Local adventurers We Are Explorers are on a mission to make the outdoors easy and accessible, so they're leading 12 enthusiastic explorers on a two-day Wilderness Canoe Escape for the weekend of April 29 through 30. Participants will meet around three hours south of Sydney, where they will be guided by the company's founder to canoe through a natural gorge and reach a secluded, 'secret' campsite that is truly away from it all. The excursion will see participants fishing, wild-swimming and end the day with a feast over some quality campfire downtime. Each ticket includes a two-person Wenoah Royalex canoe (to be shared), a professional canoeist guide, a weekend photography package and an LED head torch, as well as all food and snacks for the duration of the trip. No experience is required as the Canoe Escape is suitable for all skill levels — but you will need to bring your own SLR camera or sort a rental with the WAE crew. Now that's easy-as adventuring at its finest. Images: We Are Explorers.
The bins and footpaths of Sydney have recently become the resting place for hundreds of abandoned umbrellas. As the city entered yet another day of apocalyptic wind and rain, the hashtag #umbrellageddon revealed the full extent of the damage, with many brave brollies mangled beyond repair. In the face of such ruin, many citizens have found themselves searching for an umbrella made of sturdier stuff. As luck would have it, we think we’ve found the perfect one. Dutch company Senz° Umbrellas market their product as a storm-proof umbrella, capable of withstanding winds of up to 100km/h. According to their website, "the senz° aerodynamic canopy acts as an aero-foil lifting the light but exceptionally strong umbrella to an upright position and effortlessly slices through the wind." We're not too sure why you'd need to pelvic thrust your companion or deliberately lift your skirts in a high-wind situation, but we're hoping the product is better than its publicity shots. Prices start at $75, which is probably more than you’ve ever paid for an umbrella. But, as Senz° are quick to point out, "instead of buying lots of crappy umbrellas each year, it's wiser to invest in great products that last." These guys aren’t the only innovators when it comes to umbrella technology. Chinese inventor Chuan Wang recently reached his Kickstarter goal to manufacture an invisible umbrella that uses airflow to shield user from the rain. There's also a group of British designers are currently working on LeafXPro, an attachable windscreen for your bike. Of course, whether either invention would actually have held up in Sydney this week is another question entirely.
For a lot of us, 2020 so far has involved a whole heap less travel than we'd usually like. With devastating bushfires raging across the country, many had to forego our annual summer trips and stay at home. Then, COVID-19 hit Australia, resulting in nationwide restrictions on travel. Recently, the Australian Government announced its three-step roadmap out of COVID-19 lockdown, with talks of interstate and possibly trans-Tasman travel happening before the end of July. Finally, we can start dreaming of our next trip away. And to help inspire your post-iso plans, Tourism Australia is hosting an online program of virtual travel experiences and entertainment. Best of all, it's completely free. Dubbed Live from Aus, the program will run from Saturday, May 16 to Sunday, May 17 via its YouTube channel and Facebook page. It'll feature everything from Phillip Island's penguins to underwater reef tours at the Great Barrier Reef, music by First Nations artists with Uluru as its backdrop, Mona's Spectra light show, an Australian wine tour with Adelaide Hills' Unico Zelo, a cheesemaking session with Jo Barrett and Matt Stone, sunrise yoga at Byron Bay and cooking the ultimate Aussie brunch with Darren Robertson, Mark LeBrooy and Andy Allen from Three Blue Ducks (if you want to cook along, you can check out the recipes here). All up, expect a taste for Australia's natural beauty, food, music, wildlife and culture. Other highlights include a disco party with The Wiggles, an exploration of Indigenous Australian ingredients with famed chef and MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo, tours of Australia's greatest golf greens, pub trivia, a coffee making tutorial with Ona Coffee, a tour of Kangaroo Island, a night at the Opera House and Dreamtime stories with Darren 'Capes' Capewell. You can check out the full program and times here. Live from Aus will kick off at 7am AEST on Saturday, May 16 till Sunday, May 17. You can tune in for free via Facebook or its website. Images: Uluru Sunset Session with First Nations music curated by Sounds Australia, Underwater Reef Tour at the Great Barrier Reef, Penguin Parade Bedtime Stories from Phillip Island and Kangaroo Island Tour with Craig Wickham — all courtesy of Tourism Australia.
Held weekly on a Friday in Warriewood, The Beaches Market is one of the most popular farmers and fresh produce markets in Sydney with over 100 quality stalls. The majority of the produce is organic, home grown and hand picked, and arrives fresh from the farm that day. While you stroll through the markets selecting your fresh produce for the week, have a chat to some of the passionate and hard working farmers and tradespeople. You can also pick up local honey, speciality cheese, olive oil, bread, fish, meat, plants and flowers. There's also a selection of stalls selling homewares, fashion, jewellery and handmade items, as well as live music to soundtrack your wholesome shopping experience.
Astronomy, wine and a crackling campfire — if that sums up a few of your favourite things, then the folks at Blue Mountains Stargazing might just have curated your ultimate night out. On a regular basis, the company is hosting a fun new variation on its popular stargazing tours, which'll see you sipping vino around the fire pit while learning about — and marvelling at — the twinkling night sky. Next taking place on Friday, June 4, these sessions will take place among the vines of the Megalong Valley's Dryridge Estate. As the sunset throws its striking colours over the Great Dividing Range, guests will enjoy an expert-led tasting of seven different wines, matched to a ploughman's board loaded with the likes of cheese, pickles and locally-made bread. After dark, an astrophysicist will guide your group on a two-hour stargazing tour, sharing tips and tricks for getting the most out of a naked-eye astronomy session. You'll also get to peek at those stars through binoculars and a telescope, and pick some astrophysicist brains during a Q&A, before settling in around the campfire for some constellation storytelling. [caption id="attachment_808166" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dryridge Estate[/caption] Updated May 22.
Whether beloved bands are reuniting, old lineups are reforming or still-touring groups who hit the charts decades ago are simply heading our way again, we're living in a golden age of musical blasts from the past. On a stage near you at any given time, one of your old-school favourites is likely taking to the microphone, spanning across a huge range of genres. The latest to join the trend: Sugababes. The British girl group is hitting up Australia's east coast this summer, with shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in February. If you're a fan, you likely now have 'Push the Button' or 'Overload' stuck in your head — or a medley that includes 'Freak Like Me', 'Round Round', 'Hole in the Head', 'Walk This Way' and 'About You Now' as well. This isn't just any old throwback tour, however. It will also see Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy — aka Sugababes' OG members — bust out the group's hits. Each of the trio left individually in the 00s, with Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen taking their places, but they've been back together with the initial lineup since 2012. This'll be the first time in more than two decades that Buena, Buchanan and Donaghy have hit Australia together, which is massive news for fans. And, given that Sugababes were one of the British girl groups of the early 21st century — and are one of the biggest-selling British girl groups of all time — there's plenty of those around. SUGABABES AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2023: Thursday, February 23 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Friday, February 24 — Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne Monday, February 27 — Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Sugababes are touring Australia in February 2023, with pre-sale tickets available from 9am local time on Tuesday, December 20 and general sales from 9am local time on on Wednesday, December 21. Head to the tour website for further details.
Launch straight in the Easter long weekend at The Cliff Dive. At 9pm on Thursday 24 March, yet another incarnation of the club's mega-popular Naughty Noughties night will kick off. If you've been before, you'll know it's all about taking unashamed pride in your addiction to the 2000s charts. Taking care of the DJing will be Adam Bozzetto aka DJ Chardonnay (Wordlife/Motorik/Heaps Decent), who's promising to drop a 20-minute Jennifer Lopez medley; Leon Smith, 'Australia's Number One Strip Club DJ' (stay with us) and expert in all things 50 Cent, Ja Rule and Crazy Town; and upcoming talent JORDVN. As usual, fashion blogger 24 Karat Kev will be doing the emceeing.
Yeah, we're thinking he's back — John Wick, that is. Five years after Keanu Reeves introduced everyone's favourite assassin (and dog owner) to the world, and two years after the film scored its first sequel, the action-packed franchise is bringing its third instalment to the big screen in 2019. Entitled John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum and due to hit cinemas in May, the series' latest follow-up picks up where the last flick left off, aka with Wick being hunted down by his fellow killers. With a $14 million price tag on his head, plenty of hitmen and women are out to collect the bounty. And all of this because, in the first film, he became the proud owner of an adorable puppy. If you're not up on your Latin, parabellum means 'prepare for war', which is just what a kick-ass Keanu looks primed to do. This time, he'll have Halle Berry in his corner — and he's not adverse to brandishing some firepower while riding a horse. As for the rest of the cast, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick and Jason Mantzoukas all return from the previous flicks, as does Reeves' The Matrix co-star Laurence Fishburne, while Anjelica Huston ranks among the new additions. Check out the first trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v2P3cpPOXY&feature=youtu.be John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum releases in Australian cinemas on Thursday, May 16.
