The Plot is back. And this time, it’s heading for Parramatta Park. For those unfamiliar with the name, The Plot is a new music festival that first happened back in 2013 – in Sydney at Luna Park’s Big Top and in Melbourne at the Palace Theatre and Ding Dong Lounge. And this afternoon, the lineup has dropped. Locked in for Saturday, December 5 at Parramatta Park it’ll be an epic, summery, outdoor affair, with gorgeous Old Government House at its centre, and the beautifully revived Parramatta River alongside. There’ll be three stages, an abundance of locally-made food featuring local produce, craft beers, boutique wines and an eclectic mix of music from both Australia and overseas. Expect purveyors of Jerusalem street food Knafeh alongside Parramatta’s The Emporium, fusion sandwiches Sundweesh, local brewhouse Riverside Brewery, Hillybilly Cider, Bella Vista Hotel’s Bella Shack’s Burgers, lemonade cocktail lovers Citrus Factory, award-winning brother brewers The Australian Brewery, dumpling experts Yan’s Asian and plenty more. Plus, The Plot is promising to celebrate the diversity and community spirit associated with Sydney’s Greater West. Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 9am on Thursday, October 8 at $69 (+bf). But if you’re a Past Plotter, you’ll score the 2013 price of $45 (+BF). Just keep an eye on your inbox for a unique link that’ll allow you to take advantage of this bargain — it’ll arrive around 9am on Thursday, October 1 and will remain valid until midnight, Wednesday, October 7. After that, you’ll be paying full price. THE PLOT 2015 LINEUP: ANDY GARVEY ART VS SCIENCE ASTA BASENJI BOO SEEKA B WISE CROOKED COLOURS E^ST FRIEND WITHIN (UK) FUTURE LOVE HANGOVER THE GRISWOLDS JAWZ L-FRESH THE LION LUEN LUKE MILLION MATOMA (NOR) THE MEETING TREE NGAIIRE PACES SAFIA SHANTAN WANTAN ICHIBAN SPIT SYNDICATE STONEY ROADS DJS TKAY MAIDZA TUKA URTHBOY UV BOI YOUNG FRANCO triple j Unearthed winner to be announced
This is the dinner party you've been dreaming about since you were six. Enter an abandoned garage and get set to dig into three courses. But, prepare yourself for a slew of surprises because you'll be doing a whole lot more than simply looking at your food, before eating it. In fact, Don't Play With Your Food is more like a Bompas + Parr-like multi-sensory journey. Creative duo Harry + Matt will be bringing you a team of performers, architects, chefs and set-designers, including experiential chef Jordan McKenzie from Oar and Anchor and architect-turned-jellyologist, Jessica Mentis from Mentis Studios.
Like food, wine and good conversation? You'll find all three at Rootstock Sydney when it returns to Carriageworks this November. One of the largest events of its kinds anywhere in Australia, this annual celebration of artisan food and natural wine will once again bring together top farmers, chefs, producers and winemakers with hungry, thirsty members of the public. "We're excited to present the return of Rootstock Sydney at Carriageworks for its third year," said Carriageworks Director Lisa Havilah. "This world-class event is an opportunity for visitors to engage first-hand with some of the best chefs and creative leaders in the food and wine industry." It all goes down on the last weekend of November. Partnering up with the regular Carriageworks Farmers Market, the free-to-attend Rootstock Sydney Food Market will focus on native food and produce. A showcase of ethnic-Australian food and pop-up bars serving orange wine, sake and wild ferment beers will also be on offer. Running alongside the market will be the Rootstock Wine Festival. The ticketed event will highlight naturally farmed wines, with more than 200 varieties available to taste. On top of all the eating and drinking you'll be doing, there'll also be ample opportunity to feed your brain. Rootstock Sydney 2016 will feature talks by producers, chefs, educators, sommeliers and more. No more two minute noodle dinners for us! Rootstock Sydney 2016 will be held at Carriageworks on November 25-26. For more information visit the Rootstock website.
Lower north shore residents won't have to head into the city for Sydney's latest opening. Brand new, modern Scandinavian-style, Mediterranean-menued bar and restaurant The Public has opened its doors in Cammeray. Joining the local foodie strip of Miller Street in the space where Belgian Beer Cafe sat for 15 years, The Public is a big, breezy, modern space made for long lazy brunches and intimate catch-ups alike. Think marine-grade plywood, aquas, blues, whites, and 3D installation art. The brainchild of North shore brothers James and Will Christopher, The Public is nothing short of a labour of love. Not their first time at the Sydney hospitality rodeo, this new bar marks the third venue for the Christopher brothers, following their long-loved local cafe The Laneway and their Spanish tapas joint Ms Miller (right next door). They've also launched start-ups, cheffed here and there, and Will feeds the entire team at the celebrated Secret Garden Festival every year — production team meals you have to taste to believe. Seriously. Next level. Aiming to give Cammeray a foodie identity of its own and steal some limelight from burgeoning eastern suburbs like Double Bay or western hubs like Marrickville, the Christopher brothers teamed up with business manager and superyacht seller (actual thing) Damian Barrow to swing the spotlight to the lower north shore. Alright, alright, now we know who's behind the joint, what can we expect to chow down on? The Christopher brothers have brought over Ms Miller head chef James Featherstone to create pub classic-meets-Euro-style dishes for The Public. Think Greek and Mediterranean food with house-made olive butter, taramasalata and hummus, with family-style platters of lamb kleftiko and barbecued chicken. Then there's the burgers, like this double beef, double bacon, double cheese wagyu beef burger: With all this hummus and barbecued chicken afoot, we're going to need some bevs here. Drinks-wise, you can expect an Australian, New Zealand, Italian and French-focused wine list, and ten beers on tap including Young Henry’s, Two Birds, Rocks Brewing, Endeavour and Mountain Goat. The Public's set to become a Cammeray staple if it plays its cards right. And with monthly markets and beer and wine events planned for the future, it looks like this by-locals-for-locals newbie holds all the aces. Find The Public at 429 Miller Street, Cammeray.
Until last year, Nick Murphy was better known by his stage name, Chet Faker. Since dropping the moniker, Murphy has reinvented his ARIA-winning style, opting for a sharply produced cacophony of low tempo piano and his signature understated vocals, juxtaposed with upbeat synth melodies. After testing the waters with a live band at Laneway Festival, Murphy is making things a little more intimate for his Vivid Sydney show. Murphy is taking on theatre in the round for this Vivid performance, premiering new tracks performance in 360 degrees. It's a triumphant return for Murphy, who played to 12,000 people over two sold-out nights in the Opera House forecourt as Chet Faker in 2015.
Gin! Whimsy! Harbour views! These exclamations and crisp local gin cocktails can be yours this summer, as the Museum of Contemporary Art and Archie Rose open a Grayson Perry-inspired pop-up gin garden. The Gin Garden will be a shady oasis with harbour views from December 4, coinciding with the MCA’s Sydney International Art Series huge exhibition Grayson Perry: My Pretty Little Art Career. Dubbed "the ultimate celebration of British eccentricity with a twist of Antipodean flair" by the MCA team, the Gin Garden will see a range of innovative cocktails and jugs made with native ingredients and the Signature Dry Gin by Rosebery's Archie Rose — Sydney's first distillery in 160 years. Keep it simple with The Ultimate G&T (gin and Fever-tree Indian tonic) or get a little more British with The Rose Garden (gin, Earl Grey tea, ginger beer & Roses English marmalade), Channel Enid Blyton with The Faraway Tree (gin, Campari, sweet vermouth and wattleseed cola) or keep it real with a Straight-Laced Lemonade (gin or Archie Rose Original Vodka, smoked lemonade, lemon myrtle and soda water). Young Henrys also launched their own Noble Cut gin this year, but they'll be bringing more of their beloved craft beers to the table — in tinny form — and there's a solid wine menu of Australian and New Zealand slam-dunks. They'll be paired with a garden-friendly menu, from South Coast rock oysters with gin, tonic and cucumber to zucchini and haloumi fritters with juniper pangritata and all the ploughmans platters in between, so prepare your palate for new and glorious adventures in taste. In addition to snacking and slurping in the garden, of course, you should check out Grayson Perry's highly anticipated exhibition, the first major survey in the southern hemisphere of the works of one of Britain’s most acclaimed contemporary artists. It'll run from December 10 to May 1. The Gin Garden opens at MCA from December 4 to early February. Open Thursdays to Sundays, 4pm to late. Free entry.
After a day listening and wining and thinking and wining at the Sydney Writers' Festival, the last thing you'll want to do is go home early. So don't. Stick around for some clever, clever company — and sunset views — at Nights At The Wharf. Starting from 6pm on May 19, 20 and 21, this year's series is promising robot experts, gold medallists, yoga instructors, philosophers, live music and poetry. Creative couple Peggy Frew and Mick Turner (of The Dirty Three) will chat about living in an art-ing, music-ing, drawing, painting household — and play you a few tunes while they're at it. International stars Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye will perform the spoken word blitzes that have turned them into modern Lord Byrons, and Chicago-based singer and poet Jamila Woods will jump on stage. Kick-on from 9.30pm each night, as the formidable Chaser team will take over the Hemingway Bar. Chris Taylor will be hosting a bunch of chats, featuring the likes of Midnight Oil frontman-turned-politician-turned-memoirist Peter Garrett, artist Ken Done, robot expert Richard Watson and gold medallist Leisel Jones, among others. And while not necessarily on the wharf, Nights at the Wharf sprawls to over the road at Roslyn Packer Theatre, with a special doubler header from Magda Szubanski and George Megalogenis, and Adam Spencer's Night of the Nerds. Image: Prudence Upton.
There's only a handful of sleeps until Splendour in the Grass once again blows our wee minds, and we've been whiling away the hours by bingeing on live clips in anticipation. And who better to YouTube stalk than one of our favourite artists, English bedroom producer (with pipes to back it all up) James Blake. Blake's music is made to be performed live — all the better to feel shivers up your spine. He's performing at Splendour over the weekend and a string of official sideshows — Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Tuesday, July 26 and Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday, July 27 — thereafter so no doubt we can expect to add a few more classics to this list. Have your phone camera (and tissues) at the ready. 'I NEED A FOREST FIRE' - GLASTONBURY 2016 It's not news to anyone that Justin Vernon (better known as Bon Iver) and James Blake are good mates. Of course they are — they probably bonded over their soaring, soulful singing voices and create music that generates All The Feels. So when Vernon made a surprise appearance at Glastonbury last month, jumping up on stage to perform 'I Need a Forest Fire' from Blake's most recent album The Colour in Anything, it was pure, ethereal magic. The pair collaborated closely on the album and their chemistry shows on stage when those two unmistakable voices harmonise perfectly. GLASTONBURY 2016 'TIMELESS' During the same performance at this year's Glastonbury, Blake was joined on stage by rapper Vince Staples during his rendition of 'Timeless', also from The Colour In Anything. Staples raps, Blake plays the piano, tension builds and together they bring a whole new flavour to the song and FOMO to the streaming townspeople. It's like 'Timeless' was made for a collaboration that never materialised, but during this performance it's made whole. And it's only the start of a beautiful (and musically fertile) friendship, as Staples has enlisted Blake to produce his upcoming album. 'RETROGRADE' - DAVID LETTERMAN 2013 'Retrograde', off Blake's second album Overgrown, has to be the pinnacle of 'Blake-ism' — the otherworldly, richly melancholic style for which he's become renown — and his performance on Letterman in 2013 is still one of the most captivating renditions of it to this day. So many bedroom producers struggle to translate well to the stage, but Blake nails this performance without dropping a single note. It's no wonder America sat up and paid attention after this slam dunk. 'CMYK' — MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL 2011 'CMYK' is the title track from one of Blake's earlier EPs, the 2010 release of the same name. It's an album that's categorised as soft dubstep and samples heavily from '90s R&B staples (like Aliyah's 'Are You That Somebody'), so while it's not exactly the James Blake you know and love today, damn is it good. He performed it at the 2011 Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and even watching the video makes us want to get up to get down. As a side note, the video editing is on point, turning what could have been a static video of the stage into a visual feast that captures the feeling of being at an electric gig. Snaps all round for this one. 'LIMIT TO YOUR LOVE — MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL 2013 Here's another from the Montreux Jazz Festival, where Blake performed again in 2013. The set is more intimate, more demure, but fizzling with emotion and his performance of 'Limit to Your Love' is arguably the crown jewel. While he hits every note perfectly, there's a rough quality to 'Limit to your Love' (so different from his normally silky songs) that, in tandem with the sparse but elegant production, makes for a fascinating performance. It's also great to see the whole band enjoying themselves. You can catch the whole performance here. Geared up for a live set IRL from James Blake? He'll be here for the very sold-out Splendour in the Grass in Byron Bay, as well as two official sideshows before the festival — Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Tuesday, July 26 and Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday, July 27. Tickets here.
