Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music, first released in 1975, is an enigma. Sonically, its a blend of electronic sounds, loops, tapes and feedback, a pure expression of industrial punk and an avant-garde statement of noise. It pushes the listener beyond the edges of endurance: no matter how much this is 'your thing', it's difficult to listen to for more than a few minutes at a time. There is no beginning or end, no sense of progress: the listener is suspended. Details are overwhelming, but are lost in the overall void of sound. There's a sense of 'accidental' music, yet at the same time it's determined and relentless: simultaneous horror and ambiance. Usually discussed as a cynical fulfillment of contract obligations or an attempt to alienate fans, it was critically condemned, regarded as absurd and irrelevant. There were, however, notable fans: Thurston Moore, for one. A later sign of the cult status of the record was its adaptation for the German chamber orchestra Zeitkratzer in 2002. At the helm of this adaptation was Ulrich Krieger who, along with Sarth Calhoun, formed the Metal Machine Trio with Reed in 2008. This music may not be your thing. In fact, it probably won't be. But for those who have the interest, curiosity and patience, the Metal Machine Trio will undoubtedly be the experience of a lifetime. https://youtube.com/watch?v=CWV5wGRl-Jo
No-one will ever tire of trying to define the Klaxons. "Acid-rave sci-fi punk-funk", "Nascent indie", "Spartan rock" — these Mercury award-winning Londonians have seen every genre thrown their way since they jokingly coined the term 'New Rave' back in 2007 to describe their sound. But three years after spacejumping their way onto the indie circuit, this colourful four-piece are out of the studio and onto a tourjet, as they head Down Under to promote their sophomore LP release Surfing the Void. With single 'Echoes' already streaming like a tear duct and album art sporting Jamie Reynold's kitty Orphee in a spacesuit, the Down Under the Void tour promise to place new material quite nicely beside favourites from the critically acclaimed debut Myths Of The Near Future without losing any futuristic momentum. With a progressive yet accessible sound produced by Ross Robinson (Sepultura, At The Drive In, The Cure), these larrikins are refreshingly still 'pop sensible' as Reynolds told NME the foursome abandoned a heavy psychedelic record for more radio-friendly tunes. With no lack of that sense of youthful frivolity found in hit single 'Golden Skans', any second album stigma has managed to elude audiences across Europe, with Oz judgement scheduled for September. With two exclusive shows in Sydney and Melbourne, these self-proclaimed 'spiritual' residents of Shoreditch aren't sticking around for long. Thus with ticket in hand, the only thing left to do is foolishly attempt to label them. Accessible hi-rave? Nu-wave dreamtro pop? Rainbow futurist synth-chemistry? Space cattery? Enough, let's just go with 'pop'. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZJgOLu5iAFs
If we are to believe cinema, murder is a game of cat and mouse. Michael Winterbottom's The Killer Inside Me has a cat — Lou Ford (Casey Affleck), a sheriff in a small Texan town. It also has mice — a lot of female mice. It is unsurprising that many people have dropped the M word (misogynistic) — from five year-old girls to submissive prostitutes (Jessica Alba) to blindly supportive girlfriends (Kate Hudson) — the film's female characters are made all the more tragic by the fact that there is no counterpoint (no girl with her shit together) to balance them out. These women are, to their detriment, faithful to the end. But the upper hand does not belong to the men in the film, either. They are psychotic, hopeless or consumed with unresolved suspicion. The Killer Inside Me is a well-made movie because the film itself holds all the power. It is a bleak story told uncomfortably well, staying true to its origins as a Pulp Fiction style story, and holding you through every kick and punch until it finishes on its own terms. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1I4rDHxzeCg
It's all well and good to blast 'Hey Boy Hey Girl' at maximum decibels from your boom-box every now and then, but some might say it is a vital necessity in life to see The Chemical Brothers play live. Since arriving on the electronic music scene in the early '90s, Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons have continually pushed the boundaries of multimedia music — changing the face of large-scale electronic performances forever. Taking the notion of "live" to the extreme, every bass line, each bleep, every accompanying element is coordinated right then and there on stage at the flick of the wrist, the push of a button or the beam of a laser light. It is a total assault on the senses — ears, eyes, tongue, nostrils — nothing is left untouched. And their upcoming Further tour promises to take The Chemical experience to the next level: the pair have commissioned eight mind blowing short films to play in-sync with each of the eight tracks off their latest album Further. Excited? Don't hold your breath for too long, you've a whole nine months ahead of you. The Chemical Brothers play the Sydney Entertainment Centre on March 10th, 2011. Tickets go on sale August 5th, 2010.
Roger Greenberg is not the kind of guy you want to wind up next to at a dinner party. Prickly, passive aggressive and seemingly oblivious to his truculent demeanor, Greenberg would probably point out — in minute detail $#151 everything that is wrong in the world, and quite possibly with you as well. In Greenberg, writer-director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) has once again created a character that you'd love to loath, were it not for the humour, delicacy and ultimate poignancy of his writing. And Ben Stiller plays this to a tee. His markedly emaciated body and casually brutal observations unveil a man so desperately blind to his own insecurity and unhappiness. Uprooting from New York to LA to house-sit for his wealthy brother (Chris Messina), Greenberg arrives with a sizable chip on his shoulder and an antisocial inability to drive. Thus marooned, Greenberg leans on doormat-of-a-housekeeper Florence (Greta Gerwig), and somehow their mutual loneliness results in them fumbling towards some semblance of a romance. As knowingly written as it is acted, Greenberg certainly won't be for everyone. Gerwig is a welcome breath of fresh air to cut through all the narcissism, though even this counterbalance feels purposeful. But Baumbach's talent in carving out fascinating character studies from the inanity of the everyday ultimately transcends the film's 'indie' sensibility. https://youtube.com/watch?v=DjV2GXxrEMI
