They're no Virgin Oceanic submarine, but the the new U-Boat Worx - the 'personal submarines for yacht and tourism' - might just have to suffice for those ordinary folk among us who are desirous of exploring the depths of the ocean but who suffer the misfortune of not being Richard Branson. That being said, however, by 'ordinary folk' it is of course meant those with a spare $100,000 odd to spend on this underwater charter. There are two U-Boats available - the C-Questers and the C-Explorers - both offering a 360 degree view of the deep through fully acrylic hubs, and a minimum 100m depth (the C-Explorers range from 100m-1000m in depth, whereas the C-Questers stay above the 100m mark). The C-Explorer family is geared more towards professional pursuits, whereas the C-Quester subs provide their leisurely-minded passengers with 8 hours of air conditioned glee in the sea. For your $100,000, U-Boat Worx will transport the sub from their base in Norway to anywhere in the world, and bring with it support staff, insurance and parts. It's costly, but then again, Water Walking Balls are child's play. U-Boat Worx is the real, submerged deal.
Your next year of cheat days just got sorted. To celebrate its new Moonee Ponds location, we've teamed up with Yo My Goodness, aka YOMG, to give one lucky Concrete Playground reader the chance to win free burgers every week — for 12 whole months. That's right, once a week you can tuck in to a delicious, 100 percent grass-fed Aussie angus burger, sandwiched in a YOMG signature handmade bun, absolutely free of charge. Or, opt for one of its excellent chicken burgers, slow-cooked pulled pork or veggie options. Whatever you choose, there's no chance of getting bored. Each week, the winner will get a $20 YOMG credit to spend at the burger and frozen yoghurt expert's Pratt Street outpost. So, you'll have enough cash to pair your buns with a side of cheesy or loaded fries, a next-level thickshake or even an OTT froyo from the self-serve station. Sound too good to be true? Enter your details below to be in the running. [competition]804555[/competition]
Frances Ha is like a Woody Allen comedy, with Greta Gerwig as Woody Allen. She wrote this script together with director (and love friend) Noah Baumbach (Greenberg). Even if you really, really can't stand films/TV/books about self-involved, twenty-something-year-old white people trying to figure their lives out, this one is poised to charm. Larger than life, socially awkward and totally "undatable", Frances Halladay is one of the most loveable characters you'll meet this year. Her 28th year ends up being a difficult one, as her best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner) drifts away and she misses out on a position at the dance company she's been training with, but she remains the optimist. Filmed in dreamy black-and-white and also starring Girls' Adam Driver, Frances Ha is full of a scruffy joy that will have you dancing to Bowie's 'Modern Love' for days and days. Frances Ha is in cinemas on August 15 and thanks to Transmission Films, we have ten double passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already), then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
How do you make an exciting Melbourne Writers Festival lineup even better? Keep adding impressive names, which is exactly what this year's MWF has done. As announced back in June, the 2022 fest will already host Parks and Recreation star Jenny Slate, Succession's Brian Cox, Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker and Exit West author Mohsin Hamid — and now that the full program is here, they're set to have plenty of company. More 270 authors, actors, journalists and poets will take part in 150-plus events at this year's MWF, which means that the bill is stacked with must-see talents. Among the highlights: Alice Oseman, the writer and illustrator responsible for the graphic novels behind Netflix hit Heartstopper, and the show's writer and creator as well; British Still Life author Sarah Winman; Sarah Moss, who has the pandemic novel The Fell on her resume; and law professor Anita Hill, who penned Believing about the harassment she received for decades after testifying against now-US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. [caption id="attachment_859191" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jarvis Cocker, Tom Jamieson[/caption] When it takes place over four days between Thursday, September 8–Sunday, September 11, MWF will also welcome everyone from Pure Colour's Sheila Heti and Talking about a Revolution's Yassmin Abdel-Magied through to Lapvona's Ottessa Moshfegh and Station Eleven's Emily St John. While some of the fest's big-name guests will appear in-person, others will stream in from overseas — and, some events are digital-only, and available to watch on demand nationally with pay-what-you-can prices. So, for instance, Melburnians will be able to see Slate, Cox and Hamid live, and catch livestreamed sessions with Cocker and Heti. And everyone can enjoy Oseman and St John's chats online. Other 2022 highlights include Hamid teaming up with this year's Miles Franklin winner and Bodies of Light author Jennifer Down, plus Talkin' Up to White Woman's Aileen Moreton-Robinson, to give the festival's opening address on the theme of ambition; Coronacast's Dr Norman Swan chatting about his new book So You Want to Live Younger Longer?; Wiradjuri poet and artist Jazz Money and Mununjali Yugambeh and South Sea Islander author Chelsea Watego talking through their experiences as First Nations creatives; and Boy Swallows Universe's Trent Dalton taking to the stage not once but twice. Or, there's Pulitzer Prize winners Jennifer Egan (A Visit From the Goon Squad) and Margo Jefferson (Constructing a Nervous System) among the digital program; ABC News Breakfast favourite Tony Armstrong on a panel about growing up in country Australia; and China's Murong Xuecun chatting about his book Deadly Quiet City: Stories from Wuhan, COVID Ground Zero. The jam-packed lineup also spans a debate about ambition-themed storytelling; discussions on partisanship in Aussie politics, mental illness and vulnerability, republicanism, the future of the ABC, and the global impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Melbourne Writers Festival 2022 runs from Thursday, September 8–Sunday, September 11 at a variety of venues around Melbourne. For more information and to buy tickets, head to the festival's website.
"I hope it scares the shit out of you!" declared both Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe at the Sydney premiere of The Mummy, confirming that this was indeed to be a darker, more adult take on the successful movie franchise – a horror film harking back to the heady days of Val Lewton and the 1930s Gothic monster flicks that helped put Universal Studios on the map. Only...The Mummy is also peppered with comedic moments, meaning it's really better described as a horror comedy in the vein of Shaun of the Dead or Cabin in the Woods. However, its leading man Nick Morton (Cruise) is also a special forces recon soldier whose opening scene sees him dropping hellfire missiles on Iraqi insurgents. So really it's a horror comedy action film. Also, right after that opening scene we meet Cruise's on again off again love interest and globe-trotting archaeologist Jenny Halsey (Annabelle Wallis). Horror comedy action romance? Of course this all happens after we've already seen the Universal icon transform into the 'Dark Universe' logo, establishing The Mummy as the studio's opening salvo in the expansive, world-building game heretofore occupied by Marvel and DC. That makes this a horror comedy action romance franchise-founder. Ugh. No wonder it all gets a little lost in the details. In short, The Mummy is a movie guilty of overreach. Whether by studio interference or filmmaker miscalculation, it tries to achieve an impossible number of simultaneous feats, peppering you with character cameos (Crowe plays Dr Henry Jekyll and the other guy as well) and breadcrumbs for future franchise instalments (Bride of Frankenstein is next in line, followed by The Invisible Man, Dracula, The Wolfman and all the other Gothic-era classics). All this, while also trying to tell a story of its own. That it feels like it happens in that order of priority is perhaps the movie's biggest problem, because on its own the actual mummy stuff is pretty darn solid. In the title role we find this time a female mummy, Ahmanet, portrayed by the wonderful Sofia Boutella (Star Trek Beyond). After her assured reign over Egypt is suddenly wrenched from her by the birth of a baby brother, Ahmanet forms a pact with Set, the God of Death and embarks upon a killing spree before being entombed alive and erased from history. Erased, that is, until Cruise and his sidekick Chris (a clumsy, unnecessary turn by New Girl's Jake Johnson) stumble upon the sarcophagus and awaken the beast from her twenty centuries of stony sleep. From that moment on, The Mummy is a film with an identity crisis. Its mummy affairs are entertaining, action-packed and even occasionally scary, particularly through the employment of zombie henchmen reanimated by Ahmanet after she's sucked out their life force. The comedy doesn't really fit with Cruise's performance, and he has zero chemistry with Wallis, but at least the film delivers engaging set-pieces – more so than, say, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2. Unfortunately, the Dark Universe stuff proves far more problematic. So much is mentioned yet left unexplored, and not in a way that can simply be excused as foreshadowing. As the Marvel superhero movies have repeatedly demonstrated, a single 10 second shot at the end of a film's credit sequence can capably tease all that is to come in future films without detracting from the story being told in the present. Left to its own devices, The Mummy might well have soared as a classic monster movie from a bygone era. Instead, it's a confused jumble of scenes and characters that undermine and trip each other up at every possible turn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzorZUuZqEI
Another of your childhood favourites is making the leap from movie to stage musical — this time, the Robin Williams-starring Mrs Doubtfire. The theatre production will once again follow the plight of a divorced dad and struggling actor who's desperate to see his kids, and so dresses up as a kindly English nanny in order to spend time with them. Originally based on Anne Fine's best-selling novel Alias Madame Doubtfire, the 1993 film won two Golden Globes — for best musical or comedy, and for best actor in a musical or comedy for Williams — as well as an Oscar for best makeup. Just when the stage musical version will be giving audiences hot flashes yet to be announced, the creative team of director Jerry Zaks, and writers John O'Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick (book) plus Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick (music and lyrics) will take on the task of bringing the beloved flick to Broadway. Between them, they boast an impressive history. Zaks has won four Tonys, including for the 1992 revival of Guys and Dolls, and also has Little Shop of Horrors, Le Cage aux Folles, A Bronx Tale, Sister Act and Hello, Dolly! on his resume. As for the writing team, they're behind nine-time Tony nominee Something Rotten!. If the project sounds familiar, that's because it was originally mooted back in 2015, but with different folks behind the scenes. This time, however, the musical seems set to forge ahead — unlike the film sequel that was planned in the early 00s, but didn't ever come to fruition. And no, Arrested Development's homage (aka Tobias Funke's Mrs Featherbottom) doesn't really count. If it wasn't evident before this news, then it is now — the combination of nostalgically remembering enjoyable flicks from years gone by and adding songs to the mix seems to be a licence to print money. In recent years, everything from Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Bring It On and Mean Girls has made the leap to the stage, plus The Bodyguard, Amelie, Waitress, Muriel's Wedding and Moulin Rouge!. A stage version of The Devil Wears Prada is also in the works, as well as Empire Records. Via Entertainment Weekly / Playbill.
While seeing fruit mince pies in your local shopping centre in October feels downright disturbing, there's one Christmas treat that no one ever minds arriving early: Four Pillars annual Christmas Gin. The third iteration of the Healesville distillery's seasonal sip is coming in strong, set to hit shelves next Saturday, November 3. It's the delicious result of a yearly tradition that sees a bunch of Christmas puddings — handmade with the owner's family recipe — distilled with various festive botanicals to create a sought-after tipple that pretty much screams December 25. The flavours of an Aussie Christmas are captured in notes of cinnamon, star anise, juniper, coriander and angelica. The Christmas gin is then blended with some earlier gin that's been carefully ageing in old muscat barrels. It's all finished with a hit of Rutherglen muscat and some of Four Pillars' own matured muscat for a bit of added richness and complexity. Each year, a new unique label is chosen to wrap up this Christmas creation, setting out to evoke that same festive spirit. 2018's bottle design is the work of Stephen Baker, the Melbourne artist responsible for the mural outside Fitzroy Pool and one of the Art Trams currently rattling around the city. The bottle is decorated with his bold geometric shapes and bright hues of bathers by the pool, and pretty much nails the feel of a hot and summery Aussie Christmas. The distillers recommend you drink it in a Christmassy G&T with grapefruit sherbet and star anise, or a cobbler with lemon, muscat and a bit of sugar. Or you can just splash a bit of it on your Christmas pudding — Four Pillars is selling its own four-serve puds for $25 alongside the gin. If you want to nab a bottle, have your fingers poised over the 'buy' button when they go on sale online on November 3. Alternatively, you can stop by the distillery's CBD pop-up on level six of Myer, or Four Pillars HQ in Healesville. Bottles are $100 a pop and you can get it shipped in a copper gift box (with a stirring spoon) for an extra $15. Four Pillars Christmas Gin is available from November 3, in selected retail stores and online. But you'd best be quick — there's only a limited amount of bottles.
