Jonathan Larson's hit Broadway musical Rent returned in 2024, touring major centres from Melbourne to Newcastle — yet Sydney was conspicuously overlooked on the schedule at the time. Fortunately, there's no day but today to fix that, as theatre-lovers now have five weeks to experience the beloved production at the Sydney Opera House's Joan Sutherland Theatre. First performed in 1996, Rent is more than just a global success. Winning four Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize, audiences were so enamoured that it became one of Broadway's longest-running shows, with a staggering 12-year run coming to an end after 5123 performances. But don't expect the Sydney production to last quite so long — it's on now until Saturday, November 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxFC7GqCtQo For those new to Larson's work — he was also behind another classic, Tick, Tick... Boom! — the rock musical takes audiences on a journey to New York City's East Village in the early 90s. Here, a group of young artists struggle to create a life for themselves against gentrification and the dark shadow of the HIV/AIDS epidemic hanging over the community. Rent's cast is suitably captivating, with Henry Rollo (The Rocky Horror Show) playing Mark, a struggling filmmaker and best friend of Roger, an HIV-positive musician recovering from heroin addiction, played by Harry Targett (Dear Evan Hansen). Meanwhile, Kristin Paulse (Tina The Tina Turner Musical) plays Mimi, a passionate exotic dancer, while The Voice finalist Calista Nelmes (Jesus Christ Superstar) takes on the spirited role of Maureen. [caption id="attachment_939831" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Rent: The Musical, 2024.[/caption] Images: Pia Johnson Photography.
Delivery Man is not your typical Vince Vaughn film. Whilst we have grown accustomed to his formulaic comedic persona, here we are treated to a change of pace with a down-to-earth and likeable Vaughn. He plays David Wozniak, a perennial underachiever and incompetent meat truck driver for the family business (okay, so his stereotype remains to begin with). Triggered into bringing order to his life upon discovering his girlfriend Emma (Cobie Smulders) is pregnant, he is disturbed to find he is the biological father of 533 children, 142 of which are suing him to uncover his identity. This is all courtesy of a colossal mistake by the sperm donor facility a younger Wozniak anonymously frequented under the pseudonym 'Starbuck'. Delivery Man is the American adaptation of French-Canadian film Starbuck and succeeds largely due to the presence of Ken Scott, who wrote and directed the original. He ensures that the film retains its sincerity, allowing the exploration of the challenges of parenthood, albeit in farcically exaggerated circumstances, to bloom. Whilst the material provides plenty of opportunity for the film to descend into satire and farce, its decision to stay the course and explore the raw emotion of familial relationships is what makes this film worth giving a chance. It skips the diaper-changing staple of parenthood films and instead delves into the core of parenting: accepting your children no matter what. This allows for beautiful moments, the best of which is David visiting one of his sons who is severely disabled in a home. It is both touching and heart-warming, words I never thought I would write when discussing a film featuring Vaughn. Providing the comic relief is David's best friend and unsuccessful lawyer Brett, played brilliantly by Chris Pratt. Brett's attempt to single-handedly raise his four young children whilst pleading the case for his friend's anonymity provides the comic relief that frees Vaughn from his typical role of funny man. Pratt surely has a future of funny features ahead. Delivery Man of course has its faults, the largest of which is the injection of Wozniak's vegan hipster son Viggo (Adam Chanler-Berat); the writers clearly were unaware that these stereotypes were last funny three years ago. Viggo uncovers that David is the father of the list of plaintiffs (that includes himself) and yet saves nobody their suffering or legal costs by exposing him. Also, some of the connections feel short-lived, an inevitable product of suddenly trying to make a connection with 142 children in 100 minutes. This film won't win any awards, but it isn't trying to. Hollywood needs films like this to plug the gaps between the blockbusters and audiences need these films to watch in between the Harry Potters and Hobbits. Delivery Man fills this void and, if nothing else, should be a prime candidate for Cheap Tuesday. https://youtube.com/watch?v=yGAktL45XNQ
Daniel Askill mixes time the way The Chemical Brothers mix sound. His videos pull out ordinary moments until they've stretched into the raw stuff of movement. Arms lift, bodies turn, glass breaks and clocks roll back. You've seen his work already in video clips for Sia, Placebo, Groove Terminator and These New Puritans. Video art is Askill's thing; often in collaboration with his brothers Jordan and Lorin. In the award-winning short We Have Decided Not to Die, his brother Jordan flies out of a shattering window near the top of Australia Square — he'd only just gotten out of hospital before shooting. It's hard to push a video onto the page, but in Askill's work the world is already standing still. He's launching a book and poster of stills from his video works over the last few years this Thursday at Edition. The book, Slow Work On A Bright Screen, will be accompanied by small screenings of his works across the gallery space. If you can't make the launch, his work stays on the walls until August 30.
Nestled in the heart of Paddington, Five Ways is home to many an artisan vendor. So what better way to spend your Saturday than feasting on the best baked goods, sweets and art of the neighbourhood at The Royal Paddington Artisan Market? Grab a complimentary coffee to sip as you peruse the goods. Locals like artisan sourdough bakers Sonoma, doughnut wizards Woah Nelly, and cupcakesmith Elisa Pie among others will be setting up shop at the markets and selling their delicious, delicious wares. The Lust List will be doing free illustrations and Flow Athletic will also be leading free yoga sessions, the perfect Sunday session for de-stressing. It's not really a market without some music to accompany your roaming. Citizens of the World and Alice Quiddington will be providing the soundtrack to your lazy Saturday afternoon. And if the shopping makes you a little too hungry and you're insatiable even after The Royal's breakfast canapés (did we hear mini scones and bacon and egg sliders?), head up to the second floor for a special market menu, sparkling wine and that stunning view of the suburb and beyond. Image: Royal Hotel.
Today, Thursday, August 26, New South Wales reported 1029 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, marking the biggest daily number Australia has recorded during the entire pandemic. While the majority were identified within Sydney, case numbers are still growing in regional parts of the state — and, in response, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced that everywhere outside of Greater Sydney will remain in lockdown until at least midnight on Friday, September 10. As previously announced, Greater Sydney is under stay-at-home conditions until at least the end of September; however, regional NSW's lockdown was due to end at 12.01am on Saturday, August 28. Obviously, case numbers were always going influence whether that actually occurred. Regional parts of the state have been under stay-at-home rules since mid-August. At the state's daily COVID-19 press conference today, NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro said that "the decision to extend the lockdown is one to protect communities and protect the regions. We're sitting on a knife-edge. It's a tinderbox ready to explode." "And I do apologise to those communities that don't have cases today. But I put it this way: one of the reasons you may not have cases is because of the restrictions in place, minimising movement, because we know we're a very interconnected community in regional and rural New South Wales," he continued. "But we'll be working with those communities. We'll be working with the health team for regional New South Wales. We are on a knife-edge in the regions. We need to take pressure off the health system." Due to ongoing concerns about community transmission, stay-at-home orders in place for regional NSW will be extended until at least midnight on Friday, 10 September, in line with existing orders for the Greater Sydney area. — John Barilaro MP (@JohnBarilaroMP) August 26, 2021 Under the rules for regional NSW, everyone is required to remain at home unless they have a reasonable excuse to leave, just like in Greater Sydney. Work is a permitted reason to head out of your house, but only if it is not practicable to do your job from home. Also, no visitors from outside your household are allowed to come to your home, including family and friends — other than for very select reasons. So, regional NSW residents can only have one person over at one time, and only to fulfil carers' responsibilities, for care or assistance, or compassionate reasons, the latter of which covers people who are in a relationship but don't live together. Also in effect: the closure of all hospitality venues other than for takeaways, and the closure of retail premises except for a small list that sell essentials. Supermarkets and grocery stores, other shops that mainly sell food or drinks to consume at home, chemists and pharmacies, kiosks, and places that primarily sell office supplies, pet supplies, newspapers, magazines and stationery, alcohol, maternity and baby supplies, and medical or pharmaceutical supplies can remain open, as can places that sell hardware, building and landscaping supplies, and timber, garden and plant items. Vehicle hire places, mobile phone repairs shops, service stations, banks, post offices, laundromats and dry cleaners can also stay open. Anyone who leaves their home must carry a mask with them at all times, too — and they must be worn in most situations. So, that means masking up in all indoor venues outside of your own home, while working outdoors, in outdoor markets and at outdoor shopping strips, and while lining up outside to pick up products like coffee and food. As has been the case since the beginning of the pandemic, NSW residents are also asked to continue to frequently check NSW Health's long list of locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited. If you've been to anywhere listed on the specific dates and times, you'll need to get tested immediately and follow NSW Health's self-isolation instructions. In terms of symptoms, you should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste — and getting tested at a clinic if you have any. The entire state of New South Wales will remain in lockdown until at least midnight on Friday, September 10. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
Kandos, located one hour’s drive north of Lithgow, underwent an identity crisis last year when its cement works, responsible for producing much of the mortar that holds Sydney together, closed down. Early this February, however, forty artists will descend upon the tiny town, transforming its vacant post-industrial spaces into artistic extravaganza Cementa_13. Empty shop fronts will host 3D installations, community venues will act as cinemas, an abandoned school will turn into an art gallery. You can expect sound and video art, live performance and poetry recitals. Daily walking and cycling tours will also provide an opportunity to become intimate with both the town and the artworks. The artists intend to depict, question and explore Kandos’s rich heritage and shifting identity in the context of its contemporary changes. Accommodation options are varied, from bed and breakfasts, to hotels, to camping grounds; however, you might be wise to book in advance. Take care, too, if you’re planning to travel by public transport: the bus connecting with the Lithgow train travels only once or twice a day. Car shares there and back are being hooked up on Facebook.
Most fifth birthdays consist of DIY waterslides mingled with tantrums over the fairy bread being made on multigrain. (Seriously though.) Rumour has it that kids are developing a little earlier these days, and Rice is Nice is living evidence. The soon to be five year old Sydney record label behind Seekae, The Laurels, Straight Arrows, Good Heavens and more is throwing a party that's a little less putt putt golf and a little more live music toasted with $3.50 bevs. And with sets from Summer Flake, Spod, Angie, Richard in Your Mind, Donny Benet, Phonographics and Shatter Brain cranking in the Imperial Hotel's Roller Den, fifth birthday party itineraries have never been rowdier. Doors open at 4pm for the April 27 event that'll cost you ten clams for a not-so-lazy Sunday. And those $3.50 drinks? They'll be poured all afternoon until 7pm. Naice. Happy half-decade dudes.
Young writers often get told, 'write what you know'. Which is partially sound advice, and also partially to blame for there being so many plays about what could boil down to #firstworldproblems. Making theatre that presents something different than middle-class life to someone beyond middle-class audiences means both writers having to step outside their comfort zone and theatre companies having to cast a wide net for writers. A little bit of both is going on with Belvoir's stunning This Heaven, the first production in the smaller Downstairs Theatre for the year. The debut full-length play from 2012 Belvoir associate playwright and arts/law student Nakkiah Lui, it deals with what happens when the legal system does not furnish justice. Sissy (Jada Alberts) has her beliefs uprooted when her father dies in police custody and the court does not hold anyone responsible, issuing only a speck of a fine. Her family has always abided by not just the law but social expectations of what a 'good' Aboriginal family does: she's studying law to change the world, and her mother, Joan (Tessa Rose), is the Aboriginal liaison officer at the very station where her husband, a respected community member, died. Their new circumstances are a slap in the face. Sissy and her reactive younger brother, Ducky (Travis Cardona), are desperate, angry, and in total turmoil when they set in motion the events that will kindle violence in their neighbourhood. Watching This Heaven may be the first and only time a riot makes so much sense, which is exactly the sort of vast empathetic gulf we go to the theatre to cross. It's incredibly alive and unaffected, and it strikes a sonorous note of injustice. The power of it comes almost as a surprise given more cookie-cutter beginnings, in which Lui is invoking the inspiration that clearly possesses her as the play carries on. There is another character on stage, who spends most of his time with us quietly chain-smoking in a tracksuit top and ugly trainers. This Heaven would not be the same without the big-hearted attention eventually given to him, and the revealing performance of Joshua Anderson in the role. Between them, he and Alberts take This Heaven to the next level. Director Lee Lewis has used blackout and real fire to heighten the sense of danger and instability, and the metal swingset frame of the set (by Sophie Fletcher) doesn't hurt either, ringing out a reverberating clang when struck in the dark. You go, Nakkiah, this is an astonishing debut. Her next play has the working title Koorioke, so that can only go well.
Musical fans of New South Wales and Victoria, the iconic theatre shows just keep coming, including for return seasons — and the latest production heading the region's way again wants you to take a jump to the left, then a step to the right. After already starting its Australian comeback in 2023, which featured Sydney and Melbourne stints, The Rocky Horror Show has locked in return dates to both cities in 2024. For half a century now, this hit musical has been astounding. And, with the Richard O'Brien-created production lasting that long, perhaps time really is fleeting. Either way, whenever this sci-fi/horror musical hits the stage — and wherever — a glorious kind of madness takes its toll. Come February, Melburnians will be able to listen closely again. From the end of March, the same will be true for Sydneysiders. Jason Donovan will be back as Frank N Furter, too, putting his hands on his hips, then bring his knees in tight at the Athenaeum Theatre and Theatre Royal Sydney. The dates: from Friday, February 9 in Melbourne and from Sunday, March 31 in Sydney. The show is also doing a Newcastle season from Friday, January 12 at the Civic Theatre. On offer: the tale that theatre audiences have loved for five decades — and movie-goers as well, thanks to 1975's iconic big-screen release The Rocky Horror Picture Show. For the uninitiated, the story involves college-aged couple Brad Majors and Janet Weiss getting a flat tyre, then wandering over to an old castle to ask for help. That's where they discover an extra-terrestrial mad scientist from the galaxy of Transylvania, plus his staff and his Frankenstein-style experiments. Spicks and Specks favourite Myf Warhurst will also be back as The Narrator. The show also features fellow returnees Ellis Dolan (School of Rock) as Eddie/Dr Scott, Darcey Eagle (Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical) as Columbia, Deirdre Khoo (Once) as Janet and Henry Rollo (Jagged Little Pill the Musical) as Riff Raff. Since initially premiering in London in June 1973, The Rocky Horror Show has played in more than 30 countries — and over 30 million people have seen songs like 'Science Fiction/Double Feature', 'Dammit, Janet!', 'Sweet Transvestite', 'Over at the Frankenstein Place' and 'Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me'. If you haven't been before — and missed the live broadcast from Sydney back in March — this is your turn to join in. THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW 2024 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: From Friday, January 12 — Civic Theatre, Newcastle. From Friday, February 9 — Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne From Sunday, March 31 — Theatre Royal Sydney The Rocky Horror Show's 2024 Australian tour will kick off in January, with tickets on sale now via the production's website. Images: Daniel Boud.
