After a season at Griffin that earned it three Helpmanns and a NSW Premier's Literary Award, Angus Cerini's 'murder ballad' is popping down the road to the Wharf Theatre. With the original cast — Paula Arundell, Airlie Dodds and Shari Sebbens — returning, The Bleeding Tree tells the story of a mother and two daughters living in rural Australia who decide to give the man of the house his marching orders. The eviction notice comes in the form of a bullet. But where's the best place to dispose of a body in a small town? And what will the neighbours think? The Bleeding Tree is just as much a study of community reactions to domestic violence as a revenge thriller. Scoring praise for its pitch-black humour, sharp lyricism and taut revenge plot, The Bleeding Tree will hang you up by the heels until it's good and done with you.
Dubbed as the biggest night of year for Sydney, the Mardi Gras Parade will fill the streets of Darlinghurst and Surry Hills on Saturday, March 2. Join in on the celebration of LGBTQI+ culture and communities and watch the colourful array of floats and performers as they make their way down Flinders and Oxford Streets from 7pm. Tickets for seats in the viewing area are sold out, so if you want to cop a view, you'll have to arrive (preferably with a crate in-tow) early. Plus, the party is set to continue after the parade at the official after-party. Featuring a diverse lineup of local and international artists including dance trio Pnau and pop sensation Kim Petras, you can enjoy the tunes while exploring three fantasy worlds set up around the Entertainment Quarter — with 12,000 other Sydneysiders. This one is ticketed — you can pick up final release tickets from $186. The full Mardi Gras program has lots of other fun stuff in it too, and it runs from February 15. Looking for a bar for before, during or after the parade? We've got you covered.
The owners of Newtown's Union Hotel have ripped out their old lounge bar. But don't think for a second that they're leaving you without a place to drink. Instead, general manager Luke Hiscox has teamed up with ex-El Loco manager Wil Eastley on a laidback new back bar they're calling Big Arties. Now open at the back of the Union at 576 King St, Newtown, Big Arties offers a total of 20 craft beers on tap along with a number of wine options and some killer looking cocktails – including a banana milkshake made with butter and coffee flavoured vodkas. But their big focus is on Australian-made craft spirits, and particularly local gins. They've also launched an epic new food menu, with plenty of snacks and sandwiches inspired by New York City delis. You can grab hot slabs (they're literally called hot slabs) of soy caramel glazed chicken, black rice marinated pork belly, and slow roasted lamb shoulder, or enjoy share plates packed with cold cut meats, antipasti or cheeses. Sangas include a spicy meatball sub, a corned beef and cheese option, and a lamb roll with mint jelly and pumpkin. Best of all, you can double the amount of meat in your sandwich for just four extra bucks. They call that option going 'Big Artie Big'. Big Arties can be found at the Union Hotel, 576 King Street, Newtown. For more information, check out the Union Hotel on Facebook.
I’ll never forget my original Magic Mike experience. In a packed cinema of some 750 people, I was one of just nine men, and of those, (probably) the only straight one. After a brief welcome, the film's promoters introduced two male strippers who danced, disrobed and lap-danced their way through the crowd like bejewelled beagles at Customs, singling out the most awkward and uncomfortable with astounding accuracy. Coupled with the trailer, everything seemed in place for a movie designed to entertain everyone but me, and yet — two hours later — I stood both corrected and utterly entertained. Armed with that memory, I approached Magic Mike XXL with a much more open mind, only to once again be surprised by a film whose suggestive marketing, racy trailer and heck, even its name, belied a film of far greater substance and maturity. Magic Mike XXL is not a story about male strippers entertainers, but an old-fashioned road movie about self-discovery and friendship, where it is souls and vulnerabilities — not bodies — that the men are dared to reveal. As it happens, it's also a cracking comedy. The story itself is as scant as a stripper’s costume. Mike (Channing Tatum, whose real life story provided the inspiration for both films), finds himself visited by his old dancing buddies on their way to the annual 4th of July Strippers Convention (yes, it’s a thing). Their former emcee and manager has skipped town with the young star Adam, meaning this is to be their swan song before retiring to whatever 'normal' jobs they can find. Recently single and finding his own furniture business low on the thrills, Mike joins them in the hope of purging his demons and starting life afresh. In some ways, it’s best to think of Magic Mike XXL like a musical, given the way its stars spontaneously burst into dance routines and, this time round, singing (showcasing the talents of both Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, and Matt Bomer, whose voice is so remarkable it’s baffling we’ve not been treated to it sooner). Unlike most musicals, however, Magic Mike XXL navigates the almost impossible transition from acting to dancing without it ever feeling forced — the best example also being the film’s standout scene, featuring Joe Manganiello (True Blood) stripping in a gas station to a Backstreet Boys staple for no other reason than to elicit a smile from its store clerk. Funny yet provocative, childish yet heartwarming, it encapsulates everything Magic Mike XXL is about: honest desire, spiritual growth and — most importantly — intimacy. Almost every dance in this film is centred on one woman. Any woman. Every woman. No matter how large the crowd, someone is always singled out and treated to a publicly private performance, "a queen being reminded of her beauty", as Mike’s former flame Rome (played magnificently by Jada Pinkett Smith) puts it. Yes, the dancing is extraordinary (Tatum’s routines in particular are jaw-dropping in their athleticism and eroticism), but just as appealing are the ladies’ reactions — a blend of shock, lust and pure exhilaration that imbue each and every fantasy piece with a genuine sense of realism. There’s more sensuality in this film than fifty Fifty Shades of Greys, yet it never once feels sleazy, instead veering closer to something uplifting and sincere. By all means come for the bodies, but stay for everything else.
With multi-screen technology and life's general background noise perpetually present, many of us have lost touch with music, you know, actually listening to it. We've wound up with some not-so-flash listening skills, putting a playlist on in the background and switching off. But psychology and mindfulness studio, The Indigo Project, has discovered a nifty way to help you tune back into that big, beautiful world of sound. Once a month, the Surry Hills space hosts a music-driven meditation session called Listen Up, drawing on a mix of modern mindfulness, psychology, and music therapy techniques. No phones allowed. By channelling strong attention to those tunes, students can work on clearing focus, opening the mind, and getting those creative juices flowing the way they should. Not to mention, they'll likely discover a newfound appreciation of music. Each of the hour-long sessions will centre on a different acclaimed artist's album. This month's will find you meditating to Spaces, the 2013 beauty from Berlin-based composer Nils Frahm. Image: Kimberley Low.
In words attributed to everyone from Mark Twain to Alexisonfire, we should dance like no one is watching, and Glitterbox gives you the chance to do pretty much just that. Returning to Sydney Festival for the second year, Glitterbox is the work of Sydney artist duo Harriet Gillies and Roslyn Helper (aka zin) — and it's exactly what it sounds like. So what do you do? Pick a song, head inside the giant colourful cube that's pulsating with glitter and dance like no one is watching. Except they are. But you won't care. It's so much fun that you'll forget all about the other festivalgoers around you. Glitterbox will be located in the Meriton Festival Village at Hyde Park, which is open from 4.30pm will late every day of the festival except Mondays. Image: Jamie Williams.
Even the most adventurous of foodies have their limits, don't they? New documentary Bugs aims to put that idea to the test — and to make audiences squirm in the process. You don't make a film about two researchers from René Redzepi's experimental Nordic Food Lab exploring the culinary value and environmental benefits of eating insects without causing a reaction, after all. The eye-opening doco is one of 12 titles set to screen at the Antenna Documentary Film Festival from October 11 to 16, with the Sydney fest revealing a selection of highlights before their complete program announcement on September 6. Regardless of how experimental your eating habits are, the flicks unveiled should whet the appetite of factual cinema fans thanks to a wealth of thought-provoking content. When the fest isn't trying to get viewers pondering their next meal, it'll be inspiring discussions about everything from a ladies man living with HIV to the impact of nuclear waste in a small Russian town. The former comes courtesy of moving opening night film The Charro of Toluquilla, while the latter informs documentary City 40, which examines the people trying to survive in one of the most contaminated places on earth. And for a change of pace, anyone keen on an Italian holiday without the cost of an airfare should put Rome-set road movie A Present from the Past on their must-see list. Aussie effort A Mother and A Gun, which has its world premiere at the festival, is also certain to get attendees talking as it explores the life of Shelly Rubin, the woman who fell in love with the leader of the Jewish Defense League. Elsewhere, environmental effort The Islands and the Whales, a tribute screening of Abbas Kiarostami's Close Up, and the latest chronicle of Bobby Sands and his famous hunger strike — as previously brought to the screen in Steve McQueen-Michael Fassbender collaboration Hunger — also feature among Antenna's initial list of films. Yep, they might've only given viewers a taste of a dozen titles so far, but the fest's 2016 lineup looks as varied as it is interesting. The 2016 Antenna Documentary Film Festival screens at Palace Cinemas Paddington from October 11 to 16. The complete lineup will be announced on September 6. For more information, check out the festival website. Images: Lloyd Dirks, Tom Truong.
It's one of the city's best-known landmarks, so when the Sydney Opera House illuminates its sails, it stands out. You've seen the venue lit up for Vivid, to launch Mardi Gras and to support bushfire relief — and, as part of Badu Gili, the nightly showcase of First Nations artworks that was first launched in 2017. While the harbourside spot hasn't been decking out its sails with projections every night of late, that's changing from Friday, April 23, which is when a new Badu Gili series will start gracing the Opera House's exterior each evening. This time around, it's called Badu Gili: Wonder Women, and focuses on the work and stories of six female First Nations artists. Curated by Coby Edgar, the Art Gallery of New South Wales' Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, Badu Gili: Wonder Women marks a creative collaboration between the Opera House and AGNSW to mark the latter's 150th anniversary. As the sun sets each day, the Opera House's eastern Bennelong sail will be illuminated with a projection of a vibrant six-minute animation, all depicting artworks from the AGNSW's collection. The animation will repeat three more times each night — approximately every hour, but the timing changes every evening depending on the season and whatever might be on at the Opera House's Forecourt. Badu Gili also ran in 2018; however, for its third go-around in 2021, it'll display its first all-female lineup. Sydneysiders will be able to peer up at work from Wathaurung elder Marlene Gilson, Yankunytjatjara woman Kaylene Whiskey and Luritja woman Sally Mulda, which'll feature alongside pieces by Western Arrernte women Judith Inkamala and Marlene Rubuntja, and the late Kamilaroi woman Elaine Russell. While you're looking up, you'll be taking in' pieces inspired by the artists' life stories and shared histories, which includes the Eureka Stockade and mission days, 2019-20's bushfires, an imagined world of superheroes, family encounters and ordinary life in First Nations communities. [caption id="attachment_803486" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] The visual component of Badu Gili — which translates to 'water light' in the language of the site's traditional owners, the Gadigal people — will also be accompanied by a return of Badu Gili Live. The free outdoor music series will run throughout April, May and June, with further details yet to be announced. Badu Gili: Wonder Women will light up the Sydney Opera House's sails every night from Friday, April 23. Top image: render of Kaylene Whiskey's 'Dolly visits Indulkan' as part of Badu Gili: Wonder Women. Courtesy of Sydney Opera House.
Imagine a fully immersive theatre experience with a choose-your-own-adventure twist and lots of macabre nods to Edgar Allan Poe, and you'll have some idea of what to expect when A Midnight Visit takes over an abandoned Sydney warehouse this spring. Unlike any theatre offering the city has seen before, this captivating experience is part performance, part playground and part film set. And it's being brought to life across 30 rooms of an eerie, two-storey, 3500-square-metre Newtown warehouse before it's demolished to make way for apartments. Audiences will find themselves transported into a dream world that takes its cues from those notoriously macabre works of Edgar Allan Poe, as imagined by a team of local actors and a crew of innovative sound, film-set and costume designers. Expect an air of David Lynch and some Stanley Kubrick vibes, with a spot of steam-punk thrown in for good measure. "The experience explores themes of madness, guilt, death, impermanence and memory — just the small things in life," explains director and co-creator Danielle Harvey. "It's sometimes funny, sometimes sexy, sometimes wistful, and yes, sometimes a bit scary." It won't be for the faint-hearted, with hints to uneven floors, suffocatingly small spaced and many 'troubled characters'. If you're thinking you might need some sort of tipple to calm your nerves before all of that, or after, you'll find yourself in good hands at The Ravens Rest pop-up bar, curated by Studio Neon. Preview performances from September 19 will also be available for $25. Images: Anna Kucera and Tim Da-Rin.
