Celebrate New Year's Eve like they do in Spain and South America — with complimentary tapas. On December 31, Smith Street's MJR TOM, inspired by the Spanish concept of 'gratis', will be serving up complimentary tapas to revellers from 10pm. Fingers crossed their goreng sliders make an appearance, although we wouldn't say no to the kingfish ceviche, either. Drinks will be available at regular bar prices, making this one of the less exorbitant places in town to ring in 2016. Walk-ins only though — so maybe try and get there a little early to nab a prime perch.
The caffeine specialists at Market Lane have added yet another member to their growing family. Opening yesterday, Tuesday, April 26, at the east end of the CBD, Market Lane Collins Street is your new city destination for espresso and filter coffee, beans and equipment. Located in historic Portland House near the intersection of Collins and Spring Streets, the small shop marks the fifth permanent Market Lane location, with the boutique roastery also operating cafes in Carlton, Prahran, Queen Vic Market and Therry Street in the CBD. The Collins Street store was designed by Sarah Trotter of Hearth Studio, with eucalyptus-green walls and tessellated floor tiles meant to reflect the building's Victorian heritage. Textured fabric walls and seating, matte walnut cabinetry and the use of cloudy marble stone are influenced by the work of Australian painter Clarice Beckett (1887-1935), who studied at the College of Art across the street. Market Lane Collins Street will be open from 7am to 3pm Monday through Friday, serving espresso and filter coffee as well as a small selection of cakes from Beatrix Bakes in North Melbourne. They also sell beans and specialty equipment, including grinders, plungers and filter paper, for coffee fiends looking to replicate their work at home. Find Market Lane's latest store at 8 Collins Street, Melbourne. For more information visit marketlane.com.au. Image: Market Lane Coffee.
If you've been walking around Sydney in the last week, you may have noticed the fancy new plaques at most street crossings. But what you probably didn't know is that these signs now make up the most comprehensive network of braille and tactile signs in the world. That's right: the entire world. Thanks to the major effort by Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, the signs were officially launched on Monday, July 4, with more than 2100 braille and raised-letter signs installed at pedestrian crossings in the city. The aluminium panels, which denote street names and building numbers, have been placed next to push buttons at crossing areas. These plaques improve signage and accessibility for the blind and vision impaired, and will allow them to navigate the city streets much more easily. A champion for the vision impaired, Moore is aiming to make Sydney more accessible for both locals and tourists. "The signs make it easier and safer for people who are blind or have low vision to use their city — to have the freedom and the independence of movement that most of us can take for granted," she told Concrete Playground. Basically, she rules. Both Vision Australia and Guide Dogs NSW/ACT are giving this act two thumbs way up and were integral in the program launch. "The design and installation arose from extensive consultation with the community and on-site testing with Guide Dogs NSW/ACT and Vision Australia," says Moore. "My sincere thanks to them for their help in this significant step towards an even more open and inclusive city." Making sure Sydney is accessible to the vision impaired is becoming increasingly important by the year — it is estimated that around 100,000 people suffer from non-correctable vision loss in NSW alone, and that number is predicted to increase by more than 20 percent by 2020. We've been truly impressed with Sydney's initiatives of late – like the fact that we're getting our own entrepreneur school and a permanent School of Life. This new braille network is a massive leap forward for the city's planning and an overall ace move. Nice one, Sydney. Image: Clover Moore via Instagram.
All Melburnians know that Fitzroy and Collingwood aren't known for their glitz and glamour. Yes, the coffee is good and the food is amazing, but Gertrude Street is much more likely to offer up some decaying street art and chipped paint than anything particularly fantastical. Well, that's true for all but one time of year — now in its seventh year, Gertrude Street Projection Festival is here to shine a dazzling neon light on Fitzroy once more. From July 18-27, GSPF will be lighting up 40 sites along this small and charming street in the inner north. Works by Andy Buchanan, Arika Waulu, Ian de Druchy, Nich Azidis and Amanda Morgan will be cast upon unassuming shopfronts, houses and tree trunks; and they'll no doubt pop out at you while you least expect it on your way home from dinner. This year's theme, 'Transcience', is both appropriate and saddening as it reminds us all that the lights will eventually go out. But that shouldn't stop you taking it all in while you can. This year's festival hub, The Catfish, will see a huge array of performances, panels, art and live music; and the projections themselves will be alight from 6pm 'til midnight every night of the festival. It may be fleeting in nature, but we've gotta say — there's no better cure for your winter blues than some mesmerising technicolour. Check out the full program here.
For the next three months, the Sydney Opera House will not be home to any operas, Vivid Live performances, thought-provoking talks or podcast recordings, with all public performances suspended until at least June 17. But you will be able to relive many of the highlights from its 47-year history when the Sydney icon launches its digital program tomorrow, Wednesday, April 1. The latest cultural institution — around Australia and the world — to launch an online platform, the Opera House has today unveiled 'From our House to yours', which will see full-length performances, talks, long-form articles, podcasts and behind-the-scenes content brought to your screens. As well as a heap of footage that's never been seen by the public before. Kicking things off is award-winning Aussie musician Missy Higgins with a recording from her 2019 forecourt concert at 6pm (AEDT) on Wednesday, April 1. You'll also catch a conversation from this year's All About Women with writer Chanel Miller about her new memoir Know My Name on Thursday, April 2 at 6pm (AEDT); footage of last year's Dance Rites — Australia's annual First Nations dance competition — on Friday, April 3 at 6pm (AEDT); Sydney Symphony Orchestra performing Beethoven's sublime Symphony No. 9 on Saturday, April 4 at 6pm (AEDT); and a recording of The Writers Room with Celia Pacqoula (Rosehaven), Josh Thomas (Please Like Me), Luke McGregor (Rosehaven) and Dan Harmon (Rick and Morty, Community) at 6pm (AEST) on Sunday, April 5, where the writers discuss characters, plots and dealing with deadlines. [caption id="attachment_752071" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dance Rites by Anna Kucera[/caption] You'll also be able to access a bunch of free content on demand, plus new videos, recordings and articles will be released daily every Wednesday through Sunday, with each week's schedule announced on the Tuesday. The launch comes after the Opera House's exclusive broadcast event for Piano Day 2020 last Saturday, which featured performances by Andrea Lam, Margaret Leng Tan and Simon Tedeschi; unreleased recordings of Jon Hopkins and Joep Beving; and an interview with composer Nils Frahm. If you want a sneak peek into what you can expect from the new digital initiative, check out the broadcast here. From our House to yours launches at 6pm on Wednesday, April 1 on the Sydney Opera House website and will run until at least mid-June. Each week's schedule will be announced on Tuesday.
The Melbourne Art Fair is setting up shop this year at the grand Royal Exhibition Centre in Carlton, and from August 14-17 it will be home to more than 300 artists' work, presented by leading Australian and Asia-Pacific galleries. Contemporary art lovers have the chance to view, interact with and purchase work from both Australian and international artists, and trust us, there's plenty to get through. While much of the artwork is for sale, you don’t need a fat chequebook to check out the best artistic offerings. A public program offers plenty of artsy sights for all, including those who aren't inclined to venture to the Royal Exhibition Centre. Check out our top five picks of what you should feast your eyes on during this year's fair here.
From magnificent caves to luxurious private islands, regional Queensland has plenty to offer for your next road trip. And the best part about taking a drive around the state is dropping into local cafes, restaurants, pubs and shops to fill up your boot with produce from the region. In the spirit of supporting local businesses en route, we've teamed up with Canadian Club and Empty Esky to bring you a list of must-visit locations in the Capricorn region, including in Rockhampton and Yeppoon. Read on to find a few of our favourites and create your own epic itinerary, too. Some of the places mentioned below may still be closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Please check websites before making any plans. EAT AND DRINK If you're starting in Yeppoon, the first place on your list should be Flour. Its oven-to-table approach has made the place a household name. Its menu is adapted seasonally with a few fan favourites sticking around all year, like its Farmhouse Brekky with angus flank steak, maple chilli bacon, mushrooms, poached eggs and grilled tomatoes on ciabatta. For a good quality brunch, Whisk on Yeppoon's James Street has absolutely mastered the mid-morning meal. It has an extensive dine-in and takeaway menu, so you can take your eggs benny burger to the beach ten minutes' away if you choose. Menu favourites include the aforementioned benny burger, Nutella-loaded doughnut fries and a smoky maple bacon hot dog. It has a menu for furry friends too. For dinner, pop into Keppel Bay Sailing Club. What started out as a community of passionate sailors and volunteers has evolved into five venues that cater for everyone. At the Clubhouse you'll find seafood dishes, pasta, burgers and salads, as well as refreshing Canadian Club and Dry on tap. Our picks are the crumbed prawns and its range of charcoal brioche bun burgers. Venture inland for high tea with a modern twist at Riverston Tea Rooms in Rockhampton. Located in an old-style building, the venue has traditional tea rooms offering both scones and sandwiches, as well as a diverse breakfast and lunch selection. Not to mention an incredible selection of baked goods available from the cabinet, from gluten free orange almond cake to baklava torte. See out your evenings at the riverside The Criterion Hotel Motel in Rockhampton. The Hotel is known for its sensational steak, great selection of beverages (including Canadian Club) and central location on the Fitzroy River. Dine in knowing that you're joining the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, the English cricket team and Rod Laver, who've all eaten dinner here over the years. [caption id="attachment_798839" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] DO Explore the backdrop of Rockhampton in the glorious Mount Archer National Park. Situated just over nine kilometres east of Rockhampton, the park covers 4250 hectares of open forest and woodland communities, where you can find everything from eucalyptus-filled rainforests to spectacular views of the Fitzroy River from the Nurim Circuit Elevated Boardwalk. Keep an eye out for birdlife — black cockatoos and owls call the park home. For a magnificent natural wonder that will have you seriously impressed, head to the Capricorn Caves. Located 23 kilometres north of Rockhampton, the caves make for an easy day trip from the town and there are a range of tours on offer. The most popular is the 45-minute Cathedral Cave Tour, which covers ancient geological history, cave acoustics and crosses a suspension bridge. The tour is $30 for adults or you can grab a family pass for $75. The more adventurous among us should try the Capricorn Explorer ($50) and Adventurer tours ($65) that will have you exploring secret vaults and hidden passages, guided by headlamp only. [caption id="attachment_798838" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] If a tropical escape is more your vibe, then you can't go past a stay at Great Keppel Island. The somewhat hidden island paradise is just 15 kilometres off the coast from Yeppoon. The island offers a range of activities including snorkelling and kayaking. Billy and his team at Keppel Water Sports will have you exploring all day, with a bunch of options for the whole crew. When you're after a more chilled day out, follow the advice of the Empty Esky team and seek out this lagoon in the centre of Yeppoon. It's the perfect place to cool off from the harsh Queensland heat. There's a 2500-square-metre lagoon pool, a children's play area, a lap pool and a swim-up infinity edge with views out to Great Keppel Island. Entry is free and you can swim in peace knowing the pool is patrolled daily, including during public holidays. For a truly Queensland tourist experience, cuddle up with Australia's favourite furry friend at Cooberrie Park Wildlife Sanctuary. If koalas aren't really your style you can have a go at holding a crocodile or parrot. Situated in Yeppoon, the sanctuary boasts more than 300 animals, 25 acres, barbecue facilities and a swimming pool. Keep an eye out on the website for COVID-19 restrictions if you're keen to get up close to the animals. [caption id="attachment_798840" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] STAY When it's elegance and heritage that you crave, you can't go past Hotel Denison in Rockhampton. Built in 1886, the boutique hotel is brimming with history. Offering 18 luxury suites, the hotel has managed to maintain its heritage-listed appearance while still remaining modern. A ten-minute walk will take you to the CBD's range of restaurants and mall strip, making it the perfect place to stay when you're exploring Australia's Beef Capital. Or, consider Capricorn Camel Camp, just east of Rockhampton. It is guaranteed to make your friends seriously jealous. You'll get to camp close to the camels and enjoy the option of a sunset camel ride on the private property. Plus, the camp is also home to alpacas, calves and goats. It's a bring-your-own gear kind of experience and it'll set you back just $25 per night for two guests. For something a little more luxurious, there's beach-style accommodation surrounded by palm trees at Yeppoon Surfside Motel. The motel is a favourite of the Empty Esky crew and it has a range of sleeping options and each self-contained room has an ensuite, air-conditioning, cooking facilities, free wifi and queen-size beds. Opt-in for the ultimate holiday experience of having brekkie delivered to your room. Rooms here start at $155 per night. For a unique and memorable experience, why not stay at Pumpkin Island? Situated 14 kilometres from the coast of Yeppoon, the tiny private oasis is a blissful retreat and an opportunity to unwind and connect with nature. Accommodation options include five eco-friendly self-catering cottages or two beach bungalows, starting from $306 — and your days are filled with snorkelling, kayaking, or lounging around on the long stretches of white sand. For more road trip inspiration, check out these guides from Canadian Club and Empty Esky. Top image: Pumpkin Island via Tourism and Events Queensland
