Studley Park Boathouse is getting a $5.8-million revamp which is set to include brand new dining options and a multi-level riverside deck. Australian Venue Co (Yarra Botanica, Fargo & Co, BrewDog Pentridge) is already underway with renovations on the Kew favourite, which is set to encompass a new cafe for casual diners, a modern restaurant and bar, pizzeria, pop-up gelato cart and a new outdoor dining deck along the Yarra. "Our vision for Studley Park Boathouse is built around celebrating the heritage of this iconic venue," Australian Venue Co CEO Paul Waterson says. "The revitalised venue paired with a new and improved food and beverage offering will ensure there is something for everyone and every occasion." [caption id="attachment_894550" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Render, supplied[/caption] The yet-to-be-named restaurant and bar leans local, championing an entirely Victorian wine list sourced within 100km of Studley Park Boathouse. A menu of charcuterie and grazing plates will pair well with curated tasting paddles featuring boutique growers, which are set to change seasonally. Picnic packages complete with blanket hire and a new 'Row-sé' menu available with boat hire rounds out the offering. New firepits for winter picnic-goers are also on the cards, and the team are preparing to host a line-up of pop-up events and live entertainment throughout the year. [caption id="attachment_894549" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Render, supplied[/caption] Renovations are currently underway at Studley Park Boathouse, with a reopening date sometime in winter this year. We'll keep you updated on the details are they drop. Images: Flickr, Alpha, renders - supplied.
With lockdowns well behind us, Melbourne is scoring brand new music festivals left, right and centre. And the latest addition to that event calendar is Hello Sunshine — a new one-day celebration of tunes and food hitting the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges this summer. Descending on Scoresby's Caribbean Gardens (the OG home of Moomba) on Saturday, February 11, this one's got a broad-ranging lineup of acts to tempt all ages. Hitting the stage, you'll catch the likes of indie pop darling Amy Shark fresh from her latest Aussie tour, jazz-funk legends The Cat Empire and hip hop artist 360. [caption id="attachment_866426" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Amy Shark[/caption] An unexpected musical gift comes in the form of a set by kids-entertainer-turned-DJ Murray Cook — aka the original Red Wiggle — while acts like Pierce Brothers, Yo! Mafia, Rockafellas, rising star Ally Rendall, Cadence and drag queen DJs Jawbreakers round out the day's musical fun. On top of that, there'll be carnival rides, market stalls and a stack of food trucks, including local favourites like El Chivi with its Uruguayan steak sangas, low-and-slow barbecue by Smokeyboiz, Hamsa Hummus Bar, Cypriot Street Grill and more. Adult tickets start from $115, with VIP tickets at $165 — both available online. [caption id="attachment_866455" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Cat Empire, by Darra Munis[/caption] Updated: January 18
Throwing axes: yay or nay? Unsurprisingly, hurling hatches is the type of activity that probably has you leaning one way or another. Curious about giving it a go, but haven't gotten around to hitting up Melbourne's Maniax in Abbotsford and the CBD? Let Winterfest tempt you in. This one-afternoon-only event is all about coming along and trying — and it'll let you get chucking weapons for cheap. From 12–5pm on Sunday, August 6, Maniax is doing 15-minute sessions for just $15 per person. Already sent a few Maniax blades flying in the past? You can still head on over to score some cheap entertainment for the afternoon. For the uninitiated, Maniax gives you the chance to very safely throw a hunk of sharpened steel attached to a handle, and compete with your partner and/or friends to see who has the most Viking blood coursing through them. Sling those axes, sink a bullseye, then calm down after all the hatchet-lobbing excitement with a drink. To assist with the latter, Winterfest is doing pizza-and-beer deals for two for $30, too.
There are few things in life that smell as good as Aesop products. Freshly cut grass brings with it hayfever; sniffing cinnamon will give you a sneezing fit; and as for newborn babies' heads, surely they just smell like pain and placenta? With its subtle hints of mandarin, lavender, shea butter and rosemary, the Aesop Resurrection hand balm I swipe from the bathrooms of fancy cafes is by far my pick of the bunch. Now this local titan of beauty and wellbeing is taking an interest in our part of the process — the smelling. From April 8 - 23, Aesop will be setting up shop in the Bourke Street Myer windows with an interactive installation featuring over 1,500 plaster casts of noses. But this isn't just a tame version of The Great Wall of Vagina, passersby will also be invited to contribute to the collection. Sit down, take a load off, peruse the offerings from the god that is Aesop, and let them immortalise your schnozz in the name of art and excellent hand balm. Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. The author just really, really likes Aesop.
Melburnians, when it comes to burgers, puppies and glamping, you absolutely can't get enough. Now that spring has sprung, another opportunity to disappear into a bell tent has arisen. This time, you'll be heading to Terindah Estate, a winery on the Bellarine Peninsula, 20 minutes' drive east of Geelong and 80 minutes' southwest of Melbourne. Terindah has partnered with Twilight Glamping to bring back its Glamping Amongst The Vines, a pop of up 15 luxury bell tents, for a second year. Perched near a private beach, this temporary village overlooks Port Phillip Bay and is backdropped by the Melbourne skyline. The scene is particularly dramatic, come sunrise and sunset. In between soaking up nature, kick back on a queen-sized bed (or a twin, if you're travelling with a mate), draped in luxurious linen and plenty of cosy blankets. Every tent also comes with a jute rug, chairs, side table, mirror, towels and USB-powered lantern. Shower facilities are also located on site. [caption id="attachment_749721" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ferne Millen[/caption] There's no need to cook — nor go anywhere — if you're not in the mood. For $5o, Terindah will make up a breakfast hamper for two, packed with fresh pastries, fruit, orange juice, hot chocolate and coffee. To keep you going through the day, you can add a picnic hamper ($100 for two), crowded with smoked and cured meats, fresh sourdough bread, cornichons, fruit and either terrine or camembert. A vego option is available, too, and you can choose to devour this on the beach or eat it amongst the wines. Another culinary option is The Shed, Terindah's onsite restaurant, which is open for brekkie on weekends, dinner on Saturday nights and lunch from Thursday–Monday. If you don't have a car, you also have the option of catching a ferry to the beachside glamping site. Jump on the Port Phillip Ferry at the Docklands and you'll be picked up when it docks at Bellarine's Portarlington Glamping Amongst The Vines is located at 90 McAdams Lane, Bellarine, Victoria. The season runs from November 2019–May 2020 and tents are $220 per night. Images: Ferne Millen
Three vineyards, four labels, one overarching Mornington Peninsula winery. That's what falls under the Stumpy Gully name, and has done since 1989. Things could've been different, though, with the Zantvoort family originally planning to grow citrus when they moved over from Holland. Fans of a great locally made drop will be thankful that they decided to go with grapes instead, obviously. From that setup, Peninsula Panorama Wines is just one of Stumpy Gully's labels, but it's a good one — with a chardonnay, rosé, cabernet merlot, pinot noir and shiraz in its range. If that's too many to pick from, the latter two are particularly top choices, especially if you like cherry and raspberry tastes, or a spice, berry and vanilla oak blend. The still family-run vineyard operates its cellar door at Moorooduc, right at the beginning of the Mornington wine trail — with the restaurant onsite operating from Friday–Sunday.
It's been a big few months for new hotels around Australia, including just-opened spots and places that'll launch in the coming months and years. Sydney now boasts the first Down Under outpost for Ace Hotels, and will soon score Porter House Hotel, too — plus the local debut of The Waldorf Astoria in 2025. Melbourne has welcomed the design-driven AC Hotels, Newcastle is nabbing its own QT with a rooftop bar and a suite in a clock tower, and the Gold Coast is nabbing The Langham. There's also a new hotel in the works for the Barossa in the middle of a vineyard, and the Yarra Valley is getting one as part of a big gig venue. Don't go thinking that Brisbane is missing out, though — because that's where the new voco Brisbane City Centre comes in. The chain has just taken up residence on North Quay right next to Brisbane Quarter, which means that it's in a prime riverside position. And, to take advantage of that location, it features a views aplenty, as well as a rooftop pool. Brisbane's first voco hotel — and the second for Queensland, after voco Gold Coast — it also comes with 194 rooms, as well as hangout space Kraft & Co. There, you can drink coffee by day and kick back in a lounge bar by night. You'll find the latter on the ground floor, slinging everything from eggs for breakfast and brunch through to cocktails till late. Wherever you're spending your time at this new staycation spot, you'll be surrounded by a sleek fitout by Sydney-based interior design studio JPDC, which takes its cues from the hotel's riverside locale. Dark blue tones are a big feature, alongside neutral colours — and maximising natural light. Among the site's features, voco Brisbane City Centre also boasts an all-hours gym, plus 11 meeting and function spaces. And, as part of a sustainability push that also includes aerated shower heads and refillable Antipodes products, guests can zip around the city for free on handcrafted bamboo bikes from Wyld Bikes. Find voco Brisbane City Centre at 85–87 North Quay, Brisbane. For more information or to make a booking, head to the voco website.
