Whiskey, beer, tasty eats and live music will get together for one mighty afternoon on 1 December when JJ's Place takes over Commune Waterloo. The occasion for this shindig is the launch of Jameson's latest creation: Caskmates IPA, a whiskey aged in IPA beer barrels. It's also the first day of summer. Get down there from 3–10pm to sample this new drop, as well as a limited edition Irish Pale Ale from Young Henrys, made especially for the event. Frankie's will be bringing its pinball machines, fresh apple cocktails and (most importantly) pizza from the CBD, while Newtown's Continental Deli will be serving up Mate's Plates, loaded with charcuterie, cheese and double sandwiches, alongside whiskey cocktails. Providing the soundtrack will be a bunch of live acts, including The Delta Riggs, The Gooch Palms, Sloan Peterson, Display Homes and DJs from FBi Radio. You'll get a free drink on arrival, but you'll have to pay for everything else. And here's the catch: you have to enter a ballot. If you're lucky, you'll score two tix. Image: Frankie's by Katje Ford.
Next month is set to kick off in a haze of smoky meats, crafty beers and live tunes, all for a great cause, at the inaugural BBQ Baleout. Descending on Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter on November 3 and 4, the event sees BlackBear BBQ, BBQ Garage and the Australasian Barbecue Alliance team up to rally funds and support for Aussie farmers doing it tough. Entry is free, but there'll be Buy a Bale charity buckets dotted throughout the venue, for those who fancy donating. Head along for a taste of country life, as the former show grounds play host to a program of reptile displays, cattle dog performances, whip shows and cow milking demonstrations. Meanwhile, danceable live tunes will come courtesy of acts like Volky, Taya Chani Trio and the Sweet Jelly Rolls, plus there'll be a swag of barbecue vendors — including Parrilla Argenchino, Bovine and Swine and Whole Hogs by Hill Billy — and beers from Six Strings to keep you properly fuelled throughout the day. But the real showdown happens when Australia's richest BBQ championship, the 2018 Kingsford Invitational BBQ Competition, takes centre stage. Forty of the country's top barbecue teams will attempt to grill, roast and smoke their way to glory, for a share in $40,000 cash and prizes.
Hey boy, hey girl — we've got some news. Pioneering electronic music duo The Chemical Brothers is heading Down Under — for its first Aussie tour in six years. Off the back of dropping its ninth studio album No Geography just last month, the pair has announced it'll be taking a new live show (also called No Geography) around the world this year. Stops include the UK, US and Mexico — and, luckily, also Australia. If you've been lucky enough to catch The Chemical Brothers live before, you'll know its shows aren't your average stand-behind-the-decks-and-play performances. They feature strobe lights, lasers and mind-bending images projected onto huge screens. It's sort of like a trip, without the LSD. If you haven't seen one before, take a peek at one of the psychedelic shows below. As well as new hits off the new No Geography album, including 'Free Yourself' and 'MAH', we're hoping the duo will add some throwbacks to its live performances — the late-90s and early-2000s hits 'Hey Boy, Hey Girl' and 'Galvanize' would be particularly welcome. As an added bonus, the duo will be touring the country with a big-name local: The Avalanches. The Melbourne-born electro group will be playing a live DJ set at all The Chemical Brothers' shows. If you don't know them, you'll definitely know their song 'Since I Left You'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tri7gjlmfdk
Swap your swimmers for a scarf, and head down to Bondi this July. From Tuesday, July 9, Bondi Pavilion will be transformed into a carnival playground for the seventh annual Bondi Feast festival. Across ten nights, a lineup of over 200 artists, comedians and actors will grace Bondi's shores, with over 40 shows across six theatre spaces, the Festival Garden and even on the streets of Bondi. Kicking things off is Bondi Feast Gala Night, hosted by DJ and comedian Juan Vesuvius. Expect comedy from Nina Omaya, magic by Adam Axford and cabaret from the likes of cabaret queen and Adelaide Fringe Award winner Anya Anastasia as well as Green Room Award winner Jude Perl. Go beyond the Bondi Pavilion walls and join in on Guru Dudu's Silent Disco Walking Tour or see Eurowision — the festival's homage to the iconic song contest. Enjoy a glass of hot mulled cider in the Festival Garden, full of experimental and roving theatre performances, food trucks and drinks. Or, for some genre-defying circus, head to the decadent Parlour Tent. Plus, in a Bondi Feast first, a New Zealand act will feature, with sketch comedy Laser Kiwi. Tickets for each show range from free to $35. Packed full of vibrant, eclectic and eccentric acts, Bondi Feast is sure to get you venturing into the brisk winter air. Bondi Feast is part of Bondi Winter Magic and will run every day except Sundays, from Tuesday, July 9 through Saturday, July 20. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the website.
When the weather is this chilly, you have to search a little harder to find things to look forward to. But the injection of cash into your bank account that (hopefully) happens after June 30 is certainly a cause for celebration. And, if you want to treat yourself a little early, Bar M is bringing an extra special Italian feast to Rushcutters Bay. The restaurant has teamed up with Ruinart — the world's oldest established Champagne house — to bring Sydneysiders a lavish five-course degustation, paired with matching Champagne. Owner and head chef Paola Toppi will whip up a decadent menu, starting with freshly shucked oysters with caviar and horseradish kingfish tartare — both served with a glass of R de Ruinart Brut. This will be followed by house-made ink ravioli stuffed with blue swimmer crab and king prawn paired with Ruinart Rosé. The main course is a citrus-poached toothfish with a herb medley, served with Ruinart Blanc de Blanc. Finish off with a raspberry and ricotta shortbread for dessert and an extra special glass of Dom Ruinart — made entirely of Chardonnay grand cru. Ruinart ambassador Dean O'Reilly will also be in the house to talk guests through each signature drop. The dinner will take over the Bar M warehouse space on Thursday, June 27 from 7pm and cost $275 per person. To make a booking, head this way.
There's never a bad time to dress up — and not just don your sleekest threads, but put on a costume. Perhaps you really want to spread some festive cheer mid-year. Maybe you need something spooky for Halloween. Or, you could just need something wizard-related for one of Sydney's regular Harry Potter-themed events. Snog the Frog knows all about throwing on a different outfit for a special occasion. And for one day, it's hosting a huge sale at its Surry Hills store to help Sydneysiders do just that. Head by the shop's carpark between 10m–5pm on Sunday, July 2 to add a few costumes, vintage dresses, tutus, wigs, shoes, hats, animal outfits and more to your own rack. It's a cash-only affair, so arrive prepared. Bringing your own bags is recommended as well. The range will spread across all styles and decades, and it'll all come cheap — with everything costing between $5–10.
