Melbourne duo Kllo (formerly Klo) are Australia's band of the moment and are touring the east coast to promote their upcoming album, Well Worn. The tour's one of the most anticipated we've seen in 2016 so far, so expect each show to be pretty damn packed. Since releasing their 2014 debut EP Cusp, cousins Simon Lam and Chloe Kaul have played sold-out shows and festivals throughout Australia and internationally, from Dark Mofo to Melbourne Music Week and Barcelona's Primavera Sound Festival. The pair have been clocking up streaming numbers in the millions, popping up on artists-to-watch lists, and they've also recently been announced as part of the huge Splendour in the Grass lineup. 'Bolide', the album's first single, is a dance track inspired by Caribou's Our Love album and is a song about unconditional love (nawwww). The tour will feature special guests and gives fans a sneak peek of the album, which will be released internationally on August 5 across Kllo's now three labels: Good Manners Records, Ghostly International and Different Recordings // PIAS . Image: Charlie Brophy.
He can growl like Tom Waits and wail on melancholic high notes like Jeff Buckley, yet come out of the mix with a sound that's all his very own. If you haven't yet made acquaintance with extraordinary singer-songwriter Steve Smyth, it's high time you tipped your hat. Smyth's been making himself known both within Australia and overseas via the old-school method of extensive touring. In fact, after releasing his debut full-length album, EXITS, mid-last year, he embarked on a seriously epic journey, playing in more than eighty towns across Australia. Steering away from whizz-bang effects and slick marketing, he's kept his focus well and truly on writing and delivering authentic music. So his live performances, accompanied by his band, The Outlaws, are genuinely cracking. You'll find yourself rocking and a-rolling one minute and crying on your best mate's shoulder the next. In March, Steve popped over to Austin to play SXSW, before returning home to play Byron Bay's Bluesfest at Easter. Catch him in Sydney at the Oxford Arts Factory on April 25, before he packs his bag for a long stretch on the road in Europe.
First it was the children's book that stunned a generation into awareness. Australia's colonial history was powerfully, simply laid bare by the allegory of The Rabbits — arriving, multiplying and eventually controlling the peaceful native marsupials. Now, it's an Australian-grown opera, dreamed up by John Sheedy, the artistic director of Perth's Barking Gecko Theatre Co. Before its premiere at last year's Perth Festival, Sheedy revealed why he had to make the show. “I was completely inspired, and in awe that, between Shaun Tan’s illustrations and John Marsden’s powerful and economic language, they tackled such huge themes," he told the Australian. "You can spend an hour on each page and make discovery after discovery ... The epic nature of the illustrations just lent itself to an opera.” Two of our brightest female artists were enlisted to create the music and libretto: Kate Miller-Heidke (who also performs as the principal soprano) and Lally Katz, along with set and costume designer Gabriela Tylesova. From the looks of it, the expressively angular animals dwarfed by dusty landscapes look just as magical as Tan's. Indeed, the Perth and Melbourne seasons saw The Rabbits applauded as an exceptionally brave, vital and moving work.
On the second Sunday of each month, the Burton Street Tunnel in Milsons Point becomes a shopper's dream. If you're on the hunt for original artwork, handmade homewares or vintage fashion, look no further than this charming neighbourhood market. Once you've worked up an appetite, head for one of the diverse food stalls where you can get your hands on anything from Turkish to Thai. Happen to be coming from the southern part of the city? We recommend making like a tourist and crossing the Harbour Bridge on foot for a vivid reminder of how utterly gorgeous this city is.
We've just a festival of barbecued meats and a ceremonious gathering dedicated to bacon kicks off next week, so it's not surprising that a burger festival is next up on Sydney's culinary calendar. In fact, it's hard to believe no one has done it before. Essentially herding Sydney's best burger venues into the courtyard at The Vic, Burgapalooza is a burger aficionados wildest dream. There'll be six stations, with Pub Life Kitchen, Barrio Cellar, Milk Bar by Cafe Ish, Bar Luca, Chef's Kitchen and Bare Grill each creating a custom burg for the event. They'll go for $9 a pop, and drinks will be available from the pub's bar as per usual. As expected, the festival has been created by hardcore burgies — that is, the guys behind the epic burger loving Instagram Hashtag Burgers. The festival is free and unticketed, so you can used your saved pennies on an extra burger. Or three. Seeing as there's six on-hand less than two strides from each other, it would be rude not to try at least a few. Burgapalooza will take place on Satruday, March 19 at the Vic on the Park Hotel at 2 Addison Road, Marrickville. For more info and updates, visit their Facebook page.
What is it like to speak, but not be heard? It's a conundrum most Australians don't necessarily have to worry about, but for many, it plagues every moment of their daily lives. Bringing much needed attention to the challenges of the migrant journey, Who Speaks for Me? presents unexpected stories of immigration, particularly focused on Western Sydney, in the first collaboration between National Theatre of Parramatta and Performance 4A. It's storytelling, but not as you know it. Taking audiences through the personal narratives of refugee and migrant families, this intimate show uses language to unpack the trials and triumphs of the inhabitants of Sydney's vibrant western suburbs. Hear tales like that of Cambodian mother Ly Heang Seang, who undertook 31 written examinations to finally succeed in obtaining an Australian driver's license, along with stories from Vietnamese and Bhutanese refugees fleeing by boat to resettle here on safer shores. Co-directed by storyteller and photography William Yang and writer/producer Annette Shun Wah, Who Speaks for Me? is a multi-lingual, multi-generational exploration of those living at the heart of the migrant experience.
Four artists have spent two years with Fairfield's many communities, exploring what it means to be a woman in such a diverse suburb. And now they're inviting you to experience their discoveries on a free twilight stroll, peppered with performance art, installations and drive-by soundtracks. You'll see artist collective Hissy Fit take over a carpark with actor and martial arts expert Maria Tran, to present Supreme Ultimate, which examines the influence of martial arts on perceptions of gender. Then, inside the Fairfield Chase food court, you'll come across a colourful installation by Claudia Nicholson, created through conversations with female workers and business owners. Meanwhile, Kate Blackmore has been busy collaborating with an Assyrian bride to examine the meanings of the wedding ritual to Fairfield's Assyrian diaspora. And, keep an eye and ear out for passing cars, playing soundtracks developed by Zoe Scoglio and bringing together Khmer, Aboriginal and Iraqi voices. Two free walks will take place — on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8. Meet at Crescent Park near Fairfield Station at 6pm on either evening. Women of Fairfield is presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA)'s C3West program, in conjunction with Powerhouse Youth Theatre (PYT), Fairfield and NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) and Fairfield City Council. Image: Anna Kucera.
Prize Fighter caused a stir when it premiered at Brisbane's La Boite theatre in 2015. The first play of Congolese refugee Future D. Fidel, it tells the semi-autobiographical tale of a boy named Isa, himself a Congolese refugee, who uncovers a talent for boxing. Poised to win the national title, he has to overcome the horrors of his past – losing his family and being enlisted as a child soldier to the army that killed them – to beat his opponents. It received rave reviews and was nominated for Best Play and Best New Australian Work at the 2016 Helpmann Awards. This month, La Boite is bringing the production to Belvoir for the Sydney Festival. It features nearly all of the original cast, though Sophie Emberson-Bain has been replaced by Zindzi Okenyo (from Play School and OKENYO). Okenyo joins Pacharo Mzembe, who is again playing Isa and returns to Belvoir for the first time since their production of Gwen in Purgatory in 2010, Margi Brown-Ash, Gideon Mzembe and Kenneth Ransom. Image: Dylan Evans.
