Fans of Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar-winning war drama The Hurt Locker will recall that one of the film's most tense and thrilling sequences involved a lone enemy sniper laying waste to a group of US troops and UK mercenaries deep in the Iraqi desert. Pinned down in the blazing heat with little more than rubble for cover, the fear, confusion and discomfort of the men coming under fire was made all the more nail-biting courtesy of a near-silent soundtrack interrupted only by the 'hiss' and 'thwack' of bullets either missing or finding their mark. If that sequence felt somehow rushed or underplayed to you, however, then Doug Liman's latest film The Wall is every bit the fix you're looking for, since it's a movie that stretches that scenario to feature length. The setup is fantastic: six bodies – contractors, engineers and security personnel – all lie dead and scattered around an oil pipeline construction site, whilst way up in the hills a two-man American sniper team (John Cena and Aaron Taylor-Johnson) scans for any sign of the enemy. After 20-something hours of incident-free observation, they declare the site clear and march on down to make the final call in person, whereupon the enemy sniper reveals he's very much still in the picture and cripples both men with a series of sudden and devastating body-shots. As one of the soldiers lies exposed and bleeding, the other scrambles to find cover behind the tiniest, flimsiest shale wall. It's here that the remainder of the movie takes place. Without giving too much away, this is very much Taylor-Johnson's film, for it's he who occupies the vast majority of screen time, turning in an impressively physical and committed performance. You can't help but grit your teeth and squint in sympathy as he endures excruciating pain and the non-stop swirling of dust. Indeed, the immersive nature of the desert setting is one of the film's greatest strengths, evoking such a dry, overbearing heat that you feel compelled to rehydrate throughout. Where The Wall goes awry is when the enemy sniper begins taunting Taylor-Johnson's character over his radio, at which point some hackneyed horror-style lines ("We're not so different, you and I") begin to rear their head. Quoting Robert Frost and Edgar Allan Poe, and pontificating on the hypocrisies of American militarism, the unnamed gunman's dialogue feels like an attempt to bring an unnecessary extra layer of menace to what's already a fine and gripping story. It'd be like taking the shark from The Shallows and having it lecture Blake Lively on the inequities of big game fishing. The threat is already there, you don't need anything more. Even so, like The Shallows, The Wall achieves a lot with very little. Full credit to Liman and company, who have crafted a single-setting, single-actor showcase that proves you don't need a $200 million budget to tell a powerful and engaging war story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyCuUr2_hmA
Manly is set to gain a very secretive new addition when The Cumberland opens its doors. This August, you'll be able to head through a 1920s-style fridge door and wind down a spiral staircase into this underground speakeasy-style bar. The new northern beaches spot comes from owner Matt Clifton, who is the manager director of MJC Group of Companies, which is also responsible for Manly's Donny's Bar and In Situ. He's signed on general manager Pete Ehemann, too, who has worked at the likes of the Ivy and Coogee Pavilion. Behind the bar, over 250 whiskies from around the world will line the shelves. This serious spirit collection will be accompanied by signature cocktails that use local botanicals, along with organic Australian wines and craft beers from both local and European makers. For eats, there'll be Spanish cured meats and cheeses, as well as pork rillettes, baked camembert and plates of hot, melted raclette. Surry Hills' AZB Creative is responsible for the fit-out — images of which have been kept well under wraps, for now. But, we're told to expect ornate and vintage furnishings, upcycled timber, marble bench tops, hand-carved sandstone and clay brickwork. Plus, antique brass and copper accents, including the beer taps — an original set, dating back to 1902. A leather banquette will also wrap around the space, which will sit 70 all up. The Cumberland will open at a yet-to-be-announced address in Manly this August. Keep an eye on this space for more details.
To break up your newsfeed of cancellations and postponed events, here's a little bit of happy news. To celebrate 'International Day of Happiness', a Sydney CBD cafe is giving away free flowers and two-for-one coffees. Head over to June's Shoppe in Wynyard on the morning of Friday, March 20 to receive a bright yellow flower, along with a two-for-one coffee voucher. It'll be handing out the 200 blooms starting from 8am, so make sure you head over bright and early to score one of them. While you're there, take advantage of the adorable yellow cafe's Gabriel coffee and variety of refreshing drinks, including kombucha, cold press juices and coconut water; and try one of its open-faced sandwiches, such as the savoury avocado and buffalo mozzarella number or the sweet Nutella and banana one. If you're looking for something heartier, it also has a selection of salad bowls, and B&E rolls.
Although headlines spout statistics and assumptions about refugees, it's rare that we get insight into an individual's experience. But Melbourne-born doco maker David Fedele is changing that. His 2014 film The Land Between took audiences into the world of asylum seekers living in the mountains of northern Morocco and risking death to enter the Spanish enclave of Melilla. Now, he's collaborating with refugee Adama Konate to bring us a unique film, Clandestine Crossing. Konate, who lives in France, will be returning alone to his home country, the Ivory Coast, where he'll re-trace the journey he risked eleven years ago as an asylum seeker. This time, though, he'll be armed with a camera. So, through his eyes, we'll experience his dangerous flight across the Sahara Desert to Morocco, through seven countries and often in the hands of people smugglers. It's a path taken by thousands of asylum seekers every year. "As far as I know, it's never been done before," Fedele said. "When most people leave their country, the last thing they're doing is thinking of making a film… Yet, here is a refugee prepare to take a risk. Why? Why is this so strong for him? He obviously feels strongly about the issues. It's also really interesting, because he wants to tell his own stories. "Adama came up with this idea three years ago and hasn't been able to get it out of his head… Our intention is to start from a place of understanding and empathy. We want to film openly, to understand the reality of why people leave and the reality of the challenges the face." To make Clandestine Crossing happen, Fedele and Konate are running a crowdfunding campaign via Indiegogo. Throw a few bucks their way to score a reward — from a digital download to a Skype chat with the directors.
Is your wardrobe overflowing with clothes that you don't wear? We've all been there, and we've all been too busy to do anything about it. Through its op shops, Australian Red Cross finds a new home for your pre-loved outfits, shoes and accessories, with proceeds going towards its charity efforts — but we all know that wanting to donate your old threads is one thing and finding the time to do it is another. That's why Australian Red Cross has once again partnered with Uber for its annual Uber x Red Cross Clothing Drive. When it launched in 2018, it collected over 43,500 kilograms of clothing in that first year alone, which saw clothing items worth an estimated $800,000 donated. And you'd best take the drive part literally, as the ride-sharing service will actually drive to your house, pick up your unwanted clothes and accessories, and deliver them to Red Cross Shops. Even better: it's not only super easy to take part, but it's free as well. Sydneysiders just make sure you're ready between 10am–4pm on Saturday, October 19, 2024. Once you've bagged up all of your old bits and pieces (items you'd happily give your best friend, and no toys, books, furniture or electrical objects) into a bundle that weighs no more than 20 kilograms, it's all incredibly simple. Open the Uber app during that six-hour window, then find the Red Cross Clothing Drive image. After that, you need to set Red Cross Clothing Drive as the drop-off spot — and it should come up with a $0 amount. An Uber driver will then stop outside your house, meaning that you just need to take your preloved goods out to their car. Voila, you've cleared out your closet and you've helped folks in need, all with the tap of a button.
A cavalcade of queer cinema is coming to Sydney's big screens — yes, it's almost Mardi Gras Film Festival time again. With the movie-focused offshoot of the city's long-running LGBTIQ celebration fast approaching, MGFF has unveiled their stacked program. On the agenda: diversity, new talents and familiar faces aplenty. While the 2017 selection features almost 100 screenings, where else can we start but with the most recognisable part of this year's lineup? Yes, that'd be James Franco. We've previously noted that the actor pops up just about everywhere, and MGFF really is no different. For fans, or for those who just can't stop themselves watching his work, Franco stars alongside Christian Slater, Alicia Silverstone and Molly Ringwald in King Cobra, which tells the true story of gay porn star Brent Corrigan. There's more than that on the schedule, of course, with one world premiere, four international premieres and 31 Australian premieres on offer from February 15 to March 2 at Event Cinemas George Street, Cremorne Orpheum and Golden Age Cinema, plus a selection of other venues in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Fellow high-profile titles include the first four parts of new gay rights mini-series When We Rise, featuring Aussies Guy Pearce and Rachel Griffiths, and marking the reunion of Milk writer Dustin Lance Black and director Gus van Sant; Australian films Bad Girl and Teenage Kicks, each relaying coming-of-age narratives in completely different ways; and the Irish duo of A Date for Mad Mary and Handsome Devil, that will open and end the fest by finding their own kind of charm and comedy in their queer tales. Add a special screening of Golden Globe hit Moonlight, the world premiere of book-to-film adaptation Something Like Summer, a closing party hosted by the Queen of Ireland, aka drag performer Panti Bliss, and even Finding Dory for kids of all ages, and the scene is set for a wide array of perspectives and visions. "While we still feature this year's best coming-of-age movies, we are screening stories about the young and old in our community and everyone in between," says MGFF director Paul Struthers. "Building on last year's expanded program, we have again increased the proportion of lesbian and transgender content and included more people of colour." Mardi Gras Film Festival 2017 runs from February 15 to March 2 at Event Cinemas George Street, Cremorne Orpheum, Golden Age Cinema and Bar and other NSW and ACT venues. For more information, visit their website.
Wonderland Art Festival is returning for a third iteration, this time at Bronte Surf Life Saving Club's Reef Room. The three-day exhibition will feature an array of abstract and seascape art from over 30 Australian artists. From Wednesday, October 12, you'll be able to wander the gallery, taking in the 180-degree ocean views and original pieces on display. Browse at your own pace, or get deeper in the detail with a guided tour. Minis coming along? The Toddlers Art Table will keep them busy before you all head to Seaside Cafe for a beachside bite. When the evening rolls around, you can explore the exhibits — cocktail in hand — and sit in on ticketed adults-only events ($10 per person). Space is limited, so don't be late. If you have blank walls at home desperate for a refresh, head in on Thursday, October 13 at 6.30pm for the art auction (you can get a sneak peek at the works here). Visitors can also enter a lucky door prize, which will see one lucky attendee nab an arty prize (worth $1000). Just follow Wonderland Art Festival on Instagram and provide your name and email on arrival. It's set to be three stand-out days of creativity, right on the beach's doorstep — a delightful way to welcome the warmer months. Wonderland Art Festival will be open from Wednesday, October 12 to Friday, October 14 from 7am–6pm, with evening programs open from 6.30–9pm. Head to the website for more information and to grab your tickets.
