Twenty years after releasing their ninth and most celebrated record, The Soft Bulletin, Oklahoma rock legends The Flaming Lips are heading back Down Under. After announcing Melbourne and Sydney shows last month, they'll now be coming to Brisbane as well — to play the highly acclaimed album in full, as well as some of their greatest hits. Taking over the new Fortitude Music Hall on Saturday, September 28, The Flaming Lips will bring their signature technicolour shows to life for one night. Expect elaborate costumes, confetti cannons and even neon unicorns to fill the stages as the seven-piece band performs hits such as 'Waitin' for a Superman', 'Race for the Prize' and 'A Spoonful Weighs a Ton'. Released in 1999, The Soft Bulletin is widely accepted as the band's greatest album, named by NME as the Album of the Year and by Pitchfork as a 'masterpiece' and the third best album of the 90s. As well as playing this seminal album in full, The Flaming Lips will also perform some of their other greatest hits, including 'Do You Realize??' and 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1'. [caption id="attachment_724481" align="alignnone" width="1920"] George Salisbury[/caption] The Flaming Lips — The Soft Bulletin 20th Anniversary will come to Brisbane on Saturday, September 28, with tickets on sale now. Top image: George Salisbury.
Progressive pop powerhouse Ainslie Wills is back, bringing her unique, epic balladry and a brand new EP to Black Bear Lodge this October. This goal-kicking Melburnian has unleashed a brand new single 'Constellations', from her new EP Oh the Gold and now she's taking her long-awaited new material down the east coast with her five-piece band. You'll spend a good deal of time picking up Wills' influences; you can hear a little PJ Harvey, a tad of Rhye, a tinge of The xx, a sprinkle of St Vincent, a dash of Jeff Buckley and a teeny splash of London Grammar in there. But Wills is no lyrebird, she's whittling a style that's all her own — a style that earned her a finalist spot for the 2012 Melbourne Music Prize and saw her shortlisted for the 2013 Australian Music Prize for her LP You go your way, I’ll go mine. Since then, between writing for Tom Isanek's #1 Dads side project, Wills has been working on new material with songwriter Lawrence Folvig and Brisbane-based producer extraordinaire Matt Redlich (Holy Holy, Emma Louise, Trouble with Templeton) — they met after one of her shows at Black Bear Lodge back in 2013. They've been recording in Redlich's studio, Grandma's Place, and now Wills has a brand new EP to showcase.
Edinburgh-born and Brisbane-based artist Theo Shields explores the way in which we interact with objects and materials that surround us and how they contribute to the meaning we affix to our own constructed worlds. He looks at the digital age, where we are participating and connected constantly, populated by longstanding and shape-shifting objects. Through a long process of trial and error, recording and reducing, he has created Pure Response, a thoughtful exhibition of art. Shields will be at the exhibition for an artist talk on Thursday July 25 from 6pm, where he will explain his works and outline his methodology. The opening of the exhibition will take place on July 19, and you are welcome to join. Theo Shields is a student of art, having practiced and studied at the Queensland College of Art since the beginning of the year. His most recent videos, sculptures and photographs will be on display, and are sure to raise more questions than they answer about our constantly evolving world.
When you live in a city that's usually streaming with sunshine all year round, the sudden onset of colder weather can come as a shock. Fear not, brrrrrrrr-yelling Brisbanites — the frosty season comes bearing gifts. Indeed, at Riverbar and Kitchen's third annual Winter Festival, there are plenty of things to heat you up. Example one: mulled wine, aka the best way there is to drink wine (once you've tried it, we're betting you'll agree). Example two: hot-buttered rum, which really does involve putting butter in rum (and defying everything you've ever been told about healthy eating). Example three: s'mores, because all that slurping is bound to leave your tastebuds wanting fire-roasted marshmallows and chocolate between two biscuits. You'll find all three down by the Eagle Street waterside on Saturday, July 28 and Sunday, July 29, plus live music too. Entry is free, but you'll have to pay to enjoy all of the above. That view won't cost a thing, of course.
So, you've made it through the craziness of December and January and suddenly the social calendar is looking a little bare. Just weeks and weeks of the monotonous nine-to-five slog stretching out before you. Thankfully, we've found something that's sure to make the next month more bearable: West Village, West End's new dining precinct, is hosting a series of fun-filled Sunday sessions. Across the first three Sundays in February, the space will host an afternoon of food, drinks and entertainment inspired by one of The Garden Pantry's (West Village's dining precinct) retailers. It's starting with a Lunar New Year celebration with Mr Bunz on February 3 before Cheeky Poké host a Hawaiian-inspired soiree on February 10. And then, on Sunday, February 17, it's switching continents again and throwing a breezy summer party inspired by Italy's Amalfi Coast. Salt Meats Cheese will be behind this vibrant afternoon filled with pizza boards, the restaurant's famous cheese wheel pasta and bottomless Aperol spritzes. Your next holiday may be a while away but, for two hours at least, you can eat, drink and be merry on a pseudo-Positano rooftop. Bottomless Amalfi Sundays will run from 4–6pm on Sunday, February 17. Tickets cost $59 per person and can be purchased here.
Keen to party but have no cash? Never fear! Alhambra Lounge are throwing a 'Cool Party' and as the name suggests, it's packed full of all things cool - sweet tunes, clever artwork and free entry. The night includes live sets from up-and-comer's from across the country. This mixed bag of musicians features Brisbane's own Charles Murdoch who produces floaty electronic tracks perfect for getting lost in. Hailing from Carlton, The Harpoons fuse RnB with 60s soul to achieve a contemporary and infectious sound. Bec Rigby's delicious vocals add the icing to the cake on tracks such as, Keep You Around. Friendships, Rainbow Chan, Cassius Select, Guerre and others will also take to the stage. While you're getting your groove on, check out artwork by Amy Commins' who expresses the relationship between nature in technology in her spectacular pieces. Head along to 'Cool Party' and start your weekend the right way.
If you're fond of a bit of activewear, you better work some shopping time into your schedule between Thursday, February 28 and Sunday, March 3. For the first time in Brisbane, The Upside is hosting a huge warehouse sale, taking over 5 Hubert Street in Woolloongabba. The Sydney-based activewear brand is offering up to 80 percent off for both men's and women's apparel, which is quite the discount. Clothing from the past three seasons will be up for grabs — think colourfully patterned sports bra and legging sets, singlets, workout jumpers and tennis shorts. The pop-up shop will be open Thursday from 4–9pm, Friday from 8am–6pm, Saturday from 9am–5pm and Sunday from 10am–4pm. We expect there will be a queue — move around some yoga classes to get there early.
The Queensland Theatre Company have announced their 2014 season, revealing a program significantly stocked with Australian writing, including two Australian premieres. “There is a very real focus on Australian work in 2014 with 75% of the season Australian plays, and for good reason – Australian stories and storytellers are amongst the very best in the world,” says artistic director Wesley Enoch. The main stage season will kick off with Australia Day, a play set in a small Australian country town and written by that master of topical humour, Jonathan Biggins, (director of Sydney’s The Wharf Revue since 2000). Andrea Moor, fresh from directing QTC’s Venus in Fur, directs this humorous exploration of our national identity. Second up is the Australian premiere of young American playwright Katori Hall’s hugely successful two-hander The Mountaintop, which takes as its premise the final night on earth of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Garnering much praise for its powerful and humane portrayal of King, the play won an Olivier Award (making Hall the first black woman in history to win the Olivier award for Best New Play) and took Broadway and the West End by storm. Starring Pacharo Mzembe as King, this definitely sounds like one to look forward to. Internationally renowned theatre director Michael Attenborough CBE will direct Macbeth, starring Veronica Neave as Lady M and Jason Klarwein as her doomed spouse (you may recently have seen Klarwein as Hotspur in Bell Shakespeare’s Henry IV). The play features a local cast, taking place in association with seasoned Brisbane theatre troupe Grin & Tonic. It should be interesting to see what comes when you combine British theatre royalty with an Aussie cast. Following the Scottish play is Lucy Prebble’s The Effect, a co-production with Sydney Theatre Company. Starring Queenslander Anna McGahan, the play follows a man and woman taking part in a clinical trial who fall in love — and then question whether it’s love they're feeling or just a chemical side effect. Exploring a topical dilemma in our pharmaceutical era, the play was well received in London by critics eager to see what Prebble would do next following her huge success with Enron. Next is Gloria, a new Aussie work by Brisbane playwright Brisbane playwright Elaine Acworth specially commissioned for QTC. Led by Christen O’Leary (End of the Rainbow), the play explores themes of children, memory, love and loss — with the help of some music. And speaking of new Aussie works, following that Wesley Enoch directs Tom Wright's Black Diggers — a play that tells the story of the 1000 or so Indigenous soldiers who fought for Australia in WWI. Drawing on interviews with the families of the men and starring Luke Carroll (who this year appeared in QTC's Mother Courage), this promises to be an interesting work. The main stage season ends, perhaps unexpectedly, with Gasp!, Ben Elton’s 1990 playwriting debut. Previously known as Gasping, the play is a merciless satire of the greed of big business and the advertising industry. It will be put on in collaboration with Perth’s Black Swan State Theatre Company, involving performers from both cities. Also appearing away from the main stage in the Billie Brown Studio during May are two plays: A Tribute of Sorts is a wacky-sounding piece that follows two oddball teenage cousins on a mission and, in the process, explores the nature of theatre itself. The Magic Hour, starring award-winning actor/singer Ursula Yovich, is a weaving together of the twisted fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. Season tickets are now on sale. For more information visit the QTC website.
