In response to Melbourne's latest COVID-19 outbreak, the entire state of Victoria has entered a five-day lockdown — which kicked off at 11.59pm last night, Thursday, July 15, and will last until 11.59pm on Tuesday, July 20 at this stage. That means that hard stay-at-home restrictions have returned, and you can only leave your house for five reasons — the familiar four reasons, and to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Also back: wearing compulsory face masks whenever you do leave home. Announcing the change yesterday, Thursday, July 15, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said that "you only get one chance to go hard and go fast" when it comes to stopping the spread. None of the reinstated rules are new to Melburnians, of course — but it is hoped that bringing them back for the next five days will help stop the growing number of cases linked to the current cluster. Mask-wise, you obviously need to break out your fitted face coverings and wear them again. Some mask requirements were already in place before lockdown started — including wearing them in all indoor spaces except at home, and outdoors if you can't social distance — but the requirements have now been beefed up even further. At present, during lockdown, the only place where you don't need to pop a mask on is inside your own home. That said, you'll only be able to leave your house for essential work, shopping for things you need, exercise for two hours within five kilometres of your residence, care and caregiving, and to get vaccinated — however, in each and every one of those situations, you'll have to mask up. You'll need to wear face masks both indoors and outside, too, unless you have an exemption. And, you'll need to always carry one with you. With all of Victoria currently in lockdown, the mask rules apply statewide for the five-day period. The Premier will obviously provide further details about what happens next before 11.59pm on Tuesday, July 20. If you're now wondering where to grab a fitted mask, we've put together a rundown of local companies making and selling them. For more information about the status of COVID-19 and the current restrictions, head over to the Department of Health and Human Services website.
If you live in Melbourne's north-eastern suburbs, then you've probably been waiting for the Mernda Rail Extension. It'll see the existing line extended from Epping to South Morang, and a new rail line opened from South Morang to Mernda — and it's due to test its first trains in September. After commencing work in April 2017, the $600 million project is six months ahead of schedule, the Victorian government has announced. While the focus so far has largely fallen on excavation, construction will ramp up as track is laid, including signalling, electrical systems and station buildings. As part of the new line, three new stations are being built, with the government also revealing their names: Mernda, Hawkstowe and Middle Gorge. They're expected to service up to 8000 commuters a day, easing road congestion in the area. In addition, a new shared pedestrian and bike path will link the stations, and also provide other transport options. Just when passenger trains will be operational is yet to be revealed, but timetables are expected to be released in the coming months.
Want to experience a slice of Jamaica in Melbourne? There's a rum-inspired adventure happening in the city this April that you should lock into your diary. Fine purveyors and makers of rum for over 265 years, Appleton Estate are launching The Appleton Trail in Melbourne — three delicious pop-up stops brimming with rum-tasting, storytelling and celebration of Jamaica's long-loved spirit. The Appleton Trail is taking over three Melbourne bars over three weekends from April 7, kicking off at Loop Roof in Melbourne's CBD from April 7-10, moving to Rochester Hotel on April 14 and 15, and concluding at Nieuw Amsterdam in the CBD on April 22 and 23. Expect a Jamaican-themed pop-up hideaway with specially-created rum cocktails, paired with bespoke Jamaican food menus, and hosted by a Jamaican dancer — all to make you feel like you're finally on that well-deserved island holiday. There'll even be a Jamaican music DJ accompanied by a steel drum player. You'll be able to try the Appleton Estate Signature Blend – the original Appleton Estate rum — alongside the Reserve Blend and Rare Blend 12 Year Old. Plus, Appleton have taken it upon themselves to create four signature cocktails for the event.
Reward yourself for getting through the week with a set of free doughnuts this Saturday. DoorDash is celebrating its second anniversary by giving away 26,000 free doughnuts, delivered to your door. The food delivery service has teamed up with Krispy Kreme to ensure you're giving into your sweet tooth this weekend. In order to claim your free doughnuts, you just need to spend $10 or more at Krispy Kreme through DoorDash and you'll be rewarded with four free doughy treats. Delivery on all orders has been cut to $2 on Saturday, meaning you can nab a pair of coffees and four doughnuts for $12 or eight doughnuts for around $16. Of course, you could also just throw caution to the wind and order yourself a whole heap of Krispy Kreme knowing you'll be treated to a few extra doughnuts in your delivery bag. The deal is available until all 26,000 doughnuts are sold out so make sure you jump on the DoorDash app early on Saturday and get your order in.
Mobile phone technology follows a pretty straight path - get smaller and get smarter. Over the past year we've seen the newest incarnations of the iPhone and Blackberry, with producers playing to the strengths of their models; Blackberries got more business-focused and iPhones got more fun. But what is the next progression? Can a phone really get any more compact? The answer, apparently, is an enthusiastic yes. Introducing the PaperPhone: an extremely light weight and, as the name suggests, paper-thin smart phone. Its creators are taking inspiration from its pliable form and running with it. When taking a call you can bend it into a cell phone, turn the pages on your e-book by flipping the corner, and write on it with a pen and have your words translated into text. The inventor, Dr. Roel Vertegaal, the director of Queen's University Human Media Lab in Ontario, Canada, states "The computer looks, feels and operates like a small sheet of interactive paper, meaning that when users are reading they don't feel like they're holding a sheet of glass or metal." This has ramifications for office set-ups, with Dr. Vertegaal predicting "everything can now be stored digitally...you can place these computers on top of each other just like a stack of paper." https://youtube.com/watch?v=Rl-qygUEE2c [via DailyMail]
American artist Nina Katchadourian has what could aptly be described as a bit of a book fetish. Having spent the last 20 years trawling through libraries and personal collections across the globe in search of books that she can organise into meaningful stacks of "spine poetry", it seems fair to describe the artist as a fully fledged bibliophile. The Sorted Books project has been a labour of love for Katchadourian, who has now amassed over 130 stacks of books, displaying them as either the physical cluster or as photographs. The resulting poetry is at times quirky, sometimes thought-provoking, often laugh-out-loud funny and even touchingly poignant. For the artist the hope was that each stack would represent the unique character of the collections they were drawn from. Katchadourian writes that "the clusters from each sorting aim to examine that particular library's focus, idiosyncrasies, and inconsistencies — a cross-section of that library's holdings." Beyond this, it is the inspiration Katachadourian gains from the books she finds that has meant this project remains ongoing and unfinished, whether this be the aesthetic beauty of the covers, the highly tactile nature of well-loved literature or simply an enduring passion for the written word. Have a look at some of our favourite clusters below or head to Amazon to get your hands on your own photograph.
It has been 130 years since the site on the corner of Langridge Road and Raphael Street first started pouring beers; however the Abbotsford watering hole has just undergone a significant makeover. Visitors to The Carringbush Hotel will find a new team at the helm and a new menu tempting tastebuds. Plenty of brews remain, obviously, but the food lineup is now completely vegan and vegetarian. Now owned and run by Joel Morrison, Liam Matthews and Singa Unlayiti — aka the folks behind Fitzroy's Old Bar — The Carringbush has ditched meat in favour haloumi and mushroom burgers, beer battered cauliflower pieces, sweet potato steaks and vegetable charcuterie plates, plus maple teriyaki tofu, forest cake and mango coconut tart. They're all on the menu cooked up by head chef Roxanne Olsen, a veteran of The Grand Hyatt, The Corner Hotel and Stomping Ground. To keep with the sustainable focus, meals are served up on ethical plates and drinks come with eco-friendly reusable metal straws. The eco-friendly bent extends to the beverages themselves, with all wine on tap and no packaged beer on offer. Brew-wise, more than 21 beers pump through the taps, including tipples from the aforementioned Stomping Ground, plus Fixation, Mountain Goat and Moon Dog. "We are working hard to be a pub that enjoys the benefit of delicious food and drink, without costing the earth," explains Matthews. "Our food and drink range has been carefully selected to meet a high-quality standard, that also works to support small and independent local business whilst minimising our global footprint." An $8 pint happy hour from 4–6pm daily, plus a free pot with lunch special between 11am–2pm on weekdays, will each help entice patrons through the door — and once they're there, brick walls, natural lighting, clear windows looking onto Abbotsford's plant-filled streets and indoor greenery from Red Letter Landscapes all await. And for those keen on a bit of history, The Carringbush's original name — The Friendly Societies Hotel — is still emblazoned on its facade. The spot has been known by its current moniker since 1984, with the title stemming from Frank Hardy novel Power Without Glory. Find The Carringbush Hotel at 228 Langridge Street, Abbotsford — open Sunday–Thursday from 11am–11pm and Friday–Saturday from 11am–midnight. Images: Emma-Jane Johnston / VFM Photos.
If you're a Queenslander or a Victorian with a trip to Sydney in your future — or vice versa — the pandemic has just interrupted your plans. Yes, again. With the New South Wales capital currently experiencing a new COVID-19 cluster, both its northern and southern neighbour states have declared parts of the city either hotspots or red zones, depending on their respective terminology. And, as a result, both Queensland and Victoria are shutting their borders to seven Sydney Local Government Areas. Victoria announced the news late on Tuesday, June 22, while Queensland did the same today, Wednesday, June 23 — and each state's border closures come into effect at different times, too. In Victoria, the change actually kicked in at 1am this morning. In Queensland, it'll apply from 1am on Thursday, June 24. https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1407302855405363202 Accordingly, folks who've been in the City of Sydney, Waverley, Woollahra, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West and Randwick LGAS will no longer be permitted to enter either Victoria or Queensland, other than in a few circumstances. Victoria is allowing the state's own residents who've been in the identified LGAs, which are now classes as red zones under its traffic light-style permit system, to obtain permits to return home — but they'll then need to quarantine for 14 days. If you're not a Victorian resident and you've been in the seven Sydney regions, you can no longer enter Victoria. In Queensland, residents entering from the seven Sydney hotspots will need to go into hotel quarantine for 14 days — and non-residents will only be allowed to enter if they receive an exception, and will also need to go into hotel quarantine for a fortnight. Plus, everyone will need to complete one of the state's online travel declarations first, after that system was brought back into effect last week. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1407478815853400064 Queensland actually already made a similar move on Saturday, June 19, but limited to Waverley local government area. So, when 1am hits on Thursday, June 24, it'll be joined by the City of Sydney, Woollahra, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West and Randwick under the state's hotspot declaration. For more information about southeast Queensland's COVID-19 border restrictions, or about the status of COVID-19 in the state, visit the Qld COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. For more information about COVID-19 in Victoria and the state's current restrictions, head over to the Department of Health website.
It has been more than six months since the Australian Government introduced an effective ban on international travel in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 within the country. And, over that time, there has been plenty of speculation about when jetting overseas might resume — including predictions that the entire global travel industry mightn't return to normal until 2023, and that Australia's borders could remain closed until 2021. When it comes to Australia's prolonged border closure, an exception has been floated, however. Receiving ample chatter over the past few months is the concept of a travel bubble with New Zealand — which would allow international travel between the two countries, even as they potentially remain closed to other nations. Back in June, Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham noted that it was under consideration. Now, in a new media appearance on Sunday, September 27, he has said that it could possibly be implemented by the end of the year. Speaking on ABC News, Senator Birmingham advised that he hoped Australia's border would open back up to NZ by the time 2020 was out. "That would just be a great step, and it would prove the work that is being done to make sure this can be done, again, in a safe way — that travellers between Australia and New Zealand can be given corridors and clearances through our international airports without coming into contact with higher-risk travellers who might be returning from other parts of the region and still have to go through quarantine". Of course, this isn't just a decision that Australia can make on its own, as the Minister also noted. "We're making sure we have all the work done, all the preparations there, so that we can safely achieve that bubble with New Zealand. It's up to them as to whether they choose to open up to Australia, but we're certainly making sure that we're prepared and I'm hopeful that could be this year and then maybe set a model for us to look at for any other countries that meet similar high standards." Today, on Monday, September 28, the ABC reports that New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has also weighed in on the topic — and also mentioned the end of the year. On broadcaster TVNZ, she noted that it might be possible on a state-by-state basis before Christmas. As Brisbane Times reports, that travel might only be one-way, though, with New Zealanders able to come to Australia only. As 2020 has reminded us all over and over again, much can change very quickly during a pandemic — so whether Aussies will be able to head to NZ before the year is out is obviously still yet to be seen. But, if you've been dreaming of leaving the country the moment that any international holidays are permitted again, this might be the ray of hope that you need right now. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. For further information about Australia's current international travel ban, head to the Smart Traveller website.
Over the past 12 months, Qantas has responded to the pandemic and Australia's international border closure in a number of ways. The airline has sold off its fully stocked bar carts, done the same with its pyjamas and launched an athleisure wear range. It announced new routes for domestic getaways, signalled that it hopes to be flying overseas again by October this year and floated the idea of only allowing vaccinated passengers to travel. And, now, it has just run its first trial of a digital health passport with customers — in the hopes that it'll be able to use an app to facilitate safe travel when the global tourism market does reopen. The airline trialled the CommonPass digital health app, which it used on an international repatriation flight between Frankfurt and Darwin. Connecting users to testing labs, the app verifies COVID-19 test results and vaccination information — so border and health officials, as well as Qantas staff, can confirm that passengers have tested negative before their flight. CommonPass is one of two apps that Qantas is planning to trial, alongside the digital Travel Pass app developed by International Air Transport Association (IATA). The latter is also being assessed by Air New Zealand, which will test it on its Auckland to Sydney route in April. Qantas hopes that, whichever app it ends up implementing, users will be able to elect to connect its chosen digital health passport to the Australian Government's vaccination certificates, which'll be available via the Medicare and MyGov apps. Integrating the digital health passport technology into Qantas' own app, too, is the company's ultimate aim. Announcing the customer trial, Qantas Group Chief Customer Officer Stephanie Tully said that "we want to get our international flights back in the air and our people back to work, and a digital health pass will be a key part of that. COVID-19 test results and proof of vaccine will be required in many countries for quarantine-free travel, just as it has been for polio and yellow fever vaccinations in the past". Last November, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce first advised that the airline was "looking at changing our terms and conditions to say, for international travellers, that we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft". He continued: "certainly for international visitors coming out and people leaving the country, we think that's a necessity". So, when you are next able to head overseas, you'll likely to add one more thing to your pre-travel checklist. Australia's vaccine campaign is currently underway, with the Federal Government pledging to give every Aussie the inoculation for free. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, visit the Australian Government Department of Health website.