When That's Not Me begins, it's with a black screen and an Oscar speech — and then a toilet and a can of air freshener. Polly Cuthbert (Alice Foulcher) is practicing for the acclaim and awards she hopes will come, but it's clear the aspiring actress still has a way to go. But hey, she's determined. Working at a cinema, turning down soap operas, and waiting to audition for Jared Leto's new HBO show are part of her slow-and-steady approach to carving out a serious career. And it might've worked, if her identical twin sister Amy hadn't started living out Polly's wildest acting fantasies instead. That's Not Me is more than just the title of this smart, funny and perceptive Australian comedy from writer-director Gregory Erdstein and writer-star Foulcher. It's also what Polly finds herself telling her sibling's fans when they start accosting her wherever she goes. Moreover, in a movie that explores the reality that lifelong dreams don't always work out as planned, it offers audiences a clever reminder: there's nothing wrong with not having the life and job you thought you would when you were a kid. Call it a quarter-life-crisis portrait, a faking-it-without-making-it character study, or a not-quite-slacker story. Whichever label you choose, they all fit the bill. As familiar as all of that may sound, the film also deserves to be described as earnest, astute, insightful and thoroughly amusing. Brimming with well-observed scenarios, characters and emotions, it's the kind of movie that makes you feel like you might've seen it all before, only to delight you as you realise you haven't. Frankly, it's the type of flick you could easily imagine remade around an unhappy New Yorker. And yet despite that, it wears its local-and-proud-of-it heart on its sleeve — even while making jokes about the stereotype that no one watches Aussie films. Indeed, this is a movie that is both universal and unmistakably Australian – and that's just one of many delicate balancing acts that That's Not Me achieves. Gags about Jared Leto and the superficial nature of the film industry sit alongside jabs at Neighbours and Home and Away, as well a brief appearance from Andrew O'Keefe. It takes a similar amount of skill to plot a story filled with highs and lows, while maintaining an awareness that life usually exists somewhere in between. The movie's look and feel further blends a variety of elements, from a fond but never rosy view of Melbourne, to music that leans towards the '80s without wallowing in nostalgia, to pacing that feels brisk but never rushed. Of course the biggest juggling task sits with Foulcher, and not just because she's playing twins. Rather than filling the movie with sisters in the thick of sibling rivalry, this is really a flick about Polly's unrealised dreams, and Foulcher gives her character all of the dimensions you'd expect — plus some you might not. Her character's not always sympathetic, but she's certainly relatable, with the actress delivering an immensely likeable and layered turn. If there's any justice, this gem of a film will be remembered in the exact same way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C-78QW3xq8
After taking a year off in 2021, the folks behind much-loved electronic music festival Let Them Eat Cake have announced that the one-day festival will return to Melbourne on New Year's Day in 2022. On Saturday, January 1, the event will unfold at Werribee Mansion and is set to utilise the sprawling grounds in new and exciting ways including a potential new layout to improve traffic flow. Plus, the food, art and music will be more integrated to create an even more immersive experience for punters. The 2022 lineup has been announced with a distinct focus on championing live and local acts. At next year's festival you'll catch live shows from Confidence Man, Northeast Party House, Close Counters and Tornado Club. Plus, DJ sets from festival favourites Young Franco, Papa Smurf, Adi Toohey and CC: DISCO!. If that's not enough, you'll also find AROHA, Ben Fester, Merve, FOURA, Bella Claxton, Dr Packer, Late Nite Tuff Guy and others setting the dance floor alight. Let Them Eat Cake hopes to be the antithesis to the topsy turvy two years we've just had, and with a lineup this good, it's on its way to being just that. Them Eat Cake will descend on Werribee Mansion on Saturday, January 1, 2022. The first and second ticket releases have already sold out. Hit the website for details and to grab yours now.
What happens when you take the Australian teen series of the 90s and update it to the 2020s, all while riding a huge wave of nostalgia for all things stemming from three decades back? Even thanks to just the first part of that equation, every fan of beloved 1994–99 hit Heartbreak High could've told you that the end result would be a smash. And, streaming on Netflix since September, that's exactly how the ace new Heartbreak High revival has turned out — so much so that there's going to be a second season. No one has been saying "rack off" to the Sydney-set show's latest run, or its new batch of Hartley High teens, or their fresh dose of teen chaos. Not Aussie audiences, with the series sitting in Netflix's top ten TV shows in the country for the five weeks since its release. Not global viewers either, with Heartbreak High 2.0 also reaching the top ten in more than 43 countries, including in the US and across Europe, Africa and Asia — and spending three weeks in the global top ten, too. The streaming platform also advises that its subscribers clocked up 42.6 million hours watching Heartbreak High in three weeks. That's not bad for the latest high school-focused revival, doing what Beverly Hills, 90210 did, plus Saved by the Bell and Gossip Girl as well, but with a firmly Aussie spin. Unsurprisingly, Netflix has greenlit Heartbreak High for a second season, although exactly when it'll drop hasn't been revealed. Still, if you're keen to spend more time with Amerie (Ayesha Madon, The Moth Effect), Harper (Asher Yasbincek, How to Please a Woman), Darren (screen first-timer James Majoos), Quinni (Chloe Hayden, Jeremy the Dud), Dusty (Josh Heuston, Thor: Love and Thunder), Ca$h (Will McDonald, Home and Away), Malakai (Thomas, Troppo), Spider (Bryn Chapman Parish, Mr Inbetween), Ant (debutant Brodie Townsend), Sasha (Gemma Chua-Tran, Mustangs FC) and Missy (fellow newcomer Sherry-Lee Watson), start getting excited now. Season one started with Amerie becoming a pariah at Hartley after a big revelation — an "incest map" plotting out who's hooked up with who throughout the school — and also struggling with a sudden rift in her friendship with bestie Harper. Attempting to repair her reputation, she calls on help from her new pals Quinni and Darren, all while working through her crush on Dusty and developing feelings for Malakai. And that's just the start of Heartbreak High's 2022-set story so far. It was back in 2020 that Netflix initially announced that it was bringing the series back — and yes, it sure is a 2020s-era take on the Aussie classic. Adolescent chaos is still the main focus, including everything from friendship fights, yelling about vaginas from the top of a building and throwing dildos at walls through to consent, crime, drugs and police brutality. The original Heartbreak High was a massive deal, and was filled with now-familiar faces, including Alex Dimitriades, a pre-Home and Away Ada Nicodemou, and Avengers: Endgame and Mystery Road's Callan Mulvey as Drazic. It painted a multicultural picture of Australia that was unlike anything else on TV at the time. And, for its six-year run across two Aussie networks, the Sydney-shot show was must-see television — not bad for a series that started as a spinoff to the Claudia Karvan and Alex Dimitriades-starring 1993 movie The Heartbreak Kid, too. Check out the trailer for the new Heartbreak High below: Heartbreak High season two doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. The show's first season is available to stream now via Netflix. Read our full review.
