A global pandemic, lengthy international border closures and postponements galore have left Melbourne's events calendar looking pretty slim these past two years. But as they say, the show must go on — and indeed, finally, there are some very exciting things in the works for our arts and performance scene. Not least of which is the launch of a brand new state-wide contemporary music celebration, dubbed Always Live. Coming in hot this year as the second cultural addition to Victoria's 2022 Major Events programming (the other being arts fest Rising), Always Live is set to deliver a blockbuster offering of music events that'll have people visiting from far and wide. The globally significant celebration will kick off with a bang, too — as a sneak-peek at what's to come, it's hosting a one-off Foo Fighters concert at Geelong's GMHBA Stadium on Friday, March 4. The 12-time Grammy Award-winning US rockers will be joined by local legends Amyl & The Sniffers and The Meanies, in what's set to be the most significant gig regional Victoria has ever seen. You can nab tickets here from February 25. Later in the year, we'll score a look at the full Always Live program, which is set to cement the state's status as an international music destination. Expect a bumper lineup of homegrown talent, Aussie music stars and overseas heavyweights, across a jam-packed offering of intimate gigs, stadium shows and everything in between. Always Live marks the realisation of a long-held dream of late Aussie music icon Michael Gudinski AM, the event chaired by son Matt Gudinski. "Always Live was a passion project for my dad to ensure Victoria continued to be recognised as the music capital of Australia, and Melbourne as one of the leading music cities in the world," he said in a statement. "I'm honoured to be part of now making it a reality at a time when the live music scene needs all the support it can get. I know Dad would be very proud to see the event launched and form a major part of re-establishing a thriving live music scene." The full Always Live program will be revealed mid 2022, but you can check out the website for more info in the meantime. The Always Live Foo Fighters concert will hit GMHBA Stadium on March 4, with tickets on sale from 12pm on February 25.
Making a movie about the life and work of Sebastião Salgado might seem like a rather easy task. For more than 40 years, the Brazilian social documentary photographer and photojournalist has travelled the world chronicling the people and places most don't ever see — the sights well off the beaten path. He has captured and collated thoughtful, contemplative long-term studies on topics such as work, migration and the interplay between nature and humanity, as seen in both books and exhibitions around the globe. The images snapped by his camera are as detailed, delicate and sometimes devastating as any seen on film, and look just as breathtaking when projected onto a cinema screen. It is far from surprising, then, that The Salt of the Earth emphasises his output in all its glory. Blowing his pictures up big is a marvel no filmmaker could resist, not even seasoned veteran Wim Wenders (of Pina and Buena Vista Social Club fame) and his co-director Juliano Ribeiro Salgado (Sebastião's son). They understand the extraordinary power of the images they have to work with, and use them accordingly. Their film lovingly lingers on a series of carefully selected snapshots that epitomise his entire career. And yet, even when gifted with such stunning visuals as an obvious starting point — and an apt ending point, too — Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro ensure The Salt of the Earth never merely lets the photos do all of the talking. Though each picture says plenty and then some, the tales behind them aren't just interesting asides used to make the movie more than a feature-length slideshow or bulk up its running time; they're integral to the broader story. Sharing insights into specific images, Sebastião's many memories are filled with twists and turns. The intrigue continues as he speaks about how he came to his profession after starting out working in economics, and how things have panned out since. He is frank and generous in looking back at his life, never sugar-coating the details nor avoiding the difficulties. This isn't only his story, however, with the photographer's anecdotes joined by those of his wife and long-term collaborator, Lélia Wanick Salgado, and of Juliano Ribeiro, too. That's what helps make The Salt of the Earth so engaging and so effective in ranging beyond Sebastião's always-arresting output. The film gets to the heart of the interplay between the art and the artist, as well as the ripple effect throughout his family. It may seem like a son crafting a tribute to his father, yet intimacy isn't the same as sentimentality. Instead, the documentary is really a textured portrait of a man who has dedicated more than just his career to taking textured portraits.
If you're in Melbourne and you're a fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda, rejoice: your next chance to enjoy the musical talent's work is on its way in 2025. Hamilton has already done the rounds, including a season in the Victorian capital. Next, it's time for another of Miranda's big Tony Award-winning shows to take to the stage locally — and his debut smash, too. Comedy Theatre is set to turn into New York City's Washington Heights for a run of In the Heights. Initially staged in 2005, then leaping to off-Broadway in 2007, then playing Broadway from 2008–11 (which is where it nabbed those 13 Tony nominations and four wins), Miranda's first stage sensation spends its time with Usnavi, a bodega owner from the Dominican Republic who dreams of going back — and who also sports a crush on Vanessa, who aspires to move out of the neighbourhood. Miranda himself originated the role of Usnavi, scoring a Tony nomination for his efforts. In Australia for this run, which began in Sydney in 2024, Ryan Gonzalez (Moulin Rouge! The Musical) has stepped into the part. When the show heads to Melbourne from Friday, August 1, fellow Moulin Rouge! The Musical alum Olivia Vásquez is playing Vanessa. Alongside Gonzalez, she's joined by Richard Valdez (All Together Now — The 100) as the Piragua Guy — another character that Miranda has brought to life personally, this time in the 2021 film version of In the Heights. On the stage and on-screen, the production not only follows Usnavi and Vanessa's connection, and their respective hopes for the future, but also the residents of Washington Heights, their family ties across multiple generations and their friendships. The soundtrack — which helped In the Heights win Best Musical and Best Original Score Tonys — as well as the vibe and mood bring together salsa, soul, rap, hip hip, merengue and street dance. Images: Daniel Boud.
Between Thursday, September 8–Wednesday, September 14, Palace Cinemas is giving movie buffs in Melbourne an extra present. It's not just the gift of great flicks — that is, their daily bread and butter — but the gift of cheap great flicks. Head to the chain's Balwyn, Brighton, Brighton Bay, Como, Westgarth, Pentridge and Kino venues across the week in question, and any film at any time will only cost you a fiver. Haven't yet seen Top Gun: Maverick, Bullet Train or Elvis? Catching up will cost you $5. Keen to check out Nope, The Black Phone, Three Thousand Years of Longing, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Where the Crawdads Sing and Full Time? Also $5. We'd keep naming movies, but you get the picture. Booking in advance is highly recommended, given how much everyone loves going to the flicks for little more than the price of a cup of coffee. If you do nab your tickets online, you will have to add a transaction fee to the cost. You won't be able to use the $5 deal on special events and film festivals, or on two-for-one offers and other deals — and it's a Melbourne-only special — but you've now got plenty of movies to see for cheap.
Thought bingo was for your nan? Think again. It's also for you — or perhaps, if she's a groovy gran, for the both of you. Hijacking the traditional format of bingo with raves, conga lines and lip sync battles, Bingo Loco is 50-percent one of those strange dreams you get after eating too much cheese and 50-percent just a walloping good time. Come Saturday, October 29 at 170 Russell, the MC will keep the night rolling, while confetti showers and smoke cannons will go off throughout the evening (perhaps wear your glasses). Bingo ravers will compete for ultimate glory (and prizes) over the course of multiple rounds. Given the timing, this night is all about Halloween, too. That means spooky effects, scary hosts and maybe even breaking out the 'Monster Mash'. Obviously, dressing to meet the spine-chilling occasion is also on the agenda. In between the traditional bingo games, you'll be expected to groove to classic 90s rave bangers, partake in dance-offs and battle others for lip sync queen titles. Basically, be prepared for many high-octane, energetic activities — gone are the days of simply raising your hand when you've got a full sheet of numbers. Doing your stretches and vocal warm-ups first are advised. You'll vie for prizes, which in the past have included Coachella tickets, Vegas trips, mobility scooters (nan, listen up), boats and lawnmowers (maybe for your dad), among other goldmines. Bingo Loco has been running across the globe for a few years and now will trumpet its way around Australia once more, with a portion of ticket sales going to Minus18's work with LGBTQIA+ youth.
Odd Culture Fitzroy has created an event for the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival specifically for all those who love wild and unusual fermented flavours — the funkier, the better. So if you would proudly describe your palate as dank 'Fizz: A Festival of Fermentation' is one to ink in your calendar. From 12–4pm on Sunday, March 17, the Odd Culture crew will take guests on a journey through the world of fermented drinks, from beer and wine to sake and gin, while serving up Mediterranean and Middle Eastern eats courtesy of the legend Chef Tom Sarafian who has curated a grill-heavy selection of bites. The $78 ticket will include one main meal per person, but you can always order and pay for more on the day. The Odd Culture crew has teamed up with Four Pillars to offer all punters a complimentary fermented dirty gin martini on arrival. For the occasion, Four Pillars' Creative Director of Gin Drinks Nick Tesar has also come up with a small list of other gin-based bevs that can bought at the bar. The venue's beer garden will then be filled with a series of stalls slinging tasters of fermented drinks. Either sip your way around the stalls or buy a few bottles to take home. For extra vibes, and to keep you entertained in between tastings, there'll also be live bands and DJs playing all day long.
