Back in July, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Australia will tie its efforts to manage COVID-19 to vaccination rates moving forward. As the country reaches certain jab milestones — 70 percent of Aussies over the age of 16 receiving two doses, and then 80 percent — the way that Australia handles the pandemic will evolve. Restrictions will start to ease, lockdowns will be less likely, international travel will open back up and people who've been fully vaxxed will live life under loosened rules. As both New South Wales and Victoria have dealt with COVID-19 outbreaks over the past few months, vaccination rates have continued to be thrust into the spotlight. Both NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her Victorian counterpart Daniel Andrews have highlighted specific jab thresholds, and announced that lockdown rules will begin to change when they're met — at 70-percent fully vaxxed in NSW and 70 percent with at least one dose in Victoria. So, that means that we're all now paying extra attention to those vaccination figures. They're mentioned at each state's daily COVID-19 press conferences, of course, but you can also check out how your state is going and how the nation overall is faring thanks to a heap of online resources. Wondering why you might be interested in the Aussie rate, and not just vax numbers in your own state or territory? As part of that plan announced by the PM — the National Plan to transition Australia's National COVID Response — vaccination rates have to reach the 70-percent and 80-percent fully jabbed marks across the entire country before an individual state or territory can start easing the rules. That state or territory also has to reach those thresholds itself before it can do anything, of course, but that isn't the only important figure. This daily infographic provides the total number of vaccine doses administered in Australia 🇦🇺 as of 6 September 2021 📅 💻Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccine information here: https://t.co/lsM33j9wMW pic.twitter.com/XTydxJH0sK — Australian Government Department of Health (@healthgovau) September 7, 2021 For Australia-wide data, the Federal Government Department of Health issues several daily reports on the vaccine rollout, complete with handy infographics if you like looking at diagrams more than numerals. You can see the total doses administered, how many people are fully vaccinated, and the breakdown state by state — and, nationwide, also a breakdown of doses by age group and gender. Vax rates among Indigenous Australians, people with disability and the disability workforce, and in residential aged care are also singled out. Or, there's also the COVID Live website, which collates information on new cases, tests, hospitalisations and vaccinations, and lets you dive further into each. With jabs, it gives a breakdown by state and then by day, and also counts down how many days remain until the country and each state and territory hits 60-percent, 70-percent, 80-percent and 90-percent first doses and fully vaxxed, as based on the seven-day average. [caption id="attachment_824786" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] COVID Live as at Wednesday, September 8.[/caption] Each state and territory also has its own online resources, with different details on offer depending on the state. In NSW, for instance, you can access a COVID-19 vaccination dashboard that highlights the number of doses that've been given, or you can check out a nifty map that breaks down jabs by postcode and Local Government Area. Victoria's COVID-19 vaccine data portal lists doses given over the past 24 hours, and also links to a weekly report that tracks the state's progress. Here, you'll find overall and weekly rates, a breakdown via vaccine type and dose — so listing first and second doses of AstraZeneca and of Pfizer — and also breakdowns by age and gender. For Queensland, the overall stats can be found on Queensland Health's COVID-19 page, with further detail on offer if you click through to its statistics summary. Vaccinations are then listed by vaccine site area, including both overall and hospital/vax hub-specific figures. You can see how many doses were administered the day prior and in total so far. Queensland #COVID19 update 7/09/21 Today we have recorded 0 new cases of COVID-19. Detailed information about COVID-19 cases in Queensland, can be found here: https://t.co/kapyXpSIAP pic.twitter.com/G4J57unlPc — Queensland Health (@qldhealthnews) September 7, 2021 In Western Australia, there's a vaccination dashboard filled with infographics about doses, rates and age breakdowns. In South Australia, you'll find an overall daily vaccination figure on the state's overall COVID-19 dashboard. Tasmania has a statistics section on the government's COVID-19 website, and includes both a cumulative tally and the daily increase — and both the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory have their own COVID-19 dashboards with relevant figures. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
At the moment, you can't go down to your local, order yourself a pint and chat with the bartender, but that doesn't mean you have to go thirsty. While you're at home, it could be a good chance to shake things up, sample new liquors, brews or wines instead of your go-to VB and even maybe brush up on your cocktail making skills. The only thing holding you back will be your supply — and right now, after a few weeks of staying at home more, we're betting it's looking a little lacklustre. One way of making sure your liquor cabinet is always well-stocked is signing up to an online subscription service — and in Australia there are many. Whether you're after wine, tinnies or whisky, a number of local booze subscription services are ensuring you don't go thirsty while social distancing. Here are eight of the best. CRAFT BREWS AND NATTY WINES FROM GOOD BOOZE PROJECT (MR WEST) Mr West is known for many things, but its bottle shop packed with craft beers and minimal-intervention wines is a standout. Previously, you had to visit the Melbourne bar to get said tipples, but now you can have them delivered with its subscription service, the Good Booze Project. Its mission is simple: deliver incredible booze to your door. So, expect to be sipping top-notch tipples from independent producers from around the globe. You can opt for boxes of three, six or 12 wines and six or 12 beers delivered to your door every month. There's the Explorer, Lover or Buff subscription levels for both wine and beer — and you can upgrade anytime. The Good Booze Project delivers across Australia and your box will arrive chilled every month, too, so you can crack open a cold one as soon as it hits your front porch. Right now, new members can nab a free Mr West crystal wine or beer glass pack (valued at $35), too — just enter SIGNMEUP at checkout. Plus, if you want something a little stronger to see you through iso, you can add on an order of Mr West's 1.5-litre 'bagnums' of negroni and espresso martini. For more information on the subscription levels and to sign up, head here. ARTISANAL GINS FROM GIN SOCIETY If you're a G&T person or a lover of a dry gin martini, look no further than Gin Society, which treats its subscribers to a full-sized bottle of a small-batch gin every two months. The company launched back in 2018 and features a range of local and international gins, with a focus on drops you won't find at your local bottle shop. Each time one of these hand-picked, premium gins lands at your doorstep, it'll be accompanied by an edition of Gin Journal magazine, too, featuring expert tasting notes, suggested cocktail recipes, bartender profiles, reviews and details about the gin's origins. Everything you need to ensure you enjoy that bottle of artisan booze to its fullest. So if you're not a gin whiz yet, you will be soon. The subscription will set you back $95 bimonthly, which includes a full-sized bottle of gin, the magazine, exclusive invitations to future Gin Society events and cost of delivery, no matter where you live in the country. Sign up for your bimonthly gin fix here. [caption id="attachment_765523" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Naked Wines[/caption] BOUTIQUE LOCAL VINOS FROM NAKED WINES Online cellar door Naked Wines launched in 2012 with the aim of connecting at-home wine drinkers with winemakers across Australia and New Zealand. Since then it's grown to include more than 53 winemakers, including the likes of Enfant Terrible from Adelaide Hills, Le Petit Mort from Queensland's Granite Belt and Hilltops, NSW, plus Blindside from Margaret River. So, if you're looking to stockpile your cellar, you could be doing it with some top-notch drops from around the country. Its subscription service is a little different to others, and instead of signing up for a delivery every so often, you become a 'wine angel' for $40 a month. The money will go into your Naked Wines account and you can spend it how you wish, plus get a stack of discounts, exclusive wines and a free bottle once a month, which you'll receive with your next purchase. You can get cases of six, 12 or 15 bottles delivered to your doorstep. And right now you can nab a $100-voucher to spend on a case if you're a first-time Naked Wines customer (and over 18). Just head here to make your purchase. If you're based in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth, your Naked Wines could be winging their way to you by the next working day. For Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra, delivery is within two-to-four business days. It's also free delivery for members if you're in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, however there are delivery costs of up to $20 outside of those cities. To order your first box — and get $100 to spend on it — head here, then sign up to become a wine angel. HARD-TO-FIND AND NEW-WORLD WHISKIES FROM WHISKY LOOT Keeping you suitably soused while you're stuck at home is Whisky Loot. And while it mightn't be new, there's never been a better time to get small-batch and hard-to-find whiskies delivered straight to your door. The monthly subscription service delivers a box of three 60-millilitre bottles, with a different theme every time, so you'll never drink the same tipple twice. The aim is to expand your palate and educate you along the way. So, if you're just entering the world of whisky or looking to sample something other than your go-to firewater, this is for you. As well as three tasty ambers, you'll receive expert tasting notes and a tasting journal (with your first box), both of which will help take you from whisky novice to aficionado. And although it's a subscription service, you can do it month-to-month, with no lock-ins. Best of all, Whisky Loot is offering $10 off your first order if you opt for the subscription, making it just $49 for your first round, which includes free standard shipping across Australia. All you have to do is enter SUPPORT5 at checkout. Plus, it'll be donating $5 from each box to Hospo Voice in support of the hospitality industry, which is doing it pretty tough right now. So, you can cheers to a good cause. For more information about Whisky Look and to sign up, head here. WINES PICKED BY TOP SOMMELIERS FROM THE BOROUGH BOX Pick this and you'll pretty much be getting the cream of the crop of natural wines, with Lo-Fi Wine directors James Audas (Noma) and Tom Sheer (Love, Tilly Devine) behind every box. This monthly vino subscription has just launched and features a range of sustainable, organic and biodynamic wines from every corner of the globe, with a particular focus on small-batch producers. So, expect Aussie favourites such as Good Intentions Wine Co, Das Juice, and Jauma alongside European wines, including Matassa (France), Lammidia (Italy), and Gut Oggau (Austria). Every box will contain six wines and contain one or two whites, one skin contact, one rosé, a couple of reds and occasionally a sparkling — though the ratios will vary. Plus, every bottle will come with information on where its from, who made it, what's in it and some tasting notes. You'll be spending $180 a month, but if you're a lover of minimal-intervention drops — and hate deciding which ones to buy — it's worth it. In April, deliveries will happen every Monday, then from May, you'll get your box on the first Monday of the month. Currently, The Borough Box is only available for delivery across Sydney and Melbourne. Keen to try some top-notch natty drops — every month? Head here to sign up. DIY COCKTAIL KITS FROM COCKTAIL PORTER Trying to up your bartending game? Enter Cocktail Porter. Founded Sydney's Cameron Northway (co-owner of Rocker), this at-home cocktail making subscription is sure to deliver the goods. The subscription works similarly to most DIY food delivery services, except with booze — and is available nationwide. You'll get fixings for a different seasonal drink delivered to your door, along with a recipe card, pre-measured ingredient and premium spirits, for $135, which may seem a lot to fork up at once but it'll make 14–18 cocktails (about a tenner each). Each month will feature a different cocktail, curated by world-class bartenders and based on "global drinking trends". In past months, there's been the likes of a treacle old fashioned with sweet Italian vermouth, burnt orange-vanilla syrup and cacao-macadamia bitters; a classic gin martini with your choice of flavoured vermouth; and a bloody mary with turmeric vinegar. If you're not ready to commit, Cocktail Porter also has a heap of one-of cocktail box options, includes a mini espresso martini kit for $69.95. If you're keen to get shaking and stirring, sign up here. WINE (YES, MORE!) FROM VINOMOFO Vinomofo has made a name for its not-so-snobby, fun approach to wine nerdery, since starting life in a tiny Adelaide garage back in 2011. Its sprawling online wine selection now caters to over 500,000 members worldwide. So it's safe to say it knows what it's doing when it comes to grape juice. There are two subscription packages to choose from — The Black Market ($139) and The Mofo Club ($179) — and you can opt to get them dropped off every one, two or three months. Each includes 12 wines, which is a bargain compared to some of others. While both packs are mixed, The Black Market features more reds; The Mofo is a mix or white and red wines, plus you'll get a link to some tasting notes so you can up your vino game as you sip away. It delivers across the country — and we mention you can get $25 off your first order if you sign up now? No? Just click here and you'll see. To sign up — and get $25 off your first order — head to Vinomofo's website. NEW-RELEASE AND CRAFT BREWS FROM BEER CARTEL Sydney-based beer haven Beer Cartel knows a thing or two about the big wide world of ales and lagers. And its not just a bricks-and-mortar bottle-o either, with its online store stocking over 1000 craft beers, handpicked from top breweries across Australia and overseas. And, if you're after regular beer deliveries, you can sign up to its Beer Club, which first began in a Kennards storage unit in 2009 and claims to be 'Australia's longest running beer subscription'. A The Bootlegger six-pack subscription deal will set you back $39.99 per month and will include three new releases and three of Beer Cartel's core range. The Speak Easy (12 beers) costs $69.99, with six new and six of the Cartel's go-to brews, while The Black Market pack features 12 new and super limited-release brews, which will cost $89.99. It ships Australia-wide, too, so if you can't make it down to the shops to stock up, these guys have got you covered. To join the club, head here. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
In what would have been his 100th year, the late Nelson Mandela will be honoured in a travelling exhibition set to make its world debut in Victoria next September. Hosted by Melbourne Museum, MANDELA My Life is expected to be the most comprehensive collection of the human rights icon's memorabilia ever to be shown outside South Africa. Alongside a huge assortment of artefacts, including warrants of committal for Mandela's 27-year stint in prison, the exhibit will explore the Nobel Peace Prize laureate's life through a series of film and audio archives. Some of the other confirmed artefacts that will be featured in the exhibit include a boxing glove signed and gifted by Muhammad Ali, Mandela's shoes, walking cane and some of his vibrant Madiba shirts. Alongside these, there will also be images, sound and film footage of one of Mandela's earliest interviews — which took place during the 'Treason Trail' of the late 1950s. MANDELA My Life is supported by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, which is the custodian of most of the revolutionary's personal photographs, documents and memorabilia. After premiering in Melbourne, the exhibition will embark on a five-year world tour of up to 20 international cities, expected to be seen by as many as 2.7 million visitors globally. Boxing Glove image: Jon Augier, courtesy of Museums Victoria
In the opening monologue of The Glass Menagerie, Tom Wingfield (Luke Mullins), a thinly veiled portrait of Tennessee Williams, informs the audience that he intends to give them "truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion". Soon after, he casually remarks that "The play is memory … it is sentimental, it is not realistic." So which is it to be? Truth or sentiment? Belvoir’s latest production grapples not only with Williams’ text but also his disdain for the theatrical conventions of his time. The Glass Menagerie was Williams’ first commercially successful work and a very personal one; the story of a struggling writer abandoning his volatile mother and fragile sister reflected, to a greater or lesser degree, his own experiences as a younger man. Adamant that it should not be performed naturalistically, however, Williams located the play in the uneasy space between memory and theatrical contrivance, a fact that director Eamon Flack and his cast have exploited to great effect. The stage has more than a whiff of the film set about it. The kitchen and sitting room of the Wingfield residence take up the majority of the space, flanked by two big screens and a huge bank of lights which, at the appropriate time, bathe these rooms in dazzling artificial sunlight. Several cameras dotted about the place complete the effect. In addition to the action on stage, Tom periodically crosses the boundaries of the house into the theatre and commandeers a camera, recording these bastardised memories or perhaps scrutinising them for any signs of the original. The black-and-white live feed footage Hollywood-ises the scene it has captured, pinning its subject and romanticising it relentlessly before finally letting it go. A slight (though deliberate) lag in the footage continually confounds the lip-synch, a message from Tennessee Williams himself — "Doesn’t matter how good it looks. It can never be like it was." Of course, none of this would matter if you didn’t have a cast who could carry the text. Pamela Rabe is excellent as Amanda, a force of nature in a lacy pink dress, flattening anything she comes into contact with. Rose Riley brings a great charm and tenderness to Laura and her latter scenes are riveting. Mullins is impressive as Tom, a man yet to find himself, and Harry Greenwood’s perpetually surprised Jim is funny, but also wonderfully gentle when he needs to be. Belvoir’s The Glass Menagerie is not only compelling theatre, it is proof that you needn’t take a hatchet to the classics if you want to make them say something new.