You've watched the original movie to death, surely had some of that sweet 80s merch, and probably watched the all-female reboot flick when it hit cinemas in 2016. Now, you can take your Ghostbusters obsession to the next level, as a spooky new escape room inspired by the cult film lands in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne just in time for Halloween. Dubbed GhostMaze, the immersive pop-up will take over a secret location in each city, where you can live out your wildest ghostbusting fantasies and soak up some old-school gaming nostalgia. Details are scarce, but we do know that this movie-inspired adventure will take the form of a full-sized maze, with dark corners to navigate, prizes to hunt down and ghosts to avoid... unless you fancy being slimed. GhostMaze will be held across various sessions, with each one will featuring DJ tunes, a pop-up bar pouring Ghostbusters-themed cocktails and, of course, more prizes for the punters with the best costumes. Better start rounding out some mates to join in the fun — who you gonna call? In the meantime, you can rewatch the trailer for outfit inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vntAEVjPBzQ To find out more details as they drop and to register for pre-release GhostMaze tickets, sign up now at the website.
Sydney's pop-up events organiser and vintage queen Dear Pluto has operated out of the Mini-Mart Petersham collective space for 11 years now, but its fashion reign is coming to an end. The brand is hosting its last-ever vintage sale and closing its local storage space. This bitter moment, however, comes with a sweet parting gift — the brand is hosting one last blowout sale in true 'everything must go' style. It's happening this week from Thursday, June 13 till Sunday, June 16, with prices starting at just five bucks. Expect heaps of 1950s through 1990s fashion up for grabs, for both men and women. Every last garment will be on sale, including Christian Dior dressing gowns, Adidas track suits and even one very special 1960s pink fur coat. These endless racks of quality threads will be on serious discount, too, starting with a $5 sale bin. If you already have enough in your wardrobe but can't miss out on a good quality shop, the collective's other tenants will be open for a browse as well — think indoor plants, 'lewd' cards by Millie Hall and other artisan homewares aplenty. There will be no restocking, so serious shoppers will want to get in early. The sale will run Thursday and Friday from 11am–6pm, Saturday from 9am–4pm and Sunday from 10am–3pm.
The year is 2113, you are about to embark on a walking tour that dissects the consumerism, ignorance and individualism of 2013. Well, sort of. It's not really 2113, but this comedic tour of our fair city, led by a penguin (writer/performer Xavier Toby) pokes fun at the rampant idiocy of contemporary living and the possible implications of living in an age of overconsumption and intolerance. The mixture of comedy, activism, archaeology and strolling is a rare one that prompted Artshub to call When We Were Idiots "interactive theatre at its energetic best". Read the rest of our top ten picks of the Sydney Fringe Festival 2013.
Sydney is notorious for its streets that bend like tangled shoelaces, its laughable town planning that left our Town Hall facing the wrong direction (the original front faces the QVB) and a public transport system about as efficient as underground solar panels. But Sydney is also home to a sunny harbour framed by two of the 20th Century’s most impressive architectural feats, parks that feel like paradise, some of the world’s greatest outdoor city festivals and a legacy of elegant colonial buildings that bring us into conflict with our Aboriginal heritage. Public Sydney: Stop, Look, Live is an exhibition presented by the Historic Houses Trust, inspired by Philip Thalis and Peter John Cantrill’s newly released book Public Sydney: Drawing the City. It’s a good starting point for anybody interested in Sydney’s design and offers a basic architectural and social history of iconic public sites including Bennelong Point, the Museum of Sydney, Hyde Park, Central Station and Town Hall. There are some cool old photographs that remind us we weren’t always a hip cosmopolitan metropolis, historical artifacts including a two-ton canon and even an impressive to-scale drawing of the Opera House along one wall. There are videos that chart each site’s history, including vox pops of people waiting for friends at Town Hall steps (not just Goths and tourists it turns out!) and along the Opera House forecourt. There’s also a great photo essay including images of the skaters who spend sun dappled afternoons sharing the tricks of their trade by the Pool of Reflection in Hyde Park and the bike couriers who hang out on the steps near the GPO at Martin Place. But further than eating sandwiches on steps and strolling through tree-lined parks (all excellent and valid activities), Public Sydney washes over one of the most powerful ways in which we have shaped these public spaces. That is, through political and civic engagement. Other than a black-and-white photograph of a rally at Town Hall, this exhibition steers well clear of our political engagement with Sydney’s public spaces. How have we, the public, used these marvelously designed sites for protests, rallies, celebrations and other mass forms of civic engagement? What do these buildings, parks and street corners mean if they haven’t been shaped throughout history by ideological, cultural and humanitarian displays of expression and debate? It is these elements that really inform how a public engages with, experiences and shapes a city. Without them, Sydney is no more than a shiny shell inhabited by a benign and somewhat flaccid public. Public Sydney’s saving grace in this respect is that it offers you, the public, the opportunity to share your own stories – both in the exhibition and online. What are the hidden public histories layered within these spaces? How do you spend your time in the Pearl of the Pacific? Help set the record straight. Local zine maker and master of urban detail Vanessa Berry will be running a parallel blog as part the exhibition.
Ever since it’s birth in 2001 my friends and I have loyally attended Fuzzy Field Day as if it were Christmas lunch at Aunty Tricia’s. No matter what sins are committed the night before, we all meet at a mate’s house, down a few hairs-of-the-dog and head to the Sydney Domain arm-in-arm. This year, Field Day has, as always, sold out – so I will, as always, spend the build up to the New Year hunting down an unwanted ticket. Why? Because when you're dancing deliriously as the sun sets over Sydney’s cityscape and some superstar DJ (this year its 2Many DJS) drops the cheesiest track of the year, probably Thriller by Michael Jackson - you realise you’re in exactly the right place at the right time. Or at least not hungover at home munching Nurofen under the doona.This year Field Day embraces live music with The Presets, Architecture in Helsinki and Miami Horror all playing live on the main stage.
There's never been a better reason to drink. Order a Negroni from participating bars during Negroni Week, coming up June 1–7, and you’ll earn $1 for charity. Yep, it’s as simple as that. Negroni Week, an international event, was initiated by Imbibe magazine two years ago. In 2013, 300 bars participated, but by 2014, that number had more than quadrupled, to 1,300. And this year, Imbibe has teamed up with Campari to take Negroni Week global. Consequently, it’s arriving in Australia for the first time. The Negroni was invented in 1919 in Florence, Italy. It came about when a Count named Camillo Negroni ordered an Americano (Campari, sweet vermouth and soda) in a local bar, but decided to add an extra kick. He asked the bar tender to replace the soda with gin, and lo, the Negroni was born. While other cocktails have gone in and out of fashion, the world has been sipping this delicately balanced and beautifully bitter concoction ever since. To find your nearest participating venue, visit the Negroni Week website, or if you just want to see the shortlist, check out our picks of the top five Negroni bars in Sydney.
If you only see one play this year, make it two. Angels in America is an epic in two parts, Millennium Approaches and Perestroika, and Belvoir is putting them on in repertory, giving you the option of seeing both works back to back in one day. At some point, it ceases being theatre and becomes an event. It takes you past familiar experience and leaves you poised for something new and unforgettable. The play itself, by Tony Kushner, is a landmark piece. When he wrote the first part in 1988, AIDS was the great unknown terror. It was one year earlier in Australia that an iconic PSA lodged the grim reaper firmly into our consciousness (terrifying, but part of an impressive and often grassroots education campaign that put Australia ahead of the curve for once). To write about the effect of AIDS on gay men at this time was explosively humanising, let alone to do it with such grandeur and perspective. The play has since been an HBO series and an opera. It's won Tonys and a Pulitzer. It's almost too big to grasp, and yet its subtitle, A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, is a pretty accurate precis. Angels is what an American brand of magic realism might look like crossed with The West Wing. Its characters talk fast about big ideas while travelling to heaven to backchat their divine orders. Prior Walter (Luke Mullins) is the chosen prophet. He's been diagnosed with AIDS, and after a truly wretched night of pain during which he's hospitalised, his partner, Louis Ironson (Mitchell Butel) leaves him. Louis cannot forgive himself for his act of abandonment, but he also can't go back. Despite the companionship of his friend Belize (DeObia Oparei, channelling Andre Leon Talley), Prior is mostly alone, making him prey to ghostly ancestors, unearthly voices and other phantoms affecting the heavily medicated (or the chosen ones). Meanwhile, Roy Cohn (Marcus Graham) — a Republican power broker, McCarthyist prosecutor, libertarian ranter and all-round vile human being (who's quite real) — is diagnosed with AIDS, too, but he chooses to call it 'liver cancer' and quietly procures himself the latest treatments. His protege, fresh-faced young Mormon Jo Pitt (Ashley Zukerman), is also fighting to repress his sexuality, while his behaviour drives his fragile wife, Harper (Amber McMahon), to disconnect further from reality. As cute as they are to each other, when he does finally admit his feelings, she astral travels to Antartica in the arms of a friendly hallucination. Angels in America is really all about these characters, whom you'll soon be willing to follow anywhere (even Ray, in a Joffrey-like sense), and the actors who bring them to life in front of you. Each performance is more flooring than the last, from the rawness and range of Mullins' Prior to the scary, constant intensity of Graham's Ray (through a combination of make-up/sheer force of will/audience imagination, they also genuinely seem to waste away over the course of the seven hour play, which is startling). Spread across several smaller roles, Robyn Nevin and Paula Arundell charm just as well — in fact, Nevin as Jo's Mormon mother and matronly Communist Ethel Rosenberg (deceased) carries off some of the show's most surprisingly tender moments. The parts were written for the actors to play across gender lines, and it remains a fun touch. Director Eamon Flack is playful but fidelitious. There's fire, snow, blood, smoke and a showstopping special effect, but the production retains a sense of handmade creativity and openness. It asks the audience, play along. The low-tech attitude stops at the set, by Michael Hankin. The guiding thought behind it seems to have been, 'how can we communicate the magnitude and un-temporariness of this production?' And the answer was, tile it, tile it all. Tile it so that ten bathrooms must go naked. Tile it so the audience is forced to imagine the drama of demolition. The glossy, beige-spectrum subway tile evokes the arteries of New York, but it also calls to mind bathrooms, hospitals and every situation in which the easy wiping off of fluids is valued. It's almost the maxi-minimalist set — a statement that simplicity is not a bludge. And in its capacity to make light dance, it's beautiful. This might sound weird, but a seven-hour play is the perfect entertainment for our time. We've already proved we'll watch a season of TV in one sitting, and now any book or movie shaped liked TV — that is, episodically — is likely to fare well, too. Angels in America is such a story. It's not that it doesn't tax your wits; it's that characters you trust will be there to hold your hand when it does. Don't fear seven hours of theatre — go the binge.
