We usually assume, when at a play, that the main purpose of the undertaking was to create a great work of art. But in the case of A Long Way Home, it's secondary to (or at least shared with) with another goal: to heal. That it's an affecting, entertaining and great work of art is a bonus. The targets of said healing are Australian Defence Force servicemen and women — both the 15 involved in developing the production and the many, many more who it's hoped will come see it. On opening night, you could hear pockets of raucous laughter indicating where jokes had been deeply, deeply understood, so it sounds like the finished product is right on the mark. The Long Way Home is directed by Stephen Rayne, who led a similar production, The Two Worlds of Charlie F, at London's Theatre Royal Haymarket. It was after seeing that show that ADF Chief General David Hurley approached the Sydney Theatre Company with the idea of a partnership. This is a pretty unusual marriage — some of these performers haven't seen a work of theatre before — but it's a successful and eye-opening one. The script, built by playwright Daniel Keene based on weeks of collaboration with the soldiers, is a strong one. It's a composition of fragments — privates talking to themselves on nightwatch, a man in a coma who speaks only whispered riddles, four friends whose childhood playtime has imparted on them the mythology of war — that calls to mind the candid, boysy style of Generation Kill (probably on purpose; it's referenced as a favourite. The Hurt Locker, meanwhile, comes in for some ridicule). The through-line could be stronger but it's involving enough, and it must be said, the main performers are pretty spectacular when you consider that they're soldiers without dramatic training. Anchoring the vignettes are the stories of two returned servicemen struggling to adjust to regular life while saddled with PTSD (plus depression, plus anxiety), and in those hefty roles, Tim Loch and Craig Hancock make the acting gig look near easy. James Whitney proves a bit of a scene-stealer, too; he's got great character and conviction. The non-actors are in each scene paired or grouped with a professional actor, which must be the trick that keeps The Long Way Home on such a steady course. The show also makes a huge visual impact, thanks to a complex and ever-shifting array of sliding walls, lights and video projections. The approaching silhouettes of fully geared-up soldiers, the exhilarating bellow of 'Let the Bodies Hit the Floor' — it all adds up to make a powerful impression. This is no Powerpoint presentation at the RSL. The ultimate test passed, however, is how humanising this show is. I went in as someone with no bonds to the Australian war experience, and I came out understanding something of the people who go to war, and of the people who return. There's no macro political criticism in a circumstance like this, but on the micro, personal level, it is unabashed. After leaving the STC, the play will embark on a national tour, including performances at Brisbane's QUT Gardens Theatre and Melbourne's Merlyn Theatre.
Regardless of your thoughts on the Biennale boycott (and if you care about both art and asylum seekers, you probably had a few), the festival's eventual split with long-term sponsor Transfield has come as at least a temporary relief. Now, there is no reason for people to avoid attending the 19th Biennale of Sydney, and to miss out on a wondrous, inspiringly thought-out and immaculately implemented iteration of the event. Artistic director Juliana Engberg, usually of Melbourne's Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, has a great gift for curation (and communication; you must listen to her speak about the art at some point if you can), and she'll be a tough act to follow. First off, this is a Biennale that really gets Sydney's obsession with Cockatoo Island. As Juliana would have it, the island is "a fantasy location". It's where we go to play, to be floored by works of scale and to feel far away from the mundane. Perhaps no artwork exemplifies this idea so much as Callum Morton's The Other Side, a ghost train running through the Dog Leg Tunnel. I repeat, a ghost train (!) running through the Dog Leg Tunnel (!!). Entered with great ceremony via a massive Google search window (because Google is the scariest thing now? Not sure), it is oddly understated in execution, but it gets all the points for the temerity of the idea and perfectly dramatic use of the island. Similarly monumental installations include Danish artists Randi and Katrine's walk-through, pastel-fronted The Village (2014), a place where the idyllic and the parochial are in uncomfortable tension; Eva Koch's Turbine Hall-height I AM THE RIVER (2012), a video waterfall that takes on uncanny realness as you approach; Gerda Steiner and Jorg Lenzlinger's Bush Power (2014), a sprawling, chaotic gymnasium/generator of absurdist interaction; and Tori Wranes dark fairytale of a performance work, Stone and Singer (2014). In the island's Industrial Precinct, the few more contemplative works tend to get lost, but there is room to appreciate them if you venture further to the Docks Precinct. Mikala Dwyer's ethereal-looking 'air sculptures' The Hollows (2014) create a magical, suspended moment, while Ignas Krunglevicius's Interrogation (2009) is a hypnotic deconstruction of language and the legal system that is worth losing some time in. The whole-day-consuming Cockatoo Island is actually just one of five major venues for the festival. It is an impressive feature of the 19th Biennale of Sydney that the different venues are so clearly distinguished, each exploring different themes and mediums, evoking distinct moods and applying their own display techniques. Carriageworks, a new venue this year, references its recent history as a film studio for George Miller's Dr D. The exhibition there is focused on video works and cinematic imagery and, with that in mind, staged in near darkness. Discovering works within this shadowy realm is a unique and memorable experience, particularly coming upon the spooky centerpiece Where Spirits Dwell (2014), Gabriel Lester's life-size shack with curtains mid-bluster. The Art Gallery of NSW and Museum of Contemporary Art Australia play opposites for the Biennale period. Inspired by the open, waterside location, the MCA is the home of "liminal, libidinous, liquious" works (Juliana's words), while the earthy, central AGNSW is an "earth/fire space". The art at the MCA invites emotional, intuitive responses, while the AGNSW is more rational and outward-looking, housing most of the works that speak to the political issues circulating in the lead-up to the Biennale. A highlight in the MCA space is Douglas Gordon's Phantom (2011), a seductive yet mournful video and installation work that calls on the talents — and beautiful eye — of singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright. Another is Roni Horn's hefty Ten Liquid Incidents, whose solid cast glass is a trompe l'oeil, looking like a series of light, mysterious, very much fluid pools. There are so many great works to appreciate here, and playful, informative presentation to accompany them. In the Art Gallery of NSW, concrete statements mix with more oblique ones. The act of seeking refuge, high-density housing, religious belief, the wheel of fortune and the National Apology are just some of the subjects zeroed in on. Michael Cook's photographic series Majority Rule is a powerful one, using a sole repeated figure to call plaintive attention to the marginalisation of Australia's original peoples from its current social spaces. Yhonnie Scarce's Weak in Colour But Strong in Blood (2013/14) is even more disturbing on its subject of eugenics, achieving a deep symbolism through its ambitious glasswork. Serious art connoisseurs (and bird lovers) should head to the fifth venue, Woolloomoolloo's Artspace, where five works are showcased in an overlapping fashion. You'll have to pick your way through Ugo Rondinone's little bronze bird sculptures, each one idiosyncratic and identified by name (the sun, the horizon, the universe), to take in the ambiguous, less obviously connected works. There is a sixth venue, of course: all around you. Just hang around inner-Sydney's public spaces and wait for something inexplicable to happen. See some of the fantastic images from the Biennale in our gallery.
It isn't often you come across a band name that doubles as an appropriate review of the band's jaw-dropping performance. Thankfully, Holy Fuck are proudly flying the flag of that exclusive group and are about to plant it in Australia, as they are set to embark on a national tour to accompany their upcoming Groovin' the Moo appearances. The Canadian outfit is gracing our shores for the first time since 2011 and any readers who stood in awe at one of those shows will know that these are tickets not to be missed. Set lists are foregone as the band opt instead to thrive off their audience. Waves of energy cascade over the crowd, imbibing revellers with dancing urges that will continue for days as they relive the brilliance. Never has blaspheming and swearing been this fun, so grab yourself a ticket. https://youtube.com/watch?v=S2Y7TAtoAFk
This article is sponsored by our partners, Jameson Irish Whiskey. If you thought St Patrick’s Day was all four-leaf clovers, fiddlers and little people, you can think again. This year, Jameson Irish Whiskey and Ivy are teaming up to present Sydney’s first ever St Patrick’s Live. It’s a global festival that uses Ireland’s national day as an excuse to throw parties in cities all over the world — from Prague and Stockholm to Buenos Aires and Mumbai. Rather than resorting to a watered-down, touristified version of Irish culture, it aims to deliver a more authentic St Pat's Day celebration — as you might experience it in contemporary Ireland — complete with live bands and street stalls. Needless to say, world headquarters are firmly grounded in Dublin. This is the very first time, however, that St Patrick’s Live has made it to the Asia-Pacific region. In Sydney, the centrepiece will be a four-act live music lineup that's rather unlike what you're accustomed to seeing on 'themed' Irish pub programs. Party starters are Furnace and the Fundamentals, followed by Aussie hip-hop faves The Thundamentals. Then there’ll be guaranteed dance floor madness with Hot Dub Time Machine and Yolanda Be Cool. DJ Shantan Wantan Ichiban, who FBi listeners might know from Stolen Records, will be doing the hosting. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, you’ll be able to partake in some serious indulgence at the onsite markets, where you’ll discover a tempting selection of Jameson-inspired beverages and eats. Several independent fashion designers and craftspeople will also be peddling their wares, including triple-scented soy wax candle specialists Seer Footwear, Birichino Bikes and The Dining Dead, who turn cutlery into handmade jewellery. St Patrick’s Day Live will happen at Ivy on Sunday, March 16, between 3pm and 9pm. Tickets, at $50 a pop, are on sale now. Please enjoy Jameson responsibly.
