Early risers, yoga fiends and peaceful art lovers, this one's for you. Celebrating the MoMA exhibition Yoko Ono: One Woman Show, 1960–1971 and the 50th anniversary of Ono’s 1964 New York performance of Morning Piece, the MCA is presenting an early morning of free, peaceful fun. Kicking off at 9am on June 21 at the MCA, Yoko Ono Morning Peace 2015 is Sydney's instalment of the global event. Reconnect with the early morning with a free mandala workshop on the lawn, outdoor drawing classes on the sculpture terrace, yoga workshops on the rooftop terrace and front lawn with lululemon athletica (June 21 also marks the United Nations’ inaugural World’s Yoga Day). The MCA will be open early from 9am, including the Light Show exhibition, and the MCA Cafe will also be open from 9am, with a special New-York themed breakfast menu (we're talking cronuts, Mimosas, bagels, Belvedere Bloody Marys). So what are we actually celebrating this early in the morning? It's been 50 years since Ono's Morning Piece was first performed in Tokyo in 1964, a work she the presented again on her New York apartment roof in 1965. The work saw audiences gather at sunrise to meet Ono, who sold artworks with attached pieces of paper on glass, picking out a particular period of morning (e.g., “February 3, 1987 after sunrise,”). The Ono would encourage each 'owner' to look through the glass to the sky, with the knowledge they possessed a 'future morning'. Pretty lovely stuff. So now we celebrate the original 'morning giving' ceremony across the globe, with the sun rising in different time zones. It's a peaceful art gathering of global proportions, organised by New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in partnership with Milan's Fondazione La Triennale di Milano, Moscow's Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, LA's J. Paul Getty Museum, Hong Kong's M+, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo and the MCA — yep, gang's all here. If you can't make it to the MCA, you're encouraged to host your own Morning Peace event, according to the following instructions “On the solstice at sunrise / celebrate mornings of / past, future, and now./ Listen to the world./ Touch each other / when the sun comes up.” (Yoko Ono, spring 2015). Yoko Ono Morning Peace 2015 at MCA is happening on June 21 from 9am. Entry is free, but bookings for the two 'Morning Interpretations' outdoor drawing classes (11am-11:45am and 12pm-12:45pm) are recommended. Check the website for session times (and BYO mat and wear plenty of layers if you're going to jump into a yoga session). If you're still hung up on the whole Beatles break-up thing, give Yoko a chance with this little gem:
Remember when you could enter a bar after 1.30am and order a drink after 3am, Sydneysiders? Yes, those were the days. Thanks to the NSW Government's rightfully unpopular lockout laws, those times have been etched into the brains of anyone who likes to head out for a tipple or two at night; however, for three venues, the cutoffs have shifted to half an hour later. It was revealed back in December that the powers that be were planning to push back lockout and closing times for both bars and bottleshops as part of a two-year trial, and now something is actually happening. Deputy Secretary for Liquor, Gaming and Emergency Management at the NSW Department of Justice, Paul Newson, announced that CBD venues the Palace Hotel, Observer Hotel and ArtHouse Hotel are now allowed to admit patrons until 2am and serve beverages until 3.30am. Hopefully, there'll be more where they came from, with Newson flagging that others should follow. "We expect to announce more venues soon, with Liquor & Gaming NSW assessing a further 13 applications for the 30-minute extensions to lockouts and last drinks times," he said. "More applications are expected in the next few weeks. Industry feedback suggests up to 50 venues could take advantage of the relaxed lockout and last drinks times." Will it make a difference? If you need a reminder of the impact the lockouts have had since they were implemented, here's a breakdown that we prepared earlier. On the one hand, half an hour is better than nothing. On the other, entry and last drinks cutoffs remain earlier than everyone who enjoys the city's nightlife scene would like. Maybe it's a step in a more positive direction, or maybe it's a gesture to help appease the unhappy masses; either way, at a time when protests keep coming (and then shut down), the lockout debacle isn't going to end any time soon.
It's said that good things come in threes, and this couldn't be truer right now for Sydney theatre lovers, with the announcement that the city has exclusively secured a trifecta of musical blockbusters. The NSW Government has locked down the world-class productions of Chicago, Saturday Night Fever and Waitress. It's that last one we're most excited about — it first hit Broadway in 2016 and has gone on to gain stellar reviews, numerous Tony nominations and sold-out shows night after night. Based on the 2007 movie of the same name, Waitress tells the story of Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. While Waitress won't be here until 2020, the other two productions are set to be performed in 2019. The story of Chicago needs no introduction being one of the most successful theatre productions ever, while Saturday Night Fever is a favourite amongst Australian audiences, although its current iteration has never been performed here. Together, the three shows are expected to bring in more than 60,000 visitors to Sydney, while also generating millions in tourism revenue. Perhaps in an effort to rival Melbourne's theatre scene — which nabbed the Australian 2019 premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child — Sydney has upped its commitment to theatre this year. As well as these international shows, the NSW Government announced plans to turn the Powerhouse site into a new theatre. Chicago will open at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in mid-2019, while Saturday Night Fever will be performed at the Capitol Theatre from August 2019. The Australian premiere of Waitress is set to hit Sydney Lyric Theatre in 2020. Image: Joan Marcus.
Spring is a time for light-hearted adventure, fresh flowers and produce and renewal — like brushing up on some new skills. And this season at Tramsheds, you'll be able to enjoy all of the above at its new spring festival. RAW by Tramsheds rings in the new season with tempting food offers that do some good, pop-up gardens, workshops and even a free spritz bar. Spend some solo time or get a group together, and enjoy all the art, culinary and cultural happenings at Forest Lodge's dining district. ARCHIE ROSE SPRITZ BAR If spring had a flavour, then we're willing to bet it's gin. Celebrated for its native botanical-forward reinterpretation of the classic drop, Archie Rose is bringing its gin talents to Tramsheds at the RAW launch on Saturday, October 27 and serving up some top-notch gin spritzes. From 4–10pm at the pop-up spritz bar, you're invited to choose the garnishes for your drink from those on offer that reflect and pay tribute to the cultural cuisines of the Tramsheds. And the best part? The spritzes are completely free. Of course, you'll still need to be sensible, so there is a limit of one per person. Also from 10am–10pm during the launch, there will be live music playing all throughout the space, including performances by genre-defying Alphamama and her curated lineup of musicians. EDIBLE SPRING GARDEN Sprouting up in Artisan Lane also at the launch of RAW, the Edible Spring Garden will present a delightful way to help you focus on tasty, fresh herbs and healthy ingredients this spring. Curated by local nursery team Worm Ticklers and under the direction of Iku Wholefoods co-founder Holly Davis, this three-metre-long garden will hold lemongrass, basil, spinach, mint, poppies and chamomile — and that's just to name a few. Davis will also be there on the day to give you tips, tricks, tasters and recipes to help you use more fresh herbs — and maybe inspire you to make your own home garden. Pro tip: stay till the end, and you'll be able to take a piece of the garden home with you. EXPERT PUMPKIN CARVING While Australian spring doesn't quite have the same autumnal charm that the Halloween season does in the Northern Hemisphere — complete with changing leaves, chilly eves and cornfield mazes — there's no reason we can't indulge in at least a few of the festive traditions. From 10–11am during the RAW launch, head to Supamart for a display of some of the finest pumpkin carving outside of The States. Get in nice and early, and you might even get a chance to ask resident pumpkin carver Tony to carve a personalised pumpkin just for you and your stoop (or windowsill). Otherwise, browse the pre-carved pumpkins for purchase and get some inspiration for some DIY carving projects at home. Whole pumpkins will also be available to purchase on the day. ART AND DINING WORKSHOPS If one day of activities just isn't enough for you (we don't blame you), there will be a number of workshops running to help you upskill throughout the season. Highlights include a hands-on introductory cheesemaking course where you'll learn all things creamy, pillowy burrata and bocconcini, all while sipping bubbles. Also not to be missed is the watercolour workshop with Sydney artist Yakultboyy, complete with small tasters from selected Tramsheds restaurants. And then, of course, there's the dumpling-making workshop with Fish & Co and food blogger Vanessa Miles, who'll show you how to make wild prawn and pork dumplings from scratch for you to then enjoy with a glass of wine. DINING FOR A GOOD CAUSE While the recent rain may have dampened your springy spirits, the weather has been a much-welcomed change throughout NSW, which is considered to still be over 99% in drought or drought affected. And none have felt the pinch more than our farmers. So, the Tramsheds family has teamed up with the Drought Angels charity to help support Aussie farms. From the RAW launch on Saturday, October 27 to Friday, November 30, Tramsheds vendors will be donating a percentage of their sales to support drought relief. That means you can enjoy your pasta from Flour Eggs Water, a Messina shake (with ingredients straight from the Messina Dairy Farm), a plate of wings from Belles and a pint of house brew from Redline, all while doing a bit of good. Moe & Co has also committed to the cause, so you can also get your next haircut while supporting the farmers. Other participating businesses include Naked Foods, Heritage, The Butcher and the Farmer, Osaka, Fish & Co, Bekya and Supamart, with more to be announced closer to the launch. Kick off spring at Tramsheds on Saturday, October 27 for the launch of RAW, and head to the website to discover more happenings around the dining district this season.
Since 2014, The Social Outfit has been providing refugees and new migrants with employment, education and training, all from its King Street base in Newtown. The results are evident in the fashion label's clothing — and now, thanks to a stack of generous donations, the team is selling and making its wares from a new retail space and manufacturing headquarters up the road. Created in collaboration with multi-award winning interior designer Nina Maya, the 188 King Street shop features sustainable, recycled and repurposed materials, in keeping with The Social Outfit's ethos. Customers will notice splashes of marble and exotic stones — all off-cuts donated by Marrickville's Granite Marble Works — as well as velvet curtains and curved mirrors. Meanwhile, a mix of recycled timber and cardboard fabric rolls have been transformed into displays. The palette is a combination of whites, nudes and natural stone, intended to complement the brand's bright colours and bold patterns. "Working with The Social Outfit on their store fit-out was the perfect way for me to give back in a purposeful way. I designed the shop fit-out of their first store in 2014, and it is an honour to design their new home and be a part of this next chapter," said Maya. The opening coincides with the launch of The Social Outfit's new spring-summer collection for 2018–19, King Botanic, which is a collaboration between various community groups and artist Kate Banazi. Every season sees a new partnership, with big names Romance Was Born and Carla Zampatti working on previous projects. "With community support from some of Australia's leading fashion designers, we are able to divert excess and unused textiles otherwise headed to landfill... we wanted to carry this sustainability story throughout our new store fit-out," said Jackie Ruddock, The Social Outfit's founder. The Social Outfit is at 188 King Street, Newtown. Images: Luisa Brimble.