We all like to feel like a rockstar every once in a while. It's why we suit up to head to the theatre, to that new restaurant, or for a night out with your favourites. But true rockstars also live the lifestyle at home, not just in the VIP room of a nightclub. With help from our partner Moët & Chandon, we've come up with seven creative ways to lift your hosting game at your next dinner party or take your chilled out night on the couch to absolute baller status. Just think of us as your personal assistant, which is very Mick Jagger of you. [caption id="attachment_657569" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jadt[/caption] ORDER IN, BUT MAKE IT GOURMET A low-key night at home bingeing the latest season of Peaky Blinders or Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (no judgement here) doesn't have to mean a microwaved dinner and a $7 bottle of wine. When you're living it up, the world is your oyster — or your perfectly cut rectangle of raw tuna. Order a sushi or sashimi platter, edamame and all, from your favourite Japanese joint (check out our picks of the best ones in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne), and instead of pairing it with a beer, pop open a bottle of Moët & Chandon Rosé Champagne. The minerality and acidity of the wine pairs well with the freshness of the fish. To make the night extra special, hook up one of those little projectors to your laptop and, voila, you have your own in-house cinema. [caption id="attachment_758794" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daria Shevtsova[/caption] DIY YOUR NEXT BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH Bottomless brunches are all the rage right now. It seems like every bar or cafe offers a similar deal, but instead of arranging to meet your mates in the city we're betting you can do it one better at home. Invite your crew around for a feast with stacks of fluffy pancakes, bowls of fresh fruit, sticky maple syrup and bottles of rosé champagne. Keep the pancakes warm and fresh by covering them with a clean tea towel and popping them in a 90-degree oven until you're ready to eat. Keep the bubbles on ice and don't forget the strawberries for your pancakes. [embed]https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX1tyCD9QhIWF[/embed] GET SOME SWAG TUNES GOING Whether you're having people round for brekkie, lunch, dinner or wine and cheese, it's crucial to pick the right tracks to create the right mood. Put together your own list of tunes, or have a scroll through Spotify. There really is something for every occasion — like this selection of bossa nova covers for your next dinner soiree, or these summer jazz jams ideal for when you're sipping bubbles on your balcony on a warm afternoon. For something a little louder, there's a poolside party mix, all of rock's biggest legends in one playlist, and these bangers (above) that'll make you feel like a boss. Don't be shy with the soundsystem and crank up the music. [caption id="attachment_758750" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Erik Dungan[/caption] TAKE YOUR CHARCUTERIE PLATTER TO THE NEXT LEVEL The high life is about having the best of the best, so head to your local deli for some proper charcuterie — try La Parisienne Pates in Melbourne, Omeio Artisanal Deli in Sydney and Brisbane's Rosalie Gourmet Market. Moët & Chandon Rosé Champagne pairs remarkably well with cheese and red meat, as it's made by mixing pinot noir and meunier grapes the flavour combinations work with mortadella, jamon and prosciutto, as much as they would with strawberries, olives and a fragrant goat's cheese. [caption id="attachment_758779" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rene Asmussen[/caption] HIRE A PRIVATE CHEF Save yourself from a cooking disaster and hire a professional to get the job done. Do you think Post Malone, Lizzo or the guys from Metallica do their own cooking when hosting a dinner party? Definitely not. There are plenty of services around Australia that will help you find a personal chef for your occasion, and the prices often match what you'd spend on a meal at restaurant — except this time there's no reason to rush you through your courses. Plus, you have the benefit of looking like a rockstar to all your guests. Check out At Your Table or Take A Chef, who operate around the country, or Intertain, which is available in Sydney and Melbourne only. [caption id="attachment_734878" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mud Australia[/caption] GO OTT WITH YOUR TABLE SETTING It's not enough to hire a private chef and pick the perfect playlist if you're going to serve food on a mismatched selection of op-shop plates. Start with a dark linen tablecloth, cloth napkins and personalised place cards, so your guests feel like rockstars too. Make sure you have matching crockery — you can get some gorgeous sets to suit all budgets from places like Kmart and Ikea, but when you want to invest in quality tableware we suggest shopping at Made In Japan or Mud Australia. Finish it off with candles, metallic cutlery, fresh-cut blooms and, if you're dining al fresco, Moët & Chandon rosé goblets. [caption id="attachment_758791" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bruce Mars[/caption] TURN LEFTOVERS INTO A MIDNIGHT SNACK FIT FOR A KING Nothing makes you feel like a grub quite like snacking straight from the fridge in the middle of the night. It's time to give midnight snacking the respect it deserves. It doesn't have to be a three-course meal, but you can easily revamp your leftovers by reheating them in the oven (never the microwave), throwing together an omelette, casserole or salad — or just sticking with cold pizza. Whatever you come up with, do yourself a favour — set the table, pop on some tunes, use a plate and pour yourself a glass of rosé champagne (if you didn't already polish off the bottle). Moët & Chandon's Rosé Impérial is a fruity and elegant champagne with gooseberry, raspberry and wild strawberry notes. Find out more here.
SBS2 has poached Vive Cool City from the clutches of its internet following to give them a stab at a late-night TV viewership. The show takes a look at some of humanity's beautiful freaks through the winning presence of judgement-free, committed reporters. If you are suspicious about the 'committed' bit of that sentence, let me refer you to Ryder Susman's brush with a golden shower, and by brush I mean this. "(Our) aim is to embed, to understand, to attempt to get an uncensored take on the story," explains host and former Hungry Beast reporter Kirk Docker. "What we want our audience to do is see the topics we deal with, with new eyes — get them thinking, talking, questioning. What people get up to in real life is so much more compelling than what you can make up." Tonight at 11.30pm, Kirk, along with Ryder Susman, will announce the arrival of Vive Cool City to SBS2 by dropping into the Collingwood housing projects to interview heroin users, taking an in-depth look at a nudist Melbourne gym and introducing us to homemade tunnels, equine psychotherapy and Swedish bridge jumpers. Not to mention the You Report segment, where some UK viewers will show us the intricacies of turning breast milk into ice cream. The show claimed 10 million views on YouTube and has some serious TV pedigree behind it in producer Andy Nehl (Hungry Beast and The Chaser), so Vive Cool City could well be your next 30 (uncomfortable) minutes of choice. Check out some of their online stuff at their website.
When politicians start talking about public transport again, it's safe to say a state election is in the works. And, while the usual spiel is about the benefits of Myki (lol) and the inherent evilness of fare evaders, this morning's announcement is actually something to get excited about. Premier Denis Napthine today announced that if re-elected in November, his government will make trams in the CBD free of charge, and all zone 2 tickets will be capped at zone 1 prices. Better yet, Opposition leader Daniel Andrews backed the move, stating that if Labor takes office, the proposed changes will go ahead as planned. In conclusion, no matter who you vote for, this is actually happening. The changes are especially welcome news for commuters in the outer suburbs whose ticket prices will be dropping by $4.96 a day, equating to savings of around $1,200 per year. This will undoubtedly make a big difference to those struggling to keep up with Melbourne's rising cost of living — we are now ranked as the sixth most expensive city in the world. The news of free trams is even more explosive. No longer do you need to watch your back while hitching a ride from the State Library to Fed Square (seriously, I once got a $212 fine for this three-block trip); trams in both the CBD grid and Docklands will be unpoliced and free to ride from January 1. The free area will include everything between Flinders Street, La Trobe Street, and Spring Street with the added inclusion of Queen Victoria Markets. However, once you pass these zones you will have to touch on (and I'm sure the likeable folks of Public Transport Victoria will be waiting with open arms). Though the move will cost the state government upwards of $100 million, it's a win for a number of reasons. Firstly, it will ease congestion and speed up CBD travel with no one incessantly tapping their Mykis on and off, and the tourism industry will also flourish as visitors will no longer need to purchase non-refundable Myki tickets or forlornly wait for the slow and ineffective City Circle tram. However, concerns have been raised about the repercussions of such changes. Tony Morton, President of the Public Transport Users Association told The Age, ‘‘We absolutely believe that what this will do is increase fares overall." "When zone 3 tickets were abolished, any saving that there was from that was more than clawed back with increases to zone 1 and 2 fares,’’ he said. For the moment, we're remaining cautiously optimistic. Any changes that endorse and strengthen our public transport system are obviously a step in the right direction towards long-term sustainability. But at the same time, we've been burnt in the past. Via The Age. Image credit: Michael Aulia.
Step into the neon-signed, mural-adorned Mama Manoush and let Mama herself feed you a week's worth of authentic Lebanese food in one sitting. At the insistence of her kids, Elizabeth Kairouz opened her restaurant in Fitzroy in 2014, before moving to a bigger space in Brunswick East in 2017 — now everyone can try her perfectly smooth hummus, baba ganoush and labneh, skewers of charcoal-grilled meats, bowls of tabouli and fattoush, and crispy falafel and sambousik. Mama's banquet is $45 a head for a generous selection of her best dishes, including dips with traditional pickles and bread, salads, rice pilaf, charcoaled meats and more, plus Lebanese coffee and baclava to cap it all off. If you're really hungry, the mega banquet is $60 per person for an extra couple of dishes from the mezza and grill menus. Out the back in Mama's Garden, there's a smaller selection of wraps, snack packs and sides, where you can fill up for 20 bucks. There is also a full menu of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and desserts. Try the Mama Bell with Zubrowka bison grass vodka, peach liqueur, clowdy apple, passionfruit and lime juice ($18), a white chocolate, cookie and brandy dessert cocktail served with a baclava finger ($18), or a ginger beer, cinnamon and lime mocktail ($9). Desserts run from the traditional cheese-filled baked pie kanafeh ($18) and mouhalabieh (a custard-like pudding, $10) to choc-hazelnut ice cream served with popcorn and chocolate sauce ($12).
The last time that Alien and Ghostbusters legend Sigourney Weaver appeared on-screen, she played a 14-year-old Na'vi girl in Avatar: The Way of Water. The next time that the iconic actor pops up, she'll be in Australia, in a seven-part streaming drama. That series: The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, which sees Holly Ringland's 2018 novel get the miniseries treatment, and casts Weaver as the grandmother to the titular nine-year-old, who has just lost her parents in mysterious circumstances. On the page and on Prime Video — where The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart will debut on Friday, August 4 — Alice moves to Thornfield flower farm after the life-changing tragedy, and starts to find solace among its wildflower blooms. But her new home is also the place where secrets about her family and their past start to blossom. The just-dropped first teaser trailer for the series emphasises that it hails from the producers of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, if you're wondering about the show's mood. Lambs of God's Sarah Lambert, Mustang FC's Kirsty Fisher and A League of Their Own's Kim Wilson penned the scripts, while Penguin Bloom's Glendyn Ivin directs every instalment. As well as Weaver as Alice's grandmother, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart stars Alycia Debnam-Carey (Fear the Walking Dead) as its namesake, plus Ayla Browne (Nine Perfect Strangers) as the younger version. The cast from there is a who's who of homegrown talent, including fellow Nine Perfect Strangers alum Asher Keddie, Leah Purcell (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson), Tilda Cobham-Hervey (Hotel Mumbai), Xavier Samuel (The Clearing) and Alexander England (Black Snow). Frankie Adams (The Expanse), Charlie Vickers (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) and Sebastián Zurita (How to Survive Being Single) also feature, and the first glimpse at the show unsurprisingly highlights the Aussie backdrop, all the swirling lies and its big-name stars. When it hits Prime Video, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart will join the streaming platform's growing Australian-made lineup, which keeps dropping local fare in 2023. Already in queues: Class of '07, about the mayhem that follows when an apocalyptic tidal wave hits during an all-girls college's ten-year reunion; and the exceptional Deadloch, a Tasmania-set murder-mystery comedy from The Kates. Check out the first teaser trailer for The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart below: The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart will start streaming via Prime Video from Friday, August 4.
