This is the third time that John Waters has toured Looking Through a Glass Onion — his biographical combination of music and words about the life of superstar ex-Beatle, John Lennon. Waters plays Lennon in a plain suit on a bare stage, band around him. To look only at the costumes, this is Letterman or Conan O'Brian: suits, a band, a bald band leader. But the visuals are only scaffolding. Waters wears Lennon easily, catching his rhythms and attitude. His builds a Lennon who is likeable, human and irreverent. Lennon's songs are juxtaposed with Lennon's life, which is sometimes abrupt, but more often adds extra juice to the music. The first half rushes through Lennon's early years and his time with the Beatles. The second half has it easier, with only ten years to span. Lennon's relationship with Yoko Ono stands out during the second act, and is handled especially well. Yoko got a lot of blame for the break-up of the Beatles — mostly for the crime of being Asian or a woman. Waters paints her as a whole person — neither strife, nor phenomenon. All through Looking Through a Glass Onion, Waters' script delivers people from superstardom down to person. He strips the fame from Lennon and returns a likeable man in midst of a whirlwind. The real Lennon had little of the slow gravitas often adopted in the glare of public life. He just seemed to be himself. As a listener, you know — you just know — Lennon's songs mean something to you. Looking Through a Glass Onion gives you some idea of what they meant to the man who wrote them, as well. By end of the show, John Waters owns the meaning of John Lennon, if only a version of it. Lennon as a whole person, and taking up a person's space. No more, no less. Looking Through a Glass Onion runs Tuesday to Sunday, until December 12.
Wollongong. It seems like a bit of a quiet place. But take a quick wander around the centre of town and little things begin to jump out at you. Film festivals. Art. Coffee. There's a lot going on down there. And it's hard to ignore the walls these days, as well. Wollongong is covered in street art, a good chunk of which seems to be the legacy of returning local street art festival Wonderwalls Wollongong. Artists like Rone and Phibs have graced the walls in the past, this year Smug, Askew One and Fintan Magee are a few of the highlights. As well as making the city its studio, Wonderwalls is throwing a one night, art show and opening night party at Stupid Krap, and you can get closer to the ideas as a quartet of artists tell all with free food and drink Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, the art keeps on going up all weekend and you're welcome to come watch. Grab a map and get wandering.
This Is Not Street Art features new work by Solo Ponticello and John Hynd. Given the size of this garage-size gallery, it's amazing how well the two artists' many works fit into the small space. John Hynd has put together a series of four acrylic stages: trauma, insomnia, digestion and my eyes and noodles are burning. In the first a three-headed dog with cubist, flat eyes has its three severed heads floating above its three box necks. The dog is a stale green over a pink background. The trident shape of the dog's body is a motif repeated in Hynd's other works. Even though the effect is roughly that of a long night with a questionable breakfast, the sequence feels comfortably dreamy. In the final frame, a pink wiry man holds a noodle bowl full of fire. His eyes are burning and his white lips are quiet but focused. Solo Ponticello has drawn faces covered in black hair. Their abstract heads, or bodies, are curled and twisted in the style of vines or pairs of old, proud goat horns twisting together. All have lost unfocused eyes, and most have mouths. Although one owns a moustache instead. Only black, white and red are used — with the red either dominating the palette or running brief splashes of harsh contrast across the image. Individually the faces look sad, but together they form a calm menagerie. They combine to suggest an empty, quiet and more difficult version of the world you live in, and one with a lot more hair in it. Also on display are zines by both artists and some beautiful, soft postcards by Ponticello. It's hard to fit so much work into such an efficient space, but Hynd and Ponticello have left you just enough room get a good look.
Natalya Hughes' Looking Twice is a tiny selection of her work. Only four pieces hang on the wall. Of those, two oversize pieces dominate the space. And it's these two which make such a small show so easily worth dropping into. Hughes has recently moved from straight up painting to a preoccupation with pattern, carpet and wallpaper. It's a good move. Looking Cute splays fabric with Japanese folds over a broad wooden base. If you look closely, you're just looking at a painting of folds in cloth. But standing in front of the piece, drowning in its size, its colour and strong, clean lines feels like looking into the mouth of an alien face which would have been pretty comfortable in the original Watchmen comic or War of the Worlds. Its terrible symmetry wouldn't has something of a Beastman wall to it and the fabrics have a stark, colourful richness which would have worked for Florence Broadhurst. Its easy to get lost in its alien glare, but there's also a strong element of the Japanese Ukiyo-e woodblock style. Assuming your everyday, domestic Japanese scene also contains scary bug-like monster eyes. And where Looking Cute is strong, Looking Shy is more powerful still. Looking for all the world like a cushion-clad kendo practitioner taking off a fluffy helmet, the oversize piece's scale and perfect rendering of fold and pattern take you away convincingly to this strange, pillow-dominated world. Like the best of Beastman's work, Hughes' larger pieces manage to combine simple colour and symmetry to create a feeling of overwhelming awe. It's not a bad trick. Also hanging are the smaller Looking Weighed Down (Again) and an abstract piece, but it's the bigger pieces that make this show worth the visit. A small selection, I wouldn't to recommend trekking across town just to get here, but if you're ambling around Chippendale or the City Road side of Redfern, it's well worth a closer look. The Commercial is open Wednesday to Saturday, 11-6. Image: Looking Cute by Natalya Hughes.
First, To All The Boys I've Loved Before was a book series, initially hitting stores back in 2014. Then, Jenny Han's trio of books — which also spans 2015's P.S. I Still Love You and 2017's Always and Forever, Lara Jean — made the leap to Netflix via a trilogy of movies. By now, though, we all know that the streaming platform doesn't part quickly with anything that gets eyeballs staring its way in a big way, which is where ten-episode spinoff series XO, Kitty will come in from Thursday, May 18. What happens after novels, films and a TV show? To celebrate the latter, Sydney is getting a one-day-only XO, Kitty pop-up cafe. At 30 Kensington Street in Chippendale on the series' launch day, a Korean dessert bar will make itself at home from 11am, handing out free sweet treats to everyone who drops in. Icyland and Siroo Rice Cake Cafe will be providing the bites and sips — including Korean rice cakes in strawberry mochi, chocolate rice muffin, white bean, strawberry and sweet potato flavours; strawberry and peach bingsu; and iced tea. It's a while-stocks-last affair, and there'll also be cherry blossoms decorating the place if you're keen on an Instagram-friendly backdrop for a commemorative snap. Wondering how it all ties into XO, Kitty? The series sees its teen matchmaker namesake (Anna Cathcart, Odd Squad) visit Korea to learn about her heritage and reunite with her long-distance boyfriend. Images: Scott Ehler.
On a standard visit to Sydney's Central Station, you're likely too busy dodging fellow commuters or rushing for your train to really give much thought to its past. But, in fact, the bustling CBD hub boasts quite the dark and eerie history: it once home to the city's first major colonial-era cemetery. And now you can dig even deeper into the unsavoury stories of that era, thanks to gripping new local podcast The Burial Files. True crime buffs, grab your headphones — this'll be right up your alley. The State Library of NSW curator Elise Edmonds has been busy diving into the colourful history of the Devonshire Street Cemetery, chatting to leading historians, archaeologists, forensic experts and railway enthusiasts to create her six-part audio series. You'll hear tales of mischief, madness and questionable activities, grim accidents and scandalous crimes, glimpsing into the lives of some of the 30,000 residents that were buried here between 1820 and 1900. The one-time burial ground was deemed overcrowded by 1860 and finally abandoned in 1867, with (most of) the remains exhumed in 1901 to make way for the site's next use. In The Burial Files, you'll discover the history behind the exhumations, as well as the building of Central Station, from humble tin shed to the grand stone structure it is today. Along with the podcast, the sketchy stories of the Devonshire Street Cemetery and the surrounding parts of old Sydney have also spawned a new exhibition at the State Library of NSW. Dubbed Dead Central, it's brought to life through a 35-minute audio recording and curation of historic photographs. The first two episodes of The Burial Files are available now to download and stream from your favourite podcast platform. Further episodes will be released in the coming weeks. Dead Central is showing at the State Library of NSW until November 17.
According to the late, and surprisingly great, film critic Roger Ebert, film noir is a genre that “at no time misleads you into thinking there is going to be a happy ending.” It's bleak, thunderous stuff. But it's an electric and exciting experience, as well. The Museum of Sydney is investigating this dark and smoky genre with an exhibition exploring a bleaker vision of our town after the Second World War, Suburban Noir. The world of the 50s and 60s is so often set out as a notional consumer paradise, slowly changed by the coming of a cultural revolution. A Mad Men idyll transformed by second wave feminism and protests against Vietnam. This is not that story. This is Sydney through a blackened lens. The exhibition promises a Sydney of isolated moments, gathered through archives of old police photographs from the 50s and 60s. These are stark images of a despondent town. Alongside the original photos, there'll also be artistic interpretation of same from contemporary chroniclers of local byways like Ken Searle, Rhett Brewer and Vanessa Berry, who'll be hanging their own interpretations of these lonely Sydney scenes. Image: Bondi by Rhett Brewer.
