The NGV has been hitting it pretty hard recently. Wired for Melbourne Sound showcased local music and gave everyone a backstage pass into the industry, then Melbourne Now was launched and eclipsed everything else in its mammoth wake. What many might not know is that the latter also comprises a series of satellite events, one of which is about to hit the Corner on Wednesday night. Disruptions is a one-off performance of experimental music by Marco Fusinato and Oren Ambarchi, and laser art by Robin Fox. Fusinato is well known within the local art scene for his "analogue infused guitar noise", and Ambarchi has been dubbed "the undisputed master of the hypnotic drone and blissful bass bomb." We're not exactly sure what that last bit means but it sounds impressive. Robin Fox has also been very busy lately working on Chunky Move's Aorta, and A Small Prometheus which featured in this year's Melbourne Festival. All together, the show is bound to be an incredibly unique and mesmeric experience. Something akin to the psychedelia of your last bush doof, but without the psychedelic substances that accompanied it. Image: Robin Fox, Laser Performance 2013, NGV Commission, © Robin Fox, Photo by Lasse Marhaug.
For a movie based on a highly publicised, real-world incident, director Paul Greengrass has done a remarkable job of delivering in Captain Phillips one of the more gripping films of 2013. In 2009, the US commercial ship Maersk Alabama was boarded by Somali pirates off the horn of Africa and its crew taken hostage. Their captain, Richard Phillips (played by professional everyman Tom Hanks) displayed remarkable composure throughout the ordeal, successfully keeping the majority of his crew hidden and leading the pirates on circuitous routes around the ship until his men were able to regain the initiative and force the pirates back off. The only problem — they took Captain Phillips with them. What followed for Phillips were five punishing days trapped inside a cramped lifeboat as the pirates sought to reach shore before the US Navy could intercede. Greengrass is perhaps best known for his Bourne films, where he brought gritty realism back into the world of breakneck action. Here, he brings breakneck action into gritty realism. After an unconvincing start burdened by clunky and expository dialogue, the film quickly finds its pace with the first radar blip of the approaching pirates, and from that moment on Captain Phillips is a heart-in-mouth, white-knuckled affair right to the end. It's also thankfully light on Greengrass's signature 'shaky cam' direction, which might otherwise have made the prospect of sitting through two hours of not just unsteady footage, but footage captured largely on a small, rocking lifeboat, a genuine risk of inducing widespread vomiting. As the film's protagonist, Hanks is at his vulnerable, relatable best. His torment effortlessly becomes the audience's, all but commanding you to laugh when he laughs, and cry when he cries. Opposite him is Somali newcomer Barkhad Abdi who plays Muse, the leader of the pirates. A wiry actor with an imposing forehead and menacing, half-shut eyes, Abdi holds his own in every scene with Hanks, bringing an unsettling unpredictability to his character that constantly flicks between sympathy and ruthlessness. Most crucially, his scenes ring true, which for a dramatisation of real-world events is not only critical, but also contributes to the exhausting tension experienced throughout. Together, they and the rest of the team have crafted a remarkable and harrowing story about modern piracy and understated heroism on the high seas. https://youtube.com/watch?v=GEyM01dAxp8
Red Gallery is nestled within North Fitzroy's other many galleries and eateries and has a track record of showcasing emerging artists up against established art-world names. The upcoming exhibition, Portraits of the Inner North, by Pesky (aka Caitlin Murray) is about the facades that surround the gallery and the architectural evolution that has created them. Pesky has taken her love of the ever-changing street landscape of Melbourne's effortlessly cool north and created a series of digitally manipulated abstract photographs. These new works have a strong relationship with advertising, billboard culture and plays on the culture clash between new and old in gentrified neighbourhoods. If you remember what Smith or Brunswick Streets looked like ten years ago, then this is the place for you. Image credit: J, High Street Northcote, Pesky via Red Gallery.
This show is a bit of an anomaly. In 2011, four young Australian writers travelled to Manila to collaborate with local artists from the Sipat Lawin Ensemble on an adaptation of the famous novel Battle Royale. The show attracted huge crowds as each performance birthed a cultish and worrying following. Then the writers decided to translate their experience to the stage in last year's Fringe hit Kids Killing Kids. This new show will tell the same story from the perspective of their Filipino collaborators. Is it overkill (for lack of a better word)? Time will tell. Either way, this is what it looks like when theatre-makers go full-on Inception. This event originally appeared as one of our top picks for the 2014 Next Wave Festival. See the full list here.
This is definitely a week for great art in the city. Electric Canvas will be lighting up the CBD streetscape as part of White Night; and a couple of our foremost new media artists, Kit Webster and Pierre Proske are bringing their bright and shiny know-how to the QV in the form of a huge, multi-dimensional cubic sculpture. But this won't be your average public artwork. From 9pm till midnight from February 19-23, the QV will be decked out for Luma Vibes — a series of chill sessions hosted under this amazing cubic construction accompanied by the sounds of DJ Chiara Kickdrum. In a holy union of light, music and spectacle, we can guarantee this will be different from your last QV experience (shopping at Big W or rubbing testers all over yourself at Aesop). Image: Kit Webster, Enigmatica, 2012, photographed at MARS Gallery.
Sydney boy Oliver Tank has been absolutely killing it in the past couple of years since winning FBi Radio's Northern Lights competition in 2011, which saw him fly to Iceland to perform his first overseas show. Comparisons to Bon Iver and James Blake were perhaps inevitable, and to a certain extent Tank exists in that same broad 'electronica with emotions' sub-genre that those two artists dabble in. But Tank's electronica goes far deeper than a passing association to create intricate, densely layered music that has more in common with Boards of Canada or Jon Hopkins. Tank is a rapidly rising star — in 2013 he supported James Blake at the Opera House and Active Child at the Melbourne Festival. Now touring his new EP Slow Motion Music, you should definitely check him out as a headline act.