Air out that mouldy tent, start rounding up the GoPros, Falls Festival have announced their 2014 lineup. With Byron now extended to a four-day program, Falls Festival is returning to its three sites (Lorne, Marion Bay and North Byron Parklands) for its annual New Year's Eve hootenanny. So who's on the bill? Returning with a Mercury Prize and a million debut album copies sold under their belt, Leeds foursome Alt-J are sure to be one of the packed sets this year. Scandinavian super besties Röyksopp and Robyn are locked in for an epic two hour set of combined releases. There'll be ass everywhere with the presence of the unmissable Big Freedia. The sublimely talented SBTRKT is set to play a huge live set (one of Laneway Festival's best sets to memory), while the formidable Jamie XX will keep the basslines well up in grill. Fresh from Glastonbury, George Ezra is set to be one of the festival highlights, with the debut set from the legendary Todd Terje, house monarchs Tensnake, Sydney trio Movement and San Francisco's Tycho sure to send everyone on a synthy, beats-fuelled odyssey. Altanta's favourite 'flower punk' band The Black Lips are in. Confirmed after a leak in Cleo, UK's Glass Animals are confirmed to get sultry. Festival favourites Cold War Kids return with their latest album's material (and a few oldies), while Australia's own ARIA-winners The Temper Trap return to the live circuit with material from their upcoming third record. Rap fans have some gleeful squealing to get to, with Brooklyn's Pro Era whiz Joey Bada$$, Killer Mike and El-P's Fool's Gold super-collab Run the Jewels, Melbourne's own Remi locked in. 'Stolen Dance' fans will have plenty to jig about with the first Australian tour of Milky Chance, Sydney's Bluejuice are playing their last round, London's Wolf Alice are sure to generate some buzz, and Canberran trio SAFIA are also buzzworthy inclusions. There's a few Splendour returns: Britpop-loving Sydney dudes DMAs, newbie hip hop firecracker Tkay Maidza, Sydney dance legends The Presets, electronic whiz kid The Kite String Tangle, returning rock heavyweights Spiderbait, singalong starters Sticky Fingers and Riptider Vance Joy. Falls will also see a kickass 'Boogie Nights' program featuring none other than the ever-kickass hip hop legends Salt n Pepa, Melbourne's best-dressed duo Client Liaison, Sydney partystarter Alison Wonderland and Canada's Badbadnotgood. THE FALLS MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL 2014 LINEUP (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER): ALT-J BIG FREEDIA THE BLACK LIPS BLUEJUICE COLD WAR KIDS DMAs GLASS ANIMALS GEORGE EZRA JAGWAR MA JAMIE XX JOEY BADA$$ JOHN BUTLER TRIO KIM CHURCHILL THE KITE STRING TANGLE MILKY CHANCE MOVEMENT THE PRESETS REMI RÖYKSOPP & ROBYN RUN THE JEWELS SAFIA SBTRKT (LIVE) >SPIDERBAIT STICKY FINGERS THE TEMPER TRAP TENSNAKE TKAY MAIDZA TODD TERJE (LIVE) TYCHO VANCE JOY WOLF ALICE + MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED. BOOGIE NIGHTS LINEUP (DEC 28 LORNE, DEC 29 MARION BAY, DEC 31 BYRON): ALISON WONDERLAND BADBADNOTGOOD CLIENT LIAISON SALT N PEPA + MORE. EVENTS: Dec 28, 2014 to Jan 1, 2015 in Lorne, VIC (est. 1993) 18+ event Dec 29, 2014 to Jan 1, 2015 in Marion Bay, TAS (est. 2003) All ages Dec 30, 2014 to Jan 3, 2015 in Byron Bay, NSW (est. 2013) 18+ event The ticket ballot is now open via the festival’s website and will be closing on Monday August 25. Enter the ballot here. Most of the event tickets are allocated to sales through the ballot process, starting at 9am on Thursday August 28; however, for those who miss out, there will also be a small allocation of tickets set aside for general public sales starting at 9am on Wednesday September 03. Image: Paul Smith
3D imaging has come a long way since the first experiments in the early 1900s. Take James Cameron's Avatar, which used multiple cameras to produce a three-dimensional visual masterpiece. Plus a blue alien race and the beautiful world they inhabit. 3D doesn't just make for larger-than-life films. This innovation in 3D imaging could enhance scientific research. Researchers from Ohio State University have created the first single, stationery lens to create microscopic 3D images by itself. Usually multiple lenses are required to produce a 3D image, making the invention quite incredible. The prototype lens is around the size of a fingernail and was cut by a computer-programmed ultraprecision milling device. The lens will allow more accurate viewing of microscopic objects, Associate Professor of Integrated Systems Engineering at Ohio State University Allen Yi said. "For us, the most attractive part of this project is that we will be able to see the real shape of micro-samples instead of just a 2D projection." [Via Fast Company]
Well, not really. But aggregated search data can be used to track some economic trends, and can do so better than official economics surveys. The logic behind it is pretty simple: what does the average person do when confronted by something new in their life? Google it, of course. By using Google Insights to measure search terms like 'real estate agent' or 'unemployment' it's possible to get an idea of how much activity there will be in the property market, or how many people might be signing up for benefits soon. The Bank of England is doing exactly that to supplement their official figures to gain a better picture of the UK economy. The search engine figures aren't 100% accurate, but they are available much faster than government reports. It's not the first time individual search activity has been aggregated and used to measure large-scale trends. Google Flu Trends uses the same idea: by measuring the frequency of searches for flu symptoms, they can measure levels of flu activity and report it much faster than hospital reported cases. In fact, Google could have spotted the 2009 swine flu outbreak... if they had been monitoring Mexico at the time. [via Guardian UK]
We've seen plenty of services which will print your phone photos, but just when you thought iPhoneography couldn't get any more nifty, designer Mac Funamizu has conceptualised instant iPhone printouts for photos on the go. His iPhone case would allow your pretty iPhone pics to be printed Polaroid-style. The concept includes other functional features. For example, if you upload the photo to a website, you can add an QR code for the URL on the back. For a geo-tagged photo, you can also include the map to show where the photo was taken. Says Funamizu, "Yes, I’m one of those people who still relish the feel (and smell) of photos." [Via Lost at E-Minor]
Those seeking free WiFi will no longer need to spend hours lurking in their local McDonald's thanks to the development of 4sqwifi, an application that uses Foursquare to locate WiFi spots and give you their passwords. Apostolos Papadopoulos and Giannis Poulakas are the pair behind the app, and state that their vision is be "everywhere and always connected." They also stress that the product is still in its development stage, although a version is currently avaliable for free from the iTunes store. Features in the first version include "venue check-in, Twitter/Facebook sharing, in-app tip section for each venue so people can add WiFi passwords within 4sqwifi, map view and hell knows what more." The app works worldwide, and will be perfect for those who seek some urgent urban bandwidth. [Via TechCrunch]
Don't you hate it? You finish carving it up on the black run, having linked together some pretty sweet tricks, only for your buddy to claim his jumps were airier and his landings smoother. If only you had some way of objectively measuring just who was the more extreme… Perhaps you can. Nokia have teamed up with leading snowboard company Burton to develop Push Snowboarding, adding sensors to the board and rider that track your every action. Motion data and biometrics such as heart-rate and skin conductivity are collected wirelessly by the phone sitting in your pocket, allowing you to back up your bragging, or just monitor your progress. The development of 'connected' products can sometimes be an unnecessary gimmick, but in the sports world performance data is priceless for elite athletes. Innovatively, rather than keep the tech in-house and hush-hush, the platform is open to the boarding world, allowing the end-users to hack their own uses for the technology. It's a clever strategy from Nokia, effectively crowd-sourcing their customers to help develop ideas for the product. It could lead to purely entertaining uses, such as loading real runs up to video games, or improved safety features that aid in search and rescue. Whether it ends up as the next must-have accessory for the slopes, or is consigned to the tech junk heap along with the internet fridge, now rests in the hands of the boarders themselves. [via PSFK] https://youtube.com/watch?v=1y8nMUAUeKM
UPDATE: APRIL 30, 2018 — In news that is really not that surprising, Kendrick's Melbourne and Sydney shows sold out in less than an hour this morning. To meet demand, two more shows have been added — one in Melbourne on July 14 and one in Sydney on July 25. Tickets go on sale at 2pm today, and will no doubt sell out as quickly as the first batch. We had a feeling this might happen. Off the back of an appearance at an already sold-out Splendour in the Grass, Kendrick Lamar will also headline four Australian shows in support of his fourth album DAMN.. Lamar is one of the most critically acclaimed and successful hip hop artists of our generation. The Compton rapper most recently became the first ever artist to take out the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for contemporary music. He's also the beholder of 12 Grammys, has clocked up more than six million album sales worldwide, and was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME Magazine. Lamar will return to our shores for Splendour on the weekend of July 20–22 and four headline shows: one in Perth on July 10, one in Melbourne on July 13, one in Adelaide on July 15 and one in Sydney on July 24. Having recently taken the DAMN. tour across the UK and Europe, set lists included his extensive catalogue, including good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012), To Pimp A Butterfly (2015) and his most recent effort DAMN.. DAMN. AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES 2018 Tuesday, July 10 — Perth Arena, Perth Friday, July 13 and Saturday, July 14 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Sunday, July 15 — Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Tuesday, July 24 and Wednesday, July 25 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Kendrick Lamar will visit Australia in July. Tickets will go on sale at local times on Monday, April 30 here.
The music video is a wonderful place. Used well it can transform a song into a story. They have the ability to fall over the line into short films and are known to use insane sets and props as a backdrop. ACMI is celebrating everything about the music video in its exhibition Spectacle: The Music Video Exhibition where local and international acts will feature alongside a collection of installations, projections, sets and original props and costumes. Spectacle is set to feature 350 works from some of the most innovative players in the genre, including Michel Gondry, who has made films for The Chemical Brothers and Daft Punk, Spike Jonze who worked with Bjork and Fatboy Slim and Mark Romanek who has worked with the likes of Lenny Kravitz and Jay Z. Australian artists also get a run including Temper Trap, Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue. At the end of the day, the exhibition highlights that innovation, originality and genuine love of the game goes a long way when bringing sound and screen together.