Flying Lotus has quite the hefty portfolio. Between collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Herbie Hancock and Thundercat, the LA producer's five albums experiment with every last genre from hip hop to jazz. In between his own work, FlyLo has produced music for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, film scores and even has a radio station dedicated to his work on the video game Grand Theft Auto V. He also casually raps every now and again under the alias Captain Murphy. Heading our way for Laneway Festival, FlyLo will break out his 3D visual show Layer 3 — fully improvised live by his own graphics team — as part of Sydney Opera House's Music at the House summer program. FlyLo's visit down under will support the release of his 2014 album You’re Dead!, so things will inevitably get pretty frantic.
In the week before the launch of Chin Chin Sydney, the lofty, white-walled space in the Griffith Teas building in Surry Hills (take a closer look here) is buzzing with chefs, waitstaff, builders and three women of wine, calmly ready to take on one of Sydney's most anticipated openings in years. And with the crackerjack credentials of sommeliers at the top of their game, it's easy to see why they remain tranquil amid the whir of energy around them. Leading the team is Head Sommelier Jacq Turner, who cut her teeth at Melbourne faves Gertrude Street Enoteca and Bellota Wine Bar, before helping to bring the acclaimed Prince Wine Store to Sydney. Joining her as assistant manager of wine and beverage is Brooklyn native Lilly Polanco, fresh from curating the wine list at Mjølner, but also from Woolloomooloo's Otto Ristorante, not to mention Michelin star fine dining establishments in the USA such as Restaurant Daniel. And as if that is not enough professional prowess, Lauren Norman will add top-notch experience from Rockpool Bar & Grill, London's The Ledbury, Porteño and most recently as head somm at The Dolphin Hotel. And while Chin Chin has built this team of kickass wine women, it's certainly not the norm — men still very much dominate the industry. "When I went to masterclasses there were no other women there, but me," says Turner. And Polanco can relate: "I was one girl in a very famous New York restaurant. One." But things are slowly changing, she says, adding that "then we were two. And then we were three". "I'm just fucking sick of seeing the restaurant opening with four white dudes," says Turner. "It's fucking boring. It's like, what is that offering? I think it's really just lazy." "[Having a women-led wine team is] really powerful and I feel like it's a really great mentorship for us to all to be together," says Norman. "We can support other girls too, but we can also support boys and I think it's really exciting." The overarching plan is to empower all the staff — regardless of gender and role — to be confident and knowledgeable when it comes to the drinks on offer. But it's not just the waitstaff they plan to educate about the wines, it's the Sydney public, as they prepare to introduce a controversial program of tap wines to the menu. The ladies are unanimously pumped about this; some of Australia's best producers — such as Brokenwood, Yabby Lake and Jim Barry Wines — are creating bespoke tap wines specifically delicious when paired with the chilli, sour, sweet and salty flavours on the Chin Chin menu. Venues have been slowly switching to tap wines, but Chin Chin is taking the concept and running with it. A similar reaction to when screw tops were introduced 20 years ago is expected, but the team stand behind what Polanko calls "a revolution". "It's much less expensive to run, it stays fresher longer — it just is all-around better," she says. "[But] it's not perceived that way, which is the sad part. I want to see people's faces when they come in and they are like, 'tap wine — what?'" The fact that these wines cost only $11 per glass, $29 for a half-litre and $49 for a whole litre might just add to the bewilderment. The tap program is not the only way Chin Chin Sydney will differentiate itself from its much-adored Melbourne sibling — it has a more seafood-focused menu, a pork belly rotisserie and a celebration of New South Wales wines. Add to that the regeneration of the iconic Griffiths Teas building, which has lain dormant for 37 years, a 100 seat cocktail bar called GoGo and the soon-to-open basement event space Chii Town, and there is plenty to give the Sydney outpost an edge. "I think a lot of people will be coming in thinking that it's going to be Melbourne," says Norman. "But it's going to be a lot more — this is Chin Chin Sydney." THREE DISH AND WINE PAIRINGS TO TRY AT CHIN CHIN SYDNEY So what should you order when you do visit? We asked the wine team to recommend some tasty drops to try with the new Chin Chin Sydney menu. JACQ'S PAIRING: SQUID SALAD AND SEMILLON The dish: Squid, green mango salad with cashews and coconut. Best paired with: "Our Brokenwood Semillon 2017 from our tap wine selection. Brokenwood has been a long standing supporter and friend of the Chin Chin group. This Semillon is a cracking vintage, bright, early picked and textural — made to battle with the Thai spices." LILLY'S PAIRING: PORK BELLY AND PINOT NOIR The dish: Rotisserie pork belly with fennel, plum pickle and scud chilli death sauce. Best paired with: "Our Tom Carson Pinot Noir 2015, another one of our tap wines. Tom Carson (of Yabby Lake) has long been a friend and supporter of the Chin Chin group. His single vineyard Pinot Noir from the Mornington Peninsula has fleshy red fruits and undergrowth with notes of anise with silky tannins — perfect for the fiery sauce accompaniment." LAUREN'S PAIRING: GREEN CURRY AND RIESLING The dish: Green curry with grilled fish wing, pea, eggplant and baby corn. Best paired with: "Our 2015 Cotier Riesling. This fragrant green curry is perfect for 2015 Cotier Riesling, a spicy, textured wine that is pithy but fresh, with skin contact and barrel ferment adding a base note to this grapefruit and ginger spice-driven wine." Chin Chin Sydney is set to open at 69 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, on Monday, October 2. To make a booking visit chinchinrestautant.com.au Images: Letícia Almeida.
Everyone's starting to look for a ticket out of the city — whether that be for a couple of nights, or for a well-deserved extended break. If enjoying scenic nature sights in comfort sounds like your idea of bliss, you're in luck: Flash Camp has just announced it'll be hosting another pop-up glamping site within Shoalhaven's Coolendel private reserve. It's Flash Camp's third stint on the site, after enjoying the location's charms twice in 2017. This time, it's sticking around not only through the Christmas and New Year period, but until Monday, June 10 (the Queen's Birthday long weekend). If you can't make the 2.5-hour drive down the South Coast from Sydney (or thirty minutes from Nowra) this year, start planning next year's Easter vacation or sneaky weekender. The remote location is an easy trip to achieve a true bush experience — well, kind of. As to be expected, the tents look quite luxe. The bell-shaped, premium 'Flash Tents' come with a king-sized mattress, covered in plush bedding and perched on timber pallets. The tents also feature solar lighting, table and chairs, Biology toiletries, a hand-woven Armadillo & Co rug and individual campfire braziers. Guests also have access to the existing Coolendel amenities, including hot showers and barbecue facilities, as well as a communal Flash Camp tent with seating, fairy lights and a campfire. This year, for the first time, Flash Camp has opened up a second camp just for group bookings — with six bell tents decked out with all the luxuries — so if you're looking for ideas for that upcoming milestone birthday, this might be a good option. The glamping site is located within Coolendel's 52 hectares of bushland along the Shoalhaven River. Nature lovers will be keen on this secluded grassy park, which is an ideal location for spotting wombats, goannas, wallabies and native birds. Apart from nature watching and bushwalking, guests can also try a spot of canoeing, biking and fishing. Rates start from $179 per couple, per night, depending on day of the week and holidays. Rates for the new group-specific site start at $1440 for 12 people, which is $120 a head. Food is not provided, though, so campers should make sure to pack the esky full for the duration of the trip. Flash Camp Glamping will pop up at Coolendel from Friday, August 31, until Monday, June 16, 2019. To book, visit the Flash Camp website. For more glamping options, check out our list for the ten best glamping spots near Sydney. By Marissa Ciampi and Sarah Ward.
First, there was Laurel and Hardy. Then, there was Abbott and Costello. And now, there’s Morrow and Keneally. That’s Julian Morrow and Kristina Keneally. Yep, they’re now a showbiz duo. The Chaser comedian and the former NSW premier are hitting the stage to present a new live event at Redfern's Giant Dwarf. Titled Photo Opp — Snapshots of a Public Life, it takes a look at the lives and careers of Australian politicians, as focalised through photographs brought by the pollie — or sent in by you. The first session, happening on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm, will feature special guest Tony Windsor, former state and federal MP. He was an independent in not one but two hung parliaments, so you can expect some insight into both the Liberal State Government, as led by Nick Greiner, and the Federal Labor Government under Julia Gillard. "Photo Opp will be like a slide night for politics junkies," said Keneally and Morrow in a media statement. "We’re looking forward to taking a trip down political memory lane with significant political figures like Tony Windsor. Photo Opp will provide a thought-provoking and fun look at the role of image and perception in public life, for better and worse. And we’'ll find out what was really going on behind the scenes in some famous political moments captured in photographs." Photo Opp – Snapshots of a Public Life kicks off on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm at Giant Dwarf, 199 Cleveland Street, Redfern. Anyone can submit photos of Photo Opp guests via email to photo.opp@giantdwarf.com.au. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen, BRW.
Hungry musicians doing it tough on tour, prepare to satisfy your appetites. All it takes is a stopover in Brisbane for a gig, and a trip to a certain Fortitude Valley café. That'd be LostBoys, the new saviour of starving artists visiting sunny climates. The Ann Street establishment isn't just largely staffed by those handy with a guitar, drum kit or microphone, but wants to support them too. That's why they've taken it upon themselves to offer a solution to the scourge of musos everywhere: barely making enough money to eat while they're away from home. Travelling around the country playing live shows might seem like a fun life, but the thrill of taking to the stage is tempered by the not-so-glamorous, not-so-financially-lucrative reality. At LostBoys, musical talent dropping by Brisbane can treat themselves to whatever takes their fancy from the cafe's lineup of 100 percent natural, locally-sourced options. Vegetarians, vegans, dairy free foodies and gluten intolerants, there's something on the menu for you, too. The initiative is a brand new addition to what has fast become one of the area's favourite hangouts — which is no mean feat given that LostBoys only opened in October 2014. Of course, their magic all stems from their name. Trust a Peter Pan-inspired eatery to come up with a wondrous way to help creatives' dreams come true. Via The Music. Visit LostBoys at 694 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, or check out their website.
Prancing through fields laced with the charm of provincial France? Casual summer weekendery. The ever-popular So Frenchy So Chic in the Park is waltzing back to Sydney for its fifth year running , returning to its 2017 venue of Bicentennial Park on the Glebe waterfront. If you haven't been before, expect an entire afternoon of French-inspired niceties — think gourmet picnic hampers, tartlets and terrines, offensively good wine, furious outdoor chess, casual gypsy beats. So Frenchy hinges around a solid lineup of eclectic artists you may be yet to meet. Or maybe you have, if you went along in 2012 or 2014 and enjoyed Féfé's beats. Elsewhere, Juniore brings their retro meets modern sound, General Elektriks his keyboard and L.E.J their percussive, harmonic pop covers. Last, but in no way, shape or form least, there's Frànçois & the Atlas Mountains — they will be belting out their unique blend of poetry-infused guitar pop to get everyone up off their picnic rugs. If you're not the most organised of picnickers, So Frenchy is putting on the works again with their beloved picnic boxes and cheese plates from Ed Dixon. Filled with stuffed baguettes, nicoise salad and goose egg meringue, the picnic boxes are one to preorder if you don't want to miss out. But So Frenchy won't let you go hungry; there'll be a huge banquet of seafood, crepes and more available on the day. And of course, there'll be plenty of Laurent Perrier Champagne, French beer, and rosé, red and whites whines as well. Don your best floral-headband-and-sundress-combo and gear up for un merveilleux après-midi.