Since discovering Fix it!, a pop-up workshop where handy volunteers have a go at bringing broken household objects back to life, I have been asking myself what really needs fixing in the world. A creepy clown, the global financial crisis, free-to-air television content? In the end I set off for Richmond's Per Diem cafe, where the initiative has settled in for a Saturday residency for the month, with something that everybody's busted a few times — a broken heart. So how does one get over troubles of the heart, according to head fixers Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald and John Harland? 1. Get working on something constructive 2. Get on RSVP, stat — Lewis-Fitzgerald has worked on the RSVP profiles of nice single people before, if you ask sweetly enough it might happen again. 3. Crack out the vodka, sink into the couch and keep refreshing your ex's Facebook page (actually that one's mine and it's probably not advised). Other than lovesick souls, the fixers have been busy trying to get more practical things working since opening on March 2. Boots, umbrellas, toasters, a shredder, pants and clocks have all experience reincarnation across the Fix It! workbench. The inspiration for Fix It! comes from Amsterdam, a utopia where people get together to help repair each other's household objects for sustainability purposes and to pass on knowledge about how everyday things work. Looking at my shabby shirt, Lewis-Fitzgerald gently informs me of the best way to get missing buttons attached (stick a toothpick between the button and fabric to give it some space, then pull the pick out when you've finished sewing, FYI). Harland, one of the group's regular fixers, thinks the idea appeals to the mechanic in all of us because, “People are just interested in how things work. Humans have evolved to solve problems together, but in many ways we're losing this. Fix It! is a way that we can keep learning from each other,” he says. The fixers are keen to idle hands busy so get down there on any Saturday before March 23 with all the appliances, clothes and heartache you can carry. Image via Fix It!
There are a lot of similarities between Wild Nothing and fellow chillwave pioneers Toro Y Moi and Washed Out. All three are bedroom recordings by one-man bands, and all three men are from the southern US. Freaky! All make dreamy, lo-fi music with breathy vocals and steady beats that you can (a) dance to at an underground disco, or (b) listen to alone in your room while you stare at your posters of '80s indie bands. In the case of Wild Nothing's Virginia-born Jack Tatum, the posters he's staring at belong to The Cure, The Smiths and Simple Minds. Tatum puts a sunny disposition on their '80s gloom pop with chiming guitars and soothing vocals. You can chillax to his latest LP Nocturne in your room alone, or join some other shoegazers for a little boogie at Oxford Art Factory when Wild Nothing visits Australia for the first time in March. I hope he plays 'Chinatown'. https://youtube.com/watch?v=zm636VSQXUU
Not only the best jazz band in Australia but internationally recognised as one of the foremost proponents of experimental music, the Necks are a national treasure. For decades, they have been making music in the same format: hour-long, completely improvised sessions that start minimally before slowly building and morphing into complex and hypnotic jazz-influenced compositions. Part of the beauty is it's different every time, you never know what to expect. With tracks that range from abstract through to groovy, the band's range and compositional flexibility results in music that is simultaneously lulling and intriguing, light and dark, and cinematic enough to score films, such as Aussie classic The Boys. Don't miss these amazing artists' annual three-night visit to the Corner Hotel in Richmond.
2013 is the year organisers were promising Future be their "biggest festival lineup yet", and after rifling through the massive line-up piñata it seems they have indeed delivered. After an already big 2012 outing Future Entertainment has topped that with a bill straddling nearly every sub-genre of pop or dance, ensuring they'll draw not only a larger but a more diverse crowd. 2013's Day of the Dead-Set Awesome will be headlined by English electronic dance commanders The Prodigy, grime MC Dizzee Rascal, indie rockers Bloc Party and reformed rockers The Stone Roses, making it more of a Brit-fest than a Mexican one. Other exciting acts joining the bill include Harlem femcee Azealia Banks, Rita Ora, electro house mainstay Steve Aoki and our own The Temper Trap. And PSY will also be there, just in case you feel like contracting a South Korean virus without actually paying for a ticket to his own upcoming show. https://youtube.com/watch?v=i3Jv9fNPjgk
The north of Brunswick is perhaps best known for its cheap Turkish food and abundance of bridal shops. Even locals might be surprised to find the Brunswick Arts Space tucked down an alley and behind a bakery off Sydney Road, but those who stumble upon the space will be rewarded with LAUNCH. What it lacks in frothy tulle and kebabs, LAUNCH makes up for with innovative works from Melbourne's newest art grads. Five years since it, err, launched, LAUNCH remains a chance for the best of the city’s artistic youth to get some exposure outside of the usual internal, institutionalised galleries. Josephine Waite and Ive Sorocuk, who spent the end of last year scouting graduation exhibitions for artists, curate this year's show. LAUNCH 2013 is at once menacing, nauseating and fun — "kind of like a weird party where everyone’s death-staring or puking and you still manage to let loose”, is how Waite colourfully describes the offering. The show lives up to this statement with pieces that range from a creepy but mesmerising 3D projection to a slightly claustrophobic shed containing a rack of rock-like resin casts. Perhaps the most political work is Jerusalem Bus Stops by Helen Borowski. The piece depicts the people who now inhabit areas that were attacked in the lead-up to the Oslo Peace Accords in the early '90s, capturing the vulnerability and procession of life in a place that has seen terrible violence. LAUNCH also features works from Anna Trundle, Michele Donegan, Laura Wood, Danny Digby, Felicity Why, Lauren Young, Lucinda Anderwartha, Alex Purchase and Nina Magee. Image credit Helen Borowski.
While we were distracted playing Angry Birds and Words with Friends, gaming became cool, and there is no clearer manifestation of that than how interesting and awesome this year's Freeplay program looks. Freeplay is Australia’s longest-running independent gaming festival, running from September 25 to September 29 this year. The festival warms up with the Playful Program, which kicks off on Wednesday night with Pop-Up Playground’s latest offering ‘Wikisneaks’. Like Cluedo, except with real people and state secrets. The Freeplay Conference Program runs over the weekend at the State Library of Victoria, with keynote addresses from developers Erin Robinson and Steve Swink. The conference looks at all sorts of gaming, with talks, panels and workshops inspired by the theme ‘Volume of Revolution’. There are sessions on physicality, gaming and education, power, the relationship between stories, games and activism, and a brave talk from three developers on failure. Finalist games for the Freeplay Awards will also be playable at the Experimedia exhibition over the conference weekend. There are a bunch of different ways to buy tickets — you can go along for the Playful Program bits, or buy tickets to the conference days separately.