Australian farmers are currently doing it rough. Really rough. Some areas of the country have been struggling with a years-long drought, and, this morning, the NSW Government announced that 100 percent of the state is currently in drought. While the government has pledged more than $1 billion in drought relief, there's still a lot to be done. And you can help. Early this week a 'Parma for a Farmer' campaign launched, encouraging pubs across the country to donate dollars from every parmigianas sold to charities helping drought-affected communities. Spearheaded by Amanda Kinross, the campaign — and the Parma for a Farmer Facebook group — quickly garnered the support of pubs and hotel groups, including the Australian Hotels Association. Whether or not you agree it should be parma (or, really, parmi), it's a great and tasty campaign to get behind. A slew of pubs have already committed to the cause, including hospitality group Australian Venue Co. For all of August, many of the group's pubs are donating $1 from every parma bought to the Buy A Bale initiative. The initiative, part of the charity Rural Aid, provides essentials — such as, yes, hay, as well as water, diesel and hampers — to farmers doing it rough. Australian Venue Co. has pubs located across the country, including Surry Hills' The Forresters and Petersham's The Oxford Tavern in NSW; Prahran's College Law and Richmond's Prince Alfred Hotel in Vic; and Brisbane's Fridays. You can see the group's full list of participating venues here. For the full list of venues participating in NSW, Vic and Qld, head to the Parma for a Farmer Facebook page. Image: Giulia Morlando
There's a pop-up HAB in Sydney. Queue nerding out. The habitat is going to be home to Josh Richards for five days while he recreates Ridley Scott blockbuster, The Martian. Richards has worn a lot of hats over the years including physicist, explosives expert, soldier and stand-up comedian. Now he’s a Mars One candidate aiming to add ‘astronaut’ to his resume. He’ll be in solitary for five days but you can observe him 24 hours a day through the glass exterior, like a goldfish, or from a live feed. Each day, he’ll complete survival challenges that will test his skills in a simulated Martian base. It’s almost a real-life 'if you solve enough problems, you get to come home' deal. Throughout the week, there will also be things like virtual reality demos and a competition for the best space playlist. Remember, "disco sucks."
When Toto unleashed their single 'Africa' upon the world back in 1982, the drums echoed. Given the song's enduring success, it seems that everyone heard them. Now one particular patch of the Namib desert will hear the percussive reverberation for eternity, with a new art and sound installation playing the track on a never-ending loop. Toto Forever isn't just something screamed by die-hard fans of the American band. It's not merely the thinking behind one-night events that play the beloved tune over and over, such as an annual party in Brisbane. It's now the title of Max Siedentopf's new project, which the artist has set up as a "tribute to probably the most popular song of the last four decades". As seen on Siedentopf's site for the artwork, Toto Forever consists of seven plinths, arranged in a circle with one sat in the middle. Speakers sit atop the six boxes on the outside, with an MP3 player on the seventh. There's only one song loaded onto the device, so that's all that it can play. And if you're wondering about power, it's all attached to solar batteries. While Siedentopf has revealed the installation's general location — in the desert that stretches for 2000 kilometres along the Namib coastline — he's keeping the exact spot to himself. Whether he succeeds in gifting future generation some old forgotten words and ancient melodies will likely depend on the weather and environment, given that, as sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti, electronic equipment isn't designed to be left in a sandy expanse until the end of time — whether or not they're blessed by the rains. Image: Toto Forever by Max Siedentopf.
Ten years ago, no one would have expected impro to be a big thing on Aussie TV. While Thank God You're Here finally arrived, the UK cottoned on much earlier. Who's Line Is It Anyway? finished its decade-long television run before Bush even angled for president in the USA, where the show crossed the Atlantic to precede him to national prominence as well. Its regulars moved with it, a checklist of refugee comedians from the Drew Carey Show, and swift-lipped standup Greg Proops. Having moved back to live comedy, Proops is swinging through Australia and making a stop in Sydney at the Enmore Theatre. Proops keeps an even keel from stand-up, to impro, to acting. On Flight of the Conchords or on kid's TV, he's smooth, clever, snide and funny. With Buddy Holly hair and no shame for the force of his opinion, Proops recently shocked the Herald into pondering his conviction. He's done his time on the tube this tour, visiting fellow anglophile comedians Adam Hills and Paul McDermott. But get to the Enmore Saturday night to see him own a solo stage.
Men, Women and Children is no glossy Hollywood rom-com. There are no vacuous high school dramas, nor are there any cheesy family clichés. It's a film that looks at the paradox of connecting in the digital age: the persistent preoccupation with being active online, contrasted with difficulty remaining present in person. Directed by Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Juno and Labor Day), the film features a pretty impressive cast including Ansel Elgort, Jennifer Garner, Adam Sandler and Rosmarie DeWitt. Throughout the interweaving story lines of the eleven main characters, the film dissects the impact that technology has on our relationships — dealing with pertinent issues such as video game culture, anorexia and infidelity. Men, Women and Children is in cinemas November 27. Thanks to Paramount Pictures, we have ten double passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Summer is here, so keeping cool means heading to the beach, hiding under the air-con or knowing a moneyed mate with their own pool. However, you can now create your own backyard bliss — with the food to match — thanks to El Jannah's latest limited-time promo. Available for one weekend only, from Saturday, January 10—Sunday, January 11, the Lebanese-Australian charcoal chicken legends invite customers to score their own chilled-out pool. And all you have to do is order an OG Charcoal Chicken Meal, featuring two whole chickens, large chips, large garlic sauce and Lebanese bread. There are no tricky hoops to jump through, either. Redeemed on a first-come, first-served basis, customers simply need to snap a photo of their receipt and email it to El Jannah's team. If you're fast enough, you'll be lounging in the pool with your pals in no time at all. "Summer in Australia has always felt a little Lebanese at heart, family everywhere, food in the middle, and everyone talking over each other," says El Jannah Chief Marketing Officer, Adam Issa. "So this year, we wanted to make it even easier for Aussies to take those El Jannah moments wherever the day leads."
Beer is much more than just cheap swill these days, and Rev-ale-ation. A Symphony of the Senses is going the extra mile to prove this with an elegant evening of delicious beers, fine cheeses and local and internationally renowned opera singers. After a successful Melbourne production, Rev-ale-ation is heading to Sydney on Sunday, August 5 for one special night as world-class Australian opera singers — led by the acclaimed Liane Keegan — present a performance paired with some exceptional ales. Taking place beneath the soaring stained glass windows of Mosman Art Gallery's Grand Hall, the performance will see each aria musically matched with an ale and selection of handcrafted cheeses from Milawa Cheese Company. Hosted by Beer Diva, aka Kirrily Waldhorn, Rev-ale-Ation hopes to make opera more accessible, while also continuing to alter the perception of beer. Rev-ale-ation. A Symphony of the Senses will run from 5.30–8pm.
The Albert is one of the key sites in Surry Hills position as the craft beer epicentre of Sydney, stocking a rotating roster of some of the tastiest and most interesting local brews. Perched on the corner of Commonwealth and Reservoir Street the homley venue offers a heart pub menu alongside its impressive tap list. While the brews are a big drawcard for The Albert, many patrons are merely passing through to get to Bamboo Dumpling Bar. If you've been tasked with organising an after-work hang-out with your mates and you want chill pub vibes, but you're also sick of schnitties and steaks, Bamboo Dumpling Bar has you covered. Order siu mai, pork and chive dumplings and veggie gow gee — all $12 for five serves — for the group. Or, roll the dice and get the mixed dumpling plate ($13 for six serves). There's also chilli prawn spring rolls ($10), char siu pork buns ($12) and Chinese broccoli ($9.50).
From Monday, February 21, Australia will say goodbye to its remaining international border ban on double-vaccinated travellers and hello to plenty of overseas tourists. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced that the country will allow all visa holders to head our way — including folks simply coming out for holidays, and business travellers — as long as they've had two COVID-19 vaccine jabs. When the border fully reopens to all double-vaxxed visitors in two weeks, it'll do so just a month shy of the two-year anniversary of Australia's indefinite international border closure back in March 2020. Plenty has changed since then, and the nation — and the world — has seen various lockdowns and other restrictions come and go, and faced multiple new variants. Since November 2021, Australia has been slowly reopening its borders, too, but this new change will allow back anyone that's double-vaccinated, including tourists and business travellers, from all countries. Announcing the news, the Prime Minister said that "the condition is: you must be double-vaccinated to come to Australia. That's the rule. Everyone is expected to abide by it. And it's very important that people understand that requirement if they're seeking to come to Australia." He continued: "but if you're double vaccinated, we look forward to welcoming you back to Australia — and I know the tourism industry will be looking forward to that. And over the next two weeks they'll get the opportunity both for visitors to be coming and for them to be gearing up to welcome international visitors back to Australia." Exactly how many tourists and business travellers will be able to fly into Australia will still depend upon state-based caps — and on state-specific rules as well. Western Australia's border is still set to remain closed to not just international travellers but the rest of the country and, after delaying its last plan to reopen this past weekend, it hasn't yet set its new reopening date. Unjabbed travellers — which includes anyone who has only had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination — will still need to apply for permission to enter Australia, unless they can "provide proof that there is a medical reason that they cannot be vaccinated", said Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews. They'll also need to go into hotel quarantine if they are permitted to enter. If you have pals or colleagues eager to make the trip Down Under, this'll be fantastic news. Whether airlines will increase their flights to Australia as a result hasn't yet been revealed, but it wouldn't come as a surprise. Australia will reopen its international borders to all double-vaccinated travellers from Monday, February 21. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
This spring, Sydney's Night Noodle Markets will return for a month of tasty things on sticks, bowls of noodles, bao and extravagant desserts. But, like many events in 2020, it's going to run a little differently to usual. Instead of bumping elbows with hundreds of others in Hyde Park, you'll be able to enjoy the festival's usual lineup of tasty treats at home, in your local park or on a beach. Yes, Night Noodle Markets 2020 is coming to you via delivery. This year, the delivery-only menu showcases eight food stalls — instead of the usual 30-plus — which have created special menus for the occasion. Thankfully, many of the festival favourites have made the cut. Sydney's go-to for inventive, Asian-inspired doughnut creations, Donut Papi is back with a wild new creation: a prawn toast doughnut. If savoury doughnuts aren't really your shtick, the Redfern favourite is also bringing back its super-popular leche flan doughnut burger for the occasion. It features a slab of lush, sticky Filipino-style crème caramel stuffed between halves of a sugar-crusted doughnut bun, ready and waiting to ooze upon that first bite. Just take a look: Another favourite making an exciting return, Puffle is a cheesy riff on the egg waffles you'll find at street stalls in Hong Kong. This month, Puffle is out to win you over with three different decadent versions of its dish, including the cheeseburger — an assembly of chopped bulgogi-style beef and extra melted cheese, finished with lashings of sweet and spicy ketchup, mustard and Japanese mayo — and a KFC option with spicy Korean-style fried chicken. But, whichever filling you opt for, you're in for a crunchy, oozy and delightfully messy ride. Elsewhere on the menu, you'll find four types of bao from Bao Brothers; skewers, curries and paella from Span Thai; Teppanyaki Noodles' bowls of yakisoba, udon and ramen; sweet loaded waffles from Waffleland; and Wok Master's prawn wontons, spring rolls and steamed Chinese buns. A new addition to this year's lineup: Toastie Smith. The Chatswood newcomer is offering five of its giant Korean-style sangas to-go, including a wagyu number, a taro and pork floss toastie and a shrimp and egg version. A notable omission from this year's lineup is Gelato Messina, which usually creates a wild and wonderful menu for the occasion. Last year, we were treated to twists on Thai sweets, such as a Thai milk tea cheesecake sandwich and a Phuket Bucket, which came with banana fritters, caramelised banana gelato and peanut crumble. Fingers crossed we see these frozen treats again in the not-too-distant future. The Night Noodle Markets at Home dishes will be available to order exclusively through Doordash, with three banquets on the docket, too. You can choose from Broc 'n' Roll ($69.50), Date Night ($89) and The Bougie Banquet ($233), each coming with a selection of dishes from across the stalls. If you're lucky, you might even receive a free gift with your delivery, with the NNM saying Maggi noodles and Weis treats will be snuck into some orders. The Night Noodle Markets at Home menus are available via Doordash from Wednesday, October 7 to Friday, November 6 as part of Good Food Month. Top image: Night Noodle Markets by Bec Taylor
Nearly 100 years after the Titanic plunged into the freezing waters of the Atlantic, artist and inspirationalist Dodo Newman will commemorate the legendary journey and lives lost with the Titanic Project, a tribute that will combine the sorrowful history with the newest marvels of design. The project will erect a monument of the Titanic designed with luxury that the regal ship itself would not match. Newman's vision for the monument has a diamond and Swarovski crystal surface, 300 kg of jewelry and LED lighting all on a pyramid-shaped aquarium base structure. To add to the designer detail, over 50 luxury brands will be incorporated into the monument, the displays intertwined with sea life in the underwater enclosing. Newman has always been fascinated by the story of the Titanic, and has been hoping to finish the plan for the commemorative installation for the past several years. The project is intended to be finally completed by 2012, just in time to honour the 100th anniversary of the ship's sinking in 1912. [via Extra Vaganzi]
Cate Blanchett and Richard Roxburgh will reunite on stage next year in a very Sydney Theatre Company production, The Present, a Chekhov work as adapted by artistic director Andrew Upton. Echoing back to the trio's last outing together, 2010's acclaimed Uncle Vanya, this project draws on Anton Chekhov's first drama — a five-hour, unwieldy and untitled beast discovered after his death. Whipped into shape by Upton and directed by Irishman John Crowley, it's a centrepiece of the company's newly announced 2015 season, which is packed with big plays, big ideas and big names. Among the season's other highlights is the Irish import Riverrun (particularly for everyone still in the thrall of performer Olwen Fouéré since Terminus), Geoffrey Rush as King Lear directed by Neil Armfield (there's 30+ years of collaboration there that never gets old), and Susie Porter in the lead for Chilean playwright Ariel Dorfman's Death and the Maiden, where she plays a woman confronting the man who tortured her under a despotic regime 20 years prior (it's directed by Leticia Cáceres, Melburnian master of creepiness). "Some of our greatest theatre artists are returning to the wonderful, fertile, creative ground to be found inside the canon for reinterpretation and reinvention," said Upton. At the same time, the artistic director saw "an opportunity to set up a great juxtaposition between works of the canon that comprise half the program (nearly) and newer works with a particular emphasis on female voices that constitute the other half (almost)." On the canon side, you'll also find delightfully '80s Australian comedy After Dinner by Andrew Bovell, Tennessee Williams' Suddenly Last Summer with Robyn Nevin in the intense lead role, Hugo Weaving picking up more Beckett for Endgame, a new adaptation of Virginia Woolf's iconic novel Orlando by The Vibrator Play writer Sarah Ruhl and period rom-com Arms and the Man. Repping the new Australian writing talent is razor-sharp Melissa Bubnic, whose last play was a satire about our obsession with reality TV and whose new play, Boys Will Be Boys, homes in on a particularly intriguing woman working in the very male-dominated world of currency trading. Directed by Paige Rattray of eccentric indie theatre company Arthur, this should be a fun one. There's also Kylie Coolwell's Battle of Waterloo, set in the local suburb and developed from its early stages by the STC and director Sarah Goodes. Of the new international writing, there's the very exciting Australian premiere of the latest work from Caryl Churchill ("arguably the world's foremost living playwright," the program fairly says). Called Love and Information, it's a more experimental but attention-demanding work that gives the audience a glimpse into the lives of more than 100 different characters through a series of "tantalising" vignettes. Starring Kath & Kim's Jane Turner, Jumpy by April de Angelis is another new international work, exploring mother-daughter tensions. While the 2015 season seems to lack some of the experimental impulse of this year's, it certainly has the gravitas and impressiveness befitting a state theatre company. This season trailer has all the goodies in it, including one of our favourite parts of any STC eve: drinks on that wharf. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cJZerIhEUXo 2015 season tickets go on sale on Tuesday, September 9, at 9am. For more information and to book, head to the STC website. Images by James Green.
