runs through until Saturday, October 3, complete with burlesque, dance, circus and comedy on the bill as well. Accordingly, Brisbanites can catch Opera Queensland's Katie Stenzel and Samuel Piper croon their way through an evening of well-known opera, operetta and musical theatre pieces; check out Helpmann Award-winner Amy Lehpamer in An Evening with Amy Lehpamer; and enjoy the talents of classical soloists and chamber musicians — and that's just a few gigs on the bill. Also on offer in QPAC's Cremorne Theatre is a series within the broader series called Club Cremorne, which is hosted by Damien Power. It'll serve up shows on Friday and Saturday evenings, with food and drinks also available. Unsurprisingly, these will all be smaller events than QPAC usually hosts, in line with COVID-19 social-distancing requirements — so if you're keen, getting in quick is recommended. And, they'll be held all throughout the centre, including turning the Lyrebird restaurant into a live music venue. QPAC Unlocked runs from Friday, August 28–Saturday, October 3, with tickets available online. Top image: Danik Abishev, QPAC Unlocked Club Cremorne.
What's better than grabbing a meal from a food truck? Trying to choose from a lineup of meals-on-wheels vendors at a culinary pop-up that also doubles as a fun fair, of course. And that's what's on offer at the Cleveland Showgrounds between Thursday, November 5–Sunday, November 8 and again from Thursday, November 12–Sunday, November 15, with the Food Truckin' Fun Fair pairing up some of Brisbane's standout mobile eateries with a heap of amusement rides. If you felt the Ekka's absence this year, this might just be the next best thing — and live music and sideshows are on the bill, too. We recommend hopping on the 35-metre ferris wheel, hitting the dodgem cars, jumping on the rocket simulator, bouncing on the bungee trampolines and slipping down the giant slide before you grab a bite to eat from Char Kor BBQ, Potato Tornado, Oh Waffles and Dan's Dim Sum Kitchen, because that's just common sense. They're just some of the attractions and food trucks that'll be onsite, with Food Truckin' Fun Fair running from 5–9pm on Thursdays, 5–10pm on Fridays, 11am–10pm on Saturdays and 11am–9pm on Sundays. Entry costs $4, and then you'll pay as you go once you're inside — but $50 ride coupon packs are also available in advance.
There are Sunday sessions, and then there are Sunday sessions. As varied as your state of mind on the last day of the weekend, some call for boozy brunches, others for chilled evenings — and as Sunday Hot Club is happy to demonstrate, some just need a relaxed bit of jazz. That's what is all about: hanging out, soaking in great sounds, and enjoying some wine and snacks. Each week, a new lineup of musicians takes to the stage, each offering up the soundtrack to your cruisy arvo. Making an ace shindig even better, there's also food on offer — including cheeseboards, plus whatever's cooking in the Wandering Cooks cafe and multiple onsite kitchens. There's also wine and craft beers on tap, too. Fabuleux! The music kicks off at 4pm each week, with entry from 3.30pm. Arriving early to score a good seat is recommended — and walking in the door won't cost you a thing. Keep an eye on the event's Facebook page for the weekly lineup. Top image: Sunday Hot Club.
Heading to Given Terrace staple Darling & Co is all about hangs in the venue's breezy space, and every Aussie knows that a weekend party isn't complete without a little (or a lot of) bubbly. Happy to oblige, the Paddington spot has launched bottomless prosecco and spritz picnics, which are now on offer every Sunday. And the restaurant isn't simply offering the standard two hours of bottomless booze, either. Instead of table service, patrons have unlimited access to a fountain. You'll be able to pour your own bubbly from its tap throughout the two hours, while enjoying an extensive spread. Find a comfy spot while enjoying the grazing menu — it changes weekly, but has been known to include chicken sliders, charcuterie boards, and mini servings of fish and chips. Sparkling Springs costs $60 per person, with sittings at 2pm every Sunday. Bookings are essential and can be made through the website.
Three bars. Three brewing teams. Three evenings. One variety of beer. Throw them all together, add your enthusiasm for a good craft brew, a great place to drink it and the spirit of competition, and you've got a Brew Down going on. Returning for the second year, Brew Down is a rather crafty addition to Brisbane beer lover's diaries — and not just because new craft beverages whipped up by The Scratch and Aether Brewing, Tippler's Tap and Brisbane Brewing Co., and The Mill on Constance and Semi-Pro will be on offer. No, it's particularly crafty because it's a great reason to get everyone hopping between venues to try the new tipples, and to watch the brewers battle for glory. Taking over The Scratch on Friday, October 19, The Mill on Constance on Saturday, October 20 and Tippler's Tap on Sunday, October 21, the three days involve blind beer tastings, voting and various contests — all focused on mid-strength brews with an alcohol content under four percent. You can join in too, as long as you register your interest in advance. Or, you can simply go on a three-day pub crawl and enjoy the shenanigans.
What's more spectacular than spending time in Brisbane's great outdoors? Heading outside for an event dedicated to the city's multicultural community, that's what. Taking place at Roma Street Parklands from 10am on Sunday, October 7, that's MOSAIC through and through. The returning festival will unleash a storm of world music, dance and food — aka the type of storm that brightens things up, rather than darkens clouds. Three stages will showcase performances, acoustic songs and cultural storytelling, while roving artists will keep things interesting amongst the crowds, celebrating the many talents Brisbanites have to offer. Then there's the food, with an array of international cuisine certain to be one of the event's highlights. Eat your way through a range of food and market stalls, and watch a few global cooking demos, then try your hand at some arts and crafts.
With a new year brings new wines — and if you're a fan of vino, then that's probably why you love busting out a new calendar. It might only be October, but it's never too early to start thinking about next year's favourites, particularly when you can get the jump at Young Gun of Wine: Uncut. Formed 13 years ago, Young Gun of Wine showcases emerging wine producers, with its Uncut evenings highlighting the latest tipples that'll be all over menus for the next 12 months. It's a one-night tasting party that's all about wine's next big things — and with more than 20 winemakers pouring their best, it's one night you'll want to sip your way through. 2018 marks the first time the event comes to Brisbane, with the three-hour shindig taking over Brisbane Powerhouse from 7pm on Saturday, October 27. Tickets cost $65 per person and include plenty of wine to taste, plus a Riedel crystal wineglass. You'll also be able to purchase pizza and other Italian eats from Bar Alto.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, here's a dive-in screening that claims otherwise. Watching Jaws while you're getting wet isn't a new concept — in fact, the Brisbane International Film Festival did it back in 2010 — however we're betting that you haven't seen Jaws 2 while you're splashing around. Yes, it's the sequel's time to shine, with Amity Island police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) once again facing the wrath of a ravenous shark. The film isn't directed by Steven Spielberg, but it is considered the best of the Jaws follow-ups. And if you're seeing it while wading in the water (or lazing about on the mezzanine), then you're there for the fun of the experience. The event forms part of this year's Brisbane Open House, which includes an after dark program for the first time. From 7pm on Saturday, October 7, just head to the Spring Hill Baths to see movie magic swim across the screen as you swim in the pool. Tickets cost $10, and this is an adults-only affair, so don't bring the littlies.
