Oxford Arts Factory has just announced its new 2019 curators for its arts space, The Cube. Orson Heidrich and Jarryd Lynagh of Signal will be putting on monthly shows, revamping The Cube into an art space to focus more on installation, sculpture and physical art works within the bigger music venue. The first one features work by Rosie Deacon, who's shown around Australia and the UK, and recently created the installation Fashion Forest Seduction as part of this year's Mona Foma. Deacon works with sculpture and installation to "engage with the spectacle of obsession and realms of the absurd". Her technicolour immersive work plays with the surreal and the real, with layered, lush forms and references to flora and fauna remembered from a childhood in rural New South Wales. It will open with a special opening party this Wednesday, April 3 from 6pm — the first of a series of events that will open each new installation. Signal has been invited to curate the space for a year, including takeovers from other groups. Watch this space for future events. Rosie Deacon's work at The Cube will run until 20 April. Image: City of Sydney.
While seeing fruit mince pies in your local shopping centre in October feels downright disturbing, there's one Christmas treat that no one ever minds arriving early: Four Pillars annual Christmas Gin. The third iteration of the Healesville distillery's seasonal sip is coming in strong, set to hit shelves next Saturday, November 3. It's the delicious result of a yearly tradition that sees a bunch of Christmas puddings — handmade with the owner's family recipe — distilled with various festive botanicals to create a sought-after tipple that pretty much screams December 25. The flavours of an Aussie Christmas are captured in notes of cinnamon, star anise, juniper, coriander and angelica. The Christmas gin is then blended with some earlier gin that's been carefully ageing in old muscat barrels. It's all finished with a hit of Rutherglen muscat and some of Four Pillars' own matured muscat for a bit of added richness and complexity. Each year, a new unique label is chosen to wrap up this Christmas creation, setting out to evoke that same festive spirit. 2018's bottle design is the work of Stephen Baker, the Melbourne artist responsible for the mural outside Fitzroy Pool and one of the Art Trams currently rattling around the city. The bottle is decorated with his bold geometric shapes and bright hues of bathers by the pool, and pretty much nails the feel of a hot and summery Aussie Christmas. The distillers recommend you drink it in a Christmassy G&T with grapefruit sherbet and star anise, or a cobbler with lemon, muscat and a bit of sugar. Or you can just splash a bit of it on your Christmas pudding — Four Pillars is selling its own four-serve puds for $25 alongside the gin. If you want to nab a bottle, have your fingers poised over the 'buy' button when they go on sale online on November 3. Alternatively, you can stop by the distillery's CBD pop-up on level six of Myer, or Four Pillars HQ in Healesville. Bottles are $100 a pop and you can get it shipped in a copper gift box (with a stirring spoon) for an extra $15. Four Pillars Christmas Gin is available from November 3, in selected retail stores and online. But you'd best be quick — there's only a limited amount of bottles.
Imagine if your quick trip to the convenience store was even faster and more convenient? Well, this could soon be a reality, as 7-Eleven Australia launches its new cashless, cardless concept store, where transactions are all processed via smartphone. The app-based technology was first trialled alongside the regular point-of-sale system at the group's Exhibition Street store in the CBD, but this new Richmond store will be the first in Australia to rely on it entirely. Operating similarly to Amazon's groundbreaking, fully automated grocery store, which opened in Seattle last year, 7-Eleven's new process ditches physical checkout counters in favour of a smartphone app. Customers scan barcodes of their selected items as they move through the store, then pay via the 7-Eleven Mobile Checkout App, which is linked to their credit card. 7-Eleven launches Australia's first cashless and cardless convenience store in Melbourne's inner suburb of Richmond where customers use their smartphones to complete their transactions. https://t.co/AH8jNCtwjU pic.twitter.com/szMtsszQG9 — 7-Eleven Australia (@7ElevenAus) May 29, 2019 According to 7-Eleven, the payment process has been honed to be as quick and user-friendly as possible. And with zero queues, it means means less time waiting to sink your teeth into that late-night sausage roll. Like Queen Lizzie, we're guessing people will cheat the self-service system — putting pricey Ben & Jerry's tubs through as $1 Slushies — but 7-Eleven says there'll be plenty of staff on hand to greet, assist and keep an eye on the customers. While no more check-out free stores have been in Melbourne or interstate just yet, the company says it is exploring more "ultimate convenience" options, such as delivery and micro store formats. We'll let you know if it decided to launch any more. You can find 7-Eleven's new app-driven concept store at 2/658 Church Street, Richmond. You'll need to download the 7-Eleven store app from the Apple Store or Google Play before you shop.
Home to an enviable beachfront view, North Bondi Fish is bringing back its legendary Bondi Bottomless sessions as the sunny days stretch into autumn. From this stunning vantage point perched just above the shore, a sun-soaked feast is on the agenda every Saturday and Sunday from 12pm. Expect fresh seafood, free-flowing drinks and crowd-pleasing DJ beats. [caption id="attachment_993297" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] Priced at $95 per person, on the menu at this boozy long lunch are tantalising options like salted fish fritters, baked scallops, XO butter, Hibachi market fish skewers, and calamari and chips. Then, bottomless house beer, wine and prosecco will go down a treat, as you soak up your front-row seat to the iconic Bondi Beach. If you're keen to take this weekend get-together to the next level, you're invited to upgrade to the cocktail package for an extra $30pp. Spanning classic and creative cocktails, your 90-minute feast gets even better with classic and spicy margaritas, minty-fresh mojitos and a seasonal spritzes that change from session to session. [caption id="attachment_993296" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Of Oliver[/caption] Top image: Of Oliver
Even if you can't afford a plane ticket to Tokyo at the moment, (including a super cheap one with a five-hour stopover in Cairns that seats you so near the toilet you can develop flush-induced tinnitus for days afterwards), you can still get a taste of how the Japanese drink and dine at the Harajuku Nights pop-up launching Friday. As part of the ongoing ArgyleXchange Festival, Sake Restaurant and Bar will be temporarily taken over by DJs, Harajuku girls serving izakaya dishes, 20 different shochu-based cocktails and a "wasabi roulette" created by executive chef Shaun Presland. An izakaya is a kind of casual, after-work watering hole where you also eat food, usually at a pretty slow pace spread out over a few hours. Oh and for those who haven't sampled it, shochu is a traditional Japanese distilled spirit. So basically, you're in for yummy snacks, tasty drinks, fun costumes and a potentially explosive experience with wasabi. Sounds like a good way to start the weekend. And entry is free! This is just one of the events going on as part of the festival. For a full listing of events and special offers check out the official website.