When Respect first breaks out its titular track, it's the original Otis Redding version that echoes in the background. The song plays in the Franklin household as Aretha (Jennifer Hudson, Cats) and her family listen, and the scene bubbles with anticipation for the thing everyone watching knows will come. Shortly afterwards, the Queen of Soul tinkers at the piano in the deep of night, her excitement buoyant after hearing her first big hit 'I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)' on the radio. Her sisters Erma (Saycon Sengbloh, Scandal) and Carolyn (Hailey Kilgore, Amazing Stories) join in, and they're all soon rearranging Redding's tune into the single that cements Aretha's status as a music superstar. For the entire film up to this point, viewers have also heard the Franklins, including patriarch and preacher CL (Forest Whitaker, City of Lies), refer to Aretha using a nickname. "Ree" they call her again and again, and soon "ree, ree, ree" is exactly what Erma and Carolyn sing on backing vocals. It's a neat and also exuberant moment. Respect quickly segues to Aretha and her sisters crooning 'Respect' at Madison Square Garden to a rapturous crowd, but watching the track come together has already proven electric. Something can be orderly and expected and potent and rousing all at once, as this movie happily demonstrates regarding its namesake — but for most of its 2.5-hour running time, Respect is content to careen between inescapably formulaic and occasionally powerful. In other words, Respect is a standard music biopic. The genre will never stop expanding — films about Elvis, Madonna, Boy George, Bob Marley, Amy Winehouse and Whitney Houston are currently in various stages of development — but flicks about famous musicians have peppered cinemas with frequency recently. Thankfully, Aretha's stint in the cinematic spotlight doesn't merely shuffle through a greatest hits album like Bohemian Rhapsody. All her well-known songs are accounted for, though, and it definitely doesn't strive to shake up the template as Rocketman managed so vividly. And with Judy and The United States vs Billie Holiday still fresh in filmgoing music-lovers' memories, Respect can't help feeling like it's striking the same beats. The faces and tunes change, but the overall journey remains undeniably similar. The fact that so many iconic female singers' stories navigate comparable paths is a horrible indictment of the way women have long been treated in the music industry; however, the fact that the movies telling their tales can't completely shake that air of familiarity can never quite do them justice. Respect begins with young Aretha (lively debutant Skye Dakota Turner) being roused from sleep by her father to sing at one of his well-attended house parties. It's 1952, and to an audience that includes Dinah Washington, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald, she breaks out a rendition of the latter's 'My Baby Likes to Be-Bop' — and "she's 10 but her voice is going on 30" is the shared reaction. This obviously isn't the last time that Aretha unleashes her astonishing voice in Respect, and that everyone in earshot reacts accordingly. When she's accosted by an unnamed man in her bedroom afterwards, it isn't the last time the film veers between highs and lows, either. First-time feature director Liesl Tommy and screenwriter Tracey Scott Wilson (Fosse/Verdon) repeat that pattern, embracing it as comfortably as their key figure croons any song she chooses. But where their subject transcends every ditty she trills, Respect can't be said to do the same. Even viewers unaware of the ups and downs of Aretha's life will still know where each second of the film is headed. The choice to end with 2016 footage of the real-life singer piping '(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman' is a classic biopic touch, of course, but it's preceded by far more predictable choices again and again. Accordingly, as a child Aretha wrestles with her mother's (Audra McDonald, Beauty and the Beast) untimely death, and her own abuse, to evolve from singing in church for her father and family friend Martin Luther King (Gilbert Glenn Brown, Stargirl) to starting her career under her dad's ferocious guidance. From there, she struggles to turn her early Columbia Records releases into successes, yearns to make music that means something to her and defies her father by marrying small-time producer Ted White (Marlon Wayans, On the Rocks). The children she has as a teenager remain with her family as her path leads to Atlantic Records, veteran record producer Jerry Wexler (Marc Maron, Joker) and recording with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section in Alabama, which is where early hits like 'Respect' and 'Ain't No Way' come to life. But her marriage to Ted isn't happy, and coping with his violence takes its toll. So does touring, recording and working non-stop, including when she weds her tour manager Ken Cunningham (Albert Jones, Mindhunter), and later decides to make her best-selling gospel album Amazing Grace. It's never a smart idea to remind your audience that a better movie exists on the same topic, so the decision to recreate parts of Aretha's Amazing Grace performance — as also seen in the magnificent documentary of the same name that only reached cinemas in 2019 — is misjudged. This section of Respect does let Hudson shine, and Aretha's music do the same, though. Alongside the dazzling costuming, they're the film's biggest assets the whole way through. While the script sticks to well-worn territory, cramming its subject's story to fit the usual music biopic mould and giving the entire affair a handsome period sheen, Hudson injects power and presence into her portrayal. The Dreamgirls Oscar-winner has the talent to do Aretha's songs proud, too. But she also makes viewers wish that everything around her performance, the tunes she's singing and the clothes she's wearing didn't fall victim to the usual cliches. This film has ample respect for the woman at its centre, but it also approaches the act of bringing her life to the screen like it's simply taking care of business.
Dinner theatres were big in the 70s, but have since become pretty hard to find. And those that you can find in Melbourne often lean very heavily into a kitsch theme, given that they're mostly designed for hen's nights and other big group events. For this purpose, they can be great fun. But newcomer VIVA is seeking to class up the whole dinner-and-a-show concept in North Melbourne. At this 1920s-inspired venue, there's just as much focus on the food as there is the performances. Here, cabaret shows are the entertainment, ranging from fun and semi-PG to downright raunchy — depending on when you go. Choreographer Jason Coleman (Hair, Hairspray and So You Think You Can Dance) has designed and directed VIVA's debut show, Elegant. Played to begin every evening, this show is said to be full of comedy and provocative dances, but it doesn't get too risqué. For that, you'll need to head over later in the evening (usually at 10pm) to see Exotic, a show that's a whole lot more salacious. You can simply pair your cabaret with cocktails and be very happy, but it would be a shame to miss out on Executive Chef Matt Haigh's pan-Asian eats. Start off with popcorn covered in Peking duck fat, chicken karaage served with with kewpie mayo and maple caramel, and three different kinds of Asian-inspired arancini. Then get into bigger bites like sushi sandwiches, grilled wagyu and fried chicken waffles served with a bump of caviar. It's clear to see that the food is no mere afterthought. "At VIVA, our aim is to merge the magic of live performance with exceptional dining, service, and drinks, setting a new benchmark in entertainment for Melbourne. "We're creating an environment where every evening is an event, where the lights, the sounds, and the atmosphere are as much a part of the experience as the performances on stage and the exquisite dishes on your table," says VIVA Director Karlee Kaminski. You'll find VIVA at 64 Sutton Street, North Melbourne, open 5pm–late on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, head to the venue's website.
The London Riots have left us all a bit gobsmacked. On the 6th of August in Tottenham in the North of London what started out as peaceful demonstration against a recent police shooting turned into something quite different and unexpected — an outbreak of violence and the destruction of cars and homes and local businesses. And then the looting began. Over the next two to three days copycat riots and looting broke out over London, most notably in Peckham, Clapham and Brixton and then around the country in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham resulting in five related deaths and the worst rioting the country has seen since the 1980s. As large parts of the city were shut down and boarded up, the rest of the world looked on in shock as footage and information streamed out via mainstream and social media. The mainstream media questioned the politicians, the police response and the rioters motivations. A YouTube video, which has received in excess of four millions hits, was uploaded of a Malaysian student, bleeding and distressed, being 'helped up' by the crowd around him only then to be mugged by his supposed 'helpers'. A Tumblr site, Photshoplooter, sprang up, providing some much needed humour in a time which is anything but funny. In the aftermath of the riots, as the public, the politicians and the newspapers debate everything from increasing police powers to the impact the government's recent austerity measures have had on young people, the good people of London (and yes, there are quite a few of them) have got down to the business of cleaning up and rebuilding. RiotCleanup started as a twitter account in the early hours of the 9th of August and by the morning it was a website helping to organise an army of volunteers who wanted to help with the clean up. Building on its success, two recent architecture students, Lee Wilshire and Nick Varney, have set up Riotrebuild, which is dedicated to connecting people who have been affected by the riots with professional architects, builders and handyman to assist them to rebuild their homes, business and communities.
Something happens when fathers get to a certain age — they get really into their hobbies. We don't know whether it's because they have more time on their hands now you're all grown up, or if some magical switch flicks, but suddenly all their downtime is spent dedicated to vintage cars, golf or DIY projects. And that has one major benefit for you: it presents a goldmine of gifting opportunities. If one of your dad's passions is his home bar, we're here to point you in the right direction. We've partnered with Maker's Mark to bring you a round-up of classy gift ideas that'll make your pop's bar the best in the street, whether it's a newfound obsession or it's been there as long as you can remember (and therefore in dire need of a refresh). FANCY GLASSWARE Part of the fun of having a home bar is the ritual of fixing yourself a drink at the end of a long day. It's a form of self-care, in our opinion. But the magic kind of disappears when the vessel you're using is a leftover plastic cup from a backyard barbecue or cloudy contraband from the local pub. So we suggest getting Dad some glassware that he'll actually enjoy drinking from. Canberra-based homewares store Bisonhome sells expertly crafted ceramics and blown glassware designed by Brian Tunks, who studied ancient designs at archaeological digs in the Middle East. If your dad is partial to a whisky mixer, this six-pack of highball glasses is a great way to start his collection. Adhering to the Bisonhome aesthetic of simple, classic designs, these glasses should suit all home bar styles, while the mix of colours will add that retro edge. COOL WHISKY STONES With two stores in Sydney — Opus in Paddington and Octopus in Newtown — plus a stellar online store that ships nationally, Opus Designs has long been one of our go-to spots for gifts. And it certainly delivers on bar cart must-haves, including this cute little set of whisky chillers. If your dad is the type that likes to sit on a nip of whisky for an hour, then complain because the ice has melted and ruined the integrity (and temperature) of his drink, these will suit perfectly. All he has to do is pop these little guys in the freezer a few hours before use, and his nightcap will remain ice-cold for as long as it takes for him to finish it. And because they're made out of granite and soapstone, he'll still hear that satisfying 'chink' as he drops them in the glass. A PERSONALISED DECANTER This personalised decanter from Hard to Find will take pride of place on your dad's home bar. It's a 700ml decanter — which, FYI, will conveniently fit an entire bottle of Maker's Mark — that comes engraved with your dad's name. If you have the type of dad that's impossible to buy for because he purchases everything he wants or needs for himself, personalised gifts are great. Nobody buys themselves personalised things, right? Plus, it shows you've put a little more thought into the gift — without really putting that much extra effort in. A SUPER SWISH APRON If Dad is going to be spending so much time behind his home bar mixing, shaking and stirring, he has to look the part. And a nice, tailormade apron is the way to go — particularly if he hasn't got his mixology skills quite down pat yet and is prone to making a big mess. Sydney-based design studio Worktones specialises in high-quality workwear for the hospitality industry. We bet a lot of your favourite bars, cafes and restaurants uses Worktones for their aprons, uniforms and merchandise. The adjustable Birdy apron is made using 100-percent mercerised cotton twill, so it'll look good and last for ages. It comes in white, dark navy and olive, and costs just $35. [caption id="attachment_746194" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Discrepancy Records, Tracey Ah-kee[/caption] A KILLER SOUND SYSTEM Something else that Dad needs if he's going to be hanging out in his bar so much? Music, of course. Pander to the 'old man' in him by splashing out on a record player, then hunt down some of his favourite classic albums on vinyl. In Melbourne, your best bet is Discrepancy Records, which boasts more than 15,000 LPs. Have a gander at its online store for some of the newest releases — including a re-release of The Rolling Stones' Goat's Head Soup and Bob Dylan's Rough and Rowdy Ways — plus a bunch of LP bundles (think Queen, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd), all of which you can get delivered for free. In Brisbane, we suggest visiting Rocking Horse Records on Albert Street. And, if Dad's taste is a little left-of-centre, Sydney's Repressed Records, based in Newtown, specialises in underrated and independent artists — so it has music that's hard to find anywhere else. [caption id="attachment_766131" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Maree Downs', Madi Whyte, Cream Town[/caption] SOME EXCELLENT ARTWORK We all know those home bars that are covered in sports team merch. But if you want your dad's version to look a little, well, classier, opt for a standout piece of art instead. Check out Cream Town, an online art shop that was started by photographer Isaebella Doherty to support Aussie artists that have been financially impacted by COVID-19. The range of prints, from photographs to collage and illustrations, start from just $100 each, and they all have a limited run, so Dad can brag about having a rare artwork adorning his bar wall. A BOTTLE OF HIS FAVOURITE WHISKY And, of course, no home bar is complete without your dad's favourite tipple. Whichever item from this list you choose to spoil your dad with, be sure to add on a bottle of Maker's Mark. This smooth Kentucky-style bourbon whisky has woody oak aromas with sweet caramel and vanilla notes making it an excellent all-rounder for a home bar. It can be enjoyed both on the rocks or in a cocktail. If he decides to try the latter, shoot him a link to this recipe guide, which has four super-easy bourbon-based cocktails to try out. Learn more about Maker's Mark by visiting the website here.
