For screen fiends who spend their winters indoors at their favourite picture palaces, there's one surefire way to know that better weather has hit: the arrival of outdoor cinema season. When Sydney's chillier temperatures give way to sunny days and warm nights, the city's spaces set up plenty of openair big screens showing flicks. One such spot: The Rocks Laneway Cinema. As you might know from past runs, this film-loving pop-up sticks around for half the year, screening movies every Wednesday night — and for free. Across the end of 2023 and beginning of 2024, mark Wednesday, October 4—Wednesday, March 27 in your diary for a date on Atherden Street. Also, get ready for different monthly themes. First up: comedy classics in October, which is where Bridesmaids, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Anchorman and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me come in. Then, November will deliver five films that'll get you singing as part of its music strand: School of Rock, The Sapphires, Almost Famous, Pitch Perfect and Mamma Mia!. While exactly what'll be on the bill from there hasn't yet been unveiled, December will naturally showcase Christmas classics and January will capitalise upon vacation vibes with holiday road trip-inspired titles. Then, February will go with a summer of love focus — again, 'tis the season for it — while March is all about 80s favourites. Laneway Cinema's movies screen from 7pm each week — and although entry is free, bookings are recommended because seating is limited. Heading along also means helping a good cause, with the proceeds from every $2 bag of popcorn sold going to charity. The beneficiary changes monthly, too, with Beyond Blue receiving the funds in October, Support Act in November and the rest of the lineup to come. If you're the kind of cinemagoer that needs snacks and sips, the venues around laneway have plenty to eat and drink on offer. That means making a date with spots such as Caminetto Restaurant, P'Nut Street Noodles, El Camino Cantina and The Mercantile Hotel. Obviously, you'll need your wallet for whatever tempts your tastebuds. Laneway Cinema returns to Atherden Street, The Rocks from Wednesday, October 4, 2023—Wednesday, March 27, 2024 — head to The Rocks' website for free bookings and further details. Images: Anna Kucera / Cassandra Hannagan.
It could be easy to take it personally if you’ve had the kind of life Kutcha Edwards has. Part of the stolen generation, he was separated from his parents from the age of 18 months to 13 years old. He’s struggled with this separation, his aboriginality, racism, drink and drugs throughout his life. But Kutcha’s never been one to take it lying down, and "Get Back Up Again", the first single from his just released third album Blak and Blue, is a testament to his attitude. Facing adversity and bouncing back is a recurring theme for this blues-soul singer, who’s used his life of ups and downs to weave raw, honest and intimate songs about his life, family and culture that have seen him earn a place as one of Australia’s most respected soul singers. A compelling storyteller and a powerful live performer, his music has taken him from ovals in the NT, to sharing a stage with the likes of Paul Kelly. In this show, you can expect a combination of originals and songs which have had meaning and impact, which make up Kutcha's latest album.
Just over a year ago Thee Oh Sees came to Australia to play Melbourne's Sugar Mountain Festival and sell out Sydney's Annandale Hotel. If you a) missed out on a ticket, b) got kicked in the head by a rogue crowd surfer and can't remember most of the show or c) had your eardrums ruptured and couldn't hear most of the show then don't stress, because they're coming back this month. The San Francisco band are known for having a sound that is difficult to pin down and a live performance best described as cacophonous. Frontman John Dwyer has been consumed by music for over 25 years and finds inspiration in everything from Dracula to Donald Duck. How he soaks those up and spits them out in the form of such moshable rock 'n' roll anthems I don't know, but maybe the huge range of and genres he draws from is why these tracks are so raw and harmonious simultaneously. Dig out your lest dad-like earplugs and be wary of flailing limbs, because this is a show you don't want to miss. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZVcnX3B9WsU
Some define summer by sun, sea and sand. Others define it by harbour views, lounge music, cocktails and grazing plates. Lest we forget to mention the champagne. Until 10 March, Moet Ice is presenting the Coast Roof Top Bar. A pop-up champagne bar offering drinks and grazing options, Coast Roof Top offers an evenings good time in decadent surrounds. Think botanical landscaping, crisp white furniture and alfresco dining. On offer is a selection of small and shared plates and a considered drinks and cocktail list. Win. For more information or to book a couch email reservations@rooftopbar.com.au or call 02 9267 6700.
Under her stage name of Cat Power, US musician Chan Marshall has established herself as one of those real rarities in music nowadays — an original. Trying to categorise her music is difficult, especially as it has evolved ever since her debut in 1993. Calling it 'her take on soul' or 'her brand of indie' is unjust since nothing she makes feels try hard — it all feels real. From the sparse, haunting melodic indie of 'Cross Bones Style' to the uplifting blues of 'Lived In Bars' to the discordant R&B of 'Cherokee', Chan is always unmistakably unique. Her 2012 release Sun is her first album of original material in over six years. With increasing onstage confidence (and her notorious onstage meltdowns a thing of the past), Chan's more striking stage presence matches her powerful voice. Seeing her at the Enmore Theatre will be well worth your hard-earned dollars. https://youtube.com/watch?v=PDbPrOuXq2s
Don’t think you’re going bananas when you read the titles of all the works on display by Peter Tyndall at Anna Schwartz. They are all the same. Clearly concerned with the way we process visual art, this critically acclaimed Australian conceptual artist names everything ’A Person Looks At A Work Of ARt/someone looks at something… LOGOS/HA HA. When you think about it, for an artist, naming every artwork the same probably saves as much time as if you and I were to never again ponder what’s for dinner and just eat the same thing every night. Luckily, this career-spanning retrospective is more interesting and diverse than eating takeaway from Thai Me Up seven nights a week. Through 22 December, this is a rare chance to see 20 years of the cryptic images, unidentifiable icons, and text that inform Tyndall, and create his visual aesthetic which is heavy ideas posing as pop art. Image: A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/ someone looks at something..... LOGOS/HA HA 1979-1989- by Peter Tyndall.
The Blake Prize has lost it's religion. It was originally conceived in 1951 as a way to promote religious art in Australia. In this second coming, the $20,000 prize has been born again as a "spiritual" rather than a strictly "religious" prize. Let's face it: in 2012 a prize dedicated to the promotion of Christianity would be a bit anachronistic and, well, uncool. Not only would a Church-y competition ignore the reality of 21st Century, multi-faith, secular Australia, it would also only appeal to a pretty narrow fragment of gallery-goers and artists. This means 2012's Blake Prize isn't what you might expect. The subtext of this year’s show seems to be [blank] is the new God, and artists step in to supply whatever the [blank] is. The [blank] variously and obliquely turns out to be new age spirituality, love, compassion, social justice, the unknown, the mystical, the ecological, the void, the unexplained, the meditative, the secular, the superstitious, the impossible or the agnostic. The Dreamtime, Krishna, the Buddha and Mohammed also get a look in. There's even a work that says social networking is the new religion (Grace Kingston’s Dan #2 from the Grace + Series). Sadly, there's nothing that comes close to 2009's winner, "Rapture" by Angela Mesiti, an exquisitely shot, slow motion silent video of fans in a Big Day Out moshpit. It was a sublime study of devotion and modern hero worship that seemed to make sense with the Blake's new devotional equivalence. This year’s prize has gone to two winners: "Writing on Air - Mantra Triptych" by Eveline Kotai, a two dimensional abstract work described as a “meditative ritual” informed by Buddhism, and "The Threshold" by Fabian Astore, a video work that follows a free-spirited girl running inside a mosque, and uses smoke-like digital effects to suggest an open-ended approach to religious practice. Two winners? Seems a good fit for the prize trying to be all things to all people. Image: "Hope" (2012) by Jane Becker and Sue Saxon. Fairy lights, eggshells and glue.
