"Black people. I love you. I love us. Our lives matter." One Facebook post and Alicia Garza made history, a call to action that would gain traction and spark the founding of #BlackLivesMatter in the wake of the violent deaths of African Americans Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner and many others. It's one of the world's most important international activist movements, campaigning against violence toward black people, and Garza will bring it front and centre at this year's Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Set to return to the Sydney Opera House over September 3 and 4 for its eighth year, FODI is bringing one of its most serious, enlightening programs yet as part of Sydney Opera House Talks & Ideas. Delivering the opening address with none other than Stan Grant, Garza leads a host of colossal thinkers and strong minds not afraid to question the problematic way things are — over 50 speakers across 24 solo sessions, 12 panels and one free workshop. This year, FODI has four major themes: 'Disappearing Countries', 'Dealing in Death', 'Disruptive Behaviour' and 'Dirty Politics'. One sure to provoke is apparently repentant author of The Game Neil Strauss in his sure-to-be-debated talk 'Cheaters, Sex Addicts and Pick-Up Artists'. UK comedian and The Young Ones legend Alexei Sayle dives into his ratbag past with 'Thatcher Made Me Laugh' — a perfect pairing for anarchists locked in for Henry Rollins' already-announced 'Blood Sport' talk about US politics. In fact, politics in Australia and abroad feature prominently in FODI's response to current 'World is fukt' times. Favourites Annabel Crabb and David Marr will pull apart the recent (and by-FODI, it'll be solved) federal election in 'The Government We Deserve?' — both have written biographies on Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten respectively, so this one's going to be a humdinger. Marr's also hosting an epic two-hour forum titled 'Can We Solve The Asylum Seeker Crisis?'. Perpetual WTF-generator and controversial commentator Andrew Bolt will lead a talk dubbed 'How Many Dangerous Ideas Can One Person Have?', so expect Twitter to be all over that one. Climate change and social justice feature prominently on this year's bill, with Canadian activist Sheila Watt-Cloutier's 'The Right To Be Cold' set to be a highlight — she sees the failure of the world to act on climate change a gross violation of Inuit human rights — and The Economist's Environment Correspondent Miranda Johnson wants fishing the high seas stopped. Arts and sport will both get their turn on the chopping block this year. Sport nuts should jump on tickets to see journalist Tracey Holmes, sports scientist Stephen Dank (yep, that guy), former Olympic swimmer Lisa Forrest, academic Jason Mazanov and former IOC boss Kevan Gosper will be deciding whether drugs in sport should be legalised. Visual artist, activist and Drawing Blood author Molly Crabapple (who designed this year's 'FODI-land' concept on the festival website) will take you from Syria to Guantanamo Bay and back to Occupy Wall Street. We Need To Talk About Kevin author Lionel Shriver wants you to break a rule a day, while author of The Magicians trilogy and TIME's book critic Lev Grossman will argue that 'There Are No Good Books'. But we haven't even scratched the surface on FODI 2016, from former Kevin Rudd staffer Jennifer Rayner standing up for millennials in 'Generation Less', to the incredibly important panel 'Not Worth Living' delving into the specific, tragic epidemic of suicide in Indigenous people. Plus, co-founder of The Maintainers Lee Vinsel wants people to stop worshipping innovation and start focusing on maintenance of technology — something we can't wait to argue with him on. Sydney Opera House Talks & Ideas team of Ann Mossop and Danielle Harvey have curated this seriously epic program, with Simon Longstaff from The Ethics Centre as curatorial adviser . The 2016 Festival of Dangerous Ideas is coming to the Sydney Opera House on September 3 and 4. Multipacks are on sale from July 11 at 9am, single tickets on July 14 from 9am, all from the FODI website — where you'll find the full FODI program alongside Molly Crabapple's web design.
Camperdown is really coming into itself of late. As Newtown's quieter sister suburb, it's always seemed to slightly live in the shadows when it comes to openings — it's pretty geographically dominated by the University of Sydney and RPA. But in 2016, Camperdown is like Cady Heron ala Mean Girls Act Two (that is, after she gets a big ol' makeover, and is still sassy and sabotaging the Plastics, but before she becomes a mean girl for real). Go with it. Camperdown is fetch. We're not the only ones to hold this opinion though, as a whole murder of cafe openings have cropped up recently (yes, the collective noun for cafe openings is murder, sure). First up, we've got Boss Lady Food & Co on Purkis Street — which already has our allegiance for the name alone. The menu is a mixture of Greek and Egyptian influences with an Aussie twist, and dishes are named after the boss ladies themselves. Because they're boss ladies. For something a little more retro, Little Lord Cafe has also just opened on Salisbury Road, and it's definitely pushing the grandma and grandpa's house nostalgia vibes. Their menu is a simple affair of coffee, cakes and sandwiches, all plucked from a few generations ago. Think pineapple upside-down cake and scotch eggs, and all served in cosy, living room-style surrounds. Little Lord took over the space that once housed the adorable Pigeon Ground Records, and we're stoked to see the continuation of twee-ness. And we’re expecting a few more exciting openings in the next few months too, after the unfortunate closure of Mo’s Pantry on Purkis Street. And so the impending gentrification of the inner west continues. But in the meantime: Camperdown, you're lookin' mighty fine. Image: Boss Lady.
Members of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra will surround their instruments with vats, drums and miscellaneous brewing gear on Thursday, September 10, when Young Henrys turns into a classical stage for the night. The unconventional gig is the fourth instalment of Vanguard, a concert series that sees SSO musicians playing experimental, informal shows in unusual locations. So far, they've appeared at a carpark in Kings Cross, a warehouse in Chippendale and the Mortuary Railway Station. “We got involved in Vanguard through a mutual friend,” said Oscar McMahon, co-founder of Young Henrys. “It’s a collective of musicians, who are trying to change the way that people see symphony music and extend it to people who wouldn’t necessarily buy a subscription and go to the Opera House. I love the idea of music being for everybody.” Vanguard performers have the freedom to perform pieces of their choice — in the way that they choose to perform them. “So far, they’ve played avant garde pieces and New Orleans jazz, and there was even a rendition of ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ at one stage,” said McMahon. Audience members don’t know what’s in store until the show starts. In Vanguard, Young Henrys has found a great match. “We’re interested in people who are genuinely interested,” he said. “All the people who make up Vanguard are great people. They’re passionate. They love what they do. They’re inspired it. Vanguard is extracurricular for the musicians — it’s their passion project; it’s them having fun. And Young Henrys is a business built on passion and fun, as well as a bit of doing what people don’t expect us to do.” To attend Vanguard concerts, you need to become a member, which you can pay for monthly or annually. Vanguard is a philanthropic programme, with proceeds supporting the chair of Leah Lynn, Assistant Principal Cello in the SSO. Vanguard is coming to Young Henrys on Thursday, September 10. More info over here.
Australia’s leading food rescue organisation is getting in on the pop-up trend. Opening in Pyrmont on Tuesday, May 12, harvested will serve up high-quality meals made entirely from ingredients destined for landfill — and they're calling on you to help generate buzz. Ready to spend the next three months making you rethink your lunch, the cafe is the brainchild of Travis Harvey; a chef with more than ten years experience in restaurants around the world. He's also the man behind OzHarvest's Cooking for a Cause program, which each year helps prepare thousands of meals using surplus food collected from supermarkets, cafes, restaurants and catering companies, and delivers them to people in need. "The idea behind harvested is simple," says Harvey. "It takes a challenge that OzHarvest and our food recipients have to face every day... what to do with surplus food that society has rejected because of its appearance, discolouration or slight imperfections? We wanted the public to experience this too, and see how good it can be." In order to help spread the message, the pop-up cafe will be giving away free lunches (free lunches!) on opening day, in exchange to photos shared on social media using the hashtag #mealforameal. Seems like a pretty good deal, especially since you'd probably have Instagrammmed your deliciously newsworthy lunch anyway. Harvested will be open for lunch on Wednesdays and Thursdays until the end of July, operating out of a restaurant space donated by City West Housing located at 56 Harris St, Pyrmont. The menu will change daily depending on available ingredients, although they've already teased the likes of slow cooked lamb with vine leaf, house dried fig and walnut sauce, pumpkin quinoa burger with beetroot relish and chilli macadamia butter, double roasted spiced pork with rustic potato and house pickled cues, and spice crust chook with carrot puree and labneh. And to think, this was food people were throwing out. Meals will cost a flat $15, money that OzHarvest can use to feed up to 30 people. Thursday through Sunday evenings, the temporary space is also home to Baraka, a pop-up Middle Eastern restaurant run by Fouad Kassab, which also donates a portion of its proceeds to OzHarvest. It goes without saying, this is probably the most worthy pop-up of your time this week. Harvested opens on Tuesday, May 12 at 56 Harris St, Pyrmont. The pop-up will be open every Tuesday and Wednesday for lunch only from 11.30am – 2.30pm (until end July). For more information, visit www.ozharvest.org.
Sydney's poké explosion continues, this time with Hooked on Poké opening its doors along Bondi Beach. Owned by the former manager of North Bondi Italian, Marcus Lalak, the joint focuses on locally and sustainably sourced fish in fresh-to-order dishes that boast sauces made from secret recipes. The menu at Hooked on Poké may have been inspired by the traditional Hawaiian mainstay but it also takes direction from the Los Angeles version and has adopted Japanese and Korean flavours. Customers can create their own bowl or order from five 'HOP Faves' with recommended ingredient combinations — among these is the signature tuna poké bowl, made with line-caught and sashimi-grade yellow fin which has been cubed and coated in a house-made, spicy soy sauce. Apart from the tuna, they're offering up salmon and snapper, as well as poached chicken and tofu options. If you're creating your own, you can choose from a base of soba noodles, iceberg lettuce and brown or white rice, along with a wide range of toppings, including wasabi peas, grated beetroot, spicy kimchi, wakame, house-made pickles and dashi daikon. For something significantly on-trend locally, you can pick toppings of sweet potato crisps and roasted miso cauliflower. Lalak brings two decades in the hospitality industry to this new venture, which is jumping on the poké train a bit late in the game. What could set Hooked on Poké apart from the competition, though, is its series of sauces and dressings that were specially developed for the restaurant and use ingredients including yuzu kosho, miso and sriracha. These 'secret recipes' took over one-hundred hours to perfect and are meant to give each bowl a signature flavour that you can't get anywhere else. Hooked On Poké is now open for lunch and dinner at 145 Glenayr Street, Bondi Beach. Images: Alana Dimou.
