Actual post-gender human and girl your mum definitely warned you about Peaches has been uncharacteristically quiet recently. It’s been a good six years since her last album I Feel Cream, which featured the super danceable ‘Talk to Me’, so seeing Peaches on the Groovin’ the Moo lineup was a pleasant surprise — if pleasant could ever be used to describe the woman behind lyrics such as “hair in a mullet, you know you gotta love it, so sexual and so conceptual” and, of course, “fuck the pain away” — and the announcement of a Hi-Fi (now Max Watt's) sideshow on May 8 even better. Peaches, of course, hasn’t been twiddling her thumbs this whole time. She’s done a film, put together a book (out in June, pre-order it here, you’re welcome) and just completed her sixth studio album Rub, which features Kim Gordon and Feist, and is due out later this year (fingers crossed we get a teaser). That title though. Oh, to be able transform a fairly innocuous one-syllable word into a blush-worthy imperative. No wonder we all wanna be her. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcKMg7eEjj8[/embed]
This is your chance to nab the fluffy, fluffy friend you've always wanted — and give a teeny, unfortunate soul a shiny new life. With an extremely high population of rescue cats and kittens staying at the RSPCA Sydney Shelter in Yagoona or in foster care, the not-for-profit is making one huge attempt to find homes for them. For three days, the RSPCA is waiving all adoption fees for the little critters, trying to find a home for the 91 cats staying at the shelter and the 187 kittens in care. So, aside from landlords and allergies, you're running out of excuses not to meet the newest, cuddliest member of your family. Along with the obvious cute, Instagrammable benefits, research has shown that cat ownership has many physical, mental, emotional and social rewards. According to the RSPCA, "Pet owners are generally healthier and happier than non-pet owners. They have lower blood pressure and cholesterol; are less depressed; feel less lonely than non-pet owners; and actually find it easier to get to know people." The kittens will come desexed, microchipped, wormed and vaccinated, so its little snuggly self is all ready for the world. If cat ownership has been on your mind, it's never been easier to opt away from breeders and pet shops and give a homeless animal the life it deserves.
Denim crotch holes gettin' you down? Cool autumnal breezes making life slightly uncomfortable in the nether regions? You need new jeans. Yeah, you do. Luckily, Stockholm's go-to denim crew Cheap Monday have brought a brand new pop-up store to Surry Hills: Cheap Monday Pop. Taking over the Goulburn Street garage of The Record Store on Crown Street, Cheap Monday have created a little winter haven for their new season range, with doors open from Wednesday to Sunday right through to the end of June. Expect to find the latest offerings from their SS15 and PF15 collections — for dudes and ladies — from their 'Spray On' skinny jeans to their casual knitwear, jewellery, footwear, tees, tanks and even underwear. Bet you didn't know Cheap Monday do undies. Maybe you did. You go Glen Coco. It's a pretty little pop-up for Orjan Andersson's denim-toutin', internationally leading fashion retailer, bringing that sweet, sweet Stockholm minimalism and industrial aesthetic to Surry Hills. We're talking clean monochrome palettes, exposed lighting fixtures, everything you'd expect in a CM pop-up. Now, do something about that crotch hole. CHEAP MONDAY POP OPENING HOURS: Wednesday - 10am - 6pm Thursday - 11am - 7pm Friday - 11am - 6pm Saturday - 11am - 6pm Sunday - 12pm - 5pm
Bright sparks, light bulb moments, the invention of fire – glowing matter and smart ideas have a long history together, and Vivid Ideas' 2015 program brilliantly renews this union. You may find your own brain cells overcooking at the number of events on offer this year, however, as over 30 venues across Sydney get more activated than a handful of Bondi almonds. If you're lucky, your choice can be guided by your industry-specific mixers and panels, but for those of us with FOMO for innovation and creativity across multiple platforms, our list of top ten Vivid Ideas events may be a helpful guide.
Heaps Gay are taking their undisputed party-throwing finesse and taking it to the next level — an all-day festival Marrickville's Factory Theatre especially for Vivid. Having earned a reputation for their hectic, monthly, all-inclusive LGBT dance parties at the Gladstone Hotel (now they're at Erskineville's Imperial Hotel) raising money for ACON, Heaps Gay is partnering with FBi Radio and Vivid to put on a special edition, all-day jamboree. The seriously impressive lineup includes KIM (The Presets) on the decks, Black Vanilla, Catlips, dreamy house pop from Tees, The Magda Subanski's, Levins, Sveta, Hissy Fit and many more. Expect flash parties by No Lights No Lycra, light installations and burgers by Mary's to keep you going from day to night. Image: Heaps Gay.
How much do you know about Australian Jewish culture? Jessica Bellamy (writer of Sprout and Bat Eyes) knows a lot, she’s just written a play about it, and she's preparing to cook you a Jewish dinner. It's Shabbat Dinner, an immersive play directed by Anthony Skuse (4000 Miles, Punk Rock) which looks at the place of women, family and food in contemporary Jewish culture. The play weaves in traditions and rites over the course of a Shabbat dinner prepared by Bellamy herself. As the feast is served to you and the performers, everyone becomes involved in the story. While you eat you take part in the creation and eventual disintegration of a new community. Like Bellamy's previous works, it promises to be poetic and questioning. Shabbat Dinner plays at a pop-up space in The Rocks during the Spectrum Now festival from March 24-29. Dinner is included in the ticket and vegetarians are catered to.
It's hard to believe that it's only been six months since George Maple (aka Jessica Higgs) released her debut single. At the time, Higgs had been living in London for eighteen months, so the slinky 'Talk Talk', from her Vacant Space EP, first hit airwaves on Annie Mac's show on BBC Radio 1. Meanwhile, the New York Times had dibs on unveiling the video clip. Since then, Higgs, who's from Sydney originally, has played CMJ, SXSW, Annie Mac's AMP Collected in London and a couple of headline shows in Australia, including the Museum of Contemporary Art and Future Classic’s Christmas Weekend. So she's in prime position for taking on her first proper national tour. Three gigs are already sold out — Sydney's Oxford Art Factory on April 24 and 30, and Melbourne's The Howler on 25 April. There's still time, however, to grab tickets to the Black Bear Lodge in Brisbane on April 23, The Bakery in Perth on May 1 and The Rocket Bar in Adelaide on May 2. Meanwhile, Higgs's new tune, 'Where You End And I Begin', recorded with Philadelphian rapper Grande Marshall, is starting to rack up hits. Where You End And I Begin feat. Grande Marshall by George Maple, Grande Marshall
For all of you who've been obsessing over the case of Steven Avery, you might now have the chance to get the answers you crave. Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos, the filmmakers behind the addictive and highly frustrating Netflix true crime series Making a Murderer, is a highly-anticipated, last minute addition to the Spectrum Now Festival talks program. The pair, whose ten-part series has become a cultural phenomenon since premiering on Netflix in December, will travel to Sydney for an hour-long interview and audience Q&A session with festival ambassador and The Weekly host Charlie Pickering. Set to take place at 7pm on Thursday, March 10, tickets for the event will cost $49.90 and go on sale on Wednesday, February 24 (or you can sign up to their newsletter to access the pre-sale one day earlier). If you've been living a nomadic lifestyle out in the bush for the past few months and thus haven't heard, Making a Murderer follows the infuriating case of Wisconsin native Steven Avery, who served 18 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, only to be arrested and tried for murder shortly after he was released. If you've got a spare ten hours, you can binge watch it on Netflix right now. Just don't expect to finish with your faith in humanity intact. "We always wanted Making a Murderer to start a dialogue around important issues in our criminal justice system," say directors Ricciardi and Demos. "We are thrilled that so many people all over the world are responding to the concept of fairness and equality, and we can’t wait to come to Australia to continue this discussion."
Shake off those autumn blues with a morning yoga session on the Sydney Opera House steps. There's surely no better way to start your day right than by saluting the sun as it shimmers over the harbour, with those legendary white sails as your backdrop. And then, of course, there's all that Instagramming potential — if you're being cheeky between poses. If yoga ain't your thing, you can opt for high-intensity interval training (HIT) or functional fitness. All classes start at 7am and run for an hour, with HIT happening on Mondays, yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays and functional fitness on Wednesdays and Fridays. The genius behind this operation is the Sydney Opera House's CEO, Louise Herron AM, who's long been a fan of keeping fit. "There's something particularly special about the Opera House in the early hours of the morning," she said. "I couldn't think of a more inspiring place to revive and reconnect with yourself and others."
