Since 2014, MPavilion has been Australia's leading architecture and design commission, attracting worldwide attention and bringing some of the most exciting architects from home and abroad to this city of ours. Founded by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation — a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to initiating and supporting great examples of public design, architecture and culture — MPavilion is now open for its biggest year yet. Located in Queen Victoria Gardens from Tuesday, October 3 until Sunday, February 4, MPavilion creates a free and open space that encourages coming together inside a beautiful setting. Each annual iteration of MPavilion sees a new architect commissioned to produce a stunning pavilion, with each designer bringing his or her own unique style and ideas to the project. Behind this year's design is legendary Dutch 'starchitects' Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten of architecture firm OMA. For the uninitiated, Koolhaas has been awarded the Pritzker Prize — essentially the Nobel Prize of architecture — while being described as "the world's most controversial architect" and designing celebrated buildings the world over. Meanwhile, Gianotten is an architectural superstar in his own right, becoming a core part of OMA in recent years and overseeing the firm's expansion into Asia Pacific. And this year's design matches the duo's impressive resumes. Described by Gianotten as a "living room looking into the garden of the city", the architects have designed a pavilion that blurs the lines between inside and out, one that is reconfigurable and obscures the distinction between audience and performer. Taking its cues from natural amphitheatres, the pavilion is warm, bright and open, and provides the perfect way to take in Melbourne's skyline. There's coffee and a bar on-site, making it the ideal place to stop by and see what's going on. "This year's pavilion reflects OMA's interest in the concept of inside-outside design and conversing with the city, so it's been very exciting to have them involved," Milgrom explains. "It's an open brief, so it's all about what the architect feels is perfect for the pavilion." Images: John Gollings.
If the pandemic hadn't hit, Sydneysiders would've been able to peer at more than 150 items from Tutankhamun's tomb this year, all without leaving town. So would've Australians visiting the Harbour City, too, because Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh was due to display at Sydney's Australian Museum in 2021 — until the events of the past 15 months or so happened. While the King Tut showcase was sadly cancelled — with that news coming through back in March — the Australian Museum will still be diving into Egyptian history in the near future. Come summer 2023, the venue will play host to Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs. This time, there'll be more than 180 rare artefacts on display, all connected to a different pharaoh, including animal mummies, royal masks, amulets and other golden treasures from the ruler's tomb. Focusing on Egypt's third pharaoh from its nineteenth dynasty — a ruler also known as Ramses II, who reigned from 1279–1213 BCE — this showcase is set to be big. It'll be the largest collection of Ramses II items to ever leave Egypt, in fact, and will also mark the first time in more than three decades that items connected with the pharaoh have left their home country. So, as well as experiencing a slice of history, you'll be able to take a peek at objects that no one has seen outside of Egypt for 30-plus years. Created by World Heritage Exhibitions and supported by Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs will also let attendees enter the ruler's temples — virtually, via the first walkthrough of its kind. And you'll be able to watch the first full-length documentary that's ever been made about Ramses II's tomb, too. [caption id="attachment_816405" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Grey Nurse Shark at Magic Point off Sydney, Eric Schlogel[/caption] The exhibition will receive funding from New South Wales' 2021–22 budget, as part of $40 million that's being committed to get major cultural exhibitions from around the world to come to the state in the next four years. Also nabbing financial support from the state government, and also coming to the Australian Museum: Sharks, which the site is developing itself. As the name makes plain, it's all about the aquatic animals, and it's set to display at the venue from winter 2022 until summer 2023. "This funding will also help the Australian Museum to premier and globally tour one of the largest, most ambitious glimpses into sharks that any museum has ever produced," said Director and CEO of the Australian Museum Kim McKay AO. "The Australian and Pacific relationship with sharks is completely unique — we know them, we understand them, we live with them every day, and we're going to share this with the world." Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs will display at the Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Sydney, in the summer of 2023 — with exact dates and details yet to be announced. Sharks will display at the venue from winter 2022–summer 2023, with further details still to be announced. We'll update you with more information about both exhibitions when it is announced.
The Bastille Day French Festival is back, meaning it's time for budding Francophiles to don their best blue, white and red outfit for the occasion. Taking over Queen Victoria Market's C and D sheds once more, this celebratory winter event is happening on Saturday, July 12–Sunday, July 13, featuring a bustling program of top-notch cuisine, live music and masterclasses. French flavours are a natural focus, with a host of local businesses bringing their wares to the market. Renowned baker Quentin Berthonneau from Oji House will serve his incredible sourdough, spanning baguettes, brioche vendéenne, buttery croissants, and jambon-beurre and cheese sandwiches. Meanwhile, iconic French cheese producer Fromager d'Affinois will offer super-smooth double-cream and triple-cream cheeses. You can't have a French market without macarons, so MD Royale Bakes is serving bright, bite-sized treats handcrafted to perfection. Beyond cuisine, the market will also feature a host of France-forward shops, like the Language International Bookshop, with hand-drawn illustrations by artist Susan Kerian depicting the streets of Paris. Forming part of the cultural program, this year's Bastille Festival also includes Les Lumieres Talks – a series of events focused on French history and current events, from the political legacy of street art to the latest tech innovations in sport. There are also fascinating masterclasses to explore, where guests are invited to learn how to pair cheese and wine, create stencil art, and appreciate the ins and outs of the nation's haute fragrance houses.
Of all the epic skiing opportunities in the world, Australia has some pretty bloody lovely options. One of those gems is the famed upside-down ski town of Mt Hotham, Victoria. Here, you'll find the usual blueprint of a ski village flipped on its head, where the accommodation and dining sit on the Great Alpine Road above most of the runs, as opposed to at the base of the mountain. Another bonus of the altitude (which ranges from 1450 to 1861 metres above sea level) is a series of jaw-dropping views in all 360-degrees of snowy vistas. If you want to tick off some of Australia's most photographic angles, read on. Mt Hotham Village at Sunrise The village of Mt Hotham is readily accessible thanks to the Great Alpine Road. After you've wandered through the fantastic town on foot, take it all in in a single scenic moment on Mt Higginbotham. Don't worry — it's not a whole other mountain trip; it's actually accessed via a short walk from the Corral Car Park in the centre of the village. If you want to complete the full Higginbotham loop, it's approximately 2.6 kilometres long and should take 45 minutes to complete. The trail is easiest outside of the snowy season but with the proper gear you'll make easy work of the trail. If the going is tough, fret not — the views can be seen early on as you're headed uphill, less than 100 metres from the southern end of the Corral Car park. Head here first thing in the morning to grab a view of the village and distant Mt Feathertop, Victoria's second highest mountain. Razorback Ridge and Mt Feathertop from Mt Hotham The fabulous view from Higginbotham isn't the only good spot to catch the sun slipping above or below the horizon. One of the best sunset views on the mountain is north towards Razorback Ridge and Mt Feathertop. You can get a glimpse of Razorback from most of the on-mountain accommodation and the village since the high-altitude ridgeline stretches northwards from the Hotham summit itself. Mt Feathertop is visible from most areas of the mountain, even the road, being Victoria's second-highest peak. For the best, uninterrupted views of Feathertop, we recommend hitting Loch Track at the top of the Keogh chairlift. You can access Keogh by combining blue or black runs from Loch Carpark or Hotham Central. Après Views from Hotham Village Another point in favour of Hotham is the fact that you don't even need to hit the slopes to get a fantastic view. Thanks to the village above the slopes, the views are guaranteed throughout town. That's why it's perfect for a dash of Après ski bevvies and bites as the sun goes down. Zirky's Bar & Bistro offers all-day menus with views of Feathertop to pair, with a similar view on offer at the downstairs cocktail Asian-fusion bar Miss Mary's. On the other side of the mountain, you'll find western views over the Victorian Alps. If you're in Hotham Central, the busy Hotham Hotel has one of those views, perfect for enjoying a cold drink and a hot pub feed. The same goes for the appropriately named all-purpose eatery The General, which is great for any pre or Après ski meal. The Orchard from Loch Track Of all of Hotham's areas, Orchard is the furthest from the village, but it's absolutely worth your while to make it out there. With the highest density of blue runs, it's also one of the more accessible areas for intermediate and confident beginner skiers and snowboarders. Of the 11 runs accessible by the Orchard chairlift, nine are rated for intermediate skiers, sans the Big Slope and Spargo's Access black runs. The best spot to take stock of all the Orchard has to offer is on approach on the Tele Treat blue run or any of the black runs that chase the Keogh chairlift. The image above is of the Zirks and Big Slope runs, taken from across the Watershed gully. The Sunrise on First Tracks Ask anyone versed in snowsports what the best time to hit the slopes is, and they'll likely say first thing in the morning. There are many reasons why: the snow is at its freshest and is largely untouched, the majority of skiers and boarders are still asleep, and just look at that misty golden view. The smartest way to get the first run all to yourself is to book outside of the busy season and in the spring months. Not only are prices discounted across the mountain, you get the added benefit of blue skies and sunshine on your face more frequently, perfect to enjoy all the scenery mentioned above. There's a lot more than just great views to be discovered on Mt Hotham, so start planning a winter adventure before its too late. To learn more, visit the website. Images: Mt Hotham Skiing Company and Mt Hotham Resort Management.
In rather epic chocolate news, the Great Ocean Road has scored a 15-acre chocolate and ice cream wonderland. As if you needed another reason to take a holiday, the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery is located in Bellbrae, just next to Torquay (which is, just FYI, just over an hour from Melbourne). The chocolaterie is spearheaded by Leeanne and Ian Neeland, who also own the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie — that is, the guys who throw those epic hot chocolate, ice cream and rocky road festivals each year. The new coastal venue features a showroom filled with thousands of chocolates (including a cabinet filled with 7000 truffles) and free chocolate and ice cream tastings. An international team of six chocolatiers are on board to perform demonstrations throughout the day as they craft different chocolates and churn seasonal ice cream and sorbet. There's also be an on-site café that'll serve up grub made with produce from the grounds. So it's pretty much an adult version of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory (but you're less like to be carried away by Oompa Loompas here). And after you've gorged to satiation in the showroom (and maybe have a bit of a sugar buzz on), you can take a wander through the surrounds — 15 acres of lush native garden and orchards. There's even a lavender maze to get lost in. Unsurprisingly, this whole free-tastings-and-abundant-nature formula is one that works, as the Neelands discovered when they opened their Yarra Valley venue in 2012. So if you, like us, are the type of person who makes all your life decisions based on chocolate, you might want to go book some time off work and check the air pressure in your tyres so that, come the weekend, you'll be running through a lavender maze covered in chocolate and blissing out. The Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery is now open at 1200 Great Ocean Road, Bellbrae. For more info, visit gorci.com.au. Updated: August 29, 2016.