With all this time indoors, we're sure you've had your fair share of at-home raves by now. You've got to let your hair down after a week of WFH, after all. And, now that you can have five friends around with sensible social distancing in place, you can make it a real party, too. Luckily, if you're looking for your next excuse to cut some serious shapes, look no further because there's a new one-off party with pumping tunes and bad fashion is hitting screens across the country on Saturday, May 23. Canadian Club's annual Bad Sweater Party is going virtual. So, cancel whatever non-event plans you had, push your furniture aside and start a makeshift dance floor with five of your nearest and dearest. Bringing the dance-inducing tunes in spades will be Hot Dub Time Machine. For about a decade, he's been ripping up stages the world over with his rolling crossfades of pop music from the last six decades. And during lockdown he's been bringing the good times to your living room. Expect everything from 50s rock 'n' roll tunes to disco hits like ABBA's 'Gimme Gimme Gimme' and Earth, Wind & Fire's 'September'. Once you hit the more recent decades, there's often glam rock, a bit of 90s grunge, Darude's epic 'Sandstorm' and 'Toxic' by Britney. You get the idea — it's nonstop bangers all night long. Hang on, a Bad Sweater Party? The major point of difference for this party is that you've got a dress code. Don an ugly jumper — it's OK, you're partying at home. And, yes, you'll get pretty sweaty with all those killer moves you'll be busting. Kicking off at 7pm, the event will be live streamed via Hot Dub's Twitch account, with a live chat going so you can socialise with other partygoers. You may want to dust off that disco ball and find that old lava lamp, too. As you'll working up a sweat as you dance your way through the decades (in a sweater, remember), you'll want some cold ones on hand. To really get in the spirit of things, mix up some CC 'n' drys. Or save yourself the trouble and grab a case of the stuff. Canadian Club's Bad Sweater Party is going down on Saturday, May 23, from 7–9pm. You can tune in here — just don't forget your ugly jumper.
You would think that having access to all of humanity's collective knowledge — from our darkest failures to our wildest successes — would make us, generally, smarter. Instead, we've just become overwhelmed — collectively. We've essentially somehow failed upwards, in that uniquely human way we have of doing things. But, who can blame us? Nearly half of us feel stressed all or most of the time (nice to know it's not just me), and we've all felt the deep financial, physical and emotional impact of living in a pandemic for more than 18 months. Most days, that uncertainty makes a lot of things scary. Slightly nerdy fun fact (stay with me here): A common term for the press and journalism is the Fourth Estate. It harks back to days in early modern France, just before the French Revolution, when there were three broad social hierarchies. The three estates were known as the First Estate (the clergy), the Second Estate (the nobility) and the Third Estate (commoners and bourgeoisie). The Fourth Estate is a term that recognises the not-insignificant power the media holds in influencing conversation, opinion and action in society. That power has even more weight in today's world. That's why Concrete Playground has committed to bringing you news and information about COVID-19 and vaccinations that is relevant, accurate, useful and actionable. And, without the doomsday spin. We've even teamed up with a group of other publishers on this — BuzzFeed, Junkee, The Latch, Man of Many, Urban List and Zee Feed. Together, we've committed to keeping harmful headlines and messages off our pages and to only publish COVID-related stories and information that will help inform Aussies and open up Australia. The industries, businesses and individuals that are essential to Australia's culture and lifestyle and all the things you like reading about on this website — the arts, events, live music and hospitality — are among those most impacted by the ongoing effects of the pandemic. We want those industries to get back to thriving and for the rest of us to be able to enjoy them again. Our part is to help young Australians feel informed in a way that makes them comfortable and confident in taking the steps to get vaccinated — but also alleviate some of the anxiety caused by alarmist headlines. So, expect everything from the latest information on mask-wearing rules to expert commentary on vaccines; couch potato recommendations and being a cheerleader for the little guys. This is your spot for feel-good stories, COVID-safe recommendations and informative news. We're thrilled to have you here. Concrete Playground is part of an Australian Publishers Partnership in a joint COVID mission and coverage pledge which includes: putting science first, standing for healthy headlines, considering image choices, avoiding triggering imagery and not partaking in alarmist headlines. The joint mission will be in effect until Australia gets 50% of the under 40s population vaccinated.
Keen for a sneak-peek at tracks from The Strokes' new album, 'Angles'? Not due for release until March 22, you cynically reply? Think again. Thanks to a glitch in the iTunes UK store, 30-second previews of every track from the album were prematurely uploaded. They've since been taken down, but not before being ripped by fans eager to hear what the band have been up to for the last couple of years. 'Angles' has been five years in the making. Check out snippets of the new songs, compiled conveniently into one YouTube video. https://youtube.com/watch?v=hjyIxgiryHo [Via Addict Music]
Since Australia started easing out of COVID-19 lockdown, the country's internal border restrictions have earned plenty of attention. With tactics to stop the spread of the coronavirus implemented at a state-by-state level, each Aussie state has navigated the situation in its own way when it comes to letting non-residents visit. At the moment, residents from Queensland, Tasmania, WA, NT and the ACT are allowed to enter SA without restriction — and, from 12.01am on Thursday, September 24, NSW will also join that list. In a press conference held today, Tuesday, September 22, Premier Steven Marshall revealed that SA will allow travellers from Sydney in from Thursday without having to quarantine for 14 days first — if there are no new cases of community transmission identified in NSW before midnight tonight. "This will be a massive, massive relief for people who have been dislocated from friends, from family, from business opportunities," Marshall said at the press conference. https://twitter.com/marshall_steven/status/1308217140831334403 In the 24 hours leading up to 8pm on Monday, September 21, NSW recorded two new cases of COVID-19, both returned travellers in hotel quarantine. There has been some concern regarding a Sydney taxi driver who worked for a number of days while potentially infections, but, so far, no more cases have been connected to this. SA was initially meant to reopen its border for all interstate travel back in July, before a spike of cases put this on ice. If you're now eager to start planning an SA getaway, we have suggestions — whether you're eager to hit up Adelaide, or sip and sightsee your way around the Fleurieu Peninsula, the Limestone Coast or the Clare Valley. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in South Australia, and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub. Top image: d'Arenberg Cube
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures and plenty of people staying home in iso will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you've had a close-contact run-in. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here's 15 you can watch right now at home. NIGHTMARE ALLEY Don't mistake the blaze that starts the exceptional Nightmare Alley for warmth; in his 11th film, Guillermo del Toro gets chillier than he ever has. A lover of gothic tales told with empathy and curiosity, the Mexican The Shape of Water filmmaker has always understood that escapism and agony go hand in hand — and here, in a carnival noir that springs from William Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novel and previously reached cinemas in 1947, he runs headfirst into cold, unrelenting darkness. That burning house, once home to the skulking Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper, Licorice Pizza), is surrounded by America's stark midwestern landscape circa 1939. Still, the terrain of its now-former occupant's insides is even grimmer, as Nightmare Alley's opening image of Stan dropping a body into a hole in the abode's floor, then striking a match, shows. From there, he descends into the carny world after being given a job by barker Clem Hoatley (Willem Dafoe, Spider-Man: No Way Home) and doing whatever's asked, including helping clean up after the geek act — although, even with his ambiguities evident from the outset, stomaching a cage-dwelling man biting the heads off live chickens to entertain braying crowds isn't initially easy. While set in an already-despondent US where the Depression is only just waning, the shadows of the First World War linger and more are soon to fall via World War II, Nightmare Alley still gives Stan flickers of hope. Adapted from the novel by del Toro with feature debutant Kim Morgan, and filled to the brim with outstanding performances, the movie doesn't ever promise light or virtue, but kindness repeatedly comes its protagonist's way in its first half. In fortune-teller Zeena the Seer (Toni Collette, Dream Horse) and her oft-sauced husband and assistant Pete (David Strathairn, Nomadland), Stan gains friends and mentors. He takes to mentalism like he was born to it, and his gift for manipulating audiences — and his eagerness to keep pushing the spiritualism further — is firmly a sign. Soon, it's 1941 and he's rebadged himself as 'The Great Stanton' in city clubs, claiming to speak to the dead in the pursuit of bigger paydays, with fellow ex-carny Molly Cahill (Rooney Mara, Mary Magdalene) as his romantic and professional partner beyond the dustbowl. But then that scam attracts the attention of Dr Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett, Don't Look Up), and this drifter-turned-grifter gets caught in someone else's plan. Nightmare Alley is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. KING RICHARD In King Richard, Will Smith does more acting than expected with his back to the on-screen action. He does more acting in general — while the Ali and Concussion star can be a transformative performer, here he feels like he's overtly playing a part rather than disappearing into a role — but the way his eponymous figure handles his daughters' matches instantly stands out. Richard Williams is a tennis parent who despises the usual tennis parent histrionics. At the time the film is set, in the early 90s, he has also coached Venus (Saniyya Sidney, Fences) and Serena (Demi Singleton, Godfather of Harlem) since they were four years old, and penned a 78-page plan mapping out their futures before they were born. He's dedicated his life to their success, alongside family matriarch Oracene (Aunjanue Ellis, Lovecraft Country); however, he's so restless when they're volleying and backhanding that he can't bring himself to watch. These scenes in King Richard are among Smith's best. As directed by Joe Bell helmer Reinaldo Marcus Green — making another movie about a real-life person that makes his male eponymous figure the centre of someone else's story — he's anxious yet determined, and lives the feeling like he's breathing it. They're some of the movie's least blatantly showy and most quietly complex scenes as well. The Williams patriarch has wisdom for all occasions, forged from a tough childhood in America's south, plus the hard work and hustle of turning Venus and Serena into budding champions, so he'd likely have something to say about the insights gleaned here: that you can tell oh-so-much about a person when they're under pressure but nobody's watching. If he was actively imparting this lesson to his daughters — five of them, not just the two that now have 30 Grand Slam singles titles between them — and they didn't glean it, he'd make them watch again. When they see Cinderella in the film, that's exactly what happens. But his courtside demeanour is teachable anyway, recognising how all the preparation and effort in the world will still see you tested over and over. King Richard is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. SPENCER With two-plus decades as an actor to her name, Kristen Stewart hasn't spent her career as a candle in the wind. Her flame has both blazed and flickered since her first uncredited big-screen role in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas but, by Elton John's definition, she's always known where to cling to. After jumping from child star to Twilight heroine and then one of the savviest talents of her generation, she's gleaned where to let her haunting gaze stare so piercingly that it lights up celluloid again and again, too. Spencer joins Stewart's resume after weighty parts in Clouds of Sils Maria, Personal Shopper, Certain Women and Seberg, and has her do something she's long done magnificently: let a world of pain and uncertainty seep quietly from her entire being. The new regal drama should do just that, of course, given its subject — but saying that director Pablo Larraín (Jackie, Ema) has cast his Diana well, pitch-perfect head tilt and all, is a royal understatement. The year is 1991, the time is Christmas and the place is the Queen's (Stella Gonet, Breeders) Sandringham Estate, where the Windsors converge for the holidays (yes, Spencer is now prime seasonal viewing). As scripted by Peaky Blinders and Locked Down's Steven Knight, the choice of period puts Diana in one of the most precarious situations of her then decade-long married life, with her nuptials to Prince Charles (Jack Farthing, The Lost Daughter) turning into an "amicable separation" within 12 months. Spencer's focus is on three days, not all that defined the People's Princess' existence before or after, but she can't stop contemplating her past and future. The Sandringham grounds include the house where Diana was born, and those happier recollections — and time spent now with her children (debutants Jack Nielen and Freddie Spry) — give her a glow. Alas, all the monarchical scrutiny simmers her joy to ashes, unsurprisingly. Spencer is available to stream via Prime Video. Read our full review. WEST SIDE STORY Tonight, tonight, there's only Steven Spielberg's lavish and dynamic version of West Side Story tonight — not to detract from or forget the 1961 movie of the same name. Six decades ago, an all-singing, all-dancing, New York City-set, gang war-focused spin on Romeo and Juliet leapt from stage to screen, becoming one of cinema's all-time classic musicals; however, remaking that hit is a task that Spielberg dazzlingly proves up to. It's his first sashay into the genre, despite making his initial amateur feature just three years after the original West Side Story debuted. It's also his first film since 2018's obnoxiously awful Ready Player One, which doubled as a how-to guide to crafting one of the worst, flimsiest and most bloated pieces of soulless pop-culture worship possible. But with this swooning, socially aware story of star-crossed lovers, Spielberg pirouettes back from his atrocious last flick by embracing something he clearly adores, and being unafraid to give it rhythmic swirls and thematic twirls. Shakespeare's own tale of tempestuous romance still looms large over West Side Story, as it always has — in fair NYC and its rubble-strewn titular neighbourhood where it lays its 1950s-era scene. The Jets and the Sharks aren't quite two households both alike in dignity, though. Led by the swaggering and dogged Riff (Mike Faist, a Tony-nominee for the Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen), the Jets are young, scrappy, angry and full of resentment for anyone they fear is encroaching on their terrain. Meanwhile, with