It’s Queensland Week! Held from June 4 to June 13, Queensland Week celebrates the official separation of the Sunshine State from New South Wales as an independent colony. This year, Queensland Week is dedicated to the community heroes during the Queensland floods and Tropical Cyclone Yasi. There are many celebrations during Queensland Week, but for the fashion-savvy, there’s only one that matters: The Brisbane Women’s Club Fashion Show. It’s a showcase of Brisbane’s who’s-who of designers, presented at Moda Events at Portside Hamilton. Guests can nibble on canapés and sip Moët while gazing at the fine works from renowned designers such as Jacqueline Buck Couture, Katelyn Aslett, Jar Millinery and Kate Warby Jewellery Designs. Emerging talents Bianca Batson of batson and Edwina Sinclair of Soot will also have their wares on show on the evening. Celebrate our wonderful state in style this Friday with the Brisbane Women’s Club.
You would be fool to complain about the growing number of periodical, musical showcases popping up in Brisbane, especially when the latest one's line up is tastier than a Caxton Street kebab. Hobo Town isn’t as nearly as stingy, strange and smelly as it’s name might suggest – it holds a line up of impressive bands, so good they’ve got records, but so underground you won’t find them on Piratebay. Gravel Samwidge – those guys who’ve been around since 1989 and drilling their mark into the national music scene for more than two decades – will be providing sounds you don’t want to fall asleep to. Well worked Lovely Legs will be breaking hearts and sound barriers, next to The Dangermen, Stink Bugs and The Wrong Man. An added bonus – there’ll be pop up shops between crowds of fans, so get in quick to do your Christmas shopping. Word on the street is all your Grandma wants for Christmas this year is a hug and Gravel Samwidge’s new LP – make your spot on The Will worth it.
Bingo. Rave. Two ends of the spectrum of fine holiday fun finally came together in Australia a couple of years back. If haven't made it along yet, Bongo's Bingo is a games night like you've never seen before. Part club, part rave, and, of course, part bingo night, this unlikely fusion event has been wildly popular in the UK since 2015. It's hardly surprising that taking the show on the road — that is, launching Bongo's Bingo Australia — went well. And now, it's hardly surprising that is's coming back for yet another round either. [caption id="attachment_638028" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Dinosaur Designs.[/caption] Patrons can expect all of the debauchery of the original British version of Bongo's Bingo, including rave intervals, dancing on tables and a loose kind of bingo that you definitely never played with your nan (well, maybe you have). The victorious players can win everything from big cash prizes to a Hills Hoist, with a range of some absolutely ridiculous surprises on offer. Bongo's Bingo heads back to The Tivoli on Friday, February 21.
Brisbane's most morbid festival is back, and it has a slightly different name: Deathfest 2.0: A Duel with Death. First staged in 2016 and now returning for its second biennial run, this event is all about confronting a topic that no one usually wants to think or talk about. You know, the end that awaits us all. Running from October 15 to November 4 at Metro Arts, Flowstate and the Ferryman's Hut in Teneriffe, Deathfest features art, film, circus, visual art, discussions and social events — but, given the central theme, none of it is your usual festival fare. Fancy inhabiting the underworld for a one-night shindig filled with roving performers and beverages? Keen to explore the space that separates life from what comes next, in a piece that's part installation and part dance? Eager to see the concept of blood donation turned into art? They're all on the agenda. The festival also boasts plenty of chatter. Another installation involves interviews about death practises in different cultures and religions, while free Wine n Die sessions focus on chats about meeting your maker over a few beverages. Then there's Death in Detail, featuring folks with knowledge of the subject — such as Queensland Ambulance Service medical director Stephen Rashford and suicide survivor Donna Thistlethwaite — discussing their experiences. Attendees can also lie under the trees and hear an audio work about the body after death, watch a circus show about life and memories, and view a textile piece about impermanence. Prefer scary movies instead? Helping wrap up Deathfest is an All Night Film Fest that's filled with flicks about the subject at hand. Image: Paul Blakemore.
Since first jamming in a white goods warehouse in Adelaide, Bad//Dreems aren't playing to an audience of washing machines any more. Their breakthrough singles 'Dumb Ideas' and 'Cuffed and Collared' ensured that their brand of underground guitar rock found its way to Australian airwaves. Before long, they were sharing stages with the likes of The Preatures, Wavves and Cosmic Psychos, and billed for Groovin' The Moo, Laneway Festival and Splendour in the Grass. Now, to mark the release of their debut LP, Dogs At Bay, Bad//Dreems are playing shows all over Australia in September and October. Recorded with renowned producer Mark Opitz (AC/DC, The Angels, INXS, Cold Chisel) and Colin Wynne, the album is mostly about the band's relationship with Adelaide — but anyone who hails from a small town will relate. "At its best [Adelaide] is an idyllic town, with a temperate climate and beautiful surrounds. At its worst it is stiflingly conservative, inward looking and somewhat bereft of culture," says guitarist Alex Cameron. "The record is about growing up and living in Adelaide, as well as leaving and returning there. There's nothing parochial about this though. It's just what we know. I think the experiences are probably common to everyone who has a hometown."
Maybe Bach, Mozart and Chopin get your pulse racing. Perhaps you think Beethoven is just a movie about a dog. Whatever your take on classical music, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra wants to change your perception about their preferred style of tunes. Indeed, their annual QSO Current concert series is designed to do just that. Comprised of five riverside performances that take place at the State Library of Queensland and the Brisbane Powerhouse over the course of 24 hours — including three world premieres — the busy program is designed to burst boundaries and smash open genres. First up, Kupka's Piano bust out Things are becoming new, a recital that says it all in the title. Then, the QSOCurrent Chamber Orchestra joins forces with director and saxophonist Rafael Karlen to debut a daring evening of stunning classical and jazz infusions. Next, Tom Thum returns after his 2015 success to once again beatbox his way into reframing sonic compositions. Add Sampology showcasing electronic montages of sound and vision inspired by their new EP 'Natural Selections', and then Argo fusing the classical with the contemporary, and a new blend of music will be born.