The craft beer evolution is continuing to revitalise our drinking culture and increasingly specialist online retailers are getting in on the action. Offering the best independent labels that you won't find at your local bottle shop, they offer an exciting range of new drinking options. Here's our guide to some of the best places to buy craft beer online and get it delivered in Sydney. BEER STORE Come here to order Piss. No really, they've got a lager from Geelong Brewing titled 'Piss' on offer. There's plenty more besides, including craft beer heroes Mountain Goat, James Squire and 3 Ravens. They're also particularly good at stocking little seen but intriguing independents — see, for instance, their stash of Skinny Blonde, the brew of former Vines Drummer and craft beer guru Hamish Rosser. Reminiscent of Japanese beers like Asahi, it's a beauty, though hard to find outside of inner Sydney. The website layout is simple and intuitive, making it easy to get the beer off the computer screen and down your throat. HOPS AND CRAFT A curated craft beer subscription service, Hops and Craft is an intriguing new option for fulfilling your craft beer needs. Each month you get a dozen different craft brews from across the country, and their wealth of online content gives you all the tasting notes and background on the beers you need to become an instant expert. There are no lock-in contracts, so it's easy to give it a trial run. They have hundreds of craft beers in stock, so expect the unexpected, but you could find the likes of Sydney Brewery's light Glamarama Summer Ale, a Quiet Deeds IPA or a Boatrocker SMASH! Ale in your mixed dozen. BEER CARTEL Boasting an impressive 1,100 beers in their catalogue and products from the likes of Nepal, Lebanon and Brazil, it's safe to say that the range here runs quite a bit beyond the standard slabs of VB and New. With beers arranged by country, style and brewery, it's an easy site to navigate and the staff recommendations are a nice touch. You can also sign up to their monthly beer club, or pick up a mixed pack, perfect for either a gift for a beer connoisseur mate or for a tasting session. With such an overwhelming range, choosing can be tricky, but for an easy drinking variety, you can't go wrong with the award-winning Two Birds Taco ($12.50 bottle), a wheat ale perfect for your new Mexican feast. BEER BUD For those who know what they want when they want it, you can search beers by their type, by brewery, or by Australian region at Beer Bud. If in doubt, you can go directly to their Craft Beer and Craft Cider pages, but we really do recommend having a snoop around; their selection is insane. Beer Bud also has access to rare and limited releases that are often a little experimental and packed with flavour, including brews from Doctors Orders and KAIJU!. Low prices and fast delivery are all part of the deal at Beer Bud. CRAFTY BREW It's all about supporting independent Australian breweries at Crafty Brew. The greatest thing to do on Crafty Brew is to play on their Build a Box page. Select the quantity of beers you're after, the style (or styles) you like, the ideal beer strength and the price range. They will bring you a selection of possibilities to match your wish list and you can either skip over them or add them to your cart. It's like a personality quiz, but with beer. By Daniel Herborn and Hannah Valmadre.
Sydney Fringe's 2018 program is ambitious — it features over 400 shows in more than 60 venues across six hubs and 21 postcodes. From the Oxford Street arts precinct — which will host 28 free gigs on opening night — to the Old 505 in Newtown to Friday night music events in Parramatta's CBD, the festival will have you zipping all over the city to cram in as much theatre, comedy, music and partying as possible in between September 1 and 30. There's a lot of ground to cover, but these events should help get you started.
Spotlight is a 'deep breath' movie. The kind that holds you in your seat long after the final frame and leaves you staring at the credits lost in deep, uncomfortable thoughts. You find yourself at once furious and disconsolate, avoiding others’ gaze when possible, and offering mutual half smiles when not. Others simply cry. This is a film about child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, told through the eyes of the Boston Globe journalists who uncovered and exposed it in 2002. The name, Spotlight, refers to the Globe's long-term investigative unit, a four person team whose secretive research and day-to-day operations existed largely outside the newspaper’s conventional structure – a sort of journalistic special forces if you will. Directed by Tom McCarthy (Win Win), Spotlight is, in almost every respect, a masterclass in restraint. From the performances, to the writing, to the direction and, most importantly, to the actions taken by the reporters themselves, it is the definitive anti-clickbait film; an ardent dedication to both an age and institution when the priority of media outlets was not 'first' but 'right'. For the Spotlight team, the mere selection of a story might take months and its final form not see the light of day for more than a year. If something couldn’t be substantiated, the story would be held for a few more months until it could. To imagine that level of patience (and budgetary freedom) in the modern era of twenty-four hour news is all but inconceivable. Of the film's six Academy Award nominations, two are for best supporting performances by Rachel McAdams and Mark Ruffalo, though more could (and perhaps should) have easily been spread across the entire cast. Michael Keaton, Liev Schreiber, Billy Crudup, John Slattery, Brian d’Arcy James and Stanley Tucci all contribute incredibly passionate and complex portrayals of the journalists and lawyers responsible for either exposing or protecting the church’s extraordinarily sordid past and practices. Indeed, there are no weak links in this confident, consummate picture, whose deft touch and understated approach neatly reflect the disciplined reserve of its characters. Powerful, absorbing and deeply moving, Spotlight is almost certainly the best film about journalism, and, specifically, print media, of at least the past decade. Probably more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg5zSVxx9JM
One of the last Art Deco theatres in town, The Ritz has given Sydney locals eight decades of cinematic education. From its early days at the forefront of modern cinema, to its current status as peddler of box office hits and quirky indie flicks alike, it's impossible to say when The Ritz had its heyday. If you were to ask anyone around town, they'd tell you its still having it. The heritage-listed building was built and designed by Aaron Bolot in 1937, the man behind a number of immaculately preserved Art Deco constructions in Potts Point. The iconic facade, which has been carefully added to over the intervening years, is a stunning example of the Art Deco style from the 1920s and 1930s, taking cues from the aesthetics of Chicago and New York. After World War II, the minimalist and pragmatic architecture of Modernism began to take hold around the world, but The Ritz clung on, not as a relic, but as a beacon of brilliance, standing out against a city that became more and more about functional design. In 1993 The Ritz almost met an untimely demise, when owner, Jack Ziade proposed demolishing and remodelling the cinema complex. Rather than watch the icon go to waste, the Randwick City Council intervened, pushing through a Permanent Conservation Order that had been filed in the mid eighties. Generations of Sydneysiders continue to frequent The Ritz. Beyond the silver screen, the cinema serves as a reminder of the glitz, the glamour, and the glory that cinema has always given us. To celebrate its 80th birthday, The Ritz is harking back to the bygone Hollywood era with regular screenings of classic movies from another age. Showing on Wednesdays and Sundays, the selections of classics spans the 1940s, 50s, and 60s — from the drama of Casablanca to the thrills of North by Northwest (you can check out the full list here). To help celebrate Sydney's iconic cinema, we've got ten double movie passes to give away, so you can catch any flick you want to at The Ritz. All you've got to do is enter your details into the box below and you're in the running. [competition]616883[/competition]
It's an understatement to say it's been a stressful time for Australia's beloved short film festival Tropfest. After being cancelled due to alleged financial mismanagement in November, the iconic Tropfest short film festival was been thrown a much needed lifeline in December. On the very day that the festival was originally meant to take place, Tropfest founder John Polson has announced the event will instead be held on Valentine's Day next year, after securing a last minute sponsorship deal with CGU Insurance. Back from the dead, Tropfest will triumphantly return to Sydney's Centennial Parklands on Valentine's Day. A star-studded panel of Australian screen talent will help choose the winners. Actors Simon Baker and Rebecca Gibney will join The Dressmaker director Jocelyn Moorhouse and Moulin Rouge! cinematographer Don McAlpine as judges at the world's largest short film festival. The panel of local actors and filmmakers, along with several other judges set to be announced in the coming days, will decide which of 16 short filmmakers takes home the festival's top prize, which includes $10,000 cash, a trip to Hollywood to meet with industry executives, a Nikon D800 digital camera along with $2000 worth of accessories, and a Hyundai Tuscon for a year. The festival also revealed its live music slate, featuring rock duo Winterbourne, DJ and singer KLP and The Preatures' vocalist Gideon Bensen. Last week, Polson announced that he had started a Pozible campaign to help ensure the festival remains free, although it has so far only raised a fraction of its intended $100,000 target. Tropfest will take place on February 14 in Centennial Parklands, with gates opening from 3pm. It will be broadcast around the country from 9pm AEDT.
