It has been more than three years since Australia said a resounding yes to same-sex marriage, with results from the country's postal vote survey on marriage equality announced in November 2017 and the corresponding legislation passed through parliament in December the same year. Now, to commemorate the historic event, the City of Sydney has unveiled a permanent reminder — courtesy of a rainbow footpath through Prince Alfred Park in Surry Hills. When announcing the construction of the path in November 2020, Lord Mayor Clover Moore said it was "a permanent tribute" — not only to the vote in favour of same-sex marriage, but "to the moment when more than 30,000 Sydneysiders gathered together to hear the results". The Lord Mayor also said "the path will represent both the progress we have made towards equality and the long way to go before our LGBTIQ communities are free of discrimination". Stretching across a 90-metre expanse and officially opened to the public today, Tuesday, February 16 (just in time for Mardi Gras), the path features six coloured bands painted over an existing footpath, to resemble a rainbow (obviously). It's curved just like the real thing, too, and is located in the area that was recently renamed Equality Green, with plenty of grass on either side. [caption id="attachment_800242" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leigh Harris, Mike Galvin, Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Scully, Orlando Sydney and Alex Greenwich. Image: Jack Begbie for City of Sydney[/caption] If you're hoping to head along to snap a photo on the new rainbow path — you can. And you can take Fido along for a photoshoot, too.. Prince Alfred Park is dog friendly and most of it is off-leash. The revamped, brightly coloured footpath joins Sydney's rainbow crossing in Darlinghurst and the soon-to-appear rainbow walkway at Coogee Beach — so there are multiple spots around town where you can venture to the other side of the rainbow. The rainbow footpath is located at the bottom of Equality Green, Prince Alfred Park, Surry Hills. Top image: Chris Southwood for City of Sydney.
World Chocolate Day (Wednesday, July 7) is on the horizon, so what better excuse for two of the country's top dessert masters to join forces? Aussie chocolate brand Koko Black and the ever-innovative, Sydney-born cake maestros Black Star Pastry have dreamed up some sweet-toothed magic, available for one day only this July. The Meteor Cake is the brainchild of Koko Black Head Chocolatier Remco Brigou and Black Star's Group Head Pastry Chef Arnaud Vodounou. First up, there are the neat layers of dark chocolate financier, caramel-infused chocolate, muscovado sponge, dense hazelnut cremeux, choccy mousse and praline. Crowning that delicious tower is a flying 'meteor' — a hazelnut truffle coated in black cocoa nibs — trailing a blazing edible flame crafted from luxe Sao Thome chocolate. There's even a pile of meteor 'rubble', made of crumbled cocoa nibs. It's here for a good time, but a very fleeting one, hitting stores for one day only on (you guessed it) Wednesday, July 7. The Meteor Cake comes in at $15 a slice, available to purchase only from select Koko Black stores in Sydney (Strand Arcade). You can also grab the takeaway treat from Black Star's Rosebery and Newtown outposts. Given the current lockdown and restrictions, Sydneysiders will also be able to pre-order here from July 2 to score a $55 four-pack that'll be delivered on World Chocolate Day. After the first half of this year, you bloody well deserve it.
Wadjda (Waad Mohammed) resides within a system of oppression, yet refuses to accept her restrictions. On the cusp of adolescence, the ten-year-old rallies against her surroundings in Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, be it the strictness of her schooling or the expectations of her gender — appropriate interests, friends and public behaviour included. She desires a green bicycle, but is told no. She wants to cycle in the street, but is strongly discouraged. She yearns to enjoy the same freedoms as her male counterparts, such as her neighbour, Abdullah (Abdullrahman Al Gohani). The feature's missive of female empowerment is evident in its protagonist, though its message is never bluntly handled. Of course, Wadjda's on-screen statement and subversion bears the weight of its revolutionary off-screen status, as the first feature shot entirely in Saudi Arabia, and the first full-length film made by a female Saudi director. Writer/director Haifaa Al-Mansour (who studied at the University of Sydney) remains subtle in her debut fictional effort. Lightness, rather than solemnity, is her pervasive tone. Read our full review of Wadjda here. Wadjda is in cinemas on Thursday, March 20, and thanks to eOne Films, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=v-4kosdSXR8
If you're familiar with the Chatimes, Gong Chas and ShareTeas of the world, chances are you've probably heard of HEYTEA, too — and if you haven't, you're about to be informed. This innovative tea brand is brewing its Chinese-style drinks in Sydney for the first time ever, following the success of its recently opened Melbourne site, as well as its international outposts in cities including Singapore, New York and London. HEYTEA Sydney will open on George Street from Friday, July 26. Neo Nie, the self-titled creator of cheese tea — a brew topped with cheese foam that's made with real dairy — is behind the beverage-centred brand that curates creative, high-quality bevs for the tea lovers of the world. To celebrate its launch, HEYTEA will be offering an array of deals at its new CBD spot. These include a buy one, get one free special from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28 and a buy one, get 50% off deal from Monday, July 29 to Thursday, August 1. Unlike many other bubble tea brands, HEYTEA's ethos is centred around the utilisation of real, fresh ingredients, with no artificial ingredients or flavouring. You'll also find a vegan oat milk option, as well as free upgrades to zero-sugar sweeteners. At HEYTEA's sleek George Street store, you'll find the premium teas the brand is known for, including the coveted cheese tea, and refreshing fruit teas made with real fruit. Plus, the venue has in-store and al fresco seating for whether you want to slowly sip your drink inside, or enjoy some sunshine with your brew. As for future Aussie endeavours, there are more Sydney-based locales in the works, so keep your eyes peeled for a HEYTEA store near you. You'll find HEYTEA's Sydney store at 569 George Street, open from 11am–10pm daily.
Vegans tired of being excluded from affordable mainstream menus or, at best, treated as an after-thought, here's some cheerful news — for both you and the rest of the animal kingdom. Domino's Pizza has today — Monday, January 8 — added vegan cheese to its list of ingredients. Yep, your pizza eating habits no longer need be restricted to vego-only (or exxy sit down) joints — they can now extend to cheap on-the-way-home snacks and in-bed feasts. To celebrate, three vegan pizzas will be hitting the menu for a limited time. These are the vegan avocado veg, the vegan spicy trio and the vegan margherita. Most importantly, though, 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). Plus, all Domino's bases and sauces are plant-based. 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. "We were blown away by the response," said Nick Knight, CEO of Domino's Australia and New Zealand. "The popularity of, and demand for, vegan products has increased considerably over the years, so it's great we are now able to offer this high-quality, non-GMO, plant-based and preservative-free vegan cheese." 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. But we'll believe it when we try it. Obviously our fair city has plenty of pizza options that we'd recommend over Domino's, but, nonetheless, this can only be a sign that more readily-available vegan options will hit mainstream food outlets in the near future. To begin, the cheese will be available for a limited time, and, if it proves popular with customers, it'll be instated permanently.
When Seinfeld was the world's biggest sitcom, the show about nothing was also about everything. Its quartet of yada, yada, yada-ing New Yorkers was oh-so-specific, too, but also relatable. It's no wonder that the 90s hit made a star out of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who ensured that Elaine Benes was a work of comedic genius — with a Best Supporting Actress Emmy and six other nominations to show for it — and someone who could've walked straight in off the street. In razor-sharp political farce Veep, the actor did much the same to ample accolades. Making a Vice President in a gleeful satire feel real is no mean feat. But Louis-Dreyfus is at her best, and a true sensation, whenever she's in leading-lady mode in front of writer/director Nicole Holofcener's lens. That's only happened twice so far; however, both 2013's Enough Said and now 2023's You Hurt My Feelings are as excellent as engaging, lived-in and astute character-led dramedies come. In her finest performances, Louis-Dreyfus inhabits her roles like she's always been in them. There's a lightness to her on-screen presence that never smacks of force, artifice or effort — a naturalism, clearly, even if she's working with comically heightened material. Nothing about Holofcener's two collaborations with Louis-Dreyfus goes big with its laughs, of course. The pair aren't making Seinfeld or Veep together. Instead, their talents combine in sublime and thoughtful works of intimacy and intricacy, wryly funny explorations of small moments, and perceptive slices of life — and You Hurt My Feelings is indeed a gleaming gem. It's also the kind of American feature that rarely gets a silver-screen run in these days of blockbuster franchises, endless sequels and remakes, and ever-sprawling cinematic universes (the filmmaker's last picture The Land of Steady Habits, which starred Ben Mendelsohn and arrived in 2018, was a Netflix affair). The battle to find a home for Holofcener's preferred type of tales earns an in-script parallel in You Hurt My Feelings, with novelist Beth (Louis-Dreyfus, You People) also struggling. Her first book, a memoir about her childhood with an emotionally abusive dad, didn't notch up the sales she would've liked. At lunches between Beth, her sister Sarah (Michaela Watkins, The Dropout) and their mother Georgia (Jeannie Berlin, Hunters), the latter still protests about how it was marketed. And, when she finally submits a draft of her next tome after toiling for years, Beth's editor (LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Grey's Anatomy) isn't as enthused. None of these situations give the movie its name, though, which stems from Beth's therapist husband Don (Tobias Menzies, This Way Up) and his opinion. When she overhears him tell her brother-in-law Mark (Arian Moayed, Succession) that he isn't that fussed about the new text, it's shattering, especially when he's been nothing but her heartiest cheerleader otherwise. Holofcener begins and punctuates You Hurt My Feelings with Don's sessions with clients, including an incessantly bickering and blatantly unhappy couple played by game real-life spouses Amber Tamblyn (Y: The Last Man) and David Cross (Station Eleven). They argue. They complain openly and heatedly about each other. They say awful things, but they're also adamant about staying together. They start expressing their displeasure about paying for Don's services when it evidently isn't making any difference to their domestic disharmony, which feeds his own doubts about whether he's any good — and, while taking time away from the luminous Louis-Dreyfus, these asides also cut to the heart of this supremely well-observed movie. We're all our own worst critics, and we all jump on any chance we can to reinforce our fears, worries and raging cases of imposter syndrome. We all rely upon our partners to be the voice of support, positivity and encouragement. When that falters or rings false, then, it isn't minor. As Holofcener's layered screenplay explains in the film's economical 93-minute running time, Beth and Don have always prided themselves about being close. Their college-aged son Eliot (Owen Teague, To Leslie), who is writing a play and working in a weed store, cringes over his parents' codependence and shared meals. When Beth and Don buy each other anniversary gifts, they even each make the same mistake — but that decades-forged comfort proves fragile the instant that Beth hears what she'd never have guessed that Don would say or think. You Hurt My Feelings unpacks why on both sides, also interrogating self-confidence and insecurity, the need for validation, tiny misunderstandings that feel massive to whoever is on the receiving end, social niceties, and white lies uttered with the best of intentions, with Sarah and Mark's relationship, his up-and-down acting career, her interior-design work, and Eliot's own personal and professional tussles also providing examples. She's been busy with Veep, the unimpressive Downhill and multiple Marvel Cinematic Universe appearances in the decade since she last worked with Holofcener, but here's hoping that it doesn't take as long for Louis-Dreyfus to reteam with the writer/director again. She's that magnetic and, yes, relatable in the filmmaker's fare, and that devastatingly great at both comedy and drama as well. Although You Hurt My Feelings' guiding force has had a packed slate herself, not just with The Land of Steady Habits but also episodes of Enlightened, Parks and Recreation, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, One Mississippi, Mrs Fletcher and Lucky Hank, the same wish applies her way. Her empathetic features about everyday women are that authentic and incisive, as both Enough Said and this demonstrate. Here's a dream: a Holofcener film with both Louis-Dreyfus and the helmer's Walking and Talking, Lovely & Amazing, Friends with Money and Please Give star Catherine Keener. Casting has always been one of the filmmaker's talents; in You Hurt My Feelings, Menzies, Watkins, Berlin, Moayed and Teague are all wonderful as well. Holofcener gets the same honesty out of each, and from Louis-Dreyfus, as she channels into her smart dialogue, earnest insights and pitch-perfect musings about life. Thanks to cinematographer Jeffrey Waldron (A League of Their Own), her movie looks as naturalistic as it always feels — and, while almost everyone watching isn't a NYC-dwelling writer with a shrink husband and wounded pride over a book, the emotions that You Hurt My Feelings trades in are genuine. Also 100-percent sincere: the feature's winning way with finding humour in the need that we all have to be seen and appreciated, the tendency to tell our loved ones what they want to hear and the very real clash between those two behaviours.
Not only does this interactive forum have one of the more provocative names you are likely to encounter, but it also has one of the more ambitious mandates: open and honest discussion about racism in Australia. For an issue that is too often shrouded in political correctness and empty rhetoric, this joint initiative by Sydney Ideas and the NSW Reconciliation Council panel is hoping to cut through the usual BS in order to get to the heart of Australia's race issues. I'm Not Racist But... will feature the personal reflections of four diverse Australians who have a serious stake in this issue: MC, producer and hip hop artist Joelistics; writer and eco-fashionista Yatu Widders Hunt; writer and editor of Going Down Swinging Geoff Lemon; and solicitor, activist and radio host Tasnium Saeid. Each speaker will get an open mic for 10 minutes, followed by a panel discussion and audience Q&A session, all under the direction of the ever-watchable Alex Dyson (of Triple J's Tom and Alex). With a performance by the beguiling Indigenous artist Radical Son, I'm Not Racist but... looks set to be an entertaining and insightful tour into the issues that make up the very fabric of everyday Australian life.
