Prepare to tantalise your taste buds at the Auburn Ramadan Street Festival 2023. This beloved local event promises to be a great night out for food and culture fans alike, bringing together a diverse range of authentic street vendors and local restaurants. Hosted on Auburn road on Saturday, April 15, from 5.30pm to midnight, this festival is an excellent opportunity to explore the rich culture of the local community. Sample delectable dishes from traditional Middle Eastern, African and Asian cuisines while enjoying the buzzing atmosphere and bustling crowds. Whether you're a seasoned foodie or just looking for a fun night out, the Auburn Ramadan Street Food Festival has something for everyone. From savoury falafel to sweet baklava, juicy burgers to crispy lokma, you'll be spoiled for choice with the selection of dishes on offer. But it's not just about food — the festival also offers a chance to connect with the local community and learn about the customs and traditions of Ramadan, a traditional Muslim month of fasting in the daylight hours and feasting by night. So mark your calendars and head to Auburn this Ramadan for a culinary adventure to remember. The Auburn Ramadan Street Festival will run from 5.30pm to midnight on Saturday, April 15. Funding for the event is provided by Multicultural NSW. For more information on the festival, visit the website.
2012 was a year of some serious ups and downs in the plight of the English language. The concept of 'literature' took a serious blow thanks to the likes of E.L. James and the growth of what has been aptly described as "mummy porn". The astronomical success of the Fifty Shades Of Grey trilogy has meant that such terrifying turns of phrase as "he's my very own Christian Grey-flavoured popsicle" was read by over 60 million people worldwide in 2012. Yet it wasn't all bad news for literary-lovers. Two-time Man Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel continued to make the well-worn story of Henry VIII eminently readable and enthralling, publishing a sequel to the universally acclaimed Renaissance thriller Wolf Hall. While such highly esteemed sources as The New York Times and The Guardian have had their say on what they saw as the best books of 2012, the Goodreads Choice Awards offers readers the closest thing the literary world has to a People's Choice Award. A phenomenal 1,156,852 votes were cast in over 20 different categories ranging from Fiction to Romance to Memoir to Cookbook, and without the discerning and supercilious eye of critics to dilute the vote, many of the year's most commercially successful books were also unsurprisingly amongst the biggest winners. The Goodreads' unofficial 'Book of the Year' award for best work of fiction went this year to a woman who is no stranger to literary success: J.K. Rowling. For those of us who grew up cheering on the adventures of Harry Potter and his motley crew of magical pals, the publishing of Rowling's first adult novel The Casual Vacancy is perhaps the clearest proof that Gen Y'ers are now all grown-up. So if you are in search of a little summer reading or you want to see if your vote counted have a look at the complete list of categories and winners below. You can also check out Concrete Playground's Summer Reading Guide for our picks. Fiction The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling Mystery and Thriller Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Historical Fiction The Line Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman Fantasy The Wind Through The Keyhole by Stephen King Paranormal Fantasy Shadow Of Night by Deborah Harkness Science Fiction The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett Romance Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James Horror The Twelve by Justin Cronin Memoir & Autobiography Wild: From Lost To Found On The Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed History & Biography Elizabeth The Queen: The Life Of A Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith Nonfiction Quiet: The Power Of Introverts In A World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain Food & Cookbooks The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes From An Accidental Country Girl by Ree Drummond Humor Let’s Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson Graphic Novel & Comic The Walking Dead, Vol 16: A Larger World by Robert Kirkman, Illustrated by Charlie Adlard Poetry A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver Goodreads Author Veronica Roth Young Adult Fiction The Fault In Our Stars by John Green Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction Insurgent by Veronica Roth Middle Grade & Children's The Mark Of Athena by Rick Riordan Picture Books Olivia and the Fairy Princesses by Ian Falconer
Because of its diverse climate and varied soil, New South Wales is home to some of Australia's best — and oldest — wine regions. But despite the state possessing over 480 producers, less than eight percent of wines sold on-premise in Sydney restaurants and in retail are sourced from the surrounding area. On the weekend of October 14 and 15, the inaugural Sydney Wine Festival will bring together over 60 wineries from 14 different regions to showcase what our great state has to offer. Choose from 350 drops from regions such as Mudgee, the Hunter Valley, Orange, the Southern Highlands, New England and many more. Taking place at Rosehill Racecourse, tickets purchased in advance online will set you back $25, otherwise they're $30 at the gate. The ticket includes ten wine tasting tickets, which is quite reasonably priced (although no word on how large the tasting pours are). Plus, a vast selection of food will also be on offer to purchase, from crepes and oysters, to burgers and German sausages.
Since UK-based Steve Spacek first landed on the scene in the noughties, as frontman of Spacek, his music has held no regard for boundaries. Rather than focusing on a particular genre, he put his energies into exploring overarching elements, like melody, mood and swing. Most recently, his solo work has been plunging into the potential of new technologies, like iPhones and apps. Presented by Charades as part of MoVement Sydney, Steve Spacek will be hitting Civic Underground late on Saturday, October 22. Providing support will be Melbourne's Prequel, Lauren Hansom and U-Khan. If you can get there before 11pm, you'll score free entry. Otherwise, nab your tickets over here.
With a host of international panellists and discussion leaders, the All About Women festival at the Sydney Opera House will provoke some deep thinking as well as heated dialogue amongst the forward-thinking women of our city and beyond. The success of the F Word 2012 feminism forum has led to a follow-up event in 2013 with more experts and controversial conversations than ever. The topics up for debate range from leadership, the workforce and bravery to parenting, sexism and rape and even to identity, sex myths and multiculturalism. Each conversation is led by a panel or single expert in the field and will bring to light new angles or arguments that will leave you mulling and cogitating long after you leave the seat of the theatre. And with Nobel Peace Prize winners, media personalities such as Gretel Killeen and authors like Liza Mundy and Brooke Magnanti, you know you'll be getting accurate and up-to-date firsthand information and opinions from leading feminist thinkers. The festival, co-presented by Daily Life, offers a diversity of tickets to suit all schedules and price ranges, so whether you wish to attend just a few key discussions, the whole 16, or intimate panel sessions, there'll be a perfect pass for you. Image from past Ideas at the House.
Spring. As the weather shifts from gloom to nudge at some summer heat, the MCA begins to get stuck into the theme of fertility and renewal. Primavera — 'spring' — is its annual exhibition of new art by up and coming under-35s. The now venerable museum is in the midst of its own rejuvenation as it renovates and adds to its exterior, moving entrances and shuddering the frame of its art deco building. So, this year's Primavera show has escaped the confines of gallery walls, halls and plinths — being loosed instead on the alternative art space of the Rocks' narrow squares and forgotten alleyways. While other public art shows are usually hard to find but difficult to ignore, most of Primavera's installations are hidden in plain sight. Eric Bridgeman's art is plastered on posters around the MCA and Argyle Bond Stores competing with fantastically vivacious drawings by Tom O'Hern, full of junk, native animals and spaghetti-like hair. The gallery-like space of the roomy Cleland Bond houses the show's collection of wall-hung art, including Rebecca Baumann's TV-shaped Automated Monochrome, which turns over blues, purples and greens with satisfying clicks. Tessa Zettel & Karl Khoe have been busy installing wooden bird-houses on top of telephone boxes, perching climbing animals at the back of Cleland Bond and forming their own secret society intermittently during the festival in the form of the Delirious Bakery's low teas at the Red Room Company's underground den. And on the hour, Parachutes for Ladies promises to re-choreograph the lives of the Museum's regular staff. *You can grab a program with a map from outside the MCA's George Street entrance, or send your phone to the website for a similar digital experience. Images by the Brown Council and Tom O'Hern
If your idea of a Queensland holiday involves sun, surf, sand and the Gold or Sunshine coasts, we understand. That's been the norm for many a decade. But it's 2019, not 1989, meaning it's high time to expand your northern getaway horizons. If you fancy all of the above, plus exploring an inner-city playground teeming with arts, bars and eateries, then you should tee up a weekend away to Brisbane. While city-based vacations can be more expensive than simply setting up at the beach, Brisbane is a budget traveller's paradise — especially if you book a stay with Brisbane City YHA. Book in for a few nights at the hostel on Upper Roma Street and make one of its premium ensuite rooms your base — or opt for a four-to-six person multi-share suite if you're gathering the gang for a jaunt. [caption id="attachment_728173" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane City YHA rooftop bar.[/caption] The hostel's sustainable ethos will make you feel good about the environmental impact of your trip, and its rooftop pool, bar and games room will make you feel relaxed. Outside of the hostel, you'll surely want to explore, so we've fleshed out the rest of your agenda below. From strolling leisurely by the river to hunting down the best bites around, you'll be set for a highly affordable but jam-packed mini-break. SNACK ON SAVOURY CHURROS — $9 Travellers in the know venture beyond the obvious tourist hotspots. And in Brisbane, you won't have to venture far. A trip down the winding roadway that turns from Caxton Street into Given Terrace into Latrobe Terrace offers up everything from concrete couches with a view, to huge antique centres to peruse and bars and eateries to duck into whenever the urge arises. At the Petrie Terrace end of Paddington, Nota is one of the latter, with a $5–10 snack range that spans beyond the usual. Think savoury churros with honey, tempura fish sandwiches and blinis, to name a few options. And yes, they'll all go down rather well with the venue's cocktail and wine-heavy drinks list. [caption id="attachment_701809" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Greca by Nikki To.[/caption] RIDE THE RIVER TO BRISBANE'S NEWEST PRECINCT — VARIES When any city gains a new culinary precinct, it's a kind of a big deal. And Brisbane's latest spot is by the river in the middle of the CBD, so it's even more cause for excitement. Howard Smith Wharves holds Brissie's only riverside brewery, its only overwater bar, a Greek taverna, a joint serving Shake Shack-style burgers and grassy areas for hangs by the water, plus the precinct will continue to welcome even more restaurants and bars — including a Japanese izakaya and multi-level Cantonese eatery. Adding a visit to your itinerary is also an excuse to use the city's favourite form of public transport: the CityCats. You'll be in for a walk at either end of the journey (from Brisbane City YHA to South Bank Ferry Terminal, and then from Riverside Ferry Terminal to Howard Smith Wharves), but it's all part of the experience. [caption id="attachment_649663" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Atlanta Bell.[/caption] SING KARAOKE AND EAT CHICKEN PARMIGIANA SPRING ROLLS — $16 Many a day has been lazed away at Little Big House, the multi-level pub set in a heritage-listed Queenslander. This party spot has just kept adding reasons to stop by since it opened a few years back. Sometimes, it's boozy bingo; others, it's trivia. No matter when you drop in, you'll find breezy verandahs to sit on and chicken parmigiana spring rolls on the menu. Yes, you read that correctly. Another highlight is the free karaoke room, which is especially ace if you've got the gang in tow. Make sure to book in advance because it's a first-in, best-dressed type of scenario. [caption id="attachment_628008" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Green Jam sessions, QPAC.[/caption] LISTEN TO LIVE MUSIC OUTDOORS — FREE Not so eager to belt out a song yourself, but love watching other people do it? South Bank, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Roma Street Parklands regularly host free live music across the weekend, so you're never too far from a tune. It's a case of picking your preferred picturesque setting — do you prefer grooving by the river, relaxing in sprawling parklands or sipping and eating on a nice little green patch? Time your wanders around town just right during your Brisbane stay, and you can probably even fit in all of the above. [caption id="attachment_711839" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Paul Giggle.[/caption] ENJOY A LEISURELY RIVERSIDE BIKE RIDE — FREE Your first stop starts at Brisbane City YHA's doorstep, where just a few you paces away you can hire one of CityCycle bikes (free for the first 30 minutes) and hit the pavement. You couldn't be in a better place to explore Brisbane on two wheels, with the river and its bike paths just a few pedal pushes away. Everyone's favourite destination is South Bank, understandably, where you can bike gently along the shoreline with the water on one side and parklands on the other. But don't be afraid to go slightly further afield, including through West End's hilly expanse, or through Paddington, Red Hill and Milton in Brisbane's inner west. Hot tip: at the latter, you can even see Brisbane's mini Eiffel Tower, should you be keen to spy replica landmarks out of context. TAKE IN THE CITY FROM A ROOFTOP POOL AND BAR — FREE WITH YOUR STAY Sometimes as a visitor to a city, you get the unique advantage of enjoying places that even lifelong locals don't know about if you stay at the right spot. The rooftop pool and bar at Brisbane City YHA is one of them. If you haven't dropped by for a night, you wouldn't even know that it was there. As well as a scenic view over the CBD and beyond, and a great place for a refreshing splash, it's also where you can wind down with a beverage and a bite to eat. Feeling inspired to whip up your own feast and really stick to a budget? There's a supermarket just up the road at Barracks, where you can grab some snags to whack on the poolside barbie. There are kitchen facilities by the pool for your use, too. That's the real Brisbane experience. EAT YOUR WAY THROUGH THE MARKETS — VARIES When the weekend hits, South Brisbane and West End come alive with markets. In good news for anyone staying at Brisbane City YHA, they're all just a short stroll away. From Friday to Sunday, mosey over to Stanley Street Plaza to browse the trinkets, fashions and accessories (every holiday needs a unique souvenir, after all). If eating your way through an array of cuisines is more your style, then Boundary Street is your destination with treats from around the globe including Brazil, France, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. Plus, for the vegans among us, the Boundary Street Markets go vegan every second and fourth Sunday of the month with sweet and savoury offerings, as well as a selection of vegan beers and wines. [caption id="attachment_646498" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anwyn Howarth.[/caption] FEAST YOUR EYES ON A CAVALCADE OF ART — FREE For most of the year, Brisbane is blessed with sunny weather; however, if you've caught a few too many rays or if rain is on the horizon, then the Queensland Art Gallery and its sibling spot at the Gallery of Modern Art are your central go-tos. No matter what's gracing the walls of either building on any given day, you'll find a heap of paintings, sculptures and more, as well as an airy, dry space to escape the weather — plus general admission is completely free. At GOMA, you can also head to the gallery's Australian Cinematheque, where free and cheap films hit the big screen every weekend. And don't avoid the Children's Art Centre either; if you like your art with more than a dash of interactivity, you'll find fun for all ages. TAKE A WALKING TOUR OF BRISBANE'S HISTORY — FREE The best way to get to know a city is to delve into its history and Brisbane has plenty to teach you. Strap on your comfiest shoes, then throw a stone in whichever direction you feel like. Wherever that pebble lands, there'll be a heritage trail waiting to be walked. If you're eager to find out more about Brisbane's convict history and big 19th-century fire, then the CBD is your destination. Always wondered what lurks in Fortitude Valley's history? Make a beeline to the Fortitude Valley Post Office to start your tour through the notorious past. If you're keen for a dip, venture through Spring Hill and make sure to stop by the heritage-listed Spring Hill Baths. And the old faithful, of course, is any track by the river. Take a tour through Brisbane's close history with its river or walk along the other side of the river to learn the secrets of South Brisbane. Plus, the hostel offers free walking tours through Brisbane City every Wednesday and Sunday if your keen for more guidance through the city. Let YHA Australia help you explore more of Australia without breaking the bank. Plan a trip to Brisbane (or Sydney or Melbourne) and book a stay right in the middle of the city with YHA Australia. Top image: Greca at Howard Smith Wharves by Nikki To.