How fitting it is that a film about family — about the ties that bind, and when those links are threatened not by choice but via unwanted circumstances — hails from an impressive lineage itself. How apt it is that Hit the Road explores the extent that ordinary Iranians find themselves going to escape the nation's oppressive authorities, too, and doesn't shy away from its political subtext. The reason that both feel ideal stems from the feature's filmmaker Panah Panahi. This isn't a wonderful movie solely due to its many echoes, resonating through the bonds of blood, and also via what's conveyed on-screen and reality around it, though. It's a gorgeously shot, superbly acted, astutely written and deeply felt feature all in its own right, and it cements its director — who debuts as both a helmer and a screenwriter — as an emerging talent to watch. But it's also a film that's inseparable from its context, because it simply wouldn't exist without the man behind it and his well-known background. Panah's surname will be familiar because he's the son of acclaimed auteur Jafar Panahi, one of Iranian cinema's best-known figures for more than two decades now. And Jafar's run-ins with the country's regime will be familiar as well, because the heat he's felt at home for his social commentary-laden work has been well-documented for just as long. The elder Panahi, director of This Is Not a Film, Closed Curtain and more, has been both imprisoned and banned from making movies over the years. In July 2022, he was detained again merely for enquiring about the legal situation surrounding There Is No Evil helmer Mohammad Rasoulof and Poosteh director Mostafa Aleahmad. None of the above directly comes through in Hit the Road's story, not for a moment, but the younger Panahi's characteristically defiant movie is firmly made with a clear shadow lingering over it. When filmmaking becomes a family business, the spectre of the parent can loom over the child, of course — by choice sometimes, and also purely thanks to their shared name. In the first category, Jason Reitman picked up his father Ivan's franchise with Ghostbusters: Afterlife, for instance; Gorō Miyazaki has helmed animated movies for his dad Hayao's Studio Ghibli, such as Tales From Earthsea, From Up on Poppy Hill and Earwig and the Witch; and Brandon Cronenberg's Antiviral and Possessor are chips off The Fly and Videodrome great David Cronenberg's body-horror block. Panahi's Hit the Road also feels like it has been handed down, including in the way it spends the bulk of its time in a car as Jafar's Tehran Taxi and 3 Faces did. That said, it feels as much like the intuitive Panah is taking up the same mission as Jafar as someone purely taking after his dad. Hit the Road's narrative is simple and also devastatingly layered; in its frames, two starkly different views of life in Iran are apparent. A mother (Pantea Panahiha, Rhino), a father (Mohammad Hassan Madjooni, Pig), their adult son (first-timer Amin Simiar) and their six-year-old boy (scene-stealer Rayan Sarlak, Gol be khodi), all unnamed, have indeed done as the movie's moniker suggests — and in a borrowed car. When the film opens, there's no doubting that the kid among them sees the world, and everything in general, as only a kid can. The mood with the child's mum, dad and sibling is far more grim, however, even though they say they're en route to take the brood's eldest to get married. Their time on the road is tense and uncertain, and also tinged with the tenor of not-so-fond farewells — and with nary a glimmer of a celebratory vibe about impending nuptials. If the boy senses the sorrow hanging thick in the van, it doesn't trouble him; existence is simple when you're just a kid in a car with your family. Initially, he plays with a makeshift keyboard drawn onto the cast over his dad's broken leg. Throughout the ride, he chatters, sings, does ordinary childhood things and finds magic in the cross-country journey. He throws a tantrum when, not long after the feature starts, the family has to stop to hide his mobile phone. And, he shows zero knowledge about what eats at the rest of his relatives. But mum worries they're being followed, and just worries overall; big brother has little time for any frivolities, preoccupied as he is with the future ahead; and dad is gruff but caring, torn between his physical ailments and the vastly different situations surrounding his two offspring. In the back, their dog Jessy is also unwell, another truth that's being kept from boy and complicates the vehicle's dynamic. Every venture away from home, whether during a leisurely drive or for more serious reasons, spills out its joys, thrills, woes and secrets as it unfurls; that's the best way to watch Hit the Road as well. Cinema's second-generation Panahi crafts a bittersweet and beautiful film that's alive with minutiae, and with moments that overflow with insight and emotion — and, as lensed by Ballad of a White Cow cinematographer Amin Jafari, with as much feeling conveyed visually as via the movie's pitch-perfect performances. Sarlak's lively portrayal and the detail that comes with it says everything that's needed about trying to claim a slice of normality within Iran today, and how tricky that is. The feature's stunningly shot frames are just as telling, every sequence adding meaning and spectacle. Three in particular, all late in the piece and involving fraught exchanges, nighttime stories and heartbreaking goodbyes, rank among the most mesmerising images committed to celluloid in recent years, in fact. In one such standout scene backdropped by a misty field, the camera remains at a distance as it observes the family splintering. In its sense of remove, it lets their ordeal act as a broader portrait, serving up a statement via a microcosm. In another glorious moment, father and son take in the evening sky and also appear to surreally float within it — in a nod to 2001: A Space Odyssey, which the other son names as his favourite movie. In the third scene, light and movement carve through a hillside like much has carved through the film's central family and their country. Hit the Road includes delightful to-camera sing-alongs, too, and deadpan humour, plus striking shots of both sandy and verdant landscape. It's clear-eyed and also dreamy, weighty yet comic, intimate as well as sprawling, and realistic but playful. It's a fable, a snapshot and a message in one, and it's as tender as it is heartbreaking. Hit the Road is a movie to travel along several routes with, as Panahi does, each fork along the way as revelatory as the end destination.
Without gravity, an elephant and mouse would have the exact same weight. The Biggest Loser would cease to exist and we'd probably all wind up like those blubber people in Wall-E. In fact, gravity is one of those barely considered things that just makes the earth work. If that isn't hefty inspiration for an art show, then we don't know what is. In When Gravity Eludes Me, Doctor of Visual Arts candidate Brian Sanstrom uses poignant sculptural pieces to investigate the merging of institution with individual, and confront the mortality that comes from an efficient, organised system. Offering a testament to the natural human ageing process, his art explores the life-long struggle to assert independence, find a sense of self and understand our place in the world. Excuse the pun, but this is heavy stuff. When Gravity Eludes Me runs from July 14 to August 2 at the Brisbane Powerhouse, with opening night celebrations taking place on July 21.
School is back in session. Next week, tens of thousands of uni students will be on campus for orientation, and ASOS will be there with them. The online clothing retailer is setting up pop-up stands at universities around the country, to help you make sure you're looking your best when you rock up for your first day of class. You can find the ASOS stands at Monash Clayton (Feb 22-24), University of Melbourne (Feb 23, 25-26), University of NSW (Feb 22-25), University of Sydney (Feb 24-26) and University of Queensland (Feb 24). Swing by and sign up for a free bag of goodies. They'll also be running a photo competition, in which the best Instagram and Twitter snaps of each day score a $200 ASOS voucher. If you can't make it to one of the pop-ups, students can still sign up to ASOS via their website to get 10 percent off all full price items all year-round, and be kept up to date with all the shiny new things. While you're there, watch out for the latest news from the ASOS On Campus Hub, where a team of student insiders will be keeping tabs on campus life and style.
Fresh from playing Sydney Festival 2022, this race-conscious Australian retelling of Edward Albee's classic play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? comes to Brisbane, adding a fascinating chapter to the storied history of one of the most acclaimed theatrical works of the 20th century. Based on the play that originally hit the stage in 1962, won the Tony for Best Play the following year, and was also adapted into a 1966 film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, the story takes place over the course of a single evening in the apartment of academic couple George and Martha — who invite their new colleagues, Nick and Honey, over for a drink following a faculty party. What follows is essentially a booze-fuelled cage fight between the hosts. For its current at QPAC Playhouse from Saturday, February 12–Saturday, February 26 — thanks to Queensland Theatre — this thoroughly contemporary reimagining of Virginia Woolf is helmed by acclaimed First Nations director and actor Margaret Harvey. The result is a uniquely Australian perspective that explores themes of identity, illusion and desire. Key to this new voice is Harvey's considered stable of players. The production stars Wagadagam man Jimi Bani (Mabo) as George, Susan Prior (The Rover, Puberty Blues) as the powerhouse Martha, with Juanita Navas-Nguyen (Bluey's Big Play, A Doll's House) and Congolese-born Melbourne actor Rashidi Edward (Rabbit) rounding out the cast.
Dutch Courage Officers' Mess serves a variety of different beverages, but the Fortitude Valley venue is particularly known for its gins. Here, you'll find more than 140 varieties on offer — which is both mighty tempting for fans of juniper spirits, and perhaps even a little daunting. If you're wondering where to start, that's understandable. Once a month, Dutch Courage not only provides a few pointers, but hosts an entire meal that'll have you tasting your way through some of its gin tipples. Each of the night's five courses is matched with a cocktail, and you'll be tucking into drinks and dishes that aren't always on the menu. The venue's staff will also be on hand to chat about their creations as you eat. The next Gin Degustation Dinner takes place from 6.15pm on Wednesday, February 24 — and its menu is certain to tempt your tastebuds. Among the courses, you'll be eating cured ocean trout with smoked trout jelly, fried chicken with macadamia cream, and raspberry and thyme mille-feuille with raspberry sorbet. Drinks-wise, prepare to wet your whistle with a roasted peanut-infused martini, a barrel-aged gin manhattan, and a chocolate and orange martini with dessert. Tickets cost $129 per person, which covers your meal, your beverages and tasting notes. Can't make it this month? You can always block out your diary now for Wednesday, March 24.