Art and food combine at a new bespoke dining series featuring some of Sydney's most talented dancers, painters, photographers, performance artists and chefs. Hosted at Carriageworks as part of Vivid Sydney, Sydney Table will showcase the best the city's creative and culinary communities have to offer, dazzling your eyes and ears as well as your tastebuds. The series will feature seven dinners over three weeks, each of which will pair a different chef with an artist or performer. It begins on Friday, May 27 with ACME's Mitch Orr in the kitchen, while choreographer Amrita Hepi, host of Sydney's epic Beyonce and Rihanna dance classes, shows off her latest moves. Other pairings include Silvereye's Sam Miller with environmental artist Lisa Madigan; Marque's Mark Best with photographer Petrina Tinslay; and Ester's Matt Lindsay with ceramicist and designer Ion Fukazawa. "I wanted to bring the best of food and art together in one room, providing a meeting of the minds," said Carriageworks Farmers Market creative director Mike McEnearney. "Seasonal produce sourced from the Carriageworks Farmers Market will be the canvas for a compelling dining experience, enabling the diners to enjoy an intimate dinner and be able to ask questions they haven't been able to ask before. It's like eating in the green room with your favourite chef/creative." Tickets can be booked via Ticketmaster, and will run you up a bill of $150 per head. Each ticket includes dinner as well as drinks by Archie Rose, Cake Wines and Asahi. There are only 50 spots available at each sitting though, so best get in quick. SYDNEY TABLE LINEUP: Friday, May 27, 7pm — Mitch Orr, ACME with Amrita Hepi, Dancer and FBi Radio Friday, June 3, 7pm — Sam Miller, Silvereye and Artist Lisa Madigan Saturday, June 4, 7pm — Hamish Ingham, Bar H and Designer Vince Frost Thursday, June 9, 7pm — Mark Best, Marque and Photographer Petrina Tinslay Friday, June 10, 7pm — Claire van Vuuren & Mitchell Grady, Bloodwood and Floral Artist Anna McMahon Friday, June 17, 7pm — Mat Lindsay, Ester and Ceramicist Ion Fukazawa Saturday, June 18, 7pm — Alex Herbert, Bird Cow Fish and Artist Thomas Jackson Image: Zan Wemberley.
If you've just finished a blood vessel-bursting pub rant about how Sydney parties are dead and this city's nightlife is in the bin, consider the rug beneath your feet pretty damn precarious. EMCPlay, the more partying public-focused program of Sydney's annual Electronic Music Conference, is back for its fifth year, and essentially means you'll be hopping between big heaving hootenannies and showcases run by the country's favourite party crews, featuring 65 artists in four venues — with one $35 ticket. Curated parties from labels, collectives and agencies including Pilerats, Nuff Said, Sidechains, etcetc, UNDR ctrl, Nap Girls, Purple Sneakers and more will take over Oxford Art Factory, World Bar, Hudson Ballroom and Oxford Circus on Wednesday, November 30 because apparently the Australian music industry is a-ok with letting us all do Thursday with a thumping bass head. Official hub OAF is putting on the headline event with Lastlings, Nutrition, Dena Amy and Paces, while World Bar sees a showcase from management company Nuff Said and label etcetc. Audiopaxx, Kosher, Pilerats and Sidechains will bring a showcase to former Goodgod space Hudson Ballroom, while UNDR Ctrl, Purple Sneakers, Nap Girls and Deeper Than House invade the multiple floors of Oxford Circus.
If you're a hacker, tinkerer or bike builder, then this one's for you. Join Indonesian designer Singgih Kartono (Spedagi and Magno) for six excellent hours of experimentation with bamboo bicycles. Starting with a Spedagi bike, you'll be free to come up with ideas as crazy as you like and give them an actual go. No one will be holding you back or heeding caution. You're encouraged to dream up some brave concepts in advance and even take your own bike along with you. Should your imaginings prove to be winners, you might find yourself scoring a spot at Cementa 2017.
Marrickville favourite Baba's Place loves to throw a party. Before opening the bustling warehouse eatery, the Baba's team started off with a series of pop-ups. This energy has been maintained over on Sloane Street, with art exhibitions, street parties and everything in between popping up since the venue first opened in 2021. The latest exciting addition to the Baba's Place roster of events is a bottomless brunch that the crew is hosting in collaboration with the team over at Delinquente Wine Co on Sunday, September 10. At the centre of this boozy get-together will be Delinquente's range of Bizzarro canned drinks. For $100, guests will be treated to a Baba's Place and DNA Distillery Rakija and Tonic on arrival, followed by a set menu lunch and 2.5 hours of bottomless Bizzarro drinks. This includes the Bizzarro Tonic, Bizzaro Australiano and the Bizzarro x PS40 Strawberry and Yuzu Sprtizes. Food-wise, expect a classic Baba's Place lunch, with the kitchen known for its playful homages to the culinary pallet of southwest Sydney. There will be Baba's Place's beloved tarama on toast, plus lamb breast with corn and leek; garam masala rice cakes; house focaccia; chickpea, garlic chive oil, almond and pita crumb-topped yoghurt; and baby endive with blood orange, pomegranate and chevrette. Bookings are essential so to lock in your spot, head to the Baba's Place website.
Chef Clayton Wells has won over many a Chippendale foodie's heart since opening Automata on the ground floor of the Old Clare Hotel in 2015. And now he's set to extend his reach with the opening of a casual all-day eatery, just 20 metres away. To be called A1 Canteen, the venue will take over the ground floor of The Old Rum Store on Kensington Street — the same building that houses Olio, Bistrot Gavroche and Eastside Kitchen. Whatever the time of day — and whatever the nature of your hunger — you'll be able to satisfy it. A1 will be open for brekkie, lunch, dinner and snacks, including pastries and sandwiches, so you can sit down and take your time or grab a tasty morsel and run. "I've been working on a casual concept for well over a year now," Wells said. "We tested it out last year with auto.lab and we've been waiting for the right space to open something permanent. Finding a site directly across the road from Automata is a dream. A1 will be much simpler and more casual than Automata." Wells will be joined by chef Scott Eddington in the kitchen, while in the role of restaurant manager will be Rachael Trewin, who's the current assistant manager at Automata. Meanwhile, Matt Darwon is overseeing the design. Dishes will range from scrambled eggs and sausages from LP's Quality Meats to fried eggplant sandwiches to a whole roasted flounder. Wells has just returned to Australia after spending some time in Singapore, where he opened Blackwattle, his first venture in Asia. A1 Canteen is scheduled to open in 2018 on the ground floor of The Old Rum Store, Kensington Street, Chippendale. We'll keep you updated when we know more.
FBi Radio not only play you free music every day, now they're giving you free live music. Legends. Teaming up with Jack Daniel's for a brand new permanent live space inside the station, FBi are set to host events and live-to-air showcases with emerging and established, local and international artists in a new series called Local Live at FBi. The team have picked emerging Australian artists to kick things off over February and March, following on from the stage's christening by Sydney Festival dreamboat How to Dress Well in January. First off the bat for the Aussie contingent, Adelaide's pint-sized rapper Tkay Maidza will front up a set on Thursday, February 19. Then Future Classic's latest steal, George Maple, will perform tracks from her debut EP 'Vacant Space' on Friday, February 20. Then solid Sydney favourites Cloud Control will drop by on Wednesday, March 4 for an exclusive show. The new live space has been a long time coming for FBi, whose in-studio sets and live music broadcasts are integral to the station's on-air programming. “FBi is committed to playing 50 percent Australian music, with half of that from Sydney," says Stephen Goodhew, FBi's music director. "Now with FBi Live, we’ll be able to open our doors to more music fans and local talent than ever before. It's the next exciting chapter in the 12 year history of the station as we look to be able to offer more exclusive content on-air and on-demand." The live sets don't stop here, however. With more events to be announced in the coming weeks, there's plenty of love coming FBi's way — from audiences and creative collaborators alike. The new set-up is the result of Jack Daniel's Future Legends campaign, a commission which saw the likes of Bob Barton (Golden Age Cinema and Bar, The Commons Local Eating House, Melbourne's Rooftop Cinema), Dave Frankel, Little May's Annie Hamilton, emerging filmmaker Callum Van De Mortel and of course, FBi's epic, 200-strong team of vols, come together to create the permanent live space. LOCAL LIVE AT FBi RADIO LINEUP: TKAY MAIDZA — Thursday, February 19, 5.30pm GEORGE MAPLE — Friday February 20, 5.30pm CLOUD CONTROL — Wednesday, March 4, 5.30pm To register for free tickets to Local Live at FBi, email your preferred artist choice to live@fbiradio.com along with your name and date of birth (it's a JD event). For more info, head here.
Redfern's new watering hole, Moya's Juniper Lounge, takes a reverent approach to all things gin. Since opening on Regent Street, the little hole-in-the-wall venue has been generating industry buzz, and it's not hard to see why. It's not flashy or elaborate – forget extensive menus that cater to your every whim. Instead, the Moya's team are single-mindedly interested in perfection. The mainstay of the operation is the sassy gin-centric cocktail list, each garnished with the words of great drinkers and thinkers of the ages – including the Queen Mother, Robert Downey Jr. and George Costanza. "All the drinks are classics," says co-owner and operator Charles Casben. "We're not doing anything new but we're trying to do traditionalism well." The bar currently serves a small but well paired menu, featuring pickle plates, cured meats sliced to order, and a ham and cheese sandwich on a brioche bun. Perfectly sophisticated, dahhling. The interior of the venue hints at traditionalism, and that's fitting. The history of gin reaches back over two hundred years and has appealed to completely polar identities during that time. When gin was introduced in England in the early 1700s, it was thought an unethical and wicked vice of the lower classes. After doing battle with prohibition and alcohol reform and emerging as a gentleman's drink, gin production became more refined, more like the gin we know (and love) today. Moya's Juniper Lounge references the gin palaces of old with a cosy but plush atmosphere, mismatched velvet lounges, long runner rugs and old fashioned decoration. Still, while they may serve cocktails and delicate sandwiches, there's nothing snooty about this place, which is gunning to become your new local. "We really wanted it to be a local, friendly little cocktail bar," says Casben. "When I was working at Ester, the community around Chippendale/Redfern had a really local, genuine, friendly atmosphere and it was really enticing; we wanted to be a part of it." Moya's Juniper Lounge, 101 Regent Street, Redfern. For more information visit www.moyasgin.com.