In late-night vibe, music scene and food mecca considerations, Melbourne and New York have been called sister cities by many. Well, now our city is making it official. MEL&NYC is a new winter program of multi-disciplinary events showcasing the influence that New York City has on the Melbourne arts and culture scene. The program will take over the city's cultural venues from June through August and see collaborations between leading New York-based institutions and talent with their Australian counterparts. In short: a series of top-notch conversations, live music, performances, educational talks, dinners and community outreach events are in store. The program is split into seven fairly self-explanatory sections: My New York Experience, A Taste of the City, New York Sounds, Art & Creativity, On Broadway, Professional Development & Exchange and Community. Plus, as an ode to our shared underground music scene, Melbourne's best laneways will come alive with secret pop-up performances throughout winter. In addition to Ilana Glazer's starring spot, with the Broad City star coming to town with her first Australian stand-up act, headline gigs include Arts Centre Melbourne shows by singer-songwriter Regina Spektor and contemporary ensemble Exo-Tech (featuring Kimbra and Sophia Brousa); a Melbourne Museum gig by soulful Harlem group The Rakiem Walker Project; and a jazz show by famed artist Gretchen Parlato. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will also present multiple tributes for renowned composer Leonard Bernstein, including a live-to-film performance of West Side Story. Food and wine experts from New York will take up residence in Melbourne restaurants and bars, too. Natural wine bars The Four Horsemen (by LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy) and Melbourne's Embla will team up, along with Momofuku Ko and Fitzroy's Marion. Plus, Starward Whisky is making five bespoke cocktails that embody what they consider to be Melbourne's five boroughs, and the Green Light Diner will transform itself into New York's Grand Central Station Oyster Bar for a night. Bringing the Big Apple to the big screen, in July The Astor will curate a program of classic New York films, including New York, New York, Ghostbusters and Do The Right Thing. On the other side of the spectrum, political speakers include an already sold-out conversation with journalists Ronan Farrow, who has spearheaded the reports into Hollywood sexual misconduct, as well as a panel discussion with The New York Times award-winning investigative reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones. The program also links up with with the National Gallery of Victoria's world-premiere exhibition, MoMA at NGV: 130 Years of Modern and Contemporary Art. It will see New York's MoMA take over the ground floor from June 9 and feature over 200 works from artists such as Picasso, Dalí, Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock and Georgia O'Keeffe, to name a few. The MEL&SYD program will take over Melbourne's iconic cultural venues from June through August. Tickets for some events are on sale now, with others going on sale throughout the next month. Events are already selling out, so best check out the full program now.
The historic Queen Victoria Market precinct is set to score a new community library, adding to the suite of improvements the multifaceted site will welcome in coming years. The City of Melbourne approved the three-storey library earlier this week, which will form part of the $70 million Munro community hub. It's not just any stuffy old neighbourhood library, either. The proposed facility clocks in at around 3100 square metres, boasting an auditorium, community spaces, meeting rooms, a commercial kitchen and a rooftop terrace "for outdoor reading and activities". All spaces and programs are set to be designed in close consultation with First Nations peoples as well. It's hoped the new addition will boost visitor numbers to the evolving precinct while improving library access for locals and residents. "We're expecting 24,000 new residents in the area by 2040, so we want to provide additional community facilities to meet the needs of a growing population," Lord Mayor Sally Capp said in a statement. The new facility will join the existing City of Melbourne library network as a sibling to the likes of Flinders Lane's City Library, Library at the Dock, and the Kathleen Syme Library and Community Centre. The council hopes the new library could open as soon as 2023. Making up a significant part of the ongoing Queen Victoria Market renewal project, the $450 million Munro Development will play host to a community hub featuring family services, shared work spaces and affordable housing units in addition to the new library. A series of retail outlets, a boutique hotel and residential apartments are also set to feature in the completed development. Further upgrades to the Queen Victoria Market's historic sheds and food hall were announced earlier this year, while work on a new pop-up park for the precinct is already underway. The City of Melbourne's new library has been approved for construction within the Munro Development, at 91–111 Therry Street, Melbourne.
More than three decades since it was first published, the Watchmen series of comics is still considered one of the all-time greats of the medium. Brought to the page by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, the premise says plenty: in an alternative version of the world we all live in, superheroes definitely exist — but their presence has drastically altered history. Here, the Cold War turned out differently, caped crusaders largely work for the government and anyone else enforcing law and order while wearing a costume has been outlawed. Now, imagine that tale told with a satirical edge that deconstructs the superhero phenomenon, and you can see why it has hordes of devotees. Back in 2009 when comic book flicks were just starting to pick up steam — and when 23-film franchises were a mere dream — Watchmen was turned into a movie by Zack Snyder (who was fresh from 300, but hadn't made the jump to Batman v Superman or Justice League yet). Sequels clearly didn't follow; however, HBO is now hoping that the story will flourish on the small screen, enlisting Lost and The Leftovers co-creator Damon Lindelof to make it happen. Obviously, with Game of Thrones all done and dusted (at least until its prequels start hitting the screen), the network is in the market for a new pop culture phenomenon. This isn't just a straight adaptation. Apparently the ten-part series "embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel of the same name while attempting to break new ground of its own," according to HBO. If you're wondering just how that'll play out, the program's trailers might help. Building on the first teaser from a few months back, the latest trailer serves up murky mysteries, complicated heroes and villains, and a fine line between the two — plus "a vast and insidious conspiracy". To help bring the above to the small screen, Watchmen boasts quite the stacked cast, which includes Jeremy Irons, Don Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson, this year's Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner Regina King, Hong Chau, Louis Gossett Jr and Aussie actress Adelaide Clemens. The big names don't stop there, with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross providing the score. Check out the new trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-33JCGEGzwU Watchmen launches on October 21, Australian and New Zealand time — with the series airing weekly from that date on Foxtel in Australia. Image: Mark Hill/HBO
It's not every day someone asks you to steal their things. Stolen Rum did just that. They posted notices to telegraph poles asking "Is this your sofa?" and kindly let the good people know where to steal them from. You steal it, you keep it; that was the deal, no tricks. On the same day across three countries — Sydney, Australia; Miami, USA; and Dunedin, New Zealand — people lined up for hours hoping to secure a sofa. Needless to say, all 150 sofas were burgled, plundered and nicked in less than seven minutes. Seven. With the average sofa weighing at least over 30kg, that's some speedy thieving. The Stolen Sofas Project generated a gargantuan amount of public interest, with budding thieves nabbing a spot in line hours before kick-off in each city. The first 50 lounge bandits in Sydney, Miami and Dunedin then had one job to do: nick the lounge and get the heck home. Punters scraped together their best burglary getaway vehicles, trucks, cars, bikes, even skateboards. But the purists simply came with ready hands and previous experience in moving house for their mates. The result? Pure, debaucherous international chaos. Stolen Rum, a new drop on the market, has been winning over hearts in bottle shops across Australia, New Zealand and the States. The company’s inspiration is a rebellion against the “tedious existence of work and pay”. “We cannot buy our lives back, nor can we beg them back,” writes the vagabond theorist on their site. “Our lives will only be our own when we steal them back — and that means taking what we want without asking permission.” Want to know where you can taste Stolen Rum? It's on the shelf at BWS Australia wide and in some of your favourite Sydney bars. Check out all the happy couch thieves from The Stolen Sofa Project day below. Sydney Dunedin Miami
The end of Game of Thrones is coming, with the show's eighth and final season kicking off this month. Not ready to say goodbye? Try claiming the Iron Throne for yourself instead. Joining the huge list of GoT-themed bits and pieces — including spinoff series, official tours, boozy banquets and ice hotels — is Game of Thrones Winter Is Coming, a new multiplayer browser game that puts players in the thick of the action. It might have the most obvious title possible, but Game of Thrones Winter Is Coming gives fans an important role and a huge task: becoming either a lord or lady in Westeros, scheming against and slaying your enemies, and seizing the Seven Kingdoms' coveted metal chair. So, basically, stepping into the standard GoT world and doing what all of your favourite characters have been doing for years. Unlike Jon Snow, you'll know that much at least. Now available to play, it all kicks off after the death of Eddard Stark, aka the moment that had every TV fan hooked. Your character will take his place among Westeros' upper echelons, train an army, recruit followers and endeavour to remain victorious (and keep your head, obviously). And, because the game is a collaboration with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment under license from HBO, expect plenty of other iconic GoT figures to pop up. Expect to virtually roam around the Seven Kingdoms as well, which has been recreated complete with major landmarks and castles from the show. You'll also be able to relive some of the series' iconic moments, just in computer game form. Played online in your browser, it's really your latest excuse to never leave the world created by George RR Martin, even if the hugely successful TV show based on his books is about to leave our lives. Or, think of it another way — it's a way to pass the time until Martin finally finishes the sixth instalment in the printed franchise, the long-awaited The Winds of Winter. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gon69yQTx9M Game of Thrones Winter Is Coming is available to play online now. Image: Game of Thrones season 8. Helen Sloan/HBO.
First hitting Australian cinemas back in 2015, Girlhood was one of the year's landmark films, taking viewers into the coming-of-age exploits of a group of friends living on the outskirts of Paris. Written and directed by Céline Sciamma, the French drama follows 16-year-old Marieme (Karidja Touré) as she struggles at home, dreams of something more, joins a girl gang and navigates the reality of life on the margins. From Sciamma's vivid and empathetic style, to the standout performances from the largely untrained cast, to the stellar use of Rihanna's 'Diamonds', the award-winning movie isn't easily forgotten. The folks at the Melbourne International Film Festival clearly haven't stopped thinking about it, either. In fact, the fest has added it to this year's MIFF lineup, and it's doing something special to mark the occasion. As part of the Hear My Eyes series that's been on the event's agenda since 2017, Girlhood will screen at the at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday, August 3 — with Sampa The Great performing a live score as the movie plays. Cinephiles won't just be treated to a rare chance to revisit the film on the big screen, but will hear Sampa's take on Jean-Baptiste de Laubier's original soundtrack. How to you improve one of the decade's great flicks about female friendship and empowerment? By adding a new, unique blend of neo-soul, hip-hop and spoken word poetry that you'll never get to experience again. If you caught Sampa's live performances in support of Kendrick Lamar, Lauryn Hill, Thundercat and Joey Bada$$, you'll be doubly excited.
When Baz Luhrmann's Australia hit the big screen in 2008, it debuted right here on home soil. Now that it has been reworked as a TV show, the exact same thing is happening. That series: Faraway Downs, a six-parter that was first announced in 2022 and is destined for Disney+ Down Under from November. For its big premiere, it'll make a splash at the first-ever SXSW Sydney Screen Festival, joining the program as its closing-night screening. Before streaming from Sunday, November 26, Faraway Downs will first be seen by audiences on Saturday, October 21, complete with Luhrmann in attendance. Nicole Kidman also just recently joined the SXSW Sydney bill for a discussion about her production company, which has been behind Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers, The Undoing and more, but hasn't been announced as a guest at Faraway Downs' big unveiling. For 15 years, Australia has inspired a particular line of thought when it comes to Luhrmann's movies: they can't all be good ones, even if almost all of them are. Australia is the one outlier on his resume — the one film that doesn't live up to the spectacular Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby and Elvis — so it's been given some tinkering and reimagining to return as Faraway Downs. "I was inspired to re-approach my film Australia to create Faraway Downs because of the way episodic storytelling has been reinvigorated by the streaming world," said Baz Luhrmann. "With over two-million feet of film from the original piece, my team and I were able to revisit anew the central themes of the work." "I am honoured to world-premiere Faraway Downs in Australia, the place that has inspired me and my work my entire life, and with a partner like SXSW who deeply recognises the intersection of film, television and music with storytelling," Luhrmann continued. [caption id="attachment_921555" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hugh Stewart[/caption] Combining two of the nation's biggest actors with one of its biggest filmmakers, Faraway Downs still stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, of course. If you need a refresher on Australia's plot — and therefore the new episodic version's plot, too — it follows English aristocrat Lady Sarah Ashley (Kidman, The Northman) after she comes into possession of an Aussie cattle ranch. To save it from cattle barons, she enlists the help of a drover (Jackman, The Son). That's just the overall gist, however, given that the sprawling movie also spans World War II and its impact, as well as the country's historical treatment of Indigenous Australians. Fittingly given the OG name — and as usually proves the case with Luhrmann's flicks — the cast includes a who's who of homegrown talent. As well as Kidman and Jackman, plus Brandon Walters (Mystery Road) as Nullah, everyone from Essie Davis (Nitram) and Bryan Brown (Hungry Ghosts) to Ben Mendelsohn (Secret Invasion), Jack Thompson (High Ground) and David Wenham (Elvis) features, as does the now-late David Gulpilil (Storm Boy) and Bill Hunter (The Cup). There's no sneak peek at Faraway Downs as yet, but you can check out original trailer for Australia below: Faraway Downs will close the 2023 SXSW Sydney Screen Festival on Saturday, October 21, then stream Down Under via Disney+ from Sunday, November 26, 2023. If you're keen to make the most of Australia's first SXSW, take advantage of our special reader offer. Purchase your SXSW Sydney 2023 Official Badge via Concrete Playground Trips and you'll score a $150 credit to use on your choice of Sydney accommodation. Book now via the website.