Oh, what a day. What a lovely day! Why? Because the first trailer for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga has just zipped into existence. Get ready for Anya Taylor-Joy (The Super Mario Bros Movie) in the title role, Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Love and Thunder) co-starring and iconic Australian director George Miller steering the show for the fifth instalment in his dystopian Mad Max franchise. When Furiosa hits cinemas in May 2024, it will have been nine years since Mad Max: Fury Road did the same and became the best action movie of this century so far — and the best Australian flick of the same period, too. That delay means nothing given that there was a 30-gap between 1985's not-so-great Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Fury Road's triumphant arrival in 2015, however. More Miller extending his passion project is always worth waiting for. Shot in Australia, Furiosa also arrives after Mad Max: Fury Road proved a six-time Oscar-winning hit, but will add a standalone tale to the saga this time. Yes, it's an origin story. Yes, it dives into the background of the character so memorably played in Fury Road by Charlize Theron (Fast X). Yes, enlisting Taylor-Joy is another casting masterstroke. Furiosa's storyline follows the younger Furiosa as she's taken from the Green Place of Many Mothers, ends up with a biker horde led by Warlord Dementus, and then gets caught in the middle of a war being waged with the Citadel's Immortan Joe — all while trying to escape and get back home. And, as the just-dropped first sneak peek shows, the look and feel is all classic Mad Max. Miller not only directs but co-writes with Mad Max: Fury Road co-scribe Nico Lathouris, while Alyla Browne (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart) and Tom Burke (Living) are also among the movie's stars. A heap of Miller's other behind-the-scenes collaborators are back, including production designer Colin Gibson, editor Margaret Sixel, sound mixer Ben Osmo, costume designer Jenny Beavan and makeup designer Lesley Vanderwalt, all Fury Road Oscar-winners. Check out the trailer for Furiosa below: Furiosa releases in cinemas Down Under on May 23, 2024.
After promising a return to Australian shores earlier this year, Coldplay have announced the details of their November tour. The band will be playing four stadium shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane plus Auckland in New Zealand from November 10-21. Australian talent The Temper Trap and US-based sister act, The Pierces, will be supporting. Coldplay are currently touring the world to celebrate the release of their fifth studio album Mylo Xyloto. In March, the band cancelled two corporate shows in Sydney due to personal reasons. Their last visit down under was in 2011 to headline Splendour in the Grass. “We can’t wait to get back to Australia and New Zealand this November. They’re such special places for us. These venues are pretty huge, the Aussie and New Zealand crowds are always incredible and we’ll be bringing everything we’ve got. It’s going to be big,” lead singer Chris Martin said on the band’s official website. Pre-sale tickets for Visa Credit, Debit and Prepaid cardholders will be released this Thursday, May 17. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, May 25.
We all love a secret menu — ordering dishes or drinks that most people don't even know exist. They aren't on the website. You won't find them on social media. And there is no sign of these dishes on the menu in the restaurant, either. It's serving IYKYK vibes. And we've cottoned on to a new limited-time set menu that's only available to those who ask for it specifically. Saigon Hustle, West Sydney's modern Vietnamese restaurant and bar, is putting all its best-selling dishes together for those who request the Hot Hustler Summer Set Menu — you won't find this offer on the menu or website. The two-person feast is priced at $60 per person and includes crowd-favourite dishes like the spicy fried corn ribs and the melt-in-your-mouth bone marrow served with XO sauce and garlic crostini. You'll also be treated to a serving of Saigon Hustle's beef tartare, lamb ribs, laksa, edamame beans and its beloved milk tea crème brûlée. Customers who text or email for bookings will need to clearly mention they want the Hot Hustler Summer Set Menu. For this under-the-radar feast, you can't just rock up and order it on the day and you can't take it away either. When texting or calling for a booking, you'll need to clearly mention you want the Hot Hustler Summer Set Menu. And if you head over from 5–7pm, from Wednesday to Sunday, you can also sneak in a few happy hour drinks. During this time, the bar serves up $8 house wines and beers alongside a special $13 cocktail of the week. These bartenders are known for creating all kinds of fun Asian-inspired cocktails, so you best order a few throughout the night. This special set menu (for a minimum of two people) is only available until Thursday, June 1. To book, contact Saigon Hustle and note you'd like the Hot Hustler Summer Set Menu. Alternatively, you can book via OpenTable, making sure to choose the Hot Hustler Summer Set Menu option.
If you find yourself in the centre of the natural wine, Australiana-kitsch, retro-inspired cocktail Venn diagram, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better Sydney spot to wile away a few hours than Enmore Country Club. The good-times neighbourhood bar brings throwback 70s nostalgia and an accomplished crew of hospitality mainstays to the former digs of Cottonmouth Records at 182 Enmore Road. At the helm you'll find hospo duo Dan McBride and Dynn Szmulewicz, who've embedded beloved Sydney venues like Redfern's The Sunshine Inn or Glebe's The Little Guy into the ever-growing scene of character-filled Inner West boozers. Adding to the firepower behind Enmore Country Club is natty winemaker DOOM JUICE's Creative Director Zachary Godbolt. The mastermind behind the wine brand's unmistakably manic visuals has come on board as the head designer for the new Enmore spot, leading the charge with its retro dive-bar aesthetic. The space has undergone a full revamp featuring fresh wood cladding, brass finishes, custom tablecloths from Defy Designs and a custom resin bar top. All of the little touches harken back to a bygone era of bowling shirts and cigarette commercials. On entry, you'll be greeted by a brown checked floor mat, and once inside you'll find retro posters on the walls, old motor magazines on the bench tops and a guest book to sign. As you would expect from a venue associated with The Sunshine Inn, you'll find plenty of low-intervention vino on the drinks list. The ever-evolving lineup of wines is projected onto the walls in order to facilitate quick changes for any exciting new drops that the team may get in. There's also a selection of local beers and a seasonal cocktail list, the latest of which features the El Bruiser, a twist on a classic championing quality tequila, fresh citrus and house-made stout syrup; The Don which is a nod to the old-school fluffy duck, using Australian gin, Campari and Imbroglio Marrickville's own Poor Toms, topped with some DOOM JUICE pét-nat; and The Melon Dew, a bright tropical slushie inspired by a classic Midori illusion. Images: Angus Bell Young
Australia's masters of mash-up return to the stage for their first national tour since 2010 with They Mostly Come at Night … Mostly. Spanning major cities and regional towns, the Yacht Club DJs spring back onto the scene with a spooky bang. Performing their rendition of a low-brow horror film, the DJs want you to expect the grotesque, the kitschy and the downright ridiculous. Zombies and fake blood included, of course. The duo behind Yacht Club DJs, Guy Chappell-Lawrence and Gareth (Gaz) Harrison, are long-time friends; they originally bonded over their shared eclectic musical tastes. Pop, hip-hop, metal, Australian larrikin — you name it, they're into it. Now they've poured and mixed it into some of the most electrifying concoctions, there's no way you'll stay off your feet this night. For the tour, the DJs are joined by their home-town friends, the Hunting Grounds. Beware: the six-member group will only contribute to this twisted, zombie-filled night of debauchery. https://youtube.com/watch?v=wz378CNslwU
Throughout Greater Sydney's ongoing lockdown, mask rules have shifted and evolved several times — but if you're outside of your own house, you've only needed to cover your face in certain circumstances. Come 12.01am on Monday, August 23, that'll change. That's when masks will become compulsory across New South Wales whenever you're outdoors, other than if you're exercising. The new rule will arrive two months into Sydney's stay-at-home conditions and will apply moving forward, with Greater Sydney's lockdown now extended until the end of September. It also comes almost a week after regional NSW was also put under stay-at-home orders, with that lockdown set to continue until at least Saturday, August 28. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the new mask requirement today, Friday, August 20, alongside the lengthier Greater Sydney lockdown and a number of tightened rules for residents of Sydney's 12 Local Government Areas of concern. "Our concern is that when people are walking past a group of people or accidentally bumping into people, that can cause that fleeting contact and transmission," said the Premier. "It also makes it easier for police to make sure everybody is sticking to the rule. Unless you are exercising, masks outdoor applies to every single citizen across NSW, whether you live in Sydney or the bush, everybody has to respect that," she continued. So, masks will be mandatory whenever you are out of your house for any reason other than working out — including working outdoors, at an outdoor market or outdoor shopping strip, and standing in an outdoor queue waiting for a coffee or something to eat, activities that already require face coverings. You'll still obviously need to carry a mask with you at all times whenever you leave the house — even if you are exercising. And, wearing face masks in all indoor settings outside of your own home, and on public transport, is still compulsory. Since mid-July, masks have been required in all common areas in residential buildings, too. The latter covers apartment complex lobbies, foyers, lifts, stairwells, corridors and shared laundries, and applies whether you live there or you're a visitor. In response to the evolving Delta outbreak, NSW will extend the current lockdown in Greater Sydney until the end of September, and introduce new rules targeting the local government areas of concern, where the vast majority of new cases are emerging. pic.twitter.com/KoKwl0GCin — NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 20, 2021 NSW residents under lockdown are still currently only permitted to leave the house for four specific essential reasons: to work and study if you can't do it from home; for essential shopping; for exercise outdoors in groups of two; and for compassionate reasons, which includes medical treatment, getting a COVID-19 test and getting vaccinated. As it always does, NSW Health has been updating the COVID-19 venues of concern list, and will continue to do so as more places keep being identified. Anyone who has visited these venues during the times specified are required to get tested and self-isolate as per NSW Health's instructions. And, if you have any COVID-19 symptoms in general, you should be getting tested at a clinic, too. Sydneysiders should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste. Masks will become compulsory outdoors in NSW unless you're exercising from 12.01am on Monday, August 23. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. For more information about the current mask rules, head to the NSW Government website.
Despite what you may think, Sydney SuperNight is three days and nights of action-packed activity from all angles. From Friday, July 19 to Sunday, July 21, the Sydney SuperNight will see a number of practice, qualifying and support racing sessions take place, culminating in the climax of the feature race when the sun goes down on Saturday evening. This will be round seven of the Repco Supercars Championship so rivalries between the drivers are high, and the atmosphere can get intense. Plus, the fact that some of it is going down at night means you'll be able to see the sparks literally fly — don't be surprised if you get caught up in the theatrics. Plenty of non-track action will be interspersed throughout the weekend, too. There will be events for all ages, merchandise, signings, live entertainment and much more. More information is likely to be released in the coming months, so keep your eyes on the Sydney Supercars channels.
With winter throwing a blanket of chill and darkness over the city, it's getting even harder to sneak in that post-work swim with the beach definitely not on the cards. As everyone surely knows, Australians must go swimming at least once a week or we lose our citizenship, so head down to the Thorpedo's pool to get a few lengths in. The pool is heated snugly, so the only cold you'll worry about is the bit between getting out of the water and getting into a towel. Even then, if that's too much, head to the steam room or the spa to get that core temperature back up to a toasty 37 degrees. Image: Jesse Jaco.
There isn't anything particularly funny about Mondays. From waking up knowing that the weekend is over, to coming home after work and knowing that there are still four more days to go, there aren't many reasons to smile. So that's where the Comedy Lounge comes in. With no more than a crisp ten dollar note, you can find yourself admitted to one of Sydney's premier comedy venues for an evening of chortling. While it's not exactly the star-studded Just For Laughs Gala in Montreal, the Comedy Lounge hosts some of the best up-and-coming comedians in Sydney, as well as those who swing by while on tour. It's a great way to laugh those Monday blues away.
Taking inspiration from events in the past 12 months such as the (mainly UK-based) media scandals and the digital frenzy that surrounded the Kony12 campaign, the 2012 Sydney Writers' Festival will get us all thinking, talking (and maybe even writing) about the shifting boundaries between what’s public and what's private. Featuring profound and relevant discussions on current topics like gay marriage and media in a digital age, the 15th SWF will include writing workshops, readings from prizewinning authors, poets and biographers - as well as politicians, judges and even a CIA interrogator. The Festival will be hosting a few international heavyweights too. Libyan novelist Hisham Matar, who was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for In the Country of Men, will be opening the Festival. He will be talking about his writing and the harrowing events of his past (his father was kidnapped by Gaddafi’s regime in the ‘90s and is still missing). Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Virgin Suicides, Jeffrey Eugenides, is making first trip down under for the Festival, and Jeanette Winterson, author of Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, will be here to read from her memoir Why be Happy When You Could Be Normal?. Kick-ass writers from the UK and US, including Heather Brooke, who broke the story about the British parliamentary expenses scandal, and Stella Rimington, former head of MI5, are just two from a long list of influential writers who have tackled topics as wide-reaching as the troubled history of Ireland, Vladimir Putin’s hold over Russia and western capitalism versus China’s booming economy. There’s a kids programme too. Jeff Kinney, the creator of the successful children’s series Diary of a Wimpy Kid, will be speaking at Sydney Opera House among other readings and workshops. Closer to home, Australian expat Kathy Lette will be at the festival talking about raising an autistic child, and Aboriginal writer Anita Heiss and politician Bob Katter will be sharing their views on our nation. The Festival will be taking place from May 14 to 20 across venues such as Sydney Opera House, Walsh Bay, Sydney Town Hall and the Recital Hall. And the best part? More than half of the events are completely free. Some events are ticketed, some are not. Go to www.swf.org.au for details of all the writers attending and how to purchase tickets.