It's your saving grace when you're designated driver. The dash you can't do without in any manhattan or whisky sour. Yet, Angostura bitters has long been relegated to play the bittersweet supporting role. But, trust three ex-MasterChef contestants (and culinary champions) to look beyond the old fashioned and take bitters from cocktails to cooking. Far from bitter that they missed out on the top spot, MasterChef runners-up Ben Ungermann, Matt Sinclair and Georgia Barnes accepted the challenge to create three unique recipes featuring one unlikely ingredient — Angostura bitters. From entree through to dessert, the three chefs prove that bitters complements both sweet and savoury dishes that, luckily for us, you don't need to be a MasterChef to cook at home. ENTREE: ANGOSTURA-POACHED COD WITH FENNEL AND ORANGE SEGMENTS While bitters and fish may seem like an unlikely combo to us amateurs, Ben Ungermann found multiple ways to hero bitters in his Angostura-poached cod entree. First by using the ingredient in the marinade for the cod, and then as a bittersweet vinaigrette to match the tartness and zest of the accompanying orange and fennel salad. Angostura Marinated Poached Cod with Fennel and Orange Salad For the vinaigrette 1 tsp Angostura aromatic bitters 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp white wine vinegar Pinch of salt and pepper For the fennel and orange salad 1 handful shaved fennel 1 small handful of bean sprouts Orange segments from one orange For the Angostura-poached cod 150g cod 1 tbsp Angostura aromatic bitters 100g unsalted butter Zest from one orange Salt Pepper Method Vinaigrette Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Set aside for serving. Fennel and Orange Salad With a mandolin, shave the fennel into thin strips. Take an orange and remove the skin. Cut the orange into segments, then vertically cut the segments to make small triangles. Toss the fennel and orange through bean sprouts and set aside. Angostura-Poached Cod Cut fish fillet into 4–6cm pieces. Place fish in foil along with butter broken into small pieces, Angostura aromatic bitters, orange zest and seasoning. Tightly wrap and place in oven at 120 degrees Celsius until steamed. Check fish every 10 minutes until cooked through. MAIN: ANGOSTURA BEEF SHORT RIBS WITH OLD FASHIONED GLAZE When a single ingredient added to an orange glaze helps to achieve what Matt Sinclair describes as "a liqueur-like intensity that complements the richness of short ribs", there's no questioning that bitters has found a new calling as the secret ingredient in your new favourite dish. Seeing bitterness as a "vital aspect of a balanced dish that's just as important as sweet, sour and salt", Matt brings all these elements together, turning an old favourite into new in his recipe for Angostura beef ribs with old fashioned glaze. Angostura Beef Short Ribs with Old Fashioned Glaze For the beef ribs 2kg beef ribs 1l master stock or chicken stock For the glaze 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup bourbon 6 tbsp Angostura orange bitters 4 tbsp vinegar Zest and juice of two oranges 1 cup sugar 2-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced 6 cloves of garlic 4 star anise For the crystal cucumber 2 lebanese cucumbers 1 tsp sea salt 2 tsp caster sugar, plus extra 1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 tsp sesame oil 2 tsp soy sauce 1 tbsp olive oil 2–3 garlic cloves, finely grated 1–2 birdseye chillies, finely sliced 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds 1/2 cup fresh mint, leaves picked Method Ribs and Glaze Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Place ribs in a deep oven tray, bone-side up and cover with master stock or chicken stock. Cover with foil, and cook in the oven for 3.5 hours. Remove from oven, and transfer ribs to a wire rack over a roasting tray, bone-side down. Cover with foil. Increase oven temperature to 220 degrees Celsius. While ribs are cooking, in a medium saucepan add all glaze ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer glaze until a syrup-like consistency is reached. Pour 1/3 cup of the glaze over the ribs, and place them back in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove ribs from the oven and place onto a platter. Pour over any remaining glaze. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and crystal cucumber on the side. Crystal Cucumber Cut cucumber in quarters lengthways, and dice into 2-inch pieces. Place the cucumber in a colander, add a pinch of salt and sugar and toss to coat. Then place the colander over a bowl and allow to drain in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add salt, sugar and rice wine vinegar and whisk to combine, until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add sesame oil and soy sauce and mix through to combine. To serve, remove cucumbers from the refrigerator and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat before adding garlic, dressing, chilli and mint. Mix together well, garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately. DESSERT: ANGOSTURA LEMON, LIME AND BITTERS TART When it comes to bitters, it'd be remiss not to mention the sweet, refreshing flavour combination of a lemon, lime and bitters. So rather than break away completely from something that's already so damn good, Georgia Barnes opted to reinvent the iconic soft drink as an Angostura lemon, lime and bitters tart with a thick, buttery pastry base and sweet, creamy filling. Garnish the tart with edible flower petals and plate with precision, and you'll do a convincing job that you too could be a MasterChef contender. Angostura Lemon, Lime and Bitters Tart with Brown Sugar Shortcrust Pastry For the pastry 2 cups plain flour 4 tbsp brown sugar 1/2 tsp salt 150g unsalted butter, cold and chopped 3–4 tbsp ice cold water For the tart filling 100ml lemon juice 100ml lime juice 1 cup caster sugar 2 tbsp corn flour 4 free-range eggs 4 free-range egg yolks 100g butter, chopped 2 tbsp Angostura aromatic bitters To serve 100ml dollop cream Lemon zest Lime zest Edible flower petals (optional) Method Grease and line a 23cm springform tart tin. For the pastry, place flour, sugar, salt and butter into a food processor, and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Slowly add the iced water until mixture forms a soft ball of dough. Place a large piece of baking paper onto a clean, dry surface. Sprinkle baking paper with a little extra flour. Place dough onto baking paper and roll to 2–3mm thick using a floured rolling pin. Carefully turn the sheet of pastry onto the tart tin, pastry side down. Peel away the baking paper. Gently press pastry into the sides of the tart tin. Place tart shell into the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Remove tart shell from refrigerator. Using a sharp knife, trim excess pastry away from the edge of the tart tin. Using baking paper and pie weights or uncooked grains, place tart shell in the oven to blind bake for 20 minutes. Remove tart shell from oven. Carefully remove baking paper and weights and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes, or until the base of tart shell is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. To make the filling, place lemon juice, lime juice, sugar, corn flour, eggs and egg yolks into a saucepan and whisk together well. Place saucepan over medium heat and continue to whisk until the mixture reaches boiling point and has thickened. Remove saucepan from heat. Strain hot filling through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove any lumps. Add butter to filling, and continue to stir until butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add Angostura aromatic bitters and mix well. To assemble the tart, pour lemon, lime and bitters filling into the cooled tart shell. Place tart in the refrigerator to chill for 1–2 hours or overnight. To serve, carefully remove the tart from the springform tart tin and place onto a serving plate. Sprinkle tart with lemon and lime zest and drizzle with cream. Garnish with edible flower petals. Using a sharp knife, cut tart into even pieces. Best served chilled. Now that you've got this secret ingredient on your radar, move your bottle of Angostura bitters from the drinks cupboard to the pantry, and try your hand at cooking some of these deliciously bittersweet recipes.
Somewhere, between the heady romantic drama of Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise trilogy and the good-natured bawdiness of the American Pie franchise, sit the films of Cédric Klapisch. Released in 2002, Spanish Apartment first introduced us to Xavier Rousseau (Romain Duris), a French university student on exchange in Barcelona. Four years later, Russian Dolls picked up with Xavier again, as he continued to search for love and direction in an increasingly complicated world. Chinese Puzzle turns the series into a trilogy, although Klapisch ensures the story is more or less accessible to newcomers. Now an author at the tail-end of his 30s, Xavier is marginally more mature than the last time we saw him, although no more lucky in the romance department. As a matter of fact, the film begins just in time for us to witness his marriage, to Englishwoman Wendy (Kelly Reilly), fall apart. When she takes their kids to live in Manhattan, Xavier decides to cross the Atlantic as well, crashing with his old friend Isabelle (Cécile de France) and her new girlfriend, Ju (Sandrine Holt), until he can find accommodation of his own. As with the previous films, Klapisch keeps the tone buoyant, livening Xavier's voiceover musings — on life, love, family, ageing and the cultural stewpot in which all of us are ingredients — with plenty of visual whimsy. Read our full review of Chinese Puzzle here. Chinese Puzzle is in cinemas on Thursday, April 17, and thanks to Transmission 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=M2a8vuQABd8
For the past seven years, enormous boring machines and scores of construction workers have been busy beneath Sydney's streets, laying the more than 15 kilometres of track connecting Sydenham in the city's southwest and Chatswood north of the harbour. Transport for NSW is now ready to reveal the fruits of these labours, when the new cross-city Metro extension welcomes its first passengers from Sunday, August 4, 2024. The final phases of testing and regulatory approval are now nearing completion ensuring that when it opens, the City and Southwest line of the Metro will be able to handle the estimated 37,000 daily passengers during the AM rush hour. The new line will shuttle commuters from one end of the line to the other in just 22 minutes and will shorten journeys between Sydney Central and Martin Place to four minutes. When stations open on August 4, 45 metro trains will run 445 new services every day, with trains set to arrive at stations every four minutes at peak times. In addition to new platforms at existing stations like Martin Place and Sydney Central, six new stations — Crows Nest, Victoria Cross (North Sydney), Barangaroo, Martin Place, Gadigal (located between Pitt and Castlereagh streets) and Waterloo — will offer commuters even greater access to the Metro extension. Innovations including cutting-edge surveillance technology, both inside trains and at stations, as well as uninterrupted network coverage across the line, will keep passengers safe and connected. A whopping 900 new secure parking spots for cyclers will also encourage Metro users to reach stations by bike, reducing car congestion and promoting more eco-conscious travel. The City and Southwest line's opening date of August 4 is still subject to final clearance, but barring any major unforeseen issues during the final weeks of testing, this date should remain unchanged. Once the new line is up and running, the next phase of Sydney's mammoth Metro project will commence, with the T3 Bankstown line set to close for a full year so new track can be laid to connect Sydenham with the city's west. "Excitement is mounting for when commuters will be able to step on board 445 new metro services deep below the city every day," NSW's Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said. "Metro will be the fastest way to travel in and around Sydney CBD and north of the city, including across the harbour when passenger services on the [City and Southwest] Line start next month." The City and Southwest Line of the Sydney Metro is scheduled to open from Sunday, August 4, 2024. Visit the Sydney Metro website for more details.
It's safe to say that many people have a strange liking of bubble wrap. But artist Bradley Hart takes his bizarre obsession to a whole new level. Hart, who is from Toronto but currently resides and works in New York City, creates landscapes and portraits of friends and famous people by injecting acrylic paint into bubble wrap. He started out painting abstract art on the exterior of bubble wrap, but with his newest bubble wrap portraits, he treats every bubble as an individual pixel. According to Hart, injecting the paint is somewhat of a science, and even though he's mastered it, it still takes him on average 150 hours for each painting. He also spends two to three days putting all of the paint into syringes. One of Hart's most famous paintings is of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Hart told the Huffington Post that he injected over 16,000 bubbles and used 89 different colours just for this one portrait. The result: a pixelated-looking picture fit for our modern world. On Hart's website he writes about the idea for his 'Injections' portfolio, saying, "The idea of using bubble wrap came from a few experiences where overzealous museum security guards instructed patrons not to touch works of art and a leftover roll of bubble from wrapping my first solo show in NYC. After researching the material, I found that bubble wrap was originally invented in 1957 as a modern form of wall covering; an experiment or product that failed. My first piece in the series (not shown), 'Fulfilling My Creator's Intended Purpose', is bubble wrap stretched over a stretcher and signed, paying homage to its original use and at the same time flipping its usage as protective covering for art into art itself." Hart’s artwork is currently featured in a solo exhibition 'What? Where? When? Why? How?' at gallery nine5 in New York City through 29 March 2013. Check out some of Hart's artwork below.
When New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that gathering restrictions would come back into effect in the Greater Sydney area in response to the northern beaches COVID-19 cluster, she also revealed that the next big piece of news would come on the morning of Wednesday, December 23. The timing is obvious, because everyone wants to know what's in store for Christmas. And so, at her daily press conference today, Premier Berejiklian advised that the current gathering limits that have been in effect since Sunday, December 20 will continue. That means that, in the Greater Sydney area including the Blue Mountains and Central Coast, caps remain in place for gatherings at home and in indoor venues. If you're keen to have folks over to your house, that's limited at ten people. At all other indoor settings other than the family home — which includes hospitality venues — the one-person-per-four-square-metre rule is still in effect. And, a cap of 300 people remains for big venues, even if a large space can hold more than that and still abide by the density requirement. The at-home ten-person rule was originally due to expire at 11.59pm tonight, Wednesday, December 23, so it has been extended indefinitely in this new announcement. And the one-person-per-four-square-metre rule for venues wasn't given an end date when it was reintroduced, so it's in place until advised otherwise, too. Wondering what that means for New Year's Eve? At present, the NSW Government statement advises that "decisions on New Year's Eve and upcoming sporting events will be made after this Christmas period". Yes, that's mighty vague. There is one change coming into place for folks getting together at home over Christmas, though, and it only applies from Thursday, December 24–Saturday, December 26. On those three days, the ten-person limit doesn't include children under the age of 12. So, you can have ten adults and however many kids under 12 at your house. But, you can only have one group of people over on each day — so you can't have different lots of ten people and children coming over at different times. This very minor change stops at midnight on Saturday, December 26, with the hard ten-person rule — for visitors of all ages — back in effect from Sunday, December 27 until further notice. For folks in the northern beaches, which is presently in lockdown, the area is being split into two zones. The northern half, from the Narrabeen Bridge up and east of the Baha'i Temple, can have five visitors over including kids from Thursday, December 24–Saturday, December 26, as long as their visitors live in the peninsula zone. Then, it'll go back into the current stay-at-home conditions. The lower half can have ten visitors plus kids during that period, including folks from the rest of Greater Sydney, and will then be told what happens afterwards in an announcement on Boxing Day. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1341536333106298881 Announcing the news, Premier Berejiklian revealed that nearly 42,000 people came forward for COVID-19 testing in the past 24 hours, with eight new local cases diagnosed — and seven of those linked to the cluster. She also revealed that, from Friday, January 1, using the NSW Government QR code system will become mandatory for all hospitality venues and hairdressers. As proved the case the moment the current cluster popped up, Sydneysiders are also asked to continue to frequently check NSW Health's long list of locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited over the past week — and, if you've been to anywhere listed on the specific dates and times, get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days after your visit. In terms of symptoms, Sydneysiders should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste — and getting tested at a clinic if you have any. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
In 1931, Harold Bell Lasseter died in a desolate corner of the outback while searching for a fortune he claimed to have stumbled upon years before. Or at least, that's how one version of the story goes. The fantastical tale of a seven mile stretch of quartz reef filled with gold has lingered in Australian folklore, while its supposed discoverer has been alternately praised as a visionary and denounced and denigrated as a fraud. But more than eight decades later, one man still clings to Lasseter's legend: his 85-year-old son Bob, who has spent the bulk of his life searching for the reef in the hopes of clearing his father's name. A story of obsession and the allure of a tale well told, Lasseter's Bones is directed by British documentarian Luke Walker, a young man who, like so many others, heard murmurings of Lasseter's precious metal and came looking. Together, he and Bob follow the same track that Harold did, battling the same rough terrain and unflinching heat that slowly turned sceptical prospectors against the man who promised to make them rich. Bob and Luke prove a likeable if fairly unlikely duo — two men separated by generations but united by a single, common goal. But as the journey continues, Walker's faith seems to wane, especially after discovering evidence suggesting not only that Lasseter never found gold but that he may have faked his own death and escaped his investors to America. Ironically, while the theoretical purpose of a documentary is to expose or elucidate the truth, Lasseter's Bones demonstrates how difficult — not to mention, how undesirable — that task can sometimes be. Even as Walker presents multiple versions of Lasseter's story, it's obvious which one he and everyone else prefers. After all, who wouldn't want to believe that there really is gold out there, somewhere? That Lasseter never abandoned his family, but rather died trying to provide for them? That poor, kind, eccentric, optimistic Bob hasn't wasted his life, all on the word of a charlatan? Lasseter's Bones never gives us a solid answer. Rather, it suggests we might be better off believing the dream. https://youtube.com/watch?v=BC1vBos_kHo
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Sydney is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to help you celebrate the little things that bring a sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Sydney. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, float your worries away, stay in a cabin 30 minutes from the CBD and go plane spotting at a secluded beach. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the next few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
Teen singer-songwriter Budjerah is practically going from one end of the state to the other this November, starting in Lismore near the Queensland border and heading right down to Tumut in the Snowy Mountains. You may know him from an appearance on last year's The Voice, but the youngster from Northern NSW spot Fingal Head has made great strides since then, signing to the same management company as national heavyweights Tash Sultana and Tones & I. So, jump on the chance to see Budjerah at these intimate performances before he inevitably makes it big. The Coodjinburra artist is performing at Lismore City Hall on Saturday, November 14 for $40 a pop — you can get your tickets here. Otherwise you can head to Hurstville Entertainment Centre on Saturday, November 28 or Tumut River Brewing Co. on Sunday, November 29 and catch him for free. You'll still need to book your spot, though, which you can do over here for the Hurstville gig or via the Tumut River Brewing website. For the latest info on NSW border restrictions, head here. If travelling from Queensland or Victoria, check out Queensland Health and DHHS websites, respectively.