Next time you break out your best downward-facing dog, you could just have a posing pooch for company. After helping Brisbanites bend and stretch with kittens last year, Stretch Yoga is sharing the love with cute canines in their latest animal-oriented exercise session. Marking the studio's third birthday, celebrating their new CBD set up and raising money for the deserving cause that is the RSPCA, Puppy Yoga gives every dog-loving yoga aficionado their day. Yes, the 45-minute-long class really will pair adorable pooches with beginner yoga poses — and if that's not enough, a puppy pilates session will follow afterwards. There'll also be food, chai, other goodies and samples, and giveaways. You'd be barking mad not to head along on July 23, but register early — the classes sure to get snapped up faster than a dog munching on a treat. If you're still bounding with enthusiasm afterwards, non-canine roll and release, curvy yoga, yoga for anxiety and handstand mini-workshops are also on offer. Puppy sessions cost $50 and dog-free classes $12, with all proceeds going towards helping animals in need.
Pickle lovers, you've been doing it wrong — if you've been eating preserved veggies and then throwing out the liquid they're stored in, that is. A quick internet search will tell you that brine has plenty of other uses; however picklebacks might just be our new favourite. First, you devour a shot of whiskey. Then, you pour yourself another shot from your favourite pickle jar and knock it back too. Yep, chasing bourbon with brine is what this US trend is all about, and it has landed in Brisbane. Come June 3, Wandering Cooks is the place to be to get your fix. Joining forces with local food truck For the Pickles, they'll be serving delightful drink doubles at the bar, and then offering up pickle-heavy sliders to go with them. Whether you're a pickleback pro from way back, or have just heard the term now, you'll really be in a pickle if you miss it.
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 giving the city's residents plenty of specials — including, this June, 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. Still need some motivation? This month's pizzas include bolognese, truffled brie, a tomato and mozzarella number with chunky fries and chorizo on top, and a mushroom slice that features both truffled manchego and truffle paste. Don't have an afternoon snack beforehand, obviously.
Typically, an exhibition opens, displays the same pieces for its duration, and closes with an array of unchanged work. Tyza Stewart's month-long residency in the Institute of Modern Art's Green Room is bucking that trend. When this show launches, it really is just the beginning. Visitors are encouraged to stop by the gallery space during Stewart's time in the studio — but what they'll be viewing is art in progress, rather than a finished showcase. Think of it as an exhibition in reverse, complete with a big event at the end to celebrate the completion, rather than the commencement, of Stewart's work. Since finishing a Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) from Queensland College of Art in 2012, Stewart has built an ongoing exploration of non-binary gender identities through a series of self-portraits. Questioning societal constructs of gender through Stewart's own image is again on the agenda; however this time, the end result will grow with time and change in front of the audience. Image: Tyza Stewart, keep pressure on glue for 6-12 hours to ensure maximum adhesion / having a nap, 2016, digital image.
"I'll be retiring from tennis. It's the first time I've actually said it out loud — yeah, it's hard to say, but I'm so happy and I'm so ready. And I just know at the moment in my heart, for me as a person, that this right." With those words in a surprise Instagram post on Wednesday, March 23, Australian tennis champion Ash Barty advised that she's stepping away from the game. Her announcement came less than two months after she won the Australian Open, and less than a year after winning Wimbledon before that. At the age of 25, Barty has already lived out her tennis dream — and, while fans will miss watching her on the court, she's clearly making the big move that's best for her. She'll always be a champ, of course, as well as one of Queensland's beloved sports heroes. And, well before her retirement revelation — an announcement no one could've seen coming — two Brisbane tennis spots had already painted celebratory murals that are well worth visiting right now. Keen to pay respects to the tennis great, whether you're eager to have a hit as well or just scope out some eye-catching mural art? You have these locations to head to. Tennyson's Queensland Tennis Centre has a colourful number on display, while Ferny Grove's Pure Tennis Academy made over one of its sheds — complete with the colours of the Aboriginal flag as a background — at the beginning of the year. At QTC, you can see the mural during the centre's opening hours — either just to look at or to use as a hitting wall. That means that you can drop by between 8am–10pm Monday–Friday and 7am–7pm Saturday–Sunday. And, you won't just be looking at one version of Barty, with three gracing the image. Over at Pure Tennis Academy, the mural by James Smalls went up in January, and was actually finished before Barty's Australian Open win. It's now a permanent fixture, and you just swing by to check it out during opening hours — from 9am–5pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, 9am–5.30pm Tuesday–Wednesday and 8am–5pm on Saturdays. If you'd like to book a court while you're there, that's purely a bonus. Find the Ash Barty murals at Queensland Tennis Centre, 190 King Arthur Terrace, Tennyson and Pure Tennis Academy, 144 Samford Road, Ferny Hills.
There's a bandwagon riding around Hollywood at the moment, built on books of the young-adult sci-fi dystopia variety. Yes, contemplating teens in trouble in futuristic times is the current trend du jour, one that Insurgent happily mines. The second film based on the popular novels by Veronica Roth, Insurgent picks up where Divergent left off. As a refresher for those with short memories, the time is 200 years from now, and the place is a walled-in, post-apocalyptic Chicago. Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) scandalised the factionalised society by daring not to conform to type. Everyone is supposed to fall into one of five categories, but her personality just wouldn’t fit, branding her divergent. After attempting to hide her true nature, incurring the wrath of power-hungry wannabe leader Jeanine (Kate Winslet), romancing the sullen Four (Theo James) and threatening to expose a few frightening home truths, Tris is now an enemy of the state — but running can only get her and her pals so far. As Jeanine’s tactics of control over the populace become more violent, rebellion and confrontation becomes Tris’s only option Sound familiar? Of course it does, because you’ve seen this before. Not just in the first film, but in the growing pile exactly like it — The Hunger Games, The Giver and The Maze Runner, just to name a few. Disaffected youth, shady dealings, unscrupulous adults, hidden agendas and the pursuit of the bigger picture: it’s a checklist they all stick to, ticking off items one by one. Slight details change; however, for the most part, everything follows the formula. That feeling, not of deja vu or of second chapter-itis, but of seeing too much of the same thing over and over again, just can’t be shaken in Insurgent, not that director Robert Schwentke (RIPD) seems to be trying too hard. With a moody electronic score reminiscent of Tron: Legacy and bleak visuals of running, scowling and fighting that could be taken from any film, the filmmaker’s vision of events paints by the numbers as much as the material it is based on (a few dream sequences aside). Instead, it is left to the high-profile cast to spice things up. Seeing strong female roles on screen is always welcome, but Woodley’s fired-up heroine and Winslet’s cold villain aren’t given too much new to do but frown and argue. Octavia Spencer flits in and out, woefully underused. Though Naomi Watts joins the ensemble, she’s really just setting up the drama for the two films still to come. It’s actually Miles Teller, fresh from Whiplash and made to play a snarky comic foil, who adds some character to the blandness. He’s clearly the only actor having fun, with no one else looking remotely like they want to be in the movie. That's the problem with bandwagons — the more people jump on them, the more others just want to fall right off. That’s the problem with Insurgent, too, as it just keeps circling around the same old teen dystopian block.
Do you live for lava lamps? Is Austin Powers right up your alley? Do you revere the odd rave party? Psychadeliaphiles near and far will be scintillated by news that there is a very cool new exhibition showing at the University Art Museum at UQ. Drawing on the aesthetics of 60s and 70s psychedelia, the UAM’s New Psychedelia exhibition is a contemporary take on the idea, exploring the ‘new psychedelia’ that has emerged in contemporary art as an off-shoot of the rave party, as well as the aesthetics of virtual reality and the ‘consensual hallucination of cyberspace’. The exhibition displays new acquisitions to The University of Queensland art collection as well as exhibiting works from the existing collection in new light. This includes work from Nathan Gray, Irene Hanenbergh, Brendan Huntley, Madeleine Kelly, Tim Maguire, Laith McGregor (yes, that’s biro), Roy McIvor, Kate Shaw, Jemima Wyman, Dale Frank and Sandra Selig.