Hailing from somewhere between California and a mythical, fallen city, Joanna Newsom extends far beyond the usual ethereality of harpists, basing her songs in a strong sense of narrative and boot polish charm. Having risen from little-girl-never-really-lost ranks through tours with Drag City labelmate Will Oldham, Joanna Newsom has released only two full-lengths to date but both are so good, she gives the illusion of prolificacy. Newsom's debut album The Milk Eyed Mender had moments of marble-mouth and a few "teen poet" lyrical missteps, but 2007's Ys, with its epic orchestration by Van Dyke Parks was nothing short of revelatory. Rambling tales of sawdust and shackles and the night sky and almost every lyric beginning with "and", Ys is undoubtedly one of the best (and conceptually ambitious) records so far this century.Having toured Sydney numerous times at this point â€" starting at the Metro, moving on to the Spiegeltent and then the Concert Hall at the Sydney Opera House where the entirety of Ys was played with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as part of the Sydney Festival, Joanna Newsom returns to the Opera House again this January. This time, however, she brings her own band, glimpsed briefly by audiences on her last tour and heard on her most recent EP. That EP, with its punny title, had a return to folk-charm with sea shanty stylings which seems destined to be a part of the upcoming tour.Tickets are on sale now.https://youtube.com/watch?v=IYl0uLrXP7U
Twenty-five movies, one night, nothing but classics: welcome to Dendy Newtown's Halloween House of Horror lineup for 2024. On Thursday, October 31 — when else? — the Inner West picture palace is dedicating its screens to scary movies. This is the event's biggest lineup yet, so prepare to be in horror heaven. If you've ever wondered how a cinema celebrates the spookiest day of the year, this big-screen scary-movie takeover — a one-day fright fest as well — is the answer. On the lineup: a date with Leatherface courtesy of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, plus Shaun of the Dead's horror-comedy fun. There's also Takashi Miike's (Lumberjack the Monster) Audition, the OG 1922 version of Nosferatu before the new remake drops, Sissy Spacek (Night Sky) getting bloody in 1976's Carrie and Kurt Russell (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters) trying to survive in 1982's The Thing. From there, your choices also include An American Werewolf in London, Idle Hands, Army of Darkness, Don't Look Now, Final Destination, From Dusk Till Dawn, Poltergeist, Scream, Suspiria, Re-Animator, Videodrome, Funny Games, Hellraiser, Hereditary, Thesis and Lake Mungo. Or, opt for a George A Romero trilogy with Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead. Because this is a one-night-only affair, some of these titles are showing at the same time, so you'll need to pick your Halloween scary-movie viewing wisely. Whatever you pick, you're paying per movie. Also, if you dress up in an October 31-appropriate costume and buy a ticket to any of the Halloween House of Horror sessions, you'll score a free small popcorn.
Powerhouse singer-songwriter Montaigne is live-streaming a free performance at the Art Gallery of New South Wales for international cultural festival Make Music Day on Sunday, June 21. The ARIA Award-winning artist and Eurovision 2021 contestant will be sharing a few stripped back songs — possibly the newbie 'Don't Break Me', or maybe 2016's hit 'Because I Love You' — via Facebook Live for around 20 minutes. Montaigne will be performing directly in front of a 2004 artwork by Australian artist Lindy Lee called 'Cosmos — a life of fire'. It'll be a showcase of hope and resilience for the music and art industries during a year that has seen many setbacks, and just as many unifying protests. The free event is part of the Gallery's Together In Art project, which was designed to bring optimism through art. The project has invited artists Ngaiire, Delta Goodrem, Rainbow Chan and L-Fresh the Lion to perform at the Gallery, and Together In Art has evolved from a lockdown lifeline of videos and pocket exhibitions into a fresh way of looking at art in a post-pandemic world. To watch, simply register your interest via the Facebook event page and five minutes before the performance time (at 7.25pm) you'll receive a link to the live-stream. Image: Montaigne pictured at the Art Gallery of NSW in the 22nd Biennale of Sydney: NIRIN 2020 exhibition, including works by Barbara McGrady and Kunmanara (Mumu Mike) Williams, Kunmanara (Willy Muntjantji) Martin and Sammy Dodd. Photo: AGNSW, Mim Stirling.
Welcome to the world of Hiromi Tango. It’s a sprawling wonderland of textile and colour. Walk into Sullivan+Strumpf and you’ll be confronted by Promised, a bright array of mixed media, full of twists and tangles. Sprouting woolly limbs and fabric baubles of almost every imaginable texture, these sculptural works are hung with bells, paper cranes, doilies, maps and letters. Many of them frame a hard neon disc, emblazoned with a single word. They look like fantastical creatures lying low, or vines crawling out of control. Emotional awakening is at the core of Tango’s practice. She aims to create rich sensory experiences, excavating the inner content of the psyche in order to create an evocative whirlwind of everyday materials. There are little messages of anxiety and affirmation discreetly tucked into the visual chaos of her work. One says “you are good at what you do as it all comes from the heart,” whilst another says, “you never ring me.” There’s also her cathartic ritual of reaching out to strangers, requesting their personal stories. Hover a little longer over Tango’s tightly wound tentacles, and you’ll unearth the collaborative threads of her practice. On this note, there is a strong therapeutic dimension to Promised. Tango often reflects on the strictures of her small-town upbringing and feelings of alienation during her years as a student. In recent years, she has sought to connect with members of the community who have suffered mental illnesses. From this point, her art has become a project of psychological healing. Breaking Cycle (Lizard Tail) is an example of her attempts to exorcise negativity. Covered in velvety horns, this work has an animalistic appearance. If not for the vibrant hues and sparkling sequins, it might be slightly menacing. By amputating the toxic tail, she infers that emotional pain can be pried out of the body and manifest as an aesthetic and tangible form. This then becomes a kind of coping mechanism. Also, with her trademark technique of weaving and winding, it’s as if Tango is caught up in an exercise of Freudian repression, compulsively trying to tie down her unruly demons. The term 'outsider art' has been tentatively attached to Tango's practice. Though a hot trend in the contemporary art market, this is an ethically fraught label to apply and might not do any favours. Nevertheless, Promised is well worth a look in. Comprising of everything you'd find in a kindergarten craft class but amplified into staggeringly intricate sculptures, Tango's exhibition offers a lush jungle of endless exploration and discovery.
New gelato creations every time a foodie hub or market blows into town? That's a culinary trend we can all get behind. When Sydney's hungry masses are treated to a feast of edible wonders in one spot, Gelato Messina is usually in the thick of the action — including at this year's Sydney Festival, where the artisan ice cream-makers are bringing their disco biscuits to the Meriton Village. A blend of gelato and biscuit, as you'd expect, these frosty hybrid wonders are as decadent and inventive as Messina's concoctions always are. Four varieties are available, with some sounding more than a little familiar (and not just because of the A+ pun game on display, either). We all know which Aussie bikkies come to mind when you think of mint and marshmallow, with Messina taking care of the former in their Panic at the Biscuit offering (with mint gelato, mint fudge, chocolate coated rice bubbles and dark chocolate dip), and the latter in their Bisco Inferno (salted caramel gelato, milk jam and marshmallow on dark chocolate biscuit base, then dipped in dark chocolate). Other treats include the Saturday Nut Fever, as made with choc hazelnut fudge, hazelnut and white chocolate gelato, wafers, milk chocolate dip, feuilletine and hazelnut praline crunch, as well as The OG, a sandwich of cereal milk gelato and soft dark chocolate biscuits, then covered in a dip of milk chocolate and Coco Pops. It's the first time Messina's disco biscuit range has been available in Sydney, after making a splash in Canberra late last year. Each costs $9, and if you want one, you'll have to head to their Sydney Festival Meriton Village pop-up before January 28. Find the Meriton Festival Village at Hyde Park North (entry via Central Avenue Walkway) until January 28, as part of Sydney Festival. For more info, visit sydneyfestival.org.au. And if you're looking for something to see after you've eaten, try our Sydney Festival date-night itineraries, our rundown of the best music events at Sydney Festival and our top ten free things to see and do at Sydney Festival.
Sydney's set to say goodbye to yet another iconic live music venue — though this time, thankfully, the farewell's only temporary. The team behind Liverpool Street's Hudson Ballroom has taken to Facebook to announce the venue will close its doors this month, as it undergoes some hefty renovations. It's revealed that when the current owners first took over the former Goodgod Small Club site, building restrictions kept them from giving it the upgrade it really deserved. Two and a half years on and this long-planned revamp has finally been given the go-ahead. But Hudson Ballroom's not going out without a bang, saying thank you to all of its supporters with a huge closing party this Saturday, April 28. The Wrecking (Hud)Ball 'Closing For Renos' Party will feature sets from some of the venue's DJ regulars, with the likes of SZASZ, WHO and Hex Pest taking over the front room for a session of hip hop and party tunes. The Sidechain DJs will be working their magic in the back room, while the bar slims down by offering $6 house spirits, $6 beers and $10 top-shelf booze. Best of all, entry's just $5. No word yet on how long Hudson Ballroom will be closed, but we'll keep you in the loop as we learn more. We're banking on a pretty big return party once the venue's up and running.' Image: Hudson Ballroom via Facebook.
Vegans tired of being excluded from affordable mainstream menus or, at best, treated as an after-thought, got some cheerful news earlier this month when Domino's Pizza announced it would trial vegan cheese on its pizzas. If you were one of those people that rushed out to order some cheap vegan pizza, we have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that, due to such a huge response, Domino's is quickly running out of the plant-based mozzarella. But the good news is very good: when it's back in stock, it will be on the menu forever more. With the cheese on the menu permanently, you'll be able to turn any pizza on the menu into an animal-free one by asking for vegan mozzarella and parting with an extra $2.95 (which is quite reasonable, really). At the moment Domino's has three all-vegan pizzas on the menu: the vegan avocado veg, the vegan spicy trio and the vegan margherita. "We knew the response was going to be big after the demand we saw for the product on social media but we had no idea it was going to be this big," said Nick Knight, CEO of Domino's Australia and New Zealand. "We're excited that customers love this product as much as we do and that we have been able to source a cheese alternative that vegan customers have given their tick of approval on." The decision to introduce vegan cheese came about as a result of a survey that Domino's conducted via its Facebook page in late 2017. Domino's created the cheese — which is also free of gluten, soy and cholesterol — in its LuvLab, aiming to mimic the taste, texture and melting power of dairy-based cheese. Obviously our fair city has plenty of pizza options that we'd recommend over Domino's, but, nonetheless, a cheap vegan pizza option is a huge win (and convenience) for those who eat a vegan diet. If you're planning on ordering a pizza this week, best to check if your local joint has any vegan cheese left before you get too excited. But, according to Domino's, when it comes back in stock, it'll be on the menu permanently.
