You've probably got a whole bunch of beard jokes, banjo bashing and eye-rolling up your sleeve already. But put your four-part harmony rant aside for a second, there's special edition Young Henrys beer afoot. London's folk-pop foursome Mumford and Sons are releasing their brand new album Wilder Mind on May 4, and to launch the whole stadium-ready thing they'll be opening a pop-up bar inside Newtown Hotel for two weeks from Monday 27 April to Sunday 10 May. This isn't the first time Mumford and Sons have had a Sydney pop-up bar, their 2012 album Babel saw a pop-up whisky bar on Oxford Street with film screenings and tastings aplenty. This time around, the Newtown Hotel pop-up will trade whisky for Young Henrys' special edition Wilder Mind ale, with DJ sets, live music and mural painting locked in for the duration of the activation. Plus, you'll be able to hang around and listen to the new album if you're a Mumfordian. While you're waiting, let's remember this straight-up chuckler of a video. Fine holiday fun. The Mumford and Sons Wilder Mind pop-up will be at Newtown Hotel, 174 King St Newtown from Monday 27 April to Sunday 10 May.
UPDATE: DECEMBER 23, 2019 — Even more star bartenders have now joined the lineup. The below article has been updated to include them. Head to The Baxter Inn on Sunday, December 29, to do some good with your booze bucks. The popular whisky den is hosting a Bushfire Benefit — a charity initiative that'll see some of Sydney's best bartenders join forces for one night. On the night, Big Poppa's Mary White, Dre Walters and Daniel Noble from Old Mate's Place, The Drink Cabinet's Jason Crawley, Tio's Alex Dowd and Jeremy Blackmore, Jay Cozma and Ross Purnell from Shady Pines, Charlie Ainsbury and James Marcel Chew Wynn-Williams from Proof & Co, Paige Aubort and Evan Strove from Bulletin Place, Charlie Lehmann and Sebastian 'Cosmo' Soto at Ramblin' Rascal Tavern, Sweet & Chilli's Jared Plummer and Cam Northway, Lewis Jaffrey and Rachelle Hair from Archie Rose, and teams from Mary's Newtown, Lobo Plantation, Charlie Parker's and The Baxter Inn will all be making drinks. [caption id="attachment_707972" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leticia Almeida[/caption] Each team will shake and stir their signature cocktails, which will all be going for $12 a pop. An entry fee of $50 also includes one cocktail and all proceeds from the night will be go to the NSW RFS. It's been a particularly devastating bushfire season already, with 768 homes lost and more than 2.7 million hectares burnt at last count. The Baxter Inn Bushfire Benefit runs from 4–10pm. Images: Leticia Almeida
Charging headlong into its 2017 edition, Taste Orange Food and Wine Festival is set to take over Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel on Sunday, May 7. For six glorious, autumnal hours, you'll get to sip and sample Orange's best offerings, while soaking in all the harbour views. Numerous wineries will be making the 260-kilometre journey coastwards for this Aussie Wine Month event. Topping the list are Rowlee, whose 2013 Arneis inspired a 4.5/5 glass rating in Halliday's 2015 Wine Guide; Ross Hill, whom Huon Hooke awarded Top Sauvignon Blanc in Australia in 2013; and Tamburlaine, whose organic wines have scored a stack of prizes. Also making appearances will be Philip Shaw, Angullong, Logan, Heifer Station and Cargo Road. You can definitely count on trying some spectacular Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Should you find yourself looking for food matches, you won't have to move. Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel will be setting up food stalls in the park and dishing up some nosh, from succulent pulled pork rolls and barbecue ribs to cheese boards and soup. Entry to the Taste Orange Food and Wine Festival is free. However, you will need a few bucks on you to do some tasting. Your best bet is to nab tokens in advance — they're available online at ten for $40, which includes a free wine tasting glass.
Ladies and gentlemen, turn off your engines. One of the world’s most outlandish racing events is headed to the harbour city. The 2015 Red Bull Billy Cart Race will see both amateur and professional teams piloting their own home-built, gravity-powered racers along a downhill racetrack/obstacle course in Sydney’s Centennial Parklands. And you're invited to cheer 'em on for free. Scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 15, the race will see 60 of Australia’s strangest and most innovative vehicles battle it out for the chance to be crowned champion. Competitors will be judged on three separate criteria: performance, speed and creativity. Ludicrousness appears to be a pretty big factor as well, with memorable competitors in previous races built to resemble teacups, corncobs and even the Golden Gate Bridge. Red Bull has hosted more than 40 billy cart races since 2000, in locations ranging from England to South Africa to Helsinki. The Sydney event has already been given a distinctly Australian flavour thanks to the unveiling of a racer shaped like a pair of bright red budgie smugglers. Hey, they don’t call us the lucky country for nothing. For more information about the event, head on over to the Red Bull Billy Cart website. Images: Red Bull.
Nine independent local designers will soon converge on Crown Street for a powerhouse pop-up. Throughout the first week in September, you'll find them at Blank_Space Gallery, showcasing their latest creations, from fashion and jewellery to ceramics, furniture and objects. Though their works are diverse, these nine artists share a commitment to local, ethical and sustainable making and have all spent time in Chippendale's WIP (Work in Progress) Studio. The group is made up of jewellery designers Alexandra Dodds and Pip Stent, who both source Australian materials, from recycled silver and gold to fair-trade diamonds; fashion designers Annie Hamilton and Jillian Boustred, whose high-quality, locally-made garments feature hand-illustrated prints; Bel Campbell and Tara Bennett, whose handmade homewares celebrate slow work, raw materials and organic shapes; and ceramicists Emily Ellis, Gretel Corrie and Milly Dent. WIP Shop will open at 11am on Saturday, September 2, with welcome drinks happening from 4pm. After that, opening hours are Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday 11am-6pm, and Thursday 11am-9pm. Images: Rosie Fitzgerald, Annie Hamilton, Gretel Corrie.
Music festivals and writers festivals have existed for years, but they rarely mix. Sure, you'll hear poetic lyrics at the former, and maybe attend a tunes-inspired session at the latter. A true fusion of the two, though, is an elusive beast. Well, it was, until a few smart-thinking folks decided to organise a rock and roll writers festival. In an Australian first, the weekend-long event will explore the relationship between the literary and musical worlds. It's an idea that's so great, we can't believe that no one has done it locally before. Come April 2016, some of Australia’s finest authors, songwriters, lyricists and music commentators will converge upon Brisbane for two days of discussions, interviews, panels and more. An initial lineup boasting stacks of talented speakers has just been announced, featuring performer Jackie Marshall, previous jMag editor Jenny Valentish, journalist and Australian Music Prize judge Kate Hennessy, former Time Off editor and owner Sean Sennett, Courier Mail music writer Noel Mengel, and Pig City: From The Saints To Savage Garden author Andrew Stafford, among others. They'll all natter on about everything that's great about words, songs and the combination of the two, while trying to surprise, entertain, enlighten and challenge attendees in the process. And they'll do at the Brightside, because if you're going to throw a rock and roll writers festival, you have to do it at a rock and roll venue. The Rock and Roll Writers Festival runs from April 2 – 3, 2016, at the Brightside, 27 Warner Street, Fortitude Valley. For more information, visit their website.
Ex-Rockpool chef Harry Stockdale-Powell has recruited Bulletin Place bartender Matt Linklater for a new project, with the pair set to work closely together at the former's new European-style restaurant and basement bar. Opening next month on Bridge Street in the CBD, Bouche on Bridge will showcase the English-born chef's passion for local produce and sustainable practices in the context of a relaxed fine dining environment. While the full Bouche menu is still under wraps, Stockdale-Powell and company have revealed few highlights, such as rare breed suckling pig with unripe fermented strawberries, onion tarte Tatin with parmesan ice-cream, and whole hay-smoked chicken with white soy bread sauce. In order to keep things as sustainable as possible, the kitchen will make use of lesser-known cuts of meat, while bread, cultured butter, cold-pressed olive oil and cured meats will all be made on-site. But we're equally excited for what's happening downstairs. Dubbed The Cellar, the restaurant's subterranean basement bar will no doubt prove popular with the after work drinks crowd and serious cocktail fiends. Linklater will be whipping up concoctions like the oddly-named Crustbuster, made with brandy, fennel, strega and served with a liquorice rim, and the White Whale, which is a take on a White Russian with vodka, fernet, crème fraïche and coffee bitters. The bar will also boast a 300-strong wine list, courtesy of sommelier Seamus Brandt. Bouche is set to open at 6 Bridge Street, Sydney in September. For more information visit boucheonbridge.com. Image: star5112 via Flickr.
The World Press Photo Foundation is a global platform connecting professionals and audiences through raw visual journalism and storytelling. The organisation was founded in 1955 when a group of Dutch photographers organised a contest to expose their work to an international audience. Since then the contest has grown into the world's most prestigious photography competition and global travelling exhibition. The 61st edition of the World Press Photo Exhibition will touch down in Sydney this month and will be on display at the State Library of NSW from May 26 until June 24. The winners from this year's contest were chosen by an independent jury that reviewed more than 73,000 photographs by 4548 photographers from 125 countries. The one that took top honours for 2018 is Ronaldo Schemidt's frightening image of José Víctor Salazar Balza who was set alight at a protest in Caracas, Venezuela when the gas tank of a motorbike exploded. This will be on display alongside other finalists, including Adam Ferguson's portrait of a 14-year-old Boko Haram suicide bomber and Patrick Brown's devastating shot of Rohingya refugees after the boat in which they were attempting to flee Myanmar capsized. Further categories on show will include contemporary issues, environment, general news, long-term projects, nature, people, sports and spot news. Image: 'Venezuela Crisis' by Ronaldo Schemidt (cropped).