If you've ever wanted to care less about all the things that really don't matter — and, honestly, don't we all — then you've probably read Mark Manson's The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. If you're really devoted to the idea, you're probably keen to get stuck into the author's latest book as well, aka Everything is F*cked: A Book About Hope. When the first book hit, it was everywhere. Approachable, brutally honest, not-quite self-help advice will have that effect. It's not about not giving any f*cks. It's about giving the right number of f*cks about the right things. After all, there are only so many one has time to give. You should obviously give a f*ck about Manson's upcoming Australian tour, of course, with the author coming to Sydney on Sunday, July 21. See the blogger-turned-bestselling writer share his thoughts and insights at the City Recital Hall — and leave giving the number of f*cks that you need to. Tickets go on sale at 12pm, Tuesday, May 21, with pre-sales from 10am on Monday, May 20.
If a fresh bread roll, an expertly grilled patty and a slice of melted cheese is your idea of a perfect meal, then you probably have May 28 permanently marked in your diary. Each and every year, that's when the world's most dedicated burger lovers celebrate their favourite food. We're not saying that burgs will taste better on that date — or that it's really a legitimate day of celebration — but if you just can't get enough of the them, it's definitely worth your attention. Especially if there are free burgers involved. Which, this year, there are. Burger Project will be slinging free cheeseburgers at all six of its Sydney stores from 11am–12pm on Tuesday, May 28. There will only be 50 up for grabs at each joint, so you'll have to make sure you're one of the first through the doors at World Square, Gateway Circular Quay, Bondi junction, Broadway, MLC Centre or Grosvenor Place. For those new to Burger Project's take on an old fave, Neil Perry's eatery whips up a hand-pressed slab of Cape Grim beef, layers it with pickles, onion, mustard and cheese, then squirts on some secret sauce. Next, it's all placed between a soft milk bun. And it tastes even better when it's free. Given that this free-for-all is a first in, best dressed affair, we recommend scheduling an early lunch break that day.
After being purchased by its OG bar team last month, The Lord Gladstone's relaunch is in full swing. Today, the stalwart Chippendale pub is unveiling an all-new lineup of southern American-inspired eats. And to celebrate, the entire menu will be on offer for $10. Yep, every single dish will cost you just a tenner. You'll be able to choose from loaded fries (with pulled beef, cheese and barbecue sauce), Sriracha maple wings with pickles and baked mac and cheese, all for just $10 each. Also on the affordable lineup are giant chicken parmas and schnitzels, plus a 350-gram sirloin steak, all served with chips, salad and your choice of sauce — including bone marrow gravy, port and peppercorn and mushroom. Rounding out the new grub is a five-strong menu of burgers, including a buttermilk fried chicken number, a beef burger with onion rings and a vegan option with a 'beef' patty, vegan cheese, aioli and pickles on a plant-based bun. The special $10 menu will only be available for lunch (midday–3pm) and dinner (6–9pm) today, so don't wait on it. Once today is over, though, you'll still find all of the aforementioned eats at the pub, just for slightly more. You can read more about the Lord Gladstone's overhaul over here.
Newly opened Haymarket hole-in-the-wall Mr Chen Beef Noodle is celebrating its launch by giving out steaming hot bowls of its hand-stretched noodles — for free. Head into the Prince Centre digs on Thursday, July 11 and tuck into a Lanzhou-style beef noodle soup, or one of five other signature noodle bowls, without spending a dime. Head Chef Gary Yuen boasts 40 years of experience cooking traditional Chinese fare, having started working in kitchens at the age of just eight — so you can rest assured that you'll be getting some quality eats here. For the free bowls of warming noodles, which will be available from 5pm, you can choose from the signature beef noodle, one topped with pickled cabbage, another filled with wontons and one served with chicken. They arrive with your choice of five freshly made noodle types, too, ranging from extra thin to super thick. The giveaway is limited to one bowl per person and only available until sold out — so get in quick. And, if you miss out this round, you can still grab 50-cent dumplings every day from 8–10pm. Those include pan-fried classics, barbecued pork buns and xiao long bao. And it's always free BYO at Mr Chen, too. Mr Chen will be giving away free bowls of noodles (eat-in or takeaway) from 5–9pm or until sold out.
UPDATE Thursday, August 5: Josh Niland's Take One Fish Butchery Masterclass has been postponed until Monday, October 25. Saint Peter and Fish Butchery's Josh Niland has spent the past half-decade spreading his love for sustainable seafood around Australia. The neighbouring Sydney spots have grown a cult following since opening and built Niland a reputation that landed him on the list of the world's top 50 next-generation hospitality leaders. With a new charcoal fish restaurant set to open next month, Niland is going on tour to preach the benefits of cooking with sustainable seafood. The masterclass will cover the how-tos of preparing, storing and cooking with fish, in support of his new book, Take One Fish. It's the follow-up to his The Whole Fish Cookbook, which snagged the James Beard Book of the Year award. Niland was the first Australian author to win the converted award last year. "I am looking forward to the evening and offering complete transparency around our work and to unpack all that we have learnt to date. I hope that people will leave having enjoyed a great night out, and take away practical solutions for how we can approach fish differently, not just at home but when ordering fish on a menu or in a market," Niland said. Hosting the evening is author and ABC Culinary Correspondent Alice Zaslavsky who is kicking off her new series of 'in conversation' events with acclaimed culinary professionals, dubbed Here's One I Prepared Earlier. The tour is beginning at the Sydney City Recital Hall on Monday, October 25, before moving on to Melbourne's Hammer Hall on Monday, November 15 with each evening running two 45-minute sessions and a short intermission. Pre-sale tickets are on sale now. [caption id="attachment_739656" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fish Butchery[/caption]
Margaret and David, our favourite and most cantankerous movie-reviewing duo, are bidding us farewell after 28 years of flawless onscreen banter. If you don't know what you're going to do without your weekly serving of Margaret's exasperated 'Oh David' sighs and choking laughs, or David's folded hands and shaking head, then you are going to want to get down to Golden Age Cinema to mark the occasion as it deserves. Golden Age, the Surry Hills king of cult cinema screenings, is opening its doors to all Margaret&David-ophiles (first in best dressed) for a free live airing of the final episode ever of At the Movies. On offer will be cameo cocktails 'The Margaret' and 'The David'. So to ease the grieving process, come along and raise a glass of your favourite to the pair, or two glasses if you truly can't choose, and say goodbye to Australia's incomparable platonic power couple. Photo credit: ABC
Australia's favourite fuddy duddy film critic is back in town. Returning to the Orpheum for the second year in a row, the Great Britain Retro Film Festival will feature a selection of classic British films, each of which has been specifically chosen by the great David Stratton. So yeah, don't expect to see any handheld camerawork in these. Running from May 12 to June 1, this year's festival features 15 iconic films with not a single dud in sight. Highlights include David Lean's A Passage to India and Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove, as well two films by acclaimed directing duo Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger: A Matter of Life and Death and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. Tick a few unseen titles of your watch list, or catch them for the umpteenth time. Even if you were normally on Team Margaret, you'll find plenty on the program to enjoy.
