Mad Max: Fury Road for kids. That’s how PAN ought to have been billed, but instead the studios went with “Every legend has a beginning”. Bit of a truism, but whatever. At least it sets us up with the expectation that PAN will give us the gritty, untold Peter Pan backstory, and — true to its word — on that point it does deliver. Curiously, though, it then leaves much of the remaining (and arguably more interesting) information untouched, rendering PAN more like the ‘beginning of the beginning of the legend’. So who is Peter? Well, in this latest version by director Joe Wright (Atonement), he’s an English orphan enduring the worst of the Nazis’ WWII blitz campaign over London. We learn his ninja-like mother lovingly deposited him at the orphanage as a baby, along with a pan flute necklace and a mysterious letter speaking of hopeful reunions in a far away land. Now as a 12-year-old (played by Aussie newcomer and definite star of the future Levi Miller), Peter discovers the letter but has scarcely a moment to process the information before he’s whisked away by pirates in the middle of the night and transported to Neverland, where his true story begins. The thing is, Neverland isn’t as we remember it. Here in Wright’s version, it’s a colossal mining pit populated by hundreds of thousands of orphan workers all searching for a rare mineral called Pixum — essentially the raw form of pixie dust. Their overseer is a deliciously evil and charismatic pirate named Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman), who we first meet amid a bizarre rendition of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. As he addresses his bedraggled slaves and enforcers from up high and promises them untold riches (or at the very least, confectionary), the comparisons to Fury Road’s Immortan Joe are hard to ignore, particularly when PAN then descends into something of an extended chase scene for the remainder of the film. Still, in this pit we meet all but one of the future figures who’ll feature prominently in the Peter Pan legend, most notably Smee (Adeel Akhtar) and Hook (Garrett Hedlund, turning in what represents a solid audition piece for the next Indiana Jones film, albeit with an accent borrowed straight from There Will Be Blood’s Daniel Plainview). Together, the trio escapes the pit into Neverland’s untamed jungle and goes in search of Pan’s mother with Blackbeard giving relentless pursuit. PAN is the very definition of ‘family-friendly movie’, what with its non-stop action pieces, colourful costumes and entirely palatable violence (when the friendly ‘savages’ are killed, they explode into puffs of brilliantly coloured powder, much like the ‘how it works’ section of a detergent commercial). The special effects are extensive but first-rate, remaining impressively clutter free in that you can always identify the focal point of any scene (compared to the epilepsy-inducing offerings of films like Transformers). Performance wise, the leads (including Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily) all do their best with what’s a regrettably threadbare script, and Jackman probably finds the most out of his character, switching back and forth between homicidal and nurturing so effortlessly that it’s unsettling. There are really only two major shortcomings in PAN, but combined they do a lot to detract from what could have been something truly special. Firstly, it’s all very dour for something that’s set in Neverland, a place where fun is not just a pastime but a mantra and an obligation. Secondly, for a backstory on the Pan legend, we not only end up with very little new information, but — if anything — more questions than before. Case in point: the relationship between Peter and Hook. PAN’s prologue explains “sometimes friends begin as enemies, and enemies begin as friends”, but by the film's finale we see the two characters as close as any two friends could be, even going so far as to laugh about anything to the contrary. How and why such allies become mortal enemies would have made for an excellent plot progression, and it’s hard not to think this was excluded for the presumptive 'prequel sequel’. Still, it’s a wonderful visual experience that’s sure to delight young and old alike.
The stars are out for Queer Screen Film Fest 2015, which returns to Event Cinema George Street in September. Kicking off on the evening of Tuesday, September 22, the festival begins with the Australian premiere of Boulevard, featuring the late Robin Williams in his final dramatic role as a depressed man whose life is changed when he befriends a young male sex worker. Other highlights on the six-day program include Cut Snake, a brooding Aussie crime thriller from director Tony Ayres featuring an unforgettable performance from Sullivan Stapleton, A Sinner in Mecca, which follows documentarian Parvez Sharma as he makes his pilgrimage to the holy city while struggling to reconcile his sexuality with his faith, and Guidance, a comedy about a washed-up former child star masquerading as a high school guidance councillor. The festival concludes with another major title straight from its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Based on a true story, Freeheld stars Julianne Moore as a New York Police detective with a terminal illness who is forced to fight for the legal right to pass her pension benefits onto her domestic partner (Ellen Page).
Brothers, we have something special to show you and no, it's not kitty cat man. US comedy duo Tim and Eric are bringing their bizarre sense of humor to Australia and New Zealand for a national tour. The Tim and Eric – 'Stralia – Zealand Experience will be making stops at Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Auckland. Since meeting at uni in 1994, the pair have gone on to create an animated series, a hilarious sketch series for Adult Swim, a feature film and even a book. You might not have heard of them, but you've definitely seen their kooky comedic genius before; how about the Vodka movie with Zach Galifianakis for Absolut or their Old Spice commercials with Terry Crews? Grab yourself a ticket and bear witness to the pair's crazy directing style, unique sketches and DJ Douggpound. Celebrate getting tickets by dancing like celery man (you won't be the only ones). Shiny suit and bolo tie optional. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maAFcEU6atk[/embed]
Kick off 2016 like they do in the Hamptons with an epic New Year's Day shindig at the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel. This beloved harbourside haven is teaming up with the iconic Hamptons venue The Surf Lodge for a summer pop-up by the water — and it all begins on January 1 with a hectic, hedonistic, private beach party. Located in Montauk on Long Island, The Surf Lodge is best known for its outdoor music concerts featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Solange Knowles, Willie Nelson and the Flaming Lips. This time around The Surf Lodge is flying in Michigan-born, LA-based singer songwriter BØRNS to headline the party. Celebrated for his signature blend of psychedelic indie pop, BØRNS will perform an intimate set of tracks taken from his debut album Dopamine. The supporting lineup will include Australian electronic goalkickers like Set Mo, Deutsch Duke, Oli Benz and Dan Single. There are three ticket types, GA, VIP and VIP Lounges. GA tickets get you access into the Beach Club, kicking off at 12pm. You'll have live DJs, henna tattoos, a photobooth, freebies, prizes and roving entertainment all day until 6pm. VIP tickets will get you exclusive bar and balcony access (with pretty views of Sydney Harbour), plus complimentary drinks and nibbles from 12pm to 2pm. You can enjoy the party in the sun on the balcony during the day, and move into the Sunset Room for an afterparty when the sun goes down. And if you really want to go all out, the VIP Lounges are $3000 each and will get you six VIP tickets, one magnum of champagne, four cocktail carafes, 12 beers and an exclusive lounge in Sunset Room from 12pm to 6pm. Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel's summer pop-up will run from New Year’s Day (launching with The Surf Lodge) through to Australia Day on January 26, and will feature various live music and lifestyle events to be revealed in the coming month.
They've Already Won could be The. Best. Thing. You. See. This. Year. Or #TheWorstThingEver. Either way, it'll have you wondering what hyperbole is doing to your ability to communicate. And whether or not the Millennial Generation is as bad as writers of think pieces like to think. This clever, hilarious one-hour theatre show is a collaboration between the brilliant Harriet Gillies (co-founder of zin, assistant director of STC's Suddenly Last Summer) and bold Pierce Wilcox (associate artist, Sydney Chamber Opera). Acting as the worst versions of their worst selves, they deteriorate through five acts, exploring the potential (or not) for deep communication through memes and social media, while discussing society's entrenched systems of inequality, oppression and destruction. All the while, they're wearing pantsuits and pom poms. They've Already Won hits The Belvoir's downstairs theatre after a smashing premiere at Newcastle's Crack Theatre Festival during the October long weekend.