In 2016, Secret Garden Festival will see 50 bands and DJs, 30 actors, dancers and comedians, 18 pop-up performances, 10 drag queens, eight d-floors, six stages, two days of fancy dress and one overtly busy kissing booth. For the first time this year, the SG team announced the expansion of the festival into a full two-day program, but they've also decided to let 'Gardeners' choose their own adventure, with a limited release of one-day tickets on sale from 8am AEDT this Friday, November 27. Of course, Secret Garden are keeping their 2016 lineup under wraps — you won't see any skerrick of it until tickets are sold out. So we asked the SG team for some of their favourite music moments from the last eight years, to give you an idea of what to expect. PETER COMBE SINGING 'WASH YOUR FACE WITH ORANGE JUICE' ON A BIRTHDAY CAKE STAGE "In 2015, Gardeners were invited to celebrate Secret Garden’s 7th birthday slumber party. We hosted a full blown seven-year-old's birthday party, complete with a ball pit, fairy glen, crafternoon, pillow fort and of course Peter Combe belting out some old familiar tunes we used to sing along to as kids. As the sun set, Combe brought the magic, with two thousand adults singing ‘wash your face in orange juice’ [to] a stage dressed as a birthday cake — quickly followed by a mass pillow fight, of course." EGDAR THE FARMER FINDING HIMSELF STAR OF THE DRAG SHOW "In 2011, we really began to transform the festival into a creative melting pot of crowd participation, a place to discover foreign worlds and mass choreographed dance routines. It was the year farmer Edgar [the Secret Garden farm owner] got up on stage with the Secret Garden resident drags, who all exclaimed, 'Oh my god ladies and gentleman, a real live farmer is in the house,’ and to Edgar’s (and his wife's) surprise, he was given a big kiss." THE SURPRISE FLEETWOOD MAC COVER BAND "In 2011... It was the surprise cover act that really has stood out in our minds. The Fleetwood Mac cover band opened their set with 'Go Your Own way'. Bananas, superheroes and pot plants wrapped arms around each other as they sang in unison." DEEP SEA ARCADE GETTIN' NAKED (SORTA) "Bands jumping up on our stages in full fancy dress is a common occurrence at Secret Garden. In years gone by we have seen The Griswolds dress as Kiss and Total Giovanni dressed at Greek Gods. However it was Deep Sea Arcade, our first band to ever dress up, who came on stage in naked suits that really stands out as one of our favourite Secret Garden memories. Caught up in the excitement, we encouraged everyone to join the band on the stage. About 300 patrons crammed on the stage, who all dance and sung along to a significant smaller audience of 250." https://vimeo.com/21684727 Secret Garden's limited release of one-day tickets are on sale from 8am AEDT this Friday, November 27. Secret Garden Festival returns to its (sort of) secret location on February 26 and 27, 2016. Images: Tim Da Rin, Voena, Jack Toohey.
Think about an album or song that helped you in hard times — soothed you through a break-up, got you through you first year of uni, soundtracked your first love. Imagine if you could have a chat to the musician that made that music. That's where Giant Dwarf comes in. Chippendale's beloved performance venue is starting a new acoustic music series by the name of My Tunes. Once a month, a prominent Australian will pick an Australian artist whose music meant something to them, and invite said artist for a live mini-set and chat onstage. To kickstart the series in October, triple j’s Zan Rowe has invited Something for Kate’s Paul Dempsey on Wednesday, October 21. Audiences will get the chance to hear frontman and chief songwriter for Something For Kate play a few of his songs live in an intimate context. There's a lot to choose from, Dempsey has released six platinum and gold albums. In between tunes, he and triple j Mornings presenter and producer Rowe will discuss Dempsey’s own songs in an informal conversation. Dempsey will delve into his influences, experiences and everything between his first ever song to his upcoming second solo LP, and Rowe will get the chance to talk about how and why his music has affected her. The Q&A will be interlaced with memories shared by listeners and audience members, so if Dempsey's music is your thing too, get along and meet the guy. My Tunes kicks off at Giant Dwarf on Wednesday, October 21. Nab your tix to the first incarnation of My Tunes here.
Some people are just born with a penchant for spirits. The Australian genius of a distiller behind Mr Black cold drip coffee liqueur has come up with a perfect gin — one he's calling 'garden grown' gin. It’s called Distillery Botanica and to be honest, drinking it feels like strolling merrily through a summer garden. There’s a good reason for that. Philip Moore, the brains behind Distillery Botanica, sources all the botanicals from his very own garden in Erina on the Central Coast. To get the most out of the plants, he uses a one-thousand-year-old technique known as 'enfleurage'. It involves placing the flowers on a layer of coconut oil, into which their fragrance diffuses over two or three days, creating the purest possible perfume. The heady scent hits you as soon as the glass reaches your hand. “The hero botanical is marraya,” says Will Miles, Distillery Botanica partner and brand director. “It looks a bit like jasmine, but it’s got slightly wider petals and grows on tall, lush hedges. All the flowers are handpicked at the distillery, in the garden, so the gin really has the essence of the place where it’s made.” In addition to murraya, there’s jasmine, honeysuckle, orange blossom, rose, chamomile, coriander, orris root, sage, angelica and juniper. You can order a bottle of Distillery Botanica online. (The actual bottle, by the way, is one you’ll want to keep for aesthetics alone — five years went into its design). But, should you want to try a sample first, pop into Dead Ringer in Surry Hills (413 Bourke Street). If you’ve been there before, you’ll know it’s one of Sydney’s best new bars, operated by the legends from Bulletin Place. And mixologist Tim Phillips — who’s also co-owner and former World Class Bartender of the Year — has created an exclusive, Distillery Botanica-inspired cocktail. “We all love the gin,” he said. “We tried it blindly, we tried it in a gin and tonic, we tried it in a martini, and we all loved it … It’s a pleasure to pump up the tyres of a domestic product, but only if it’s the equal — or preferably the better — of an international product, and that was definitely the case with this stuff. “I wanted to come up with a cocktail that was quite perfume-y, quite aromatic, that reflects the pillars that Botanica are about. So, I’ve done a summer martini. The idea is to reverse the traditions of the martini, in the sense that, instead of having a very gin-heavy martini with a gesture of vermouth, having more of a vermouth martini. The seasoning of the drink is the gin, but there’s still enough that it’s able to stand up and pop and definitely get all the great stuff that is in the bottle.” Phillips’s Garden Martini is made of La Quintinye vermouth, Distillery Botanica and a dash of Benedictine liqueur. In place of olives are three drops of herb and olive oil. As a finishing touch, he sprays the glass with a specially created Distillery Botanica perfume, transporting your senses to some far-off Eden. Shop Distillery Botanica on their website or try Phillips’s Garden Martini at Dead Ringer, 413 Bourke Street, Surry Hills. Images: Sabine Schwarz.
A pop-up tattoo parlour, a free outdoor sideshow alley and a huge live painting at the Art Gallery of NSW are among the highlights of this year's Spectrum Now Festival. The 16-day creative arts extravaganza, launched last year by The Sydney Morning Herald, is back for 2016, featuring more than 100 free and ticketed events around the city. The Spectrum Now Festival, which will run from March 1 to 16, is split into four sections: art, stage, talks and music. Here's what you should be Sharpie-ing into your diary. ART Included in the arts section will be an ambitious live painting at the AGNSW, where Western Sydney artist Tom Polo will spend two weeks creating a gigantic wall painting in view of the public. You can also spend An(other) Evening with Ken Done at his studio in The Rocks, or check out emerging pop artist Matt Dampney creating a live mural in the Frances Keevil Gallery Double Bay on March 5. For the ultimate Sydney date idea, head to The Domain from March 3-13 for Spectrum Now's free outdoor festival hub. You'll enter through a cathedral of fairy lights into a sideshow alley, where you can get inked by tattoo artist Leslie Rice from LDF Tattoo Parlour, or get a haircut from retro barber Tony Vacher at Sterling Apothecary Barber Shop, plus there'll be fire breathers, burlesque dancers and free live music. Hanging over the hub will be a giant balloon chain by US artist Robert Bose, who previously created similar works at Burning Man and Coachella. STAGE The stage category will likewise features several standout shows, including performances by the Sydney Dance Company and Bard on the Beach, a burlesque act at Crystal Bar, a performance of La Boheme transplanted to the 1930s, and two nights of stand-up comedy with the stars of Workaholics (though both of those are already sold out so lucky you if you managed to nab a seat). And after a hugely successful run last year, Marie's Crisis Festival Bar returns to set up shop in Parlour Lane Roasters, QT Sydney each evening from March 1-10. The MC crew are also teaming up with Sydney's Hayes Theatre Company for a huge outdoor singalong in The Domain on March 7, so brush up on your Sondheim. TALKS Two of the most successful events on last year's talks program will return in 2016. Pillow Talk features personal conversations with some of the country's leading creative couples, and will this year include the likes of David and Kristen Williamson, David and Lisa Campbell, and Max Cullen and Margarita Georgiadis. Cultural Crush, meanwhile, invites prominent journalists to interview their 'dream subject'. Those in the spotlight this year include investigative journalist Kate McClymont speaking with film director Bruce Beresford, and columnist Benjamin Law grilling Leigh Sales from the ABC. MUSIC On top of the free Domain program featuring Cuban Jazz from Malo Malo, Hillbilly pop from The Pigs, the jazz-funk stylings of Lyre Byrdland, hip hop brass with Hi Tops Brass Band and the swinging sounds of Crusty Suitcase Band, the ticketed Big Top offering is too hefty to summarise here, so check out our separate guide to the Spectrum Now Festival music lineup. Spectrum Now begins on March 1. For the full program or to book tickets, visit the festival website.
Dumpling masters Lotus Dining have officially joined Barangaroo's waterfront promenade. Now open in The Streets of Barangaroo, the restaurant is Lotus's third Sydney edition and, with 160 seats, its second largest. On the menu is a stack of established favourites as well as a bunch of new, Shanghai-influenced creations, dashed with Australian native ingredients. Head chef Chris Yan, who was born in Shanghai, is the man behind the helm. "While my food is based on traditional Chinese recipes, many inspired by my grandma, I like to add a little bit of Australia where I can," he said. Among the native flavours, you'll find finger limes, butterfly pea flowers, lemon aspen, cassia bark and crystal ice (yep, it's a plant). You'll even find some of them growing in Lotus Barangaroo's onsite garden. As you might expect of a harbourside restaurant, the native ingredients are used to dress up ultra-fresh seafood, from Southern rock lobster to Queensland mud crab to Western Australian snow crab. Also worth sampling is the garfish with sticky soy sauce, spring bay mussels braised in Tsingtao beer and an array of inventive dumplings, including spanner crabmeat and prawn, chicken siu mai and steamed pork wontons with sesame paste and black mushrooms. When your sweet cravings hit, you'll be turning to desserts made by pastry chef Tiffany Jones (The Pastry Project). Standouts include 'Ma fleur de Lotus' (yuzu and chrysanthemum cheesecake with coconut ice cream and coconut meringue crisps) and 'Passionfruit picked from the vine' (a super Heston Blumenthal-like passionfruit ice cream with a salted vanilla marshmallow centre and passionfruit skin glaze). Brilliant sommelier Annette Lacey (Pei Modern, Marque, Claude's) is taking care of the wine list. Prepare for aromatic drops — both Aussie and international — to match Lotus's spicy palette. Meanwhile, Kate McGraw is on the cocktails, with offerings like the summery Boardwalk Spritz (Cocchi Rosa, plum, jasmine infused honey, grapefruit soda) and the Napoleon (sesame washed Cognac, Laphroaig, Carpano Antica, wattleseed, house-made black sesame bitters). The large space gives you plenty of choice, when it comes to setting — whether you're into water frontage or laneway intimacy. The interior, designed by Paul Papadopoulos of dynamo Australian team DS17 (Alpha, Beta Bar, Bel + Brio), is relaxed and neutral, dressed in cane, white and navy with splashes of black. Lotus is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Images: Alana Dimou.
Surry Hills' beloved fried chicken joint, Butter, has launched a guest chef ramen series for the eighth consecutive year. Once again, you can head into Butter for noodle-starring soupy goodness curated by RAFI, Bella Brutta and Rising Sun Workshop chefs. [caption id="attachment_953532" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cole Bennetts[/caption] This year, the six-month lineup kicks off just in time for winter, with its first residency starting from Wednesday, May 1. For 28 days, you'll be able to order an invention combining a creamy tonkatsu ramen base with thick noods, tomato, sesame, chilli oil and the star of the dish, yellowfin tuna from RAFI. This creation is helmed by Applejack Group's Patrick Friesen (ex-Bopp & Tone, June's Shoppe, Hester's, The Butler, SoCal, Forrester's; currently RAFI and Taphouse Sydney) and will be available until Tuesday, May 28. Plus, you're able to pair this limited-edition dish with an iced maple green tea spiked with Chivas Regal and containing aloe jelly for $14, or you can opt for the combo deal of ramen and the exclusive drink pairing for $40. Plus, you can still enjoy all of Butter's popular menu items alongside your ramen bowl. The June edition is one that's close to Butter's Executive Chef Julian Cincotta's heart. Returning to the menu is the creation of Ume Burger's Kerby Craig. The dish is making a comeback to pay homage to the talented chef, putting a classic Ume spin on the original ramen. Expect a bowl starring tori miso ramen with Butter's chicken broth base, corn, black onion and nori, which you can order from Wednesday, May 29–Monday, June 24. Third on the lineup is Cincotta's own invention. The world-famous fried chicken ramen will be resurrected to join the menu, starring the joint's crowd-pleasing fried chicken, and will be available from Tuesday, June 25–Monday, July 29. Following this long-awaited dish will be creations from Luke Powell (ex-Bella Brutta, LP's Quality Meats), which'll take over the menu from Tuesday, July 30–Monday, August 26; a Nick Smith (Rising Sun Workshop) bowl from Tuesday, August 27–Monday, September 23, and a Matt Lindsey (Ester/Poly) menu takeover for the event's final run from Tuesday, September 24–Monday, October 21. The ramen club event runs on a first-in, first-serve basis — with only a certain amount of bowls dished up daily — so you'll want to opt for an early dinner. All of these limited-edition dishes are only available in-store, so you'll need to head into the Surry Hills venue to slurp through the selection.