Already this year, Brisbane movie lovers have been able to journey to France from their cinema seats. Hitting up Spain just by heading to your local picture palace has also been on the itinerary. Your next stop: Germany. Kicking off just as the weather gets colder to remind you of frosty European climes, Australia's touring German Film Festival is back for 2022 with a 26-movie program. From Wednesday, June 1–Wednesday, June 22, GFF will hit Palace Barracks and Palace James Street — letting you see in winter with quite the lineup of new and classic movies. There's typically a couple of clear recurring themes in this annual cinema showcase, as there tends to be in German films in general. So, the fact that this year's GFF will open with A Stasi Comedy, about life a Stasi agent's double life as both an underground poet and a spy in 80s-era East Berlin, is hardly surprising. Nor are two of the fest's other big-name titles: The Last Execution, starring Babylon Berlin's Lars Eidinger and also set in East Berlin in the 80s; and The Forger, led by Dark's Louis Hofmann, who plays a young Jewish man in Berlin in 1942. They're just some of the 21 movies that'll enjoy their Australian premieres at the event — alongside drama My Son, about a teenager's relationship with his mother; crime comedy The Black Square, starring Toni Erdmann's Sandra Hüller; the post-WWII-set The German Lesson, which leaps from the page to the screen; and political thriller The House, which takes place in the near future. GFF is also showcasing new films from just beyond German's borders in Austria and Switzerland. So, you can check out films such as downhill skiing drama Chasing the Line, an Austrian biopic about Winter Olympian Franz Klammer — and Swiss effort Caged Birds, about a lawyer in the 80s battling the prison system. The festival's final five titles hail from its impressive retrospective for 2022, which takes a look back at German cinema over the past five decades. Cannes Palm d'Or-winner The Tin Drum gets the 70s slot, while the East German-set Sunny Side represents the 80s. Doing the honours for the 90s is the exceptional Run Lola Run, aka one of the best thrillers ever made. The movie that helped push The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's Daniel Brühl to stardom, Good Bye Lenin!, has the 00s covered, and kinetic one-take gem Victoria returns to the big screen to showcase cinema from the past decade.
When autumn hits, everyone starts thinking more about staying indoors — and you want those interiors to look as great as possible. Art and design lovers, that's where the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art's Autumn Design Market comes in. Browse, buy and then prepare to get cosy. Find jewellery, ceramics, textiles, homewares and clothing and more on offer, with the market taking over the GOMA forecourt and Maiwar Green from 9am–4pm on Sunday, March 19. Don't go giving the venue's official store a miss while you're there, either. Take the time to peruse the GOMA collection of books and art, and thank us for the tip later. As well as shopping for cute design wares — and meeting the makers behind them — while you're in the vicinity, you'll be able to wander through the gallery's stunning Air exhibition, too. In fact, the market is timed to take place after GOMA's Air Up Late parties on Friday, March 17–Saturday, March 18, and will feature DJs Aidan Beiers and Phil Smart providing a soundtrack. Although GOMA will host another design market once winter rolls around, and then another come silly season, getting your gift shopping out of the way ridiculously early will make you feel like Christmas has come early. Or, just treat yo'self — no excuse necessary.
No one likes Mondays. Not Garfield, not you, and not anyone who has ever created, shared or liked a meme about the first day of the working week being less than fun. But Monday, May 30 is looking much better than most if you like beer, particularly love creatively flavoured brews and fancy scoring yourself a free taste of a tipple that originally sold out in 90 minutes the first time that it was brewed. That beer: BrewDog's Mallow Laser Quest. It's a hazy IPA made with candied pineapple, sherbet and marshmallow — and, as well as selling out oh-so-quickly in the brewery behemoth's home town of Columbus, it already proved a hit at BrewDog's Brisbane base DogTap in Murarrie back in 2021. Now the brew is being canned in a limited-edition batch and hitting select bottle stores Down Under (and BrewDog's taproom, of course), so the brand is serving up free tastings for one day to celebrate. Yes, free tropical-flavoured sips are now on your agenda for the day. Apparently the Mallow Laser Quest takes like pineapple lollies but beer, if you need any more enticing. Just add a trip to BrewDog to your Monday and ask at the bar. There'll be signs up to remind you, too. And once you're done sampling, you can buy a few tinnies to take home with you.
If you live in Brisbane and rum is mentioned, everyone's minds jump to one particular tipple: Bundaberg Rum. But it isn't the only variety of boozy sugar cane juice on offer — not by far. Fancy widening your rum repertoire? Feel like experimenting? Keen to learn more about this molasses-based liquor? Enter Brisbane Rum Revolution, a new afternoon-long festival that'll have you sipping and tasting not just one rum, or a few, but more than 100 different rums from its hefty menu. Running from 1–6pm on Saturday, May 14 at Albion's Craft'd Grounds (and calling itself Australia's biggest-ever rum festival), the new event is playing host to 40-plus rum distilleries. It's also showcasing rums from South America, the Caribbean, the UK and locally, so prepared to be spoiled for choice. That lineup includes brand new tipples, as well as Brisbane Rum Revolution exclusives that you won't find elsewhere. Also on the agenda as part of your $89 ticket: live music, pop-up bars and food trucks, as well as cocktails galore. And, of course, saying cheers with a rum in your hand again and again. And, you can book into a masterclass with Don Papa Rum, Beenleigh Rum, Milton Rum, Rum Co of Fiji and more for an extra $10 a pop. Top image: Milton Rum.