Much to the delight of Adelaide residents, the South Australian capital scored a huge new two-day music festival in 2022. Actually, Harvest Rock wasn't just about tunes. It was about food as well, and also wine given the location. And it went big, thanks to an Aussie-exclusive show by Jack White, plus The Black Crowes, Khruangbin, Groove Armada, Kurt Vile & The Violators, The Lumineers and Hot Chip also on the bill. That was last year's huge news, as 15,000 attendees per day enjoyed. In 2023, the festival will return for another weekend of music, bites and beverages at Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina, Adelaide, on Saturday, October 28–Sunday, October 29. For folks in Adelaide, you've got another reason to make your interstate mates envious. For everyone outside of the City of Churches, you clearly have an excuse to visit. The 2023 lineup doesn't drop until Wednesday, August 2, but here's hoping that it's as impressive as Harvest Rock's first event. 2022's fest also featured Crowded House, The Avalanches, Courtney Barnett, You Am I and Tones And I. Dubbed Harvest Rock II, the returning spring fest mightn't have any musicians to reveal as yet, but it has confirmed some of the other parts of the event — including the dedicated VIP Village and Harvest Lounge if you want the luxe treatment. The festival's most decadent ticketing options, if you can afford them in these hefty cost-of-living times, feature a private suite looking out onto the Harvest stage, your own concierge, curated food, and even a personal cocktail bar and private balcony. If your budget doesn't stretch that far, you'll find Adelaide's top restaurants and eateries serving up food at the Feastiville precinct. And at onsite eatery Wildwood, arkhé's chef and co-owner Jake Kellie will be leading the show again. The culinary-focused Hello Chef stage will feature live demonstrations with chefs and mixologists, plus talents from the music lineup. Plus, wine lovers can enjoy a taste of South Australia's wine regions, and order bottles for home, at the Harvest Rock II cellar door. Harvest Rock II will also boast a wellness centre called The Grape Escape, aka your go-to for hot chai, tarot readings and massages. And, there's mini festival Little Harvest for kids, which'll do arts and craft, circus workshops, hula hooping and glitter tattoos. The festival hails from Secret Sounds, the crew behind Splendour in the Grass, and is locked in for a 2023 return because 2022's event was such a success. "After a ripping debut in 2022 we are returning for our second year and are damn excited to welcome you back for a weekend of incredible music, food, wine and good times at Harvest Rock II. We're set to make this year's festival even more epic. Let's make Harvest Rock II a year to remember," said Secret Sounds co-CEO Jessica Ducrou. Harvest Rock 2023 will take at Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina, Adelaide, on Saturday, October 28–Sunday, October 29, 2023. The lineup will drop on Wednesday, August 2 — head back here then. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
In any other year, the songs of the summer are those that have been heard blaring from car windows, festival stages and nightclub speakers. While we've had a few songs take on this energy despite the circumstances ('Blinding Lights', 'Heat Waves' and 'WAP' to name a few) for most of the year, it's just been us and our Spotify accounts. Now, as we head into what we are all hoping to be an action-packed, smoke-free and dance floor-heavy summer, it's the perfect time to refresh your summer playlist. Here are ten tracks you may have missed this year that are bound to give you those summer warm and fuzzies, primed and ready to soundtrack your road trips, bushwalks and pool parties. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmsvhQNuO-E GOLDEN VESSEL: MIDWEST Dive headfirst into the feeling of a summer road trip with this track of the latest Golden Vessel album colt. Each song on the album is primed for stares out of a car window, which the creative force behind the project Maxwell Byrne seemed to know, releasing it alongside a road trip-themed visual album titled eyes on the road. 'Midwest' encapsulates this the best. As soon as the first note hits and Byrne's deep baritone vocals kick in, you can see the trees passing by your window, stereo up, snacks on hand. The gentle instrumental plays off the persistent bass to create a sense of forward momentum. It's an anthemic ode to hitting the road with your crush and, while we may not be able to drive across the midwest right now, it's the perfect time to take to the road and explore regional Australia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc50wHexbwg KHRUANGBIN: TIME (YOU AND I) Like their music, the cover of Khruangbin's fourth studio album Mordechai explodes with colour. They're a group built on bringing forward the brightest and bounciest sounds of past generations into today. The highlight of the album is 'Time (You and I)', an easygoing soundtrack fit for any summer occasion. Sunshine exudes from every second of its five and a half minute run time. Over a smooth disco-heavy instrumental Khruangbin come to the conclusion that nothing is perfect and everything comes to an end, but that's ok. They're along for the ride, one full of baselines and dance floors. Towards the end of the track, the band recite the phrase 'that's life' translated into various languages. Turkish, Korean, Hebrew — it's universal. We're all here living our lives, just trying our best to have fun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPgPHTZsGbU LIL SPACELY: STILL TRAPPIN' (FEAT. ELIJAH YO) 2020 was a landmark year for Australian hip hop. Artists like The Kid Laroi, Onefour, Sampa the Great and Tkay Maidza saw overseas success previously unseen in the local scene. The area undoubtedly leading the pack has been Western Sydney, catching the attention of US rap superstars and international record labels. Among it all, Lil Spacely, one of the area's rising stars, released 'Still Trappin', a sonic victory lap for Western Sydney. Bursting at the seams with sunshine, the track's beat glistens as Spacely tells us of his come up, ambitions and his love for his hometown of Blacktown. The track's biggest pitfall is that it was released during a winter lockdown. There couldn't a song more suited to a summer party — and luckily we have all summer to enjoy it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr_1pDBL0uc BIG DOG: FIGHT IT NOW 'Fight It Now' is the debut single from Sydney band Big Dog. Written during the devastation of the 2019/20 bushfire season, the song conceals a thread of climate anxiety under rich guitars and gentle melodies. Wrapped in warm Australiana reminiscent of Paul Kelly or The Go-Betweens, the track is filled with nostalgic energy. This warmth softens the blow of its cautionary lyrics, warning of future smoke-filled summers without immediate climate action. Musically, 'Fight It Now' conjures feelings of sitting on your porch on a balmy afternoon, but, lyrically, it's a sombre reminder of the country's climate crisis, and as a new summer begins with more extreme weather events, the song remains as relevant as ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUVcZfQe-Kw DUA LIPA: LEVITATING Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia was created for late nights and bustling dance floors, two things that seemed like distant memories throughout the majority of 2020. Despite this, the album managed to blaze a global trail of feel-good pop energy. Any of the singles from the 80s-tinged dance-pop album could fit snuggly into your summer playlist (especially as dance floors and nights out return across the country) but 'Levitating' is the most joyous of the bunch. The anthemic chorus, punchy bassline and Dua Lipa's electric vocals radiate fun. It's overflowing with the energy we've been missing in 2020 and everything we're hoping 2021 will be. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ej2BiNFFgM STEVAN: WARM True to its name, 'Warm' is a sunny slice of bedroom pop. Wollongong artist Stevan lays his heart on the line over twinkling synths and a subtle bass groove. Sporadic drums run through the song providing momentum. Completing the wholesome summertime energy of the track is the video, starring Stevan and his new best friend Tilly, a blue heeler cross border collie, and their adventures checking off classic summer bucket list activities: exploring the beach, hanging out at the park and eating rainbow Paddle Pops. Whether your partner in crime is human or dog, 'Warm' will help fill you with adventurous and heartfelt energy you're in need of this summer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw0zYd0eIlk PHOEBE BRIDGERS: KYOTO Phoebe Bridgers' take on the world struck a chord with many this year, with the singer going from underground singer-songwriter to Grammy-nominated Tik Tok sensation. Her music is effortlessly relatable and realistically bleak without ever slipping into overbearingly sad. She approaches topics like loneliness and anxiety with a sense of humour and wit. In a difficult year full of isolation, this perspective was comforting. 'Kyoto' served as Bridgers' breakout hit and an endearing ballad that refuses to get tired. Its bright guitars and horn section are contrasted by the track's dark lyrics of travelling through Japan while dealing with persistent calls from your ex. In Bridgers' world, just like in real life, everything can get pretty overwhelming, but we'll get through it all if we just don't take ourselves too seriously. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhS5MB9cLY8 BANOFFEE: TENNIS FAN (FEAT. EMPRESS OF) A typical element of the Australian summer is the Australian Open. The sight of an international tennis star out on a sweltering Melbourne day is as engrained in the fabric of this time of year as much as an icy pole or overcrowded swimming pool. Banoffee's 'Tennis Fan' builds itself around a series of tennis samples from umpire calls to balls being struck. Somehow, she weaves the samples into a metaphor for social anxiety and loneliness, lamenting on not being invited to a tennis match or the movies. It's layered songwriting, but, most of all, the song's a fun summer bop filled with dance grooves and high school nostalgia. With 'Tennis Fan' and its subsequent album Look At Us Now Dad, Banoffee marked herself as one of Melbourne's most exciting young artists and the queen of the tennis court, no matter what her crush says. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdvxzc7FLow THE AVALANCHES: MUSIC MAKES ME HIGH Throwing back to their classic 2000 album Since I Left You, 'Music Makes You high' throws together an eclectic collection of samples in the process of building a kaleidoscopic collage of sound. Through the magic of The Avalanches, it bottles the energy of being in a buzzing crowd hanging on every note of the music. It's the sound of a packed 1am DJ set at Freda's or an overflowing side stage, late afternoon at a music festival. The song's distant crowd noises, energised dance groove and 1980s disco sample transport you to possibly the closest thing to a dance floor many of us experienced this year. Like so many great Avalanches tracks, 'Music Makes You High' takes pieces of music history and compresses them into three minutes of joy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osz9DyfbjyQ FLEET FOXES: SUNBLIND Fleet Foxes returned in 2020 with their sweetest, most assured album yet. In many ways, it felt detached from the year's doom and gloom, preoccupied with its own journey of growth, as lead singer Robin Pecknold reckons with life and growing older. Of all the songs on the record, 'Sunblind' feels the most in touch with the year we've had. Partnered with triumphant instrumental, Pecknold sings of finding comfort in the works of late musicians (Bill Withers, John Prine, Jeff Buckley) and in nature, specifically water. While it may not have been intentional at the time of writing, when he sings "but I'm loud and alive, singing you all night", it's a perfect soundtrack to riding off into 2020's sunset. Everything may not be perfect but we're moving forward into brighter days. Listen on Spotify below. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/23TLh9PrnatiOBetr1PuNL?si=P0ohy4QnToGrceEJmvNR2g
It's been a staple of the LGBTQIA+ community in Sydney and a bustling nightlife spot for decades. It even features in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. It's The Imperial Erskinville and now it has new owners. The storied pub has officially been sold, with Universal Hotels taking the reins. Universal Hotels is owned and operated by the Kospetas family. The group's footprint on Sydney's hospitality scene is significant, with venues like Newtown Hotel, Universal, Oxford Hotel, Civic Hotel, Hotel Downing, Bat and Ball Hotel, The Riley, Tempe Hotel and V Bar all falling under the group's portfolio. "The opportunity to transact on the Imperial was one in which we believed had great synergy with our group of venues. We have a strong connection with the LGBTQIA+ community and are very excited about the next chapter for the venue," said Universal Hotels in a statement to Concrete Playground. "To begin we will take some time to build relationships with the staff and community. We are attracted to the strong legacy of The Imperial and will endeavour to continually improve and evolve the venue." Since the group took over the venue, things have remained business as usual — so don't expect any radical changes to the beloved community venue. You can still pop into The Imperial for sweaty dance floors and singalongs on weekends, live drag Wednesday–Sunday, trivia on Wednesdays, bingo on Thursdays or for a feed at one of its dining rooms including Priscilla's and Carlotta's Rooftop. The Erskineville mainstay last closed in 2018 for a $6 million makeover. After an eight-month revamp it reopened with its current slate of dining and entertainment offerings including its vibrant new rooftop bar and basement party area. You'll find The Imperial Erskineville at 35 Erskineville Road, Erskineville. It's open 4pm–12am Wednesday–Thursday, 4pm–3am Friday, 12pm–4am Saturday and 12pm–12am Sunday.
Already this year, Sydney movie lovers have been able to journey to France from their cinema seats. Hitting up Spain just by heading to your local picture palace has also been on the itinerary. Your next stop: Germany. Kicking off just as the weather gets colder to remind you of frosty European climes, Australia's touring German Film Festival is back for 2022 with a 26-movie program. From Tuesday, May 24–Sunday, June 19, GFF will hit Palace Norton Street, Chauvel Cinema and Palace Central — letting you see in winter with quite the lineup of new and classic movies. There's typically a couple of clear recurring themes in this annual cinema showcase, as there tends to be in German films in general. So, the fact that this year's GFF will open with A Stasi Comedy, about life a Stasi agent's double life as both an underground poet and a spy in 80s-era East Berlin, is hardly surprising. Nor are two of the fest's other big-name titles: The Last Execution, starring Babylon Berlin's Lars Eidinger and also set in East Berlin in the 80s; and The Forger, led by Dark's Louis Hofmann, who plays a young Jewish man in Berlin in 1942. They're just some of the 21 movies that'll enjoy their Australian premieres at the event — alongside drama My Son, about a teenager's relationship with his mother; crime comedy The Black Square, starring Toni Erdmann's Sandra Hüller; the post-WWII-set The German Lesson, which leaps from the page to the screen; and political thriller The House, which takes place in the near future. GFF is also showcasing new films from just beyond German's borders in Austria and Switzerland. So, you can check out films such as downhill skiing drama Chasing the Line, an Austrian biopic about Winter Olympian Franz Klammer — and Swiss effort Caged Birds, about a lawyer in the 80s battling the prison system. The festival's final five titles hail from its impressive retrospective for 2022, which takes a look back at German cinema over the past five decades. Cannes Palm d'Or-winner The Tin Drum gets the 70s slot, while the East German-set Sunny Side represents the 80s. Doing the honours for the 90s is the exceptional Run Lola Run, aka one of the best thrillers ever made. The movie that helped push The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's Daniel Brühl to stardom, Good Bye Lenin!, has the 00s covered, and kinetic one-take gem Victoria returns to the big screen to showcase cinema from the past decade.
As well as offering up alternative places to stay and opening up the holiday accommodation market, Airbnb has proven a gift to anyone interested in architecture and interior design. While you're sleeping in someone else's house, you're getting a glimpse of different styles and trends. Sure, you can also flick through house and garden-focused magazines, but looking at pics isn't the same as actually seeing design in action. At PlansMatter, bunking down in a space that demonstrates ace architecture isn't just an added bonus — it's the entire point of the Airbnb-like house-sharing service. Started in 2016 by architects Connie Lindor and Scott Muellner, it only offers up "places that have architectural intention and a story to tell," according to their statement on the service's website. Each listing provides a thorough description, runs through the usual features and also includes a rundown of why it's included on the site. In fact, as well as simply browsing through a sizeable list of eye-catching architectural beauties — which not only include spaces in the US, where PlansMatter is based, but in Canada, Austria, the UK, Portugal, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Japan, Germany and Australia as well — users can also search for somewhere to stay based on the amazing designers behind the houses. If you've ever dreamed of kipping in a home designed by famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, or in artist James Turrell's Japanese House of Light, here's your chance. Of course, getting to live out your architecture nerd dreams doesn't come cheap, but if you're going to fork out a hefty stack of cash for a few nights away, there are much, much worse ways to spend it. For those keen on checking out the service close to home, a night in Magney House on the New South Wales south coast — and in a structure that was once featured on an Aussie stamp — will set you back $250 per night. Fairhaven Beach's landmark Pole House, which really is a house on a pole, starts at $434 per evening. Via Fast Co Design. Image: PlansMatter/Tsutomu Yamada.