The crew behind many of Sydney's top watering holes has turned its attention toward takeaway spirits with a sleek new bottle shop. Barrelhouse Group is the acclaimed hospo team who have previously served up The Duke of Clarence, Hickson House Distilling Co, The Barber Shop — and now, Barrelhouse Cellas, an intimate hybrid bottle-o, tasting room and deli. Carved into the iconic sandstone streets of The Rocks, Barrelhouse Cellars has taken over a historic George Street building. The site was built and operated as The King's Tavern from the 1840s to the early 1900s before being used as The Salvation Army Naval and Military Home, the home of the Tung Wah Times and the base for the NSW Ambulance Service in the years since. In-store, you'll find a huge range of spirits and aperitifs, with special consideration given to local distillers and boundary-pushing makers. Expect the full range of Hickson House gin, plus plenty of craft beers, new-world whiskies, local vodkas and bottled cocktails. Joining the booze is a stack of tasty meats, cheeses and tinned goodies to elevate your night at home. You'll be spoilt for choice — and if you can't reach a decision, there are individual tastings of both the drinks and snacks on offer in order to help you come to the perfect conclusion. Plus, store manager and hospitality veteran Nick Minogue is pulling together themed flights so that you can expand your pallet. Head in on the right day and you'll also be greeted by a series of Meet the Maker sessions. The shop has already hosted its inaugural event, inviting Nashdale Lane in to run a tasting of its cool-climate vino. Keep an eye out on the store's Instagram for future sessions. "The Cellars is the next stage of our longer-term vision for The Rocks," said Barrelhouse Group Founders Julian Train and Mikey Enright. "We wanted to create an accessible, inviting, local bottle shop; drawing on our hospitality experience to add a few features we couldn't find elsewhere. The paved tasting courtyard is particularly special. Come down soon to grab a sip and a bottle." If you can't make it in but you're on the hunt for something particular, check the Barrelhouse Cellars website. The bottle shop offers nationwide delivery and same-day delivery for Sydneysiders. Barrelhouse Cellars is open at 73 George Street, The Rocks. It's open 10am–8pm Monday–Wednesday and Saturday, 10am–9pm Friday and 10am–6pm Sunday.
Electronic whiz kids don't come more stylin' than Sydney's multitalented Caitlin Park. With her 2011 debut album Milk Annual applauded Australia-wide and the 2012 Qantas Spirit Of The Youth Award under her belt, Park inked a deal with Create/Control in February this year (home to fellow Aussies Oliver Tank, Feelings, Go Violets and internationals Parquet Courts and Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros). Marking the team-up with the release of her second album The Sleeper, the smoky-voiced Sydneysider will bring her brand new tunes to The Vanguard on Friday, July 11. Disarmingly catchy singles like 'Lemonade' are sure to get table-sitters out of their cabaret seats. (She's releasing a just-announced EP of instrumental tracks and spoken word on the same day, so she's a busy lady.) Park toured recently to promote the album's first single, 'Hold Your Gaze', but we're certainly not objecting to more of her brand of dreamy folktronic. Park has been cranking tunes aroundaboutown of late, dominating East Coast stages as well as the UK's Great Escape, New York's CMJ conference and support slots for Butterfly Boucher. Headlining her own tour aptly dubbed 'The Sleeper Tour', Park is proud to present her super slick electro-meets-acoustic album to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane crowds. The Sleeper is a sharpening of everything her first album, Milk Annual, was about — slick production, soothing sounds and deep vocals that make me wish I could use the word husky without feeling like a creep. Listen out for 'Lemonade', the album's second single. The video is a woozy, aesthetically and sonically-pleasing journey through the main character's gender identity that should appeal to anyone who appreciates good-looking people in technicolour garb dancing in slow motion. (That's everyone, surely?) There's a Joyride remix which is pretty good, too — and hints of a live collaboration at the Sydney show. Fingers crossed. "I am so proud and excited about this release!" said Park. "It's louder, more rhythmic, more energetic and more complex than anything I have written before. It was made in a quiet place, so I felt like we had to fill the space. It was made with love and light and darkness. I can't wait for people to hear it." Words by Jessica Surman and Shannon Connellan. https://youtube.com/watch?v=AS1htl7smnk
If there's one thing that director Damien Chazelle has made plain across his filmmaking career, it's that he loves jazz. His 2009 debut Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench focused on a jazz trumpeter. In his breakout 2014 drama Whiplash, he switched to a jazz drumming student. And with 2016's La La Land, he won the Best Director Oscar for his Los Angeles-set romance about an aspiring actress and a struggling jazz pianist. Chazelle couldn't quite give 2018's Neil Armstrong biopic First Man a jazz spin but, making the leap to television for the first time, he's back in familiar territory with upcoming Netflix series The Eddy. Taking its title from a fictional Parisian jazz club, it follows the ex-New Yorker who co-owns the establishment — who, before he moved to France from the US, was a celebrated jazz pianist, obviously. As well as trying to keep the club running, Elliot Udo (Moonlight's André Holland) manages The Eddy's house band, which is led by his on-again, off-again girlfriend Maja (Cold War's Joanna Kulig). And, just as he's trying to work through dramas with his business partner Farid (Mary Magdalene's Tahar Rahim), his daughter Julie (The Hate U Give's Amandla Stenberg) arrives to live with him out of the blue. Given the premise, expect jazz music to feature heavily, with six-time Grammy Award-winner Glen Ballard — a co-writer and producing of Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill — responsible for the show's soundtrack. An eight-part limited series, The Eddy hits Netflix in early May — and while it seems like classic Chazelle, he directs the first two episodes, with the rest of the show helmed by Divines' Houda Benyamina, Rock the Casbah's Laïla Marrakchi and Six Feet Under's Alan Poul. Check out the first teaser trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-9XFyZv7ks The Eddy will be available to stream on Netflix from Friday, May 8. Top image: Lou Faulon.
If you're in the camp of people who've chosen avocado over a home loan, then you might as well go all out, right? Well, this autumn, there's no better way to do that than at Sydney's new two-week-long avocado festival For the Love of Shepard. Celebrating all things to do with the Shepard avocado — the Hass avocado's greener, lesser-known sibling — this festival will see Cuckoo Callay in Surry Hills pay tribute to Australia's favourite smashable green fruit with a limited-edition lineup of special avo dishes. For the purists (or those not so keen on pushing their limits), you can keep things simple with an Avo-colada smoothie ($10), made up of Shepard avocado, coconut milk, honey, spinach and pineapple. If you really love avocado and don't want any accompanying elements, we'd perhaps recommend the cafe's slightly confusing 'You're the avo to my toast' avocado toast — which comes without toast, unless you pay $6 extra. It's artisan sourdough though, apparently. For the real enthusiasts, go ahead and gorge yourself on Shepard French toast ($26), complete with avocado mascarpone, lemon meringue, lemon curd and caramelised white chocolate topped with Shepard avocado ice cream. The limited menu from Cuckoo's executive chef Oliver Hughes is available from Monday, March 14–Sunday, March 27 — whenever the cafe's kitchen is operating. If you're keen to experiment in the kitchen at home, Cuckoo Callay will also be creating a digital step-by-step recipe guide for the Australian Avocados website.
Yulli's Brews finally opened its own (100-percent vegan) Alexandria taproom back in July 2018, and now it's giving Sydney's inner west another reason to celebrate with its monthly markets. Each season, the brewery will invite local merchants, artisans and independent makers to display an array of homewares, smallgoods and other handmade items. After kicking off back in November with monthly events, Yulli's Brewery Markets will now run seasonally with the next one scheduled for Sunday, July 14. Among the products for sale will be indoor plants, eco-friendly clothing, and heaps of preserves, condiments and jarred goodies. Yulli's own eats will be up for grabs too, including ready-made dumplings, kimchi and other pickled veg (all vegan, of course). The market opens at 9am, with a barbecue of vegan hot dogs welcoming guests alongside the stallholders. But the day really kicks into gear at 11am when live acts take the stage and the bar starts slinging its namesake brews. The full brewery menu is available from noon, too. Updated: May 16, 2019.
If the Oppenheimer side of 2023's Barbenheimer phenomenon has you wanting to find out more about the atomic age, this year's Jewish International Film Festival has your next viewing option: documentary A Compassionate Spy about physicist Theodore Hall. His tale didn't make the cut in Christopher Nolan's blockbuster, but he was part of the Manhattan Project team at Los Alamos, and also passed intelligence to the Soviet Union, as Hoop Dreams' filmmaker Steve James explores in one of JIFF's must-see efforts at its latest fest. When the Jewish International Film Festival returns for 2023, it'll hit up seven cities between Monday, October 23–Wednesday, December 6, making movie-filled dates with Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Perth. On the just-announced full lineup is a hefty 55 Australian-premiere titles spanning both flicks and TV shows, including everything from box-office hits to new episodic efforts starring a big-name US talent. Israel's Matchmaking hits JIFF's opening night after success at home, following a Jewish Orthodox man's romantic ups and downs in a film that's been likened to Romeo and Juliet — but Haredi and a comedy. And that standout television series? Chanshi follows its namesake (Aleeza Chanowitz, Dismissed) in Brooklyn, with Barry's Australia-bound Henry Winkler as her father. Also on the 2023 program: Jack L Warner: The Last Mogul, a documentary focusing on one of Warner Bros' titular founders; The Engineer, about the manhunt for bombmaker Yahya Ayyash, as starring Emile Hirsch (Devil's Workshop); delightfully named black comedy Ducks, An Urban Legend; Tel Aviv-set rom-com Elik & Jimmy; and documentary Erica Jong – Breaking the Wall, about the Fear of Flying author. Exactly which films screen in which cities varies; however, the full bill nationwide also includes gangster comedy Hummus Full Trailer, musicals Less Than Kosher and Victory, vino-fuelled doco Holy Wine and docudrama Munich '72 on its sizeable list. On offer in Melbourne only: a retrospective of movies based on Nobel Prize-winning writer Isaac Bashevis Singer's work, such as Barbra Streisand's Yentl. And, as is JIFF's custom, the program features a large contingent of movies that examine World War II, the Holocaust and their lingering impact. Expect to find Stella Goldschlag biopic Stella. A Life; the vengeance-laden The Jew; the Ukraine-shot, Yiddish-language SHTTL; Filip, which tells a tale of romantic pleasures amid the war; Delegation, about students visiting Poland's Holocaust sites and confronting their Jewish identity; and closing night's The Jewish Nazi?, a doco with Australian ties. JEWISH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2023 DATES: Monday, October 23–Wednesday, November 29 — Lido Cinemas and Classic Cinemas, Melbourne Tuesday, October 24–Tuesday, November 28 — Ritz Cinemas and Roseville Cinemas, Sydney Thursday, November 2–Sunday, November 12 — State Cinema, Hobart Wednesday, November 15–Wednesday, November 22 — Dendy Cinemas, Canberra Thursday, November 16–Wednesday, November 22 — Dendy Cinemas Southport, Gold Coast Thursday, November 16–Sunday, November 26 — New Farm Cinemas, Brisbane Thursday, November 16–Wednesday, December 6 — Luna Palace Cinemas, Perth The Jewish International Film Festival's 2023 runs from October–December. For more information, or to buy tickets, head to the festival's website.
