Fuzzy's national electronic-meets-hip hop festival Listen Out is back for another round and this year's lineup is a humdinger, topped by California's inimitable Anderson .Paak, with his live band The Free Nationals. He's joined by UK beatsmiths Gorgon City, big trap fiend Baauer, AV-happy producer Claptone live, Harlem Trap Lord A$AP Ferg, LA young gun Jauz, grime newcomer Stormzy, Swedish rap phenomenon Yung Lean and more. There's plenty of homegrown love on the bill this year, as always, with festival favourites Rüfüs marking their final Aussie shows of 2016, alongside the likes of Cosmo's Midnight, Ngaiire, L D R U, JOY, Sui Zhen and Willow Beats. Listen Out tours nationally to four of Australia's capitals, kicking off on September 24 and hitting Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane over two weekends. Tickets are on sale from midday on Thursday, June 23 from the Listen Out website. LISTEN OUT 2016 LINEUP: Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals A$AP Ferg Claptone Immortal Live Cosmo's Midnight Gorgon City DJ Set Baauer JAUZ JOY. L D R U Ngaiire Rüfüs Stormzy Sui Zhen DJ Set Tash Sultana Tchami Willow Beats Yung Lean LISTEN OUT 2016 DATES: MELBOURNE — Saturday, September 24 at Catani Gardens, St Kilda PERTH — Sunday, September 25 at Western Parklands, HBF Arena, Joondalup SYDNEY — Saturday, October 1 at Centennial Park BRISBANE — Sunday, October 2 at The Sporting Fields, Victoria Park All shows 1-10pm Image: Listen Out.
Spotify had best watch its back, because there's a brand new music streaming service in town. Launching this week, BitTorrent Now is an Android and soon to be iOS and Apple TV app that lets users stream ad-supported music and video, with a special focus on curated content that might otherwise fly under the radar. While BitTorrent is probably best known as a way of sneakily pirating TV shows, the company has actually been helping artists distribute their work for years. Since launching their BitTorrent Bundle service in 2013, they've worked with Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, comedian David Cross and countless other lesser-known filmmakers, musicians and miscellaneous creatives. Artists who make their work available via BitTorrent Now can choose whether or not they wish to participate in the ad program. If they opt not to, they can instead make their work available for purchase, or upload it for free without any ads whatsoever. According to the company, artists will receive 70 percent of revenue generated by ads on their videos, and 90 percent of revenue if they chose to place their content behind a paywall. BitTorrent will also make a concerted effort to curate content on the app, in order to help artists find an audience and vice versa. The app includes trending and new release sections, and allows users to build a list of favourites. Nothing too revolutionary — perhaps the most interesting thing about it is the focus on smaller artists, who'll hopefully be able to use the platform to make a name for themselves. No word yet on if/when BitTorrent Now will be available in Australia. Via Engadget.
Vivid Sydney's massive 2017 program has landed and it's packing some serious punches, not least of which is a sneaky Sydney Opera House show by none other than The Avalanches. But it's not just a show, it's a casually large outdoor block party. The legendary Australian group has been stirring some heavy emotions since crashing back onto the live music scene in July last year, treating Splendour-goers to their first proper live onstage appearance in about a decade. Now, fresh off the back of festival shows at Falls and Sugar Mountain, The Avalanches have announced they'll be hitting the Opera House's Northern Boardwalk in May, for a Since I Left You 'block party' that'll see the band perform its seminal, sample-heavy album in full for the first time since 2001. They'll be performing with Sydney multi-instrumentalist Jonti Danilewitz, who performed Since I Left You for Vivid LIVE in 2014 with Astral People. Joining The Avalanches on May 27 and 28 is a top-notch lineup that includes renowned US producer DJ Shadow, 2017 Australian Music Prize winner Briggs, and rising hip hop star Sampa the Great. Check out the rest of the 2017 Vivid program.
Australians are notoriously picky when it comes to their daily coffee. But how many of us actually know how and why coffees can vary so much from place to place? Sure there's the skill of the barista, but it might be time to learn a bit more about the beans to inform our preferences. Here's a handy guide to coffee tasting, from what aromas to look for to how to drink better coffee in general. You'll be hosting your own coffee cupping sessions at home in no time — something you can even do with the humble coffee pod. [caption id="attachment_578979" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Daniel Ruswick.[/caption] WHY DO A COFFEE TASTING? Coffee cupping sessions are about educating people on the difference in beans. Where they're from, if they're single origin, how they're roasted and ground all contribute to a different product at the end of the line. Sam Gibson co-owner of Back and Forth cafe attends quarterly cupping sessions with his supplier Gabriel coffee. "Coffee tastings are important to identify the profile of the coffee, where it's from and how it's roasted determines the flavours which inform our choices of what to serve." Back and Forth has a house blend then a monthly single origin coffee it grinds freshly and sells to customers. Cupping sessions are also available and gaining popularity at places like Campos in Newtown and Rueben Hills in Surry Hills. DO'S AND DON'TS Don't do anything silly like brush your teeth just before doing a tasting. Cleanse the palate with sparkling water, that's not too cold between tasting. Don't swallow the coffee, but do leave it and swill it around your mouth a bit before spitting it out. Don't add sugar. When you're sipping, Gibson advises to take in a little bit of air with the mouthful, in the same way as when you're tasting wine. "It's really important as it gets the coffee to the back of the mouth and all over the tongue," he says. [caption id="attachment_578982" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Drew Coffman.[/caption] WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR "Aroma is really important and the first thing to be considered," says Gibson. Before tasting the coffee smell each one after the other and notice the difference. Then smell each one again just before you taste it. "Very roughly speaking the darker blends are better for milky coffees as they hold up with their more full bodied, bitter chocolatey characteristics." Lighter blends tend to be a bit more earthy, floral and citrusy which suit black coffee. When tasting the coffee think about characteristics beyond the actual flavour profiles like body, acidity, complexity, mouth feel and finish. Try to think of words that describe the flavours you're tasting, such as grassy, earthy. chocolatey, sharp, delicate, bitter, bold etc. COFFEE TASTING AT HOME With the rise in popularity of portable espresso machines at home, so too are people developing tastes for their favourite beans and blends in the pods. Australian startup company Tripod Coffee sources single origin and blended regional beans, then roasts and vacuum sealed locally to retain freshness. It might be an idea to get one of their sample packs, which has all five varieties from their spicy, savoury, cedar style 'Grey Gaucho' to their raisiny, citrusy and coco bean-esque 'Blue Beret'. Otherwise getting a small pack of a few different beans from a cafe, having them freshly ground and serving them French press style side by side, is a surprisingly good way to compare the characteristics of the beans. TIPS FOR DRINKING BETTER COFFEE Adding sugar is a real no-no for coffee purists. But knowing what kind of bean suits the way you drink your coffee (black, espresso or flat white, for instance) can help you make an educated choice to bring out the best in your coffee. Never keep coffee in the freezer at home, but tightly sealed somewhere dry. The best thing you can do is invest in a grinder and grind small quantities of beans as you make your coffee. And try as much coffee as you can — shake it up.
The PACT Centre for Emerging Artists is teaming up with performance collective Applespiel for a 24-hour live event in protest of proposed government cuts to the arts sector. Specifically, they'll be hosting an all night telethon, with the aim of raising not money, but rather excellence, in the hope of acquiring enough excellence for George Brandis' controversial National Centre for Excellence in the Arts. The event is titled In Pursuit of Excellence: A Telethon for Excellence. Sounds excellent. Taking place in the PACT Theatre in Erskineville, the tongue-in-cheek telethon kicks off at 6pm on Friday, July 17 and will be taking pledges of excellence until the same time the next day. There'll be panel discussions, dances, exhibits and live performances, plus video statements from arts organisations far and wide. Entry into the event is free, although donations are most welcome. Those wanting to stay the night should bring a blanket and snacks (enough to share please!), while drinks will be available from the bar. If you can't make the event in person, you can stream the whole thing live at www.inpursuitofexcellence.net. The Telethon for Excellence is part of a broader movement of events and protests under the #freethearts banner, which aims to draw attention to and hopefully reverse the planned government cuts to the Australia Council. Under the most recent federal budget, the amount of money allocated to the peer-reviewed arts funding body will be slashed by more than $100 million over the next four years, and instead go to the newly created Centre for Excellence. What is most troubling about this change is that rather than being decided by an independent body, the provision of grant money would fall to the Arts Minister, aka Brandis himself. According to a statement from Applespiel, "This Telethon is at PACT to highlight what we stand to lose: the space and support for independent art makers. Because that’s what spaces like PACT do best, they nurture and grow the practices of artists, they allow space to fuck up, to try something new and difficult, to learn. Without these spaces, where will independent artist go?" For the full rundown on the Telethon for Excellence, including information on how you can pledge, check out the event page on Facebook.
Releasing her debut album, Alas, I Cannot Swim at the impressive age of 18, Laura Marling has held the world in her palm over the past decade with her contemporary, understated take on folk music. From the uptempo songs of her debut LP to the rich and inventive tracks peppering her latest album, Semper Femina, released earlier this year, Marling has demonstrated a true mastery of her craft — multiple Mercury Prize nominations during her career can't be wrong. Marling's putting on a single performance for Vivid this year, and, as one of the UK's best current songwriters, she's sure to make it a cracker.