Founded in 1998, the National Young Writers' Festival is this year celebrating its sweet sixteenth. Of course this doesn't mean they'll be spending the whole festival talking about blogs and feelings while chugging cheap champagne. Although, come to think of it, there is this panel on blogging and this thing all about feelings. And okay, sure, this fake formal is bound to have some Passion Pop on hand. But contrary to the testimony of anyone who's actually met a 16-year-old, being around for that long does give you a bit of wisdom. NYWF consistently delivers an appealing free program and offers amazing insight, advice and assistance to young creatives from all over the country. Like migration, hundreds of wide-eyed literary types descend on Newcastle for it each year — Moleskines in hand. From October 3-6, this year's festival will host 75 free events featuring over 100 young artists including the likes of Tom Ballard, Lorelei Vashti, Benjamin Law and Anna Krien. Three days with the best and most relatable voices in Australian writing will be well worth the trip. Check out our full festival guide here.
Marco Bellochio, one of Italy’s most respected filmmakers, has been fostering critical thought the world over ever since he debuted his first film Fists in the Pocket five decades ago. Known for his creativity and political mind, Bellochio’s films explore grizzly topics in an unexpected, artistic manner. This month the Australian Centre for the Moving Image hosts a retrospective of Bellocchio’s films, curated by Roberta Ciabarra. The four films to be screened are Dormant Beauty (Bella Addormentata), Bellochio’s latest film that explores both sides of the ever-controversial question of euthanasia, the 2011 director’s cut of 1971's In the Name of the Father (Nel Nome Del Padre) which was first shown at the Venice Film Festival, Vincere and Good Morning, Night (Buongiorno, Notte). The retrospective is sure to result in some serious soul searching on everything from your stance on euthanasia to why you can't speak Italiano. Get ready to take a long hard look at yourself, bambino. Image: Good Morning, Night (Buongiorno, Notte)
Movie nights rock — popcorn, entertainment, friends, what's not to love? In childhood, they were basically an excuse to squeal loudly and eat your body weight in jelly beans before becoming homesick sometime around 10pm. Let's just say, the movies weren't the main event. However, here's one you will want to be watching the screen for — the Centre for Contemporary Photography showcase their pick of 35 years of film by Robert Rooney. In 1973 Rooney made his first film, Anzacs, using a Super 8 camera to document daily life in patterns and rhythms, a practice he developed throughout the decade that followed. In 2009 he started digging up his old photographic work and decided to make films of a similar ilk reinterpreting that material. Set to music that dictate the length of his films, the results are raw and unique. Curators Maggie Finch and Patrick Pound screen a selection of these films on Wednesday night, for less than the shrapnel in your back pocket. BYO friends, popcorn provided. Book here. Image via ccp.org.au
When we take that first sip of our barista-brewed coffee on a workday morning, we often say to ourselves, and our friends, "I can't imagine living without coffee." Well, what about living without a roof over your head or a guaranteed meal? Unfortunately, this is what many homeless people around Australia face each day, but on Friday, June 7, you can help out simply by purchasing a coffee as part of CafeSmart. CafeSmart is an annual event from StreetSmart that raises money and awareness for the homeless and is back for its third year running, aiming to build on the $74,477 raised last year. From every coffee purchased at a participating cafe, $1 will be donated towards local projects, so if your cafe is not participating, head to one that is, just for one day. You can also donate at the counter, so if you prefer a hot chocolate, then you can still help out. It's one day when the little things can definitely make a big difference.
Apparently there’s some rumour going around that Melburnians like coffee. The attainable, cosmopolitan treat has become a solid (but also liquid) part of Melbourne’s identity in recent times and with amazing cups of joe now standard throughout our fair city, why shouldn’t it be? This weekend, find out what all the fuss is about at the 2013 Melbourne International Coffee Expo. Coinciding with the end of Good Beer Week, zap that hangover by tasting some of the world’s best coffee, watching demonstrations (including the finals of the World Barista Championships), learning more about the bittersweet brown liquid in a series of workshops and activities and if you’re not shaking too much from a caffeine overdose, trying your hand at latte art. Open to the general public from 10am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday, MICE2013 will provide the skills and knowledge necessary to become the perfect Melbourne coffee snob. Was that cold drip or single origin? Not recommended for the highly-strung. Image via internationalcoffeeexpo.com
Watching actors portraying real people is a powerful and engaging experience — think Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in Iron Lady, Colin Firth as King George VI in The Kings Speech, Russell Crowe as John Forbes Nash in A Beautiful Mind, Philip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote in Capote and President Obama as Daniel-Day Lewis as Obama. Knowing actors are recreating true events often makes a film all the more fascinating, yet creative liberties can also create a false understanding of the actual events. Where do we place ethics in this sphere of acting? Is it the actor’s role to be completely true to the character? What about those who know the subject? In a public lecture entitled Staging Biography: Actors Playing Real People, Mary Luckhurst, Professor of Drama at the University of York and a Macgeorge Fellow at the VCA, shares her extensively researched understanding of the topic, including information gathered through interviews with some of the world’s most famous actors. Image credit The Kings Speech
Ridiculous as it may sound, some of the most compelling on-screen moments of the past decade have been found in the simple 30-second commercial spots for Apple products. Think back, for example, to the excitement on the face of the deaf girl as she's finally able to use sign language on her mobile phone, or the hypnotic dancing silhouettes cutting loose to Jet's ridiculously catchy 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl'. Best of all, picture that deployed soldier on the distant battlefront, tearfully touching the screen just as his newborn son gently does the same from all the way back home. Like the products they were marketing, Apple ads tapped into the notion of selling ideas and emotions — not items — and $500 billion later it was pretty clear we liked what we saw. Because of that, though, one of the biggest challenges facing the Steve Jobs biopic Jobs was to simply be better than the ads for the products he invented, and on most fronts it was, unfortunately, unsuccessful. Not unlike 2010's The Social Network, the Jobs film tracks its protagonist's story from his college days through to his stewardship over what is now, economically, the largest company in the world. We're presented with an unflattering portrayal of the man whose extraordinary vision sat alongside his infamous temper, ego and capacity for cruelty, particularly in matters concerning close friends and family. Steve is played by Ashton Kutcher in a performance that impressively captures the tech legend's mannerisms and cadence. The problem, however, is that Jobs feels more like a movie about Apple than the man who founded it. Whilst we're presented with at least some of his highs and lows (the movie is at its best during those low points, most notably his dismissal by the Apple board), whenever the products rate a mention, they're given almost comical reverence; messianic machines bathed in ethereal light. There's no denying the Cult of Apple exists, but this film wasn't the place to indulge it, and when coupled with some serious omissions, such as Jobs's founding of Pixar, it's hard to not consider this biopic more Performa than performer. https://youtube.com/watch?v=FrvkCS0ZGPU
Like a terrifying real-life Post Secret, Perth artist James Berlyn is about to ask a whole lot from his audience. In a free, 20-minute one-on-one performance, Berlyn will act as manicure professional Tawdry Heartburn and ask you to divulge all your well-kept secrets. Terrifically cathartic yet horribly scary, your secret will then be added to an ever-expanding collection on public display at Arts House. This one isn't for those not fond of audience participation, although there is the option to submit secrets anonymously during the festival or in an online component. Thank God for the internet. This event was featured in our top ten things to see at the Festival of Live Art. See the full list here.