Three new exhibitions embracing imaginative new worlds have graced the walls of the Australian Centre for Photography. Tales from Elsewhere, Images from Adland and Creation each take real things and mould them into a new form resembling reality but not quite. Digital artist Catherine Nelson's Creation takes fish-eyed photos of ponds and beaches, its round results hanging on the walls as small places secretly turned into a little world. Images from Adland is a compendium of moments from advertisers' work, including a towering Brueghel-like cigarette heap from Adrian Lander and an Escher-like medieval fable of optics and chess by Ian Tjhan. Occupying the large galleries is a retrospective of the work of photo-artist Polixeni Papapetrou, Tales from Elsewhere. Her work is deeply influenced by children's imaginations and the work and life of Lewis Carroll. The highlight of her exhibiton is Wonderland, where Children inhabit life size drawings of the Alice stories. The images were made in-camera, not digitally manipulated — real life paintings on the floor blend seamlessly with those on the wall, giving a feeling of standing in a painting and in mid air at the same time. Each exhibition is no bigger than a half-world, but if you come in to see them there's room for you to have a look.
Lots of bands get accused of having an eclectic range of influences. The Unthanks, instead, get accused of being the eclectic influence. Their reach covers not only musos like Elvis Costello and Radiohead, but has also helped inspire a revival of lo-fi clog dancing. Part of a musical current unwraping live music from the electric, this Northern English band's current lineup is a ten-piece big band — five of whom are touring here to Sydney to perform at the Festival's Spiegeltent. Formerly Rachael Unthank and the Wintersets, a complicated set of line-up changes over the years brought the band to settle on its shorter name. Sisters Becky and Rachel Unthank (their real surname, it means 'squatter') grew up around folk songs and folk festivals, drawing their musical influences together into a modern act. Their rich geordie voices intertwine tightly on stage, at times the amplification dropped so completely that you can hear a seat creak or the pages turn in a reporter's notebook. While their songs are often grim or heartbreaking, it's some work to be sad when the voices are so sweet.
Don't know your music history? Want to? One of the most public-spirited sidelines of this year's Fringe Festival will be the 2SER-fronted series of musical evenings at new festival hub Emerald City Garden Bar. Stepping in for former festival focus 5 Eliza, this new venue brings the Fringe to the Seymour Centre courtyard, offering weekend DJs and free Friday night Fringe teaser nights to whet your appetite for the week to come. In the History of.. series, two hours across three September Thursdays will feature 2SER presenters and friends to shepherd you through key DJs, Motown and Afro-Caribbean beats. The series comes with evenings of Hip Hop (12 September), Funk & Soul (19 September) and Rhythm Out of Afrika (26 September) at 7pm. Read the rest of our top ten picks of the Sydney Fringe Festival 2013.
Australia's love of whodunnits and crime stories helped make Jane Harper's Aaron Falk books a hit on the page. In cinemas, The Dry brought the character to the screen back in 2021 and proved a huge success there, too. Next came sequel Force of Nature: The Dry 2, also based on one of the Aussie author's novels, also starring Eric Bana (Blueback) as the determined detective and also helmed by Robert Connolly (Paper Planes) — and now you can check it out at home. The second move in the franchise took its time getting to the silver screen. Initially, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 was the most-anticipated new Australian movie of 2023; however, it was postponed from its planned August 2023 release amid the SAG-AFTRA strike and moved to Ferbuary 2024. The picture is still in cinemas at the time of writing but, if your busy schedule has gotten in the way of you catching it so far, you can make a date to see it on your couch instead. When Bana stepped into Falk's shoes in The Dry, more movies were always bound to follow. On the screen, the film became a massive Australian box-office smash thanks to its twisty mystery, determined protagonist, stunning scenery and spectacular cast. So, throw that formula together again and you have Force of Nature: The Dry 2. This second effort sees Falk again investigating a case, looking into the disappearance of a hiker from a corporate retreat attended by five women. Alongside fellow federal agent Carmen Cooper (Jacqueline McKenzie, Ruby's Choice), Falk heads deep into Victoria's mountain ranges to try to find the missing traveller — who also happens to be a whistle-blowing informant — alive. Also featuring in Force of Nature, which has a powerhouse list of Aussie talent just like its predecessor: Anna Torv (The Last of Us) as missing hiker Alice Russell, plus Deborra-Lee Furness (Blessed), Robin McLeavy (Homeland), Sisi Stringer (Mortal Kombat) and Lucy Ansell (Strife). Richard Roxburgh (Prosper), Tony Briggs (Preppers) and Kenneth Radley (The Power of the Dog) pop up, too, while Jeremy Lindsay-Taylor (Heartbreak High) is back in the role of Erik Falk. Reteaming not just after The Dry, but also Blueback in the middle, Connolly and Bana make quite the pair when it comes to Aussie crime cinema — with Connolly the producer of one of the best local crime movies ever made, aka 1998's unnerving The Boys, and Bana famously the star of the similarly excellent Chopper. Fans of Harper's work also have The Survivors to look forward to, but on the small screen. It's heading to Netflix from the pages of the author's text of the same name, and isn't linked to The Dry or Force of Nature. Here, the Tasmanian-set story follows families still coping with the loss caused by a massive storm in their seaside town 15 years earlier, then faced with a new murder. Check out the trailer for Force of Nature: The Dry 2 below: Force of Nature: The Dry 2 is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and also streaming via YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Read our review of Force of Nature: The Dry 2, and of The Dry — plus our chat about Force of Nature with Eric Bana and Robert Connolly. Images: Narelle Portanier.
There are complicated ways to explain how 3D printing works. Imagine a ream of papers that you cut one by one. No wait, imagine a turkey baster full of glue. No, let's talk about additive manufacturing or melting stuff with lasers. But, honestly, this is a technology that's just going to do Star Trek things before too long. It’s just that the technology isn’t there yet. In the meantime, though, there are plenty of cool things 3D printers can do and Object is giving you a chance to check them out during [Ctrl][P] Objects on Demand. During the show, Object will have nine 3D printers adorning its gallery space, with an exhibition, a talks program, the chance to print yourself out in a 3D photo booth and artists in residence explaining how 3D printers help them make their work work. Program details will be up soon at the [Ctrl][P] website. Object is open Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm. Image: Asiga, Image Courtesy of the Artist (COTA).
Venues present and past have been hidden around the city. Shops a-plenty dominate its broader boulevards and narrow lanes. But what Sydney-siders really want is to get our hands on the roads themselves. Openings for bridges and tunnels, runs — fun or marathon — even picnics have been eagerly snapped up as excuses to get our rubber on their asphalt. But until recently we didn't get much of a chance to stick around. Who would have thought that we'd get the chance for, not just one but two city street parties in the same month? On Australia day, the Rocks will host a whole day of free music down the sharp hills and smart alleyways of one of Sydney's oldest disreputable neighbourhoods. A long list of artists includes the Hungry Kids of Hungary, the funereal Christa Hughes and the Honky TonkShonks and any amount of choral singing. At five there's a flashmob singing Bury Me Deep in Love by the Triffids, with which you can join in. So while some may go for other festivals, ferry races or more somber bites of history, why not spend your shoe leather tapping along to the action on the Rocks' sweetly cobbled streets? Original image by Kat Clay.
In music, a nocturne is drawn from the night or other dusky moods. At the Object Gallery's Project Space, Janet Lawrence and Lee Mathers are exhibiting their own nocturnal visions. Lee Mathers' four pieces form a single image of sky and stars. She uses a series of clear, luminescent fairy lights to paint out words and objects. The most striking as you enter are lines from William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury written in fairy light across the black sky. The words spill down over the floor, and across a box full of the things they describe. On the other side white fairy lights push up from the floor, sprouting glass ashtrays. Between these lights, three tiny dandelions with luminescent bright cores shine, their LED globes stuffed with real dandelion pods. These three little tufts, with tough hearts glowing, seem to sit in midair with their own solemn purpose. Janet Lawrence's work sits on a white shelf, opposite Mathers' black wall. She presents smoky glass panes, fuzzy like an X-ray, which lean back between the black dead branches of one tree and the white-antlered limbs of another, a small owl trapped in the second's branches and both veiled in thin fabric. The work seems lost in itself — lost between trees, in strange tides or the spectre of creeping molds and fungi. Branching white tissue, forking limbs and the sensation of snow on a dead forest seem to overwhelm the individual parts of Lawrence's whole work. The cold and the shivers stay with you, despite the warm summer rain pattering on the roof of the object gallery in real life. And while the Object Gallery is beautiful in itself, up close the broad sweeps of these works fail to resolve into single pictures, as you can only back away from them so far. But edge back as far as you dare and you'll still see some little slices of night. Image by Steve Ryan.