Kingsmore Meats will join the ever-growing Rosebery party as the newest opening at Saporium this Saturday, July 2. We gave you the heads up on Saporium's opening back in May, and since then the new foodie haven within The Cannery Precinct has continued to kick delicious goals — now with an 'artisan butcher'. The family-owned and operated butcher sources high quality meats from small, independent and local farmers who treat their animals humanely and raise them sustainably. Previously Rose Bay's Kingsley Meats, Kingsmore recently rebranded in name, but kept their motto: "More than your local butcher." It's a free-range, pasture-raised affair at Kingsmore, with all meats both hormone and antibiotic free. We guess this is what the 'artisan' tag refers to, and what sets them apart from your average butcher. Kingsmore are taking their strong ethical philosophy one step further. Running a 'nose-to-tail' butchery, butcher Joel Houghton purchases the meat whole so every cut is available for patrons. Kingsmore is also rolling out their own sausages and gluten- and preservative-free smallgoods, called Happy Pigs, Yummy Pork. To celebrate their opening, Kingsmore Meats is teaming up with Saporium neighbour Vive Cooking School to offer Sydneysiders their first taste of the newcomer. Head in on Saturday, July 2 for Emerald Hill Beef brisket and house-made burgers — they're made using condiments from MasterChef finalist Audra Morrice (and author of My Kitchen, Your Table) and served on brioche by Grain Organic Bakery, another Saporium artisan. Saporium is the latest addition to The Cannery Precinct, which already houses Archie Rose Distillery, Black Star Pastry, Koskela and the recently opened Three Blue Ducks restaurant. The space is designed to offer locals a healthy and organic lifestyle without having to shop around. The details of stage three of Saporium are still in the works, but we're sure this all-star local team has a few more big players to come. Kingsmore Meats will open this Saturday, July 2 at Saporium, 61 Mentmore Avenue, Rosebery, within The Cannery Precinct.
Does checking your Instagram on the weekend give you a serious case of brunch jealousy? It's time to get back at your friends with what can only be described as a mega-brunch, happening just across the road from the monthly Pyrmont Growers' Market. You know it'll be good when Ruby's Diner, Pinbone, Hartsyard, West Juliett and LuMi are behind the menu. Prepare yourself for the likes of chicken and waffles, strudel and Single Origin Roasters coffee. This event is one of our top ten picks of Good Food Month 2015. Check out the other nine. Image: Pyrmont Growers Market.
The first thing you notice about the 14-year-old Amy Winehouse is her smile. Captured on her best friend’s home movie, it's enormous, almost all-consuming, a porthole to an as yet undiscovered virtuosity. With jagged and uneven teeth, the smile — like her accent — is imperfect and unrefined, as though everything had been hastily thrown together at the last minute. But it's also unmistakably real and a permanent fixture on the young girl's face. Over the next 90 minutes of Asif Kapadia's remarkable documentary Amy, what most stands out is not the prodigious talent, nor the substance abuse and self-destruction, but simply the steady fade of that perfect imperfect smile. Just like Kapadia’s previous documentary, Senna, Amy is an extraordinarily moving tribute to a prodigious talent whose life seemed somehow unavoidably foredoomed. With its remarkable catalogue of personal videos, voicemails and recording sessions, Kapadia lets Winehouse and her closest friends narrate her own tragic spiral in real time, taking us from the "gobby north London Jewish girl with a lot of attitude" to the death of a full-blown celebrity in 2011. It’s a masterful device, insulating the film from the inevitable accusations of bias and blame apportionment made by the very individuals who constantly comment and appear throughout. To be clear: Amy isn’t a whodunnit. Winehouse drank herself to death despite countless warning from doctors, friends and colleagues. Instead, the film reveals the extent to which almost everybody in her life failed to convert their concern into real action so long as the money continued to flow their way. "They tried to make me go to rehab,” she sang, and it’s true, but they didn’t try nearly hard enough. What’s abundantly clear from the archival footage is how well Winehouse understood her own predicament and disposition. “I’ve depression,” she explains at one point, “but so do a lot of other people. I’m just lucky because not many people can pick up a guitar for an hour or two and make themselves feel better.” True to the adage, Winehouse really was all about the music, and had she been left alone to sing jazz in small clubs, things may have played out very differently. The only person who seemed to fully grasp that was her idol, Tony Bennett, with whom she recorded a duets album shortly before her death. “True jazz performers don’t like crowds of 50,000 in front of them,” he explains, before adding in a heart-wrenching postscript, “If she were still here, I’d say ‘slow down … you’re too important’”. It’s moments like this that make Amy an overwhelmingly tragic and absorbing portrait piece, steeped in disquiet because, just as it was with Senna, you know it ends in a crash. There is, in fact, one last glimpse of a smile, right before the film ends. During her infamous concert disaster in Belgrade just weeks prior to her death, Winehouse sits down on stage, drunk and disoriented, amidst a chorus of boos from the crowd. While the band tries to get her to sing, an almost imperceptible grin flashes across her face, as though she’d suddenly heard the punchline to a joke nobody else could hear.
Favouring the dark and the occult, Sydney's newest nocturnal arts event Caldera showcases many of Australia's leading experimental artists within the industrial, turn-of-the-century surrounds of Eveleigh Locomotive Workshops. Running from November 29 to December 2, a visceral and provocative program will bring the historic site to life with eight sessions held across four special nights. The remains of Eveleigh Locomotive Workshops' steam hammers, cranes and furnaces will serve as the evocative setting for Caldera as the performances utilise the dynamic space. Taking place in a seemingly spontaneous fashion, the audience will be enveloped by the evenings' events, while also getting a chance to explore the reinvigorated factory. As Caldera Director Laurence Rosier Staines explained in statement, "[Caldera] is in a spectacular and mysterious site, and the show will reflect that. In a way we're hoping to provide Sydney's boutique answer to Dark Mofo, neither predictable nor sanitised." Headlining the inaugural Caldera, is renowned burlesque artist Zelia Rose, who'll perform alongside the dazzling vocals of Tanzer and a compelling percussive piece by Marcus Whale and Bree van Reyk. Plus, there'll be an innovative drumming performance by Alon Ilsar, featuring AirSticks – a futuristic instrument that Alon invented alongside collaborator Mark Havryliv. With more performances yet to be announced, Caldera is one mind-bending creative experience you shouldn't miss. Two 'Caldera' sessions are held each night, at 8pm and 10pm, and tickets include a complimentary Four Pillars gin drink on arrival.
Hospitality, as we all know, is much, much more than solely food and drink. Entertainment, interior design, theming, culinary direction and partnerships all need to be carefully considered. It takes a while to master these skills, but hospitality dream team Jaime Doom (also known as Jaime Wirth) and Mike Delany (the duo formerly behind the Drink'n'Dine empire) have fine tuned 'em after years in the business. So this week, naturally, they've launched their own hospitality consultation business, dubbed International Worldwide. Doom and Delany have been partners in hospitality since 1996 and have no shortage of projects under their belts including reinvigorations of The Abercrombie, Forresters and a few of the Fratelli Fresh locales. One of their most recent projects included the rethink of Sydney's infamous Club 77 from the late-night rave cave of our misguided youth to a somewhat more grown-up, eastern European-inspired cocktail bar (still with slight rave). It's this skill of turning a 'has-been' venue into an energised contemporary space that Doom and Delaney want to explore further with International Worldwide. Doom says that the project came about during the sale of the Drink'n'Dine group earlier in 2016, the company that included The Oxford Tavern in Petersham and The Norfolk in Redfern among others. The sale of the company allowed the pair to focus their skills on shorter term projects, with the duo currently working on the Belly Bao fitout in Barangaroo and The Observer Hotel in The Rocks. International Worldwide's website states that the company will specialise in "creative, interior design, food and beverage, music, branding and design and everything in between". It's no secret that these guys know what's hot and what's not, but for the moment we'll just have to wait and see what else they have in store for us. Image: Andy Fraser.
Sydney foodies, we're spoilt for choice at every turn. New top-notch eateries are cropping up faster than ever before. If you're struggling to keep up — and who isn't? — never fear Taste of Sydney 2016 is the four-day foodie festival to get to up to speed on the cream of the culinary crop. Setting up residence in Centennial Park from March 10 to 13, Taste of Sydney in partnership with Electrolux is all about bringing diners and chefs together. Ticketholders will be treated with nosh from some of Sydney's top restaurants, including Middle Eastern street food from the crew at Glebe's Thievery, Porteno's famously hearty fare, Biota Dining's sustainable modern Australian dishes, nel.'s fine dining dishes, plus fire-cooked noms from Firedoor. Also joining the deliciousness will be Kitchen by Mike, MoVida, Sake, and the newly opened Kensington Street Social, among others. But we can't wait until then. We annoyed the Thievery team to give us a recipe, NOW. NOOOOOOW. So they relented and told us how make their mouthwatering baba ghanoush with sheep's milk yogurt, pinenuts and burnt butter. You can make it too! Thievery's Baba Ghanoush with Sheep's Milk Yogurt, Pinenuts and Burnt Butter 2 eggplants 25g tahini Juice of one lemon 1 clove of garlic 25g olive oil Salt and pepper (to taste) For pinenut burnt butter 75g pinenuts 120g unsalted butter For sheep's milk yoghurt dressing 100g sheep's milk yoghurt ¼ clove of garlic 15ml extra virgin olive oil Chervil leaves, to garnish Lebanese bread Method Prick the eggplants with a fork all over. Over an open flame, using tongs, grill the eggplant whole under tender and soft. Juices should bubble and start to flow. Alternatively, roast in oven at 190 degrees until tender and soft. Cut eggplants in half, length ways, and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Allow to cool. Add remaining ingredients to the eggplant flesh in the bowl. Using a whisk, gently combine all the ingredients together, keeping the texture thick to avoid turning the eggplant into a paste. Season to taste. On medium heat, melt unsalted butter in a saucepan until butter starts to turn an amber colour with a nutty smell. Just before beurre noisette (brown butter) add the pinenuts, tossing until noisette stage is achieved. Remove from heat. Set aside and keep warm so that butter does not solidify, allowing the pinenuts to infuse the flavour. Finely grate ¼ clove of garlic. Add sheep's milk yoghurt and olive oil, combining all ingredients together in a bowl. Season to taste. Place baba ghanoush in a serving bowl. Dollop sheep's milk yoghurt dressing around the baba ghanoush. Using a spoon, mix the pinenut burnt butter and spoon over the top. Garnish with chervil leaves and serve with warm Lebanese bread.