Get waxed and grab your flares. GiggedIn has announced a huge week of shows on offer as well as its first-ever members-exclusive show — an indie-surf and psychedelic rock affair. Taking over two rooms at the Oxford Art Factory, Lime Cordiale, Wax Witches, Ocean Alley, Mesa Cosa and more top one slam dunk of lineup. We introduced you to GiggedIn back in January. It’s a new service that gives members unlimited access to gigs, for one neat price — kind of like Spotify for live music. Every day, at midday, new shows appear on the website and you decide which you’re going to attend. What’s more, you get access to special events and festivals, like Mountain Sounds Festival, headlined by Art vs Science and Violent Soho this week. Then there's Raury and JOY at Oxford Art Factory, Illy at the Metro Theatre, Radio Moscow at Newtown Social and more. With GiggedIn’s premiere exclusive shindig coming up, now is a good time to sign up. The show will be happening at on Sunday, February 21. If you’ve been hanging out at any of Sydney’s staple live music venues during the past year, there’s every chance you’ve caught Lime Cordiale. They’ve sold out Newtown Social Club, The Standard, Oxford Art Factory and the Metro Lair, and have shared stages with The Delta Riggs, Ball Park Music, The Griswolds, Dispatch and Cosmo Jarvis. Meanwhile, Wax Witches, fronted by Alex Wall, will be delivering a massive dose of garage punk. If you’re tired of saccharine, smoothed-over pop and rock, you’ll get your antidote here. Mesa Cosa, garage punk legends from Melbourne will be there. Rounding out the night are Ocean Alley, a reggae psych-rock six-piece from the Northern Beaches; The Vanns, indie-poppers from Kiama; and The Ruminaters, who describe their music as “hillbilly-folk-psychedelic-garage-yiddish-rock”, among a slew of other acts. For a full list of more shows this week, see below: Mon Feb 15 — Radio Moscow (USA) at Newtown Social Club Tues Feb 16 — Raury with JOY. at Oxford Art Factory Wed Feb 17 — Waxahatchee at Oxford Art Factory Thurs Feb 18 — Juju Wings at Brighton Up Bar Fri Feb 19 — Black Aces at Brighton Up Bar Sat Feb 20 — Mountain Sounds Festival on the Central Coast Sat Feb 20 — Illy at the Metro Theatre Sat Feb 20 — Lunatics on Pogosticks at Brighton Up Bar Sun Feb 21 — Lime Cordiale, Wax Witches, Mesa Cosa, Ocean Alley + more at Oxford Art Factory And more to be announced. Find out more about GiggedIn here.
Sure, we might be begrudgingly closing in on the final days of summer, but at new pop-up, The Shuckery Oyster Bar, indulgent holiday vibes are fervently persevering. Taking over the plush surrounds of the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay's Stillery bar, The Shuckery will be open for oyster devouring every Thursday and Friday night. Bivalve buffs can indulge in oysters from the likes of Port Macquarie, Clyde River, Hastings River, and Nambucca, freshly shucked before their eyes. The best part? This chic little feast needn't break the bank — three oysters teamed with a flute of Perrier-Jouët Champagne will set you back a neat $20, while a share-friendly arrangement of 12 oysters and a bottle of the bubbly is just $95. Keep this one in mind for date night, we reckon. The Shuckery is open from 5-7pm, every Thursday and Friday night at Stillery, InterContinental Sydney Double Bay.
Handpicking some of the globe's best new artists for yet another glorious year (their seventh, to be exact), Sugar Mountain has one heck of a lineup this year, with UK rapper Joey Bada$$, experimental Berlin-based producer Laurel Halo and Australia's Cut Copy headlining. Returning to Melbourne's Victorian College of the Arts on Saturday, January 20, Sugar Mountain has again balanced international drawcards with local talent this year, from Melbourne's all-female five-piece Beaches to UK producer Actress. Other Aussies converging on Mebourne for the fest include Body Type, Stella Donnelly and Indigenous collective Kardajala Kirridarra. As always though, music isn't the only thing on the menu for Sugar Mountain. There'll also be a load artists on the bill, including a collaboration between American artist and dancer Khalif Diouf and Bangarra Dance Theatre's dancer and choreographer Waangenga Blanco and work by Amrita Hepi and Japanese artists Hiroyasu Tsuri and Jun Inoue. The nosh is yet to be announced, but here's hoping Sugar Mountain's immersive on-site restaurant Sensory will be back. Enough chatskies, here's that lineup you're after. SUGAR MOUNTAIN 2018 LINEUP Actress (UK) Ara Koufax Beaches Body Type Cut Copy Dan Shake (UK) Eclair Fifi (UK) Fantastic Man Gerd Janson (GER) Honey Dijon (USA) J Hus (UK) Jamila Woods (USA) Joey Bada$$ (USA) Kardajala Kirridarra Laurel Halo (USA) Love Deluxe Project Pablo (CAN) Sevdaliza (NED) Shanti Celeste (UK) Stella Donnelly ARTISTS VIA ALICE featuring Waangenga Blanco x Khalif Diouf (USA) Amrita Hepi x Pasefika Victoria Choir Justin Shoulder x CORIN x Tristan Jalleh Hiroyasu Tsuri (JPN) x Jun Inoue (JPN) Marcus Whale x Athena Thebus
Eeeep. Looks like Spotify playlisters for Splendour in the Grass jumped the gun, and it appears that the 2015 Splendour lineup has been leaked as a result. Set to be announced by Matt and Alex on triple j next Wednesday as usual, the Splendour lineup could possibly have been revealed by a playlist called 'Splendour 2015 Line-up' which appeared earlier today. Noticed by eagle-eyed Geelong Advertiser reporter Paddy Naughtin, the now-deleted playlist contained some huge, we-hope-it's-real names. We're talking Blur, Mark Ronson, Florence + The Machine, Death Cab For Cutie, The Wombats, Tame Impala and Of Monsters And Men, alongside Pond, Royal Blood and the Dandy Warhols. WAHOOLIE. Here's the screengrab posted by Naughtin on Twitter — he also posted on Splendour's Facebook page to confirm and they deleted the post. So there's a little confirmation for you. Yeesh. Probably going to be some stern words between Splendour and triple j. Here's hoping it's the real thing. Via triple j.
Won't be rolling in the grass this July? Missed out on yesterday's ticket blitz? Never fear, there's plenty of Splendour in the Grass shindiggery to be had in your own city. Splendour has announced its official 2015 sideshows this morning (as have many unofficial venues). From Blur's epic arena shows to the rowdy British garage pop team-up of The Vaccines and Palma Violets, to more niche hypecard gigs like MØ and Elliphant or Years and Years, here's your rundown of the official Splendour sideshows. Exclusive Secret Sounds presale tickets are on sale 10am local time on Tuesday, April 28, while general public tickets on sale 10am local time, Wednesday, April 29. But if you're keen to nab tickets to the Blur sideshows, tickets are on sale 10am local venue time on Friday, May 1. Visit secret-sounds.com.au for more details. SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS OFFICIAL 2015 SIDESHOWS: BLUR With Jamie T Presented by Secret Sounds, supported by Spotify, Rolling Stone, The Music, Fasterlouder All tickets on sale 10am local venue time, Friday May 1 Sat 25 Jul — Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney Sun 26 Jul — Splendour In the Grass (SOLD OUT), Byron Bay Tue 28 Jul — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Thu 30 Jul — Perth Arena, Perth THE WOMBATS With Circa Waves *exc Perth Presented by triple J, The Music, Channel [V], Spotify Thu Jul 23 — Metro City*, Perth Mon Jul 27 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Tue Jul 28 — Palais Theatre, Melbourne Thu Jul 30 — Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide (*Circa Waves not supporting in Perth) THE VACCINES With Palma Violets Presented by Tone Deaf, The Music, Spotify Mon Jul 27 — Corner Hotel, Melbourne Tue Jul 28 — Metro Theatre, Sydney PORTER ROBINSON [live] With Wave Racer and Cosmo's Midnight Presented by triple j, Channel [V], inthemix, Spotify Wed 22 July — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Thu 23 July — The Forum, Melbourne AZEALIA BANKS Presented by Channel [V], Music Feeds, Beat & Brag, Spotify Fri 24 July — Metro Theatre, Sydney Sun 26 July — Prince Bandroom, Melbourne EVERYTHING EVERYTHING With Urban Cone Presented by triple j, Channel [V], Fasterlouder, The Music, Spotify Thu 23 July — Metro Theatre, Sydney Sat 25 July — The Corner, Melbourne KITTY DAISY & LEWIS Presented by Fasterlouder, The Music, Spotify Sat 1 Aug — Metro Theatre, Sydney Sun 2 Aug — 170 Russell, Melbourne Tue 4 Aug — Governor Hotel, Adelaide Wed 5 Aug — Rosemount Hotel, Perth MØ & ELLIPHANT Presented by triple j, Channel [V], Oyster, Spotify Tue 28 July — The Corner, Melbourne Wed 29 July — Oxford Art Factory, Sydney MARMOZETS Presented by Musicfeeds, Blunt Magazine, Beat, Brag, Spotify Thu 23 July — Newtown Social Club, Sydney Sat 25 July — Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne MS MR Presented by triple j, Channel [V], Spotify, Pages Digital Wed Jul 22 — 170 Russell, Melbourne Sat Jul 25 — Metro Theatre, Sydney YEARS & YEARS Presented by Channel [V], The Brag, Beat, Spotify, Pages Digital Sun Jul 26 — Oxford Art Factory, Sydney Thu Jul 30 — Howler, Melbourne WOLF ALICE Presented by triple j, Tone Deaf, The Brag, Beat, Spotify Thu Jul 23 — Corner Hotel, Melbourne Fri Jul 24 — Oxford Art Factory, Sydney THE DISTRICTS Presented by Music Feeds, Spotify, The Music Mon Jul 27 — Northcote Social Club, Melbourne Tue Jul 28 — Newtown Social Club, Sydney Visit Secret Sounds for more details. Image: Linda Brownlee.
When Vivid Sydney hits town for 2017, expect bright lights aplenty — and bright ice cream too. With the festival extending its footprint to Barangaroo for the first time, Devon Cafe are getting in on the fun with psychedelic Purple Haze sundaes, made from an electric purple ube (aka purple yam) soft serve with leche flan and taro. That's just one of the food options available between May 26 and June 17, with a number of eateries serving up specials in the waterfront precinct. Over at The Rabbit Hole, colour-changing butterfly pea flower tea — which switches from blue to purple to pink with a squeeze of lemon — will enliven your visit, while Oh! Boo Chocolates are whipping up handmade chocolate lollipops and blue curaçao liqueur chocolates. Or, opt for glowing cocktails (yes, edible, drinkable concoctions that are vibrant and, well, vivid, are the theme) at the vermouth-focused Banksii's Belvedere light bar and Untied's winter-themed pop-up rooftop bar. You know you want to try beverages with names like Basil Dazzle and Vivid Spritz — and Anason, Shirt Bar and Zushi will all boast their own Vivid tipples as well. Over at the Japanese-inspired Ume Burger, devouring a Vivid Sydney Burger is on the menu; it comes stacked with beef, tomato, onion, and cheese, plus signature house-made wagyu mince sauce, spicy special sauce and fries with umami salt. Combine these culinary offerings with Vivid's light and art installations, and you'll be treating all of your senses to quite the feast. Vivid Sydney runs from May 26 to June 17. For the full range of Barangaroo food and beverage menus, head to www.thestreetsofbarangaroo.com.