Hardcore foodies, this one's for you. Chef Rene Redzepi, the man behind Noma and its super expensive, impossible to get into Sydney Harbour spinoff, is organising a day-long symposium featuring some of the biggest names in food. Set to take place at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday, April 3, MAD SYD: Tomorrow's Meals will welcome a number of world renowned chefs and culinary professionals for "a day of talks and ideas exploring the future of food". Confirmed speakers include Redzepi, David Chang (Momofuku), Kylie Kwong (Billy Kwong) and Massimo Bottura (Italy's Osteria Francescana), as well as food activist Chido Govera and social researcher Rebecca Huntley. MAD is heading down under! On April 3rd we will present our first large scale public event at the Sydney Opera House - visit madfeed.co for more info #MADSYD A photo posted by MAD (@themadfeed) on Feb 5, 2016 at 9:40am PST Founded by Redzepi, MAD (the Danish word for 'food') is a non-profit organisation that, according to their website, "works to expand knowledge of food to make every meal a better meal; not just at restaurants, but every meal cooked and served". They've hosted similar symposiums in Copenhagen since 2011, but this is the first time they've held one outside of the Danish capital — and the first one that will be open to the public. "Back when we started MAD in 2011, we found ourselves on a field, in heavy rain, in a tiny circus tent that ultimately collapsed during lunch," says Redzepi. "MAD has been on an incredible journey since then, but the culmination of our long relationship with Sydney and Australia taking place in one of the world's most iconic spaces is the greatest privilege. We cannot wait to share this day with everyone - friends and family, old and new." Anyone interested can register for pre-sale tickets through the Sydney Opera House website, and tickets will go on sale to the general public at 9am on Monday, February 22. We can only hope they don't sell out as fast as bookings to Noma Australia did. MAD SYD is happening on Sunday, April 3 — one day after the last service of Noma Australia. Register for tickets here. Image: Daniel Boud.
On the first weekend of April, all things homemade and local will descend upon Redfern's 107 Projects for the autumn instalment of Dear Pluto's Pop-Up Market. Scrape together as many spare pennies as you can find because you're going to have trouble choosing what to buy, from prints, cards and homewares to clothing, jewellery and skin care. More specifically, you'll be able to get your mitts on knitted necklaces by Above the Canopy, candles and bath salts by Fragrant Flame, bling by Haus of Dizzy, jewellery by Irninology, confectionery by Kyandi, nail strips by Personail, illustrations by Millie Hall and stacks more. On Saturday, your browsing will be soundtracked by DJ sets from Adi Toohey, Anno, Mira Boru and Mr. Friendly. And on Sunday, you'll be invited to take a break at a floristry workshop with inner west florists Sweet Pea and Honey Bee.
Two of Sydney's top chefs and several local crustaceans meet in a secret spot. To find out what happens next, you'll need to buy a ticket to Shellfishness. On Thursday, February 25, est.'s Peter Doyle and Coogee Pavilion's Jordan Toft will work their magic on a whole bunch of fresh local oysters and lobster. And you're invited to see what they come up with. While gorging on their creations, you'll be sippin' on champagne, alongside a handpicked selection of wine and beer. The event's clandestine location won't be revealed for some time yet, but Merivale is promising something pretty swanky. If you're familiar with Doyle or Toft, you might know that this is far from their first collaboration. Back in 2000, they worked together at Celsius and, more recently, Toft helped out when Doyle took over Merivale's est. Good things happen when these two team up.
Just when you thought Sydney might've run out spectacular spaces for screening films, another outdoor cinema series hits it out of the park. This time, it's IMB Sunset Cinema, making a return to the North Sydney Oval. For two magnificent months — between Thursday, January 21 and Saturday, March 19 — northside dwellers will be watching their fave flicks under the stars, backdropped by the North Sydney skyline. This year's program is dominated by an impressive pack of blockbusters and new releases, from SPECTRE, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 and Bridge of Spies to Carol, The Dressmaker, Joy and Trainwreck. Meanwhile, your hard-earned thirst and hunger will be taken care of, courtesy of a fully-licensed onsite bar and The Nighthawk Diner, the Sydney-based food truck that describes itself as an "American diner on wheels". Prepare to tuck into no-nonsense, hunger-busting versions of classics: from hearty burgers — for goodness sake, try the mac 'n' cheese burger if they're cooking it — and fried chicken, to egg and bacon rolls and Philly cheesesteak.
Newtown's getting a brilliant new festival, giving the spotlight to female and transgender musicians. Named Earopund, this new event's epic program includes not only a slew of live performances, but also spoken word, talk and light projections. At Part One, happening from 7.30pm on Saturday, January 23 at Newtown Social Club, there'll be tunes from Astrix Little, Chunyin (Rainbow Chan), Imperial Broads, Fabels and Bree van Reyk (Synergy Percussion, founder of Girl's School of Rock); light projections by JAX (Slinky & Snudis); and spoken word by Sara Saleh and Justina Ray. Part Two, taking place from 2pm on Saturday 30 January at Alpha Gallery (226 Union Street, Erskineville), will feature no fewer than thirteen performers, plus projections by VJ Amla. The event is the brainchild of musician Astrid Zeman, who's received a sizeable dollop of triple j love for her tracks 'Counting Sheep' and 'Imagination'. She came up with the concept after repeatedly attending gigs where women were underrepresented. “I’ll sometimes see a few bands in a row, maybe 15 musicians, and there won’t be a single woman on stage. Male bands will sometimes be singing about how hot a chick is, or how they enjoy relaxing with their girlfriends on the weekend, or about doing guy stuff with their mates … and I just find it hard to relate to this material. Seeing performances that are repeatedly male-dominated makes me feel frustrated and disempowered," she told Music Australia. "We want to reverse the trend, promoting female and LGBTQIA+ musicians in the scene and raising awareness of gender equality.”
This is music you'll have to chase around Sydney, but super worth it. Driving around the city for MoVement Sydney, Rolling Records is a mobile record store, all decked out with wood panelling, selling second-hand vinyl. But it's not just any pop-up shop set-up; there's a DJ booth, listening station and a big ol' sound system. Created by top notch Katoomba resident George Pizer, Rolling Records has been up and running since January this year, popping up all over the joint. Here's where the truck will be parked: FRIDAY — Opposite Newtown train station (Oporto carpark) SATURDAY — Bondi Markets (Bondi Public School) SUNDAY — Super Open Air feat. Honey Dijon at The Factory Theatre, Marrickville This is just one way to get into MoVement Sydney, here are seven more. Image: Rolling Records.
Sydney's schwanky rooftop pool bar, Ivy Pool Club, has had a big ol' revamp just in time for the warmer months. Unveiling a brand new look this week, moving the space from LA-inspired glamour to Italian Riveria-style trimmings, Ivy Pool Club is prepped for a whole new season of poolside lounging, overt splurging and a whole bunch of Italian-themed festivities. To royally christen the refreshed rooftop space, Merivale's crown jewel is hosting a five-day Italian extravaganza over October 19-23: La Dolce Pool Club. Think long table feasts, a decadent pool party and long, boozy lunches with Merivale's best. Here's the rundown. Monday, October 19 will see a free 'Date Night with Sinatra', with cheap pizza and pasta by the pool and live Rat Pack-era music. Then, on the Tuesday, Pool Club joins forces with Uccello for a big long table feast of Italian cocktails and hearty nosh, curated by David Lovett and Vincenzo Biondini. Wednesday will see a free mini Italian market, showcasing Sydney's best Italian cuisine — Italian barbecue, cheese and charcuterie, pizza, and gelato — among live roaming performers and special cocktails from Avión Espresso, Absolut Elyx and Havana Club. Entry is free but numbers are limited so RSVP. Friday is the long, long lunch day, as Mr. Wong’s super chef Dan Hong teamed up with Merivale chefs Danielle Alvarez and Ben Greeno for a huge poolside barbecue feast. La Dolce Pool Club runs October 19-23 at the newly revamped Ivy Pool Club, Level 4, Ivy, 320 George Street, Sydney. Check out all the event details at Merivale's website.