It is with a triple bill as spectacular as it is diverse that the Sydney Dance Company erupts into its 45th year. Interplay opens with the measured elegance of 2 in D Minor, an exquisite physical imagining of Bach's solos for the violin, before exploding into the formidable visceral chaos of Raw Models. Utilising the entire company, L'Chaim rounds out the evening with a colourful comment on the life and art of the modern dancer. Artistic director Rafael Bonachela's own choreography in 2 in D Minor lends a stunning physicality to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Prodigious violinist Veronique Serret gives voice to Bach's extraordinary Partita 2 in D Minor, while the soloists, duos and trios of dancers around her lend it a compelling physical form. The staging is simple and powerful. Fluorescent white light cuts through an oppressive darkness, while dancers dressed in homogeneous black suits evoke the anonymity and uniformity of the urban worker. Bonachela plays poetically with the fluctuating relationship between music and dance. Weaving agonisingly beautiful solos, Veronique is alternately obeyed, feared and ignored by the dancers: is she directing or describing them with her music? Electronic interludes by composer Nick Wales expose the harsher undercurrents of Bach's masterpiece and of the dancers themselves, whose movements become raw and animalistic without losing any of their grace. With the commencement of Raw Models, the animal within the dancer finally takes over. A reimagining of Jacopo Godani's well-received 2011 work, Raw Models fuses a bold, industrial electro-acoustic score with Godani's intensely primal choreography to create a stark portrait of "how weak, fragile, empty and programmable we are". Raw Models allows just enough softness into its dissonant landscape to underscore the humanity of its powerful contortionists bathed in alien green light. Godani's masterful, futuristic creation is an unnerving expression of the battle between who we are and who everybody else expects us to be. Finally, Gideon Obarzanek's L'Chaim is a kaleidoscope of colour and symmetry. Based on the Socratic notion that "an unexamined life is not worth living", L'Chaim exposes its dancers to the questioning of an initially unidentified voice in the audience. Is it a casting agent? A choreographer? Or is it you, interrogating the dancers to find the meaning that their movement holds in your own life? David Woods' comedic script is fresh and fun and will have you laughing out loud but also makes a darker comment on the dancer as a replaceable commodity. This is thrown into starkest relief with the question to the eldest member of the cast, David Mack at 32: "How long do you have left, David?" Accessible, provocative and entertaining from start to finish, Interplay's triumphant triple bill will delight contemporary dance connoisseurs and newbies alike, and makes clear why the Sydney Dance Company remains Australia's darling after 45 jam-packed years in the business. $30 Under 30 tickets are available Tuesday - Thursday.
Over the coming months, Real Food Projects have added a bit of history to their menu of workshops. Working alongside Sydney Living Museums, a series of classes named Real Food/Old Ways will be held at Vaucluse House. Along with a two-hour workshop in the stables, the $120 classes include a private tour and history lesson, followed by a range of delicious lunches. The first class, Foraging and Colonial Cocktails, runs on Sunday, February 16, where you'll spend the afternoon with foraging expert Diego Bonetto collecting plants to make into cocktails. Later, join Christopher Thomas and Byron Woolfrey of Trolley'd to learn the history, secrets, and how-tos of cocktails. 'Foraging and Colonial Cocktails' runs from 2pm-5pm, and you'll even get to pocket a colonial-style cocktail mixer. A pickling class with Matt Rothman of Hands Lane (previously from Single Origin) runs on Sunday, March 9. From 10.30am-1.30pm you'll learn the basics, history and procedure of pickling. Take home the recipes, a pickle-making kit and the jar of pickles you make on the day.
Condensing the life story of Nelson Mandela into a single film is a daunting task. This is not just because the man went from being an agitator to a political prisoner to the first black president of South Africa (spoilers), but because the emotional connection the entire world has with one of the most significant anti-racism warriors is not a light one for a film to take on. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is not exactly up to the task. If this film is undone by anything, it's the biopic form itself. No film exists in a vacuum, and it's impossible to ignore that this biopic possesses basically the same narrative structure as most other activist/musician/politician/author biopics: begins, falls, rises. Which was the tagline to the Dark Knight trilogy, now that I think about it. The problem isn't that the film is reductive in its portrayal of Mandela's life — especially as it at least appears willing to show him at both his best and his worst — but that it is too reverential of its form. Director Justin Chadwick, best known for 2008's The Other Boleyn Girl, does not take any strong stylistic liberties with Mandela's story, but given the film feels frustratingly familiar, I rather wish he had. Idris Elba is very good in the role, and looks far more like Mandela than you might initially think. Oddly, he seems more comfortable playing the aged Mandela than the youthful one; the film itself echoes this feeling, significantly more at ease with Mandela the Forgiving Leader than Mandela the Righteous Terrorist. Winnie Mandela, who has, in many quarters, been retroactively painted as a villain in Nelson Mandela's life story, is given a much fairer shake here, in what is one of the film's better decisions. Although Winnie is depicted in the same generic strokes as everything else in the film, it at least acknowledges her best and her worst aspects, and that fairness is Mandela's saving grace. It doesn't hurt that Winnie is played by Naomie Harris, one of the UK's best actors, although her natural charisma is not given much room to shine through. The best thing that can be said of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is that it refuses to play in the same sandpit that the media did following the man's death last year, refusing to engage exclusively with the picture of Mandela as the genial statesman. The film is prepared to explore the elements of Mandela's past that would see him labelled a terrorist, and even if these are dealt with only perfunctorily, this sandpapering comes across as a result of the storytelling form rather than a politicised motivation. The worst thing that can be said of the film is that it is only superficially illuminating, briefly informative; the drama is only mildly engaging, the imprisonment distantly horrific. It insists upon keeping us at an arm's length for its not inconsiderable running time. Like a sign language-faking impostor at a funeral, the moves all look right to the untrained eye, but are, ultimately, devoid of all meaning. https://youtube.com/watch?v=hmm-aazQQKA
The idea of a covers album is pretty well established in music, but less so in literature. Badly done it's too easy to end up making apologies for plagiarism. Normally, to cover literature you need to rearrange into the voice of a nasty minor character or take a lifetime to churn out a translation. Artists tend to be less daunted by this challenge, with the site Recovering the Classics especially literal in its efforts. Local art purveyors the Affectors have taken up the challenge, filling the Comber St Gallery with book-themed illustrations at the Art of Storytelling. They've eschewed the literal cover, inviting 25 local artists instead to illustrate some classics. The results of these artistic pairings — for sale on the night — include Wayne Nichols' rendition of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Chris Nixon's On the Road and Australian comics-industry stalwart Jason Paulos's Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Augmented by live music at opening night, the Art of Storytelling will include Green Fairy concoctions and Little Creatures served throughout the night. Image: Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jason Paulos.
One of Shakespeare’s later works, The Winter’s Tale is a “problem play” for its disparity between tragedy and comedy, oscillating from one to the other like the debate on Climate Change. However, director John Bell's interpretation happily and deliberately doesn’t foreground logic as a primary function of storytelling. The play starts in the tragic, dramatic mode: King Leontes (Myles Pollard) falls prey to an irrational jealous rage and accuses his pregnant wife, Queen Hermione (Helen Thomson), of philandering with his best friend, King of Bohemia Polixenes (Dorian Nkono). Then, despite the good counsel of his suited-up advisors, Leontes gets Camillo (Philip Dodd) to kill his best friend (but instead they escape to Bohemia), banishes his wife to prison and orders the abandonment of his new born “bastard” daughter. All this high drama causes his son, Prince Mamillius (alternating nights, Rory Potter and Otis Pavlovic) to die offstage of stress and grief. Then in the second half of the play, the King returns to his senses and it turns into a comedy. His daughter shows up after 16 years of having been brought up as a Bohemian shepherdess, marries her father’s best friend’s son, the Prince of Bohemia, and the Queen is resurrected from a statue and forgives her husband and it all ends happily ever after. This surreal plot is brought together cleverly if a little heavy handedly by director John Bell, who frames the story from the perspective of the King’s son, Mamillius. Taking place in the prince’s bedroom — a beautifully crafted set with a bunk bed, toy chest and ceiling mobile that casts magical shadows across the softly draped walls — Mamillius watches (or perhaps imagines) his father and the relationship between his parents disintegrate. After his own death of a broken heart, he remains present on stage and takes matters into his own hands to orchestrate a reconciliation and return to peace. The setting and storybook aesthetic either suggests The Winter’s Tale is simply the make-believe of a disillusioned little prince, or an interpreted series of events as seen through the whimsical (or disturbed) imagination of a child. The performances are captivating, with special mention to Michelle Doake, who brings equal measures of strength, vitality and humour to the role of Paulina. Myles Pollard shows off versatility as the brooding, maddened King alongside the dumbed-up Shepherd. Helen Thompson plays a strong and (literally) statuesque Hermione. The Winter’s Tale explores some of Shakespeare’s favourite themes: truth, power and the emotional effects of psychological irrationality. On the contemporary stage, Bell has translated these themes through the prism of domestic drama as seen by an implicated child. This interpretation helps us to accept the disparate tonal changes as products of an active imagination — to see momentarily through the eyes of a child. And that’s never a bad thing. Image by Michele Mossop.