For the second year in a row — and only the second time in the more than three decades that the country's professional Aussie Rules competition has called itself the Australian Football League — the AFL grand final might be hosted outside of Melbourne. AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has announced that the code will shift the biggest game of the 2021 season to Perth's Optus Stadium if the Victorian capital is still under lockdown, or if the Melbourne Cricket Ground is unable to welcome in spectators. In 2020, the AFL made the move to the Brisbane Cricket Ground, aka the Gabba, due to Melbourne's lengthy stint of stay-at-home conditions. Now, a year later, the city is currently under lockdown for the sixth time during the pandemic, which is set to remain in place at this stage until Thursday, September 2. Whether the stay-at-home rules will ease then as planned is yet to be seen, with Victoria's new locally acquired COVID-19 case numbers hovering between 40–71 since Thursday, August 19. And, if lockdown does end before the scheduled grand final date on Saturday, September 25, whether Melbourne's stadiums will be permitted to host crowds under post-lockdown restrictions is similarly unknown. Announcing the news on Wednesday, August 25, AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said that "if we're unable to play at the MCG, the Grand Final will be at Optus Stadium... The capacity available at Optus Stadium is 100 percent and that's pretty compelling to have as many people as we can see the biggest and best sporting event in the country," he continued. Optus Stadium can 60,000 people, and the AFL is expected to make a final decision sometime during the week beginning Monday, August 30. That's the same week that the lockdown not just in Melbourne but also in all of Victoria is currently set to end — and that the city's and state's residents will learn if it's being extended. Perth will host the 2021 Toyota AFL Grand Final, if the MCG cannot hold the event in front of crowds. — AFL (@AFL) August 25, 2021 In 2020, the AFL also nominated a backup stadium in the event that cases surged in Brisbane. If the game is held in Perth, it's likely either Adelaide Oval or the Gabba could be named as backups. Moving the game to Perth also means that 2020's night grand final won't be repeated due to the time difference between Australia's west and east coasts. McLachlan said that the AFL would be looking at an afternoon or twilight time slot. A Perth grand final won't feature any Western Australian AFL teams, however, with both the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers failing to make the code's finals season. Just like last year, it really shouldn't have taken three decades for a competition that's not only named after the entire country, but that changed its moniker in 1990 to reflect the fact that it was no longer just about Victoria, to host its deciders in other cities. Before 2020, the grand final had actually been played at venues other than the MCG before — but still in Melbourne. The MCG remains contracted to host the grand final for a significant period moving forward, however, with its contact originally running through until 2057, then extended until 2058 as part of the agreement to allow the game to be played at the Gabba in 2020. If the move to Perth happens this year, it wouldn't be surprising if the arrangement with the MCG will be extended again. If you're a Victorian — whether you've been missing the footy over the past month, or you're not fussed about the sport at all — you might be wondering about the usual pre-grand final public holiday. Last year, even with the game being played in Brisbane, the holiday still went ahead. What'll happen this year hasn't been revealed as yet. The 2021 AFL Grand Final will take place on Saturday, September 25 — at the MCG if it is able to host a crowd, or at Optus Stadium in Perth otherwise. A final decision is expected during the week beginning Monday, August 30, and you can read more about the current details on the AFL website. Top image: Optus Stadium, Government of Western Australia.
Illuminating an unjustly overlooked period of Aboriginal activism, Hereby Make Protest at Carriageworks is an exhibition comprising of historical documentation and new work by Indigenous artists Jacob Nash, Karla Dickens and Nicole Foreshew. Prior to the Freedom Ride and the Gurindji Strike, the Aborigines Progressive Association formed in 1924 and is credited with instigating the rise of a civil rights movement in Australia. Paving the way for future revolutionaries, Jack Patten, Fred Maynard, William Cooper and William Ferguson joined forces to protest the lack of basic human rights available to Aboriginal Australians. Various newspaper clippings, letters and meeting minutes draw a long history of protest and struggle. These salvaged documents convey the steady building of a national voice. Bringing this archival material to life, Nash, Dickens and Foreshew have produced large-scale artworks that seem to absorb these documents, seeping under their protective glass to infuse them with a renewed relevance. Blending together Indigenous and colonial objects, Dickens' mixed-media sculptures evoke hierarchy and power struggle. Hanging from heavy hooks, Assimilated Warriors features suit jackets sprouting emu feathers and a number of rusted dog muzzles. With the brutish materials and menacing silhouettes, the work seems to mimic an execution. In this way, Aboriginal cultural identity has been held hostage and denied a voice. Another eye-catching work is Demanding a Voice Is Tiresome, a quilt made of vintage fabrics and stamped with the logos of protest groups. Printed with trees and flowers, these scenes of domestic ease and ignorance are refused by a repeated symbol of defiance. Dickens has disallowed complacency — responsibility is in the home of every Australian. The quiet rhythm of Nicole Foreshew’s single channel videos permeates the space. Has Come from Somewhere depicts a lone figure moving back and forth, accompanied by a hymn by Harold Blair. His balletic gestures are mesmerising as smoke rolls in like fog and slowly dissipates. Like a faded memory, he raises his arms as if conducting an imaginary choir before retreating into darkness. The man's elusiveness is enhanced by the rough texture of the recording. As he smooths his tie, straightens his suspenders and tips his hat, Foreshew compels us to pay attention to every minute movement. A sea of shoes takes up a large amount of floor space; Nash has painted almost 700 pairs with white ochre. It is a protest movement evacuated of human protesters; however, there is an atmosphere of solidarity and collective responsibility. The positioning of the shoes suggests naturalistic postures, evoking the dynamism and spontaneity of a real protest. What also humanises the work is the way it interacts with other works. For example, faced towards Foreshew’s video, it appears as if the absent wearers are standing in quiet reverence, watching and listening. There's a lot crammed into this space. Nevertheless, Hereby Make Protest is just as much a historical reflection as it is a contemporary call for action. By prying open the pages of history, these artists continue to question, reinterpret and, importantly, put forth what is yet to be done.
When Darling Square's new food precinct Steam Mill Lane opened back in April, we were gifted with the likes of Belles' hot chicken, 8bit burgers and green tea-flavoured everything form Matcha-ya. We were also promised a new Tokyo-inspired izakaya — and now, it's finally open and dishing out katsu and cocktails with a good dose of karaoke. Bang Bang will attempt to bring a bit of Tokyo's gritty Shinjuku district to the shiny recently developed laneway with street food and kitschy dive bar vibes. With ex-Nobu Tokyo chef Kokubo Yuji at the helm, the restaurant will offer up Japanese favourites alongside a bar serving whisky, sake and craft beer (including a house brewed lager). The venue mimics a street-side food vendor you might find in Kabukichō, with a roller door entrance, asphalt floor, lanterns and lots of neon signs. If you'd like to take the concept literally, there is also curtained-off seating in the laneway, next to a yatai stall serving up street eats for dine-in or takeaway. Inside, the 85-seat space boasts an intricate layout of rooms, with multiple dining areas and a hidden tatami room adorned with traditional mats and cushioned floor seating. There's also a vending machine filled with Japanese soft drinks and — most notably — a soundproof and neon-lit glass karaoke room. The menu combines elements of authenticity with modern twists. Think wok-tossed spicy edamame, pork gyoza and octopus tempura next to pork katsu brioche sliders and a 'mega tonkatsu'. There's also a full raw bar with the likes of aburi kingfish carpaccio and wagyu beef tataki separated from your usual sushi and sashimi offerings. Plus, on the udon menu sits a teriyaki salmon version next to a non-traditional carbonara one. For the purists, there's plenty of donburi, curries and omelettes to keep you busy. At the bar, citrus-infused shochu cocktails sit next to whisky and piña colada highballs, all inspired by the alleyway drinking culture of Tokyo. If you come in a group, you can also nab extra-large one-litre cocktails for sharing — served in a butler pump, of course. Bang Bang is now open daily from 11.30am till 10.30pm at 14 Steam Mill Lane, Darling Square. Images: Steven Woodburn.
Flying interstate can be frustrating at the best of times — especially during peak periods — but there could be major cancellations and delays ahead as some Jetstar employees prepare for a strike. Both the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) and the Transport Workers' Union (TWU) have voted to proceed with industrial action — with 94 percent of members of the latter in favour of the strike — in response to ongoing failed negotiations with the airline. If you've got flights booked over Christmas, you may face a delay or two. If it goes ahead, the strike could see pilots, as well as 250 Jetstar baggage handlers and ground crew, taking industrial action. There's no word yet on what exactly this action would be or when this would happen, though the TWU has said that it'd likely take place over "the coming weeks and months" — i.e., the busy festive season. It's likely to cause delays to multiple air services across Sydney, Melbourne, Avalon, Brisbane, Cairns and Adelaide airports. https://twitter.com/TWUAus/status/1202747636492582913 The TWU is at loggerheads with Jetstar after failed negotiations with the airline that sought to secure a number of demands for employees – like more rest breaks, annual wage increases of four percent and a guaranteed 30 hours of work a week. TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said that "disappointingly, Jetstar have rejected the vast majority of the workers' demands outright". Jetstar, however, says the impact of the TWU action is likely to be "minimal" as it would involve "less than half" of its regular ground staff. In a statement released today, Jetstar's Group CEO Gareth Evans said that the company has offered a three percent annual wage increase to the union. Perhaps more disruptive will be the AFAP strike, which could leave planes without anyone to actually fly them. Evans has said that Jetstar will "do everything [it] can" to minimise disruptions to passengers — but noting that "customers may face delays and cancelled flights if the union choose to take industrial action". Of course, this news doesn't mean that the strikes will necessarily happen — if the unions are able to reach an agreement with Jetstar in the meantime, it could be called off. No dates have been set yet, be'll let you know as soon as there is.
Take one secret Sydney location and one celebrated Perrier mixologist, and what do you have? Concrete Playground’s first covert cocktail, that’s what, brought to you from one of Sydney’s best kept hideaways: Wendy’s Secret Garden. Tomas Vikario is a beverage innovation manager and top mixologist from Croatia. He divides his time between New Zealand and Australia, working on new cocktail ideas for brands like Perrier. “The source was discovered a long time ago by the Romans,” Tomas tells us, “and today, it’s an iconic brand found in many of the world’s best bars and restaurants. Perrier, is great for mixology, because of the long-lasting bubbles. It’s 100% natural, from volcanic soil.” The mixologist, who is a little like the Adriano Zumbo of cocktail making, has been creating innovative drinks for 18 years in Europe and Australasia. He loves to travel, and says that he likes to take inspiration from the places he visits and convert the aromas and flavours from a place into a drink. For the first in a series of new cocktail recipes for Concrete Playground, Tomas is making a ‘Perrier Tea Break’ in the luscious surround of Wendy’s Secret Garden, Lavender Bay (here's a map). A formerly derelict space, owned by NSW Rail Corp, the public space was restored by Australian artist Wendy Whiteley, widow and former muse of the Archibald Prize-winning painter Brett Whiteley. Wendy removed old train carriages and dumped waste, creating a truly hidden spot that anyone can visit, at any time. After heading down the secluded path into the gardens, Tomas found a spot in the sun, overlooking Sydney Harbour, to show us how to make a ‘Perrier Tea Break’. “It’s like a garden,” he says, “oranges, apples and lemon... It’s easy to make and it’s romantic. I can imagine two people escaping to this garden, hiding away, and enjoying something like this. It’s very refreshing; perfect for a hot day.” In his picnic basket: 1 orange1 lemonOrange blossom water, or essential orange oil330ml bottle of Perrier water (chilled)Apple flavoured vodka (optional) Step 1 First, peel approximately 4cm of the zest of an orange. Using a knife, score the zest length-ways, then twist and squeeze over a glass or cup to release the fruit’s oils and aroma. (To look like a true pro, swirl the zest along the rim of the glass before popping it in the bottom of the cup). Step 2 Peel and score the zest of a lemon. Twist and squeeze the lemon zest, as with the orange in step one, to release the fruit’s oils and aroma. Place the lemon zest in a teapot or glass container. Step 3 Add two drops of orange blossom water, or essential orange oil, in to the teapot. If you don't have a nifty measuring pipette like Tomas, one or two teaspoons will work just as well. Step 4 Add one 330ml bottle of Perrier water and stir. For the best results, ensure the Perrier is chilled. (Perfect! No need to pack the ice). Step 5 (optional) To take this refreshing mocktail to a cocktail, simply add 60ml of flavoured vodka. Tomas uses Smirnoff’s apple vodka to create a his Perrier Tea Break, but he also recommends Belvedere orange or lemon flavoured vodkas. Enjoy! Finally, kick back and enjoy this refreshing, clean and fruity drink with sweet treats and sunshine. A glorious garden picnic!