When it comes to comfort food, there's no doubt gnocchi is an all-round star player. When nailed, the Italian dish has that perfect fusion of carbs and flavour that's like a big cosy hug on a grizzly winter day. Traditionally, it features delicate dumplings crafted from potato and flour, though these days you'll spy all sorts of crafty variations made with different cheeses, vegetables and grains. But whether you're a purist hunting that generous bowl of classic, Italian-style gnocchi, or you're after a more inventive, new-school riff, Melbourne's got you covered. From long-standing Italian restaurants paying homage to the traditional, to hole-in-the-wall lunchtime takeaway joints, our city's dishing up some mighty fine specimens of this globally-loved dish. Here are some of the best spots to head to when that inevitable gnocchi craving next hits.
Move aside, taco Tuesday — there's a new food fiesta in town and this one's helping you wrap up the week in style. South Yarra's Temperance Hotel is here to win you over with its new series of bottomless Mexican feasts, on offer every Thursday to Sunday night. Book a table and roll in from 6–8pm to spend a couple of hours downing your fill of Mexican eats and drinks. For $59, you get you a bottomless bounty of nachos, cheese-topped corn and DIY tacos. The latter features toppings like Cajun-spiced chicken, beef chilli con carne and tofu. And, of course, there'll be plenty of classic condiments to help pimp out those tortillas. No one's going thirsty, either. To match, you'll enjoy two hours of free-flowing drinks, including selected vino, ice-cold Coronas and zesty Patron margaritas. Bookings are a must — you can nab yours here.
The year of the tiger is almost upon us (goodbye year of the ox, go sleep it off), and the festivities are starting to pick up. And what's the best way to partake in the celebration? We've got it right here — and it'll make you happier than a hungry big cat. From Monday, January 24, dumpling master Din Tai Fung is offering new limited edition chocolate and biscoff tiger buns and, like the chain's usual annual Lunar New Year special, they're ridiculously cute. They're buns with little tiger faces — how could they be anything other than adorable?. Din Tai Fung is famous for its dumplings, and is known to release eye-catching novelty varieties for special occasions (check out these adorable little monkey buns from 2016, pig bao from 2019 and masked ox buns from last year). The new tiger buns are stuffed with a sweet filling of molten chocolate, which oozes out when you squeeze them, and the cookie crumb spread that is biscoff. The tiger buns are available for $8.80 for two at Din Tai Fung restaurants and food court outlets in Sydney, so you'll want to hit up its World Square, Westfield Chatswood, Westfield Miranda, Westfield Sydney, Broadway Shopping Centre, Gateway Sydney, The Star, Greenwood Plaza, Martin Place and Marrickville venues. In Melbourne, you have one spot to head to, with the buns on offer at Emporium Melbourne. They're also available for delivery both separately (for $12 for three) and in the chain's big frozen Lunar New Year hampers (for $108) — also from Monday, January 24. The only problem we can foresee with the cute Din Tai Fung dish? Eating those sweet little tiger faces may be hard… but we're sure you'll manage it. Chocolate and biscoff tiger buns are available from Din Tai Fung's stores in Sydney and Melbourne, and also via delivery, from Monday, January 24. Head to the chain's website for further details or to order.
Now, here's a summer flavour combo that's sure to impress: ripe juicy peach, fruity beer and freshly churned ice cream. Sound good? Well, that tasty trio is set to take centre stage this week, when Preston's Tallboy & Moose throws its thirst-quenching Peach Ice Cream Party on Friday, February 18. The craft brewery is celebrating the launch of its new peaches-and-cream-inspired sour beer with an afternoon of peachy treats for all. The crew's even teamed up with Thornbury ice cream joint Kenny Lover to create a limited-edition sorbet made on the new beer — you'll be able to try this one for free, scooped into your pint as a fizzy beer spider or simply paired in a cup on the side. Other signature ice cream styles available to try on the day include the Peaches 'n Cream and the Coconut & Peach Ripple, both of them non-alcoholic. Sticking with the peach theme, you'll also find a boozy peach iced tea slushie to sip between brews. And from Wee Man's Kitchen, there'll be a special Peaches 'n Cream salad — a summery dish of smoked peach and stracciatella cheese finished with mint, basil and pomegranate molasses. As always, the house brews will be flowing and pooches will be allowed in the beer garden. [caption id="attachment_804971" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tallboy & Moose[/caption]
Darlinghurst's Forbes and Burton is under fire after the cafe's owner denied a Brazilian-born Australian man a barista job, telling him his customers wouldn't want their "coffee made by black people," according to the Daily Mail. Yep, WHAT. Although Nilson Dos Santos is an Australian citizen and has worked as a barista in Australia for nine years, the owner (who would only give the Daily Mail his name as 'Steven'), told the 39-year-old he "only wanted locals" for the job. A recent migrant from Shanghai, Steven is taking some furious heat for his hypocritical and outrageously racist actions. "There are a lot of white customers at the cafe and I think the clients here want local people, not African people," Steven said after this weekend's events. "We need to offer good service at this cafe and I think the coffee culture is more about white people." He keeps going. "I prefer the barista to be local, not from Italy or other countries ... In some people's opinions African people can’t make good coffee." Dos Santos saw the ad on Gumtree and rang Steven on Saturday, telling the owner he was from Brazil on the phone. When Dos Santos arrived at the cafe the next day for his interview, Steven pulled an incredibly racist (and geographically ignorant) switch. "When I came to the cafe for the interview today, he looked at me and looked surprised. He didn’t like what he saw," Dos Santos said. "We sat down and he said, 'But you’re black?' I said yes and he told me, 'But my customers are white. I don’t think they’d like to have their coffee made by black people. That’s not part of the coffee culture. You’re African.' I said to him, 'I’m sorry.' But he said I was not able to do the job because I am black." Dos Santos kept a cool head for someone who's just been point-blank discriminated against. "I thought to myself, what do I do? I wanted to punch him but I thought that if I reacted badly, that wouldn’t be the right thing either. But I thought that if I just left and closed the door, he’ll do that over and over again to everybody else that comes. So I felt I had to do something, to show him that he needs to learn his lessons and that's not the way to treat people." According to DM, Dos Santos stood up and addressed the Darlinghurst cafe, informing customers why he'd missed out on the job and asked if they'd have any problem having a coffee made by a black man. In a moment of pure high-fivery, many customers ditched the cafe in a walk-out, a bunch hit up Facebook and a staff member quit right then and there. Forbes and Burton are truly taking a hit on Facebook, with reams of angry posters shaking fists at owner Steven and calling for a boycott (although some are being outright racist in return about Steven's Chinese heritage, not cool): "I have never experienced anything like that in Australia," Dos Santos said. "I love it here, I am free here, that’s why I chose to stay. I’ve always felt welcomed and accepted. For me, it was never a problem that I am black until today." According to the Daily Mail, Steven needs to run Forbes and Burton for two years to nab his Australian visa. Good luck with that. Via Daily Mail.