Chippendale's MOP gallery is currently full of record players, spray painted uniformly black and popping out of the white walls. On one of these walls, in an MTV-style spoof video clip, almost naked women leap around, spray painting more record players and themselves. The show is called Reinhardt Dammn: Burn Rate, and it’s by a Brisbane artist, Scott Redford. For those often confused by the contents of art galleries and their bottomless avenues of interpretation, Scott Redford has a remedy: he’s provided a short, zine-ish publication that more fully explains the ideas behind his work. It’s a welcome effort — after all, the context surrounding an artwork doesn’t just affect the work, it changes what the work is. It turns out Redford's show is stuffed full of ideas but it's difficult to find a coherent stream within his manifesto. The publication, and the show itself, read like an unfinished thought, flitting between the artist's frustrations about the reliance of Australia's art world on government funding, what he sees as the redundant concepts of high and low art and the impact of manic media consumption on contemporary art. As a result, not all the dots are connected and the purpose of the blackened, technologically redundant record players remains a little elusive. What’s most interesting are the zine’s final pages, which contain Redford's application for a grant to the Australia Council (the government art body that funded this exhibition), as well as a previous, unsuccessful application. It's an unusually honest and transparent move. There's a lot going on in Reinhardt Dammn: Burn Rate, but it's still refreshing to see someone unveil the usually opaque machinations of the art world.
Bondi Junction's El Topo Cantina, which has been bringing Mexican fare to the eastern suburbs for a few years now, has expanded. The team has opened a second eatery in Warwick Farm, in Sydney's southwest. As at the original, the menu offers a mix of street food and hearty mains. Executive chef Marc Cartwright learnt his stuff at Quay and Longrain, so you can expect some pretty fancy touches, such as pork belly tacos filled with a crackling that takes three days to prepare. Also among the street food dishes are chorizo and pea croquettes with Sriracha cream and fennel seeds, a coconut-crumbed avocado taco with pico de gallo, radish and chipotle, and loaded nachos — for both carnivores and herbivores. Meanwhile, on the mains list, you'll find roasted barramundi with heirloom tomato, eggplant, zucchini, cumin, Sriracha cream and pea sprouts, as well as slow-braised beef cheek with garlic potatoes, pickled guindilla chilli and chimichurri. As you might guess, the drinks menu is big on tequilas and margaritas. Of the former, there are over 40, including George Clooney's Casamigos, 1800 Coconut and Cazcabel Honey. As far as the latter goes, look out for some unusual concoctions, such as the jalapeño margarita with chilli-infused tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and jalapeño syrup, and a lagarita. Designer Paul Kelly took care of the interior, with loads of colour, Mexican emblems and natural materials, including bamboo, wood and ceramics. If you're a local, then you're in luck — not only have you scored a new cantina, but El Topo will also shout you a free taco. To celebrate their launch, they're giving out 300 free tacos from 6.30pm on Thursday, September 21. Margaritas will be just $10 too. El Topo is located at the El Toro Motor Inn, 6 Homepride Avenue, Warwick Farm. It's open 5–10pm Monday and Tuesday, 12–10pm Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and 12–11pm Friday and Saturday. For more info, visit their Facebook page.
Earlier this month it was announced that a group of much-loved Aussie acts were joining forces to present YesFest, a stadium concert in support of same-sex marriage. This was ambitious not just due to the fact that it was a music event designed to support a social and political campaign, but because it was slated to happen just three weeks later on October 29. And now, one week out from the event, the plug has been pulled on YesFest, with organisers yesterday announcing that they have decided to cancel the festival. In a statement posted on the event's website, organisers site a "number of unforeseen circumstances" as the reason the "ambitious project" won't be going ahead next Sunday. The festival was set to include sets from Flight Facilities, The Preatures, Tkay Maidza, Client Liaison, Killing Heidi, Kirin J Callinan, Megan Washington and rock 'n' roll legend Jimmy Barnes, as well as spots by vocal supporters like Courtney Act, Jordan Raskopoulos and Jackie Loeb, and Osher Günsberg stepping in as host for the evening. Anyone who's already bought a ticket can head to Ticketmaster for a refund, which is perhaps the biggest shame of the cancellation — a portion of profits were going to go straight into supporting the marriage equality campaign. As vocal supporters of the yes vote, YesFest organisers encourage all Australians to return their yes votes for the marriage equality postal survey. The cut-off date is November 6. Image: Letícia Almeida.
One of the tastiest bites on this week's culinary calendar is The Dining Table — a ten-night pop-up in Surry Hills that involves some of the city's best chefs creating three-course masterpieces matched with beer. The entire event is sold out, but if you didn't manage to nab a spot, we have some good news. There's a pop-up bar dedicated to walk-ins, and it's peddling beers and bar snacks from the chefs on show that night. We're not going to give the entire menu away, but we can tell you that you could be sampling deliciousness from chefs heading up kitchens at Porteño, est., ACME, Buffalo Dining Club or The Apollo. To kindle your interest, here's the low down on a few of the dishes that were already served last week by the likes of Bodega 1904, Cho Cho San, LP's Quality Meats, Bar Brose and Good Luck Pinbone — plus a peek at what's to come this week. First up, Adam Wolfers — who has just recently ended his stint at Bar Brose — served up malawach, a Yemenite Jewish flat bread that not only tastes good with beer, but is made with it, too. Wolfers' take came with trout roe and smoked sour cream, and he also whipped up pumpkin latkes with goat's cheese and bush tomato. Meanwhile, Good Luck Pinbone's Jemma Whiteman and Mike Eggert served their Pinbone chicken sliders and crispy tuna tostadas, and Joel Humphreys of Bodega 1904 dished out white corn arepas with queso freso, pickled jalapeño and burnt tomato, as well as a butter and bran bun with poached prawn, Argentinean salsa golf and fried potato scallop. So, what's to come? For those hankering for something spicy (beer and spice usually get along well, after all), Marcelo Garrao and Peter Kypreos of Buffalo Dining Club have you covered with their mortadella with pistachios and spicy Quindilla peppers, as well as the 'Spanish roulette' Padron peppers, which tend to be mild, except for the rogue few containing a fiery kick. est.'s Jacob Davey pays a visit to Asia via albacore, yuzu Kosovo, wild rice and sesame laver, as well as reinvents an Australian classic in the form of lamb rib, honey, anchovy and yoghurt. Then, Porteño's Ben Milgate and Elvis Abrahanowicz head to Latin America with beef empanadas and smoked chicken wings with adobo sauce. Each and every dish is designed to work beautifully on its own and even better with beer. So at the bar, you have a choice of James Squire Hop Thief American Pale Ale or Hahn SuperDry on tap. If you're new to beer and food pairing (you're definitely not alone), then take a tip from Joel Humphreys and keep it simple. To match delicate flavours, go for a pale ale or session lager; to team up with lamb or beef, try a dark, malty stout. "For seafood, I'd suggest something that's refreshing and easy to drink," he says. "Something that complements its lighter style." Mike Eggert adds that it's a good idea to go with your preferred tastes. "If you enjoy a certain type of beer, then go with that," he says. "Some people want opposing matchings; not everyone wants sweet with sweet, or sour with sour. The truth about matchings is that if you believe it, then it's true. If you enjoy drinking something, you'll enjoy drinking that with the food you're eating." The Dining Table's pop-up bar welcomes walk-ins this week on Wednesday, September 6 to Saturday, September 10 from 5pm. Images: Letícia Almeida.