Summer might be done and dusted, but we've found at least one more excuse to scream for some ice scream. Or Italy's answer to ice cream, anyway. Friday, March 24 is the date Europeans celebrate Gelato Day — and one local purveyor is getting into the spirit by handing out a stack of frozen freebies. Zero Gradi, the dessert chain from the pizza maestros at 400 Gradi, is serving up a special one-day offer across all three of its Victorian stores. Every customer who buys a scoop of their signature hand-churned gelato on March 24 will score an extra scoop on the house. The deal's on offer all day long and you can take your pick of gelato flavours — the hefty lineup ranges from classics like bacio, pistachio and a boysenberry, to creations like peanutella and caramel cookie monster. A single scoop comes in at $6. Take advantage of the offer during opening hours at Zero Gradi's Brunswick outpost, its Mornington store or its location within Crown. [caption id="attachment_808234" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Renee Oliver[/caption]
Melbourne's late summer openair cinema will occupy hallowed turf, with a pop-up cinema on the pitch at the MCG. Taking over the iconic sporting arena for the final weekend of summer, Cinema at the 'G will showcase a pair of critically acclaimed films under the stars. On Friday, February 24, they're screening Lion, the Australian-made drama starring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman that's poised to clean up at this year's Academy Awards. The following evening it's up in the air (and then down in the river) with Tom Hanks in Sully, the real-life drama about the heroics of US Airways pilot Chesley Sullenberger. Ticketholders can bring picnic blankets, pillows and snacks, or munch on cinema food available for purchase on-site. Doors open at 6.30pm for an 8.30pm start. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Bank of Melbourne Neighbourhood Fund, which in turns supports an array of Victorian charities.
Throw those GoPros, bubble bottles and novelty gumboots in your rucksack, Splendour in the Grass is returning to North Byron Parklands for another year of festival merriment. As usual, speculation has run wild in anticipation of the lineup announce — will Kendrick and the Arctic Monkeys make an appearance? Will there by more than three females on the lineup? — but the details for Splendour 2018 are finally here. And we're happy to report that some of the rumours were true. There will be no Arctic Monkeys, but King Kunta himself, Kendrick Lamar, will be Splendouring. The lineup also doesn't state that Splendour is his only show, so stay tuned for news of a national tour (hopefully). The other huge name is Lorde, who will be doing her only Oz show at the Parklands — better get practising that 'Green Light' hair flip now. She leads a female contingent — that is kick-ass but still nowhere near as big as the pool of male performers — which includes Amy Shark, the Lauren Mayberry-led Chvrches, Sampa The Great, Alex Lahey, Jack River, Anna Lunoe, Stella Donnelly, female four-piece All Our Exes Live in Texas and Wafia. Also doing their only Australian shows at Splendour will be Vampire Weekend, Khalid and Girl Talk. The lineup seems to go on forever, including The Wombats, Gang of Youths, Franz Ferdinand, Superorganism and MGMT. Anyway, we know what you're here for. We'll cut to the chase. SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2018 LINEUP Kendrick Lamar Lorde (only AUS show) Vampire Weekend (only AUS show) Khalid (only AUS show) The Wombats Hilltop Hoods Chvrches Miguel Girl Talk (only AUS show) Angus & Julia Stone Gang of Youths Franz Ferdinand MGMT Ben Howard Dune Rats & Friends James Bay PNAU Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite The Avalanches DJ set Chromeo DMA'S Ball Park Music Henry Rollins (only AUS show) SAFIA The Jungle Giants Lil Xan Methyl Ethel Amy Shark The Bronx Ocean Alley Carmada (L D R U & Yahtzel) DZ Deathrays Lord Huron Middle Kids Hockey Dad Towkio Cub Sport Touch Sensitive Sampa The Great Dean Lewis Skegss Albert Hammond Jr Mallrat Marmozets Alex Lahey Riton & Kah-Lo Jack River Superorganism Anna Lunoe Lewis Capaldi All Our Exes Live In Texas Alex The Astronaut Yungblud Crooked Colours Nina Las Vegas Soccer Mommy (only AUS show) Elderbrook Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever Tim Sweeney Stella Donnelly Bully Baker Boy Wafia No Mono Waax Angie McMahon West Thebarton Eves Karydas G Flip The Babe Rainbow Haiku Hands Didirri Alice Ivy Amyl & The Sniffers Ziggy Ramo Fantastic Man Lo'99 Human Movement Manu Crook$ Kasbo Madam X Andras Alta Ara Koufax Two People B Wise Made In Paris Jensen Interceptor Woodes Teischa Antony & Cleopatra Muto Elk Road triple j Unearthed winners (TBA) Mike Gurrieri Love Deluxe Lauren Hansom Poolclvb Godlands Nyxen Emma Stevenson Ebony Boadu Splendour will return to North Byron Parklands on Friday 20, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 July. Onsite camping will once again be available from Wednesday, July 18. Tickets go on sale Thursday, April 19 at 9am sharp AEST. More info will soon be available at the official Splendour In The Grass site. Image: Bianca Holderness.
Despite having a smorgasbord of activities and events at your fingertips, it's surprisingly easy to find yourself stuck in an after-hours rut with you and your mates kicking back at the same old after-work haunts, week in and week out. Enjoyable, though it won't exactly win you huge points for a sense of adventure. Luckily, if you are looking to shake up your after-work routine, you don't have to hunt very hard at all. To get you off to a cracking start, we've teamed up with Hahn to scout out a bunch of non-boring, new ideas for your next group activities. [caption id="attachment_631811" align="alignnone" width="1620"] Katje Ford.[/caption] SELF-GUIDED STREET ART TOUR No matter how long you've called yourself a local, we bet there's a truckload of corners and laneways you're yet to discover. So, round up the squad for some intrepid exploration, and gain a fresh perspective on that concrete jungle as you set off on a self-guided street art tour. The internet's chock full of printable tour maps curated by urban experts and art-lovers alike, directing you towards all the best art-focused walks in your area. Shake off the work day as you cruise the city at your own pace, unearthing public art gems left, right and centre. And once you've had your fill of art, head to the pub for a beer and a chat about the best, worst and most unusual sights you've seen. Where? Search 'street art' on Concrete Playground and find some of the works you should be seeing in your city, and if you're in Sydney, you can book into one of Culture Scouts tours if you need a bit more guidance. PASTA-MAKING WORKSHOP This gloomy stretch of winter will feel like way more of success if you come out at the end of it with something useful — you know, some visible gym results, a decent love life or, the most impressive of all, the knowledge of how to make a killer bowl of handmade pasta. Luckily from Brisbane to Sydney to Melbourne, we've been gifted with a delicious array of classes on making the best comfort food out there. So, if you really want to set yourself up for culinary success and a whole lot of praise, book the crew in for a post-work pasta-making class where you'll learn to create pure magic with just three simple ingredients: flour, eggs and water. And once you've learned how to make pasta, you can then study up on how to pair some beers with your creations. Just think of all those future dinner parties. Where? Learn to craft some epic noodles at Pasta Emilia in Sydney, The Craft & Co. in Melbourne and at The Pasta Company in Brisbane. LAWN BOWLS For the ultimate group bonding exercise, you can't go past the joy of kicking another team's butt in some form of organised sport. But who really wants to run the risk of a bung ankle, wrist or hammy going into summer? This year, hone your teamwork skills and sharpen that competitive edge while keeping the big hits to a minimum — join the lawn bowls revolution. Outside of the summer season, a session at most bowling clubs will cost you mere pocket change, including access to all the proper gear, a guide to get you started off on the right foot and maybe a couple post-work pitchers. What's more, after a few weeks of practice, just imagine how you and your mates will dominate against all those less practiced suckers during summer's social barefoot bowls sessions. Where? Practice your bowl at one of these greens in Sydney, at the City of Melbourne Bowls Club and one of these lawns in Brisbane. YOGA WITH A TWIST A regular ol' vinyasa may not be everyone's cup of tea. So if you want to up the ante, throw in a twist to make things a bit more intriguing. Studios across the country are taking the concept of yoga to some rather wild territory, with classes that offer the ultimate mash-up of exercise and fun. Prefer your workout tunes to have some oomph? Head along to a hip hop yoga class and get bendy to a soundtrack of fresh beats. Or, if you fancy making some new feline friends, team that stretch session with a few kitty cuddles at cat yoga. There's even a variety of aerial yoga styles which'll find you nailing those poses while suspended gracefully in mid-air. Where? Stretch it out with some kitties at Catmosphere's cat yoga in Sydney, groove into your downward dog at hip hop yoga in Melbourne and defy gravity at Brissie's aerial yoga. THEMED TRIVIA Got a swag of random knowledge just waiting to be put to good use? Round up your post-work posse for some fun of the cerebral variety: showing off your pop cultural prowess with a rousing session of themed trivia. A more focused version of the classic pub quiz, these events provide the perfect opportunity to unleash your random stash of Harry Potter facts and, if we're honest, a brilliant excuse to go back and 'revise' your favourite TV shows, cult movies and long-forgotten pop music. What's more, on any given week, there's usually a plethora of themed trivia sessions to choose from. Gather your crew and bond over not-so useless facts, a few beers and a good ol' pub parma. Where? Test your music knowledge at The Toxteth's Tuesday Night Music Trivia in Glebe, dig up some old memories at Throwback Thursdays trivia at Island Somewhere in Melbourne and dive head first into Simpsons, Seinfeld or Harry Potter trivia at Man vs Bear's trivia nights held at various bars around Brisbane. Round up the troops and head out for a new after-work activity this week, topped off with a cheeky Hahn or two.