With the Beauty and the Beast musical on its way to Australia, a major exhibition focusing on fairy tales as well, and the live-action version of The Little Mermaid set to swim into cinemas, 2023 is shaping up to be a big year for enchanting stories. Here's something else to add to that list: MIDNIGHT — The Fairytale Begins..., a new Australian musical that's been in development for six years and will make its debut in Melbourne come winter. The onstage romantic comedy actually takes its cues from a well-known favourite, and one that's been doing the rounds of Aussie theatres in 2022, with Cinderella its inspiration. But MIDNIGHT — The Fairytale Begins... doesn't just tell the familiar narrative the same way as everyone already knows, instead giving it an update. In a production that'll feature Australian musical theatre stars Lucy Durack (Wicked, Legally Blonde, Shrek), Verity Hunt-Ballard (Mary Poppins, Sweet Charity), Thomas McGuane (Frozen, Jersey Boys), Matt Lee (Mary Poppins, Frozen) and Kristie Nguy, MIDNIGHT — The Fairytale Begins...'s heroine Ella doesn't want a prince to sweep her off her feet, even an apparent Prince Charming. But the latter is besotted, and the clock is ticking — with plenty needing to click before the stroke of midnight. The aim: "to create a fully formed, funny, complex heroine for a new generation, and to create the definitive musical version of this magical, evergreen tale", explains co-director Dean Murphy (Charlie & Boots, The Divorce). "The Cinderella story has been retold for hundreds of years with the most widely known version being written in 1950 and reflecting the sensibilities of that era. So, a number of our team with young children felt it was time the world of Cinderella was freshly revisited to explore how this intriguing girl became an icon, but told through a new, empowering story that sees this force-of-nature fight for great change whilst still embracing the love, support and magic from those around her," he continued. "Whilst we still have some of the beloved fairytale characters, there are many new surprises that we know will delight audiences," said producer Spencer McLaren (Dive Club, Puffs the Play, Mother & Son). "MIDNIGHT has many Broadway-style showstoppers that people will be singing for years to come and a world-class cast including Lucy Durack as Ms Madrina, Verity Hunt-Ballard as Madame Bellington, Thomas McGuane as the Prince and Matt Lee as his trusted aide Andre. The coveted role of Ella is still being cast with a nation-wide search underway," he added. Originally slated to premiere in 2020 before the pandemic hit, the new musical will debut at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre from June 2023, and boasts music and lyrics by John Foreman (Aussie Pops Orchestra, Carols By Candlelight) and Anthony Costanzo (Life's A Circus, Cross Roads) — plus an additional song by Kate Miller-Heidke (Muriel's Wedding). Billed as an all-ages affair, it hails from Murphy and co-writer/director Pip Mushin (Resident: Book of Mormon, Fiddler on the Roof), and features choreography by Kelly Aykers (So You Think You Can Dance, The Wizard of Oz, Barnum) — with McLaren, Murphy and Craig Donnell (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Grease — The Musical, The Sound of Music) producing. Exact Melbourne season dates haven't yet been revealed, but tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, November 11. Whether MIDNIGHT — The Fairytale Begins... will head to other Australian cities after its premiere run also hasn't been announced, but that gives fairy tale, musical, theatre and rom-com fans elsewhere something to wish for to their fairy godmother. MIDNIGHT — The Fairytale Begins... will premiere in June 2023 at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre. For more information, or to join the waitlist for tickets before they go on sale at 9am on Friday, November 11, head to the production's website. Images: Wayne Taylor.
Chocolates and flowers may be Valentine's Day staples, but they're also among the easiest gifts you can give your special someone. Booking a getaway doesn't require too much additional effort; however, it's certainly more exciting — and it doesn't have to fall on February 14. No one has been travelling far to take a romantic vacation over the past year, so you and your significant other have probably spent the majority of 2020 in your own state — and much of 2021 so far, too — thanks to interstate border restrictions. But if you're keen to take your date somewhere other than your own backyard, Virgin Australia is selling flight deals for couples. They're available to multiple destinations around the country, with the cheap flights starting at $69 each for a one-way ticket. Hang on, Virgin? Yes. The same airline that, less than 12 months ago, entered voluntary administration. It has since been sold to US private investment firm Bain Capital, launched a comeback sale in early July and its voluntary administration officially ended on Tuesday, November 17. Virgin's current Say 'I Do' to Valentine's Day sale runs until midnight AEST on Monday, February 17 — or until sold out. In the sale, you'll find cheap flights on a number of routes to destinations across the country, with travel dates spanning May and June this year. If you've been waiting to book your first getaway of 2021, now might be the time. The discounted economy flights include seat selection and checked baggage. Some of the routes on offer include Sydney to the Gold Coast, Byron Bay or Coffs Harbour; Melbourne to Launceston or Hobart; Adelaide to Melbourne; and Brisbane to the Whitsundays. [caption id="attachment_785976" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Whitehaven Beach in The Whitsundays[/caption] As we are still in the middle of a pandemic, flying is little different to normal. Virgin has introduced a range of safety measures, including hand sanitisation stations, contactless check-in and face masks provided to all passengers. Wearing masks on flights became mandatory in Australia in January. Virgin is also waiving change fees and allowing unlimited booking changes for reservations made before April 30, 2021 for travel before January 31, 2022. Virgin's Say 'I Do' to Valentine's Day sale runs until midnight AEST on Monday, February 17 — or until sold out. Find out more about current interstate border restrictions over here.
Home ownership. It’s the great Australian dream. And the American dream. And probably a dream for quite a few other nationalities too. But with house prices almost constantly on the rise, the dream can seem unattainable. So how about a home that costs just $200? That’s what this ‘Gypsy Junker’ cost, built from abandoned shipping pallets and recycled materials by Derek Diedricksen, a micro-house enthusiast in Massachusetts. The aim was to design and build a shelter for homeless people, for as little as possible. With only 24 square feet of space, estate agents would no doubt dub it ‘extremely cosy’. While the ‘Gypsy Junker’ was built by a hobbyist to prove the concept, smaller and more affordable housing is a goal for architects too. Revelations Architects in Wisconsin have focused on the fundamental uses of a home – eating, bathing, sleeping and communal fellowship – and worked out they could squeeze it all in to a footprint of just 340 square feet. Named the E.D.G.E (Experimental Dwelling for a Greener Environment), the building is pre-fabricated to simplify construction, and the reconfigurable interior is designed to optimise the use of space. The architects are already working on the next version, and hope to see it put to use as a holiday retreat or full time residence. If you’re thinking: “Tiny houses are fine in America, but we don’t need that here,” think again. There are already plans for a micro-house in Sydney, where a judge wants to build a four story house on a 2.7 metre wide block of land. Down-sized dwellings might be the way of the future for all of us. [Via Neatorama and PSFK]
Anything blessed by Steve Jobs' touch turned to gold, so it's no surprise his biography is expected to be a major sell-out. It also helps that Walter Isaacson, who has documented the lives of Albert Einstein and Walter Benjamin, is the author. Jobs allowed Isaacson a no-holds approach to his life and everyone who knew him, resulting in a revealing deconstruction of how the young hippie with a disregard to rules and washing himself became a billionaire who changed the way we listened to music, communicated and used computers. The interview Isaacson did with 60 Minutes in the US over the weekend is a great option if you don't want to read the book but are still interested in Jobs' life and what he was like to write about - the story behind the story, so to speak. In the interview, Isaacson describes Jobs as "petulant" and "brittle." He could be an extremely mean person to anyone that crossed his path and didn't have the same demand for perfection as he did, be it a waitress who served him or someone who worked tirelessly at Apple. Isaason also notes that Jobs is probably the only person in the world with his kind of wealth who lived in a unremarkable house, without a long, winding driveway or threatening security fences. However, he refused to put a number plate on his Mercedes sports coupe. The biography is available in Australia now. Part One Part Two https://youtube.com/watch?v=LjUYfQ6CUu0
This Melbourne after-hours pop-up isn't at a pub, an underground club, or even some repurposed warehouse space. Nope, the Nocturnal event series is happening at a venue you've probably only ever seen in the light of day: Melbourne Museum. The first Friday of each month will see the museum's exhibition spaces transformed into an after-dark playground, as Nocturnal swaps the school-uniformed tour groups for crowds of music-loving partygoers. Expect a space primed for Friday night revelry, complete with pop-up bars slinging cocktails, roving entertainers and spot talks from some of the museum's curators. Plus, there will be plenty of killer tunes, with a main stage set up in front of the Forest Gallery. This month, Nocturnal is inspired by Harlem and the current Mel&NYC festival happening across Melbourne. On Friday, August 3, the pop-up will feature live performances from New York's Rakiem Walker Project (who are heading to Aus for the very first time), Melbourne's DRMNGNOW and colourful dance duet Glitter and Snatch. Wander through the gallery, and you'll encounter more, too, including The Cook Island Drummers in the Te Vainui O Pasifikia gallery. You can also join in a dance-off in the Plaza, refuel at the Gumbo Kitchen, then explore large-scale projections of images by Camilo Vergera, a famed Harlem photographer.
Another summer, another EDM sweatfest. While its more well-behaved, boutique festival cousins have been dropping off one by one over the last few years, Future has only upped the ante, with this year's giant lineup boasting more than 200 artists. And sure, wrestling with singlet-clad bros fistpumping to Avicii isn't everyone's idea of fun, but while you're waiting for the beat to drop there's a load of other international and local artists to check out in the meantime. There's Drake of course, who recently dropped his surprise mixtape, If You're Reading This It's Too Late, '90s legends The Prodigy, German techno pioneer Sven Väth, and irresistibly catchy pop artist Kiesza. Locally, watch out for Brisbane management company Mutual Friends, who manages producers along the likes of Young Franco and DJ Butcher, Sydney stalwart DJ Deckhead (whose Drake stunt exploded on social media), and house producer Acaddamy, who has played alongside Disclosure and Dusky. Plus, Darude's going to be there. So if you've ever wanted to see 'Sandstorm' dropped by the dude who created it, this is your big chance.
