After months of discussion and debate, Queensland is reopening its border from Friday, July 10, allowing residents from all Australian states and territories other than Victoria to enter the state for the first time since March. But anyone hoping for a quick trip over the border — whether you're holidaying up north or heading home to the Sunshine State — should expect plenty of company. In fact, more than 200,000 Aussies are planning to make the trek in the next seven days alone. At a press conference today, Thursday, July 9, Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young advised that the state has already received 238,000 applications for border declaration passes — the permits that anyone entering Queensland from interstate, including Queenslanders returning home, are required to obtain before they'll be allowed across the border. The passes only permit entry into the state within seven days from approval, which means that a hefty amount of people are planning to make the trek within the next week. As Dr Young notes, "that is a lot of people — so that will mean that we'll see congestion and delays". The huge figure was revealed as Queensland announced significant changes to its border policies, including increasing restrictions on travellers who've been to Victoria in the past 14 days. While, since Friday, July 3, Queensland has required anyone travelling from Victoria, including Queenslanders, to go into forced quarantine for 14 days — in a hotel, at your own expense — it'll now completely ban visitors from Victoria from noon on Friday, July 10, including from both accessing the state and quarantining in the state. Exemptions will be given "for essential specialist workers, as well as for health, legal or compassionate grounds", but Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk advises that "very few exemptions will be granted". Although Queenslanders returning to the state from Victoria will still be able to come home, they'll continue to be required to go into forced quarantine for 14 days, in a hotel, and pay for the costs. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1281002263457132545 Queensland also revealed that it's implementing new requirements for interstate visitors who develop COVID-19 symptoms while in the state. As announced by Deputy Premier and Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Steven Miles, anyone entering Queensland will be required to get tested if they show any signs of the coronavirus within 14 days of arriving in the state — and, to commit to that requirement, you'll have to make a binding declaration to get tested when you apply online for your border pass. Mobile testing clinics will be set up at popular tourist destinations to help travellers get tested — and anyone who refuses testing will face a $4004 fine. The testing requirement will also apply to Queenslanders returning to Queensland, with folks in both categories receiving text messages from Queensland Health to ask if they have developed symptoms and remind them that they must get tested. At the time of the announcement — and at the time of writing this article — Queensland only has two active cases of COVID-19 in the state. To find out more about Queensland's COVID-19 restrictions, and the status of the coronavirus in the state, visit Queensland's online COVID-19 hub. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland.
I wonder how many family albums contain at least one photograph of the Sydney Opera House in the background? A nice shot of the kids in front of the architectural attraction. Yet while this landmark’s existence has become somewhat familiar – recognized as one of the iconic buildings of the 20th century – it certainly hasn’t stopped generating discussion (remember ‘NO WAR’ painted on the façade in 2003?). Nor has the Opera House ceased to reveal unknown dramas and complications that took place during its conception and construction. It was in 1957 that the Danish architect Jørn Utzon flew to Australia to begin work on his ambitious design, and it was in 1966 when Utzon was forced off the project – never to return to the country. Between these two dates is an array of activity, argument, ego and skepticism, coupled of course with a spectacular and lyrically inimitable building. The Edge of the Possible traces the birth, reception and secrets of the Opera House (such as Utzon’s love of sliced oranges as the source of inspiration for the design) through never before seen footage and rare interviews. And, seeing that the controversy over the Opera House would cost several of Utzon’s other projects to be abandoned or rejected, this documentary is an important testament to the worth and value of building something against convention and restraint. Guest speakers: Director of the film Daryl Dellora and Producer Sue Maslin. Supper provided!
Find a parking spot and follow the rainbow at The Grounds of Alexandria this winter and you won't find a pot of gold — but you will find a whole lot of sugary treats. Which might be even better. On Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27 (and Thursday, August 15 and Friday, August 16) The Grounds' garden will be lit up and turned into a dessert laneway inspired by Willy Wonka. Sweet smelling carts will be hawking colourful waffle cones (with lots of ice cream flavours and toppings), fresh doughnuts, blueberry crepes, fizzy sherbet drinks and all the lollies you can imagine. There'll also be a chocolate fondue station with fruit, brownie cubes, choc chip cookies and so much more. Wander between them, grab a cocktail from the outdoor bar, and try the lot. If you need savoury before your sweets, book a table for dinner at The Potting Shed. After a bowl of mussels and a few glasses of wine, it will be hard to say no to a hot jam doughnut. The market will run under The Grounds' colourful installation of giant neon lollipops and jumbo sweets from 6–10pm. The installation itself will be open daily until Sunday, September 22, but the new dessert options will only on offer during the night markets. The Garden of Sweets Dessert Markets are open from 6–10pm on Friday, July 26 and Saturday July 27, as well as Thursday, August 15 and Friday, August 16. The laneway installation open from 7am every day until Sunday, September 22.
Jeff Wall has an eye for oddity and a knack for defamiliarising the everyday. This autumn to winter, the MCA continues its run of big-shot internationals with the Canadian photographer’s series of contrived documentaries and essays in light, in a survey spanning thirty years. The artist describes himself as a cinematographer, and though it sounds like Public Relations Artspeak, the description fits. Celluloid film is not a moving image but a cascade of stills, and just as film realises itself in the split second between frames, the heart of Wall’s work is in what carries on unseen. The works aren’t what they seem: they’re not photographic prints, but transparencies on lightboxes, and their content comprises highly constructed, oddly normal, domestic scenes. A man pushes against a door in a bricked-up urban space (Doorpusher, 1984), but the second image that we can only imagine is what’s behind the door. Double Self-Portrait (1979) presents a visual impossibility - two of the same man in the same frame. Just outside every frame are endless narrative possibilities, a kind of visual Choose Your Own Adventure where the viewer is made to build a story of the before and after. Many of the works are blown up to true scale. A tree is tree-sized, a human is me-sized, and the effect is that we look into the works rather than at them. Wall’s immediate debt is to Lynchian cinema, but his local painterly cousin could be Louise Hearman, another master of strange psychology. These are slippery ideas, painted on running water. You can hide things in words, but Walls’ images have an honesty and a purity to them, despite the amorphousness of their content. That’s what makes them so ordinary and extraordinary, so real and unreal.
Tea lovers have a brand-new reason to get excited — internationally renowned tea brand HEYTEA has finally opened a Sydney store. The wildly popular Chinese brand prides itself on producing high-quality brews that hero fresh ingredients, so it steers clear of artificial sweeteners, creamers or flavourings. You can expect its viral signature cheese tea to be an instant hit with Sydneysiders, but its menu also spans from indulgent milk teas and refreshing fruit brews to tea lattes for that quick caffeine hit. For the dairy-free and vegan customers, you can opt for the oat milk variation of the drink of your choice, too. But that's not all — for a short time, the new CBD outpost is handing out huge discounts to celebrate its grand opening. Until Thursday, August 1, when you buy two drinks, your second will be half price. Head into the newly opened outpost from Monday, July 29 to discover its innovative tea flavours and to score your cheap sip.
This epic, never-before-seen work asks one important question: how much of our true selves do we really share with the world? Created by Force Majeure in partnership with Dance Integrated Australia, it brings together artists with and without disability. And it's semi-autobiographical, sharing some of the performers' real life experiences on stage. Prepare to be moved, confronted, warmed and carried towards deeper empathy. The cracking cast includes contemporary dancers Marnie Palomares and Jana Castillo, actor Gerard O'Dwyer, actor and disability advocate Alex Jones and Auslan interpreter Neil Phipps. "Off The Record is such a unique work," says Jones. "It's about shaking the discomfort out of people's skin and learning how to really understand people with disability." "We've found five extraordinary, talented artists who are prepared to share deeply personal stories and to give a voice to things that are rarely discussed," says Force Majeure artistic director Danielle Micich. Off The Record is the second piece to have been commissioned under New Normal, Carriageworks' national arts and disability strategy, which is supported by the NSW Government. Another eight works, covering performance, music, dance and visual arts, will be developed over the next three years. In addition to the shows, an all-day masterclass will be held on Saturday, August 13. Open to artists and those who work within the arts, attendees will gain insights into the creative process that went into the work's creation. Image: Gregory Lorenzutti.
Doing it solo goes alright, but doing it with someone else is usually infinitely better. In the meeting of minds, ideas are sparked, and possibilities suddenly open up as wide as the sky. In the spirit of coming together, Siberia Records and Chocolate Jesus Industries are presenting Siamese, a series of nights of collaboration and experimentation. Each week will see artists coming forward, entangling themselves in the process, and seeing what happens. On its debut outing there will be performances by Benet, Brous, Kirin J. Callinan, Omen and Pike, plus and improvised performance by FLRL (Fashion Launches Rocket Launches) and music by El Peludo (Andre from Hand Of Tyme/2SER). New Plane Public Press will also be selling their wares from their mobile cart – zines, records and more. In the following weeks, you can catch Circle Pit, Panel Of Judges, Dead China Doll, Domeyko/Gonzalez, Qua and more. An elastic moment in time, we have a feeling the air will be rife with the distinct crackle of unpredictability and creativity. Hold on tight. Image: Donny Benet
Tucked away off Crown Street is the former home and workplace of beloved Australian artist Brett Whiteley. The Art Gallery of NSW has managed it as a museum since 1995, preserving Whiteley’s presence through the natural clutter of unfinished paintings and equipment. They have also curated a series of exhibitions focusing on different facets of the artist’s oeuvre. Having spent his early years on Sydney’s leafy North Shore and attending boarding school in Bathurst, Whitely had a strong affinity with natural landscapes. From treacherous bushland to sparkling seascapes, he crafts a unique view of Australia’s moody countryside and its flora and fauna. There is a deep sensuality that marks Whiteley’s style. His characteristic use of line is pervasive, continually seen in rolling hills, tumbling waves and curvaceous rock formations. Although his work is rooted in an Australian identity, it also represents a montage of global influences, reminiscent of the extensive time Whiteley spent abroad. For example, there is a prominent Asian aesthetic of perspective that infiltrates his landscapes (he was captivated by Chinese and Japanese art and Japonism). Possessing one of the most distinctive painterly styles in Australian art, Brett Whitely: Nature presents another reflective homage to this iconic artist.
As fans of whodunnits on the page, stage and screen know, anything can and often does go wrong in sleuthing tales. Usually, however, the antics remain in the story. That's not the case in The Play That Goes Wrong, as its title indicates — and as theatre audiences have enjoyed for over a decade, watching what happens when The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society endeavours to put on a murder-mystery, then chaos ensues. When the production premiered in 2012 in London, it not only proved a hit but won Best New Comedy at the Laurence Olivier Awards. It's also still treading the boards in the UK, making it West End's current longest-running comedy. For its first Broadway season, it also nabbed a Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Play. The Play That Goes Wrong has made its way Down Under before, too, but audiences will have another chance to catch it locally when it tours Australia again in 2025. Sydney Opera House is hosting the show's first — and longest — Aussie stop from Thursday, June 19–Sunday, August 3. The plot: when The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society give the whodunnit genre a spin, telling the tale of a murder at a country manor and the quest to find the perpetrator, making it through the show becomes an accident-filled challenge. Since its debut over a decade ago, The Play That Goes Wrong has been seen by more than 4.2-million people worldwide — in 49 countries — and given 3500-plus performances at West End's Duchess Theatre alone. Another tidbit: also in West End, members of The Drama Society have been hit more than 125,545 times, sometimes by objects and sometimes by each other. Images: original West End cast, Robert Day.
