Don't hold back: one of the biggest acts in electronic music for the past three decades is returning to Victoria. Superstar DJs The Chemical Brothers dropped their tenth studio album For That Beautiful Feeling in September 2023, and will hit Mt Duneed Estate in March 2024 to unleash their latest round of block rockin' beats live. Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons will play A Day on the Green in Geelong on Saturday, March 2, with The Presets (doing a DJ set), Anna Lunoe and James Holroyd in support. It isn't just their astonishing 2023 Coachella set that proves The Chemical Brothers are a must-see live act. Every tour — including their last stint Down Under back in 2019 — always matches a spectacle of mindbending visuals to the duo's iconic tunes. Accordingly, expect recent singles 'No Reason', 'Live Again' (featuring Halo Maud) and 'Skipping Like a Stone' (reteaming The Chemical Brothers with Beck after 2016's 'Wide Open') — and also a wealth of songs from a back catalogue that spans back to 1989. No, it wouldn't be a Chemical Brothers gig without 'Hey Boy, Hey Girl', 'Block Rockin' Beats' and 'Galvanise' getting a whirl. The pair's current setlist also includes everything from 'Go', 'Swoon' and 'Star Guitar' to 'Setting Sun', 'Chemical Beats' and 'Escape Velocity'. Holroyd joining Rowlands and Simons on the tour is always a given, as The Chemical Brothers' long-standing opening DJ. Images: Ray Baseley.
You won't be left wanting for anything after digging into this lavish, meat-free feast, held against the idyllic backdrop of thhe Yarra Valley's Rob Dolan Wines and The Farm. Get set for a sumptuous five-course spread that not only champions the humble veg, but flies the flag for locality. In fact, almost every ingredient on the menu was grown right there on the property, showcasing goodies plucked straight from both kitchen garden and vineyard, matched, of course, to a few of the Rob Dolan wines crafted onsite. The only thing that's travelled further is the cheese, though even the fiercest locavores are sure to approve — it's made and matured just a few hops away at the Stone and Crow Cheese Company. For full effect, be sure to indulge in a post-lunch jaunt through the vineyards, to see where that food all began. Take Five is part of Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Check out more of the festival's events here.
It is shocking to think that there is only one holiday a year that truly cries out for a French-themed party. Why don't we have Croissant Day? Or Baguette Day? Romance and Cheese Day could easily be a thing. Vino all round. Nahmean? Still, we do have Bastille Day, and that isn't going anywhere, despite Russell Crowe proving that he absolutely cannot sing. Bastille Day is important because it celebrates the beginning of the French Revolution — that bloodthirsty struggle for freedom, equality and fraternity. When "the people" stormed the Bastille and seized the military stores, an entire decade of idealism, savagery and carnage started. So why celebrate such a heady (and often headless) period? Because it's about seizing control and brandishing baguettes and bringing about the end of feudalism. Being independent and being proud and well, being French, basically. So march along to the Bastille Day Party at the Evening Star-South Melbourne Market. You'll be brimming with joie de vivre before you know it.
Chapel Street is popping off right now. In the past few months, the strip scored Suzie Q, Windsor Wine Room, The Chapel and Inca — and now Chris Lucas (Chin Chin, Hawker Hall, Kisumé, Grill Americano, Society, Yakimono and Baby Pizza) is giving it a go. Come Saturday, September 7, his two-storey Japanese-inspired restaurant and sake bar Tombo Den will open next door to Lucas' own Hawker Hall. This latest venue is inspired by Lucas' time living and working in Tokyo in the 90s, and is a celebration of Japanese street food and izakaya culture. Head Chef Dan Chan (Supernormal and Michelin-starred Yardbird in Hong Kong) is spearheading the culinary offerings at Tombo Den, serving up a heap of dumplings, rice and noodle dishes and charcoal-barbecued seafood and meats. Desserts like strawberry and sake ice cream sundaes and brûléed dark chocolate mousse with black sesame also feature. Tombo Den's menu also champions sushi, which is strongly inspired by the food's more casual beginnings as a street food staple. Kisumé's Sushi Masters Toaki Kyo and Carlos Lopez oversee the sushi lineup, crafting a selection of sashimi, nigiri and handrolls. This more casual dining style is complemented by an approachable drinks lineup curated by Society's own Tokyo-born Master Sommelier Yuki Hirose. Society is known for its encyclopedic drinks offering — often winning international wine list awards — but Tomo Den's menu won't be quite as exhaustive. This isn't meant to be a fine-diner. The aim is for it to have a more laidback izakaya feel where you don't need a sommelier to guide you through the offerings. A good mix of local and international wines will be up for grabs, with plenty offered by the glass or in a half-bottle carafe. Classic cocktails also get a Japanese twist, so you can expect to find sips like the sake martini, yuzu spritz, and macadamia and tonka espresso martini. Japanese beers and a fairly extensive collection of whiskies also feature here, while sakes are championed upstairs in the separate Sake Bar. Adding to the late-night Tokyo vibes is Tombo Den's own private karaoke room, which is sure to book out well in advance. This all sits within a totally revamped space that has a distinctly brutalist Japanese feel. DKO Architecture and Projects of Imagination have achieved this by blocking out the space with concrete, mahogany wood and marble finishes. AI-generated artwork from artist Tom Blachford breaks up these somewhat cold design features, adding a little colour and playfulness to the whole affair. All in all, it looks to be another winner for Lucas, who's built up a hugely successful Australian restaurant empire, and still plans to open more venues in the coming years. [caption id="attachment_971728" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dan Chan[/caption] Tombo Den is set to open on Saturday, September 7, and will be found at 100 Chapel Street, Windsor. For more information, you can visit the venue's website. Images: Michael Pham.
UPDATE: June 4, 2020: IT: Chapter Two is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. It's possible to have too much of a good thing. An average thing as well. While Stephen King's horror maestro status is both undoubted and unparalleled, his books have frequently tested this idea, especially his 1138-page 1986 tome IT. A huge hit upon publication, the bestseller is the nerve-rattling cause of many clown phobias over the past three decades — but it's also as bloated as the bulging red balloons favoured by its flame-haired, make-up-clad antagonist. Bringing the novel's second timeline to the screen, IT: Chapter Two follows in its source material's meandering footsteps. Arriving hot on the heels of 2017's huge box office smash IT, yet proving painfully over-extended in its running time, this spooky sequel tasks audiences with pondering the same question as its characters: what if it never ends? Twenty-seven years after their first traumatic run-in with the malevolent evil that's known as IT, but usually takes the form of unhinged clown Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård), the Losers Club are all grown up and back home. Sparked into action by the obsessed Mike (Isaiah Mustafa), who hasn't left the small Maine town of Derry since the gang's scary childhood encounters, Bill (James McAvoy), Richie (Bill Hader), Beverley (Jessica Chastain), Eddie (James Ransone) and Ben (Jay Ryan) return to vanquish the otherworldly monster once and for all. Although their memories are initially foggy, and getting everyone on board takes some convincing, the group has ample motivation. If they fail, IT will wreak havoc yet again in 27 more years. Given that their own lives were forever changed by the spine-chilling figure — and given that IT is doing a great job of creeping out and killing new kids this time around — that's a fate that no one wants. When Mama director Andy Muschietti first brought IT back to the screen two years ago, he traded upon nostalgia, jumped on a trend and knew that, when all else fails, unsettling imagery works a charm. Popular culture's Stranger Things-inspired love of retro thrills hasn't subsided since, and nor has its fascination with King's oeuvre. If anything, they've both increased in the wake of the first flick's blockbuster success. Still, IT: Chapter Two feels like a case of stretching a concept to breaking point. It never escapes attention that Pennywise can evolve into a host of different shapes, each more unnerving than the last, however the film he's in doesn't dare contemplate anything similar. Instead, the movie is eager to prolong its formula for as long as possible. When that's not enough, it indulgently nods to everything from The Shining to The Thing, and even opts for the ultimate in fan service by giving King himself some screen-time. Muschietti and screenwriter Gary Dauberman (Annabelle Comes Home) may have a hefty amount of text to sort through, but there's not actually that much to IT: Chapter Two's story. The Losers Club heads home, trudges through difficult memories and confronts IT, as well as the impact it's had on their adult lives, working their way through a series of escalating funhouse-style set-pieces in the process. Indeed, the film's elongated mid-section encapsulates its troubles perfectly. Spending time with each of the gang as they scour Derry for tokens from their youth, the movie switches between the teen and current versions of every character, lets them each encounter Pennywise and sorts through their respective demons — and, while each vignette has more than a few standout moments, the cycle quickly becomes repetitive. The approach also sucks much of the tension out of the picture. Audiences have seen the first film, are aware that 1989's Bill (Jaeden Martell), Richie (Finn Wolfhard), Beverley (Sophia Lillis) and company survive until the events of this movie, and know that a big group showdown pitting the 2017 gang against their nemesis is inevitable. As a result, as visually effective as these blasts from the past prove, they're the narrative equivalent of treading water. IT circa 2017 was always at its strongest when it was inciting coulrophobia, as aided by Skarsgård's exceptionally demented performance, plus a clown car full of well-crafted special effects. For all the added star power that IT: Chapter Two boasts, the same remains true here. Individual images lodge themselves in the mind — Pennywise' deranged grin, fortune cookies morphing into attacking critters and a mirror maze altercation that's as disturbed as the one featured in Us earlier this year — more than anything else in the movie. Indeed, despite the big names joining the cast, this isn't an actor or character-driven picture. The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby co-stars McAvoy and Chastain aren't given much room to unleash their talents, though they fare better than their last dismal pairing in X-Men: Dark Phoenix. In Ransome, Mustafa and Neighbours alumni Ryan's case, they're all tasked with sticking to a single type (neurotic, paranoid and, with the latter, sensitive and unexpectedly attractive). And while the ever-likeable Hader fares best, it's primarily because Richie is now a stand-up comic, so the actor is firmly in familiar territory. Even when IT: Chapter Two overtly attempts to address its struggles and pre-empt any criticism, it can't convincingly hit the mark. Being stuck reliving history sits at the very core of the movie, yet the notion is undermined by Muschietti's willingness to let his adult actors largely ape their teen counterparts, rather than add flesh to their shared protagonists. With Bill specifically, the character is now a King surrogate who has a problem with endings, which'd be a solid joke if the film didn't tussle with wrapping things up just like the prolific author does. That misstep also points to something rather terrifying: in today's sequel and franchise-friendly world, this horror saga probably won't end here, even though it has expended its source material. Nightmares recur, of course, but they're rarely as routine as IT: Chapter Two whenever its unbalanced boogeyman is out of sight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBO1dO1a4ro
When news hit that Studley Park Boathouse was getting a $5.8-million revamp, including brand-new dining options and a multi-level riverside deck, we were understandably excited. Now, we have an opening date for the historic boathouse: Studley Park Boathouse will reopen to the public on Thursday, 31 August, unveiling a new cafe, restaurant, pizzeria, gelato cart and outdoor dining deck along the Yarra. Australian Venue Co. (Yarra Botanica, Fargo & Co, BrewDog Pentridge) has worked closely with Parks Victoria on the transformation to protect and enhance the heritage site. "Studley Park Boathouse is a beloved part of Melbourne's history, so it was important to us to preserve its character while revitalising it for the modern Melbourne community. We look forward to welcoming locals and visitors back to the revitalised space," Australian Venue Co. CEO Paul Waterson says. On the bill: a sun-filled dining room offering a leafy outlook overlooking the Yarra River and parkland. Boasting floor-to-ceiling windows, a sophisticated yet sensible interior is promised, with touches of rattan, white timber and natural hues to tie the space together. Small and large plates run to the likes of hiramasa kingfish tartare with apples and chives, Lilydale free-range chicken and a 'Tipsy Trifle' which combines baileys, fig leaf custard, cherries and strawberries. Image: Render, supplied The wine list leans local, championing an entirely Victorian menu sourced within 100km of Studley Park Boathouse. Sip through 16 wine-by-the-glass options, or opt for a seasonal tasting paddle that will showcase drops from the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Geelong, Heathcote and the Pyrenees in spring. Downstairs, residents familiar with the former kiosk will find it revamped as the Pavilion bar, which extends to a large, al fresco dining area and riverside dining deck. A pizzeria will serve eight different woodfired options, including a charred pumpkin and ricotta number, meatballs with blue cheese, or chorizo paired with n'duja and roasted peppers. Meanwhile, a redesigned cafe named The Perch will cater brunch on weekends. All food and bevvy options are available at any location throughout the revamped Studley Park, so you can pick your favourite spot to perch and spend the afternoon tasting through the offerings. Picnic packages complete with blanket hire and a new 'Row-sé' package bundles together boat hire, glasses of rosé, pizza and gelato. The team is also preparing to host a line-up of pop-up events and live entertainment throughout the year, including live music on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. To celebrate the opening, guests to Studley Park Boathouse on weekends between 2–4pm across 2–17 September will snag a complimentary welcome drink on arrival, free slices of roaming pizza and complimentary boat hire sessions. Kids can also score free ice-cream all day on weekends. [caption id="attachment_894549" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Render, supplied[/caption] Studley Park Boathouse is set to reopen on Thursday, August 31. Head along between 2–4pm, between 2–17 September, to score a complimentary welcome drink on arrival, free slices of roaming pizza and complimentary boat hire sessions. Kids can also score free ice-cream all day on weekends. Images: Flickr, Alpha, renders - supplied.
The Mornington Peninsula wine region produces some mighty fine pinots, and its many producers come together to celebrate these tasty drops every Labour Day weekend. Join them at the Flinders Yacht Club on Sunday, March 10 from 12–3pm and try the best of the bunch. It's like Pinot Palooza but by the sea. All tasters are included in the $40 entry ticket, as is a Riedel tasting glass. If a taste just isn't enough, though, glasses and bottles will also be available for purchase. Apart from the wine, there'll be pop-up food stalls from George Bass Cafe, Calamari Brothers, Harry's Conchilia and Flinders Sourdough. You'll be kept entertained by Melbourne guitarist Rob Papp, and the club's annual yacht race, which will also take place on the day. Tickets are available online or at the door until sold out.
Almost a decade and a half after the Marvel Cinematic Universe first reached screens and began to change blockbuster entertainment as we know it, it can often seem like its sprawling range of interconnected films and TV shows has featured every actor ever. We'd start naming stars, but there's just so many. And the next show headed to the comic book company's television ranks — and set to stream via Disney+, obviously — definitely won't change that feeling, given that it features Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke. In Moon Knight, Isaac (The Card Counter) plays the eponymous figure — and yes, from the MCU's Phase Four ranks (because Marvel splits its movies and series into phases depending on where the overarching story is at the time), this'll be the first Disney+ series that doesn't overtly tie in with characters we've already seen in plenty of its past flicks. So, if it all sounds unfamiliar after the last year served up WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and Hawkeye, there's a very good reason for that. On the page, Moon Knight dates back to 1975 — and, on-screen, hasn't ever gotten the live-action treatment until now. Also known as Marc Spector, the character is an ex-marine who has a dissociative identity disorder as well as a sleeping disorder, and also becomes the conduit for the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Already dealing with multiple distinctive identities and not being able to tell the difference between being awake and asleep, the latter run-in doesn't go down smoothly, unsurprisingly. Just how that'll turn out for this Isaac-starring version of the figure won't be seen until Wednesday, March 30, when Moon Knight will start hitting Disney+ — but the first trailer for the six-part series has just dropped to give everyone a glimpse in the interim. Isaac plays frantic, stressed and panic well, and not only because he plays almost everything well (see also: last year's Scenes From a Marriage and Dune). And this sneak peek both gets twisty and teases out the show's premise. As for Hawke (The Good Lord Bird), he's the villain of the piece, and is seen drawing a crowd, looking like a cult leader and encouraging Marc to embrace the voice inside his head. Moon Knight boasts impressive talent behind the camera, too, with The Endless and Synchronic's Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead directing. And yes, this is just the first of Marvel's 2022 TV shows, with She-Hulk starring Tatiana Maslany (Perry Mason) and he-hulk Mark Ruffalo, plus Ms Marvel and Nick Fury-focused series Secret Invasion, all likely to hit this year, too. Check out the Moon Knight trailer below: Moon Knight will be available to stream via Disney+ from Wednesday, March 30.