It's totally okay to go and spend your money at July's Big Fashion Sale. Not only will you be virtuously supporting the Australian fashion industry, you'll get the chance to try on and possibly go home with some very clever and attractive pieces of work. The usual story of samples and seconds, these events are also a good way to hone your overall shopping fitness. Identifying items in sizes and styles relevant to you and evaluating them according to the 'amount you want them' x 'condition they're in' x 'actual saving' x 'how much money you have' formula, requires mental agility, budgeting and prioritising, which reinforces your 'responsible adult' powers. Not only that, the change rooms at these things are a yoga experience if solo and a lesson in how-to-not-elbow-people-while-not-meeting-their-eyes when communal. This particular sale has pieces from Ellery, Konstantina Mittas, Jemma Jube, Ruby Smallbone, Lonely Hearts Club, Elke, Karla Specific, Shakuhachi and a bunch more. Options will run from denim to sparkles. Image: Nick Hudson for Maurie & Eve
Evidencing the extraordinary breadth of contemporary photography, Petrina Hicks' new exhibition, Every Rose Has Its Thorn and Maleonn's Second-hand Tang Poem at Paddington's Stills Gallery are realms apart. Known for her slick aesthetic and glossy backgrounds, Hicks presents a series of images that serve to question the very thing we're looking at. The faceless profiles in Breeze and Firestarter leave us wondering — like Magritte's hooded figures and his famous painting This Is Not a Pipe (Ceci n'est pas une pipe) — if a profile is indeed a profile if missing a face to define it. The face is further obscured with veiled figures and the backs of kittens, while still lives swim in super-real backgrounds heightening the sense of ambiguity in Every Rose. Maleonn (aka Ma Liang) has constructed a suite of scenes relating to Tang poems, which have been used by teenagers in China for generations and which, when memorised, assist in learning to read and write and to cultivate culture. From this genre, Maleonn imagines a wonderland that seems not of this world but derived from it. Macabre and funny at once, the Second-hand Tang Poem series is narrative-thick and imbued with a dramatic sense of time. Following his capturing of the image, Maleonn had to deconstruct each scene, sensing acutely "the painful feeling of existence that could never be duplicated in photography". Image by Petrina Hicks
Don't fret, despite what the name implies, New Directions is not a hippy camp; it's the New Theatre's annual mini-season dedicated to showcasing the best contemporary writing for the theatre. With playwrights from three countries, five directors, 28 actors and an unspecified number of production staff — but no bulldogs — the 2010 season promises to be a cracker. It's five plays over four weeks with a little something for everyone. July 14 - 17 Crooked, Catherine Trieschmann (USA) — A 14-year-old's hilarious spiritual and sexual journey pokes fun at America's bible belt. July 21 - 24 The Chekhov Term, Sam Atwell (Australia) — A Brisbane share house, four student actors, Chekhov and a fairly liquid definition of truth. July 28 - 31 The Big One, Dick Reichman (USA) — Part docu-drama, part taut thriller, this play uncovers the grubby politics behind the Exxon tanker oil-spill disaster off Alaska. August 4 - 7 Double bill: Fat Boy John Clancy, (USA) — A live-action Punch and Judy show, Fat Boy is a satire on America's insatiable appetites. Electronic City Falk Richter, (Germany) — A disturbing elegy on the modern-day electronic-media-riddled metropolis and a neo-romatic love story (with only scant mention of George Clooney). Season passes available for $70.
Reasons abound to love Bondi in winter; you can park within a 10k radius of where you actually need to be and not have to queue behind a bevy of excitable tourists to grab a coffee at a cafe that boasts glimpses of the ocean, for a start. But like a Jamaican new to bobsledding, Sydney’s little beachside gem suffers in winter, and while it may be a local residents' paradise, the beach is barren and business is slow. This year, rather than cower beneath the chill of winter's icy ocean winds, Bondi Beach is embracing the colder months like a Swiss Ski resort in peak season. As part of the Alpine Winter Festival, Bondi will transform from the sun-soaked, beachside hub of all things hot to … a Bergstation. A bergstation is the highest spot reachable by snow transports (ski lifts, cable-car, etc) in Alpine Ski resorts in Austria, Switzerland and Germany. Although the humidity's a few notches higher than the Alps and the only peaks in sight are of frothy sea salt and not of snowcapped mountains, who says Bondi can't be a bergstation? And why can't it erect a ginormous ice-rink for two weeks in July to demonstrate the fact? Yes. you read correctly, from July 16 to 25, snow deprived Sydneysiders will have the opportunity to skate on a 600 square-metre lake of ice alongside the sprawling white sands of Bondi Beach. And to really confuse the senses, keen skaters can cap off a day on the ice with a few cocktails at the St. Moritz bar or a hot meal beside an open fire overlooking the ocean in the Alpine Ski Hut. So, in these challenging economic times, you need not choose between your winter or summer holiday; Bondi Bergstation puts the ocean on ice for an all-rolled-into-one mid-year vacation.
In a similar way to when Money Mark sang "I've got my hand in your head" in the Grand Royal-pop-collage-drenched-'90s, the name Richard In Your Mind is comforting not creepy. Trippy not trespass...ery. Not only taking over your noggin', they're currently taking over the country. They've been around a while now, floating along on a patchouli cloud that's suddenly gathered some rolling thunder with their second album, My Volcano. With a desert island cover by Greedy Hen, it's a little package of pop bliss-out. Bird calls, monkey screams, tribal beats and hip hop flickers make for a fun, frenzied listen. El Tropo jams aside, it's hard not to crush out a little bit on a band who promote their album by placing little, handmade paper-mache volcanoes on a few lucky street poles around Darlinghurst. Out on supercool local label Rice is Nice, My Volcano was recently FBi's Album of the Week and looks set to be the next Eyjafjallajokull, if a little easier to pronounce. Go see them erupt (sorry) the record at a lava-in (not sorry) at Oxford Art Factory this Saturday. https://youtube.com/watch?v=wTGSW7hOYVA
While publicly we may snub our noses at the silver spoons of high culture, we all secretly desire to dust off our hats, don our coats and march off to an evening at the opera. The only real problem is that it costs a pretty penny. Luckily, the solution to this age-old dilemma is not so far away. Catering to us average folk, Chauvel are hosting the best bits of a whole season of opera on film — and the latest season from New York's renowned Met, at that. Forget The Rabbit of Seville: Until October, you can can catch Carmen and that timeless tune, the exoticism of Turandot and many more. Hats and coats are optional, but they would certainly enhance the occasion. Image: from Turandot, courtesy of Sharmill Films.