Taking to the lush green set, fringed with palms and draped with their wild print fabrics, Oxford four-piece Glass Animals charmed and enthralled the Hi-Fi's intimate audience on Friday, January 9, lacing their rich and complex yet effortlessly smooth tunes with a little of their unique jungle spirit. The fragile melody of opener 'Black Mambo' brought the show to life; the gentle, slow beats teasing the crowd like lead singer Dave Bayley's alluring vocals. The slithering single's climax showed the boys' fierce intensity that captivated the audience for the remainder of the evening. Their delicately produced and experimental electronic beats sound organic throughout the slick 'Walla Walla' and haunting 'Wyrd', and as they launch into last year's hugely popular hit 'Gooey', their luxe R&B sound brings an energy and warmth to the stage that goes beyond the ol', "Oh, I know this one". The rhythmic 'Hazey' shows Bayley's vocals are the real deal; he reaches every note with pitch perfect precision and oozy confidence. The texturally rich synth is punctuated with his martial art-like grooving, the kind you'd see from that guy at the music festival who's dancing so hard that he doesn't care who's watching him. He's having fun, and it's contagious. The crowd is right there with him, hypnotically mouthing lyrics and aiding his venture up the barricades in his socks (shoes were removed to show off those mad dancing feet) to croon to the front row. Returning for an encore, the band play their triple j Like a Version rendition of Kanye West's 'Love Lockdown', reawakening that R&B vibe to finish with 'Pools', a catchy crowd favourite that blends their twisted pop and infectious lyrics with wild, layered sonics — everything we love about this band. With the ability to turn a chilled out tune into a song that can inject a crowd with energy, and last week's announcement of their name on this year's Coachella lineup, Glass Animals are a sole reason to get yourself over to Palm Springs, or any worthy venue they happen to be purring at. Image: Leigh Griffiths.
When John Wick burst its way into cinemas in 2014 with a flurry of bullets, it was the action flick no one knew they needed. Keanu Reeves was at his blank-faced best as an unstoppable assassin, shooting first and never asking questions — because he didn't have to. Watching the mayhem that resulted: that was an audiences' joy through and through. Can such a formidable force hit the target twice, though? The answer is obvious: John Wick never misses. Chronicling Wick's efforts to once again stride back into seclusion — a plan foiled by Italian mobsters with a case of sibling rivalry — the reunited team of stuntman turned director Chad Stahelski and screenwriter Derek Kolstad stay true to their winning premise and up the stakes. John Wick still gets to show off his lethal skills, but he's not just seeking vengeance. He's repaying the debt that helped him get out of the assassin business in the first place, and then trying to survive the deadly fallout. Oh, and he's got a new dog. As familiar as that might sound, John Wick: Chapter 2 turns sticking with what works into an action opera that knows when to dazzle with a symphony of shoot-outs, but also knows when enjoying Keanu's menacing presence is enough. The film's impeccably choreographed action scenes in Roman catacombs and New York City streets prove exhilarating, but so too do the steely glares directed by Keanu at his myriad foes – including Common and Australia's own Ruby Rose. The fact that the end result may be a little predictable isn't a problem when it's executed with such precision and flair. When Stahelski does sprinkle a few fresh inclusions into the mix, he goes big. Suave Italian icon Franco Nero — aka the original Django — pops up as the Roman counterpart to Ian McShane's returning hotelier, while Laurence Fishburne gives movie nerds the reunion they've been waiting for. Smartly, though, neither overpowers the main attraction. Cinema-goers want to see Keanu being the legendary bad guy that even bad guys fear, dispensing with his enemies with a pencil and just generally blazing his way through the criminal underworld. On that front, you'd better believe that John Wick: Chapter 2 delivers. Indeed, Keanu and his former Matrix stunt double are the movie's not-so-secret weapons. Stahelski ramps up the action to dizzying heights, while his leading man lets his physicality and stoic charisma do the talking. More than a quarter of a century since he first showed off his action hero skills in Point Break, Keanu's still got it. The genre wouldn't be the same without him – and if we can make a request for the inevitable John Wick: Chapter 3, it's for more of the same with some of Johnny Utah's surfing thrown in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdkhQsy9fU4
Before Julian Assange took residence in London's Ecuadorian Embassy, he was spreading his ideas at the 2011 Festival of Dangerous Ideas alongside Germaine Greer, David Marr, Michael Kirby and a slew of other big names. Presented by the Sydney Opera House and St James Ethics Centre, FODI is now in its sixth year running, bringing the most interesting speakers and big thinkers to town. We've sifted through the packed-out program, have narrowed it down to our top five picks and are ready to be reminded that FODI is more than just a festival with provocatively titled events. Television Has Replaced the Novel – Salman Rushdie and Emily Nussbaum When was the last time you read a novel? When was the last time you watched a TV series? If the difference between your answers would horrify your year eight English teacher, you're not alone. Booker Prize-winning Midnight's Children novelist Salman Rushdie and Tthe New Yorker's TV critic Emily Nussbaum will nut out the two modes of storytelling and their place in the future with the help of chair Michael Williams (director of The Wheeler Centre). Sunday, August 31, 11.30am-12.30pm, Concert Hall. Tickets from $45, available here. Russia is a penal colony – Pussy Riot After their numerous protests and guerrilla performances, the feminist punk rock art collective Pussy Riot instigated worldwide critique of Vladimir Putin's presidential reign (and spurred an HBO doco series or two). They were sent to a gulag, where they were subjected to harsh physical conditions, slave labour and physical violence but, thankfully, were released late last year. In conversation with former ABC Russian correspondent Monica Attard, Pussy Riot's Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alekhina will talk about their subsequent work in prisoner advocacy and the establishment of Zona Prava, their NGO founded to defend the rights of the almost 1 million people imprisoned in Russia. Saturday, August 30, 2.30-3.30pm, Drama Theatre. Tickets from $25, available here. Place Hack Your City Bradley Garrett was probably the type of kid who, itching to start the day and explore, couldn't sit still long enough to eat his cereal of a morning. If there was one FODI event that resonating with us at Concrete Playground, it would be this one. The American researcher/explorer/geographer will be talking about 'place-hacking', exploring your city from every angle and why erring on the side of danger rather than caution should be your new favourite pastime. Saturday, August 30, 11am-noon, The Studio. Tickets from $25, available here. Cat videos will save journalism It's a 21st-century truth that regardless of your natural disposition towards cats (loving, hating, allergic), there is a cat video out in the big wild world of The Internet that will make you cackle till the cows come home. But are these omnipresent felines hindering 'serious journalism'? Or do they stand at the doorway to more hard-hitting and challenging content (at least on occasion)? A panel discussion will air the opinions of BuzzFeed's Australian editor Simon Crerar, Sound Alliance's content director Tim Duggan, deputy editor of The Australian Peter Fray and managing director of the ABC Mark Scott. This event is sold out, but you can find it in its natural habitat, the internet, when it live streams on the day. Sunday, August 31, 10.30-11.30am, The Studio. Tickets from $25, available here. Breaking Australia's Silence – John Pilger In his groundbreaking documentary Utopia, Australian investigative journalist and documentary filmmaker John Pilger exposed the ugly truths related to the abuses and atrocities committed in Aboriginal communities. In conversation with Liz Ann Macgregor, director of the MCA, Pilger widens his critique by examining other 'unofficial truths' impacting on class and power structures and limiting public debate in a nation that strives to maintain an image to the contrary. Sunday, August 31, 3.30-4.30pm, Concert Hall. Tickets from $25, available here. To plan your dangerous weekend, check out the FODI website.
Start shining your best pair of shape-throwing shoes and get ready to dance, dance, dance because Sydney's most energetic weekend of the year is back for round two. After an impressive Sydney debut last year, MoVement will again take over the city with epic warehouse parties, curated club nights and the best in dance and electronic music from October 19-23. With an extra day up their sleeves this year, the city-wide festival (which is produced by V Energy Australia) will serve up five whole days and nights of sweet tunes and all-round awesomeness that celebrate some of Sydney's best and favourite dance party crews and artists. Like last year, the festival will be held at various locations around the city, meaning you can flit between vinyl swap meets, to secret parties and a whole slew of gigs in-between. Headlining the festival is Mind Gamers — the new project from Sebastien Tellier, Daniel Stricker of the Midnight Juggernauts and John Kirby of Blood Orange — who will be performing for the very first time. Other highlights include a DJ set from Kristian Nairn (aka Hordor from Game of Thrones), and a spesh fifth birthday party for Astral People, which will include sets from Wave Racer, Baro, Polographia and others. Sydney's party crews will be throwing a few big ones as well, with Heaps Gay, FBi and House of Mince all throwing events. Anyway, we know what you're here for. Here's the lineup. MOVEMENT SYDNEY 2016 LINEUP Mind Gamers (Sebastien Tellier | Daniel Stricker | John Kirby) Wave Racer Seven Davis Jr Kristian Nairn aka HODOR Priku Shags Chamberlain (Ariel Pink) Presents: The Crystal Machine Honey Soundsystem (Jason Kendig & Jackie House) EL-B Nicole Millar Indian Summer GL Go Freek Baro w/ Full Live Band Polographia Mall Grab Sleep D (Live) Winston Surfshirt CC:DISCO! Made in Paris Human Movement Moonbase Commander Prequel Zuri Akoko The Possé Purple Sneakers DJs Cliques B2B Preacha Stoney Roads DJs Sydney Pony Club Rimbombo Fergus Sweetland Piecey Siberia DJs Ben Drayton Andy Garvey Lovebombs Kali T-Syd Adrian E Jon Watts Noise in my Head Sea Breeze Lauren Hansom b2b Khan Mira Boru 2016 FBi Dance Class DJs + many more… MoVement will return to Sydney from Wednesday, October 18 till Sunday, October 23. For more information, visit movementsydney.com. Image: MoVement Sydney 2015.
Getting comfy on the couch is nothing new for avid readers. Staying in to attend Brisbane Writers Festival is, though. Like many other events in 2020, the annual celebration of all things literary is going virtual this year, serving up a week-long celebration of the written word that's being delivered digitally. Called Brisbane Writers Festival 2020: Room to Dream, the fest runs from Monday, August 31–Sunday, September 6, with seven events on the agenda. Each day, two artists will respond to the theme as part of a call and response-style presentation that's available to watch via the BWF website. Also, checking out their readings, poetry, art and dance is completely free. First up is poet Alison Whittaker and dancer and choreographer Katina Olsen, offering up a piece that's being described as "a fusion of feelings". Also on the bill: Vietnamese Australian author Vivian Pham's words brought to life with artworks by Vietnamese illustrator Camelia Pham; a collaboration between award-winning novelist James Bradley and writer and video game enthusiast Shastra Deo; and real-life partners Chris Flynn (author of Mammoth) and Eirian Chapman (an illustrator). The list goes on, which is reason enough to tune in each day — and to get your BWF fix before it returns as a physical event from May 7–9, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLEw15OmF0M&feature=emb_logo Brisbane Writers Festival 2020: Room to Dream runs from Monday, August 31–Sunday, September 6 via the BWF website.