Sydney artist Perran Costi has always been fascinated with the idea of worlds within worlds - his previous works include a snowstorm at FBi Turns 10, a galaxy in a suitcase and creating a new society on Cockatoo Island. But his latest exhibition, Permasabi, takes the concept to a whole new level. It might sound like a certain spicy condiment, but 'Permasabi' is actually a word Costi uses to describe the worldview that influences him. It's a blend of wabisabi, a Japanese philosophy that's all about transience and imperfection, and permaculture, a design concept focused on sustainability. The exhibition consists of three giant mirrored cubes containing a galaxy, a desert and a rainforest, seemingly infinite worlds contained in small spaces. Visitors can step into the cubes one at a time and explore each of the different worlds. The project was created by a team of artists, and took a year and a half to complete. Continuing the 'infinite worlds' theme, Costi will also be running free terrarium-making workshops in the COFA courtyard every Saturday of the exhibition.
Titles matter. A film with a good one can intrigue, inspire and entice audiences from far and wide, just as a bad one can turn you off faster than a date swearing at a waiter. The grey area is when things get literal. Everything's okay so long as it's just a case of 'does what it says on the can' — your Ghostbusters, your Ferris Bueller's Day Off, your The Pianist — but what about when it gives something away? That poor choice of words can destroy all semblance of mystery for a movie. It's why studios ultimately didn't go with: 'Bruce Willis Is a Ghost', 'Don't Trust the Gimp with the Limp' or 'It's...His...Sled'. With that in mind, the decision to title Peter Berg's new film Lone Survivor would seem a miscalculation. "Four Navy SEALs go into Afghanistan to target a Taliban leader, but how many make it out ali- oh, wait, it's one. Just one. A 'lone survivor'. Says so right there on the poster. And yet, despite having directed Battleship, Peter Berg's no idiot. Mindful that the details of this true (and widely publicised) military mission were already known to many, he realised the most compelling question was not 'how many would survive?' but rather 'how did ANY of them survive?' That disastrous mission was Operation Red Wings, and the reason for its failure was essentially the SEAL team's decision to not kill three unarmed farmers who'd stumbled across their position. For the (moral) armchair general, it's a no-brainer. Rules of engagement and all that. But in the moment, knowing that to let the civilians go was to guarantee an attack by the Taliban and fail the mission… the ethics of combat became a lot murkier. Mark Wahlberg, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster and Taylor Kitsch play those four imperilled SEALs, and from the moment they elect to abort the mission, Lone Survivor becomes a heart-in-mouth, hug-yourself-for-two-hours, ball-breaker of a film. Pursued through inhospitable mountains by several hundred Taliban and cut off from their support, the feats of those four soldiers quite simply defy belief. That's where the film's opening titles come into play: a montage of real-life footage from the SEALs' infamous 'Hell Week' training program that effectively acts as a 'proof of concept' for what you're about to see (if you're interested: youtu.be/sg2vF4UQMmQ). This is a war movie at its most confronting; it terrifyingly captures the confusion, brutality, chaos and intensity of combat in a way not seen since 1998's Saving Private Ryan. It's a suffocating sort of tension, and whilst there's no question the movie suffers from some clumsy jingoism, the experience is so tactile and overwhelming, you frequently find yourself ducking in your own seat. The author and journalist Sebastian Junger observed after his embedment in Afghanistan that "War is a lot of things and it's useless to pretend that exciting isn't one of them." From an adrenaline standpoint that might well be the case, but in every other respect, from every other possible viewpoint, it's an inescapable waking nightmare that you'd never wish upon anyone. If that doesn't ring true for you, go see Lone Survivor. https://youtube.com/watch?v=yoLFk4JK_RM
If your idea of a good night out involves rubbing shoulders with artists, drinking and getting involved in some electric muscle stimulation, you should probably head along to 107 Projects for Electroscape: The here and now of digital art. The one-night only exhibition features seven contemporary Australian artists, including composer and sound artist Leah Barclay, glass-player Lucas Abela, multidisciplinarian Michaela Davies and new media artist Josh Harle. The night will involve everything from laser etching to robotics to 3D printing to the aforementioned EMS (that's practised by Davies; she attaches electrodes to people and makes them involuntarily play instruments or fight in an arcade game). Not only will you get to see some very cool, experimental creations, you'll also be benefitting the future of the Sydney gallery scene. Funds raised by ticket sales will be used by the Art Gallery of NSW to acquire new contemporary art for its collection.
One year ago this month, Sydney favourite The Soda Factory launched, and has since provided copious amounts of good times and just a partial hotdog gut. Now it's time to celebrate, as the Soda Factory marks the end of its first, amazingly popular year with an entire weekend of party shenanigans. On Friday, February 22, grab a complimentary drink on arrival (5-7pm) before checking out some brand spankin' new taster dishes (complimentary from 5-8pm) in what will be the launch of the upcoming dinner menu and diner bar section. If you thought their dawgs were delish, feast your eyes on impressive new menu selections: hot buffalo chicken wings (with blue cheese dipping sauce), fried chicken and waffles with maple syrup, and cheeseburger spring rolls (what is this? We wants it). With live tunes courtesy of The Syphons plus special guest DJs, this is sure to be a killer start to the birthday bonanza. Then, revisit your youth and back it up the next night with DJ Grandmaster Flash. He'll be returning to The Soda Factory direct from NYC and joining the party people on Saturday, February 22. Add that to all the regular Soda Factory elements (like absolutely free entry), and this is certainly one for yo' diary. Pop on your best party shoes (and perhaps those free-food-friendly, stretchy pants) and come and help blow out the candles on what has been a truly monstrous year. The new Soda Factory diner menu will be available from Monday, February 17, 5-10pm, daily. An alternate, late-night menu will also be offered from 10pm till late.
Set within the gallery hub of Chippendale and Redfern, Abercrombie Street's Galerie Pompom has been a local favourite for years. The mixed media gallery opened back in 2012 and exhibits work from young and emerging artists, representing predominantly Sydney and Melbourne-based creators. At the moment, that includes Sydney's Adam Norton and Danica Firulovic and Melbourne's Elvis Richardson, as well as New Zealand's Scott Gardiner. For more on each artist's background and a glimpse of their work, head to the website. If you're heading there, expect a range of art on display, from bold and tongue-in-cheek paintings to kaleidoscopic sculptures, small-scale installations and fun prints. Galerie Pompom is open 11am–5pm Wednesday–Saturday and 1–5pm on Sundays, as well as by appointment.
Look around you. While you sneakily read this article at work, pay close attention to your surroundings. Are they dull? Do you have a baller view or is it beige cubicles far as the eye can see? Have you the requisite poster of a cat hanging off a ledge, reminding you that life is a struggle for even the most noble of animals? Yeah. Same. But it needn't be like this. People are resigning themselves to the fact that if we have to spend so much damn time at work, we might as well work in a nice environment. Cue Muse, Surry Hill's newest contemporary coworking space. Muse is determined to balance the creative and career aspects of life, with a coworking space packed extras that will make you actually want to go to work. Their calendar is littered with yoga classes, social and networking events, art classes and exhibitions and professional workshops. And best of all it's open to all levels of membership, from permanents to hot deskers. So if you want break up a work day with a yoga workout, sign up for a casual day and try it out. They're looking for freelancers in the creative industries to go hand in hand with their art-centric functionality — and they offer great spaces for photoshoots and events too, just FYI. Stripped-back brick, minimalist office furniture and moody, sophisticated lighting makes the whole office feel like a page out of an interior decorating magazine, and not the dull pre-fab offices we were promised as children. The whole thing is quite inspirational. And Friday afternoon drinks on their private rooftop terrace? Also inspirational. Very inspirational. Find Muse at 74-76 Campbell Street, Surry Hills.
In the centre of Victoria Park sits this 50-metre outdoor pool. It's heated, so it's worth a winter detour, too. As well as the pool it has a gym and hosts group glasses and yoga sessions.