At the beginning of 2020, the idea that visiting a shopping centre might mean you'd need to self-isolate afterwards would've seemed very strange indeed. But, that scenario is now a normal part of life during a pandemic — and one that New South Wales residents are getting used to during the state's response to COVID-19. Naming locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited is key element of NSW's containment strategy, and today, Wednesday, August 12, it has announced the latest places Sydneysiders should be wary of. The big one: IKEA in Rhodes, with anyone who went looking for affordable Swedish furniture between 1.20–2.20pm on Saturday, August 8 asked to monitor their health, and self-isolate and get a test for COVID-19 if they start suffering from even the mildest of symptoms. Also on the list is Parramatta Westfield, with visitors to the centre on two specific days asked to watch for symptoms: between 4–5.30pm on Wednesday, August 5, and from 12–1pm on Saturday, August 8. Folks who frequented Castle Towers Shopping Centre between 3.30–5pm on Friday, August 7 fall into the same category as well. Rounding out the latest rundown of venues is the Dooleys Lidcombe Catholic Club, with the warning applying to those in attendance from 5pm on Friday, August 7–1.30am on Saturday, August 8; and Penrith's Baby Bunting, as specifically relevant to anyone who went to the store between 1.15–1.45pm on Saturday, August 8. https://www.facebook.com/NewSouthWalesHealth/photos/a.232420926957256/1368473813351956/?type=3&theater NSW Health is maintaining an ongoing register of locations that have been visited by positive COVID-19 cases, and it's beginning to get lengthy — you can check out the entire list on its website. And, if you need a reminder, the symptoms to look out for are coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste. You can find a rundown of testing clinic locations online as well. At the time of writing, NSW has 133 active COVID-19 cases, from a pandemic-long total of 3726 across the state. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
When the weather starts to get warmer, we want to make the most of the sunshine, springtime air and budding blooms. We ditch the heavy reds that saw us through winter in favour of lighter, more effervescent tipples. And a spritz is an Aussie go-to this time of year. So, this spring we've teamed up with Hendrick's Gin to make sure you get one, plus some other perks thrown in. For the month of October, Hendrick's Gin has teamed up with Paddo Inn to celebrate its limited-edition Midsummer Solstice gin. The venue — renamed Paddo Ginn throughout October — has transformed into a floral paradise, courtesy of local flower artist Dr Lisa Cooper. So, to celebrate the release of Hendrick's latest gin, plus the Paddo Inn's new spring-inspired digs, we're giving away two tickets to its upcoming 'Female Artisans' Inn Talks event on Tuesday, October 29. Better yet? On the bill is the very woman behind the pub's flowery, whimsical makeover. The first artist in residence at Carriageworks, Dr Lisa Cooper is a florist, author and Doctor of Philosophy — so expect this talk to be as thought-provoking as its setting is pretty. Cult homewares label Maison Balzac's Elise Pioch Balzac and Carla Daunton of Young Henrys will join Cooper in a panel discussion on their craft, passion and trade. Plus, the Q&A will be hosted by fashion journalist Rosie Dalton. Usually $55 a ticket, Inn Talks in the past have sold out most times. So, should you win, you're getting your hands on a serious steal. Plus, you and your date (or mate) will be treated to a Midsummer Solstice Spritz — a delightful concoction featuring the limited-edition spirit, tonic water and sparkling wine, garnished with orange and cucumber — and get a snack when you arrive, too. If you're keen to get your mitts on this one-of-a-kind prize — which obviously you are — enter your details below to be in the running. [competition]743993[/competition]
With a pandemic spreading around the globe, 2020 hasn't been the year for parties. It hasn't been the time for just hanging out in large groups either. But Sydneysiders will be able to gather in slightly bigger numbers both in public spaces and hospitality venues from Friday, October 23, with the state lifting the 20- and ten-person limits that have been in place since all the way back in June. While the state saw a slight increase in locally transmitted cases earlier this month, no new local cases were detected in the 24 hours leading up to 8pm on Sunday, October 18, so Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced some eased restrictions. From this Friday, Sydneysiders will be able to gather outdoors in groups of up to 30 (previously 20), and restaurants and bars will be allowed to take bookings for groups of up to 30 (previously ten) and you can all sit at the one table. These rules do only apply for outdoor public spaces and hospitality venues, however, which means gatherings at houses must still be limited to 20. If you break this rule, every single person at the illegal gathering can be slapped with a $1000 on-the-spot fine — which could end up being a very expensive house party. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1317979533044187136 The announcement follows the easing of some restrictions last week, when hospitality venues were allowed to increase their outdoor capacity to one person per two square metres, as long as they have an electronic QR code. Outdoor music performances of up to 500 people are also allowed, as long as everyone is seated. Plus, from December 1, weddings of up to 300 people will be allowed, as long as you stick to the one person per four-square-metre rule indoors and per two-square-metre rule outdoors. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW and current restrictions, head to the NSW Government website.
Sydney is home to some serious local distillers, as well as the event to prove it. Returning for its fourth year, Indie Tasting exclusively features independently-made spirits, and plenty of them. On Sunday, September 16, Restaurant Hubert will host both local and international makers of craft spirits in a day of talking, learning and, of course, boozing. The event will see 150 boutique spirits on offer from more than 40 suppliers, so you'd best arrive thirsty. It's the type of event that whiskey, gin, rum, vodka and tequila-lover's dreams are made of. We'd keep listing different kinds of spirits, but we're getting thirsty. Each ticket will include a burger and fries, plus access to the event's masterclasses. As always, Indie Spirits Tasting is being held as part of Sydney Bar Week 2018, so this tasting is just a highlight of what drinks may come mid-September.
For young Sydneysiders, a night spent at Cargo has almost become a rite of passage. The bar even claims "everyone has a Cargo story". The Darling Harbour spot is a mainstay in the CBD's nightlife and, now, it's hitting a milestone of its own: turning the big 1-8. That's right, the restaurant/bar/beer garden/waterside hub has been churning out bangers and party vibes since 2000 — and it's holding a whammy of a celebration. Friday, September 14 will herald its big birthday bash. Tickets are free, and for that hot price you'll get a drink on arrival and — if you're down early — snacks from 6–7pm to line your stomachs before the shenanigans get going properly. The venue will be revisiting the mid-2000s by welcoming back an epic lineup of DJs from years gone by. Dancefloor favourites SOSUEME DJs, Kid Kenobi, Groove Terminator and Ember will take to the decks, as well as Jace Disgrace, Adam Bozzetto, Pat Ward, Yanya and Jaime Doom (Bang Gang). It's the perfect excuse to relive those glory days of your partying youth. Nab a ticket to Cargo's 18th Birthday here.
What's better than cheap hot dogs? Not much, usually — but free hot dogs take the sausage. After five years of slinging the former at $1 a pop, The Soda Factory is throwing a shindig filled with the latter. There's a thousand of them up for grabs, as part of the Millionth Dog Party from 5pm on Tuesday, July 31. As the name suggests, the get-together is all about celebrating just how many saveloys in bread rolls that the joint has cooked and served quite a short period of time. You'll have to register to guarantee your freebie, but if you miss out there'll still be $1 goodies, so everyone will indeed get a hot dog. A new menu filled with other $1 bites will also be on offer, plus $6 mimosas and $12 espresso martinis to wash it all down with. Throw in live tunes and DJ sets, and it's shaping up to be a midweek blast. Free hot dogs will do that. Image: The Soda Factory.