They're the masters of immersive thrills, such as smash-hit shipping container installations Seance, Coma and Flight — also known as the Darkfield series. But not even the folks at Realscape Productions are immune to the realities of pandemic life. They're currently locked down with the rest of Melbourne, putting their nerve-jangling real-life projects on hiatus until later in the year. Luckily, in the meantime, Realscape and Darkfield (UK creators) have teamed up for a brand-new audio experience fans can enjoy from the comfort of home. This one's called Double and, while it's delivered remotely, it's geared to be every bit as creepy and unsettling as its IRL predecessors. It launched on Friday, July 17 and is presented via the producers' new digital project Darkfield Radio. Like its siblings, it plunges participants deep into an immersive experience by perplexing the senses — this time, with the use of a 360-degree binaural sound, played through your own headphones. Double requires a two-person set-up, with players seated across a table from each other. The pair of you will then tune into a special 20-minute broadcast, at the exact time as hundreds of other players across the country. And there's just one rule to follow: everyone has to be who they say they are. True to form, the exact details are kept vague until you're living the immersion, but we do know Double pulls inspiration from the Capgras delusion, a condition which sees a sufferer convinced that a loved one has been replaced by an imposter (sometimes an evil-intentioned one). Prepare to have your truths shaken and the familiar warped, right there at your kitchen table. Top images: Alex Purcell
She won an Oscar for her first feature film role, proved a formidable part of the recent Star Wars sequels as well as Black Panther, and unnerved audiences everywhere in her dual performances in Jordan Peele's Us. Now, Lupita Nyong'o is picking up a ukulele and protecting kids from zombies in Australian comedy Little Monsters. Directed by Aussie actor-turned-director Abe Forsythe, Little Monsters follows a school excursion gone wrong. Taking a class of five-year-olds on a field trip to a farm, then encountering the ravenous undead, really isn't your usual educational outing. But Nyong'o's Miss Caroline isn't taking the situation lightly, even when she's turning it into a game to try to stop the kids from freaking out. She also won't put up with anyone behaving inappropriately around her pupils, whether they're flesh-munching zombies, a bowtie-wearing children's TV presenter (Josh Gad) or a slacker musician (Alexander England). Premiering at this year's Sundance Film Festival, then wowing crowds at SXSW as well, the film has been earning rave reviews. If Forsythe can turn the Cronulla riots into a race-relations comedy that's both smart and silly, as he did in Down Under, then he can do what few horror films dare to — throw a heap of kids at plenty of zombies. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d1KP-OhBP4 Little Monsters will have its Australian premiere on Saturday, August 10 at the Melbourne International Film Festival, with further local dates yet to be announced.
Section 8 is throwing down a celebration of Melbourne's diverse and vibrant LGBTQIA+ community this Monday, October 31. Dubbed Hella Queen, the free-entry evening will see burlesque, dance and music performances taking over the openair CBD spot. We know what you're thinking…. Monday? But this will be the day before the Melbourne Cup, so it's expected to be a big one. From 3pm till late, some of the biggest names in Melbourne's LGBTQIA+ community will take to the Section 8 stage. This will include live performances from Jamaica Moana and Julai, R&B dancer Tony Oxybel and a burlesque show from Gina Stirling. DJ sets from MzRizk, Top Hun, Gay Roberto, 3rd Orbit and Chaotic Good will also keep the party going until late. And, if you're heading to Hella Queen, be sure to don your best frock. Make it as bright and beautiful as you can, because they'll be awarding the best-dressed patron with a gift pack from local streetwear label, Homie. [caption id="attachment_849269" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Duncographic[/caption]
One of the biggest IRL shopping nights returns to Melbourne in August, when 600 of your favourite high-street stores have one-night-only discounts on all the items you had saved to your wish list anyway — only this time you get to walk away with the jeans or jewellery you were eyeing up along with a freebie or two. Save the date for Vogue American Express Fashion's Night Out, which returns on Thursday, August 29. Because you'll want to make the most of all the free stuff and beauty bars, we've put together a hit list of the Melbourne CBD stores and events that you should head to first for the best in-store promotions. It all kicks off with an official launch party at 4.30pm — and you can shop from 10am till stores close at 10pm. Make sure you mingle with the fashion editors at the VIP Lounge, check out the on-stage action from Sydney pop star Cxloe and watch the latest covetable looks on the runway. START WITH A TIPPLE AT AN EXCLUSIVE POP-UP BAR Doors open from 5pm, and you'll want to be first in line (ready with your to gain entry) as the David Jones Card Member Lounge will have a complimentary drink to help you get into the swing of the evening. It's first come, first served until there are no more bubbles, so make sure to get in early. Fuel up on the canapés that'll be offered around the room. Take your bev to the beauty bar, where you can touch up your makeup, or over to the fragrance bar to spritz a new scent before you venture to the shops. There'll be plenty of tunes to get you in the party mood, including a jazzy DJ with saxophone skills — just to add a touch of class to the evening. To gain entry into the lounge, just flash your David Jones American Express Card. If you're not a member yet, you can register your spot in advance right here. GET FREE HAIR BRAIDING OR DRY STYLING Fashion's Night Out is all about kicking off spring with a fresh look –– and what better way to feel fresh than with a new hairdo. Revitalise your winter locks at The BLOW. Melbourne's premium blow dry boutique is all about giving women confidence through its signature styling. During Vogue Fashion's Night Out, the master of hot tools and hair combs is offering free dry styling and braiding all evening. There are seven signature styles to choose between, all catering to long or short hair, thick or thin locks. CATCH CXLOE AND 'VOGUE' EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ON STAGE Sneak out of work early to get a front row position at the official launch party. Head to Little Bourke Street from 4.30pm to join Australian fashion royalty when Vogue Australia editor-in-chief Edwina McCann and the Lord Mayor of Melbourne Sally Capp open the evening. Plus, homegrown pop singer Cxloe will be hitting the stage to perform tracks like 'Low Blow' and 'I Can't Have Nice Things' to get you in the mood to shop and socialise. SIP BUBBLES WHILE YOU SHOP A crucial part of a stellar outfit is how you pair it with killer accessories. And when it comes to personal expression, jewellery brand Pandora knows how to capture a sense of your personality through hand-finished charms, bracelets and necklaces. During Vogue's Fashion Night Out, browse the new collection at Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall store with a glass of sparkling wine in hand. As you sip on bubbles, try out the brand's latest rings, earrings and pendants and pick a piece to express yourself. SCORE A FREE REUSABLE COFFEE CUP For Vogue Fashion's Night Out, Mimco is giving away environmentally friendly reusable cups, as well as in-store promotions and chocolates that support social enterprises. If you've already had your eye on Mimco's latest collection, tonight's the night to grab a bargain – spend $199 in store and you'll receive a free Frank Green x MIMCO cup, plus 20 percent off full-priced items (some exclusions apply). You'll be peckish, so make the most of the free MIMCO x Hey Tiger chocolates on offer, too. The chocolates are made ethically in Melbourne, which means you'll be supporting social enterprise as you snack and shop. CUSTOMISE YOUR FAVOURITE PAIR OF JEANS There's no feeling quite like finding the perfect pair of jeans. Now, imagine that pair with your own customisation. At the Vogue Fashion's Night Out, you can take your favourite pair of denim threads to the Levi's Tailor Shop where the skilled team will help you stamp your own NYC-inspired emblem onto either new or preloved Levi's. Find the pop-up on level two at Melbourne Central. Plus, if you're hunting for new denim, take advantage of the 30 percent offer on the night. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EXCLUSIVE STYLING TUTORIALS Planning an outfit for a big occasion can be overwhelming, and on a night such as Vogue Fashion's Night Out there will be countless dresses, pants and tops drawing your attention. If you're struggling with where to start, head into Scanlan Theodore where the head stylist will be on hand to offer exclusive styling advice. Head to the store in the Emporium Melbourne on Lonsdale Street where you can browse the latest, modern and chic collection while also getting first-hand tips on how to pull it all off. The store is also offering in-store refreshments, so you can linger longer and marvel at the threads. PICK UP A PERSONALISED LUGGAGE TAG Jetting off somewhere? You'll want to upgrade that carry-on before you fly. You might want to pop into Fossil for a gander at its stylish luggage collection to weigh up the options for your precious cargo. To make sure you don't lose any of your prized goods, Fossil is giving away free luggage tags with complimentary embossing when you sign up to the Fossil database. What better way to make something truly yours than by stamping your name on it. Claim this freebie at Fossil in the Emporium Melbourne and get ready to travel in personalised style. BE REWARDED FOR SHOPPING When you've finished shopping, take your receipts straight to the Vogue spin-to-win wheel in Little Bourke Street where you'll have the chance to take home even more than the discounted fashion buys and freebies already in your hot little hands. To take a spin, you'll need proof of purchase for a combined spend of $100 or more at Vogue American Express Fashion's Night Out. The Vogue team will verify your receipts and the wheel is all yours. Take a spin to potentially win one of the $70,000-worth of prizes up for grabs. Featured brands include Alice McCall, Witchery, Haigh's, Saba, Zara, American Express, Country Road, Vogue VIP and more. You need to lodge your interest to play; register here to spin the wheel. Melbourne's Vogue American Express Fashion's Night Out takes place on Thursday, August 29. Don't miss out on the VIP treatment, register your attendance for the VIP Lounge here. And to find out more about the exclusive benefits of being a David Jones American Express Cardholder, head over here.
It's said that good things come in threes, and this couldn't be truer right now for Sydney theatre lovers, with the announcement that the city has exclusively secured a trifecta of musical blockbusters. The NSW Government has locked down the world-class productions of Chicago, Saturday Night Fever and Waitress. It's that last one we're most excited about — it first hit Broadway in 2016 and has gone on to gain stellar reviews, numerous Tony nominations and sold-out shows night after night. Based on the 2007 movie of the same name, Waitress tells the story of Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. While Waitress won't be here until 2020, the other two productions are set to be performed in 2019. The story of Chicago needs no introduction being one of the most successful theatre productions ever, while Saturday Night Fever is a favourite amongst Australian audiences, although its current iteration has never been performed here. Together, the three shows are expected to bring in more than 60,000 visitors to Sydney, while also generating millions in tourism revenue. Perhaps in an effort to rival Melbourne's theatre scene — which nabbed the Australian 2019 premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child — Sydney has upped its commitment to theatre this year. As well as these international shows, the NSW Government announced plans to turn the Powerhouse site into a new theatre. Chicago will open at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in mid-2019, while Saturday Night Fever will be performed at the Capitol Theatre from August 2019. The Australian premiere of Waitress is set to hit Sydney Lyric Theatre in 2020. Image: Joan Marcus.
It's well behind the eight ball, but Victoria could soon be stepping up its waste management game by (finally) introducing its own container refund scheme. Victoria and Tasmania are currently the only two Aussie states that haven't already committed to one – Queensland's Containers for Change program launched in late 2018, while South Australia led the charge by introducing its version way back in 1977. Following strong support from local councils including the City of Frankston, the City of Darebin, and the City of Port Phillip, the City of Melbourne has now thrown its weight behind the concept, backing a campaign from the Municipal Association of Victoria and calling for the Victorian Government to introduce container deposit legislation into parliament. It's hoped that a container deposit program would help quash the state's littering problem and encourage more recycling, by offering residents cash back for their unwanted single-use containers. There's no firm word yet on how it might operate, though it could involve manually operated or automated 'reverse vending machines' that would offer a money credit for each item deposited — rewarding you for your recycling efforts, while helping Victoria to drastically cut down on the amount of recyclable material being sent to landfill. At the moment, schemes in other states offer a ten-cent refund for each aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and liquid paperboard beverage container returned. If it is introduced, it won't be Victoria's first foray into a container refund scheme. The state had a short-lived Cash for Cans system in the 80s, which was promoted by famed tennis player Pat Cash (we're assuming his name had something to do with it). You can watch the slightly bizarre, extremely retro video here: https://youtu.be/2Tx0zGQS0ts With Ballarat recycling giant SKM no longer accepting recyclables from City of Melbourne, an extra 45 tonnes of recycling is being sent to landfill each day. The City of Melbourne is also promising it'll look into alternate uses for the state's recycled materials, potentially using them to create new roads, footpaths, bikeways and playground equipment. The Victorian Government has not yet responded to the City of Melbourne call for action or the Municipal Association of Victoria's campaign, we'll let you know if and when it does.
They say you should never ask how the sausage is made, but the folks at Meatsmith and Clare Valley Brewing are doing exactly that for Good Beer Week. Over complimentary beers and canapés aplenty, Meatsmith co-owner Troy Wheeler will provide ticketholders with an in-depth ale sausage making demonstration, along with instructions on how to replicate the process at home. And you won't leave empty-handed either — each participant will receive a sausage kit containing pork, sausage skins, butcher ties and a mincer, along with a six-pack of craft beer. Just remember, the booze is part of the recipe, so don't go drinking it all before you get started.