It's nigh impossible to convey the stupendous delight that is Toy Story 3 without stoking the irrepressible hype that now surrounds the film. So while we're in for a penny … Toy Story 3 is the shiny, superb, three-dimensional (in all senses of the term) cap on what has got to be as close to a perfect trilogy as exists in cinema. Which is not to say the film is without imperfection, it's just that you don't care. Sure, some scenes are too long and the end is a tad schmaltzy, but you're too engrossed in Pixar's fantastical world and too invested in the fate of Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen) and their motley crew of erstwhile playtime friends to really notice. From the brilliantly crafted spaghetti-western opening to its touching coda, Toy Story 3 never loses sight of the series' core tenant: that unique, timeless-yet-all-too-brief relationship between toys and their owners. So now that it's time for Andy to go to college, the drama is inbuilt and the stakes are sky high. Woody's fierce loyalty to Andy is tested by the devastating reality of his looming redundancy, wherein he and the rest of the toys face three options: will they be taken to college, to the attic or be cast aside completely? It's not spoiling the fun to reveal they initially end up in daycare, wherein the Pixar crew positively revels in introducing a whole new gamut of old favourites (including a cameo from Hayao Miyazaki's Totoro!). The ensuing hilarity beggars belief. Audiences would be sitting slack jawed in the face of the film's staggering cinematic reflexivity* but for all the consistently high-quality, family-friendly laughs that keep you smiling. It's this trademark brand of beautiful and savvy writing that engenders such consistent appeal across the generations and confirms, yet again, that the creative minds of John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3's director) and their Pixar team are true masters of their craft. Their stellar cinematic efforts do indeed go to infinity and beyond. *Click here for a list of the film's easter eggs — though that covers only Pixar film references, not the encyclopedia of others! https://youtube.com/watch?v=TNMpa5yBf5o
There is something in the water in Adelaide. Strange things are happening with theatre there: it's hilarious and down to earth, but somehow revealing and vibrant at the same time. By all accounts, playwrights are venturing out of their dark, lonely rooms and collaborating with actors. Whatever it's about, the experiment is yielding stunning results: floogle's Ollie and the Minotaur that played at Belvoir Downstairs last year is unquestionable evidence of this. So, actually, is this offering from writer/director Caleb Lewis. Death in Bowengabbie tackles all the big issues: life, death, romance and the decline of the small rural Australian town. Lewis asks much of his only actor Andrew Brackman — who not only embodies all this on his own but constantly switches between various character and narrator roles. Utilising a style of humour reminiscent of the best American indie films, Brackman paces himself well for a demanding performance. Verity Hampton's design provides great support for Brackman. The stage, somehow clean and chaotic at once, contains carefully chosen objects that anyone who has visited an Australian country town will respond to. Empty jam jars, overflowing with not-too-obvious symbolism, work well with the lighting to create varied and powerful modes. However the script itself, as is well-recognised, is the key to this production. Brilliant references work exactly as planned, moments are sketched with warm affection and a delicate touch, and the plot, in straying between the realistic and the fantastic, takes us beyond our expectations to a restful resolution. Image by Joseph Couch. https://youtube.com/watch?v=RneLhwoa5AY
Director Oliver Hirschbiegel is no stranger to controversy. After drawing criticism for his 'sympathetic' portrayal of Hitler in Der Untergang (Downfall), Hirschbiegel has turned his sights on the Irish Troubles, putting a human face on another 'monster'. But rather than taking on the long-maligned IRA, Hirschbiegel and screenwriter Guy Hibbert look to the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the true story of teenage Alistair Little's (Mark Davison) murderous rite of passage. Determined to walk into the pub "ten foot tall", Alistair and his friends set about the senseless killing of a local Protestant unionist, which is witnessed by his terrified younger brother, Joe Griffin. Appearing at last year's Sydney Film Festival (where the film took out the Audience Award for Best Film) with James Nesbitt, Hirschbiegel described the film's opening 20 minutes as "what actually happened", with the rest being the work of Hibbert's imagination. Cut to 30 years later and an incredibly twitchy Joe (James Nesbitt) is en route to a televised truth and reconciliation meeting with Alistair (Liam Neeson). The intervening years have seen Joe tortured by his mother's recriminations, while Alistair went from 12 years in gaol to minor celebrity dedicated to preaching his story as a cautionary tale. Their meeting is stage-managed to the nth degree, with an increasingly anxious Joe juxtaposed by an outwardly calm and collected Alistair. Amongst the hubbub and benignly smiling producers, a Ukrainian runner Vika (4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days' Anamaria Marinca) provides the only compassionate link between the two men. But when Joe is unable to go through with his plan to claim his "five minutes of heaven", Alistair is compelled to return to the scene of the crime and face an alternate form of justice. Pitch-perfect performances and an incredibly powerful first two acts do a lot to make up for the film's loss of momentum towards the end. Nesbitt manages to bring humour to his portrayal of a stressed and vengeful Joe, while Neeson balances these histrionics with his characteristic compassion. Hirschbiegel confidently handles the dialogue driven drama as well as realistic moments of violence, and described the film as "quite a tense ride about something that matters." The humanity Hirschbiegel holds for his subjects is perhaps derived from an innate understanding of vergangenheitsbewältigung, the German idea for 'struggling to come to terms with the past'. Indeed, Five Minutes of Heaven is a gripping character study of two men imprisoned by their troubles. https://youtube.com/watch?v=uZOE7HgvI3c
The co-headline tour has become the staple diet of Aus indie bands. You save money on hire cars, always have at least a whole band to watch your set at quiet regional shows, get more booze in your rider and hopefully pick up some new fans along the way. Sometimes the combination of bands doesn't quite work, but there are sonic similarities and shared melodic ideas aplenty between Newcastle's the Seabellies and Sydney band Parades. They have joined forces for party times and to launch new singles off their upcoming debut albums. Both bands put on great live shows with layered vocals and instrument swapping galore. The Seabellies are launching 'Young Cubs', continuing to bang out songs with percussion and horns over great melodies and guitar-driven foundations. Parades (featuring the young and seemingly very productive Jonathan Boulet, who just released his own solo debut album) are celebrating the single 'Past Lives'. They also dip into melodic indie-rock, but put some synth glitches and drum loops into the mix over powerful, dynamic rhythm and noisy guitars. The support band du jour, Sydney's Megastick Fanfare, will be starting the party with their percussive indie jams. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZLcg03y3fU4
For a long time I dismissed the Mountain Goats as a bit of a joke band; I linked them with late 90s Triple J novelty tunes — you know 'Cows With Guns', 'Doctor Worm', that type of thing. Then I managed to catch them live a few years ago, and my swift and short-sighted words were quickly eaten. I was gobsmacked by the heart-on-sleeve honesty of John Darnielle, and the simplicity and passion with which they performed their music. The band started out as John Darnielle's solo project in 1991 and quickly amassed a body of work that people respected for its humour and candour, as well as simple, bittersweet melodies. Songs in which you could hear stories of friends and loved ones, as well as his own shortcomings. After 20 years of songwriting, you'd think you might get stuck, but the band — now completed by Peter Hughes and Jon Wurster — are still making great music, often taking on themes, constructing stories, and sharing literary-folk ideas with people like Sufjan Stevens or the National. Their latest album is called The Life of the World to Come and it takes on none other than the Good Book itself. But don't freak out, Darnielle is apparently a lapsed Catholic and enjoys the Bible as "a series of stories used to comfort and instruct us", so they won't be turning Sydney Uni into Hillsong; rather, warming your hearts with sweet tunes, no bible bashing. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1bSdRizGYb0
Let's begin by admitting that we, Australians, have a bit of a complex about being on the edge of things. Convicts, immigrants and the dispossessed, so far from the centre of the map that we could topple over the side at any moment. We're surrounded by strangely shaped trees bearing no resemblance to those that feature in the European canon, and the vast majority of our landscape is uninhabited, extreme and alien, even to us. That said, we also have a staunch pride in this difficult child that we are, the untamable underdog. Ned Kelly and all that. Something unpredictable and wild flows in our blood, or our adopted blood. It is with this in mind that Wilderness, a collection of contemporary painting, is drawn together. Though all pieces explore this notion of the beyond, unity in diversity is the central rule. Fiona Fowry's airbrushed images impact from afar but recede into soft smudges as you approach, while Michael Zavros' tiny paintings indulge in minute elegance that demands study up close. In Del Kathryn Barton's largest work to date, almost invisible detail struggles against the overwhelming presence, colour and sexuality of the piece. Photorealism sits beside abstraction, black and white beside fluorescent colour. In unsettling and inspiring ways these oppositions blend into new breeds, where utopia and dystopia seamlessly feed into each other, and voids reveal untold worlds. Images by Del Kathryn Barton We too have been there, though we shall land no more 2009 (detail); Louise Hearman Untitled #1304 2009, photography Mark Ashkanasy, courtesy of the artist and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney.