Have you ditched single-use plastic bags? Said no to straws? Bought a handy keep cup? If so, you're probably aware of the war on waste the country is currently raging against single-use items. The Economist has taken a hard look at pollution — specifically, ocean pollution — and is calling on Australians to rethink this war on plastic, with a new travelling art installation. Titled Don't bin plastics, yet, the exhibition will roam around Sydney from September 5–15, starting at Chatswood Mall and ending at the Broadway Shopping Centre. The installation takes the form of three fish, made from recycled ocean plastics and each weighing 24 kilograms — equal to the weight of plastic that is dumped into the ocean every tenth-of-a-second. If trends continue, there will be more plastic than fish in the world's waters by 2050. Visitors will be encouraged to chat about the plastics debate — including the pros and cons of single-use plastics and the potential negative impacts of their alternatives — while enjoying a free coffee. The coffee will be, fittingly, served in edible cups by Cupffee, which are made from natural grain. To learn more about the campaign and the issues surrounding plastic pollution, head over here. FULL SYDNEY SCHEDULE Wednesday, September 5 at Chatswood Mall, 10am–7pm Thursday, September 6 at Pyrmont Bridge, 8am–7pm Friday, September 7 at Wynyard Station, 7am–7pm Tuesday, September 11 at Centenary Square, 8am–7pm Wednesday, September 12 at Martin Place, 9am–6pm Thursday, September 13 at Broadway Centre, 10am–9pm Friday, September 14 at Broadway Centre, 10am–7pm Saturday, September 15 at Broadway Centre, 9am–6pm
Redfern's Giant Dwarf Theatre is doing its bit for bushfire relief with a poetry slam for charity. The space will host Poems for Paws on Thursday, February 13 and Saturday, February 15, with all proceeds going to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital. Headlining the first night is Brendan Cowell, the famed Sydney-based actor (Game of Thrones), writer (Ruben Guthrie) and director. He will perform excerpts from his one-man show Cowell at the Moon. On the second night, all-round talented human Tim Minchin and award-winning journalist Leigh Sales will also be on the bill. Apart from Cowell, Minchin and Sales, heaps more Aussie stars will take the stage to perform their original poetry. Expect to hear from the likes of singer Sarah Blasko, radio presenter Merrick Watts, actress and model Lily Stewart, actress Claudia Karvan (The Secret Life of Us, Newton's Law, Love My Way), The Whitlams' lead singer Tim Freedman, Christiaan Van Vuuren of Bondi Hipsters fame, rapper and radio presenter Matt Okine, and award-winning actress Susan Prior (The Rover, Puberty Blues). Apart from the pros, budding poets everywhere are encouraged to get involved, too. If you're interested, you can email poetryforpaws@gmail.com to submit your entry until midnight Thursday, February 6. https://www.instagram.com/p/B8GK65zBTdq/ Tickets are $30 a pop, with all proceeds going to charity. The performances will run (with intermission) from 7.30–10pm, with the courtyard bar open from 6.30pm so you can grab a drink and even chat to the performers before the night begins. UPDATE: FEBRUARY 6, 2020 — After selling out its first show, Poetry for Paws has added a second show on Saturday, February 15 with more notable performers taking the stage. The above article has been updated to reflect this.
This month, we've seen many events cropping up across Sydney to help raise money for bushfire-affected communities, animals and volunteers, from grassroots fundraisers to massive galas and concerts. Now, to add to your list of gigs-for-good, Ibiza music collective Do Not Sleep is bringing a massive dance party down under. Going down on Saturday, February 1, at Greenwood Hotel, this shindig is the dance brand's first time in Australia and will see three big international acts perform a range of dance-worthy music. Catch Iranian DJ-producer Darius Syrossian and UK house DJ Josh Butler, as well as Germany's Sidney Charles, all spinning a bunch of house and techno, from much-loved bangers to obscure underground numbers. The afternoon is a joint effort by Do Not Sleep and local organiser Spektrum, taking place in the pub's sprawling courtyard from 1–10pm. All proceeds from this one-off dance party will be donated to the NSW RFS, too, so you can get your boogie on for a great cause.
Since launching in 2016, London's Bar Swift has been named the best new international cocktail bar and one of the world's best 50 bars, and seen one of its bartenders pick up a coveted award as well. Now the boozy British spot is bringing its drinks to Sydney for a one-night pop-up focused on its favourite tipples. If the sound of a sgroppino — a mix of prosecco and lemon sorbet — gets your tastebuds tingling, then you're in luck. If you fancy a Higher Ground, which blends Mr Black, Mr Black Amaro, orange bitters and coconut, then you're sorted, too. They're just two of the bespoke cocktails on the menu, with Bar Swift's Bobby Hiddleston and Hamish Dowie making the trip to get mixing and chatting. Head to Charlie Parker's from 5pm on Wednesday, February 13 for the tasty libations, which'll showcase Mr Black's cold brew coffee liquor in a big way — and be paired with the venue's oysters, potato croquettes with smoked burrata and salsa brava, and pork and veal meatballs. Entry is free, but expect cocktails to set you back between $20–25 per beverage. And expect a crowd, with entry and drinks on a first-come, first-served basis.
Shining the light on equal representation within arts and cultural institutions, Campbelltown Arts Centre has opened an all-female show for the first time. With artworks spanning ceramics, weavings, sculpture, paintings, prints and new media, Borrowed Scenery features more than 40 artists including Tracey Moffat, Deborah Kelly and Joan Ross. It "explores what happens when the subjects of male artists, who are often inserted into scenes framed by the male gaze, look back, step outside the frame, and assert their own vision and experience of the world". As part of the exhibition, Campbelltown Arts Centre has engaged The Countess Report for a new commission responding to Borrowed Scenery and discourses of female representation within collections and exhibitions. The Countess Report collects and publishes data on gender representation in the Australian contemporary art world to spark dialogue and change. Borrowed Scenery will run until Sunday, March 10, with a closing event on Friday, March 8 from 6–9pm.
Let us know when this stops sounding familiar. You bite into a taco, and enjoy its mix of meat and/or salad on a soft or crispy tortilla. Once you're finished, you immediately reach for another. Then you do the same thing again and again — because if there's one thing that's almost synonymous with this Mexican dish, it's eating it over and over until you can't fit any more in your taco-loving stomach. That's what's on offer at The Norfolk every Sunday, with the Surry Hills pub getting into the all-you-can-eat taco game. At Holy Guacamole, you'll pay $25, settle into your seat and spend 90 minutes feasting on the meal in the spotlight. You'll choose from five different flavours, including vegan options, and you'll also score a beer, wine, house cocktail or soft drink as part of the package. There are a few caveats, as there tends to be with these type of bottomless delights. You'll have to wear a wristband, you can only nab three tacos at once, and you have to bring back your empty plate before you can order your next round. You'll also need to book, with sittings available from 12–4pm (with the last finishing at 5.30pm). And, if all these tacos are making you thirsty, there'll also be a $12 bloody mary menu.
It was the 1980s. The rock and roll sounds of David Bowie, Lou Reed and Talking Heads were secretly making their way through Russia, and making their impact on the next generation, including on future Leningrad rock icon Viktor Tsoi. Summer — also known as Leto — tells this tale, in the latest film by director Kirill Serebrennikov. Captured with detailed monochrome frames, it's the kind of movie that makes you feel like you were there. Coming to Australia after premiering at this year's Cannes Film Festival, it's also one of 2018's Russian Resurrection Film Festival highlights. Other standouts include sports drama The Coach, concentration camp-set effort Sobibor, and comedy Night Shift — which follows tradies forced to start stripping to pay the bills, in what sounds like Russia's answer to The Full Monty. The Challenge sees a production of Romeo and Juliet overtaken by terrorists, while Jumpman skewers Russian corruption. And for those keen on some cinema history, the fest's retrospective is dedicated to the 100-year anniversary of Lenfilm Studios in St. Petersburg, as well as and the 90-year anniversary of filmmaker Vitaliy Melnikov. That's all on the agenda when the Russian Resurrection Film Festival hits Event Cinemas George Street from Thursday, November 1 to Sunday, November 11 — and Event Cinemas Burwood on the weekends of November 3–4 and 10–11 too. If you need an extra incentive to head along, 2018 also marks a massive 15 years since RRFF first hit Aussie screens, so the fest will be in a partying mood.