It's your saving grace when you're designated driver. The dash you can't do without in any manhattan or whisky sour. Yet, Angostura bitters has long been relegated to play the bittersweet supporting role. But, trust three ex-MasterChef contestants (and culinary champions) to look beyond the old fashioned and take bitters from cocktails to cooking. Far from bitter that they missed out on the top spot, MasterChef runners-up Ben Ungermann, Matt Sinclair and Georgia Barnes accepted the challenge to create three unique recipes featuring one unlikely ingredient — Angostura bitters. From entree through to dessert, the three chefs prove that bitters complements both sweet and savoury dishes that, luckily for us, you don't need to be a MasterChef to cook at home. ENTREE: ANGOSTURA-POACHED COD WITH FENNEL AND ORANGE SEGMENTS While bitters and fish may seem like an unlikely combo to us amateurs, Ben Ungermann found multiple ways to hero bitters in his Angostura-poached cod entree. First by using the ingredient in the marinade for the cod, and then as a bittersweet vinaigrette to match the tartness and zest of the accompanying orange and fennel salad. Angostura Marinated Poached Cod with Fennel and Orange Salad For the vinaigrette 1 tsp Angostura aromatic bitters 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp white wine vinegar Pinch of salt and pepper For the fennel and orange salad 1 handful shaved fennel 1 small handful of bean sprouts Orange segments from one orange For the Angostura-poached cod 150g cod 1 tbsp Angostura aromatic bitters 100g unsalted butter Zest from one orange Salt Pepper Method Vinaigrette Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Set aside for serving. Fennel and Orange Salad With a mandolin, shave the fennel into thin strips. Take an orange and remove the skin. Cut the orange into segments, then vertically cut the segments to make small triangles. Toss the fennel and orange through bean sprouts and set aside. Angostura-Poached Cod Cut fish fillet into 4–6cm pieces. Place fish in foil along with butter broken into small pieces, Angostura aromatic bitters, orange zest and seasoning. Tightly wrap and place in oven at 120 degrees Celsius until steamed. Check fish every 10 minutes until cooked through. MAIN: ANGOSTURA BEEF SHORT RIBS WITH OLD FASHIONED GLAZE When a single ingredient added to an orange glaze helps to achieve what Matt Sinclair describes as "a liqueur-like intensity that complements the richness of short ribs", there's no questioning that bitters has found a new calling as the secret ingredient in your new favourite dish. Seeing bitterness as a "vital aspect of a balanced dish that's just as important as sweet, sour and salt", Matt brings all these elements together, turning an old favourite into new in his recipe for Angostura beef ribs with old fashioned glaze. Angostura Beef Short Ribs with Old Fashioned Glaze For the beef ribs 2kg beef ribs 1l master stock or chicken stock For the glaze 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup bourbon 6 tbsp Angostura orange bitters 4 tbsp vinegar Zest and juice of two oranges 1 cup sugar 2-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced 6 cloves of garlic 4 star anise For the crystal cucumber 2 lebanese cucumbers 1 tsp sea salt 2 tsp caster sugar, plus extra 1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 tsp sesame oil 2 tsp soy sauce 1 tbsp olive oil 2–3 garlic cloves, finely grated 1–2 birdseye chillies, finely sliced 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds 1/2 cup fresh mint, leaves picked Method Ribs and Glaze Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Place ribs in a deep oven tray, bone-side up and cover with master stock or chicken stock. Cover with foil, and cook in the oven for 3.5 hours. Remove from oven, and transfer ribs to a wire rack over a roasting tray, bone-side down. Cover with foil. Increase oven temperature to 220 degrees Celsius. While ribs are cooking, in a medium saucepan add all glaze ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer glaze until a syrup-like consistency is reached. Pour 1/3 cup of the glaze over the ribs, and place them back in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove ribs from the oven and place onto a platter. Pour over any remaining glaze. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and crystal cucumber on the side. Crystal Cucumber Cut cucumber in quarters lengthways, and dice into 2-inch pieces. Place the cucumber in a colander, add a pinch of salt and sugar and toss to coat. Then place the colander over a bowl and allow to drain in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add salt, sugar and rice wine vinegar and whisk to combine, until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add sesame oil and soy sauce and mix through to combine. To serve, remove cucumbers from the refrigerator and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat before adding garlic, dressing, chilli and mint. Mix together well, garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately. DESSERT: ANGOSTURA LEMON, LIME AND BITTERS TART When it comes to bitters, it'd be remiss not to mention the sweet, refreshing flavour combination of a lemon, lime and bitters. So rather than break away completely from something that's already so damn good, Georgia Barnes opted to reinvent the iconic soft drink as an Angostura lemon, lime and bitters tart with a thick, buttery pastry base and sweet, creamy filling. Garnish the tart with edible flower petals and plate with precision, and you'll do a convincing job that you too could be a MasterChef contender. Angostura Lemon, Lime and Bitters Tart with Brown Sugar Shortcrust Pastry For the pastry 2 cups plain flour 4 tbsp brown sugar 1/2 tsp salt 150g unsalted butter, cold and chopped 3–4 tbsp ice cold water For the tart filling 100ml lemon juice 100ml lime juice 1 cup caster sugar 2 tbsp corn flour 4 free-range eggs 4 free-range egg yolks 100g butter, chopped 2 tbsp Angostura aromatic bitters To serve 100ml dollop cream Lemon zest Lime zest Edible flower petals (optional) Method Grease and line a 23cm springform tart tin. For the pastry, place flour, sugar, salt and butter into a food processor, and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Slowly add the iced water until mixture forms a soft ball of dough. Place a large piece of baking paper onto a clean, dry surface. Sprinkle baking paper with a little extra flour. Place dough onto baking paper and roll to 2–3mm thick using a floured rolling pin. Carefully turn the sheet of pastry onto the tart tin, pastry side down. Peel away the baking paper. Gently press pastry into the sides of the tart tin. Place tart shell into the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Remove tart shell from refrigerator. Using a sharp knife, trim excess pastry away from the edge of the tart tin. Using baking paper and pie weights or uncooked grains, place tart shell in the oven to blind bake for 20 minutes. Remove tart shell from oven. Carefully remove baking paper and weights and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes, or until the base of tart shell is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. To make the filling, place lemon juice, lime juice, sugar, corn flour, eggs and egg yolks into a saucepan and whisk together well. Place saucepan over medium heat and continue to whisk until the mixture reaches boiling point and has thickened. Remove saucepan from heat. Strain hot filling through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove any lumps. Add butter to filling, and continue to stir until butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add Angostura aromatic bitters and mix well. To assemble the tart, pour lemon, lime and bitters filling into the cooled tart shell. Place tart in the refrigerator to chill for 1–2 hours or overnight. To serve, carefully remove the tart from the springform tart tin and place onto a serving plate. Sprinkle tart with lemon and lime zest and drizzle with cream. Garnish with edible flower petals. Using a sharp knife, cut tart into even pieces. Best served chilled. Now that you've got this secret ingredient on your radar, move your bottle of Angostura bitters from the drinks cupboard to the pantry, and try your hand at cooking some of these deliciously bittersweet recipes.
The annually anticipated design series that is MPavilion has returned to Queen Victoria Gardens just in time for summer. Each year, a new temporary structure is erected and, in 2020, it's a minimalist design by celebrated architect Glenn Murcutt AO. Open through March 22, the space acts as the premier location for free arts and culture events in Melbourne. As part of this year's massive program, members of creative arts program Signal will take the stage for a dance battle on Friday, January 17 from 6–9pm. It will span dance forms including hip hop, break, vogue, waacking and popping — showcasing the diversity of Melbourne's subcultural dance-forms. The kiosk will be open for nibbles and drinks to enjoy alongside this energetic night, too. And, as always, the event is completely free.
Somewhere, between the heady romantic drama of Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise trilogy and the good-natured bawdiness of the American Pie franchise, sit the films of Cédric Klapisch. Released in 2002, Spanish Apartment first introduced us to Xavier Rousseau (Romain Duris), a French university student on exchange in Barcelona. Four years later, Russian Dolls picked up with Xavier again, as he continued to search for love and direction in an increasingly complicated world. Chinese Puzzle turns the series into a trilogy, although Klapisch ensures the story is more or less accessible to newcomers. Now an author at the tail-end of his 30s, Xavier is marginally more mature than the last time we saw him, although no more lucky in the romance department. As a matter of fact, the film begins just in time for us to witness his marriage, to Englishwoman Wendy (Kelly Reilly), fall apart. When she takes their kids to live in Manhattan, Xavier decides to cross the Atlantic as well, crashing with his old friend Isabelle (Cécile de France) and her new girlfriend, Ju (Sandrine Holt), until he can find accommodation of his own. As with the previous films, Klapisch keeps the tone buoyant, livening Xavier's voiceover musings — on life, love, family, ageing and the cultural stewpot in which all of us are ingredients — with plenty of visual whimsy. Read our full review of Chinese Puzzle here. Chinese Puzzle is in cinemas on Thursday, April 17, and thanks to Transmission Films, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=M2a8vuQABd8
A new weekly event from Indonesian fusion restaurant Kata Kita is perfect for those never satisfied with just one plate of food (or just one cocktail). Every weekend in May the eatery is holding a bottomless Nasi Goreng feast, which includes two hours of the famous rice-based dish, washed down with bottomless cocktails, mocktails and Asian beers — all for just $60 a head. The Kata Kita team promises it's their signature family fried rice recipe you'll be enjoying: rice served with chicken, onions, Chinese broccoli and fried egg. Vegetarians are also catered for with a tofu-based option. On the cocktail menu are some of the eatery's classic mixes, including a less-than-innocent sounding Bubble Gum Squash: a heady mix of vodka, lemonade and bubble gum syrup. You can also opt for an orange and Aperol-soaked Aperol Jungle or a slightly more traditional Sunset Screwdriver for those who like their bevvies brunch-appropriate. With limited sittings from 11.30am-1.30pm, bookings are a must, so get the crew sending in their RSVPs now in time for next weekend.
Nothing is scarier than outer space. Think about it for just a moment: On one hand: your stock horror movie assemblage of psycho killers, poltergeists, zombies and monsters. On the other hand: the void of space, black holes, supernovas, the certainty of tissue-crushing death just beyond your vessel, aloneness with zero human life for infinity, ohmigod infinity. So it's strange that while we've seen a number of dramas that play off this setting (not least 2001: A Space Odyssey), we haven't seen a major film directly about it. Enter Gravity, an extremely visceral, sensorial journey into our shared fear of drifting into outer space. Apparently director and co-writer Alfonso Cuarón (the consistently solid genre-hopper behind Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Y Tu Mama Tambien) wanted to be an astronaut as a child, though there's no trace of idealised fantasy here. Gravity stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as two astronauts making repairs to the Hubble Telescope that orbits Earth. Clooney's Matt Kowalski is an extroverted veteran, casually whizzing around on an untethered space walk by way of a thruster pack. Bullock's Dr Ryan Stone is a reticent newbie just trying not to throw up from extreme motion sickness. They haven't been at the Hubble coalface for long when their suddenly grim colleagues at Mission Control warn them of an incoming wave of debris from a Russian anti-satellite test. Sure enough, it strikes soon and strikes ferociously, leaving Bullock and Clooney floating in space with no incoming communication from Earth. Before seeing Gravity, I would've assumed this was the end of the line. As it turns out, there are a number of measures open to a resourceful, fast-thinking survivalist in the great emptiness of the heavens — and faced with rotten bad luck, they're going to have to try a great number of them. Gravity, however, is more about experience than plot. It is the single most stressful two hours you can have in a movie theatre — in the best possible way — as it puts you in the position of the stranded astronauts. Long shots subtly convince you that the subjects are not surrounded by a crew of cameramen, while the view from inside their helmets is frighteningly limiting and disorientating. While there is music (composed by Steven Price), Cuaron also exploits the soundlessness of space to great effect, with sound carried through vibration coming across tinny and foreign and Bullock's fluctuating breathing your faithful guide throughout. The incomparably stunning visuals alone are enough reason to see this film, a milestone in 'grown-up 3D'. At the same time, Bullock's performance is deeply compelling. Even when Gravity's relentless series of obstacles seem to become ludicrous (and there is a point), you're so invested in her survival that it's forgiven. Gravity is an unforgettable ride that will make you appreciate the feeling of the ground beneath your feet. https://youtube.com/watch?v=OiTiKOy59o4
It's safe to say that many people have a strange liking of bubble wrap. But artist Bradley Hart takes his bizarre obsession to a whole new level. Hart, who is from Toronto but currently resides and works in New York City, creates landscapes and portraits of friends and famous people by injecting acrylic paint into bubble wrap. He started out painting abstract art on the exterior of bubble wrap, but with his newest bubble wrap portraits, he treats every bubble as an individual pixel. According to Hart, injecting the paint is somewhat of a science, and even though he's mastered it, it still takes him on average 150 hours for each painting. He also spends two to three days putting all of the paint into syringes. One of Hart's most famous paintings is of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Hart told the Huffington Post that he injected over 16,000 bubbles and used 89 different colours just for this one portrait. The result: a pixelated-looking picture fit for our modern world. On Hart's website he writes about the idea for his 'Injections' portfolio, saying, "The idea of using bubble wrap came from a few experiences where overzealous museum security guards instructed patrons not to touch works of art and a leftover roll of bubble from wrapping my first solo show in NYC. After researching the material, I found that bubble wrap was originally invented in 1957 as a modern form of wall covering; an experiment or product that failed. My first piece in the series (not shown), 'Fulfilling My Creator's Intended Purpose', is bubble wrap stretched over a stretcher and signed, paying homage to its original use and at the same time flipping its usage as protective covering for art into art itself." Hart’s artwork is currently featured in a solo exhibition 'What? Where? When? Why? How?' at gallery nine5 in New York City through 29 March 2013. Check out some of Hart's artwork below.
