If you think that climbing Mount Everest is a massive endeavour, then wait until you hear about the latest venture from ex-Noma chef James Sharman. As part of his One Star House Party project, he's taking 15 adventurous diners on a 14-day trek of the mammoth Himalayan mountain, complete with a pop-up fine-dining restaurant. Participants will hike to base camp for the meal of a lifetime, setting off on December 10 and returning on December 23. Just what Sharman will whip up when they get there is yet to be revealed; however, given that his roving culinary party aims to showcase the cuisines of each country that he visits and make meals out of ingredients he discovers along the way, inventive takes on Nepalese fare is more than likely. Now that's how you celebrate scaling the world's highest peak above sea level — but, of course, the catch is that attendees have to do the hard work to get there first. And it doesn't come cheap, unsurprisingly. The eager climbers each pay US$1050 per person, which includes accommodation in guest houses along the way and other necessities for the trip. Nepal marks Sharman's fourth stop in his 20-month plan to host 20 restaurants in 20 countries, after starting in Beijing in September, then visiting Ho Chi Minh in October and Bangkok in November. Mumbai is next on the agenda, with the delicious escapade also touching everywhere from Nairobi, Berlin and Reykjavik to Santiago, Vancouver and Kyoto. Yes, Australia is included, with a Tasmanian stopover slated for June 2018. For more information about One Star House Party, visit www.onestarhouseparty.com. Image: Nick Taz.
Filmed like a play but choreographed like a dance, Birdman is cinematic ballet where the way the story is presented is just as critical to its telling as the story itself. That's because the film features one remarkable, continuous shot that goes for 119 minutes and is called Birdman. Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) is a washed-up movie star whose career faded into obscurity after turning down the lead in ‘Birdman 3’ (allusions to Keaton’s career post Batmans 1 and 2 are clearly — and gleefully — embraced by all). Thomson has gambled everything on one final shot at restoring his credibility: a Broadway adaptation of a Raymond Carver story that he has singlehandedly adapted, directed and is starring in. There's a matryoshka doll feeling to it all: the movie, filmed like a play, about the movie star putting on a play. The effect is at once mesmerising and unbalanced, neatly reflecting Thomson’s own tortured subconscious. With a supporting cast including Zach Galifianakis, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts and Edward Norton, Birdman is a tantalisingly original black comedy that belongs on everyone’s must-see list for 2015. Birdman is in cinemas nationally on January 15. Thanks to Twentieth Century Fox, we're giving away one collectable, money-can’t-buy talking Birdman figurine (only 50 in Australia), along with a Birdman double in-season pass. Ten runners up will also get double in-season passes. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Read our full review here. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Boaz Yakin's 'Safe' follows the two-headed mission of former special forces operative Luke Wright (Jason Stratham) as he sets out to outwit Chinese Triads and the Russian Mafia. 12-year old Mei (Catherine Chan) is Wright's unlikely sidekick: a girl who holds potentially deadly knowledge. Mei has been gifted with mathematical genius, a skill which enables her to memorise the code to a coveted safe containing $30 million. Her secret cannot remain under wraps for long, however. Once word gets out that Mei is the only person who knows the safe's code, the underbelly of the crime world comes clamouring. Wright must protect Mei as together they attempt to outwit the Triads, corrupt NYC officials, and Russian Mafia. From the producer of 'Kill Bill' and 'Inglourious Bastards', this breakneck-speed crime thriller will keep you on-edge, hoping that Wright can successfully complete his trickiest and most important mission yet: to keep Mei safe. To win one of ten double passes to see Safe, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=Mv2VZi5RD6c
This is it, folks. We're officially closing in on the last moments of summer. Soon enough, the days will get shorter, and the balmy nights will make way for blanket negotiations — but not before a festive farewell courtesy of Patrón. Earlier this month, the tequila kings set up across Sydney to celebrate the end of summer. They brought their Paraiso del Patrón to the city, inserting a slice of Mexican luxury into The Bucket List, Mrs Sippy and The Tilbury. There was a special launch by the sea at The Bucket List, Mrs Sippy is hosting Saturday bottomless brunches until the end of the month and on Thursday, February 22, The Tilbury will celebrate International Margarita Day with a fiesta of handcrafted Patrón cocktails, a hefty menu of tasty Mexican eats and local DJ beats. Though we're pretty sure International Margarita Day isn't a real holiday at all, we'll never turn our noses at a festive night of tequila. With DJ Stu Turner providing the soundtrack to the evening, The Tilbury's terrace will be a gateway to a virtual Mexican holiday. Kick off the festivities with a classic Tommy's Margarita paired with spiced North Queensland prawns, and then get stuck into a tray of soft shell tacos (you have a choice of honey soy chicken, chorizo, prawn and garlic mushroom) as you sip a bittersweet pomegranate Paloma. And if you happen to save some room for dessert, the Patrón XO Cafe espresso martini affogato will certainly hit the spot, providing the sweetest end to another spectacular Sydney summer. Can't make the party? You can still ride out the remainder of summer with Patrón. Paraiso del Patrón will be serving up their special tequila drinks and Mexican eats at The Tilbury, Mrs Sippy and The Bucket List every day until March 1.
Fresh from scoring plenty of attention in Australia's sporting circles after hosting the AFL's first-ever Gather Round, Adelaide is giving locals and visitors alike another reason to enjoy the City of Churches. Art, music and culture lovers, get ready for the South Australian dream that is Illuminate Adelaide, which debuted in 2021, then backed up its dazzling first year in 2022 — and has just dropped an impressive 2023 lineup, too. Illuminate's third month-long event will run from Wednesday, June 28–Sunday, July 30, putting it in prime winter festival season following Vivid Sydney, RISING Melbourne and Dark Mofo in Tasmania. Spending the country's colder months travelling between all four fests sounds positively heavenly; however, if you can only hit up one, SA's addition to the fold makes a strong case. Topping the music bill are Yothu Yindi, Oneohtrix Point Never and Tourist, giving Illuminate both Australian icons and electronic must-sees from overseas. With the former, the iconic Indigenous rock band play for one night only to celebrate NAIDOC Week. As for the latter, the Brooklyn-based Oneohtrix Point Never (who is responsible for the intoxicating scores to films Good Time and Uncut Gems) and English electronic musician and producer Tourist (aka William Phillip) will also bring their respective tunes to the Hindley Street Music Hall during the fest. After making its Aussie debut at last year's Illuminate, concert series KLASSIK underground will return, once again pairing classical music with live visuals. So too will experimental and electronic music celebration Unsound Adelaide. And, the roster of tunes also spans Murrawarri and Ngemba talent DOBBY, Space Afrika's dub-techno sounds, Sofie Birch and Antonina Nowacka teaming up, rapper bbymutha and Guatemalan experimental cellist Mabe Fratti. [caption id="attachment_897498" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jack Fenby[/caption] That's what festival attendees will be listening to. The arts and light part of the program is just as impressive — and literally vibrant. UK creatives Architects of Air will hit Illuminate with Arborialis luminarium, which will take over East End in Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka with 1000 square metres of inflatable mazes. Even better: running for three weeks, it's basically a labyrinth of colour and light, and you can head along by both day and by night. Mirror Mirror is another standout, harking from multimedia studio Moment Factory and coming to Adelaide fresh from premiering in Montreal. An interactive and immersive experience that'll take over its own purpose-built structure on Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga, it gets attendees wandering their way through unique art installations — and yes, a hall of mirrors is included. The same outfit is also behind Resonate, which takes over from 2021 and 2022's Light Cycle in lighting up a 1.7-kilometre trail nightly through the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. [caption id="attachment_897495" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Owens[/caption] Keeping with the 2023 festival's radiant side, Illuminate will welcome back some of its past big luminous drawcards for a third time, because they're just that impressive and popular. That includes Light Creatures at the Adelaide Zoo, which means even more glowing animal installations. This year, it'll feature returning panda, skink, underwater and tiger favourites, plus a golden falcon, crabs and a projection that travels through time. Also worth looking out for (not at you can miss it) is the City Lights program, which makes a comeback to again feature more 40 free site-specific works over 17 days. A sculptural floral field, CoolShit getting into stare mode with large-scale art installation The Eyes, a touch-sensitive light and sound piece, an exhibition of works by the multi-talented Poh Ling Yeow, Amanda Parer's towering and inflatable Man: they're all included. So too is Augmented Revolution, which dives into augmented reality featuring works by First Nations artists. Elsewhere, you can make a date with pop-up bar and eatery hub Base Camp in its third year; the also-returning New Light, which commissions new screen works from Aboriginal talents; Make|Shift @ The Mill, aka projection art by six SA multidisciplinary artists; and the world premiere of Restless Dance Theatre's new Shifting Perspectives. Looking for more things to do around South Australia at the time? Concrete Playground Trips has a four-day wellness escape in the Adelaide Hills available to book in July as well. [caption id="attachment_897500" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Moment Factory[/caption] Illuminate Adelaide 2023 runs from Wednesday, June 28–Sunday, July 30. Check out the festival's website for the full program and to grab tickets. Top images: Sam Wong, Amigo and Amigo, Frankie the Creative, Moment Factory and Rami Saarikorpi. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
"What is this kind of film?" This question is not, as one might expect, asked by a journalist following a screening of Trance, or by a member of the public curious about the billboards currently filling London. Rather, it is asked by Vincent Cassel, one of the film's leads, to a room of six reviewers, including myself. None of us are able to answer him. Trance is the latest Danny Boyle film and, as such, one must approach it with very few specific expectations. Boyle has treated his career like a pick-n-mix, filling his directorial bag with genres as diverse as black comedy (Shallow Grave, 1994), Bollywood-inspired coming of age (Slumdog Millionaire, 2008) and zombie flick (28 Days Later, 2002). So what has he attempted this time? When asked, Boyle is vague. "You tend to talk in genres when you're doing publicity but it's not really something we think about." This seems unlikely and yet the three core cast — James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson and Cassel — agree. Trance defies easy categorisation. The film's opening minutes feel like a classic heist movie, as a high-priced work of art is stolen from the London auction house where McAvoy's character, Simon, works. It very quickly descends into violent gangster flick as Cassel's Franck, a French crime boss, enters the story. And just as quickly, it makes the switch to psychological thriller with the introduction of Elizabeth, played by Dawson — a hypnotherapist with the apparent ability to not only see into Simon's mind but to completely control it. These rapid direction changes are disorienting but one suspects that is entirely intentional. In a film in which motivations are revealed in increments, it helps to have the audience as misdirected as the characters. Boyle says that even the artwork at the centre of the criminals' plot is a part of this tactic. Witches in the Air by Goya "introduces a slightly surreal element into the film to prepare you". Depending on your viewpoint, the use of hypnotherapy as the plot's driving force might add to this sense of the surreal. In a film more bound up in realism, it would be laughable to posit the possibility of mind control through hypnotherapy, but it's easier to swallow in the hypercolour confusion of Trance. The film's actors are split on this issue. Dawson says she had a very intense experience in a hypnosis centre in California which convinced her that "it's not a parlour trick or a gimmick." It didn't work on McAvoy, but he still believes "it has a place and a power, even if that power is placebo. Placebo is a powerful drug for some people." Cassel's response is the most revealing. While he was resistant to being hypnotised, he thinks he knows why the subject fascinates his director. "Danny Boyle is a control freak. Maybe he wanted to talk about that. It's a personal problem for him and that's what makes it so interesting." Control freak he may be, but he's a prolific one. Boyle managed to pull off two completely different projects concurrent with the production of Trance: directing the 2011 theatrical production of Frankenstein and acting as artistic director for the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games. The pressure on an Olympic opening ceremony is huge, with each country attempting to top the last. But when Boyle is asked if he felt that pressure he hesitates slightly before responding. "Well ... no, to be honest. People say were you nervous on the night, and I wasn't nervous at all." The relaxed attitude extends to his advice for the next opening ceremony, to be held in Rio De Janeiro in 2016. "I think Brazil has such personality. Provided they just reflect that personality, they'll be fine." With all this so recently behind him, one might expect Boyle to take a break. But this doesn't seem to be in his nature. He's currently working on two period films — another new genre for him — and is keen to develop an original musical. Excitingly for fans, there are also preliminary plans for a sequel to his 1996 hit, Trainspotting, about drug culture in Edinburgh. He confirms that "We're trying to make a Trainspotting 2 — T2," adding that he doesn't know what James Cameron will think of that title. The variety of work Boyle produces makes it tempting to try to tie down Trance, to figure out where it fits in his ever expanding portfolio. But Cassel feels this would be a mistake. "Any genre movie made by a good director becomes that director's movie and nothing else. It's a Danny Boyle movie." And as his other leading man, McAvoy, reminds us: "He's not making obscure art. He's making proper entertainment." On that front, the deliriously paced, lushly shot and brilliantly acted Trance certainly delivers. Trance is in cinemas across Australia from April 4. Read our review here.