Believe it or not, spring is just around the corner. And, to launch you straight into the heat, beloved Newtown restaurant Hartsyard is hosting an evening dedicated to the Dirty Deep South. Prepare to dig into a majestic spread of hot and spicy soul food, created by head chef Greg Llewellyn. We're talking piles of baked clams and crayfish, plus the mighty beer can chicken: a chook roasted with a half-full stubby as stuffing. If you've ever tried Llewellyn's famous fried chicken at Wishbone, then you'll be well aware that a bird seldom finds itself in better hands. Look out, too, for corn on the cob barbecued to perfection, melt-in-your-mouth rolls with shellfish butter and, to finish up, a sweet cream ambrosia pie. All diners will be met with a welcoming cocktail — Bulleit rye bourbon milk punch — and farewelled with a surprise digestif. Hartsyard: The Dirty Deep South is happening as part of Taste Tuesdays, a worldwide celebration of outstanding chefs and exceptional restaurants in Sydney, Hong Kong, Paris and London, run by Taste Festivals. The series of one-off dinners and exclusive chef collaborations will continue on the second Tuesday of every month and each one will be held at a different Sydney restaurant — so keep an eye on the website for the next dinner announcement. Tickets are $98 a pop and include all food and two cocktails. Choose from one of two seatings: 6pm and 8.15pm. Seats are strictly limited, so you'd best grab yours before winter runs away.
After 28 years in the game, The Brian Jonestown Massacre is showing no signs of slowing down — or quietening down, for that matter. When the band hits the Metro for two shows in June, it'll be armed with its 17th studio album, Something Else. As any recording artist knows, churning out an album every 18 months is no mean feat. Yet frontman and songwriter Anton Newcombe is no less scathing in his social commentary and no less artistically uncompromising than he was when he started out back in the 80s. Something Else continues the Massacre's signature mesmerising rhythms, hypnotic drones and raw guitar sounds. And, from all accounts, the live shows are as relentlessly energetic as ever. The Brian Jonestown Massacre's gigs at Metro Theatre are exclusive appearances for Vivid Live as part of Vivid 2018. The first show sold out quicksmart, but there's still a few tickets up for the Friday, June 8 show.
Hobnob with some of the coolest and most creative women around at this year's Curvy Creative Women's Conference as part of Vivid Sydney. This day-long talk fest features boundary-breaking women from all walks of life, and offers attendees the chance to learn, network and get seriously inspired. Speakers at the conference will include marine biologist and surfer Brinkley Davies, Code Like a Girl co-founder Ally Watson and 22-year-old social influencer Sjana Elise Earp, as well as a host of other founders, directors and all-round boss bitches. This year's keynote speaker, meanwhile, is skateboarding icon, artist and environmental activist Peggy Oki. The Curvy Creative Women's Conference kicks off from 10am at Sunstudios in Alexandria, and runs through to a 5pm drinks session courtesy of Blind Corner Wines and female-led brewing company Two Birds.
Surry Hills pub The Dolphin is a food and wine favourite at the best of times, but on December 2, it's taking things to the next level, joining forces with Drnks to host its own mini food and booze festival. Dubbed Wet Dreams 2, it's the second edition of the event — with the first happening in June — and this time it's bigger and better. I know, they all say that, but this time there are double the sessions, much more space and a heap more winemakers. The event's set to dish up a smorgasbord of great eats and boozy treats, with a pumping soundtrack to match. Over 40 winemakers will be there showing off their finest wares, including a strong South Australian contingent (Ochota Barrels, Jauma and Commune of Buttons — to name a few), Victorian natural winemakers Ephemera Wines and Canberra's Mallaluka. Expect lots of natural, bubbly and skin contact drops. This time round, the day will be split into two sessions: Wine Geeks (a chilled out session for the more serious wine fans) and Wine Freaks (for those wanting to get a little funky). The second, slightly crazier session, will be taking over the entire venue, too. So you can wander through the Wine Room, Public Bar and Dining Room while you quaff some great drops. While there's no mention yet of the food, June's drinking snacks came courtesy of Momofuku Seiōbo's Paul Carmichael, Acme's Mitch Orr and Luke Shannon from LP's Quality Meats. So, we're hoping big things will be on offer again this time. Spend the afternoon chatting with top Aussie producers, while tasting some of their finest creations. Wine Geeks will run from 12–2pm and Freaks from 3–7pm.
Master sommelier Madeline Triffon describes pinot noir as 'sex in a glass'. Winemaker Randy Ullom calls it 'the ultimate nirvana'. Broadway wannabe Titus Andromedon loved it so much he compares it to 'caviar, Myanmar, mid-size car' (see below). No wonder the good folk at Revel — who bring Game of Rhones, Malbec World Day and Vin Diemen our way each year — are coming back to town with Pinot Palooza, an epic travelling wine festival celebrating all things peeeno noir. For just one day, Sydney wine connoisseurs will have the chance to sample more than 100 drops, direct from Australia and New Zealand's best producers. Expect drops from Macedon's Curly Flat, Shaw and Smith (which will be coming in from the Adelaide Hills), Orange's Swinging Bridge, and Akarua and Pegasus Bay from NZ — and that's just the first few leaves on the vine. Whether you're a newbie who wants to start with something light and inviting, or a pinot pro ready for the biggest, most complex mouthful on the menu, there'll be an abundance of selections at either end — and plenty along the spectrum, too. If, at any point, you need to take a pause in your tasting adventures, you'll be catered for. Food will be supplied by The Burger Project, French kitchen La Bastide, Agape and the Artisan Cheese Room. Pinot Palooza will hit Carriageworks on Sunday, October 7. Early bird tickets are available up until August 1 for $60, and include all tastings and a take-home crystal Plumm RedB glass. What's more, those keen to fuel their brains (as well as their tastebuds) can spot $95 for a VIP pass. For that you'll get access to the VIP area, a glass of bubbles on arrival, entry into wine talks and some one-on-one with one of the event's sommeliers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6yttOfIvOw
Why drink at one watering hole, when you can head to two, three, six or more? That's always been the motivation behind everyone's favourite boozy journey, aka a pub crawl. And, it's the exact same type of thinking behind the Urban Wine Walk. Taking another wander around Sydney, it's the bar-hopping excuse every vino lover needs — if you need an excuse, that is. From midday until 4.30pm on Saturday, September 8, you'll saunter around Newtown, Enmore and Erskineville — and between the likes of Gurdys, the Newtown Hotel, The Hive Bar, Cittavino, Jacoby's Tiki Bar, Earl's Juke Joint and more — sampling wines and having a mighty fine time. As for the tipples, they'll be taken care of by New South Wales' Central Vineyards, South Australia's Unico Zela, Western Australia's Flor Marché and others. Tickets cost $64 including booking fee, and places are limited. This moving cellar door will not only serve up wine tastings, but also your own tasting glass — plus a voucher for another beverage, and a guide to help you plan your mosey between bars.