A huge celebration of food, music and culture is coming to Liverpool in the form of Eat Your Heart Out — a collaboration between local creatives and Liverpool City Council. The one-day festival will feature a stellar line-up of musicians, artists, artisans and chefs to open the newly revamped Macquarie Mall. The team at FBi Radio has curated a music program that lauds local artists who will showcase their talent on Macquarie Mall's stage. Some of the emerging artists to be showcased are hip-hop crew Soul Benefits, indie-electronic trio Okenyo and Triple J's 2017 Unearthed winner Rebecca Hatch. To complement the energy on stage there will be an altering, sensory light installation presented by Soft Centre and an array of art and design stalls by Sydney-based artisans. There will also be a collection of food trucks forming a mobile food court for the day, with old hands and newbies alike settling in to share their fodder. Miss Mabel's combines seasonal, organic and free-range produce with Asian, Mexican and Deep South cooking styles, while Sakura on Wheelz will offer an extensive, traditional Japanese menu. Fried chicken specialists at Dirty Bird Food Truck will dish up Dirty Wings, Crack Burgers and shoestring fries, and The Donut Dealer will be true to their name and offer an array of extravagant, rotund doughy treats. Along with the festivities at Macquarie Mall, just over the way in Bigge Park, there'll be a host of family-friendly activities: jumping castles, circus skills and a touch-to-play water park to occupy the oldies — um, we mean littlies. Activities at Bigge Park will kick off at noon until 6pm, and the opening act at Macquarie Mall will start at 3pm and go till late.
It's been a while in the making but planning for the 'adult Triple J' is now well underway, with Myf Warhurst at the helm. After taking control of digital music channel Dig in October last year, Triple J today announced that the over-30s station will be rebranded as Double J and officially launched on April 30 with Warhurst as regular presenter. The new station name is a throwback to Triple J's early days as Double J — a time when listeners were introduced to The Ramones and Joy Division and the station became a landmark in Australia's music history. Now, Double J will focus on the nostalgia of the '80s and '90s "celebrating the iconic music you grew up with" (N.B. This means a lot of Nick Cave, Nirvana and INXS), while adding in some palatable new sounds. "We have wanted to build a station like this for a number of years and now, with your help, we are really proud to deliver Double J," says Triple J manager Chris Scaddan. "While it won’t be a throwback to the music of the original Double J, it will be a station that takes the best elements of triple j’s past - a name, a presenter and the incredible archives, thrown headlong into the future with the best new sounds around." The reaction on Twitter has been positive with a touch of needling. — Callum Wilson (@Cal___) April 8, 2014 HEY! Gen X (old people) stop listening to @triplej its sad & you're making it uncool.We made you another thing over here #DoubleJ #TripleJ — Michael Davis (@MikeyMikeD) April 8, 2014 Regardless, the move is a necessary step to satisfy those who have felt disconnected from the national youth broadcaster of late. Alongside the usual complaints — "The Doctor sucks"; "Dubstep sucks"; "I hate hipster music and banjos" — Triple J has courted some controversy in the past few months about the homogenisation of their playlists. Faced with the familiar, high-rotation airplay of young indie acts like San Cisco, upcoming bands and old favourites alike have been reportedly feeling pressure to conform to a specific sound. Double J will hopefully help to quell this unrest and provide a bit of diversity to the listening landscape. "One of the best things any of us working in the media can do is to deliver something that audiences genuinely want," says ABC director of radio Kate Dundas. "We recognise people want to stay connected to music and discover new artists as they go through life — that’s the simple aim of Double J." Double J will launch at midday on Wednesday, April 30, with a live broadcast from Warhurst. The former Spicks and Specks favourite will present a daily show from 11am–3pm weekdays. The full list of programs and presenters will be revealed on air and you can listen in via the ABC radio app, online at www.doublej.net.au, or on your digital radio or TV.
When October rolls around each year, there's really only one appropriate thing to watch. That'd be horror movies, horror movies and more horror movies — all leading up to Halloween, obviously. Australia's A Night of Horror International Film Festival clearly loves the genre no matter the time of year; however, in 2021, it's showcasing its lineup of fear-inducing flicks in the two weeks right before the spookiest day of them all. So, from Monday, October 18–Sunday, October 31, you can get your scares at its virtual fest. And yes, by jumping online, that means the event is accessible nationally as well. This is A Night of Horror's 13th fest, fittingly, and it comes with an unsettling program of shorts and features. From the full-length titles on the bill, highlights include the UK's Lair, about an occult expert and skeptic with a pal who thinks he's possessed; New Zealand's The Turn of the Screw, the latest big-screen adaptation of Henry James' novel; and the Aussie-made My Cherry Pie, which nods back to 80s slasher fare — plus dreamlike Austrian effort Memory, and the supernatural and sinister Sunod from The Philippines.
After spending time at Gelato Messina Rosebery, Rocker and Grifter Brewery, Toby Wilson and his adored Sydney taco truck Ricos Tacos have found a permanent home in Chippendale. Located on Meagher Street, the new bricks-and-mortar outpost sees Ricos expand its always-reliable menu, and allows Wilson to experiment with new dishes and flavours. If you're looking for a recovery dinner from your Easter long weekend, the new Chippendale restaurant is hosting an al pastor party on Tuesday, April 19. Wilson and co will be bringing out the rotating meat to create al pastor tacos alongside hash browns and corn chips for a special one-night feast. For those out of the loop, al pastor is spit-grilled, marinated pork that is often found at street food vendors in Mexico. The tacos will be available for dine-in or takeaway from 5pm until they are sold out, so it's best to head over for an early dinner to make sure you get to try these tasty creations.