Stop what you're doing. Get out of bed. Cancel that mid-morning meeting. Whatever it is — it can wait. Because this is happening again: In-N-Out Burger is back in Sydney for one of their late-notice pop-ups. Jimmy's Burgers posted a video announcing the pop-up this morning, confirming Darlinghurst's Li'l Darlin on Victoria Street as the temporary burger joint location for Wednesday, January 18. It's been almost bang-on a year since the LA fast food legends set up shop at Dead Ringer in Surry Hills last January, and almost two years since they whipped together a few burgers out at Parramatta Mixology Lounge, so you can bet that burger aficionados will be desperate so get their hands on one of those buns. Last time they were doling out hamburgers, regular cheeseburgers and some double cheese lovelies until they sold out, so we hope they're on the menu today as well. And cheese fries. Please say there's cheese fries. If you've been to one of In-N-Out's previous Sydney pop-ups though, you'll know those burgers sell like, well, cult-status burgers — so you'll have to get there early. Now is probably a good time. Go. The In-N-Out burger pop-up will run today at Li'l Darlin, 235 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst. Opening time TBC, but you should probably just start moving now.
Sydney's go-to spot for pork-fuelled splendour, Swine & Co., are taking cues from Don Draper et al — launching a brand new night set to transport Sydneysiders to Manhattan's Upper East Side circa 1960. Launching this evening, Wednesday night at Swine Bar is now known as 'Royale Night', inviting you to dapper up and indulge in a game or two of blackjack, Mad Men-inspired cocktails and all those celebrated savoury eats you've travelled across the city for — including those infamous house pork crackling chips. With the last-of-the-last Mad Men — part two of season seven, CAHMAAHHHHN — on the way for 2014, general Mad Men buzz (and inevitable costume party themes) is about to enjoy one last hurrah at Swine & Co. Head chef Michael Box has created a special Swine Royale menu theme, while shiny new bar manager David Lloyd has used the MM team's favourite spirits as a starting point to inspire a stunning range of cocktails available only on Wednesdays. Try an R&R (Rittenhouse, Amaro Averna, Licor 43 espresso and agave), a Breakaway (chilli and basil-infused 42 Below, tomato, Worcestershire, fresh horseradish and lemon) and more classy specimens, all $18 each. Fresh out of coin to try more of Lloyd's elixirs? A few rounds of blackjack on the art deco mezzanine level, beside the Champagne bar, could win you free drinks. That's worth brushing up for. Here's some style ideas, in case you hadn't already trawled the web for 'Steal Their Looks' since season one. Swine and Co.'s Royal Nights launch from November 19 through to December 17. Find the Swine Bar housed in the former Bank of New South Wales; 16 O'Connell Street, Sydney.
Are you sick of the inevitable queues, screaming children, and uncomfortable seating options that come part and parcel of the typical weekend brunch experience? Add to that the over-friendly canine companions of your neighbouring diners, and the hazardous plate-stacking eagerness of the wait staff, and what we're sure was originally meant to be a pleasant, relaxing occasion quickly becomes a give-me-my-zucchini-fritters-and-my-strong-flat-white-and-get-me-out-of-here-ASAP kinda sitch. Now, thanks to the infinitely more classy folk at The Roosevelt and their weekly Bottomless Champagne Luncheon, you have the opportunity to take your Saturday brunch up a notch and off the street, and be treated like the fancypants you are. Upon payment of your ninety-nine big ones (trust them, it's worth it) you receive not only, as the name suggests, endless Mumm, but a not-to-be-scoffed-at, sprawling high-tea-style assortment of champagne-inspired canapes. I don't know about you, but dropping a sneaky quarter-500 on a Saturday luncheon, of all things, seems to be on par with the level of indulgence and sophistication we should all aspire to. The Roosevelt's Bottomless Champagne Luncheon is on every Saturday, from 12pm to 4pm, and costs $99 per person. Thanks to the Speakeasy Group, we have one luncheon for two people to give away, valued at $250. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Attention fans of bands, booze and blissing out. Tickets for the 2015 Secret Garden Festival — a.k.a. the most mysterious festival tickets money can buy — are on sale. That's Friday, November 14 from 9am, kids. For those unfamiliar with the concept behind Secret Garden — and to you I must ask: really? — the gist of it is this: Two days. A secret lineup that's not revealed until well after the event has sold out. Shenanigans including and not limited to dress-ups, pop-up bars, art installations, confetti cannons, costume-making, and camping in the grounds of a 3000-acre dairy farm just north of Sydney. Facts that we do know about the 2015 edition of the most enigmatic music event on the Sydney calendar is that it'll take place on Friday, February 27 and Saturday, February 28 at the festival's once secret, now regular destination 'The Farm', and that admission is $185 for both days, or $125 for just the Saturday. And, as usual, it's all a not-for-profit fundraiser for the Sarah Hilt Foundation — a local charity raising money for sufferers of meningococcal. Despite the clandestine line-up, tickets to Secret Garden 2014 sold out within hours of going on sale. If you're keen for 2015, prep your bank account and flex those page-refreshing muscles now. Predictions are these tickets won't last much past lunch.
This article is part of our series on the 17 most unique things to have come out of Japan. Check out the other 16. More than 200,000 tourists head to Japan’s Aomori prefecture every year to visit its awe-inspiring rice paddy art. Farmers have been cultivating rice in the area for hundreds and hundreds of years, and in the 1990s, a group of archaeologists found out that some of the strains had been growing continuously for more than 2,000 years. To ensure their protection, the tourism board decided that the farmers needed to attract the attention of visitors. So they came up with the idea of turning the paddies into giant artworks. The farmers create their masterpieces by growing rice strains in a variety of natural colours – from Tsugaru Roman, which is green, to Yukiasobi rice, which is white, to Beniasobi rice, which is red. Once they master basic patterns, they become more sophisticated, adding intricate detail to their works. A vast array of images has been depicted, from impressions of famous people like Napoleon and Marilyn Monroe to Japanese gods and demons. They've also recreated renowned paintings, such as the Mona Lisa and Hokusai Katsushika’s ukiyo-e. Visitors are able to see the works from afar as well as join rice farming tours, during which they experience every aspect of traditional rice cultivation, including planting and harvesting.
Sydney, your obsession with food has really peaked in the last few years — and as a result of your devotion, all festivals worth their salt are courting favour with a killer food lineup. And this year Spectrum Now Festival have taken it even further, announcing that they’re collaborating with some of your favourite foodie haunts to create bites exclusively for the festival. The bar has been raised, y’all. Spectrum Now, just ICYMI, is series of concerts and one-day festivals held across Sydney from March 1-16. There'll be a mixture of free and ticketed shows and a tight 11-day music extravaganza held at The Domain from March 3-13, which includes a huge free opening night with Hayden James, Wave Racer and Paces, as well as gigs from The Jesus and Mary Chain, Birds of Tokyo, Missy Higgins, Something For Kate, Augie March, Hot Dub Time Machine and about a million more. But enough of that — let us tell you about the nightly food offerings. Oh, the food! Burgers (the perfect one-handed festival snack, by the way) are the star of the show, with Burgers by Josh being served up alongside the creators of the ramen burger, One Tea Lounge. Other notables include Wing Kingdom, Langos Love, Rangers Texas BBQ, Urban Pasta, Tsuru and Dainty Dumpling House. You will literally have no time to watch the shows — there’s that much to get through. Helping you wash all that down will be a Little Creatures Beer Garden with ice-cold bevs, and Hendrick's Gin will provide Messina cucumber gelato G&Ts, fortune tellers and a whole range of peculiar performances at their Emporium of Oddities. And on Friday nights the LATAM Friday Fiesta will serve up traditional South American dishes. Just remember to shake your groove thang at the free Latin dance class before you gorge. However, it’s the dessert menu that’s got us all hot under the collar. Gelato Messina have curated a Milk Bar menu full of frozen treats based on your favourite chocolate bars. The Twixed is made with milk chocolate gelato, shortcrust crunch and caramel; the Malt Tease consists of four malt gelato balls with malt crunch and chocolate shell; the Munchie — do stop us if this is becoming too much — is a Crunchie-style bar made with wildflower honey gelato and honeycomb with a chocolate shell; and, last but not least, the Rocky Roadie blends peanut gelato with raspberry puree, marshmallow and a choc-peanut shell. And for those of you who can’t be bothered with all that chewing, Gelato Messina’s three-scoop thick shakes are also available. If that weren't enough, Black Star Pastry are collaborating with N2 Gelato on a plethora of indulgent, exclusive desserts as well. Phew. So, you know, probably give up on your plans of going sugar free for the time being and just lean right on in to the cornucopia of sugary delights that await you at Spectrum Now. Spectrum Now Festival will take place from March 1-16 across Sydney, with gigs happening at The Domain from March 3-13. Here are our must-see gigs and top arts events picks. For the full program and to buy tickets, visit spectrumnow.com.au.