If it seems like only yesterday that Regurgitator, Custard, Butterfingers, Resin Dogs and Screamfeeder were playing every venue around Brisbane every night, then you obviously have strong recollections of the city's 90s and 00s music scene. It was only a few months back that most of the above names teamed up to help celebrate The Zoo's 30th birthday, in fact, so your thoughts don't need to span back too far. Come Saturday, March 25, you can also cement new memories at Units, aka what just might be the most Brisbane music festival ever. Described as "25 years of Unit in one electric stream of sound and colour", this new one-day event nabs its name from Regurgitator's 1997 album Unit, its second record and the source of synth pop-meets-alt rock bangers like '! (The Song Formerly Known As)', 'Polyester Girl' and 'I Like Your Old Stuff Better Than Your New Stuff'. In fact, this fest is completely based around celebrating Unit's big anniversary — with more than a little help from some other huge Brisbane music names. So, that's where Custard, Butterfingers, Resin Dogs and Screamfeeder all come in, all as part of a fest that'll take over Eatons Hill Hotel's ballroom and outdoor gig space. It's a two-stage, no-clash affair, so you'll be able to see everyone on the bill. And yes, the Gurge is playing Unit in full. Dance to the band's 90s hits, with the Brissie legends also working through plenty else from their hefty catalogue — then enjoy the fellow acts that've been making Brisbane the music-filled city it is for decades. DZ Deathrays weren't releasing tunes back when Unit first released, of course, but they're also on the bill. The rest of Units' roster of talent includes Models, Flangipanis, Glitoris, Mitch, Please, The Stress of Leisure and Platonic Sex, in what's set to be a helluva day. Things don't get no better, better than you and this lineup, clearly. UNITS LINEUP: Regurgitator performing UNIT in full (and more) DZ Deathrays Custard Models Butterfingers Screamfeeder Resin Dogs Flangipanis Glitoris Mitch, Please The Stress of Leisure Platonic Sex
Beer halls aren't just for drinking brews, at least where Felons Brewing Co is involved. The Howard Smith Wharves mainstay regularly puts its barrel hall to a range of other uses, whether by hosting movies or markets — or the Seasonal Fruit music festival. On Sunday, June 16 from 4pm, the latter is on the agenda for its winter 2024 edition, with this riverside fest curated by Jet Black Cat Music. Here's one way to start the new season: with a lineup of international and local acts taking to the stage over one afternoon. Leading the bill this time: Tirzah from the UK, Bonny Doon from the US, plus Glass Beams, Skeleten, Tex Crick and Middle Name Dance Band. And for the sips? Well, you will be in a brewery after all, with Felons' beers on offer. Doors open at 4pm, tickets cost $69 for the gig, and you'll pay for your beverages on top. Summer Fruit — Winter Edition Lineup: Tirzah Bonny Doon Glass Beams Skeleten Tex Crick Middle Name Dance Band Images: Darcy Goss Media.
Ever wanted to watch Simon Pegg recreate Eat Pray Love? Then you're in luck. It may head to China, Africa and Los Angeles in a quest for contentment, but there's little in Hector and the Search for Happiness that wasn't first seen in that well-known book turned film — other than numerous references to Tintin, that is. Pegg plays the titular therapist, living a seemingly satisfactory life with his devoted girlfriend, Clara (Rosamund Pike). He thinks he is happy, until a dream featuring Hergé's boy adventurer starts him wondering about the meaning of the word. His practice is flourishing and patients accept his guidance willingly, yet he's no longer certain his orderly existence qualifies him to dispense advice. Broadening his horizons becomes the obvious course of action, as Hector sets off around the world in the pursuit of exhilaration and enlightenment. Food, spirituality and romance ensue in the adaptation of psychiatrist-turned-author François Lelord's novel of the same name, in an effort comprised of episodic encounters with thinly drawn characters. A wealthy businessman (Stellan Skarsgård), ruthless drug lord (Jean Reno), former flame (Toni Collette) and distinguished professor (Christopher Plummer) cross Hector's path, each imparting life lessons. To ensure audiences are paying attention, every piece of wisdom Hector gleans is also emblazoned on the screen in scribbled handwriting. In a travelogue film brimming with platitudes, it feels fitting that what is seen in Hector and the Search for Happiness — scrawled statements of supposed knowledge aside — fares better than what is heard. The feature's central performances are amiable, with Pegg more earnest than usual, and Pike luminous, though barely used. From the UK to the US and everywhere in between, the far-flung settings are handsomely and brightly photographed. Alas, a likeable cast and lush images can't overcome trite and troubling material that shouts its sentiments as loudly as it can. Though poised as a warm comedy, there's little that's funny about a script sketchily espousing "be yourself" teachings likely to be found in fortune cookies and overdosing in schmaltz as Hector mingles with babies and the dying — and they're the less concerning elements. Insensitive cultural tourism reinforces stereotypical perceptions and highlights the film's privileged perspective, as does the handling of Hector and Clara's relationship, with marriage and parenthood posed as the real sources of happiness. Coming from the director of Hannah Montana: The Movie and Serendipity, Peter Chelsom, the feature plays out like a cartoonish fairytale, but the lack of serious intent and the overt adherence to formula doesn't excuse its offensiveness or laziness. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty did soul-searching globetrotting before, and better. Hector and the Search for Happiness merely wades along the shallow and sugary edges of the self-help pond. https://youtube.com/watch?v=JElca1Latos
Like cocktails? Like devouring them at one of the Valley's favourite hangouts? No, they're not trick questions. If you answered yes to both — and we're certain that you did — then you're going to love Dutch Courage Officers' Mess returning boozy masterclasses. Not content with wowing thirsty folks with its drinks list, the Alfred Street hotspot wants to impart its beverage-shaking wisdom to its patrons. So, on select Saturdays each month, it enlists its bartenders to share the tricks of the trade in themed afternoon sessions. Each class covers everything from the tools you need to the basics of cocktail structure, as well as the history of alcoholic concoctions and tips for making your own recipes, too. The drinks change each time, with 2021 lineup so far showing you how to whip up a twisted spanish maids (on January 23), mojitos (January 30), breakfast martinis (February 13) and gin classics (February 27). Whatever the subject, we're betting that a certain clear spirit will feature among the ingredients; this is a bar that boasts more than 150 gins on site, after all. Times vary each session, too, but you'll generally be able to head along at 1.45pm and 3.30pm. Your ticket also includes two cocktails, plus a house wine, beer or spirit upon arrival.
Sundays are all about rounding out your weekend the right way. There's work to be done the next day, no one wants to think about it and we all want to make the most of every single second before that happens. One surefire approach: coast into the week to come with lasting good vibes from the most cruisy activities possible — meaning an afternoon of free live music at Livespark at Brisbane Powerhouse. Slide into a seat in this cathedral-like space, then kick back to live sounds before the working week begins again. You'll be heading to the Turbine Platform, so you'll really feel like you're in the thick of the iconic building. The lineup changes each time, with 2022's Livespark sessions happening monthly — or thereabouts. To kick off the year, head along from 3–5.30pm on January 30, with Freight Train Foxes and Megan Cooper doing the honours to keep you entertained. Top image: Studio Impressions.
Sundays are all about rounding out your weekend the right way. Coast into the week-to-come with lasting good vibes from the most cruisy activities possible — bonus points if this includes food and drink. So tick all the boxes with an afternoon of free live music at Livespark, hosted by the SUGARRUSH Music crew at the Powerhouse Turbine Platform. Slide into a seat in this cathedral-like space, and listen to the mellow sounds of I Heart Songwriting Club. Post-gig you can slip downstairs to keep your Sunday session going with a jug of Pimm's and tasty share plates at the riverside Watt Restaurant. Image: Brisbane Powerhouse.
Come Friday, November 20, it's time for a night at the museum — but you won't find Ben Stiller roaming the halls here. But, given what'll be on display at Queensland Museum at the time, the revelry will feel rather ominous. Walking, talking and drinking while taking a tour of QM's new Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Ocean Predators exhibition is on the agenda at the venue's latest adults-only After Dark shindig. You'll check out and learn all about giant ancient marine reptiles, and there'll be expert chats about the fossil remains on display, too — and you'll be able to sip your way through the night over a bite as well. A word of warning: these shindigs often sell out, and this one will be COVID-19 safe, which means it'll have a limited capacity. In other words, you'll want to nab a $35 ticket quickly (and note that that price doesn't include food and drinks). Top image: Queensland Museum.
Homegrown and drawing inspiration from rock legends of the past and present – Velvet Underground, Nirvana, The Clash and The Libertines to name a few – Lunch Tapes are a five-piece who, despite their big-name influences, have hashed out a sound that Lunch Tapes can call their very own. It combines, in their own words, a reverb-drenched electric violin with intricate lead guitar work and a tight-driving rhythm section, with a vocal sound that is both haunting and melodic yet raw and chaotic. Aurally aroused yet? Yeah, well, you’re in luck. They’re playing The Zoo this Saturday, launching their new single ‘Barefoot Daze’. This is the first chance you’ll be able to hear the single live before they flit off for their national tour. Joining them are The Keep On Dancin’s, The Deer Republic and Kate & Max. Pre-sale tickets are going for $5 – since when do you get to see four amazing bands for $1.25 a pop? Like, never! So it would be silly to miss out.