It's safe to say Bryony Kimmings is not a fan of Miley Cyrus. In an attempt to undermine the sexualisation and commodification of childhood, this British performance artist and her niece Taylor dreamt up a new role model — "a dinosaur-loving, bike-riding, tuna-pasta-eating pop star" — and sought to make her world famous. The piece was a phenomenon in the UK garnering attention from the likes of Amanda Palmer and Yoko Ono, and now the stage show acts as a kind of dynamic analysis. Did it work? Was it necessary? Where do we go from here? This event was featured in our top ten things to see at the Festival of Live Art. See the full list here.
Just in case you needed another excuse to peddle around in the sprinkles of sunshine Melbourne is currently granting us, October 19 is national Ride2Work day. And what is just as good as starting your day with a bike ride? A free breakfast, that’s what. The Abbotsford Convent are opening their doors from 7.30am - 9.30am and have some tasty treats on offer including coffee, bircher muesli, pastries, corn fritters, fried eggs and miso soup. On top of that, if you snap a photo of you and your trusty steed and post it up on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #conventarchibikeprize you could win some seriously awesome bike-related bounty. The Convent Archibike prize will be awarded to the self-portrait with the most likes on Facebook and will be called on October 19 at breakfast. So pump up those tires, get snapping, and give yourself a high-five for traveling to work in a healthy and sustainable way.
If you think you don't know who Cody ChesnuTT is, then you will be pleased to learn that you are wrong. He is the soulful singer of the incredibly catchy 'Look Good In Leather', one of many brilliant songs from his debut album, The Headphone Masterpiece. The Roots (you will know them) also reworked ChesnuTT's song 'The Seed' for their famous album Phrenology. Since then it has been a long time between drinks — Australia last saw ChesnuTT in 2006. Thankfully, though, he is back with his second studio album and an Australian tour. Landing on a Hundred was released late last year and is well worth seeing performed live. In fact, anyone compared to music legends Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Jimmy Hendrix and Prince is worth seeing, especially for under $50. So hand over a gold note, get your change and enjoy an evening of musical artistry. https://youtube.com/watch?v=8iTRRkOXIoI
This installation by Young British Artist, Tacita Dean, is going to be one of the most spectacular sights of this year's festival. Her surreal and finely crafted 35mm film will be projected onto a towering 13-metre vertical screen in the vast main gallery of ACCA. The sheer grandeur of the piece will be awesome to behold, but it will also raise some interesting questions about the medium itself. Does it stand in simple celebration of the artistry of celluloid cinema, or is it a bittersweet elegy for the decline of analogue art? FILM has been received well during its exhibition in the Tate Modern last year, and Dean will be speaking about the work at a free public lecture on October 10. Check out the rest of our picks for the Melbourne Festival here.
With a reimagined collection of over 400 artworks, QUEER presents hundreds of years of paintings, photography and more through a queer lens. The most historically expansive exhibition of its kind in Australia, QUEER features works by queer artists or artists who have a strong connection to queer history. The exhibition seeks to explore the idea of queerness as an expression of sexuality and gender, a sensibility and attitude, as well as a political movement. The exhibit also considers the collection of the NGV itself, examining where queer history is notably absent from the NGV either accidentally or through purposeful omission. The exhibit celebrates modern and historical queerness, celebrating recent queer icons through photo, video, and fashion, as well as classical paintings depicting queer love. QUEER will be free and open to the public at NGV International from Thursday, March 10 until Sunday, August 21. Image credit: Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images for NGV.
Melbourne's weather might still be in winter mode, but the ice cream masters at Billy van Creamy are diving right into summer anyway. On Thursday, December 1, they're dishing up a giant scoop of that sunshine we've all been craving and giving away a stack of free ice cream to honour the start of the (hopefully) sunny season. To score yourself some all-natural ice cream on the house, simply swing past the Brunswick or Fitzroy North store between 5–7pm and the team will treat you to a scoop, loaded into your choice of a cup or cone. You've got a tantalising range of flavours to pick from, too — maybe jammy pineapple with toasted coconut, vegan peanut butter spiked with choc chips, salted mango swirl, honeycomb, or one of the new-release seasonal sorbet varieties. If you don't already know Billy van Creamy from its roving ice cream truck and events cart, or two Northside stores, now's the perfect chance to get acquainted. And if a free scoop of deliciousness doesn't bring on some sunnier weather, we don't know what will. Free scoops are available from 5–7pm on December 1, from both Billy Van Creamy outposts — 212 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North, and 146 Sydney Road, Brunswick.
The best of Korean cinema will once again be on full display when the Korean Film Festival in Australia returns for its sixth straight year. Kicking off in Melbourne on September 3, the program is headlined by a number of gripping crime thrillers — the genre having become synonymous with Korean cinema thanks to films like Oldboy and I Saw the Devil. This year, the mantle passes to the likes of A Hard Day, The Target and The Divine Movie. Other highlights among the KOFFIA 2015 program include the powerful coming-of-age film Han Gong-ju and the brilliantly titled opening night feature How To Steal A Dog. We're also pretty intrigued by closing night's Madonna (and no, we're not talking about the pop star), about a nurse, a comatose patient in need of a new heart and an act of redemption. For the full KOFFIA program, visit their website.