Heading into its 19th year, Sydney Design is one of the longest running festivals of its kind on the planet. This year, the event's designers, thinkers, writers and speakers are embracing the theme Fashioning Solutions. As usual, there'll be events across numerous categories, including architecture, interiors, products, fashion, jewellery, digital and graphic. Find out all about how One Central Park came into existence at a free talk happening at Carriageworks. Spend an evening hanging out at The Powerhouse with two of Sydney's most important design duos: Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson, who ran legendary '70s frock boutique Flamingo Park, and Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales of Romance Was Born. If you're considering making your own mark as a designer, book a seat at 'Design Knowledge: An Insider's Guide', at which some of Australia's leading designers will discuss the decisions and events that influenced their careers. Or get some hands-on experience at 'Silver City Dreams', a jewellery-making workshop to be hosted by Melinda Young. Find out what else is on at the Sydney Design website.
When Harry Met Sally set the ground rules for this one: men and women can't be friends, because the sex thing always gets in the way. So what happens when you just allow the sex thing to happen? Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis star in the second film this year to approach the topic can men and women just have fun, no commitment sex with their friends. The answer is, well, yes. They quite possibly could. But this is Hollywood and so if there's no over the top declaration of love at the end of the movie then you will come out feeling short changed. I hope that wasn't a spoiler, but really. If you've seen more than one rom-com in your life, you know how it goes- which is a little bit like this: Dylan (Justin Timberlake) is head-hunted for a lucrative position in New York by Jamie (Mila Kunis). Both have just come out of relationships and decide that they're over dating but they miss sex. As they become friends they also become lovers and, despite their best intentions, things get complicated. The thing with this movie is that for half of it, they're trying to mock that Hollywood idea. The other half, they just get sucked into it themselves. That's not to say there's no laughs. Mila Kunis is droll and flexes her comic muscles well and Justin Timberlake, who's name we're going to have learn to write next to 'starring in' without flinching, is also cast well, but it does feel like he's a little unsure of himself in a leading role. Directed by Will Gluck, who also brought us Easy A, there's enough laughs here to make it worth a look. Just don't expect Hollywood to breaking the rom-com mould any time soon. https://youtube.com/watch?v=FoKigdXnJzU
News of a boutique Australian festival returning is rare as hen's teeth these days. The Central Coast's truly underrated, sustainable and naturally stunning festival Mountain Sounds is set to return for another year. Heading back to the pretty, pretty spot of Mount Penang Parklands in Kariong, Mountain Sounds has locked in Saturday, February 21 for its 2015 instalment. With the lineup set for announcement on Thursday, October 23, interest in the boutique, sustainable festival has sparked once again — last year's festival saw Midnight Juggernauts, Ball Park Music, Emma Louise, Sticky Fingers, Jinja Safari, LDRU, and Cosmo's Midnight among others (including a farewell to Snakadaktal). Local strummers should get their demos ready too, as a state-wide competition is set to be launched in the coming weeks to give one live band and one electronic act the chance to play alonsgide Australia's hyped up artists. Giving a high five to the environment once more, the locally-founded Mountain Sounds is again set to take great care in minimising the environmental impact and carbon footprint of the festival. There'll also be silent discos and campsite parties curated by the team, who all grew up on the Central Coast. With tickets on sale Thursday, October 23 (lineup day) and sitting around 80 beans, this is an end-of-summer festival worth the measly dosh for. Mountain Sounds Festival is on Saturday, February 21 at Mount Penang Parklands, Kariong, NSW. Tickets on sale on Thursday, October 23, from $79 +BF and available over here. Image: Voena.
What could possibly make a night of jaw-dropping circus any more enjoyable — other than a glass of bubbly to help soak up the ambience (or perhaps to stop you from biting off all your nails?) [yellow tai] offers everything you want in a wine, which is why it will be supplied throughout the entire season of the upcoming Sydney Festival 2014. Following on from a killer, sold-out season in London, LIMBO will hit Sydney Festival in 2014. And this circus cabaret looks to be little less then explosive. With awe-inducing acrobatics, breathtakingly brilliant manoeuvres and a serve of cheeky cabaret, LIMBO is circus like you've never seen before. Presented by Strut & Fret, Underbelly Productions and Southbank Centre, LIMBO has all of the danger — but much more sexiness — of your regular night at Cirque du Soleil. This is circus with grit, set against the funked-up, old-time jazz, oompah, rap and bossa nova of Sxip Shirey's electric live score. Limbo will show in The Spiegeltent from January 8-26. The [yellow tail] Discovery Bar will be located in the Festival Garden, just beside The Spiegeltent. Thanks to [yellow tail], we've got four double passes to LIMBO on 24 January to give away, each with a bottle of [yellow tail] bubbles to enjoy on the night. 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.
That staple of summer, Maltesers Moonlight Cinema, is back for its 18th season of open-air cinema. And they've put together another cracking program to tickle the cinematic tastebuds of old and young alike — from advance screenings of the hottest blockbusters to cult classics, blood-rushing action flicks to heart warming rom-coms. The Belvedere Amphitheatre in Centennial Park will be the Sydney venue for the series. After the daytime bustle of joggers, personal trainers and cyclists, hire a beanbag or simply sprawl out on the grass under the stars with a loved one. Don't forget to indulge in some delicious snacks and perhaps a few beverages to complete your cinematic experience. It's the perfect way to unwind after a hard day and usher in those balmy summer nights. There's also the option of 'Gold Grass' tickets, which gets you a bean-bed in the front rows and designated waitstaff. New releases include the much anticipated return of Ron Burgundy in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues as well as sneak previews of big Boxing Day releases The Railway Man and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Sometimes it's the classics that can be most fun, however. Embrace your inner dag and negotiate how much a set of jousting sticks should cost with the much-loved and highly quote-able Aussie comedy The Castle. Or roll out the picnic rug and share a meal fit for Jehovah over Monty Python's 1979 gut-buster, The Life of Brian. If there's one thing Moonlight Cinema has proven itself more than capable of, it's cherry-picking the most enjoyable moments in cinema and creating a relaxed and sociable atmosphere to boot. Maltesers Moonlight Cinema runs from December 12, 2013, to March 23, 2014, and Concrete Playground has five double passes to give away (valid for a screening of your choice). To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address at win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au.