It’s been one of the most anticipated openings Sydney’s seen in many an age. After an 18-month to-and-fro with tenders and short-term contracts, the new Peter Gilmore-driven Bennelong at the Sydney Opera House is set to open on July 1 — and you can already make a reservation. Flying a culinary flag for the homeland, Bennelong's focus will be on Australian produce and wine. With celebrated Australian chef and Quay mastermind Gilmore at the helm, the revamped restaurant intends to showcase local, seasonal foods on one of the city's biggest, multi-level foodie stages. Taking over the long-lovedstepfront space, the new Bennelong will feature different dining options depending on what you're up for. The big gun, ‘The Restaurant’, is your fine dining realm on the lower-level, serving innovative Australian cuisine by Gilmore. Diners can choose from a two- or three- course a la carte menu for lunch (Friday through to Sunday $95 for two, $125 for three), or a three course a la carte menu for dinner (Monday through Sunday $125) — and reservations are recommended. If you're taking in a spot of theatre or a Concert Hall gig, there's a 'Pre-Theatre' option: two- or three- courses, seven nights a week ($80 for two, $105 for three, Monday to Sunday 5.30 and 6pm sittings). But it's not all pricey fine dining at Bennelong this time around, with the introduction of the 'Cured and Cultured' menu. This is Bennelong's more relaxed, casual dining option, the type of set-up to have a tipple and a bite without breaking the bank — you'll find a sharing menu with nothing over $30. Nice. You can watch the chefs at work on the central level or take a seat at the casual seating area known as 'The Circle' (not named for the Dave Eggers novel or Australian morning talk show). Wanting to absorb the fancyschmancyness without actually sitting down to a proper dinner? Check out 'The Bar'. Bar manager Aaron Gaulke has worked with Gilmore under the Australian local ingredient focus to create a cocktail list worthy of a landmark, open every night from 5.30pm to late. Find Bennelong at Sydney Opera House Bennelong Point, reopening from July 1. For bookings, (02) 9240 8000 or reservations@bennelong.com.au.
Seekers of the avant-garde will want to check out Tennessee's Holly Herndon at Sydney Festival. She has received universal plaudits over the last decade for her forward-thinking, boundary-pushing take on sound creation. The musician uses code to create unique, custom-made digital instruments, and she'll be in the Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent off the back of her latest full-length, Proto. The Berlin-based US musician has developed an AI program called Spawn, that she duets with — collaborating with her AI baby to make music. Human melodies meet synthetic sounds in this scientific and dizzying performance.
Since 2008, 4 Pines Brewing Company have carefully cemented themselves as one of Australia's premier brewing companies. The team behind the craft beer brand has never hidden their support and loyalty to Sydney's north, and in particular, the Manly and northern beaches areas — the home of their original microbrewery. So, it should come as no surprise then that 4 Pines have just announced the roll out of not one, but three completely different and varied new venues within the next 12 months, all north of the Harbour Bridge. "The time has come for 4 Pines to launch some hospitality spaces," says 4 Pines publican Ged Dore. "We looked at some places over on the west coast of America, and these brands had venues along three different beaches. When we got back to Australia we looked at potential spaces in Sydney, the inner west, then in Melbourne but we just kept coming back to the northern beaches." The first of these three new venues, 4 Pines Manly Underground, will take over the old Out of Africa space, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a menu put together by 4 Pines executive chef Rob de Paulo. He'll be stepping away from the classic pub meals offered upstairs in the BrewPub, instead focusing on seasonal ingredients and fresh produce. The vibe is expected to be more food and family friendly, with booth seating and a cabin-like feel. Next up, Newport is set to become the home of barrel-aged beer, with the opening of the 4 Pines Newport Barrelhouse. The idea of barrel-aged beer is something 4 Pines has been fine tuning for the past few years, and are ready to showcase with the opening of this specialty venue in the early summer. The venue, located in the heart of Newport on Barrenjoey Road, is being touted as the first of its kind in the state, if not Australia. Finally, for those who enjoy a beer with breakfast, a 4 Pines beer and bread concept will open in the Glen Street Theatre in Belrose in 2017. Perfect for a for a drink and dinner pre- or post-theatre, 4 Pines Belrose will offer beer and freshly baked bread, including the stout bread which has been baked in the Manly BrewPub since 2010. Even though 4 Pines also have a brewery in Brookvale which uses an old truck as a bar, Dore isn't convinced they've covered all bases in the Northern Beaches area just yet though. "The [Manly] cinema has been closed for over two years, so we'd love to own the cinema so we could do 4 Pines movies. We'd love to be able to do a 4 Pines showcase arthouse cinema — you're allowed to dream aren't you?" says Dore.
Been dreaming about supping at Peter Gilmore’s Bennelong, but not managed to scrape the cash together quite yet? Well, there’s good news afoot. Come January 8, a bar will pop up on the restaurant’s private balcony. For three-and-a-bit summery weeks, you’ll be able to soak up those supreme Bridge-Quay views, without smashing a huge hole in your wallet. After all, you’ll surely want to save some of your hard-earned pennies for the cream of the Sydney Festival’s gig program. To be known as Bennelong Balcony, the bar will open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from midday-late, until January 31. Topping the drinks menu is a selection of signature cocktails, which bar manager Aaron Gaulke has designed specifically for Sydney’s balmy evenings, like Whispers on the Breeze (Sauvignon Blanc, St Germain, soda, cucumber, lemon peel). There’ll also be Piper Heidsieck Champagne and Endeavour Pale Ale. And, should you grow a little peckish, the bar menu will sort you out. Chef Peter Gilmore (Quay) has been running at the show at Bennelong since the middle of this year. He replaced the degustation menu with a few casual, yet no less outrageously delicious, options: from three course dining in The Restaurant dining, to share ‘Cured and Cultured’ plates, to supper. And they just nabbed Concrete Playground's Best New Restaurant in our Best of 2015 awards, so pay 'em a visit. The Bennelong Balcony opens January 8 and will be open until January 31. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from noon. Via Elle.
Contemporary art fans are in for a treat this March. Sydney Art Month is returning for another year with a stellar line-up of talks, tours, and exhibitions across the city. The fun doesn't end when the sun goes down — quite the opposite, actually. Art at Night gives you after-dark access to the city's premier galleries and creative spaces, followed by some epic after-parties. So, clear your calendar, grab your mates, download an Art Month precinct map, and get ready for some artsy adventuring. The Art at Night program kicks off in Redfern and Chippendale on March 1, then it moves on to East Sydney on March 8 and finishes up in Paddington and Woollahra on March 15. In Redfern and Chippendale, one of Sydney's most vibrant art precincts, these neighbourhoods are practically bursting at the seams with galleries, studios, and Artist Run Spaces. See jaw-dropping dystopian works by Baden Pailthorpe projected onto garage walls, artist Chris Fox attached to a steel drawing machine (really), and visit artist collective Studio A's courtyard of colour and movement. Galleries on the trail include the Japan Foundation Gallery, The Bearded Tit, and Verge Gallery. Finish off the evening with music and drinks by Cake Wines at the Eveleigh Creative Precinct. The Redfern/Chippendale Art at Night trail will run from 6-8pm, followed by the Cake Wines Art Bar at Eveleigh Creative Precinct, 7.30-10.30pm. Download the map for the night, here. Don't miss the Art at Night events in East Sydney and Paddington/Woollahra.
Rather than a wasted day of woe, Sundays are meant for nourishment. For homecooked meals, meaningful chats and creative beverages. Over the weekend, Concrete Playground and Secret Garden — keen weekenders and lovers of good food, new friends and general tomfoolery — teamed up to create the ultimate Sunday fortress of fun: Cubby House. Taking over the stunning Strickland House, the very first instalment of Cubby House saw a temporary haven created purely for punters to reclaim the weekend. We feasted on braised Mirrool Creek lamb and fire baked whole cauliflower salad from Raven's Eye, had one too many Bloody Marys from the Golden Age bar, marvelled at Tracey Spicer talking sex robots, listened to Omar Musa school us on Rendra, tackled the heavier parts of the news with Tom Tilley and the Guardian journos, had our shoes polished, learnt how to do a cryptic crossword, played croquet on the lawn, and had our socks harmonised off by All Our Exes Live in Texas. Obviously, with such a bloody lovely day in such a postcard perfect spot, Cubby House punters were Instagramming up a storm. Here's our favourites from the bunch. Much balloons. Such skyline. Well that was a BLOODY GREAT Sunday. Big big big big ups @concreteplayground @secretgardenfestival @cubbyhou.se you know who you are you unicorns. XXXX #CUBBYHOUSE A photo posted by Bridie Connellan (@bridieconnellan) on Oct 25, 2015 at 2:18am PDT Lunchtime ? @cubbyhou.se @padraigmageean A photo posted by Marco (@mark_mcc85) on Oct 24, 2015 at 10:02pm PDT Sundaze...at #cubbyhouse @concreteplayground @richardfogarty @melfogs @nesscharlston @ad_ski @kyliemonteith23 @cubbyhou.se A photo posted by Lizzie Pearl (@lizzie_pearl) on Oct 24, 2015 at 9:49pm PDT Lunch is served @cubbyhou.se A photo posted by Richard Fogarty (@richardfogarty) on Oct 24, 2015 at 9:11pm PDT Braised Mirrool Creek Lamb with caponata and eggplant purée, sitting in an incredible jus. A highlight of the feast at #cubbyhouse @cubbyhou.se by @ravenseyebar #food #foodporn A photo posted by the AU review (@theaureview) on Oct 24, 2015 at 9:42pm PDT We don't have time for a glass ????#bloodymarys #cubbyhouse #sundayfunday #sydneylife A photo posted by A N N A (@annafloridaxx) on Oct 24, 2015 at 7:54pm PDT Farshurn x Sun Protection @kasielise A photo posted by Vuki (@vukiv) on Oct 24, 2015 at 10:38pm PDT Lunchtime at @cubbyhou.se. ? Nothing like a @ravenseyebar long lunch of spit-roasted Melinda Park pork, fire-baked cauliflower salad, braised Mirool Creek lamb and Al cartoccio Tasmanian ocean trout on a Sunday. #cubbyhouse @secretgardenfestival #sydney #sydneyeats #lunch #ravenseye #food #noms #noms #noms A photo posted by Concrete Playground Sydney (@concreteplayground) on Oct 24, 2015 at 9:50pm PDT Meet @concreteplayground's @rimasabina, Cultural Concierge extraordinaire at @cubbyhou.se. She can hook you up with the best gigs in town (she recommended @ourgoldenage, ask her about #SamKlemkesTimeMachine!). #Cubbyhouse A photo posted by Mathieu Ravier (@mattriviera) on Oct 24, 2015 at 9:07pm PDT Tackling the heavier stuff with @triplej's Tom Tilley, unpacking the news headlines with @guardianaustralia's Michael Safi, Bridie Jabour and Adam Brereton. #cubbyhouse @secretgardenfestival @concreteplayground #sydney #triple #secretgardenfestival #concreteplayground A photo posted by Cubby House (@cubbyhou.se) on Oct 24, 2015 at 9:36pm PDT #cubbyhouse A photo posted by incredijen (@incredijen) on Oct 24, 2015 at 6:32pm PDT Wow. An eye-opening chat with senior writer for Future of Sex magazine Hugo Gray about robots and teledildonics. His website is here: http://futureofsex.net/virtual-sex/new-virtual-reality-girlfriend-take-things-far/ #cubbyhouse A photo posted by Tracey Spicer (@traceyspicer) on Oct 24, 2015 at 10:28pm PDT @concreteplayground and @secretgardenfestival nailing the Sunday afternoon vibes with Cubby House. A photo posted by Stephen Goodhew (@stephengoodhew) on Oct 24, 2015 at 9:55pm PDT Bob Ross would have been proud!! @samhillahoy #cubbyhouse @concreteplayground @secretgardenfestival #bobross #daydrunk #sundaybloodyfunday A photo posted by Yaya Stempler (@yayastemp) on Oct 25, 2015 at 12:02am PDT S U N D A Y // made for Pimms, cryptic crosswords, group feasts and deep thoughts with @sassinreallife at #cubbyhouse A photo posted by m i c h e l l e (@chellicans) on Oct 25, 2015 at 1:07am PDT We pulled off the ultimate Sunday at @cubbyhou.se. And the weather came to the party. A+ sun. #cubbyhouse #stricklandhouse #concreteplayground #milkbeach #sydney #ilovesydney #sydneylife #sydneysun #sunnydays #funinthesun #sundays #makethemcount A photo posted by Rima Sabina Aouf (@rimasabina) on Oct 25, 2015 at 3:06am PDT what a day - thanks to @secretgardenfestival - encore please! ?? @maxfdownes @willowtreewfc @milllito ? #cubbyhouse A photo posted by alice nivison (@alice.nivison) on Oct 26, 2015 at 6:14pm PDT Not bad Sydney, not bad ?#cubbyhouse A photo posted by Georgia Mooney (@georgiamooney) on Oct 24, 2015 at 10:24pm PDT These guys thought they'd learn a bloody thing or two on a Sunday. Landscape drawing classes at #CubbyHouse. ? @concreteplayground @secretgardenfestival #sydney #art #drawing #landscape #secretgardenfestival #concreteplayground A photo posted by Cubby House (@cubbyhou.se) on Oct 24, 2015 at 10:48pm PDT Höstruskigt i Sydney @pernillenorenberg @pettersomikkeerpaainst @magnusaurus_rex #cubbyhouse A photo posted by Anton Nytorp (@newthorpe) on Oct 25, 2015 at 2:26am PDT Sunday in Sydney #cubbyhouse A photo posted by Andrew Kyle (@andrewkyle1979) on Oct 24, 2015 at 11:05pm PDT Sunday love #cubbyhouse A photo posted by @stephanieclues on Oct 24, 2015 at 10:42pm PDT Top image: Bridie Connellan/Instagram.