Ice cream season is just around the corner, but Melbourne's newest destination for cold, creamy scoops feels like it's a gift from some time far, far into the future. At Federation Square's new Niska store you're served not by the usual humans, but by a team of friendly robot staff. Touted as the country's first-ever robotics-run retail store, the shop takes your regular ice creamery to a whole new level. Founded by and named after Aussie robotics startup Niska, it's offering punters a pretty unique food experience — that is, the chance to grab some locally made ice cream, from three different robots named Pepper, Eka and Tony. Enter the bright, white shop and you'll see them hard at work, each tasked with a different step of the serving process. One takes your order and payment via an interactive menu screen. Here, you can choose from suggested dessert combos, or create your own from a selection of ice cream flavours, toppings, sauces and extras. The frozen stuff is all made locally in Melbourne, with ice cream varieties including favourites like hazelnut, salted caramel, coconut and rocky road. A second robot staff member has just one arm, but scoops like a boss, filling diners' cups from a rotating wheel of different flavours. The final futuristic helper adds any toppings to the cup and delivers the final product to a glass kiosk. There's a screen displaying which orders are on the way and a handy ding of a bell when one's ready to be picked up — when yours is up, just scan your receipt barcode and it'll let you grab it. Still a little iffy? A real, live human staff member is always on hand — just in case or any ice cream emergencies — and any potential robot glitches are managed by an off-site computer tech support team. Happily, Niska's futuristic leanings extend beyond the high tech staff to other important areas. In a nod to the planet's future, the store's ice cream cups are made from clear polycarbonate with a P5 grading, and are fully recyclable when placed in one of the in-store bins.
In the words of the great man himself, let's dance in AC/DC Lane on Sunday, March 10. Bowie fans — aka Melbourne's real cool cats — will want to flock to the latest tribute evening dedicated to the man that music, and the world in general, won't ever forget. Taking place from 11pm, Cherry Bar's David Bowie Celebration is exactly what it sounds like, all on the night before Melbourne's next holiday — and the venue's last before it closes its doors. If you want to get decked out as your favourite version of the all-round icon or slap on some lightning face paint, you'll get in for free. If costumes aren't your style but Ziggy Stardust, Thin White Duke, Major Tom and Aladdin Sane definitely is, head along for tunes, dancing, and a night of adoration and admiration. There'll be all of the tracks you've always dreamed of, with plenty to choose from — Bowie made 25 albums over five decades, after all. It's bound to be an emotional ride through the career of a creative genius, and if you need some liquid support, espresso martinis will be $10 all evening. Entry is $10 as well for those who haven't gone the dress-up route.
The Melbourne Writers Festival starts Thursday, 22 August, and takes over the city until September 1. This year it's layer upon layer of awesome. There is something special about a program headlined by both London Mayor Boris Johnson and 17-year-old icon Tavi Gevinson. This is a festival with both the London Review of Books and The Lifted Brow. The latter of which is going to crowdfund and make from scratch an entire magazine over the festival's 10 days. 2013 is the first year Lisa Dempster has directed MWF, and the former Emerging Writers Festival director/CEO has a knack for knowing which things will make Melbourne writers lose their shit. One of these things is the festival’s opening night, which brings New York-based storytelling event and podcast The Moth to Melbourne for the first time. Live on stage Magda Szubanski, Tony Wheeler and Melissa Lucashenko will all tell true stories about courage. For more evidence of awesomeness see: Tao Lin, Tavi Gevinson (I know I already mentioned her, but hey, it's Tavi!) and Moleskine notebooks. MWF often combines writing with the city itself, which is where the abundance of walking tours are thrown into the mix. Writers make for excellent guides. There are walks for street art, for using Melbourne as a muse, and one that explores the hidden dragons of Melbourne's public spaces. There are some great free bits too, so if you want to bulk out a whole day at the festival it’s really easy and possible to do on a budget. You can start the day with The Morning Read, visit the daily illustrator in residence in the Atrium of Fed Square, or go to one of the other free events listed here. This year’s MWF also looks at the way literature is evolving online. Writers have pushed through the era where panels are called ‘Is this the end?’ and ‘Is the internet changing things?’ and ‘WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO GUYZ’ and are finally in an awesome place where they can take a calm, deep breath and celebrate the amazing stuff that happens when writing and the internet meet. The Digital Futures program includes Teju Cole, whose twitter-based project Small Fates has attracted over 90,000 followers; a discussion on the impact of online music criticism; and Digital Drive — a whole day for writers to learn about developing digital work. With such a huge array of events on offer, there are also some bite-sized festivals within MWF that might make your 10 days easier to program. One is the always-excellent New News conference — two days with incredible news reporting and editing talent including Katharine Viner, Michael Gawenda and Sophie Black. There's also the World Writers’ Conference which brings Scottish writers to Melbourne via Edinburgh. And that thing you’re obsessed with? There’s probably a panel on writing about that too. Antarctica? Spies? Bees? You should snap up tickets to the things you want to go to now, because the festival starts Thursday and things are already selling out (sorry Tavi fans). Check out the full program here.
It's stretchy pants time, Melburnians — trust us, you're going to need them. You'll want to be comfortable as possible when you're sitting down for an unlimited feed of vegan pizza and beer or wine every Monday–Thursday evening until the end of October. That's the deal Pizza E Birra is now serving from 5.30–9.30pm each week. The popular St Kilda spot has just launched a plant-based menu and is celebrating with endless vegan slices for — and unlimited tap beer or wine — for $49. Your slices and sips will last for a two-hour period. Nine different woodfired vegan pizzas are on offer, so you can try every one on the menu as long as your stomach can handle it — all paired with Italian brews that'll just keep on coming. Eat your way through the Potato (topped with kale, 'nozzarella' and chilli oil), the pumpkin and feta number (with almond feta and caramelised onions) and the Meat Lovers (with vegan salami, ham and bacon). If you do eat meat, the restaurant is also offering endless cheesy and meaty slices for $45 on the same night. You guys have 13 different pies to choose from. It won't come as a surprise that this free-for-all has a few conditions, with the most important being that everyone in your group has to take part, you can't take away and the deal only goes for two hours. To make a booking, head to the website. Updated: October 10, 2019. Image: Craig Thompson
Every March, 18 AFL teams dream of one thing: holding the men's premiership cup high on the last Saturday in September. Every Aussie Rules fan knows the reality, however. Only one club can win the season's final match, and only two can hit the turf to contest it. In 2022, those two teams are Geelong and Sydney. Maybe you love one of them. Perhaps you despise them both. You could be hurting because one of them just knocked your club out of the finals race or, somehow, the two teams might be among the clubs you neither adore nor hate. Whichever applies, if you're an AFL fan then you'll be watching the Cats and Swans battle it out for men's competition's ultimate piece of AFL silverware — and you can now do so on the silver screen. Big game, big screen: that's the plan at the Lido, Classic and Cameo cinemas, and it's kicking goals. If you can't be at the game itself, where else was going to do Buddy Franklin justice? Even better: entry is free, although you do need to book a spot at whichever picture palace you're headed to. The session kicks off at 2.30pm on Saturday, September 24, and you'll require your wallet for whatever you want to eat and drink. Choc tops with the footy? Why not. Top image: Jenks24 via Wikimedia Commons.