What's your idea of a perfect night out? If it's a casual wander through Melbourne's 'Paris End', stopping by the city's best cocktail bars, with a passport that gets stamped as you go, that's exactly what you'll get with the Melbourne Walking Whisky Tour. A premium bar hop experience for whisky lovers, run Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday every week by The Speakeasy Group and The Glenlivet Whisky. The night kicks off at glamorous oyster and cocktail bar, Pearl Diver, before hitting up local favourite, Nick & Nora's, and finishing at Eau-de-Vie. At each stop, you'll be treated to a Glenlivet whisky cocktail, a 15ml nip of whisky and a gourmet snack. You'll also get a special passport to guide your journey, complete with a snippet of The Glenlivet and venue history, and a stamp at each venue. Interested? There are two ways to take the tour. You can go your own way with the $120 self-guided option (perfect as a gift or a fancy date night out). Or for an extra $250 per group, you can book a guided experience for eight to 15 people and have a whisky connoisseur host your group, sharing tales of Melbourne's bar scene and expert whisky tips as you go. The Melbourne Walking Whisky Tour runs Tuesday to Thursday, starting at Pearl Diver. Self-guided vouchers are available via the Speakeasy Group website. Or call (03) 8393 9367 to enquire about a guided group experience. Images courtesy of the Speakeasy Group By Jac Kennedy
Whatever you're doing this weekend — gardening, partying, doing your tax return — you're going to need a killer soundtrack. This is that soundtrack. <a href="http://fbiradio.bandcamp.com/album/song-reader-sydney-sessions" mce_href="http://fbiradio.bandcamp.com/album/song-reader-sydney-sessions">Song Reader Sydney - Sessions by Aidan Roberts</a> 1. AIDAN ROBERTS - NOW THAT YOUR DOLLAR BILLS HAVE SPROUTED WINGS Last year, American indie hero Beck released an album called Song Reader. Nothing exciting there, except that he released it as sheet music only, the idea being that to listen to the music, you needed to be a part of a community, and to sit around with musician friends and create the music together. Beck's imagining of a community inspired a small, dedicated group of Australian music industry folk to put on a show late last year, where the likes of Sarah Blasko, Jonathan Boulet, Josh Pyke and Caitlin Park came together to play the 'album' in full. Now, some six months later, our friends at Sydney's FBi Radio have released perhaps the world's first full Song Reader album, available on iTunes and via FBi's Bandcamp page. And they are doing it for charity, with all money raised going to the Sydney Story Factory — an organisation that encourages and fosters creative writing among marginalised and disadvantaged young people. This — from Aidan Roberts of The Maple Trail and Belles Will Ring — is just beautiful and heartbreaking and all those wonderful words. (Oh, and that wailing guitar noise you hear in the background? That's local legend Brian Campeau dragging kitchen scissors across his guitar strings.) 2. PAPA - YOUNG RUT They haven't even released an album yet, but PAPA are a group to keep an eye on. The two-piece from Los Angeles make perfect indie-pop, but there's always something fascinating going on just on the edges that stops it sinking in to dullness. On 'Young Rut' it's those guitars in the chorus that crash in and transform the song from mid-tempo and forgettable to urgent, driving and absolutely indispensable. And more than one reviewer has noted a touch of the Springsteen in drummer/singer Darren Weiss's voice. It's time to hop on board the PAPA bandwagon, because they're pulling outta here to win. 3. KANYE WEST / TAME IMPALA - BLACK SKINHEAD vs. ELEPHANT In case you hadn't noticed, Kanye West recently released a new album. Whatever you think of him as a human being, there's no question that his desperate need to be A Serious Artist has led to some of the best hip hop of the past decade — 'Jesus Walks', 'Stronger', almost all of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, 'Gold Digger', 'Touch The Sky', and so many more. 'Black Skinhead' is another such song, one that seems to be tearing down everything Kanye has built up around him: gold chains, designer clothes, even his own celebrity. And this mashup — essentially just Kanye's vocals over Tame Impala's 'Elephant' — works really well and demonstrates that Kanye really can do anything, even if that is rapping over an Australian psych/rock band. 4. JESSICA PRATT - HOLLYWOOD Originally released at the end of 2012 in the US, Jessica Pratt's self-titled debut has only just made its way to our sunny shoes. But it's well worth the wait. 'Hollywood' recalls nothing more than the folk of the late 1960s, Pratt sounding for all the world like Joan Baez, or a young Joni Mitchell. With just a guitar and her voice Pratt presents incredibly vivid descriptions of the world around her, and manages to capture the excitement and confusion of being young and arriving in a new city, redolent with possibilities. If you enjoyed the Laura Marling track we featured here a few weeks ago, then you will absolutely love this. https://youtube.com/watch?v=unNa-9qGkfI 5. NEKO CASE - MAN You might know Neko Case from The New Pornographers or from her amazing solo albums (if you don't, you need a copy of Twin Cinema and Middle Cyclone right this second), and she's always seemed like that one awesome older sister/aunt/friend you always wished you had: wry, badass and full of knowledge of the ways of the world. And now she's back with her newest solo album, The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You. The title might be hard work, but the record won't be: Case's combination of country, indie, folk and rock and roll influences has led to a handful of absolutely essential albums, with her beautiful, clear, bell-like voice able to adapt itself to the music. She's also a shredding guitarist, gives no fucks, and once revealed on Spicks and Specks that her grandmother was one of America's first professional female wrestlers. All the types of rad.
Melbourne loves itself some culture. We are a City of Literature. We have all the artistic acronyms in the land: NGV, ACCA, MWF, EWF, HMT, CCP. We have that one guy in Degraves Street subway who's always doing covers of 'Wonderwall'. What a champ. But if there's one thing we all hold close to our art-lovin' hearts it's the Melbourne Festival. From October 11–27, our fine city becomes host to a whole new crop of international artistic talent, and while the full program is impressive, it's also a little unwieldy. No one person could see it all. So, we've made a little list to get you through — from neon discotheques to harmonicas carved from handguns. This year's festival really does cater to all tastes. Life and Times: Episodes 1-4 Imagine your autobiography — meaningless, small, incomplete, full of diversions and 'ums' and 'likes' — was turned into a play. That went for 24 hours. Who'd watch that? Well, it turns out, if you're Kristin Worral of the Nature Theatre of Oklahoma, hundreds of thousands of people all over the world, who then rave about it as if possessed. The New Yorker calls you "a masterpiece" and the Guardian gives you all the stars. The Nature Theatre of Oklahoma (who are from NY; their name comes from a Kafka novel) are trying to remake everything we know about theatre, and for a company so experimental, they're also eminently watchable. The idea is that with each episode, the form shifts — from a musical to an '80s pop video, a murder mystery, an animated film and an illuminated manuscript. The first ten hours of Life and Times will be featuring at Melbourne Festival (the rest are still being developed), which you can watch over three nights or in one marathon performance broken up by a barbecue and snacks. October 22-26; Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse ACTIVE CHILD Active Child is my 'night walking' music. That full ethereal voice, those hypnotic synth-laden hooks, and the harp — oh, the harp. It perfectly suits that surreal yet peaceful journey between your last pint, the cold wind, and a warm bed. But as much as I love these intimate headphone sessions, this performance at the Melbourne Recital Centre is going to be a much more impressive spectacle. Active Child's live recordings really showcase the talents of lead man, Pat Grossi, and his technical prowess is sure to deliver an enriching and ethereal performance when translated to a big stage. In a Melbourne Festival exclusive, he will also be premiering tracks from his unreleased second album, as well as old favourites from 2011's You Are All I See. Supported by local talent Oliver Tank, this will be a show to tell your friends about — and maybe relive through your iPod on the walk home. October 26; Melbourne Recital Centre Tacita Dean: FILM 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. October 10 to November 24; ACCA AN EVENING WITH YO LA TENGO Listening to Yo La Tengo is like hanging out with an old friend. It's comforting, calming and you can't help but get nostalgic. With 13 albums to their name — count 'em — Yo La Tengo are one of the true bastions of indestructible indie rock, and they're sure to draw a crowd of diehards at this one-off show. But the evening won't all be spent dwelling on the total glory of their 1997 classic I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One. Their newest album, Fade, was released in January this year, and is proving itself testament to their adaptability and ongoing popularity. For those that like the sound of all this hype, but are maybe too young to know the full story, here's a cheat sheet to get you up to speed. You'll fit in with the diehards in no time. October 18; The Arts Centre Minsk 2011: A Reply to Kathy Acker In Australia, it's common to think of theatre as a safe diversion for a small elite. Not so in Belarus, where theatre is dangerous, and the political ensemble Belarus Free Theatre is outlawed. Instead of performing for their countrymen, then, they travel the world, doing works like Minsk 2011, a combo critique of and love song to their home city. With a particular focus on underground subcultures and sexual policing under a dictatorship, their work is renowned for being inventive rather than polemic, and of striking a note of hope. This is theatre on the edge. October 24-27; Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio WERK The description of this event makes it sound like the greatest thing ever. When I read that it's a "late-night haze of neon and performance, live art, and discotheque", all I could think of is this. Irish theatre dynamos THISISPOPBABY — the ones behind this enigmatic cluster of buzzwords and fluro-fantasia — look like they know their way around both a stage and a dancefloor, so something fantastic is sure to go down. I know this is a vague description, but when an event is forced to describe itself as a 'happening', it's best to go in with an open mind. That way when you walk out half-covered in spandex, sweat, and someone else's body glitter, you can aptly remark "Well, that happened." October 26; Foxtel Festival Hub URBAN CHAMBER - BEYOND The Melbourne Festival is known for its endorsement of experimental music, but this one is a doozie. Combining young local hip-hop artists with classical chamber music, dance, and performance poetry, the event is described as both a "multi-cultural ode to Melbourne" and a "hip-hop/classical throw down". That's a lot to digest. The kids from the MASSIVE hip-hop choir look really exciting though, and we'd love to see how it all comes together. At worst it could be a bit confusing, but at best it could be a really unique and entertaining hybrid — it's exactly the kind of adventurous project festivals like this should be supporting. October 25 and 26; Melbourne Recital Centre DISARM Because 'Make Love, Not War' is so over, Pedro Reyes latest exhibition has suggested a new alternative: make music! It may be a simple premise, but the result is amazing. Using discarded weapons confiscated by the Mexican army, Reyes has created a grand total of 47 very unique instruments. Electric guitars, violins, flutes, and intriguing hybrids — all fashioned out of artillery. Of course, it has a pretty hefty political bent, but when it comes down to it there's a simple joy in watching someone play a harmonica carved out of a handgun. Keep an eye on the Melbourne Festival site to find out when the concert's going to be (oh yeah, that's happening), and check out Pedro Reyes' free talk on October 13 to hear more about it. October 12 -27; NGV International Room of Regret Amid all of the international superstars flying in, some of the most unmissable events are from locals. Newly commissioned pieces from popular indie companies THE RABBLE (with Room of Regret) and the Daniel Schlusser Ensemble (with M+M) will play at Theatre Works. Both works take a classic text as the subject for their boundary-pushing inventions. Staged in a labyrinthine network of corridors, Room of Regret will do Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray as seen through a Hall of Mirrors, while M+M is an adaptation of Mikhael Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita that introduces some equally dark references from contemporary Russia. M+M: October 8-13; Room of Regret: October 21-19; Theatre Works TANDERRUM This year's festival will be opened with a traditional tanderrum — a welcoming ceremony from elders of the Kulin nations granting permission for guests to use the land and resources. However, this won't be any ordinary Welcome to Country; the tanderrum will be orchestrated by the Ilbijerri Theatre Company and will include music and performance, as well as rich storytelling which adheres strongly to the traditions of the land. Once the ceremony is complete, Archie Roach will be performing a free concert with a 10-piece band. All on the wide, open grounds of Fed Square, the evening promises to be a respectful and community-oriented first note for a festival that showcases talent from all over the world. October 11; Federation Square THE SONIC FLOCK Have you ever been at a gig with an awkwardly small number of audience members? Felt like they were just playing for you? Well, if this was a feeling you enjoyed, you're going to love what the Click Clack Project has lined up. Over the first two days of the festival, Federation Square will be littered with a series of small black teepees, and inside of each, an artist will be performing to an enthralled audience of one. While admittedly terrifying — oh god, what facial expression am I making / how are they maintaining eye contact with me while playing the flute?* — it also sounds a little amazing. Check it out on Saturday for Shadow Tales performed by the Footscray Community Arts Centre, or head down on Sunday if Japanese sound art is more your thing. *We really can't guarantee anyone will be playing the flute. October 12-13; Atrium at Federation Square Teenage Riot/All That Is Good You don't truly realise how parental and limiting adult writers can be towards children until you've seen the works of Belgian youth theatre group Ontroerend Goed. Their self-devised pieces are anarchic, freeform, funny, dramatic, frequently loud and generally unpredictable. The seminal Once and for all we're gonna tell you who we are so shut up and listen has now spiralled out into a trilogy that somewhat progresses through the stages of youth. Melbourne Festival 2013 gets the later, angstier chapters. Teenage Riot has eight teenagers trapped in a room inflict twisted games on each other, and recording it on camera, while All That Is Wrong has single writer/performer Anna Jakoba Ryckewaert, 18, undertake a more introspective coming-of-age — what Melbourne Festival are calling "a final, poignant dispatch from the consuming borderland between youth and adulthood". October 15-20; Arts Centre, Fairfax Studio By Meg Watson and Rima Sabina Aouf
Your Christmas dessert game is already looking super strong this year, whether you like the sound of Piccolina's decadent gelato cake, Messina's OTT trifle or perhaps a liquid sugar rush courtesy of Four Pillars' cult Christmas pudding gin. But wait — there's more. The good folk at Black Star Pastry have entered the ring with their own festive creation — a limited-edition layered number dubbed First Snow. It's the brand's first foray into Christmas treats in a few years and it's hitting all the right notes. Inspired by the idea of a snow-capped white Christmas, the cake boasts layers of milk sponge, white chocolate and elderflower cream, spliced with a Griottine (boozy macerated cherries) compote and set atop a base of roasted wafer. A snowfall of white chocolate tops it all off, along with a forest scene featuring hand-carved chocolate 'pine cones', fresh cherries, fondant snowflakes and white chocolate ice shards. If you're craving a white Christmas, this should certainly hit the spot. They're whipping up First Snow in two different sizes, depending on how big (and hungry) your Christmas crew is — the four-portion serve clocks in at $48, while the ten-portion is $92. And given how Black Star's creations usually land, you'll probably want to be quick to secure one. Pre-orders open on Monday, December 5, with pick-ups available from all Melbourne and Sydney stores between Thursday, December 22–Saturday, December 24. [caption id="attachment_872534" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Black Star St Kilda[/caption] You can pre-order Black Star's First Snow cake online from December 5. Collection is available from all of the brand's Aussie stores — Newtown, Sydney CBD, Rosebery, Moore Park, Chadstone and St Kilda.
