Eight Things Worth Leaving the House for This Weekend

Close that Netflix-riddled laptop, kick back that unwashed doona and bundle up in All The Knits, there's plenty of happenings worth leaving the house for this weekend.

From interactive sound sculptures to pop-ups and unmissable NYC rappers, we've given you a little rundown of the five best things to get out and about for. Orange is the New Black's not going anywhere.

Sonic Social

The Biennale may have wrapped for another two years, but hot on the heels of genre-defying and New York-based art stars is Performance Space's Sonic Social. Hauling in some participatory and experimental ideas, Performance Space is teaming up with the MCA to keep your cultural calendar topped up. The month of June will be studded with sound-based performances scattered throughout the museum. Whether the works be roaming between floors or tucked in discreet nooks, Sonic Social's aim is to respond to the MCA's architecture and activate neglected spaces.

When: Thursday, 12 June - Sunday, 29 June
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art Australia , 140 George St, The Rocks, NSW
How much: FREE

Frank

There’s no one quite like Frank, the person, and there’s nothing quite like Frank, the film. The former, as played by Michael Fassbender while wearing a papier mache mask, is a soul seemingly eccentric but really just looking for the essence of creation and contentment. The latter is quirky by design but beautifully bittersweet by execution, revelling in all life’s failures and flaws. Frank leads an experimental rock band with the fittingly unpronounceable name of The Soronprfbs, and that’s exactly where Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) finds him. As the reconfigured group ventures from the Irish wilderness to the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas in search of musical fulfilment, the solace they find comes from internal, not external, forces.

Read our full Frank review over here.

When: Thursday, 19 June - Wednesday, 30 July
Where: Various cinemas
How much: $15 - $20

West Elm and Etsy Pop-up

West Elm are teaming up with Etsy this weekend to bring you an afternoon of crafty goodness from your favourite online designers. From 1pm to 6pm on June 21, you'll be able to track down and purchase unique items made by local artisans. Better yet, there's no need for postage fees or waiting periods. Etsy has curated a stellar line-up of 16 sellers, offering everything from nifty jewellery and funky stationary through to re-purposed timber homewares and hand-poured soy candles. There will be a broad range of handmade products oozing with style and personality. Plus, you'll get to chat to your local innovators over treats and tunes.

When: Saturday, 21 June - 1:00pm
Where: West Elm Sydney , 472 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction
How much: FREE

Mykki Blanco

Cross-dressing spitfire MC Mykki Blanco is in the country for Dark Mofo, heading north afterward to blow Sydneysider minds at Good God.

One seriously multitalented artist, NYC-based Blanco is a rapper, performance artist and poet who grew up listening to riot grrrl music. The significantly internet-hyped New Yorker's setlist will inevitably include writhing party jam 'Wavvy' and heavier tracks like the recently released 'Initiation' — both as likely to intrigue audiences as attract them to the dance floor. Think bass heavy, post-trap anthems with a killer MC at the helm.

When: Saturday, 21 June - 1:25am
Where: Good God Small Club , 53 - 55 Liverpool St Sydney
How much: 30 +BF

The Farmed Table Pop-Up

The idea of sustainable eating has become a prominent feature on menus around Sydney, with more and more restaurants taking a marked step away from fine dining towards a communal, local approach to food culture. As the world widens, we’re becoming more conscious of our immediate surroundings and how we can benefit from them. Enter The Farmed Table — Brendan Cato's pop-up venture, hosted by Bangbang cafe in Surry Hills, aiming to provide good, sustainable food in a community environment.

When: Saturday 6.30pm - 10.30pm
Where: 113 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills
How much: $55 for food only and $80 for matching wines.

Brothers Wreck — Belvoir

Brothers Wreck is a superb piece of theatre. Set in Darwin, Jada Alberts’ contemporary drama follows the life of a tight-knit, if troubled, Indigenous family. Daily life in the top end is interrupted by torrential rain, plenty of expletives and much laughter. The play follows the redemptive journey of Ruben (Hunter Page-Lochard), a 21-year-old masquerading as a tough guy to get through the grief of losing his best friend, Joe, to suicide. Brothers Wreck is powerful storytelling, which deservedly received a standing ovation on opening night. Go and see this play.

When: Saturday, 24 May - Sunday, 22 June
Where: Belvoir St Theatre Upstairs , 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills
How much: $68/48/35

Dune Rats

Brisbane’s Dune Rats leave the rules at home, abiding by one big ol’ proviso: "no kooks, no gutties." Whatever the blazes that means, these bloody corker dudes surf self-generated waves of laidback party-fuelled philosophy. Dune Rats' BC Michaels, Danny Beusa and Brett Jansch have been away from home for some time now, heading to the US, staying in a New York AirBnB warehouse, driving along the West Coast from San Diego to Vancouver and filming their own (sorta) web series American Death Trip of Dreams. After months on the road, the Dunies will head back home to Australia for a national tour, showcasing their debut album released on June 1. It’ll be the first time the trio have played to home audiences for months and is guaranteed to be one messy affair.

Check out our chat with Dune Rats bass player Brett Jansch over here.

When: Saturday, 21 June - 8:00pm
Where: Oxford Art Factory , 38-46 Oxford Street Darlinghurst
How much: $18.50

Patyegarang - Bangarra Dance Theatre

Bangarra Dance Theatre is celebrating its 25th anniversary with another masterful fusion of storytelling and contemporary dance. Building on one of the earliest collaborations between Aboriginal people and the new settlers, Patyegarang traces the relationship between a spirited young indigenous woman and an English astronomer. It's a little bit like Australia's own Pocahontas adaptation but with cutting edge choreography. Imbued with a spirit of optimism and collaboration, Patyegarang promises an electric tribute to our first people, excavating an overlooked historical tale and providing an opportunity to reflect on Australia's future as a new nation.

When: Friday, 13 June - Saturday, 5 July
Where: Sydney Opera House , 2 Macquarie St Sydney
How much: $29 - $89

Words by the Concrete Playground team.