To make the most of your Friday night, it's imperative to slip into weekend mode as soon as possible. And to do that, you need a place that's geographically close, yet feels a long way away. In other words, you need The Rocks. With its lantern-lit laneways and sandstone squares, it could be a place out of another century — or even another country — yet it's just a short walk from the CBD. Here are five places that will banish your workday week within seconds — whether you're looking for fancy dinners, happy hours dedicated to craft beer or relaxed courtyards. HIT UP THE ROCKS FRIDAY FOODIE MARKET Nothing screams weekend quite like a market, so why wait till Saturday morning? Get in on the game early — in other words, Friday lunch time — at The Rocks Foodie Market. Take your time wandering through Jack Mundey Place and the adjacent laneways, where you can sample handmade, dried, baked, whipped and roasted products from all over the city and further afield. You name it, you’ll get your hands on it – from BBQ skewers to cupcakes, gozleme and handmade chocolates. Jack Mundey Place HAPPY HOUR AT HARTS PUB Hurry into the weekend the most patriotic way possible — by sampling Harts Pub’s all-Australian craft beer menu. Harts was one of the first drinking establishments in Sydney to champion small-batch brews and has served nothing but local drops since 2009. With 12 taps on constant rotation, there’s always an adventure to be had. Plus the food menu is made for beer matching. Get there between 4.30pm and 6.30pm for happy hour, when $7.50 will buy you a pint and $7 a house wine. Corner Essex and Gloucester Streets COURTYARD BEERS AT PHILLIP’S FOOTE Phillip’s Foote’s leafy, laidback courtyard will transport you into the weekend quicker than you can say, "A pint, please". When it’s too cold for outdoor shenanigans, get cosy inside, in the heritage-listed Sydney Cove or Phillip rooms. Wherever you are, you can expect warm, friendly, old-fashioned service and, if you’re there for dinner, a decent feast. About $30 buys you your choice of meat, bread, potatoes and access to the fresh salad bar. The all-Australian wine list covers every corner of the country — from Tassie’s Pipers River to Great Southern, Western Australia. 101 George Street EAT FANCY AT SCARLETT RESTAURANT + ERIC’S BAR To segue into Saturday in style, book a table at Scarlett Restaurant for a spot of fine dining. Dishes include miso-glazed salmon with eggplant, chilli prawns and sesame crumb, and blue eye trevalla with watercress veloute, seared scallops and avruga caviar. Scarlett, which is named after the madam who once worked out of the neighbouring terrace houses, is hidden away on Nurses Walk, one of The Rocks’ most tranquil laneways. Pre- and post-dinner drinks can be had at the attached Eric’s Bar, which forms the ground level of The Harbour Rocks Hotel. 34 Harrington Street FEAST ON MEATS AT PONY LOUNGE & DINING If woodfired grilled meats or a selection of ultra-fresh seafood sounds like your ticket to a good weekend, here’s your go-to. Nestled on the corner of historic Kendall Lane, Pony's been serving up sumptuous small plates for years, focusing on Australian produce for their Argentinian woodfire grill. Pairing a carefully-crafted boutique selection of wines (alongside a playful cocktail list) with their fine cuts of Australian meat, Pony boasts one of the best grills in the city. Pony's $38 lunch menu is a pretty damn sweet deal; choose a starter and main, or main and dessert with a glass of red or white wine (available daily from 12pm to 3pm). So pull up a pew at the 50 metre dining table outdoors, or snuggle in the lounge and feast on them meats. Corner of Kendall Lane and Argyle Street
If you've lived in Sydney long enough, we're sure there's been at least one time when you've found yourself in the food black hole between UTS, Haymarket and the Powerhouse Museum. But new development Darling Square will provide a much-needed sanctuary between those landmarks when it opens on the old site of the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Along with the residential and business buildings for 2500 CommBank employees, 3000 residents and 1300 students, Darling Square will also set up a food precinct with some of Sydney's cult names in coffee and food. And it's quite the roll-call. Darlinghurst's Edition Coffee Roasters, fried chicken slingers Belle's Hot Chicken, Marrickville Pork Roll and poke specialists Fishbowl are among the announced vendors opening up before May. Toby's Estate is already open in the building's lobby. Melbourne burger bosses 8bit are also setting up shop in the development, bringing their audience favourite burgers — and arcade-style fit-out — to Sydney for the first time. Head chef Shayne McCallum is excited to be pushing the business into new turf. "The menu will be the same as our three other Melbourne stores, but we will mix it up and do something different for the Sydney launch," McCallum says. "Although each store is an evolution of each former store, we will always have the design of the arcade games we loved back in the day." Edition's new outfit — which will be their first permanent venue outside of Darlinghurst — will serve coffee along with the Japanese-Scandi dishes the cafe is known for. "I think the most exciting change will be going from a modern cafe menu to focussing more on all-day dining," Edition Darling Square chef Jack New says. "We'll have a gas kitchen, a yakitori charcoal grill, a much bigger Scandinavian-inspired pastry section and an alcohol list, all of which will characterise our darker, sexier sister venue at Darling Square." According to Domain, the precinct will be one of the most convenient in Sydney, with a 'walkability score' of 100. Last year, all 391 apartments at Darling Square were snapped up in a matter of hours. The project has been developed by Lendlease, who also worked on Barangaroo. While some residents and workers have already moved into the building, the retail and food precinct is expected to be open for business by May 2018.
All Aussie hip hop festival Come Together is back in 2015 and is doing its very best Jekyll and Hyde impersonation. After being cancelled two weeks out from its 2014 dates due to poor tickets sales, this year the all-ages festival is going all out at Luna Park's Big Top, splitting itself over two days with two unique lineups. Announcing a solid hip hop lineup for Saturday, June 6, the festival will be headlined by Melburnian hip hop champion Seth Sentry, alongside crowdpleasers Thundamentals, and chart-topping Horrorshow, with young prodigy Remi, Coin Banks and Ivan Ooze joining the fold. For the second day of the festival, Sunday, June 7, the festival takes a sharp turn and goes all indie, all day. Festival favourites Ball Park Music will be headlining the Sunday lineup, with The Jungle Giants joining them straight off their sold-out tour. Alongside them comes electro-pop from SAFIA, the smooth beats of Elizabeth Rose as well as welcoming new kids on the block Montaigne and Ecca Vandal. Keeping those emerging Aussie artists coming, lucky triple j Unearthed winners will be making surprise appearances across both days. Adding substantial excitement for anyone whose inner child is still stubbornly kicking them, tickets will come with the added bonus of unlimited rides from 1pm to 5pm on each day; so you can make yourself thoroughly ill on the Rotor before you dive into the mosh. It's a weekend that promises to finally make you comfortable with the split personality that is your music taste. Come Together Festival understands you, Australia, you big confusing mess. Come Together Festival runs June 6 - 7, 2015 at Luna Park. Tickets and more info over here.
Anyone who's played for G-Funk's best hip hop artists knows their groove. And that's exactly how DaM-FunK spent the '90s — as one of the most in-demand musicians on the G-Funk scene. Then he decided to go out on his own. After being snapped up by Stones Throw Records, he released his debut album, Toeachizown (2009) and followed up in 2015 with Invite the Light, which features guest appearances from Snoop Dogg and Ariel Pink. Dam-Funk plays the Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent on January 15 at 11.45pm. $39 + bf. This is just one of our ten picks for Sydney Festival's best gigs. Check out the whole list.
Fact: having great camping gear automatically makes you good at camping. Or, it at least makes you look like you know what you're doing when you're outside of the city. Whether you're a seasoned camper, just a beginner, or just someone who hits up music festivals occasionally and wants to be that friend with a quality tent — everyone could do with a little camping gear. Thanks to Teva, we've got a whole bunch of it to give away. Whether you're hitting up a music festival this summer, or just planning on a weekend away, getting your hands on this camping gear will make your life a whole lot easier. There are two pairs of Teva's classic Arrowood Boots, a water bottle, two camping mugs, a beanie, a hat, a tent, a sleeping bag and a National Parks pass. That's a lot of really handy stuff. Enter your details below, say yes to the terms and conditions and you're in the running to win. Entries close on Sunday, December 4. Go go go. [competition]595510[/competition]
One of the best drinking spots for pre-Vivid LIVE shows last year, Sydney Opera House's pop-up pool hall is back for another round. Jeremy Blackmore and Alex Dowd — whose work you already know if you've ever knocked back a tequila or two at Tio's or a tiki cocktail at The Cliff Dive — are bringing back the Deep Purple Pool Hall for just ten nights during this year's Vivid festival. The pop-up speakeasy, which last year genuinely resembled a dive bar plonked in Sydney's iconic arts venue, will be found inside the Concert Hall's northern foyer, where you can get cosy and warm while still taking in those epic harbour views. Expect a specially-curated menu from the team behind Tio's, served up by Aria Catering, alongside craft beer and wine from local Sydney producers, as well as live DJs and free pool. FREE. "I have wanted to set up a cool bar in this space for five years, ever since I arrived at the Opera House," said Ben Marshall, curator of Vivid Live, last year when the bar opened. "Whether you're up for a pre or post-gig drink or on the look-out for the neon eight-ball outside, you can sneak up the back stairs of the Opera House to the Deep Purple Pool Hall and settle into an incredible secret space in the heart of the city, in the middle of this incredible festival." The Deep Purple Pool Hall will open for ten nights only, May 27 – June 5, 6pm till late. Images: Daniel Boud.