CONCRETE PLAYGROUND: In The Guest Edit, we hand the reins over to some of the most interesting, tasteful and (or) entertaining people in Australia and New Zealand. For this instalment, we've enlisted help from Sheet Society founder and interior design extraordinaire Hayley Worley. The Melbourne-based owner and creative has put pen to (digital) paper, outlining the biggest colour and pattern trends of the year, as well as tips on how to incorporate them around your home. HAYLEY WORLEY: The best part of my job is that I get to surround myself with inspirational fashion, interiors and design. While I'm a big fan of staple colours that will never go out of style, I'm equally excited by new, fresh and fashionable prints. It's really important to me and for my creative and design process, that I love and find joy in the things I surround myself with. There's nothing quite like putting on your favourite dress or jumping into a new bed of fresh sheets as a moment of pleasure. My picks for Concrete Playground are all things that have recently made me happy — including making my kids happy too! CHECKERBOARD PRINT This is a huge trend that we don't see going anywhere, anytime soon. If you're looking for an easy place to start, the Sheet Society Margot print is the perfect fashionable update to your bed in a really easy-to-style Camel colour. I've got lots of Sheet Society colours (as you can imagine!) and Margot pairs with pretty much anything. I've currently got it on my bed with Sage and Blush. HAND-PAINTED MOTIFS Sheet Society collaborated with Annie Everingham last year on a beautiful bedding collection, and her latest collaboration with Alemais is such a goodie. Her hand-painted motifs have been used across a wide range of fashion styles and I wore this pink one to my birthday a few weeks ago. It's currently out of stock on Alemais, but is available on Selfridges & Co here. Sheet Society also releases a limited edition collaboration each year and this year we partnered with local artist Lahni Barass, on a collection called Sleep Patterns. It's available here. BLUSH We have a one- and a three-year-old and it's often hard to find kids clothes that are bright or have loud prints. I adore the Aussie brand ByBillie, they've got a really great palette to choose from and a strong range of styles. I recently bought both kids matching Joey Jackets in blush and they are just so adorable. SAGE I've currently got our Sage blanket on, which not only looks great, but it's the extra cosiness I need (and grab for) in the middle of the night. Right in the middle of Melbourne winter, I definitely need to add a few extra layers. It has two layers of our French Flax Eve Linen with a plump quilted wadding inside and feels super lush. Pictured here with a divine Ella Reweti vase. OFF-WHITE I had an absolute blast picking out furniture for our new store in Armadale. Our interior designers, Golden, worked really well and collaborated closely with us to develop a soft furnishing plan that spoke to the Armadale customer, while staying true to Sheet Society. This Gatto lamp, designed by Floss, was one of our 'splurge' items. We also used it in our latest winter campaign, styled with our new-season teal colour. Perfection!
For New Zealanders, holidaying in the islands will soon become reality, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown this week confirming that a travel bubble is set to open between NZ and the Pacific nation. Pending final confirmation by New Zealand's Director-General of Health and the Cook Islands Secretary of Health, two-way quarantine-free travel will commence between the two countries on Monday, May 17, one month after the opening of the long-discussed trans-Tasman travel bubble between NZ and Australia. The Cook Islands closed its borders in March 2020 and has been virus-free to this day. Prime Minister Ardern said a huge amount of work had gone into ensuring the two-way bubble was safe and that the Cook Islands was set up and ready for it. The quarantine-free travel will apply to travellers in NZ and the Cook Islands who meet the eligibility requirements, including spending at least 14 days in either NZ or the Cook Islands before making the trip. But if you're an Australian now thinking of planning a multi-stop overseas getaway, the situation isn't as straightforward as you might hope. As part of NZ's announcement about the planned arrangement with the Cook Islands, it notes that anyone wanting to travel between Australia and the Cook Islands would need to spend at least 14 days in NZ in the middle. Back in April, however, the Australian Government made a Biosecurity Determination that advises that Australian citizens and permanent residents can only leave the country to travel to NZ, unless they receive an exemption. So, hopping from NZ to the Cook Islands after a fortnight in the former isn't currently covered. Neither is hopping from NZ to anywhere else in the world. The Biosecurity Determination came into effect after the trans-Tasman bubble between Australia and NZ started, to cover the possibility that Aussies would use NZ as a stopover before venturing further afield. Whether Australia and the Cook Islands will enter into their own travel bubble arrangement is yet to be revealed — and whether the Australian Government will amend the current Biosecurity Determination to allow Aussies to travel to the Cook Islands from NZ hasn't yet been advised, either. So, for now, that island getaway you might be dreaming of still needs to remain on hold. The two-way quarantine-free travel bubble will commence between New Zealand and the Cook Islands on Monday, May 17; however, Australia's recent Biosecurity Determination means that Aussies still can only holiday in NZ without receiving an exemption, and can't hop from there to the Cook Islands. Full information about quarantine-free travel for New Zealanders to the Cook Islands, including eligibility, what travellers should expect and updates to requirements, can be found on the New Zealand Government COVID-19 website.
While plenty about taking a holiday has changed over the past year or so, flight sales keep coming — and Australians keep snapping up tickets. Unsurprisingly, we're all keen to travel when and where we can in these pandemic-afflicted times. And if you're constantly thinking about your next getaway, Jetstar is dropping yet another batch of cheap fares. The Limited Time Only sale will kick off at 9am on Friday, April 23. As the name suggests, it's only on offer for a brief period. You'll need to nab your discounted tickets before 11.59pm AEST on Monday, April 26, although fares might sell out earlier. In the sale, you'll find cheap flights across a heap routes from destinations right across the country. That's a regular part of these specials, so there are no surprises there. But this time, because the trans-Tasman bubble is open and zooming across to New Zealand is now possible — and allowed — you can also pick up discounted tickets to NZ. Domestically, fares start at $33 for flights from Sydney to Avalon, with Sydneysiders also able to head to Hobart from $69, either Uluru or Hamilton Island from $99, and Perth from $159. Melburnians can book trips to Launceston from $45, Adelaide from $49, and Ballina and Byron Bay from $59, while Brisbanites can zip to Newcastle from $49, and Cairns or Melbourne from $69. Yes, the list goes on. For flights to NZ, tickets kick off at $175, which'll get you from the Gold Coast to either Auckland or Wellington. From Sydney and Melbourne, it'll cost you $195 to Auckland and $225 to Queenstown. [caption id="attachment_808728" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Artist: David Hilliam[/caption] Tickets in the sale are for trips from May 2021–January 2022, with exact dates varying in each region. And there are a few caveats, as is always the case. The discounted flights are one way, and they don't include checked baggage — so you'll need to travel super light, or pay extra to take a suitcase. And, as always, keeping an eye on both interstate and New Zealand border requirements is recommended. To promote the sale, Jetstar has also commissioned three large-scale artworks, all emblazoned with the words "available for a limited time only". One 90-metre-long piece by artist Edward popped up in the sand along the Great Ocean Road, another took over a Sydney rooftop and a third also got sandy at Piha Beach in Auckland. Jetstar's Limited Time Only sale runs from 9am AEST on Friday, April 23 till 11.59pm AEST on Monday, April 26, or until sold out.
UPDATE: JANUARY 27, 2022 — Twilight at Taronga has been cancelled due to current public health measures in place. You can find a full statement from the event organisers, here. Taronga Zoo's twilight concert series is returning next year with an all-Australian lineup. The after-hours live music series that boasts arguably the best view of Sydney Harbour (as well as lots of adorable animals) has had some incredible acts in the past and next year's lineup shines just a bright. The concert series will kick off on Friday, January 28 and will run until late February. You can catch live shows from Aria award-winning artist Josh Pyke, summery six-piece Winston Surfshirt, harmonic masterminds Vika and Linda, and indie-pop favourites San Cisco. But it doesn't stop there. Two of Australia's finest singer-songwriters, Washington and Odette, will be co-headlining a special evening together on February 10. And, you might even get to belt out Daryl Braithwaite's classic Horses when the man himself takes to the stage on closing night February 19. All proceeds from the gigs contribute to Taronga's conservation work, including its collaborations with the Litter Free Oceans campaign which is pushing for the reduction of single-use plastics. So, you can see a gig and feel good about helping the zoo, too. If you want to up the ante, you can add optional extras to your ticket including gourmet hampers, sundown chairs, picnic blankets and same-day zoo entry. Or, you can go all out with a VIP ticket that gets you one of the best seats in the amphitheatre and a luxury overnight stay at the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga. Ready to lock in a spectacular summer music session? For more information and to book, visit the website.
Getting paid to do what you love is the ultimate employment dream. Finding a job doing something that everyone loves? That's a next-level kind of gig. When Gelatissimo turned taste-testing new gelato flavours into an actual position, it fell into that category. When Domino's wanted someone to eat garlic bread for cold hard cash, it did too. Now, hospitality group Australian Venue Co has a similar kind of job on offer. Fancy adding 'secret sipper' to your resume? That's the gig that AVC is currently advertising, with 36 positions available across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin. You'll get assigned to cover some of the company's 160-plus bars and pubs around the country, and you'll get paid for dining, drinking and then submitting a review once a month. If you've ever worked in retail and heard about mystery shoppers, then you know the drill. That's how these roles work, but in hospitality. So, you'll be posing as a customer and interacting with the venue's staff to scope out their service — and they'll be unaware that you're on AVC's payroll, like they are. Secret sippers will receive a $30 meal allowance for their monthly visit, plus $200 for each review, which'll cover a survey and a detailed written report. You don't need to have any experience in the field. Obviously, we're all veterans at eating and drinking, but you don't need to have done this type of job before. There are some pre-requisites, though, such as having your own transport, an ABN and access to a mobile device; being passionate about the industry; attentiveness and impartiality; and being able to do 12 visits each year. And if you're wondering which venues you might be visiting, it could be any in AVC's stable — which includes Cargo, Kingsleys and The Winery in Sydney; Fargo and Co, State of Grace and The Smith in Melbourne; Darling & Co, Riverland and The Regatta in Brisbane; The Hope Inn and Brighton Metro Hotel in Adelaide; and Sweetwater Rooftop Bar, The Globe and Wolf Lane in Perth. Find out more about AVC's secret sipper roles — and apply — by heading online.