At a time when most IKEA furniture ends up deep in the Gumtree 'For Sale' ads or left on the side of the road, the Swedish retailer has come up with a pretty clever plan to give those unwanted flat-pack ensembles a second lease on life. Today, in an Aussie first, IKEA has launched a full furniture take-back service out of its Tempe store, allowing Sydneysiders to bring in their retired IKEA pieces to be sold on to a new home, and score a voucher for their efforts. This is also great news for those looking to score some cheap furniture, as the bought-back pieces will be available for purchase in-store. The company already runs programs to recycle its products elsewhere in Australia, but only for sofas, mattresses, batteries and light bulbs. Customers can also get an insight into the recyclable and renewable materials that go into their flat-packs, at IKEA's first-ever Circular Living pop-up store, on show at Tempe for the next eight weeks. Both initiatives have been spurred by findings from the company's latest People & Planet Positive Report, which suggests Aussies threw away up to 13.5 million pieces of furniture that could have been recycled, reused or repaired. If you're keen to take advantage of IKEA's take-back system, simply fill out an online form and email photos of your unwanted furniture to be assessed by an IKEA expert. If it gets the thumbs up, you'll be offered a selling price, then have 14 days to bring your piece into the Tempe store and pick up an IKEA voucher priced to the same value. IKEA will then sell on your unwanted furniture for the price of your voucher. Find IKEA Tempe at 634-726 Princes Highway, Tempe
Young love can make a whole lot of life's rotten, unfair burdens bearable, but for teenagers Tamara (Sophie Hensser) and Squid (Meyne Wyatt), it may not be enough. They leave homes of absent parents, incarcerated siblings and cupboards empty of even unwholesome breakfasts to attend a scantly resourced urban Sydney public school from which most students aren't expected to graduate. If someone believes in them, it's usually fleeting. Outside of school, they run amok and make meaning of a familiar topography — the meeting ground of Town Hall, the galleried glamour of CBD shops, the strafing lights and menace of Kings Cross. The world is painted and scenes transitioned through narration, mostly Tamara's. You'll want to listen. Their dramas resonate beyond the usual boundaries of adolescence. Lachlan Philpott's script, in its first performance after winning the 2009 Griffin Award that sent it into production, is bold, poetic, insightful, truly affecting and wonderfully, literally close to home. It's extraordinary the levels to which he's been able to penetrate and embody the teenage mind — Facebook-checking and headphones-dependency unpatronisingly explained — as well as the minutiae of the school world most of us have happily repressed (Philpott couldn't; he's a teacher). Still, it's a hard one to pull off, so it's fortunate this show is so well cast and directed (by Lee Lewis, fresh off the Sydney Theatre Company's ZEBRA!). Wyatt, in particular, puts in a stunning performance as Squid, a boy of comparably few words but plenty of raw charm and an alarming intensity written in his eyes. Hensser, considering she spends two hours parlaying the incessant stream-of-consciousness of a 15-year-old girl, can notch up a success in making Tamara anything other than completely annoying, and ultimately, she makes a lot more of her than that. Her Tamara is inquisitive, bubbling with potential, cute and fragile. The two multi-purposed adults, Camilla Ah Kin and Kirk Page, are wonderful, and Ah Kin's rendering of the outwardly wry, inwardly empathetic and nostalgic teacher Ms Petchall is an undisputed highlight. Their fates play out against a Sydney skyline cuprocked into a chain-link fence. It's effusively teenage, and like so many of Griffin's inventive yet space-constrained sets, when you think you know it, you don't know it at all.
STC is kicking off the year with Caryl Churchill's Top Girls, a critique of feminism written while Margaret Thatcher was at the height of her powers. Still blistering with relevance three and a half decades later, this surreal dinner party and its aftermath documents the price paid by women looking to build successful careers. After earning a promotion at work, Marlene takes the unprecedented step of inviting several prominent women from history and myth to celebrate. Among her guests are Pope Joan, who supposedly presided over the Catholic Church in disguise during the ninth century, famous explorer Isabella Bird, and Patient Griselda, a character from Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. As they share their stories, they also discuss society's (largely negative) approach to ambitious women. The cost is continuing, they say, and Marlene does not have to long to wait before the skewed system begins to extract its toll on her. Directed by Imara Savage, the all-female cast includes Paula Arundell, Kate Box, Heather Mitchell, and Helen Thomson as Marlene. Top Girls is a timely reminder of how seldom opportunities for true social change come along and the importance of pushing hard for it when they do.
When quizzed on their favourite things about summer, a staggering number of Australians place 'the beach' and 'the cricket' in the top two spots on their lists. And rarely do we have to choose between the two. But when the cricket rolls into town, you can be forgiven if you're stumped by the choice of a day at the beach or a day in the sun with friends at the cricket. Now you can combine both to enjoy a uniquely Australian summer experience that will deliver the best of both worlds. Coke has transformed a stand at one of Australia’s most iconic sporting arenas, the Sydney Cricket Ground, to bring Sydneysiders the Coca-Cola Beach – a pop-up beach at the cricket. Feel the sand between your toes and cool off in the splash pool as you cheer on the Aussies in fancy dress at one of limited over matches versus Sri Lanka (January 20) and the West Indies (February 8), respectively. To find out how you can get a spot on the sand head to cokeunleashed.com.au
When Sydney-based streetwear label The People Vs. started out in 2013, they set up a small boutique space in Seminyak. Four years later, and a year after opening their first Australian flagship shop in Bondi Beach, they're back to launch their own Bali outlet. It's both a return to their roots and a big leap forward for the brand, with their first bricks-and-mortar venture overseas dubbed their "premiere global concept store". The People Vs. Seminyak continues their recent run of success, with the label currently stocked at more than 30 retailers in Australia, New York and Japan. Indeed, if you've wondered where their vintage-esque grunge style was born, wonder no longer: it was here. Time spent scouring Seminyak flea markets, and experimenting with techniques — washing, dying and printing included — helped them to develop the nostalgic blend of surf, punk, rock and streetwear they're known for today. While they can't be accused of following a trend, The People Vs. is the latest Sydney joint to turn Bali into their second home of late. Restaurateur Maurice Terzini unveiled the Italian Riveria-style Da Maria last year, while restaurant and bar Mrs Sippy just recently made the jump. Find The People Vs. Seminyak at Jl. Laksmana Basangkasa, No. 78 Oberio. Seminyak. Head to their website for more information.