The end of winter is finally within sight, but that doesn't mean the weather isn't still ripe for a comforting midweek feast. With this in mind, much-loved bakery Fabbrica Bread Shop is indulging your carb-loaded dreams, hosting a brand-new weekly Lasagna Night across three locations every Wednesday throughout August. Perfect for those chilly evenings where the last thing you want to do is cook, pasta lovers are invited to pre-order a selection of house-made lasagne, salads and sides from Fabbrica locations in Rozelle, Coogee and Sydney CBD. With the team taking care of all the prep, just collect your food before heading home to enjoy. The menu is teeming with Italian delights, with the classic lasagne — layered with Fabbrica's signature pasta sheets and slow-cooked beef ragù — an obvious choice. Meanwhile, the 'nduja alla vodka lasagne with a spicy, vodka-infused tomato sauce, or a veggie spinach and ricotta lasagne with house-made cacio e pepe sauce, makes an easygoing Wednesday night just a little special. With each lasagna available in serving sizes for two or four people, letting the crew at Fabbrica take care of your dinner plans is a wise decision, whether you're catering for the family or putting together a stress-free date night. Of course, there are sides to elevate your feast further, with sourdough garlic bread and two salads — a zesty mixed leaf option and a hearty chickpea and feta number — ensuring your home feast leaves you zonked on the couch. Did we mention there's tiramisu, too? Yet this feast isn't just aimed at home-diners. Fabbrica Bread Shop in Rozelle is welcoming walk-ins from 4–6.45pm, giving guests the chance to relish an early feast and make it home with time to spare before bed. Just know, if you're planning to pre-order, the cut-off time for each Wednesday night session is 11.55pm on the Monday prior, with collection time slots available at the three locations from 4pm–6.45pm on Wednesday afternoons. Founded in the CBD by the brains behind spots like Ragazzi and Love, Tilly Divine in 2020, Fabbrica's blue-and-white hue has spread across Sydney. With pasta bars rolled out in Newtown, Darlinghurst and Chatswood, the Fabbrica Bread Shop offshoot has also made waves, with Rozelle and Coogee stores brimming with classic and inventive baked goods. Swing by to pick up your lasagne, and don't forget to say ciao. Fabbrica Bread Shop's Lasagne Night is on every Wednesday throughout August. Pre-orders must be placed the Monday prior by 11.55pm, while the Rozelle location is open for walk-ins on Wednesdays from 4–6.45pm. Head to the website for more information.
Hosting pre-drinks can be a lot of pressure. The playlist has got to be on point and create the right vibe. The snacks need to be that perfect mix between 'line your stomach' and 'small enough to eat with one hand while straightening hair'. And the drinks have to be knockouts because they're kind of like the marker for the night ahead; pick a great drink, you're in for an even greater night. And you can't go past prosecco; The dramatic 'pop' will immediately liven up the crowd, and the versatile Italian bubbly can be enjoyed on its own or heroed in a bunch of tasty cocktails. (And no, not just in a spritz.) To make sure you serve up some real humdingers, we've partnered with the prosecco masters at Dal Zotto Wines and crafted five prosecco cocktail recipes to try before your next night out. Bottoms up, bubble lovers. PASSION PIT Let this be our little secret... This cocktail is like a fancy, adults-only version of Passiona. It tastes just like an Aussie summer (read: pavlova and bubbly). — 70g castor sugar — 70ml lemon juice — 70ml triple sec — pulp from 4 passionfruits — 1 bottle of Dal Zotto prosecco, chilled (serves four to six) Mix together the lemon juice and sugar, dissolving it as best you can. Next add the triple sec and passionfruit pulp. Pour the mixture over a couple of ice-filled glasses, then top up with chilled prosecco. Garnish with passionfruit, mint and pineapple. You'll be feeling higher and higher in no time. EL LOCO Forget frozen margaritas — it's all about sparkling margaritas, amigos. This fizzy twist on the classic will send your mates loco in all the right ways. Cocktail: — 90ml blanco tequila — 90ml triple sec — 120ml chilled simple syrup (recipe below) — 240ml lime juice — 1 bottle of Dal Zotto prosecco, chilled — coarse salt — lime wedges Simple syrup: — 250 ml water — 250 ml castor sugar (serves six to eight) First, you need to make the simple syrup which is, well, super simple to make. Grab a medium saucepan and over medium-high heat stir together the sugar and water until all the granules have dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature and then chill in the fridge. Next, add the tequila, chilled simple syrup, triple sec and lime juice into a cocktail shaker along with a good handful of ice, then give it a good shake. Grab your tumblers — or margarita glasses, if you've got 'em — and run a lime wedge around the rim of each glass before dipping them into a small plate of course salt. Add a handful of ice to each glass and divide the tequila mixture among the glasses. Finally, top with a wedge of lime and a splash of prosecco for that all-important fizz. PRINCESS PEACH Just like everybody's favourite crown-wearing Mario Kart character, this tipple is sweet yet punchy and will always score first place. — 2 ripe peaches, seeded and diced — 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice — 1 teaspoon sugar — 1 bottle of Dal Zotto prosecco, chilled (serves six) Chuck the peaches, lemon juice and sugar into your trusty food processor, and blend until smooth. Pass the mixture through a sieve and get rid of all the chunky peach bits. Place 2 tablespoons of the puree into each champagne glass and top with well-chilled prosecco. Yeah, Peach has got it! LEMON DROP This cocktail is a riff on those zingy, sherbert-filled lollies you probably ate as a kid. And it's got two Italian heavy-hitters, limoncello and prosecco, so you know it's going to be good. — 1 bottle of Dal Zotto prosecco, chilled — 250ml limoncello, chilled — blueberries — thyme — lemon slices (serves four) Pour the prosecco and limoncello into a jug and stir together. Next, press your lemon slices into the bottom of a large highball glass (a hurricane or sling will work equally well), top with ice and fill with the prosecco mixture. For added pizzazz, garnish with thyme and blueberries. PURPLE RAIN Just like Prince, this tipple is kinda strange but, also, utter genius. If it were to change its name to a symbol it would be an exclamation mark, because it's that delicious. Cocktail: — 1/4 cup blackberries — 90ml blackberry syrup (recipe below) — juice from one lime — mint — 120ml light rum — 1 bottle of Dal Zotto prosecco, chilled Blackberry syrup: — 2 tablespoons water — 1 cup blackberries — 1/3 cup granulated sugar (serves two) First, you'll need to whip up the blackberry syrup. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, mash together the sugar, blackberries and water. Once the mixture is thick and the sugar dissolved, pass it through a fine mesh strainer and let it chill. Add the blackberry syrup, blackberries, lime and a handful of mint to a cocktail shaker and muddle well. Next, chuck in the rum and a few ice cubes and shake it like you mean it. Strain the mixture into martini glasses and top with chilled prosecco and fresh blueberries or blackberries. Then, get ready to party like it's 1999. Keen for more fizz? Visit Dal Zotto for a glass of bubbly perfection. And once you're there, share your first Dal Zotto drink experience to Instagram and hashtag #FirstDZ to go in the running to win a year's worth of Dal Zotto prosecco and many more weekly prizes.
Come Friday, May 5, 2023's Archibald Prize winner will be unveiled. Whoever emerges victorious, the award's just-announced finalists have already made history. This is Australia's most prestigious portrait prize, is now in its 102nd year and hands out $100,000 to its annual winner. And, it took until this year for more women than men to be make the final list of contenders. In total, 949 entries were received, with 57 artists named as finalists. They include 30 by women and 27 by men. One such piece: Packing Room Prize recipient Clown Jewels, a portrait of New Zealand-born comedian Cal Wilson painted by Perth-born, Cairns-based artist Andrea Huelin — who picked up the gong with her first Archibald Prize entry. [caption id="attachment_898390" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Packing Room Prize 2023 winner, Andrea Huelin 'Clown jewels', oil on board, 120.2 x 120.1 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Cal Wilson.[/caption] The Packing Room Prize is picked by three members of the Art Gallery of New South Wales' packing room team, hence the name: Timothy Dale, Monica Rudhar and Alexis Wildman in 2023. "Andrea's work jumped out at us as soon as it arrived. The bright colours really popped, and we immediately recognised Cal as a familiar face," said Wildman. "Cal's been such a mainstay on Australian television for two decades. We love the interesting pose and unique headwear and, in the tradition of the Packing Room Prize, Andrea's painting looks like Cal! This is a great, joyful portrait of someone who has brought so much laughter to Australia." [caption id="attachment_898395" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Packing Room Prize 2023 winner Andrea Huelin 'Clown jewels', featured with prize judges (left to right) Tim Dale, Monica Rudhar and Alexis Wildman, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Diana Panuccio.[/caption] "Being a finalist is everything I could have hoped for. Winning the Packing Room Prize is simply gobsmacking," advised Huelin. "I was inspired to paint Cal because her Instagram posts modelling her brilliant homemade headpieces on her makeshift stage made me laugh out loud. Her poses reminded me of my sister and me making ourselves laugh by pulling funny faces in the mirror as kids and I could tell we share a similar sense of humour. I posted a congratulatory comment and Cal wrote back and admired my paintings, so I asked if she'd sit for a portrait." "Cal brought her creativity and imagination to the sitting, as well as a suitcase full of headpieces and outfits. Because I'm a still life painter, I thought the headpieces were a great way for me to incorporate a still life element into the portrait. The formal portrait mocks the 19th-century style in which women were once painted, while capturing her cheeky expression and sparkly headpiece, which is actually just arts and crafts," Huelin continued. [caption id="attachment_898394" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2023 finalist, Matt Adnate 'Echoes of a teenage superstar', spray paint and acrylic on linen, 198 x 198 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Daniel Johns.[/caption] Alongside Clown Jewels, 2023's finalists include portraits of plenty of famous faces, Claudia Karvan, Sam Neill, Archie Roach, Noni Hazlehurst and Daniel Johns included. The latter comes courtesy of muralist Matt Adnate, and also marks his first Archibald entry. If you'd like to see all of the above, and the rest of 2023's finalists, they'll all be on display at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney from Saturday, May 6–Sunday, September 3. And, they'll have company from works shortlisted for the venue's similarly coveted Wynne and Sulman prizes. The Wynne received 726 entries, with 41 named as finalists, while the Sulman received 673 entries, naming 45 as final contenders. [caption id="attachment_898396" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2023 finalist, Anh Do 'Seeing Ruby', oil on linen, 240.4 x 200.3 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Archie Roach.[/caption] In total, 2348 works tried their luck across the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes, making this year's pool the second largest ever, beaten only by 2020's. And, 2023 notched up another history-making stat: the highest-ever total number of entries by Aboriginal artists across the three prizes. Speculation about who will be awarded the coveted Archibald Prize — and, more often than not, the Archibald winner itself — usually causes much-heated debate. From 2018's five-time Archibald finalist Yvette Coppersmith's first win to Tony Costa's 2019 victory with his painting of fellow artist Lindy Lee — the first portrait of an Asian Australian to pick up the prize — it's hard a prize to pick. All that's really assured is that it'll be a portrait of a person by an Australian-based artist. [caption id="attachment_898397" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2023 finalist, Laura Jones 'Claudia (the GOAT)', oil and acrylic on canvas, 198.2 x 152.6 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Claudia Karvan.[/caption] In 2020, Vincent Namatjira's portrait of Adam Goodes did the honours, and also marked the first time the award has gone to an Indigenous artist. In 2021, Peter Wegner's portrait of fellow artist Guy Warren nabbed the gong. And in 2022, it was Blak Douglas' portrait of artist Karla Dickens in the Lismore floods that came out on top. Whoever earns the nod for 2023's Archibald, there's still another award up for grabs afterwards. If you don't agree with the judges, you can cast your own vote for People's Choice, which will be announced on Wednesday, August 9. [caption id="attachment_898398" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2023 finalist, James Powditch 'Sam I Am', acrylic on paper and board, 200 x 240 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Sam Neill.[/caption] ARCHIBALD PRIZE 2023 DATES: Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, NSW — May 6–September 3, 2023 Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Victoria — September 15–November 5, 2023 South East Centre for Contemporary Art, Bega, NSW — November 18, 2023—January 7, 2024 Goulburn Regional Art Gallery, NSW — January 19–March 10, 2024 Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, NSW — March 15–April 28, 2024 Tamworth Regional Gallery, NSW — May 11–June 23, 2024 Glasshouse Port Macquarie, NSW — July 5–August 18, 2024 If you can't make it to any of the above dates, you can check out the award winners and finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes on the Art Gallery of NSW website. Top image: Excerpt of Packing Room Prize 2023 winner, Andrea Huelin 'Clown jewels', oil on board, 120.2 x 120.1 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Cal Wilson.
Last time you spent a couple of days hanging out in Surfers Paradise, enjoying the beach and bars, and listening to live tunes by the shore, you might've been attending Schoolies. Your next excuse: Springtime, the brand new music fest that's heading to the Gold Coast this year. Obviously, thanks to the name, you know which season will be in bloom. Between Friday, September 3–Sunday, September 5, the new event will take over both beachside and streetside spaces around Surfers, with over 40 acts on the bill. There'll be multiple stages, including in outside spots and at sideshow venues. And, in fantastic news for your wallet, entry to all of the outdoor shows is completely free. If you're planning to make a weekend of it, the lack of entry fee means you'll have more cash to splash on a hotel room. With Australia's tourism industry taking a hit over the past year or so, enticing music lovers to the Goldie for a three-day getaway is obviously one of the fest's aims. Some sideshows might be ticketed, though — the details haven't been announced yet, but you might want to factor that into your plans. As for who you'll be seeing, headliners include Ball Park Music on the Friday, Hermitude and Sneaky Sound System on Saturday, and Ruel on Sunday. The Gold Coast Music Awards will be part of the fest as well — as will celebrating spring's arrival just by soaking in the location, obviously. [caption id="attachment_815054" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Derek Henderson[/caption] SPRINGTIME MUSIC FESTIVAL 2021 LINEUP: FRIDAY: Ball Park Music Psychedelic Porn Crumpets Ali Barter Radolescent Vices SATURDAY: Hermitude Sneaky Sound System Gold Coast Music Awards JK-47 Ninajiraci Mia Rodriguez Ebony Boadu Mollie Rose Garrett Kato Lili Papas Daste Gratis Minds Akurei Jake Carmody Strex Happy Hour Live with Lucy & Nikki SUNDAY: Ruel Sycco May-A Budjerah Ivey Peach Fur DVNA Saint Lane Pink Matter Kye Pure Milk Tom West Chutney Sh#t Shirt Disco Nina Sinclair Veople Springtime Music Festival will take place across the weekend of Friday, September 3–Sunday, September 5. For further information — and to RSVP — head to the festival website.