When Nathan Sasi isn't cooking up a storm as the head chef at inner-city fine-dining restaurant Mercado, he's overseeing Good Times Artisan Ice Cream. When he's not doing that, he's collaborating with Lynx and designer Felix Chan to design accessories for Lynx's Find Your Magic collection. That's quite a number of hats to wear. And that's what makes him Sydney's renaissance man – he's clever, detail-focused, enthusiastic and can take on as many projects as he likes. He gets things done, and he gets them done well. Whether he's working in the kitchen, whipping up imaginative flavours in his ice cream shop or dabbling in the sartorial world, Sasi's entire existence focuses on showcasing his own personal style. We wondered, how does he balance so many projects? And how does he ensures that he expresses his individuality in everything he does? "You have to be passionate," he says. "Having a sense of confidence – not arrogance – with your style helps you pull of your look." Whether it's fashion, food, or life in general, Sasi says your style has to suit your personality. He says being passionate about what you do helps you to be persistent and reach your goals, and it also helps with the ability to juggle several different projects somewhat easier, or at least worthwhile. "Just go for it," is the advice he followed when it came to realising his childhood dream of selling everyone's favourite frozen sweet treat at Good Times. "Growing up I actually wanted to be a dentist or a lawyer," Sasi notes. But, "I always dreamt of having my own ice cream parlour, really so I could have an endless supply of ice cream." Sasi didn't just dream big though. He was also practical and thorough, and knew what worked best for him. His two food-focused roles are all about perfecting every element of the eating experience in a creative and unique way, from the Spanish-style dishes available at the former to hand-made ice cream served at the latter. "Becoming a chef was something I knew I was going to work towards actually becoming," he advises. "Once I developed my style of cooking with learning the art of making everything from scratch — charcuterie, cheese, vinegars, you name it — I knew that I wanted to extend that outside of the kitchen and typical restaurant setting. That's where the dream of really owning an ice cream parlour came about." [caption id="attachment_586645" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Sasi's collaboration with Lynx.[/caption] It was while he was waiting for Mercado to come to fruition that Good Times became a reality, with Sasi forging ahead — or just going for it — when the opportunity arose. "I was waiting for the build of Mercado Restaurant to be completed, and with time up my sleeve and a vacant space in a prime location in Potts Point, I decided I would give it a crack," he says. Give it a crack, he did. Good Times made a splash as soon as it opened its doors back in February. Sasi makes all the bases from scratch with pure cream and milk rather than pre-made powered mixes, along with using top quality ingredients for the garnishes. He found his inner magic and infused it into Good Times — and it's that outlook that inspired Lynx to come calling for a collaboration. He often alters his own clothes to create a little uniqueness, saying "people own the right to express themselves through their fashion choices, through their accessories and personal style." His own look is a blend of "old school gentlemen with a touch of rock and roll," which shines through in his collaboration with Chan. The line of silk pocket squares, checked socks and patterned ties they've designed together doesn't just try to convey Sasi's particular style, but aims to share his way of looking at the world. "I think to some degree, cooking and fashion go hand in hand. Chefs are putting what they create with heart and soul onto a plate for restaurant reviewers and diners to critique, so they tend to just do what they love, what feels right — and don't fuss too much about what others think, providing they are doing what is true to them." "You learn early on that you aren't always going to please everyone, and I think the same goes with fashion," he says. "If we didn't take risks and love being creative in the kitchen then we probably wouldn't be chefs." Or in Sasi's case, chefs, ice cream parlour owners and accessory designers. The Find Your Magic collection is available to purchase at Men In This Town, all proceeds will go to I-Manifest.
Island Radio – the 140-seater hawker-inspired diner in Wunderlich Lane, Surry Hills – has been getting a lot of attention for its dazzling colours, tropical cocktails and excellent curries. And now, you can experience the latter for a rather wallet-friendly half-price. Swing by on a Monday evening for half-price curries night, and you'll be feasting on wagyu rendang with toasted coconut for $18.50, yellow rock flathead curry with crispy shallot for $17.50, and a pork-and-prawn wonton laksa for $15. They're all the creation of Head Chef Andrianto 'Andy' Wirya (ex-Queen Chow and Mr. Wong), who takes inspiration from the street markets of Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia. Every curry on the menu is part of the deal, plus there are specials that rotate each week. With your spare change, do be tempted to try a signature cocktail – like the Junglebird (Husk Bam Bam spiced rum, Planteray pineapple rum, Campari, tamarind, pineapple, lime) or the Singapore Sling (Widges gin, Bénédictine, pineapple, baking spices, pomegranate, cherry, whey). Alternatively, head back on a Sunday for all-day happy hour, when drinks are half-price. Half-price curries night is happening every Monday from 5pm. Book your spicy session over here.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures and plenty of people staying home in iso will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you've been under the weather. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are ten that you can watch right now at home. TÁR The least surprising aspect of Tár is also its most essential: Cate Blanchett being as phenomenal as she's ever been, plus more. The Australian Nightmare Alley, Thor: Ragnarok and Carol actor — "our Cate", of course — unsurprisingly scored an Oscar nomination as a result. Accolades have been showered her way since this drama about a cancelled conductor premiered at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival (the prestigious event's Best Actress gong was the first of them), deservedly so. Blanchett is that stunning in Tár, that much of a powerhouse, that adept at breathing life and complexity into a thorny figure, and that magnetic and mesmerising. Even when she hasn't been at her utmost on rare past occasions or something she's in hasn't been up to her standards — see: Don't Look Up for both — she's a force that a feature gravitates around. Tár is astonishing itself, too, but Blanchett at her finest is the movie's rock, core and reason for being. Blanchett is spectacular in Tár, and she also has to be spectacular in Tár — because Lydia Tár, the maestro she's playing, earns that term to start with in the film's on-screen world. At the feature's kickoff, the passionate and ferocious character is feted by a New Yorker Festival session led by staff writer Adam Gopnik as himself, with her achievements rattled off commandingly to an excited crowd; what a list it is. Inhabiting this part requires nothing less than utter perfection, then, aka what Tár demands herself, her latest assistant Francesca (Noémie Merlant, Jumbo), her wife Sharon (Nina Hoss, Shadowplay) and everyone else in her orbit constantly. Strong, seductive, severe, electrifying and downright exceptional, Blanchett nails it. That Lydia can't always do the same, no matter how hard, painstakingly and calculatingly she's worked to ensure that it appears otherwise, is one of the movie's main concerns. Tár is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. MEET ME IN THE BATHROOM In 2022, The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were meant to share the same Splendour in the Grass bill. Karen O's band didn't make it to what became Splendour in the Mud, but the two groups have shared plenty before — and for decades. Their maps have overlapped since pre-9/11 New York, when both were formed in the turn-of-the-millennium indie-rock wave, then surfed it to success and worldwide fame. Both The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were born of the Lower East Side pre-gentrification. Both spun in the same orbit as late-90s saccharine pop and Y2K nu-metal rock gave way to electrifying guitar riffs and an explosive sound that'd become a whole scene. Both are led by charismatic singers who came alive onstage, but also found chaos and challenges. Alongside Interpol, LCD Soundsystem, The Moldy Peaches, The Rapture and TV on the Radio, both now sit at the heart of documentary Meet Me in the Bathroom. Based on Lizzy Goodman's 2017 book Meet Me in the Bathroom, an oral history that focuses on exactly what its subtitle says it does — Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City 2001–2011 — this is a fond look back at bands setting the room on fire and rolling heads as one century gave way to the next. While the film isn't about just one or two groups, it returns to The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs again and again, and not simply because they're two of the early 00s' biggest NYC post-punk, garage-rock revival names. Listening to The Strokes' first record, 2001's Is This It, is a jolt and a buzz. With Julian Casablancas behind the microphone, it thrums and hums with the energy of hopping between bars, gigs and parties, and with the thrill of a heady night, week, month, year and just being in your 20s. Hearing O's voice is galvanising — intoxicating as well — and has been since the Yeah Yeah Yeah's self-titled EP, also in 2001. It's no wonder that directors Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern just want to keep listening, and also inhabiting that vibe. Meet Me in the Bathroom is available to stream via iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. KNOCK AT THE CABIN Does M Night Shyamalan hate holidays? The twist-loving writer/director's Knock at the Cabin comes hot on the heels of 2021's Old, swapping beach nightmares for woodland terrors. He isn't the only source of on-screen chaos in vacation locations — see also: Triangle of Sadness' Ruben Östlund, plus oh-so-many past horror movies, and TV's The White Lotus and The Resort as well — but making two flicks in a row with that setup is a pattern. For decades since The Sixth Sense made him the Oscar-nominated king of high-concept premises with shock reveals, Shyamalan explored the idea that everything isn't what it seems in our daily lives. Lately, however, he's been finding insidiousness lingering beyond the regular routine, in picturesque spots, when nothing but relaxation is meant to flow. A holiday can't fix all or any ills, he keeps asserting, including in this engaging adaptation of Paul Tremblay's 2018 novel The Cabin at the End of the World. For Eric (Jonathan Groff, The Matrix Resurrections), Andrew (Ben Aldridge, Pennyworth) and their seven-year-old daughter Wen (debutant Kristen Cui), a getaway isn't meant to solve much but a yearning for family time in the forest — and thinking about anyone but themselves while Eric and Andrew don robes, and Wen catches pet grasshoppers, isn't on their agenda. Alas, their rural Pennsylvanian idyll shatters swiftly when the soft-spoken but brawny Leonard (Dave Bautista, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery) emerges from the trees. He says he wants to be Wen's friend, but he also advises that he's on an important mission. He notes that his task involves the friendly girl and her dads, giving them a hard choice yet also no choice at all. The schoolteacher has colleagues, too: agitated ex-con Redmond (Rupert Grint, Servant), patient nurse Sabrina (Nikki Amuka-Bird, Avenue 5) and nurturing cook Adriane (Abby Quinn, I'm Thinking of Ending Things), all brandishing weapons fashioned from garden tools. Knock at the Cabin is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE WHALE The actors have it: in The Whale, Brendan Fraser (No Sudden Move), Hong Chau (The Menu) and Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) are each masterful, and each in their own way. For viewers unaware that this drama about a reclusive 600-pound English professor stems from the stage going in, it won't take long to realise — for multiple reasons, the film's performances chief among them. As penned by Samuel D Hunter (also a writer on TV's Baskets) from his award-winning semi-autobiographical play, The Whale's script is talky and blunt. The movie is confined to its protagonist Charlie's home, and is as claustrophobic as it's meant to be as a result. But it's that key acting trio, with the portrayals they splash through a flick that's a complicated sea of feelings and ideas, that helps The Whale swim when it swims. Yes, the Brenaissance is upon us, showering Fraser in accolades including his first-ever Oscar; however, fellow Academy Award-nominee Chau and rising star Sink are equally as powerful. Is it really the Brenaissance if Fraser hasn't ever been too far from our screens for too long? When he was recently stellar in 2021's No Sudden Move, albeit in a supporting part? Given that it's been decades since he's had the space and the feature to serve up this kind of lead effort, the answer remains yes. Slip his The Whale performance in beside standout 2002 thriller The Quiet American — although the latter didn't place The Mummy action star and Encino Man comedic force beneath considerable prosthetics. Fraser doesn't let his appearance here do all the work, though. Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, who hones in on the stressed and tested as he has so frequently before (see: Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, The Wrestler and mother!), doesn't allow it to, either. At the core of the pair's collaboration is a portrayal that overflows with vulnerability and grief alongside optimism for humanity, and acutely fuses Charlie's emotional and physical states. The character self-mockingly jokes that his internal organs are buried deep, but nothing conceals Fraser's sensitivity. The Whale is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. CREED III Punching has never been what matters most in the Creed movies, no matter how fast and furiously fists frequently fly. One of the key things that's always set this boxing franchise apart — with its first instalment landing in 2015 and sequel Creed II hitting in 2018 — is its focus on character and emotion first and foremost, including favouring both above going round for round in the ring. Blows are traded, obviously. Bouts are fought, bruises inflicted, bones broken and titles won. But the Creed saga has kept swinging again and again, leading to latest instalment Creed III, because it's still about its namesake, who he is as a person, and his feelings, demons and conflicts. When you have Michael B Jordan (Just Mercy) leading a series — even when it's a part of the broader Rocky series, or perhaps especially when that's the case — you give him the room to dig deep. You also give him weighty material to bear, as well as the space to bare Adonis 'Donnie' Creed's soul. Jordan gives himself that room, weight and space in Creed III, in the actor's first stint as a director. Notching up a ninth chapter for the overall saga that dates back to 1976's three-time Oscar-winner Rocky, this is also the first film to sport either that character or Creed's moniker but not feature Sylvester Stallone on-camera — or his involvement beyond a producer credit. Creed III is all the better for Rocky Balboa's absence, despite Stallone turning in his best performance yet in the initial Creed film. Understanding what it means to move on and openly unpacking what that truly entails is something else this franchise-within-a-franchise has long gotten right. So, Donnie has moved on from struggling with his father's legacy, and from his need to live in the past. He has another date with history, but Jordan and screenwriters Keenan Coogler (Space Jam: A New Legacy) and Zach Baylin (King Richard) — with a story also credited to the original Creed's director Ryan Coogler (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) — aren't just mindlessly repeating the series' pattern. Creed III is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. YOU CAN GO NOW Who better than frank, lively and charismatic First Nations artist Richard Bell to sum up what You Can Go Now is truly about: "I am an activist masquerading as an artist," he offers. The Kamilaroi, Kooma, Jiman and Gurang Gurang man says this early in Larissa Behrendt's documentary about him, because he and the Eualayai/Gamillaroi After the Apology and Araatika: Rise Up! filmmaker both know how essential and inescapable that truth is. They're not here to reveal that Bell's art is layered with statements. Neither is the feature itself. Rather, in a powerful instant must-see of an Australian doco, they explore and contextualise what it means for Bell to be an activist spreading his advocacy for the country's First Peoples around the world by being an artist, especially when the Aboriginal art realm is so often dominated by white interests. They address and examine not just what Bell's work says but why, what it responds to and how it's significant on a variety of levels, including diving deep into the personal, national and global history — and modern-day reality — informing it. Seeing what Bell's art literally expresses — simply taking it in, as splashed across the screen instead of hanging in a gallery — is still crucial to Behrendt's film, of course. In an array of pieces that frequently use heated words on intricately and colourfully painted canvases, his work utters plenty. "I am not sorry". "Give it all back." "We were here first." "Ask us what we want". "Aboriginal art — it's a white thing." Among these and other declarations, You Can Go Now's title gets a mention, too. Every piece sighted — works that riff on and continue a dialogue with styles synonymous with American artists Roy Lichtenstein and Jackson Pollock among them — conveys Bell's activist-artist raison d'être overtly, unflinchingly and unmistakably. Excellent art doesn't end conversations, however, but continues them, pushes them further and prompts more questions. Not that this is You Can Go Now's main takeaway, but Bell makes excellent art, with Behrendt helping to fuel and unpack the discussion. You Can Go Now is available to stream via DocPlay. Read our full review. COCAINE BEAR Killer trailer, filler flick: that's the Cocaine Bear story. This loosely based-on-a-true-tale horror-comedy sports a Snakes on a Plane-style moniker that sums up its contents perfectly, as the sneak peek that arrived at the end of 2022 made enticingly clear. Going heavy on the so-OTT-it-can-only-be-real vibe, that initial glimpse also tasked Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) with exclaiming a couple more sentences to express the utter bewilderment that this story sparks. "The bear, it fucking did cocaine. A bear did cocaine!" he shouts, and with exactly the right amount of infectious incredulity. That is indeed what happened in reality back in 1985, after all, and it's what Elizabeth Banks brings to the screen in her third stint as a director after Pitch Perfect 2 and Charlie's Angels — always playing it, for better when it's at its goriest and for worse when it stretches its idea thinner than a white line, like wild tale that it inescapably is. Yes, almost four decades ago, an American black bear did cocaine when drug smuggler Andrew