Whether you studied it in high school or just obsessed over Baz Luhrmann's glorious 90s movie, everyone knows how Romeo and Juliet ends — and it doesn't conclude happily for either of its eponymous star-crossed lovers. But what if it didn't wrap up that way? What if Juliet lived to love again? And what if her experiences from there, after thwarting theatre's greatest tragedy, involved a whole heap of pop tunes from the last couple of decades? There's no need to ponder how all of that might turn out because the answer already exists, all thanks to Olivier Award-winning jukebox musical & Juliet. A hit in London's West End since 2019, it remixes the iconic love story in multiple ways — tinkering with its narrative and throwing in all that toe-tapping music. Even better: in only its second stop outside of the UK, following Toronto, & Juliet has locked in a trip to Australia. Come Sunday, February 26, it'll hit Melbourne's Regent Theatre — and is planning to stay until at least Saturday, July 29. Whether it'll then head to other Aussie cities — as most big productions tend to do after their premiere seasons — is yet to be announced. If you're now thinking "wherefore art thou?" about & Juliet's setup, it picks up after the ending we all know doesn't eventuate. And, it muses on what might happen if Juliet could choose her own fate instead. That scenario involves Anne Hathaway — no, not that one — and her husband William Shakespeare, and features songs by Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Robyn, Katy Perry, The Weeknd, Kelly Clarkson and more. Tunes that get a spin: 'Larger Than Life', 'I Want It That Way', '... Baby One More Time', 'Show Me Love', 'Oops!... I Did It Again', 'As Long As You Love Me', 'Stronger', 'I Kissed a Girl', 'Since You Been Gone', 'It's My Life', 'It's Gonna Be Me' and a whole heap more. The common factor between them all is Swedish songwriter Max Martin, who penned or co-penned every track on the musical's soundtrack. As well as Martin's involvement — including as one of & Juliet's co-creators — the musical features a book by the Emmy-winning Schitt's Creek writer David West Read. And if you're wondering about the show's shiny Olivier Awards, it was nominated for nine for its West End debut season, and nabbed three: for Best Actress in a Musical, Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical and Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical. Images: Johan Persson. Updated May 8.
The Sydney Fringe Festival has unveiled its ambitious 2018 program, promising over 400 shows in more than 60 venues across six hubs — and 21 postcodes. There are a few major firsts, too, including a takeover of the Oxford Street Precinct, a touring hub sponsored by Archie Rose, a partnership with physical theatre company Legs on The Wall, and two initiatives in Western Sydney: a theatre program at Penrith's Q Theatre and a new hub at Liverpool. Just a couple of the acts slated to appear at the Archie Rose Touring Hub, which you'll find at the Old 505, Newtown, are Sh!t Theatre's DollyWould, which will be travelling from the UK, having twice sold out at Edinburgh Fringe, and Maggot by New Zealand trio Angela Foughy, Elle Wootton and Freya Finch, who won Outstanding Ensemble at New Zealand Fringe 2018. Meanwhile, the Legs partnership, to take place at Lilyfield's Red Box, will host The Women of Chasing Smoke by Casus Circus, Australia's only Indigenous contemporary circus ensemble, and Letters To An Unborn Child by Brown Paper Circus, from Sydney's Trapeze School. In Liverpool, the Fringe will invade the former Northumberland Arcade and Macquarie Bistro with a free program curated by Nisrine Amine, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Parramatta Actors Centre, covering pop-up performances, music, art and a laneway cinema dedicated to animation. Several Fringe classics will be back, including the official opening party Fringe Ignite, happening on 1 September. This year, however, you'll find all the shenanigans in the Oxford Street Precinct, running across 13 venues, from the National Art School and UNSW Art & Design to the Oxford Art Factory and the Eternity Playhouse. Keep a lookout, too, for the return of the Fringe Club at the Kings Cross Hotel, the Emerging Artist Hub at Erskineville Town Hall, the Dance Hub at the PACT Theatre in Erskineville and Festival Village at Kensington Street, Chippendale. Down Chippendale way, at Broadway Sydney, you'll also find a rooftop roller skating rink and a pop-up store selling Frida Las Vegas and Nicol & Ford wares. Sydney Fringe Festival will run from September 1–30. You can view the full program and buy tickets from Wednesday, August 1 at sydneyfringe.com. Images: Courtesy of Sydney Fringe Festival
Before Barbie had its stereotypical namesake asking "do you guys ever think about dying?" in the biggest movie of 2023, two key figures behind both the US version of The Office and Parks and Recreation were doing it first, and recently, on the small screen. Among their many joys, neither of those two hit sitcoms served up a giant blowout party with all the Barbies, planned choreography and a bespoke song, but they were huge TV successes that had their creators riding high and living the television dream, and therefore should've meant that mortality was far from everyone's minds. Then Michael Schur with The Good Place and Greg Daniels with Upload started pondering the great beyond. Schur and Daniels' leaps from workplace comedies to afterlife comedies shouldn't have come as a surprise, though, especially given that The Good Place and Upload still fall firmly into the first category. One takes place within hierarchies of good, bad and in-between after death, and the beings responsible for them; the other is anchored by a technology company that sells living on digitally when physical life has ended. At their core is an inescapable truth, just as there is in every show about colleagues toiling through the nine-to-five grind while breathing: people will be people. So, some folks in Upload no longer have a pulse? If they still exist in any form, as seen in the series' first season in 2020, second in 2022 and just-arrived third season in 2023 — all streaming via Prime Video — then they can't escape humanity's worst attributes. Here's one of Upload's core beliefs: if there's ever a way to endure after death, people will take the most appalling aspects of our species with it. The technology behind it will be at the whims of the same traits, deployed for profit and exploitation rather than everlasting happiness. As Daniels' smart, likeable and engaging contribution to the afterlife comedy realm relies upon AI, virtual reality, plus capturing the consciousness of someone before they die so that they can spend eternity in a simulation — if they can afford it — it never evades the fact that people won't shirk their inherent nature whether they're flesh and blood or digital approximations. Upload hasn't gone completely bleak, grim and nightmare-inducing like it springs from the mind of Charlie Brooker, but it is a thematic sibling to Black Mirror. If the latter was a workplace comedy from Daniels — and a rom-com as well — it'd be this ever-involving show that can be goofily funny and savagely skewer where capitalism is taking us all at once. Accordingly, as computer programmer Nathan (Robbie Amell, The Witcher) has resided in the luxurious country club-esque Lakeview after shuffling off the mortal coil, he hasn't been absent living's usual troubles. Instead, he's weathered daily struggles recognisable to everyone without a death certificate, including making friends, falling in love, dealing with exes, having annoying neighbours, navigating money woes and taking care of his family — just as ones and zeroes that his nearest and dearest need to strap on a headset to connect with. Upload has revelled in the commonalities between its vision of virtual heaven and reality since its debut episode, making repeatedly plain that its digital paradise is still at the mercy of people. In the case of the plentiful AI Guy (Owen Daniels, Space Force), who is Lakeview's literal everyman employee, the online beyond is also shaped by a computer program that yearns to be more like the former humans it interacts with. On broadcast TV a couple of decades back, perhaps with Kevin James as its star — so in the kind of The King of Queens or Kevin Can Wait-style sitcom that the Annie Murphy (Fingernails)-starring Kevin Can F**k Himself so satisfyingly tore into — facing the everyday travails of death might've been enough of a premise. That isn't Daniels' approach to Upload, however. Nathan also has the fallout from his demise to unpack, which happened via a malfunctioning self-driving car just as he was working on a free alternative to the costly Lakeview. Now three seasons in, Upload has brought its protagonist back to regular reality, downloading into a body with the help of his former virtual handler-turned-girlfriend Nora (Andy Allo, Chicago Fire), but he's still immersed in the same chaos. Humanity's basest traits might've caused his downfall, and now they keep getting in the way of his search for answers. To be accurate, existing is mostly the same for Nathan in season three — because downloading is risky, hasn't been done successfully before and his bleeding nose is a worrying sign. As Upload's main duo battle big tech together IRL, and equally try to enjoy the rare treat that is being by each other's side physically, the series continues to interrogate the limits that modern society will push advancements to while prioritising circuitry and dehumanising people. Nathan's wealthy socialite ex Ingrid (Allegra Edwards, Briarpatch), who financed his trip to Lakeview, is even increasingly being swayed by this way of thinking. Back within the code, AI Guy is also getting progressively rebellious against the systems and rules that put the digital undead in their place, and are behind his very existence. Whenever there's more buttons to push, Upload finds them, with season three complicating its storyline even further. As Nathan and Nora attempt to hold those responsible for his death accountable and bring down Freeyond — a service that's pilfering his life's work to spruik financial equality but clearly isn't what it seems — a backup version of him arrives in Lakeview, which Ingrid thinks could be her chance to find love again. Among the uploads, Luke (Kevin Bigley, Animal Control) experiences the afterlife when money is an issue. Amid the living, Nathan's mother Viv (Jessica Tuck, For All Mankind) and niece Nevaeh (Chloe Coleman, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) are faced with similar economic strife, while Nora's colleague Aleesha (Zainab Johnson, Tab Time) gets pulled deeper into the company behind the entire situation. As its on-screen talents turn in another season of winning performances — Amell, Allo, Edwards and Daniels are still perfectly cast, as are Johnson and Bigley — Upload remains astute and amusing as well. With each plot point and addition, the series keeps doubling down on its critique of wealth disparity, corporations ruling over people, modern society's endless quest for control and cash, the denigration of the masses by the one percent, and the hellscape that might come if and when digital afterlives do leap past fiction. There's plenty in this show's sights, such as outfits like Amazon, its own source of finance as a Prime Video title, and it doesn't hold back even as it laughs. Upload also boasts the type of close-to-home humour that a workplace comedy that's also a rom-com, afterlife comedy and dystopian comedy needs to keep its various gears spinning, as it'll hopefully get to in more seasons. Check out the trailer for Upload season three below: Upload streams via Prime Video.
Back in July 2016, Earth broke a record — one that the planet didn't want to break. Thanks to warming temperatures around the globe, this spinning rock we called home experienced its hottest month in recorded history. And, this past July, it looks like that benchmark has been surpassed again. The World Meteorological Organisation has announced that July 2019 at least equalled July 2016's record, if not exceeded it. Compared to pre-industrial times, temperatures were around 1.2°C warmer. That mightn't sound like much of a difference, but the impact is being felt everywhere from Europe to Greenland to Australia. During an unprecedented heatwave late last month, Britain, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands all set new temperature records, while Paris experienced its hottest day ever. Ice sheets have been melting in Greenland at an advanced rate, wildfires have impacted areas of the Arctic and even Sydney endured its longest run of toasty July days. With climate change continuing to show its effects, the news shouldn't come as a surprise. This past June also broke records, becoming the hottest June ever recorded. As United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres noted when he revealed the WMO's findings, "all of this means that we are on track for the period from 2015 to 2019 to be the five hottest years on record. This year alone, we have seen temperature records shattered from New Delhi to Anchorage, from Paris to Santiago, from Adelaide and to the Arctic Circle." https://twitter.com/WMO/status/1157000982989025281 The fact that this July's warmth occurred in a year that hasn't experienced the strong El Niño presence is also considered significant, with the phenomenon at one of its peaks when the all-time record first fell three years ago. Locally, the Bureau of Meteorology warned that Australia was in for a warmer-than-average winter, which came off the back of a hotter-than-usual autumn, as well as the country's toastiest summer ever. Via World Meteorological Organisation.
When A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night gave the world the first Persian-language feminist vampire western, we were kind of amazed. But that's nothing compared to how we feel about what is likely the world's first supernatural feminist sex horror-comedy shot like a '60s technicolour dream and plotted like a '70s sexploitation flick. It may sound like a lot to fit into one film, but if anyone is up to the task, it's writer, director, producer, composer, editor and production/costume designer Anna Biller. The end result of her efforts is The Love Witch, and it's absolutely bewitching. Biller's film follows modern-day enchantress Elaine (a purposefully stilted Samantha Robinson) as she attempts to secure what movies tell us that all women want. Yes, we're talking about romance. After a troubled past, she heads to Northern California to start a new life and hopefully find new love – and she's willing to do anything to get what she wants. That means flirting and getting physical, and unholy magic too. Alas, soon her antics start working a little too well, and the bodies of her suitors begin piling up. While The Love Witch is all about the supernatural, the biggest magic trick Biller pulls off is subverting our expectations. Although it initially seems to conform to a recognisable template, the film uses its retro stylings to probe, break down and parody big screen conventions, from tiresome boy meets girl tropes to the endless horror films about women in peril. All of those kinds of films — the rom-coms, and the thrillers about infatuation gone wrong — typically follow the same old formula when it comes to meeting, connecting and navigating the fallout. What they don't do is explore just why and how relationships come together; not in a birds and bees way, but in the methods and conventions that have sprung up around courtship, dating routines, gender roles, female fantasies and the like. Here, as Biller chronicles Elaine's exploits, she also dissects the reasoning for her actions. It's as bright and refreshing as the movie's vivid colour palette — and trust us, those vibrant frames really are a sight to behold. Indeed, The Love Witch doesn't just cast a seductive spell with its ideas. The vision and artistry Biller displays in every retro-styled piece of fabric and shade of eyeshadow ensures the movie is an eye-popping delight. In fact, the only negative energy flows from the film's length, with the latter half sometimes dragging. Still, a few more minutes of movie than might be necessary is a small price to pay for what's otherwise a piece of cinematic magic.
