Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the latest installment from the empire of J.K. Rowling. It's the first in a series of prequels to the Harry Potter films, that start in New York City in 1926. The film relies on the classic Pandora's box trope to drive the superficial layer of narrative. A magical trunk full of beasts is released upon New York and, in this case, Pandora is Newt Scamander, an eccentric British wizard played by Eddie Redmayne. Scamander, just in case you aren't as obsessed with the Potterverse as we are, is referenced throughout the Harry Potter series as the author of a foundational Hogwart's text book titled, you guessed it, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them". Written by Rowling herself, the crust of the plot is a little bit slapstick. Essentially, after a series of bumbles in a muggle bank (or a 'no-maj' bank, as the Yanks would say), Scamander's trunk is swapped with the trunk of Jacob Kowalski, a typical, goofy muggle and aspirational baker played beautifully by Dan Fogler. When Kowalski unwittingly releases the cheeky beasties from the trunk, Scamander must team up with Porpentina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), a low-level Magical Congress employee scheming to get her Auror stripes back. This is where we dip down into the mantle of the plot and things get a bit more complicated. Turns out there are a faction of individuals in the community who believe magical beings are superior to muggles and that wizards should come out of hiding to enslave them. Without giving too much away, as the good guys race around New York collecting up their escaped creatures, Colin Farrell's character Percival Graves is lurking in the wings, trying to collect power. Also a church of fanatical, witch-hating muggles are seeking to expose magic. Also, a malevolent force is tearing around NYC ripping up side walks. Also, the evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald is on the loose. Fantastic Beasts' goblet truly runneth over with plot and this might not be a good thing. The difficulty with this particular film franchise is that it has to be ambitious, since they've slated another four films at least. So this first installment labours to lay the foundations for the series. But the audience has no road map as to what is and isn't significant. There are numerous scenes, and indeed entire subplots, that could have been cut, seemingly without compromising any of the story arcs. Perhaps they'll bear fruit in later editions, but until then they're just kind of...there. Fortunately, the film makes up for its pacing problems with cauldron-loads of charm. From the overtures of friendship between Scamander and Kowalski to the soft-core romance blossoming every-damn-where; from the timely Ron Weasley-esque notes of comedy to the practical use of magic, everything in this film is just so damn whimsical. Untethered from any pre-existing book, this film takes magic use to it's logical conclusion: domestic automation. For some unknown reason, Hogwarts students learned how to turn each other into teapots but never seemed to learn any practical spells that would make their lives any easier. This film rectifies that annoyance completely and for Potter fans it's immensely satisfying. Also, we can't leave without mentioning the beasts, which as the film's title suggests are truly fantastic. The strongest part of the movie are Scamander's creatures and their various quirks – it's a handy plot device that the protagonist carries around a trunk full of talented beasts, and the script uses them to it's full advantage. And ultimately, that's the key to the film's success. At times it does feel as though the cheesiness of the Potterverse doesn't quite translate into this rather more adult world. Nevertheless, the magic that's powered Rowling's creations until now remains as palpable as ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vso5o11LuGU
Circular Quay is ushering in the Year of the Pig with the unveiling of three new lanterns in its Lunar Lanterns exhibition, which runs from February 1 through February 10. The complete artwork includes all 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac (and one extra pig) with the free exhibition spreading out around Circular Quay. The three larger-than-life new lanterns include an abstract pig made from a lattice of pink lights, designed by Chinese sculptor Qian Jian (Justin) Hua and situated on the Sydney Opera House's western boardwalk; a striped ox atop a gongshi (shaped rocks that have long been collected by Chinese scholars) at Cadman's Cottage in the Rocks; and a tower of juggling monkeys at East Circular Quay. Last year's flying pigs are also returning, with the spiral of 1000 individual pigs located at the Overseas Passage Terminal in the Rocks. Sydney's 23rd annual Chinese New Year Festival is the largest outside of Asia, with an estimated 1.4-million people expected to join the festivities from February 1 through 10. You can check out the full list of lanterns, and where to find them, here. First image: Daniel Tran.
Summer has settled in for the long haul and a sultry season of day-tripping, beach sessions and poolside hangs awaits. It can be hard to keep your cool when the temperatures are soaring. So, we've teamed up with the skin and beauty experts at M.A.C Cosmetics to share our list of summer essentials. Stock up on these must-haves and be ready for anything summer throws your way. FIX+, M.A.C COSMETICS ($39) Sticky, sweaty faces are a classic summer curse, but they needn't be. M.A.C's cult favourite Fix+ facial mist works as both a hydrating setting spray and a cooling skin spritz, so it's a must-have item for when those temperatures start climbing. It's free from alcohol and packed with nourishing ingredients like cucumber and camomile. It's even infused with caffeine to help pep up tired, post-party-season skin. Use it before, during or after makeup application to help stop wayward foundation from slipping down your face in a sweaty mess. Or, simply spritz some on whenever you need to counter the sweats with a little facial refresh. Hot tip: pop it in your fridge or esky so it's nice and cool when you spray away. WATER-RESISTANT SPEAKER, BOSE ($199.95) Beach, backyard, park or pool — any good summer session needs a decent soundtrack. And with a nifty waterside speaker like this one from Bose, you can keep the music kicking on no matter where the party takes you. It's poolside-friendly, so you can have those tunes pumping right alongside you while you swim, soak or sunbake. What's more, a nine-metre bluetooth connectivity range means your whole crew can take turns playing DJ, without any pesky sound dropouts. And with an impressive eight-hour battery life, this little noise machine will keep partying as long as you do. BEACH UMBRELLA, BASIL BANGS ($289) The Aussie sun can be savage, no matter how heavily you slather on the sunscreen. But with an umbrella in tow, you'll always have some sweet, shady relief from its rays, whether you're kicking back in the park or battling scorching hot sand at the beach. Amp up the summer vibes with a lively, feel-good print, like this special edition umbrella, designed by Basil Bangs in collaboration with legendary artist Ken Done. It boasts a hefty 1.8-metre diameter — so, no squishing in like sardines — with UPF50+ sun protection. Plus, it comes with a matching carry case that transforms into a sandbag weight should things get blustery. PICNIC CUTLERY WALLET SET, LAZY DAYZ ($34.95) Long days and balmy temperatures mean picnic season is in full swing, so you'll want to be prepared to make the most of it. Just because you're dining on a rug on the ground doesn't mean you have to slum it. Elevate any al fresco feast with the help of a proper picnic set, like this fun design from Lazy Dayz. Available in two vibrant prints, it has plastic plates, stainless steel forks, knives and spoons for two, all zipped up neatly into one compact carry case. Keep it by the front door and you'll always be picnic-ready in a snap. [caption id="attachment_799130" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Abbas Malek Hosseini[/caption] UNDERWATER CAMERA, KASBAH ($21.56) Here in Australia, summer and water go hand-in-hand, whether it's a backyard pool or your local stretch of beach. And while you might be partial to a splash and a dip, your phone probably isn't. So, for the sake of those summer happy snaps, hook yourself up with a camera that was made to get wet. This lightweight underwater version from Kasbah features a fun, tropical get-up and a detachable waterproof casing, so you can take it just about anywhere. Just stock up on 35-millimetre film and you're all set to capture even the soggiest memories this summer. To learn more about M.A.C Cosmetic's Fix+ facial mist, head this way.
To celebrate their second year delivering great entertainment night after night, the Newtown Hotel is throwing what can now be called their Annual Halloween Party. So get freaky, get creepy and don your best Day of the Dead attire for a wild night of terror, tunes and treats. As if you needed an incentive to drizzle fake blood across your neck, the big flirt will be shouting your drinks from 6pm and bringing you two of the best acts from in and out of town. Local songwriting talent Andy Golledge will be crooning in rootsy hues, followed by Melbourne rockers Kingswood, who will be dropping hits from their latest album Microscopic Wars. So whether you’re a regular or you’ve been living under a rock these last two years, do yourself a favour and pen it in: October 30, Newtown Hotel, good times.
Summer is officially here, and that means rooftop parties. Each Saturday until the end of February, the Summer Rooftop Series at the Kings Cross Hotel is giving house heads a new weekly to get involved in. With UNDR ctrl organising and running the event, it's sure to incorporate a stellar lineup of only the dopest deep house and DJ sets Sydney has to offer. The event boasts an exclusive outdoor program set to breathe new life into the Cross, with local DJs featuring at each set. And with free entry before 10pm, what's your excuse? November 22: Van She DJs, Olympic Ayres DJs, Adi Toohey November 29: Canyons, Marcus King, Adi Toohey December 6: Flex Cop, Softwar, Ariane December 13: Cassian, Frames, Adi Toohey December 20: Ara Koufax, Noise In My Head, ROOF December 27: Slow Blow, Playmode, Adi Toohey January 3: Tornado Wallace, Adi Toohey January 10: Parkside DJs, Set Mo, Adi Toohey January 17: Dreems, Slow Blow January 24: Harvey Sutherland (DJ Set), Ben Fester, Adi Toohey January 31: Pelvis, Steele Bonus, Ariane February 7: Linda Marigliano [triple j], Kali, Adi Toohey February 14: Juno Mars [Jagwar Ma], csmnt61, World Champion DJs February 21: Amateur Dance, Avon Stringer, Ariane February 28: Motorik presents Motorik Vibe Council [4 Hr Set], Wordlife [Vinyl DJ Set]
Gin fiends, drop everything. Right now, somewhere in Sydney, there are gin cocktails — and gin cocktails alone — being shaken and stirred. There's a rooftop terrace and yummy morsels from one of the best chefs in the country. It's called Project Botanicals, and it's a gin-lovers dream. Premium gin giants Bombay Sapphire have teamed up with award-winning Biota Dining chef James Viles for the three week pop-up, which will see the upper levels of the former Queen Street Studios building in Chippendale's new Kensington Street precinct temporarily transformed into a degustation restaurant and rooftop bar. Taking inspiration from the 10 exotic botanicals found within Bombay Sapphire — juniper berries, coriander seeds, liquorice, almonds and cassia bark — Viles and the Bombay Sapphire team have created two five-course menus matched with five inventive gin cocktails. The offering will rotate weekly, so you'll have the chance to try two botanical menus, 'Plants & Roots' and 'Berries & Bark'. “I'm constantly challenging myself to work with new and unusual ingredients," says Viles. "Working with 10 botanicals found within Bombay Sapphire was really exciting in creating flavour combinations that emphasised what is at the core of Bombay Sapphire." But you don't have to go the whole five-course hog to enjoy this pop-up. Project Botanicals will also boast a rooftop bar, open from 5.30pm Wednesday to Saturday. The drinks have been created in collaboration with some of Sydney's best bars, including Eau de Vie, The Barber Shop, The Rook and This Must Be The Place. There's no doubt that this is the best place to get your gin on. Running for just three weeks, the pop-up will only be around until Saturday, December 5. So if you want to indulge in some 'ginstronomy' and savour the spirit in the most Sydney way possible, best you get your tickets now. The Sydney debut of Project Botanicals will run at the Old Rum Store warehouse at 10 Kensington Street, Chippendale until Saturday, December 5. Sittings are available at 6pm and 8.30pm Wednesday to Saturday. Tickets are $105 and include a five-course menu matched with five Bombay Sapphire cocktails. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and can be bought here.
Everyone has a family story to tell, but we can't all be as good storytellers as Paul Capsis. In Angela's Kitchen he presents a fascinating play on the practice of biography, a microhistory of the migrant experience, a touching ode to a deeply loved woman and a reflection on his own lifetime of pretending and identity-seeking. Capsis — writer, performer, cabaret singer and Kosky pet actor — has devised this production in collaboration with director Julian Meyrick and sounding board/writer Hilary Bell. It uses monologues, multicharacter (but single actor) skits, costume, hand-tinted photos, archival videos, pieces of cloth and objects to create a montage of the life of his grandmother Angela and the close relationship they shared. But what really galvanises Angela's Kitchen is Capsis's warmth, wry metre, open, elastic face and ability to inhabit a character within seconds. Angela came to Australia from Malta with her family in 1948. It was one of the defining events in her life, along with poverty and World War II, during which residents of the strategically important tiny island would hide in deep-dug caves to escape the massive bombing campaign. Angela's family settled in Surry Hills, and it is in a modest kitchen there that Capsis relates to her most strongly. She was clearly a formidable woman and a nurturing influence, and through his bond with her, Capsis felt a life-long bond to Malta — a land of sun, sea and the explanation of self — even though he did not visit it until well into adulthood. His journey there parallels his grandmother's life story in this production. Angela's Kitchen progresses through chapters, and the best bits are entirely surprising (static reading of a 64-member family tree? Awesome) and build on Capsis's off-kilter sense of humour. He makes eye contact and speaks directly to the audience several times in an honest, sweet and very personal performance well cradled by the intimate space. There's something in here for everyone to appreciate, but Angela's Kitchen will most deeply resonate with people who have known the pull of their motherlands and forged transnational identities.