Sydneysiders get short-changed when it comes to winter. Sure, its perfectly pleasant, but we miss out on actual winter, when temperatures plummet into the minuses. Waking up to a blanket of fresh white snow outside your window. Strolling around quaint European Christmas markets, clutching a comforting mug of gluhwein to your chest as you try to absorb all the heat that you can get. There's something special about feeling so cold that you're not entirely sure if your toes are still attached to your feet. Now we can have the best of both worlds with the Sydney Winter Festival at Darling Harbour. As of June 13, we can appreciate all that is winter without having to worry about the potential frostbitten feet that accompany it. Options are numerous. The event is a smidge bigger than winter festivals past — there's an ice-skating rink, food stalls from the likes of Eat Art Truck, an après skate lounge and beer garden, a giant inflatable 'Thredbo snow' slide and floating Lindt zorb balls. Finally, a way to eat all the Lindt chocolate you can handle and then float around in a giant plastic bubble in Darling Harbour. So, fellow winter enthusiasts, don your warmest beanie, down a gluhwein (or three) and go wrest Darling Harbour back from the tourists.
You may have noticed, dear readers, that things look a little different here at Concrete Playground today. Indeed, our troop of absurdly brilliant writers, coordinators, editors, designers and developers have been working tirelessly over the last few months, preparing to make Swiss cheese of the stratosphere with the launch of a new and much improved website. We've nipped, tucked and delivered Concrete Playground to you in a shiny new package, re-imagining everything from the ground up. So, what exactly has changed? For starters, we'll be introducing a few of our new favourite toys... We have developed a custom Facebook application that lets you seamlessly integrate your new Concrete Playground user profile with the world's biggest social network, mapping out your social schedule to share with friends in just one click of a button. We have also created a shortlist of the city's best restaurants and bars, reviewed by some of this town's most fervent foodies, which includes a fancy geolocation tool that allows you to choose a place to dine or drink based on your current location or the place's proximity to an event you are planning to attend. And we have created some entirely new types of content, which will appear with daily regularity in our new News & Features, Featured Video and Galleries sections. Of course, you can expect the carefully and lovingly selected event coverage you have come to know — only more of it, and with things like dynamic event calendars and tailored recommendations to help you find what you are looking for. We're opening our doors in Brisbane today, and will be launching editions in Melbourne and Auckland in the next few weeks. We are big believers in design and functionality, and were very fortunate to find world class creative partners in Canvas Group and Etc Etc Awesome who designed and coded, respectively, the bejesus out of this thing. We have also received some very useful feedback from our readers and writers over the 18 months since our launch, and this redesign represents a consolidated viewpoint on exactly how best to publish an entirely online (for the moment, anyhow) cultural publication. This is not the end of our design process, but the beginning. We will be adding new features and optimising existing ones as we go to make the user experience a more dynamic, alive and intuitive one. Your feedback has been and will continue to be of great value, so please let us know what you think via Facebook, Twitter or Email. And last of all, a big thank you to everyone who has contributed - particularly the editorial team led by our wonderful head honcho, Anna Harrison - and to you, our readers, for your loyal and passionate support and advocacy. Please continue to spread the word and help an independent group of writers and editors start something big.
After unveiling first-look images for Fallout season two, Prime Video hasn't left fans of the game-to-streaming series waiting long for a deeper dive into what's on the way in the post-apocalyptic hit. A day later, the platform has revealed the show's first trailer for its second season. Also included: an exact release date, after previously advising that Fallout will return in December 2025. You'll start watching the eight-episode sophomore run on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, with instalments dropping weekly. "I'm looking for someone," Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell, Yellowjackets) notes to kick off the season two teaser. The reply: "common story around here". The Ghoul (Walton Goggins, The White Lotus) pipes in when she's also asked if she's seeking "someone you care about ... or someone you hate?". "Oooh, what a great question" is his observation — and everyone who has watched season one will surely agree. When it dropped its initial eight episodes in 2024, Fallout took its cues from the games that debuted on computers back in 1997, with three released sequels, a fourth on the way and seven spinoffs all following. The live-action television iteration follows Lucy, a lifelong vault-dweller, who leaves her cosy underground digs to navigate the irradiated wasteland that earth has remained for two centuries after the nuclear apocalypse. Crossing her path: bounty hunter The Ghoul, who has ties to life before the devastation; and Maximus (Aaron Moten (Emancipation), an aspiring soldier with the Brotherhood of Steel, who don giant robotic suits. In this nightmarish future, a hellscape filled with mutants, wild west vibes and plenty of violence lingers beyond the bunker that the optimistic Lucy, daughter of Hank (Kyle MacLachlan, Overcompensating), who oversees Vault 33, has always called home. New Vegas is now her destination with The Ghoul — because if "you wanna know why the world ended," he advises, that's where this story will take you. The first season two trailer also features a glimpse at Justin Theroux (Poker Face) at Robert House in the show's jumps backwards, as well as a peek at a Deathclaw, one of the franchise's post-apocalyptic predators. Bringing the chaos to life is a behind-the-scenes team featuring Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, plus Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel) and Graham Wagner (Silicon Valley) as writers and co-showrunners. And yes, Bethesda Game Studios has a hand in it as well. After premiering in 2024 and becoming one of the platform's top-three most-watched shows ever, notching up more than 100-million viewers globally, this game adaptation isn't just making a comeback for its second season — earlier in 2025, Prime Video advised that Fallout has already been renewed for a third season, too. Check out the teaser trailer for Fallout season two below: Fallout streams via Prime Video, with season two premiering on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. Read our review of season one, and our interview with Walton Goggins, Ella Purnell and Aaron Moten. Images: courtesy of Prime Video.
Lock up your children: the Sanderson sisters are back and they're wreaking havoc again, as this witchy trio are known to. Twenty-nine years after Hocus Pocus first cast a spell on audiences, the beloved flick is getting a sequel — arriving on Disney+ this month, on Friday, September 30, and with a new full trailer to prove it. The latest sneak peak at Hocus Pocus 2 follows an initial teaser back in June, and the results are the same: more witchy mayhem as originally seen in 1993; more Bette Midler (The Addams Family 2), Sarah Jessica Parker (And Just Like That...) and Kathy Najimy (Music) getting spooky; and oh-so-much nostalgia this time, of course. In this second effort, Winnie, Sarah and Mary Sanderson are unleashed in modern-day Salem again, and things naturally get chaotic. As the trailers show, the magical siblings make a reappearance thanks to a different threesome — a trio of teenage pals who, early in the initial trailer, are told that "it's on the 16th birthday that a witch gets her powers". Cue a black cat, a book of spells, chanting in a graveyard and big The Craft vibes. Soon, cue Winnie, Sarah and Mary as well. Story-wise, Hocus Pocus 2 naturally follows what happens next, as the Sandersons try to unleash their child-eating ways — and the high schoolers who conjured them up attempt to stop them before dawn on All Hallow's Eve. It's been 29 years since someone last lit the black flame candle which resurrects the 17th-century sisters in the movie's world, just as it has in our own, and the witches aren't happy about it. That said, in this new sneak peek, the Sandersons also get an origin story. So if you've always wanted to know more about the sisters, here's your chance — and Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham factors into it. Hocus Pocus 2 also features Sam Richardson (The Afterparty), Doug Jones (The Shape of Water), Whitney Peak (Gossip Girl), Belissa Escobedo (American Horror Stories), Lilia Buckingham (Dirt), Froyan Gutierrez (Teen Wolf) and Tony Hale (Veep). While the original film was directed by Kenny Ortega — before the filmmaker gave the world the High School Musical movies — this one has Dumplin', Hot Pursuit and The Proposal's Anne Fletcher behind the lens. And yes, the Mouse House's streaming platform sure does love dropping seasonal-themed movies at the appropriate times. Here's hoping this one turns out better than last year's Christmas-focused Home Sweet Home Alone, though, when it hits the platform just before the scariest month of the year. Check out the full trailer for Hocus Pocus 2 below: Hocus Pocus 2 will be available to stream via Disney+ on Friday, September 30. Images: Matt Kennedy. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
It's baaaaack! That celebration of all things punani, foo foo and vagina with one message — love your lady parts. Philip Werner's photographic exhibition 101 Vagina is en route to the TAP Gallery as part of the Sydney Fringe Festival so "get your bits out, they're all fine" (if you watch the promo video that should make more sense). The last incarnation of 101 Vagina back in June at Redfern's 107 Projects was met with a flurry of complaints. Police ordered the floor-to-ceiling windows at the entry to the building covered to protect the eyes of unwitting passers-by, and disappointed vagina lovers responded by heaping on yet more love. Expect an even greater turnout to this iteration of 101 Vagina, which launches with a night of spoken word performance, talks from a #vaginasoit editor and sex educator and therapist Nikki Goldstein, Vaginal Mary Confessional (confess your sins to a living breathing vagina), Vagina Crafternoon and a vagina soap display. Vagina! The exhibition is from Werner's coffee-table book of the same name, which features black-and-white stills of full-frontal vaginas and accompanying messages from the subjects. The show will be up for three days at 107 Projects in a bid to not only celebrate but redirect the plight of the forgotten vagina. Tied up in all kinds of taboos, mandatory porno airbrushing and a dramatic increase in labiaplasty, it sounds like the old girls could use a breath of fresh air. So feel free to giggle, scream or get naked (but don't say it came from me).
These days, living in a beautiful home doesn't mean you need to have a massive backyard and dozens of bedrooms. The success of the tiny house movement has proven that you can have a wonderfully designed, sustainable home parked just about anywhere. To keep you up-to-date with the latest innovations taking place in the industry, Australian bathroom designer Caroma is hosting a Tiny House Expo in its Sydney showroom. Running from Thursday, April 11 to Sunday, April 14, this event will provide an up-close look at why considering a tiny house makes sense — especially once you factor in the reduced costs and cutting-edge design (that still includes all the amenities you need). Saturday will feature the presentation of three Tiny House makeovers designed around the themes of luxury for less, boho chic and coastal living. Visitors can admire just how flexible these spaces can be and get top tips on renovation and design from field leaders, including renovation expert Naomi Findlay. Meanwhile, there'll also be a sprawling plant sale and a variety of activities happening across the four-day expo, from free talks on composting to DIY workshops on terrariums, kokedama (hanging moss gardens) and even paraben-free bath bombs. Tiny House Expo is free to attend (but some workshops incur a cost). For more information on the program and to register for a workshop, head this way. Images: Jacquie Manning.
Marvel fans, it's time to get witchy. Agatha Harkness is back and she has a quest in her sights, plus a new posse of pals helping the MCU's latest small-screen series get spooky. A spinoff from WandaVision, Agatha All Along was announced back in 2021, then locked in its exact September 2024 release date earlier this year — and now Disney+ has conjured up the first teaser trailer for the eagerly awaited show. Kathryn Hahn (Tiny Beautiful Things) is also back as the series' namesake, starting the just-dropped sneak peek without her powers; however, that situation doesn't last long. First, Aubrey Plaza (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) is on hand for a Parks and Recreation reunion, and to point out the bind that Agatha is in. Then, there's a goth teen, a magical gauntlet of trials and the promise of rewards — with the assistance from a coven of chaos. Joining Hahn and Plaza in the series: Joe Locke (Heartstopper), Patti LuPone (Beau Is Afraid), Sasheer Zamata (Unfrosted), Emma Caulfield Ford (a Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum) and Debra Jo Rupp (That '90s Show). Behind the scenes, Jac Schaeffer (Black Widow) returns from bringing WandaVision to the screen to run the show and direct the pilot instalment. For fans, this series really has been Agatha All Along thanks to the Emmy-winning tune that everyone who saw the character's first on-screen appearance has had stuck in their heads ever since — and again now — but the program has gone through a few monikers. House of Harkness, Coven of Chaos and Darkhold Diaries, this won't be, though, when it hits streaming queues from Thursday, September 19, 2024. If nothing else joins the Marvel television slate between now and then, that'll make Agatha All Along just the second Marvel Cinematic Universe TV series of the year, after Echo (by design, with the Mouse House noting several times that it wants to better space out its releases). When the MCU made the leap to Disney+ back in 2021, WandaVision was the first program to arrive. It also finally made everyone take notice of the always-great Hahn, who stole every scene she was in each and every time that she popped up — hence Agatha All Along getting the green light. Obviously, WandaVision was about Wanda and Vision, with Avengers: Endgame's Elizabeth Olsen (Love & Death) and Paul Bettany (A Very British Scandal) reprising their roles. But Hahn played a significant part as neighbour-slash-witch Agatha, even nabbing an Emmy nomination for her efforts. So, because she was such a fan favourite, Disney magicked her up her own show. Check out the first trailer for Agatha All Along below: Agatha All Along will stream via Disney+ from Thursday, September 19, 2024. Read our review of WandaVision. Images: courtesy of Marvel Television. © 2024 MARVEL.