Much about this last week of March has felt like history repeating itself — initially for Brisbanites, and now for anyone with an Easter date with Bluesfest. For the second year in a row, the Byron Bay festival won't be going ahead, with NSW Health announcing that a public health order has been signed that cancels the 2021 event. The long-running festival was set to return to Byron Events Farm (formerly Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm) just outside Byron Bay from Thursday, April 1 — for the Easter long weekend, headlined by Jimmy Barnes, Tash Sultana, Ocean Alley, Ziggy Alberts and The Teskey Brothers. But, as happened last year, COVID-19 has gotten in the way. NSW Health has advised that the move has been made "to minimise the risk of the highly infectious COVID-19 variant of concern being transmitted in the local area, as well as across states and territories." Over the past weekend, between Friday, March 26–Sunday, March 28, Byron Bay was visited by two people who later tested positive to COVID-19 as part of Greater Brisbane's current cluster. Today, Wednesday, March 31, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that one person in Byron Bay has since tested positive as well. And, the Premier also advised that from 5pm AEDT today until at least 11.59pm on Monday, April 5, the Byron, Ballina, Tweed and Lismore shires will reinstate a number of social distancing restrictions. So, they'll be in effect exactly when Bluesfest was due to run. The north coast regions will revert back to 30-person caps for at-home gatherings, and will reintroduce the one person per four-square-metres rule at all indoor public settings, including hospitality venues. Folks in the area will also have to sit, not stand, while having a drink. And, masks will be compulsory on public transport, in retail settings and indoors in public places. [caption id="attachment_800519" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Andy Fraser[/caption] "Infectious Queensland travellers attended a number of venues in the Byron Bay area and the new locally acquired case was infected at one of these venues," said NSW Health in its statement. "NSW Health acknowledges that the cancellation of Bluesfest is disappointing for ticket holders and event organisers; however, while urgent investigations and contact tracing are ongoing, NSW Health is adopting a cautious approach to keep everyone safe." Minister for Health Brad Hazzard noted that "while the cancellation of Bluesfest is disappointing for music lovers and the local community, I hope that ticket holders would support Bluesfest and hold on to their tickets as I understand Bluesfest will be working on a new date as soon as possible." At the time of writing, Bluesfest hasn't made a statement about the cancellation. Via the festival's last social media posts earlier today, event organisers said that an update was coming soon. NSW Health advised that it wished "to acknowledge the outstanding cooperation of Mr Peter Noble and his organising team, who were working hard to ensure Bluesfest would be conducted in a COVID-safe manner." For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. Top image: Joseph Mayers
If you're on the hunt for something a bit different this gift-giving season, the MCA Store is an excellent place to start. Here, you'll not only find an impressive selection of items from Australian artists, designers and makers but also everything from coffee-table books to homewares and games — perfect for gifting all your favourite budding creatives, art enthusiasts, design buffs, fashion mavens and hard-to-buy-for friends. And, every purchase from the MCA Store supports Australian artists and the work of the world-class art institution. So in a way, it's a gift that'll keep on giving. We've gone through the extensive catalogue to hand select our favourite gift ideas for this festive season. [caption id="attachment_880360" align="alignnone" width="1920"] MCA Store, 2022, Katje Ford[/caption] IKUNTJI TEXTILES, $69 Ikuntji Artists, the first arts centre established by and for women in the Western Desert art movement, invites design lovers to take a closer look at the stories behind the works with this self-published, full-colour book. The volume is centred around 14 artists who paint wearable textiles, delving into their design process, personal stories and collaborations via artist interviews in Luritja and English and writings from expert voices in the field of textile design. The lovingly assembled tome makes a perfect coffee-table book — the ideal read to either leisurely flip through or take in some of the remarkable stories from First Nations women. BACKGAMMON SET, $195 The MoMA team has given this classic game a vibrant makeover. The colourful design, inside and out, makes this beechwood backgammon board a style-heavy travel accessory, ideal for groups or just two. The game is fun, practical and easy to learn — even if you've got no idea how to play. Gift this to your modern boardgame-loving pal who could do with something a little simpler and nostalgic. Then next time you're over at theirs, you can suggest a chill game of backgammon instead of Settlers of Catan. Looking for a stocking stuffer for your games-obsessed mate? This Ken Done edition of Uno ($19.95) is just the ticket. [caption id="attachment_834248" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacquie Manning, MCA Members. Featured: Noa Eshkol, installation view, 20th Biennale of Sydney, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 2016, Image courtesy and © the Noa Eshkol Foundation for Movement Notation, Holon.[/caption] 12-MONTH MCA MEMBERSHIP, $75 If you're buying for someone who really appreciates the arts, an MCA Membership is a sure-fire win. It will give them access to exclusive behind-the-scenes programs, discounts on a range of art experiences, unlimited free entry to ticketed exhibitions — like Do Ho Suh, which is part of the 2022/ 2023 Sydney International Art Series — and plenty more. Any and every art lover will be thanking their lucky stars (or just you) with a gift as good as this. FLENSTED MOBILE, $125 Mobiles aren't just for kids, they're also a fun and funky way to add some colour and movement to your home. And at the MCA Store, you can find no less than ten artistic mobiles by Danish design house Flensted. Our pick: the minimalist Life and Thread, which is made up of colourful wings dancing around a small green sphere. You can find more literal pieces too — hot air balloons, birds, planes, elephants and more, all made to hang and swing from the ceiling. They're simple yet striking pieces of art. [caption id="attachment_880357" align="alignnone" width="1920"] MCA Store, 2021, Anna Kucera[/caption] FINK WATER JUG, From $395 If you're buying for someone who loves to entertain or is always on the hunt for unique homewares, these FINK water jugs might just be perfect. Designed in 1993 by celebrated Australian silversmith Robert Foster, these elegant vessels come in eight striking colours and can be found in contemporary collections at institutions (including MoMA), as well as in design-forward homes and restaurants around the globe. It's a great gift for those who like to make a statement, even when they're simply pouring a glass of water. [caption id="attachment_880353" align="alignnone" width="1920"] MCA Store, 2022, Katje Ford[/caption] 3D-PRINTED SUPERVASE, From $50 These brightly coloured vases by The Daily Rabbit are reminiscent of the Hub series and Staircase-III (2010) by Do Ho Suh. Like the South Korean artist's large-scale installation pieces, as you move around these vases, they appear to change in shape. The SuperVase, which comes in two sizes, is 3D-printed using eco-friendly, degradable PLA bioplastic derived from cornstarch, making it ideal for sustainably-minded friends and family members. It's watertight, so you can gift it with fresh flowers if you'd like, too. [caption id="attachment_881162" align="alignnone" width="1920"] MCA Store, 2022, Katje Ford[/caption] DO HO SUH MCA CATALOGUE, $45 Here's yet another great addition to a curated coffee table. This softcover MCA catalogue (exclusively sold at the MCA Store) surveys Do Ho Suh's creative practice, focusing on his large-scale sculptures and architectural installations with commissioned texts by curators Rachel Kent and Megan Robson and architectural historian AnnMarie Brennan. Take a deeper dive into the artist's process and the meaning behind his colourful, thought-provoking installations that have a strong connection to our shared understanding of 'home'. MID-CENTURY MODERN COASTERS, $38 This pack of four cork coasters features works from Tony Albert's Mid-Century Modern series, depicting used ashtrays with First Nations people and designs on them. For Albert, "there was something quite metaphoric about the ashtray and the Australian condition attached to Aboriginal people. What does it actually mean to butt out a cigarette on someone's face and someone's culture?" And, we ask, what does it mean to rest your drink on a coaster of that artwork? Who knew a humble coaster could be such a conversation starter? Got an art lover in your life? Gifting someone with an eye for design? Make sure you're their fave this year with a gift from MCA Store. Head to the website for the full range. Top image: MCA Store, 2022, Katje Ford
It was trialled in The Rocks and Broken Hill, then rolled out to the Sydney CBD, northern beaches and Bega Valley — and now the New South Wales Government's Dine & Discover program is becoming available statewide. The scheme provides $25 food and entertainment vouchers, and had been earmarked to expand across the state in March. Today, Friday, March 19, Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed that it was proceeding as planned. Different local government areas will gain access to the program each week, starting with 67 LGAs around the state right now. The list of areas currently able to nab vouchers includes Campbelltown, Sydney, Hornsby, Ryde and northern beaches in Greater Sydney, plus everywhere from Byron and Lake Macquarie to Narrabri and Snowy Monaro — with the rest of the state due to be added in the coming weeks. Everywhere across NSW will have access by the end of March. To take advantage of Dine & Discover, you'll need to be a NSW resident over the age of 18 — with everyone who falls into that category becoming eligible to receive $100 in vouchers when the program hits their area. You'll then score four $25 vouchers, with two available to use at restaurants, cafes, clubs and other food venues from Monday to Thursday, and the other two specifically for cultural institutions, performing arts, cinemas and amusement parks seven days a week. The vouchers can be used at a hefty list of spots — including Dendy Newtown, the Enmore Theatre, Sydney Opera House and the Australian Maritime Museum. Also on the list: Earl's Juke Joint and The Bank in Newtown, Love, Tilly Devine and Lankan Filling Station in Darlinghurst, Ria Pizza and Wine in Potts Point, Since I Left You in the CBD and Lilymu in Parramatta. [caption id="attachment_789626" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Since I Left You[/caption] There are a few caveats, understandably. The big one: you have to use the vouchers by June 30, 2021. If you were thinking of redeeming the vouchers over Easter, though, you'll need to revise your plans — as you can't redeem them on public holidays. You also can't use them on tobacco, alcohol or gambling. And, you can only use each voucher once, including if your transaction totals less than $25. You'll need to use your vouchers separately, actually, because the idea is to get NSW folks heading out several times to several different places. To access the vouchers, you'll need a MyServiceNSW account — and the corresponding Service NSW app, so you can use the vouchers digitally. You can only redeem them at participating and COVID-safe registered businesses, however, which are listed online. Businesses can still register to participate. Hospitality company Sydney Collective has already announced that it'll double the value of the vouchers at eight of its NSW venues — so it'll give you an extra $25 on top of each $25 voucher. The Dine & Discover program was announced as part of the NSW Government's State Budget 2020–21 in a bid to help NSW's hospitality and entertainment businesses, which had a rough run during COVID-19. Originally called Out and About, the program is designed to encourage folks to head out of the house, have a meal, and see a movie or show. And, to do so on multiple occasions. The NSW Government's Dine & Discover scheme is now being rolled statewide. For more information — including which Local Government Areas now have access to the program, and which businesses are participating — visit the government's website. Top image: Kitti Gould
Everyone should play tourist in their own town. For fans of horror movies in the Harbour City, everyone should see Sydney's historic spots in a whole new light while a frightening flick rolls and Haus of Horror throws a party. That's the immersive cinema outfit's setup, and it has both the winter solstice and the Old Darlinghurst Gaol in its sights next — plus getting eerie with the American remake of The Ring. In the past, for over a year, Haus of Horror has popped up everywhere from Parramatta Gaol and Camperdown Cemetery to Cockatoo Island, showing The Exorcist, the OG Scream, Beetlejuice, A Nightmare on Elm Street and more. Now, before you truly get into the winter spirit, you'll see The Ring inside a cellblock with a full moon in the sky outside. You have two sessions to choose from, both on Saturday, June 22 (technically a day after 2024's winter solstice, but this kind of event was always going to be more fun on a Saturday instead of a Friday). So, either head through the doors at 5pm for a 7pm screening, or mosey through at 7.15pm for a 9.15pm showing. Either way, a date with Samara is only a portion of the party. Prior to the movie flickering through the projector, you'll be given time to explore the site — a place that dates back to the 1820s, housed prisoners from 1841–1914, then became a technical college and later the National Art School. The old gaol has turned the former women's prisoner wing into a theatre, which is where you'll be watching. If you need to peel your eyes away from the screen, look out for remnants of the space's previous use etched onto the walls. Haus of Horror is also setting up scare zones, a photo booth, and markets selling handmade and vintage wares. A fortune teller will get clairvoyant with attendees, a DJ will be spinning tunes, good vendors will have bites to eat on offer and a bloody-themed cocktail will be available at the bar.
Spending more time at home is much easier to stomach with a hefty rage of desserts on hand, or at least that seems to be Gelato Messina's pandemic motto. Over the past year, the gelato chain has served up plenty of tasty specials, including cookie pies in choc chip, red velvet, choc-hazelnut, and peanut butter and jelly varieties; 40 of its best flavours; and full tubs of Iced VoVo gelato. It also whipped up its own take on that vanilla and chocolate-layered ice cream cake everyone considered the height of extravagance as a child — and now it's bringing its version of Viennetta back for another round. If you've been indulging your sweet tooth as a coping mechanism — frozen desserts were subject to strict item limits last March, so plenty of folks clearly went big on sugary comfort food — then consider your tastebuds primed for this super-fancy take on the nostalgic favouritte. It's another of Messina's limited releases, with tubs of the rippled gelato creation available at all its stores for a very short period. Wondering what exactly Messina's Viennetta — or Messinetta, as it has been dubbed — entails? It combines fior di latte gelato with choc chips and chocolate fudge, then covers it all with piped vanilla chantilly as well as a chocolate velvet spray. And yes, the end result looks like the dessert you know and love. If it didn't, it just wouldn't be as exciting. The latest release in Messina's new 'Hot Tub' series, Messinetta gelato can only be ordered online on Monday, February 22, with a one-litre tub setting you back $30. You can then go into your chosen Messina store to pick up your tub between Friday, February 26–Sunday, February 28. Gelato Messina's Messinetta gelato tubs will be available to order on Monday, February 22, for pick up between Friday, February 26–Sunday, February 28 — keep an eye on the Messina website for further details.