Outdoor clothing brand Merrell wants your photos to stitch together the world's largest panoramic photo. You can be a part of it by uploading your geo-tagged shots of the outdoors to the Add Your Own Scenery website where they are pinned to a virtual globe, or you can just browse others' photos and see what things look like in their neck of the woods. As well as inspiring people to get and share their love of the outdoors with others, the project has a philanthropic purpose: for every photo uploaded Merrell will donate $1 to a range of conservation groups, up to their target total of $250,000. Unfortunately only residents of the US, UK and Canada are eligible for the prizes on offer, but sharing your favourite part of nature with the rest of the world to help conserve it should be reward enough! [via PSFK]
Art fans may be intrigued by the sound of You Promised Me, You Said a Lie to Me, an international exhibition soon to be opening at Anna Schwartz Sydney. Curated by Melbourne's Alexie Glass-Kantor, the diverse collection of paintings, sculptures and installations takes its title from an eighth-century Irish ballad and echoes its themes of love, loss and impermanence. Ambitiously showcasing a collection of the hottest, most covetable artworks currently making waves internationally, the exhibition includes the films and video works of Ireland's Jesse Jones, the cross-medium creations of France's Laurent Grasso, 52 individual paintings by Singaporean artist Heman Chong and a new work commissioned specially for the exhibition by Australian artist Susan Jacobs. Aside from the works themselves, the show should provide an insight into Glass-Kantor’s current take on both the international and Australian scene — with implications for those eager to anticipate the tone she will set as the new executive director of Sydney's Artspace come November. Image: Laurent Grasso, Visibility is a Trap
Due to its location, Tasmania stands apart from the bulk of Australia. It's an island at the bottom of the continent, so of course it's separate from the rest of the country. But, for much of 2020, the Apple Isle has been shut off from the nation in another way — with Tassie enacting strict border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, just as many other states on the mainland did as well. Thankfully, while most Aussies couldn't head to the country's southern-most state for much of this year without seeking permission and then going into quarantine, border restrictions don't have any dominion over our tastebuds. You mightn't have been able to spend time in Tassie for big stretches of 2020, but drinking beverages by Tasmanian producers has always remained on the menu. Obviously, it still does — letting everyone nationwide do what Tassie residents have always done and show their love for the Apple Isle's top drops. Whether you prefer a refreshing cider, a hearty vodka or gin, or a nice vino, that's great news. Tasmania has all of the above covered. Indeed, when BWS asked the state's drinkers to name their favourite local picks as part of the bottle retailer's Local Luvvas initiative, those aforementioned beverages from Plenty Cider, Hellfire Bluff Distillery and Pepik Wines topped the poll. All three brands will now receive an extra helping hand with getting their products stocked in more BWS stores — and we spoke with the teams at each about loving their jobs, showcasing homegrown produce, garnering local support and making it through 2020. APPLE CIDER FROM THE APPLE ISLE Of course Tasmania makes great apple cider. When tasked with picking their favourite brewed beverage, including beer, of course Tassie residents went with apple cider, too. That kind of local support no longer comes as a surprise to Plenty Cider co-owner Grace D'Arcy, but it is always heartily and eagerly appreciated. "People really resonate with where we are from, and love the fact they know where it is — and they understand the quality of the produce that comes from the area," she says. "Without local support, Plenty wouldn't exist, so we can't thank Tasmanians enough for what they have done for us and for many small businesses across the state throughout COVID-19". Plenty Cider is not only a celebrated homegrown brand, but is also beloved for its use of 100-percent southern Tasmanian-grown apples. And yet, the company's journey actually started with a different kind of alcohol and type of fruit. It wasn't hard to make the switch, though, D'Arcy explains. "The transition from wine to cider ten years ago was an easy choice to make, as cider was an emerging sector with so much hope and potential." Cider is also an easy field to be passionate about. That might sound self-evident — who wouldn't want to spend their days turning fruit into a sweet and delicious drink? — but D'Arcy's enthusiasm shines through. "There is also plenty of room for innovation and creativity. This is what keeps me passionate, along with striving to continuously improve and craft delicious ciders," she says. "When a cider is fruit-driven and you get that fresh full flavour on the palate, nothing is better." GIN AND VODKA MADE ABOVE A ROCKY COASTAL OUTCROP Potatoes might not be as synonymous with Tasmania as apples, but they're the reason that one of the state's other much-loved drinks producers exists. The site that Hellfire Bluff Distillery calls home is actually a potato farm on a cliff above Marion Bay that dates back more than 30 years. "We were looking for a way to value-add to the potatoes we grow," advises marketing coordinator Kyla Flanagan. "We wanted to bring something unique to the well-respected Tasmanian spirits market and, after investing a significant amount of time and research, in 2017 we launched Hellfire Bluff Distillery with our premium potato vodka." Clearly, local fresh produce is crucial here. "The distillery was built out of our love for premium Tasmanian ingredients, driven by our passion for farming sustainably, and influenced by our beautiful wild and remote region," Flanagan says. Hellfire now not only makes vodka, but also three styles of gin, a selection of small-batch liqueurs, and other limited-edition releases — using rainwater sourced from the farm, locally sourced lemons in its limoncello, and other "quintessentially Tasmanian ingredients," she explains. "When we say our products are handcrafted, we really mean it." Given how pivotal all things local are to Hellfire, it's hardly surprising that the distillery has proven a big hit in the community. "Product provenance has always been important to our customers, and local support has been integral to our brand from the very beginning," says Flanagan. And that homegrown love is a source of inspiration, too. "It's important to us that people feel connected to where their purchase comes from, and gain an understanding and insight into the business they are supporting," she notes. TURNING 61-HECTARES OF LAUNCESTON-GROWN GRAPES INTO VINO It was back in 2004 that Josef Chromy launched the wine brand that bears his name, setting up shop just south of Launceston on a scenic and sprawling 61-hectare vineyard. Pepik is one of its labels, and its moniker also has a close connection to its founder — because 'Pepik' is Josef's nickname, as given to him by his mother. Chromy handpicked Tasmanian winemaker Jeremy Dineen to lead the business, a role that the latter still holds today. As Pepik sales and export manager David Milne explains, making wine isn't just a job here — it's a passion, an obsession and a puzzle all in one. "It's the challenge of crafting the best wines from whatever the vintage throws at you that keeps things interesting," he says, with Pepik favouring "a minimal intervention style of winemaking to allow beautiful, aromatic Tasmanian fruit to achieve full expression in the glass". The resulting tipples, especially Pepik's pinot noir, have proven popular locally. But in 2020, the true level of community support has actually surprised Milne. "As a small wine producer in Tasmania, we probably didn't realise just how strong our following was until this year," he says. "People have made a concerted effort to support the local brands that they love and want to see come out the other side of this pandemic… In a year like no other, we've never been so honoured to be carried on the shoulders of our tribe." To find these or other Tasmanian drinks as part of the BWS Local Luvva initiative, head to your nearest BWS store.
"Authenticity is paramount for us," says The Maybe Group's co-owner Stefano Catino. "We didn't want the concept to be a nod towards Mexican culture, spirits or food — it had to be a respectful homage." This is the approach the team behind multi-award-winning cocktail bar Maybe Sammy has taken to its latest opening, El Primo Sanchez. First announced back in 2022 and swinging open its doors on Wednesday, February 22 inside Paddington's The Rose, the Oxford Street haunt will be led by Bar Manager Eduardo Conde — who will bring his Mexico City heritage to the bar — in collaboration with Catino and The Maybe Group's Creative Director Martin Hudak. While Maybe Sammy and some of its sibling venues like Dean & Nancy on 22 are built on luxury, El Primo Sanchez brings the group's passion for quality cocktails to a more casual affair. [caption id="attachment_889910" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] The venue can accommodate up to 100 guests with intimate tables for two, ten-person lounges and standing tables all filling the space. The energy is fun and playful, with spotlights drawing attention to patrons with shots of tequila on the way to their table, and a two-person karaoke room hidden behind the DJ booth loaded up with hit songs — plus a functional 'Press for Tequila' button. An exciting selection of food and drinks brings unexpected twists and turns to the venue's offerings. Highballs feature prominently, ranging from mandarin palomas to the Charro Negro, a smoky twist on the batanga made with corn liqueur, mezcal and cola. Elsewhere on the beverage list, you'll find a gimlet that uses cordial made from toasted leftover tortillas; a fruity watermelon, rose, strawberry gum and lime slushy; and the venue's take on a margarita. [caption id="attachment_889913" align="alignnone" width="1920"] DS Oficina[/caption] Most of the cocktails can be ordered by the glass — the margarita even comes in specially designed glassware — or in a jarrito, El Primo Sanchez's version of a carafe. And, while there's plenty of unique creations to discover, there's also a healthy selection of classics done in the El Primo Sanchez way. "For us, it is not about having the biggest collection of tequila and mezcal in Australia; it's about celebrating and appreciating this highly nuanced selection of spirits," says Hudak. "Tequila replaces vodka in our espresso martini, we swap bourbon or rye whiskey for aged tequila in an old fashioned and for our negroni, Blanco tequila is the substitute for gin." Mexican-born and -raised chef Alejandro Huerta heads up the kitchen, bringing his experiences from across Sydney (No. 92, Chica Bonita) and the world (Alinea, Noma) to The Rose. [caption id="attachment_889914" align="alignnone" width="1920"] DS Oficina[/caption] Pork belly is marinated for 12 hours before being cooked over coals, and brussels sprouts are roasted and tossed in chilli vinegar — both ready to be placed on tacos. Outside of the tacos, the share plates are best ordered for the table around a jarrito of the cocktail of your choice. Highlights include snapper ceviche, chorizo con papas, guacamole, dry-aged steak and charred broccolini served with a creamy chipotle sauce. The bar is the first collaboration between The Maybe Group and Public Hospitality (Oxford House, The Strand Hotel). Together, they've transformed this 1940s pub into a vibrant cocktail bar. The colour palette is bright, boasting orange and blue floor tiles. And, the LED lights change colour throughout the day so that it's always just bright enough. "In order for us to restore an asset and give it a new lease of life, we need to understand what the community is missing and what they want from a new hospitality venue," says Public Hospitality's Principal Architect Tom de Plater. "There's no point developing what we think is a brilliant concept when it really has no place in that community or neighbourhood. We feel this is a great evolution for The Rose." [caption id="attachment_889916" align="alignnone" width="1920"] DS Oficina[/caption] El Primo Sanchez opens on Wednesday, February 22 at 27–33 Oxford Street Paddington. It will operate from 4.30pm–midnight Wednesday–Thursday and 4.30pm–1am Friday–Saturday, with Sundays coming in the future. Images: Steven Woodburn and DS Oficina
If you missed seeing Hamilton during its Australian runs in Sydney in 2021, Melbourne in 2022 and Brisbane in 2023, you didn't throw away your shot to catch Lin-Manuel Miranda's smash-hit musical Down Under. The Aussie production of the show went to New Zealand after its Brissie season, and has trips to Manila, Abu Dhabi and Singapore slated next. Then, come July 2024, it'll return to the Harbour City. If you're a fan of the biggest thing in musical theatre in the 21st century — and a game-changing, award-winning, rightly raved-about sensation — then you'll be excited whether you've already been in the room where it happens or not. Hamilton's homegrown production will hit Sydney Lyric Theatre next year, opening at the venue on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. In its local run so far, the Broadway blockbuster's Aussie production has boasted a cast that includes Jason Arrow as Alexander Hamilton, Chloé Zuel as Eliza Hamilton, Lyndon Watts as Aaron Burr, Akina Edmonds as Angelica Schuyler, Matu Ngaropo as George Washington, and Victory Ndukwe as Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson — plus Shaka Cook as Hercules Mulligan and James Madison, Marty Alix as John Laurens and Philip Hamilton, Elandrah Eramiha as Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds, and Brent Hill as King George III. Who'll return to Sydney in 2024 hasn't yet been revealed, with the cast for next year's season to be revealed at a later date. Still new to this song-and-dance take on 18th-century American politics? Not quite sure why it has been the most-talked about theatre show of the past decade? The critically acclaimed hip hop musical, for which Miranda wrote the music, lyrics and the book, is about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, as well as inclusion and politics in current-day America. In addition to its swag of Tony Awards — 11 in fact, which includes Best Musical — it has nabbed a Grammy Award and even a Pulitzer Prize. Until 2021, Australians eager to see the show had to be content watching the filmed version of its Broadway production, which started streaming via Disney+ in 2020 (and yes, it's as phenomenal as you've heard). If you're not feeling financial enough to nab a seat, cross your fingers that the $10 ticket lottery, which offers Hamilton tickets for less than the cost of lunch, will return as well. There's no word yet whether Hamilton will also play new seasons in Melbourne or Brisbane, so cross your fingers for that, too. In March 2023, Miranda came to Australia to see the local production, calling the cast "so fantastic". "I remember seeing Jason Arrow's audition — it had to have been April or May of 2020, and it was around the time that we were watching and editing Hamilton for [the Disney+] release. So they were really stacking up against the originals in a very tangible way, and so we were really proud of the incredible company that we were able to put together from there locally," he said at a press conference in Brisbane "Every original cast is like a four-minute mile," Miranda continued. "They said scientists proved you couldn't run the mile in under four minutes, and then someone did it, and then suddenly everybody's running it — and I feel like original casts are like that. It's impossible to find that first cast, and then it attracts the people who know they can do it." Hamilton's 2024 Sydney season will play Sydney Lyric Theatre from Tuesday, July 30, 2024. Head to the musical's website for further details, or to sign up for the waitlist for tickets when they go on sale — with pre sales from Monday, November 27 and general sales from Monday, December 4. Production images: Daniel Boud.