The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is on the verge of a massive expansion, with founder David Walsh announcing his vision for an epic five-star hotel — among other things — on the site of the iconic Hobart gallery. The Hotel at MONA — or HOMO for short — has been described as the next phase of growth for the museum, which, since opening in 2011, has become one of Tasmania's biggest draws. "It's very simple really. We like building stuff," said Walsh. "So far it has gone pretty well for us." Pretty well is a bit of an understatement, with the gallery's citywide winter festival, Dark MOFO, having just wrapped up quite possibly its most successful and most talked about instalment so far. Walsh's HOMO announcement is well-timed — and, it must be noted, these plans are by no means approved, as they haven't yet been submitted to MONA's local city council — but what exactly can visitors (and locals) expect from the proposed addition to the Berridale site? And what other changes do Walsh and co. have up their sleeves? Well, a lot. We've broken in down so you can begin to understand what is going on in Walsh's brain. [caption id="attachment_628671" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fender Katsalidis Architects.[/caption] A HUGE NEW HOTEL The hotel will be built on the museum's current site in Berridale. With rooms elevated over the Derwent River, the design has been based on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge flipped upside down.HOMO will consist of 172 rooms, including a number of special 'experience' rooms developed by a selection of internationally renowned artists. Rooms facing the northeast will enjoy a view of Kunanyi/Mount Wellington, while rooms facing southeast will look up the river towards Claremont and Otago Bay. It looks nuts. [caption id="attachment_628672" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fender Katsalidis Architects[/caption] AN AMPHITHEATRE The hotel will also house a three-storey library to house Walsh's collection of rare books and manuscripts and an indoor theatre with seating for over 1000 people. Most notably, there will also be an outdoor stage and amphitheatre complete with playground designed by textile artist Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam. A restaurant, conference centre and spa will also be on-site. [caption id="attachment_628674" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rémi Chauvin.[/caption] A MOVE FOR MONA FOMA In related news, MONA is also planning to move the Festival of Music and Art (FOMA) from Hobart to Launceston. "The festival's original ten-year plan — to change the culture in Hobart — has come to fruition ahead of schedule," said FOMA creative director Brian Richie. "We'd like to embark upon a new creative journey - to relocate to Launceston in search of new challenges, new collaborations, fresh partnerships and novel creative models." MONA has requested funding from the State Government to do this. [caption id="attachment_628675" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fender Katsalidis Architects.[/caption] AN ART 'ANTI-CASINO' Perhaps the most intriguing element is 'Monaco', a private, high-limit, pokies-free 'anti-casino' that will double as an outlet for art and design. We're really not sure what this means, but that's probably the point. [caption id="attachment_628676" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fender Katsalidis Architects.[/caption] WHEN WILL IT ALL HAPPEN? Construction is expected to take approximately three years — although the start date could still a while away as the hotel's development plans are yet to be submitted to Glenorchy City Council. A "comprehensive consultation process" with the public will also be held. MONA hopes to start building in 2019 for an opening in early 2022. For what it's worth though, State Premier Will Hodgman seems keen on the project, telling reporters that "I think whatever comes out via Mona and David Walsh is always worth listening to." We'll keep an eye on this one. Top image: Fender Katsalidis Architects.
One-and-a-half kilograms of paper are making their way to Australia from studio in Suffolk, England, via sea. “It’s a whole shipping container’s worth,” laughs Mira Calix, the artist behind the ream. To be transformed into an enormous, ethereal maze, the cargo will form the basis of her new work, Inside There Falls, premiering at Sydney Festival 2015. Spoken word, original classical music and dance will combine in an immersive experience. The project began life about three years ago, as a result of a chance email from a stranger, who sent her a piece of writing. “I started reading it and responding positively. It really resonated,” she says. Or, as she puts it in her artist statement, “The text had taken hold of me. A stream of consciousness I found so enigmatic and elusive, creating feeling before reason. I felt compelled to take that avalanche of words off the page and let them breathe in a new form ... The writer had handed me the shoots and left me to grow my own forest.” A year or so later, with the initial concept in mind, Mira came to Sydney, where other elements fell into place: seeing Carriageworks and meeting Sydney Dance Company artistic director Rafael Bonachela. “When I saw [Carriageworks] it was like love at first sight. My little heart said, ‘This is perfect.’ It has character, but it isn’t dominating, and, physically, it’s such an exciting space, if you’re thinking big ... We don’t have places like this in England. Space is at a premium. In London, anything on this kind of scale would be turned into chichi apartments very quickly.” As for Rafael, Mira was already a fan. “He used to run a dance company on South Bank in London,” she says. “I gave him my construct and my narrative and he’s interpreting it. I like to work this way, sparking ideas, so that even among us, the work is becoming different versions of itself.” In keeping with Inside There Falls’ spontaneous, temporal nature, the dancing, despite being choreographed, won’t be scheduled. So whether or not audiences catch a fleeting figure among the paper will depend on chance. In the meantime, they’ll be kept busy with an open invitation to touch the installation at their will. “I want people to physically interact,” Mira explains. “There’s a bit of ritual and participation element to this work. You step into the story through a big blue room, which is like an overture or a prologue, so you start off as a blank page. Then you step into a white room, where the paper starts off very dense, but opens out. At the same time, you are surrounded by the story – the text [narrated by actor Hayley Atwell] and the music are moving around you ... Everything to me is the story, including you." Some artists are driven by their chosen medium, which they commit to for life. Mira, on the other hand, is driven by ideas. Combining music, sound and art, she draws on whichever materials are best suited to the story she has to tell. “I shift materials a lot,” she says. “Philosophically, to me, they’re all materials and it’s all composition. I see it all as one thing.” In 2009, a 100-strong choir played an integral role in her installation, My Secret Heart, which won the Royal Philharmonic Society Award. And, in 2012, a monolithic stone sculpture featured in her interactive piece, nothing is set in stone, which appeared at the London 2012 Olympic Festival. “You know what’s really strange about Singapore?” Mira Calix leans in, as though she’s telling me a secret. “Even though it’s tropical – even though it’s steaming hot – there are no insects. Isn’t that the weirdest thing?” “Last time I was there,” she continues. “I did a performance with an orchestra, where I put insects inside boxes, and mic-ed them. That was interesting.” Inside Their Falls is one of our top ten picks of the Sydney Festival. Check out our other favourite events over here.
Just when you thought Barangaroo, despite its mammoth size, couldn't squeeze in another eatery, along comes 12-Micron. This epic, 230-seater opens today, bringing with it a bar, late-night dessert and those now-standard Barangaroo harbour views. The name 12-Micron comes from wool — not just any wool, but a rare thread that is spun into extremely comfortable (and rather expensive) clothing. That said, there are no external sheepy bits on the menu — the name aims to capture the restaurant's focus on the best and freshest ingredients. Executive chef Justin Wise, formerly of The Press Club or The Point Albert Park, has been busy building relationships with Australia's finest producers, as well as a collective of foragers. With their offerings in mind, he's created a four-part menu that's divided into some semi-Captain Planet territory: Earth, Ocean, Land and Air. To give you an idea, Earth covers your vegetable needs, featuring paperbark-baked veg with fruit spice and goats curd. Ocean encompasses your sea creatures, for example, Skull Island king prawn steamed buns with wasabi, green mango and tobiko. Land covers your paddock-dwellers, lamb with spinach, native ironbark honey and damper. Air features anything that once flew, like half-pigeon with Aussie master stock, red cabbage and Illawarra plum. When you're done with elemental feasting, move into the 64-seater dessert bar to live your sugary dreams — and it's taking bookings until 11pm. Famed dessert chef Darren Purchese is in charge here. Just a few of his creations include coconut sago with passionfruit, ginger and mint; and dark chocolate mousse with salted caramel, tonka bean, mandarin and Zokoko chocolate. For a snackier experience, stick to the 120-seater bar. You'll get uninterrupted harbour views, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows, a simple menu featuring a mushroom taleggio toastie and a wagyu cheeseburger; and a significant treasure trove of wines to choose form — 400 if you're bottling and 32 if you're glassing. They're the picks of sommelier Lyndsey Carr. Alternatively, try a cocktail, such as Riberry Limy Tia (Rebellion Bay spiced rum, Védrenne spicy chilli cinnamon, orgeat, lime, riberry confit) or Smoking Chaplin (Plymouth Sloe Gin, Védrenne apricot brandy, lime and rosella jam). SJB (The Buena, The Light Brigade, Melbourne's L'Hotel Gitan) took care of the interior by bringing the outside in. By that, we mean you'll be sitting among gum leaf-coloured stone cobbles and tiles and granite finished with leather that looks and feels like bark. There are cosy couches, too. Find 12-Micron at Level 2, 100 Barangaroo Avenue (enter via Watermans Quay), The Streets of Barangaroo. The restaurant is open seven days for lunch and dinner, the bar is opening seven days from midday-1am and the dessert bar takes bookings until 11pm.