Alpine, mountainous, snow-capped — these aren't words you would normally associate with our sun-kissed country. But Australia is a land of extreme seasons and surprises. The High Country is right on our doorstep, only a few hours' drive from Melbourne, but it's almost a different world, especially in autumn. The transitional season between the sun-drenched summers and snowy winters is one of the most fascinating times to visit the High Country. Before the mountains go into full alpine retreat mode, they come alive with apple trees, autumnal colours, and the emotive, alluring scent of deciduous environments that we only get to experience once a year. Not to mention the bountiful gastronomic opportunities that the harvest season presents to the High Country's many wineries, pubs, cafes and farm doors. Because we know that no mountainous hike is the same without something delicious to sustain and motivate you, we've paired the region's best hearty bites with its most invigorating treks. BRIGHT AND TIKI COCKTAILS Start in Bright, a historic village that acts as the gateway to some of the region's best treks. Bright itself is worth the trip in autumn for both its glorious autumn foliage and its inspired culinary scene. To fuel up (and you're going to need it), head to Tomahawks — a cool, cosy bar and restaurant in the middle of town. Try the chargrilled broccoli served with smoked butter and almonds and the dukkah lamb ribs for a hearty snack, or go one of their brioche buns if you want more energy. Make sure to try their Tiki cocktails while you're there — they pack a flavoursome punch. Afterwards, drive about an hour north of Bright to Diamantina Hut and trek up Mount Feathertop. From there, it's an 11-kilometre hike up the mountain — about seven hours return. It's a steep climb but will take you into another world in autumn: a misty, mossy, fantasy land with spectacular views. If you end up back in Bright, reward yourself with a drink at distillery Reed & Co, whose signature Remedy dry gin is made with native pine needles and eucalyptus. The venue also boasts a custom-made fuel grill so you can count on a nourishing meal to fill you up. WANDILIGONG AND MUSHROOM FORAGING If a seven-hour hike is a little intimidating, try this alternative. Start, once again, in the beautiful town of Bright with a mushroom foraging class. They run throughout May (prime mushroom foraging season) at a local cooking school. You'll hunt for local mushies before learning five Italian recipes to make the most of your haul. Then put your new skills to the test on a six-kilometre trek to Wandiligong, a tiny gold-mining town to the south of Bright. In April, the town hosts a seasonal nut festival where the growers of the region harvest and show off their produce, both nut and otherwise. Get on down there for the chestnuts-roasting-on-an-open-fire smell alone. Make the most of your time in Wandiligong by stopping at some of its other foodie haunts: Wandiful Produce, where you can gather your own freshly fallen chestnuts at this time of year and take a tour of the farm, and Nightingale Brothers orchards, the spot to imbibe fresh apple cider and stock up on edible gifts. MOUNT HOTHAM AND VIENNA SCHNITZEL Go properly Sound of Music with an Alps-inspired mountain adventure. Start the proceedings at Zirky's, the Mount Hotham resort founded by Austrian Peter Zirknitzer, who came out here in the 1950s to teach skiing. His family still runs this operation, and their European roots shine through in the dining room, where Austrian-style schnitzel is served on Wednesday nights. Then, in stark contrast to such luxury, head on down to Mount Hotham and brave the three-day alpine camping trek. It's a 37-kilometre trek from Mouth Hotham to Falls Creek, and autumn is the perfect time to go. It's cold enough to use all that shiny, high-tech camping gear you love, but not so cold that you'll need cross-country skis. The manageable track winds through snow-gum woodlands and snow grass plains, with a few summits and historical sites along the way. This trek requires a bit of pre-planning because of the camping element, but it's well worth it. Consider overnighting at Cope Hut or Dibbins Hut, where there are new camping platforms. MOUNT BULLER AND A CELLAR DOOR If you lean more towards the food and wine side of the trek and treat adventure, opt for an easier hike between the twin peaks of Mount Buller and Mount Stirling. The moderate 7-kilometre trail takes about 2.5 hours through pretty snow gum forest. Those seeking truly iconic scenery can take a detour to a nearby cabin, used in the movie The Man From Snowy River. You'll want to make a stop on your way down Mount Buller at Delatite Wines. Their cellar door serves simple antipasto platters made with local ingredients — a fine accompaniment to the European-style wine and rolling hillside views. MOUNT BUFFALO AND AN OLIVE GROVE If you want to get your hands on some local produce, stop by the local olive grove and farm gate at Mount Buffalo Olives. Extra virgin olive oil is, as we all know, the nectar of the Gods, and it doesn't get much better than this. The Mount Buffalo olive vineyard has incredible views of the region. As well as olives and olive oil, they produce lots of tasty treats to fill out a picnic basket. Once you have your picnic ingredients sorted, head to Lake Catani campground. It's a great picnic destination to gorge yourself on all that freshness, and it's the starting point for plenty of 2-3 hour hikes up Mount Buffalo itself. Mount Buffalo is one of the easier hiking destinations in the High Country, so think of it as more of a digestive stroll than a high-adrenaline slog. For the athletes, there's the Horn Trail 30 minutes away — it's a punishing uphill trek that rewards you with the best views. BEECHWORTH AND BEER If you're interested in the history of the region, head to Beechworth and check out the Gorge Scenic walking tour. This one is a moderate walk (not a hike, so leave the hydration backpack at home for this one) and give yourself a few hours to enjoy it. The trail takes you out of town, through rugged Victorian country and the richest goldfields in Australia then loops back around to finish at the Beechworth Visitor Centre. You'll travel past waterfalls, rugged landscapes, historical sites, goldfields, quarries and bridges. The town of Beechworth also has a rich architectural history that'll leave you feeling like you're in an episode of Aussie-style Westworld. Grab some educational material from the visitor centre to get the most out of the walk. And when you're all wandered out, head over to Bridge Road Brewers to recover with a chestnut pilsner and roast duck pizza. They make all their small-batch beers on site, while the kitchen specialises in some of the world's other best sources of carbs — pizza and pretzels. Plan your High Country getaway by visiting the Wander Victoria website and discover more of the autumnal delights across regional Victoria before the season is out.
No one has ever eaten just one roll of sushi. Or, if they have, they haven't done so willingly. Once you devour one coin-sized piece, you instantly want more. And more. You get the picture. Enter Sash Japanese's $39 Thursday deal, which sees the Windsor restaurant serve up all-you-can-eat sushi. Eight different types are on offer, so you can dig into as many rolls of soft shell crab and watermelon, salmon and avocado, miso kingfish, wagyu beef and wasabi tuna as your stomach can handle in around 90 minutes. You don't have to buy a drink for the deal to be valid, but if you decide to, you can pick from Aussie and Japanese beers, sake, Victorian wines and a range of Japanese-inspired cocktails, including the Yuzu Cheesecake ($18) made with sake, lemon and green tea. The endless array of seaweed-wrapped rice and filling is an ongoing special, on offer from 5.30pm till 10.30pm each Thursday. We do recommend you either head in early or grab some friends and book a table (it only takes bookings for groups of five or more) — some Thursday nights, Sash has over an hour wait for tables.
Sometimes, you can read a book and imagine exactly what a TV adaptation would look like. Anyone who thumbed their way through The Southern Vampire Mysteries before it was turned into HBO's True Blood can't make that claim, however. Created by Six Feet Under's Alan Ball, this undead-focused horror series drips with mystery, lust and gothic excess. And blood, obviously. It's a show set in a world where vampires aren't just a fantasy — and at a time when a synthetic product that shares the show's name has allowed them to live side-by-side with humans, in theory. At the centre of this vamp-fuelled intrigue sits small-town Louisiana waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), who happens to be telepathic. She also happens to fall in love with 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). When their romance attracts the attention of the area's vampire sheriff (Alexander Skarsgård), that's when the drama begins.
Located next to Geelong's popular Eastern Beach Reserve, the Geelong Botanic Gardens spans over seven hectares and is great for picnicking, walking, bird-spotting, and more. First opened in 1851, the gardens feature many heritage trees (and a handful of built heritage items, too), as well as special collections of geraniums, sage and heritage roses. Whether you want to have a self-guided tour, participate in an educational program or take a guided walk, pop into the charming on-site teahouse when you're done for a bite to eat and a cuppa.
It's blast from the past time, again — and time to spend a couple of nights journeying back a few decades just by hitting the dance floor. Whether you lived through the 90s rave scene, spent every weekend enjoying club life in the 00s or just wish you were old enough to have ticked both boxes, Ministry of Sound will take you there when its huge Testament parties return for 2025. Ministry of Sound itself was around through both eras, so you couldn't be in better hands to get retro via old-school 90s and 00s bangers. The Testament events also toured Australia in 2023 and 2024, and will return for another year — including for two nights in Melbourne on Saturday, April 5 and Saturday, April 12. Each evening is devoted to either the 90s or the 00s, so you'll need to attend both if you want to make shapes to tunes from both decades. But it's a choose-your-own-adventure type of affair, which means that fans of late 20th-century beats can hit up the session dedicated to 90s house, rave, trance and garage tracks if that's all that you're keen on, while lovers of 00s electro and breaks get their own shindig. The DJ lineup is headlined by international acts such as Paul Oakenfold, Roger Sanchez, Felix Da Housecat, Graeme Park, Krafty Kuts, Plump DJs, Smokin Jo and Utah Saints. Australia's own John Course, Sgt Slick, Minx and Mark Dynamix are also on the bill, alongside over 60 other names across the tour. Your destination: The Timber Yard, with the 90s night taking over on the first week and the 00s evening on the second.