The new and improved Sydney Fish Market is one step closer to reality, with the site's final designs unveiled today. The ambitious $250 million revamp, which was first announced back in June last year, will see the original market relocated to bigger purpose-built premises, just next to the existing market at the eastern end of Blackwattle Bay. Designed by Danish architects 3XN, the new harbourside building looks mighty impressive. A curved roof will be crafted from timber and aluminium — a design element that's meant to emulate the scales of a fish. The new market will be much more accessible and make use of its waterfront location with a new promenade, ferry stop and public wharves also being incorporated into the project. According to the State Government, moving the market should open up that side of Blackwattle Bay to the public. "Relocating the fish market to the new site will return Blackwattle Bay's foreshore to the public, improve pedestrian and cycling links and connect more of Pyrmont to the water as part of the long-awaited revitalisation of the area," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said in a statement today. Inside, the popular cooking school will be expanded and an assortment of bars, kiosks and restaurants will be made a focus so you'll ideally have even more options for staying for yum cha, lunch or dinner. Building expected to kick off in mid-2019 and completion slated for sometime in 2023. Because the build is a new structure, the existing market will continue to operate as usual while construction goes on.
A memoir in one's 20s — not an unprecedented move. But with a majority of Australians participating in the mass autobiography project known as social media, one that also might be written off as millennial brattiness. It's not that Natalie Yang doesn't have a good story to tell, it's just not the one rural Victoria was expecting…or particularly wants to hear. Natalie's book Banana Girl is kind of about her migrant experience. But it's mainly concerned with her many and varied sexual experiences. It's also not selling particularly well. After hearing her read an excerpt, the residents of the small town of Nagambie are scandalised, bemoaning her omission of the clichés of more famous migrant stories. Stricken with the myopia of the critically scorned, Natalie sets out to consolidate her position with a new book entitled 100 Cocks in 100 Nights. The process is unforgiving, the way marked by dissipating friendships and noses pushed out of joint. Originally conceived as a culturally diverse riff on Sex and the City, Going Down is also writer Michele Lee's attempt to deepen our understanding of what it's like to leave one country for another. "There is more to my story than what happened to my parents," she says. But the show is foremost a comedy in the vein of Girls or Broad City. If you're keen to see how conservative Victorians respond to being read a detailed description of a penis, Wharf 2 is the place to be this April.
Owners of The Taphouse — one of Sydney's most awarded craft beer venues — brothers James and Josh Thorpe know a thing or two about running a specialist beer house. And with this wealth of experience in mind, the duo has announced the arrival of their latest venture, Odd Culture. Opening on The Taphouse's second level, Odd Culture will be an adaptive drinking experience with a rotating menu of Australia's finest craft beers and natural wines. From twenty beers on tap to twelve wines and Australia's largest bottle list of wild ales and sour beers (over 100), there'll be something new to drink every time you drop in. When the doors open, some of the taps that will greet you include a wild fermented cherry ale from Marrickville's Wildflower Brewing and Blending, Wild Cider from Tasmania's acclaimed Two Metre Tall and Garage Project's Dinky Pinky Rhubarb and Strawberry barrel-aged sour. After the brothers bought The Taphouse in 2017, they carried on the venue's already established reputation as one of Sydney's best spots to try out the best of independent Australian beers. Similarly, Odd Culture aims to provide an accessible space that'll also stays respectful to the art of beer brewing. The long list of beers and wines are complemented by cocktails — such as Odd Culture's signature Sour Negroni, made with house-made tart vermouth — sodas from PS40 and a neat lineup of snacks. Food is antipasto-led and will also rotate, with a "revolving door" of cheese, cured meats and tinned seafoods on offer. If you're looking for something heartier, burgers and toasties on thick-cut sourdough are available, too. At Odd Culture, beers connoisseurs will feel at home with the venue taking its cues from historic beer and wine farmhouses. Peeling back the existing paint, subtle colours emerge while rustic antique furnishings fill out the space. Those looking to expand their beer knowledge can join fortnightly meet-and-greets with brewers and winemakers, the first one being held with Konpira Maru Wine's Alastair Reed and Bridge Road Brewers' head brewer James Dittko on Wednesday, August 15. Showcasing a diverse selection of wild fermented ales, sour beers, and natural and sustainable wines, the drinks list is a collaboration between two widely respected beer nerds Jordan Blackman (Chin Chin, Ananas) and Tom Evans (ex Royal Albert, Wayward). There's no printed tap or wine list, but once you arrive, there's little chance you're going home disappointed. Find Odd Culture at Level 2, The Taphouse, 122 Flinders Street, Darlinghurst. It is open from 5pm–midnight Mon–Wed, 5pm–1am Thur, 12pm–1am Fri–Sat, and 12p–11pm Sun. Images: Jasper Avenue
Montreal-based artist, Shelley Miller, has turned graffiti into a tasty artform. Her sugary designs have covered city walls in ornate scrolls and decorative motifs. She takes the conventional approach to graffiti, and turns it completely upside-down. Her designs are beautiful, intricate and look straight out the Victorian era. Miller's latest installation titled Throw-Up was part of the Nuit Blanche ("white night") project in September at the Metro Hall in Toronto, Canada. You could call her a sugar graffiti veteran. Having worked with cake icing for several years, Miller has exhibited works around the world including Canada, India and Brazil. And, she is even cooler than you think. Not only does she make amazing art, but it often represents more serious and important global issues. Her work has represented consumer culture and the historical links between sugar and slavery. Miller's pieces have been acquired by The City of Montreal, The Museum of Modern Art of Bahia, Reliance Industries and the Just for Laughs Museum (Montreal). Check out some of her unique street-art below and her website, here.
Summer is just around the corner, and you may be feeling the itch to splash some cash on new pieces. Maybe you're thinking of finally investing in a pair of those so-hot-right-now wooden-soled sandals, or a comfy jumpsuit for the coming summer parties. Then check out búl, a brand with sophisticated, versatile and comfortable styles. It's SoCal beach chic meets Melbourne edge in an effortless union. Their pieces are also well-designed, decently priced and oh-so modern. If you're familiar with the name, or curious to check it out, you'll be pleased to hear that the Sydney flagship store is opening on Thursday, November 7. The brand, which has two popular Melbourne locations and ran a successful pop-up in Sydney's Strand Arcade earlier this year, has found a permanent home amongst other chic boutiques on Paddington's Glenmore Road (That's right: an opening in Paddington. Keep 'em coming). The Spring/Summer 2014 collection, 'New Zealand', is stocked in the store now, so grab your credit cards and give this Melburnian a warm welcome. Shop 6, 2-16 Glenmore Road, Paddington; (02) 80215432; Open Mon - Wed and Fri - Sat 10am - 6pm, Thu 10am - 6pm, Sun 11am - 5pm.
Looking for fancy accommodation in the heart of Cairns, but still within stone's throwing distance to the water? The Pullman Cairns International provides. It's right in the middle of the CBD but still provides harbour views and tropical pools. It's in the perfect place for maximum exploration of the surrounding region – the Great Barrier Reef, waterfalls, Fitzroy and Green Islands and northern beaches are all your oysters. It's easy to hop on a day tour from here, don a snorkel or scuba mask and find yourself getting acquainted with the sealife of one of the world's largest coral reefs. But by staying in far north Queensland's biggest city, you'll also have access to the wealth of bars, clubs, cafes and restaurants that add an epicurean dimension to your holiday by night. Another perk: you're close to Cairns airport, so you can minimise the transit time and maximise hours logged on sunloungers and sundowners. The Pullman Cairns International is the largest 5-star hotel in Cairns' CBD, and it isn't just its colonial era architecture which make it so luxurious. All rooms have a balcony and a view, and the Cairns International also has a gym, the Vie Spa, and a pool with attached sundeck and jacuzzi. You may never want to be dry and clothed again. Make sure you eat at the hotel restaurant Coco's – all we need say is "seafood buffet" and "share plates". If you're hungry in daylight hours, the Lobby Bar also does a decadent high tea. Once you've eaten, head over to the award-winning Vie Spa for a cheeky massage or three. Try to come up here between April and October — not only you escape the winter drudgery of Australia's southern cities, you'll enjoy the more comfortable conditions of far north Queensland's dry season.
Anything set in the 1960s will draw the inevitable comparison with Mad Men, so let's get it done with in the first sentence: Made in Dagenham shares none of the glamour of that particular zeitgeist-definer, although it does have a charm all of its own. The movie charts the days when if you wanted to stay cool on the factory floor, you stripped down to your drawers, if you wanted to make an announcement, you stood on a chair, and if you wanted to get paid the same amount as a man, you faced derision. It's May 28, 1968, and Rita O'Grady (Sally Hawkins from Happy Go Lucky) is about to get pushed into the sexy, man's world of picketing, negotiating, speechifying and out-quoting Marx in the fight to get equal pay for Britain's women. It's all based on real events in which a group of female sewing machinists began a Ford factory-specific strike to be recognised as skilled workers that turned into a nationwide fight to pass legislation guaranteeing equal pay for equal work. Within a few years, similar laws were being made around the world. To get to that point, Rita and her friends have to outmanoeuvre the Ford bosses (including The West Wing's Richard Schiff) and some easily bought union leaders and get financially strained male and female workers on their side. Fortunately, Rita finds allies across both gender (Bob Hoskins' Albert, her union mentor) and class (Rosamund Pike's Lisa, the privileged but trapped wife of a Ford manager) and potentially in Secretary of State Barbara Castle (Miranda Richardson). Nigel Cole's picture captures the drab honesty of British working-class life in the tradition of Monty Python, although it's nicely pastel-rendered and floral-printed to allow for plenty of nostalgia, comedy and some well-played sentimentality. The movie has a great cast of characters (and actors to fill them) and contains touching moments of solidarity that will leave you longing to stand shoulder to shoulder with something. It's a subject worth documenting and a document worth watching. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Nc20m1JoDsw
The man who described Tony Abbott as “an absolute raving lunatic” is headed to Australia once again. A comedian, film star, TV host, author and wannabe revolutionary, Russell Brand will no doubt deliver his signature mix of politics and profanity when he tours around the country this October. Coming to the Sydney Opera House as part of Just for Laughs, Brand’s new stand-up show is titled Trew World Order after his YouTube series The Trews. It's described as “a rabble-rousing stab at creating, through the power of the crowd, a Trew World Order.” The comedian turned political activist has long been a divisive figure in the British media, seeming to actively seek out controversy wherever he can. He’s also been highly critical of Australia’s immigration policy, and recently threatened to try and “gay marry” Abbott while he was prime minister. Now that would be a hell of a show. Thanks to Just for Laughs, we have two double passes to give away to Trew World Order on October 23. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Buy this for a dollar: a history-making gay rom-com that's smart, sweet, self-aware and funny, and also deep knows the genre it slips into, including the heteronormative tropes and cliches that viewers have seen ad nauseam. Actually, Billy Eichner would clearly prefer that audiences purchase tickets for Bros for more that that sum of money, even if he spent five seasons offering it to New Yorkers in Billy on the Street while sprinting along the sidewalk and yelling about pop culture. Thinking about that comedy series comes with the territory here, however, and not just because Eichner brought it back to promote this very movie. Starring and co-written by the Parks and Recreation and The Lion King actor — with Forgetting Sarah Marshall and the Bad Neighbours franchise's Nicholas Stoller directing and co-scripting — Bros both presents and unpacks the public persona that helped make Billy on the Street such a hit: opinionated, forceful and wry, as well as acidic and cranky. No one person, be it the version of himself that Eichner plays in the series that helped push him to fame or the fictional character he brings to the screen in Bros — or, in-between, his struggling comedian and actor part in three-season sitcom Difficult People, too — is just those five traits, of course. One of Bros' strengths is how it examines why it's easy to lean into that personality, where the sheen of caustic irritability comes from, the neuroses it's covering up and what all that means when it comes to relationships. The movie does so knowingly as well. It's well aware that Eichner's fans are familiar with his on-screen type, and that even newcomers likely are also. Accordingly, when Bros begins, Eichner's in-film alter ego is shouting about pop culture and being adamant, grumpy and cutting about it. In fact, he's on a podcast, where he's relaying his failed attempt to pen a script for exactly the kind of flick he's in. A mainstream, studio-produced gay romantic comedy that starts out riffing on the difficulties of making a mainstream, studio-produced gay romantic comedy? Yes, that's Bros. ("Am I going to be in the middle of some high-speed chase and all of a sudden fall in love with Ice Cube?", Eichner asks as the feature's protagonist Bobby Lieber.) A film about a gay man known for a biting and droll disposition, starring a gay man similarly known for that type of biting and droll disposition? Yes, that's Bros as well. It's also a movie that makes fun of Hallmark rom-com schmaltz while featuring one of the US network's go-tos — that'd be