No meal has ever suffered from having too many truffles — and at Emporium Hotel's Signature Restaurant, that idea is being put to the test. On Sundays from June 19–September 4, the South Bank spot is serving up truffle degustations from 12–3pm. Have a special occasion coming up? Need an excuse to have a fancy lunch? Here's one way to celebrate. Truffles don't just feature here and there in this five-course feast. They're part of every single dish, including dessert. So, you'll be finishing things off with Valrhona chocolate marquise with vanilla mascarpone, coffee and truffle ice cream. Yes, truffle ice cream. Before that, you'll be tucking into truffle pasta made with venison ragu, mushrooms and truffle pecorino; Brisbane Valley quail served with truffle and bacon jam, parsnip and chicken jus; and and wagyu tri-tip with truffle potato rosti, confit shallot and truffle jus. Oh, and whipped pyengana cheddar with apple compote and truffle honey. This limited-time truffle-filled degustation will set you back $150 per person, with bookings required. You can also add matching wines for an extra $100.
Calling all sleuths of Brisbane. If you haven't fulfilled your murder-mystery fix on the big and small screens over the past few years, then you'd best make a theatre date with the world's longest-running play. Here are three questions for you to solve before you get there: what is it, who wrote it and when is it coming your way? The answers: The Mousetrap, the one and only Agatha Christie, and from Friday, November 4–Sunday, November 20 at QPAC's Playhouse. Initially premiering in London's West End in 1952, The Mousetrap has been treading the boards in the UK ever since, only pausing during to pandemic venue closures. When theatres reopened in Britain, so did the show. That means that when it makes its way to Australia from October, kicking off in Sydney first, The Mousetrap will do so 70 years to the month that it first debuted. Unsurprisingly, it has enjoyed the longest stint for any West End production, and for any play anywhere in the world. So far, there's been more than 28,500 London performances. To answer the other obvious question, yes, it's a whodunnit. The murder-mystery starts with news of a killing in London — and with seven people snowed in at a guest house in the country. They're strangers, which is classic Christie. When a police sergeant arrives on skis, they're told that the murderer is among them (which, again, is vintage Christie). They all have wild pasts, too, and all those details are spilled as they're interrogated, and also try to work out who among them is the killer. Those guests at Monkswell Manor include a pair of newlyweds who run the house, a spinster, an architect who is handy in the kitchen, a retired Army major, a man who says his car has overturned in a drift, and a jurist. Naturally, there's another death as they'e all puzzling it over — and a twist conclusion, which audiences have been requested not to reveal after leaving the theatre for seven decades now. Images: Brian Gleach.
Goodbye winter, hello spring — yes, September is upon us for another year. 'Tis the season to shed those woolly jumpers, smell the blossoming flowers, enjoy the sunny weather and say cheers to Brisbane's sultry climate with a cocktail or several. One place where you can do just that: Brisbane Quarter, with the CBD precinct embracing spring on three Thursday nights in September — September 15, 22 and 29 — via a pop-up it's dubbed Spring Spritz at BQ. Here, you can add fruit-flavoured cocktails, DJ-spun beats and a wander around a cherry blossom tree to your evening between 5.30–7pm. If the tipples have caught your attention, you have two to choose from, both thanks to the W Brisbane bar team. The Malfy Gin and Tea cocktail comes with your choice of Malfy Gin (limone, grapefruit or arancia) and TBAR iced tea (apple oolong, Japanese cherry or hibiscus flower), and will set you back $16 — or there's the Glenlivet Spring Breeze with Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve whisky, apple juice, ginger candy and mint for $18. Live DJ sets will soundtrack each evening — and the precinct will also boast that giant cherry blossom tree, plus a floral archway decked out in pink, red, lavender and white hues, and lawn furniture to hang out in. Also, Brisbane Quarter's eateries will be doing spring-themed dishes, including Persone, Tenya, Phat Boy, Phoenix and Three Blue Ducks at W Brisbane. On the menu: lobster spaghetti, soft shell crab sushi rolls, roast pork belly, smoked beetroot and more. Images: Claudia Baxter.
There's a festival for everything, including getting around on two wheels. Yes, it's Brisbane Cycling Festival time again. Until Thursday, April 14, this celebration of pedal power is taking over King Street and Brisbane Showgrounds in Bowen Hills with a heap of events that are all about bicycles — and even if you're not all that known for riding around town, there's still plenty for you to enjoy. Cycling championships and tours are all on the agenda, of course. Still focusing on the fest's main mode of transport, so is Colour Your Ride, which wants you to get pedalling while covered in all the hues of the rainbow from head to toe — all to raise cash for mental health awareness. Or, you can simply scope out an extreme mountain biking show as part of BCF's festival village, which is popping up from Friday, April 8–Sunday, April 10. Also at the village: free circus workshops, a big launch party at Beerhaus, and plenty to eat and sip. The latter includes $10 bao and beverage deals, plus a $12 egg and bacon burger and coffee combo if you're keen on heading by to start your day.
As well as offering Brisbanites a mighty nice place for a staycation in the middle of Spring Hill, The Inchcolm is home to its own enticing bar that takes its cues from 1920s Parisian salons. That's reason enough to stop by, even if you aren't spending the night; however, make a date of it to celebrate the supposedly most romantic evening of the year and you and your partner can leave with a lifelong skill. That handy talent: making martinis, whether you like them shaken or stirred. For one night only — on Monday, February 14, of course — the venue is hosting couples martini masterclasses. If cocktails, grazing boards and learning something new are the way to your other half's heart, consider your Valentine's Day sorted. The sessions run at 6pm and 8pm, cost $179 for two, and include a run-through of how to make a heap of The Inchcolm Bar's martinis — it's known for them — including both classics and secret concoctions. Bookings are required, and you obviously know where to stay if you do want to make a whole night of it.
They're entertaining to watch, and fun to play along with from the comfort of your own couch. But music quiz TV shows like Spicks and Specks and Never Mind the Buzzcocks always leave even their biggest fans wanting more. Who hasn't wished that they could show off their own music trivia knowledge in the same kind of setting? (And not just down at the local pub with your mates.) That's where Not On Your Rider comes in. A music trivia game show, it's hosted by The Creases' Aimon Clark, and features Velociraptor's Jeremy Neale and The Grates' Patience Hodgson as team captains — and it happens live in Brisbane. Also, while the two on-stage teams are always filled with musos, comedians, drag queens and other guests, anyone can buy a ticket, sit at a table and play along with them. Thats how the event plays out every month, but the December outing will be a bit different — because Not On Your Rider is getting festive. This time, Robert Irwin, Kate Miller-Heidke, Ruby Fields, Boy Swallows Universe author Trent Dalton and Australian Idol's Ian 'Dicko' Dickson will be joining in the fun. And, because Christmas is a big occasion, it's all going down from 6pm on Saturday, December 10 at Fortitude Music Hall. If you're a NOYR newcomer, the quiz itself is accompanied by chats about the music industry, as well as other mini games involving attendees. Plus, resident band leader Simi Lacroix will be taking care of the tunes, with help an all-star group of musicians who'll be busting out quirky covers. Not on Your Rider images: Bianca Holderness.