UPDATE: MARCH 16, 2020 — The Other Art Fair has decided to postpone its upcoming Sydney fair 'in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation'. New dates are yet to be announced, but we'll be sure to keep you updated. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. If you're staring at that blank space on your bedroom wall and feeling uninspired, fret not. The Other Art Fair returns this March. The celebrated global event returns to Sydney for the seventh time on the weekend of March 19–22. The fair will showcase a lively collection of emerging artists in the stimulating surrounds of The Cutaway in Barangaroo. Presented by Saatchi Art, this year's fair is bigger than ever before. The creative works of more than 130 carefully chosen artists, each selected by a prominent panel of art industry experts, will be up for sale. From the ornate to the inexpensive, The Other Art Fair 2020 offers thousands of artworks starting at as little as $100. Plus, all of the artists will be on-site, so you can chat with them and hear the stories behind your chosen piece. The vast four-day event is complemented by an eclectic array of art activations, hand-poked tattooing, workshops and immersive performances, plus street food and DJ sets. Make a party out of it by attending on opening night ($35), or stop by for a general browse between Friday to Sunday — general entry tickets cost $20 online or $30 on the door.
A Sydney institution, White Rabbit Gallery has been running free exhibitions showcasing contemporary Chinese art for over a decade. From exhibitions focusing on all things luminous to deep dives into the art of storytelling, the White Rabbit team continues to wow Sydneysiders with thought-provoking collections. The Chippendale favourite's latest, I Am the People, is running until November, and examines the relationship between class and modern China. The vibrant exhibition prods at the current social dynamics of the global superpower, providing perspectives on topics like the relationship between urban and rural communities, the history of the working class and the future of the country. While these may seem like some rather big topics to be examining, the power of White Rabbit's curation is its fondness for pieces that are visually striking while getting attendees pondering. Colourful LED collages, otherworldly paintings, wool rug portraits, Xinjiang cowboys and intricate steel sculptures: you'll run into all of them as you venture around I Am the People. If you want to soak in some free art, White Rabbit Gallery is open 10am–5pm Wednesday–Sunday. You can also turn the trip into a real double-header by placing your name into the ballot to score tickets to Phoenix Central Park, the gallery's neighbouring concert venue. The upcoming free season at this intimate hall features a range of experimental performances including an appearance from acclaimed UK producer Actress. Images: Hamish McIntosh.
Sydney's set to say goodbye to yet another iconic live music venue — though this time, thankfully, the farewell's only temporary. The team behind Liverpool Street's Hudson Ballroom has taken to Facebook to announce the venue will close its doors this month, as it undergoes some hefty renovations. It's revealed that when the current owners first took over the former Goodgod Small Club site, building restrictions kept them from giving it the upgrade it really deserved. Two and a half years on and this long-planned revamp has finally been given the go-ahead. But Hudson Ballroom's not going out without a bang, saying thank you to all of its supporters with a huge closing party this Saturday, April 28. The Wrecking (Hud)Ball 'Closing For Renos' Party will feature sets from some of the venue's DJ regulars, with the likes of SZASZ, WHO and Hex Pest taking over the front room for a session of hip hop and party tunes. The Sidechain DJs will be working their magic in the back room, while the bar slims down by offering $6 house spirits, $6 beers and $10 top-shelf booze. Best of all, entry's just $5. No word yet on how long Hudson Ballroom will be closed, but we'll keep you in the loop as we learn more. We're banking on a pretty big return party once the venue's up and running.' Image: Hudson Ballroom via Facebook.
Juliette Binoche stars as an actress adapting to the expectations of her age, Kristen Stewart argues the merits of mainstream entertainment, and Chloë Grace Moretz arrives as the next big thing. In Clouds of Sils Maria, art may appear to imitate life — and it does, and it knows it — but there's more to Olivier Assayas' film than that. Much more. Binoche plays Maria Enders, a screen veteran who first came to fame in the play Maloja Snake by Wilhelm Melchior. Twenty years later, she's poised to pay tribute to the writer and director at an event in Zurich; however, mid trip, news arrives of his death. Supported by her assistant, Valentine (Stewart), she reluctantly agrees to participate in a new staging of Melchior's production, co-starring rising starlet Jo-Ann Ellis (Moretz). Once Maria was the hot young ingénue of the piece; now she's the obsessed older woman. The film may spend much of its time in the titular region — one known, yes, for cloud formations that weave through the mountains like a serpent — yet where Clouds of Sils Maria clearly resides is in the space between then and now in the abstract sense. The past and the present clash furiously before Maria's eyes, as she copes not only with her friend's passing but with saying goodbye to her youth. In scenes between Binoche and Stewart, this couldn't be more apparent, even though the latter is her employee rather than her rival. As Valentine helps Maria run her lines, as they argue over whether Maria should do the play, and as they debate the state of modern filmmaking, they're discussing the gap between the old and the new over and over again. Their interplay also mirrors the tension at the heart of Maloja Snake in its power struggles, its flitting between closeness and distance, and its undercurrent of yearning. Clouds of Sils Maria is a conversation-heavy movie, and not all of that conversation works, particularly anything that stems from the play (the dissections of the material within the material are much more effective). Instead, it is savvy casting that helps Assayas' point come across, and not just in reflecting Binoche, Stewart and Moretz's off-screen realities, but in their talents. The savviest stroke of casting, and the film's best performance, belongs to Stewart. She won a César Award for her role — and became the first American actress to do so in the process. It's not that the Twilight star is a revelation, more that her skills are just so perfectly suited to the part. When the camera isn't focusing on the film's three leading ladies, it has plenty of location eye candy to rove over, and rove it does. Assayas creeps and sweeps through the setting just like the clouds lingering above, the frame — and the feature — always seeming like it is floating. Perhaps that's why Clouds of Sils Maria feels like it washes over the viewer, instead of just being watched. As it uses nature to comment on authenticity and well-known stars to comment on celebrity, perhaps that's why it also feels immersive yet just out of reach, as well.
Out of the supergroups and celebrity collaborations that have popped up recently, I think The Dead Weather are making the best music. They are on the other end of the scale from Them Crooked Vultures which is just an excuse for Dave Grohl and Josh Homme to be teenagers again and think they've joined Led Zeppelin, whilst sounding like a mediocre and undercooked Queens Of The Stone Age. The DW concoct rock with bits of blues and sprinkles of hip hop, with a swagger and a don't fuck with us attitude courtesy of Jack White and Alison Mosshart (The Kills). Their album Horehound and the band itself are holding their own, with bouncy yet dark tunes that don't plageurise any of their individual main projects. With Jack White once again flexing his musical muscle, this time behind the kit, the guys have drummed up some serious love in the year since they revealed their band and the songs must be flooding out, with talk of a second album already in the works. They have announced a tour of The Pacific Rim and Australia is included, meaning they will be on stage at The Enmore soon. *New club show at Oxford Art Factory on Saturday 27 March just announced! Tickets on sale 9am Friday 26 March.*
There's a new ladies night in town, but it's a far cry from the sessions of budget bubbly and trashy tunes you've encountered elsewhere. Instead, Camperdown's Lady Hampshire is launching a monthly pub session sans-stereotypes, promising a safe, fun and inclusive space for all female-identifying and non-cis bodies. Proudly dubbed See You Next Tuesday (it runs the second Tuesday of each month), the event taps into the pub's laidback vibe, yet offers a program of kickass, female-friendly activities to boot. We're talking things like beer yoga, dancehall classes, clothes swaps and drives for local women's shelters, intergenerational trivia and workshops with the likes of cake queen Katherine Sabbath. After a successful launch in November, the second party will celebrate all things chicks and Christmas (Chixmas, geddit?) on Tuesday, December 12. This time round comedian Gen Fricker will be on the mic, Love Actually will be playing on the courtyard big screen, DJs will keep things moving and a lip sync battle will go down at some point. The SYNT Christmas special will also see a lineup of free Jameson cocktails and Frank Strongs boozy lemonade, and tacos will go for two for $10. The gloriously named Vadge Draw will be back too — $5 will get you entry into the monthly prize pool and your very own bronze clam keyring. Image: Steven Woodburn.
The Australian Centre for Photography’s Winter Season brings together three artists who paint, perform and sculpt, but emphasises the photographic element in their work. Terry Burrows presents Banaras Backs, an exhibition of enormous photographic prints handpicked from his 1008-strong collection, The Banaras Back Book. Over the course of a five-month residency in India, Burrows created a visual essay capturing individuals staring out at the River Ganges in Varanasi (Baranas). The photos were all taken from behind, and cut across time, religion, class and caste. Rodney Pople’s exhibition, Lie of the Land, places the viewer face to face with species on the verge of extinction. Pople spent time in Kenya capturing close-up portraits of animals, and has built on his photographs with multiple layers of paint and spontaneous brushstrokes. He explores our fascination with the wild along with our desire to domesticate and control. Hiromi Tango’s Dust Storm blends photography, video, performance and sculpture to explore personal despondency. Viewers are immersed in colour and light, becoming part of Tango’s interest in art’s potential for therapy. The experience is at once disturbing and uplifting.
With the Amanda Palmer whirlwind freshly passed through town, another ex-label rocker turned successful, self-produced artist is coming to Sydney to fill our stage with sound. Having shot to fame with the Commotions, Lloyd Cole is touring Small Ensemble —the name of his new album and band. Cole has climbed and descended the heights of rock stardom, and he now finds himself in the same thrilling, awkward commercial space as Palmer. Having been eighties Polydor stardom, he runs his CD inventory from a spare room and raises his production funds through preorders. Although the Small Ensemble is acoustic, they're no less electric for that. The new album has a few Commotions tracks like Four Flights Up and Perfect Skin, but most of the songs have a mellower rhythm. Matt Cullen and Mark Schwaber join Cole to make up the group, and they're joined in Sydney by Fred Maher and ex-Commotions keyboardist Blair Cowan. Cole himself has learned web-coding, travel writing and accountancy to keep his show on the road — not to mention his new musical groove. But the only skill you'll need to get in on his act is finding yourself a ticket. Image by Paul Shoul.