C Thornton (Matthew Rhys, Perry Mason) dropped a hefty pile of the narcotic from the air. The stash landed in the wilderness, catching the attention of the world's most unlikely coke fiend in Georgia's Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. The creature ripped open the white powder-filled containers, then ingested — and Cocaine Bear endeavours to have fun hypothesising what could've come next. On-screen, a rampage by the critter now-nicknamed Pablo Escobear ensues, with blood, guts and limbs flung around; the body count mounting like Michael Myers is doing the offing (or maybe Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey's other recent ravenous bear); and two words getting screamed over and over. They're just the terms a picture called Cocaine Bear was always bound to focus on: cocaine and bear, obviously. Cocaine Bear is available to stream via iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre isn't the best chance to see Aubrey Plaza slink around swanky locales filled with the one-percent in the past year. That honour goes, of course, to her award-nominated turn in the second season of The White Lotus. Plaza's new action-comedy also isn't the best recent movie to cast the deadpan talent as enterprising, resourceful and calculating, and see her plunged into a dangerous, largely male-only realm, all while putting a scheming plan into action. That film is the exceptional Emily the Criminal, which sadly bypassed cinemas Down Under. And, thanks to her star-making turn in Parks and Recreation, wannabe franchise-starter Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre definitely isn't the finest example of her wry comic talents, either. But in a rarity for writer/director Guy Ritchie and his typically testosterone-dripping capers — see: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Revolver, RocknRolla and The Gentlemen — Plaza is the gleaming gem at the centre of this formulaic flick. Putting in a more vibrant performance than the scowling Jason Statham isn't hard, but this is firmly Plaza's picture. Ritchie's go-to leading man still plays Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre's namesake, though: the improbably titled super-spy Orson Fortune, an off-the-books agent who does jobs the British Government can't officially be involved with. Handler Nathan Jasmine (Cary Elwes, Best Sellers) has one such task, recovering a just-stolen item known as 'the handle', which the powers-that-be don't want going to nefarious parties. But, in a mission that first requires collecting a contact at Madrid's airport, then gets far more chaotic quickly, Fortune will have to work with a new team. And, he'll have to jet around the globe with stops at Cannes, in Turkey and more, doing an aspiring Bond and Mission: Impossible act, but in a film that never even threatens to shake or stir the espionage genre. It also doesn't venture beyond mixing Ritchie's beloved bag of tricks together, reading like an effort to split the difference between his last two movies: The Gentlemen and effective revenge thriller Wrath of Man. Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE SON With a title that speaks of next generations, The Son is a film about second efforts, including off-screen. For writer/director Florian Zeller, it marks the French novelist and playwright's sophomore stint behind the camera, and notches the list of movies he's helmed based on his own stage works up to two as well. After dual Oscar-winner The Father, which earned Zeller and co-scribe Christopher Hampton the Best Adapted Screenplay award and Anthony Hopkins the much-deserved Best Actor prize, it's also his second feature with a family member in its title. And, it's his second largely confined to interior settings, focusing on mental illness, exploring complicated father-child relationships within that intimate domestic space and driven by intense dialogue spouted by a committed cast. Hopkins pops up once more in another psychodrama, too, as a dad again. Within its frames, The Son follows New York lawyer Peter Miller (Hugh Jackman, Reminiscence) as he's happily starting over with his second wife Beth (Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman) and their newborn Theo, his second son. Here's the thing about second chances, though: sometimes your first shots can't simply be forgotten, no matter how eager you are to move on. Peter confronts this truth when his ex-spouse Kate (Laura Dern, Jurassic World Dominion) unexpectedly knocks at his door one day, distraught about learning that their 17-year-old Nicholas (Zen McGrath, Red Dog: True Blue) has been ditching school long-term. The teen hasn't been a contented presence around her home since his dad left, either, with depression setting in after such a big upheaval to his status quo. So, Peter and Kate agree to a parental rekindling, with Peter giving being an active dad to Nicholas — having him come to live with him, Beth and Theo, in fact — a second go. The Son is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS A sequel to 2019's Shazam! and the latest film the DC Extended Universe, Shazam! Fury of the Gods goes all-in on family — but Billy Batson (Asher Angel, High School Musical: The Musical — The Series) and his pals are too young to knock back Coronas. Also, Shazam! Fury of the Gods isn't much concerned with Billy in his normal guise, giving his Shazam self (Zachary Levi, Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood) the bulk of the character's screentime. The time for origin stories has been and gone here, but largely ditching Angel robs this franchise-within-a-franchise of one of its main points of difference in the DCEU. None of the series' other flicks are about awkward adolescents learning to grapple with power, and understanding that their wildest dreams aren't as easy as they'd always hoped. Shazam! Fury of the Gods still manages to hit some of those notes thanks to a bigger focus on Billy's best friend and fellow foster kid Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer, We Are Who We Are), a person with disability, but sidelining the teenager who turns into Shazam is clumsy and noticeable. Similarly plain as day from scene one: that Shazam! Fury of the Gods got as lucky as any superhero movie can with its new cast members. The film opens at the Acropolis Museum in Greece, where two of Atlas' offspring are determined to get back the Wizard's (Djimon Hounsou, Black Adam) broken staff and reclaim their dad's magic — and those two daughters, Hespera and Kalypso, come in the form of Helen Mirren (1923) and Lucy Liu (Strange World). Despite splashing around the film's fondness for dim lighting and dull CGI early, this introductory sequence lets its big-name talents make more of an imprint standing around in their costumes and looking formidable than much that follows. Indeed, whenever Mirren and Liu are on-screen, and West Side Story's Rachel Zegler as well, Shazam! Fury of the Gods makes a case for pushing aside not just Billy, but Shazam and everyone else. Shazam! Fury of the Gods is available to stream via Prime Video. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows — and fast-tracked highlights from January, February and March, too. You can also peruse our best new films, new TV shows, returning TV shows and straight-to-streaming movies, plus movies you might've missed and television standouts of 2022 you mightn't have gotten to.
Get your tissues out. Margaret and David — as in the Margaret and David of At the Movies – are officially, totally and truly, really going off-air. We're in shock. For 28 years now, the legendary duo has been giving us their dynamic weekly film round-up: an idiosyncratic mix of smart commentary, quick wit and frequent sparring. They first paired up at the SBS, where they hosted The Movie Show for eighteen years before moving over to the ABC in 2004. But on December 9, they’ll be recording their final episode. Ever. "After 28 years reviewing films on television with Margaret, ten of them at the ABC, I feel it’s time to go,” David said in a media statement. “We’ve had a wonderful time, thanks to very supportive and encouraging audiences, throughout that period. And we’ve worked with wonderful teams, both at SBS and at the ABC... Most of all, working with Margaret, whose enthusiasm, commitment and passion has been amazing (and only occasionally irritating) has been a joy for over a quarter of a century. But, since I turned 75 last week, I look forward to less pressure and more opportunities to enjoy the movies I love, in the years ahead." Margaret was similarly gracious. "As David says, it’s time to go from the small screen after a great innings,” she said. “Thanks to all our viewers and the fabulous teams we’ve worked with over the years. And thank you to the ABC and SBS. We’ve been lucky to work for two great public broadcasters, and long may they prosper . . . My gratitude goes to David who gave me credibility just by being prepared to sit by me and discuss film when I am just a film enthusiast, not the great walking encyclopedia of film that he is. He’s a grand person, a most generous, decent man, even if a little stubborn at times." And just in case you’re wondering, no more Margaret and David also means no more At the Movies — the last episode will air on ABC on December 9.
All across New South Wales, stages are being swept, setlists are being finalised, speakers are being stress tested, and crowds are gearing up — what for? It's time for the long-awaited 2025 return of Great Southern Nights. This massive festival series will see over 300 gigs take place in cities and regional hubs across NSW — from Byron Bay to Broken Hill and beyond. To the south of Sydney, one hell of a lineup is setting up shop in Wollongong. Already worth visiting year-round with its beautiful beaches and buzzing communities, the capital of the Illawarra will play host to gigs great and small from Friday, March 21 to Sunday, April 6. We've teamed up with Great Southern Nights to tell you when and where the hottest gigs are taking place and the spots to catch your breath between them. [caption id="attachment_939244" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Georgia Griffiths[/caption] The Great Southern Nights Lineup Over 17 nights all across NSW, Great Southern Nights will be putting on a good time and bringing the noise. In Wollongong, you'll have your pick of 15 gigs across the festival, from Thirroul down to the middle of town. Some of the heaviest hitters (including Missy Higgins and The Cat Empire) have already sold out, so if any of the artists interest you, you'd best get tickets sorted. On the lineup, there's the famously raucous Northeast Party House, rising stars Waax and ARIA-nominated Emily Wurramara. Additionally, acclaimed jazz vocalist Emma Pask, six-piece alt ensemble Gut Health, 80's Aussie rock legends Noiseworks, dance duo The Presets, local grunge rock group Satin Cali and indie pop group Sesame Girl stand out as must-see shows. [caption id="attachment_809031" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Jasmine Low[/caption] Local Eats and Treats As one of NSW's great seaside cities, it's no surprise that Wollongong has a busy hospitality scene. Let's start at sunrise, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all. One of the top spots is Diggies, a cafe by the beach in North Wollongong that serves up breakfast and brunch delights like salmon croquettes with poached eggs and buttermilk pancakes with fresh fruit and honeycomb butter. If you're seeking a nightcap or an ideal pre-game spot ahead of the GSN gigs, Wollongong's got quite the small bar scene. If a cold schooner is what you need, make tracks to Five Barrel Brewing. With seven core brews and a colourful roster of limited releases, you'll find a brew for you. If you prefer a drink with a bit more bite, then head to Howlin Wolf Whiskey Bar for a nip of the 350+ options on the strong whisky (and whiskey) list. Can't decide? Don't stress. Head to Humber for a drink and meal of your choice in the laneway, cocktail lounge or rooftop. Things to Do and Places to See Wollongong is a regional melting pot of experiences, where the history, culture and entertainment offerings from across the Illawarra come to a head all in one place. If you prefer to keep your itinerary simple and focus on the scenery, the legendary Sea Cliff Bridge is arguably one of the most scenic roads in the country and is just half an hour out of Wollongong. Otherwise, hit the Illawarra Escarpment on foot to get out of the hustle and bustle and into a 30-million-year-old rainforest. If you're in need of some zen (no shame in taking a breather between gigs), Wollongong just so happens to be home to one of the largest Buddhist temples in the southern hemisphere and a beautiful botanical garden park in the northwest corner of the city. If you'd rather raise your heart rate — try skydiving from an almighty 15,000 feet (4572 metres), the highest altitude skydive you can do in the country and half the cruising altitude of a 747 airliner. Otherwise, keep things simple and hit the beach. You're spoilt for choice down here, with 17 patrolled beaches within the borders of the City of Wollongong. North Wollongong Beach or Wollongong City Beach are your closest picks, or the expansive Windang Beach just south of the city lies in wait for those keen to go further afield. Where to Spend the Night Of course, a packed itinerary like this will leave you in dire need of a hot shower and a comfy mattress on which to rest your weary bones. There are plenty of budget options scattered throughout the city if all you need is a bed for the night post-gig before the drive home, but some standout options are available as well. If you're planning on spending your free time by the beach, you'd benefit from a booking at the small but beloved Surfside 22 Motel. This Palm Springs-style property has been open since the 60s, with 16 rooms fitted out with all the modern fixings in a retro style. You'll be mere steps from Wollongong City Beach, and amenities like a plunge pool, sauna, outdoor shower and garden wrapped in a contactless self-check-in-and-out system for a smooth stay. [caption id="attachment_882177" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Courtesy of Novotel Wollongong Northbeach[/caption] If you prefer a large-scale stay, Novotel Wollongong Northbeach is the place for you. This four-and-a-half star stay sets you up a stone's throw from North Beach — with city or seaside views to boot. Get all the modern amenities your heart desires (including four on-site venues serving food and drinks), all within walking distance of the gigs you'll be hitting up for Great Southern Nights. And if you're after something really different… why not book a stay in that aforementioned Buddhist temple? The Nan Tien temple offers rooms in the Pilgrim Lodge for any would-be traveller and gig-goer. With views of the temple's scenic gardens and an option to partake in any of the on-site ceremonies and wellness activities, it's perfect for anyone seeking some peace and quiet without leaving the city. Just be aware that since it's a functioning Buddhist temple, all guests are expected to respect the dress code and etiquette requirements. Great Southern Nights is set to take over venues across NSW between Friday, March 21 and Sunday, April 6. Check out our gig guides for Sydney, the Central Coast and Newcastle or visit the website for more information.
Over the past few years, Gelatissimo has whipped up a number of creative flavours, including frosé sorbet, gelato for dogs, and ginger beer, Weet-Bix, fairy bread, hot cross bun, cinnamon scroll, chocolate fudge and bubble tea gelato. Earlier this year, it made its own spin on Caramilk gelato, too. For its latest offering, the Australian dessert chain is still turning something that everyone loves into gelato. This time, though, it's taking inspiration from a drink. Can't choose between sipping a cold brew coffee made with oat milk or licking your way through a few scoops of ice cream? Gelatissimo has the solution. That very combination is on the menu from Tuesday, June 1, adding a new vegan special to its range — but only for a limited time. Exactly how long it'll be hanging around hasn't been revealed, so getting in quickly in recommended. Whether you opt for a cone or a cup, you'll be tucking into gelato made with oat milk that's specifically designed to go with coffee. And as for the caffeinated part of the flavour, that comes about via a concentrate made by steeping coffee beans in water for around 24 hours. You can get the cold brew with oat milk flavour in stores Australia-wide, including within your five-kilometre radius if you're in Melbourne. Or, Gelatissimo also delivers take-home packs via services such as Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Doordash. Gelatissimo's cold brew with oat milk gelato is available from all stores nationwide from Tuesday, June 1.
The are very few names in musical theatre that turn as many heads and prick up as many ears as the name Lin-Manuel Miranda. The talented songwriter and actor has lent lyrics to some of the world's most famous productions and musically-charged films, including Hamilton, Encanto, tick, tick…BOOM!, and In the Heights. The latter is one of his most beloved works, starting as a script written in his sophomore year at university. Now, 25 years after that first draft saw daylight (which has since won four Tony Awards® and earned a film adaptation in 2021), In the Heights is hitting Sydney Opera House from Saturday, July 20 to Sunday, August 25. If you've never had the pleasure, In the Heights follows Usnavi, a bodega owner in the Washington Heights district of New York City. It's a vibrant community of hard-working residents, all in desperate need of change. Then, a winning lottery ticket enters the fray, but who will be the one to claim it in a community where everyone deserves a chance? With a soundtrack charged with red-hot contemporary salsa and a story about the power of community, this will be an unmissable winter event to catch during its five week run at Sydney Opera House. 'In the Heights' is coming to the Sydney Opera House from Saturday, July 20 to Sunday, August 25. For more information or to book tickets, visit the website.
Real estate prices might still be on the rise, but with every passing week, it seems there's a new, more affordable way to get your hands on your own tiny house. Last month, we introduced you to Unyoked, a start-up that lets you stay in your own designer cabin in the wilderness. In September 2016, we got excited about Australia's first ever flat-packed, off-grid, little homes. Now, Japanese home goods giant MUJI has entered the arena. From August 2017, the MUJI Hut will go on sale in Japan. And its immaculately-designed twelve square metres of space will set you back $36,000. The hut is 100% Japanese timber and is split into two spaces: an interior of nine square metres and a covered patio of three square metres. Glass doors provide a divide between the two, creating an indoor-outdoor feel. Inside, you're surrounded by warm cypress plywood and potting about on a mortar-covered floor. Meanwhile, the outside has been charred using shou sugi ban, a Japanese method that increases the wood's resistance to insects, decay and fire. Underneath, a concrete foundation keeps you protected from moisture and cold. "It's not as dramatic as owning a house or a vacation home, but it's not as basic as going on a trip," the MUJI website reads. "Put it in the mountains, near the ocean, or in a garden, and it immediately blends in with the surroundings, inviting you to a whole new life." Before you go tree-changing, though, we do have to let you know that the MUJI Hut isn't selling outside Japan as of yet.