Sydney's inner west is about to get in on the openair cinema action. Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema has just announced they'll be opening their very first inner west cinema this summer, adding another location to their free ice cream-loving lineup of Bondi, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth this November. Originally started in the Bondi Pavilion amphitheatre as Australian Openair Cinema and expanding over the years to Australia's capital cities, Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema is making a smart move heading for the inner west. With Moonlight Cinema having dibs on Centennial Park, St George OpenAir Cinema getting annually grand on Mrs Macquarie's Chair, and North Sydney Oval's Starlight Cinema and the brand new Flicks at the Greens taking care of the north, the inner west is a pretty damn great spot to develop an openair cinema. Where's the cinema going to set up shop? On the lawns of Cadigal Green at the University of Sydney. Noice. While the season film program is yet to be announced, we're sure the team will keep their tried and true formula intact — live music and free ice cream nights. Can't get much more summery than that. Sign up to the inner west Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema newsletter to be the first to hear about the venue, program and ticketing information. Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema will take over Cadigal Green, University of Sydney from November 19 to December 12, 2015. Check out CP's roundup of Sydney's best openair cinemas over here.
If you've ever spent time in Apia, Samoa, you'll know that the Royal Samoa Police Band is a crucial part of daily routine. Every morning, the white-suited musicians march from the Police HQ to Government House, where they perform the national anthem and raise the Samoan flag. Four years ago, New Zealand-born artist Michel Tuffery developed a potent interest in both this ritual and its symbolism. Its origins are more than a century old, dating back to when Germany ruled over Samoa between 1900 and 1914. Tuffery's exploration has led to the creation of a large-scale video installation, which juxtaposes German influences with indigenous Samoan culture, drawing from archival and contemporary records. For his work, Siamani Samoa, the Royal Samoa Police Band will travel to Australia for the first time ever, to perform live at Carriageworks with Tuffery’s video creating an immersive stage setting. "Every culture has its own unique way of archiving history," says Tuffery. "Samoa traditionally has a long oral history practice, and for me, Siamani Samoa is like that moment when one brings out the family album — perhaps the album at the bottom of the shelf that no one gets to see — and reminds us that we are literally eating the past." Siamani Samoa will appear for three consecutive nights from 7pm on July 16, 17 and 18, with a matinee happening on July 18 at 2pm. On July 17, between 10am and 4pm, the set will be on public display, and after the evening performance Michel Tuffery will drop in for a chat.
Batman's added one more surprise to his overstocked utility belt — free gelato. To celebrate the release of new video game Batman: Arkham Knight (the fourth and final in the Arkham series), N2 Extreme Gelato has created a trilogy of character-based flavours — all yours to inhale for free. This Wednesday, June 24 from 5pm, you'll be able to munch on DC Comics-inspired, handcrafted flavours of N2, all created using their signature style of liquid nitrogen-based 'gelatorgastronomy'. Again, it's free. FREE. And only available in N2's Sydney and Melbourne stores. Only one per customer y'greedy guts. There's 'The Batmobile' (burnt chocolate gelato representing ‘burnt rubber tyres’, crème brûlée ‘shattered glass’ shards, smoked chocolate ‘engine oil’ syringe and cookie chunk ‘asphalt’): Our personal favourite, 'The Scarecrow' (straw-infused gelato (!), cornflake crunch pieces, three syringes filled with citrus ‘fear toxin’ bitters): 'The Riddler (matcha gelato, green tea, ‘bewildered’ choc top, ‘confused’ ganache, feuilletines ‘puzzled bits’, topped with ‘?’ waffle discs): Munging down on Batman-inspired gelato isn't all we're celebrating here. This dark night of free N2 coincides with today's Australia-wide PlayStation 4/Xbox One/PC release of Batman: Arkham Knight, the Arkham series finale, where Batman faces off against the formidable Scarecrow and his merry band of supervillains (we're talking Penguin, Two-Face, Harley Quinn and The Riddler). If you played Arkham Asylum, City or Origins, you know you're down for some fly-across-room-to-hit-dude-in-face-you-weren't-even-aiming-at action and all the beautifully dark graphics you could want. N2 Extreme Gelato's Batman-inspired creations will be available from 5pm in the following stores on Wednesday, June 24: SYDNEY Newtown: 184 King Street Newtown CBD: 43/1 Dixon St, Sydney MELBOURNE Fitzroy: 329 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy CBD: 18 Sutherland St, Melbourne One free gelato is available to each customer (they'll see your moustache is fake, guys) and only while stocks last. Get. There. Early.
The Lobo Plantation lads should have no time for fun. They've been way too busy, y'know, managing one of Sydney CBD's top cocktail spots. But they're about to add some epic tasks to their to-do lists: they're opening a second cocktail bar next year and their first restaurant. According to Australian Bartender, the Lobo crew are set to open their next venture in 2016. Adorably named Kittyhawk, the bar will take over a space on Phillip Lane in the CBD, formerly occupied by short-lived '80s richo business bar Bondy's (the one with the $20,000 cocktail and a theme inspired by Alan Bond). It's a two-level space in the heart of the city, also once housing posh pub Bull and Bear. The ground floor will be opened first as cocktail bar Kittyhawk, and then work will begin on the restaurant upstairs. While owners Jared Merlino, Mikey Hwang and Eddie Levy aren't revealing much about Kittyhawk's theming, design or menu, they told AB there'd be a focus on rum, rye whiskey and "spirit-forward cocktails", with super bartender Paige Aubort behind the wheel. They also described Lobo as "quite a feminine venue", something they're looking to move more toward "more of a masculine style" for Kittyhawk. AZBCreative are locked in to design the joint, celebrated for their work with Lobo as well as Pink Salt, The Island, The Goodwill Society and pop-ups like Sydney's Duff Beer bar. Construction on Kittyhawk will begin early next year, with opening date pencilled in for April 1. Via Australian Bartender. Image: Lobo Plantation.
Are you serious about your rum? Just love the stuff and haven't paid much attention to the actual rum-making process? Either way, there's a rum-fuelled adventure happening in Sydney over November and December you should lock into your diary. Fine purveyors and makers of rum for over 265 years, Appleton Estate have launched The Appleton Trail in Sydney, three weekends of rum-tasting, storytelling and celebration of Jamaica's long-loved spirit. Over three weekends from November 20, Sydneysiders can pull up a pew at Sydney's rum-lovin' bars and taste the gems of the Appleton range, and learn up on the rum-making process and the rich Jamaican culture behind the spirit. The Appleton Trail kicked off with a takeover of the Village Inn, Paddington over the weekend of November 20-21 — and successfully converted everyone in the space to rum-based cocktails. Next up, they're moving to Sweethearts Rooftop Barbecue from November 27-28, with the trail concluding at Taylor's Rooftop in Sydney's CBD on December 4-5. Each venue will be transformed into a Jamaican oasis with reggae tunes, specially-created rum cocktails, paired with Jamaican food, and hosted by a Jamaican dancer, and you'll be able to try the Appleton Estate Signature Blend – the original Appleton Estate rum — alongside the Reserve Blend, Rare Blend 12 Year Old, 21 Year Old Jamaica Rum and 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum – the world’s oldest barrel-aged rum. THE APPLETON TRAIL DATES: November 20-21 — The Village Inn, Paddington November 27-28 — Sweethearts Rooftop Barbecue, Kings Cross December 4-5 — Taylor's Rooftop, Sydney CBD
As far as Henry Miller was concerned, alone time is crucial to creativity. “An artist is always alone,” he wrote, “if he is an artist. What the artist needs is loneliness.” But spending day in, day out, with only your cat for company isn’t always a recipe for inspiration. Luckily, Etsy is well aware of the problem. So, every year, they host an enormous, worldwide Craft Party. Artists and craftspeople all over the planet are encouraged to get together to paint, draw, sculpt, sew and make — with like-minded others. This year, the gathering will be happening on June 6 and the theme is 'Kaleidoscope: Paper taking shape'. It's all about collages and paper cutting techniques this year, so come armed with scissors. Etsy Craft Parties will be held all over Australia. You can organise your own, or to attend one of Sydney's major bashes, book a spot online.
Ever been out and had a wine or brew that really just hit the spot? Wish you could keep, say, half a dozen more of them in your fridge? With P&V Merchants opening up on Enmore Road, you'll be closer to bringing home that mystery drink you met at the bar on the weekend. P&V is the latest project by a group of Sydney's foremost beverage connoisseurs. Lou Dowling of Mary's, wine expert and journalist Mike Bennie (who also advised Noma's wine list and co-founded Rootstock) and Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham (both of Mary's, The Lansdowne and The Unicorn) have fused a bottle-o with an incubator for those pushing the envelope in the drinks industry. "There is a growing hub of really wonderful people producing great products and spaces in our local community," says Dowling. "We have some incredible restaurants, great breweries and people making excellent spirits — so why not have a place to buy the type of wine we love?" The new business intends to peddle wines, local beer and spirits with particular focus on those with organic, biodynamic and sustainable sources. They'll also be pairing up with neighbouring businesses like Earl's Juke Joint, Bloodwood and, of course, Mary's to produce negronis and margaritas and other cocktails by the litre. Upstairs, the Mike Bennie Centre for Good Wine (actual name) will host classes and tasting nights and it'll also be available as a community space for winemakers. "We felt that the inner west was missing a local resource for getting access to all the interesting drinks coming from avant-garde producers," says Bennie. "And while the shop will be filled with interesting things to drink, the education space that will operate from above the shop adds another layer to P&V too." P&V will also have a 'mini market' — essentially a place to grab some extra garnishes for your drink, including locally grown citrus, herbs and cucumbers and ice bags from Hoshizaki. You'll also be able to pick up a gourmet TV dinner with ingredients like spatchcock or dhal for your next lazy night in. P&V Merchants will open on Saturday, December 9 at 64 Enmore Road, Newtown. For more information on opening dates, check out pnvmerchants.com.