Black suits, black shades, futuristic weaponry and plenty of aliens: the Men in Black are back. Because film franchises never die — they just get revamped/remade/rebooted/reimagined — the sci-fi series is releasing its fourth instalment. It's a spin-off, and it features a brand new cast. In Men in Black: International, Thor Ragnarok co-stars Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson step into the outfits originally made famous by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. The Aussie star plays Agent H, while Thompson plays agent M, a newcomer who nabs a job after tracking down the secretive organisation. Helping them with their London-based efforts are Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson, who are also donning the requisite attire. Two (unrelated) Thompsons are better than one, clearly, and, when it comes to Neeson, why not? Directed by Straight Outta Compton and The Fate of the Furious' F. Gary Gray, Men in Black: International arrives 22 years after the original flick (and the original theme tune that you now have stuck in your head). It follows the new agents as they not only try to keep watch over the world, but attempt to track down a mole inside the Men in Black. If it wipes the franchise's rather average Men in Black II and Men in Black III out of our memories, it'll achieve something. Men in Black: International opens in Australian cinemas on June 13, 2019 — check out the trailer below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gexS_FVXdhk&feature=youtu.be
With Game of Thrones ending its run this year, there's currently a huge fantasy-shaped hole in the TV and streaming landscape. Of course, the beloved show will go on thanks to its own prequel; however plenty of networks and platforms are trying their hands at the genre in the interim — and giving television buffs plenty to watch. Amazon is hoping to fill the gap with its forthcoming Lord of the Rings series, although it isn't due until 2021. HBO's next contender will arrive sooner, courtesy of its adaptation of His Dark Materials. And, while Netflix already has its Dark Crystal prequel launching in August, it'll soon drop new series The Witcher as well. An exact date for the latter hasn't been announced, but the Henry Cavill-starring show has just unveiled its first trailer at San Diego Comic-Con. The witcher of the title is Geralt of Rivia (Cavill, sporting long blonde locks), a monster hunter who prefers to work — aka slay beasts — alone. But life has other plans for the lone wolf, forcing him to cross paths with powerful sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra, Netflix's Wanderlust) and young princess Ciri (newcomer Freya Allan). The latter harbours a secret, because of course she does, with the series blending plenty of fantasy staples such as magic, royalty, fighting factions, battling hordes, fearsome creatures, a heap of sword-swinging and many a scenic location. After stepping into Superman's shoes and facing off against Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible — Fallout, The Witcher marks Cavill's return to TV a decade after starring in regal period drama The Tudors. Behind-the-scenes, the show's eight-part first season is created, executive produced and co-scripted by Lauren Schmidt, who has everything from The West Wing, Parenthood and Power to Daredevil, The Defenders and The Umbrella Academy to her name. If the series' name sounds familiar, that's because The Witcher is based on the short stories and novels of writer Andrzej Sapkowski — and, as well as being turned into comics, it was adapted the video game series of the same name. A Polish film and TV show also reached screens back in the early 2000s, although they were poorly received. Check out the trailer for Netflix's The Witcher below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSqi-8kAMmM The Witcher will hit Netflix sometime later this year. We'll keep you updated with a release date when we have one.
Chinese Noodle House has long been dishing out some of Sydney's best dumplings. Expect to queue, but be well-rewarded for your patience. This steamed and pan-fried goodness comes in mountainous portions and every parcel is handmade. Don't expect fawning service and beautiful surroundings — the beauty of this Sydney classic lies in its easy, unfussy vibe (and those grapes on the roof). Think straightforward waiters, plastic chairs, very little personal space and no EFTPOS. Chinese tea is free though. Eat until you can eat no more — you'll still be surprised at how low the bill is. Image: @lemonpiy via Instagram.
The brainchild of cosmic Melbourne trio Midnight Juggernauts, Siberia Records plays host to a swag of electronically-grounded, eclectic artists worth giving a significant damn about. For their highly-anticipated Vivid label party Siberian Nights they're bringing Mancurian electronic wizard Andy Stott and his formidable bass/vox fusion to The Studio on May 23, alongside Sydney threesome Black Vanilla, Forces, Cassius Select (Guerre), DCM and Four Door. Plus, the Middy Juggs will be jamming as well, bringing their fully immersive experience AERIALS to psych everyone out. To psych you up for Friday's highly anticipated Studio party, the dudes at Siberia have put together a playlist of weird and wonderful offerings; from the charismatic strangeness of Kirin J Calinan to the smooth stylings of Cassius Select. So jump in, bliss out and make the trek to Siberia on Friday night. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rUtZOGP8VCA 1. Alex Cameron — Jumping the Shark "Technically this is an album. But one of my favourites this year. An interesting exploration into the down and out world of show business (see video). Alex was self releasing it on his website for free so we decided to press a small run baby blue vinyl for it. It now sits proudly on my shelf, and hopefully yours too. "He's in London right now where he's been playing a few shows with R. Stevie Moore but will be magically appearing at our Siberia show at Vivid, along with the next character — it's a bit of a secret how they'll actually get there..." https://youtube.com/watch?v=ycK1xMEzQeQ 2. KIRIN J CALLINAN - Constant Craving (feat. Sophia Brous) "Kirin also covered 'Apology Accepted' by The Go Betweens a few years ago. Both great Australian covers in my honest opinion. KD Lang might be Canadian but this version slices and dices her into the Southern Hemisphere. "Like I was saying, Kirin will be present in 'some form' this weekend at the Siberia night however, technically he'll still be in London recording his second album." https://youtube.com/watch?v=s9LYXnII_7Q 3. FORCES - Altered States "A classic Australian electronic track. And band. I fell in love with these guys about four years ago when they did a reworking of another artist we were working with. They hadn't released any original material at that point and then they sent me this track, among others. "We ended up bringing them to Sydney to play at a rave in 2012 in an abandoned room in Hibernia House (that we somehow got the keys to). There's a great photo of them almost getting arrested when the cops came and shut it down. You can find it somewhere online." https://youtube.com/watch?v=OZWmYEUoweg 4. SPK - SLOGUN "These guys were quoted to be the inventors of industrial music by Throbbing Gristle. Little do people know, the beginnings of industrial music actually started in Sydney Australia with SPK. These guys were working at the asylum in Balmain (that is now SCA) and they mention in interviews they were influenced by the sounds they were hearing all day, that bled into their first album. They then went onto actually sampling those sounds in subsequent records. "To me they are a great representation of some of the harshness of Australian music. One of them eventually moved to Hollywood and now creates incredible sound design — he did the soundtrack to The Crow in the 90's. This video has a bit of a history lesson on the group if you're interested. I like the quote in the comments: "This is the result of leaving a 56k modem in the microwave.'" https://youtube.com/watch?v=FtH_6fVLHgk 5. CASSIUS SELECT - Judge / Lock "Lavurn Lee's debut video. I've known this guy for a long time through Guerre and now Black Vanilla. His solo material as Cassius Select is incredible. I find it hard to engage with electronic music sometimes but this is totally immersive. It sets such a strong tone; dark and menacing yet in a strange way euphoric and slinky. It's totally fresh. We've just started doing stuff with him and I think he's got a lot of exciting things coming." Siberian Nights is happening in The Studio on Friday May 23 for Vivid LIVE. More details over here.
Five years in the making, the Art Gallery of NSW's new Sydney Modern Project is finally here, opening its doors to the public on Saturday, December 3. The ambitious four-level, $344-million project is filled with breathtaking works of art. Wonder through the gallery and you'll discover fully immersive exhibition spaces, vibrant works from world-renowned artists, and huge sculptures welcoming you into the building or looking out onto the harbour. The gallery will welcome art lovers in with a hefty free program of events in and around the venue. It's a significant lineup, running until Sunday, December 11 and spanning everything from art and music to talks and performances. For starters, Sydney Modern will be giving Sydneysiders every chance to explore its multi-storey haven of expression with extended opening hours during the nine-day opening program. Whether you're an early riser or a late-night art enthusiast, you'll have more opportunities to check out the gallery as it'll be open from 10am–10pm each day. UK pop star Ellie Goulding will headline a free concert at The Domain on Saturday, December 10, as supported by Meg Mac and Electric Fields. Called Art for All, the show will see the Grammy-winner play opposite AGNSW and is a one-night-only affair, with free tickets available. Spanning the whole length of the celebrations is Art Up, which will see Kamilaroi artist Reko Rennie unleash a stunning sight. He's creating a massive drone show that'll hover over Woolloomooloo Bay every evening, with 400 drones used to animate artworks in the sky over AGNSW and Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. There'll also be a soundtrack to go with it. Conversation series Art Exchange will similarly span the nine days, bringing together artists, creatives and thought leaders from across the globe. Their overall topic: art and culture today, and its current ideas, innovations and struggles. Attendees will be able to hear from Reko Rennie and fellow artists Lisa Reihana, Howie Tsui and Adrián Villar Rojas. Also on the bill: Suhanya Raffel, director of M+ in Hong Kong; chefs Adam Liaw, Christine Manfield, Matt Moran and Clayton Wells; human rights barrister Geoffrey Robertson; and comedian Steven Oliver. The workshop lineup will see artists from Milingimbi Art and Culture centre in northeast Arnhem Land lead the charge, conducting a weaving session that responds to some of Sydney Modern Project's artworks. In the new building's first gallery, the Yiribana Gallery, a series of naturally dyed woven artworks will be on display as part of a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art — which the workshop will tie into. And, the performance roster includes, GABAN by Wiradjuri Nation interdisciplinary artist Brook Andrew; RITUAL from actor, filmmaker and martial artist Maria Tran; and disability-led choreographic work Animate Loading by Riana Head-Toussaint. [caption id="attachment_880678" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of the Dreamhome: Stories of Art and Shelter exhibition in the new building at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, featuring works by Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran © Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Zan Wimberley[/caption]
Among the many challenges that Australians have faced over the past year, our love of travel has been hit hard — including in our own backyard. Domestic border restrictions keep changing with frequency in response to new cases and clusters in different states, meaning that planning a holiday beyond your own city has been more than a little tricky, and looks set to continue that way for the foreseeable future. If you're a New South Wales resident who's keen to take a trip to the Australian Capital Territory, however, some good news has just arrived — for most of the state, that is. Folks who've been to areas classed 'COVID-19 affected' are unable to enter the ACT under its border restrictions, which has included Greater Sydney, the Central Coast and Wollongong in response to the cluster that popped up just before Christmas. Since 3pm on Tuesday, January 12, however, the ACT has reduced the number of NSW spots on its list. The Central Coast and Wollongong are no longer classified as COVID-19 affected areas. Within Greater Sydney, only 11 local government areas remain on the list, too. So, folks who live in or have been to the Blacktown City, Burwood, Canada Bay City, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield City, Inner West, Liverpool City, Northern Beaches, Paramatta City and Strathfield Municipality in the last fortnight are still unable to head to the ACT — but everyone else in NSW can. https://twitter.com/ACTHealth/status/1348840551479713792 The loosened rules cover both ACT residents and non-residents, and will remain in place at least until Tuesday, January 19, when they'll next be assessed. Non ACT-residents who have been in the 11 LGAs still deemed 'COVID-19 affected' are not legally permitted to enter the ACT without applying for exemption, which'll only be given in "extraordinary circumstances". Folks who live in the ACT who fall into the same category can return, but have to fill out an online declaration first, then quarantine at home for 14 days upon arrival. For everyone else in NSW, you can now head to the ACT without a declaration or quarantining. At the time of writing, NSW has reported seven new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours until 8pm on Tuesday, January 12, which includes one local case and six acquired from overseas. For further details about the ACT's border restrictions, head to the territory's COVID-19 hub. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
When Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) returns to the world of fashion, very few people care. In Zoolander 2, the male model finds that everyone has moved on during his 15-year absence; in fact, upon his arrival at the Rome airport with his rival turned best buddy Hansel (Owen Wilson), the paparazzi barely give him a second glance. The dim-witted character's on-screen comeback appears to subvert the film's off-screen reality, given that audiences have been clamouring for a follow-up to Zoolander ever since the 2001 feature became a cult favourite. Alas, it actually proves a sign of things to come, with the sequel rendering its central figure utterly forgettable. The Derek Zoolander of today might still boast shiny hair and his famous facial expressions, but he's now a recluse who gave up his career and son after a tragedy. Only an invitation to sashay down the runway for superstar seamstress Alexanya Atoz (Kristen Wiig) lures him back into the spotlight, though his trip to Italy also thrusts him into the thick of another conspiracy plot. This time, celebrities are dropping like flies, leaving pouting, blue steel-style selfies behind. Enter Interpol fashion division agent Valentina (Penélope Cruz), who needs Derek's help to put an end to the assassinations. Like many sequels, Zoolander 2 knows that viewers liked the first film, and isn't willing to stray far from that winning formula for its second outing. That means not just a similar story, the same levels of sartorial silliness and ample stupid dialogue, but plenty of overt nods to its predecessor. Indeed, spotting the references, repeats and rehashes — a familiar face here, a recycled line there — is perhaps the most enjoyable part of the movie. If you think that's a bad sign, you'd be right. If you think that everything else feels stretched, with countless twists and gags about obvious pop culture targets, you'd be right there too. That sense of déjà vu you're feeling is by design. What sets the two films apart, other than the sequels bloated narrative, is their respective strike rates. Zoolander might've been little more than a collection of exaggerated sketches and quotable dialogue, but at least its jokes landed more often than they didn't, whether skewering the fashion industry or taking aim at society's obsession with superficiality. Here, the recognisable content raises a smile, but attempts to contemplate loyalty, legacy and longevity come across as cheap and easy. Everything else — taking down hipsters, packing in cameo appearances, literally killing off Justin Bieber, and having Hansel date an orgy — falls flat. At least Stiller, as co-writer, director and star, can't be accused of lacking enthusiasm either in front of or behind the lens. Zoolander 2 is left wanting in the surprise and subtlety departments, however it forges ahead with the same energy he brings to his performance. Acting-wise, he's pulling the same faces and hitting the same beats — as is Wilson and scene-stealing fellow returnee Will Ferrell as devious designer Mugatu — but he doesn't seem as strained as the material he's working with. Ultimately though, Stiller's eagerness isn't enough. Just like there's a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking, there should be more to a long-awaited sequel than blatantly reliving past glories.