Feel like getting psyched, getting married and going home single? Jenevieve Chang has a set of low-commitment nuptials lined up for you at Marrickville Festival. Pop Up Bride aims to follow the aesthetic of the matchmaking Shanghai Marriage Market, photographing festival goers around Marrickville in the lead up to a 5pm town-hall ceremony. Wedding guests are promised cake, celebration and the chance to walk away spouse free. (Unless, of course, you walked in with one.) This spontaneous show of intimacy has popped up once already at TINA this year as a performance exploring family and arranged marriages. For your spot on the guest list hit up the eventbrite page or drop in your red envelope contribution at the door.
While it's important to take time during Mardi Gras to learn and appreciate the history of the festival and the movement behind it, it's also incredibly important to remember that Mardi Gras is a protest wrapped up in a party. And there ain't no party like a deep house party. Sydney's biggest house event for the gay community and their friends, I Remember House runs a few times throughout the year, and they never fail to deliver on the best house music on offer. The lascivious lineup for the Mardi Gras special event pools talent from around the world and will set them loose at the Ivy on Saturday, February 25.
Marvin Hamlisch's love letter to the theatre has, since its 1975 debut, become one of musical theatre cannon's most enduring and beloved productions. Its roll call of achievements alone is a testament to this: A Chorus Line has picked up ten Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize (not to mention a Helpmann for Best Musical following its recent Australian revival) on its way to becoming one of the longest-running productions in Broadway history. This production of the classic show from Darlinghurst Theatre Company takes its audience backstage to unveil the struggles of Broadway performers, exploring themes of exploitation, racism and sexism. The production also includes some of the all-time great musical theatre numbers, including 'I Hope I Get It', 'One' and 'What I Did For Love'. After four sold-out preview sessions early last year followed by two COVID-prompted postponements, this production of A Chorus Line has finally hit the stage, finding its home at the Sydney Opera House's Drama Theatre. This run of shows, running until Friday, March 11, is backed by some of the biggest names working in Australian musical theatre today, including Helpmann-nominated choreographer Amy Campbell (In the Heights, Funny Girl) and musical supervisor Andrew Worboys (Rent, American Psycho). Images: Robert Catto
Art, performance and delectable food come together against the stunning white-sand backdrop of Jervis Bay. Running over two weeks, SeeChange Jervis Bay Arts Festival will transform the region into a vibrant hub of creativity. A spectacular opening ceremony, called Paths of Light, will kick things off at dusk on Saturday, May 26. Visitors will experience a spectacular light and sound show and will be able to feast on delicious fare. This year the theme is 'Shared Pathways' and will feature immersive art experiences. Visitors will be able to view beautiful artistic interpretations of the Bherwerre wetlands, enjoy cabaret shows in the White Sands Park pop-up theatre and watch entertaining street performances.
Looking to be transported to a world of hypnotic dance music, hyper-coloured visuals and extravagant dancers? Yung Lung is bringing its futuristic rave to Carrigeworks as part of Sydney Festival. Australian choreographer Antony Hamilton is bringing a dance party like no other with bass-heavy and experimental techno soundtracking the event and a colourful giant head placed in the centre of the dance floor. Dress in your dance floor-finest and head to Eveleigh to discover an otherworldly experience of music, art and fashion. Pulling together this immersive rave experience is a collection of boundary-pushing creatives. In charge of the music is Melbourne electronic musician Chiara Kickdrum, while costumes are being created by P.A.M and videos by Kris Moyes. All of this can be found in the expansive halls of Carriageworks between Thursday, January 20 and Sunday, January 23. Tickets are $60, however if you're under 30 you can nab yourself a youth discount and half-priced tickets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPB_raKnD0k Top images: Eva Otsing and Peter Tarasiuk
What do you get if you cross Muriel's Wedding and Kath & Kim with a healthy dollop of Jane Austen-inspired 19th century charm? The answer to that question you probably never thought you'd ask would be Hubris & Humiliation, a joyous new comedy by award-winning Queensland comic playwright Lewis Treston. The Sydney Theatre Company timed the launch of the production to coincide with Sydney WorldPride and, like Pride, this show really is a celebration. It trades out Austen's drawing rooms and country estates for the leafy boulevards of post-plebiscite Sydney and Baz Luhrmann-hosted costume parties, and might be one of the best times you'll have in a theatre this year. This whip-smart satire of love and life in Sydney's gay scene tells the story of naive wallflower Elliott, who's unexpectedly shipped off from the suburbs of Brisbane to his wealthy uncle's Kirribilli mansion to fulfil his mother's wish of marrying a wealthy man. A series of outrageous events take our protagonist and his stowaway sister Paige from Oxford Street to Berlin and back again in this high-camp exploration of love, family and commitment. Elliott is blushed into life by Roman Delo in his Sydney Theatre Company debut. Delo beautifully anchors the play with a performance that's natural and easy, intermittently flexing between self-deprecation, doe-eyed flirtation and occasional hysteria (a consequence of drinking hard liquor). The effortlessness of Delo's Elliott is an essential foil to the supporting cast of characters who battle it out around him for the title of scene-stealer of the year. Australian theatre veteran and acting legend, Andrew McFarlane, is a hoot as queeny Uncle Roland whose mansion is equipped with a rack of Louis XVI-era 18th Century frocks and previously belonged to a vaguely-referenced now-deceased wife. Celia Ireland and Melissa Kahraman who play Elliott's self-described bogan mum Bernice and adopted sister Paige are riotous. And as overbearing Gen Z retail assistant who fluently speaks in the phraseology of RuPaul's Drag Race, Henrietta Enyonam Amevor inhales the scenery around her. The fabulously feel-good rom-com is directed by Helpmann Award-winning director Dean Bryant, who returns to the Sydney Theatre Company to oversee this lively tale of one man's search for his other half — and himself. Go see it. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sydney Theatre Company (@sydneytheatreco) Images: Prudence Upton
They call it Tina — The Tina Turner Musical, oh Tina — The Tina Turner Musical — and it's finally coming to Australia. After premiering in London back in 2018, this stage ode to the music icon that's had Aussies dancing to 'Nutbush City Limits' for decades is making its way Down Under, locking in its first local stint in Sydney from May 2023. No, it isn't taking to the stage in a church house, gin house, school house or outhouse — or on highway number 19, either. But Tina — The Tina Turner Musical will obviously have Theatre Royal Sydney enjoying Turner's greatest hits in one massive show. The list of musical numbers includes 'Nutbush City Limits', naturally, as well as everything from 'River Deep, Mountain High' and 'Proud Mary' through to 'Private Dancer' and 'What's Love Got to Do with It?'. Tina — The Tina Turner Musical makes its trip Down Under courtesy of TEG DAINTY, Stage Entertainment and Tali Pelman, in association with Tina Turner herself. Announcing the news, the singer said that "Australia has always shared abundant love with me, going back to my early concerts in the late 70s through the uplifting partnership with the National Rugby League. It is very special for me that we will be reunited." "The joy, passion and message of resilience in my musical is so important now as ever. Thank you from the bottom my heart for welcoming me with open arms once again," Turner continued. The singer mightn't have mentioned her appearance in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, but she is indeed part of the beloved Mad Max franchise, too. Exactly what date in May the musical will open hasn't been revealed as yet, but it heads our way after also playing Hamburg, on Broadway, and in Utrecht and Madrid — and it'll tour North America from September. Penned by Tony Award-nominee and Pulitzer Prize-winner Katori Hall, plus Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, and directed by fellow Tony-nominee Phyllida Lloyd, Tina — The Tina Turner Musical clearly has quite the story to tell. The show steps through Turner's life and fame, including growing up in Nutbush, Tennessee, the hard work that led to her career, all of those aforementioned hits, her 12 Grammy Awards, her volatile time with Ike Turner and her huge solo success. If you're a fan, Turner herself summed it up — yes, it's simply the best. There's no word yet as to whether Tina — The Tina Turner Musical will head to other Australian cities, but cross your fingers while you're doing the Nutbush, obviously. Tina — The Tina Turner Musical will open its Australian-premiere season at Theatre Royal Sydney from May 2023, with the exact launch date still to be announced. To join the ticket waitlist, head to the musical's website. Images: Manuel Harlan.
Buckets of sunshine, adrenaline-inducing thrills in the heart of the city, plus dreamy white-sand islands and lush rainforests on its doorstep... Brisbane and its surrounds are a wonderland for outdoor adventurers. There's the iconic Brisbane River where you can captain your own eco-friendly boat or abseil down 230 million-year-old rock formations at sunset. Or, further afield you can find the epic sand islands of Bribie, Moreton and North Stradbroke/Minjerribah, hugged by crystal clear waters, covered in national park and packed with wildlife — from green sea turtles and dolphins to wallabies and koalas. Then there's the Lamington National Park that provides nature lovers and enthusiastic hikers with magnificent waterfalls or the chance to kick back in a spa overlooking ancient rainforest. Read on for seven unmissable outdoor adventures in and around Brisbane for your next adventure. [caption id="attachment_856015" align="alignnone" width="1920"] River to Bay Tour at Moreton Island. Image courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.[/caption] TAKE A RIVER TO BAY TOUR Just east of Brisbane you can find islands galore to explore. The easiest way to experience them? Book in a day trip with River to Bay. For snorkelling among tropical fish and green sea turtles at the picturesque Tangalooma Wrecks, spotting koalas among tall trees and wandering around the haunted ruins of Queensland's first penal colony, take the Moreton Island Bay Tour. Alternatively, go for incredible swimming beaches, spectacular scenery and boutique cafes in a historical village on the Stradbroke Island Tour. Another tempting option is the Champagne and Oyster Tour, which involves sipping bubbly and sampling oysters fresh from the ocean while watching the sun set. GO ABSEILING WITH RIVERLIFE For an adrenalin rush, go abseiling with Riverlife. On the Day Abseil, you'll complete a 90-minute ascent and descent of the 20-metre high Brisbane Kangaroo Point Cliffs. They're heritage-listed formations of 230 million-year-old volcanic rock which flank the Brisbane River, just a stone's throw from the CBD. Once you make it to the top, you'll be rewarded with panoramic views of Brisbane City and its surrounding waterways. For an even more magical experience, book a Twilight Abseil Tour. And if you're a nervous abseiler, don't worry. Riverlife is all about helping you overcoming your fears. [caption id="attachment_807856" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Go Boat Brisbane. Image by Lean Timms.[/caption] JUMP ON A GO BOAT One of the newest additions to the adventure scene is Go Boat. Founded in Copenhagen in 2014, it was launched in Brisbane to make the most of the city's glorious weather and winding river. For up to three dreamy hours, you'll captain a blissfully silent electric boat made of recycled PET bottles transformed into fibreglass. Pack a cheeseboard, a bottle of bubbly and up to seven mates, and see Brisbane from a whole new perspective on the water. Pets are welcome. By the way, there's no need for a boating licence, as the Go Boat crew will show you what to do before waving you off on your adventure. [caption id="attachment_856018" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hot Air Ballooning Brisbane. Image by Sam Lindsay/Tourism and Events Queensland.[/caption] GO HOT AIR BALLOONING WITH FLOATING IMAGES Once you've seen Brisbane from the water, the next logical step is to see it from the sky. You can do just that with Floating Images. Their sunrise flight takes you up where the air is clear for 60 glorious minutes. Prepare for incredible views of the Brisbane city skyline, backdropped by the Great Diving Range, the Scenic Rim and the countryside of Somerset. Afterwards, you'll be treated to a breakfast fit for royalty at a local restaurant. Chief pilot Graeme has flown air balloons for three decades on three continents, so you can relax knowing you're in safe hands. TAKE AN ADVENTURE TOUR WITH G'DAY Another spot on the must-see list for visitors to Brisbane is Bribie Island, the fourth largest sand island in the world. It, in itself, is an outdoor adventurer's kingdom packed with national parks, wild surf beaches, idyllic coves for swimming and the Pumicestone Passage, a protected marine park home to dolphins, turtles and dugongs. To get amongst it, take a tour with G'Day Adventure Tours. Their frolics range from the three-hour 4WD beach and bunker tour to the two-day, one-night Camping Adventure, which sees you kayaking through Norfolk lagoon, swimming in Mermaid lagoon, toasting marshmallows around a campfire and meeting wallabies. [caption id="attachment_856009" align="alignnone" width="1920"] O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat. Image courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.[/caption] RETREAT INTO THE RAINFOREST AT O'REILLY'S Another of Brisbane's drawcards is its proximity to lush ancient rainforests. One way to immerse yourself is a visit to O'Reilly's, an eco-retreat overlooking the World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park. Visitors have been escaping here for nearly 100 years. There's a bunch of activities to try, including an adventure trek to the Thunder and Lightning Falls, indulgent treatments in the Lost World Day Spa, a glow worm experience and e-bike tours. To fit them all in you'll want to stay overnight, either at the campground with your own tent or go a little more luxe with a variety of studios and villas. [caption id="attachment_856007" align="alignnone" width="1920"] North Gorge Walk at North Stradbroke Island. Image courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.[/caption] VISIT NORTH STRADBROKE ISLAND / MINJERRIBAH If beaches are your thing, then you'll want to put North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah on your itinerary. It's the world's second largest sand island, which means there are beaches for surfers, swimmers and sun-soakers of all kinds. For stunning views (especially at sunset) hit Flinders Beach (Point Lookout). For a long seaside walk try a stretch of sand across the 33km-long Main Beach. For amazing surfing (not for beginners) get some epic swell off Frenchmans Beach or Cylinder Beach. For solitude make your way to Toompany Beach and for laidback swimming in gentle crystal-clear waters visit Amity Beach. And, since you can't pack all that paradise into one day, you should definitely stay for a night (or three). Ready to plan a trip to Brisbane and its surrounds? Learn more at the Visit Brisbane website.
The rapidly expanding cultural phenomenon that is the Yabun Festival is Australia's largest single-day Indigenous festival. Celebrating the very best in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music and culture, the Yabun Festival is not only a romping all-day party but also one of the most important Aboriginal cultural events on the calendar. This year's musical line-up is jam-packed full of Indigenous idols and a host of emerging talents, with highlights such as headliner Warren H. Williams' unique brand of country music with a twist, barnstorming rock 'n' roll from Mop and the Drop Outs, and even a little of the risque from burlesque performer Constantina Bush. On top of the fine music offered by the festival, Yabun 2013 will feature a variety of cultural programs, such as community panels, information booths, and presentations from highly recognised politicians, academics, and community leaders. The Yabun Festival is also one Australia Day party that you don't have to leave the kids behind for, with arts and craft stalls, 'hands on' games and theatre, and even traditional didgeridoo lessons all a part of the festivities. With 25,000 people expected to turn up to Victoria Park this year, the Yabun Festival promises to be a fascinating remembrance of Australia's Indigenous past and a thrilling exhibition of the very best in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music and culture today.