With Queensland's COVID-19 restrictions easing since mid-May and more Brisbanites heading back to work, commuters are once again piling onto the city's public transport network. But, social distancing is still required, so the government is putting on more than 1000 extra buses and trains. From Monday, August 10, the Queensland Government will add an extra 960 bus and 105 train into service across the network as part of its COVID-19 Safe Public Transport Plan. They'll run Monday–Friday, with a focus on peak-hour commutes in both the morning and the afternoon — totalling almost 58,000 more seats for bums across the city. In terms of services, an extra 85 bus services will be on offer each weekday morning, as well as an additional 107 services on weekday afternoons — increasing bus availability around the CBD. On the rail network, there'll be 11 extra morning services and ten added afternoon train services. Trains will also ramp up their frequency on a range of busy lines; instead of every 30 minutes, they'll come every 15 minutes on the Beenleigh, Caboolture, Cleveland, Ipswich, Redcliffe Peninsula, Shorncliffe and Springfield routes. The train changes are here to stay, too, with the new services becoming permanent across the seven aforementioned lines. For buses, though, this is a short-term change for now; however if Brisbanites respond via increased demand for services, it could remain in place. As Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey explained in a statement, the aim is "to roll out the extra buses until the end of the school year and then assess patronage levels". He continued, "if the demand is there, we will consider if these bus services should become permanent for the longer term". Temporary hand sanitiser stations will also be rolled out across the public transport network — at entry and exit points at busy bus stops, and at every one of southeast Queensland's 152 train stations — progressively from Monday, August 10. And, if you commute by bus, you'll still be able to board via the rear where possible — and payments will remain cashless. Even with the added services, the Queensland Government and TransLink are still asking Brisbane commuters to adhere to general social-distancing rules, of course. "As more passengers return to public transport, we're asking everyone to leave a gap, keep it clean by following health advice and adjust your travel to avoid travelling in peak periods if possible," Minister Bailey said, with TransLink also suggesting that folks stagger their work and travel hours. To plan your journey and for more information about Brisbane transport options, head to the TransLink website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the state's online COVID-19 hub.
Brisbanites, if catching a train is on your agenda between Friday, April 2–Monday, April 5, you might want to rethink your travel plans. Translink has announced that track work will take place over Easter, with a number of stations closing as a result. Buses will replace rail services in the affected areas. The closures kick off from the first service on Friday, April 2 and run through until the last service on Monday, April 5 — and a sizeable number of stations will be impacted. In the CBD, everything from Roma Street to Northgate will close, having an effect on every line. So prepare to hop off the train at either spot, then jump on a bus to complete your journey. Additional stations will be out of bounds, too, but it depends on the line. The Beenleigh and Gold Coast lines will be shut from Roma Street to Coopers Plains, and the Cleveland line from Roma Street to Lindum. The Doomben and Ferny Grove lines won't operate at all — and the Airtrain won't run either. On Tuesday, April 6–Wednesday, April 7, the Beenleigh and Gold Coast lines will still be affected from Roma Street to Yeerongpilly. Gold Coast trains will run express from Roma Street to Altandi over the two days, departing five minutes earlier than usual. Both routes will return to normal on Thursday, April 8. The works involve general maintenance across the lines, upgrade works and works for the Cross River Rail project. If you're thinking that this'll add some time to your journey, you're absolutely right. Travellers should factor extra time into their trips. For more information, and to check train and bus timetables, visit the TransLink website.
On the outskirts of Paris, an epic electronic legend is working harder, better, faster and allegedly on a solo album. One half of Daft Punk, Guy-Manuel Homem-Christo, has been reported by French magazine Tsugi as working on his own solo release — and apparently Charlotte Gainsbourg's on board. Dates are in the dark at present, with the album actually yet to be announced. Tsugi have reported the presence of guests on the album, taking the liberty to confirm the appearance of fellow French legend Charlotte Gainsbourg. Yep. Formidable. The absence of Daft Punk co-captain Thomas Bangalter is a pretty Big Deal, but the pair have their own solo ventures from time to time — Guy-Man produced Kavinsky and Sébastien Tellier's albums and Waves compilations out on his own Crydamoure label. The first new material since last year's Grammy-blitzing album Random Access Memories, the album whisperings come with crossed fingers of an Australian return. We're all too aware this is absolute blue sky, but we'll keep shining up our helmets anywho. Via Tsugi and Your EDM.
Cleveland-based, alt-punk trio Cloud Nothings is set to head our way this week, armed with brand new album Here and Nowhere and ready to play Meredith Music Festival — as well as a bunch of sideshows. Since starting out jamming around singer-songwriter Dylan Baldi's basement, Cloud Nothings' trademark sound has become bigger, bolder and more powerful; nostalgic in its references to the Buzzcocks, Husker and Blink-182, yet very much its own thing. It's been an unexpected year for Cloud Nothings. After moving from a quartet to a trio in early 2014 (former guitarist Joe Boyer can't actually leave Ohio for legal reasons), the band's blistering live shows — including recent appearances at Pitchfork Music Festival and Primavera — have played a huge role in boosting their fanbase. In fact, you'll probably want to nab yourself a ticket super-fast: their 2013 Australian tour was a sell-out. In addition to Meredith, Cloud Nothings will play Sydney's Oxford Art Factory on Wednesday, 10 December, supported by Palms and Bed Wettin' Bad Boys; Melbourne's Corner Hotel on Thursday, 11 December, supported by Palms and Power; and Brisbane's The Zoo on Sunday, 14 December.
Grab a paintbrush, find something pretty, pick a surface, add a little texture, finish it off with some shadow, and you’ve got yourself a still life. While these types of paintings tend to shoot straight as far as execution, Brisbane artist Claire Stening adds a unique tranquility to her depiction of everyday objects. Stening plays with light on fabric, the transparency of glass, and contours of solids, to create almost calm and natural compositions and motions in her work. Her neutral palette further softens her pieces into a light that draws the radiant from the real. From old copper pots to antique bottles she paints the aged in a means that is fresh, and rife with immediacy. Stening has exhibited extensively throughout Australia, was the finalist in the Portia Geech Memorial Award 2010 and was invited to show with the Salon Des Refuses from 2008 to 2010. Now, you can see her calming and creative work in the flesh at Edwina Corlette Gallery till the 16th of August.
It's no secret that the film industry isn't the most inclusive, accessible or safe space for women, one of the matters that the #MeToo and #TimesUp campaigns have been addressing over the past six months. It's also a subject that Frances McDormand highlighted in her rousing best actress acceptance speech at this year's Oscars, when she had the whole world scrambling to look up two words: inclusion rider. The industry's gender imbalance not only encompasses the treatment of women involved in filmmaking in front of and behind the lens, however, but also the field of film criticism. Take Rotten Tomatoes, for example. If it's your go-to review aggregator, then you've probably noticed that the bulk of critics listed are men. Indeed, according to a 2016 study by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, men outnumber women on the site by 73 percent to 27 percent. It's a topic that everyone from Jessica Chastain to Meryl Streep to Reese Witherspoon has drawn attention to in recent years, and now a new initiative is aiming to offer an alternative. That'd be CherryPicks, which will exclusively focus on female film critics. Expected to launch later this year, it'll provide "perspectives on film, tv, music, and more with reviews, ratings and high quality original content, all though a female lens," as its website explains. "This is where you can find out what women like, and what they don't," the site continues, in an aim to more accurately represent the full spectrum of critical voices. The project spearheaded by director, producer, actor and distributor Miranda Bailey and author, producer and entrepreneur Rebecca Odes. Speaking to IndieWire, Bailey noted the need for the film industry to not only change to "include more minorities and females on both sides of the camera", but to "change the perceived desires of consumers" as well. "How can we possibly change what consumers consider good and worthy content if the majority of critics who tell them what to want are predominately older white males?" she asked. CherryPicks will rate films on its own scale, ranging from a 'Bowl of Cherries' to 'The Pits', while also analysing each title's representation of women and considerations appropriate to women according to its own 'Cherry Check' system. In addition, it'll feature newsletters, podcasts, lists, articles and more, and spotlight women — critics, filmmakers, actors, writers and other creatives — working across the movie business. Via IndieWire.