Missing travel during the pandemic? If you've been vaccinated against COVID-19, you can enter an array of different competitions and giveaways that'll help you get back to doing what you love — that is, roaming far and wide — when that's permitted again. Been hanging out to attend big gigs again over the past 18 months or so? Yes, we all have. So, three of Australia's huge tour promoters have teamed up to launch a 'Vaxstage Pass' contest. If you've had your jabs, you can enter to win a heap of free tickets to a heap of live shows in 2022. Live Nation, Frontier Touring and TEG are the trio of live entertainment companies that've joined forces, and they're focusing on their stadium and arena shows — yes, their big gigs. All three companies have quite the array of talent heading our way next year, so you could be seeing My Chemical Romance, Snoop Dogg, Lorde, Tyler, The Creator, Alanis Morissette and more. Obviously, you will need to have rolled up your sleeves first, and twice. Before you enter — with the contest open from today, Wednesday, September 15 until 11.59pm AEDT on Tuesday, November 30 — you must've had your jabs, in fact. And, when you complete the online form, you'll be asked to also come up with a 25-word (or less) answer about which live event you're most looking forward to seeing and why. [caption id="attachment_749351" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] My Chemical Romance[/caption] In total, five winners will be picked — and they'll each nab a double pass to every stadium and/or arena show promoted by Live Nation, Frontier Touring and TEG in 2022. You will just get one double pass for each artist, though, so if someone is doing multiple shows in one spot, you can only go to one performance. You'll also need to be over the age of 18 and an Australian resident. Also, everyone can only enter the comp once. If you're wondering about proving that you've been vaccinated, you will need access to your Medicare certificate saying you're fully vaxxed; however, only winners will be asked to supply this when they're picked. Add free gigs to the list of things you could score for getting vaccinated, which also includes free beers and discounted sneakers — and also helping Australia reach its 70-percent and 80-percent fully vaxxed thresholds, which is when a heap of restrictions are set to be eased. For more information about Live Nation, Frontier Touring and TEG's 'Vaxstage Pass' competition, or to enter, head to the Vaxstage Pass website.
Even if you're on a strict 'no spend' budget, you'll want to check out this giant sale of some of Australia's most iconic labels this weekend — after all, it's for charity. From Friday, April 29 until Sunday, May 1, the Make-A-Wish Melbourne Warehouse Sale will see some of country's best-loved brands including Alias Mae, Apéro, Maurie and Eve, Sass & Bide and Dr Denim at absolute bargain prices. The best part? 100 percent of the proceeds are going directly to Make-A-Wish Australia, to help them keep granting life-changing wishes for critically ill kids. Celebrities and influencers are also getting in on the action, donating unopened beauty products, clothes, accessories and shoes. If you've ever been green with envy over an Instagram unboxing, this is your chance to get your hands on some of the goods. The sale can be found at the Clifton Street Market this weekend, with doors open on Friday from 8am-7pm, Saturday from 10am-4pm and Sunday from 10am-1pm. We'd recommend grabbing some fashion-loving friends and getting in line bright and early before work on Friday morning — as we said, it's for charity.
In life and onstage, singer-songwriters Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter shared plenty. On-screen over the past year, they shared frames in exceptional documentary Wash My Soul in the Rivers Flow, too. And, come 2023, the pair will share a sculpture celebrating and commemorating their work and legacies, which is set to become a permanent fixture in Fitzroy. The Melbourne suburb will welcome a piece that hasn't yet been commissioned and designed, but will be overseen by the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation and Yarra City Council, as well as Roach and Hunter's family members. That process will start now, in preparation for unveiling next year, with the Victorian Government putting $287,000 towards the statue. [caption id="attachment_859315" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacinta Keefe[/caption] "I remember good times with my dear baby brother Archie in Fitzroy and with Ruby right beside him," said Roach's sister Myrtle Evans in a statement announcing the news. "We shared many good times here together as a family. Being back here reminds me of those times. I miss those times now. May the spirit of dear Archie and Ruby always be here." Both Roach and Hunter, who passed away earlier in 2022 and in 2010 respectively, enjoyed careers worthy of the heartiest of tributes. It's aimed for the statue to become a landmark for fans to visit, including from within Melbourne, across Victoria, interstate and beyond. The pair's individual achievements are immense, with Ruby's 1994 record Thoughts Within the first solo album released by a First Nations female artist — and Roach's 'Took the Children Away' a powerful anthem for the stolen generations since 1990. Ruby was inducted into the National Indigenous Music Awards Hall of Fame in 2020, and Archie was named Victorian of the Year the same year. The statue will also recognise Roach and Hunter's work with Melbourne's First Peoples communities, including via the Archie Roach Foundation since 2014. "Uncle Archie's and Aunty Ruby's passion for their people inspired these gifted songwriters. They produced lyrics that not only touched the hearts of millions but educated a nation on the Stolen Generations," said Wurundjeri Elder Uncle Colin Hunter. Fitzroy's new sculpture celebrating Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter will be installed and unveiled sometime in 2023. We'll update you when further details are announced — and keep an eye on the City of Yarra website in the interim. Top image: Wash My Soul in the Rivers Flow, Sandy Scheltem.
Here's a way to make an entrance. Ever-evolving ride service Uber has announced their next alternative transportation method and it's set to be a whirlwind (ha). The UberCHOPPER will see 20 racing punters touching down on the Caulfield Cup helipad this weekend, where they'll be greeted (of course) with champagne and VIP passes for the day. A continual do-gooder, this year Uber has saved people on the move from the mediocre arrival methods known as buses, trains and conventional taxis by giving them other options — like luxury cars, water taxis and Optimus Prime. They've repeatedly come to your drunken 3am rescue, and even brought you food and taken you shopping. Like many of these other initiatives, it's unlikely the chopper service will become a regular feature. For now you'll just have to pray you get through in the frantic scramble when the FREECHOPPER code goes live this Saturday, October 18 at 10am. Here's how to book: 1. Download the Uber app onto your smartphone and make an account, if you haven't already. 2. Enter the promo code "FREECHOPPER" when signing up, or in the promotions section of the app if you've already got Uber. 3. At 10am on Saturday, select UberCHOPPER in the app. Get your friends to do it too. Don't be discouraged if at first you don't succeed — it's just that the rest of Melbourne is trying at the same time. 4. Hit "REQUEST CHOPPER". If your booking is accepted — don't panic. (Or do.) You've got 15 minutes to get your race face on before an UberMINI picks you up and transfers you to the helipad.
Live in New South Wales, Victoria or Queensland? Craving a doughnut right about now? There's a very good reason for those hunger pangs. All three states have been affected by Melbourne's latest COVID-19 cluster — the one that saw the city go into lockdown for two weeks, and only just ended — but today, Friday, June 11, the country's entire east coast has recorded zero new locally acquired cases. Yes, it's a doughnut day across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and across the rest of their states as well. Twelve months or so ago, if you uttered that term, you were probably using it in the literal sense between mouthfuls. Thanks to the chaos of the past year, however, the term now refers to this welcome COVID-19 milestone. https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1403120157711605764 All three states use slightly different timeframes when it comes to their 24-hour reporting periods — NSW cuts off at 8pm the previous day, for instance, while Victoria counts up until midnight — but the results are the same regardless. In Melbourne, it's the first zero day since the current cluster began. So, it's the first since Monday, May 24. Obviously, with lockdown just finishing last night, that nice round figure is very happy news. While neither Queensland or NSW have had big case numbers lately, the big fat zero is still significant there as well. On Wednesday, it was revealed that two people from Melbourne had driven through NSW and Queensland to the Sunshine Coast, with one then testing positive. The second person then tested positive on Thursday. https://twitter.com/qldhealthnews/status/1403182248707256320 At the moment, Victoria has 75 active cases, which includes both locally acquired and those in hotel quarantine. NSW has 26 cases being treated at present — and in Queensland there is currently 15 cases. Of course, this doesn't mean the war is over in any of the three states, or around Australia — but it is a very welcome development after the past few days and weeks. For more information about COVID-19 in NSW and current restrictions, head to NSW Health. For more information about COVID-19 in Victoria, head over to the Department of Health website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in the Queensland, visit the Qld COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
When clouds start gathering in the sky, rain keeps pouring and storms hit, ever wonder what life would be like if something other than water streamed down from above? Everyone has — and now that idea has become a reality. Meet the world's first tequila-dripping rain cloud. Yes, this visible mass of minute droplets really is made of tequila, unleashing its boozy goodness first as a mist and spray that condenses inside a plastic container, and then as rain that drips down from the whispy structure. All anyone keen for a drink needs to do is stand by with a shot glass in hand. Bring your own lemon and salt. https://www.instagram.com/p/BRa17gCjyiW/?taken-by=visitmexico Unsurprisingly, you won't find the tequila cloud in sky — instead, it's located in a Berlin gallery as part of a promotional campaign devised by creative agency LAPIZ to entice German tourists to Mexico. Sure, it sounds like something out of Parks and Recreation; however it doesn't come with vodka in the form of a flash of light or whisky turned into lotion. Synchronised with the weather outside, the cloud actually starts raining showers of tequila when its natural counterparts in Berlin do the same with good old fashioned H20. The project follows in the footsteps of the agency's melting billboard, which turned ice into snow with the simulated power of the Mexican sun to show Berliners what they were missing (and to try to convince them to book a holiday). Via Food & Wine / The Huffington Post.
Hamilton isn't the only hit musical from the past few years that took a few cues from the past, paired a well-known chapter of history with toe-tapping tunes and made on-stage magic. Another theatre show that did just that: Six the Musical. First premiering back at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, then jumping to London's West End, the musical takes inspiration from one of the most famous sextets there's ever been — because even if you don't know much about Britain's past kings and queens, you likely know that Henry VIII had six wives. The Tudor monarch's love life has inspired plenty of pop culture content over the years — including 00s TV series The Tudors and 2008 movie The Other Boleyn Girl — but this one takes the pop part rather seriously. It's presented as a pop concert, in fact, with Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr all taking to the microphone to tell their stories. Each woman's aim: to stake their claim as the wife who suffered the most at the king's hands, and to become the group's lead singer as a result. A five-time nominee at the Olivier Awards, Six the Musical has already played Australia, thanks to a 2020 season at the Sydney Opera House. Making a comeback, it's joining the long list of musicals doing the rounds this year and next — alongside Hamilton, Come From Away, Moulin Rouge!, The Phantom of the Opera, Cinderella, Mary Poppins, West Side Story, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Jagged Little Pill, to name a few big-name shows gracing Aussie stages either now or in the near future. Hitting up Brisbane's QPAC Playhouse from November 2021, the Sydney Opera House from December 2021, and Canberra Theatre Centre, Her Majesty's Theatre in Adelaide and Melbourne's Comedy Theatre in 2022 — with exact dates to be revealed for all cities — Six the Musical will welcome back four 2020 cast members for its new tour. Kala Gare (Rent) returns as Anne Boleyn, Loren Hunter (Strictly Ballroom: The Musical) will reprise her role as Jane Seymour, Kiana Daniele (Dirty Dancing) will step into Anne of Cleves' shoes again and Catherine Parr will be played by Vidya Makan (Green Day's American Idiot) once more. They'll welcome new co-stars Phoenix Jackson Mendoza (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Chelsea Dawson (Shrek the Musical), as Catherine of Aragon and Catherine Howard, respectively. SIX THE MUSICAL AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2021–22: Brisbane — QPAC Playhouse from November 2021 Sydney — Sydney Opera House from December 2021 Canberra — Canberra Theatre Centre sometime in 2022 Adelaide — Her Majesty's Theatre sometime in 2022 Melbourne — Comedy Theatre sometime in 2022 Six the Musical will play Brisbane's QPAC Playhouse from November 2021, the Sydney Opera House from December 2021, and Canberra Theatre Centre, Her Majesty's Theatre in Adelaide and Melbourne's Comedy Theatre in 2022. Tickets for the Brisbane and Sydney seasons will go on sale in August — to join the waitlist, head to the musical's website. Images: James D Morgan, Getty Images.