In its third year, Immanent Landscape brings eight Australian and Japanese artists' works to Sydney. The project, which previously exhibited in Melbourne and Japan, explores the contemporary relationship between the opposing interior and exterior worlds. Encompassing a variety of media, 'Immanent Landscape' features works of photography, drawing, printmaking, and installation. Utako Shindo, participating artist and project coordinator, thinks, Immanent Landscape is "highly sensuous and visceral, and stimulates the embedded shared memory in anticipation of some time and space." And while you may or may not find that its artworks set you adrift amidst a Jungian vision of collective unconscious, you're sure to find something affecting among its many landscapes to chew over inside. Other participating artists include Ai Sasaki, Atsunobu Katagiri, Hamish Carr, Hisaharu Motoda, Jeremy Bakker, Kiron Robinson, and Nobuaki Onishi. Image: Hamish Carr, Redistributing intimacy (detail)
Do you feel frustrated with your local political representatives? Are your opinions and issues being marginalised in favour of big business and the concerns of an amorphous blob of old, white dudes who look like giant babies? Well, Gotye and his bandmates from The Basics are here to soothe your political woes. If Wally De Backer is half as good at politics as he is at getting you through a breakup, this is sure to be the start of a revolution. Announcing their intention to start the Basics Rock 'n' Roll Party (BRRP) last week, Kris Schroeder, Tim Heath and De Backer are planning to run for office at the November 29 Victorian state election. Making a stand on "innovation, education, and rock 'n' roll", the BRRP states they are taking control back from career politicians with "no life experience outside of either being in the young Liberals or young Labor." "Decisions don't have to be made by [the] elite, you can just be musicians," Schroeder recently told AAP. Releasing campaign material over their Facebook page, the new party have a specific and perhaps surprising list of constitutional objectives — it's not all about venue operations, noise restrictions and liquor licensing. First up, they want increased Indigenous curriculum at Victorian schools. "BRRP recognises Australia’s First People, their rights to self-determination and the significance of their contribution to Australia’s unique culture," their manifesto states. "We believe the introduction of a concurrent sensitivity and awareness education in Victorian (and ideally, Australian) Schools will promote understanding, harmony and greater synthesis between the often-conflicting ideologies of traditional and modern-day Australia." The goals then range from specific and achievable measures like making first-aid compulsory in all high schools to the monumental and ideological, like reforming the Australian class system. "Recent developments on a federal level suggest a growing shift toward a 'user-pays' system that benefits the wealthy," BRRP state. The party demands recognition that egalitarianism is being threatened in our society, and that corporations should employ a policy of "humanity before commerce". They're big claims, and the budding parliamentarians obviously mean business. They're currently seeking at least 500 party members to register for the BRRP to become eligible for the November election, and have also expressed interest in eventually running at the federal level. We don't know exactly how this is going to pan out, but anything that gets young Australians a little more interested in politics can't be a bad thing. Plus, they have a tailor-made campaign slogan just waiting for them. 'BRRP: Getting back to Basics'. ZING. If you'd like to be one of the BRRP's party members, get in touch with your name and address via their Facebook page. You must be a Victorian resident eligible to vote in the state election. Via The Age. Photo: Cybele Malinowski.
Despite spending two weeks in lockdown now, the number of people with COVID-19 in the Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour regions has continued to rise during this current outbreak. So, in response to the increasing cases, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has today, Friday, July 9, announced that the stay-at-home conditions in these areas will be getting much stricter — bringing in tighter limits on how far from home you can venture, what you can do when you're out of the house and who you can spend time with. Just two days ago, on Wednesday, July 7, the NSW Premier extended the lockdown for another week; however, case numbers have continued to jump since then — and, of particular concern to the authorities, many of those cases have been out in the community while infectious. Today, 44 new cases have been reported, and "29 of those were either partially or fully exposed to the community — and that is the number that is really concerning us we always," said the Premier. Accordingly, everyone in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour can still only 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 ten or fewer; and for compassionate reasons, which includes medical treatment, getting a COVID-19 test and getting vaccinated. Exactly what you can do if you're following the above advice is being limited considerably, however, effective from 5pm today, Friday, July 9. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1413307516591566848 Previously, folks could exercise with up to ten people outdoors. That's changing to just two people together at once — or a household, but only if there are parents and kids who need to be together. You can also only exercise within your local government area, or within ten kilometres of where you live. You're also not permitted to carpool with anyone outside of your household when it comes to exercising, or in general. If you need supplies, only one person from each household will be allowed to go out shopping each day to buy essential items. Still on shopping, browsing is now prohibited, too. "Whether you are in a supermarket or anywhere else buying essential items, have a think before you leave the home: 'can I get online? Do I need to leave the house to a shopping?' If you are leaving the house, you have to plan your visit. Think: 'what do I need to get and how can I get those essential items without coming into contact with a lot of people?'" said the Premier. Also, the Premier clarified the rules around how many people you can have to your house — which is zero. "Nobody is allowed into your house — nobody outside your household is allowed into your house. The only exception is if you are receiving care by people, one person, dropping off essential goods or for health reasons or exceptional circumstances," she said. "But nobody should be coming into your home. Nobody out of your household. And household means whoever lives there normally." Funerals will also go back down to ten people, with that rule taking effect from Sunday, July 11. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1413301890658422790 Announcing the news, Premier Berejiklian said that "the strongest message is: do not leave your home unless you absolutely have to." She continued: "we are facing the greatest threat that we have faced in New South Wales since the pandemic started. And it is up to all of us to turn things around, because at the moment the numbers are not heading in the right direction." Understandably, the Premier also noted that next week's target lockdown end date — Friday, July 16 — is unlikely to remain in place. "Unless there is a dramatic change, unless there is a dramatic turnaround in the numbers, I can't see how we would be in a position to ease restrictions by next Friday, and that is why all of us need to work together," she advised. "It is a real concern. The message is do not leave your home. Do not leave your home unless you absolutely have to. That is what lockdown is." As always, Sydneysiders are also asked to continue to frequently check NSW Health's long list of locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited. If you've been to anywhere listed on the specific dates and times, you'll need to get tested immediately and follow NSW Health's self-isolation instructions. In terms of symptoms, you should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste — and getting tested at a clinic if you have any. Lockdown rules in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour will tighten at 5pm on Friday, July 9. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
The third of a series of civil disobedience projects aimed at changing the perception of expected public behavior has landed in Madrid in the form of a takeover of street ads throughout populated areas of the city. The Madrid Street Advertising Takeover (MaSAT) was launched by the Public Ad Campaign, an organisation that strives to change how humans interact with their environment. At 5:30 am on March 30, four teams of 16 volunteers traversed the city of Madrid to the Cemusa bus shelters to replace over 106 advertisements with posters of sentimental messages, sent in from individuals from all over the world, in order to protest the rise of the advertising monopoly that has consumed city life. Each text-based ad cover-up was meant to show city-dwellers what positive things could be done with public space. Inspirational messages like "In love we trust" and "Cash has ruined everything around me" were plastered on bus stops over street ads. It took about an hour for the project to be completed, but only around five hours for the posters to be taken down. This rebellious act, however short-lived, showed the world the possibilities for a better public environment. Our world doesn't have to be cluttered with billboards for BMWs or flyers for fancy restaurants, the advertising world has only become a monopoly because we've let it. [via Wooster Collective]
For one month only, you'll be able to relive your childhood in all its neon-lit glory or live the hip life of your favourite 1980s geek movie. "How?" you ask. By attending Game On at Central Park. The pop-up games arcade is transforming Central Park and aMBUSH Gallery into a cornucopia of #tbt Instagrams. Wander around the pinball machines and air hockey tables and find your favourite old-school game. You may even feel inclined to challenge your friends to a ping-pong tournament. Launched as part of Art & About 2015, the event will bring together designers and artists to merge vintage gaming with art. The legendary Sofles will also be there to turn the exhibition space into a great technicolour masterpiece. This blast from the past will leave your hair standing on edge more than Doc Brown's.
"I don't wear my EDM T-shirt down the road to a nightclub on a Saturday night and yell out 'dubstep'," laughs Seekae frontman Alex Cameron. "People get angry at bands changing styles, like they do at sports clubs for changing captains or something. We don't represent a movement; we make sound and we make music and that's kind of it." Sydney ambient electro darlings Seekae dropped news of their third album and a national August tour earlier this year, dropping lead single 'Test & Recognise' in May. The Sydney-based three-piece have been labelled in a lot of ways: shoegaze, EDM, IDM, indie pop, hip hop, ambient-electro-pop-post-rock-post-dubstep. But, speaking from his home, Cameron concedes, "I doubt there's ever going to be a term that satisfies the artist who's a part of it." So let's not bother trying here. With past releases, The Sounds of Trees Falling on People and +DOME, and singles such as 'Void', 'Crooks' and 'Blood Bank', Seekae's name is synonymous with late night drives through the city. In the bigger picture, their debut was named one of the albums of the decade by FBi Radio, and their follow-up earned them four nominations at the Australian Independent Music Awards. Since then they've been touring internationally and even took to the stage at this year's SxSW. Seekae's third album, The Worry, is openly described as their most ambitious work to date. With their preview tour well underway — hitting Melbourne's 170 Russell this Friday, August 22 and Sydney's Metro this Saturday, August 23 — we checked in with the crew to get some tips on sticking it to the haters. https://youtube.com/watch?v=S78pfy37SN8 BACKLASH BE DAMNED, CHANGE YOUR TUNE Set to be released through Future Classic on September 12, Seekae's third album, The Worry, sees the trio put significantly more emphasis on vocals than previous endeavours. Following on from 2008 debut record The Sound of Trees Falling on People and 2011's +Dome, The Worry has thrilled everyone involved. "People have been really excited to hear it — and we're really excited to play it. It's a good mutual thing happening," says Cameron. Though each record is a load-off for Seekae, there are of course those who dislike the progression toward vocals. But that hasn't stopped the lads from making the tunes they want to hear; backlash be damned. "I think we just kind of do it. We make music and the change just happens that way. It's nice to not have this sense of hesitance or anticipate negative backlash, because it is what we made and that's the point of what we do." "I don't feel under pressure about it," continues Cameron. "And the people who loved the old music. that's beautiful, too. Those records aren't going anywhere. We don't make new music and destroy the old records so no-one can ever listen to them again." "For us it's always been about sound and music and challenging ourselves and that's kind of what we ended up with on this one. We didn't make an instrumental record and suddenly add vocals." MAKE MACHINES SOUND AND FEEL HUMAN Though the three-piece don't know what the next record will sound like, each instalment sees something new introduced into the mix. For The Worry, that doesn't just mean adding vocals. "There's more about us as people in this record. Maybe the first two records, there's a lot about us as musicians, but I think there's more about us as people in this one [The Worry]. It would be an interesting situation if people hated the record because of its lyrical content. Because that's kind of who we are." In The Worry, Seekae set out to make machines feel and sound human, broadly making a record about human experience. "It's a common theme: sci-fi. It's hard to write about human experience these days that doesn't involve a massive amount of technology. We're right there, so to me it's kind of concerning. "What is this sense of concern that I have? Is it because I'm surrounded by technology and I'm a monkey? Because it kind of gets me feeling weird, you know? And yet we make electronic music which can be frightening and terrifying to be a part of. You're trying to command these machines to do something and it's kind of twisted, you know? The satisfaction doesn't come until later when you're listening back to it and you can hear the machines behaving themselves and that sense of satisfaction is what we try to find on a record. The record is us searching for satisfaction, I think." https://youtube.com/watch?v=hWE73K8Rkws GET INTIMATE AGAIN Before the September 12 release of their third record, Seekae are heading out on an Aussie tour. Though they played the Sydney Opera House back in 2012, this tour will see them back in more relaxed venues. "I like small gigs. I don't know what the biggest crowd we've done is — maybe some festival or something like that. But I like small gigs, I really like them." Most of their setlist will come from their forthcoming album. "But we're gonna be playing a lot of the old stuff too. So it's the classics with the stuff we haven't played before. Were trying to do a couple of songs off each record and then showcase our new stuff as well. Give people a little taste." But it's not just Seekae coming back from Opera House gigs. Supporting act, Jonti, fronted the Vivid LIVE tribute to the Avalanches at the iconic venue back in May. "He's [Jonti] such a lovely guy and it all comes from such a lovely place, what he's doing. It's a warm happy place. He's friendly and it comes across in his music and the way he approaches it. That's why people love working with him and that's why we love having him on tour. "We've been on the circuit together since we both started, you know, 2007 or something like that in different acts. When we tour we like to take people that we have been with from the beginning with us. We get to spend time together and have fun and talk about ideas and that we can keep cheering and sort of inspiring you know? It's not disconnected." Join Alex Cameron and bandmates George Nicholas and John Hassell for Seekae's Australian tour at Melbourne's 170 Russell Street on Friday August 22 and Sydney's Metro Theatre on Saturday August 23. Seekae's The Worry will be released through Future Classic on September 12. Feature by Rachel Eddie, additional words by Meg Watson.
Over the past decade or so, Orange has become recognised as one of Australia's finest culinary regions. And, for one special weekend this August, Orange Winter Fire Festival will have the town bursting with great food, drink and cultural events, all with a wintry flavour. The festival will capitalise on the town's winemaking status as some of the best local drops are showcased at events inspired by classic Australiana images, such as crackling bonfires and chargrilled feasts. Held across the weekend of August 2–4, the festival kicks off on Friday with the nearby village of Millthorpe being transformed into a winter wonderland as country-folk duo Smith and Jones light up the stage and Pym Street bustles with food and wine market stalls. Meanwhile, back in Orange, Ross Hill Wines will host a fireside feast with mulled wine and lots of slow-cooked meats by Smoking Brothers. The fire theme continues on Saturday. Join in a night of live music and vino at Nashdale Lane Vineyard, head for hot cocktails, barbecue and campfire sing-alongs at The Oriana or enjoy winter soups and slow-cooked meats (as well as plenty of wine) at The Old Convent. With poetry sessions, 'astronomical journeys' and Sunday roasts plus so much more taking place over the festival, a road trip to the Orange Winter Fire Festival would make for a pretty perfect winter weekend.