Brad Pitt (Babylon) and Angelina Jolie's (Eternals) time as pop culture's only Mr and Mrs Smith in something called Mr & Mrs Smith is going the way of their IRL relationship, all thanks to a new TV spin on the 2005 movie. Now, it's Donald Glover (Atlanta) and Maya Erskine's (PEN15) turn to combine espionage and matrimony, with the upcoming eight-part Prime Video streaming series just unveiling its debut teaser trailer. Almost two decades back, an action-comedy cast Brangelina as a bored married duo who didn't know that they were actually both assassins, let alone that they'd each been tasked with killing the other. While Pitt and Jolie's off-screen relationship afterwards was more memorable than the flick itself in general, the concept struck enough of a chord to be brought back for another whirl. So, in 2024, Mr & Mrs Smith is now taking the path from the big to the small screen that everything from Dead Ringers and Irma Vep to A League of Their Own and Interview with the Vampire also has of late. There's a twist, however, with Glover and Erskine playing strangers who have to pretend to be wed as part of their job. So, that's how one becomes John Smith and the other takes on the identity of Jane Smith — and how the two embark upon a high-risk spy life together. The tradeoff for faking a romance: the lucrative gig, money, travelling the world, a dream Manhattan brownstone and, in this take on the premise, these strangers actually falling for each other. Pretending to be a couple but seeing sparks fly is one of Hollywood's current obsessions, with rom-com Anyone But You taking the idea to the big screen — without espionage or anything to do with Mr & Mrs Smith, though. Adding another TV show to his resume, Glover co-created the new Mr & Mrs Smith with Francesca Sloane (also Atlanta), with the end result set to drop in full on Friday, February 2, 2024. If you have vague memories of Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) being involved, she was initially slated to play Jane until Erskine took over her role. The series does feature a heap of other well-known names, with Alexander Skarsgård (Infinity Pool), Sarah Paulson (The Bear), Eiza González (Ambulance), Michaela Coel (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) and Paul Dano (Dumb Money) all popping up — and Sharon Horgan (Bad Sisters), Ron Perlman (Poker Face), Billy Campbell (Troll), Úrsula Corberó (Money Heist), John Turturro (Severance), Parker Posey (Beau Is Afraid) and Wagner Moura (The Gray Man) as well. Check out the first teaser trailer for the Mr & Mrs Smith TV series below: Mr & Mrs Smith will stream via Prime Video from Friday, February 2, 2024.
One on one interviews, a pop-up tattoo parlour, and a live music lineup curated by the team from Splendour in the Grass are among the highlights of this year's Spectrum Now Festival. The 16-day creative arts extravaganza, launched last year by the Sydney Morning Herald, will feature more than 100 free and ticketed events around the city in 2016. The festival, which will run from March 1 to 16, is split into four sections: art, stage, talks and music. Included in the arts section will be an ambitious live painting at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, where Western Sydney artist Tom Polo will spend two weeks creating a gigantic wall painting in view of the public. The stage category will likewise features several standout shows, including performances by the Sydney Dance Company and Bard on the Beach, a burlesque act at Crystal Bar, a performance of La Boheme transplanted to the 1930s, and a night of stand-up comedy with the stars of Workaholics. Two of the most successful events on last year's talks program will return in 2016. Pillow Talk features personal conversations with some of the country's leading creative couples, and will this year include the likes of David and Kristen Williamson, David and Lisa Campbell, and Max Cullen and Margarita Georgiadis. Cultural Crush, meanwhile, invites prominent journalists to interview their 'dream subject'. Those in the spotlight this year include investigative journalist Kate McClymont speaking with film director Bruce Beresford, and columnist Benjamin Law grilling Leigh Sales from the ABC. The previously announced music program features a number of prominent players, headlined by post-punk act The Jesus and Mary Chain. Other standouts include Birds of Tokyo, Calexico and a live edition of RocKwiz. Check out our top picks from the music program. This year's festival hub will be located at The Domain, and will feature fire breathers, burlesque dancers and free live music, as well as a sideshow alley where you can get inked by tattoo artist Leslie Rice or get a haircut from retro barber Tony Vacher. Hanging over the hub will be a giant balloon chain by US artist Robert Bose, who previously created similar works at Burning Man and Coachella.
With Halloween and the Day of the Dead not far behind, Newtown brings you a big party in a cemetery. Camperdown Memorial Rest Park's lush former headstones have retired behind the high walls of St Stephens Church, but though its pauper's graves lie long forgotten, the same mix of money, gothic overtones and the everyman remain part of what makes modern Newtown really buzz. The annual Newtown Festival brings together old school residents, nouveau riche and nouveau punk to swap clothes, check out the dog show and let all that music go easy on their ears. On the main stage, Gossling and the Barons of Tang wade among a host of other acts, while Ghostwood and Betty Airs hang out at the more Sydney-focused Essential alternative. Kids can compete to bling their bike, while MC Cyclery, proud parent of the Sydney Tweed Ride, will be hosting the rest of the Festival's Cycle Games Arena. In the writers tent, Bride Stripped Bare author Nikki Gemmell will air in public the art of airing sex in public and Lisa Pryor chats about the finer points in her Small Book About Drugs. There's a food swap at the Eco sideshow, while the Vocal Local Village offers you some of the more unusual acts in show.
If you're the kind of beer lover who feels like they've tried every brew ever — or you've made it your mission to achieve that yeasty goal — then you're probably a big fan of the Great Australasian Beer Spectapular. For more than a decade now, since it started off as a Melbourne-only celebration of ales, lagers, ciders and more, the event has been serving up weird, wild, wonderful and inventive varieties, many of which are made exclusively for the booze-sipping shindig. In 2022, that's set to be the case once more, with the beer fest returning for a tour of Australia's east coast capitals in May. GABS is considered to be one of the best craft beer and cider festivals in the Asia Pacific region for good reason, and this year it has at least 120 of them, because that's how many brews will be on offer. Prepare to knock back beers inspired by breakfast foods, savoury snacks, desserts, cocktails and more when the event hits Sydney's ICC Darling Harbour from Friday, May 20–Saturday, May 21. Some of the foods and drinks that this year's GABS brews are taking their cues from: peanut butter, coffee, earl grey tea, chicken salt, pizza, fairy floss, bubblegum and sour gummi bears. Confirmed highlights include Brouhaha's Baked and Wasted, a sour which uses wasted baked goods; Capital Brewing Co's experimental Smooches, which pairs cocao nibs with a strawberry kick; Mismatch Brewing Co's We Love NY Cheesecake stout, in case you've ever wondered what cheesecake in a glass tastes like; and The Catchment Brewing Co's Ra Ra Raspoutine, another stout that, yes, is brewed from chips, cheese and gravy. The event surveys both Australian and New Zealand breweries, with more than 70 set to be pouring their wares in Sydney. As well as the aforementioned outfits, this year they'll also include Balter, Range, Otherside, Black Hops, Ballistic, Your Mates, Mountain Culture, One Drop and Little Creatures, as well as Colonial, Mountain Goat and Bentspoke — and NZ's Garage Project and Panhead Custom Ale. Also on the bill: other types of tipples, including non-alcoholic beers, seltzers, whiskey, gin, cocktails and wines (including by 19 Crimes Snoop Dog Cali Red). GABS is known for dishing up a hefty lineup of activities to accompanying all that sipping, too, which'll span a silent disco, roaming bands, circus and sideshow performers, games and panels with industry leaders in 2022, as well as local food trucks and vendors to line your stomach.
When a new venue opens, it's exciting. When a new spot launches that's only sticking around for a limited time, that might be even more thrilling. Whether it's About Time (a nostalgic bar in a soon-to-be-demolished building) or the new Inner West outpost for Humble Bakery (which will only be hanging around for the rest of 2022), these short-term spots don't just boast a must-try quality — if you don't act quick, you could miss out completely. The latest to arrive in Sydney is Small. Good., a pop-up deli in The Rocks by Masterchef alum Jess Hodge. Arriving on Playfair Street as part of the Playfair Takeover series, it focuses on showcasing Indigenous Australian suppliers by creating familiar dishes with native ingredients. The menu is split into three distinct sections: small goods which include the likes of kangaroo mortadella, mixed native pickles and emu 'ndjua; sandwiches; and snacks. Some of the playful takes on classic sambos include the Roo-ben, a reuben made with wallaby pastrami — plus a kangaroo katsu sandwich, and a take on the childhood devon-and-tomato-sauce combo using kangaroo mortadella, bush tomato sauce and smoked chips. As for the snacks, there's oysters with a native vinaigrette, kangaroo tartare, emu liver parfait, smoked barramundi croquettes and kangaroo tail terrine. Small. Good. will be serving up this nostalgic menu for just three months from its August 22 opening before it closes down. If you're heading along, you can grab lunch daily from 11.30am and dinner from 5pm Wednesday–Saturday.
When the second season of Only Murders in the Building came to an end, it did so with exactly what fans of the delightful murder-mystery comedy series have come to expect: another death. And when the hit Disney+, show returns for its third season, hopefully sometime in 2023, it'll delve into the fallout, giving both the program and viewers another killing to solve. Even better, it'll boast a new high-profile addition to its suspects list: the one and only Meryl Streep. The three-time Oscar-winner, and star of everything from Big Little Lies to Little Women and Don't Look Up of late, is the latest big name to join a series that's been stacked with them from the outset, given that it's led by Steve Martin (It's Complicated), Martin Short (Schmigadoon!) and Selena Gomez (The Dead Don't Die). Over both season one and two, Tina Fey (Girls5eva) has been a significant presence, Sting and Amy Schumer have played themselves, and Cara Delevingne (Carnival Row) has also popped up. Oh, and so has Paul Rudd, who'll be back again in season three. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) Gomez, aka Only Murders' Mabel Mora, announced the news on her Instagram. That's where you'll see the show's main trio get mighty excited about the upcoming season, as joined by the returning Andrea Martin (Evil), Rudd and Streep. Clearly, New York City's deadliest fictional apartment block is about to get mighty busy — and residents turned true-crime podcasters Mabel, Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin) and Oliver Putnam (Short) will have something else, and a few more someone elses, to chat about. Is there a more chaotic place to live in NYC at the moment, at least on the small screen? It doesn't appear so. [caption id="attachment_824354" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu[/caption] If you're still yet to experience the series' charms, it follows the odd trio of Charles-Haden, Oliver and the much-younger Mabel after they bond over two things: listening to a Serial-style podcast hosted by the show's own version of Sarah Koenig, aka Cinda Canning (Fey); and a death in their luxe abode. Of course, they did what everyone that's jumped on the true-crime bandwagon knows they would if they were ever in the same situation, starting their own audio series that's also called Only Murders in the Building. That's how season one kicked off — and continued, proving a warm, funny, smart and savvy series at every step along the way, as well as one of 2021's best small-screen newcomers. In the show's second go-around, another death needed investigating. This time, it was someone the main trio were all known not to be that fond of, so suspicions kept pointing in their direction. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Steve Martin (@stevemartinreally) Further details about season three are still scarce — sorry, armchair detectives — including exactly when it'll return. Considering that there was less than a year between seasons one and two, though, cross your fingers that the show keeps up the same schedule. Steve Martin, on his Instagram, confirmed that filming has just started, so here's hoping for a quick turnaround. Until more information about season three is announced, check out the trailer for Only Murders in the Building season two below: Only Murders in the Building's third season doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Season one and two are currently streaming Down Under via Star on Disney+. Read our full review of season two — and of the show's first season, too. Top image: Glynn Lowe Photoworks via Wikimedia Commons.
When the weekend hits, after a lazy brunch we’re usually hungry for a little culture hit. However, despite our best intentions, in our endless wandering and moans of ‘what should we do?’, desperate, we end up on a mate’s couch doing a Game Of Thrones marathon with a hand in a bucket of chicken. Why not change it up with the Changing Lanes festival? Now in its second year, the fest draws together the best local talent across music, art and fashion. This year the hit list includes PVT, Gareth Liddiard, Papa Vs Pretty, The Vasco Era, Beni, The Last Kinection, Oscar + Martin, and Juggernaut DJs, plus artists Numskull, Beastman, Ears, Houl and loads more. The festival is also hopping over from last year's Newtown to Devonshire Street in Surry Hills, meaning that it's a mere skip from Central Station - no excuses now! Afterwards, roll along to the official after party at The Standard and kick on into the night with Pluto Jonze, Myth and Tropics, Alison Wonderland and others. Packed to the hilt with stimulation of all sorts, it’ll definitely get you off the couch (and away from that nasty bucket of chicken). Culture hit? Tick and tick.
These boys from Brisbane are bringing their slash rock to Oxford Art Factory this weekend as they tour their newly released second album, Black Rat. If you were all about the heavy crashes found on their debut album, Bloodstreams, then you won't be disappointed with the new material. The latest single, 'Gina Works At Hearts', has plenty of that raw energy fans have come to know them by. Having said that, Black Rat was recorded in a more experimental manner with Drones' producer Burke Reid, and the results aren't your average balls to the wall ragers. First single 'Northern Lights' is proof that this band has bigger ideas, experimenting with a textured, more anthemic style of rock. Because of this new approach and sound, Simon and Shane will be joined by special guest guitarists during their national tour. But who will it be? You'd better get along and find out. https://youtube.com/watch?v=FhJ0grMCKYc
What do one of 2022's huge box-office behemoths and one of 2023's most-anticipated movies have in common? In Avatar: The Way of Water and the new live-action The Little Mermaid alike, darling it's better down where it's wetter. Come May, the Mouse House's latest remake of its beloved animated hits (see also: Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo, Aladdin, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, Lady and the Tramp, Mulan, Pinocchio) will get Halle Bailey (Grown-ish) slipping into Ariel's scales and tail, and take a dip into the story of a mermaid pining for a different life. While it was busy dropping Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny trailers during the Super Bowl, Disney has just unveiled the latest sneak peek at the new The Little Mermaid — and, like the first glimpse in 2022, it's going big on look and feel. Given that viewers already know and adore the first flick, the trailers for the latest movie don't need to dive too far into the narrative, although the just-released second glance does bring a pivotal figure into the mix. [caption id="attachment_868655" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] Fans of the original 1989 movie, aka everyone given how popular The Little Mermaid-themed events have proven over the years — such as screenings with live orchestral scores and cocktail experiences at aquariums — are well aware that Ariel dreams of being human, and is willing to make a deal with a sea witch to see her wishes come true. That involves a trade, though: giving up her voice to get legs in return, which'll allow her to live above the water. Accordingly, as well as Bailey as Ariel, this new version of The Little Mermaid features Jonah Hauer-King (The Flatshare) as Eric, the human prince that Ariel falls for; Javier Bardem (Lyle, Lyle Crocodile) as King Triton, Ariel's protective father; and Melissa McCarthy (Nine Perfect Strangers) as Ursula, said sea witch — who pops up at the end of the new glimpse. Also among the cast, on voice duties: Daveed Diggs (Snowpiercer) as Sebastian the crab, Jacob Tremblay (Doctor Sleep) as Flounder and Awkwafina (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) as Scuttle. Based on the two trailers so far, this take on The Little Mermaid from filmmaker Rob Marshall (Chicago, Nine, Into the Woods and Mary Poppins Returns) and not Sofia Coppola promises vivid underwater realms, glowing light shining down from above, mermaid dances, bright coral, friendly fish and floating jellyfish — and the flick's star singing 'Part of Your World'. As for the tunes, they come courtesy of Alan Menken — returning from the original movie, as do all those old songs — and upcoming Australia visitor Lin-Manuel Miranda. Check out the new teaser trailer for The Little Mermaid below: The Little Mermaid will release in cinemas Down Under on May 25, 2023.