UPDATE: Thursday May 6, 2021 — New COVID-19 restrictions have been announced. We'll keep you updated on this event as the situation changes. For the latest information, visit NSW Health. Got a passion for fashion? Specifically of the sneaker variety? Then head to Stockland Merrylands for House of Kicks — a must-do fashion event featuring music, workshops and New York-inspired photo ops. Running from Monday, May 3–Sunday, May 16, this two-week takeover is the ideal hangout for all things sneakers. Ever imagined having your own personalised pair? You can make it a reality by booking into a sneaker customisation workshop. Use stencils and paints to design your dream shoes on a 2D render, or bring in your own kicks to customise. There'll also be street styling and street art workshops to explore your creative side. While you're there, grab some free nail art and then elevate your socials with a pic of you having your very own moment on a quintessential New York stoop. Plus, if you spend $150 during the House of Kicks campaign, you can enter a competition via Stockland's event page to win one of six new season sneakers from JD Sports. House of Kicks will run from May 3–May 16 at Stockland Merrylands. To secure your place at a sneaker customisation, street styling or street art workshop, head this way.
Kwanzaa is an invented festival, but only in the sense that Australia Day got made up at some point. It's formed from a collection of real African traditions and seasons. And although you can rustle up kids books on it, it's no Christmas alternative. This festival isn't religion, it's heritage all the way. In the tumult of the festive season, Chocolate Jesus is putting on a party that sees the heritage of gangsta in Kwanzaa and in putting it on early, Chocolate Jesus has rolled all seven days of Nguzosaba themes into one big, principled omnibus of sound. The lineup includes the tranquil sounds of Domeyko/Gonzalez, the hypnotic Disco Club, electronic duet Piano is Drunk and Sick Python. The artist super-collage that is PING! will also make an appearance, as well as the Old Men of Moss Mountain — not the legendary hashish-eating killers, but the ethereal crooners said to have been discovered on an aging cassette in an apartment on the Pest side of Buda. If live music isn't enough for you, Moses MacRae, White Ox DJs and Penrith Oil + Leroy Madrid will be present on the decks.
Some great and iconic films have been made about cyclists. But if you want to see films made for cyclists, then get to The Bicycle Film Festival's Sydney run. The Festival has been running worldwide since 2001, showing films on cyclists and by cyclists. Unassuming founder Brendt Barbur put it together after a run-in with a New York City bus, and the Festival has gone on to screen annually in more than 30 cities world-wide. Sydney's chapter of the Festival kicks off with an opening night party this Wednesday at the Beresford Hotel. Its films are kinetic. Spike Jonze-produced The Birth of Big Air tells the story of much-bruised BMX superstar Mat Hoffman, while Line of Sight is full of urban cycling not too far from two-wheeled, kerb-side parkour. The slower-paced Where Are You Go shows a dry, dusty African travelogue covering 12000 kilometres of the continent, from north to south. The main program runs Friday and Saturday at the Dendy in Newtown, moving to the Beach Road Hotel on Sunday for the final screening and wrap party. As if that's not enough, there's also a street fair from midday Saturday by the Beresford and the Ride exhibtion of wood-framed bike-art at District 01 launching Thursday night. https://youtube.com/watch?v=m28nJEevCZw
Money might not grow on trees, but furniture and artworks sure do. Visit Full Grown's field in Derbyshire, UK, and you'll see what we mean. The trees there are "grown into" chairs, pendant lamps and sculptures straight from the ground, albeit with slight human intervention. Think of it as a natural factory where unique objects are created with sunlight, water and soil, rather than on production lines. Full Grown's founder, Gavin Munro, has been working on the concept for a decade. "We started out ten years ago in a plant pot in my mum's garden," he says in his Kickstarter video. "But we quickly moved on to trying it out in a field." The process takes between four and eight years. It begins with training and pruning young trees to grow over "formers". Along the way, they're grafted together, ensuring they grow into a solid object. Then, it's a matter of nurturing the tree, so it becomes strong as it matures. The harvest takes place in winter, followed by drying out, planing and finishing, to expose the wood's textures and grain. Munro says it's important to "let the trees take the lead", yet be present "at the right times, to make subtle changes to the shapes and patterns that we want". He describes it as a "kind of zen, 3D printing". The practice has roots in ancient Greece and Egypt, where people "grew" stools. And, now that the Full Grown team has perfected the art, they're ready to take on the world. They're looking for your help to expand operations through a crowdfunding campaign. With 25 days to go, a £10,000 goal has already been smashed. Donations of £5 plus are welcome. Throw 850 quid or more their way to score a raw pendant lamp. The Full Grown Kickstarter campaign finishes on January 30, 2017. For info and to donate, visit their Kickstarter page.
With the Newtown Festival, the question isn't where to start but where to stop. Divided into stages, stalls, lawns and avenues, events in the festival trip over each other to entertain, edify or feed you. Three live music stages will feature local Newtown acts, groups from Sydney, and further afield — including the serially strange Richard in Your Mind, duet Stiff Ginns and some local beat poetry. Dog lovers can parade their pets in one of eight categories at the morning Dog Show, while at midday the Planet Ark Clothes Swap will offer an hour of unrestrained cashless fashioning-up. The Watershed bike library will be there to intrigue cyclists and non-cyclists alike, and younger cyclists can compete to win the Bling Your Bike competitive parade. Poets, crime writers, travel writers and social researchers will populate the Writers Tent, culminating in a political debate between Gillard biographer Jacqueline Kent and ABC political chronicler Annabel Crabb. And at the Local Village, Roomie Artspace and the Wrap With Love Knitting Group can give you some idea where festival proceeds go. Or you can just sit comfortably on the grass, watch the passing show and suck up the essence of Newtown, concentrated.
Cycling escapades through artsy neighbourhoods, banquets in medieval castles, kayaking expeditions through incredible scenery to local breweries, cocktail masterclasses and late-night parties in century-old spa baths. Cruises may've once been targeted at retirees, but they're not anymore. U By Uniworld, a branch of global river cruise company Uniworld, has waterborne odysseys for all ages — and the ships, where you'll spend a good chunk of your time, aren't just ships. They're part floating boutique hotel, part restaurant, part yoga studio, part night club. And, as moveable hotels, they can also park in the heart of some of Europe's most exciting cities. Still don't believe us? We're willing to help you change your mind. We've joined forces with U By Uniworld to give away an eight-day cruise for two people. Worth up to $7,598, the prize gives you a choice of four cruises leaving port in 2018. To see France from a whole new perspective, jump aboard The Seine Experience. You'll spend eight days on the river that travels through the heart of Paris. Possible adventures include a foodie tour around Paris's secret laneways, paragliding through a nature park, a small bar crawl in Rouen's magical old city and a visit to a cider farm in Normandy. More in the mood for beer? Opt for the Germany's Finest, which meanders along the Main and the Danube. You'll take a midnight walking tour of cosmopolitan Frankfurt, a visit to Germany's biggest beer-producing region where more than 400 drops are up for tasting, a bike ride around Nuremberg and a visit to the world's oldest sausage restaurant. Meanwhile, a multi-country experience can be had on the Danube Flow. It begins in southeast Germany with a night out in mysterious, medieval Regensburg, and finishes in Budapest, Hungary, where the ship's chef will take you on a tour of a local market. Finally, you could win a spot on Rolling on the Rhine, which starts with a night out in Amsterdam, travels through The Netherlands — where you can go sea kayaking and visit the Church of Beer — and ends in Frankfurt, Germany. Whichever you choose, your prize includes accommodation, activities, port taxes, gratuities and meals for two. It doesn't, however, include flights so keep a keen eye out for any specials — this may be the perfect excuse to book that Europe tour you've been talking about for months. To enter, see details below. [competition]650728[/competition]
Saturn's Return, by Tommy Murphy, is a charming elegy for the three decades of our extended youth.Caught on the cusp of thirty, Zara (Leeanna Walsman) attempts to control her life and the people orbiting it with a thoroughly disarming honesty. Murphy’s writing is at its best in Zara’s voice, capturing the nuances of Sydney’s inner city whilst playfully slashing the parachutes we all use to escape awkward social freefalls.A wealth of honesty is not a replacement for truth, however, and this presents an obvious vacuum at the sudden ending of Saturn’s Return. There is no true story, no resolution of the narrative hints cast out in earlier scenes; what you have instead is a sequence of alluring vignettes connected by spider silk plot threads.Director David Berthold has crafted a strong, energetic production that makes good use of designer Adam Gardnir’s revolving set stage magic. The three actors – Walsman, Toby Moore and Matt Zeremes – are engaging and highlight the humour of Murphy’s words with their convincing performances.If you still want more than a dollop of narrative with your poetry, however, you’ll have to buy a copy of the program. It doesn’t offer concrete answers, but it will provide useful gristle for the necessary, post-show debrief.Photo by Tracey Schramm.