Melbourne's latest lockdown is set to end at 11.59pm tonight, Thursday, June 10 — and, when it does, a heap of new restrictions will apply across the city. But, before that even happens, the Victorian Government has advised that one rule isn't actually changing, with one of the eased conditions outlined yesterday no longer coming into effect. Yesterday, Acting Premier James Merlino said masks would no longer be needed outside if you can social distance and maintain a space of 1.5 metres away from other people. But, based on new public health advice, that change is being scrapped. So, face masks will remain compulsory both indoors and outdoors for the time being, including after 11.59pm this evening. The mask mandate came back into effect in late May in response to the city's latest COVID-19 outbreak, and has remained in place during the city's two-week lockdown — and will now stay in place even when Melburnians are permitted leave the house for any reason they like from this tonight. Explaining the change in his daily press conference today, Thursday, June 10, Acting Premier Merlino said that "the clear advice from the public health team is we need to continue with wearing masks outdoors." He continued: "it is inconvenient but an easy thing to do. We are used to it, we know it works, and as we come out of this period and lockdown, while we are driving these new cases to ground, I think it is a logical and common sense step to take, and it allows all of the businesses we have outlined yesterday that they can open. Movements can happen. Students can go back to school. This is a small price to pay to make sure that we can proceed with this careful easing out of lockdown with the continuation of this." Accordingly, those strolls you were planning to take within 25 kilometres of your house — they'll need to involve masks. So will any trip beyond your home in general, both indoors and outdoors, given that you'll now be permitted to venture out for any reason. The news that the mask mandate will remain in place both outdoors and indoors comes as Victoria reported four new local cases in the 24 hours to midnight last night. Two other new cases have been linked to the state as well, after two Victorian residents travelled through New South Wales to Queensland, and have since tested positive while staying on the Sunshine Coast. If you're 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.
Brie Larson makes a great Captain Marvel. She's even better as Elizabeth Zott. Since winning a Best Actress Oscar for 2015's Room, Larson's resume has largely been filled by the blockbuster end of town — see: Kong: Skull Island, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, Fast X and The Marvels — but it's been screaming for a part like Lessons in Chemistry. In her first non-franchise on-screen role since 2019's Just Mercy, she turns executive producer, too, guiding a page-to-screen adaptation of Bonnie Garmus' bestseller that needs her performance as its star ingredient. A chemistry genius and then a TV cooking show host who is forced to battle sexism as both, Elizabeth is as complicated as the holy-grail project that she works in secret as a lab technician, and as the recipes that she later perfects for television audiences. Regardless of whether you've read Lessons in Chemistry's 2022 source material or are coming anew to Apple TV+'s small-screen version, which has been streaming episodically since October and can be binged in full from Wednesday, November 22, Elizabeth is magnificent to watch because Larson steps into her shoes so completely. The character is direct, determined and conscientious. She's not just nonplussed about being likeable, but near-allergically averse to that being her primary goal. She's curious and dryly funny, too, albeit careful about who she's open with. But being serious and rightly cautious about how 50s and 60s America routinely disregards women doesn't mean that she's anything but authentic, whether she's asserting what she's always held dear, navigating life's traumas or finding space for others in her life. Early in the series, Elizabeth's quest to whip up a flawless lasagne has her up to her 78th attempt — and layers are just as crucial for Larson in playing the show's protagonist. When Lessons in Chemistry begins, it's with a brief jump forward to cameras and adoring viewers, with Elizabeth's Supper at Six series an established hit. It'll take half of the broader show to get back to TV cooking with no-nonsense science explanations, an appreciation for domestic duties and an uplifted fanbase, but the opening burns an imprint, signalling that its lead character's days of being expected to make coffee for male-only Hastings Research Institute scientists are numbered. Although Elizabeth has a master's degree in chemistry, her Southern Californian employer cares little about that, or that she's the smartest person on their books, because she lacks a Y chromosome. Instead, they scold her for after-hours experiments — the only time that she can delve into her own work — and lack of interest in the company beauty pageant, and trot out a misogynistic go-to: that she isn't smiling enough. It's at Hastings that Elizabeth meets Calvin Evans (Lewis Pullman, Outer Range), who inhabits another world when it comes to respect, yet resides on the exact same non-conformist turf. As the reason for much of the institute's funding, he's the organisation's science rockstar as long as he's bringing in grant money. Like Elizabeth, it's solely the work that he's interested in, not the hoops and hoopla around it. Thanks to her research into abiogenesis, aka the origins of life from organic compounds, they're swiftly professional partners. Coming as a surprise to both, they're soon living together in Los Angeles' Sugar Hill, alongside rescue dog Six-Thirty (named after his daily wake-up time). She likes orderly melodies, while he thinks best to jazz. Her ideal lab has everything in its place, but his is where he showers and scatters around saltine crumbs. In both developing the series from the book and penning or co-penning half of the episodes, Little America and Jury Duty creator Lee Eisenberg lingers on how Elizabeth and Calvin jostle as they fall in love, experiencing existence's unpredictability in the process. The tale from there leans on the latter, especially as the reality that so few of life's variables can be controlled becomes baked in via an array of ways. Selling Tupperware, turning her home kitchen into a lab, Supper at Six, becoming a mother to Mad (played by sincere first-timer Alice Halsey as a seven-year-old): these are all sprinkled into Elizabeth's story, too. Unlike in the novel, so is the efforts of her neighbour Harriet Sloane (Aja Naomi King, How to Get Away with Murder) to fight against the razing of their mostly Black area for a freeway. "Look how much things have evolved" is rarely the statement made by period-set TV dramas. With Lessons in Chemistry, just as with Mad Men and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel before it — and dramedies Minx and GLOW as well — spotlighting what is and isn't different between a bygone era and now, and how much the second proves the case, simmers throughout. As Elizabeth faces sexist barriers in chemistry and TV alike, as a single woman and then mum, and while pursuing her career and stressing the importance of cooking, it's plain to see the barriers and prejudices that blocked 50s and 60s women at every turn. As legal aide Harriet campaigns against her neighbourhood being demolished, and the discrimination that bulldozing a predominantly Black part of town represents, Lessons in Chemistry makes the same observations regarding race. Thinking that these issues have disappeared with the period's gorgeous decor and costuming is missing the point. This handsomely and heartfeltly made series might pepper change's inevitability across its tale from start to finish — and speak about it in multiple big moments — but it also spies what happens when nothing moves or shifts. Letting that truth percolate is as much its mission as positioning Elizabeth and Harriet as aspirational feminist and activist heroes, even if Harriet's worthy subplot feels like it's been shoehorned in (because it has) and is deserving of its own entire drama (as it is). Lessons in Chemistry is a comfortable and compelling underdog story about pluck, passion and proficiency versus the patriarchy and oppression, then, but with some bite. That said, it still opts for the massively misguided move of letting Six-Thirty turn narrator, aping the book's similar approach and enlisting the voice of BJ Novak (Vengeance). Barking up A Dog's Purpose's tree is thankfully over fast. Although never free of imperfections, as little in life, science or the culinary arts is, Lessons in Chemistry keeps bubbling — and charming. As the plot finds room for leaps back into Elizabeth and Calvin's respective painful histories, Mad to turn detective, pondering science versus faith, and women's liberation and civil rights pushes, it also benefits heavily from its key casting. Larson doesn't just lead expertly, but also shares wide-eyed affection with Pullman, who has inherited his dad Bill's (The High Note) charisma; a supportive rapport with the luminous King, who steals every scene that she's in; and a heartwarming bond with young find Halsey. Chemistry is on display in multiple ways, including in making watching Lessons in Chemistry a richer experience than reading it. Check out the trailer for Lessons in Chemistry below: Lessons in Chemistry streams via Apple TV+.
Before Christmas, after two lockdowns throughout the year, Victoria had settled into its version of what Premier Daniel Andrews has repeatedly dubbed a 'COVID-safe summer'. Then a cluster of cases in Sydney spilled over to the state, and caused harsher restrictions to come back into effect just before 2020 wrapped up. And, earlier in February, another rise in cases linked to Melbourne's Holiday Inn saw a five-day snap lockdown implemented. In other words, Victoria's coronavirus rules have tightened and eased several times in recent months, with the last set of changes coming into effect back on Tuesday, February 16. On that date, Premier Andrews did flag that more rules could ease on Friday, February 26 if case numbers remained low. That latter day is now here, and the Premier has indeed announced that Victorians will be able to do more things in more places with more people from 11.59pm this evening. Those settings that were in place before Christmas? They're coming back. So, the state will revert to the rules that everyone was abiding by before restrictions were implemented in the lead up to New Year's Eve. That means that Victorians can host more people in their houses, with the cap going up to 30 folks from any number of other households. That's a daily limit, so you can only have 30 people over across one whole day, even if they come at different times in different groups — and your home also includes your front and back yards. Fancy heading outdoors with your nearest and dearest elsewhere, beyond your own patch of land? In good news, public outdoor gatherings will increase back to 100. So your next trip to the beach or the park with your mates can now feature quite the crowd. https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/1365100784828837888 After AFL fans watched the bulk of the 2020 men's season take place either outside of the state or without crowds in Victoria (including the AFL Grand Final), the news that the MCG and Marvel Stadium will both be able to increase to 50-percent capacity will also be welcome. Also, from midnight tonight – but more realistically coming into effect on Monday — 75 percent of both public and private sector workers will be able to head back to their offices. If you're wondering about masks, the rules are changing there as well. You'll need to keep wearing them only in certain situations, such as large and busy indoor indoor shops, and on public transport. You will always need to carry one with you, though. Rules for hospitality and retail businesses aren't changing at the moment. For restaurants, cafes, bars and eateries, the one person per two-square-metres rule remains in effect both indoors and outdoors, but only once 25 people are onsite. And, for shops, the one person per two-square-metres rule applies, with no other caps. At entertainment venues, more folks will be allowed in the door. Seated indoor venues, including cinemas, can now max out at 75-percent capacity — up to a total of 1000 people. Indoor non-seated venues such as galleries will have a 50-percent cap up to 1000 people, as well as the one person per two-square-metres rule if they're using electronic record keeping to track attendees (and one person per four-square-metres otherwise). Both seated and non-seated outdoor venues can continue to host 75-percent crowds, with the same rules on density and record keeping applying. As always, the usual hygiene and social distancing practices remain in place, as does the request to get tested if you exhibit even minor COVID-19 symptoms. Victoria currently has 17 active coronavirus cases, as at midnight on Thursday, February 25. Restrictions in Victoria will change again at 11.59pm on Friday, February 26. For more information about the rules moving forward, head to the Victorian Department of Health website.