Throw those GoPros, bubble bottles and novelty gumboots in your rucksack, Splendour in the Grass is returning to North Byron Parklands for another year of festival merriment. After a fake lineup posted was 'leaked' prior to the official triple j announcement to catfish all us suckers eagerly awaiting the list of acts that will be appearing, the details for Splendour 2016 are finally here. In what is the best news we've heard this year, The Strokes (The Strokes!!!) will be Splendouring for their only Australian show. It also seems the predictions for The Cure were incredibly, amazingly correct — meaning that we'll be seeing both The Strokes and The Cure this July. It's almost too much to handle. Joining them is one heck of a lineup that includes The Avalanches — who haven't played a gig (that wasn't a DJ set) in over ten years. Fingers crossed the show coincides with new music. Iceland's Sigur Rós and Irish artist James Vincent McMorrow will also being doing one-off Australian shows at the festival, Courtney Barnett will make her first appearance at Byron, while James Blake and At the Drive-In will return, as will locals Flume and Sticky Fingers. Anyway, we know what you're here for. We'll cut to the chase. SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2016 LINEUP The Strokes (only Aus show) The Cure Flume The Avalanches (only Aus show) James Blake At The Drive-In Violent Soho Hermitude Band of Horses Sigur Ros (only Aus show) Santigold Matt Corby Sticky Fingers Boy & Bear Courtney Barnett Jake Bugg The 1975 Leon Bridges Duke Dumont (DJ set) James Vincent McMorrow (only Aus show) The Kills The Preatures What So Not Years And Years Gang Of Youths Illy Peter, Bjorn & John Golden Features Crystal Fighters Ball Park Music Tegan & Sara DMA'S Jack Garratt Hayden James City Calm Down Snakehips Mark Lanegan Michael Kiwanuka Jagwar Ma King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard The Jungle Giants The Internet Motez Marlon Williams Lido Emma Louise Kim Churchill Nothing But Thieves Lapsley Kacy Hill Slumberjack Robert Forster (10 Years On) Beach Slang Urthboy Little May Boo Seeka Ganz Spring King Melbourne Ska Orchestra Fat White Family Total Giovanni Methyl Ethel Slum Sociable L D R U In Loving Memory of Szymon Blossoms High Tension Roland Tings Sampa The Great The Wild Feathers Harts Ngaiire montaigne Tired Lion Green Buzzard Jess Kent Gold Class Lucy Cliche Opiuo Mall grab Dom Dolla Paces Just A Gent Dro Carey Running Touch Wafia World Champion Suzi Zhen Remi Nicole Millar Dreller Feki Kllo Banoffee Plus... Moonbase Comander The Meeting Tree Twinsy Purple Sneaker Djs Human Movement Panete Swick Amateur Dance Ribongia Splendour will return to North Byron Parklands on Friday 22, Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 July. Onsite camping will once again be available from Wednesday, July 20. Image: Bianca Holderness.
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.
It's not easy being green in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So far, Kermit the Frog — the OG source of that nugget of wisdom — hasn't made the leap into the sprawling big- and small-screen franchise; however, the MCU's emerald-hued characters have still faced their struggles. Bruce Banner aka the Hulk is one. Guardians of the Galaxy's Gamora is another. Thanks to Spider-Man: No Way Home, the Green Goblin fits, too. And now, so does Jennifer Walters — who's about to be know to Disney+ viewers as She-Hulk. The premise of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is right there in its name. Walters (Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black, Perry Mason) is a lawyer newly specialising in superhuman law. After an experiment by Banner (Mark Ruffalo, Dark Waters, I Know This Much Is True), she's soon turning green when she's scared and angry. As the just-dropped trailer for the new MCU show points out, those two emotions "are the baseline for any woman just existing" — and how that plays out will be covered when the new series hits your streaming queue from August 17. If your memory of TV extends back to the late 90s and early 00s, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law should give you big Ally McBeal vibes — but with superheroes instead of Calista Flockhart and dancing babies. Walters' work life, her efforts to balance being an attorney and being She-Hulk, her dating experiences: they're all covered in the initial sneak peek, as is sitting around chatting about everything with her best pal (Ginger Gonzaga, Kidding) over drinks. [caption id="attachment_854362" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] As it explores what it's like to be a single thirtysomething attorney who is also a green six-foot-seven-inch hulk — you know, that old chestnut — the show's nine-episode first season will also feature familiar MCU faces in the form of Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) as Wong and Tim Roth (Bergman Island) as Emil Blonsky/the Abomination. Rounding out the cast is a heap of recent sitcom standouts: Josh Segarra (The Other Two), Jameela Jamil (The Good Place), Jon Bass (Miracle Workers) and Renée Elise Goldsberry (Girls5eva). And, behind the lens, Kat Coiro (Marry Me) and Anu Valia (And Just Like That...) share directing duties across the season, with Jessica Gao (Rick and Morty) as head writer. When She-Hulk: Attorney at Law arrives in August, it'll be the latest dose of Marvel mania in what's proving to be a huge MCU year. It follows Moon Knight and the soon-to-drop Ms Marvel on streaming, then Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder in cinemas. Check out the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law trailer below: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law will start streaming via Disney+ from August 17.
"So, how long have you been dead?" If you're a vampire being interviewed, that's the kind of opening question that's bound to come your way. More queries obviously have to follow, but it's a helluva ice-breaker — and, in the new Interview with a Vampire TV series, it's slung Louis de Pointe du Lac's way. Set to arrive in October — in Australia via AMC+ from Sunday, October 2, with New Zealand details still to be announced — this new small-screen adaptation of Anne Rice's 1976 gothic horror novel of the same name sparks plenty of questions itself, too. No, Brad Pitt doesn't play Louis, as he did almost 30 years ago in the 1994 movie. No, Tom Cruise doesn't play fellow vamp Lestat de Lioncourt again either. And you can guess the answers to your next two queries: no, Kirsten Dunst isn't back as Claudia, and neither is Christian Slater as the interviewer. All those characters feature here, though, with the Interview with a Vampire series retelling Louis, Lestat and Claudia's tale. If you remember the flick — the film that helped push Dunst to fame as a child, well before she was an Oscar-nominee for The Power of the Dog — you'll know that it steps through the undead trio's not-quite-lives (being eternally undead might be the better way to describe it). This time, Jacob Anderson — aka Game of Thrones' Grey Worm — is the New Orleans resident who can't resist the offer to live forever. Playing Lestat to his Louis is Australian actor Sam Reid (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson). As for child vampire Claudia, Bailey Bass (Psycho Sweet 16) does the honours, with the always-welcome Eric Bogosian (Succession) as probing interviewer Daniel Molloy. Like plenty of other upcoming movies and TV shows did — such as The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, House of the Dragon, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, John Wick: Chapter 4 and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Interview with the Vampire dropped its first sneak peek at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. With Louis' story starting in the 1900s, it's big on period details and costuming, plus a sweeping mood. And yes, reviving 90s movies as a series is a trend that shows no signs of dying — like interviewed vampires — given that Interview with the Vampire will hit streaming queues less than two months after the new TV version of A League of Their Own does the same. Also, Interview with the Vampire joins the film-to-TV vampire ranks, too, alongside Buffy the Vampire Slayer and What We Do in the Shadows. Check out the Interview with the Vampire trailer below: Interview with the Vampire will start streaming in Australia viaAMC+ from Sunday, October 2. We'll update you with New Zealand details when they become available. Images: Alfonso Bresciani/AMC.
Do you ever find yourself at a bar, watching the bartender flip bottles, throw pestles and shake things dramatically while making your cocktail, and wonder, "is this guy legit or is he just trying to channel Tom Cruise in Cocktail for fun"? Wonder no longer. The team behind Patrón (your fave 'treat yo'self' premium tequila) are hosting a competition on Saturday, October 14 to find Australia's best cocktail mixologists. The whole affair is going down at Whitehart, an industrial, two-storey CBD bar built from repurposed shipping containers — and yes, it will involve plenty of luxe cocktails. So, what makes an award-winning cocktail master? Is it just the drinks they create? Or the showmanship? The customer service? Or knowing that three olives are always better than two in a dirty martini? Whatever it is, you'll soon find out. The Patrón Perfectionists Australian Finals is a seriously exclusive event that will gather the most promising bartending talent from around the country and let them demonstrate their very best skills for a panel of industry experts. Successful drinks will be visually appealing, delicious and, of course, created with Patrón as the hero ingredient. Also, points will be awarded for the mixologists' performances and audience engagement, so you can almost guarantee some Tom Cruise-esque flair to go down. The winner of the final will then go on to represent Australia at the Global Patrón Perfectionists final at the Hacienda Patrón distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. If you think the event sounds like the tequila heaven you've always dreamed of, then you'll be stoked to know that we have 25 exclusive double passes to give away — it'll just be you winners and the creme de la creme of Australia's cocktail scene. Even better, entry to the event includes free cocktails (you know they'll be good) and free canapés all night long. Prepare to learn more about cocktail mixing than you ever thought you would. [competition]638006[/competition]
German agency Jung von Matt has given some of the world's most iconic cartoon characters a wonderful makeunder by recreating them with Lego blocks. With a distinct minimalist approach to these creations, Jung von Matt have used height and colour to cleverly mould these creations. Nothing displays this better than Marge Simpson's signature towering blue hairstyle. However, some of the other cartoons aren't so easy to make out. But once you find out the answer, you'll kick yourself for not spotting them earlier. Furthermore, your ability to name these characters will be a good indicator of how much time you spent in front of the television as a kid. Have a look at the images below, and score yourself on how many you can guess. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Smurfs Asterix and Obelix South Park [via Flavorwire]
First, hobbits tuck into breakfast. Then, they enjoy second breakfast. In fact, in both JRR Tolkien's books and the movie adaptations that've brought them to the screen so far, they like their meals frequently and with the smallest of gaps between them. That seems to be an approach that Prime Video is taking to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, its upcoming Middle-earth series, too — at least when it comes to dropping sneak peeks at the long-awaited show. The Rings of Power seems like it has been in the works forever, because it's now been 21 years since the first of The Lord of the Rings movies had everyone rushing to cinemas, obsessing over hobbits and elves, and saying "precious" too many times — and, it's also been five years since it was initially revealed that a TV series was in the works. The show will drop in September, starting on Friday, September 2, but early glimpses have been as rare as a pacifist orc until this month. Now, in the space of just a fortnight, Prime Video has dropped not just one, not two, but three new trailers. The latest arrived during San Diego Comic-Con, aka the reason that other big fantasy titles such as Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon and game-to-screen adaptation Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves have also released trailers this week — and it's the longest look at The Rings of Power yet. It also provides the most complete overview of the show's storyline, which jumps back into Middle-earth's Second Age, bringing that era from the LOTR realm to the screen for the first time. In past trailers — including the initial sneak peek back in February — gorgeous settings, elves, dwarves, harfoots (aka hobbit ancestors), stormy seas, strange skies, cave trolls, raging fires and orc battles have all popped up. This new trailer pieces together more of the plot around them. The focus: the rise of Sauron, how that gave rise to the rings and the impact across Middle-earth. Also seen in the new sneak peek: more orcs, and even a balrog. The Rings of Power features a young Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, Saint Maud) and a young Elrond (Robert Aramayo, The King's Man), too — and, this time, New Zealand's natural splendours stand in for the Elven realms of Lindon and Eregion, the Dwarven realm Khazad-dûm, the Southlands, the Northernmost Wastes, the Sundering Seas and the island kingdom of Númenór. Amazon first announced the show back in 2017, gave it the official go-ahead in mid-2018 and set its premiere date back in 2021. In-between, it confirmed that it wouldn't just remake Peter Jackson's movies. Rather, as per the show's official synopsis, it follows "the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history," with the action set thousands of years before the novels and movies we've all read and watched. If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial rise and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. The series will "take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness," the synopsis continues. "Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone," it also advises. That's a hefty tale to tell, and The Rings of Power has amassed a hefty cast to tell it — and some impressive talent behind the scenes. Among the other actors traversing Middle-earth are Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Undoing) as Arondir, Nazanin Boniadi (Bombshell) as Bronwyn, Owain Arthur (A Confession) as Prince Durin IV, Charlie Vickers (Palm Beach) as Halbrand and Sophia Nomvete (The Tempest) as Princess Disa. There's also Tom Budge (Judy & Punch), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (The Accountant), Maxim Baldry (Years and Years), Peter Mullan (Westworld), Benjamin Walker (The Underground Railroad) and comedian Lenny Henry. And, the series is being overseen by showrunners and executive producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay, while filmmaker JA Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) directs the first two episodes. Check out the latest The Rings of Power trailer below: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be available to stream via Prime Video from Friday, September 2, 2022. Images: Matt Grace / Ben Rothstein.