There are fans, and then there are Wu Tang Clan fans. They stand alone in their willingness to tattoo the Wu 'W' onto their skin, memorise every lyric and follow all nine members’ solo careers. Well, it’s eight members if you discount ODB and ten if you include Cappadonna, but that’s for the aforementioned enthusiasts to decide. Fandom is not a smooth road. The checkered career decisions of Wu members means that disappointments are frequent: Ghostface now has a white boy in his crew; RZA calls himself 'Bobby Digital' half the time; Inspectah Deck and U-God, despite their talent, keep decidedly low profiles; Method Man and Redman played at a festival last year alongside the Cat Empire. So, thank God for Raekwon. The Chef’s 2009 release, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Part II, was more than just an amazing album and worthy follow up to 1995’s groundbreaking Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…; it was a reward to fans for their reverence. Pay homage in person when he undertakes his first solo Australian tour.
I heard Jonathan Boulet between the cabin crew's witty quips and Kate Miller-Heidke tunes on Virgin Blue the other day; he's definitely creeped into the mainstream since releasing his debut on taste-making Modular Records a few months ago. The album of electronic-tinged folk is full of exultant and uplifting tunes that recall the anthemic moments of Arcade Fire, all played and produced by the Hills District wunderkind. Boulet has received some serious respect thus far: Triple J feature album, great reviews and even a big up from Mr. West himself, Kanye, who posted a link to the clip for 'A Community Service Announcement' on his blog, with title "Please watch this it's fucking amazing". Better exposure than Virgin Blue airtime, I reckon. The other bonus for this free show is Sherlock's Daughter, the young Sydney band who are going great guns and are about to do Texas's South by Southwest, as well as a string of other U.S. shows. The band's sound is built on almost hypnotic, pulsing Krautrock-esque rhythms and chants, which explode into dynamic freak-outs. Take the chance to see both bands at the Beach Road Hotel while they still do shows for free. https://youtube.com/watch?v=LyU7udQhBr8
The Drones are about to pack up their live show and head back into the studio to record their follow up to the critically and publicly salivated-over Havilah. The band have had an amazing run since the verbosely titled winning 2005 breakthrough Wait Long By the River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By, which went on to win the first Australian Music Prize. The album propelled them into the public eye thanks in large to Shark Fin Blues; the cathartic and almost shamanistic epic track was even voted number one Aussie song in a Triple J poll of some of our countries best songwriters. In 2007, after their third album Gala Mill was released, the band outgrew Australia, based themselves in Europe for four months and toured through America for the first time. In this period they gave James Brown a run for his helm of Hardest Working Man in Show Business, when they worked so hard that guitarist Dan Luscombe contracted pneumonia. Before heading into the studio to record their sixth album, they are doing a few gigs to say adieu — including two shows at our illustrious watering hole, the Annandale. The Friday night show is sold out, so hit the link to get tix for the Thursday show ASAP; I guarantee they will be one of the best bands you ever see live. https://youtube.com/watch?v=YX34Lxcj5J8
There was little doubt fashion designer Tom Ford's debut film was going to have style, but what about substance? Effortlessly silencing doubters, Ford has taken Christopher Isherwood's novel, infused a layer of autobiography and drawn an impeccable portrait of grief, love and, quite literally, the light of life. It's 1962 and college professor George (Colin Firth) awakes from a nightmare in his architectural, glass box of a house. Jim (Matthew Goode), his partner of 16 years, is dead, and it is his car crash that haunts George's dreams. Deciding to reunite with him, George suits up for his final day on earth, but while he stoically settles his affairs and silently says his goodbyes to his fiery best friend Charley (Julianne Moore), the tantalising appeal of life — personified by luminescent youth Kenny (Nicholas Hoult) — pulls at his plans. There is no question that A Single Man is an exquisite film and an enviable filmmaking debut. Firth's superbly rendered performance is matched by an evocative soundtrack and sublime visuals that show Ford's clear command of colour, close up and (less surprisingly) costume. Lean and lithe, Firth cuts a mean figure in his suit, while George's grey world flushes with luscious colour each time the vibrancy of life muscles in on his mourning. As arresting as Wong Kar Wai's transcendent In the Mood For Love, Ford's superlative study of passion and restraint is a singular film indeed. https://youtube.com/watch?v=sC9Zm1UJ7zs
Each year the French Film Festival arrives in Sydney brimming with cinematic gems and a splash of Parisian chic. This year is no different, with the programme featuring a glittering array of films and quite a few big names. Opening night honours go to Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie), who is making the trip to Australia to present his new film Micmacs. Bringing his unique brand of quirk and sumptuous visual style, Jeunet once again follows around a group of zany misfits, this time as they track down some dastardly criminals. Also making the trip is director Philippe Lioret, screening his critically acclaimed feature Welcome. The story of unlikely friendship between a depressive Frenchman and a Kurdish refugee attempting to swim the Channel has resonated with audiences and provoked debate about President Sarkozy's immigration policies. Less concerned with realistic hardships is OSS 117, Lost in Rio, an irreverent, Austin Powers-esque romp and sequel to the popular OSS 117, Nest of Spies. Lingering on the lighter side of life is LOL, a coming of age comedy with Sophie Marceau (Braveheart) as a single mum with a teenage daughter. And Every Jack has a Jill features the luminous Melanie Laurent (Inglourious Basterds) as a Parisian Chloe to Justin Bartha's (The Hangover) American Jack in a crowd-pleasing rom-com. Similarly filed under 'Love at First Sight' is Jan Kounen's Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky. Yes, the cinematic love affair with Mademoiselle Chanel looks set to continue, though this time it comes with Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royal) as the Russian composer and her fiery lover. Closing out the festival is another big name, though one that is perhaps less well known to Australians: Serge Gainsbourg. Graphic novelist Joann Sfar's debut feature is an innovative biopic of the iconic singer, poet and general enfant terrible — both a character and a film not to miss. The festival is screening at the Palace Academy Twin, Verona and Norton Street. https://youtube.com/watch?v=nQxgopUPOwU
The Human Rights Arts and Film Festival will be coming to Sydney in May, and to get into the swing of things they will be holding a fundraiser in the guise of international short film night, Par Avion. The line up includes eight acclaimed shorts from Europe, the USA and the Middle East, including Amreeka director Cherien Dabis' Make a Wish about a Palestinian girl's tenacious desire for a birthday cake. Steph Green takes an African immigrant to an Irish school in New Boy, whereas Pascale Hecquet's animated Giraffe in the Rain features a different kind of migrant and Jonathan Browning's The Job is a wry twist on Mexican workers in the United States. Provocative, sobering and heart warming, Par Avion promises to be an eclectic mix of shorts, each of which has carved out a window on the world. https://youtube.com/watch?v=5AEbcWsFlZA
Long beloved by film fans, Fritz Lang's 1927 masterpiece Metropolis is coming to the Opera House. Showing as part of the Screen Live series, this digitally restored silent classic has been re-scored by South Australian musicians the New Pollutants (aka Mister Speed and DJ Trip). Accompanied by vocalist Astrid Pill and cellist Zoe Barry, they will lend their modern talents to Lang's futuristic dystopia in a dramatic live performance. Set in 2026, Metropolis portrayed a gleaming civilisation divided into the above-ground elite and the nameless workers toiling below. In crafting his provocative parable, Lang blended his architectural background with the contemporary expressionistic aesthetic; the result is a truly groundbreaking work of science fiction that expanded the language of cinema and became one of the first (and enduring) icons of the art form. https://youtube.com/watch?v=X3vzEAcWGMQ
Beyond the clichés of cuteness and eccentricity, Japan is a country that has been through massive societal upheaval in the last four decades. It has seen the bubble economy and the effects of its dramatic burst, the rise of a hyper-consumerist culture, the information revolution, the exponential increase of population in urban areas, the devastation of natural disasters, the loss of traditional communities and countless other twists and turns. Gazing at the Contemporary World: Japanese Photography from the 1970s to the Present looks at documentation of Japan’s changing social and geographic landscapes in this time through the gaze of 23 photographers including Nobuyoshi Araki, Shomei Tomatsu, Daido Moriyama and Takashi Homma. Curated by Rei Masuda (Chief Curator of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo), the touring exhibition incorporates an extremely broad scope while being refreshingly devoid of Hello Kitty.