Sydney's annual reminder that you're severely underdressed on a daily basis, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival (MBFF) has announced its Sydney lineup for 2015. The sister event to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is locked in to once again take over Sydney Town Hall over September 24-26, and will send sparkly couture gown after angular pantsuit down the runway over three well-tailored days of runway collections, beauty workshops and photography masterclasses. And gift bags. Don't forget the gift bags. There'll be three designer runway shows this year, showcasing Australia's dirt-on-your-shoulder swag in fashion design. 'Australian Luxe' will feature the likes of Dion Lee, Josh Goot, Christopher Esber, and Streateas.Carlucci., while 'Ready-to-wear' will pick out the highlights of this year's Fashion Week, from Romance Was Born and Alice McCall to Manning Cartell, Bec & Bridge and Kate Sylvester. Then 'Red Carpet Runway' will show you all the eveningwear you'd casually wear to pick up your BAFTA, from Alex Perry to Zhivago, Rachel Gilbert and Steven Khalil. Whether you're keen to see a runway show for the first time or you're a Instagram-dominating fashion show veteran, this is one Sydney spring fashion event worth checking out. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival runs September 24-26 at Sydney Town Hall. Tickets range from $50-140, head to the website for more info. Via Ragtrader.
Grab your midnight blue dinner jacket and holster your Walther PPK: the team at Hijinks are heading back to Madame Tussauds for a James Bond-themed party in September. The after dark pop-up specialists will channel their inner secret agent for a night of sophistication and intrigue, complete with roulette table, costume competitions and complimentary vodka martinis. Best start practicing your worst puns now. The Hijinks Casino Royale Party takes over Madame Tussauds on the evening of Friday September 25. Entry into the wax museum normally costs $40, but tickets to the Hijinks event will run you just $25 and come with a free beer or Stoli cocktail on arrival. Activities for the night will include Bond trivia, a best costume competition and a roulette table where you can gamble with chocolate chips (put it all on black, trust us). There'll also be live performances, including burlesque star Diesel Darling as Goldfinger's ill-fated Bond Girl Jill Masterson, as well as no less than five separate pop-up bars. And if you forget your bowtie, don't worry: you can always make a new one at the crafts table. You'll also be able to take photos with all the museum's famous faces, from Barrack Obama to Albert Einstein to The Queen. There'll even be a crocodile, ala Live and Let Die, although to be honest we're not entirely sure whether he'll be real or wax. If nothing else, this should be a hell of a lead in for Spectre, which opens in November. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujmoYyEyDP8 For more information about The Hijinks Casino Royale Party and to secure tickets, visit www.hijinkssydney.com
If you threw the best nosh in Newtown together, scrambled things 'round a bit, and served up the quintessential Newtown dish, what would it taste like? That's what Newtown Locals are about to find out, a relatively newish collective of Newtown foodies started by Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham of Mary's (of course). Doubling in size this year with new additions from the last twelve months, Newtown Locals are about to see their culinary powers combined with a collaborative menu specially made for Newtown Festival. So who's involved in this escapade of deliciously epic proportions? Take a breath... Mary's, Young Henry's, Bloodwood, Oscillate Wildly, Earls Juke Joint, Rising Sun Workshop, The Stinking Bishops, Oldtown In Newtown, 212 Blu, Black Star Pastry, Hartsyard, Brewtown Newtown, Continental Deli, The Bach Eatery, N2 Extreme Gelato, The Courthouse. Sweet mother of Tim Freedman that's a hefty Newtown pedigree. Aw, just look at 'em: There's so many different types of cuisine on the table here, we don't even know where to start imagining what this menu will look like. A Black Star Pastry Ginger Ninja crossed with a Mary's burger? Rising Sun ramen extreme gelato? Hartsyard buttermilk fried chicken natural lagers? Good god, the possibilities. All will be revealed this Friday, October 9, when the collaborative dishes are announced at a free public launch party for Newtown Locals — yep, you're invited. You'll be able to taste the whole Frankenmenu at Young Henrys Brewery in Newtown between 4-7pm, hosted by Mary's, Young Henrys and Bloodwood. There'll be free YH beer between 4-5.30pm, so you'll want to get there early. They'll also be announcing the winner of the new edition official Newtown Locals t-shirt design comp. Apparently there'll be some kind of pool. If you can't make it on Friday, you'll be able to taste the dishes when they're on sale at Newtown Festival on November 8. All proceeds go to charity, ain't that lovely? Newtown Locals launch party is happening this Friday, October 9 from 4-7pm at Young Henrys Brewery, 76 Wilford Street, Newtown. Free entry for everyone. Images: Kate Disher-Quill.
Western Sydney will has a new rooftop bar, complete with pool, sun lounges, cabanas and panoramas of 300 acres of greenery. It's called The Chiltern and you'll find it atop the five-star William Inglis Hotel in Warwick Farm, which is this week opened to the public. In between taking dips and gazing out at the view, you can also order cocktails and light bites. Should you work up an appetite, head downstairs to the Newmarket Room, a paddock-to-plate restaurant headed by chef Samuel Bull (The Stables, North Bondi Italian). If you have any whisky-swilling mates, you'll probably notice them heading straight for the mezzanine level, where the 1867 Lounge serves up high-end spirits, Champagne, fancy cocktails and boutique wines. The $140 million hotel precinct is named after the founder of William Inglis and Sons, one of Australia's best-known thoroughbred companies, and has been funded through thoroughbred horse sales. It's located across from the Warwick Farm racecourse. Anyone who happens to have too good a time in the whisky bar will be able to sleep over in one of 144 uniquely-designed rooms. The hotel is an MGallery by Sofitel, so it's fairly decadent, including über-comfy beds, luxe bathrooms, picture windows, racing memorabilia, a state-of-the-art 24-hour gym and a day spa. The property has also refurbished existing structures — 'The Big Barn' can be booked out for large conferences and weddings and the stables are more suitable for smaller functions. The William Inglis Hotel is now open at 155 Governor Macquarie Drive, Warwick Farm. For more information or to book a room, visit williaminglis.com.au.
Archie Rose, Sydney's first commercial distillery in 160 years, has a new, more personal offering in the works. Well, technically it would be your offering. Rosebery's gin whizzes have launched a new project where you can tailor your own spirit and have your name printed on the label. It's a dream you might not have even known you had. Archie Rose founder and owner Will Edwards wants the project to "give people the opportunity to get really involved in the distilling process." Currently, the spirits available to be tailored are gin, vodka and whisky. After choosing three to five of the distillery's unique botanicals for your Signature Dry Gin or Original Vodka, you can customise the intensity of each flavour and personalise the bottle with your name. If you're gifting these, you can add your lucky mate's name to the label. A tailored bottle of vodka will will set you back $84, or $89 for gin. Once your chosen spirit's matured and bottled, you'll receive it in the mail in a handmade crate with full brewing and distillation notes. Archie Rose's tailored whisky, on the other hand, is not for the faint-hearted (or the tight-budgeted). It will set you back a whopping $4000 (at least) but get this: it's a 20L cask. You can customise everything from the type of wood used to the level of smoke influence and ABV. You'll receive a 200ml sample annually to check how your baby's maturing, or you can visit on appointment. There's even an option for you and four friends to assist in the actual making of your whisky. If you're preparing for an apocalypse, Archie Rose also offers a 50L and 100L cask. Just in case. How many chances will you get to have an award-winning distillery make your custom blend? An Archie Rose tailored spirit a pretty perfect gift and as soon as your custom bottle (or case) is unwrapped at the family Christmas party, the 'best gift giver' trophy will be yours. Better get your acceptance speech ready. Tailor your own spirit at the Archie Rose website.