Death and vengeance are the common threads in Damián Szifron’s Wild Tales, one of the most deliriously savage black comedies to hit cinemas in years. Argentina’s nomination to the most recent Foreign Language Oscar race, the film consists of six separate vignettes, following six everyday people driven to the point of no return. The ensuing mayhem resembles the spawn of the Coen Brothers, Almodovar, Tarantino and Bunuel; a wicked tour de force as sharp as a corkscrew and every bit as twisted. Anthology films can be a risky proposition, particularly when one or more segments falls short. Thankfully, that’s not the case here. Yes, every viewer will have their favourite (personally, I loved the opener), but even the ‘weaker’ episodes are catapulted along by an almost maniacal sense of escalation. Whether it’s a wealthy couple trying to cover up their son’s indiscretions, a lowly waitress taking revenge on the man who ruined her family or just two drivers struck down by a serious case of road rage, every chapter in the film is propelled by a wonderful inevitability: eventually, everything will be thrown horribly, hysterically and often violently out of control. And believe it or not, there’s actually method to Szifron’s madness — an intelligence lurking beneath all that wonderful chaos. The cathartic pleasure we feel watching his characters rebel against what’s socially (and ethically) acceptable comes directly from our own frustrations with the everyday world. Bureaucracy, class inequality and male impotence are but a few of the film’s more pointed areas of exploration, and while we’re hesitant to suggest that the people in the film get what’s coming to them, poetic justice certainly tends to prevail. Many of the shorts also offer a thinly veiled criticism of the country’s endemic political corruption, although you certainly don’t need to live in Argentina for that to strike a chord. The script is matched by top-notch technical specs, with crisp cinematography and eye-catching production design along with some extremely memorable music choices. The cast is likewise terrific across the board, although particular praise must go to Rita Cortese as a burly cook and Erica Rivas as a seriously pissed-off bride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTXKTj4XCs8
If you’re the kind of person who thinks spotting the key vinyl pressing missing from your collection at the bottom of a box is comparable to the highs of first love, At First Sight at Carriageworks is the part record fair, part live gig, part passionate affair for you. Following its sell-out success in 2013, when more than 5000 people wandered through the doors, At First Sight is back for another Saturday of finding your new music love. Rather than having you wait until you get home with your new finds to jam out, this record fair with a difference is bringing you some the best Aussie artists and DJs to keep you company. While you flip through rows of vinyl-filled milk crates curated by Sydney's independent record stores, labels and private dealers, you can expect bands like Blank Realm, Rolling Blackouts, Total Gionvanni, Lost Animal, Donny Benet, My Disco, Palms, Richard Cartwright, Tees, World Champion and more to join you in the aisles, as well DJs including Adi Toohey, Kali, Andras and DJ Jonathan Toubin — who VICE declared “the only DJ we actually like” — bringing you his Soul Clap & Dance Off from the USA. Lacking the dance moves needed for your new tunes? Sydney choreographer Amrita (known for her Beyonce Dance Classes at Goodgod) is collaborating with DJ and videographer Ego for a unique performance on the day. Dreamed up by FBi Radio’s Martin Doyle, this may be the one record fair to rule them all. The festival runs noon to 11pm, while the record fair runs 10am to 6pm.
How'd you like to drink a beer inspired by Diego Velazquez inside the Art Gallery of NSW? Sydneysiders, this is an actual thing you can do this summer. When the sun goes down every Wednesday, the AGNSW decks the halls with jam-packed evenings of talks, guided tours, and live music for a super-charged extension of the Gallery's usual Wednesday night Art After Hours program that will run on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights, dubbed Up Late with The Greats. And while you're drinking in art history talks with Hannah Gadsby, taking a salon drawing class, or perusing The Greats, you can actually drink a special edition beer each night, inspired by the exhibition itself and created by none other than Young Henrys. Newtown's favourite brewers were invited to take a tour through the now-showing exhibition to come up with a very unique beer inspired by the Titians, Botticellis, Gauguins and Degas works all the way from the National Galleries of Scotland. "It's not often you get to work with Monet to brew a beer," Sam Fuss, Young Henrys' head brewer, told AGNSW. "We're drawing our inspiration from what's inside the actual painting, inside the art, whether it's the atmosphere, the colour." Fuss chose two 17th century paintings from the exhibition to draw beermaking inspiration from: Gerrit Dou’s An interior with a young viola player, and Diego Velazquez's Old woman cooking eggs (two of our six artworks you shouldn't miss at The Greats). "Smoked malt was a little reminiscent of being in a tavern," says Fuss. "We just thought that we would keep the hops to a minimum because it was probably a little bit more reminiscent of the beers back in that day." You'll be able to taste Young Henrys' creation Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights for Up Late with The Greats. After the Gallery's usual closing time of 5pm, you can take an extended jaunt through The Greats exhibition and partake in a ramped up range of activities. On Wednesday nights, celebrated comedian and SERIOUS art nerd Hannah Gadsby will be unveiling her SERIOUS art history chops and treating gallery-goers to a VERY SERIOUS rundown of different eras of Western art history each week. There'll also be salon drawing on Thursday nights, and live music by members of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra on Friday nights. Something’s brewing at the Gallery… We’ve teamed up with the motley crew at Young Henrys to create a beer fit for The Greats. Taste it at the Gallery this January: http://bit.ly/late-greats Posted by Art Gallery of New South Wales on Sunday, December 13, 2015 Up Late With The Greats will run Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays from January 6 – 29. By Annie Murney and Shannon Connellan. Image: Young Henrys.
He can growl like Tom Waits and wail on melancholic high notes like Jeff Buckley, yet come out of the mix with a sound that's all his very own. If you haven't yet made acquaintance with extraordinary singer-songwriter Steve Smyth, it's high time you tipped your hat. Smyth's been making himself known both within Australia and overseas via the old-school method of extensive touring. In fact, after releasing his debut full-length album, EXITS, mid-last year, he embarked on a seriously epic journey, playing in more than eighty towns across Australia. Steering away from whizz-bang effects and slick marketing, he's kept his focus well and truly on writing and delivering authentic music. So his live performances, accompanied by his band, The Outlaws, are genuinely cracking. You'll find yourself rocking and a-rolling one minute and crying on your best mate's shoulder the next. In March, Steve popped over to Austin to play SXSW, before returning home to play Byron Bay's Bluesfest at Easter. Catch him in Sydney at the Oxford Arts Factory on April 25, before he packs his bag for a long stretch on the road in Europe.
Some of the biggest names in burgerdom will descend upon Barangaroo to determine once and for all who has the best buns in town. For one day only, six of Sydney's finest chefs will fire up their grills at the Wulgulul pop-up, giving visitors the chance to decide which burger they like best. Will it be Neil Perry's mouth-watering Cape Grim beef creations, or can Belle's Hot Chicken take the crown? Whoever comes out on top, we guarantee you'll leave with a full stomach. Burger Kings, as the event has been fittingly titled, is scheduled to take place from 11am on Sunday March 20. In addition to Perry, and Belle's Morgan McGlone, chefs tapped for the cook-off include Kerby Craig from Ume Burgers, Jake Smyth from Mary's, Somer Sivrioglu from Anason, and Monty Koludrovic from Icebergs. The event is un-ticketed, so just rock up whenever you're feeling hungry. Although we can't promise they won't sell out. Popping up next Sunday @thestreetsofbarangaroo burger pop up. 🍤🍤🍤🍤🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔 Nothing but ebi Katsu burger, umami salt fries 🍟🍟🍟 20th March - 11ish until sold out A photo posted by Kerby Craig (@kerbstarr) on Mar 10, 2016 at 10:55pm PST Of course we at Concrete Playground have our own opinions on who makes Sydney's best burgers, having sampled more than our fair share. Here are a few of our favourites right here. For more information about the Burger Kings event at Barangaroo, follow this link. Image: Burger Project.
When you're invited over for dinner, it can be a bit hit and miss. Sure, the lamb casserole was to die for, but having to listen to your brother-in-law's best friend tell the tale of how he once-upon-a-time sort of met Sasha from The Bachelorette was mind-numbingly trivial. Thankfully, the team behind The Chaser have upped the stakes and invited internationally renowned and respected comedian (and all-round great human being) Bassem Youssef to The 16th Inaugural Chaser Lecture and Dinner they're hosting at Sydney Town Hall. For those of you unfamiliar with Youssef, he's basically the Jon Stewart of the Arab World (like literally, that's his nickname). For those of you unfamiliar with Jon Stewart, Bassam Youssef is one of his heroes. Formerly a cardiothoracic surgeon in his native country of Egypt, Youssef swapped surgery for satire (as you do) and began hosting Al Bernameg, a Middle Eastern program that boldly and brilliantly exposed the lives of Egypt's ruling elites. What began as a 5-minute YouTube show during the Arab Spring blossomed into an internationally acclaimed show with over 30 million viewers a week until Youssef and his family were forced to flee Egypt for their safety. While the show was terminated due to political pressure, Youssef has flourished since — he was named in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2013 and won the International Press Freedom Award that same year. Egypt's loss is our gain, so make sure you grab your tickets to what promises to be an eye-opening conversation (after a delicious dinner) between Bassem Youssef and The Chaser's Julian Morrow. With all funds raised from the event being used to support the freedom of expression campaigns of global human rights charity Article 19, it's definitely worth spending the $330 (including formal dinner) or $80 (gallery seat only).
With the reopening of the Hotel Palisade, the controversial re-do of Durty Nelly's as The Village Inn, the revamp of the Bellevue Hotel, and the recent Vic on the Park-steered reno of The Lord Gladstone, the debate over great and terrible pub renovations is rife in Sydney at present. Now there's another on the table, with Petersham's White Cockatoo reopened as The West Village. Celebrated as a tried and true 'sham local with a schnitzel worth crossing the city for, the 130-year-old White Cockatoo is now under new ownership — ex-Drink 'n' Dine ownership. Locky Paech, former general manager of the Forresters in Surry Hills, is one of the new co-owners of the Petersham pub. Alongside business partner James Bodel, Paech has created a new Sydney hospitality group, Goodtime Hospitality. Sitting right across from Petersham station, West Village has been overhauled by lauded design crew Alexander and Co., renowned for such restaurant and bar fitouts as Surly's, Daniel San, The Print Room, Watsons Bay Hotel, The Morrison and the new Village Inn. If you're worried about the schnitties, Paech is apparently going to keep a version of the dish that made the White Cockatoo famous in Sydney over 12 years of glory (in case you're after the real deal, the original schnitties are now being served at The Goni's Schnitzelria in Marrickville). We're not completely sold, but we'll give it a go. Paech has also recruited former Catalina chef Sam Thomson to create an original, gastropub-style menu for the West Village, with a focus on organic, ethically-produced ingredients. Think kimchi poutine, blue swimmer crab rolls, vegetable tarts, herb-crusted pork loins, and huge seafood platters heaving with tempura prawns, natural oysters and crab claws. There's also a separate bar food menu filled with pub staples like fish and chips, cheeseburgers and the aforementioned schnitties. Tipple-wise, the whole wine list is Australian, with mainly NSW varieties on the menu. Cocktails are being served in bottles (looks like you started a trend, Dead Ringer), and there's negronis on tap. And of course, a big ol' selection of craft beer is available on tap. Best bit? They're open for brekkie. Serving 7-11am and ready to launch later this year, the outdoor Patio area will serve as a pub-cafe with coffee and breakfast options available (and yep, they do takeaway). The West Village is now open at 30 Terminus Street, Petersham. Open Monday through Saturday 10am – midnight, Sundays 10am – 10pm. Images: Alana Dimou.
The Lobo Plantation crew should have no time for fun. Sydney legends and Lobo co-owners Jared Merlino, Mikey Hwang and Eddie Levy been way too busy of late. Jared's teamed up with Lewis Jaffrey (formerly of The Swillhouse Group) to create Oxford Street's hip hop cheese and wine bar Big Poppa's (opening next week), and Jared, Mikey and Eddie run one of the city's best cocktail spots, Lobo. But they've had even more on their epic to-do list of late: they're opening their highly-anticipated new cocktail bar next week. 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 word is that work will begin on a restaurant upstairs. Drinks-wise, their initial announcement suggested there'd be a focus on rum and rye whiskey, with super bartender Paige Aubort behind the wheel. And the trainings begin! Team Kittyhawk absorbing all of the Rum and Rye knowledge before we swing open the doors next week. Watch this space. @kittyhawksyd @paigeaubort @dre.walters A photo posted by Kittyhawk (@kittyhawksyd) on Jun 21, 2016 at 5:46pm PDT So, what theme have the Lobo crew chosen this time? AZBCreative has designed 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. Neither Kittyhawk's major owner Jared or his co-captains Mikey and Eddie haven't revealed much about the bar's layout or menu, we're taking clues from the name. Kittyhawk is an alternate name for a US World War II fighter aircraft, the Curtiss, and the bar's Instagram account seems to suggest a WWII-based theme, particularly focused around Paris during the Liberation in the 1940s. To give you more of an idea, the website looks pretty wartime: Kittyhawk opens in the CBD next week at 16 Phillip Lane, Sydney. Details TBC. Image: Lobo Plantation.