Grab your midnight blue dinner jacket and holster your Walther PPK: the team at Hijinks are heading back to Madame Tussauds for a James Bond-themed party in September. The after dark pop-up specialists will channel their inner secret agent for a night of sophistication and intrigue, complete with roulette table, costume competitions and complimentary vodka martinis. Best start practicing your worst puns now. The Hijinks Casino Royale Party takes over Madame Tussauds on the evening of Friday September 25. Entry into the wax museum normally costs $40, but tickets to the Hijinks event will run you just $25 and come with a free beer or Stoli cocktail on arrival. Activities for the night will include Bond trivia, a best costume competition and a roulette table where you can gamble with chocolate chips (put it all on black, trust us). There'll also be live performances, including burlesque star Diesel Darling as Goldfinger's ill-fated Bond Girl Jill Masterson, as well as no less than five separate pop-up bars. And if you forget your bowtie, don't worry: you can always make a new one at the crafts table. You'll also be able to take photos with all the museum's famous faces, from Barrack Obama to Albert Einstein to The Queen. There'll even be a crocodile, ala Live and Let Die, although to be honest we're not entirely sure whether he'll be real or wax. If nothing else, this should be a hell of a lead in for Spectre, which opens in November. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujmoYyEyDP8 For more information about The Hijinks Casino Royale Party and to secure tickets, visit www.hijinkssydney.com
Musicians dream of many things: playing packed-out gigs, releasing a hit album that rockets up the charts, and attaining Kanye-levels of fame and fortune, just to name a few. Getting your own beer has to be on the list as well — and that's a rockstar achievement DZ Deathrays now has covered. No, bandmates Shane Parsons and Simon Ridley haven't cooked up a batch of homemade ale (well, that's not what they're unleashing upon the world right now, at least). And no, there's no rum involved, even though the duo both hail from Bundaberg. Instead, the ARIA-award winning Brisbane outfit has teamed up with the fine folks from Sydney brewery Young Henrys to make their very own brew. If Queen and Pearl Jam can have their own tipple, why can't they? Called Pils 'n' Thrills (Wellington's Garage Project will be raising a few eyebrows, they've already released a beer called Pils 'n' Thrills), DZ Deathrays' beverage of choice is a Czech-style pilsner complete with a stripped-back, classic, compact malt bill and a surprisingly hoppy palm to the nose. If you don't speak beer speak, that means that it's flavoursome, tasty and refreshing, i.e. all the things you want in a pint. Of course, Pils 'n' Thrills is a limited-edition affair, so you'd best head to your local stockist to get your fix quick smart. Then, next time you indulge in one of life's simple pleasures — aka enjoying an ice-cold beer while listening to your favourite band — you can do it with DZ Deathrays' very own drinks in your mitts. For more information about Pils 'n' Thrills, check out the Young Henrys website. Image: Luke Henery.
When you're on holiday, we think it's a rule that you can't leave the city without exploring the local pub scene. But often, there are so many pub options that the whole choosing-where-to-go thing can be a little overwhelming. What you need is a go-to guide that saves you a lot of research and tells you exactly where to go depending what mood you're in or what vibe you're after. Whether you're keen for a party, a chilled beverage in a beer garden, a good quality pub feed or a drink by the water, we've got you covered. We've partnered with Hahn Brewers and come up with a few failsafe options for you to visit. Never be lost for pub options in Perth again. FOR LIVE MUSIC: THE ROSEMOUNT, NORTH PERTH The affectionately-named 'Rosie' hosts national and international bands like Spoon, The Panics and Tiny Little Houses regularly in its live music room. It's the regular venue for album launches, karaoke nights and open-mic nights where undiscovered Perth talent can often make an appearance. If you're in Perth and looking to go to a gig, this is definitely the place to be. Sometimes there are food stalls and vintage markets out in the 'backyard', which consists of the 'deck' and the 'lawn'. Both spectacular spots to grab a beer to drink outside while checking out what's happening on the day. FOR THE VIEW: OCEAN BEACH HOTEL, COTTLESLOE The Ocean Beach Hotel, opposite Cottlesloe Beach, has everything — it serves coffee and breakfast from 7am, there's a sports bar, pool tables, a dining room, accommodation and most importantly, a huge, sunny rooftop with stunning views of the beach. Famous for its Sunday sessions and rooftop beer garden, it's the perfect spot to stop for a feed and a cold beer after a swim, or the perfect place to watch the sun go down over the ocean. [caption id="attachment_605929" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: The Local[/caption] FOR A FEED: THE LOCAL HOTEL, SOUTH FREMANTLE The Local Hotel in South Fremantle is one of Perth's stylish and recently renovated pubs. It's the perfect place to grab a slightly fancy pub feed, with a menu that accommodates almost every meal and appetite. There are simple cheese boards and starters, more substantial mains such as the sirloin steak, beef and veggie burgers and the grilled lamb loin. At the Local there's a public bar, a casual dining area and a whisky bar. There's also the Local Garage — a drive-through bottle shop that's been converted into a pop-up garden bar, open for breakfast on weekends and hosting food trucks in the afternoon. Should you need to stay the night, The Local also has beautiful boutique accomodation options. Each of the eight rooms are styled by local designers and offer their own light and airy features. FOR THE BEER GARDEN: THE NORFOLK, FREMANTLE Much loved by locals in Fremantle, The Norfolk is a failsafe option for a beverage in Perth. On the menu are all the pub classics like pizza, pasta, parmas and steaks, but the real highlight of the place is the two outdoor beer gardens. Leafy, half-sunny and half-shaded just like a good beer garden should be, the Norfolk is famous for its huge limestone walls. They make for a great, cosy atmosphere where you can sit back and watch some live music. [caption id="attachment_605945" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Raffles Hotel[/caption] FOR THE WATER: RAFFLES HOTEL, APPLECROSS The Raffles Hotel is located in the riverside suburb of Applecross. It's worth the trip from Perth to the other side of the river, because Raffles has beautiful views and a relaxed atmosphere where you can grab a drink and chill out by the water. Gourmet pizzas are on the menu alongside upscale pub classics like burgers, parmas and big plates of fresh seafood and pork belly to share. Raffles has multiple levels of outdoor seating, which means it hosts quite a few summer parties. Fashion launches, dinners, New Year's parties and Australia Day gatherings by the water. That kind of thing. FOR A BIT OF HISTORY: THE WINDSOR, SOUTH PERTH The Windsor Hotel in South Perth is an institution in the area. It's that classic, huge, old pub that everyone knows and occasionally visits. There's a sports bar, a beer garden out the back, and DJs that play on the weekends as well as all the classic events like Melbourne Cup, Australia Day and New Year's. The old building is surrounded by a historic verandah — a great place to settle down with an afternoon beer and read about one of the city's oldest pubs. FOR THE GAME: THE VIC, SUBIACO If you're in Perth and there's a game on (whether it's football, NRL, AFL, tennis, golf or anything else really), the place to watch it is at The Vic in Subiaco, one of Perth's popular inner-west suburbs. This place is as classic as an old-school sports pub gets, with parmas, burgers and cheap pints of beer served up in the beer garden and multiple dining rooms alongside local live music and trivia nights. The Vic packs out especially on big AFL days. The projector screens are rolled out and the building is filled with sports fans and footy scarfs. FOR A PARTY: BOTANICA BAR AND BISTRO, INNALOO Botanica boasts 'the best Sunday Session in Perth'. It's a big call, but if you're a regular you'll know that this Innaloo pub throws a few parties, and they tend to go off. During the day (or when there's no special event on, like the Silent Disco pictured), the outdoor beer garden is packed with people enjoying the sunshine, a brew and a pub feed. At night (and on Sundays) the DJs come out to play. There's also a sports bar attached to the Botanica — the crowd can get rowdy (in a good way) when there's a big game on the screens. Sign up to Hahn Brewers and settle down with a drink this weekend.
After spending the last few years in the grasp of tweens and sexless Mormons, it's good to see the vampire movie finally biting back. From the ingenious goofiness of What We Do in the Shadows to the eerie urban decay of Only Lovers Left Alive, it's been a banner year for big screen bloodsuckers, a trend that continued in 2014 with the most fascinating shakeup to the genre yet. Sexy, scary and fearlessly subversive, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night became a last minute contender for one of the best films of 2014, and this Halloween, it's coming back to the big screen at Golden Age. Billed as the world's first Iranian Vampire Western, the debut film from writer-director Ana Lily Amirpour takes place on the outskirts of an industrial ghost town, ominously named Bad City. It's here that an aloof young vampire in heavy eye makeup and billowing chador (Sheila Vand) stalks the streets in search of victims to devour. What she doesn't count on, however, is the romantic attention of a handsome local drug dealer (Arash Marandi), who unwittingly presents her with a difficult choice: pursue a relationship or eat him for dinner. If the plot sounds thin, that's probably because it is. A spiritual descendent of David Lynch and Jim Jarmusch, the California-based Amirpour is far less concerned with narrative than she is with style and atmosphere. The moody black and white cinematography further enhances the film's already palpable sense of menace, while also calling to mind prototypical vampire movies such as Vampyr and the original Dracula. The eclectic soundtrack is equally evocative, Amirpour spinning a Tarantino-esque blend of European and Iranian pop music combined with the rousing strains of an old school Spaghetti Western. Yet despite her aesthetic self-consciousness, Amirpour's film is in no way lacking in substance. While vampire stories are traditionally about sexuality, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night reframes the discussion to focus more on gender. It's obviously not a coincidence that Vand's vigilante vamp feeds exclusively on misogynistic men. Likewise the pointed choice of costume: her traditional head-to-toe black garb, so often viewed as a sign of oppression, re-appropriated as a symbol of her power. Even the film's title is misleading. Amirpour sets us up to expect a helpless victim, only to deliver something very different indeed. Bold and surprising, this is a truly stunning debut. See it on the big screen.
What are you doing right now? No, stop. Whatever it is, it most likely doesn’t compare to what you could be doing at this exact time next year. Sea N Beats, Australia’s first ever music festival at sea, is on March 5-8, 2016 — and if you’re into electronic dance beats and/or super chilled-in-a-chilla-way cruises through aquamarine waters (and isolated island paradises to boot), it's probably going to float your boat. The Sea N Beats ship will boast seven stages (so we know this is ain’t no dinghy), and a huge pool deck, where you’ll dance till the wee hours in the middle of the deep blue sea sea sea (hey, there’ll be no noise complaints here). Plus, included in your ticket is entry to an exclusive mystery island festival on an exclusive mystery island, somewhere off the exclusive mystery Queensland coast. After the seafaring shenanigans that went down at It’s the Ship — Singapore’s inaugural festival on a boat — last November, plus the fact that SS Coachella and the Weezer cruise are actual things that exist, it was high time we got one of these boat-fests of our own. Those festivals attracted sailors like Basement Jaxx, Lil John, Toro y Moi, Pulp and Hot Chip. No word on who’s going to be (literally) onboard for ours yet — but it’s safe to say this is going to be one hull of a party. Now's probably a good time to start training yourself out of your sea sickness. But it sounds well worth stocking up on those ginger tablets for; Sea N Beats reckon there's no other experience like this in the southern hemisphere. The ship sets sail from Brisbane on March 5 next year, and the festival runs till March 8. You know your psych-up music, crank it. Via Pedestrian. Image: Falls Festival.
Astral People, V Movement and the team at the National Art School are joining forces for a series of epic parties across four Sundays in January, February and March. Returning for its second year, the Summer Dance series will see the National Art School campus in the Old Darlinghurst Gaol transformed into a massive outdoor dancefloor, thumping to the tunes of killer house, techno and electronic artists from at home and abroad. The season kicks off on January 24 with sets by bigwig UK house producer Julio Bashmore and German drum machine specialist Florian Kupfer, as well as hometown heroes Andy Garvey and the EK Collective. Spend Valentine's Day with house veteran Nightmares on Wax, who'll take to the stage along with Belgian mixmaster Lefto and Sydney's own Mike Who. The following week will see The Netherlands' Hunee and the UK's Mark E take the stage along with local favourites Touch Sensitive, Love Bombs and Adi Toohey. Last but not least, pioneering Parisian house musician Jeremy Underground will join American DJ Sadar Bahar, Sydney's Ariane and Melbourne's Andras on March 6 to bring summer to a close. Clear your calendar. Tickets to Summer Dance are available through Moshtix for $40-45, although diehards may want to pick up a season pass for $140. To check out the program yourself, visit Summer Dance's website. Image: Sam Whiteside.
In one of the slickest team-ups we've seen this year, Future Classic and the Museum of Contemporary Art have announced a series of solid parties set to settle themselves into your calendar for the next few months. Set across three Sunday afternoons over the steamy months, FCxMCA is a brand new monthly event that will see the likes of electronic Cashmere Cat, Redinho and Cyril Hahn play intimate gigs on the MCA's Sculpture Terrace. Launched last night at the MCA as part of a collaboration with the MCA's Young Ambassador Program, the series kicked off with performances from Future Classic's new signing George Maple, label favourites Panama and Future Classic DJs. According to Future Classic's Nathan McLay, this new endeavour was apparently inspired by similar music program branch-outs in contemporary galleries across the globe. "My partner Jay and I have always enjoyed visits to documenta in Germany, the Venice Biennale and many contemporary galleries around the world on our travels," says McLay. "That travel and intersection of contemporary art and music opened our eyes to collaborations such as the MoMa PS1 Warm Up series in New York and the Sonar festival in Barcelona, whose day venue is the Museum of Contemporary Art Barcelona (MACBA). It is these events that inspired the FCxMCA collaboration." Having recently played NYC’s MoMa PS1 Warm Up party, Norwegian producer (and actual brains behind most of the guilty pop pleasures on your Spotify) Cashmere Cat kicks the whole thing off on Sunday, January 4. Then on Sunday, February 22, London-based producer Redhino will crank up tunes from his highly-acclaimed self-titled album; released in September on top notch UK label Numbers (who've previously dropped Hudson Mohawke, Jamie XX and Rustie releases in your lap, legends). Then, when the hot season's almost over, Swiss producer Cyril Hahn — the man behind that Destiny's Child remix — will headline the closing party with deeeep, deeeeep house. FCxMCA 2015 Dates: Sun 4 Jan — Cashmere Cat (Norway) Sun 22 Feb — Redinho (UK) Sun 29 Mar — Cyril Hahn (Switzerland) Image: Cashmere Cat, Jasmine Safaeian.