A long time ago, one very white, suburban, middle-class girl wandered down to the Sydney Dance Company to give hip hop a go. Okay, maybe she had watched too many episodes of So You Think You Can Dance, and, fancying herself a bit of a mover, she thought she'd explore the art of hip hop. What she found was an unspoken-of world of spectacular poppers, expert lockers, and incredible groovers. While she may also have found that she hadn't nearly enough 'tude to dub her an expert of the genre, it was so much fun that she threw away her ballet shoes, took up her sneakers and never looked back. You too can experience the divine delight that comes with breaking it on down and learn to pop with the best of them at CarriageWorks' free hip hop dance classes. Over the next few Saturdays you will learn the magical moves and grooves of hip hop, all the way from popping to breaking. Get yourself ready for the Platform 3 Hip Hop Festival, coming to CarriageWorks mid-March. So if you think you can dance or you want to be just like your idol Nacho Pop, get your best B-Boy outfit on and head to Eveleigh. Image by Prudence Upton.
Welcoming the brand new Cross Arts Projects space is Danish Ahmed’s eloquent exhibition of recent paintings. The Cross Arts Projects, started in 2003, is a not-for-profit curatorial initiative that shows a mix of curated exhibitions and artist's solos. Their focus is on work with a strong conceptual grounding, and they pay attention to the periphery. For the last few years they have not had a space to show regularly, and so it is with open arms that we welcome them back. Danish Ahmed’s exhibition of small paintings fits perfectly with the tight new gallery space. The works were painted over the last couple of years in Sydney and their small scale is interpreted as akin to the tradition of Mughal miniatures from Ahmed’s homeland, Pakistan. Many deal directly with religious iconography and symbolism — such as the inward tree and prayer mat — and he contrasts these with the texture of woven cotton and Magritte-esque floating clouds to create a sense of collage, of multiple meanings. The most arresting works take a vibrant colour from the miniature tradition and expand it, soaking the subjects in its hue. Rather than grandiose statements on a topic, these small, resolved works are like considered musings.
Despite the funny name (sounds like a Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavour to me) Groovin' the Moo is a diamond set in what could otherwise be quite a dry month for us Sydneysiders. After all, what ever happens in May? Summer is but a distant echo in our ears and there's not a single public holiday in sight. So here's your chance to slip into your festival frock and take the next exit out of town. Held just an hour away from Sydney in the cute-as-a-button town of Maitland, in the Hunter Valley, this one-day festival is part of a travelling carnivalé bringing music and gypsy cheer to six rural locations across the country. Those talented boys from New York, Vampire Weekend, have packed a whole suitcase of new ditties to play. Then there's our own Lisa Mitchell, Miami Horror, and Empire of the Sun, and Canada's Kid Koala and Tegan and Sara. It all seems oh-so-indie until you get to the last two headliners — Silverchair and Grinspoon. I guess they just wanted to secure ticket sales? I'm personally looking forward to what their website refers to as "the biggest dance tent since Sheik Yerbouti" and curing my hangover with fine wines and cheeses. Tickets go on sale February 16, and you can book accommodation via the Maitland Tourism website http://www.maitland.nsw.gov.au/Tourism. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1e0u11rgd9Q
Lady Grey is a clever play. It has a vitality and, indeed, poetry to its language that is often missing from contemporary plays. On a stage bare but for a single wooden chair, a woman (Tanya Burne) grapples with the pain associated with the end of a relationship. In the end her suffering seems almost unjustified; she cared for the man she has lost only because he loved her, held her, and had a nice blue shirt. The point is — and it is a point Eno reiterates throughout — that this shouldn’t matter; pain and suffering are felt just as deeply by the superficial and self-centred. We should empathise because, Eno intimates, aren’t we the audience also a little so inclined? Calling on our common humanity in such a remorselessly intelligent way is refreshing and this play is funny, but Burne is almost too nice, if witty, to elicit a multifaceted response from the audience. At times she seemed startled (was this because Eno was in the audience?), rushing so quickly towards the end that the poignancy of some moments were lost (Eno likes to taunt his audience with the meaninglessness of such cliched theatre phrases as ‘in the moment’, but this only works if the actor is actually ‘in the moment’ when they deliver them). Nonetheless, I’m intrigued by the potential of this production. Eno is an acclaimed contemporary playwright, the director, Julian Meyrick is highly accomplished and Burne more than capable. At $15 it’s ridiculously cheap for a night at the theatre, and I’m inclined to say that you won’t be disappointed.
The Bacardi Express may be an iconic 1960s relic but it certainly ain't the kind of blissed-out peace train Cat Stevens would croon about. For two solid days, under one rattling roof, musicians, bartenders, cooks, crew, and nearly one hundred revellers will clutter five bespoke carriages for the sake of music on the move. Headliners La Roux will be joined by Art vs Science, Yves Klein Blue, Miami Horror and the Cassette Kids, with DJ support from Sampology, on a new route that will see this rail-show play exclusive gigs in Brisbane, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle, and finally Sydney. The various themed carriages housing the hubbub will include a gaming carriage, a jamming carriage and a 'made-to-mix' carriage which I can only assume will involve copious amounts of Bacardi and the creative use of mixers. So if jamming, sleeping, and eating with some of this country’s finest musician’s sounds like your bag there are still 12 whole seats available on the train, and the concerts are free so you need not worry about calling in sick for a couple of days. However, like all good stations in life places are limited so register online at www.bacardiexpress.com.au. We have three double passes to Bacardi Express to giveaway. To win, just visit our Facebook page, click 'Suggest To Friends' and spread the good word, then comment on the wall to confirm. We'll draw names out of a hat and notify winners on Wednesday 24th March.