Since arriving in town a few years back, Salt Meats Cheese has been giving Brisbanites a pizza-filled treat. And, as part of its lineup of Italian eats, it's been known to give the city's residents plenty of specials in its time — including the return of its $25 all-you-can-eat pizza nights every Monday at its Newstead store. "Does this look like someone who's had all they can eat?" isn't something you'll be saying when you devour as many slices as your stomach can handle in 90 minutes, so calm your inner Homer Simpson. The main catch is that you'll have to buy a drink as well, but you can choose from both boozy and non-alcoholic options. Available from 5pm, this hefty feast serves up multiple options, too. You can stick with the $25 pizza-focused option, or add any pasta from the menu to your all-you-can-eat dinner for an extra $5. And if you're vegan or eat a gluten free diet, those can also be catered for for another $5. You do need to finish each serving of pizza or pasta before ordering your next, but that's hardly a tough rule.
Sometimes, even the most adventurous among us need a little push, a dash of motivation or some extra incentive to take a particular leap. So you've always wanted to wander around southeast Queensland's Scenic Rim region, but have never found the time? Well, consider the area's annual Eat Local Week all the reason you need. If exploring, eating and drinking can't get you in the car and down the highway, then nothing can. Unsurprisingly, that's just the big-picture view of this nine-day festival. Promoting Scenic Rim produce and the people behind it, the event marks its tenth year in 2021 — and it has a big lineup in store to mark the occasion. On the bill: more than 125 events at 48 locations, so you won't be bored during this fest. A number of festivals are taking place within the broader event, for starters, so you can head to the fest for a winter harvest festival, street food festival, and a beer, food and wine festival. The program also includes everything from a citrus mini market, olive grove tastings, brewery banter, and wine and cheese in a vineyard, to picnics in an alpaca farm, macadamia farm tours, cocktail masterclasses and multiple long lunches. Basically, if it's an event in the Beaudesert, Boonah, Beechmont and Mt Barney area between Saturday, June 26 and Sunday, July 4, it's on the agenda.
It's time to mark another food-based commemorative occasion. Yes, another one. By now, we all know that they're just excuses to eat more of a certain dish — and there's so many of them that you really could use them to plan your daily eating choices. But we keep celebrating dates like World Fish 'n' Chip Day because they're both tasty and fun. At Kangaroo Point, One Fish Two Fish is getting into the spirit of this seafood extravaganza in 2021 by, well, serving up seafood. And it's doing so across three days — from Friday, June 4–Sunday, June 7. Make plans for lunch or dinner, with $12 takeaway cod meals on offer. For less than a lobster, you'll eat your way through a serving of battered, fried or crumbed cod (your choice), shoestring fries, garden salad and housemade tartare sauce. You can pre-order in advance if you like, but you don't have to — so you can either book the special, then head by to pick it up, or drop in, order and take your classic fish 'n' chip feast home with you.
For the second year in a row, North Byron Bay Parkland won't be welcoming in bands and music lovers this July, with Splendour in the Grass' 2021 festival already rescheduled to November. But if enjoying a jam-packed lineup of tunes is a cherished part of your winter routine, that's still on the cards, thanks to a new virtual Splendour event taking place in its usual midyear time slot. Called Splendour XR, the mud-free two-stage event will pop up across the weekend of Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25 — but you'll be watching along from home. Or, from wherever you choose to tune in via your mobile, tablet, browser, desktop or VR headset, all to watch more than 50 acts take to the virtual stage over two days. Leading the charge are headliners Khalid and The Killers. The former will do the honours on Saturday, while the latter will take over on Sunday. They'll be joined by a hefty list of talent, including Chvrches, Denzel Curry, Duke Dumont, Tash Sultana, Violent Soho, Phoebe Bridgers and Band of Horses on the first day, plus Charlie XCX, Vance Joy, The Avalanches, Of Monsters and Men, The Jungle Giants and Ocean Alley on the second. If you're wondering how Splendour XR will work, that's understandable — and no, you won't just be watching old gig footage or clips from past Splendours. Instead, the fest will feature new, never-before-seen live sets that have been created especially for the virtual event. And, while they'll be available to watch worldwide, the fest will operate on Australian time — running from 12pm–2am AEST each day, with tunes starting from 2pm. You'll also be able to view the performances for seven days afterwards. Splendour organisers are also aiming to take as much of the IRL festival experience with them into the virtual realm, too, with attendees set to access "an imaginatively embellished but faithful recreation of Splendour's Byron Bay venue", according to the festival announcement. You'll also create your own schedule so that you can hop between stages to see whoever you like, and you'll be able to virtually meet up with your mates in the process as well. Also part of the fest: raising funds for live music industry workers, mental health and wellbeing, and sustainability. There'll also be an online medical centre designed to help anyone that's struggling with their mental health after the chaos of the past 15 months or so. SPLENDOUR XR LINEUP: DAY 1 Khalid Chvrches Denzel Curry Duke Dumont Tash Sultana Masked Wolf Russ Millions Band Of Horses Little Simz Violent Soho Aurora Phoebe Bridgers Vera Blue Pink Sweat$ Client Liaison Griff Pond Tayla Parx Dune Rats Methyl Ethel The Chats Triple One Cat & Calmell King Stingray The Southern River Band DAY 2 The Killers Charli XCX Vance Joy Grimes Metaverse (Super Beta) The Avalanches Of Monsters and Men Kaytranada Black Pumas Hot Dub Time Machine Millennium Parade The Jungle Giants Ocean Alley Jungle What So Not King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Sinéad Harnett Holly Humberstone Spacey Jane Crooked Colours Amyl and The Sniffers Wafia Aviva The Snuts Band-Maid Ziggy Ramo Gretta Ray Top image: Mitch Lowe.