Gyros is not something that's necessarily hard to find in Sydney — especially not with the explosion of takeaway outlets like Zeus Street Greek and GRK Souvlaki and local favourites in Bexley, Beverly Hills and Five Dock. But even so, it's about to get easier with chef George Calombaris today announcing that he will open four of his Jimmy Grants souvlaki bars in Sydney over the next year. Calombaris first opened Jimmy Grants in Melbourne's Fitzroy in 2013, and has since opened four other stores in Melbourne and one on the Gold Coast. The expansion to Sydney seems somewhat late in the piece, but he MasterChef judge says he's "excited" to finally bring the brand up here. This first store will be located in Newtown and will open next month. If you haven't been into a Jimmy Grants down south, it's a similar offering to that of Sydney's Zeus Street Greek. Souvas are stuffed with the likes of chicken, lamb, falafel, prawns and beef short-rib, chips come topped with feta and oregano and dessert is a baklava choc-top. Also on the menu is a selection of dips, meat plates, salads and Jimmy's famous steamed dimmys. The whole thing is pretty casual — they have room for diners to sit-in but do lots of take away and delivery through UberEATS — and the new Sydney stores will be fitted out with recycled or repurposed materials and feature the brand's signature neon blue. With the Newtown store set to open in September, a CBD location will follow in October. The remaining two locations are yet to be revealed, but they'll be opening in 2018 — potentially alongside Sydney versions of Calombaris' other Melbourne restaurants, Gazi and Hellenic Republic. The MAdE Establishment group have hinted that they are currently scouting for appropriate sites for these venues. Calombaris was recently forced to back-pay over $2 million to staff at his Melbourne restaurants Gazi, The Press Club and Hellenic Republic after underpaying them through systematic payroll errors over the last six years. The first Sydney Jimmy Grants will open in September in Newtown. We'll keep you updated with further information. Until then, check out jimmygrants.com.au.
Turns out eating an entire two sticks of buttery, bready garlic bread from the freezer section doesn't count as an 'appreciation conference', because one Melburnian is making this actual event happen. Garlic bread aficionado and straight-up boss Baxter Kirk is putting on the world's very first Garlic Bread Appreciation Conference in Melbourne. Set to descend upon the MCG (yep, the giant, giant MCG) on Friday, January 15 at the strange time of 3.07am, the conference will "discuss the underrated garlic bread," according to the Facebook event. With 47,000+ people supposedly 'attending' the event, this could be the biggest celebration of garlic breadery the world has ever seen. Whether this conference is real or a beautiful, beautiful troll, we'll be raising a glass of cheap cola to that beloved buttery, buttery side anyway, before, during and after the event. Via Pedestrian. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore has long been a supporter of small bars, live music and Sydney's creative culture. And now, she's putting her weight behind opposition to the lockouts. In an article published in the SMH on April 3 titled, 'It's time we grew up and ditched the one-size-fits-all lockout', the Lord Mayor wrote that "well-managed licensed premises and live music and performance venues should be exempt from the 1.30am lockout" — and considering Sydney's live music venues have lost almost half their revenue since the lockouts, we're psyched. She added that the 3am 'last drinks' rule should be determined according to each venue, taking into account its "compliance history, planning controls and economic, social and environmental factors". What's more, the Lord Mayor has put all this into the City of Sydney's submission to the NSW Government's Liquor Law Review, which is underway under the leadership of former High Court judge Ian Callinan and due to be done and dusted by August. "It's about balance," the Lord Mayor told the SMH. "It is about enabling people to go out safely in a rich and diverse night life that you have in a global city." She also pointed out the lockouts have had negative impacts on live music (which they bloody well have), culture and businesses, leading to job losses. In 2013, Sydney's late-night activities were worth $17.8 billion and kept more than 30,000 people at work. At the same time, the Lord Mayor acknowledged that levels of violent behaviour in Kings Cross and other areas had become concerning. For years before the lockouts, the City had appealed to the State Government to take action, such as putting on more public transport and better planning, but had received little or no support. Since the introduction of the lockouts in February 2014, live music ticket sales in Sydney have dropped by 40 percent. On 1 March 2016, Music Australia reported that the Oxford Art Factory alone had suffered a 30 percent drop in revenue. Consequently, industry bodies, such as the Live Music Office and MusicNSW, have been lobbying for exemptions for live music venues. Meanwhile, numerous artists and bands, including The Preatures and Flight Facilities, have voiced their opposition to the lockouts, and on 22 February 2016, more than 15,000 people rallied under the banner #KeepSydneyOpen. Via SMH. Image: Stocksnap.
If there's one comprehensive way to celebrate David Bowie's wildly chameleonic life, it's surely an evening with DJ and film expert Jay Katz at Toho Nights at Goros. Unsurprisingly, Katz is a Bowie buff, with an extensive collection of rare recordings and visuals, so expect to dig deep into the archive. On top of sharing his materials, Katz will be bringing a bunch of guest DJs along to spin various deep cuts and oddities. Meanwhile, the beloved Goros karaoke booths will open wide, giving you the chance to work through your grief by unashamedly banging out all the hits. You're invited to get into the spirit by dressing up — according to whichever of Bowie's incarnations caught your imagination: be it Aladdin Sane, Ziggy Stardust or the Thin White Duke. The celebration kicks off at 8pm and goes till late. Entry is free. Image: Lost Sydney.
Nocturnal creatures and art lovers, get on down to the National Art School this Thursday night for a free after-dark shindig. From 6pm, for three hours, you'll be able to wander through the Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize, while sipping on wine and listening to live music. Adding to the adventure, NAS are running a tour through the grounds kicking off at 6.30pm, which will fill you in on the school's fascinating history — including its former incarnation as Darlinghurst Gaol. Then, from 7.30pm, you'll be hearing from a bunch of artists, including 2016 Emerging Art Prize winner Jack Lanagan Dunbar, as well as Rosie Deacon, Francesca Heinz and Shane Haseman. This event is just one in the 2016 NAS nights series. "NAS Nights is a welcome opportunity for curious newcomers together with seasoned art-lovers to enjoy a great exhibition of contemporary artwork, engage with artists, and hear live music in a relaxed, convivial evening setting," says curator Judith Blackall.
If Neighbourhood Watch or The Cat stole your heart, you'll be happy to know that playwright Lally Katz is back with a brand new creation. This time, she's drawn on her parents' life (with the addition of a big dose of imagination) to develop the story of Danny (Harry Greenwood), a young man who spends his youth lost in drugs and free love, before meeting a charismatic sensei (Natsuko Mineghishi), through whom he befriends fellow wayward character Jerry (Fayssel Bazzi) and his rather appealing sister Lois (Catherine Davies). Jump to the next scene and into the present. Both Danny and Lois have grown old and, while Lois lies ailing in bed, Danny sits and waits by her side, performing one karate move after another. Enter Patti, their grandchild, who, after two years of absence, is going through a gender transition and recovering from a broken relationship. Belvoir presents Back at the Dojo in collaboration with Melbourne-based theatre company Stuck Pigs Squealing.
Vivid Sydney is really cranking it up this year, with a truly epic program of lights, music, ideas and live events, which, in one heck of a slam dunk, includes none other than Björk (BJÖRK!). As part of Carriageworks' contemporary program, she'll launch a huge virtual reality project dubbed BJÖRK DIGITAL — a collaboration with some of the world's best filmmakers and programmers. And to celebrate the opening, Björk herself will travel to Sydney to curate a one-off music event at Carriageworks, where she'll DJ with special guests. In a response that absolutely everybody expected, the opening night event and the additional party sold out quick sticks. While that leaves the 12 people who actually got tickets pretty smug and happy, it leaves the rest of us sad and confused as to how we'll live a life where Björk doesn't make an appearance. But hey, the two big parties are just the icing on the real cake. The BJÖRK DIGITAL exhibition will run from June 4-18. It will include a downright must-experience program of her extensive video, multimedia and virtual reality works, divided into five unique spaces. Entry is free but we can't recommend booking the VR experience enough. It's quietly booking out. By Shannon Connellan and Lauren Vadnjal.
Hold onto your paper plates Sydney, because Carriageworks has just added another night market to their 2016 calendar. After the wild success of The Night Market, a winter gathering of the best food and drink in the city held as part of Vivid back in June, it's no surprise they're bring back the after-dark outdoor nosh session for one night only this spring. Like its previous instalment, it's quite straightforwardly called The Spring Night Market. The event will see over 50 stallholders take over Carriageworks on the spring evening of Saturday, September 3 from 5pm. If you went along to the winter market, you can expect to once again sample goods from NSW's top tier of restaurants, winemakers, spiritmakers, breweries and providores. Porteño, Billy Kwong, Icebergs, Efendy, Young Henrys, Cake Wines and Pepe Saya will be returning to kick off the new season, and will be joined by Alex Herbert's Bird Cow Fish, St Peters' Urban Winery and Mr Black, who'll be whipping up coffee cocktails. Curated by Sydney chef (of the just-opened No. 1 Bent Street) and Carriageworks Farmers Market creative director Mike McEnearney, The Spring Night Market will hero new season produce. Each stallholder will be able to clue you into the regional source of their produce — a requirement that could only come from the paddock-to-plate-focused McEnearney. The Winter Night Market, held over two nights in June of this year, brought in over 9000 people each night. So, in short, you'll want to get there early and be prepared to queue for the good stuff. THE SPRING NIGHT MARKET STALLHOLDER LINEUP: Bar Pho Baxter & Bird Billy Kwong Bird Cow Fish Blini Bar by Crepe & Coffee Co. Burrawong Gaian Cake Wines Chrissy's Cut Sausages Country Valley Dairy Dessertmakers Ding the Recipe Efendy Eloquesta Wines Freeman Vineyards Gumnut Chocolates Hand N Hoe Organic Macadamias Icebergs Bar & Restaurant Juicing by Colours Kitchen Green Kurrawong Organics La Bastide Lowe Wine Mimosa Valley Lamb Moobi Valley Farm Mr Black Cocktails Mr Goaty Naturally Felafel Pasta Emilia Pepe Saya Porteno Restaurant Prickle Hill Produce Shepherd's Artisan Bakehouse Slow Wine Co. Sweetness the Patisserie The Drink Cabinet The Pines Kiama Trolleyd Urban Winery Vale Creek Wines Young Henrys Brewing Co. By Lauren Vadnjal and Shannon Connellan. Image: Tim da-Rin.