boxer Bernardo (David Alvarez, a Tony-winner for Billy Elliot) at the helm, the Sharks have tried to establish new lives outside of their native Puerto Rico through study, jobs and their own businesses. Both gangs refuse to coexist peacefully in the only part of New York where either feels at home — but it's a night at a dance, and the love-at-first-sight connection that blooms between Riff's best friend Tony (Ansel Elgort, The Goldfinch) and Bernardo's younger sister María (feature debutant Rachel Zegler), that sparks a showdown. West Side Story is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. HOUSE OF GUCCI For the second time in as many movies, Lady Gaga is caught in a bad romance in House of Gucci. Yes, she's already sung the song to match. The pop diva doesn't belt out ballads or croon upbeat tunes in this true-crime drama, unlike in her Oscar-nominated role in A Star Is Born, but she does shimmy into a tale about love and revenge, horror and design, and wanting someone's everything as long as it's free. Eschewing the earthy naturalism of her last film performance and tapping into her famed on-stage theatricality instead, she's perfect for the part of Patrizia Reggiani, aka Lady Gucci, aka the daughter of a trucking entrepreneur who wed into one of the world's most prestigious fashion families, helped unstitch its hold on its couture empire, then went to prison for murder. She's exceptional because she goes big and lavish, and because she knows that's the type of feature she's meant to be in: a soapy spectacle about money and power that uses its depiction of excess as an interrogation technique. Complimenting Gaga for nailing the brief — for acing it so dazzlingly that she's sauntering down her own catwalk as most of her co-stars virtually watch from the floor — gives House of Gucci a tad too much credit, though. Ridley Scott's second film in mere months following The Last Duel, and his third in a row to examine wealth and influence after 2017's All the Money in the World, this fashion-world saga skews large, lush and luxe with each choice, too, but doesn't land every sashay with quite the outsized lustre of its crown jewel. If House of Gucci's veteran director was picking an outfit instead, he would've chosen a killer gown, then wavered on the accessories. Some of his other decisions gleam, as seen in the movie's knowingly maximalist and melodramatic air, and in Adam Driver's (Annette) casting as Patrizia's ill-fated husband Maurizio Gucci. Others prove fine, like its jukebox-style soundtrack of 70s and 80s bangers. A few moves are so cartoonish — Jared Leto's ridiculousness, and the Super Mario-style accents sported by almost everyone on-screen — that they play like cheap knockoffs. House of Gucci is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. THE SCARY OF SIXTY-FIRST When Succession roves over New York's skyline — in its opening credits, as set to that bewitching theme tune, or just during its episodes — it gleams with wealth and privilege. Depiction doesn't equal endorsement, however, with the stellar HBO satire sharply cutting into its chosen world at every chance it gets. As one of the show's supporting cast members, Dasha Nekrasova slides into that realm, too, but that's not her only dalliance with the city's architecture, power brokers and all that both represent. The Scary of Sixty-First, the Red Scare podcast host's feature directorial debut, also savages the rich and seemingly consequence-free. It clasps onto a real-life story that's made that case inherently, abhorrently and monstrously. There's no gentle way to put it, but the fact that Nekrasova plays a woman investigating if a bargain Upper East Side duplex was one of Jeffrey Epstein's "orgy flophouses" says much about this purposefully provocative conspiracy thriller horror-comedy. College pals Addie (Betsey Brown, Assholes) and Noelle (the film's co-screenwriter Madeline Quinn) can't believe their luck when they find the cheap property, even if it does visibly need a clean — and have mirrored ceilings, as well as some questionable lock choices — and even if they don't appear completely comfortable with committing to live together. But from night one, the literal nightmares begin. Soon they're spying blood stains, scratched walls and eerie tarot cards, and feeling unsettled in a variety of ways. Enter Nekrasova's stranger, who comes sporting a dark-web rabbit hole's worth of paranoia and bearing the Epstein news. Addie and Noelle take the revelation in vastly different fashions, with the former seeming possessed by one of Epstein's child victims, and the latter diving deep into potential theories with her unnamed new friend. The Scary of Sixty-First is available to stream via Google Play and YouTube Movies. Read our full review. SCREAM Twenty-six years ago, "do you like scary movies?" stopped being just an ordinary question. Posed by a wrong-number caller who happened to be a ghostface-masked killer with a fondness for kitchen knives, it was the snappiest and savviest line in one of the 90s' biggest horror films, and it's now one of cinema's iconic pieces of dialogue. It gets another whirl in the Scream franchise's fifth movie, which is also called Scream — and you'd really best answer it now with the heartiest yes possible. Taking over from the late, great Wes Craven, who also directed 1997's Scream 2, 2000's Scream 3 and 2011's Scream 4 but died in 2015, Ready or Not's Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett task their next generation of slasher fodder with showing their devotion to horror with all the subtlety of a masked murderer who can't stop taunting their prey. That'd be a new Ghostface, who terrorises today's Woodsboro high schoolers, because the fictional spot is up there with Sunnydale and Twin Peaks on the list of places that are flat-out hellish for teens. The same happened in Scream 4, but the first new attack by the saga's killer is designed to lure home someone who's left town. Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera, In the Heights) hightailed it the moment she was old enough, fleeing a family secret, but is beckoned back when her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega, You) receives the feature's opening "do you like scary movies?" call. Soon, bodies are piling up, Ghostface gives Woodsboro that grim sense of deja vu again, and Tara's friends — including the horror film-obsessed Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown, Yellowjackets), her twin Chad (Mason Gooding, Love, Victor), his girlfriend Liv (Sonia Ammar, Jappeloup), and other pals Wes (Dylan Minnette, 13 Reasons Why) and Amber (Mikey Madison, Better Things) — are trying to both survive while basically cycling through the OG feature again, complete with a crucial location, and sleuth out the culprit using their scary movie knowledge. Everyone's a suspect, including Sam herself and her out-of-towner boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid, The Boys), and also the begrudging resident expert on this exact situation: ex-sheriff Dewey Riley (David Arquette, Spree). The latter is the reason that morning show host Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox, Cougar Town) and initial Ghostface target Sidney Prescott (Skyscraper) make the trip back to Woodsboro again as well. Scream is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN Start how you mean to go on is common-sense filmmaking advice. It's the medium's obvious first step, but it's also an elusive achievement. And, it's a feat that's usually only evident in hindsight — when a viewer can see if a stellar introduction really did signal just as sublime things to come, or vice versa. Never Gonna Snow Again perfects the concept, however. In its arresting opening moments, a man walks out of a forest and into a gated community in eastern Poland, and everything about the scene ripples with moody intrigue. The grey fog infusing the film's setting, the enigmatic look on the mysterious protagonist's face, the feeling that anything and everything could happen: filmmakers Malgorzata Szumowska (Mug) and Michal Englert (also the movie's cinematographer) deliver it all at the outset, and then back it up over their feature's 116 minutes. In Never Gonna Snow Again's initial images, that inscrutable man is Ukrainian masseur Zhenia (Alec Utgoff, Stranger Things), who walks out of a forest and into a gated community in eastern Poland. His destination is lined with lavish identical houses — the kind that the song 'Little Boxes' has satirised for almost six decades now — but he's about to be its most extraordinary visitor. His hands can help knead away physical troubles, a must for everyone with his profession. But as he works his physical magic, his touch can soothe minds as well. Trundling his massage table from well-appointed home to well-appointed home, he quickly builds up a devoted client list of well-to-do residents desperate for his help. He steps into their worlds, spying their outward gloss — the similar wreaths on each door, the doorbells chiming with snippets of classic music — and palpating away their inner pain. Never Gonna Snow Again is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET On a fictional New York street that's home to a cross-section of the city's multicultural population, young and old alike, and also to boisterous muppets, sunny days have been sweeping the clouds away since November 1969. Eager to educate preschoolers, Sesame Street has taught multiple generations of children the alphabet, to count — with help from Count von Count since 1972, of course — and about life in general, and both its longevity and the beloved turf it holds within popular culture speak to its enormous success. Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street knows that it's profiling a seminal piece of television, and that virtually everyone born in the past half-century grew up watching the adored series; however, it's also keen to tell the story behind that story. Nostalgia drips through this behind-the-scenes documentary, gleefully so, but so too does a chronicle of how Sesame Street became the icon it is — and against the odds. The show's backstory starts with TV producer Joan Ganz Cooney and psychologist Lloyd Morrisett, and with a dinner-party conversation that saw them float the idea of a television series that might help American children prepare for school — particularly kids of colour. The path to Sesame Street reaching the air wasn't smooth from there, or plain sailing once it got to screens (its focus on racial integration didn't go down well in parts of Mississippi, for instance), but education-meets-entertainment history was nonetheless made. Inspired by Michael Davis' 2008 non-fiction book Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street, documentarian Marilyn Agrelo (An Invisible Sign) fashions her film as an insider's window into a miraculous program, blending informative details about how it came to be and its early years with clips of its muppet-fuelled magic. Both elements of the movie engage, as do its recent and archival interviews. Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. SHANE Paul Kelly named a song after him. Eddie Perfect went one better and wrote an entire musical. But if Shane Warne had lived out his childhood dream, he would've played AFL for St Kilda instead of becoming a tune- and stage show-inspiring star cricketer. That tidbit isn't new news; however, Warne talks it through in new Australian documentary Shane — an early inclusion that demonstrates the film's handling of its well-known central figure. Warne's sporting career rose spectacularly from his failed attempt at Aussie Rules, which he also chats through. It dipped via several scandals, professional and personal alike, which he takes to with considerably less glee. Warne is a candid and engaging interviewee and, while joined by other cricketing and celebrity figures in recounting his life to-date, he's Shane's main source of information, but the film still spins the story that he's happy to share. There's no shortage of details for directors David Alrich (Griff's Great Australian Rail Trip), Jon Carey (Forbidden Games: The Justin Fashanu Story) and Jackie Munro to cover, all of which they unfurl in chronological order. Warne was an AFL-obsessed kid who played under-19s and one reserves game, only to be told he wouldn't make it at the top level. He then considered tennis, but found his calling — and global renown and acclaim — in spin-bowling wickets. Even to viewers unfussed by cricket, Warne's achievements are common knowledge, as are his decades in the spotlight. So too are his controversies; the bookmaker situation, the match-fixing proposition put to him by Pakistani captain Salim Malik, the year-long suspension for taking a banned diuretic and the breakdown of his marriage all get a mention, and all earn Warne's current thoughts. He's also especially eager to discuss his prowess for sledging. Shane is available to stream via Prime Video, Google Play and iTunes. Read our full review. THE KING'S MAN When something shows you its true colours, believe it. The Kingsman franchise certainly did when it debuted in 2014, as viewers have been witnessing ever since. That initial entry, Kingsman: The Secret Service, gave the espionage genre an irreverent and energetic spin, and landed partway between update and parody. But, while making Taron Egerton a star and proving engaging-enough, it didn't know when to call it quits, serving up one of the most ill-judged closing moments that spy flicks have ever seen. Since then, all things Kingsman haven't known when to end either, which is why subpar sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle arrived in 2017, and now unnecessary mostly World War I-centric prequel The King's Man — all from filmmaker Matthew Vaughn, Another year, another dull origin story. Another year, another stretched Bond knockoff, too. It's in a prologue in 1902 that Ralph Fiennes (No Time to Die) makes his first appearance as Orlando Oxford, a duke travelling to South Africa during the Boer War — and soon made a widower, because The King's Man starts with the tiresome dead wife trope. Twelve years later, Oxford is staunchly a pacifist, so much so that he forbids his now-teenage son Conrad (Harris Dickinson, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) from enlisting when WWI breaks out. But the duke hasn't completely given away serving his country himself, overseeing an off-the-books intelligence network with the help of his servants Shola (Djimon Hounsou, A Quiet Place Part II) and Polly (Gemma Arterton, Summerland). That comes in handy when a nefarious Scottish figure known only as The Shepherd interferes in world affairs, with King George V of England, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (all cousins, and all played by Bohemian Rhapsody's Tom Hollander) his targets. The King's Man is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE After more than a few pandemic delays, Ghostbusters: Afterlife has finally reached screens — and it floats into a world that's made worshipping previous glories one of the biggest cash-spinners show business could've ever dreamed up. The fourth feature to bear the Ghostbusters name, but a new legacy sequel to the original 1984 film, this reanimated franchise entry certainly sports a fitting subtitle; treating its source material like it's nirvana is firmly filmmaker Jason Reitman's approach. To him, it might've been. Although he established his career with indie comedies such as Thank You for Smoking and Juno, he's the son of director Ivan Reitman, who helmed the OG Ghostbusters and its 1989 follow-up Ghostbusters II. To plenty of fans, those two initial comedy-horror flicks were something special as well; however, acknowledging that fact — and trying to recreate the feeling of being a kid or teen watching the first Ghostbusters nearly four decades ago — isn't enough to fuel a new film. To be fair, the younger Reitman isn't particularly interested in making a new movie; Be Kind Rewind's "sweded" Ghostbusters clips are more original than Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Instead, he directs a homage that sprinkles in links to its predecessor so heartily that it's probably easier to name the scenes and details that don't scream "hey, this is Ghostbusters!" as loudly as possible. The focus: Phoebe (Mckenna Grace, Malignant), a new inhabitant of the cringingly titled Summerville, Oklahoma. With her mother Callie (Carrie Coon, The Nest) and brother Trevor (Finn Wolfhard, The Goldfinch), she's made the move because the granddad she never knew just passed away, leaving a dilapidated rural property to his estranged family. The townsfolk speak his nickname, "dirt farmer", with mocking and intrigue, but his actual moniker — and all that equipment he's left behind — brings big changes Phoebe's way. While being Dr Egon Spengler's granddaughter doesn't initially mean too much to her, other than giving her love for science a genetic basis, she's soon segueing from testing out ghost traps with local teacher Mr Grooberson (Paul Rudd, The Shrink Next Door) to cracking Egon's secret efforts to stop a world-shattering supernatural event. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. BLACKLIGHT In most movies, Liam Neeson's Blacklight character wouldn't be the protagonist. Secret FBI fixer Travis Block likely wouldn't even be given a name. Instead, he'd merely be a brief presence who popped up to help other on-screen figures — the federal agents he gets out of tricky situations, for instance — as they went about their business and connected the script's necessary plot points. Turning someone who'd usually be seen as disposable into its lead is this action-thriller's one good idea, but the flattened henchman scene in Austin Powers gave the notion more thought than the entirety of Blacklight demonstrates. There's a difference between thrusting a character to the fore and fleshing them out, especially when a film is happy to define them solely by the actor in their shoes. Here, Travis Block is another prosaic entry on Neeson's action resume first and foremost. The film he's in is directed by Neeson's Honest Thief writer/director Mark Williams, too, who doesn't stretch himself or his star in their second collaboration. When Blacklight begins, Block has spent his career doing whatever FBI Director Gabriel Robinson (Aidan Quinn, Elementary) has asked. Typically, that's assisting on-the-books operatives struggling with off-the-books missions — and Block is great at his job. But when he's tasked with aiding the suddenly erratic Dusty Crane (Taylor John Smith, Shadow in the Cloud), he begins to see more in the rogue agent's story than his old Vietnam War pal Robinson wants to share. Crane has quite the wild tale to tell, tied to the assassination of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez-style politician Sofia Flores (Mel Jarnson, Mortal Kombat) and filled with dark government secrets, and he's eager to share it with scoop-chasing reporter Mira Jones (Emmy Raver-Lampman, The Umbrella Academy). That's exactly what Block is supposed to stop, with his new crisis of conscience putting his daughter Amanda (Claire van der Bloom, Palm Beach) and granddaughter Natalie (debutant Gabriella Sengos) in peril. Blacklight is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. SING 2 Star voices, a jukebox worth of songs, anthropomorphic animated critters, cheesy sentiments: that's the formula fuelling far too many all-ages-friendly films of late. Back in 2016, Sing used it to box office-smashing success by doing little more than spinning a colourful version of American Idol but with zoo animals doing the singing. It wasn't the worst example of this kind of flick, but perhaps the most interesting thing about it was the skew of its soundtrack, which favoured songs that the adults in its audience would like more than the pint-sized viewers entranced by its bright hues, talking lions and koalas, and frenetic pacing. It should come as no surprise, then, that Sing 2 doubles down on that idea by not only mining the discography of U2, but by also casting Bono as a reclusive ex-rockstar. For the Irish frontman, the double payday must've been nice. Returning writer/director Garth Jennings begins Sing 2 with a saccharine rendition of Prince's 'Let's Go Crazy', but that song choice isn't instructional or descriptive; nothing here departs from the expected. This time around, after already gathering a gang of music-loving animals via a singing contest in the first flick, koala Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey, The Gentlemen) has a hit show filling his theatre — but he still wants to make it big in the bigger smoke. Alas, Suki (Chelsea Peretti, Brooklyn Nine-Nine), a dog and a talent scout, advises that Buster's ragtag crew don't have what it takes. He's determined to prove otherwise, taking pigs Rosita (Reese Witherspoon, The Morning Show) and Gunter (Nick Kroll, Big Mouth), gorilla Johnny (Taron Egerton, Rocketman), porcupine Ash (Scarlett Johansson, Black Widow), and elephant Meena (singer Tori Kelly) to Redshore City to pitch directly to wolf and media mogul Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Canavale, Nine Perfect Strangers). Sing 2 is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 As 2019's stop-motion The Addams Family did, The Addams Family 2 boasts a few stellar strokes of voice casting, but that can't save a film that's distressingly eager to be as bland, flat and lazy as possible. Once again, returning directors Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon (Sausage Party) — who team up with first-time co-helmers Laura Brousseau and Kevin Pavlovic — only manage to make viewers wish that Oscar Isaac (Dune) and Charlize Theron (Fast and Furious 9) could've played Gomez and Morticia in a new live-action film, instead of lending their voices to this mess. The lines they're tasked with uttering, as penned by screenwriters Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit (Pokémon: Detective Pikachu) along with Ben Queen (Cars 2) and Susanna Fogel (Booksmart), have less life (and inspire fewer laughs) than a corpse. And, as with the first animated movie, they're still caught up in a flick that has Snoop Dogg cast Cousin Itt so that it can drop in his songs (and yes, that's supposed to be funny, apparently). Story-wise, The Addams Family 2 focuses on Wednesday (Chloë Grace Moretz, Tom and Jerry), who feels she doesn't fit in with her relatives even before she's told she might've been switched at birth. But forget the dark humour that's always been the backbone of all things Addams since its first days on the page. Forget any sense of personality that isn't just "ooh, they're odd and they like grim things" — and forget anything that you wouldn't see in any other all-ages film, too. The script could've been written for any old characters, then had Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley (Javon 'Wanna' Walton, Utopia), Uncle Fester (Nick Kroll, Sing 2), Thing and company shoehorned in, although its family vacation setup does take all the wrong cues from the aforementioned Addams Family Reunion. It hardly helps that the animation style looks ghoulishly unpleasant, but at least the character designs nod to Charles Addams' original cartoons. Nothing else about this unwanted sequel even comes close, in a feature that proves the antithesis of its characters: mundane, safe, routine and only unnerving in how terrible it is. The Addams Family 2 is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows.
Ellen took a temporary break from her hosting duties to take and tweet a (slightly blurred) selfie Hollywood would be proud of, roping in a big bunch of willing A-listers including JLaw, Bradley Cooper, Brad and Angie, Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep. After a bit of contention about who was going to actually take the photo (Meryl was the first choice but she seemed a little uncertain and admitted that she'd never tweeted before) and a sneaky late entry to the group (Jared Leto jumped in out of nowhere, apparently still riding a high from his best supporting actor win), it was Bradley Cooper who took the matter in hand and snapped the shot. The result was slightly surreal, with the Guardian's live Oscar coverage commenting on the spookiness of seeing "the most photographed people photographing themselves, live on camera, watched by millions". The pic was retweeted over 500,000 times in less than 30 minutes. Then temporarily crashed Twitter. Woah. After what was arguably an expectedly tame opening monologue, Ellen also wins big points for stirring things up a bit by ordering pizza and then distributing slices to the first few rows of smartly dressed stars, who she assumed must be pretty hungry after weeks of dieting to fit into their gowns and suits. Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill and Martin Scorsese were among those getting in on the action, with a bemused Leonardo DiCaprio firmly declining. Perhaps the best part was when, pizza devoured, Ellen announced she had no money for a tip and suggested that Sandra Bullock cover the costs. Keep up the good work, Ellen.
Society has drilled it into our heads that it's unethical to capitalise on the youthful vitality of small, underprivileged children, but Soccket might make you see things differently. A small company called Unchartered Play has developed a soccer ball that doubles as a portable generator, providing both fun and power to those who play with it. The Soccket uses Unchartered Play's patent-pending technology to capture the kinetic energy generated by a game of soccer, storing it in the ball for later use as an off-grid power source. Powering an LED lamp requires 30 minutes of play. The immediate advantages are threefold: Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world, one in five people around the globe are without power, and most kids think soccer is fun — particularly kids who have never heard of Angry Birds and who are often denied the opportunity to be kids due to more pressing issues such as survival. It is hoped to bring particular relief to developing countries reliant on kerosene lamps, which can lead to severe health problems and are responsible for huge amounts of carbon dioxide emissions. The ball is currently produced very labour intensively in North America, but Unchartered Play have launched a Kickstarter campaign to take things to the next level. $75,000 will help Unchartered Play (a team of just eight people) bring on board more employees, purchase more tools and equipment, automate parts of the assembly process, and up their output of Soccket Balls from a few hundred to thousands per week. They've almost reached half of their goal with 24 days to go. $1 is the minimum, but pledging $89 or more will get you one standard Soccket Ball and lamp if the campaign is successful. You've then got the option of keeping it for a sweet-as camping gadget or, you know, giving it up to a child in need. Via Inhabitat.com.
As you can probably guess from the name, this Lake Jindabyne Easter weekend festival is dedicated to the kinds of rock behemoths — think U2, Queen, Oasis and more. The stars of the show will no doubt be the Australian Rock Collective playing the hits of The Beatles. This isn't your normal tribute band — members of iconic Aussie bands Powderfinger, Jet, You Am I and Spiderbait have joined forces to bring the songs of The Fab Four to life. A tribute band with 33 ARIAs between them? That's 33 more than The Beatles themselves ever managed. Head to the website to check out the lineup and nab yourself tickets. Image: Destination NSW
The kids at Art Pharmacy have a serious ailment. Its symptoms are only temporary, manifesting in abandoned warehouses, dusty corners and empty shopfronts. No serum will suffice. No doctor can save them. They are self-diagnosed pop-up-art-show addicts, and (fortunately for us) the only known cure is more pop-up art showing. Hence their announcement of back-to-back exhibitions this May at Under New Management, Darlinghurst's home of the pop-up. The first, City vs Nature, runs until Sunday, May 12. It features 20 Australian artists and 85 original works which explore the relationship between the urban and natural world through illustration, watercolour, collage, wood and paint. Every piece is available for purchase ($100-250), super-small (A5) and one of a kind. Perfect for the cash- and/or space-strapped art lover. You'll need to hop in quick, though, because Art Pharmacy’s second show, Contemporary Urbanism, will be popping up in the same space on Thursday, May 16, at 6pm (RSVP for the launch here). In this exhibition, five emerging artists will present scenes from the streets, bringing both the grit and vibrancy of urbanity to 118 Oxford Street. If you like undertones of humour and wit in your art, this is the show for you. The opening hours are a bit sporadic, in true pop-up style, so click here to find out when you can swing by for these elusive gallery invasions. Image: The Brickworks by Thomas Wilcox
In January 2023, the Elton John farewell tour to apparently end all Elton John farewell tours will return to Australia and New Zealand, playing its last round of shows Down Under before the singer says farewell to live concerts. Haven't nabbed a ticket? Can't go? Went last time he came our way, in what was then meant to be John's goodbye gigs? Whichever fits — or if you are heading along to see the music star next year — you can always stream his final-ever North American performance live on Monday, November 21. Make plans to knock off early: Disney+ is livestreaming the concert at 2pm AEST / 3pm AEST / 5pm New Zealand time. The show has been badged Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium, and will run for a hefty three hours, complete with Dua Lipa, Kiki Dee and Brandi Carlile as guests. Yes, that means that John and Lipa's hit single 'Cold Heart' is guaranteed to get a spin, as is 'Simple Things' by John and Carlile — both of which featured on John's 2021 album The Lockdown Sessions. And, yes, you can expect to hear John and Dee's 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' from 1976, with the concert's lineup of guests showcasing John's enormous longevity and range. Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium forms part of the musician's global Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which has been taking him around the world since September 2018, and spans more than 300 concerts across five continents. In Australasia, his first stops here during the tour saw over 705,000 tickets sold to gigs across a three-month period that spanned 34 Australian and six New Zealand dates from November 2019. During the livestreamed performance, fans can expect to feel the love through all of his hits, including 'Rocket Man', 'Tiny Dancer' 'Bennie and the Jets', 'Crocodile Rock', 'I'm Still Standing' and 'Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting' — even though it's happening on a Monday Down Under. John's tour also features never-before-seen images and videos show from his 50-year career — well, never seen before the tour — which are displayed throughout each gig. And, on Disney+, the Dodger Stadium concert will be paired with Countdown to Elton Live, a special featuring John's famous friends wishing him well, and also including interviews with John and David Furnish. When the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour does indeed come to an end, John will retire from touring after five decades on the road. If that all sounds rather massive, that's the star's career in a nutshell. He's played more than 4000 shows across in his time, sold more than 300 million records worldwide and holds the record for the biggest-selling single of all time thanks to the 1997 version of 'Candle in the Wind'. The singer has clearly enjoyed a huge past few years, too, with his life story hitting the big screen in biopic Rocketman. Check out the trailer for Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium below: Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium will stream via Disney+ at 2pm AEST / 3pm AEST / 5pm New Zealand time on Monday, November 21. Images: Ben Gibson.