Tequila is always on the menu at El Camino Cantina, the vibrant Tex-Mex chain that's been spreading its footprint across Australia over the past few years. Between Tuesday, July 20–Sunday, July 25, the brand will be splashing a bit more of the stuff around, however — all to celebrate National Tequila Day. The actual occasion falls on Saturday, July 24. It wouldn't be an El Camino shindig if it didn't spread the love as far as it can, however. So, you'll have six days to tuck into plenty of tequila. You'll be able to sip it in margaritas, enjoy flights of the stuff, and also taste it while eating tacos and chicken wings. El Camino's Bowen Hills, South Bank, Chermside and Robina venues will still be doing their current Not So Soft Drink series, and serving up its signature flavours. So, that's the marg side of things covered. If you're keen on tequila by itself, you'll find two different flights on offer, each showcasing three varieties of the tipple. And, food-wise, the chain will be doing tequila chicken tacos. They'll feature chicken covered in a tequila-spiced marinade, then paired with red cabbage, lime, pickled onion, coriander, jalapeno and avocado. Or, opt for the tequila, lime, chilli and paprika chicken wings as part of the eatery's King of the Wing Festival.
First you do the exercise, then you get the reward. Yes, that's generally how exercise works. It's usually a long-term process, too, because no workout gives instant results. Ooh La La Rooftop's next sweat session will serve you up a treat as soon as you've finished bending and stretching, though. C'est Bon's new sky-high addition is hosting a Stretch Yoga and Crepes class. It's that straightforward, and also that enticing. The folks at Stretch Yoga will be on hand to take you through a range of yoga moves for 45 minutes — and, after that, you'll hit the serve-yourself crepe station to fill your grumbling stomach. The extra bonus: the view, of course, with all those poses and pancakes being paired with sunshine and a scenic vantage over Woolloongabba. Two sessions are on the agenda, so you can pick between a 10am and 1pm class — but getting a $35 ticket ASAP is recommended, because there's only 20 places on offer per session due to social-distancing requirements. Images: Mitch Lowe.
When you live in a city that's usually streaming with sunshine all year round, the onset of even slightly colder weather can be a shock. Fear not, "brrrrrrrr"-yelling Brisbanites — the frosty season comes bearing gifts. Indeed, at Riverbar and Kitchen's Winter Lodge setup between Thursday, July 1–Tuesday, August 31, there'll be plenty of things to heat you up. On the menu for winter: beer-infused cheese fondue for $20, DIY brownie s'mores for $20 as well and — to keep you extra warm — open flames, fire pits and faux fur throws. You'll find them on offer every day, alongside mulled Venetian cider, cushions and fairy lights. Feeling extra hungry? You can also get a winter feast if you're with at least one other person, with roasted lamb shanks, mashed potato, roasted vegetables and garlic bread on offer for $45 per person. That said, entry is free, as is the warm, fuzzy feeling you'll get when you've been heated head-to-toe by hot cocktails, hot food and hanging out by the fire — all while socially distancing, of course. Riverbar is also doing a few other cocktails, including wintry berry spritzes, if you just want to trust alcohol in general to warm you up.
This winter, the Regatta is using the chillier weather as an excuse to throw a season-long party. That's what Winter in the Vineyards is all about — hanging out in the Toowong pub's courtyards, eating, drinking and making the most of this time of year. On Sunday, June 27, it's turning the winter festivities into a festival, too — a Harvest Festival, in fact. Whether those two words make you think of the ongoing Parks and Recreation storyline, or you'll just take whatever excuse you can to sip mulled wine, dropping by between 12–5pm is recommended. On the agenda as you wander around the fest's food stalls: tucking into Olympus Cheese's Mediterranean-style dairy goods, pairing them with Salumi Australia's meaty range, downing Brockenchack Wines' vinos and hitting up the mulled wine cart. Entry is free, reservations aren't required, and live music by Benjam Band will provide your Sunday afternoon snacking and sipping session with a soundtrack.
Thanks to multiple lockdowns and ongoing restrictions, we've all spent more time eating at home over the past 18 months than we probably would've otherwise. We've all tried to cook sourdough, too, and also put our culinary skills to the test attempting to whip up plenty of other dishes. Sometimes, though, the urge to hop into the kitchen just isn't there. Also a pandemic mainstay: takeaways and food deliveries. They help us all escape a stint of cooking for a night, and also support local hospitality businesses doing it tough when they can't welcome in dine-in customers. And, to the delight of tastebuds across Brisbane, some places around town have been hatching inventive ideas to keep us all fed — and help us avoid playing chef ourselves. Mac in the Box is one such new arrival. Obviously, mac 'n' cheese is its dish of choice — and it takes the pasta-and-dairy combination seriously. A drive-thru run by Fortitude Valley's City Winery and set up at its Wandoo Street base, it'll have you forgetting all about packet-mix versions of its cuisine of choice. Serving up mac 'n' cheese made with three cheeses, truffles, smoked ocean trout and Italian pork will do that. Fancy all the cheese? The three-cheese version is Mac in the Box's bestseller, and also comes in bundles with some of City Winery's 2020 Gerler sav blanc and shiraz. That's the benefit of picking up some pasta from a winery, clearly. Or, you can opt for the gooey version with truffles; the ocean trout, herbs and spring onion variety; or the Italian pork, fennel and tomatoes dish. Prices range from $13–24 just for a mac 'n' cheese, and from $32–40 with a bottle of vino. Customers can also add some wine to their orders anyway, with ten varieties available. And, house-baked sourdough is also on the menu as a side dish. With Brisbane back in lockdown until at least 4pm on Sunday, August 8, Mac in the Box is operating daily during the stay-at-home conditions — so that could be your dinner sorted for a few nights this week. Orders can be collected from 4.30pm each afternoon.
Sometimes, getting out of your car to purchase food is just too much effort. For those occasions, humanity invented the drive-thru. It's a fast food staple, and the concept has been getting quite the workout during the pandemic — so, when a drive-thru dedicated to lasagne first popped up, it felt inevitable. Now, with Brisbane back under stay-at-home conditions until at least 4pm on Sunday, August 8, Brisbane's lasagne drive-thru is back. From Wednesday, August 4, it'll be serving up layered pasta with bechamel sauce again right through until Saturday, August 7. If lockdown is extended again, though, the drive-thru will stick around longer. The venture is the latest project from Jerome Dalton, owner of Dalton Catering and — since July 2021 – of CJ's Pasta as well. The latter no longer operates as a bricks-and-mortar business, instead focusing on selling pasta to restaurants and wholesalers. But for folks at home who love a bit of lasagne, CJ's Pasta now lets you roll up to Fortitude Valley's Prospect Street in your car, remain seated, and take home one of three different lasagnes (or a mixture of the trio). The idea first came about in response to Brisbane's March lockdown, with the drive-thru kicking into action while everyone was staying at home for three days. When it proved popular, Dalton brought it back every Friday afternoon. And now, with a longer lockdown currently in place, it's clearly prime drive-thru lasagne time. Brisbanites can choose from beef lasagne, sand crab lasagne, and black truffle and beef ragu lasagne, all of which come in one-kilogram servings paired with focaccia. Prices range from $50–60, or you can grab all three for $120. Different types of freshly made pasta are also on offer, ready for you to cook and add to sauce at home. So are salumi boxes filled with mortadella, salami, aged pork, bread and pickles. If you're keen, you'll need to order in advance via phone, then motor on over to pick up your ready-to-eat meal. You can still try your luck by just showing up with without preordering, but you'll be getting a chilled lasagne that you'll need to heat up at home. Also, this time around, the drive-thru is also setting up what it's calling a 'slide-thru' — which'll give free meals to hospitality workers every Saturday during lockdown, from 5.30pm until there's no lasagnes left. Ordinary customers can also donate to the 'slide-thru' fund to help CJ's Pasta give out even more dishes to folks doing it tough in the hospo industry.