It's been a long wait in Sydney if you want to rock 'n' roll with AC/DC live. 2025 marks ten years since the iconic Harbour City-formed band last took to the stage Down Under. It's also the year, thankfully, that they're making their Aussie concert return. After kicking off in 2024, the group's Power Up tour will play Australian dates, with Brian Johnson, Angus Young and company hitting up Sydney on Friday, November 21 and Tuesday, November 25. Let there be rock at Accor Stadium, then. This is the first time that the legendary Australian rockers have toured Down Under since their 2015 'Rock or Bust' world tour. In November in New South Wales capital, Amyl and The Sniffers are onboard in support to make this massive concert even more so, and to give attendees a taste of two different generations of Aussie rockstars. Playing Sydney isn't just part of a fitting homecoming for AC/DC, but comes more than half a century since the band played their first-ever show in the Harbour City. This 2025 gig will be just over a month and a half short of 52 years since that 1973 debut. Power Up is also the name of the group's 2020 album, their most-recent record — which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, made multiple best-of lists for that year and scored Grammy nominations. For those about to rock, AC/DC's high-voltage current set list spans their entire career, however, including everything from 'If You Want Blood (You've Got It)', 'Back in Black' and 'Hells Bells' to 'Highway to Hell', 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' and 'You Shook Me All Night Long'. Images: Christie Goodwin. Updated: Thursday, June 26, 2025.
There is only one direction to build in Hong Kong: up. The island is so densely populated by both humans and towering structures that buildings just get taller and taller as the population swells ever larger. These monolithic buildings of commerce and habitation dwarf the masses on the streets below, and this feeling has finally been captured in a series of photographs that truly convey the dizzying depths of the tiny island. Romain Jacquet-Lagreze, a French graphic artist, captured the city from the ground looking up. Using the diverse range of vertical perspectives that Hong Kong has to offer, including shopping centres, commercial skyscrapers and residential towers, he showcases the uniqueness of a "relentlessly growing city" for his book Vertical Horizon. Hong Kong appears to be the subject to capture at the moment, with this series following earlier exhibitions concerning life in Hong Kong. In early April, Michael Wolf showcased the artistry of architecture and density of the nation's skyscrapers for a project celebrating the unseen beauty of Hong Kong's heights. His depiction of stunning symmetry conveys an urban painting that beautifies even the plainest towers. This followed the Society for Community Organisation's commissioning of vertigo-inducing photographs to highlight the claustrophobic nature of Hong Kong life, with whole families living in less than 40 feet of space. With more than 110,000 people per square kilometre in Hong Kong, these artworks highlight the unseen problem of inadequate housing. If more space is to be sourced, expect Hong Kong to get taller and taller. Via PSFK, Inhabitat and PetaPixel.
Solar power helps save the world and is one of the easiest renewable energy sources to tap, and now you can source it from the comfort of your own home, office and even on a plane. Designers Kyuho Song and Bao Oh have created the Window Socket, a plug socket that harnesses solar energy to charge your appliances. Just attach it to any window that receives sunlight using the suction plate, and the solar panels on its rear will start collecting energy from the sun, which is then transformed into electrical energy via an in-built converter, which is then stored on an internal battery for immediate or later use. The socket takes 5-8 hours to charge completely and will last up to ten hours once fully charged. The greatest thing about the Window Socket is that it was designed for portability to allow electronic accessibility everywhere. So once charged you can carry it on the move and rejuvenate the iPod in your bag or take business outside and power your laptop in the park. This revolutionary technology is an evolution of pre-existing solar battery backup technology and will transform the accessibility of solar power for everyday users. However, the product is still in its concept phase, with the designers wanting to further improve its storage capacity and product efficiency before placing it on the market, so keep an eye out. [Via PSFK]
SET: The Play, created and directed by Sam Atwell, is a tale of two halves. The first half tells the behind-the-scenes story of the fictional Australian soap Obsessions, which intertwines around its male lead Finlay Jones (Trent Baines); the second half is a whodunnit investigating his shock homicide. The play's success is also divided — with the second act easily surpassing the first in its achievements. The play aims to satirise the glamorous world of television, and despite being well informed to do so — with almost all of the cast and production team having been involved with Home and Away at some point — it ironically manages to mock itself through an overuse of the style. The first act derides the 'sex sells' television mindset through a surfeit of sex jokes and suggestive acts, but the extent of the crudeness is so overwhelming that the actors seem too embarrassed to commit, making the audience feel uncomfortable. This works against the play when later attempts at audience inclusion falter due to the lingering unease. Ultimately, the play's endeavours to break down the fourth wall merely chip away at it, leaving rubble too dangerous for either actor or audience to approach. However, the second act redeems the first act as a necessary prelude to the highly entertaining investigation that follows. The interrogations allow for compelling comedic injection from charismatic cops Detective Bryan Sizemore (Christian Willis) and Leanne 'Stumbles' Bridges (Alison McGirr), and with the crass removed, we experience the amusing exploration of characters that was demanded earlier. The murder mystery is masterful, with everyone having a motive, and you'll think you have it all figured out before being surprisingly informed you were entirely mistaken. For all the cliffhanger talk on stage, the conclusion doesn't demand tuning in for the next episode, but it is still neatly delivered by the audience favourite, Delilah 'Double D' DeRouge (Madeleine Chaplain), even if it does feel rushed. SET: The Play's satirical swing at the world of television has the metaphorical batsman playing and missing, but it is nevertheless enjoyable, particularly when the charming detective duo and Delilah are involved. Whilst it will not create any 'obsessions' anytime soon, it still offers Sydney some theatrical fun worth sitting through the first act for.
Calling all companions, Whovians and Time Lords: the TARDIS has materialised in Whotown. I mean Newtown. Thats right, a Totally Awesome Radical Doctorwho Impromptu Shop has opened up at 7 Wilson Street, allowing you to purchase all of your favourite Doctor Who memorabilia and necessities to fight Daleks. The pop-up shop, the first of its kind, is part of the upcoming November 23 50th anniversary celebrations and will allow Australians to purchase exclusive merchandise never before made available to them. This includes replica props and coats from the UK and Canada, as well as the Doctor Who Home range, allowing you to pour your tea from a TARDIS themed pot and pour your emotions over the deaths of past and present companions into a Dalek-themed diary. Traditional merch items will also be on sale, including DVDs, books and toys. Oh, by the way, you can get your photo taken in-store with a Dalek or even a replica TARDIS (the real one this time). The store is open 10am-6pm daily, but be quick; it is only here until June 20 before it departs for more time-travelling escapades through the universe.
Chocolates are often a last-minute gift option. You've forgotten a big occasion, your choices are limited and you know that the recipient of your present has a sweet tooth. Gelato Messina's Mother's Day chocolates don't fall into that category, however — and not just because you need to order them in advance. There's boxes of chocolates and then there's this annual box of chocolates, which puts the gelato chain's winning way with desserts into action without ice cream. In 2024, Mother's Day is happening on Sunday, May 12, in case it temporarily slipped your mind. And if you pick up this showstopper, you'll be vying for favourite-child status. An important note: back when Messina first started doing Mother's Day choccies, they came filled with gelato. That hasn't always been the case, though, and isn't this year. 2024's chance to win brownie points is a box of eight chocolate bars, each made in-house by the dessert brand's chocolatiers — and each sporting a brand-new flavour. Is your mum a salted caramel fan? Raspberry caramel? Passionfruit yuzu caramel? There's three bars covered. Other varieties include cannoli and hazelnut, strawberry cheesecake, chocolate brownie and cafe latte. And if your mother has always wondered what tea and biscuits would taste like in chocolate form, they can now found out. It's not just the filling that's different on each bar. So is the outer shell, ranging from 65-percent dark chocolate, light milk chocolate, raspberry chocolate and coffee white chocolate to passionfruit chocolate, strawberry chocolate, earl grey tea chocolate and milk chocolate with brownie crumbs. So, your mum will have quite the variety to feast on. And hey, if she doesn't like one of the flavours, maybe she'll share it with you. Each box costs $55 a pop, and will be available to order from 12pm AEST on Monday, April 29 for delivery, or for pick up at the brand's Marrickville store in Sydney. Gelato Messina's 2024 Mother's Day chocolate bars are available to order from 12pm AEST on Monday, April 29 for delivery, or for pick up at the brand's Marrickville store in Sydney.
Are you ready, Sydney? Madame Truffles is opening her pop-up shop for the fourth truffle season running, bringing city folk black truffles sourced from Tasmania, Victoria, NSW and Western Australia. These 'gourmet mushrooms' will be available from June 14 until September 2 at the Madame's pop-up shop — which is setting up at a new location at 28 Kensington Street, Chippendale. As well as straight-up truffles, the shop has an array of truffle-infused goods for you to fill your pantry with, this year using French black truffles. The 2018 store will be stocked with both ravioli of both the truffle and potato and truffle and porcini mushroom kinds, plus truffle salt, truffle ice cream, truffle butter and truffle honey. This is made with extra grade black truffle and pure Australian honey from Victoria that's good enough to eat straight out of the jar. If you live in a sharehouse, you might want to hide this from your housemates. Truffles sold in-store are harvested fresh each week, so you know you'll get that fresh truffle smell when you pull them out at dinner (or breakfast, for that matter). The Madame Truffles pop-up shop will open from 9am–5pm Thursday and Friday, and 9am–4pm Saturday and Sunday.