Rejoice, fans of excellent television, fried food and pop culture-themed pop-ups alike — Los Pollos Hermanos is coming to Sydney. Ever since the TV-viewing world was first introduced to Gus Fring's fast food chain, every fried chicken fiend has been hankering for a piece of their juicy poultry. Yes, we all know that it's a fictional chicken empire in a television show, but Breaking Bad was just that damn addictive. With Los Pollos Hermanos' head honcho once again crossing paths with Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) and Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) in the third season of ace Breaking Bad prequel spin-off Better Call Saul, subscription streaming video provider Stan is making everyone's dreams come true with two days of chicken goodness. The pop-up will take over Potts Point's Thirsty Bird for lunch and dinner on April 11 and 12 — and it that's not that's not exciting enough, good ol' poultry-cooking, drug baron Gustavo himself, aka actor Giancarlo Esposito, will be there. Is everything to your satisfaction? It's the event we've all been waiting for since the idea that Los Pollos Hermanos could actually become a real-life restaurant first came up, and it's timed to coincide with Better Call Saul's season three premiere on April 11. Attendees are encouraged to dress up in their very best Better Call Saul-themed outfit, so expect to see plenty of pretend dodgy lawyers around. No word yet if anything blue will be on the menu. Find the Los Pollos Hermanos pop-up at Thirsty Bird, Shop 3, 2-14 Bayswater Road, Potts Point from 11.30am-3.00pm and 5.00pm-8.30pm on April 11 and 12. For more information, check out the event Facebook page. Image: Robert Trachtenberg/AMC/Sony Pictures Television. Copyright: © 2017 Sony Pictures Television Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Grab your diary. Call your mates. Reserve your horse. Secret Garden has announced its 2017 dates. And we're happy to tell you that Australia's beloved, grassroots, made-for-mates-by-mates festival will be taking place over 48 hours, across Friday 24 and Saturday, 25 February. As usual, we won't know anything about the lineup or festival program until tickets are sold out. But, we can tell you that, as always, Secret Garden will bring you an immersive experience, a long way out of the city, within a magical natural setting transformed into a wonderland. You'll find yourself wandering through a forest maze, getting lost in massive installations, discovering unexpected pop-up performances and coming across tucked-away parties in custom-made rave caves. Maybe. All we know for sure? As always, you're invited to wear your craziest, most dressed up fancy dress. Start planning. Full lineup to be released soon. Images: Tim Da Rin, Zakarij Kaczmarek.
A Saturday tradition for beachbound residents, the Bondi Farmers’ Markets may be a fashionable place to shop but its popularity isn’t a superficial evolution. Consumers are increasingly more interested in where their food comes from and how it’s grown, as well as buying local produce to support farmers and reduce their carbon footprint. The Bondi Farmers’ Markets are your go-to spot for fresh, locally-made produce every Saturday morning in Bondi Beach Public School. With artisan bread, smokey salt, honey, fruit and veg, home-made ice blocks, macaroons, yoghurt, cheese and coffee only some of the produce on offer, not to mention the pleasure of doing the grocery shop in the sunshine, Bondi Farmers’ Markets is a very pleasant way to spend a Saturday morning. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Neither the cash nor inclination to hotfoot it to Byron Bay this Easter? Folks no longer willing to stash eggs in your backyard? Despair not. Take a staycation and get into some good ol' hometown fun. Find beachside shenanigans, live music, banquets and aqua egg hunts on the harbour. Say farewell to one of the last of the openair cinemas for the season, or take a bike tour along Sydney's foreshores. For those who like to spend their Easter weekend with a bucketload of hip hop and '00s R&B, there's more than one party for you.
Camperdown is really coming into itself of late. As Newtown's quieter sister suburb, it's always seemed to slightly live in the shadows when it comes to openings — it's pretty geographically dominated by the University of Sydney and RPA. But in 2016, Camperdown is like Cady Heron ala Mean Girls Act Two (that is, after she gets a big ol' makeover, and is still sassy and sabotaging the Plastics, but before she becomes a mean girl for real). Go with it. Camperdown is fetch. We're not the only ones to hold this opinion though, as a whole murder of cafe openings have cropped up recently (yes, the collective noun for cafe openings is murder, sure). First up, we've got Boss Lady Food & Co on Purkis Street — which already has our allegiance for the name alone. The menu is a mixture of Greek and Egyptian influences with an Aussie twist, and dishes are named after the boss ladies themselves. Because they're boss ladies. For something a little more retro, Little Lord Cafe has also just opened on Salisbury Road, and it's definitely pushing the grandma and grandpa's house nostalgia vibes. Their menu is a simple affair of coffee, cakes and sandwiches, all plucked from a few generations ago. Think pineapple upside-down cake and scotch eggs, and all served in cosy, living room-style surrounds. Little Lord took over the space that once housed the adorable Pigeon Ground Records, and we're stoked to see the continuation of twee-ness. And we’re expecting a few more exciting openings in the next few months too, after the unfortunate closure of Mo’s Pantry on Purkis Street. And so the impending gentrification of the inner west continues. But in the meantime: Camperdown, you're lookin' mighty fine. Image: Boss Lady.
A new Sicilian restaurant headed by internationally acclaimed chef Lino Sauro is the latest venue set to join the still-blooming Kensington Street precinct. Opening on the second floor of the newly restored Old Rum Store, it will join first-level French restaurant Bistrot Gavroche, Japanese-American fusion newcomer Eastside Grill, and new pop-up The Private Kitchen on level three. The best part? It'll have its own rooftop terrace. Sauro has spent the past ten years in Singapore where he headed Sicilian restaurant Gattopardo. His new Sydney venture is called Olio, which is the Italian word for olive oil — a very appropriate name given that olive oil, which will make up the base of the Sauro's dishes, sourced from his family farm in Sicily. As for the rest of the ingredients, seafood, wild fennel, raisins, saffron and couscous all play a big part in the menu. Sicily's natural environment — like the ocean and its abundance of olive trees — and historic relations with North Africa and Mediterranean Europe are major influences on Sicilian cuisine. Sauro's own farming heritage has also inspired a passion for cooking with fresh, local produce. For Olio, he's prioritised international award winners in his choice of architects too. LAVA, who are also responsible for designing Abu Dhabi's Masdar eco city centre and Sydney's Martian Embassy, have designed both the indoor dining room and the rooftop terrace to reflect the menu. They've incorporated the industrial history of the space — like its exposed brick and loft-style windows — into a modern revamp, which includes hints of Mediterranean blue and olive green in the colour scheme and Sicilian tiles. Those dining on the terrace will be treated to views of Central Park's vertical garden and Kensington Street's Spice Alley while surrounded by olive trees. Olio opens January 28 om the second floor of The Old Rum Store, 2-10 Kensington Street, Chippendale. Images: Lauren Commens.
As far as Henry Miller was concerned, alone time is crucial to creativity. “An artist is always alone,” he wrote, “if he is an artist. What the artist needs is loneliness.” But spending day in, day out, with only your cat for company isn’t always a recipe for inspiration. Luckily, Etsy is well aware of the problem. So, every year, they host an enormous, worldwide Craft Party. Artists and craftspeople all over the planet are encouraged to get together to paint, draw, sculpt, sew and make — with like-minded others. This year, the gathering will be happening on June 6 and the theme is 'Kaleidoscope: Paper taking shape'. It's all about collages and paper cutting techniques this year, so come armed with scissors. Etsy Craft Parties will be held all over Australia. You can organise your own, or to attend one of Sydney's major bashes, book a spot online.