Part of the Giant Dwarf festival-within-a-festival at Sydney Fringe, Free to a Good Home sees comedians Michael Hing (Triple J, Good Game) and Ben Jenkins (The Checkout, Story Club) bring their hilarious podcast series to the stage, inviting a host of guests along as they delve into the weird and wonderful world of Australia’s classifieds. Watch them scour Gumtree, Craigslist, Etsy et al as they discover and discuss, in detail, what people are shamelessly selling or giving away for cheap via the convenient anonymity of the internet. This event is one of our top ten picks of the Sydney Fringe Festival. See the other nine here.
At a time when journalists in Australia are prohibited from reporting on the goings on at Nauru and the Australian Border Force has threatened to patrol the streets to check Australians' visa paperwork, here is your chance to hear first-hand the stories of five asylum seekers who have reached our shores and made a new life in Western Sydney. If You Come to Australia was created during a residency at Urban Theatre Projects and is performed by a cast of diverse Australians to protect the identities of those whose stories are being told in this verbatim theatre piece over five nights. This event is one of our top ten picks of the Sydney Fringe Festival. See the other nine here.
If you’re bad at dinner table conversation, this event is for you. Honi Ryan is an interdisciplinary artist from the Blue Mountains and has been taking the world by (a very quiet) storm with her Silent Dinner Party performance art project. At this Sydney Fringe incarnation, guests will be treated to a three-course meal prepared by Studio NEON at Marrickville Town Hall. The catch is, you can’t utter a word or sound during the event. You also aren’t allowed to read, write or use your mobile phone. Talking around the table is a global human ritual — this is a social experiment that will shake up social norms for the sake of artistic experience (not to mention delicious food). This event is one of our top ten picks of the Sydney Fringe Festival. See the other nine here. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Following on from this year’s historical blockbuster, The Photograph and Australia, the Art Gallery of NSW are presenting a comprehensive survey of the work of influential photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. This innovative 19-century photographer has become well known for her emotive sensibility. As an active artist in the 1860s, she attracted controversy for her unconventional techniques. Cameron picked up photography in her late 40s and was among the pioneers of soft-focus portraiture. She developed a unique way of capturing beauty, which resonated beyond her time. Drawn from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, this exhibition will feature over 100 of Cameron’s works, representing her early attempts through to her mastery of the craft. It will also include a series of letters, sourced from a number of Australian museums.
The best of Korean cinema will once again be on full display when the Korean Film Festival in Australia returns for its sixth straight year. Kicking off in Sydney on Wednesday, August 12, the program is headlined by a number of gripping crime thrillers — the genre having become synonymous with Korean cinema thanks to films like Oldboy and I Saw the Devil. This year, the mantle passes to the likes of A Hard Day, The Target and Gangnam Blues (and no, we're not talking about Psy). Other highlights among the KOFFIA 2015 program include the powerful coming-of-age film Han Gong-ju and the brilliantly titled opening night feature How To Steal A Dog. We're also pretty intrigued by period drama My Dictator, about a man hired as a body double for North Korean leader Kim Il-sung, only for him to become convinced that he is actually the genuine article. For the full KOFFIA program, visit their website.
Sydney's inner west is about to get in on the openair cinema action. Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema has just announced they'll be opening their very first inner west cinema this summer, adding another location to their free ice cream-loving lineup of Bondi, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth this November. Setting up on the lawns of Cadigal Green at the University of Sydney, Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema will debut with new releases and cult classics including Joseph Gordon Levitt's Oscar tip The Walk, Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway teaming up in The Intern, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies, Kate Winslet's The Dressmaker in rural Australia and the Christmas rom-com to rule them all, Love Actually. Plus, there'll be a 25th anniversary screening of Thelma and Louise. The team are keeping their tried and true formula intact — live music and free ice cream nights. Local artists will hit the stage before the film for cruisy sets, including Nic Cassey, Angus Murphy and many more, and local DJs will spin a few for Aperol Sunsets — with free Aperol samples aplenty. There'll also be a fully-licensed bar, gourmet food stands, and lawn games aplenty, with putt putt and something called Giant Cow Jenga. Tickets for the Bondi Openair Cinema tend to sell out, so get in early. Earlybird tickets are just $15 online ($10 concession), until October 21. You can also hire deckchairs, beanbags and blankets, or go all in for a Volkswagen Polo Class ticket with reserved seating, blanket, cushion, beer or wine and a Ben & Jerry's ice cream included. Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema will take over Cadigal Green, University of Sydney from November 19 to December 12, 2015. For the full program or to buy tickets, head to the website. Check out CP's roundup of Sydney's best openair cinemas over here. Image: Artof2 Designs.
Stories from one of the most volatile regions on earth will be in the spotlight at Australia's Palestinian Film Festival. Hosted at Palace Norton Street in Leichhardt, this year's program includes seven full length features and five shorts that showcase the experiences of Palestinians, from Gaza to the West Bank and beyond. The festival begins with animated documentary The Wanted 18, a tragicomic true tale about how a herd of Palestinian cows became the centrepiece of a protest against Israeli occupation. Degrade, meanwhile, takes place almost entirely within a Gaza beauty salon, where employees attempt to maintain some semblance of normalcy while violence rages just outside their door. But the most intriguing film in the program would have to be The Idol. Directed by two-time Oscar nominee Hany Abu-Assad, the movie tells the true story of a wedding singer from a Gaza refugee camp who became the second ever winner of Arab Idol. For the full festival program, visit palestinianfilmfestival.com.au
So many beers to sample, so little time. If you don't know too much about craft beers, this is where you'll want to be. Brewers like Doctors Orders and Pirate Life will be in store offering tastings of their best beers and you can have a chat to them about the amber liquid of the gods. This event is one of our top ten picks of Sydney Craft Beer Week. Check out the other nine.
Trust Young Henrys to come up with an afternoon of beer, music and brewery-related sports. Come along and watch some of your favourite brewers try to best each other at the Brewers Olympics. There's a bonus – all the competing breweries will have a tap pouring as well. Clear out your Saturday, grab a pint of your favourite beer and watch the shenanigans. This event is one of our top ten picks of Sydney Craft Beer Week. Check out the other nine. Image: Young Henrys.
We're not saying you should drink in the morning, but doesn't beers with breakfast sound like a fun idea? It's brunch with a twist – eight breweries are bringing their beers to Rocks Brewing for you to sample along with a six-course breakfast. Yes, you heard right. Bring us all the beers, all the bacon and all the eggs. (We hope) our bodies are ready. This event is one of our top ten picks of Sydney Craft Beer Week. Check out the other nine. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
If you think a Craft Beerlympics sounds lame, you're very wrong. Picture events like a tableless ping pong rally, a paper plane distance competition and an egg and spoon and beer race. Now picture it again except all the competitors have to be holding a schooner at all times. It just got a lot funnier, didn't it? If viewing isn't your thing, join in a game of Beer Wheel of Death and reminisce on your uni days. This event is one of our top ten picks of Sydney Craft Beer Week. Check out the other nine.