Live performers, dancers, musicians, artists and chefs will all converge at Carriageworks on Thursday, September 12 for the opening night of this year's Sydney Contemporary — Sydney's biggest contemporary art fair. For one glorious evening, you can celebrate a world of art, music and food (is anything else even necessary?). So what can you expect? There'll be a confession booth, for one. Confessions, first conceived for Dark Mofo, is a performance piece by Tony Albert and is appearing for opening night only. Enter the booth, and you'll be invited in to participate in a non-verbal, abstract conversation with the artist. How? You'll confess your secrets (or anything you'd like to share) with pen and paper, and you'll walk away with your contribution to the performance art. Also, appearing as a one-off, will be Nell's ROCK GATE: an ambitious sculptural and sonic structure, made up of amplifiers assembled into a traditional Japanese torii gate, with music by a guitarist. You'll hear a panel discussion made up of speakers from Paddington gallery Saint Cloche, with Ken Done (artist), Rachel Burke (artist/stylist), Taline Gabriel (food stylist, blogger and author), Yasmine Ghoniem (interior designer), Linda Jackson (designer) and Evi O (artist) discussing the power of colour. Also on the agenda is a weitou (Chinese dialect) lullaby led through a veil of 144 smoked latex flowers by Sydney-based artist and musician Chun Yin Rainbow Chan. Then, hit up Imogen Jade's Creamy Bar for a fruity and playful cocktail. With names like Baby Koala Broke-Umbilical-Cord glazed blue cocktail, Nesting Spider Rat Palm tree cocktail and Bloody Mary Bunk-Bed Blue-Tongue-Lizard, these will not be your average tipple. Sydney Contemporary's Opening Night is one of the most popular arty parties on the city's calendar. And, if you're keen to kick on post-opening night, you'll want to check out the afterparty hosted by Concrete Playground and Campari at Earl's Juke Joint. We've also secured a 20 percent discount on the opening night and the Sydney Contemporary Afterparty for Concrete Playground readers. Just be sure to use this link to book and use the code 'CONCRETE'. The offer expires at 11.30pm on Wednesday, September 11. Images: Jacquie Manning, Zan Wimberly and Rèmi Chauvin/ Dark Mofo.
Sydney's festival of lights, music and ideas is back for another round, with neon colour taking over every corner of Sydney CBD — even in some kitchens. Mode Kitchen & Bar, nestled in the sweeping atrium of The Rocks' Four Seasons Hotel, will be hosting a colour-inspired super series to celebrate Vivid's return. Running from Friday, May 24 until Vivid's final hour on Saturday, June 15, The Chroma Dinner will see Mode's head chef Francesco Mannell creating a multi-sensory feast. Each dish will be inspired by the RGB (red, green, blue) colour scheme, which is essential to imagery creation. Each dish will also hero local produce and Australian ingredients. The green dish — Fishing in the Jungle — will feature Hiramasa kingfish sashimi, Aboriginal green ants, chlorophyll herbs and duo-chrome stracciatella sauce, while the Devil's Bath dish of ruby spanner, smoked strawberry gazpacho and radish will be vibrantly red (as you may have guessed). Following the three monochromatic dishes, you'll finish with a multicoloured dessert, featuring mandarin, blueberries, raspberries and pistachios. Plus, every course will come with a paired cocktail or drink from the hotel bar Grain. But it's more than just a dinner — Four Seasons will have the dining space transformed into a blank canvas to make way for the unique BroomX projector. While tucking into your colourful feast, VR projections will immerse you in a 360-degree light show. The projections are designed to complement the dishes — think a jungle scene to pair with the fresh green dish and an ocean reef for the blue dish, adding to the theatre of the already incredibly vivid dinner. The Chroma Dinner at the Four Season's Mode Kitchen and Bar will run across Vivid, from May 24 to June 15. There are limited spots remaining, so move quickly to nab a seat. To make a reservation, head this way.
You can't go wrong with a pretzel. Cover it in salt, stuff it with butter, flavour it with cheese — whichever you choose, it's always delicious. There's a reason that there's a day dedicated to the German snack, after all (and no, it's not just because there's a day for everything these days, or so it seems). Friday, April 26 is National Pretzel Day, which is just the excuse you need to eat more pretzels, more often. Of course Munich Brauhaus, The Bavarian and the Bavarian Beerhaus locations across the country are all getting in on the occasion. In fact, they're celebrating the date in the tastiest possible fashion. If you're a dessert pretzel kind of person — specifically, a soft, chewy, fresh-from-the-oven doughnut pretzel type — you can stop by anytime on the Friday and nab one for $1, which also includes a dulce de leche dipping sauce. And if you're an original pretzel fiend, you'll score a free one with any 500ml or one-litre stein of beer you buy. The $1 doughnut pretzels are available at Munich Brauhaus in The Rocks, Beerhaus on York Street and all of NSW's 13 Bavarians.
Each year sees William Street close to cars, with the usual traffic replaced with fun and frivolity spilling out onto the road for the annual William Street Festival. This Saturday, October 20 will be the community festival's tenth year — and it will be celebrating with a full day of laneway festivities. What happens? Well, all of the boutiques along this well-known shopping strip swap their usual trading for parties, with drinks, food and deals galore to lure you away from the Westfields of the world and back to the simple joy of wandering around the poky streets of Paddo. As well as live music, street art and swing dancing, you'll be lining your stomach with some of the best food and wine the area has to offer. Duck in and out of 10 William Street, the Paddo Inn, Cipri and The London.
If you love animals — and animals love you — this is where your spring festival adventures should begin. Every year, vegetarians, vegans and their friends (both furry and not) gather at The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion to feast on vegetarian dishes at Vegecareian. Sip and sample your way through a throng of eclectic stalls peddling all kinds of meat-free delights. When you're not nibbling, you can sharpen up your culinary skills at a cooking demo or share your love of furred, feathered and finned creatures at an animal blessing. Vegecareian isn't just about kindness to animals — it's also about promoting good health, so you'll be invited to relax and rebalance at yoga sessions, too. Once you're sufficiently zen, check out the informative guest speakers. If you're a meat eater, no judgement, head along anyway to find out more about the lifestyle. Vegecareian is a free and inclusive event that embraces all. The best part, pets are 100 percent welcome — get ready for lots of puppy pats.
Clear your Tuesday afternoon for cocktails and massages — all thanks to CBD favourite PS40. The King Street bar is serving up palette cleansing-style beverages and bringing in a few masseuses in what promises to be a rather relaxing bar hangout, all from 3.30pm on Tuesday, September 18. Whether you duck out of work early or head along once quittin' time hits, you'll find an Amuse Boosh party waiting. While bite-sized snacks won't be on the menu, you will be among the first to taste PS40's new Australian Aquavit. Called Stockholm Syndrome, it's a collaboration with Never Never Distilling Co, and it's all about making a distinctively local version of the typically Scandinavian spirit. Think caraway, fennel and dill flavours, plus cinnamon myrtle, riberry, macadamia and strawberry gum. It apparently goes down well with tonics and carbonated sodas, if you're wondering exactly what you'll be drinking.
Spring is finally here, and warmer weather means sunny afternoons soaking up some rays with a refreshing beverage in hand. Long weekends, too. All of the above combines at the second iteration of Opera Bar's Rose All Day Festival on this year's October long weekend From Friday, September 28 until Monday, October 1, the watering hole with a watery view will be thinking and drinking pink. Expect frosé, spritzes, cocktails and rosé still and sparkling, with varieties from McLaren Vale's Yangarra, Provence's AIX and and Black Cottage in Marlborough on offer. Oysters and cheese will be accompanied by rosé condiments, while live music will provide a soundtrack to the weekend. Tickets cost $35, and include three drinks: a glass of rosé (still or sparkling), a glass of frosé and a spritz.
If you haven't taken a gander down the artisanal gem that is Darlinghurst's Foley Street yet, this intimate dinner series is a tempting excuse to do so. Curated by Studio Enti's Naomi Taplin, these themed evenings combine her bespoke porcelain ceramics with live music and an experimental feast by local chefs. The Monday, September 10 installation is inspired by electronic group Thievery Corporation and will host DJ Adi B — expect each course to showcase a different range of musical genre, from Brazilian bossa nova, dub and reggae to acid jazz, middle eastern and hip hop. Alongside the tunes, Howard's Cantina chefs Chris Bell and James Latham will create a six course menu of 'stolen' (aka foraged or borrowed) foods that can be catered to vegetarian or vegan palates, too. The exact menu is wholly dependent on seasonal availability — think white wine-pickled octopus with fried plantains and a rum reduction; chicken, quail and duck liver parfait with corn mousse and rye crackers; and torched lamb tongue with mint tea jelly and warrigal greens. Each dish will be paired with non-alcoholic drinks, but BYO booze is encouraged. The dishes will be presented with a flare for the theatrics, expressing an intricately woven story throughout the night. Of course, the dinner will be served on Studio Enti ceramics, which have been specially crafted for the night and will available for purchase. Plus, a suspended floral installation by artist Nastia Gladushenko will take over the communal dining space and include many of the same foraged ingredients used in the meal. If you miss out on tickets this round, there are four more upcoming events in this dinner series — which is sponsored by City of Sydney as part of the night time diversification grant. The October version will be a reinterpretation of classic country dishes and you can keep eye on the Enti Studio Facebook for future dates, too.