Unhealthy habits add up. A soft drink here, a packet of potato chips there, week after week. Before you know it, you've got some serious health problems on your hands. For many people, getting healthy and eating clean means swearing off deliciousness altogether — embarking on the monk-like tedium of a broccoli-watercress-brown rice kind of diet. But we all know what happens here — a day or two of self-inflicted torture later, desperate for a modicum of joy, they tear into the nearest packet of chocolate biscuits. And another. Luckily, it doesn't have to be that way. In fact, pendulum-like feasting and fasting is the most ineffective way of kicking a noxious lifestyle. The trick is baby steps. Swap one ingredient for another, one at a time. New Australian delivery service Youfoodz are pros at this, they're delivering healthy versions of your favourite indulgences every night of the week — from fish and chips to raspberry and coconut protein pancakes. And they make sure the substitutes are tasty, so you don't even notice you're going healthy. Here are ten super easy ideas to get you started — that you'll actually want to give a chance. SWAP VEGE OIL FOR COCONUT OIL Shortly after the UN revealed that bacon had graduated to its cancer hit list, vegetable oil took a beating. Leading scientists told us many vege oils, when heated, contain dangerous concentrations of aldehydes — chemicals linked, not only to cancer, but to heart disease and dementia, too. The good news is that coconut oil isn't anywhere near as nasty — in fact, it can help to sort out cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. What's more, it doubles nicely as a moisturiser. SPREAD WITH AVO SMASH RATHER THAN BUTTER Science's many contradictory studies of butter have left us confused as to just how bad — or good — it is. According to the latest research, it's okay in small doses. But you don't want to go lathering everything in it. So smash and spread an avocado instead. This little green powerhouse is packed with goodness, from vitamins and minerals galore to potassium to fibre. Plus, it tastes mighty, mighty fine. ASK FOR BROWN RICE INSTEAD OF WHITE If you don't ask, most restaurants will pile white rice on your plate. But, in most cases, the brown variety is available. Even if it costs you a little extra, it's cheaper than medical bills from long-term health problems. Brown rice is crowded with nutrition that's been stripped from its white equivalent — Youfoodz do brown rice with their Moroccan chicken tagine. With every cup of brown rice, you'll score 80 percent of your daily manganese requirements (great for your nervous system), a burst of antioxidants, stacks of selenum (keeps arthritis away) and loads more healthy things. GO ITALIAN WITH SPAGHETTI SQUASH RATHER THAN PASTA Spaghetti squash looks, feels and even tastes so much like pasta, it's spooky. All you have to do is buy it, season it and bake it in the oven for 40 minutes or so (until it's soft). Scrape out the flesh with a fork and voila! Your pasta substitute is ready to go. Every serve delivers omega-3, omega-6, beta carotene, potassium, antioxidants, vitamin A and vitamin C. SNACK ON AIR-POPPED POPCORN INSTEAD OF POTATO CHIPS There's no doubting the addictiveness of salty, crispy potato chips. But there's even less doubting their detrimental effects. The low nutrition to high calorie ratio makes them a fast track to weight gain. Add to that their generous doses of sodium and saturated fat and you're in sky-high blood pressure territory. One easy way to break your chip-munching habit is by replacing it with an air-popped popcorn routine. You still get all the crispiness and morishness, but without the baddies. DESSERT ON YOGHURT INSTEAD OF ICE CREAM The unhealthiness of your ice cream does, of course, depend on where you're getting it from. Some scoops are chock-full of sugar and additives, while others are made using clean, natural ingredients. Either way, though, your body will thank you for choosing yoghurt instead. That's not any old, sugary yoghurt laden with gelatine and food acids, by the way, but the high-quality, sugar-free gear. If you're craving creamy satisfaction, Greek yoghurt's the way to go. Whichever you choose, find one that's made using old-school, set-in-the-pot methods. EAT PROTEIN BALLS, NOT CHOCOLATE Of all food addictions, chocolate can be the hardest to kick. In fact, one study at Drexel University demonstrated that, for some people, chocoholism inspires similar reactions to those experienced by drug addicts. If feel like your habit is taking over, get it gone by swapping it for protein ball snacking — and variations like Youfoodz's rocky road protein balls will make you forget they're good for you. When you're feeling tired or low, they pack an energy punch, while reducing cravings. TRAIL MIX INSTEAD OF SWEETS Like chocolate, sweets tempt us when our energy levels are sinking. Ignoring cravings altogether is tough — you'll overcome them much more easily by replacing sweets with fruit and nut mix. You'll get the pick-me-up you need, but without a sugar-inspired crash and burn, and with a whole pack of healthy stuff — like magnesium, zinc and fibre. You can even snack on trail mixes made up into bars if you're on the go, like YouFoodz's supa food bar. ADD VANILLA IN PLACE OF SUGAR This one's for the bakers in the house. Biscuits and cakes packed with sugar and fat can be tasty — there's no denying that — but, to get some sweetness without slowly killing your audience, cut back on sugar and add vanilla. You can use extract or, for a really intense flavour boost, try beans. They're pricey, but worth it. DRINK SPARKLING WATER, NOT SOFT DRINKS When the sun's beating down, we often reach for a soft drink, hankering for its cool, effervescent rush and sugary high. But next time you're feeling hot and thirsty, go for sparkling water. You'll get all the refreshment with none of the calories. If plain water doesn't appeal to you, add a dash of sugar-free juice. Lemon is especially effective in summer. Images: Youfoodz, Dollar Photo Club, Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons, Cary Bass-Deschenes (Flickr).
Last spring, the inaugural Great Southern Nights saw more than 1000 gigs take place across 300 NSW venues. This push to return to live music managed to see COVID-safe gigs take place from bustling underground venues in the Sydney CBD, to vast amphitheatres in rural towns. Now, a 2022 edition of Great Southern Nights has just been announced and will hopefully see us all returning to catching our favourite local bands live. This time around, the gigs will be popping up throughout March and April and the first six artists have been announced. Indie pop sensation Amy Shark, Yolngu rapper Baker Boy and DJ duo Peking Duk will join Australian music royalty Jimmy Barnes, Missy Higgins and Jessica Mauboy on the lineup, with a heap more artists set to be announced soon. Last year saw more than 75,000 tickets sold across the 1100 gigs. "Great Southern Nights was designed with COVID-safety in mind, supporting shows of all sizes, in all kinds of live music venues, and giving the industry a leg up to get back to work," Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said. [caption id="attachment_797489" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] The NSW Government is hoping the return of this initiative alongside its recent live music and arts support package will help the industry recover from what has been a disastrous 18 months. "The NSW Government has delivered a range of support measures to businesses and individuals to lessen the impact of the latest COVID-19 restrictions, and earlier this year we delivered the $24 million Live Music Support Package to 162 venues demonstrating our commitment to the sector," said Ayres. If you run a venue and you want to apply to be part of Great Southern Nights you can do so via its website before Friday, October 8. Great Southern Nights 2022 will run from Friday, March 18 until Sunday, April 10 throughout NSW.
The 2014 Sydney Festival is almost upon us and Carriageworks' offering is shaping up to be one of the highlights. Sydney's cultural stalwart will present Chance, a large-scale installation by French superstar artist Christian Boltanski. The industrial-looking work is made up of scaffolding throughout which images of newborn babies will be woven. Visitors will be able to move throughout the enormous structure — it will be over 50 metres long and 8 metres tall — as the images slide through the scaffolding like a giant newspaper press. Two large clocks will be placed within the installation, charting births and deaths as they happen in real-time. At midnight, the clocks will summarise the final count of births and deaths for that day. Chance eloquently examines memory, loss and the fragile human condition. The work centres around the idea that, from conception to expiration, chance plays a defining roll in how our lives play out. The site-specific work will be accompanied by a game. Casino slot-machine type devices will be presented in a few places around Carriageworks. When you press a button, the machine will present spliced images of various faces. On occasions where the various images match up, the lucky visitor will receive a prize. This mega installation will be the first major work the artist has ever presented in Australia and will respond to the architecture and massive open spaces of the Carriageworks building. The "poet advocate for the dispossessed" is one of the major players in the international art scene and his works reside in many of the world's best collections of Contemporary art. The installation will also be accompanied by a talk on Thursday, January 9, 6pm, between Boltanski and uber art critic Dr Andrew Frost. The talk is free, but bookings are essential. See the Carriageworks website for details. Image: Christian Boltanski, Chance. Image courtesy of Carriageworks.