The Sydney CBD is getting a brand new rooftop bar and live music lounge, albeit only temporarily. Presented by Art & About Sydney, the pop-up bar will sit atop Town Hall's Marconi Terrace and will be serving up food, drinks and free live performances over nine nights throughout the second half of September. As if Sydney's office workers needed another reason to look forward to the end of the day. Located on the roof on the Druitt Street side of Town Hall, The Terrace has been inspired by New York's rooftop bar scene, particularly the magical arboretum that is Gallow Green. complete with garden-style features by Sydney design duo Amber Road. The venue will be open 5pm-10pm from September 18–27, except on Sundays when it'll be open 3pm–8pm. The music program features a diverse range of artists including Jones Jnr, Pat Capocci, Microwave Jenny and Richard In Your Mind, along with an acoustic set by Dave and Joji from Gang of Youths and a closing night performance by Paul Capsis accompanied by the Cafe at the Gate of Salvation gospel choir. That's in addition to a lineup of local DJs spinning sets every night. Best bit? Entry to The Terrance is 100 percent free. Here's hoping we see more openings like it. Sydney's rooftop bar scene isn't crowded with options, but with spring around the corner, it seems like the perfect time to change that. To see the full Terrace program, check out the event website.
You can ring in New Year's Eve from the fancy fancy Opera House, you can crowd underneath Millers Point, there'll inevitably be a hectic mass heaving on Barangaroo Point this year. But there's a brand new harbourside NYE party throwing its hat in the end-of-year ring, a brand new event called New Years Eve Above the Harbour. Think Young Henrys, picnic rugs, smoked meats, massages and an entire dessert garden by Anna Polyviou. Taking place at the south-eastern side of Circular Quay in the Tarpeian Precinct, NYEATH will take over a spacious site adjacent to the Royal Botanical Gardens, with a big, green, rolling lawn and those highly Instagrammable views, perfect positioning for those multi-million dollar Sydney fireworks. The team is positioning the event as a more laidback NYE party on the harbour, with picnic rugs, frolicking and a lavish outdoor dining experience from the culinary team behind the five-star Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney. Ticketholders can feast all evening, with four pop-up food stands planned for the night. There'll be Asian-inspired street food, American-style smokehouse meats, fresh seafood and salads, and (the clincher) an entire dessert garden by the hotel’s celebrated executive pastry chef Anna Polyviou. Of course, you'll be after a bev or two to ring in the new year, and everyone's favourite Newtonian brewers Young Henrys are on board with their beloved craft beers. The YH crew will be serving a special batch of 'Above the Harbour' Lager, exclusively available on the night. If you're after something a little more bubbly, there'll be top tier Australian wines and bubbles available, and arrival cocktails to get you all festive. The event's meant to take the stress out of hectic Sydney NYE parties, so you don't have to get there early, fight crowds, pack picnics or smuggle booze. There'll be a hair and makeup station for both ladies and gents, alongside masseuses available all the way until midnight. You'll probably see midnight more invigorated than when you arrived — instead of drunkenly, tiredly missing the whole bloody thing. For the big midnight clock strike, you can either nab a good spot on a picnic rug or book a spot in the premium seating area (armchairs, drink tables, sounds pretty baller). The night will be hosted by Smooth FM's Cameron Daddo and there'll be DJs all night — of course there's an openair dancefloor. New Years Eve Above the Harbour is happening at Tarpeian Way, The Domain on December 31 from 6pm - 12.30am (doors open 5.30pm). Tickets (on sale Tuesday, September 22) are $395 +BF (GA), $495 +BF (reserved seating), children under five get in for free (limited to 200). Capacity is strictly limited so book your tickets early here.
Melburnians rejoice! Our time has come to put on our red shoes and dance the blues. David Bowie Is, the most talked about exhibition all year, has graced us with its almighty presence. Now you can all stop complaining that you only just missed it when it was in London, and get to ACMI ASAP. The exhibition features a whole heap of Bowie-related items, including costumes, sets, lyrics, album artwork, rare footage and obviously, music. Really, you had us at 'Bowie Exhibition'. You could charge $20 to come and view just one sequinned shoulder pad, and we’d still be running one-another down to get to the entrance. But before you rush too quickly out the door, you might want to prepare yourself for the onslaught of aggressively competitive Bowie fanatics who'll be lining up and no doubt loudly exclaiming various facts and quotes to out-Bowie each other. You know, the kind who will be all, "That’s not even David’s correct blood type..." So to help you stand your ground, we've put together this list of pointers. Consider this your David Bowie homework. WATCH (OR REWATCH) LABYRINTH First and foremost, rewatch Labyrinth. Or, at the very least, get your fix through one of the greatest, most terrifying moments from everyone’s childhood that is the clip above. Bask in the glory of Bowie as he dances around with a large swarm of tiny alcoholic goblin puppets. It truly is something to behold. Extra fun fact: Toby Frouder, the actor who, as a baby, quite convincingly played the baby in Labyrinth, is now a puppeteer himself. A goblin puppeteer, in fact. It's true and it's amazing. HAVE SOME BOWIE MERCHANDISE TO FLASH Drunkenly purchase yourself some Bowie merchandise in the wee hours of the morning. Not speaking from experience at all, but when your new Aladdin Sane queen-size bed set arrives in the mail, you'll thank your past boozed-out self. Take a snap on your phone and set it as your background so when you waltz around the exhibit, you can be like "lol, I’m sleeping with Bowie tonight lol lol." Everyone will love you for it and think you are hilarious and original. They will. BRUSH UP ON YOUR BOWIE CAMEOS Remember that time Bowie starred as Pontius Pilate alongside Willem Dafoe’s Jesus in The Last Temptation of Christ? Yeah. That happened. Well, just in case someone quizzes you on that, you can memorise the full scene from here (but don’t, because it’s not great.) In fact, Bowie has a habit of popping up in unexpected places, everywhere from Zoolander to Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwdORJVw3-o[/embed] GET THE LIVE(ISH) EXPERIENCE There’s a million videos of Davey B killing it on stage, but our personal favourite is this performance of ‘Under Pressure’ featuring Annie Lennox at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert in 1992. Unfortunately Bowie and Mercury never performed the song together live (can you actually imagine how incredible that performance would have been?), but it’s fair to say Lennox did a pretty phenomenal job. The dress, the three-piece green suit, the long loving embrace. It’s all too much. MEMORISE AT LEAST ONE BIT OF OBSCURE BOWIE TRIVIA When he was 13, Bowie was punched by his mate George Underwood over some mix-up with a girl (cuuute), and was left with a permanently dilated pupil. This story is relatively well-known and won’t earn you any Bow-n-ie points amongst aficionados. But what you may not know is that Underwood continued being one of Bowie’s best mates. Not only that, he's responsible for two of Bowie’s album covers, in Hunky Dory and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars. This proves that Bowie's a forgiving gentleman and all-round top bloke, just like we always knew he was. David Bowie Is will be at ACMI until November 1. See the full program of exhibition-related events at www.acmi.net.au/bowie. Top image: Masayoshi Sukita, The David Bowie Archive.
The Kings Cross Hotel is about to be transformed into an immersive wonderland as part of this year's Vivid Sydney festival. As part of the truly epic Vivid Music program (which includes the world premiere of Björk's digital project), the hotel will be in full swing with a slew of live music, theatre and cabaret throughout the three weeks of the festival from May 27 until June 18. Along with five-storey dance parties and cabaret performances, from June 1 the venue will go into immersive theatre mode on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Visiting Hours will see the Hotel become a mysterious old hospital with performances taking place across the five floors. It's been produced and directed by bAKEHOUSE Theatre, so you know it's going to be legit. And a little creepy. Running over six nights, the theatrics will kick off at 7pm. Groups will be staggered at 30 minute intervals to keep space uncrowded and make sure you're totally immersed, from start to finish. [competition]574883[/competition]
It's the annual moment for dusting off that barbecue and cracking open a case of VB (or any, any other Australian beer). With Australia Day just a few short sleeps away, this weekend is the perfect time to get the festivities started. But perhaps you'd rather avoid the typical rowdy pub shenanigans on the day and find yourself a solid party in advance. If you want to do something a little different this year, late-night ravers BAD DEEP are putting on an event that could be just what you’re looking for. Let the melodic, psychedelic rhythms of Sydney’s best new DJs get you grooving from 9pm tonight (Friday January) at Enmore’s SLYFOX for 'Strayadelica. Headlining will be Melburnian house master Amateur Dance, along with local acts Levins, Chux, Le Fruit along with some of BAD DEEP’s resident DJs. Immerse yourself straight into the heart of Australia’s electric dance music past. Spinning tracks from true blue pop culture cultures like Wake in Fright, Picnic at Hanging Rock and The Cars That Ate Paris, gear up for a night of blissed-out beats and outback bangers. Image: Entropico.