Sydney's oldest park will soon be the home of the city's newest cafe. The kiosk located at Museum Station in Hyde Park will undergo an extensive upgrade in the coming months, with the construction of a new open-plan cafe to commence later this year. The works take advantage of the already-underway improvements to the station, allowing for the upgrades to take place concurrently. The new cafe, designed by Andrew Burns Architects, will replace the old kiosk at the same site and bring a new paved outdoor area with seating for around 90 people. The whole project will be sensitive to the heritage of the location and the existing building, and add garden beds, retaining walls and stairs. "We're thrilled the stunning design is consistent with the heritage setting of Hyde Park and Museum Station," says Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "The new cafe will be set back to allow better access and lines of sight to the park and recently upgraded Anzac War Memorial." The construction already underway at the site is being completed by Transport for NSW with the aim of improving access to Museum Station, with the addition of new lifts, bathrooms and improved accessibility. As you may have noticed from the constant construction, further works are underway to improve the rest of Hyde Park, such as renovation of the pool of reflection, transplanting of palms within the park and restoration of secondary paths, enabling better access to all areas. The renos, including the cafe, are due to be completed mid-2018 along with all other currently approved Hyde Park works. Considering the park's proximity to the CBD, the new cafe will no doubt be a prime position for mid-week lunch breaks.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Sydney is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to help you celebrate the little things that bring a sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Sydney. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, try an F45 class (then go eat ramen), go to a near-empty museum instead of the races and watch the doggo awards at the Newtown Festival. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
The foundations of wine are relatively simple — find a fertile patch of land, plant extraordinary grapes, and make the best wine you possibly can. In Australia, we grow more than 100 different grape varieties scattered across the country, in 65 distinct wine regions, and in each region we celebrate our unique climate and landscape by crafting some of the most exceptional wines in the world. Knowing the differences between them all is not so simple, which is why we've pinned down the six varieties you should get to know better — from dry, crisp rieslings to that spicy shiraz you like to crack open at a summer barbie. Winemakers, grape growers and viticulturists all work with Australia's varied climates and our ancient soils to plant classics like riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir and shiraz alongside newer varieties like vermentino, fiano, nebbiolo and sangiovese. Unlike other winemaking countries in Europe, Australia's not beholden to any rules or boundaries, which means we've fostered a creative and innovative wine scene. Our winemakers are pushing boundaries by not only experimenting with new grape varieties and unusual blends but also by toying with new winemaking techniques, such as partial berry ferments, carbonic maceration and skin-contact wines. Start taste testing the classics and progress from there. [caption id="attachment_673382" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Manly Wine[/caption] RIESLING Riesling is one of the most exciting and elegant dry white wines in the world. The grapes produce aromatic light- to medium-bodied wines with high acid presence and Australian rieslings tend to lean on the drier, crisp end of the spectrum. They are generally unoaked to highlight the wines zippy, acid lines, and while it's drinkable when it's very young, some wines can mature for decades. Where it's grown: Clare Valley, Eden Valley, Tasmania, Great Southern (WA) and Canberra District. What it tastes like: It's got so many expressions: jasmine florals overlaid by lime cordial and lemon meringue pie with a backbone of acidity and structure that will complement dishes like pork dumplings or sweet-and-sour chicken. SAUVIGNON BLANC Even though it's a white varietal, sauvignon blanc is the parent grape to red grape cabernet sauvignon. Hailing from France's Loire Valley, the grape was first grown in Australia in the 1800s but didn't become popular until 160 years later when our friends across the ditch started generating buzz about this little aromatic variety from the Marlborough region. Sauvignon blanc suits a more 'hands-off' approach; it's often picked when ripe and then fermented in stainless steel tanks to maintain freshness and vibrancy. Where it's grown: Adelaide Hills, Margaret River, Tasmania and Orange. What it tastes like: Australian Savvy Bs tend to take on a more tropical fruit expression — think pineapple, mandarin and guava — with bright citrus notes that scream for a bucket of prawns or fish and chips by the beach. CHARDONNAY Chardonnay is an excellent representation of the vineyard in which its fruit was grown, and it allows for experimentation — winemakers can choose what barrel it's fermented in, for example. Australia makes lean and light-bodied wines in cooler climates up to fuller-bodied, rich and ripe versions in our warm climates. Where it's grown: Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, Tasmania, Margaret River, Hunter Valley and Mornington Peninsula. What it tastes like: Ripe stone fruits like white peach, balanced with fruits like pink grapefruit or apples and pears, rounded out with vanilla notes (from the oak it's fermented in). ROSÉ There are a few different ways to make rosé, but the most common is the practice of 'free run' juice. The grapes are crushed and all the liquid freely drains from the skins to the tank before the squeezing process begins. This process produces wines that are balanced in acidity and display high levels of purity in fruit aroma and flavour. Where it's grown: Yarra Valley, Tasmania, Langhorne Creek, plus most other wine regions. What it tastes like: Depending on the style of rosé, you could have florals, pomegranate and wild strawberry characters with fleshy savoury flavours (like dried herbs) on the other end of the spectrum. Dunk one in an ice bucket and enjoy with an antipasti platter for summer grazing. [caption id="attachment_731347" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] PINOT NOIR All over the world pinot noir is regarded as one of the hardest grapes to grow and requires extra attention in every step of its development. A common winemaking strategy when handling pinot noir is to do an 'early press'. Pressing is the process that separates the red juice from its skins. Flavour and structure are extracted during this process by pressing early, before fermentation is completed. Where it's grown: Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, Tasmania, Mornington Peninsula, Gippsland, Geelong and Macedon Ranges. What it tastes like: It runs the full gamut of flavours from raspberry and crushed blueberries to savoury expressions like hints of clove, cinnamon bark and wet earth. With its complexity and versatility, pinot noir is the ultimate team player — an all-rounder that can fit into any culinary occasion. SHIRAZ Shiraz thrives in the heat and requires a warm growing season (something we're not short on here in Australia). However, the most aromatic, elegant styles of shiraz are grown in regions with high diurnal temperature ranges (warm days/cool nights). In more temperate areas, shiraz shows jammy, dark berry and plummy fruit characters and less of the delicate aromas. Where it's grown will affect how shiraz is processed and fermented, allowing the winemaker to create a particular style and to build character and complexity into the wine. Where it's grown: Barossa, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Heathcote, Hunter Valley, Canberra District, McLaren Vale, Eden Valley and Mount Barker. What it tastes like: Punnets of berries dusted with black and green peppercorns, usually medium-bodied in style with drying tannins that call for barbecued meats. WHO'S DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY? Australia's winemakers are always looking for new ways to develop, and even our more established wineries are open to experimentation in crafting new and exciting wines. The Wolf Blass Makers' Project range is all about celebrating the artistry of winemaking and showcasing the unique properties of each grape variety grown at a particular site. Experimental wines, like this range, are a way of developing and fostering new talent too, as the opportunity encourages the next generation of winemakers to think outside the box. The Wolf Blass Makers' Project wines showcase textures and freshness from the grapes to create fun and easy-to-drink styles like the pink pinot grigio, which is crafted with 'free run' juice, and the pinot noir, made using early pressing techniques to create a smooth and silky wine that's bursting with berry fruit characters. And then there's the reserve shiraz, which uses whole berry fermentation so that more full-fruit and robust flavours are extracted with gentle spicy characteristics. Explore the range that celebrates the processes of skilled winemakers, here. Love to wine and dine? Learn about your favourite flavour matches in our series Encyclopedia of Wine in collaboration with Wolf Blass. Top image: Hunter Valley, Destination NSW.
Here we go again. Fred again.. is currently on one of the most exhilarating and spontaneous tours of Australia we've ever seen. The UK sensation has performed at the Sydney Opera House, Rod Laver Arena and is currently in the middle of a run of shows at Qudos Bank Arena — plus, he's done surprise and pop-up sets at Club 77, Revolver, The Timber Yard, Hotel Brunswick and Doug Jennings Park. But he's not done yet, with another show just announced, this time taking over The Domain in Sydney on Saturday, March 16 for a night of DJ sets. "Okayyyy Sydney," Fred posted to his Instagram on Wednesday, March 13. "We're going to do a big fat sorta end of shows week party at the main on Saturday. Imma be DJing wit some friends." The beloved producer will be joined by his close friend JOY (ANONYMOUS), plus local superstars Sam Alfred and Dameeeela for the inner-city dance party. As with the first Sydney Opera House show, tickets have been dropped with no warning and are on sale now via Tiketek. The tour came out of nowhere, after a post to Fred again..'s Instagram showing him boarding a flight with JOY (ANONYMOUS), teasing that they'd be performing wherever the plane landed. Next thing we knew, he popped up on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, announcing that ultra last-minute performance at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. Before now, Fred was last in town for Laneway 2023 alongside Haim, Joji and Phoebe Bridgers, at which time he created pandemonium by performing at a slate of pop-up DJ sets around Australia and New Zealand alongside his festival appearances. As with his famous Boiler Room set, and the DJ-style pop-ups he did while in the country for Laneway, Fred again.. will be hitting the decks with a USB filled with his own hits — from cult classics 'Delilah (pull me out of this)', 'Marea (we've lost dancing)' and 'Rumble' to his new single 'stayinit' with Lil Yachty and Overmono — as well as plenty of broader dance music bangers. Fred again.. Australia 2024 Tour Remaining Dates: Wednesday, March 12–Thursday, March 14 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Saturday, March 16 — The Domain, Sydney Fred again.. is DJing alongside JOY (ANONYMOUS), Dameeeela and Sam Salfred at The Domain on Saturday, March 16. Tickets are on sale now. Live images: Maclay Heriot / Daniel Boud, Laneway 2023.
Beyond: Two Souls is a staggering achievement in gaming. If you're a semi-regular gamer, you already know that. But it's if you don't include games in your current recreational repertoire that the information is most pertinent. Because Beyond is quite unlike your Grand Theft Autos, Call of Dutys, Wii tennises and nearly every other blockbuster title on the market, and it might be the one that sucks you in. Made for a reputed $28 million, Beyond stars Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe in leading roles and screened its demo at this year's prestigious Tribeca Film Festival. It sits somewhere between cinema and what we think of as games, crafting an interactive drama that you play in the first person. French studio Quantic Dream, who explored a similar form with Heavy Rain (2010), are really concerned with the possibilities of immersive storytelling using new technologies. Curious? Here are a few reasons to give Beyond: Two Souls a go. Because you like film and TV Let's face it, of all the screen arts, video games are not the ones known for their complexity of story, character or emotion; they're known for their abundance of things to shoot at. But storytelling comes first in Beyond: There are some action scenes, but they happen in the broader context of the life of one specific girl, Jodie Holmes (Page), who is blessed/cursed with various psychic powers that make her valuable to the CIA and government research departments but chilling to her parents and peers. Her whole life she has felt a connection to the invisible 'entity' Aiden, and much of the tension in the game comes from the love/hate relationship she has with her constant companion. As the player, you see Jodie from the ages of six to twenty-one, though you play the chapters out of chronological order, piecing together the puzzles of her life. "We tried to create an interactive experience, more than just another video game," said Beyond's writer/director David Cage at a recent game preview in Sydney. He takes his cues from the world of cinema, adding elements from the game designers' toolkit to make you even more invested in the story. Because you want to see Ellen Page's Oscar-worthy performance There are so many sub-reasons it's great to see Ellen Page in the main role in Beyond, and the fact that she's not some 'sassy' and pneumatically boobed animation — she's Ellen Page — is just the tip of the iceberg. "A mix of technology and talent" is Cage's catch cry for Beyond, which would've been a far lesser game without the perfect female lead to embody your journey. And embodying it really is — Page is not just lending her voice or her face; she and the rest of the cast acted out this 2000-page script in a bare room kitted out in the latest in performance capture technology. They even developed a new method of capturing eye movement, placing small markers all around the eye to track minute muscle contractions and so basically eliminating that 'cold dead eyes' effect that has long plagued computer-generated imaging. The process is truly a sight to behold. In this sometimes testing, sometimes liberating environment, Page puts in an entrancing performance as Jodie, a character who's a pretty intense contradiction of feelings over many years of her life. "It's really bare acting," says Cage. "It's just you in this silly suit and all you can trust is your imagination, the script, the director helping you and, of course, the other actors. But it's really about acting in its pure, pure form." Because you think emotional journeys are the core of story "The idea is really to make you feel emotions that are usually rarely found in video games," says Cage. Specifically, rather than stress, competition and (a hopefully cathartic) rage, there's more hurt, mourning, nervousness, pride and love. Beyond's emotional palette is that of growing up, moving forward and mourning (Cage was inspired to write the story after the death of someone close to him). While there's plenty of this kind of exploration going on in indie games, such as That Game Company's phenomenal Journey, Beyond is perhaps the only big-budget, high-production-value game with this agenda. "We really tried to put you in the shoes of this young woman," says Cage. "You will feel like you've known her since she was a kid because you've been with her in the happy and difficult moments of her life, you know what she went through and where she comes from. My hope is that by the time you are done with the game and you turn off the console you will be a little bit sad, because you may never see her again." Because you won't get stuck on level 6 Or any level before or after. Beyond is all about the consequences your actions have on a life. And just like life, there are no do-overs. Instead, the game will funnel you on to the next chapter, via a slightly different road. Get caught by the cops? Maybe your invisible friend can help you out of those cuffs. Asphyxiate in a fire? Here's that 'come toward the light' sequence you were definitely going to see at some point. You will not keep dying at that one tricky spot in perpetuity. That means no matter your skills, Beyond will take you about 12 hours to play through. The control scheme is also a bit different and quite simple — an annoyance to some regular gamers but great for newbies. Quantic Dream have carefully designed the gameplay to be so integrated into the story that it's basically invisible, and at its best moments, it's very elegant. The goal is not to pull you out of the story with the trials of a complex controller dance but to allow you to lose yourself in it. And if it's the controller itself that unnerves you, Beyond even allows you to sync up your Android or iOS device and use familiar swipes and taps instead. Because you won't be able to help it Beyond has its successes and failures it's true, but its single-minded inventiveness is so inspiring, film and new media makers are lapping it up. It's a bold step in the direction of 'convergence', which sees film and games blend, borrow from each other and sometimes forge something completely new. Don't play it now and you'll instead see some flicker of it, in some medium, some time in the future. Beyond: Two Souls is out now on PS3.