This year's Ballarat Beer Festival is well and truly worth skipping town for, with 35 craft brewers to sample, delicious food trucks and excellent live entertainment on offer at the country festival. On top of all the tastings, there will also be The Sessions: a series of informative talks from brewers and beer aficionados alike. Some of the brews you can look forward to include award-winning drops from Temple Brewing Co. and Two Birds Brewing, an intriguing green tea-infused Japanese ale from 7 cent Brewery called 'Mista Sparkle', and a gluten free chocolate orange porter from Rebellion Brewing. If by some bizarre cruel twist of fate you find yourself having your fill of beer for the day, there will also be plenty of cider options such as Batlow and Blue Elephant, local wines, and even Trumpeters alcoholic iced tea. If you're in town early and looking to kick things off, there will be a Friday degustation dinner on the eve of the festival, where Huxtable's Daniel Wilson will be serving up a four-course dinner with beers to match. And if all the fantastic food and drink options weren’t enough, there will be musical performances by the likes of You Am I, Dallas Crane, Kylie Auldist, The ReChords, Bakersfield Glee Club and The New Savages.
If seasonal change has left you in a dizzy headspin of new colours and fabrics and prints and jackets — or if, y'know, you just like some fancy new clothes now and then — you'll be pretty pleased to know that the Big Fashion Sale is coming back to Melbourne for four days this March. The name pretty much says it all. This thing is big. You'll find thousands of lush items from past collections, samples and one-offs from over 50 cult Australian and international designers, both well-known and emerging, including Kenzo, Marni, Phillip Lim, Karla Špetić, Adidas, Kowtow, Macgraw, Thursday Sunday and more. With discounts of up to 80 percent off, this is one way to up your count of designer while leaving your bank balance sitting pretty too. Prices this low tend to inspire a certain level of ruthlessness in all of us, though, so practise that grabbing reflex in advance. This is every person for themselves. The Big Fashion Sale will be open 9am–7pm Thursday, 9am–8pm Friday, 9am–6pm Saturday, and 10am–4pm Sunday.
Ikea products are notoriously frustrating to assemble, and the lack of words in their assemble instructions doesn't make it any easier. While their commitment to sustainability and not wasting paper is admirable, surely a few words here and there wouldn't kill too many more extra trees. But have you ever been tempted to just throw the instructions out and see what happens? Italian design firm Teste Di Legno did just that, although more out of curiosity than frustration. While assembling some new office furniture, they came up with the idea of "enriching" one piece of furniture with bits of another, which led to the creation of their 'Lato B' collection — four pieces of multipurpose Franken-furniture made entirely out of reimagined Ikea products. For instance, their 'Unacucina' ('one kitchen') piece combines a coffee table, toy storage and flower pots with an island bench to create a quirky, one-off piece of furniture that even has space for a herb garden. On Teste di Legno's website, they describe the process of making the collection as being "like moving around a body to discover the less visible parts (from side A to side B), or illuminating with a ray of light the dark part — not of the moon — which forces a design to have a fixed, rigid, defined identity: a table is a table." Although 'Ikea hacking' is not a new idea, this is definitely among the more creative attempts we've seen. Via PSFK.
United Places' remit was to create a home away from home. Its success is immediately apparent, with the greenery from the Royal Botanic Gardens across the road extending right into the 12 luxury suites, creating a space you'll never want to leave. It may be small, but it has got to be one of Melbourne's top hotels. Each suite offers hardwood floors and polished kitchens, while terraces with sweeping city and parkland views complement the cosy living zones. You also have your own laundry facilities (hard to find in boutique hotels these days) and a large en-suite bathroom with rain shower. While you're at United Places, you'll haver to eat at acclaimed chef Scott Pickett's hatted restaurant, Matilda. The kitchen's contemporary Australian cuisine is produced entirely over open flames and hot coals — and you won't have to leave your room to enjoy it, with the high-end meals delivered directly to your suite. Dining at the restaurant is an experience in itself though, so we'd recommend heading in one night, too. These guys also care deeply about sustainability. Their rainwater is collected, stored and harvested for toilet flushing, reducing our water usage by 52%. All the bathroom amenities contain no harmful chemicals or additives and they use eco-friendly organic enzyme cleaning solutions that are biodegradable and phosphate free. The property uses a solar energy system to offset greenhouse emissions for all common areas. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Everything at United Places is very clearly thought out. It's a thoroughly modern hotel. 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. Images by Sharyn Cairns Appears in: The Best Hotels in Melbourne
Drinking a few brews and accidentally getting beer splashed on your shoes is a problem we've all experienced, particularly if you've indulged in a few steins at Oktoberfest. When people amass for a big, boozy shindig, steins start dripping and so does your footwear — and, as often happens when folks enjoy a few too many cold beverages, a stray drop of beer or several isn't the only unpleasantness threatening your kicks. Enter Adidas' new Originals München 'Oktoberfest' sneakers, aka the brand's solution to errant alcohol, its after-effects and its potential for stained shoes during the annual celebration. Made in Germany and available for a limited time from retailer 43einhalb, they're designed to withstand brews and vomit thanks to "durable puke and beer repellent" coating over their leather surface. Just how that works hasn't been revealed, but we're guessing you still shouldn't try pouring a whole pint over them. Selling for almost AU$300 (€199.95), the shoes also cater for the less messy parts of Oktoberfest, because the yearly booze fest is all in the name of fun. Accordingly, they're decked out with embroidery designed to match your lederhosen, have "prost" (aka cheers in German) stitched into the side, and come with a custom beer mug. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkMQyAEpyuk Via Munchies. Images:43einhalb/Adidas.
Since the mid-90s, Paul Rudd has been a constant presence on both big and small screens. First, he won over Beverly Hills' coolest teen in Clueless, joined horror royalty in Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers and somehow became the unattractive romantic alternative in Romeo + Juliet. Then, he helped deliver San Diego's news in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, ran for office against Leslie Knope in Parks & Recreation and became the world's smallest superhero in Ant-Man. The list goes on, spanning a trip to camp in Wet Hot American Summer, as well appearances on Friends and Veronica Mars. But it's Netflix's new series Living With Yourself that's finally giving the world what we want — all the Paul Rudd that anyone could ever ask for. Yet another existential comedy to join the likes of The Good Place, Russian Doll, Forever and Undone, Living With Yourself follows an ordinary guy struggling through an average life, until he discovers an unusual solution. Miles (Rudd) heads to a day spa expecting to come out feeling refreshed — and that happens, in a way. The new and improved version of Miles couldn't be happier, but the old version is still hanging around. Two Paul Rudds is most people's dream, of course. In Living With Yourself, however, the two versions of his character cause quite the chaos. How the pair handle their shared life, wife Kate (Aisling Bea), career and identity fuels this eight-episode show, as do weighty questions, including trying to be a better version of ourselves. Hitting Netflix mid-October, the series was written by Emmy Award-winning The Daily Show producer Timothy Greenberg, and directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (The Battle of the Sexes, Ruby Sparks, Little Miss Sunshine). Check out the trailer for Living With Yourself below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w54yW2Ur50 Living With Yourself drops on Netflix on October 18. Images: Netflix.
Celebrities use Twitter to rave about who they're sitting next to at the Oscars, teens use Twitter to 'follow' the celebrities, and the remaining account-holders use Twitter to let everyone else know exactly what they're doing at any given moment of the day. However this January and February Twitter became much more than a social network to let your friends know what you had for breakfast — just ask the thousands of young activists in Egypt whose tweets resulted in an unprecedented method of recording history as it happened right before their eyes. Tweets from Tahrir documents each day of the violent revolution in Egypt that ended hundreds of lives, focusing on the uprisings in Cairo's Tahrir Square. The twist: every word and picture of the book is taken from tweets posted by Egyptians either in the heat of conflict or prior to staging a revolution, capturing instant reactions to the demonstrations like no other form of journalism has been able to. Quite the change from updates about Lady Gaga's outfit. Activists Alex Nunns and Nadia Idle edited the 160 pages full of uncensored fear, distress and eventually the excitement of victory, and have organized the 140-character tweets into chronological order, allowing readers to fully grasp the ups and downs of the historic events as they happened. This groundbreaking compilation of 'citizen journalism' will be published on April 21, and readers will be able to experience the drama and ecstasy of the story as it unfolded.
Melburnians are about to score a sophisticated introduction to the concept of 'new Nordic' cuisine, with elevated all-day diner Freyja set to open its doors in June. The restaurant will make its home in Collins Street's 130-year-old heritage-listed Olderfleet building, as sibling to existing residents, co-working space Work Club and Scandi-inspired underground bar Valhalla. And not one, but two of its chefs boast Michelin Star experience. Named after the legendary boar-riding Norse goddess, the 130-seat Freyja will unfold over two levels, featuring minimalist interiors by designer Clark Bardsley (Head of Design for Work Club Global). Expect striking details throughout, with contrasting hues played cleverly against earthy-toned textiles, natural timbers and metallic elements. [caption id="attachment_808660" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Freyja's sibling and neighbour Valhalla[/caption] Head Chef Jae Bang is no small deal, coming to us via Norway's Michelin-Starred 21-seater Re-naa. Not only that, he'll be joined in the kitchen by former Lee Ho Fook Head Chef Daniel Gordon and yet another Re-naa alum, Aaron Caccia. Together, they'll be delivering a menu that fuses modern Australian sensibilities with a taste of new Nordic cuisine — a blend of traditional Northern European technique and more experimental new-school leanings. At breakfast, lunch and dinner, that'll be showcased across an offering of contemporary fare built around practices like pickling, smoking, curing and even lacto-fermenting. A matching drinks list is set to celebrate both local and international drops, including a range of Northern European craft brews. Beer fiends will hope the latter means appearances from the likes of Norway's own Lervig, Denmark's Mikkeller and To Øl, and Omnipollo out of Sweden. Find Freyja in the Olderfleet building at 477 Collins Street, Melbourne, from June. It'll open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Have you heard the rumour that we're heading into one of the coldest winters ever? While we're sad to say goodbye to lazy beach days and rooftop bars, we're (very) warmly embracing the news as a good excuse for indoor activities — think intimate dinners, house parties and plenty of gigs. To help with the seasonal transition, we've launched a new gig guide in partnership with JBL Link Speakers. Here, we'll give you the low-down on all of the best performers filling our fair cities with their tunes. And since we love doing the hard work for you, we'll also include a curated Spotify playlist of our recommendations for pre-gig study and post-gig reminiscing. To celebrate this new partnership, we're giving away three sets of JBL Link 10 speakers, valued at $229 each. As well as wireless connection, these mighty music boxes have hands-free voice control so Google Assistant becomes your personal DJ — simply shout "OK, Google" and your tune of choice and music will start streaming directly via Chromecast. With up to five hours of play time and high quality sound, the JBL Link 10 speakers are the perfect home accessory for music mavens. To enter, see details below. [competition]659863[/competition]
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
He was one of the youngest cast members in Saturday Night Live's history. During his eight-season run on the iconic US sketch-comedy series, he riffed on his own life aplenty, then did the same in The King of Staten Island on the big screen, plus in streaming series Bupkis. If you've caught Pete Davidson's comedy specials, you'll know that the same applies when he's onstage, too — which Melbourne audiences can witness live in September 2025. Davidson has locked in an Aussie leg on his latest stand-up tour, playing three cities: Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. The whirlwind trip will see him perform three gigs three nights in a row, with a date with Palais Theatre on Tuesday, September 30 smack-bang in the middle. Beyond SNL and otherwise fictionalising his own experiences in cinemas and on TV — and beyond his Pete Davidson: SMD, Pete Davidson: Alive From New York and Pete Davidson: Turbo Fonzarelli specials as well — Davidson has rarely been far from screens over the past decade. Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Trainwreck, Big Time Adolescence, The Suicide Squad, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Fast X, Dumb Money: they're all on his resume. Davidson's 2025 Aussie dates come just after his latest film, heist comedy The Pickup co-starring Eddie Murphy (Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F), drops on Prime Video in early August.