Sense, Sensibility and Snowmen, A Shoe Addict's Christmas, Christmas in My Heart and The Mistletoe Promise's Luke Macfarlane — and a flick blasting Schitt's Creek some scorn while charting a comparable queer storyline. So, it's a feature that wears its obviousness and its contradictions in tandem, purposefully and proudly. Eichner's Bobby is 40, just received an LGBTQIA+-community Best Cis Male Gay Man award and has a dream gig setting up America's first national queer history museum. Rom-com logic, which Bros heartily subscribes to, means he has to discover his seeming opposite in a memorable way: a gay dance party where he complains to shirtless probate lawyer Aaron Shepard (Macfarlane) and finds sparks flying. How Stoller and Eichner handle this scene says plenty about the film, and the authentic view of gay romance, dating and sex it's committed to. Neither man — Grindr-swiping, emotionally unavailable, hardly content as they both are — is anything but himself. For Bobby, that means awkwardly flirting, getting furious when Aaron disappears mid-conversation, tracking him down and telling him about it, but also being non-committal and even angry for being attracted to him. For Aaron, it involves continuing to breeze around the party like nothing out of the ordinary has happened; "I'm supposed to fuck him and his husband later," he tells Bobby about two other buff, sweaty guys on the dancefloor as they're chatting. Even when the genre isn't giving the world the first romantic comedy about two gay men to be released by a major Hollywood studio — the first romantic comedy both written by and starring an openly gay man as well, and also one with an entirely LGBTQ+ main cast — rom-coms adore Bros' basic scenario. In the broad strokes, there's plenty that's universal in the overarching storyline about opposites attracting, the chaos that springs, and the risks and vulnerabilities it takes to love someone. Still, even when it's nodding to Meg Ryan's filmography and also managing to be a Christmas flick as well — and when it's brightly shot and bouncily paced, which is always — this is never a movie where its leads just happen to be gay. A straight couple couldn't just be subbed in with zero changes, and the chief aim is never to show that the same stock-standard struggles plague everyone in matters of the heart regardless of sexuality. Instead, Bros is brimming with detail specific to being a gay man today. That's true in the throuples, group sex and "must see pic of ass" dating-app requests that spark a hunt for ring lights and razors, and in the commentary about tragedy-heavy mainstream queer movies that typically catapult heterosexual actors to Hollywood awards. And, it echoes in the short but hilarious gag about a fictional new app called Zellweger, "for gays who want to talk about actresses and go to bed". Bros spans further, however, examining how Bobby has internalised a lifetime of homophobia directed his way, how that's shaped the persona he projects to the world, its influence over his romantic outlook and his underlying self-criticism. When the film also ponders why he's so conflicted about Aaron, and so acerbic and cynical towards parts of queer culture and its stereotypes, it digs into the same ideas — with a joke always mere seconds away, but with both thoughtfulness and heart. Bros remains unashamedly frothy, although never syrupy or saccharine. It's predictable, even if you've somehow only ever seen one rom-com before now. It runs on charm, care, warmth and insight, though — and more than enough eagerness to make the most of making history. There's just as much willingness, too, to add weight and heft to the picture's gay take on rom-com conventions, all amid Debra Messing appearances, Cher gags, Fire Island's Bowen Yang having all the fun as a rich investor, and the savvy bickering between Bobby's museum colleagues about the infinite shades of the rainbow gleaming in the LGBTQIA+ community. Crucially, there's an engaging and heartfelt boy-meets-boy story at the core of it all, as brought to the screen with two well-matched and affecting performances, in a movie that's determined to be equally honest, pioneering and entertaining.
Take one of popular culture's biggest supervillains, throw in one of today's very best actors and add the director of The Hangover trilogy. Only a few years ago, the above sentence might've seemed like a joke. Today, it's the reality we're living in — the reality that sees a standalone Joker movie cackling its way towards cinema screens, starring Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role. Move over Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and Jared Leto — it's Phoenix's time to don exaggerated clown makeup, wield a killer smile and wreak havoc on Gotham City. The just-released final trailer for Joker promises plenty of all three, as failed standup comedian Arthur Fleck turns to a life of facepaint-wearing crime (and eventually obsessing over Batman, we're guessing). As directed and co-written by Todd Phillips (Old School, Starsky & Hutch, Due Date), Joker also comes with a suitably unhinged vibe, as if Phoenix's You Were Never Really Here character stumbled into Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy. (Fittingly, the latter film plus Taxi Driver and Raging Bull have been cited as inspirations for the new DC Comics flick, and Scorsese is one of Joker's executive producers.) It also looks certain to help everyone forget that the last take on the famous villain only arrived three years ago, because who wants to remember Leto's green-haired turn in Suicide Squad? If the first and second trailers are anything to go by, it looks like Phoenix will — thankfully — follow in the footsteps of Nicholson and Oscar-winner Ledger instead, as he plays alongside his nemesis (and talk show host) Robert De Niro, his love interest Atlanta's Zazie Beetz and his mother Frances Conroy, as well as Marc Maron and Brett Cullen. But we'll have to wait till October to know for sure. If you'd like a dose of terrifying clown cinema before then, IT: Chapter Two drops next week. In the meantime, check out the final trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAGVQLHvwOY Joker releases in Australian cinemas on October 3, 2019.
The arrival of the Federal Budget this week, for most, was like looking into Mordor. But also released this week is a local government plan that's a source of light: The City of Sydney's first cultural policy, describing all we want our city to be and prescribing the immediate actions that will make it happen. It's been developed following a year of active consultation that included more than 2000 written submissions, plus all the chatter generated at forums and on Twitter. Why have a cultural policy? It's a way of formalising all the things that creative people love in Sydney and amplifying them. It's a way of making creative industries grow and our everyday lives be a little out of the ordinary. And it's a way of ensuring that new laws and regulations — as well as existing ones — work with those creative aspirations, not against them. The draft action plan pulls together ideas from New York, San Fran, Helsinki, Hobart (yes, Hobart) and Sydneysiders' own invention. After a month on exhibition, where you can still give feedback, it's set to go before City of Sydney Council on June 9. Here are six of its inspiring proposals that will soon become reality. Pop-ups will be (more) legal It's tough for a temporary venture to set up legal shop — so some choose not to, operating a la speakeasy. "[Chippendale pop-up The Eat-In] was this fantastic experience, but it was completely illegal because it didn't have the $25,000 grease trap, or all of the things that the health and building legislation and codes require anyone to have if they're setting up a permanent restaurant," says Rachel Healy, executive manager of culture at the City of Sydney. "And I guess the point is that it wasn't a permanent restaurant; it was creative experimentation around a new idea, which artists and creative workers do all the time." Pop-ups are a perfect example of what the cultural policy is about, really. The law is there to protect us from improvised, dubiously fitted out restaurants and bars — but we the public love them. Once the cultural policy passes, those laws that conflict with the broader vision are liable to change. The City of Sydney have committed to researching and reviewing regulatory impediments to pop-ups, both of the hospitality and creative varieties, so that there's less red tape and more jovial partaking in pigs on spits. In fact, cutting out red tape is a big theme throughout the cultural policy. Their whole attitude is that the creative people of Sydney are sitting on millions of brilliant ideas for their community; all the council has to do is facilitate them. Any single person who wants to put a public space to an unexpected creative use should be able to, they realise — even without the expertise of a big organisation behind them. This could be done in many ways, but we particularly like the submission that suggested an 'independent producer passport', including a simplified DA application, bar licence and zoning exemptions, information about insurance options and a point of contact within the police. Art & About Will Go All Year "What was really clear from the feedback that we got was that while the community and the sector love our festivals, and Sydney's really good at them … we do need to spend more time focusing on year-round activity," says Healy. So even though the outdoor public art smorgasbord of August/September's Art & About will continue, the festival will expand to include programming throughout the year. This won't be limited to the CBD — one of the big demands the City is more than happy to answer is to inject colour, art and interaction into public spaces throughout Sydney's 'villages'. There'll be heaps of art that's site-specific and brings out the history and culture of each area. What will that look like? Healy elaborates. "Those interesting experiences — the raining house near Hyde Park or the fantastic Craig Walsh work of the faces of protesters on the trees in Hyde Park — all of those interesting things won't only happen in a festival context but will happen throughout the year, so Sydney does become a city where those unexpected little moments become part of your everyday experience." Interest-Free Loans Will Help You Buy Art Home loans may be out of reach of most Sydneysiders, but soon we'll be able to go cry into the one appreciable asset we do own — art. A new scheme will give interest-free loans of up to $10,000 to buyers purchasing works from City of Sydney galleries and studios by living artists. "One of the policy directions is about removing barriers for greater engagement with the city's existing cultural life, and this is the most fantastic idea, that we've shamefully stolen from Arts Tasmania," says Healy. It's all in the name of improving access to culture, but the loan also benefits the artist, who might otherwise have not sold that work that so enamoured you. "More than five million dollars has gone through the scheme [in Tasmania]," says Healy. "Arts Tasmania would never have been in a position to give out five million dollars in grants to Tasmanian artists. What they did do, though, was develop a scheme where they enabled five million dollars to go into the wallets of Tasmanian artists, who are otherwise doing it pretty hard." The scheme is so perfect, in fact, that Tasmania's experienced zero defaults. Art lovers don't renege — fact. You'll be able to tell the difference between Surry Hills and Redfern There's no easy fix to the sameyness that seems to go hand in hand with gentrification, but the City of Sydney has a few ideas to preserve and develop what they call 'precinct distinctiveness'. They'll basically be trying extra hard to make sure King Street looks different to Crown Street, and neighbourhood festivals embody all that is special about your neck of the woods. The touchstone here is New York, the ultimate city of villages. To complete this nebulous task, they'll be encouraging projects that amplify each precinct's distinctive histories, stories and contemporary character through grants. You should also look out for cute maps and variations on those stripey deck chairs. Soundproofed rehearsal rooms in high-density housing Artist live-work spaces are something the council has been talking about for some time, and that commitment continues with the Cultural Policy. A cool addition, however, is in the smaller units of artistic infrastructure that mean anyone who has a shred of artsiness they want to nurture can have a space to do so. One of the City of Sydney's jobs is signing off on residential high-rise developments, so they're determined to push for creative spaces like soundproofed rehearsal rooms before they do so. "When Scandinavia turned over a whole lot of its community centres to kids who were engaged with metal music, they collectively had the most incredible impact on the metal scene worldwide," says Healy. "Making soundproof space available, particularly for young people, who've got a lot of time often but not much money, can have an incredible impact on what that city produces long-term. So long-term infrastructure is a really big part of what we're doing with this policy." Free public wi-fi (maybe, sometimes) Free omnipresent wi-fi is the dream, is it not? Working in the park without tethering to your temperamental phone, accessing maps as a tourist, torrenting all of Game of Thrones (jk! Would not do that to the nice councilpeople). Well, it's still a dream, for now. In the medium-term, though, the City of Sydney will investigate the introduction of wi-fi into major parks and squares, whether by partnering with business or some other means. Fingers crossed here. Surry Hills house image by rabbithoang via photopin cc.
We've had silent yoga sessions and silent coastal roaming disco parties. And now Sydney is getting the world's first large-scale silent opera. From October 28 to November 5, the celebrated steps of the Sydney Opera House will be transformed into an opera stage for the first time for a special live performance of Sydney Opera House — The Opera (The Eighth Wonder). How can an opera be silent, you ask? Well, both the opera singers and the orchestra will perform live (both on the steps and inside the House), and will be transmitted to the audience through personal headphones for an immersive aural experience. As you're listening, you'll also witness visual art installations (think your nan's Hills Hoist) and a live chorus enact the story in front of your eyes. The narrative behind the opera is fascinating – and completely factual. Using the backdrop of the Opera House, the performance will retell the story of how the Australian cultural landmark came to be, and — navigating people, triumphs, dreams and failures of the time — how it sculpted our cultural landscape as a whole. The performance will be nestled amidst a backyard cricket set-up and five pop-up eateries serving Aussie-as food, like vegetable pasties, BBQ shrimps and steak sangas. There will also be an exhibition of Max Dupain's iconic photographs of the construction of the Sydney Opera House.