Come those long, balmy afternoons of summer time, it gets easier and more tempting to ignore the beer and opt for a clean and crisp cider instead. So to celebrate, the Hotel Steyne in Manly will turn itself over to the Australian Cider Festival on October 19-20. Let the boozy apple juice flow. The cider industry is gaining some serious traction in Australia, and the festival "will give the general public a chance to sample a wide range of quality ciders in one place", says Cider Australia president James Kendell. Familiar faces include old favourites like Magners and Monteith's, plus up-and-comers like Australia's first certified organic cidery (noun, not adjective), Willie Smiths. Alongside the dozens of stalls featuring local and international cider makers, festivalgoers can feast on menus tailor-made to accompany cider. Also thrown in are street performers and other family-friendly activities to keep everyone excited and involved. Tickets are 35 bucks a pop, and include ten tasting tokens, a tasting glass and a tasty gourmet roll. How do ya like them apples? Thanks to Batlow Cider, we have two double passes to the Australian Cider Festival to give away. For your chance to win, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), and email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Michael Fassbender's papier mache head scurried around Newtown today. Well, a damn good copy. Dendy Cinemas pulled a top notch marketing ploy by dressing up a denim-clad punter in the head of Frank — from the soon-to-open film of the same name. Stopping for a drink at the Newtown Hotel, Frank was a little late to yesterday's Coldplay party. Discovered via tweeting 'razzis using the film's official hashtag #FindFrank, the mysterious Frank was seen scurrying around King Street ahead of the film's post-Sydney Film Fest opening night this Thursday. FRANK is out and about on King St! #FindFrank pic.twitter.com/ttuIKUWE6Q — Dendy Sydney (@DendySydney) June 18, 2014 SPOTTED: Frank is fashionably late to the @coldplay King St party! #findfrank @MadmanFilms pic.twitter.com/5x0M4AI4xH — Joseph Gubler (@JosephGubler) June 18, 2014 FRANK's just stopped in for a quick drink at @NewtownHotel #FindFrank pic.twitter.com/Vt82VwPEMm — Dendy Sydney (@DendySydney) June 18, 2014 Check out Sarah Ward's review of Frank over here.
The brainchild of cosmic Melbourne trio Midnight Juggernauts, Siberia Records plays host to a swag of electronically-grounded, eclectic artists worth giving a significant damn about. For their highly-anticipated Vivid label party Siberian Nights they're bringing Mancurian electronic wizard Andy Stott and his formidable bass/vox fusion to The Studio on May 23, alongside Sydney threesome Black Vanilla, Forces, Cassius Select (Guerre), DCM and Four Door. Plus, the Middy Juggs will be jamming as well, bringing their fully immersive experience AERIALS to psych everyone out. https://youtube.com/watch?v=8RCyVFdkbgk
One of the beautiful things about living in the inner city is that you really don't need a car. Fundamental amenities are within a foot's pace and any other goodies - friends, parties and shows - tend to be within the grasp of public transport. So why are there so many damn cars choking our town? Reclaiming the Lanes is an effort to stop the clock and remind everyone that the world was a wonderful place before the Model T. Communities condense when their reach falls into walking distance, and this is exactly what will happen to Newtown on Saturday 13th. Expect mobile music factories, roving minstrels, dancing neighbours, lots of smiles and NO CARS. To get involved, gather at the Hub from 2pm and reconnect with the secret laneways of the inner west. https://youtube.com/watch?v=2WtS05WhqP4
A trip to one of Sydney's beaches can be akin to a pilgrimage. For many those sandy strips are symbolic of all things Australian - whatever that really means - and almost everyone reading this can share a memory of getting the golden grain chafe in their special place. But it is not just here that the beach holds sway over people. All over the world can be found the majesty of waves pounding against the shore, rendering rock into sandy butter. TaikOz have tapped both this tidal heartbeat and local beach romance in their new project, Shifting Sand, which has its world premiere here in March. World-class taiko drummers, TaikOz have blended a particular Australian sensibility with the ancient Japanese tradition, a mix that has granted them many successes over the past twelve years. Combining exceptional physical prowess with energetic sounds, Shifting Sand will also be the first time that TaikOz presents entirely original music outside of collaborations. Image by Keith Saunders https://youtube.com/watch?v=9hu3ehgLxQM
The Big Apple has been dominating America's music output lately with a slew of amazing bands making music that is both challenging and progressive. But it seems on the West Coast, the city of big cars, out of work actors and Mexican food has gotten off the Devil's dandruff for a bit and started delivering the world a bunch of really good bands like Local Natives, Silversun Pickups, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, Warpaint and many more. Health are one of these bands and they stand out thanks to their noisy, abrasive, minimalist punk, often built on the foundations of disco beats. They sound a bit unhappy, the vocals a monotone drawl obscured by screaming synths and guitars. They have developed a serious buzz in the US and UK on the back of a handful of 7 inches and cassette singles and last years self titled debut. They are visiting us 'down under', as Americans say, to play the Perth Festival and are swinging our way shortly after. Expect a really frenetic and noisy show. Pack your earplugs. https://youtube.com/watch?v=_ETG3OAWv2k
An atheist and a (insert deity-worshipping faithful here) walk into the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. They each take their seat, peer into their bag of convention goodies, and then look at the program of speakers for the days ahead. At this point the atheist leans in to her partner and says, "If God actually existed, he'd be speaking at Semi-Permanent". Now in its eighth year, Australia's premier design conference promises yet another festival of creative ideas for Sydneysiders. Reflecting the diverse application of design, the 2010 line-up of speakers is impressive in its breadth. There are the graphic artists, such as Melbourne's Tin&Ed, typography queen Jessica Hische and slick Jasper Goodall. Next are the photographers, including photo-journalist Ashley Gilberston and the healthy glow of Jill Greenberg. And, as the brand evolves in 2010, Semi-Permanent will also introduce cultural commentators such as t-shirt aficionados T World and zeitgeist gazer Craig Schuftan. Intelligent designer or not, you'll certainly be rewarded in this life if you jump in and grab early bird tickets for Semi-Permanent 2010. We're partnering with Semi-Permanent and will be giving away 5 passes to the conference. To win, email hello@concreteplayground.com.au and tell us why you want to go in one sentence. Image by Jasper Goodall.