Not content with boasting Descendents for their first Australian tour since 2017 — plus Oliver Tree, Chet Faker, Hilltop Hoods, Earl Sweatshirt, Golden Features and Ocean Alley, too — Wollongong's Yours and Owls has just added two huge names to its 2023 lineup. Fancy dancing to Flight Facilities' famed Decades mixes? To Australian electronic favourites Pendulum, too? They're both now on the bill. Taking place between Saturday, October 14–Sunday, October 15, this'll be the first Yours and Owls since April 2021, when it became the first major music festival that New South Wales had seen in over a year due to the pandemic — and the first to allow dancing as well. So, of course it's going big. The event was forced to cancel in 2022 when La Niña flooded its Stuart Park venue, which ensures that making another return is definitely worth celebrating. The two-day shindig affectionately labelled Gong Christmas has added both Flight Facilities and Pendulum to its Sunday bill at its new home at the University of Wollongong (UOW) campus. Stopping by during their own tours — with both Flight Facilities and Pendulum doing the rounds Australia-wide in October — they join a roster of talent spanning over 60 local and international acts, and a whole heap of genres. Also already on the list: US drill star Lil Tjay, as well as Vera Blue, Meg Mac, Peach Pit, Bakar, Safia, Broods, Hobo Johnson, Masego, RVG, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Royal Otis and Sorry. A few names from the SXSW Sydney music lineup are on the Yours and Owls program, too, with the two events sharing dates. Wallice, Ekkstacy, Dice, Go-Jo, Phoebe Go and Rum Jungle will all be appearing at both events. The south coast festival's dance music stage Das Shmelthaus is also returning, and is sure to make the most of the new UOW home. On its lineup of electronic tastemakers: Club Angel, DJ PGZ, Sam Alfred, Mike Who and Lauren Hansom. UOW and the festival have inked a three-year partnership, with the all-weather solutions available at the campus cited as one of the driving factors behind the team-up — plus the university's picturesque green spaces and a mutual commitment towards carbon-emission reduction. You can expect stages to pop up across the expansive space, with Yours and Owls promising to activate grounds, ovals and laneways. [caption id="attachment_906428" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jess Gleeson[/caption] YOURS AND OWLS 2023 LINEUP: Bakar Broods Chet Faker Descendents Earl Sweatshirt Flight Facilities Golden Features Hilltop Hoods Hobo Johnson Lil Tjay Masego Meg Mac Ocean Alley Oliver Tree Peach Pit Pendulum Safia Vera Blue Angel Du$t Big Wett Daily J Dice Ekkstacy Fazerdaze Forest Claudette James Marriott King Mala Old Mervs Pacific Avenue Phony Ppl Redhook Royal Otis RVG Shagrock Sorry Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers Teenage Dads The Grogans The Rions The Terrys The Vanns Tia Gostelow Wallice Babyface Mal Billy Otto Full Flower Moon Band Girl and Girl Go-Jo Lazywax Phoebe Go Possehot Rum Jungle Stevan Stumps These New South Whales Towns YB Wiigz Das Shmelthaus: Object Blue b2b TSVI Cleo Club Angel DJ PGZ Kornél Kovács Lauren Hansom b2b Mike Who Luca Lozano Sam Alfred Seb Wildblood Skatebard Tangela Yours and Owls 2023 will return from Saturday, October 14–Sunday, October 15 at its new home at the University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong — with tickets on sale now.
Paris and Abu Dhabi might seem worlds apart in many ways, but come November they'll share a pretty significant cultural bond, as the Louvre Abu Dhabi opens its doors to the public. Set to launch on November 11, the museum will be unlike any other in the United Arab Emirates, pitched as "a universal museum that focuses on shared human stories across civilisations and cultures." It's a stunner, too, designed by acclaimed French architect Lean Nouvel and boasting a 7500-tonne, 180-metre high dome ceiling, set with close to 8000 metal stars. The intergovernmental project is globally significant, pulling together a diverse, 600-strong collection of artworks and artefacts from 13 of France's top cultural institutions, spanning prehistoric times to the present day. In a forward-thinking move, they'll be displayed chronologically, rather than with a focus on place, shining a spotlight on cross-cultural interconnectedness. According to the museum's director, Manuel Rabaté, the goal was to create "a place where visitors can come to understand their own and others' cultures. Its ground-breaking architecture complements a presentation of exceptional treasures that represent a snapshot of humanity's creativity, and paves the way for new discussions." Images: Mohamed Somji.
We think of Charles Dickens as being a quintessentially British writer, but one of his most famous novels, 1861's Great Expectations is said to have originated somewhere nearer to us: Newtown. That's where one Eliza Donnithorne was stood up on her wedding day and for the rest of her reclusive life left her banquet table set, her wedding dress on, and her door ajar in hope of her beloved's return. Now buried in St Stephen's Cemetery, she is very like the affecting figure of Miss Havisham, whose manipulations drive much of the story of Great Expectations. You could say, then, that Bakehouse Theatre Company and ATYP have a solid local angle for their production of this classic work. They've made it young, lively, and imbued with a feeling of magic, propelled by the energy of a 15-strong cast. The performers act as a chorus, narrating the action in Dickens' own, ever-powerful words while assuming a variety of signature Dickens characters from Pumblechook to Magwitch, Wopsle, and Biddy (Dickens' influence on JK Rowling is clear here). The ones you really need to follow are destitute orphan Pip (Patrick Sherwood) and loftily bred Estella (Shannon Ashlyn), who are thrown together as playmates by Miss Havisham (Jacki Mison). The encounter leaves Pip desirous to rise above his station and in love with Estella, whom he cannot have because Miss Havisham, driven by bitterness and wrath, has blunted her ward to any emotion. This tragic core — a charting of how hurt begets hurt, of how abuse is passed on — is what makes Great Expectations one of the author's most enduring works. This production uses a rollicking adaptation by Nick Ormerod and Declan Donnellan, founders of the UK's exciting and muscular Cheek by Jowl theatre company, who developed the text for the Royal Shakespeare Company. The use of narration is absorbing and effective and is seen at its best when it gives the actions performed space to shift from the literal to the symbolic. There's a beautiful sense of conjuring as the cast revolve around the smokey stage, pulling out props, making them disappear. The set design serves them well, as a raked, cylindrical wood platform recalls both industrial chimneys and agricultural mills and gives a clear point of focus. The difficult part of staging such a pacey script is finding the pauses that give meaning time to land, and director John Harrison hasn't quite identified enough of them. The biggest inhibitor to the play making its proper emotional connection, though, is the extreme caricaturisation of Miss Havisham, who is played as a Cruella de Vil-esque Disney witch walking around in a daze and wearing only one shoe. It's a choice out of step with the rest of the play's romantic Victorian aesthetic and sadly denies Miss Havisham her ultimate vindication — being a real, wounded character whose personal tragedy touches generations.
We alerted you a few weeks back that Australia was getting its first wave park just outside of Melbourne, but it turns out the playful geniuses at URBNSURF aren't stopping at Victoria. They've announced their latest plan today to turn a Sydney Olympic Park carpark into Australia's second Wavegarden. The team is quite literally turning concrete into a playground, and we couldn't be more psyched about it (even though Kelly Slater's will inevitably be better by a mile). While Sydney's beach scene is already on point, especially compared with Melbourne's lack thereof, the wave park allows surfers to catch the perfect wave, day or night, with ne'er a shark in site. Set 14 kilometres west of the Sydney CBD and situated next to the planned Parramatta Light Rail line, the park will open in 2018. The site already receives ten million visitors a year, so URBNSURF have picked a pretty good spot. Apart from the benefits of shark-less, jellyfish-less waters, perfectly crafted waves and LED lighting for night time sessions, the 'lagoon-side' amenities are over the top in their own right. The park will include a cafe, rooftop bar and beach club, along with a fully equipped surf shop. If you're new to surfing, they'll be running training programs for all levels. But the park isn't only for surfers either — with beach cabanas, a children's playground, skate ramp, rock climbing and parkour courses, it seems this Wavegarden is set to be more of an all-around amusement park. It's also promised to be designed sustainably, using renewable energy and water saving systems. URBNSURF is operated by the Perth company Wave Park Group, which is committed to revolutionise surf in Australia, so you can bet this won't be their last project. If all goes well, the Wavegarden won't be ready before 2018 so you have a few more years of regular-old surfing before the wave of the future takes over. URBNSURF will open in 2018 at Sydney Olympic Park. Check out Melbourne's version in the meantime.