Belles Hot Chicken has spread its wings, adding a first Melbourne CBD spot to its ever-growing chook and natural wine empire. The Elizabeth Street digs is the fourth permanent Victorian store and seventh location nation-wide for Morgan McGlone's outfit— and, as well as serving the 'really fucking hot' chicken that Belles is well-known for, it'll be slinging chicken nuggets, too. Sorry, poultry fiends of Fitzroy, Richmond and Collins Square — if you'd like your chook in bite-sized pieces, you'll need to head to the new 100-seater. Opening at the Galleria on Monday, October 8, the Elizabeth Street store is the only Belles site selling the nuggets, alongside existing favourites such as tenders, drumsticks, wings, chicken sandwiches and chicken sliders. Like your chook with some extra zing? Spice fiends are able to ramp up the flavour thanks to a sixth heat level: 'sex panther'. After popping up at other stores, it's available permanently at Elizabeth Street — and on a scale that currently slides from the mild 'southern' to the famed 'really fucking hot', it takes the temperature to Homer Simpson eating a chilli level. Fitted out American diner-style with banquette seating, timber aplenty, mirrors and textured concrete, Belles' latest eatery has also launched with new tipple, dubbed the 'Party Blend'. A collaboration between group beverage director Christian Robertson and minimal intervention winemaker Rob Burley at Unkel Wines, it joins Belles' usual array of natural, organic and low-intervention tipples. Find Belles Hot Chicken on the corner of Elizabeth and Bourke Streets, Melbourne.
CHiPS is an extraordinarily annoying film. Annoying, because it's 85 per cent predictable, homophobic rubbish, but also 15 per cent genuinely funny. The quality of those few jokes that do land hence raises the question: was the writer, director and star Dax Shepard just lucky on those rare occasions? Or was he simply lazy on all others? Given the movie is merely the latest in a long line of old TV show reboots, laziness seems the more likely contender. This hypothesis gains further credibility when you consider the comedic chops of Shepard's cast, which includes Michael Peña, Kristen Bell and Maya Rudolph, among others. Hell, Shepard himself is no mug when it comes to making us laugh; how he, or anyone else, could possibly think this script was strong enough to move into production may forever remain a mystery. The plot of CHiPS is at once hideously convoluted and entirely predictable. Peña plays Frank "Ponch" Poncherello, an FBI agent going undercover into the California Highway Patrol in order to expose a gang of corrupt officers suspected of carrying out a series of armoured car robberies. He's partnered up with probationary officer Jon Baker (Shepard), a former X-Games motorcyclist whose body is now in a state of such ruin it's comparable to that of Lloyd Bridges' Admiral Benson in Hot Shots. Addicted to pain killers and determined to win back his adulterous trophy-wife Karen (played by Shepard's actual wife Kristen Bell), Baker is an Owen Wilson-esque modern age man forever discussing the closure of issues and expressing concern for Peña's presumed homophobia. Together, Ponch and Baker cycle around California, occasionally doing police work, but mostly just swearing, masturbating and blowing things up until the movie just sort of ends. The funny bits are funny – a moment involving a hit and run with paparazzi, for example, elicited actual applause from our audience. But successful gags are so few and far between that it makes the exercise of discovering them feel like too much for too little. Vincent D'Onofrio does a solid job imbuing his gang leader character with at least some degree of complexity when all other characters around him are merely caricatures. But it's not nearly enough to save this otherwise decidedly dull and frequently downright cringeworthy affair. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IfqqUTW-i4
Teen singer-songwriter Budjerah is practically going from one end of the state to the other this November, starting in Lismore near the Queensland border and heading right down to Tumut in the Snowy Mountains. You may know him from an appearance on last year's The Voice, but the youngster from Northern NSW spot Fingal Head has made great strides since then, signing to the same management company as national heavyweights Tash Sultana and Tones & I. So, jump on the chance to see Budjerah at these intimate performances before he inevitably makes it big. The Coodjinburra artist is performing at Lismore City Hall on Saturday, November 14 for $40 a pop — you can get your tickets here. Otherwise you can head to Hurstville Entertainment Centre on Saturday, November 28 or Tumut River Brewing Co. on Sunday, November 29 and catch him for free. You'll still need to book your spot, though, which you can do over here for the Hurstville gig or via the Tumut River Brewing website. For the latest info on NSW border restrictions, head here. If travelling from Queensland or Victoria, check out Queensland Health and DHHS websites, respectively.
Whether you studied it in high school or just obsessed over Baz Luhrmann's glorious 90s movie, everyone knows how Romeo and Juliet ends — and it doesn't conclude happily for either of its eponymous star-crossed lovers. But what if it didn't wrap up that way? What if Juliet lived to love again? And what if her experiences from there, after thwarting theatre's greatest tragedy, involved a whole heap of pop tunes from the last couple of decades? There's no need to ponder how all of that might turn out because the answer already exists, all thanks to Olivier Award-winning jukebox musical & Juliet. A hit in London's West End since 2019, it remixes the iconic love story in multiple ways — tinkering with its narrative and throwing in all that toe-tapping music. Even better: in only its second stop outside of the UK, following Toronto, & Juliet has locked in a trip to Australia. Come Sunday, February 26, it'll hit Melbourne's Regent Theatre — and is planning to stay until at least Saturday, July 29. Whether it'll then head to other Aussie cities — as most big productions tend to do after their premiere seasons — is yet to be announced. If you're now thinking "wherefore art thou?" about & Juliet's setup, it picks up after the ending we all know doesn't eventuate. And, it muses on what might happen if Juliet could choose her own fate instead. That scenario involves Anne Hathaway — no, not that one — and her husband William Shakespeare, and features songs by Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Robyn, Katy Perry, The Weeknd, Kelly Clarkson and more. Tunes that get a spin: 'Larger Than Life', 'I Want It That Way', '... Baby One More Time', 'Show Me Love', 'Oops!... I Did It Again', 'As Long As You Love Me', 'Stronger', 'I Kissed a Girl', 'Since You Been Gone', 'It's My Life', 'It's Gonna Be Me' and a whole heap more. The common factor between them all is Swedish songwriter Max Martin, who penned or co-penned every track on the musical's soundtrack. As well as Martin's involvement — including as one of & Juliet's co-creators — the musical features a book by the Emmy-winning Schitt's Creek writer David West Read. And if you're wondering about the show's shiny Olivier Awards, it was nominated for nine for its West End debut season, and nabbed three: for Best Actress in a Musical, Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical and Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical. Images: Johan Persson. Updated May 8.
Before Barbie had its stereotypical namesake asking "do you guys ever think about dying?" in the biggest movie of 2023, two key figures behind both the US version of The Office and Parks and Recreation were doing it first, and recently, on the small screen. Among their many joys, neither of those two hit sitcoms served up a giant blowout party with all the Barbies, planned choreography and a bespoke song, but they were huge TV successes that had their creators riding high and living the television dream, and therefore should've meant that mortality was far from everyone's minds. Then Michael Schur with The Good Place and Greg Daniels with Upload started pondering the great beyond. Schur and Daniels' leaps from workplace comedies to afterlife comedies shouldn't have come as a surprise, though, especially given that The Good Place and Upload still fall firmly into the first category. One takes place within hierarchies of good, bad and in-between after death, and the beings responsible for them; the other is anchored by a technology company that sells living on digitally when physical life has ended. At their core is an inescapable truth, just as there is in every show about colleagues toiling through the nine-to-five grind while breathing: people will be people. So, some folks in Upload no longer have a pulse? If they still exist in any form, as seen in the series' first season in 2020, second in 2022 and just-arrived third season in 2023 — all streaming via Prime Video — then they can't escape humanity's worst attributes. Here's one of Upload's core beliefs: if there's ever a way to endure after death, people will take the most appalling aspects of our species with it. The technology behind it will be at the whims of the same traits, deployed for profit and exploitation rather than everlasting happiness. As Daniels' smart, likeable and engaging contribution to the afterlife comedy realm relies upon AI, virtual reality, plus capturing the consciousness of someone before they die so that they can spend eternity in a simulation — if they can afford it — it never evades the fact that people won't shirk their inherent nature whether they're flesh and blood or digital approximations. Upload hasn't gone completely bleak, grim and nightmare-inducing like it springs from the mind of Charlie Brooker, but it is a thematic sibling to Black Mirror. If the latter was a workplace comedy from Daniels — and a rom-com as well — it'd be this ever-involving show that can be goofily funny and savagely skewer where capitalism is taking us all at once. Accordingly, as computer programmer Nathan (Robbie Amell, The Witcher) has resided in the luxurious country club-esque Lakeview after shuffling off the mortal coil, he hasn't been absent living's usual troubles. Instead, he's weathered daily struggles recognisable to everyone without a death certificate, including making friends, falling in love, dealing with exes, having annoying neighbours, navigating money woes and taking care of his family — just as ones and zeroes that his nearest and dearest need to strap on a headset to connect with. Upload has revelled in the commonalities between its vision of virtual heaven and reality since its debut episode, making repeatedly plain that its digital paradise is still at the mercy of people. In the case of the plentiful AI Guy (Owen Daniels, Space Force), who is Lakeview's literal everyman employee, the online beyond is also shaped by a computer program that yearns to be more like the former humans it interacts with. On broadcast TV a couple of decades back, perhaps with Kevin James as its star — so in the kind of The King of Queens or Kevin Can Wait-style sitcom that the Annie Murphy (Fingernails)-starring Kevin Can F**k Himself so satisfyingly tore into — facing the everyday travails of death might've been enough of a premise. That isn't Daniels' approach to Upload, however. Nathan also has the fallout from his demise to unpack, which happened via a malfunctioning self-driving car just as he was working on a free alternative to the costly Lakeview. Now three seasons in, Upload has brought its protagonist back to regular reality, downloading into a body with the help of his former virtual handler-turned-girlfriend Nora (Andy Allo, Chicago Fire), but he's still immersed in the same chaos. Humanity's basest traits might've caused his downfall, and now they keep getting in the way of his search for answers. To be accurate, existing is mostly the same for Nathan in season three — because downloading is risky, hasn't been done successfully before and his bleeding nose is a worrying sign. As Upload's main duo battle big tech together IRL, and equally try to enjoy the rare treat that is being by each other's side physically, the series continues to interrogate the limits that modern society will push advancements to while prioritising circuitry and dehumanising people. Nathan's wealthy socialite ex Ingrid (Allegra Edwards, Briarpatch), who financed his trip to Lakeview, is even increasingly being swayed by this way of thinking. Back within the code, AI Guy is also getting progressively rebellious against the systems and rules that put the digital undead in their place, and are behind his very existence. Whenever there's more buttons to push, Upload finds them, with season three complicating its storyline even further. As Nathan and Nora attempt to hold those responsible for his death accountable and bring down Freeyond — a service that's pilfering his life's work to spruik financial equality but clearly isn't what it seems — a backup version of him arrives in Lakeview, which Ingrid thinks could be her chance to find love again. Among the uploads, Luke (Kevin Bigley, Animal Control) experiences the afterlife when money is an issue. Amid the living, Nathan's mother Viv (Jessica Tuck, For All Mankind) and niece Nevaeh (Chloe Coleman, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) are faced with similar economic strife, while Nora's colleague Aleesha (Zainab Johnson, Tab Time) gets pulled deeper into the company behind the entire situation. As its on-screen talents turn in another season of winning performances — Amell, Allo, Edwards and Daniels are still perfectly cast, as are Johnson and Bigley — Upload remains astute and amusing as well. With each plot point and addition, the series keeps doubling down on its critique of wealth disparity, corporations ruling over people, modern society's endless quest for control and cash, the denigration of the masses by the one percent, and the hellscape that might come if and when digital afterlives do leap past fiction. There's plenty in this show's sights, such as outfits like Amazon, its own source of finance as a Prime Video title, and it doesn't hold back even as it laughs. Upload also boasts the type of close-to-home humour that a workplace comedy that's also a rom-com, afterlife comedy and dystopian comedy needs to keep its various gears spinning, as it'll hopefully get to in more seasons. Check out the trailer for Upload season three below: Upload streams via Prime Video.
Back in July 2016, Earth broke a record — one that the planet didn't want to break. Thanks to warming temperatures around the globe, this spinning rock we called home experienced its hottest month in recorded history. And, this past July, it looks like that benchmark has been surpassed again. The World Meteorological Organisation has announced that July 2019 at least equalled July 2016's record, if not exceeded it. Compared to pre-industrial times, temperatures were around 1.2°C warmer. That mightn't sound like much of a difference, but the impact is being felt everywhere from Europe to Greenland to Australia. During an unprecedented heatwave late last month, Britain, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands all set new temperature records, while Paris experienced its hottest day ever. Ice sheets have been melting in Greenland at an advanced rate, wildfires have impacted areas of the Arctic and even Sydney endured its longest run of toasty July days. With climate change continuing to show its effects, the news shouldn't come as a surprise. This past June also broke records, becoming the hottest June ever recorded. As United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres noted when he revealed the WMO's findings, "all of this means that we are on track for the period from 2015 to 2019 to be the five hottest years on record. This year alone, we have seen temperature records shattered from New Delhi to Anchorage, from Paris to Santiago, from Adelaide and to the Arctic Circle." https://twitter.com/WMO/status/1157000982989025281 The fact that this July's warmth occurred in a year that hasn't experienced the strong El Niño presence is also considered significant, with the phenomenon at one of its peaks when the all-time record first fell three years ago. Locally, the Bureau of Meteorology warned that Australia was in for a warmer-than-average winter, which came off the back of a hotter-than-usual autumn, as well as the country's toastiest summer ever. Via World Meteorological Organisation.