Sydney’s reached peak burger obsession, so we reckoned it was about time for a good ol’ fashioned burger battle — and so did Merivale. This February, we invited 16 of Merivale’s top chefs to ivy Ballroom to hit the kitchen and cook up their ultimate burger for March Into Merivale‘s Between Two Buns. Some, like Mr. Wong‘s Dan Hong, opted for their widely celebrated, longtime burger recipes (hel-lo Lotus Burger), while others dreamed up new and strange burger possibilities —Bistrode CBD‘s Jeremy Strode did a chicken and eel burger (and nailed it). Sitting on the judging panel, our own fearless leader and founder of Concrete Playground Rich Fogarty, Merivale CEO Justin Hemmes, Merivale chef Danielle Alvarez (Fred’s, opening soon), and Merivale marketing director Andrew El-Bayeh. Feasting on 16 top-tier burgers sounds like a tough job, but these guys pulled through (with many, many napkins) and picked their six finalists. BETWEEN TWO BUNS FINALISTS: Dan Hong (Mr. Wong) — Lotus Burger Alex Lewis (The Beresford) — The ultimate duck burger Jeremy Strode (The Fish Shop/ Bistrode CBD) — The Fish Dog (chicken and eel) Jordan Toft (Coogee Pavilion) — Aged trim beef, cheese, burger sauce, B&B pickle Paul Donnelley (Ms.G’s) — Beef, bacon and cheese burger Patrick Friesen & Chris Hogarth (Papi Chulo/Queen Chow) — Canadian beef and bacon burger Then, on Wednesday, February 17, the six (or seven, with the team-up of Pat and Chris) went head-to-head in a mighty burger battle at Palings. Punters sampled all six burgers and dropped voting chips in the designated vases for each chef. Who came out on top? Who was the audience's pick? None other than Patrick Friesen and Chris Hogarth of Papi Chulo and the upcoming Queen Chow at the Queen Vic Hotel. They won hearts and stomachs with their juicy, juicy Canadian beef and bacon burger, picking up the golden burger trophy and mad bragging rights for the next year. Kudos guys. Now, we need a bit of a lie-down.
Sydney’s beloved Surry Hills barbecue restaurant Porteno has found a new pop-up home in Rushcutters Bay, following the fire that broke out last Friday in their Cleveland Street digs. Co-owner Elvis Abrahanowicz told Gourmet Traveller that while the Surry Hills fire and subsequent water damage hasn’t affected the dining area of the restaurant, repairs to the ruined areas in the upstairs bar and roof could take up to two months. So they’re popping up for a while as the adorably named Popteno, a separate endeavour to their Double Down Diner Messina team-up at the Sydney Festival Village. According to GT, Porteno's new pop-up will occupy the space formerly home to Rushcutters and Neild Avenue. The crew will no doubt be serving up a variation on the existing Porteno menu, so we're guessing a meaty, meaty Argentinian focus is in store. Poptento will launch on January 28. If you’re pining for Porteno until then, get down to the Double Down Diner at Sydney Festival village for all your American-style barbecued, fried and sauced up needs. Find Popteño at 10 Neild Avenue, Rushcutters Bay from January 28, open Wednesday to Saturday from 6pm. Via Gourmet Traveller.
Seasoned gig-goers often consider it en vogue to overlook supporting acts, in favour of an ostensibly efficient and timely arrival for the main attraction. However, should you have arrived fashionably late to this weekend’s sold-out Broods headline show at Oxford Art Factory, you dearly missed out. Supporting acts East and Jarryd James, accompanied by an elusive Matt Corby on keys no less, treated earlycomers to a new crop of delectable Australian talent. Kicking off the festivities was quirky Central Coast songstress East, serving up a refreshing blend of bittersweet indie-folk-pop. Having been both signed and dropped from Universal Music (US) by the age of fourteen, a character-building talisman of success experienced by many a now-superstar (Bruno Mars, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga included), East exudes a defiant sense of maturity and stage presence well beyond her 16 years of age. Delivering an effortlessly raw and earnest set, East’s soulfully compelling jazz-hued vocals dispelled melancholy and playfully self-deprecating lyricism. Smatterings of her Australian accent endearingly shimmered through her vocal delivery, tallying to her authentic and wholesome appeal. Talented, charming and unpretentious, and with her recently released Old Age EP produced by the legendary John Castle (Vance Joy, Washington, Josh Pyke), East is undeniably on the up. Fronting an unshakeable amount of swagger, headline act Broods then proceeded to show the crowd exactly why they sold-out shows across both Sydney and Melbourne. Whilst the duo's chart-topping, eponymously titled debut EP typically purveys haunting husky vocals, complemented by a minimalist beat style with washes of ambient layers courtesy of producer Joel Little (Lorde, Kids of 88), their live set told a different story. Dressed in a futuristic, white mesh one-piece reminiscent of Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) in The Fifth Element, Broods' Georgia Nott flaunted a disarmingly flawless vocal performance delivered with an understated ferocity that seemed to increase the poignancy of the original recording. With her vocals brought more prominently to the forefront, the choruses on Broods' most beloved tracks such as 'Bridges' and 'Never Gonna Change' reached new heights and guided the rapturous crowd into a more energetic sonic space. If their live performance is anything to go by, Broods' debut album Evergreen (out August 22 via Island Records) carries the potential to exceed the band's current buzz as one of New Zealand's next big musical exports.
Sydney's Australian National Maritime Museum has joined the after-hours pop-up party. Launching their very own scavenger hunt aboard the HMAS Vampire, the Maritime Museum is staying open a little later for the grown ups this Thursday, August 28. Structured as a photographic scavenger hunt, 'Dare, Danger, Destroy' is a special after-hours event from 6–7:30pm in which you snap clues with your phone around the museum's prized warship. The third of three Australian-built Daring class destroyers serving in the Royal Australian Navy, the HMAS Vampire has a few secrets hidden below decks — there'll even be a poor ol' sailor 'trapped in time' wandering around the ship ready for all the selfies. Once you've solved the puzzles and poked around the epic ship (the largest museum-owned object on display in Australia), there'll be a pop-up cash bar back on land to reward your hunting efforts. Your hard-solved clue images live stream in the waterfront bar — soundtracked by DJ Stuart Ridley (emagica). Best of all, the event and Vampire quest is free entry — when you show them the Tag Town app, the very same camera app used for Art and About — and over 18s only, so you can explore the warship and soak up the Maritime Museum without little screaming thingies running around). The Maritime announcement comes just a few weeks after the announcement of The Festivalists' upcoming Hijinks nights at Sydney Aquarium, also hinged around an after-hours scavenger hunt. But that's all sweet with us; the longer we get to spend at Sydney's museums after hours with cheeky booze on a school night, the better. 'Dare, Danger, Destroy' runs 6–7:30pm on Thursday, August 28 at the Maritime Museum. Entry is free (when you show the Tag Town app at entry), over 18s only. Image credit: Saberwyn. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Keep everything crossed for King Street. At a parliamentary inquiry held on Wednesday, a NSW Police Association submission recommended that lockout laws be rolled out across 'alcohol-fuelled crime hotspots’ across the state (Newtown, Erko, you’re on the list), that all on-licensed premises be closed at midnight and that the state government introduce minimum 'per standard drink' pricing across NSW. The inquiry, which received submissions from 113 individuals and organisations, is investigating the impact of the 'CBD entertainment precinct' lockout laws. Instigated by then NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell and implemented on February 24, the laws enforce 1:30am lockouts and 3am last drinks in licensed venues of 60+ capacity. So what's brought on these new recommendations? The Police Association states that it has been approached by "Newtown and Erskinville residents who report that the issues relating to alcohol related crime and antisocial behaviour in Newtown are the same as in Kings Cross and the CBD. This is not a displacement affect (sic.) but they indicate it has been a problem for some time due to the 24-hour licensed premises in the area." The submission presented statistics suggesting that the laws have led to a drop in non-domestic assaults. Between February and August, it argues, assaults in Kings Cross decreased by 36 percent, when compared to the same period in 2013. However, on Thursday, the state's top crime statistician and director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Don Weatherburn, stated emphatically that the evidence doesn't hold up. "Gratuitously picking a pair of points and saying, 'well, compared to this time last year, things are a lot better,' is not a satisfactory basis for judging whether the lockout laws are working," he told the SMH. He also asserted that the figures "bounce around quite a bit" and proposed that the overall reduction in violence had started well before the laws came into effect. The inquiry's response, in the form of a report and recommendations, is expected to hit parliament in November.