Love wine? Then, boy, have we got some good news. This November, you can score a bottle of vino for as little as $8.50 a pop — and we're talking about the good stuff, too. All you have to do is head to online wine-slinger Vinomofo to purchase it and it'll get delivered straight to your doorstep. The catch? You've only got a couple of days to nab it. For the uninitiated, Vinomofo is a Melbourne-based online wine retailer that caters to vino lovers around the world. So it's safe to say it knows what it's doing when it comes to grape juice. From noon on Tuesday, November 10 (AEDT) till midnight Thursday, November 12 (AEDT), Vinomofo is hosting a Click Frenzy Sale, selling more than 100 wines at affordable prices, so you can stock up for summer. Think picnic-perfect Provence rosé, rich Barossa shiraz for red lovers and Clare Valley riesling that makes for an ideal, crisp afternoon tipple — which you can score at up to 70 percent off. Shipping for all orders purchased in that time period will be free, too. Score epic wine deals via Vinomofo's Click Frenzy Sale — for a limited time only.
Melbourne Music Week is back for another year with nine days of live music, parties, and some seriously avant-garde experiences. Running November 16–24 and featuring 250 acts across 85 events and a tonne of unconventional venues, it's a truly extensive program of local music. But don't be overwhelmed by the smorgasbord of music treats, because we're here to help. From the most talked about emerging artists to laneway parties and gigs in the Melbourne sky, these are the nine best MMW events happening around town this year. Nine events and nine days — we think you could just about get to them all.
Submerged in black and gold, the Miller Design Lab kicked off its series of creative events this March with a launch party that celebrated everything arts, culture, design and technology. The invite-only event saw Chapel Street's SoHigh Gallery transformed into a glistening space that offered revellers an eclectic setting to eat, drink and enjoy works by the artistic collaborators of the Miller Design Lab. Flying into Melbourne to host the kick-off event was the creative mastermind and global curator for the Miller Design Lab, Jeff Staple. Wearing his trademark Nike SB Pigeon — the shoe that kick-started his career and sent New York sneakerheads bonkers in 2005 — Staple explained that he set out to "find the common DNA that flows between the different creators" featured throughout this event series. Meanwhile, Staple also led an animated conversation between the artists as they considered their own creative practices, the Australian art scene and how technology could shape art and design in the future. Half chic warehouse, half vibrant gallery, SoHigh Gallery was the perfect spot to highlight the artists' work. Meagan Streader's glowing orange and yellow electroluminescent tunnel transfixed attendees. Buff Diss' topographical mural was created in real-time while guests ate, drank and danced. Dreamcatchersdreamtime and Think Positive Prints' semi-transparent yellow and rose-coloured screens dangled from the ceiling beams creating an incredible centrepiece. And Christie Morgan helped partygoers experience Pitch Studios' immersive virtual reality work. Attendees were welcomed to the dancefloor at each party by the likes of DJ Nick Murray and DJ Paz and Alice Q, and a lucky few even managed to get their hands on NANA JUDY merchandise specially created for the event. After each event ended, revellers were invited to kick-on at the after parties held at The Emerson where DJ Sunshine, DJ Sezzo, DJ Cassette kept the vibe going. And rounding out this series of high-octane arty parties, Total Giovanni took to the decks on closing night hosted by NANA JUDY. See all the happenings from the parties above and read about the creatives here. Images: Parker Blain.
It's been a tumultuous few months for Melbourne's public transport system — and it's far from over. After an initial strike on November 28, the entire tram network will shut down again for four hours on Thursday, December 5. The strikes follow three four-hour stoppages in August, September and October and are in response to ongoing failed negotiations with Yarra Trams. While the strikes will happen in off-peak times and, thankfully, not on Fridays, they're still expected to cause some public transport havoc — so, best dust off that ol' bike and get set for some two-wheeled travel. The strike is expected to run from 10am–2pm, with no metropolitan tram services operating between these hours. Public Transport Victoria (PTV) is forecasting the strikes will have a flow-on effect, with significant disruptions expected until around 3.30pm on both days. It's advising passengers to defer all non-essential travel and consider alternative modes of transport, including the City Loop train. Tram replacement bus services will be running in the city and along St Kilda Road during the strikes, but it'll be "very limited" according to PTV. You can check out what replacement buses will be running and other suggested alternative travel options over here. The Rail Tram and Bus Union has been negotiating a new wage deal and improved working conditions with Yarra Trams for months, with the existing agreement expiring on June 30. As reported by The Age, the RTBU is demanding a six percent pay rise over three years, while Yarra Trams has offered three. The new agreement also includes increased part-time workers and rosters that are "completely unsuitable for workers with child care and caring responsibilities" according to RTBU Secretary Luba Grigorovitch. The off-peak strikes are designed to "minimise the impact on commuters", but industrial action could continue to escalate if negotiations are not unresolved. The strike is expected to run from 10am–2pm on Thursday, December 5. To plan alternative transport during these times, head to the PTV website. Image: Josie Withers for Visit Victoria. First published: Monday, November 25. Updated: Thursday, December 5.
A long, hot, Melbourne summer deserves a proper Melbourne send-off, and how better to do that, than with a series of free music events? To squeeze a little extra goodness out of the sunny season, the folks at Rosé Rosé are set to host a three-week boutique music series called Wine Not?, complete with an all-Aussie lineup of wines, beers, cocktails and top DJ's. Held in conjunction with Arts Centre Melbourne's new exhibition, The Australian Music Vault, the event will take over the centre's ground floor al fresco space, The Barre, running Friday and Saturday nights, from March 9. WAT Artists has pulled together a banging musical lineup for the occasion, with the likes of Harvey Sutherland, Oscar Key Sung, Andras, Fantastic Man and Nite Fleit promising to have punters dancing their way through March. Alongside the tunes, expect a carefully curated, locally-focused bar offering, with cocktails from Melbourne Martini, brews from Grand Ridge and Rosé Rosé's own lightly sparkling rosé cans. There'll also be a rose-themed light show, a lounge area for chilling out under the stars, and easy access to The Australian Music Vault, for when those DJ tunes inspire you to dig a little deeper into the Aussie music story. Wine Not? will run from 5–11pm on March 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 and 24. Find it at The Barre, Arts Centre Melbourne. For more information, head to the website.