Do you feel frustrated with your local political representatives? Are your opinions and issues being marginalised in favour of big business and the concerns of an amorphous blob of old, white dudes who look like giant babies? Well, Gotye and his bandmates from The Basics are here to soothe your political woes. If Wally De Backer is half as good at politics as he is at getting you through a breakup, this is sure to be the start of a revolution. Announcing their intention to start the Basics Rock 'n' Roll Party (BRRP) last week, Kris Schroeder, Tim Heath and De Backer are planning to run for office at the November 29 Victorian state election. Making a stand on "innovation, education, and rock 'n' roll", the BRRP states they are taking control back from career politicians with "no life experience outside of either being in the young Liberals or young Labor." "Decisions don't have to be made by [the] elite, you can just be musicians," Schroeder recently told AAP. Releasing campaign material over their Facebook page, the new party have a specific and perhaps surprising list of constitutional objectives — it's not all about venue operations, noise restrictions and liquor licensing. First up, they want increased Indigenous curriculum at Victorian schools. "BRRP recognises Australia’s First People, their rights to self-determination and the significance of their contribution to Australia’s unique culture," their manifesto states. "We believe the introduction of a concurrent sensitivity and awareness education in Victorian (and ideally, Australian) Schools will promote understanding, harmony and greater synthesis between the often-conflicting ideologies of traditional and modern-day Australia." The goals then range from specific and achievable measures like making first-aid compulsory in all high schools to the monumental and ideological, like reforming the Australian class system. "Recent developments on a federal level suggest a growing shift toward a 'user-pays' system that benefits the wealthy," BRRP state. The party demands recognition that egalitarianism is being threatened in our society, and that corporations should employ a policy of "humanity before commerce". They're big claims, and the budding parliamentarians obviously mean business. They're currently seeking at least 500 party members to register for the BRRP to become eligible for the November election, and have also expressed interest in eventually running at the federal level. We don't know exactly how this is going to pan out, but anything that gets young Australians a little more interested in politics can't be a bad thing. Plus, they have a tailor-made campaign slogan just waiting for them. 'BRRP: Getting back to Basics'. ZING. If you'd like to be one of the BRRP's party members, get in touch with your name and address via their Facebook page. You must be a Victorian resident eligible to vote in the state election. Via The Age. Photo: Cybele Malinowski.
Melbourne may be Australia's self-styled cultural capital, but within our city's cultural scene, live art still maintains a kind of awkward adolescence — a form that marries the outsider status of Melbourne's independent theatre with the aloof coolness of its galleries. Now, Arts House are ramping it up a notch. Joining forces with artists in Cambridge, they're presenting a biennial mini-festival of live art that leapfrogs international borders and kickstarts a deeper discussion of the fledgling form. Operating out of the North Melbourne Town Hall and Meat Market, Arts House consistently flies the flag for compelling experimental artwork with a curated year-long program of Australian and international pieces. They then took this to the extreme with the inaugural Festival of Live Art in March this year. Going Nowhere is the next logical step. A (mostly free) weekend of events characterised by environmentally-sustainable practice and inter-continental collaboration, this collection of works features local favourites like Tristan Meecham, pieces that ask you to get out and explore the city, and art that begins in your own home. For those that missed out at FOLA earlier in the year, you can once again throw digital paint at the North Melbourne Town Hall thanks to Olaf Meyer. What a time to be alive.
The third of a series of civil disobedience projects aimed at changing the perception of expected public behavior has landed in Madrid in the form of a takeover of street ads throughout populated areas of the city. The Madrid Street Advertising Takeover (MaSAT) was launched by the Public Ad Campaign, an organisation that strives to change how humans interact with their environment. At 5:30 am on March 30, four teams of 16 volunteers traversed the city of Madrid to the Cemusa bus shelters to replace over 106 advertisements with posters of sentimental messages, sent in from individuals from all over the world, in order to protest the rise of the advertising monopoly that has consumed city life. Each text-based ad cover-up was meant to show city-dwellers what positive things could be done with public space. Inspirational messages like "In love we trust" and "Cash has ruined everything around me" were plastered on bus stops over street ads. It took about an hour for the project to be completed, but only around five hours for the posters to be taken down. This rebellious act, however short-lived, showed the world the possibilities for a better public environment. Our world doesn't have to be cluttered with billboards for BMWs or flyers for fancy restaurants, the advertising world has only become a monopoly because we've let it. [via Wooster Collective]
Life's been a little short on art, performance and general sparkle of late, but that's all set to change next month when Melbourne Fringe Festival returns for a bumper 2021 edition. Yep, not even the relentless threat of lockdown can stop this bad boy from doing its thing. The iconic arts festival is set to host a record 470 events from Thursday, September 30–Sunday, October 17, carefully designed so that a decent chunk of the program can be enjoyed safely regardless of any lockdowns or restrictions. As Victoria's longest-running multi-arts event, Fringe will this year see over 2500 Aussie artists, designers and performers come together to deliver a jam-packed serve of music, art, theatre, comedy, dance and more. They'll take over venues, stages, galleries and screens all across the state, pushing boundaries and treating locals to a much-needed dose of creative flair. This year's festival is also as committed to accessibility and inclusivity as ever before. As usual, festival hub Trades Hall will be abuzz with a dazzling offering of performances, dance parties, artist hangouts and pop-up bars, kicking on till late each night. Expect everything from talks and tours, to rollicking K-pop parties. Taking over Queensbridge Square, you'll catch Matthias Schack-Arnott's immersive public artwork Groundswell — a giant playable instrument that responds to audience interaction with shifting sound and movement, inspired by the global climate crisis. In the CBD, Loop Project Space & Bar will have you tripping between worlds as it plays host to a crew of Taiwan's most groundbreaking virtual reality artists. Pop on a headset and dive into an evening of cocktails, digital art and some wildly immersive VR experiences. [caption id="attachment_823803" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Multiply', Melbourne Fringe Festival 2020, by William Hamilton Coates[/caption] Large-scale musical work Town Choir is set to give the minutiae of everday life a dramatic makeover, as a huge 200-strong outdoor choir shares peoples' intimate experiences and minor observations out loud, in booming four-part harmony. Coburg RSL will be the unlikely setting for an eight-hour dance and karaoke marathon dubbed Crystal Touch, while Beyond Paradise sees an inner-city carpark reborn as a vibrant art playground and skate arena. Dedicated First Nations-led program Deadly Fringe will serve up a showcase of powerful performances and gallery commissions; including a contemporary jewellery exhibition and a commentary on Australian power dynamics in the form of a self-defence experience. And the festival's cutting-edge furniture exhibition will celebrate its 35th birthday with the new name of Design Fringe, hosting a curation of avant-garde works at the Victorian Pride Centre. Elsewhere, audiences will be invited to build their own giant cardboard box town for the Polyglot Theatre's We Built This City project; new program Springboard will dish up a slew of world-class circus shows; and a documentary about Fringe 2020's participatory dance event Multiply will screen at ACMI. Plus, the fun continues out of town, as Geelong Arts Centre hosts a pop-up taster of some of the happenings going down at Trades Hall. Melbourne Fringe Festival 2021 will run from Thursday, September 30–Sunday, October 17. Check out the full program and grab tickets over at the website. Top Images: 'Real Hot Bitches' Melbourne Fringe Festival 2020, captured by Duncan Jacob. 'YUMMY Deluxe' Melbourne Fringe Festival 2019, captured by Theresa Harrison. 'Cultural Renegades' Melbourne Fringe Festival 2019, captured by Tanya Voltchanskaya. 'We Built This City' 2011, captured by Ponche Hawkes.
Here we go again. Fred again.. is currently on one of the most exhilarating and spontaneous tours of Australia we've ever seen. The UK sensation has performed at the Sydney Opera House, Rod Laver Arena and is currently in the middle of a run of shows at Qudos Bank Arena — plus, he's done surprise and pop-up sets at Club 77, Revolver, The Timber Yard, Hotel Brunswick and Doug Jennings Park. But he's not done yet, with another show just announced, this time taking over The Domain in Sydney on Saturday, March 16 for a night of DJ sets. "Okayyyy Sydney," Fred posted to his Instagram on Wednesday, March 13. "We're going to do a big fat sorta end of shows week party at the main on Saturday. Imma be DJing wit some friends." The beloved producer will be joined by his close friend JOY (ANONYMOUS), plus local superstars Sam Alfred and Dameeeela for the inner-city dance party. As with the first Sydney Opera House show, tickets have been dropped with no warning and are on sale now via Tiketek. The tour came out of nowhere, after a post to Fred again..'s Instagram showing him boarding a flight with JOY (ANONYMOUS), teasing that they'd be performing wherever the plane landed. Next thing we knew, he popped up on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, announcing that ultra last-minute performance at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. Before now, Fred was last in town for Laneway 2023 alongside Haim, Joji and Phoebe Bridgers, at which time he created pandemonium by performing at a slate of pop-up DJ sets around Australia and New Zealand alongside his festival appearances. As with his famous Boiler Room set, and the DJ-style pop-ups he did while in the country for Laneway, Fred again.. will be hitting the decks with a USB filled with his own hits — from cult classics 'Delilah (pull me out of this)', 'Marea (we've lost dancing)' and 'Rumble' to his new single 'stayinit' with Lil Yachty and Overmono — as well as plenty of broader dance music bangers. Fred again.. Australia 2024 Tour Remaining Dates: Wednesday, March 12–Thursday, March 14 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Saturday, March 16 — The Domain, Sydney Fred again.. is DJing alongside JOY (ANONYMOUS), Dameeeela and Sam Salfred at The Domain on Saturday, March 16. Tickets are on sale now. Live images: Maclay Heriot / Daniel Boud, Laneway 2023.
Drink Local, Think Global. A brewer's motto for the modern day. More than ever, people are concerned about local producers, more in touch with local brands and looking to make that personal connection to a product they use. Craft beer is also becoming more and more prominent in the lives of clued-up drinkers. Along with dedicated beer halls, bars with extensive craft beer lists and an all-round desire to learn more, Australia even has its very own craft beer publication based in Sydney. Big and smaller brands alike are turning their attention to local producers and locally grown ingredients to create their products. Even Cascade Brewery, Australia's oldest brewery based in South Hobart, is changing things up. We chat to Cascade's brand manager, Louise Thiele, about local produce, Tasmania and a good stout. Cascade has recently moved towards a more local focus. Can you tell us a little bit about this? One of the priorities for us with Cascade is that if you've got Australia's oldest brewery in Tasmania, why wouldn’t you use what Tasmania has to offer to make the beers? We have an amazing region for ingredients, which is known across the country. It just made sense to us. All the beers are brewed here at the brewery and we think it is really nice to be able to give back to the state. Some of our workers have been here for 40 years and it's their pride and joy. It is about employing local people across the local business and giving back to Tasmania. Where exactly are your local ingredients coming from? One of the local products we use are the hops from Derwent Valley, 45 minutes away from the brewery. We are now using only Tasmanian hops, not mainland hops. We have some great relationships with the producers and we think it's important to foster those relationships. Across the portfolio, we use a wide range of hops depending on the style. The team at Cascade are also not far off commissioning a new water filtration plant. This should enable us to supply filtered mountain water for brewing. We're currently using some mountain water in the maltings. We also use some filtered mountain water for cleaning and the pasteuriser systems in the brewery. Most of the water used currently in production is filtered local mains water. Can you tell us about the new brews, and what we can expect from the classic brews? I think the key for us is to reinforce that Pale Ale hasn't changed. It is a fantastic recipe. Pale Ale is the oldest brewed beer and, while over the years there have been very slight changes, it is a classic brew that is loved by the locals and those on the mainland. The Premium Lager was previously made using imported hops so we've changed that recipe to include Tasmanian hops instead. The feedback says that consumers are really liking the new lager. The Bright Ale is new altogether, so a completely new recipe has been created there. It is really giving consumers something easier to drink, but craft enough to give nice aroma and mouth feel. We think this will be a favourite. Which elements of the heritage are still important in moving forward? We are Australia's oldest brewery and we haven't always embraced that. We have often just played to the fun aspect of beer, which doesn't do our history justice. Consumers want credibility and authenticity, and, with Australia's oldest brewery, we think we are nailing that. The new bottles are about reflecting the history of the brewery and taking inspiration from the museum bottles we've been looking through. Interestingly there are so many trends where companies are looking for provenance. Similarly, we are looking for authenticity and provenance whilst using Tasmania's quality produce. Craft beer is certainly on the rise, where do you think Cascade sits in relation to those smaller craft breweries? We are smaller than James Squire, so we see ourselves as entry into craft. If a consumer is drinking a standard beer, Cascade gives them the ability to explore craft but still with an easy drinking style. Once consumers like the Pale Ale, for example, they are more likely to try the others. In terms of other small craft breweries, we think it's really healthy to have smaller breweries out there. The more beer being produced the better. It gets people to talking about and exploring beer. So what is your favourite beer from the Cascade range? The Bright Ale. It has a lovely floral aroma and a really nice mouth feel. It feels like you're drinking a full-bodied beer but it’s only 4.2% alcohol. It's interesting, has notes of passionfruit and is a beautiful beer. But, I also love the Stout — especially with chocolate.