When The Abercrombie opened late last year, it brought with it a 24-hour license, a set of dance floors and an exciting new wine bar. Lil Sis is this said wine bar, a late-night multi-level space inspired by the neighbourhood haunts of Paris. Located within an adjoining terrace of the huge Chippendale mega-venue, Lil Sis offers a far-reaching wine list, nostalgic snacks and European lounge DJ sets until 2am — plus, it's also a bottle shop. Downstairs you'll find the bottle shop. While the Inner West and Surry Hills boast plenty of spots to grab a bottle of natural wine for a dinner and/or house party, Lil Sis brings this experience to Broadway, giving Chippendale residents and cashed-up UTS students the opportunity to be pét-nat enthusiasts. There are also plenty of traditional drops available across both the bottle shop and upstairs bar for those that prefer a sauvignon blanc over a skin contact. If you're someone who likes to try before you buy, there's a communal tasting table in the shop, so you can sample different vinos, expand your palate and make sure you're walking away with a bottle that you'll be recommending to all of your friends. Head upstairs to the bar and you can sip your way through the shop's wines by the glass, paired with plenty of snacks. If you feel like picking at something, opt for a selection from the grazing menu which stars plenty of local cheeses, cold meats and heftier snacks like gildas, mussels escabeche and chicken liver parfait. There's also a trio of jaffles that you won't be forced to share with anyone. The triple cheese and the pastrami on rye options are the more sensible adult choices, but the Heinz spaghetti toastie is packed with nostalgia and cheddar cheese. "The idea behind Lil Sis is to showcase and share producers and wine regions we are excited about from all over the world. Some may be familiar, and some we believe you should get to know," says Lil Sis' wine curator Zoe Brunton. "Most of the wines will be by the glass for those wanting to venture through and explore. We want the list to be fun, approachable, and diverse in its offering." Find Lil Sis at 100 Broadway, Chippendale. The bottle shop is open 12pm–12am Monday–Saturday and 12–11pm Sunday, and the wine bar is open Wednesday–Sunday 4pm–2am.
Bundeena, the quaint peninsula suburb located across the water from Cronulla, is accessible via only two routes: a winding drive through the Royal National Park, or a ferry trip from Cronulla Wharf. There's something so charming about the Bundeena Ferry. Which makes sense, considering it has been in operation since 1939, making it the oldest ferry running to a timetable in Australia. If you grow up in the Shire, it is iconic — you'll no doubt spend many weekends making the journey only to spend the day jumping into the water from Bundeena Wharf. For the less adventurous, the 20-minute trip, which costs $7.40 for adults and $3.70 for kids, will take you on a pleasant tour of Cronulla's waterways (including the opportunity to check out the locals' boats) and then deposit you in sleepy Bundeena, where you can spend the day swimming, bush walking and keeping an eye out for the local deer population. If you're planning a hiking trip in the Royal National Park, take the train to your starting point and hike north to Bundeena to include a ferry trip in your outdoor adventure and your ride home. Images: Mel Koutchavlis
Sampha started out writing killer tunes for some of the biggest names in hip hop, from Drake and Solange to Kanye and Frank Ocean — and a whole heap more in between. His solo debut came out earlier this year, and is already being touted as the album to beat in this year's UK Mercury Prize. It's not an easy sound to categorise, and maybe that's what makes Sampha's smooth vocals laid over eclectic synths, pads, and drums so darn appealing. The London native is making the trek over for two intimate nights at the Opera House as part of Vivid Sydney 2017. These tickets are bound to be some of the most sought-after at the festival this year.
When The Kid LAROI was named as SXSW Sydney 2024's music keynote speaker, simply chatting about his career was never going to be his only contribution to the festival. Upon dropping that news, it was also revealed that the globally famous star would develop professional development workshops and performance opportunities for Waterloo and Redfern's First Nations communities as part of this year's event. Here's something related on the list: presenting and introducing a showcase of First Nations talent in Tumbalong Park's free program. With SXSW Sydney's 2024 dates fast approaching — this year's fest runs from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 — the event's team is still expanding the music lineup. The First Nations show will take place on Saturday, October 19 after The Kid LAROI's conference chat. Triple J Unearthed and Blak Out are behind the gig as well. Music lovers can also now look forward to catching the UK's ENNY, O. and The Lottery Winners; South Africa's Moonchild Sanelly; Buffalo Hunt and Walker Lukens from the US; homegrown talents Ngaiire, Anieszka, Devaura, Dyan Tai, Ella Ion, Jude York, Keelan Mak, Sex Mask and Wet Kiss. They've all been added to a roster of acts that'll take over 25 stages over seven days, and that's been announcing names for months now. Similarly new to the bill: that KRSNA, KAVYA, Yung Raja and Mali from India, plus Manara from the UK, will get behind the mic at +91 Calling, also in Tumbalong Park. The gig focuses on tunes from talents out of India and from the Indian diaspora. [caption id="attachment_974070" align="alignnone" width="1920"] ChantelleKP[/caption] If you're keen to attend the opening party for the SXSW Sydney Music Festival, it's locked in for Tuesday, October 15 with Voice of Baceprot and 2Touch at The Underground. And if you're eager for parties and showcases presented by Laneway Presents, Astral People, fbi.radio and more, they're now on the lineup, too. SXSW Sydney 2024 started revealing its program details back in May, and has kept growing it since. A further announcement arrived in June, then not one, not two, but three more in July — and also another, focusing on the free hub at Tumbalong Park, at the beginning of August. Since then, more music acts, more speakers, The Kid LAROI's involvement, and two rounds of Screen Festival titles have also been added. Accordingly, no one can say that they don't have anything to see when SXSW Sydney makes its eagerly awaited comeback. SXSW Sydney 2024 will run from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. SXSW Sydney images: Peter McMillan, Jordan Kirk, Jess Gleeson and Ian Laidlaw.
Sorry, supermarket desserts. When Gelato Messina serves up one of its special treats, no one's hitting the local ice cream aisle. 2023's limited-edition wares have included everything from red velvet gelato, cake and fudge mixes to a mango gelato spin on Iced Vovos — plus a Neapolitan version of its super-fancy Viennetta, too — and are now gifting folks with a sweet tooth a tub of gianduia gelato topped with hazelnut rocher crack. If your ultimate chocolate is round, covered in gold wrapping and has a crunchy hazelnut centre — yes, we're talking about Ferrero Rocher — then we expect that you'll be keen for this Messina special, dubbed the Get Cracking hot tub. Clearly taking its cues from the famed Italian chocolate, the tubs feature layers of gianduia (chocolate-hazelnut) gelato, cone crunch and hazelnut mousse. Then, on top: that hazelnut rocher crack. The end result mightn't look exactly like the chocolates that you know and love, just in a scoopable form, but it's an ode all the same. Available as part of Messina's 'Hot Tub' series, the Get Cracking gelato can only be ordered online on Monday, August 7, in one-litre tubs. You can then go into your chosen Messina store to pick up your tub between Friday, August 11–Sunday, August 13. A note re ordering: because Messina's specials always attract plenty of gelato lovers, the chain now staggers its on-sale times depending on the state — and, in Sydney, also the part of town you're in. Accordingly, pre-orders commence in Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory at 9am, then hit Victoria at 9.15am, before spreading its New South Wales stores over three slots between 9.30–10am. Gelato Messina's Get Cracking hot tub will be available to order on Monday, August 7, for pick up between Friday, August 11–Sunday, August 13 — head to the Messina website for further details.
As you're (hopefully) well aware, the season of celebrating all things Mum is mere days away. If you've got a mother in your life who can be a bit trickier to book for on Mother's Day, how about a fried chicken feed that's a hot bucket of finger-licking fun? That opportunity doesn't come around often, but it just so happens to be the occasion taking over the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel on the big day (Sunday, May 11, if you're yet to mark your calendars). This is the world's first KFC Habanero High Tea. It's the time and place to give back to mums who love a bit of spice and childlike fun. Mums are the guests of honour, and their cliques are welcome too. A DJ will play Mum's favourites all afternoon long, while a crispy menu of fried chicken and the like occupies the tables. Drinks will be flowing to wash down KFC's Popcorn Chicken, nuggets, chips, and the new limited-time Habanero Hot & Crispy, with plenty of other delicious treats available. Tickets are on sale now for $50 per person, and must be purchased in pairs. Who would dare send their mum to a Mother's Day lunch alone? All ticket proceeds will go towards Aussie youth's mental health and wellbeing, through the KFC Youth Foundation, Black Dog Institute and ReachOut Australia.
UPDATE, April 9, 2021: Chaos Walking is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. From battles in a galaxy far, far away to caped crusaders trying to save the day, cinema's big franchises currently dominate popular culture. They spark months of anticipation before each new film hits screens, top the box office, inspire constant chatter year-round and have even begun to sink their teeth into TV. And, they influence how audiences see other features, too — because watching almost any flick at present involves spotting cast members from Hollywood's ongoing blockbuster sagas. In Chaos Walking's case, for instance, the most recent Spider-Man finds his life disrupted when Star Wars' latest heroine crash-lands on his planet. In the tense aftermath, another Star Wars alumni and an Alien franchise veteran are involved, as is an actor with ties to Star Wars and Marvel, and an upcoming role in the Harry Potter realm. Boiling a feature down to the film behemoths also on its stars' resumes is simplistic, but it's a movie marketer's dream, with the powers-that-be hoping their talent will bring their existing aficionados with them. Here, it's also the most interesting thing about this tedious and generic space western. Adapted from the book series of the same name, Chaos Walking has weathered a difficult path to cinemas. It releases ten years after the rights to turn Patrick Ness' novels into films were first acquired, four years since the movie was originally shot and two years after major reshoots following unfavourable test screenings. The feature went through a plethora of rewrites, with I'm Thinking of Ending Things' Charlie Kaufman on scripting duties at one point, and Ness (A Monster Calls) and Spider-Man: Homecoming's Christopher Ford getting the final credit. Navigating such a mess rarely bodes well for a movie, so the fact that Chaos Walking proves dull and derivative shouldn't come as a surprise. It's hard to see how it might've fared better, though, with its premise an instant struggle. Set in 2257, the film follows colonists from earth on a planet called New World, who are plagued by a strange phenomenon. A multi-coloured haze hovers around men's heads — and only men — showing their every thought. The sensation has been dubbed 'the noise', and experiencing it while watching sure is rackety. In his pioneer village, teenager Todd (Tom Holland, The Devil All the Time) can rarely control his noise. While the Mayor (Mads Mikkelsen, Another Round) is able to filter the words and images that project from his mind — and also rock a furry red coat and wide-brimmed hat far better than anyone should — few others have the same ability. Seeing what everyone is thinking is a tricky way to live at the best of times, and it applies to the entire population, because women have been wiped out in a war attributed to the planet's original inhabitants. But Todd's troubles multiply when he discovers a spaceship, as well as Viola (Daisy Ridley, Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker), its sole surviving occupant. The mayor and his followers don't take kindly to the first female in their midst for years; however, supported by his adoptive fathers Ben (Demian Bichir, The Midnight Sky) and Cillian (Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter), Todd isn't willing to surrender the only girl he's ever seen to an angry mob. On the page, the Chaos Walking series dates back to 2008, when first instalment The Knife of Never Letting Go hit bookshelves — but its tale of toxic masculinity feels timely in the current social, political and cultural climate. That said, this isn't a complex, layered or thoughtful film. Instead, it's content to stress its themes in such a broad and easy manner that getting Holland to hold up a sign saying "the patriarchy is bad" would've been more subtle. Cue one-note villains, including Mikkelsen's mayor and David Oyelowo (another The Midnight Sky cast member) as a cartoonishly frenzied preacher. Cue Todd's self-reprimands to "be a man", too. There's no faulting the underlying idea that constantly enforcing stereotypical visions of manhood has damaging consequences, and that the behaviour it inspires (and the sense of entitlement that goes with it) is dangerous and destructive. But Chaos Walking really just uses these notions as a backdrop for a predictable and formulaic dystopian story, and as a handy reason to motivate its conflicts. As told here, the material is so thin and blunt — and so desperately endeavouring to set up a Hunger Games-esque franchise — that thinking about Holland, Ridley and their co-stars' roles elsewhere comes naturally. The awkwardness that has served Holland so well as Spider-Man peeks through, and Ridley's Star Wars steeliness is on full display, but neither actor is ever tasked with extending their talents. Mikkelsen, Oyelowo and Bichir are only asked to hit one note (nefarious, maniacal and caring, respectively), while Cynthia Erivo (The Outsider) is criminally underused. With all that distracting and frustrating noise literally hanging around and screaming for attention, it's hard for anyone to stand out. It's harder still in a movie that plays like a hodgepodge of far better sci-fi and western fare. Just try to see the orange suspenders that Ridley sports in the second half — or realise that this is a flick about a woman falling out of the sky and into a man's life, who then has to protect her on her quest to save the world as everyone knows it — and not wish you were watching The Fifth Element instead. He has Swingers, Go, Mr and Mrs Smith and American Made to his name, but filmmaker Doug Liman is no stranger to helming movies that recall 90s greats. While Edge of Tomorrow instantly impressed for many reasons, using time-loop trickery in a smart action flick and never just feeling like a cheap Groundhog Day ripoff was chief among them. Sadly, Liman doesn't have the same luck with Chaos Walking. Even its busy chase and fight scenes are a slog, although the feature's frontier-town production design and clever visual use of a buried spaceship do catch the eye. As for everything else, 'noise' is the absolute right word for it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ICPoXlmTO0
