It's safe to say Gami Chicken & Beer has secured its status as one of Melbourne's go-to fried chicken joints, slinging its signature, Korean-style chook from 12 locations across the city. After opening its first Sydney outpost in June, it quickly launched its second in Castle Towers in early August. Needless to say, Gami's main drawcard is its boneless fried chicken. These fried chicken morsels — RSPCA-approved and rocking Gami's signature blend of 17 herbs and spices — are up for grabs every day from 11.30am. Choose to have them either coated in sweet chilli, soy garlic or spicy chilli, or have it served as dipping sauce on the side. Once you're hooked, you're probably going to want to to try other Gami favourites like the chicken spare ribs, the vegetarian chicken and the aptly named Potato Heaven, featuring three layers of cheesy potato goodness.
The #OccupyWallStreet movement has really ignited the spirit of the disenfranchised in America. Anecdotes from ordinary people describing their economic plights has seen anger directed towards the 1% that continue to control the economic agenda in the USA. Through extensive use of Twitter and other social media tools, the increasingly large and angry mob are attempting to convey their message across the internet to gain support for their cause. But as thousands rally against social and economic inequality, corporate greed and the increasingly close relationships between politicians and financial institutions, this message is getting lost in seas of online rhetoric. According to the movement's own mission statement, 'Occupy Wall Street is leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%.' Without a clear purpose and no set goals, though, the message is becoming murkier. Most Australians have little idea about the extent of problems facing youths in America. With rising unemployment, little to no health care and increasing student debt, young graduates are increasingly anxious about their futures. And rightly so. According to a NY Times report, the jobless rate for college graduates in the U.S.A under the age of 25 has averaged 9.6% over the past year. For high school graduates, the average is 21.6%. Whilst the actual demands by the group remain a little unclear, a poll conducted by David Maris for Forbes has outlined a tentative set of demands or issues that are really aggravating the protestors. With many stating that the American Dream has now turned into a nightmare, the protests are continuing to spread like wildfire throughout the U.S. And whilst a rumoured Radiohead appearance at Liberty Square was later confirmed by the band to be a hoax, the movement has been getting increased backing from influential supporters. With Slavoj Zizek speaking at the rallies, Anti-Flag playing a set in Liberty Square, and Kanye West dropping in to say hello (without removing his gold chains) this protest doesn't seem to be quietening down any time soon. With an evolving approach to their demands, the 'We are the 99%' catchcry has now started to take a hold across the world, not just in New York. The movement has now spread to cities such as Chicago and Seattle, and there are also calls for global demonstrations, with planned protests as far afield as Italy, Spain and the London Stock Exchange. https://youtube.com/watch?v=r3ptmm8lAMM
When the weather gets warmer, the days longer and the skies sunnier, Paris starts to emerge from its hibernation. There really is nothing like spring and summer in the City of Lights. Parisians flock to the closest park to lay their picnic blankets, unwrap some fromage and open up that first bottle of rosé for the season. So this summer it's high time to take a page from the French way of living — rosé in hand. With a little help from Jacob's Creek, this summer you can live la vie en rose, or rather, rosé at the Le Petit Picnic on Sunday, February 3 in the Royal Botanic Garden's scenic rose garden. At the four-hour French-fuelled picnic, you'll sip bottomless pours of the winemaker's new Le Petit Rosé Brut Cuvée, a French-style rosé now with bubbles, plus the number one rosé in Australia, Le Petit Rosé, as you take in sweeping views of the Harbour. There'll be no need to worry about packing your own basket, as your ticket includes a hamper with gourmet lunch for your group, a picnic rug and all tableware necessary. Sunscreen and insect repellent will also be available, so you really only need to bring yourself and your appreciation for the finer things. Alongside food and drink, there'll be live DJ sets, a 'pimp your rosé' station and a flower crown making workshop. Plus, you can learn to play pétanque (French-style lawn bowls) and make it your game for the summer since each group will also get a boules set to take home. Le Petit Picnic costs $255 for your party of three or $340 for four ($85 per person), with everything included in the ticket price. Tickets are limited, so head to the event page to score a spot for you and two amis.
Film-loving Sydneysiders, prepare to start wishing you're in Italy. Yes, it's Italian Film Festival time again, and it's heading to Palace Central, Palace Norton St, Palace Verona and Chauvel Cinema with quite the lineup. On the bill from Tuesday, September 13–Wednesday, October 12: everything from Italian box office hits and Sophia Loren-starring classics through to a documentary about a shoemaker to the stars helmed by Call Me By Your Name and Suspiria's Luca Guadagnino. This year's IFF will open with Belli Ciao, which did huge box office business in Italy. It both stars and is co-written by comic duo Pio D'Antini and Amedeo Grieco, who play once-inseparable friends who went their own ways after high school — Pio leaves for Milan, Amedeo stays in their hometown — and now reunite, complete with a north-versus-south culture clash. From there, highlights include The Hummingbird, an ensemble drama with Nanni Moretti (Three Floors) and Berenice Bejo (Final Cut), which hits IFF fresh from premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival; drama Lord of the Ants, about the controversial 1960s trial of intellectual Aldo Braibanti, which screens direct from its Venice Film Festival competition debut; and The King of Laughter, which features Toni Servillo (The Hand of God) as actor and playwright Eduardo Scarpetta. Among the documentary selection, two big titles stand out. The aforementioned Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams focuses on Salvatore Ferragamo, while Ennio — The Maestro sees director Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso) pay tribute to legendary Italian composer Ennio Morricone (The Hateful Eight). Elsewhere on the bill, there's rom-com Breaking Up in Rome, homecoming drama Nostalgia, play-to-screen adaptation The Great Silence, the fairground-set Swing Ride and prison The Inner Cage — the latter of which also features Servillo. In fact, he pops up again in Casanova's Return, as an acclaimed Italian director making his last movie about Casanova. More than 25 films grace the full lineup — including blasts from the past, such as closing night's Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni-starring Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. To celebrate the centenary of filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini's birth, three of his iconic movies — all adaptations of literary works — will screen as well, with The Canterbury Tales, Arabian Nights and The Decameron all getting big-screen showings.
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 — and case numbers in each state varying — different parts of the country have navigated the situation in different ways when it comes to letting non-residents visit. In Western Australia, that has meant a hard border and strict quarantine requirements. For folks who don't normally reside in WA, you could only visit the state if you're classified as an exempt traveller, applied for a G2G Pass and, if approved, then went into self-isolation for 14 days. If you didn't have somewhere appropriate to do the latter, you had to go into a mandatory state quarantine facility for 14 days, too. As initially announced at the end of October — and confirmed by WA Premier Mark McGowan yesterday, Friday, November 13, just before changes came into effect at 12.01am on Saturday, November 14 — the state has started to relax its border restrictions. Moving to a system it has dubbed a 'controlled interstate border', it's now allowing travellers from very low-risk states and territories to enter under eased conditions — people from places that haven't had any community transmission of COVID-19 for 28 days, who can now head to WA without isolating. https://twitter.com/MarkMcGowanMP/status/1327112476857548800 At present, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory fall into that category. So, residents from those states and territories can now venture west. You do still have to complete a G2G Pass declaration, and you'll undergo a temperature test and health screening upon arrival — and you're advised to be prepared to take a COVID-19 test if necessary as well. If you live in New South Wales or Victoria, you're in a state that WA deems low risk. Stats-wise, that means there have been less than five community cases per day on a 14-day rolling average. For travellers, it means still self-quarantining for 14 days, and taking a COVID-19 test on the 11th day. And, this is likely to remain the case until those states have had 28 days without community cases, which is what WA requires to be considered very low-risk. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Western Australia, and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub. Top image: Tourism WA
The world's largest female surfing participation event, Seas the Day, is back for its third year, taking over Kingscliff Beach from Saturday, June 21–Sunday, June 22. Sharing the stoke with women of all abilities, this free and family-friendly event attracted over 15,000 people last year, with the festival hoping to do even better in 2025. On the schedule are 30 free workshops and talks involving a who's who of Australian surfing royalty. For instance, Layne Beachley will lead Awake Academy — a guided wellness program — while Wendy Botha will take part in a rare Q&A, delving into the life of one of surfing's most elusive female pioneers. Meanwhile, Indigenous surfers Amber Mercy, Leihani Zoric, Bodhi Simon and Jodie Barsby will share their journey through Tides of Change, weaving tradition, storytelling and identity into their experience amid the waves. Then, environmental scientist and professional longboarder Tully White will join Belinda Baggs from Surfers for Climate for a chat on ocean advocacy. Also taking place throughout the weekend is a massive surf competition, featuring over 300 competitors across numerous divisions. Exploring themes of health, wellness, empowerment and environmental awareness, expect Seas the Day to deliver an enriching community-led experience.
Positioned in the heart of New Zealand's North Island, Mt Ruapehu is best known for its pristine developed ski fields. On the southwestern Turoa slopes it features natural pipes, steep chutes and a vertical drop of 722 metres, while the Whakapapa village leads to breathtaking snow-capped landscapes and the largest ski area in the nation. And that's only what happens in winter. Many people don't think of the mountain as a summer destination, but in the warmer months it comes to life with the country's largest high-speed gondola, panoramic views across a dual world heritage site and a range of dining options in the clouds. And while it may be summer, there's still a chance you'll spot some of the cold white stuff. [caption id="attachment_757146" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism New Zealand.[/caption] RIDE NEW ZEALAND'S NEWEST, LONGEST AND FASTEST GONDOLA Riding Mt Ruapehu's newly opened Sky Waka will take you on a journey into the clouds. Called New Zealand's largest and most technically advanced gondola, the high-speed Sky Waka travels 1.8 kilometres in just five minutes above the rugged terrain of Whakapapa. From the Top of the Bruce base station you'll traverse over waterfalls and ancient lava flows and catch a glimpse of Ruapehu and its neighbouring volcanoes, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro, through the floor to ceiling windows. Touch down will bring you to the award-winning Knoll Ridge Chalet where a selection of dining options await. DINE AT NEW ZEALAND'S HIGHEST RESTAURANT Sitting pretty at 2020 metres above sea level, Mt Ruapehu's The Pinnacles (Ngā Tohu) restaurant puts the sky-high eateries of Auckland to shame. The highest restaurant in New Zealand allows guests to enjoy their meal alongside breathtaking views of the valley below. The menu offers a rotating selection of locally sourced meats, from Awhi Farms marinated sirloin to Waihi Pukawa roast rolled lamb and venison from the Central Plateau below. Pair that with roasted carrots by way of Ohakune and a cheese and pastry selection sure to rival anything back on earth. The restaurant is open in summer for buffet lunch, afternoon tea, plus dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings. Also on offer in the Knoll Ridge Chalet is classic New Zealand cafe-style cuisine. VISIT A DUAL UNESCO HERITAGE SITE While shredding powder is sure to get your blood pumping, a visit to Mt Ruapehu in the summer is enough to prompt a few jaw-dropping moments. The mountain just happens to sit within Tongariro National Park, New Zealand's oldest national park and a dual UNESCO World Heritage site. The status recognises the park's important Maori cultural as well as geological significance. Visitors to Ruapehu and the surrounding region can expect to see some of the most rugged terrain in the North Island, including panoramic views across the Central Plateau and as far as the perfectly formed stratovolcano, Mt Taranaki. VISIT FAMOUS SCENES FROM THE 'LORD OF THE RINGS' At Mt Ruapehu you can visit the spectacular scenery of J.R.R Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-Earth without tackling the great writhing tangled brambles or bypassing the lair of the giant spider. Several key scenes of the trilogy were filmed in Tongariro National Park, and varied levels of trails will have you positioned in Ithilien where Gollum caught a fish, at the very location Isildur cuts off Sauron's finger and standing in the spot where Frodo and Sam met the Gates of Mordor. New Zealand's Department of Conservation has kindly done all the legwork and put together a list of coordinates for a self-guided Lord of the Rings tour. See where the magic was made while experiencing some of the most beautiful short hikes in the country.
Two Spanish couples on holiday, the tale of a real-life Barcelona bus driver and a crime thriller set in the Basque Country: if you're looking to swap Australia's winter for Euro vibes from your cinema seat, they're some of the highlights in store. When the middle of the year hits Down Under each year, the Spanish Film Festival brightens up Aussie picture palaces with a lineup of movies from its namesake country. Exploring the breadth of Spanish-language cinema, it also showcases flicks from Latin America. Thirty films are on the fest's just-announced program for 2025, which is touring across Australia in June and July. Across various dates between Wednesday, June 11–Wednesday, July 9, audiences in Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, Ballarat, Sydney, Byron Bay and Ballina can enjoy a roster of picks that includes a Sliding Doors-style opener, this year's two Goya Best Film winners and a celebration of the 25th anniversary of Nine Queens. Among the films mentioned above, Samana Sunrise is kicking of the festival with 20-year pals on a beachside getaway to the Dominican Republic when what might've been becomes the focus. Then, both El 47 and Undercover have prime slots fresh from their shared victory at Spain's version of the Oscars. The first heads back to the 70s to tell of bus driver Eduard Fernández's peaceful act of dissidence, while the second also unfurls a true tale, this time about the only police officer in Spain's history that has worked their way into terrorist organisation ETA. If you've been watching Ricardo Darín in recent Netflix hit The Eternaut, then you'll want to head back a quarter-century to see the Argentinian star's stellar work in heist flick Nine Queens — or revisit it if you're already a fan. It's closing out this year's Spanish Film Festival, screening in 4K. Other highlights across the program include The Quiet Maid, which was completely funded by NFTs, boasts Steven Soderbergh (Presence, Black Bag) as an executive producer, and follows a Colombian maid who discovers how to enjoy her summer while working on the Costa Brava; Ocho, charting a relationship over 90 years; the page-to-screen The Goldsmith's Secret; and Spanish box-office hit Wolfgang, a comedy a nine-year-old boy being set to live with his father. Or, there's Argentinian crime-thriller A Silent Death, which heads Patagonia in the 80s; El Jockey, with Money Heist and The Day of the Jackal's Úrsula Corberó among the Buenos Aires-set film's cast; and Peru's Through Rocks and Clouds, where an eight-year-old alpaca herder gets excited about the World Cup. With Marco, The Invented Truth, another slice of reality graces the lineup, this time honing in on the man who acted as the speaker of the Spanish association of Holocaust victims. The same is the case with I Am Nevenka, Nevenka Fernández's report of harassment by her employer in the 90s. Two documentaries also demonstrate how fact is frequently more fascinating than fiction, with Mugaritz. No Bread, No Dessert all about its eponymous Michelin-starred restaurant and The Flamenco Guitar of Yerai Cortés celebrating a rising star of its titular genre. From there, audiences can also catch the Canary Islands-set Babies Don't Come with Instructions, dive into mother-daughter relationships with Little Loves, follow three three Mexican American sisters retracing their grandmother's footsteps in Las Tres Sisters, Miguel Gila tribute May I Speak with the Enemy and queer drama Baby — and plenty more. Spanish Film Festival 2025 Dates Wednesday, June 11–Wednesday, July 2 — Palace Electric Cinema, Canberra Wednesday, June 11–Wednesday, July 2 — Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Prospect Cinemas, Adelaide Wednesday, June 11–Wednesday, July 2 — Palace James Street and Palace Barracks, Brisbane Thursday, June 12–Wednesday, July 2 — Palace Raine Square Cinemas, Luna Leederville and Luna on SX, Perth Friday, June 13–Wednesday, July 2 — The Astor Theatre, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Penny Lane, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Palace Balwyn and Pentridge Cinema, Melbourne Friday, June 13–Wednesday, July 2 — Palace Regent Theatre, Ballarat Thursday, June 19–Wednesday, July 9 — Palace Norton Street, Palace Moore Park, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema, Sydney Thursday, June 19–Wednesday, July 9 — Palace Byron Bay, Byron Bay Thursday, June 19–Wednesday, July 9 — Ballina Fair Cinemas, Ballina The 2025 Spanish Film Festival tours Australia in June and July. For more information or to buy tickets, visit the festival's website.