Unfolding over 200 kilometres, the country's largest outdoor gallery will soon play host to the new Silo Art Hotel — a luxury, street art-themed pop-up getaway located in Sea Lake, near the northwest corner of the art trail's looped route. Announced today, Monday May 17, the Silo Art Hotel will give visitors an opportunity to spend the night just a short hop away from the trail's many spectacular visual offerings. Located beside the vivid pink waters of Lake Tyrrell, the hotel is crafted from three repurposed shipping containers, two of which have been transformed into luxe suites. The third has been reimagined as a heated open-air swimming pool, ideal for weary travellers after a long day spent exploring the region. It's all appearing for just one month, from June 11–July 12 this year. A joint effort from Visit Victoria and street art collective Juddy Roller, the Silo Art Hotel will offer some visual splendours of its own with the Matt Adnate Suite and Drapl & Zookeeper Suite each kitted out with never-before-seen artworks from their respective namesake artist. Adnate concepted and created the mural on the Sheep Hills silos in 2016, while Drapl & The Zookeeper are behind the collaboration that has graced the Sea Lake silos since 2019. A colourful mural by Rosebery silo artist Kaff-eine will adorn one side of the pop-up swimming pool. [caption id="attachment_812361" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Sea Lake silos, featuring artwork by Drapl and The Zookeeper.[/caption] The Silo Art Hotel design is the work of Contained — the same crew behind The Wine Down pop-up winery hotels. The two self-contained hotel rooms boast high-end features including fancy Cultiver linen and robes, Australian-made toiletry products and a mini bar stocked with local goodies. Each room will also boast a private deck, ensuite bathroom and reverse cycle heating and cooling. The Silo Art Trail has been slowly and steadily expanding since its conception in 2016. It currently features 10 large-scale artworks, painted onto towering silos dotted across the state's Wimmera Mallee region. The Silo Art Hotel will pop up at Sea Lake from June 11–July 12. Rooms are $275 per night Sunday through to Thursday, and $375 per night from Friday to Saturday. Head to the website to book your stay.
Beachwood Designs brings bespoke timber furniture to Avalon, and has been doing so since the early 90s. At the Avalon Parade shop, you'll find side tables made from elm next to driftwood floor lamps and more. Luckily for you, the local furniture company offers custom-made pieces, made from sustainable materials where possible — from reupholstered ottomans to dining tables hand-carved from oak or reclaimed timber. For something a little easier to transport, you'll find homewares to match, including dainty ceramic pieces, raffia bags and artwork by local artists. For those keen to really take a slice of Avalon home, or for the indecisive out there, Beachwood offers an interior decorating service for both locals and those a little further away. Images: Sam Mackie.
Quietly keeping us all tied firmly to Planet Earth, gravity is the mighty scientific force taking centre stage at Penrith Regional Gallery's latest group exhibition, Gravity (and Wonder) — where art and science make waves. Think three months of artist and scientist residencies, live performances and out-of-this-world digital projections from some of the top guns in both fields. For the first time, PRG joins forces with the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, the University of Western Sydney and Penrith Observatory, bringing together a collision of art and science like Sydney's never seen before. Blue Mountains visionaries David Haines and Joyce Hinterding will present the first attempt to record sound falling from space, with their haunting audio-visual display Descender, while Amy Joy Watson will get your head spinning with her huge floating installation. They'll be mega-scale works from American artist Richard Serra, Dreamtime paintings of The Moon and Universe from Indigenous brother-sister duo Mabel Juli and Rusty Peters, plus a one-day gravity-defying performance on November 5 at the Gallery's Lewers House (transformed into the exhibition's House of Wonder). Prepare to have your mind blown.
Our transportation options are becoming more and more personalised. Sydney now has three rideshare car companies — and might soon score on-demand flying taxis — and even the government has jumped on board, launching on-demand buses across the west and inner east. Travel across Sydney Harbour, however, is still limited to two options: Sydney Ferries and pricey, privately-operated water taxis (unless your mate happens to own a tinnie or super yacht, that is). This is about to change, thanks to a new service called Ahoy, which just launched on Tuesday, December 18. Run by Captain Cook Cruises, the on-demand ferries service allows you to call one to your nearest inner east wharf at a time that suits you. Similar to Uber, you can hail the ferry via an app on your mobile device, which also tracks the vessel's journey and lets you know its arrival time. At the moment, Ahoy is available for travel between Elizabeth Bay Marina, Garden Island Wharf and the Harbour Master Steps, Circular Quay. It's currently running between 6.45–9.15am and 4.15pm–7:30pm, Monday to Friday. A one-way journey takes just 12 minutes and costs $7.50 for adults — about the same price as a regular Sydney ferry — or, if you buy a 15-trip eTravelPass, $5.90. The 'tubby class' ferries, which can carry up to 60 passengers at a time, are not Captain Cook's first foray into ferries, either — its rocket ferries run 13 different services across Sydney Harbour, which includes trips to Barangaroo, Lane Cove, Goat Island and Watsons Bay. Download Ahoy at the App Store or on Google Play. Image: Captain Cook rocket ferry courtesy Captain Cook and SeaLink Travel Group.
Beats allowed but not compulsory? What are they gonna use then? Well Michaela Davies uses electric muscle stimulation to control the limbs of her Involuntary Quartet, and Christian Moraga makes 'noise washes' created by fiddling around on a guitar synthesizer. FBi Utility Fog presenter Petter Hollo loops and layers cello as his alter ego Raven, and you’d better believe Julian Knowles has something other than softsynths up his sleeve after 20 years in the field. These are the four artists heading up the inaugural Pretty Gritty, a bimonthly experimental electronica night at Redfern's 107 Projects. It's a place where music shoved under the 'ambient electronica' umbrella can let loose and spit uneven shards of broken melody all around the room, or strip back the layers and bare its quietly reverberating soul. Because electronica can be pretty too.
Is there a better way to round out your work week than hitting the pub? What about hitting the pub for a Friday lunch and scoring a free beer? Surry Hills stalwart Forrester's is facilitating just that with 100 free pints for International Beer Day. The first 100 people to head to Riley Street from 1pm on Friday, August 4 will score a free pint of Hawke's Brewing Co's Patio Pale Ale. That's right, head to the pub this Friday for a late lunch and the first round is on the house. The promotion is limited to one beer per person for the first 100 patrons to order a Hawkes after 1pm, but if you miss out (or you arrive too early), don't worry. You can score pints for schooner prices at Forrester's all day on August 4. So, you can knock off work and save a few dollars on your Friday beers in Surry Hills. Head to the Forrester's website for all the details and to make a booking. Top image: Kitti Gould.