In the lead up to this year's Sydney Film Festival, the event's powers-that-be announced a piece of particularly exciting news: the re-appointment of festival director Nashen Moodley for four more years. That'll take his reign through until 2023, marking a 12-year run in the fest's top job. It'll also give Sydneysiders plenty more of his eclectic programming to look forward to. If you've been to SFF since Moodley took the helm in 2012, then you know why that's exciting — and what that means for your future festival trips. Expect more international festival hits, thoughtful dramas, weird and wonderful delights, local highlights and the like, which are always part of his annual lineup. In fact, that's exactly what's on offer in 2019. Hitting the big screens at a host of Sydney venues across 12 days, this year's SFF kicks into gear from Wednesday, June 5 to Sunday, June 16, bringing everything from star-studded zombie flicks to an all-night movie marathon to a showcase of pioneering female Australian filmmakers along with it. If you're particularly excited about Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Don't Die, we're sorry to say that all three sessions of the zom-com have already sold out; however, the fest's 300-plus movie program boasts a wealth of other standouts. Fancy multiple Cannes winners, including this year's Palme d'Or recipient (and latest movie by Okja's Bong Joon-ho)? One of the smartest and funniest high school-set comedies in years? A wise, warm and eye-opening Australian documentary about an Indigenous Australian boy in Alice Springs? Elisabeth Moss as an unhinged rocker? They're all on offer — and they're all on our must-see list. Keep reading for more details, more recommendations and more ways to spend more time in a cinema over the next two weeks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_0KJAzyUJc PARASITE If we were already eagerly anticipating Bong Joon-ho's latest film at the beginning of the year, then consider us boiling over with enthusiasm now. Just last month, it picked up Cannes' top prize, with the thoroughly deserving Bong becoming the first South Korean filmmaker to earn the coveted award. Even without nabbing the glittering trophy, Parasite is worth ample excitement. Promising a twisty story about two families at different ends of the socio-economic scale, it follows the mayhem and mishaps that arise when they cross paths. Bong's regular star Song Kang-ho (The Host, Snowpiercer) features among the cast, and the movie has been compared to last year's fellow Palme d'Or winner Shoplifters — but much, much, much darker. IN MY BLOOD IT RUNS It has been four years since Maya Newell gave Australia one of its most engaging and diverse slices of childhood life in the form of the applauded Gayby Baby. For her follow-up, she's still pondering the country's next generation, their hopes, dreams and everyday existence, as well as the way that today's attitudes and policies may impact their future. This time, it's charming 10-year old Alice Springs boy Dujuan who is in the spotlight, sharing his story with wisdom and passion beyond his years. Dujuan is a healer, highly connected to his culture and deeply concerned about the nation's treatment of its Indigenous population; however, he also struggles with school, and with meeting society's expectations. As it chronicles his plight, Newell's documentary isn't just empathetic — it's also an expressive window into his mindset, desires and experiences. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwojM2j0Xb0 BOOKSMART For their entire high-school run, Amy (Kaitlin Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) have kept their eyes on the prize, working hard (not to mention relentlessly) to get into good colleges. But as graduation approaches, they realise that plenty of their peers managed to party their way through the last few years and still secure spots at prestigious universities. In response to this news, the pair commits to multiple shindigs, one epic night and a taste of the fun the two have been missing out on. Making her directorial debut, actor-turned-filmmaker Olivia Wilde crafts a smart, sharp coming-of-age comedy that's not only equally frank, insightful and raucous, but celebrates the ups and downs of female friendship. Booksmart also boasts winning performances from Dever, Feldstein and Billie Lourd (who happens to be Carrie Fisher's daughter), too. https://vimeo.com/230931583 LES MISERABLES Forget Victor Hugo's famed novel, the many musical versions that have sprung in its wake and Anne Hathaway's Oscar-winning performance. Ladj Ly's film may also be called Les Miserables and spend its time on the streets of Paris' Montfermeil district, but instead of slavishly drawing upon the familiar source material, the Cannes Jury Prize-winning feature offers its own distinctive vision of the area's downtrodden residents. Specifically, Ly's full-length debut follows an anti-crime police unit patrolling the lawless banlieue, in a movie that doubles as an adaptation of his own short film of the same name and was actually inspired by the city's 2005 riots. With its multi-layered storytelling, sprawling character list and gritty visuals, as well as its subject matter, it has also earned more than a few comparisons to The Wire. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biHUTtV4K40 IN FABRIC Peter Strickland is one of cinema's inimitable auteurs, not only conjuring up narratives that no other filmmaker ever would or could, but bringing them to the screen with a distinctive sense of style and mood. It was true of his latest two festival circuit hits, Berberian Sound Studio and The Duke of Burgundy, and that observation remains just as accurate with In Fabric — the lauded writer/director's haunted dress movie. Yes, really. In London clothing store Dentley & Sopers, bank teller Sheila (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) finds the perfect red dress for her first blind date; however, she soon discovers that the fabulous frock has quite the dark side. Also starring Games of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie, this fashion-focused horror-comedy is a lurid, intoxicating gem. You won't see anything else like it this year, at SFF or otherwise. SCHEME BIRDS Set in the Scottish neighbourhood of Jerviston, Motherwell, Scheme Birds delivers its first dose of heartbreak early. With a matter-of-fact attitude, proud local teen Gemma remarks that everyone in the troubled community either gets locked up or knocked up, but comments that, even knowing the kind of future that likely lies in store, she still wouldn't want to live anywhere else. From here, directors Ellen Fiske and Ellinor Hallin examine what happens next, with their Tribeca Best Documentary-winning chronicle both following the expected devastating path and showcasing Gemma's grit and fortitude. As it hones in on a remarkably candid subject, probes her plight and places her story in the context of the area's recent history, this sensitive and intimate film couldn't be more affecting and memorable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMlHDNdLGU8 HER SMELL When she's not navigating an oppressive dystopian society in The Handmaid's Tale, Elisabeth Moss continues to prove just as stellar in everything else that she's in. Her Smell is the latest example, which sees the actor re-team with her Listen Up Philip and Queen of Earth director Alex Ross Perry — and dial up the psychodrama and tension that were an enormous part of the latter movie. Moss jumps into rockstar mode, playing a Courtney Love-esque punk singer who brings a new meaning to the word 'handful'. The same can be said of the word 'meltdown' too. A savage dissection of the pressures not just of fame and success, but of trying to be and understand yourself, Her Smell turns its five segments into mesmerising real-time mayhem. Many a movie has contemplated music superstardom of late; however, consider this a perfect companion piece to the Natalie Portman-starring Vox Lux. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQaycqyjLFw PAIN AND GLORY Pedro Almodóvar. Antonio Banderas. Penelope Cruz. Three of Spanish cinema's biggest names reunite in Pain and Glory, which also acts as a fictionalised, highly intimate and reflective autobiography from the acclaimed filmmaker (Almodóvar) — who happened to initially give his two superstar actors their big breaks. In his Cannes Best Actor-winning role, Banderas plays director Salvador Mallo, whose health and creativity are failing in tandem, sparking a trip through his childhood memories. No one excavates the past quite like Almodóvar, with Pain and Glory completing a thematic trilogy that began with 1987's Law of Desire and continued with 2004's Bad Education. Based on their past work, no one directs Banderas and Cruz in such a rich and resonant way, either. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NddnV45hnzY HAPPY NEW YEAR, COLIN BURSTEAD Given that Happy New Year, Colin Burstead is the latest film from Kill List, Sightseers, High-Rise and Free Fire filmmaker Ben Wheatley, don't take the 'happy' part of the title literally. When the eponymous Colin (Neil Maskell) corrals his extended family into a stately castle to see out the year, their celebrations soon descend into bickering, resentment and spiralling chaos. The hefty ensemble cast, which includes Sometimes Always Never's Sam Riley, Game of Thrones' Charles Dance and I, Daniel Blake's Hayley Squires, are an acerbic delight in this dark comedy — and Wheatley happily swaps one kind of grimness for another. If you've ever been traumatised by being trapped in the same space with your relatives for an extended period, prepare to find this rather relatable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P7l-9tcTCk COLD SWEAT All that Afrooz (Baran Kosari) wants to do is play indoor soccer, especially when the team that she captains progresses to the Asian Cup final in Malaysia. She's understandably excited. Alas, she's also an Iranian woman — and even though she's estranged from her controlling husband, who happens to be a famous (and famously arrogant) TV host, the choice to leave the country isn't her own. The lengths she has to go to in order to follow her dreams makes for tense, heartbreaking and infuriating viewing in this moving film, which couldn't be more timely in today's social climate. Come for the topical drama that gives a jaw-dropping insight into a bleak daily reality for too many women, and stay for the vivid, textured and spirited performances. Still have some room on your flexi-pass? Don't worry, we have a few more picks. From our list of films to look out for in 2019, there's Portrait of a Lady on Fire — and The Dead Don't Die, although, as we've already mentioned above, it has sold out. On our rundown of Australian titles to check out this year, The Nightingale, I Am Mother and Emu Runner are all screening at SFF too. And then there's High Life, from our French Film Festival tips — plus The Souvenir, Synonyms, Varda by Agnes, Amazing Grace, Ghost Town Anthology and Skin from our Berlinale recommendations as well.
Don't have the time to make it to French Riviera this year? Dreaming of Rome, but don't have the cash for the flight? Wondering how you're going to drag yourself through the autumn and winter? Take a mini-trip to Europe while skipping jet-lag at Merivale's European Laneway, Darling, coming to Ash St. laneway on February 22 as part of March into Merivale. Spend an evening with all the things you love about the continent, from food stalls to fine wine, spiced up with a dash of good ol' Aussie eccentricity and dare. Numerous venues are getting on-board to bring you delicious delights, namely Felix, Ash St. Cellar, Uccello,Bistrode CBD, Lorraine’s Patisserie, Palings, and The Paddington. Meanwhile, master sommelier Franck Moreau is curating a wine list, showcasing excellent drops from several major regions. All you have to do is get your Hepburn-level glamour on and act like you're on vacation.
Since its arrival in 2021, Re has blazed a trail as one of Sydney's best bars and a standout spot within the South Eveleigh precinct. It's earned a spot on lists of the world's best bars multiple times, it's hosted pop-ups from other game-changing watering holes, and it's completely altered the benchmark for sustainability in Sydney, with cocktails made from discarded bread or chicken feet. Now, it's finally slinging its innovative inventions again — this time, from new Redfern digs. The brainchild of Scout founder Matt Whiley, Re closed its original Locomotive Street outpost back in February, dropping hints of a reopening date in April. Now, it's been confirmed that the boundary-pushing bar will be reopening in La Salut's previous digs alongside Ricos Tacos at Cleveland Street's The Norfolk Hotel on Tuesday, May 14. "We've given Re a new home, but our signature style of experimentation and sustainable practice is still paramount for us," said Whiley. "We've already been able to redirect perfectly fresh waste and create cocktails and new dishes as part of our re-opening." Staying true to its zero-waste and sustainable ways, Re 2.0 will redirect waste from the kitchens of PUBLIC's venues, giving new life to otherwise-discarded produce from Maybe Sammy, Sammy Junior, El Primo Sanchez, Busby's, Derrel's, The Lady Hampshire and Dean & Nancy on 22. Plus, its new menu will also star sips that revitalise ingredients from other eateries. Expect to see a tortilla-inspired cocktail from Ricos Tacos, the 'Dirty Bore' featuring salted focaccia butter vodka from Busby's, and a boozy new take on the mango lassi from Derrel's. Whiley will work with former Automata owner and PUBLIC's Creative Culinary Director Clayton Wells on both the food and drink menu, creating dishes and drinks that work harmoniously together. As with the original South Eveleigh space, sustainability has been built into the core of the sleek new Re, with recycled and repurposed materials playing a major role in reimagining The Norfolk's corner bar. This also factors into the outpost's menu, with each dish highlighting ingredients that can be consumed whole, like the calamari and ink or the yellowfin tuna paired with marigold. "We look forward to welcoming our new neighbours in Redfern in," continued Whiley. [caption id="attachment_832341" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The space when it was La Salut, Nikki To[/caption] Re will open at The Norfolk, 305 Cleveland Street, Redfern, on Tuesday, May 14. Image credit: Sam McAdam-Cooper
Talented pooches have been barking their way to big screen stardom since the birth of the medium, and Cannes Film Festival even gives out awards for ace pupper performances. Now, Australia has a dog-themed cinema showcase — and while it pops up around the country every year, it's heading to Moonlight Cinema in 2021. At the Top Dog Film Festival, doggos and puppers cement their status as humanity's favourite movie stars in a program of pooch-centric shorts. Viewers will watch dogs will leap across the screen in a curated selection of heartwarming flicks about humanity's best friend — think films about dog-powered sports, dogs in space, dogs hiking through the desert, senior dogs and more. The festival hits Moonlight Cinema in Sydney's Centennial Park on Saturday, January 30, and rushing after tickets the way your best four-legged friend rushes after a frisbee is recommended. Given how much we all love watching dog videos online, not to mention attending pupper-centric shindigs in general, this one-night-only under-the-stars event is certain to be popular. Also, in exceptional news for pooch-loving movie buffs, you can take your pupper along.
Event curators The Festivalists have a plan, it seems, to take over Sydney's nightlife. They've just pulled off an excellent bar and daily program of free events at this year's Sydney Film Festival. Their Jurassic Lounge was one of the breakout hits of the 2011 after-hours scene, and it's returning for two more seasons this year. Here's the formula: every Tuesday night, the Australian Museum is swamped with a thousand punters partaking in drinks, live music, games, and performance. The intelligently curated programs combine off-kilter stuff like slam poetry, alternative stand-up comedy, DJs from FBi Radio, palm reading, and storytelling from emerging writers. The new season line-up promises previews from the Sydney Underground Film Festival, a special queer culture night, a nerdy cosplay evening, and a sneak peek at the Sydney Fringe Festival. Jurassic Lounge is also jumping on the "diners, drive-ins and dives" bandwagon by offering a new Americana menu of hotdogs and sliders. With the expanded format, the door charge no longer includes a free drink, although it does still cover entry to the museum's Deep Oceans exhibition. When it works, Jurassic Lounge is a trip to the other side. And at its worst, it's a very trendy singles night for over-educated under-30s frolicking amidst a Gondwanaland of dinosaur skeletons, fossils, and native maritime animals. Either way, it's pretty fun.
15 years after the original, and 12 years after the first sequel, is anyone really clamouring for a third xXx? Probably not, but then again, there was also a time where nobody was all that interested in a new Fast and the Furious movie either, and now it's one of the most popular film series' in the world. xXx: Return of Xander Cage has a lot in common with the recent films in the automotive franchise, beyond the chrome dome and cocky attitude of their shared leading man. In an age where so many Hollywood action flicks are bogged down by pomposity and existential angst, these Vin Diesel vehicles offer dumb fun at its absolute finest. The major difference between the two franchises is that, while the Fast and Furious films play fast and loose with the laws of physics, Return of Xander Cage scarcely bothers with them at all. In reintroducing extreme athlete turn super spy Xander Cage (Diesel) by having him ski – yes, ski – through a Dominican rainforest, director D.J. Caruso and screenwriter F. Scott Frazier make it abundantly clear they have little interest in telling a story set in the real world. Frankly, that's fine by us. This isn't Jackie, damnit, this is xXx! It's hard to imagine anyone in the audience will actually care why a cabal of super crims want to steal a piece of hardware capable of turning satellites into projectiles. The important thing is that Cage is out to stop them, and he's going to look dope while he does it. Diesel is joined by an outstanding set of supporting players, each sexier and seemingly less suited to the world of international espionage than the last. Hong Kong and Thai martial art stars Donnie Yen and Tony Jaa, Bollywood icon Deepika Padukone, and Australia's own Ruby Rose are just a few of the names on the roster – and while their roles are thin and their dialogue often painfully cheesy, the cast never seems anything less than 100 per cent committed. The same can also be said for Toni Collette as a tough-as-nails CIA handler. Nothing the character does makes a modicum of sense, but we'll be damned if Collette doesn't make her entertaining to watch. If nothing else, Return of Xander Cage deserves considerable credit for the diversity of its cast. It's hard to think of a recent ensemble blockbuster that featured fewer white men – and while part of that probably has to do with the involvement of Chinese investors behind the scenes, it also fits in nicely with the film's political throughline. There's no flag waving here – indeed, an attempt by the CIA to appeal to our hero's sense of patriotism is met with a quip: "there are no more patriots, just rebels and tyrants." Outsiders all, Cage and his fellow daredevils have no time for authority, or the overreach of a system that puts security before civil liberty. And while it's a stretch to call the film a reaction to a Trump presidency, his ascension makes the film's rebellious spirit and multicultural flavour that much more appealing. Having said that, no one is buying a ticket to the new xXx movie to get a hot take on global politics. They're buying it to see things go boom – and go boom they certainly do. Caruso and co. deliver big time on the action, crafting set-pieces that (mostly) manage to toe the line between knowingly silly and genuinely exhilarating. It's hard to think too hard about the gaping holes in the plot when Vin Diesel is riding a motorbike underwater. And who said cinema was dead? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQEFmHsseaU
With spring just a few days away, famed Aussie chef Matt Moran is transforming his much-loved Woollahra restaurant into a blossoming oasis. It's only fitting that Chiswick's glasshouse-inspired space should come alive during spring. And it's doing so with a dedicated G&T garden and a special masterclass schedule to boot. That G&T garden will launch in the new communal bar area on Wednesday, September 2. It'll offer a seasonal snack menu alongside Bombay Sapphire cocktails created by hospitality legend Ed Loveday (Prince of York, Bar Brosé, Acme). Think tangerine and rosemary spritzes ($20) paired with cheddar and kumquat crostinis ($14), or an elderflower tom collins ($22) matched with house-made ricotta ($10). The classic gin and tonic ($14) will also get a seasonal touch up with four different tonics and 12 garnishes to choose from — including lemon myrtle, nasturtium flower, rhubarb and pineapple sage. You'll also be welcomed into the Chiswick kitchen garden for the first time during three different masterclasses. These include a cooking class with Moran and Chiswick Head Chef Francois Poulard, with each ticket including a cocktail, three dishes and a takeaway produce bag. Other masterclasses include gardening with Chiswick Horticulturalist Peter Hatfield and a G&T class with Bombay Sapphire's Loy Catada. The kitchen garden produce will also be used in the restaurant's new a la carte and bar menus, with slow roasted lamb shoulder, globe artichokes with asparagus and roasted chooks all on the docket.