A music documentary with a glossy sheen and a warm heart, 20 Feet From Stardom tells the stories of some of popular music's most accomplished backup singers, including those who have shared the stage with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. While names like Darlene Love, Lynn Maybry and Merry Clayton may be almost completely unknown, classic soul, pop and girl group songs from 'Walk On The Wild Side' to 'Da Doo Ron Ron' and 'Gimme Shelter' would have been infinitely lesser without them. Possessed with the ability to perform vocal pyrotechnics which would blitz most Idol contestants, many of these backup singers yearn for their own moment in the spotlight, but as Springsteen observes "that walk to the front (of stage) is a difficult one". Though their ambitions of breaking out of the shadows of stardom were often frustrated by the whims of a notoriously fickle industry, the selfless contributions they made were immense and their stories are rarely less than compelling. Though primarily an upbeat affair, Morgan Neville's film is unafraid of tackling more emotionally complex terrain as he covers the backstory of Phil Spector's monstrous exploitation of backing singers and the politics around Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Sweet Home Alabama', which featured African-American backing singer Merry Clayton contributing to a track intended as a rebuttal to Neil Young's anti-racist 'Southern Man'. There's also a note of lament for the perceived declining importance of backup singers, as technology evolves to make their prodigious vocal talents a luxury when Auto-Tune and studio wizardry can produce the same result. As well as collating priceless archival footage performances of the film's stars with the likes of The Talking Heads, Paul Simon and Elton John, the documentary has corralled some of its subjects together for some perfectly shot performances of some of their greatest works. Although it has been decades since their prime in some cases, their voices are as sweet as ever, and when they join forces to belt out the evergreen 'Lean On Me', the results are simply spine-chilling. Neville's ambitions of pushing these overlooked but hugely talented musicians into the full blare of the spotlight is beautifully realised. https://youtube.com/watch?v=tWyUJcA8Zfo
Rich, magnificent and a little bit fancy are all things that come to mind when truffles are on the menu. But do we know anything about them, really? Long-time favourites of fine dining restaurants, truffles are now popping up on cafe menus too, having entire festivals thrown in their honour — they've even been added to beer, for goodness sake. In order to dispel the air of mystery surrounding truffles (and just so we can stop pretending we know what we're talking about), we've called upon truffle aficionado Bernadette Jenner from Madame Truffles to set us straight about where to find them, how to eat them, and what makes them so magical. What are truffles? Truffles are a type of fungi, and are part of the genus tuber. While there are many different types of truffles, only a few are edible; the white truffle (tuber magnatum) and the black Perigord truffle (tuber melanosporum) are the most highly sought after. Truffles range in size from as small as a marble to as big as your fist and retail for around $2,500 per kilogram. They're found underground surrounding the roots of a host tree, which is often either oak or hazelnut. Currently only the black Perigord truffles are harvested in Australia. Originally pigs were used to sniff out truffles; however, most farmers use dogs these days, as pigs were notorious for eating their discoveries. "Fighting a pig for a truffle is probably not worth your life," says Jenner, and we believe her. Interestingly, the truffle has a pheromone in it that smells like a male boar, so the female pigs are actually searching for a mate, rather than a fine-dining delicacy. "In pig world it's actually the smell of the male that speaks to its dominance. It's not about how pretty it is or how much money it earns; the better smelling the pig, the higher up in the pecking order he is." Weirdly enough, the pheromones in male pigs are actually similar to that found in male humans. Figure that one out. Where do they come from? Australia is actually the fourth largest black truffle producer in the world, following closely behind Italy, France and Spain. Black truffles can be found all over the country. So where can you get the best ones? "As a general rule, there's a great truffiere in Pemberton, WA," explains Jenner. "Truffles from Braidwood in NSW are smoky and gorgeous, and you can also get good truffles from Tassie." So how do our truffles compare? Jenner says that Australian truffles are strong competitors in relation to their European counterparts. "About 95 percent of the truffles from WA are exported to Italy and America, and they fill up the Michelin star restaurants." When are truffles in season? In Australia, peak truffle season is from the end of May through to the end of August. One great thing about truffles is their unpredictability and the variety you can have from one harvest, as Jenner explains. "Each harvest is different and even truffles from the same tree can taste and smell different." This is the fourth year Jenner has run her pop-up shop Madame Truffles during the peak season, and she has noticed a definite increase in interest in truffles. Bernie puts this down to two reasons: "The truffieres know much more about what they're doing so not only are they producing more truffles, but the quality is great." The second reason comes down to us: we're craving something new and special. "People are feeling more confident and adventurous with food," she says. How do you cook with truffles? The possibilities here are nearly endless. Truffles love heat, which make them lovely additions to pasta or risotto, where you can either mix it in while cooking, or shave some on top to add depth to your meal. Jenner's hot tip is to keep things simple. "The truffle is the diamond," she explains. "I love a decadent breakfast, so I love putting heaps of the truffle in scrambled eggs and pop a little bit on top when I serve it." A little bit goes a long way with truffles, and it’s important not to overcook as that can decrease their flavour. Where can you get them? Truffles are purchased by weight and are most often ordered online through various truffieres around Australia. Part of the thrill of buying truffles is inspecting them yourself, and most importantly, smelling them. That's what makes going to Madame Truffles such an experience. "The truffles that you buy here, you would have smelled them, we don’t sell it to you without smelling it first," explains Jenner. As well as buying truffles whole you can also by them as products such as truffle pasta, truffle butter, truffle ice cream, and Madame Truffles is even making truffle Monte Carlos for the adventurous sweet tooth. Where to enjoy truffles in Melbourne Melbourne has embraced truffles wholeheartedly this season, from top-of-the-range restaurants to humble cafes. "There are so many places now," Jenner acknowledges. "When we first started four years ago it was only the flash restaurants that used them, and last year we worked with four cafes to introduce the truffle toastie, so anyone could have an experience with truffles." So where should you head to make the most of this year's truffle-filled culinary creations? Jenner recommends the pig trotters with truffles at Duchess of Spotswood (pictured) and the truffle-infused dishes at St Ali. It's a good way to indulge in some fine produce without investing in it, says Jenner. "Yes, truffles can be decadent and expensive, but it's nice to go somewhere where the prices aren't too high to try it.” If we could be so bold as to add one more to Jenner's list, check out the truffle risotto at the Town Hall Hotel in Fitzroy. The Madame Truffles winter pop-up shop will be selling freshly harvested Australian truffles at 17 Yarra Place, South Melbourne (across from St Ali) until Saturday, August 23. Feature image courtesy of ulterior epicure via photopin. Other images thanks to Madame Truffles.
Last year, in bitter news for the Sydney restaurant scene, three-hat fine diner Sepia (recipient of a crazy amount of awards) announced it would be closing down at some point in the next two years. Now, co-founders Martin Benn and Vicki Wild (the head chef and front of house, respectively) have given the restaurant closure a date: December 31, 2017. Yep, at the end of the year, the restaurant — which has been open for eight years and is widely acknowledged as one of the best restaurants in Sydney, and the country — will take its leave. But that doesn't mean its owners will. While giving punters a closing date, Benn and Wild have also announced their post-Sepia project: they'll make the move to Melbourne to open a new venue in collaboration with restaurateur Chris Lucasin 2018. Yowsa. The partnership is great news for Melbourne, who is already anticipating a new Chris Lucas opening later this year. Lucas is the Lucas from hospitality group The Lucas Group, the brain behind Chin Chin, Baby, Kong, et al. The trio haven't given any hints as to what the restaurant will be like, but — considering they have decades of experience between them — it's gonna be a guaranteed good time for all our taste buds. The restaurant's Sydney departure also sadly signals the retirement of George Costi, a founding partner of Sepia and renowned seafood wholesaler, who will not renew the Sussex Street lease. But all good things must come to an end — and we give props to Sepia for pulling the plug in its prime and leaving behind a beautiful corpse. The team have promised finale of epic proportions though, so start saving your pocket money if you want to make a reservation before the year is out. We can't wait to see what comes next. Image: Lucas Allen.
Change is coming to The Witcher, with Henry Cavill (Zack Snyder's Justice League) set to relinquish Geralt of Rivia's icy locks after Netflix's hit fantasy series' upcoming third season. Before that big switch — which will see The Hunger Games, The Dressmaker and Independence Day: Resurgence's take over the role — fear is coming first, as the just-dropped first trailer for the show's next batch of episodes teases. "Now, for the first time, I understand real fear," growls Geralt to kick off the debut sneak peek at The Witcher season three — complete with his sword at the ready. Elsewhere, Ciri (Freya Allan, The Third Day) has ghost cavalry on her tail, while Yennefer (Anya Chalotra, The ABC Murders) has her own scares to deal with. Need a refresher on the story so far? Haven't watched the first two seasons yet? If The Witcher's name sounds familiar, that's because it's based on the short stories and novels of writer Andrzej Sapkowski — and, as well as being turned into comics, it was adapted the video game series of the same name. A Polish film and TV show also reached screens in the early 2000s, although they were poorly received. In the Netflix series, Cavill plays the witcher of the title. Geralt of Rivia is a monster hunter who prefers to work — aka slay beasts — alone in a realm called The Continent. But life has other plans for the lone wolf, forcing him to cross paths with powerful sorceress Yennefer and young princess Ciri. When it tosses a coin to its witcher again, season three will take its cues from Time of Contempt, the second book in Sapkowski's series. The new batch of episodes will hit streaming queues this winter Down Under, featuring eight instalments split into two parts. Volume 1 arrives on Thursday, June 29, with Volume 2 following on Thursday, July 27. One of Netflix's big successes, The Witcher has been renewed for a fourth season, too, which happened back in 2022 long before its third had a trailer or a release date — something that also occurred with season three before season two dropped as well, and with season two before season one debuted before that. But instead of Cavill as Geralt, Hemsworth will replace him, as also announced in 2022. The Witcher franchise doesn't just include the show itself, but also animated flick The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which hit Netflix in 2021. And, there's 2022 prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin, which takes place 1200 years before Geralt's time, spans four episodes and stars Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh. Check out the first teaser trailer for The Witcher's third season below: The Witcher's third season will hit Netflix in winter 2023 Down Under, releasing in two parts — with Volume 1 arriving on Thursday, June 29 and Volume 2 on Thursday, July 27.
If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, we can only imagine the results when you step things up a notch and tuck into a table laden with Mary Poppins-inspired treats. That's the premise of Sofitel Melbourne on Collins' latest themed high tea series, which has just kicked off to coincide with the hit Mary Poppins musical currently enchanting audiences at Her Majesty's Theatre. Sofi's Lounge is the setting for this supercalifragilisticexpialidocious spread, available from 2–4.30pm every Saturday until June 10. Served buffet-style and clocking in at $125 per person, it'll see you digging into a whimsical parade of sweet and savoury bites inspired by the magic of the classic tale. You're in for some exclusive, aptly named creations such as The Tu'ppence Coin — a layered dessert of apple emulsion, salted caramel parfait and caramel chocolate — and A Spoonful of Sugar, featuring an unexpected explosion of matcha, white chocolate and passionfruit served atop a teaspoon. There's the Dingley Dell Shepherd's Pie, a range of themed finger sandwiches, an opera cake inspired by Bert's jacket, profiteroles decorated with mini Mary Poppins hats and even a pink chocolate fountain. And of course, in the most delightful way, there's a nod to that British classic, scones with jam and cream. Free-flowing tea and coffee is included with your high tea, though there's also a slew of wine, champagne and cocktails available to add on.