That The Boys-shaped hole in your viewing is about to be filled, and not just by college-set spinoff Gen V. Viewers had the latter to get their sinister superhero fix in 2023, but 2024 will deliver more of the show behind it — and, unsurprisingly to viewers of 201-9's first season, 2020's second effort and 2022's third go-around, utter mayhem is on the way. When The Boys returns, it'll see the world dealing with Homelander (Antony Starr, Guy Ritchie's The Covenant)-versus-Starlight (Erin Moriarty, Captain Fantastic) factionalism, and just being ready to tear itself apart in general. Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) is getting closer to the Oval Office, too, with Homelander pulling the strings. It's no wonder that the just-dropped first trailer for season four is filled with utter chaos. Also on the way: no-nonsense Brit Billy Butcher (Karl Urban, Thor: Ragnarok) dealing with the fact that he's only got months left, and that he's no longer leading The Boys — aka the eponymous ragtag team intent on bringing down Vought International, Homelander, and the company's caped-crusader industry and dominance. And, there's a new face, with Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead) joining the cast, adding another Supernatural link after Jensen Ackles did the same in season three. Back in 2019 when The Boys first hit streaming, sufferers of superhero fatigue understandably rejoiced. Yes, it focuses on a group of caped crusaders just like seemingly every second blockbuster movie (and, these days, every third TV show or so as well); however, in a world where viewers have been conditioned to lap up narratives about powerful folks who are supposedly better than most, this series both satirises and questions that very idea. Here, superheroes work for Vought. They're still the main form of entertainment, but they're real, the most famous celebrities there are and inescapable in daily life, too. The absolute top talent is known as The Seven, but most are hardly role models when the public isn't looking. That has made quite the change from the usual cinematic universes as the Prime Video show has kept notching up the seasons, all coming to the small screen after being adapted from Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's comic book series of the same name. Exactly when The Boys will bring back its gleefully darker-than-dark tone, a pervasive bleakness that refuses to be shaken, plus oh-so-much blood, gore and guts hasn't been revealed other than sometime in 2024. As well as Starr, Moriarty, Doumit and Urban, Jack Quaid (Oppenheimer), Jessie T Usher (Smile), Laz Alonso (Wrath of Man), Chace Crawford (Gossip Girl), Tomer Capone (One on One), Karen Fukuhara (Bullet Train), Colby Minifie (I'm Thinking of Ending Things) and Cameron Crovetti (Goodnight Mommy) will all return — with Susan Heyward (Hello Tomorrow!) and Valorie Curry (The Lost Symbol) also set to be season four newcomers. Check out the first trailer for The Boys season four below: The fourth season of The Boys will start streaming via Prime Video sometime in 2024 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced. Read our reviews of The Boys season three and Gen V.
Zipping around the city running errands can be difficult without a bicycle accessory to hold all your belongings — backpacks get heavy and bags hanging off handlebars get caught in wheels. So counter this, Yeong Keun Jeong and Aareum Jong have created Reel, an invention that attaches to your bike frame using woven elastic and adhesive silicone buttons. This simple yet effective design comes in two parts: one long piece of elastic and a sheet of clear plastic buttons. By attaching the buttons evenly along the bike frame, Reel stops the elastic from sliding to the bottom of the frame by looping the elastic in a diamond shape. Acting as a woven basket, the elastic holds your items in place along the triangle frame so you can ride off into the sunset or down the street with whatever tickles your fancy in tow.
“My father passed away when I was three. It was only this year that I realised that he was just thirty when he died. So, if I make it through this year alive, I’ll outlive my own father, which is crazy. And that’s why my album is called Thirty One. Apparently he was a really amazing musician, so I think that’s where I got my music from.” Brisbane singer-songwriter Jarryd James has had one heck of a year. The 31-year-old former teaching student's debut LP Thirty One drops September 11, but he's already blitzed the Australian charts and festival circuit. Since his single, ‘Do You Remember?’ hit number two on the ARIA charts in February, James has been living in a dream-like state, selling out huge national venues like Sydney's Metro Theatre and playing to one of Splendour's biggest crowds. “There was no way I was expecting that,” he said. “It’s been incredible. I don’t think I’ve really had a chance to process it properly.” ‘Do You Remember?’ has now racked up more than 2 million Youtube views, and he's just released a single co-written with Julia Stone. And that's all in one year. We caught the Brisbane singer on the day of his debut album launch, to head back to the beginning, to chat about singing up a storm in his bedroom, the tapes his mum used to play and how the heck he worked with Frank Ocean and Lorde's producers. ON TRAINING HIS VOICE USING HIS MUM’S TAPES Despite a furiously busy year of fast fame, James's deceptively simple track has years of work – and listening – behind it. James started singing when he was just a kid. “I never had any training or anything like that. I’d put tapes on and just sing along. I listened to a lot of Stevie Wonder, Harry Nilsson, The Beatles and Bob Dylan — all the staples, I guess. And the stuff my mum had in her tape and record collection. Singing is all about listening, really, more than it is about making noise. You need to listen to what’s happening and adjust your voice accordingly. I spent a lot of time listening to other singers and figuring out how they did it.” ON BEING A SHY BEDROOM SINGER Even though singing came naturally to James, performing was a different matter. “As a teenager, I never sang in front of anyone else. I was ridiculously shy and the thought of it made me feel sick.” It wasn’t until James was 19 that he worked up the courage to sing in public, which launched a decade of music-making — from touring independently to playing bass with good mate Matt Corby. And now the tables have turned — performing is now James's "favourite part". "It’s one thing to record a song and go back and change things. But when you’re performing in a room, it’s in real time. It’s happening there and then, and it has its own energy, which I find a bit addictive. There’s no other thing in the world that makes you feel like that. It’s amazing. The bigger the crowd, the easier it is … The only time I get nervous is when it’s some awkward thing, like a label showcase, where there are twenty people staring at you in a silent room.” ON WORKING WITH LORDE AND FRANK OCEAN'S PRODUCERS Jarryd recorded Thirty One in Auckland, Los Angeles, Melbourne and Sydney, with the input of three seriously Big Time producers — Joel Little (Lorde, Broods), Malay (Frank Ocean) and Pip Norman (Urthboy, Dan Sultan). As a result, listeners can expect twelve melodic, laidback tracks, including ‘Do You Remember?’, as well as the also already-released ‘Give Me Something’ and ‘Regardless’ (featuring Julia Stone). So what kind of sound does a Brisbane boy and Frank Ocean's producer come up with? “Nothing was forced. We were all on the same page musically and we decided that we should see what happens. We weren’t trying to force out any hits or any of that shit. We enjoyed each other’s company first and foremost, and we made music according to that. I don’t care at all about what anyone’s done previously or what their status is or what their name is. I care about what their agenda is with music and what they value when they’re writing and producing.” ON SIMPLICITY AND HONESTY Jarryd describes his most important musical values as “simplicity and honesty. A lot of [the music on Thirty One] is quite emotional. It is stuff that’s flowed out of me … I try to let my subconscious lead the writing process and switch my brain off as much as I can. I’ve learnt to trust that. When I over-think and second-guess, that’s when I get myself in a bit of a rut, creatively. I think the main thing I focus on is not focusing. It sounds weird but it does work for me. "I don’t even let myself think about fears that I have because I’m the kind of person, if I get down that path, it’ll kind of maybe mess me up a bit. But my hopes are that I can keep on doing this for a long as I can – that being decades and decades. I want to be able to make enough money to live off and support other musicians and help as many people as I can. I have a very blessed life now so I want to be able to pass that on." Jarryd James' debut album Thirty One is out September 11 via Universal Music. Images: Universal, Ian Laidlaw (Splendour)
Here's your chance to thank a major enabler of your binge TV habit. The man responsible for bringing you 3720 hours of glee, revulsion, frustration and satisfaction, Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, is coming to Australia. He'll be making one exclusive appearance at the Sydney Town Hall as part of the Sydney Writers' Festival (an early part; he's here May 1 while the rest of the festival kicks off May 19). The discussion will zero in on Gilligan's creative process and presumably provide a platform for all your Better Call Saul-related questions. Even though Gilligan might be the most 'read' writer at the festival, there's plenty else in the program announcement to warrant attention and ticket-getting. Big international names include that other confounding New Zealand prodigy, 2013 Booker Prize winner for The Luminaries Eleanor Catton (who is, we're constantly being reminded, 28). There's also right-of-passage author Irvine Welsh, journalist/press freedoms fighter Jeremy Scahill, Super Sad True Love Story writer/famous blurbist Gary Shteyngart, and Eimear McBride, who in 2013 threw out the laws of grammar and emerged with the bizarrely comprehensible A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing. Artistic director Jemma Birrell doesn't appear to be trying to reinvent the wheel or tweet the wheel or performance art the wheel; the 2014 Sydney Writers' Festival is geared towards solid programming that mixes interesting minds. "Over 400 writers will bring their insight and knowledge, their creativity and contemplation, to help us see life from a different perspective," she says of the festival. Bondi Beach and Bowral are new venues, and there's a fun-looking series putting the spotlight on Literary Friendships (it generously counts siblings as friends, so writers Benjamin and Michelle Law are included). Now a fixture of the festival, the Chaser-run Festival Club is where things will get relaxed and sweary at the end of the day. The Sydney Writers' Festival is on May 19-25 (apart from lone wolf Vince). Tickets are on sale from 9am on Friday, April 4, via the festival website.
Things don't tend to go well at motels in the middle of nowhere. They are always closeted and vulnerable in their isolation, with a Lynchian surreality leeching in from the edges. And when your motel is in the part of the middle of nowhere that's next to a high-security prison, the threats present themselves quite vividly. So it is at the Blue Angel Hotel, which serves as a base for visiting wives and girlfriends and is tended by ultimate prisoner 'groupie' Grace (Gael Ballantyne). A few guests tumble in: regular Vic (Jacqui Livingston), a psychiatrist who may have reached a very favourable assessment of one of her patients; new face Angela (Eloise Snape), who is here for the same parole hearing but with a wholly different perspective to argue; Ray (Bill Conn), the bus driver with a hopeless devotion to Grace; and Hiro (Takaya Honda), a random blow-in who speaks no English and whom Grace allows to breach her usual 'no tourists' policy. There's an exotic mural on the wall, sirens in the distance, and, occasionally, an otherworldly dance that comes on with a dimming of the lights. Like some other famous hotels, it's the kind of place from which you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. Katie Pollock's new play is concerned with unpacking the psychological factors that drive some women into the arms of men who they know to have committed acts of violence, and it does so with sensitivity, creativity, and nerve. Not one of the female characters is the stereotype you may be expecting to meet — in fact, they mostly emphasise their dissociation from the nebulous group of devoted partners and MWIs (Met While Incarcerateds) that Grace captains. You get a nice echo of their different relationship motivations as they imprint them on the passive stranger Hiro — Grace seeking someone to look after; Vic, someone to provide a shot of danger and excitement; Angela, someone gentle and protective. The tension between the women is a riveting and revealing source of drama. There are parts of The Blue Angel Hotel that are a touch overdone: The foreboding setting is well established without the prison bars dripping into the lobby from overhead, and some of the script's asides serve up characters' psychologies a bit too bluntly, denying us the fun of getting to know them as the play progresses. Other, more symbolic asides are welcome and intriguing. After all, when we travel to an inn at the end of the world, we want the walls between the everyday and the metaphysical to be thinned. Photo by Zorica Purlija.