Australians are notoriously picky when it comes to their daily coffee. But how many of us actually know how and why coffees can vary so much from place to place? Sure there's the skill of the barista, but it might be time to learn a bit more about the beans to inform our preferences. Here's a handy guide to coffee tasting, from what aromas to look for to how to drink better coffee in general. You'll be hosting your own coffee cupping sessions at home in no time — something you can even do with the humble coffee pod. [caption id="attachment_578979" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Daniel Ruswick.[/caption] WHY DO A COFFEE TASTING? Coffee cupping sessions are about educating people on the difference in beans. Where they're from, if they're single origin, how they're roasted and ground all contribute to a different product at the end of the line. Sam Gibson co-owner of Back and Forth cafe attends quarterly cupping sessions with his supplier Gabriel coffee. "Coffee tastings are important to identify the profile of the coffee, where it's from and how it's roasted determines the flavours which inform our choices of what to serve." Back and Forth has a house blend then a monthly single origin coffee it grinds freshly and sells to customers. Cupping sessions are also available and gaining popularity at places like Campos in Newtown and Rueben Hills in Surry Hills. DO'S AND DON'TS Don't do anything silly like brush your teeth just before doing a tasting. Cleanse the palate with sparkling water, that's not too cold between tasting. Don't swallow the coffee, but do leave it and swill it around your mouth a bit before spitting it out. Don't add sugar. When you're sipping, Gibson advises to take in a little bit of air with the mouthful, in the same way as when you're tasting wine. "It's really important as it gets the coffee to the back of the mouth and all over the tongue," he says. [caption id="attachment_578982" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Drew Coffman.[/caption] WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR "Aroma is really important and the first thing to be considered," says Gibson. Before tasting the coffee smell each one after the other and notice the difference. Then smell each one again just before you taste it. "Very roughly speaking the darker blends are better for milky coffees as they hold up with their more full bodied, bitter chocolatey characteristics." Lighter blends tend to be a bit more earthy, floral and citrusy which suit black coffee. When tasting the coffee think about characteristics beyond the actual flavour profiles like body, acidity, complexity, mouth feel and finish. Try to think of words that describe the flavours you're tasting, such as grassy, earthy. chocolatey, sharp, delicate, bitter, bold etc. COFFEE TASTING AT HOME With the rise in popularity of portable espresso machines at home, so too are people developing tastes for their favourite beans and blends in the pods. Australian startup company Tripod Coffee sources single origin and blended regional beans, then roasts and vacuum sealed locally to retain freshness. It might be an idea to get one of their sample packs, which has all five varieties from their spicy, savoury, cedar style 'Grey Gaucho' to their raisiny, citrusy and coco bean-esque 'Blue Beret'. Otherwise getting a small pack of a few different beans from a cafe, having them freshly ground and serving them French press style side by side, is a surprisingly good way to compare the characteristics of the beans. TIPS FOR DRINKING BETTER COFFEE Adding sugar is a real no-no for coffee purists. But knowing what kind of bean suits the way you drink your coffee (black, espresso or flat white, for instance) can help you make an educated choice to bring out the best in your coffee. Never keep coffee in the freezer at home, but tightly sealed somewhere dry. The best thing you can do is invest in a grinder and grind small quantities of beans as you make your coffee. And try as much coffee as you can — shake it up.
He's created culinary delights for Cate Blanchett, David Beckham and U2, now chef Nelly Robinson (formerly of the Aria group) wants to cook for you. Snuggled in an underground bunker-style space in Surry Hills, Robinson's brand new London-like eatery nel. restaurant is the city's newest 'progressive dining' spot. Sitting on Wentworth Avenue on the border of Surry Hills, nel. works around an open, modern kitchen layout — you'll be able to see your nosh prepared from every seat in the house. Decked out with copper facades, exposed brickwork and minimalist leather booths, nel. is sure to be on the top of Sydneysider must-try lists. Food-wise, nel. is all about shaking things up. Robinson has worked with acclaimed Northern English chef Nigel Howarth (Northcote Manor, UK), so this is his own personal branch-out. Robinson's crafted a monthly rotating seasonal menu — right now we're talking venison carpaccio with a chocolate dust and pickled enoki mushrooms; slow-cooked and water bathed Tasmanian lobster with paprika and garlic butter, charred sweet corn and fresh mango; and blowtorched peach with elderflower sorbet and a buttermilk mousse. Accompanying the constantly changing menu is ten specially-matched wines — you'll be served two with each dish so you can experience different tastes (without the judgement-bait of having two wines at a time). nel. restaurant is located at 75 Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills NSW 2000. nel. restaurant will be open for lunch Tuesday-Saturday 6pm-late, Thursday-Friday 12pm-3pm. For more info and bookings, call (02) 9212 2206 or visit the website.
Sydney record label Of Leisure are teaming up with V MoVement to host a party with all the good things: lawn bowls, putt-putt, ping-pong and of course, killer tunes. Did we mention it's free? The label launch party will be headlined by Brisbane's Young Franco, who has been touring the country with the likes of Basenji and Touch Sensitive. Last time Young Franco made it to Sydney, his show at Civic Underground sold out two weeks in advance. MUTO, Tyler Touché and GRMM will kick things off, along with Of Leisure DJs and a mystery special guest. The dress code is listed as 'Australiana inspired White, Off White, Cream, Beige, Pastel' — bust out the stain remover and interpret this however you wish. The shenanigans will be taking place at Marrickville Bowling Club. Entry is free with with an RSVP at the Of Leisure webpage.
When the sun goes down every Wednesday, the Art Gallery of NSW decks the halls with jam-packed evenings of talks, guided tours, and live music. A super-charged extension of the Gallery's usual Wednesday night Art After Hours program will run on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights, dubbed Up Late with The Greats. After the Gallery's usual closing time of 5pm, you can take an extended jaunt through The Greats exhibition — featuring the likes of Titian, Botticelli, Gauguin and Degas, all the way from the National Galleries of Scotland — and partake in a ramped up range of activities. On Wednesday nights, celebrated comedian and SERIOUS art nerd Hannah Gadsby will be unveiling her SERIOUS art history chops and treating gallery-goers to a VERY SERIOUS rundown of different eras of Western art history each week. There'll be salon drawing on Thursday nights, and live music by members of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra on Friday nights. On all three nights, Young Henrys will be serving a limited edition masterpiece-inspired brew at the Gallery’s pop-up bar. Up Late With The Greats will run Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays from January 6 – 29.
Forget about the mouldy old sandwich you’ve got sitting in the communal office fridge. Today only, ride sharing service Uber and food charity OzHarvest have teamed up with some of the best chefs and restaurants in the country, and will be delivering gourmet lunches right to your office door. Starting at noon today, hungry Uber users in the Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Gold Coast CBDs will be able to log into the app and request a lunch box. The meal will cost you just $12, and will be delivered to you by an Uber driver. Better yet, your money will go straight to OzHarvest in order to help them feed impoverished Australians. Uber has already donated $10,000, which will be used to fund 20,000 meals. So what does your money get you? Sydneysiders will chow down on a corned beef burger from Neil Perry’s Burger Project, while Brisbanites can enjoy a Reuben Sandwich from Matt Moran’s ARIA, and Melburnians get stuck in to a George Calombaris mix plate that includes mini spanakopita from Hellenic Republic, flat bread from Gazi, grain salad with chicken from Mastic and petit fours from The Press Club. Neil Perry pops up again in Perth with a Reuben from his Rockpool Bar & Grill, whereas Adelaide gets a Jock Zonfrillo vegetarian option of fire pit pumpkin with goats curd, spiced macadamias and crispy salt bush. Last but not least, diners on the Gold Coast can choose between slow-braised beef brisket with pearl barley and garden salsa, or roast butternut squash, capsicum, zucchini, pearl barley & sun dried tomato pesto — both courtesy of Dennis Duncanson’s Paradox Coffee Roasters. You’ll have to get in quick though. There are just 200 meals available in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and even less in Perth, Adelaide and on the Gold Coast. The promotion runs until 2pm, but odds are they’ll sell out long before. To order your lunch, log into your Uber app starting from 12pm today and put in a request. For more info, go here. If you’d like to donate directly to OzHarvest, visit www.ozharvest.org. Image: George Calombaris' Grain Salad.