The strengths and weaknesses of Legend can be summed up via two of its key scenes. The first comes about halfway through the film, when infamous London gangster Reggie Kray (played by Tom Hardy) does a flawless impersonation of his twin brother Ron. The thing is, Ron is also played by Tom Hardy in one of those Social Network Winklevae situations. It's just that Hardy's performance is so strong and each character is so defined, you genuinely think of the Krays as two entirely distinct humans played by two very different actors. It's a powerhouse performance showcasing Hardy's imposing abilities, both physically and dramatically. The second scene comes a little earlier. The Krays are lured to a neutral pub under the auspices of negotiating a truce with their gangland rivals, only to discover themselves surrounded and grossly outnumbered. Where most would cower, the Krays respond with a mix of nonchalance and outrage: Reggie pulls himself a beer while Ron storms out, complaining of a half-arsed gunfight without any guns. Seconds later, of course, he returns unseen and together with his brother lays waste to the entire group of thugs. The problem with this second scene (and, in turn, much of the film), is that it’s terrifically entertaining. The music, dialogue, performance and direction all play it light and whimsical — even flippant — despite its confronting savagery (the Krays employ a brutal combination of hammers and brass knuckles). Under certain circumstances, the juxtaposition of violence and comedy in film is defensible, even appropriate, so long as the genre fits (think Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, or Pulp Fiction). Here, though, it’s wildly misplaced. Yes, it successfully conveys the Krays’ character and composure, but this isn’t fiction. The Krays brutalised and murdered their way to the top in real life, and the duty of a biopic is to tell a story as it was, not to glorify it as some might have wanted it to be. And that, in short, is Legend: a film defined by its spectacular performances and misfiring direction. Alongside Hardy, the supporting cast of Emily Browning, David Thewlis and Christopher Eccleston does a decent job despite the middling script, but the overall feeling is one of dullness and disappointment.
Michael Ware, the lawyer turned Courier-Mail, Time and CNN journalist turned filmmaker, calls Only the Dead a film that wasn't meant to be made. His documentary is cobbled together from hundreds of hours of footage he shot while in Iraq as a reporter, with a movie never part of his plans. Perhaps that's why the trembling handicam images feel immediate and urgent, even in a time where alarming visuals of combat have become commonplace. Only the Dead charts Ware's obsession with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi following the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq. Al-Zarqawi wasn't a point of focus for many at the time, but his brutal methods — starting with suicide bombings, then escalating to filmed beheadings of foreign hostages and worse — certainly earned him increasing attention. The faction he founded would become the Islamic State. There's more to Ware and al-Zarqawi's story, just as there's more behind the documentary's existence. Many of the remarkable sights contained within only became possible after Ware forged a connection with the insurgents, who began to feed him discs of their own videos, wanting him to disseminate them to the western media. Becoming an unofficial intermediary, he was placed in a tenuous and tricky position. While Only the Dead doesn't delve into the ethical side of Ware's interactions, it does chart the clear influence the situation had upon his viewpoint. A picture really does speak a thousand words in that regard, although the film isn't short on the latter — filling in the history of the Iraq war, as well as conveying Ware's reflections. Context is helpful, but verbal explanation almost seems unnecessary given how striking the shaky footage proves. And yet, there's something about the combination of distressing visuals and voiceover insights that hits the mark. Ware is the key, starting out "young and dumb enough for war to have its false sense of adventure", but slowly changing as a result of his time chronicling the Iraqi conflict. As his narration makes plain, even as the film depicts violent and bloody events gone by and horrors occurring in a nation far from his own, this strory is overwhelmingly personal. Entertainment, this is not. Cast Homeland, American Sniper or any other screen effort that claim to dissect the war on terror far from your thoughts. Ware's offering — as co-directed with veteran filmmaker Bill Guttentag — walks in the shoes and offers the mindset of someone who's there, and is then lucky enough to be able to look back at what he lived through. It's worth remembering that his account, though released within a world now brimming with YouTube videos and social media posts from those on the ground, predates this now unavoidable phenomenon. You might have seen the likes of Ware's offering before; however prior to this, you've never been brought not just beyond the front lines, but into the complications of his harrowing journey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWdi8JJG-7U
Twice a finalist in the Archibald Prize and this year’s winner of the 2015 Sir John Sulman prize, you might forgive Jason Phu for dabbling in a little high art bragging. But, with his latest solo show at the Ray Hughes Gallery titled Everything is Google translated or taken from Chinese newspapers I can’t read, this doesn’t seem likely. Born in Australia to Chinese and Vietnamese parents, Phu’s work cheekily plays with juxtapositions of traditional Chinese art and Australian suburban culture. Delicately scrawled on traditionally mounted rice paper Phu delivers deadpan observations about his encounters with household insects in Chinese script. A characteristically Aussie flare for understatement and self-deprecation comes fairly naturally to Phu and most certainly doesn’t escape his work. It's cheerful and inviting as he pokes fun of himself as much as the cultures that inform him. Phu has recently opened his own studio in Chongqing, China, where he is undertaking formal training in Chinese painting and calligraphy. His current exhibition consist both of works created in China and here in Australia and is made up of four mini series: Really Annoying Animals, Little Fish and Some Crabs, a ceramic bowl series, and six paintings done in his Chongqing studio. While Phu is characteristically offhand when discussing his practice — “My work is about things I see, like a bird pooping on a man’s head,” — the delicate composition of his pieces make for works that mix humour with poignancy. this bee is floating around aimlessly because it's a nice day or maybe it's dying
Slip into a world of gangsters and glamour at a shindig inspired by one of Sydney's most notorious nightclubs. For two nights in October, The Festivalists will transform Sydney's Justice & Police Museum into a hive of shady activity, complete with go-go dancers, paparazzi and a backroom roulette table. Throw on your best '60s garb and leave your inhibitions at the door – they're not calling it Mayhem for nothing. Taking their cues from Chequers circa 1969, when the club famously hosted a party with Chicago mobster Joseph Testa in attendance, The Festivalists have teamed up with Sydney Living Museums on what promises to be the most scandalous ticket in town. On Thursday, October 8, and Friday, October 9, guests dressed to the nines will breeze past the photographers into a pop-up cabaret and bar, where Memphis Mae will take the stage for a '60s-style burlesque show. Maeve Marsden will emcee regular cabaret performances, while retired showgirl Elizabeth Burton spills her guts about life during Sydney's seedy heyday. Venture a little deeper into the shadows and you'll find plenty more to get up to, including liquid light painting with Zender Bender, immersive theatre by The Jetback Collective, and pole dancing 101 with Cody Cabana. There'll be prizes for best dressed — and if you're really feeling lucky, try your hand at the roulette wheel, or have a go at cracking open the club safe. Image by Brent Lederitz.