Call it fate, call it destiny, call it feeling so deeply that you were always meant to cross paths with another person that no other outcome could ever be conceivable: in Korean, that sensation is in-yeon. Call it having a connection that sprawls yet binds like an endless piece of string, always linking you to someone no matter how far apart you each wander: stretch that out over many, many lifetimes and, yes, that is in-yeon as well. Watching Past Lives, which references the kismet-esque concept both in its three-part story and its title, gives viewers a brush with in-yeon, too. Writer/director Celine Song's feature debut is that affecting; that vivid, evocative and haunting; that alive with been-there-lived-that energy. Wading through layers of love, identity, roads taken and not, and the versions of ourselves that we are at each fork, Past Lives is that acutely able to make a very specific experience mirror everyone's experiences. Partway through the film, aspiring playwright and writer Nora (Greta Lee, Russian Doll) talks through in-yeon with fellow scribe Arthur (John Magaro, The Many Saints of Newark). She shares that in-yeon lingers with everyone that you meet, the very act of making one's acquaintance signifying that you've done so before — and if two people become lovers, it's because they've kept falling into step in life after life. As Nora speaks, Past Lives' audience are well-aware of an unshakeable truth, as is the movie's central figure: that she knows in-yeon in her bones. Indeed, this is what Song's sublime feature is about from its first frames to its last in every way that it can be. With Arthur, Nora jokes that in-yeon is something that Koreans talk about when they're trying to seduce someone. There's zero lies in her words, because she's working that move right there and then, and she'll end up married to him. But with her childhood crush Hae Sung (Teo Yoo, Decision to Leave), who she last saw at the age of 12 because her family then moved from Seoul to Toronto, in-yeon explains everything. That one perfect term sums up Nora and Hae Sung's firm friendship as kids, as chronicled in Past Lives' first third. As pre-teens, the duo (Voice of Silence's Moon Seung-ah and Good Deal's Leem Seung-min) are virtually inseparable — walking home from school together daily, competing over grades, bantering with effortless rapport — until half a globe separates them. Then, when they reunite in their 20s via emails and Skype calls after 12 years without each other, Past Lives' crucial word also describes their instant spark and pull. The latter is so magnetic that they're basically dating without saying it, and while he's still in South Korea but she's now in New York. Next, it captures the complicated emotions that swell when Nora and Hae Sung are finally in the same place together again after decades. Arthur is in the picture by then and, ever-adaptable, in-yeon even encapsulates that development. If Past Lives didn't leave its viewers certain to their core about its emotional authenticity, that'd be a greater surprise than how strongly and tenderly it resounds. The Korean-born Song also emigrated to Canada with her parents at the same point in her life as Nora. While she hasn't made a strictly autobiographical work, there's fact dwelling behind this fiction. Her picture would pair astoundingly well with Minari and Aftersun, in fact. In its way, leaping in souls and minds rather than through realms, it's a multiverse tale and companion to Everything Everywhere All At Once also. Feeling so intimately applicable to the characters loving, living, immigrating, yearning and growing within its frames, and yet echoing so universally, is that always-sought-after holy grail of storytelling feats. Although her film hones in on the heart — on-and off-screen alike — as it gets poetic and philosophical (and delivers a Big Apple-set Before Sunrise/Before Sunset/Before Midnight sequence), that Song studied psychology and once planned to become a therapist isn't astonishing to learn. Each time that Nora and Hae Sung slide back into each other's existences, a dozen years have passed, but it feels no time at all for both. Still, that sentiment can't and doesn't smooth their way onwards. Fittingly, Past Lives is crafted to resemble slipping into a memory, complete with patient looks and visuals (Skate Kitchen and Small Axe cinematographer Shabier Kirchner lenses) and a transportingly evocative score (by Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear, which gives the picture a bond with the also-heartwrenching Blue Valentine and its own knotty romance). This feature knows every emotion that springs when you need someone and vice versa, but life has other plans. It feels the weight of the trails left untrodden, even when you're happy with the route you're on. It understands what it's like to be see your past, plus the present and future it could've influenced, shimmering in front of your eyes. Past Lives is a film about details — spying them everywhere, in Nora and Hae Sung's lives and in their faces, while recognising how the best people in anyone's orbits spot them as well. Of course every second appears meticulous, then, but also equally dreamy and ripped from reality. Of course Lee, Yoo and Magaro are each magnificent, as is this entire sensitive, blisteringly honest and complex masterpiece. Lee charms Nora's two love interests and Past Lives' viewers in tandem, in a sincere and sharp performance as a woman who is as witty as she is wistful while grappling with who she is. Yoo hops from the best movie of 2022 to what'll be difficult to beat as the best of 2023 with quiet dedication and potency. And Magaro plays adoring, accepting but never elementary; Arthur knows how intricate the situation is, so his way through is just that, through, gleaning his part in helping Nora and Hae Sung be who they need to. Contemplating what's written in the stars also involves contemplating beginnings and endings, even when in-yeon has cycles and reincarnations all a-fluttering. Again, Song fashions Past Lives to embody all that it muses on, including via an opening that's utterly immaculate and a closing scene that's breathtakingly divine. Both are also unforgettable. To start, jumping forward before going backwards, Nora, Arthur and Hae Sung sit at a bar. Her body language is all about her lifelong friend, as fellow drinkers peering on comment on; regardless of how things appear, though, only Nora, Arthur and Hae Sung can ever truly grasp their own full story. To wrap up, simply walking and waiting is so impeccably considered and staged, down to the direction that events flow in across the screen, that they say everything about advancing, retreating and wishing you were doing one while going through the other. Past Lives is a movie to lose yourself in, and gloriously; a film to fall head over feels for, and fast; like it feels fated to be, it's also just extraordinary.
It's hard to say where Sydney's dining scene is headed at the moment, but one thing's for sure — fine dining is fading. While the opening of swanky-but-casual eateries like Restaurant Hubert, Mercado and Bistrot Gavroche in Sydney and Ôter and Entrecôte in Melbourne suggest an era of European bistros, in the last few weeks alone we've had news that Sydney's Sepia and Marque will be closing, and Andrew McConnell's Moon Under Water will be transforming into a more casual Chinese eatery. The latest to flick away the fine dining title? Neil Perry's Rockpool Est. 1989. In a statement released this morning, owners Perry and Trish Richards announced they will be closing their flagship restaurant on Saturday, July 30. They won't be moving out of the space though — they'll reopen just over a week later on Monday, August 8 as the more casual, a la carte Eleven Bridge. "Rockpool has been our flagship restaurant for almost three decades," said Perry. "We're moving away from that traditional concept of fine dining but maintaining all the elements that are crucial to great dining; excellent produce and service, and a contemporary style." For anyone confused, Rockpool Est. 1989 is the one located on Bridge Street in Sydney's CBD. Part of the reason for decided to close the restaurant is that their second Sydney venue, Rockpool Bar & Grill, is located super close by on Hunter Street. Perry also has another Rockpool Bar & Grill in Melbourne's Crown complex. So for anyone looking to have one last (or first) steak at the almost-thirty-year-old restaurant, you've only got two more months to do so. Godspeed. Rockpool Est. 1989's last service will be dinner Saturday, 30 July, with Eleven Bridge opening on Monday, 8 August. For more info or to make a booking, visit rockpool.com.
Dig out the Thai fisherman pants from the back of your closet, Woodford Folk Festival is back for another year. If you've never been, Woodford is the perfect place to disconnect from the daily grind, become one with nature (read: mud) and check out some of Australians best musicians with a chilled and festive vibe. This year's offering is no exception; the recently released lineup has 'best summer ever' written all over it. Festival mainstays like The Cat Empire and Lior will be back once again. They will also be joined by an A-list crowd of Australian ladies like Kate Miller-Heidke, Bertie Blackman, and Mia Dyson. But the real crowdpleaser will come from The Violent Femmes. Who wouldn't want to listen to 'Blister in the Sun' while dancing in the wilderness in the height of summer? Bliss. Though The Violent Femmes may be a little past their prime, there will also be a bunch of up and coming musicians on stage. Husky and Hiatus Kaiyote will be representing Melbourne talent and The Cairos will be playing to what's basically a home crowd. With over 400 acts jammed into the full program, Woodford is all about discovering new sounds. As well as music, the festival covers visual arts, circus, comedy, vaudeville and dance. Set up camp, let your hair get knotty, and roam the makeshift tarpaulin towns of this super chilled festival. It's time to channel your inner hippy. Woodford Folk Festival is on from December 27 - January 1. Tickets are on sale now. Lineup highlights Archie Roach Bertie Blackman The Cairos The Cat Empire Christine Anu Darren Middleton (ex-Powderfinger) Del Barber The East Pointers Hiatus Kiayote Husky Jeff Lang Jenn Grant John Smith Kate Miller-Heidke Lau Led Kaapana Lior Matt Anderson Mia Dyson Nahko and Medicine for the People Shooglenifty Sticky Fingers Tiny Ruins The Topp Twins Violent Femmes We Two Thieves Via Music Feeds.
Heads up, Mother's Day is just one week away. Yep, you can pucker up on our tootsies later. But there's pressie planning afoot, and we've found quite the showstopper for your dear ol' Mumsie this year thanks to Gelato Messina. Never one to miss an opportunity to experiment with new ways to inhale gelato, Messina have been cooking up quite the delicate novelty dessert for Mum: a Italian-inspired chocolate box of gelato-filled nibbles. Each box comes with 12 handmade chocolate and gelato bon bons; best enjoyed with opera blaring in the background, with a strong, black cup of coffee and a shoulder massage. Go on, your mum put up with you through puberty, you owe her one massage. So which crazy tell-your-friends flavours have Messina come up with for their bitty bon bons? There's six in total, each more decadent than the last: blood peach sorbet with rosewater gel, roasted banana gelato with white chocolate ganache, mandarin puree with salted butter caramel gelato, hazelnut and coffee gelato with roasted hazelnuts, wild strawberry sorbet with pistachio praline and (wait for it) shiraz sorbet with dark chocolate ganache and popping candy. If you can find us something that says 'perfect Mother's Day gift' better than shiraz sorbet bon bons, we'll eat this empty bon bon box. The Messina chocolate and gelato bon bon boxes are going for $39 a box (with a cute little card), available to order from Monday, May 4. They're available for collection from May 8-10 from Darlinghurst, Miranda and Parramatta stores in Sydney, as well as the Fitzroy and Coolangatta stores.
Over the past few years, Gelatissimo has whipped up a number of creative flavours, including frosé sorbet, ginger beer gelato, Weet-Bix and fairy bread varieties, hot cross bun gelato and even gelato for dogs. For its latest offering, the Australian dessert chain is taking inspiration from other sweet treats — in case you can't choose between tucking into a frosted cinnamon scroll or licking your way through a few scoops of ice cream. Yes, that very combination is now on the menu, all as part of Gelatissimo's deluxe range. Just launching this week, its frosted cinnamon scrolls flavour is made from cinnamon, vanilla and cream cheese gelato. It's then filled with chunks of soft cinnamon scrolls and topped with cream cheese icing, with the scrolls and icing made by Sonoma Baking Company. Gelatissimo has also added a fudgy choc chunks and raspberries flavour as well, which is exactly what it sounds like. You'll bite into chocolate and raspberry gelato, then find whole chocolate fudge chunks made by Yarra Valley's Fudge by Rich inside. It also comes with a thick chocolate sauce made from cocoa butter, as well as a raspberry sauce. The two newcomers join a lineup that already includes double choc brownie, cookie dough, choc-dipped strawberries and New York cheesecake, should your dessert-loving tastebuds need a few more mashup options. Gelatissimo's deluxe range focuses on chunky gelato made with locally sourced ingredients — and while the two new flavours are now available nationwide, they're only on offer for a limited time, although the chain hasn't specified an exact period. Gelatissimo's frosted cinnamon scrolls and fudgy choc chunks and raspberries gelato flavours are available from all stores nationwide for a limited time.
Downton Abbey has always been the TV equivalent of a cup of tea: warm, soothing, a tad sugary, but reliably serving up an escape from everyday woes. Airing for six seasons from 2010–15, the 1920s-set British TV series was a hit for many reasons, letting audiences get lost in the soapy intrigue of a lavish Yorkshire mansion chief among them. That, and watching Maggie Smith sling barbs, make quips, and put anyone in their place, a skill that the veteran actor wields oh-so-well. It's been nearly four years between sips, but both the show and its beloved octogenarian are back. They're on the big screen this time around, however this is the epitome of a television movie. It's filled with everyone's favourite characters, hits all of the familiar marks, overflows with slim subplots that get wrapped up before the end credits, and leaves viewers feeling happy and cosy. With the film taking place in 1927, more than a year has passed for Downton Abbey's inhabitants, but it's business as usual at the titular manor. That's until royal news arrives, with King George V (Simon Jones) and Queen Mary (Geraldine James) planning to stop by for a visit. Naturally, excitement abounds among the aristocratic Crawley family and their loyal staff. It's the latter that have to weather the most obstacles, though. Dreaming of attending to Their Majesties, they soon discover that the Crown will be bringing their own servants with them. That's not the Downton Abbey way, of course, and the house's maids, butlers, cooks, footmen and the like won't give up their chance to shine for the kingdom without a fight. There's plenty of story to go around, and plenty of people to navigate the regal antics. Patriarch Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) isn't too fussed, and nor is his wife Cora (Elizabeth McGovern), although that's largely because their daughter, Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery), takes charge. His mother Violet (Smith) is spoiling to confront her cousin Maud (Imelda Staunton), who's also the Queen's lady-in-waiting, about an inheritance. Among the upstairs residents, Tom Branson (Allen Leech) gets the most interesting narrative arc — an ex-chauffeur who married into the family, and an Irish Republican, it's suspected that he may cause trouble during the royal stay. Downstairs, retired butler Carson (Jim Carter) has been asked back for the occasion, much to his replacement Barrow's (Rob James-Collier) dismay. Kitchen maid Daisy (Sophie McShera) isn't quite ready to plan her wedding to footman Andy (Michael C. Fox), and Mary's maid Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt) is on the trail of a thief. The list goes on, with more than 25 characters receiving substantial screen-time. Penned by Julian Fellowes, like all 52 episodes of the TV show, Downton Abbey takes the more-is-more approach. This cinematic last hurrah is packed with as much as it possibly can manage, which is great news for existing fans, but comes across as rushed for newcomers. No one gets too much attention, no storyline feels particularly important and there's little in the way of tension. The blueprint of each subplot gleams as obviously as the mansion's lavish surfaces, too, even when the movie keeps jumping from one minor drama to the next. Rather than telling a rousing new tale in a fleshed-out fashion, Fellowes and director Michael Engler are more concerned with letting Downton diehards spend a bit of extra time with the well-to-do crew and their kindly subordinates. The pair do just that, however that doesn't mean uninitiated viewers aren't catered for. Nearly two decades after winning a screenwriting Oscar for Gosford Park, actor-turned-writer Fellowes has become the fount of all knowledge regarding English upstairs-downstairs shenanigans — and even when he's keeping things light and slight, the results are enjoyable to watch. As well as possessing an ear for the rhythm of everyday banter among posh and ordinary folks alike, he understands the class clashes between them, plus the similarities that draw them together. He also knows and conveys a crucial fact: that the dynamic between the upper echelons and the help isn't as consigned to the past as it may seem. Downton Abbey is a historical fantasy where scant little changes, but there's a reason that the period program struck such a chord over the last decade. As the political landscape becomes more and more fractured around the globe, the series recognises society's divisions while leaning into comfort, safety and stability in a gentle and unchallenging manner. Comfort, at least visually, might just be an understatement. There isn't much to rationalise Downton Abbey's release in theatres instead of on TV (other than the likely box office windfall, that is), but the lavish costuming and grand set design look a treat on the silver screen. Indeed, other than Smith doing what the program has always tasked her with doing best, the film's imagery is the star of the show. While the rest of the cast perform exactly as they're asked — as is to be expected nine years after the series first premiered — this isn't an actor-driven affair. Really, it's a big hug goodbye in movie form, offering up a huge embrace to eager aficionados and giving a pleasant-enough squeeze to everyone else. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbV8LpEzYgQ
This time last year Tkay Maidza received a bunch of international attention for her release of 'Brontosaurus' (ft. Badcop). But to us, she sounded just like any another artist making miscellaneous party noises reminiscent of that act who plays those festivals we try to avoid. That being said, within the year she's developed into something special. Her latest EP Switch Tape offers '90s inspired breaks, with interesting production and confident vocal performances throughout. Adelaide's answer to Azealia Banks, Maidza brings so much energy to her recordings and we can't wait to see her on stage. After touring the UK and US, she's now returning home and hitting the road with a national tour for the new EP. Hitting up Sydeny's Chinese Laundry, Melbourne's 170 Russell and Brisbane's Alhambra Lounge, Maidza's sure to bring a pretty big party. Even Adelaide is getting some love — this local kid definitely has definitely done good.
Mandala Wines' rolling green Yarra Valley property promises a cracker of a setting for this Italian-style, al fresco feast. The winery's DiVino Ristorante will be working its magic to transform a haul of super local produce into a sumptuous three-course lunch, enjoyed with a side of vineyard views from the lush gardens. Starring alongside a lineup of the estate's own celebrated wines, the food menu features only ingredients sourced from within one kilometre of the restaurant. Pull up a sunny patch of turf and tuck into house-made cold cuts matched to blanc de blancs, and succulent porchetta off the spit-roast, teamed with pinot noir poured straight from the barrel. You'll finish in true Italian style, downing goat's cheese panna cotta and limoncello in the sunshine. Bring the whole gang — this one's a family-friendly affair, with ample room for running wild. Yarra Valley's Italian-Style Pig Party is part of Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Check out more of the festival's events here. Image: Mandala Wines, Visit Victoria.
The temperature is hovering somewhere around Antarctic levels in Melbourne, which means truffle season is officially here. To celebrate this year's harvest of expensive black fungus, Queen Victoria Market is hosting their annual truffle season party, and most traders are getting in on the action. This is your chance to pick up truffle oil, truffle salt, truffle butter, truffle honey and truffled truffles – the Truffle Melbourne stall in A Shed is selling pure black gold by the gram. Perhaps the pick of the bunch is the famous truffle toastie from all-Australian cheese shop, RIPE. It's back again this year for a limited-season run: golden brown sourdough stuffed with cheddar and mozzarella, topped with 12g of freshly shaved Australian truffle, then sprinkled with black truffle salt for good measure. If you get lost on the way to A Shed, just follow your nose. Truffle season at Queen Vic generally runs until the last truffle, so you've got a little while to catch this one. Check out the full program here. Images: supplied.