The public pool is fun and all, but spending the afternoon throwing down some moves on a giant inflatable water slide? That's how we want to cool down this summer. Luckily, you've got just a few more days left to tick off that little summer bucket-list item, at The District Docklands' supersized pop-up Slip 'n' Slide. Making its home beneath the soaring Melbourne Observation Wheel, the Astroturfed water park will be sticking around to offer some sweet heat relief until Sunday, January 26. The leafy pop-up is decked out with garden games and a water mist zone, though the star of the show is the elevated, 25-metre-long blow-up water slide. This bright yellow monster is free to ride and fitted out with two lanes, so you can even challenge your mates to a few cheeky races. It might be mostly for kids, but as long as you're over the age of four and taller than 110 centimetres, anyone's allowed to have a go. It's open from 11am until 5pm each day.
In Nude Tuesday, you can take the unhappy couple out of their daily routine — and slip them out of their clothes in the process — but escaping to a mountainside commune, ditching the dacks, palling around with a goat and gleaning relationship advice from the author a book called The Toothy Vulva just can't solve all woes. What that list of absurd plot points and experiences can do is fill out a film that's gleefully silly, often side-splittingly funny, and also just as perceptive as it is playful. The basic premise behind this New Zealand sex comedy borrows from plenty of fellow movies and TV shows about stuck-in-a-rut folks seeking bliss and renewal, plus solutions to bland marriages, with a gorgeous change of scenery. But helping make Nude Tuesday such a winner is every offbeat choice that's used to tell that tale. Getting naked is only part of it, given that not a lick of any recognisable language is spoken throughout the entire feature — although plenty of words and sounds are audibly uttered. Nude Tuesday understands one key point, as everyone watching it will: that relationships are all about communication. The film is also well aware that so much about life is, too — and storytelling. Here, though, expressing emotions, connections and narrative details all boils down to gibberish and bodies. This amusing movie from writer/director Armağan Ballantyne (The Strength of Water) and writer/star Jackie van Beek (The Breaker Upperers) does indeed strip down its performers in its last third, living up to its name, but it saddles them with conveying almost everything about their characters via body language before that. Each piece of dialogue spoken echoes in unintelligible nonsense, using completely made-up and wholly improvised terms. Even covers of 'Road to Nowhere' and 'Islands in the Stream' do as well. And while subtitled in English by British comedian Julia Davis (Camping), that text was penned after shooting, in one of the film's other purposefully farcical twists. The result is patently ridiculous, and marvellously so — and hilariously. It's such a clever touch, making a movie about marital disharmony and the communication breakdown baked within that's so reliant upon reading tone and posture, as couples on the prowl for the tiniest of micro-aggressions frequently hone in on. Initially, the feature needs a few scenes to settle into its unfamiliar vernacular, which takes cues from The Muppets' Swedish Chef in its cadence. Via an opening map, which situates the story on the fictional pacific island of Zǿbftąņ, Nude Tuesday's language also resembles an IKEA catalogue. But once Ballantyne, van Beek and the latter's co-stars find their groove — with a literally bloody attempt to make adult nappies sexy, a supermarket tantrum involving tossed cans and a tense anniversary dinner — everything, including the movie's chosen tongue, clicks into place. Van Beek and Australian The Tourist actor Damon Herriman play Nude Tuesday's central pair, Laura and Bruno. In the first but not last example of just how compellingly they use their physicality, the talented lead twosome paints a picture of relatable malaise from their introductory moments together. Laura and Bruno are bogged down in a dull cycle that revolves around working at jobs neither loves — she spruiks those mature-age diapers, he sells bathroom fixtures — then trudging home exhausted and exasperated to deal with their kids, and later crumbling into bed knowing they're going to repeat it all the next day. Sex doesn't factor in, and neither is content with that, but resolving their troubles themselves is out of reach. Then, they're gifted a getaway to ẄØnÐĘULÄ to assist. But this woodland getaway, run by charismatic and lustful sex guru Bjorg Rassmussen (Jemaine Clement, I Used to Go Here), wants its new guests to expose all in multiple ways. Unfurling among gorgeously lensed New Zealand scenery (with Australian Babyteeth and High Ground cinematographer Andrew Commis behind the camera), that starkers setup keeps proving savvy. It also keeps saying plenty beyond the silliness. Nude Tuesday isn't just absurdity for the sake of it, although it'd remain perfectly and thoroughly enjoyable — if slight — if it was simply that. Evoking laughs still comes fast and easily, of course, including getting giggling about coming too fast and too easily. Davis' witty subtitling fires off gags a minute, and the frequent preposterousness of it all — with orgies, drugs, a Twin Peaks-style love of logs and a penchant for ponchos all factoring in — is constantly entertaining. But there's as much heart and smarts throbbing within Nude Tuesday as there was in van Beek's also-great The Breaker Upperers, which similarly found a nifty balance between chuckle-inducing ridiculousness and insight. Here, there are as many observant layers to Nude Tuesday's dance through married misery as there are clothes shed by its cast, too — a list of performers that spans everyone from Black Comedy's Ian Zaro and Down Under's Chris Bunton to Wellington Paranormal's Karen O'Leary and Shortland Street's Yvette Parsons. Accordingly, amid the sight gags, word play, slapstick, jokes about anatomy, plus the other wonderful lashings of ludicrousness, sits a canny undressing of Laura and Bruno's deep-seated struggle to get emotionally bare-assed. At the outset, they're the strait-laced stiffs amid the unburdened and aroused. They're outsiders in this cosy, free-thinking little community of fellow A-frame cabin-dwellers, adding to the film's familiar elements. Unpacking what that means, why, how the couple became that way and what ẄØnÐĘULÄ can gift them is never a by-the-numbers journey, however. It's revelatory several times over, even if the end destination is also hardly surprising. Whether decked out head to toe or disrobing, it'd be tough to find a situation where Van Beek, Herriman and Clement didn't delight, particularly when bouncing off of each other in an anything-goes situation. Nude Tuesday's biggest names are that adaptable, that innately comedic, and that able to smoothly zip between the off-kilter and the astute. Clement doesn't have to plumb many depths, but he always plays Bjorn with the exact right dash of charm and eccentricity. Actually, Ballantyne's film itself achieves that latter feat — while finding ample emotional nooks and crannies to explore. Nude Tuesday mightn't have quite hit the spot if it had played out in English, but not because it relies upon gimmickry; rather, by peeling away the chatter, it's a sharper, savvier and funnier picture of communication struggles, and what it truly means to bare it all.
The increasing rise of streaming platforms could mark the death of movie-going as we know it, or so says the popular line of thinking that's been floating around for years. We're fairly certain that online services won't completely kill cinemas, however, even as huge companies like Apple and Disney try to battle it out with Netflix. There's a simple reason, and it's all about the spectacle. If the big screen dies out, all of those huge superhero battles will lose a bit of their sheen — and so will nerve-wracking creature features. It's a truth universally acknowledged that there's nothing quite like watching savage critters attack while you're sat in a darkened theatre, where nothing can disrupt the tension and a whole room of people are reacting to the on-screen horrors. That's one of the reasons Steven Spielberg's Jaws proved such a hit, after all, with the movie credited with inventing the mid-year blockbuster season. Since the 1975 thriller, plenty of films have tried to follow in its footsteps, both seriously and comedically. Crawl is the latest, slinging killer crocodiles at Skins and Maze Runner star Kaya Scodelario — because, well, why not? Directed by Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D) and produced by Sam Raimi (the original Evil Dead trilogy, Drag Me to Hell), Crawl takes place in Florida, just as a huge hurricane hits. Scodelario's Haley is told to evacuate, but she wants to find her missing dad (Barry Pepper) first — and he's injured and stuck in the crawl space of their family home. So far, so unfortunate. But then floodwaters rise, the storm keeps belting down and something with teeth is lurking below the water. If you're not fond of jumps, scares and snapping foes, this won't be for you. If you are, check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4WuVXo_XAM&feature=youtu.be Crawl releases in Australian cinemas on July 11. Image: Sergej Radović. © 2019 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All rights reserved.
Ridley Scott directs an all-star cast in The Counselor, the first original screenplay from Cormac McCarthy. Fans of the gritty, unflinching writing behind The Road will definitely want to check out this soon-to-be released drama-thriller. It stars man of the moment Michael Fassbender (currently generating praise for his turn in 12 Years a Slave) as a hotshot lawyer who gets involved in the dangerous world of drug trafficking and, quelle surprise, throws his near-perfect life (good job, beautiful fiance) into chaos. It's worth seeing for Javier Bardem alone, who demonstrates yet again just how well he can play the bad guy and rock an unsettling hairstyle. Although his 'do this time round doesn't quite live up to his No Country for Old Men coiffure in the creep-o-metre stakes. There are also performances from Penelope Cruz, Brad Pitt and Cameron Diaz in a surprisingly hard-edged role that looks set to showcase her dramatic range outside of comedy. The Counsellor is in cinemas on November 7, and thanks to Twentieth Century Fox, we have ten double in-season passes per state to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Live music and heaving dance floors have been scarcer than normal these past two years, but this weekend, Red Bull invites you to dive right back in the deep end. They're teaming up with some of Melbourne's favourite venues, club nights and programmers to deliver an epic ode to local nightlife, held across one huge weekend. From Friday, March 25–Sunday, March 27, Red Bull Melbourne Unlocked will descend on Kensington's multi-level creative hub The Hoi Polloi with a stacked program of gigs, activations, food pop-ups, mini raves and other nightlife experiences — all under one roof, with free entry. You'll catch an immersive rave room from Novel and Glamorama; a gaming precinct by Ballers Clubhouse; a pop-up edition of the Palais Theatre hosting performances and other fun courtesy of Poof Doof and Chasers; and even a spin-off version of Madame Brussel's famed roof terrace. Pawn & Co, 29th Apartment and Storyville will reimagine their signature offerings as a raucous indoor boat party, while Laundry makes an appearance via an onsite hip hop and rap club. Across these activations, you'll catch a jam-packed lineup of gigs and performances, from artists like Cassettes For Kids, Nina Las Vegas, Tornado Wallace, Amyl & The Sniffers and Elsy Wameyo. The fun starts from 6pm each night and it's free to head along, though you'll have to RSVP online to secure your spot. [caption id="attachment_847325" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hoi Polloi[/caption] Top Images: Cherry Bar, Poof Doof
About halfway through Atomic Blonde, enterprising MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) slinks her way into a Berlin cinema. Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker shrouds the room in both light and gloom, but settling in for a dose of existential Russian sci-fi isn't on the spy's agenda. Instead, she's simultaneously running from and dispatching with her many enemies, with their frenetic fighting infecting every nook and cranny of the theatre and eventually bursting through the screen. As well as providing a visually arresting example of movie's fluid action style, the propulsive, precisely choreographed fray sends a strong message to viewers. Goodbye classics of yesteryear, hello kick-ass entertainment. It's 1989, and the Berlin wall is just about to fall, but tensions remain as heated as the aftertaste of Broughton's favourite vodka. Sent in by her British handler (Toby Jones) and his CIA counterpart (John Goodman), Broughton endeavours to locate a stolen list of Her Majesty's finest undercover agents, whisk a former Stasi officer turned asset (Eddie Marsan) to safety, and work out just what her cavalier on-the-ground contact (James McAvoy) and a seductive French newcomer (Sofia Boutella) are up to. Oh, and she's also trying to survive the onslaught of foes and not-quite friends trying to kill her along the way. Apologies to Bond, Bourne and John Le Carré adaptations, but when it comes to slick spy flicks, this blonde really does have much more fun. Adapted from Antony Johnston's graphic novel The Coldest City, Atomic Blonde takes a familiar story, adds a stellar stroke of casting, and throws in all of the neon-hued images and '80s-pop songs an audience could want. From a narrative perspective, the film doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel – you'll notice the been-there, seen-that double-crossing and the familiar use of flashbacks. But when it's wrapped up in packaging this vibrant, odds are you just won't care. Indeed, to witness Atomic Blonde in action is to watch a masterclass in action, but that's far from surprising given the film's two driving forces. Let's start with the star no one will be able to stop watching — if Prometheus, Mad Max: Fury Road and The Fate of the Furious hadn't already proved Theron's genre credentials, then this film leaves absolutely no doubt. The Oscar-winner throws a mean fist, but, crucially, her platinum-tressed protagonist is soulful as well as tough. Presenting a hard-as-nails exterior with just enough of a beating heart inside, the talented actress makes it clear that Broughton's emotions are as bruised and battered as her black-and-blue flesh. And make no mistake: this is a bruising piece of cinema. An uncredited co-director on John Wick, stuntman turned filmmaker David Leitch knows how to execute action — whether he's asking his heroine to beat her way out of trouble using household items, or crafting a stunning stairwell sequence that might just be the best fight scene of the year. And it's not just the set-pieces that Leitch gets right. Berlin bars and industrial architecture help give the film a glowing grittiness, while a soundtrack featuring everything from Bowie to George Michael to '99 Luftballons' ups the toe-tapping factor as well. As much of a blast as its name suggests, Atomic Blonde leaves all future espionage action flicks with big stilettos to fill. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu7fAD5zJpc
Since 1990, every child has wished for one thing: to get stranded home alone so they could relive the ultimate 90s Christmas movie. No one really wants to spend the festive season without their family — especially when their mum is Schitt's Creek legend Catherine O'Hara — but we've all wanted to follow in Macaulay Culkin's footsteps. Admit it, we've all yelled "keep the change, ya filthy animal!" in hope, too. Expect that line — and the entire seasonal cinematic treat that is Home Alone — to echo through Hamer Hall this festive season. Here's one way to relive the movie: watching it play in the hefty venue with a live soundtrack. As it did back in 2019, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is bringing the film back to the big screen in the best possible way, aka in concert, and welcoming the merriest time of the year in the most appropriate fashion. Home Alone made a star out of Culkin and, yes, made every 90s kid (and 00s and 10s kid as well) hope their family went on holidays without them. It truly is the best movie there is about an eight-year-old who outsmarts two burglars while living it up without his parents and siblings — and while it charts Kevin McCallister's antics, it also boasts a rousing Oscar-nominated score by iconic composer John Williams. That's what the MSO will bust out at 7.30pm on Wednesday, December 14–Thursday, December 15 — and there's your essential end-of-year viewing taken care of. Home Alone isn't just any old Christmas flick. It's one of the highest-grossing Christmas films of all time. And, it's spawned sequels great (Home Alone 2: Lost in New York) and forgettable (all the other ones, including 2021's Home Sweet Home Alone). If your response to the above news is to hold your hands to your cheeks and exclaim, then you'll want to nab a seat. There's no need to set traps or play pranks to grab a ticket, though — they go on sale at 10am on Thursday, October 13.