The age of anything and everything available online is extending its reach to even the most humanitarian of acts: charity. Lending a hand to New Zealand's earthquake victims has been made simple with the development of the Christchurch Cafe, a virtual coffee shop that donates 100% of its profits to survivors suffering from severe income loss. The inspirational site was created by the workers at Crafted Coffee, a Christchurch shop that was fortunate enough to escape the wrath of the devastating quake in February. The virtual cafe aims to aid business owners that were not so lucky by offering a menu of virtual coffee beverages, beans and equipment, priced from $2 to $300, that can be purchased in the form of a donation by a mere click of the mouse. Each item is linked to a Paypal site, making the process that much easier. Victims in need apply for aid online and Christchurch Cafe offers $200 per month, per person for as many as they can support with the money raised. Although you may not get the kick of caffeine that comes with any other flat white at a cozy coffee shop, every dollar contributed to the Christchurch Cafe helps the struggling New Zealanders afford food and housing that is difficult to come by in the horrific aftermath of the earthquake. Now, let us not rule out boxing up unwanted clothes or extra canned goods to help out victims of natural disasters, but hopefully skipping your morning brew and donating a virtual flat white instead will catch on as a means of giving aid, and the altruistic buzz should more than make up for the missed caffeine kick.
It may sound like a cliché, describing a filmmaker as courageous. But when it comes to Jafar Panahi, it really is the only word that fits. For years, Panahi's films, including The Circle and Offside, drew the ire of censors in his native Iran for their frank depictions of the hardships felt by people, and particularly women, under the nation's conservative regime. This came to a head in 2010 when he was arrested on propaganda charges and later slapped with a 20 year ban from filmmaking – a ban he has been defying ever since. Tehran Taxi, which won the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival back in February, is Panahi's third film to be made under these restrictions, following This Is Not A Film in 2011 and Closed Curtain in 2013. Those films were shot in secret in his apartment and beachside villa, respectively. This time he's a little bolder, shooting surreptitiously from the inside of a cab as he drives it around the city, capturing his conversations with various passengers – including a schoolteacher, a lawyer and a thief – with a small dashboard camera. Whether these characters are real people or actors (or a combination of both) is intentionally left unclear, as Panahi playfully blurs the line between documentary and fiction. It's this playfulness and good humour that is key to the movie's success. In Panahi's previous two films, you can sense his frustration and feelings of helplessness – and given his situation, you can hardly hold that against him. They're fascinating works, and important, but more by virtue of their existence than their content. They feel like therapy, not films. Tehran Taxi, on the other hand, plays like a movie in its own right. Here, Panahi mixes the meta elements of his recent output with the shrewd social commentary of his pre-arrest work, all buoyed by a lightness and a cheekiness that makes it accessible to audiences far beyond the arthouse. Indeed, much of Tehran Taxi plays like a straightforward comedy. In one segment, a friendly vendor of pirated DVDs attempts to partner up with Panahi, reasoning that more people will buy his wares – including copies of Midnight in Paris and The Big Bang Theory – if he's working with a famous filmmaker. In another segment, Panahi must ferry two panicked, superstitious old women across town, so they might return their goldfish to a sacred spring in order to buy themselves another year of life. But the most delightful scenes belong to Panahi's young niece Hana, whose lively repartee with her uncle – after he picks her up an hour late from primary school – will leave you smiling from ear to ear. Of course even beneath the humour, Panahi's rebellious spirit shines through. Hana, we soon learn, wants to make a film herself, but she's baffled by the instructions of her school teacher, who insists that movies mustn't discuss political or economic issues, and that the students should remove anything dark or unpleasant. "There are realities they don't want shown," explains her uncle. In another scene, they give a ride to a friend of Panahi's, human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is on her way to visit the family of a woman who has been imprisoned for trying to sneak into a volleyball game. Yet even the film's more more serious moments, or in its abrupt, unsettling ending, Tehran Taxi leaves viewers with a sense of hope. It's a film that throws the hypocrisy of oppressors back in their face, and does so with a wry sense of humour. We'll end this review with a quote from filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, who headed the Berlin Festival jury that awarded Panahi top honours. "Instead of allowing his spirit to be crushed and giving up, instead of allowing himself to be filled with anger and frustration, Jafar Panahi created a love letter to cinema. His film is filled with love for his art, his community, his country and his audience." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOAOxsHVTYk
Audrey Hepburn. Federico Fellini. Woody Allen. Names and faces synonymous with film history, they'll now be the subject of a series of free Sunday night screenings at the National Gallery of Victoria, presented by academics from the University of Melbourne. The six-week program includes a combination of classic and contemporary films designed to tie in with the NGV's Italian Masterpieces season, on display until the end of August. Split into two parts, the series begins with images of the region as shot by foreigners, starting with William Wyler's Roman Holiday followed by a pair of Woody Allen films in To Rome with Love and Vicki Christina Barcelona. Then in mid August, Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita will kick off a trio of critically acclaimed Italian films. Fellini will be followed by Giuseppe Tornatore's love letter to cinema in Cinema Paradiso, before the series concludes with the most recent winner of the Best Foreign Language Oscar, Paolo Sorrentino's The Great Beauty. https://youtube.com/watch?v=fJfvX6zPAuQ
Stellar LGBTQIA+ celebrations, the Sunshine State capital and sparkling spring weather: that's the Melt Festival formula every year, including in 2025. Brisbane's annual ode to "queer joy, protest and pride", as Melt Executive Producer Emmie Paranthoiene dubs it, is taking over the River City between Wednesday, October 22–Sunday, November 9. On the lineup: 18 days packing more than 60 venues with hundreds of performances and events. Getting excited about 2025's Melt Festival has been easy for a few months now. First, the Brisbane LGBTQIA+ fest announced that Broadway icon Bernadette Peters was making the River City her only Australian stop just for the event. Then, it also confirmed that the River Pride Parade would float its boats for another year. After that came news of 1000 Voices, uniting singers from queer and pride choirs en masse. Next came its initial big program drop. Now the full bill has been unveiled — one that Paranthoiene describes as "celebrating the full spectrum of LGBTQIA+ voices, from bold new talent to iconic artists who continue to break boundaries with this diverse program. Melt is a love letter to our community and everyone's invited to the party." Think: pageants, parades, musical theatre, comedy, choral installation, burlesque, visual arts, theatre, films such as Lesbian Space Princess and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and plenty more. The fringe-style celebration of queer arts and culture fills Brisbane Powerhouse, and also spreads further across the city. Sugar by Tomáš Kantor is one new highlight, with the cabaret taking cues from Pretty Woman and boasting tunes from Chappell Roan, who has been on the Melt lineup herself in the past. Or, catch the return of BRIEFS with Jealousss, plus the Briefs Bus doing guided tours that explore Brisbane's queer history. Comedian Urzila Carlson is on the program, too, as is actor and activist Zoe Terakes (Ironheart, The Office, Talk to Me) doing an in-conversation session. 2025 newcomer Melting Pot is giving Brisbane Powerhouse a pop-up venue each week, featuring the likes of QUIVR DJs, Miss First Nation heats and queer line dancing — plus Melt artists putting on showcases and other surprises. Theatrical performance Rhythmology digs into factory resets as a theme, while daytime disco Play Date is designed for families. [caption id="attachment_1017773" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Atmosphere Photography[/caption] Reuben Kaye, the full Miss First Nation drag contest, a queer wrestle party, Femme Follies Burlesque: they're all on the lineup from past announcements. Kaye is heading to the fest to give his cabaret show enGORGEd, which'll feature Camerata — Queensland's Chamber Orchestra, its Sunshine State premiere. Shining the spotlight on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander drag queens, Miss First Nation is also making a date with Brisbane for the first time, bringing the finale to the city after putting on state heats around the nation in the lead-up. The Tivoli is your go-to for Melt's high-energy queer wrestle-party, while Femme Follies Burlesque will bring its sapphic moves to The Wickham. Or, you can catch The Lucky Country, a new musical about what it means to be Australian — and the myths and contradictions that come with it — in 2025. Malacañang Made Us and Whitefella Yella Tree are also treading the boards, the first about the Filipino Australian experience and the second telling a love story. There's also a queer boat party on floating venue Oasis; the return of Queer PowerPoint; and a drag Scream Queen shindig with Naomi Smalls and Yvie Oddly, plus Drag Race UK's Kyran Thrax. Or, check out a heap of instruments and performers suspended by rope to pay tribute to Brisbane's punk history, Gerwyn Davies' series of portraits in collaboration with Open Doors Youth Service's trans and gender-diverse young people, and Instagram imagery given a new life in Micah Rustichelli's Demon Rhythm. [caption id="attachment_1007544" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Claudio Raschella[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1007548" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Kelly[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1007545" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Ravik[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1007547" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gregory Lorenzutti[/caption] Melt Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, October 22–Sunday, November 9. Head to the festival website for more details. River Pride Parade images: brizzypix.