Advertising all the new films and TV shows coming our way, trailers are designed to get audiences excited. If you're seeing them in a cinema, they're telling you what you should be heading back to watch next. If you're checking out sneak peeks for new television and streaming releases, they want you to add them to your viewing list. Sometimes, however, a trailer stands out because it has fun with the concept — and the sneak peek at Netflix's new Cowboy Bebop series is one such example. Not only does it send its three central characters on a lively bounty and drop plenty of snarky, quippy dialogue, but it also gets them playing with a split-screen setup in quite the slick, vivid and eye-catching way. Hopefully, that's a sign of visually inventive things to come when the show hits the streaming platform on Friday, November 19, and of the tone that both existing fans of the cult Japanese anime of the same name and newcomers can expect as well. Like its source material, this live-action series is filled with space western hijinks — it wouldn't be Cowboy Bebop otherwise — all as bounty hunters Spike Spiegel (John Cho, The Grudge), Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir, The Deuce) and Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) chase down all of the most dangerous criminals in the solar system. Obviously, Netflix's algorithm told it that everyone loves the original animated 90s series — and that everyone loves Searching, Gemini and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle star Cho as well. When it's right, it's right, clearly. Alex Hassell (The Boys), Elena Satine (Twin Peaks) and New Zealand actor Rachel House (Cousins, Thor: Ragnarok, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) also feature on-screen, while the High Fidelity remake's André Nemec leads the charge behind the camera as Cowboy Bebop's showrunner. Check out the Cowboy Bebop trailer below: Cowboy Bebop will be available to stream via Netflix from Friday, November 19. Top image: Geoffrey Short/Netflix.
From dead characters to killer plants, M Night Shyamalan's films are known for veering off in out-there directions, as everything from The Sixth Sense and The Village to The Happening and Split have shown. So, when a trailer for one of his movies drops, you can expect that it'll tease a strange twist — and the first look at his latest flick, Old, doesn't disappoint. This initial sneak peek only runs for 30 seconds, so it doesn't have time to give too much away. Still, it manages to convey the film's basic premise and establish an eerie tone. A family led by Gael García Bernal (Ema) and Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread) are enjoying a beachside holiday, and everyone seems to be lapping up the secluded setting. Then, the couple's kids disappear behind a few rocks, only to return looking much older than they did mere seconds ago. If you're wondering where Shyamalan will take the concept from there, you'll have to wait until the thriller releases in cinemas in July. The filmmaker has penned the movie's script, too; however, he's based it all Pierre Oscar Lévy and Frederik Peeters' graphic novel Sandcastle. Hoping that it turns out more like Unbreakable and less like The Visit is understandable. As well as Bernal and Krieps, Old has amassed a hefty cast, although most don't appear in the teaser. However the premise plays out, though, it'll involve Rufus Sewell (The Man in the High Castle), Ken Leung (Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens) and Alex Wolff (Hereditary), Australian actors Abbey Lee (Lovecraft Country) and Eliza Scanlen (Babyteeth), and New Zealand's Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit). None of them say "I see old people" in the trailer, and hopefully that'll remain the same in the movie itself. Check out the teaser trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB1m-WogYeg Old opens in Australian cinemas on July 22. Top image: 2021 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Acclaimed Surry Hills theatre company Belvoir is celebrating all things live performance with its new Festival of Everything, a three-week showcase of comedy, dance, theatre, music and performances that push against classification. Headed up by an all-star comedy lineup, the festival consists of nine different shows, each taking residency at the Belvoir's Upstairs Theatre at various points between Tuesday, September 7–Sunday, September 26. Comedy legends Judith Lucy and Eddie Perfect head up part of the program's comedy offerings, alongside Zoe Coombs Marr and Hannah Riley as well. If that's not enough laughs, there's also a stand-up showcase featuring the likes of Dilruk Jayasinha, Lizzy Hoo, Bec Charlwood and David Woodhead, plus the return of popular live foley comedy show 44 Sex Acts in One Week. Outside of the comedy space, you'll find Afternoon Tea at Sex, an exploration of storytelling through music, plus Neglected Musical's Curtains, a musical mystery and parody of backstage murder mystery productions. The Lingalayam Dance Company will also be joining the festival as well, captivating audiences with Kuruntokai, a look at our relationship to nature through dance, music and 13th-century poetry. The festival kicks off part two of Belvoir's 2021 season. Following the September run, the theatre company will host its first-ever repertory season featuring Alana Valentine's Wayside Bride and Caryl Churchill's Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, two thematically connected works set centuries and thousands of kilometres apart. Rounding out the season is The Boomkak Panto, a pantomime celebrating small-town Australia and the theatre. Top image: Daniel Boud
Tracey Emin, one of the infamous YBA's, emerged in the late 1990s under the watchful eye of ubiquitous advertising-cum-gallerist magnate Charles Saatchi. Regardless of the form her work takes — she tinkers with text, neon, painting, textiles and photography — the content is always Tracey Emin: herself, her childhood, her relationships, her life. Some would question the merits of the underpinnings of her oeuvre, but for Emin, who believes that art and life are one and the same, is not the most direct route to present her own life as art? Dutch historian, art critic and curator, Rudi Fuchs has described Emin as an honest realist. Her work is not always easy to look at, nor is it pleasant to think about where it came from. But much of the best art is like that, no? Emin's attitude itself says something about the magical capability of art — to allow us to express our humanity in ways that other mediums may not accommodate. Edmund Capon will I'm sure ask her about ideas of self-representation, feminism and expressionism. I’d love to hear what Emin has to say, and I encourage you to come along and join me.
Taste Tuesdays — a new series of monthly dinners — will see some of Sydney's best restaurants join forces for one-off menus and epic chef collaborations. For the first instalment, nel. is teaming up with Harvest Newrybar on Tuesday, April 10. The dinner, dubbed The Foraged Feast, will showcase wild and native ingredients in an on-the-day curated menu. The minds behind the evening include nel.'s executive chef Nelly Robinson and Harvest's head chef Alastair Waddell, along with Harvest's forager Peter Hardwick. The trio will hunt around the forests, coastline and beaches of Byron Bay and Sydney to source the dinner's ingredients. They'll be making the rounds throughout the dinner, too, so guests will have the chance to engage one-on-one with the gents and learn a bit more about this foraging business. On the night, patrons will be greeted with a welcome cocktail and snacks, followed by a four-course menu that will be created on the day using local ingredients — which have been collected just hours before. After dinner, guests will receive a complimentary digestif to close the evening. It's all included in the $115 per person ticket price, with a wine pairing on offer for an additional $50. Taste Tuesdays is a global initiative by Taste Festivals, with monthly dinners happening in Sydney, London, Paris and Hong Kong on the same night. The dinner series will continue on the second Tuesday of every month and each one will be held at a different Sydney restaurant — so keep an eye on the website for the next dinner announcement.