It's one of the most popular podcasts in the world, and one that has educated listeners on topics from the inner workings of waterslides to the ingredients that make up Spam. Now, Stuff You Should Know is coming to Sydney for the first time. Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant are the hosts of the research-based, general knowledge podcast. The pair became friends while working at HowStuffWorks.com and created the podcast as an attempt to repackage some of the website's most popular content. So far they've recorded episodes on everything from disco to the time when Nazis invaded Florida in WWII; wonky stuff like trickle-down economics and voter suppression; science-y topics like the sun, global warming, bioluminescence and willpower; and totally random topics you'd never think could be interesting, like grass, zoot suits and shotgun houses. Since 2014, Josh and Chuck have taken the Stuff You Should Know live show on the road to cities across the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland. Like the podcast, the live experience bundles up learning with laughter. Expect to witness a never-heard-before episode unfold in real time.
Start coordinating your crew's dress-ups — one of Australia's best and most beloved festivals, Secret Garden Festival, is back for another year. Returning to the festival's hallowed and not-so-secret-anymore location outside of Sydney, Secret Garden is celebrating its eighth year over February 26 and 27. And now, with just 17 days to go, the team have revealed the first 10 of the 50+ artists on their music lineup. While the full lineup, as SG tradition goes, will remain under lock and key until the festival sells out, the crew have given a sneak peek into what to expect. Melbourne's Grammy-nominated neo-soul powerhouse Haitus Kaiyote will be there alongside Sydney's synthy dance duke Hayden James, the unstoppable hip hop/R&B force that is Sampa The Great, Adelaide raw garage outfit Bad // Dreems, absolute Australian party legends Stereogamus, Sydney art pop wunderkind Montaigne, smooth electronic hardworker Roland Tings, Sydney super duo The Meeting Tree, alt-pop ten-piece Dorsal Fins and the fast-climbing World Champion. Tip of the Iceberg - Teaser AnnouncementPresenting, a teaser announcement of our 50+ act lineup. Party time! Two day tickets MOVING FAST >> http://bit.ly/SG_TicketsWe're keeping the rest a surprise…Posted by The Secret Garden on Monday, February 8, 2016 They'll be joining the already announced Sydney party crews already locked in for the weekend: Love Bombs, Shag & Friends, Purple Sneakers and Money For Nothing DJs will be curating their very own parties in the forest. As for the rest of the lineup? Secret Garden's lips are sealed, but they're promising "over 50 bands and DJs, 30 actors, dancers and comedians, 18 pop-up performances, 10 drag queens, 8 dance floors, 6 stages, 1 very busy kissing booth and many, many more secrets to be discovered in our adult play land synonymous with dress ups, sequins, glitter and good times." Two day tickets are moving quickly and one day tickets have now sold out. Get movin'. SECRET GARDEN FESTIVAL FIRST LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT: Bad//Dreems Dorsal Fins Hayden James Hiatus Kaiyote Montaigne Roland Tings Sampa The Great Stereogamous The Meeting Tree World Champion Secret Garden runs February 26 to 28 in a secret location outside of Sydney. Tickets on sale now from Oztix. More info over here. Image: Anna Warr.
NAIDOC Week happens in the first full week of July every year, with a packed program of events to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The theme this year? 'Because of her, we can!' One of the biggest events of the week is NAIDOC in the City, which invites Sydneysiders down to Hyde Park for a day of festivities from 10am–2pm Saturday, July 14. The event is a sensory delight (seriously). Underground earth ovens will be temporarily installed in the park, cooking up slow-cooked samplers of everything from kangaroo fillets to crocodile puffs and lemon myrtle barramundi. Rocks heated by fire cook the foods under a blanket of banana leaves, branches, wet hessian and sand. While you're there, watch didgeridoo workshops, join traditional dance circles and settle in for storytelling sessions. There will also be a range of market stalls showcasing arts, crafts and books. Image: Joseph Mayers
Australia's about to embark upon an entire month of parties, gigs and backyard shindigs, all raising sweet, sweet money to fight poverty around the world. Having run successfully in the UK for about ten years, Oxjam is a month-long, nationwide music festival aiming to raise money for Oxfam. Now it's launching in Australia, with goodhearted gigs coming to venues, garages and backyards nationwide. Even you can throw one. One of those star-studded fundraisers which has seen the likes of Hot Chip, Fatboy Slim, Coldplay and T.E.E.D. crank out a set for a good cause, Oxjam has been a long time coming for Australia. Teaming up with MTV Music and MTV Dance, Oxfam are launching the festival in August; with the main events happening across Sydney and Melbourne. Local venues, collectives and labels like I Oh You, Noisey, Goodgod Small Club, One Day, Motorik, UNDR CTRL and more are holding some of the official gigs — where of course, funds raised will go directly to Oxfam. Oxjam's major gig lineup will be collectively announced in June. But you don't just have to wait for Noisey's lineup, you can also host your own party wherever you are. Literally anyone can hold their own Oxjam, from existing venues to local bowling clubs, big time clubs to your very own home. So if you're deep house DJ in your crew you could set up the decks in your garage, put a collection tin at the door and throw down one humdinger of a fundraving do. (And if your neighbours complain, give 'em hell until they donate too.) First time at the event-throwing rodeo? MTV Australia are hosting an official event at MTV HQ in Sydney (date TBC), where budding venue managers, club promoters and regular shindig starters can get tips on throwing their own Gig For Good during Oxjam. If you can't make it to the how-to, Oxjam's website has a bunch of handy tips and DIY guides for party planners. Oxjam is happening Australia-wide over August 2015, with the main gigs happening in Melbourne and Sydney. But with one in three people around the world living in poverty, Oxjam's probably one of the best reasons to throw a local backyard gig we've ever heard. Head over here for more info and start planning. Image: Goodgod Small Club.
The comedy that won this year's Palme d'Or, Robert Pattinson getting gritty running around New York, the 100th feature from a Japanese master and an effort inspired by real-life witch camps in Africa. Hope you've got some room on your flexipass, Sydney Film Festival-goers, because they're just some of the flicks the fest has just added to its 2017 lineup. Every year, SFF unveils their full program in May; however seasoned fest attendees know that's not really the complete picture. Given that the Cannes Film Festival is held after SFF announces their yearly bill, artistic director Nashen Moodley always gifts cinephiles a few late additions in the form of titles straight from the Croisette. Start rearranging your festival schedule accordingly. In 2017, The Square sits at the top of the heap — just as it did in Cannes' competition. Winning the festival's coveted main prize, the latest film from Force Majeure's Ruben Östlund steps into a contemporary art museum, crafting biting satire starring Danish actor Claes Bang, The Wire's Dominic West and Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss. In the high-profile camp, it'll be joined by the Safdie brothers' Good Time, which left France empty-handed, but earned raves for RPatz's performance. Forget brooding vampires — here, he's caught in a heist gone wrong in a movie that's been compared to Dog Day Afternoon and Taxi Driver. Takashi Miike's Blade of the Immortal is also headed to SFF, as well as British first-time offering I Am Not a Witch. Yes, the former — a gory samurai effort from the filmmaker behind 13 Assassins — really is the 56-year-old director's 100th film. And as for the latter, it tells a tale of a nine-year-old branded a witch by her new community, in a feature that both makes a statement about misogynist power structures and finds absurdity in the whole situation. Rounding out the new batch are Iran-set animation Tehran Taboo, which charts the struggles required to express individuality and sexuality; Un Certain Regard winner A Man of Integrity, an indictment of authoritarian societies from banned Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof; and flying refugee flick — yep, you read that correctly — Jupiter's Moon. In short, you've now got even more SFF choices. Don't go spending days trying to fit them into your diary though, as they're certain to get snapped up rather quickly. The 2017 Sydney Film Festival runs from June 7 to 18. To check out the complete program and book tickets, visit the festival website.
The old fashioned charcoal chook is getting a bit of an upgrade at the newly launched Juicy Lucy in Surry Hills. Owned and operated by the same guys behind Sugarcane, this brand spanking fast food joint combines the classic Australian chicken shop with the flavours of South-East Asia, including garlic, coriander and turmeric. The birds at Juicy Lucy are spiced with cloves, cassia bark, coriander seeds and Sichuan pepper, then stuffed with rice and garlic and slow roasted whole. Other menu options include the Lil Kim Burger (fried chicken, slaw, kimchi and Korean barbecue sauce) and the Jackie Chan Wrap (rice, Malay chicken, pickles and herbs) as well as fried drumettes and chicken tenders cooked in Asian-style tapioca batter. They also offer a rotating lineup of specials including green papaya salad and an Asian take on the Caesar salad (lettuce, kaffir lime, pork crackling and coconut dressing). We'll take one of each, please ✌🏽️#crazygoodchicken #juicylucychicken #sydneyeats #friedchicken #burger A photo posted by Juicy Lucy (@juicylucychicken) on Feb 24, 2016 at 10:49pm PST "Chicken is just something we really enjoy eating," co-owner Milan Strbac told Good Food. "There's a lot of Middle Eastern-style chicken restaurants around, a lot of American-style ones, but not many south-east Asian-style shops." Located at 232A Elizabeth Street just around the corner from Sugarcane, Juicy Lucy is open from 11am until late, Monday through Saturday. Diners can eat in or get their poultry to go. For more information visit Juicy Lucy on Facebook. Via Good Food.
Entries have now closed. Fair is foul and foul is fair, and both descriptors very much apply to the harrowing new adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth. Foul in that Australian director Justin Kurzel, who burst onto the scene with the unforgettable Snowtown, evokes the bleakness and epic sense of tragedy in the Bard's play. And fair in that Kurzel's hypnotic style, along with the incredible work of his cast, make this one of the single most compelling movies of the year. Michael Fassbender gives a thunderous performance as the eponymous Scottish thane, a good man brought low by his own overleaping ambition. Alongside him, Marion Cotillard has likewise rarely been better, disappearing into the role of Lady Macbeth. A supporting cast of UK heavyweights including David Thewlis, Paddy Considine and Sean Harris is nothing to turn your nose up at, either. But Kurzel doesn't rest on the laurels of his cast or the pedigree of the material. His visceral direction, including some absolutely mesmerising uses of colour and slow motion, makes Macbeth one of 2015's must-sees. Macbeth is in cinemas on October 1. To celebrate the film's impending release, we've teamed up with Transmission Films to host an exclusive preview on Wednesday, September 30, 6.15pm, at the Dendy Newtown. To score tickets, click here.