Drinking delicious and expertly made cocktails for a good cause is something we can all get behind. This International Women's Day, Darlinghurst's much-loved Shady Pines Saloon is doing it for the girls and bringing in an elite team of Sydney's finest female bartenders for a women-only bar takeover. The all-star team is made up of Georgia Collins and Alexandra Hooker from The Baxter Inn, PS40's Meg Litherland, Jas Pirovoc from Cantina Ok!, Brit Rowe and Sarah Mycock from Old Mate's Place, Bulletin Place's Atlanta Pahulu, Emma Bernadi from Alberto Lounge, Double Deuce Lounge's Claudia Morgan and Shady's own Gracie Peters and Felicity Eshmann. They'll all be donating their time for the event, and shaking and stirring their own signature creations — with all proceeds going to Rize Up. The Australian charity helps victims of domestic violence by providing them with food, bedding, funding and education. Doors to the basement bar open at 4pm, with the cocktails and festivities kicking on until midnight. As is always the case at Shady Pines, there'll be plenty of peanuts to snack on and honky tonk tunes to boogie to. Images: Leticia Almeida
William Onyeabor is perhaps the most mysterious man ever to have fused Afro-funk with space-age jams. After powering through the creation of eight albums over just as many years, he suddenly decided to stop talking — about himself or his music. However, it's a well-known fact that it takes an awful lot to 'stop the funk'. So, in what's certain to be one of the hands-down most epic musical events of Sydney Festival, an 18-strong band made up of artists from all over the world are getting together to jam on Onyeabor’s music at the Enmore Theatre. Led by Sinkane, Money Mark, Luke Jenner (The Rapture), Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip) and Pat Mahoney (LCD Soundsystem), the performance will feature special guests in the form of Gotye and the legendary Mahotella Queens. Atomic Bomb! is one of our top ten events to see at the Sydney Festival. Check out our other picks over here.
This year has been a stellar one for art lovers, with the Sydney Festival and Art Month keeping our calendars packed with creative delights between January and March. Luckily, the artsy fun is far from over. Up next is The National 2017: New Australian Art, a new biennial initiative from Sydney's top cultural institutions: the Art Gallery of NSW, the MCA, and Carriageworks. Celebrating the latest and greatest in contemporary Aussie art, The National will present a series of exhibitions and performances across the city between March 30 and July 16. To kick things off, head over to Carriageworks to catch one of these opening-weekend performances—the events won't cost you a cent, but bookings are essential. [caption id="attachment_615320" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Justene Williams, Two Fold 2016. Image courtesy the artist and Sarah Cottier.[/caption] A METAL CRY This epic new work by Sydney-based multimedia installation artist Justene Williams promises to be unlike anything you've ever seen. There will be dancers in fluoro pink concertina fan costumes fitted with accordions, dresses with chimes sewn into them, singers climbing up three-meter-high fake trees, electronic violinists, and a live score to boot. Yes, it's going to be intense. It's also going to be utterly mesmerising. Drawing on Japanese dance theatre and the modernist avant-garde, Williams has created a work that explores contemporary suburban culture and our place in a chaotic and fracturing world. Saturday April 1, 11am and 12pm [caption id="attachment_615321" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Zan Wimberley.[/caption] ALL I HAVE IS DREAMS OF YOU Born in Colombia and raised in Australia, multimedia artist Claudia Nicholson draws on her South American heritage to explore issues of identity through sculpture, performance, and internet-based works. For her newest piece, All I have is Dreams of You, Nicholson has created a memorial to the Queen of Latina pop Selena Quintanilla, who was murdered by the president of her fan club in 1995. Nicholson's vibrant and creative tribute will include an Andean teenage band playing Selena's greatest hits and dancers performing over an alfombra de aserrín, a colourful sawdust carpet that appears in many Latin American religious ceremonies. Saturday April 1, 4.30pm [caption id="attachment_615322" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alan Griffiths & Robert lazarus Lane, Bali Bali Balga 2017. Courtesy the artists and Waringarri Aboriginal Arts, Kununurra, WA.[/caption] BALI BALI BALGA A traditional Indigenous dance, the Bali Bali Balga captures the history of the Noongali people, telling stories about spirits and country through movement. Indigenous artist, dancer, and senior law man Alan Griffiths will bring this iconic cultural ceremony to the Carriageworks stage along with a team of dancers. In this intricate ritual, 15 dancers move to the accompaniment of clapping sticks and singing while carrying large woven dance boards that depict key elements of the dance story. This performance features dance boards designed and built by Griffiths and offers a snapshot into the rich culture of his community. Friday March 31, 7pm [caption id="attachment_615323" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brett Whitely. Production poster for National Black Theatre's Basically Black. Image courtesy Wendy Whitely, Brett Whitely Studio.[/caption] BASICALLY BLACK SCREENING In 1973, ABC screened a pilot for a TV version of Basically Black, a production that had taken Sydney's Nimrod Theatre by storm the previous year. Presented by the National Black Theatre, the performance was a series of political and satirical sketches about Indigenous Australia. While the planned television series never went beyond the pilot, Basically Black was an important sociopolitical work that still resonates today. If you've never seen the show, now's your chance with a screening that will be introduced by Richard Bell, a Brisbane-based artist and activist whose work is renowned for challenging conceptions of Aboriginal art. Saturday, April 1, 3pm [caption id="attachment_615329" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winds of Woerr, 2014. Performance documentation, Next Wave Festival. Image courtesy the artist. Photography: Gregory Lorenzutti.[/caption] THE UNSETTLING Award-winning choreographers Atlanta Eke and Ghenoa Gela have joined forces with Ghost Bird, Sezzo Snot, and RDY STDY (Hana Miller and Jacob Perkins) to create this innovative work that delves into the issue of invisible violence in Australian culture. A supernatural horror film produced in real time, The Unsettling is bound to be pretty epic. Each performance will include live music as well as pre-recorded and live video feeds. You can catch the show in the form of an exhibited rehearsal between June 19 and June 23, or as a performance on the weekend of June 24. Various dates in June All five of these performances take place at Carriageworks—245 Wilson St, Eveleigh. For more information and to reserve a space, head to The National's official website.
Getting down to your local for a nice cold beer is now as easy as pushing a button. As part of a new marketing campaign, Czech beer company Kozel has devised the Tap Out button, which when pressed will summon a taxi to ferry you to the nearest pub. Could this be the greatest scientific innovation of the modern age? Until Dominoes rolls out that pizza robot of theirs, we reckon it might just be. The buttons, of which there are three, will be made available via twitter. All beer lovers need to do is mention a mate and use the hashtag #PushforPub, and they could soon be on their way to the closest establishment that serves Kozel. What's more, there'll be two pints waiting for them on arrival. Pretty crafty. The button is good for three uses, at which point it presumably self-destructs, Mission: Impossible-style. Now the bad news: for the time being at least, the Tap Out buttons are only available in the UK, although according to PSFK, there's a chance more will be made available if the initial campaign is successful. And frankly, how could it not be. Rest assured, we'll let you know if they make it down to our part of the world. Until then, it looks like you're stuck with walking. https://vimeo.com/175340774 Via PSFK.
Sydney wine legends Cake Wines don't just make bloody good wine — they know how to party. If you've been to one of their Lovebombs secret rooftop/warehouse parties, you'll know they throw a quality party with quality tunes and quality tipples. Reason enough for a party in itself, Cake recently opened their own cellar door in Redfern, located in a renovated warehouse on Eveleigh Street (and it is slick). So for this year's Vivid festival, they're not doing things half-assed. There are three Cake parties you should be locking into your diary for this year's Vivid, two at the cellar door and one in a 'left of centre' secret location. First things first, let's organise your cellar door dates. First, it's The Posse, kicking off a three-show residency. New signings to Plastic World, this raw funk/disco/Detroit and Chicago house-inspired outfit includes Andrew Elston (Physique/Toni Toni Lee/Catcall), Ross Ferraro and Jarrol Renaud (AKA The Goods), Michael Di Francesco (Touch Sensitive/Van She) and NZ jazz keys prodigy Andrew Bruce. Yowzer. Next, it's The House of Who on June 5, with longtime Cake collaborator Mike Who and friends. This Sunday session will see Mike alongside NZ producer Julien Dyne and Sydney outfit The Goods, Expect "a mixed bag of soul, disco, boogie, house, latin, african and Brazilian vibes," according to the crew. Finally, Sydney DJ collective Lovebombs has once again teamed up with Cake Wines for one huge secret party on June 11. These parties are always a riot— one took over the Holiday Inn rooftop at sunset. You'll get the directions on the day.
Can you feel a tingling in your toes as your feet start to defrost? That's the feeling of winter slipping away (or maybe you've been sitting cross-legged for too long) and with its demise comes the return of Australia's beloved Moonlight Cinema. Ahhh balmy nights on the grass, we have missed you. Heralding the coming of the warmer months, Moonlight Cinema is a summertime tradition and it always nails the balance between new releases and cult classics. The film program is yet to be announced, but we'll keep you updated as soon as it is. Nosh-wise, Moonlight Cinema will again let you BYO movie snacks and drinks, but the unorganised can also chow down on a plethora of US style food trucks — the perfect, messy treat made for reclining on bean beds. Bean beds and snack trucks, is there anything better? This season includes screens in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth, running from November through to March. Get your pens out and jot down these dates. MOONLIGHT CINEMA 2018 DATES: Sydney: Nov 29–Mar 31 (Belvedere Amphitheatre in Centennial Park) Melbourne: Nov 29–Mar 31 (Central Lawn at the Royal Botanic Gardens) Brisbane: Nov 29–Mar 31 (Roma Street Parkland) Perth: Dec 1–Mar 31 (May Drive Parkland, Kings Park & Botanic Garden) Adelaide: Dec 8–Feb 17 (Botanic Park) The Moonlight Cinema kicks off on November 29. For more information and bookings here.
After a hugely popular debut event last year, New Years Eve at Barangaroo returns for 2016, with 12,000 tickets set to be snapped up by punters over the next few weeks — 6000 tickets are on sale now. New Years Eve revellers will get to see Sydney's fireworks from a prime spot at Barangaroo Reserve, as the park will again be hosting its own waterfront party. Tickets have been released on pre-sale for subscribers to the Barangaroo e-newsletter from 12pm today, and the remaining 6000 tickets will go on sale to the general public this Wednesday, 12 October on the website. Last year, tickets sold out in four weeks — and, at $29.50 a pop (or $14.50 for concession holders), we can see why. According to Craig van der Laan, CEO of the Barangaroo Delivery Authority, the 12,000 cap aims to keep visitors safe and comfy, while keeping neighbourhood hassle to a minimum. The park's Hickson Road gates will open at 6pm on Thursday, December 31. There'll be ample space for picnicking on the Stargazer and Walumil lawns. BYO alcohol isn't allowed, but licensed areas will be offering celebratory beverages — and of course, there'll be food stands for those who didn't plan their picnic effectively. New Year's Eve at Barangaroo tickets go on sale to the general public this Wednesday, October 12 at 9am from the website.
We thought an island entirely dominated by wine would be the peak of Sydney Harbour's water-girt events. But there's a brand new event coming to another of Sydney's islands, Goat Island, and it's set to be a certifiable humdinger on Australia Day. Presented by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (go team), Goat Island Sounds is Sydney's newest music festival, taking over its namesake island on January 26. Centred around the countdown to rule them all, the triple j Hottest 100, this shiny new party is all about the live local beats. Expect the likes of Kilter, LUEN, Just A Gent, Kule and Ok Sure cranking out a set each. Plus, the Hottest 100 will be playing on the day, so you won't miss out on joining the rest of Australia in wailing "awwwww too early" when your voted tunes pipe up on the radio. But this is Australia Day right? Where the brews and nosh at? Sydney's favourite, constantly-teaming-up foodies Mary's and Young Henrys will be boating out to Goat Island with their burgs, beer and cider — and there's no BYO FYI. Tickets are wildly affordable at $65 a pop for GA, with your ferry ride included. What a bloody steal. If you're keen to shell out, two VIP tickets will cost $250 all up, and this comes with a luxury picnic hamper containing fine cheeses, cured meats, fruits and accompaniments, a picnic rug and cushions to sit on, a bottle of wine and access to VIP toilet facilities. Noice. Goat Island Sounds is happening on January 26 from 11am. For more info, head to the Facebook page. Tickets are available via Moshtix. Check out Concrete Playground's Guide to Sydney's Islands. Image: Wikipedia.