If the way that cinema depicts cancer was plotted out on a scale, Babyteeth and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl could easily demonstrate its extremes. One sees its protagonist as a person first and a patient last; the other uses terminal illness as a catalyst for other people's sorrows and struggles (the "dying girl" part of its moniker, right there at the end, is oh-so-telling about how it regards someone with cancer as little but an afterthought). Nowhere Special thankfully sits at the Babyteeth end of the spectrum. That said, its premise screams weepie, and being moved by its story happens easily. But there's an enormous difference between earning that response through an intimate and delicate story about a person's plight — and, here, their quest to provide for the person dearest to them after they're gone — and merely treating their life-and-death tussle as easy grist for the tear-jerking mill. Nowhere Special follows a 35-year-old single father in Belfast, John (James Norton, Little Women), who needs to find an adoptive family for his four-year-old boy (first-timer Daniel Lamont). His cancer has progressed, and now the doting dad and window cleaner's days are numbered, so he's determined to save his son Michael from more sorrow than his absence will naturally bring — in a situation that's pure emotion-courting fodder, but never manipulatively treated as such. Indeed, writer/director Uberto Pasolini opts for understatement and realism, including over overtly endeavouring to incite the kind of non-stop waterworks that most movies with this premise would eagerly turn on. The filmmaker's last feature, 2013's Still Life, was also just as beautifully measured and tender without mawkishness. Although the gap between his two latest pictures is sizeable time-wise, Pasolini hasn't lost his touch for making sensitive and affecting cinema. Suffering an illness that's turned fatal, and possessing little energy to get through everything that comes with being a single father, John's own fate isn't his primary concern. Nowhere Special takes time to dwell in the routine that marks its protagonist's remaining days — washing panes of glass, making the most of the time he has left with Michael, trying to secure his son new parents, feeling exhausted by all of it but still soldiering on while he can — which seems both mundane and extraordinary in tandem. The always-unspoken fact that life goes on even when it doesn't lingers throughout the film, as stark as a freshly cleaned, newly gleaming window, and contributes to the prevailing bittersweet mood. That's Nowhere Special's baseline. As it charts John's efforts to get Michael the best future he possibly can without himself in it, it soaks in the ups and downs of the pair's life together, recognising that it's both ordinary and remarkable — because all lives are. The search at hand is a difficult one, even when pursued with the best of intentions — by John and with the help of social worker Shona (Eileen O'Higgins, Misbehaviour). Unsurprisingly, finding the right people, or person, to entrust your child to forever is a heartbreaking job, and the weight of what John grapples with never fades from the film's emotional landscape. Features that treat ailing characters so considerately may be uncommon, and they are; however, pictures that willingly face the complicated questions, worries and fears that come with knowing your existence is about to end are rarer still. It might come as little surprise that Pasolini found his tale in reality, reportedly after reading a newspaper article about a man in the same circumstances as John, but how gracefully, attentively and still unflinchingly Nowhere Special fleshes out its story never fails to astonish. Both visually and in his storytelling, Pasolini's approach is to dwell on small moments, as well as times shared in passing that might be forgotten by many but mean the world to John. See: the type of mirrored behaviour that a young son adopts from his dad, the sight of them walking around in matching baseball caps, and the joy that Michael gets from washing his toy truck — doing what his dad does in a way that he can, and showing how he idolises his father without needing to voice it. There's an unfussy, unsentimental but always empathetic feel to the Northern Ireland-set movie, and every shot, including in John's mission to relish every second that remains, and with his interviews with prospective new parents both doting and disastrous. While a lesser movie would've used the latter for comedic purposes, that's never part of Nowhere Special's remit. With windows such a key focus — being cleaned and peering into homes that might become Michael's — it's also little wonder that viewing Nowhere Special resembles gazing into a slice of life that isn't just poignant but cherished. Perhaps better known for his television work to-date courtesy of Black Mirror, McMafia, Grantchester and Happy Valley, Norton offers a glimpse into John's soul via his exceptional performance, which conveys a world of devotion and sorrow even when he isn't saying anything. In fact, Pasolini uses dialogue sparingly between his two main characters, knowing that this father-son duo don't always require words to express what they mean, and also recognising that finding the right thing to utter is arduous on both sides. With the also-magnificent Lamont, Norton inhabits scenes of comfortable and treasured silence. Also made plain as a result: that Michael's young mind will only keep the haziest of memories from these times, so it's the loving mood that truly matters above all else. Nowhere Special is easy to sum up: in contrast to its name, it's something outstanding. Its potency also springs from the lens it turns on the kind of character that's infrequently given such thoughtful attention, with or without terminal cancer. Every dollar counts for John, but it's clear that he spends what he has on Michael — as seen in the kid's new clothes and bedding — rather than himself. He's had his own experiences in the social-services system, which beats at the heart of his quest to lock in his son's future. He's been robbed of most of life's opportunities, and he's devoted to ensuring the same doesn't happen for his boy. He's also still wounded by Michael's mother leaving without providing any contact details in her absence, and he's as doting a dad that anyone could ask for. Thanks to both Pasolini and Norton, John is a fleshed-out portrait of someone on the margins, even before his illness factors in. Feeling for his plight isn't just a case of heartstring-tugging; here, it comes as naturally as breathing.
After attracting 286,631 visitors to its inaugural event in 2017, The National: New Australian Art — an epic contemporary Australian art exhibition held across three major Sydney galleries — is back. Due to open in late March 2019, the program will feature works from 65 emerging, mid-career and established artists at the Art Gallery of NSW, the MCA and Carriageworks. Taking care of the AGNSW's offering is Isobel Parker Philip, Curator of Photographs. "States of suspense and anticipation characterise the exhibition at AGNSW, as 24 artists navigate the boundary between chaos and control in work that is by turns political, poetic and personal," Philip said of the exhibition. Look out for Victorian artist Mira Gojak's sculpture Stops, which brings together steel rods and sky blue acrylic yarn, as well as Rushdi Anwar's Irhal (expel), hope and the sorrow of displacement, 2013–ongoing, which combines burnt wooden chairs, black pigment, charcoal and ash. At the MCA, you'll find works by 21 artists from cities, regional areas and remote communities, co-curated by Clothilde Bullen, MCA Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collections and Exhibitions, and Anna Davis, MCA Curator. "We have selected a diverse group of artists whose practices reflect urgent contemporary concerns," they said in a combined statement. "Many pose questions around hierarchies of power and the ways in which different groups are represented, while other artists create new rituals and experiment with improvisational processes." Among these are The Australian Ugliness (2018) by Melbourne's Eugenia Lim — which exhibited in Melbourne earlier this year as part of Open House — a multi-channel video installation exploring our national aesthetic; and Mumu Mike Williams' Kulilaya munuya nitiriwa (Listen and learn from us) (2017), a painting on canvas mail bag, with wood, kangaroo tendon and resin. Meanwhile Daniel Mudie Cunningham, Senior Curator of Visual Arts, has determined the 19-strong program at Carriageworks. "The National 2019 at Carriageworks presents newly commissioned works that map memory and place-making, where the work of art is a form of emotional tourism," he said. "Exploring the boundaries of truth and fiction, the selected artists reflect on the individual's place in an uncertain and ever-shifting world." Tasmanian duo Mish Meijers and Tricky Walsh will be bringing The Crocker Land Expedition, an installation made up of timber, found objects, parachute, plastic and light, while Troy-Anthony Baylis, an Aboriginal artist of the Jawoyn nation, will be continuing (re)presentations of "notions of drag (cultural and gender), landscape and home". The National 2019: New Australian Art will run at AGNSW from 29 March–21 July 2019, and at Carriageworks and the MCA from 29 March–23 June 2019. Entry is free. Images: Melanie Jame Wolf, HIGHNESS (2017), photo by Bryony Jackson; Nat Thomas, Man cleaning up (2017); Abdul-Rahman Abdullah, The Dogs (2017), photo by Tom Ross; Mark Shorter, Schleimgurgeln (2011); Eugenia Lim, The Australian Ugliness (2018), photo by Tom Ross.
Art enthusiasts, collectors and creators, we have news for you. The Other Art Fair is returning to Sydney this May on its 2023 world tour. From Thursday, May 11 to Sunday, May 14, you'll find the fair in The Cutaway, Barangaroo. This supersized concrete void of a venue boasts immense ceiling height, acoustics and ample natural light — perfect for an event with this much colour and popularity. If you aren't already in the know, The Other Art Fair is a roaming international art show that allows you to view, discuss and even purchase art directly from an emerging artist, rather than deal with the red tape and hurdles of buying through a gallery. It's an extensive roster of 120 talents, each selected by a committee of experts, so you'll be purchasing quality work and supporting the local creative scene. And there's more than just their work to expect — there'll be immersive installations, performances, live DJs, and a fully stocked bar. Convinced yet? It should be a great night or day out for art-and experience-lovers alike, and you could walk away with a brand-new piece to hang up at home. Tickets are on sale now with a variety of options, including a 50% discount if you book before Wednesday, April 12. For more information on the event and artists or to book tickets, visit the website.