Since being formed in 2001, Melbourne nine-piece The Bamboos have released more than five acclaimed albums, placed songs in TV shows like Grey's Anatomy, Ugly Betty and Underbelly and worked on the soundtrack for a multi-platinum Nintendo game. But frontman and periodic electronic producer Lance Ferguson isn't one to let the band rest on its smooth, funk-born laurels. Over the years he's injected new flavours into the band by collaborating with other artists, fusing elements of hip hop and psych, and constantly shaking up the lineup. In 2012 The Bamboos joined up with Tim Rogers of You Am I for the Triple J-championed track 'I Got Burned'. An addictive combo of the band's rhythmic grooves and the singer's distinctive howl, the track featured on The Bamboos latest album Medicine Man — their biggest release to date. This year they're taking the alliance live with The Rock n Soul Medicine Show. We caught up with Lance before the tour to talk about collaborating, staying current and the frustrations of being pidgeonholed. You guys have been pretty busy over 2012 did you manage to get a break over Christmas? I did, I had a week in Lorne in January, which was really good. It feels like a distant memory now though. You did Falls Festival didn't you? That's right. So how did you come to team up with Tim Rogers for 'Burned'? I first met Tim when I was playing guitar in Washington and we were playing the BDO tour. It was a few years back now, and I met him backstage and we hit it off. Just musical nerd talk of old records and stuff. We seemed to connect on that level, and on a personal level as well, and even at that point we talked about collaborating together — way before anything actually happened. https://youtube.com/watch?v=hZEN_l4j6mY Is collaborating with other artists an important thing for you? You've also got Aloe Blacc and Daniel Merriweather on the album too. Yeah it definitely is, and The Bamboos have often had guests involved with different records. Most of the collaborations have stemmed from some kind of friendship and the whole collaboration evolved organically rather than me on the phone to my manager going, "get me this guy." Most of these things have happened in nice natural and sincere progression. I do prefer that, because getting complete strangers in the studio can be weird if you're trying to connect musically. It is such an intimate thing, writing a song with someone, for me, so I do prefer it to stem from some kind of friendship I guess. https://youtube.com/watch?v=_4G96KbQ4SI What about Syl Johnson? Yeah well we toured with him twice, pretty much as his backing band. Both times were incredibly valuable. The last time unfortunately he had a heart attack when we were playing with him in Brisbane, which was just a terrible turn of events. And then he spent some time in hospital, bounced back and did a show in Melbourne after that, which was incredible. So yeah, such a cool guy actually. Going back to the ARIAS and the recent popularity of acts like Saskwatch and Chet Faker, what do you think it is about soul music now that has people taking notice? Do you think the music has changed or are we just becoming more receptive? Well it's been such a battle with this music, from my perspective. I recently put out a compilation called The Soul Of Melbourne with a friend of mine Chris Gill — a compilation of soulful Melbourne acts — so it was great to put that together, and you can see how the scene has crystallised. But I think what's happened is that there's a younger generation of fans and music lovers who are maybe in their late teens or early twenties now, and who came up through their teens hearing Amy Winehouse and Sharon Jones. I think that has created a sort of hotbed of people who know that music through being exposed to it. So now that they're at the age of going to gigs and going to festivals that music just seems sort of natural to them, like "oh it's a soul music band, we know what that is and we like it." So there's definitely the element of generational acceptance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=pxBnzQtdHdM You made the Triple J Hottest 100, which is a pretty big deal for a funk/soul-driven group. Yeah, I mean as much as that's a cool thing I do sort of battle with The Bamboos to not be such a genre-driven band. [Funk and soul] is definitely where we've come from and where we've started, and it's ostensibly what we do in terms of the sounds we create, but for me I just really don't think of The Bamboos as a band of any genre now. I just try to think of it as, "We're The Bamboos and we're just going to make some music." It could have some psych rock elements, it could be a blues tune, it could be anything — it could incorporate a whole bunch of influences now. So I definitely have tried to break the band out of just being like a soul/funk band. I'm not saying that to have a go at you, by the way! Well that's what's so unique about your music is that it incorporates so many unexpected sounds. Your electronic project, Lanu — do you think that influences The Bamboos music at all? I don't know if it influences but it's another avenue for me as a songwriter. I think anything I write separately from The Bamboos though, even if unconsciously, I reckon it must inform it. Whether it's just different forms or different ways of looking at putting a song together... So yeah, I reckon it does influence our music actually. What about other local acts — anyone in particular you been listening to heavily? My vocalist for The Bamboos, Ella Thompson, has a band called Axolotl, who do this sort of dreamy, electronic, indie stuff. I'm really into them, they supported us on our last national tour. There's another band Hiatus Kaiyote that defies genre labels, and is doing some amazing things internationally as well. They just won the Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards for Break-Though Act, so they're really being flagged internationally. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Iae6LmWTXPw Obviously live performance is a massive part of The Bamboos appeal, and Melbourne has a very healthy live music scene. Do you think about that when making songs? I look at the studio thing and the live thing as two very separate entities, and we started out as a live act before we ever recorded anything. [The live show] has been something I've tried to improve on and tweak and be progressive with. Now we come out and basically play our songs, which sounds really obvious — but I think the lineup we've had the last year and a half is possibly the strongest, best and most solid lineup in the history of the band. For me it's an exciting time to play live. How do you see the band's sound developing over the next year or so? There were some thing in that album that were real bubblegum pop things, and I think with the next recording that things might become a little more muscular again. A bit darker. That's what I'm feeling at the moment. Is there anything else you want to say about the upcoming tour and what we can expect from it? Not really, just that it's The Bamboos and Tim Rogers rather than The Bamboos featuring Tim Rogers, so I'm really working with Tim on some new originals and we're picking out a bunch of whole new covers. There's going to be a whole new music for the band to play, which is always good for keeping us on our toes. Tim Rogers & The Bamboos Rock 'n' Soul Medicine Show: Saturday 23 Feb - Perth Festival, Perth, WA Thursday 28 Feb - QPAC, Brisbane, QLD Friday 1 March - Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne, VIC Saturday 2 March - Leongatha Memorial Hall, VIC Thursday 7 March - The HiFi, Sydney, NSW Friday 8 March - Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, NSW Saturday 9 March - Uni Bar, Wollongong, NSW Sunday 10 March - Womadelaide, Adelaide, SA
It was a sad day in the history of Sydney live music when the Lansdowne Hotel announced that they were shutting their doors for a final time. After years of giving a leg up to the lesser-known local acts and providing a stage for massive home grown artists like The Living End or You Am I, the Lansdowne Hotel called it quits for good. And then two years later, the team behind Mary's swooped in to resurrect the iconic pub. In some of the best news all year, the Lansdowne has thrown its doors open again and stretched its welcoming arms to draw everyone in for a warm hug of pub grub, cheap beer and good music. Image: Jack Steel.
Kent Street is set to gain a new Japanese fine diner this September when Kuro opens its doors. Here, guests can enjoy a casual meal or book into a ten-person-only degustation that's served by a chef who's worked at Michelin-starred restaurants. The latter offering, dubbed Teramoto by Kuro, will be run by Executive Chef and Co-Owner Taka Teramoto, who has spent time in the kitchens at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris and Tokyo — Restaurant Pages and Florilège, respectively. Each night, ten lucky diners will be seated at a kitchen-side counter for the degustation, so they can watch the action while they feast. Teramoto will personally serve each tasting menu alongside sommelier Wanaka Teramoto (116 Pages, Paris), the offering changing regularly, based on seasonality and availability. While menus are still in the works, you can expect the likes of wagyu tartare seared over binchotan (white charcoal), then crumbed in charcoal panko and sprinkled with Tasmanian pepper (pictured below); fresh stracciatella topped with warm peas and lovage oil; and one-week-aged squid sashimi in a broth of lemon myrtle, tomato dashi and sliced taro stem. [caption id="attachment_729358" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Megann Evans[/caption] For more casual fare, Kuro Bar & Dining will offer seasonal share plates in a 40-seat, à la carte setting. Here, the food will be created by Head Chef Nobu Maruyama of Surry Hills' now-closed Bar H. This menu is still under wraps at the moment. In this space, there'll also be a bar with a drinks list featuring cocktails using Japanese produce and flavours, plus heaps of Japanese spirits — including whisky, gin, shochu and sake — and draught beer. All of these can be enjoyed alongside bar snacks, too. And, if you come by in the morning, the espresso bar will offer coffees, teas and brekkie. Potts Point's Henderson & Co architects will be looking after the fit-out, which will transform the heritage-listing building into a space inspired by Japanese architecture and craftsmanship. A major element of the space will be the dynamic lighting, which will create an ever-changing ambiance throughout the day and into the night. Kuro will open in September at 364–368 Kent Street, Sydney. It'll be open six days per week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Images: Megann Evans
In 1999, two new releases posed the same question: what would happen if a member of the mafia went to see a psychiatrist about his many woes? The first, The Sopranos, changed TV forever. Indeed, it's the show that many people instantly think of whenever they see HBO's famed logo sequence on the small screen. And it also ensured the comedy movie with the same premise, aka Analyse This, would always be seen as the lesser of the two projects. Focusing on New Jersey mobster Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), and spanning both his professional and personal lives, The Sopranos is the gangster series that all subsequent gangster series want to be — and the weighty, nuanced, compelling and thoughtful drama that paved the way for everything from Six Feet Under and The Shield to Mad Men. The now-late Gandolfini is an absolute powerhouse in the lead role, imbuing Tony with both volatility and vulnerability, as he's paired perfectly with Edie Falco as his wife Carmela
UPDATE: DECEMBER 6, 2019 — Here's a 12 days of Christmas gift of a different kind. From December 13–24, Bund will be doing two-for-one dumpling baskets. The baskets will include the Lotus Dining group's signature dim sum, including mixed vegetable dumplings, pork xiao long bao, and siu mai . Not bad. If you can't make it to Bund, this same offer is available at its other venues, which include Lotus Dumpling Bar, Lotus at The Galeries, The Gardens by Lotus, Madame Shanghai, Lotus Barangaroo and Bings. After just over one year in operation, the Lotus Dining Group's Fujisaki in Barangaroo shut up shop back in February. But, now open in its place is the group's brand new concept, Bund: a Chinese eatery and bar serving up Shanghai-style street food. Hong Kong-born head chef Kennedy Wong and sous chef Chris Chen have created a menu of chargrilled barbecue dishes, share plates and bar snacks, which they're serving up from an open kitchen. Chinese staples have been given a modern spin, like in the kung pao chicken schnitzel topped with peanuts, shallots and chopped chilli; tofu, mustard green and sweetcorn arancini served with chilli dipping sauce; and pork belly bao with slaw and coriander, drizzled with honey mustard sauce. As is the group's signature, there are also plenty of dumplings on the menu, including the (especially tasty sounding) xiao long bao stuffed with Singaporean chilli crab. To match the eats, the group's bar manager Charles Cheng has created an Asian-inspired cocktail menu, which is accompanied by a varied wine list by Annette Lacey (director of wine and beverage). There's also an affordable lunch banquet — with kimchi arancini and crispy eggplant — for just $45. The revamped fit-out is courtesy of Sydney's Studio Hiyaku and features neon lighting and street art-style murals by local artist Alex Lehours — along with lots of deep blue, red and golden hues. It's all meant to emulate the waterfront Bund area of Shanghai, a popular tourist destination jam-packed with historical buildings of various architectural styles. The 100-seat restaurant also boasts a central bar and bench seating, both meant to entice after-work drinkers. Fujisaki's swift closure was a bit of an anomaly for the Lotus Dining Group, which is responsible for plenty of successful venues — including the longstanding Walsh Bay favourite Lotus Dumpling Bar, along with newer iterations in The Gardens by Lotus and Madame Shanghai. So, here's hoping its newest spot sticks around for a bit longer.