When Mardi Gras brightens up Sydney's streets every February, it showers the city in LGBTIQ+ pride — but that's only the beginning of the celebratory fun. Among the plethora of supporting events, the annual Mardi Gras Film Festival brings the party to the big screen, taking film lovers into a wealth of stories from a number of countries, and demonstrating the depth and breadth of queer cinema in the process. MGFF not only brings brings the best in LGBTIQ flicks to Sydney, however. It also spreads the love across the state thanks to its touring program. That means that the filmic feast keeps on going until April — and, more cinema-goers receive more chances to catch the queer film highlights from the past year, including these five must-sees. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ0ERN2rZ7g DIE BEAUTIFUL Winning Filipino star Paolo Ballesteros the best actor award at the 2016 Tokyo International Film Festival, Die Beautiful offers a rousing and moving transgender tale — one that's set in the beauty pageant world, flits between the past and the present, and perfects the balance of heartfelt emotion and vibrant celebration. With the fate of its protagonist apparent from its title, the film not only depicts the path that Trisha Echevarria charted in life, but the determined efforts her community makes to honour her in death. Her dying wish? To be dressed up as a different celebrity each day of her wake. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGQw_HimdIo A MOMENT IN THE REEDS It was only last year that God's Own Country earned comparisons to Brokeback Mountain, but took a seemingly well-worn situation and turned it into something all of its own. Expect Finnish drama A Moment in the Reeds to do the same as it explores the homecoming of Leevi to renovate his father's summer cottage, and his bond with Syrian asylum seeker Tareq, who is hired to help. As in all love stories, the delights are in the details — and, while all love stories boast similarities, it's the way they convey the intricacies of romance in their own unique manner that counts, as first-time director Mikko Makela understands. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drg74wOy8z8 FREAK SHOW The directorial debut of Trudie Styler, Freak Show can't be accused of fading into the background. Like film, like spirited protagonist, too. Billy Bloom (Alex Lawther) is his own glitter-wearing self when he turns up to his first day at a new school, and he's not willing to be anyone else — although, he does need to learn to navigate the usual teenage issues. If it sounds familiar, that's because it is, but what this movie lacks in originality it attempts to make up for in personality. And, in recognisable faces as well, including Abigail Breslin, Laverne Cox, John McEnroe and Bette Midler. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_okj8aEh5mM SIGNATURE MOVE Love stories linked to the world of lucha libre women's wrestling aren't an everyday occurrence on screen, with director Jennifer Reeder joining forces with writer and star Fawzia Mirza to give cinema the romance it didn't know it was missing. The duo also fill their combined effort with layers upon layers of cultural and societal probing, as a Pakistani-American immigration lawyer and a Mexican-American bookstore-owner deal with the aftermath of their one-night stand — including the vast differences between being able to live your life the way you want to, and still bowing to conservative expectations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1Yua3Smc3M SENSITIVITY TRAINING Starring Australian actress Anna Lise Phillips, Sensitivity Training steps into will-they-or-won't-they, opposites-attract territory. And, with its narrative revolving around a far-from-friendly scientist forced to interact with the world and learn to temper her ways, it treads down a familiar path when it comes to potentially redeeming misanthropes too. Thanks to engaging performances and its own sensibilities — and sensitivities — what sounds formulaic on paper finds its own niche, and provides a reminder of why The Boys, Animal Kingdom and Crownies' Phillips is always a welcome presence on screen. Mardi Gras Film Festival runs February 15 to March 1 in various Sydney cinemas, March 16 to 18 at Riverside Theatres Parramatta, March 23 to 25 at Arc Cinema Canberra, and April 6 to 8 at Mount Vic Flicks, Mount Victoria. For more information, visit the festival website.
The Paddington Inn is welcoming celebrated chef Matt Moran back home with yet another revamp, this time relaunching as a more casual eatery renamed the Paddo Inn Bar and Grill. Moran began his career at the Paddo over 20 years ago and Solotel (North Bondi Fish, Aria) has enlisted his help to bring the space and menu back to basics. According to Solotel, a casual grill was more in line with what locals were after — seems the relaunched Paddington Inn's fine dining didn't hit the mark as expected after its September 2016 relaunch. Now, let's define casual — this is still not a local pub where you'd stop by for a cheap pint and a schnitty. The dining room's interior is softly lit by hanging globes, and abstract prints adorn one wall. While there are some booths, they look to be of the soft leather, high-end steak house variety and the majority of seating is taken up by classic low tables — though there is not a tablecloth in sight. The menu, which showcases Australian beef and seafood, isn't exactly casual either — think mains like lamb rump with Jerusalem artichoke and mint sauce ($34) and king salmon with celeriac and lemon ($32), along with a fine selection of steak cuts, including a Rangers Valley rump cap ($34), an O'Connor Premium rib eye ($45) and a Jacks Creek t-bone ($92). A raw bar, duck liver parfait ($21) and steak tartare ($23) are also on the seasonal menu, which Moran will only oversee. Head chef Laura Barratto (Chiswick at the Gallery) is taking the reins day-to-day. All that being said, we wouldn't call the space a fine dining restaurant either. The term 'casual' might just be an overreach — simply removing your tablecloths doesn't make for an instant casual restaurant. The front bar will remain intact, though, and will serve a decidedly more casual grill menu of salads, sandwiches and burgers. This is the latest in the fine-dining-gone-casual trend, with Sepia announcing a more casual venture planned for the end of 2017 and Rockpool Est. 1989 reopening as Eleven Bridge in 2016 — which is already being replaced with a new Cantonese restaurant. Interestingly, Moran's Aria did not go the casual route after reopening late last year, but has instead maintained its fine dining stance. Paddo Inn Bar and Grill is located at 338 Oxford Street, Paddington and open for lunch Friday, Saturday and Sunday and dinner seven nights.
Undisputed badass, battle hero and SBS newsreader Lee Lin Chin is gearing up to represent Australia on the global stage. Announced on SBS's The Feed last night, Chin will take on the coveted role of Australia's official Eurovision spokesperson. Now that's a Eurovision representative we can get excited about (yeah sorry, ARIAs, charts, vocal range, yadda yadda, but come on). Chin will deliver the famous and vital points from Australia's stash, announcing the final three countries that will receive Australia's eight, ten and twelve points. So while Malta, Demark, perpetual 'London Calling' jokemakers the United Kingdom and more give it their best, most awkward shot in front of the green screen, Australia's modish champion will inevitably deliver the points with poise, urgency and hopefully, in this Logies hat. Given the time difference in Austria, Lin Chin will have to get up pretty early to deliver the goods. But eating, sleeping, raving and repeating is a cakewalk for this party professional. "I’m not worried about being up early, I’ll just have to take a break from the clubs for 20 minutes." *drops mic* As the very first time in Eurovision history Australia has been invited to compete in the contest, and the very first time Chin has dominated the international airwaves, it's all convenient timing for the SBS newsreader — who recently announced her new commitment to campaigning for the 2016 Gold Logie (most popular personality on Australian television, yep she's missing a few decades worth on her shelf). "195 million people watch Eurovision every year and if even just 10 million of those buy TV Week I’ll have it in the bag," she said in a coy and perfectly crafted media statement. "As SBS’s most recognisable personality I couldn’t say no to such an opportunity. I’m the obvious choice — not only have I been to Europe but I also listen to music from time to time." How can you get in on the Eurovision action? SBS will broadcast both semi-finals and the Grand Final live from Vienna on May 20, May 22 and May 24 from 5am. Both semi-finals will be shown in full on SBS ONE on May 22 and May 23 from 7.30pm. The Grand Final featuring Guy Sebastian and Lee Lin Chin's points delivery will screen on Sunday May 24 from 7.30pm. For now, this:
If you’ve checked out the Hotel Palisade’s swish new rooftop bar, Henry Deane, you’ll already know it’s going to make for one hell of a New Year’s Eve venue. The 360-degree views are extraordinary, so you'll be in prime position to take in every single second of pyrotechnics happening on the night, from Sydney Harbour to The Rocks to Barangaroo Reserve to the Anzac Bridge. Few places in the city offer such a straight-up spectacular perspective. What’s more, your ticket buys you way more than panoramas. You’ll score a drink at the door, a champagne hour for the midnight countdown and a tasty, tasty selection of roaming morsels and shared spreads, created by head chef Joel Bennetts. Meanwhile, DJ Crazy P — all the way from the UK — will be keeping your toes a-tapping while the fireworks are taking a break. Named after legendary Aussie engineer and architect, Henry Deane, the Palisade’s split-level rooftop bar is one of Sydney’s most beautiful revamps. Back in the early 20th century, Deane was one of the hotel’s best-dressed frequenters, so the renovated interior — designed by Sibella Court — pays homage to his flawless sense of style. Think lavish marble surfaces, pink leather couches and stunning copper touches. Tickets to NYE at Henry Deane are $490 each. You can purchase tickets in the venue or by emailing socialbutterfly@hotelpalisade.com or buzzing (02) 9018 0123 or 0421 001 474. Group bookings also available.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Sydney Festival. Having excelled at keeping revellers cool and sweetened-up at the 2014 Festival Village, the whizzes at Gelato Messina are set to return in 2015. As anyone who’s experienced last year's Messina incarnation at Sydney Festival would know, this doesn’t involve merely turning up with a cart and doling out the goods, Mr Whippy-style. When Messina hits the village, they bring an entire ice-cream carnival with them. The 2015 menu is still under wraps. But after bouncing around Stonehenge last summer on a sugar-rush fuelled by the fairground treats of Gelatoffee Apples, Eyescream Lollipops, Messinawieners and Yeeeah Dogs, our expectations are high. While availing yourself of Messina’s custom-built creations, you’ll be able to wander around a reimagined Hyde Park consuming an array of other sensory delights. Taking the mantle of Thing Everyone Instagrams This Year from Jeremy Deller’s inflatable Stonehenge (aka Sacrilege) will be Irish artist Maser with his work Higher Ground. He’s taken on the influence of MC Escher’s vertigo-inducing art and concocted a part-installation, part-playground that’s two storeys high. What’s especially exciting is that Sydney will be the first city in the world to experience it. In between shaking up your notions of what space, geometry, colour and gelato are capable of, there’ll be ample opportunities to challenge your perceptions of human anatomy by checking out some circus, cabaret and circus-cabaret. Alternatively, give yourself a breather with some chilled-out tunes. Not one but two Spiegeltents are being magicked up this year: The Aurora and The Famous Spiegeltent. Theatrical performances on the program include the return of Limbo, local acrobats A Simple Space and Between the Cracks burlesque. As for music, SydFest has diversified to the tune of 200 percent on 2014. Back-to-back nights of exclusive and one-night-only Australian and international shows will run for three solid weeks, with the schedule split into early and late. To help you shake off your workaday grit and grime, relaxing sessions will be happening from 5.15pm most evenings, featuring performers from the US, New Zealand, Japan, Reunion and home. These include the hypnotic, percussion-driven ceremonial rhythms of Christine Salem; the country-soul and airy vocals of Tiny Ruins; and the squalling guitars and avant-noise of Body/Head (aka Kim Gordon and Bill Nace). On a selection of nights, live acts and DJs will be turning The Aurora into a dance floor from 11.45pm onwards. There won’t be a moment to pine for Hot Dub Time Machine. Head night owls include Brazilian hip-hop queen Karol Conka, idiosyncratic mixer Oneman (UK) and garage punk swaggerers Kid Congo Powers and the Pink Monkey Birds.