Flume is teaming up with LA-based, Australian-born visual artist Jonathan Zawada for a blink and you'll miss it multimedia pop-up in Surry Hills this December. Named after the ARIA chart-topping musician's sophomore album Skin, for which Zawada created the cover art, live graphics, related videos and merchandise, the free exhibition will be open at Special Group Studios on Devonshire Street from Wednesday, December 7 through to Sunday, December 11, and will feature a series of new video works created exclusively for the show. "I've always been a huge fan of Jonathan's work so it's been a privilege to have him involved in the visual aesthetic around Skin, from the album art to the live show and merch," said Flume. "Visually I'm interested in the contrast of organic and synthetic, Jonathan's work so cleverly depicts this so it's been a natural fit for the music. I love the way he embraces technology to twist and contort things from the real world in alien ways." The pop-up will feature eight never-before-seen videos that combine fantastical animation by Zawada with ethereal sound design by Flume. Alongside these will be a series of large scale silk prints that further highlight the pair's unique creative partnership. Open daily from 10am - 6pm.
Just a few weeks after revealing plans for a huge, magical North Sydney venture, The Grounds of Alexandria has announced another new project for their foodie empire — one that involves heaving mounds of lime and meringue tartlets, salted caramel and chocolate goodies, freshly baked loaves of pigeon seed and ash white sourdough. You got it, The Grounds has opened its own bakery. Taking over an adorably quirky space at The Grounds' Alexandria headquarters, The Bakery extends the crew's already well-known love of baked goods to its own dedicated shop. Designed by an award-winning dream team — interior designer Caroline Choker and ACME&Co architect Vince Alafaci — The Bakery is an elegant 600 square metre, 40-seat, open format space, peppered with The Grounds' signature repurposed salvaged timber, hand-painted tiled artwork and signature green (you'll find it adorning the awesome new vintage fridge). While you're enjoying a cheeky scroll or two at the long table, you'll also be able to peek inside the bakery's open prep area and watch the wizards at work. "Like all that we create at The Grounds, The Bakery started with a feeling," says The Grounds co-founder and director Ramzey Choker. "The smell of fresh baked goods fills you with a sense of warmth, of family and of contentment; it's a smell that takes you home. And so I wanted to recreate a space that mimics those emotions, and allows people to immerse themselves in the beauty and feeling that the smell and taste of a fresh baked loaf can bring." Lead by group executive chef Paul McGrath, the team have been experimenting with a few new additions to The Grounds' celebrated baked good lineup, including an Asian-inspired version of European sourdough, the bamboo charcoal loaf. There's also the Lentil Du Puy, a new loaf made with French du puy lentils, yellow mung beans and red lentils. There's also the salted caramel and chocolate tartlet, or the pistachio olive oil and polenta cake with strawberry confit (gluten-free y'all). The Grounds HQ has been a hive of development activity, following the opening of the site's new soda bar and express bus service this year. The Bakery is open at The Grounds of Alexandria, 7A, 2 Huntley Street, Alexandria. Open Monday to Friday 7am-4pm and Saturday to Sunday 7.30am-4pm.
At the risk of setting too great store by a Disney film... scratch that, too great store by the single greatest Disney film ever produced we don't want to hear any questions — we're here to tell you this is your ultimate chance to become one with the Circle of Life. The 1994 Disney classic that ruled your life as a child, The Lion King, is celebrating its 21st birthday this year and to mark the entrance into its lion prime Goodgod are throwing a no holds barred Lion King extravaganza. A 7pm screening of the film is just the beginning, followed immediately by trivia where you can desperately try to justify the hours you've spent watching the VHS and singing along to Elton John. The truly inspired part of this night though, is a performance of the entire blessed soundtrack by Sydney's own psych pop legends Richard In your Mind. Wednesday night, it means no worries.
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. 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, and the remaining 6000 tickets are now on sale to the general public via 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.
UPDATE: JANUARY 17, 2020 — The Sydney Opera House has today announced that, due to health reasons, Solange has cancelled two of her four January shows. Performances on Monday, January 27 and Tuesday, January 28 will no longer be going ahead, but those on Thursday, January 30 and Friday, January 31 will. The SOH has already begun processing refunds for the first two shows. If you'd like to get tickets to one of the latter shows there are, thankfully, some still available — but we suggest you move quickly. The below article has been updated to reflect the changes. After blowing Sydneysiders away with her singing, dancing and towering cosmic structures at the Sydney Opera House last year for Vivid Live, Solange is heading Down Under once more. The Grammy Award-winning singer — composer, choreographer, actress, filmmaker, fashion icon — is coming back to the Opera House for two shows in January 2020. Mark it in your calendars, friends. If you were one of the lucky ones to score tickets the sold out show last year, you'll know what to expect come January: a stunning 360-degree stage, a live band, a team of incredibly choreographed dancers. Although this time, instead of singing and dancing to A Seat at the Table under a giant moon-like sphere, Solange will be performing her new album When I Get Home in Australia for the first time. Featuring hits such as 'Way to the Show', 'Dreams' and 'Binz' — and collaborators such as Pharrell, Sampha, Gucci Mane and Tyler, the Creator — the album is an ode to Solange's hometown of Houston, Texas. It was released alongside a 33-minute art film of the same name, which you can watch on YouTube while you're waiting for her Aussie return. While the stage will look a little different this time round, we're told to expect something similarly impressive. You can get a glimpse of what to expect from the new choreography, too, by checking out Solange's Instagram. All the $99 tickets have already sold out, so you're looking at paying at least $129 for a spot. The Sydney Opera House performances will be Solange's only Aussie shows, so, if you're interstate we suggest you start keeping an eye on cheap flights. Image: Max Hirschberger
If you've caught Tkay Maidza's singles 'Switch Lanes', 'U-Huh' or 'M.O.B.' (that's 'Money Over Bitches') on radio of late, you'll know that the 19-year-old is all about putting in the hard yards. The Adelaidean youngster's touring schedule is evidence that she means what she sings. Maidza spent last summer rapping her way from one festival to another, appearing at Falls, Southbound, Beat the Drum and St. Jeromes Laneway. And now she's kicking off a national tour, which has almost sold out, and includes gigs at Mountain Sounds and Groovin' the Moo, as well as supports for Charli XCX. Since releasing her huge breakthrough hit 'Brontosaurus' in 2014, Australian music fans can't stop jibbering about Maidza. International booking company The Agency Group were immediately smitten and signed the teenager before launching her on an epic tour through the UK and the US. Maidza will be supported at every gig by two fellow bright young things from Brisbane — 19-year-old producer UV boi, and 17-year-old classically trained multi-instrumentalist JOY.
Artists, musicians and chefs representing more than 57 cultures are gathering in Sydney's inner west this week for Open Marrickville, a free, ten-day, annual festival. Running until June 26, the celebration fills galleries, halls, community spaces and streets. At Chrissie Cotter Gallery, artworks by refugees from diverse backgrounds are on show for New Beginnings: Refugee Arts and Culture Festival Exhibition, while Greek kitchens and gardens are being explored through images and cooking demos in The Community Kouzina, curated by Eleni Christou. On Thursday, June 23, catch Faraway… So Close to Homeland, a documentary telling the stories of ten Syrian refugees. Also on the busy program are several mini festivals-within-the-festival, including Pachamama, covering all things Latin American and Balkan Bonanza, featuring food, music and dance from Greece, Croatia, Macedonia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia. And, for a free lunch (yep, there's such a thing), head to the Festival of the Olive, happening at the Greek Orthodox Parish of St Nicholas on June 23 from 9.30am.
Whatever the new year may bring, one consistent silver lining is the inevitable return of Sydney Festival, which will once again transform our city into a cultural carnival this January 9–27. It's a collective festival which spans visual art, performances, theatre, live music, installations and immersive classes that express multicultural voices and ideas. The diverse 2019 program features 18 world premieres, five Australian premieres and eight Australian exclusives. Sydney Festival's always-packed Indigenous program Blak Out continues to remain a central focus of the festival and this year will feature First Nations stories from Australia, New Zealand and Canada. As part of Blak Out, an overnight vigil will be held on the eve of Australia Day at Barangaroo, from sunset right through to the morning of January 26. It's a reflection on the impact of the arrival of the First Fleet and Australia's colonisation on its native people, with musical performances and stories told by community Elders throughout the night. Alongside this vigil will be a large-scale sign spelling ALWAYS, designed by Bangarra artist-in-residence Jacob Nash. It will remain on the Barangaroo headland for the entire festival as a declaration that it 'always was, always will be, Aboriginal land'. Another highlight of this part of the program is the Bayala language class series, which offers free entry-level and intensive courses in Indigenous language and culture. These have booked out for the last two years. If you missed Blak Box — a glowing structure that provides a surround-sound way to listen to the voices of Elders and future leaders in Blacktown's Indigenous community — during its time in Barangaroo earlier this year, you'll be able to catch it in western Sydney when it makes its way to the Blacktown Showground Precinct from January 9 until February 9. There's also a varying musical lineup to look forward to, from 13-piece Cuban mambo band Orquesta Akokán and South African neo-soul singer Nakhane to acoustic 'desert-blues' trio Les Filles de Illighadad and pop legend Neneh Cherry. Plenty of other pop artists made the docket, too, with Jonathan Bree hosting a songwriting masterclass at Carriageworks on January 17 and American pop composer Julia Holter performing in the Festival Garden's Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent on January 20. Performing in the same tent is Irish musician Camille O'Sullivan, who will extol the songs of icons David Bowie and Leonard Cohen with her own interpretation from January 10–13. As usual, the festival has wrangled its fair share of big theatre productions. A new commission from Sydney Festival is 1930s Shanghai-inspired cabaret Shànghǎi MiMi, which will make its world premiere at Parramatta's Riverside Theatre. It features award-winning director Moira Finucane, a cast of acrobats and aerialists, and a rare Chinese jazz and blues band. Another new commission is Pigalle, which will see the Spiegeltent turned into a Parisian nightclub for a delightfully over-the-top show of disco, cabaret and burlesque. Home is yet another must-see from acclaimed theatre-maker Geoff Sobelle. His interactive show blends aspects of theatre, choreography, illusion and live music that reaffirms the meaning of home. This one includes lots of audience participation — you can expect to be pulled on stage to become a part of the show and occupy the on-stage house. You can also get involved with Counting and Cracking, which tells the story of a Sri Lankan family migrating to Australia and includes a communal feast. Spoken word poet Omar Musa will take the stage in both Sydney and Parramatta for Since Ali Died — a politically focused story, rap and song inspired by Muhammad Ali. Also coinciding with the festival is an installation by American artist Nick Cave, which will exhibit at Carriageworks from November 23–March 3. Titled Until, the giant and multi-dimensional artwork speaks to the critical issues of gun violence and race in the States. And Paddington's Cement Fondu art space will host The Ropes video installation by renowned dancer and choreographer Amrita Hepi from January 11–March 3. And, as a celebration for the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, three interstellar-themed art precincts will pop-up around the city. Multiple 'moon drops' — that is, large water bed-like pillows — will allows guests to experience the weightlessness of walking on the moon at Darling Harbour, while a pop-up at World Square will allow you to contribute kilometres to help Sydney 'cycle' 384,400 kilometres to the moon.