Four artists have spent two years with Fairfield's many communities, exploring what it means to be a woman in such a diverse suburb. And now they're inviting you to experience their discoveries on a free twilight stroll, peppered with performance art, installations and drive-by soundtracks. You'll see artist collective Hissy Fit take over a carpark with actor and martial arts expert Maria Tran, to present Supreme Ultimate, which examines the influence of martial arts on perceptions of gender. Then, inside the Fairfield Chase food court, you'll come across a colourful installation by Claudia Nicholson, created through conversations with female workers and business owners. Meanwhile, Kate Blackmore has been busy collaborating with an Assyrian bride to examine the meanings of the wedding ritual to Fairfield's Assyrian diaspora. And, keep an eye and ear out for passing cars, playing soundtracks developed by Zoe Scoglio and bringing together Khmer, Aboriginal and Iraqi voices. Two free walks will take place — on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8. Meet at Crescent Park near Fairfield Station at 6pm on either evening. Women of Fairfield is presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA)'s C3West program, in conjunction with Powerhouse Youth Theatre (PYT), Fairfield and NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) and Fairfield City Council. Image: Anna Kucera.
Spot of Pac-Man and a pizza, anyone? The Keystone Group are launching a brand new foodie pop-up, Barbarello's Pizza and Arcade, on level one of the Sugarmill building in Kings Cross. Running June to September, the pop-up will see the Sugarmill space transformed into a classic Italian pizza and pasta joint — infused with old-school arcade games and a smattering of hip hop. Think Pac-Man, pool and pinball machines, with a little Buck Hunter thrown in for good modern measure. Smack bang in the middle of the Cross, Barbarello's is being pitched as a late-night dining and drinking joint, with a no-frills, cheap and cheerful pizza and pasta menu (all under $15). Expect to find pizzas like the 'Mutha Clucka' and 'Porky's Pig and Pineapple', alongside a 'Spagless Bolognese' (made with penne, much easier for dates). Plus, for the bargain hunters, there's going to be two-for-one pasta nights on Mondays. Looking for an Italian-style tipple? Keystone's national bar manager Manuel Terron and the crew have come up with a special menu for Barbarello's, playing on traditional Italian favourites like the Negroni, Aperol Spritzes and fresh OJ and Campari go-tos. There'll be $10 Negronis before 9pm on Saturdays, if you're looking for a cheap, early cocktail option. Barbarello's is the first pop-up space for the Sugarmill's first level, a 250 square metre space Keystone intend to hand over to pop-up bar ideas for the foreseeable future. And while we're not sure whether it's technically a 'pop-up' if it's popping up in your own venue, we're going to run with it. Barbarello’s is open on level one of the Sugarmill, Friday – Monday evenings from 5pm. Find the Sugarmill at 33-35 Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross. To book, call (02) 8070 2424. Barbarello's is having a launch party this Thursday, June 18 at 6pm. Entry is free (with RSVP) and details are over here.
Newcastle’s genre-busting This Is Not Art festival (better known to its friends as TiNA) is all grown up. And to mark its 18th birthday, the city is gearing up for a massive long weekend. More than 150 events will be serving up fun, creativity, inspiration, innovation and surprise, incorporating art, theatre, dance, sound, words, mixed media and experimental performance. The event draws together four happenings: the National Young Writers Festival, Critical Animals, Crack Theatre Festival and, for the first time ever, Ladyz in Noyz Australia. Take a late-night trolley ride around Newcastle East, hearing stories, watching performances and, quite possibly, meeting ghosts, with Asian Ghost-ery Store. Throw on a lab coat and take control of an alien research facility to investigate the mysteries of human reproduction with PressOne4Love. Get lost in an installation that reimagines J.M. Barrie’s Neverland for the late ‘90s. Give your creative fitness an hour-long work out at the therapeutic, invigorating ART FIT. Discover another 146+ events at the festival website.
It's that glorious time of the season again, when the tinnies, chants and team colours come out for the Reclink Community Cup. For just five bucks, you get to watch musicians and media types lay their mics and guitars aside for an afternoon, as they engage in a serious match of Aussie Rules. The Cup has been running in Melbourne for 23 years and, on August 14, hits Sydney for the fifth year running. Reps from 2ser, FBi Radio, triple j, Syn, Triple R, Fox Sports Australia, Triple M, ABC, Merchfan, Sydney Opera House and Sydney Festival make up the Sydney Sailors. They'll take on the Western Walers, made up of Anthony 'DJ Albo' Albanese with captain Siobhan SCABZ and vice captain Freddy Crabs (Sticky Fingers), plus members of Smudge, The Stems, Urthboy, RACKETT, SCABZ, Rob Mills, The Polaroids, Why We Run, Love Police, Philadelphia Grand Jury, Crystal Jane, Sounds Australia, Fuzzy, Chugg Entertainment, I OH YOU, St Jerome's Laneway Festival, Century Venues, Little Lovers, Sumeru, and Born Lion. All money raised goes to Reclink Australia, a not-for-profit that uses sport and the arts to assist disadvantaged people. Their clients include those experiencing mental illness, disability, homelessness, substance abuse, addiction, and social and economic hardship. Food and drinks will be available onsite, to keep you fuelled for heckling. Image: Rod Hunt.
Inspired by Middle Eastern street vendors and the thematic splendour of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Thievery is Glebe's newest foodie hideout, opened last night by the brains behind Eat Art Truck. Shaking up the regularly stereotyped Middle Eastern vibe of late-night kebab shops, Thievery is set across two floors of rustic timber, antiquey chandeliers, exposed brick and peeling paint. With an open bar downstairs (that's open plan, not free-for-all), Thievery is your new go-to for Araks (Middle Eastern beers), baklava-inspired cocktails and ice cream kebabs. Yes, ice cream kebabs. Created by EAT co-owner Mo Moubayed, former Rockpool and Chin Chin chef Jordan Muhamad, with consultation from Julian Cincotta (Nomad, Rockpool and 2015 Josephine Pignolet Chef of the Year), Thievery is the workings of Sydney's craftiest culinary masterminds. Don't go looking for your widely stereotyped Middle Eastern fare here. Muhamad and Cincotta have crafted one eclectic menu to kick things off with — one best enjoyed with your hands. Get right into it. There's your fancy answer to the ol' staple kebab: the Malek Samke Hara kebab of snapper, almonds and chilli ($14). There's Lebanese fried chicken with ink toum ($14) and kingfish nayyeh with cracked wheat and aleppo pepper ($18). And for dessert, you're looking at pomegranate roast figs with sweet labne ($12), 'The Lady Finger' ($5) and an ice cream kebab (!) with booza chocolate, rose floss and chocolate pearls ($8). Thievery doesn't just happen under cover of darkness, there's a solid brunch menu cranking as well; with dishes such as as fried eggs, chickpeas, succuk and sheep’s milk yoghurt ($16) or shanklish, tomato, red onion and flatbread ($14). If you're keen to delve into this den of banditry for libations only, the cocktail list will probably have you staying for a few. Each cocktail attempts to recreate signature Middle Eastern flavours — the Baby Got Baklava ($16) sounds just insane. If you're feeling a little peckish at the bar (and significantly brave), try the complimentary Lupin Beans — a legume which can be extremely toxic if not cooked properly. BRING IT. Find Thievery at 91 Glebe Point Road, Glebe. It's open Tuesday – Thursday 6- 11pm, Friday 6pm – midnight, Saturday 11am-3pm and 6pm - midnight.
One of inner city Sydney's favourite regular markets is bringing the magic to the south. As of Saturday, September 3, the locality will be getting a brand new market. To be held at Discovery Point and aptly named Discovery Markets, it's promising a fiesta of independently grown, baked, designed and made goodness — from local produce and tasty treats to fashion pieces and homewares. The brains behind this event are the same as those behind Chippendale's Brewery Yard Markets, Jacob Collier and Rupert Partridge. "Every stallholder has a unique story to tell," says Jacob and Rupert. "At Discovery Markets we want this to be recognised, by giving our visitors the opportunity to learn more about what they're buying and who they're buying it from." At the inaugural market, you can expect more than 40 stalls. Get set for sweet deliciousness from Donut Papi, super-fresh juices from Steve's Easy Squeeze, spicy feasts from Paella Del Mar, American burgers from East Coast Slider Shack and cracking caffeine hits from Black Market Roasters. Meanwhile, if it's gifts you're looking for, browse through Waja Creations' recycled flowerpots laden with cactii, hand-poured candles from Kandel, and designer dogwear from Haus of Harley. And it's not just shopping you'll be doing. Been meaning to pick up the ukulele ever since you saw Amanda Palmer in concert? Join Tom the Pom at 12pm and 1.30pm for a class presented by The Work-Shop. Alternatively, learn how to make pasta the Italian way at a session led by Steffen Achtmann, resident teacher at Vive Cooking School and head chef at Jamie's Italian. It's free, but you must be one of 20 quick people to register online, which you can do over here. After the launch, the Discovery Markets will be held on the first and third Saturdays of every month. Feel free to drive and load up your car with your loot — there's plenty of parking.