Usually you'd have to fork out quite the cash bundle to enjoy some apres ski wonderment, but there's a brand new pop-up in Sydney that skips the ski lodge bill. Making a little winter wonderland of the former space of Darlinghurst's Victoria Room, The Chalet is set Sydney's temporary little winter ski lodge. According to Good Food, the space will come decked out with an in-house snowmaking machine, fondue stations, a jaffle bar and even a chairlift above the entrance stairs (yeah, it's probably not exactly a working one but can you imagine if it carried you upstairs?). Now, that's theming. So who's behind this adorable wintry endeavour? Some of Sydney's finest theme-happy hospotality kings are at the helm of The Chalet, namely The Lobo Plantation's Eddie Levy and Michael Hwang and The Island's Adam Abrams and Julian Tobias. Taking time off their upcoming restaurant at the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay, the foursome have created quite the winter go-to; blending their proven decorating skills with all the mulled wine and hot chocolate you could want after a long cold day's trudgery. The Chalet will be open for three months where The Victoria Room (235 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst) used to be. According to GF, the space will then be handed over to a yet-to-be-announced team for a more permanent new spot. Images: Dollar Photo Club and The Chalet.
Sleater-Kinney recorded their first album in Australia. The year was 1994, and the fledgling band from Olympia, Washington knocked out their debut effort in a single day. They've been back several times since, but their latest visit feels extra special. Given that the indie-punk trio went on an indefinite hiatus in 2007, it very well might never have happened. Thankfully, Corin Tucker, Janet Weiss and Carrie Brownstein — yes, Portlandia's Carrie Brownstein — are back for another round of blistering rock tracks infused with the spirit of the riot grrrl movement. Reunions might happen all the time, but this is no ordinary group or return. If you've listened to any of Sleater-Kinney's albums from their Aussie-made 22-minute, self-titled initial outing to their latest release, 2015's No Cities to Love, then no doubt you agree. And if you haven't, don't just take our word for it. TIME called them “America’s best rock band”, and Rolling Stone hailed them as “America’s best punk band ever", after all.
Brisbane's Young Franco should be on your one-to-watch list. Seriously. He's heading around Australia on his very first run of national headline shows to plug his brand new single 'Don't U Want Me', out via new Australian label Of Leisure. This young whippersnapper has been garnering interest from the likes of triple j and THUMP with his sophisticated, super catchy beats, hitting it out of the ballpark on his recent UK tour, Alison Wonderland tour support and huge Splendour set. 'Don't U Want Me' featuring Blair De Milo, will be sitting pretty on our playlists all spring and summer long. Heading around Australia this October and November, Young Franco will undoubtedly show off his latest EP Franco & Friends, a feature frenzy with the likes of KLP, Set Mo, Feki and De$ignated, his recent collab with Brisbane pal UV boi, and his Motez, Alison Wonderland and Peking Duk-approved debut EP Futurefunk.
Missed The Preatures on their huge sold-out 'Cruel' tour this spring? How'd you like to catch them live this summer, for free? The Sydney fivesome are gearing up for another national escapade, this time joining forces with Corona Extra for a huge free November tour. Locked in for 20 locations across the country, Corona Sunsets will see the Sydneysiders play unplugged shows everywhere from Bondi Beach's Bucket List to the Portsea Hotel. Kicking off in Yallingup, Western Australia on November 6, the tour will wind through some of The Preatures' favourite bars in WA, NSW and Queensland before finishing up in Victoria on the last weekend in November. Isabella Manfredi, Gideon Bensen, Jack Moffitt, Thomas Champion and Luke Davison will be careening through their 2014 debut album Blue Planet Eyes, from crowd favourite singles like 'Cruel', 'Somebody's Talking' and 'Is This How You Feel?' to lesser known album gems like 'Ordinary' and 'Whatever You Want'. Fingers crossed for a raucous pub singalong to The Preatures' go-to cover, The Angels' 'Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again'. All shows are free entry, over-18s only and it's first-in, best-dressed. If Corona Extra's previous free Australian tours, like Cloud Control, are anything to go by, you're going to want to get there pretty damn early. For details head to Corona's website. THE PREATURES' CORONA SUNSETS NSW TOUR DATES: November 13 Towradgi Beach Hotel, Towradgi, 8.30pm November 14 Watson’s Bay Hotel, Watsons Bay, 3.30pm Manly Wharf, Manly, 7.30pm November 15 The Bucket List, Bondi, 2.30pm Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale, 7.30pm November 22 Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads, 8pm
Calling all creative ladies, this 'un-conference' is for you. A three-day "event for creative women, to learn from creative women", Make Nice is a brand new part of Vivid Ideas, featuring a super successful lineup of pioneering international and homegrown talent. Limited to 150 female attendees, Make Nice is a three-day creative event that isn't your regular conference format. Each presenter will offer practical advice for working in the creative industries, unpack the value of idea exchange and dialogue, and focus on the importance of genuine professional support. But they'll also be sitting next to you for the conference, learning from your ideas and having mad chats. Your ticket includes brekkie from Love Soup, opening eats and dinner by Flour and Stone, wine by Cake Wines, beer by Two Birds Brewing, the finest coffee and tea (and non-alcoholic cocktails) by Sensory Lab and T Totaler, and a goodie bag. Each attendee will be invited to a private online forum (along with the speakers) that will be active year round, connecting you to each other after the event and inviting you to future Make Nice events. MAKE NICE SCHEDULE Thursday, June 2 — Cake Wines Cellar Door 6-8pm: Opening night drinks and welcome Friday, June 3 — aMBUSH Project Space 9am - 4pm: Keynote presentations, panel discussions, round-table talks 6.30pm - 11pm: Dinner, drinks and dance party Saturday, June 4 — aMBUSH Project Space 9am - 4pm: Keynote presentations, panel discussions, round-table talks This is one of our top picks for Vivid Ideas events. Read the whole list and reboot your brain.
If you're ready to share a deep, dark, dirty secret that you've been harbouring your entire life, there's only one way to do it: on a stage, in front of a crowd. Well, that's the idea behind Confession Booth, anyway. After three years of dishing the dirt at Giant Dwarf and World Bar, Sydney's most debauched storytelling night has found a permanent home at Goodgod Small Club, not to mention a big shot podcast on ABC First Run. Confession Booth sees writers, musos, actors, comedians and all-round creative types spill the beans on their most embarrassing, outrageous and top-secret moments — all facilitated by ever charming hosts A.H. Cayley and Matt Roden. Check the Goodgod website or the Confession Booth Facebook page for the weekly lineup of brave, ready-to-confess humans. Previous confessors include Brendan Cowell, Tracey Spicer, Sarah Blasko, Osher Günsberg (Andrew G), Yumi Stynes, Benjamin Law, Nahji Chu, Rhys Muldoon, Wendy Zukerman, Michael Hing, Gen Fricker, Catcall, Rainbow Chan, Marcus Whale, Joyride, Levins, SPOD, Nick Coyle, Lewis Hobba, Nakkiah Lui, Oliver Mol, Annaliese Constable, Cameron James, Corey White and more. But it's not just a passive sharefest. If you've got a story you're dying to share, you can divulge during the audience confession segment — dig deep enough and you might find yourself carrying home a prize (probably booze and a significant weight off your shoulders). By Jasmine Crittenden and Shannon Connellan.
If you know of a better way to celebrate the first month of spring than a flurry of doughnuts, Black Star pastries and limited edition N2 gelato, we'd like to see it. Heralding the more flowery season of the year, Sydney CBD shopping and foodie hub The Galeries is throwing a little mini-festival, Spring Social, with installation art, musicians handpicked by FBi Radio and a handful of Sydney food and drink pop-ups. Picture a mini-marketplace of your favourite Sydney treats. There'll be eight pop-ups in total, including a Black Star Pastry and N2 Extreme Gelato dessert stand (dear sweet mother of god, what a team). Sydney's extreme baked good lovers Grumpy Donuts will be there, alongside a Lo-Tea stand by new Galeries resident Lotus Dumpling Bar, The Feather Tribe artisan homewares store, Yayoi sake barrel and tasting sessions, and a GIF photobooth. Yep, a GIF photobooth, allowing you to simultaneously enter the draw for a trip for two to Japan and hit it out of the ballpark for your social media presence. For spring bevs, The Arthouse will have their own pop-up bar with signature cocktails, and FBi Radio have selected some of their favourite bright new artists to perform while you're noshing and sloshing. And it wouldn't be a spring minifest without some pretty, pretty art to go around. Large scale art installation SKYBLOSSOM will take over the central void to launch the festival. Happy sprung. Spring Social is open Thursday to Sunday from 9am to 9pm. Image: Grumpy Donuts, Alana Dimou.