We all know it's never too early to start planning your summer – especially the bits that involve scouting out new drinking destinations and loading up on art and culture. Handy then, that the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia will again combine two of Sydney's favourite past-times for its third annual exhibition-themed summer pop-up bar, opening the doors to Colour Fields on November 3. As the name suggests, this year's project is set to inject the MCA's harbourside terrace with a healthy dose of colour, inspired by Pipilotti Rist's bold Sydney International Art Series exhibition Sip My Ocean, which is in town from November 1 until February 18. Not only will the rainbow-hued bar offer modernised classic cocktails and summery share plates to echo Rist's bold installations, but the team from Work-Shop will be hosting a series of Wednesday night classes on topics like DIY perfume-making and rosé appreciation – perfect for when that art gazing leaves you itching to unleash some creativity of your own. And, as the icing on the cake, local record label Future Classic has again jumped on board to serve up some awesome aural treats. Colour Fields will feature their handpicked mixtapes throughout the week, while weekly Sunday sessions will see the likes of Andy Garvey, Le Fruit, Freda & Jackson and Moving House DJ's gracing the decks. Find Colour Fields at the MCA, 140 George St, The Rocks, Wednesdays to Sundays starting November 3. For more information, go here. Image courtesy Scoundrel Projects
Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, took to the small screen on Tuesday with his new talk show, The World Tomorrow. Assange and his first interviewee, the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, chatted companionably (with the aid of of translators) via video chat. Nasrallah spoke from an undisclosed location in Lebabnon, and Assange from the UK, where he is under house arrest. The interview marked Nasrallah's first Western interview since 2006. The World Tomorrow is carried by Russia Today (RT), a Kremlin-backed English-language news network and website with an anti-American undertone. Created by Vladimir Putin in 2005, RT aims to promote the Kremlin line abroad; it is also broadcast in Spanish and Arabic. Assange is noted for his involvement in a 2010 mass release of secret government documents. Though he was supported by the cooperation of several news organisations (including the New York Times), Assange was the only one involved to fully disclose the documents' details, names and all. He published the documents on his website, and has since become a target of controversy. Though no TV host natural, Assange covered a wide range of interesting topics, including issues in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, with Nasrallah on Tuesday night. The interview was thought-provoking and fresh, leaving audiences guessing what could be coming up in future episodes. https://youtube.com/watch?v=GDLXPpooA18 [via Pedestrian]
He's back! It's been eight long years since we first heard Thom Yorke's glitchy solo grooves in The Eraser now, out of nowhere, he's dropped a sneaky surprise album overnight. Tomorrow's Modern Boxes sees Yorke return to his trademark sound with a full LP of sneaky sneakster electronica. But you won't find this album in stores just yet. As always, Yorke has something else in mind. Similar to the release of Radiohead's In Rainbows where fans could pay whatever they wanted for an online download, Tomorrow's Modern Boxes has been released via BitTorrent. It's a bold move. Seeking alternative methods of distribution, Yorke has chosen to embrace the technology the music industry struggles with the most. The album, in fact, is the world's first paygated BitTorrent bundle. "It's an experiment to see if the mechanics of the system are something that the general public can get its head around," reads a statement on the Radiohead website. "If it works well it could be an effective way of handing some control of internet commerce back to people who are creating the work." By releasing the music direct to the public, artists are able to keep a much larger share of the profits. For each album sold, BitTorrent reportedly takes a 10 per cent cut and Yorke gets the remaining 90. This combined with the savings on production and publicity means they are able to set the price at a mere US$6. Score. "It it works, anyone can do this exactly as we have done," the statement reads. "[This would enable] those people who make either music, video or any other kind of digital content to sell it themselves. Bypassing the self elected gate-keepers." BitTorrent's CCO Matt Mason told Mashable that this is a system many artists will soon be employing. And, why not? Unless you work at a record company, it seems like a win-win situation. Tomorrow's Modern Boxes is available for download via BitTorrent now. You can listen to the first single 'A Brian in a Bottle' prior to downloading. But don't be stingy, give this legend his $6 for the full thing.
Since first making a big-screen splash in 2016's Lady Macbeth, in just her second film role, Florence Pugh has just kept proving an on-screen force to be reckoned with. In everything from Fighting with My Family and Little Women through to Black Widow — and including excellent TV series The Little Drummer Girl as well — she's gone from strength to strength. In Midsommar, too, she put in an all-timer while coping with the creepiest of creepiest scenarios. As that horror gem showed, Pugh also gives great reaction shots, especially when she's playing someone who is facing a terrifying nightmare. That's the situation the British actor finds herself in again in Don't Worry Darling — and, based on the initial and just-dropped second trailers, Pugh is in phenomenal form once more. When the two sneak peeks start, life is dreamy for Alice, her character; however, that unravels quickly. In the second feature from actor-turned-filmmaker Olivia Wilde (Booksmart), Alice gets stranded in the worst kind of 1950s ordeal despite all initial appearances to the contrary. Victory, the community where she's just moved to with her husband Jack (Harry Styles, Eternals) appears picture-perfect, but we all know how that can be deceiving. The town is home the men who work for the top-secret Victory Project — such as Jack — and their families, and it's where Don't Worry Darling's central duo are meant to enjoy nothing but bliss. They're given two rules to abide to, though: exercising the utmost discretion and committing 100-percent to Victory's vision, even if the town's wives don't actually know what their husbands get up to all day. That's all well and good — and terrific, in fact for most of Victory's residents — but it stops being the case for Alice. Despite the pervasive optimism of the era, as well as overt reassurances by company CEO Frank (Chris Pine, All the Old Knives) and his wife Shelley (Gemma Chan, Eternals), Alice is certain that all isn't quite what it seems — or that she can or should trust what the company is so determined to impress upon the town's inhabitants. Yes, as immaculate as Don't Worry Darling appears, it's 100-percent a psychological thriller. It gives off huge The Truman Show vibes, too, as Alice refuses to acquiesce. Hitting cinemas Down Under in early October, Don't Worry Darling also co-stars Wilde herself, playing another Victory employee's spouse, as well as Nick Kroll (Our Flag Means Death), KiKi Layne (The Old Guard), Sydney Chandler (The Golden Rut), Kate Berlant (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Asif Ali (WandaVision), Douglas Smith (Big Little Lies), Timothy Simons (Station Eleven) and Ari'el Stachel (Zola). Check out the latest trailer for Don't Worry Darling below: Don't Worry Darling releases in cinemas Down Under on October 6. Top image: © 2022 Warner Bros. Enterainment Inc. All rights reserved.
Already home to an entire museum dedicated to dachshunds, Germany is attempting another feat that'll make dog lovers wish they were in the European country — an attempt to break the world record for the most amount of sausage dogs in one place. On Saturday, July 21, dachshunds and their human companions will descend upon Berlin's Dackelranch Lichtenrade — or Dachshund Ranch, fittingly — with amassing 666 elongated pooches their ultimate target. And if you're wondering why the organisers have chosen that number, it's because it eclipses the current world record and then some. At present, the record stands at 601, the number of short-limbed doggos that strolled along a Cornwall beach in England in March this year. That huge canine meet-up beat the previous total, from Wales, by 101 dachshunds (not dalmatians). Those in attendance will see the cute critters wander around a 500-square-metre dog play area — and there'll also be veterinarians on site in case any puppers feel overwhelmed. With the world record attempt organised by dachshund-themed Berlin bar POSH Teckel, there'll also be an after party, although we're guessing the 666 or so sausage dogs won't be trotting along to the evening shenanigans.
A year after making history for being just the third woman ever to win the Best Director Oscar, as well as the first woman in to receive two nominations in that very category, Jane Campion is coming to the 2023 Sydney Film Festival to discuss that stunning achievement and her impressive four-decade career. The New Zealand filmmaker will have much to talk about, including the body of work that's also being showcased in the fest's retrospective called Jane Campion — Her Way. This year's SFF runs from Wednesday, June 7–Sunday, June 18, and it's devoting its spotlight retro programming to the director behind The Piano, The Portrait of a Lady, In the Cut, Bright Star and more — including, of course, the 12-time Academy Award-nominated revisionist western The Power of the Dog. All five films will screen, as will Campion's five-episode debut behind the lens Two Friends, which as made in 1986 for the ABC; the Cannes-premiering 1989 feature Sweetie; 1990's An Angel at My Table, which won the Grand Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival; and 1999's Holy Smoke, complete with an Aussie-accented Kate Winslet (Avatar: The Way of Water). [caption id="attachment_897271" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kirsty Griffin/Netflix[/caption] For the in-conversation part of Jane Campion — Her Way, Campion will chat with David Stratton on Saturday, June 10 following a showing of the new documentary Jane Campion, The Cinema Woman. The screening part of the lineup will play throughout the fest, and also include Campion-helmed shorts Peel, A Girl's Own Story, Passionless Moments, After Hours and The Water Diary. The lineup is a collaboration with Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image and Canberra's National Film and Sound Archive, and will also show in both venues. It'll hit ACMI from Thursday, June 15–Sunday, July 2 — coinciding with its current Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion exhibition that celebrates women in film history — and then the NFSA from Thursday, July 20–Sunday, July 30. "For our 70th edition, we wanted to present a retrospective commensurate with the milestone, reflecting the audacious and boundary pushing filmmaking synonymous with our Festival and region — and there was no one more appropriate than Jane Campion. She is a groundbreaking filmmaker who has made a profound impact on cinema with her daring and unforgettable films," said Sydney Film Festival Director Nashen Moodley, announcing the program. "Campion has broken barriers for women in the industry, winning two Academy Awards and becoming the first woman to receive the Palme d'Or at Cannes. She has changed the landscape of cinema around the world, crafting films now etched in film history. It will be remarkable to see the full suite of her talents in one program, which take us to unexpected and exciting places with every frame and film," said Moodley. Campion and Jane Campion — Her Way join 2023's SFF lineup alongside 12 other previously announced films, with the full program announced on Wednesday, May 10. Sydney Film Festival 2023 runs from Wednesday, June 7–Sunday, June 18, including Jane Campion — Her Way, with the filmmaker's in-conversation session with David Stratton taking place on Saturday, June 10. The film screening series will then hit Melbourne's ACMI from Thursday, June 15–Sunday, July 2, followed by the NFSA in Canberra from Thursday, July 20–Sunday, July 30. Top image: Kirsty Griffin/Netflix.