Whether you're in a relationship or not, what could be better than celebrating the summer season with a yacht party? Mumm Champagne is celebrating the launch of its summer rosé parties with its inaugural Valentines Day Eve party. It's on a yacht in Sydney Harbour on February 12 (not actually Valentines Day Eve, we know, but it's close enough), and we have two double passes to give away. On the yacht there will be Mumm Rosé Champagne and cocktails (yes, there will be frosé), and a gastronomy dinner menu that includes champagne macaroons. The party will be an intimate gathering, with an international DJ providing the soundtrack for the evening and what will hopefully be a beautiful Sydney sunset providing the backdrop. If you're lucky enough to have a special someone, skip the madness of February 14 and take your partner out to dinner on the Mumm super yacht on February 12 . If you're flying solo, grab a friend (male or female) and celebrate with them on the harbour. [competition]608491[/competition]
Apparently this Saturday is National Burger Day. We're not sure when that became a thing, exactly, but it is, and here we are. Point is, you've got the green light to make a pig of yourself tomorrow, and we know exactly where you should do it. Turns out Barrio Chino in Kings Cross has some gas left in the grill yet, with the recently shuttered Mexican joint finding new life as a pop-up burger spot. Shortening its name to Barrio, the temporary venue began service a few weeks back, and is set to continue cooking until at least the end of June. The menu includes standard single and double cheeseburgers, along with more extravagant options like this one made with a mac 'n' cheese patty. Also making an appearance is the mushroom burger from Barrio Cellar, along with a fried chicken number that uses the same recipe as they do at Fei Jai. Turns out co-owner Peter Lew has his fingers in quite a few pies. {special} house beef patty, maple bacon, jalapeño cheese sauce, tomato & orange chilli jam and a lot of love You would be a fool to miss this beauty #barriokx #kingscross #iloveburgerssomuch #fbas #burgers #sydneyeats A photo posted by Barrio🍔🍟 (@barriokx) on May 18, 2016 at 1:12am PDT In addition to the burgs, Barrio has retained a number of Mexican options, including tacos, quesadillas and barbecue corn. The aptly named Awesome Fries, meanwhile, come smothered in grated cheese and the same special sauce as you'll find in the cheeseburger. As for beverages, they've got a couple of killer shakes, along with margaritas and sangria by the jug. Barrio is located at 28-30 Bayswater Road, Kings Cross. For more information scope them out on Instagram. Via Good Food.
The Flaming Lips are the very definition of a band that has too much creativity to quit. Their unique psychedelic rock has been around since 1983, but they're not the type of band who'd sign, seal and deliver the same hits over and over. Having said that, you (or someone in close proximity) probably have their greatest tunes perpetually on high rotation, from ‘Do You Realise??’, ‘The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song’, to ‘Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 1’ and ‘She Don’t Use Jelly’. Listening to these psychedelic ditties is a joyous trip of an experience in itself, but seeing them live is something else entirely. The Flaming Lips' undeniably brilliant album, Clouds Taste Metallic, is currently enjoying its 20th anniversary and to celebrate, The Flaming Lips are off on tour yet again. Ahead of their Sydney Festival and Palais Theatre shows, we managed to catch up with the very chatty Wayne Coyne and asked him about giving new life to a 20-year-old record, his next-level live shows, and of course, his work with Miley. [caption id="attachment_554895" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: George Salisbury.[/caption] WHERE CLOUDS TASTE METALLIC AND HEADY NUGGS ROAM The Flaming Lips have released a whopping 16 studio albums since 1983, with the beloved seventh album Clouds Taste Metallic hitting shelves in 1995. Over a decade later, how does Coyne feel about the album now? "Some of those songs are just really great, dynamic, freaky songs to play. It’s one of those records that is never that far away from us.” The reissued vinyl, titled Heady Nuggs: Clouds Taste Metallic 20 Years Later, comes with quite a few extra goodies, including a live Seattle set from 1996. “We’re a very lucky group that virtually everything that we’ve ever recorded, we really do have absolute say over what we can reissue.” At first, the live vinyl was not going to cut it. “We never liked the quality. Even though we liked the show, it never sounded very good.” After a little playing around with plug-ins, the band was able to recreate the “crazy, freaky, exciting show" they knew they had on their hands. “I think when people listen to that they get a sense of that very amped-up punk-rock meets psychedelic rock, meets prog-rock weirdo group that we were," says Coyne. With track names such as ‘Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus with Needles’, it's hard not to ask for the story behind the album title Clouds Taste Metallic. Turns out Sydney had a hand in it. About 20-odd years ago The Flaming Lips were hanging out with Tool in Sydney. Tool’s then bassist, Paul D’Amour was taking a ride in a four-seater airplane (as you do) and asked the pilot to fly through a cloud (because Paul D'Amour). “He opened his mouth because he thought, 'How often do you get to go through a cloud?' I asked him, what did it taste like? And he said, 'You know, it tasted kind of metallic.' That’s an absolutely true story." ON FINDING A KINDRED SPIRIT IN MILEY The Flaming Lips are no strangers to collaboration; just check out their 15th studio album With a Little Help From My Fwends; a star-studded cover album of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. One creative partnership stands out amongst them: Coyne and Miley Cyrus. “The way that we live our lives is very similar,” Coyne explains, “She’s so on it. She has so much shit to say and songs to sing. I think that’s why we like each other. I’m always going and she’s always going, and so we meet up and we’ve got 20 things we want to do.” According to Coyne, the writing and recording process is more impulsive and natural rather than scheduled and labored. Coyne may start working on something at his studio in Oklahoma, then brings it to Cyrus, where sometimes all they’ll need is one take. “Usually even though we would say we’d start recording at noon, we usually wouldn’t start until 2am,” says Coyne, “She always has a lot of stuff going on. She can be in her house with 50 people and there can be a crazy party going on, and I’ll go in and say ‘Let’s go out and we’ll do some stuff for 20 minutes’. There’s five to six tracks we did together where it’s literally one take and I went into the house, got her, she came out, sang, and that will be the song.” [caption id="attachment_545696" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Todd Spoth.[/caption] LIVE SHOWS AND THE VIEW FROM INSIDE A HUMAN-SIZED BUBBLE There's a good reason why The Flaming Lips have been declared by Q Magazine as one of the 'Top 50 Bands to See Before You Die'. If you're fortunate enough to have witnessed them live already you’ll be familiar with confetti guns, crazy light shows, costumes, and of course, Wayne Coyne rolling over the crowd in a human-sized bubble. So what’s it like to literally walk on your audience? “I’ve done it so much now that it’s not an utter freak-out surprise,” he says. “I have a certain control over where it’s going to go, I can get a sense of how freaky and exciting it is for the audience. It’s one of those cool moments that we embrace, we’re glad we get to do something like that, and that the audience gets to play along with it.” The only thing that Coyne worries about in the bubble is potentially breaking a nose or a pair of glasses. Bless. For Coyne, the live show experience is a chance to bring everybody into their colourful world. “The things that we do with the lights and the volume, it includes everybody. Even if they don’t know the songs, it brings everybody together. That’s why we want it to be so dynamic. You want everyone to get the most out of it.” The Flaming Lips are most at home in a festival atmosphere, as Coyne explains, “I think it works well with our type of optimistic message. The things we really love to sing, those really do communicate at festivals pretty well.” Coyne believes there could be a new Flaming Lips record ready by April or May this year, but depending on their future work with Cyrus, no plans have been set in stone. “But that’s the great thing about always creating, sometimes by shear accident you stumble across this great song that you didn’t even know that you were going to do. That’s what we want to happen, that’s the reason to always be doing stuff. Some special moment may accidentally happen.” See The Flaming Lips perform live at Melbourne's Palais Theatre on Friday, January 8 and at Sydney Festival on Saturday, January 9 for free in the Domain. More details on The Flaming Lips' website. Top image: George Salisbury (WB).
Waterloo residents, your wake-up call just got a whole lot more fun. Introducing the 'coffee slider': a luxurious combo of ice cream, honey and brioche. It’s one of many signature creations to be explored at brand new Bourke Street cafe Barista and Cook. The eatery — which opened last week — is owned and operated by one Mr. Alan Thompson. Yes, we're talking the DJ-turned-cafe master who previously brought Bangbang Espresso to Surry Hills. At Barista and Cook his passion for coffee continues, thanks to a dedicated brew bar serving filters and pourovers, including Chemex, V60 and single origin beans. Meanwhile, Gypsy Espresso will be taking care of your more standard coffee options. According to Thompson, his vision is driven by simplicity and excellence. He describes Barista and Cook’s offering as "beautifully presented, contemporary cafe food made with love and quality, barista-made coffee". Thompson is working closely with head chef Adrian Borg, who’s spent a decade in fine dining joints around the world, and even ran the kitchen in Ashfield’s Excelsior Jones for a while. His ever-changing breakfast and lunch menus are driven by seasonal produce and what's healthy. Every element, except for the Brasserie Bread, is made on the premises. On the breakfast menu you'll find everything from chia coconut pudding to smoked trout kedgeree with spiced rice, boiled eggs, citrus yoghurt and coriander, and char-grilled pork belly with chilli fried eggs, crushed edamame and puffed black rice. You’ll be enjoying all this tastiness inside a massive, light-filled space, fitted out by Giant Design. Drawing on Scandinavian aesthetics, they’ve created a bright, clean-cut atmosphere to reflect the menu. Think white-washed walls, lush hanging plants and oodles of comfy seating. A great setting for devouring those aforementioned coffee sliders. Barista and Cook is located at 834 Bourke St, Waterloo. It’s open Monday to Friday, 6am - 4pm and Saturday and Sunday, 8am - 3pm. For more info, visit baristaandcook.com.au.