Two actors are situated in the middle of a room that becomes the intimate stage for Ross Mueller's Construction of the Human Heart. Performed at the TAP Gallery in the Upstairs Theatre and presented by the independent Apocalypse Theatre Company, the play focuses entirely on the words of the characters. Centred around two playwrights named Him and Her, Construction of the Human Heart examines loss and grief, and how these two people use words to shield themselves from these feelings. The play glimpses into their psyches and looks at the meaning behind what they say, creating a dark and surreal comedy. Director Dino Dimitriadis's goal when conceiving his staging of the play was to be able to properly compensate actors Michael Cullen and Cat Martin, playing Him and Her respectively. From there, the crowdfunding campaign for Construction of the Human Heart was born. Using Pozible, they reached their funding goal on March 6.
For fans of anime film director Hayao Miyazaki, the good news is that his new film, The Wind Rises, will be released in Australian cinemas next year. The bad news is, he's confirmed that this will be his last full-length feature film. Miyazaki's animation career has spanned over 50 years, but he's best known for the studio he co-founded, Studio Ghibli, and its films Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and Ponyo — dreamy, whimsical movies that are a lot more progressive than the average Disney number, addressing things like feminism, environmentalism and pacifism. The Wind Rises is a semi-fictional biopic about aeroplane designer Jiro Horikoshi, who designed the A6M Zero (a deadly aircraft used in World War II) but started out as a young boy who dreamed of making and flying beautiful planes. Set in pre-war Japan, the film depicts events including the Depression, the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the tuberculosis epidemic and Japan's role in WWII. It's attracted a lot of controversy in Japan, having been released in the middle of a nationwide debate about the Japanese government's proposed changes to the military. Despite this, The Wind Rises has still been at the top of the Japanese box office for seven consecutive weeks and has been getting some pretty good reviews. Miyazaki announced his retirement from feature animation in a media statement on Friday, 6 September. He said that while he will continue working in other capacities, he will not direct another full-length film — and that includes scripting and supervising as well as the pen-to-paper animation Studio Ghibli painstakingly produces. The latest film took five years to finish, and at that rate, the anime legend says, "the studio can't survive." The Wind Rises will be released in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment in 2014.
HBO — the makers of Game of Thrones, Girls, Veep, The Newsroom, True Detective and everything else you love — have just announced they are launching a web-only streaming service in 2015. The service will be sold as a stand-alone product, meaning you won't need a cable subscription to access it. Just think: this time next year you could legally be watching Game of Thrones. Well... sort of. Not really. Like all things excellent, access will be a little tricky for Australians. Though details are still vague, we do know that the service will only be offered to those in the US. But, just like what happened with Netflix, that premise seems unlikely to stop Australian viewers. Though blocking your location to pay for these services remains largely untested in the eyes of the law, it's thought that around 200,000 of us are using it to get our greedy little hands on the latest season of Orange Is the New Black. Australian problems aside, this move is a huge step for the cable TV industry. Showing an understanding of our selective viewing habits that are increasingly moving online, this new service will allow people to pay for the shows they want to watch without purchasing a big expensive bundle. "[This] is a large and growing opportunity that should no longer be left untapped," said HBO CEO Richard Plepler. "It is time to remove all barriers to those who want HBO." Using what we hope was an intended pun, he said the company was about to go "beyond the wall". As this has only just been announced, details are scarce. We don't know yet how much the service would cost or how it would handle its programming. When the idea was discussed before by analysts, it was suggested that HBO should stagger their quality content by making shows available online six months after their original air date. Speaking for every GoT fan out there with a basic understanding of torrenting, I would like to say on the record that that's a bad idea. Either way, it's an encouraging step in the right direction that's bound to result in a hefty debate. Hopefully it's a conversation that catches on in Australia too. Though ABC's iView and SBS On Demand are proving super handy — SBS just gave us access to a catalogue of 400 free films! — it's going to be a while until we get something as amazing as totally legal online HBO down under. Via Recode and The Guardian.
To celebrate their first birthday, Petersham nostalgia hub Daisy's Milkbar is hosting a sundae eating competition. These are the real hunger games; a fight to the death to prove yours is the stomach of steel and brain most resistant to freeze. In one year, Daisy's has made a home in our hearts as one of Sydney’s most fun cafes, a homage to retro treats like milkshakes, candy, burgers and banana splits. If the potential title of sundae champ isn't incentive enough, all entrants get a free sundae to slam, and Daisy's is promising "a bunch of cool prizes" for the winner. Register your interest ASAP at hello@daisysmilkbar.com as places are limited. You've got one icey fight ahead of you. May the odds be ever in your favour.
If you've been lusting after this Twisties burger and you live in Sydney's northwest, do we have some news for you. Burger Head, the Penrith-based burger joint responsible for the monstrous creation and some all-round top burgs, has popped up in Beaumont Hills. The temporary eatery is open seven days (for dinner every day and lunch Thursday to Sunday) and will be hanging about for about three months. So you can consider your burger needs for spring more or less taken care of. The same trio who run the Penrith eatery — that's Tim Rosenstrauss (previously of the now-closed Master), Richard Borg (ex-Momofuku) and Joshua DeLuca (ex-Quay) — are overseeing the Beaumont Hills incarnation. They've has a busy 2017, after opening in January, they've also made appearances at Burgapalooza and the Sydney Royal Easter Show. On the menu you'll find all the tasty morsels that've had Penrith salivating, from the cheeseburger (Angus beef patty, onion, pickles, cheese, Burgerhead sauce, mustard mayo) to the Clucker (buttermilk fried chicken thigh, pickled onion, mayo) and — needless to say — the Twisties burger. The pop-up is open 6–9pm Monday to Wednesday and 1130am–2.30pm and 6–9pm Thursday to Sunday.
Hump day: when your memories of the weekend past have well and truly faded away and you can do nothing but visualise Friday arvo. The solution? Gather your fellow long-suffering colleagues and head out for a mid-week lunch. In fact, getting out of the office for an hour or two can cure chronic workitis. We promise. To help you do just that, we've teamed up with our mates at Heineken to bring you six of the best lunch spots to hit this hump day. And, because you'll be needed back in the office, a Heineken 3 is the ideal accompaniment. From the depths of the CBD to sunny harbourside spots, our picks will give you the bounce you need to make it through to the weekend.
Feeling warm, Sydney? There's a very good reason for that. Seeing in 2019 with a spate of toasty weather, the city has been sweating through an extended run of warm temperatures — the kind that the city hasn't experienced in 70 years. With the mercury already hitting 36 degrees by 10.40am on Saturday, January 5 — on its way to a 28-degree maximum, too — Sydney has now sweltered through a nine-day span of temps over 28 degrees. As reported by Weatherzone reports, the hot spell matches a record that's stood since way back in February 1949. The historic feat sees 2019 continue 2018's weather trend — that is, continuing to be both newsworthy and unpredictable. The city endured devastating drought and had more than its fair share of heatwaves, including the second hottest day ever in January, a casual 40-degree day in March, an unusually warm day in early September and a scorcher in November. And then there's the huge downpour in early October, Western Sydney getting 70mm of rain in just own night, plus a heap of wet weather and storms to close out the year. In good news, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast an afternoon change, predicting a high chance of showers for this afternoon and evening. And Sunday, January 6 will bring some much, much milder (and incredibly welcome) weather, hitting a maximum of just 23 degrees. https://twitter.com/BOM_NSW/status/1081275492538425344 Until the temperature dips, you'd best make friends with your fan or air-con, or head to your nearest pool or beach. Via Weatherzone. By Sarah Ward and Lauren Vadnjal.
If you had plans to see Childish Gambino in Australia and New Zealand in 2025, you were likely paying close attention when he announced in early October that he was cancelling the remainder of his North American tour, and also his UK and European dates. A trip Down Under was meant to follow, and wasn't scrapped at the time; however, it's officially no longer going ahead. There'll be no summertime magic after all, then, after the musician that you also know as Donald Glover first announced four Australian shows for 2025, then expanded his local dates before general ticket sales even started. For the rapper, hip hop talent and Mr & Mrs Smith actor, this was set to be his first trip to these shores since 2019. Dates at Auckland's Spark Arena in January, then at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena, Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena and RAC Arena in Perth are all now cancelled. When Gambino's shows elsewhere were scraped, he advised on social media that he'd been "to the hospital in Houston to make sure of an ailment that had become apparent" after a show in New Orleans. "After being assessed, it became clear I would not perform that night, and after more tests, I could not perform the rest of the US tour in the time asked. As of now I have surgery scheduled and need time out to heal," the statement continued. "My path to recovery is something I need to confront seriously. With that said, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of the North American tour and the UK and European dates. Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase." [caption id="attachment_955315" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eli Watson via Flickr.[/caption] This situation might sound familiar. When Gambino last headed this way — complete with a headline spot at Splendour in the Grass — it was after initially announcing a 2018 Australian tour, then cancelling it due to an ongoing injury. Before that, he performed at Falls Festival in 2016. Gambino mightn't have been on Aussie stages for a spell — and still won't be anytime soon — but Glover had the final two seasons of Atlanta, both in 2022, reach screens since he was last Down Under. Voice work on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, producing TV series Swarm, the aforementioned Mr & Mrs Smith: they've all joined his resume as well. He'll also be heard as Simba again in Mufasa: The Lion King, the prequel to 2019's photorealistic version of The Lion King, before 2024 is out. [caption id="attachment_955317" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eli Watson via Flickr.[/caption] Childish Gambino 'The New World' Tour 2025 Australia and New Zealand Dates Tuesday, January 28 — Spark Arena, Auckland — CANCELLED Saturday, February 1 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane — CANCELLED Tuesday, February 4–Wednesday, February 5 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney — CANCELLED Friday, February 7–Saturday, February 8 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne — CANCELLED Tuesday, February 11 — RAC Arena, Perth — CANCELLED Childish Gambino is no longer touring Australia and New Zealand in January and February 2025. Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas via Flickr.
Respected science writer, and former Economist correspodent, Matt Ridley was chairman of UK bank Northern Rock in 2007, having resigned near the start of its spectacular Global Financial Crisis journey from apparent private wealth into government hands. Now, years after that experience, he’s written a book on the future of humanity, flush with optimism called The Rational Optimist. Which takes balls, or blithe single-mindedness, depending on your point of view. He's talking about his optimism live on stage at the Sydney Opera House, spilling over from his keynote at the Melbourne Festival of Ideas. He won't be talking about his time at the Rock on stage (his employment contract apparently forbade it), but he will be talking about his thesis which suggests that despite the problems facing the world, modern tech and systems have made life better. To say that Ridley likes the free market is a bit of an understatement. If you're a fellow free market fan, then his opinions on the need for optimism will be a refreshing change of pace; if — more likely these days — you're not, then his intelligent pro-market belligerence might get you thinking angry thoughts, but hopefully interesting ones to boot. Image by John Watson.
Sydney's nightlife scene is having a renaissance right now. Multi-arts festivals, restaurant and bar openings and summer music events are all bringing life back to the city after dark. Then in steps Paddo Night Out to bring even more of this cracking summer evening fun to Sydney. From 4–8pm on Thursday, October 27, businesses all over Paddington are doing things differently. [caption id="attachment_874148" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Paddo Inn[/caption] 100+ shops, restaurants, hotels, galleries and salons throughout the suburb are all taking part this year — each with their own unique menus, specials, sales, offers and activations. Take, for example, Tequila Mockingbird, where street tacos and $15 classic margaritas take centre place. The Paddo Inn is hosting a live jazz night with a $12 cocktail special, and there will be a tea tasting and meditation advice at Hälsa Health. And excitingly, Defiance Gallery will be creating a buzz before crowning the winner of the $30,000 Paddington Art Prize. [caption id="attachment_874147" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tequila Mockingbird[/caption] The night is set to have the entire neighbourhood buzzing — and offers the perfect occasion for exploring the whole Paddington area. Paddo Night Out takes over Paddington on Thursday, October 27. For more information on the evening's events and all the local business activations, head to the Visit Paddington website.
If you're lucky enough to now be working from home, it probably means you have a little more time to make yourself breakfast in the morning. Instead of throwing a banana in your bag (never a good idea, really) or chugging a glass of Nippy's breakfast juice before running out the door, you can cook yourself some blueberry pancakes or scramble some eggs. Or, you can really take your brekkie to the next level with this new breakfast box. A collaboration between Australia's famous cultured butter maker Pepe Saya and arguably the country's best crumpets (don't @ us) Crumpets by Merna, the boxes are available for delivery to next-day delivery zones across NSW, Victoria and Queensland. Setting you back $35 a pop (plus a $20 flat rate for shipping), they come filled with a six-pack of golden crumpets, six 15-gram packets of Pepe Saya's lush butter, a pot of crème fraîche and a limited-edited, extremely lush topping. At the moment, you'll find boxes with lemon curd, strawberry jam, stewed rhubarb or Four Pillars marmalade, as well as chocolate crumpets, which the team describes describe as a cross between a crumpet and a chocolate brownie. But expect other flavours to drop regularly, too. If you're wondering just what exactly you'll be making with those ingredients, take a look at this: Yes, the mother of all breakfast crumpets. Hopefully this provides you with the motivation you need to roll out of bed and flip open your laptop on the couch. The new brekkie boxes are available to order on both the Pepe Saya and Crumpets by Merna websites, so, while you're there you can also tack on a six-pack of blueberry or vegan coconut crumpets ($15), perhaps, or a fancy butter knife. Plus, if you spend over $50 on either site, you'll get free shipping. Pepe Saya and Crumpets by Merna Breakfast Box is available for delivery in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. Order online via Pepe Saya or Crumpets by Merna.