She's been compared to Bjork, Fever Ray and Bat for Lashes, but Elizabeth Rose has a sound that's all her own. Layering whimsical pop riffs with shadowy samples and her own sublime vocals, the 21-year-old Sydney producer has moved from community radio stations to bigger and brighter things in the space of only six months. Ahead of her first headlining tour, we had a chat to Elizabeth about making songs on GarageBand, the craziness of the Internet and hanging out with Gotye. How did you get into producing? I've been playing keyboard and writing music from about the age of seven onwards and have always been interested in learning how to construct a song from scratch. My older brother Anthony is a DJ/producer under the name of Hook N Sling and growing up whilst he was living at home had quite an impact on me — it looked like so much fun to produce music that I wanted to do it too. I really started getting into proper producing when I was nearing the end of high school back in 2008, on GarageBand, then progressed onto Ableton the following year and have been using that ever since. I'm the kind of person who likes to learn things by myself and do my own thing, so I guess it was kind of a natural progression on from just songwriting — it made sense to produce and mix my work too so I could have a finished song in front of me without having to wait on anyone else. What is it about a particular track that makes you want to remix it? It always comes down to the vocal melody and the song meaning for me; they're the two main things I listen out for when listening to a potential remix. From there I get ideas on chord progressions and how I can manipulate the vocals and create my own sound around them. You've been invited to play at pretty much all the major festivals over the last few months — Peats Ridge, Parklife, Field Day, Harvest and Playground Weekender — which was your favourite to play? Ooh, this is a toughie — each festival has been incredible in its own way. Well definitely not Playground Weekender because it was cancelled and I was meant to play the main stage — boo! — But in terms of lineup I'd say Harvest was the best. It was the "dream" festival where everyone was there purely to bathe in the awesomeness of each act that graced the stage — I didn't see one fight break out or any boys in tiny shorts/no shirt/muscles out... A rarity these days! I saw Portishead live for the first time at Harvest and it really blew me away, I'll always have that memory with me. In close second place was Field Day, but only because I got to hang with Gotye and since then he's been giving me great feedback on my demos, which has been invaluable. You were the only female artist featured on Radar Music's 'Top 20 Aussie Electronic Artists You Need to Know'. How do you think being one of a small number of women producers has affected the reception of your music? Yeah! There certainly aren't a lot of Aussie female producers out there (yet) but being in the minority has really pushed me into the spotlight as being somewhat "special". I don't know why but it seems to be hard for some people to believe that a girl can sing and write her own music and produce her own stuff. I guess it's quite a masculine job to be a music producer, which people see as being something nerdy. I've always had a tomboy streak in me since primary school so maybe that's where it came from. I'm wanting to push through that stereotype though. Do you think music blogs are a big part of the reason your music has gained a following so quickly? I definitely think it's one of the reasons why I've gained such a quick following. It's so bewildering to think that some dude over in the Ukraine could be listening to a bedroom recorded demo of mine right now when I've made the track all the way over here in Australia in my teeny tiny bedroom. Music blogs are a blessing — information can spread like wildfire over the internet, and I also love to discover new music by searching through them too. How did you come to collaborate with (UK producer) Sinden? The guys over at EMI music thought it would be a great opportunity for me to work with him as he was looking for a vocalist to work with when he was out here in Sydney late last year. We had two intense studio sessions together and out came this funky little track that I can't wait to share with everyone. I've been very lucky — the folks at EMI have been in contact with me since they found my music on my MySpace page back in 2007. Again, the internet is such a crazy place! What can we expect from your debut EP? The Sinden collab is going to be on the EP, which I am really excited about. I'm not going to give too much away, but you can expect a mix of dark, slightly poppy but still experimental and atmospheric sounds from the EP. It's been a long time coming but I finally feel that I am ready to get it out there. Elizabeth Rose will play Brisbane's Lambda @ Alhambra Lounge on Thursday, 31 May and Sydney's The Standard on Friday, 8 June. To win two tickets to see Elizabeth Rose play in Sydney, make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=YVNcEsuzxAA
It isn't often you come across a band name that doubles as an appropriate review of the band's jaw-dropping performance. Thankfully, Holy Fuck are proudly flying the flag of that exclusive group and are about to plant it in Australia, as they are set to embark on a national tour to accompany their upcoming Groovin' the Moo appearances. The Canadian outfit is gracing our shores for the first time since 2011 and any readers who stood in awe at one of those shows will know that these are tickets not to be missed. Set lists are foregone as the band opt instead to thrive off their audience. Waves of energy cascade over the crowd, imbibing revellers with dancing urges that will continue for days as they relive the brilliance. Never has blaspheming and swearing been this fun, so grab yourself a ticket. https://youtube.com/watch?v=S2Y7TAtoAFk
Start your weekend right with a morning yoga class at LoveSweats. This for-purpose business uses yoga to tackle social issues like homelessness and poverty, so you can get your stretch on for a really good cause. Plus, at just $15 per session, these yoga classes are a total steal. Afterwards, stroll over to the Carriageworks Farmers Market to treat yourself to some luscious homemade crumpets. These fresh-out-the-oven babies are served with Pepe Saya butter and Carriageworks' own honey and are so delicious you'll be hard-pressed to stop at just one. Image: Mark Bond Photography.
Feeling the need for speed, posing as an assassin, faking a romance, battling tornadoes: thanks to Top Gun: Maverick, Hit Man, Anyone But You and Twisters, they've been Glen Powell's recent tasks. The actor's next job is to flee, and also to survive, in the second big-screen adaptation of a dystopian novel written by one of the most-famous authors there is under a pen name. His The Running Man gig under director Edgar Wright (Last Night in Soho) also involves following in Arnold Schwarzenegger's (Fubar) footsteps. 2025 is the perfect year for another take on the thrilling page-turner that Stephen King released in 1982, but as his pseudonym Richard Bachman. This is the year, in fact, that The Running Man is set on the page — and when King imagined that healthcare in the United States would favour the wealthy, leaving everyone else in such a scramble for medical treatment that signing up to compete in a literally killer television show is the only option. As the just-dropped first trailer for The Running Man shows, Powell's Ben Richards is the man in a bind in a near-future society. He's 35, married, has one child and is facing a medical crisis, needing a doctor for his sick daughter. He's also both unemployed and blacklisted from working. Josh Brolin (Outer Range) plays TV producer Dan Killian, who convinces Ben that entering the hit small-screen series that shares the film name could solve all of his problems. The aim, then, is for the lethal game's newest contestant to make it through 30 days while professional assassins are trying to hunting him down — and as the world watches on to huge ratings success. When Schwarzenegger portrayed Richards in 1987, the film didn't stick as closely to King's storyline. Back behind the lens for the first time since 2021's trio of films — Last Night in Soho, Sparks documentary The Sparks Brothers and concert film What the Hell Is It This Time? Sparks Live in London — Wright has also enlisted Michael Cera (The Phoenician Scheme) to lend Powell's protagonist a hand, plus Colman Domingo (The Four Seasons) as the host of The Running Man. His cast spans everyone from Lee Pace (Foundation) and Jayme Lawson (Sinners) to Emilia Jones (Winner), William H Macy (Accused) and Daniel Ezra (All American), too. The film hits cinemas Down Under on Thursday, November 6, 2025 — and its debut trailer has also dropped with ideal timing, given that watching competitors attempt to survive a deadly game was at the heart of Squid Game, which just wrapped up its third and final season, and also clearly owes King's novel a debt. Check out the first trailer for The Running Man below: The Running Man opens in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, November 6, 2025.
Your flights are booked, your bags are packed and your holiday excitement/anxiety has begun. And the last thing you want to be doing is dropping a stack of spending money on getting to the airport, either in a cab or — for those lucky enough to have an airport rail link this century — on the train. So, you'll be happy to know that, on Friday, July 26, ride share service Ola is offering its customers a pretty sweet deal. It isn't just reducing the price of trips to major Australian airports, as it has done before. This time, it's making the journey for free, up to a total value of $30 per ride. Customers in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and the Gold Coast can score the budget-friendly trip all day, as long as you're one of the first 1000 rides booked using the Ola app. If your journey clocks in at over $30, the extra distance will be charged at the usual price. You'll be given an estimate of your fare when you book, and tolls will also be at an extra cost. Depending on how far away from the airport you live, the $30 deal mightn't get you all the way there; however it will still save some precious cash from your travel budget — or let you use those funds for something more fun than transport. It's worth noting that the offer only applies to journeys to the airport, so don't count on it after you disembark at the other end. To take advantage of the special, you'll need to sign up to Ola and download the app, and use the code OLAVFF. And if you're wondering why Ola is feeling so generous, that's because it has just teamed up with Velocity Frequent Flyer. If you're a member of the latter, you can now earn points on every Ola ride — one point for each $1 spent on everyday rides, and two points for every $1 you fork out on rides to and from the airport. Ola's airport offer is valid for the first 1000 rides booked on Friday, July 26.