The folks at Barangaroo are continuing their quest to make the harbourside development one of the premiere foodie hotspots in Sydney. They've already announced a slew of openings for the back half of the year, from the unnamed Bentley spinoff to the new vermouth bar from the team behind Bar H. But they ramped up their game this week with the news that there are not one, not two, but five new Asian eateries headed to the precinct between July and October. The openings will begin with traditional Chinese noodle spot Two Sticks, set to open in mid-July by way of their original operation in Haymarket. That same month will also welcome fellow Haymarket import Old Town Hong Kong Cuisines, which will offer Hong Kong breakfasts of congee and dumplings, as well as tasting plates inspired by a variety of Asian cooking styles from Cantonese to non-Cantonese Chinese, Japanese to Southeast Asian. September will see Vietnamese eatery Me Oi open its doors — the much-loved pho joint also operates in Strathfield and the CBD. They'll be joined by the second iteration of Surry Hills' Thai restaurant Muum Maam. Last but not least, Billu's of Parramatta will also get in on the action, bringing its traditional Indian menu to Barangaroo in mid-October. Images: Muum Maam and Old Town Hong Kong Cuisine.
From Monday, you'll be able tinker on your motorbike and slurp your way through bowel of ramen on the same premises, anytime you like. Yes, Rising Sun Workshop is back and it's opening permanent digs in Newtown on June 20. For the uninitiated, Rising Sun is a social enterprise that serves two purposes. On one hand, it provides its motor-revving members with a communal space for repairing and polishing up their bikes. On the other, it's a café, serving coffee, cookies and seriously killer ramen. The independent organisation was started by three friends, Adrian, Heleana and Dan, who love riding bikes, working on bikes and chatting about bikes while drinking coffee. They decided that Sydney needed an open, friendly, affordable space where this could happen more often. So, in 2013 they turned to Pozible, got crowdfunding and soon discovered that 160 other people felt the same way. The 90-day campaign raised a cool $40,000. This gave them enough cash to launch a pop-up. In 2014, they hung out in a "barely legal" space in Camperdown, building an elite Hill Fighter, cooking up ramen and gathering friends. Needless to say, the finding of a solid, full-time home has come as a major relief. You'll find Rising Sun's new workshop at 1C Whateley Street. It used to house a century-old hardware store, so there's oodles of space. Also, the menu has scored a serious upgrade. You can now get nosh at breakfast, lunch and dinner, and you'll find some Southern influences mixing with Japanese tradition. One of the new star dishes is a Japanese-style breakfast, served on a tray. "We're calling it 'My Prison Bento Breakfast'," co-owner and chef Nick Smith told Good Food. Rising Sun Workshop opens at 1c Whateley Street, Newtown on June 20.
Woollahra's beloved Buzo has a new name and a new semi-casual identity (as if an ex-Bentley chef could really go casual). If you've eaten there during the past year, you'll have noticed the menu creeping away from its traditional Italian roots towards modern Australian flavours. Now, owners Mark Campbell and Phillip Fikkers (who also own Potts Point's Macleay St. Bistro) are taking the eatery wholeheartedly in this direction. Relaunching as Jersey Rd. Bistro, the restaurant now focuses on more light, casual dishes — with lower price tags to match. Head chef Jason Dean (ex-Bentley, Est. and London's The Greenhouse) isn't going anywhere. Having taken over the kitchen a year ago, he's been responsible for its evolution. And now, he's enlisted the help of mighty sous chef Chris Cho (ex-Oscillate Wildly). One of the most tempting additions is a long Sunday brunch. Served from 10am till 3pm, it's packed with unusual hangover cures, such as fried duck egg with duck jerky, spiced quinoa, pumpkin and shallot, to be matched with a Bloody Mary, Pol Roger or Belgian beer. Starters on the daily menu include red cabbage crackers with parmesan custard and scallop carpaccio with jalapeño, capsicum, saffron and orange. Among the mains are roasted lamb rump with potato, zucchini, macadamia and mint, as well as confit kingfish with black lentils, celery, sour cream and radish. For those who can't make up their minds, there's a seven-course Bistro Banquet for $75 per person (could be a hot new contender for inclusion in our favourite Sydney degustations under $100). Regulars might be relieved to know that Wednesday's BYO night isn't going anywhere. Bring your own bottle for a one-off corkage charge of $14 (not the cheapest corkage in the city, but relatively well-priced). Meanwhile, on the cocktail list, you'll find a handful of Champagne-based concoctions, including bellinis, mimosas, Old Cubans, alongside further reliable classics. Jersey Rd. also has multiple dining spaces. On the rooftop, you'll find the restaurant's urban kitchen garden, crowded with mint, basil and heirloom varieties. If you're not up for a sit-down meal, hit the downstairs bar for tipples and snacks, such as fried kipfler potatoes with white anchovy, black olive and saffron aioli, plus chicken liver parfait with raspberry, fennel and grilled sourdough. Farewell, Buzo. Find Jersey Rd. Bistro at 3 Jersey Road, Woollahra. Opening hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 5pm and Sundays from 10am-3pm. Bookings at (02) 9328 1600 or reservations@jerseyrdbistro.com.au.
The inner west officially gets all the Fringe fun. After hunkering down in Newtown last year, this year’s Sydney Fringe Festival has its sights set on Erskineville, with the suburb tapped as the home of this year’s official festival hub. This year they're calling it a Festival Village, so we expect big things from this home base for the month-long cultural marathon, the largest independent arts festival in NSW. "This September, we are leaving the safety of our underground spaces and taking over shopfronts, streets and any space we can find," says festival director Kerri Glasscock. "With pop-ups and activations, we are giving local artists the opportunity to explore new ideas, new spaces and meet new audiences. The 2015 festival will be our biggest yet." The news comes alongside our first glimpse at the 2015 program, which is set to include more than 300 performances across 50 different venues in five different main locales — Newtown, Erskineville, Marrickville, Redfern and Surry Hills. Erskineville's Festival Village will play host to the official opening night party, Fringe Ignite, on September 5, with a prohibition-themed gin bar run by Young Henrys and a 1920s-style speakeasy lounge. Throughout the festival, the suburb will also host a series of talks, performances, comedy shows and music presented by City of Sydney’s Late Night Libraries, with the Erskineville Town Hall playing home to a pair of performance spaces and the Coopers Festival Bar, from the folks at the Erskineville Hotel. The surrounding suburbs will get their Fringe fill as well. Other festival highlights include a day of Indigenous art, music and performance in Redfern; a silent dinner party hosted by internationally renowned artist Honi Ryan at Marrickville Town Hall; a masquerade horror installation (whatever that means) in a warehouse; and a two-week partnership with the Chaser's Giant Dwarf theatre. The latter venue will play host to a "mini-festival within the Festival", featuring cabaret, comedy and an array of performers from fringes around the world. The full Sydney Fringe Festival program is set to drop in August before the festival kicks off on September 1. In the meantime, you can find out more about the Fringe at the event website. Image: Emerald City Sydney Fringe Festival hub 2013.
After spending the last few years in the grasp of tweens and sexless Mormons, it's good to see the vampire movie finally biting back. From the ingenious goofiness of What We Do in the Shadows to the eerie urban decay of Only Lovers Left Alive, it's been a banner year for big screen bloodsuckers, a trend that continues at ACMI this month with the most fascinating shakeup to the genre yet. Sexy, scary and fearlessly subversive, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is a last minute contender for one of the best films of 2014. Billed as the world's first Iranian Vampire Western, the debut film from writer-director Ana Lily Amirpour takes place on the outskirts of an industrial ghost town, ominously named Bad City. It's here that an aloof young vampire in heavy eye makeup and billowing chador (Sheila Vand) stalks the streets in search of victims to devour. What she doesn't count on, however, is the romantic attention of a handsome local drug dealer (Arash Marandi), who unwittingly presents her with a difficult choice: pursue a relationship or eat him for dinner. If the plot sounds thin, that's probably because it is. A spiritual descendent of David Lynch and Jim Jarmusch, the California-based Amirpour is far less concerned with narrative than she is with style and atmosphere. The moody black and white cinematography further enhances the film's already palpable sense of menace, while also calling to mind prototypical vampire movies such as Vampyr and the original Dracula. The eclectic soundtrack is equally evocative, Amirpour spinning a Tarantino-esque blend of European and Iranian pop music combined with the rousing strains of an old school Spaghetti Western. Yet despite her aesthetic self-consciousness, Amirpour's film is in no way lacking in substance. While vampire stories are traditionally about sexuality, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night reframes the discussion to focus more on gender. It's obviously not a coincidence that Vand's vigilante vamp feeds exclusively on misogynistic men. Likewise the pointed choice of costume: her traditional head-to-toe black garb, so often viewed as a sign of oppression, re-appropriated as a symbol of her power. Even the film's title is misleading. Amirpour sets us up to expect a helpless victim, only to deliver something very different indeed. Bold and surprising, this is a truly stunning debut. Do everything you can to seek it out.
In glorious news this morning, Gelato Messina have announced their pièce de résistance, revealing their new Messina Creative Department. It's is a tiny eight-seat degustation bar next to the Darlinghurst store in the space that has previously held the Messina Lab (that is, where they dreamed up all those obscene gelato cakes we know and love). But now, in true Messina form, they've decided to do some new and downright crazy stuff with gelato. The dark, intimate venue will host a seven-course dessert degustation with a non-alcoholic drink pairing with each course — and as you would expect, it looks batshit insane (in the best way possible). The menu, curated by OG gelato chef Remi Talbot, who will will feature a range of exquisite treats, running the gamut of sweet-sweet and sweet-savoury as you would expect from any degustation. But hold your gelato-loving horses right there — you can't book yet. They'll be taking bookings through their website from Wednesday, April 20. There won't be many seats available though; there will only be two sittings per night, at 7pm and 9pm Wednesday through Saturday — that's only 64 spots a week. So you'll have to have quick fingers or you'll turn to stone while waiting. In the meantime, They've released nine short teaser videos on the newly launched Messina Creative Instagram which will make your mouth water. Crispy fried bubbles, seared sugared figs, tiny hand-rolled ice cream cones garnished with crystallised flowers and — are you ready for this? — seaweed-esque, razor-thin tuile poking over the side of a golden bowl with a deep violet bloom balanced across it with plush lumps of white cloud surrounding a bed of pink sand dabbed delicately with drops of golden syrup. Phew. Whatever they're cooking up at Messina Creative looks more art than dessert — they are literally drunk on power and it looks delicious. We truly live in the renaissance era of desserts. The Messina Creative Department degustations will be seven courses and cost $130 per person. You can now book here.