New York punk rockers Skaters are a throwback to the sound that defined their home city decades ago. Blasting out tunes stripped back to their bare bones and exuding pure energy, it's no surprise that the band's debut album Manhattan is being critically acclaimed — especially with tracks like the uncontrollable-dance-inducing 'Miss Teen Massachusetts'. Thankfully, those good folk over at Splendour in the Grass convinced the American quartet to bring their sound to Australia. The lads have subsequently decided to take in the sights while they're here and you can catch them at their sideshow at The Corner Hotel in all of their pre-festival glory. No exhaustion, just pure, thrashing-about excitement. Joining Skaters are fellow Splendour band Darlia, who were last year described by BBC Radio 1's Nigel Harding as "the most exciting new guitar band in the UK" — and Harding knows his stuff. Having only been in the game for a year, the British trio have headlined for the impressive likes of The Libertines. Their sound has been described as the eclectic blend of flavoursome Britpop and Seattle nineties grunge. Nineteen-year-old lead singer, Nathan Day, says that he has been preparing music since the tender age of ten. In an interview with BBC he explained that he composed music with intimate venues in mind. He likens the endurance of rock music to that of mould. "The longer you look at mould and don't do anything about it… it will just get bigger." Weird, but we'll take it. Two hypeworthy acts for a bargain price? Right on. Words by Matt Watson and Natalie Freeland. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WSaPHFsZTZo
Frontmen rarely come as charismatic as Henry Wagons. A storytelling character and a half, the Melburnian native has returned from the dark desert highways of the US to reunite with his band and bring Wagons' shiny new album to the townspeople. Seeing music as a joyous occasion rather than a moment to wallow in your sorrows, Wagons' shows are downright shindiggerous in their approach. "'Music is a public activity — the very birth of music was designed to be joined in on,'' Wagons told SMH. ''The first music was played at celebrations. The insular emo songwriter in the bedroom is this recent offshoot of what music is at its core. Music for me is for other people. I write it alone, but with the idea of playing it for other people.'' Wagons have just released their latest single, 'Beer Barrel Bar', taken from brand new, sixth studio album Acid Rain and Sugar Cane and nabbing a four-star rating from Rolling Stone. With Mick Harvey (The Birthday Party/Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds) behind the mixing desk and Wagons himself bringing his US-inspired country stomping style to the plate, Acid Rain and Sugar Cane has quite the Nashville twang to it. Best enjoyed with a whiskey in hand and a soulmate far away, the LP is a natural evolution of Wagons' indie country blues into an Ameristralian tavern hootenanny. WAGONS AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES: Thurs May 22 – Pirie & Co Social Club, Adelaide Fri May 23 - Fly By Night, Fremantle Sat May 31 - Republic Bar, Hobart Fri June 6 - Barwon Club, Geelong Sat June 7 - The HiFi, Melbourne Sun June 8 - Karova Lounge, Ballarat Thurs June 12 - The Abbey, Canberra Fri June 13 – Rad (Yours & Owls), Wollongong Sat June 14 - Factory Theatre, Sydney Sun June 15 - Lizottes, Newcastle Fri June 20 - The Zoo, Brisbane Sat June 21 - Railway Hotel, Darwin Thanks to Spunk Records, we have three double passes to give away to Wagon's Acid Rain and Sugar Cane tour — one double pass each for the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane shows. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=WXoiX2bFPDY
Even without sourcing and quoting an exact number, it's obvious that an immense amount of people owe their lives to Marie and Pierre Curie's research on radioactivity. Without their work — Marie's passion project, which she reluctantly agreed to collaborate on with Pierre after they first crossed paths in Paris — cancer treatment would've likely been vastly different over the past century. The results for scores of cancer patients would've been as well. But the pair's discovery of two new elements, radium and polonium, also led to disturbing side effects and cataclysmic events that changed the course of history in other ways. Radioactive touches upon both, from life-saving oncology usage and the ability to conduct x-rays on World War I battlefields to the bombing of Hiroshima and Chernobyl's nuclear reactor meltdown. It might seem strange for a biopic about Marie to leap forward at different moments, jumping to years and decades past her death in 1934, all to show how the physicist and chemist's work made and continues to make a colossal impact upon the world. But that's the most interesting thing about Radioactive: its willingness to contemplate both the significant benefits and proven dangers of Marie (Rosamund Pike, an Oscar-nominee for Gone Girl) and Pierre's (Sam Riley, Rebecca) pioneering discoveries. The latter is tasked with vocalising this battle in his acceptance speech for their shared 1903 Nobel Prize in physics, acknowledging the struggle but opining that "mankind will derive more good than harm". The film doesn't simply take him at his word, however. It shows his radiation sickness, and Marie's. It touches upon the backlash when news of radioactivity's health effects started becoming widely known. And those aforementioned flash-forwards to both positive and negative applications of the Curies' research keep the same conversation going, because Radioactive doesn't try to offer a right or wrong answer. Instead, as directed by Marjane Satrapi (The Voices), Radioactive recognises how the efforts of an astonishing woman have led to a complex array of outcomes. The movie doesn't weigh up saving the cancer-afflicted against deaths contributed to nuclear atrocities, but shows how they're both consequences of her work — and that, even though she died before some of the events mentioned above, Marie grappled with the pros and cons of her discoveries herself. This is such a crucial part of this adaptation of Lauren Redniss' graphic novel about the Curies, in fact, that it stands out in multiple ways. Curie deserves all the praise and acclaim that have been showered upon her, and this is an affectionate film, but Radioactive isn't a glossy exercise in hero worship. That said, the movie's complications and probing stem primarily from its unconventional line of thinking; take out the clips in a 50s hospital, in Japan, in the Ukraine and at a nuclear bomb test in Nevada in 1961, and a far less thoughtful feature would result. After an opening glimpse of an elderly Marie collapsing in her Paris laboratory, Radioactive heads back to 1893, where she's one of few female scientists in the French city. Expectedly given the era, she's reviled by her male peers and the decision-making powers-that-be — but a goateed Pierre has already heard of her when they meet-cute in the streets over a microbiology book. Marie is adamant that she be judged on her own merits, and that of her work, so she's resistant to his early professional advances. But the fact that she's kicked out of her existing lab space on the day she initially makes her future husband's acquaintance sets obvious wheels in motion. Being seen as an equal is a fight she'll keep waging, even after not one but two Nobel Prizes come her way. Pierre never regards her otherwise, but altering the scientific establishment and society in general's minds is a far tougher job. By design, it's dismaying how familiar Marie's treatment feels; her work has changed the world, but engraining gender equality as a given sadly doesn't rank among her achievements. The same can be said about the race-based attacks she's forced to weather, with her Polish background used as an insult to a chilling degree in early 20th-century Europe. Satrapi has brought similar themes and experiences to the screen before, as evidenced in 2007's Persepolis. Based on her own autobiographical comics about growing up in Iran and Austria both during and after the Islamic Revolution, it unsurprisingly felt far more urgent and personal — two traits that Radioactive lacks. From fast-paced montages of Marie and Pierre's scientific experimentation to snippets of their home life as their family expands with their fame, the process of detailing the Curies' lives largely takes on a routine air, with much of Jack Thorne's (Dirt Music, Enola Holmes, The Secret Garden) script reading from the biopic playbook. Thankfully, Radioactive looks as textured as its best moments feel, and sometimes as bold as well. That it springs from an illustrated text, and that Satrapi has experience in the medium herself, comes across in stylised frames shot by cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (The Undoing) that could've leapt from a page. The film also benefits from not only Pike as Marie, but Anya Taylor-Joy (Emma) as the adult version of her eldest daughter Irène, another Nobel Prize-winner. There's a spiky determination to both — a willingness to forge on with doing the right thing despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles — that effortlessly links their performances. Of course, Radioactive also asks Pike to spend its first half asserting that Marie will never be defined by a man, then to spend its second struggling when Pierre is killed. That plays a little too neatly, but it's actually in tune with the many contrasts that sit at the film's core; something can be two things at once, after all, as Radioactive's rumination upon the Curies' discoveries firmly shows. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtVe_8CS6vU
The makers of Melbourne's most decadent vegan cupcakes are about to cut the ribbon on their first permanent location. From November 4, Baking Bad Vegan Bakehouse will be doing a regular trade at Prahran Market Friday to Sunday each week, providing sugar fiends with a one stop shop for all their cruelty free treats. Just remember… vegan isn't necessarily the same as healthy. Previously restricted to online sales, pop-ups and special events, Baking Bad's permanent digs will mean more cupcakes, more often. Cupcakes like the Red Riding Hood, which combines a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and edible glitter; the Orange Is the New Chocolate, a chocolate cake smothered in Jaffa buttercream and chocolate sauce; and the Let's All Go to the Lobby, a chocolate cake with buttered popcorn frosting and salted popcorn on top. Alternatively, you could get the aptly named Nutella Donut, which is a chocolate cupcake with Nutella buttercream, garnished with a chocolate doughnut. Or is it a chocolate doughnut supported by a cupcake? Point is, it'll probably kill you, but at least you'll die with a smile on your face. Or if you're feeling truly absurd, why not try their Hamburgulars, which consist of a chocolate mud patty and fondant sandwiched between a vanilla cupcake bun. When you can't decide which flavour to get, just get one of each! Thanks for an awesome morning at the Thinkers and Makers market, Melbourne! If you missed out, don't fret... Our next stall will be at The St Kilda Esplanade market on October 16th, or you can order online at www.baking-bad.com.au 😊😍 #vegan #melbourne #chocolate #chocolatecake #mudcake #melbournefoodie #dairyfree #crueltyfree #bestofvegan #melbournevegan #baking #cakes #noveltycake #veganfood #foodporn #veganfoodshare #vegans #whatveganseat #veganlife #vegansofig #vegangirl #vegandessert #vegancommunity #vegansofinstagram #omgyum #veganeats #veganfoodie #vegantreats #veganfoodlovers #veganinmelbourne A photo posted by Baking Bad Vegan Bakehouse (@bakingbadveganbakehouse) on Sep 23, 2016 at 8:24pm PDT And it's not just cupcakes, although those are their specialty. Breaking Bad also do full size cakes, as well as macaroons, cookies, cinnamon scrolls and all manner of other tasty, tooth-rotting creations. The best thing is, you don't have to feel (entirely) guilty about stuffing your face, since a minimum of 10 percent of all sales made by Baking Bad is donated to various animal welfare charities, with a new beneficiary chosen every month. Baking Bad will operate at Prahran Market from 11.30am to 5pm on Fridays, 9am to 5pm Saturdays and 10am to 3pm Sundays. And if you can't be stuffed walking your cupcake-loving bum down to Prahran, don't stress — you can still order their frosted wares online, or through UberEats. For more information follow Baking Bad on Facebook and Instagram, or visit them at www.baking-bad.com.au.