Sundays just got a whole lot better — especially for those in close proximity to beloved Rushcutters Bay ramen joint Bones Ramen. For our money, Bones is one of the best ramen spots in Sydney (and also one of Sydney's best Japanese restaurants), and the team is hosting its first-ever month-long celebration dedicated to noodles led by Bones Ramen's Head Chef, Jake Riwaka. To celebrate the humble noodle, a series of acclaimed chefs will be taking over the menu with their noodle-starring dishes. Every Sunday from 5pm to 9pm, you'll be able to indulge in these exclusive creations alongside any snacks and sides that the chef chooses to pair with them. Sounds good? Here's a sneak peak: Expect to see the likes of glazed duck breast, scotch egg, poached oyster and pork jowl starring in these limited-time offerings. [caption id="attachment_927321" align="alignnone" width="1920"] (Chef Tristan Rosier pictured.)[/caption] Kicking off Sunday, November 26, Tristan Rosier (Arthur, Jane) will be dishing up a noodle-centric dish with a twist of his own. To follow, Nik Hill of Porcine will take over the guest menu on December 3; then Billy Hannigan (The Charles Grand Brasserie, Tiva) is taking the reins on December 10 with an inventive creation of his own. Finally, on Sunday, December 17, Dan Johnston and Danny Guthrie from Fontana will be on deck at Bones to showcase their collaborative effort. Plus, Brandy Martignago and Dylan Spowart from Dulcies will be shaking up the drinks offering with a mix of boozy sips available each week — all of which will be curated to complement the limited-edition dishes. These noodle nights are strictly walk-in only, so you'll want to head in quickly to secure your bowl of noodle-starring goodness. Head over to the Bones Ramen Instagram page for event updates.
If you're going to start a brunch club, you may as well do it in style — and with an event that's basically the real-life equivalent of a Venn diagram mapping everyone's favourite things. Where springtime hangouts, cruising the scenic seas, sipping free-flowing Champagne and eating brunch all combine, that's where you'll find this aptly named Bottomless Brunch on Sydney Harbour. On Saturday, September 22 and Sunday, September 23, attendees will be picked up from Woolloomooloo's Finger Wharf at 10am, then board a vessel for a meal by The Blonde Butler, tunes by Dan Rowntree and — of course — two-and-a-half hours of unlimited Moët & Chandon Ice Imperial Champagne. You'll get a glass to enjoy upon arrival, too, before hopping on the boat from 10.30am–1pm. When you return to the dock, you'll then be headed for a party on a yet-to-be-disclosed Woolloomooloo rooftop. Tickets will set you back $150 per person, so consider this your indulgent way to welcome the sunny season. Those keen to attend can book their spots online from 5pm on Sunday, August 26.
The first rule of making a movie about a high-school lesbian fight club is that there are no rules, other than embracing the concept and giving it your all. So punches Bottoms, a film where the gleefully cartoonish energy is always as important as the plot, and a feature that knows it's entering a big-screen ring that wouldn't even exist if Heathers, Clueless, Bring It On, Mean Girls, But I'm a Cheerleader, Easy A and Booksmart hadn't hopped over the ropes first. Three years after Shiva Baby, writer/director Emma Seligman and actor Rachel Sennott (Bodies Bodies Bodies) reunite, with the pair collaborating on the script this time around. Also crucial: bringing in The Bear's Ayo Edebiri, a friend from the duo's student days, to co-star. In a picture that values being stronger together, Seligman, Sennott and Edebiri make a knockout team. Bottoms' vibe could only spring from IRL pals, too, playing it loose and ridiculous like this crew is simply hanging out. The setup: Sennott and Edebiri are PJ and Josie, who return to Rockbridge Falls High School after summer break keen to finally turn their love for popular cheerleaders Isabel (Havana Rose Liu, No Exit) and Brittany (Kaia Gerber, Babylon) into sex and romance. The best friends know that their social standing is anything but high — "gay, untalented and ugly" is how they describe themselves — but two queer girls can dream that this is their moment, then do their utmost to make their fantasies a reality. So, when the semester starts with PJ and Josie still stuck as outcasts, they conjure up a plan. Their gymnasium-based group is officially known as a women's self-defense class and is sold to their teachers as an act of female solidarity; however, no matter what they tell the principal (Wayne Pére, Your Honor), as well as the history teacher (Marshawn Lynch, Westworld) that they convince to be their advisor, there's really only one aim: not feminism and support, but getting laid. The initial mission of PJ and Josie's new extra-curricular obsession is scoring Isabel and Brittany's attention, then. The second: keeping up its founders' new tough rep. In that desperate-to-impress way that every awkward, anxious teen has, Bottoms' protagonists aren't above saying whatever they think will make them look cooler to the objects of their affection. So, PJ and Josie have a rumour that they went to juvie to uphold as long as they think that Isabel and Brittany care. Thanks to an accidental carpark altercation with star quarterback Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine, Red, White & Royal Blue), they also have form throwing around their might — or so they're happy to let their classmates think. Two things neither counts on, though: their gambit proving a hit with other campus outsiders such as Hazel (Ruby Cruz, Mare of Easttown) and, blow by blow, the group actually bringing its members together. Bottoms' premise is pure inspiration, switching out the usual Can't Hardly Wait-, American Pie- and Superbad-esque pining boys lovesick over long-term crushes or just yearning losing their virginity in general, taking Fight Club to high school, and getting sillier and more surreal than teen comedies normally dare. Bottoms as a movie also demonstrates Seligman's knack for her chosen genre at opposite ends of the spectrum — because the filmmaker's sharp and layered cringe-inducing debut feature is in a whole other comic clique to her sophomore effort. Cue subversion with plenty to say and off-kilter absurdity combined, especially in interrogating allyship. Cue a willingness to go for broke with weird, warped and wild swings as well. And, cue a film that's always doing what PJ and Josie themselves are to score their dream dates: relentlessly trying. The characters go with throwdowns in an endeavour to aid their horny hopes, while the flick itself opts for an everything-it-can-throw-in audacity. Tonal ducks, bobs and weaves are part of the Bottoms experience, unsurprisingly — and not every gag, line, goof, throwaway, swerve and drop of Wet Hot American Summer-style energy works. Accordingly, rivalries within Rockbridge Falls High and with another school, plus attempts to get serious, aren't always a bullseye. But Seligman and Sennott's devotion to their first rule means that a flat joke, piece of dialogue, idea or moment doesn't last long, then something else enters the comedic fray with gusto. The ping-ponging from Avril Lavigne's 'Complicated' to Bonnie Tyler's 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' amid a score co-composed by Charli XCX illustrates much about that bouncing-around relish. So does the script's contentedness to keep most of its on-screen figures as stock types not out of laziness, but to heighten the idiosyncrasies splashed around, insecurities examined and impact of the chaos around them. There's nothing standard about Sennott and Edebiri, not that Bottoms tells viewers anything that they don't already know from each actor's past work. The respective The Idol and Theater Camp talents previously collaborated on 2020's three-episode Comedy Central miniseries Ayo and Rachel Are Single, also pondering affairs of the heart — modern dating, to be specific, and also hilariously. The lived-in air that they bring to PJ and Josie's friendship isn't just an act, then. In fact, it's what every bit, jab, OTT jump and heartfelt emotion relies on. Sennott does charmingly forceful and unconstrained like she's breathing for it, while Edebiri has already shown how stellar she is at reacting on The Bear. Together, whether taking turns monologuing or diving into a bloodbath, they're unhinged magic. Also excellent: the supporting cast, from Gerber and Galitzine to Cruz and Lynch. The first makes good on casting a supermodel — and daughter of a supermodel, thanks to mum Cindy Crawford, who she couldn't more resemble — as the epitome of hotness, and makes her part shrewdly amusing. The second does the vain and overly dramatic himbo role to perfection. Cruz screams to be cast alongside Aubrey Plaza (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) in a future project, and Lynch is progressing well on the Carl Weathers (The Mandalorian)- and Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)-led path of NFL players who've become actors. If one of the key tenets of any association, fists flying or not, is to have the best members, then Bottoms rises to the top while having a helluva raucously entertaining time.
It's that time of year again — the City of Sydney is putting 1000 trees up for grabs. For free. Over 13,000 trees have been planted since 2005, with the inner city area home to over 44,000 trees across its streets, parks and city properties. The City of Sydney is inviting locals down to Sydney Park from 10am on Saturday, March 30 as a way to encourage residents to help reach the government target to increase the urban canopy by 50 percent by 2030. There will be small species like hibiscus right through to 15-metre-tall jacaranda trees, and food-bearing types like lemon, lime and pistachio trees. Enjoy a sausage sizzle while you peruse the freebies, chat to clued-up staff and choose which ones to adopt. To prep, check out the website for the tree species that will be available on the day, along with caring instructions. If you're an inner city slicker and don't have a backyard, no wukkas — balcony horticulturists can use this tip sheet for growing trees in pots.
Hitting December means we’ve officially hit the silly season, which in turn switches on the green light for some serious sweat-soaked partying. Now, you could take the 'pace yourself' route, sticking with sensible diets, 'just the one drink tonight' and 'nothing on a school night' rules. Alternatively, you can just bust right into it, umbrellas in cocktails blazing. We suggest you cross December 1st off your calendar with a bang. Little Hero presents Kamikaze Surf Hoedown, a night of loud music and louder costumes. Turn up in your ‘Surfabilly’ finest (straw hat? Novelty shirt?) and enjoy the live summer twang of bands Richard In Your Mind, Belles Will Ring and Atom Bombs. Plus Spod, Conrad (RIYM), Yo Grito! and Ray (Little Hero) will be hitting the decks throughout the night. With one month of the year left, let’s squeeze every last drop out of it.
As anyone who's seen the doco Amy knows, during Amy Winehouse's troubled final years, the media was excruciatingly obsessed with her drug and alcohol issues. But, a new exhibition, arriving in Melbourne later this year, is bringing us another perspective. Titled Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait, the show covers four concepts: faith, fashion, music and London life. Expect to see loads of never-before-seen-in-public objects, such as family photos, dresses (including the dazzling Luella Bartley number that Winehouse wore at Glastonbury 2008), cookbooks, stories, records and musical instruments. Acting as soundtrack will be a mixtape Winehouse put together at the age of 13. The exhibition was conceived and curated by Amy's brother, Alex, and sister-in-law, Riva, in collaboration with the Jewish Museum of London. Since premiering in London in 2013, it's travelled to San Francisco, Vienna, Tel Aviv and Amsterdam, and, right now, it's at the London museum, Camden. Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait arrives at the Jewish Museum of Australia, St Kilda, on October 22 and will show until March 22, 2018. Via The Age. Image: Amy.