As other festivals fall by the wayside, St. Jerome's Laneway Festival just keeps on keeping on. Just a couple of weeks ago Laneway debuted in Detroit, bringing that Melbourne laneways vibe to the Motor City, and now we are thrilled to announce the 2014 lineup for Australia. As we've come to expect from Laneway, it's an intriguing mix of established names, up-and-comers and best-kept secrets, as well as a number of crowd favourites from previous Laneways making a return appearance. The organisers have also forecast a bunch of tweaks to all the venues so that you can get from the mosh to a gozleme in record time, and grab a cider on the way back from the toilets without missing half the festival. Laneway has gone from strength to strength over its 11 years, adding dates in New Zealand and Singapore as well as Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth from its humble beginnings in the back of a bar in Melbourne. It's a festival that knows exactly what it is trying to do, and who its audience wants to see, and I reckon this lineup is going to blow a few minds. In alphabetical order: Adalita Autre Ne Veut Cashmere Cat Cass McCombs Chvrches Cloud Control (no sideshows) Danny Brown Daughter Dick Diver Drenge Earl Sweatshirt Four Tet Frightened Rabbit Haim (no sideshows) Jagwar Ma Jamie XX King Krule Kirin J Callinan Kurt Vile Lorde (no sideshows) Mount Kimbie MT Warning Parquet Courts Run The Jewels (EL-P & Killer Mike) Savages Scenic The Growl The Jezabels (no sideshows) Unknown Mortal Orchestra (no sideshows) Vance Joy Warpaint XXYYXX Youth Lagoon TICKETS PRESALE: Laneway Festival fans with Visa Credit, Debit or Prepaid cards can get tickets first through Visa Entertainment. Visa Entertainment presale starts noon on Monday, 30 September, through to noon on Tuesday, 1 October (local time), or until tickets sell out at www.visaentertainment.com.au. Visa presale: Noon, Monday, 30 September – Noon, Tuesday 1 October (local time) GP on sale: Thursday, 3 October, 9am (local time)
Update Thursday, October 29: Stormzy has cancelled his Australian and New Zealand tours and will be replaced on the Spilt Milk lineup by Steve Lacy. This article has been updated to reflect this. Originally a flagship event in Canberra, Spilt Milk has now expanded to a three-show tour across Australia with stops in Ballarat and the Gold Coast — and it's finally making its return at the end of 2022. For its grand comeback, the festival has pulled together a world-class lineup geared towards heaving dance floors and big sing-a-longs. Leading the charge: Flume, Steve Lacy and The Wombats. Homegrown hitmaker Flume nabs one of the headliner slots fresh from playing Coachella, while California indie-pop singer-songwriter Steve Lacy has joined the lineup following a huge 2022. He's replacing Stormzy, who was originally on the lineup but has cancelled his entire run of Australian tour dates. Rounding out the headline slots in beloved British rockers The Wombats, who keep proving a hit on our shores — with 15 slots in Triple J's Hottest 100 over the years to prove it. Also on the bill: Ninajirachi, FISHER, G Flip, Genesis Owusu, Mallrat, Spacey Jane, A.GIRL and PEACH PRC, among others — and, from the art lineup, a heap of talent from long-running Spilt Milk partners Studio A. Also, because this fest is also about food, there'll be bites to eat from Firepop, Blackbear BBQ and Burger Head. Following the festival's return to Canberra, it'll head to Victoria on Saturday, December 3, popping up in Victoria Park, before wrapping things up on Sunday, December 4 at Doug Jennings Park in the Sunshine State. [caption id="attachment_851188" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] SPILT MILK CANBERRA 2022 LINEUP: A.GIRL Beddy Rays Billy Xane Fisher Flume G Flip Genesis Owusu Hayden James King Stingray Kobie Dee Latifa Tee Little Fritter Mallrat Mansionair Ninajarachi PEACH PRC Spacey Jane Stand Atlantic Steve Lacy Telenova The Wombats Toro Y Moi YNG Martyr Young Franco 1300 Guilty Pleasures by DJ Levins Brittany De Marco and Kaylee Harmer Jack Burton and Clique Miroji Sesame Girl Shaka J Tekido Waxlily Food: Firepop Blackbear BBQ Birdman Burger Head Empire Pizza Ryan Gozleme and more Art by Studio A: Emily Crockford Greg Sindel Katrina Brennan Jaycee Kim Meagan Pelham Thom Roberts Top image: Jordan Munns
Longed to see the grandeur and mythmaking of American drama combined with the British penchant to satirise, depict government by fools, strip away the stateliness of 'great men' and film people in bathtubs? This co-production between America's HBO and Britain's BBC Films brings the two worlds together — with surprising ease. The tone is pitch-perfect in The Special Relationship, screenwriter Peter Morgan's third film about British Prime Minister Tony Blair (after The Deal and The Queen — and he's been responsible for Frost/Nixon and The Damned United in between). It is an insightful portrait of the relationship between Blair (Michael Sheen) and US President Bill Clinton (Dennis Quaid) that casts them as men of both action and accident, driven by ideals and petty personal proclivities. The 'special relationship' of the title refers to the close strategic ties that have bound their nations for over two centuries — although, as this film would have it, the ties between Blair and Clinton were so special that the whole George W. Bush thing is excised to a loaded epilogue. The film begins in 1992 with Blair learning to shape New Labour in the model of Clinton's New Democrats and follows the men through the Northern Ireland peace process, the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. It also explores the very different dynamics of the two first couples (with Helen McCrory and Hope Davis brilliant as Cherie Blair and Hillary Clinton respectively). You buy Sheen as Blair from the first moment; his Brit-toff everyman quality aids the transformation, as does the fact he's been Blair three times now, and when it counts, he copies Blair's cadences to the brittle letter. Beside him, it looks odd that Quaid does an impression of Clinton, with make-up as thick as his accent. It's possible that nobody naturally looks or talks like Clinton, but for the film, it means his character remains on the outer. Unfortunately, even the closest political friendships amount to little more than a few transatlantic, late-night phone calls; as a dramatic bromance, it falls a few beers short. That makes the film's central conceit a little flimsy and the narrative episodic rather than cinematic. The flipside of this is that, once settled, it is like watching a TV series — and these days, that's a compliment. Morgan's acuity for the political, personal and hilariously trivial (Clinton is a midnight snacker who thinks Blair is "an attractive man" — who knew?) could fill several instalments yet. https://youtube.com/watch?v=uWHjHMrRiE4
Boasting zombies, cats, ramen, crime and a Palme d'Or-winning filmmaker, the annual Japanese Film Festival is back — and it's making its way around the country with a hefty lineup. Touring Sydney until November 25 and Melbourne from November 22 until December 1, JFF's 2018 iteration delves into the breadth of Japanese cinema. Indeed, ranging beyond the usual suspects is where this festival excels. Everyone loves Studio Ghibli and Godzilla, two of the Asian nation's biggest cinema icons; however there's more to Japan's film industry than gorgeous animation and giant beasts. Much, much more, in fact. JFF features 31 movies that prove that's the case, including our six must-see picks. Because this festival really is all about variety, one of them even stars Josh Hartnett. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du2XfUDfjN0 ONE CUT OF THE DEAD A box office extravaganza in Japan that has made its super low budget back several hundred times over (yes, several hundred), One Cut of the Dead starts out like many a zombie flick. Combine a group of people, a creepy setting and a sudden attack of the undead, and you know what you're in for — even if the victims are a team of filmmakers making a zombie movie, and even if it's all initially captured in one unending take. With Shinichiro Ueda's movie, however, you really don't know what you're in for, even when you're certain that you do Saying more is saying too much, but this is a smart, energetic and highly enjoyable take on a busy genre that has a heap of tricks and twists up its sleeves. Book here. https://vimeo.com/252904630 OH LUCY! Resembling a reversal of Lost in Translation, Oh Lucy! follows a Japanese woman seeking more in her life — and finding it in an American in Tokyo. That said, this engaging drama is never quite that straightforward. When the single and unhappy Setsuko (Shinobu Terajima) falls for her English teacher John (Josh Hartnett), she's also trying to hold onto the blonde wig-wearing alter-ego, Lucy, that he's asked her to adopt as part of their lessons. Terajima is fantastic as a lonely soul seeking a different future that she didn't know she wanted, while Japanese-American director Atsuko Hirayanagi combines a somewhat whimsical scenario with deep character insights as she adapts her short film of the same name. Book here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f0nXOk8kJk THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES The cutest film on this or any film festival lineup this year, The Travelling Cat Chronicles isn't afraid to dial up the emotion. Splashing such strong feelings about works a treat for this book-to-screen adaptation, with themes of loyalty, positivity and kindness shining through. The four-legged Nana is an ex-stray cat who is taken in by the kindly Satoru (Sota Fukushi), but her human companion eventually has to find the feisty feline a new home. As they hit the road to visit Satoru's friends, this heartfelt film steps through his backstory and his time with his adorable moggie, all with Nana offering her thoughts. As an ode to the joys of having a pet through life's ups and downs, this moving movie is a sweet delight. Book here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plr3V4TYBQE THE THIRD MURDER Before Hirokazu Kore-eda made one of 2018's great movies in the form of Palme d'Or-winning family drama Shoplifters, the prolific Japanese director stepped into the world of crime. The Third Murder might seem like a departure for a filmmaker known for exploring the bonds of blood, but this quiet yet poignant effort hews closer to his preferred territory than it initially appears. After Misumi (Koji Yakusho) is arrested for murder and robbery, lawyer Shigemori (Masaharu Fukuyama) is tasked with finding the truth, although that proves far from a simple task. A big winner at this year's Japanese Academy Awards, the end result takes Kore-eda's trademarks into darker yet no less open-hearted and empathetic terrain — complete with his usual winning way with actors. Book here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slop_4sK5PE THE BLOOD OF WOLVES Crime is a gritty, bloody, pulpy business in The Blood of Wolves — and a violent one, too. That's typically the case in yakuza dramas, which filmmaker Kazuya Shiraishi has clearly seen plenty of; however he has still crafted an involving addition to the fold that nods to the past while standing on its own merits. Detective Ogami (Koji Yakusho) and his newly graduated partner Hioka (Tori Matsuzaka) drive the action as they attempt to find a missing person, only to be drawn into the all-out gang turf war that's taking over the city. Set in Hiroshima in 1988, this Japanese underworld flick doesn't hold back, including when it comes to gruesome interrogations — and to ramping up the brutal thrills. Book here. WILDERNESS A word of warning: Wilderness isn't a quick endeavour, with this marathon two-part film clocking in at more than five hours. JFF will screen it with an intermission; however this epic cinema experience is worth getting cosy for. Based on a 1961 novel, Yoshiyuki Kishi's feature might take place just three years in the future now, in 2021, but it has much to say about Japanese society and its expectations, as well as about male friendships. Ultimately a boxing-focused drama set in in a Tokyo that's crumbling rather than bustling, and exploring the stories of quick-tempered Shinji (Masaki Suda) and shy Kenji (Yang Ik-June), this lengthy effort packs a considerable punch. Book here. The Japanese Film Festival screens at Sydney's Event Cinemas George Street from Thursday, November 15 to Sunday, November 25, and at Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image from Thursday, November 22 to Sunday, December 2. For more information, visit the festival website.
Deerhoof's members are evidence that it pays to take risks. In a post-modern world, where it can sometimes feel as though everything that can be said has been said, they continue to come up with arrestingly original ideas. Every album reveals another sonic surprise. Their twelfth self-produced release, Breakup Song, is no exception. This time around, Cuban rhythms fuel the San Francisco noise group's unpredictable melodic adventures. According to drummer Greg Saunier, the album is about "just turning around a sort of bad mood and finding a way to turn it into a good mood." As much as a Deerhoof record can definitely beat back the blues in the comfort of your lounge room, it doesn't match up to the experience of seeing them live. Their edgy creativity takes on a whole new dimension in front of a crowd. https://youtube.com/watch?v=u7DpLne1abo
The 2014 season at Carriageworks will include the Sydney debut of Back to Back Theatre's Ganesh Versus the Third Reich, an internationally acclaimed production that won, amongst others prizes, the 2012 Helpmann Award for Best Play. Audiences are taken on a journey with Ganesh, the Hindu god, travelling through Nazi Germany to try to reclaim the swastika, an ancient Hindu symbol. Alongside this primary narrative swims a second — that of the actors themselves feeling the responsibility of tackling so weighty a subject, whilst struggling under the demands of an unreasonable director. As a show that the Age called "courageous, confronting, intelligent and magisterially considered theatre", Ganesh Versus the Third Reich will get you thinking about history, theatre and the connection between the two. What right does art have to draw on the darkest chapters of history? And when it does, in exactly whose creative hands should it be placed? Back to Back Theatre is a Geelong-based company founded in 1987, made up of a unique ensemble of five actors with perceived intellectual disabilities. Together they devise and create award-winning contemporary theatre that explores powerful social and political issues, including this year's much-acclaimed Sydney Theatre Company show, Super Discount.
From unflinching violence to unbridled sexual passion, some of the most important films in history are the ones that dared to push the boundaries. Doubling down on last year's lineup of controversial cult classics, World Movies presents More Films That Shocked the World from Monday, March 17. This five-day selection of taboo-shattering cinema consists entirely of Australian television premieres. Each one of these films has been the subject of censorship in this country, and when you see them, you'll understand why. It's a program designed to challenge your expectations as well as your limitations, not to mention, at times, your stomach. Prepare yourself people; these films are not for the faint of heart. https://youtube.com/watch?v=vUd_6FF4AtM PINK FLAMINGOS (1972) The film that launched both director John Waters and LGBTQ icon Divine to the far-reaching fringes of the American cultural underground, Pink Flamingos was marketed as an exercise in bad taste; rarely has an ad pitch been so accurate. A pitch-black gross-out comedy, the film tells the story of an overweight transvestite (Divine) with a mentally disabled family who goes to increasingly depraved and then violent ends to defend her title of 'filthiest person alive'. Scenes of coprophagia, cannibalism, bestiality and anal acrobatics earned the ire of Australian censors while at same time helping the film become one of the most notorious midnight movies ever made. Monday, 17 March, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZkCTSn8gcL4 I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE (1978) Surely the nastiest pick in the week-long program, this hideously violent rape-revenge tale contains some of the most brutal scenes of sexual brutality that have ever been put to film. Director Meir Zarchi initially self-released the movie after no other distributor would do so. Once it received wider play, critic Roger Ebert labelled it "a vile bag of garbage", a pan that probably ended up helping the film at the box office. Many have debated over the years whether the film is a celebration or an indictment of the sexual violence it depicts. Now, if you dare, you can make up your mind for yourself. Tuesday, March 18, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=IU3P6WXzvXU HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER (1986) Based loosely on the crimes of Henry Lee Lucas, this grim, ultra-low-budget serial killer film spent more than four years on the shelf after being completed, as the producers were faced both by a hostile ratings board and the challenge of marketing what they had made. Eventually released in 1990, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is not a particularly gory film yet remains disturbing to this day because of the casual and highly realistic fashion in which the protagonist commits his crimes. By being purposely unentertaining, Henry takes the glamour out of a genre that has fascinated us for decades, raising some pretty prescient questions about our obsession with serial murder. Wednesday, March 19, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=g3hSsK61NsE EMMANUELLE (1974) Released at a time when pornography was flirting with the mainstream, this soft-core sexual odyssey follows the affairs of a young French woman living with her husband in Bangkok, and was sold as a classy alternative to the likes of Deep Throat and The Devil in Miss Jones. Although not well received by critics, the film was a massive hit in both Europe and the US, spawning six sequels and literally dozens of spinoffs, including eight made-for-TV movies set in space. Classy indeed. Thursday, March 20, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=lj0BnsF1FXs CALIGULA (1979) A fitting way to end a week brimming with cinematic depravity. The disastrous story behind this porn-filled epic is more entertaining than the movie itself. A lavish biopic about an insane Roman emperor, the film was plagued by delays and ran horrendously over budget — and that was before producer and Penthouse founder Bob Guccione wrestled control away from director Tinto Brass and decided to shoot several unsimulated sex scenes to be included in the final cut. A perfect example of a production gone to hell, if you ever wanted to see Helen Mirren, Peter O'Toole and full penetration in the same movie, then Caligula should be right up your alley. Friday, March 21, 9.30pm
The super-adorable Finders Keepers Markets have been home to Sydney's most creative and quirky designers for more than six years. The independent hip-fest is returning to their home at Eveleigh's Australian Technology Park for three days this December — just in time for Christmas. The biannual, designer-centric, come-one-come-all mini-festival has managed to bridge the gap between local market and exclusive exhibition, creating a space for independent designers to engage with the wider community. You'll be able to nab some marvellous treats difficult to find anywhere else. From bespoke leather goods to bespoke stationery, upcycled journals to upcycled bicycle parts, every stall will be a unique shopping experience that combines innovative design with grassroots feel-goodery. As usual, there will be live music, a cafe, a bar and thousands of other Sydneysiders celebrating independent art and design. Plus, it's probably the only place you can knock off all your Christmas shopping with a glass of wine in hand while downing a pork crackling gua bao from Mr. Bao. Finders Keepers will run over three days, from Friday, December 11 to Sunday, December 13. It will be open from 6 - 10pm on the Friday, 10am - 6pm on the Saturday, and 10am - 4pm on the Sunday. For more information and a full list of designers, visit their website.