For nearly a century, the Capitol Theatre has stood on Melbourne's Swanston Street — initially playing host to silent films that were preceded by live theatre productions before each screening, and also accompanied by Australia's first large Wurlitzer organ. First opening in 1924, it's a crucial part of the city's entertainment history; however since 2014, the space has remained closed. Owner RMIT is eager to change that, launching a crowdfunding campaign to restore the theatre and put it back into use. With $20 million in restoration and improvement works mooted, the university is seeking to supplement the Victorian Government's pledged $2.5 million with $2 million in public funding — with every dollar donated to be matched by RMIT. And, for folks who give $250 or more, their name will be featured on the building's wall. Running since late 2017, the campaign aims to "give Melbourne a spectacular and world famous space to house festivals, film premieres and screenings, concerts and conferences" — according to the appeal's website — plus learning spaces for RMIT students. It's the latest chapter in the theatre's eventful lifespan, which has seen it closed in the 60s, renovated to turn its stalls-level seating into the Capitol Arcade, and then remodelled again when RMIT took over in 1999. If you've ever stepped inside the space — which was used as a venue for the Melbourne International Film Festival as recently as 2014 — you will have noticed the decor. Designed by architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin, who also designed the city of Canberra, its striking, geometric-shaped, light-filled ceiling attracts as much attention as anything on the venue's stage or screen. The entire structure, aka Capitol House, has been on the Victorian Heritage Register since 1989 — with the Capitol Theatre pre-dating both the nearby Forum and Regent Theatre. For more information, visit the Capitol Theatre campaign website. For images of the site, visit the campaign blog. Images: Michelleyesf / Stephen Bain / Adam Carr.
For years, a trip to 224 Given Terrace meant burning a (reasonably sized) hole in your pocket with fine diner Montrachet ranking among Brisbane's pricier restaurants. The beloved French eatery moved shop back in 2017, making its new base on Bowen Hills' King Street — and its former patch of Paddington has welcomed a more casual restaurant. The latest venture from ex-Moda duo Kevin Docherty and Sebastiaan de Kort (also behind the kitchen at The Cheese Pleaser), Nota serves up seasonal dishes that won't break your bank account. With a focus on "simple yet satisfying meals", according to de Kort, the menu aims to be uncomplicated, accessible and approachable, while still highlighting quality ingredients. That means snacks from $5, including smoked sesame cheese and semi-dried tomato-topped puffed rice crisps; mains kicking off at $22, like the standout slow-cooked octopus with raspberry emulsion, fennel and citrus; and desserts starting at $12, such as the warm house crumble with vanilla anglaise. Also on offer is a tempura fish sandwich with house tartare, confit pork on toasted brioche, and blinis with caviar and egg yolk, all from the smaller bite lineup. Among the mains, you'll find Brisbane Valley quail with sweet corn polenta and burnt butter, market fish with pipis and caviar, and sirloin with bone marrow sauce. Nota's decor takes the same straightforward but stylish tact — think exposed brick walls, mirrors aplenty, small but elegant light fixtures, and a palette of white, black and camel. And drinks-wise, Nota keeps its range small in number but big on taste, spanning a 14-strong wine list, plus beers on tap and draught from Stone & Wood, Balter and Bridge Road. Split into old classics and new house favourites, 11 cocktails are also avalable. Opt for the familiar taste of an Aperol spritz, negroni, margarita or espresso martini, or try a 'Nota Sour' (with Frangelico, hazelnuts and egg white), 'Bloody Gazpacho' (with vodka, tomato, aged balsamic and Tabasco) or 'Smoked Old Fashioned' (with Starward Two Fold, orange and thyme). Find Nota at 224 Given Terrace, Paddington. It's open from 5pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, between 11am–3pm and again at 5pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and between 11am–6pm on Sundays.
Concrete Playground readers have the chance to win a special night out thanks to Brisbane Festival. One lucky reader will win two tickets to see URBAN on Saturday, 14 September, at 9.30pm, and two $30 Festival Flavours vouchers to use at 5ifth Element for a pre-show feast. Here after sell-out seasons from Columbia to Paris, URBAN is a high-energy circus show that tells a story of the streets. Through dance, music and acrobatics, Circolumbia reveal the real joys and violence the young artists grew up around. Brisbane Festival has paired up with 19 great restaurants to offer some mighty fine wine and dine deals for the duration of the festival. Audiences can tuck into a Festival Flavours dish and a beverage for just $30 from September 7 to 28. For your chance to win, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already) then email your name, address and phone number to daniela@concreteplayground.com.au with 'Brisbane Festival' in the subject line by Tuesday, September 10. The winner will be drawn at random.
Venture inside the newly restored City Hall and you will find one of Brisbane's much-loved and recognisable cafe restaurants, the Shingle Inn. This quaint venue has a history as long as its selection of teas and an unparalleled charm that gives it a unique quality. Originally located in Edward Street, the traditional English style teahouse has become an icon and many locals have fond memories of its delicious treats and distinctive décor. After closing in 2002, it has recently found a new home and maintains its original fit out. Upon walking into Shingle Inn, a cabinet of fresh and scrumptious cakes greets diners giving a tantalising preview of what's in store. Friendly waitresses don black and white maid uniforms, elegant dining areas are made from polished walnut and chandeliers hang from the ceiling, all of which add to the warm and relaxed atmosphere. A lovely tradition that has survived the move is found in the positioning of the gleaming sugar bowls, which signals to the staff whether or not a customer has been served. A great way to sample different goodies is The Grande Duke High Tea ($45.00 per person). This decadent three tiered super-treat includes fresh sandwiches, scones and jam, and a top layer of petite sweet treats. Standouts include the camembert, pistachio, fig and ginger confit ribbon sandwiches and the mini crème brûlée. Chai Marsala or Organic English Breakfast tea compliment the food beautifully as does the glass of sparkling Seppelt Salinger Cuvee 2009. Bookings are required for the high tea, served daily from 2:30pm - 4:30pm and between 11.30am - 1.30pm on weekends. Lovers of sweets who haven't yet experienced Shingle Inn's delights, settle into a cosy booth and make your own memories of good company and great food in a special setting.
Taking its title from the French euphemism for orgasm, The Little Death wears its risque approach as a badge of honour. Erotic fetishes furnish six slight vignettes, purporting to normalise types of between-the-sheets behaviour; as the saying goes, everyone's doing it. Alas, more than parodying private peccadillos is needed to turn apparently twisted trysts into a smart sex comedy. Edginess doesn't equal astuteness, nor does painting with sitcom-style strokes cover ill-explored content. Any Questions for Ben? and House of Lies' Josh Lawson writes, directs and stars in an effort destined to be labelled a physicality fuelled Love Actually. Four couples monopolise the anthology feature, each with relationship issues. Maeve (Bojana Novakovic) wants Paul (Lawson) to fulfil her rape fantasies. Rowena (Kate Box) finds herself aroused whenever husband Richard (Patrick Brammall) cries. Phil (Alan Dukes) finds Maureen (Lisa McCune) at her most attractive when she is sleeping. Dan (Damon Herriman) and Evie (Kate Mulvany) make a foray into roleplaying that backfires. As the linking device between the tales, a new neighbour (Kim Gyngell) makes visits to disclose he's a registered sex offender. A final segment tackles phone sex and disability, as the hearing-impaired Sam (T.J. Power) places a call aided by operator Monica (Erin James). Finding farce in intimacy is far from a new conceit; however, it isn't enough to simply bring up taboo topics in contrived circumstances, especially in a superficial manner devoid of depth, discussion or development. Courting controversy and causing a reaction appears the film's only ambition, not thoughtfully examining sources of sexual satisfaction rarely addressed, or contemplating the human core of our deepest desires. Indeed, in pursuing broad and easy amusement, characterisation is absent — particularly regarding women. Unacceptable categorisations and implausible choices prevail, rendering female protagonists naive, cruel, selfish or complaining, whilst attempts to place Maeve and Rowena in charge of their destinies are undone by one-note personalities. Men, contrastingly, are presented with sympathy, even when potentially crossing the line. Consider Paul planning an elaborate rape upon request, and Phil drugging his wife to escape her nagging, the feature skirting around the latter's creepy consequences. The last standalone story may boast sincerity and sweetness otherwise lacking, followed by awkwardly offering comeuppance, but a late burst of heart and consequences can't overcome the bulk of the film's horrific skewering of kinkiness in rom-com confines. Though the ensemble cast toils valiantly and Lawson helms competently, each is poorly served by sketches neither dark nor different. Alas, The Little Death is not the subversive work it intends, instead just gratifying a too-neat account of the same offensive, over-used stereotypes of middle-class sex and romance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=BnnhesQ8Rxc
Eastsiders, prepare to worship the spongy dessert pastry that's swiftly taking over the city. Soon, Oxford Street will have its own home for handmade doughy goodness, as this Facebook page has let slip. Yes, Donut Boyz is coming to Bulimba. That'll make the third Brisbane store for the fast-growing chain, following West End and Paddington. It also means that enjoying one of the Boyz's similarly expanding array of flavours — pineapple curd with lemon frosting and toasted coconut, or strawberry and white chocolate ganache, anyone? — will be doable in three parts of the city. This is just the latest development in what is fast becoming a full-blown, area-wide doughnut obsession. Since June, mobile eatery-turned-permanent store Doughnut Bar has helped fill the CBD's need for glazed goodness, while just this week, Gramercy Coffee popped up in the mall to get in on the action. And, of course, there's Doughnut Time in the Valley — plus wherever their food truck may roam to. Perhaps the Brisbane just needs to take a leaf out of Springfield's book — yes, The Simpsons' Springfield — and build a massive monument to our current favourite sweet. If we can have giant letters spelling out the city's name, then surely we can have this? Find Donut Boyz on Oxford Street, Bulimba in the near future — and keep an eye on their Facebook page for more updates.