It looks like the Victorian government is seriously determined to beef up Melbourne's green space, with yet more grand parkland plans unveiled over the weekend. Days after Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan showed off her proposal for 11 MCG's worth of open space beneath Skyrail, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D'Ambrosio and Member for Monbulk James Merlino have announced a $4.72 million development for Olinda, in Melbourne's east. The Olinda Precinct Project will breathe new life into the former golf course adjacent to The National Rhododendron Garden, which is being renamed the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden. It'll free up 34 hectares of open space, set to feature a sports oval, picnic facilities, a play area and upgraded parking. The Botanic Garden will also enjoy an extra 6.5 hectares of space, to help house its sprawling collection of over 50,000 rare and exotic plants. Designs for the Olinda Precinct Project are set to be revealed in early 2018, with building work expected to start in the middle of the year. Image: Royal Botanic Gardens by Sarah Worthy via Flickr.
Melbourne's annual Night Noodle Markets have officially kicked off. This year you'll find the expected — dumplings, bao and ramen — and the unexpected — phorrito (yes, that's a pho and burrito mashup); katsu curry, sushi and kimchi fries and pastel pink pork buns, plus all of these tasty eats have been expertly paired with refreshing brews from Beer The Beautiful Truth. Pair a Cloud Thief (formerly Bao Stop) Chinese steamed roll trifecta with a Furphy, dig into a sampling of Let's Do Yum Cha treats with a James Squire 150 Lashes and nosh on some Bombay crab tacos from Mr Miyagi, Kirin Megumi in hand. And if you have a sweet tooth, leave space for an unreal, trompe-l'oeil offering from Gelato Messina. See all that's in store for you at the markets in the gallery, figure out which food stalls you'll hit first with our recommendation of the top ten dishes to try and plan to head out — preferably tonight — to start making your way through all the culinary treats at the Melbourne Night Noodle Markets. Hungry for more? Complement your cravings at the Melbourne Night Noodle Markets with expert beer pairings presented by Beer The Beautiful Truth from November 9 to 26.
Don’t know if it’s meant to be, but his stage name is pretty apropros. Pitchfork points out that it’s partly because Alex Zhang Hungtai spent the majority of his life feeling “unmoored and adrift”, but also his music is like all the other sun-soaked beach-inspired music acts that have been cropping up as of late had a delinquent distant relative who was a bit moodier and sometimes even a little menacing. Hungtai’s music looks beyond the psychedelic ’60s and back to 1950s rock ‘n’ roll, before cranking up the distortion so it comes out sounding even older again. On top of this add his grungy falsetto vocals and you have something that should come across as dated, but “timeless” is probably a better word. On his debut album Badlands the tracks bounce jerkily between poppy and powerful, sometimes even sad, but the one thing they all have in common is that they don’t sound like anyone else’s songs. Though the ideal listening situation would involve a rumbling ute, a dusty road and complete isolation, these songs are also quite good when you’re indoors and around other humans. Get to The Tote on February 13 for proof.
Paradise Music Festival is once again starting off the summer music festival season on a high note, with the first lineup announced this morning. Just like last year, the lineup is entirely made up of up-and coming Australian talent. The boutique, Lake Mountain Resort festival, picks artists, bands and DJs who are killing it in their respective capital cities; planting them in the scenic natural surrounds of Marysville. The weirdly wonderful Kirin J Callinan is stopping by, as is Melbourne R&B darling Oscar Key Sung, with reckless rock kids Drunk Mums, electronic wizards Rat & Co and Crooked Colours. For those looking to get their dance on, Young Franco, Tranter and Otologic are our picks for a toe-tapping good time. Presale tickets already sold out before the lineup had even dropped; an exceptionally good sign for those thinking of heading down. This is only the second year for Paradise Music Festival, proving themselves to serious contenders for your hard-earned summer festival budget. PARADISE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014 LINEUP (FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT): Kirin J. Callinan Oscar Key Sung Crooked Colours Young Franco Drunk Mums Rat & Co SILENTJAY UV boi LUCIANBLOMKAMP The Sinking Teeth Klo Banoffee Friendships JPS I'lls Kirkis Apart From This Otologic Tranter DEER Total Giovanni Planète ESC Lanks Darcy Baylis Air Max '97 CC:DISCO! RaRa Hubert Clark Jr Foreign/National Jahnne Null Urban Problems Harold Femi Paradise Music Festival will run from November 28 - 30 at the Lake Mountain Alpine Resort. First round tickets are now available for $130 here.
Desire lines are paths carved by repeated human diversion from designated routes. ACCA has used this concept of shared instinct and collective disobedience as the springboard from which to launch an enormous, 31-artist-strong group show featuring international and Australian artists. Some (Bruce Nauman) are familiar names, and others are fresh, like Charlie Sofo. Francis Alys is displaying his renowned Walks series, and Stephen Sutcliffe's uncanny video works are on display. Two installations are the show's main features — a moving rock sculpture by Mel O'Callaghan finds a new form for the icily detached beauty found in her barren landscape photography, while Dan Shipsides' climbing-based installation adorns the circumference of the ACCA building, in a literal implementation of the show's theme. ACCA is rarely off the mark, and this powerhouse exhibition looks to be no different.
The Perserverance Hotel’s menu might not be a shining example of local innovation, but on the second Sunday of every month you can complement your pub grub with some of the craftiest wares this side of the city. Blackbird Market sees the Brunswick Street establishment get more fittingly Fitzroy with stalls peddling jewellery, bicycle accessories, PJs, zines and vintage clothing. Slide your pins into some reflective legwarmers from Melbourne’s most sartorially discerning cycle store CycleStyle, get an inky hit of culture from the latest copy of Spook Magazine and pick up the requisite nick nacks from grandmas florals, then dump them all into a plush leather satchel by Sarah van Oosterom. Since it’s still technically a bar there will be DJ tunes plus plenty of tasty liquids on tap to encourage financial nonchalance. But at least you’ll still feel good about your purchases later on in the afternoon.