Growing up is hard to do, many a movie tells us, but often that glimpse at youthful perils comes with the male experience in mind. Girlhood's name gives away the fact that that's not the case here; however, what it doesn't clearly convey is how intimate and organic its look at its titular state is. A mere female-skewed take on Richard Linklater's Boyhood, this isn't. Sixteen-year-old Marieme (Karidja Touré) lives life on the outskirts of Paris, with her future looking as bleak as her present. Choice, control and agency are sorely lacking in days overseen by her hotheaded older brother (Cyril Mendy), so when she sees a chance at freedom through some newfound pals, she takes it. Soon, she's flirting with teenage trouble alongside fast friends Lady (Assa Sylla), Adiatou (Lindsay Karamoh) and Fily (Marietou Touré), including all the usual fun of partying, shoplifting and drinking, as well as dances with even darker territory. That the movie's French-language moniker actually translates as 'gang of girls' gives an indication of the kind of existence Marieme embraces. If such a coming-of-age tale sounds familiar, don't let the appearance of a well-worn plot temper your expectations. In her previous two films — Water Lilies and Tomboy — writer director Céline Sciamma came close to perfecting pictures of adolescence that not only felt genuine but also reached worlds away from the usual mainstream fare. In Girlhood, she achieves that feat. As Marieme attempts to carve out her identity and cope with the path she has chosen, Sciamma is more concerned about expressing her mindset and reflecting how she sees the world than documenting her actions. Accordingly, as the film tackles maturity on the margins by showing the harshness of the situation but never wallowing in it, Girlhood becomes as complex a look at a girl becoming a woman as cinema has seen, and as simultaneously energetic and patient too. It helps that newcomer Touré is the perfect vessel for the filmmaker to fill with age-appropriate angst, and then watch as the young actress paints a portrait of pubescent pain and problems on the screen. The remainder of the inexperienced cast also brings the same sense of authenticity, but the camera and the audience are always drawn to Touré as she works through Marieme's good and bad decisions. Consequently, prepare for a ride through the reality — not the cinema fiction — of coming to terms with the ups and downs of life from the perspective of a teenage girl. Prepare to get Rihanna's 'Diamonds' stuck in your head, too, with the track setting the tone for one of the film's most memorable scenes. For a few glorious minutes, Marieme and her friends shimmy away to the song in a blue-lit hotel room, blissfully escaping their troubles. In the midst of this moving film, that's what you'll want to do as well.
A family-run business with a focus on slow and steady fashion principles, High Tea with Mrs Woo boasts sustainable wear known for its longevity. Now, fashion-savvy Melburniates will have the chance to view and try on goods from the Australian-made design practice, with a pop-up coming to Melbourne from Friday, May 5 until Sunday, May 14. To celebrate its winter release, the ethical brand is also hosting two gold-mending kintsugi workshops for a bargain ticket price of $30. Sit down across this 1.5-hour session to learn kintsugi for clothing, including gold-mending techniques to repair holes in your favourite garments. Be quick though, spaces are limited to 12 guests per session, with the first session running from 10am and the second from 12.30pm on Sunday, May 14. Private viewings and personal shopping experiences are also available to book. Images: supplied.
Throughout the last 12 months of gathering restrictions and lockdowns, many music festivals have teased returns, announced dates and even lineups. While a few COVID-safe music events have been able to take place, we've yet to see any of the major music festivals return. Despite this, Byron Bay Bluesfest has been persistent in forging ahead with its plan for its 2021 edition of the festival. Those plans have now been given a provisional green light, with the festival announcing it's been given NSW Government approval to run the festival at 50 percent capacity this April — if no outbreaks occur beforehand. In an announcement made on Wednesday, February 17, Bluesfest Festival Director Peter Noble OAM said, "The NSW Government has indicated that, if the current COVID-19 situation continues in NSW, Bluesfest would be permitted to proceed, following our comprehensive COVID-19 safety plan." [caption id="attachment_800518" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hiatus Kaiyote Bluesfest 2016 by Andy Fraser[/caption] The festival is scheduled to take place over the Easter long weekend, Thursday, April 1–Monday, April 5, at the Byron Events Farm (formerly Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm). Under the approved safety plan the festival will run at around 50 percent capacity, all patrons will be required to be seated while watching performances and COVID-19 safety marshals will be on hand to ensure social distancing is maintained. Camping will be allowed to go ahead and face masks will not be required. A full statement on the festival's COVID-safe protocols is expected next week. Following the cancellation of Bluesfest 2020, the festival announced its 2021 dates and lineup back in July. This lineup was later amended after it became clear border restrictions would remain in place for the beginning of 2021 and international acts would be unable to make the journey over. The new all-Australian lineup features Jimmy Barnes, Tash Sultana, Ocean Alley, John Butler, Hiatus Kaiyote and Kev Carmody. The news follows a turbulent few years for Bluesfest and the NSW music festival industry as a whole. Prior to the cancellation of its 2020 event, Bluesfest had threatened to leave NSW in 2019 citing the governments overbearing regulations surrounding music festivals at the time. The approval of the 2021 festival hopefully indicates a brighter future for the industry, with Noble declaring, "this is a great day, not only for Bluesfest, but also for the Australian Live Music Industry and our unrelenting efforts to get back to presenting Live Music Safely." Byron Bay Bluesfest has been given approval to run Thursday, April 1–Monday, April 5, at the Byron Events Farm. Find all the details and purchase tickets at the Bluesfest website. Top image: Andy Fraser
Games of Thrones is the world’s most pirated TV show, The Avengers made more than $1.5 billion at the box office and even the President of the United States once collected Spider Man comics. In other words, it’s pretty cool to be a nerd these days. Just ask avid Dungeons and Dragons player Vin Diesel. The ultimate celebration of everything geeky, the Supanova Pop Culture Expo hits the Melbourne Showgrounds April 11 - 13. From cosplay comps to comic book signings and photo opportunities with sci-fi and fantasy icons, it’s a three-day mecca of uninhibited, unironic nerdiness that attracts thousands of eager pilgrims every year. Of course such an event can seem overwhelming, especially to the uninitiated. So, whether you’ll be attending in your fully functioning Iron Man costume, or experiencing the convention for the very first time, here are our recommendations for getting the best out of Supanova 2014. Shop around for the zombie apocalypse A huge part of any convention experience is simply walking the floor and perusing the vendor booths. Browse through rare and classic comic books, hunt down elusive collectables, or arm yourself for the impending zombie apocalypse with custom designed swords and machetes. Just be sure to give the expo's weapons policy a read first. That’s right, there’s a weapons policy. Show your competitive side While it’s easy to stereotype con-goers as a mostly sedentary group of people, it turns out Supanova offers plenty of opportunity for rigorous physical exercise. Join an epic game of laser tag in a special inflatable arena, or get a crash-course in Harry Potter’s favourite pastime courtesy of the athletes at the Australian Quidditch Association. A pinball tournament probably doesn’t offer quite the same workout, admittedly, but an iPad to the winner is certainly nothing to sneeze at. Live out your '90s dream of meeting Xena Meet the men and women behind some of the biggest characters in geekdom. Faces on this year’s guest list include Xena’s Lucy Lawless, Game of Thrones’ Finn Jones, Doctor Who companion Freema Agyeman, Whedonverse alum Ron Glass and Tom Lenk, plus authors, voice actors and comic book artists aplenty. Just be aware, when it comes to a lot of the bigger names, autographs and photos don’t always come free. For a full list of guests and their signing fees, go here. Learn the creative side of things Although we all know names like Gandalf and Dumbledore, the true wizards of science fiction and fantasy are the unsung visual effects artists. The Imagineer’s Playground will be present to give fans a close up look at the craft of costuming, special effects makeup, video game design and more. You can even get some 'how-to' tips and compete in the Supanova Fan Art Competition. Come in character (if you've got the guts) At the end of the day, it’s easy to separate the hardcore fans from the nerd-curious newbies by a quick glance at what they’re wearing. Anyone sporting Jedi robes, a Super Saiyan hair cut or any kind of jetpack has probably done this before. Whether you’re game enough to dress up yourself, there are sure to be plenty of elaborate costumes on display, with the very best on the catwalk for the Madman National Cosplay Championships. For more information on the Melbourne Supanova Pop Culture Expo, visit www.supanova.com.au. Image credits: David Chau, Ruben Schade and Jessica Truscott via Creative Commons.
The Wire isn't an anthology series in the traditional sense. It focuses on the same Baltimore police detectives each season — as led by Dominic West and Wendell Pierce — but sees their investigations overlap with a different element of the city's daily life. In the first season, it peers into illegal drugs. In the second, sea freight and the ports are in the spotlight. Across subsequent seasons, the focus falls on city government, the education system and newspapers. Dense, intricate, devastatingly smart and oh-so-involving, the result is one of the best shows that HBO has ever made — and a series on par with The Sopranos in terms of its influence. It was created and primarily written by former Baltimore police reporter David Simon, so it knows its stuff. Also, among its A+ cast, keep an eye out for particularly exceptional work by Idris Elba and a very young Michael B Jordan (and for Isiah Whitlock Jr's over-extended pronunciation of "sheeeeeeeee-it".
For the past two decades, flying between Sydney and Melbourne — or any major Australian cities — has meant picking between Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar and, for a period, Tiger Airways. After a particularly rough year for the airline industry, however, 2021 will see Aussies get another flight option. Regional carrier Rex is expanding its routes, and will start covering the country's capitals from March. First up, it'll travel between Sydney and Melbourne, kicking off on March 1, 2021. Three of the airline's Boeing 737-800s will fly back and forth from the two cities, doing nine services a day. And, while Rex's expansion was actually already flagged earlier this year, the airline has just launched tickets between the New South Wales and Victorian capitals today, Wednesday, December 2. Those keen to book a trip with the airline can now nab tickets for $79 each way as part of Rex's launch sale. There are 100,000 tickets currently available — although, given how popular flight sales have proven in 2020, getting in quickly is recommended. Rex, which has been hitting the skies for almost seven decades, is selling fares that include checked baggage, food, pre-assigned seating and online check-in. Economy passengers can also pay extra to access onboard wi-fi — or, if you opt for one of each plane's eight business class seats, you'll get internet access thrown in for free. The Sydney–Melbourne route is just the beginning, too. Flights to and from Brisbane are due to start taking off by Easter 2021 — and to other capitals as well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rex Airlines (@rex.airlines) Rex will start flying between Sydney and Melbourne from March 1, 2021. For further information, or to book a flight as part of its $79 sale, head to the airline's website. Top image: Rex.
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. They did just that a couple of months back with Double, and now they're doing so again with Visitors — which, although delivered remotely once again, is still geared to be every bit as creepy and unsettling as its IRL predecessors. Launching on Tuesday, October 6, Visitors will be 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. Visitors is aimed at groups of two, and starts with another two folks as well — a dead couple who invite themselves into the your home. They're eager to escape their current state, even if only temporarily. "We didn't know where else to go," they'll tell you — and then you'll each hear two different sides of the story. To listen along, you'll need a $22 two-person ticket, and to book a spot at 8pm, 9pm and 11pm AEDT on a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. While this is clearly a great thing to add to your October must-do list — 'tis the spookiest time of year, after all — Visitors will run until the end of December. Visitors runs at 8pm, 9pm and 11pm AEDT on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from Tuesday, October 6 until the end of December.
Celebrate the start of the four-day weekend by travelling back to the '90s. On Good Friday Eve, Ding Dong Lounge will ride a wave of nostalgia until the wee hours of dawn, with live DJs, dancing and lots of terrible, terrible music you’ve retroactively convinced yourself is great. Expect Aqua, Nirvana and maybe a little Vanilla Ice. Entry is $5 at the door. Fresh Prince-style Dungarees are optional, but highly recommend (although maybe that's just us).