Pull out that old Discman, break out the cargo pants and start practising your smoothest early noughties dance moves — the pop tour of your wildest teenage dreams is hitting Aussie shores this summer and it's got more stars than a TV Hits sticker collection. This February, the inaugural So Pop festival is set to deliver a huge serve of nostalgia to stadiums across the country, pulling together an extra juicy lineup of old-school icons, headlined by none other than Aqua and Vengaboys. Melbourne Arena will be transported back to the 90s and 00s for one glorious night each, playing host to the pop-drenched soundtrack of your youth. Heading up the show are Danish group Aqua, who promise to leave tunes like 'Barbie Girl' and 'Doctor Jones' firmly wedged in your head, and from the Netherlands, Vengaboys, with party-starting smash hits like 'Boom Boom Boom Boom!!' and 'We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)' — and none other than Lou Bega with, of course, 'Mambo No.5'. Relive more of the glory days with sounds from Irish legends B*Witched — who gifted us with the likes of 'C'est La Vie' and 'Rollercoaster' — UK heroes Blue, of 'All Rise' fame. Italy's Eiffel 65, dance pop act Mr. President ('Coco Jambo'), the USA's Outhere Brothers and The Netherlands' 2 Unlimited ('No Limit', 'Get Ready') round out the throwback showdown.
It has played host to a staggering array of gigs and been the backdrop for countless different live music memories, but we reckon you've never seen the Sidney Myer Music Bowl quite like this. From Wednesday, June 1–Sunday, June 19, citywide arts festival Rising will see the iconic precinct transformed into a multi-sensory supernatural forest, inviting punters to immerse themselves in a captivating fusion of ice, art, sound and light. Held Tuesday to Sunday throughout the festival's duration (and a little beyond), The Wilds is set to deliver an interactive feast for all the senses. Traipse through its bamboo structures, marvel at large-scale inflatable sculptures and mesmerising video works, and trip yourself out through mazes of mirrored illusions. All while bathing in the sonic delights of sound artists Mark Mitchell and Pascal Babare, plus vinyl tunes from the 1800 Lasagne DJs. In a nod to winter's past, the stage itself will once again become a working ice-skating rink (yes, that really was a thing), where visitors can glide around to 80s and 90s tunes sung by a real choir. And when the appetite's piqued, you'll find a slew of pop-ups serving a menu of snacks and bevs to enjoy fireside, under the stars. Expect treats from Smith & Daughters, 1800 Lasagne, San Telmo and Hoy Pinoy, alongside three special dessert collaborations by Piccolina. Pop-up atrium bistro The Lighthouse is making a comeback, too. Yep, it's quite the lineup — organisers are recommending you set aside at least 90 minutes in order to properly experience the whole thing. General entry to The Wilds will set you back $12–22, with tickets to Rinky Dink and The Lighthouse available to add on. [caption id="attachment_856288" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugene Hyland[/caption] Images: Eugene Hyland
School is back in session. Next week, tens of thousands of uni students will be on campus for orientation, and ASOS will be there with them. The online clothing retailer is setting up pop-up stands at universities around the country, to help you make sure you're looking your best when you rock up for your first day of class. You can find the ASOS stands at Monash Clayton (Feb 22-24), University of Melbourne (Feb 23, 25-26), University of NSW (Feb 22-25), University of Sydney (Feb 24-26) and University of Queensland (Feb 24). Swing by and sign up for a free bag of goodies. They'll also be running a photo competition, in which the best Instagram and Twitter snaps of each day score a $200 ASOS voucher. If you can't make it to one of the pop-ups, students can still sign up to ASOS via their website to get 10 percent off all full price items all year-round, and be kept up to date with all the shiny new things. While you're there, watch out for the latest news from the ASOS On Campus Hub, where a team of student insiders will be keeping tabs on campus life and style.
In The Virgin Suicides, in a role for Sofia Coppola that he'll always be known for, Josh Hartnett played the dreamy high schooler who had Kirsten Dunst swooning. A quarter-century later, as his then-director is fresh from a Priscilla Presley biopic and his former co-star just snapped America's divisiveness at its potential worst as a photojournalist in Civil War, he's now jumped from Trip Fontaine to Trap, still with his appearance and its impact upon others a key factor. Cooper Adams, Hartnett's latest character, likely was a teen heartthrob, too. Now he's a kindly firefighter who dotes on his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue, Wolf Like Me) to the extent that he's her chaperone at the Taylor Swift-esque Lady Raven's (first-timer Saleka Night Shyamalan) Philadelphia concert. His politeness wins over people quickly, such as the merchandise-slinging Jamie (Jonathan Langdon, Run the Burbs), who's soon doing him a favour. But Trip wasn't completely the charmer that he seemed, and Cooper isn't just a nice dad doing parenting well — he's Trap's killer. It was true in The Sixth Sense of Bruce Willis (Assassin), in Unbreakable with Samuel L Jackson (Argylle), of James McAvoy (His Dark Materials) in Split and with Dave Bautista (Dune: Part Two) in Knock at the Cabin: M Night Shyamalan knows how to draw a gripping turn out of his leads. With well-known names in front of his lens, including Hartnett (The Bear), he's just as aware of how to riff on existing audience understanding and expectations. Not everyone who acts for the Glass, The Visit and Old filmmaker receives the same treatment — but when the approach works, it's worth building an entire movie around. Trap is one such flick, clueing viewers in early that Hartnett has taken a Dexter-esque step into a murderer's shoes. Then, it observes the disconnect between the perceptions of everyone around Cooper and his homicidal urges, all as the cops stage a sting at the gig to catch someone they know solely as The Butcher. When he arrives at the stadium with Riley, Cooper has no idea that attempting to capture him will be the real production of the day. He promised his giddily excited kid that she'd see her favourite singer if she earned good grades and he's delivered; that she's fallen out with her friends and needs something a distraction also factors in. Then Shyamalan, who writes and directs, draws attention to the hordes of police filtering in, plus the profiler (Hayley Mills, Death in Paradise) calling the shots. Cooper equally notices. It's all a ploy, Jamie shares without realising who he's talking to, and there's only one route out. Already juggling checking on his current detainee (Mark Bacolcol, Night Is Limpid) via webcam and being drawn into the schoolyard feud by a fellow parent (Marnie McPhail, Dream Scenario) with ensuring that Riley is having the time of her life, he's now desperately trying to stop his normal-guy facade from crumbling. The famously twist-loving Shyamalan isn't bashful about Cooper's lethal tendencies. Accordingly, that isn't among the movie's surprises. As Trap's protagonist endeavours to stay ahead of his pursuers in a cat-and-mouse game — they've no idea what he looks like, which assists immensely — and reassure Riley when she starts thinking that he's acting weird, plot shocks remain in store, but so does convenience. Frequently staring intimately at Harnett's face especially when it's wearing a loaded smile, the film aligns its perspective with Cooper's whatever-it-takes efforts to stay avoid handcuffs, yet luck has as much as sway on his path as smarts. As he does with dad jokes and awkwardness, Harnett sells every clever choice and stroke of fortune alike, and compellingly gets audiences into the killer's head, though, in a standout role for the Penny Dreadful, Wrath of Man, Black Mirror and Oppenheimer actor; Trap would struggle without his transfixing commitment. Even with opportune turns constantly coming Cooper's way, Shyamalan doesn't have a tension problem, in no small part because watching one of his films means inherently being on edge for the next twist, then the next, then the next again — and he gleefully toys with that fact. But he does have a third-act issue, especially when he branches beyond his solid setup. While that choice brings in a welcome supporting performance from Alison Pill (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) as Cooper's wife and Riley's mother Rachel, it plunges the feature into Lord of the Rings-style too-many-endings territory. Also too often, Trap's decisions feel like Shyamalan simply thinking that something would be nifty. Enlisting Mills given her The Parent Trap background, Kid Cudi's (Silent Night) winking cameo, giving Saleka such prominence: some hit the target, others wish they did. What lengths will a dad go to for his daughter? That's one of this picture's threads on- and off-screen. In a year that's seen Trap's filmmaker produce the directorial debut of one of his children, with Ishana Night Shyamalan's The Watchers reaching cinemas mere months before his own latest release, he's now penned and helmed a flick that features another of his kids as a pop sensation and has the real-life singer's own music weaved in prominently. As he has long enjoyed doing in his own movies, the Shyamalan patriarch also pops up on camera, this time to praise Saleka's Lady Raven. He's pitched Trap as a Swift gig meets The Silence of the Lambs, but it's as much about wanting to give your children everything, build them up and, when you've got other demands on your focus, still doing your best to be there for them. Aided by cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (who shot Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria and Challengers for Luca Guadagnino, plus Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives and Memoria for Apichatpong Weerasethakul) alongside editor Noemi Katharina Preiswerk (Knock at the Cabin, Servant), Shyamalan doesn't take his gift to Saleka lightly. The concert-film elements aren't window dressing. He revels in them, sometimes savvily juxtaposing the show's massive scale with Cooper's life-or-death predicament, sometimes with the indulgence of a dad giving his kid a vehicle for her dreams. The Eras tour boasts many things, a date with screens among them, but it isn't also a psychological thriller; mix that with Grand Piano and Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation's opera scene, and that's Trap's template as well. When Hartnett sings, albeit not literally, so does the film. Donoghue also does her utmost and leaves an impression. But, while engrossing, the picture they're in often plays like a warmup for a big gig that hasn't pulled off everything that it wants to.