In its very first moments, BPM (Beats Per Minute) purposefully withholds details from the audience. Adopting the perspective of the film's unseen characters, the camera waits in the wings as a man gives a speech that isn't subtitled for viewers, until the deafening blast of an airhorn interrupts his talking. It's a jarring opening, but the movie is made all the more jolting by its second scene. Sat in a classroom with the Parisian members of HIV and AIDS activism group ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power), BPM positively swamps the audience with information as the group analyse their last public campaign and argue about their next mission. The chatter is loud, fast and passionate, discussing medical specifics, marketing tactics and everything in-between. To provide further detail, the film intertwines glimpses of their activist actions into their heated conversation. Starting the movie in such a fashion, writer-director Robin Campillo achieves several things. BPM's initial 15 minutes are an immersive onslaught completely by design, plunging viewers into a frenzied, hectic headspace. The two scenes give an indication of how the film will progress stylistically and tonally. More than that, they also ensure the audience truly appreciates the mindset of the characters — allowing viewers to not only watch, but to experience the chaos, anger and uncertainty for themselves. Campillo doesn't stop there, adding a third component. In an ecstatic club-set dance sequence that's as pivotal as everything that precedes it, the audience sees joyous faces moving to the music. After first showing viewers what it feels like to be ignored, then demonstrating the overwhelming nature of the fight for AIDS treatment in the early 1990s, BPM provides a crucial moment of catharsis. The sidelined, the relentless, the sublime — if Campillo's film has a rhythm, that's it. The movie also has a narrative, charting ACT UP's quest to secure medication at a time before HIV drugs were affordable and easily accessible, from a French government and a pharmaceutical industry that are apathetic at best and cruel at worst. As the group storms into conferences, throws fake blood during office invasions and employs other protest tactics, BPM gets to know several figures on a deeper level. Haemophiliac Marco (Theophile Ray) comes to meetings with his mother Helene (Catherine Vinatier). Organiser Sophie (Adele Haenel) advocates for diplomatic options. Jeremie (Ariel Borenstein) deteriorates, and quickly. Leader Thibault (Antoine Reinartz) and the AIDS-inflicted Sean (Nahuel Perez Biscayart) bicker about peaceful versus aggressive tactics — and Sean also falls for newcomer Nathan (Arnaud Valois), who isn't HIV-positive. Set to a soundtrack that flits from electronic beats to sorrowful piano, to the pleading chants of ACT UP taking to the streets, what emerges is a movie that's both intimate and expansive. Just as BPM's first scenes leave a definite imprint, so does the cumulative effect of its 143 minutes, weaving personal tales into a sprawling snapshot of a real-life movement. The reverse applies too, with the picture's broader view, particularly in its documentary-like moments, giving context to each character's struggle. It's little wonder that the cast's performances feel both intricate and part of something bigger, particularly Biscayart and Valois' efforts to convey Sean and Nathan's complex romance. Finding the right actors for the job — actors who can not only deliver stellar work, but can make their roles seem so real that you half expect them to walk off the screen — was one of the hallmarks of Campillo's last film, Eastern Boys. So was an astonishing command of mood and aesthetics, with every directorial choice keeping viewers glued to every frame. BPM shares those traits, but it also boasts something that's all its own: an unwavering, devastating sense of authenticity. Both the filmmaker and his co-writer Philippe Mangeot are alumni of ACT UP, as audiences could probably guess just by watching. A movie this well observed, this drenched in naturalism, this candid and poignant, can only spring from reality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4_79dnJeNU
As if we needed a reason to enjoy a bit of Mother's Ruin, this Saturday, June 11 is World Gin Day — and the team at Four Pillars are keen to mark the occasion. The Healesville distillery will play host to a big ol' boozy shindig, complete with food by Burn City Smokers and free samples from the entire Four Pillars range. They'll also be launching their new Bloody Shiraz Gin, which has been steeped in and blended with Shiraz grapes from the Yarra Valley. Open from 10.30am, the event will also feature Caroline from A Bit of Jam and Pickle, who'll dole out homemade scones topped with Four Pillars' Orange Marmalade. Burn City, meanwhile, will be slinging botanical-fed pulled pork rolls from their food truck parked out front. Naturally, the Four Pillars bar will be open for business, serving Negronis and G&Ts. Unfortunately the hands-on distilling lesson has already sold out — but on the plus side, that just means you'll have more time to drink.
Now in its third year, Harvest Festival has already established a name for itself in Australia's absurdly crowded festival market, pitching itself as 'a civilised gathering' for those disinclined to battle the marauding hordes at some of the larger summer festivals. But Harvest has also established itself as a destination for "serious" music fans, its first two lineups a compelling combination of household names (The Flaming Lips, The Family Stone, Beck and Grizzly Bear, to name but a few) and slightly more niche bands with small but fervent fan bases (Cake, The Walkmen, Los Campesinos! and Mike Patton's Mondo Cane prime examples). And this year's lineup continues the tradition, with superstars again rubbing shoulders with exciting up-and-comers, reunited indie heroes and longtime favourites. It remains to be seen how the vibe of the Sydney show will change as it shifts from the bushland sprawl of Parramatta Park to The Domain, but judging by the lineup no one is going to be complaining about the music! Here's the lineup for 2013, with more bands to come as we get closer to the date: Massive Attack Franz Ferdinand Primus! Goldfrapp Neutral Milk Hotel Desaparecidos (one of Conor Oberst's bands, he of Bright Eyes fame) Eels CSS The Drones Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Mutemath M Ward Superchunk The Wallflowers Walk Off The Earth Sunday, November 10 -Werribee Park, Melbourne Saturday, November 16 – The Domain, Sydney Sunday, November 17 – Botanic Gardens, Brisbane
Feeling hot, Melbourne? Well, you might want to embrace these soaring temperatures — or find yourself some solid air-con options — because we're only halfway through what's predicted to be the longest November heatwave in over 150 years. Summer's yet to arrive, but already the city's sweating through a seven-day stint of temperatures over 28 degrees — the first time that's happened in November since they started officially recording things back in 1855. #Melbourne is on track to have its first seven day spell of November days at or above 28 degrees on record, with data available back to 1855. — Weatherzone (@weatherzone) November 20, 2017 Temperatures are set to reach 32 degrees both today and tomorrow, and won't dip much below 20 degrees at night. Then, we're in for a sticky 33 degrees on Friday, before a rainy spell cool things down a bit over the weekend. Phew. Hobart is experiencing the same kind of unprecedented heat, with the Tasmanian city set to hit six consecutive days of at least 27 degrees by Thursday — at this time of year, the average temp is 19 degrees. Over in Adelaide, the temperature only dropped to 29 degrees on Monday night. This follows Sydney's record-breaking hot temperatures for July and, if we're honest, does not bode well for a comfortable summer. Image: udeyismail via Flickr.
The Bookwallah exhibition is a bit like a portable library, an art/design installation and a writers festival all in one. In November last year, six Australian and Indian writers went on a 2000km train ride across India with some pretty unique luggage: custom-made, kangaroo-skin suitcases filled with a variety of Australian literature. They had dinner and conversations with some of India's key writers and thinkers, visited some Indian literary festivals, and shared all the sights and adventures along the way on Facebook and Twitter. Now they're about to embark on an Australian tour, and the first stop is Melbourne. It's a chance for Australian readers to hear some of their stories from the journey, as well as see their luggage — which is much more interesting than it sounds. The suitcases, which were created by Australian and Indian designers Georgia Hutchison and Soumitri Varadarajan, fold out into bookcases and seats when they're opened, allowing visitors to browse and read in comfort.
Streaming platforms have become one of modern life's certainties, with new instances continuing to pop up all over the place. When Disney launches its own online streaming service, Disney+, fans of the company's Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars saga will have plenty to celebrate — and fans of Disney's animated film catalogue will now as well. Expected to launch later this year in the US — with details on availability elsewhere yet to be confirmed — Disney+ has already announced a heap of new content; however it's the full range of old favourites that'll take viewers back to their childhoods. The company has long maintained the 'Disney Vault', which involves releasing its beloved flicks on home entertainment formats for a limited time only, then taking them out of circulation. When Disney rolls out its own streaming platform, that tactic is set to end. Speaking at the company's annual meeting in St. Louis, CEO Bob Iger noted advised shareholders that "at some point fairly soon after launch, it will house the entire Disney motion picture library," as Vulture reports. To make his point clear, he went further: "so the movies that… traditionally have been kept in a vault and brought out basically every few years will be on the service," Iger explained. On the new front, Disney's recent flicks are also expected to be made available on Disney+, with subsequent cinema releases due to hit the service within a year of their big-screen release. The platform will also be home to not one but two small-screen Star Wars series, plus several Marvel series (and given that Disney owns both Lucasfilm and Marvel Entertainment, Disney+ will likely will boast an entire galaxy of shows related to each huge franchise). Fans of the George Lucas-created space opera can not only look forward to the $100 million Star Wars series The Mandalorian from The Jungle Book, Iron Man and Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau (and with Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi helming an episode), but also a new spin-off from Rogue One. The latter, called Cassian Andor, will be set before the events of the film and will focus on Diego Luna's Rebel spy, with the actor reprising his role from the movie. In the Marvel sphere, while rumours have been floating around for some time, Disney announced that Tom Hiddleston's trickster Loki will definitely be getting his own series. Just what storyline it'll follow, or when it'll be set, is yet to be revealed. That said, it's safe to assume that it might be a prequel series as well. Release dates for the three series haven't been unveiled either — and nor has any word on the other Marvel show that has long been rumoured, about Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch and Paul Bettany's Vision. Disney+ is definitely going big when it comes to bringing the company's well-known properties to the new streaming platform, with a High School Musical TV series, another show based on Monsters, Inc. and a live-action Lady and the Tramp movie also on its lineup. And while a big batch of the aforementioned existing Disney content is currently available on Stan in Australia, spanning movies and TV series, you can reasonably expect that that arrangement will be impacted by Disney+. Via Vulture.
In the 22 years since they formed out of Melbourne's underground scene, Eddy Current Suppression Ring haven't ever played a free headlining show — until September 2025 rolls around, that is. Whether you're a fan of Aussie Rules football or you just like an excuse for a public holiday, here's one way to spend this year's AFL Grand Final eve: catching the iconic band taking to the stage in Federation Square, putting on their first gig in nine years and doing so without punters needing to pay a cent. Over the years, Melbourne's Fed Square has hosted free concerts by the eclectic likes of Robbie Williams, Kneecap, Caribou, Glass Beams and more. Now, Eddy Current Suppression Ring are jumping onto that list. They'll take to the stage for their first major appearance since the garage-punk group's last-minute Dark Mofo set in 2016, and for their first headlining Melbourne show since playing The Palace in 2010. Word of the Friday, September 26, 2025 gig follows Eddy Current Suppression Ring's release of their new split 7-inch Shapes and Forms — and sees the group, aka Brendan Suppression, Eddy Current, Danny Current and Rob Solid, keep adding to a career that started after a jam session at a Melbourne vinyl pressing plant's Christmas shindig back in 2003. For company in Fed Square, the Australian Music Prize-winning and ARIA Award-nominated band will be joined by New York's EDAN and the Melbourne-based Wrong Way Up.
As part of a nationwide tour, Sarah Blasko will join Orchestra Victoria onstage to perform her boundary-obliterating fourth album, I Awake. Blasko has never been one to rest on her creative laurels and her new LP is no exception. Last year, she travelled to Sweden and Bulgaria, where she hooked up with the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra to record twelve tracks. Featuring rich string arrangements and a vocal performance that producer/musician Robert Cranny has described as her recorded “best”, I Awake has been inspiring four and five star reviews from the critics.
The Monash University Museum of Art will showcase Robert Smithson's radical land art from the 1960s and early 1970s in the first ever Australian exhibition of the hugely influential American artist's work. Running from July 21 to September 22, Time Crystals presents many of Smithson's key works of sculpture, film, photography, drawing, prints and texts. With the exhibition featuring almost entirely never-before-seen works in Australia, a collaboration between MUMA and The University of Queensland has successfully loaned Smithson's work from several major local and international institutions. Examining Smithson's massive land-based works and photography, Time Crystals includes many of the artist's personal sketches, preparatory drawings, correspondence, photographs and handwritten manuscripts, all of which detail the massive undertaking behind each os his works. The exhibition will also be accompanied by a half-day symposium and a three-part film program further considering the artist's legacy. Alongside his impressive creations, Smithson is credited with being one of the first artists to understand his work as project-driven, promoting a shift in the mindset of many artists of the time. Reflecting on his own work through writing, lecturing and curating, Smithson intensely considered the medium, location and language involved throughout his art projects. Image: Nancy Holt and Robert Smithson, shot by Gianfranco Gorgoni.
Connie's holds a place in every Melbourne night owl's heart, having spent the last five years slinging New York-style pizza until the wee hours from its hole-in-the-wall kitchen within Heartbreaker. Well now, our girl is moving on up, expanding into the space one level above her rock 'n' roll sibling, to gift us with Connie's Italian Diner & Rooftop Terrazza. Set to debut on Thursday, April 21, Made in the Shade Group's (The Everleigh, Bar Margaux) new incarnation of Connie's will take the form of a contemporary trattoria built on that classic Italian spirit of hospitality. It comes complete with tables draped in red-and-white checks, banquettes of red vinyl and walls adorned with vintage film posters. You'll spy a kitschy tank filled with tropical fish and a projector screen playing black-and-white Italian sitcoms. Like its pint-sized predecessor, the 100-seater takes name and inspiration from owner Michael Madrusan's beloved Nonna Connie. Here, that translates to a menu of traditional-leaning fare, which nods to Madrusan's memories growing up in his family's own Italian eateries. Helping to bring the vision to life is Head Chef Matteo D'Elia, who lists stints at Michelin Starred London restaurants Galvin at Windows and Bibendum on his resume. Expect to find yourself digging into classics like eggplant parmigiana, veal tonnato, lobster linguine and the now legendary Connie's 'Grandma Pies', while framed pictures of pop culture icons gaze on from the walls. There'll be a Sunday ragu, served family-style, and a tiramisu reimagined in ice cream sundae form. Meanwhile, the 'Terrazza' part of the new name references an adjoining leafy rooftop terrace, serving a weekend al fresco barbecue menu alongside Connie's usual a la carte lineup. Out here, you'll be able to match after-work aperitivo sessions with festoon lighting and city views. In true Made in the Shade form, the drinks offering is set to be a banger, with a range of top-notch classic sips and sparkling cocktails poured on tap or served by the bottle. A lineup of Italian vino comes courtesy of Bar Margaux sommelier Tom Smith. There's even a dance floor with a glittering disco ball for anyone looking to extend the Connie's fun post-dinner — a move that's set to be heavily encouraged. Find Connie's Italian Diner & Rooftop Terrazza upstairs at 234B Russell Street, Melbourne (above Heartbreaker), from April 21. It'll open from 5pm–late, Wednesday–Saturday.