Some of the world's fringe festivals go for curation, featuring the cream of the crop of local and touring indie talent. Others open their doors wider, allowing for the truly weird, unexpected or unconnected a chance to step under the spotlight and make a lasting impression. The Sydney Fringe Festival falls mainly into the latter camp, with its bewildering and Bible-thick program containing the wonderful, the luckless and every inflection in-between. The independent festival has grown into the city's largest alternative arts event, spanning most of September and including the media of visual arts, film, digital arts, theatre, music, comedy, musical theatre, circus/physical theatre, dance, cabaret, books, kids and family shows, poetry, food and wine and things just plain 'other'. The festival is spread out over five 'creative villages' mainly centring around the Inner West, and this year welcomes a new festival hub, Emerald City garden bar. Located in the Seymour Centre courtyard — in front of a key Fringe venue and a popular spot during summer's Courtyard Sessions — the late-night garden bar will give the sprawling festival a social heart, in the vein of the Sydney Festival's Festival Garden or Adelaide Fringe's famed Garden of Earthly Delights. Also among the new venues is Eliza's Juke Joint (at the old 5 Eliza festival bar); the Dendy Cinema car park, which will host the Artcore Guerilla Artfair; and the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, transformed into Camp Super Happy Sunshine Fun, a thing that we're assured is for adults (yay!). Comedy will continue to be based in the Factory Theatre, while Marrickville will also lead in the live music stakes, with artists such as Abby Dobson in the Camelot Lounge. "We have discovered hundreds of hidden gems within the city, not only focusing on a terrific arts program but opening up to artisan food, crafts and sub-cultures," says Sydney Fringe Festival spokesperson Kerri Glasscock. "We have unlocked the city and invite you all to join us in celebrating the wonderful world that is Sydney’s fringe." In the Night Garden at Tortuga Studios Tortuga Studio's In the Night Garden has been a strong mark on our cultural calendar across its brief existence. From a promising 2011 debut to an enthusiastic 2012 follow-up, it has taken the laneway intersection behind St Peter's Tortuga Studios and filled it with luminescent art of all descriptions. The night has featured realtime projection, heads aglow, a mushroom-like tree of lamps, live binding and live painting. This year, Tortuga is adding writers to the mix. Visitors will be able to settle into an overlapping mashup of writers' workspace, as a single desk switches faces from one set of writers to the next. The word work will be curated by Zoe Adler Bishop, with local wordsmiths Tabula Rasa (long-time, critical denizens of the Sydney arts scene and fresh off a recent relaunch) adding their keyboard-pounding power into the back-lane lineup. 13 September, 6.30pm; Tortuga Studios, 31 Princes Highway, St Peters; free 2SER History of... at Emerald City 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. Emerald City Garden Bar at the Seymour Centre Courtyard; free Jude the Obscure at PACT Fringe Conventional wisdom is that Fringe is your chance to see something truly, deeply weird that would never get a sniff of the main stage but might remind you of the brilliant range of human endeavour. The show to see, in that case, is Jude the Obscure, in which writer/performer Alice Williams plays Australian comedian Judith Lucy (see uncanny resemblance above), in space, in the the future, doing a catalogue of "little known material" from her oeuvre. Because Judith has been accepted into Mars One, of course. Jude the Obscure is on at PACT, which has curated its own lineup of seven Fringe shows, and, as usual, you can be guaranteed that any show you see there is compelling in its own, offbeat way. Among the picks are Animorphed by Applespiel's Simon Binns, in which he reflects on beloved childhood series Animorphs and whether his favourite character was a racist stereotype, and The Defence, a cerebral-fun look at August Strindberg and misogyny within the rehearsal room. 4-14 September; PACT Centre for Emerging Artists, 107 Railway Parade, Erskineville; tickets $25/20/15. Make Way for Winter This is a sketch comedy show themed around Game of Thrones. What more do you need to know? The hilarity latent in the Seven Kingdoms and at the Red Wedding finally revealed. Everyone as well as Tyrion bringing the funny. The White Walkers twerking, probably. This show comes from Sydney University's home of comedy, Project 52 (which we named one of Sydney's best alternative comedy rooms), and is an offshoot of their weekly sketch night, Make Way for Ducklings. Book early, GoT fans. 12-14 September; The Fusebox at The Factory; tickets $15 Mad Mex Tequila Masterclass Tequila is distilled from agave nectar, and, like champagne, it's only really Tequila if its drawn from some specific parts of Mexico. If you can't tell Jalisco from mescal, then early starters in the Sydney taco wars Mad Mex are eager to steer you down the smart path when it comes to downing this Mesoamerican delicacy. They're running two free Tequila Masterclasses in their King Street store, which should leave you ready to mix a better margarita and feel at home sorting out Hornitos from Patron. 12 and 19 September; Mad Mex, Newtown; free, but you'll need to register via hola@madmex.com.au or (02) 8197 3077 Green Mohair Suits at 5 Eliza's Juke Joint With the Seymour Centre's Emerald City Garden Bar taking over Festival hub duties from 5 Eliza, this former library and current Fringe headquarters gets reborn as 5 Eliza's Juke Joint. The Joint fahsions itself in the style of Mississipi delta blues, with one of the standout appearances at this haven of Southern sound being local country/bluegrass band the Green Mohair Suits. The group has gone from friends turned bandmates to playing backup to Josh Pyke at Beck Hansen's Song Reader fundraiser last year at the Standard. They'll be joining other Joint luminaries, including the Cope Street Parade, the Hoo Haas and Mic Conway and Liz Frencham. 19 September, 7pm; Eliza's Juke Joint, 5 Eliza St, Newtown; tickets $15. Bushpig Bushpig was called "hands-down the most intriguing show to surface in this year’s [Adelaide Fringe]" by theatre guide Heckler — high praise indeed. Like many Fringe Fest events, its a one-person show, but writer/performer Hannah Malarski, a NIDA playwriting grad, makes hers stand out. Her range and vivid characterisations bring to life an eccentric small town of characters, centred around Aunt Vivian and her missing child. 10-13 September; Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre; tickets $20/15. 2013 - When We Were Idiots Walking Tour The year is 2113, you are about to embark on a walking tour that dissects the consumerism, ignorance and individualism of 2013. Well, sort of. It's not really 2113, but this comedic tour of our fair city, led by a penguin (writer/performer Xavier Toby) pokes fun at the rampant idiocy of contemporary living and the possible implications of living in an age of overconsumption and intolerance. The mixture of comedy, activism, archaeology and strolling is a rare one that prompted Artshub to call When We Were Idiots "interactive theatre at its energetic best". 6-15 September, departing 6.30pm daily as well as 2.30pm on weekends; meet at The Pie Tin, Newtown; tickets $15/10. Camp Super Happy Sunshine Fun We're called Concrete Playground; how could we not endorse a bit of childhood regression? Camp Super Happy Sunshine Fun is setting up at Newtown Neighbourhood Centre to help you shed the baggage of adulthood and get silly with games, arts and crafts, a 'Potato Olympics' and friendship circles. Camp director Maya Sebestyen has actually worked at US summer camps, so authenticity is a given. 6, 20, 21, 27 and 28 September, 8pm; Newtown Neighbourhood Centre; tickets $15. Artcore Guerilla Artfair Art in the car park is nothing new in Sydney these days. Oversize art fairs aren't sitting too far away on the cultural horizon, either. But while the looming Sydney Contemporary will work at the pricier end of the scale, and the bounty of Alaska Projects comes with a modicum of urban spelunking, the Fringe's annual art market spread sits conveniently just off King Street. Artcore Guerilla Artfair is situated in the Newtown Dendy's cavernous car park, bringing together art by 30 local artists. It's guerilla by price as well as by name, with its art starting around $5. All day 12 September 12; behind the Dendy Cinemas Newtown, 16-28 Lennox St; free By Zacha Rosen and Rima Sabina Aouf.
Tasmania's sinister winter music and arts festival Dark Mofo scrapped its 2020 festivities due to the pandemic, but that cancellation has turned out to be a one-off. The event returned in 2021 — amid controversy over an artwork that was announced and then ditched — and it has just confirmed that it'll be back again in June 2022, too. Next year's festival will run between Wednesday, June 15–Wednesday, June 22 in Hobart, if you're already thinking about how to spend the frostiest part of 2022. Run by the Museum of Old and New Art, it'll be funded by $2.5 million from the Tasmanian Government, plus another $2.5 million from MONA owner David Walsh. And, it'll also receive dedicated marketing support from Tourism Tasmania. The event's program won't be announced until sometime in autumn — usually it drops in April or May — but it's set to explore "the ideas of rebirth, reincarnation, and new life". "After the death of the 2020 festival, and a near-death experience in 2021, we're beginning the next era of Dark Mofo," said Dark Mofo Creative Director Leigh Carmichael. "As the world emerges from the darkness of COVID-19, we're hoping Dark Mofo 2022 will provide opportunities for us to reconnect and celebrate winter in the manner we'd become accustomed to prior to the health restrictions around travel and events." [caption id="attachment_800592" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lusy Productions[/caption] Previous years' lineups have seen a fantastical combination of musical performances, performance art and large-scale installations come together. In 2019, the program featured the likes of artists Ai Weiwei and Mike Parr, American musician Sharon Van Etten and one of the world's largest glockenspiels, for instance. In 2021, the program included a vibrating chamber filled with light, guided night walks through Hobart led by teenagers, 49 search lights beaming up into the sky and multiple performances by Sonic Youth founder Thurston Moore. Dark Mofo will run from Wednesday, June 15–Wednesday, June 22 in Hobart, Tasmania. The 2022 program will be announced in autumn. Top Image: Jesse Hunniford.
We're sure you've heard of a haunted house, but what about a haunted suburb? Dust off your witch's hat, grab a pumpkin and prepare to be immersed in the Halloween spirit because Funlab is taking this spooky season to a new extreme. Until November 3, the competitive socialising venues will be partnering with Fireball Whisky to take over the Alexandria precinct, transforming Hijinx Hotel, Holey Moley, and Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq into the premiere spot for chills and thrills this Halloween. Most known for bowling alleys, mini golf courses, and arcades, Funlab is putting a frightening spin on its classic concepts."Taking inspiration from Beetlejuice, Tim Burton and of course, Wes Anderson in our Hijinx Hotel, we've created spooky fun that we hope Sydney residents can enjoy" says Funlab CEO Michael Schreiber. "And rather than making it one night, we're celebrating the whole month." At no additional charge, anyone who purchases activities this October will be able to participate in the immersive experience, including Halloween-themed challenge rooms, mini-golf courses, laser tag and much more. To top it all off, Fireball will be turning Holey Moley's Caddyshack Bar into the Dragon's Lair, complete with new cinnamon-fuelled signature cocktails to keep visitors in the Halloween spirit. Along with Hijinx Hotel's signature challenge rooms, guests will be able to roll in ball pits with spiders, skulls and eyeballs, spell spooky words in the scrambled room, and hear screams that will make their hairs stand on end throughout the challenges. Holey Moley's course will be crawling with creatures, crime scenes, eerie doll houses, and beloved Halloween pop-culture references. Venture into the laser tag arena turned abandoned graveyard at Archie Brother's Cirque Electriq and battle your way through friends and monsters. Stick around afterwards for an in-venue spooky scavenger hunt with themed arcade games and attractions. Top your experience off with a visit to the virtual world, dodging zombies with Zero Latency's VR Undead Arena Zombie Experiences for a discounted $30 per person all month. For those who attend after dark (6–10pm), steel yourself for the Witching Hour, where an array of monsters roam the venues, searching for unsuspecting revellers. After an evening of scares, stop by Fireball's Dragon's Lair, designed by Australian artist Callum Preston. New on the menu will be a variety of drinks that taste like heaven - and burn like hell, including the Dirt-y Martini with Fireball, Marie Brizard Coffee Liqueur, First press Coffee with Biscoff "dirt" garnish and sour worms, and the Eye of Fire - Fireball, raspberry syrup, lemon and soda with a "blood" drip rim and blueberry eyeball. But don't be fooled by the sweet treats - the bar's interactive space may seem like a respite from the excitement of Alexandria's spooky venues, but it will scare you when you least expect it. Funlab's month of tricks and treats will culminate on Halloween night with live DJ sets, tarot card readers, VFX makeup artists, and costume pop ups to help you get into the spirit. "We strive to continue taking our venues to the next level", says Schreiber. "Halloween is the perfect time for us to bring our venues to life in a new, fun way."