Despite their lack of figuration, Dale Frank’s varnish paintings tell a story. The story of his process — layers of transparent varnish and pigment clashing and separating, creating whole new psychedelic phantasmagoria. Don’t be fooled. These seemingly random configurations, which will encourage different reactions (at his last show, one friend remarked the works heightened his sense of taste, while another quickly remarked that the colours mixing together reminded him of vomit), are actually the result of Frank’s intensely controlled working environment; dust is kept to a minimum, temperature and humidity are constantly monitored, as is the positioning of the canvases. When Frank started his varnish oeuvre, there were myths of great pockets of wet paint exploding out from his works onto boardroom floors. But fear not; a poncho won't be required. The varnish Frank now uses takes only three weeks to dry. Dale Frank has been showing at Roslyn Oxley9 for near on 30 years, and his work is held in every major public gallery in Australia, as well as in private collections throughout Australia, America, and Europe. Definitely visit this show, and be sure to pick up a price list and carefully read the title of each work as you view them. At times seemingly mundane, at others overtly profound, Frank’s titles, though on first inspection rather ambiguous, are as undeniably psychological as his paintings are physical, and will greatly inform your subjective impression of each work.
It is hard to describe talented Sydney singer-songwriter Jonathan Boulet without jumping on the 'young achiever' bandwagon. Yet considering that this young man, when he was barely a day over 20, penned, produced and played every instrument on his self-titled debut album, which he also recorded in his garage, how can you help but be impressed? He has a voice to make Thom Yorke swoon and his finely crafted sound ranges from folky pop to esoteric and haunting soundscapes. The latter to be found amongst unreleased tracks on his website and further reveals the true creative spirit that is at work here. With his much anticipated second album set to drop in the next few months, he will be playing a special Sydney show, with local support from Cabins and The Crooked Fiddle Band at the Standard on Friday, October 21. Long disused, the Standard was commandeered by the Lo-Fi Collective last year and turned into a multi-purpose performance space. It is the perfect environment for what could be, who knows, one of your last chances to see him locally in such intimate surrounds, before he hits the big time he surely deserves.
What's a little deviance amongst friends? Whether he's directing, writing or talking in front of a crowd, there is one thing that John Waters does best, and that is to bring the filthier habits of humans to light with a spray of panache and playfulness. Come October and the dapper Pope of Trash shall grace the Sydney Opera House with his personal selection of films that will extract all sorts of late night juices. Organised into four categories titled 'Shock', 'Terror', 'Goddess' and 'Sex', these double features will be presented by Waters, whose curatorial mantra is to screen "radically intelligent and disturbing movies that will push [Australian audiences] closer to the edge of cinema insanity". Some of these films - such as the 'Shock' duo, Antichrist and Irreversible - are famous for their unrelenting destruction of humanity, but Waters has also selected films that celebrate the perverse in a positive light. And, for lovers of camp and the surprise hilarity of a bad film, the 'Goddess' pairing of Boom! (1968) and Fuego (1969) should finish you off with a smile. Take this opportunity to be exposed to thrilling madness, all while clutched against the bosom beneath the world's most famous pencil moustache. https://youtube.com/watch?v=YnpofBtijF8
Secret Wars may not be quite as secret as it was when it started in 2006 in London, but the name still seems appropriate. After all, there’s always going to be something weirdly personal about watching two artists trying to outdo each other in a 90 minute race/battle. Perhaps it’s because the pursuit of art seems so solitary even when it’s an onstage competition. Perhaps it’s just that the contestants usually spend their time illustrating elaborate puns on their opponent’s names. In any case, it always makes for a great evening. This Wednesday, Oxford Art Factory will host the final of Sydney’s 3rd Secret Wars ‘Season’. Heesco and Sprinkles will be trading ink in a fierce battle for this year's Secret Wars crown. Remember to cheer extra loud for the artist you think deserves the top spot — the crowd vote is decided using a decibel reader.
Mini festival Self Est. brings together artists who put their artistic careers together themselves, be it by street art or through other more commercial avenues. Curated by Joseph Allen Shea, of the late Monster Children Gallery, and Marty Routledge, part of calm, alt-art championing Lo Fi Collective, the festival turns its eye on four days of pavement focused, out-of-towner talent. Star imports favour a deliberate eye for the painted letter, or a knack for blending typography into art. They include the precise abstractions of Britisher Roid, American Jeff Canham's ordered lettering and the wild words of compatriot Dmote. Rounding out the lineup are the organic constructions of French star Horfé. Two shows during the season will highlight the visiting artists, along with Western Australian Ben Baretto. Baretto will be on display with Jeff Canham at Gallery A.S. from Friday, while the festival's other artists will help kick off opening night at Kind Of Gallery Thursday night from 6. On Saturday, Roid, Horfé and Canaham will be doing live work at the corner of Kippax and Little Riley streets, with Gallery A.S. hosting a discussion on the kind of fine art that comes out of left field the same day. The show at Gallery A.S. runs until December 2, the show at Kind of Gallery until November 20. Kind of Gallery is at 72 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. Birdhouses pictured are by Jeff Canham.
If you're full of music trivia, racked with the frenetic need to get your intimate knowledge of Victor Banana into the public domain, there's a problem on the horizon. Spicks and Specks, the ABC panel show stuffed with music trivia, comedy and Frank Woodley getting naked, has hit its final few episodes. As part of its attempt to bow out while its ahead, Adam, Myf and Alan are taking their musical show on the road to wish its fans farewell in the climatic Spicks and Speck-tacular. Cementing Sydney's reputation as a musical powerhouse, or just using us for a series of 3,500-seat warm up shows, the Speck-tacular is kicking off its final national quest for the fruits of sweet, rock obsession at the Horden this week. Music for the shows will be provided by house band the Specktators, but the answers to the increasingly complicated minutae of fandom will come from you, in their eager audience. So, if you need one last chance to let your trivia breathe in public, the Speck-tacular is giving it to you before next week's final ever TV outing to get up close to this Aussie musical institution. Image by Mushroom and Rooster.
The idea of ‘play’ as an art form has been floating around since Surrealism and Dada, yet people still tend to think of art and video games as being enemies. Art makes you culturally superior, while video games are for fat guys who sit around in their underwear eating bowls of cereal. It’s only in the last few years that the masses have become more open to the idea of digital interaction as a form of artistic exploration, but there are some artists who have been experimenting with technology, play, narrative and interaction since the early ‘80s. The Garden of Forking Paths draws together a range of historic and contemporary artists who have created boundary-pushing computer games that break the traditional shoot-em-up gaming orthodoxies. Jaron Lanier’s 1983 Moondust is the earliest example, even incorporating an ‘80s version of the Wii remote. Laurie Anderson and Hsin-Chien Huang’s 1995 Puppet Motel CD-ROM consists of a series of beautifully crafted interactive rooms filled with Anderson’s stories, imagery and music, giving the user no instructions as to how to interact with them. Artists Auriea Harvey and Michaël Samyn’s 2009 The Path reworks the Little Red Riding Hood story, delving into the psyche of the audience with a short horror game that blurs the line between art and video games. All of the works are interactive, with some installed on ‘antique’ computers sourced specially to allow viewers to experience the games with authenticity.