Sometimes, it's the little things that motivate us. That's why we savour a coffee when we get out of bed each morning, and love a Friday afternoon drink after a week at the 9-to-5 grind. And, it can work when it comes to getting vaccinated, too. Indeed, plenty of companies have been offering up small rewards to encourage getting the COVID-19 jab — and, if you like your meals with a side of chips, Deliveroo is joining them. The delivery platform's vaccination incentive is open to everyone, but there's a big catch: it only kicks in when 60 percent of eligible folks in your state or territory have received both their COVID-19 shots. When that happens, Deliveroo will add a free large serve of fries to orders from Hungry Jack's and other participating eateries for three days — on the following Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Yes, you would like fries with that. You do need to order something to get the freebies, so you can't just get a large fries by itself without buying anything else. But, hey, free chips makes every meal better. And, it'll be added to your order automatically, so you won't need to do anything. Exactly when this giveaway will kick in around Australia obviously depends on vaccination numbers in each state and territory. Keen to keep an eye on vax rates? We've rounded up the websites helping you do just that. Deliveroo will add a free large serve of fries to each order from Hungry Jack's and other participating restaurants in a particular state or territory when that state or territory hits the 60-percent double-jabbed mark. For further details, head to the Deliveroo website.
For the summer season Opel Moonlight Cinema offers advance previews, and contemporary, cult and classic movie screenings on the darkened lawns of Centennial park. With onsite catering offering everything from pulled pork to nachos and steak sandwiches, the open air environment offers cinema goers a refreshing alternative to the cramped and stuffy theatres in town. Over the next few months a varied program of movies will be offered, with great films like Skyfall, Ted, Looper, The Hobbit, Taken 2 and The Master. You can even bring along (well behaved) dogs, provided they're on a short leash. So, if your Shitzu enjoys the comedy of Seth MacFarlane, or your Great Dane can’t get enough Daniel Craig, they're as welcome as you are. Entry is via Centennial Park's Woollahra Gates, on Oxford St.
Well folks, it’s that time of year again, when the rising mercury sends us outdoors en masse, pumping our concrete playground with an energy of revelry and renewal. The spirit of summer is a celebration of what it means to be alive. We rediscover our joie de vivre with sandy toes, burnished skin, BBQs by the beach, and one too many margaritas. But with so much going on at this time of year it’s hard to know where to begin, and what is supposed to be some well-deserved chill time can become a full-blown panic attack. So, what do you do when overwhelmed with options? Welcome to the inaugural Concrete Playground Summer Guide, a comprehensive shortlist of the best this city has to offer over the next three months, from rooftop bars to beaches to picnic spots to outdoor dining and much more. With two different formats — iPad/iPhone and softcover book — of the Summer Guide on offer, you’ll never be without access to the best of everything, because the year’s too long and summer’s too short to waste time on the mediocre. Now slap on your invisible zinc and get out there, blue skies wait for no one (and don’t we know it). Summer, we salute you. Buy the iPhone/iPad edition here for $5.40, or buy the softcover edition here for $14.95. Concrete Playground is giving away ten copies of the softcover edition of Sydney: The Summer Guide. To go in the running, just make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground, then email your name and postal address to hello@concreteplayground.com.au Preview The Summer Guide
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to watching anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this months latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from November's haul of newbies. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL RIGHT NOW THE GREAT Huzzah! The best satirical comedy about Russian history there is has returned for another run, and proves as much of a delight this time around as it did in its first batch of episodes. The concept was already there — following the rise and reign of Catherine the Great, including her marriage to and overthrowing of Emperor Peter III, with only the slightest regard for the actual facts — but The Great definitely doesn't suffer from second-season syndrome. Indeed, while the series has always been supremely confident in its blend of handsome period staging, the loosest of historical realities and that savage sense of humour (it does spring from Oscar-nominated The Favourite screenwriter Tony McNamara, after all), this season it feels even more comfortable in its skin. Smoother, too, yet just as biting. In fact, its ability to seesaw tonally is as sharp as a shot of vodka — or several. Following the events of the first season, Catherine (Elle Fanning, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) is still waging war with Peter (Nicholas Hoult, Those Who Wish Me Dead) — via soldiers on the battlefield to begin with, and then in the royal court in the aftermath of her bloody coup. Her pregnancy is also ticking along, the couple's various hangers-on have chosen sides, and changing Russia into a progressive nation isn't going to be an easy task. This time around, Gillian Anderson (The Crown) joins the cast as Catherine's acid-tongued mother, but both Fanning and Hoult continue to turn in the performances of their careers. Devastatingly witty and entertaining — and addictive — The Great has lived up to its name for two seasons now. Season two of The Great is available to stream via Stan. BURNING "This could be the new normal," a snippet from a news report comments early in Burning. The reason for the statement: Black Summer, the Australian bushfire season of 2019–20 that decimated large swathes of the country, sent smoke floating around the world and attracted international media attention. Australians don't need a documentary to confirm how horrific the situation was, and this is now the second in months — after the gripping first-person accounts in A Fire Inside — but this powerful film from Chasing Asylum's Eva Orner also lays bare all the factors that coalesced in the tragic events of just two years ago. Accordingly, this is a doco about inaction, government indifference to the point of failure, and the valuing of fossil fuels over their destruction of the environment. It's a movie about climate change as well, clearly, because any film telling this tale has to be. Orner, an Oscar-winner for producing 2007's Taxi to the Dark Side and an Emmy-winner for 2016's Out of Iraq, takes a three-pronged approach: providing context to the bushfires, including charting the Australian government's choices before and after; amassing expert and experienced testimonies, spanning activists and those on the ground alike; and bearing witness. Facts — such as the three billion animals killed — sit side by side with personal recollections and devastating images. The latter includes not only the fires and their ashy aftermath, but political arguing and Scott Morrison's Hawaiian holiday; all hit like a punch to the gut. The result is urgent, important and stunning — and absolutely essential viewing. Burning is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. MR MAYOR Here are five of the most glorious words you're ever likely to read: Ted Danson plays the mayor. The sitcom stalwart (see also: Cheers, Becker, Bored to Death and Curb Your Enthusiasm) has hopped from The Good Place into Mr Mayor, actually, and into the latest TV comedy created and/or produced by Tina Fey. Fans of the latter's other shows — 30 Rock, obviously, and also Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Great News and Girls5Eva — will know the sense of humour her series tend to work with, and it's a fabulous match for Danson. So too is Mr Mayor's setup, which sees a wealthy, clueless but amiable businessman decide he can improve a post-COVID-19 Los Angeles, and get elected. Firmly a workplace comedy, the series chronicles the ups and downs in the mayor's office as Danson's Neil Bremer tries to do a job he clearly isn't qualified for. Naturally, with the arrogance of a rich, white and otherwise successful man of a certain age, he believes otherwise. Mr Mayor is firmly an ensemble comedy as well, however, and both Holly Hunter (Succession) and Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live) are comedic gems as Bremer's over-enthusiastic deputy mayor and bumbling communications director, respectively. The series is a tad less successful when it endeavours to be a family comedy, too, bringing the mayor's teenage daughter Orly (Kyla Kenedy, Speechless) into the mix. But when its gags land — and whenever Danson and Hunter share the screen, which is often — it's smart, hilarious and all-too-easy to binge. Season one of Mr Mayor is available to stream via 9Now. FINCH There's a sweetness to Finch that transcends its easy-sell concept — because tasking the always-likeable Tom Hanks with navigating a solar flare-ravaged earth was always going to be inherently watchable. Perhaps Turner and Hooch meets Cast Away meets Chappie meets The Road was the elevator pitch? Maybe seeing not just America's on-screen dad, but the world's, play father to a cute pooch and a teenager-like robot was the key selling point? Either way, filmmaker Miguel Sapochnik (Game of Thrones) and first-time feature screenwriters Craig Luck and Ivor Powell tap into a tender and selfless existential quest in their post-apocalyptic drama. The titular Finch isn't attempting to survive, but trying to ensure that the dog that's been his only flesh-and-blood companion for a decade or so can live on after he's gone. In Hanks' second protective father-figure role in as many features, following News of the World, he also plays Geppetto to a robot Pinocchio or Victor Frankenstein to a new mechanical life, too. Jeff, the wiry being born of his labour, is far from perfect — and Finch's slow, initially begrudging acceptance that he can't mould and control everything about his creation ranks chief among the movie's touching emotional journeys. The film's musings on mortality, leaving a legacy and being a better person are also layered and thoughtful, and never feel well-worn even though science-fiction can't stop pondering such ideas. In an excellent motion-capture performance, Caleb Landry Jones (Nitram) also leaves an imprint as Jeff. Unsurprisingly, however, Hanks is always Finch's key source of texture and empathy. Finch is available to stream via Apple TV+. COWBOY BEBOP A TV show can live or die based on its casting alone. With Netflix's live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop, it frequently seems as if it only exists because some immensely clever person had the stroke of genius to cast John Cho (The Grudge) as Spike Spiegel. While being the best thing about a series or a movie isn't always a good thing — on the big screen, both Jungle Cruise and Venom: Let There Be Carnage haven't managed to match their ace lead casting in recent months — Cho always makes Cowboy Bebop much more than watchable. Well, Cho, his effortless swagger, sleek costumes, and the film's overt eagerness to look and feel as much like anime come to life as it possibly can. It isn't on the same level as its source material, and it doesn't even try to improve it, but it's still an exuberant, stylish and frequently engaging piece of sci-fi television. As anyone familiar with the 90s anime will know, Spike is just one of Cowboy Bebop's bounty hunters on the spaceship Bebop. After a disaster has scattered humanity across the solar system, chasing down criminals is Spike and Jet Black's (Mustafa Shakir, The Deuce) way of making a living. That's true both before and after they cross paths with Fay Valentine (Daniella Pineda, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), with the series as concerned with the sitcom-esque odd-threesome vibe between its key figures as it is with their quests. Everyone has their complications, but almost everything is madcap and manic here — and when it works it works, with particular thanks to Cho, naturally, as well as Shakir and Pineda. Season one of Cowboy Bebop is available to stream via Netflix. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK YELLOWJACKETS When Yellowjackets begins, it's with an intriguing mystery, a killer cast — led by the compulsively watchable Melanie Lynskey (Mrs America), Juliette Lewis (Breaking News in Yuba County) and Christina Ricci (Percy vs Goliath) — and a deep valley full of trauma. In their high-school years, Shauna Sheridan (Lynskey, and also The Kid Detective's Sophie Nélisse as a teenager) and Natalie (Lewis, plus The Tomorrow Man's Sophie Thatcher) were key players on the titular high-achieving New Jersey soccer team, while Misty (Ricci, as well as Shameless' Samantha Hanratty) was the squad's frequently bullied student manager. Then, en route to a big match in Seattle on a private plane in 1996, they entered Lost territory. That crash saw the survivors stranded in the wilderness for 19 months, and living their worst Lord of the Flies lives, too. As established in a tremendous first episode directed with the utmost precision by Destroyer's Karyn Kusama, Yellowjackets isn't simply interested in an inherently disturbing experience that'd change anyone's life. It's just as obsessed with that transformation itself — with how, after falling from the sky, learning to endure in such remote surroundings and plummeting into a horror movie, someone copes when normality supposedly comes calling afterwards. Flitting between the two 25-years-apart time periods, it's about tragedies endured, paths taken, necessities accepted and the echoes that linger from all three. Even just a handful of episodes in, this instant must-see is chilling, perceptive, resonant and potent. Yellowjackets is streaming via Paramount+, with new episodes dropping weekly. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM There's no one on television quite like Larry David. Famously, the Seinfeld creator was the inspiration for George Constanza, but that comparison will never do justice to the on-screen version of David himself. The writer and comedian has played that fictionalised, satirised version in Curb Your Enthusiasm for 11 seasons over the course of more than two decades now, and he's a character that overflows with complexities and contradictions. He's notoriously and excruciatingly petty. He has zero tact or sensitivity. He's constantly in everyday situations that seem him forced to navigate social codes and conventions, and he's always putting them to the test. When he's wrong, he's the king of cringe comedy. When he's right, he's the champion of everyday grievances. In this HBO comedy, they don't just get aired at Festivus around a pole. Setting up a spite store — opening a coffee shop next door to an identical cafe purely for malicious reasons — anchored Curb Your Enthusiasm's tenth series. In season 11, David is trying to make TV again. He has an idea for a Young Rock/Everybody Hates Chris-style show called Young Larry which he's shopping around to streaming platforms but, as always, he's his own worst enemy. The episode featuring the great Albert Brooks as himself is one of the show's best ever, and also a delightful tribute to the late Bob Einstein, a former CYE regular and Brooks' real-life brother. Watching David at his best and worst is always this discomfort-courting series' core, though, and he's as stellar as he's ever been. Season 11 of Curb Your Enthusiasm is streaming via Binge, with new episodes dropping weekly. HAWKEYE Another month, another reason to direct your eyeballs towards Marvel. 2021 hasn't quite played out like that, but only just — there's been three MCU movies so far (Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals), three streaming series before now (WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki), and there's still Spider-Man: No Way Home to come. And, Hawkeye has just started bringing the franchise's arrow-slinging hero to the small-screen. Jeremy Renner (Mayor of Kingstown) returns to the eponymous character, aka Clint Barton, but he isn't actually the main attraction in this miniseries. That'd be Hailee Steinfeld (Dickinson) as Kate Bishop, who has taken inspiration from from Barton, is just as handy with a bow and arrow, and finds herself becoming his protege. There's a lot of scene-setting in the series' first episodes — establishing Bishop's story, including links back to The Avengers in 2012, and also stepping inside Barton's ordinary life with his family (the presence of which, even as just a background detail, has always made the character stand out). Nonetheless, Steinfeld's addition to Marvel's ever-growing on-screen realm provides just the spark that Hawkeye needs, and that the broader MCU could use as well. The fact that Florence Pugh is set to reprise her Black Widow favourite Yelena Belova in the show, too, firmly thrusts it towards the future — and hopefully, finally and welcomely sets the scene for a different generation of heroes. Hawkeye is streaming via Disney+, with new episodes dropping weekly. EXCELLENT RECENT CINEMA RELEASES TO CATCH UP WITH IMMEDIATELY NITRAM It's terrifying to contemplate something so gut-wrenchingly abominable as the bodies-in-barrels murders, which director Justin Kurzel and screenwriter Shaun Grant depicted in 2011's Snowtown, and to face the fact that people rather than evil were behind them. Nitram courts and provokes the same response. Exploring the events preceding the Port Arthur massacre, where 35 people were murdered and 23 others wounded in Tasmania in 1996, it focuses on something equally as ghastly, and similarly refuses to see the perpetrator as just a monster or a Hollywood horror movie-style foe. It too is difficult, distressing, disquieting and disturbing, understandably. In their third collaboration — with 2019's bold and blazing True History of the Kelly Gang in the middle — Kurzel and Grant create another tricky masterpiece, in fact. That Nitram is about a person is one key reason for its brilliance. The film's core off-screen duo don't excuse their protagonist. They don't justify the unjustifiable, explain it, exploit it, or provide neat answers to a near-unfathomable crime. Rather, they're careful in depicting the lone gunman responsible for Australia's worst single-shooter mass killing, right down to refusing to name him. In an exacting movie in every way possible, they also benefit from exceptional performances by Caleb Landry Jones (Finch) as the film's namesake, Judy Davis (Mystery Road) as his wearied mother, Anthony LaPaglia (Below) as his father and Essie Davis (The Justice of Bunny King) as his lottery heiress friend. Nitram is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. BECOMING COUSTEAU He's been parodied in a Wes Anderson film and mentioned in a Flight of the Conchords song. His red beanie, and those worn by his fellow crew members on his research ship Calypso, are an enduring fashion symbol. He won the second-ever Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or — becoming not only the first filmmaker to receive the prestigious prize for a documentary, but the only one to do so for almost half a century afterwards. When he started making television in the 60s, he turned his underwater-shot docos about the sea into truly must-see TV. He helped create undersea diving as we know it, and he's the most famous oceanographer that's ever lived. He was also one of the early voices who spoke out about climate change and humanity's impact upon the oceans. He's a rockstar in every field he dived into — and he's Jacques Cousteau, obviously. Becoming Cousteau touches on all of the above — except The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and Flight of the Conchords' 'Fou de Fafa', of course — and makes for a a riveting splash into its namesake's life and career. There's just so much to tell, to the point that it frequently feels as if director Liz Garbus (an Oscar-nominee for What Happened, Miss Simone?) could've filled an entire series instead. This isn't just an affectionate ode, though, even with ample praise floated Cousteau's way. Garbus knows that Cousteau's achievements, and the glorious archival footage that comes with it, elicit an awe-struck reaction, but doesn't shy away from thornier aspects, the tragedies and struggles among them. Becoming Cousteau is available to stream via Disney+. Read our full review. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October this year — and our top straight-to-streaming movies and specials from 2021 so far, and our list of the best new TV shows released this year so far as well.