Embrace your inner hula girl for The Tiki Two, a duo comprising old Sydney lads Con Tiki and Mr Mai Tai, (the delicious duo whose remix of Ella Fitzgerald's and Duke Ellington's 'Caravan' sold out in two weeks) who will be at OAF on Australia Day spinning more musical genres then you could throw a coconut cocktail at. Their incredible collection of 60s go-go, vintage rock and surf-a-billy will blow up your grass reeds and set your lei on fire. Joining them on the decks will be Sydney's very own Graz whose TARDIS awaits to take you back and forth through all time with his rockin tunes. Hulas and limbo competitions await, as do prizes for the best dressed.
Jacques Audiard serves up another searing character study of crime with his taut portrait of A Prophet. Following up the beautifully realised The Beat My Heart Skipped, Audiard journeys into the bowels of the French prison system with an illiterate young Arab, Malik El Djebena (Tahar Rahim). Condemned to a six-year stint for an unnamed crime, Malik falls in with Corsican gangster César Luciani (Niels Arestrup) and pushed to increasingly violent ends in order to survive. Audiard's ferocious and fearless filmmaking is being recognised with several award nominations (including a Grand Prix win at Cannes) as well as ubiquitous and prestigious comparisons with The Godfather. A Prophet is 150 minutes of claustrophobic and clawing reality that tears strips off any semblance of 'rehabilitation.' As a companion to Jean-François Richet's epic biography of Jacques Mesrine, Audiard adds a further layer of brutality to the nature of gangsters and the harrowing existence of incarceration. Email your details to hello@concreteplayground.com.au with A Prophet Giveaway in the subject line for your chance to win one of 20 double passes to a preview screening on Feb 8, 6.30pm at Dendy Newtown. https://youtube.com/watch?v=l69ARbQt-Ko
In order to feel incredibly grateful to our early ancestors you only need to think about their persistent curiosity and hazardous experimentation with food. How many lives, throughout the history of the human family, must have been lost to determine which mushrooms are poisonous and which varieties are safe? Imagine the process of sorting out which berries cause the belly to swell and explode and which ones satisfy the desire for sweet nourishment. This trial and error process lies at the heart of collaborative projects, where the measurements of others must be shared with a range of other measurements also taking place. For information we must allow for formation. Open Fields is an "inaugural academic camp" inviting researchers, academics, artists, practitioners and idea-enthusiasts to partake in a cross-pollination event occurring at both the University of Technology and Serial Space, Sydney. The ambition here is to present a range of proposals, prognostications, ideas and works in a multi-disciplinary feast. Catch the full program of performances, presentations, installations, exhibitions, screenings, Wednesday's opening night festivities and Friday night's live zine printing and assembly. To win one of two conference passes to Open Fields click 'Suggest to friends' on our Facebook page, tell some of your peeps about Concrete Playground, then confirm your entry on the wall.
This show has such a curious mix of reggae greats and amusing pop artists. You have on one hand Sly & Robbie, who are absolute legends of the genre who in the 80's imbued the sounds of reggae into some seminal pop albums, producing for Grace Jones, Peter Tosh and even Serge Gainsbourg. Then you have Shaggy who has penned the awful yet amusing pop gems Mr Boombastic and It Wasn't Me (I bet you've got that one stuck in your head now). You have to wonder about the target market. The biggest draw card could be the fact that Lauryn Hill is appearing with Sly & Robbie. Hill has somewhat fallen by the wayside since her days in The Fugees (Wyclef Jean is also appearing solo) and her amazing solo debut The Miseducation Of, so it will be interesting to see her return to our shores. The show is split over two nights, so if you like your skank and you've got some cash to cover the astronomical cover charge choose your night, or go to both if you want to fork out $242. https://youtube.com/watch?v=dE6Qcc6VDo8
Deerhoof is a troupe of glorious daytrippers, big smiles and off-the-wall styles. At this point, they are the longest-standing musicians signed to iconic record label Kill Rock Stars, and their longevity is something we should be thankful for every day. Especially when it comes to tour time, because this band are one of the few that if I had to choose between seeing them live once or owning their entire back catalogue, I'd be asking for the ticket. Having evolved over the years, losing and gaining members with seemingly amicable grace, Deerhoof is currently comprised of four members and, from all reports, are in pretty fine live form, having spent the last year touring their excellent record Offend Maggie. Their sound, according to Wikipedia, fits into the following genres: alternative rock, art punk, avant-garde music, experimental rock, garage rock, indie pop, indie rock, J-pop, noise, noise pop, noise rock, pop music, post-punk revival, post-rock, post-modern music, progressive rock, psychedelic pop, rock music, twee pop, 21st century classical music. Which is to say, about 20 more than most other bands. Similar in spirit are their support band Tokyo drifters, Tenniscoats. A duo who have been making music together since 2000, their live temperament is meditative and a little offbeat. Tenniscoats and Deerhoof have been involved collaboratively recently, so it's a special thing to see them both on one bill. Dreamers rejoice.
Echo & The Bunnymen, Jane's Addiction, My Bloody Valentine, Duran Duran, Rage Against The Machine, The Pixies Happy Mondays... The last few years have seen more reformations than you can poke a stick at, promoters dusting off the old rockers like crazy. The results have been mixed, but Faith No More should yield better results than most, as they are still young enough to put on an amazing show without looking like parodies of their younger selves (did anyone see Devo at Splendour a few years back? Flower pots on old guys equals creepy and stupid not quirky and inventive). FNM had a 11 year hiatus and apparently "decided to sit down together and talk about it" (check out the press release on their website, it sounds like they had a therapy session ala Metallica). Well talk they did, and they decided to do what they do best -tour like mad men all over the globe and shred like monsters. So if you can't handle all the rest of the metal at Soundwave, rock down to The Hordern.