In an Australia of the future, familiar behaviours take on dire dimensions. Pregnant Nicole (Ashley Ricardo) is going stir-crazy, confined indoors by a climate made inhospitable through global warming. She longs for the attention of her partner, John (Fayssal Bazzi), but he's now only interested in addressing her belly, a rare source of new life and hope. Meanwhile, 16-year-old Emily (Matilda Ridgway) is trying to befriend the reluctant Tom (Sam O'Sullivan), who's keeping a cane toad he found in a box. But this animal could well be the last of its kind, and they may not have the tools to care for it. Both couples regularly tune in to hear 'the weatherman', a calmly authoritative voice who unites the country for radio broadcasts that forecast less of the future than they tell of the past. The Pedro Collective's Sprout does not elaborate on how we got from our world to theirs and only vaguely maps its political, cultural and geographic terrain, but it's not poorer for it. Instead, it's out to chart the impact on relationships between people in the absence of certain things we take for granted — fresh fruit, living creatures, puberty — and it does so with stirring subtlety, plenty of insight and linguistic inventiveness. Young playwright Jessica Bellamy provides a particular feast for those hooked on the power of language: in her world, poetry has become a form of sanctioned remembrance; lists of extinct items, a form of poetry; and the generational equivalents of today's X and Y use different organic vernaculars. The cast put in affecting performances, and director Gin Savage has locked in the pervasive, dreamy sense of dystopia. There's no preaching, but Sprout succeeds in leaving you with a lot to think about. Its ecological mindfulness extends to the production; the sparse set is built of recycled materials and the show's program comes on USB stick rather than paper.
Surf culture is something Australians feel an affinity with even if they don’t surf. Who hasn’t gone through a phrase where it was only acceptable to wear stuff made by Billabong and Roxy, bought a Hawaiian shirt or maybe just called someone “dude”? It’s more firmly engrained in our culture than sarcasm and irony and, like both of these things, you don’t need to be particularly good at it to appreciate it. But of course surf culture is more enjoyable when you actually do surf, because then you can make the most of things like the Deus Surf Swap and get your board custom sprayed by Marty Worthington, splash out on one of the latest foam mowers from Bing Surfboards or flog your own sticks for surf art, posters, vintage bric-a-brac and retro surf wear. The organisers are a chill bunch and welcome everyone from pro surfers to those just wanting to deck out their lounge in sweet surf memorabilia, and even boogie boarders can come along if they keep quiet about it. All this is going down at Deus Ex Machina in Camperdown, which is remarkably un-salty but has an excellent collection of custom motorbikes. Image by mikebaird.
For one night only, the CarriageWorks foyer is being transformed into a giant canvas for moving image installations, projections and avant-garde film. Expanded Architecture, part of the Sydney Architecture Festival, explores the crossover between art and architecture. On Wednesday, 26 October the floors, walls and ceilings will come alive to the tune of 12 projects from Sydney-based artists, collectives, filmmakers and architectural graduates. If only these walls could talk. The artists’ dynamic, site-specific installations respond to the built environment in which they are installed and the immediate urban environment. Killanoodle’s project, The Pendulum Continuum resuscitates 90’s rave sounds from Carnival of the Mind through to a mash up of documentary film footage and classical music from old school gramophones. Nicholas Maurer's work, Carrier Waves awakens the electro magnetic energy present, and Tega Brain’s Kilowatt Hours measures and presents a real-time visualisation of the power used by the exhibition and the building itself. Image by Alex Wisser
There are twin poles of entertainment rambling on the Sydney Streets this June. While Vivid Sydney is dominating the Rocks end of town, the Sydney Film Festival owns the drags south of Martin Place. The Festival used to be an R-rated preserve of afficianados and film professionals, but over the last decade it has grown into a popular event with an international competition and a dedicated children’s program. While the pounding heart of the Festival is the plush State Theatre, this year’s day sessions have been moved across to the George Street cinema complex due to hotel construction at the Gowings site. Some talks will be there, while others have shifted over a block to the Grasshopper, the Apple Store and the Town Hall. Even UNSW is getting in on the action. Festival opener Hanna has the taut energy of a Bourne thriller, while the closing night Mike Mills film Beginners gently answers the pressing question What if Christopher Pummer came out at 75? For those who've heard of Miranda July (you know who you are), her film The Future will screen with July as a guest, and talking nearby, while Jack Black and Lucy Liu will attend the premiere of Kung Fu Panda 2. As part of the Freak Me Out program, the much anticipated Norwegian Troll Hunter is likely show off how close English and Norse swearing is, while the dreamy Japanese Norwegian Wood and the doco LENNONNYC take you back to the edge of 1970. The Festival’s program is immense, with films from all over the world. Explore it by strand, pick it apart on your iPhone or get the word on the street. But get a look in.
British band WU LYF are making their Australian debut at the Sydney Opera House next week, as part of the Vivid Festival. Part beat poet, part disenfranchised youth, part anarchist, this fascinating band from Manchester have been creating a few waves recently with their infectious and emotive self-coined 'heavy pop'. Determined not to sell their soul to the music industry, they've been cleverly manipulating the media and building a steady following over the last couple of years, whilst still remaining decidedly enigmatic. Perhaps even their name, an acronym for World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation, is an ironic nod to their defiance. Attempts to scratch beneath their surface are met with fierce resistance though, and even on their own website they remain staunchly obtuse. Their story is told across numbered segments in semi stream of consciousness prose which, you'll soon realise, are out of sequence, rendering them nonsensical. The jury may still be out on whether they are bona fide rebels, or if it's all just an exceptionally clever PR stunt, but that's kind of missing the point. Their music is superb: deep, raw, emotive, yet accessible. This show may be a chance to witness the phenomenon that is WU LYF before they break into the big time.
Greece conjures up numerous thoughts. Philosophy? History? Democracy? Yes, yes and yes. Indie rock? Apparently so. GROUPLOVE founders Hannah Hooper and Christian Zucconi met on an artists residency on the island of Crete. Upon returning to the United States, they met drummer Ryan Rabin and began recording in his home studio. The sound they developed mimics their homeland of California. Their self-titled EP has received heavy play on Triple J, led by heir single 'Colours', and an album will be out soon. On their first trip to Australia, they are being supported by Young The Giant, and will bring their own brand of indie escapism to our shores.