Two fast food staples, both alike in dignity, in fair Hong Kong where we lay our scene. An unlikely pair of greasy star-cross'd lovers have been fused by the world's biggest chicken specialist — KFC has created the unholy union of pizza and fried chicken. Found only in Hong Kong for now, KFC's new Napoli Crispy Pizza Chicken sees the chain's immortal fried chicken breaded with marinara, mozzarella, and cheddar cheese. It's pure, horrifying genius. They've even got some slightly freaky children's choir in on the local ad. We thought things would settle down after KFC decided to replace their buns with chicken, but no. This mighty fast food hybrid proves our suspicions that the global trend toward fusing unlikely food friends is getting more messed up by the day. Just go with it, we guess? Via Gizmodo.
If you’re the kind of person who thinks spotting the key vinyl pressing missing from your collection at the bottom of a box is comparable to the highs of first love, At First Sight at Carriageworks is the part record fair, part live gig, part passionate affair for you. Following its sell-out success in 2013, when more than 5000 people wandered through the doors, At First Sight is back for another Saturday of finding your new music love. Rather than having you wait until you get home with your new finds to jam out, this record fair with a difference is bringing you some the best Aussie artists and DJs to keep you company. While you flip through rows of vinyl-filled milk crates curated by Sydney's independent record stores, labels and private dealers, you can expect bands like Blank Realm, Rolling Blackouts, Total Gionvanni, Lost Animal, Donny Benet, My Disco, Palms, Richard Cartwright, Tees, World Champion and more to join you in the aisles, as well DJs including Adi Toohey, Kali, Andras and DJ Jonathan Toubin — who VICE declared “the only DJ we actually like” — bringing you his Soul Clap & Dance Off from the USA. Lacking the dance moves needed for your new tunes? Sydney choreographer Amrita (known for her Beyonce Dance Classes at Goodgod) is collaborating with DJ and videographer Ego for a unique performance on the day. Dreamed up by FBi Radio’s Martin Doyle, this may be the one record fair to rule them all. The festival runs noon to 11pm, while the record fair runs 10am to 6pm.
Wine is amazing, spirits are brilliant, and even cider has a place, but nothing takes the mid-week edge off like a delicious, crisp beer. There's nowhere better to visit than Bitter Phew, an Oxford Street bar with 12 taps that consistently rotate through some of the best craft beers on the scene. As such, there's always something for everyone — whether you're after the crisp, fruity palate of a pale ale, or looking for the deeper, chocolate tones of a dark ale. Treat yourself to an early mark, a couple brews and Mr Crackles or BL Burgers delivered straight to your table, as Oxford Street comes alive with fellow hump day revellers.
Sydney's got a brand new pop-up bar — but it's a little bit different to the ones we're used to. It's not a whisky bar or a wine bar, or a craft beer hole-in-the wall. Nope, this bar's poison of choice is water. An installation art piece in the Paddington Reservoir Gardens, the H2O: Water Bar resembles something between a laboratory and a speakeasy. The work consists of various flasks of water collected from different spots along the east coast, which will be served up to visitors to sample. In tasting the subtle differences between each type of water, visitors are asked to consider its importance and fragility, lest we continue to squander our planet's most important natural resource. The bar is the brainchild of Janet Laurence, an acclaimed local artist whose work often intersects with the natural world and humanity's relationship to it. Having exhibited her art everywhere from London to Tokyo to the recent global climate summit in Paris, Laurence hopes that her new work "will make people realise that water is a real treasure". As the H2O: Water Bar opens up to Sydneysiders for the first time, we spoke with Laurence about the origins of the project, the relationship between art and politics, and how water can be a lot like wine. [caption id="attachment_559821" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Janet Laurence and her buddy, Muddy.[/caption] Where did the idea for the H2O: Water Bar come from? "Well, funnily enough, it came from seeing inside the Paddington Reservoir, when it was being renovated years ago. I was captivated by this beautiful space, and I just thought that we had to have a water artwork in here of some sort. I have in the past done some works using water. I did a big piece for the Olympic site that was all about water chemistry, and I did a piece that emulates the hydrology of the CH2 [Council House 2] building in Melbourne. And they were both very research-based works about water. So you develop this knowledge and it becomes part of your language, so every work is more researched, and develops a bit further." What are you interested in exploring through your work with water? "My area of interest in my art has always been our relationship to the natural environment. Which is quite broad. It can take us into really focusing on particularly fragile or extinct species, right through to more atmospheric things — things like water. It's about trying to create an immersive installation that will bring the audience in to recognising that there are issues to be considered. At the same time, it's an aesthetic experience. It's not a purely didactic thing." What should people expect when they visit the bar? "Firstly, the visitors are going to be brought into the most beautiful space. People often see the park above, but they don't realise that underneath is this magnificent reservoir that has been restored into this magical inside-outside garden. So they have to walk through this to arrive at the inner chamber, which is this very solid structure, and at the end they'll see a very fragile treasure chest of all the flasks housing water. These will then be offered to [visitors] by water bearers — or 'water conductors' as I'm calling them — who will walk around [with] all these different waters in test tubes. It's sort of like, if you go for a wine tasting or a cheese tasting, you're not going to sit there and drink down gallons of wine. It's about tasting and sampling and trying to experience different tastes of water according to where it's from, and questioning why it tastes different...at a time in the world when water is becoming so precious, we really have to think about all of these things." So, we have to ask, it really is possible to distinguish between the waters by their taste? "In actual fact, you can. You probably notice yourself when you travel how different water tastes in all the different places that you go. But we don't know how to talk about that elemental aspect of it...the difference in the rock they've passed through, how long water takes to reach a place. All of these things we don't consider." What do you hope visitors will take away from their visit to the H2O: Water Bar? "What I hope the whole project will do is make people realise that water is a real treasure...these waters connect us to the earth, and I think that's really important. Especially in a country like Australia. Indigenous people have always treated water as sacred and precious, whereas we've been so indulgent with it, and wasteful, and think it'll never end. I'm very much interested in art having a voice in those issues, because artists can speak about things in a way that politicians and scientists often can't. H2O: Water Bar will run at Padding Reservoir Gardens until Sunday, February 28. For more information on the pop-up, visit their website. Images courtesy of City of Sydney. Photography by Nikki To.
Winter has come to an end, so you can pack away the mittens and embrace the warm mornings with sunrise yoga on the Sydney Opera House steps. The ten-week program kicks off on October 10 with classes running three days a week. Yoga will be led by Crawf Weir (of Barefoot Yoga in Paddington) on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Following the popularity of last season's yoga, additional classes have been added on Wed and Sat — if you're not a morning person, you'll be happy to know they're later on, too. Tickets are a little steep at $25 each, but there's surely no better way to start your day than by saluting the sun as it shimmers over the harbour and those legendary white sails as your backdrop. If the weather's not brilliant, yoga will be held inside the Concert Hall Northern Foyer instead. Sunrise on the Steps will run from October 10–December 15 with classes held at 7am and 8.30am on Wednesdays, 7am Fridays, and 7.30am and 9am on Saturdays. Images: Ken Leanfore.