UPDATE, December 9, 2020: Yesterday is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Binge, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Dreaming of music stardom but spending a decade gigging around seaside Essex pubs, Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) is nobody's John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison or Ringo Starr. No one's except his lifelong friend and dedicated manager Ellie (Lily James), who thinks he's the fab four all rolled into one, and has remained by his side with a devotion that can only be explained by romantic affection (although Jack, of course, is blissfully unaware). Then, after a disastrous festival appearance, the aspiring singer-songwriter is hit by a bus during a global power outage. It's chaotic, and yet it's also a stroke of good luck. When he next whips out his guitar among friends, strumming and crooning The Beatles' 'Yesterday', he discovers that no one recognises what he's playing. "It's no Coldplay," one pal remarks. A lack of music knowledge doesn't explain his mates' obliviousness. As a quick internet search shows, the world knows nothing of John, Paul, George or Ringo (or Oasis, understandably). So springs Yesterday's terrific concept, as well as Jack's clearcut path to fame and fortune. Passing off The Beatles' work as his own, all his troubles seem so far away — if he's ever had a ticket to ride, this is it. Ed Sheeran (playing himself) hears his tunes, takes Jack under his wing and unleashes him on the public. A gleefully amoral Hollywood record executive, Debra (Kate McKinnon), helps capitalise upon his growing popularity. Releasing tracks like 'Let It Be' and 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand', he's soon bigger than, well, the band that no one has ever heard of. Arriving in the same year that has seen The Twilight Zone make a comeback and Black Mirror keep kicking on (and taking on pop music, too), Yesterday's premise is rife with smart satire, not to mention commentary about how the times are a-changing and cultural history along with it. The key word there is 'premise'. It's worth remembering that this jukebox musical is written by Love Actually's Richard Curtis, who has made feel-good romance a staple of everything from Four Weddings and a Funeral to Notting Hill to About Time. As a result, all his latest film and protagonist really need is love, apparently — and Jack and Ellie's will-they, won't-they dance is the least interesting part of Yesterday. It's easy to forgive the script for thinking that today's listeners could hear 'She Loves You' and 'Hey Jude' at basically the same time and think they're equally excellent, as unlikely as that would be. It's much harder to overlook the fact that the film just uses its promising gimmick (and excellent soundtrack) for nothing more than an average rom-com. Patel, playing the latest in Curtis' long line of flustered everyman characters, radiates genuine charisma. He's a joy to watch — and the fact that Yesterday embraces diversity, unlike the writer's previous work, is a pleasing development. James, nowhere near the star of the show as she was in the similarly music-driven, nostalgia-dripping Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, is less convincing, but her chemistry with Patel is enough. It's telling, though, that both are outshone by McKinnon. Watching the SNL star upstage everyone she's working with has become a regular occurrence, and she's operating on such a zany comic level here that you can be excused for wishing the movie took her lead. Indeed, in a film about a man first squandering his potential, then finding an opportunistic way to make the most of an incredibly strange situation, Yesterday seems all too content to stay in the first category. None of these issues make Yesterday a bad movie — just a blandly pleasant, overly sweet, happily lighthearted and hardly memorable one. It's the cinematic equivalent of tapping your toes to an ace playlist that you know is trying to entice you onto your feet, but just never being inspired to get up and dance, let alone scream, twist and shout. But perhaps the picture's most perplexing element is its choice of director. Or, more accurately, the lack of impact that the usually vibrant and energetic Danny Boyle has. Only in swift scene transitions, large titles splashed across the screen, upbeat montages and a few instances of recreating Beatlemania does the filmmaker behind Trainspotting come close to making his presence felt. Boyle has dallied with love and music before in both A Life Less Ordinary and Slumdog Millionaire, and they're each vastly more vivid and lively. His skill with the soundtracks to his prior movies, including the pulsating drug-fuelled film that brought him to broader attention, is worlds above his work here. If Yesterday slots into his usual oeuvre, however, it's because it's a heist flick of sorts. The director keeps making them, focusing on characters who take what isn't theirs for their own gain, and pull the wool over someone's eyes in the process. And while this alternative-universe piece of Beatles worship blasts the same kind of tune, clearly, it's also guilty of playing just as fast and loose with the audience — selling them a quirky 'what if?' caper, but delivering a corny, business-as-usual romance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6jfp78Ho3k
Film and television aficionados take note — Tropfest Roughcut is back for its fourth instalment and should not be missed (particularly if you're thinking of entering your own short for Tropfest 2015). Featuring actors, directors, producers and comedians, the eclectic lineup of speakers will discuss creativity on the big and small screens. They will provide valuable insight to all interested in the industry, especially those looking to crack it. Headlining the list of industry heavyweight guest speakers will be director Alex Proyas, best known for I, Robot (2004) and cult classic The Crow (1994) and currently working on the much-anticipated blockbuster Gods of Egypt with Geoffrey Rush. Joining Proyas are Australian actor John Jarratt of Wolf Creek fame, motion picture stills photographer Jasin Boland (The Matrix, Mad Max: Fury Road, Skyfall), comedian and crowdfunder Dan Ilic and Triple J's regular film critic Marc Fennell, who will MC the event. With a mix of conversation, networking and panel discussions, it is no wonder that tickets are selling fast. Buy yours now to be ready for when Tropfest entries open on August 13.
Hope you're feeling hungry, because Taste of Sydney is back. One of the biggest, tastiest gastronomic events in town, this four-day foodie festival, which starts cooking on Thursday, March 9, will once again welcome some of the biggest names in Sydney's restaurant scene to cook up their signature dishes in Centennial Park. This year they've broken up their selection of restaurants into the precincts they reside. Representing Paddington (where everything seems to have opened this past year) will be two of Sydney's newer restaurants: Tequila Mockingbird and Saint Peter (which we named as one of our favourite new restaurants of last year). Respective chefs — Regan Porteous and Josh Niland — will make their Taste debut alongside Guillaume Brahimi, who'll be representing Paddo pub The Four in Hand. The CBD will be brought to Centennial by Bouche on Bridge and — another of our favourite restaurants of 2016 — Mercado, and Turkish eatery Anason will rep Barangaroo. If you've been in previous years, you'll have sampled dishes from Porteño, Kensington Street Social and nel. — these guys will all be returning with new noms for 2017. When you're not busy stuffing your face (but let's be honest, that's why you're there), you can also try your hand at cooking school, learn some skills alongside one of the aforementioned chefs in a masterclass, or up your wine knowledge with an expert from The Wine Society. Tickets cost $25, which will get you entry to the festival and access to some workshops and free tastings. You'll have to purchase food separately, but it's still a pretty good way to try some of Sydney's fanciest food without committing to a whole meal (and hefty bill). TASTE OF SYDNEY 2017 LINEUP Saint Peter Mercado Bouche on Bridge Tequila Mockingbird Porteño nel. Anason Kensington Street Social Gastro Park [competition]612435[/competition] By Tom Clift and Lauren Vadnjal. Image: Alana Dimou for Bouche on Bridge.
Think of Thailand and you probably think of idyllic beaches, excellent food and lovely, welcoming people. But there's one more thing you can add to that list: trash. Specifically, agricultural and industrial waste. In the country's creative and industrial hubs, a group of environmentally conscious Thai brands are creating practical objects out of discarded materials and embodying the ethos of DEWA and DEWI, or Design from Waste of Agriculture and Industry — a method that uses design and creativity to both repurpose waste and minimise pollution. As the old saying goes: one man's trash is another man's treasure. And in this case, the proverbial trash has been repurposed to create treasure in the form of tableware, carry bags and eco-friendly upholstery. Pineapple by-products, unused medical gloves, car parts and even food scraps are all being transformed into products that are useful, eco-friendly and aesthetically pleasing. And as the other old saying goes: waste not, want not. We've teamed up with Thailand's Department of International Trade Promotion to showcase six brands that are solving environmental problems and hitting consumer demand all in one go by turning garbage into gold. THAI NUM CHOKE Thailand has a huge pineapple industry and that mammoth crop leads to a whole lot of pineapple leaves ending up as waste each year. The unwanted leaves are usually discarded via burning, causing an extra kick of waste, too. But it turns out this fibrous material doesn't need to go up in flames. At Thai Num Choke, pineapple leaves are transformed into fibres, yarns and even vegan leather before being reborn as bags, clothing and award-winning fabrics. Blended with industrial materials and hemp barks (another agricultural waste problem), the fabrics make for durable upholstery and beautiful, environmentally responsible leather. Thai Num Choke also uses natural dye sources and is looking at reclaiming other waste products to expand its innovative textile making. LAMUNLAMAI It's no secret that food waste is a big environmental issue. But what if that waste could end up back on the table — think, an egg cup made of eggshells, coffee accoutrements made of coffee grounds and a vase made of carrot pulp. At Lamunlamai, that's exactly what you'll find. Taking waste from individuals, restaurants and industry, Lamunlamai creates artisanal ceramic tablewares, the shapes and subdued natural hues of which are made to echo their source material. Utterly unique and with exquisite attention to detail, each piece is a beautiful work of art for the table which harks back to the company's origins in creating custom pieces and art installations. MUNIE The Delight Collection by Munie has very humble beginnings: weeds and waste. In Thailand, water hyacinths infest city drains and need to be regularly cleared. As it turns out, those tough but elegant masses of weeds can be turned into natural fibres that are light, quick-drying and absorbent. When woven into yarn with cotton scraps, this waste matter becomes a useful and beautiful fabric that can be used to make pillows, slippers, cushions, table-runners, hats and baskets. Munie supports a strong rural economy by investing in local workers, making its fabrics sustainable and socially conscious all the way along the production line. RUBBER IDEA Rubber Idea is a clever concept. In a post-plastic bag era, the 5 billion unused medical gloves that go to waste each year seemed like a golden opportunity to create recycled and reusable carry bags. After all, rubber is waterproof, easy to clean and the latex can be reconstituted and coloured in vibrant hues, giving you a functional and environmentally responsible bag that also provides a solution to a huge waste problem. It's not just bags that Rubber Idea has mastered. It also has a line of pet products including accessories, temperature-adjustable bedding and chewable and snack-dispensing toys. Because why shouldn't your beloved pet live the same environmentally conscious lifestyle as you? CHYWA You probably think about petrol pollution and the fossil fuels that are used to power your car regularly, but what about the environmental impact from the actual car itself? Airbags alone result in tonnes of waste each year across Asia, Europe and the US. But they're a durable material: tough, wrinkle-resistant and made to withstand stress and hard knocks. In other words, ideal for the outdoors. Chywa receives airbags and seatbelts from Thai garages and up-cycles them into outdoor lifestyle products. The range features stylish and functional camping gear including backpacks, folding chairs, shoulder bags and wide-brimmed hats. With tourism being an integral part of Thailand's economy, integrating sustainable practices to improve the ecological footprint of this industry makes complete sense. RENIM PROJECT Producing just one brand-new pair of jeans uses on average 7,600 litres of water and can create up to 60 kilograms of CO2 emissions. And when you think about how many new pairs of jeans are made each year, that's a lot unnecessary usage. With fast fashion being such a big polluter, consumers are wising up and looking for alternatives. The solution? Recycle, reduce and redesign denim via The Renim Project. This Bangkok-based label raises awareness around denim waste through Thai craftsmanship. Using all scrap parts — including zippers, buttons and leather labels — the project reforms waste into stylish new fashion items, such as eye-catching patchwork clothing, bags, accessories and even placemats and table runners. The Renim Project also collaborates on limited-run items that have made their way into LA Fashion Week. Keen to explore more waste-embracing Thai brands? For more information, visit the DITP website, or explore more of Thailand's booming creative scene here.
If you find yourself thinking back on Law & Order re-runs, Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs or Heath Ledger's turn as the Joker in The Dark Knight, you're probably thinking about one particular type of scene. There's an art to a good on-screen interrogation — to seeing characters verbally spar back and forth, as one probes for answers and the other tries to avoid their questions — that's riveting when it's done well. It's also hilarious when it's done comedically (see Brooklyn Nine-Nine); however, nothing beats a grim, serious, eyes-blazing, nostril-flaring confrontation between a suspected criminal and a savvy detective who are both confined to the same small room. Netflix, in its seemingly never-ending quest to turn every single possible idea into highly binge-able streaming content, took this concept and ran with it in its anthology crime series Criminal — which first premiered last year. Love interrogations, but not so fussed about all the stuff around them? Then you'll want to glue your peepers to this, because it's all about heated chats in police interview suites. In fact, that's all it's about. And, after a first season that spanned dozen different tales across just as many 45-minute episodes — spending three episodes each focusing on cases in France, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom — Criminal is coming back for a four-episode UK-based second season. While the first batch of episodes featured David Tennant and Agent Carter's Hayley Atwell among its British cast, this time around the show has enlisted Game of Thrones' Kit Harington, Catastrophe and Game Night's Sharon Horgan, The Big Bang Theory's Kunal Nayyar and Wild Rose's Sophie Okonedo to answer a barrage of tense questions. Once again, expect claustrophobic, cat-and-mouse-style confrontations — and twisty narratives that rarely go in the direction expected. The show's second season will hit Netflix on Wednesday, September 16. Check out the season two trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtHBrjgDjes Criminal's second season will release on Netflix on Wednesday, September 16.
Receiving three million hits per month, San Francisco-based Indie Shuffle is one of the music blogsphere's biggest movers and shakers. They're not about delivering harsh reviews or shaping Gen Y's tastes. They're mainly concerned with sharing new music and supporting upcoming acts: in their own words, "hopefully a few of us can help you find something new". Hence, Indie Shuffle Presents, a night of independent Aussie music, organised by the blog's Sydney-based cohort. The first event in this series, held in November 2012, featured local pop groups, including Made in Japan and Palms; the second is to be an electro fest. Melbourne's Rat and Co. are bringing their "homemade ambient beats" to the headline spot, fresh from the launch of their debut film clip. Support acts include Kilter, Lanterns and The Gate DJs. https://youtube.com/watch?v=D42NQXKmc3M
Eye. Aperture. Descender. Spine. A weird collection of words, but for a typographer (or a publication nerd like me) they make perfect sense together. Every letter of the alphabet can be split into components which can be moulded and shaped, cut and stretched to create unique typefaces. Having been exposed to so many for so long, we don't actually realise how much of an impact fonts have on our perception of the world around us. For those of us too busy to enrol in a graphic design course but still passionate about learning more there is Typography Insight. The iPad application allows you to get up close and personal, and thereby understand the amazing cratsmanship that goes into making ordinary letters into extraordinary fonts. The resource is encyclopedic in depth, You can be guided through font terminology, compare fonts, or just admire the intricacies that only a super close-up can offer. The designer Dong Yoon Park ask: "How can the cold and rigid design approach of many top-notch technologies be turned into warmer and friendlier interfaces?" https://youtube.com/watch?v=wkoX0pEwSCw [via Gizmodo]
Alaska Projects, the artist-run space nestled inside a parking lot, will be hosting Conor O'Shea's Repeat/Patterns exhibition starting Wednesday, April 30. A recent graduate from Sydney's National Art School, O'Shea has previously contributed to a number of group shows and exhibited as part of the Damien Minton Gallery's Graceland with the late Martin Sharp. O'Shea's Repeat/Pattern doesn't exhibit individual artworks but rather is one entire body of work. Intended to be viewed as a visual essay, O'Shea's exhibition features images of planets, lights and universal forms against a wall of patterned houndstooth. Repeat/Pattern will transform Alaska Projects into one enormous optical illusion of sorts, with his paintings, silkscreen and photographic prints as well as a projection and single wall graphic. Head there from 6pm on Wednesday, April 30.