In Mexico, muralists are rewarded with prominence in government buildings and sinking institutes of the arts. Here, we give them furtive street corners, the trendier offices and pride of place in our cafes. Illustrator and artist, Brad Robson, has had a turn a lot of these locations and is looking expand his range, while answering the question "What do Erskineville's Hive Bar, SBS' World Movies office and your own home have in common?" If you're lucky, it could be one of his murals. In an exclusive collaboration with Concrete Playground, Robson is looking to come over and spend a day or two bringing art to a wall of your choosing (and that you can legally paint, naturally) up to 4 x 2 metres large with one of his own signature designs. Robson's recent show at Platform 72 showed off his gleanings from a New York residency, and his Sydney skyline finishes up its run in the window this week (although his show inside keeps on 'til the month is out). What strange vistas will emerge at your locale? For your chance to get Brad to come and paint a wall of your choosing, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground, then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au by 5pm on Monday, May 28, 2012. The winner will be notified by email soon after. Pictured, Robson's multi-wall spanning work from his New York residency.
It's the ultimate in work-life balance, an antidote to non-stop after-hours emails and Slack messages, and a guaranteed way to ensure what happens at work stays at work. In Apple TV+'s mind-bending new thriller series Severance — which plays like Black Mirror meets the Charlie Kaufman-penned Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, with Wes Anderson's aesthetic if he designed soulless office complexes, plus sprinklings of everything from George Orwell to also-excellent 2020 TV effort Devs — switching off when clocking off at Lumon Industries is easy. There's a brain implant for exactly that, and it's a condition of employment on "severed" floors. Accordingly, when quittin' time comes for Macrodata Refinement division employee Mark (Adam Scott, Big Little Lies), he physically steps into a tiny, shiny elevator to descend back into his after-hours life — but the version of him that works for Lumon won't recall anything beyond the company's walls. The instant that the one-person lift plummets at the end of the day, it goes back up for Mark's "innie", as his office-bound consciousness is dubbed. Voila, it's clocking-on time once more. For Mark's "outie", as the rest of his brain is labelled, the reverse occurs. Each day, he enters an elevator, hops out immediately, then drives to the suburban estate he calls home and repeats the process the next morning. Mourning the death of his wife, he's consciously chosen to separate his work and home selves in the most drastic of ways, giving him an eight-hour-a-day reprieve from his grief. But while it may sound like a dream escape — from Mark's pain, and for any employee eager to reclaim mental real estate from their job — this dark, twisty and instantly gripping series is firmly dystopian. Severance's attention-grabbing premise springs from creator Dan Erickson, a TV first-timer, and understands how most folks feel about office life. The show is knowing in its lead casting, too, given that Scott is best recognised for two workplace comedies: the joyous hug that is Parks and Recreation, as well as the acerbic, astute and soon-to-return Party Down. But as savvily and evocatively directed by Ben Stiller in its first three season-one episodes (and again in its last three, with Kissing Candice filmmaker Aoife McArdle helming three in the middle), Scott's new series dwells in 'be careful what you wish for' territory. For the part of Mark's brain that blanks out work, Severance initially seems like heaven. For the half that only knows the office, it's hell. The series begins with Mark two years into his time at Lumon, and newly installed as a division head after Petey (Yul Vazquez, The Outsider), his workplace BFF, leaves suddenly. One of his first tasks: onboarding Helly (Britt Lower, Future Man), who awakes in innie form for the first time sprawled atop a conference table. The camera gazes down, the eerie tone resembles leaping out of a nightmare but being unable to pick if you're still dreaming, and she hears Mark asking questions. Helly has queries herself, including: "am I livestock?". The severance process is jarring for newcomers, but they're expected to adjust swiftly. Innie Helly hasn't gotten that memo, however — and no, Party Down fans, neither her nor Mark are having fun yet. He grapples with his new role and the sudden loss of Petey, with his cold, unsevered boss Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette, The Act) and her omnipresent, also-unsevered assistant Mr Milchick (Tramell Tillman, Hunters) scrutinising every move, and his fellow severed MDR employees Irving (John Turturro, The Plot Against America) and Dylan (Zach Cherry, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) handling Lumon life by being controlling and competitive, respectively. As for Helly's innie, she starts waging war on the new world order she definitely didn't sign up for, including writing briskly denied resignation requests to her outie. From The Truman Show and The Matrix to The Office and Office Space, Severance's list of influences is lengthy. It's Kafkaesque and Lynchian, too, and wandering its labyrinthine hallways — corridors designed like a maze to keep Lumon departments apart — is like being trapped in a surreal workplace version of Twin Peaks' red room. Indeed, every production design and cinematography choice enhances the feeling of being trapped in an off-kilter and deeply unnerving corporate purgatory. It's there in the 70s- and 80s-style technology, the green-and-white colour scheme, and the camera placement that flits between claustrophobic and cooly expansive. Lumon's innies don't have the choice, but Severance is also a series to willingly get lost in. Apple TV+ is dropping episodes week to week, following a two-instalment premiere, but the compulsion to lap up more of its unsettling mysteries springs quickly. Just like other standout shows of the past few months, such as Yellowjackets and Station Eleven, the desperation to piece together Severance's puzzles echoes strongly while watching — but this meticulously made head-trip is in no rush to unveil its answers. Given the wealth of wonders to be found within its frames — and the allure of its slow-drip secrets, including exactly what MDR is doing as its workers sort through screens of "happy" and "scary" numbers — it's hardly surprising that Severance isn't in a rush. It also boasts Christopher Walken (Percy vs Goliath) putting his distinctive on-screen presence to great use as another of Lumon's severed wager-earners, and is home to stellar performances across the board, including Scott's latest everyman turn, Turturro playing the office pedant with aplomb, a compellingly icy Arquette and the mesmerising Tillman. And, crucially, equally calling out, questioning and satirising today's ideas about work is always on the show's agenda. With a wry sense of humour, Severance sees the nine-to-five grind as the hellscape it can be, probes the control we've relinquished for paycheques and pokes fun at everything that's become normalised about the modern workplace. The hold our jobs have over our lives, the cult-like worship that large companies demand from underlings, the awkward office exceptions and social conventions, and these always clocked-on times in general: none of them escape this perceptive and addictive series' attention. Not so fond of the corporate treadmill? As it immerses, engages and intrigues, Severance truly understands. Check out the trailer for Severance below: The first three episodes of Severance's first season are available to stream via Apple TV+, with new episodes dropping weekly.
Subscriptions aren't just for magazines, wine, cheese, cars, ramen, booze and streaming platforms. Thanks to Botanic Box, they're also for plants. Created by Brisbanite Rhiannon Campbell, and launching up north last year, the service brings a new bundle of greenery to your door each and every month — and it's now delivering in Sydney and Melbourne as well. It's the type of service that seems tailor-made for folks with green thumbs but lazy feet — that is, anyone who'd love to get a heap of new plants, but can never make it to a market or nursery to buy one themselves. More than that, Botanic Box doesn't just feature the kinds of greenery that you could just pick up on your travels. Rather, your plants — maybe a fiddle leaf fig, a succulent or a eucalyptus — will arrive with handmade pots, art cards, key rings and more accompanying each delivery. As well as teaming up with a range of local growers, Botanic Box highlights a different artist and maker each month, with previous partnerships including Lush Succulents, studio Nikulinsky, Kojo Kokedamas, Lazer Unicorn and McKenzie House. This is all about one-off collaborations that showcase local talent and add a nice dash of nature to your home. If you're eager to start welcoming new green babies on the regular, here's how it works. Customers sign up on ongoing basis, with Botanic Box packages ranging from three to six to twelve months. For the duration of your subscription, you'll receive a different plant and a handmade item around the 15th of each of every month, all for $49.95 per month. You can join Botanic Box yourself, or sign someone else up as a gift — and if you're feeling less than financial, you can drop hints to everyone you know. One to keep in mind when shopping for birthday or Christmas presents. For more details, visit botanicbox.com.au. Top image: Botanic Box / McKenzie House / Alle Grace Photography.
You know what's better than a haunted house? A haunted hotel. You know what's better than a haunted hotel? A massive bloody party inside a haunted hotel. We can only assume that this was the reasoning behind the second coming of Harpoon Harry's Horror Hotel. This year, they've teamed up with photography collective Hobogestapo to transform the entirety of the Surry Hills venue into a wicked party, packed with spooky trimmings. Featuring music from Frames and Hobogestapo's very own Hobophonics — and with costuming being described as essential — this should be one ghoulish get-down. Doors will be open from 8pm.
Despite the increasing levels of shopping restrictions currently in effect across Australia, limiting the amount of various products anyone can buy at one time, trying to get your hands on — and covered in — sanitiser is much harder than it should be at present. The liquid disinfectant is on everyone's must-buy list, causing empty supermarket shelves seemingly everywhere. But if you'd like to slather your digits with hand sanitiser made from gin, that'll soon be on the cards. In normal, non-COVID-19 times, north Sydney's Manly Spirits Co makes gin, vodka, whisky and liqueurs. Of course, these aren't normal times, so it's switching part of its focus to making hand sanitiser. The distillery was inspired by its own staff's troubles buying the coveted product, and decided to use some of its high-grade alcohol to whip up its own. Specifically, Manly Spirits Co is re-distilling some of its gin alcohol — so you'll not only be able to disinfect your hands, but make them smell like gin botanicals, too. That's likely to make you thirsty, so the company is making 50ml bottles available for free with every Manly Spirits Co bottle of spirits purchased. To discourage stockpiling, however, there is a limit of one free sanitiser per person. Manly Spirits Hand Sanitiser with Gin Aroma will also be supplied to local community groups, charities and organisations in larger five-litre sizes, to assist with their crucial operations. The hand sanitiser is expected to become available next week — and, for folks outside of Sydney, the distillery's online store delivers Australia-wide. A specific date hasn't been announced, so keep an eye on the company's Facebook and Instagram for updates. Manly Spirits Hand Sanitiser with Gin Aroma will be available with spirits purchases, with one 50ml bottle available for free per person. For further details, visit the distillery's website. Images: Manly Spirits Co.
In many ways, our objects and possessions define us. In choosing to own something, we make a conscious (or perhaps subconscious) decision about its significance to our lives, who we are and, often, who we want to be. But in a time of mass production, excessive consumption and disposal incomes, perhaps it is the very same 'stuff' we choose to define ourselves by that in fact dilutes our true selves. Whether out in the open or organised neatly into cupboards and shelves, does the collective weight of our belongings mentally drag us down? New South Wales-based artist Lottie Consalvo has embarked on a yearlong performance piece that explores the effect our physical items have on us. Her project — Compartmentalise — was conceived after the birth of her first son, a time where Lottie felt she'd lost control over her time, life and home. In an attempt to find some sense of clarity and regain control, Lottie committed to living with minimal possessions — two tops, two pants, one dress, three pairs of underwear, one knife, one fork, etc. — for 12 months. Despite living with her husband and baby boy, working at a gallery, developing her artistic practice and maintaining an active social life, Lottie has remained within the performance since August 7, 2013, documenting her experiences and musings along the way. With three months until the conclusion of Compartmentalise, we spoke to Lottie about the discomforts and satisfactions of her minimal lifestyle, and whether de-cluttering her possessions has led her to find the clarity she so desperately sought. It's really interesting to see your development through the Compartmentalise entries. Do you feel you have become kinder to yourself throughout the process? I went to a talk this week by performance artist Tehching Hsieh who has done one-year performances, and a 13-year performance. One performance he spoke about was Time Clock Piece, where he punched a time clock every hour for the entire year. He said he got a bit lazy half way through the performance, slept through the occasional alarm and was late to punch, but when he only had three months left he focused more again — although you could hardly call his efforts lazy. When you are being so extreme, after time you start to relax a little and become kinder to yourself, as you say. For example, recently when my pyjamas were in the wash and I was freezing in just a t-shirt, I finally got up and put my husband James' clothes on. I also started letting myself accept and buy books and plants. I would never have done that in the first few months of the performance. However, now that I'm reaching the nine-month mark and the end is in sight, I think I'll be harder on myself again, perhaps so the ending feels more satisfying. I didn't foresee having to replace so many items — my dress, shoes (two pairs have broken though have only replaced one pair), belt, pants, sunglasses, cup, my car (the engine of my old one died). I used to feel guilty when I had to replace something as if I had failed the performance, but as time has gone on I have been more forgiving and accepted it as a part of the performance. So yes, I have become kinder to myself as the performance progresses in that respect. You sold off many of your possessions in a garage sale, but buyers were only allowed to purchase if they could justify why the needed/wanted the item. Why was this significant to you? I hoped that it would make people think beyond the satisfaction of their purchase and the satisfaction of the desire driving them to buy. It really stirred something uncomfortable in people beyond what I had hoped for, and I liked that. What has been the most satisfying aspect of Compartmentalise? Finding out how little I need to live and no longer being scared to let go of things in case I need them in the future. And the most difficult? The discomfort. As the performance has progressed I have become greatly uncomfortable. I often have to wear dirty clothes and wet underwear. I also don't have a cosy outfit to put on other than my pyjamas. Even right now my feet are cold as I have no thick socks. What will you retain from Compartmentalise? I hope to always question what I need before buying more, now knowing that everything I bring home will not only fill my home but also my mind. I hope still to live with limited possessions, though a few more than now. I hate the idea of having a full wardrobe, cupboards and cluttered surfaces again — I have a phobia of it now. I want to carry on buying fewer things that I really love and are better quality even if they cost much more money. I will also treat my belongings with much more respect. Come August 7, what do you think will happen when you finish Compartmentalise? Do you feel like it will be difficult to transition back to having (a few) more possessions? I think I will wake up and put different clothes on. I imagine that I will get pleasure out of the feeling of different clothes hugging my skin in different ways and wearing some colour, however the novelty will probably wear off quickly. I don't think it will be difficult. In fact, it would be very easy to fall back into the habit of buying and collecting — but I don't want this. I want to take it very slowly, it will be a slow transition to a more balanced place. You started this project to help you find clarity. So far, do you feel like you've found some? I'm not sure if I have found clarity so much as I have found a sense of weightlessness. When I look at my empty home I feel the clarity, but through the performance I have found that technology (as wonderful as it is) and work are what stop me from continuing this clarity through my days. Perhaps I need to remove technology, and time. Images courtesy of Lottie Consalvo. Follow the remainder of Lottie's performance via her Compartmentalise blog.