The Central Coast's truly underrated, sustainable and naturally stunning festival Mountain Sounds is set to return for another year. Heading back to the pretty, pretty spot of Mount Penang Parklands in Kariong for a third year, Mountain Sounds has locked in Saturday, February 20 for its 2016 instalment. And the just-announced lineup is some seriously applaudable biznatch. Headlined by Sydney powerhouses The Jezabels, alongside The Strokes twanger Albert Hammond Jr., Melburnian dream poppers Alpine, Adelaidean beatsmith Motez, big Sydney dance trio Art Vs Science, hugely hyped Australian duo Holy Holy, triple j favourites I Know Leopard and more, Mountain Sounds has rounded up quite the eclectic lineup. Giving a high five to the environment once more, the locally-founded Mountain Sounds is again set to take great care in minimising the environmental impact and carbon footprint of the festival. There'll also be silent discos and campsite parties curated by the team, who all grew up on the Central Coast. With tickets on sale now and sitting around 90 beans, this is an end-of-summer festival worth the measly dosh for. Enough chat, here's that lineup you're after. MOUNTAIN SOUNDS FESTIVAL 2016 LINEUP: Albert Hammond Jr. (USA) Alpine Art Vs Science The Delta Riggs Green Buzzard Harts Hockey Dad Holy Holy I Know Leopard Jack Beats (UK) The Jezabels - HEADLINE The Lazys Motez Nina Las Vegas Odd Mob Sea Legs Set Mo Slumberjack Tropical Zombie World Champion Plus: Bass RQ Bodega Collective Catalyst Elwood Myre Goonz Ivy J-Ray Jaket Jimmi Walker Man To Moon The Moving Stills Paperfox Pear Peekay Savilian SnilluM Stay Sane The Sea Gypsies Tom Hogan Twin Caverns Voyage IV Mountain Sounds Festival comes to Mount Penang Parklands, Kariong on Saturday, February 20. First release from $89 + BF, available here (early bird tickets have sold out already). Image: Tim Da Rin/Mountain Sounds.
If you didn't make it to Sculpture by the Sea last year, you not only missed out on some killer sculpture, but slurpees served from a treehouse and a grass-covered Hobbit-like structure. But don't curse yourself. It's a new year, and The Grounds of Alexandria are resurrecting their fantastical pop-up cafe for the summer — this time in the Showring at the Entertainment Quarter. Taking inspiration from the literary endeavours of English authors J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, the Grounds House has been designed to blend in with its natural surroundings. It's made from 100% recycled timber and the roof is covered with grass grown specifically for the purpose. “Blending into its natural surroundings, The Grounds House has transformed from its beachside setting and nestled itself beautifully into the open space of greenery on the Showring," says Ramzey Choker, co-director and creative head of The Grounds. There will be all your Grounds favourites, like their all-day breaky burger, smashed avo on toast and fresh fish of the day. So you can enjoy a little outdoor eating time before you catch a movie, head to Circus Oz or, say, take your "nephew" to Water World Central. The Grounds of Alexandria pop-up will run until Sunday, January 24 at the Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park. It's open 11am - 11pm Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and 11am - 8pm Thursday and Sunday. Find out more here.
Wine is amazing, spirits are brilliant, and even cider has a place, but nothing takes the mid-week edge off like a delicious, crisp beer. There's nowhere better to visit than Bitter Phew, an Oxford Street bar with 12 taps that consistently rotate through some of the best craft beers on the scene. As such, there's always something for everyone — whether you're after the crisp, fruity palate of a pale ale, or looking for the deeper, chocolate tones of a dark ale. Treat yourself to an early mark, a couple brews and Mr Crackles or BL Burgers delivered straight to your table, as Oxford Street comes alive with fellow hump day revellers.
With Mardi Gras in full glittering swing, one of Sydney’s best and arguably favourite burger joints, Mary’s, will be showing its support for LGBTQI folk this season with a charitable and pun-tastic addition to their menu. Meet the Fairy’s Burger. The team’s cooked up a special take on the menu-staple Mary’s Burger by adding a colourful blob of 100s & 1000s to make one damn intriguing sweet-savoury mix. They've also outfitted both stores with rainbow artwork from local graphic designer Sindy Sinn. Owners Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham are simply asking punters for one extra dollar per burger, which they’ll match. Then all proceeds will go to Camp Out and Twenty10, two charities working toward making the world a better place for people of more diverse gender, sex and sexuality, especially among disadvantaged youth. As quirky nods to that glorious gay rainbow go, this sounds pretty damn cute. Critically acclaimed since opening in Newtown back in 2012, and most recently extending the venture to the CBD, Mary’s has been renowned for its simple philosophy of damn good burgers and Jack Daniel's for all. “Our guests are what make Mary’s such a crazy, colourful, vibrant and nourishing experience,” explains Smyth. “Mary’s isn’t gay or straight, man or woman, fat or thin, rich or poor. Mary’s is everyone and everything.” You go girlfriend. The Fairy's Burger is available from March 2-8 at both the CBD and Newtown stores.
How'd you like to populate your Christmas feast with local, artisanal goods to make your relatives impressed and your in-laws floored? Carriageworks is putting on their first Twilight Christmas Market this year, where you can buy fresh seasonal produce just a couple of days before Christmas. Importantly, you can also buy gifts just days before the big day, because we know what you're like. Hitting Carriageworks on Wednesday, December 23, the market will be a cornucopia of the spoils of NSW's best producers — think homemade plum puddings, succulent turkeys and hams, fresh cherries, smelly cheeses and more, alongside artisan food and gift stalls. Plus, they'll even have Christmas trees for you traditionalists — or highly unorganised folk. Expect the best from the weekly Carriageworks Farmers Market, including favourites like Pudding Lane, Sweetness the Patisserie, Willowbrae Chevre Cheese, Feather & Bone, Carlson's Handcrafted, The One That Got Away, Mirrool Creek Lamb and more. Plus, there'll be plenty more joining the party, from Archie Rose Distillery to Ralston Brothers Oysters, Cornersmith, Flour and Stone, Young Henrys, Slow Wine Co, Shepherds Bakehouse and a whole host more. Look at that, Carriageworks just saved Christmas. Image: Zan Wimberley.
The old Clare Hotel is about to be reborn. Singapore-based hotel-restaurant entrepreneur Loh Lik Peng of Unlisted Collection has taken over the heritage-listed Chippendale building, turning Broadway's beloved former pub into a boutique hotel — due to open this August as part of Central Park's brand new $2 billion Kensington Street laneway precinct. As the first Australian venture for the group, the Old Clare Hotel sees Loh intending to replicate company's successful London/Shanghai/Singapore boutique hotel model in Sydney. Already announced, the hotel will feature three high profile restaurants including Automata (from former Momofuku sous chef, Clayton Wells) as part of the hotel on the Old Clare/Carlton United Brewery site. Wells is refurbishing the heritage-listed Chippendale building as a 60-seater, industrially-inspired eatery with Sydney architect and motorcycle expert Matt Machine. UK chef Jason Atherton will open the 120-seater Kensington Street Social, and Briton Sam Miller (former executive sous chef at Copenhagen's Noma) will also open his first solo restaurant, Silvereye, on the second floor. Hotel-wise, the Old Clare venture will feature 62 guest rooms and suites. Unlisted have worked with the award-winning Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects (Carriageworks, Paddington Reservoir Gardens) on the design, creating a blend of historic and modern aesthetic — high ceilings, heritage timber paneling, exposed brick (from the original foundation), all brought together amongst a contemporary, semi-industrial design. "It‘s a hotel stitched together from three structures, two old and one new," says Tim Greer, practice director at Tonkin Zulaikha Greer. "It’s unpredictable, with a bit of magic and a twist of fantasy. When you walk around the hotel, you will get a sense that the building is dressing and undressing itself all at once. The building plays games with what a hotel should be, some parts are exquisite and other parts are raw. In short a building of mixed emotions." Dressing and undressing itself all at once. Yep, we're holding out to see whatever that means. The Old Clare's reception — located within the original pub area — is set to become a bar for both locals and guests, with coffee, cocktails and beers poured day and night. So you'll be able to revisit the Clare without shelling out for accommodation. Guests get the special treatment though, with a 14-metre rooftop pool and bar on the top of the Carlton United Brewery administration building. There's apparently going to be a 'cultural program' in place, and guests will be able to partake in a spot of sunrise poolside yoga. The hotel's also set to feature a private gym and day spa, alongside a heritage-restored meeting space. The Old Clare Hotel will open August 2015 at 1 Kensington Street, Chippendale.