Apparently Jesse Willesee is going somewhere. Before he does though, there’ll be one last show: YOU PUT A SHIRT ON A HANGOVER AND CALL IT A DAY. And, despite being a self-professed ‘failed poet’, the artist will be launching his debut book of poetry. It is an art show and book launch with performance, interactive installation and poetry. All on a Tuesday night. What’s more, it’s happening at The Coachman, that amazing dusty den of decadent Russian kitsch, where anything might happen - I once saw the most amazing bogan bride standing by the door, in a too-white polyester meringue, boobs overflowing, fag pressed between her lips. Art, Poetry, Vodka, Borsch ... I’m sorry are you still looking for reasons to attend? Come, crush a cup of wine.
Cormac McCarthy's Pulitzer Prize winning novella is a personal, epic poem about a father and son clinging to their humanity in a post-apocalyptic world. Suitably, a lyrical director John Hillcoat (The Proposition) has brought the story to the screen, capturing the stultifying bleakness and depravity in which the last tendrils of hope still remain. Reuniting with The Proposition scribe Nick Cave, and star Guy Pearce, Hillcoat brings his own, confident eye to the tale; casting Australian newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee (Romulus, My Father) alongside Viggo Mortensen (Lord of the Rings) as the leads Man and Boy. This is a sparse, disturbing and evocatively precise film. Screenwriter Joe Penhall, cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe and production designer Chris Kennedy have done a remarkable job recreating McCarthy's harrowing dystopia (just what caused the world's demise is provocatively left untold), while Mortensen and Smit-McPhee generate beautiful chemistry in what is a captivating love story between father and son as well as a brutal right of passage. The overuse of Cave's muscular music sullies the experience somewhat, however Hillcoat succeeds in creating his unflinching apocalypse, while quietly shepherding his film towards a faint, fading mirage of hope. We have 5 double passes to give away, just email your details to hello@concreteplayground.com.au with THE ROAD TICKET GIVEAWAY in the subject line for your chance to win. https://youtube.com/watch?v=i4aNZGniOG4
The twentieth century was a time for joyous speculation, when many minds envisaged future utopias of married technology and cultures. Back then, our future was filled with flying cars, friendly aliens, food pills and zero gravity sexbots. And everyone wore silver foil, because it was awesome. Sadly, successive decades of very bad behaviour have corrupted our future visions, and now all we can hope for is that our poisoned bodies develop a kind of tumour that allows us to breath underwater. Sydney artist Kenzie Larsen is fighting that grim vision with a return to all things bright, shiny and low budget. Channelling the sci-fi films of old, Larsen has created a sculptural and print playground for those wanting to explore the grand frontiers of forgotten space. Photo by James Brown
George Clooney has been making a habit of anthropomorphising himself this summer. First he played a fox in Wes Anderson's spell-binding Fantastic Mr Fox and now, in Up In The Air, he plays an entirely different kind of predator. “We are not swans,” his character Ryan Bingham says to a room full of business associates, “We’re sharks. The slower we move, the faster we die.” And when Clooney says it, with his gleaming white teeth and dead eyes, you believe him. The role is a perfect fit. Clooney, who’s always been chilled out, has never looked this cold-blooded or at ease before. Perhaps Oceans 11 comes close, but unlike that film, Up In The Air is about something. Ryan Bingham is a “career-transition counsellor”. His job is to fire people from large corporations and he spends almost all his time jetting across America to different failing companies. He lives in a sterile limbo of faux geniality, pillow mints, mini bars and no emotional connections. When someone asks him where he’s from he says “I’m from here” gesturing to his business class seat. The movie is directed by Jason Reitman, son of Ivan Reitman, who made Ghostbusters (yay!) but also Junior (boo!). Unlike his dad, Reitman Jr isn’t afraid to put a bitter coating on a sweet pill. The movie is as hip and glib as you would expect from the man who made Juno, with awesome comedic cameos from Zach Galifianakis, and J.K. Simmons. But it also features heartbreakingly raw scenes featuring non-actors who were actually made redundant. There aren’t that many mainstream directors who have the courage to allow you to indulge in slick Hollywood escapism but are also prepared to pull the rug out from under you when you least expect it. The two supporting actresses Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick are also excellent, as is Jason Bateman as Clooney's smug boss. Up in The Air is an hilarious and ultimately chilling film about modern alienation. Like a Rom Com version of American Psycho. We have three double passes to give away, thanks to Paramount Pictures. Email your details to hello@concreteplayground.com.au with UP IN AIR GIVEAWAY in the subject line for your chance to win.
Right up there with "yeah, baby!" from Austin Powers, or Jerry (I haven't even seen the damn movie but I know this line) Maguire's "show me the money", Taxi Driver's "you talkin' to me?" is a movie quote I need NEVER hear again, except if it's Robert DeNiro in a state of manic panic in front of his bathroom mirror. In which case — because nobody puts baby in a corner — I'll be first in line for a ticket. Following the glam bloodbaths of the Dario Argento festival, the Chauvel Cinema is hosting a month of Scorcese Fridays. Despite the fact The King of Comedy isn't screening (boo), the line-up is worthy of you putting every session down in your diary right now. In pen, even. What I'm saying is, it's time to get organezized. O-R-G-A-N-E-Z-I-Z-E-D... Friday 26th March 8:30pm Mean Streets (1973) Power, love, loyalty and a smoking gun in Little Italy. Friday 2nd April 8:30pm Taxi Driver (1976) Yes I'm talking to you, you should know what this '76 Palme d'Or winner is about already. Friday 9th April 8:30pm Good Fellas (1990) This ain't your mum's Sopranos. Well, actually it is. This has more bada bing than Bada Bing. Friday 16th April Raging Bull (1980) Best boxing film ever made, end of story. If that's not enough, it inspired one of the best scenes in Waiting For Guffman.