Popular Redfern eatery and sandwich palace Scout’s Honour is proud to be welcoming a new addition into the family. Weighing in several tonnes, please say hello to Morris, opening on the corner of Albion Avenue and Selwyn Street in Paddington — and he promises to be just as popular as his chicken 'n' chip sanga-lovin' big brother. Morris's menu is a sandwich lover’s dream and, similar to Scout’s Honour, focuses on good, clean basics and wholesome ingredients. You’ll find a combo of sandwiches, salads and bowls, all full to the brim with ingredients your nutritionist would approve of (think fresh veggies, seeds, nuts and lean meats). The spicy fish tacos with shredded cabbage, corn and cucumber salsa, avocado, toasted pepitas, harissa sauce and fresh lime ($16) looks like clear a standout. The comprehensive sides and additions menu means you can freshen up your toast or tailor your meal to your taste. Although you may find yourself stuck on the sides, with options like with an avocado, coriander and walnut salsa with sesame and lemon ($6), labneh and hazelnut dukkah ($5) and bacon and house pickles ($6). Wash it down all with a freshly squeezed juice, chai or smoothie. For the winter months, we’ve got out eye firmly trained on the mug of hot milo with textured milk ($4). The cute new eatery is a summer-time haven with shady outdoor eating and large street front windows to complement the fresh menu. They’ve taken a few cues from Scout’s Honour and kept the interior design and colour palette warm and simple, with yellow and cream finishes throughout and a rough concrete finish on the exterior. Morris looks like it has all the qualities we’ve come to love about Scout’s Honour and we just can’t wait to get our handies on those sandies. Find Morris at 33 Albion Avenue, Paddington. Officially opening Tuesday, February 23.
With multi-screen technology and life's general background noise perpetually present, many of us have lost touch with music, you know, actually listening to it. We've wound up with some not-so-flash listening skills, putting a playlist on in the background and switching off. But psychology and mindfulness studio, The Indigo Project, has discovered a nifty way to help you tune back into that big, beautiful world of sound. Once a month, the Surry Hills space hosts a music-driven meditation session called Listen Up, drawing on a mix of modern mindfulness, psychology, and music therapy techniques. No phones allowed. Usually, each of the hour-long sessions centres on a different acclaimed artist's album — but this month's a little different. This Saturday, October 20, you'll spend two mind-bending hours meditating to the soundtrack of Maniac. For the uninitiated, the dark psychological Netflix series features Emma Stone and Jonah Hill in a pharmaceutical trial, and they get lost in their own — and each other's — minds. During the meditation class, you'll listen to Dan Romer, Daryl Hall & John Oates and Geto Boys as you, maybe, go on a psychic journey as a mobster, lemur-stealer, elf or con artist magician at a séance. Or, maybe you won't. But you'll work on clearing focus, opening the mind, and getting those creative juices flowing the way they should. Not to mention, you'll likely discover a newfound appreciation for The Police. If you need a chance to unpack all this, there'll be drinks, cheese and chats on the rooftop afterwards.
Sydney's much praised Ume Burger has extended its repertoire to Japanese-inspired hot dogs, having launched Ume Dogs at Melbourne's HWKR food hall earlier this year. After hosting a one-day pop-up in Sydney last month, owner Kerby Craig is back — but this time, he's going all out, teaming up with Redfern Surf Club to serve up all-you-can-eat dogs for one day only. The pop-up will take over the new Australiana-themed bar from 12.30pm on Sunday, September 28, where Craig will be slinging his wood-smoked pork frankfurts. It's just $20 for as many as you can eat. Dogs will come plain, atop a soft steamed bun, but you'll be able to customise them over at the condiment bar — where you'll find pickled wakame, curry mayo, tonkatsu sauce, arare and bonito flakes, among others. Plus, Redfern Surf Club will be slinging $5 tinnies all day, too. There's no word yet on what brews will be on offer, but expect quality Aussie labels like The Grifter Brewing Co and Young Henrys.
Supplement your afternoon swim with a dose of the world's best short films when the 25th Flickerfest International Short Film Festival comes to Bondi Beach between January 8 to 17. Celebrating 25 years of insanely good short films, the 2016 program features 116 shorts officially selected in competition, chosen from over 2400 entries received in the Australian, international, documentary and GreenFlicks programs. Flickerfest is the only competitive short film festival in Australia to be both Academy®Accredited and BAFTA-recognised, so expect these films to be top tier. With 20 world premieres and 60 Australian premieres, this is where you'll see the next wave of film talent (and score mad bragging rights when they get all famous). Some sizeable Academy®Accredited prizes are up for grabs, including the Flickerfest Award For Best International Film, the Yoram Gross Award For Best Animation and Virgin Australia Award For Best Australian Film. Plus, this year’s official Australian Competition features 21 female directors (slam dunk, Flickerfest) — the festival's had a strong push over many years to encourage and support female filmmakers. Alongside the Academy®Accredited competitions, there's also a smorgasbord of shorts screening across Flickerfest's specialty programs including Short Laughs (comedy), Love Bites (relationships shorts), Flickerkids (shorts for Shorties), Windows on Europe, a special Flickerfest 25 years retrospective and Flickerup, the national schools competition. Want to be there when the Flickerfest 2016 curtain falls on January 8? We're giving away two double passes (valued at $130 each) to the opening night, which includes a screening and afterparty. For your chance to win, just subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and email us at win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. You can find more information about the opening night event here. By Jasmine Crittenden and Shannon Connellan.
The team behind A Tavola in Bondi and Darlinghurst have laid claim to a hallowed piece of Surry Hills, with the opening of their brand new Italian eatery and bar, Besser. Located at 3/355 Crown Street, former haunt of Billy Kwong, Besser promises an Italiano informale experience, with tasty Italian food in a relaxed, casual setting designed to make diners feel well at home. The venue takes its name from its ten-metre-long bar, made up of 96 concrete besser blocks — a building material that was popular with Italian Australians in the 1960s and 1970s. Head chef Sandro di Maroni, formerly of A Tavola Darlinghurst, will serve up dinner seven nights a week, along with lunches Thursday through Sunday. Standouts on the menu range from small 'single' plates served at the bar, to hearty Italian staples including venison tartare, gnocchi with oxtail and red wine ragu, as well as a variety of pasta, meat and fish dishes. Also on offer is the '6pm risotto', which you can only order at the designated time. The recipe changes daily, with variations including risotto all Milanese with bone marrow or crab with zucchini. The drinks menu includes fifty wines sourced from Australia and Italy vineyards, handpicked by A Tavola sommelier Ennio di Marco, as well aseight boutique Italian and Australian wines available on tap. They’re also boasting a pretty intriguing array of cocktails, including the Besser Sour, Breakfast Martini, Sicilian Julep and Besser Aged Negroni. Besser is located at 3/355 Crown St, Surry Hills.
When the temperature gets extra sticky and you're sweating up a storm, just remember that your dog, cat, rabbit, bird, guinea pig or other pet critter is feeling it too. Only it's not quite as easy for your furry little friend to simply swing past the local pool or embrace the icy blast of the shopping centre. Thankfully, the experts at the RSPCA have shared a bunch of things you can do to help your pet beat the heat and stay happy on a scorching day. Most importantly, you should make sure animals have access to shaded areas where they can escape the worst of the sun's bite, as well as to plenty of fresh water. It's a good idea to fill up a couple of extra water bowls — and you can even add some ice as long as your pet seems happy with the change of water temperature. A cheeky pet-friendly ice block made from pet food frozen into a container of water also works as a thirst-quenching treat. Do you share your life with a pet of the smaller variety? You can pop a towel-wrapped ice brick inside your guinea pig or rabbit hutch. And, if you have a feathered pet, it'll appreciate a bird bath to splash around in. With four-legged mates, bring them indoors to enjoy some shelter or air-conditioning where possible. Whether you're in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, what better excuse for a doggy date at your local dog-friendly cafe, pub, beer garden or favourite laidback front bar? For Melburnians, your bud might also enjoy a tour of Chapel Street's many dog-friendly shops and eateries. As far as walkies are concerned, it's crucially important to avoid exercise during extreme weather or in the middle part of the day, so that pets can steer clear of heat stress and burnt paws. Instead, head out for your stroll or to a dog park either early in the morning or later in the day when temperatures are cooler. Taking your pupper to a dog-friendly beach or other swimming spot means that they can get two forms of exercise: walking and swimming. Sydney has plenty of parks and beaches to visit, while in Melbourne you can opt for parks, beaches or other watering holes around Victoria. Also — although we're sure that responsible pet owners already know this — never, ever leave your pet unattended in a locked car. That warning still applies even if you leave the windows down or you're parked in the shade. For further information about caring for your pets in the heat and avoiding heat stress, visit the RSPCA website.
As any Sydney seafood aficionado should know by now, The Morrison has a constant focus on the not-so-humble oyster. But in August, when the month-long Oyster Festival takes over, that focus turns into an overwhelming obsession. One of the major drawcards is 'Oyster Hour'. Between 6pm and 7pm every single day, you'll be able to eat as many oysters as you can handle at just $1 a pop. If you fancy something a little, well, fancier, you can opt for a 'Wine and Oyster Flight' (three wines and three matching oysters) or a 'Champagne + Oysters' indulgence. Plus, throughout the month, seafood expert and chef Sean Connolly will be conjuring up his favourite oyster dishes, from carpetbag steak to chowder. But it's not all about kicking back and relaxing. For those who'd like to sharpen up their shucking skills, there'll be an 'Oyster Masterclass', where you'll learn how to spot a champion oyster from a dud and find out how regional differences affect taste and texture. Finally, if you reckon you might be Sydney's fastest oyster eater, you ought to book a spot in the 'Oyster Eating Competition'. Knock back three dozen quicker than anyone else and you'll win yourself a night's accommodation at Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel and a dinner for two at The Morrison. What's the ideal number of times to chew an oyster? Brush up on your knowledge of the mollusc with our Bluffer's Guide to Oysters.
If you're one of the scores of Aussie teens who devoured smash-hit flick 10 Things I Hate About You when it first came out — and then about a million times on VHS since — prepare to feel positively elderly. The 1999 movie is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Yep, the modern day retelling of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew that had us all swooning over Heath Ledger is a whole two decades old. And what better way to mark that occasion, than a special outdoor screening of the timeless high school tale? Moonlight Cinema has added a special throwback showing of 10 Things I Hate About You to its schedule, set to grace the Centennial Park screen this Friday, March 15. Prepare to revisit all those late 90s feels, as you catch those classic movie moments, from the cheer-worthy smashing of Joey Donner's car to that pre-formal pregnancy suit. You can pack your own picnic and booze for this BYO session — Ms Perky would definitely recommend bratwurst — or make the most of Moonlight Cinema's food truck and pop-up bar.