Prepare for your summer to get a whole lot chiller: Merivale and Corona have just announced a slew of A+ Sunday afternoon shows at amazing waterside venues. And the best part? A huge chunk of them are free. Bless 'em. Corona must have a lot of cash to splash, just to make you guys happy. No complaints here. The Sunday Sundown sessions will be held over 12 Sundays from January 3 to March 20. They'll be going down at Coogee Pavillion rooftop, the ivy Pool Club and The Newport. While Coogee Pavillion has never before hosted music events — which is absolutely cray considering what a beautiful place it is — that's all about to change. Kicking off with a free acoustic set by The Preatures on January 3, the Pavillion will host SAFIA, Dustin Tebbutt and Nicky Night Time with support acts Tyler Touché, JOY., E^ST and Cassian over the coming months. The Newport which is set to open next month, will also put on a series of free Sunday shows including Gypsy and the Cat, Saskwatch, Asta, Ben Lee and Mansionair, supported variously by Gordi, YesYou, Elizabeth Rose and World Champion. And if you want to splash out a lil, the ivy Pool Club is selling tickets for $20 to Tkay Maidza, KLP, HolyGhost and L D R U. Just remember to bring your togs. Phew, that's a lot of info to take in. The TL;DR message is this: free/cheap shows, sick lineup, great venues. Summer looking fierce.
Didn't think the inner west needed another place to drink craft beer? Well, meet Staves Brewery: the newest in the new wave of microbreweries popping up in the area. Snugged next to the Broadway Shopping Centre on Grose Street, this is possibly the most unconventional spot for a brewpub yet. In fact, there's nothing to denote the speakeasy-style brewery apart from the words 'bar' and 'brewery' painted on the otherwise frosted windows. The building itself still has features from its steel fabrication workshop days, which adds to the industrial, alleyway feel of the fit-out. To be fair, brewing is an industrial process, and the simple, barrel-focused interior is reminiscent of an English pub of old. It's not such a surprising venture from British owner Steven Drissell, whose impressive rap sheet boasts competitive beer judge, long time craft beer enthusiast and, of course, brewer. The space will ultimately be a fully functioning brewery, but while Drissell gets the space ready to brew his own batches of craft, Staves is operating as a brewpub. For now, the eight taps will house a ton of local talent, like Wayward and Batch, as well as Holgate and some other Victorian favourites. But the craft selections aren't chosen with just the pros in mind. The beer menu caters to a wide range of people and tastes, says Drissell. "I've had people come in asking for the closest taste to Corona — I cater to people wherever they are on their craft beer journey." Whether you're a beer geek searching for the next big craft beer or just looking to learn something new, Staves has the pint for you. "Once you go craft, you never go back," says Drissell with a cheeky smile. "Newcomers may not know that yet, but I sure do." The brewery name game is more than just the Aussie pronunciation of Drissell's first name. It also refers to the thin piece of wood on a cask barrel and the lines on sheet music, essentially summing up what the bar is all about: music and brewing. Combining his two great loves in the one venue, Drissell aims to create the ultimate bar for inner westies. The plan is to make Staves the go-to for great craft — both the music and beer kind. And live music and Staves' own brews aren't the only things to come — an upstairs pizza kitchen is also in the works. While it gears up, Staves will only be open weekends, with live music from 4pm every Sunday. So, when given the choice between grocery shopping and heading next store for some tunes, pizza and craft beer...well, you get where we're going with this. Staves Brewery is located at 4-8 Grose Street, Glebe. At the moment, it's open Thursday to Friday 4pm – midnight, Saturday 11am – midnight, and Sunday 11am – 10pm with live acts from 4pm. Find out more at stavesbrewery.com
Even though we're freezing our butts off right now, this week's been a flurry of music event news that's got us all hopeful for the warmer months. There's a brand new electronic music festival, Laneway dropped their hectic lineup this week, and now, Sydney Harbour's about to host some pretty big beats. Kicking off on Friday, October 9, V MoVement and UNDR Ctrl are bringing back the hugely popular electronic music series to Sydney's floating stage, The Island LIVE. Sydney's floating stage, The Island, has played host to some seriously big names, from Charli XCX to Royal Blood. Last time The Island LIVE hosted two epic nights featuring the likes of Hayden James, Touch Sensitive, Softwar and Future Classic DJs — both nights sold out in 48 hours. This time around, it's all beats. Kicking off the series, Australian dance legends and triple j Friday Night Shuffle hosts The Aston Shuffle will be cranking out huge DJ set. They'll be joined by house head Set Mo and newcomer Dena Amy. That's just the first event in The Island LIVE series, there'll be more events to be announced down the track. Tickets ($55 +BF) include return water taxis from Double Bay Wharf and two complimentary drinks on arrival, pretty excellent deal. The Island LIVE is happening on Friday, October 9 from 6pm to midnight. Tickets go on sale and 9am on Friday, September 25, they're $55 +BF (first release) and $75 +BF (final release) and available exclusively here.
Since '50s-inspired bar Hinky Dinks closed late last year, there's been a gaping, cocktail-sized hole at 185 Darlinghurst Road. But, the good news is, it's now been filled — and with some high-level Sydney hospitality personnel, no less. The team behind Darlinghurst favourite Buffalo Dining Club have well and truly taken over the space, launching a sleek new wine parlour Johnny Fishbone last night. The name embossed in shimmering gold lettering on the wooden door is sign enough that the new tenants have changed the whole vibe of the space — inside, the chequered floor has been replaced with understated tiling, the red features have been axed in favour of deep greens and timber, and a long marble-topped wooden bar is the main centrepiece. There's a solid wine wall too, which should tell you a lot about their offering. As its pedigree would suggest, Johnny is also turning out some top-notch bar food. Choose from seafood snacks like oysters, ceviche and sardines with tomato jam or bigger options such as the fish with cured fennel and saffron and the spatchcock with paprika brandy. Johnny Fishbone is open from 5pm Tuesday and Sunday, so you can head there and grab a seat at the bar tonight — although, if it's anything like Buffalo Dining Club, it could be hard to get one. Johnny Fishbone is now open at 185 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst. For more information, visit johnnyfishbone.com.au. By Jasmine Crittenden and Lauren Vadnjal. Images: Steven Woodburn.
So. You've watched all the documentaries on VICE's YouTube channel. You're up to your second viewing up just about everything on SBS's Food Network. You definitely don't want to watch A Current Affair. What's a news-hungry millennial to do? In answer to your free-to-air TV dreams, SBS and VICE today launched not only a new show, but a whole goddamn TV channel for your viewing pleasure. The new channel was announced earlier this year, but was set live at 4pm today, Tuesday, November 15, replacing SBS 2. It will be an extension of VICE's online TV channel VICELAND, and will be called by the same name. Along with some of SBS 2's news, sport and entertainment programs, VICELAND's programming will include VICE's own newscasts and doco series including Black Market (starring The Wire's Michael K Williams), Ellen Page's Gaycation, and F*ck That's Delicious with Action Bronson. VICELAND launched online earlier this year with a collection of Spike Jonze-produced docos. You can view the full schedule here or switch on your TV to SBS 2.
Sydney abounds in whisky bars, gin joints and wine libraries. But, until now, vermouth — that ancient potion of mystical, medical qualities — hasn't received its own shrine. Enter Banksii, a brand new bar and bistro dedicated to vermouth, which has just opened at the harbourside Streets of Barangaroo precinct. Vermouth has had somewhat of a revival in Sydney this year, and Banksii solidifies its place on the city's figurative back bar. Run by Bar H's cracking team — chef Hamish Ingham and sommelier Rebecca Lines — the new venue will be open for lunch, dinner and drinks seven days a week. Aperitifs, ahoy. On Lines's drinks list, you'll find no fewer than 40 vermouth options. Drink 'em straight, drink 'em on ice, drink 'em while howling at the full moon and drink 'em in cocktails. In short, drink 'em anyway you like. "Vermouth has an exceptionally long history and by the 17th Century was incredibly popular in Europe and England as an aperitif," said Lines. "There has been a recent rediscovery of vermouth and we'll be focusing on it being served straight as an aperitif and in a tight cocktail list, focusing on classics such as martinis and Negronis." Vermouth not your thing? Get into the 100-strong wine menu, emphasising both homegrown and Mediterranean wines. Meanwhile, chef Ingham — ex-Bar H, Pier, Becasse, Flying Fish and Billy Kwong, and 2004 Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year — has been busy coming up with contemporary dishes that combine Mediterranean influences with Australian botanicals. By the way, in case you're wondering, the name Banskii is not in homage to the homonym-nal street artist, but to Sir Joseph Banks, Australia's first European botanist. Ingham will be serving up his creations noon and night. The offering will be all about keeping things light and fresh, with star dishes including grilled prawns with curry leaf butter and pickled turmeric, kangaroo carpaccio with pickled radish and nasturtium, a botanical greens and cheese pie, and a glazed roasted half duck with red vermouth-soaked native plums. "I've had a great time incorporating botanicals in new dishes and I'm really happy with the menu we have developed and am excited for people to experience it," says Ingham. "We have a lot of ingredients on the menu that people may not have heard of that we want to showcase in an exciting and accessible way." Luchetti Krelle has taken care of design matters, making the most of the waterfront location by incorporating indoor-outdoor seating for 200 people and drawing from 18th century ideas (because that's when Sir Banks was around). They're the design firm responsible for the aesthetic wonders of Bar Brosé, the new Tilbury Hotel, ACME, Cronulla's Blackwood Pantry and The Butler, among others. Banksii joins a slew of other eateries that have opened down at Barangaroo over the last few months, including Belles Hot Chicken, Lotus, Cirrus, Zushi and The Rabbit Hole. Banksii is now open for lunch and dinner at 33 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo South. For more information, visit banskii.sydney. By Jasmine Crittenden and Lauren Vadnjal.