What does a perfect Sydney summer afternoon look like to you? An icy bottle of sauv blanc at the Opera Bar? A picnic table abundant with the kale and quinoa spoils of Maloneys? Or maybe a wild sunset boat party on the harbour with three of the world's most amazing DJs pumping inimitable summer beats into the earholes of you, a special +1 and 700 fellow revellers? There are approximately 90 days each year when the nights are warmish and superfoods actually taste good, but only one evening where you can party on a boat with Rudimental, Flight Facilities and producer/tastemaker/international party icon Steve Aoki. Riding the floating festival wave scheduled to hit the northern hemisphere later this year, You+1 marks an exciting first for the local dance scene, mixing the buzz of big-name international acts with homegrown talent and a quintessentially Sydney harbour setting. The line-up is also pretty diverse sonically, with the three headliners all falling under one sweepingly broad genre. Aoki climbs aboard having just been named the highest grossing dance artist in North America, renowned for delivering a cornucopia of electro house hits via an insane live performance. Investing the festival with a dash of feelgood Hackney soul are youth workers-turned-electro quartet Rudimental, who have already made waves in their native UK with this addictive track, while our own Flight Facilities put a halcyon spin on the genre as they return to their home city. An extremely limited number of tickets will be up for grabs via Durex's Facebook page from 3 September, so mark that date in your iCal to get 'em while they're not only hot but free. Date: Sunday 14 October, 2012 Time: 5pm – 9pm (boarding from 4.45pm) Location: The Starship, Wharf 4, King Street Wharf, Darling Harbour (adjacent to Cargo Bar) Tickets: facebook.com/Durex.Australia https://youtube.com/watch?v=JI6fDb6IBmU
Sydney cinephiles, we now know just what you'll be viewing across a certain 12-day block in June. After releasing a sneak peek last month, Sydney Film Festival has unveiled its massive lineup in full for its 64th year, and it comes with 288 films from 59 countries, including 37 world premieres. Oh, it features Aussie legend Ben Mendelsohn chatting about his career too. In exciting news for fans of the ace local actor and his recent rise through Hollywood's ranks (The Dark Knight Rises, Girls, Bloodline, Rogue One — the list goes on), Mendo will be in town for an in conversation session, as well as a screening of his latest flick Una. The latter also features Rooney Mara and his Star Wars co-star Riz Ahmed, and marks the filmmaking debut of Australian theatre director Benedict Andrews. Staying on the homegrown front, festival director Nashen Moodley is once again opening SFF with a locally-relevant title for the sixth time in a row. This year, the new effort from Samson and Delilah's Warwick Thornton is doing the honours. Enjoying its world premiere at the fest, We Don't Need a Map explores the significance of the Southern Cross as a symbol within Australian culture. Other Aussie fare includes two films from Red Dog filmmaker Kriv Stenders: a look at our diverse society in the Bryan Brown-starring Australia Day, and a chronicle the career of one of Brisbane's greatest bands in The Go-Betweens: Right Here. Actor David Wenham turns director for the first time with Ellipsis, which is being called a Sydney-set Before Sunrise. Ali's Wedding offers up the country's first Muslim rom-com, while ecological doco Blue examines the destruction of marine life happening off of our coastline, and Otherlife serves up some sci-fi from the director of Wasted on the Young. Given that one of SFF's main attractions is its official competition, it's hardly surprising that the festival has stacked the lineup of titles vying for its $60,000 prize with must-see flicks. We Don't Need a Map and Una are in the running, and they have plenty of company. Coming fresh from Cannes is Sofia Coppola's American Civil War thriller The Beguiled, starring Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning, as well as the long-awaited return of Austrian auteur Michael Haneke courtesy of his Isabelle Huppert-led Happy End. Berlinale's Golden Bear winner On Body and Soul, and other trophy recipients Félicité and The Other Side of Hope also feature. Those looking for familiar faces can catch Michael Fassbender, Ryan Gosling, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman and Mara again in Terrence Malick's Austin music scene-set love story Song to Song, plus Aubrey Plaza being hilarious in both social media satire Ingrid Goes West and nun comedy The Little Hours, and Armie Hammer smouldering up the screen in the swoon-worthy Call Me By Your Name, too. Or, get some starry monster action with closing night's Okja, with The Host and Snowpiercer helmer Bong Joon-ho taking Jake Gyllenhaal, Tilda Swinton and Paul Dano into creature feature territory. Other general standouts include gripping transgender drama A Fantastic Woman, vintage clothing store horror flick Fashionista, and rap-focused Sundance hit Patti Cake$, as well as Julian Assange doco Risk, Johnny Rotten profile The Public Image is Rotten, and a look inside the world of competitive poultry breeding — yes, really — in Chicken People. Horror fans can get scared when a board game goes wrong in Game of Death, and see some slasher action in the Portuguese woods in The Forest of Lost Souls. Plus, SFF will shine the spotlight on female filmmakers in Europe for the second year. Scouring through the greats of the past as well as the ace flicks of today, restorations of Aussie classics The Year My Voice Broke and The Well, erotic French drama Belle de Jour and Abbas Kiarostami's Taste of Cherry will also grace SFF's screens, alongside an already-announced retrospective of Japanese master Akira Kurosawa's works. Sydney female filmmakers from the '70s and '80s get their own sidebar, as does a showcase of modern Canadian cinema and a celebration of essential punk rock cinema.
The hospo-geniuses behind two of Sydney's cosiest bars (The Duke of Clarence, The Barber Shop) are bringing you a brand new watering hole by the harbour: Hickson House. The newest hybrid venue featuring a distillery, bar and dining room is set to open today, Tuesday, December 7. Part working distillery and part destination cocktail bar, Hickson House is set in the soaring brickwork and girders of the former Saatchi & Saatchi garage (the location of many infamous warehouse parties). The towering space boasts an extensive back bar with over 600 spirits and a menu crafted with locally-sourced ingredients. Founders Mikey Enright and Julian Train are no strangers to the Sydney bar scene either, with over eight years of experience as co-directors of the Barrelhouse Group. "Weaving the needs of a full production distillery and significant bar space into what is a unique heritage warehouse has been a challenge that we have embraced wholeheartedly," says Train. The boys aren't holding back any punches and have brought ex-Manly Spirits legend Tim Stones on board. The bespoke range of Hickson Road Gin is the star of the show, but Stones will also be slinging out vats of housemade whisky, aperitifs, brandies and other speciality spirits. To sample the creations, take a seat at the main bar — the interior is lined with dark polished timber and dotted with French blue bar stools, a reflection of the venue's harbour location. For a more intimate experience, the mezzanine High & Dry Bar overlooks the entire dining space and is the perfect spot for a cocktail and bite to eat. Intimate distillery experiences, tours and private dining experiences are also all on the cards, so keep an eye on Hickson House's socials for any upcoming events. Highlights of the botanically-inspired menu include slow-roasted lamb porchetta with juniper jus and mint gremolata. For dessert, indulge in a decadent piece of whisky chocolate lamington. After you've found a drop you like following dinner, you can also shop at the off-license spirits store and bring a bottle (or two) home to enjoy. Hickson House opens on Tuesday, December 7 at 6 Hickson Road, The Rocks. Bookings are now open for December via the website. Top image: Steven Woodburn
Art lovers, amateur gazers and veteran collectors, rejoice. Sydney's lauded Art Month Sydney has returned for its tenth year running, with artistic director Kate Britton claiming it to be the "biggest and most ambitious program yet". The city-wide celebration of contemporary art and artists kicks off March 7, bringing together art appreciators from all walks of life to attend free exhibitions, talks, workshops, panel discussions, studio visits, precinct nights and parties."It's about engaging and celebrating our city's whole arts ecology," says Britton. And with galleries and creative spaces across the city participating, you'll have no problem diving into it all — except for maybe deciding where to start. That's where we come in. To help you start planning your arty excursions, we've teamed up with Art Month Sydney to track down the must-sees and must-dos from the creative program. From private art collections and French cinema screenings to free parties, talks and performances, here we've chosen our six top picks to add to your calendar this month. ART AT NIGHT Every Thursday during the month, the beloved Art at Night series will take place, exploring a different precinct each week and giving punters the chance to visit local galleries after hours. Kicking off on March 7 for the official launch of Art Month Sydney, Art at Night will take over Paddington and Woollahra galleries such as Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Wagner Contemporary, KORBAN/FLAUBERT, Sabbia Gallery and Saint Cloche among others. And to celebrate further, a free afterparty will be held at the National Art School from 8pm–10pm with performances by artists Brian Fuata and Megan Hanson, alongside an installation by Brian Van Hek. Then on March 14, Waterloo and Green Square will come to life with the opening of The Other Art Fair. The next week, you'll get a double dose of art nights with both East Sydney and St Leonards precincts becoming the focus on Thursday, March 21 and Friday, March 22 respectively. And to round out the festivities, on March 28, Chippendale and Redfern galleries will throw open their doors till late, with a party to follow at The Lansdowne featuring performances, DJs and more arty happenings to be announced. COLLECTORS' SPACE For those who love a sticky beak, the CBD's 541 Art Space is hosting festival highlight Collectors' Space, giving us curious cats a chance to peer into the private collections of some of Sydney's most creative duos. Located in an enormous, beautiful space in the city, the exhibition hopes to inspire one's own art collection — aspirational or not — and is the perfect lunch break or after-work cultural pitstop. "There is a voyeuristic element to the Collectors' Space that people really get into. It's very intimate, and it's not an experience you get in many exhibitions, that blurring between public and private space," says Britton. "People can come along and find out a bit more about how people build a collection, find out you can start small, find out that passion and desire are all you really need, and hear about how people fall in love with a particular work or a particular artist." [caption id="attachment_710671" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Blake Lawrence: Dead Reckoning, 2018. Image by Lou Dietz-Henderson.[/caption] SATURATED TERRAIN Giving a platform to commercially unrepresented artists, Saturated Terrain at Willoughby's Incinerator Art Space is an exhibition curated by Kate Britton and a centrepiece of this year's program. As Art Month Sydney's second unrepresented artist exhibition and with works by Tom Blake, Kieran Bryant, Ethel-Anne Gundy, Shivanjani Lal and Blake Lawrence, the show pushes to engage with all aspects of Sydney's art scene and celebrate its breadth and diversity. "The Incinerator Art Space has such a unique history and architecture, it's hard not to respond to it when you're thinking about occupying that space," notes Britton. With water as the central theme of Saturated Terrain, it paradoxically plays off the history and function of the incinerator's space and showcases a variety of works, making for a multifaceted and dynamic exhibition. Here, water becomes a metaphor of passive resistance, quiet power, a surface that hides great depths. [caption id="attachment_710672" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Wild Boys.[/caption] THE ART OF FILM Partnering up with Alliance Française French Film Festival, Art Month Sydney introduces a new segment this year: The Art of Film — a series of three films shown across the festival. A rare chance to view films that highlight where art and film intersect, The Art of Film includes Jean-Luc Goddard's The Image Book, Virgil Vernier's Sophia Antipolis and Bertrand Mandico's The Wild Boys, with each session hosting a discussion post-screening. "We chose three films that are really driven by an artistic sensibility," notes Britton. "They all experiment in different ways with their medium, are very ambitious and painterly in their use of colour and image." The Image Book will screen at Palace Chauvel on Sunday, March 10 at 3pm, Sophia Antipolis at Palace Verona on Saturday, March 23 at 4.30pm and The Wild Boys at Palace Central on Friday, March 29 at 6pm. Tickets are available here. [caption id="attachment_612819" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Galerie Pompom.[/caption] TALKS PROGRAM Brush up on your art knowledge with insightful talks and panel discussions with some of the industry's most acclaimed local talents. Topics range from wearable light art as discussed by Japanese artist Erina Kashihara at The Japan Foundation to a retrospective look at the Michael Hobbs Collection with panellists Tony Albert (artist and collector), Peter Braithwaite (collector), Michael Brand (Director of AGNSW), Alex Seton (artist) and Beatrice Spence (publisher). Along with its perennial talks program, Art Month Sydney 2019 is welcoming a new talks-on-the-go series, aptly named 'Walkie-Talkies'. Every Saturday at 11am, local creatives will host curated walking tours, with artist Alex Gawronski kicking things off in Rozelle on March 9 at Artereal Gallery and Sydney College of the Arts. On March, 16, Cultural Capital's studio manager, Bethan Donnelly, will guide attendees through Chippendale, visiting three of the area's key spaces: Woodburn Creatives, Nanda\Hobbs and Galerie Pompom. Lastly, on March 23, art writer and curator Mariam Arcilla and artist Mason Kimber will lead a Walkie-Talkie through Paddington, visiting stockrooms and galleries along the way. THE STUDIO OPEN Celebrating explorative, creative and unconventional ceramics, The Studio Open champions a medium that's often overlooked as a 'functional' artform. Taking place at The Other Art Fair at Australian Technology Park, the event will offer a sneak peek into some of Sydney's most boundary-pushing artist studios from March 14–17. In collaboration with kil.n.it experimental ceramic studio and the Little Orange Open Studio from Campbelltown Arts Centre, the event will see artists bring their studio to the fair and share their practices onsite. You'll also be able to watch artists such as EJ Son, Vivien Hill, Joseph Turrin and Angela Bishop at their craft and pick up some freshly made pieces from their studios. Art Month Sydney runs from March 7–30, 2019 at various venues Sydney-wide. For the full program and more information visit their website here. Lead image: Art at Night at The Lansdowne by Document Photography. Courtesy of Art Month Sydney.
Sculpture by the Sea didn't grace the Bondi-Tamarama coastal walk last year, and isn't set to until October this year. But if you're eager to go for a wander, check out large-scale pieces of art and enjoy the great outdoors, you can head to The Rocks this May and June for a new free exhibition called Sculpture Rocks. Set to display from Thursday, May 20–Wednesday, June 3, Sculpture Rocks will feature 18 works from 14 sculptors, with Japanese artists in the spotlight. You'll be peering at pieces by Keizo Ushio, Takeshi Tanabe, Mitsuo Takeuchi, Ayako Saito and Akira Kamada, among others — and from artists who currently hail from both Japan and Australia. As for what you'll be seeing, expect plenty of stone. "Each of these artworks in thought and practice stems directly from the ancient rock gardens of Japan," explains Sculpture by the Sea Founding Director David Handley. As well as linking in with Japanese cultural traditions, the exhibition will also feature "kinetic and abstract sculptures to provide a cross section of Japanese sculpture today," Handley advises. [caption id="attachment_808636" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Hiroyuki Kita, aguidepostforthewind (2010)[/caption] Presented by the Sculpture by the Sea team alongside Place Management NSW and the Port Authority of NSW, the exhibition will ape one of the most stunning — and most popular — things about its sibling event, too: the waterside view. You'll be moseying along the Sydney Harbour foreshore area, including between the Overseas Passenger Terminal, along Campbells Cove and up to Hickson Reserve next to the Park Hyatt Hotel. Basically, think of it as a smaller version, in a similarly striking spot, and with a specific focus. A smaller indoor exhibition, called Sculpture Inside Rocks, will also take place at the same time at Campbell's Stores. Sculpture Rocks will display from Thursday, May 20–Wednesday, June 3 at various locations around The Rocks. Head to the exhibition website for further details.