There's an old Chinese saying: 'Good things come in pairs'. With the exception of tinnitus and earwax, this is largely true. Just think of shoes, poached eggs at a cafe, Wayne's World, toasted crumpets, the seventh Harry Potter film, the original and the remix of the Bedroom Intruder video — and Gotye concerts at August's Graphic Festival. Gotye (aka Wouter De Backer or Wally) has just announced a second show to follow his sold-out one on August 20, which as far as good things go, ranks pretty highly. Wally is a jack-of-all-trades and a master of, well, all — whether it's singing, songwriting, producing, being a one-man band or traversing an array of sonic landscapes. Gotye: An Animated Album Preview promises to be no less varied or enterprising. For the first performance of his third album, Making Mirrors, he'll be joined on stage by a 10-piece mini orchestra and will set the score to original visuals by some of Australia's top animators, including Rubber House, Lucinda Schreiber, Mechanical Apple and pictureDRIFT. The only problem with Gotye's previous videos is that they're as short as they are catchy, so news of a second chance at witnessing this hour-plus audiovisual extravaganza makes us more excited than a nice pair of cosy socks. Get in quick though — tickets are sure to be even hotter than the second Franco brother. Okay, we'll stop now... https://youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY
As announced back in April, 2022's Biennale of Sydney will focus on bodies of water, all under the theme Rīvus — which means 'stream' in Latin. But when the citywide event unleashes its 23rd program, it won't be bringing its H2O-centric artworks to one of its usual venues. Water might be on everyone's mind at the Biennale, but Cockatoo Island and its ocean surroundings aren't being called upon this time around. Instead, the Biennale of Sydney 2022 has unveiled a list of exhibition venues that includes the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Circular Quay, Information + Cultural Exchange, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, National Art School in partnership with Artspace, The Rocks and Walsh Bay Arts Precinct including Pier 2/3. And, as also revealed earlier in the year, it'll still have a big presence by the harbour — setting up shop at The Cutaway at Barangaroo Reserve for the first time instead. The full program won't be announced until February, if you're wondering what'll be catching your eye at all these spots. But the Biennale's Curatorium — which includes Artistic Director José Roca, Art Gallery of New South Wales Head of Learning and Participation Paschal Daantos Berry, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia curator Anna Davis, Information and Cultural Exchange First Nations programs producer Hannah Donnelly and Artspace curator Talia Linz — has provided a few sneak peeks. A big drawcard: The Waterhouse, the event's big public program that'll be filled with talks and experiences. So, you'll be able to take self-guided walks as part of a series called Space In-Between, which'll also include site-specific exercises created at a number of the Biennale's venues by Roca, Julie Gough, Pablo Helguera, Astrida Neminas, Hanna Tuulikki and Tais Rose Wae. This includes mindful walking, where you'll pay particular attention to the surrounding landscape — and, in great news for wheelchair users and users of other mobility devices, the series will be fully accessible. [caption id="attachment_750113" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Liam Cameron[/caption] Also on the bill: Building Blocks, where you'll be able to learn more about art-making processes and the working methods behind them. A three-hour experience featuring Arts for the Commons, Cave Urban, Paula de Solminihac, Clare Milledge and Diana Scherer, it'll include a communal meal where everyone will be encouraged to share water stories together. Then there's Gesture — with artists Angie Goto and Sue Jo Wright, who are deaf, guiding audiences through the exhibition purely by using their bodies to draw attention to artworks, spaces and everyone taking part. Plus, two-day symposium River Conversations will get people talking about water — with attendees travelling down the Parramatta River on the first day, and spending the second at Barangaroo. The lineup has been curated in collaboration with water law and policy specialist Erin O'Donnell and legal anthropologist Alessandro Pelizzon, and will feature local and international First Nations voices such as Badger Bates, D Harding, Justice Md Ashraful Kamal, Bradley Moggridge, Dr Anne Poelina and Leanne Tobin. As for who else is taking part across the three-month-long event, the Biennale also revealed its first roster of 59 participants earlier in 2021, with the list spanning folks from six continents and 33 countries — complete with a heavy local component — and including artists, designers, architects and scientists. And if it feels like Sydney only just enjoyed the last Biennale, there's a reason for that. After the 2020 event was forced to take an unforeseen break due to the pandemic, it wrapped up later last year than initially planned. The 23rd Biennale of Sydney will run from Saturday, March 12–Monday, June 13, 2022. Entry will be free, as always. We'll keep you posted on the whole artist lineup and exhibition program when it's announced in February. Top image: The Biennale of Sydney's public program participants including (from left) Cave Urban (Sophie Lanigan, Juan Pablo Pinto,Mercurio Alvarado and Jed Long), DavidHaines and Joyce Hinterding and Clare Milledge, pictured with Lleah Smith (centre), Curator ofPrograms and Learning, at The Cutaway, Barangaroo. Photograph: Daniel Boud.
When John Safran was making his comedy/doco program John Safran vs God for SBS in 2004, his segment on Catholicism included a guest spot from South Melbourne Catholic Priest Father Bob Maguire. It was one of the show’s standout moments: the sardonic Father Bob playing off Safran’s nebbish persona like they’d just come off a 30-week Neil Simon run on Broadway. The relationship continued in television and radio, and Father Bob’s increasing media profile led to him to become every non-Catholic’s favourite Catholic: an outspoken priest who seemed unafraid of offending the Church with his opinions. Because of Bob's notoriety, it's not unreasonable to approach this documentary with trepidation. Would the film simply be repeating what we already knew about Bob? Would it be more suitable for a crowd who’d never heard of him? The film does play to an audience unfamiliar with Bob’s extraordinary personality, but even those who are fans of the man will find much to learn here. And it’s actually Safran who goes unexplained throughout the film. He appears sporadically — most satisfactorily as 'Death' in a beachside callback to Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal — without much comment. This is not necessarily a bad thing; enigmatic figures are an underrated tool for fostering audience intrigue. But it's Father Bob who is the star of the show. Filmed over the period during which the Catholic Church was trying to forcibly eject him (deeming him "too old" at age 75), In Bob We Trust documents the opinions and work of a man who seems to understand the fundamental message of Christ better than many of his counterparts. Not only that, but he puts it into practice. His well-fostered grumpy persona is the perfect conduit for what seems to be a genuine frustration at the Catholic Church's attitude towards women, gays, refugees, the poor, etc. He nearly explodes at the idea of having to explain to his superiors why he keeps spending money on the less fortunate. Lynn-Maree Milburn again proves herself a masterful director, following her superb documentary Autoluminescent: Rowland S Howard in 2011. She confidently steps back when the scene demands it but isn’t afraid to ramp up the production values (jump cuts, non-diegetic music and anything that dares to threaten the film’s verisimilitude with artifice) when needed. Father Bob continuously insists that he himself should not be the message, and the film’s central thesis largely bears this out: Bob is presenting to us the reason and the ideal of Catholicism, what it should be and what it could be. He does not particularly wish to be venerated, and the film respects that whilst slyly paying tribute to a man of extraordinary grace, intelligence, wit and compassion.
What a year it's been for Violent Soho. The Brisbane lads' sold-out national tours in July and December went gangbusters, and they've stolen the show at many of Australia’s leading festivals including Splendour in the Grass, Groovin' the Moo and triple j's One Night Stand. They've dominated the Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards, with four nominations — more than any other artist nominated — and two awards for their critically-acclaimed album, Hungry Ghost: Best Independent Album and Best Independent Hard Rock, Heavy or Punk Album. Just this weekend, they've slayed their final festival before Christmas; the foursome headlined Festival of the Sun on Saturday. When we called guitarist James Tidswell to catch up on this year thus far, he's sitting in his backyard eating strewed apple and quinoa, and hanging out with his baby girl who was born in May this year. Bless. But back to the rock and roll stuff — here are five reasons why Violent Soho are a top bunch of blokes for the Australian market. THEY'RE GREAT MATES WITH OTHER BANDS During their Hungry Ghost national tour this past July, Violent Soho played to massive crowds all over the country. While there was plenty of fun to be had on stage, Tidswell was at his happiest watching the support bands do their thing. "I watched every band every night," says Tidswell. "Highlights were Sounds Like Sunset — they opened the Friday Sydney show. Every night Luca Brasi and Smith Street Band ruled. White Walls were awesome. Ceres were awesome. A whole bunch of bands really, they were the highlights." On a side note, the band also loved how rowdy their fans got, even on a school night. "The show in Sydney on the Tuesday night was surprisingly good, I guess that's only because it was a Tuesday and I didn't expect it to go off quite like that, but that was awesome." THEY'RE A DEMOCRACY Violent Soho had the great honour of programming RAGE in August, and the show was inevitably what can only described as rad. The lads included the likes of Frenzal Rhomb, Sandpit, The Drones and Dune Rats on their video playlist. Anyone who has ever tried to compile a party playlist with your mates knows that you can't always get what you want. But it doesn't have to be that way, at least not for the Violent Soho guys. "We got 16 songs each, we just went up and did our own thing," explains Tidswell. "We all chose things for different reasons. I know that Mikey went for videos that you'd want to see late at night, so he chose The Ramones' Pet Cemetery, which has a rad video, and stuff like that. Everyone went for different things." Tidswell chose songs he loves, and thinks you should love too. "I went for songs that I really like and wanted other people to like, or at least hear. I think it was heaps of friend's bands." THEY WOULD RIP A GUMBOOT BONG GIVEN THE CHANCE A couple of truly awesome things happened during Violent Soho's set at Splendour this year. Firstly, bassist Luke Henery's three-year-old son Oscar came out on stage with the band and won the hearts of thousands. Secondly, a dude ripped a gumboot bong. When asked if he would do the same thing if the opportunity ever arose, Tidswell didn’t hesitate with a response. "Ha! Yeah I would! When I saw it I thought it was so cool. I didn't see it happening, I saw the photo later on. What a legend. I'd definitely do that, I think it’s the smartest move." If it's good enough for their fans, it's good enough for Violent Soho. FACT. THEY TAKE IT ALL IN THEIR STRIDE Hungry Ghost was released in the States at the end of September and while the record itself wasn't be harmed, their single 'Covered In Chrome' had to undergo a radio edit for the famous catch cry "Hell Fuck Yeah". Instead of this being a major bummer, Tidswell shrugs it off with ease. "It's just for the radio release. We knew we had to do that anyway. We released a song there in 2010 called 'Muscle Junkie' and the lyrics go 'fuck you fuck you I hate your face' over and over again. We knew you couldn't just put fuck on a song on the radio over there." In other band news, Violent Soho have also completed their second vinyl pressing for Hungry Ghost, which sold out in less than 24 hours. When asked if the widespread appreciation for their third record felt overwhelming, his response is simple. "Yeah. That's the only way to describe it, for sure." THEY JUST NAILED FESTIVAL OF THE SUN The final stop for this year’s festival circuit for Violent Soho was Festival Of The Sun’s 10th anniversary in Port Macquarie. Joined by the Jezabels, Shihad, Dune Rats and Jackie Onassis for the two-day festival, the guys were, true to form, keen to see some music as well as playing it. "There's tons of good bands playing, so that will be good." There's plenty to be happy about playing at Festival Of The Sun according to Tidswell, as he explains, "It’s just in a good area, a real good spot... Good bands, good people in that area, I like it." What's next then? For the rest of the year, Tidswell will continue to enjoy his downtime of hangouts in Brissy, skating, having breakfast in the backyard at 1pm, and hanging out with his little lady. Delightful. Image credits: AP Photography, Stephen Booth.