Since silent discos first came to prominence back in the '90s, strapping on a pair of wireless headphones and strutting your stuff has become a favourite pastime of, well, just about everyone. In fact, soundless dance floor displays have popped up everywhere from Glastonbury to the Sydney Film Festival over the years — and now a Sydney event is taking the concept on the road. Or, along the coast, to be exact — and all in the space of a single fun night. Think of the Pop-Up Coogee to Bondi Roaming Silent Disco Party as a dancing trek between five of the city's best beaches, or five silent discos in one. It's an idea that's so great, it's taking place three times: on October 15 and 29, and November 19. Here's how it works: attendees will meet in a secret spot, grab their headphones and start boogeying. Exact locations are yet to be revealed, but Coogee, Clovelly, Bronte, Tamarama and Bondi will all feature on the itinerary. In bad news for anyone wanting to silently dance their way around town at the event's two October dates, tickets have already sold out. Limited places are still available for November; however if you're keen on showing off your fancy footwork sans noise, you'd best get purchasing quick smart. The Pop-Up Coogee to Bondi Roaming Silent Disco Party takes place on October 15 and 29, and November 19. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the event's Facebook page.
We've heard of moving-out parties; however Barack Obama's version of a final celebratory shindig is about to put everyone else's to shame. What do you do when your time as the most powerful man on the planet is just about up, and you're about to vacate the world's most famous home? You bring SXSW to the White House. Obviously. The event is called SXSL, with the last two letters referring to the south lawn of Obama's not-so-humble presidential abode. As announced on the White House blog, South by South Lawn will bring together creators, innovators, and organisers for a one-day shindig on October 3. And as far as heading along is concerned, eager attendees can apply online. Yep, the Pres is throwing his very own festival, complete with interactive, film and music components. SXSL-goers will listen to panel discussions and learn about new technologies, watch shorts at the 3rd Annual White House Student Film Festival, and groove along to live performances by well-known and emerging artists. While there's no word on a lineup just yet, Obama's summer playlist could possibly provide a few clues. Clearly, both the US commander-in-chief and First Lady Michelle Obama had a mighty fine time when they attended and spoke at SXSW earlier this year. And clearly, once Obama out of office, nothing quite like this is likely to happen anytime soon. Image: Zach Rudisin.
For a small business that set out thirty years ago to create a simple after-dinner mint for restaurants and cafes, this family-run establishment has certainly flourished. Somewhat of an institution around these parts, Fardoulis is a go-to for any gifting occasion. Whether you need a thank you gift, an 'I'm sorry' present or a birthday box for that person in your life who already has everything, Fardoulis has you covered. Take your pick of delectable handmade treats for your special someone — from a simple bag of the bunny-shaped caramel truffles to a very OTT hamper — and make sure you pick up a couple of things for yourself while you're at it. The team have spent the last three decades experimenting with unique flavours and recipes, so you can guarantee there's something for every chocolate lover's palate. The best part about the store is that there are always free samples. A perfect reason to make a visit, if you ask us.
Stay tuned. More info on its way.
On the hunt for a new look or want to touch up your tresses? Located on Jaques Avenue just a few hundred metres from the ocean, Chop Shop is one of the very best barbershops in Bondi. And we're not just saying that because you can get a drink with your new 'do (although that certainly doesn't hinder the situation). Since opening in Bondi in 2008, owner Dan Dixon and his team of talented stylists have been committed to using 'professional only' products, and have built up quite a customer base as a result. Men's cuts start at $39 and include a full shampoo and a beverage, while a women's shampoo, cut and blow-dry starts at $92, and comes with your choice of tea, espresso or a cheeky glass of wine. Making small talk with your hairdresser is a hell of a lot easier when you're juuuust that little bit tipsy.
With old-fashioned signage and every surface adorned with designs, it's clear the team at Hunter and Fox approach tattooing as a fine art. With over a dozen resident artists who have solid followings (both online and off), plus regular guests, Hunter and Fox has built a strong reputation over the past few years. The studio welcomes walk-ins if you get a sudden urge to be inked, but if you're more of a planner, its website and social media is a treasure trove of inspiration. And if you need to free up some space for a new design, or get rid of ink that you regret (like your ex's name), there is also an in-house laser removal service.
Gaia Retreat, located among the lush greenery of Bundjalung country, is a picturesque haven worlds away from the bustle of city life. The boutique accommodation offers a highly flexible retreat experience, so you can enjoy the gorgeous facilities as you please — whether that's complete sloth-like relaxation or a health and wellness kick. It's worth a visit to simply soak up the beautiful scenery, but there is plenty more to enjoy here, from day spa treatments and lounging by the pool to practicing yoga and getting a naturopathic consultation. Plus, don't forget about the award-winning food on offer. Throughout your stay, you'll indulge in delicious organic wine and food, with all produce grown on-site or sourced from local producers within the Northern Rivers region.
It's distilled in a rainforest, and it features native botanicals foraged from said rainforest. Yes, that's enough to make Brookie's Dry Gin stand out. A hit since first appearing on the scene back in 2016, Brookie's is made from 25 botanicals — 17 of which stem from its Northern Rivers surroundings, such as Byron sunrise finger limes, native river mint and native raspberry. This is the gin to drink when you want to feel like you've made the journey to Byron Bay, where Cape Byron Distillery is unsurprisingly located, but can't actually head out of town at the moment. A labour of love for co-founder Eddie Brook, the distillery is actually part of his family property in Byron Bay's hinterland, where he grew up. Cape Byron Distillery hosts public tours every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It includes a gin tasting of Brookie's two gins, a G&T on arrival and a tour of the surrounding rainforest.
Ragazzi Wine + Pasta has announced the next event in its Avventura series. This time, you'll be transported to Piedmont, in the foothills of the Italian Alps, for an afternoon. And, to get every detail right, Ragazzi has enlisted the help of Giorgio de Maria. You might know him from Darlinghurst restaurant Paski Vineria Popolare or Giorgio's Fun Wines – or both. He and Executive Chef Scott McComas-Williams have come up with an eight-course menu based on de Maria's family recipes. You'll start with acciughe al verde (anchovies in green sauce) with Fabbrica sourdough, before moving onto bagna cauda (a hot dipping sauce of red wine, anchovies, garlic and olive oil) with Jerusalem artichokes and radish. Next is vitello tonnato (thinly sliced veal in a caper-anchovy sauce), followed by carne crude (steak tartare) with hazelnut oil. After that, prepare for two handmade pastas: agnolotti del plin of rabbit and cabbage, and tajarin with hazelnuts and Australian black truffle. Sweets include traditional panna cotta and testun di barolo (drunk cheese) with honeycomb. Needless to say, de Maria has selected a wine to match every bite perfectly, with a focus on Piedmont's upcoming winemakers. He'll be spending lunch going from table to table, discussing his picks while sharing stories of life in Piedmont. Tickets — at $200 each — include all eight courses and wines.
Concrete Playground has teamed up with the Sydney Film Festival to give one lucky reader a prize pack that includes a double pass to a selection of five anticipated films — Wuthering Heights, Tabu, Lore, Marley and The Angels' Share — all screening at the majestic State Theatre. To be in for a chance to win the ten tickets, first make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground, then email your name and address to hello@concreteplayground.com.au Tabu - 7.15pm on June 10 Miguel Gomes' black and white modern classic Tabu seamlessly shifts from Portugal to colonial Africa, to tell the unexpected life story of an elderly woman in Lisbon, including a tale of obsessive love and a melancholic crocodile. Lore - 11.30pm on June 10 Australian director Cate Shortland's long-awaited follow-up to Somersault is an adaptation of the novel The Dark Room by Rachel Seiffert. Lore is a complex coming-of-age story of fending for yourself in the aftermath of World War II. Marley - 9.30pm on June 11 Marley is the definitive documentary from Kevin Macdonald about the story of reggae's most iconic singer-songwriter. The film includes interviews with friends, family and fellow musicians of Bob Marley, as well as archive footage and the ultimate Marley soundtrack: 'Exodus', 'No Woman No Cry', 'Get Up Stand Up' and more. Wuthering Heights - 9.15pm on June 15 Andrea Arnold has created a radical adaptation of Emily Brontë's classic novel. Wuthering Heights is a harsh, gritty portrayal of the Yorkshire moors, violence, discrimination and dangerously obsessive love. The Angels' Share - 8.40pm on June 16 Ken Loach directs a story of new father Robbie who is determined to give his child a better life. Set in Scotland, The Angels' Share plays on the bittersweet irony of hatching a business plan out of alcoholism and crime.