"Franchise" needn't be a dirty word in Hollywood, and the Mission: Impossible movies are shining examples as to why that is. Now in its sixth instalment, this isn't just a franchise done right. It's a franchise that somehow improves with each new chapter – an ongoing escalation of stakes and stunts that never sacrifices the intelligent, honest and light-hearted storytelling that's been so critical to the series' sustained appeal. At the forefront once again is leading man and producer Tom Cruise, whose capacity for performing increasingly complex and outrageously dangerous stunts remains inversely proportionate to his age. In Mission: Impossible – Fallout his IMF agent Ethan Hunt is at it again, weaving cars and motorbikes through the traffic-packed streets of Paris, HALO jumping from 30,000ft and leaping across rickety London rooftops. Cruise even accrued over 2000 hours of helicopter flight time prior to filming, all so that he could personally perform what is arguably the film's most thrilling and death-defying sequence. His love of filmmaking is apparent in every frame he occupies, and its value to the enduring allure of the franchise cannot be overstated. That the Mission Impossible brand could survive beyond Cruise's involvement seems far less assured than, say, James Bond or Batman. Not unlike the two most recent Bond films, Fallout compels its hero to shine a light on his own past deeds, with the movie's title referring not just to the literal threat posed by three nuclear devices but also the consequences of a lifetime spent obediently killing, stealing and undermining at the behest of the US Government. Adding to the emotional stakes, Fallout also repeatedly asks its characters to weigh up the value of a human life, presenting them with multiple scenarios in which they're forced to choose between the one or the many – knowing that either path carries with it irreconcilable guilt and heartache. Written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie (whose return to the franchise marks the first repeat involvement by a director, with McQuarrie having also written and directed the previous instalment, Rogue Nation), Fallout achieves the rare feat of being an unceasing action movie that always feels more like a drama. There is no superfluity here. Every punch, shot, jump, crash and explosion exists because it must. This is a story-driven international escapade that never stops to sit down and catch its breath. Around Cruise the IMF family assembles once again, with Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin and Rebecca Ferguson packing equal measures of comedy and conflict into every scene they get. Man of Steel's Henry Cavill also joins the action, with his lumbering, muscular CIA assassin representing an appealing counterpoint to Hunt's penchant for the softer, tradecraft touch. He and Hunt are at once rivals and compatriots – two competing assets unwillingly paired together in pursuit of a common goal. Or so it seems. As always, the Mission: Impossible franchise throws up all manner of red herrings, double-crosses and mask-pulling identity swaps, meaning – just like the characters – you're never quite sure who to trust. If the story borders on confusing at points, it's only because the time-honoured tradition of spy movies commands nothing less. Ever since 1996, this series has unapologetically embraced jargon-heavy dialogue and twists upon twists without ever feeling compelled to play it safe or dumb things down (Mission: Impossible 2 being the regretful exception). If most sequels fail because they're rushed into production purely to capitalise on their predecessor's success, Fallout demonstrates the benefit of having the patience and the discipline to say: we will make this film not when, but if a good enough story comes our way. So it is that McQuarrie, Cruise and company deliver a benchmark setter for action movies – a rollicking, tense and captivating piece of cinema that begs to be enjoyed on the big screen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb49-oV0F78
Planning what you're going to have for lunch tomorrow is pretty difficult, let alone planning a spectacular evening with someone you'd like to get to know a whole lot better. When it comes to dating, the pressure is on to impress — you need to pick a great activity (in a great venue) that exactly matches the mood and stage of your relationship. It's a tough task. We wanted to take a little stress out of the ordeal, so we've teamed up with QT Sydney and Perrier-Jouët to provide you with a date idea for every night of the week. Whether you're a barfly, a cinephile, or you just love a healthy dose of culture, our picks have you covered whether you're on a first date or celebrating your first anniversary. MONDAY: FREE MOVIES AT SODA FACTORY Heads can be a little fuzzy on Mondays, and moods may not be great — you've just spent your whole day at work after enjoying two days of freedom, after all. Take the edge off with a relaxed activity and take in a film with a significant other at Soda Factory. Little did you know, on Monday nights the Surry Hills bar and diner screens classic movies — Back to the Future, Grease and Ferris Bueller's Day Off are among the titles on offer. Rather than rushing dinner and heading to your standard cinema, meet your date and shout them a $5 drink (available until 7pm), then impress them with your supreme knowledge of pop film culture at 8pm when the movie kicks off. TUESDAY: PUB TRIVIA AT YOUR LOCAL Trivia, a classic Tuesday night activity whether you're on a date or not, is a great place to take someone you're interested in because you can suss out how smart they are over a beverage. There are a plethora of bars in Sydney that take part — from the Dove and Olive in Surry Hills (hosted by comedian Nick Nolan), to cocktail bar Since I Left You in the CBD, to The Rose in Chippendale and The Forresters in Surry Hills. Most bars and pubs that host trivia also have drink specials on for the night. Trivia is also great for double dates and group dates, because everyone can get involved. WEDNESDAY: ART AFTER HOURS AT THE AGNSW Art galleries are great date material. If you're just getting to know someone you'll look cultured, and if you've already gotten to know someone, this could be when you both admit you have no idea how to act in an art gallery and enjoy a nice bonding moment. The Art Gallery of NSW has one of the best art collections in the country — with permanent impressionist displays and temporary exhibitions that promote talented artists from around the world (currently: Andy Warhol and John Olsen). On Wednesday night, it's open late, for free, so you can add a little extra culture to your week by checking out the film playing downstairs or the talk in the main hall. Art is a great conversation starter, so it's an ace place to take a date, whether art is your thing or not. THURSDAY: CHAMPAGNE AND OYSTERS AT THE GILT LOUNGE Thursday is almost the weekend, so there's no excuse for not splashing out on something a little more luxe on your date. Every Thursday night from now until the end of May, QT Sydney's opulent cocktail bar Gilt Lounge is rolling out a regular evening of bubbles, beats and treats, in collaboration with Perrier-Jouët. While some local DJs play, you can grab a bottle of NV Grand Brut champagne and spoil your date with four premium freshly-shucked oysters from the bar's in-house European brasserie, Gowing's Bar and Grill, for $99 until 10:30pm each week. The getting-to-know-you conversation will flow like the crisp champagne you're sipping on. FRIDAY: DIY BREWERY TOUR IN THE INNER WEST Sydney's inner west is packed to the brim with a variety of craft breweries, each one of them dishing out unique ales and luscious lagers. If beer is something you and your date can both get behind, take yourselves on a tour of the area and check out as many venues as you can. Around Newtown, the Young Henrys bar is open until 7pm, whereupon you can take yourselves off to Wayward, Grifter, Batch, or Willie the Boatman, all of whom stay open a little later on Friday nights. Suck back a fresh ale, and discuss the hops balance on a creative date with your significant other. SATURDAY: POOL, AND POTENTIALLY KARAOKE, AT GOROS While trying something fresh and new is always a great idea for a date, there's no shame in dipping your toe in the cliche pool — they're cliches for a reason, right? Sometimes, a good date comes down to drinking a well-made cocktail in a fun bar, with activities to fill in conversation gaps when you're feeling a touch awkward. Goros, on Mary St in Surry Hills, delivers on all these aspects, with an ace selection of Japanese-inspired cocktails, beers, and a sweet range of Japanese whiskies. On top of that, there are a couple of dimly-lit karaoke rooms, a pool table, some air hockey tables and some arcade games that are sure to get a healthy (but cute) dose of competition going. If you've been with your partner for a while, this is the place to let loose, have some drinks and get competitive. SUNDAY: LUNCH AT BACCOMATTO OSTERIA Dates are something we usually relegate to the evening, when there's an air of mystery and salacious curiosity. That doesn't mean, however, that dating during sunlight hours should be written off completely. With the symptoms of Mondayitis looming in the mind, Sunday is the perfect day to take someone special out for a really, really good lunch where you can enjoy a few glasses of wine. Baccomatto Osteria in Surry Hills is the perfect place — they serve classic Italian food and incredible wine in a beautiful space. At lunchtime on Sundays, they sweeten the deal by offering a pasta dish and a glass of wine for $20, which keeps the cost down but the flavour up. Almost every staff member is Italian, so there's an air of authenticity to the whole experience — it's kind of like a quick holiday on a date. QT Sydney's champagne and oysters special in partnership with Perrier-Jouët runs every Thursday until May 25.
Is this vogue? Or bogue? It's the eternal question pondered by Big Ego Books founders, artists and all-round hilarious bloggers Raquel Caballero and Emily Hunt. On their insanely funny blog, these two wonderfully opinionated Australians weigh up the great and shit bits of our lives. Magic Eye? "I wish I had the skill of Magic Eye so I could write it on my resume." Vogue. Macarons? "Why are people still eating them? And why are publishers still publishing books about them? They taste like shit and they're really annoying to look at." Bogue. You'll find Raquel and Emily's latest greatest iratest Vogue/Bogue rant in the latest issue of Sturgeon. In case you've not met Sturgeon yet, it's a bi-annual Australian arts and culture publication published by Artbank — and boy is it pretty. The first issue was launched in November 2013 and this will be the fifth issue, guest edited by Miriam Kelly (curator and collection coordinator at Artbank). There's even original artwork by Sydney artist Leo Coyte on the cover. It's available to throw a measly $15 at in newsagents, museum stores and bookshops across Australia from May 16. But before you go and buy yourself a shiny new copy of Sturgeon, we have a little surprise for you. We love Raquel and Emily's Vogue/Bogue, and make a habit of reading it aloud and giggling over bits in the Concrete Playground office. So we asked them to do a special guest post just for CP, just for Sydney. What a coup. Here 'tis! BOGUE R.I.P. THE MONORAIL We will never get over this. We haven't forgiven or forgotten! The monorail to us symbolised the future, Jetsons-style. It's clear this country was going backwards when they decided to tear down the monorail. Sure it wasn't an economically viable mode of transport but does everything have to exist just to make a buck? Can't we have cool stuff just for the sake of it? Well apparently only people with $$$ are allowed this luxury. We just read on Wikipedia that Google owns a piece of the old monorail carcass (AKA a carriage) and uses it as an office meeting room because of course they do! Google thinks they're sooo cool, those dorks. BROADWAY BERMUDA TRIANGLE Similar to Bermuda Triangle, the Broadway Shopping Centre is a portal to a negative supernatural vortex. The streets around BSC are also haunted, probably from the Scientologists and their creepy uniforms. We've seen people murdered, a bank heist, three fires, a suicide off the walkway, a naked woman throwing chairs outside Oportos, a guy masturbating in the bushes next to the bus stop, nearly being killed by a semi trailer whose driver was drunk and a old woman falling flat on her back holding a baby as the lights had changed. Enough proof! Some one needs to light a candle and de-Satan that zone asap! THE DEVONSHIRE STREET CENTRAL STATION TUNNEL A.k.a - The dreaded tunnel, the boring tunnel, bad busker tunnel, horrible mural tunnel, slippery tile tunnel. The walk seems endless once you're in. Walk in the right stream, no eye contact, spray-painted nightmares of City Rail as mural art, no air, murder in the air, no tract for footwear and over-takers. It is awful down there. We have a few suggestions for easy and fast improvements. One – hurry up and build a travelator in both directions like at the Domain Car park, it wouldn't cost much. People are TIRED before they go to work and after they come home from work. A super fast travelator would be a perfect people moving machine, in a horrible tunnel like this one. Two – improve the awful sad murals! They are not art. The council needs to organise a competitive-war-grant to improve the art down there. We're thinking a 'mural war'. In one night the artists have five hours to paint a mural (from 12am to 5am), and the winner gets unlimited Opal, Uber and free drinks at every pub in Sydney for one month — paid by Sydney City Council. Number of Instagram likes will decide the winner. GREEDY LAND GRUBBERS Greed in general is a BOGUE. So is being a scab (an example of which is when you bring weed to a party and everyone flocks to you to smoke a puff and then they all leave as soon as the joint is done! Seriously guys, soooo rude!) Anyway back to the point. Greedy land grabbers are a major BOGUE in Sydney as everyone knows. The government is greedy selling off all the TAFE campuses which are sitting on prime real estate (tut tut), destroying beautiful buildings like the Sirius in Miller's Point – and kicking out a whole community of elderly people while they're at it (but who cares about that when there's money to be had)! Not to mention Westconnex because more cars on the roads is exactly what this city needs – not. Oh sorry, we forgot that cities are for cars – not people! Property investors are greedy buying everything up and then charging impossibly high rents. Meanwhile all we can do is pray hard for, not a recession – but a depression. As our friend George always says, "I'll be happy when people are forced to sell chicken skewers on the street." Amen! As a P.S. We just want to say one word: BOOMERS. Everyone knows why, we don't need to explain it. RENDERED HOUSES While we're on the topic of incredible Brutalist masterpieces — how about all those hideous rendered properties? You know the ones we mean: those ugly, grey or beige — but mostly grey — buildings that are meant to look slick and modern but they're GREY so they just look depressing and dirty. They are everywhere we look now! Seriously, the other day we were driving around and every second house was rendered grey! And what we want to know is: who started it? Who invented this horrific look? Was it Colorbond®? We just had a look at their website and we're blaming them to start off. The second question we ask is: who the hell thought this looked good? Was it perhaps the BOOMERS? Those tasteless land-grabbing bastards! They think that rendering is going to add value to their shitty properties? Those idiots. They are totally devaluing their properties because they already look dated! Jokes on them! Actually jokes on us for still living in Sydney where we actually have to PAY them money to live in these abominations. VOGUE GOULDS BOOK ARCADE Aaah the day Gould's Book Arcade closes down and is redeveloped into a grey rendered apartment block is the day we leave Sydney for good. We've found so many incredible books here in the past, that we were worried about including it (scared other fellow book obsessives will start raiding it). But we got nothing to worry about – Gould's is not for dabblers. It is for HARDCORE scavengers only. Even we who get our nails dirty dealing in books EVERYDAY sometimes walk in thinking we're ready for the trawl, but stop short at the door like, "No way. We can't deal with this shit today." If you even think about going to Gould's you have to ask yourself this question: "Are you going to do it?" Because – as Emily's High School year book photo quote says – "If you're gonna do it, then do it. If you're not gonna do it, then don't do it." And usually you're like, "Nah I'm not gonna do it." Ok see ya! CHINATOWN FOOD COURTS Oh man, we're getting hungry just thinking about this. It's hard to even formulate the words when we're so hungry, so we'll just do this in dot points. The food is cheap The food is TASTY You can buy booze from those weird stalls that just sell drinks – nothing else. It's quick. You get your food quick. You eat quick. It's all QUICK. After that you're in Chinatown and Chinatown is fun because the bars are shitty and you can get cheap jugs (not saying where or people will start going there to ruin it). Cheers! ARTEXPRESS The annual exhibition held at the Art Gallery of N.S.W is like the baby brother of the Archibald Prize. Every year my mother would take me along to see artwork and it would BLOW MY MIND! Art Express is a total Sydney Vogue because it is aspirational! Everyone in year 12 Art wanted secretly to be chosen to show in Art Express, amiright? Coming across an old catalogue from 1997, my favorite one ever, and so many memories flooded by. Memories of Leunig, Crowded House and Brett Whiteley. Art Express is dork zone, but that's why it's so amazing. Also, the standard of painting, drawing and sculpture is so far superior to anything we've seen recently. SYDNEY FERRIES In the dire situation we are in, at least we are a city that exists on the edge of a beautiful harbor. Some of the lucky ones get to transit to their work place, on a daily basis via the peaceful ferry. The ferry is the best and only nice form of public transport that exists in this busty town. Rain is worst on buses and trains, because even on the water, more water is ok because nothing compares to traffic. And it's the same price to pay for travel as a train or bus. And sometimes when the waves are rocky and the seas are rough - you feel like you might die. Everyone needs to feel like they are going to die more than they think. LOCAL HISTORY Booooooring! You may be thinking…. but you are WRONG! Local history is incredible, we warn you of becoming an obsessed historian. Knowing your old studio at Sydney College of the Arts was once probably a lounge room for the mentally insane, or your studio at National Art school was a solitary confinement cell, you start thinking more about the past lives that inhabited the walls around you. You never really own a place. Local history can be melancholy too. Seeing old photographs of theatres past and Victorian mansions are hard to look at because they no longer exist. The worst is when a local council decides to place a plaque of a photo showing what used to be there. But! There are still gems to be found. Just look up, ignore the shops and look higher at the old buildings that no one notices anymore. Sydney does have beautiful architecture, its just hidden under all the shit. Read more Vogue/Bogue in the latest issue of Sturgeon magazine. Find out where to buy it near you at Sturgeon's website. Top image: Sturgeon.