The World Press Photo Foundation is a global platform connecting professionals and audiences through raw visual journalism and storytelling. The organisation was founded in 1955 when a group of Dutch photographers organised a contest to expose their work to an international audience. Since then, the contest has grown into the world's most prestigious photography competition and global travelling exhibition. The 65th edition of the World Press Photo Exhibition will touch down in Sydney this year and be on display at the State Library of NSW from Saturday, May 21–Sunday, June 19. The winners from this year's contest were chosen by an independent jury that reviewed 64,823 photographs by 4066 photographers from 130 countries — and while the exhibition only showcases a selection, get ready to peer at the best of the best. Taking top honours for 2022: Amber Bracken's image for The New York Times, featuring red dresses hanging on crosses along the roadside to mark the children who died at the Kamloops Indian Residential School. It's a hauntingly striking photo. This will be on display alongside other finalists, plus eye-catching images in categories that span contemporary issues, the environment, general news, nature, portraits and sports. View this post on Instagram A post shared by World Press Photo Foundation (@worldpressphoto) Top image: 2022 Photo Contest, World Press Photo of the Year. Title: Kamloops Residential School. © Amber Bracken for The New York Times.
If you didn't miss a single chapter of Dr Death and you spend more time on Audible than you do with your friends, then this extravaganza is for you. Meet Audiocraft Podcast Festival, a three-day happening dedicated to podcasts. Whether you make them, listen to them or obsess over them, there are talks, panel discussions and workshops for you. Highlights include a session on true crime podcasts with Stephanie Van Schilt (Sisteria) a performance by Avery Trufelman of 99% Invisible, and a live recording of Hey Aunty!. Other names to look out for include Ian Chillag of Everything is Alive (Radiotopia), Mark Pesce of The Next Billion Second (PodcastOne) and Travis De Vries (Broriginals). The action will kick off on Friday, May 31 with an opening night listening party at Forest Lodge's Harold Park Community Hall. A full day of talks will then take place at AFTRS the following day, where you'll learn about everything from pitching to the future of podcasts and recording the sound of icebergs in the Antarctic. On Sunday, the talks will move to The Calyx at the Royal Botanic Garden and will feature a showcase of some of the best moment's from Radiotopia's podcasts. There'll also be a host of workshops happening across the three days, for those keen on creating their own audible series. Image: Bryce Thomas.
Warm weather means heading outside and not only soaking up the sun, but enjoying summer's sultry evenings. It also means finding as many ways to do just that as possible, so how better than heading to a free film screened under the stars? Every year for the past 19 years, Sydney Olympic Park has played host to Movies by the Boulevard, a free summer film fest that's all about the openair experience. This year, it has combined with Sydney Hills Outdoor Cinema and had a name change — now it's called Outdoor Cinema at Sydney Olympic Park — but, thankfully, it's filled with more of the same great things: food, drinks and free films. Held on a selection of evenings between January 4 and 19, it's serving up a feast of 2019 flicks for your outdoor viewing pleasure. Love Avengers: End Game and want to see it again on the big screen? Missed Aladdin the first time round? Eager for a another dose of childhood nostalgia with Toy Story 4? They're all on the agenda, and more. The rest of the lineup spans from more Edna Mode in Incredibles 2, more live-action Disney with Dumbo and more of Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. While you can go and see all of these flicks for free , you can also splash out on some fancy tickets ($17–206). These start with primo seating and free snacks in premium general admission ($17) and go all the way up to the super-luxe VIP tent ($206), which includes your own glamping tent and butler service. If you've been to Sydney Hills Outdoor Cinema, you'll know what to expect from these comfy setups. Also available on site is pizza from the Happy As Larry food truck, slow-cooked barbecue treats and hot buttered popcorn, ice cream and candy. A licensed bar will be pouring beers and wines, too. Gates open at 6pm each night in Cathy Freeman Park, with films kicking off at 8.30pm. BYO blanket and don't forget to register. Top images: Sydney Hills Outdoor Cinema
UPDATE Thursday, June 24: Due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney, Winter in the Domain has been postponed. Heaps Gay's 8th Birthday Carnival will now take place on Saturday, July 17. You can stay up to date with the developing COVID-19 situation in Sydney, as well as current restrictions, at NSW Health. A new winter-themed concert series featuring a family-friendly winter park and a jam-packed lineup of Australian talent is coming to Sydney's CBD this June. Following the tumultuous, yet successful run of Summer in the Domain this March, the Royal Botanical Gardens and The Domain are collaborating for another run of performances set among the CBD skyline titled Winter in the Domain. As part of the three-week run of gigs, Sydney's beloved LGBTQIA+ party collective Heaps Gay is celebrating its eighth birthday with a blockbuster night of performances. Heading up the lineup for the Heaps Gay party are performances from dance-pop group Haiku Hands, pop sensation Banoffee, Western Sydney R'n'B hitmaker A.Girl and Touch Sensitive collaborators The Goods. Across the rest of the 30+ strong lineup are performances from the likes of Millie Sykes, Felicia Foxx, Madam3Empress, Lauren and Heaps Gay's own DJs. Manning the hosting duties for the night will be Ru Paul's Drag Race Down Under's Karen from Finance as well as Sharon Manhattan, while Nana Miss Koori will perform a Welcome to Country to begin the event. Alongside the music and performances, a wondrous Winterpark will be set up in The Domain. The park will include an ice skating rink alongside family-friendly carnival rides, food and drink stalls and heated outdoor spots. The music will run from 5–10pm, with the drinks and rides continuing until 11pm. Top Image: Heaps Gay Qweens Ball 2018
Roku Gin has come together with Three Blue Ducks to create an event that showcases the spirit of shun: A Taste of Bellingen. And we have 15 double passes to give away. Having opened in July 2023, The Lodge in Bellingen has been celebrated for its new menu, which features bold flavours and fresh, seasonal produce. It's bringing its Japanese-inspired menu to the Rosebery location for two seatings: dinner on Friday, November 10, and lunch on Saturday, November 11. The celebrated Three Blue Ducks chef Darren Roberston crafted the limited-run Japanese-inspired menu and will be on-site to host diners as they journey through the four courses (which symbolise the four seasons) — each served with a special cocktail made with Roku gin to further bring the concept of shun to life. Some of the dishes on the menu include oysters with ginger and cherry blossom, salt and pepper squid, grilled asparagus with spanner crab mayo and gyokuro togarashi, barramundi with fragrant dashi, sencha furikake and sea greens and for dessert, diners will get to enjoy a yuzu tart with soft meringue and creme fraiche. Tickets to the bespoke event cost $120, but we have 15 double passes so you and a friend can enjoy the culinary stylings of Roberston and the Three Blue Ducks team for the Friday dinner session. Images: Jude Cohen, Rob Palmer (images of Darren Robertson) [competition]921568[/competition]
With its shadowy aesthetic and soundscape of screeching and whispering, Deliver Us from Evil immediately displays all the typical horror trappings — and its familiarity only continues. Writer/director Scott Derrickson and his frequent co-scribe Paul Harris Boardman may adapt Ralph Sarchie and Lisa Collier Cool's non-fiction tale Beware the Night, yet the history of the frightening on film is just as influential. Think: flickering lights, difficulties with children and animals, creepy incantations, mental institutions, and even an off-putting jack-in-the-box. Add: literal manifestations of obvious themes, with no subtlety necessary. New York City detective Sarchie (Eric Bana) prowls the streets with his partner Butler (Joel McHale), their undercover operations drawn to particular calls by intuition. One instance links to other unusual reports: a domestic violence case connecting to a woman who threw her baby into a lion's den and then a family living in fear of ominous happenings in their basement. Their otherworldly elements are easily dismissed until Sarchie teams up with Mendoza (Edgar Ramirez), a Castilian priest well versed in the occult, sparking a battle of beliefs on multiple levels. Try as the feature might to capitalise upon a pedigree that includes a true story about a lawman turned demonologist, plus a filmmaker experienced in both the paranormal (as helmer of Sinister and The Exorcism of Emily Rose) and procedural (as writer of Devil's Knot), everything about Deliver Us From Evil dwells in by-the-numbers territory. As the narrative lurches through a convoluted web of grim discoveries in alleyways, it remains a predictable pastiche of the genre. Indeed, the blunt audio and visual cues that smack viewers in the face at the outset prove the lesser of the film's sins, evoking an on-edge atmosphere that is instantly let down by the uninspired content. Derrickson and Boardman divide their time between two odd couplings with care for neither, each character — the brooding cop, his wisecracking off-sider, and the solemn man of faith — constrained by broad categorisations. The same cursory treatment is given to Sarchie's unhappy wife (Olivia Munn) and precocious daughter (Lulu Wilson), with both mere emotional fodder. That the majority of performances are similarly rote is unsurprising, though Ramirez stands out as the sole source of texture among the blandness. When the moment everyone has been waiting for finally comes after too much mood-building filler, Deliver Us from Evil dispenses an impressive and extended exorcism scene; however, the flash of sound and fury might not bring too little, but it is too late to erase the film's unremarkable bulk. The dreariness of its derivation just can't be overcome, nor does the film seem to want to. Instead, it wallows in suspension-of-logic, check-the-box horror of the flimsiest order. https://youtube.com/watch?v=eDZaImYSvm0