Pastels, lace and playsuits abound; designer Alice McCall is having a sample sale. It's been a big ol' year already for McCall, having launched her own boutique in Dalian, China on January 16 — and it's the first Australian designer boutique in the country — and she's opened her brand new Paddington boutique in the industrial, light-filled space once occupied by Aussie designer Josh Goot. Nab up to 80 percent off one-off samples, previous seasons and rolls of fabric — apparently prices start at $10. Ten beans for Alice McCall stock. Go go go. The sale is open from a super early 8am to 8pm on both June 16 and 17.
Sydney bass-boy and nationally-recognised cool guy Hayden James is bringing his massively popular techno musings to venues all over Australia. James only appeared on the scene in 2013, cropping up like most modern beat artists on exclusively online mediums like Soundcloud and YouTube, however it wasn't very long before he garnered quite the hefty fanbase. International touring schedules ensued, landing his precise, near-minimalistic take on hard hitting beats, summery harmonies and techno bass in front of thousands of dancing fans. James has spent the formative portion of the last few months touring the US and Europe, and following a brief stop over in Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong, Jakarta and Bali will be bringing his Just a Lover tour to Aussie shores. Starting at Brisbane's Triffid on August 26, then onto Max Watts in Melbourne for August 27, he'll spend September 2 at Perth's Villa Nightclub, September 10 at the Fat Controller in Adelaide, before a final blowout in his hometown Sydney, at the Metro Theatre. Supported by Dena Amy.
Promising a whimsical new take on Shakespeare's love triangle-fuelled, shipwrecked comedy, Belvoir's production of Twelfth Night or What You Will marks the return of Keith Robinson to the stage after nearly ten years, alongside the Belvoir debut of Neighbours star Nikki Shiels. They join a large cast of veteran Belvoir performers including Peter Carroll (The Great Fire, Seventeen), Amber McMahon (Angels in America) and John Howard (Ivanov). Director (and Belvoir's current artistic director) Eamon Flack's gender-blind casting sees an even split between female and male actors, with McMahon and Emele Ugavule portraying Sebastian and Antonio respectively. This plays on the themes of gender and mistaken identity already in the play, as Shiels' character Viola disguises herself as a man called Cesario throughout. This is the first Shakespearean production by the theatre since the introduction of Flack as new artistic director. He's previously directed the Shakespearean comedy As You Like It for Belvoir in 2011, as well as Helpmann Award-winning productions of The Glass Menagerie and Angels in America. Image: Brett Boardman.
We've all got one. But we don't always feel brave enough to admit it. You know what I'm talking about: a conspiracy theory. A secret, maybe crazy, but more likely plausible, conviction that the CIA killed Princess Diana, Lizard People are running the White House, Elvis Presley is still alive and no one's ever, actually, really, truly set foot on the moon (except for David Bowie). Since July 2015, Giant Dwarf has been providing Sydney's conspiracy theorists with a monthly opportunity to let loose. With comedians Cyrus Bezyan (RAW Comedy National Finalist, ABC Fresh Blood) and Jack Gow (Sydney Comedy Festival, Break Out Comedy Showcase 2015, two-time The Moth StorySLAM winner) as your skivvy-wearing hosts, Conspiracy Theories sees a bunch of panelists spill the beans on who, in their opinion, really runs the world. The event's seventh edition, coming up on Tuesday, February 23, will feature Eddie Sharp (Versus on FBi, Erotic Fan Fiction), Kate Coates (iTS – Improv Theatre Sydney), Kara Eva Schlegl (SBS Comedy), and Alex Wilson (sleepmakeswaves).
For the past seven years, local legends and independent purveyors of fine Sydney music FBi Radio have been handing out awards to high achievers in Sydney music, arts and culture. The SMAC Awards have championed local musicians, venues, artists, creatives, restaurants and promoters — generally Sydney's best slam-dunkers from The Preatures to The Stinking Bishops — in a big ol' party in various Sydney locations, from the National Art School to Carriageworks. This year, in tandem with the actual awards ceremony, they're bringing the SMACs to the people — in a huge festival within Sydney Festival 2016. For the first time ever, the FBi SMACs Festival will be a public throwback event at Carriageworks. FBi has invited a huge Sydney lineup of past and present nominees and winners, from the various realms of music, art, performance and food, so you can consume the very best of Sydney over the last seven years. Sydney’s best DJs and electronic artists will be creating casual beat odysseys in the dark confines of the FBi Click Rave Cave. There'll be a traditional Italian BBQ soundtracked by Sydney sophisticated lover and Italo disco king Donny Benet. You can play putt putt on a colourful golf course created by installation artist Rosie Deacon, or just generally lose your shit over one heck of a Sydney music lineup — think Cosmo’s Midnight, Tuka, Dustin Tebbutt, Vallis Alps, Black Vanilla, Dro Carey, Palms, Fishing, Gideon Benson, Montaigne, Shining Bird, Holy Balm, Moonbase Commander, Gordi, Wordlife, Hockey Dad, B Wise, World Champion, Polish Club, Sampa the Great, Coda Conduct, Dreems, Adi Toohey and many more. Obviously, FBi Supporters get discounts on tickets (max two tickets per supporter), and you'll have to present your supporter card at the entry gate on the day. If you are an FBi Supporter, but don't have a card, just email membership@fbiradio.com so they can send you a new one. FBi SMACs Festival is happening at Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh on January 10 from midday to 10pm. First release tickets are $49 and it's 18+ (sorry kids). Multipack Sydney Festival tickets go on sale October 22, and all tickets are on sale October 26 from the Sydney festival website. Image: Liam Cameron/FBi Radio.
If you're planning on spending this gig mildly toe-tapping, you might want to wait in the car. Sydney's long-labouring beatsmiths Hermitude have their newest album already sitting pretty on playlists Australia-wide — and another national tour ready to bust a few hard-dancing ligaments. Start stretching y'all. Luke Dubber (Luke Dubs) and Angus Stuart (El Gusto) have plenty to celebrate on this national tour. After nabbing the Australian Music Prize in 2012 for their straight-up killer album HyperParadise, they're riding a sweet wave of toastworthy accolades surrounding their 2015 Dark Night Sweet Light. The LP debuted at #1 on the ARIA chart (a first for Hermitude's label Elefant Traks) and has been featured as album of the week on FBi and triple j, alongside serious airplay for lead single 'The Buzz'. So it goes without saying, you're going to have to get in quick for a ticket to this show. The lads have come a long way from their early days of performing entire shows dressed as neanderthals with their decks covered in vines (actual thing), but the bombastic energy and unpredictable live instrumentation of Hermitude's live shows remains an unmissable combination for longtime fans and newcomers like. Do yourself a favour and don't read the tweets the next day, get to this show.