It's called the Museum of Old and New Art. As that name makes plain, it fills its walls and halls with examples of pieces that've been around for some time (and then some more) alongside fresh creations. And yet, Tasmania's must-visit Mona hasn't ever hosted an exhibition that only looks backwards — until September 2023 rolls around, that is. Fresh from unleashing another Dark Mofo upon Hobart, complete with an astonishing array of weird and wild wonders, the arts institution has unveiled its big summer plans to see out 2023 and welcome in 2024. Spanning the bulk of spring this year and autumn next year, too — running from Saturday, September 30, 2023–Monday, April 1, 2024 — are three exhibitions: Jean-Luc Moulène and Teams, Heavenly Beings: Icons of the Christian Orthodox World and Hrafntinna (Obsidian). Heading to Australia after showing in a different iteration at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Heavenly Beings: Icons of the Christian Orthodox World is responsible for the venue's debut display of only old art. It'll also be the biggest-ever showcase of jewel-like icons and related treasures that Australia has ever seen. Devotional objects depicting saints, virgins and other Christian holy subjects will be in the spotlight — more than 140 of them — as Mona dives into spiritual and aesthetic traditions covering centuries, what drives human behaviour and our motivations as earthbound beings. "Visitors certainly need not be religious believers to enjoy the sheer beauty and emotional power of these artworks. While painting an icon may begin from an act of piety, the resulting object also lives as a work of art far beyond its original purpose," explains Mona curator Jane Clark. "We can look at the icon as a 'window into heaven', as believers believe, but also as a looking glass, through which we may glimpse the deeper purposes — deeper than awe and transcendence, than culture or a higher power — that are served by human creativity." [caption id="attachment_908036" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Proskynetarion or Pilgrim's Memento of the Holy Sepulchre within the City of Jerusalem. Palestine, c. 1795. Collection Museum of Old and New Art (Mona), Hobart.[/caption] With Jean-Luc Moulène and Teams, Mona will also become a temporary home to French artist Jean-Luc Moulène's debut Australian exhibition. Four newly commissioned sculptural objects will feature, alongside some of Moulène's earlier works. So, get ready for new pieces using wax, metal, Triassic sandstone and timber from Tasmanian underwater forests, plus piles of coloured cans and large-scale video projections. "Jean-Luc Moulène has been described as mercurial, experimental, erudite and poetic. His ideas evolve through a deep and considered engagement with material, form, and process. The resulting objects are at once mysteriously beautiful, and forthright about the means of their making," notes Mona curator Sarah Wallace. [caption id="attachment_908034" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo Credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford. Image Courtesy MONA Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] Completing this trilogy — Mona's second in a row, after opening three showcases simultaneously in 2022, too — is Hrafntinna (Obsidian). Thanks to Sigur Rós vocalist Jónsi, attendees will get a volcano experience inspired by Fagradalsfjall in Iceland, which erupted in 2021 after almost eight centuries of being dormant. This immersive and sensory installation is designed to make visitors feel like they're entering a lava-spewing rupture's depths, using music, sound, smell and almost total darkness. Nearly 200 speakers will vibrate, while a hymn-style composition that takes its cues from Icelandic choral music will play. "Jónsi was compelled by the thought of experiencing this incredibly rare event. He wanted to recreate the phenomenon and capture the essence of what it might feel like to be deep inside the volcano, despite the obstacles of distance and logistics," says Wallace. [caption id="attachment_908031" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hrafntinna (Obsidian), 2021, Jónsi. Installation view, Obsidian, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York, 2021. Photo by Pierre Le Hors. Courtesy the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles.[/caption] Jean-Luc Moulène and Teams, Heavenly Beings: Icons of the Christian Orthodox World and Hrafntinna (Obsidian) will all display at Mona, 655 Main Road, Berriedale, Hobart, Tasmania, from Saturday, September 30, 2023–Monday, April 1, 2024. Top image: Hrafntinna (Obsidian), 2021, Jónsi. Installation view, Obsidian, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York, 2021. Photo by Pierre Le Hors. Courtesy the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Just three weeks ago we mourned the loss of Freda's, with the beloved Chippendale nightclub closing its doors after a nine-year reign. But Owner David Abram hasn't been sitting on his proverbial hands these last 21 days. In fact, he's been busy preparing to open a brand-new venue in Taylor Square. As is clear from the name, Cafe Freda's isn't a nightclub. It's not just a cafe, either. It's a restaurant, neighbourhood bar and creative space — and it's launching this NYE with a party that runs until 2am. Okay, so maybe it's a little bit of a nightclub after all. As well as being one of the city's best spots for a spin on the dance floor, Chippendale's Freda's was a haven of expression, art and music, and Abram says this spirit will continue at the new venue. "Freda's more than anything was about creating a bar for like minded, creative and free spirited people, and Cafe Freda's allows us to continue to do this, albeit in a slightly different format," Abram said in a statement. "We may not operate a late night dance bar and venue for the time being however culture, music, and congregation is still central to our purpose and we are excited to be pairing these ideas with some delicious food and wine on one of the world's great night-life streets" [caption id="attachment_795167" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Xinyi Lim, Carla Uriarte and David Abram[/caption] In its location on Oxford Street, Cafe Freda's will be serving up food by Head Chef Xinyi Lim, who has worked at New York restaurants Marlow & Sons and Achilles Heel, and runs Megafauna, which combines food, art and social justice. The food will be reflective of Xinyi's Chinese Malaysian heritage and driven by seasonal and locally sourced produce. The wine list, by Restaurant Leo's Darcy Creenaune Ellis, will focus on minimal-intervention drops from smaller producers across Australia and the globe, and a cocktail list will star spritzes and margaritas. You'll be eating and drinking surrounded by playful hues, upcycled elements from the OG nightclub and handcrafted pieces by artist and Abram's partner Carla Uriarte. In her role as creative and marketing director, Uriarte will also help oversee the cafe's cultural program, which is set to feature DJs, live performances, readings and exhibitions. The new venue and its cultural program are launching in true Freda's fashion, with a late-night party on NYE. Tickets are on sale for $75, with the night set to star food from Xinyi, wine by Creenaune Ellis and tunes by the likes of DJ Crabby and DJ Salami. Once a bustling after-dark hub, Oxford Street was hit hard by the lockout laws and is currently a shell of its former self. But, it seems, that's all starting to change. Cafe Freda's will be joined in Taylor Square by a mega-venue that's set to takeover both the Kinsela and Courthouse Hotels, the City of Sydney has announced plans to reignite nightlife on the street and the NSW Government has scrapped several archaic laws surrounding liquor licences and live music. Oxford Street might just be getting its mojo back. Find Cafe Freda's at 191–195 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst from January 1. It's open 4pm–12am Wednesday–Thursday and 11–12am Friday–Sunday.
Three years ago, Cheree Toka launched a Change.org campaign to call on the NSW government to fly the Aboriginal flag every day on Sydney Harbour Bridge. Currently, it's flown 19 days a year — for Australia Day, Sorry Day, Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week. When the Aboriginal flag is not flying, in line with flag protocols, you'll see the Australian and NSW state flags. "The Aboriginal flag is a reminder that the country has a history before European arrival," says Toka, a Kamilaroi woman who lives in Sydney's inner west. "I think it's really important to have a symbolic gesture on the bridge that identifies the true history of Australia, which is a starting point for conversation around greater issues affecting the Indigenous population." In three years of non-stop campaigning, Toka has amassed more than 157,000 digital signatures and the required 10,000 paper-based signatures to bring the issue to NSW parliament. It was debated in the final NSW parliamentary session of 2019 — and the result was that it would cost too much to construct a third flagpole to see the Aboriginal flag flying daily. So, undeterred, the 29-year-old campaigner is crowdfunding the $300,000 quoted by the government to 'fund the flag'. "At this point in time, we are trying to raise funds to do it ourselves," says Toka, who launched the GoFundMe page on Wednesday, June 3 (Mabo Day). So far, more than 1000 supporters have committed donations ranging from $5–500, bringing the total to $34,660 by Monday, July 13. [caption id="attachment_772665" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cheree Toka photographed by Lee Yearsley[/caption] "It's a massive achievement considering the hardcore issues that are happening in the Indigenous community, and the other GoFundMe pages relating to Black Lives Matter, incarceration rates and injustice with police brutality," says Toka. As stated on the GoFundMe page, once the target has been reached, donations will be held in a trust account until construction is approved by the NSW Government. In the event that it is not approved, donors will be contacted and can opt to be refunded or Toka will "nominate Indigenous causes on the frontline of fighting for equality". Supporters who can't make a donation are encouraged to share the petition far and wide. For those who want to take it further, you can contact the current NSW Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance who announced his retirement from politics in March 2020. Or, await possible new appointments to replace Constance and for the role of NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, previously held by Don Harwin, who resigned in April 2020 over a breach of the COVID-19 public health order. "I will continue to fight until it is done," adds Toka. "Whether that takes five years or 30 years, I'm here for the long haul. I'm here fighting a giant, which is the New South Wales Government. It's been three and a half years, so it's no comparison to what other Aboriginal people have been fighting for, for a long time." Images: Lee Yearsley. Updated July 13, 2020.
For one afternoon only, Messina's headquarters in Marrickville is transforming into a massive dance floor. The gelato maker is teaming up with events collective Maple Social for a sun-drenched day party. Leading the DJ lineup is TikTok hero Touch of Funk, who'll be joined by locals CHRS and steevie. They've all been charged with getting you moving, and keeping you that way. In between dance breaks, kick back with a burger and hand-cut fries from Marrickville's Whole Beast Butchery. Meanwhile, Messina's Erin Bar will be peddling signature cocktails. Then, of course, there's the gelato — bucketloads of it. Tuck into all the usual flavours at your leisure, but do make sure you leave room for the Maple Social-inspired special. It's a Canadian maple scoop infused with butter, dotted with chunks of waffle cone crunch and drizzled with maple caramel. Entry to the Maple Social x Gelato Messina Car Park Party is free, but you need to RSVP beforehand. Do that via Instagram @maplesocialclub or Partiful.
The best Italian restaurants are often appealingly small in scale, offering just a handful of carefully selected dishes in an intimate space. Matteo Downtown, however, is a convincing argument in the other direction: the space is sprawling, with teams of chefs efficiently moving around an open-air kitchen and woodfired ovens. The menu is also extensive, stretching to an array of cheeses, antipasto sharing plates, pasta, meat and seafood and pizzas from the woodfired oven. Any place with a dedicated mozzarella station already has a lot going for it, and Matteo Downtown's version offers the likes of an elegant cow's milk burrata ($21) which sits atop a dark green swirl of wild nettles and sea vegetables is topped with glossy, vivid orange pearls of trout roe. Waiters in smart blazers add to the upscale feel and the cocktail list has plenty of sophistication, not to mention numerous varieties of the king of cocktails: the negroni. Try the well-balanced Downtown Negroni ($19), which offers just a slight tweak to the classic with added bitters. The Matteo Spritz ($19) is the type of luxurious tipple you can imagine sipping poolside at a resort, the rhubarb bitters and blood orange make their presence felt without dominating. For a touch of theatre, opt for the classic beef tartare ($26), which is chopped and dressed on a tableside trolley and can be mopped up with slices of schiacciata, the scrumptious Tuscan flatbread. It's simple but refined, the kind of dish that is deceptively hard to pull off successfully and that goes to the very heart of Italian cuisine. As well as a negroni list, the drinks menu features a spritz selection that changes with the seasons — kicking off with the Downtown Spritz, made with Aperol, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit bitters and homemade cucumber soda — house wines are on tap and a broad-ranging, 300-strong collection of bottled wines, which make a masterpiece of the dining room's back wall. It makes sense to opt for at least one of the woodfired options on offer, whether that's a classic pizza or a main of tiger prawns ($35) served simply with a wedge of lemon. Sourced from Skull Island off the Northern Territory, they're plump, flavoursome and slightly smoky. The Downtown team is just as handy with the pans as the woodfire oven; the free-range quail ($36) is a delight, with crisp skin giving way to tender meat. Sides of endive, slightly blackened at the edges, and a farro salad, add a welcome bit of textural variety to the dish. If you're still not sated, desserts on offer include the Sicilia, three bite-sized sweet morsels from the Mediterranean island, including the obligatory cannoli and an unusual dome-shaped delicacy with a neon green shell and a mascarpone centre. All this just scratches the surface of Matteo Downtown's menu, but you'll likely be inspired enough for a return visit.