The Abbotsford Anglers are a lousy, Saturday morning, suburban cricket team, led by Ted (Stephen Curry), a sweet but kinda hopeless guy who lives in a mate's garage and works at a sports store. When his best mate, Rick (Brendan Cowell), announces his plans to marry and have children (which, to the boyish Ted, amounts to no less than treason), Ted can see his beloved cricket team will be overtaken by nappies, wives and all the other dreadful trappings of manhood. Oblivious to the inevitable fact that the times and the nature of his friendships are a-changing, Ted leads his D-grade team into the depths of India for a tour of glorified park cricket. It's here that tensions arise, friendships are frayed, life lessons are learned and Ted must finally man up, grow up and fondly leave his teenage dreams behind. Underlying all the beer and bravado, Save Your Legs! is about mateship and coming of age, with an affectionate portrait of everyday Aussie battlers that puts it in the same cinematic bracket as The Castle and Kenny. Cowell and Curry give endearing performances as man-boys who are forcefully and finally shoved out of adolescence and into adulthood at the ripe old age of thirty-five. As a lighthearted, nostalgia-drenched film, Save Your Legs! hits a six. Courtesy of Madman Entertainment, we have 15 complimentary in-season passes to give away to Save Your Legs, in cinemas February 28. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. You can read our full review here.
Since 1989, Sweden's Icehotel has given travellers a decidedly cool place to stay each winter. December hits, and the site reveals its new frosty rooms — the kind that are carved out of ice and only around for a short time, as they'll melt once the weather gets warmer. They're not just any old slabs of ice and snow in the village of Jukkasjärvi, 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, however. As part of their annual tradition, the accommodation provider calls for designers and artists to unleash their chilly ideas — then unveils their wondrous creations to travellers. In this year's crop? A snail world made out of cold, cold substances, a hanging installation that you can sleep in, a bed you can only reach by navigating a 34-meter ice labyrinth and another than requires walking over a bridge — and some thin ice — before you can bunk down for the night. Other highlights include a frozen jungle of Monstera-plants, an icy Fabergé egg, a space-inspired space, and a dream-like, cloud-esque piece that UK artist Lisa Lindqvist has dubbed "an art installation who also happens to be a bedroom." Now open until April 15, 2018, the fresh blend of ice and creativity features 35 one-of-a-kind rooms in total, as crafted by 36 artists from 17 countries. They're made from more than 30,000 cubic metres of snice — that's a mix of snow and ice — from the local Torne River. As well as places to sleep, the new iteration also includes an ice bar, ice ceremony hall and ice gallery. If you're a fan of the kind of coldness the southern hemisphere doesn't see at this time of the year, but you can't make it to Icehotel's cold climes during the northern winter, don't worry — in addition to their annual slate of artistic suites, Icehotel has been open all year round for the past year. It inclludes 20 permanent suites, an ice bar, plus private saunas and spas for an added touch of warmth in such cold surroundings. For more information about Icehotel, visit www.icehotel.com. Images: Asaf Kliger.
What activity combines an upper-body workout and getting your hands nice and dirty? Minds out of the gutter please — we're talking about pottery. Give the throw a go at Clay:Sydney's wheel-throwing classes in her Marrickville studio. If you're looking for some wholesome (but not clean) weekend fun, the taster classes run every Saturday morning. The 90-minute class will take you through how to throw clay on the wheel, as well as how to fire and glaze once you've created something with your clay (even if it is a little wonky). A nice little dip-your-toe-in before signing up for a full course, the class is ideal for those with no experience. You might not be master of the wheel by the end, but you and the wheel will at least be tight enough for you to have earned your learner's plates. The classes run every Saturday from 9am–10.30am, plus every Wednesday night and second Saturday afternoon. If you're a little throw-shy, you can opt for a private class — or try out one of the wine-fuelled hand-building workshops, instead. Updated: May 14, 2019.
Ever been so caught up in work, sleep or staring blankly into space that you've missed a huge piece of breaking news, only to discover something big has happened when you later log onto Facebook and notice everyone's changed their profile picture and talking about something you definitely do not understand? Those are the times you wish a mate had just sent you a little nudge to say that, "hey, X world event is happening right now — you probs need to know about it" or "X is doing a free gig tonight" to save you looking like a fool at the water cooler the next morning at work. Well, ABC News is now that friend. All you have to do is start up a convo with them on Facebook Messenger and they'll keep you updated on the latest news through some sneaky text messages. It's called ABC News on Facebook Messenger (fitting, really), and it's the broadcaster's newest way to deliver personalised news to its audience on mobile. All you have to do is find ABC News on Messenger (you can just search for them) and start up a conversation. Then, they'll send you the latest news updates through short, snappy messages in a conversational format — just like a really, really informed friend. It's very similar to the Quartz's news service, which does basically the same thing but through their own dedicated app. The best thing about having a personal convo with the ABC — the news is put together by their digital editorial team and the service is powered by a third-party bot Chatfuel — is that you can choose what news you want to get notified about. If you want a summary of what's happened while you've been sleeping, you can choose to get one sent to you as your alarm goes off. Or, perhaps you just want to get alerts when the really big stuff happens? You can opt in for the too. You can also choose alerts for sport teams you follow, long-form news or stories that involve puppies. You can also just start up the convo at any time to see what's happening. The service was rolled out yesterday after a successful trial. You can find out more and sign up here.
Positive Posters is putting forward the question: what do you care about? This creative initiative is a competition and exhibition asking designers worldwide what they think the most pressing global issues are. Entrants are challenged to design an original poster that conveys a message about a current problem which requires more attention. The posters will be viewed by thousands of individuals from over 150 nations, some of which won't speak your language. Entrants will therefore need to use make their message universal using images not words. The posters will be reviewed by judges who will create a shortlist of 30 to be exhibited at an exhibition in Melbourne in late October. From there, international judges will pick the top three place winners. Submissions can be entered in August and September, so get your creative thinking caps on quickly. For more information regarding the entry specifications and process read the Positive Posters 2012 brief.
You don't know what you've got till it's gone. That saying has never felt more poignant than right now as we look for ways to keep living our best city-dwelling lifestyles within the confines of our homes. We're missing impromptu after-work drinks with colleagues and big birthday bashes at a flashy restaurant with our crew. We're missing the thrill of seeing our favourite band perform live or shaking off the shackles of the workweek with some kidulting fun. These things will return in good time. Until then, we're going to be spending a bit more time at home than usual, so we may as well make it a place we actually like hanging out. To celebrate the return of the Miller Design Lab, we've come up with five ways to customise your home and bring the best aspects of your city's nightlife into the fold. Miller Design Lab has built their own online home of creativity and self-expression with Australia's leading minds in design, art, technology and fashion. Together, we're celebrating our nightlife and its impact on culture by bringing you ways to create exceptional moments in your own home. [caption id="attachment_503345" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Le Bon Ton[/caption] TRANSFORM YOUR BALCONY OR GARDEN INTO A ROOFTOP BAR It's no secret that we love a rooftop bar — there's just something about the fresh air and epic sunset views (and perhaps the altitude) that make our drinks even tastier. If you're lucky enough to have a balcony or garden space attached to your home, you better be making the most of that prime piece of real estate. Take some cues from some of your favourite sky-high bars around the city and transform those few square metres into a mini oasis that you can kick back in with a drink in hand. Once you've got the furniture sorted — whether that's the full setup from an outdoors warehouse or an eclectic mix of chairs and tables from Gumtree — focus on injecting some colour and personality into the space. Start with some greenery: you can get hanging planters, quirky pot plants and all kinds of foliage delivered to your door via The Plant Society in Sydney and Melbourne or The Plant Lounge in Brisbane. Next, set the mood with some lighting — go with some traditional fairy lights for an ethereal feel or festoon lights if you're aiming for something a little more rustic. TURN YOUR LIVING ROOM INTO A LIVE MUSIC VENUE Working from home has its perks, but it can actually be really hard to switch off at the end of the day when you've got nowhere to rush off to. To mark 'tools down', set a date with yourself and your roommates or partner to go to a gig — in your own living room. Live music venues may be closed for now, but there are a bunch of playlists that you can stream (check out some of our favourites here), plus many artists are bringing the gigs to you via the wonders of the internet. There's the daily LGBTQIA+ Zoom party Club Quarantine, Defected Records' Defected Virtual Festival (featuring sets from Calvin Harris, Sam Divine and more), and Room 2 Radio, the Sydney-based virtual dance party which kicks off every Friday night at 8pm. Plus, the likes of Hayden James and Major Lazer are doing weekly streams, while Radiohead and Metallica are uploading footage from old concerts every week on Youtube. Sunset is the signal for you to the shut the laptop, get the live-stream up on your TV and reshuffle the furniture (or just haphazardly push it to once side — either works) so you can have enough room to throw shapes. If you really want to get into the spirit, treat yourself and the room to a funky disco ball, neon sign or strobe light machine, too. MAKE NIGHTTIME PLAYTIME If there were ever a time you wished you could wind back the clock and be a little kid again, it's probably right now. Unless you have a Delorean in your possession (if you do, can we borrow it?), it's not a possibility. So, we've found other ways to get our kidult kicks across the city — think arcade bars, indoor trampoline centres and escape rooms. And you can bring some of those into your own home, too. Set up a mini golf tournament in your backyard, dig out those classic board games from the cupboard or stock up on puzzles — even our PM agrees the latter is essential. You can also try your hand at a virtual escape room — our pick is this Harry Potter one. Or, crowdfund with all your housemates to purchase a traditional arcade game. CONVERT YOUR DINING AREA INTO AN INTIMATE BAR Finding a dimly lit nook in a small bar and splitting a bottle with someone is one of our favourite winter pastimes — it suits when on a first date, catching up with an old friend and bonding with a new colleague. To bring some of those cosy vibes into your apartment, set mood lighting with those candles you've been hoarding, grab a couple of premium beers, then order in some cocktails from a local bar for 'happy hour' or crack open that vino you've been saving for a special occasion. Oh, and don't forget the snacks. Get some top-notch cheese delivered from Formaggi Ocello in Sydney, Milk the Cow in Melbourne or Le Fromage Yard in Brisbane and build your own grazing board. [caption id="attachment_709879" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] REVAMP YOUR BEDROOM TO BE LIKE AN ART GALLERY You may only think of it as the place you go to sleep, but your bedroom is pretty important, particularly when you live with other people. It's where you retreat to after all that partying around your pad. It's also where you have free rein to express your personality and interests through your art and styling choices — from your bed linen to funky furniture choices. A wall mural decal will transform a blank wall into a big statement that emanates an inner-city laneway. For something a little less permanent, create your own mural with old photos, posters or magazine clippings (yes, just like you did in high school), or support a local artist and buy one of their pieces — sites like Cream Town are a good place to start with artworks starting at just $100. For more ways to celebrate your city's nightlife and recreate its energy in your own space, head this way.