UPDATE, October 9, 2021: In the Heights is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video, and is also screening in Sydney cinemas when they reopen on Monday, October 11. Lin-Manuel Miranda isn't the first lyricist to pen tunes so catchy that they get stuck in your head for years (yes, years), but his rhythmic tracks and thoughtful lines always stand out. Miranda's songs are melodic and snappy, as anyone who has seen Hamilton onstage or via streaming definitely knows. The multi-talented songwriter's lyrics also pinball around your brain because they resonate with such feeling — and because they're usually about something substantial. The musical that made his name before his date with US history, In the Heights echoes with affection for its eponymous Latinx New York neighbourhood. Now that it's reverberating through cinemas, its sentiments about community, culture, facing change and fighting prejudice all seem stronger, too. To watch the film's characters sing about their daily lives and deepest dreams in Washington Heights is to understand what it's like to feel as if you truly belong in your patch of the city, to navigate your everyday routine with high hopes shining in your heart, and to weather every blow that tries to take that turf and those wishes away. That's what great show tunes do, whisking the audience off on both a narrative and an emotional journey. Miranda sets his words to hip hop beats, but make no mistake: he writes barnstorming songs that are just as rousing and moving, and that've earned their place among the very best stage and screen ditties as a result. Watching In the Heights, it's hard not to think about all those stirring tracks that've graced previous musicals. That isn't a sign of derivation here, though. Directing with dazzling flair and a joyous mood, Crazy Rich Asians filmmaker Jon M Chu nods to cinema's lengthy love affair with musicals in all the right ways. His song-and-dance numbers are clearly influenced by fellow filmic fare, and yet they recall their predecessors only because they slide in so seamlessly alongside them. Take his staging of '96000', for instance. It's about winning the lottery, after word filters around that bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos, a Hamilton alum) has sold a lucky ticket. Due to the sweltering summer heat, the whole neighbourhood is at the public pool, which is where Chu captures a colourful sea of performers expressing their feelings through exuberantly shot, staged and choreographed music and movement — and it's as touching and glorious as anything that's ever graced celluloid. $96,000 won't set anyone up for life, but it'd make an enormous difference to Usnavi, In the Heights' protagonist and narrator. It'd also help absolutely everyone he loves. As he explains long before anyone even hears about the winning ticket, or buys it, every Heights local has their own sueñitos — little dreams they're chasing, such as his determination to relocate to the Dominican Republic. That's where his late father hailed from, and where he's set his sights on finding happiness. As Usnavi tells the movie's tale, he does so looking back while talking to kids on a beach, so his commitment to pursuing his chosen future can't be doubted. But this isn't just the story of how and if his sueñito eventuates. It's also about his fondness for hairdresser Vanessa (Melissa Barrera, Vida), who he can't muster up the courage to ask out. It's about her quest to pursue a fashion career in Manhattan, too, and about the yearnings stirring inside fellow locals Nina (film debutant Leslie Grace) and Benny (Corey Hawkins, BlacKkKlansman). The former is back from Stanford to tell her dad (Jimmy Smits, The Tax Collector) she doesn't want to return — and the latter, who works for her father, dreams of business school. Usnavi's young cousin Sonny (Gregory Diaz IV, Vampires vs The Bronx) also pines for a different path, as does salon owner and local mainstay Daniela (Daphne Rubin-Vega, Katy Keen). Some of In the Heights' sueñitos are big and bold, while others value beauty in the everyday — such as the resolve to seek dignity in minutiae that drives neighbourhood Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz, reprising her role from the stage). One of the things that's so entrancing about the film's narrative, which Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes adapts from her own stage efforts with Miranda, is the textured snapshot it builds by flitting between different Heights residents. Not just through its lively and heartfelt songs, but also via its energetic and loving lensing, it scratches away at their hopes and desires, chronicling how they're toiling, trying and persisting day in, day out. Miranda and Hudes don't shy away from the struggles faced by Usnavi and his friends, of course, or from the ups and downs in life that come for us all. But character by character, they build a vision of heart and hope in one very specific place, as aided by Chu putting his past experience directing Step Up: 2 the Streets and Step Up 3D to exceptional use. In the Heights isn't just about dreams — it's also dreamy. Some of its musical numbers literally climb the walls with jubilation, or evocatively peer back in time, and it's just like stepping into Usnavi, Claudia and company's fantasies, emotions and memories with them. The grounding factor, other than the passion in every word, and the issues such as gentrification, economic inequality, racism and oppressive immigration policy that get pushed to the fore: Chu's phenomenal cast. Taking over the role that Miranda earned a Tony nomination for, Ramos is a dream, fittingly. His performance is so warm and engaging that hanging on his every rapped syllable is just part of the experience. He's surrounded by just-as-impressive co-stars, spanning the spectrum from Grace's simmering resolve and Barrera's pluck to Stephanie Beatriz's (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) scene-stealing supporting turn as a salon co-owner— and a singing and dancing Smits, too, as well as Miranda as a piragua cart vendor. The cinematic reverie they're all in isn't quite perfect, as its pacing often signals, but neither is any genuine dream. The best fantasies are always intoxicating, invigorating, impassioned and infectious, however, and truly mean something. In the Heights ticks all those boxes, and also finds time for a delightful Hamilton reference.
My yoga studio has a basketball court below it. During a calming session of yoga, it is not uncommon to hear the piercing screech of a whistle, frequent cheering and the intermittent shrieks of "great shot Mike!". One time, I kid you not, there was a marching band procession going down, and the instructor had to calmly try and talk over the incessant drumming. Quite un-zen. Flow After Dark Silent Disco Yoga seeks to give yoga enthusiasts the exact opposite experience. How exactly does one silent disco yoga? Quite easily with the introduction of wireless headphones. These bad boys give participants a one-on-one with instructor, Flow Athletic co-founder Kate Kendall, while simultaneously pumping out beats from Sydney DJ James Mack. Also, they're neon. Their latest 90-minute Vinyasa yoga session — their last for 2016 — will celebrate not only yoga, but Halloween. Held on Thursday, October 27, the pre-Halloween yogi get together will have a range of pop-ups, including a make-up station to get you themed for the holiday. It's probably your best (possibly only) chance to show off your best warrior pose while simultaneously jiving to some seriously smooth music. Silently.
Lovers of Die Hard references and 'title of your sex tape' jokes, rejoice — and start planning your next Halloween heist. Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the beloved sitcom that all of the above gags form an important part of, has just been renewed. And if this feels a little like deja vu, there's a good reason for that. Basically, what a difference 18 months can make. This time back in May 2018, the show was cancelled after its fifth season by Fox, its original American network. An outcry followed, so rival US channel NBC came to the rescue, picking up the series just 31 hours later and committing to a sixth season of cop comedy. It was the latest tense move in the B99's history, with the threat of axing looming over the show since it premiered in 2013. Now, much to delight of fans, that's no longer the case — at least for the next two seasons. Back in March, the series was renewed for a 13-episode seventh season. Just last week, it was announced that those new episodes (and gags) will hit screens in both the US and Australia from early February. But there's even more exciting news in store for the fine fictional detectives of Brooklyn's 99th precinct, with NBC now renewing the series for an eighth season even before the seventh season airs. It seems that the network is rather fond of Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg), Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero), Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz), Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio), Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) and Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher) — and even Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) and Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller). https://twitter.com/nbcbrooklyn99/status/1195037124342378497?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Enews%7Ctwgr%5Etweet Yes, Brooklyn Nine-Nine fans can't utter "noice" fast or often enough. Or, as Peralta would say: cool cool cool. Expect season eight to air during the 2020–21 US TV season — although just when it'll screen obviously hasn't been revealed this far in advance. We do have season seven to get through first, after all. Aussie fans have been very fortunate in recent years, with SBS dropping new episodes in line with their US screenings, and that'll continue with season seven from February 2020. Here's hoping the same proves the case when season eight rolls around. As always, there are plenty of B99-appropriate ways to mark this development. Breaking out a celebratory yoghurt, Terry Jeffords-style, is definitely in order. If you're more like Captain Raymond Holt, perhaps you'd like to treat yourself to a trip to a barrel museum. Or you could channel your inner Gina Linetti and dance about your happy feelings. Brooklyn Nine-Nine's eighth season will air sometime in 2020 or 2021. Before that, the show's seventh season will start screeening from Friday, February 7, 2020, Australian time on SBS Viceland. Via Variety.
UPDATE, October 29, 2020: Paterson is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Who knew that watching the ebb and flow of an ordinary life could be so illuminating and soothing? Jim Jarmusch, that's who. If ever there was a movie that's destined to become contemplative comfort viewing, it's the new effort from the director of Dead Man, Coffee and Cigarettes and Only Lovers Left Alive. In Paterson, the daily grind of waking, working, talking with friends and loved ones, walking the dog and hanging out in a bar offers plenty of food for thought, particularly for anyone keen to peer beyond the surface of seemingly average, expected occurrences. In one of the movie's numerous instances of mirroring and symmetry, the film's title refers to many things. It's the name of a bus driver (Adam Driver) in New Jersey, as well as the name of the town where he was born, raised and still lives. It adorns the vehicle he steers from Monday to Friday, and the weighty tome by one of his favourite poets that sits on his desk. Paterson has a way with lyrical turns of phrase, too, which he jots down as he follows his usual schedule. Sometimes he takes inspiration from snippets of chatter he overhears between bus passengers, or interactions with strangers as he walks home from work. Sometimes he reflects upon his modest but happy relationship with his enthusiastic wife, Laura (Golshifteh Farahani), who styles their house in black and white patterns, bakes cupcakes and decides to learn the guitar. Jarmusch's features have always flirted with the poetic, preferred minimalism and intimacy, and frequently found beauty in the commonplace. In that way, Paterson is the latest example of the writer-director doing what he's done best for more than three decades. However it's also an astute, insightful ode to everyday creativity and contentment. Over the course of eight days, Paterson's waking hours appear to repeat the same cycle and yet also reveal crucial slivers of difference. While many movies try to paint their protagonist as an everyman, this one goes a step further. Even when he's noticing twins all around him, trading verse with children or chatting with strangers about great writers, everything feels purposefully warm and familiar. Indeed, Paterson proves the kind of movie that overflows with recognisable details, and immediately resonates for that very reason, while also gazing deeper into existential matters. It brims with grace, affection and solace, but avoids sugarcoating the reality it depicts. Oozing gentle emotion, the work of Driver, outstanding Iranian actress Farahani, and scene-stealing Cannes Palm Dog-winning canine Nellie is pivotal in perfecting that balance. Often ranging from soulful yet commanding, energetic yet yearning, and cute yet probing in turn, the trio offer an engaging glimpse of the colour and quiet contrasts inherent in an ordinary life. Add Jarmusch's fondness for evoking the literary art form at the film's centre wherever he can — in the visual harmony evident in every image, in the rhythm of the movie's pacing, and including text on screen — and Paterson couldn't be more meditative or more moving. The film is a revealing character study, a reminder to recognise the small stuff that comprises much of our existence, and an appreciation of the ups and downs of living, all in one.
Pushing ladies to the front, welcoming them on-stage to discuss their fields of expertise and their experiences, and exploring a broad range of topics that are relevant to women: that's been the aim of Sydney Opera House's key feminist festival since 2013. From its inception, All About Women has dedicated a day to focusing on female voices, fittingly popping up around International Women's Day each year. Of course, it's never been possible to confine everything there is to talk about to one single day, so 2022's fest is expanding. When next March rolls around, All About Women will mark its tenth festival — and it'll hit double digits and broaden its footprint in tandem. To celebrate, Sydney Opera House's Head of Talks & Ideas Chip Rolley and First Nations legal academic, broadcaster, filmmaker, writer and Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt OA, the event's co-curators, have amassed an impressive range of speakers to participate in talks, panels, performances and workshops. The big focus: bravery, allyship and collective responsibility. One of the must-attend sessions of the 2022 fest, which'll take place between Saturday, March 12–Sunday, March 13: current and former Australians of the Year Grace Tame and Rosie Batty, who'll appear together publicly for the first time. In a session to moderated by author and political commentator Jamila Rizvi, they'll chat through the title they've both shared, including its challenges and opportunities. [caption id="attachment_837696" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacquie Manning[/caption] Another of All About Women's key talks will feature American Bad Feminist and Hunger writer Roxane Gay in conversation with writer/actor and Gamilaroi/Torres Strait Islander woman Nakkiah Lui, discussing their personal experiences of racism and misogyny. Other highlights include a session on the story of 'Kate', who posthumously accused federal MP Christian Porter of sexual assault; an exploration of consent, featuring lawyer and author Bri Lee, writer Lucia Osborne-Crowley, and advocate for sexual assault law reform Saxon Mullins; a conversation with Distinguished Professor Aileen Moreton-Robinson, Goenpul author of Indigenous feminist text Talkin' Up to the White Woman; and a panel discussing the everyday of disabled parenting curated and led by Eliza Hull, whose anthology of stories by disabled parents, We've Got This, will soon be published. [caption id="attachment_837698" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacquie Manning[/caption] The rest of the lineup also features an opening night gala headlined by poet and contemporary dancer Tishani Doshi, who'll perform Girls Are Coming Out of the Woods; writer, historian and podcaster Yves Rees hosting a panel that imagines a future without gendered expectations; Fight Like A Girl, Boys Will Be Boys and How We Love's Clementine Ford giving a secular sermon on love; a panel on the fate of women in Afghanistan now the Taliban has taken back control of the country; a session highlighting veteran ABC journalist Laura Tingle; and a panel showcasing next generation First Nations voices. While the festival is going ahead in-person for Sydneysiders, it'll also live-stream to viewers both around Australia and worldwide — because this top-notch program, and the subjects it covers, can't be confined to either one day or one place. All About Women 2022 will take place on Saturday, March 12–Sunday, March 13 at the Sydney Opera House. Livestream tickets and event multipacks are on sale from 9am AEDT on Thursday, December 16, with single-ticket pre-sales starting at the same time — and general public tickets available from 9am AEDT on Friday, December 17. Top image: Prudence Upton.