Leave everything up to the chef at this intimate omakase restaurant in the heart of Sydney's CBD. Make your evening even more special with a complimentary Haku martini paired with the eight or 11-course meal. Besuto is located mere steps from the iconic Sydney Harbour and is helmed by Chef Joel Best — we sat down with Head Chef Best to chat about his early morning trips to the fish market to ensure only the best reaches his guests. What sets Besuto apart from the other stunning omakase restaurants in the city is the size of both the venue and the menu — although it only holds a dozen seats, each diner receives a mammoth 18-course meal. The menu combines traditional and inventive takes on Japanese cuisine, with some dishes coming and going daily while others remain consistent. Visitors can also expect sashimi and sushi curated each day based on what fish the team has chosen. "Selecting our beverages is like selecting our seafood. We spend a lot of time and precision on making sure we're selecting the best of the best," says Chef Best. If you want to level up your omakase experience, from Tuesday, October 3, till Friday, November 3, all seatings at Besuto will begin with a complimentary nori-infused Haku martini crafted by Jake Errey, Besuto's venue manager. "When developing the cocktail, I was looking to make a dirty Japanese martini with kombu. But the kombu had this overwhelming earthiness to it, so I decided to try nori. Playing around with it needed some sweetness — we had umeshu on hand. Obviously, the umeshu jelly with the oysters started, and I thought, 'This is going to work perfectly'. Then, it was just playing around with the ratios." This offering is available from Tuesday to Saturday across two dinner seatings (5.30pm and 8pm) and on Fridays and Saturdays for lunch (12.30pm). Mark your diaries: the booking window is now open on September 1. Haku Vodka's signature serve is the Haku martini — a drink that showcases the craftsmanship, nuanced flavour and exceptional quality of the premium Japanese liquid. To learn more, head to the House of Suntory website. Images: Declan Blackall
Adulting can suck sometimes but there is one major positive: you can eat dessert for dinner and nobody can stop you. And you'll feel like the fanciest kidult on the block when you sit down to this dessert tasting menu at Bennelong. Throughout March, the stunning fine diner is offering a four-course menu featuring some of chef Peter Gilmore's best desserts. The menu includes tasting size versions of the crème caramel vs mille-feuille, the white peach bellini and, of course, Gilmore's legendary lamington — sponge cake, coconut ice cream and cherry jam slathered with chocolate ganache and served in a bed of coconut milk parfait shavings. The finale to the sweet degustation is Bennelong's signature dessert. Taking inspiration from the restaurant's famed setting within the Sydney Opera House, the pavlova consists of a rhubarb and raspberry centre covered in carefully piped double cream and meringue, and finished with shards of meringue to mimic the Opera House sails. This special menu is on offer at the restaurant's bar as part of Delicious Month Out. It'll set you back $60 per person — not bad, considering the white peach bellini and lamington are normally $28 each. The dessert tasting menu is available at the Bennelong Bar with limited bookings available, but walk-ins also welcome. [caption id="attachment_664104" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] Top image: Nikki To
Off the back of the release of their second album Choose Your Weapon, Melbourne neo-soul quartet Hiatus Kaiyote are killing it this year. After wrapping up a sold-out tour around Europe and the US, they’re back on home turf and setting off around the country for a string of live shows playing their ‘multi-dimensional, polyrhythmic gangster shit’ (their words, but good ones) for local fans. The group’s 2012 debut Tawk Tomahawk earned them props from people like Prince and Pharrell, and a Grammy nod for their collab with Q-Tip ‘Nakamarra’ — a first for an Australian R&B act. Always interesting, their sound is blissful funk with broad appeal — not least for the heady vocals of majestic frontwoman Nai Palm. It’s the kind of music that has seen them on a festival bill alongside Grace Jones and Massive Attack one night, and the next playing a small gig in Paris with a 70-year-old Ethiopian jazz composer. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGlIMaw5vlU[/embed]
The natural world used to be in good company with happiness and education on the list of things on which a price could not be put (although anyone with a HECS debt might disagree). Now it seems not even Mother Nature can escape the reach of global capitalism. The planet’s ‘natural capital’ is estimated to be a whopping $125 trillion, according to IQ2, the debate program of The Ethics Centre. IQ2 have made a name for themselves in recent times putting on impassioned live discussions of hard-hitting topics such as euthanasia, the future viability of large media corporations and Australia’s new(ish) data retention laws. This month they turn their attention to the question: can we use economic modelling to protect the environment, or should we be protecting it from market forces instead? You'll hear from environmental activist/scientist Tim Flannery, Greens senator Larissa Waters, and Aboriginal elder and philosopher Mary Graham, among others. This is not your school debating team; the speakers on each side may reach similar conclusions, but they'll get there in vastly different ways. Prepare to have your thoughts well and truly provoked.
In a straight-up baller move, South King Street's beloved live music den is shaking things up with a new meatball-focused menu. Like all good meatball kitchens from here to Williamsburg, Newtown Social Club is letting diners customise their own ballscapade — you'll be able to choose your perfect meatball, sauce and side combo for $19. It's all part and parcel of NSC's big ol' revamp to be unveiled at the end of July (coinciding with the bar's first birthday), with the straightforwardly-renamed Ground Floor getting a cheeky reno and the food and drinks list starting afresh. The NSC's new ground floor will be divided into a bar, 50-seat dining area and new cocktail lounge under the stairs leading up to the bandroom. Now, let's handle those balls. Choose your favourites from NSC's ball gallery: free range chicken, monterey cheese and harissa spices; wagyu, Berkshire pork with whole river shrimps, ginger and spring onion; MSC New Zealand hoki fillet with thyme, dill and chives; and tofu, eggplant and pesto. Next, let's sauce up those balls, and pick a side to go with 'em. Best bit? All produce is locally sourced, sustainable and free range where possible, and the vegan balls are also gluten free. You'll be able to christen the new space with a few bevs from the new drinks menu, featuring organic and biodynamic wines and locally produced spirits such as Archie Rose’s Signature Gin and Stone Pine Dead Man’s Drop Black Spiced Rum. “The new management team and I hope that this latest update to our historic venue will really put the heart back into the venue and remind people that this is a great place to drink, eat and socialise every day of the week, not just somewhere to drop in for a quick beer before a gig," says venue manager Chris Aitken. Newtown Social Club will unveil the new Ground Floor space and menu late July, at 387 King Street, Newtown.
Get a bird's eye view of a land girt by sea, as Sydney aerial drone photographer Gabriel Scanu marks his debut exhibition at Double Bay's Art2Muse gallery. Open from February 7 to 20 at the independent gallery on New South Head Road, this exhibition will showcase Scanu's remarkable photographs. The Sydney-based artist has cultivated more than 190,000 followers on Instagram for his aerial shots of the Australian coastline. One work will set you back anywhere between $3,300 and a whopping $14,500. Not bad considering he's just 20 years old. Bondi Icebergs and Bronte Beach are but a few of the iconic Sydney locations featured in Scanu's work. Frankly, if his photographs don't make you want to get out and enjoy the final weeks of summer, then we just don't know what will. Images courtesy of the artist.
It's almost here. We teased you with the idea of a Hello Kitty Diner a few weeks ago, with little but an Instagram post to go on. But now we've got a date and a location for Sydney's very first official Sanrio-endorsed Hello Kitty establishment; we're looking at October 2015 and it's going to be Chatswood. The Diner is locked in as the newest and most adorable resident of the District of Chatswood Interchange, a brand new food destination that has already launched with the likes of Ippudo and Michelin-starred dumpling house Tim Ho Wan. The whole predictably cutesy space will be designed by big gun design firm Luchetti Krelle, best known for working wonders on Momofuku Seiobo, Adriano Zumbo and more recently The Butler, ACME and the new Single Origin takeaway cafe. "With such variance and possibility of what a Hello Kitty Diner could look like, our task is to go beyond these expectations and make her and the diner’s experience uniquely Australian,” says Stuart Krelle, director of Luchetti Krelle. "Playing on Hello Kitty’s cheeky energy, colour and pattern will be a central theme along with an understated nod to the iconic American Diner style." According to the Hello Kitty Diner Australia team, 'local celebrity chefs' will be behind the menu concept, which will be both savoury and sweet (yep, that's all you're getting). But we do know each dish will be inspired by what Hello Kitty 'means' to each chef — what a heartwrenching feline. “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from, we all grew up with Hello Kitty,” says Dorothy Wang, managing director of Hello Kitty Diner Australia. “Our vision for the Diner is to invoke those memories and bring them all together into an unexpected dining experience. We won’t simply be offering Hello Kitty shaped meals, instead we will present a menu that tells a story, that brings flavours from all over the world — after all, Hello Kitty is a part of everyone, and you will really see this reflected in our dishes.” she said. There's set to be a whole host of activities, events and special dining experiences around the Hello Kitty Diner's launch, with a 'premier tasting event' locked in for September — one social media fans will be able to win tickets to, so get to the Facebook page. View all Sydney Restaurants. Image: Hello Kitty pancake by Ellie, Kawaii Kakkoii Sugoi. Not part of the upcoming menu but adorable anyway.