Since the release of their dazzling 2011 album Civilian, Baltimore-based duo Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack aka Wye Oak have become one of the most loved modern folk artists of recent times. From their distorted, guitar-heavy brand of melancholic pop to their recent dabblings in synth-drenched, intricate melody stylings, this duo show off as much emotion as skill in their soaring tunes. Now, off the back of their 2014 album Shriek, and two years of nonstop touring, they're arriving in Australia for a handful of shows — primarily stemming from their appearance at Sydney Festival. Widely known and esteemed for their exuberant and thunderous live shows, Wye Oak take that extra mile on stage to let the infiniteness of their melodies and rhythmic innovations flourish. Shriek saw Wasner swap out her domineering guitar for galloping, layered synths, bringing the band to a sound that transcends disorientation and loss to a hopeful, trance-heavy, rhythmic sense of renewal and empowerment. Wye Oak are appearing as part of Sydney Festival 2015. Want more SydFest music? Head over here for our top picks.
For many a traveller, Singapore means three things: shopping centres, strict rules and stopovers. But, break out of the predictable itinerary, and you'll discover a more exotic side to this five million-strong island state. Beyond the CBD, tree-lined streets lead to diverse neighbourhoods, and each home to a distinctive culture. From beachside Katong, where Peranakan chefs serve up fiery laksa among heritage-listed architecture, to Little India, which is infused with incense, strung with flower garlands and draped with hand-woven silks, there's plenty more to be discovered beyond the aforementioned three S's. Here's Concrete Playground's less obvious guide to exploring Singapore. [caption id="attachment_571546" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Village Hotel Katong[/caption] STAY There's no better recovery from a long flight than a long soak. And with an oversized bathtub next to your bed (and within full view of a 46-inch LED TV) in a Peranakan Club room at the 229-room Village Hotel Katong (a 15 minute drive west of Changi Airport) you can do just that. When you're done, prowl about in 41 square metres of cool, white and blue space, splashed with Peranakan-patterned furnishings, including feature tiles and an enormous floor rug. There's also a roomy outdoor pool, a gym and a restaurant, serving up marathon multicultural buffet breakfasts and dinners. (Peranakan, by the way, refers to the descendants of Chinese people who moved to the Malay archipelago between the 1400s and 1600s and developed a famously rich culture, combining Chinese, Malay, Indian, Arabic and European influences.) [caption id="attachment_573954" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Village Hotel Albert Court[/caption] For a stay full of character on the edge of Little India (about 30 minutes west of Changi), check into Village Hotel Albert Court. The airy, marble-lined lobby is a step back into the colonial era. Order a martini and take a seat on a plush red lounge in the front bar, and you'll feel like you're in a James Bond film. The pre-war feel continues in the greenery-filled, sculpture-dotted courtyards and the classic rooms, furnished with dark wood and fitted with shutters. Some are arranged around a spectacular sunny atrium, and if you're staying above ground level, you'll be travelling via an external, glass-walled, Willy Wonka-style lift. Need to reenergise after a long, steamy day? Smash out some kilometres in the gym and relax in the twin jacuzzis — one warm and one cool. Ask about the 'Far More Perks' package for a bunch of extras, like free cocktails and canapes, private lounges, late checkout, city tours, laundry and access to a Changi Airport lounge. DO A stay at either hotel lets you in on some pretty special cultural experiences, which allow you to see Singapore through a local's eyes. If you're in Katong, it's well worth getting on the Village Hotel's heritage walking tour — if not just to get your bearings. A fun, friendly guide will lead you through nearby Joo Chiat neighbourhood. Once a coconut palm-filled seaside retreat, Joo Chiat is now full of colourful, ornate shophouses and, as of 2011, is protected as Singapore's first Heritage Town. A hawker food court, an eatery advertising 'sexy desserts', a dog-friendly cafe and an eatery dedicated to chocolate are all en route, with your journey finishing with a visit to a Peranakan heritage home and a dumpling-making workshop. Alternatively (or in addition), the Little India walking tour covers little-known Hindu temples, hidden-away street art and secretive alleyways. [caption id="attachment_574235" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Southern Ridges Walk by Kimon Berlin via Flickr[/caption] Once you've dosed up on heritage, get your art fix at the new Singapore National Gallery, which became Asia's biggest visual arts institution when it opened on November 24, 2015. It occupies a whopping 64,000 square metres across two monumental buildings — the former Supreme Court and City Hall — joined by a 'canopy' of fine metal mesh, supported by giant columns resembling tree trunks. Eight thousand Singaporean and Southeast Asian artworks are shared between two permanent galleries, and there's oodles of space left over for international travelling shows. Check out the fire truck-red grand piano in the atrium. For an island that has a reputation for being built-up, Singapore has a heck of a lot of parks. The 156-year-old, 182-acre Singapore Botanic Gardens stay open until midnight and are home to the largest orchid collection in the world. There's even one particularly delicate species named after Margaret Thatcher. At HortPark, in the southwest, you'll wander through 21 themed gardens, including one filled with butterflies. For a longer walk, take on the ten-kilometre Southern Ridges hike, an adventure through coastal panoramas, lush rainforest canopy, a 36-metre high undulating bridge called Henderson Waves and Singapore's second highest peak, Mount Faber. EAT AND DRINK At the 2013 Hawker Heroes Challenge, no amount of swearing could change the results when chef Gordon Ramsay lost to 328 Katong Laksa, a tiny joint decked with plastic seats just a stumble away from the Village Hotel Katong. Yet, while Ramsay sells at Michelin-starred prices, a few bucks will still buy you a huge bowl of steaming deliciousness here. After all, laksa was created by the Peranakans, as a fusion of their Chinese and Malay cooking. To get the low-down on where else locals queue for food, jump on the hotel's Makan Bus Culinary Tour. At a diverse array of tucked-away eateries, you'll sample numerous tasty and eye-opening morsels; try everything from fried chicken and frogs' legs to soup at the rather charmingly and perhaps too-honestly named Pig Organ. Surprisingly, vegetarians can be catered for at every stop. Back in Little India, the island's most flavoursome curries are served beneath Banana Leaf Apollo's chandeliers. Headliners include fish head, butter chicken and mango prawn, all of which wash down tidily with an icy cold beer — or a mango lassi. For the finest chilli crab in the land, grab a table at Wing Seong Fatty's. Founded in 1936, it's been a favourite with international pilots since World War II and, these days, is run by father-son team, Fatty and Skinny. Fatty's been trying to retire for years, but just can't leave the wok alone. Finally, head to Indochine's rooftop bar for a relaxed pre- or post-dinner bev. Despite being in the touristy Marina Bay area, it's worth a visit — firstly, because it's on top of one of Singapore's chronically Instagrammed Supertrees and, secondly, because the epic views across the city are like a scene out of Blade Runner. [caption id="attachment_574226" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Kai Lehmann via Flickr[/caption] LET'S DO THIS; GIVE ME THE DETAILS Singapore is around an eight to eight-and-a-half hour flight from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. A number of airlines fly to Changi Airport, with return fares with QANTAS starting at $800. Jasmine travelled to Singapore as a guest of Far East Hospitality. Top image: JUJUlianar via Flickr.
Eating actual food from the World's 50 Best Chefs can come with a pretty hefty price tag, but this April, you'll have the opportunity to feast on their words of wisdom for a whole lot less. This year, the prestigious World's 50 Best Restaurants awards are set to take place on Aussie shores and, while most of the associated culinary fun will be reserved for industry folk, absolutely everyone's invited to catch the globe's top chefs take the stage for #50BestTalks. Hosted by commentator and ABC presenter Annabel Crabb, there are just two of these foodie events planned, happening at the Sydney Opera House on April 1 and Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena on April 3. Sydney's lineup includes appearances from Dominique Crenn (2016's World's Best Female Chef and mastermind of San Francisco's Atelier Crenn), Massimo Bottura (of 2016's World #1 Restaurant, Osteria Francescana), and our own Peter Gilmore, whose restaurant Quay ranked #98 in last year's awards. On sale from tomorrow, February 15, tickets for both events start at a tidy $30. That said, if you fancy splashing out, $119 VIP tickets will also nab you entry to a post-event canapé function and the opportunity for a meet and greet with some of the chefs.
There's not many a cover artist can teach David Bowie about music. But when the art-glam-rock king heard Seu Jorge perform his hits acoustically, in Portuguese, for The Life Aquatic, he said he heard a whole "new level of beauty". That's certainly no easily-earned praise. Jorge, who cut his deep yet irresistibly tender voice in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will make his debut Australian performance at Sydney Festival. He’ll be playing an array of his famous, unique interpretations, as well as a bunch of originals, accompanied by a delicious mix of Latin and Caribbean beats, in both live and electronic form. Catch him for free with thousands of other Sydneysiders at the Domain, where food and drinks will be available from 4pm, or you can always bring a picnic. Seu Jorge is one of our top ten picks of the Sydney Festival. Check out our other favourite events over here.
Sydney's independent theatre scene has lost a significant voice, with the unexpected closure of the Rock Surfers Theatre Company. The company made the sad announcement earlier this week, revealing that "due to a shift in funding priorities," they no longer had the capital to remain open. "Ticket sales only cover a fraction of the cost of delivering an annual program for professional arts organisations. Support from foundations, individual giving and investment from local and government bodies are crucial in helping us to achieve our onstage ambitions," read a statement by Rock Surfers Chair Nell Schofield. "Every effort has been made to find alternative funding to bridge the gap and we have been incredibly well supported by the Waverley Council, but we feel now that winding down the activities of the Company is the only responsible form of action." Rock Surfers Theatre Company began its life as Tamarama Rock Surfers in 1996. In the almost two decades since they've produced more than 200 stage shows and helped launch the careers of numerous local actors and theatremakers, including Tim Minchin, Ewen Leslie and Sarah Snook. News of the company's demise has been met with dismay by local theatre lovers, with many expressing their feelings on the company's Facebook page. The closure marks the latest blow to Australia's independent arts community, which has been feeling the pinch of major budget cuts announced by the Abbott government last year. The Turnbull government has pledged to reassess their funding priorities, but for Rock Surfers at least, it appears to be too late. The company's Artistic Director Shane Bosher confirmed to ArtsHub that they unsuccessfully applied for Australia Council funding in September, and had been similarly unlucky with Arts NSW.