Next year, Carriageworks will make its debut as a Sydney Biennale Major Venue Partner. The former railyard is well suited to presenting large-scale, site-specific works, having been recently expanded to over 12,000 square metres. Mathias Poledna from Austria, Henry Coombes from Britain, and Yael Bartana from Israel are some of the artists who will take over the space next March as part of the 19th edition of the art fair. The highlight of the program will be the premiere of a new work by Tacita Dean. Dean is one of the Young British Artists (YBAs), a super group that emerged in the late 1980s in London that went on to change the trajectory of contemporary British art. The space will also house a large-scale installation by Dutch artist Gabriel Lester that will respond to the architecture of the building in an exploration of the idea that cinematic and multimedia art is the 'new readymade'. Carriageworks' participation in the Biennale is just one of a really exciting list of upcoming events in the newly renovated space. Director Lisa Havilah explains, "in 2014, Carriageworks unveils an artistic program that is ambitious, risk taking, and above all is artist-led and unrelenting in its support of artists. We remain committed to delivering distinctive, high-quality urban cultural experiences to our audiences". Image: Henry Coombes, I am The Architect (2012)
The latest exhibition at Paddington's Stills gallery features images that take you inside iconic Australian artists' studio spaces — not to mention inside the mechanism of early photography. Robyn Stacey creates her art by turning entire rooms into camera obscura, which, for those who didn't study photography at school, is a dark box with a lens that projects the outside world onto a screen inside, except upside down and back-to-front (much like how our eyes project images onto the retina). Stacey boards up the windows of the spaces she photographs, leaving only a ray of light. Then, for a few hours in the day, an image of the outside world is projected onto the opposing wall, and Stacey photographs this at the perfect moment of light and clarity. This exhibition features photographs of a number of artists' spaces she used this technique on, including Wendy and Brett Whiteley's library, the National Art School and the Rose Seidler House (which was designed by Harry Seidler for his parents, Rose and Max Seidler). You can also step inside rooms that Stacey has turned into camera obscura — one in the gallery and another (for two weeks only on 8-9 and 14-15 October) at the Courthouse Hotel in Darlinghurst's Taylor Square. The exhibition opens at 3pm on Saturday, October 8 with a talk from Wendy Whiteley, or head to the gallery on Saturday, October 15 at 3pm for the artist talk. Image: Robyn Stacey, Inside Wendy & Brett Whiteley Library, Lavender Bay, 2016.
From the stings of damaged guitars to the fingers of laptop-musicians comes The NOW now: a festival offering experimental, impulsive and improvised music to ears that desire sounds and behaviors not usually found in the glistening world of popular music. I must be clear however that such a sentiment should not imply that this shiny and choreographed world is not as valid or entertaining as its experimental counterpart, rather I wish to express the rather obvious fact that our ears (and subsequently brains) have great potential to digest and react to a vast and varied spectrum of sound, whether it be ‘popular’ or not. With this in mind, The NOW now festival brings together a busy three-day schedule in with over 50 musicians to the Blue Mountains, including The Splinter Orchestra, the Norwegian tenor saxophone and trumpet duo Streifenjunko, Quintet Experimenta from Argentina, as well as S.I.M.S Project, who incorporate SMS (Short Messenge Service) into their compositions. For more details and the full program see the website.
This free yoga for wine lovers class is all about balancing life's pleasures and truly nurturing your body and mind. On an autumn evening, this ying yoga class will help you relax in a restorative, extended two-hour practice and then unwind further with a glass of wine post savasana. Hosted by Manly's The Yoga Space, the class focuses on the idea that everything is good for you in moderation — we certainly can't imagine anything more relaxing than meditation followed by a cheeky glass of wine. The fact that this soul-nourishing goodness is free is just the cherry on top of a relaxing evening.
The Pope of Trash is back, he's here to have a lively chat and you won't see anything quite like it this year. We're talking about John Waters, of course, with the cult filmmaker, queer icon and all-round pop culture legend heading to Sydney for a divine evening of revelatory reflections, eye-opening anecdotes and shameless secrets from a life spent making cinematic trouble. In fact, Make Trouble is the incredibly apt name of his live show. Waters is the rare auteur who doesn't just craft vivid, transgressive, larger-than-life movies such as the notorious Pink Flamingos, big-budget hit Hairspray and black comedy Serial Mom — he's also as lively and fascinating as you'd expect based on his incredibly distinctive filmography. (And, he has a killer pencil-thin moustache.) Expect to dive into his 50-plus years in the business, hear about his time spent working with everyone from Mink Stole and Divine to Kathleen Turner and Patricia Hearst, and get an earful of insights into his opinions about today's chaotic existence. There'll be more topics of conversation, too; if there's one thing that Waters knows about, it's everything. You'll laugh at his gleefully filthy tidbits (in fact, you might even cry from giggling so hard), and you'll also soak up the best kind of devilish yet worldly wisdom, all while spending an evening in the company of a talent like no other. Timed just after the release of his latest (and ninth) book, The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder, John Waters hits the Sydney Opera House stage on Tuesday, October 15. Pre-sales start from 9am on Tuesday, June 11 and general tickets available from 9am on Friday, June 14. Image: Prudence Upton.
Two hospitality heavyweights who previously collaborated at ARIA have teamed up to open a restaurant in Hunters Hill. One is chef Simon Sandall and the other restaurateur Susan Sullivan. Both spent 17 years at Matt Moran's MorSul Group, where Sandall was executive chef and Sullivan general manager. Their new eatery Boronia Kitchen is devoted to fresh produce, house-made ingredients and a relaxed atmosphere. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are on offer, as is a cornucopia of takeaway dishes for people too tired or busy to cook. With them in mind, Sandall prepares a daily round of savoury pies, salads, free-range rotisserie chickens and house-smoked salmon. If you have time to take a seat, drop by at brekkie for toasted brioche with ricotta, figs and honey or baked eggs with spinach, tomato and chilli on sourdough toast. Come lunchtime, offerings include a roast porchetta baguette with tomato, sage, rosemary and crackling; and salad of lamb with cauliflower, quinoa, chickpeas and pomegranate. At dinner, the menu changes altogether. Start with seared scallops with wilted chard and XO sauce, followed by duck confit with a duck croquette, peas, almonds and mint, then a native-infused dessert, such as baked cumquat with wattle seed clafouti and vanilla ice cream. "As much as possible we have stuck to the ideal of home-made ingredients – from the chutney in our sandwiches to the to the tomato sauce served with our pies," said Sandall. The wine list, curated by sommelier Luke Sullivan, focuses on small-batch producers who express their region. There's a mix of classic Australian varieties and international drops. Boronia Kitchen is now open at 152 Pittwater Rd, Hunters Hill, from Tuesday–Sunday, 8am–10pm.
Many of us have been waiting patiently for Doug Aitken's first exhibition in the southern hemisphere — and finally his boundary-pushing work is open at the MCA. And, to celebrate the museum's 30th birthday, the Museum's major partner Telstra is helping you see this highly-anticipated and immersive exhibition — as well as its other incredible permanent exhibits — for free. On Thursday, November 11, the MCA is inviting you to celebrate three decades of damn good work with free art, delicious drinks and more at this cultural institution's 30th birthday bash. The event will kick off at 10am with a Welcome to Country from Gadigal Elder and MCA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group Member Uncle Ray Davison, followed by a performance from the renowned Koomurri Aboriginal Dance Troupe. Mini art lovers can get involved in the birthday celebrations by joining the art play session on the lawn featuring interactive toys, loads of art making supplies and inspiring books. Every good party needs delicious refreshments so the MCA cafe will be serving up tasty treats courtesy of Fresh Collective, including free cupcakes (limited stock), as well as refreshing birthday bellinis for $6 until the celebrations wind down at 9pm. [caption id="attachment_829780" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Doug Aitken, Underwater Pavilions (installation), 2017, installation view, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, 2021, 3-channel video installation (colour, sound): 3 projections, 3 aluminium and MDF screens. Image: Dan Boud[/caption] Want to help celebrate 30 years of incredible art at the MCA? Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia on Thursday, November 11 to join in the birthday fun. For more information and to book, visit the website. Top image: Doug Aitken, 'migration (empire)' (still), 2008, image courtesy of the artist, 303 Gallery, New York, Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Zurich, Victoria Miro, London, and Regen Projects, Los Angeles. © the artist.