Sydney Dance Company’s Triptych is, appropriately, organised into three parts. It involves three dance sequences set to three contrasting works from prolific 20th-century composer Benjamin Britten. Yet the triptychs extend far beyond the obvious. At every turn, a sublime trinity of elements can be seen: costume, orchestra, dancers. Katie Noonan, French poetry, sexual tension. Gutsy double bass, passion, conflict. These trios emerge, surge and intertwine, making an exciting work in which our senses are always engaged and almost always saturated. It's a dance work that’s not afraid to expose all the elements that make dance work. Triptych permits a cross-sectional view of the 17-strong string ensemble ACO2, alongside Katie Noonan's vocals, SDC artistic director Rafael Bonachela's choreography and fashion designer Toni Maticevski's costumes. In Triptych, the dancers are a mere part of the whole. Of course, the dancers performing Bonachela’s choreography are dynamic and enchanting. Part one, Simple Symphony, begins with innocence and play; the dancers absorbing the upward energy from ACO2, which comprises the string section of the Australian Chamber Orchestra. It is quirky and quaint like children's play; a homage to fawns and forests and the Provençal. It ends with a hint of the sensuousness to come — extensions, then sculptural stillness, in which the women dancers counterbalance and lift as readily as the men. Here, Fiona Jopp exemplifies the modern female dance body – straddling litheness and strength like an Amazon or demigod. Part two, Les Illuminations, is the cornerstone of the project. Katie Noonan arrives on stage with a voice seeming too pure at times to be human, and the dancers echo this otherworldliness with androgynous, knotted-seaweed costumes and cyborg-esque gestures. Les Illuminations is undoubtedly the highlight of Triptych, the music, voice and bodies moody and sexy. The performers are riffing on the unhuman aspects of dance: too nuanced and perfect to be earthly, with a mastery of anti-gravity. Within this, there is a male-and-male duet. Of romance? Or fraternity? It’s beautifully muscular and sensuous, and with Maticevski’s costumes, it’s a trick for the eyes across assumed gender zones, and so satisfyingly sensuous, I thought I might be pregnant just from watching it. With part three, Variation 10, the whole company converge on stage, and the brilliance of Maticevski's costumes is finally fully evident. Variation 10 is a never-before-seen work of Bonachela's, who describes this theme of Britten's "almost as if it were made to be danced". The dancers move quickly from grounded bodies to precarious suspensions. The repeated motifs performed by small groups are mesmerising. Triptych may seem like three 'old' art forms gathered on stage — dance, opera, orchestra — but it will surprise you with how these elements are reimagined and made sexy.
When you've spent close to a metric fucktonne of time writing, developing and recording the individual songs of an album, sometimes you'd like people to stop and appreciate each morsel. Ahead of the release of their highly anticipated debut album For the Company, Sydney folk trio Little May invited 11 of their favourite local artists to do just that, to create an artwork of any medium, inspired by the 11 tracks of the album. It's a highly unique way to launch an album, culminating in an exhibition dubbed #ArtForTheCompany and set to coincide with the release of the album on October 9. Running Friday, October 2, to Sunday, October 4, the exhibition will take over the newly opened Goodspace, upstairs at the Lord Gladstone Hotel in Chippendale. Music-wise, you'll be able to settle into little listening pods to hear Little May's album in full ahead of its official release date, while checking out each track's inspired artwork. Little May (or Liz Drummond, Hannah Field and Annie Hamilton) have seen visual art as integral to their band — all the artwork for the album and the band's promo material has been designed by Hamilton herself. So with aesthetics aplenty planned for the exhibition, this is a pretty perfect way for the three Sydneysiders to launch their debut effort into public ears, with all senses covered. So who are Little May's chosen artists? The exhibition will feature work from acclaimed photographers Mclean Stephenson and Prue Stent, Sydney-based muralist Mulga, fashion label Serpent & The Swan, illustrator Georgia Hill, Ears, Honey Long, Antwerpen, Emily Ellis, Furry Little Peach and Luschia Porter. Check out Luschia Porter's Little May-inspired creation is this pretty, pretty video: We’re so lucky to have the incredibly talented Luschia Porter - Illustration + Object Design amongst a bunch of our favourite local artists contributing to our #artfothecompany exhibition. Lusch visually interpreted our song ‘Cicadas’ and we can’t wait to see the finished product at Goodspace from next Friday <3 Posted by Little May on Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Lay down your smartphone. Send your laptop to sleep. Shift yourself off the couch. Forget about work. General Assembly, in collaboration with Work-Shop, is throwing an ‘Unplug and Play’ warehouse party. It’s your chance to champion spring’s arrival, make a sweet segue into the long weekend and get back to real-life eye contact. To make the transition as smooth as possible, the organisers are inviting some good friends along. There will be a three-hour DJ set from Seekae, who have just returned home after a monster European tour. And there’ll be boutique drinks aplenty, courtesy of Vale Ale, Sofi Spritz, Poor Toms Gin and Alpha Box & Dice. The action will be happening at Work-Shop’s warehouse (175 Cleveland Street, Redfern) on Thursday, October 1, between 6pm and 9pm. Needless to say, you’re highly likely to want to kick on afterwards, so the Lord Gladstone (115 Regent Street, Chippendale) will be taking care of the afterparty. Tickets are gloriously free. But they’re not unlimited. So make sure you book yourself a spot online asap.
Working out the difference between a good song and a hit single can be a mystery, even for experienced songwriters. A talk series at Giant Dwarf, dubbed Anthem! and hosted by triple j's The Doctor (Lindsay McDougall), is attempting to unravel it. Once a month, he's joining an Australian hit-maker for a 90-minute chat about his/her most enduring songs. Together, they delve into what has made the tunes so powerful — from how and why they were written to what they evoke, in terms of memories, emotions and experiences. The next Anthem! will take place on Wednesday, November 4, with The Doctor hosting Jebediah's frontman, Kevin Mitchell. Since 1995, the alternative rock band has released five studio albums, including four ARIA chart top tenners. Mitchell also writes, records and performs solo under the moniker Bob Evans. He won a 2006 ARIA for his second studio release, Suburban Songbook, and Best Male Artist in Rolling Stone Australia's 2007 annual reader poll.
American comedian Joel McHale is coming to Australia. The star of Community, The Soup and that one recurring daydream we have where he asks us to be his best friend (shut up, it could happen) has announced a one night only standup show in Sydney next fortnight. Tickets go on sale this Friday. Please remain calm. McHale is best known for his role as Jeff Winger in Community, a sitcom that people apparently feel quite strongly about (#sixseasonsandamovie). He's also hosted pop culture current affairs program The Soup on E! since 2004 and last year headlined the White House Correspondents Dinner. Admittedly, he also had a role in Spy Kids 4D — but then again, nobody's perfect. At this stage there's no indication that McHale will perform any additional dates or locations. Image: Frank Ockenfels.
Life gets pretty hectic sometimes. Trying to juggle your job, exercise, housework, your social life and still get at least a few hours sleep in can be an ongoing battle. So unless you're extremely organised or have figured out how to squeeze a few extra hours in the day, something usually falls by the wayside. Sometimes, even if you love cooking, the weekly grocery shop is what gets dropped. Rather than dropping all of your hard earned cash on takeaway dinners, Ooooby may be the answer. Launched in 2013 in Newtown, Ooooby delivers boxes packed with fresh, certified organic produce to Sydney doorsteps every week. You start by selecting one of three fruit and veg boxes, then add in any extras you may want, like eggs or bread. Then, on the same day every week (or fortnight, if you'd prefer), the box will get delivered right to your door. Delivery is free for orders over $44, too. The company works with local farmers and artisanal producers to source goods from across the country, including produce from Pocket City Farms and Kurrawong Organics, bread from The Bread & Butter Project and dairy from Country Valley. You can head here to see what is available in each box this week. Images: Alice Mahran
Spotting top-notch vintage wares takes a particular eye, whether you're interested in retro threads, hats and bags to pair with them, or costume jewellery to layer over the top. And sure, if you regularly deck out your wardrobe with secondhand finds, you're probably quite astute at picking great pieces. But Lou Murray of Lou Murray's Vintage has been in the game for more than 30 years. Inside this Potts Point go-to, you'll find personally selected clothes, linen, collectables and more, all hailing from last century. Murray is particularly interested in 20th-century fashion — so you might as well capitalise upon the store's expertise. Images: Cassandra Hannagan
Both a store and a gallery space, Somedays brings together an array of talented designers and artists. With a serious nod to the Nordic, the second storey retail space stocks a wide mix of labels such as Handsom, Dr Denim, The Horse and Carly Hunter. No matter how many times you've been there, we guarantee you will be startled by the entrance frog that croaks on your arrival.