Poor old East Melbourne is a bit of a hospitality dead zone, so locals are surely jumping for joy at the arrival of the suburb's newest addition, Square and Compass. The three folks at the helm this one are some of the same names behind cafe favourites Touchwood, Barry and Pillar of Salt, and all that experience tends to show. The production feels tight, the kitchen's turning out a menu full of colourful crowd-pleasers, and the Seven Seeds coffee is on point. Refreshingly, the decor here stands out from the rest of today's cafe crowd, with block pastels and black edging giving the space an understated art-deco feel. Out the back, you'll find a semi-enclosed, heated courtyard space that looks set to be a coveted hot spot even throughout our chilly winter. Fans of the owners' other endeavours will be familiar with some elements of the menu, though this new kitchen's lending a fair splash of its own creativity too. It's a big nod to fresh produce and flavours, so you can expect to find kale aplenty, a few nourishing salad options and that increasingly popular raw zucchini pasta. Breakfast-style dishes and lunch offerings are mingled together, with everything available from open until close. If you're after a morning savoury hit, go for Square and Compass' version of an avocado smash. Here, it tops a wedge of pumpkin loaf, alongside goats' cheese, heirloom tomatoes and a raw beetroot relish ($16.50) — and you can add a poached egg for a couple of dollars extra. Working just as hard at breakfast as it is at lunch, is the ancient grains salad: piled on top of creamy, avocado labne, it's mixed with cauliflower rice, toasted sesame seeds and fresh herbs, and laced with tangy barberries. Crown it with a poached egg ($16) or a generous chunk of melt-in-the-mouth, seared cured trout ($20). Further down the menu, dishes like housemade gnocchi with lamb shoulder ($18) and a herb and parmesan schnitzel ($19.5) are sure-fire winter favourites, while the S.A Rock lobster roll with sriracha mayo and green papaya is already causing a stir. There are plenty of fresh drink options to back up the food offerings, with chai from Chai Boy ($4.5), 70% cocoa hot chocolate from Mork ($4.5), Ayamo cold pressed juices ($8) and a housemade smoothie ($9). This 60-seater is already buzzing on a daily basis, but looking around, there seems to be a pretty solid crew in place; with affable, unpretentious floor staff that know the menu inside-out, an air of smooth efficiency emanates from the service area and open kitchen. The East Melbourne of past years may have boasted much more in the way of hospitals than hospitality, but with any luck, this new offering — along with other East Melbourne venues, Persillade and Hard Pressed — will start to point things in the opposite direction.
Riveting dissections of realistic situations: that's where siblings Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have made their careers. Continuing in the same finessed, naturalistic vein, Two Days, One Night compels by rendering relatable circumstances without sentiment but with surprises. It follows the attempts of Sandra (Academy Award-winner Marion Cotillard) to convince her co-workers to save her job. To do so, they would need to forgo a cash bonus they've been offered and in many cases need. The precision with which the filmmakers present a feature almost solely comprised of conversations cannot be underestimated, nor can Cotillard's expert efforts in illustrating the fragility of her striving but uncertain protagonist. Small in stature yet striking in its statement, Two Days, One Night took out the Sydney Film Prize at this year's Sydney Film Festival. Two Days, One Night is in cinemas on November 6. Thanks to Madman Entertainment, we have two Dardenne Brothers DVD prize packs to give away, each including a double in-season pass to see the new film. Eight runners up will also get double in-season passes. 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=qxLqaEGZiDY
This winter, you won't be chasing the sun and soaking in a European summer. That was off the cards last year, too. But, thanks to eased domestic border restrictions and the trans-Tasman bubble, you can spend the chilliest part of the year surrounded by snow. Of course, whether you're planning to ski, snowboard or just build a snowman, you'll need to rug up — and whatever is currently in your wardrobe mightn't do. Each year — except 2020, for obvious reasons — Aldi hosts a big sale on snow gear. Every time it happens, it draws quite a crowd. It's back for 2021, so mark Saturday, May 22 in your diary. That's when you can head to your nearest Aldi supermarket to pick up everything from snow jackets and boots to face masks and beanies. Available at stores across the nation, and made to withstand extreme weather conditions, 2021's range of gear includes six different varieties of snow jackets, which start at $39.99 for something light and go up to $119.99 for windproof and waterproof numbers; four types of snow pants, including one style with adjustable leg and waist cuffs for $99.99; and ski fleece sets, featuring a hoodie and a pair of pants, for $19.99. Boots for both kids and adults start at $19.99, helmets will cost you between $19.99–24.99, and you'll be spending between $4.99–34.99 for masks, beanies, neck warmers, cabin socks, gloves and balaclavas. Kids clothing is part of the deal, too, if you'll be travelling with younger skiers — ranging from $19.99–34.99. Once you're all kitted out, you're certain to stay toasty if you're making the trip to Perisher Valley, Thredbo, Falls Creek, Hotham or anywhere else local where snowy peaks are a feature. If you're hopping across the ditch instead, you'll find plenty of items to stop you getting frosty up at New Zealand's ski fields. The Aldi Snow Gear Special Buys range is available from Aldi stores nationally from Saturday, May 22.
NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all people of Australia to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In the past, the "National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee" were responsible for organising the events of NAIDOC Week, and since then the acronym has become the name of the event itself. The theme of NAIDOC Week this year is 'Heal Country!'. Grounded in Country, this theme calls for the recognition, protection and maintenance of all aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. But in order to achieve this, it's essential that historical, political and administrative settings adapt in order to empower and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. On Friday, July 9, an evening of storytelling, poetry and music is coming to the State Library of Victoria. Taking part will be Tony Birch (Aboriginal, Barbadian, Irish and Afghani), Larissa Behrendt (Eualaya and Kamillaroi) and Kee'ahn (Kuku Yalanji, Jirrbal and Badu Island). Tickets are $35 and entry is free for First Nations people. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YNEiwZq0WI
Sporting giant Adidas has outdone itself with the adiZero f50 miCoach, a new soccer boot that boasts state-of-the-art technology. According to the manufacturer, the boot will be able to measure 'key performance metrics including speed, average speed (recorded every second), maximum speed (recorded every five seconds), number of sprints, distance, distance at high intensity levels, steps and stride rates.' Judging by this description, these super-intelligent boots are a serious athlete's dream. The information on the boot can then be stored for up to seven hours, and subsequently uploaded via WiFi or USB to other devices. The thoughtful guys at Adidas have then tapped into the social media aspect of the shoe, as your stats can then be shared with your friends on Facebook, or kept as a record for your own training regimes. You can even compare your own stats with professional (Adidas-sponsored, of course) athletes such as Lionel Messi as they upload their figures. With more features than necessary and more intelligence than you ever thought a shoe could possess, you're probably wondering how much it will cost to get your hands on a pair of these bad boys. They're set to drop in November at a price of $330, which isn't too bad considering that you're pretty much lacing up a computer on your feet. However, keep in mind that the $330 price point is in American dollars and you're probably going to have to fork out a lot more when they eventually land Down Under. https://youtube.com/watch?v=LK_paShxGM8 [Via PSFK]
If you're flying into or out of Sydney Airport this holiday season, that transit is set to be a whole lot more bearable than usual, thanks to a brand new addition from Archie Rose. The Rosebery distillery has just gifted the Airport's T1 International terminal with a 16-seat pop-up cocktail bar, primed for those pre-flight libations. Aiming to celebrate top Aussie booze, the Archie Rose Cocktail Bar started pouring drinks on Thursday, November 28 — and it's sticking around until February 2020. The custom-designed watering hole serves up a lineup of martinis, manhattans and other signature bottled cocktail creations, crafted on Archie Rose's acclaimed range of gin, whisky and vodka varieties (all of which are made just a stone's throw away, at its Rosebery headquarters). Passengers can also get their hands on the just-dropped Archie Rose x Sydney Opera House Outside and Inside Gins – a twin release celebrating Sydney Harbour's famed architectural icon. As for the space itself, the bar is open yet cosy, with a swag of native plants offering that last little taste of home before you jump on your long-haul flight. Archie Rose is known for its growing range of craft spirits, including the famed Signature Dry Gin, which continues to scoop a stack of international awards. The label is also behind the experimental 'buttered toast spirit', ArchieMite, which Aussies went nuts for when it launched earlier this year. Find the Archie Rose Cocktail Bar at B1045, T1 International Sydney Airport. Images: Kai Leishman
When 2024 began, it started with a beloved Australian book becoming a just-as-loved hit homegrown TV miniseries. When the year comes to an end, it'll do so with an Aussie film about an international pop star releasing in cinemas. It feels fitting, then, that Brisbane-set page-to-screen favourite Boy Swallows Universe and unconventional Robbie Williams biopic Better Man have both scored big among the just-announced AACTA Award nominations — for 2025's ceremonies, but covering 2024 releases. Boy Swallows Universe topped the TV categories, earning a huge 22 nominations. It's up for Best Miniseries, of course, and made history by collecting eight nominations for its stellar actors, the most that any production has earned ever at the AACTAs. Better Man, which makes its way to Australian cinemas on Boxing Day 2024, received the most nods in the film fields — and by picking up a huge 16 of them, it also broke the record. Among the movies, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga nabbed 15 nominations for George Miller's fifth film in the iconic dystopian franchise, the same number that How to Make Gravy scored for its song-to-film journey. Next came horror delight Late Night with the Devil with 14 nominations, then Oscar-winning animator Adam Elliot's gorgeous and heartfelt Memoir of a Snail with 11. They're all up for Best Film, too, alongside Better Man and family-friendly four-time nominee Runt. The television cohort also saw Thou Shalt Not Steal pick up nine nominations, showing some affection for one of the year's absolute-best TV shows. Colin From Accounts and The Artful Dodger collected eight apiece, while Exposure scored seven, Fake picked up six, and Fisk and Total Control earned five each. Even from just the titles mentioned above, it's been not only an excellent year in Aussie film and TV, but a diverse one in terms of the types of tales that've been reaching screens big and small. Everything from mystery sequel Force of Nature: The Dry 2 to dark comedy Audrey, and from detective series High Country to the latest season of Heartbreak High and the Australian version of The Office, too, is also on the nominees list. As for who'll end up with a shiny trophy, the winners will be revealed on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 and Friday, February 7, 2025 at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast, in tandem with the returning festival with 100-plus that's also celebrating Aussie film and television. Until then, consider the nominations list a great what-to-watch guide for homegrown flicks and shows — Christmess, You'll Never Find Me, Last Days of the Space Age and Territory are just a selection of the other titles in the running. Here's a selection of this year's major AACTA nominations, ahead of the awards' ceremonies on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 and Friday, February 7, 2025 at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast — and you can check out the full list