When a spider spins a web, the strands are designed to trap prey for the eight-legged arachnid to consume. Madame Web tries to do something similar. The fourth live-action film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, it attempts to create a movie meal by capturing bits and pieces from anywhere and everywhere. There's Spidey nods, of course, variations on the "with great power comes great responsibility" line and more than one Spidey-like figure included. Introducing a new superhero to the screen, it's an origin story, complete with a tragic past to unfurl. Set in 2003 but with ample 90s tunes in the soundtrack, it endeavours to get retro as well. In its best touch, Madame Web winks at star Dakota Johnson's (Cha Cha Real Smooth) Hollywood family history, with a pigeon bringing The Birds, as led by her grandmother Tippi Hedren (The Ghost and the Whale), to mind. And, catching inspiration just like flies, the film also strives to be a serial-killer thriller. Look out, though. Here's hoping that spiders have more luck snaring a feast than Sony has in swinging Madame Web into its not-MCU franchise. They're not officially counted as part of the saga, and they're both exceptional unlike this, but the studio's animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse also help explain Madame Web's existence and approach. In trying to carve out a Spidey space around the Peter Parker version of the webslinger, who is now part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sony has been throwing everything it can at the screen. In the Spider-Verse flicks, that means a kaleidoscope of spider-folk, plus dazzling visuals and creative storytelling to match, demonstrating that people in suits isn't the best way to tell caped-crusader tales in cinema. In the SSU, focusing on a heap of peripheral Spidey figures is instead the tactic — and it's as piecemeal as it sounds. Hence Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius, the upcoming Kraven the Hunter and the on-the-way third Venom title. Hence also the feeling that giving whichever bit players Sony can their own features, in the name of making a sprawling superhero saga with well-known stars because everyone else is (see also: DC), is the money-chasing move. In Madame Web's case, its namesake from the comics has scored a makeover to fit the franchise's mould — so, instead of being an elderly mutant with clairvoyant powers, who is both blind and attached to a web-like life-support system, she's 30 and sports Johnson's famous off-screen devil-may-care attitude. It's easy to wonder while watching if the film's lead took the gig just to wreak havoc on the press tour. Johnson's presence also gives viewers plenty to be thankful for. She hasn't gone for serious and solemn. She isn't playing for laughs, either. Instead, she lends the flick her charisma and knack for playing charmingly awkward, all without ever seeming bogged down by how lacklustre the movie around her is; now that's a superpower. Madame Web arrives on the big screen with one of its pieces of dialogue already sporting meme-level notoriety, except that it doesn't actually include that line. The clunky "he was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders right before she died" became the best-known aspect of the feature's trailer when the sneak peek hit in 2023, but it isn't in the finished film. Words to the same effect are, describing the fact that Johnson's Cassie Webb is the daughter of scientist Constance (Kerry Bishé, Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber), who has spun off this mortal coil — and that explorer Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim, Napoleon), the flick's big bad, was there with her. That was back in 1973. In the movie's present, Cassie has grown up in foster care, now spends her days saving lives with her work partner Ben (Adam Scott, Party Down), then starts seeing the future after a near-death experience. The full backstory, which also provides the feature's prologue, involves Constance getting bitten in Peruvian jungle under the guidance of Amazonian spider-people Las Arañas as a way of saving the unborn Cassie's life. That's the reason for the adult Cassie's visions — and, thanks to his own interaction with the magic arachnids from the area, for Ezekiel's spider-like physical abilities and dreams of his impending death. In the latter, he sees three spider-esque women ending his existence. His plan: locate them now (with the help of The Flight Attendant's Zosia Mamet and some technology that doesn't really fit 2003), murder them, live evilly for longer. Only Cassie can stop that from happening, with Julia Cornwall (Sydney Sweeney, Anyone But You), Anya Corazon (Isabela Merced, Migration — and also Dora in Dora and the Lost City of Gold) and Mattie Franklin (Celeste O'Connor, Ghostbusters: After Life) soon in her care despite not knowing her, or each other, beforehand. It doesn't bode well for veteran TV director SJ Clarkson (Succession, Vinyl, Jessica Jones) that her first cinematically released feature, which she co-wrote with producer Claire Parker (Life on Mars), also includes Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless as scribes. The pair with Dracula Untold, The Last Witch Hunter, Gods of Egypt and Power Rangers on their resume scripted Morbius, too, which is still the worst SSU movie — but generic, bland, caring zero about characters and basically sketching out scaffolding for monotonous action scenes remains their niche. Madame Web's serial-killer angle does stand out, more for feeling like it could've been the plot of a 90s effort about a psychic protecting three teen girls that had zero Spider-Man ties. That flick wouldn't have needed such routine fights and chases, either, or proven what too much caped-crusader fare constantly does: like join-the-dots filler. Enlisting ace talent such as Johnson, Sweeney and Scott, each of whom do what they can with stock-standard roles — as do Merced and O'Connor (alas, the usually stellar Rahim's part is woefully thankless) — can't paper over Madame Web's desperation to send strands Spider-Man's way. The 2003 setting could've been a Tobey Maguire (Babylon)-era nod, but with Ben's surname Parker and his pregnant sister Mary (Emma Roberts, American Horror Story) having a boy, the timing is geared to connect with the Tom Holland (The Crowded Room) iteration. A mid-movie scene blatantly yearning to make that leap also helps sum up Madame Web. At a baby shower for Mary, Cassie doesn't want to get roped into the antics, turns the room silent by talking about her mum's death and interrupts the big name reveal. Johnson kills it, but the need to link into a franchise that isn't even the SSU crashes. Unsurprisingly, pitching the whole picture to setup a future Spider-Woman trio flick feels like just as much as a stretch. Unless Madame Web becomes a box-office smash, no one, not even Cassie, would foresee a follow-up coming to fruition after this tangled mess.
This month Alex Steinweiss, the inventor of the album cover, died at the age of 94. In the 1930s his simple idea revolutionised the marketing of music, and although the digital revolution hasn't killed off the music industry in the way many predicted, perhaps the marketing and consumption of music is due for another shake up. We look at three ways artists are using new tech to grab their fans' attention and beat the pirates. 1. Make it collaborative. Many a young band has called on friends and fans to help make their first film clip. British band The Vaccines have taken the idea to their entire fanbase, inviting them to provide images of their summer festival experiences via instagram to make the clip to their new song 'Wetsuit.' Other artists like Imogen Heap have gone a step further and asked fans to pitch in with creating the lyrics and music. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ur-y7oOto14 2. Make it interactive. By and large, music is now consumed digitally, either online or via a portable device that probably starts with 'i'. In the same way that Steinweiss used the medium of the record sleeve, artists are using the web and digital devices to express their creativity and involve the 'listener' on more levels. The Polyphonic Spree's latest single Bullseye is available as an interactive, video-game-like app. OK Go have released their latest song, 'All Is Not Lost', online with a dedicated website where, thanks to the magic of HTML5, viewers can generate a customised, kaleidoscopic video featuring their own message spelled out by the Pilobolus dancers. https://youtube.com/watch?v=o8AELvVUFLw 3. Make it immersive. Going one step further, Bjork has released her entire album Biophilia as a free app. Within the app you can purchase the tracks, each of which comes with its own game, video, musical score and sleeve notes. The volume and variety of material on offer demonstrates that there is a world of possibilities for artists to deliver far more than just an audio file, and change the way we consume music. [via PSFK]
When we take that first sip of our barista-brewed coffee on a workday morning, we often say to ourselves, and our friends, "I can't imagine living without coffee." Well, what about living without a roof over your head or a guaranteed meal? Unfortunately, this is what many homeless people around Australia face each day, but on Friday, June 7, you can help out simply by purchasing a coffee as part of CafeSmart. CafeSmart is an annual event from StreetSmart that raises money and awareness for the homeless and is back for its third year running, aiming to build on the $74,477 raised last year. From every coffee purchased at a participating cafe, $1 will be donated towards local projects, so if your cafe is not participating, head to one that is, just for one day. You can also donate at the counter, so if you prefer a hot chocolate, then you can still help out. It's one day when the little things can definitely make a big difference.
After being such a hit last year, Rye July at The Glenmore is back for more. What does this celebration of rye, scotch, whiskey and whisky mean for you? It means a whole entire month of glorious one-off appreciation classes, cocktails and tastings on the cosy lounge level. Delicious. Aside from the Rye July cocktails and whisky tasting flights, there are four main events. Experience whiskies from across Scotland and Ireland at the Scotch tasting and Irish tasting nights. Learn how to make classic American whiskey-based cocktails in the American cocktail making class. Go through the complete range of whiskies at An evening with Johnnie Walker. All classes have food provided by The Glenmore kitchen. If July is too cold for you, warm yourself up from the inside out. Limited tickets are available for each event. For more information or to book tickets, email info@theglenmore.com.au or call (02) 9247 4794.
In 2009 Phoenix Keating, at the young age of 17, was immediately put into the fashion spotlight when his first collection caught the eye of music icon Lady Gaga. And he became a legend in 2011 when Lady Gaga wore two of Keating's outfits at her spontaneous show in Sydney. His designs are unique and striking, mixtures of classic and avant-garde with a touch of vintage flare. Since then, Keating has gathered quite the media following and his career has quickly developed into a successful label. His debut at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia without a doubt took Keating's label to the next level. Keating's sophisticated, dramatic and powerful designs contradict his age and the low-key, relaxed attitude of many other Australian designers. Keating has brought a new drama to the Australian fashion industry, similar to that of Europe's industry. Some fashion experts even say that the industry is looking much more promising because of Keating. His response to this? Surprise! And gratitude. We chat to Keating about fashion, success at a (absurdly) young age, the outer space/spaghetti western nexus and Lady Gaga. What was it like preparing for your first solo show? It was incredibly nerve-racking. I wasn't sure what people were going to think of the collection. I'm still not sure what people are going to think of the collection. And I was a big perfectionist, to my team's dismay for this collection. But it was so great to have the support of my team. What was your inspiration behind the collection shown today? The story from today's collection, well, it's about an alien who comes to Earth and is trying to blend in. She can only study humans through film so she studies a lot of films. She stumbles across spaghetti western films, like Clint Eastwood films. And she becomes obsessed, absolutely obsessed by these films. She also becomes obsessed with Clint Eastwood. So she does herself up in a western way, she's taken a bit from the '40s and a bit from the '50s, [but] she comes to Earth and she looks a bit off. She's trying to look human but she's not really looking too human. The collection develops and then it's about her journey to find Clint Eastwood. And when she finds Clint Eastwood, she is a little bit let down because he dismisses her. And when he does this she becomes completely evil. So the colour scheme of the collection goes from white to black and I've developed these big black shapes. So,what I did with this collection is take the western and really modernise it and I made it alien — so it's alien western I guess you could say. It's about how no matter which worlds we can travel to and no matter how advanced we've become we can still feel that deep pain and deep sorrow. That's so interesting. Does each collection have a background story like that? Every single collection I've done. How does it feel to be done with your debut? It's bittersweet and it's also lovely. What are your next steps now that the show is over? Next collection! I've started to design it but nothing too solid yet. So, you emerged as a designer in 2009. Do you feel your artistic style has changed or evolved since then? It's a lot more cohesive than before. I'm not doing things in a rushed fashion like I used to. And I think it's just me growing as a designer, I finish things now. How would you describe your signature look as a designer? I just feel like I juxtapose. I take opposites and make them work together. I love vintage and I love past eras. I love Lauren Bacall and I love Audrey Hepburn. I always get my inspiration from those types of women but I take it somewhere modern and quite new and fresh. You're only 21, but many fashion experts and writers say that you have the talent of a designer twice your age, what do you think about that? I'm very passionate about what I do and I think that reflects in my work. It hasn't just been a two-minute affair with fashion; it's been a prevalent thing for many, many, many, many years. In high school all I did was sit there and draw, and I guess I knew that I had something from that age on. Everything I designed from then on I look at now. I think it's just something that I really, really love to do. So, fashion has been prevalent in your life for quite some time. When did you know that you wanted to be a designer? At the age of 13. I wanted to be an actor before then and I don't know why but my dreams were dashed. And I don't know why I did it, but I made a dress for my year eight project and I just fell in love with the way it looked. It was like a '50s dress and it was pretty cool actually. I fell in love with it (designing clothes) then. Your career seemed to skyrocket after Lady Gaga was seen wearing your clothing in 2011. How has your career developed since Lady Gaga? Undoubtedly she has propelled me much faster then I would have on my own. I probably owe this to her right now. I probably owe this show to her right now. I have a great deal of respect for her helping me and helping other young designers around the world. It's priceless and it helps so much!