IT'S A GOOD DAY. A very good day. One of the world's most celebrated rappers, Kendrick Lamar, has been added to the Bluesfest lineup and has announced two huge performances in Melbourne and Sydney. Biaaaaaaatch, no way. Hitting Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on March 21 and Sydney’s Allphones Arena on March 23, Lamar will then join The National and Tom Jones to headline Bluesfest in Byron Bay on Thursday, March 24. More dates are expected to be announced, so keep those fingers crossed Brisbane. Lamar's quite the curveball for this year's Bluefest, with the festival already sporting quite the eclectic patchwork of a lineup — from Noel Gallagher to Tom Jones, Jackson Browne to City and Colour. This will be the first time Lamar has toured Australia since 2014's Rapture Festival, and since releasing his wildly critically-acclaimed album To Pimp a Butterfly, so expect tickets to go quicker than you can say 'Kunta'. KENDRICK LAMAR 2016 AUSTRALIAN DATES: MELBOURNE — March 21 (Rod Laver Arena) SYDNEY — March 23 (Allphones Arena) BYRON BAY — March 24 (Bluesfest) Tickets for Kendrick Lamar's Sydney and Melbourne shows will go on sale at 9am Monday, October 19. Telstra pre-sale from 10am Wednesday, October 14 until 10am Friday, October 16, those pre-sale tickets over here.
UPDATE, December 11, 2020: The Lobster is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play, YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Imagine living in a world where the pursuit of love provided only two choices. You can find a spouse and live happily ever after in coupledom, or you can earn the scorn of others for failing to pair up. In this scenario, society champions the intertwined and persecutes the single. Does it feel familiar? It should. That such a situation doesn't seem too far from reality is the point of The Lobster, despite the clear exaggerations if gleefully plays with. In an unnamed time, those like the mournful David (Colin Farrell) who prove unlucky when it comes to affection — even through the death of their spouse or via infidelity — are shipped away to a matchmaking-focused hotel as a last resort, literally. If they don't connect with another person in 45 days, they'll be transformed into the animal of their choice. Their only other option is to run away and live in the nearby woods with a group of loners, who shun relationships, dig their own graves in a mournful bit of forward thinking, and seek solace by dancing alone to electronic music. If that sounds cynical as well as comedic in an absurdist, deadpan manner, that's because it is — and writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos is certainly known for raising his eyebrows and donning a wry smile in the face of many of the behaviours and preferences that define our lives and interactions. In his first English-language film after the equally heightened Dogtooth and Alps, he does the same with modern romance, skewering and dissecting the fact that finding monogamy and matrimony are championed by most as the be all and end all of human existence, no questions asked. That's not all he does, though, as he follows David's interactions with others looking for their similar other halves, such as Lisping Man (John C. Reilly), Limping Man (Ben Whishaw) and Biscuit Woman (Ashley Jensen). Nor is scepticism his only attitude when David meets Loner Leader (Léa Seydoux) and Short Sighted Woman (Rachel Weisz), finding a kindred spirit in the latter, even if he's not supposed to. Mixing suspicion with sweetness — not of the sappy rom-com kind, but bursting from a genuine appreciation of the joy that can result when two people really do find something special in each other beyond having superficial things in common, and are willing to sacrifice to keep it — is the key to The Lobster's brilliance. Lanthimos finds the overwhelming beauty that can lurk in the stark reality he depicts, perhaps surprisingly so given how stylised and precise everything else proves: the dialogue, setting, recurrent use of music and tightly shot visuals, for example. The impact is as astounding as it is intriguing. Consequently, prepare for a smart, sensitive and surreal movie that both looks on in horror and inspires hope as far as matters of the heart are concerned. And prepare to pay attention too, because the details mean everything. When the excellent international cast all speak in their native accents, aptly mirroring the film's conflict of structure and chaos in the process, or the soothing tones of Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue's ballad 'Where the Wild Roses Grow' contrasts with the overt tones heard otherwise, that's when The Lobster's wondrous, winning, witty take on love and life starts to truly shine.
Party on a private island with a lineup of visiting music acts, thanks to the legends at Siberia Records. The local label has partnered up with Laneway for a special post-festival sideshow on an island somewhere in the Sydney harbour. Which one? Not sure yet. Who'll be playing? They haven't said. But given their track record with these kinds of things, we're willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Set for the evening of Monday February 8, not much has been revealed about the Sydney harbour shindig. Up to 700 ticket holders will be ferried to the undisclosed island via speedboat from King St Wharf, for an evening of sets and collaborative performances by local and international DJs, fresh from their appearance at Laneway. Island Getaway 3.0 marks the third time the record label has taken to the water, following a party on a barge in 2014 and a trip to Cockatoo Island in 2015. Guess we can cross the latter off our list of potential locations, with organisers promising this year's secret setting has "never been used like this before." Could it be one of these, maybe? Previous guests at Siberia's secret parties have included Jamie xx, Fourtet, Mark Ronson and Kirin J Callinan. They also co-hosted a massive laneway party with Young Turks in Wollongong for New Year's Eve, which saw both Jamie xx and Fourtet drop by unannounced. Like we said, they've got a pretty decent track record in this department. Siberia Record's Island Getaway 3.0 is happening on Monday February 8. For more information and to book tickets, visit Moshtix. Image: Clark Island.
Coming next month to Westfield in Chatswood, Royal Stacks is the brainchild of burger nerd Dani Zeini. That name might not mean much to Sydneysiders, admittedly, but trust us when we tell you this news should make you very excited. Zeini is the same guy behind Melbourne's awesome American-themed eatery Grand Trailer Park Taverna, not to mention Royal Stacks venues in Brunswick and the CBD. Now, after years spent lording over your hungry neighbours south of the border, Zeini is bringing his mouth-watering buns to NSW. Set to open on August 31, Royal Stacks have a fairly simple menu, by which we mean burgers, and plenty of them. Choices range from the classic Single Stack featuring a beef patty, tomato, lettuce, pickles, cheddar and special sauce, to more extravagant options such as the Prince Harry, which adds horseradish, shallots and gherkin mayo, and The King, which throws a gigantic mac 'n' cheese croquette into the mix. The King is here! Snap: @empthyplateblog #royalstacks #fullystacked A photo posted by Royal Stacks (@royalstacksau) on Jul 21, 2016 at 11:32pm PDT They've also got you sorted when it comes to dessert, serving frozen custard in a variety of flavours – think Ferrero Rocher, cookie dough and Nutella swirl, to name but a few. "I've been obsessed with US burger culture for several years," said Zeini. "Bringing this kind of culture to Australia but focusing on ethically and locally sourced ingredients is something I've always been excited about." Find Royal Stacks at Westfield, Chatswood from August 31. For more information visit www.royalstacks.com.au.
One of the best drinking spots for pre-Vivid LIVE shows last year, Sydney Opera House's pop-up pool hall is back for another round. Jeremy Blackmore and Alex Dowd — whose work you already know if you've ever knocked back a tequila or two at Tio's or a tiki cocktail at The Cliff Dive — are bringing back the Deep Purple Pool Hall for just ten nights during this year's Vivid festival. The pop-up speakeasy, which last year genuinely resembled a dive bar plonked in Sydney's iconic arts venue, will be found inside the Concert Hall's northern foyer, where you can get cosy and warm while still taking in those epic harbour views. Expect a specially-curated menu from the team behind Tio's, served up by Aria Catering, alongside craft beer and wine from local Sydney producers, as well as live DJs and free pool. FREE. "I have wanted to set up a cool bar in this space for five years, ever since I arrived at the Opera House," said Ben Marshall, curator of Vivid Live, last year when the bar opened. "Whether you're up for a pre or post-gig drink or on the look-out for the neon eight-ball outside, you can sneak up the back stairs of the Opera House to the Deep Purple Pool Hall and settle into an incredible secret space in the heart of the city, in the middle of this incredible festival." The Deep Purple Pool Hall will open for ten nights only, May 27 – June 5, 6pm till late. Images: Daniel Boud.
Ever wanted to live like a globetrotting interior designer for a day, sipping single origin coffee in the leafy outdoor courtyard of your snug, rustic Paddington terrace surrounded by all beautiful Australian design? Hit up Airbnb. Sibella Court, the internationally-acclaimed interior designer behind such Merivale establishments as Palings, Mr Wong, Palmer & Co., El Loco and MsG's, and the owner of Beautiful Things/hardware/haberdashery store The Society Inc, has turned her 1860s Sydney corner terrace into a pied-a-terré — one you can rent on Airbnb. Snuggled in the middle of Paddington, the space is filled to the brim of the stunning art, design, carpentry and textiles The Society Inc has been raving about and stocking over the years. Yep, it's pretty much the Sydney home of our Pinterest-loving dreams. "I am often asked by curious international parties about our favourite Australian furniture makers, artists, crafters, textile designers, dyers, tinkers and smiths and the like — this is where we will be showcasing some our favourites and sharing the love." "It is a sensory experience, forever changing, layered with travel mementoes, full of magic and fantasy, that will be as though being in the pages of one of Sibella's books," says the listing. There's a main bedroom, dressing room with daybed/single, bathroom, lounge room, living room, kitchen and outdoor courtyard all for a cool $305 per night. It's just a couple of minutes walk to Oxford Street, so you're super close to Centennial Park and buses to the city and beaches. Plus, there's a Tokyo Bike you can use while you're staying there, another of Court's favourite local crews. Take a little staycation and rent Sibella Court's Airbnb apartment in Paddington over here. Images: Airbnb.
Australian politicians, you'd better go incognito for the next few months. British-born, American-based comedian John Oliver is heading to Australia for a string of stand-up shows this August. The Emmy and Writer’s Guild Award-winning writer, comedic actor and politically-outspoken satirist is taking a short break from his Peabody-winning HBO show, Last Week Tonight, to jump on a plane and scatter truth nuggets around our shores. Heading back to his political stand-up roots, it's Oliver's first stand-up tour in Australia. Of course, this isn't his first time fiercely focusing on our great southern land; dropping plenty of not-so-flattering Australian takedowns on his own show and while guest hosting on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Expect uncomfortable Australian realities aplenty, with deep burns like this Tony Abbott roast: Or the time Oliver referred to Australia as 'comfortably racist' on his hugely popular, weekly satirical podcast The Bugle: But there was that one time we were praised for our gun control laws: And our plain packaging laws for cigarettes: This is Oliver's first ever Australian stand-up tour, so expect these tickets to go quicker than Australia's political credibility on late night American television. JOHN OLIVER LIVE DATES: Thursday, August 27 — Palais Theatre, Melbourne Sunday, August 30 — State Theatre, Sydney Tickets go on sale Monday, May 11 at 9am from Ticketmaster.