So you nabbed your 1kg bag of Grinders Coffee Roasters beans or ground? You want to go into the running to score the funds for an all-out date with your schmoopy woopy? Let's get your entry in, lover. Now, we know that pet names for partners can be divisive at the best of times. But, whether you love them or loathe them, Concrete Playground is joining forces with Grinders Coffee Roasters to make a case for sharing yours with the world. In anticipation of Valentine's Day, let's delight in (or cringe at) the pet names we use to refer to our nearest and dearest — and then send 40 of you honey pies on an all-out date. Simply enter your details in the form below, upload a photo of your receipt (that clearly shows your purchased kilo of beans or ground) and then tell us the delightfully soppy (or saucy) nickname you use on your lover (or bestie, cos we're into that platonic love too). Forty of you will be scoring a $250 Mastercard e-gift card from Grinders Coffee Roasters — the grounds for a very good date with snookums. From Wednesday, January 18 until Tuesday, February 14, ten of the prizes will be scored each and every Tuesday. Red hot. To go in the draw, enter your details below. Top image: LanaStock
The White Rabbit Gallery has gotten us well acquainted with the vibrant powerhouse that is 21st-century Chinese art — so bright, witty, and full of winking commentary on politics and pop culture. Now we have the chance to see the stage version of that with Fight the Landlord (Do Di Zhu), on at Carriageworks in 2013. Its set-up is a card game evocatively known in China as Fight the Landlord. Here it is played by three panda-costumed women of unspecified relation, which shifts dramatically with every round. But it's their wry chatter that will keep you rivetted, as they discuss their love lives, gossip mags, the role of work, and the housing crisis, among all else, as the game escalates around them. The cross-cultural co-production between Ireland's fun and subversive Pan Pan theatre (last here with Oedipus Loves You in 2010) and Beijing's Square Moon Culture has been recognised as representing the heights of contemporary Chinese absurdism in reviews from China and Melbourne. You can get a particularly close perspective on it if you pull up your chair to the big, round game table, as the audience sits on stage with the actors (although for the apprehensive, more distant seats are also available). Fight the Landlord in on at Carriageworks from October 2-5. Thanks to Carriageworks we have ten double passes to give away to the performance on Saturday, October 5, at 8pm. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
What do Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart and Justin Bieber have in common? Apart from a propensity for unappealing hairdos, that is? They've all made a rest stop at Jonah's a mandatory part of their Australian touring schedule. Some might say it's the jaw-dropping, panoramic Pacific views. Others would point to the luxurious Relais & Chateaux Ocean Retreat rooms. Others still are likely to suggest the favoured mode of arrival: a spectacular 20-minute seaplane ride from Sydney Harbour. But the locals know the truth. After all, they've been flocking to Jonah's since 1928, when it was no more than a roadhouse. Back then, luxury accommodation and an array of Good Food hat-worthy culinary creations weren't on offer. One chef however, had a very special secret: an unbeatable recipe for panna cotta. It wasn't long before locals were arriving in droves to try it out — for a second, third or twentieth time. Eighty-four years later, it is back on the menu for Priceless Sydney, and it's still a favourite — in these five-star days it's served with chargrilled quince, mandarin sorbet and pink pepper tuile. Local business Palm Beach Collection has even collaborated with Jonah's on a hand-poured, eco-friendly candle featuring the lush aromas of the Northern Beaches' most famous dessert. The big news is that both products are currently being given away via MasterCard's Priceless Sydney program. Any MasterCard cardholder who orders two or more courses at Jonah's will receive not only a complimentary signature dessert but also a free Palm Beach Collection candle. All you have to do is pay with your MasterCard card and mention the Priceless Sydney offer.
If you've been to Rainford Street Social before, you'll know three things: that the place is brought to us from the team behind Toko Surry Hills, that the menu is big on contemporary takes of classic bistro dishes and that the place packs out fast. You'll also know that is saddened many to discover that soon after opening, their breakfast menu was axed. Until now, that is. The Crown Street establishment is re-introducing breakfast from Saturday onwards, and Rainford's head chef Ben Orpwood is expecting hot demand. "I think that in Sydney, breakfast and brunch in some ways tend to be of greater importance than dinner for a lot of people," says Orpwood. "I really have no idea where the obsession came from … I imagine it's just a lifestyle thing. Sydney is at its spectacular best first thing in the morning – why waste it?" So what are we actually getting this time round? Think smoked salmon and truffled scrambled eggs, a pastrami and Emmental croissant melt, a knickerbocker muesli, as well as bread and butter French toast dished up with a banana and maple extravaganza. But Orpwood's pick is the 'Matty Chorizo Roll'. "For most people, there is nothing better than a sausage wrapped in a bit of puff pastry. Named after one of our regulars who must have gone through his own body weight of these beauties when we did them first time round." We say, good on you Matt! "On the drinks front, The Bloody Bull is quite an interesting drink made with beef jerky-infused Jameson, beef consomme, and fresh tomato juice. Unusual, but fantastic!" says Orpwood. Rainford Street Social's breakfast menu relaunches on Saturday, 2 March, and will be served until 2pm each weekend. 500 Crown Street, Surry Hills; 02 9357 2573; www.rainfordstreetsocial.com.au
In a bid to encourage more families, tourists, and elderly Sydneysiders to venture into the city into the wee hours of the morning, the City of Sydney Council plans to install hydraulic, self-cleaning, pop-up pissoirs. Part of the initiative Open Sydney, the toilets follow on from last year's successful trial of portable loos in popular night spots such as Kings Cross. Councillors hope that these more effective and aesthetically pleasing urinals will help revitalise the Sydney nightlife and promote a safer, more welcoming city after the sun goes down. And how would pop-up pissoirs help achieve these aims? These rather sophisticated toilets, which have already been used in parts of Europe for a number of years now, disappear completely during the day only to be hydraulically lifted (in two minutes) by the simple press of a button on a remote. Rather than having to be installed each night and removed each morning as portables loos are, the pop-up sort can simply be run by neighbouring bar staff and street cleaners. The self-cleaning function also means that the nifty machines clean themselves to magically become good as new at the beginning of each night. Each stainless steel contraption has four cubicles and is hoped to significantly reduce public urination, particularly in areas already identified in the council's research. According to the Council's manager of late-night resources, portable urinals "diverted 5000 litres of wee in Sydney this Summer, otherwise that would be in people's front doorsteps and on our streets". The pop-up urinals are hoped to assist this even further by being more inviting and more numerous. The council's long-term strategy hopes to ensure the success of the Sustainable Sydney 2030 commitment and is centred on developing Sydney's night-time economy. It will also involve encouraging businesses and retailers to have later trading hours, particularly during festivals such as Vivid Sydney or Chinese New Year; doubling the number of Nightride bus services travelling around the city; opening our first 24-hour library; increasing police presence; and providing local tour guides for tourists. Essentially, the key goals are for Sydney to become more global, more connected, increasingly diverse and inviting, and to be locally responsive. Sydney is renowned for its fantastic culture and alluring nature by day. This vision wants to ensure the development of that belief by night as well. Via Sydney Morning Herald and City of Sydney Council.
Steve Aoki everybody! More than just a pretty weird face. This multi-tasking magic man has managed to successfully juggle just about every creative pursuit known to gen-Y. His credits include: commander of the DJ booth, spinner of designer threads and wizard behind Dim Mak records, the label responsible for launching some stellar careers (kudos for Bloc Party, The Kills, Klaxons, The Gossip… I could go on). Aoki is uncannily adept at pegging what the big kids will go berserk over, and this October he’ll be aiming some of that potent X-factor our way.For one night, all night, Aoki will be busting out a bag of electro party all-sorts at Sydney’s Metro theatre. The night will feature Aoki alongside special international guests and loads of local supports (TBA), in what promises to be a raucous affair if his weekly LA shindigs with Cobrasnake are anything to go on. Advice? wear comfy shoes and little else folks.
If you could create the ultimate Australian outdoor festival destination, what would it look like? Waterfalls? Summer gardens, blossoming with natives? Beautifully landscaped rockeries? Mount Penang Gardens has it all. That's why they're home to the Central Coast's newest festival: Mountain Sounds. On Saturday, March 15, twenty-five home-grown music acts, gourmet food stalls and practising artists will converge on the gardens' eight hectares for a sustainably produced, boutique cultural experience. Both locals and travellers-from-afar comprise the line-up. From the Central Coast, there'll be eclectic indie band Sea Legs, alt rockers Elliot the Bull and Terrigal's The Lazys. Sydney is sending in reggae-garage-surf rock group Tropical Zombies, lo-wave duo Buzz Kull, distinctive, lyrical rock outfit Thieves and SOUSEME DJs, amongst others. Hailing from Melbourne is high-energy four-piece World's End Press. Other big names on the menu include Emma Louise, Ball Park Music, Midnight Juggernauts (DJ set) and Beni. Mountain Sounds is on March 15 at Mount Penang Parklands, and thanks to Mountain Sounds, we have one double pass to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