If you’ve never engaged in a violent display of booty shaking while an enormous transvestite spits ass-related lyrics at you for two sweat-drenched hours, you should probably find out why thousands of people all over the world are now lining up in their most supple pairs of hot pants to do so. Queen Diva of urban New Orleans bounce scene Big Freedia is returning to Melbourne this October to amass more minions for her fast-expanding army of rapidly gyrating followers. Bringing hits such as “Azz Everywhere” and “Y’all Get Back Now”, the exuberant MC and her Divas fly the flag for a call-and-response music style that gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “audience participation”. Forget fried oysters and Muffuletta sandwiches — this is the juiciest taste of New Orleans you might ever experience.
Harnessing a Black Swan-like coalescence of physical beauty and total hysteria, Screen Space are presenting a two-night dance production investigating the idea of an uncertain future and a venture into the unknown. Double Vision takes its sci-fi stimulus from works such as Orsen Welles’ panic-inducing 1973 Halloween eve radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds, which successfully duped listeners en masse into believing that our planet was being invaded by aliens. The show at hand aims to get us into a similarly panicky position on the edge of our collective seat, completely immersing us in sound and visuals as we follow the dancers into a world with endless possibilities. Double Vision is choreographed and performed by Victorian College of the Arts Dance graduates Yahna Fookes and Jess Wong, in collaboration with projection artist Thomas Russell. The performance starts at 7pm.
You know whose film industry has been quietly kicking a bunch of ass? Argentina. Say hello to the only South American country to ever win an Oscar. Producing an average of 35 films per year (Australia clocks around 25), from badass thrillers to award-winning, socially conscious badass thrillers, Argentina has edged out Mexico and become the flagship of Latin American cinema. Filmoteca, ACMI's Spain/Portugal/South American-focussed cinema program, is now hosting a program of the freshest shorts to come out of this growing industry. The next generation of Argentinian filmmakers is vibrant and diverse. Here you'll find relentlessly awkward comedy drama from the ever-quirky Martin Piyoransky, alongside a full complement of amazing animations from the stop-motion genius Juan Pablo Zaramella and CGI team Gervasio Rodriguez Traverso & Pablo A. Diaz, as well as a few other surprises, making for an engaging and fun hour of new cinema.
Everyone likes to say that their town, their city, or their country is the best. But our city really is the best! And we know that, thanks to Knowledge Melbourne, a government organisation dedicated to showcasing, expanding and utilising Melbourne's knowledge sector, which includes many universities, extremely advanced science, and information technology. So celebrate our knowledge! Come to Knowledge Week all over the City of Melbourne. A talk on neuro-gastronomy (the science of taste), a speed teaching event, a competition to change the city, a panel of Muslim women leaders... the list goes on. With more than 30 events over 6 days, Knowledge Week will be a fascinating insight into the cutting edge of technology and development that Melbourne is contributing to so much.
Radiance is the newest exhibition at the NGV and it looks rather exceptional. It is a showcase of Neo-Impressionism, an art style that developed in the late 1800s in France and Belgium. The Impressionists focused on light, movement and daily life, and Neo-Impressionism was an attempt to adopt those themes while using more consistent, rational 'scientific' techniques. It is the movement that made pointillism, the use of individual spots of paint, a world-famous artistic method. Filled with scenes of nature in the city and desires for a good beach, Neo-Impressionism is a style that Melbournites will relate to especially closely. Featuring works by Georges Seurat, Paul Signac, Henri-Edmond Cross, and many others, this exhibition is one of emotion and personal experience combined with technical restraint and consideration. Running until March, enjoy this collection of late-nineteenth century masterpieces. Radiance is closed Tuesdays. Image of Girl in a straw hat (Portrait of Elisabeth van Rysselberghe) (Jeune fille au chapeau de paille (Portrait d'Elisabeth van Rysselberghe)) 1901 courtesy of the National Gallery of Victoria.
He taps his pen on the page. An Amish psychopath? No. A Buddhist? No! A Quaker psychopath? Yes, perfect. Seven Psychopaths is not just about some guy writing a film script about psychopaths; it's a story of the ultimate friendship between the Irish alcoholic writer, Marty Faranan (Colin Farrell), and his nutso friend, Billy Bickles (Sam Rockwell), and the search for the ultimate B-grade film shootout. The two have their friendship tested to the max as Marty's tenuous relationship with his girlfriend Kaye (Abbie Cornish) hits the rocks, a dog heist goes awry, the mafia is hot on their heels, and some pretty shocking secrets surface. The overall flashy and ironic grain of the film is the hallmark of creative visionary Martin McDonagh, who also wrote and directed In Bruges. The characters and their individual stories spill all over the place, like balls on a billiard table, only to simultaneously land in their nets, in one foul strike. McDonagh himself describes the story as almost too complex and multilayered, and he works the same words into the film as Hans (Christopher Walken) says ominously of Marty's script: "It's got layers." The storyline echoes Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, whereby a struggling writer, who fails at real life, explores a fantasy world that titillates his fancy to such a depth that it weaves its way into his own reality. Not giving away too much (I hope), Gil Pender's fantasy of 1920s Paris is Marty's preoccupation with psychopathic killers. The author initially resists the fantasy and doesn't understand the bizarre things that are happening around him but eventually he surrenders to it all. As the billiard stick lines up and gets ready to strike, we know the end is nigh, and the film reveals that while Marty’s best friend Billy means ever so well, his zealousness leads the pack along to the ultimate place for a psychopath...
If you rock up to How to Dress Well expecting a tutorial in accessorising and shoe/belt combos, you may be disappointed. Though Tom Krell is a stylish fellow, his musical project How to Dress Well is less a Trinny and Susannah approach to making over frumpy office ladies and more an ethereal approach to making over early '90s R&B. 'Cold Nites' off his latest LP Total Loss sounds like the introspective soundtrack to the comedown that follows when your average champagne bottle-popping hip hop music video finishes. Setting soaring falsetto atop moody, sparse beats and instrumentation, How to Dress Well, like contemporary The Weeknd, is a creative, sensitive producer showing R&B can be smarter, more understated and, yes, more stylish than you'd expect.