The centrepiece of the 2018 Biennale of Sydney was Ai Weiwei's 60-metre inflatable boat, a critique and exploration of the global refugee crisis. This year, when the Biennale returns to art galleries across Sydney, the lineup of 100-plus artists will be examining another poignant issue close to the heart of Australia: First Nations sovereignty and intergenerational trauma. Running from Saturday, March 14 until Monday, June 8, the 2020 Biennale is entitled Nirin, which means 'edge' in the language of western NSW's Wiradjuri people. This year's theme is timely, for two reasons: the 2020 blockbuster falls on the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook's voyage to Australia — and it will be helmed by a new First Nations artistic director, famed Sydney-born, Melbourne-based interdisciplinary artist Brook Andrew. [caption id="attachment_759715" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arthur Jafa, Still from The White Album (2018). Photo courtesy the artist and Gavin Brown's enterprise, New York/Rome; commissioned by the University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA). © Arthur Jafa, 2018[/caption] Andrew has selected an impressive lineup of artists and creatives — many of them First Nations — from around the world to exhibit at the Art Gallery of NSW, Woolloomooloo's Artspace, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Cockatoo Island, MCA and the National Art School for the exhibition's 12 weeks. On the just-announced program, you'll find the Southern Hemisphere premiere of Arthur Jafa's Golden Lion-awarded work The White Album, Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens's immersive work symbolising the disproportionate number of incarcerated Indigenous Australian women and a large-scale political protest piece by Pitjantjatjara artist Kunmanara Mumu Mike Williams (who passed away last year). Cockatoo Island will be home to a wide range of works, including Ghanaian-born artist Ibrahim Mahama's sprawling installation of coal sacks; Tony Albert's interactive greenhouse, where you'll be invited to write and plant messages; and Tlingit/Unangax̂ artist Nicholas Galanin's excavation work that'll 'dig up' the land beneath the shadow of Hyde Park's Captain Cook statue. Elsewhere, Ahmed Umar's ceramic sarcophagus will be shown at the MCA; DJ Hannah Catherine Jones will perform an audiovisual work inspired by pop-culture, poetry and provocative imagery; Andrew Rewald's evolving community garden will take over NAS; and Leisa Reihana's multi-channel video installation and film will explore the history of Māori and South Pacific Islander peoples. [caption id="attachment_759716" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ahmed Umar, 'What Lasts! (Sarcophagus)' Courtesy the artist.[/caption] Running alongside the free Nirin exhibitions this year will be Nirin Wir: a program of free and ticketed events taking place all over the city, from the Blue Mountains to La Perouse. You can listen to in-depth conversations between First Nations artists and other artists at the multi-location Aabaakwad, head to Cockatoo Island for 4ESydney Hip Hop Festival, watch an all-Indigenous Australian cast discuss Australia's 60,000-year history and debate the question "To cook Cook or not?' at Sydney Town Hall and join a performative walking tour of Parramatta Female Factory Precinct or a guided bushwalk through Dharawal National Park with Aunty Deirde Martin. Favourite events such as the Bankstown Poetry Slam and Sunday family day will also return for the festival. The 22nd Biennale of Sydney runs from March 14–June 8 2020. The Nirin exhibitions are free and tickets are on sale now for Nirin Wir. Top images: Lisa Reihana 'Tai Whetuki - House of Death Redux' (2016) at The Walters Prize, Auckland Art Gallery; Andrew Rewald 'Alchemy Garden'.
Byron Bay's Bluesfest has lost another name from its 2023 lineup, with acclaimed rapper Sampa the Great pulling out of this year's festival. Just over six weeks out from the Easter long-weekend fest, Bluesfest today announced its playing times for the five-day music program and a revised lineup, both of which were missing Sampa. A member from Sampa's team confirmed to Concrete Playground that Zambian hip hop trailblazer will not be performing at the festival. US supergroup The Soul Rebels & Friends with special guests Talib Kweli, GZA and Big Freedia also appears missing from the set times and revised lineup, however, there's been no confirmation of the group's removal from the lineup. Bluesfest was reached out to for comment on both Sampa and The Soul Rebels, but did not respond before publication. [caption id="attachment_811633" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sampa the Great, Lucian Coman[/caption] The lineup change follows Monday's announcement that King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard had also removed themselves from the program. The band's decision to withdraw from the festival was kept reasonably vague but, in a statement, the Melbourne psych-rock group cited the festival's decision to book content that conflicts with their values as the reason they won't be appearing. "As a band and as human beings, we stand against misogyny, racism, transphobia and violence," King Giz's statement reads. "Surprised and saddened to see Bluesfest commit to presenting content that is in complete opposition to these values." "Given this decision by the festival, we have decided to cancel our appearance at Bluesfest," continues the statement. "We are deeply disappointed to be in this position but sometimes you need to be willing to make sacrifices to stand up for your values. This is, unfortunately, one of those moments." Controversy began brewing around this year's Bluesfest after the unveiling of its sixth artist announcement which featured the band Sticky Fingers. The booking of Sticky Fingers received online backlash from others in the music industry including Jaguar Jonze and Camp Cope's Sarah Thompson. Dylan Frost, Sticky Fingers' frontman, has been the subject of serious allegations which include physically threatening First Nations singer Thelma Plum and harassing a transgender woman at a Sydney pub. Frost and bassist Paddy Cornwall were also caught in an alleged brawl with each other in 2019 which saw Cornwall charged with affray. Bluesfest previously faced controversy after festival director Peter Noble compared a Jewish woman to a Nazi for commenting on the gender imbalance present on the first announcement of the festival's 2018 lineup. The festival will continue without King Giz and Sampa the Great from Thursday, April 6 until Monday, April 10 with headliners including Gang of Youths, Paolo Nutini, Tash Sultana, Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers and Beck. [caption id="attachment_876098" align="alignnone" width="1920"] King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Jason Galea[/caption] Bluesfest 2023 will run from Thursday, April 6–Monday, April 10 at Byron Events Farm, Tyagarah. For the most up-to-date lineup, head to the Bluesfest website. Top image: Jordan Munns.
Music lovers and festival fans, get excited: Spilt Milk is back for 2023, hitting up Canberrra's Exhibition Park on Saturday, November 25. Post Malone leads the lineup, with Dom Dolla and Latto also topping the bill. So, expect to hear everything from 'Sunflower' and 'I Like You' to 'Rhyme Dust' and 'Big Energy'. Tkay Maidza and Aitch also rank among Spilt Milk's impressive 2023 names, with Chris Lake, Dermot Kennedy, Budjerah, Cub Sport, Lastlings, Partiboi69, Ocean Alley, Peach PRC, Royel Otis similarly set to hit the stage. Also, because this fest is also about food, there'll be bites to eat from Chebbo's Burgers, 400 Gradi, Chicken Treat, and the BBQ and Beer Roadshow. Originally only held in Canberra, then expanding to Ballarat, then the Gold Coast and now also Perth in 2023, the multi-city one-dayer has cemented its spot as a must-attend event for a heap of reasons — with this year's lineup clearly one of them. [caption id="attachment_851187" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] SPILT MILK 2023 LINEUP: Post Malone Dom Dolla Aitch Budjerah Chris Lake Cub Sport Dermot Kennedy Djanaba Grentperez Jessie Murph Lastlings Latto Lime Cordiale May-A Mincy Ocean Alley Pacific Avenue Partiboi69 Peach PRC Poolclvb Redhook Royel Otis The Buoys The Dreggs Tia Gostelow Tkay Maidza Apricot Ink Clique & Brittany Demarco G.A.C.T (Just Tneek, Kinetictheory, Bin Juice, Geo) Sophie Edwards Sputnik Sweetheart Zach Knows Top image: Billy Zammit.
Look, lockdown wasn't the best of times. But that's not to say there weren't some perks — no commute, perfecting that sourdough starter and the knock-off wines had in the garden were pretty good, too. Not to mention the comfortable and inventive fashion choices we made when working from home (WFH). While many may be ready to ditch the Uggs and trackies, there are still a great many of us who have embraced the WFH aesthetic — and totally nailed it. So, even though we're back in the office (at least sometimes), we don't want to forgo all those stellar outfits. Together with American Express, we've come up with a list of wardrobe essentials that can take you from your morning coffee, into the office and right through to the end of the day where all you want to do is flop on the couch. Take a peek at these eight comfy-but-oh-so-chic threads and level up your work wardrobe. You'll just have to leave those fuzzy slippers at home.
Make sure you get your proper Sunday morning sleep in, because today you'll be dominating one, or many of the 13 bouldering courses at Nomad, a new bouldering gym that's popped up in Annandale. Home to the largest bouldering arch in the Southern Hemisphere, Nomad has 980 square metres of wall surface for you to climb all over. The somewhat terrifying difference between bouldering and normal rock climbing is that you'll be doing this activity without a harness. After you've finished working up a sweat, wind down with an arvo session at Wayward Brewing just around the corner. Check out who may be dishing out eats this weekend, cosy up on the vintage couches surrounded by friendly people and enjoy some Sunday live music from 4pm to 7pm.
Netflix might be making a docu-soap about Byron Bay influencers, but it isn't the only streaming service set to beam the area's scenic backdrops into Australian homes. Stan will soon unveil Eden, a new eight-part series shot in the coastal town and New South Wales' Northern Rivers region. It's unlikely that this fictional mystery-drama will receive the same backlash that Netflix's reality TV show has been garnering since its announcement, though. Eden does sound somewhat familiar, however. Like plenty of TV shows — Twin Peaks and The Killing, just to name two — it begins with a missing person. From there, it also charts the secrets and revelations festering beneath the surface of its small-town setting. In this case, a young woman has disappeared, with the series chronicling the aftermath over the course of a summer. The just-released first teaser sets the mood — and if you're wondering when the whole show will drop, Stan is yet to reveal an exact date. But, sometime this year (and likely to be sooner rather than later), you'll be able to watch a cast that includes BeBe Bettencourt (The Dry), Sophie Wilde (Bird), Keiynan Lonsdale (The Flash), Cody Fern (American Horror Story), Samuel Johnson (Molly), Christopher James Baker (True Detective), Rachael Blake (Cleverman), Leeanna Walsman (Penguin Bloom), Simon Lyndon (Mystery Road) and Maggie Kirkpatrick (The Letdown) step through Eden's twisty tale. Behind the camera, the show stems from head writer Vanessa Gazy (Highway) and writing team Jess Brittain (Clique), Anya Beyersdorf (Shakespeare Now), Clare Sladden (Freudian Slip) and Penelope Chai (Other People's Problems) — and directors John Curran (Chappaquiddick), Mirrah Foulkes (Judy & Punch) and Peter Andrikidis (Alex & Eve). And, the creator of Skins, Bryan Elsley, helped created Eden, too, with Fiona Eagger and Deb Cox (Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries). Check out the first teaser trailer for Eden below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaPeDr3DoMA Eden will hit Stan sometime this year — we'll update you with an exact date when it is announced. Top image: Every Cloud Productions.
One king. Six wives. Centuries of folks being fascinated with the regal story. Throw in pop songs as well, and that's the smash-hit Six the Musical formula, as Australian audiences discovered in 2021, 2022 and 2023 — and can again in Melbourne and Sydney in 2024, then in Brisbane in 2025. If you've ever needed proof that some stories never get old, the ongoing obsession with Britain's royal history provides plenty. 2024's inescapable Kate Middleton fixation and photo situation has served up just the latest reminder. On screens and stages, a slice of regal intrigue is regularly awaiting our viewing, too, interpreting and remixing the past in the process. The Crown might take ample artistic license with reality, but it's got nothing on the empowering pop-scored twist on the 16th century that's been wowing audiences in Six the Musical. This theatre sensation takes a few cues from well-known history, adds toe-tapping tunes and makes stage magic. If you think that you know the stories of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr, then you probably do — even those with little interest in Britain's past kings and queens are likely aware that Henry VIII had six wives — but Six the Musical's version isn't about telling the same old tale. Victoria's next dance with the show arrives from Saturday, August 3 at Comedy Theatre. Sydney's will start on Friday, October 25 at Theatre Royal Sydney. And in Brisbane, theatre lovers can start 2025 with Six the Musical at QPAC Playhouse from Thursday, January 2. First premiering back at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, then jumping to London's West End — and winning Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Costume Design, plus a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theatre Album, along the way — Six the Musical gleans inspiration from one of the most famous sextets there's ever been. It also finds its own angle despite how popular the Tudor monarch's love life has been in pop culture. So, move over 00s TV series The Tudors and 2008 movie The Other Boleyn Girl — and this one takes the pop part rather seriously. Six the Musical is presented as a pop concert, in fact, with the Catherines, Annes and Jane all taking to the microphone to tell their stories. Each woman's aim: to stake their claim as the wife who suffered the most at the king's hands, and to become the group's lead singer as a result. Expect Six the Musical's comeback tour to be popular. In Sydney, it played a whopping 15-week Sydney Opera House from December 2021, then returned to the Harbour City from August 2021 due to demand. Six the Musical Australian Tour 2024–25: From Saturday, August 3, 2024 — Comedy Theatre, Melbourne From Friday, October 25, 2024 — Theatre Royal Sydney, Sydney From Thursday, January 2, 2025 — QPAC Playhouse, Brisbane Six the Musical is touring Australia again in 2024 and 2025. For more information, for pre-sale tickets and for general ticket sales from Wednesday, March 27, 2024, head to the musical's website. Images: James D Morgan, Getty Images.