When the colonising British left Nigeria in 1960, the nation welcomed a new era of transformation, but with independence came instability. This festering civil unrest forms the backdrop of Half of a Yellow Sun, with personal troubles coloured by political uncertainty. As the country attempts to cope with the fighting of power-seeking factions, two sisters become immersed in the conflict. In her 2006 bestseller and Orange Prize for Fiction winner, author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie balanced the broader context of the war with the circumstances of twins Olanna (Thandie Newton) and Kainene (Anika Noni Rose), their efforts to forge lives beyond their well-to-do Lagos upbringing forever shaped by Nigeria's volatility. The film adaptation, written and directed by novelist and playwright Biyi Bandele in his directorial debut, sparkles with potential but plays out with predictability. The setting and the characters may be unique to this tale, but audiences have seen the story — or one just like it — many times before. Providing the punctuation between handsomely shot scenes, archival newsreel footage furnishes chapter stops to the episodic slices of the siblings' lives, with Olanna the film's centre. A sociology professor freshly returned from London, she struggles with her romance with revolutionary-leaning fellow academic Odenigbo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), blissful domesticity never a potential outcome. Odenigbo's overbearing mother (Onyeka Onwenu) is forceful with her disapproval, and instrumental in his affairs. Running the family business, Kainene flits in and out of Olanna's orbit with her British lover, writer Richard (Joseph Mawle), offering her own headstrong opinions and status-climbing ambitions. As a melodrama of strained interpersonal relationships that threatens to betray its based-on-a-true-story origins, Half of a Yellow Sun makes its emotional arcs apparent. As a portrait of the Biafran war, it goes to great efforts to show the wide-ranging impact upon the Nigerian populace, never shying away from the many horrors. What proves less successful is the use of the former to enhance the latter. An emotionally embellished narrative isn't needed to emphasise the devastation and turbulence of the civil war, nor is the absence of subtlety to the feature's benefit. Within such confines, the cast switch between concentrated emoting and smouldering restraint, Newton and Ejiofor faring best as the obvious points of focus. Their innate talents anchor the sentiments beyond their sweeping treatment in the story, even if the feature's female leads swiftly stand in their male co-stars' shadows. Sumptuous but strained, Half of a Yellow Sun thus waxes and wanes between its aspirations and authenticity, reaching for more but restricted by its adherence to convention and cliche. Resonance lingers, but more so in the reality than the depiction. The true scenario speaks for itself, with the incursion of overt theatrics lessening the film's power. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WlINmnyLO9E
A Sydney institution, White Rabbit Gallery has been running free exhibitions showcasing contemporary Chinese art for over a decade. But visitors to the Chippendale space between now and Sunday, August 1 can expect a particularly luminous experience, with its latest eye-catching multimedia exhibition centred around the wonders of light. Showcasing works from 30 artists, Lumen's lineup stretches from interactive light pieces and frozen copper sculptures to video projections and rooms full of LEDs. As well as grabbing attention, each work on display uses light in a thought-provoking, awe-inspiring or fully immersive fashion. The boundary-pushing Zhang Peili, dubbed the father of video art in China, is displaying 2012 Portraits, a series of 14 portraits in which the both the subject and the viewer are blinded by light. Or, there's Yao Chung-Han's DzDz, which invites the audience to stand under movement-sensitive beams of light and create music by using their bodies. And, thanks to Wu Daxin's Ashley's Heart, you'll see copper tubes suspended in the shape of a heart and gradually frozen over the course of the day, creating a unique ice sculpture. Art collective Luxury Logico is presenting two works as part of the exhibition. The first is Solar, a twinkling representation of the sun created using donated desk lamps — while the second, Miniature, is one of the exhibition's showstoppers. The display of LED lights draws upon images from a video reel, with each LED corresponding to a pixel. Both vivid and architectural in its appearance, the work is designed to remind viewers of celestial bodies in the sky, all while cycling through everything from reality TV and ads to soap operas and Adam Sandler movies. Lumen is running over all four levels of the White Rabbit Gallery. As usual with the site's exhibitions, entry is free and there are no bookings, so folks can just rock up and enjoy the art. And, free guided tours are available at 11am, 1pm and 3pm Wednesday–Sunday. Top image: Miniature by Luxury Logico.
This celebrated Italian-style bakery boasts three stores (Carlton, South Yarra and St Kilda) and an ever-growing fan base, famed for both its premium sourdough breads and the rows of tempting house treats beckoning from its pastry cabinets. Pop in for that loaf of crusty casalinga or to stock up on some panino, and we promise you'll find it hard not to leave without a creamy cannoli or fat bomboloni also in tow. That said, it's Baker D. Chirico's seasonal creations that really cause a stir — just check out the annual queues for its glazed hot cross buns or artisanal panettone and you'll know what we mean. Design-lovers will especially love the cosy Carlton shopfront, its striking timber waves the work of renowned March Studio. It's easy to see why it's one of the best bakeries in Melbourne. Top image: Emily Godfrey Appears in: The Best Bakeries in Melbourne for 2023
If the new season's put you in the mood to spring clean your thinking and soak up some fresh ideas, The Wheeler Centre's latest offering is one to add to your calendar. The literary hub's new celebration of words and ideas, Spring Fling, is coming our way from Wednesday, November 2–Friday, November 11. And it's got a sparkling lineup of local and international authors, artists, musicians, comedians and thinkers in tow. Joining the bill for the inaugural event series, you've got UK literary legend Natasha Brown (Assembly), acclaimed Aussie writer Helen Garner (Monkey Grip, Everywhere I Look), Pulitzer-winning US novelist Andrew Sean Greer (Less, Less Is Lost), musicians Vika & Linda, and breakout star of the new Heartbreak High reboot Chloé Hayden. [caption id="attachment_871605" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Natasha Brown[/caption] The festival program is set to dish up more than 20 events, hitting venues like Melbourne Town Hall, The Capitol, Testing Grounds and Fed Square eatery Big Esso. You can catch the hilarious Shaun Micallef chatting life, tv and comedy; ponder how arts and activism can spurr positive environmental change with music icon Peter Garrett; and explore the intersection of music and thought at an inspirational talk by British neuroscientist Baroness Susan Greenfield, complete with a special performance by artist and producer Sui Zhen. Also on the bill: beloved broadcaster Myf Warhurst delving into the impact music's had on her life; a panel of culinary favourites chatting multiculturalism and Aussie food culture over a lunch heroing Indigenous ingredients; an exploration of friendship led by bestselling author Kamila Shamsie; and a special drag storytime featuring artists like Aysha Buffet, Stone Motherless Cold and Dandrogyny. The Wheeler Centre's Spring Fling runs from November 2–11, at venues across Melbourne. Catch the full program and buy tickets over at the website.
Sometimes, the world handily delivers answers to questions you didn't even know you ever had. You might not have actively wondered to yourself "what'd happen if New Zealand treasures Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby played pirates?", for instance, but we're betting you're now keener than a buccaneer searching for a bottle of rum to discover how it turns out. Best add Our Flag Means Death to your 2022 must-watch list, then. Arriving sometime in March on Binge in Australia — with release details in NZ yet to be confirmed — the HBO Max sitcom sees Darby lead the show as Stede Bonnet, who was a real-life pirate who took to the seas in the early 18th century. The reason that his story is getting the streaming treatment? Bonnet was a 'gentleman pirate', as the just-dropped first teaser trailer for Our Flag Means Death dubs him. He left his life of privilege to rove the oceans, which this comedy is set to have plenty of fun with. As the initial sneak peek shows, Bonnet has some bold ideas about how life onboard should run — bold compared to the usual pirate stereotypes, that is. And, that's set to see him clash with a very famous name from pirate history: Blackbeard, which is who Waititi will be playing. The two immensely funny NZ talents are joined by a long list of co-stars that includes Ewen Bremner (First Cow), David Fane (Paper Champions), Nathan Foad (Bloods), Joel Fry (Cruella), Samson Kayo (Truth Seekers), Rory Kinnear (No Time to Die) and Leslie Jones (Death to 2020). And, while Our Flag Means Death is the brainchild of writer, showrunner and executive producer David Jenkins (People of Earth), Waititi directs the pilot — and executive produces, lending his name and support to another up-and-coming comedy after doing the same with Reservation Dogs last year. And yes, that means he's directing Darby yet again, as he's already done in everything from Flight of the Conchords and What We Do in the Shadows to Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Check out the trailer for Our Flag Means Death below: Our Flag Means Death will start streaming in Australia via Binge in March — we'll update you when an exact date is revealed. We'll also update you when release details in New Zealand are announced. Top images: Aaron Epstein/HBO Max.