It's no secret that tequila goes hand-in-hand with good nights out with the crew, particularly come summertime. It's the time of year when you want to get out and see what's happening in Sydney, kick back with a cocktail at a harbourside bar and go out for a decadent feast with friends. To help you celebrate Sydney summer this year, tequila slinger Patrón has popped up across the CBD, meaning you can have a cheeky afternoon margarita at the Argyle, kick back at an outdoor pop-up bar at the MCA after seeing an exhibition or opt for a summery tequila tipple at Quay Bar before settling in for a long, lavish feed in the evening. But, with all these fun times (and cocktails), your wallet may start to feel the pinch. That's why we're giving you the chance to score dinner for you and your best mates — or take the fam for extra brownie points — at one of the CBD's top Mexican restaurants and tequila bars: Bar Patrón. Better yet, it's worth a cool $500. The sleek restaurant and bar by Patrón and Rockpool Dining Group is a temple of tacos and tequila. Food-wise, you'll be tucking into dishes like beef empanadas, chicken tostadas, spicy king prawns and tacos topped with lobster, fried fish or al pastor with pineapple. For drinks, tequila is the main go-to, from your standard margarita to twists on old classics — old-fashioned or espresso martini — made with tequila. So, expect to leave satisfied, and suitably soused. To be in the running, enter your details below. [competition]753606[/competition]
Redfern Surf Club's weekly trivia is getting the heat turned up with a special r-rated edition to mark the most loved-up day in the calendar. With the weekly test of knowledge falling on Valentine's Day, the Botany Road bar is spicing things up with an evening that's promised to turn a little NSFW. The trivia is open to all — not just couples, so whether you're looking for something fun to do with your long-term partner, venturing out on a V-Day first date or just getting your best buds together for a Tuesday-night bev, it's a must-attend if you're keen to flex your horny energy and competitive spirit. On top of saucy questions flying at you as part of this special Valentine's Day trivia, there will also be cocktail specials and the regular cheap Tuesday meal deal which includes a classic burger from the bar's menu plus a side for $15. The trivia is free to play and there will be prizes for the winners, just make sure you book a table to ensure you nab a spot. Plus, the neighbourhood bar is dog-friendly so you can bring your four-legged pals in case there's any questions about boning. [caption id="attachment_684554" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Patrick Stevenson[/caption]
Home to plenty of Sydney's craft brewers, the city's inner west is now also home to a trial that will allow microbreweries to open as bars. In good news for outfits such as Young Henrys, Wayward Brewing, Malt Shovel, Grifter Brewing and Batch Brewing Company, a new type of liquor authorisation will be available to craft brewers in the area from September. Applicable across a range of boozy beverages — beer, spirits, liqueurs and cider — it'll enable them to serve drinks as if they were a small bar. They'll have to abide by a patron limit of 100 people per establishment, as well as a requirement to make food available. "Microbreweries don't neatly fit into traditional liquor licence categories, so there's a need to develop a new model suited to them," said New South Wales Minister for Racing Paul Toole. "The rising popularity of boutique and craft beers, ciders, spirits and liqueurs is creating new demand for enjoying drinks produced on the premises. A lot of people like the concept of being able to sample high-quality locally made drinks and speak directly with the passionate experts who produce them." If the trial is successful over the next 12 months in the Inner West Council area, it could be rolled out across the city and the state. The area was chosen because it boasts the highest density of microbreweries not only in Sydney, but in Australia. Via Sydney Morning Herald.
A teenager runs away with her best friend. Her distraught parents search for her. A retired detective lends a hand — and the situation he uncovers is both quite ordinary and a little bit odd. If there's one thing that Looking for Grace recognises, it's that daily life can be equally routine and strange. A tense scenario can have a lighter side. Stress can turn to laughter. In dramatic circumstances, people don't always know how to behave. No one — not the eponymous Grace (Odessa Young), her pal Sappho (Kenya Pearson), mother Denise (Radha Mitchell), father Dan (Richard Roxburgh) or former cop Tom (Terry Norris) — really knows what they're doing, particularly after the girls and a secret stash of cash goes missing. Trekking across Western Australia to attend a concert, Grace is happy flirting with a charismatic traveller (Harry Richardson), though Sappho is less content being the third wheel. At home, Denise tries to remain calm, while Dan is distracted by the affair he's been trying but failing to have with an employee (Tasma Walton). Their individual tales are offered up in chapters, splitting the broader narrative into separate but interlocking strands. Some details are revealed early, with Grace's section served up first, while other inclusions — the brief segment focusing on truck driver Bruce (Myles Pollard), for example — only become significant once all the pieces have been put together. Such fragmentation may help extend an otherwise slight effort, but it proves the least convincing aspect of the film. Thankfully, the feature's structure also highlights its strengths: the characters, the multitude of realistic reactions to their various predicaments, and the fine-tuned performances of the actors who play them. Indeed, Looking for Grace works best both as a series of character studies and as a showcase for the talents of its key cast. Writer/director Sue Brooks fleshes out the former more than the slender story might seem to indicate, and benefits from the latter, especially where the trio of Young, Roxburgh and Mitchell are involved. Young sells a crucial mix of confidence and restlessness, while Roxburgh ensures his troubled everyman never comes across as pathetic, even when Looking for Grace veers into suburban parody. Often caught between the two, the pitch-perfect Mitchell proves the feature's standout player, as well as a weathervane for its mood and fortunes. When she's hitting the mark, so is the film. Elsewhere, Brooks continues the love affair with the Australian landscape she started in 1997's Road to Nhill and furthered in 2003's Japanese Story. In fact, cinematographer Katie Milwright's dusty visuals provide the perfect counterpoint to the helmer's fondness for stylisation, with Looking for Grace also an exercise in contrasts. Brooks frequently layers conflicting elements over the top of each other, such as jaunty music over sparse images, to ensure the clash of the usual and the not so is always apparent. The movie veers in tone as a result, sometimes jarringly so — but just like life, it works much more often than it doesn't.
Fresh from winning the 2020 Australian Music Prize for their latest album, The Avalanches are hitting the road and bringing the acclaimed sounds of We Will Always Love You to Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. Between late April and the end of May, the beloved Australian electronic act will be touring the east coast and doing one of the things it does best: filling live music venues with its inimitable sample-based tunes. If you haven't seen Robbie Chater and Tony Di Blasi do their thing live, you're in for a treat. If you have, you'll know what you're in for. Either way, you'll hear tracks from the group's latest record — which features MGMT, Rivers Cuomo, Denzel Curry, Johnny Marr, Neneh Cherry, Perry Farrell, Karen O, Mick Jones, Sampa the Great, Tricky and more, and released last December — and, obviously, tunes from 2000's iconic Since I Left You and 2016's Wildflower, too. The tour kicks off in Melbourne on Friday, April 23, which isn't actually new news. In fact, that show at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl — The Avalanches' first live gig since releasing We Will Always Love You — is basically sold out, with just private deck tickets still available. If you're in Brisbane, though, you'll want to mark Friday, April 30 in your diary. And, for Sydneysiders, you'll need to block out Thursday, May 27. The Avalanches will play the Brisbane Riverstage in the Queensland capital, and Enmore Theatre in NSW — with pre-sale tickets going up for grabs from 10am local time on Wednesday, March 24, and general public sales hitting at the same time on Thursday, March 25. If you now have perhaps the biggest and best Australian-made earworm of the past two decades stuck in your head — that'd be 'Frontier Psychiatrist' — that's understandable. Expect it to live there for at least a few days. And if you're now looking forward to a big live gig after a lean year for music fans, that falls into the same category. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvZpn322LxE THE AVALANCHES 2021 EAST COAST TOUR DATES Melbourne — Friday, April 23 at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl Brisbane — Friday, April 30 at the Brisbane Riverstage Sydney — Thursday, May 27 at the Enmore Theatre Pre-sale tickets for The Avalanches' Brisbane and Sydney shows go on sale at 10am local time on Wednesday, March 24, with general public sales hitting at the same time on Thursday, March 25. Visit the tour website to sign up for pre-sale and for further details. Top image: Grant Spanier.
It's harvest time at Urban Winery Sydney, and owner Alex Retief is inviting locals to get in on the wine-making action. Every Saturday and Sunday, from March 9–31, you'll be able to help the newly picked grapes begin their transformation into wine by joining on the grape stomping. Jump right in to big tubs of the stuff and get your hands (and feet) dirty — the way European winemakers have been doing it for centuries. Apart from the main stomping event, the day will also include a tour of the facility, accompanied by a guided wine tasting of drops served directly from tanks and barrels, showcasing different stages of maturation. There will also be a charcuterie and cheese grazing platter to share, and each guest will take home a bottle of wine by Retief, too. We reckon the complete package makes the $100 ticket price worth it. The 90-minute sessions will take place at 11am and 1pm every Saturday and Sunday during the four-week harvest season. To book, head to the Urban Winery website.