Back in May, Prime Minister Scott Morrison outlined a three-step roadmap to a 'COVIDSafe Australia', which included all interstate borders opening and the possibility of a travel bubble with NZ as part of the third step. That roadmap was then put on hold after a spike in cases across the country, but the Prime Minister has today announced some good news: seven out of eight states and territories are onboard for a revised version of the plan and hope to reopen their borders in time for Christmas. At a national cabinet meeting today, Friday, September 4, the Prime Minister said leaders of the country's states and territories discussed the reopening of interstate borders and all bar WA agreed to work towards reopening them by December. "We agreed today with the objective that was set out in the May plan to be at the end of that three-step process, which we will seek to ensure is even better defined. We said before we wanted to get there in July. And the virus prevented us from achieving that. Seven out of eight states and territories want us to get back to that position in December of this year," the Prime Minister said. He also said that WA has "a very different border and a very different economy than most of the other states and territories" and will not be "joining that aspiration at this time". To ensure the borders open safely, the Prime Minister said states and territories (bar WA) will be moving to a "hotspot model", but the exact definition of a "hotspot" still needed some work and has yet to be agreed upon. According to a document released by the government, and subsequently Tweeted by journalists, that starting point definition is 30 cases in three consecutive days (an average of ten locally acquired cases per day) for metropolitan areas and nine cases over three consecutive days (an average of three a day) for regional and rural areas. Over the past three days, the number of new locally acquired cases in NSW have been seven, nine and 16; and the new daily cases in Victoria have been 81, 113 and 90. [caption id="attachment_772589" align="alignnone" width="1920"] New Zealand[/caption] The Prime Minister also raised the issue of a possible "travel bubble" with New Zealand again, but said at this point it would just be one way. "I spoke to Prime Minister Ardern this morning, and what I advised her was that Australia will be looking to apply the same hotspot approach to New Zealand," the Prime Minister said. "So, that means, when we're in a position to do so... then we would be able to have New Zealanders come to Australia. That doesn't mean Australians can go to New Zealand. That's a matter for Prime Minister Ardern. But if there's no COVID in Christchurch, and there's no COVID in Queensland, then there's no reason both of them can't come to Sydney. And that will mean, I think, an important boost for our tourist economy, whether it's in New South Wales or anywhere else." In terms of other travel, Australia's international travel ban was yesterday extended until Thursday, December 17, but the Prime Minister has previously suggested that the country's border may not open until 2021. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and current interstate travel restrictions, head to the Australian Government website.
Even if you don't have the cash to join Australia's new private jet club, your flying experience is about to be taken up a notch. Sydney Airport has finally worked out that, when you're wandering around, bleary-eyed, jet-lagged and, quite possibly, effusively emotional, having your food options limited to Maccas, dodgy kebabs and even dodgier pizzas doesn't help. So some new, actually decent eateries are opening up at T1 International Departures. And the one we're most excited about is Kitchen by Mike. We were devastated when his Rosebery eatery closed down last August, and we've been hanging about the CBD like lost puppies, waiting for his new project, No. 1 Bent Street, to open. But now we're thinking about booking a flight, just so we can get beyond customs and find out what he's up to at the airport. Set to open later this year, Mike's restaurant will be one of five venues forming a dining precinct named City View. The other Aussie making an appearance will be Shannon Bennett. He's the operator behind Vue de Monde, and, for T1, has come up with a new concept called Benny Burger. It'll be whipping up show-stopping, possibly flight-delaying, deluxe burgers, packed with organic and wild-sourced ingredients. Headlining will be signature creation The Chang, featuring a combo of Blackmore wagyu beef, a free-range fried egg and pickled beetroot. Joining Kitchen by Mike and Benny Burger will be international heavyweight Wolfgang Puck, who has taken care of food at the Oscars for 21 years now. He'll be launching The Bistro, a casual Italian eatery specialising in gourmet pasta and wood-fired pizza. And, for thirst-quenching purposes, there'll be Joe and The Juice and a Heineken House, designed specifically for the airport. City View will be accompanied by a new luxury shopping area and is part of a general overhaul of T1, which will be bringing wider walkways, better sight lines and easier wayfinding to the 40 million travellers who use Sydney Airport every year.
Dig out those once-a-year novelty gumboots because Groovin the Moo is back after a pandemic-enforced break. Things will look a little different for GTM in 2022, however, with the large-scale touring music festival only heading to three of its regular six stops. But for folks in Maitland, Canberra and Bendigo, get excited — in general, and about the just-dropped lineup. GTM won't be making the trip to Western Australia, South Australia or Queensland this year, sadly — but it is bringing a heap of new and established talent to New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria. On the bill: everyone from Peking Duk, Montaigne, Masked Wolf and Middle Kids through to Hilltop Hoods and Spiderbait, and that's just from the local contingent. Also doing the rounds: New Zealanders Broods and Chai, Germany's Milky Chance, and Wolf Alice, Thomas Headon, Riton and Snakehips from the UK. For folks in WA, SA and Queensland, when Groovin the Moo announced in late 2021 that it wouldn't be coming your way this year, it advised that "the whole tour will be back when we can confidently deliver our full quality show". So, cross your fingers for 2023. Enough talk — here's the full 2022 GTM lineup: [caption id="attachment_760714" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mackenzie Sweetnam[/caption] GROOVIN THE MOO 2022 LINEUP: Alice Ivy Broods (NZ) Chaii (NZ) Hilltop Hoods Hockey Dad Hope D HP Boyz Jesswar JK-47 Mashd N Kutcher Masked Wolf Middle Kids Milky Chance (Ger) Montaigne Peking Duk Polaris RedHook Riton (UK) Shouse Snakehips (UK) Spiderbait Sycco Thomas Headon (UK) Wolf Alice (UK) with hosts Dijok and Jawbreakers GROOVIN THE MOO 2022 DATES & VENUES: Saturday, April 23 — Maitland Showground, Maitland, NSW Sunday, April 24 – Exhibition Park, Canberra, ACT Saturday, April 30 — Prince of Wales Showgrounds, Bendigo, VIC Tickets for Groovin the Moo will go on sale at 8am AEDT on Thursday, March 3. For more info, go to gtm.net.au. Top image: Jack Toohey.
If you're a fan of a stiff drink, finding a bar, pub or other boozy establishment generally isn't difficult. Locating a bottle shop selling your beverage of choice usually isn't, either. But if you're giving your liver a rest for a month or longer, you're often the designated driver, or you're staying away from the hard stuff for health, cultural or any other reason, filling your fridge, cupboard and bar cart with decent non-alcoholic alternatives isn't always as easy as it should be. Enter Killjoy Drinks, the new curated online store that specialises in booze-free beverages that you can knock back while your pals are hitting the sauce. It's set to launch on Tuesday, December 1 — and to showcase the best in non-alcoholic drinks from around the world. No, opting away from booze doesn't just mean consuming copious amounts of soft drink. Indeed, showing that there's much, much more to sipping alcohol-free tipples than being stuck with juice, lemonade or water is one of Killjoy Drinks' aims — hence its curated approach. The brainchild of Brisbanite Kat Brophy, who decided to launch the online store after her own experiences trying to find tasty booze-less bevvies, it'll be selling standout local and international drops across three categories: drinks for the wine glass, drinks for the bar cart and drinks to hold in your hand. Think non-alcoholic Melbourne gin, alcohol-free rum from Sweden and zero-proof wine from London, plus non-boozy cocktail premixes from the UK and ready-to-drink G&Ts sans alcohol from our own shores. Heroing indie makers and distilleries, Killjoy Drinks' range will all be available to purchase via its site — and it'll then be delivered to your door anywhere in Australia. You'll be able to nab packs, too, in case you don't quite know where to start. Some will focus on recreating the cocktail experience ($60–80), and others on making you feel like you're sipping wine ($85–170) — or you can opt for a pack with a bit of everything ($160). Explaining her motivation for starting the online store, Brophy explains that "so many of us have enjoyed a glass of wine on a wintry evening. And if you want to spend your Saturday doing Jaegerbombs, go for it. But our philosophy is that you shouldn't have to feel bad for not drinking alcohol. And you shouldn't have to sacrifice your tastebuds either". Killjoy Drinks launches on Tuesday, December 1 — head to the online store's website for further details. Images: photo credit Annika Kafcaloudis / styling credit Nat Turnbull.
First Tropfest announced they'll be moving to Parramatta next year, then Sydney Sacred Music Festival plan a gig on a carpark rooftop, and now local music festival The Plot have confirmed they'll be returning to the Western Sydney suburb for November's festival. Parramatta is being graced with some seriously awesome events lately — and the all-Aussie festival is the icing on the cake. Now in its third year, The Plot comes courtesy of the folks behind Groovin' The Moo. The lineup, which features more Aussie artists than you can fit on the tray of a Ford Falcon, will take place at Parramatta Park on Saturday, November 19. The licensed, all-ages event will include every musical genre under the sun — the lineup includes the likes of party boys The Bennies, Montainge, Vera Blue, Indian Summer, Nicole Millar and Elizabeth Rose, just to name a few. And this will all happen in some sweet sunny grasslands with local food and beverage stalls, which are yet to be announced. Those who have attended the festival before know that food is a big part of the day, with last year's event featuring nosh from local vendors Knafeh, The Emporium, Sundweesh and Riverside Brewery. But we know what you're here for — here's the first lineup announcement. THE PLOT 2016 LINEUP A.B. Original Alex Lahey Allday The Belligerents The Bennies Bootleg Rascal Buoy Dorsal Fins Dylan Joel E^st Elizabeth Rose Gold Fields Indian Summer Ivan Ooze Japanese Wallpaper Lanks Luca Brasi Mallrat Montainge Nicole Millar Ocean Alley Paces Pierce Brothers Running Touch Tash Sultana Thela Plum Tired Lion Vera Blue Ziggy Alberts The Plot will take place on Saturday, November 19 at Parramatta Park. Tickets are on sale now at theplot.co.
Purple Sneakers — a Sydney-based crew dedicated to emerging club music — turns 13 this year and, to celebrate, the team is taking over every nook and cranny of The Landsdowne Hotel. Happening as part of Vivid Sydney, this epic one-night shindig will host a stack of artists, who'll be keeping the party going for seven hours on Saturday, June 15. The lineup is jam-packed. Gracing the stages a verious points between 8pm and 3am will be Kota Banks, Mickey Kojack, Din, Rebel Yell and Close Counters, among others. There'll also be DJ sets from new Triple J House Party host Ebony Boabu, plus appearances by local favourites Nectar's Merph, Lex Deluxe and Ayebatonye, as well as the next generation of Purple Sneakers DJs. Since kicking off in 2006, Purple Sneakers has given career-launching gigs to the likes of Flume, Rüfüs du Sol, Alison Wonderland, Cloud Control and Nina Las Vegas, as well as hosting Melbourne premieres for both Disclosure and Flosstradamus. These days, the team runs a website, radio show and regular parties around Australia.
It's happening, you guys — we've arrived. We're living in the golden era of music festivals. Along with Meredith, Beyond the Valley and Falls, Lost Paradise is also returning this year for three days over New Year's. We've been dealt such a glut of quality acts, it's definitely going to spoil us. But resolutions can wait. In an effort to make you NYE not the shittiest, most over-hyped night of the year, LP are bringing you a slam dunk of a headliners Sticky Fingers, Flight Facilities, Gang of Youths and Fat Freddy's Drop to ring in a most auspicious 2017. The rest of the lineup is equally impressive, a great mix of local and imported talent. This is Lost Paradise's third year and while that's quite young in festival years, they keep proving they mean business. Their ethos extends past music too and the festival — held in Glenworth Valley (just an hour north of Sydney) — is built around a mix of art, yoga, performance and food. Because there's nothing like a little yoga to dust off a festival hangover. Anyway, we know what we're here for. Check it out. LOST PARADISE 2016 LINEUP Gang of Youths Hot Chip (DJ Set) Hudson Mohawke Eats Everything Big Scary Kölsch (DJ Set) Skream Harts Montaigne, Mark Pritchard Methyl Ethel Motez Lunice Doorly Bad//Dreems Heidi Optimo Young Franco Leon Vynehall Dro Carey The Belligerents Ocean Alley Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda No Zu KLLO Set Mo Luke Million Mossy Mosquito Coast Human Movement Goodwill Wild Honey