Award-winning pastry chef and dessert expert Anna Polyviou is bringing her beloved sweet treats to the inner west. Polyviou revealed she'll be opening her first shopfront in Marrickville later this year, via an Instagram post earlier this month. Polyviou, known for her outlandish dessert creations, appearances on MasterChef Australia and her iconic pink mohawk, said she had received the keys to a store in the inner west suburb and has plans to open up around Easter. "YES I am opening my first FIRST SHOP... and what better location than Marrickville. It's forever been a dream of mine & my teams to be around such an amazing community," Polyviou wrote on Instagram. Not much has been revealed about the shop yet, with more information to be unveiled soon. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anna Polyviou (@annapolyviou) The announcement comes as the popular chef launched a new range of cookie dough available at Harris Farm Markets across Sydney. Hot off the tails of Bennett St Dairy's supermarket cookie dough which captured the attention of Sydneysiders in lockdown last year, Polyviou has dropped a range of bake-it-yourself dough featuring three flavours — triple choc, choc brownie and peanut butter fudge. To stay up-to-date with everything happening at Anna Polyviou's Marrickville store, be sure to follow her on Instagram as she documents the process of renovating and setting up the shop. Anna Polyviou's inaugural IRL store is set to open in Marrickville sometime in April or May 2022. We'll bring you more details as they become available.
Melbourne's restaurant scene is vast and varied. But what do the Meatball and Wine Bar, Circa The Prince, Little Hunter, The Estelle, Izakaya Den and Jacques Reymond have in common? Their plates, that's what. Behind this homewares evolution is Glenn Tebble Homewares, from Unique Pottery, who create tableware and tailor-made designs for restaurants and chefs. Made from stoneware, each piece is designed and created right here in Melbourne and embraces the unique, ever-changing nature of the food scene. Through his time working with chefs and restaurateurs, Glenn Tebble, the man behind Glenn Tebble Homewares, came to find that people were looking for items that just didn't exist yet. And so, their bespoke range was born. Together with chefs, Glenn designs and creates products on a need-by-need basis. Collaborating with some of Melbourne's best restaurants, Glenn tells us how some of these ideas came to fruition. Scott Picket and Ryan Flaherty – The Estelle "Long-time customers and all-round good blokes from The Estelle Scott Pickett and Ryan Flaherty have always been a good source of inspiration. With their history in Michelin star restaurants overseas, the boys were often coming to us with ideas, and not just from the design side of things. The boys suggested what we now call the splatter range. "We developed a new colour option by using two kinds of glazes, whether it was a two toned colour or an abstract kind of finish. It opened a gateway for a whole new line of products — some of the glazes also present a textured look and feel." Meatball and Wine Bar "The team at Meatball And Wine Bar were on the hunt for a specific bowl for their balls. As I had worked with their management team previously, they approached me. We designed what is currently our most popular bowl. It was made it to the specifications, and managed to streamline it with our existing larger bowl, creating a new range. As you can see, the gents at Meatballs are very happy with the result." Simon Denton – Izakaya Den "Some time back now, I approached Simon Denton, from Izakaya Den. Simon loved our range and went on to purchase a large quantity for his underground gem. Simon also liked our large sushi plate, but he also wanted one a little smaller. Again, I got the design team onto it and it was in his restaurant within six weeks. We must have made an impression, as when Denton launched his revamp of the old Verge site, now Numa Numa, he came to us for his bespoke noodle bowls." Paul Wilson – Melbourne Pub Group "Paul Wilson came to me with a plastic shaped taco holder that they had been using — just as the taco scene went crazy in Melbourne. He wanted something similar but a lot sexier! We made two versions, one that could hold two tacos and another that could hold four. The end result surpassed his expectations. We have since seen more chefs use their creative flair — with Guy Grossi using it as a panini holder and, thinking outside the square, other ideas have been for mini hotdogs, souvlakis and as a vessel for a cheese display." Tony Twitchett – Taxi Dining Room "Tony Twitchett from Taxi Dining Room in Melbourne loved our range, but at the time we had nothing that suited his needs. He required a large rippled square platter for his signature duck dish and their amazing sashimi. So, we put a conservative spin on his idea and we came up with one of the very few square plates that we have in our range.”
No matter what their colour, condition, or quality, Rutherford Chang wants your iconic 1968 Beatles 'White Album'. Although it was only sold as a limited edition item, the White Album sold over 3 million copies back in the day. The album was unique in its simplicity with a purely white cover and only an embossed script of the band's name and a serial number to distinguish it from a plain piece of cardboard. However, the period of 45 years proves to completely transform these indistinguishable albums into individuals each with their own personality. After a lifetime of differing experiences, alternate uses, and completely separate wears and tears, these plain white albums now share rich historical stories through the text written on their covers, the scratches in the music, the yellowing on the corners, and even the mould on the surface. These intricacies, these signs of love, rejection, kinship, or heartache are exactly what Chang is interested and why he was inspired to collect as many of these White Albums as possible for his exhibition: 'We Buy White Albums'. What he calls his 'anti-store' is set up in SoHo, New York and being featured by the artistic workspace Recess. Rather than selling these aged vinyls, Chang is offering to buy any White Album for a fixed price, no matter what their condition. Chang was fascinated by the concept of mass customisation. Although the white albums start off as homogenised products, each as identical and monotonous as the next , he "noticed how personalised every copy of the White Album has become over the course of the last half century and wanted to compare different copies.” While some copies may have been played religiously every night for a decade, some were played once then discarded and others may have been passed down a long line of buyers and sellers, rocked out at in clubs, provided background music for parties, or even experienced the blossoming of love or the breaking or hearts. Each individual album has been distinctly shaped through its history, which is evident through the imperfections in both its physical appearance and audio quality. The 'We Buy White Albums' Exhibition is on show until March 9; however, Chang is determined for it not to simply reach a standstill there. He has collated over 697 records to date and doesn't intend to simply discard the treasures like so many have before him. Following the closing of the anti-store, Chang will press a double LP of all the songs from 100 different albums layered together in a single audio sequence. Each discrete record has developed its own unique character with scratches and warps at various points in the songs. The resulting track will be like hearing hundreds of Beatles albums at once, with the individuality of each standing out above the next. Via Wired.
If you're heading out for a night of Mardi Gras partying on Saturday and you're already planning your Sunday recovery meal, Heaps Gay and Absolut are offering up a Sunday roast like never before — and keeping the party rolling — with a huge day of food, drinks, music and performance. The Roast is a one-off feast heading to USyd's The Refectory on Sunday, March 6 with an all-star cast of chefs and entertainers. On the menu will be a colourful take on the traditional Sunday roast created by fan-favourite chef Anna Polyviou. Joining Polyviou will be Mangarai First Nations queen Tyra Bankstown and the Blak Moles, QTPOC ballroom and dance collective House of Silky, local legend DJs Stereogamous (Paul Mac and Johnny Seymour) and classical performers Timothy and the Heart Strings. Plus, attendees can expect some special-guest appearances throughout the event. Better yet, the extravagant event is raising money for a good cause with 100% of ticket sales being donated to Acon, Australia's largest HIV, sexuality and gender diverse health organisation. Acon has been working to help ensure members of the LGBTQIA+ community can live their healthiest lives since 1985. The Sunday lunch will kick off at midday and run until 5pm, at which time you'll have to make the difficult decision on whether to kick on or bee-line home to get in a few hours rest before the week begins after your weekend of partying. Tickets are $108 and includes a four-course meal with matching cocktails and a full day's worth of entertainment.
For the entire glorious, autumnal month of April, the inner west's ravenous hordes will be just a hop, skip and a jump away from Josh Arthurs' extraordinary burgers. Yep, Burgers by Josh is taking over the kitchen at the Annandale Hotel for a whole four weeks. The event is a logical follow-up to the pub's two February Bush Burger pop-ups, which both sold out. Needless to say, the menu will be loaded with Josh's well-known creations, from the Fat Tony — a wagyu patty piled with provolone cheese, pickled Spanish onion and rocket — to the Infamous Primo, a wagyu pattie with American cheddar, house-made pickles, Thousand Island dressing, iceberg lettuce, beer battered onion rings and crispy American bacon, topped with a jalapeño popper. And, because it's a takeover, there'll be some extra additions in the form of weekend brunches. Expect breakfast burgers, peanut butter jelly toasties and more. Meanwhile, the hotel is developing a drinks menu designed to complement Josh's offerings. So gear up for all the big, fizzy, American flavours, from boozed milkshakes to spiked spiders. But if you're looking for some fruit at a burger pop-up at a pub, rest assured there'll be freshly squeezed juices too.
'Escape room' has been a bit of a loaded term for the past 18 months or so. We all know how crucial lockdowns are to stopping the spread of COVID-19, but we've all dreamed about escaping our own four walls during stay-at-home stints, too. And, if you're a fan of actual escape rooms — the themed spaces where puzzle buffs track down clues, solve mysteries and try to sleuth their way out the doors — you haven't had too many chances to enjoy your favourite pastime during the pandemic. You mightn't be able to head to a physical escape room at the moment — you could be in lockdown in Sydney or Brisbane, or it hasn't been a priority after Melbourne's last stay-at-home stretch, for instance — but one Australian venue wants you to keep enjoying its mysteries within your own house. Arcadium Adventures set up shop in Spring Hill in Brisbane in 2020, complete with a bar and different spaces for patrons to puzzle their way through. Now, it's also releasing online mystery kits for you to enjoy at home. A Most Mysterious Convention is the first kit in a planned series, and it'll task you with figuring out a secret message — all by printing out and reading the materials provided, and also by doing some cutting and punching of holes (with a hole punch, of course). You'll be solving puzzles in the process, too, with the whole experience expected to take between 90–120 minutes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arcadium Adventures (@arcadiumadventures) If you get stumped, you can also access the Arcadium Archives online for hints and clues as part of the $20 kit price. And, if you'd prefer to get a physical copy that you don't have to print out yourself, you can get one posted to you for $28. Obviously, you now have something else to add to your to-do list while you're spending more time at home. Yes, your streaming queue can wait for a few hours of puzzles. For more information about Arcadium Adventures' A Most Mysterious Convention kits, or to buy one, head to the venue's website. Top image: Arcadium Adventures.
It's been home to David Lynch's eerie filmscapes, Yayoi Kusama's infinity and obliteration rooms, Gary Carsley's projected jacarandas and Patricia Piccinini's forest of flowers that aren't quite flowers. It has also welcomed a riverbed, a snowman and a suspended installation that visitors can climb through, too. Marvel has taken over the place, and European masterpieces from The Met have graced the walls as well. But a labyrinth of red and black wool? That's about to completely transform Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art this winter. Yes, GOMA loves an immersive installation. It loves this one in particular — and yes, it should sound familiar. Originally, Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles was announced as part of the gallery's 2020 lineup; however, we all know how that year turned out. So, it's coming Brisbane's way as an Australian exclusive from June 18–October 3 this year instead. The eye-catching exhibition will showcase the Berlin-based Japanese artist and her work over the past quarter-century, coming to Brisbane after premiering in Tokyo back in 2019. And while it won't sit 53 storeys up or come with panoramic views of the city, like it did in Japan, Shiota's string-heavy installations are certain to garner more than a little attention. Fashioned from millions of strands, they resemble weaved, maze-like webs and take up entire rooms. The Soul Trembles is the largest-ever solo exhibition by the artist — and although GOMA hasn't revealed just how much of the Tokyo lineup is coming to Brisbane, art lovers can expect an array of sprawling installations, sculptures and video footage of Shiota's performances, as well as photographs and drawings. Highlighting her fascination with intangible concepts, such as memory, anxiety, dreams and silence, the ticketed display is Brissie's big art date for the winter. [caption id="attachment_750700" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Chiharu Shiota. b.1972, Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Uncertain Journey (2016/2019). Courtesy: Blain | Southern, London/Berlin/New York. Installation view: Shiota Chiharu: The Soul Trembles, Mori. Art Museum, Tokyo, 2019. Image courtesy: Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. Photograph: Sunhi Mang.[/caption] The Soul Trembles will take over GOMA once the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art wraps up at the end of April. Also doing the honours this year: a blockbuster summer showcase called Air, which'll follow on from Water back in 2019 and 2020. Running from November 26, 2002–April 23, 2023, it'll feature works by Ron Mueck, Anthony McCall, Dora Budor, Jonathan Jones, Dr Uncle Stan Grant Sr AM, Carlos Amorales and Tomás Saraceno, all diving into air in a cultural, ecological and political sense — with further details to be revealed later in the year. Before that, though, Transitions will showcase historical Aboriginal bark paintings and contemporary Indigenous works from August 20, 2022–April 10, 2023, with pieces hailing from Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA's collection. And, over at QAG, Knowledge: Queensland Contemporary Art will run from August 13, 2022–January 22, 2023, complete with new commissions and recent work by Robert Andrew, Burchill/McCamley, Megan Cope, Archie Moore, Ethel Murray and Ryan Presley, as well as Obery Sambo, Vanghoua Anthony Vue, Rosie Ware, Jenny Watson, Warraba Weatherall and Justene Williams. From August 27, 2022–January 29, 2023, QAG will also present the first major museum survey of work by Queensland-born painter Joe Furlonger. In other words, get ready to spend a whole lot of 2022 — and much of 2023, too — in a Brissie art gallery. [caption id="attachment_677208" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gallery of Modern Art, exterior, south and east face, James Turrell artwork.[/caption] QUEENSLAND ART GALLERY AND GALLERY OF MODERN ART 2022 PROGRAM: The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at GOMA — until April 25, 2022. Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles at GOMA — June 18–October 3, 2022. Knowledge: Queensland Contemporary Art at QAG — August 13, 2022–January 22, 2023 Transitions at GOMA — August 20, 2022–April 10, 2023. Joe Furlonger at QAG — August 27, 2022–January 29, 2023. Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles displays at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, Stanley Place, South Brisbane from June 18–October 3, 2022. For further details — or to find out more about the gallery's full 2022 slate — visit its website. Top image: Chiharu Shiota b.1972, Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. In Silence (2002/2019). Production support: Alcantara S.p.A. Installation view: Shiota Chiharu: The Soul Trembles, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, 2019. Courtesy: Kenji Taki Gallery, Nagoya/Tokyo. Image courtesy: Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. Photograph: Sunhi Mang.