Every corner of every city comes with its own history, including ordinary stories and tales that are more than a little spooky. That's especially true on Cockatoo Island, of course. The tiny patch of land has played host to a prison, ship-building facilities, a reform school and a wartime boat repair port over the years, all in the middle of Sydney Harbour. And yes, it's also apparently home to a few ghosts too. Plenty of mysteries surround the island, and while it runs regular Haunted History Night Tours, the site's latest event is particularly unsettling. It's called Cockatoo Island Ghostyard— A Paranormal Tour for very good reason. The guide will even have a paranormal detection device as they share the island's most unnerving yarns across a 90-minute walk, taking attendees through sites and buildings that have achieved notoriety. Many of the spots visited are rarely opened to the public, so you'll be seeing some new sites as you listen to gruesome true tales. Kicking off with a sold-out session on Halloween, the tours will run each Saturday night from 9.30–11pm from November 17. Bookings are required, with $45 gets you a scary adventure — and if you're feeling brave, you can also glamp overnight from $200.
Whether you're a cheese-enthusiast, aspiring pasta maker or wannabe dumpling master, the Tramsheds has you sorted this spring. Over the coming months, the food and wine mecca will play host to a throng cooking workshops and events, which gives you the chance to mix up your midweek routine and brush up on your culinary skills. Pop-up events include Fish & Co. Dumpling Workshops, pasta making tutorials hosted by Flour Eggs Water, Bubbles, Burrata & Bocconcini cheesemaking classes — yep, you get a glass of bubbles or beer — and Mediterranean cheesemaking classes (don't worry you get bubbles there, too). The classes range between $75–125, which is not too bad considering the knowledge and skills you acquire, the recipe cards that you get to take home and the tasty fare you get to sample along the way. Check out the full list of events here and get cooking.
Style and sustainability go hand-in-hand at Sydney-based label Chief Studio, which has just launched its first summer collection. Created by New Zealand native Zoe Ellis, the fashion outfit takes its name from her grandmother, the chief of her Pacific Island community. The label is all about clothing that looks great but doesn't literally cost the earth — think timeless womenswear that's designed to stand the test of time, and is designed in an ethical manner using 100 percent organic cottons and waterless digital printing. To help Sydneysiders get their hands on Chief Studio's first summery wares, Chief Studio is popping up in Surry Hills until Tuesday, November 27. From 11.30am–6pm on weekdays and 10am–5pm on weekends, you can drop by the Crown Street spot to peruse its playful, hand-painted, mix-and-match pieces. With silk shirt dresses, heart-covered ensembles and pinstripe halters part of the range, your warm weather wardrobe will thank you.
On Wednesdays in January, Art Gallery of NSW is inviting you to kick off your work boots and slip into your dancing shoes, with a series of free dance workshops taking place as part of Art After Hours. Inspired by the revolutionary spirit of the Masters of Modern Art exhibition, the movement sessions will help you start your year on the right foot (or two left feet, depending on your dance skills). Led by Danielle Micich, artistic director of dance theatre company Force Majeure, each of the four mass movement workshops embody the spirit of a different art period. You can throw down your most jagged, geometric shapes for the cubism-inspired workshop or channel the vibrant energy of renegade Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky in the abstract-themed class (we assume the more eccentric the moves, the better). Art, dance, music, fun, you get the picture. Heck, you'll dance the picture. The workshops run from 6.30–7pm, so you'll still have time to treat your newly limber self to a drink, visit the Masters of Modern Art exhibition and check out the rest of that evening's Art After Hours program. It's a great first date — nothing breaks the ice like watching someone try to dance 'Picasso' — or bring a few colleagues and take after-work drinks to a whole new level. Dance Workshops: Modern Art Movements will take place January 9, 16, 23 and 30, 6.30–7pm.
Whether sweet, dry or draught tickles your tastebuds, there's nothing quite like a glass of ice cold cider on a nice spring day. Come Saturday, October 20, that's exactly The Tudor is serving up, with the Redfern pub bringing its cider fest back for another spin. Aiming to showcase cidery goodness in as many forms as possible, there's no prizes for guessing what's on offer. Think apple and pear tipples from the likes of Young Henrys, Batlow Cider Co, Black Brewing Co, Bilpin and Yullis. Tasting as many as possible is what the afternoon shindig is all about, with five available for $15. If all that sipping works up an appetite, pairing your beverages with pork — on sliders, or of the sausage hot dog variety — is also on the menu. And if you're need of some entertainment, the venue is also putting on comedy upstairs. Entry is free, although you'll need your wallet for food and drinks.
What haven't you done at Since I Left You? You've eaten there, downed some drinks, enjoyed a Sunday session, listened to tunes, showed off your trivia prowess and even wandered around a market — but you mightn't have caught a film. Until now, that is. Introducing SILY Screenings, which will help you add seeing a movie to your list reasons to drop on by. Occurring fortnightly on Wednesdays at 7pm until March 28, SILY Screenings showcases a curated lineup of features, docos, shorts and more, all in a boutique outdoor cinema in the venue's heritage-listed courtyard. Settle in for a flick, munch on fresh popcorn — or SILY Crack Corn, as they're calling it — and pick a bev from the Four Pillars G&T menu. You can even SMS your order so you won't have to get up while you're watching. As for what'll be dancing in front of your eyeballs, it's a varied selection with plenty of highlights. Valentine's Day will see a session of ace Aussie effort Holding the Man, Vanessa Gray's hitchhiker flick Highway will screen on February 28, while March 28 will boast local doco The Last Goldfish. Plus, tickets only cost $5, with all proceeds being donated to a charity of the filmmakers choice.
Best known as the voice of US cable network Comedy Central and one of the best ever episodes of Drunk History, American comedian Kyle Kinane is hitting the harbour city with a show called Terrestrial Woes. It's a fitting title for a comic whose humour tends to stem from observations about everyday misfortunes. He's a gruff but immensely likeable storyteller with a talent for making the mundane seem funny and occasionally profound. A definite standout on this year's program.