Somewhere in the multiverse, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is terrific. In a different realm, it's terrible. Here in our dimension, the 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe teeters and twirls in the middle. The second movie to focus on surgeon-turned-sorcerer Dr Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog), it's at its best when it embraces everything its director is known for. That said, it's also at its worst when it seems that harnessing Sam Raimi's trademarks — his visual style, bombast, comic tone and Evil Dead background, for instance — is merely another Marvel ploy. Multiverse of Madness is trippy, dark, sports a bleak sense of humour and is as close as the MCU has gotten to horror, all immensely appreciated traits in this sprawling, box office-courting, never-ending franchise. But it stands out for the wrong reasons, too, especially how brazenly it tries to appear as if it's twisting and fracturing the typical MCU template when it definitely isn't. Welcomely weirder than the average superhero flick (although not by too much), but also bluntly calculating: that's Multiverse of Madness, and that's a messy combination. It's apt given its eponymous caped crusader has always hailed from Marvel's looser, goofier and, yes, stranger side since his MCU debut in 2016's plainly titled Doctor Strange; however, it's hard to believe that such formulaic chaos was truly the plan for this follow-up. Similarly, making viewers who've long loved Raimi's work feel like their strings are so obviously being pulled, all for something that hardly takes creative risks, can't have been intentional. It's wonderful that Multiverse of Madness is clearly directed by the filmmaker who gave the world Army of Darkness and its predecessors, the Tobey Maguire-starring Spider-Man movies and Drag Me to Hell. It's fantastic that Raimi is helming his first feature since 2013's Oz the Great and Powerful, of course. But it's also deeply dispiriting to see the filmmaker's flourishes used like attention-grabbing packaging over the same familiar franchise skeleton. Multiverse mayhem also underscored Multiverse of Madness' immediate predecessor, for instance — aka 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home. That's the last time that audiences saw Stephen Strange, when he reluctantly tinkered with things he shouldn't to help Peter Parker, those actions had consequences and recalling Raimi's time with Spidey came with the territory. Strange's reality-bending trickery has repercussions here as well, because Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen, Sorry for Your Loss) isn't thrilled about her fellow super-powered pal's exploits. Yes, Multiverse of Madness assumes viewers have not only watched all 27 past MCU movies, but also its small-screen offshoots — or WandaVision at least, where the enchantress that's also Scarlet Witch broke rules herself and wasn't still deemed a hero. Multiverse of Madness begins before its namesake and Wanda cross paths after their not-so-smooth moves, actually. Strange's latest escapade kicks off with monsters, moving platforms, a shimmering book, and a girl he doesn't know and yet wants to save. It's a dream, but said teen — America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez, The Babysitters Club) — is soon part of his waking life. Hailing from another dimension and possessing the ability to hop through the multiverse, she's still being chased. Interrupting Strange's brooding at his ex-girlfriend Christine's (Rachel McAdams, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) wedding, rampaging critters reappear as well, while a sinister tome called The Dark Hold also factors in. The mission: save the girl and all possible worlds, aided by Strange's old friend and now-Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong, Nine Days), and via a run-in with nemesis Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Locked Down). An evil book, basically being dragged to hell, reanimated corpses, a scrappy young adventurer, wisecracks, a leading man with the initials BC: they're all Raimi staples, and they're all accounted for in Multiverse of Madness. So is a signature casting move that's to be thoroughly expected, and remains as delightful as ever. Michael Waldron, the writer/producer behind Loki, has scripted the feature with its filmmaker firmly in mind — or tinkered with the screenplay after OG Doctor Strange helmer Scott Derrickson left the sequel — and Raimi has taken those nods and run with them. But magic isn't about conjuring up the easily apparent, as the flick's cloak-wearing protagonist has learned over his time. Off-screen, that's something Marvel rather than its creatives-for-hire need reminding of, and what makes Multiverse of Madness a strategic exercise above all else. (It doesn't help that an inventive, clever and bold blast of multiverse movie, unrelated to the MCU, has beaten the latest Doctor Strange to cinemas by mere weeks. Everything Everywhere All At Once is inescapably chaotic, but gloriously, entertainingly and revealingly so, and never in a checklist-marking way.) Marvel has a pattern, though. It hires directors with distinctive styles and vibes, uses them to differentiate any given MCU instalment from the last, and hopes that counteracts the formula at work. And, it can. Even this many pictures in, great films eventuate that don't completely feel squeezed through an assembly line in every frame; see: Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok, Ryan Coogler's Black Panther, Cate Shortland's Black Widow and Chloé Zhao's Eternals. If Multiverse of Madness wasn't also saddled with other well-used, patently recognisable Marvel tactics, that might've proven true here, too. If only it had. But when a new MCU entry leans on multiple versions of its main figure (again), plus wholly fan-servicing cameos (again) — going for more is more several times over (yes, again) — and then attempts to freshen itself up by splashing around a famed director's beloved touches (again), it's always going to struggle to be convincing. Gleefully pushing obvious buttons and trying to incite easy cheers was No Way Home's main aim as well; Multiverse of Madness fares better, thankfully. It's a lesser auteur-helmed MCU movie and a lesser Raimi-directed film, but it still benefits from the latter doing what he's able to within company-controlled confines. Danny Elfman's (The Woman in the Window) moody score always sets the right tone, and the kaleidoscopic imagery has its dazzling moments — albeit with too many pixels showing in the name of serving up a shiny spectacle. And, in all of its key roles, Multiverse of Madness is still extremely well-cast. Indeed, the scenes that linger are those shared by Cumberbatch with either Olsen, McAdams, Wong or Gomez that call for genuine emotion rather than dwelling on superhero schtick, nefarious villains, multiverse mechanics, incursions, surprise guests and the like. Alas, being gifted more of that, and more of anything that doesn't have to tick 75,000 of Marvel's usual boxes along the way, sadly and frustratingly isn't a reality for this film in our caped crusader-worshipping universe.
If you're looking to blow off some steam after a chaotic couple of years (and that's putting it mildly), you'll soon have a brand-new outlet for unleashing that pent-up frustration. Popular Viking-themed axe-throwing venue Maniax is opening the doors to its second Sydney outpost, this time in Marrickville — and this one's going to be even heftier. In fact, Maniax's new joint will be its largest yet — not only in Sydney, but across its seven sites Australia-wide. The company is going big in 2022, and not just here, with five other new hatchet-hurling spots set to pop up around the country before the year is out. For now, though, the focus is all on Marrickville. For Sydneysiders keen to get chucking in fresh surroundings, the new venue will launch sometime in April, and will become the brand's flagship site. Perched behind a large roller door on Jabez Street, it'll cater to 350 punters at full capacity, including for casual throws – if there's anything casual about chucking bladed weapons — and for events such as pre-wedding shindigs, birthday parties and date nights. Decor-wise, the new digs will be playing up the theme; think: leather banquettes, an antique mercury mirror, a huge antler chandelier and chalet-style fireplace. Oh, and a throne. Horns, shields, runes and helmets will all feature, plus ropes, furs and hides. And axes, naturally, with Alex Zabotto-Bentley and the AZB Creative team on interior-design duties. An on-site kitchen will be serving a menu of pizza and grazing platters, as well as slow-cooked meats and burgers — and banquets for pre-booked groups of eight or more. Also, since launching axes at targets can be thirsty work, the Maniax bar will be pouring a range of Viking-themed cocktails and craft brews to match. As with its siblings, the venue is designed to be enjoyed by axe-throwing junkies and total novices alike, manned by highly trained staff who'll happily coach you in the art of hurling weapons. Throwing is open to anyone over the age of 13. There are various sessions to choose from, depending on your skill level — ranging from the speedy one-hour Quick Chuck through to those aforementioned date-night packages featuring coaching for two. Annual memberships are also available. And once you've got a few throws under your belt, who knows? You might even be tempted to flex your newfound skills by joining the Maniax Axe-Throwing League. Find Maniax at 9–11 Jabez Street, Marrickville, from some time in April. For more information and bookings, head over to Maniax's website.