In 2018, at a time that now seems far longer ago than a mere two years, Melbourne was named the live music capital of the world. The lofty title was based on a venue-to-resident ratio that trumped every other city on the planet — but, with 2020 seeing Melbourne locked down twice under strict conditions, that famed music scene has been struggling. To help live music venues and workers in the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Victorian Government has today, Sunday, September 20, announced a series of grants to support the industry. In total, more than $13 million will be spent to help venues survive, to support jobs and to assist venues with implementing COVID safe measures for when they are able to reopen — which is listed in the last step of the state's roadmap for easing current restrictions, before the implementation of 'COVID normal'. As revealed by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley, 106 venues will receive grants from an allocation of $9 million in the first round of the Victorian Live Music Venues program. Opening for applications back in July, it's targeted at venues with capacities of 50–1200 "that have a solid reputation for presenting original live music". Among the initial batch of recipients, who'll each receive their full funding request of up to $130,000, are the Northcote Social Club, Loop in the CBD, Richmond's Corner Hotel, Collingwood's Grace Darling and Footscray's The Night Heron. Regionally, Queenscliff's Blues Train, Castlemaine's Theatre Royal, San Remo's Westernport Hotel, the Hotel Warrnambool and the Wool Exchange in Geelong will also score funds. And, the second tranche's recipients are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. [caption id="attachment_679501" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The Corner Hotel[/caption] The government has specified that the grants need to be used by venues to pay urgent overheads (such as rent, insurance and utilities), cover artist fees, get professional business advice to plan ahead, undertake marketing, pay and train staff (where this isn't covered under the Federal Government JobKeeper program) and undertake minor venue modifications that don't require a building permit. The grants can also be used to prepare for reopening and help offset costs that'll be associated with enforcing density quotas and patron caps — which are a requirement in the last step in Melbourne's reopening roadmap. When the state progresses to 'COVID normal', which will only happen when there are no new cases in Victoria for 28 days, no active cases state-wide, and no outbreaks of concern in other states and territories, those caps will be lifted. In addition to the $9 million first tranche in the Victorian Live Music Venues program, the government announced a $3 million one-off Victorian Music Industry Recovery program. Opening for applications on Monday, September 21, it'll provide payments of between $4000–$50,000 to support artists, managers, promoters, bookers, road crew and other workers to keep creating music, undertake professional and business training, and develop safe ways of working during the pandemic — with separate streams for First Peoples applicants, people with disability, creating new work, and professional and business development. And, $1.2 million has also been earmarked for ten music organisations and bodies, to assist them with delivering professional and business development programs to the state's music industry professionals. Recipients include youth-led label and training program Push Records, CrewCare's wellbeing training and mentorship program for roadies and live music events professionals, and Songlines Aboriginal Music Corporation's creative development program for First Peoples musicians and industry workers. To find out more about the Victorian Live Music Venues program, visit the Creative Victoria website. More details about the Victorian Music Industry Recovery program can also be found on the Creative Victoria website. Top image: Northcote Social Club via Visit Victoria/Josie Withers.
Have you ever thought back longingly at '80s and '90s VHS classics that you thought you might never watch again, because who the heck still has a VCR? Fear not film nerds, we have just the screening event you have been looking for. Now in its second season Deja-View Cinema is out to prove that sometimes, the sequel is better than the original. This season brings some brilliant second offerings (think Terminator 2, Gremlins 2, etc) but also some cult classics all shown in HD. To add to the experience of watching VHS, there will also be original film trailers and pre-film entertainment. We're not sure what that will entail, but we're certainly intrigued. The John Candybar will have you covered for American sweet treats during the film, as well as handmade themed choc-tops. If you’re craving a dose of nostalgia and a fun night in, this could be the ticket. This week isn’t a sequel, but it certainly takes two to tango, with The Man with Two Brains. Steve Martin stars as Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr, a brain surgeon who’s a little insane in the brain himself. He has fallen in love with a brain in a jar he communicates with telepathically; all he needs now is a body to put it in. If Donovan’s Brain, Bride of Frankenstein, or even Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein floats your boat, you’d better strap in for this wild ride. Bar is open from 7pm and the film starts at 8.30pm, so get in early for a beverage and prime position.
Here's a sentence that would've made zero sense two years ago: from 1am on Saturday, January 15, getting into Queensland will become a whole heap easier. The Sunshine State has had various levels of border rules in place during the pandemic, and currently only allows double-vaccinated interstate visitors to travel to the state and stay without quarantining first — but come 1am on Saturday, January 15, it'll scrap all domestic border restrictions. That means that whether you're a local keen to visit Sydney or Melbourne and then return home, or you reside in those cities and you've been dreaming of a sunny beach holiday, you'll no longer need to show a border pass or provide proof of a rapid antigen test to make the trip into Queensland. Border checkpoints will be taken down as well. "Anyone coming domestically across into Queensland, either by our road or by air, they do not have to show that they have had their border pass, they don't have to show that they have had a rapid antigen test," announced Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk today, Thursday, January 13. "This is the time and the time is now right as we head towards hitting that 90 percent [double-dosed vaccination target] next week." BREAKING: Domestic border restrictions will be removed from 1am on Saturday with Queensland expected to hit 90% double vaccination next week. #covid19 pic.twitter.com/fXAhpVz8rL — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) January 13, 2022 Queensland's rules around international travel are set to change, too once the state hits 90-percent double-jabbed, with restrictions lifting for double-dosed overseas arrivals. That said, an exact date for when the loosened requirements will kick in hasn't yet been confirmed. The Premier advised that further details will be announced once Queensland reaches the vaccine threshold. While restrictions around travel are changing, the Sunshine State's rules regarding visiting venues all remain in effect. As previously announced, you need to be double-jabbed to enter places such as restaurants, bars, cafes, cinemas, stadiums, festivals, libraries, galleries and museums — but all of those types of sites across the hospitality and entertainment industries no longer have capacity restrictions. Queensland reported 14,914 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, January 13, and currently has 145,294 active cases. Queensland's border rules will ease at 1am AEST / 2am AEDT on Saturday, January 15. For more information about Queensland's border policies and border passes, head to the Queensland Government website.
Enter the words 'true crime' or 'serial killer' into Netflix and something thoroughly unsurprising results: a hefty list of shows and movies to watch, dramas and documentaries alike, because the streaming platform sure does love this niche. In the future, those searches will throw up two more results, with 2022 newcomer Monster set to return for another couple of seasons. Monster's debut run came with the unwieldy full title DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. While exactly what season two and three will be called hasn't yet been revealed, they will need to switch that moniker up. For the show's return, it'll turn into an anthology series, creating "two more instalments that will focus on other monstrous figures who have impacted society", the service announced on social media. Following the record-breaking success of DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Ryan Murphy & Ian Brennan will create two more installments that will focus on other monstrous figures who have impacted society. A second season of The Watcher has also been greenlit! pic.twitter.com/NmFdj6soJj — Netflix (@netflix) November 7, 2022 Who'll those monstrous figures will be also hasn't yet been unveiled, but Netflix is expanding its true-crime remit either way — and creator and prolific TV producer Ryan Murphy is adding another anthology series to his resume after American Horror Story and American Crime Story. In its ten-part first season, which dropped in September, Monster starred WandaVision, Mare of Easttown and American Horror Story actor Evan Peters as the titular IRL murderer. Dahmer's story is particularly gruesome, as the series conveyed; between 1978–1991, he murdered and dismembered 17 boys and men — and there's more to his crimes, including cannibalism. Yes, getting well-known faces to play horrific killers is also part of Netflix's true-crime trend so far — which, if you watched Zac Efron play Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile a few years back, you'll already know. Netflix might've stopped adding new Mindhunter episodes to our streaming queues, sadly, but the platform has served up everything from The Serpent and the Conversations with a Killer series to The Stranger and The Good Nurse since. Also included: fellow recent series The Watcher, also produced by Murphy, which is now getting a second season as well. Check out the trailer for DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story below: DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is available to stream via Netflix. We'll update you with release date's for Monster's second and third seasons when they're announced.