As temperatures (finally) begin to drop and sidewalks become blanketed with layers of leaf-litter, its time to take things indoors. But rather than skipping straight to the wintery ritual of cozying up in front of the fireplace of your neighbourhood pub, we've found you the perfect autumn watering hole. A Surry Hills institution, The Winery welcomes the team from champagne house Perrier-Jouet for a residency you'll want to get along to. Le Jardin by Perrier-Jouet brings drinkers a Garden of Eden-inspired pop-up bar, complete with lush indoor greenery and plenty of champagne flowing. Opening their doors from 5pm Thursday and Fridays, as well as Saturdays and Sundays from 3pm, Le Jardin is the grown-up garden party you've always wanted to be a part of. And this Wednesday, April 27, Perrier-Jouët will host a champagne masterclass in the Le Jardin space. The masterclass, hosted by Perrier-Jouët's Global Champagne Ambassador Chris Sheehy, will take participants through a selection of the French champagne house's famed cuvees — including the Grand Brut, the Belle Epoque 2007 and the Blason Rose. Each Champagne will be paired with a specially created menu, featuring natural oysters with cucumber granita, pan seared salmon with Champagne Beurre Blanc, orange and fennel, and white chocolate pannacotta berry compote. You can buy tickets here, or enter your details below for your chance to win a spot at the table. [competition]569492[/competition]
Anita Sarkeesian is one of the world’s bravest women. One of the key players taking aim at misogyny in the world of video games, Sarkeesian has been both applauded and attacked worldwide for her outspokenness about the gaming industry — she even explained #Gamergate to Stephen Colbert. Her blog Feminist Frequency and video series' Tropes vs. Women and Tropes vs. Women in Video Games have seen anti-feminist trolls sending serious threats her way — Sarkeesian even had to cancel a speaking appearance at Utah State University after terrorist threats. But haters be damned, the feminist critic at the forefront of gaming debates is finally coming to Sydney, one of All About Women’s most important speakers. Returning to the Sydney Opera House as part of the Ideas at the House program, All About Women returns for its third year in 2015 for one day of panels, readings and talks, celebrating, discussing and analysing women and their stories. Ideas at the House have attracted the likes of Tavi Gevinson, Yoko Ono and Alice Waters to the SOH stage over the years, and this year's AAW is one of their most ambitious programs yet. Most fittingly this year, AAW lands smack bang on International Women's Day, March 8, joining a global high-five to women worldwide. Joining Sarkeesian for this year’s festival is a powerhouse of a lineup over 19 sessions. Sarkeesian will join the ever formidable Germaine Greer — wouldn’t be AAW without her — for a panel called How to Be a Feminist, alongside ever outspoken novelist Tara Moss, feminist pop culture writer Clementine Ford, The Atlantic contributing editor Kate Bolick and kickass author, editor and English professor Roxane Gay. Ever the provocative writer, Gay will lead her own talk, Bad Feminist, focused around her controversial book of the same name which debates, “We don’t all have to believe in the same feminism.” Gay loves Sweet Valley High and blasting rap with degrading lyrics, can she still identify as a feminist? National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence and modern day Steve Zissou, 79-year-old Sylvia Earle, will teach us How to Save The Planet, while Eat Pray Love author Elizabeth Gilbert picks up where her straight-up killer TED talk left off (that one with the cheeky nine million views) reflecting on the handicaps of creative ‘genius’. Amazingly, Gilbert’s hairdresser is also a boss writer; Syrian-born, US-raised Rayya Elias talks ‘80s New York City, drug addiction, homelessness and the punk/performance scene. Contributing editor for The Atlantic and author of one of their most successful cover stories, 'All the Single Ladies' (with over one million readers), Kate Bolick will unpack the idea of singleness ahead of her 2015 book release, Spinster, while Washington Post staff writer and New York Times bestselling author Brigid Schulte delves into her book Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has The Time. The ever convivial Annabel Crabb will unpack her book, Breaking the Wife Drought, Judith Lucy discusses her new ABC show All Woman, while author of Hideous Kinky, Esther Freud (yep, of those Freuds), talks about her own childhood — imagine growing up a Freud. Greer brings in her Emeritus Professorship in English Literature to team up with her contemporary John Bell for the talk Shakespeare’s Women, then returning after two sold-out years at AAW, the Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe tell stories of survival, human resilience and joy. Being a woman in 2015 has never been more discussed, with Emma Watson carving up the UN, Beyonce flashing the F word in our faces, Jennifer Lawrence sticking it to the perves and Malala Yousafzai showing us all what true bravery looks like. Let's rep it on the home front shall we? All About Women comes to Sydney Opera House on March 8, 2015. Check out the full program and the AAW festival calendar at sydneyoperahouse.com/aaw. Tickets from $25, on sale 9am Monday 15 December through SOH or 02 9250 7777. Top image: Alex Lazara.
In the space of one month, you can learn the 'Nutbush' for six hours, check in with Sierra Leone's courageous fashion choices post-civil war, and find neon caves, giant, glowing phalluses and large-scale demon murals lurking inside the Art Gallery of NSW, MCA and Carriageworks. Paradigms be damned, this month, Sydney galleries are putting eclecticism first. Whether an autumn storm's raging or the city's immovable humidity is too much for you to bear, find your way to Sydney's best galleries this April for candy-coloured models of Palm Springs, eerie landscape photography and Xanadu roller skating displays. By Lucy McNabb with Matt Abotomey, Imogen Baker and James Whitton.
The Museum of Contemporary Art's Artbar has become a firm fixture on Sydney's after-dark cultural calendar. For the uninitiated, Artbar combines art, music, design and performance for a huge adults-only art party on the last Friday of every month, curated by a different artist each time. This month, the event will be held a week early, and comes under the direction of Melbourne-based artist Kate Beynon. Beynon draws on cultural identities — including her own upbringing in Hong Kong and the UK — to tell stories through paintings and soft sculptures. For Artbar, Beynon has chosen the theme of 'mixture' to run the proceedings, curating a night that explores multiculturalism and hybridity through fantastical installations, performances and, of course, a dance party on the MCA rooftop. Your ARTBAR ticket also includes free entry to Pipilotti Rist's Sip My Ocean.
Whenever an exciting tour announcement arrives, it usually heralds two pieces of good news. Firstly, someone ace is coming our way. Secondly, they probably have something new — an album or a book — to spruik. That's firmly the case with the latest revelation for 2023: David Sedaris' next Australia tour. This time, the author, comedian and NPR humorist has just dropped New York Times best seller Happy-Go-Lucky, and he's heading to Hobart, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to talk about it. Known for his snappy wit, as well as his discerning and astute ability to observe life's moments — both trivial and extraordinary — in both an observational and unique way, Sedaris is making his sixth trip Down Under to chat about the book, which focuses on the pandemic. If you haven't seen Sedaris live before, his shows are part of the reason that he's built up such a following. Onstage, he regularly weaves in new and unpublished material, too, so — and the satirist will throw it over to the crowd for a Q&A as well, and sign copies of his book. Sedaris is celebrated for his constant This American Life appearances, must-read pieces in The New Yorker and his past unputdownable books such as Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls and Theft By Finding: Diaries (1977-2002). If you've been searching for a supportive environment to use the phrase "how very droll," this is it. His live evenings always sell out quickly — all of his Aussie tours have so far — so you'll want to jump on tickets ASAP when they go on sale on Wednesday, August 3. [caption id="attachment_862851" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prudence Upton[/caption] AN EVENING WITH DAVID SEDARIS 2023 TOUR DATES: Wednesday, February 1 — Theatre Royal, Hobart Friday, February 3 — Regal Theatre, Perth Saturday, February 4 — Adelaide Festival Centre Sunday, February 5 — Canberra Theatre Centre Monday, February 6–Tuesday, February 7 — Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne Wednesday, February 8 — Brisbane Powerhouse Thursday, February 9 — Sydney Opera House David Sedaris tours Australia in February 2023. For more information, or to sign up for ticket pre-sales — which start on Tuesday, August 2, with general sales from 9am on Wednesday, August 3 — head to the tour website. Image: Anne Fishbein.
Leave everything up to the chef at this intimate omakase restaurant in Darling Square. Make your evening even more special with a complimentary Haku martini paired with the multi-course meal. Kuon is located right in the heart of Sydney's Chinatown and the hub of Asian cuisine. We sat down with Head Chef Hideaki Fukada to chat about passion, precision and his sushi knives. What sets Kuon Omakase apart from the other stunning omakase restaurants in the city is the incredibly intimate size of the venue, with only a dozen seats, the chef's counter, a few drinks fridges and a smoker taking up residence inside. Kuon Omakase regards itself as "modern Japanese Edomae sushi": an evolved, refined way of enjoying sushi and combining elements of the west and east, old and new. At Kuon, guests can enjoy aged sushi served with sake alongside fresh seafood caught off the coast of Australia — everything in balance. If you want to level up your omakase experience, from Tuesday, October 3, till Friday, November 3, all seatings at Kuon will begin with a complimentary lychee and cherry blossom Haku martini, dubbed the Sakura Spring Lychee Martini. Kuon Omakase is serving its complimentary bespoke Haku cherry and lychee martini with its omakase menu from Tuesday, October 3 till Friday, November 3. This offering is available across two seatings: Tuesday – Sunday at 5.15pm and 7.45pm. Mark your diaries: the booking window is now open. Haku Vodka's signature serve is the Haku martini — a drink that showcases the craftsmanship, nuanced flavour and exceptional quality of the premium Japanese liquid. To learn more, head to the House of Suntory website. Images: Brooke Zotti