A simple and surprisingly affecting love story set against the stunning summery glow of rural New South Wales, Love Is Now is the feature film debut of writer-director Jim Lounsbury. The story concerns Dean (Eamon Farren) and Audrey (Claire van der Boom), two young photographers who embark upon a romantic holiday cycling along the NSW harvest trail. Lounsbury's screenplay suffers from a lot of the familiar shortcomings of first-time film outings, including patches of dodgy dialogue and a distinct lack of self-awareness. Nevertheless, the film is made worthwhile thanks to its sympathetic characters and some gorgeous cinematography, not to mention an absolute gut-punch of an ending. The weakest section of Love Is Now is definitely the first half-hour. The prospect of yet another indie film romance about an artistically sensitive guy and the free-spirited girl who changes his life isn't exactly electrifying, especially when it never manages to convince you that she'd want to get with him in the first place. Even by that low standard, Dean and Audrey's meet-cute is seriously unconvincing, although credit to the actors for doing what they can with the stilted getting-to-know-you banter. Van de Boom, in particular, is fantastic in the film, recalling the screen presence of a young Rachel Griffiths. And while it's a little hard to believe that Audrey would fall head-over-heels with Dean, Lounsbury's screenplay does an excellent job capturing the feelings that accompany such a sudden and unexpected romance. The spontaneity. The excitement. And, of course, the jealousy. Once you accept them as a couple, Dean and Audrey begin to grow on you, to the point that, when things start to turn sour, it's easy to find yourself caught up in the melodrama. The climax of the film sheds a whole new light on their relationship, and your visceral emotional reaction more than makes up for the fact that, narratively, it's sort of a ridiculous cliché. Love Is Now also earns big points in the technical department. The quintessentially Australian landscape is captured beautifully by cinematographer Anthony Jennings using digital SLR cameras – Nikon helped foot part of the film's bill, and as a showcase of what their products can do, it appears to be money well spent. Shots of long roads and eucalyptus trees at sunset aren't exactly a new direction for local cinema, but still, you can't deny it looks good.
A converted warehouse that's both a bar and restaurant, dog-friendly and offers live music — yep, No. 5 Restaurant & Bar sure ticks a lot of boxes. While many in Alexandria already call this their local, for most, this hidden warehouse space has been flying under the radar. But with an updated menu that has moved from low-key, burger-type fare to sophisticated and experimental dishes from chef Emrys Jones that hero local produce, now's the perfect time to drop by this inner-city gem. KINGFISH CEVICHE AND A LIVELY COCKTAIL It's clear from the outset that the McCauley Street venue has fun with its dishes and decor. Entering No. 5, you're greeted with an industrial bar that runs half the length of the warehouse — a throwback to the space's previous life as an old gem factory — and a collection of colourful armchairs. The area is at once eclectic and inviting — it asks you to sink in to savour a cocktail and a couple of snacks. To oblige, nibble house-made pickles and a creamy chickpea and gremolata dip. Then, sip something fresh, like the Lively Up Yourself with white rum, elderflower liqueur, lychee, lime and mint ($19) and shake of the day that was. BEEF TARTARE AND BEER Creamier than most, No. 5's beef tartare ($18) features rich, chunky pieces of lean Australian beef, a generous handful of herbs and pretty little dollops of cured egg yolk. While the dish comes with herb-infused crackers, we think the fluffy sliced white bloomer ($5) with cultured butter — both made in-house — is great for mopping up the final bits of beefy juice left on the plate. The bar has a couple of Fremantle-made Gage Road brews on tap. We'd recommend the classic US-style Atomic pale ale — it's refreshing yet punchy, countering the richness of the tartare perfectly. POACHED LING WITH A GLASS OF PINOT GRIS When No. 5 made the call to revamp its offering and move away from pub grub staples, the new chef set his sights on a menu that made quality local produce the centrepiece. These top-notch ingredients shine in bigger plates, like the blue cheese risotto or charred lamb ribs, which can be tackled solo or shared with friends. If you're looking for something a little left of centre, tuck into the poached ling with a light and creamy lemon thyme velouté ($28). The dish, which is described as having 'sea flavours', pairs well with a crisp and acidic drop. We suggest the 2017 Black Estate Circuit pinot gris from New Zealand; it's extremely drinkable and cuts through the creaminess of the velouté with ease. FLANK STEAK AND A BOTTLE OF RED A prime example of letting good produce do the legwork, the 300-gram Riverine flank steak ($36) is moist, delicate and speaks for itself. (The chimichurri and accompanying roast baby capsicums are an added, but non-essential, bonus.) The dish deserves a bold red to accompany it and the 2014 Tumblong Hills 'J Block' syrah from Gundagai fits the brief. This tasty drop is one of only two Aussie reds on the list — so while the food hails from Australia's outback, the vino takes you further abroad to France, Spain, NZ and Italy. ROSEMARY MOUSSE AND A FRUITY COCKTAIL No. 5 is all about marrying high-quality food with booze — and that doesn't stop at dessert. To finish the night on a high, treat yourself to this dreamy duo of creamy mousse and tart sour. The rosemary yoghurt mousse with fresh fig and sable cookie goes swimmingly with the subtle Fox Is Berry Sour, made with gin, ruby rose, elderberry, lemon, sugar and egg white ($19). Cheers, sweet teeth. Grab some mates, or a date, and check out the new summer menu at Bar No. 5 in Alexandria.