If Falls seems a little too large for your liking, but you're still looking for a sweet escape from the city, then NYE on the Hill might be just what you need. Brought to you by the legends behind the equally awesome The Hills Are Alive festival, this boutique NYE experience is small on scale but big on good vibes. And it's returning to The Farm in South Gippsland, for its sixth year, with a lineup of top Aussie artists. Forty-eight hours of freedom never looked so blissful, with the likes of The Smith Street Band, Sampa the Great, The Kite String Tangle and many more dropping in to help you welcome 2019. A word of warning: the festival is limited to 2700 people and tickets sell out — fast. So we suggest heading online when general sale tickets go on sale at 9am, Thursday, August 9. NYE ON THE HILL 2018 LINEUP The Smith Street Band The Kite String Tangle Sampa the Great Last Dinosaurs Slowly Slowly Psychedelic Porn Crumpets Hollow Coves Kaiit Mildlife Jess Locke Tyne-James Organ Adrian Eagle Eliott Jordan Dennis Approachable Members of Your Local Community Clews Crocodylus Diet Adult.Films Tones and I Maddy May Images: Lauren Murphy and Catherine Forge
After the hard fought battle and eventual closure of the Palace in May, Melbourne has been crying out for a replacement venue. Thankfully, Melbourne music fans could have a solution to this problem sooner than anticipated. The Melbourne Pavilion in Flemington will undergo a major refit and find new life under the name Pavilion Live. While Melbourne has plenty of top notch smaller venues, bandrooms and bars in the CBD, the need for larger venues for touring international and prominent Australian musicians is undeniable. "Melbourne is well served by a brilliant collection of well-operated small venues and venues of the 900-1500 capacity," says spokesperson for the Pavilion Live, Andrew Watt. "But there is a definite need for a venue that is the next step up from there – a venue that is large enough to accommodate national level touring bands but still offers a more intimate experience than a stadium-type venue." Patrick Donovan, CEO of Music Victoria, also sees the Pavilion Live as a necessity. "While Melbourne has a rich tradition of live music venues we cannot afford to take that for granted," he says. "It’s great news when a venue decides to open its doors to live music — especially one the size of Melbourne Pavilion, which will fill a gaping hole left by the closure of the much loved Palace. I’m sure the industry and Melbourne’s legions of music lovers will embrace the venue with open arms." The Melbourne Pavilion is a heritage-listed art-deco building currently used for weddings and corporate events, with a capacity of up to 1500. The owners are looking to increase the capacity to 2250, hoping to relaunch the venue as Pavilion Live by the end of September. The first bands to be booked to play the revamped venue could be as early as late October, with the first shows likely to begin early 2015. The opening of a new medium-sized venue is great news for lovers of live music in Melbourne. The announcement has timed itself alongside the Melbourne City Council’s approval of the Melbourne Music Strategy. It’s very possible this is just the first step of many to improve Melbourne’s live music scene and strengthen the reputation of Melbourne as Australia’s music capital. Or it could just be a new place to party. Either way, it’s a win for touring musicians and fans alike. Via Beat, Tone Deaf and SF Media.
A terrifying advertisement for the Kimberly Peirce remake of Carrie has gone viral, garnering nearly 10 million views since Monday. The ad shows a young girl in a coffee shop telekinetically tearing the joint apart and scaring the living daylights out of customers. The video comes courtesy of Thinkmodo, an agency that has specialised in viral marketing and prankvertising. This developing form of marketing involves "upping the ante in almost every imaginable way", and this Candid Camera-esque advertisement does exactly that. Actors and stunt people fill a small, faux cafe rigged with all manner of pulleys, gears and ropes. Regular folk then wander in off the street for a coffee or sesame bagel and become unsuspecting extras in a horror film of their own. Like all good viral ads, the actual advertisement is hidden until the very end, and, like all good internet videos, there's a shameful dose of cathartic glee to be had. The Carrie film, starring Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore, is due in Australian cinemas on November 28. https://youtube.com/watch?v=VlOxlSOr3_M
UPDATE: April 27, 2020: Annabelle Comes Home is available to stream via Netflix, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. There's an incredibly cynical, albeit accurate, way of looking at Annabelle Comes Home, which marks the eighth film in the Conjuring Cinematic Universe in the past six years. A second sequel to a spin-off from 2013's The Conjuring, this horror flick once again draws upon the lives and work of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga). As you can tell from the film's title, it also features the creepy doll called Annabelle, which is either a possessed plaything or a beacon for other demonic spirits, depending on narrative requirements in any given picture. This time, however, the franchise delves further into the Warrens' treasure trove of cursed and occult trinkets. There are so many other spooky and unnerving items that they literally fill a heavily padlocked room. Spying everything from jinxed samurai armour to haunted board games to prowling hellhounds, it's easy to glean what the saga's producers, including Australian filmmaker James Wan, are thinking — more eerie objects, more potential movies. New films about soul-collecting ferrymen and demented bridal dresses will likely eventuate (although, if the latter does, it'll have big shoes to fill following the fantastic, completely unrelated British movie In Fabric). That's just how the entertainment business works. Thankfully, as Annabelle Comes Home unleashes a bedevilled toy box worth of terrifying forces, it livens up the franchise's familiar template, has ample fun with the haunted house concept, and even throws in some goofy teen movie-style antics as well. The Annabelle series hasn't been great so far, so this mightn't sound like the biggest compliment, but Annabelle Comes Home is its best instalment yet. In a saga that also includes the lacklustre The Nun and The Curse of the Weeping Woman, it's also the best Conjuring Universe flick since the movie that started it all. Written and directed by Gary Dauberman — who has penned four Conjuring Universe films now, as well as 2017's It and its forthcoming sequel — Annabelle Comes Home sticks to its simple premise. After being involved in a number of violent incidents, the damned dolly is brought to the Warrens' suburban Connecticut house. Not only is it locked in their artefacts room, but it's sealed in a glass case emblazoned with multiple warnings of the "do not open" kind. And there Annabelle sits, until Ed and Lorraine go away overnight on a case, leaving their quiet, pre-teen daughter Judy (McKenna Grace) at home. Friendly, sensible babysitter Mary Ellen (Madison Iseman) knows better than to snoop, touch things she shouldn't or to even invite the cute boy from across the street (Michael Cimino) over. Of course, her curious pal Daniela (Katie Sarife) doesn't share the same mindset. As a screenwriter, Dauberman's past scripts have relied heavily on formula. That doesn't substantially change in his directorial debut, however he does an impressive job of making Annabelle Comes Home seem otherwise. Two sleight-of-hand tactics drive this bump- and jump-fuelled film, and they're both effective. Firstly, viewers are aware that this is more grist for the franchise mill, and that more movies will come — at this rate, the Conjuring series will probably haunt us for so long, it'll become its own hair-raising legend. But this latest chapter has such a great time careening between its multiple spine-tingling entities that nothing ever feels overly stock-standard, other than the titular doll (and she plays a smaller part than might be expected). Secondly, audiences have experienced ominous shadows, unsettling creaks and unexpected knocks at the door before, especially in this horror saga, and yet variety is once again key. Knowing that every sinister noise and strange occurrence is caused by the same disturbing toy again and again? Tired. Being kept guessing about which demonic object will pop up at any given moment? That's not only more thrilling, but it gives the movie more range to mix up its chilling imagery. Courtesy of hazy lighting and a moody atmosphere, Annabelle Comes Home nails the creepy tone anyway, with cinematographer Michael Burgess (The Curse of the Weeping Woman) making the most of the movie's main location. If trapping a few unsupervised kids in a house while otherworldly forces wreak havoc sounds like classic 80s territory, that's the vibe the picture goes for, even though it's set in the 70s. In a welcome improvement, the teen focus also shakes up the story beats, exploring threads about bullying, grief and young love — instead of just waiting for more spooks and scares, and padding them out with an uneasy tone. The film's characters also feel less like mere narrative pawns as a result. They still make stupid decisions, including ignoring all of those locks and "keep out" signs, but they're given flesh to jump out of. Overall, it's enough to make horror buffs wish that both the broader franchise and the now three-film Annabelle series had tried a few different tricks earlier. And although this is entirely the point, it's enough to make viewers look forward to possible new spinoffs, too. As the long-running Marvel Cinematic Universe continually demonstrates, these episodic, intertwined properties can (and probably will) keep going on forever. But as long as every single chapter isn't a carbon copy of the last, just with a new figure its centre, they can still surprise and entertain. Finally, Annabelle Comes Home shows that idea can be done well, rather than routinely, in the Conjuring Universe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6M0RbShLpI
With its next big streaming series, Apple TV+ is managing to tick a heap of must-see boxes all at once. A dark comedy led by Anchorman co-stars Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell? Check. An adaptation of a hit podcast? Check again. A twisty true tale dramatised? Yep, check once more. Throw in WandaVision's Kathryn Hahn in a key supporting role (before she gets her own Marvel spinoff series), as well as Wet Hot American Summer's Michael Showalter behind the lens, and The Shrink Next Door just keeps giving you reasons to add it to your streaming queue. The eight-episode limited series will drop on Friday, November 12, making its first three episodes available then before releasing new instalments week by week afterwards — and, based on the just-released trailer, it's going to tell quite the story. Last seen on streaming in Netflix's Living With Yourself, Rudd plays Dr Isaac 'Ike' Herschkopf. He's a psychiatrist with to Ferrell's Martin 'Marty' Markowitz, and he amasses quite the sway over his patient. In the sneak peek clip, Ike doesn't hold back when it comes to dispensing life advice — and Marty, wanting to improve himself and his factory, listens to every word. But Ike just keeps pushing, which sends the doctor–patient relationship in unsettling directions. If you listened to the Wondery podcast of the same name, you'll know where The Shrink Next Door is headed. If not, expect to watch Ike charm his way even deeper into Marty's existence — including moving into Marty's home, and also nabbing the president slot of his business. Clearly, it's one of those stories that can only spring from truth. And no, no one reads the news here. As for Hahn, she co-stars as Marty's younger sister Phyllis, while Casey Wilson (Happy Endings) features as Ike's wife Bonnie. And yes, if you're looking for something to fill the Apple TV+ void now that Ted Lasso's second season has wrapped up, this just might be it. Check out the trailer for The Shrink Next Door below: The Shrink Next Door starts streaming via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 12, dropping three episodes to begin with and then releasing new instalments week by week afterwards.
Here's a reality check: your career will likely span upwards of 40 years of your life. That's a long time spent at work. Given that empirical fact, ideally, you want to be in a position where you can actually get the most out of your job in terms of satisfaction, pay and its alignment with your personal goals. We have one word for you: upskill. Your working life is rarely one continuous upwards trajectory. Yes, there are successes — but, equally, there are slumps. One way to avoid these and pivot your way out of job stagnation is through targeted education. Taking a course related to your career goals helps you expand your realm of knowledge beyond your original training, keep up to date with the latest research and methodologies in your field, and show your present (and prospective) employers your ambition and drive for self-improvement. To help you do this, we've picked five university subjects with no prerequisites that you can take as one-off courses to help you get ahead in your job. PROGRAMMING: LEARN HOW TO CODE Digital skills! These are in increasing demand across a broad range of industries, from media and advertising to design and technology. Retraining is essential in today's world — technological changes are constantly challenging the basic skillsets required in the workforce, and there is always something new to learn. Keep up and adapt with RMIT's introductory programming course. You'll learn the basics of coding and sequencing as well as ethical considerations in programming. So when someone in the office needs someone to go in and tweak the website's code, you'll be able to smugly run to their aid. What's the subject? Introduction to Programming at RMIT. Enrol here. UX DESIGN: KNOW HOW TO CREATE A USER-FRIENDLY PRODUCT Demand for good UX (that is, user experience) designers is most definitely on the rise — it's something we use every single day. That's because UX designers create frontend designs for users that are attractive and functional — it's what makes apps like Instagram or Airbnb intuitive and useable. In this course, you'll learn the basics of UX design. Then, from there, you can experiment on your own or even opt to take on further study. Because this is a relatively new occupation, doing this course will give you the ability to differentiate yourself in an emerging area of expertise. Salaries depend on experience, but on the whole they're way above the national average, with senior UX designers earning up to $120,000 per annum. Not bad. But even if you don't become a UX designer per se, knowing the basics helps facilitate communication with any UX designers you hire or work with. Knowing what you're talking about cuts out unnecessary back and forth communication thanks to a shared language and will allow you to get the project done much quicker, saving you time and patience and your company money. What's the subject? User Interface and Experience Design at Curtin University. Enrol here. BUSINESS INNOVATION: GET THE KNOW-HOW TO TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL This course is a perfect booster if you work in an existing business, or if you're thinking of starting one on your own. You'll learn how to tackle business issues in a creative, innovative and — most importantly — practical way. Across the course you'll scrutinise real-world examples of innovation in the workplace that you can then apply to your own practice. You'll also learn how to pitch a concept (which we're going to say might be more useful than listening to episodes of StartUp). What's the subject? Innovative Business Practice with Swinburne University. Enrol here. PEOPLE MANAGEMENT: LEARN HOW TO FOSTER A THRIVING (AND DIVERSE) WORKPLACE If you work in HR or you lead a team or company, this one's for you. Equity and diversity are important principles getting a lot of airtime right now — and for good reason. The workplace only stands to benefit from diverse perspectives and bigger companies are constantly looking at how to create a more consciously egalitarian environment. If you know this is true but don't quite know how to put it into practice in an ethical and balanced way, this course should put you in a position to do so. It looks at the founding principles of HR management that will allow you to recruit, foster and maintain a happy, healthy, diverse and productive crew of colleagues. Anyone involved in recruiting and people management — and the companies they work for — only stand to gain from this training. What's the subject? Human Resource Management Principles with Griffith University. Enrol here. LEADERSHIP: BECOME A BOSS PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIKE If you want to increase your existing skills as a manager or are looking to be promoted through the ranks of corporate leadership, this course is a strong option. You'll learn about different team management styles and assess the varying ways that project teams can be structured. Relationship management and team development is absolutely vital in proving yourself as an effective team leader, and this course can help complement your at-work practical leadership experience. Essential stuff. Plus, if a promotion comes up, you'll be a prime candidate for the role. What's the subject? Project Leadership & Teams with University of South Australia. Enrol here. Start looking at all the subjects on offer online from leading Australian unis through Open Universities Australia and you could have a new skill by the end of the year. Hop to it.