It's been 11 years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. Heading back to their collection of unconventional venues for another year, Laneway Festival have announced their dates and venues for 2016's Australasian run. Returning to the five established Australian Laneway go-to cities as well as the Singapore and Auckland legs, Laneway will raise a plastic cup to the middle of summer with an undoubtedly killer lineup and unique, random locations. Kicking off in Singapore on Saturday, January 30 at Gardens by the Bay, Laneway will then head over to Auckland’s Silo Park on Monday, February 1. Then it’s off to Adelaide on Friday, February 5 to kick off the Australian leg for the first time at Harts Mill, Port Adelaide, before heading to Brisbane Showgrounds on Saturday, February 6, Sydney College of the Arts on Sunday, February 7, Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC) on Saturday, February 13 and finishing up at Fremantle’s Esplanade on Valentine’s Day. The full festival lineup for all three countries will be announced at 9am AEST on Tuesday, September 22. ST JEROME'S LANEWAY FESTIVAL DATES AND VENUES FOR 2016: Saturday, January 30 — SINGAPORE (THE MEADOW, GARDENS BY THE BAY) Monday, February 1 — AUCKLAND (SILO PARK) Friday, February 5 — ADELAIDE (HARTS MILL, PORT ADELAIDE, 16+) Saturday, February 6 — BRISBANE (BRISBANE SHOWGROUNDS, BOWEN HILLS, 16+) Sunday, February 7 — SYDNEY (SYDNEY COLLEGE OF THE ARTS, ROZELLE) Saturday, February 13 — MELBOURNE (FOOTSCRAY COMMUNITY ARTS CENTRE (FCAC) + THE RIVER’S EDGE) Sunday, February 14 — FREMANTLE (ESPLANADE RESERVE AND WEST END) Image: Andy Fraser.
UPDATE, August 19, 2021: After Bluesfest was originally cancelled just days out from its usual Easter slot, and then later postponed to October, the long-running fest has now announced that it's abandoning plans to go ahead this year — and will return for Easter 2022 instead. For more information head to the Bluesfest website. Mid last year, after its 2020 event was cancelled due to the pandemic, Bluesfest announced the first 50 acts for its 2021 festival. That lineup has changed in the months since, with an all-Aussie roster now set to hit the fest's stages — headlined by Aussie icon and the human scream Jimmy Barnes, Tash Sultana, Ocean Alley, Ziggy Alberts and The Teskey Brothers. Also on the bill: John Butler, Xavier Rudd, The Cat Empire, Kasey Chambers, The Church, The Waifs, Jon Stevens and John Williamson, plus Ian Moss, The Angels, The Living End and Tex Perkins. The list goes on, and includes new additions Pete Murray, Kate Ceberano, Electrik Lemonade and Palm Valley. In good news after a year lacking in large-scale music festivals, the event has been given a provisional green light, with organisers announcing that they've received NSW Government approval to run the festival at 50 percent capacity this April — as long as no outbreaks occur beforehand. The festival is set to return to Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm — just outside Byron Bay — for its usual Easter time slot, from Thursday, April 1 to Monday, April 5. When the festival was cancelled last year, it was the first time in 30 years it had not run, but the second year in a row it had come under threat. In 2019, the Festival Director threatened to move the festival to a spot outside of NSW because of the State Government's strict music festival licensing regime. Here's hoping that it does go ahead as planned in 2021 — with tickets on sale now. BLUESFEST 2021 LINEUP Pete Murray Mark Seymour and The Undertow Kate Ceberano Fiona Boyes and The Fortune Tellers Lambros The Regime Round Mountain Girls Electrik Lemonade Palm Valley Ocean Alley John Williamson Tex Perkins The Man in Black Jon Stevens Ash Grunwald and Josh Teskey Vika and Linda Garrett Kato Mia Dyson The Church Kate Miller-Heidke The Living End The Angels Ross Wilson and The Peaceniks Blue King Brown Jeff Lang Kara Grainger Tash Sultana Ziggy Alberts Kev Carmody Ian Moss Hiatus Kaiyote Russell Morris Briggs Kim Churchill Mama Kin Spender All Our Exes Live In Texas Jimmy Barnes The Teskey Brothers John Butler Xavier Rudd The Cat Empire Kasey Chambers The Waifs Troy Cassar-Daley The Black Sorrows Melbourne Ska Orchestra Chain Backsliders Harts Plays Hendrix Ash Grunwald The Bamboos Mick Thomas' Roving Commission Dami Im Pierce Brothers Emily Wurramara Roshani Ray Beadle Henry Wagons Hussy Hicks Pacey, King and Doley Daniel Champagne Nathan Cavaleri Little Georgia Bluesfest Busking Competition and Winners The Australian Americana Music Honours Bluesfest 2021 will run Thursday, April 1–Monday, April 5 at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay. Tickets are on sale now via Moshtix. Image: Joseph Mayers.
Summer is officially over. We know that not just because it's March, but because, as has become custom at this time of year, Vivid Sydney has this morning announced its program for 2018. Get ready to be ensconced in projections once again — the festival of light, music and ideas is returning for 23 days from May 25 to June 16. The first tidbit from this year's program was handed to us a few weeks ago, with the announcement that Solange will do four shows at the Sydney Opera House from June 1–4 — her only Australian shows this time round. Tickets have already been allocated via ballot, so we hope you jumped on that already. The most overt (and unavoidable) aspect of the program is the lights, and this year their glow will extend across the bridge to light up Luna Park for the first time. A new precinct for 2017, it will extend the reach of the CBD's Light Walk from Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and Barangaroo with a collection of large-scale projections and a new light fit-out for the Ferris wheel. Should make good viewing from the ferry. The Sydney Opera House's sails will this year be lit up with hyperreal images of Australian flora, fauna and natural elements from artist (and former Flume collaborator) Jonathan Zawada, and Customs House will be home to an adorable projection of May Gibbs' Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. Fans of Sir David Attenborough will be able to head down to the Maritime Museum to watch scenes from Blue Planet II projected onto the building's roof, and interactive light installation Aqueous will head to the Royal Botanic Garden via Burning Man. Vivid light hotspots, Circular Quay, the MCA, Chatswood, Taronga Zoo and Martin Place will all be lit up as well. Vivid Music is once again in fine form. Joining Solange for the Vivid Live component of the program at the Opera House will be hip hop legend Ice Cube, 90s favourite Cat Power and Mazzy Star, who will come to Australia for the very first time since forming in 1989 (if you don't know the band by name, you probably know the song 'Fade Into You'). Dreams — a new project from Silverchair's Daniel Johns and Empire of the Sun's Luke Steele — and performances from Iron and Wine, Neil Finn and Middle Kids around also on the Opera House's 20-night Vivid lineup. Another big one is a one-off performance from St Vincent at Carriageworks, and the City Recital Hall has a solid program this year, including a musical comedy show from Orange Is the New Black's Lea Delaria. Vivid Ideas is, of course, back for those keen to delve into creativity, science and technology — and this year it's scored James Cameron as its big-ticket speaker. Cameron will be in town to open his new exhibition at the Maritime Museum and do an in conversation with comedian Adam Spencer. There's plenty more where that came from, check the Vivid Sydney website for more details.
It's been three years since Florence + The Machine last toured Australia and we were beginning to think it'd be another three years before they toured again. Oh how wrong we were. Not content with just headlining this year's Splendour In The Grass and playing two packed sideshows, the group have announced that they'll be back in November. British powerhouse Florence Welch and her crew will be touring the country with a set list from their third studio album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. Guess they like Australia after all (and if the album's debut at #1 on the ARIA charts is anything to go by, we seem to have a bit of a thing for them too.) 2015 has been a busy year for the group, with performances at Coachella and Glastonbury, plus Austin City Limits this coming October. Now they'll be going solo, performing five dates across Australia. This includes two show at one of the country's most iconic venues: the Sydney Opera House Forecourt, an area reserved for the most popular of acts. You'll be able to enjoy an evening of infectious powerhouse art rock against one of the most perfect backdrops in the nation. Tickets to their Australian tour go on sale from 10 am (AEST) on Monday August 3 – and judging from how popular their Splendour sideshows were, you'll have to be extra quick to get your hands on them. Get ready to get your jive on.
This Sunday, March 8, the Museum of Contemporary Art is taking its usual lineup of talks and guided tours and shifting the focus to women artists for International Women's Day. Aiming to recognise and celebrate the achievements of women and their contribution to the industry, these talks and tours will be geared towards works in the MCA collection. Every hour, you'll hear from MCA hosts, volunteers and young guides as they tell you about their favourite pieces by talented women, with the 1pm tour highlighting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women artists. Between tours, be sure to check out Favour Economy's interactive sound installation. Favour Economy is an ongoing collaborative art project exploring the femxle (including transgender and non-binary identities) experience of working in the arts, so expect a bunch of insightful audio recordings (or 'favours') from various artists and industry members. You'll be invited to respond to what you hear and resonate with on a huge piece of canvas, too. The MCA is open from 10am–5pm. The first talk on the program will commence at 10.30am and the last at 4pm. Favour Economy will be open from 11am–3pm. Top image: Brett Boardman
Like Rollerfit, Retrosweat, Beyoncé dance classes and Morning Gloryville raves, Fitness Playground gym in Surry Hills offers an opportunity to exercise that isn't scary, or boring. You can work out with your friends, attend a circus-inspired trapeze classes or hang from monkey bars. The people are friendly, the energy is great and everyone knows your name. There are three FP locations (Surry Hills, Newtown and Marrickville), but they've just added a third level to their Surry Hills location specifically for classes. Our favourite class is Circus Fit, but there's also barre, anti-gravity yoga, pilates and Athletica — small, intensive group training classes that feel like a personal training session — on offer. Fitness Playground are hosting an 'open week' exclusive to Concrete Playground readers at all three of their gyms. That means full access to classes and gym equipment from March 6 to 12 in Surry Hills, Newtown and Marrickville. Enter your details into the registration box below and head along to any of Fitness Playground's three locations during staffed hours to redeem your free week-long membership. [competition]608850[/competition] Learn more about the story behind Fitness Playground or find out what happens at a 'Circus Fit' class. Enter here to win a one-year Fitness Playground membership. Images: Steven Woodburn and Kimberley Low.