Time flies when you're obsessing over a big blockbuster fantasy TV series, as HBO's biggest hit of the past decade demonstrates. Last month marked ten years since Game of Thrones first hit screens and became a pop culture phenomenon — broadening the world's awareness of George RR Martin's books, pointing out how often Sean Bean meets an untoward end on-screen and delivering more dragon-fuelled drama than anyone ever knew they needed. Keen to celebrate the occasion like you're in a Westerosi tavern? That's an option, all thanks to a new collaboration between Moon Dog Brewing and Warner Bros Consumer Products. The two have joined forces on a new line of GoT beers, so get ready to sip a Breaker of Chains imperial stout and a Watchers on the Wall imperial white ale. The former features chipotle chilli, vanilla and a chocolate finish, while the latter pairs white chocolate with orange and coriander. Winter might be coming, but these brews will be available on Thursday, May 13 — so, in autumn — at Saccharomyces Beer Cafe. The South Brisbane watering hole is also whipping out a Game of Thrones board game to keep everyone entertained, with a round and a brew costing $20. Cole Bennetts Top image: Kate Shanasy.
Usually, when you're looking at something, you're staring straight ahead. Even if you're watching a movie in a reclining chair (hello Gold Class), you're peering forward. That isn't the case at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, however. Thanks to its dome — aka its main attraction — you'll be staring upwards here. Each weekend at 3pm, you'll be looking up as part of the Mt Coot-tha site's Afternoon Live sessions, too — which happen on both Saturdays and Sundays. Get comfy, direct your eyes towards the heavens, then listen to the Brisbane Planetarium's astronomers talk you through space's wonders. Sure, you learned about the solar system in primary school, but this 50-minute experience also includes a guided tour of the night sky. And, if you're wondering, the chairs onsite are designed for peering upwards — so you won't get a sore neck. Updated November 5.
Seafood by the sea? Brews next to the beach? There's nothing stopping you from enjoying both at this year's Moreton Bay Food and Wine Festival. Coming to Apex Park in Woody Point between Friday, July 30–Sunday, August 1, this returning food fest is serving up plenty to tempt your tastebuds, from oysters and prawns to farm-fresh fare — and beers and cocktails, too. Indeed, if you like the indulgent things in life, you'll find more than a few things that'll suit your cravings on the menu. Running from 10am on the Saturday and Sunday — and hosting a free launch party on the Friday night — the event will also feature a pavilion dedicated to local produce, pizzas and slow-cooked meats to go with your brews, and a section that's all about home, garden and lifestyle products. Plus, if you like pina coladas, you're in luck, because it's the festival cocktail. Live tunes, fireworks and cooking demonstrations are also on the agenda. And, if you want to counteract all of the eating and drinking, you'll be in the right place for it — just go for a walk along the shoreline. Top image: Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival.
Is there any day of the year — any single one — that doesn't double as a celebration of a particular food or drink? These days, no. So, if you want to pick what to eat and sip based on the calendar, that's definitely on the menu. Like tapas? Fancy feasting on all the tapas you can handle? Keen to see exactly what that entails over a two-hour window? Then World Tapas Day is for you. So is the spread at South Bank's Olé to mark the occasion, with the restaurant serving up bottomless tapas between 5–9pm on Thursday, June 16. While the evening runs for four hours, you'll only have half of that time to eat all the tapas — including plates of toreznos, pork belly with orange glaze, green olives, tortilla de patatas, Spanish omelettes, albondigas, and beef and pork meatballs. The list goes on, with the deep-fried croquettas del dia and chicken-on-a-stick dish pincho de pollo also on offer. This non-stop two-hour meal will cost you $59 per person, and is available for one night only. Bookings are recommended — and if all that tapas will make you thirsty, drinks cost extra, other than a glass of sangria upon arrival.
It's the frostiest of Australia's annual film festivals for two reasons — the time of year it arrives, and the region it showcases — and it's back for 2022 with another round of recent and retro flicks. That'd be the Scandinavian Film Festival, which naturally hits cinemas around the country each winter. Well, winter Down Under, that is. This year's fest will play 19 titles, primarily hailing from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, with the program heading to Palace Barracks and Palace James Street in Brisbane from Wednesday, July 20–Wednesday, August 10. That gives film buffs around three weeks to get their Nordic movie fix, whether you're keen on a historical epic or a dive into Scandi cinema history. Yes, blasts from the pasts are a feature of the 2022 lineup — starting with opening night's Margrete — Queen of the North. Starring Trine Dyrholm (The Commune) and directed by Charlotte Sieling (Lovecraft Country, Homeland), the historical drama is set in 1402, and hones in on Denmark's Queen Margrete, who oversaw the Kalmar Union that brought together Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Also peering backwards: the Scandi Screen Sirens selection, which celebrates leading ladies from times gone by — all in classics. So, you'll catch Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, Greta Garbo in Queen Christina and Britt Ekland in The Wicker Man. There's also two Liv Ullmann films: The Serpent's Egg, directed by iconic Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman; plus The New Land, the 1972 gem in the festival's closing night slot. Elsewhere, the program includes Dyrholm again in A Matter of Trust, which heads to Australia straight from premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival; Finnish effort The Woodcutter's Story, which played the 2022 Cannes Film Festival Critics' Week; and The Emigrants, a new adaptation of Vilhelm Moberg's novels. The latter first hit the screen in 1971, in a film of the same name — to which the aforementioned The New Land was a sequel. From a selection of 19 flicks all up, there's also the Danish boarding school-set Pretty Young Thing, which will have its world premiere at the fest; psychological drama Quake from Iceland; Berlinale Crystal Bear Award-winner Comedy Queen, about a 13-year-old girl who wants to be a stand-up comedian; and documentary Nordic by Nature, which was filmed in the Faroe Islands, including in its seafood industry, and also covers two-star Michelin restaurant KOKS. And if Scandinavian talent has you thinking of Game of Thrones' Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, he's accounted for A Taste of Hunger from Denmark. It's about the quest for a Michelin star, actually, with the drama following a couple determined to get one for their restaurant.