McDonald's has been serving up Big Macs and soft serve cones to Australians for 50 years, so to celebrate the big five-oh, the golden arches are running a series of promotions and adding some new items to the menu. The latest celebratory surprise popping up at Macca's around the country is a special Birthday McFlurry. While the fast-food chain is no stranger to limited-edition McFlurry flavours — good (apple pie) and bad (bubblegum) — this new edition really takes things up a notch. The Birthday McFlurry is packed with bite-sized pieces of the fan-favourite custard pie, alongside a drizzle of caramel sauce and sprinkles to give it that birthday feel. As well as the inclusion of the bite-sized custard pie pieces in the McFlurry, the full-sized pie will return to the menu for anyone that's been missing the crispy custard-filled treat. Earlier this month, McDonald's kicked off its birthday celebrations with a day of 50-cent Big Macs across Australia. And the celebrations aren't stopping any time soon, with more fun surprises set to pop up throughout July and August. Australia's first McDonald's opened in Yagoona in 1971 and has grown to over 1000 stores nationwide in the 50 years since. The Birthday McFlurry and custard pie are available exclusively via Uber Eats from tomorrow, Wednesday, June 30 through until Wednesday, July 7, before becoming available in all Macca's nationwide for a limited time from Wednesday, July 7. McDonald's Birthday McFlurry is available via Uber Eats from Wednesday, June 30 and available in-store and on McDelivery from Wednesday, July 7.
Dig out those once-a-year novelty gumboots, Groovin the Moo has unveiled their 2017 lineup. Taking the large-scale music festival out of the city and into regional centres for another year, GTM will kick things off on Friday, April 28 in South Australia and travel through Maitland, Townsville, Bendigo and Canberra before finishing up in Bunbury on May 13. This year's lineup sees local talent front and centre with triple j Hottest 100 list-toppers Tash Sultana and Amy Shark (#3 and #2, respectively) taking the stage, along with The Smith Street Band, Montaigne, Hayden James and Methyl Ethel. Most of the international talent comes from the UK this year, with The Darkness, 21-year-old Loyle Carner and The Wombats making their way to the Moo, along with Germans Milky Chance. Here's the full lineup. GROOVIN THE MOO 2017 LINEUP Against Me! (USA) Allday Amy Shark Architects (UK) The Darkness (UK) Dillon Francis (USA) George Maple Hayden James The Jungle Giants K-Flay (USA) L-FRESH The LION Loyle Carner (UK) Methyl Ethel Milky Chance (GER) Montaigne Northeast Party House Slumberjack The Smith Street Band Snakehips (UK) Tash Sultana Thundamentals Violent Soho The Wombats (UK) GROOVIN THE MOO 2017 DATES & VENUES Friday, April 28 — Wayville (SA) Saturday, April 29 – Maitland (NSW) Sunday, April 30 — Townsville (QLD) Saturday, May 6 — Bendigo (VIC) Sunday, May 7 – Canberra (ACT) Saturday, May 13 — Bunbury (WA) Pre-sale tickets for GTM will go on sale at 9am local time on Wednesday, February 1. All other tickets for Wayville, Maitland and Townsville will go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, February 7, and Bendigo, Bunbury and Canberra will be released the day after at 9am on Wednesday, February 8. For more info, go to gtm.net.au. Image: Tao Jones.
After confirming the plans last year, and introducing the legislation to parliament back in June, the Victorian Government has followed through with its promised statewide ban on single-use plastic shopping bags, with the ban finally coming into effect on Friday, November 1, 2019. Considering supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths began enforcing their own nationwide plastic bag bans over a year ago — and local shopping spots including the Queen Victoria Market and South Melbourne Market both scrapped plastic over the last couple of years — you've probably already got a solid collection of reusable bags ready to go. If not, we suggest you invest, tout de suite. Victorian retailers — including supermarkets, corner stores and your favourite vintage shop — can now be fined for supplying customers with any single-use lightweight plastic shopping bags (with a thickness of 35 microns or less), including those made from biodegradable or compostable plastic. Under the new law, even individuals who run a small business online or as a market stall could be fined a maximum of $6000. [caption id="attachment_663522" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Queen Victoria Market banned plastic bags earlier this year.[/caption] Plastic bags that aren't included in the ban include garbage bags, bin liners, animal waste bags and those thin 'barrier bags' you get with your fruit and veggies. Although if want to do your extra bit for the environment, you can get reusable cotton or mesh produce bags from homewares stores, supermarkets and online retailers — the same spots where you'll find reusable takeaway containers, drink bottles, straws and cutlery. When disposing of that stockpile of old plastic bags, remember that these, and other soft plastics, must be kept out of your kerbside recycling bin — instead, you can recycle them (and things like glad wrap, zip lock bags and plastic food packaging) at most supermarkets through REDcycle. So get in the habit of always carrying around a reusable bag whenever you leave the house — keep a stash in your car, or there are plenty of options that fold up nice and small and won't take up much space in your handbag or backpack for those spontaneous purchases. As well as being a big win for the environment, the ban brings Victoria into line with South Australia, the ACT, the NT, Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland, who have all banned single-use plastic bags. NSW is now the only state that hasn't committed to a ban, after a bill proposed by NSW Labor failed to make it through the lower house last week. Victoria's single-use plastic bag ban kicks in on Friday, November 1. To find out more, head to the Victorian Government website.
Our Melbourne comrades are doing it especially tough right now, currently pushing through the fourth long week of their current stage four lockdown. But if you know a southerner who could use a distraction from their 8pm curfew and five-kilometre travel restrictions, you can now send them a little sweet relief courtesy of Uber Eats. This week, the delivery service is allowing interstate mates to send Victorian friends free dessert or ice cream, via its new #lockdownlove offer. From today, Monday, August 31, to Friday, September 4, you can surprise your Melbourne mate with a free Uber Eats dessert delivery, up to the value of $20 (including delivery fee). There are 1000 of the freebies available each night, starting from 8pm. To share the love, simply plug your friend's address into the app, order from one of their local dessert venues and enter that day's promo code (it's 'mondaylove' for Monday, 'tuesdaylove' for Tuesday and so on). Once you've ordered, you can click 'Share This Delivery' at the top of the app and your pal will be able to track their sweet treat on the move. Brighten their day with some Pidapipo gelato, send some Greek doughnuts from Lukumades, or maybe treat them to a wedge of cheesecake courtesy of the iconic Brunetti. If you're a sweet-toothed Melburnian who could do with some free dessert, we just send this article to an interstate friend — as a very unsubtle hint. [caption id="attachment_687498" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Doughnuts by Shortstop[/caption] Top image: Lukumades
There'll be bottles poppin' and bubbles flowing at Northcote Town Hall come Saturday, February 29, as the space plays host to Melbourne's third edition of The Prosecco Festival. Held across two sessions — between 11am–3pm and 4.30–8.30pm — this bubbly oasis is being brought to life by a deadset expert, Melissa Brauer. She's organised a celebration to entice hardcore fans and novices alike, with the lineup of exhibitors always including both Australian and Italian producers. Your $50 ticket will score you a goodie bag, a real crystal Plumm teardrop tasting glass and four solid hours of prosecco heaven. Sample some of the world's best-loved prosecco, chat to winemakers and importers from across the globe, and learn all about the wine's best food matches, while nibbling pizza, pasta, cannoli, gelato, cheese and salami. More than 45 different proseccos will be on offer — and, of course, there'll also be plenty of opportunity to grab a few bottles for your home collection.
Do you remember when you lost at something as a kid and your parents told you that it didn't matter? "Winning isn't everything" and "It isn't winning that matters, it is about taking part" were lines bandied around regularly by our mums and dads in order to shelter us from the truth: winning does matter. Who wants to be Buzz Aldrin when you can be Neil Armstrong? Nothing wants to come second, especially nations. Global politics is the most competitive arena on this planet. It has led to world wars and bloody competition for resources. Thankfully, though, the world can now sleep easy as the peacemakers over at Doghouse Diaries have created a light-hearted infographic titled What Each Country Leads The World In that allows every country to be a winner. Whilst some titles will be unwanted, including Ethiopia leading the way in employing children and Yemen's crowning as the ruler of the gender gap, some will be celebrated. Norway can enjoy its position atop the summit of democracy and Ireland can bask in its quality of life. Of course, the best discoveries are the statistics that appear tongue-in-cheek. Greenland leads the way in personal space and my favourite, Antarctica has the most penguins. Explore the world in our gallery below and be surprised at what many countries lead the world in. Via Fast Co.Create.
Move aside turmeric, matcha and beetroot — the next controversial coffee trend to look out for involves an unassuming little veggie called broccoli. Yep, the green stuff could soon star on coffee menus across the country, thanks to an innovative broccoli powder created by teams at Hort Innovation and the CSIRO. The product is crafted from those imperfect-looking vegetables that would otherwise be binned, and is designed to help everyday Aussies infuse more nutrients into their diets. Packed full of fibre, protein and phytochemicals, the 100 percent broccoli powder also sounds like a pretty nifty way to sneak some greens onto your kids plates. As well as being used as a key ingredient for a range of packaged snacks unveiled during last year's National Science Week, the powder also looks set to elbow its way onto the Australian coffee scene. It was recently trialled at Mornington's Commonfolk — a sustainability focused coffee roaster and cafe that's aiming towards a zero-waste existence — though, with mixed response from customers. Image credit: CSIRO
Openair cinema might normally be reserved for the balmy evenings of summer. But this month, The Rooftop at QT is bucking the trend. The sky-high hotel bar is taking advantage of its newly 'Melbourne-proofed' all-weather space and hosting a four-week series of free movie nights. Running each Tuesday night from August 9 to August 30, Cinema Nights on the Rooftop will be tapping into your nostalgia with a program of 90s cult classics. Smash-hit flicks Fight Club, 10 Things I Hate About You and The Matrix have already been confirmed, while the August 30 session is yours to decide, via a viewers' choice poll on social media. [caption id="attachment_862769" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] Screenings kick off at 6.30pm each week and while they're free to join, bookings are encouraged. Plus, if you've nabbed a booking, you'll score free popcorn to enjoy while you watch. A menu of cocktails and snacks will also be available to order — think, pulled pork nachos, stone-baked pizzas and 90s sips including a classic Cosmopolitan. And if you fancy keeping the midweek fun rolling, stick around for the DJ tunes that'll kick off after each flick.