Sydney's love affair with escape rooms continues. The Expedition team, who were originally based in Canberra, spent eight months on their new venture on Redfern's Cope Street, launching it in late-2018. The room, titled The Forgotten Son, leads players on a dangerous trek through the Australian outback. The room's historic 'high country'-theme follows a distinguished character from Australian folklore. Could it be the swagman from 'Waltzing Matilda'? Ned Kelly? Goorialla, the rainbow serpent? Whoever (or whatever) it is, the escape room promises to transport players from the inner city straight back in time to the door of an old tin shack — through which the eerie sound of a sobbing child can be heard. And that's just the beginning. While the description doesn't give too much away, it's certainly enough to pique our intrigue. As with most escape rooms, players have up to one hour to follow clues and complete the course, with a maximum of six players allowed in at once. Two more rooms — dubbed The Nuclear Decision and Return of the King (it'll be medieval themed) — will open in Expedition soon, too, so keep an eye on this space.
Since Netflix dropped the third season of Stranger Things way back in mid-2019, fans of the 80s-set sci-fi/horror series have been left with plenty of questions. Some were answered relatively quickly, with Jim Hopper's (David Harbour, Black Widow) immediate fate covered in an early teaser back in February 2020. Other queries took a while to answer, with the streamer only revealing an exact release date for the show's fourth season in February this year. But here's one train of thought that's been going through absolutely no one's minds until now: do they play guitar in the Upside Down? Arriving after a heap of shorter sneak peeks over the past year or so — with a couple more teasers released in May 2021, then another one in August, followed by yet another in September and one more last November — the full trailer for Stranger Things season four resolves that axe-shredding question. The answer: a wailing yes. But if you're now wondering the obvious — aka why? — you'll need to wait till the show's first new episodes arrive on Friday, May 27, or maybe even until its second batch of season four instalments hit on Friday, July 1. Also covered in this long-waited return trip to Hawkins: mysterious packages, an angry Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown, Godzilla vs Kong) setting off sparks, a new D&D club and a levitating Max (Sadie Sink, The Last Castle). Oh, and a new monster who looks like it should've crawled out of The X-Files. And yes, the vibe here is all old-school horror — which is hardly surprising given that one of those past teaser trailers had Steve (Joe Keery, Spree), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo, The Angry Birds Movie 2), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin, Concrete Cowboy) and Max exploring an eerie haunted house. Across the clips so far, viewers have also been taken to California, which is where Eleven, Joyce (Winona Ryder, The Plot Against America), Will (Noah Schnapp, Waiting for Anya) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton, The New Mutants) have washed up following season three. Eleven is settling in as well as she can settle in anywhere, as she explains in a letter to Mike (Finn Wolfhard, The Goldfinch) — but she also can't wait until she can see him in person again. And, we've headed back to Hawkins Laboratory and its whole creepy setup, too. So, piece all these trailers together and Netflix has dropped plenty of clues about what's in store — but facing a new supernatural threat and trying to put an end to the Upside Down's horrors is the gang's main aim in season four. If it feels like series' creators Matt and Ross Duffer are working on their endgame, that's unsurprising. The pair announced a few months back that there'll only be one more season to follow after season four. But, this season has "a runtime of nearly twice the length of any previous seasons," the Duffer brothers also advised. It certainly has a whole heap of trailers, and the full sneak-peek clocks in at over three minutes. May 27 can't come soon enough — but until then, you can check out the Stranger Things season four trailer below: Stranger Things season four will be able to stream via Netflix in two parts, with Volume One dropping on Friday, May 27 and Volume Two hitting on Friday, July 1. Images: courtesy of Netflix.
Appeteaser is the latest collection from Lucy Folk, and boy, is it tempting. This season Folk has used sterling silver, rose and yellow gold vermeil, freshwater pearls, powder-coated steel, 22 carat gold, rubies, white and black diamonds, tsavorite garnets, ceylon sapphires and a playful bout of colour in a series of pieces designed to make you look delicious. Some of the old favourites are back, but with a twist. There's gold corn chip necklaces, peppercorn earrings and mini-taco-adorned friendship bracelets. But expect an element of decadence with this seasons offerings, as elegant pearls and precious jewels are added in subtle ways. A couple of examples we are loving from this collection include the silver and rose gold ‘Caviar Rings’ dotted with sapphires and diamonds to add some sparkle to the seduction. Anchovy cuffs for your wrists and your ears add an intriguing texture to staple pieces, and the peppercorn and pearl earrings are delicate and divine. Probably the standout piece of the collection, however, is the Appeteaser Aphrodisiac necklace. A shucked freshwater oyster shell in either sterling silver or rose gold — with a pearl in the centre, of course — it is sure to make you the topic of conversation at any dinner party. At $750 (silver)/$850 (rose gold) a pop, you might be dining out on the cheap for a while, but if you feel like treating yourself to something scrumptious, you’d be hard pressed to beat this beauty. The Lucy Folk Appeteaser collection hits stores today and is also available online. Check out the saucily tongue-in-cheek campaign video for a little more amuse(-bouche)ment.
Electro dance trio RÜFÜS know a thing or two about touring. Currently on the road for their national Worlds Within Worlds tour, the Sydney threesome have whipped up thousands-strong crowds with their euphoric melodies at many an Aussie festival over the past few years. This time, however, the triple j favourites have collaborated with Red Bull and Melbourne art and design studio ENESS, creators of otherworldly interactive light installations. The ENESS wizards have done their light-fuelled thing in unexpected spaces worldwide — from the streets of Mumbai to the French Alps. Now bringing both creative teams together, RÜFÜS combine material from their debut album Atlas with a 12,000-LED-strong backdrop. Operated in real time, the hyperreal set responds to the music in a fusion of virtual projections with physical space. It's a perfect complementary partnership for the trio's escapist dance sound. The Worlds Within Worlds tour is also RÜFÜS' last hurrah in Oz before heading to Berlin to work on their next record. It's worth checking out, especially if Vivid Sydney didn't quite satisfy your appetite for trippy light installations. (Really, can that ever be satisfied?)
Restaurant Hubert is taking its classic French fare for a spin, launching a new dinner series that explores the cuisine in different corners of the world. La Belle France is a four-part soirée that will run on Monday nights, with dates dotted from the end of March to mid-November. The best part is that the dinners will be set in the restaurant's Theatre Royale — the 120-seat space is normally available for private events and bookings only, so it's a good opportunity to take a squiz. Decked out with lush red velvet carpets and curtains, the old-world theatre will host guests at long tables while live music takes the stage. Each shared banquet has its own culinary theme: French Canadian on March 26, French Vietnamese on June 4, French Moroccan on August 27 and French Polynesian on November 19. Tickets are a pricey $120 per person for each single event, so it will definitely be a splurge — but we suspect one well worth it. Images: Daniel Boud.
Iconic filmmakers dropping huge films: thanks Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, Michael Mann's Ferrari and Ridley Scott's Napoleon, that's the current cinema story. The latter picture also sees the director reteam with Joaquin Phoenix, step into history and make an epic. And yes, the last time they did that turned out well for the pair. Back in 2000, exploring a brutal (and fictionalised) slice of the past brought both Scott and Phoenix both Oscar nominations. Repeating the feat 23 years after Gladiator, they might be hoping for the same outcome — or better. In Napoleon, Phoenix (Beau Is Afraid) is on a campaign to rule France as the movie's namesake, and Scott (House of Gucci) also returns to a period he dived into in his debut feature The Duellists back in 1977. [caption id="attachment_922708" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Aidan Monaghan[/caption] The focus this time is clearly all there in the title, charting Napoleon Bonaparte's rise to French Emperor, then fall from the post. No, ABBA's 'Waterloo' doesn't feature in either the film's first sneak peek or in the just-dropped trailer. Present instead is a whole lot of wars being waged in a quest to first fight for and then to hold onto power, as well an examination of Napoleon's relationship with Joséphine de Beauharnais (Vanessa Kirby, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One). The hat, the determination, the military and political scheming, battle scene after battle scene: they all get a look in the Napoleon trailers, too, in a movie that's being touted by distributor Sony as boasting "some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed". Also accounted for: lines of dialogue, as scripted by All the Money in the World's David Scarpa, establishing Napoleon's arrogance. "I'm the first to admit when I make a mistake. I simply never do," Phoenix notes in the initial glimpse. When Napoleon hits cinemas Down Under in November, Phoenix and Kirby will be joined on-screen by everyone from Tahar Rahim (The Serpent) as Paul Barras and Ben Miles (Hijack) as Caulaincourt to Ludivine Sagnier (Lupin) as Theresa Cabarrus — plus Catherine Walker (House of Gucci) as Marie-Antoinette, whose fate is seen in the two trailers. After a silver-screen date, the movie is also headed to Apple TV+, just like Killers of the Flower Moon. Check out the latest trailer for Napoleon below: Napoleon releases in cinemas Down Under on November 23, 2023. Images: courtesy of Sony Pictures/Apple Original Films.