Within an hour of walking around Bondi: you'll notice that residents (and wannabe residents) have a few things in common. First, they're uncannily fit. Second, they're clothed like they just stepped off a catwalk. Third, their hair screams I-just-got-out-of-bed-took-a-quick-dip-in-the-surf-oh-and-what-do-you-know-my-locks-are-now-perfectly-tousled. What you might be missing is that these effortlessly elegant beach-haired peeps probably stopped by Hair Cartel. As one of Bondi's hippest hair salons, this place has the Bondi blow-wave mastered. By that we mean, they know how to make your hair look like you've just stepped out of the surf — even if you arrived on the morning train from Dubbo. Along with this mystical ability, they also take a good deal of care with treating each and every client like an individual. Expect to meet smart, friendly stylists who'll put you at ease while turning you into a model. Brand new clients score a 20% discount and there's a bunch of products in stock from L’Oreal Professionnel and Mr Smith.
Mother and daughter duo Lindi Katz and Jenna Isaacman have been curating casual yet elegant outfits for Sydney's best dressed at their Bondi store since 2008. While Lindi had spent 15 years running boutiques in South Africa, Jenna had been working as a designer for various fashion companies. One night, the two stayed up late getting excited about the idea of co-owning a business — and six months later, Me and Moo was born. At any one time, you'll find 30+ brands in stock. The work of homegrown designers, like Lee Matthews, Zimmerman, Ace of Something and Me and Moo's eponymous own label, hang alongside international pieces from the likes of Velvet by Graham & Spencer, D-ID and Adriano Goldschmied. In keeping with the store's vision, the fit-out is earthy and welcoming, yet refined. A dark timber island forms the centrepiece, with displays dotted around it. 'Just ins' and sales are advertised via Me and Moo's Facebook page.
Given how difficult it is for independent shops to survive, Dot's Flower Shoppe has been an impressive exception. Locals have been coming here for 30 years — whether looking for the perfect bouquet to cheer up a mate or with plans to organise a Pinterest-worthy party. The bouquets, all created by Dot's devoted team range from brilliant bunches of classic red roses to designer arrangements of Australian natives. And, if you have something in mind that you can't find in the store, all you have to do is ask. You'll find Dot's on busy Church Street, along Parramatta's busiest strip.
After a hectic week at work, we've all contemplated ditching our nine-to-five for something more creative. And for Ally Bell, deciding to leave her corporate gig to follow her floral passions has been one she hasn't looked back on. The store feels more boutique than flower shop, brimming with unexpected blooms and living colour at every turn. Pre-dawn market visits ensure every stem is handpicked to showcase the best seasonal flowers from local growers. Aside from creating bespoke bouquets, Ally also runs floral workshops year-round to share her love for floral design with aspiring florists across Sydney. Image: Arvin Prem Kumar
In a world of giant supermarket chains, Galluzzo's Fruiterers is a long-standing breath of fresh air, and fresh produce. A stalwart of Glebe Point Road since 1934, the business has remained in the hands of the Galluzzo family for three generations and continues to serve the people of Glebe today. Boasting fresh, organic fruit and vegetables in a traditional market-style atmosphere, Galluzzo's is indicative of the simple pleasures in life, with family, community and good food at the forefront. Saturdays can get a little crowded here, but that's just testament to the quality and service that Galluzzo's is known for.
Paddington's El Primo Sanchez is switching things up with its food offering, replacing its sit-down format with a brand-new taqueria-style menu. Guided by newly appointed Head Chef Diego Sotelo (Rico's Tacos), he's bringing his Guadalajaran roots to Primo's Taco Corner — a build-your-own fiesta where guests get to shape their perfect bite. To celebrate the occasion, El Primo Sanchez is slinging $5 tacos all week from Wednesday, May 7, to Saturday, May 10. However, don't stress if you miss out, the place is hosting a weekly Wednesday special from here on out, with $6 tacos served from 5pm. Sounds good, but how does the new direction work? Just choose your favourite style — taco, quesadilla, burrito and more — then add a protein and load it with fresh trimmings. One of your options includes the low and slow-cooked al pastor pork belly, marinated in a spicy citrus blend and flame-finished to pack in even more flavour. There's also beer-battered Baja fish with jalapeño mayo, and beef barbacoa with zesty salsa roja. Primo's Taco Corner hasn't forgotten plant-based amigos, with the vegan barbacoa offering a deep, smokey mix of tomato, spice and dried chillies. Of course, you've also got a stellar drinks lineup, with the ¡No Mames! cocktail menu drawing from Mexico and beyond for cocktails like the Viva la Vida, a mango riff on a Tommy's Margarita, and the Flama Blanca, a refreshing blend of lychee, vanilla and Calpis.
If, over the weekend, you noticed yellow bikes popping up all over your neighbourhood and happily unchained to poles or bike racks, you weren't hallucinating. Last Thursday, oBike, a dockless bike sharing service started in Singapore, arrived in Sydney. The harbour city is the second in Australia to score oBike — the company hit Melbourne in June. What's more, it's now Sydney's second dockless bike sharing service, following hot on the heels of Reddy Go, which landed in mid-July. To encourage you to get in the saddle, oBike is offering unlimited, free rides throughout August. Get started by downloading the oBike app, signing up and paying a refundable deposit of $49. Use the app to find an oBike near you, scan its QR to unlock it and ride away. Once you're done, park in an appropriate spot (hint: not up a tree or in the water or atop a portaloo or around a lamp post) and lock up manually. Sadly, Melbourne's continued access to oBike was threatened last week, with Lord Mayor Robert Doyle putting the company on notice. Way too many people have been leaving the bikes in all the wrong places, creating clutter and making a general nuisance of themselves. Let's see how Sydney fares.
Merivale is getting into the flower business just in time for spring. The functions and hospitality behemoth behind the likes of The Chicken Shop, Queen Chow, Coogee Pavilion and The Beresford – not to mention the annual madness that is the March Into Merivale food festival – have just announced they will open their first ever flower shop at the ivy in the Sydney CBD. Located next door to Lorraine's Patisserie, Palings Flowers will open its doors on Monday, September 4, and will be curated by florist Hannah Coomber. Previously of Grandiflora, Coomber joined Merivale as their in-house florist back in 2015, and has been creating arrangements for the groups various venues and events ever since. "I'm often stopped in venue and asked about our floral displays," said Coomber in a statement announcing the news. "I thought the Palings Lane boutique was the perfect space to not only display some of the florals we use across the group, but to also allow our guests to purchase the stunning varieties we source from the flower market." Coomber will design each bunch herself, ensuring that no two are exactly alike. The space itself will be designed by Merivale's in-house team, with a vibe described by the group as being akin to a "floral apothecary". Look for Palings Flowers at 3 Palings Lane, Sydney
For fans of beautifully made things, there can never be too many design markets. Now, the women behind Authentic Design Alliance and Factory Design District have just announced another. DESIGN-MADE will span over three days from October 27–29 and focus on genuinely original, accessible and sustainable design pieces. For co-founders Kobe Johns and Anne-Maree Sargeant, the market has been some time in the making. They have each been in the sustainable design scene for years, both in various capacities. Johns is the one-woman show behind Factory Design District, a three-day exhibition of new and established Aussie designers which has formed the basis of DESIGN-MADE. Sargeant, a designer herself, has been attending and curating design markets since 1987. In her position as director of the Authentic Design Alliance, she's a strong advocate for originality in design and the ADA is also attempting to outlaw the grossly prevalent counterfeit trade that is hamstringing the Aussie furniture design scene. The event will be held across two venues — SUNSTUDIOS and the Fisher and Paykel Experience Centre — and is more than just a market. While the phrase 'a celebration of Australian design' is a little cheesy, it's probably more accurate. You can expect educational talks, book signings, workshops, installations and 'meet the maker' forums. Of course, there will also be craft beer, organic wine, yum cha and food trucks to fuel your browsing. Exhibitors include: CULT, Designer Rugs, Dinosaur Designs, Hava Studio, MUD Australia, Spence & Lyda, Archer Objects, Fresh Prince, Ilanel, Jonathan West, Tom Fereday and Tom Skeehan, along with installations from LOCAL DESIGN and Interpretations V, a design collective created by Andrew Simpson featuring eight leading Australian designers. DESIGN-MADE will run between October 27-29 at Sunstudios, 42 Maddox Street, Alexandria. For more info, visit design-made.org. Image: Fiona Susanto.