The summer backyard barbie is a much-loved Aussie tradition. So, if you're looking to extend barbecue season into the colder months of the year, sans the freezing backyard, we've got the perfect solution for you. The family share-style menu of Korean barbecue is best enjoyed surrounded by enthusiastic mates and equally enthusiastic appetites. Wander into any of Sydney's best Korean barbecue restaurants and expect to be presented with dazzling cuts of marinated and non-marinated meat, a bountiful array of banchan (aka side dishes) and a variety of hot soups in heated clay pots. For some of the best soul-warming winter dining experiences in Sydney, head to one of these ten Korean barbecue restaurants or some of our our other favourite styles of barbecue joints. 678 KOREAN BBQ, EASTWOOD 678 Korean BBQ is part of Korean celebrity Kang Ho-dong's chain of BBQ restaurants around the world. It's easy to see why they're so popular with a no-fuss menu that focuses on delivery quality cuts in spades. The kitchen dishes and banchan aren't as extensive in comparison to other Korean BBQ joints, but the Eastwood venue features a small in-house butcher for diners to watch their cuts being sliced and prepared. You'll find glorious cuts of pork, beef and for good measure — a separate premium list of wagyu. Don't miss out on the soy-marinated pork short rib or if you're feeling adventurous, try the marinated beef intestines. Combined with attentive service, 678 is one of the top spots for diners seeking a casual spot with top-tier ingredients. Where? 14 Glen Street, Eastwood. 678 Korean BBQ is also at Level 1, 396 Pitt Street. O BAL, HAYMARKET It's easy to pass right by this Korean barbeque restaurant, which is hidden down a seedy CBD alley. Luckily for O Bal, its reputation precedes it — and for good reason. The bustling, DIY Korean style barbecue is popular among all nationalities. At the centre of each table sits a charcoal barbecue pit, perfect for cooking the selection of meats, seafood and offal that can be found on the menu. Believe it or not, the thinly sliced wagyu and the marinated king prawns go particularly well together. Expect a bit of a wait — but you'll be seated and eating way before your counterpart at the neighbouring Madang. Where? 363A Pitt Street, Haymarket. [caption id="attachment_814222" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kogi's Korean BBQ, Haymarket.[/caption] BORNGA, HAYMARKET Searching for Korean barbecue with a dazzling venue filled with spacious booths and lovely décor? Look no further than Bornga, one of the fancier Korean barbecue restaurants in Sydney. Another international chain, this time by celebrity Korean chef Baek Jong-won, Bornga features an extensive menu with high-quality meat and traditional Korean dishes. Expect steaming stews, traditional dishes like japchae (a Korean stir-fried glass noodle dish) and marinated samgyeopsal (pork belly). Grab their signature woosamgyup (thinly-sliced beef loin) which comes with a lovely ratio of fat. Leave the beef loin longer on the barbecue until the fat crisps up the meat into a bacon-like consistency — and you'll never look at thin beef strips the same way. Trust us. Where? Level 1, 78 Harbour Street, Haymarket. HANABI, LIDCOMBE Unpretentious and no-frills are the words that best describe Hanabi. Located in Lidcombe, this humble Korean restaurant is a local favourite and it's not hard to see why. One of their main attractions is the 'cheese-pong' dish that either comes with spicy chicken or pork belly and baby octopus. The dish comprises of hot a plate with spicy marinated pork belly and octopus at its centre, while the edges are made of slots of grilled cheese, corn or egg so diners can dip the spicy proteins into melted stringy goodness. The result is all the cheese-pulling antics your social media heart desires. Their menu also includes a comprehensive list of wagyu and pork cuts for a more traditional Korean barbecue experience in Sydney. Plates of fried chicken fingers and chips is another secret favourite among locals. Where? 33 Joseph Street, Lidcombe. JANG TA BAL, STRATHFIELD A buzzing atmosphere, beer towers and sizzling mayhem are what you'll find at Jang Ta Bal, particularly if you're at their Strathfield location. A favourite amongst the livelier patrons of Korean barbecue, Jang Ta Bal's menu here is first class with premium cuts of wagyu and extensive beef and pork menus. Order a whole wagyu scotch fillet for only $35 and sit back as their brilliant staff take care of the rest — cooking your meat to perfection. Their fresh crab marinated in chilli paste is one to try if you're there on the weekend, along with the fluffy egg soup, often touted as one of the best in Sydney. Where? 48A The Boulevarde, Strathfield. Jang Ta Bal is also at Level 1, 73 Liverpool Street. YANG SAN PARK, SYDNEY Another favourite go-to location for rowdier patrons, Yang San Park is a place suited for any occasion whether you're after a fun date spot, a casual lunch with friends or a reliable dinner location before a big night out. You'll be delighted to find your favourite pork and beef cuts at much cheaper prices here with no sacrifice on the quality. The staff here are friendly, efficient and attentively cook your food for you. With great value on the menu, exceptional staff and a bustling atmosphere, this Dixon Street Korean barbeque joint is the whole package for your next group hang. Where? Shop 21, 1 Dixon Street. SE JONG KOREAN BBQ BUFFET, CAMPSIE Who doesn't love a good buffet? If you're the type that can feast on unlimited cuts of meat, Se Jong will offer you just that. You'll find all the usual suspects for protein here in abundance. The restaurant also services other delights like japchae, Korean fried chicken and Korean dumplings. The homey decor allows you to relax as you eat and no-frills service will ensure that you have all your needs met. At $42 per head, it's a reasonably priced buffet for the great variety you get in return. Where? 8 London Street, Campsie or 270 Castlereagh Street. You'll also find Se Jong Korean BBQ Buffet at 821 Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford. [caption id="attachment_814224" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Kogi's Korean BBQ, Haymarket.[/caption] KOGI, HAYMARKET Kogi is run by General Manager David Bae who has a long family history of Korean barbecue venues in Australia. His father, Donald Bae, is credited with bringing the popular Korean dining concept to Australia in 1992 meaning Kogi is in very safe hands with this family. With attentive staff making sure that different grills are used for different proteins, diners can sleep soundly knowing they're getting the absolute best out of their barbecued proteins – over charcoal too for the traditionalists out there. Their menu features a series of fresh and marinated proteins, plus veggies to share. If you're feeling cold this winter, choose from an extensive range of hot pots to warm you up. Kogi has been one of the best places to get Korean barbecue in Sydney for many years now, and it is showing no sign of slowing down. Where? Level 3 Market City, 9-13 Hay Street, Haymarket. DANJEE, SYDNEY If you're looking for something a little classier then you won't put a foot wrong with heading over to Madang's sister restaurant, Danjee. The self-proclaimed fine-dining restaurant focuses primarily on high-quality food, eye-catching presentation and elevated table service. If you open its menu, you'll find a beautiful array of delectable meats, stews, seafood and noodles. If you're feeling fancy, order the wagyu top blade or wagyu short ribs. The beverage list also offers slightly more refined options compared to other Korean barbecue spots in Sydney, like premium-distilled soju, red and white wines. If you're in the mood for something more progressive, Danjee also offers some fusion dishes like bulgogi burgers. Where? 1/7 Albion Place, Sydney. WAGYU HOUSE, CROYDON Another buffet venue to add to your list, Wagyu House enters in as one of the best in terms of quality and value. its Croydon location is split into two sections; an indoor dining area on one side and a butcher department on the other which acts as the buffet spread. Featuring a variety of fresh and marinated proteins — expect seafood, pork, chicken, beef and wagyu beef slices. Wagyu House also features a buffet spread of Korean and non-Korean dishes such as pancakes, fried rice and sushi nigiri. At $36.60 (including wagyu) per head, Wagyu House is one of the most affordable Korean barbecue all-you-can-eat places available in Sydney. Where? 668-670 Parramatta Road, Croydon. Top image: Supplied by Kogi.
It's time you set your sights on the east coast because Aperol is coming to town in style with its Kombi Tour. The vintage, retrofitted 1976 Volkswagen van is back, chasing the sun with a road trip through some of Queensland's idyllic coastal towns — from Cairns to the perpetually stunning Whitsundays. The Kombi has been cruising around the southeastern corner of the state for the last month but is heading north for the rest of its tour, racing the winter chill and bringing the red-hot vibes along, too. There are five more stops on its journey before Aperol has to hang up its spritzes for winter. If you're in the area, chase the summer feeling and grab a delectable spritz while you still can. NORTHERLIES, AIRLIE BEACH The Kombi's next stop is Northerlies Beach Bar & Grill, just outside Airlie Beach. Aperol is stopping in for four weekends at the mellow beachside resort. Enjoy ice-cold Aperol Spritzes and exclusive specials — like the rosemary-infused Rosy Cheeks spritz — while taking in the gorgeous views of the salty waves crashing into the white sandy beaches. June 16–July 11, Northerlies Beach Bar & Grill, Airlie Beach. More information here. SALT HOUSE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL Get a taste of the tropics at Salt House in Cairns when the Kombi rolls in this winter. The iconic waterfront venue is also hosting a Food & Wine Festival on Saturday, August 5, which will see winemakers, distillers, brewers and producers descend on the locale and share their wares with attendees. Enjoy local produce while sipping on a refreshing Aperol Spritz — direct from the Kombi. Not able to make it on the festival weekend? Well, you're in luck because it will be at Salt House for four weekends. July 28–August 7, Salt House Food & Wine Festival, Cairns. Book tickets here. CAIRNS ITALIAN FESTIVAL The inaugural ten-day Cairns Italian Festival is the next stop for the brightly-hued vehicle — although it won't actually be moving from Salt House. The waterfront spot is one of the many venues taking part in the festival, so the Kombi will sit tight at the venue for the festival's weekend in July. You'll be snacking on traditional Italian plates, woodfired pizzas, gelato and more — all while sipping deliciously bitter Aperol Spritzes. Saturday, July 29, Salt House, Cairns. More information here. TASTE PORT DOUGLAS The next stop on the 2023 Aperol Kombi Tour is the Taste Port Douglas Food and Wine Festival, held at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort. Experience (and then taste) the rich food culture of Tropical North Queensland as top chefs arrive to dazzle you with their inspiring creations. You know the drill: wash it all down with a perfectly chilled spritz from the Kombi. August 10–13, Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas. More information here. SHERATON, PORT DOUGLAS If five-star luxury eco-certified stays are on your to-go-to list in 2023, take yourself to the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort. This August and September, you'll be on the doorstep of two staggeringly beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites (the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest), plus you'll be perfectly placed for the freshest of spritzes when the Kombi hits the digs from Tuesday, August 8 till Monday, September 11. It'll be the ideal way to toast the end of winter and celebrate the coming of spring. August 14–September 5, Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas. More information here. For more information on the Aperol Kombi Tour, and to plan your road trip to one of its pit stops, head to the website.
Forget Valentine's Day, its commercialised take on romance, and all those roses and hearts that pop up everywhere — if there's a mid-February occasion we can all get behind no matter whether you're single or attached, it's National Tim Tam Day. Yes, there really is a day for everything, including pretty much every type of food you can possibly think about, but no one is ever going to complain about having an excuse to eat more chocolate biscuits. In 2022, to celebrate this delicious date, Arnott's doesn't simply want you to eat Tim Tams, although it clearly does still want you to do exactly that. The biscuit brand has also just launched its own short-term Tim Tam gift store, so you can add Tim Tam merchandise to your life. The one item that'll get your tastebuds in a tizzy? Tim Tam perfume. If Victoria Bitter can make a fragrance inspired by beer, and The Louvre can drop perfumes that take their cues from its famous artworks, then dousing yourself in the scent of choccy bikkies really isn't that outlandish. Tim Tam eau de parfum comes in 30-millilitre bottles, and features real cocoa — as well as notes of caramel, bergamot, sandalwood and tonka bean. It's the perfume that'll make you hungry all day, and likely inspire cravings for Tim Tams in everyone you pass — and it's only on sale for a week, as that's how long the Tim Tam gift store will be up and running. So, you've got from Wednesday, February 16–Wednesday, February 23 to order, with Tim Tam eau de parfum costing $90 and slated to be dispatched in March. While you're bathing in the aroma of Tim Tams, you can also pop your feet into Tim Tam natural sheepskin slippers ($60) and sip your beverage of choice — we vote hot chocolate — from a Tim Tam mug ($25). Or, for the choccy bikkie lover who has everything, and might've even stayed in the Tim Tam hotel suite that popped up for 2021's National Tim Tam Day, all three items also come in a $140 gift pack. The Tim Tam gift store is up and running from Wednesday, February 16–Wednesday, February 23.
Stepping into Kittyhawk has always been a little bit like stepping back in time. The cocktail bar in the CBD takes its cue from the Liberation of Paris at the tail-end of WWII, and it's got the drinks list and the decor to match. Next step? The music. Every Thursday night from 6pm, Kittyhawk plays host to Cass & The Ragin Cajuns, bringing a blend of jazz, soul and blues, as you party like it's 1944. Of course, while you're there, you'll want to take advantage of Kitty's famed libations and Parisian plates like French gnocchi, steak frites and a truffle croque monsieur.
Touring to Australia for the first time in more than five years for your first Aussie festival headlining slot since 2011 is one way to celebrate 35 years as a band. The group: Tool. The fest: Good Things. First, Good Things confirmed that it would be back in 2025, and also announced its dates. Then came the next key detail: where the festival is heading this year. Finally, it's now lineup time, starting with Maynard James Keenan and company, and also including Weezer and Garbage among the event's big names. [caption id="attachment_1016515" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scott Moran[/caption] Get ready to hear 'Sober', 'Forty Six & 2', 'Buddy Holly', 'Island in the Sun', 'Vow' and 'Only Happy When It Rains' like it's the 90s and early-00s again — all on the festival's three annual stops in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The rest of the bill includes All Time Low, Machine Head and The All-American Rejects, as well as Knocked Loose, Lorna Shore, Refused, New Found Glory and Make Them Suffer. And, you can catch Dayseeker, James Reyne, Kublai Khan TX, Cobra Starship, Goldfinger, Tonight Alive and more. In the Victorian capital, Flemington Racecourse is again playing host to Good Things. In the Sunshine State, Brisbane Showgrounds is doing the honours again, too. Sydneysiders are hitting up Sydney Showground in 2025 instead of Centennial Park, in a move made to increase capacity, shelter, transport options and accessibility. As it has in past years, the fest is playing all three cities across one huge weekend. So, mark Friday, December 5 in your diaries for Melbourne, then Saturday, December 6 in the Harbour City and Sunday, December 7 in Brisbane. Good Things 2025 Dates and Venues Friday, December 5 — Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne Saturday, December 6 — Sydney Showground, Sydney Sunday, December 7 — Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane Good Things 2025 Lineup Tool Weezer Garbage All Time Low Machine Head The All-American Rejects Knocked Loose Lorna Shore Refused New Found Glory Make Them Suffer Dayseeker James Reyne Kublai Khan TX Cobra Starship Goldfinger Tonight Alive Bad Nerves Civic Dead Poet Society Fever 333 Gwar High Vis Inertia Palaye Royale Scene Queen South Arcade Wargasm Windwaker Yours Truly Good Things plays Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in December 2025, with pre-sale tickets from 10am AEST on Tuesday, August 19 and general sales from 10am AEST on Thursday, August 21 — head to the festival website for more information. Good Things images: Kane Hibberd.
The artists represented in New Friends, Art and Adventure love clay and know how to use it. They understand that ‘ceramic’ doesn’t only mean vases and bowls, while paying homage and their respects to these classic forms. The exhibition showcases diversity: from organic pod sculptures to a rendered brick wall, from a traditional floral vase to a skeletal bell-like shape. It also represents a variety of approaches and techniques with twelve artists from Australia, Japan, Indonesia, India, Cambodia and Laos coming together. To coincide with the twelfth Australian Ceramics Triennale, New Friends, Art and Adventure will open Thursday 16 July.
3D printing technology is a lot to get your head around, especially in regards to the science fiction-esque breakthroughs of the medical world. But in regards to improving your herb garden, 3D printing can lend a hand here as well. Like a family tree for plants, the new 3D Printed Aqueduct Planters have a built in trickle down irrigation system so you only need to soak the top plant in water and the rest will follow. The planter utilizes the connections between each planter as a method of transferring water and saturating the soil from the top planter to the lower plants. This is especially useful for air plants or plants that don’t need a lot of soil. The planter system can be set up in an array of configurations so you can construct your living wall to complement your living space. [via inhabit]
While it feels like it was only yesterday that we were eating boozy Christmas pud with nan, it's somehow already December (again) — which means, yes, we're almost at the end of 2019. And Sydney's bar scene has continued to grow at an impressive (alarming?) rate. Not only have new drinking holes popped up across the city — opening everywhere from a tiny CBD parking lot to underneath a deli on the northern beaches — these libation stations are multi-faceted, doubling as record stores, disco halls and vegan eateries. So, here are our favourite ten bars to throw open their doors in 2019. Well, actually 11. There's one more bar we wanted to add to this list but it's closing soon, very soon. Scout Sydney, from award-winning bartender Matt Whiley, shuts up shop this week — so plan a visit ASAP. Then, add the below to your list and start ticking them off. (Just as Santa's doing now.)