Hop on your bike and cycle down to Centennial Park to enjoy the inaugural East Side Ride on Sunday, April 21. This free community event is hoping to promote green living through an array of entertaining activities and workshops that range from edible gardens to bike polo displays, which you can enjoy whilst eating something from one of Sydney's eclectic food trucks. All this will take place amidst the backdrop of live jazz, reggae and soul from the delicious Directions in Groove, Kingtide and Lily Dior. There really will be something for everyone. The event, organised by EastsideFM and made possible by a $10,000 Environmental Grant from the City of Sydney, is hoping to promote green living inititatives, and Lord Mayor Clover Moore hopes that this begins with everyone cycling to East Side Ride to educate people "about how cycling can help tackle traffic congestion and keep you healthy". So trade those four wheels for two and ride on down for a feast of food, fun and entertainment. Main image by NealeA.
The Tinder trawl just got a little more rom-com; brand new dating app Happn aims to take your missed Meet Cutes and turn them into potential dates. Using the GPS function on your phone, Happn encourages you to "find the people you've crossed paths with" in an attempt at fast-tracked 'romance'. If you've ever wondered if the babe in the cereal aisle was giving you the eyeball, now you can check without risking an ego-shattering diss. Invented by three Frenchmen (growth hacker Fabien Cohen, entrepeneur Didier Rappaport and computer engineer Antony Cohen), Happn is generating serious buzz in Europe with its cut-to-the-chase hook up philosophy. While Tinder's flick left or right mechanism is undoubtedly based on looks, lack of Southern Cross tattoos and inclusion of Distracting Hot Friends in profile pics, Tinder also brings up shared interests (if you both like Game of Thrones on Facebook, it'll show up so there's something to talk about rather than "Sup, wanna bang?"). Happn leaves this behind in favour of distance to dates. If you're within 250 metres of each other, Happn uses your phone's GPS to flag your potential romance-o-meter. Of course, your mystery spunk has to have Happn installed on their phone too (so you might be waiting a while to hear from your eyelash-battering stranger if they ain't connected). The timeline shows you the profiles of all the people you’ve crossed paths with, in real-time. Every time you come across someone in real life, their profile appears on your app. Passing someone in the supermarket aisle just got a little more loaded. Happn's sole philosophy is based around celebrating coincedence, "boosting luck" and saving you from "missed connections." But although it sounds simultaneously romantic and an easy carnal escapade, the whole GPS situation is creeping some of us out. Importantly, your position on Happn isn't saved and remains completely invisible to other members — the coordinates of where you passed another Happn user is the only thing registered; the bus stop where That Guy hopped on, the record store where you noticed Her in the hip hop section, the park where your terrier 'accidentally' found itself off leash and headed toward a swoonworthy husky owner. But what of unwanted attention from creepos using technology to be predatory, like many, many creepos tend to do? "The app is designed to guarantee the safety of all users and the confidentiality of their data," say the Happn team. "You can decide at any given time that a profile doesn’t interest you anymore; you’ll never cross paths with each other on Happn again, and they’ll never know. Also, you can report any unwanted behaviour or block a profile by clicking on the little flag at the bottom of every profile." Avoid the creeps, follow up your Meet Cute and let us know where the reception's at. You can download Happn in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Via Guardian.
Australians, if you need to renew your passport — or just find wherever you stashed it away more than 18 months ago — the time is now. When Monday, November 1 arrives, Aussies will be permitted to travel internationally again. Of course, given that the COVID-19 situation varies in each state, jetting off won't be as straightforward as it used to be; however, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed that the Federal Government will be allowing Aussies to leave the country and return from that date. Back at the beginning of October, the PM advised that Australia's indefinite ban on holidaying overseas — a ban that came into place in March 2020 to control the spread of COVID-19 — would lift sometime in November on a state-by-state basis. At the time, Morrison announced that "international travel is on track to reopen safely to fully vaccinated Australian travellers" when each state and territory individually hits the 80-percent double-jabbed threshold. Now, on Friday, October 15, the Prime Minister confirmed the exact date that Aussies will be allowed to travel internationally — after New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet announced that quarantine requirements will be dropped for folks who've had both their jabs from Monday, November 1, too. Also in NSW, caps on the number of double-vaccinated overseas arrivals will also lift on the same day. "I'm very pleased that the New South Wales Government has advised, as you've learnt today, that they will be in a position to move to a no quarantine arrangement for people arriving back in Australia from the 1st of November, which enables us to be in a position to ensure that we can lift the caps for returning Australian citizens, residents and their families from the 1st of November into New South Wales," said Morrison. He continued: "this also means is that we will be allowing Australians, permanent residents and citizens and their families, to leave Australia from wherever they live in Australia and return, but obviously the capped arrangements in other states will continue because of the vaccination levels in those places and the arrangements they have in place in each of those states and territories." Accordingly, if you wanted to hop on a flight out of NSW to an overseas destination from the beginning of November onwards, you can — and, if you're then returning to NSW and you're double-jabbed, you won't need to quarantine (not in a hotel, and not at home either). In response to the news, airlines have started bringing forward their international flight dates, so you really can start booking. Qantas has brought forward its London and Los Angeles routes from Sydney (the former now going via Darwin) to November 1, after initially intending to take to the skies again mid-November, and is also looking at possibly bringing forward the restart dates for flights to Singapore, Fiji, Vancouver and other destinations from mid-December. At this early stage, the international border will open for double-jabbed Aussies heading outwards and coming back — and permanent residents and citizens and their families, as the PM noted — but not for international travellers and international students. Plus, for those who aren't double-dose vaxxed, hotel quarantine will remain compulsory upon entering Australia, and caps upon arrival numbers will still apply. In NSW, mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine will remain in place, and only 210 overseas arrivals who aren't double-jabbed will be permitted each week. Media release: reopening roadmap update. #NSWPol #auspol2021 pic.twitter.com/mKbxdO0W53 — Dom Perrottet (@Dom_Perrottet) October 14, 2021 Arrangements in states and territories other than NSW, including the quarantine requirements upon return for double-vaccinated folks and the caps on arrivals from November 1, haven't yet been confirmed by the respective state and territory leaders. Also, exactly where Aussies can travel to out of NSW from November 1 obviously depends on border rules and requirements in other countries. The trans-Tasman travel bubble with New Zealand is presently on hold until at least mid-November, for instance, while Fiji will reopen to Aussies from Thursday, November 11. For further information about Australia's plan to restart international travel, head to the Prime Minister's website. More details about the National Plan to transition Australia's National COVID Response can be found on the same site. And, details of the New South Wales Government's current plans can be found on its website. Also, to find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia in general, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
In news that has ironically prompted outraged profanity worldwide, Vladimir Putin has signed a bill which prohibits the use of swear words in Russian film, theatre and live music performances. This legislation is just the latest in a long line of gradual moves against freedom of expression in the country. With the much-protested bills passed against the "promotion" of "non-traditional sexual relations", the increasing moves towards internet censorship, and the ruling in April this year against profanity in the media, the whole situation seems a bit fucked. Coming into effect on July 1, this most recent bill will ban four specific words from Russia's art and performance. All hailing from the lexicon of mat: khuy (cock), pizda (cunt), ebat (to fuck), and blyad (whore) will be prohibited from appearing in any new work, while books and printed materials containing such words will be sold in sealed packaging with warning labels. If artists refuse to abide this new ruling, not only will their works be refused distribution, they will be charged up to 50,000 rubles ($1,510). To further confuse matters, though the ban will include live performance and events, it will reportedly only affect products of "popular culture" and not "art". "The law is not aggressive," said a representative from the Culture Ministry to the Moscow Times. "Its only aim is to regulate this sphere, so that swearing will have its purpose." Though the difference between the two realms of production has not yet been specified by the Ministry, artists across the world can finally feel some sense of relief — who would have thought this man would be the one to pin down the elusive definition of art? Many in the Russian art world are unsurprisingly outraged by this recent move and take particular issue with its effect on literature. Mat has in fact had a rich history in Russian poetry and prose, as seen in the seminal Romantic work of Mikhail Lermontov and Alexander Pushkin. The banning of such words, pivotal to the language of the working class, will undoubtedly limit the range of character and emotion in much of Russia's cultural work. Unfortunately, I'm not that well-versed in Russian film or literature, but just imagine a world where American Psycho is illegal; a place where this iconic scene from Planes, Trains and Automobiles could never have reached its audience. In a worldwide exclusive, we've actually obtained a copy of the upcoming Russian Wolf of Wall Street re-release. It may not have the glamour or excitement of Scorsese's original, but its does 100 percent comply to the standards of the Culture Ministry. Enjoy. Via the New Yorker.