Yogyakarta, Indonesia produces all sorts of interesting art. The price of entry is usually a plane ticket across the Timor Sea, but over summer the NGV is home-delivering some of Yogyakarta’s burgeoning creative scene. RALLY: Contemporary Indonesian Art highlights two Yogyakarta artists: Eko Nugroho, whose figures lurk, menace and observe with a not unfriendly eye, and Jompet Kuswidananto whose exploration of his own “gray nation” tends to express itself in installations often featuring highly articulate, invisible figures in uniform. A mural by Nugroho will sit also behind the NGV waterwall and Kuswidananto’s the Commoners will be suspended at back of the Gallery in the stain-glass-ceilinged Federation Court. The artists themselves will talk about art and politics this Saturday for the opening event Rally at the NGV. Image: Eko Nugroho Threat As A Flavour installation view, ARNDT, Berlin, 2012. Courtesy of the artist and ARNDT, Berlin. © Eko Nugroho. Photo: Bernd Borchardt
If heaving steins of frothy, golden beers paired with generously proportioned, hearty schnitzels or freshly baked pretzels are your idea of a good time, you're probably a big fan of Oktoberfest. The German folk festival has been adopted worldwide, bringing its music, food and drinks aplenty to the masses. Melbourne's unofficial home of the festival is Hofbräuhaus, where the celebrations are returning for the 56th year in 2024. The special offering will run from Saturday, September 21, to Saturday, October 26. That's six weeks of celebrations, kicking off with an opening night party. The activities run most of the day, and you'll get the most action from 6.30pm from Thursday to Sunday, but the party starts as early as 12.30 on Saturdays, with imported German Biers poured (and tapped directly from the keg) and crumbed-to-order schnitzels plated to live music. If the bands are in full swing, guests can also take part in Stein-carrying competitions. The prize? A year of free beer, of course. Those activities and menu items will be available on a varying schedule for the entire six-week period, with more competitions (yodelling, anyone?) and over 16 exclusive German Biers imported for the event, singalongs in English and German and the promise of a fully immersive Oktoberfest experience. Prost! Oktoberfest celebrations will run at Hofbräuhaus from Saturday, September 21, to October 26. For more information, visit the website.
Much-loved travelling wine festival Pinot Palooza is making its anticipated return this October. But since last year's postponement left us all waiting an extra long time between drinks, the fest's organisers have a little surprise to tide over Australia's pinot-lovers until spring. The all-new Pinot Palooza Unplugged Sunday sessions are set to heat up winter with a trio of chilled-out tasting parties dedicated to everyone's favourite cool climate red. Taking over the Timber Yard on May 30, July 4 and July 25, each five-hour event will hero a different one of Victoria's leading pinot-producing regions: the Mornington Peninsula, Gippsland and Geelong, respectively. A $35 ticket gets you entry to your session of choice, a Revel wine glass to keep, and all of your day's wine tastings. In-between sips, you'll get to chat to the producers — think, Quealy, Pt Leo, Montalto and Red Hill Estate kicking things off for the Mornington Peninsula. And, as always, there'll be plenty of great food and tunes to keep you entertained on the day.
Don’t pack away your Halloween get-up so fast; Melbourne’s 10th annual Zombie Shuffle is right around the corner, and they’re coming for your brains. Starting at Treasury Gardens at 1pm, zombies will shuffle for an hour to wind up at Alexandra Gardens skate park. If you want to see the exact route, hit up their Facebook page. Despite the fact that zombies are often considered to be a lawless bunch, there are a few rules to abide by at this year’s shuffle. It may seem obvious, but this is a ZOMBIE shuffle, so don’t come dressed up as anything other than dead. Also, zombies don’t (often) use weapons during an apocalypse, and it’s requested you don’t bring any either, no matter how fake they are. Finally, respect your fellow zombies and non-zombies you might run into in the street; there is a no dickhead policy and road rules need to be adhered to. The best thing about the Zombie Shuffle every year is that people go all out, so embrace your inner undead and shuffle through the city like it’s the end of days.
Imagine a room filled with pinot noir, with red drops after red drops from wineries around the country poured for your sipping pleasure for hours. If that's your preferred type of vino, it likely sounds like your idea of boozy heaven. There's no need to just dream up the concept, however. Thanks to Pinot Palooza, it already exists, has been doing the rounds in Australia for more than a decade, and has locked in its return for 2024. A guiding principle here: that being spoilt for choice can be overrated when it comes to deciding which wine varieties you feel like at any given moment. So, let this event do the picking for you. Pinot Palooza celebrates exactly the type of vino that's in its name, and makes the sound of a light- to medium-bodied red wine sloshing around a glass its standard soundtrack, including in Melbourne in spring. Expect to hear that noise a whole heap — before the pandemic, the local-born wine-tasting festival had notched up an estimated 65,000 tickets sold globally. In 2024, Pinot Palooza is hitting up the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton for a two-day stint across Friday, November 22–Saturday, November 23. The Pinot Palooza team has also revealed that up to 100 wineries will be taking part in 2024, up from more than 50 winemakers last year, and surveying everything from organic and vegan to biodynamic and low-intervention drops. The full list of producers hasn't been unveiled, but Tasmania's Meadowbank, Oakdene from Geelong, Murdoch Hill and Vinteloper from the Adelaide Hills and New South Wales' M&J Becker are among the names that'll be involved from Australia. New Zealand tipples will be showcased by Two Paddocks, Burn Cottage, Mt Difficulty, Te Whare Ra, Greystone and others. As always, attendees will spend their session swirling and sampling that huge array of pinot noir, and making the most of up pop-up bars and food stalls between drinks.
The pastry masterminds at Black Star have long proven their talents when it comes to working to a theme. Last year, they gave us the intricate sushi platter-inspired Ari-Gâteaux for International Sushi Day, and then there was the snow-dusted, multi-layered Christmas cake that popped up for the festive season. Now, for its latest trick, the cult-fave dessert brand behind the famed Strawberry Watermelon Cake is getting into the Lunar New Year spirit. Black Star Pastry has dreamed up a limited edition range of shortbread cookies to honour the Year of the Rabbit. The selection of hand-crafted shortbread spells out the letters 'BLKSTR', with one cookie shaped like a rabbit holding a chocolate coin flavoured with strawberry and raspberry. Each cookie is coated with a layer of white chocolate then finished with a coconut crumb to mimic a fluffy bunny exterior. You can buy the rabbit-shaped cookies individually for $6 or grab a seven-pack for $35 from all Black Star stores in Sydney and Melbourne between Friday, January 13–Sunday, January 22. Or you can pre-order online from January 11. The sweet treats are ideal if you're hunting for a Lunar New Year gift to bestow good fortune on friends or family, especially since food is a traditional gifting option for the holiday. Find the Lunar New Year cookies at all of Black Star's Aussie stores (Newtown, Sydney CBD, Rosebery, Moore Park, Chadstone and St Kilda) from January 13–22, with pre-orders open from January 11.
Melbourne's small-but-mighty Kappo has closed it doors for good, though the owners, who also run fellow Japanese hot-spots Izakaya Den and Hihou, aren't done with the Flinders Lane space just yet. Today, they've announced plans for the site's next calling, Master Den's Poppu Uppu — a Japanese-style hot pot pop-up. Opening on Wednesday, June 20, for a limited time, the eatery is set to gift Melburnians with a truly winter-worthy dining experience, riffing on Japan's traditional 'nabemono' comfort food. Each hot pot arrives at the table, is filled with aromatic broth and left to simmer, before proteins and veggies are added gradually to cook, right there in front of you. The DIY bowls are finished with handmade noodles, crafted by udon specialist — and Izakaya Den head chef — Yosuke Furukawa. And the Master Den's Poppu Uppu team has created signature versions of classic Japanese hot pot varieties to cosy up to this winter. A Hokkaido-style 'seafood nabe' features a light miso broth, to be loaded with local mussels, Tasmanian salmon and perhaps a few Harvey Bay scallops; while the shabu shabu might see you adding succulent pieces of wagyu rump, topside and sirloin to a rich, konbu-flavoured broth. You'll also spy a clever range of snacks, including coffee-cured salmon sashimi and sansho pepper edamame, plus a cameo appearance by sister restaurant Hihou's famed fried chicken. Of course, that Hihou connection also translates to a pretty standout drinks offering. There'll be crafty cocktails — including a negroni-style number dubbed the KITANO Beat — a tight, but on-trend selection of wines curated by award-winning sommelier Raffaele Mastrovincenzo, sake and craft beers, all chosen to complement the various hot pot broths. Find Master Den's Poppu Uppu at 1 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, from Wednesday, June 20.