Dance floors may currently feel like a distant memory for Sydneysiders, with clubs and bars being restricted to seated patrons since reopening in May. When it's time for us to meet again on the dance floor once again, however, changes to NSW liquor laws are set to make live music and dancing easier for venues to facilitate. The new amendment, which passed through NSW Parliament on Tuesday, November 17, is called the Liquor Amendment (24-Hour Economy) Bill 2020 — and it will remove several outdated restrictions, allowing venues to host live music with fewer overbearing limitations. Some of the outmoded restrictions named in the bill include limits on what genre music can be played, which venues can host a dance floor or what kind of decorations a venue can have. This means we'll hopefully see a lot more disco balls and thriving dance floors post-COVID-19. A 2018 parliamentary inquiry into the state's music and nightlife industry found that 669 NSW venues were subject to these "archaic" conditions — which have seen Surry Hills venue Goros being forced to remove its mirror ball as it would encourage dancing, the Terrigal Hotel being barred from having "rock music" performances and the South Dubbo Tavern being restricted to booking only cover bands. These examples were given by the Shadow Minister for Music and the Night Time Economy John Graham when he introduced a similar bill — called Liquor Amendment (Right to Play Music) Bill 2020 — in late September. [caption id="attachment_697914" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Goros[/caption] The bill is expected to make it easier for venues to apply for licences, and to reward those with clean records with ongoing discounted fees. Laws surrounding small bars, alcohol delivery services and outdoor venues have also been eased as part of the amendment, including temporary powers given to local councils to encourage the use of outdoor spaces for dining and performances. The government is hoping this bill will help revitalise the live music and night-time economy following a year in which venues have struggled and some have closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Speaking on the bill, Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello said "the economy doesn't go to sleep after dark and we need laws that cater for a 21st-century economy. The hospitality sector has been brought to its knees this year and the new laws will give the sector greater certainty and flexibility." The Liquor Amendment (24-Economy) Bill 2020 passed NSW Parliament on Tuesday, November 17, and is predicted to come into effect from Tuesday, December 1. Top image: Frankies by Katje Ford.
Visiting Europe sadly isn't on Australians' agendas in the near future. Heading to New York to wander through The Metropolitan Museum of Art isn't at the moment either. But, for four months in 2021, a heap of European art masterpieces from The Met will be making the journey to our shores — so you'll be able to feast your eyes on some of the greatest paintings ever committed to canvas at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art. From June 12–October 17, 2021, 65 works that almost never leave The Met's galleries will grace GOMA's walls, in what'll be the Brissie venue's biggest ever survey of the history of European art. And if you're wondering why these paintings are so treasured, well, that's because they're by everyone from Monet, van Gogh and Vermeer to Renoir, Rembrandt and Degas. The list of artists featuring in the exhibition, which covers a whopping 500 years of European art and is fittingly called European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, just keeps going — with Rubens, Poussin, Gauguin, Raphael, Boucher and Velazquez all included as well. Also impressive: the different types of artworks that'll be on display, spanning everything from portraits and still-life pieces to landscape paintings and figure studies. From the full lineup, the earliest work will date back to 1445, courtesy of an altarpiece panel depicting the Crucifixion of Christ by the Florentine artist Fra Angelico. Also among the centuries-old highlights are Titian's Venus and Adonis from the 1550s, Caravaggio's The Musicians from 1597, Rembrandt's Flora from around 1654, and Vermeer's Allegory of the Catholic Faith. And, for works from the 19th-century impressionist and post-impressionist period, the likes of Monet, Renoir and van Gogh have things wrapped up — complete with Monet's 1919 piece Water Lilies. [caption id="attachment_781830" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'The Flowering Orchard' (1888) by Vincent van Gogh. The Mr and Mrs Henry Ittleson jr Purchase Fund 1956/56.13. Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.[/caption] GOMA's program will also feature hands-on digital and analogue activities to accompany the masterworks, plus — as is always the case with its major exhibitions — a lineup of yet-to-be-announced Up Late events that'll let you check out these art wonders after dark and over a few drinks. European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York is a Brisbane exclusive, too. So, if you're an art lover in New South Wales or Victoria, cross your fingers that Queensland's borders have well and truly reopened to your states by June 2021. European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York will display at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art from June 12–October 17, 2021. For more information — or to buy tickets — visit the GOMA website. Top images: Water Lilies (1916-19) by Claude Monet. Gift of Louise Reinhardt Smith 1983/1983.532.; Still Life with Apples and Pears (1891-92) Bequest of Stephen C Clark 1960/61.101.3. Both collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
At some point or another, it's likely you've found yourself sitting in front of a screen as it resolutely remains frozen — perhaps there was even a spinning wheel of death thrown in there for good measure. Life can feel a little same, same sometimes; everything gets a bit beige and starts to feel like your, well, frozen, stuck in your same old same routine. You might be — just like your computer — in need of a refresh. That's where we come in. To help you out, we've teamed up with our friends at Coopers to bring you a list of 'easy wins' — small things that'll make your day better and leave you feeling revitalised. MONDAY: DANCE IT OUT While it's tempting to become a bit of a vegetable after you drag yourself home on a Monday night, getting out and being active can be just what you need to take the edge off your 9-to-5 routine. Don an old leotard, do a couple of stretches and head along to a dance class that'll have you energised, sweaty and raring for your dinner. Try The Space in Melbourne, Dance Central in Sydney or Groove Therapy in Brisbane. TUESDAY: COOK DINNER FOR YOUR LOVED ONES It might have been a while since your mum fed you on the reg — care packages sent home with you after a visit don't count — but don't underestimate how difficult cooking for a family every single night can be. Props to all the mums, dads and others, who manage it week by week — it's certainly not easy, so it might be time to thank yours. Make your loved one sit down, pop on their favourite Joni Mitchell/Pink Floyd album and cook up a storm. Aim for the stars and go for a three-course feast, but even a one-course fish fingers effort might go a little way to saying "thanks for feeding me even when you were tired, sick and/or sick and tired of my teenage angst". It's a good way of getting you back in touch with what's really important in life, parents (and also fish fingers). WEDNESDAY: BUY YOURSELF A BUNCH OF FLOWERS There's a reason that your mood lifts as soon as spring rears its fragrant head — yes, the vitamin D and warmer temperatures have something to do with it, but it's the beautiful blooms that really get you smiling. And, being gifted flowers is one of the greatest things ever — it makes you feel like a spoiled, whimsical nymph — but why wait around for someone to do it for you? Buy yourself a bunch to brighten up your home or freshen up your stale office environment, the air and the feng shui will thank you for it. Plus, your co-workers will assume you've got a super romantic partner and will be extremely jealous. THURSDAY: CREATE A HOME CINEMA Going to the movies can be an expensive outing — once you factor in parking, tickets and, of course, the popcorn and Malteasers combo. Also, you have to contend with crowds, queues and people who ask stupid questions all the way through Iron Man 3. An alternative? Invest in purchasing a home projector (or hire one) and invite a couple of friends around for a private Marvel marathon where you can ogle Mr Hemsworth in the privacy of your own home. If that's a bit too pricey, get the sick set up going, cook some popcorn in the microwave and charge your mates a $5 cover fee — it's still cheaper than what they'd pay at the cinema. Plus, you can all don your favourite comfy trackies and BYO blankets, winning. [caption id="attachment_628248" align="alignnone" width="1800"] Kimberley Low.[/caption] FRIDAY: BUY A COFFEE FOR A STRANGER It's likely nobody has ever done this for you, but how good would it be if the legend standing in front of you comped you your first soy flatty of the day? Pretty good. And for it to happen on a Friday? What a way to kick off the weekend. Start a circle of caffeine giving by sparing $4 to buy whoever is behind you in line their drink of choice. It's more than likely that it'll make their day. Caffeine is the lifeblood of a productive person (them) and being generous for no reason is the lifeblood of someone feeling good about themselves and their lives (you). SATURDAY: BETTER STILL, SHOUT A STRANGER A BEER Yes, this one requires more than a $5 note, but stretch yourself and buy someone a pint. It might end up being closer to the $10 mark, but chances are if you're out buying yourself beers at a pub you can afford to shout one beer. Reclaim the old "buy ya a drink?" trope — prove it's not just the terrain of flush men trying to pick up women at the bar — and make someone's night. SUNDAY: SOAK IN A BUBBLE BATH Baths are your greatest weapon when it comes to making aches and pains disappear. They're also a pretty good way of making your body and brain feel calm and nourished. You can even add to the experience more by picking up one of those bath bombs from Lush, too. The company produces handmade vegetarian products, doesn't test on animals and stays away from plastic packaging, so you can rest assured that you're doing a bit of good while you soak. Hot tip: get one with sparkles to really indulge your over the top inklings and feel like a shiny mermaid or -man. You'll feel on top of the world and ready to conquer the week ahead. Kick off your 'easy wins' by enjoying a Coopers Dry, or two, with your mates. Top image: Katje Ford.
If you’ve been to the Himalayas lately, you’ll know just how big a problem plastic water bottles are. Rubbish left by trekkers ends up in villages, where waste treatment systems are often non-existent. What’s more, about 50 billion plastic bottles are produced globally each year and, in Australia alone, 373 million or so become landfill. So, a bunch of Spain-based design students have invented a water vessel that leaves no waste behind whatsoever — because you can eat it when you’ve finished drinking. Named ‘Ooho’, it’s actually more a sphere than a bottle, and it’s made of brown algae and calcium chloride. While that might not exactly sound like a MasterChef creation, it is digestible. And there’s every chance it’s good for your teeth. The ingredients are cooked to form a double gelatinous membrane that protects the water inside, keeping it hygienic and well-sealed. "Liquid forms drops because the liquid exhibits surface tension," designers Guillaume Couche, Pierre Paslier and Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez explain. “Bounded completely, or almost completely, by free surfaces. Ooho replicates this behaviour, encircling the water in an edible membrane of algae.” Spheres cost just 2 cents a pop and can be made in various sizes. None of the serious infrastructure involved in PET plastic manufacturing is necessary. In fact, the designers are pretty certain that it won’t be long before everyone will able to cook their own Oohos in their kitchen. The Ooho was one of 12 winners in the 2014 Lexus Design Award. ‘Curiosity’ was the theme, and other awarded inventions included an innovative time-telling device from India, an e-wheel from Vietnam and a den-building kit from the UK. Via Inhabitat.
When it comes to a snow holiday in Australia, Thredbo is at the top of a lot of people's lists. And, after the ski resort was named Australia's best for the fifth year running at the World Ski Awards earlier this year it makes sense that so many holiday makers flock there each winter. If you're not a regular at Thredbo, you might be wondering what exactly makes it stand out from other snow holiday destinations — and that's where we come in. Turns out there's a whole lot more on offer than exceptional alpine activities, from live music to excellent food and, of course, the top-notch skiing and snowboarding. We've teamed up with Thredbo to showcase all the cool ways to have fun there this winter. THE NIGHTLIFE A fully fledged nightlife scene might not be the first thing you imagine when you picture Thredbo. But, at this bustling alpine village, that's exactly what you'll find. The après ski sessions at Thredbo attract loads of snow lovers every year. And, the jewel in the crown at this year's winter festivities is the return of the much-loved evening soirée First Base happening across three Saturdays — July 26, August 20 and September 3. In the past the music event has featured artists like Hayden James, Mickey Kojack, Touch Sensitive and Joyride, and its 2022 lineup is set to be just as impressive. There'll also be regular music events on weekends at Merritts Mountain House and plenty of fun to be had at Alpine Bar. THE FEASTS Thredbo is filled with top-notch eats to keep you fuelled for those big days on the mountains. But it's not just delicious eats that the hospitality venues are serving up. Some of these incredible feasts are their own full-blown events. One upcoming highlight is the Bavarian-inspired dinner happening every Saturday evening from June 18 till September 17 at Merritts Mountain House. To get there, you'll ride a gondola under a starry night sky to your dining destination before enjoying a gluhwein on arrival and an unforgettable feast to follow. Another stand out culinary experience is the Kareela Hutte Snowcat Dinner happening on Wednesdays from July 13 till August 31 — complete with a snowcat ride, champagne and a four-course dinner at the cosy European-style hut, no less. THE SPECIAL SNOW EVENTS A trip to Thredbo wouldn't be complete without some time on the slopes. And there are loads of different ways to get your fix on the mountain that go beyond your standard snowboarding and skiing. Consider yourself an early bird? Wake up before the sun and see it rise from the top of Australia's highest lifted point with a sunrise session. You'll get to have breakfast at the country's highest restaurant, Eagles Nest, and then carve the first tracks into the longest run in the country after the overnight snowfall. If you time your trip right, you might even get to catch some of the action at the Thredbo Snow Series competition, the eighth Annual Transfer Banked Slalom snowboarding event or get involved in Australia's longest and fastest downhill race, Top to Bottom, for it's 30th race happening on August 6. Ready to lock in a trip to the snow this winter? For more information and to book, visit the website. Or, enter the competition before February 28 to win a VIP trip to the slopes this winter.