At the moment, every movie franchise you can think of has or is being turned into a TV show, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe, its rival DC Extended Universe, Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, IT, The Conjuring and Twilight. Another trend doing the rounds: giving 90s flicks a 2020s remake or sequel, as seen with Hocus Pocus, The Craft, Interview with the Vampire, A League of Their Own and now White Men Can't Jump. Yes, the Woody Harrelson- and Wesley Snipes-starring basketball film is heading back to screens 31 years later, this time getting Jack Harlow bouncing, dribbling, trash talking and trying to use his on-the-court skills to rustle up a big payday. The musician is turning actor to lead White Men Can't Jump circa 2023, as the initial sneak peek earlier in the year and just-dropped full trailer shows, opposite Nanny's Sinqua Walls. Harlow makes his movie debut, in fact, playing former basketball star Jeremy, who is struggling after injuries got in the way of his career. Then, he teams up with Walls as Kamal, a once-promising player who also didn't see his basketball future turning out as he planned. Bring on the streetball hustling from there, clearly. Behind the lens, Calmatic does the honours after also directing a House Party remake — yes, another 90s flick — and helming a heap of music videos, including winning a Grammy for Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road'. Penned by Black-ish's Kenya Barris and Doug Hall, 2023's White Men Can't Jump is headed straight to streaming via Disney+ Down Under, arriving on Friday, May 19. If you're new to all things White Men Can't Jump, as well as the court action, it featured a significant Jeopardy!-related storyline. The trailers for the new movie don't show any signs of bringing that back, sadly. Check out the full trailer for White Men Can't Jump below: White Men Can't Jump will be available to stream on Friday, May 19 via Disney+.
p>Cake was founded in 2011 with the goal of cultivating those things that make the world a more interesting place. One of those things is wine, which is too frequently overcomplicated and marketed toward owners of sports utility vehicles, and one of those things is art. Cake gives 25 cents from each bottle to FBi Radio in Sydney and 4ZZZ in Brisbane, commissions artists to make the labels all pretty, and devised Australia's second most prestigious art prize — the Archi-bottle. One time they even made you a mix tape. Their latest partnership, a pop-up bar run together with Tropfest, is a natural extension of Cake's ethos (Tropfest is a grassroots cultural event) and the brand's rapidly escalating rep (Tropfest is also the largest short film festival in the world). As another testament to the latter, Cake managed to secure some prime real estate in the form of a historic underground sandstone bunker in The Rocks. This they filled with seven varietals of South Australian deliciousness and 15 days of cultural goodness in the form of presentations, art, film, food, and music events in February. The pop-up is ending on Saturday, March 3, but not before throwing a big closing night party and putting on a $150 bar tab for one lucky winner. To be in the running, visit them on Facebook and follow the prompts.
Over a year ago, the first tram took a trip on Sydney's much-talked-about light rail system, when nighttime testing started on a section of Alison Road in Randwick. Now, trams have started after-dark trials on another section of the rail: Surry Hills. Last night, Tuesday, May 21, a tram took its first journey into Surry Hills, travelling through the Moore Park Tunnel, along Devonshire Street and all the way to Central Station. As it is just testing at the moment, you unfortunately can't hop on the tram just yet. But, hopefully, it won't be too long till you can. While May 2020 is the projected completion date for the project — which has been delayed by a total of 14 months, so far — some parts of the rail could be up and running by the end of this year. In March, a spokesperson for Transport for NSW said that it "continues to discuss" opportunities with ALTRAC, the consortium delivering the project, to bring an opening date forward to 2019. This would include opening part of the line from Circular Quay to Randwick as early as December. Once completed, the CBD and South East Light Rail will feature a 12.7-kilometre route from Circular Quay to Randwick and Kingsford, with 19 stops along the way. While the early launch date seems unlikely (if the project's track record is anything to go by), this new testing is a good sign — as are the daytime trials, the next phase of testing, which kicked off in Randwick last month. https://twitter.com/MySydney/status/1128152908971761664 Overall, it's been quite the saga for the light rail project, which has faced legal stouches, cost blowouts and delays galore, due to everything from awry overhead wires and a discovery of thousands of Indigenous artefacts. As always, we'll keep you updated on any news related to the light rail — including further delays and opening dates.
From holding a bake sale to selling off your bodily organs to teaching your dog to do this, artists, artisans and inventors have always had to be creative when it comes to getting dollars in the bank. If you’re not the baking or self-mutilating or dog-training type, Australia’s top crowdfunding platform Pozible might be up your alley. Pozible is more like a superhighway that started in 2010 and has since grown to support over 4,500 projects in Australia and around the world. It’s not hard to run a campaign, but it can be tough to succeed. We spoke to Pozible co-founder Rick Chen and compiled a hit list of top tips to help you on your way to making that money pool you always dreamed of. The Anything's Pozible pop-up is on in Sydney until March 13. Check it out for more tips and workshops to help you crowdfund your next project. Research ten similar projects First off the bat, do your research. Make sure you know how Pozible works. Search the Pozible website to find out how other similar projects have been funded. Read the FAQ, get in touch with Pozible and ask all the dumb questions. According to Rick, the Pozible team “work with project creators to educate them and let them know what works and what doesn’t work. This face-to-face guidance is a rare thing, and no other platform approaches crowdfunding in this way”, a contributing factor to high success rates. Tell a story “Most of the time it’s not about the project itself, it’s about the person behind it," says Rick. "People want to be part of you and your journey, so you need to be able to open those doors for people to get in.” Keep it simple, keep it personal, and make your crowdfunding supporters feel that they are all just as much a part of the process as you are. Transparency is also key in your storytelling. Tell people exactly what you are going to do with your money if you meet your target. (The more specific you are with this, the more it will feel as if your supporters are making a tangible difference). Include a video of yourself: you'll raise 114 percent more money if you That’s according to American crowdfunding site Indiegogo. And who doesn’t love a selfie? If you star in your own video, people will connect better with your story. The key is to create content that is visually compelling to compete with the visual noise of the internet. Offer a combination of physical goods and experience-based rewards "Physical products give your supporters a tangible sense they are getting something out of their contribution," says Rick. "Experience gives them the sense they are part of something exclusive. These two combined make it personal for people to get behind your project.” And how many rewards should you offer up? The sweet spot is somewhere between three and eight. Get another three people on your team If you have four or more people on your team, you’ll raise 70 percent more money than if you only have one person. That is, use your networks to build your team; it’s not about how many friends you’ve got, it’s about how you use them. Have your family and friends help to get the ball rolling. Don’t be afraid to ask people you know to contribute. In addition, line up a few key influential people to help spread the word. Build your networks before you launch to create hype. Shoot for 25 percent of your overall goal within the first 24 hours Go hard or go home. You are more likely to hit your target if you can reach 25 percent of your overall goal within the first 24 hours. People are more likely to donate to a campaign if other people have already donated. Pozible advises not to run a campaign for less than 20 days unless you have a good reason or are super confident. You need time to disseminate your marketing material. Indiegogo supplements this advice with the fact that on average, successful campaigns will cross their target fundraising goal on Day 36. Don't all-out beg on social media Only directly ask people to pledge to your campaign in 20 percent of your social media posts. The other 80 percent of posts should add meaning to your project, reveal exciting project news and engage people in the story. Plan your social media posts before beginning your campaign. According to Rick, “It is not about the social media platforms that you use, it is about how you use those platforms as a tool to carry out your activity — to tell your story”. Write medium-specific posts. And don’t get too disheartened if things slow down in the middle of your campaign, it happens to everyone. What’s important is you keep communicating during this period. Don’t be shy to post every day. Only ask for the amount you really need Consider the size of your networks and how many people you can realistically reach. Surprisingly, the average contribution size on successful campaigns comes in at around $70, with performance projects the most successful category. According to Rick, this is often because “these campaigners have strong existing followings — sometimes small but strong audiences who come to see shows, hardcore fans who follow these artists”. So it isn’t necessarily how many people you target, it’s who. Be realistic, write a budget. Factor in the cost of delivering your rewards. The more people you have promoting, the more pledges you will receive. Finally we asked Rick the ultimate question: What’s the biggest reason people don’t reach their targets? His response goes right back to point one: “Absolutely no question, it is because people don’t do their research properly and don’t know what they’re doing. We try to educate as much as we can, we run workshops on a monthly basis across cities in Australia. We strongly encourage people to prepare before they launch a campaign. Lack of research is basically what kills campaigns." Roslyn Helper crowdfunded her project zin's PARTY MODE on Pozible. Supplementary information sourced from US crowdfunding site Indiegogo.
For the past four years, gin lovers across the country have tripped over themselves to get their spirit-loving fingers on a bottle of Four Pillars' Bloody Shiraz Gin — and that's before they've even had a sip of alcohol. The limited edition shiraz-infused concoction really is that good, so we thought you'd like to know that the next batch goes on sale this Saturday, June 1. If you haven't come across the gin before, it's basically what it says on the label: gin infused with shiraz grapes. This gives the spirit a brilliant deep cerise colour and some sweet undertones (without a higher sugar content). That, along with its higher alcoholic content — 37.8 percent, compared to an average 25 percent in regular sloe gin — makes the Bloody Shiraz Gin a near-perfect specimen. It can be used in cocktails where you'd usually use your regular gin, but we reckon it's best if you keep it simple with a G&T. Four Pillars created the game-changing gin back in 2015 when it came into a 250-kilogram load of shiraz grapes from the Yarra Valley. Experimenting, the Victorian distillers then steeped the grapes in their high-proof dry gin for eight weeks before pressing the fruit and blending it with the gin, and hoping like hell it would turn out well. It did. This year — after selling 50 percent of the company to beer behemoth Lion in March — Four Pillars has acquired more grapes from other Victorian wine regions to make more of the gin than ever before. Still, you'll need to move fast — last year's batch has completely sold out. The gin will go on sale for $85 this Friday, June 1 at selected bottle shops, in the Four Pillars online store and its Yarra Valley distillery (where the bar will be doing tastings). If you're lucky, you'll also be able to find it served at bars around the country. Godspeed. The 2019 Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin will go on sale around the country for $85 on Saturday, June 1. Head to the Four Pillars website to buy a bottle.