It might seem a little premature, but trust us — now is the time to start planning your perfect New Year's Eve event before all the good tickets get snapped up. Our pick? Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel are throwing a crazy party with a view over Sydney Harbour. Not only will you watch the sun set over the city and get a primo view of the fireworks spectacle, but the beachside party will kick on into the wee hours with some killer DJs. You'll find POOLCLVB, Jonny Powel, The Artful Force, DJ Cloud Rider and Tina Turntables on the decks. Last year's event was crazy fun and a collection of the most beautiful people on earth. This year you can get amongst it. And if you're feeling fancy, grab a VIP ticket and indulge in bites and beverages on the balcony from 6pm-8pm. Or go full Gatsby and rock a three-course, sit-down feast with oodles of champagne, plus access to the VIP area. WBBH have even arranged a ferry service to make getting home a breeze. NYE — you are officially sorted.
Gear up for one of the year's most anticipated (and inevitably raved about) national tours. The ever-impressive, ever-epic musical mastermind Ty Segall is currently on Australian shores to kick around on our stages for his biggest headliner tour yet — and set to show Sydney what San Fran sludge rock is all about. Segall is probably best known for his insane levels of productivity and painstakingly thought-out approach to his garage-rock jams. This year, the 27-year-old Californian released one of the great albums of 2014, glam-rock grail, Manipulator. Over the years, Segall already made significant waves with Sleeper, Twins, Hair, Melted, and Lemons. More EP vending machine than an album-a-year kinda guy, he's already racked up eight albums under his belt, and has a four song EP called Mr Face due out in January. Segall has already hit Melbourne and Meredith Music Festival with full force to rave reviews, selling out his first sideshow and adding another date to keep the people happy. Sydneysiders, if you see one show this year, catch this rock savant at Oxford Art Factory and thank us later. Image credit: Denee Petracek.
Carriageworks' vast, industrial spaces are already epic, by anyone's standards. After all, they used to be train yards. But they're planning on getting a whole lot snazzier, thanks to a just-announced whopping $50 million revamp. Announced by The Sydney Morning Herald this morning, the multipurpose Wilson Street venue is gearing up to "rival the Sydney Opera House and the yet-to-be completed ICC Sydney Theatre in Darling Harbour as one of the city's biggest entertainment venues." So, where is Carriageworks hoping to spend those big bucks? As you'd expect, they'll be spread across a bunch of varied artforms. Ready? You'd better sit down for this. Plans include a huge 5000-seat live music venue, a 200-seat cinema, another massive public exhibition space, new artist studios and rehearsal spaces, work spaces for creative companies, and more places to socialise, including bars, cafes and restaurants. Needless to say, a master plan of such gargantuan proportions is going to take some time to execute. The makeover process will take up to six years. But, by 2021, Carriageworks expects to be playing host to two million visitors and making a cool $15 million every year. There'll also be more music festivals, more food events, a major expansion of the weekend farmers' market and an additional weekday market. What Carriageworks won't be getting is any new buildings. "It's all within the existing envelope of Carriageworks," director Lisa Havilah told SMH. Importantly, there's no apparent intention to steal the thunder (or audiences) of Sydney's established arts centres. "Carriageworks reflects urban contemporary Sydney, which is a different experience from when you go to the Art Gallery [of NSW] or the MCA or the Opera House," said Havilah. "We also work across disciplines and the creative industries and that's what really makes Carriageworks a distinctive cultural precinct." Carriageworks is planning on sourcing money from both the government and private investors. Between 2012 and 2015, annual audience attendance increased from 110,000 and 790,000. Via SMH.
Are you a hardcore ramen connoisseur? By now, you've probably tried all of Sydney's best ramen offerings. Our favourites might have their noodles done to al dente perfection and their chicken cooked to mouthwatering, melty goodness, but things are about to go next-level for ramen fiends. Bibs on, the city's inaugural Ramen Wars are warming up. On Sunday, May 15, two of Sydney's most experienced chefs will meet at Salaryman, Surry Hills. On one side of the kitchen bench, you'll find Noma alumni and Silvereye head chef Sam Miller, who's promising to bring smoked eel and ox tongue to the Japanese classic. On the other will be Master head chef John Javier, who says he's going to draw on "traditional Asian flavours" to create an interesting dish, honing in on the elements that make ramen the "epitome of comfort food". And the best bit? You'll be doing the judging. That's right, kicking back, with a cocktail in your hand, you'll be sampling and slurping your way through the evening, ultimately deciding who should take the ramen trophy home. Get those chopsticks at the ready. To book, call (02) 9188 2985 or email info@salaryman.com.au.
Newtown Festival is returning to Camperdown Memorial Rest Park for its 38th year on Sunday, November 13. The festival — this year fronting the theme 'Home is where the heart is' — celebrates the eclectic Newtown community by showcasing local musicians, artists and food. In that spirit, the festival this year will raise funds for the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre's First Response Program, which supports people at risk of homeless in the inner west. Off the back of their US tour and the release of their second album, High Times for Low Lives, The Griswolds are headlining on the main Federation stage. They'll be joined by L-Fresh the Lion, All Our Exes Live in Texas and Purple Sneakers DJs. There will also be three more stages, featuring a wide range of acts from kids' music to DJs and rap. In addition to over 40 food stalls, Newtown Locals — a group comprising Black Star Pastry, Bloodwood, Brewtown Newtown, N2 Gelato, Young Henrys and Mary's among others — are collaborating to create five dishes for $10 especially for the festival. Also returning to the festival is the ever-popular Writer's Tent, which will include talks from Jane Caro, Melina Marchetta, Holly Throsby and David Hunt. For the first time, the festival will also include an exhibition of portraits by Jo Wallace, the brains behind Humans of Newtown. And, of course, it wouldn't be the Newtown Festival without the Dog Show, which will be on from 9.30-11am (with registration from 9am).
Parramatta has scored an epic new dining hub. We would say restaurant, but the term is inadequate. This long-anticipated culinary empire comes with two levels, indoor-outdoor seating for 150, a bar, a bakery and an onsite coffee roastery. In fact, a cheeky $4 million have been poured into its creation. The Emporium made a sneaky opening on Monday, April 6. And even though it’s yet to officially launch (that’ll be happening on May 21) and hasn’t hit the press in a major way, it’s been nonetheless attracting ravenous locals in their hundreds. Head chef Robert Cannon (formerly of Pony Lounge and Dining in The Rocks) has created a contemporary Australian menu, with flashes of Mediterranean tastiness. Right now, the dishes are limited to nine, with a more extensive menu to be launched at the end of April. Meanwhile, the coffee roaster is a 25 kilogram beast, which has been imported from Germany, and can take care of 600 kilograms of beans per day. There’s been no scrimping on the interior, either. Handcrafted marble tables have been imported from Venice, brickwork has been exposed, fresh flowers have been arranged. “We've got a lot of plans, we've got a lot going on,” Domenic Borel (ex-Gazebo and The Local Taphouse, now Emporium's general manager) told Good Food. “We'll be taking over the whole building by the end of the year and we'll have private wine rooms upstairs. We've got an application in for a sky bar — a champagne and oyster bar on the roof. And we've also made an offer on another restaurant quite close by. We're going to do a high-end fish restaurant." The Emporium, located at 51 Phillip Street, Parramatta, is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with food served until 11.30pm. Via Good Food.
Dumpling devotees, your potential for satisfactory feasting in the CBD is seriously expanding. This spring, two of Sydney’s most gifted dumpling makers are moving into Pitt Street: Tim Ho Wan and New Shanghai. Tim Ho Wan, the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant on the planet, began cooking up its fresh-to-order dumplings in Hong Kong in 2009. In March this year, the eatery launched its first ever venture outside South-East Asia — in Chatswood. Now, it’s expanding its Sydney presence, with the establishment of three new shopfronts. Two will be in the city — inside Pitt Street Mall's Westfield and at 580 George Street, while the other is heading for Burwood Westfield. We don’t have exact opening dates, but Tim Wo Han’s Facebook page is promising they’ll be ready by summer. Meanwhile, fellow Chatswood dweller New Shanghai, which already has eateries in Ashfield and Bondi Junction (among other lucky, lucky locations), is also coming for the CBD. According to the restaurant’s website, city workers will be chowing down on its soupy, crispy, pan-fried pork buns and crab xiao long bao by early October. We expect New Shanghai will also be importing its trademark 1930s Shanghai-inspired interior design and open-plan kitchen, where diners can watch the dumpling making in glorious action. Tim Ho Wan will open this summer at Westfield Sydney, 580 George Street and Westfield Burwood. New Shanghai will open October 2015 at Westfield Sydney. Can't wait for dumplings? Sink your teeth into Sydney's eight best dumpling houses here.