If you've walked past Crown Street Fish Shop lately, you'll notice that it's been cut in half. That's because the southern end of the Surry Hills eatery is now home to Cubby's Kitchen, a Lebanese pop-up restaurant from Sydney restauranteur Matt Yazbek. Yazbek is best known as the founding man behind the highly successful Toko restaurant empire, which boasts Japanese eateries in Melbourne and Dubai as well as Sydney. Now he's turned his hand closer to his family's Lebanese heritage, launching the long-term pop-up restaurant with his two sisters, Amanda and Diala. The family affair doesn't stop there though — the trio have named the eatery after their mother Mouna's nickname, Cubby. In an extreme nod to authenticity, the whole family will be working side by side in the kitchen, pumping out Lebanese cuisine with a modern spin. Diners can expect traditional Lebanese dishes like smoked labne with crushed pistachio and pomegranate chilli oil, chicken legs with black garlic, basturma (cured beef) rolls and a falafel kebab. All is not lost in terms of Yazbek's Toko heritage — Japanese flavours sneak in on plates like the hummus with chilli edamame and babaghanoush with sweet miso. On the dessert front, there'll be the tantalising blend of Lebanese doughnuts with cinnamon and maple goats' cheese. Currently the restaurant is operating on a BYO licence (with $8 corkage per bottle), which has us jumping for joy. For the indecisive, Cubby's is also offering Cubby's Course, a nine-course feast for $45 per person. Crown Street is in the midst of a middle eastern resurgence, with rumours that an Arabic-inspired restaurant called Nour will be opening just down the road. This comes off the back of the announcement that Salts Meat Cheese will collaborate with Shuk, opening a new restaurant and rooftop bar in Circular Quay. While Cubby's Kitchen is technically a pop-up, we've been assured that it's here to stay. The restaurant will test out the space for 12 months, after which time they'll make the decision to remain in the space or move to another location in Surry Hills. Bring on the falafel. Cubby's Kitchen is now open at 500 Crown Street, Surry Hills. It's open Monday through Saturday from 5.30pm till late. For more info visit cubbyskitchen.com.au. Images: Nikki To.
Looks like Rosebery's about to become quite the Sydney foodie hub. With Sydney's first distillery in 160 years set to open next week in the inner south suburb, Rosebery is about to get one sweet, sweet addition to the neighbourhood: the ever newsworthy, unfailingly novelty and perpetually popular Gelato Messina. Confirmed by owner Nick Palumbo, the new Rosebery Messina will launch in a few months, according to Good Food. Rosebery's gelato hub joins Sydney's flagship Darlinghurst and subsequent Surry Hills, Bondi, Parramatta, Miranda and The Star casino spinoffs, alongside Fitzroy's Melbourne venture, Coolangatta's beachside joint and Darlinghurst's extra mindblowing Messina Dessert Bar. The monarchs of gelato will have some tasty, tasty neighbours too; Kitchen By Mike and Black Star Pastry also dwell in this part o' town, alongside those Archie Rose newcomers. This isn't the last of the delicious tenants for the Rosebery area, however. According to GF, there's set to be a produce market, another bakery and a coffee roaster moving in. Looks like Sydney's inner south has an insatiable taste for local culinary delights — buy up on real estate now. Gelato Messina Rosebery will open in the next few months. Via Good Food.
The Kings Cross Hotel is about to be transformed into an immersive wonderland as part of this year's Vivid Sydney festival. As part of the truly epic Vivid Music program (which includes the world premiere of Björk's digital project), the hotel will be in full swing with a slew of live music, theatre and cabaret throughout the three weeks of the festival from May 27 until June 18. Relive the glory days of Sydney's late-night culture with the legendary '90s Sydney party night Sounds of Seduction returning for a special four-week run in the Kings' Cross Hotel's Dive Bar. This iconic Sydney party was started 20 years ago by beloved Sydneysiders Jay Katz and Miss Death as a Saturday night institution for much of the '90s. Think go-go dancers, rare images projected on walls, full d-floor. There'll be guest selectors, cabaret and more at this uniquely Sydney lounge revival. Sounds of Seduction is happening May 28, June 4, June 11 and June 18 from 9pm-3am. The Kings Cross Hotel's Vivid takeover will run for the length of the festival, from May 27 until June 18. For more information on what's happening at the Hotel, visit their website.
Truth be told, I’ve never relished the idea of attending the opera. A night trying to decipher what on earth these dolled-up stage performers are singing about has never made it onto my weekend’s agenda. But if you can put those instinctive judgments aside, you’ll be in for a treat. Rewriting all expectations, Sydney Chamber Opera is a young company committed to bringing this artform into the 21st century. And to wrap up their 2015 season, they’re putting on a world-first performance of love and heartbreak with their latest Carriageworks show, An Index of Metals. Anyone left battered by the breakdown of a relationship, this one’s for you. Brooding with angst and anguish, An Index of Metals presents the music of iconic Italian composer Fausto Romitelli like you’ve never heard it before. At the direction of celebrated Sydney director Kip Williams, this opera explores the psyche of a nameless singer and her unrequited affection for an ex-lover. Be warned, things are going to get a little dark here. For any opera newbies like myself, this show is the perfect place to start. Flipping the bird to the boundaries of traditional performance, Williams and SCO have toiled over Romitelli’s compositions for the past twelve months to birth an unsettling and evocative theatrical experience. “We’ve focused the work around a single character who is at a place of paralysis as a result of the end of a relationship,” says Williams. “She constantly seeks to latch on and connect to this person and he continues to defy that desire within her.” Fresh off the back of casually scoring the 2015 Helpmann Award for Best Director for Sydney Theatre Company's Suddenly Last Summer, Williams has jumped into An Index of Metals with gusto and a determination to produce something profoundly unique at Carriageworks. “Artistically, it was a process of reduction and distilling; crystallising our thoughts into the most simple evolution of ideas that an audience would be able to visually latch on to,” he explains. And if you weren’t intrigued already, there’s an additional spanner in the works with the male character Ben appearing on stage at his most raw — completely nude. Far from a raunchy trip down memory lane, Williams has woven this startling image cleverly into the emotional fabric of the opera. "Nudity is something that you never choose to do lightly," he says. "If done effectively it can be very frightening for an audience.” So, what’s Williams' final tip for those taking the plunge into their first operatic experience? “I would give over to the sensory experience of the work, and allow it to wash over you.” An Index of Metals will run across four nights from November 16 to 19, with tickets just $35. To book, head over to the Carriageworks website. Want more operatic goodness? Read our interview with Sydney Chamber Opera co-founder Pierce Wilcox. Images: Samuel Hodge, Carriageworks.
Carriageworks is teaming up with the Sydney Chamber Orchestra and Ensemble Offspring to bring Fausto Romitelli’s An Index of Metals to Australia for the first time. The cult Italian composer, who completed the work just before he died in 2004 (aged 41), described it as an “electric poem”. The ambitious piece draws on a huge range of influences, from rave parties to ancient initiation rites. Running the show is Helpmann Award-winning director Kip Williams, (STC’s Suddenly Last Summer and Macbeth, SCO’s The Lighthouse), known for his brave, creative aesthetics, while Australian-American soprano Jane Sheldon (Exil) is taking the lead. “Designer Elizabeth Gadsby and I have responded to the complex emotional tapestry of the score and libretto by depicting a simple portrait of a woman processing the demise of a relationship,” says Williams. “Romitelli's composition and [libretto writer Kenka] Lekovich's poetry offer a sense of descent into paralysis. Our staging explores the protagonist's break down as she struggles to reconcile her bliss-filled desire with the pain of her reality.” Want more operatic goodness? Read our interview with Sydney Chamber Opera co-founder Pierce Wilcox.
Every day, worldwide, McDonald's feeds approximately 1% of the earth's population. Like a partially-digested chicken nugget entering your bloodstream, we'll just let that sink in for a moment. The Founder, by writer Robert D. Siegel (The Wrestler) and director John Lee Hancock (Saving Mr. Banks) tells the true story of Ray Kroc, a milkshake mixer salesman from Illinois who in 1954 stumbled across an innovative hamburger joint run by the McDonald brothers (Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch) and convinced them to franchise it into the 92nd largest economy in the world. Again, just let it siiiiink on in. Played magnificently by Michael Keaton, Kroc presents as a ruthless and relentless businessman for whom 'no' is just a soft yes waiting to be solidified. "Contracts are like hearts" he explains at one stage to the brothers, "…they're meant to be broken". And so it was that the McDonalds empire began to form, with or without the support of the two men to which everything was owed. It's a fascinating, heartbreaking story to behold. Offerman and Carroll Lynch are perfectly cast as a pair of brothers whose steadfast belief in the importance of authenticity and quality seems at once admirable and naive - not to mention antithetical to the very ideas that would eventually turn each of them into multi-millionaires. Of course, the fact that they only make millions, and not billions, is what forms the bulk of the film's story, as it catalogues the means by which Kroc manoeuvred himself into a position of unmatchable power over the pair via manipulative and underhanded yet entirely legal means. By the time "gentleman's handshakes" are being proposed, you already know how things are going to end, just as you lament the feeling that there's nothing else the brothers could have done to stop it. This is a slick production from top to bottom, beginning with Siegel's superb script and its equal measure of laughs and wince-inducing severity. The direction, too, is impressively restrained, allowing the performers and script to shine without embellishment. As in the recent Birdman, Keaton is the standout in a field of outstanding actors, bringing similar levels of narcissism to the role. His serpentine smile and darting eyes betray much of the Kroc personality before he ever opens his mouth. Do not be surprised to see Keaton's name appear on the nomination roll for next year's awards season. In all, The Founder is an admirable piece of cinema that's at once a character study and a history lesson, just as its lead offers an uncomfortable mix of bastardy and astounding foresight. You won't like much about Ray Kroc by the end of this film, but you'll be hard-pressed to deny his determination, business acumen or impact upon a world in which 62 million customers eat at McDonalds every day. 62 million customers. That's more than the population of Great Britain. So yeah…just let that sink in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX2uz2XYkbo
Though the world is obviously crying out for a play about a mausoleum brimming with leftover Christmas meat or a family grieving the death of a terrible actor, Australia's only Nobel laureate for literature did not see fit to furnish us with such a literally-titled masterpiece. It doesn't make the final product any less weird, though. Written in 1948, White's work traces the story of a young poet and the increasingly odd relationship he shares with his landlady, Mrs. Lusty after her husband dies suddenly. The result is a spirited, if unsettling pursuit of a young man by a grief-stricken, libidinous retiree, through a lavish post-funeral feast. The play was apparently inspired by a painting called The Dead Landlord, which William Dobell painted shortly after helping his own landlady heft her husband's corpse onto a bed. Infamously rejected by the Adelaide Festival in 1962, Griffin theatre and director and producer Kate Gaul have no such qualms.
Summer is officially over. We know that not just because it's colder, but because Vivid Sydney is gearing up for 2018. Get ready to be ensconced in projections once again — the festival of light, music and ideas is returning for 23 days from May 25 to June 16. The first tidbit from this year's program was the announcement that Solange will do four shows at the Sydney Opera House from June 1–4 — her only Australian shows this time round. Tickets have already been allocated via ballot, so we hope you jumped on that already. The most overt (and unavoidable) aspect of the program is the lights, and this year their glow will extend across the bridge to light up Luna Park for the first time. A new precinct for 2018, it will extend the reach of the CBD's Light Walk from Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and Barangaroo with a collection of large-scale projections and a new light fit-out for the Ferris wheel. Should make good viewing from the ferry. The Sydney Opera House's sails will this year be lit up with hyperreal images of Australian flora, fauna and natural elements from artist (and former Flume collaborator) Jonathan Zawada, and Customs House will be home to an adorable projection of May Gibbs' Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. Fans of Sir David Attenborough will be able to head down to the Maritime Museum to watch scenes from Blue Planet II projected onto the building's roof, and interactive light installation Aqueous will head to the Royal Botanic Garden via Burning Man. Vivid light hotspots, Circular Quay, the MCA, Chatswood, Taronga Zoo and Martin Place will all be lit up as well. Vivid Music is once again in fine form. Joining Solange for the Vivid Live component of the program at the Opera House will be hip hop legend Ice Cube, 90s favourite Cat Power and Mazzy Star, who will come to Australia for the very first time since forming in 1989 (if you don't know the band by name, you probably know the song 'Fade Into You'). Dreams — a new project from Silverchair's Daniel Johns and Empire of the Sun's Luke Steele — and performances from Iron and Wine, Neil Finn and Middle Kids around also on the Opera House's 20-night Vivid lineup. Another big one is a one-off performance from St Vincent at Carriageworks, and the City Recital Hall has a solid program this year, including a musical comedy show from Orange Is the New Black's Lea Delaria. Vivid Ideas is, of course, back for those keen to delve into creativity, science and technology — and this year it's scored James Cameron as its big-ticket speaker. Cameron will be in town to open his new exhibition at the Maritime Museum and do an in conversation with comedian Adam Spencer. There's plenty more where that came from, check the Vivid Sydney website for more details.