Dark and debaucherous banquets from Bompas and Parr, immersive art sleepovers at Cradle Mountain and all the demon purging and ceremonial death dances you could want in a festival. Dark Mofo is back for 2015. Centred around the winter solstice and running June 12-22, MONA's annual June festival celebrates the Neolithic-started tradition over ten days of weird and wonderful art, performance, music and happenings around Hobart. Last year's festival attracted more than 130,000 Mofos, and with this year's lineup, they're looking at a lot more pilgrims. Coinciding with MONA's huge Marina Abramovic retrospective Private Archaeology, this year's Dark Mofo is deeper, creepier and darker than ever before — with art, food, music and performance pioneered by 250 artists from around the world. For one of the biggest events of the festival, the brave and adventurous at heart will want to lock in June 15-17 for a two-night immersive art experience sleepover within Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. That's right. Immersive art sleepover. It's called Wild At Heart and is curated by the Unconscious Collective (Motel Dreaming). British jellymongers and universally applauded food artists Bompas and Parr are hosting a full-on, debaucherous banquet. Huge. And Melbourne contemporary artist Ash Keating will open an exhibition called Remote Nature Response as part of the whole WAH shebang. Music-wise, Dark Mofo is as brooding and gloomy as ever at Hobart's historic Odeon Theatre, with already-leaked, heartbreaking headliners Antony and the Johnsons leading the charge with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. British art-pop collective The Irrepressibles are also locked in, alongside Arkansas experts in doom metal Pallbearer. Seattle's 'horror-country' rocker King Dude will be there, as well as German industrial dance outfit Oake. There's plenty of Australians in the bunch too, from The Drones' brooding folkster Gareth Liddiard to Melbourne's '60s-inspired crooner Brous and performance vocalist Kusum Normoyle, modern day Divinyls-like Sydneysiders The Preatures, Hobart's eclectic pop group Tiger Choir and Melburnian chillwave must-see Klo. Also hailing from Melbourne, gloomy electronica artist Jake Blood and frenetic rock outfit My Disco. Then there’s Japan's electro-conducting EYE, who will be premiering new work CIRCOM, especially for Dark Mofo, presented by Red Bull Music Academy. Immersive art and experimental theatre fans, you'rve got plenty to look forward to. Dark Mofo set to unveil a brand new festival precinct dubbed 'Dark Park' at Hobart's Macquarie Point. Huge public artworks will invade the park, from a high-octane Fire Organ by German chemo-acoustic engineer Bastiaan Maris with producer Duckpond, to a Night Ship cruising around the river, and a full-body sonic massage immersion of Bass Bath by Melbourne’s Byron J. Scullin in collaboration with Supple Fox. Virginia Woolf’s Orlando will be performed by Victoria’s THE RABBLE theatre company at the Theatre Royal (Australia’s oldest theatre) and you'll find a dark take on Roald Dahl's The Witches at Salamanca Arts Centre’s Peacock Theatre. Plus, you won't want to miss Dark Mofo's new late-night ceremonial death dance Blacklist curated by Supple Fox. We don't even know what that means. Those keen to lose themself in a dark, dark cinema have plenty of Nordic dark folkloric films to sink their teeth into. North Hobart’s century-old State Cinema is presenting a super niche series featuring A Second Chance, A Spell to Ward off the Darkness, Down Terrace, A Field in England, Partisan, Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America, Valhalla Rising and more, curated Nick Batzias and James Hewison. Dark Mofo Films will also see the red carpet world premiere of Tasmanian-filmed Foxtel adult drama series The Kettering Incident at the Odeon. Last but not least, we feast. Dark Mofo's annual bacchinalian food festival returns to Princes Wharf Shed 1 — the ever-anticipated Winter Feast. Guest chefs Jake Kellie, Martin Boetz, Sean Moran, Mike McEnearney and O Tama Carey and the Mona Source restaurant team head five nights of feasting and performance, culminating in a Balinese ogoh-ogoh parade to purge all those demons and burn all those fears. Really. Then there's the annual Nude Solstice Swim — nothing like an early morning swim in Tasmanian water to cure your Mofo hangover. Dark Mofo runs June 12-22 in various locations across Hobart, Tasmania. Tickets are on sale from 10am Monday, April 20 from here. Registration for tickets for Antony and the Johnsons with the TSO over here. Images: Beth Evans, Matt Glastonbury.
Bangarra Dance Theatre's name comes from the Wiradjuri word meaning 'to make fire', and the company has been performing for over three decades. After spending most of 2020 away from the stage, the group is returning to the spotlight at Sydney Festival with a work that revisits some of the most important pieces from its repertoire to celebrate and acknowledge Aboriginal Australia's unbroken connections to the land. Djakapurra Munyarryun, a Yolŋu songman from Northeast Arnhem Land, who has been a cultural consultant for Bangarra throughout its life, provides traditional music and choreography, complementing the choreography of Bernadette Walong-Sene and Artistic Director Stephen Page. [caption id="attachment_795403" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lisa Tomasetti[/caption] Images: Lisa Tomasetti
As governments around the world continue to drag their feet resettling refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict — which has entered its ninth year — it falls once more to the non-political professions to show the government where the hands go on the humanitarian clock. This time, it's hospitality's turn. On Monday, August 12, UNICEF Australia will once again partner with some of the country's best chefs for a charity dinner celebrating Syria's strong culinary traditions. The dinner is part of nationwide fundraising campaign called #CookForSyria, with money raised going to UNICEF Australia's Syria Crisis Appeal for Children. Surry Hills' Nomad will host the posse of gastronomers as they prepare a banquet comprising their signature dishes with a Syrian flourishes. And this year, the all-star lineup of chefs, sommeliers and front-of-house staff is also all female. Saint Peter's Julie Niland, Palisa Anderson from Chat Thai, Isabelle Caulfield from Poly, Shannon Martinez from Melbourne's Smith & Daughters, Icebergs' Jaci Koludrovic, Claire Van Vuuren from Bloodwood and Nomad's own Jacqui Challinor are just some of the big names you'll see in the kitchen. Tickets are a steep $295 per person — but, remember, it's all going to a good cause — and include a four-course Syrian feast and matching wines, chosen by two top female sommeliers: Sixpenny's Bridget Raffal and wine consultant Samantha Payne. Expect service to be at the top of its game, too, as Momofuku Seiobo's Kylie Javier Ashton and Nikki Friedl from Africola will be running things on the floor. It may seem on the surface like you're paying for the food, but 14 professional chefs jammed into a single kitchen also suggests a night of great theatre. While the top guns will have their turn on August 12, UNICEF Australia is encouraging anyone with passing knowledge of an oven to contribute throughout August and September, too. Restaurants and cafes can produce a limited edition Syrian versions of favourite dish, donating $5 from each one sold to the charity. For those who deal in culinary delight on a slightly smaller scale, bake sales are your recommended course. While you're waiting for the oven to pre-heat, you can read more and register here. To reserve your spot at the one-off dinner, make a reservation via the Nomad website. Image: Nikki To
If catching a flick in style is your thing, get ready to plan a night out at Restaurant Hubert. The subterranean CBD restaurant and theatre is bringing back its hit Magnum & Movies series for the rest of the year, transporting Sydneysiders around the globe with film, food and plenty of wine (in magnums, of course). It'll all take place once a month in Hubert's 120-seat Theatre Royale, to really ramp up the film-meets-dinner vibe. Each evening will feature plenty of popcorn, a buffet dinner and magnums of wine, which will be passed around throughout the night. While past events have had an Italian theme, this year's group of films is a little more varied. Kicking the series off is a screening of wine-filled comedy Sideways on July 1, which will be paired with a Californian wine country-themed dinner and magnums by Chateau Marechal. It's followed by Italian-American classic Big Night on August 19. This will be served up with Cantina Giardino magnums and New York-Italian fare — we're expecting a timpano to make an appearance on the menu. Next, the latest film adaptation of British series The Trip to Spain on September 9, with (obviously) Spanish eats and Comando G magnums and then the series rounds out with cult favourite Goodfellas on October 14, with Torbreck magnums and food mobsters would approve of. Tickets don't come cheap at $130 per head — but that price includes everything (food, wine, film and popcorn) and it's the kind of decadent Monday evening out you don't get to enjoy every day. Images: Daniel Boud.
Australia's boutique camping festival descends on the small NSW town of Berry each December, taking over the local showgrounds with two days of stellar global and local musicians. The annual music, food and art festival somehow feels like a country weekend fete, but it's also where you'll catch a surprising number of big-name acts. This year one of Brit Pop's leading troublemakers, Liam Gallagher, sits at the top of the bill, followed by Triple J faves DMA's, Meg Mac, Hatchie, Dope Lemon and Julia Jacklin. But Fairgrounds isn't just about the tunes. Sydney-based vintage market host Dear Pluto has brought together over 20 different stalls of makers and collectors on the Saturday (11am–10.30pm), there's a vinyl record fair (also on Saturday) and Games on the Green with tug-of-war and egg-and-spoon races. Plus, the festival arranges for free use of the local swimming pool every evening until 7pm. And Jervis Bay's award-winning Paperbark restaurant is back with its popular pop-up — expect housemade ice creams, locally sourced seafood, flatbreads and dips, as well as spiced berries. See the full music lineup below. FAIRGROUNDS 2019 LINEUP Liam Gallagher Dope Lemon Meg Mac DMA's Julia Jacklin Kasey Chambers Hatchie The Babe Rainbow Fritz The Lazy Eyes The Buoys Nilüfer Yanya 100 Clews The Lemonheads Stevan Images: Ian Laidlaw and Gabriel Vallido.