Over the past few years, Gelatissimo has whipped up a number of creative flavours, including frosé sorbet, gelato for dogs, and ginger beer, Weet-Bix. fairy bread, hot cross bun, cinnamon scroll and chocolate fudge gelato. Most recently, it made a bubble tea variety, and a gelato featuring Belgium's Lotus Biscoff cookie butter spread, too. For its latest offering, the Australian dessert chain is taking inspiration from other well-known sweet treats hailing from overseas — in case you've always wanted some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or Hershey's Kisses in your ice cream. Yes, those very combinations are now on the menu, all as part of Gelatissimo's new American-inspired Flavours of the USA gelato range. Just launching this week, the lineup includes three new flavours — so if you needed an excuse to treat yourself to multiple scoops, you just might've found one. First up, it's pretty easy to guess how Gelatissimo's Peanut Butter Cup Made With Reese's flavour will taste. It uses peanut butter gelato, plus some Hershey's cocoa powder, then adds a ripple of chocolate that features roasted peanuts and big chunks of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Not feeling quite so nutty? Chocolate Kisses Made With Hershey's is basically an excuse to eat chocolate, some more chocolate, and then even more chocolate. It's made with chocolate gelato — and the gelato itself is made with Hershey's kisses and Hersey's cocoa powder — which is then drizzled with more melted Hersey's Kisses. Lastly, Gelatissimo is pairing crushed candied pecans with bourbon caramel swirls in a flavour called, unsurprisingly, Bourbon Caramel and Pecans. While this is a US-inspired range, the boozy flavour comes via a collaboration with West Australian distillery Whipper Snapper, infusing its Upshot Whiskey into the gelato. Gelatissimo's new range just hit stores on Friday, October 9, with the three new flavours currently available nationwide. That said, they're only on offer for a limited time, although the chain hasn't specified an exact period — but you can nab them either by going into a shop or via delivery. Gelatissimo's Flavours of the USA range is available from all stores nationwide for a limited time.
Your novelty festival gumboots are going to get a big ol' workout this summer. Returning for its fourth year to the banks of the Murray River at Echuca-Moama, Riverboats Music Festival has Sarah Blasko, Dan Sultan and Tex Perkins at the top of their 2015 lineup. One of Australia's most laidback riverside festivals just 2.5 hours from Melbourne, Riverboats is a three-day camping, indulging and dancing affair running February 13–15. Melbourne's Dan Sultan and Sydney's Sarah Blasko headline a super rootsy local lineup: Tex Perkins and The Dark Horses will showcase their new album, legendary Sydneysiders The Whitlams follow up their 2013 sold-out national orchestra tour while unmissable festival favourites The Bamboos are sure to be a Riverboats highlight. Also on the Australian artist-only bill is Adalita, Mick Harvey, Diesel, Fraser A Gorman, Matt Walker and The Lost Ragas, Sal Kimber and The Rollin' Wheel, Stella Angelico and The Switch and Raised by Eagles. Snuggled within the natural amphitheatre of Echuca's Aquatic Reserve, Riverboats is one of the Murray River's most anticipated music festivals. Festival producer David Frazer sees the event as a more chilled-out alternative for festival enthusiasts and hardcore foodies alike. "Riverboats provides festival-goers with an opportunity to experience a truly beautiful part of Australia without the queues, ticket prices and hassle of larger events," he says. "We are particularly proud of the fact Riverboats has remained boutique in both its size and philosophy, yet continues to attracts artists of the calibre of Dan Sultan, Sarah Blasko, Tex Perkins and the Whitlams." Riverboats isn't contained to the river bank; there's also a bunch of side quests you can buy tickets for alongside the main festival. If you're keen to get entirely thematic with the festival's name, punters can hop on a two-hour river cruise aboard a century-old paddle steamer — with locally-sourced brunch and live music from Sal Kimber and The Rollin' Wheel. One of the best (and tastiest) bits of Riverboats will also return for another year: the Beechworth Bakery will host Sunday's Official Festival Breakfast on the top floor of their bakery with a live set from alt-country Melburnians Raised by Eagles. Break out the picnic rugs and cheese platters, Riverboats is a solid summer option for punters wanting the camping music festival experience without the drunken drongos. RIVERBOATS MUSIC FESTIVAL 2015 DATES AND LINEUP: FRIDAY 13 FEBRUARY Raised by Eagles Stella Angelico and The Switch Diesel SATURDAY 14 FEBRUARY Fraser A. Gorman Mick Harvey The Whitlams Adalita The Bamboos Dan Sultan SUNDAY 15 FEBRUARY Sal Kimber and The Rollin’ Wheel Matt Walker and The Lost Ragas Tex Perkins and The Dark Horses Sarah Blasko Image: Riverboat Music Festival.
For close to three decades, Falls Festival's Victorian leg saw punters make the annual pilgrimage out to Lorne, to revel in live music at the event's original home on the Surf Coast. But bushfires cancelled Lorne's 2019 festival, and the pandemic squashed plans for both the 2020 and 2021 instalments, before organisers announced in November last year that the Victorian fest would be relocating permanently to Pennyroyal Plains in Murroon. Now, there's been a big ol' twist and the festival will instead be heading to the city for the first time, with the newly minted Falls Downtown set to descend on Sidney Myer Music Bowl from December 29–31. [caption id="attachment_752128" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Piknic Electronik, by Wade Malligan[/caption] The new digs will ensure the show goes on for local music-lovers, after previous relocation plans were faced with permit hiccups. Falls Downtown Melbourne 2022 will feature all of the artists already announced, and run alongside its sibling fests Falls Byron (December 31–January 2) and the new Falls Downtown Fremantle (January 7–8, 2023). Across two stages, the Melbourne event is set to ring in the new year with sounds from big-name acts like Arctic Monkeys, Lil Nas X, Chvrches, Peggy Gou and Jamie xx, as well as the OG Wiggles. Also making appearances: Genesis Owusu, Ocean Alley, Young Franco and Spacey Jane, plus DMA's, G Flip, Amyl and the Sniffers, King Stingray, Mall Grab and Ben Böhmer. And yes, that's just a tiny taster of the huge lineup. [caption id="attachment_650001" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Falls Festival Lorne[/caption] While the new site obviously doesn't allow for camping like its predecessor did, it will indeed be dishing up a suite of off-stage fun to keep you grooving through the three days, including stacks of pop-up bars, food trucks, lifestyle precinct Rancho Relaxo and the VIP sanctuary that is Club Falls. A fresh batch of tickets to Falls Downtown Melbourne will be on sale from 9am, Wednesday, September 14. Existing Falls Victoria 2022 ticket-holders can apply for a refund if they don't wish to transfer tickets to the new location. All camping passes will be automatically refunded, though if you're keen for a road trip, you've also got the option to exchange yours for camping passes to the fests' Byron leg. Falls Downtown Melbourne 2022 hits Sidney Myer Music Bowl from December 29–31. Grab tickets online from 9am, September 14. Top Image: Piknic Electronik at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, by Wade Malligan
Not one, but three, designers have put their two-wheeling brains together to come up with tokyobike's latest offering: the company's first ever Designer Series. It's a trio of bikes that will make you seriously want to shell out (and at this price, you'd be skipping more than a few meals). The first, a schmick golden number, is the work of Everything Elevated, who are based in New York and Oslo. It's a single speed with dropped handle bars that gets its inspiration from early minimalist track racing bikes. The second you'll want with you next time you're in Paris. Calico Wallpaper, a Brooklyn-based company run by couple Nick and Rachel Cope, based their concept on the bikes you see in 1930s French films. It's so comfy you can ride all day. The dreamy blue, white and burnt orange paint job reflects the transition from dawn to dusk. Not good at making decisions? The third in the series is your pick. It's white on one side and grey on the other. Joe Doucet, award-winning Brooklyn-based designer, is behind this third bike, with half-canvas, half-rubber handles, which are handmade in Italy. This kind of design doesn't come cheap. Each limited edition bike will set you back $2,500 a pop. Orders are available online. Images: Tokyobike.
The Autark Home redefines waterfront living. Passivhaus, an independent research institute, has built an eco-friendly floating houseboat. The houseboat is highly energy-efficient, runs completely on solar power and is ten times more energy efficient than the average house. The Autark Home is currently flaoting in Maastricht, Netherlands. Designed by Pieter Kromwijk, the prototype has gained popularity because of its ultra-low energy consumption. There are plans to produce more Autark Homes to meet the demand of willing buyers.