It doesn't get much better than sinking a few tinnies with your mates on a long weekend, just a stone's throw from the harbour. Plus, if each bevvy only sets you back a gold coin, you'd be absolutely laughing. The folks at The Australian Heritage Hotel are here to ensure you have a good time this upcoming January long weekend. The longstanding Sydney pub will be slinging $2 VB and Hawke's Lager tinnies from Saturday, January 25 to Monday, January 27. All you have to do is make like a magpie and swoop to the bar whenever you hear the bell, as the offer will be up for grabs for 15 minutes only, each time it rings. If VB and Hawke's doesn't tickle your fancy, never fear, as The Aussie has more than 130 craft beers on offer, plus Pimm's on tap all weekend. There'll also be a 4 Pines terrace, where you'll find giant Jenga and five of the brewery's beers on tap. And, to line the stomach, a range of food specials will be on offer as well as the pub's usual fare. Entertainment-wise, you can catch the Australian Open matches on huge outdoor screens across the three days. On the Saturday, Triple J's Hottest 100 countdown will be blaring throughout the pub, while on the Monday, you can celebrate your extra day off by kicking back to some live tunes. [caption id="attachment_757569" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alana Dimou[/caption] Images: Steven Woodburn and Alana Dimou.
Taking over the Red Rattler on Friday, August 14, multimedia performance art show Transductions is a convergence of some of the "nerve centres of energy arts". The finale of the Energies in the Arts conference taking place at the MCA and UNSW Art & Design, it brings together Berlin-based UK artist Martin Howse and local performers Pia van Gelder and Peter Blamey, in a creative investigation of the misuse of technology and its connections to the earth and the human psyche. At the artistic vortex of 'psychogeophysics', Howse's work receives and extracts hidden information from the earth and fungal matter through DIY circuits and chemical reactions. "Synaesthetic manipulator of micro-currents" Van Gelder opens up custom-built and common devices to perform in new ways, while Blamey reinterprets everyday technologies through mystical hacking and earth circuits. In layperson's terms, that all translates to a lot of spooky visuals, eerie experimental soundscapes, and a bridging of the divisions between the organic and the digital. Get your tickets on the door. Open to all the curious.
After attracting more than 10,000 visitors to its first edition at Barangaroo last year, Blak Markets' National Indigenous NAIDOC Art Fair is back. This time, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from all over Australia will take over Circular Quay's Overseas Passenger Terminal for two days with a visual feast of paintings, sculptures, textiles and accessories. Expect to see artworks representing more than 20 remote centres — from the Tiwi Islands' Munupi Arts to Tjungu Palya Arts of South Australia's Nyapari Community. Throughout the weekend, more than 30 stalls will be peddling artworks, jewellery, gifts, homewares and Indigenous food and drinks. In between wandering the stalls, try some authentic bush tucker from Indigenous food stalls including paperbark-smoked blackfish from Mirritya Mundya and kangaroo pie from Meat Brothers. You can also immerse yourself in the creative process at one of many workshops and demos. There'll be bush tucker cooking with Aunty Beryl Van Oploo (Gardeners Lodge Cafe) and Jody Orcher (Shared Knowledge), mesmerising weaving collaborations with some of Australia's most skilled weavers and Albert Namatjira-style watercolour demos with the Iltja Ntjarra Many Hands Art Centre. Plus, Warmun artist Marika Riley will share her skills in the medium of ochre, demonstrating how to grind and mix it into paints. In keeping with the 2018 NAIDOC theme of 'because of her, we can', the fair will be soundtracked by an epic all-female lineup of live musicians. Listen out for The Stiff Gins, Mi-Kaisha, Maddison Lyn and Rebecca Hatch (2017 Triple J Unearthed High Indigenous Initiative Winner). Plus, there will be performances by Wagana Aboriginal Dancers and Redfern Dance Company, with a closing ceremony with Ngambaa Dhalaay. The National Indigenous NAIDOC Art Fair will take place between 10am–5pm on Saturday, June 30 and Sunday, July 1. Free entry for all visitors. For more info, visit the website. Image: Lyndsay Urquhart
Spend a cruisy Saturday evening listening to acoustic songs and staring at Sydney Harbour thanks to Cockatoo Island's sunset sessions. Every Saturday until May 26, you'll be able to listen to music as well as stories from the performing artists. Venue 505 has curated the lineup, so you know you're in for an ace run of talent. Sets start at 5.30pm, but we recommend heading over to the island early to take a walk through the Biennale of Sydney. You don't want to miss Ai Weiwei's huge inflatable installation. And, if the combination great music and gorgeous views gets your stomach grumbling, Don Tapa from the island's pop-up hotel Contained will be on-hand with snacks.
What began as the bustling backdrop to a thriving port has, over the past years, been transformed into a touristy dream - a place to buy commemorative fridge magnets and designer handbags. Despite the rich colonial setting, there’s was something not quite right about The Rocks in days gone by. But initiatives like The Rocks Pop-Up Project are fixing that, and the precinct has once again become a hub of progression and development. Four of Sydney’s most beautiful heritage buildings will, for the next 6 months, become home to Sydney’s most creative, vibrant and innovative businesses. The opportunity will be extended to a selection of artistans - from retailers to musicians, artists to designers - providing a variety of spaces that can be utilised by different businesses including office space as well as event space for small-scale performances and happenings. The hope of the project is to re-energise The Rocks as a business district, attracting a cast of boutique designers who have traditionally found a home in the Eastern Suburbs. The first crop includes fashion designers Mae & Pearl, Magdalena Duma, Son of a Master Tailor, artist Ping Lian Yeak, and collectives The Red Room Company and Gaffa. The space will evolve over the next six months, offering something new every time you visit.
Newtown's ultimate pub crawl is back for its third year. On Sunday, September 10, 40 venues between Missenden Road and St Peters Station will welcome over 100 music acts through their doors, for a day-long party in the inner west. Participating in this year's event is a motley lineup of Newtown favourites, from bars and pubs to restaurants and cafes, plus record stores and venues that specialise in live music. And despite the name, it's not just King Street that gets to have all the fun, with stalwarts on Erskineville and Enmore Roads getting in on the action too. As for the entertainment, expect a who's who from the local music scene, with the likes of Abbe May, The Tamborine Girls and World Champion, amongst many others, set to play.
If pastel wasn't already part of your gig-going wardrobe, it will be at Australia's newest music festival, with Client Liaison's Expo Liaison touring the country in August. Announced back in May, the seven-hour event will hit Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane across August 18–26, and the headlining duo will have quite the company. Alongside a roster of eight other acts, the duo's own set will also feature John Farnham. Alice Ivy, Ken Davis, Kon, Luke Million featuring KLP, No Zu, Rainbow Chan and Total Giovanni are all on the bill, plus John Howard doing a DJ set. Whether that's John Howard the former prime minister, John Howard the Aussie actor or just some other guy called John Howard, well, your guess is as good as ours — but Triple j are reporting that it's the former. As for the kind of vibe that's in store, the curated event has fest badged "a multimedia, multi-city, multiversal experience" in its promotional material, as well as a "once-in-a-lifetime event". They're the kind of descriptions that plenty of gigs and fests throw around, but Client Liaison have a track record of delivering more than just the usual shows — or fashion lines or music videos, for that matter. Tickets are currently on sale across all four cities, and if you're keen to hear the duo's own thoughts on the festival, check out the Expo Liaison trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgSsrdVHnh0&feature=youtu.be Expo Liaison heads to Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse on August 18, Sydney's Parramatta Park on August 25 and Brisbane's Victoria Park on August 26. Head to Client Liaison's website for further details and to buy tickets.
Unfortunately for many Sydneysiders, the defining aspect of theatre is not the spellbinding performances but the daunting price tag. With tickets for Sydney's big theatre venues sometimes costing towards the three-figure mark, Sydney theatre, unlike its more government-subsidised European counterparts, can be derided as a middle-class luxury. Yet fear not oh beleaguered theatre buff, as the Sydney Theatre Company is doing their little bit to make Sydney's top-line theatre more accessible. The company announced today that, thanks to a new partnership with Suncorp, they are now offering $20 tickets to every show. That includes Cate Blanchett's highly anticipated return to the Sydney stage in The Maids, the pairing of Tim Minchin and Toby Schmitz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and Hugo Weaving and Richard Roxburgh for Waiting For Godot. This initiative has been a labour of love for STC's co-artistic directors Blanchett and Andrew Upton, who have spent their five-year tenure searching for a sponsor to make theatre tickets more affordable. The partnership is set to run for two years, with the Suncorp Twenties tickets going on sale each Tuesday at 9am for the following week's performances. There is no transaction fee and tickets are sold in twos. The first lot of tickets will go on sale on May 14 for Joanna Murray-Smith's STC-commissioned family drama, Fury. For other sources of discounted theatre tickets, see our complete guide.