Sydney’s food and drink scene isn’t slowing down any time soon. We’re spoilt for choice at every turn, with new top-notch eateries cropping up faster than ever before. If you’re struggling to keep up — and who isn't? — never fear Taste of Sydney 2016 is the four-day foodie festival to get to up to speed on the cream of the culinary crop. Setting up residence in Centennial Park from March 10 to 13, Taste of Sydney in partnership with Electrolux is all about bringing diners and chefs together. Ticketholders will be treated with nosh from some of Sydney’s top restaurants, including Biota Dining’s sustainable modern Australian dishes, fire-cooked noms from Firedoor, nel.'s fine dining dishes, plus Middle Eastern street food from the crew at Glebe’s Thievery. Also joining the deliciousness will be Porteño, Kitchen by Mike, MoVida, Sake, and the newly opened Kensington Street Social, among others. Sounds like a lot to stomach in one sitting? Thanks to the festival’s bite-size portions, you’ll be able to try a sampling from all on show — and maybe go back for seconds too. There'll be six sessions over the four-day program, so all you have to do is choose one and you’ll have four hours to experience Sydney's best selection of signature dishes. Aside from stuffing your face, there are also plenty of masterclasses and demonstrations from Australia’s leading chefs, and even the Taste of Sydney Artisan Market, jam-packed with over 60 food and drink exhibitors. For the first time, guests will have the opportunity to cook like a professional chef at Electrolux Chefs’ Secrets. This intimate masterclass experience will allow visitors to cook alongside renowned chefs including Peter Gilmore (Quay) and Colin Fassnidge (4Fourteen), before sitting down at a communal table together to enjoy the meal with matched wines. You can also see your favourite chefs in the Electrolux Taste Theatre hosted by food writer Kate Gibbs, experience world class food and wine at the South African Garden with MasterChef South Africa judge Benny Masekwameng, get creative with Lurpak, plus many more. Let the food comas commence. [competition]560861[/competition]
If you want to know what it feels like to have Siri laugh at you, ask them to search for "small garden hideaway with excellent food, drink, music in Sydney's CBD". Once you've done that, head back here so we can give you what you want. Since I Left You, the 21st-century city speakeasy nestled in a heritage-listed storehouse in the centre of Sydney, has announced another chapter of The SILY Sessions. The once-monthly sessions are live gigs, but not as you know them. This month, you'll catch the immensely talented Kaloune who heads to Sydney all the way from La Reunion Island, plus local talent Maia Marsh and SILY Sessions alumni Jannah Beth. But rather than spending the day being elbowed in the face at varying intensities, the performance is small — 50 people max — generally acoustic and includes antipasti and special cocktail offers. The gig takes place in SILY's courtyard which is transformed into a 'tropical oasis' for the occasion. With only 50 tickets to each session, you'll need to clamour for seats. Once you're there, though, relaxation, fine food and great music are all that need concern you. For those left out in the cold, each performance is recorded and available for purchase. Plus there's always next month. Take that, Siri.
Seasonal change is finally settling into Melbourne and with it comes one of the NGV's best annual exhibitions: the Winter Masterpieces series. This year, it's no secret they've snagged a true master, Vincent Van Gogh, the poster boy for post-impressionism and dramatic self-mutilation. Set to open on April 28 and running until July 19, blockbuster exhibition Van Gogh and the Seasons has been years in the making, and is expected by NGV to draw one of the gallery's biggest audiences yet. Curator Sjraar Van Heugten has fine tuned a thematic exhibition after Van Gogh's own heart, an exploration of the seasons in over 60 works. "In the seasons, he [Van Gogh] has perceived infinity, something larger than humanity. The seasons represent ongoing life," he says. Inside the exhibition, you'll find a fascinating investigation into Van Gogh's life, alongside some of his best naturalist pieces. The artist's character, and his fluctuating mental health, often receive as much attention as his best works. The story of his life, and his death, are expounded wonderfully (and sensitively, snaps for not stigmatising mental health) through quotes, correspondence and essays. Although the collection itself doesn't feature his most famous works, you'll leave with a window into the artist's true persona and an understanding of the sheer breadth of his talent. Structurally, Van Gogh and the Seasons is broken into (you guessed it) the four seasons, that masterfully weave a narrative through the artist's life. The NGV has produced a short accompanying film, narrated by David Stratton and David Wenham, that's worth a watch before you proceed through the exhibition, as it explains the structure of the exhibition and sets the mood. We'll let you experience the exhibition for yourself, but in case you'd like a little guidance in your visit, here are five works you shouldn't miss. A WHEATFIELD WITH CYPRESSES, 1889 This painting is perhaps one of the exhibition's best known pieces. You'll see it emblazoned on all the NGV's marketing collateral and once you're standing in front of it, you can feel why. The vibrant colours and rolling cloud banks are euphoric. There's nothing more to say except this painting is worth the ticket price alone. TREE TRUNKS IN THE GRASS, 1890 The composition of this painting is a departure from the Van Gogh tradition. It's an awkward close-up of a tree trunk and surrounding vegetation but it stands out for the detail, the peaceful atmosphere, and the perfectly balanced colours. Van Gogh painted this in the spring (April) of 1890, just after a period of severe mental illness and only months before taking his own life. VIEW OF SAINTES-MARIES-DE-LA-MER, 1888 Love a good Cezanne town landscape? Don't miss this work. Painstakingly composed and one Van Gogh's more structured pieces, View of Saintes-Maries-de-la-mer will catch you off-guard. While his style was overwhelmingly more fluid and impressionist, this scene is clearly defined and an interesting counterpoint to the rest of the spring and summer pieces. ORCHARD IN BLOSSOM, 1889 This is part of a series in the 'spring' section that is collectively stunning. The delicate pastels used in this season represent Van Gogh's time in Paris, living with his doting brother Theo in Montmartre, where his style lightened and evolved into what we know today as his best works. As a lover of nature, the fertile spring inspired some of his most beautiful pieces. SELF PORTRAIT, 1887 And at the very end of the exhibition, we get a final glimpse of the man who had previously remained faceless. A small but articulate self portrait of a weary looking artist, rendered three years before he died. Van Gogh's final words, spoken to his brother Theo, were famously, "The sadness will last forever". There's a lot of sadness in this exhibition. If you can, we recommend you walk through alone and take it all in. Van Gogh and the Seasons runs April 28 to July 19 at NGV. Installation images: Tom Ross.
A spiralling, futuristic community library is in store for Darling Square. Across its two floors, you'll find not only tens of thousands of books, but also a bunch of extra facilities, including a 'makerspace' and an 'Innovation Exchange Program' for creative startups. Designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and proposed by Lendlease, the building will have six storeys altogether, with another two floors occupied by a commercially-run childcare centre — as long as all plans get the green light. "I am very pleased that the City [of Sydney] has reached an in-principle agreement with Lendlease for two floors of the fabulous Kengo Kuma building," said Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "The contemporary library will include a flexible space for seminars and workshops, with technology to support entrepreneurs and innovators." The agreement means that the City of Sydney will lease the 2225 square metre space for 99 years. The rest of the terms are confidential at this stage, but we're expecting them to be ready to go by the end of 2016. And, if everything runs according to plan, the library will open in 2018. "The redevelopment at Darling Harbour includes a new residential and commercial area with 4200 new residents and 2500 new workers," the Lord Mayor said. "High-density living is an important part of our city's future, but to be a success it must be supported by great community facilities, which is why we're so pleased to see a project like this that meets the city's standards of design excellence." Find out more about Darling Square's new library and creative space on the City of Sydney's website.
All hail the sausage queen, long may she rein! The brains behind Chrissy's Cuts, Chrissy Flanagan has been serving snags to Sydney eateries and independent supermarkets since 2015. Now, the meat monarch finally has a keep to call her own, with the opening of what she's dubbed Australia's very first sausage cellar door. Located on New Canterbury Road in Dulwich Hill, The Sausage Factory will be Chrissy's Cuts' new permanent home. Flanagan and her partner Jim have added a cozy bistro-bar to the front of their butcher shop home base, which will be open from 6pm until 10pm, Thursday to Sunday. "We've loved seeing what chefs have done with our sausages over the past year and we've tried a lot of things on the Sausage Dogs at our pop-up events – but now we want to give it a proper crack," said Jim. Standout sausages include lamb shoulder with sumac and mint, and chicken with lemon and honey, plus a vegetarian option made with scarmorza, zucchini, almost and currant. Each banger comes with lemon garlic yoghurt with capers, house-made beer mustard with tarragon, pink and orange pickles, and apple in Poor Tom's Gin. Alternatively, you can get it as a 'dog' in bread with green onion and Handsome Devils Co tomato sauce. With the liquor licence still pending, punters can BYO or visit the bottle shop around the corner. They'll also be able to take home a little something for their pantries — be it Eat Me Chutney, Westmont Pickles or even Chunky Dave's Peanut Butter. And naturally, Chrissy's Cuts will be available by the kilo. Find The Sausage Factory at 380 New Canterbury Road, Dulwich Hill. For more information visit www.thesausagefactory.com.au.
Park City, Utah is getting a hit of Australian coffee culture, with the tourist hotspot set to become home to the first international cafe by home-grown coffee roasters Campos Coffee. The Sydney-born coffee shop has announced that it will open its first US store in Park City in mid-December, ensuring locals can finally enjoy a halfway decent flat white. Sorry not sorry, Starbucks. "We've considered the US market for more than ten years, but never found the right fit for us," said Campos founder and president Will Young in announcing the brand's stateside expansion. "As soon as we visited Park City, we knew it would be a perfect extension of the Campos Coffee brand." Park City is known for its tourist economy, driven by multiple ski resorts as well as the annual Sundance Film Festival. "Walking around, you can see the whole town has an active, inclusive and diverse community that cares about the environment," said Young. "Add to this a significant dedication to the arts, such as the Sundance Film Festival, and the decision was made." Campos, which currently has seven stores across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, is following in the footsteps a number of Australian coffee brands who have set up shop in the United States. Most recently Paramount Coffee Project opened up a base in Los Angeles. Look for Campos Coffee in Park City, Utah from mid-December.
As if the furore generated by the Vivid Sydney lineup announcement wasn't enough to stir your loins, Fuzzy Events have announced a banging lineup for their new electronic music event, Curve Ball, taking over Carriageworks on June 11. The partnership between Vivid Sydney, Carriageworks and Fuzzy has wrought a tight little lineup across two stages with a hefty side of visual arts. The lineup is fronted by enigmatic producer Zhu, who'll be joined by Sydney favourites Cosmo's Midnight, Basenji and Nicole Millar, as well as hyped-up newcomers JOY, Elk Road, Cleopold and Yuma X. It's a who's who of up-and-coming electronic artists and they've even hinted at adding a few more names to the already stellar bill, so best to start stretching now and break in your dancing shoes. Carriageworks is bringing the fire with an immersive audio and visual experience to accompany the tunes as well as large scale art installations. It's just one part of Carriageworks' program for Vivid Sydney which also includes the world premiere of Bjork's VR project BJORK DIGITAL (which you know is going to get weird and wonderful). Image: Carriageworks.