If there's a greater joy in life than strolling through gentle hills intermittently snacking on wine and cheese, we don't want to know. The Morning Peninsula Winery Walk is a morning walk along a historic railway. First stop: Red Hill Epicurean for some sparkling wine and a bite to eat. Then you'll be stopping in at Paringa Estate and Willow Creek Wines for a drop of Chardonnay and some canapés. Then push onto a private vineyard to try some Allie's Wines Pinot and some Red Hill Cheese produce. If you can possibly fit more food and wine in, you'll head down to Merricks General Wine Store and then jump on a bus back to Lindenberry, happy and full. At $25, this might be one of the best value events in the whole festival, so get excited.
Ever wish your sneakers smelt more like roses after a long sweaty run? Le Coq Sportif aren't making any technology-defying promises, but they have certainly been inspired by the classic perennial in their new, limited-edition running shoe, the Eclat Rose EXD. It's the tenth anniversary of Barcelona's sneaker store Limiteditions and to celebrate, the French sports style experts at Le Coq Sportif decided it was time to revitalise the original 1985 Eclat classic with a Barcelonian motif. Complementing rich red and pink hues with woody greens and browns, the Eclat Rose EXD is indeed reminiscent of a rose, symbolising the city of Barcelona. Made from waterproof nubuck, it has a quick lacing system, supportive sole bands and comfy freeform insoles. This unique design is only available locally at Up There in Melbourne and Highs and Lows in Perth. But thanks to Le Coq Sportif, we have two pairs of the limited edition Eclat Rose EXD (retail price is $159.95) to give away — one size 43 and one size 45. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and email us with your name, address and preferred size. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Purrfect news, feline fans: everything a dapper doggo can do, a cute cat can as well. While that's an accurate statement in general, as anyone who has ever shared their life with both a pooch and a kitty will know, it's also the thinking behind Melbourne's returning animal event. From the folks behind the Dog Lovers Show comes the mouser equivalent: the Cat Lovers Show. If you wear the 'crazy cat person' label as a badge of honour, stop to pat every moggie you meet while you're walking down the street or spend your all of your spare time watching cat videos (or all of the above), then you'll want to block out Saturday, June 4–Sunday, June 5 in your calendar. Expect the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre to come alive with the sounds of meows, and expect pussy lovers to come out in force. On the agenda: feline-focused education and celebration. Before you go thinking about adorable kitties wearing glasses and sitting at desks, or popping streamers and wearing party hats (awwwwwwwww), humans will be doing the learning and rejoicing. Really, what's more informative and exuberant than entering the Pat-A-Cat zone and getting cosy with cats of all shapes and sizes — and possibly taking one home with you? Checking out surreal cat art or hitting up the Paws & Prosecco bar comes close, obviously. If that doesn't tickle your whiskers, attendees will also be able to take a purrfect match quiz to find out which type of cat suits them best, meet different breeds, listen to talks by experts such as TV vets Dr Chris Brown and Dr Katrina Warren, see My Cat From Hell's Jackson Galaxy beamed in to do a Q&A and browse a heap of stalls. And if you're motivated by knowing exactly how much cat antics there'll be, expect more than 300 kitties from 30-plus breeds, plus around 40 rescue group stalls. Also on offer: a cat-inspired food menu at the onsite cafe. Dough Truck, Black Pearl Bubble Tea, Pretzel Station, Crepes n Coffee, Little Schnitz, Sushi Box and Spiral Spuds will also be dishing up food and drinks. Just remember: there'll be plenty of mousers in the Cat Lovers Show house, so you'll need to leave your own moggie at home.
If a trip to SXSW has always been on your bucket list, here's an alternative much closer to home: Australia's own — and first — huge five-day technology and music festival. Called Sound West, the new event is headed to Sydney's west in early 2022, and will combine a two-day conference at CommBank Stadium with three days of live music events. Networking, workshops, mentoring, big tech brands and music industry leaders, performances by local, national and international talent — that's all on the bill. Mark Wednesday, March 30–Sunday April 3 in your diary, as that's when Parramatta will play host to an event that's been three years in the making — after the team behind Sound West conceived of giving Greater Western Sydney its own landmark fest. The end result will take over venues large, small and unique, bring together the music and tech industries, and both recognise and develop the next generation of talent in the two fields. Exactly what'll be on the entire lineup won't be revealed until February — which is when tickets will also go on sale — but Dylan Alcott OAM, L-Fresh The Lion, Khaled Rohaim and Serwah Attafuah will all pop up among Sound West's presenters and performers. Alcott will chat about his accessibility-focused music festival Ability Fest, L-Fresh The Lion will collaborate on a number of singer-songwriter initiatives, Rohaim will discuss his work with Rihanna, Ty Dolla $ign and The Kid Laroi (including working from his western Sydney bedroom), and Attafuah will cover her moves in the NFTs and their relevance to the music industry. [caption id="attachment_831234" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Khaled Rohaim[/caption] The program will also feature keynote addresses, panels, one-on-one sessions, live podcasting and interactive activations. SXSW has been known to get creative in the latter space, so fingers crossed that proves the same at Sound West. And, brand-wise, plenty of big music and tech names will be represented, such as NEC Australia, TikTok, Shopify, Warner Music, Universal Music Australia, Live Nation, Apple Music, ARIA and APRA AMCOS. "This region is going from strength to strength through industry development, investment in research and innovation, and a rich cultural foundation that makes for a dynamic city to live, work, visit and host events," said Stuart Ayres, NSW Minister for Tourism and Western Sydney, announcing the festival. "Sound West is the first of its kind in Australia and will bring together brilliant minds, industry leaders and music enthusiasts to share ideas, network and enjoy the creativity of home-grown artists." Sound West Technology and Music Festival will run from Wednesday, March 30–Sunday April 3, 2022, in Parramatta. The full event lineup will be revealed in February — we'll update you with further details then.
If your ultimate Saturday morning is a leisurely Bunnings shopping session followed by a saucy snag in bread, why let the fun end there? Soon, you'll be able to make a proper weekend of it with a new Mercure Melbourne Doncaster hotel set to open smack bang on top of a Bunnings Warehouse. The work of global hotel group Accor and developer Accord Property Group, the unlikely pair are slated to be up and running by late 2021. Located in the heart of the bustling Doncaster Hill precinct, together they'll provide the prime spot for a snag-based staycation. Along with a couple of levels dedicated to retail offerings, the mid-range hotel will boast 183 rooms across six floors with interiors that reference parts of the area's history, including the southern hemisphere's first electric tramway: the short-lived Box Hill to Doncaster tram. It'll have all the usual trimmings you need for an overnight stay, too: a dining terrace, restaurant and bar, rooftop pool, fitness centre and sundeck — as well as a full-size, sparkly new Bunnings Warehouse, of course. And if tools, paint and plants don't offer quite enough retail therapy for you, Mercure Melbourne Doncaster also sits handily adjacent to the huge retail precinct that is Westfield Doncaster shopping centre. Mercure Melbourne Doncaster is set to open at 659 Doncaster Road, Doncaster in late 2021.
Back in 2023, word arrived that two nostalgic favourite flicks from decades back were getting sequels: Beetlejuice and Freaky Friday. If there's a way for Hollywood to revive a beloved hit, it always will — whether or not Tinseltown executives have had a disagreement with their past, received a fortune cookie predicting the future, felt an earthquake shudder and then woke up years earlier. So, in 2024, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will hit cinemas. Then, in 2025, so will the as-yet-unnamed follow-up to 2003's mother-daughter body-swapping comedy. Just like the second Beetlejuice, the new Freaky Friday will feature familiar faces — and yes, that means reuniting Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis with Lindsay Lohan (Irish Wish) two decades later. Production has just begun, with the pair back as Tess and Anna Coleman. Also returning: Mark Harmon (NCIS), Chad Michael Murray (Sullivan's Crossing), Christina Vidal Mitchell (The Terminal List), Haley Hudson (Queen Gorya), Lucille Soong (Raya and the Last Dragon), Stephen Tobolowsky (Hacks) and Rosalind Chao (3 Body Problem). Drinking, dancing, getting angry that your mum won't let you go to your band's big audition, eating those enchanted cookies — perhaps that'll all get worked in again, too. This time, Anna has a daughter herself and is about to gain a stepdaughter, with Disney teasing "a multigenerational twist". Will there be multiple swaps? Will kids be trading places with their grandmother? Other than the fact that two families merging will be at the heart of the tale and that more hijinks are in store, nothing else plot-wise has been revealed. On-screen, the returning gang will have Julia Butters (The Fabelmans), Sophia Hammons (The Absence of Eden), Manny Jacinto (The Acolyte) and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Never Have I Ever) for company. Behind the lens, Nisha Ganatra (The High Note, Late Night) is directing, with Curtis and Lohan among the executive producers. @disneystudiosThe band's back together and coming to theaters in 2025 🤘. The sequel to Freaky Friday is now in production!♬ original sound - Disney Studios The first Curtis and Lohan team-up didn't start the Freaky Friday franchise. Instead, it began with the 1972 book by Mary Rodgers, then the 1976 Jodie Foster (True Detective: Night Country)-starring first movie adaptation, and also a 1995 remake with Gaby Hoffman (Eric). After 2003's beloved Curtis- and Lohan-led take, horror flick Freaky gave the idea a spin in 2020. There's no footage yet from the Freaky Friday sequel, but check out the trailers for the 70s and 00s iterations below: The Freaky Friday sequel doesn't yet have an exact release date, but will hit cinemas in 2025 — we'll keep you updated when more details are announced. Top image: photo by Andrew Eccles. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Since Sally Rooney's Normal People first hit bookshelves in 2018, big things have followed. As well as becoming a bestseller, the Irish author's second novel was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won 2019's Book of the Year at the British Book Awards. The next step: bringing this tale of two teens and their complicated romance to the small screen, all courtesy of a new 12-part drama of the same name. In particularly excellent news for fans of the book, Normal People's TV adaptation is penned by Rooney herself — alongside fellow screenwriters Alice Birch (Succession) and Mark O'Rowe (Boy A). And, it boasts some other significant talent in the director's chair, too, with helming duties shared by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lenny Abrahamson (Room) and BAFTA winner Hettie Macdonald (White Girl, Howard's End). Of course, it's the tale playing out on-screen that's the main attraction, as readers will already be aware — and as the just-dropped first teaser shows. Cold Feet's Daisy Edgar-Jones and newcomer Paul Mescal step into the shoes of the novel's Marianne and Connell, high school classmates in their west Ireland small town who weather all manner of ups and downs as they attend Dublin's Trinity College. At school, she was lonely and aloof, while he was outgoing and popular. At college a year later, their roles have reversed. That sets the scene for an intimate, complex love story — which will unravel in full when Normal People drops on Stan on Monday, April 27. Check out the teaser trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDpWEA2rMB4&feature=youtu.be All 12 episodes of Normal People will be available to stream on Stan on Monday, April 27.
Featuring a diverse and masterfully selected spread of local designers' jewellery, artisan-crafted gifts, and quality homewares, this little gem of the tourist trade is so thoughtfully curated it will have the most seasoned Melburnian impressed by a novelty tea-towel or self-declaratory cushion. With a large focus on local design, Melbournalia houses products from over 50 local makers ranging from the cute greeting card artists Able and Game to the produce of local beekeepers Rooftop Honey. This store has a much more refined selection of souvenirs than just toy trams and kangaroos.