Benedict Andrews is our current top gun in Australian theatre. Syncing with the German style of 'director's theatre', he's known for the kind of creatively adventurous, conceptually epic shows that open your eyes to new and powerful levels in a text you think you've known for years. A recent highlight was STC's Gross und Klein, where what from outside appeared like an impenetrable, anti-narrative bunker of a text became a beautifully surreal, emotionally tuned-in portrait of a thirty-something woman's alienation. His Marriage of Figaro awakened all the humour and colour lying in wait. Given his highly imaginative style, we were all ready to believe he could write. And maybe he can — there's just little evidence of it in his mainstage playwriting debut, Every Breath, which he also directs. It's a disappointing night of theatre that goes to show that the act of interpreting text is still a different one to writing it. Every Breath is the story of a well-to-do family under threat and how each of them reacts to the presence of new security guard Chris (Shelly Lauman) on their property. How they mainly react, it transpires, is sexually. In turns, Leo (John Howard), Lydia (Angie Milliken) and their 16-year-old twins, Olivia (Eloise Mignon) and Oliver (Dylan Young), project their fantasies onto the ambiguously gendered Chris, and Chris acquiesces to every one. It soon looks like a merry-go-round of sex and masturbation that occasionally pauses to let a metaphysical monologue on board. The confounding, disengaging effect happens because what intellectual and emotional hooks there are in the play are underdeveloped and not unleashed until its end. You don't feel for these characters at all because they seem unreal, and if that's because they are (it's suggested, at times), then that's a gyp. Understandably, the actors — normally excellent — seem ill at ease with what they're tasked with. The production elements, one assumes, were built into the play at its creation, and they're oppressive. The austere, all-black set (Alice Babidge) has as its focal point a fake pool built into the centre of the stage. It's sometimes successful, in that it does create the slick illusion of water, but it also comes with a giant lid that moves heavily to create different angles for new scenes, looking for all the world like the yawning of pod bay doors on a perplexingly positioned spaceship. It also has the effect of pushing much of the action to the margins of the stage, which doesn't feel like a fair trade-off. The ominous sound design (Luke Smiles) is heavyhanded, though the lighting (Nick Schlieper) is quite brilliant, using a clever combination of strobe, deprivation and dark textures that at times give the perception that something monstrous is manifesting in the middle of the stage. Within the polarising vein of British in-yer-face and German modernist theatre it's presumably speaking to, Every Breath ends up more pastiche than player, as it doesn't find those moments of sublime tragedy, euphoria or aliveness that elevate the standouts of that genre. Instead, we get moments like this: Oliver pushes a gun barrel into Chris's mouth. After a struggle, he withdraws it and slips in his furious tongue. The two lock in embrace before jumping apart and cowering in separate corners. The music swells until the bass is driving a jackhammer into your gut, telling you of all the intensity you're meant to be feeling. But you don't feel anything. The text has fundamental flaws as well as some chinks in the filigree, but a dramaturg could have helped mend both. There are buds of good ideas — of how we might imprint gender and sexuality onto others, for one — they just haven't been thought out and turned over quite enough to become solid and effectual. Andrews has an incredible sense of the poetic in both language and aesthetics, but these moments are buried in limp, frequently cliched dialogues and monologues. Every Breath should not have happened like this. Belvoir's normally rigorous dramaturgical processes seem to have slipped to give Andrews free reign. It's confounding given the common knowledge that even the best writer needs a good editor. Every director needs the sounding board of an assistant. But Andrews does not seem to have had anyone. In the program, the crew list is short; his director's note thanks not a soul. Like the early works of many writers, Every Breath is preoccupied with the meaning and process of writing. Themes keep emerging of the writer as a creator, a manipulator, a god. The one without whom nothing would exist. But this is a troubling idea; it's not what a writer is, particularly in the theatre. A writer is a servant — to their characters, their actors, their story, their ideas or their audience. It's something anyone sitting down to write could stand to remember.
Whatever lengths you think you'd go to in order to watch your favourite sporting team, the Wellington residents that inspired big-screen comedy Red, White & Brass have you beat. In 2011, New Zealand hosted the Rugby World Cup. As part of the competition's games in the Aotearoa capital, Tonga was set to play France. Understandably, the local Tongan community was thrilled — and, amid painting the town red and white, also determined to go along. The avid fans at one particular Wellington church hit a snag, however: with tickets to attend the match both expensive and popular, they didn't end up with seats. Then, they lucked into a unique opportunity. If they said they were a brass marching band, exaggerating their experience with instruments — which was largely zero — they could perform on the field before kickoff, and sit down to watch their heroes afterwards. It's the kind of story that sounds like a pure Hollywood concoction, but it genuinely happened to Halaifonua (Nua) Finau and his family. Now, it's exactly the tale at the heart of NZ comedy Red, White & Brass. Not only stepping through this wild IRL twist of fate, but celebrating Tongan pride and māfana in the process, the resulting movie is an instantly heartwarming crowd-pleaser. It has also proven a big hit, both at home where it premiered in March, and now that it's both doing the film festival circuit — complete with a stop at the Sydney Film Festival — and opening in general release in Australian cinemas. Nua co-wrote the script, and also produces, with first-time feature director Damon Fepulea'i and on-screen movie debutant John-Paul Foliaki taking on a daunting task. How do you turn someone's real-life experience into a movie with them right by your side? That was Fepulea'i's job as both Red, White & Brass' helmer and co-scribe. How do you play the person that's there on set with you, including with his parents as your character's parents? That was Foliaki's gig as fictionalised on-screen ringleader Maka, in his first-ever acting credit after coming to fame as a NZ Popstars personality. With Red, White & Brass now screening in Australia, Fepulea'i and Foliaki chatted with Concrete Playground about their Red, White & Brass journey, including discovering the true story at the movie's core, working with Nua and his family, making a love letter to the Tongan community and the response so far. ON WORKING WITH A STORY THAT'S SO WILD THAT IT CAN ONLY BE TRUE Damon: "Writer and producer Halaifonua (Nua) Finau, it's basically his story, his family's experience. So he's an actor and a producer, and he's was just sort of telling people the story — and everyone was like, 'oh man bro, this is a really great story, you've gotta turn this into a film'. And him being like the real-life Maka, he basically just shopped the idea around and then ended up getting the film made. So when I was brought on, he told me the story and I was really connected to it as well, and we worked together and wrote the script." JP: "Honestly, when I got the script, when I got that audition — when I got the audition and when we did that first table read — that was something special. That's the first time I'd heard about it properly, and knew the story as based on a true story, and also got an insight to how special the project was going to be." ON TURNING REAL-LIFE EVENTS INTO A MOVIE WITH THE PERSON WHO LIVED IT Damon: "I think Nua and I had a really good chemistry when we were writing, because I think I had more experience as a screenwriter, but Nua is such a natural, gifted storyteller. So he would come in and yeah, lots of stories. Whether they're true or not, who knows?" JP: "Yeah!" Damon: "But actually, he would just tell stories, and we would talk and I'd ask him questions. I have a documentary background as well, so I'm always genuinely interested — and me being non-Tongan, a lot of it was just like 'what makes Tongans Tongan?'. So we explored that during the writing process — and it was actually, looking back, it was really quite a joy because we I think we complemented each other in terms of me being more kind of structure-focused, having experienced writing feature-length films, but also him bringing the truthfulness and the just the funny stories. He just would talk and he wouldn't even know he's being funny. It would just be like 'oh bro, tell this' — he'd go on these long stories and it'd be like 'oh, that's a scene'." JP: "It's like the real-life Maka and Veni from the movie." ON STEPPING INTO NUA'S IRL SHOES WHILE HE WAS THERE WATCHING JP: "I think at first I had a lot of doubts about myself being able to do good job of the role. But I think also just having him on set, yeah, I did feel like 'oh, man, I need to bring my A game'. But it was also super helpful, and he was really supportive — and he was definitely open to Maka being my own interpretation, and to bringing someone to life that I could relate to as well. And also just asking him questions when I wanted to. And his mum and dad in real life played Maka's parents in the film, so they were there and I could ask them lots of questions. We all have that type of cousin. To be honest, I'm that type of cousin to a lot of my cousins — so that was good. I had multiple sources that I could pull from." ON HAVING NUA'S PARENTS PLAYING MAKA'S REAL PARENTS JP: "For me, I think it was the kind of thing that — priceless may be the wrong word, but I think what I'm trying to say is that's the kind of thing that you almost can't cast or you can't wish for. Or, you wouldn't even think that's possible that they're writing the story about this family and the real parents from that family are going come play the parents. You know, no acting experience, Tongan through and through. They are part of the older generation of Tongan parents where they would think that this kind of thing is a joke, and you just do it when you're mucking around, or you do it for Sunday church productions and things like that — but it's nothing too serious. So to have them support their son and his story, and their family story, but also to be on the set, yeah, it meant a lot. It was sometimes really hard because it reminded me a lot about of my parents and my grandparents, and the journey that we took to get there, and all those themes of migration and having limited resources, and reaching an end goal and not worrying about what people say about you. And, that constant battle between church culture and family. Those themes are able to be brought to life — one, because of the cast, but also because the parents from the real story were there actually on set as well." Damon: "Yeah, they brought that authenticity that you just couldn't get from actors, I think. I don't know if there was actually that much acting going on — it's just them being themselves. Sometimes, in terms of directing, it'd just be like 'oh, what would you say to Nua? And how would you say it?'. And they just do it. It's just how they how they'd say things. It was an amazing blessing to have them." JP: "I was so proud of them, too. Because I'd see them highlighting their lines, learning their lines — and one of them forgets their lines, and the other one is trying to correct them. And they're talking to each other on Tongan on set, and it's so funny. They did such a good job." ON MAKING A LOVE LETTER TO THE TONGAN COMMUNITY Damon: "It was always meant to be a feel-good film right from the start. The game plan was always to capture that Tongan energy and the extraness. And the film explores what it means to be Tongan — and the way that Tongans go to these great lengths in showing the amount of pride that they have for their country and for their family. It's really about capturing that and the energy to go with it." JP: "A love letter to the community — that's such a good way to put it. I think when you think about being Tongan and and all the things that you love about being Tongan, a lot of that is displayed through the film. And not even just the things you love about being Tongan, but also the many challenges that we go through being New Zealand-born Tongans, or Tongans that, obviously, a lot of us have migrated to Australia, New Zealand, America and beyond. So all those challenges that we face, it was so cool to be like 'man, regardless of where we've moved overseas, we all share this and have this shared experience, and we can make a good movie out of it'." ON THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH SUCH A STRONG ODE TO TONGAN CULTURE Damon: "It was really important for us right from the start that we wanted to tell the story as authentically as possible, and also to represent Pacific culture as real as possible, and to not make it feel like it was like we were pandering to an audience, or taking out things just to make it easier to watch for non-Tongans. We always wanted to make sure the Tongan language was in there, and it was realistic, and that all the details from the costumes to the props were also all there. We really wanted to make sure that we got it right — and for me being a non-Tongan, I wanted to make sure that what I was doing represented Tonga in a good way as well." JP: "I think from an artist perspective or performance-wise, Tongans, we support 100-percent over and above — and we let it be known to the whole world that something is Tongan or something's happening that has to do Tonga. But when they don't like something, they also come out in full force as well. So I was very nervous about that. It was my first official acting role and I really just wanted to do the role justice, and make my family and my country proud, because I could see after our first reading and getting the script that it truly was going to be something special. And you don't know until you see the final cut, so I'm really happy that translated well and that we were able to do that." ON THE FILM'S SUCCESS — AND THE RESPONSE FROM TONGAN VIEWERS Damon: "It's been surreal, I have to say. We had the world premiere in Wellington, and that was in the Embassy Theatre, which is Peter Jackson's theatre. It was pretty much just full of Tongans, and they were waving flags— and it was probably the best screening experience I've ever had. It was just so much fun. It feels like we've just been on this whirlwind since then as well — it's been kind of surreal as well. It's sometimes hard to believe like 'oh, we made a film' and 'oh, people are watching it'. So yeah, it's still a lot of 'pinch me' moments." JP: "It's been incredible. I think a lot of people have shown a lot of love, and I think it's the whole idea of being able to see themselves on-screen and carrying out the themes that we know so well as Tongans, and the life that we live in our churches and our communities and our families. And having so many different versions of our cousins on the screen, but then also having universal messages and themes throughout the film. So Tongans have been very supportive — but honestly a lot of people, regardless of their ethnicity, have shown a lot of love." Red, White & Brass is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review.
Yes, we do like to poke fun at our younger brother Newcastle now and then. He's quieter than us, he thinks he has better beaches... Plus, he smells funny. But next week we have to admit he's winning big time. We were already a little bit jealous of This Is Not Art, but now he plays host to not one but two full blown festivals over the October long weekend. This Is Not Art Despite an intense lead-up, including an unexpected funding crisis, the show must go on. And what a show it is! Five days of performances, workshops, parties, panels and much much more. Our picks include the Word-Hurl Anti-Slam, an epic battle of Novocastrian poets, the Human Drum Machine, including a take-home starter pack, and Cy*Bent*Ity, which promises to be the latest Facebook-spread party gone wrong (or right). Haven't really prepared? Never fret, we've got you covered. Accommodation is a breeze in Aunty Jenny's Tent City, and thanks to Newcastle's geography, it's easy to ride your way around town on a bicycle hired from the Community Bike Library (for a refundable deposit). Almost all events are free, so a limited budget is no problem. For preview and full details, click here. Sound Summit So, you haunt record stores and like to buy cassettes? You prefer your music a little more noisy than most? Some of it might even be classed as a little experimental? You're not a hipster but, really, they probably wouldn't have heard of this band before? If you haven't been already, I'd say Sound Summit is the festival for you. Held annually in Newcastle over the October long weekend, it's an innovative music extravaganza of epic proportions. This marks the first year that Sound Summit breaks away from the umbrella festival TiNA, big enough to stand on its own two feet. Luckily, the two still run at the same time so, if you're quick, you can catch events from both. For preview and full details, click here.
This article is part of our series on the diverse highlights of NZ's Canterbury region, from city to snow. To book your Christchurch trip, visit the 100% Pure New Zealand website. Serving beer out of a bus sounds like a next-level food truck about to hit the streets of Melbourne (and, honestly, a great business idea, liquor licensing laws aside), but Smash Palace is a bit more complicated than that. The bus doesn't move per se — it mostly stays parked in a vacant lot — but, as is the beauty of having a bar on wheels, it can be moved at any time. Welcome to Christchurch: where bars are mobile and most things are temporary. "We ... knew that a lot of Christchurch was, and still is, empty land," says Smash Palace owner Johnny Moore. "So we wanted to find a way to occupy that empty land." Like all good purchases, the bus was bought late one night on the internet. Finding a place to put it wasn't quite so easy. The site that was eventually found — an empty block on a busy corner of the CBD border — was disused. The bus bar forms the centrepiece of the lot, serving beer and burgers, with the addition of mulled wine and hot water bottles over winter. Circus-like coloured lights hang around the outdoor tables and undercover areas, making it more like a beer garden or a market than a booze bus. Originally designed to be temporary and provide Christchurch with a pub-like place to meet, drink and start conversations, Smash Palace has now been open for just over two years. People just really bought into the concept and what it gave to the community, says Johnny. "I think it’s the spirit of the place, making do with what you’ve got." As is the transitory nature of Christchurch at the moment, pop-up bars, shops and institutions make up a large percentage of the city. It's an exciting time for small business owners and those wanting to start something in Christchurch. "Anyone who's here wants to be here," says Johnny. "For younger people it's the land of opportunity. Whatever you can dream can happen at the moment."