Summer has finally arrived — and Melbourne Museum is set on making the most of those warm days and long, balmy nights. From Saturday, December 24–Sunday, February 26, its Plaza will come alive for Summer of Play, complete with a jam-packed program of fun for young and old. You can take a nostalgic trip back to childhood with a ride on the dazzling Light Seesaw or the luminous swings emblazoned with the words 'I Believe'; both the work of art and technology studio ENESS. Challenge your mates to games of handball and ping pong, with equipment available from the Plaza Play Concierge. And once you've worked up a sweat, hit the ice cream truck, which is scooping museum-inspired treats from 11am Wednesday to Sunday. Meanwhile, weekend evenings are kicking on late for Plaza Nights (January 6–28). From 5pm Friday and 2pm Saturday, nab a spot in the al fresco lounge to enjoy pop-up bars, DJs, food trucks and plenty more ping pong matches. You can also score after-hours access to the museum's Tyama exhibition, book a twilight tour of the newly revamped Dome Promenade (atop the Royal Exhibition Building) and hit a late-night IMAX screening of Avatar: The Way of Water. [caption id="attachment_864171" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Tyama', by Eugene Hyland[/caption]
Since 2016's Suicide Squad, the DC Extended Universe has tasked Viola Davis with corralling super-powered folks, including villains forced to do the state's bidding (as also seen in The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker) and regular world-saving superheroes (the just-released Black Adam). In The Woman King, however, she's more formidable, powerful and magnificent than any spandex-wearing character she's ever shared a frame with — or ever will in that comic-to-screen realm. Here, she plays the dedicated and determined General Nanisca, leader of the Agojie circa 1823. This is an "inspired by true events" tale, and the all-female warrior troupe was very much real, protecting the now-defunct west African kingdom of Dahomey during its existence in what's now modern-day Benin. Suddenly thinking about a different superhero domain and its own redoubtable women-only army, aka the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Dora Milaje in Wakanda? Yes, Black Panther took inspiration from the Agojie. If you're thinking about Wonder Woman's Amazons, too, the Agojie obviously pre-dates them as well. Links to two huge franchises in various fashions aren't anywhere near The Woman King's main attraction, of course. Davis and her fellow exceptional cast members, such as Lashana Lynch (No Time to Die), Thuso Mbedu and Sheila Atim (both co-stars in The Underground Railroad); The Old Guard filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood and her grand and kinetic direction, especially in fight scenes; stunningly detailed costumes and production design that's both vibrant and textured; a story that still boasts humour and heart: they all rank far higher among this feature's drawcards. So does the fact that this is a lavish historical epic in the Braveheart and Gladiator mould, but about ass-kicking Black women badged "the bloodiest bitches in Africa". Also, while serving up an empowering vision, The Woman King also openly grapples with many difficulties inherent in Dahomey's IRL history (albeit in a mass consumption-friendly, picking-and-choosing manner). It's under the cover of night that Nanisca and the stealthy, feline-quick Agojie first show The Woman King's audience exactly what they're capable of, as camped-out male slavers from the rival Oyo Empire are swiftly and brutally dispensed with during a mission to free abducted Dahomean women. From that vivid opening, the female-led The Woman King on- and off-screen lets viewers know what it, Davis, Prince-Bythewood and their collaborators are capable of, too. Potent, ferocious, mighty: they all fit. When it comes to the film's protagonist, she's fierceness personified, yet also always nuanced. In a role that'll likely garner her award nominations at the very least, to go along with past Oscar nods for Doubt, The Help and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom — and her win for Fences — Davis is tremendous in the part, in battle and otherwise, exuding world-weariness, raw strength, and the kind of resilience that's only forged by navigating deep horrors. After the film's initial rescue gambit, the Agojie are down in number. Abandoned to Dahomey's King Ghezo (John Boyega, Small Axe) because she won't marry men who beat her, headstrong Nawi (Mbedu) becomes a new recruit. As the teen trains to become permanently accepted among them, including by the resolute and mischievous Izogie (Lynch) and Amenza (Atim), Nanisca endeavours to bend the ruler's ear about future battles and policies. The Oyo will keep attacking, and keep trying to trade Dahomey's populace into slavery. A Portuguese-Brazilian aristocrat (Hero Fiennes Tiffin, After Ever Happy) knows that he can profit off the Dahomey-Oyo tensions, and gain slaves to hawk along the way. Also, Dahomey itself isn't above selling Africans into subservience themselves. Nanisca has other concerns, too: getting revenge over a heartbreaking chapter of her past, the pain and sacrifice she still bears as a result, and instilling the Agojie's brand of sisterhood in Nawi. The Woman King's title isn't just another way to say 'queen'. Rather, it's a label given by Dahomey's male leader to the woman he sees as his equal in their lands. His preferred wife Shante (Jayme Lawson, The Batman) wants the designation in a firmly regal sense, but the conventions of storytelling and filmmaking mean there's zero doubt that Nanisca deserves the status. Bestowing the moniker is hardly the chief concern to her, Prince-Bythewood or screenwriter Dana Stevens (Fatherhood) — who also shares a story credit with actress Maria Bello (NCIS) — though. Nanisca is still the force to be reckoned with either way, and a compelling figure worthy of the movie's appreciation. So, in a feature about striving for freedom, fairness, parity, progress and justice, as well as countering misogyny, colonialism and greed, and also surviving trauma, consider that title a reminder about the fight for equality, and how female power is perceived and treated — two centuries ago and also now. Slavishly devoted to every single fact, Prince-Bythewood, Stevens and their film aren't. First and foremost, they're committed to their aims, themes and ideas — to being a rousing action flick about the Agojie, primarily; to delving into all that represents; to celebrating strong and skilled women; and to making a movie that truly doesn't otherwise exist — so thinking of its take on the truth as akin to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's is wise. The Woman King doesn't hide this, given that it finds time for long-lost family connections that could've sprung straight from a soap opera, and for a romance between Nawi and the often-shirtless half-Dahomey slaver associate Malik (Jordan Bolger, Tom & Jerry). When everything else in the movie is so stirring, getting loose with reality and throwing in pure emotion-swelling Hollywood inclusions never drags The Woman King down. Indeed, not that they have to here, but the phenomenal quartet that is Davis, Lynch, Mbedu and Atim could lift any material. For all the mastery that ripples from Davis, she's in astonishing company, with all three of her key co-stars turning in weighty, resonant and career-cementing portrayals — Lynch with perceptiveness, Mbedu with volatility, and Atim with both wisdom and comfort. Not that they have to either, but Prince-Bythewood, cinematographer Polly Morgan (Where the Crawdads Sing) and the former's regular editor Terilyn A Shropshire (dating right back to 2000's Love & Basketball) could improve any fray-filled picture as well. When it's in full fight mode, with radiant lighting that adores its cast, plus sharp, visceral, muscular and balletic action choreography, The Woman King is not just electrifying but spectacular. That won't be a surprise to fans of The Old Guard, another riveting feature that saw Prince-Bythewood take on a familiar template, give it a female focus and reinvigorate it. That's a warrior's skill, too, and she's terrific at it.
Sometimes a walk down memory lane becomes a hike down memory lane. Then, before you know it, you've been reminiscing about the hotdogs from your school tuckshop for a good hour and you've got the munchies. Luckily, there might just be a fix. Melbournians are spoilt for choice when it comes to a good ol' fashioned eatery that'll give you all the nostalgic feels, pop some comfort grub on your plate and serve you up an experience of a bygone era at the same time. Of course, some things don't stay the same. You probably can't get as many doughnuts for your $2 pocket money as you used to, for example. So, with the help of American Express, we've created a list of retro places you won't need to rummage around for change to pay at: the nostalgic factor is high and the inconvenience is low ('cos you can just whack it all on your Amex card). Whether it's tuckshop food, punch bowls and finger sandwiches, or an immense Greek all-you-can-eat, take a stroll down that lane with these places — and brace yourself for the heartachey feels (but in a good way). Got yourself in another dining situation and need some guidance? Whatever it is, we know a place. Visit The Shortlist and we'll sort you out.
At the beginning of 2012, when the world discovered that Channing Tatum was starring in a movie about male strippers — and that it was based on his own experiences working in the field — everyone was a little sceptical. Which was understandable. Magic Mike boasts a great director in Steven Soderbergh, and a cast that also includes Matthew Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Olivia Munn, Riley Keough and peak McConnaissance-era Matthew McConaughey, but, on paper, it was hardly a sure thing. Of course, once the film hit the screens, it was a hit. More than that — it was a smart and sensitive look at men chasing the American Dream by taking off their clothes. Sequel Magic Mike XXL, which released in 2015, not only repeated the feat but added more depth, and Tatum successfully turned what could've been a forgettable chapter of his pre-fame life into a successful big-screen franchise. Actually, he's turned it into a stage and screen franchise. Yes, Magic Mike was always going to go back to where it all began. In Las Vegas and London (and soon Berlin), Magic Mike Live has been steaming up venues and letting real-life male dancers strip up a storm for eager audiences. Not to be confused with Magic Mike the Musical — because that's something that's also happening — the "immersive" dance show is coming to Australia in 2020. Hitting Birrarung Marr in Melbourne from Tuesday, May 26 — then heading to Sydney, Brisbane and Perth — Magic Mike Live will unleash its stuff in a 600-seat spiegeltent called The Arcadia. It's the world's largest spiegeltent, because clearly this kind of show has plenty of fans. This is the first time that the performance will be held in the pop-up two-storey spot, which comes with 360-degree views of the stage, a glass lobby, custom bars, a mini food hall, and a lounge area both inside and out. And while it's blazing a trail venue-wise, on the stage, the Aussie show will combine elements of the Magic Mike Live's three other international productions. While Tatum came up with the idea for Magic Mike Live and co-directs the show, the Step Up, 21 Jump Street, Logan Lucky and Kingsman: The Golden Circle star isn't actually one of the performers. Instead, a cast of 20 — including 15 male dancers — will showcase a combination of, dance, comedy and acrobatics. Continuing her role from the films, stage show co-director and choreographer Alison Faulk is behind the sultry moves, drawing upon a career spent working with Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Missy Elliott, P!NK, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin. It probably goes without saying, but if you're already thinking about buying Magic Mike Live tickets, expect to have plenty of hens parties for company. [caption id="attachment_753643" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jerry Metellus[/caption] MAGIC MIKE LIVE AUSTRALIAN TOUR Melbourne — Birrarung Mar, from Tuesday, May 26, 2020 Sydney — Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, from Thursday, November 19, 2020 Brisbane — TBC Perth — TBC Magic Mike Live tours Australia from Tuesday, May 26, 2020, when it kicks off its shows in Melbourne. For more information — or to buy tickets for the Melbourne and Sydney legs, or sign up for the Brisbane and Perth waitlists — visit the website.
Do you still know every word to Eminem's 'Lose Yourself' (not just 'spaghetti')? Can you do the whole verse to Nicki Minaj's 'Monster' with a sufficient number of sassy head bobs and eye bulges? Maybe you're just nostalgic for the days of hoop earrings, low-rider jeans and Adidas kicks. We feel ya, and so do the legends at 1000 £ Bend. In an unlikely union of Japanese novelty and gangsta beatz, Hip Hop Karaoke has been born. Now in its third instalment, this monthly slice of gangsta's paradise (yeah, we worked it in) is pulling big crowds. It's a first come first served policy on the mic so if you want to sing, get in early at 9pm. Once you have the stage, there are a few rules too. Obviously there's no racial or homophobic slurs, and thankfully there's no freestyling. Also, costumes are "heavily encouraged", so if you have a huge Snoop Dogg fur coat and cane you've been saving for a special occasion — your time has finally arrived. It's also worth pointing out that there are no lyric sheets on the night. Pick your song in advance and get practising. If that sounds a little daunting, don't worry. Drinks are $5 between 9-10pm; you'll find the courage somehow.
There's nothing like a little dose of Wes Anderson-style whimsy to have you dreaming of sunnier days ahead. So, it's only fitting that Fed Square is kicking off spring with a free screening of the director's smash-hit flick, The Grand Budapest Hotel. On Wednesday, September 7, head to the precinct's Digital Facade to catch the cult classic shown in all its glory up on the outdoor big screen — under the stars. In case you haven't seen it a million times before, the 2014 film tells the tale of Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes), a legendary concierge at a famed hotel, and his friendship sparked with the lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori). Expect a lot of pastel, a little romance and, of course, Bill Murray. There might even be a beanbag or two to cosy up on during the screening.
After beginning the year with a devastating bushfire season, then following it up with a global pandemic that rid the area of tourism, the Blue Mountains, it's fair to say, has has a tough 12 months. In response, Mount Tomah's Blue Mountains Botanic Garden has turned to an unlikely partner on its road towards bushfire recovery: gin. In collaboration with Sydney-based gin brand Grown Spirits, the Botanic Garden has released the Blue Mountains Grown Gin in a limited run of just 1000 bottles. All profits from the gin go to supporting the garden's horticultural and scientific staff in their efforts to restore hundreds of specimens and areas of the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden destroyed in the bushfires earlier this year. The Blue Mountains Grown Gin was created by Grown Spirits and Master Distiller Philip Moore at Distillery Botanica in Erina. It combines local eucalypt plant the silver-leaved mountain gum with juniper, valencia orange and liquorice root for a textural gin with a hint of spice. "In creating a gin homage to the Blue Mountains and the Garden, there was one botanical I was immediately drawn to, eucalyptus pulverulenta, or "Baby Blue" as some people call it," Moore said in a statement. "It brings fresh, cooling qualities to the gin much like the mountains themselves." The team recommends serving it in a G&T or a martini with a lime zest. You can also try it at Dead Ringer in Surry Hills, shaken into a cocktail called Evergreen. If you're looking for ethical holiday gifts this time of year, the Blue Mountains Grown Gin fits snuggly into a Christmas stocking. Not a gin enthusiast, but still keen to support the area? You can take a trip to the Blue Mountains — and the Garden — and spend liberally on local businesses. To start planning your adventure, check out our guide to the upper Blue Mountains and these enchanting local stays. The Blue Mountains Grown Gin is now available now for $129 at the Garden Grown Gin website or at select bottle shops across Australia.
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.