This year hasn't involved wearing as much smart casual and business attire as we imagined — come on, we all wore PJs out of frame in at least one Zoom meeting. Right? But with society starting to open back up at different rates across the country, our neglected wardrobes are going to be back in rotation very soon. And, if you've realised that you didn't really miss your 'nice' clothes during lockdown, it may be a sign you need to do a little outfit rejig. Big fan of signs? Here's another one: menswear label M.J. Bale is hosting a huge two-week sale. The Australian fashion house focuses on producing timeless pieces that'll last beyond the seasonal trends, and this month you can get your hands on some high-quality, suave styles for an absolute steal. We're talking suits for just $399 (for one week only, between September 14–20), plus casual attire like jackets for under $199, trousers for under $99 and shirts for under $69 — it's all up to a whopping 50 percent off. The sale is running from Monday, September 14 to Sunday, September 27. You can jump online here to check out what's on offer. If you live in NSW or Queensland, you can also go to your closest M.J. Bale store. The M.J. Bale Spring Bale Sale is running between September 14–27, both online and at its stores (besides Victoria).
68 feature films from 19 different countries make up the program at this year's Jewish International Film Festival. Screening at select cinemas around Australia — and in Auckland, too! — the 27th annual edition of this celebrated festival will showcase films that explore every angle of Jewish history and identity through critically acclaimed dramas, side-splitting comedies, mind-blowing documentaries and more. JIFF 2016 will be bookended by a pair of films about one of the darkest moments in human history. Opening night film Denial stars Rachel Weisz as Professor Deborah Lipstadt, who in 1996 was sued for defamation by English holocaust denier David Irving (Timothy Spall). Closing night, meanwhile, will screen the provocative documentary The Last Laugh, featuring the likes of Sarah Silverman, Mel Brooks and Louis C.K. as they ponder how far comedy can go when tackling such a sensitive topic. Other standout titles include a new German adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank that premiered to critical acclaim at this year's Berlin Film Festival, as well as Jerry Lewis: The Man Behind the Clown, a documentary about the titular comedian's remarkable decades-long career. The Melbourne leg of the festival will run from October 27 until November 23 at Elsternwick's Classic Cinemas and Lido Cinemas in Hawthorn. For the full JIFF 2016 program, go here.
Dance music has a pretty iffy reputation. Though it may give you one of the best nights of your life, it's always hidden in dark city hideyholes — the kind of rank, sticky-floored joints that you accidentally find yourself in at 4am. If that's the case, chances are that you won't even remember the tunes. But trust us, it deserves a whole lot more. To celebrate this thriving scene in a whole new way, dance collective and party specialists Innocuous are dragging this music into the daylight as part of Melbourne Music Week. On Friday, November 21 these Melbourne locals will be hosting a huge laneway party at Somerset Place kicking off at 4pm. The space will be decked out with palm trees, packed full of likeminded music lovers, and boasting an independent record fair in Gallery One Three. Mokumo, Loose Joints, Move Your Feet and Out of Focus will be sharing the decks all afternoon, and then PWD, Baker St, Bacon Booty Disco and 6am at the Garage will be leading the afterparty from 11pm. Kick on from Thursday's Live Music Safari and grab your tickets here. For more events from this year's Melbourne Music Week, check out our top ten picks.
Grey Ghost, The Herd’s Jane Tyrrell, and the good people of Hip Hop Karaoke will be getting your weekend off to an excellent start at Howler this Friday. Grey Ghost is currently working away on his debut album, but wants to come out of the recording studio and play. He’s put together a sweet little mixtape and not only will he be playing it live, he'll be giving away free copies on the door. Hip Hop Karaoke will open the night. If you’ve done HHK before, you clearly know that it’s the bizness, but things will be running slightly different this time around. You’ll need to sign up before the night, so shoot them an inbox message via theirFacebook page and lock in your spot. On top of that, Jane Tyrrell has been working on her debut solo album Echoes In The Aviary and she’s pretty damn excited to test out her new material. What a coincidence — we're pretty damn excited to have a listen!
Hope you're feeling hungry, because Taste of Melbourne is back. One of the biggest, tastiest gastronomic events in town, this four-day foodie festival — which starts cooking on Thursday, November 30 — will once again welcome some of the biggest boffins in culinary culture to a brand new home: Yarra Park, right outside the MCG. The year's program is positively bursting – just like you'll be by the time the final day of the festival rolls around. For starters, they're marking their tenth anniversary with a birthday bash featuring some notable culinary collabs and fine wine. There'll also be an after dark party in the park featuring sets by local bands and DJs. Other standouts on the program include a make-your-own gin class with the team from Sydney's Archie Rose Distillery, and a series of Table Talks featuring a wide range of speakers from the food and beverage industry. Punters will also get the chance to attend live demonstrations by some of Melbourne's top chefs, take part in hands-on cooking classes, and peruse what's on offer in the marketplace, featuring wares from dozens of local producers. Taste of Melbourne 2017 will run from November 30 to December 3. If you're an American Express Card Member you'll get a sneaky 15 percent off tickets (to all events except the tenth birthday bash), express entry into the festival and a ten percent discount on a select dish at participating restaurants. Plus, Card Members have the chance to win a super special Taste of Melbourne experience, which includes a gin-making masterclass, private dining experience and tickets to the After Dark party — you can enter that one over here. The comp closes on November 2 and T&Cs apply.
Break out the martinis and prepare for a shaken but not stirred Boxing Day — Bond, James Bond, is coming to your lounge room. On Wednesday, December 26, Stan will become home to all 24 official films in the espionage franchise, which means one massive movie marathon is on the cards. Sean Connery smouldering his way through everything from Dr. No to Diamonds Are Forever, Roger Moore stepping into 007's shoes between Live and Let Die and A View to A Kill, Timothy Dalton's two-film run in The Living Daylights and Licence To Kill — they're all included. So is Pierce Brosnan's stint as the secret agent between GoldenEye and Die Another Day, and Daniel Craig's four contributions to date since Casino Royale. Aussie actor George Lazenby's one-movie appearance as Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service is also on the bill. A 25th movie, Never Say Never Again, will also hit Stan on the same date. Made in 1983, it stars Connery as the suave spy. But, because it was made by a different company from the rest of the Bond movies, it's not considered part of the official franchise. If you're particularly keen to rove your eyes over every single detail — and every villain, Bond girl, gadget and opening credits sequence too — Stan is streaming the flicks in 4K. And even if you're not wowed by revisiting the franchise in an impressive resolution, this marks the first time the entire franchise has made its way to an Aussie streaming platform. Find the Bond franchise on Stan from Wednesday, December 26,.