Cocktail lovers rejoice! After months of false starts and delays, the owners of Circular Quay's award-winning Bulletin Place have finally cut the ribbon on bar number two. Located on the old Emmilou Tapas Bar site on Bourke Street, Dead Ringer will be serving up a killer menu of intriguing custom-made cocktails, with tasty looking bar food to boot. As with the opening of any new bar, our first port of call is the drinks list, and at a glance Dead Ringer doesn't disappoint. Standout cocktails include the Pineapple Adonis (sherry, vermouth and pineapple skin) and the Dixie Cup (vanilla pisco, ruby port and fizz) along with a caffeinated concoction called the Obligatory (tequila, cold drip coffee and maple) and a redskin flavoured julep named Red Dinger (redskin gin, blood orange and vinegar). Those after something a little less extravagant can opt for beer, wine or cider. But come on. Live a little. The food, meanwhile, ranges from bar snacks like pork jowl with rye crumb and mustard, chicken liver parfait with pickled veggies, and a cheese board with flatbread and honey, to sit down dinner options such as blood sausage with kohlrabi, ocra and yoghurt, lamp rump with black garlic mustard, and barramundi with romesco, mussels and onions. If you're still hungry after that you can order dessert in the form of pickled pineapple, shortbread and yoghurt granita, toffee ice cream with bee pollen and malt crunch, or as many pear bonbons as you like. Alternatively, why not enjoy one final digestif? The hot and cold buttered toddy made with scotch, muscat and Messina gelato should do just nicely. Dead Ringer is now open at 413 Bourke Street, Surry Hills. For more information hit up their website. Image: Bulletin Place.
Neil Perry's new Cantonese restaurant, Jade Temple, is all set to open in the original site of Rockpool Est. 1989. Open for business on Monday, July 3, the restaurant is the latest in what seems to be a neverending string of openings from the Rockpool Dining Group, who announced back in March that they'd be replacing the short-lived Eleven Bridge with a Cantonese restaurant. The fine dining establishment will feature classic dishes with an Australian produce twist and a tiki-style cocktail list to boot. The familiar sounding name is no coincidence — Jade Temple will act as the sister restaurant to Spice Temple, which is also contained in the group's portfolio. The redesign of the 11 Bridge Street space has been taken on by designer Grant Cheyne, who has been on Perry's payroll for some time, having also designed Rockpool Est. 1989 and Burger Project, as well as the Rockpool Bar & Grill and Spice Temple locations across Australia. The Jade Temple fitout features two cast iron Chinese guardian lions, traditional Chinese artwork and imported Chinese light fittings, including custom-designed chandeliers and handmade bamboo shades. The kitchen is located behind folding screens and comes complete with a duck drying cabinets and live seafood tanks. The space is also fitted with separate mezzanine and bar areas that are cosy and more intimate spaces for pre-dinner drinks or snacks. The menu focuses on classic dishes that use sustainable Australian produce, featuring dishes like char siu, whole roast duck, lemon chicken, sweet and sour pork and honey prawns, along with fresh seafood served with a variety of Cantonese sauces. For lunch, a menu of dumplings, steamed buns and wontons will be on offer. In proper Lazy Susan family style, all dishes are designed to share, though of course they'll be more high-end than your corner Chinese shop, with banquet menus on offer for $75-95 per person. On the drinks side, the Cantonese-inspired cocktails are made using house-made ingredients, syrups and infusions to achieve a 'Chinese-tiki' spin. They're also named after mythical characters from Chinese folklore, adding a touch of kitsch to the venue. The colossal wine list includes 300 labels from around the world with a focus on regions that pair nicely with Cantonese food — think whites from Austria, Germany and France's Loire Valley and reds from Burgundy and Rhone Valley. A selection of loose-leaf Chinese teas, infusions and tisanes will also be on offer. Jade Temple will open Monday, July 3 at 11 Bridge Street, Sydney.
The 20th annual Sydney Writers' Festival will return from May 22 through May 28, with a bold 2017 lineup. This year's theme, 'refuge', is particularly timely and we're intrigued to see what new artistic director Michaela McGuire has in store. This year's festival will offer up 400 events with over 450 writers across greater Sydney, as well as 27 writing workshops. On the docket this year are Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Susan Faludi and Thomas Friedman, 2016 Booker Prize winner Pail Beatty and The New York Times Book Review's Pamela Paul. Australian writer Saroo Brierley, the subject of recent Oscar-nominated film Lion will also be in attendance, alongside feminist writer Roxane Gay, crime writer Ian Rankin, debut novelist Brit Bennett, Slate's Culture Gabfest team Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens and Julia Turner, My Dad Wrote a Porno's Jamie Morton, novelist Ha Jin, prize-winning author Anne Enright, memoirist Hisham Mitar. Also on the bill, Clementine Ford, Candice Fox, Nikki Gemmell, Stan Grant, Andy Griffiths, Melina Marchetta and more. This year, a day of the festival will also be dedicated to young adult fiction at Parramatta's Riverside Theatres on Saturday, May 27. If you don't live in Sydney, you can still participate through the Live and Local streaming program, which will bring the festival into an additional 30 community venues across each of Australia's states and territories. Tickets are now on sale, with nearly half of the the program free to enter.
Outdoor escape artists We Are Explorers are leading 13 adventurers on a two-day Wilderness Yoga Escape for the weekend of May 13 through 14. Participants will hike through the Blue Mountains where they will be guided through yoga practice by Flow with Jo in an excursion that combines yoga, hiking and wild camping. The day will begin with pre-hiking vinyasa, followed by a five-kilometre hike to a secluded, 'secret' campsite. After a sunset Yin class, enjoy a healthy camp feast (provided) and a night under the stars. Day two will include pre-breakfast vinyasa and wild-swimming before making the trek back. Apart from yoga, ticket holders will learn meditation practices and useful hiking warm up/warm down techniques. On the camping side of things, you'll develop basic navigation skills, tent setup, water filtration techniques, fire starting and other camping hacks from professional wilderness guides.
American comedian Joel McHale is coming to Australia. The star of Community, The Soup and that one recurring daydream we have where he asks us to be his best friend (shut up, it could happen) has announced a one night only standup show in Sydney next fortnight. Tickets go on sale this Friday. Please remain calm. The last-minute show is set for Saturday, November 7 at Sydney's Theatre Royal. My Live Nation members can get pre-sale tickets from Thursday, October 22 at 10am, before they become available to the general public the same time the following day. McHale is best known for his role as Jeff Winger in Community, a sitcom that people apparently feel quite strongly about (#sixseasonsandamovie). He's also hosted pop culture current affairs program The Soup on E! since 2004 and last year headlined the White House Correspondents Dinner. Admittedly, he also had a role in Spy Kids 4D — but then again, nobody's perfect. At this stage there's no indication that McHale will perform any additional dates or locations. Tickets for his Sydney show will be available online via Live Nation. Image: Frank Ockenfels.
Easter is upon us once again, and that means that BAD Friday block party is only a few sleeps away. From their humble beginnings at the Annandale Hotel in 2010, the crew behind one of the best celebrations of local talent in the calendar year have ramped it up, year after year, and this year won't change that winning formula. Thrown in this year, however, is the maiden performance of A Band, the greatest band who have never played. In a tribute to The Band's final ever show, a host local musos and special guests are taking to the stage to present their own homage. The festival will take over Railway Parade in Marrickville from midday on Friday, with the tunes kicking off with Scabz at 12.30pm. From there, the lineup meanders through Flowertruck, Bec Sandridge, Green Buzzard, Shining Bird, Sampa the Great, Royal Headache and The Jezabels, with headliners DMA's capping off the day for another year.
It's 3pm. All you want right now is another a coffee. Or maybe a cronut. Or a freakshake, dammit. Or maybe, like, ten Arnott’s biscuits. Nope, can’t do that. Already had five. Is that the post-3pm slump blues whispering – nay, bellowing – in your ear? Really, by now, you should be kicking back at some secret swimming spot or under a waterfall. Especially in this hectic summer weather. We know. We know! But capitalism dictates you’ve another two hours to go before your boss is going to lay down that whip. So, you have to find a way to keep going. All that sweet, sugary, deliciousness might be looking like your only job-quitting-preventative-measure right now, but it’s a bad, bad idea. So, we’re riding to your rescue with five jack-jumping, healthy, healthy snacks. And it’s not all gustatory doom and gloom. We’ve picked these babies for their tastiness, not just their nutrition information panels. BANANA AND TAHINI This God-sent duo has all the creaminess and sweetness of ice cream but none of the refined sugar or saturated fat. Spread it across a piece of toast, throw it in the blender to make a smoothie or just eat it straight, dipping the banana in the jar. Tahini's got more goodness than Mother Teresa (go with it) — from calcium, magnesium, lecithin, potassium, protein and iron to Vitamins E, Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B15. If you've had a big night out, it'll help you liver to cope better, thanks to the detoxifying powers of methionine. And everyone knows bananas make you happy. PROTEIN BALLS Available in stacks of different flavours, the mighty protein ball can give any conventional, packeted treat a run for its money, taste-wise. And it also comes with a big ol' dose of protein, which does heaps of good stuff. Like building and repairing muscles, making enzymes, producing hormones and making sure your hair and nails grow (in fact, they're nearly all protein). YouFoodz makes an especially lip-smacking version, a salted caramel version that's actually good for you. It's packed with apricot, sultanas, dates and dark chocolate and coated in crispy bits of waffle wafer. FROZEN FRUIT Regular, room temperature fruit is an excellent substitute for lollies and biscuits. But, with a freezer, you can take things to a whole new, more satisfying, longer-lasting level. That said, you have to make sure you're freezing the right kinds. Grapes are a winner — they become firmer on the outside, yet stay relatively soft in the middle (depending on the temperature of your freezer). So, eating one's a bit like biting into a soft-centred jube or toffee. Bananas, oranges and mangoes are crackers, too. Apples and strawberries don't go so well, as they to get too hard, all the way through. Raspberries can work if left to thaw for a while. DIY TRAIL MIX Plenty of peanut-heavy, packeted trail mixes aren't too appetising — even if they are salutary. Others are peppered with sugary bits and bobs, like choc buds. So, go ahead and make your own. That way, you can tailor it to suit you and, at the same time, make sure there's nothing in there undoing your healthy intentions. Don't forget to add some seeds — sunflower ones give you Vitamin E, B1 and B6, copper, selenium and manganese, while in teeny-tiny sesame seeds, there's CoQ10, which helps keep your heart working and your energy levels booming. No time to DIY? Have a stash of pre-made bars ready to go — Youfoodz does a pretty top notch Supa Food Bar. KALE CHIPS Potato chips one of your go-to snacks? Break that salty, fatty habit with kale chips. You can even make them yourself, without too much hassle: toss a bunch of kale in a minimal amount of olive oil and pop it in the oven till it's crispy. Unless you've been under the Rock of Gibraltar, you'll know this superfood's many benefits by now. There's bucket loads of beta-carotene to help your eyesight, Vitamin C to fight bugs, Vitamin K to make sure your blood clots and Vitamin E, an antioxidant. Images: YouFoodz and Dollar Photo Club.
The Oak Barrel is bringing back its sixth annual Sydney Craft Beer and Cider Fair on Saturday, June 24. This indoor showcase collates the very best of Australian and international craft beer and cider under the roof of one of the best and oldest craft bottle shops in the city. This year's fair will feature 22 stallholders, from newcomers Sauce Brewing to Sydney favourites Wayward Brewing and Akasha Brewing, along with Tasmania's Two Metre Tall, Adelaide's Pirate Life and WA's Colonial Brewing. All toll, there will be over 120 craft beers and ciders on hand and many of the brewers behind those beers will be there to have a chat. As in previous years, the festival focuses on local producers and the community aspects of independent, family owned craft brewing. This event has sold out every year running, so best to get your tickets while you still can.