World-famous vegan chef Matthew Kenney is about to open his very first eatery in Australia. In late March, he'll be popping across the Pacific from California to launch Alibi, which will be taking over the ground floor of Ovolo Woolloomooloo. Given that plant-based offerings are thin on the ground on the Finger Wharf, vegans should be high-fiving. Moreover, Kenney isn't just any old animal-free chef — he's an international legend. His TEDx talks have attracted masses of views and Food and Wine Magazine has listed him as one of America's Best New Chefs. Although the exact menu hasn't been revealed quite yet, we can tell you that it'll be big on creative combinations of fresh, local, seasonal ingredients. Kenney has a reputation for experimentation and innovation. He'll be working with Kasper Christensen, who'll also be rejigging the Ovolo's brekkie and room service menus. "I've had a long relationship with Australia and the timing was simply right," Kenney said. "The food scene is so vibrant here – great produce, chefs, sunshine... Ovolo came to me with the opportunity at the right time." To match Alibi's plant-based delights, there'll be a new drinks list, focused on Australian drops – both classic and boutique – as well as signature cocktails. Alibi will open in late March, on the ground floor of Ovolo Woolloomooloo, 6 Cowper Wharf Roadway.
We all like gelato, but sometimes the occasion calls for something other than everyone's favourite creamy dessert. Maybe it's too cold? Maybe you already have an ice cream headache? Maybe Gelato Messina is closed, or just not in the immediate vicinity? Enter the food mashup that had to happen, really — and a concoction straight out of every gelato and biscuit lover's dreams. In 2017, Gelato Messina Tim Tams became the Aussie sweet treat hybrid everyone wanted to taste. Now, in inevitable news, a second batch is on its way from February. Due in stores around the country from February 5, the new Gelato Messina Tim Tam range will come in three styles: choc cherry coconut, iced coffee and Turkish delight. "We've delved deep into our gelato flavour bank," said Gelato Messina co-founder Declan Lee, with the company coming up with the new selection after the popularity of last year's lineup. Making this tastebud-tempting news even better is the fact that, like all Tim Tams, they'll be sold in supermarkets everywhere. Yes, that means more Messina goodness more often. The biscuits are expected to set hungry shoppers back $3.65 per packet. Come on, you know you're going to buy more than one.
Fancy flinging yourself down a bowling lane? Ever even pondered the concept before now? Whatever your answer to the first question, we're betting your response to the second query was a resounding "no". As it should be, but someone, somewhere dreamed up human bowling and now it's coming to Sydney — because we all love turning something fun into something painful, we guess? Strike King Street Wharf is the place to be on March 15 if you're keen on sliding along the hard floors you normally throw equally hard balls down. After putting the notion into action in Melbourne in 2015, the bowling alley chain is bringing it to The Promenade, with free pizza, free vodka Red Bulls, free bruises (we're predicting) and the chance to win $5000. If you're keen to take part, you'll have to sign up for the chance to win one of ten spots, so don't go hurtling yourself down the nearest flat surface you can find as practice just yet. When human bowling rolled into Melbourne, participants suited up in padded yellow jumpsuits, oiled themselves up, then slid down lanes coated in plastic and doused in more oil. In other words: it's really more like an indoor slip 'n' slide in a bowling alley than really rolling down towards the pins, but it still sounds ridiculous. Strike's Human Bowling Night takes place on March 15 at Strike King Street Wharf. For more information, head to the venue website.
It could be just a matter of time before Sydney follows in Amsterdam's footsteps and introduces its own 'night mayor', if a new report by the Commission for a Nighttime Economy is properly taken into consideration. Set up by the Committee for Sydney, the commission's been hard at work finding potential solutions to Sydney's nightlife issues, gathering input from over 40 organisations as it looks at ways of boosting the city's nighttime economy in areas that aren't simply booze-related. And this week it released its findings from 12 months of research, all of which have been compiled into Sydney as a 24-Hour City. The report delivers 22 recommendations for improving Sydney's nightlife scene, one of which calls for the "introduction of a coordinating figure to bring together different agencies and actors in the night-time economy" — perhaps to address the fact that only 46 percent of Sydneysiders that are satisfied with the current nightlife. This concept of a special night mayor has already proved a huge success in Amsterdam over the past few years. Sydney's report also calls for extra public transport options in and around late-night entertainment areas, the introduction of dedicated nighttime precincts and the implementation of a 24-hour economy strategy, driven by the NSW Government. It also emphasises the importance of adding more options to Sydney's after-dark activities, and encourages cultural institutions to extend their opening hours and push back start times, citing London's First Thursdays gallery open nights and The Globe's midnight performances as examples. "It is about creating the amenity of a genuine 24-hour city, where normal day-to-day activities such as shopping, visiting a museum, going to the gym or a public library become as normal at 10pm as they would at 10am," said the commission's co-chair, the Hon. Peter Collins AM QC. "We believe that there are substantial potential benefits to Sydneysiders having access to 24-hour services and amenities". You can see the full report here. Image: Andy Vermeulen/Destination NSW.
Guillaume Brahimi may well be Australia's busiest man. Only months after taking over the dining room at Paddington's Four In Hand, Brahimi is back at it again, announcing he'll be opening Bistro Guillaume in Sydney's CBD next month. As well as The Four in Hand, Brahimi currently runs his namesake restaurant Guillaume, also in Paddington. But this new CBD resto — which was announced towards the end of last year — steps away from fine dining, and will be a new iteration of his flagship French bistro enterprise, Bistro Guillaume. This will be his third bistro (the other two are located in Melbourne and Perth), and will see him serve up a classic, protein-heavy French menu with a dessert offering that will bring a happiness tear to your eye. Located in the Suncorp Building on George Street, the new Bistro G will continue the trend established by it's predecessors. The restaurants are known for their use of playful textures and pops of vibrant green to offset the old-world luxury oozing from every sconce, and this one will follow suit along with some unique touches from Sydney interior designer Blainey North. At the moment the only clue pointing to the restaurant's look is an image of the signage in silver instead of the iconic green. The venue is set to open in August, so for now we can only speculate wildly about colour schemes. Bistro Guillaume Sydney is set to open in August in the Suncorp Building at 259 George Street, Sydney. Keep checking back for updates closer to the launch.