Since opening its first Sydney restaurant in Darling Harbour one year ago, Betty's Burgers & Concrete Co. has swiftly expanded around town. The team launched in Castle Hill in July and a brand-spankin' new restaurant has just opened in Manly Wharf. In celebration of the Manly Wharf grand opening, the Queensland-born cult burger brand is throwing the Northern Beaches a big ol' bash. The all-ages party will start at noon on Saturday, November 10, with DJs spinning throwback tracks well into the night. A massive fireworks show will kick off at 8.45pm, sparking those fun and infectious celebration vibes. There'll also be beachside games (including free beach balls for children) and a free photo booth inside a Kombi van, so you can take plenty of happy snaps. Of course, Betty's will be slinging its signature burgers and concretes (frozen custard shakes) throughout the festivities — snack on the Angus beef patty paired with a chocolate hazelnut doughnut concrete, the southern-fried chicken burger with a peanut butter thick shake or the crispy fried mushroom variety with a lemon raspberry cheesecake concrete. These combinations may sound crazy, but somehow Betty's makes it work. See you there, burger lovers. The Betty's Burgers Manly Wharf Grand Opening will kick off from midday on Saturday, November 10.
There's one reason to see this movie, and it's name is Sandrissa McBullock (…okay, obviously there are two reasons, but that just doesn't sound as impressive). With its largely plotless script and hammy direction, The Heat is a fine example of how chemistry and quality acting can, on very rare occasions, salvage an otherwise irretrievable wreck. And without Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, that's exactly what this run-of-the-mill buddy cop comedy would have been. What's even more impressive, is that neither of their characters are especially appealing. Somehow, through Bullock's charm and McCarthy's timing, they make the unlikeable altogether likeable. Sticking firmly to cinema's odd-couple formula, Bullock plays a prissy, overly ambitious FBI agent who's paired up with the slobbish, hard-nosed Boston cop (McCarthy) to solve a spate of brutal drug-related murders. After the inevitable 'I don't need a partner' routine, the duo eventually finds some common ground and gets to work combining their wits and wiles to bring down the bad guys. From start to finish it's a movie heavily laden with 'buddy cop' cliches, and the only refreshing shift is that it features two women as its leads. Without ramming it down audiences' throats, the female cop angle would have been a compelling theme to explore in far greater depth than the scratch it gets from "it's tough, as a woman, you know?", and the manifest unpopularity both characters experience with their colleagues would have been an ideal setup to examine the all-too-common hypocrisy of ambition being considered an admirable quality in men yet unattractive in women. Instead, The Heat chooses vulgarity as its battleground for equality, with director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) seemingly determined to prove women can be just as crude and indelicate as their male counterparts. Take language, for example. Before the Sydney screening, Ms Bullock foreshadowed for us the film's fairly liberal application of the word 'fuck', particularly by McCarthy, whose use she estimated in the ballpark of 200 times. Given we're so accustomed to thinking of Bullock as the 'All-American Girl-Next-Door', it was surprisingly jarring to hear her swear at all, and Feig cleverly exploits that reaction throughout the movie. Similarly, Bullock absolutely low-balled her estimate for McCarthy, who more accurately says 'fuck' 200 times just by the end of her opening scene. The Heat is a funny film, far more so than the atrocious trailers might suggest, and its two stars earn five stars for their comedic contribution. For the film itself, maybe...three stars, and I wouldn't rule out a sequel in a year or two if it earns enough at the box office.
Fancy a Tassie wine tasting extravaganza, but can't find the time (or cash) to make the trip? How about a quick hop over to Darlinghurst instead? If you can get there with $65 to spare on Saturday, August 11, you'll be living the Apple Isle dream. That's because one-day wine festival Vin Diemen is coming back to Sydney for a fourth year. Your ticket will get you a take-home wine glass and access to the creations of a whole slew of Tasmanian winemakers, who are crossing the strait to show us what their island is made of. Expect to sample some of the best Pinot Noir in the nation, alongside top-shelf Chardonnay, Riesling and sparkling — cold climate varieties get a better go in Tassie than nearly anywhere else in Oz. And giving the wines the respect they deserve will be a bunch of tasty Tasmanian morsels, including cheeses noms, of course. Tickets are $65 for general admission, and $105 for a VIP ticket which includes an extra hour at the event and a hosted masterclass.
From hotels t0 karaoke bars to surfing carnivals, Australia's dogs can spend their time at a considerable array of welcoming places. And, they can head to their own bakeries and food trucks, eat their own gelato and don their own raincoats, too. Add concerts to the list — and while dog-friendly music festivals are hardly unique, Concert for Dogs doesn't just let humans bring their four-legged friends along. Rather, the show's melodies, frequencies and riffs have been composed specifically for pooches. Eight years after premiering her Music for Dogs piece at the Sydney Opera House, artist and musician Laurie Anderson is heading back to Australia to stage another Concert for Dogs. Taking place on Sunday, June 24 at the Gold Coast's Home of the Arts, the 20-minute show combines low-decibel violin, vocals, keyboards and electronic sounds into a symphony certain to get puppers' tails wagging. Only held a handful of times before — including in Sydney, in New York's Times Square and in Brighton, England — the free event is open to all doggos, although they must play nicely with others and be kept on a leash. For both hounds and humans alike, the concert will be followed by Anderson's Heart of a Dog, her astonishing documentary tribute to her own furry BFF — and to all of dog kind. Anderson is in the country for a number of shows, including a virtual reality experience and a sonic installation at Dark Mofo. On the Gold Coast, she'll become HOTA's artist-in-residence from June 20–24, premiering new music pieces (including Songs from the Bardo, which uses texts from the Tibetan Book of the Dead), presenting multimedia work The Language of the Future, and chatting about stories and language in All the Things I Lost in the Flood. Concert for Dogs takes place at 9am on Sunday, June 24 at the Home of the Arts, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise, while Laurie Anderson's week-long residency spans June 20–24. For more information, visit the Home of the Arts website.
Attend classes, join in storytelling events and get the low-down from some of the best writers around, all without leaving the comfort of your couch. Streaming live from February 11, this year’s Digital Writers' Festival will feature more than 30 online events hosted by a bevy of talented writers from all across Australia and the world. Now in its second year, the 2015 festival will cover a huge array of topics, from coding to video game writing and data journalism to freedom of speech and good sex writing. The Twenty Minute Cities program will let you interact with emerging writers from places like Dublin, Iowa City and Reykjavik, while a special event on White Night will see a group of desperate publishers scrambling to complete a magazine before dawn. Speakers include Lisa Dempster (Melbourne Writers’ Festival), Adam Brereton (Guardian Australia), Paul Verhoeven (ABC3’s Steam Punks) and Michelle Law (Shit Asian Mothers Say). So, whether you’re an aspiring journo, a wannabe novelist or just looking for tips on how to spice up your erotic fan-fiction, visit the DWF website and check out what’s on offer. We Twitter-interviewed festival director Connor Tomas O'Brien about the first DWF in 2014. Read it here.
Chances, you'll smell Maverick before you see it. Tucked away behind a car dealer and Ulladulla Macca's, this isn't just a cafe, but a microroastery, too. Owner and obsessive barista Andrew Gibson worked his way around Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Europe before setting up shop on the South Coast. He knows his beans inside-out, including where to source those that are both ethical and tasty. Sink into a couch in the light-filled industrial space and order your brew of choice — be it a house blend or one of the ever-changing single origins, like the Blue Bianca from Indonesia, which has notes of grapefruit and tobacco. And, in case you're travelling with your best mate, puppaccinos also on the menu. Feeling a bit peckish after your drive? Take your pick of sweet treats – from vegan donuts and hand-crafted chocolates to fresh pastries. Also, back in the centre of town, Maverick has a sibling cafe called The Sunday Life, which is open seven days a week from 6am.
When a band is just starting out, with just one album to its name, you're treated to most — if not all — of it live in the early days. To get the full-record experience again, though, you normally have to wait for big anniversaries. Bloc Party are celebrating two on their 2025 tour of Australia: two decades of the group and the same since their debut album Silent Alarm. Hitting up Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Thursday, July 31–Friday, August 1, Bloc Party will play Silent Alarm from start to finish. 'Banquet', 'Helicopter', 'This Modern Love', 'Like Eating Glass': yes, they'll all be on the setlist on this seven-city trip. The band aren't leaving their other tunes out, though, with the tour featuring not just Silent Alarm's tracks but the group's greatest hits. They do have five other albums to their name, after all: 2007's A Weekend in the City, 2008's Intimacy, 2012's Four, 2016's Hymns and 2022's Alpha Games. If you're a fan, you'll know that it has been more than 20 years since the band first formed, and since the British group scored some hefty approval in 2003 via Franz Ferdinand's lead singer Alex Kaprano — but 20 is a nice round number to commemorate. This makes two Aussie tours in a row now with a point of difference for Bloc Party, after 2023 trip with Interpol. Before that, they last rocked Aussie stages in 2018. Supporting Kele Okereke and company this time are Young The Giant, who'll be playing Australia for the first time in 14 years. Updated: Monday, July 28, 2025. Live images: Bruce Baker via Flickr.
Sydney yacht rock dudes The Holidays have announced a string of huge shows around Australia, following on from their wildly successful album release tour in March. Filling out venues from Sydney's Metro Theatre, Melbourne's Hi-Fi to Brisbane's Alhambra Lounge with hyped up Sydney electronic producer Thief, the threesome will also stop by Newcastle's Bar on the Hill on campus with indie pop maestro Pluto Jonze, Wollongong's Uni Bar with Sydney garage ratbags Step-Panther. The new Groupie Magazine-presented dates coincide with the release of third single 'Tongue Talk', taken from the outfit's super pop-fuelled second album Real Feel. Tickets go on sale this Wednesday 14 May, with more details on The Holidays' Facebook page. THE HOLIDAYS 'TONGUE TALK' TOUR DATES Wed 28 May — Bar on the Hill, Newcastle (with Pluto Jonze). Tickets available from Big Apachee and campus outlets. Thur 5 June — Uni Bar, Wollongong (with Step-Panther). Tickets available from Big Apachee and campus outlets. Fri 13 June — Metro Theatre, Sydney ALL AGES (with Thief). Tickets available from Metro Theatre and Ticketek. Fri 20 June — Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane (with Thief). Tickets available from Alhambra Lounge and Moshtix. Fri 4 July — The Hi-Fi, Melbourne (with Thief). Tickets available from The Hi-Fi and Oztix. https://youtube.com/watch?v=aiHQLvAu2lg