For 11 nights the Pyrmont Bay Park will transform itself into a pop-up food festival of Asian cuisine, with over 20 food stalls ranging from Night Noodle Market regulars like Fat Noodle and Hoy Pinoy to the new Japanese rock 'n' roll themed Daniel San out of Manly. We highly recommend a taste of Bar Pho's newly trademarked 'phumplings', a miraculous cross breed of Vietnamese pho and dumplings that you might not have caught at the Sydney Festival Village due to them selling out every single night. Mon-Wed 5-9pm, Thurs-Fri 5-10pm, Sat 4-10pm, Sun 4-9pm.
You might want to tone down some of the long and critical rants contained on your blog, as a case in Oregon has just see a woman fined $2.5 million for defamatory comments. Crystal Cox runs several blogs, and posted comments in one such blog which criticised the Obsidian Finance Group. The Group responded by commencing litigation against Cox for defamation. Cox represented herself in these proceedings. Cox said she had information from an inside source, whom she refused to name. As a result, it was impossible for her to prove that her comments were true. As she was a blogger and not affliated with any official media outlet, she was not provided the same protection as journalists in Oregon. Therefore, Judge Marco A. Hernandez slapped Cox with a $2.5 million fine. Heavy. Aside from the obvious legal questions in such a case, is this really an appropriate punishment for not being part of a media establishment? Blogs are now becoming pivotal points for topical discussion. News programs are using images and videos captured by ordinary citizens on iPhones as exclusive content to be broadcast on television. Television shows are increasingly conversing with audiences through social media websites. It seems nowadays that these lines between contemporary and traditional media are undergoing a rapid integration. Furthermore, you get the feeling that Cox probably should have hired a lawyer. [via Mashable]
Concrete Playground's Summer Guide was released back in December when the prospect of a long, hot summer was one we were all relishing. January has come and gone, and the total number of sunny summer days we've had here is still a single digit. But rest assured that as soon as the rainclouds disappear, we will be making a very quick transition from the cosy indoor pubs, theatres and cinemas we've been holed up in to the beaches, rooftop bars and outdoor restaurants that make this city so great. Now, the Summer Guide is available as a special iPad book through the Apple Store, so that anyone with an iTunes account and an iPad can pick up a copy. To check it out, head to Sydney: The Summer Guide on iTunes. In case you missed it the first time, The Summer Guide is a comprehensive shortlist of the best this city has to offer over the warmer months, from rooftop bars to beaches to picnic spots to outdoor dining and much more. With different formats — iPhone and softcover book — of the Summer Guide on offer, you’ll never be without access to the best of everything, because the year’s too long and summer’s too short to waste time on the mediocre. Buy iPad book on iTunes for $4.99
Advanced Style is a fashion documentary with a twist. Based on a blog by the same name, it is a movement away from thin models on catwalks and glossy magazine trends. The documentary focuses on the lives of older New York women who dress with flair and refuse to succumb to expectations of how older women should present themselves. The camera follows these women as they go about their daily lives, explaining how individual style and dressing up makes them feel. These characters were captured by street photographer Ari Seth Cohen, who wanted to gain an insight into the lives of women who he perceived as the caretakers of style. All the women spiritedly challenge established ideas about beauty and ageing in Western culture — one says dressing up is an "an exercise in creativity". Advanced Style is in cinemas on October 2. Thanks to Madman Entertainment we have ten double in-season passes to give away. One major prize winner will also get copies of The September Issue on DVD and the CR Fashion Book Issue 1. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=ccai-E36BfI
Today's workplace isn't what it used to be. While there are plenty of reasons for this, technology is a big factor as is a shift in what most people consider important in regard to job satisfaction. In order to keep pace with such societal changes, workplaces are constantly adapting the type of skills they look for in new hires. Don't be too concerned though. Open Universities Australia (OUA) and its university partners are well aware of what it takes to succeed. That's why we've teamed up with OUA to outline five of the core skills you need to thrive in every work situation. The best part? There's a fantastic range of relevant courses through university partners across Australia. Regardless of your previous education, you can enrol instantly in a number of uni subjects that will help you upskill quickly and excel in the workforce. LEARN TO NAVIGATE THE CHANGING DIGITAL LANDSCAPE We live in a time of rapid change, particularly when it comes to technology. In the modern workplace, you don't necessarily need to be the one pumping out code or building expertly designed websites, but it is important to have an understanding of how technology intersects with your work. Studying subjects like Digital Culture and Everyday Life with Curtin University through OUA allows you to get acquainted with the basics. You'll learn how the internet became a part of everyday life and its general impact on society and culture. If you're keen to get more in-depth, you can also take a look at more focused subjects such as Writing for Digital Media or Cyber Crime, which both offer very specific skillsets. LEARN TO SET BOUNDARIES AND MANAGE YOUR TIME Knowing how to set boundaries is a crucial skill in every aspect of your life. However, striking the right balance between work and play isn't always a simple task. When the lines blur (as they often can), it's common for anxiety and stress to arise, so knowing how to separate the two is a valuable skill to have. And when your student life is full-time online, meaning your university exists wherever your computer does, you'll quickly learn that those essential clear and concise limits are the only way to properly manage your time. While it may not be fun at the time, it'll definitely stand you in good stead later down the line. LEARN HOW TO LEAD AND MANAGE PEOPLE Leadership skills. We all know we're supposed to have them but how do you actually hone them? The answer is simpler than you think. Just by taking online university courses you'll learn how to keep up with deadlines and work autonomously — skills which many places look for in leaders. Or, if you want to take it a step further, you can study the 14-week Project Leadership and Teams course with the University of South Australia via OUA. You'll learn all about managing teams effectively, critical problem solving and understanding and harnessing different people's strengths and weaknesses. Plus, you'll gain some great interpersonal skills. LEARN TO MAKE AND KEEP A SAFE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT It should come as no surprise that workplace safety is critical. After all, everyone wants and deserves to work in a secure and protected environment. But what may come as a shock is that plenty of people don't even know their own workplace rights, let alone what to do if they suspect those rights are being violated. Enrolling in Griffith University's Work Health and Safety through OUA will have you up to speed with the 2011 Work Health and Safety Act in no time. Plus, you'll get a clear understanding of the main types of hazards at work — be it in the office or out in the field. LEARN HOW TO BE APPROPRIATELY CULTURALLY AWARE People from all sorts of cultural backgrounds are represented in the workplace. Aside from the fact that cultural respect and an understanding of one's own privilege should be an inherent part of life anyway, having that sort of awareness and the ability to lead by example can be extremely beneficial in a work setting. From working in teams and avoiding miscommunication to scheduling mishaps during religious holidays, studying something like Curtin University's Human Rights History Across Cultures and Religions via OUA is a great first step to building your knowledge of a diverse range of cultures beyond the western viewpoint. Because everyone deserves to be treated equally both in and outside of the workplace. Start looking at all the subjects on offer online from leading Australian unis through Open Universities Australia and you could have a new skill by the end of the year. Hop to it.
A year goes slowly when you're waiting for one weekend but, at last, Harvest Rock season is almost upon us. We're all in full prep mode for the 2023 iteration of the huge South Australia music festival, and it's looking like it might be one of the biggest yet. The good news doesn't stop coming, after the absolute banger lineup dropped our attendance was all but guaranteed. Luckily, we have an exclusive deal over on Concrete Playground Trips that wraps up a brilliant VIP package under one ribbon of convenience. That package includes nearby accommodation, VIP entry to the festival and loads of goodies (from exclusive dining options to an Archie Rose gift pack) to complete your experience. In case you're not across the deets of this year's festival, it's taking place on the weekend of October 28–29 in Adelaide and offers a real superstar lineup that includes exclusive Australian performances from Jamiroquai and Beck. This is a show curated by Secret Sounds, after all, the maestros behind Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival. It's not all music though, the festival splits the spotlight onto food too. Everything from fine dining curated by leading APAC chefs to food trucks and live mixology sessions with culinary geniuses from around Australia, like wine expert and personality Nick Stock and Sydney distillery Archie Rose, will be on offer. This year the festival also features The Grape Escape, a dedicated wellness centre designed to help you unwind from the hectic activities outside. Expect hot drinks, tarot readings, massages and more to help you enjoy some well-deserved time to yourself. Harvest Rock will take over Rymill Park/Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park/Ityamai-itpina, Adelaide, on Saturday, October 28 and Sunday, October 29. Tickets are on sale now. To secure yours and find more info, visit the website, or visit Concrete Playground Trips to book our exclusive VIP package.
Take a seat. Please, I insist, just so that you can jump out of it and celebrate in true headbanging style at the news that Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age are heading Down Under in 2014 for a co-headline tour. Okay, now take a seat again and continue to read on. Two of the biggest acts in alternative rock are set to arrive on our shores in March next year. This is glorious news to Oceania fans who haven't seen Nine Inch Nails since 2009 and Queens of the Stone Age since 2011. Both bands have teased since May about heading this way, when Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme told triple j's Tom and Alex, "Everybody who knows me knows that Australia is my home away from home. I also think it's time that we come and tell our own stories, so we're gonna skip the round of festivals and see you in your fall." Nine Inch Nails lead Trent Reznor then revealed his band's intentions to head down under when they turned down Soundwave in favour of a "better scenario" for fans. Well, there is no better scenario than seeing them combine with QOTSA for a tour that is sure to go down in legend. Australia: we love you and we're coming. Didn't feel Soundwave was the right vibe for us or our fans - working on a better scenario.— Trent Reznor (@trent_reznor) August 23, 2013 The tour comes on the back of Nine Inch Nails' and QOTSA's recent respective releases, the much-heralded Hesitation Marks and ...Like Clockwork, and they will be joined on stage by Australian-born Brody Dalle, Mrs Josh Homme, of The Distillers and Spinnerette fame. Which one of the two bands will play first each night? That will be left to a flip of the coin. Seriously. The full list of tour dates and venues are below. Tickets start from $105 and will be available through a Frontier Members pre-sale from noon on Tuesday, October 22, and available to the general public from 9am on Thursday, November 24. Nine Inch Nails Queens Of The Stone Age Co-Headline Tour Dates Thursday March 6, 2014 Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney – All Ages Saturday March 8, 2014 Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Newcastle – All Ages Tuesday March 11, 2014 Perth Arena, Perth – All Ages Thursday March 13, 2014 Adelaide Entertainment Centre Arena, Adelaide – All Ages Friday March 14, 2014 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne – All Ages Monday March 17, 2014 Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane – All Ages Wednesday March 19, 2014 Vector Arena, Auckland - All Ages Saturday March 22, 2014 CBS Canterbury Arena, Christchurch - All Ages
Raw, rotten and loud — hardly the vocabulary you'd typically expect a chef to use when describing their new menu. Then again, the irreverent cuisine at this newcomer to Newcastle's booming dining scene is anything but typical. Head Chef Alannah Miceli, formerly of the now-closed Newcastle bistro Subo, has developed a nose-to-tail, root-to-leaf concept that spotlights the calibre of local produce while limiting waste. "In the Hunter Region we have access to beautiful local produce that needs to be championed," Miceli explains. "Our concept of raw, rotten and loud allows us to really consider the ingredients and to explore how to maximise them." Fresh and foraged produce can be found in its purest state, served raw, but also pickled and cured—embracing the idea of the "rotten". The colour and flavour of this interplay of fresh and fermented foods are where the volume gets turned up, producing "loud" plates that diners won't soon forget. Meat is used sparingly on Closed's menu and even then, dishes favour obscure and underrated cuts that don't often make it to restaurant kitchens. Seafood has a more prominent presence but the greater focus is on seasonable vegetables, used in striking and surprising ways. Think market fish infused with gin and zesty yuzu, finished with zippy hits of pickled chilli and native succulents. The drinks offering also embraces the same sustainable ethos as the food, with a wine list sourced from boutique suppliers heroing minimal intervention, organic and biodynamic drops. Every mix on the innovative signature cocktail list involves some degree of pickling, fermenting or smoking. The menu is headlined by one of NSW's strongest legal drinks, The Cure — a sweet and sour mingle starring Poor Toms strawberry gin, lillet rose, rhubi mistelle, strawberry shrubb, lemon and rhubarb bitters. Spread over two levels, with a colourful and quirky dining space on the ground floor and a cocktail lounge with large outdoor terrace above, the interiors by Patternshop channel a punky yet polished tone, with plush, tactile fabrics, period accents and exposed wood contrasted with industrial fixtures. A palette of vermillion, olive and black are carried into a striking pop art wall mural by local artist Jordan Lucky that proudly proclaims: "Made in Newcastle". In recent years, major investment in Newcastle's hospitality and tourism industries has transformed NSW's second city from a historic port town into a bone fide dining destination on the doorstep of the Hunter. Hot on the heels of Hunter Street, which has undergone a renaissance since the opening of the light rail line in 2019 and the QT Newcastle in 2022, Closed represents the first phase of an $8-million development of the Beaumont Street strip. Future planned additions to the Islington Village development include an artisan bakery, a gelato store, restaurants and shop-top apartments. Find Closed at 17 Beaumont Street, Islington, Newcastle, open Wednesday–Friday, 4–10pm and Saturday–Sunday, midday–10pm. Head to the venue's website for more details. Images: Chad Konik
Maurice Terzini's Bondi and Parramatta favourite Ciccia Bella has launched a new range of takeaway options available for pickup from its Bondi outpost, local delivery via Deliveroo and finish-at-home delivery throughout NSW and ACT via Providoor. The star of the show is the weekly set menu which is delivered almost ready, but requires a little preparation on your end. The set menu changes every Monday, featuring a selection of classics and inventive dishes from the restaurant's menu. If you have little ones, you can keep them happy with the Bambini Dinner Pack, which comes with salami, rigatoni bolognese, bomboloni doughnuts and a colouring set. Plus, there's a picnic pack ready for your next trip to your closest patch of grass with your friends. You can also order directly from the a la carte menu which features a host of Ciccia Bella favourites including tomato sugo mussels, pork cotoletta and eggplant parmigiana. The pickup and Providoor menu differs a little so head to the Ciccia Bella website and explore whichever menu you prefer. [caption id="attachment_825432" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bambini[/caption]
A fixture in the historic mining town for over a century, the Broken Hill Musicians Club will play host to Adelaide's finest tribute act for one night only. The Flaming Sambucas have been playing around Australia — and the world — since 1991 and have a range of setlists up their sleeves, from Elton John to Lady Gaga. For this show, they'll be busting out the hits you know and love from everybody's favourite Swedish supergroup. There'll be 'Dancing Queen', there'll be wigs, there'll be costumes and — consider yourself forewarned — there will certainly be audience participation. Expect this slice of NSW outback to transform into a riot of sing-alongs and glittering disco balls. Best of all, the gig's free — you've just go to get there. For the latest info on NSW border restrictions, head here. If travelling from Queensland or Victoria, check out Queensland Health and DHHS websites, respectively.