Roll up, roll up, the big top is here — but when you step into Infamous' spiegeltent, you're not stepping into an ordinary circus. A blend of acrobatics, clowning, dancing, comedy, cabaret and burlesque, this is strictly an adults-only affair. Think performers getting a little risqué, acrobats with ripped abs and displays of raunchy dancing, as well as death-defying acts with a devilish dash and plenty of cheeky laughs. Yes, this is a show that comes with a word of warning, so prepare for a two-hour stint of naughtiness that ramps up the indulgence and the hedonism — and the sauciness as well. After packing out previous seasons on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane, Infamous hits Helensvale between Friday, January 31 and Sunday, March 8. You'll find its big top at Westfield Helensvale, with performances running from Thursday to Sunday during its six-week stay — and with tickets ranging from $39.85 all the way up to $247.35 for the best seats in the house.
Time to update your MySpace status and rock out to that mix CD your friend made, The Kooks and Julian Casablancas have just announced they're both coming to Australia. While we're currently quietly chuffed by the news — they're both still indie greats — our 2006 self is absolutely losing their shit. We're going to elbow our way to the front row and finally make that eye contact we've been pining for since first hearing 'Someday' on our Discman. Though there are no current plans for solo shows, Casablancas has been added to the lineup for Falls Festival and Southbound with his side project The Voidz. Trading in the polished guitar riffs of The Strokes for a more raw punk sound, Casablancas and The Voidz have released their new album Tyranny just this week which will no doubt make up the majority of his festival sets. It's not all that often that Casablancas makes the trip down under, so we've secretly got our fingers crossed for some of his older work to hit the stage. In an ideal world we'd get treated to the stripped back demo version of 'I'll Try Anything Once', but we'd also settle for some solo stuff from Phrazes For the Young. The new collaboration is fine and all, but post-punk is admittedly hard to swoon over. Alternatively, The Kooks are just as boppy and Brit-poppy as you remember them on your car radio on the way to high school roll call. Their most recent album Listen has seen a little electro added to the mix, but the tunes are as upbeat as ever. Plus it's still super fun to sing along while emulating Luke Pritchard's accent. Though they visited just last year for Groovin' The Moo, The Kooks will be embarking on a full national tour in January 2015. Supported by The Griswolds and Catfish & the Bottlemen, they'll be hitting up Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne with enormous (mostly) all ages shows. Sure, it's been close to a decade since you added 'Naive' or 'Seaside' to your MySpace playlist. Yes, Julian Casablancas has lost a little of that babyface rockstar charm. That shouldn't stop you doing a favour for your 2006 self and buying a ticket. You won't even need to pull a double shift at Maccas to raise the cash this time! Julian Casablancas December 28 - January 1 — Falls Festival Lorne (SOLD OUT) December 29 - January 1 — Falls Festival Marion Bay December 30 - January 3 — Falls Festival Byron Bay (SOLD OUT) January 3 - 4, 2015 — Southbound Festival The Kooks January 17, 2015 — Belvoir Amphitheatre, Perth. January 20, 2015 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney. January 23, 2015 — Riverstage, Brisbane. January 24, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne. All tickets on sale 9am Friday, October 3 via Ticketmaster.
Splendour might be done and dusted, but that doesn't mean you have to pack away your rainbow wellies until summer shows its face. Rekorderlig, ever keen to demonstrate that we Aussies should be tackling winter with a tad more brio than a pack of grizzlies, has just announced the headliner for free upcoming music event Sounds in the Snow. On September 13, just as the flakes start to melt and smack bang in the middle of the Toyota One Hit Wonder Mountain Festival, Sydney synth pop boys Panama will appear in Thredbo to deliver their so-called hopeful house music live. Fronted by Perth-born songwriter and classically-trained pianist Jarrah McCleary, the trio are currently touring Europe and the United States on the back of sophomore EP Always. The only thing we can't tell you is where in the Alps you'll find them, as Rekorderlig is keeping the venue top secret — for now at least. To be among the first to find out, join the Rekorderlig Facebook page. Sounds in the Snow is just one of the many excuses that Rekorderlig's giving you to head to the snow this season. Afternoon sessions are happening at the Thredbo Alpine Hotel every Thursday, Friday and Saturday between 3pm and 6pm; fire pits are burning; the Rekorderlig Hot Pool is providing serious apres-ski relaxation; and their tasty cinnamon and vanilla-fused Winter Cider is at the top of the drinks menu. https://youtube.com/watch?v=UylPrMcurB8
Harry Potter is dead. He has ceased to be. He has expired, gone to meet his maker, 100 percent Avada Kedavra'd and this time love 'aint gonna bring him back. Be it known that his murderer was one Daniel 'never gonna pigeonhole me' Radcliffe, who killed off the boy wizard with a lethal dose of convincing American accent and a heady trinity of straight sex, gay sex and self-sex. But Kill Your Darlings is not a murder mystery. The title actually refers to some sage literary advice that writers ought delete their most beloved passages since they're inevitably the most self-indulgent. The film does open with a murder and revisits it in the climax, yet at its heart it is a coming-of-age tale for its protagonist — famed US poet Allen Ginsberg (Radcliffe). It's set in Manhattan during the early 1940s, when Ginsberg was just a college freshman at Colombia University, studying the classics but experiencing a growing disdain for the established order. Inspired by the free verse of Walt Whitman and the free spirit of his dormitory buddy Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan), Ginsberg quickly fell down the sex-drugs-and-alcohol-fuelled rabbit hole of the underground literary sect, befriending future luminaries like Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston) and William Burroughs (Ben Foster). This was the beat generation finding its rhythm, and in that sense Kill Your Darlings tells something of an origin story for some of America's great storytellers. In the lead, Radcliffe's Ginsberg is a performance of transformation, not just of the character but for the actor, too. Both begin the film as timid young men in an alluring yet perilous world, burdened with complicated pasts and uncertain of how their contemporaries will judge them. By its end, they emerge as commanders of their art; fearless poets and performers. The wide-eyed wonderment with which Radcliffe's Potter viewed his magical world appears again here, though the temptations and possibilities are of an entirely different nature. Most notable is his infatuation with the manipulative Carr, played to perfection by DeHaan (The Place Beyond The Pines). Though never fully demonised, Carr's very much the villain in Kill Your Darlings — a blue-eyed, blonde-haired paramour whose hapless devotees (including Michael C. Hall) will do anything to please him, including writing assignments on his behalf. There's more than a bit of DiCaprio in the young actor, who's quickly ratcheting up an impressive backlog of performances, and his on-screen chemistry with Radcliffe is entirely engaging. There's a lot to like about this movie, and compared to other recent beat-era films (On The Road, Howl) it is easily the best. Filmed over just 24 days, it suffers from the occasional rough edges — both cinematically and textually — however, its fine performances and fascinating subject matter make it more than worth your while. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WRY2ogQpbvg