Enough with the lawns and gardens – outdoor cinema could do with some dirtying up. Taking over Parker St in Chinatown for one night only, Gallery 4a's Cinema Alley is presenting a double-bill with An Estranged Paradise (1999), a feature-length film by one of China's leading contemporary artists, Yang Fudong, and The Cowboy's Flute, an early 1960's animation by Te Wei of the Shanghai Animation Studio. Known predominately for his photographic irony and short art films, Fudong's An Estranged Paradise was his first feature-length film, taking him seven years to complete. The film is centered on Zhuzi, a young man complaining of a general malaise eventually deduced to be only intense boredom. Estrangement and aimlessness play out in this psychological drama on the uneventfulness of happiness with all the poetry and power for which Fudong is renowned. The Cowboy's Flute is a key water and ink-wash short animation from the Shanghai Animation Studio. Unmistakably Chinese, the story unfolds without dialogue, emphasising the animation's art, and the soundscape. This year's Cinema Alley is a celebration of the collision of contemporary and traditional concerns in Chinese art. Tickets are free but limited so pre-book early. As part of the program Gallery 4a is also running an animation project where audience members can submit short animations with selected works to be screened the following year (contact the gallery for details). https://youtube.com/watch?v=Z60qEocUYAg
It's anyone's guess what went down in Dizzee's dome to make him start doing rave tunes and drinking champagne in the tropics with scantily clad women. Maybe too much sun for the London boy made him go troppo. It's a big change from the teenager who shot into our peripheries with the grimey, naive yet tough as nails sounds produced at his East London high school on his debut Boy In Da Corner, which featured the huge tunes I Luv U and Fix Up Look Sharp. I'm not so convinced on his new direction - collaborating with UK electro producer Calvin Harris and dropping tunes about holidays on white sand islands and cash cash cash - but I suppose it's just a prodigiously talented twenty something flaunting his success. He is one of the drawcards at The Big Day Out and will stop by the Enmore Theatre while he's here. Let's just hope he delves into some of his back catalogue to balance out the new new neon party anthems.
Let’s take a minute to talk about love. As one of the most powerful yet overused four-letter words in the English language, next to “fuck†and “cakeâ€, love at times feels dangerously close to overexposure.Like many before her, Charlyne Yi wanted to uncover the truth behind the word. In Paper Heart, she travels across America with camera crew in tow, speaking with couples, singles, children and the elderly in an attempt to understand love. Along the way, she befriends actor Michael Cera and a romance blossoms.What saves the film from triteness is that Paper Heart is actually following a script. In a clever twist on what we’ve come to expect from indie documentaries, Yi and Cera play themselves in a film about their fictional romance, while Nicholas Jasenovec, the film’s actual director, is played by actor Jake M. Johnson.Occasionally Yi and Cera’s awkwardness grates, and the ending is a little haphazard, but the film doesn’t pretend to draw any grand conclusions or teach any profound lessons about love. Paper Heart’s message seems to be that figuring everything out, in love and in this film, can kill the magic. Instead, just enjoy the ride.https://youtube.com/watch?v=xkdrdSCBZmk
If you’re after sparkling, sexy new disco, New York label Italians Do It Better is for you. Label head (and one of disco's best advocates) Mike Simonetti is in Sydney this weekend, playing at La Campagna thanks to Resident Advisor. Simonetti was last in Sydney mid 2008 and turned out an incredible performance; hours and hours of hypnotic grooves journeying through pop, disco, new electronica and rock. Support comes from the gorgeous lady of the night Kali, Ksubi main-man Dangerous Dan, Modular’s Magic Happens, and Ro Sham Bo party-starter Spruce Lee. Dance into Spring.
There is no 5 in Ben Folds. Just a man, described by Spin as "incapable of mediocrity," a piano and a slew of unique, slightly left-of-centre pop rock tunes. Ben's been a busy boy since last he graced our shores in 2006, selling out a record four shows with the Sydney Symphony orchestra. He released 3 albums this year alone. Stems and seeds landed in stores in February, followed by Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella! And the latest, Way to Normal, which has earned many a rhapsodic review. "Nary a weak link to be found" says PopMatters "more than anything, Way to Normal is simply Folds' way of showing us that, at 42, he's still doing this piano-power-pop thing better than anyone else around." Placing himself in an in-the-round scenario for two shows only at Sydney's Opera House, Ben will perform tracks from the new album and his extensive archives.
Contained within a museum–like cage and existing on a diet of images, videos and sound files is Artefact H10515, the digital offspring of Australian artist Craig Walsh and his trusty helpers Steven Thomasson and Lawrence English.Soon to be inhabiting the Powerhouse Museum, this gastronomic chameleon digests digital matter dispatched from a website that has access to a number of public and private collections, including that of the Powerhouse Museum. The result is a breathing heaving mass that morphs, moves and changes colour in response to its last meal of art à la carte.Audiences can watch this transformation happen before them or step into the driver’s seat and upload their own content to the website. The title of the work harks back to the original object registration system of the Powerhouse Museum where items of unknown origin or purpose were given an ‘H’ prefix followed by the next available number. If our metabolism was as immediate and transparent as this, the old adage ‘you are what you eat’ would be far more frightening. Three cheers for blissful ignorance. Cheezel anyone?
Why is it that so many new German plays are being performed in Australia? Obviously, it's because we share a border with Deutschland and speak a dialect of its language - oh wait, that's Austria. Tut mir leid.So, having eliminated the easy answer, that still leaves the jolly, lederhosed elephant squatting in the corner of the theatre. Are there any parallels to be drawn between Australian and German culture, or do we even need to find similarities in order to enjoy another country's creative fruits? Perhaps the answer can be found in the large numbers of German travellers who grace our beaches every year, or in the firm-chinned declaration by many an Australian that they "want to live in Berlin while it's still cool". Somehow, though I hang my head in shame to admit it, maybe ours is a love affair consummated in the throes of stein passion during Munich's Oktoberfest.All stereotypes aside, if you are keen to uncover the solution to this mystery, book a ticket for the August 27th performance of Under Ice and you'll be able to attend the German Forum organised by the Griffin Theatre.
I find it hard to sleep the night before a big trip. Knowing that I have to wake up at 5am never helps the sheep-counting, but even so, I'm full of too much excitement to relax. Imagine then, the state I'd be in were tomorrow's trip the beginning of a six month stint in a warzone.Matthew Newton writes, directs and acts his way through such a dilemma, introducing us to three naval officers who want to spend their final night in Sydney as lasciviously as possible. Newton's definitely pulled in a strong supporting cast for his second feature, with appearances from Barry Otto, Jacki Weaver, Bud Tingwell and Pia Miranda, and has chosen well with Toby Schmitz, Ewan Leslie and Gracie Otto as his fellow headliners.This is a compelling film dotted with clever punches, though at times Newton's need to conjure an "average Australian male" clunks off the reel. Similarly, Hugh Miller's constant use of unsteady cinemtatography goes beyond a sense of realism and into the dimension of seasickness; effective for making me feel like a queasy ensign, but definitely overstaying its welcome.Three Blind Mice has a limited release at the Chauvel Cinema, Paddington, running every Friday night for the general public from September 11.https://youtube.com/watch?v=of_koHUq0Rc
How do you shoot the most shot beach in the country without it looking like a postcard you might send to your granny? Hitch a ride in a helicopter and view it as the Gods do. That's exactly what renowned surf photographer and owner of Aquabumps Gallery, Eugene Tan, did when he took to the skies in an attempt to capture the iconic Bondi beach from a rarely indulged angle. The result is a stunning series of vivid aerial shots that showcase our oceanic landscape in all its epic splendor. In the spirit of inclusion, Tan notified all 29,000 ocean-lovers on his database of his intentions for the shoot before he took flight. "Some people brought lurid towels and umbrellas, or placed themselves in ridiculous poses, so they would be able to identify themselves later" said Tan. It's this merging of dwarfed beach goers and their paraphernalia with the sweeping expanse of sand and sea that makes these images so visually compelling, taking surf photography quite literally to a whole new level.