When it comes to treating yourself to wine and decadent local eats, the Hunter Valley is a top-notch choice. And with the 2019 return of the Hunter Valley Wine and Food Festival, there's now an even better reason to get away for a weekend (or two) of fine wining and dining. With more than 40 events across May and June, the Valley is showcasing its best wine and produce — think guided winery tours, tastings galore and much more. Foodies can work their way through Semillon and sushi, tuck into some comfort food and brews at Smoky Sundays, or jump on a seven-course journey that will figuratively take you from ocean to paddock. Looking for something more hands on? Head down to Briar Ridge Vineyard, where you can make (and taste) your very own blend of red wine, or heighten your sense of smell at Scarborough Sensory Schooling. Fancy a taste of history? Wander over to Pepper Tree Wines for some museum release wines at its tasting experience. Closing the festival is the Burning of the Barrel on Saturday, June 29 at Glandore Estate, promising lots of wines, brews and eats and a giant bonfire to warm up by as the sun goes down.
It's been almost five years since Parks and Recreation wrapped up its seven-season run and, if you're a fan, you've probably rewatched it countless times since. Given how simultaneously hilarious and heartwarming the sitcom is — and given the stacked cast that includes Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Aziz Ansari, Rashida Jones, Retta, Rob Lowe and Adam Scott — that's perfectly healthy and acceptable behaviour. But now, you might want to press pause on your constant Parks and Rec marathon to check out Poehler and Offerman's latest project. Called Making It, premiering in the US in 2018 but only arriving on Australian screens via Foxtel, the pair's new show sees them step into the competitive reality TV show realm. That domain isn't for everyone; however even if you usually completely abhor the genre, its manufactured dramas and its saturation across the small screen, you'll be smiling heartily at Poehler and Offerman's kind-hearted, extremely likeable and all-round nice show. Focusing on DIY crafting, and celebrating both great craftsmanship and genuine camaraderie, it's basically Project Runway — but hosted by Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson. With Poehler and Offerman leading the charge, it's good-natured, filled with crafting puns and other gags, and showcases folks trying to do their best, helping each other and enjoying themselves. When there's a stereotypical moment of heightened tension, it's because Making It is overtly making fun of reality TV's usual theatrics. When you're not watching Poehler and Offerman hang out in a tiny house — yes, really — you'll be soaking in the talents of contestants who happen to be handy with a glue gun, great at woodworking, skilled at working with felt and other such crafty endeavours. The competitors complete two tasks per episode, with one person sent home at the end of each episode. The last person standing at the end of the season is crowned the show's 'Master Maker' and wins $100,000. Making It has aired both a six-episode first season and an eight-episode second season in the US — and, while it took some time for the show's first season to make it to Aussie viewers, this is a case of better late than never. Expect the show's contestants whip up everything from handmade forts and Halloween costumes to light fixtures and cake toppers (and that's just in the first six shows). While Poehler and Offerman do the hosting — and do it well, naturally — the judging falls to Etsy trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson and window-dresser and fashion commentator Simon Doonan. Check out a clip of the show, featuring one of its regular features — a pun-off between Poehler and Offerman — below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-5ljLQN3o8&t=28s Making It screens on Foxtel's Lifestyle channel, and is available to stream via Foxtel Now and Binge. Updated June 21, 2020.
We know beach, barbies and blue skies make a perfect summer, but nowadays our favourite season isn’t complete without an hour or two at our city’s arguably most iconic attraction. For the third year running, the Sydney Opera House is transforming itself into a playground of sights, bites and goodies including The Summerhouse Tour to take you behind the scenes where the magic happens, as well as summer specials promotions to ensure you make the most of every mouthful. Running until the end of January from 5pm daily, the Summerhouse Tour (one hour, $45) is ideal if you’re new to the city or an Opera House old hat. Not only will you finish with a beer, wine or Bellini, taking in the sunset surrounded by the buzzing crowd, but you’ll explore scenes and settings us normal folk would usually never get to see. Led by an expert guide (with a few insider secrets to divulge), you’ll explore theatres, foyers and off-limit areas where more than 1,600 shows have wowed crowds over the House’s 58-year history. Book online and save 10% on your ticket, or if you can’t make the 5pm start, fear not: all other tours will be running as usual from 9am. The recently renovated Opera Bar will be decked out in a tropical theme and offering a juicy $20 prawn cocktail promo plus two drink specials. Nab yourself a young coconut (spiked, of course) or a deliciously cooling slushie, available in watermelon granite or frosty fruit flavours. The theatre bars themselves will be dressed up to suit the summer theme, with three seasonal cocktails at $15 each, including the fresh lemon and ginger, rum and lemonade Aloha; a Paradise Point of vodka, lemon juice, honey and ginger ale; and the Pink Bikini, combining tequila, grapefruit and lime juice. For something non-alcoholic, keep your eyes peeled for the Liana Raine popsicle cart serving on the Upper Concourse. Then — with sandpits, interactive performances, a Veuve Clicquot pop up and dedicated kids' areas — to name just a few attractions (more detail here), all that’s left is to enjoy summer like a true Sydneysider. For the full program, see the Summerhouse website.
Bartenders are the new rockstars — if their touring habits are anything to go by, anyway. In the past few years, more and more cocktail bars and their helmsmen have joined musicians for fly-in, fly-out visits to Australia — but instead of touring records, they're touring killer drinks lists. Last year saw Asia's best bar 28 Hongkong Street and hidden New York City jaunt Attaboy both do a quick stops in Melbourne and Sydney, while Mace popped up at Sydney's PS40 just the other week and PDT was in town a little while back too. And now another NYC bar is making its way to our shores for a cheeky cocktail pop-up. The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog will come to Australia for three nights only, spreading its shaking skills across the east coast with one night at Melbourne's Black Pearl, one night at Sydney's Baxter Inn and one night at The Gresham in Brisbane. Dead Rabbit will be sending their finest drink makers to work in collaboration with the host bars to create a one-night-only menu that will showcase their skills and signature drinks and food items (like their Scotch egg). Their cocktail menu is pretty extensive, but we're hoping they bring their Hong Kong Phooey with them — it blends rum with Aquavit, grapefruit, pistachio and avocado. Although we've had a few bars pass through our major cities by now, this one's pretty special as Dead Rabbit, which is permanently located in lower Manhattan, took out the top spot on last year's World's 50 Best Bars list. So if you can't get to the Lower East Side anytime soon, this is your next best option. Tickets are a little pricey at $40 (plus booking fee) — that includes a cocktail on arrival and one of Dead Rabbit's signature Scotch eggs. You'll then be able to purchase extra drinks on top of that.
Marly Bar's weekly free live music night Low Pressure is set to take over both floors of the beloved Newtown Hotel this month for a new festival. From 6pm on Saturday, April 24, Pressure Fest will see nine of the country's most exciting young bands and musicians taking to the stage. On the ground floor you'll find a wide-reaching span of genres, including Maina Doe's neo soul, Shady Nasty's punk, Nardean's alt-rap, Micra's shoegaze and Baby Beef's pop. Upstairs, things are getting a bit heavier with a rock-heavy lineup of These New South Whales, Crocodylus, Georgia June and Scabz. DJ Goldie Fawn and Sydney up-and-comers Dead Witch will also be on the decks throughout the night to keep the dance floor going. Entry is free and there are no bookings, so you'll have to rock up early to ensure you nab a spot. The Lazy Eyes at the Marly PRESSURE FEST LINEUP: These New South Whales Shady Nasty Crocodylus Micra Nardean Georgia June Maina Doe Scabz Baby Beef Goldie Fawn Dead Witch Images: Tom Wilkinson
If, as far as you're concerned, too much yakitori is never enough, make tracks to Izy, Woollahra's newest izakaya, this Thursday, November 22. For one night only, the tucked-away Japanese eatery will be dishing up unlimited eats, plus spritzes and disco tunes. You'll find six sticks on the menu: three designed by Izy's head chef Jack New, and three by Icebergs chef Alex Prichard. Look out for smoked soy wagyu sirloin, gochugang (red chilli) octopus, ginger pickled mushrooms, parsons nose with caviar and miso baby eggplant, in addition to fried sushi rice balls with spicy citrus mayo and seaweed. On arrival, expect to be greeted with a complimentary spritz. Take your pick of The Uncultured Swine (rose vermouth, uncultured pet nat and soda) or Battery Acid (dark rum, rhubarb bitters and agave). After that, they'll be going at 15 bucks a pop. All this salty, bubbly goodness will be soundtracked by a steady stream of disco, courtesy of DJs Black Jacket and A. Prichard. You can either rock up from 7pm and hope there's a table available or book one in advance by emailing Izy at this address.