There are a staggering array of activities you can do at Strike Bowling Bar these days, aside from the company's namesake attraction. Sure, you can throw a heavy ball down an alley, over and over again — highly recommended if it's your birthday and you're turning ten. You can sing Christmas Karoleoke, a great way to meet like-minded individuals that also find this kind of behaviour acceptable. Or, you can be locked up in a murderer's dungeon with 50 minutes to make an escape. Way to up the ante, Strike. Escapism is an interactive real life game where you and your team need to find hidden objects and solve riddles to escape a locked room. There are three puzzle rooms to choose from: The Garden, Butcher's Burrow and Forensic, depending on your age, interest and perceived skill level. Check out the creepy-as-all-blazes trailer: https://youtube.com/watch?v=kLpy9ae6e38 Our team signs up for Butcher's Burrow (difficulty 8) because we consider ourselves a pretty bright bunch, an assessment which later proves incorrect. Another Concrete Playground team went for Forensic — a Se7en-meets-Zodiac style of investigator set-up, where you're trying to identify a serial killer before they find you. Pitched at difficulty 9, if you're good at code-breaking you'll love this one; logic and ability with numbers will be your best allies. But we signed up for the Saw-like scenario, of course. Let's set the scene: For Butcher's Barrow, "You've been kidnapped and chained up. You can smell the fear in the room. How did this happen? Why did you end up here? There's a severed hand on a plate. You might be next. Now is not the time to be afraid. Now is the time to make your escape." I'm personally feeling quite confident, I've broken into my house without keys a number of times, so I've got this guys. Before we go in, we're frisked with a metal detector and our mobile phones are confiscated and locked away in a box. We're then blindfolded and led to our creepy prison. When the blindfold is removed it's still dark, we're alone, there's blood on the walls and the sound of our evil captor who's just next door. An intense 49 minutes later (we wouldn't spoil the whole thing would we?) and we're on the final puzzle, trying to figure out the passcode to unlock the door, secure our freedom and save our dignity. We fail our challenge; in fact we're told that 80 percent of teams fail, which is kind of consoling. Kind of. What happens if you don't make it? Our creepy captor, who is also a Strike staff member, does decide to let us go after all — and we get to keep all our limbs too. He's also nice enough to let us know where we went wrong. That final clue! It was right in front of us! You'll kill yourself for missing it. Escapism runs out of Strike Bowling Bar King Street Wharf, 22 The Promenade. Prices are $100 per team Monday — Thursday or $150 per team Friday - Sunday. Choose your escape scenario: The Garden (Difficulty 7, players 2 - 8) Butcher's Burrow (Difficulty 8, players 2-6) Forensic (Difficulty 9, players 2-6) Book online here before you go.
Anita Sarkeesian is one of the world’s bravest women. One of the key players taking aim at misogyny in the world of video games, Sarkeesian has been both applauded and attacked worldwide for her outspokenness about the gaming industry — she even explained #Gamergate to Stephen Colbert. Her blog Feminist Frequency and video series' Tropes vs. Women and Tropes vs. Women in Video Games have seen anti-feminist trolls sending serious threats her way — Sarkeesian even had to cancel a speaking appearance at Utah State University after terrorist threats. But haters be damned, the feminist critic at the forefront of gaming debates is finally coming to Sydney, one of All About Women’s most important speakers. Returning to the Sydney Opera House as part of the Ideas at the House program, All About Women returns for its third year in 2015 for one day of panels, readings and talks, celebrating, discussing and analysing women and their stories. Ideas at the House have attracted the likes of Tavi Gevinson, Yoko Ono and Alice Waters to the SOH stage over the years, and this year's AAW is one of their most ambitious programs yet. Most fittingly this year, AAW lands smack bang on International Women's Day, March 8, joining a global high-five to women worldwide. Joining Sarkeesian for this year’s festival is a powerhouse of a lineup over 19 sessions. Sarkeesian will join the ever formidable Germaine Greer — wouldn’t be AAW without her — for a panel called How to Be a Feminist, alongside ever outspoken novelist Tara Moss, feminist pop culture writer Clementine Ford, The Atlantic contributing editor Kate Bolick and kickass author, editor and English professor Roxane Gay. Ever the provocative writer, Gay will lead her own talk, Bad Feminist, focused around her controversial book of the same name which debates, “We don’t all have to believe in the same feminism.” Gay loves Sweet Valley High and blasting rap with degrading lyrics, can she still identify as a feminist? National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence and modern day Steve Zissou, 79-year-old Sylvia Earle, will teach us How to Save The Planet, while Eat Pray Love author Elizabeth Gilbert picks up where her straight-up killer TED talk left off (that one with the cheeky nine million views) reflecting on the handicaps of creative ‘genius’. Amazingly, Gilbert’s hairdresser is also a boss writer; Syrian-born, US-raised Rayya Elias talks ‘80s New York City, drug addiction, homelessness and the punk/performance scene. Contributing editor for The Atlantic and author of one of their most successful cover stories, 'All the Single Ladies' (with over one million readers), Kate Bolick will unpack the idea of singleness ahead of her 2015 book release, Spinster, while Washington Post staff writer and New York Times bestselling author Brigid Schulte delves into her book Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has The Time. The ever convivial Annabel Crabb will unpack her book, Breaking the Wife Drought, Judith Lucy discusses her new ABC show All Woman, while author of Hideous Kinky, Esther Freud (yep, of those Freuds), talks about her own childhood — imagine growing up a Freud. Greer brings in her Emeritus Professorship in English Literature to team up with her contemporary John Bell for the talk Shakespeare’s Women, then returning after two sold-out years at AAW, the Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe tell stories of survival, human resilience and joy. Being a woman in 2015 has never been more discussed, with Emma Watson carving up the UN, Beyonce flashing the F word in our faces, Jennifer Lawrence sticking it to the perves and Malala Yousafzai showing us all what true bravery looks like. Let's rep it on the home front shall we? All About Women comes to Sydney Opera House on March 8, 2015. Check out the full program and the AAW festival calendar at sydneyoperahouse.com/aaw. Tickets from $25, on sale 9am Monday 15 December through SOH or 02 9250 7777. Top image: Alex Lazara.
What is it like to speak, but not be heard? It's a conundrum most Australians don't necessarily have to worry about, but for many, it plagues every moment of their daily lives. Bringing much needed attention to the challenges of the migrant journey, Who Speaks for Me? presents unexpected stories of immigration, particularly focused on Western Sydney, in the first collaboration between National Theatre of Parramatta and Performance 4A. It's storytelling, but not as you know it. Taking audiences through the personal narratives of refugee and migrant families, this intimate show uses language to unpack the trials and triumphs of the inhabitants of Sydney's vibrant western suburbs. Hear tales like that of Cambodian mother Ly Heang Seang, who undertook 31 written examinations to finally succeed in obtaining an Australian driver's license, along with stories from Vietnamese and Bhutanese refugees fleeing by boat to resettle here on safer shores. Co-directed by storyteller and photography William Yang and writer/producer Annette Shun Wah, Who Speaks for Me? is a multi-lingual, multi-generational exploration of those living at the heart of the migrant experience.
Sydney's reached peak burger obsession. No longer confined to the realms of American chains and RSL bistros, burgers now clock up appearances on the menus of top-tier, hatted chefs, each putting their own contemporary, fine dining spin on the longtime casual favourite. So we reckoned it was about time for a good ol' fashioned burger battle — and so did Merivale. This February, we invited 16 of Merivale's top chefs to Ivy Ballroom to hit the kitchen and cook up their ultimate burger for March Into Merivale's Between Two Buns. Some, like Mr. Wong's Dan Hong, opted for their widely celebrated, longtime burger recipes (hel-lo Lotus Burger), while others dreamed up new and strange burger possibilities —Bistrode CBD's Jeremy Strode did a chicken and eel burger (and nailed it). Sitting on the judging panel, our own fearless leader and founder of Concrete Playground Rich Fogarty, Merivale CEO Justin Hemmes, Merivale chef Danielle Alvarez (Fred's, opening soon), and Merivale marketing director Andrew El-Bayeh. Feasting on 16 top-tier burgers sounds like a tough job, but these guys pulled through (with many, many napkins). Watch it all go down here: So, who won over the judges? Here's the winning six burgers, and you'll be able to try every single one of these juicy delights during March Into Merivale, at Between Two Buns on Wednesday, February 17. BETWEEN TWO BUNS FINALISTS: Dan Hong (Mr. Wong) — Lotus Burger Alex Lewis (The Beresford) — The ultimate duck burger Jeremy Strode (The Fish Shop/ Bistrode CBD) — The Fish Dog (chicken and eel) Jordan Toft (Coogee Pavilion) — Aged trim beef, cheese, burger sauce, B&B pickle Paul Donnelley (Ms.G's) — Beef, bacon and cheese burger Patrick Friesen & Chris Hogarth (Papi Chulo/Queen Chow) — Canadian beef and bacon burger Best bit? We're giving you the chance to win a year's worth of burgers for free. A YEAR OF FREE BURGERS. More details this way.