Big screen, big highlight of Sydney's summer for cinephiles, big movie: when Westpac Openair Cinema kicks off its 2025 season, returning to Mrs Macquaries Point with its three-storey-high screen as it does every January and February, it'll do so with Timothée Chalamet (Dune: Part Two) as Bob Dylan. Biopic A Complete Unknown has been announced as the outdoor picture palace's opening-night pick, which will start 41 nights of movies under the stars in stunning surroundings. A Complete Unknown steps through the early days of the music icon's career, focusing on how Dylan became a sensation. Directed by Walk the Line helmer James Mangold (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) — swapping Johnny Cash for another legend, clearly — the film covers folk singer's early gigs, filling concert halls, going electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival and more. That's what Westpac Openair Cinema attendees will be watching on Thursday, January 9. Across the rest of the season until Tuesday, February 18, highlights revealed so far include the previously unveiled Paul Mescal (All of Us Strangers)-starring Gladiator II; the first Wicked movie with Ariana Grande (Don't Look Up) as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo (Pinocchio) as Elphaba; and 2024 Cannes Palme d'Or-winner Anora from Tangerine, The Florida Project and Red Rocket filmmaker Sean Baker. Newly added to the lineup ahead of the full program drop at the end of November 2024: We Live in Time, Nightbitch, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Conclave and Better Man. We Live in Time stars Florence Pugh (Dune: Part Two) and Andrew Garfield (Under the Banner of Heaven), leading a romance from Brooklyn filmmaker John Crowley, which follows a couple's relationship across a decade — and Nightbitch hails from The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Can You Ever Forgive Me? and A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood filmmaker Marielle Heller, with Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) playing a stay-at-home mum who turns canine. Rom-com Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is the fourth film in the franchise, again with Renée Zellweger (The Thing About Pam) in the eponymous role; Ralph Fiennes (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) is at the centre of witty papal election thriller Conclave, alongside Citadel's Stanley Tucci, Killers of the Flower Moon's John Lithgow and Spaceman's Isabella Rossellini; and Better Man adds to Westpac Openair Cinema music biopics, putting Robbie Williams in the spotlight. [caption id="attachment_980239" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Buffet Digital, @patstevenson[/caption] Also announced: the fact that this year's season will feature a Festival of Food, with Luke Nguyen (Botanic House's Culinary Director), Danielle Alvarez (Chef and Sydney Opera House's Culinary Director of its event venues) and Scott McComas-Williams (Love Tilly Group's Group Executive Chef) curating. Three dining experiences will greet moviegoers. At the casual Luke Nguyen at The Point, Vietnamese fusion menu will be on offer. Summer House Dining by Danielle Alvarez is all about Mediterranean-inspired meals and full-service dining. And at Fabbrica at Chandon Garden, there'll be a pasta bar-style menu. As happens every year, tickets to Westpac Openair Cinema likely to go quickly when they go on sale on Monday, December 9. Across the summer of 2018–19, more than 40,000 tickets sold within the first two days of pre-sale, for instance — so put it in your diary ASAP. [caption id="attachment_978120" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fiora Sacco[/caption] [caption id="attachment_978121" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chris Grundy[/caption] Westpac Openair 2025 runs from Thursday, January 9—Tuesday, February 18. The program will be announced on Thursday, November 28, 2024 with tickets on sale on Monday, December 9 — check back here then for further details, and head to the event's website in the interim. Top image: Buffet Digital, @patstevenson.
Beyond Cinema — the good folks who brought the Mad Hatter's tea party to the Botanic Gardens and recreated Titanic on Sydney Harbour — has turned its fantastical minds to an immersive sing-along edition of Les Misérables. The group's plan is to bring Tom Hooper's 2012 film — which is based on the 1980 stage musical by writer Alain Boublil and composer Claude-Michel Schönberg — to The Independent Theatre in North Sydney. This unique space will be transformed into a slice of 19th century France. You'll be invited to dress up accordingly and, once the film starts rolling, belt out all your favourite tunes – from 'I Dreamed a Dream' to 'Do You Hear the People Sing?' to 'Castle on a Cloud'. Fighting a war (and singing for hours) is thirsty work, and luckily there'll be a bar on-site serving both food and drinks. The event will take place over two sessions on Saturday, December 15, the first from 2–5pm and the second from 7–10pm.
In Sydney, the water doesn't freeze over in winter — except in Bondi. The suburb's beachside ice skating rink will pop up again for three weeks this year, giving you the chance to glide over ice as you watch surfers ride waves in the ocean. The rink will be set up at Bondi Beach Pavilion from Friday, June 28 to Sunday, July 21. Skate sessions will start on the hour each hour from 10am till 9pm. Each turn on the ice and skate hire will cost $22 for adults — and, if you've got kids in-tow, $12 for toddlers, $18 for kids and $69 for the whole fam. For those who need to brush-up on their skating skills, there'll be classes Saturdays at 9am — they cost $29 and include entry into the following 10am session. Less of a skater and more of a watcher? There'll be ice show performances on Saturdays at 5.45pm and ice hockey demonstrations on Sundays. Bondi Ice Rink will be set up from Friday, June 28 to Sunday, July 21 as part of Bondi Winter Magic. Skating sessions can be purchased here.
When podcasting grasped onto IRL mysteries and the world listened, it started a 21st-century circle of true crime obsessions. First, the audio format dived into the genre. Next, screens big and small gave it renewed attention, not that either ever shirked reality's bleakest details. Now, movies and TV shows are known to spin stories around folks investigating such cases to make podcasts, turning detective as they press record. And, as Only Murders in the Building did, sometimes there's also a podcast venturing behind the scenes of a fictional affair about podcasters sleuthing a case. While Bodkin, which arrived via Netflix on Thursday, May 9, mightn't come with an accompanying digital audio series stepping into its minutiae, it does take murder-mystery comedy Only Murders in the Building's lead otherwise. Swaps are made — West Cork is in, New York is out; deaths pile up in an Irish village, not an apartment building; three chalk-and-cheese neighbours give way to a trio of mismatched journalists — but the shared format is as plain to see as blood splatter. Call that part of the 21st-century circle of true crime obsessions, too, as one hit inspires more. Bodkin is easy to get hooked on as Only Murders in the Building as well, even if it's not as guaranteed to return for additional seasons. Siobhán Cullen (The Dry), Will Forte (Strays) and Robyn Cara (Mixtape) give this seven-part series its investigating threesome: Irishwoman-in-London Dove Maloney, a hard-nosed reporter who just lost a source on a big story; American Gilbert Power, who capitalised upon his wife's cancer for his first podcast hit; and enthusiastic researcher Emmy Sizergh, who wants to be Dove and, much to her idol's dismay, is fine with following Gilbert's lead to get there. They're thrown together in the show's titular town not by Dove's choice, but because she's bundled off by her editor when the whistleblower behind an article about England's National Health Service is found dead. Gilbert and Emmy are well-aware that she's not there willingly — Dove isn't the type to hide her disdain for anything, especially her latest assignment, Gilbert's medium of choice and his approach, and Emmy's eagerness. Bodkin beckons courtesy of a cold case from a quarter-century back when the village gathered for its then-annual Samhain festival (an influence upon Halloween). The last time that the event was held in the scenic coastal spot, three people disappeared, which Gilbert is certain is a killer hook for the next big hit he desperately needs for the sake of both his reputation and his finances. He also has Irish heritage, another angle that he's sure will add audience-courting flavour to the podcast. But the trio have barely arrived, with local twentysomething Seán (Chris Walley, The Young Offenders) as their driver and the eccentric Mrs O'Shea (Pom Boyd, also The Dry) their B&B host, when Dove is adamant that there's much more going on in Bodkin than the narrative that Gilbert has already decided to tell. Through the acerbic and cynical Dove — someone who responds to being considered a role model by telling Emmy to fuck off repeatedly — Bodkin gets its licks in about podcasting's tropes, formula and current oversaturation. Through Gilbert, too, including via his stock-standard and cliche-riddled opening voiceovers that could've been lifted from real-life audio, it also satirises the format that the show puts at its centre. Making his first series after penning four shorts between 2011–2018, creator Jez Scharf largely keeps the show in darkly humorous mode, though, and lets the whodunnit angle play out like a comic-leaning thriller (season two of The Tourist also comes to mind). Although that might seem a tricky tonal balance, it works not just in his hands, but with Nash Edgerton (brother of Joel, and director of Mr Inbetween, Gringo and The Square), Bronwen Hughes (Shantaram), Johnny Allan (The Devil's Hour) and Paddy Breathnach (another The Dry alum) helming. At one point, whether Gilbert, Dove and Emmy's project will be "a podcast that pretends to be about one thing but is really about something else" is raised — a fair comment in general, as regular listeners know. That's also an observation that applies to Bodkin itself, but knowingly. This is indeed a series about podcasters investigating a case, a parody of exactly that and an unpacking of the voyeurism behind the form in its true-crime guise. In addition, it's an exploration of the truth that little neatly boils down to the formula podcasts are chasing. It's a portrait of being caught between tradition and the future as well, which applies in a range of ways — and, especially of Dove, it's a character study. Bodkin is populated by everyone from singing blacksmiths (Ger Kelly, King Frankie) to entrepreneurs trying to set up a server farm (Charlie Kelly, Dublin Murders), and also an island of nuns and a camp of hippies. As becomes apparent early, at the core of much that's occurring usually sits fisherman Seamus Gallagher (David Wilmot, The Wonder). Scharf and his fellow writers have fleshed out their setting Parks and Recreation- and The Simpsons-style with an array of colourful characters that comprise any community, and have let comedy guide some of their choices. When it examines what drives Dove, Gilbert and Emmy as they get immersed deeper and deeper into a mystery that sees them witnessing yoga in a convent one day and hearing about the Good Friday agreement another, however, it is at its strongest. As Dove, Cullen turns in a multifaceted performance to build a series around. Given her raw, thoughtful and caustically amusing work, it's no surprise that that's where Bodkin heads. Forte starts off the show like he's wandered in from The Last Man of Earth, complete with goofy charm and bumbling certainty that Gilbert is on the right path, but is given room to lay bare the character's layers. Cara, too, gets the space to make Emmy much more than a sidekick. Among the supporting players, both Walley and Wilmot leave a considerable imprint. So does the show overall, despite taking its time to settle into a groove — and as a jump into scripted TV by Higher Ground, the production company founded by Barack and Michelle Obama (which also had a hand in 2023 movies Rustin and Leave the World Behind), it's an effective and quick-to-binge first leap. Check out the trailer for Bodkin below: Bodkin streams via Netflix. Images: Enda Bowe/Netflix © 2024.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, life as we once knew it changed suddenly, and everything started to feel like something out of a horror or sci-fi movie set in a post-apocalyptic future, films about contagions, outbreaks and infections all became go-to comfort viewing. We flocked to visions of situations similar to our own, even if only slightly, to help us cope with the existence-shattering shift we were all going through. Accordingly, Contagion proved eerily prescient, while I Am Legend and 28 Days Later mirrored the empty streets — and, yes, everyone was watching them. Next came the spate of flicks that were shot during the pandemic and responded to it. Think: opportunistic fare such as Locked Down and Songbird, neither of which proved memorable. Movies and TV shows will be ruminating upon life in the time of COVID-19 for years and decades to come, obviously; however, the highlights so far have rare. Add Station Eleven to the certain-to-keep-growing pile, but thankfully as one of the very best examples. Indeed, it's unfair to clump this haunting end-of-the-world miniseries in the same group as almost anything else that's emerged since the pandemic began, other than Bo Burnham's exceptional comedy special Inside. As also proved the case with Y: The Last Man when it reached streaming queues in 2021, Station Eleven's narrative actually predates our current predicament. Its nine-episode run now sits on Stan in Australia and Neon in New Zealand, available to watch in full, after its story first garnered a devoted following on the page. And, it taps into something far deeper than obvious observations about being stuck at home with your significant other for longer than either of you had ever considered, and having to scramble to buy toilet paper when the supermarket shelves are bare. The focus of this excellent show, and of Emily St. John Mandel's 2014 book before it: how art and community all play immeasurable parts in helping humanity process and navigate existence-shattering traumas, and to find a path out the other side. That's a sentiment that might sound mawkish and self-evident when described in a mere sentence, but nothing about Station Eleven ever earns such terms. [caption id="attachment_841063" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parrish Lewis/HBO Max[/caption] Here, it all starts with a flu that swiftly proves more than just the usual sniffles, coughs, aches and pains. This one spreads lightning fast, too, and strikes down its unlucky victims heartbreakingly quickly. For eight-year-old Shakespearean actor Kirsten (Matilda Lawler, Evil), the chaos descends during a tumultuous opening-night performance of King Lear led by Arthur Leander (Gael García Bernal, Old). In the aftermath, she's stuck traipsing around snowy Chicago with Jeevan (Himesh Patel, Don't Look Up), who she has just met — and then sheltering in his brother Frank's (Nabhaan Rizwa, Mogul Mowgli) high-rise apartment. That's really just the beginning of this multi-layered narrative, which also jumps forward 20 years to survey Kirsten's (Mackenzie Davis, Happiest Season) adult life. There, she's a key part of a travelling theatre troupe who performs Shakespeare to the outposts of survivors it passes on its annual route — and she's spent almost her entire existence adjusting, like the rest of the planet, to this new normality. Still, while two decades might've passed and little may now resemble all that passed for routine before the flu, the earth remains an anxious and fraught place. So when a mysterious man, known as The Prophet (Daniel Zovatto, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels) to his army of child followers, shows up at one of the Travelling Symphony's stops, Kirsten is immediately and understandably suspicious. [caption id="attachment_841060" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ian Watson/HBO Max[/caption] Station Eleven's narrative isn't just about one woman, the men who help her as a child and the other that threatens her status quo as an adult. As well as continually fluttering backwards and forwards between Kirsten's younger and older exploits, it dives into the experiences of others connected to her story in various ways. Before the flu, Miranda Carroll (Danielle Deadwyler, The Harder They Fall) devoted her spare time to writing and illustrating a graphic novel about feeling lost and adrift in space, for instance — and that text, which shares the show's name, is part of the series' broader contemplation of art, tragedy, trauma and dealing with our feelings in general. Premiering late in 2021, just as Omicron started sweeping the world, Station Eleven might've seemed blighted by unfortunate timing. Nonetheless, it's the ideal show for right now. Shot with a soft grey-blue sheen like it's unearthing watery memories, it cuts close to home but always plays like a beacon of hope — and an ode to endeavouring to make it through, come together and make a difference however one can. It's impeccably acted, with the broader cast also spanning Orange Is the New Black's Lori Petty, Veronica Mars' Enrico Colantoni, Arrested Development's David Cross, Veep's Timothy Simons, Succession's Caitlin FitzGerald and Little Joe's David Wilmot. It's meticulous and expressive with every shot, and perfects the feeling of simultaneously trying to get by and daring to dream about something other than weathering a pandemic. Rich and layered and cathartic, this is a dystopian disaster tale not just about merely surviving, but about truly enduring. In a sea of pandemic tales — those made before COVID-19 and since — Station Eleven is a lyrical, heartfelt and character-driven apocalyptic musing with an immediate difference. Check out the trailer below: Station Eleven is available to stream via Stan in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Top images: Ian Watson/HBO Max.
Looking for a place to grab a bite in Woolloomooloo that's not super fancy? Up until now, your only option has been Harry's Cafe de Wheels, but it looks like that's finally about to change. Opening this Monday, March 14 on Cowper Wharf Roadway, right across the street from Harry's famous pie cart, Smashed Burger is your casual alternative to the area's high-end dining scene, and the latest in a string of new Sydney burger joints we can't wait to try. The meaty menu at Smashed includes a beef brisket burger made with beetroot, lettuce, tomato, bacon, swiss cheese and aioli mustard; a chicken burger with lettuce, tomato, bacon, swiss cheese, mayo and avocado aioli; a lamb burger with lettuce, tomato, bacon and yoghurt; and an Asian-style pork burger with slaw, pineapple, aioli and apple relish. The meats are put through a tenderiser (much like any meat patty), slow-roasted for 12 hours an then 'smashed' a flat-top griddle for optimum noms. The carb-conscious can get their burger in a bowl, sans bun — although, realistically, we're not sure how much healthier that makes it. Especially if you're washing it down with one of their insane sounding thick shakes, with names like Mean Bean, Smashed Fudge Brownie and Toffee Choc Smash. A take-out only establishment, Smashed Burger will be open from 7am to late seven days a week. Find them at Shop 2, 57 Cowper Wharf Roadway, Woolloomooloo. For more information, check them out on Facebook.