In the lead-up to Sydney's inevitable lockdown extension, the New South Wales and Federal Government announced new financial support packages to assist individuals and businesses impacted by the lockdown. The packages included assistance for individuals, small businesses and sole traders who have lost income, as well as renters struggling to pay their bills. While the financial support on offer is quite far-reaching, it can feel a little daunting deciphering if (and where) you fit into it all. So, here's an easy-to-read overview of all the support on offer across NSW and Greater Sydney if you've been financially impacted by the latest lockdown. EMPLOYEES Individuals can apply for COVID-19 Disaster Payments through the Services Australia website as of Wednesday, July 13. The joint plan between the federal and state government means individuals who have lost between eight and 20 hours of work due to stay-home orders can access recurring payments of $375 a week from July 15 for parts of Sydney, and July 18 onwards for people in Greater Sydney. Those who have lost more than 20 hours can access payments of up to $600. There are a few eligibility rules, for example, you must be an Australian resident or on an eligible work visa, over the age of 17 and not on an income support payment like JobSeeker or Youth Allowance. Head to Services Australia for more information, but keep in mind that the opportunity to submit your first period of claims (July 1–July 7) closes on Wednesday, July 28. [caption id="attachment_817711" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arvin Prem Kumar[/caption] SMALL BUSINESSES From Monday, July 19 businesses, sole traders and not-for-profits can apply for grants of up to $15,000. There are three grants available, $7,500 for a decline in revenue of 30 percent or more, $10,500 for a decline of 50 percent or more, or $15,000 for a decline of 70% or more. The full eligibility for these grants will be available later in the week. Microbusinesses with a revenue of between $30,00–75,000 that have seen a loss of at least 30 percent are eligible for up to $1500 a fortnight, applicable from the beginning of lockdown. Applications for these support payments will open from Monday, July 26. On the same day, the Saving Jobs scheme designed to minimise jobs and hours lost to the lockdown will also be rolled out. The scheme will offer businesses with a turnover of between $75,000 and $50 million payments of $1500–10,000 to keep people in jobs if they've experienced a downturn in profits of 30 percent or more. If you run a business that doesn't employ others, you may be eligible for payments of $1000 a week to keep you afloat. RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS Renters are being given greater protection during Sydney's lockdown, in an attempt to soften the blow of lost hours and jobs. A freeze on evictions has been implemented — meaning nobody can be evicted between now and Saturday, September 11. Services NSW has a series of resources for struggling tenants that may need a rent reduction or a pause on any evictions due to income loss. Landlords have also been provided with an incentive to lower rent prices during the lockdown, with residential landlords that lower the price of rent for tenants impacted by the lockdown eligible to apply for grants of up to $1500 or reduced land taxes, equal to the value of rent reductions provided to tenants. The full details of this grant will be available soon on the NSW Government website. [caption id="attachment_720224" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] THE ARTS INDUSTRY The NSW Government has announced a $75 million support package for the performing arts and live music industry. Applications will be open from Thursday, July 23 through the Create NSW website for not-for-profit and commercial performing arts organisations, as well as live music organisations that have been impacted by canceled shows. The funding is designed to keep people in the sector employed and help organisations keep the lights on. It will be delivered in two stages, an initial immediate relief payment to any organisation that had shows or performances booked during the lockdown, and a secondary package to help organisations reschedule shows. Any artist or crew worker who has lost work due to the lockdown, not-for-profit Support Act is also offering a helping hand. Support Act is offering one-off grants of $2000, or $2700 to families with dependant children, to musicians and crew members that have been financially impacted by the lockdown in order to help soften the blow of lost gigs and shifts. The organisation also offers financial relief to members of the music and arts community that are unable to work due to injury or illness, and a Mental Health First Aid program to assist those struggling with their mental health. If you're still confused, we recommend heading to the Service NSW website where you can look around the 2021 COVID-19 Support Package page or input your details into the COVID-19 Assistance Finder. Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich also has a page full of helpful resources. Top image: Cassandra Hannagan
If you prefer strapping your feet to one piece of wood rather than two, this one's for you. Snowboarders, get ready for your day of days – the annual Transfer Banked Slalom returns. It's an obstacle course like no other, with twists and turns, berms and jumps that will keep you on your toes. It's also open to snowboarders of all skill-levels, so join the elite (or watch them) speeding down the hill — and try not to end up with a face full of snow. There'll be plenty of old-hands around to give you tips, too — or to push you out if you get stuck in a tunnel (we're sure you won't). It's technical but fun, and sure to be a spectacular two days, running from 9am til 4pm on Thursday, August 16 and Friday, August 17. So wax that board and hold on, this is one joy ride you won't want to miss. To find out more about Thredbo's exciting winter program, head to thredbo.com.au.
One of our favourite perks of the latter half of the year has to be longer, lighter and warmer nights. It means there's more time to get out and about to do what we love. If you love a market (and who doesn't), there's a fair share to choose from, thanks to the team at Cambridge Markets. These artisanal aficionados know a thing or two about gathering local makers and flavours in one place, and with the spring and summer seasons, those gatherings are extending their bedtimes for evenings of cool drinks and al fresco feeds across Sydney. First up, there's Eat and Drink Nights in Meadowbank, which will take place in Helene Park on Saturday, November 2, and again on Saturday, January 18, from 5–9pm. Over in Rosebery, you'll find other editions of Eat Drink Nights at The Cannery on Saturday, November 9 and Saturday, February 15, from 5–9pm and at Wentworth Point Town Square on the first Friday of every month from 5–9.30pm. In Wentworth, you'll also find the Wentworth Point Twilight Market on every third Saturday of the month from 5—9.30pm. For a regular addition to your calendar, the Canterbury Night Markets are returning as part of the Kia Friday Night Racing Series at Canterbury Racecourse. They will run on various dates from Friday, November 15, November 29, December 13, December 20, January 1, 17, 31 and February 7, 14, 21 and 28. Cambridge Night Markets will take place on a variety of dates throughout spring and summer, for more information, visit the website.
The Kings Cross Hotel is about to be transformed into an immersive wonderland as part of this year's Vivid Sydney festival. As part of the truly epic Vivid Music program (which includes the world premiere of Björk's digital project), the hotel will be in full swing with a slew of live music, theatre and cabaret throughout the three weeks of the festival from May 27 until June 18. And in true Kings Cross Hotel style, they're throwing a huge party to kick things off. Relive the glory days of Sydney's late-night culture with the Welcome to Kings Cross party on Saturday, May 28. Bad Deep, Le Fruit and The Takeover will join some of the city's best DJs across the pub's five floors, meaning there'll be ample dancefloor action to satisfy your dancing feet. Not only that, but the party will also bring the legendary '90s Sydney party night Sounds of Seduction back to the Kings Cross Hotel. In other words, it's set to be one hell of a night. The Kings Cross Hotel's Vivid takeover will run for the length of the festival, from May 27 until June 18. For more information on what's happening at the Hotel, visit their website.
It's been a heck of a long time coming, but after multiple delays, it looks like you might be able to board a tram on Sydney's new CBD and southeast light rail by the end of the year. While Transport for NSW is confident the project — which will see trams running from Circular Quay through Surry Hills to Randwick and Kingsford — will be completed by March 2020, it has today floated the possibility that part of the line could open by the end of this year. A spokesperson for Transport for NSW has said that it "continues to discuss" opportunities with ALTRAC, the consortium delivering the project, to bring an opening date forward to 2019. This would include opening part of the line from Circular Quay to Randwick as early as December. The complete line out to Kingsford is on the cards for completion a few months later. That's slightly ahead of schedule from the May 2020 date we were given back in October — but still a year behind the original estimated completion date. According to Transport for NSW, 100 percent of the concrete slab has now been laid, and all 14 of the new light rail stops are now up to the system installation and testing phase. Test trams have already been hitting the tracks between Moore Park and High Street, and there are plans to run them through Surry Hills and the CBD in the coming months — although barriers still remain in place along that section of the track. Overall, it's been quite the saga for the light rail project, which has faced legal stouches, cost blowouts and delays galore, due to everything from awry overhead wires and a discovery of thousands of Indigenous artefacts. Tram operator Transdev has already started hunting for its first 100 new drivers, who'll kick off training in the middle of this year. As always, we'll keep you updated on any news related to the light rail — including further delays and opening dates.
Though not everyone thinks of James Bond's drink as a heavy-duty cocktail, the martini has been a symbol of suave operators since Bond started giving meticulous instructions on their ingredients in Fleming's novels and Connery's films. Its clear charm has inspired Sydney cabaret night Arthaus Lounge to style itself Shaken & Stirred after the icy beverage. At Parramatta's Riverside Theatre, this regular festivity by Arthaus is getting ready to break down the martini drinker's appeal into its constituent elements of glamour and sex-appeal. Shaken & Stirred promises to give you a smooth night of jazz, burlesque and R&B. The evening runs under the direction of dancer and choreographer Paul Cordeiro, who has worked with Opera Australia and William Yang. He offers up burlesque act Jazmin Baret and Monsieur P, bringing their internationally toured act back from Paris. The Palumbo Ensemble do jazz, sharing the stage with Tango de Fausto and Bollywood Fire. If you still have the stamina after all the movement on show, DJ A.S.K will arrange the R&B for you to do some dancing yourself. No matter how you mix it — shaken or stirred — it's a potent brew.
If your new year's resolution involved dancing and singing at gigs and festivals as often as possible, the pandemic has once again delivered bad news. With New South Wales' COVID-19 case numbers continuing to rise in the new year, the state's government banned making shapes and belting out a tune in indoor hospitality and entertainment venues last week — and it's now added doing both at all music festivals, both indoors and outdoors, to the list. The tightened restriction stems from an updated Public Health Order issued on Tuesday, January 11, and came into effect the same day. So, that means that no one in NSW can now sing or dance at music festivals, unless you're a performer — and then, only while you're performing or rehearsing on the premises. If you're wondering what counts as a music fest, the NSW Government website handily lists the requirements, noting that it doesn't include events with a single stage that run for less than two hours, and that have a maximum of two headliners and four performers in total. That definition still covers a huge array of events, however, so you can expect to see festival cancellations popping up — such as Grapevine Gathering, which was meant to take place on Saturday, January 15, but has scrapped the event due to the new restrictions. The aforementioned singing and dancing ban in indoor hospitality and entertainment venues is still effect as well, and the mask rules and density limits that were announced before Christmas. That said, crooning tunes and hitting the dance floor is still allowed in public at wedding services and receptions — if you're getting hitched or heading to a ceremony in the near future. NSW reported 34,759 new COVID-19 cases today, Wednesday, January 12. For more information about the status of COVID-19 and the current restrictions, head over to the NSW Health website. Top image: Grapevine Gathering.
Buy the iPhone/iPad edition here for $5.40, or buy the softcover edition here for $14.95. Well folks, it’s that time of year again, when the rising mercury sends us outdoors en masse, pumping our concrete playground with an energy of revelry and renewal. The spirit of summer is a celebration of what it means to be alive. We rediscover our joie de vivre with sandy toes, burnished skin, BBQs by the beach, and one too many margaritas. But with so much going on at this time of year it’s hard to know where to begin, and what is supposed to be some well-deserved chill time can become a full-blown panic attack. So, what do you do when overwhelmed with options? Welcome to the inaugural Concrete Playground Summer Guide, a comprehensive shortlist of the best this city has to offer over the next three months, from rooftop bars to beaches to picnic spots to outdoor dining and much more. With two different formats — iPad/iPhone and softcover book — of the Summer Guide on offer, you’ll never be without access to the best of everything, because the year’s too long and summer’s too short to waste time on the mediocre. Now slap on your invisible zinc and get out there, blue skies wait for no one (and don’t we know it). Summer, we salute you. Preview The Summer Guide
The gin-making superstars at Four Pillars are at it again, unveiling their latest range of tipples — including the return of a couple of old favourites, and the fresh arrival of a newcomer. While the brand has been barrel-aging gins for some time, the release of its yearly batch is always eagerly anticipated. 2021's lineup is its first in two years, too, with the much-lauded Yarra Valley distillery's barrel-aged tipples taking a year off in 2020. Making a return is Four Pillars' Sherry Cask Gin, which — as the name suggests — is made in former sherry barrels to lend a rich, intense character to the final drop. It's rounded out with notes of pine needles, dried fruits and nuts, and infused with a small amount of Amontillado sherry to give some length and sweetness. According to the experts who made it, this one works well neat with just a single ice cube. And, price-wise, it'll set you back $80 for a bottle. Also launching is the 2021 edition of Four Pillars' Chardonnay Barrel Gin, which is now up to its ninth release. This time around, the spirit's enjoyed a full 12 months in chardonnay barrels, giving characters of ginger, lemon, vanilla and cinnamon. You'll also taste an oak-driven sweetness, and this one also costs $80 a bottle. And, the latest addition to the barrel-aged program is the Single Barrel Release, which marks the first tipple in Four Pillars' new Single Barrel series. It's particularly limited, so much so that the $150-per-bottle drop has already sold out online. If you were lucky enough to nab some, the gin in question has been aged for three and a half years in a 30-year-old sherry and apera cask, and boasts a concentrated juniper flavour, plus notes of dried fruits, cashew, chocolate and spice. The Sherry Cask Gin and Chardonnay Barrel Gin are still available online, and at Four Pillars' gin shops in Surry Hills and Healesville. For more information about Four Pillars' 2021 barrel-aged range, head to the distillery's website.