The view from Mrs Macquaries Point is nothing short of stunning; however the view during Westpac Openair season is even better. When the outdoor cinema returns to the waterside spot for its 2020 run, Sydneysiders can soak up two gorgeous sights: the harbour, of course, and the impressive range of films that'll grace Openair's big screen. From Thursday, January 9 until Friday, February 21, plenty of movies will play under the stars — starting with opening night's already-announced preview of Bombshell, which stars Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie. That's just the beginning of the lineup, with Openair finally revealing its full program. Get ready for blistering revisionist takes on Australian history, crowd-pleasing biopics, Robert Pattinson playing a lighthouse keeper and more. Yes, fresh from dropping its fiery first trailer, Justin Kurzel's exceptional True History of the Kelly Gang ranks high among Openair's standouts — and this must-see has much more in common with the Snowtown director's fantastic version of Macbeth than his forgettable video game adaptation Assassin's Creed. Other highlights include the Tom Hanks-starring A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, which looks set to earn Oscar attention, plus psychological horror movie The Lighthouse. The latter not only features Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, but marks filmmaker Robert Eggers' first movie since he creeped everyone out with The Witch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42_UHhpq530 Viewers looking for something amusing can opt for The Personal History of David Copperfield, the new film from Veep and The Death of Stalin's Armando Iannucci; Like A Boss, with Rose Byrne and Salma Hayek playing friends and business partners tested by a big new deal; and the latest adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma. Or, if you're fond of historical true tales, both Radioactive (with Rosamund Pike as Marie Curie) and The Current War (with Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison) should hit the spot. Filmgoers can also get a proper blast from the past thanks to a the 100th-anniversary screening of newly restored Aussie silent classic The Sentimental Bloke, complete with a brand new score performed live by Paul Mac. If you missed some of Openair's previous lineup sneak peeks, its previously unveiled titles should get you excited, too. Greta Gerwig's version of Little Women leads the charge alongside Guy Ritchie's new gangster flick The Gentlemen — and between them, they star Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Timothée Chalamet, Laura Dern, Chris Cooper, Meryl Streep, Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell, Michelle Dockery, Henry Golding, Charlie Hunnam and Hugh Grant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCPiBWrIaSI Plus, if you've missed a few recent highlights at your local picture palace, Openair is also screening everything from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Hustlers, Rocketman and Official Secrets to Marriage Story, Blinded by the Light, Knives Out and Pain and Glory. After they release in December, it'll also play Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker and Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Throw in movie snacks by two top chefs — James Viles (Biota, Bertha's Meats) and Clayton Wells (Automata, A1 Canteen) — with the pair cooking up oysters, smoked beef tartare and sashimi kingfish belly, and your summer movie viewing just levelled up a few notches. Second image: Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker, Copyright TM Lucasfilm Ltd.
Charge the flux capacitor, folks. With 2020 marking 35 years since the first film in the trilogy hit cinemas, the Hayden Orpheum is taking audiences Back to the Future. On Sunday, February 9, the venue will screen all three parts of Robert Zemeckis's iconic time travel trilogy for the bargain basement ticket price of just $20. The evening begins, as you'd expect, with the original Back to the Future — one of the greatest movies to come out of the 80s, and one of the most entertaining time travel movies ever made. You'll then get a glimpse of what was once the far-distant future but is now our recent past, with Part II set in 2015. (Seriously, aren't we all meant to be riding around on hoverboards by now?) Poor predictions aside, Part Two is a seriously underrated flick — the rare sort of sequel that actually enhances your enjoyment of the first film. The same can't quite be said of Part III, although if you can make it past the whole Wild West shtick, it's still pretty entertaining.
UPDATE: Thursday May 6, 2021 — Due to new COVID-19 restrictions, Estamos Turns One has been postponed. This page will be updated when the event has a new date. For the latest information on the developing COVID-19 outbreak, visit NSW Health. The Spanish word for 'we are', Estamos was born from a desire to spend better, quality time with the people you love. It's fitting then, that Estamos will celebrate turning one by teaming up with Mirskaya Events to host a one-day only margarita and music festival at Watsons Bay Hotel on Saturday, May 8. Running from midday – 4pm, the Estamos team has booked out the entire top deck and balcony of Watsons to celebrate. Along with an open two-hour bar featuring Estamos' spicy watermelon, and cucumber cooler margaritas, there will be a range of wine, beer and canapes on offer throughout the afternoon. Four DJs and a surprise guest will round out entertainment for the 250-person event. Estamos is known for its guilt-free, clean margarita mix — giving Sydneysiders a convenient option for creating low-cal margs from the comfort of home (there's only 21 calories and 3g of natural sugar per serve). Its first birthday party will be Estamos' third Sydney event, with all previous events sold out across the city. Tickets range from $100 – $125 and are on-sale now.
The Abercrombie is back! The storied corner pub and haven of electronic music is reopening in December thanks to Solotel who will be reviving the Ultimo venue, reintroducing its packed dance floors and 24-hour license to Sydney's nightlife. Swinging open its doors once again right at the end of 2022 means the venue has to throw a huge New Year's Eve event, and it's recruited one of Sydney's biggest party crews to send off the year. Motorik will be taking over the venue on Saturday, December 31, pulling together a stacked lineup of DJs for this eight-hour party that's set to kick on until the early hours of 2023. In a move that throws back to the glory days of The Abercrombie, heading up this program of musical tastemakers will be Germany's house and dubstep trailblazer Boys Noize. One of the stars of the late-2000s and early 2010s DJ scene, Boys Noize will be hitting the decks from 1.30am until late. In support will be Clashe, Francis Xavier, DJ Macaroni, Mclean & Mai, the Motorik Vibe Council and FBi Radio's Reenie. While you're at the revamped Abercrombie, you can explore the two new spaces opening as part of its reopening transformation. Head upstairs and you'll discover a sleek cocktail lounge and rooftop bar called Casa Rosa, or discover Lil Sis, a cosy wine bar and bottle shop located in the adjoining terraces next to the pub. The first release is sold out, but final release tickets are available for $49. Images: Shane McCauley
Recently the Vic on the Park Hotel made the shock announcement that beloved monthly event One Day Sundays was cancelled in reaction to complaints from local residents. This isn’t entirely true, or entirely isn’t true, or both. One Day Entertainment will be proudly presenting their biggest party ever, featuring Halfway Crooks and Nina Las Vegas, at its new home, The Factory Theatre, on January 25. Monthly ODS parties at The Vic have become an institution to the local music scene, and the organisers are saddened to be moving on from the establishment at which the party was born. ODS organiser and Jackie Onassis producer Raph admits that after sharing such a loyal relationship with The Vic, he was upset with how the management team dealt with the event's cancellation, informing the ODS crew via email and taking it upon themselves to cancel the event on social media. Attempts at negotiation went nowhere. “People keep asking me, why are you moving?" says Raph. "We didn’t just bail on you. It wasn’t our choice.” Raph explains that the move to The Factory Theatre was a last-minute decision, but one that's ultimately for the best. “One Day Sundays requires a very specific venue criteria — an outdoor area, a convenient Marrickville location and a space to paint. The Factory Theatre is allowing the ODS crew to eventually redecorate the whole outside area with murals, authorising us to put our stamp on the venue permanently.” The space will feature illustrations from some “fairly prominent street artists” whose names will remain a secret for now. Raph continued to mention a list of other positive outcomes that have eventuated from the relocation of the party. “Four bars is better than two, and at ODS we have heaps of girls that come to our parties. We don’t want girls not coming because there were only two toilets. There are more toilets at The Factory Theatre. So that’s a thing now.” One of the most important improvements that the new location provides is space. There are more rooms that can be opened as required and capacity is an extra 500 people above The Vic. “Last ODS we had a line of 400 people out the front, and we don’t want to turn people away," says Raph. "We want to party with all of y'all. We want you to spend less time lining up and more time turning up.” “The response we have had from the community has been really supportive, and as long as our long-term people who come every month understand, we are happy. It will be the same party, but The Vic finished at 9pm. We can move inside at The Factory and party as late as we want.” As always, One Day Sundays on February 25 will be free entry and will feature One Day DJs, Halfway Crooks and Nina Las Vegas, with more to be announced. Raph told us exclusively that we can look forward to Blue Mountains-based Elefant Traks legends Hermitude being involved with the ODS party in February. The Vic is still a beautiful place that we love lots. Images by Cole Bennetts.