After experiencing a whirlwind success with their debut EP Woodland, indie folk five-piece The Paper Kites are celebrating their shiny new offering Young North with a series of captivating shows. In the past The Paper Kites have toured with the likes of Boy & Bear and Josh Pyke. The new EP sees The Paper Kites retaining the qualities that brought them the love and admiration of their fans. With earthy-sounding instruments that serve as a perfect backdrop for their harmonic, strong and sensual voices, The Paper Kites maintain a romantic and whimsical vibe to their tracks and a raw energy to their live performances. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Y8A_8rbakgg
Storytelling becomes the story in this darkly comic French drama. Smudging fiction and reality together in clever, self-aware meta-narratives has become little more than a cinematic cliche, but director François Ozon makes it ring true. Angelic, teenaged Claude (Ernst Umhauer) is both a black sheep and a lost lamb. Enraptured with the perfect family of his best friend Rapha (Bastien Ughetto) — middle class, cultureless and bored — he starts writing eloquent, yet pretty weird, short stories about them for French class. His soft-boiled, creepy observations mention things like "the singular scent of a middle-class woman" dripping off Rapha's mother. His disenchanted teacher, Germain (Fabrice Luchini), can't decide if Claude wants to belong to or destroy this newfound clan, but he's happy to finally have an engaged and talented student. And he's voyeuristically hooked by the sharply observed tales. Ozon (8 Women and Swimming Pool) is a director who likes his boundaries blurry and is skilled at making normality fascinating. As both Claude and Germain's longings become obsessions, the seam between the short stories and the real world of the film slips apart. My take? It's all real — it's the characters themselves who can't discern their inner desires from their outer lives. In the House has the slow-pulsing vertigo of a psychological thriller and the twists of an elaborate melodrama, but to reduce it to these labels seems glib. It's caustic and funny but never misanthropic, a study of the ways people actually live, rather than how we assume that they do. https://youtube.com/watch?v=eegoZpxQCzc
There are few bands with enough unfaltering stamina to line up a debaucherous, beer-fuelled pub crawl to kick off every night of their Australian tour. But 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. We checked in with the Dunies in Kuala Lumpur during the South East Asian leg of their world tour, or "Koala Kangaroo" as bassist Brett Jansch calls it. The Brisbane lads have been on a furious bender around the globe, rambling around South Africa, Europe and South East Asia in mobile homes and tour buses — with their sights set back home for June. "It's fuckin' awesome," Jansch says "Last night was like, the first time I've slept in a bed for like, the last however long it's been. Just chilled. We had like, a motorhome, then a little campervan all tour." It's good for the Dunies to kick back after months on the road, with all the modern conveniences that come with the gloriousness of hotel life. "I watched this thing on the TV last night called 100 Most Favourite '90s Songs or something, they had like LL Cool J and Marky Mark and shit, it was sick." https://youtube.com/watch?v=CjJ0ABIwOfo On An American Death Trip of Dreams Dune Rats' BC Michaels, Danny Beusa and 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. Then they bailed over to Europe and the UK. "Ah fuck, I just had such a sick time in the UK and Europe... In America I just get super fat and then washed up, then you get hungover and then you get fat again. Then it's ok, then you get fat again. It's not good for your health, America." "When we just came back, there was about two weeks at home and we all dissipated to our families' respective, like, sanctuary zones because everyone was just wrecked. Too much of America. Then we came to the UK and everyone's like, BC's gettin' a full six pack hey? Eatin' lots of fruit and veg for the last few weeks!" The Dunies made their way to Liverpool, playing an Aussie BBQ during the city's legendary festival Sound City. "That was fuckin' super fun. There were so many Brisbane bands there and we were all "How the fuck are we all here in one place?" That was actually a corker of a time hey." After months on the road, the Dunies will head back home to Australia for a national tour, showcasing their debut album set for release on June 1. It'll be the first time the trio have played to home audiences for months. The tour kicks off on the west coast and ends up back where they all started. "I'm pretty fucking excited to get home, that's for sure. We haven't played in Brissy for ages," says Jansch. "We've been away for so long and hopefully we can just get back and hang out with our buddies and just talk about anything else, find out what they're doin'. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0APj4u-56Jw On Turning an Australian Tour into a Pub Crawl Pieced together like a rambunctious escapade of regrets, the Dunies will host a pub crawl in every city before the gig for fans who've preordered their debut album (out June 1). "Well I guess you just want to get as fucked up as possible before the gig with all our friends and buddies that have preordered the album in order to come to the pub crawl," Jansch says in a wink-wink, nudge-nudge moment of please-buy-our-albumness. "We'll find the right place where we can all hang out together near the venue or whatever and just go pub to pub. "So honestly, we'll be going on a pub crawl all around Australia I guess. I wonder if anyone will come all the way with us. If someone does, they can definitely have a fuckin' t-shirt! They can have a hangover as well." Supporting Dune Rats will be different buds in each state. "We've kind of put together just all our fucking favourite bands and our friends to play, you know... So it's going to be a fucking party every night, especially now with our pub crawls and shit.," Jasnch realises. "Fuck, I think it's going to be a full wash up by the end of it." https://youtube.com/watch?v=1TKRT5IQtjQ On Writing at Brett's Mum's House The Dunies' debut album came to fruition in the most unlikely of locations. The trio headed to Brett's mum's house and started writing. Well, planted a vege patch, went surfing, wrote a bit, hung out, went surfing, wrote again, played a bit, all with Mum's permission. Has to be said: Coolest. Mum. Ever. "She was frothing! You know, I bet whenever the door was shut she was probably sitting on the fuckin' step outside, like with a megaphone in her ear. She was just lovin' it man," says Jansch. "Like, I fuckin' hate all our neighbours at home. But mum would always be like, play as long as you fuckin' want, as loud as you fuckin' want, fuck everybody," he laughs. The World's Best Mum and a solid support base has proved the best grounder for the Dunies, who wholly appreciate everything on their plate. "I guess we're all just fuckin' blown away that we can even go around the world on fuckin' tour... We don't take it for granted or anything. We're always constantly stoked, we're always frothing about all this shit." https://youtube.com/watch?v=lU3n6vRX8yY On Their Debut Album Like all groundbreaking things (Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Ian McEwan's Atonement, Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock's The Lake House) the whole thing hinges around an important letter. "You know there's like, a letter from Steve Albine that surfaced, when Nirvana recorded 'In Utero'? He just outlined the idea of like, fuck all the bullshit, there's no need to slave over shit and try to get everything perfect. The best thing to ever do is probably just punch it out as it would come naturally. And what happened with that album is it turned out fuckin' awesome. [That's] exactly what we were kinda talking about. "We just didn't wanna fuckin' do all this stupid shit that bands do with an album. We just wanted to record the song that we made up in the shed. And that was just this nice inspiration to think oh fuck, you know what? We actually can do it the way that that we'd like to and it'll turn out right." The album was recorded and mixed at Melbourne's Red Door Studios, in the capable hands of Woody Anderson (tour manager and sound engineer for Children Collide). The whole process — recording, mixing, the lot — took just four weeks. "It was all super chilled, all with Woody — just fuckin' easy peasy," says Jansch. "It was pretty much just a bunch of us in the studio, fuckin' chillin' out, makin' the songs." Dune Rats is a rambunctious ride through moments of pure silliness ('Dalai Lama' has five words in total: "Dalai Lama, Big Banana, marijuana,") and heartfelt bouts ('Home Sick'). Jansch is insistent, however, the trio didn't set out to make a particular type of song any given day. "It wasn't like "Ahhh what's today fellas? Let's try and write a funny song." All of them just fuckin' turned out." DUNE RATS TOUR DATES: June 12 - Mojo's, Fremantle WA June 13 - Amplifier, Perth WA June 14 - Uni Bar, Adelaide SA June 19 - Karova Lounge, Ballarat VIC June 20 - The Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC June 21 - Oxford Art Factory, Sydney NSW June 28 - The Zoo, Brisbane QLD TO REGISTER FOR THE DUNIES PRE PARTIES: 1. Pre-order the album Dune Rats for ten beans at iTunes or JB HiFi. 2. Forward your iTunes or JB HiFi album preorder receipt and your mobile number to stuff@ratbagrecords.com. 3. Let the Dunies know which pre-show you'd like to go to from the dates above. 4. Wait. Recieve the deets on the morning of the show. Then party on dudes. For more details about the Dune Rats pub crawls and to preorder the album head over here. Dune Rats debut album is out Sunday, June 1.
Santa is arriving early at The Vic Hotel, as the much–loved pub hosts a Christmas feast on Friday, July 25. Steeped in history, but with a modern touch, the timeless pub offers the perfect setting for a cosy Christmas in July dinner. The three-course menu thoughtfully combines classic Christmas flavours with a fresh, Aussie twist. Enjoy scallops with coriander, hazelnut butter and pangrattato for an entree. For mains, guests can expect hearty classics, including a turkey ballotine with cranberries, brioche stuffing, root vegetables and gravy, or twice-cooked pork belly, potato gratin, pickled kohlrabi and apple cider jus. Don't forget to leave room for dessert — it's an Aussie classic. We're talking an old-school pav with passionfruit, strawberries, blueberries and cream. But that's not all. On the day, the pub will also be hosting an ugly Christmas sweater competition. So, make sure you dress up in the ugliest sweater you can find. You'll get bonus points if it's got an extra Christmassy touch. Prizes for the ugliest, most creative and most festive sweaters will be announced at 7pm in the main bar. With limited seating, tickets for Christmas in July at The Vic Hotel are expected to sell fast. Visit the venue's website to reserve a spot. Images: Supplied.
Feel more comfortable behind the camera, than in front? Head to the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery and find out how some of the best portrait photographers go about their business. Now in its tenth year, the National Photographic Portrait Prize is Australia's leading award for portrait photography, with this year's competition attracting more than 3000 entries, which the jury selected 49 exhibiting finalists from. Back in March, prominent Sydney photographer Gary Grealy was announced as this year's winner, offering a sombre portrait of ABC television presenter Richard Morecroft and his partner, and acclaimed painter, Alison Mackay. While many of the images submitted to the National Photographic Portrait Prize are stunning in their technical achievements, the panel of selectors look for images that see the photographer create an atmosphere where the subject 'reveals a glimpse of their inner self'. The finalists' portraits will be showing at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery until Sunday, November 26. Image: The Mirror, Spencer and Lloyd Ha.
We all know that the Mornington Peninsula is home to stunning natural wonders and hidden gems, but let's not forget about its booming industry of local talent. From artists, designers and sustainable entrepreneurs to brewers and winemakers, the Peninsula is a place ripe with creativity. To showcase this talent, Stoker Studio will be hosting an inaugural Design & Drink Market with the help of online local guide The Ninch. So, head along on Saturday, April 30 and you'll discover all that area has to offer in terms of small-batch and sustainable products, as well as craft beverages. Stoker Studio will be home to a plethora of stalls for your perusing, with textiles from Sundance Studio, wine from Kerri Greens, and wares from Kate Bowman Ceramics and Boatshed Cheese among the items that'll be tempting your wallet. The market will run from 1–6pm, and attendees are asked to come with some spare change — as entry is via gold coin donation, with the proceeds going to for Jimmy's Youth Wellbeing Centre. You can also expect live music and great vibes suitable for the whole family (including the pups). [caption id="attachment_850818" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kerri Greens Winery[/caption]
2017 was an action-packed couple of months for scripted storytelling. As we are wont to do, we made sure you knew what international and Australian films to watch before the end of the year, and we've just put together our list for the best films of 2017. But what about television? We may have gotten through the past 12 months on a steady diet of Stranger Things, the return of Twin Peaks, a dollop of BoJack Horseman, regular portions of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and late-night benders of Margaret Atwood-inspired dystopia. But how much Australian television do you remember watching? If none come to mind straight away, we're here to cure that case of pop cultural amnesia. So fire up your local streaming services, prepare your stash of Zooper Doopers, put your phone on Airplane Mode, get into your cosiest staying-in-for-the-summer outfit and settle in for some top-notch Australian-made series. Here's ten to get you started. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oZaOr5v9So KIKI AND KITTY What if your new best friend was also the human embodiment of your vagina? For some, that's a rhetorical question. For Nakkiah Lui, it's the beginning of a brand new series. Written by and starring Lui (who plays the lead role of Kitty), and directed by Catriona McKenzie, Kiki and Kitty is modern-day absurdist comedy at its best. Launched as one of the new short-form series for ABC Comedy earlier this year, each episode explores what it's like to be "the good black girl in a bad white world". It's fierce, funny and unapologetically explores the politics of race and gender in a way that few Australian television shows would dare. Available on: ABC iView. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5HSsrjoedk RONNY CHIENG: INTERNATIONAL STUDENT You may recall Ronny Chieng from his day job as a correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show. Based on his real-life experience of being a university student in Melbourne, Chieng plays a version of himself on the show. Cultural stereotypes are both exploited, and interrogated, for laughs but also for thoughtful reflections on what it means to be a young person who switches countries, and cultures, full of hope and expectation. This is perfect viewing for anyone who appreciates a story from an outsider's perspective with a sharp comedic edge. Available on: ABC iView. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1UXO2uLH-s ROSEHAVEN Daniel and Emma are fictional best mates. So are real-life comedians Luke McGregor and Celia Pacquola, who also happen to be the co-creators and writers of the show. Exploring what happens between moving back home to help out with the family business and a failed marriage, this Tasmanian-made series is deeply endearing. Both seasons play like a love letter to rural life, and what happens when we decide to give up on ambition. Daniel/McGregor and Emma/Pacquola are about propping each other up just as much as they're about mocking the hell out of each other. For those of us who prefer to find gentle humour through genuine friendships. Available on: ABC iView. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swTlbwspBaE GLITCH Set in the fictional country town of Yoorana, Glitch explores what happens when seven people rise from the dead with no memory of who they are, or how they died. Sitting somewhere between supernatural mystery and sci-fi, the series was created by Tony Ayres (producer of The Slap) and Louise Fox (previously a writer on Broadchurch). If you were previously a fan of the 2012 French series Les Revenants, the first two seasons of Glitch offers an Australian gothic take on small town urban legends and unfinished business. Available on: Netflix Australia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjuXTD0m9Lc ROUND THE TWIST Totalling four magical seasons, Round the Twist was definitive in making strange the new normal on 90s Australian television. Galore with monsters, werewolves, human ice cream machines and the haunted lighthouse that started it all, the series is the equivalent of audio visual comfort food for old fans. Also guaranteed to be a cornucopia of oddball amusement for the yet to be initiated. It's now all on Netflix. Available on: Netflix Australia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pSChPGBFD4 THE OTHER GUY If modern break-ups and heartache need to be key story ingredients for your summer viewing, consider The Other Guy. In the long tradition of male comics playing versions of themselves on screen, comedian and Triple J life member Matt Okine is AJ, an aimless breakfast radio host who has just split up with his longtime girlfriend (Valene Kane). The show deals less with the heroics of finally accepting adulthood, and more about the funny, sad and inane aspects of getting older anyway. Give it a go if you loved Master of None, Love or Please Like Me. Available on: Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAKZYp9-MoM NO ACTIVITY Two cops on a nighttime stake-out, a methamphetamine shipment that never arrives, and mindless conversations form the basis of the first season of this slapstick improvised comedy. And if you want more, there's a second season to devour as well. For fans of Mike Schur's American workplace comedies (The Office, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Parks and Recreation), No Activity is Australia's equivalent of the nothing-ever-happens type of comedy. Expect some sincere moments among the sly laughs too. Available on: Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoH1z7JetiM THE FAMILY LAW Adapted from Benjamin Law's book-length series of personal essays on his family, The Family Law deals with the aftermath of a family's breakdown in the wake of a divorce, and what it's like to grow up on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland as an Asian kid who dreams of starring on Home and Away (spoiler alert: it's no walk in the park). It's rare that a series can be awkward, hilarious and heartbreaking all at once, but The Family Law manages to fictionalise Ben's coming-of-age without forgetting to look at weighty issues too, like coming out as a Chinese-Australian teen, the deportation of extended family, and the unexpected death of grandparents with grace and warmth. Available on: SBS On Demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsh_hVbkkcQ&t=25s OTHER PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS Boasting an all-female creative team (from the co-creators and writers to the starring roles), Other People's' Problems is a dramedy about reluctant copywriter Florence and the ever-enterprising Ann, who team up to ghostwrite letters for people in exchange for clothes. In a misguided attempt to prove they're both great at helping people, acting as agony aunts leads them to wondering if they're actually just rubbish at dealing with their own problems. As with all the best stories, this one is based on writers Penelope Chai and Jane Dickenson's experiences of starting a bartering project called Clothing for Correspondence (pen to paper in exchange for clothes from your wardrobe). A perfect snack of a series for the heartfelt snail mail letter writers and op-shop fiends among us. Available on: ABC iView. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bIpoZKt6Gs GET KRACK!N Kate and Kate, the co-creators of ABC's The Katering Show, are back to take on the world of Australian breakfast television. You can be guaranteed two things for every 30 minute episode in the series: these two do not know how to host a breakfast TV show, and it is too damn early in the morning (we're talking go-to-air-at-3am.-early) to have maintained one's A-game. For anyone who is resistant to the real thing, cosy up to this eye-wateringly hilarious time on the grey green couch of never-ending awkwardness. Available on: ABC iView.
The tree-lined streets of Bendigo sometimes seem like they could be straight out of a royal parade. And when you consider Bendigo Art Gallery's latest exhibition, Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits, that's actually quite fitting. Featuring more than 200 works loaned from London's National Portrait Gallery, this exhibition delves into the legendary figures and historical moments from five British dynasties — the Tudors, the Stuarts, the Georgians, the Victorians and the Windsors. Highlights include landmark paintings, photographs and sculptural works depicting King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth II, King George III, Princess Diana and Prince William — among many others. You'll also find some personal effects on display, pulled from Historic Royal Palaces, the Fashion Museum in Bath and the Royal Armouries, including George IV's royal christening gown and the coronation gloves of Queen Elizabeth I (1558) and Queen Elizabeth II (1953). Opening Saturday, March 16, Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits will allow you to stroll through 500 years of regal history and see works from many historically significant artists, including Sir Joshua Reynolds and Lord Snowdon (Princess Margaret's husband). The exhibition also adds a contemporary flair with more recent works by the likes of Andy Warhol, Chris Levine and Annie Leibovitz on display, too. And to celebrate this landmark exhibition, a number of activations fit for a king or queen will be popping up around the city. You can partake in a traditional high tea at The Vault Eatery, trace the steps of former royals on a historic CBD walking tour or take a train ride to Castlemaine in the same luxury carriages that Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Princess Diana once used. Meanwhile, the Royal Tram Pop-Up Cafe will take pride of place in the piazza, right beside the Alexandra fountain, which was opened in 1881 by Prince Albert Victor and Prince George. The tram will be festively kitted out with a Union Jack wrap and will serve coffee, tea, biscuits and more. Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits will run from Saturday, March 16 to Sunday, July 14. Tickets cost $25. For more information and to book tickets, head this way. Images: Lightness of Being, 2007 (NPG 6963), Chris Levine; Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland, with her son, Charles Fitzroy, as the Virgin and Child, by Sir Peter Lely c.1664 © National Portrait Gallery, London; King George VI by Meredith Frampton, 1929 © National Portrait Gallery, London/private collection. Lent by Trustees of Barnardo's, 1997; King William III by an unknown artist, c.1695 © National Portrait Gallery, London; Queen Elizabeth I (The 'Ditchley' portrait) by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, c.1592 © National Portrait Gallery, London; Queen Victoria by Bertha Müller, after Heinrich von Angeli, c.1900, based on a work of 1899 © National Portrait Gallery, London.