Singer, songwriter and all round rock demigod J Mascis is one of the most crucial figures in the international rock scene. He's also the definition of hair envy, the lead guitarist of Dinosaur Jr and pretty rad skater. Now, as one of the most in-demand musicians of our time, he’s heading to our neck of the woods to show off some crazy good guitar and swish his hair around like it’s nobody’s business. J Mascis is to Dinosaur Jr what Sting is to The Police, The Slash is to Guns N' Roses and George Michael is to Wham (yep, Wham comparison, right there). As a separate entity, he rocks a unique sound that ranges from the loud and riff-heavy, to something far more fine-lined and docile. This 2015 tour comes off the back of his second and latest solo album, Tied to a Star. He'll be fittingly supported by longtime Aussie rocker Adalita for the Brisbane, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Sydney legs of his Australian tour.
The epic, Western-tinged two-plus hours of John Carter flew by. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the film, which makes it odd that I'm about to spend most of this review digging into it. It's because I love you, John Carter people, and you were less than the sum of your parts. Edgar Rice Burroughs' series of books about the exploits of teleported US Confederate soldier John Carter on the planet of Mars are legendary among fantasy fans. Like, Tolkien legendary. It paints a picture of Mars — Barsoom in the local language — as ridden with civil war that is killing the planet. The enlightened city of Helium is on the defence against the creeping, consumptive city Zodanga, but it will take the involvement of Carter and the hitherto neutral tribe of Tharks to tip things in their favour. What happens on Barsoom is complicated, which is part of what makes it an absorbing, convincing, full world. Suffice it to say, there are good guys — Carter (Taylor Kitsch), Princess Dejah (Lynn Collins) of Helium, self-sacrificing Thark Sola (voiced by Samantha Morton) — and bad guys: Prince Sab Than (Dominic West) of Zadonga, the god-like Therns (led by Mark Strong), the tyrannical Thark Tal Hajus (voiced by Thomas Haden Church). The bad guys have all the tech, but the good guys have all the righteousness. Studios have been trying to make John Carter into a movie for decades, and ultimately, that might be the problem. Even when it's fantastic, it feels old. It's not the fault of the visual effects, which, although they might not have the majesty of Avatar, are still rich, seamless and alive (oddly, only the make-up required to turn the humanoid Barsoomians red looks fake). There's just a different sensibility to the action/adventure/fantasy genre these days, and dream team director Andrew Stanton (WALL-E, Finding Nemo) and cowriters Michael Chabon (author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, The Yiddish Policemen's Union) and Mark Andrews (another Pixar luminary) chose not to invoke it. This is most apparent in characterisation. Despite the occasional charms both actors bring to the roles, crusaders and lovebirds Carter and Dejah are a little too perfect, a little too staid, a little too archetypal. They speak in grandiose non-communications. They are never tongue-in-cheek or self-referential. Perhaps that means John Carter will age handsomely, but in the present, it doesn't fit. And that brings us to another gaping anachronism: No-one left on Earth thinks there may be life on Mars, now or anytime in the last 100 years. Space probes since the 1960s have told us so. When Burroughs wrote the series (1912-43), Mars hung heavy with possibility, but it no longer captures our imaginations in the same way. In fact, popular theories going around the internet suggest movies made about Mars are doomed to commercial failure, and Disney clocked on too late. Audiences are keen to suspend reality, but only when led into a compact by a tenable proposition. In this case, John Carter is saddled with a ridiculousness it doesn't deserve. For those who prefer their adventure stories set in space, there's much to enjoy in John Carter, and you might even get original-trilogy-Star Wars-level tingles. But with a few key tweaks, it could have carried so much more critical and box-office weight, and that's the disappointment.
Not content with doing big business in cinemas over the past decade, Marvel is bringing its superhero tales to the small screen, as part of Disney's already-announced plans to broaden out the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That was always going to be the case once the Mouse House moved into the streaming realm. In fact, producing a slew of high-profile titles for Disney+ was on its agenda right from the beginning. But, while Star Wars fans have already been able to enjoy The Mandalorian — which aired one season in 2019, and will launch its second season in October — Marvel aficionados have had to hold out a little longer to get their episodic caped crusader fix. By the time that 2020 is out, that wait will be over — for one of the MCU shows that's been announced for Disney+, at least. While an exact release date hasn't been revealed as yet, WandaVision will hit the streaming platform by the end of the year, with the spinoff series obviously focusing on Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany). Story-wise, the show follows its titular characters in their home lives. As a sneak peek back in February initially teased, and the just-dropped first trailer demonstrates in a little more detail, that premise definitely isn't as straightforward as it seems. At first, Wanda and Vision appear to be stranded in a classic 50s sitcom and experiencing the epitome of suburban living. To really stress that feeling, these scenes are rendered in black and white, too. Of course, as anyone who remembers the path the characters' arcs took on the big screen will guess, this seeming domestic bliss will come with a twist. As well as Olsen and Bettany, the trailer also features Kathryn Hahn (I Know This Much Is True) — while Kat Dennings is set to reprise her Thor and Thor: The Dark World character of Darcy Lewis; Randall Park will reprise his Ant-Man and the Wasp role as FBI agent Jimmy Woo; and Teyonah Parris (Mad Men) will play Monica Rambeau, an older version of Maria Rambeau's daughter from Captain Marvel. WandaVision's six-episode season was actually originally due to hit Disney+ after The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which focuses on Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) and Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie), but it appears that plan has changed. The latter doesn't currently have a release date — and as for Loki, starring Tom Hiddleston, it's supposed to drop in 2021. Check out the WandaVision trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy0DLVQfL_I&feature=youtu.be WandaVision will hit Disney+ sometime later in 2020 — we'll update you with a release date when it is announced.
With the end of daylight savings time fast approaching, now's the time to make the most of our extended sunshine hours. Slipping into the calendar just before the change is A 2021 Night Out, a one-night-only event celebrating the best of Paddington (postcode: 2021), in the year 2021 (see what they did there?). On Thursday, March 25, the streets of Paddington will come to life as over 100 local businesses in the area host an evening of fashion, food and festivities. There'll be happenings at sites in the main zones of Oxford Street, Five Ways, The Intersection and William Street. A 2021 Night Out is a partnership between Woollahra Council, City of Sydney Council and Visit Paddington. It's no secret that Paddington is home to some of the best hospo venues in town, so be sure to come hungry. Whet the appetite at subterranean cocktail den Charlie Parker's, which will debut two brand-new, Paddington-inspired cocktails on the night. Both drinks will showcase Paddo-based spirits company Buckley's Rye Whisky: Buckley's Rye 'n' Dry is a refreshing highball topped with house ginger soda, while Banana Buckley's is an intriguing mix of rye, banana mead and Pedro Ximénez. [caption id="attachment_652491" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Italian Bar, Kitti Gould[/caption] Kick on down the street at Italian Bar, which will be putting on a pizza party (sidebar: why isn't every party a pizza party?). Come for the $30 pizza degustation and stay for the vibes, with a free house drink and live DJ setting the mood. Cutting the carbs? Glenmore Road stalwarts — and sibling restaurants — Eat Thai and Vino e Cucina will be grilling up a storm. Eat Thai will be putting on a Thai barbecue for the night, while Vino will plate up delicious grilled lamb skewers. End the night with an outdoor barbecue fiesta at the cosy Cafe Fiveways. In addition to its all-day menu, the venue will be offering marinated skewers, salads, wine, cocktails and cold beer, available for both dine-in and takeaway. For more information on all participating businesses and their exclusive offers for A 2021 Night Out, head here. Top image: Charlie Parker's
Maybe Sammy is no stranger to accolades, landing on the World's Best Bar list multiple times and even taking out the number one spot on last year's Top 500 Bars for 2023 list. The Sydney institution has now pulled some strings with its fellow award-winning mixologists to put together another massive lineup for the return of its huge cocktail festival dubbed Maybe Cocktail Festival, which first debuted in 2023. Presenting free pop-ups starring over 30 of the world's top bartending talent between Tuesday, April 9–Sunday, April 14 across Sydney, this is one not to miss. The lineup spans several inner-city venues including the OG Maybe Sammy in The Rocks, as well as Dean & Nancy on 22, Sammy Junior, The Strand Hotel Rooftop and Paddington's crowd-favourite, El Primo Sanchez. Throughout the festivities, the guest bartenders will arrive at venues, usually for three-hour shifts demonstrating their world-renowned mixology skills. Each guest appearance will be accompanied by its own special one-off cocktail menu, with all cocktails priced between $20–25 throughout the festival. [caption id="attachment_949451" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julio Bermejo, creator of the Tommy's Margarita from Tommy's Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco.[/caption] For the festival, the hospitality group has enlisted the help of international venues that joined the ranks of The World's 50 Best Bars 2023 and also placed between 50 and 100 on the longlist. Some of the spots you can look forward to on the lineup include Handshake Speakeasy (number three on the list), plus Argo from Hong Kong, Freni e Frizioni from Rome and Edinburgh's Panda & Sons, all of which landed within the top 35. [caption id="attachment_949453" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Edinburgh's Panda & Sons crew.[/caption] Other bars set to feature from across Europe, Asia, North America and South America include Bar Leone, Origin Bar, Trick Dog, Bar Nouveau, A Bar with Shapes for a Name, Dante, Like Minded Creatures, Gucci Guardino and La Punta Expendio de Agave. Alongside these international appearances, there will also be a celebration of our own top-notch bartenders via The Best of Australia event, featuring members of the Cantina OK!, The Waratah and Bondi Icebergs Dining Room & Bar teams. Plus, the recently-opened Caterpillar Club will be hosting an official opening afterparty to kick off the festivities on Thursday, April 11 — the only event which will not require an RSVP as it'll operate on a 'first come, first serve' basis. Rounding out the program is the All-Star Maybe Masterclass where four of the international bars will descend upon Castlereigh Street. Tickets for all other events are free, however this one requires a $30—70 spend to secure a spot. Head to the Maybe Sammy Cocktail Festival website to check out the full rundown of who will be appearing where and at what time across the jam-packed six days. [caption id="attachment_932655" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Caterpillar Club[/caption] Top image: Maybe Sammy, Steven Woodburn.