It's not every music festival that feels like a country weekend fete — and it's definitely not every music festival that feels like a country fete while being headlined by Rodriguez. But, hey, that's exactly what Fairgrounds 2016 promises to be. After a stellar debut last year — with Father John Misty headlining, no less — the boutique camping festival in the small NSW town of Berry is coming back this December. And the lineup has two big thumbs up from us. Taking over the local Berry Showgrounds on December 2 and 3, the two-day festival is making a triumphant return — much to the delight of everyone who went last year (including us). In a huge coup for the small festival in its second year, they've secured the legendary Rodriguez to headline on the Friday night. It's something of a self-fulfilling prophecy as the film in which Rodriguez is the subject, Searching for Sugar Man, was screened at the festival last year. Like last year, they've also nabbed some talent from Victoria's Meredith Music Festival, which will take place the weekend following Fairgrounds. In great news for NSW-bound music lovers, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Jagwar Ma, Angel Olsen and Japandroids will all be doing back-to-back festival weekends. There's a notable Aussie music presence (go team), with old hats The Drones and the ever-talented Sarah Blasko both playing the festival, along with Big Scary, who should be releasing their new album any day now. With a strong focus on the local NSW South Coast area, Fairgrounds isn't just about the tunes. Last year local nosh, market stalls and the local swimming pool played equally starring roles at this multifaceted festival — something we're sure made Berry residents pretty happy. Between watching films at the openair cinema, sack races, bouts of tug-of-war and dips in Berry's local pool (within the festival grounds and equipped with hectic DJ sets), punters feasted on local delights, from South Coast candy from Berry's own Treat Factory, and fresh rock oysters from An Australian Affair, harvested less than half an hour from the festival site. Plus pies, pies, pies, pies, pies. Straight-up, it warmed our jaded little hearts to see a smaller scale festival like Fairgrounds supporting local nosh, something still spearheaded by the likes of local loving' bigwigs like Bluesfest and Splendour. We can't wait to do it all again this year. But we know what you're here for. Here's the full lineup. FAIRGROUNDS FESTIVAL 2016 LINEUP Rodriguez King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Angel Olsen Big Scary Jagwar Ma Japandroids Julia Jacklin Julien Baker Sarah Blasko Sheer Mag Son Little The Drones The Tallest Man on Earth By Shannon Connellan and Lauren Vadnjal. Image: Andy Fraser.
Sydney Contemporary is back for its fifth year, once again taking over Carriageworks for an annual celebration of all things art from September 12–15. As is usually the case, this year will be the biggest yet, with over 450 artists from 34 countries exhibiting their work. The opening night party on Thursday, September 12 promises to once again be among the year's biggest art bashes. On the night, visitors will catch a glimpse of thousands of new contemporary artworks, alongside eight performances — including Tony Albert's Confessions and the premiere of Nell's Ghost Songs for Rock Gate. Not to mention the afterparty, which we, your mates at Concrete Playground, are hosting with Campari at Earl's Juke Joint. The art fair been been collated in partnership with more than 95 galleries — those include international heavy hitters like Kyoto's Cohju Contemporary Art, Paris's Nil Gallery, Cape Town's Worldart and New York's Flowers Gallery. As far as local galleries go, expect entries from Roslyn Oxley9 and Sullivan+Strumpf, and a focus on Indigenous and emerging artists. Interactive art also takes centre stage with Australian artist Joan Ross presenting her virtual reality work Did you ask the river?, which depicts an unsettling 3D colonial landscape. Other large-scale installations include Gregory Hodge's Suspension Painting, Michael Lindeman's text-based sculpture Thanks and Alex Seton's carved marble skull Winners are Grinners. Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro have teamed up, too — creating the site-specific Tower of Power, which can be climbed for panoramic views of the fair. Free talks will be on offer throughout the event, as will performances by the likes of Rainbow Chan, Marcus Whale and Hong Kong artist Movana Chen — she is presenting an ongoing performance series, titled Body Container Container Comes to Life. Paper Contemporary also returns for 2019 with a showcase of modern printmaking, artist books and other works on paper. And, once you need a break from all that art, head to one of three bars — featuring champagne from Taittinger, Campari cocktails and Handpicked Wines — or to the pop-up restaurants for snack breaks. Tickets to the afterparty will set you back 50 bucks, otherwise you can check out the fair at your leisure across the four days for $26. It'll be open from12–5pm on Thursday, 12–8pm on Friday, and 11am–6pm on Saturday and Sunday. Check out the full program over here, and be sure to nab tickets while you still can. Images: Jacquie Manning.
The high priestess of dark rock is coming to Australia — PJ Harvey is the very first artist announced for Sydney Festival 2016. Locked in to play an exclusive performance at Sydney's shiny new International Convention Centre on Sunday, January 22, Harvey will be backed by her ten-piece band for a career-spanning set. It's been a while between drinks — Harvey hasn't performed in Australia since her 2012 Sydney Festival concert. It's a new live show for the UK indie rock legend, one that's already toured Europe and the US and features all your favourite early classics and newer material. It's also one of the first concerts announced for Sydney's epic $1.5 billion ICC, with all round nice guy but undeniably less badass Keith Urban recently announced as the very first artist for the new venue. PJ Harvey plays ICC Sydney Theatre in Darling Harbour on Sunday, January 22. Tickets on sale tomorrow at 8am AEST from Sydney Festival's website. An allocation of tickets will also be held for Sydney Festival customers, on sale from 27 October.
White rabbits, tea parties, royal megalomaniacs — outside Lewis Carroll's gloriously twisted imagination, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is meant for the stage. And next year, you'll be able to see this dark, surreal and twisted tale as a ballet, with the Australian Ballet announcing the Australian premiere today. Headlining the Australian Ballet's 2017 program, announced in Sydney today, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland will complete the season in Melbourne in September and Sydney in December. Spearheaded by legendary choreographer Christoper Wheeldon and scored by Joby Talbot, Alice will be brought to life by the Australian Ballet in what they're calling "magnificent detail". Think Broadway-level. Designer Bob Crowley will throw as many immersive digital projections, wigs and masks, puppets and intricate costumes as he can at this one. Alice is one of three mainstage shows for the Ballet's 2017 season featuring female leads, joined by the return of artistic director David McAllister's highly opulent production of The Sleeping Beauty and radical modern reworking of Nutcracker – The Story of Clara. "It's a season defined by exquisite performance and the adventures of three extraordinary women," says McAllister. "We fall down the rabbit hole with Alice in Christopher Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, we follow the life of a Russian ballerina who arrives in Australia in Graeme Murphy's Nutcracker – The Story of Clara, and then Princess Aurora leads a cast of fairytale characters as she searches for her Prince in The Sleeping Beauty." Keen for something a little more contemporary? The Australian Ballet is continuing their dedication to body-stretching modern triple bills with Faster — if you've caught the Ballet's previous tri-slam dunks like Triptych and Vanguard, you'll know how quickly you'll enrol in yoga after seeing one of these sexy, sexy works. Faster will see three of the world's leading choreographers create one diverse work, featuring an Olympics-inspired work scored by Australian composer Matthew Hindson, an Australian premiere of new work by Wayne McGregor scored by Steve Reich, and a new work by Australian Ballet resident choreographer Tim Harbour, architect Kelvin Ho and lighting designer Benjamin Cisterne. In big news, the Australian Ballet will also perform a free outdoor event, Ballet Under the Stars, in Sydney's West. And if you show up at the wrong venue for the mainstage productions, take note — due to the closure of the Joan Sutherland Theatre at the Sydney Opera House in the second half of 2017, Capitol Theatre will be the primary venue for November and December 2017. There's plenty more where that came from, including a Melbourne-only, young choreographer-focused production of George Balanchine's Symphony in C. Check the website for dates, tickets and more info.
If it's been a while between Chardonnays with you and Orange, or if you've never actually ventured to the regional foodie hub of New South Wales, now's your time to make amends. On Sunday, November 26, Sydneysiders can take in the best of Orange's food and wine on the waterfront — Taste Orange is headed for Barangaroo. Taste your way through NSW's 'food basket' with some of the regions best wineries offering tastings, including Cumulus Estate, Gilbert by Simon Gilbert, Highland Heritage Estate, Logan Wines, Philip Shaw Wines, Slow Wine Co. and Ross Hill Wines. Seriously, if you haven't tasted a Phillip Shaw Chardonnay, get amongst it. But you're going to want some high quality, Orange-grown nibbles with that vino. Taste's food offerings include kangaroo sliders from Dreamtime Tuka, Indigenous Cultural Adventures and sweet treats using native ingredients from Bush Tucka. Barangaroo eateries like Wild Sage, Anason and Bel & Brio will also set up stalls for the day. Entry to the festival is free, but you'll have to purchase all food and wine once you're in. It's $5 for a wine glass and and then you can choose between $8 per full glass of wine (120ml) or $4 per half glass (60ml) for the tastings. If you don't want to wait in line, you can purchase a $40 tasting pack online before you head in, which gets you ten tokens for either five glasses or ten half glasses.