If you've been pining for Cafe Paci since the Darlinghurst restaurant closed in 2015, then here's some good news. Chef Pasi Petänen will again team up with Dennis Roman, Zoltan Magyar for a second pop-up at Mecca's Alexandria roastery and cafe, where they'll be hosting 12 feasts involving wine and collaborations. Taking place over four weeks, the dinners find their inspiration in the colours of the season. Each week's menu is dedicated to a particular shade. So, in week one, look out for red ingredients, from red prawns, radicchio and red cabbage to duck, beef and paprika. In week two, yellow will take over, bringing with it saffron, ginger, honey, yellow-tail kingfish and yellow wine, among other sun-coloured delights. Then, in week three, it's white's turn, which means crab meat and calamari in savoury dishes and popcorn and white chocolate for sweet teeth. Finally, green, with its endless possibilities, will be wrapping up proceedings in week four. Think green-lipped abalone, seaweed, avocado, coriander and honeydew melon. Some specific dishes have been rumoured, including white salad, strawberries with smoked capsicum, corn with butter and cabbage with parsley and anchovies. For each offering, there'll be a matching wine available by the glass or bottle. Dennis and Zoltan put together the drinks list from a handpicked selection of local and international producers. The feasts will take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday each week, kicking off on Friday, October 12 and finishing on Sunday, November 4. Tickets are $85 for a five-course, set menu. Match the entire banquet with glasses of wine for $65 or buy drinks individually. Cafe Paci's Cooking by Colours pop-up will be at Mecca, 26 Bourke Road, Alexandria from October 12 until November 4. To book, email info@cafepaci.com.au or go over here.
Pairing wine with food has been done near to death. Sure, grilled snapper does taste that bit nicer with a glass of Chardonnay, but more and more Australian kitchens have been offering up beer pairings with fine food — and we're all for the alternative. Good Food Month is right onto this and, in collaboration with Beer The Beautiful Truth, has enlisted Bar Ume executive chef Kerby Craig — the guy serving up prawn katsu burgers in Surry Hills — and Lion craft beer sommelier Paul Daley to curate a decadent four-course lunch as part of this year's festivities. Each dish will be expertly paired with a different beer, with mouthfeel, aroma and, of course, flavour in mind. The catch? It's a blind tasting. Each dish will be served with a beer in a non-descript glass to let your senses guide you through the courses. The bottle will only be revealed at the end of each course. Craig's menu for the day will be inspired by contemporary Japanese cuisine but journeys across a vast spectrum of flavours. "I've created food the way I'd want to eat if I was a customer in that setting," he says. This is not just another excuse for a brew. Craig and Daley highlight that beer is not only for enjoying with pub grub, and that beers fall into brand bias. "We'll often dismiss a brand of beer because it's what our father would drink — but when paired with food, you can see a different side of it," says Daley. We all know lager tastes great with a schnitty, but New Zealand salmon sashimi paired with an Asian dry lager might just be one of the best marriages you'll experience. Here's a look at the menu Craig and Daley will be serving up on Friday, October 13 at Good Food Month's 2017 hub Hyde Park Palms. FIRST COURSE: KING SALMON SASHIMI WITH NORI PUREE, CUCUMBER, WASABI AND TAMARI SOY SAUCE Craig's first meal is a sashimi dish with fresh-from-NZ king salmon. "This type of salmon is only 2 percent similar to other salmon species around the world," says Craig. "It's delicious, oily and fatty. Not the greasy kind, but that tasty, refreshing fat." Building on the concept of salmon sushi, there will also be a seaweed puree underneath the sashimi, with the refreshing addition of cucumber, wasabi, lime and tamari. Tamari is a by-product of the miso fermentation process and results in a darker, thicker sauce to the soy sauce we're familiar with. Due to the fermentation process of miso, it takes a minimum of 18 months to produce. It's known as the most traditional of soy sauces in Japan — traditionally the 'correct' sauce for sashimi. Beer pairing: Because sashimi is a light and fresh dish, Daley has paired it with a crisp, dry Asian lager. "It plays on the simplicity of the dish, and it's the perfect way to set the tone for the rest of the of the meal," he says. This beer has less body and is reminiscent of sake, both of which are produced in very similar methods. It's also Daley's favourite pairing; it challenges the perception of beer only being suitable for pub food. SECOND COURSE: CHARCOAL-GRILLED EGGPLANT AND SMOKED LAMB NECK WITH KATSUOBUSHI "For me, combining beer and umami is a good thing," says Craig. On his many travels to Japan he's developed a strong appreciation for the savoury, which is highlighted in this course. Eggplant is a summer food (keeping in mind that Japanese summer is more like Australian spring), so now is the best time of the year to bring out these flavours. It's charcoal-grilled but aided in flavour by cured Hokkaido lamb shoulder. Lamb is not huge in Japan and it's produced solely in Hokkaido. Cured lamb is similar to a ham, so there's a smoky, saltier taste and the flavour may throw you off slightly. On top, katsuobushi is sprinkled, a commonly eaten seasoning of shaved, dried bonito. Beer pairing: A golden ale has been chosen to underline this dish. It'll be a bit on the sweet side with caramel malts. "You get a lovely, sweet, toffee flavour, which is complemented by fruity, apricot character from the Amarillo hops," says Daley. The lamb will be saltier than generally expected, due to the curing process, and this will be emphasised by the beer's bold, caramel hops. There will also be a pilsner introduced halfway through this dish, to show a stark contrast between the two beers. THIRD COURSE: ANGUS FLANK WITH SHISO VERDE, WAGYU-FAT POTATOES, SHIO KOMBU AND A SIDE OF TOMATO SALAD WITH SHISO OIL You'll indulge in a juicy, roast Angus flank covered in shiso verde, a green sauce taking inspiration from Argentina's chimichurri, or salsa verde. "Our take on the salsa verde is going to make it a really floral-tasting steak," says Craig. "And on the side there will be a tomato salad with lots of nice umami notes in there." There'll also be sprinklings of shio kombu — kelp dried in soy sauce — to provide that extra flavour hit. Beer pairing: There's an American pale ale involved here. "This beer's hoppy character will bring out interesting herbaceous notes in the steak, and that extra bitterness will cut through the fat in this meal," Daley says. The slight caramel notes in the APA will go well with the Angus. FOURTH COURSE: DESSERT Craig hasn't revealed the dessert, however, it will be paired with a dark ale. "I couldn't go past the dark beer with the dessert. It's probably the most inspiring part of the meal for me." Bar Ume's Love Beer, Have Taste event will take place at Good Food Month's Hyde Park Palms hub at noon on Friday, October 13. Ticket are $70 for four courses paired with brews. For more info or to book tickets, go here.
Thanks to a wave of passionate Sydneysiders, Keep Sydney Open's offline petition received well-over 10,000 signatures and is being debated in the NSW lower house today. The debate is open to the public which means you can show your support of the cause directly to Parliament — an event worthy of an afternoon sickie. From massive rallies to a crowdfunded documentary, a large portion of Sydney's community has really defended the nightlife of the city we know and love. Clearly, the uproar hasn't been heard on deaf ears, with a review under way by the Independent Review board and now a full-on political debate. For those truly dedicated to the cause, this is a rare chance to not only show your support but also find out if politicians have really been listening. You'll have to take it down a notch though, as campaign t-shirts and banners are not allowed in Parliament. Immediately following the debate, Keep Sydney Open is organising a meeting in Martin Place for a group photo-op and discussion around the campaign's progress. The schedule: 4:00pm: Arrive at Parliament and go through security at public entrance.* 4:15pm: People to be seated in chamber. 4:30pm: Debate starts. 5:00pm: Gather for a post-debate photo at the top of Martin Place *Note that campaign t-shirts and banners are not allowed in the Parliament. Looks like the government will finally be forced to openly consider the closures of music venues and the major hit on Sydney's night-time economy and vibrant nightlife. Keep Sydney Open believes there are many alternative means to keep the city safe at night without shutting it down — and they clearly have a lot of local support behind them. RSVP here to attend today's debate. The debate will happen today, May 12 from 4pm to 6pm at NSW Parliament House, 6 Macquarie Street, Sydney. Image: Kimberley Low.