Drew Pettifer casts his friends in photographed re-enactments of scenes from amateur pornography in the countryside where he grew up in this series called Hold onto your friends. The Castle Project is Helena Leslie's delicately drawn and dreamily distorted representation of her experience of anticipating and experiencing and reconsidering a travel plan to Leslie Castle, and an unpacking of the identity of this building throughout its history. Paul Williams' Confetti Solution sees the paintings he's deemed unsuccessful cut into shapes and either scattered across the floor or suspended in swinging open containers as though ready to be distributed. What these three shows have in common is a reclamation of place and an assertion of identity through artistic technique. Leslie's drawings of her ancestral castle as a childhood dream - a site for a potential fairy-tale and a literally bogged-down and for the most part deserted contemporary reality - is a working through of ideas about heritage and history, their tininess implying both critical distance and the idea of the 'faraway' both conceptually and in terms of place. The sites in which Pettifer has pictured his friends are closer to home but equally as transformed. By the interpolation of scenes and figures, settings he identifies as "formerly oppressive" become scenes of queer sexual desire. As to Williams' confetti, they're landscapes that became paintings that became failures - the nature of his practice determining when he makes that call - that he cuts up and displays to make a landscape of a very different sort. Image: Untitled, Drew Pettifer, 2011
Two things that nearly all humans like are clothes and getting really awesome ones at heavily reduced prices. If you're someone who likes both these things then you've probably already heard about The Big Fashion Sale, which is your best chance to get amazingly fantastic threads from some of Australia's top cult designers at prices you'd be hard-pressed to find on eBay. Now in its third year, the sale has amassed the most designers in its short history and will be packing them all into Darlinghurst's District 01. These designers include Karla Spetic, Christopher Esber, Nathan Smith, Amy Kaehne, Friend of Mine, Story by Tang, Seventh Wonderland, Elke Kramer, Ausmode, We Are Handsome, Meadowlark, PAM, Rittenhouse, Marnie Skillings, Dannika Zen, Secret Squirrel, Eleventh Hour and My Pet Square. But be warned — insane prices do not peaceful environments make. This sartorial wonderland is probably going to be one that's crazier than Zara circa May 2011, so arrive prepared to fight for your right to own beautiful things.
This year's Summer Opener takes place at Sun Studios, a recently renovated warehouse in Alexandria. With walls stretching up to 25 feet high and equipped with superb sound and lighting features, this is the perfect venue to host one huge New Year's Eve party. The line-up is fronted by Emerson Todd, a Berlin-based DJ who has also found considerable success in Australia. His popularity has been reflected in his work with the likes of Pnau and The Sleepy Jackson, as well as appearances on the festival circuit at We Love Sounds and Future Music Festival. He will be supported by Ft Mode, Eoin Brosnan and The Amateur DJs. The venue also includes a seperate bar and outdoor area. Ticket prices are inclusive of access to beer, wine and standard spirits as well as a summer barbeque. Head on over to the Summer Opener to welcome 2012 with music, friends and a good feed.
My biggest gripe with Woolloomooloo is that there’s no official abbreviation for it, which means that it’s really annoying to type on a QWERTY keyboard. Starry-eyed Frankie Jones, however, has bigger issues with the place. Arriving destitute in the inner-city suburb from Italy after her entire family dies and her financial situation hits rock bottom, Frankie begins to search for her long–lost cousin. What she finds, instead, is a job working the tables at Sydney’s most famous theatre restaurant, where she’s drawn into the secret theatre restaurant underworld by the terrifying Godmother of theatre, Mama Murkin. It’s “Muriel’s Wedding crossed with The Godfather, Pulp Fiction on a date with When Harry Met Sally, with a little pinch of La Dolce Vita.” Poor Woolloomooloo isn’t all complicated letter combinations and life-threatening theatre, however, it does have delicious Italian restaurant Puntino Trattoria, who are teaming up with theatre company Arthur Productions to put on this culturally and gastronomically rewarding evening.
If you’re heading to the movies without a picnic blanket this summer, you’re doing it wrong. Moonlight Cinema is back for its sixth season this year to prove that movies are better when you’re watching them outdoors, and best when you can bring your own food and booze without being super sneaky. The season kicks off with a preview screening of Alexander Payne’s comedy-drama The Descendents, while the rest of the cinematic lineup includes Woody Allen’s romantic comedy Midnight in Paris, the 2011 remake of The Muppets and the Hollywood neo-noir drama that cemented Ryan Gosling’s rank as the tenth sexiest man alive — claim your patch of grass early for Drive. Even The Twilight Saga might be remotely diverting when you’re sitting under the stars, and then there are the requisite screenings of The Breakfast Club, Top Gun and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Also on offer will be NY-style street food, a fully licensed bar and gourmet picnic hampers you can book along with your tickets. Though the best way to do Moonlight is still with a bag of Cheezels and a bottle of wine. Gates open at 7pm and screening starts at sundown. Read Concrete Playground's guide to Summer outdoor cinema in Sydney
Young campaign manager Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) believes "nothing bad happens when you're doing the right thing." The thing is, bad things can happen in a world where the public lets petty scandals eclipse what's right. The thing is, you can do bad on the path to what you believe is good. The Ides of March follows the up-and-coming politico in the lead-up to the Ohio Democratic presidential primary. A win there puts his candidate, Mike Morris (George Clooney), right at the door of the Oval Office, because, as we've learnt from watching The West Wing, "as Ohio goes, so goes the nation." To secure victory, Stephen and his mentor, Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman), are negotiating for the support of Senator Thompson (Jeffrey Wright). But the middling politician may ask Morris to compromise more than he is willing to, as Stephen finds out when he meets in secret with rival campaign boss Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti). Meanwhile, making her way from the periphery and into Stephen's focus is Molly (Evan Rachel Wood), an intern even younger and more fresh-faced than he is. Over a few crucial days, this ambitious idealist will become a pragmatic manipulator, and it's an entirely believable journey. The dramas that develop are not huge, but they have huge consequences, and the cold political machinations are startlingly interrupted by reminders of what's softly, vulnerably human. George Clooney is a hit-it-out-of-the-park director. This is now his fourth feature (after Leatherheads, Good Night, and Good Luck, and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind), and it's so sophisticated and subtle as to show off his real, decades-strong mastery of both the medium of film and the back rooms of power. And Ryan Gosling? Ryan Gosling is George Clooney 15 years ago. Intensity comes to Stephen slowly, like clouds rolling in, and few actors of his generations could portray such a journey as effectively. https://youtube.com/watch?v=McCt-_yYLpo
"A beautiful film… profoundly moving." Los Angeles Times "The Slumdog Millionaire of documentaries: an inspiring, deeply moving crowd-pleaser." Washington Post What happens in the world's largest trash city will transform you. Filmed over three years, Waste Land is the Academy Award-nominated documentary that follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world's largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs an eclectic band of 'catadores' - self-designated pickers of recyclable materials. Concrete Playground is teaming up with Jameson and Hopscotch Films to present A Movie Night this Wednesday, November 30 at Cinema Paris, Fox Studios (where the film will be screening exclusively from December 1). At 6pm, we will be serving up some tasty cocktails prior to a special advanced screening of Waste Land at 7pm. To go in the running to win tickets for you and a friend, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au by 5pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011. Winners will be notified by email soon after. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0XCxpQMfGfc