Of all the ingenuity and creativity that helped make the original Star Wars films some of the most iconic sci-fi pictures of all time, one characteristic deserves credit above all others: it was a universe that had been lived in. Compared to the pristine, almost sterile visions of space portrayed by every other film of its kind, Lucas showed us something that felt entirely ‘real’, thanks to its grimy establishments, malfunctioning droids and a Millennium Falcon that only worked after a sturdy thump from its captain. Director J.J. Abrams has done well to remember this lesson. Things that were new at the close of Return of the Jedi are now old, and those that were old are now ancient, forgotten or gone entirely. Such is not just the feel, but indeed the very plot, of Episode VII: The Force Awakens. As the opening title crawl explains (yes, it's still there), Luke Skywalker has vanished and in his absence a sinister adjunct of the former Empire has arisen under the banner of ‘The First Order’. Led by a Sith-esque figure known as Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), the Order is scouring the galaxy for any information as to Luke’s whereabouts so as to finally erase all vestiges of the very last Jedi. In its way (and also seeking Skywalker) stands the small yet unshakeable Rebel Alliance, now marshalled by General Leia Organa. Each side has part of a map, but neither can yet complete the full picture, and time is of the essence. There can be few things more intimidating than embarking upon the production of a new Star Wars movie. So steeped is the series in lore, so fanatical its supporters, that even the tiniest of missteps will attract the most merciless and unceasing fury the galaxy has ever seen (i.e: sternly worded blog posts). Thankfully, via his Star Trek reboot, Abrams has already proven his extraordinary deftness when it comes to blockbuster space operas, and The Force Awakens is no exception. It is riddled with allusions to the past, yet few are accorded more than a glance (you will find no stormtroopers sporting ‘vintage death star t-shirts’ here, for example, unlike the indelicate homages of Jurassic World). Instead we are made to feel right at home amongst our new heroes (the exceptional Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac) thanks to familiar musical flourishes from John Williams, the spine-tingling sound and visual effects from Industrial Light and Magic, and the return of our beloved Han and Chewie. New planets and old faces, original characters and veterans to guide them – this is a franchise reborn but not reinvented. If criticisms are to be levelled, they fall mainly upon the villains. Few cinema foes will ever match the menace of Darth Vader and his Emperor mentor, however here the film’s antagonists feel particularly thin. Andy Serkis’ CGI overlord Snoke is more distracting than daunting, Domhnall Gleeson’s General Hux is surprisingly hammy and Kylo Ren, whilst evil, is underscored by a petulance that borders on comedic. Thankfully, despite being masked and heavily synthesised, his voice does remain entirely comprehensible, as distinct from the recent broken PA system that was Tom Hardy’s Bane. Not to mention that his force grip is dead-set spectacular. Given the choice between normal and 3D, the latter does actually add that little bit extra here, and whilst parents will doubtless be eager to introduce their younglings to the franchise, be warned – Abrams shies not away from the ‘wars’ in Star Wars. Gritty, intelligent and utterly electrifying, buckle yourselves in folks, because we’ve got a damned good feeling about this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGbxmsDFVnE
From heavy equipment to smart phones, darkrooms to USB sticks and hour-long to instantaneous exposure, photography has come a long way in a few short centuries. The Photograph and Australia at the Art Gallery of NSW traces the origins of photography in this country. Parallel to the evolution of photographic technology is the story of a burgeoning national identity. The exhibition features iconic images such as Max Dupain’s bronzed Sunbaker and Mervyn Bishop’s photograph of the symbolic soil pour from Gough Whitlam to Vincent Lingiari in 1975. From documentary to conceptual photography, curator Judy Annear has dug up a vast collection of work from amateurs, artists, explorers and enthusiasts. “People know about Olive Cotton, Max Dupain and David Moore, but those artists make up a very narrow band from about the 1930s to '70s,” she says. Once restricted to specialists and aristocrats, photography as a medium has been democratised over the years, and that's reflected in the exhibition. “Now photography is ubiquitous, it has changed our entire social fabric,” says Annear. “Most of the time images become recognisable not because they have some local flavour but simply because of the confluence between popular media and chance.” PRIVATE MADE PUBLIC: THE DAGUERREOTYPE One section of the show pays homage to the daguerreotype. One of the first types of photographs made popular, it was developed without the use of a negative and printed on a polished sheet of silver-coated copper. The daguerreotype camera came in a range of shapes and sizes, though it typically resembled a wooden box. The tiny images featured from this era are cased in gilded frames and velvet covers. Looking at these little relics of intimacy, there are many unknown photographers and subjects. “I have to say, this is the hardest show of my entire career,” says Annear. “We all want stories to be nice and neat, but it’s like looking at your own family’s photo album; it never turns out the way you want. The whole thing is full of question marks.” One of the striking characteristics of the show is the way Annear pairs together contemporary and traditional photography. “I think the exhibition offered a unique opportunity in terms of the technology and what was happening here in Australia; you do see things growing up and you do see adaptation,” she says. For example, the way Tracy Moffatt’s Warhol-inspired Beauties has been positioned suggests a reworking of the daguerreotype. Three photographs of an Indigenous stockman have been dipped in tints of cream, mulberry and wine, mirroring early attempts to integrate colour into the production process. Image: Unknown photographer, Isabella Carfrae on horseback, Ledcourt, Stawell, Victoria c1855. THE PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER: OUT OF EUROPE AND INTO THE BUSH Taking photographs of people was one thing, but the practical challenges of venturing into the harsh Australian climate was quite another. The period from about 1850 – 1860 witnessed the birth of the professional photographer. However, the extreme heat made the process of taking and developing photographs very difficult and often required a portable or makeshift darkroom. “The colonisers were working out how to make photographs at the same time as they were working out how to grapple with the Australian environment and build towns,” says Annear. “That’s why the nineteenth century is such a strong part of the show.” "At the same time, the Indigenous people were trying to adapt to colonisation, since colonisation is never pretty," she says. The centrality of colonialism can be seen in the early ethnographic portraiture of Paul Foelsche and JW Lindt. The stilted quality of these images shows a romanticised version of Indigenous life. Complete with theatrical sets and costumes, the subjects are manipulated into artificial positions. While spontaneity is so easy to capture nowadays, these portraits are the product of painstakingly long sittings. Image: Paul Foelsche, Adelaide River (1887) THE TWENTIETH CENTURY AND THE RISE OF EVERYDAY LIFE Prior to colour photography, images were touched up with oil paints or tinted with a single colour. From the '60s onward, the explosion of alternative lifestyles led to more recognition of amateur and conceptual photography. An easier process of reproduction meant a greater number of photographers. And importantly, the Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera grew more sophisticated. Artists began to draw links to Australia’s migrant roots, Indigenous heritage and powerful women. In particular, the self-portrait became a vehicle for feminism in Australia, with artists such as Sue Ford and Carol Jones sharing snippets of their personal lives. Although these images have less of an artificial character, Annear maintains that “there are at least two modes of constructing a photograph. There’s what was going on at the time and what we bring to it. We bring a lot to photography because we want it to be real. And it is so close to reality but it’s not, it’s just a piece of paper or something on a screen.” Image: David Moore, Migrants arriving in Sydney (1966) DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY: PUTTING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE Often it can feel like 21st-century technology has no limits. Constantly connected to the web on a handful of different devices, we have instantaneous access to a whole world of images. The prowess of digital photography is showcased through the work of Simryn Gill and her aerial photographs of open-cut mines, exposing the geological history of Australia. It is particularly interesting to compare these vast holes in the earth to the bustling towns and erection of skyscrapers during the late 19th and early 20th century. Reflecting on this history, the transformation of photographic technology and what it can capture has had a profound effect on how we experience time. For instance, there is the duration of an exposure, the working life of an artist, the age of our continent and the time it takes to upload a photo, to name a few. “With this exhibition, I wanted people consider that we are in the present looking at the past and it is a highly speculative, partial story,” says Annear. “It’s a complex story but at the same time you need to let your imagination roam a bit. It’s not an easy story – there’s no straightforward chronology.” Image: Simryn Gill, Eyes and Storms #13 (2012), Art Gallery of NSW. The Photograph and Australia is showing at the Art Gallery of New South Wales until June 8, 2015. Top image: Max Dupain, Sunbaker (1937).
If you're keen to cruise into 2016 to deep, deep house music, this is your party. Mad Racket are back with their annual NYE shindig, a no-stress alternative to the craziness of Sydney Harbour and the CBD's mega parties. With no fireworks, laidback party folks and seriously good tunes, Mad Racket's NYE party is for people after a no-frills good time at the Petersham Bowlo. This year, the crew are welcoming Hamburg house legends Smallpeople to the fore. They've been carving out a niche in the widespread, dense house scene for over ten years with their unique brand of hypnotic beatmaking, running their own Hambug label and record store and putting on their own nights in Europe. They'll be joined by Racketeers Jimmi James, Ken Cloud, Zootie and Simon Caldwell. Break out a mini champagne at the Petersham Bowlo and ring in 2016 with some of the world's bloody best house.
Whether you're heading to the cinema with friends or curling up on the couch with your significant other, a night watching movies remains a fantastic source of entertainment, enjoyment and escapism. Sitting in the dark, switching your mind away from your regular worries and slipping into another world — if you're catching the right flick, few things can top it. Cinema-wise, 2019 has thrown up plenty of films that tick all of the above boxes — and now we're just past the halfway mark, it's time to look back. Maybe you missed one of this year's hits when it was in theatres. Perhaps it's still showing and you haven't made it yet. Or, there could be a few gems that just slipped your attention. Of course, there's always the ace movies you saw, loved and want to see again. Whichever category fits, here's 12 films from 2019 that you you need to catch up on. Head to the cinema and grab a choc top or organise your streaming queue and cook up some popcorn, as we've sorted out your viewing for the near future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoxKy3d7Wno EIGHTH GRADE What our critic said: As effective as every narrative beat, probing shot and well-deployed blast of Enya (yes, Enya) proves, writer/director Bo Burnham's savviest move is also his most straightforward. Actually casting a teenager in a movie about a teenager is much more rare than it should be, and Eighth Grade wouldn't be the success it is without Golden Globe nominee Fisher as its star. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XhsuT0xctI FREE SOLO What our critic said: As well as chronicling an awe-inspiring story, every frame of Free Solo offers a palpable, visceral reminder of life's enormous risks and immense rewards — and to the filmmakers' credit, you're all but certain to feel the impact in your constantly sweaty palms. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8qbq6Z6HYk IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK What our critic said: Black lives devastated by discrimination, young lovers braving seemingly insurmountable obstacles: both tales have played out across countless pages and screens before, although not as they do so here. There's a bewitching alchemy to the combination of James Baldwin's words and Barry Jenkins' direction — never shying away from the despairing truth of the situation, but never wallowing in inescapable bleakness either. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMCYE9hKP68 VOX LUX What our critic said: In Vox Lux, the difficulties and complexities of success slash savagely and hack furiously, with Brady Corbet writing and directing a blunt yet brilliant onslaught of a movie. As he did in The Childhood of a Leader, the actor-turned-filmmaker relentlessly charts the ascension of an influential fictional figure who owes their rise to struggle and trauma. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcKinfILGDk DESTROYER What our critic said: Conflicted cop Erin Bell could walk alongside any of noir's dogged investigators and hold her own. Stepping into the character's shoes, Nicole Kidman could do the same among any of the genre's best stars. Destroyer lives and breathes through its complicated protagonist and phenomenal lead performance, with each putting on a stunning show. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bavqDA_3vIo US What our critic said: Us is a creeper in multiple senses of the word. It's disquieting from the outset (even more so when it spends its opening credits staring at caged rabbits), but Jordan Peele knows how to let that unease fester and grow. While the 'master of suspense' label was bestowed decades ago, the comedian-turned-filmmaker is just as devastating at cultivating distress as Hitchcock or any other iconic horror or thriller director. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI9UYcEwUYA BURNING What our critic said: A ruminative mystery, a fine-tuned character study and an intricately observed examination of human relationships all at once, one of the joys of Burning is its wholesale aversion to simplicity. Here, as in reality, nothing is straightforward. Indeed, Lee Chang-dong takes life's enigmas and puzzles, thrusts them into view and forces the audience to ponder along with him. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA6hldpSTF8 AVENGERS: ENDGAME What our critic said: There's very little that's simple about this picture, marking as it does the extraordinary culmination of several dozen intricate and intertwined story arcs that extend all the way back to 2008... Where Infinity War was all bombast, Endgame offers reserve. Where Infinity War wrought intergalactic devastation and destruction, Endgame delivers intimacy and an examination of grief, loss and very private regret. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ5X75F1YJw LONG SHOT What our critic said: After a five-year stretch that's included Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde and Tully, Long Shot is the latest example of its star's chameleonic talents — a political rom-com that's as irreverent (and often inappropriate) as you'd expect of a flick that also features Seth Rogen, and genuinely heartfelt and hilarious as well. Charlize Theron, romantic-comedy standout? You'd better believe it. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BULB0aX4lA JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 — PARABELLUM What our critic said: Cinematic beauty comes in many forms, and the John Wick franchise perfects one of them. The term 'balletic' couldn't better describe the series' hypnotic action sequences, with its array of frenetic fights and carnage-dripping set pieces all meticulously choreographed like complex dance routines. In fact, when ballerinas actually pirouette across the screen in John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, they seem bland in comparison. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZeIHrx7Oyc HIGH LIFE What our critic said: While shooting into the stratosphere to ponder what it all means has become a genre of its own, High Life proudly stands in its own space boots. Perhaps that's why both the film and Robert Pattinson seem like such a perfect fit, and why the final product both soars high and burrows deep: you won't catch either meekly treading where everyone else has before. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_0KJAzyUJc PARASITE What our critic said: Parasite proves exceptional in every single frame and detail that it flicks onto the screen... Internationally renowned and beloved as the auteur behind The Host, Snowpiercer and Okja, Bong Joon-ho has crafted a bleak, twisty blend of black tragi-comedy, pulsating thrills and socially relevant horror — a movie that's such a phenomenal example of all that cinema can and should be that you'll want to high-five the filmmaker after watching it. Read our full review.