For some comic relief in the aftermath of the emotionally gruelling marriage equality campaign, head to Caz Reitop's Dirty Secrets rooftop this Thursday, November 23 to see comedians Kirsty Webeck and Jude Perl. "It's going to be a celebration that the postal survey is over and I can get back to focusing on comedy," says LGBTIQ rights activist Kirsty Webeck and creator of those hilarious 'The Postal Survey Made Me' Gayer t-shirts. With 61.6 percent of Australian respondents giving a definitive 'YES' to same-sex couples' right to marry, there's certainly cause to celebrate, but uncertainty remains on when the requisite legislation will actually be enacted. In the meantime, a bit of self-care in the form of an intimate comedy night may just be the way to go. Kirsty and Jude, who are both performing at the 2018 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, will kick things off at 7.30pm.
A long time ago in this very galaxy, a whole year passed by without a new Star Wars movie hitting cinemas. That year was 2014, with Disney delivering a fresh trilogy of flicks and two spinoffs to big screens for five years straight between 2015–19 — introducing the world to new lightsaber-wielding characters, farewelling old favourites and delving into stellar side stories. Alas, in 2020, that run is coming to an end. More Star Wars movies are planned, because of course they are; however, wannabe Jedis won't be watching them just yet. But that doesn't mean that the force won't be with us this year, with The Mandalorian's second season heading to Disney+ from Friday, October 30. For those that missed it or need a refresher — the Star Wars universe certainly does sprawl far and wide, both within its tales and in its many different movies, shows, books and games — the Emmy-nominated show follows the titular bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal). In the series' first season, which was set five years after Star Wars: Episode XI — Return of the Jedi and aired last year, that meant tracking his latest gigs. And, it also involved charting his encounter with a fuzzy little creature officially known as The Child, but affectionately named Baby Yoda by everyone watching. Also on offer the first time around: Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito playing villain Moff Gideon, aka the ex-Galactic Empire security officer determined to capture The Child; everyone from Carl Weathers and Taika Waititi to Werner Herzog playing ex-magistrates, droids and enigmatic strangers; and plenty of planet-hopping. Yes, it was firmly a Star Wars TV series, and yes, it plans to continue in the same manner. As the just-dropped first trailer for The Mandalorian's second season shows, it also plans to once again focus on one of television's best pairings. Not only is Mando back, but so is the oh-so-adorable Baby Yoda. The duo's quest to return to The Child's home planet continues, and they aren't parting ways on the journey — "wherever I go, he goes," Mando advises. In addition to showering viewers in Baby Yoda's cuteness, the eight-episode new season will see Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) pop up — it is a show about a bounty hunter, after all — plus Timothy Olyphant and Rosario Dawson join the cast. Behind the lens, directors include showrunner Jon Favreau, Jurassic World star Bryce Dallas Howard, Dope's Rick Famuyiwa, Ant-Man's Peyton Reed and Alita: Battle Angel's Robert Rodriguez, as well as Weathers doing double duty on-screen and off. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LkkaL-y6Hc&feature=youtu.be The Mandalorian's second season hits Disney+ on Friday, October 30. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Top image: Disney+
When Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement decided to don fangs, embrace the undead and make a mockumentary about vampire housemates, What We Do in the Shadows was the sidesplittingly funny end result. And when the pair decided to expand the concept on the small screen, utterly delightful things followed, including NZ television show Wellington Paranormal — which stuck with the movie's movie's cops as they kept investigating the supernatural — and the American TV series also called What We Do in the Shadows. That US television offshoot also boasts a killer cast, all playing an ace roundup of vamps. For the uninitiated, this iteration of What We Do in the Shadows is set in Staten Island — but no, Pete Davidson doesn't show up. Instead, the series focuses on a household where Nandor (Kayvan Novak, Cruella), Laszlo (Matt Berry, Toast of London and Toast of Tinseltown) and Nadja (Natasia Demetriou, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) all live. Energy vampire Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch, The Office) and Nandor's familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillen, Werewolves Within), the latter of which comes from a family of slayers, have also staked a claim in the story. Given that this What We Do in the Shadows has been running for four seasons now, with a fifth on the way, that basic premise is just the beginning. Plenty of supernatural mayhem has followed Nandor and company, and long may it continue. Indeed, in the just-dropped trailer for season five, everything is as wonderfully chaotic as ever — and yes, "bat!" gets yelled and Matt Berry is as glorious as ever. Visits to shopping malls, getting into politics, hosting news shows, saucy rendezvous, the return of other familiar faces: they're all glimpsed in this sneak peek, which doesn't just herald the return of TV's best vampires, but of the best on-screen universe there is. Fingers crossed that just like bloodsuckers, this small-screen take on What We Do in the Shadows will never die. For now, its fifth season has locked in a mid-July return date in the US, which hopefully means that it will hit Australia via Binge and New Zealand via Neon at the same time. Check out the trailer for What We Do in the Shadows season five below: What We Do in the Shadows' fifth season arrives in the US on July 13, with Australian (via Binge) and New Zealand (via Neon) return dates still to be confirmed — we'll update you when they're locked in.
Internationally acclaimed artist Bill Henson has created a new series of photographs as part of a permanent installation at Melbourne's Hellenic Museum. Titled ONEIROI, the series incorporates the priceless treasures from the award-winning Gods, Myths & Mortals exhibition, which are on long-term loan from Athens' Benaki Museum. Housed inside a dedicated gallery within the majestic heritage-listed former Royal Mint building (which is home to the Greek museum), the new exhibition space has been designed by Henson to complement the photographs in the collection. Henson's work often deals with the theme of transition and otherworldliness, and here he seeks to transcend a single culture to encompass the collective imagination of Melburnians. ONEIROI is inspired by Greek history and mythology, and explores the impact of history, beauty, culture and art. "Just like the treasures selected by Bill Henson, the resultant photographs that form the collection ONEIROI are unique, without editions, reflecting the nature of the Benaki treasures they incorporate, thus respecting and honouring their originality and timelessness," said CEO of the Hellenic Museum, John Tatoulis. ONEROI officially opens officially on Friday, April 8 and will be on permanent display at the Hellenic Museum.
Andy Harmsen’s new play Foreign Bodies is an attempt at unpacking the truth behind our society’s relationship with pornography. A young Australian journalist, Martin (Alan Chambers), arrives at the Mumbai hotel room of ex-porn star, Arizona Snow (Marika Marosszeky), to interview her for a profile. As they talk, the interview quickly spires out of control, before plunging into more fraught conflict between the pair. It’s difficult to find much to recommend in this production. Both the actors are obviously capable performers, even if the confines of the muggy, atmospheric space highlight many points where they overreach in volume and intensity. Director Chris Baldock has carved out an impressive career in Melbourne theatre, culminating in an acclaimed independent production of The Laramie Project. But just as Arizona is seen in a fleeting, intriguing image at the play’s beginning, attempting to contort her body into the shape of an Indian deity, the greatest sense is that the actors and director are working within confines imposed by the flawed text. The characters are intensely unlikeable but are drawn so inconsistently that it’s difficult to even root against them. At points, the characterisation appears almost arbitrary — in particular Martin’s sudden outbursts of casual racism, which are just as inchoate as the muffled banging and yelling of the play’s (offstage) Indian characters. As the play winds down, the clanking move towards pathos doesn’t humanise these figures. If anything, in the context of the action onstage, such a tonal shift just further debauches an otherwise tender moment. The program notes refer to Zizek's notion of "the tragedy of pornography" — its inability to be taken seriously. But shows like this are a reminder that the subtle inverse is true: that tragedy is pornography — that since Ancient Greece, playwrights have taken a female object and denied her agency to elevate a male subject. What Foreign Bodies doesn’t do is critique that dynamic with any sense of self-awareness. Instead, the level of engagement with ideas as complex as the conflict between our public and private persona skitters along an undisturbed surface. For all the talk of penetration, 70 minutes in the theatre leave us no more illuminated than when we entered.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. CYRANO Love can spring quickly, igniting sparks instantly. Or, it can build gradually and gracefully, including over a lifetime. It can be swift and bold like a lightning strike, too, or it can linger, evolve and swell like a gentle breeze. In the sumptuous confines of Cyrano, all of the above happens. The latest adaptation of Edmond Rostand's 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac, this time as a musical via playwright Erica Schmidt's own song-filled on-stage version, lends its attention to two men who've fallen for the plucky Roxanne (Haley Bennett, Hillbilly Elegy) in opposite ways. Charming soldier Christian de Neuvillette (Kelvin Harrison Jr, The Trial of the Chicago 7) gets the fast-and-infatuated experience, while the movie's namesake (Peter Dinklage, I Care a Lot), a poet also handy in battle, has ached for his childhood pal for as long as he can remember. Roxanne's two suitors make a chalk-and-cheese pair, with their contrasting approaches to matters of the heart — specifically, to winning her heart and helping ensure that she doesn't have to marry the rich and ruthless De Guiche (Ben Mendelsohn, The Outsider) to secure her future — driving much of Cyrano's drama. Also present and accounted for, as all takes on the tale have included (see also: 80s rom-com Roxanne with Steve Martin, the Gérard Depardieu-starring Cyrano de Bergerac, 90s rom-com The Truth About Cats & Dogs with Uma Thurman and Janeane Garofalo, plus recent Netflix teen flicks Sierra Burgess Is a Loser and The Half of It): insecurities about appearance, a way with words and a ghostwriting gambit. Short in stature given Dinklage's casting, Cyrano can't even dream that Roxanne could love him. But he wants her to be happy above all else and knows that she's smitten with Christian, so he secretly lends his romantic rival his letter-penning abilities to help woo her by lyrical prose. This Cyrano may have a different reason for not believing that Roxanne could reciprocate his feelings, even as she gets giddy over the correspondence he scripts for Christian — traditionally, a large nose gets in his way — but his slow-and-steady affection is especially apt in this particular film. The latest period piece from Joe Wright, it slips into the British director's resume alongside Pride & Prejudice, Atonement and Anna Karenina, and initially seems as standard a silver-screen staging of Cyrano as a musical as he could reliably muster. But all three of those aforementioned movies are stunning in their own ways, especially the gutsy Anna Karenina. Unsurprisingly, his newest feature is as well. Doing his best work since that Tolstoy adaptation, and clearly back in his comfort zone after Pan, Darkest Hour and The Woman in the Window, Wright lets Cyrano take its time to bloom and blossom. And, when it flowers partway through, it makes viewers realise that it's been a gorgeous gem of a film all along. Like on-screen love story, like surrounding flick, basically. That said, the routine air that initially seems to float through Cyrano's first act can't have been by design. Rather, the film winds up to its full heart-wrenching powers so patiently that it appears a tad too expected while its various pieces are being put into place — a fact hardly helped by how often this exact narrative or variations of it have made it to screens — until it's just simply and unshakeably wonderful. Wright doesn't change anything in his approach, helming a handsome, detail-laden, rhythmic piece of cinema from the outset, but the emotions that truly make the movie sing strengthen minute by minute. And yes, when it all clicks in just so, it's with its three main players literally crooning, conveying so much about their huge, swirling, all-encompassing feelings that normal dialogue couldn't have done justice to. Read our full review. HIVE 2021 swarmed with historic achievements for women in film, including Nomadland's Chloë Zhao becoming the first woman of colour and only second woman ever to win the Oscar for Best Director, that category's nomination of two female filmmakers for the first time in its then 93-year history and the Cannes Film Festival awarding the Palme d'Or to a woman — Titane's Julia Ducournau — for only the second time. But before all of that, Kosovo-born writer/director Blerta Basholli achieved something at the Sundance Film Festival that'd never been done either: winning the US fest's World Cinema Dramatic Competition Grand Jury Prize, Audience Award and Best Director gong for Hive. It was a well-deserved feat for a movie that'd stick in memory even without such an achievement, and it's easy to see why Sundance's jurors and viewers responded with such a show of support. A powerhouse of a true tale that's brought to the screen with a devastatingly potent lead performance, Hive is simply unshakeable. In Basholli's first feature, to peer at star Yllka Gashi (Kukumi) is to look deep into a battler's eyes. Hive directs its attention her way frequently. The also-Kosovan actor plays Fahrije Hoti, a woman who has never been allowed to stop fighting, although the men in her patriarchal village would prefer she'd keep quiet. They wish she'd just attend to her duties as a mother and do what's expected. They think she should be a silent, compliant wife, although there's a significant problem with that idea. With her husband missing for years due to the Kosovo War, she can't be a meekly obedient spouse even if that was in her nature — which it isn't — because the man she loves is gone, no sign of him either dead or alive has been recovered, and she's trapped in limbo as she waits, tries to keep caring for her family and endeavours to go on. Those dismissive, misogynistic attitudes flung at Fahrije by her community join the litany of roadblocks that she's forced to rally against with every word, thought and breath she has. In her husband's absence, her father-in-law Haxhi (Çun Lajçi, Zana) is eager to maintain the status quo, but Fahrije has been trying to make ends meet anyway, all in a town — and amidst a male-dominated culture — that couldn't be more unsympathetic to her plight. She isn't alone, however, with many of the locale's other women also widowed due to the conflict, and similarly expected to survive without upsetting traditional gender roles. So, with the beehives that she dutifully attends to unable to keep providing enough income to pay her bills, the enterprising Fahrije and her friend Nazmije (Kumrije Hoxha, The Marriage) decide to start a female-run co-operative to make and sell ajvar, a pepper relish. A picture of stinging resilience, unflappable fortitude and baked-in sorrow, Gashi is phenomenal as Fahrije. Not only does Hive keep gazing her way but, thanks to the raw compulsion of her performance, viewers eagerly do the same. The skill required to play stoic but also persistent, passionate and simmering with internalised pain can't be underestimated, and watching Gashi navigate that balance like it's the only thing she knows — because, for Fahrije after her husband's disappearance, it now is — is affecting on a gutwrenching level. Lived-in fury and resolve buzzes through every facet of her portrayal, all as the woman whose shoes she's walking in weathers derision, violence and attempted sexual assault for daring to dream of attempting to support herself. It comes as no surprise that various film festival prizes have been sent Gashi's way among Hive's collection of accolades, with ample merit. Read our full review. STUDIO 666 As the drummer for Nirvana and the frontman for Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl doesn't have many mixed bags on his resume. The music superstar has been in the spotlight for three-plus decades now, and boasts success after success to his name, complete with a list of awards and hits bound to make almost everyone else in the industry envious. But all their lives, Grohl and his fellow Foos must've dreamt of being horror movie stars — and the result, the pandemic-shot Studio 666, shouldn't entice any of them to quit their day jobs. A haunted-house horror-comedy, this rockstar lark is gonzo, gory and extremely goofy. It's a clear bit of fun for everyone involved, and it's made with overflowing love for the genre it slips into and parodies. But it's an indulgent and stretched exercise in famous folks following their whims at times like these, too. Achievement unlocked: there's Grohl's mixed bag. Studio 666's setup revolves around Grohl, drummer Taylor Hawkins, guitarists Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear, bassist Nate Mendel and keyboardist Rami Jaffee packing their bags for a live-in recording session at an Encino mansion. As the movie's 1993-set prologue shows, their temporary new home has a dark past, after the last group that inhabited the spot met bloody ends; however, ignorance is bliss for the Foo Fighters. Actually, an obligation to deliver their tenth album to their overbearing manager (Jeff Garlin, Curb Your Enthusiasm) inspires the move, as does the band's creative lull in conjuring up the record otherwise. Grohl instantly falls for the sound of the space as well, to an unhinged degree, and his bandmates begrudgingly agree to the month-long stay to make musical magic happen. Recording an album doesn't usually spark The Evil Dead-style murderous mayhem, cursed book and all, but that's Studio 666's gambit. Its Californian abode isn't just stalked by a grisly ghoul with a love of gut-rumbling tracks — it possesses Grohl with the need to craft a killer song, length be damned, and with satanic bloodlust, cannibal cravings and prima-donna rocker behaviour. Is he monstrous about doing whatever it takes to get the tune because he's bedevilled by the house's resident evil, he's on a power trip or both? That's one of the film's big gags, and also a hefty splatter of the kind of sense of humour it's working with. Winking, nudging, satirising, and sending up fame, egos and the all-devouring nature of entertainment stardom: they're all on the movie's menu, alongside as much gleefully cheap-looking viscera as any feature can manage to splash around. Amid the deaths by cymbal, barbecued faces and projectile-vomited guts — no, what's left of the Foos at the film's end won't be getting their bond back — there's zero doubt that Grohl and company are enjoying themselves. Actors, they aren't, but playfulness has always been part of Foo Fighters' mood. When the band began in 1994, initially as a one-man project by Grohl after Kurt Cobain's suicide the same year, it was instantly perkier and sillier than Nirvana. For the 'Big Me' music video from the group's self-titled first album, they shot an unforgettable Mentos ad parody in Sydney. With the 'Learn to Fly' clip in 1999, they satirised airline flicks — Airplane!, which was already a send-up, plus disaster fare Airport 1975 and Airport '77 — aided by Tenacious D's Jack Black and Kyle Gass. Getting so delightedly bloody might be new, but refusing to take themselves seriously definitely isn't. Read our full review. PREPARATIONS TO BE TOGETHER FOR AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME Will they or won't they? Do they or don't they? Every time that romance and relationships are portrayed on-screen, at least one of these questions always echoes. In the entrancingly moody and astute Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time, it's the latter. Whether Hungarian neurosurgeon Márta Vizy (Natasa Stork, Jupiter's Moon) and fellow doctor János (Viktor Bodó, Overnight) will end the film in each other's company still remains a pivotal part of the plot, but if there's ever been anything between them — or if it's all simply in Márta's head — is the far more pressing concern. She's a woman smitten, so much so that she's returned home from a prestigious job in the US just for him. But his behaviour could be called vague, rude or flat-out ghosting, if he even remembers that they've crossed paths before — and, if they ever actually have. Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time first introduces Márta as she's unloading her János-sparked romantic woes upon her therapist. What could've been a standard rom-com or romantic drama setup soon twists into something far more alluring and intriguing, however. Indeed, as writer/director Lili Horvát (The Wednesday Child) ponders the role of memory in affairs of the heart, her film just keeps inspiring more trains of thought. How can we ever know how someone else really feels about us? How long will any romantic emotions last, and can they last? Is it ever truly possible to trust whoever our hearts fall or, or our hearts to begin with? And, can we genuinely believe those intense memories of love that implant themselves inside our brains, refuse to leave and inspire life-changing decisions — or is love too subjective, no matter how deep, real, shared and strong that it feels? These queries all spring from Márta's homecoming, after she meets János at a conference in New Jersey, then pledges to do so again a month later on a Budapest bridge. She shows, but he doesn't. Worse: when she tracks him down at his work afterwards, he says that he doesn't know her. While tinkering with memory is a familiar film and TV concept — see: everything from Memento and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to Mulholland Drive and Severance — Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time is interested in the emotional fallout from János' claims to have zero knowledge of Márta first and foremost. Confused, unsettled and still wholeheartedly infatuated, she just can't bring herself to return stateside, and also can't get János out of her mind in general. Scripted with empathy and precision by Horvát, and also shot and styled like a waking dream, Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time isn't easily forgotten either, siding its viewers with Márta over János. This is a haunting and beautifully acted psychological drama that lays bare just how all-encompassing, obsessive, intoxicating and mind-melting love can feel, all as it plays with recollection and its ability to shape our perspectives. The tone is loaded but uncanny — sweet but uncertain, too — and Horvát has fun getting both emotional and cerebral while having her characters cut open brains. The latter happens literally and yes, there aren't many movies quite like this one. Cinema doesn't boast too many performances like the exceptional Stork's, either, which draws viewers into every feeling, question, and pang of both intense affection and shattering uncertainty that flows through Márta. Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time screens in Melbourne from February 24, and opens in Sydney and Brisbane from March 17. FORTUNE FAVORS LADY NIKUKO Japanese animation has given cinema-goers a wealth of gifts, Studio Ghibli's enchanting on-screen magic across nearly four decades sitting atop the pile, and the heartwrenching Your Name and Weathering with You ranking high among them as well. But films that serve up gorgeous snapshots of coastal living and cuisine are finding their own anime niche, too, with Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko following Ride Your Wave — and proving as much of a delight. It isn't quite another romantic tale about matters of the heart, hope and H2O, as Josee, the Tiger and the Fish also was, but only because it focuses on an 11-year-old and her mother. The same swells of emotion still wash through, all in an eye-catchingly animated story set in a northern Japanese harbour town — complete with cooking up a storm, and making illustrated dishes spark hunger pangs. The film's title refers to the outgoing, happy-go-lucky, houseboat-dwelling Nikuko (voiced by Shinobu Ôtake, Shadowfall), who works as a bar waitress in the sleepy locale she now calls home, and is also never without a smile. But as Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko's introductory sequence explains — adopting a more stylised, less naturalistic type of imagery than the bulk of the movie in the process — her bad romantic luck, including the debts she's amassed from her past loves, has played a large part in her current fate. She still works hard six days a week, never complains, and is instantly recognisable around the village. The whip-smart, serious and introverted Kikuko (model and flutist Cocomi), Nikuko's daughter, doesn't share the same attitude, however, and wants nothing more than to blend in where her single mother stands out. Based on the 2011 novel of the same name by Kanako Nishi, Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko keeps its dramas grounded, as Kikuko navigates the usual struggles of school — being forced to pick which classmates to spend lunchtime with, for instance — and the standard preteen experience that is pushing away from your parents. Indeed, no one is spirited away, tasked with saving the world or left communing with water in a grief-stricken state here, but that doesn't make this slow-building film any less resonant. As well as being deeply instep with the woes of adolescence, and of the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, this affecting slice-of-life feature also laps up simply stepping into its characters' lives and their surroundings. Where watching Weathering with You felt like taking a walk through Tokyo, for example, viewing Fortune Favours Lady Nikuko whisks the audience away to its peaceful seaside setting. Filmmaker Ayumu Watanabe also directed 2019's Children of the Sea, another recent Japanese gem and fellow Studio 4°C release that proved sweet and smart, and similarly looked a treat — and he's as skilled at immersing viewers into heartfelt stories rendered through animation as his internationally better-known compatriots. There's also a sense of calm to his films that's both soothing and bewitching, as vibrant as they always look. In fact, the only misstep that Watanabe and screenwriter Satomi Ohshima (Our 30 Minute Sessions) make with Fortune Favours Lady Nikuko stems from the easy jokes made about the movie's namesake's size, which visibly contrasts with her reed-thin daughter but didn't need to also be the butt of several verbal gags. The tone is still loving, and one of the feature's big thematic threads does involve seeing past the obvious — especially given two people who are painted as such opposites sit at its centre — but it's still a rare grey cloud in an otherwise warm anime sky. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on October 7, October 14, October 21 and October 28; November 4, November 11, November 18 and November 25; December 2, December 9, December 16 and December 26; January 1, January 6, January 13, January 20 and January 27; and February 3, February 10 and February 17. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Alpinist, A Fire Inside, Lamb, The Last Duel, Malignant, The Harder They Fall, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, Halloween Kills, Passing, Eternals, The Many Saints of Newark, Julia, No Time to Die, The Power of the Dog, Tick, Tick... Boom!, Zola, Last Night in Soho, Blue Bayou, The Rescue, Titane, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, Dune, Encanto, The Card Counter, The Lost Leonardo, The French Dispatch, Don't Look Up, Dear Evan Hansen, Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Lost Daughter, The Scary of Sixty-First, West Side Story, Licorice Pizza, The Matrix Resurrections, The Tragedy of Macbeth, The Worst Person in the World, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, House of Gucci, The King's Man, Red Rocket, Scream, The 355, Gold, King Richard, Limbo, Spencer, Nightmare Alley, Belle, Parallel Mothers, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Belfast, Here Out West, Jackass Forever, Benedetta, Drive My Car, Death on the Nile, C'mon C'mon, Flee, Uncharted and Quo Vadis, Aida?.
There's a certain moment between waking up in a hot tent, losing your boot sole in shin-deep mud and slipping up the side of a muddy, muddy amphitheatre that we remember this unshakable music addiction of ours is fukt. Yet year after year, we load up our borrowed cars with hidden goon sacks, blow-up Kmart mattresses, '90s throwback playlists and enough muesli bars to make our mums happy and we drive our timetable-highlighting butts to the music mecca to rule them all post-BDO: Splendour in the Grass. Why do we do it? Why do we skate through mudpiles resembling a human bowel system? Why do we munch on greasy moshpit ponytails between burling throat-scraping vocals? Why do we shell out ten beans a tinny for watery piss that calls itself beer? Seems we can't shake this pesky music lovefiend. Returning to North Byron Parklands, this year's Splendour in the Grass gained wraps from the 5-0 for 'good behaviour' (the badly behaved are still sitting in sinkholes in the Mix Up tent), slam dunked three big gun headliners in a row (Mark Ronson, Florence and the Machine, Blur), and generally became the mudbath we annually buy novelty gumboots for. While we counted no less than seventeen headdresses and found an entire Splendour stall selling the damn things, there was a limited quota of douchebaggery to be seen — or perhaps they were simply easier to avoid; mud maketh muppets of the munted. Instead, here's what made us cheer for an encore. CLIENT LIAISON With a bigger budget and bigger audiences to boot, Client Liaison have become the nostalgia-fuelled spectacle they've been threatening to be for years; ferns, pastel tuxedos, gold necklaces, and three incredible legs-for-days aerobic dancers to pose Lampoon-style around Client's disco-dancin' Monte Morgan. With co-Liaison Harvey Miller tweaking singles 'Queen' and 'End of the Earth', Client finished up with a cover of INXS's 'Need You Tonight' with longtime live bandmate and triple j Hack presenter Tom Tilley. FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE Florence Welch is the new messiah. Well, you'd be forgiven for thinking so after this large-scale bapitism-by-ballad. Characteristically bare-footed and donning flowing white threads to rival Stevie Nicks, the British powerhouse entranced the amphitheatre with soaring vocals and theatrical spirit fingers, backed by her mighty Machine — stopping to remind the audience of her first Splendour performance in a Surry Hills-bought vintage wedding dress many moons ago. With expectations high following her slam dunk of a 2015 Coachella set, Welch careened through single to fan favourite to 'Dog Days Are Over' finish with the level of high energy usually associated with Bacchanalian wood nymphs. TAME IMPALA The last time Tame Impala played Splendour, they debuted a little ol' single called 'Elephant' three years ago. This year, Kevin Parker and his psychedelic bunch came armed with brand new album Currents and an amphitheatre full of expectant fans (and granted, Blur fans trying to get a good spot). It's not every artist who's confident enough to drop seven-minute single 'Let It Happen', or open a set with it, but Parker's not every artist. BLUR "You're all fucked, aren't you." Blur frontman Damon Albarn knew an end of Splendour audience when he saw one, bubbling with anticipation at seeing the '90s Britpop legends united in the ampitheatre on Sunday night. Saluting the moon, bounding about the stage like a merry pirate and getting up in fan faces over the almost two-hour set, Albarn steered Alex James, Graham Coxon and Dave Rowntree through a furiously fast 'Song 2', beloved singles 'Beetlebum', 'Parklife' and 'There's No Other Way' amongst plenty of material from new album Magic Whip. Finishing up the festival with epic 1995 ballad 'The Universal' made whimpering messes of fans amphitheatre-wide. PURITY RING Though the Mix Up tent was almost literally sinking into the mud, Canada's Purity Ring took Splendour punters to new heights of euphoria. Multi-instrumentalist Corin Roddick commanded booming synths and playable light-up crystals, while elven vocalist Megan James jumped, skipped and serenaded like a futuristic woodland sprite, blitzing everything from 'Push Pull' to 'Fineshrine'. MARK RONSON With Theophilus London, Kevin Parker, Daniel Merriweather, Keyone Starr and co. in tow, Mark Ronson's all-star variety show careened through the superstar producer's hit-dotted career so far; from explosive opener 'Feel Right' to a heartfelt 'Valerie' singalong using Amy Winehouse's original vocals. After cheesily getting bikes onstage for 'The Bike Song', bringing out Miike Snow's Andrew Wyatt for a rendition of the Ronson-co-written single 'Animal', Ronson dropped the firecracker Splendour was waiting for: a ten minute, rain-drenched bacchanal fuelled by 'Uptown Funk'. Worth the subsequent flu. MØ If you've ever wanted to feel as old as humanly possible at a live gig, see a MØ gig. The Danish electro pop singer (real name Karen Marie Ørsted) made a mockery of ageing, blasting out a youth-fuelled escapade into her debut album No Mythologies to Follow in the Mix Up tent — finishing up with a giant singalong of Major Lazer and DJ Snake single 'Lean On'. Ørsted gave a nod to her buddy Elliphant, the pint-sized Swedish pseudo rapper who'd similarly stopped time the day before, with a sultry rendition of their duet 'One More'. JENNY LEWIS While DZ Deathrays melted faces in the amphitheatre and Japanese Wallpaper threw shapes for giggly teenfans, longtime crooner Jenny Lewis was kicking goals over in the GW McLennan tent. Turning what should be a sheriff-badged country hoedown into a candy-coloured pop shop, as Lewis's pastel rainbow-themed set flagged new material from her latest album The Voyager. Lewis has never been better. Sauntering through old heartwrenchers like 'With Arms Outstretched', and new buzz tracks 'Just One of the Guys' and 'She's Not Me', the ever pitch perfect Lewis dropped a bit of 'Bad News' for Rilo Kiley fans late in the set. Kudos go to Lewis's lead guitarist and keyboardist who joined Lewis for a three-part harmony a la Brother Where Art Thou that left no dry eye in the house. UV BOI If you're not across this 18-year-old Brisbane producer, take note. One of the most original and refreshing producers in the game right now, UV boi threw every genre in the book in the bin with his Tiny Dancer stage set. JARRYD JAMES There's a lot to be said for a killer single. Brisbane's Jarryd James has been kicking serious goals over the last 12 months, with a debut album on the way and a multi-platinum single 'Do You Remember' tailor-made for a big ol' Splendour singalong. But James is more than his big breakthrough song, showcasing the his Frank Ocean-meets-Blackstreet catalogue to a packed-out Mix Up tent. "Thanks for coming and hanging out, I know my music's not party music." Beg to differ bro, beg to differ. THE SMITH STREET BAND Melbourne's bighearted rockers hit it out of the ballpark on Splendour's sunny, sunny Saturday afternoon, while toilet paper rolls soared over the crowd. "I dare anyone else playing at Splendour to sweat this much," mused frontman Wil Wagner staring straight into the sun and leading his crew and one heck of an adoring crowd through such hard-hitting jewels as 'I Don't Wanna Die Anymore', 'Don't Fuck With Our Dreams' and the nostalgia-driven 'Young Drunk' in front of a huge banner preaching "Real Australians say welcome". Total legends. THE DANDY WARHOLS Though slightly lacking in vocal volume, the Dandies put on one energetic show for their boob-flashing fans. Bouncing from mega single 'We Used to Be Friends' to Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia throwbacks like 'Mohammed' and 'Bohemian Like You', the Oregonians proved unexpected highlights for both longtime fans and Dandy newcomers alike — all trying to get a solid footing on the perilously muddy amphitheatre slopes. VALLIS ALPS Watch out for these two. Filing the Mix Up tent for Saturday's perilously early midday slot, bright young up-and-comers Vallis Alps served up their dreamy brand of Chrome Sparks-like electronica to new ears. The Canberra and Seattle-based duo blitzed their fourth ever live show (yep, kids today), cranking a beauty of a Bon Iver 'Blood Bank' cover and finishing up with big buzz single 'Young'. MEGAN WASHINGTON Surrounded by metallic balloons and playing the absolute crap out of her beloved keyboard, Washington delivered one of her most energetic, stadium-like sets yet. The real showstopper? A mid-'My Heart Is a Wheel' cover of Real McCoy's 'Another Night', with Washo's keyboardist crushing that immortal 'rap' bit. Plus, punters got to nab those silver balloons, most of which were released into the night during Tame Impala's amphitheatre set. Magic. #1 DADS Last show for Tom Isanek's #1 Dads side project, and what an emotional feelbucket it was — from the heartbreaking 'Return To' featuring Tom Snowdon to that glorious, widely celebrated cover of FKA Twigs’s 'Two Weeks’. JOHNNY MARR Watching a legend play their own iconic guitar lick reminds you of how many bad cover bands you've seen over the years. Legendary guitarist for The Smiths Johnny Marr commanded the GW McLennan tent with tracks from his latest album The Messenger, but indulged in a few Smiths classics for fans, nailing Morrissey's warbling vocals in 'There Is a Light That Never Goes Out' and finishing up with the howling 'How Soon Is Now'. Images: Bianca Holderness, A. Catt, Justin Ma, Savannah Vander Niet, Claudia Ciapocha, Ian Laidlaw, Stephen Booth, Marc Grimwade, UV Boi.