It seems we can't get enough Robo-Cop inspired tech. The robot exoskeleton that confers superhuman strength is already out there, and now circuit-laden contact lenses are being developed to beam augmented reality straight to your retina. Researchers at the University of Washington have developed lenses embedded with semi-transparent electronics, which most pundits report as an internet accessible contact lens. The reality, at this stage, is much more modest. So far the team have been able to put an 8 x 8 pixel array on a contact lens, and tested it on rabbits for twenty minutes — think Robo-Rabbit playing a quick game of checkers, rather than Minority Report. This article by the lead researcher Babak A Parviz discusses the difficulties with developing an augmented reality contact lens, but shows that we already have the technology to overcome most of the hurdles. The only question is getting it small enough, and safe enough, to fit on 1.5 square centimetres of polymer that sits on your eye. The piece also suggests uses for the tech other than web surfing — being in constant contact with fluids, it would be an ideal place for sensors to monitor health metrics like glucose levels. Being able to bat your eyelids and check your email might still be a pipe-dream, but perhaps we're not so far from having a health bar in the corner of the 'screen' reminding us when to have our next check up. https://youtube.com/watch?v=h1SlPUkC6Fc [via PSFK]
With Australia's borders firmly shut, international travel has been relegated to the realm of dreams, and it looks like it'll be staying there for a good long while. But if you're happy to pretend you're taking a getaway, Qantas has been offering up several products to help. First, it sold its pyjamas, amenity sets and other in-flight goodies. Then, it moved onto fully stocked bar carts. Now, the Aussie airline has released a luxe range of athleisure wear — the type of thing you'd don if you were heading off on holidays, obviously. Launched in collaboration with Australian designer Martin Grant, the new collection has a retro feel, too — because fondly recalling better times gone by is another thoroughly 2020 pastime. A number of Qantas' vintage logos are splashed across range, so you can choose between old-school lettering or the famed kangaroo motif. The collection spans a cashmere jumper, a hoodie, sweatshirts, t-shirts and a beach tote. Colour-wise, the range highlights the company's red and navy colour scheme, as well as grey and wattle yellow. And yes, it's definitely designed to make you feel nostalgic. "This collection is all about classic shapes, comfortable styles and materials that are kind on the environment. But the hero of the designs are the iconic logos that evoke so many fond memories for Australians," said Grant. If wearing an airline logo will make you feel like you've jetted far, far away, a word of warning: this limited-edition collection doesn't come cheap. If you're paying cash, you can expect to fork out $425 for a yellow or navy sweater, $275 for a navy hoodie, $250 for grey sweatshirts, $150 for a navy or grey t-shirt, and $350 for a navy beach tote — or part with a heap of Qantas points. You can buy Qantas' athleisure-wear collection online, using cash or points.
While there'll be a rather lavish $13 million on the line, the Everest Carnival's headline day offers plenty of action off the track with food, drink, live entertainment and, of course, the infamous fashions. Held Saturday, October 13 at Royal Randwick, The TAB Everest Day will host various pop-up bars and lounges, including the Heineken 3 shipping container and the Gordon's Pink Gin bar. When hunger strikes, pop down to the Royal Randwick's casual dining precinct, The Mews, where a bevvy of food trucks will be serving up Vietnamese eats, burgers and juicy American barbecue. And those dressed to impress can also take part in the Harrolds Fashion Chute, the Everest Carnival's fashion competition that could have you jetting off to Europe for free. Do your best modelling and get your photo taken on the Octagonal Lawn to go in the running. Don't disappear at the end of the day either — former One Direction star Liam Payne will be performing a 45-minute concert for all Everest Day ticket holders.
When an awards body has spent almost a century handing out high-profile gongs in a field that garners plenty of attention, it really should be past the point of smashing records and making history. But the Academy Awards hasn't been particularly inclusive or diverse over its 93-year run to-date — which is why 2021's big winner is still breaking boundaries. When Chloé Zhao was nominated for this year's Best Director Oscar for Nomadland, she already achieved an immense feat. Only five female filmmakers had ever even made it to the awards ceremony in the coveted field before 2021, and she joined Promising Young Woman's Emerald Fennell among this year's candidates. This marked the first time ever that two women had received recognition in the same year in the category, too, because when it comes to realising that yes, women are filmmakers, the Academy's track record has been nothing short of abysmal. Now, with the awards handed out and winners anointed, Zhao has become the first woman of colour to ever emerge victorious in the field. She's only the second woman to ever win as well. Zhao ended up with two awards, because Nomadland won Best Picture and she was one of the film's producers. But the importance of her win for Best Director really can't be understated. Zhao joins The Hurt Locker's Kathryn Bigelow, who nabbed the prize in 2009, as the only two women who've ever scooped the field. And, with their nominations, both Zhao and Fennell joined Bigelow, Lina Wertmüller (for Seven Beauties), Jane Campion (for The Piano), Sofia Coppola (for Lost in Translation) and Greta Gerwig (for Lady Bird) as the only women to even get the chance to win Best Director on Hollywood's night of nights. [caption id="attachment_796213" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Director Chloé Zhao filming Nomadland. Image: Searchlight Pictures.[/caption] Nomadland is Zhao's third film, after 2015's Songs My Brothers Taught Me and 2017's The Rider — and viewers can already look forward to watching her fourth later this year. Her next movie will see the director head into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Eternals focusing on an immortal alien race, and starring Angelina Jolie (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil), Kumail Nanjiani (Stuber), Salma Hayek (Like a Boss), Barry Keoghan (Calm with Horses), Gemma Chan (Captain Marvel), Brian Tyree Henry (Superintelligence) and Game of Thrones co-stars Richard Madden and Kit Harington. Zhao will be working on a far bigger scale than seen in her filmography so far; however, there's a sense of empathy and a knack for observation to her features that'll hopefully make the much-needed jump to superhero territory. If you're wondering who else emerged victorious at this year's Oscars, the full list of nominees and winners in every category is below. You can also check out our in-depth overview of ten of this year's winners that are worth watching ASAP. OSCAR NOMINEES AND WINNERS 2021 BEST MOTION PICTURE The Father Judas and the Black Messiah Mank Minari Nomadland Promising Young Woman Sound of Metal The Trial of the Chicago 7 BEST DIRECTOR Another Round, Thomas Vinterberg Mank, David Fincher Minari, Lee Isaac Chung Nomadland, Chloé Zhao Promising Young Woman, Emerald Fennell PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Viola Davis, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Andra Day, The United States vs Billie Holiday Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman Frances McDormand, Nomadland Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Anthony Hopkins, The Father Gary Oldman, Mank Steven Yeun, Minari PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy Olivia Colman, The Father Amanda Seyfried, Mank Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7 Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah Leslie Odom Jr, One Night in Miami Paul Raci, Sound of Metal LaKeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Judas and the Black Messiah, Will Berson, Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenny Lucas and Keith Lucas Minari, Lee Isaac Chung Promising Young Woman, Emerald Fennell Sound of Metal, Darius Marder, Abraham Marder and Derek Cianfrance The Trial of the Chicago 7, Aaron Sorkin BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Swimer, Peter Baynham, Erica Rivinoja, Dan Mazer, Jena Friedman and Lee Kern The Father, Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller The Mauritanian, Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani and MB Traven Nomadland, Chloé Zhao The White Tiger, Ramin Bahrani BEST ORIGINAL SCORE Da 5 Bloods, Terence Blanchard Mank, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Minari, Emile Mosseri News of the World, James Newton Howard Soul, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste BEST ORIGINAL SONG 'Fight For You', Judas and the Black Messiah (HER, Dernst Emile II and Tiara Thomas) 'Hear my Voice', The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Daniel Pemberton and Celeste Waite) 'Husavik', Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (Savan Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus and Rickard Göransson) 'Io Si (Seen)', The Life Ahead (Diane Warren and Laura Pausini) 'Speak Now', One Night in Miami (Leslie Odom, Jr and Sam Ashworth) BEST FILM EDITING The Father, Yorgos Lamprinos Nomadland, Chloé Zhao Promising Young Woman, Frédéric Thoraval Sound of Metal, Mikkel EG Nielsen The Trial of the Chicago 7, Alan Baumgarten BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM Another Round Better Days Collective The Man Who Sold His Skin Quo Vadis, Aida? BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Onward Over the Moon A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon Soul Wolfwalkers BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Collective Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution The Mole Agent My Octopus Teacher Time BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Judas and the Black Messiah, Sean Bobbitt Mank, Erik Messerschmidt News of the World, Dariusz Wolski Nomadland, Joshua James Richards The Trial of the Chicago 7, Phedon Papamichael BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN The Father, Peter Francis and Cathy Featherstone Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Mark Ricker, Karen O'Hara and Diana Stoughton Mank, Donald Graham Burt and Jan Pascale News of the World, David Crank and Elizabeth Keenan Tenet, Nathan Crowley and Kathy Lucas BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Love and Monsters, Matt Sloan, Genevieve Camilleri, Matt Everitt and Brian Cox The Midnight Sky, Matthew Kasmir, Christopher Lawrence, Max Solomon and David Watkins Mulan, Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury and Steve Ingram The One and Only Ivan, Santiago Colomo Martinez, Nick Davis, Greg Fisher Tenet, Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher BEST COSTUME DESIGN Emma, Alexandra Byrne Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Ann Roth Mank, Trish Summerville Mulan, Bina Daigeler Pinocchio, Massimo Cantini Parrini BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING Emma, Marese Langan, Laura Allen and Claudia Stolze Hillbilly Elegy, Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle and Patricia Dehaney Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson Mank, Gigi Williams, Kimberley Spiteri and Colleen LaBaff Pinocchio, Mark Coulier, Dalia Colli and Francesco Pegoretti BEST SOUND Greyhound, Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman Mank, Ren Klyce, Jeremy Molod, David Parker, Nathan Nance and Drew Kunin News of the World, Oliver Tarney, Mike Prestwood Smith, William Miller and John Pritchett Soul, Ren Klyce, Coya Elliott and David Parker Sound of Metal, Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT Colette A Concerto is a Conversation Do Not Split Hunger Ward A Love Song for Latasha BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM Burrow Genius Loci If Anything Happens I Love You Opera Yes-People BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM Feeling Through The Letter Room The Present Two Distant Strangers White Eye Top image: Frances McDormand and Chloé Zhao on the set of Nomadland. Image: Searchlight Pictures. © 2020, 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved
Head to the Northern Territory at any time of year and Uluru awaits, as well as the Tjoritja gorges and Kings Canyon. So does stunning new nightly light show Wintjiri Wiru, plus Bruce Munro's Field of Light and Light Towers installations. But only a visit in April involves basking in Parrtjima — A Festival In Light's stunning glow — and, if you're keen to head along to its next event, the must-attend First Nations arts, culture and storytelling festival has just locked in its 2024 dates. The region's luminous Indigenous arts fest will return from Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 21, as once again set against the 300-million-year-old MacDonnell Ranges. It's too early for program specifics, but it'll look stunning as always no matter what's on the bill. There will be a big change, however: a different team delivering Parrtjima's 2024 events behind the scenes. While the details there haven't been unveiled as yet either, the new partner will combine "innovative technologies with traditional storytelling methods," as per the festival's announcement — and is also someone with "a proven track record in creating bold and creative experiences". Rhoda Roberts AO will still curate the festival, with 2024's theme set to focus on interconnectedness and its importance in Aboriginal cultures. "Everything is living in Aboriginal culture and in the old ways, the approach was one of sharing and working together," said Roberts. "Our ancestors were living under strict social structures and belief systems where everything was interrelated from the land and waterways to our sky country. Along with resilience that's tinged with laughter, interconnectedness blankets the wisdom of generations that we are reminded to experience and absorb." If you're new to Parrtjima, which just might be Australia's most luminous festival, it features installations in breathtaking surroundings, plus music, talks, films, workshops and more. 2023's focus was 'Listening with Heart', as inspired by the artwork surrounding the Statement from the Heart — with that piece depicting Uluru-Ku Tjukurrpa, the Uluru story of connection, as created by a group of artists from Multijulu as led by Maruku artist Rene Kulitja. So, Kulitja worked with other of artists for Parrtjima to turn the Statement from the Heart artwork into a large-scale immersive light and sound installation. Accordingly, Parrtjima attendees were plunged in the world of the Aṉangu people of the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands surrounding Uluru. This year's festival installations featured ancient songlines, plus Indigenous viewpoints on Country, as well as connecting to First Peoples' strong links with the land, water and sky. Two things that are also always on the bill: two of the festival's regular annual attractions, aka a huge artwork that transforms a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic ranges, showering it with light each night of the festival; and Grounded, the installation projected over the red dirt at tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park. As for the music program, 2023's lineup overflowed with First Nations talent, including Docker River Band, Eastern Reggae Band, Emily Wurramara, JK-47, KAIIT, Karnage and Paul Ah Chee — and Radical Son, Richard J Frankland, Discovering Leerpeen Mara, Rowdy Birds, The Andrew Gurruwiwi Band and The Merindas. Details of each year's fest usually start dropping late in the year prior — we'll update you with more of what's in store for 2023 as it's announced. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light will return from Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 21, 2024, at venues around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Images: Parrtjima – A Festival in Light. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