This year's Sculpture by the Sea could be its last in Bondi, with organisers threatening to move the exhibition to another location following a park upgrade announcement by Waverley Council, which will see the construction of a new accessible footpath around Tamarama's Marks Park. The new footpath has been in the works for ten years, and was initially supported by Sculpture by the Sea, but organisers of the annual exhibition are unhappy with the design the Council has chosen. The current design includes a 1.8-metre-wide, 279-metre-long concrete footpath linking the headland, amenities and playground in Marks Park, as well as the addition of a new accessible lookout point and a stairway connecting the park to Mackenzies Point. These upgrades are due to be completed by September this year. While the 23rd annual Sculpture by the Sea will go forward as planned — set to take place from October 24 through November 10 — organisers have said nine sculptures will no longer be able to be exhibited and 12 will be "greatly compromised" because of the new path. The event is also actively looking for a new home, and has called for expressions of interest from other coastal councils in Sydney and around Australia. [caption id="attachment_730768" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Waverley Council's plans for Marks Park[/caption] The Waverley Council responded to Sculpture by the Sea's threats today, saying that the plans had taken into account feedback from Sculpture by the Sea representatives, and that they comply with a slew of requirements outlined by the likes of the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and NSW Disability Inclusion Act 1992. In the planning phases, the design team is said to have reviewed last year's Sculpture by the Sea walking routes, too — as well as ten years' worth of sculpture locations around Marks Park — and felt this path would have the smallest impact on the exhibition, claiming that only a few sculptures have been placed near the proposed footpath in recent years. "Council's view is that services for people with disabilities outweighs some inconvenience and potential aesthetic impact over a small portion of the Sculpture by the Sea event which will still be free to use the park," said Waverley Council General Manager Ross McLeod in the statement. According to the Council, the accessible path will occupy less than five percent of Marks Park, which, the Council highlighted, is only one area that Sculpture by the Sea uses. As McLeod says in the statement, the exhibition "occupies the entire length of our coastal walk from Bondi to Tamarama Beach". Sculpture by the Sea organisers have put forward an alternative design for the footpath, which they say will not compromise this year's art exhibits. [caption id="attachment_730767" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sculpture by the Sea's alternative footpath design.[/caption] A recent economic study by BIS Oxford Economics estimated visitors to the event contributed $11 million to Waverley hospitality businesses, with out-of-towners contributing $38.9 million to the NSW economy as a whole. So, if Sculpture by the Sea does leave, it could have a big impact on local business. Whether or not Sculpture by the Sea moves, is ultimately a decision for the organisers, according to Waverley Council. "The decision on the best location in Sydney for Sculpture by the Sea is rightly a decision for the organisers," McLeod said in the statement. Sculpture by the Sea 2019 is scheduled to run from October 24–November 10. We'll let you know if any decisions are made about future events. Top images: Sculpture by the Sea 2018 by Trent van der Jagt
Beer lovers, this one's for you. Sydney hospitality giant Merivale is dedicating all of October to frosty cans and perfect pours of everyone's favourite golden ale: beer. The month of brew-centric celebrations will span a heap of Merivale venues, popping up with different events and activations. The flagship event is the Hop & Dreams craft beer festival. This two-day spotlight on independent brewers will take over The Newport's deck on Sunday, October 15 and The Vic on the Park's beer garden on Sunday, October 22. Brewers including Balter, Grifter, Mountain Culture, Young Henrys, Hawke's and 4 Pines will all be in attendance, pouring beers alongside live entertainment and top-notch eats. Before that, a heap of Merivale venues are offering pints for schooner prices between Tuesday, October 3–Saturday, October 8. Three Weeds Rozelle, The Alex, Norton's, Coogee Pavilion's ground floor, The Beresford and The Royal Bondi are among the more than 20 venues taking part in the deal, which applies to all tap beers. The Merivale beer festival continues over at Establishment, where the venue is rolling out The Froth Exchange. Between 3–8pm across Tuesday, October 17–Friday, October 20, beer prices will fluctuate in a stock market fashion. This will culminate on Thursday, October 19, when you can expect a market crash and some truly cheap bevs. Rounding out the festivities is a free gig from laidback indie-rockers Winston Surfshirt. The beloved band will be taking to the Ivy mainstage on Wednesday, October 18. Doors will open at 7pm and entry will be on a first-come-first-serve basis. [caption id="attachment_708571" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Beresford[/caption]
Now that World Martini Day is on the horizon, luxury Darling Harbour hotel W Sydney is getting in the mood with the launch of Martini Month from Monday, June 1–Monday, June 30. Produced in collaboration with Belvedere vodka, the hotel's in-house restaurant, BTWN, will serve a trio of limited-edition martinis. Best of all, guests checking in on the big day — Saturday, June 21 — will score a complimentary mini martini to mark the occasion. Yet these cocktails made with Belvedere Organic Vodka get even more special, as they're each paired with a gourmet bite. Your options include the oyster martini with an Appellation oyster; the saltbush martini with a saltbush and lamb shoulder scrumpet and pickles; and the salt and vinegar martini with a fish and chips-inspired coating, cod roe and potato chip. That's all suitably luxurious. However, this martini-led experience goes so much further, as guests staying in the hotel's luxury suites throughout June will receive the lavish Turn Up Service, where an in-house bartender will arrive at your room to serve a dream mini martini. Made to your specific tastes, whether you prefer your drink dry, dirty or shaken, the service also includes moreish snacks, like martini-infused sour cream, gourmet crisps, and stuffed Manzanilla olives. Book a stay in W Sydney's Fantastic Suite, the Marvelous Suite, the five Wow Suites or the Extreme Wow Suite to make the most of this cocktail-forward celebration.
Classic flicks just keep making the leap to the stage, turning their big-screen tales into song-filled musical adaptations in the process. From 9 to 5 and Muriel's Wedding to Moulin Rouge! and Shrek, a hefty number of beloved movies have done just that — and now Adam Sandler's smash-hit film The Wedding Singer has joined them. The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy was originally due to hit Sydney in July last year but, as we all know, the pandemic got in the way. Now, it's bringing its tunes to town, playing the State Theatre from Wednesday, January 5–Sunday, January 23. If you've seen the movie, then you'll know what you're in for — with The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy delivering an all-singing, all-dancing stage show based on the hilarious 90s flick. And it's from the same crew that propelled it to sell-out success on Broadway and across the UK, including the writer of the original movie, Tim Herlihy. This one will yank you right into The Wedding Singer's 80s world of big hair and classic wedding bangers, thanks to a toe-tapping score that's sure to prompt a few hearty crowd singalongs. It retells the story of party-loving wedding singer and wannabe rock star Robbie Hart, who's left stranded at the altar at his own nuptials. Heartbroken, he sets out to destroy every other wedding he's a part of, until a chance encounter with a waitress: Drew Barrymore's character Julia. Now, he just has to win over the girl... and somehow put a stop to her own upcoming marriage along the way.
So, you want to get a glimpse into life in another country, but you can't actually afford to travel anywhere? That's where film festivals come in, taking audiences on a cinematic journey without anyone needing to leave their comfy, movie theatre seats. This month, it's Germany's turn in the spotlight. Making its way around Australia from May 13–31, the Audi Festival of German Films delves into everything the country has to offer in the movie realm. That includes 50 new German-language films, spanning efforts as varied as action comedy Not My Day and twisted fairy tale The Bunker. It also includes an interesting schedule of panel discussions and themed evenings, if you want to do more than watch. Whatever your tastes or interests, there's certain to be something to tickle your fancy. Want to take a peek at an Alps-set western, laugh along with a hitman comedy or strap in for a time-travelling romance? Well, here you can. You can also delve into the history of cinema, and into a key figure in East Berlin's radical underground art world. For the full Audi Festival of German Films lineup, visit the festival website.
American historical drama gets so contemporaneous as to become current affairs with Zero Dark Thirty, the film about the CIA's hunt for and killing of Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. Director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal, who worked together on the Oscar-winning Hurt Locker, reunite for another epic about a different type of war. It starts in 2001, when two planes hit the World Trade Center, and chilling documentary footage recalls the pain caused that day. Two years later, rookie Maya (Jessica Chastain) is sent to join a specialist team at a CIA black site in Pakistan, where a detainee, following torture and deception, discloses the name Abu Ahmed. Operations come and go for the next eight years, but Maya comes to fixate on that one name, whom she believes to be Bin Laden's right hand. Zero Dark Thirty is stunningly well made, with a controlled level of tension that works on a scale of high to higher. It remains nail-bitingly riveting over two hours and forty minutes. Interestingly, the structure is almost like three films, or at least, a film with three clearly defined acts. Each passing act (complete with the appearance and disappearance of its own high-calibre cast, including Jennifer Ehle, a buff Chris Pratt, Joel Edgerton, and James Gandolfini) reinforces the intensity of Maya's perseverance, her lonely state of being in the right. The film has won widespread acclaim from critics, but from reading the news, you'd think everyone hated it. Many from the American right have criticised the film for its having supposedly improper access to classified documents and glorifying Obama, and many from the left have slammed it for advocating torture. Both stances seem an overreaction. Zero Dark Thirty does depict "enhanced interrogation techniques" — torture, to you and me — happening during the Bush administration, and it also depicts that torture was a favoured tactic of the CIA operatives you get to know here. That's probably accurate. Its attraction to these people in the field is the feeling that they're doing something and of expediting processes when delay can be fatal. The film also shows some of the problems with torture: it yields useful but also false information, and the act is viscerally depraved (even if it's not totally possible for the audience to sympathise with a tortured character whom we only see as dehumanised). The issue isn't that the filmmakers support torture, but that in Zero Dark Thirty, as in The Hurt Locker, they're concerned with hyper-positioning viewers into the perspective of American martial figures. They want you to feel their fear, sacrifice, and bravery — not for a moment the fear, sacrifice, or bravery that could be reflected back at them by the enemy. Many of us prefer to see films that have a different, more challenging purpose, but you can't deny that what Zero Drk Thirty sets out to do, it does excellently. Concrete Playground has 10 in-season double passes to give away to Zero Dark Thirty. To be in the running, make sure you're subscribed to our newsletter and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. https://youtube.com/watch?v=EYFhFYoDAo4
It could be argued that drawing is the most ancient and enduring form of expression, the bedrock of visual culture. That being said, it has typically served as a preparatory medium, associated with the draft phase of an artist’s practice. Following on from the discontinued Dobell Prize for Drawing, this new biennial at the AGNSW aims to celebrate the stand-alone power of drawing. Natural landscapes are at the heart of this exhibition featuring ten artists. Plumbing Australian deserts and bushland, many of these works have an ephemeral quality. It seems as if there is more attention paid to sensory impressions than visual detail. Although drawing is the common root, it is sometimes less conspicuous, concealed underneath other mediums such as watercolour and pastel. Upon entering the space, Mary Tonkin’s panoramic drawing immediately jumps out. At 14 metres long, this detailed outline of a dense forest scene was drawn entirely on-site at the leafy Melbourne suburb of Kalorama. Peter Sharp’s the things you pick up is another monochrome series, made up charcoal drawings of found objects. Without the companion sculpture, a large branch and a boulder, they might feel a bit underwhelming. However, there is something quite nice about the way these works are hung — raw paper pinned up with clear tacks. On a smaller scale, Tom Carment has produced a number of tentatively sketched drawings filled out with watercolour. From Cape Leeuwin to Kings Cross, he is a nomadic draughtsman that compulsively records his environment. There is something quite whimsical about these works, which are fleeting impressions of everyday life. Similarly, John R. Walker describes himself as an episodic artist, attracted to natural divides like creeks and rivers. There is a sensory immediacy to his work as he fills out the foreground with thick colours and uses thin lines to map the surrounding landscape. Instinctive pleasure can be had from Ivy Pareroultja’s watercolour landscapes, which have a strong rhythmic quality. Between lilac hills and turquoise shrubs, her use of bold colours does not feel overstated either. Although I didn’t see the performance in action, Gosia Wlodarczak’s work is drawn directly onto the gallery windows, using the Woolloomooloo skyline as a kind of stencil. There is a mix of both industry and nature, reflecting the texture of inner-city Sydney. But in some areas, her drawings are indiscernibly dense, looking like a chaotic tangle of lines. On the whole, this is an exhibition for quiet contemplation. While some works are more compelling than others, there is a strong reverence for nature that feels particularly Australian.