At last, the summer season is in full swing. It's time to think about how, where and when you're going to celebrate the most important people in your life — your nearest and dearest, ride-or-die pals. Take it from us, there's no better way to do that than with food — lots and lots (and lots) of food. And all over Sydney, chefs have been pulling together scrumptious banquets, so you can spend a long lunch — or even longer evening — in good company, without poring over menus or worrying about what to order. To help shed some light on which set menu to pick, we've compiled a list of five interesting, delicious and affordable banquets to try with your mates. Between them, they cover a significant expanse of the globe, from India and Sri Lanka to Cambodia and Bangladesh. Grab your pals and get ready to feast.
Baba's Place is known for doing things a little differently; whether that's housing its restaurant in a Marrickville warehouse or curating cutting-edge DJs to perform as you have dinner. Its off-the-beaten-track mentality and top-notch eats have cemented its place in the hearts of many Sydneysiders (and on our best restaurants in Sydney list). Now, the latest addition to the Baba's Place artillery is a new ready-to-drink rakija and tonic concoction the team has created in partnership with fellow rakija enthusiast DNA Distillery. It's thought to be the first of its kind in Australia, and possibly also in the world. The summer-ready sip combines DNA's classic double-distilled rakija with a fizzy refreshing tonic in one unique portable drink. DNA is a family-run distillery that uses a recipe passed down through generations, along with Australian shiraz grapes and pears, to create three rakija varieties — classic, gold and pear. Forming a rakija dream team with Baba's Place — who have had a shot of the spirit on their menu since day one — they've now brought something brand new to Australia's RTD market. Playing on the duo's shared suburban heritage, the branding pays homage to Western Sydney's red-brick houses with the slogan "It gets hot in the suburbs" sitting prominently on each can. Completing the look is one of those ubiquitous red plastic chairs, which appears to be melting in the sun. The cans are already available in a few places. You can of course order one from the Baba's Place menu if you're at the warehouse for a meal, or you can snap some up from the DNA Distillery website. A haven for local and independent booze, Drnks also stocks the cans on its website and at its Sydney store. Plus, if you're around Marrickville on Saturday, January 28, Baba's Place will be onsite at The Great Club for its Hottest 100 block party cracking plenty of R&T cans for those in attendance. To find out more about the Baba's Place x DNA Distillery Rakija and Tonic cans, or to order, see the distillery's website.
By the time your Dad has a drawer full of stubby holders and enough socks to start a side hustle, buying a present gets a lot harder. But the truth is, most dads don't want more stuff. What they really want is time with you — doing something fun and making memories. This year, skip the guesswork and give your Dad an epic adventure you'll both enjoy. Whether he's a rev head, an outdoorsman, or just up for something new, these adrenaline-packed Sydney experiences are designed to do together. Here's how to plan an unforgettable Father's Day with zero stress and maximum fun. Go Full Throttle at Eastern Creek There's something super satisfying about watching your old man climb into a V8 supercar like he's lining up for Bathurst. At Eastern Creek Raceway in West Sydney, Adrenaline's V8 Race Car Drive Experience lets him do exactly that. And better yet, you can join him. You'll both suit up, get briefed by the real race car instructors, then hit the track for six laps behind the wheel, pushing the limit on one of Australia's top circuits. It's fast, loud and you'll be swapping stories about it for years. Book a V8 race car drive experience here. Go on a Rally Driving Adventure If you want to take your Dad's race car dreams up a notch, you can go to Colo Heights or Hunter Valley for a Rally Driving Experience that takes you off the tarmac and onto Sydney's best dirt rally driving course. He'll take the wheel of an Australian Rally Championship car for 16 laps with expert coaching, navigating through hairpin turns and muddy straights, followed by one hot lap in the passenger seat where a pro driver shows him how it's really done. It's a fast track way to take him back to his glory days. Book a rally driving experience here. Test Your Aim with Clay Target Shooting Not every dad wants to throw himself into the driver's seat. So, for something a little less intense, but still wildly satisfying, take him out to Cecil Park to try his hand at Clay Target Shooting with live ammo. Set in an open air shooting range, this precision sport is equal parts meditative and competitive, and something you can both have fun doing together. Even if neither of you have held a shotgun before, Olympic gold medalist Suzy Balogh will get you set up and hitting targets in no time. It's a great bonding moment (and a bit of healthy competition never hurts). Book clay target shooting here. Refuel at Fried Brother's Mt Druitt After you've hit your last target or finished on the rally track, take your dad to Fried Brothers in Sydney's West. This no-fuss food truck is famous for its delicious fried chicken tenders, sloppy beef burgers, and house-made sauces. It's not a fancy Father's Day meal, sure, but he will love it. Ideal for a post-adventure debrief. Spend a Day on the Water with a Fishing Charter Adventure Ever thought about taking your dad out for a day on the water? Book Adrenaline's Sydney Fishing Charter in Freshwater and you'll spend the morning floating along the Nepean and Warragamba Rivers casting lines, catching up and soaking in the view. Whether he's a seasoned fisherman or you're just keen for a new way to hang out, it's a more laid-back option that still feels like a special day out. Plus, the experience includes snacks and drinks, so Father's Day lunch is sorted too. Book a fishing charter here. Start the Day at The Grumpy Baker Vaucluse If you're kicking things off early, take your dad to The Grumpy Baker in Vaucluse for a coffee, pastry and one of their signature housemade pies or sausage rolls. Just a few minutes from some of Sydney's best coastal views, it's the perfect pre-adventure pit stop. You can grab a seat outside, soak up the morning sun and map out the day ahead. See Sydney From a Helicopter Sure, you've probably shown your dad your favourite restaurants, parks and pubs. But have you shown him the view from 1000 feet? A Sydney Harbour Helicopter Flight is one of those experiences that never gets old. Taking off from Mascot, you'll fly past iconic landmarks like the Sydney Opera House and Bondi Beach in a 20 minute private or shared helicopter. It's definitely a "wow" moment to experience together, even if you've lived here your whole life. Book a scenic helicopter flight here. End on a High at Bistecca Want to wrap up the day with something a little more refined? Book a table at Bistecca in the CBD. This moody, underground steakhouse is famous for two things: perfectly charred bistecca alla Fiorentina, and the fact that your phone gets locked in a box as soon as you walk in. It's an intentional move, so you can switch off and share a proper dinner without distractions. If your Dad's the kind who rarely puts his phone down (or maybe that's you), this is the kind of meal that brings you back to the moment. You don't need gadgets or online shopping to make your dad happy this year. Just pick something fun you actually want to do, and bring him along for the ride. Whether it's rally driving, clay shooting or flying over the Harbour, it's the laughs and shared adventure that'll mean the most. Book dad an adventure with Adrenaline — five-year validity, instant delivery and memories made together. By Jacque Kennedy
It's going to be a spicy summer in Bondi this year with the arrival of one of the country's beloved hot chicken chains. Belles Hot Chicken has built a passionate fanbase — and landed on our favourite Sydney fried chicken spots — through its Circular Quay, Glebe and Barangaroo eateries in Sydney, alongside multiple Melbourne venues. Now, it has hit the Harbour City's east with an inaugural Bondi outpost on Hall Street. The Belles team has transformed the former site of Fonda into a 60s- and 70s-inspired American-style diner serving up all of the chain's favourites. Four kilometres of natural Australian timber has gone into the venue, lining the walls and ceilings. Adding to the throwback energy are retro floor tiles and stained-glass lampshades reminiscent of old all-you-can-eat Pizza Huts. The menu features plenty of fried chook, available in the signature spice levels ranging from Original to Really F**kin Hot — plus chicken sandwiches, crinkle-cut fries, buffalo cauliflower and top-notch beverages. The drinks selection is always a highlight at Belles Bondi, with playful cocktails, top-shelf spirits, a refreshing house lager, natty wines and boozy slushies all mainstays across the Melbourne and Sydney locations. If the pairing of spicy fried chicken sandwiches and spiked whisky slushies by the beach on a hot summer's day sounds like an absolute match made in heaven, you are not alone. There are some notable additions to the beverage menu for Bondi. If you're a high roller, you can enjoy a glass of Pappy Van Winkle 15-year for a casual $85 a shot; the wine list features everything from funky pét-nats to vintage Dom Perignon; the cocktail range has been given a retro revamp with the addition of long island iced tea and piña colada milkshakes; and there's a range of shots on offer to kick off the weekend. Sydney's east has been known to be a little cliquey at times, so in order to win over the locals, Belles is offering 20.26 percent off all items for any Bondi residents for its first 20 days of trade. All you have to do is flash your ID proudly displaying the 2026 postcode on it. Belles Bondi is the latest edition to the vibrant culinary precinct that is Hall Street, joining the likes of Da Orazio, bills and the recently-revamped China Diner, as well as nearby favourites like the Bondi outpost of Chaco Ramen and sunny brewery bar Curly Lewis. Belles Hot Chicken Bondi is now open at 85 Hall Street, Bondi Beach — operating from 11.30am–9pm Wednesday–Thursday and Sunday, and 11.30am–10.30pm Friday–Saturday. Images: Pat Stevenson.
When Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox, Kin) and Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio, Dumb Money) first sit face to face in the debut episode of Daredevil: Born Again's initial season, they do something that neither has ever been fond of with the other: agree. Daredevil and Kingpin are no more, they both confirm, under threats going both ways should that statement ever stop proving accurate on either's part. Murdock has his legal career to focus on. Fisk is running for mayor of New York City. Murdock will hold Fisk to account, though, if he's anything but above board in his new role running the Big Apple — and Fisk, campaigning with a strong anti-vigilante message, will respond if Murdock slips into Daredevil's red costume again. Murdock and Fisk are back. With the characters dating back more than half a century, so is one of the comic-book realm's greatest rivalries. It's been a decade since the first streaming series to follow their battle on the small screen premiered and also seven years since it wrapped up, with Netflix's Daredevil spanning three seasons from 2015–2018. While that show wasn't part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, its successor definitely is. Joining Disney+'s small-screen catalogue after WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, two seasons of Loki, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, Ms Marvel, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Secret Invasion, Echo and Agatha All Along, Daredevil: Born Again is a new beginning for its namesake and his nemesis, then, but it also honours its television past. Grey areas not only come with the territory in this fierce feud — they aptly apply to its latest TV date. Consider this a fresh start, yes, as well as a sequel. The MCU has been working towards bringing Daredevil and Kingpin's friction into the fold for a few years now, officially announcing Daredevil: Born Again in 2022 much to the delight of fans, then beginning to put that plan into action elsewhere across the franchise. So, viewers have already seen Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Fisk in Hawkeye, and both in Echo. As those appearances have been popping up and piling up, giving the pair their own series again has journeyed along a winding path due to a creative overhaul partway through. Consider Daredevil: Born Again a show with history, too, in multiple ways in front of and behind the camera. Boasting a connection with Marvel's small-screen tales at Netflix courtesy of The Punisher (which sat alongside not just Daredevil, but Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Defenders), screenwriter and TV producer Dario Scardapane joined Daredevil: Born Again during that shake-up, taking over the reins as showrunner. One of his key tasks: finding the right balance between continuing the story of the Netflix show and taking this new chapter for Murdock and Fisk in its own direction. He was certain that moving forward couldn't mean never looking backwards. He also felt strongly that two more beloved characters needed to be a part of the series. Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll, Queen of the Ring) and Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson (Elden Henson, Killers of the Flower Moon) weren't originally featured in Daredevil: Born Again — and if that seems unthinkable, that was also the case for the Trauma, The Bridge and Jack Ryan alum now calling the shots. [caption id="attachment_994610" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Disney[/caption] Scardapane said he wouldn't take the gig without Karen and Foggy, in fact. "I'm a true Italian in form. I have a tendency to make bold statements that may or may not be 100-percent accurate," he tells Concrete Playground. "The thing is, when I went in and talked to them, those two characters had been missing from the original, the first iteration. And unfortunately, in having them referenced but not seeing them, there was something missing in terms of that bridge between seasons. And then I also think that one of the most-interesting characters in the Marvel world, that has not been given as much room to just rock, is Karen Page. I just think that's a fantastic character. I'm super interested in the relationship she has with Matt Murdock. I'm interested in that family of three that you see, and when there's a loss in the family, what happens. So it was, yeah, it was a little extreme to say 'I'm not going to take it unless I get to do this', but it seemed that it was absolutely integral to telling the tale and bringing us into this new version." "And we wanted to do it," notes Sana Amanat, one of Daredevil: Born Again's executive producer — and not only an MCU veteran thanks to Ms Marvel, but a comic-book editor who co-created Kamala Khan on the page. "I think we realised it as we were watching the material. We're like 'this feels like there's something missing'. The heart of the show was missing, and we were all just very simpatico," she advises. "Dario has this phrase, he says 'yes, and' a lot, which I love — because it makes for such a rich collaboration. We wanted the same thing for this project — very much so," Amanat continues. Adds Scardapane: "and it was funny, I think I wasn't there, but I think probably in that, when you had the opportunity to kind of stop, slow down and take a look, it must have felt like 'oh, somebody's missing'. Like there's an X-factor there." As Daredevil: Born Again's nine-episode first season keeps establishing, Daredevil's past ties couldn't remain more crucial to the series, even in a narrative that sees Murdock confront a new future — and, in what proves an engrossing character study not just of its eponymous figure but of his main adversary, in a show that faces the similarities between Daredevil and Kingpin, and how those commonalities drive their obsessions with each other regardless of whether either will admit it. We also chatted with Scardapane and Amanat about that dynamic, as well as how crucial Cox and D'Onofrio are individually and together, knowing what to build upon from Netflix's Daredevil, how working on The Punisher and Ms Marvel helped them prepare for Daredevil: Born Again, and more. On Finding the Right Balance Between Continuing the Story of the Netflix Show and Shaking Things Up Sana: "I think it was quite important, first of all, for us to pay respect to the material that was there before. We really believed in it and we really loved it. The challenge for us was making sure that it was familiar, yet it was charting a new course. We didn't want people to feel like they needed to watch everything — they needed to be able to step in at the first episode and know everything that you needed to know. And I have to say, really a lot of credit to obviously Dario and our writing team, and Justin and Aaron [directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, who also worked on Moon Knight and Loki], who told us everything you needed to know in those first 15 to 20 minutes. I think also visually, stylistically, again there is a lot of references pulled from the old show, but we tried to do something new and fresh also to make sure that New York felt real, and that there was also stylistic pops that took into account his sensory experience — Matt Murdock as someone who is blind with heightened senses. So that combination, I think, really made it feel like a Daredevil that was in its new course and new chapter, and hopefully it feels exciting and thrilling and bold for folks coming in. We hope that you guys really see the love that we put into it." Dario: "And then when I came in and saw what they had, it was like 'this stuff is really, really, really cool'." Sana: "Yeah." Dario: "But it needs a bridge. It needs something that takes you from the past, from the end of the Netflix show, into what we're doing now. And that was really a large portion of the job, in terms of giving audiences, — and fans like myself of the old show — a touchstone, and then taking them somewhere new." On How Crucial Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio Are — Not Just as Daredevil and Kingpin Individually, But in Bringing That Rivalry to the Screen Together Sana: "They're so absolutely pivotal. I feel like they are these mythological figures. They are larger than life. When you