Turning 30 isn't so much a birthday as it is the crossing of a threshold. With the clear-cut idealism of your 18-year-old self nowhere to be found and nothing but the joyful wreckage of your 20s to show for three decades on the planet, the occasion can seem more like a mugging by Father Time than a celebration of maturation. So it is with the characters in Griffin Theatre's last play for 2018. Written and performed by Susie Youssef and Phil Spencer, The Smallest Hour is a romantic comedy about two people quietly mortified by the lives they lead. Shelly's running the quiz for a hen's night and Chris is a stripper who's ashamed of his body. When they reconnect many, many years after high school, shared disappointments and missed opportunities pile together to create another chance for both of them. Velcro pants also come into it at some point — we're not quite sure, either. Griffin Theatre's going out on a heartwarmer and Youssef and Spencer are just the performers for this oddball love story. See it before 2019 sneaks round and reminds you that you're another year closer to (or further from) the big 3-0. The Smallest Hour will run nightly (except Sundays) from Wednesday, December 5 to Saturday, December 15. All tickets cost $35 per person, plus there'll be $20 Monday rush tickets (available from noon for that evening's performance).
Now that winter has arrived, booking a trip to your nearest après-ski scene might seem like the move. Yet if the surf is more your style, the crew at Maple Social Club has an event for you. Taking place across 2–5.30pm on Saturday, June 7, their latest creative and low-pressure community get-together is headed to RAFI URBNSURF. Popping up for one session only, Après-Surf is a golden-hour gathering of snacks, spritzes and socialising at Sydney's man-made surf precinct. At its perch overlooking Sydney Olympic Park, the much-loved restaurant's terrace is prime position for a sunny afternoon with drinks and share plates to match. At an event that's being presented in collaboration with RAFI, you can expect an extended happy hour and cuisine that'll make it easy to make new connections with people from across town. Best of all, Maple Social Club has organised transport for the day, meaning that you can stress less about figuring out the logistics. Just arrive at Central Station at 1.50pm, then board a private bus bound for the URBNSURF precinct. After soaking up the food, drinks and views of surfers carving up the waves, the same bus will whisk you back to Central Station by 5.30pm, leaving plenty of time to make the most of Saturday night. RSVP is essential.
In need of some new procrastination material? Well, you're in luck. Google image search 'Banff' and spend a few minutes (or half an hour) taking in the gorgeous pictures of snow-capped mountains, aqua water and towering pines. It's impossible to not daydream about holidaying somewhere far-flung and exciting while ogling these picture-perfect views, as we're sure you'll agree. Thankfully, you'll have the opportunity to slip into this magical world without ever leaving Sydney. A selection of venues are hosting Banff Mountain Film Festival's 2021 tour — the event's latest stopover, after beginning back in 1976. Its stunning cinematography attracts film buffs and adventurers alike, making the festival mighty popular across the world today. Every November, hundreds of films enter the competition with the cream of the crop chosen to entertain and amaze festival goers. Some of the featured flicks battled it out in categories including Best Film on Mountain Sport, Best Film on Mountain Environment, Best Film on Mountain Culture, Best Film on Exploration and Adventure, People's Choice Award and more. Check out nine of them at Cremorne's Hayden Orpheum between Wednesday, May 4–Friday, May 6, the Randwick Ritz on Wednesday, May 11 and Chippendale's Seymour Centre between Wednesday, May 26–Friday, May 28.
With a little over a week to go before Tropfest turns 25, festival organisers have announced another big change. As well as moving out to Parramatta Park, the world's biggest short film festival is now putting the best seats in the house up for sale. For $49, the new Pick Your Patch option allows attendees to pre-book a strip of grass and a chair at the otherwise free event. Exorbitant? Perhaps. But Tropfest promises these premium sections are elevated to provide an excellent view of the screen. Pick Your Patch ticketholders are also granted exclusive access to certain bars and the opportunity to purchase gourmet hampers or merchandise. So how does this affect those who aren't willing to fork out for a patch of grass in a public park? Really not at all. Sure, there'll be more grumbling at the gates about how some animals are more equal than others — but for anyone who's ever donated a few dollars to their favourite podcast or blog, the logic should be clear. In 2015, Tropfest was pulled back from the financial brink after a series of management shenanigans left it with a funding deficit of several hundred thousand dollars. Since that time, organisers have been looking for a more sustainable business model which has included changing venues and appointing a new board. As far as making sure that the festival survives to foster up-and-coming film talent, surrendering a few hundred front-row seats to Louis XVI and his court doesn't seem that steep a price. Plus, it's a chance for some to support an event that's given more than a couple of Australian filmmakers and actors a leg-up in the past. Tropfest 2017 will take place on Saturday, February 11 at Parramatta Park. For more info, visit tropfest.org.au. Image: Attila Szilvasi/Tropfest.
The Baroque Room is one of the multiple venues located within The Carrington Hotel, the Blue Mountains institution on Katoomba Street. Soon, it will play host to Ngaiire. The singer is undoubtedly a creative force of nature, as well as the first Papua New Guinean to feature in Triple J's Hottest 100. Since her Australian Idol appearance back in 2004, Ngaiire has been working on her unique brand of R&B and neo soul, which has seen her tour alongside acts as diverse as Flume and Alicia Keys. Her live performances are renowned for their theatricality, attention-grabbing costumes and incredible vocals — it's no exaggeration to say the mountains won't know what's hit them this spring. If you're keen to head along, you best get in quick as her later performance has already sold out. For the latest info on NSW border restrictions, head here. If travelling from Queensland or Victoria, check out Queensland Health and DHHS websites, respectively.
The Liverpudlian indie pop stalwarts have returned to our shores to showcase their latest album Glitterbug, which was released in April. There's plenty of Australian love for these marsupial-inspired lads; this is not the loveable Liverpudlians first trip to Australia this year. In February, they played a handful of secret gigs to offer up a taste of Glitterbug, and needless to say the response was overwhelmingly positive. Haven't heard the album yet? The Wombats' new material sounds fresh and intricate while still maintaining their infectious and hook-ridden sound; look out for tracks such as ‘Give Me A Try’ and ‘Greek Tragedy’. For purists out there who can’t let go of memories of thrashing around a house party to ‘Let’s Dance To Joy Division’, don’t fret. You can bet your right hand they’ll be keeping the party going with their dancefloor fillers from days of yore such as ‘Jump into the Fog’, ‘Moving to New York’, and ‘Kill the Director’.