If you're a city worker, chances are you've spent a few dollars at Old Mate's Place. Now, the rooftop cocktail bar is asking you to put your money towards a cause bigger than your thirst: supporting the NSW Rural Fire Service. November's bushfires have destroyed hundreds of homes, and displaced thousands of people across both NSW and Queensland, and the RFS — which is made up of 74,000 volunteers — has been working tirelessly to contain and put the fires out. To help the organisation out, the Old Mate's crew is throwing a sausage sizzle on its coveted rooftop every Sunday from 2–6pm in December. The snags in bread will be free, but the team is asking punters to donate a couple (or more than a couple) of dollars to assist the RFS run community programs. It's hoping to raise $2500 over the month — and if it does, the bar will match this amount with a donation of its own. If you can't make it and would like to help out, you can donate directly to the RFS here. As of the afternoon of Tuesday, November 26, the NSW RFS continues to fight over 120 bush and grass fires. For updates and advice on NSW bushfires, head to the Rural Fire Service NSW website.
Waking up to a perfect sunrise on an almost empty beach. Spotting a true-blue Aussie icon. Or sticking your head out of the window when you're cruising with the fam. Each one of these TikTok videos has us dreaming of epic adventures with our besties, lazing in the sun, and rising early to catch a wave or two. In short, they make us miss the best parts of summer — and make us want to extend that carefree holiday vibe into autumn, too. To help inspire you to live your best life, we've teamed up with TikTok to bring you five videos that'll have you handing over that resignation and GTFO to bigger and brighter things. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@kendallandglenn/video/6885137289199095042[/embed] Kendall and Glenn are really channeling that sun-kissed, no-worries Australian dream right now. The couple is travelling around Australia in a VW — called Vance — and they're capturing the best (and worst) parts of living on the road together. They've been to Magnetic Island, Uluru, Flinders Ranges and the Fleurieu Peninsula. Here they're really flexing that perfect #vanlife morning. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@yeetus_mcfeetus/video/6716434036241206534[/embed] In 2010, the Big Prawn came close to death when the Ballina Shire Council voted in favour of its demolition. Luckily, the public had other ideas and today you can still find it in Ballina, NSW. KT, or @yeetus_mcfeetus, picked a true-blue legend to soundtrack their encounter with two other Aussie greats: Bunnings and the Big Prawn. Make like KT and plan your own trip to see these extremely Australian big things for yourself. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@genuine_spud/video/6858869469809249541[/embed] Emilee Flood's 'Electric Love' is one of those tracks synonymous with TikTok. (It's a real Sad Girl TikTok banger). But here, Kel-C uses that 'lightning in a bottle' lyric to show us all their feels about a perfect summer road trip — kangaroos, beaches, sunsets and snacks. Take. Us. Back. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@gemmacatherine29/video/6828566161651666181[/embed] How good's WA? Gemma Catherine, maker of this extraordinarily good case for getting out of bed before sunrise, shows us it's the state to be in for escaping iso and getting out for a surf. Now, being back at work isn't strictly the same as iso, but we're feeling the itch to travel all the same. If you're looking for inspiration, here are ten must-visit locations in Australia. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@_.lilyhaynes._/video/6894561223736691969[/embed] If there's one video in this roundup that speaks to us most it's this gem from Lily Haynes. She's filmed her pup Alfie living his best self, chilling with the fam, seeing what's up, riding shotgun. If that doesn't push you to book a long weekend on the road, we don't know what will. Alfie, we ❤️ you. Download TikTok to watch more blissful travel videos. Top image: Wikimedia Commons
Think there's just one Hottest 100 in January? Think again. The second important countdown of the month actually goes rather well with the music poll that just proclaimed The Wiggles' cover of Tame Impala's 'Elephant' as the nation's best track of 2021. In fact, while you were listening to the hottest songs of the past year, you might've been sipping some of these other winners. That'd be the great brews in the spotlight on the GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers list, which does for yeasty tipples what Triple J's poll does for bangers. And, just like its music counterpart, a worthy victor has come out on top. That'd be Bentspoke Brewing Co, with the Canberra brewery taking out the top spot with its Crankshaft American IPA for the second year in a row. In doing so, it bested 2017 and 2018 winner Balter Brewing Company, which came in second with its Balter XPA; Your Mates Brewing Co, which took third spot with its Larry pale ale; and Stone & Wood's Pacific Ale, the winner of the 2011, 2015, 2016 and 2019 polls, and 2020's second-place getter, which nabbed fourth position this year. As it did in 2020, Bentspoke had five beers in the 2021 top 100 list in total, which is clearly something to toast to — also coming in 12th for its Barley Griffin Australian Pale Ale, 41st for its Sprocket American IPA, 45th for its Cluster 8 Imperial IPA and 91st for its Red Nut Red IPA. Run by GABS — or the annual festival also known as the 'Great Australian Beer SpecTAPular' — the countdown is a people's-choice poll decided by booze-lovers around the country. Now in its 14th year, it saw a huge 2238 beers nominated this time around, hailing from 281 breweries. Still playing the numbers game, 58 beermakers nabbed a spot on the 2021 list — and, states-wise, Queensland emerged victorious with 30 brews on the full rundown of 100 beers, followed by Victoria with 22, New South Wales with 20, the Australian Capital Territory with 12, and South Australia and Western Australia with eight apiece. 2021 was also a big year for new brews, with 37 beers making their GABS Hottest 100 debut. And, low- and no-alcohol tipples also made a splash, including Heaps Normal's Quiet XPA debuting at 20 and Sobah Beverages' zero-alcohol Pepperberry IPA taking 69th place. If you're thinking "less background, more beer", here's what you've been waiting for: the rundown of the best beverages from the past year that just keep tempting tastebuds. Black Hops, Better Beer, Capital (with two showings), Ballistic and Young Henrys round out the top ten, while Coopers, Bridge Road, Pirate Life, Gage Roads, Kaiju!, Heads of Noosa, Brick Lane, Moon Dog, 4 Pines, Philter, Stomping Ground, Grifter, Hawke's and Mountain Goat and are among the other brands featured. Working your way through the whole 100 isn't just a great way to show your appreciation for locally made brews, either — consider it research for the 2022 countdown. GABS HOTTEST 100 AUSSIE CRAFT BEERS OF 2021: BentSpoke Brewing Co — Crankshaft IPA Balter Brewing — Balter XPA Your Mates Brewing Co — Larry Stone & Wood Brewing Co — Pacific Ale Black Hops Brewery — G.O.A.T. Better Beer — Better Beer Zero Carb Capital Brewing Co — Capital XPA Ballistic Beer Co — Hawaiian Haze Capital Brewing Co — Coast Ale Young Henrys — Newtowner Coopers Brewery — Original Pale Ale BentSpoke Brewing Co — Barley Griffin Balter Brewing — Balter Hazy Bridge Road Brewers — Beechworth Pale Ale Beerfarm — Royal Haze Pirate Life Brewing — South Coast Pale Ale Gage Roads Brewing Co — Single Fin KAIJU! Beer — KRUSH! Tropical Pale Ale Black Hops Brewery — East Coast Haze Heaps Normal — Quiet XPA Heads Of Noosa Brewing Co — Japanese Lager Brick Lane Brewing Co — One Love Pale Ale Little Creatures — Little Creatures Pale Ale Moon Dog Craft Brewery — Old Mate Philter Brewing — Philter XPA Mountain Goat Beer — GOAT Very Enjoyable Beer Feral Brewing Co — Biggie Juice Brookvale Union — Ginger Beer 4 Pines Brewing Co — 4 Pines Pacific Ale Big Shed Brewing Concern — Boozy Fruit Hawke's Brewing — Hawke's Patio Pale Bright Brewery — Alpine Lager Grifter Brewing Co — Pale Blackflag Brewing — Rage Juicy Pale Green Beacon Brewing Co — Wayfarer Stomping Ground Brewing Co — Gipps St Pale Ale Akasha Brewing Co — Hopsmith IPA Dainton Beer — Blood Orange NEIPA Revel Brewing Co — Strawberries & Cream Sour Ale Coopers Brewery — Sparkling Ale BentSpoke Brewing Co — Sprocket Capital Brewing Co — Hang Loose Juice Blood Orange NEIPA Coopers Brewery — Coopers XPA Your Mates Brewing Co — Sally BentSpoke Brewing Co — Cluster 8 Black Hops Brewery — Neverland Balter Brewing — Eazy Hazy Ballistic Beer Co — Hawaiian Haze IPA Capital Brewing Co West Coast NEIPA — Mountain Culture Collab Coopers Brewery — Coopers Pacific Pale Ale Bodriggy Brewing Co — Speccy Juice Colonial Brewing Co — Colonial Pale Ale Grifter Brewing Co — Serpents Kiss Sunday Road Brewing — Cryotherapy Deeds Brewing — Juice Train 10 Toes Brewery — Pipeline Pale Burleigh Brewing Co — Bighead No-carb Lager Hop Nation Brewing Co — J-Juice Range Brewing Co — Lights + Music Black Hops Brewery — Hop Swap Black Hops Brewery — Black Hops Pale Ale Your Mates Brewing Co — Macca Balter Brewing — Captain Sensible Capital Brewing Co — Trail Pale Ale Hawke's Brewing — Hawke's Lager Burleigh Brewing Co — Twisted Palm One Drop Brewing Co — Double Vanilla Custard Pancake Imperial Nitro Thickshake IPA Cronulla Beer Co — Next Level XPA Sobah Beverages — Pepperberry IPA Jetty Road Brewery — Jetty Road Pale Ale Brouhaha Brewery — Strawberry Rhubarb Sour Stone & Wood Brewing Co — Cloud Catcher Blackman's Brewery — Juicy Banger 4 Pines Brewing Co — 4 Pines Pale Ale Brick Lane Brewing Co — Sidewinder Hazy Pale Hop Nation Brewing Co — Rattenhund Sunday Road Brewing — Enigma Ale Otherside Brewing Co — Anthem IPA Bad Shepherd Brewing Co — Peanut Butter Porter Ballistic Beer Co — Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout Black Hops Brewery — Hornet Little Creatures — Pacific Ale Your Mates Brewing Co — Eddie Dainton Beer — Jungle Juice Bodriggy Brewing Co — Utropia Pale Ale Young Henrys — The Unifier Hawkers Beer — West Coast IPA Mismatch Brewing Co — Mismatch Session Ale Gage Roads Brewing Co — Side Track All Day XPA Little Bang Brewing Co — Face Inverter BentSpoke Brewing Co — Red Nut Tumut River Brewing Co — Ginja Ninja Eumundi Brewery — Eumundi Alcoholic Ginger Beer Deeds Brewing — Once More Into the Fray Akasha Brewing Co — Mosaic IPA Ballistic Beer Co — Low Ha Capital Brewing Co — Rock Hopper IPA Wayward Brewing Co — Raspberry Berliner Weisse Willie The Boatman — Nectar Of The Hops Balter Brewing — CryoHaze For more information about the GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of 2021, head to the GABS website.
It's been a decade since lockouts and lockdowns dimmed the glittering lights of King's Cross. Once the epicentre of Sydney nightlife, the 2014 O'Farrell lockout laws, introduced to lower violent crime in The Cross, smothered much of the after-dark culture of the area, driving many businesses to close. The double-whammy of the pandemic lockdowns further compounded The Cross' decline, earning Sydney a reputation for having the nation's worst late-night offering. However, with the lockout laws repealed and the pandemic a distant memory, this resurgent precinct is ready to take back its nightlife crown. Starting November 1, more than 30 King's Cross venues — including Piccolo Bar, Teddy, Mirage KX and Pelicano — will be joining forces to revitalise King's Cross with the Light Up The Cross campaign. Through a series of electrifying events, nostalgia-infused experiences and exclusive after-dark offerings, local venues will summon the spirit of The Cross' glory days while ushering in a bright, new era. At the heart of this campaign are local owners and operators, invested in the future success of The Cross. "We're excited to be part of this incredible initiative and can't wait to see The Cross come alive again. It's amazing to see local venue owners come together to reignite this iconic part of Sydney," said Rosie O'Shea, owner of Arms Length on Kellett Street. As you venture through the vibrant street of the precinct, keep an eye out for neon signs marking the participating venues. Each is offering a unique glimpse of The Cross's storied history and its rich cultural diversity. Kings Cross visitors can look forward to $12 food and drink deals along with a variety of special offers from participating venues. At Chula, immerse yourself in the vibrant spirit of Dia de los Muertos with a special glow-in-the-dark drink and snack menu featuring a Lights On pomegranate paloma ($16) and a zesty tonic-cured prawn ceviche tostada ($12). At Arms Length, Sip on a glow-in-the-dark Luminous Lagoon blue margarita ($12) with a side serving of drag queen entertainment. And don't forget to check out Grove Bar's Dark Energy DJ party every Friday and Drag in the Dark series - 'Show me the light' every Saturday. On Bayswater Road, Penny's is serving up its own cocktail homage: the Rough Around the Edges, a sweet yet smoky mingle of scotch, ginger syrup, brown sugar and bitters, inspired by the salacious Kings Cross of old and its softer present. At basement cocktail lounge and cabaret bar Dulcie's on Darlinghurst Road, guests can let fate decide their order with $18 drink raffle tickets for one of a quartet of hypercolour 80s-inspired cocktails. The Potts Point Hotel is also mixing up some neon-hued cocktails — the NeonTini and the Tiki Tonik. Inspired by the dazzling lights that used to light up The Cross, they are available for $18. Light Up The Cross" isn't nostalgia bait, but a promising revitalisation of community spirit within the precinct. "Kings Cross has always been a place of vibrant energy, creativity, and inclusivity. We're thrilled to bring that spirit back and welcome everyone to experience the Cross in a whole new light," said Nathaniel Bourke, Strategic Director of the Kings Cross Quarter team. "This revival isn't just about the venues – it's about the growth in the precinct over the last few years, rekindling the community, and celebrating the history and culture that make Kings Cross unique." For a full list of participating venues, head to the Light Up The Cross website.