on AACTA's website: 2025 AACTA Award Nominees Film Awards Best Film Better Man Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga How to Make Gravy Late Night with the Devil Memoir of a Snail Runt Best Indie Film Before Dawn Birdeater Christmess Just a Farmer The Emu War You'll Never Find Me Best Direction in Film Better Man, Michael Gracey Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, George Miller How to Make Gravy, Nick Waterman Late Night with the Devil, Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes Memoir of a Snail, Adam Elliot Best Lead Actress in Film Laura Gordon, Late Night with the Devil Sarah Snook, Memoir of a Snail Jackie van Beek, Audrey Anya Taylor-Joy, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Anna Torv, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 Phoebe Tonkin, Kid Snow Best Lead Actor in Film Eric Bana, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 David Dastmalchian, Late Night with the Devil Jonno Davies, Better Man Daniel Henshall, How to Make Gravy Guy Pearce, The Convert Kodi Smit-McPhee, Memoir of a Snail Best Supporting Actress in Film Alyla Browne, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Hannah Diviney, Audrey Kate Mulvany, Better Man Kate Mulvany, How to Make Gravy Ingrid Torelli, Late Night with the Devil Jacki Weaver, Memoir of a Snail Best Supporting Actor in Film Fayssal Bazzi, Late Night with the Devil Chris Hemsworth, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Damon Herriman, Better Man Damon Herriman, How to Make Gravy Richard Roxburgh, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 Hugo Weaving, How to Make Gravy Best Screenplay in Film Better Man, Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole, Michael Gracey Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, George Miller, Nico Lathouris How to Make Gravy, Meg Washington, Nick Waterman Late Night with the Devil, Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes Memoir of a Snail, Adam Elliot Best Documentary A Horse Named Winx Every Little Thing Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line Otto by Otto Porcelain War The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process Best Cinematography in Film Better Man, Erik A. Wilson, Matt Toll, Ashley Wallen Force of Nature: The Dry 2, Andrew Commis Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Simon Duggan Late Night with the Devil, Matthew Temple Memoir of a Snail, Gerald Thompson Best Editing in Film Better Man, Martin Connor, Lee Smith, Spencer Susser, Jeff Groth, Patrick Correll Force of Nature: The Dry 2, Alexandre de Franceschi, Maria Papoutsis Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Eliot Knapman, Margaret Sixel Late Night with the Devil, Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes Memoir of a Snail, Bill Murphy Best Original Song 'Dream On' by Meg Washington, Electric Fields and The Prison Choir, How to Make Gravy 'Fine' by Meg Washington, Electric Fields and The Prison Choir, How to Make Gravy 'Forbidden Road' by Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler and Sacha Skarbek, Better Man 'Side By Side' by Paul Kelly, Runt 'Streetlights' by Jacob Harvey, Under Streetlights Best Short Film And the Ocean Agreed Before We Sleep Die Bully Die Favourites Gorgo Why We Fight Television Awards Best Drama Series Fake Heartbreak High The Artful Dodger The Twelve Thou Shalt Not Steal Total Control Best Narrative Comedy Series Austin Bump Colin From Accounts Fisk Strife The Office Best Miniseries Boy Swallows Universe Exposure Four Years Later House of Gods Human Error Last Days of the Space Age Best Lead Actor in a Drama Zac Burgess, Boy Swallows Universe Felix Cameron, Boy Swallows Universe Rob Collins, Total Control Brendan Cowell, Plum Sam Neill, The Twelve Noah Taylor, Thou Shalt Not Steal Best Lead Actress in a Drama Asher Keddie, Fake Deborah Mailman, Total Control Leah Purcell, High Country Anna Torv, Territory Phoebe Tonkin, Boy Swallows Universe Sherry-Lee Watson, Thou Shalt Not Steal Best Acting in a Comedy Patrick Brammall, Colin From Accounts Aaron Chen, Fisk Harriet Dyer, Colin From Accounts Kitty Flanagan, Fisk Genevieve Hegney, Colin From Accounts Asher Keddie, Strife Michael Theo, Austin Felicity Ward, The Office Best Comedy Performer Wil Anderson, Taskmaster Australia Aaron Chen, Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Anne Edmonds, Taskmaster Australia Tom Gleeson, Hard Quiz Guy Montgomery, Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Charlie Pickering, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Essie Davis, Exposure Rachel Griffiths, Total Control Heather Mitchell, Fake Deborah Mailman, Boy Swallows Universe Sophie Wilde, Boy Swallows Universe Asher Yasbincek, Heartbreak High Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Simon Baker, Boy Swallows Universe Wayne Blair, Total Control Bryan Brown, Boy Swallows Universe Travis Fimmel, Boy Swallows Universe Lee Tiger Halley, Boy Swallows Universe Ewen Leslie, Prosper Best Direction in Drama or Comedy Boy Swallows Universe, Bharat Nalluri Colin From Accounts, Trent O'Donnell Colin From Accounts, Madeline Dyer Fake, Emma Freeman Thou Shalt Not Steal, Dylan River Best Direction in Nonfiction Television Anne Edmonds: Why Is My Bag All Wet?, Simon Francis Better Date Than Never, Mariel Thomas Muster Dogs, Sally Browning Stuff the British Stole, Marc Fennell The Jury: Death on the Staircase, Tosca Looby, Ben Lawrence Best Screenplay in Television Boy Swallows Universe, John Collee Colin From Accounts, Patrick Brammall, Harriet Dyer Fake, Anya Beyersdorf Fisk, Penny Flanagan, Kitty Flanagan Thou Shalt Not Steal, Tanith Glynn-Maloney, Sophie Miller, Dylan River Best Cinematography in Television Boy Swallows Universe, Shelley Farthing-Dawe Boy Swallows Universe, Mark Wareham Exposure, Aaron McLisky Territory, Simon Duggan Thou Shalt Not Steal, Tyson Perkins Best Editing in Television Boy Swallows Universe, Mark Perry Colin From Accounts, Danielle Boesenberg Exposure, Leila Gaabi Fisk, Katie Flaxman The Artful Dodger, Rodrigo Balart Best Entertainment Program Dancing with the Stars LEGO® Masters Australia vs The World Mastermind Spicks and Specks The 1% Club Tipping Point Australia Best Comedy Entertainment Program Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Hard Quiz Have You Been Paying Attention? Thank God You're Here The Cheap Seats The Weekly with Charlie Pickering Best Factual Entertainment Program Alone Australia Gogglebox Australia Muster Dogs Stuff the British Stole Take 5 with Zan Rowe The Assembly Best Documentary or Factual Program Australia's Sleep Revolution with Dr Michael Mosley I Was Actually There Maggie Beer's Big Mission Miriam Margolyes Impossibly Australian Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye Who Do You Think You Are? Best Children's Program Bluey Eddie's Lil Homies Hard Quiz Kids Little J & Big Cuz Play School: Big Ted's Time Machine Spooky Files Best Stand-Up Special Anne Edmonds: Why Is My Bag All Wet? Lloyd Langford: Current Mood Mel Buttle: Let Me Know Either Way? Melbourne International Comedy Festival — The Allstars Supershow Melbourne International Comedy Festival — The Gala Rove McManus: Loosey Goosey Best Lifestyle Program Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia Gardening Australia Grand Designs Australia Grand Designs Transformations Restoration Australia Selling Houses Australia Best Reality Program Australian Idol Australian Survivor: Titans V Rebels MasterChef Australia Shark Tank Australia The Amazing Race The Great Australian Bake Off Best Online Drama or Comedy Bad Ancestors Buried Descent Girl Crush Urvi Went to an All Girls School Videoland
Fred again.. is currently in Australia, as everyone knows thanks to his Tuesday, February 27 announcement that he was playing Sydney Opera House that night. Missed out? As he mentioned on his Instagram, the British producer and DJ didn't make the trip Down Under just for one show. So, he's gone and announced a three-city tour for the rest of his Aussie stay. Melbourne will next welcome everyone's favourite chaotic electronic musician, for three gigs all at Rod Laver Arena. After that, he's heading to the Gold Coast — at a pop-up location TBC — for a single show. Then, it's back to Sydney, this time to Qudos Bank Arena for another trio of gigs. All seven shows are taking place in March, giving fans more notice this time after 145,000 people attempted to get tickets to Fred again..'s Sydney Opera House set. Also, you've been given more warning about tickets going on sale, too. They'll be available to purchase from Thursday, February 29, with times staggered depending on the city. The tour came out of nowhere, after a post to Fred again..'s Instagram showing him boarding a flight with his buddy and collaborator JOY (ANONYMOUS), teasing that they'd be performing wherever the plane landed. Next, 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. At this upcoming shows, he'll be bringing his catalogue of hits, of course. So, if you want to catch 'Delilah (pull me out of this)', 'Marea (we've lost dancing)' and 'Rumble' — and new single 'stayinit' with Lil Yachty and Overmono — this is your latest chance. JOY (ANONYMOUS) will be on supporting duties at all seven shows. Fred again.. Australia 2024 Tour: Monday, March 4–Wednesday, March 6 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Saturday, March 9 — pop-up location TBC on the Gold Coast Tuesday, March 12–Thursday, March 14 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Fred again.. is performing in Australia in March 2024, with tickets on sale on Thursday, February 29 — from 9am AEDT for Melbourne, 10am AEST for the Gold Coast and 1pm AEDT for Sydney. Hit up the tour website for more details. Live images: Maclay Heriot / Daniel Boud, Laneway 2023.
If you're a fan of LGBTQIA+ flicks, don't say that you don't have anything to watch between Friday, February 28–Monday, March 10, 2025. You're not just stuck with usual couch-viewing options, either. The return of Queer Screen's Mardi Gras Film Festival in Sydney also means the return of the event's online component, which is great news no matter where you live in Australia. As always, the roster of movies that Sydneysiders can catch at MGFF's in-person sessions is far larger than its online program — but joining in from home is still filled with highlights. Movie buffs eager to check out the online picks from their couch can look forward to the Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!)-starring Drive Back Home; Aussie effort Heart of a Man, about a closeted Indigenous boxer; a doco about activist Sally Gearhart; Unusually Normal's factual portrait of a family that includes two lesbian grandmothers, four lesbian mothers and one lesbian granddaughter; and a blend of fiction and reality with 2024 Sundance Special Jury Award-winner Desire Lines, among other titles. A number of shorts programs will be available to stream, too, with packages devoted to Asia Pacific, transgender and gender diverse, queer horror, queer documentaries, sapphic and more. Black Doves' Ben Whishaw pops up in one of the gay shorts, while Hacks' Megan Stalter appears in one of the films in the comedy lineup.
Collingwood's Schoolhouse Studios is throwing a whammy of a shindig for Halloween. The small warehouse is undergoing a temporary facelift to morph into a veritable lair of mayhem. Expect horror, gore, costume awards and a haunted house, so keep a steady hand on your wine glass if you're the jumpy sort because you may just end up drenching yourself in shiraz. Performers at the Ghoulhouse include drag trio The Beastie Girls as well as DJs Cupids Cut, Hannie Tray and Brontesaurus Sex. Tickets are just 20 bucks and you'll be helping raise funds for a not-for-profit arts organisation, too — so you can be assured you're doing the right thing by maybe calling in sick to work on Friday to sort out your costume.
In between running one of Brisbane's favourite vintage cafe bars and teaching us where the best bits of Brisbane are, longtime Aussie music go-to The Grates are back for their first national headline tour since 2011. Brisbanites Patience Hodgson, John Patterson and Ritchie Daniell will be taking their Team Work Makes The Dream Work tour down Australia's east coast with Sydney punk garage band Straight Arrows and Brisbane punk/synth duo Pleasure Symbols. Described as "fun and thrashy pop punk at its best" by triple j, these three have a reputation for giving an incredible live show that'll have you on your feet. The Grates have been seriously productive over the last few months; after releasing their fourth celebrated studio album, Dream Team last year, they went on to absolutely crush it at Splendour In The Grass. The Grates' long-awaited return to the stage is sure to be one of those dance-till-you-drop affairs — here's hoping for a furious '19-20-20' throwback singalong to obliterate our vocal chords once and for all. Want to win tickets to see The Grates? Head over here.