South Yarra isn't short on good Japanese — Yakikami impressively barbecued its way onto the scene just last year, so if you want to open a successful omakase diner south of the river it needs to be bloody exceptional. Introducing Ōshan, a COVID passion project from Brazilian-born, ex-Nobu Ibiza Sushi Chef, Peterson Maia Machado Correia, and co-owner Vanessa Foderà. This isn't your standard Japanese fare. Imagine contemporary sushi steeped in tradition with a fiery Brazilian twist. This combo isn't actually as odd as it sounds. Japanese and South American cuisine has a long history of cross-pollination. If you've ever visited Lima in Peru, you'll know what we're talking about (the Chinese-Peruvian culinary collision is the inspiration behind popular Casa Chow in Brisbane). And Peterson's home town of Sao Paolo is actually home to the biggest Japanese community outside Japan. The result is fireworks on a plate. Four, six, eight or 10 courses of carefully prepared omakase, with flavour bombs exploding everywhere. Think sunomono with roasted sesame, Hokkaido scallops in orange sauce, Kingfish ceviche with sweet potato rice cups and spicy tempura hot rolls. "We want to take our guests on an intimate culinary food journey in a relaxed but beautiful setting," Foderà says. "We want them to feel like they are in our dining room.' "I love what I do and love to connect with my guests through the food I create," Chef Peterson adds. "Respecting tradition and honouring my heritage and experience is very important to me. The trust my customers have in me allows me to create a unique, individual experience every time. Every element, every dish is important and sharing my passion with my customers is an absolute honour". This is part of the secret at Ōshan. There are no set seating times and the menu changes with the seasons (or the whims of Peterson). Diners are encouraged to slow down and take their time. Chatting with your chef as he whips up salmon Kyuri Maki or delicate nigiri is all part of the experience. Omakase (which translates literally as "I leave it up to you") is Ōshan's specialty, but if you're in a rush during the week, they also offer a la carte dining during lunch. Perfect for that important business meeting. The restaurant itself is on the cosy side – there are only 15 spaces – but that's by design. Ōshan is about intimacy and connection. The idea is to stick around for a while, nurse a saké and shoot the breeze over some incredible food. For the best results, sit up the bar and watch Chef Peterson work his magic. Renowned saké specialist, Melissa Mills from Saké Connect, has curated a premium menu of saké, and there's even a five course pairing menu. You'll find Ōshan on Toorak Road in South Yarra, just down from trendy competition like Bar Carolina and France-Soir (a top contender in our list of the best restaurants in Melbourne). It's open from Wednesday through to Sunday, and hours vary. Check the website for all the details. Images: Supplied
A brand-new year is fast approaching, which means it's time to say goodbye to 2021 and get excited for what 2022 could be. Whether you're a New Year's resolution stickler or a go-with-the-flow kinda person, it's safe to say most of us would be keen to experience something different in 2022. And, let's face it, we'd be lying if we said we hadn't watched Survivor and thought, "I want to try that". Well, you can, just for a weekend, or even a few hours. Whether you're a bicycle junkie with hand-eye coordination Lebron James would envy, or if you just want to get out of your comfort zone, New South Wales has a full calendar of physical challenges to help you hit those new year goals. Here are eight you should add to your list. [caption id="attachment_838191" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination New South Wales[/caption] SPEED THROUGH THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS AT THE SNOWIES MOUNTAIN BIKE FESTIVAL When: February 4–6, 2022 Where: Snowy Mountains Over the first weekend of February, the Snowies Mountain Bike Festival returns to Thredbo. Peddle-heads from far and wide are welcome to make the descent from Thredbo to Jindabyne with two unique course options to try. The Wild Brumby course is not for the faint-hearted. Across three days, you'll test your strength, speed and stamina as you tackle 114 kilometres of rugged terrain — most of it, single track. But you'll be treated to some of the most exquisite scenery in the world as you sweat it out, so you can't complain too much. For a less technical but no less intense ride, the three-day 75-kilometre Brumby course is also on the menu. Both of these multi-day rides can also be tackled as a two-person team event, too. Looking for a challenge but can't afford the time commitment? Sign up for one of the several one-day events, which includes 45-, 30- and 15-kilometre rides. Register for the Snowies Mountain Bike Festival at the website. [caption id="attachment_838195" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supplied[/caption] OR, TAKE IN THE SURROUNDS ON A SNOWY MOUNTAINS TRAIL RUN When: February 18–19, 2022 Where: Snowy Mountains Want to experience the Snowy Mountains from a viewpoint other than a ski lodge? Sign yourself up to the Snowy Mountains Trail Run Australia. The weekend-long festival of running includes a number of trails of varying lengths, including a 42-kilometre marathon and a 70-kilometre ultramarathon, both of which are new for the 2022 iteration. If you've got a competitive streak, there's also a $1000 cash prize each for the first male and first female runners across the line in the 70-kilometre event. Don't worry if you're not an experienced trail runner — there are a few more low-key runs for families and those who just want to get out and experience something new, including a cruisy five kilometre option. Whichever run you choose, you'll be in the perfect spot to take in the incredible views of Thredbo Valley and River within Kosciuszko National Park. The trails set off from Lake Crackenback Resort and Spa, so book ahead to make sure you don't have to go too far for your much-deserved post-run R&R. Register for the Snowy Mountains Trail Run Australia at the website. [caption id="attachment_838192" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supplied[/caption] STAY OFF THE BEATEN TRACK AT THE TREX CROSS TRIATHLON When: February 20, 2022 Where: Snowy Mountains Stick around the Snowy Mountains after Trail Run Australia for some off-road action at the Trex Cross Triathlon on February 20. With Mount Kosciuszko as your backdrop, you'll start with a 1500 metre swim before mountain biking for 30 kilometres then finishing with a ten kilometre run on a gritty off-road track. The event is open to all experience levels, so even if you're still recovering from a summer of eating, drinking and beaching, there will be something to inspire you and fit your outdoorsy needs. Register for the Trex Cross Triathlon at the website. CHALLENGE YOUR LIMITS AT THE TRUE GRIT ENDURO When: March 5–6, 2022 Where: Lower Portland, Hawkesbury region Whether you're a fitness fanatic or a casual weekend warrior, the True Grit Aussie Titles will have something for you. This is no stroll in the park, though — this 24-hour event will present a serious challenge for even the most experienced athletes, testing both mental and physical endurance. It's billed as the toughest obstacle course race in the southern hemisphere, demanding competitors to complete as many laps of the ten-kilometre, 30-obstacle course in 24 hours at Dargle Farm on the Hawkesbury River in Lower Portland. The course will have you running, climbing and crawling as you move through grasslands, rainforest, swamps, towering sandstone cliffs and more. Not an elite athlete? No sweat (well, yes, sweat, but not as much). Just opt for the half course — it's a five-kilometre trek that features over 25 obstacles that'll put you through your paces, including traverse ropes and inclination. You can enter solo or as part of a team, too, so you don't have to battle the elements alone. Register for the True Grit Enduro at the website. [caption id="attachment_837880" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination New South Wales[/caption] TEST YOUR ENDURANCE AT THE SNOWY CLASSIC When: March 26, 2022 Where: Snowy Mountains The inaugural Snowy Classic will be taking place on Saturday, March 26, and it will see cyclists testing their endurance as they make their way through New South Wales' stunning Snowy region. The event boasts two courses on fully closed roads: a 170-kilometre ride and a 110-kilometre ride, both starting and finishing at Banjo Paterson Park, next to Lake Jindabyne. Both routes pass through the idyllic towns of Berridale, Dalgety and Jindabyne, while cyclists tackling the longer route will head up through the winding Kosciusko National Park on their way back to the finish line in Jindabyne. Fancy yourself a bit of a cycling superstar? There's a cash pool of $10,000 to be won — so slap on that lycra and get registering. Register for the Snowy Classic at the website. [caption id="attachment_837914" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marc Rafanell Lopez (Unsplash)[/caption] GET BATTLE-READY AT SPARTAN NSW TRIFECTA When: April 1–3, 2022 Where: Marulan, Southern Tablelands Ever wanted to run through mud and leap over fires without mum telling you off? Well, you're in luck, because the world's biggest obstacle race series is coming to NSW in 2022. For the first time ever, New South Wales is hosting a Spartan Trifecta weekend. Join the five-kilometre Sprint, the ten-kilometre Super or the 21-kilometre Beast depending on your fitness level, and expect swimming, running, leaping, and the oh-so-fun scrambling. You'll climb a rope, avoid barbed wire, drag a concrete block, traverse ropes and even throw spears at this event that's so challenging and rewarding, even mum will be proud. Register for the Spartan NSW Trifecta at the website. RIDE THROUGH VINEYARDS AT THE MUDGEE CLASSIC When: 30 April–May 1, 2022 Where: Mudgee That weekend in Mudgee you've been meaning to take can finally come to fruition in May — and what better way to take in one of New South Wales' premier wine regions than by cycling through it? Head to the state's mid-northwest for the Mudgee Classic, a cycling event catering to all levels of cycling ability featuring four courses: the 170-kilometre Maxi Classic, 120-kilometre Challenge Classic, 60km Rouleurs Classic and the 35-kilometre Social Classic. Whichever you choose, you'll have the best seat in the house to explore the region's expansive vineyards, rolling hills as you ride through them. Pro tip: if you plan on making a weekend of it by heading to a winery or two the night before the race (and why wouldn't you?), the Social Classic might be the one for you. Sign up for the Mudgee Classic at the website. [caption id="attachment_837810" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination New South Wales[/caption] RIDE HARD (AND PLAY HARD) AT PORT TO PORT When: May 19–22, 2022 Where: Hunter Region There's nothing better than a cold beer at the end of a hard day's work — and we say the same goes after a hard day of mountain biking. Experience it for yourself by taking part in Port to Port, a mountain bike stage race running over four days in May that takes in the Hunter Valley, Lake Macquarie and Newcastle. It's a pretty social event, too — there's a bar positioned close to the finish line every day and participants are encouraged to unwind after each stage and enjoy the generous selection of local food, wine and beer on offer. You'll be made to work for it, though — the race spans around 196 kilometres of riding and 4300 metres of climbing. Register for Port to Port at the website. Feel new in 2022 by setting yourself a new challenge in NSW. For more information, head to the website.
UPDATE, January 14, 2022: A Quiet Place Part II is available to stream via Paramount+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. When every noise you make could send savage aliens stalking, slashing and slaughtering your way, it's the waiting that gets you. When you're watching a nerve-rattling horror film about that exact scenario, the same sentiment remains relevant. In A Quiet Place, the Abbott family went into survival mode after vicious creatures invaded, hunted down every sound and dispensed with anyone that crossed their path. For the characters in and viewers of the 2018 hit alike, the experience couldn't have screamed louder with anxiety and anticipation. Evelyn and Lee (Wild Mountain Thyme's Emily Blunt and Detroit's John Krasinski) and their children Regan (Millicent Simmonds, Wonderstruck), Marcus (Noah Jupe, The Undoing) and Beau (Cade Woodward, Avengers: Endgame) all silently bided their time simply trying to stay safe and alive, but their continued existence lingered under a gut-wrenching shadow. The critters were still out there, listening for even a whisper. It was a matter of when, not if, they'd discern the slightest of noises and strike again. That type of waiting drips with tension and suspense, and also with the kind of inevitability that hovers over everyone alive. A certain bleak end awaits us all, a truth we routinely attempt to ignore; however, neither the Abbotts nor A Quiet Place's audience were allowed to forget that grim fact for even a moment. Initially slated to arrive in cinemas two years later, then delayed by the pandemic for 14 months, sequel A Quiet Place Part II isn't done with waiting. The film doesn't shy away from the stress and existential distress that marking time can bring, but it also tasks its characters with actively confronting life's inevitabilities. After an intense and impressive tone-setting opening flashback to the first day of the alien attack, when the Abbotts' sleepy hometown learns of humanity's new threat in the cruellest fashion, the storyline picks up where its predecessor left off. It's day 474 — the earlier film spent most of its duration around day 472 — and Evelyn, Regan, Marcus and the family's newborn are grappling with their losses. That said, they're also keenly aware that they can't stay in their Appalachian farmhouse any longer. After spotting smoke on the horizon and setting off in that direction, they reconnect with Emmett (Cillian Murphy, Peaky Blinders), an old friend who has been through his own traumas. Evelyn sees safety in numbers, but he's reluctant to help. Then Regan hears a looping radio transmission playing 'Beyond the Sea' and decides to track down its source. The plan: find other survivors, and also find a way to get the upper hand over their aggressors, all to stop spending their time simply waiting. A Quiet Place Part II isn't about making do, closing ranks and merely enduring, but about making a concerted choice to try to conquer an immensely difficult situation even when the odds seem insurmountable. No one can ultimately escape death, of course. Still, when it lurks in the form of extra-terrestrials who seem to have borrowed their resourcefulness and reflexes from Jurassic Park's raptors (and their ability to withstand most threats from Terminator 2: Judgment Day's killing machines), you can plan, prepare, fight and outsmart. The first film also used its alien attack story to explore the parental urge to protect children from life's harms, but here, writer/director/co-star Krasinski ponders the realisation that dawns upon all mums and dads eventually: that, despite their best efforts, their kids will always have to face the world's woes on their own terms. Both formidable and maternal — because the 'strong female lead' trope shouldn't exclusively favour the former — Blunt is once again a force to be reckoned with as the doting, wearied but determined Evelyn. But, while she's given top billing, this isn't the Looper, Edge of Tomorrow and Sicario star's film. Krasinski doesn't just broaden out the movie's mindset, themes and slice of dystopian life, but also expands his focus. The feature's second half masterfully intertwines Evelyn's efforts to get supplies, Marcus' struggles while babysitting and Regan's perilous quest, and it's the latter that's given pride of place. And, once more, rising talent Simmonds is exceptional. With her character proving bold, poised and resolved to do her best for her family, the young actor radiates confidence, commitment and fortitude. Indeed, while she could've been left to play sidekick to Murphy in a surrogate father-daughter relationship, there's no doubting that Simmonds is the film's hero — whether or not her character, who is deaf, is using her hearing aid as a weapon. Pushing Regan to the fore, and Simmonds with her, is a smart, savvy, engaging and rewarding move on Krasinski's part — and it's not the only choice he's made that earns that description. The film's aforementioned opening, including a particularly stunning shot set in the thick of the chaos, provides the type of spectacle that most movies can only dream of. (If the actor-turned-filmmaker wanted to dive headfirst into the action genre next, he'd have zero troubles settling in.) A Quiet Place Part II may spend more time squaring off against its aliens, rather than dwelling in a world where they'e an ever-present but often-unseen threat, but it never overplays its hand. In its fast-paced narrative, intimate visuals and pitch-perfect audio, it never simply rehashes its predecessor and hopes that the same successes will spring, either. The Abbotts' mission has evolved, as has the vivid cinematography (by Legion's Polly Morgan) that sees this post-apocalyptic world with a bittersweet eye, and the meticulous, characteristically silence-heavy soundscape as well. While the feature's potency and skill doesn't come as a surprise this time around, and neither does the unsettling unease that comes with all that waiting and those pervasive hushed tones, every second of this stellar sequel is no less thrilling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku4yAbIu6ao A Quiet Place Part II opens in Australian cinemas on Thursday, May 27, with advance screenings over the weekend of Friday, May 21–Sunday, May 23.
After years of work and countless headlines, the Metro Tunnel is finally set to open, with passengers invited to experience the landmark $15 billion project from early December. Now, to celebrate its grand reveal, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has announced the public can travel for free every weekend from opening day until Sunday, February 1. Set to double the size of Melbourne's underground rail network, the Metro Tunnel will undoubtedly attract plenty of passengers from day one. Yet the announcement comes as a gesture of thanks to commuters, given that the big build has caused frequent disruptions to travel plans over the last few years. "To say thank you to Victorians for their [patience, we are] delivering free public transport for everyone every weekend, everywhere in our state," said Premier Allan, speaking to Today. "From the opening of the metro tunnel in early December through to the first of February, when we integrate this amazing piece of infrastructure into the [public transport network]." Representing the most significant change to the City Loop since it opened almost 45 years ago, the opening of the Metro Tunnel is being implemented through a two-phase process. At first, services will run mainly between West Footscray and Westall. Then, on February 1, the so-called Big Switch arrives, with Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury Line services running exclusively through the Metro Tunnel. In real terms, that means over 1000 new weekly services added on the Sunbury Line, with another 100-plus added to the weekly timetable for Cranbourne and Pakenham passengers. Meanwhile, Frankston Line trains will return to the City Loop, and Werribee and Williamstown line services will run directly to and from Flinders Street. Arriving on the back of more free transport news, this soft launch approach provides a little more runway to bed down new infrastructure, technology and procedures. According to Allan, "This is how you do it to get a smooth, safe start, to get passengers using this infrastructure at the earliest opportunity." Weekend travel will be free on Melbourne's public transport network from the soon-to-be-announced opening date of the Metro Tunnel until Sunday, February 1. Head to the website for more information. Top image: iStock.