Looking for a last minute excuse to skip town this weekend? Get your motor running, get out on the highway and get going to Mudgee. You'll be joining thousands of visitors as they converge on the wine-loving country town, to indulge in its first-ever Food and Drink Trail. All weekend, you'll be matching Chardonnays with cheeses, and Shirazes with dishes-beginning-with-sh, as you wander from one stop to another. There are no fewer than fifteen stops on the itinerary, including Alby + Esthers, Baker Williams Distillery, Burnbrae, di Lusso Estate, Elton's + Blue Wren, Huntington Estate, Lowe Wines, Moothi Estate and Short Sheep Micro-Winery. If you're wondering what to expect, check out our Weekender's Guide to Mudgee. What's more, your food and wine will be coming at you at way-cheaper-than-Sydney prices. Just 40 bucks will buy you a 'trail pass', consisting of five vouchers, each of which gets you a sample of local wine, beer, spirit or other beverage, along with a matching, regionally-inspired small dish. And there's no stopping you: buy as many trail passes and make as much merriment as you like, all weekend long. As long as you're having a good ol' time, Mudgee won't judge.
Although Potts Point locals were saddened by the sudden closure of Bourke Street Bakery, a brand new all-day eatery should lift a few spirits. The folks behind Redfern's Moon Park, which closed in September 2016, will be opening their anticipated new venue, Paper Bird, on Monday, July 31, with Korean, Japanese and Chinese spins on breakfast, lunch and dinner. Initially, Paper Bird will open for breakfast and lunch only (Monday to Friday 7am-3pm, Saturday to Sunday 8am-3pm), and will not be taking bookings for breakfast and lunch. "The breakfast dishes will be familiar, but with an Asian twist," says Ned Brooks, who co-owns the eatery with head chefs Ben Sears and Eun Hee An. "Singapore barbecue bacon, smashed avo and eggs on toast with dried fish, toasted muesli and persimmon ... It's often about swapping one European ingredient with an Asian one." A friendly nod to former tenants, Paper Bird will be serving Bourke Street Bakery sourdough, rye, potato bread and croissants for brekkie, and they'll be doing all-day Xi'an cumin lamb sausage rolls with cumin and black vinegar. They're also serving up breakfast bao, bagels with smoked trout zuke and floss, and 'King's Congee' with rice and milk porridge, crab corn and doughnut chips. Doughnut chips. If you've been missing that Moon Park fried chicken, you'll soon be scoffing it again on a fried chicken and bacon muffin called 'The Big Bird', or as an all-day snack — five pieces of shrimp brined fried chicken with soy and syrup will set you back $25. The all-day lunch and dinner menu will see plenty of curious offerings including Chongqing popcorn, bocconcini kushiage, menbosha (that's a prawn toast sandwich), crispy scallion pancakes, Japanese cheesecake with preserved cumquat, sweet potato doughnuts with date ice cream, and milk bingsu with anglaise and yuzu curd. And that's just your first visit with one buddy. Don't look at us. On the drinks menu, you'll find about 100 wines, with 20 or so available by the glass. Brooks, who'll be running the bar, says, "Around 50 percent are Australian and 50 percent international, from France, Italy, Spain and America." There's also a high-end sake list, a bunch of beers and cocktails. Single Origin will be taking care of the coffee. Going against Sydney's current obsession with guttings and renovations, the team hasn't torn the site apart. "The fitout is already lovely," Brooks says. "It was made by craftsmen and we don't want to touch it too much. We don't want to see a beautiful bar top and dark wooden banquettes get ripped out and turned into landfill ... Sydney is an expensive city, but people still want to go out to drink and eat. One way to reduce prices is to spend less money on renovations." Designed in collaboration with Phillip Arnold of Plus Minus Design, the space offers indoor seating for about 60, including 10 spots at the bar, plus 15 places outside. Paper Bird will confirm a start date for dinners soon, and reservations will be available only through the website. Paper Bird will open Monday, July 31at 46A Macleay Street (enter via Crick Avenue). Opening hours will be Monday to Saturday 7am–midnight, Sunday 8am–3pm. By Jasmine Crittenden and Shannon Connellan. Image: Nikki To.
Celebrate all things soil this Thursday, April 14 with the not-for-profit Nourish, who are hosting the next instalment in their bi-annual gourmet dinner and talk series, Nourish Talks: 'The Ground Beneath'. Nourish gives attendees the chance to connect with Mother Nature and eat a fantastic meal, all while donating to a great cause. Gardening Australia host Costa Georgiadis will lead a panel discussion on the importance of soil to the health of our food, community and personal wellbeing. The eclectic guest speakers will include Young Henrys brewer Agnes Gajic and popular Sydney yoga teacher Stella Chambers, both supporters of Nourish and their commitment to local, social outreach programs. The Thai menu of organic and locally sourced ingredients will be served by chef Ty Bellingham (ex-Sailors Thai) and a team of refugees and migrants from Bright Hospitality. On the drinks side, Young Henrys, Krinklewood Wines and Trolley'd are partnering up and also using locally foraged produce. Tickets are on sale through Eventbrite with all proceeds going toward St Canice and women in community domestic violence shelters.
It’s lunchtime, and the outlook is depressing. You’ve exhausted nearby cafes, and the office fridge is a horror in dire need of defrosting that you dare not go near. Enter My Little Panda Kitchen. For this new kid in town, ethically sourced produce and cultural awareness are the agendas of the day. Indonesian-inspired food is prepared on a flavour-first basis (and just happens to be cruelty-free), meals are packaged up into lunchboxes with names that riff on indie music and classic works of theatre, and it's all pedalled through the streets of the inner west and personally delivered to your home or work by the cook, on a bike. Creator/cook/vegan mastermind Annabelle McMillan launched the whole thing about a month ago. "I wanted it to be a boutique service that's a little bit different, a little bit kitsch, with elements of sustainability and culture and making more ethical choices," she says. And when Surry Hills' Arthur Street Kitchen packed up shop (and fixies) to try their luck in Brooklyn, they left a definite gap in the market for a home-cooked, hand-delivered meal service in the area. My Little Panda Kitchen emerged as an amalgamation of things McMillan loves and is passionate about: cooking, "biking everywhere" and puns. She gives her lunchboxes names, like Waiting for Gadot (featuring a vegan take on the ever-popular gado gado) and U Rap with Mie — which included mie goreng and urap, "a Javanese salad covered in a sauce made with big chunks of fresh coconut shredded through it and fresh chillies". (Insider tip: that's one of her personal favourites.) Each weekend, she posts that week's menu on her social media. Customers choose from two lunchboxes (more like three-course meals than those other brightly coloured plastic things they share a name with, domain of Dunkaroos and soggy sandwiches), and come Wednesday McMillan straps it all to her bike and does the delivery rounds, in a specific three suburbs that change every week. "A lot of people dig the spicy food," she says, "and the really popular Indonesian things, like nasi goreng and gado gado. But some of my favourite dishes I haven’t attempted to veganise. Not yet. Martabak is one of those; it's what I’d eat drunk on the side of the road when I was a teenager in Jakarta. It's sort of like a pancake but they put cheese and chocolate and condensed milk inside. It’s ridiculous." Demand's been strong, from vegans and omnivores alike. If it keeps up, McMillan envisions a MLPK fleet moving out into Sydney. Fingers crossed they've got that vegan martabak in tow. Words by Jessica Surman. Photography by Bodhi Liggett.