Since Australia started easing out of COVID-19 lockdown, the country's internal border restrictions have earned plenty of attention. With tactics to stop the spread of the coronavirus implemented at a state-by-state level, each Aussie state has navigated the situation in its own way when it comes to letting non-residents visit. In Tasmania, that has meant some strict quarantine requirements — which, for non-Tassie residents who weren't classified as essential travellers, entailed spending 14 days in government-designated accommodation. But, for most of the country, quarantine is no more. Travellers from Queensland, the ACT, SA, WA, the NT and New Zealand, which are deemed low-risk areas, have been allowed to hop on a plane and head across the Strait since Monday, October 26. Sydneysiders followed suit soon after, being granted access to the state from Friday, November 6. Victoria remains the last state required to quarantine when entering Tasmania, however, this is all set to change later this month. An estimated date for Victoria to be marked low-risk and granted access to Tasmania was previously set for Tuesday, December 1. This date has now be pushed forward to Friday, November 27 — "subject to matters remaining on track in Victoria," Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein announced in a press conference on Wednesday, November 11. During this press conference, Gutwein also revealed that from Friday, November 13, Victorians entering Tasmania will now be allowed to complete their 14 days of quarantine at home or a "designated residence" instead of a government-mandated hotel. The announcement came after Victoria's 12th — now 13th — consecutive day without a new case of COVID-19. Gutwein's press conference also included some exciting news for Tasmanians (and those visiting the southern state), confirming that from Friday, November 13, Tasmanian venues will be permitted to serve standing patrons — or 'vertical drinking' as it's been labelled — and that gatherings in Tasmania households can increase from 20 to 40 people. All travellers to Tasmania are still currently required to fill out a Tas e-Travel form before they depart for the state. New Zealand residents are also legally required to complete at least 14 days of managed isolation or quarantine when returning to New Zealand. Keen to start planning an adventure south? Mona Foma has announced it'll return to Launceston and Hobart in January — and we've pulled together this list of exciting food and drink spots in the state's northeast. Visitors from low-risk areas (currently Queensland, the ACT, SA, WA, the NT, NSW and NZ) are allowed to visit Tasmania without quarantining. You must fill out a Tas e-Travel form a maximum of three days before you arrive. The state is set to open to Victoria from Friday, November 27. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Tasmania and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub. Top image: Bay of Fires via Lia Kuilenburg for Tourism Tasmania.
On the lookout for a dope new denim jacket? Or do you want to be rid of that weird-looking lamp taking up space in the living room? Then, by golly, you're in luck. The Garage Sale Trail works with local council partners Australia-wide to get as many trash-and-treasure troves happening on the same few days as possible. Last year, more than 400,000 Aussies took part at this festival of pre-loved stuff, holding more than 14,000 sales. Will this year's Garage Sale Trail top those hefty numbers? It'll certainly try via a huge array of events that will open their doors to bargain hunters, selling millions of items across two big spring weekends: between Saturday, November 9–Sunday, November 10, and then again from Saturday, November 16–Sunday, November 17. Aside from the retro goodies up for grabs, the Garage Sale Trail is all about sustainability. Instead of ending up in landfill, unwanted clutter becomes a fantastic find. So get that tight pair of sunnies for peanuts and help the environment at the same time. The Garage Sale Trail began humbly in Bondi in 2010 and is growing bigger every year. There'll be a right slew of sales happening all around Melbourne, so keep your eyes on the event website — or register online to make a quick buck from your old junk and hang out with the friendly folks in your hood.
Spring is dating season. Winter's gloom has lifted, the air is noticeably lighter and the glorious sunshine has both flowers and people blooming. In celebration, we're giving away a bunch of $250 Mastercard cards to ensure that you lovebirds have a suitably romantic springtime soirée. It's entirely up to you how you splash the cash, you can splurge on one opulent night out — indulge in dozens of oysters at a top-notch fine diner — or opt for a more conservative approach and spread those five (virtual) pineapples across multiple dates. After all, you don't have to spend big to make a big impression. The late, great Robin Williams once said, "Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'". Well, enter the competition below and your springtime parties for two are on us. [competition]695105[/competition] If you're looking for inspiration in the meantime, check out our top five dates for less than $50 in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney and consider splitting the bill easily in under a minute with PayID (which uses the Osko payment service). Find out more here.
Surfing and gig-going have always been two of Australia's best-loved pastimes, and in 2018 we scored a festival celebrating the best of both worlds. After returning this year, it's back for its third round of autumnal beachside festivals. Returning from February–April 2020, The Drop festival will cruise around the country as it once again follows the Aussie leg of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour — and it's bringing a banging little lineup of musical gold along for the ride. Surfing the festival wave are dance music legends The Presets, Aussie indie-rock chart-toppers Boy & Bear and Brisbane's Ball Park Music, along with other local acts Allday, DZ Deathrays, Kita Alexander and Graace. Held on the first weekend of each area's surfing event, The Drop is set to grace some of the Australia's most iconic surf spots, each outing featuring a locally focused offering of food, drink and culture, to match the tunes. As well as heading to the official WSL events in Torquay, Margaret River and Coolangatta as it has since 2018 — and forming part of WSL Qualifying Series events Surfest Newcastle and Vissla Sydney Surf Pro in Manly, as it did in 2019 — the fest will also hit Noosa as part of the WSL Noosa Longboard Open. [caption id="attachment_753214" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] THE DROP FESTIVAL 2020 LINEUP The Presets Boy & Bear Ball Park Music Allday DZ Deathrays Kita Alexander Graace THE DROP FESTIVAL 2020 DATES Noosa, Qld — Dolphins Rugby Club, Sunshine Beach, Saturday, February 29 Newcastle, NSW — Empire Park, Saturday, March 7 Manly, NSW — Keirle Park, Saturday, March 14 Coolangatta, Qld — Queen Elizabeth Park, Saturday, March 28 Torquay, Vic — Torquay Common, Saturday, April 11 Margaret River, WA — Barnard Park, Busselton, Saturday, April 25 The Drop tickets go on sale from 6pm AEDT on Wednesday, December 4, with pre-sales available from 6pm, Tuesday, December 3 for folks who register in advance (prior to 6pm, Monday, December 2). For more info, visit thedropfestival.com.au. Images: Walk Wild Studio/ Miranda Stokkel / Ian Laidlaw.
Ricardo Cortés, who illustrated the hugely popular adult bedtime reader, Go The F*ck to Sleep, has released a third edition of his previously sold-out book, It's Just a Plant. This book is for the kids this time, but it's just as controversial, telling the story of a young girl's educational journey as she comes to understand cannabis, explained to her by her parents, a doctor and a kind gang of Rastafarians. The book covers difficult concepts like crime and the medical use of drugs in a thoughtful, non-propagandist manner, with beautiful illustrations to accompany. It's also an excellent way to guide your way through the awkward conversation you'll have to have if your kid catches you enjoying a sneaky joint.
Where do all those guns seized from Mexican drug cartels go to, anyway? Sometimes, they go to an astounding mechanised orchestra, constructed fully of decommissioned weapons by artist Pedro Reyes. Working out of media studio Cocolab in Mexico City, Reyes created the work, Disarm, as the latest in a series of weapon-come-musical-instrument transformations. Transformation is the key word: the artist's work takes tools of violence and transmutes them into objects of beauty and music, vaguely reminiscent of how hippies made National Guardsmen's rifles into flower vases during the iconic anti-Vietnam War Flower Power protest. It's an effective sociopolitical critique. An earlier incarnation of the project, Imagine (2012), similarly used remnants of weapons confiscated by the Mexican army. Reyes calls his instruments "the redemption of this metal that could have taken your life or mine". Some of the upcycled, sculptural instruments look like alien robots with a touch of menace about them, while others have elegant lines and an almost organic shape. How do they work as real instruments? Their development was overseen by professional musicians as well as Cocolab's resident tech geniuses, so artistry is just as much a component as machinery. Computerised, they are able to play preprogrammed compositions. Check out the video — the resulting music is not only very cool to listen to, but amazing to watch being produced as the instruments play themselves. The mechanised aspect makes visual patterns that are related to acoustic patterns. Adds Reyes, "It also becomes a visual show because you give plasticity to the musical universe that is hidden inside the computer." Voila: a perfect marriage of art, technology and social comment. Having already been exhibited in London, Disarm is on its way to the Melbourne Festival, where it will be displayed in NGV's Federation Court. Its instruments will be played by an assortment of skilled local musicians, so you'll get to hear all kinds of unexpected improvisations. Who would have guessed a gun could sound so disarming?
Nearly two years ago, the Village Belle Hotel — a St Kilda institution built in 1890 — announced that it was gearing up for a mega makeover. That process, conducted to the tune of $15 million, is now done and dusted. And the results are open for business. Given that the hotel is heritage-listed, many of its features are protected, but there have been a few significant additions. Next time you head in for a drink, look out for the Garden Bar, the Balcony Bar, the Public Bar and the Doulton Lounge, which is open until late. In the kitchen, you'll find Mat McCartney (The Lake House, Daylesford, Chateau Yering) in charge. He's been busy sourcing local and sustainable produce to create a refreshing and ever-changing, yet accessible, menu. Current dishes include eggplant tofu with goats curd, ash bread, crispy kale and grilled vegetables; handmade pumpkin tortellini with sage beurre noisette, Persian fetta, spinach and pine nuts; and crema Catalana, which is like a crème brûlee, but with a thinner crust and a dash of extra zing, thanks to addition of orange rind. There's also a new cocktail menu to mark the revamp. Among the signature concoctions are the vanilla margarita, the belle-ini (with white peach reduction and sparkling wine) and the lemon meringue cocktail (with house-made lemon curd and meringue infused with Licor 43 and Agwa). The Village Belle Hotel is at 202 Barkly St, St Kilda. Opening hours are Monday to Wednesday, 9am to 1am; Thursday to Saturday, 9am to 3am; and Sunday, 10am to 12am. For more information, visit the pub's website.
Colourful anime hits, intriguing murder mysteries and moody yakuza thrillers — they're all on the lineup at this year's Japanese Film Festival. Throw in a rom-com about renting a friend, a musical-comedy starring a former J-pop idol and a live-action version of a best-selling manga, and Melbourne viewers will have plenty to watch at the Treasury and Capitol theatres between Thursday, November 21 and Sunday, December 1. It all starts with opening night's Masquerade Hotel, which tasks a detective (Blade of the Immortal's Takuya Kimura) with going undercover at a swanky Tokyo establishment. The reason? He believes that a murder is about to take place within its walls, and he's determined not only to stop it, but to solve three other seemingly unrelated killings. From there, standouts include Little Love Song, about Okinawa high schoolers in a pop band; family reunion drama Born Bone Born, as set on the island of Aguni; and Melancholic, which follows a new university graduate who takes a job at a bathhouse, only to find himself working for dangerous mobsters. On the animated front, Ride Your Wave takes to the sea on a surfboard, because Japanese animators can make surfing movies too. Final Fantasy fans might want to catch Brave Father Online, given that it focuses on a father and son reconnecting through their love of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, while Dance With Me takes its characters on a singing and dancing road trip — and And Your Bird Can Sing gets atmospheric with three friends over a long Hokkaido summer.