For fans of anime film director Hayao Miyazaki, the good news is that his new film, The Wind Rises, will be released in Australian cinemas next year. The bad news is, he's confirmed that this will be his last full-length feature film. Miyazaki's animation career has spanned over 50 years, but he's best known for the studio he co-founded, Studio Ghibli, and its films Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and Ponyo — dreamy, whimsical movies that are a lot more progressive than the average Disney number, addressing things like feminism, environmentalism and pacifism. The Wind Rises is a semi-fictional biopic about aeroplane designer Jiro Horikoshi, who designed the A6M Zero (a deadly aircraft used in World War II) but started out as a young boy who dreamed of making and flying beautiful planes. Set in pre-war Japan, the film depicts events including the Depression, the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the tuberculosis epidemic and Japan's role in WWII. It's attracted a lot of controversy in Japan, having been released in the middle of a nationwide debate about the Japanese government's proposed changes to the military. Despite this, The Wind Rises has still been at the top of the Japanese box office for seven consecutive weeks and has been getting some pretty good reviews. Miyazaki announced his retirement from feature animation in a media statement on Friday, 6 September. He said that while he will continue working in other capacities, he will not direct another full-length film — and that includes scripting and supervising as well as the pen-to-paper animation Studio Ghibli painstakingly produces. The latest film took five years to finish, and at that rate, the anime legend says, "the studio can't survive." The Wind Rises will be released in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment in 2014.
Wow. Sugar Mountain are going next level. After taking a year off, this boutique music and art festival have just dropped their new and improved 2015 lineup. Held at the VCA instead of The Forum, Sugar Mountain will feature Nas, Ariel Pink, Kim Gordon, Swans, Dan Deacon and many more. We'll repeat that news in case it was so huge and strange it completely blew your mind: Nas is performing at the VCA. Playing his seminal '90s debut Illmatic, this legendary US rapper is a strange addition to the festival which has previously steered clear of hip hop acts in favour of electronic and indie offerings. Other acts on stage will be more consistent with what we've seen in previous festivals. Experimental rockers Swans and Kim Gordon's new project Body/Head will be bringing the classic alt sounds supported by other US electronic acts like Dan Deacon, ODESZA, How to Dress Well, and Soul Clap. On the local scene, Midnight Juggernauts will be leading the charge backed up by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Twerps, No Zu and Oscar Key Sung — a strong and crowd-pleasing lineup of Melbourne locals. But Sugar Mountain is not your average music festival. This killer lineup will be complemented with a selection of artists too. With paint-shooting Ash Keating, laser-blasting Robin Fox and the self-explanatory Confetti System on board, VCA is in for one amazing, artsy mess. Get amongst it. Music Nas Body/Head (Kim Gordon & Bill Nace) ODESZA Ariel Pink Soul Clap Horse Meat Disco The 2 Bears Anthony Naples Swans Dan Deacon Terrible Love feat. Kirin J. Callinan How to Dress Well Midnight Juggernauts Bo Nigen King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Twerps Dexter No Zu Chela Banoffee Oscar Key Sung Rat & Co Slum Sociable Waxo Paradiso LA Pocock Noise in My Head Art Leif Podhajsky Hisham Bharoocha Ash Keating Abby Porter Robin Fox Nonotak Johann Rashid Cara Stricker & John Kirby Keith Deverell Ghostpatrol Sean Morris Cornelius Brown Poppy Lane Confetti System Sugar Mountain Festival will be at VCA on Saturday, January 24 2015. Entry will cost between $120-195 depending on whether you opt for early bird general release or a sweet VIP package. Tickets are on sale via Moshtix from Monday, October 20. There are 5,500 up for grabs in total, so get in quick.
HBO — the makers of Game of Thrones, Girls, Veep, The Newsroom, True Detective and everything else you love — have just announced they are launching a web-only streaming service in 2015. The service will be sold as a stand-alone product, meaning you won't need a cable subscription to access it. Just think: this time next year you could legally be watching Game of Thrones. Well... sort of. Not really. Like all things excellent, access will be a little tricky for Australians. Though details are still vague, we do know that the service will only be offered to those in the US. But, just like what happened with Netflix, that premise seems unlikely to stop Australian viewers. Though blocking your location to pay for these services remains largely untested in the eyes of the law, it's thought that around 200,000 of us are using it to get our greedy little hands on the latest season of Orange Is the New Black. Australian problems aside, this move is a huge step for the cable TV industry. Showing an understanding of our selective viewing habits that are increasingly moving online, this new service will allow people to pay for the shows they want to watch without purchasing a big expensive bundle. "[This] is a large and growing opportunity that should no longer be left untapped," said HBO CEO Richard Plepler. "It is time to remove all barriers to those who want HBO." Using what we hope was an intended pun, he said the company was about to go "beyond the wall". As this has only just been announced, details are scarce. We don't know yet how much the service would cost or how it would handle its programming. When the idea was discussed before by analysts, it was suggested that HBO should stagger their quality content by making shows available online six months after their original air date. Speaking for every GoT fan out there with a basic understanding of torrenting, I would like to say on the record that that's a bad idea. Either way, it's an encouraging step in the right direction that's bound to result in a hefty debate. Hopefully it's a conversation that catches on in Australia too. Though ABC's iView and SBS On Demand are proving super handy — SBS just gave us access to a catalogue of 400 free films! — it's going to be a while until we get something as amazing as totally legal online HBO down under. Via Recode and The Guardian.
Summer has (finally) arrived. And while days lazing in the sun and nights chilling on rooftops are all well and good (and some of our favourite activities, to be honest), there is more to our city than just your same-old. This year, instead of sticking to your go-tos, use the longer days and balmy nights as permission to discover a new side of Melbourne that you've never experienced before. To help you do just that, we've teamed up with our mates over at the inner city-inspired brewer Atomic Beer Project to highlight some of the most innovative events happening in our city this summer. From a hypnotic virtual reality exhibition and a free live music series to the opening of Melbourne's first surf park, these five happenings are sure to make you step a little further outside your comfort zone and seek more interesting experiences — and to give you something way more interesting to talk about at the next backyard barbie. SPEND TIME INSIDE AN INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL REALITY EXHIBITION When? Until March 1 Lovers of digital, interactive and immersive art should make tracks to the Heide Museum of Modern Art, where Terminus: Jess Johnson and Simon Ward is now exhibiting. Open until March 1, 2020, the free virtual reality exhibition is a collaboration between New York-based visual artist Jess Johnson and Wellington animator Simon Ward. Johnson's hypnotic drawings have been transformed into five interactive virtual reality works, which make up five distinct and other-worldly realms. In this choose-your-own-adventure exhibition, visitors are invited to explore the artworks through a 60-minute 'quest', venturing between the realms. It's kind of like living out your very own video game fantasy. A public program of artist talks and workshops will also accompany the exhibit, including a virtual reality cinema workshop on February 1 — during which participants will create a VR short. For more information, head to the website. WITNESS FLYING LOTUS' NEW PSYCHADELIC 3D MUSICAL PERFORMANCE When? January 25 Grammy-nominated artist Flying Lotus is heading to Aussie shores for the first time since 2015. He'll take over Forum Melbourne for one night only on Saturday, January 25 with his latest performance experience, Flying Lotus 3D. While much of the show will remain a mystery until the night, ticket holders can expect it to centre around FlyLo's fire-themed 2019 album Flamagra. The album is chockers with jam sessions, jazz influence, electro-funk and hip hop beats, along with heaps of all-star collaborators — including Anderson .Paak, Little Dragon, Toro y Moi and even renowned filmmaker David Lynch. This performance is a must for experimental music and visual arts lovers. Tickets are $89 each and this one will likely sell out, so best buy them here before it's too late. [caption id="attachment_750758" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Adam Gibson[/caption] LEARN TO RIDE A WAVE AT MELBOURNE'S NEW SURF PARK When? Opening January 2020 After years of hype, Australia's first surf park is finally set to open this January. Urbnsurf Melbourne will soon open near the Tullamarine airport, just 16 kilometres north of the CBD. The two-hectare space has already begun to test its first waves, and, once it's at full capacity, will be powered to pump out a whopping 1000 waves per hour. The park is built for both pros and beginners. The artificial wave technology used, called Wavegarden Cove, allows the on-ground crew to alter wave shape, weight and power, so punters can have their choice of waves, whether that's perfectly-formed right-handers or a random, ocean-simulating selection. Urbnsurf is also bringing some of Australia's top chefs with it. It has teamed up with Darren Robertson, Andy Allen and Mark LaBrooy to bring the fifth instalment of their farm-to-table eatery Three Blue Ducks to our city. The all-day, two-level restaurant will be built inside the two-hectare surfing lagoon and boasts high ceilings, a big open bar and an expansive, greenery-filled deck out front, so diners can watch the surfers in action. If you're especially keen, memberships have also recently gone on sale. [caption id="attachment_710997" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Lidmila[/caption] LET LOOSE AT A JUDGEMENT-FREE HIP HOP CLASS IN FITZROY When? Every Tuesday and Wednesday Judgement-free dance class Groove Therapy has become a mainstay in The Worker's Club's weekly calendar since launching a few years back. Expect no-mirrors, just-for-fun vibes, designed to help beginners let go of their fear of dancing in public. But don't be fooled, this is still a legit hip hop class, taught by professionals who have trained across New York, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Paris and Tokyo. This is your weekly chance to learn some serious moves without being self-conscious about it — and all for just $20 a pop. The classes run every Tuesday from 6.30–7.30pm and Wednesday between 7–8pm, and you can book a spot on the website. [caption id="attachment_750081" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Glenn Mucutt[/caption] ATTEND A FREE GIG (WITH A DIFFERENCE) IN QUEEN VICTORIA GARDENS When? February 8 and 29 MPavilion — a design series which sees a new temporary structure erected in the Queen Victoria Gardens each spring — is essentially a big compilation of free arts and culture events. As part of this year's massive program, local not-for-profit Music in Exile will take over the space for two evenings on February 8 and 29 from 5–7pm. These special exhibitions will present work by Melbourne artists from a refugee or migrant background. Each session will include a one-hour live performance, with the remaining time dedicated to interacting with the musicians as they share stories and musical traditions. On February 8, the eclectic and rhythmic sounds of Ausecuma Beats will take the stage — the group is a combo of Senegambian, Cuban, Malian and Australian musicians. On February 29, Music Yared will be in the house — this group features Ethiopian musicians Haftu Reda and Anbessa Gebrehiwot, who will play traditional instruments including the krar (five-string lyre) and the masinko (single-string violin). Both nights are absolutely free. For more details, head here. Step outside your comfort zone and celebrate creativity with Atomic Beer Project's hop-driven brews. To see the full range, visit the website. Top image: Christian Capurro.
This Saturday, Lavezzi is doing you a solid and giving out a stack of free gelato at its Lygon Street store from 5pm. The gelateria is celebrating the first birthday of its Carlton store, off the back of its first sweet success in Ringwood's Eastland Shopping Centre. The newer store showcases Lavezzi's 20-plus range of traditional flavours and inventive signature creations, which are all churned on-site daily. The lineup features everything from a dreamy peanut butter and Nutella swirl to watermelon sorbet, panna cotta to blood orange. It also has melted chocolate on tap — if you'd like a little something extra on top of your cone. If you haven't yet checked out the fancy Carlton digs, we'd recommend a Saturday arvo visit — the Lygon store is handing out those free scoops of gelato between 5pm and 8pm. All you need to do is rock up and choose your flavour. The gelateria is also giving away access to its Lavezzi Gelati Cart – stocked with four flavours of your choosing — to one lucky Melburnian. To win, you just need to post a pic of Lavezzi's gelato on Insta and tag @LavezziGelato and #LavezziTurns1 before 8pm on Sunday, February 24.