These days, a free tertiary education is something of a myth — your parents might have got it, you know some other countries offer it, but you've certainly given up all hope of getting any sort of affordable qualifications (particularly with the prospect of fee deregulation). But when the NSW Government released its 2018 budget back in June, it included some surprisingly good news: it is now free to complete selected apprenticeships in NSW. As announced by Premier Gladys Berejiklian and outlined in the NSW Budget 18/19 papers, the State Government will put $285.2 million towards covering course fees for up to 100,000 TAFE courses and apprenticeships. All 121 apprenticeships currently funded under the government's Smart and Skilled program will be covered, and they're pretty varied, running from a Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery to a Certificate IV in Engineering. Most cost around $2000 to complete, so this will make a huge difference to prospective students who can't afford to foot the bill usually associated with studying. To be eligible for the free courses, you have to be over 15 years old and either an Australian or New Zealand citizen, a permanent resident or hold a humanitarian visa. The decision to make these courses free comes off the back of a similar promise from the Victorian Government to make 30 new courses fee-free from next year. The free courses in Victoria are a little broader in scope, though, and include qualifications in nursing, accounting and mental health.
Earlier this year we wondered what strange muralist vista would emerge when the winner of the Brad Robson Mural competition saw the last lick of paint applied to their wall. Now we know. Local artist Robson was at the time recently returned from a residency in New York, and generously offered to paint up one winning Concrete Playground reader's home with a unique design. This one, as is happens. The winner of the competition was Sydneysider Glen Archibald, and it wasn't long ago that Robson got started permanently tarting his place up. The mural went up over the course of two weekends at his inner-city home, and the results, as you can see, are pretty amazing. Robson's work has been on show during Jurassic Lounge, and one of his murals is currently visible at the Hive Bar. And if you want to get a closer work at his wall-free work, you can see some of it on show until December 5 at Platform 72. Definitely more convenient in its Oxford Street premises that the ticket to Brooklyn you'll need to check out Robson's next exhibition. To keep up with Concrete Playground's giveaways keep an eye on our front page and make sure you've subscribed to our Sydney newsletter.
Ever wished you were a fly on the wall at a rock star after-party? How about being part of the action? As part of The Rocks Village Bizarre, fallen star Uta Uber Kool Ja (aka Melbourne actor Georgina Symes) is inviting you to one of her raucous hotel room soirees. At 7pm and 9.30pm every Friday night until December 21, the "almost-was" Uta and her assistant George will be hosting an intimate, decadent and revealing party in her glamorous Holiday Inn penthouse suite (that's right, with harbour views). As the champagne flows, so too do Uta's stories, party games and meltdowns. There may also be some nudity, dancing and a little dress up... and Uta feels better if everyone gets involved. Uta Uber Kool Ja is immersive theatre at its most up-front and personal: expect to get down and get loose, party people. With rave reviews from the Melbourne and Adelaide Fringe Festivals, it'd be wise to book in advance. Each show is $23-$25, 90 minutes long and strictly over 18s only. Tickets can be bought online or at Holiday Inn, 55 George St, The Rocks. Feeling lucky? Concrete Playground has a double pass to give away for Uta Uber Kool Ja's show at 7pm on Friday, November 30. To be in for a chance to win, make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground (if you're not already), then email your name to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Flamin’ Hell, it's Ray Meagher, the first realistic thing to come out of Home & Away in years. Here’s what I did last Tuesday: talked Die Hard 5 with Bruce Willis, kicked my feet up onto Obama’s desk, trapped Warney in a headlock, belted out a tune with Rihanna and then jumped up and down on Oprah’s couch. As for what I did with President Hu Jintao, he knows what happened, I know what happened – let’s leave it at that. “So”, you may well ask, “are these all just the insane ramblings of a troubled writer with delusions of grandeur?” Only half right (I’m not rambling), because thanks to Sydney’s new Madame Tussauds, all of the above is now possible. Since its first permanent exhibition opened in London in 1835, Madame Tussauds has delighted audiences around the world with its hyper-realistic wax statutes of famous figures both past and present. Each statue takes around 800 hours to complete, including the taking of over 250 precise measurements just for the face and more than five weeks spent inserting individual strands of hair into the head. It’s gruelling and meticulous work but the results are absolutely astounding: standing before these models – you truly feels as though you’re in the presence of celebrity. Cleverly divided into themed rooms such as historical, political, musical, sporting and cinematic, the exhibits are highly interactive and a hands-on approach is strongly encouraged by staff. Beyond the inevitable international A-Listers there’s also a distinctly local flavour to the 70 or so exhibits, with the Minogue sisters, Don Bradman, Ned Kelly and a hauntingly lifelike Heath Ledger all in attendance. Even Madame Tussaud herself makes an appearance, featuring hair so extraordinary it beggars belief for anything short of Gary Oldman’s wig in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. While there are many reasons to head along and check out the exhibition it’s ultimately curiosity that drives the experience. There’s something undeniably tempting about the opportunity to compare your own height (and perhaps weight) to those of the famous folk, as well as the more surreal experience of eyeballing each and every one of them and imagining what it might be like to engage them in conversation. Or yell at them. Or get down on one knee and propose (FYI - Marilyn didn’t say “yes”, but she didn’t say “no” either…). Sydney's Madame Tussauds is now open daily at Aquarium Wharf, Darling Harbour. Layne Beachley showcasing the unique talent of surfing on a board made out of the same material she is. Mr President? It’s Four Years Of Unfulfilled Promises calling. I think it’s for you. “Well the last train out of Sydney’s almost, wait...train? Plane. Plane? Last plane? God, even I don’t know anymore”. (Barnsey) Hey, Hugh Jackman, on an Adamantium Claw Scale of “Terrible” to “Appallingly Bad”, how many claws do you give Wolverine? Lleyton Hewitt indicating the number of Majors he’s won in recent years. Captain James Cook wondering whose iPhone just went off, as well as “what the hell’s an iPhone!?” In a fascinating twist, it turns out the real Brad and Ange modelled themselves on wax mannequins.
We were already planning to spend all summer on Cockatoo Island's new Island Bar. Think striped deck chairs, croquet tournaments and some of Sydney's best cocktails, courtesy of mixologist extraordinaire Marco Faraone. Who needs ferries when you can stay the night (or the week)? Then, just when we thought things couldn't get any better, they've upped the stakes. This weekend Cockatoo Island officially transforms into Cocktail Island, a two-day long festival celebrating all the best bits of bar and cocktail culture. We hear it will be a maze of cocktail stands and tasting rooms, likely to transform into a Baccalian melee. Classics like Negronis and Martinis will be offered alongside the newest and hippest from around the globe, with only the world's leading spirits used in the mix. It's a time not only for tippling but for learning. Master classes will be held with international guest speakers, including the unmissable tequila expert Julio Bermejo. Get worded up on cocktail history, current trends and even take-home tips for the perfect guest-impressers. Unlike your favourite music festival, tickets are a mere $15 (plus booking fee) then you only pay for the bits - well, the drinks - that you like.