Hallmark know a thing or two about invented celebration — heck, they did quite the number on that Valentine's Day. But there's never been a better reason to squeal and toss the nearest confetti-like whatever than Hallmark's latest campaign, the greeting card giants have hired puppies to deliver your mail. Have. Hired. Post. Puppies. With tiny, tiny mailbags. This is not a drill. To celebrate the launch of Hallmark's new Australian-only app, HelloYou:), (smiley face included, not this writer's haphazard love of emoticons), Hallmark have employed a team of outstandingly squealworthy, smooshface, ohp-dohp-dohp puppies to act as posties. The campaign runs like this: you download the HelloYou:) app to your smartphone, create a personalised card with your big ol' face on it, send it to the person in your life you most need brownie points from and it could be delivered by a tiny puppy in a tiny personalised uniform wearing a tiny mailbag within a few days. Could be. You're going to be pretty disappointed if some puppyless dude just shows up on your doorstep. Post Puppies will be in action on nominated dates between July 21 and August 8 in selected Australian cities. We're not sure how Hallmark acquired these tiny, tiny postal workers, whether they're getting good rates (read: pats and treats) and if they're allowed sick leave after all those love cards have been delivered. We're also pretty sure people will simply send cards to themselves to take all the postal puppy love for themselves (you selfish, selfish geniuses). Check out Hallmark's disarmingly adorable video below, in which a HelloYou:) user disturbs a tiny sleeping Golden Retriever with her need for post. Luckily, this pup takes the postal service seriously. We take no responsibility for you becoming the Office Weirdo for squealing at your computer after this little escapade: https://youtube.com/watch?v=uZwvmOczk-8
The dockless bike sharing phenomenon hasn't exactly proved a roaring success here in Australia, with rogue bikes clogging up footpaths, or winding up broken and abandoned in dangerous locations, and oBike withdrawing from Melbourne entirely. And still, yet another company is keen to give the concept a whirl locally — this time, featuring electric scooters. Aussie start-up Scootie has announced it'll launch a trial program of its ride share service in November this year, giving locals in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Perth the chance to be the first to road-test its fleet of electric scooters. Punters keen to get involved are invited to sign up now to Scootie's mailing list. Riffing on the scooter systems that have been going gang-busters over in the USA, the local company is still nailing down its technology, with plans to launch the pilot program in St Kilda, before rolling out across CBD areas. At this stage, riders will simply locate a scooter, scan and pay via the Scootie smartphone app, before jetting off on their two-wheeled adventure. According to Scootie spokesman Troy Taylor, details about specific scooter deposit zones and charging stations are yet to be confirmed, though there will be a bond taken to help deter people from damaging or abandoning the scooters. Trip costs are also in the process of being finalised, with Taylor suggesting they'll start at around 20-40 cents per minute. So, for example, a 40-minute journey would cost between $8 and $16. Scootie's trial program is slated to launch in November and run for several weeks. You can sign up to be a part of it here.
Just a couple of weeks after Totti's opened the doors to its much-hyped Great Ocean Road outpost, another Sydney favourite has announced it's making moves down south. Odd Culture Group, the hospitality crew behind inner-city spots like The Duke of Enmore, The Old Fitzroy Hotel and namesake King Street venue Odd Culture Newtown, is gearing up to launch its first Melbourne haunt in Fitzroy this May. The team has snapped up the sprawling heritage site at the corner of Brunswick and Johnston Streets, with plans to install a local version of its aforementioned Newtown bar, complete with a strong retail booze offering. As the name suggests, Odd Culture isn't afraid to get a little weird and wonderful, which tells us it'll fit right in here in this neck of the woods. The group's earned a reputation for creating welcoming, experiential venues that are centred on top-quality food and drinks — and this Melbourne debut looks set to follow suit. Odd Culture Fitzroy will have a familiar local name at the helm, too, with the role of General Manager going to Gerry Nass, owner-operator of the former Robbie Burns Hotel. A bar and bottle shop rolled into one, the venue will be stocked with an easy-to-explore specialty array of wine, beer, spirits and cocktails, with an emphasis on wild brews and natural vino. You'll be able to browse and buy to take away, or select a drop to enjoy onsite, either settled in on the indoor banquet seating or out in the laneway beer garden. Meanwhile, Meatsmith alum James MacDonald is taking the reins as Executive Chef, serving a menu of bar snacks that showcases Meatsmith goodies alongside some of the best-loved plates from Odd Culture Newtown. [caption id="attachment_831649" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Odd Culture Newtown[/caption] Find Odd Culture Fitzroy at Shop 1/296 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, from May. We'll share more details as they drop.
'Wine' and 'festival': they're two words that almost always lead to happy times for you and your gang. The Strategem Bendigo Winemakers Festival will return come Saturday, April 6, and with it comes a celebration of the region's food and wine. Local winemakers will engulf the town centre — Rosalind Park to be precise — for five hours of alfresco fun. Over 60 different wines will be on show for you to sample, so grab a glass, have a chat to the winemakers and do a big collective 'cheers' to the end of the harvest. Remember to pace yourself (small sips, not big gulps) and that eating isn't cheating — there'll be plenty of food stalls to keep you plugging along wholesomely. There'll also be live music from The Deans and The Funk Junkies and competitions running all day. You can BYO picnic rug or, if you're feeling ritzy, nab a private VIP marquee for $750. It'll get you and eleven mates entry to the festival (with a souvenir wine glass and complimentary wine tastings), access to the special private digs all day and a 30-minute private wine masterclass with a Bendigo region winemaker. Strategem Bendigo Winemakers Festival will run from 11am–4pm on Saturday, April 6. Tasting tickets start at $45, which includes a souvenir wine glass and complimentary wine tastings. Non-tasting tickets are available from $25. For more information and to purchase tickets, head this way.
SORRY FOLKS! DUE TO OVERWHELMING DEMAND, TICKETS FOR THIS SCREENING HAVE ALL BEEN ALLOCATED Chosen as the Sundance Film Festival's Official Selection, Wish You Were Here is the new Australian film, starring Joel Edgerton, about four friends who take a care-free trip to Cambodia - but only three return. Filmed on location in Sydney and in South East Asia, the story is ostensibly a thriller that explores the relationships of the three Sydneysiders as they face the aftermath of one of the clan's mysterious disappearance. Concrete Playground has teamed up with Hopscotch Films to present a preview screening of the film, directed by Kieran Darcy-Smith, on Sunday, April 22 at Event Cinema in Bondi. Hosted by FBi Radio's Kate Jinx, the screening will commence at 10.30am, followed by a chance to 'Meet the Filmmakers' at the Apple Store, with director Kieran Darcy-Smith, co-writer/actor Felicity Price, and producer Angie Fielder. The film is in cinemas April 25.
In a previous article, we asked you what the world would look like if it was run by hipsters. Now, with a new series of artworks by illustrator Ronallman, it seems that this threat may have been more imminent than we ever thought. In a collection named 'The Dic-sters', Ronallman has taken the world's most infamous dictators and given them indie makeovers that would suit the next ASOS advertising campaign. Kim Jong-Illest shows his love for hip-hop by rocking a pair of Kanye shutter shades, while Fidel Hipstro swaps his trademark army greens for a red scarf and aviators. Joseph Stachlin's facial hair gets a neat upgrade, and he also wears a green shirt (top button done up, obviously) with a contrast plaid collar. However, perhaps most terrifying of all is Skritler, a hybrid of brostep champion Skrillex and Germany's most notorious chancellor, Adolf Hitler. Such a character isn't too far-fetched when you remember that Skrillex's music has often been labelled a crime against humanity. Hipsters, with their locally-produced vegan burgers and willingness to complain about anything, are usually aligned with left-wing ideology. However, Ronallman's illustrations prove that their wardrobes might be better suited to conservative nutjobs. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6Z1RRslsFxA [via Complex]
For kids, seeing a circus performer do a handstand on an elephant is a form of wonder that makes their clean little minds flip. For the rest of us, there's La Soiree. La Soiree is well known to Sydney, having bowled us over in their 2013 summer season (and in La Clique form as early as 2007, in the Famous Spiegeltent). The cheeky, ever-evolving international cabaret circus now sells out with each visit. If there's a number of viewings required to dull its shine, awe, and utter glee, no human audience member is reported to have reached it yet. The trick is their special collection of burlesque vaudeville contortionist aerialist acrobat comedian evocateurs who are just a little bit grungy and a little bit sexy. Although the show is always changing, you can count on the return of sword-swallowing Miss Behave, while world-renowned aerial artists Hugo & Katherine will have you eating your fist with the drama. Cirque du Soleil run when they hear these carnies coming. See them in the Opera House Studio; it may not be mirrored, but it's a perfectly intimate cabaret salon.
For kids, seeing a circus performer do a handstand on an elephant is a form of wonder that makes their clean little minds flip. For the rest of us, there's La Soiree. La Soiree is well known to Sydney, having bowled us over in earlier La Clique form as early as 2007, in the Famous Spiegeltent. The cheeky, ever-evolving international cabaret circus now sells out with each visit. If there's a number of viewings required to dull its shine, awe, and utter glee, no human audience member is reported to have reached it yet. The trick is their special collection of burlesque vaudeville contortionist aerialist acrobat comedian evocateurs who are just a little bit grungy and a little bit sexy. Although the show is always changing, you can count on the return of the inimitable 'Bath Boy' (aka David O'Mer), whose dramatic flights from the air and into the tub will redefine how you think of aerial arts (and having water flicked into your face). Also returning is the beloved kook Captain Frodo, known for putting his whole body through the head of a tennis racquet while donning '80s short shorts and sweatband, accompanied by hula hooper Marawa, non-PG puppetmasters Cabaret Decadance, non-creepy clown Nate Cooper, and Freddie Mercury-esque ringmaster Mario, Queen of the Circus. Cirque du Soleil run when they hear these carnies coming. See them in the Opera House Studio; it may not be mirrored, but it's a perfectly intimate cabaret salon.