Festival season is well and truly upon us, with the Woodford Folk Festival the latest event to announce its program. If you fancy seeing out 2019 and welcoming in 2020 while catching a heap of bands, wandering between arts performances and getting a little muddy across a grassy patch of southeast Queensland, the fest has you covered for its whopping 34th year. Taking place at Woodfordia about 90 minutes north of Brisbane, this year's event will be held for six days between Friday, December 27, 2019 and Wednesday, January 1, 2020 — with Amanda Palmer, Lior, Horrorshow, The Herd, Kate Miller-Heidke, Electric Fields, Emma Louise, Archie Roach with Paul Grabrowsky, and Kasey Chambers among its high-profile talent. In total, over 2,000 artists will put on more than 1600 shows across the festival's 25 stages, all in venues that range from a 25,000-seat amphitheatre to chilled-out hangout spots. With the lineup featuring everything from music, art, circus and cabaret to yoga, dance and comedy, there's plenty of other highlights — including a spoken word, comedy and performance program that tasks American Gods and Stardust author Neil Gaiman with reading from his work as the sun sets on the first day of the new year. Elsewhere, Woodford's 2019–20 bill spans arts, dance and meditation workshops, plus a heap of circus and cabaret shows. And, if you're bringing littlies, the event's Children's Festival within the broader fest is also returning. Or, you can explore Woodfordia's rainforest plants on a guided tour, eat a feast of bush foods, play a real-life fantasy game and soak in the flames at the fest's annual closing fire ceremony. Fancy celebrating New Year's Eve with an Elton John sing-along? Woodford won't go breaking your heart, because that's on the agenda also. While the annual Queensland festival has weathered an uncertain future in recent years, it remains a staple of the state's end-of-year calendar — and visit will also boast a whole heap of stalls around the grounds (195 in 2018–19), turning the site into a mini-village for its duration. That includes everything from bars, cafes and restaurants, to an on-site doctor's surgery and two general stores. As always, camping is available at one of the fest's multiple campgrounds, or you can nab a ticket just for the day. Either way, expect to have company, as around 132,000 people attend each year. The 2019–20 Woodford Folk Festival runs from Friday, December 27, 2018 and Wednesday, January 1, 2019 at Woodfordia on the Sunshine Coast. To view the program and buy tickets, head to woodfordfolkfestival.com Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
Fancy wrapping up this year's NAIDOC Week celebrations on the dance floor, moving to sounds from an all-Indigenous lineup of artists and performers? Electronic music collective Tongberang'i Ngarrga Inc. is dishing up that exact scenario, when it takes over Abbots Yard on Saturday, July 9, for its next NAIDOC Week Dance Party. Across nine hours, the openair precinct will come alive for a bumper showcase of techno, visual art, dance, comedy and storytelling, all from First Nations talent. [caption id="attachment_860142" align="alignnone" width="1920"] DJ Dameeeela[/caption] On the 14-strong bill, you'll catch DJ and Boiler Room regular Dameeeela, along with minimal house star Yarra, comedian and Deadly Funny finalist Ben Moodie, music festival favourite Harley James, the Dhungala Dancers, techno legend DJ Kiti and Kulin storyteller Uncle Larry Walsh. Plus, see visual artist Fred Leone creating live graffiti works. You'll dance, laugh and be inspired as this curation of First Nations creatives pays homage to this year's NAIDOC theme, 'Get up! Stand up! Show up!'. The event is designed to be family-friendly, pet-friendly and inclusive, so bring the whole gang along. [caption id="attachment_860143" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Uncle Larry Walsh[/caption] Top Image: Abbots Yard
Despite also serving up everything from all-day vegan breakfast to ice cream sandwiches, we still think that fries are the best thing about Lord of the Fries. It's right there in the name, after all. The chain's chips are particularly tasty — as made with Australian potatoes and cooked in a cottonseed sunflower oil blend. There is one thing better than Lord of the Fries' titular dish, however. That'd be free shoestring fries from the chip-loving establishment. And on Wednesday, July 13, the vegan fast food joint is giving away just that. Free. Fries. Yes, really. To snag free fries on Wednesday, you'll need to head to your chosen store in between 4–5pm and you'll be gifted a serving of shoestring deliciousness. You don't even have to purchase any vego nuggets to redeem them. There is a limit of one freebie per person, though, so take that into consideration if you're feeling particularly peckish. You'll get your choice of classic sauces, too. This is clearly great news for anyone who like fries, aka everyone — and Melburnians can choose between ten different stores. And if you're wondering why, that's because it's National Fry Day. Of course it is. There are a few caveats, as is always the case with this kind of giveaway. So, the freebies span one Lord of the Fries stickered cup of shoestring fries and one classic sauce, with the latter popped directly on top of the former. Again, you can only get one per person, and only in-store. And, it's only for shoestring fries — not the classic, chunky or sweet potato versions.
Sure, summer's technically over, but in one little astroturfed pocket of the city, it's kicking on strong. Pint-sized bar Chuckle Park is gripping onto those warm weather vibes with both hands and it won't let go — well, not until it throws its Neverending Summer party on March 14, at least. Expect a lively little shindig, in celebration of the bar's brand-new cocktail menu and revamped opening hours. From 4–5pm, Mountain Goat will be doling out complimentary beers (one per person — don't go getting any ideas), while free tasters of the new cocktail lineup are up for grabs on the hour at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm. Buy a drink and post a snap of any of these new sips to your Instagram account on the night for the chance to win a $100 bar tab. Rounding out the festivities, there'll be cocktail paddles and specials galore on Jameson Whisky cocktails, set to a soundtrack of live tunes from JJ&Ray and DJ sets from some of Chuckle Park's resident acts.
The CBD's Straight Outta Saigon is relaunching its weekday lunch menu, and is tempting customers down to the restaurant with a fairly fun three-day dining deal. From Wednesday, September 4–Friday, September 6, you can order a lunchtime bowl of pho and pay whatever you like — be it with money, a shoe or whatever else you fancy. Although, if you can afford to pay a decent price for your pho, we recommend you do — don't be an ass. Three different phos are up for grabs (including a vegan version) during the Pay 'Pho' What You Want deal, each cooked for over ten hours. The full lunch menu, which includes bites like bao buns, rice paper rolls, crispy chicken, fried rice and stir-fried dishes alongside the pho, will then officially launch on Monday, September 9. Images: Pablo Diaz.
Thanks to the winter solstice, this week is gifting us the shortest days of the whole year; but that doesn't mean less time devoted to wining, dining and merriment. In fact, that's the whole basis of Yarra Valley wine festival The Shortest Lunch, which returns from Saturday, June 25–Sunday, June 26. Across both days, festival-goers can hop between 12 of the region's family-owned boutique wineries, enjoying unlimited tastings along with live tunes and a broad menu of small plates. You'll get to meet and chat with the makers as you sip an array of varietals, or purchase a glass or bottle to settle in with while you soak up the live sounds. There'll also be exclusive cellar door specials on offer. Each venue will also be slinging a curation of entree-sized dishes — from the slow-cooked paprika lamb shoulder and polenta at Kellybrook, to Tokar Estate's kraut-topped kransky rolls, to Chinese mushroom bolognese jaffles courtesy of Fin. Food will be extra to purchase, though nothing is over $20. Tickets clock in at $50, including all your wine tastings and a tasting glass to keep, with a portion of this year's profits going to support Make-A-Wish Australia.
On the first weekend in November, more than 150 music acts are set to take over Bendigo, pouring into town for the annual Blues & Roots Music Festival. Whether your thing is getting amongst it at a huge, outdoor concert or kicking back to mellow tunes in a small bar, there'll be something on the program to make your ears prick up. At the festival's heart is a free, all-day, all-ages shindig in Rosalind Park featuring more than a dozen acts. Outside of that, you'll have more than 50 venues to choose from — including a moving one, the Bendigo Blues Tram. This engaging experience sees some of the festival's cracking blues artists take over a historic city tram, filling it with music as it rolls through the city from the Central Deborah Goldmine to the Joss House and back. Look out, too, for laneway parties, workshops, pop-ups, buskers and loads more. The majority of the festival is free, but you can also pick up an Easy Rider Pass for $99 that'll guarantee you stellar seats at some of the more popular events.