Whatever you're doing between 4pm and 5pm this afternoon, we suggest you cancel it. You now have more pressing concerns. Two words: free doughnuts. Why? Because it's World Nutella Day that's why. For one hour only, the legends at Doughnut Time really will be handing out their mouthwatering Love at First Bite doughnuts — a cinnamon doughnut filled with rich Nutella — free of charge, at their Chippendale store. And we thought we couldn't love the folks that brought us burger-doughnut hybrids, vegan doughnuts and doughnut delivery any more than we already do. Yep, this is the second time this week they've handed out freebies. Those with a hankering for doughy goodness — which includes you, let's be honest — just need to head on down to Doughnut Time Central Park once the clock strikes four. We recommend arriving early, because if there's one thing everyone loves, it's devouring sweet treats without having to pay for the privilege. Doughnut Time Central Park is located on the Lower Ground Floor, 28 Broadway, Chippendale. For more information, visit the Doughnut Time Facebook page.
Oxford Street's food and drink scene is getting some much needed TLC, courtesy of hospitality guru Justin Hemmes and his unstoppable Merivale empire. Of the slew of new ventures the group have opening up over summer, three will be located next door to one another along the Paddington strip. The Paddington (previously The Paddington Arms) will open its doors in November, followed by The Oxford Street Chicken Shop by the end of the year. But it's the humbly-named Fred's that will complete the trifecta. Scheduled to open in February 2016, Fred's is being billed as an old world, produce-oriented restaurant complete with woodfired ovens in the kitchen, a cocktail and tapas bar in the basement, and a seasoned chef in Danielle Alvarez at the helm. A veteran of San Francisco's iconic Chez Panisse and the Napa Valley's three-Michelin-starred French Laundry, Alvarez has already forged relationships with local producers and organic farmers, whose fresh produce will help inform the direction of the menu. Expect handmade bread, butter, pasta and charcuterie, along with a 120-strong wine list that focuses on small-batch varieties and features an extensive 'wine by the glass' selection that changes to match the food. Meanwhile, Fred's basement will be home to Sussex 1854, a basement bar serving tapas and seasonal cocktails. Merivale have already earned their stripes with long-loved CBD bar Palmer & Co., so we're predicting more vintage coupe champagne glasses and more juleps than you can poke a stick at. More information about Fred's and Sussex 1854 will become available in the coming months. Fred's will be located at 380 Oxford Street, Paddington and is expected to begin service in February 2016. Image: Palmer & Co.
Following the well-trodden footsteps of the legendary Beer Baron, the still-madly-delivering Jimmy Brings, CBD-based LiquorDrop, Manly's Dial-A-Drink and Leichhardt-founded QuickBottle, there's a new on-demand alcohol delivery service in town: WineRun. Launching this Thursday, July 9 and delivering seven nights a week, WineRun offers a limited range of wine, beer, spirits and snacks which they deliver via scooter in 30 minutes. Yep, 30 minutes. But hold your horses, there's a location limit, of course. WineRun will start off delivering to Sydney's lower north shore, with plans to perfect the delivery service before expanding. Contrary to our initial assumptions, WineRun isn't the half-baked idea of frustrated college kids dealing with Sydney's 10pm bottle shop curfew. Founded by Daniel Sofo, who operates Neutral Bay's Firefly and The Italian in Willoughby, WineRun comes from the brain of a hardworking Sydney bar owner seeing a niche in the market (delivery is the future of food and bev, people). "Being a bar owner means I know a thing or two about good drinks," says Sofo. "I've done the hard yards sifting the tasty from the ordinary and the good value from the overpriced. The result is the seventy wines, craft beers and spirits I've featured at WineRun. It isn't a huge collection, but i'm confident you'll love what's there, especially since we'll deliver it when you need it." So how can you get WineRun to scoot over to your house? All orders are placed online, through crew's website. WineRun operates between 5.30 and 10pm daily, delivering to Sydney's lower north shore only. WineRun launches on Thursday, July 9. Head to the website to place your order.
You've probably heard that iconic American street artist Shepard Fairey is in town for Vivid Sydney. He's been installing his first Australian mural (visit 309 George Street between June 12 and 17 to see him do his thing) and he's giving a talk at Sydney Town Hall on June 17 as part of the Vivid Ideas Game-Changer program on his body of work and global street art. He'll also be exhibiting 16 of his large-scale music-themed artworks at aMBUSH gallery's outdoor public art space, OPEN, in Darling Quarter from May 26. But as well as that, he'll be opening a newly-announced exhibition, Printed Matters, at Chippendale pop-up gallery from June 17 to July 9. First exhibited in LA in 2010, and slowly expanded with each city's showing, the exhibition explores the importance of printed material. Find Printed Matters at aMBUSH Gallery and T-world Pop-Up Gallery at The Old Rum Store on Kensington Street, open 12–8pm daily.
A midnight feast, a sensory degustation and a fancy schmancy picnic catered by some of the hottest chefs in town are among the highlights of this year's spectacular Good Food Month program. Taking over Sydney for the whole month of October, this annual culinary cavalcade will once again see the city transformed into the foodie equivalent of Valhalla, with parties, sit-down dinners and everything in-between to satisfying your most extravagant cravings. Clear your calendar and start fasting now. This year they're packing as much as they can into every one of the 31 days in October. Perhaps the most exciting of the bigger events is the Golden Century Midnight Feast. This won't be like all those other post-midnight dumpling stops at the late-night favourite though — starting at midnight, diners can eat alongside the likes of Tetsuya Wakuda, Neil Perry, Mitch Orr and Morgan McGlone, who'll share their favourite kitchen stories over a banquet fit for a king. As always, the program is filled with notable names. Legendary chef Serge Dansereau (of Balmoral's Bathers' Pavilion) will recreate some of his most famous dishes in a special food and wine event, while May Chow (Little Bao) and Neil Perry will join forces for a night of steamed buns and spice. Ten famous chefs, including Biota's James Viles, Bennelong's Rob Cockerill and Firedoor's Lennox Hastie will host ten Kitchen Table Dinners, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to food charity OzHarvest. Whatever you do, don't miss the inaugural Spring Social, which will feature food by Matt Moran, the Three Blue Ducks crew and dessert kings Alistair Wise and Andy Bowdy at Centennial Park. One of Nashville's top barbecue masters Carey Bringle will be heading up an intimate three-course dinner with Morgan McGlone at Harpoon Harry. Of course it wouldn't be Good Food Month without the Night Noodle Market, with the ever popular GF staple returning to Hyde Park once more. For the full Good Food Month program visit www.goodfoodmonth.com/sydney
As far as folklore villains go, Baron Samedi is one of the most mysterious. He's an ancient spirit (or Loa) of Haitian Voodoo, the leader of the Guédé, guardian of the afterlife, and associated with magic and death. He's got a skull-like face and donned in a top hat, black tail coat, dark glasses (prepared for burial, Haitian-style). Now, he's returned from the underworld. Launching in Australia this month, Baron Samedi Spiced is made with Caribbean rum and features spices such as vanilla, cacao and cinnamon. It also includes Vetiver; a native spice of Haiti. That should please the Loa. Thanks to Baron Samedi Spiced, we're giving away four double passes to the Sydney launch at the Beresford Upstairs, where they've invited their mates triple j Hottest 100 winners The Rubens to play on Thursday, May 12 at 7pm. You'll get entry to the gig and two free drinkies. ENTER HERE.
This Easter, there's no more dramatic pinnacle to your chocolate-inhaling escapades than destroying Australia's largest chocolate Easter egg — a three-metre-high, 300 kilogram chocolate egg which you can obliterate in in the 'community cracking' on Easter Sunday. Where's this monster lurking? In a storybook wonderland this Easter at beloved foodie wonderland The Grounds of Alexandria. Gearing up for their huge Easter celebrations from March 25 to 27, The Grounds crew love a spot of Easter indulgence. From Good Friday to Easter Sunday they're transforming their Alexandria digs into a magical storybook land. There'll be a Golden Easter Egg Hunt, a Humpty Dumpty Wall built for selfies, real-life roaming children's storybook characters, a giant bunny made out of moss (named Cate Moss, of course), the beloved petting zoo, free Easter arts and crafts workshops, balloon twisting, live music from bands like Pets in the Park, and the giant, giant egg to pulverise. They're also using Easter as an opportunity to show off their mad culinary talents — including the delicious, delicious aforementioned hot cross buns from The Grounds' head baker. Want to have a go at making them before Sunday? Here's the recipe.
After the success of Love and Information two years ago, Kip Williams has gone to the Caryl Churchill well again, returning to STC with something strange in his pail. Cloud Nine is, according to Williams, an "extraordinary investigation of identity politics along the lines of gender, sexuality, race and class." It tells the story of a family beset by sexual scandal and revelation over the course of a century or two. Untroubled the rigidities of conventional ageing, though, the characters gain only 25 years over the duration of the play. Shifting from colonial Africa to London in the 1970s, with a complete character-swap by the cast between acts, Cloud Nine could well prove a head-scratcher. But Williams is quick to point out that it's also comedic, with a great sense of fun. Expect a game of hide and seek and more than a couple of songs. If the marketing's anything to go by, probably a nerf gun or two as well. Images: Zan Wimberley and James Green.