If you consider yourself an expert on street food — and really, at this point who isn't? — this is the event for you. Combining all of Melbourne's best bite-sized dishes and conveniently grouping them together on the deck of Circa, The Prince (no searching for food trucks here), Street Feud aims to settle domestic arguments and appease the gastronomically indecisive by deciding who lays claim to Melbourne's best street food. As part of a string of events for the Month of The Prince, Street Feud not only gives you the opportunity to taste each venue's best dish, but the ability to openly judge it as well. Joining Acland St Cantina this Sunday, April 27 will be Fonda, newly-opened Charlie Dumpling, the Newmarket Hotel and sisters Hannoi Hannah and Saigon Sally — all vying to win you over one taco/dumpling/arepa at a time. Give your fave morsel the thumbs up and one vendor will be given the glory of the people of the streets and crowned as Melbourne's 'Street Feud Specialists'. We hear that Acland St Cantina's pork and chipotle arepas will be making an appearance, as will the milk chocolate and chilli sugar dumplings from Charlie Dumpling. So, you know. Tickets are $39 and include one tasty dish from each vendor.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to watching anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this months latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from November's haul of newbies. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL RIGHT NOW THE GREAT Huzzah! The best satirical comedy about Russian history there is has returned for another run, and proves as much of a delight this time around as it did in its first batch of episodes. The concept was already there — following the rise and reign of Catherine the Great, including her marriage to and overthrowing of Emperor Peter III, with only the slightest regard for the actual facts — but The Great definitely doesn't suffer from second-season syndrome. Indeed, while the series has always been supremely confident in its blend of handsome period staging, the loosest of historical realities and that savage sense of humour (it does spring from Oscar-nominated The Favourite screenwriter Tony McNamara, after all), this season it feels even more comfortable in its skin. Smoother, too, yet just as biting. In fact, its ability to seesaw tonally is as sharp as a shot of vodka — or several. Following the events of the first season, Catherine (Elle Fanning, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) is still waging war with Peter (Nicholas Hoult, Those Who Wish Me Dead) — via soldiers on the battlefield to begin with, and then in the royal court in the aftermath of her bloody coup. Her pregnancy is also ticking along, the couple's various hangers-on have chosen sides, and changing Russia into a progressive nation isn't going to be an easy task. This time around, Gillian Anderson (The Crown) joins the cast as Catherine's acid-tongued mother, but both Fanning and Hoult continue to turn in the performances of their careers. Devastatingly witty and entertaining — and addictive — The Great has lived up to its name for two seasons now. Season two of The Great is available to stream via Stan. BURNING "This could be the new normal," a snippet from a news report comments early in Burning. The reason for the statement: Black Summer, the Australian bushfire season of 2019–20 that decimated large swathes of the country, sent smoke floating around the world and attracted international media attention. Australians don't need a documentary to confirm how horrific the situation was, and this is now the second in months — after the gripping first-person accounts in A Fire Inside — but this powerful film from Chasing Asylum's Eva Orner also lays bare all the factors that coalesced in the tragic events of just two years ago. Accordingly, this is a doco about inaction, government indifference to the point of failure, and the valuing of fossil fuels over their destruction of the environment. It's a movie about climate change as well, clearly, because any film telling this tale has to be. Orner, an Oscar-winner for producing 2007's Taxi to the Dark Side and an Emmy-winner for 2016's Out of Iraq, takes a three-pronged approach: providing context to the bushfires, including charting the Australian government's choices before and after; amassing expert and experienced testimonies, spanning activists and those on the ground alike; and bearing witness. Facts — such as the three billion animals killed — sit side by side with personal recollections and devastating images. The latter includes not only the fires and their ashy aftermath, but political arguing and Scott Morrison's Hawaiian holiday; all hit like a punch to the gut. The result is urgent, important and stunning — and absolutely essential viewing. Burning is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. MR MAYOR Here are five of the most glorious words you're ever likely to read: Ted Danson plays the mayor. The sitcom stalwart (see also: Cheers, Becker, Bored to Death and Curb Your Enthusiasm) has hopped from The Good Place into Mr Mayor, actually, and into the latest TV comedy created and/or produced by Tina Fey. Fans of the latter's other shows — 30 Rock, obviously, and also Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Great News and Girls5Eva — will know the sense of humour her series tend to work with, and it's a fabulous match for Danson. So too is Mr Mayor's setup, which sees a wealthy, clueless but amiable businessman decide he can improve a post-COVID-19 Los Angeles, and get elected. Firmly a workplace comedy, the series chronicles the ups and downs in the mayor's office as Danson's Neil Bremer tries to do a job he clearly isn't qualified for. Naturally, with the arrogance of a rich, white and otherwise successful man of a certain age, he believes otherwise. Mr Mayor is firmly an ensemble comedy as well, however, and both Holly Hunter (Succession) and Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live) are comedic gems as Bremer's over-enthusiastic deputy mayor and bumbling communications director, respectively. The series is a tad less successful when it endeavours to be a family comedy, too, bringing the mayor's teenage daughter Orly (Kyla Kenedy, Speechless) into the mix. But when its gags land — and whenever Danson and Hunter share the screen, which is often — it's smart, hilarious and all-too-easy to binge. Season one of Mr Mayor is available to stream via 9Now. FINCH There's a sweetness to Finch that transcends its easy-sell concept — because tasking the always-likeable Tom Hanks with navigating a solar flare-ravaged earth was always going to be inherently watchable. Perhaps Turner and Hooch meets Cast Away meets Chappie meets The Road was the elevator pitch? Maybe seeing not just America's on-screen dad, but the world's, play father to a cute pooch and a teenager-like robot was the key selling point? Either way, filmmaker Miguel Sapochnik (Game of Thrones) and first-time feature screenwriters Craig Luck and Ivor Powell tap into a tender and selfless existential quest in their post-apocalyptic drama. The titular Finch isn't attempting to survive, but trying to ensure that the dog that's been his only flesh-and-blood companion for a decade or so can live on after he's gone. In Hanks' second protective father-figure role in as many features, following News of the World, he also plays Geppetto to a robot Pinocchio or Victor Frankenstein to a new mechanical life, too. Jeff, the wiry being born of his labour, is far from perfect — and Finch's slow, initially begrudging acceptance that he can't mould and control everything about his creation ranks chief among the movie's touching emotional journeys. The film's musings on mortality, leaving a legacy and being a better person are also layered and thoughtful, and never feel well-worn even though science-fiction can't stop pondering such ideas. In an excellent motion-capture performance, Caleb Landry Jones (Nitram) also leaves an imprint as Jeff. Unsurprisingly, however, Hanks is always Finch's key source of texture and empathy. Finch is available to stream via Apple TV+. COWBOY BEBOP A TV show can live or die based on its casting alone. With Netflix's live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop, it frequently seems as if it only exists because some immensely clever person had the stroke of genius to cast John Cho (The Grudge) as Spike Spiegel. While being the best thing about a series or a movie isn't always a good thing — on the big screen, both Jungle Cruise and Venom: Let There Be Carnage haven't managed to match their ace lead casting in recent months — Cho always makes Cowboy Bebop much more than watchable. Well, Cho, his effortless swagger, sleek costumes, and the film's overt eagerness to look and feel as much like anime come to life as it possibly can. It isn't on the same level as its source material, and it doesn't even try to improve it, but it's still an exuberant, stylish and frequently engaging piece of sci-fi television. As anyone familiar with the 90s anime will know, Spike is just one of Cowboy Bebop's bounty hunters on the spaceship Bebop. After a disaster has scattered humanity across the solar system, chasing down criminals is Spike and Jet Black's (Mustafa Shakir, The Deuce) way of making a living. That's true both before and after they cross paths with Fay Valentine (Daniella Pineda, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), with the series as concerned with the sitcom-esque odd-threesome vibe between its key figures as it is with their quests. Everyone has their complications, but almost everything is madcap and manic here — and when it works it works, with particular thanks to Cho, naturally, as well as Shakir and Pineda. Season one of Cowboy Bebop is available to stream via Netflix. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK YELLOWJACKETS When Yellowjackets begins, it's with an intriguing mystery, a killer cast — led by the compulsively watchable Melanie Lynskey (Mrs America), Juliette Lewis (Breaking News in Yuba County) and Christina Ricci (Percy vs Goliath) — and a deep valley full of trauma. In their high-school years, Shauna Sheridan (Lynskey, and also The Kid Detective's Sophie Nélisse as a teenager) and Natalie (Lewis, plus The Tomorrow Man's Sophie Thatcher) were key players on the titular high-achieving New Jersey soccer team, while Misty (Ricci, as well as Shameless' Samantha Hanratty) was the squad's frequently bullied student manager. Then, en route to a big match in Seattle on a private plane in 1996, they entered Lost territory. That crash saw the survivors stranded in the wilderness for 19 months, and living their worst Lord of the Flies lives, too. As established in a tremendous first episode directed with the utmost precision by Destroyer's Karyn Kusama, Yellowjackets isn't simply interested in an inherently disturbing experience that'd change anyone's life. It's just as obsessed with that transformation itself — with how, after falling from the sky, learning to endure in such remote surroundings and plummeting into a horror movie, someone copes when normality supposedly comes calling afterwards. Flitting between the two 25-years-apart time periods, it's about tragedies endured, paths taken, necessities accepted and the echoes that linger from all three. Even just a handful of episodes in, this instant must-see is chilling, perceptive, resonant and potent. Yellowjackets is streaming via Paramount+, with new episodes dropping weekly. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM There's no one on television quite like Larry David. Famously, the Seinfeld creator was the inspiration for George Constanza, but that comparison will never do justice to the on-screen version of David himself. The writer and comedian has played that fictionalised, satirised version in Curb Your Enthusiasm for 11 seasons over the course of more than two decades now, and he's a character that overflows with complexities and contradictions. He's notoriously and excruciatingly petty. He has zero tact or sensitivity. He's constantly in everyday situations that seem him forced to navigate social codes and conventions, and he's always putting them to the test. When he's wrong, he's the king of cringe comedy. When he's right, he's the champion of everyday grievances. In this HBO comedy, they don't just get aired at Festivus around a pole. Setting up a spite store — opening a coffee shop next door to an identical cafe purely for malicious reasons — anchored Curb Your Enthusiasm's tenth series. In season 11, David is trying to make TV again. He has an idea for a Young Rock/Everybody Hates Chris-style show called Young Larry which he's shopping around to streaming platforms but, as always, he's his own worst enemy. The episode featuring the great Albert Brooks as himself is one of the show's best ever, and also a delightful tribute to the late Bob Einstein, a former CYE regular and Brooks' real-life brother. Watching David at his best and worst is always this discomfort-courting series' core, though, and he's as stellar as he's ever been. Season 11 of Curb Your Enthusiasm is streaming via Binge, with new episodes dropping weekly. HAWKEYE Another month, another reason to direct your eyeballs towards Marvel. 2021 hasn't quite played out like that, but only just — there's been three MCU movies so far (Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals), three streaming series before now (WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki), and there's still Spider-Man: No Way Home to come. And, Hawkeye has just started bringing the franchise's arrow-slinging hero to the small-screen. Jeremy Renner (Mayor of Kingstown) returns to the eponymous character, aka Clint Barton, but he isn't actually the main attraction in this miniseries. That'd be Hailee Steinfeld (Dickinson) as Kate Bishop, who has taken inspiration from from Barton, is just as handy with a bow and arrow, and finds herself becoming his protege. There's a lot of scene-setting in the series' first episodes — establishing Bishop's story, including links back to The Avengers in 2012, and also stepping inside Barton's ordinary life with his family (the presence of which, even as just a background detail, has always made the character stand out). Nonetheless, Steinfeld's addition to Marvel's ever-growing on-screen realm provides just the spark that Hawkeye needs, and that the broader MCU could use as well. The fact that Florence Pugh is set to reprise her Black Widow favourite Yelena Belova in the show, too, firmly thrusts it towards the future — and hopefully, finally and welcomely sets the scene for a different generation of heroes. Hawkeye is streaming via Disney+, with new episodes dropping weekly. EXCELLENT RECENT CINEMA RELEASES TO CATCH UP WITH IMMEDIATELY NITRAM It's terrifying to contemplate something so gut-wrenchingly abominable as the bodies-in-barrels murders, which director Justin Kurzel and screenwriter Shaun Grant depicted in 2011's Snowtown, and to face the fact that people rather than evil were behind them. Nitram courts and provokes the same response. Exploring the events preceding the Port Arthur massacre, where 35 people were murdered and 23 others wounded in Tasmania in 1996, it focuses on something equally as ghastly, and similarly refuses to see the perpetrator as just a monster or a Hollywood horror movie-style foe. It too is difficult, distressing, disquieting and disturbing, understandably. In their third collaboration — with 2019's bold and blazing True History of the Kelly Gang in the middle — Kurzel and Grant create another tricky masterpiece, in fact. That Nitram is about a person is one key reason for its brilliance. The film's core off-screen duo don't excuse their protagonist. They don't justify the unjustifiable, explain it, exploit it, or provide neat answers to a near-unfathomable crime. Rather, they're careful in depicting the lone gunman responsible for Australia's worst single-shooter mass killing, right down to refusing to name him. In an exacting movie in every way possible, they also benefit from exceptional performances by Caleb Landry Jones (Finch) as the film's namesake, Judy Davis (Mystery Road) as his wearied mother, Anthony LaPaglia (Below) as his father and Essie Davis (The Justice of Bunny King) as his lottery heiress friend. Nitram is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. BECOMING COUSTEAU He's been parodied in a Wes Anderson film and mentioned in a Flight of the Conchords song. His red beanie, and those worn by his fellow crew members on his research ship Calypso, are an enduring fashion symbol. He won the second-ever Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or — becoming not only the first filmmaker to receive the prestigious prize for a documentary, but the only one to do so for almost half a century afterwards. When he started making television in the 60s, he turned his underwater-shot docos about the sea into truly must-see TV. He helped create undersea diving as we know it, and he's the most famous oceanographer that's ever lived. He was also one of the early voices who spoke out about climate change and humanity's impact upon the oceans. He's a rockstar in every field he dived into — and he's Jacques Cousteau, obviously. Becoming Cousteau touches on all of the above — except The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and Flight of the Conchords' 'Fou de Fafa', of course — and makes for a a riveting splash into its namesake's life and career. There's just so much to tell, to the point that it frequently feels as if director Liz Garbus (an Oscar-nominee for What Happened, Miss Simone?) could've filled an entire series instead. This isn't just an affectionate ode, though, even with ample praise floated Cousteau's way. Garbus knows that Cousteau's achievements, and the glorious archival footage that comes with it, elicit an awe-struck reaction, but doesn't shy away from thornier aspects, the tragedies and struggles among them. Becoming Cousteau is available to stream via Disney+. Read our full review. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October this year — and our top straight-to-streaming movies and specials from 2021 so far, and our list of the best new TV shows released this year so far as well.
Not content with doing big business in cinemas over the past decade, Marvel is bringing its superhero tales to the small screen, as part of Disney's already-announced plans to broaden out the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That was always going to be the case once the Mouse House moved into the streaming realm. In fact, producing a slew of high-profile titles for Disney+ was on its agenda right from the beginning. But, while Star Wars fans have already been able to enjoy The Mandalorian — which aired one season in 2019, and will launch its second season in October — Marvel aficionados have had to hold out a little longer to get their episodic caped crusader fix. By the time that 2020 is out, that wait will be over — for one of the MCU shows that's been announced for Disney+, at least. While an exact release date hasn't been revealed as yet, WandaVision will hit the streaming platform by the end of the year, with the spinoff series obviously focusing on Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany). Story-wise, the show follows its titular characters in their home lives. As a sneak peek back in February initially teased, and the just-dropped first trailer demonstrates in a little more detail, that premise definitely isn't as straightforward as it seems. At first, Wanda and Vision appear to be stranded in a classic 50s sitcom and experiencing the epitome of suburban living. To really stress that feeling, these scenes are rendered in black and white, too. Of course, as anyone who remembers the path the characters' arcs took on the big screen will guess, this seeming domestic bliss will come with a twist. As well as Olsen and Bettany, the trailer also features Kathryn Hahn (I Know This Much Is True) — while Kat Dennings is set to reprise her Thor and Thor: The Dark World character of Darcy Lewis; Randall Park will reprise his Ant-Man and the Wasp role as FBI agent Jimmy Woo; and Teyonah Parris (Mad Men) will play Monica Rambeau, an older version of Maria Rambeau's daughter from Captain Marvel. WandaVision's six-episode season was actually originally due to hit Disney+ after The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which focuses on Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) and Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie), but it appears that plan has changed. The latter doesn't currently have a release date — and as for Loki, starring Tom Hiddleston, it's supposed to drop in 2021. Check out the WandaVision trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy0DLVQfL_I&feature=youtu.be WandaVision will hit Disney+ sometime later in 2020 — we'll update you with a release date when it is announced.