They send coffee beans into space, shoot fireworks you can taste into the sky and make cocktails tailored to your individual DNA in Dubai. With their fantastical fusion of art and food, UK-based 'jellymongers' Bompas & Parr are basically our patron saints around the Concrete Playground office. Who wouldn't want to attend one of their playful and painstakingly constructed events? For the happy campers at Dark Mofo, that's what's set to happen in a big way. As part of the Unconscious Collective's art sleepover Wild at Heart, the duo will create a feast that nods to Pagan traditions through hunting, gathering, sacrifice, ritual and some intensely primal dishes. With our eyes wide and mouths properly drooling, we got Sam Bompas on the line for a lowdown on what to expect at his Feed the Beast feast. And even more than that, we wanted to know what a person so used to thinking laterally about the potential of food has to say about current dining trends and the Australian culinary scene. His answers may surprise you. You and Harry [Parr, the other half of Bompas & Parr] started working together as jellymongers, but I see increasingly more stories about non-jelly-related experiences you've created these days. How did that evolution happen? I think quite naturally. When we started out we just wanted to do something fun on the weekend, and jelly held the key. We set up the jelly company but within a month we were moving on to full catering, doing a 12-course Victorian breakfast in Warwick castle, coordinating a thousand calories arriving on people's plates from three separate kitchens. So we moved quite quickly from jelly into doing everything. And I think really the reasoning behind that was wanting to give people really engaging, emotionally compelling experiences and in order to do that we were looking at controlling everything, from venue and set design to uniform design to choreography, rituals, scripting, staff, right through the plates and everything else. So I guess it was pretty ambitious. Obviously it takes a much bigger team of creatives to make all of this happen. Is your workplace basically Wonka's Chocolate Factory? Like that, but perhaps a little more adult. A lot of the projects we work on, some of them are very, very child-friendly — so we just did something that Willy Wonka would be proud of, a flavour-changing chewing gum factory — but some of the projects are a lot more adult, so things like the installation we've got up at the Museum of Sex in New York at the moment, which is looking at fairgrounds and eroticism, the pleasures and perils of the erotic fairground. You've been to Australia a few times now with your work. What did you find out about Australian food while you were here? I've got to say, when the Australian chefs I know come over to London, I'm always very, very interested because I think that in certain sectors Australia leads the world by about six months or so, in things like juicing culture, coffee culture, a lot of their F&D, and I'm obviously interested in some of the more unusual ingredients as well which are just totally native to Australia ... I was amazed last time I came across, I went to Africola, the restaurant in Adelaide, and I was served up a whole cow's head with brains still in, and of course, coming from England that's about the most taboo food you could ever imagine, in the aftermath of BSE [mad cow disease], so that was a pretty feral dining experience for me and absolutely blew me away. That's great for us Aussies to hear, because we have this cultural cringe, where we presume everything we do is a bit backwards. Did your visit give you any ideas you wanted to pursue? Seeing the cow's head sparked us to push even further what was totally acceptable for us to put on the table. Everyone here is obsessed with what is called the 'unholy union' of Cadbury chocolate and Vegemite. Have you heard about this? Oh wow. Not at all. Who claims to have discovered this? Cadbury's produced it. It's on the shelves. Really? They're very innovative. I guess so. We're just discovering how deep their imagination can stretch. So would you eat Vegemite chocolate? I'm never shy to try something once. Most people's reaction is 'yuck'. So is that yuck impulse something you like to trust, or interrogate? Well I think it's always culturally constructed. I've read a lot of research that says you can grow to like anything after you become acclimatised, and actually grow to love it. So once you know that, then you're kind of up for eating anything. Quite often when I travel my host will try to put the most harrowing things on the table just to test me, but I always quite like that challenge. So whether it's live, squirming tentacles that if you don't chew them stick to the back of your throat in South Korea or strange and rare fruits in Hawaii, I love pushing what I feel are my own limits. Insects are starting to become a thing here. You've probably eaten a few insects in your time? Yeah. There's a lot of chat about it. We did a whole insect banquet as part of something around Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, god, four or five years ago now. I'm not convinced insects are the future for our diets but I do think that they might help with animal feed and animal protein. I'm much more interested in the creative potential of genetic manipulation. I did imagine that you would be more excited than worried about GM. Well of course there are ethical concerns but as long as you navigate them in a sensible and conscientious manner I think there's some good work to be done. Back to the present. There's also this rise at the moment in food that's a challenge. You know, it's either impossible to make, or it's some kind of monstrous hybrid, or it looks like it could give you a heart attack. What is that about do you think? And do you see that kind of instinct in people as fuelling interest in your own work? I think for me, it's feeding into how across the board people are using food to define their personal sense of identity and to perform identity in front of others as well. So whether that's you're eating your glucose-free, lactose-free light salads and you're telling the story to people of you as a yoga babe, or savage dude food — all of it, of course, going up on Instagram to tell people what an interesting, amazing life you have. And I think it's exciting too. What it has meant is, given that people are using food in this way, as a signifier of status and signifier of identity, there's been an increasing amount of resources put into food and concern about food and what people are eating, and generally an overall lift up in food knowledge, which I think can only be a good thing. Absolutely. Australia certainly has a big foodie culture. Probably safe to say it eclipses our interest in stuff like art and art appreciation. Your work obviously combines both food and art. So what is the connection you see between the two areas? Basically no one eats our food because they're in need of more calories — in actual fact, they're often avoiding calories. They tend to eat our food for entertainment, and personally I consider both arts and food offshoots of the entertainment industry. So if you come to one of our events rather than going to the opera, going for a nice swim, making love, sitting at the pub talking about mermaids or whatever you like to talk about, it has to be really rather compelling. I guess one of the good things about food is it's a wonderful arena to give people an interesting and emotive experience and I think that's what the best art seeks to do. Foodie culture obviously has a lot of benefits — the increased knowledge, as you were saying. But do you think there are any downsides from being too narrowly focused on food? I think you've got to look at the word 'foodie' itself, is a pejorative term. It was invented in the 1970s by Paul Levy as a descriptive of someone who's too concerned about food to the point of missing other things in life. I think it is important to have balance, but if you look at a lot of our installations, while the food is important, we address a lot of the attention to other elements as well, just to give people a total experience, one that's very legible and understandable. I find sometimes very cheffy food becomes difficult to read; it becomes something that only the food elite can possibly understand. But what I'm interested in is a much more inclusive approach to food. Your banquet in Tasmania, Wild at Heart, is based around pagan themes. It seems pretty perfect for Dark Mofo, which also includes a nude solstice swim. Is that where the inspiration came from? With the banquet we've been collaborating with the Unconscious Collective, and they set the theme, but it's a theme we've been very delighted to explore, expand on and run with. It's so hairy and muscular you can really gorge on it, as we hope that participants will be gorging on the feast as well. There are two components. On the first night, it's more of a gentle, campfire-type scenario, spiced up with flamethrowers, bombfires and roadkill jerky and drinking from actual skull cups hollowed out of a whole variety of animal skulls. And that will actually be up and remain up way beyond the original launch to ensure that everyone can pop down. Then we move on to the Feed the Beast banquet, which is exploring all the many different facets of the beast and the animals we all contain within ourselves. Sounds primal. It should be pretty savage. And it's something that I'm quite excited to explore, because when you start feeding people, you become quite aware of just how thin that line of civility is that divides us from the animal kingdom ... So what we want to do with this event and meal is give people the opportunity, the excuse and legitimacy to explore the beast within them, with things [from] blood and beating hearts to epic steaming hunks of spit roast wild deer that's actually just been hunted by [Tasmanian chef] Ross O'Meara to the more amorous side, so exploring tales of aphrodisiacs. There'll definitely be a lot of nudity. And not all of it probably our performers. One of the things we're looking at is creating an actual beating pig's heart that materialises as part of the starter, and it's literally there pumping fluids around, so it feels very visceral, very alive. We then take this live heart, slice it up and sautee it so it comes back served up for the first course. I don't know that anyone's done that before, so there should be a few world firsts. Can you tell us anything else you've got planned for the 'rituals' in the event? We've got lots of rituals around blood. Almost like a whole meditative cleanse around hand washing as well. I'm also very inspired by a chap called Grimod de La Reynière, who was kind of the first proper restaurant critic and if you ask me a far better gourmet and food writer than his contemporary Brillat-Savarin, who everyone normally refers to. And he hosted a very decadent banquet in which all the guests arrived, they had their hands washed, and then they dried their hands on the hair of all the waitstaff, which I think is really, particularly creepy. So we'll try to channel some of those energies as well. Delightful. I want to ask you about some of your past works that we've covered on the site. You recently held an anatomical whiskey tasting. So I want to know, were people more excited to drink from a 20-year-old or a 50-year-old? Well we went from 25 to 39, and I think the thing that was wonderful was as the age went up, so the whiskey got more and more elaborate. We actually had a 63-year-old volunteer to be the vessel for one of them, although the only 63-year-old whiskey we could find was going to cost us a hundred and twenty thousand pounds, which got pretty full on ... The thing that I liked was how people interacted with one another. You started off with what was originally a sort of awkward situation, twenty strangers in a room on Valentine's Day, all licking whiskey from the naked, supine body of someone who they've never met and who's just told them the story of their life in fifteen minutes, and even with that, very rapidly, galvanized by some of the world's finest whiskies, they very quickly formed bonds. What about the lava barbecue? People had to get 500 friends together to make that happen. So did anyone get 500 friends together? We're still working on that. We're speaking to a couple of people at the moment. That would be my ultimate, ultimate project. That was far and away the best week I've ever had, and far and away the quickest cook as well, given that it is blazing at one thousand three hundred and fifty degrees Celsius. So you just need to find someone who can gather 500 people? Five hundred people and quite a hefty budget. 500 people and much money. We'll work on it. And with regards to jelly, have you come across a building you couldn't make into jelly, or are there buildings that work better than others? Modern architecture doesn't work; anything with a steel core doesn't work particularly well. Towers don't work very well at all. They obviously look phallic as buildings, but even more so when rendered in jelly. We made the Empire State Building and it had to get pulled from American morning television because it was just way too threatening ... But actually the buildings that tend to work best are historic stone architecture. And the reason for that is that as it gets higher then it goes in at the top, and that gives jelly just the right amount of stability. So some of the really good jellies we've made are actually Flinders Street Station and the Melbourne War Memorial, which was a really good one. But the Sydney Opera House might be harder? It sort of tapers in at the top; it works quite well. That's a firm favourite and regularly made as jelly. You already sell 'space beans' [coffee beans that have travelled to space] on the site. Are there any plans to expand the products people can buy? We often have plans we're not totally good at realising. To do products you have to have a firm focus and keep on rolling on it for a good long while. The inception and the creative frenzy of the first bit is soon replaced by actually having to go out and sell the product. The bit we like doing is all the creative bits, which is why I guess we stick with events and things. That's reasonable. But we'll keep our fingers crossed for some kind of amazing chocolate bar. It would be fun to do. I guess we've just got way too short attention spans so far. Wild at Heart is part of the festival Dark Mofo, which is on from June 12 – 22 in Hobart. The event is sold out, so if you don't have a ticket, you'll just have to watch your friends go savage from afar.
My yoga studio has a basketball court below it. During a calming session of yoga, it is not uncommon to hear the piercing screech of a whistle, frequent cheering and the intermittent shrieks of "Great shot Mike!". One time, I kid you not, there was a marching band procession going down, and the instructor had to calmly try and talk over the incessant drumming. Quite un-zen. Flow After Dark Silent Disco Yoga seeks to give yoga enthusiasts the exact opposite experience. How exactly does one silent disco yoga? Quite easily with the introduction of wireless headphones. These bad boys give participants a one-on-one with their instructor, while simultaneously pumping out beats from Sydney DJ James Mack. Also, they're neon. This one-off, 90-minute Vinyasa yoga session will be held at Sydney's Luna Park and is probably your best (possibly only) chance to show off your best warrior pose while simultaneously jiving to some seriously smooth music. After a sold out event at Luna Park in April, you better snap up some tickets quickly, as this one's set to be bigger and better than the last.