UPDATE, August 9, 2022: The Wickham has closed its studio, Wickham Bar and beer garden for renovations, meaning that its Drag Race Down Under viewing parties will no longer go ahead. Start your engines, RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under fans — and head them Fortitude Valley's way. With the beloved drag competition series' local version returning for season two from Saturday, July 30, The Wickham is throwing parties to celebrate. It's hosting viewing parties, of course, so you can watch along while you hang out in the Wickham Street bar's beer leafy garden. On Saturdays during the season's run, starting at 5pm, the new batch of drag contestants will strut across the venue's big screen — and host RuPaul, plus judges Michelle Visage and Rhys Nicholson, too. You'll watch, you'll marvel, you'll throw shade. The Wickham's Drag Race Down Under viewing parties will also include special guests, just like the show it's honouring. Entry is free but bookings are still recommended — and, you can either pay for what you eat and sip as you go, or nab a $55 share platter for two. It includes a range of bites, as well as a couple of cocktails. And no, no word yet on if there'll be a sausage sizzle when that comes up in the series — as seen in the trailer below: Top image: Stan.
Across four days in September, Brisbane's Palace Barracks Cinema will dedicate its screens to ten films from one country: Ireland. The reason? The return of the Irish Film Festival as an in-person event, after not one but two years of hosting sessions online — and, for its big cinematic return between Thursday, September 8–Sunday, September 11, it has quite the drawcard on its lineup. Box office Gaelic-language smash The Quiet Girl leads this year's program, after it initially takes to the city's big screens at the Melbourne International Film Festival — so if you miss it then, this is your next chance to see it. The tender 80s-set drama, about a soft-spoken nine-year-old (newcomer Catherine Clinch) who is sent to stay with relatives for the summer, has been breaking box office records for Irish-language movies in Ireland and in the UK. It was also just picked as the country's submission in the Best International Feature category at next year's Oscars, and hits IFF before its general Australian release. The rest of the festival's selection isn't short on highlights either, including opening-night documentary Steps Of Freedom, about Irish dance and its worldwide popularity — plus Let the Wrong One In, a vampire comedy that fittingly boasts Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anthony Head among the cast. Or, there's Love Yourself Today, which focuses on Damien Dempsey's music; You Are Not My Mother, about a mother's disappearance from a North Dublin housing estate; and Redemption Of A Rogue, a black comedy about salvation. And, 1992 classic Into the West is also on the bill, with the magical-realist fantasy about a mysterious white stallion featuring a cast that includes Gabriel Byrne (Hereditary) and Brendan Gleeson (The Tragedy of Macbeth). IFF will also keep an online component to this year's fest, screening digitally from Friday, September 30–Sunday, October 16.
Music panel shows weren't invented when Spicks and Specks and Rockwiz started airing in Australia back in 2005, but the two series became Aussie icons quickly. Seemingly everyone watched one, the other or both, with the pair earning a devoted following by realising a pivotal fact: as well as seeing musicians live, audiences also love watching them banter, bust out their smarts and just generally connecting over music. Also taking that idea and running with it is Georgia Mooney's Supergroup, which originally debuted in Sydney in 2019 and is now taking its live variety show on the road. It's inspired by Spicks and Specks and Rockwiz, obviously; focuses on stellar songwriters; and also includes live music and interviews as well. If that sounds like your kind of night out, Brisbane music fans can check out Supergroup's wonders at The Triffid from Wednesday, July 27—Thursday, July 28. Guest-wise, Ball Park Music's Sam Cromack will do the honours with Elizabeth and Seja on the first night, with Jeremy Neale, Hope D and Evil Eddie from Butterfingers taking over on the second evening. Here's how it works: on each evening, the guests come together to form a band, with support from the Supergroup House Band. They'll only play together for that one night, with each high-profile songwriter taking turns to perform songs while their colleagues join in. And it's all spontaneous — with no rehearsals and absolutely zero prior planning. That means that guests get an experience that's never been seen or heard before, and won't ever happen again with the same songwriters and tunes, either. "There is something quite magical about it," says All Our Exes Live in Texas' Mooney. "It is communal and whimsical and musical in the purest sense. I have a feeling this tour will take that to a new level. It's going to feel incredibly poignant to connect again in this way, after the two years we've all had."
It's the time of the year when the days begin to shorten, the evenings get cooler and your stomach starts grumbling for comfort food. But, while that'll remain true for the next few months, only one particular day will bring free tacos. That'd be Tuesday, May 4, with Tex-Mex giant Taco Bell doing a big giveaway at all of its locations. If you haven't tried the chain's Crunchy Taco Supreme, this is your chance. If you have and you just like freebies, count yourself in as well. There is a catch, though. This free taco day is themed around the moon — because the chain has decided to name the half-moon the 'taco moon'. So, to get a taco without paying a cent, you need to mention 'taco moon' or say 'I saw the taco moon' when you get to the counter. Also, there's a limit of one free taco per person, so you won't be able to stuff your stomach full of them. What's a Crunchy Taco Supreme? A crunchy taco, as the name suggests, as filled with seasoned beef, sour cream, fresh lettuce, tomato and cheese — or black beans for vegetarians. If you happen to be one of the first 20 people through the door at each store — in Annerley, Beenleigh, Cairns, Cleveland, Currajong, East Ipswich, Keperra, Logan Central, Morayfield, North Lakes, Robina and Southport in Queensland — you'll also score a taco moon party kit, which includes merchandise.