When we take that first sip of our barista-brewed coffee on a workday morning, a lot of us can't actually imagine living without coffee. But what about living without a roof over your head or a guaranteed meal? Unfortunately, this is what many homeless people around Australia face each day, but on Friday, August 7, you can help your fellow Aussies out simply by buying a coffee as part of CafeSmart. CafeSmart is an annual event from StreetSmart that raises money and awareness for the homeless and is back for its third year running. Last year, 415 cafes and 20 coffee roasters raised $120,000 to fund 91 community projects. Not too shabby. So how does it work? From every coffee purchased on August 7 at a participating cafe around Australia, $1 will be donated towards local projects. So if your go-to local isn't participating, shake things up for a day and head to one that is. Prefer a hot chocolate? You can also donate at the counter. Simply by aiming for a bighearted cafe, you'll be helping some of our country's most in-need humans, so treat yourself to a third or fourth coffee guilt-free. Look for cafés posting this little guy today. @StreetSmartAust gives $1 from your coffee to help the homeless. #CafeSmart #drinkcoffeedogood A photo posted by Concrete Playground Sydney (@concreteplayground) on Aug 7, 2014 at 9:02pm PDT CafeSmart is happening around the country on Friday, August 7. Check the website for participating cafes near you. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
The One Day crew just keep hitting their stride. A far cry from their humble 2013 pub beginnings as One Day Sundays, Sydney's favourite hip hop crew are getting bigger and bigger crowds with every event, throwing over 50 events across Australia in the last two years and blowing the roof of their monthly Factory mini-festivals. Now, they're ready to throw their biggest Sydney day party yet — One Day Only. Locked in for Saturday, November 21, One Day Only will take over three levels of Manning House — which has already proved its festival ability with years of Sydney Uni gigs and the recently moved-in OutsideIn festival. Building on the tried and true formula of the One Day Sundays parties, the event will see 3000 punters enjoying hip hop, future beats, neo-soul, R&B and electronica across three stages. “The parties have exploded since we started back in 2013 and we felt now is the time to step things up”, said Nick Lupi of One Day. “One Day Only will build on the same party vibe that Sydneysiders have come to know and love, but we’re turning it up a few notches. The bigger lineup and extra stages will incorporate live acts and a wider mix of genres, plus we’ll be decking out Manning House like you’ve never seen it before.” Of course, music's not the only creative element running the One Day parties, so expect live graffiti art curated by international spraypaint brand Ironlak, and a cornucopia of Sydney's finest food trucks. Apparently the crew are taking cues from the most unlikely of hip hop places for the party's 'theming': the social revolutions of 18th century Europe. “The party will combine classical opulence and beauty with a slightly anarchic undertone” said One Day’s Raph Lauren. “We’re taking over the mansion to turn up and share the spoils with the people. This is a renaissance. A party for the ages.” ONE DAY ONLY LINEUP: Anderson .Paak (USA) P-Money (NZ) Jackie Onassis M-Phazes Sampology Ngaiire Joyride Paces The Meeting Tree Baro Feki Young Trapz jayteehazard Jimblah DJ Izm Mike Who Halfway Crooks Left. Thandi Phoenix Shantan Wantan Ichiban Zuri Akoko Adit Nacho Pop Poncho Lazer Gunne Funke Moonbase Commander Finehosue Gravy Camden.Arc Radge Klue Buoy
When you read a news story explaining a tragic, violent event, often you're getting just a fraction of the story. Filled with cold facts and figures, absorbing news coverage of unspeakable crimes like mass shootings and gun-related violence can be a pretty sobering experience. Too often, it's easier to bury your head in the sand. If you're an arts practitioner, tackling a topic like gun-related violence is far from an easy task. But with mass shootings and armed attacks rising on a global scale, more and more artists are taking it upon themselves to grab our collective attention and try to understand what the hell went wrong. For playwright David Greig, Norwegian Anders Breivik's shooting of 69 young people at a summer camp in 2011 stuck a chord too deep to ignore. Translating emotions into art certainly isn't a new notion, but his socially aware play The Events has really got us thinking about the aftermath of these tragic experiences. So we caught up with actress Catherine McClements, the lead in Belvoir's current production of The Events, to unpack the power of theatre for social commentary, what it takes to adopt a character so poignant and personal, and the role of the arts in helping us grapple with these challenging topics and find a way forward. [caption id="attachment_573870" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Belvoir/Lisa Tomasetti.[/caption] HERE'S HOW THINGS STAND 372. That's the number of mass shootings that took place across the United States in 2015 alone, according to the BBC. The Gun Violence Archive reveals that, on average, 36 Americans were killed by guns PER DAY (amounting to a staggering 12,942 by December 23) last year. Not surprisingly, America ranks among the developed nations with the highest rate of gun ownership, according to ABC. But this isn't just happening in the US. Both the UK and Australia have been the sites for numerous horrific mass shooting events in recent decades. From cases such as Martin Bryant (responsible for ending 35 lives during the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre, and which led to private gun ownership laws being restricted in Australia) to the 2014 Lindt Cafe siege in Martin Place, the threat posed by such lethal weapons continues to rear its head in the wake of such devastating incidents. [caption id="attachment_573865" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Belvoir/Luke Cowling.[/caption] SO, WHAT THE HECK CAN ART DO? While gun-related violence is a huge global issue affecting countless lives, individual people turn to art to help them understand such heinous acts on a personal level. When it comes to The Events, we're focused on one woman and her story. Written with reference to the Anders Breivik case of 2011, the play won over crowds at the 2013 Edinburgh Festival for its delicate contemplation of community and compassion in the face of gun-related violence. Closer to home, director Clare Watson brings The Events to life for Australian audiences. Showing at Sydney's Belvoir Street Theatre from May 12 to June 12, this powerful play explores theatre as a medium for social commentary and a means to personalise the events we see splashed across the headlines. [caption id="attachment_573866" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Belvoir/Luke Cowling.[/caption] BREAKING DOWN 'THE EVENTS' Set in the halls of a fictional community centre, Catherine takes to the stage as Claire, a church minister responsible for leading the local community choir. After a young gunman tears the fabric of this group apart, Claire is forced to rebuild herself and her band of singers. "Her journey is to really contemplate the boy who committed the crime," Catherine explains. "The boy" is played by Johnny Carr, who additionally takes on the role of numerous characters in the play, from the boy's father to Claire's psychologist. This deft casting decision reinforces Claire's obsession with this young man; everyone is filtered through the lens of her attacker as she struggles to come to terms with the event. "The play is trying to deal with what is our response to something like that, not during the event when we can't control it but afterwards when we can contemplate it." What sets this production apart is its use of real-life choir members as performers on stage. Each night, a different choir comes on stage, to perform songs for the play and from their own repertoire. "For the audience … it's like seeing themselves up there, because the choir sits behind the action," says Catherine. "We try and do it so the choir have not seen the play, and so they don't really know what's going to unfold at all." And this is what makes The Events such a unique portrayal of gun-violence: its emphasis on the aftermath, on people and emotions rather than the hot-headed brutality of the crime itself. "There is not one answer to why most of these young men commit these crimes," says Catherine. "I think the play just deals with all of the elements of it... the disenfranchisement, the music, the sense of hopelessness. It ultimately comes up with the question of... how we deal with it, what we do in response." [caption id="attachment_573867" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Belvoir/Luke Cowling.[/caption] BUT 'THE EVENTS' IS NOT ALONE Despite its strengths in shining a light on the psychology behind gun-related crimes, The Events is, of course, not the first artistic work to explore mass shootings. For example, Gus Van Sant's film Elephant (2003) won critical acclaim for its unnerving depiction of a fictionalised high school shooting using non-professional actors (drawing clear parallels to the events of the 1999 Columbine high school massacre). What The Events and other works highlight is the creative potential and evocative possibilities that performance offers. They may not be perfect in their delivery, but their value lies in presenting a discourse of the humanity of offenders, families and their victims. As Catherine explains, "It's a contemplation through art, rather than through politics." The Events is now showing at Belvoir until June 12. Top image: Brett Boardman.
After a quick makeover, Cornersmith Marrickville reopened yesterday. And the big news is you can now add an alcoholic beverage to your meal — be it a bloody Mary with brekkie or a local wine with lunch. On top of that, the eatery is open for dinner, Wednesday through to Sunday. In keeping with Cornersmith's approach to food, the drinks list features loads of house-made ingredients, from syrups and fermented sodas to bitters and brines. New sommelier Marc Dempsey (Yellow, 121BC) has come up with a bunch of signature cocktails, including a cherry kombucha spritz, as well as an all-Australian wine, beer and spirits menu, which focuses on small-batch drops and brews. "I'm looking forward to working in the inner west with people I admire for their ethical approach to hospitality and hoping to bring a restaurant experience that is genuine and sophisticated but friendly and relaxed to the community of Marrickville," said Dempsey, via Cornersmith's Facebook page. Dinner, served from 5pm, is all about share plates. New head chef Ava Stangherlin (Hotel Centennial) is mixing and matching local produce, such as Wapengo oysters from Bermagui, NSW, Maffra clothbound cheddar, seasonal veggies and, of course, Cornersmith's famous pickles, preserves and ferments. At lunch, design your own ploughman's plate, with fancy ingredients like pickled blue mackerel and cucumber kimchi. The brekkie menu has seen a few tasty additions, too. There's a new egg roll with Spanish tortilla, watercress, red pepper relish and kefir butter, and a creative take on the classic breakfast bowl, packed with pineapple bircher, summer stone fruit, almonds and poppy seeds. Cornersmith Marrickville, 314 Illawarra Road, is open Monday–Tuesday, 7am–3:30pm; Wednesday–Friday, 7am–late; and Saturday–Sunday, 7:30am–late. Dinner bookings are recommended and can be made through the Cornersmith website.
Sydney’s beloved Surry Hills barbecue restaurant Porteno has found a new pop-up home in Rushcutters Bay, following the fire that broke out on January 9 in their Cleveland Street digs. Co-owner Elvis Abrahanowicz told Gourmet Traveller that while the Surry Hills fire and subsequent water damage hasn’t affected the dining area of the restaurant, repairs to the ruined areas in the upstairs bar and roof could take up to two months. So they’re popping up for a while as the adorably named Popteno, a separate endeavour to their Double Down Diner Messina team-up at the Sydney Festival Village. According to GT, Porteno's new pop-up will occupy the space formerly home to Rushcutters and Neild Avenue. The crew will no doubt be serving up a variation on the existing Porteno menu, so we're guessing a meaty, meaty Argentinian focus is in store. Poptento will launch on January 28. If you’re pining for Porteno until then, get down to the Double Down Diner at Sydney Festival village for all your American-style barbecued, fried and sauced up needs. Find Popteno at 10 Neild Avenue, Rushcutters Bay from January 28, open Wednesday to Saturday from 6pm. Via Gourmet Traveller.
Happy damn Friday. Friend to the high note and monarch of mindfuck music videos FKA twigs has chucked a Beyonce and dropped a surprise EP this morning, along with a trippy 16-minute film. Titled M3LL155X, the five-song EP is available from today through Young Turks, after twigs shared new tracks 'Figure 8' and 'Glass & Patron' earlier this month. Produced by the mysterious BOOTS (producer of Beyonce's surprise album), it's a pretty highly anticipated release, following the hoo-ha around her 2014 album LP1, and subsequent sold-out international touring — including her recent Australian/Laneway tour. We're pretty stoked on artist Matthew Stone's EP cover art: Let's get to that 16-minute movie huh? Fusing tracks from the new EP into one freaky, mesmerising short film, twigs has created "an aggressive statement conceptualising the process of feeling pregnant with pain, birthing creativity and liberation," according to Pitchfork. From twigs as a live sex doll to a cameo from fashion icon Michele Lamy, this is one strange escapade. Watch below, with headphones up loud. M3LL155X is available through Young Turks. Via Pitchfork. Image: Andy Fraser, Laneway Festival.