Handmade chocolate has a new Melbourne home, and everyone with Willy Wonka fantasies has a new spot to visit. Opening at South Melbourne Market, Atypic Chocolate combines two joys every sweet-lover can't get enough of: eating artisanal delights, and watching them come to fruition. The chocolatory is a labour of love for French-trained pastry chef-turned-chocolatier Charles Lemai and his business partner Chi, as inspired by the former's trip to Vietnam in 2016. There, he met a chocolate maker who introduced him to the bean-to-bar concept — and while all choccies make their way from raw cocoa beans to mouth-watering morsels, it's the fact that Atypic does it all in-house that makes it different. In the store's 42 square metre space, customers can treat both their tastebuds and their eyes as everything from single-origin chocolate tablets (in milk, dark and white options) to chocolate pastries (think brownies, of course, plus the mounds of meringue and praline that are hazelnut merveilleux) are made on the spot. And we don't just mean witnessing the finishing touches either. Whether Atypic's staff are roasting, dehusking, grinding the nibs, refining flavours and textures, or molding, it all happens through the stall's glass windows. Focusing on organic ingredients, and using direct-trade cacao beans sourced from small farms in the Solomon Islands, Haiti, Brazil and Madagascar, their menu also includes European-style hot chocolate in dark, spicy and matcha white chocolate varieties, with chocolate soft serve due to be added at a later date. As will new chocolate varieties, with Lemai eager to experiment with flavours, fillings and textures — and to share his choc creations with the hungry masses. Find Atypic Chocolate at Stall 170 in Aisle D, South Melbourne Market, corner of Coventry and Cecil streets, South Melbourne. For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.
Cristiano, Neymar and Messi have been rendered as the futurist Incredibles in a new series of illustrations by up-and-coming artist Rafael Mayani. Bringing together twelve of the finest players in the FIFA 2014 World Cup, Mayani brought his playful style — often reserved for stunning, Disney and Nintendo characters — to slick renditions of Marco Reus, Andrea Pirlo, Didier Drogba and more WC favourites. Relatively unknown on the international circuit, Mexico City-based Mayani's talent for sketching footballers is evident in his sfumato charcoal Pele posted on his Facebook page: All twelve of the players feature on a limited edition poster available at Society 6. Devoid of sweat patches, day-old Cheezels and beer-stained couch groove, your World Cup addiction never looked so elegant. Marco Reus Didier Drogba Cristiano Ronaldo Iker Casillas Andrea Pirlo Leo Messi Via Fubiz.
There's only one thing in life that's almost as ace as a holiday: looking forward to a holiday. The planning, counting down the days, just having something to get excited about — they all help liven up the daily grind. So when a flight sale drops, like Virgin's latest round of discounted fares, it's an instant way to brighten up your mood. Start looking forward to trips around Australia and overseas, and for cheap. This new sale spans over 500,000 fares for both domestic and international legs. Prices start low, at the usual $49, which once again gets you from Sydney to Byron Bay — the normal cheapest fare in any flight sale — and vice versa. From there, the domestic side of the sale covers everywhere from Hamilton Island and Hobart to Darwin and Mt Isa. Virgin's Flight Frenzy sale runs until 11.59pm AEST on Friday, August 25 — unless sold out earlier, with fares to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide also covered. That means paying $69 one-way from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast, $79 from Melbourne to Hobart, and $99 for a trip from Brisbane to Cairns or Canberra to the Gold Coast. Or, still on local deals, the specials also cover $59 from Melbourne to Launceston, $119 from Adelaide to Sydney, $179 from Brisbane to Darwin and $209 from Melbourne to Perth. Internationally, Tokyo visits are included, from Cairns only from $699 return. Among the other global return options: Bali (from $469 from Adelaide, $489 from the Gold Coast, $599 from Brisbane, and $629 from Melbourne or Sydney), Fiji ($499 from Brisbane or Sydney, and $539 from Melbourne), Vanuatu ($469 from Brisbane) and Samoa ($569 from Sydney and $579 from Brisbane). And, Queenstown is also on the agenda, with both one-way and return legs. One-way from Melbourne and Sydney starts at $265, and return from $425. From Brisbane, those prices are $309 and $539. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, the fares cover select periods between Wednesday, October 11, 2023–Thursday, June 20, 2024, with all dates varying per route. Inclusions also differ depending on your ticket and, as usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick if you're keen to stack the rest of 2023 and the first half of 2024 with a getaway (or several). Virgin's Flight Frenzy sale runs until 11.59pm AEST on Friday, August 25 — unless sold out earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Celebrate the work of local musicians at the second annual Stony Creek Music Festival. Hosted at McNish Reserve in Yarraville's Cruickshank Park, this Australia Day showcase of home-grown talent eschews the big names getting airtime on triple j and instead favours a much more local sound. You can see Nick Barker, Rebecca Barnard and The Painters & Dockers live on stage, and grab dinner from a convoy of waiting food trucks. So bring your picnic rug and as many mates as you can muster. And for your own sake, don't forget the sunscreen.
Canberra's light rail, the swish new(ish) north-to-south route that delivers passengers into the heart of the city, is more than a commuter line. It's an easy — and cheap — way for visitors to get around town between 6am and 11.30pm (or 1am on Saturday nights). Yep: no designated driver, no ridesharing, just you and the open rails. Well, 12 kilometres of them, anyway. Make your Canberra weekend away as simple as possible, and leave yourself with more money to spend on food and fun, by touring the capital via the light rail. Some of Canberra's best eats, well-stocked bars and intriguing curiosity shops (plus a surprising nighttime sports hub) are waiting to be explored along the light rail line. Here, we've got the ultimate hop-on-hop-off adventure for a day out in Canberra. Please stay up to date with the latest ACT Government health advice regarding COVID-19.
March will see Melbourne Town Hall host Hermès at Work, an itinerant celebration of the artisans that make Hermès what it is. Creators from nine different métiers of the luxury brand will meet, greet, and demonstrate their individual areas of expertise. You'll be able to wander through the display areas and discover how exactly how Hermès' famous bags, saddles, gloves and silk squares are made. There will also be round-table discussions held throughout the festival for those who have even more questions. Admission is free, but make sure you book your ticket online in advance.
Last November Jim Finn, of Art vs Science fame, launched his solo project Vydamo with the single 'Gonna Make It', a user-friendly, catchy little anthem of a hit that almost fooled me into thinking the New Radicals had finally followed up their '90s one-hit wonder 'Get What You Give'. But this is real music that is real fun or, as Richard Kingsmill of triple j puts it, this guy (and this music) is "extremely likeable". Vydamo will kick off his first tour this Friday, April 19, when he plays to Sydneysiders at OAF before heading south for a Saturday at the Toff in Melbourne. Next weekend Brisbane will get their taste of Jim Finn solo and live at Alhambra on April 27. Art vs. Science first got our attention in 2008 with the call-and-response dance number 'Flippers'. The dynamic little three-piece have been on the up ever since, and with their most comprehensive tour of the States coming up in June, it could well be worth your while to catch their frontman doing his thing before it starts costing you $200 a pop. We have three double passes to Vydamo gigs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email us with your name and postal address at hello@concreteplayground.com.au. https://youtube.com/watch?v=weZwxAv9j4I
If you've got a soft spot for falafel, you'll agree these plant-based balls of goodness are a treat for any time of day. And so we reckon you'll be eager to sink your teeth into Melbourne's newest bottomless brunch offering, starring — you guessed it — unlimited falafel. Yep, every Saturday and Sunday throughout April, South Melbourne vegan restaurant Marko is hosting its limited-edition Bottomless Falafel Brunch, which comes in at an easy $30 per person, or $65 including free-flowing drinks. Roll in between 11am and 2.30pm and you'll have 90 minutes to enjoy your fill of an unlimited mezze spread, featuring Marko's signature falafel alongside the likes of tahini, pickles, hummus, baba ganoush, mini avocado toasts and freekah salad. If you've opted for liquid accompaniments, you'll find yourself sipping bottomless espresso martinis, mimosas and gin spritzes. The plant-based feasts are expected to fill up fast, so you'll want to secure your spot by booking a ticket online at least 24 hours before your visit. You'll also need a minimum of two diners to get in on the bottomless brunch action. [caption id="attachment_849447" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bold and Italic Media[/caption] Images: Bold and Italic Media
If all you want in 2025 is to see The Offspring and Simple Plan, and in you're in Brisbane or Melbourne, you now have an extra chance to make that wish come true. To help wrap up 2024, the two bands announced a combined Australian arena tour for this year, fresh from The Offspring playing an Aussie gig in November last year as part of Victoria's Always Live music season, which was their only stop Down Under. Due to demand, the upcoming visit has now added a couple more shows. Yes, this is your latest excuse to pretend it's the late 90s and 00s, in a year that's also bringing Green Day this way on their own tour. In May, The Offspring and Simple Plan will play single shows at AEC Arena in Adelaide and Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, as well as two nights each at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne and Brisbane Entertainment Centre. The keen response shouldn't come as surprise. That Always Live gig sold out in 30 seconds, after all. The new dates: in Melbourne, Thursday, May 8 has been added to the roster, while Brisbanites can now head along on Thursday, May 15. It's been more than a quarter of a century since The Offspring earned a claim to fame that every music fan Down Under should know: topping Triple J's Hottest 100 with 'Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)', a win that still ranks as the annual countdown's most-controversial result to date. 2024 also marked four decades since the band first formed in the early 80s, and more than 30 years since it came to mainstream attention with hits like 'Come Out and Play' and 'Self Esteem' — and the Californian outfit isn't done belting out its catchy brand of punk just yet. While the band released albums Let the Bad Times Roll and Supercharged in 2021 and 2024, respectively, you can still expect to hear their famous tracks — including 'Gotta Get Away', 'Why Don't You Get a Job?', 'The Kids Aren't Alright' and the song that's forever cemented in Australian radio history, obviously. Still led by frontman and guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland — the group's only remaining member from its initial 1984 lineup, so you can definitely call him the original prankster — The Offspring will have company in the form of Canada's Simple Plan. From The Offspring alone, you'll get the words "gunter glieben glauchen globen" stuck in your head for another couple of decades. The Offspring Supercharged Worldwide in '25 Australian Tour Sunday, May 4 — AEC Arena, Adelaide Wednesday, May 7–Thursday, May 8 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Sunday, May 11 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Wednesday, May 14–Thursday, May 15 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane The Offspring are touring Australia in May 2025. Pre-sale tickets for the new Brisbane and Melbourne show go on sale at 9am local time on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, with general tickets from the same time on Friday, January 17, 2025. Head to the tour website for further details. The Offspring images: Daveed Benito.