Last week, Australia had its first ever drive-in concert. It took place in Sydney's Robyn Webster Sports Centre in Tempe on Thursday, May 21, with Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan as the headline act. It was free and — despite the midday time slot and the slightly off-kilter artist choice — it garnered a crowd. Drive-In Entertainment Australia's first concert was an example of how it plans to run its (many) future events. From July, the company hopes to host live music concerts for up to 600 people, in 300 cars, with plans to launch eight drive-in venues across NSW and Victoria. Depending on how successful the events are, more states may follow. So, how does it work? Much like a scene out of hit 70s film Grease — or any drive-in cinema, really — you drive in, park up and watch from your car. The sound will be broadcast by an FM radio to your car, with the option for the spectacle to be live streamed via Zoom, too. You won't be able to get out of your vehicle though, unless going to the bathroom. All ticketing will be contactless, as will any snack purchases, which will be delivered to your car from onsite food trucks. It's no secret Australia's music industry has been hit hard during the pandemic, with website I Lost My Gig reporting about $340 million in lost income since COVID-19 saw the cancellation and postponement of festivals and gigs nationwide. With Australia's proposed roadmap out of COVID-19 lockdown, mass gatherings of up to 100 will be permissible from July, which isn't a sustainable outlook for all facets of the industry. Despite Falls Festival 2020 announcing its plans to go ahead, a public health expert predicts music festivals may not be able to restart until September 2021. At least with drive-in concerts, larger live music events will be able to have a small revival — even if it means you must cut shapes in your car. Australia is not the first country to trial drive-in gigs, with one of the first happening in an LA carpark back in March and another in Aarhus, Denmark last month, which sold out in minutes according to Forbes. Drive-In Entertainment Australia plans to launch eight venues across NSW and Victoria, with other states to potentially follow. Entertainers, producers, agents and managers can register for a gig from Saturday, July 18 onwards. More information and contact details can be found on the website.
Whether you were too short to go on the scariest rides or your folks always put the brakes on your junk food binge, there's a Sydney Royal Easter Show dream you didn't get to live out as a kid. So, here's your chance. The 97th Show is about to roll into town, bringing with it more than 100 rides, 358 showbags, lots and lots and lots of cute baby animals and... dagwood dogs. In between classic adventures, wander through the Woolworths Fresh Food Dome packed with local produce, find out who's the best young farmer in Australia and meet some of the world's finest alpacas, frogs, dogs and pigs. The Show kicks off on Friday, April 12 for 12 bucolic days and you can even save yourself some dough by booking an early bird ticket online. Get ready for all the fairy floss, dog shows and the biggest and bestest showbag on offer — no mum or dad to tell you otherwise. Here are five reasons to head to the Sydney Royal Easter Show this April so you can live out those childhood dreams of yours. [caption id="attachment_710783" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Riley Durkin.[/caption] YOU'RE BIG ENOUGH TO RIDE ALL THE RIDES One of the most devastating of all childhood memories is of not making the height line and having to watch from the sidelines. While your older siblings continued gleefully onto the big dipper or pirate ship, you'd be left holding Ma or Pa's hand, fighting back the tears (or throwing a full-on tantrum). Well, now that you're a grown-up, you're big enough. And, this year, there are more than 100 rides to try, with some of the scariest action found at the Coca-Cola Carnival. Look out for the return of rides like the Crazy Spinning Coaster, which is like a regular roller coaster, but with spinning cars; Extreme, which sends you twisting and turning through the air upside-down (and inside-out); and Sky Flyer, an epic 35-metre-high version of the swing ride. EAT JUNK FOOD TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT Now that you're over 18, you don't have your parents around putting limitations on your junk food frenzy (hopefully). Fair warning: as a kidult, it's virtually impossible to leave the Show with any kind of space in your stomach whatsoever. Not only do you get all the carnival classics — from dagwood dogs and chips on a stick to fairy floss and deep-fried sweets — you also get a whole bunch of them reinvented. This year, you'll come across deep-fried cheesecake (yes, really); a cheeseburger pie; fried chicken served in a waffle cone; the Fluffy Crunch Flurrito (see above); and the Waffleland Eruption — a waffle mountain of ice cream, fairy floss, wafers, salted caramel, Violet Crumble, Oreos, marshmallows and Nutella. And that's only the tip of a gigantic, over-the-top iceberg. Check out what else is on the menu over here. VISIT ALL THE CUTE BABY ANIMALS IN THE NURSERIES Besides the extreme rides and eats, the Show is also home to extreme cuteness, of the baby animal kind. It doesn't matter what kind of creatures you're into — from chickens and ducks to sheep, goats and even doggos — you'll find them in baby versions here. If you're keen to get up close, and maybe even have a cuddle, then make tracks to the Farmyard Nursery. This indoor paddock is home to more than 800 animals, ranging freely — and best of all, you're welcome to give them a pat. Keep an eye out for ducklings (playing on a waterslide), chicks, goslings, lambs, fawns and piglets. Should anyone look hungry, buy a cup of feed, hand it over and make a friend; should anyone appear dishevelled, ask the onsite farmers for a brush, so you can provide some grooming. And if you're still looking to fill your cuteness quota, make tracks to the Baby Puppy Competition. Every day at 3pm between April 12–21, three- to six-month-old puppies will 'compete' to win ultimate baby puppy — AKA will romp around a ring making your heart completely melt. The Farmyard Nursery is located along the Animal Walk (enter via the Woolworths Food Farm) and the Baby Puppy Competition is held on the Advance Dog Judging Lawn CHECK OUT THE PRIZE-WINNING ANIMALS When baby animals fit for the Sydney Royal Easter Show come of age, they often become prize-winning animals. Done in the Farmyard Nursery? Go see the future. There are prizes for all creatures great and small. One of the most popular sections is undoubtedly the Pig followed closely by the Dog — in which all kinds of canines vie for honours, from chihuahuas to dobermans. You'll also meet alpacas, aviary birds, cats, cattle, frogs, horses, chooks, geese, pigeons, rabbits, rats, mice and so on and so forth. If animals aren't your thing, check out a stack of other award winners and nominees, with everything from beer and wine to chocolate and cheese. GET THE MOST EXTREME SHOWBAG ALL TO YOURSELF Did you spend your childhood restricting your showbag picks according to the limited budget allowed by your pocket money? Or maybe sharing with your siblings? At last, you can unleash. At this year's Show, you'll find no fewer than 358 showbags to choose from. If you have cash to splash, you can buy whichever you like, as many as you like, as extra as you like. Where to start? Here are but a few to consider: the Cadbury Big Bite with all your favourite chocolate bars, the Gudetama bag dedicated to that cute lazy egg cartoon and the Athletica Ultimate Health and Fitness Pack. Or, if you're on a budget, but still want to go home with your arms full, choose from a bucketload of five-buck specials, such as this Cadbury Caramello Koalas bag or this one dedicated to Milky Bars. Find hundreds of other options on this page.
Ever find yourself standing in the supermarket frozen in confusion as you stare at a wall of olive oil and wonder which one? What's the difference? Fresh Extra Virgin Olive Oil (FEVOO) Harvest Festival 2013 can help you answer this mind-boggling dilemma as they bring together those passionate about oil to talk, explain and enlighten us on why it is so essential to life. This is Australia's first festival dedicated to extra virgin olive oil and it will be showcasing the new-season oils at the Mint. Stephanie Alexander is headlining, with all proceeds of an oil auction going to her Kitchen Garden Foundation. An all-things-olive-oil menu will be designed by Lyndey Milan as you learn about the difference in oils and just why Australian olive oils are among the best in the world. Entry gains you a glass of wine, nibbles, tastings, a masterclass and an invitation to watch the panel discussion. So go along and sip, slurp and spit some of the best olive oils in Australia.
Sydney Festival will be kicking off 2019 with a whole slew of performance, music and a dedication to the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. And as part of the upcoming program, the festival will be joining forces with the Art Gallery of NSW for three nights of immersive performance and art. Held after dark from January 10–12, Masters of Modern Sound at the gallery will welcome you to lose yourself in a large-scale immersive soundscape directly inspired by the Masters of Modern Art from the Hermitage exhibition. While you're wandering among iconic, groundbreaking paintings by the likes of Monet, Matisse, Picasso and Kandinsky, you'll be surrounded by sound design, compositions and live performances of works by some of the most innovative Australian and international aural artists. The much-anticipated collaboration with Sydney Festival and dance theatre company Force Majeure will also showcase original movement and interventions from performers responding to the music and artworks around them. To get you appropriately psyched for this seriously unique experience, we rounded up five highlights you can look forward to. EXPERIENCE COMMISSIONED SOUND DESIGN FROM DEAN HURLEY So you haven't heard of Dean Hurley before? Well, it might intrigue you to learn that he's a long-time David Lynch collaborator, having worked with the iconic American director on music-based, film and commercial projects including Twin Peaks: The Return and Inland Empire. In other words, he's kind of a big deal. The Emmy-nominated music producer, audio engineer and film sound editor has designed a brand spanking new work directly inspired by paintings in the Masters of Modern Art from the Hermitage exhibition and AGNSW's brutalist architecture. Alongside Hurley, you'll also encounter some awesome homegrown talent, like Melbourne-based collaborative trio Corin Ileto, Becky Sui Zhen and Casey Hartnett, whose ambient multi-instrumental compositions are being performed as a live score. These guys compose and perform contemporary electronic and classical music for artists and live events (in fact they wrote the score for the exhibition's audio guide) and are definitely a group to watch out for. [caption id="attachment_702038" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Caterina Barbieri.[/caption] TREAT YOUR EARS TO AN EXCLUSIVE LIVE PERFORMANCE One of the world's most radically experimental and innovative electronic music stars, Italian minimalist Caterina Barbieri, will be making her first live performance in Australia at Masters of Modern Sound. Mainly working with Eurorack and Buchla modular synthesisers (synth nerds, this one's for you), Barbieri's work explores themes relating to machine intelligence and object-oriented perception, and she's recently released her second critically acclaimed album. The ambience will then be taken next level thanks to LA-based avant-garde composer William Basinski—probably most widely known for his masterful four-volume ambient album The Disintegration Loops—and his long-time pal, Brisbane-based composer, artist and curator Lawrence English, who will be treating gallery-goers to an Australian-exclusive live performance of their collaborative album Selva Oscura in full. Given English's fascination with the ability of sound to occupy the body and Basinki's meditative style and love of short looped melodies, this promises to be a seriously cool way to wrap up the event. ENCOUNTER MOVEMENT AND INTERVENTIONS BY FORCE MAJEURE It's not all just about the sound. Critically acclaimed dance theatre company Force Majeure is also taking over AGNSW, led by Artistic Director Danielle Micich. As you explore the gallery you'll spy Harrison Elliott from Australian Dance Theatre, Helpmann Award-winner James Vu Anh Pham and independent artist and Torres Strait Islander Ghenoa Gela weaving original movement and interventions into the space, in response to the surrounding landscape of music and artworks. Force Majeure is known for bold, stimulating work—so expect something a little more provocative than your typical pirouette. It's a pretty excellent concept: galleries can be such physically restrained environments, right? The hushed silence, the watchful security guard just waiting for you to stand one inch too close to that painting. There's something liberating about dancers breaking up the formal atmosphere and introducing some wiggle into all those straight lines. Who knows, you may even find yourself similarly inspired to throw a few shapes — just watch out for the security guard. And mind the Monets, please. ALL WHILE YOU GAZE AT MODERN MASTERPIECES This after-dark adventure is a feast for the eyes too, not just the ears. If you're yet to visit the Masters of Modern Art from the Hermitage exhibition, you're in for a massive treat (and here's our handy round-up of the renowned artists to look out for). We're talking Cezanne, Monet, Matisse, Gauguin, Picasso, Kandinsky, Malevich — it's skin-tinglingly overwhelming having so many masterpieces in close proximity. And if you typically enjoy wandering around a gallery with headphones in, tunes carefully selected to set the perfect mood, Masters of Modern Sound is your opportunity to experience a powerhouse exhibition of paintings that comes with its very own soundtrack created by some of the world's best aural artists. Funnily enough, ol' Kandinsky himself saw an emotional kinship between painting and music, believing that painters possessed the same power as musicians to "cause vibrations in the soul". So, see if your experience of the works is enhanced by the sonic world unfurling around you — and stay alert for vibrations. LET'S NOT FORGET THE FOOD AND WINE Yes, you've covered sight and sound, but don't forget about taste. After all of that gallery gallivanting and wandering from room to room, you'll most likely be in need of some serious refreshment. Lucky for you, a pop-up bar from local favourite Chiswick at the Gallery will be serving up street food from head chef Tim Brindley, plus there'll be plenty of beer, cider and gin and tonics from the crew behind Young Henrys. And don't leave the gallery without checking out another couple of local favourites: Sydney-based jazz pianist Chris Abrahams (The Necks) and Western Sydney artist Del Lumanta, whose luminous solo ambient performances are all about forcing meditation on modern restlessness. We reckon it all sounds like a pretty epic date night. Or hey, you could even grab a couple of tickets for a Christmas present. Hint hint. Masters of Modern Sound takes place January 10–12 at 8pm at the Art Gallery of NSW. Bookings are essential. Tickets are $65 and can be purchased online via Sydney Festival.