see them step on set as Daredevil and as Kingpin, you see the presence that Charlie and Vincent have and what they bring to these roles. So there's no other question for me — I mean, those are those characters. And that diner scene in itself, at the opening of 101, said everything that you needed to know about the entire series, about their prowess as actors — and through Dario's incredible writing, and Justin and Aaron's great, great directing. It's just an amazing combination." Dario: "And you were right when you say that the two of them together are more than the sum of their parts." Sana: "Yeah." Dario: "And that's what's so fun about working with and writing for two characters that have such a rich history. There's the history that the characters in the comic book have. Then there's the history that that Charlie and Vincent have, having done this now for about ten years. So when you get in a room to do a scene or write a scene for them, you have the weight and the joy of all that history, and these two actors who know it so well." Sana: "Yeah, it feels like the years of storytelling is building to an intense character drama about these two characters — and honestly, how similar they are. They might be different, but they're pretty similar, too." On Daredevil: Born Again Being a Character Study That Highlights the Commonalities Between Daredevil and Kingpin — and Why That Makes Them So Obsessed with Each Other Dario: "They're both carrying duality. That's what's funny. You have a character or person that is Matt Murdock and Daredevil. You have a person that is Kingpin and Fisk. And those are constantly interacting and constantly bouncing into each other, and bringing out the worst in each other at times. And this whole saga, for lack of a better word, this is what it's all about: this dance, this fight between Kingpin and Daredevil. What are the ripple effects it has into the world? What are what these two people's obsessive need to bang heads? What does it mean for everybody and everything in a city around them?" Sana and Dario, in unison: "It's hard to come to terms with your violent nature." Sana: "Truly, they both have a very complicated and similar relationship to violence, and that is something that is really intriguing to show." On Deciding Which Elements to Continue From the Netflix Series — and Where to Stand Apart Dario: "It's really funny — that's a great question, and there's kind of a litmus test for all of it. There's so many people. We're all bringing everything we can to being custodians of this character. When something's right, you literally feel it. And when something's off, you feel it. So in the same way, if I write something for Vincent that just doesn't feel right, he's like: 'hold on, try this'. And when we build a storyline that just doesn't feel on-story — we discarded a few for season two that just didn't feel like what we wanted to do. And the thing is, is that we've taken almost everything that was started over the course of those three seasons, because there's so much in those three seasons, and we've just put it into a context of seven, eight years later and a bigger conflict because Fisk is now, he's the system." Sana: "There's also just us as fans being like 'oh my god, we love this from the old show." Dario: "Gotta do it. Gotta do it." Sana: "We've got to do it. So that's our litmus test. Like Bullseye — you know, we love Bullseye." Dario: "You were like, very early on 'so, we've got to do a oner'. I was like 'yes, we do'. There was no, especially with the two of us, there's very little like 'oh, no, that's not the show'." Sana: "100 percent. We're usually on the same page, which is awesome." Dario: "Yeah." On What Scardapane Learned From Making The Punisher and Amanat From Ms Marvel That Helped with Daredevil: Born Again Dario: "Now wouldn't that be a team-up." Sana: "Oh my god, that'd be awesome. It's like The Last of Us — but yeah." Dario: "You go first." [caption id="attachment_994625" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Disney[/caption] Sana: "What did I draw on for this? I mean, ultimately the biggest thing for me — obviously the joy of filmmaking and creating and storytelling is just unmatched, and for me, I've been lucky enough to do it at Marvel for so long. It is about the people that you work with, making sure that they feel heard, that they feel like they're bringing their best — and that we're all creating the same thing together, we're all collectively building just this beautiful tapestry of a very hopefully powerful story. And to me that's the same in any genre that you work on. And if you're lucky enough to work with such great collaborators who can help you bring this vision to life, my job really is to help draw the best out of everyone we're working with to be able to tell the best story that we possibly can. And that is the delight, the delight of my job." [caption id="attachment_994626" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Disney[/caption] Dario: "The takeaway from The Punisher for me, really — and I will say I had two, for lack of a better word, two great teachers on that job in Jon Bernthal and Steve Lightfoot — was you're writing something that is incredibly dark, incredibly gritty and incredibly violent, but you're always trying to find the humanity inside it. And you're always — when you watch some of Steve's writing, and when you watch some of Jon, what he does with the character — you're always trying to find the heart. And I definitely brought that as best I can to Daredevil. In and amongst all the punching and broken bones and mayhem, you want to find the heart and soul of these characters. You want to really feel." Daredevil: Born Again streams via Disney+. Daredevil: Born Again stills: Giovanni Rufino, courtesy of Marvel Television. © 2024 MARVEL.
Some things are just so stunning that they need to be seen multiple times, and getting to walk through Vincent van Gogh's dazzling artworks at Melbourne's multi-sensory digital art gallery The Lume is clearly one of them. So, the popular exhibition that it first opened with, and that's also toured a version around the country, is coming alive again in the Victorian capital from Boxing Day 2024. Made your own Lego version of The Starry Night? Next, you can walk through the iconic painting projected large across the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Arriving a few weeks after Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius closes in early December, the timing of the experience's return means that you can pair summer's sunny days with some sunflowers. The big two are back, of course — aka two of van Gogh's most popular works transformed into vivid new guises. Again, when you see The Starry Night, you'll actually be walking through it as it takes over an entire room. Love Sunflowers (the painting, as well as the plant)? Then get ready for the immersive Sunflower room, where golden petals stretch as far as the eye can see. A family-friendly experience, the van Gogh exhibition creates the sensation of diving right into the Dutch artist's paintings — and you definitely won't feel like you're just standing in an ordinary gallery. Attendees encounter van Gogh's world-famous works in fine detail thanks to state-of-the-art technology from the Melbourne-based Grande Exhibitions, which is behind The Lume. Think: high-definition projectors throwing 360-degree images onto four-storey-high walls in a 3000-square-metre gallery, with a classical musical score accompanying the vibrant colours, too, as presented in cinema-quality surround sound. While plenty will be familiar when the experience brightens up Melbourne again — including an immersive cafe inspired by the artist's Café Terrace at Night and an artist studio where you can learn the techniques behind his pieces — Finding Vincent in shared VR is making its global premiere, taking the idea of stepping into van Gogh's creativity up another level.
The war on waste has taken to the skies, with airlines pledging to reduce their reliance upon single-use plastics. Qantas has committed to phase out 100 million disposable items from 2020 onwards, Portuguese charter carrier Hi Fly wants to become the world's first no-plastics carrier within the next 12 months, and now a flight free of the pesky products will make its way to Australia — landing on Earth Day. Departing from Abu Dhabi on Sunday, April 21 and arriving in Brisbane at around 5.30pm on Monday, April 22, the Etihad flight will become the world's first long-haul commercial flight to dispense with single-use plastic items, replacing more than 95 objects — and over 50 kilograms that'd usually be headed to landfill — with environmentally friendly alternatives. It's not the first ever flight to do so, with Hi Fly jetting between Portugal and Brazil sans plastic waste late last year; however it is the first to achieve the feat over such a hefty distance. Eco-conscious cups, cutlery, dishes, headset bags, cart seals and toothbrushes will replace regular plastic versions, and sustainable amenity kits, eco-plush toys and eco-thread blankets will also be loaded onboard — with coffee cups made from natural grain products and nothing coming wrapped in disposable plastic. Where Etihad was unable to find a single-use plastic free alternative to a standard item, it removed the item from the service completely. The move comes as part of Etihad's plan to drastically reduce its use of throwaway items, setting itself a number of milestones. By June 1, the airline has pledged to remove up to 20 percent of single-use plastics from its flights — totalling 100 tonnes by the end of the year. And by the end of 2022, it has committed to reducing its disposable plastics use by 80 percent across the entire company.
The Astral People crew is no stranger to throwing a party, and one of its most exciting series of get-togethers is Summer Dance. The openair raves have been popping up in Sydney with lineups boasting some of the most beloved and boundary-pushing DJs locally and afar, and finally Summer Dance will return with two huge events on Saturday, March 23. Taking over The Courts at Moore Park's Liberty Hall, the afternoon edition will run from 3–9pm with a lineup of dance music powerhouses. If you're keen on a sunlit boogie, you'll be treated to a headline set from Moktar. In case you need any convincing of the acclaimed producer's prowess behind the decks, look no further than his Boiler Room set at last year's edition of Sugar Mountain. Support acts for the daytime session will be Berlin techno mainstay Plams Trax and local tastemaker Disco Dora. Once the clock strikes 9pm, Summer Dance After Dark will kick off inside Liberty Hall. The late-night lineup will serve up a trio of sets from DjRUM, Batu and CARISTA. This is the final edition of Summer Dance before we succumb to the chillier seasons, so if you're looking to really cap off silly season, this is your opportunity. Tickets for both shows can be purchased separately for $66 — or if you want to party all the way from 3pm–3am, you can purchase a multi-pass for $118.
You've binged your way through HBO's excellent Chernobyl mini-series. If you're a Melburnian, or you've taken a trip to the Victorian city recently, you may have wandered through a recreation of the exclusion zone around the exploded nuclear reactor as well. Soon, you also might be able to sip shots of vodka from the region — made from grain from the Ukrainian area that has been off limits for more than three decades. The tipple in question is called Atomik Vodka. Brewed by a team of scientists from the UK and Ukraine, it's part of a three-year research project investigating the transfer of radioactivity from the soil to crops grown in the closed-off spot, as well as in the Narodychi District within the Zone of Obligatory Resettlement. (People still live in the latter location, but the land isn't officially allowed to be used for agriculture.) While the grain itself showed some signs, all traces of Chernobyl-derived radioactivity was lost in the distilling process, which inherently reduces impurities — leaving the vodka with the same level of natural radiation that you'd find in any other spirit. The vodka also uses local mineral water, sourced from a deep aquifer below the town of Chernobyl, around 10 kilometres south of the nuclear power station. It's been found to possess chemistry similar to water from limestone aquifers, like the one in the Champagne region of France, and was used to dilute the distilled alcohol to 40 percent. At present, only one bottle of the vodka exists. And, if you're curious about giving it a taste, it's not for sale. But the team behind Atomik hope that will change, and, that after clearing a few legal hurdles, they'll be able to begin a small-scale experimental run of the grain spirit by the end of this year. If they're successful in their efforts, they plan to donate 75 percent of Atomik Vodka's profits back to the affected Ukrainian community. It's also hoped that the research project will assist residents around the exclusion zone by showing that the land is now safe to be used for agriculture, opening up further investment and economic benefits. For more information, visit the Atomik Vodka website. Via the University of Portsmouth.
Heads up Australia, Aldous Harding is one of those Kiwi musical talents we'll casually be calling our own in a few years. You may not have heard much from her yet, but this Christchurch folk queen is just about to drop her debut album and head out on her first tour of Australia. Be sure to check her out — by all accounts, she's killin' it across the Tasman. Starting her career from the ground up, Harding has dominated the pub scene of Lyttelton — a port town just south of the Christchurch CBD. Full of rural charm and enchanting melodies, her acoustic folk is definitely telling of her roots. Like New Zealand's answer to Julia Stone, her music is rich in character and story. Her self-titled debut so far has just the one single, 'Hunter', with the rest to be released on July 25. And she's making her way to our shores just one week later, so you better get acquainted with it quickly. Harding will play two Sydney shows, supporting Tiny Ruins on Wednesday, July 2 at Newtown Social Club and a free gig on Thursday, July 3 at the Midnight Special. Harding's shows are sure to be a very chilled affair — perfect for red wine, big jumpers and melodious swaying.
Marrickville may be renowned for its culture, brimming with music venues, theatres, restaurants and bars, but a few of its residents are not on-board with one of the suburb's beloved concert halls. Livingstone Road's The Great Club is under fire from a handful of its neighbours, who have been filing repeated noise complaints which the venue says have put it under immense financial pressure. The Great Club opened in 2021, taking over a building that previously housed a longstanding Greek club for decades. Since adopting the space, the venue has hosted a diverse genre-spanning program of gigs and carpark parties — and has also opened a Greek-inspired front bar and restaurant serving up pub classics and Greek staples under the name Yia Yai's Dive Bar. According to The Great Club's Event Boss Cassie Benco, following the aforementioned carpark parties — a community music festival run in collaboration with non-alcoholic beer brand Heaps Normal, plus a Hottest 100 day party — the small group of neighbours really started to kick up a fuss. While they had previously lodged complaints, the issues became more significant following these outdoor gatherings. "Basically, we have three neighbours that have been filing complaints against us about the noise," says Benco. "We have a lot of neighbours that are very supportive of us, obviously, but these ones have just been causing a lot of problems — complaining to Council and to Liquor and Gaming." [caption id="attachment_886011" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dexter Kim[/caption] Despite continuous contact with the Inner West City Council about the events the venue had planned, as well as a continued commitment to conclude all live music events by 11pm, Benco says the council has now intervened — leading to The Great Club reducing capacity on gigs, working with sound engineers to manage sound levels, cancelling plans for any future outdoor events and hiring lawyers to deal with the complaints. "[Not running outdoor events] really sucks 'cause it's such a good space and most of the community love it. And the Hottest 100 was such a good day. We had kids here and everyone with their dogs." The Inner West City Council has organised mediation with the neighbours in order to hopefully resolve the issues but, during an already tough time for live music, these added financial costs have put the venue under pressure of closing. In response, The Great Club has launched a fundraising campaign via the website Chuffed in the hope of raising $50,000 to keep the venue alive and vibrant. "[The Great Club's Owner] Ali did a callout to get people to send in letters of support, and a lot of people suggested 'you should do crowdfunding'." The campaign has already raised over $10,000 at the time of writing, with perks on offer to those that donate. On top of knowing you're helping save the bar, those who donate $50 will be sent a Great Club tote bag — or if you donate $100, you'll get your name on the door of an upcoming gig of your choice with a plus one. If you want to really go big with your donation, there are even heftier prizes like your name on the guest list for a full year, or a Great Club party for you and nine mates with free food and drinks. "We just feel very lucky to be so loved by so many, even though a very small ratio are causing issues. It's still so great to see so much support," says Benco. Following The Great Club's public campaign about the noise complaints, the Inner West Council released a statement. "The Inner West is working actively to resolve the issues between The Great Club and its neighbours. Following a couple of events held at the club in late 2022 that were not compliant with the club's license, complaints were received by neighbours. All events since have been compliant," reads the statement. "Our Good Neighbour policy was developed specifically to find solutions to issues like this through mediation not litigation, and we're hopeful that we can work with both parties to find a solution that works for The Great Club and its neighbours." If you want to head in and check out the venue, The Great Club has the likes of Urthboy, The Terrys, Candy and a massive Ireland Rocks showcase on its upcoming program, while Yia Yia's is open 6pm–late Wednesday–Saturday. The Great Club is located at 160–164 Livingstone Road, Marrickville. Find out more about its issues with noise complaints and its fundraising project via Chuffed. Top image: Georgia Griffiths.