Classic flicks just keep making the leap to the stage, turning their big-screen tales into song-filled musical adaptations in the process. From 9 to 5 and Muriel's Wedding to Moulin Rouge! and Shrek, a hefty number of beloved movies have done just that — and now Adam Sandler's smash-hit film The Wedding Singer is joining them. The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy was originally due to hit Melbourne in June last year but, as we all know, the pandemic hit. Now, it's also heading to southeast Queensland, playing HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast from Wednesday, June 16. When it does finally hit the stage locally, The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy will deliver an all-singing, all-dancing stage show based on its hilarious namesake 90s flick. And it's from the same crew that propelled it to sell-out success on Broadway and across the UK, including the writer of the original movie, Tim Herlihy. This one promises to yank you right into The Wedding Singer's 80s world of big hair and classic wedding bangers, thanks to a toe-tapping score that's sure to prompt a few hearty crowd singalongs. It retells the story of party-loving wedding singer and wannabe rock star Robbie Hart, who's left stranded at the altar at his own nuptials. Heartbroken, he sets out to destroy every other wedding he's a part of, until a chance encounter with a waitress: Drew Barrymore's character Julia. Now, he just has to win over the girl... and somehow put a stop to her own upcoming marriage along the way. If you need a refresher, you can watch the OG nostalgic film trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yjOXMTa6vA
Brisbane's day-long celebration of seafood is coming back. Get ready to feast your way through the fruit of the sea — all without leaving the CBD — once again. If oysters and Moreton Bay bugs are your idea of heaven in food form, you're in luck, as Sea to the City — Brisbane's Bug and Oyster Trail promises to focus on these two morsels. Fifteen riverside eateries will serve up their best takes on these two main ingredients at the event, which will take over the Brisbane river precinct from Eagle Street Pier to Customs House from 11am–6pm on Sunday, May 30. Just what'll be on the menu is yet to be revealed, but Moreton Bay bug croissants, New Orleans-style fried oyster po' boys and grilled bugs with XO Sauce have featured in previous years. As for who'll be whipping up said dishes, the lineup includesMadame Wu, Riverland, Blackbird and Naga Thai, plus Coppa Spuntino, Rico's Bar and Restaurant, Fatcow Steak and Lobster, Customs House, Massimo Bar and Restaurant, City Winery, Mr & Mrs G's, Friday's, Navala Churrascaria, George's Seafood Paragon and Pig N Whistle. You'll also find live music, pop-up bars and, of course, gorgeous river views. And, entry is free — although you'll need your wallet for whatever you'd like to eat and drink.
If you know even the slightest thing about the circumstances surrounding Jamal Khashoggi's death, it's impossible to watch The Dissident without feeling angry. That's most viewers' starting mood, given that the Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist's assassination has garnered ample media attention — and Oscar-winning director Brian Fogel (Icarus) is well aware of how much coverage the subject has received, and of how the world feels about the situation. Indeed, his thorough and exacting documentary both feeds upon and fuels that shock and ire. The mood is tense, the commentary is pointed and the prevailing sentiment is savage. Both rage and outrage permeate each frame, unsurprisingly so, as the film lays bare the brutal facts surrounding Khashoggi's murder, its lead-up and its aftermath. No other tone would be acceptable. Nothing other than dismay, abhorrence and anger would be either. When you're making a movie about a man who entered his nation's embassy to obtain paperwork so that he could get married, then left it in dismembered pieces while his bride-to-be waited outside, how could anything other than fury, horror and alarm eventuate? Although the details have already been well-documented since October 2, 2018, they're still reassembled in The Dissident. Accordingly, the doco tells of Khashoggi's visit to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul just over a year after fleeing his country, after which he was never seen alive again. He wanted to marry academic Hatice Cengiz, his Turkish fiancée. To do so, he needed a document certifying that he was no longer wed to his prior wife. He'd first sought that necessary certification from the embassy just a few days earlier, so they knew that he'd be returning — and once he stepped inside once more, he was ambushed, attacked and killed by a newly arrived team of Saudi agents. Cengiz contacted the authorities when the man she thought she'd be spending the rest of her life with didn't surface, but the Saudi government claimed that the exiled reporter had left via a back entrance. It didn't take long to ascertain the truth, as was suspected from the moment he failed to reemerge. The official story changed several times, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman denied any knowledge of a premeditated plot, but the fact remains that Khashoggi was slaughtered by operatives from his homeland. Nothing about Khashoggi's plight has been easy to face over the past three years; however, confronting this true tale is essential. Even if the soundtrack to his film needlessly overstresses the emotive highs and lows, Fogel is clearly aware of just how important his task is here, and does his part to help ensure that these specific events aren't allowed to fade in anyone's memories. He charts the tough-to-stomach minutiae, knowing that ignoring and forgetting the grim intricacies isn't that much different from excusing or accepting them. Crucially, he also provides a wealth of context, including by chronicling Khashoggi's career from the 80s onwards. Initially, the journalist had a congenial relationship with Saudi's monarchy and government, but that shifted as he called them out in article after article — and as he continued to speak the same truths to the same powers, and to the world, after leaving for Washington DC in 2017. Also earning the attention of Fogel and his co-writer Mark Monroe (The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart): Omar Abdulaziz. Another Saudi exile, the now-Canada based vlogger was friends with Khashoggi, and recounts their connection throughout the film. Early on, Abdulaziz says that the fate of his pal weighs heavily upon him, but it takes The Dissident time to fully explain why — beyond the normal bounds of grief and past the anger that everyone aware of Khashoggi's assassination feels, that is. While Fogel could be accused to trying to add extra intrigue, urgency and mystery to a movie that largely deals in known facts, his documentary is already gripping anyway; rather, he's further fleshing out the background to a heinous crime. The intimate details explored and exposed throughout the film, including a wealth of surveillance footage, phone calls and WhatsApp messages, and even audio transcripts of the murder taking place, all evoke a strong reaction, of course. But so does seeing the bigger picture, including gleaning the feature's insights into how some countries can work ruthlessly and in a highly orchestrated manner to silence dissenting voices, and understanding the role that both technology and money play in such targeted activities. Whether recounting the grisly reality of Khashoggi's final minutes, conveying the callous disregard directed his way by his assassins and their government, hearing from Turkish police and prosecutors, listening to Abdulaziz or spending time with Cengiz, The Dissident never loses sight of its core focus. This is a movie about one of the utmost political atrocities of the past five years — and about the fact that few repercussions have come Saudi Arabia's way since, with the last US President even claiming that the situation was too ambiguous — but it's also a film about Khashoggi above all else. Here, he isn't just a martyr. He's not simply a name splashed across news headlines, and repeated again and again in broadcasts. And, he's definitely never the type of figure that's discussed and detailed yet always remains a remote presence. Some of The Dissident's most stirring moments feature the journalist being himself and trying to find happiness again, in fact, all after being forced to start his life anew. That's part of this equally chilling and moving doco's power. Truly coming to terms with how Khashoggi's life came to an end involves seeing not just a man given the titular label, or someone killed for speaking out, but a person who sought a better future for himself and for his homeland, only to have his existence cruelly extinguished instead. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wnmC7uLTNQ