Less than two weeks after a fundraiser that mobilised an Uber army to deliver ice cream around the country, OzHarvest is out to educate Australians about food wastage in the best possible way – by putting a meal in front of them. Every year, Australia produces enough food to feed roughly three times its population. Despite this, two million people nationwide still rely on some form of food relief. So where's it all going? This is the conversation that OzHarvest is teaming with the UN to try and start. On July 25, in its fourth Think.Eat.Save since 2012, hundreds of OzHarvest volunteers will serve thousands of city-dwellers something they have long been told does not exist – a free lunch. All meals will be made from rescued foodstuffs in an effort to start Australians rethinking not only the way they consume, but also the way they discard. Sydney's Think.Eat.Save is happening in Martin Place between 11.30am and 2.30pm
Sydney's Angel Place is pretty well populated with high-end restaurants these days, with Long Chim and Mercado joining China Lane and the Merivale-encircled cornucopia last year. The CBD laneway hub will soon joined by a new Italian restaurant that boasts freshly-baked panini and pastries, handmade pastas, locally-sourced produce and two serious chefs. Bacco Osteria e Espresso is the first city collaboration between executive chef Andrew Cibej and head chef Scott Williams, both of whom hail from Surry Hills stalwarts Vini, 121BC, Berta and Chippendale's Ester. Various owners of China Doll, China Lane and Mercado are also all involved. Designed by Anthony Gill Architects, the team responsible for the chefs' aforementioned venues, Bacco will open as a trattoria-style restaurant and espresso bar. An earthy, olive colour palette dominates the interiors, and unifying wooden finishes gives off a warm, intimate feel. The team have also imported all of their cooking equipment from Italy, so expect a highly particular menu. Bacco's espresso bar opened mid-May, launching with a front window that turns out Little Marionette coffee and Bacco's house-baked breads, pastries and paninis, the latter of which include porchetta and pickles and vitello tonnato varieties. The team are also offering up pizza-by-the-slice, making them our personal inner-city heroes. The trattoria-style restaurant section will open next Monday, May 29, and focus on rustic, yet polished Italian fare — think goat ragù strozzapreti and spaghetti with sea urchin, along with handmade gnocchi in a pistachio and pecorino sauce, made by Cibej's nonna no less. The decadent antipasti will offer dry-aged lamb tartare with whipped anchovy and smoked swordfish with kohlrabi and apple, and dessert includes house-baked ricotta cheesecake. The extensive wine list has been curated by Clint Hillery (sommelier for China Doll Group) and features over 70 local and imported wines across Italian and New South Wales varietals. Overall, the team is going for an unpretentious, casual vibe. Bacco Osteria e Espresso is located 1 Angel Place, Sydney. The espresso bar is now open Monday through Friday from 7am until late and the restaurant is opening on May 29, with opening hours on Monday through Friday from noon until 10pm and Saturday from noon until midnight.
Beloved Sydney winery Cake Wines is shaking things up after a string of secret pop-up parties, moving into more grown-up, sit-down territory this time. Cake is launching a series of 'community feasts', taking place on select Saturdays through November and December. The feasts will bring hungry Sydneysiders together with chefs, producers and winemakers for a series of communal lunches and dinners. Each feast will be held in a different community garden or farmers market, starting with St Helen's Community Garden in Glebe on November 7. For the inaugural feast, chef Richie Dolan from Chiswick will join Cake Wines' head winemaker Sarah Burvill and garden manager Jock Keane to deliver a bespoke menu made with produce grown in the St Helen's Garden, with the food specially matched with a wine from Cake's 2014 and 2015 vintage releases. "This is a chance to prioritise the importance of real community, the gardens and the food they can provide, and of course, the wines that go along with that," says Burvill. "I’m really excited about working closely with the gardeners and chefs to understand the range of produce and food that will be on offer so I can match the wines accordingly and make this a really special experience." Future feasts will be held at the Ultimo Community Garden with Thievery head chef Jordan Muhamad on November 21; the Carriageworks Farmers Market with chef and creative director Mike McEnearney on December 5; 107 Project's Rooftop Garden with Redfern Continental chef Bobby Fry on December 12; and Charlie's Garden in Redfern with Hartsyard head chef Gregory Llewellyn on December 19. Each event will host around 120 guests over two sittings, with lunch sessions commencing at 12.30pm and dinner sessions commencing at 4.30pm. Tickets cost $120 a head and include food as well as a matched Cake Wines and James Squire beer option. Best of all, a portion of wine sales will be donated back to the host garden. To book your ticket, go here. https://vimeo.com/142993326
One of Queensland's top chefs is making his mark on Sydney, at the helm of a new gourmet venture on College Street near Hyde Park. Opening this week, The Resident is owned by the same foodies behind Lotus Dumpling Bar, but don't expect Chinese food here. Instead you'll find a mix of Spanish and Mediterranean morsels, served up under the watchful eyes of Pablo Tordesillas. Tordesillas is best known as the head chef at Ortiga, which prior to its closure was one of the most celebrated Spanish eateries in Brisbane. At The Resident, he'll serve up a small but sophisticated menu that combines tapas-style snacks and salads with mains cooked over a charcoal grill. You might start with a number of small plates – think fried cuttlefish with egg and potato, and mussels with lemon myrtle, artichoke and dill – before working your way up to lamp rump with turnip and rapini sauce, or octopus with ajo blanco, sumac and grapes. If you're really hungry, you could even try tackling their 1kg dry aged rib eye. At $95 it's not exactly cheap, but then again, this is a kilo of steak we're talking about here. Just make sure you leave room to sample their selection of sweets and cheeses. Personally, we've got our eye on the rum baba with quince, lemon balm and almond cream. Find The Resident at 18 College Street, Darlinghurst. For more information visit The Resident's website.
If you were to name a New Year's Eve special edition brewski, what would it be? This was the hectic face-melter of a question we asked you guys a few weeks back, when Young Henrys announced the search for a name for their special edition beer, made especially for the upcoming epic NYE Above the Harbour event. Young Henrys are only making 20 kegs of this special brew, available to everyone with tickets to NYE Above the Harbour. A light, summery fruity pale ale brewed especially for the night with Australian malts, Antipodean hops from NZ, and later dry hopped with Aussie varieties like Galaxy, the beer will only be available for ticketholders. We had hundreds of entries to name the beer, so many name possibilities for the midnight brew — some awesome, some wildly questionable. And the winner is? Broken Resolutions. Nice one, Grant Seylhouwer, y'massive realist. "It's estimated that only eight percent of resolutions are successful, so why kid yourself. Break your resolution pre-NYE with a cold Young Henrys' 'Broken Resolution' Beer." Dammit, he's so right. Grant's taking home a case of Young Henrys tinnies and a double pass to the event because he hit the nail on the head. Luckily, if you're keen to try the brew, the general admission tickets are still on sale — the VIP tix have sold out, soz. New Years Eve Above the Harbour is happening at Tarpeian Way, The Domain on December 31 from 6pm – 12.30am (doors open 5.30pm). Capacity is strictly limited so book your tickets here.
A collection of Australia's most talented street artists will transform Centenary Square in Parramatta into a temporary open-air art studio. Each morning for nine consecutive weekdays beginning on Monday March 14, a different artist will produce a brand new, large scale artwork live in front of the public, demonstrating their technique and turning the space into a vibrant artistic hub. An initiative of the Parramatta City Council and real estate developers Walker Corporation in partnership with creative arts organisation Work-Shop, the Live Walls Project has tapped a number of notable names to take part. Anthony Lister, Anya Brock, Guido Van Helten, James Jirat Patradoon, Sid Tapia, Georgia Hill, Aidan "Sprinkles" McKenzie, Phibs, Nico and Jumbo will all take part, each working from 10am to 3pm on their allocated day to create a new artwork on the hoarding in front of the Parramatta Square development. At the conclusion of the event, each work will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Parramatta Mission. Nice one. LIVE WALLS LINE-UP Monday 14 March – James Jirat Patradoon Tuesday 15 March – Sid Tapia Wednesday 16 March – Georgia Hill Thursday 17 March – Anthony Lister Friday 18 March – Aidan "Sprinkles" McKenzie Monday 21 March – Anya Brock Tuesday 22 March – Phibs Wednesday 23 March – Guido Van Helten Thursday 24 March – Nico & Jumbo For more information about Live Walls, visit www.parracity.nsw.gov.au/livewalls. You can also keep tabs on the project via Instagram.
Things are looking dicey for the future of Australia's creative industry. Devastating budget cuts courtesy of the federal government can often have that effect. The latest casualty is Paddington's film, television and digital media training organisation Metro Screen, which yesterday announced that it will cease operations at the end of the year after failing to secure the necessary funding. "Every effort has been made by Metro Screen to secure additional funding but to no avail," read a statement by Kath Shelper, chair of the Metro Screen Board, which was posted on the organisation's website. "We need to be responsible to our staff and ensure we are able to meet our obligations to them, and therefore it is with regret that the Board has made the decision to close Metro Screen in December 2015." First established in 1981 with funding from the (now defunct) Australian Film Commission, Metro Screen has for decades helped emerging screen practitioners by providing training, equipment and funding assistance. In recent times, the not-for-profit organisation has operated with the aid of a $240,000 grant from Screen Australia, but that money will dry up at the end of the year. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Screen Australia is itself expected to lose $3.6 million in federal funding over the next four years. According to Metro Screen CEO Christian Alvarez, the Metro Board had hoped to secure around $750,000 in new projects to help cover the loss, but admitted that while they had successfully secured "some significant high profile projects in the past 12 months, unfortunately the target has not been met." Current Metro Screen programs and classes are expected to continue as normal until the organisation closes its doors in December.