It seems like every small town has a slightly hazardous rite of passage that provides endless stories — both good and bad. In Brunswick Heads, this initiation involves making the leap from the South Beach Road Bridge into Simpson's Creek about four metres below. With the creek providing a wonderful swimming spot at high tide, dozens of people — young and old — test their mettle on a hot summer's day. There's every reason to get involved, but do take caution if you decide to take the leap from this 85-year-old wooden bridge. Image: Christy Gallois, Flickr
Reese Witherspoon. Nicole Kidman. Laura Dern. Shailene Woodley. Zoë Kravitz. Meryl Streep. Put any one of these actors on screen and viewers will follow. Stick them all in the same TV program, and it's set to become one of the biggest shows of the year. Picking up where the first season left off when it returns on Monday, June 10, Australian time, Big Little Lies is back with another dose of murky mysteries, tested friendships and life-altering events — and more lies, obviously. If you missed the huge Emmy and Golden Globe-winning first series back in 2017, it follows a group of women in Monterey, California, whose children all go to the same school. Oh, and who all got caught up in a murder tale, naturally. Based on the book by Australian author Liane Moriarty, it was originally planned a single-season run, but its enormous popularity (and swag of awards) have helped bring the drama back for another series. While Witherspoon, Kidman, Dern, Woodley and Kravitz were all among the cast the initial time around, Streep is a Big Little Lies newcomer. She's playing Mary Louise, the visiting mother-in-law to Kidman's Celeste. And, like everyone else, she doesn't quite expect she'll hear the truth when she starts asking questions about the previous season's developments. Also joining the fold is director Andrea Arnold, of Fish Tank, Wuthering Heights and American Honey fame, who is helming all seven episodes in the season season. She takes over from C.R.A.Z.Y., Dallas Buyers Club and Wild filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée, who did the same for the first season. Check out the first trailer below: Big Little Lies airs on Foxtel Showcase weekly from Monday, June 10. Image: Jennifer Clasen/HBO.
That feeling you get on the dance floor, not just of ecstasy, excitement and exuberance, but of knowing that such a moment is special because it is fleeting: imagine that turned into a film. That's what writer/director Mia Hansen-Løve and her co-scribe brother, actual former DJ Sven Hansen-Løve, have done as they wander through the Parisian electronic music scene. Calling their movie Eden is apt, because someone in their sights is always in search of perfection. Most often it's Paul (Félix de Givry), a literature student determined to make a living making music and spinning tunes. Sometimes it's one of his friends, such as his club DJ partner Stan (Hugo Conzelmann), or Showgirls fan Arnaud (Vincent Macaigne), or comic book artist Cyril (Roman Kolinka). Every now and then, it's Thomas Bangalter (Vincent Lacoste) and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (Arnaud Azoulay) — also known to the world as Daft Punk. Yes, the real-life history of everyone's favourite French electro duo is weaved into the film, and though they're not the stars of the show, their presence — and their catalogue of songs — is more than just a gimmick. It's an indicator of just how great Eden's soundtrack is, of course, if house and garage are your style of music. It's also a yardstick, showing what success in the scene means, and just how far the others have to go to achieve their dreams. Indeed, trying and not quite succeeding is what the feature is all about, capturing the gap between wanting to devote your time to doing what you love and realising that your desires just aren't going to come to fruition. Jumping between points across 21 years from 1992 onwards, that's the path that Paul's life follows. At venue after venue, he chases what he hopes will be a blossoming career. He's up all night to get lucky, and his aims never change, even as he gets older, watches those around him both grow and give up, and cycles through different girlfriends (including the ever-luminous Greta Gerwig and the bewitching Golshifteh Farahani). Exquisite actresses excluded, it all sounds a tad depressing; however, Eden remains playful and hopeful as it charts Paul's journey. Though the Hansen-Løve siblings never shy away from heartbreak and hardship in their narrative, it's hard not to get swept up in a euphoric mood when the sound of pulsating beats and the sight of dancing bodies are so common. There more than anywhere, the movie apes its characters. In the story, the power of music and movement just can't be shaken. Watching the film evokes the same reaction. Making Eden look like hazy memories of late nights, smoky clubs and early mornings only furthers that feeling, with Mia Hansen-Løve proving that the style of her previous two features, Father of My Children and Goodbye, First Love, wasn't a fluke. Nor was the authenticity of the latter, another semi-autobiographical effort. That's what shines here: the lived-in texture and the insider's perspective. Rarely have the ups and downs of life felt so real on screen, whether you've been there and done that, or can just relate to the blissful momentary reprieve from lacklustre normality found in great song and on a darkened dance floor.
We're so used to hearing of cinemas closing their doors that, for a while there, we were worried we'd be forced to watch feature films on our laptops forever more. But something's shifted. Since opening in 2013, Surry Hills' tiny one-screen Golden Age Cinema contiually sells out screenings, and this year we've had film festivals coming out our ears (including new fests dedicated to American indie and Latin American film). And, after announcing just last month that they'll open a ten-screen cinema in Double Bay, Palace Cinemas have this morning revealed plans to open another new multi-screen complex in Chippendale's Central Park Mall. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Palace will take over the third floor of the complex, which is at the moment home to aMBUSH Gallery. There will be a whopping 14 screens, with each cinema ranging from 30 to 100 seats, and a bar — because it wouldn't be a proper Palace experience without a glass of red in hand. The cinema business is obviously proving a profitable one for Palace. As well as the Double Bay development, they're also replacing the seating at Paddington's Palace Verona and adding an extra four screens and, up in Byron Bay, they're in the middle of a revamp that will bring a nine-screen complex to the beachside town by 2018. The new cinema will be called Palace Central and is expected to open towards the end of 2017. Via The Sydney Morning Herald.
Evenings out in the city don't get any more indulgent than this. On Thursday, March 3, seven of Merivale's hatted chefs will gather at est. to cook up the feast to conquer all feasts as part of March into Merivale 2016. Dubbed All Pleasure, No Guilt, the night will see you linger over five luxuriant courses, while sipping on Dom Pérignon champagne. Each dish served will be a unique creation, designed especially for this event and available nowhere else. And the Dom Pérignon will come in three coveted varieties: Vintage 2006, P2 Vintage 1998 and Vintage rosé 2004. If there was ever an event to dig out your finest black tie for, this is it. You'll be seated at a long table and your every need, desire and whim will be catered to by white-gloved silver service.
In 2011, The Cure took to the Sydney Opera House stage to perform their 180-minute programme Reflections as part of Vivid Live. Now, the post-punk luminaries are returning to the iconic venue to headline the festival once again — this time, however, they'll be performing their 1989 album Disintegration. The Sydney show will be a world premiere and an Australian exclusive, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the landmark album. The gothic rock-style record contains hits such as 'Lovesong' and 'Pictures of You', and, while it won't be a three-hour music marathon, it's expected to be equally impressive. Robert Smith — teased hair, lipstick, eyeliner and all — will take to the stage alongside the band's four other members across four nights in May. The Cure made some of the most critically acclaimed music of the 80s, including Disintegration, and has been credited with influencing many contemporary musicians such as Lorde and Interpol. [caption id="attachment_708546" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Smith by Andy Vella.[/caption] Headline acts of the huge annual festival of music and light over the past seven years have included Solange, Morrisey and Kraftwerk with the ballots for all three selling out. To get your hands on tickets for the 2019 show, you'll also need to enter a ticket ballot. To do so, head to the Sydney Opera House's website between now (Tuesday, February 19) and midnight on Sunday, February 24 and register. Successful applicants will be notified on Thursday, February 28. No other live music acts have yet been announced for Vivid Live 2019 — with the rest of the lineup expected to be announced in the upcoming weeks — but if it continues anything like it has started, this year is going to be a banger. The Cure will perform four shows at Vivid Live 2019 at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall between Friday, May 24 and Tuesday, May 28. Registrations for the ticket ballot are now open. Images: Andy Vella.
Corruption at the highest level is a timely topic. Rock Surfers' upcoming production The Way Things Work takes characters that are all too familiar (for all the wrong reasons), pits them in a sordid cover-up against each other, and watches the messy trickle-down from public office, through the boardroom scuffles of private enterprise and down to the seedy inner workings of the criminal underbelly. The play is the winner of the inaugural Rock Surfers/CJZ Playwriting commission. Written by Aidan Fennessy and directed by Leland Kean, it's a proudly Australian satirical take on the grubby bedfellows that are politics and big business, following a certain minister through the descent behind the trashy headlines. Kean describes it as "a wonderfully biting, aggressive, corrupt, contemporary, black comedy". Laugh, cringe, be horrified, then leave trying to ignore the sinking sensation that comes with the realisation that it's all a little bit close to home.
Physical navigation tools might've largely gone the way of landlines, cassette tapes and eating meals without taking a photo first, but one company has come up with a tasty alternative. You mightn't be able to navigate your way through London, New York or Tel Aviv with one of Tamtik's chocolate city maps, but you will have quite the eye-catching dessert, gift or both. A collaboration with online marketplace Nisnas Industries, the artisan creations combine three things everyone loves — aka travel, confectionery and art — into a melt-in-your-mouth package that proves the ultimate edible souvenir. Inspired by the geometric-shape heavy traditional Arabic patterns often seen in architecture, known as mashrabiya, the chocolates feature stylised designs depicting the streets of their chosen locations. And, lest you think they're too abstract, landmarks such as the Thames River and Central Park stand out among the curved lines of dark cacao. Indeed, to ensure that each map accurately reflects each city's landscape, they're made by local artisans. Tamtik are currently running a Kickstarter campaign to spread their wings to another city, with participants able to vote for their preferred destination. Rewards not only include chocolate, obviously, put copies of the moulds should you want to whip up your own at home. Alas, before you go dreaming about breaking a representation of an Australian or New Zealand city into chocolatey pieces, Tamtik only ship to the US, Canada, the UK and Israel at present. That said, just as they're planning to add more maps to their lineup, they're also planning to deliver to more areas in the future. Via My Modern Met. Images: Tamtik.
Paddington mainstay the Paddo Inn is marking Australian Gin Week with a limited-edition gin cocktail list. Each day from Monday, November 15–Friday, November 19, a different Australian distillery will take centre stage, with a range of cocktails showcasing their best and most exciting gin creations. Kicking off the week is Syndey's Archie Rose and Poor Toms on Monday and Tuesday respectively. Also in the mix, Victorian favourite Four Pillars on Wednesday, Byron's Brookies Gin on Thursday and local husband and wife team Ester Spirits on Friday. Take your pick of which day you'll head in, and which gin you'll sample. Alternatively, head to the venue on Saturday, November 20 or Sunday, November 21 and make your way through a selection of cocktails created with all five gin-maker's spirits. The inn's bar staff will be on hand to walk you through each distillery's quirks and characteristics, as well as the cocktails you can choose to sample. In order to ensure you nab a spot, you can book a table at the Paddo Inn website. Images: Nikki To