Florence Foster Jenkins is a tale of talent and tenderness. The real-life American socialite might've infamously lacked the former, but the movie that shares her name overflows with the latter. Just as her ghastly attempts at singing sprang from her devotion to music, a "profound communion" as she called it, filmmaker Stephen Frears (The Program) is driven by affection and empathy for his eccentric subject. There's a reason that she packed out Carnegie Hall, earned a dedicated following, and inspired four plays, a documentary and now two feature films: Jenkins' passion is just that contagious. Her enthusiasm also explains why people clamoured to her shows, starting with private recitals for pals and graduating to the prestigious gala concert she was determined to stage. When the film first spies Jenkins (Meryl Streep), she's in her element, with an adoring crowd watching on and loving husband St Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant) waiting in the wings. It's only when she hires pianist Cosme McMoon (Simon Helberg) to accompany her operatic warbling that the extent of her inability to carry a tune becomes apparent McMoon can barely hide his dismay, let alone keep tickling the ivories as she croons, and viewers are expected to share his reaction. And yet Florence Foster Jenkins isn't actually about the fact that its namesake can't sing. It's about what drives this fascinating woman, and how those who love her help her chase her dreams. Unlike the cruel streak that troubled recent French film Marguerite, which told a fictionalised version of the same scenario, Frears' take on the story couldn't be warmer. Even Jenkins' many eccentricities, as illustrated via the extravagant outfits she wears, her distinctive taste in decor, and her obsession with eating bathtubs full of potato salad, are met with kind-hearted humour. Here, tone is key. There's a difference between laughing with someone as opposed to at them, which Frears understands even when he's highlighting the more farcical aspects of the story. With a critic (Christian McKay) determined to expose Jenkins' flaws, and Bayfield's mistress (Rebecca Ferguson) lurking around, there's certainly ample absurdity and drama on show. In one of his best performances in years, Grant proves the best indicator of how the movie chooses to treat each development, be it silly, serious or sweet. With the ideal balance of gracefulness and glossiness, nothing escapes his gaze — and whether he's being comforting or charming, he hits all the right notes. Of course, Frears' loving approach couldn't have proven as sincere as it does without the committed work of his leading lady, who's in screwball comedy rather than awards-chasing mode. Streep may have demonstrated her vocal talents in Mamma Mia and Ricki and the Flash, but now the applauded actress appears to be enjoying herself doing exactly the opposite. Indeed, while it might threaten to overstay its welcome slightly, and clearly favours broad appeal over intimate details, Florence Foster Jenkins achieves the synergy between its central figure, lead performance and guiding force that all biopics seek. And unlike it's protagonist, it barely misses a beat.
Italian filmmaker Nanni Moretti is no stranger to death, or to examining the subject on film. It might be something most of us don't like to think about, however the writer-director understands the shadow mortality can cast, as well as the way that the act of mourning can overtake a person's life. After exploring the impact of losing a child in 2001's Palme d'Or winner The Son's Room, and then writing and starring in 2008's Quiet Chaos, he returns to the topic with Mia Madre. That the film's name means "my mother" in his native tongue is telling. Taking a decidedly meta approach. the film follows a filmmaker in the midst of production while at the same time coping with the hospitalisation of her mother. It's not quite as autobiographical as it sounds: the director is a woman, Margherita (Margherita Buy), while Moretti plays her brother Giovanni, and veteran Italian actress Giulia Lazzarini plays their mother. And yet, in the way that Mia Madre hones in on the stress of simultaneous professional and personal crises, there's no doubting that the tale evolves from experience. As her mother's health begins to decline, Margherita struggles to make her movie – about factory employees fighting for better working conditions – while also using it as a distraction from her troubles. Alas, her freshly arrived American lead (John Turturro) refuses to learn his lines or follow her directions, constantly derailing and delaying production. With her live-in lover in the process of moving out and her teenage daughter struggling at school, Margherita's home life offers little solace either. Depicting many a balancing act, Mia Madre swiftly proves one itself. Moretti keeps searching for the right mix between quiet and anxious, dramatic and comedic, and contemplative and freewheeling. In fact, his film is more convincing in demonstrating how frustrating that can be than it is in finding any harmony between its competing elements. Of course, that's partially the point, with grief clearly painted as a disruptive and destabilising force. And yet, as accurate and authentic as the movie's messiness feels in an emotional sense, it also makes other contrasting factors — such as the patient camerawork and energetic performances — seem slight, a little convenient and sometimes out of place. Indeed, it's always distracting when a specific actor appears as though they're in the wrong film, even when they're one of the best things about it. Turturro lights up the screen and brings a few well-timed comic moments, yet never completely fits in with his surroundings. That's not a criticism of his performance, or of the more restrained but similarly excellent efforts of Buy and Moretti. Instead, it's an acknowledgement that even in thoughtful, intimate accounts of something as complex and challenging as death, mimicking chaos and actually embodying it aren't quite the same thing.
A film festival dedicated to American films? Bear with us here. Sure, Hollywood pumps out most of the movies that reach our screens, but don't expect to see superheroes battling for supremacy, transforming robotic cars saving the world or an endless parade of sequels at Essential Independents: American Cinema, Now. Instead, the brand new event is dedicated to the types of US flicks that don't usually make it to our shores. Here, smaller titles and character-driven fare share the spotlight with experimental efforts, intriguing docos and the kind of classics that you won't find on every retro lineup. Think revisionist westerns featuring gun-slinging gals and explorations of important American artists, plus the chance to see early work by the Coen brothers, Kathryn Bigelow, Richard Linklater and Sofia Coppola in a cinema. The festival will run from May 17 until June 8 at Palace Verona on Oxford Street and Palace Norton Street in Leichhardt. You can find Sydney session times here. Need help deciding what to see? Take a look at our top five films to see at the festival.
You might've heard of Taryn Brumfitt, a photographer and Adelaide-based mother-of-three, and one of Australia's leading voices on the topic of healthy body image. In fact, you've probably seen her before-and-after photos, which defy the all-too-common belief that thin equals happy. Her 2013 Facebook post went viral, seen by more than 100 million people around the world. Ashton Kutcher shared it, international talk shows came calling, and her inbox was flooded with emails from women with stories about their own struggle with body image and shame. Motivated by these experiences, Brumfitt has now turned to filmmaking, crafting a documentary about the onslaught of issues and opinions women face when it comes to the concept of beauty, and the compulsive need people feel to conform to society's arbitrary physical standards. The epitome of an activist picture crusading for a cause, the impassioned Embrace presents a wealth of information about a topic that's clearly near and dear to its maker's heart: encouraging everyone to love their bodies, just the way they are. Indeed, in a world where airbrushed models can be seen on every screen, and the beauty and diet industry rely on insecurity to turn a profit, Brumfitt's film could hardly feel more crucial. Embrace reveals an engrained self-loathing many women feel when asked about their appearance, and emphasises the need for a broader conversation on the subject. That the film was largely funded by Kickstarter contributions shows that she's not the only person eager to talk about the topic, either. Accordingly, in addition to recounting Brumfitt's personal experience, Embrace touches on everything from eating disorders and plastic surgery to recovering from physical harm and finding a space for varied representation in the media. She chats with a model considered plus-sized, and gets a consultation from someone eager to use a scalpel to improve her body. Famous faces such as British TV personality Amanda De Cadenet and American television host Ricki Lake give insights into their ups and downs. Burn victim Turia Pitt also relates her journey, as does German actress Nora Tschirner, with the two offering varied examples of the eternal attempt to be comfortable in one's own skin. It's an inspiring compilation — albeit one that can seem a tad repetitious. Of course, it could be argued that the film's message needs to be stressed again and again, until the battle for a more inclusive and positive approach to body image has been won. On the technical side of things, there's little about Embrace that hasn't been seen before, though again, its just-polished-enough sheen suits its content. Ultimately, when it comes to championing the importance of looking beyond the surface, this documentary does everything it can to make its statement heard.
Rub elbows with world class journalists at Storyology 2016. Presented by The Walkley Foundation, Australia's premier journalism and storytelling festival returns to Sydney from August 10-13, and will be hosted this year at the Chauvel Cinema in Paddington. Whether you're a career journalist, aspiring writer or just like hearing interesting people talk, there's sure to be something on the program for you. Indeed, festival organisers have put together an extraordinarily lineup of speakers, including International Consortium of Investigative Journalists director Gerard Ryle, Storyful global news editor David Clinch, and Egyptian digital journalist Lina Attalah. Panel topics, meanwhile, will range from freedom of the press in the Arab world to the coalescence of news and comedy on programs like The Weekly and The Feed. You can also get a double dose of political podcasting with live recordings of Two Grumpy Hacks and The Party Room. For the full Storyology Program visit www.walkleys.com/storyology16/ Check out our interview with The Feed's Jeannette Francis and The Weekly's James Colley over here.