If glass slippers, pumpkin carriages and fairy godmothers were on your must-see theatre list for 2021, we have bad news: the Cinderella musical won't be bringing its magic to Australia this year. That was meant to be the case, but then lockdowns hit; however, in a supremely welcome development, the beloved Broadway show is now heading our way in 2022 instead. First premiering in New York in 2013, this version of the adored fairy tale features music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, a couple of the best-known names in musical theatre history. The pair actually wrote their songs for a 1957 television production, which starred a pre-Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music Julie Andrews. (If you've seen the 1997 TV movie with Brandy and Whitney Houston — which remade that original small-screen flick — then you've already seen a version based on Rodgers and Hammerstein's original efforts.) Now, the Broadway production is finally making the jump Down Under, debuting locally at Melbourne's Regent Theatre from May 20, and then heading to the Sydney Lyric Theatre at The Star from October 23. The tour is a collaboration between Opera Australia and Crossroads Live, after the two organisations teamed up on The King and I, another Rodgers and Hammerstein hit — but this time they're all about gleaming footwear and masked balls. Don't expect the exact same story you're used to, though — as you read as a kid, and saw in Disney's classic animated film and its live-action remake. Here, Cinderella is a contemporary figure, but living in a fairytale setting. While she's still transformed from a chambermaid into a princess, the tale has been given a firmly modern spin. Shubshri Kandiah (Aladdin, Fangirls) will play Ella, Ainsley Melham (Merrily We Roll Along, Aladdin) has been cast Prince Topher and Silvie Paladino (Mamma Mia!, Les Misérables) will sparkle as Marie, the Fairy Godmother. Also set to feature in the Australian production: Tina Bursill (Doctor Doctor, Wentworth) as Madame, Ella's stepmother, as well as Todd McKenney (The Boy From Oz, Shrek) as Sebastian, the Lord Chancellor. The cast will be working with a production penned by playwright Douglas Carter Beane (Xanadu, Sister Act) based on Hammerstein's work — which was, of course, adapted from the fairy tale about a young woman dreaming of a better life. The Broadway production was nominated for eight Tony Awards and won one, for Best Costume Design. In the US, Carly Rae Jepsen played Ella for a stint, while The Nanny's Fran Drescher also took on the role of Madame, Ella's stepmother, for a period. If you're wondering how the musical works its magic, check out a clip from the original Broadway show below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wypPkiBW1Z4 Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella will hit the stage at Melbourne's Regent Theatre from May 20, 2022, before heading to the Sydney Lyric Theatre at The Star from October 23, 2022. For further details, and for tickets — for Melbourne shows from November 29, and for Sydney's season from November 22 — head to the musical's website. Images: Carol Rosegg.
World Chocolate Day is nearly here, but as much as we love them, you don't have to settle for a fancy block or bar on Monday, July 7. Instead, mix things up by biting into a special sponge-based collaboration between Pana Organic and Tokyo Lamington, with a free giveaway making the occasion an unforgettable treat. Putting their minds together to craft the ultimate dessert, this dream team has created three limited-edition lamingtons, fusing the high-end chocolatier's handmade single-origin bliss with the light, fluffy sponge that has made Tokyo Lamington a hit from Singapore to Melbourne. So, what can you expect from this decadent lamington trio? The Golden Crunch features a delicious mylk mousse, golden comb and plant-based chocolate sponge lamington, while the Crunchy Hazelnut Chocolate blends hazelnut mousse and milk chocolate ganache with a plant-based chocolate sponge coated in delicious cake crumbs. Finally, Mint Crunch is a plant-based chocolate sponge, made with Pana Organic mint crunch cream dipped in chocolate sauce and coated with coconut. Best of all, these incredible creations are available for free if you swing by Tokyo Lamington's stores on World Chocolate Day. Available from the Newtown, Sydney and Carlton, Melbourne locations, there's even the chance to score a free Pana Organic chocolate bar. Just arrive within the first 100 customers at either store to secure a second complimentary treat. With flavours this enticing, there's a good chance you'll be rushing out to grab your own. This triple-threat of soft, chocolatey goodness is being served up throughout July at both Tokyo Lamington locations. Priced at $8 each or $24 for a box loaded with all three, pick up from your nearest spot or have them delivered to your door. This inventive collab isn't one to overlook. Founded in 2012 by Pana Barbounis, Pana Chocolate is a hugely respected name in the world of chocolate, pioneering a fully plant-based, gluten-free and organic-certified lineup. Meanwhile, Tokyo Lamington focused on impressing overseas tastebuds with Australia's humble sweet treat, making its mark in Singapore before launching the brand at home in Sydney and Melbourne in recent years. Tokyo Lamington and Pana Organic's limited-edition treats are available from Saturday, July 5, with a free giveaway taking place at Newtown and Carlton stores on Monday, July 7. Head to the website for more information.
Why drink a regular beer when you can enjoy a beverage that glows in the dark? And why scour the shops for bottled varieties when you can make your own bright bioluminescent tipples? They're the questions former NASA biologist Josiah Zayner will get you pondering when you discover his latest illuminating product. After leaving the American space agency to start his own company, The Odin, he has created a fluorescent yeast kit that will add a glow to your home brewing endeavours — or perhaps inspire you to start. The key ingredient is called the Green Fluorescent Protein, or GFP, that actually originally comes from a jellyfish. With the Engineer Any Yeast to Fluoresce kit, you'll actually make your own yeast that contains the protein, which will then glow when exposed to a black light. Technically, thanks to some concerns by the US Food and Drug Administration, it's being sold for educational purposes — but Zayner does intend for it to be used for brewing beer. The Odin has a full statement about any safety concerns on the company's website. The good news is that the kit ships internationally, so you really can make your glow-in-the-dark beer dreams a reality. The not-so-good news — if you're low on cash and time, that is — is that it costs US$199 and requires ten hours of effort over the course of two days to get to the ready-to-brew stage. Luminous beer might light up your next drinking session, but it isn't something you can make lightly, it seems. For more information about the Engineer Any Yeast to Fluoresce kit, visit The Odin's website. Via Eater. Image via The Odin.
Nothing says Christmas like a bit of big-screen movie magic — even more so when you can embrace all the feel-good Yuletide cheer with others. This year you can get your festive fix with a free — and very special — screening of a new flick set to become an instant Christmas classic. Spirited is Apple TV+'s new musical take on A Christmas Carol starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, and it's headed for your streaming queue mid-November. If you think you've heard the story before, think again. This adaptation and updating of Charles Dickens' well-known tale has a few things that most others don't — plus a twist. Reynolds plays the "level-20 pain in the Dickens" visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present (Ferrell), to hopefully spark him to reform his ways. The twist with Spirited, other than the songs? The film unfurls A Christmas Carol's narrative from the perspective of the ghosts. By the look of the trailer, it's set to be a rollicking good time — and we've got the inside word on where you can catch it. Apple TV+ is taking over the newly renovated Bondi Pavilion on Bondi Beach in November with a special Spirited screening for a few lucky Sydneysiders. Because no movie-watching experience is complete without snacks, there will be complimentary drinks and popcorn on arrival — along with Instagram opportunities aplenty. And while our southern hemisphere Christmas isn't usually a winter wonderland, this year there will be snow — a Spirited snow cone truck will be slinging free cones to passers-by on Bondi Beach from 1.30pm (until they run out!) To score a pass to this special screening, you'll need to register ASAP — there's a limited number of seats and it's set to fill up quickly. If you're one of the lucky attendees, make sure you're down at the Bondi Pavilion from 4.15pm on Sunday, November 20 — the film is set to kick off at 5pm sharp and latecomers will be getting coal in their stockings this year. If you do miss out — or you just want to get another viewing in— Spirited will be available to stream on Apple TV+ from Friday, November 18, giving you plenty of chances to learn all the songs for a Christmas singalong. Feel like broadening your movie repertoire? There are more than 140 other Apple TV+ originals on the streaming platform to choose from, so take your pick. Head to the website to secure your seat at the screening. Watch the trailer and learn more about Spirited on Apple TV+.
Come January next year, one of western Sydney's train lines will be no more. The T6 Carlingford Line, which runs from Carlingford to Clyde — where commuters can change onto the T1 North Shore & Western Line and T2 Inner West & Leppington Line — is set to close on January 5, 2020, to make way for the Parramatta Light Rail. The light rail will connect Carlingford to Westmead via Camellia and Parramatta's CBD, but it isn't set to launch until 2023. So, in the interim, Carlingford residents wanting to board the T1 or T2 will need to jump on a bus — the soon-to-launch 535, which will travel from Carlingford to Parramatta. Thankfully, it's set to be a lot more frequent than the T6 train, with Transport for NSW promising buses every 15 minutes during peak hour, compared to the current two trains per hour. [caption id="attachment_745583" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parramatta Light Rail Stage One map[/caption] Commuters wanting to travel from Carlingford to Clyde will need to bus to Parramatta then jump on a train. Once complete, the $2.4 billion Light Rail is expected to be a 'turn-up-and-go' service, and will connect surrounding suburbs to the Bankwest Stadium and new Powerhouse Museum. A second stage of the project would see the rail extended from Rydalmere to Sydney Olympic Park. The T6 Carlingford line is set to close on January 5, 2020 and will be replaced by the 535 bus until the Parramatta Light Rail opens in 2023. You can find out more about the Light Rail project over here.