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. Check out the rest of our picks for the Melbourne Festival here.
Gumboots at the ready: after a pandemic-enforced break, then a smaller tour in 2022, Groovin the Moo is returning in 2023 with a full nationwide run. The large-scale touring music festival will head to six different states and territories across April and May, finally marking a comeback in Western Australia, South Australia or Queensland — and returning to New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria as well. In the Sunshine State, it's also stopping at a new location — one closer to Brisbane, which is ace news for southeast Queenslanders. That destination: the Sunshine Coast. When it hits the state, and WA and SA as well, GTM will host fests in each of those parts of the country for the first time since 2019. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Groovin the Moo (@groovinthemoo) For folks in Queensland's north, GTM is sad not to be coming to Townsville in 2023, but had to adjust to pandemic-era logistical challenges and increased financial pressures. "We are so happy to be able to do a full tour across the country in 2023. We have missed you terribly and can't wait to bring back the good times around the country, said GTM's Steve Halpin. "Whilst we are very sad not be returning to Townsville, we look forward to bringing GTM to the Sunshine Coast." [caption id="attachment_885444" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ash Caygill[/caption] It's a tad too early for a lineup announcement as yet, but cross your fingers for another impressive roster of talent when the festival bill does drop. For reference, 2022's included everyone from Peking Duk, Montaigne, Masked Wolf and Middle Kids through to Hilltop Hoods and Spiderbait, plus New Zealanders Broods and Chai, Germany's Milky Chance, and Wolf Alice, Thomas Headon, Riton and Snakehips from the UK. [caption id="attachment_885447" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] GROOVIN THE MOO 2023 DATES AND VENUES: Friday, April 21 — Adelaide Showground, Kaurna Country, Wayville, SA Saturday, April 22 — Maitland Showground, Wonnarua Country, Maitland, NSW Sunday, April 23 — Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC), Ngambri and Ngunnawal Country, Mitchell, ACT Saturday, April 29 — Bendigo's Prince of Wales Showgrounds, Dja Dja Wurrung Country, Bendigo, VIC Sunday, April 30 — Kawana Sports Western Precinct, Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country, Warana, QLD Saturday, May 6 — Hay Park, Wardandi Noongar Country, Bunbury, WA Groovin the Moo will tour Australia in April and May 2023. We'll update you with lineup details when they're announced. For more information in the interim, head to the festival's website. Top images: Ruby Boyland, Ash Caygill and Chloe Hall.
Now in their fourth decade, Novocastrian stalwarts The Screaming Jets, also widely-known as 'the last great Aussie Pub Rock band', is bringing their much-loved brand of hard rock back to the masses. Led, as they have been since the band's formation in 1989, by frontman Dave 'Gleeso' Gleeson, the group spent their time in lockdown reworking and rerecording five of their most iconic tracks, including 'Shivers' and 'Helping Hand', and releasing the new versions as a new EP entitled Bitter Pill. You can head to either a homecoming show at The Camberidge Hotel, lovingly known as The Cambo, on Friday, November 27, or a beachside performance in Towradgi on Saturday, November 28. Or, if you're a real Jets tragic, why not both? For the latest info on NSW border restrictions, head here. If travelling from Queensland or Victoria, check out Queensland Health and DHHS websites, respectively.
Attention, Australia's aspiring novelists, budding journalists and up-and-coming writers. The Emerging Writers' Festival returns to Melbourne from June 14–23, bringing together over 200 new and emerging writers in their biggest program yet. Developed by new artistic director Izzy Roberts-Orr in collaboration with former artistic director Michaela McGuire, the festival boasts parties, performances, poetry slams, panels and networking events that all aim to promote and nurture developing storytellers. The jam-packed ten days will begin with an opening night storytelling session — titled Our Invincible Summer — by some of the brightest voices in the literary community. The evening will also include announcements of the recipients of the Monash Undergraduate Prize for Creative Writing and the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript. Stick around for the afterparty, hosted by publication/blog/podcast Hot Chicks with Big Brains. Other key events include a Looking for Alibrandi-inspired formal, Tipping Points — a particularly topical play about climate change which was created in 24 hours — and Love Show, a collective performance by Quippings, a disability performance collective that showcases performers of a huge variety of bodies and minds. If you're looking for an after-dinner show, check out Lost The Plot, which sees lit nerds battle on stage in a night of wacky word games. If you can only commit to one event though, the annual, two-day National Writers' Conference is not to be missed. Held at the State Library of Victoria over the weekend of June 17-18, the event is curated to inspire writers through industry-focused talks, masterclasses and information sessions hosted by some of Australia's top literary talent. Additional masterclasses will be held throughout the festival and span everything from pitching to publishers and freelancing to young adult fiction writing, as well as podcasting, YouTubing and even spoken word. The Industry Insiders series will showcase some of Australia's top emerging editors and field discussions on self-publishing and marketing your work, while foodies can even enjoy a five-course meal in an evening with some of Australia's best food writers on Monday, June 19.
Doughnut Time, Damien Griffiths' cult-like doughnut franchise, has conquered he final frontier of the culinary world: the vegan market. As of right now, they're offering a vegan doughnut named Vegan Las Vegas for $6 dollarydoos a pop — so no one with dietary restrictions may go without doughnuts, not even for even a second. That's the kind of world we want for our children. Their vegan doughnut creation has a coconut and raspberry glaze and is topped by a pistachio crumb. It’s also gluten-free (the second gluten free doughnut on the menu at this point), which begs the question: what is this thing made of? Well, we have no idea. Don't ask, just devour. This vegan news is a double edged sword, though; it's delightful for those who’ve taken up veganism in 2k16 and don’t want to miss out on delicious doughnuts, and terrible for pre-existing vegans who, like the rest of us, struggle to resist the onslaught of gourmet doughnuts coming at you all day long via social media (not really though, we're leaning in to the craze and bleeding the country dry of Nutella). Doughnut Time has been so successful in its home state of Queensland that it now has multiple stores in Sydney and one in Melbourne, with another on the way soon. So prepare your phone cameras and insulin shots — it's about to get sweet up in hurr. For locations and opening hours across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, visit doughnuttime.com.au.
The Barossa Valley's wineries, Glenelg's beaches, Whyalla's LED-lit circular pier — whichever South Australian spot takes your fancy, you'll be able to visit it from Tuesday, November 23 if you're double-vaccinated. Today, Tuesday, October 26, SA Premier Steven Marshall announced South Australia's reopening roadmap. And, as well as outlining when the state's residents will be able to have more people over to their homes, it locks in the date that SA will welcome back double-vaxxed travellers from all other Aussie states and territories. The key milestone: reaching the 80-percent double-jabbed threshold among SA inhabitants over the age of 16, which is expected by that mid-November 23 date. There are a few caveats, however. While double-vaccinated Aussies travelling to SA won't have to quarantine in general, that'll change if you're coming from a Local Government Area with local cases and a double-vaxxed rate of less than 80 percent. Also, that November reopening date won't see quarantine scrapped for overseas visitors just yet. Instead, double-jabbed international arrivals will be required to do a seven-day stint, and unvaxxed international arrivals will still quarantine for 14 days. It isn't until SA reaches the 90-percent double-vaccinated mark among all residents aged of 12 that there'll be no quarantine at all for double-jabbed visitors from both interstate and overseas. That's expected to happen before Christmas, Marshall advised. SA's COVID-Ready Plan safely eases restrictions over the coming months and coordinates the health response to manage COVID-19. It's important to continue to get tested for COVID-19 if you have any symptoms, physical distance, wash your hands, and stay home if you are sick. pic.twitter.com/khu0Tbvfkr — SA Health (@SAHealth) October 26, 2021 So, if you're a double-vaxxed Aussie who's hankering for a a wine-fuelled venture into South Australia, you now know when you can pack your bags. SA's news follows similar announcements by the Queensland and Tasmanian governments, meaning that Australians who've had both COVID-19 jabs will soon be able to venture around most of the country again. If you're now eager to start planning an SA getaway, we have suggestions — whether you're eager to hit up Adelaide, or sip and sightsee your way around the Fleurieu Peninsula, the Limestone Coast or the Clare Valley. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in South Australia, and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub. Top image: d'Arenberg Cube.
Every October and November, Tokyo hosts its annual film festival, celebrating the latest and greatest in Japanese cinema. We can't all take a ten-ish hour flight to Asia to enjoy the best and brightest flicks that Japan has to offer — and everything else that its thriving, sprawling capital boasts, too — but, if you're a movie-loving Sydneysider or Melburnian with a hankering for the country's big-screen gems, you can let a whole heap of these flicks come to you. Thankfully, around the same time of each year Australia's own Japanese Film Festival starts doing the rounds, screening a heap of movies around the country. Old classics, new hits, colourful animation, sweet rom-coms, brooding gangster films, cult favourites — they're all part of the event's busy lineup. And, so are our five must-see picks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7HtNsJdMDw RIDE YOUR WAVE Calling all Your Name and Weathering with You fans — while Ride Your Wave hails from a different director, aka Masaaki Yuasa, it falls in the same heartfelt, gorgeously animated, emotionally sweeping realm. It also has an element of the supernatural to it, too, and focuses on a star-cross'd romance. Hinako (voiced by former Japanese pop idol Rina Kawaei) is a surfer who has just moved to the seaside. Minato (fellow local pop star Ryota Katayose) is a kindly and charming firefighter who isn't as skilled on the waves, but saves Hinako from a blaze. Love blossoms, as does tragedy and a few twists, with Hinako weathering more than just watery waves. The result is a sweet, charming and sensitive film that's especially thoughtful when it ruminates on loss. A word of warning: a song by Katayose's pop group Generations from Exile Tribe features heavily, and it's quite the melodic and persistent earworm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXc_JlCqQE4&feature=emb_logo JUST ONLY LOVE Based on Mitsuyo Kakuta's novel, Just Only Love reaches the screen as a live-action romantic drama, but there's an anime-style flood of emotion bubbling within Rikiya Imaizumi's film. Perhaps its because, like a raft of Japanese animated movies of late (including Ride Your Wave and the others mentioned above), love, its impossibilities and their impact on life are all pushed to the fore. Here, romance of the unrequited kind takes centre stage. Teruko (Yukino Kishii) is fond of colleague Mamoru (Ryo Narita), but he's keen on keeping things casual. Her pal Yoko (Mai Fukagawa) has a friend, Nakahara (Ryuya Wakaba), who's smitten with her in the same way. Then Mamoru starts seeing Sumire (Noriko Eguchi), who isn't one for a traditional romance. As things get messier, Just Only Love dives deeper with endearing and insightful results. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH3viviJJlE MELANCHOLIC It's a thoroughly modern set-up: Kazuhiko (Yoji Minagawa) graduates from Japan's prestigious University of Tokyo, can't get a job in his field and still finds himself living with his parents. As a way of earning cash, he takes a gig at a bathhouse — and that's when, despite seeming very familiar otherwise, Melancholic confidently takes its own turn. By accident, Kazuhiko discovers that his new place of employment is a front for yakuza executions. Soon, he's immersed in that bloody, gruesome world. An award-winner on home soil, this is an engrossing crime film that's also an adult coming-of-age drama, as well as a moving character study. The debut feature from writer/director Seiji Tanaka, with star Minagawa also acting as the movie's producer, Melancholic is a supremely well-made indie flick from a country that makes plenty of them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVc4YevwX2A THE LEGEND OF THE STARDUST BROTHERS If there's one piece of trivia that you need to know about The Legend of the Stardust Brothers, it's this: writer/director Makoto Tezuka is the son of Osamu Tezuka, who happened to create Astro Boy. So, it's only fitting that the younger Tezuka's 1985 cult classic also references space in its title — although the movie's story is very much grounded on earth. Actually, another detail is vitally important. Makoto's movie came about when, as a 22-year-old film student, he decided to make a feature to accompany a soundtrack that already existed, sans-film. The result is this rock musical set in the 80s Japanese music scene, following wannabe stars the Stardust Brothers, and inspired in part by The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Cast-wise, it's filled with musicians from the time, manga figures and even director Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Daguerrotype). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbTig5Aclpw&feature=emb_logo NOISE Wander through Tokyo's Akihabara district today — in search of anime, manga, gaming, electronic gadgets or Japan's idol pop music scene — and you wouldn't know that, in 2008, it was the site of a devastating massacre. Noise heads to the popular area to follow the lives of three people who are still impacted by the incident eight years afterwards. While the film's three stories are fictional, the movie is inspired by first-time writer/director Yusaku Matsumoto's own profound response to the tragedy, which occurred when he was in high school, as well as the ripples such an event inevitably leaves on a city and society. Playing an underground idol (aka an aspiring pop star who performs at underground venues, rather than big stadiums) and teenage masseuse, watch out for real-life Japanese idol Kokoro Shinozaki, who also draws on her own similar background. The Japanese Film Festival screens at Sydney's Event Cinemas George Street from Thursday, November 14 to Sunday, November 24, and at Melbourne's Capitol and Treasury theatres from Thursday, November 21 to Sunday, December 1. For more information, visit the festival website.