We're well and truly in the swing of spring now — and we're as excited as ever to get outside and enjoy every sunny day, warm breeze, new flower and spring event. This week is extra special, too, as we've got a public holiday to look forward to, which means having a bonus day to fill with seasonal shenanigans. Luckily, Sydney is brimming with ways to soak up every last drop of springtime fun. As its Spring Carnival continues, we've teamed up with Australian Turf Club to bring you four top-notch ways to celebrate the season this week. REVISIT SOME LEGENDARY ARTWORKS AT THIS GALLERY'S LANDMARK RETROSPECTIVE When? Wednesday, October 2–Friday, October 4 The weather forecast is looking pretty positive for this week but if things take a turn, head to White Rabbit Gallery in Chippendale. The gallery has just opened a huge exhibition for its tenth anniversary showcasing some of the best and most important pieces from the past decade alongside more than 60 never-before-seen works. Be on the lookout for the giant pair of pink fibreglass underpants with flashing lights and a soundtrack of 1930s Shanghai songs — this piece is called Object of Desire and is by Wang Zhiyuan. CATCH A LIVE GIG AT TAB EPSOM RACE DAY When? Saturday, October 5 Sydney's spring racing season is ramping up with Everest Carnival's TAB Epsom Raceday happening this Saturday at Royal Randwick. This weekend, you can revisit the venue's new Palm Springs-inspired pop-up bar — and maybe convince your mates to split the cost of one of the private poolside cabanas to really amp up the glamour. You'll also be able to play croquet at the TAB Country Club and catch a roving brass band. The highlight of the day will be a performance from Sydney-based party band Furnace and the Fundamentals. The six-piece band will be ensuring the day ends on a high, and will set you in the right mood to kick on, with a high-energy set of dancefloor anthem remixes, covering everything from Beyonce to Dirty Dancing. PRACTICE YOUR JAZZ HANDS AT A BEACHSIDE MUSIC FESTIVAL When? Saturday, October 5–Monday, October 7 After the many months of spending the majority of our time indoors, we're not hard-pressed to find an excuse to go to the beach. And, this long weekend, it doesn't even matter if the water isn't at an acceptable level for you to go swimming quite yet. Australia's longest-running jazz festival returns to Manly, bringing its blend of New Orleans jazz, gospel, Latin and roots to a bunch of the suburb's best buildings. Across three days, you'll be treated to the smooth sounds of artists like Rodney Whitaker, Modesto Briseno, Jade MacRae and many more. Oh, and did we mention every performance is 100 percent free? A number of the local bars will have special offers running throughout the festival, too, but you'll also find a pop-up bar on The Corso serving organic wines, local craft beer and burgers, which you can enjoy as you play a round of mini golf. [caption id="attachment_736041" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Martin Ollman Photography[/caption] PLAN AN OUT-OF-TOWN JAUNT TO THIS FLORAL PARADISE When? Any day Have we mentioned that (most of you) will get a bonus day off work this week? Okay, we're just doing it one more time because it's a great opportunity to plan a mini adventure out of town. And if you're in need of some location inspiration, this is a very seasonally appropriate option. Australia's biggest floral festival, Floriade, has returned to Canberra for a month of spring-themed fun — think markets, live music, workshops and a casual one million blooms. Plus, across the long weekend, the fun continues after the sun goes down. The after-dark celebration, which will run from Thursday to Sunday, will feature pop-up performances, interactive art and more. If you have drawn the short straw and have a shift on Monday, never fear — this floral paradise is sticking around until October 13. Everest Carnival runs until November 2 at Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick. For more information, head this way. Top Image: Felipe Neves.
While going outdoors at the moment is mostly restricted to exercise, work and grabbing essentials, you'll need to throw on an extra jumper and bring an umbrella to do just that for the rest of this week, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting rain, wind, snow and thunderstorms across Australia for the last week of April. And some places are even expected to see their coldest April day in 50 or 60 years. BOM Meteorologist Dr Adam Morgan said that a strong and widespread cold outbreak is bringing wet and wild weather to Victoria, NSW, Tasmania, South Australia and some parts of Queensland from Wednesday, April 29. Temperatures are expected to dip to 8–14 degrees below average for this time of year in some places, with the cold weather set to stick around until at least mid-next week. The average maximum temperature for April is 22.5 in Sydney, 20.3 in Melbourne and 26.1 in Brisbane. But, Melbourne is meant to hit a high of just 13 on Thursday, which would be its coldest April day since 1996. Sydney will be the coldest on Saturday with a high of 16 expected, while, after a warm 29 on Thursday, Brisbane is expected to drop back down to the low 20s for the rest of the week. https://twitter.com/BOM_au/status/1255015809149100032 Elsewhere in the country, some parts of northern South Australia, northwest NSW and southwest Queensland are expected to experience their coldest April day since the 1960s and 1970s on Thursday, and Canberra is meant to hit a hit of just 7 on Friday, which will be its earliest sub-10 degree day this side of winter since 1952. With rain, winds and thunderstorms expected to hit Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane on Wednesday and Thursday, the BOM is recommending you keep an eye out for flood watches and severe weather warnings. For latest weather predictions and warnings, head to the Bureau of Meteorology website.
Revel, the crew behind such epicurean hits as Pinot Palooza, Game of Rhones and Mould, is back with another standout food and wine event, this time devoted to all things Greek. After a successful debut in Melbourne last year, Oinofilia: A Celebration of the Wines of Greece will come to Sydney for the first time. As with previous Revel events, wine lovers are in for a serious treat here. Greece takes the cake as Europe's oldest wine-producing region and Oinofilia is out to do it justice, showcasing 80 different wines from every corner of the country. Visitors will have the chance to sample unique varietals like Assyrtiko, Xinomavro, Moschofilero and Agiorgitiko, and chat to producers flown in especially for the event. Being a Greek celebration, no one's about to go hungry either — Sydney's culinary lineup will be announced in the coming weeks. According to Revel founder and director Dan Sims, it's the chance for locals to get acquainted with a Greek offering that's often underrated here in Australia. "Oinofilia, from the Greek oîn, is by definition a love of wine," he says. "We all love Greek food, culture, and those islands, now it's time to celebrate Greek wine."
Landscape fans will want to visit Casula Powerhouse in February for Cultural Landscape, a group exhibition of leading contemporary artists that takes the traditional medium and determinedly turns it on its head. Featuring a diverse collection of work from Richard Goodwin, Yvonne Koolmatrie, Stephen Birch, Anne Zahalka, Joan Ross, Rodney Pople, Jon Cattapan, Rosemary Laing, Claire Healy and Sean Codeiro (whose video sculpture Homecoming Queen is sure to intrigue), the exhibition takes a 21st century perspective to explore "the emotive, political, social and economic impact man has made on our landscape". You'll see everything from photography to weaving to installation to expressionist painting, in a show that sets out to provide a fresh artistic take on the complicated — and not necessarily idealistic — connection between humans and the contemporary Australian landscape. Expect less sublime, less serene, and more uneasy, complex and thought-provoking. You can check out Cultural Landscapes between February 10 and March 18. While you're there, why not have a squiz at the artists of tomorrow in NEXT2018, a showcase of talented young South Western Sydney artists selected from local high schools. Image: Claire Healy and Sean Codeiro, Homecoming Queen, 2017, video sculpture 2017, duration 11 minutes. The artists wish to thank Martumili artist in Parnngurr WA for the creation of this work.
Nahji Chu isn't one to do things by halves. Earlier this month, she made a grand comeback on the Sydney food scene with the opening of Cha Li Boi, a 285-seater yum cha eatery in Bondi Junction. But there won't be any time for post-launch relaxing yet. By spring, she'll be overseeing another new restaurant by the name of Cocochine Bar and Dining Room, in not one, but two, locations: 5 Ward Avenue in Potts Point, and 47 York Street in Sydney's CBD. Details are scarce, however, we can tell you that Nahji will be making a return to Vietnamese fare with a more high-end, fine dining spin. Plus, at Ward Avenue, there'll be a takeaway section, dubbed Cocochu. According to Cocochine's Facebook page, there's been some serious demolition going on. Architect Anthony Gill is taking care of design in Potts Point, while Kylie Fitt is on the job in the CBD. If the team's Facebook posts are anything to go by, both spaces will be pretty colossal. Keep an eye on the website for updates.