Semi-useful fact: 'babooshka' is a widely but incorrectly used term for Russian Dolls. 'Babooshka' means 'grandma' in Russian and 'Kate Bush in a body suit' in English, and nothing else. The correct term for the hollow dolls of varying sizes that nest inside one another is 'matryoshka'. Not unlike a matryoshka itself, this year's Russian Resurrection Film Festival comprises multiple layers of films in varying shapes and sizes, all put together in a compact little package. Highlights include the premiere of the blindingly colourful retro musical Hipsters, and the retrospective program which dips into Russia's rich history of cinema and pulls out treasures like the elaborate 1936 Circus (one of Stalin's favourite films) and the eccentric 1960's comedy Peculiarities of the National Hunt. The opening night will feature special guest Nikolai Lebedev who directed Soundtrack of Passion (which is billed as Russia's 'very first erotic-thriller'), and following the screening there will be a cocktail reception at the Coachman. Unless you are Kate Bush or a babooshka or a matryoshka or some other kind of superhuman/Russian, we wish to remind anyone planning on joining in of Garrison Keillor's forewarning words: "Vodka is tasteless going down, but it is memorable coming up." 


Image: Circus, 1936. Dir. Grigorii Aleksandrov
Hazelhurst Regional Gallery is making the most of its garden with an exhibition of billboards titled Collide-O-Rama by Australian artist, Maria Kozic. Kozic has worked across many mediums of art since beginning her practice in the late 1970s, and these billboards are not her first expression in this form. In 1990, she created Maria Kozic is Bitch, a billboard artwork in which a lingerie-clad Miss Kong (only pretty, and human) glares threateningly at passersby, crushing Ken dolls in her giant hands.Kozic shot the images for Collide-O-Rama in her adopted home town, the Big Apple, and while they are somewhat indistinguishable, being cropped and close-up, the images retain a classic NYC grittiness. Kozic’s four photographs are scattered through the gallery’s Aussie bush garden and car park, and part of their meaning is derived from this placing: they are discovered by stepping with trepidation through ferns and hedges, a moment at once artistically contrasting and straight out of an episode CSI. Collide-O-Rama is curated by artist Daniel Mudie Cunningham, and forms part of the ongoing garden billboard project at the Hazelhurst Regional Gallery.
A friend of mine believes that you should always lose yourself in an unknown city; when you wander around you take in so many details, see all of those hidden locations that would otherwise be lost behind your tourist guidebook. It's a lovely idea, but when that sun starts to set and the temperature drops into the bone-chilling territory, I'm a sucker for knowing the quickest route possible back to my warm bed.Further We Search, the debut film by Melbourne director/writer/producer Darius Devas, follows Age (Xavier Samuel), a young man who doesn't necessarily have the option of his own bed, but manages to link up with a cast of curious, flawed souls in his quixotic explorations of an underground Melbourne.Shot on a budget of only $8000, this is an extremely independent feature - so much so that there's only one screening of it in Sydney. If you find yourself needing a dose of fresh, homegrown cinema, this is certainly a great way to get your midweek fix.https://youtube.com/watch?v=_dqKXufyE3A
In a universe with an immutable timeline it is still possible to travel into the past, but doing so results in the creation of a new, alternate timeline, occupying a separate reality. So, when Sooners took their instruments and hopped back into the 1940s, they spawned a new world of hope crushed beneath institutional collapse. Likewise, Gideon Bensen and the Preachers have crashed through underground clubs, breaching the turn of the Fifties and powering through the Sixties in their own timeline of decadence and delight. Nostalgia, for a newborn world of dappled light and muddy tears, is at its strongest in the words and melodies of A Casual End Mile.Take this free trip into worlds that are old and yet new, and perhaps you will tear away your own trinkets of times gone by.
Axes do not fall silently and men die neither quickly nor quietly; their life splutters out of them in a mixture of breath and blood. It may well be that butchering a man is ‘easier than cutting sheep’ but it is, whatever your sensibility, far more gruesome.The story of notorious convict Alexander Pearce has been told many times before. Marcus Clarke’s 1874 novel For the Term of His Natural Life was made into a silent movie (1927) and a mini-series (1983). Paul Collins’ Hell’s Gates (2002) is a comprehensive history of Pearce’s journey. Never mind also the folk-stories whispering through Tasmania since Pearce’s capture in 1824. But Van Dieman’s Land, the first feature film of director Jonathan auf der Heide, tells it like no other. Apart from being an incredible exercise in filmmaking, from the precise scriptwriting and cinematography to the pared-back performances, Van Dieman’s Land is breathtakingly brutal. Eight men escape from Van Dieman’s Land, a penal settlement for re-offending convicts, where ‘Abandon all hope ye who enter here’, is plastered over the gates. One man, Pearce (Oscar Redding), survives the journey through an unforgiving Tasmanian landscape. Auf der Heide contends that this is a story too often exaggerated, that it is rather one about survival â€" kill or be killed, eat or be eaten. But whatever humanity these men had, even the process whereby it was beaten out of them, lies beyond the boundaries of this film. So why tell this particular part of this particular story? There is nothing to empathise with; little to illuminate what causes a person to do what it is these men do. Yet this, I think, is the poetry of the film. Auf der Heide believes that a man, no matter how low he has fallen, is still human â€" perhaps violence is in fact the very essence of humanity? Van Dieman’s Land takes no liberties with emotion or spectacle, it appears more honest than confronting and if you are made of sterner stuff than I, it might just be one of the best films you’ll see this year.https://youtube.com/watch?v=o546hUrs8FQ