Maleficent has a perception problem. Traditionally blamed for Sleeping Beauty's snoozing state, the evil fairy gained an on-screen backstory in 2014, which softened out her edges (but not her razor-sharp cheekbones, naturally). That leaves inevitable sequel Maleficent: Mistress of Evil in a tricky predicament. The movie's title dials up the character's supposedly unsociable ways; however, if Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) is now happily playing godmother to Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning), how nefarious can she really be? And if she's facing off against a seemingly kindly queen (Michelle Pfeiffer) who actually wants to start a genocidal war against all magical folk, well, she's hardly the most wicked creature in this film. You could say that Disney just chose the wrong name for this follow-up, but the movie's moniker is symptomatic of its generally muddled state of affairs. It's easy to see why this sequel exists — the first film made a quarter-billion dollars at the box office, and Jolie's casting as Maleficent is a dark fairytale dream — yet that doesn't explain why such little thought appears to have gone into it otherwise. Perhaps the powers-that-be assumed that audiences just want Maleficent to be somewhat evil, so they'll overlook the fact that the last flick (and the beginning of this one) establishes otherwise. Or, perhaps it was a case of trying to use the same formula by giving it the slightest of twists. Where Maleficent proved that its eponymous antiheroine wasn't really bad because she has a soft spot for Aurora, Mistress of Evil does the same by saying "hey, someone else is worse!" That someone, Pfeiffer's Queen Ingrith, comes into Maleficent's life when Aurora accepts Prince Phillip's (Harris Dickinson) marriage proposal. While Maleficent is wary at first, she's heatedly flapping her wings with disapproval after an awkward meet-the-in-laws dinner, where she's accused of working her wicked magic on King John (Robert Lindsay). Although Aurora is left distraught and confused, original screenwriter Linda Woolverton and newcomers Noah Harpster and Micah Fitzerman-Blue (TV's Transparent) ensure that viewers don't feel the same, spelling out exactly who's responsible for the sinister turn of events. After a run-in with a colony of fellow dark fairies (led by a wasted Chiwetel Ejiofor), the scene is set for Maleficent to do her worst against Ingrith — for the absolute best possible reasons. With its feuding royals, controversial nuptials and ill-motivated blonde queen, Mistress of Evil takes a leaf or several out of Game of Thrones' book — all while tasking its antagonist with trying to wipe out an entire race. Throwing homicidal xenophobia into the mix is designed to reflect today's times, rebuke toxic political structures and promote a message of harmony, but it's both bluntly and clumsily handled. This is a family-friendly flick, after all, so Disney doesn't seem to want to delve too deeply into such tricky terrain. It's still happy to use holocaust parallels to up the dramatic stakes, though. Under the direction of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales' co-helmer Joachim Rønning, the movie's visuals also prove dull and lumbering, unless you like overblown CGI onslaughts. Of course, Mistress of Evil isn't the first big fantasy blockbuster that's forgone subtlety and ramped up its battle scenes, but it never escapes attention that the film didn't need to turn out this way. Jolie is once again a commanding delight as Maleficent, a role she relishes even if it barely stretches her Oscar-winning acting skills. Pfeiffer is equally as mesmerising as her increasingly deranged adversary — and, as she did the first time around, Fanning wears innocence well. After fleshing out its titular figure's tragic past in the initial movie, this sequel could've just let its three main talents go head-to-head. Indeed, Mistress of Evil is at its strongest when Jolie and Pfeiffer are trading withering barbs and glares, or when Jolie and Fanning are exploring their characters' complex mother-daughter dynamic. Cast-wise, it helps that they're in fine company, with Lesley Manville, Imelda Staunton and Juno Temple returning as pithy pixies devoted to Aurora, and Sam Riley popping up again as Maleficent's shape-shifting offsider; however the film's three main ladies steal the show when they're just talking to each other. But, then the screensaver-like special effects start screaming for attention. The movie's swooping cinematography keeps repetitively flying over forests and castles, too. And, especially from its mid-point, Rønning repeatedly hits audiences over the head with the film's clunky themes. Instead of enchanting, it all just makes for average-at-best fairytale drama. Mistress of Evil is hardly cursed, but it won't send anyone leaping from their slumber. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU9zRfcTI-k
After an epic ticketing hack spoiled everything for hyperventilating punters on release day, Splendour in the Grass has rectified the situation with a fresh batch of tickets. Initially released in early May, Splendour tickets found themselves both the target of more festival-seekers than ever in Splendour history and hackers who charged said ticket buyers thousands in sneaky fees. Attempting to put smiles back on the dials of festivalgoers and shareholders alike, Splendour and North Byron Parklands applied for a capacity increase of 2500 tickets. Prompting high fives Australia-wide, the Department of Planning and Environment have approved the increase. The new load of tickets will go on sale at 9am AEST on Thursday, June 12 via Moshtix. Splendour are releasing a mixture of three-day, single-day and camping tickets. If you miss out on this predictably chaotic bid for tickets, Splendour's Re-sale facility allows ticketholders who bail on Byron plans to offload their ticket to anyone who missed out. The Re-sale will be open through Moshtix from 9am AEST Monday, June 16. Splendour is pleading with punters to avoid buying through online auction sites or dodgy-looking creeps outside the front gate. Your name and DOB will be printed on your ticket. The Splendour in the Grass lineup and more details are over here.
Flicked through all of your various streaming queues, watched everything that takes your fancy and wondering what to feast your eyes on next? On Friday, March 27, let the folks at Static Vision and Prototype do the choosing for you. One usually specialises in weird, wonderful and cult cinema screenings around Sydney, while the other is an e-newsletter dedicated to new experimental art and short films — and they're joining forces to put on Lockdown: An Interactive Livestream. Beamed to viewers online from 6pm AEDT (5pm AEST), Lockdown will screen six hours of movies — including three features and three shorts programs, plus e-chats, Q&As and interviews. As for exactly what you'll be watching, the program is top secret until the night, with being surprised by the lineup choices all part of the fun. Lockdown will be setting up an online screen room for the event; however you can decide just how interactive you'd like your experience to be. Natter along with other viewers in the live-text chat, or hit full-screen mode simply sit back and watch — it's up to you. To register your participation — and to receive updates — head to the event's Eventbrite page.
Collaborating for the third time, Melbourne-based visual and sound artist Michael Graeve teams up with Mark Booth, an American interdisciplinary artist, to create a lively space rich in text, prints, projections, surround sound and performance. A playful experiment, (18) ... Insert Text Here ... :Thus One Might Add (But Not That Itself contrasts abstract works with text-based creations, which have been modified as paintings, stencils, vinyl works and more. The exhibition will be a compelling one as works blanket almost the entirety of BLINDSIDE Gallery's floors, ceiling and walls, as fragmented sound and projections also permeate the space. Having met in Chicago in 2005, Graeve and Booth have worked together twice previously, exploring notions of space, environment and time. Clashing sound, visuals, physical objects and text, the artist's consider how we might find visual inspiration in sound works, make auditory discoveries through paintings and uncover other unique experiences through varied and intense stimulus. (18) ... Insert Text Here takes place at Blindside Gallery from Wednesday, July 12 until Saturday, July 29. Image: Mark Booth and Michael Graeve, (6) THE SPEED OF THE WORD SOUND. THE SOUND OF THE WORD SPEED (installation view Light Projects, Northcote), 2011, installation, dimensions vary, photo by Michael Graeve.
In good news for anyone who has ever run out of grog mid-party (or just anyone who sucks at planning), Lygon Street bottle store and off-license bar Bahama Gold has launched Bahama Litres, a wine delivery service that will get wine to your door within the hour of order for any orders placed before 2pm. There's one caveat: you must live within a 15-kilometre radius of Brunswick in order to qualify — because, well, lightspeed travel hasn't been invented yet. The bottles go for $22 a pop, or you can nab three for $59. You can choose from Koerner red light blend 'Bright Red', Koerner 'Rizza' (riesling), and 'Little Reddie' Skinzies (pinot gris). Oh, and delivery will be free. The organic wines are sustainably farmed and produced exclusively with Adelaide winemaker Damon Koerner and Barossa's Koen Janssens. The wine is also packaged in Bahama Gold's branded bottles, which means you can bring them back to Bahama Gold to be refilled at a discounted price of $20. Love that for us (and the planet). Bahama Litres are also available to buy in-store, or you can head to the Bahama Gold website to order a delivery. With Christmas around the corner, this might just be the perfect — and quick — gift. Find Bahama Gold at 135 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, and head to its website to order online.
If you're a true seafood lover who's keen on a long-haul road trip down the coast, this one's for you. The annual Wild Harvest Seafood Festival returns to Mallacoota from Friday, April 26, to Sunday, April 28, and it's the perfect excuse to squeeze in a weekend getaway. This year's festivities are set to deliver a jam-packed celebration of top local produce, community and history. One of the main events is a huge seafood market on Saturday featuring food stalls, local booze pop-ups and a stack of local producers showcasing their finest ocean-fresh hauls, with abalone, sea urchin, prawns and many (many) oysters all on offer. Elsewhere, you'll have the chance to jump aboard a Mallacoota lake cruise to watch the sunset with bubbles, beer and brilliant seafood in hand, or take a daytime jaunt aboard the historic M.V Loch-Ard to learn all about estuary health and the tasty sea creatures that live just beneath the water's surface. The stacked lineup of events at this year's Wild Harvest Seafood Festival also includes a night-time lantern festival, paella picnic, sand sculpting competition and bush food walk with Budawang Elder from the Yuin Nation Noel Butler. Images: Destination Gippsland
One of the greats of the Aussie comedy industry, Josh Thomas, has graced our eyes and ears with his two television series Please Like Me and Everything's Gonna Be Okay, his podcast Josh Thomas and Friend and his standout standup career. Said standup career is returning to our lives with his newly announced 2024 national tour Let's Tidy Up. In this show, Josh tidies up, which isn't usually particularly gripping entertainment. Unless it's difficult, and for Josh, it's supposedly impossible, akin to defying gravity and reversing the tides. But he also promises more topics — like gardening, gophers and a love story. The tour starts in Sydney at the Sydney Opera House from Wednesday, January 31 to Sunday, February 18. Then Josh will move on to visit Canberra, Hobart and Newcastle for one-night-only shows in late February. He'll set up shop at Adelaide Fringe Festival from March 5—10, then hit Cairns and Perth for one-night-only shows in March and April. There'll be several shows at Melbourne Comedy Festival from April 9—21, a one-night-only show in Toowoomba on Wednesday, May 1 and finally the Brisbane Comedy Festival from May 2—5. And as a special offer for you, dear reader, you can get 20% off your tickets with this limited time offer to select shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. 'Let's Tidy Up' is playing at the Sydney Opera House from Wednesday, January 31 to Sunday, February 18. For more information or to get tickets, visit the website.