A thumping al fresco DJ set is one thing; but this month, Victoria's new music program Always Live is serving up something approximately 180 times better. It's hosting a massive free, 11-day celebration of dance music, soundtracked by more than 180 artists and spanning a hefty 200 hours of tunes. The inaugural Nonstop DJs will be taking over the Melbourne Museum Plaza from Sunday, November 20–Wednesday, November 30, centred around a see-through Spacecube that'll play host to a jam-packed rotation of DJ talent, from 7am–11pm daily. [caption id="attachment_878396" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Millú[/caption] International heavyweights like Toro Y Moi and Tony MF will be hitting the decks, alongside scores of homegrown legends including Andee Frost, Millú, DJ JNETT, Soju Gang, MzRizk, Crown Ruler DJs and PBS DJs. You'll even catch some familiar culinary names entering the cube, including Smith & Daughters' Shannon Martinez and Raph Rashid of Beatbox Kitchen. Speaking of food, you'll have a solid offering of eats and drinks to fuel your dance floor endeavours, thanks to the fest's pop-up refreshments precinct. Mornings are taken care of with baked goods and free filter brews courtesy of Everyday Coffee, while a roster of food trucks takes the reins each afternoon (12pm weekends, 4pm weekdays). You'll also find a pop-up bar from the folks at Four Pillars and Stomping Ground, stocked with an array of dance-friendly sips. [caption id="attachment_878395" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Torcasio, via Unsplash[/caption] [caption id="attachment_878397" align="alignnone" width="1920"] MzRizk[/caption] Top Image: Bongani Ngcobo, via Unsplash
What do you want the world to be? That question has always sat at the heart of design, and Melbourne Design Week knows it. Accordingly, for its eighth year, the National Gallery of Victoria-led event is going all in on the notion, with 2024's 300-plus exhibitions, installations, talks, tours and displays focused on the theme "design the world you want". The possibilities are virtually endless from that prompt, as Melburnians can discover around the city between Thursday, May 23–Sunday, June 2. The works, symposiums and chats within the program break down the theme further, contemplating design in relation to energy, ethics and ecology, plus how they can bring about change — covering the use of new technologies and renewables, reflecting society's values and working in harmony with nature, At the NGV alone, attendees are spoiled for choice. If you need some fuel for your Melbourne Design Week jaunt, the One-Stop Bug-Shop has you covered — it's a vending machine dispensing alternative snacks made from insects, including candied mealworms and corn chips made from crickets. Future foods are also one of the discussion topics, alongside Nigerian architect Tosin Oshinowo chatting about approaches to architecture in urban environments, a symposium in advance of the NGV's upcoming Reimagining Birrarung: Design Concepts for 2070 exhibition, and talks from Design as an Attitude author Alice Rawsthorn and The Story of Art Without Men scribe Katy Hessel. And, for the 11-day duration of the festival, Melbourne Art Book Fair is also back. [caption id="attachment_957843" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tobias Titz[/caption] Elsewhere, the Melbourne Design Week Film Festival awaits, with flicks such as Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis, about the design studio behind some of the most-influential album cover art to ever grace record sleeves — and so does the Open House Melbourne-presented satellite program Design and Death, which considers the interplay between the two concepts right there in its name, including via touring Bunurong Memorial Park. Exhibitions galore, pet furniture with multiple functions that can be used in small spaces, a parkland reimagined through cake, mapping out Melbourne's coffee culture, a mobile garden roaming the streets, the work of First Nations glass artists, showcasing Japanese design from the 50s onwards: you'll find them all on the lineup as well. Exploring the interiors of toilets, the return of The Big Design Market and a chat with Universal Everything's Interactive Creative Director Joel Gethin Lewis about ACMI's Beings exhibition also sit on the clearly jam-packed program. And, if you need more highlights, you can hit up everything from a workshop on indie games and a panel at the Melbourne Planetarium about living beyond the earth through to The Huxleys diving into their work and Living Light immersing you in the glow from bioluminescent bacteria. [caption id="attachment_957842" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of 100 Circles, presented by Revival Projects, on display from 23 May–26 May at Warehouse 2, Revival Projects, in Melbourne Design Week 2024. Photo: Tim Carrafa.[/caption] Top image: Installation view of Squiggles and Cubes, presented by Meagan Streader and Billy Horn, on display from 23 May—2 June at The Tie Factory as part of Melbourne Design Week 2024. Photo: Sean Fennessy.
There's bucketloads of comfort food to be found at Prahran hot-spot, The Smith. The well-known gastropub is hosting a series of all-you-can-eat Wednesday night feasts, starring its signature crispy fried chook. You'll want to book yourself in for either the 6pm or 8.15pm session to score a bottomless bucket of fried chicken for just $20. Hit the sauce station to load up on house-made condiments, including the fiery 'Hot Hot' sauce and a cask-aged bourbon barbecue drop. Meat-free, bottomless fried cauliflower buckets clock in at the same price. Fancy taking it to the next level? You can add on two hours of free-flowing bubbly from The Smith's prosecco fountain for an extra $30. The only catch is that everyone on your table has to partake in the two-hour bottomless buckets session — but we're sure it won't be too hard to find a few mates down for some finger lickin' hump day feasting. Bookings are recommended and can be done through the website.
There's a lot to explore around Canterbury, but visitors to Maling Road who love fashion and homewares can't forget to check out Coco & Chloe. Named after the owner and her sisters' puppies — who also happen to be siblings — the selection of products tend to be just as cute. Across clothing, accessories and an eclectic range of homewares, basically everything available is bursting with colour. From stylish portable speakers to planners, perfume and winter wear, Coco & Chloe truly embodies the timeless appeal of Maling Road.
French food is one of the most technical and sophisticated cuisines out there. Or is it? Resto BoBo, the latest haunt to join Chapel Street's restaurant lineup, is out to prove that simple (and unpretentious) French food exists with a menu that you can mostly eat with your hands. Resto BoBo's signature dish is tarte flambée, which is basically a French pizza. A traditional Alsatian offering, the crispy, pizza-like base is topped with crème fraîche or melted cheese and a simple smattering of meats, vegetables and herbs. Tarte flambée has a rich history in France, gaining popularity as a snack food at local village gatherings. It's about bringing people together, which is exactly what the folks behind Resto BoBo wanted to recreate with their Windsor eatery. Owner Dan Xerri spent four years living in Strausbourg eating his way through the city's many exceptional restaurants when he realised he wanted to bring a slice of the country's culinary culture back home. After three months working with local chefs and learning to perfect tarte flambée, Xerri returned to Melbourne to open BoBo. Dan hopes the simple space can provide an insight into lesser-known French foods and give punters a place to enjoy good conversation and great company. While tarte flambée takes centre stage at the venue, those who venture beyond the restaurant's signature dish will find a selection of gourmet salads, cheese and charcuterie boards on offer, with both French and Victorian ingredients making an appearance. Keeping on theme, the wine list consists of French and Victorian drops for the ultimate French feast. Resto BoBo is now open at 110 Chapel Street, Windsor from 5.30pm till late, Wednesday through Sunday. For more info visit restobobo.com.au.