For those who like cruising around on two wheels, this year's Sydney Festival could prove just as much a cycling adventure as a cultural one, thanks to the release of a nifty new hop-on, hop-off bike map. Available via Google Maps, the free Sydney Festival Moon Map takes you past six lunar-themed installations and galleries that are part of this year's festival. The 7.8-kilometre bike path stops at key sites like the Sydney Observatory, where punters can check out free attractions and visit the Planetarium, and the Art Gallery of New South Wales, which has its fair share of moons hidden throughout its collection. Stick to the Moon Map route and you'll also get to explore an assortment of Sydney Festival installations. There's the Fly Me To The Moon at World Square — where cyclists can engage in some more pedal power on the Lunar Velocipede flying bike sculpture — as well as the mind-bending Moon Drops work at Darling Harbour, featuring super-sized bouncy droplets that'll send you floating through the air. [caption id="attachment_704105" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Moon Drop, Shake Lee.[/caption] And then, there's the series of eleven free artworks and interactive lunar-inspired experiences dotted through the Barangaroo Dining Precinct, as part of a city-wide homage to Apollo 11 and the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. To make your ride count, register at Love To Ride for Sydney Festival's Fly Me To The Moon challenge. You can 'donate' kilometres from individual bike rides, which'll count towards an attempted 384,400 kilometre cycling effort — the distance from earth to the moon — and put you in the running to win a prize. If you don't have your own bike, you could jump on one of the green Lime E electric-assist bikes dotted around the city. Moon Map participants can also pick up a Lunar Passport at World Square, Darling Harbour or Barangaroo and tick off the stops — the first 100 to do so, and to present theirs to the World Square ticketing booth, will score a free Sydney Festival bag of treats. You can check out more free things to do at Sydney Festival here. Image: Fly Me to the Moon; Apollo 11; Moon Drops, Shake Lee.
Despite the many different varieties of margarita available, only one is the undisputed best — no matter which tequila-soaked flavour it actually is. That type of marg: a free marg. And for three weeks from Wednesday, February 15–Tuesday, March 7, 10,000 of them are up for grabs around New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia. International Margarita Day is upon us for another year, hitting on Wednesday, February 22, and tequila brand Altos is celebrating. That's where the hefty giveaway comes in, but starting early and running for a couple of weeks after the date itself. Days commemorating different foods are really just an excuse to sell more dishes, drinks and/or ingredients, but this is an occasion — and stack of freebies — worth saying cheers to. Exactly how many bars are pouring free 'ritas across the three-week period varies per state, but Sydneysiders can head to Employees Only, Watsons EQ, Coogee Beach Club, Marrickville Bowling Club, Club 77, Chula, Mejico, Kid Kyoto, Applejack Group's venues and more. For Melburnians, you'll want to make a date with places like Maeve Fox, Death or Glory, Fitzroy Beer Garden, Fable, Mejico, Public House and Common Man. Brisbanites, pop Emporium, Southbeach Social, Victoria Park, Brooklyn Standard, Pig 'n' Whistle West End and others on your list — and Adelaide residents, you're heading to Republic. [caption id="attachment_698575" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Employees Only[/caption] There are a few caveats, as always comes with these types of giveaways. You do need to sign up online first, which'll get you a voucher for that free marg and entry into a competition to win a trip to Mexico. Altos is calling the promo a Mexican wave, because if you get a friend to sign up as well, you'll score an extra entry in that contest. That — and those free cocktails — is excuse enough to get clicking and sipping. [caption id="attachment_869703" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mejico[/caption] Altos Tequila's margarita giveaway runs from Wednesday, February 15–Tuesday, March 7. For more information, to register for your free drink and to find your nearest venue, head to the brand's website.
Eclectic, funky, stylish, unique — these are just a few complementary ways to describe Jackie, the owner of The Very Bazaar. The inclusive clothing store is bursting with fabulous preloved threads and accessories that are as much fun as its owner. Jackie has already put the hard work in, hand picking new stock every fortnight — so, you are guaranteed to come across a great find including vintage dresses with sunny prints, denim overalls with hand detailed embroidery and the coolest retro kicks since 1994.
Given it has a whopping 26 beaches to its name, you'd be forgiven for thinking Port Stephens is a holiday destination reserved only for the warmer months. Yes, cooler weather may make a lazy day of sunbaking and snorkelling a little less inviting, but you don't need to wait for a heatwave to take that well-deserved break up north. The coastal region has plenty to offer outside of peak season, too. Here are a bunch of activities that'll convince you to visit Port Stephens at any time of year. Please stay up to date with the latest NSW Government health advice regarding COVID-19.
A three-tiered breakfast platter would normally result in a day of food coma-ing and napping, but the geniuses at the Boatshed have a solution: kayaks and canoes for hire. The Woronora River runs through a sleepy, bush-clad oasis in the Shire and it's a pretty sweet spot to spend a morning. The aforementioned breakfast platters include bits of every fathomable breakfast item to share — waffles, hash browns, smoked salmon and eggs cooked two ways (just to name a few). Therefore your only morning decision need be whether you opt for a post-brekky stand-up paddle board session or a relaxing river glide on a kayak.
As one of Melbourne's most lauded fine diners, Attica has become quite the shapeshifter of late. Earlier this year, Ben Shewry's Ripponlea restaurant executed a classic COVID-19 pivot, launching a pop-up bakeshop in the space next door and diversifying with its first-ever take-home food offering. Last week, it was announced its post-lockdown comeback would take the form of a month-long venue pop-up called Attica In Between, hosting intimate ten-person dining experiences with a brand-new menu. Now, the team's revealed plans for the biggest shake-ups yet: a whole new Attica restaurant. Embracing fresh air and open skies, Attica Summer Camp is set to descend on the Yarra Valley from this December. At this stage, the finer details are still being plotted, though we're told to expect a casual, all-day affair, popping up for a five-month stint at dedicated site in Seville. Labelled "a significant departure from Attica", the new venture will feature a playful, informal vibe, as well as a sprawling countryside setting that nods to the rural backdrop and camping adventures of Shewry's own childhood. "It's going to be a super fun, high-energy, casual place that's been inspired by this time we've all been through," Shewry told Concrete Playground. "And wanting to just break free from that feeling, and look towards something that's more optimistic and positive." Yes, it's worlds apart from the globally renowned fine-diner concept, and the chef admits, "I never would have done this before". But with hospitality restrictions and capacity limits posing a challenge to the OG Attica, he's accepted that rolling with the punches will call for some big moves. "It's another step in saving Attica, our restaurant and our staff's livelihoods," he says. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ben Shewry (@benshewry) Above all, Shewry wants Attica Summer Camp to be somewhere "playful and fun" — an out-of-town destination where people can bask in some goodness after a less than idyllic year. There'll be a feel-good lineup of simple food and drinks, with a menu full of local produce enjoyed across the site's various indoor and outdoor spaces. The wine offering looks set to feature some collaborative efforts from long-time Attica friend and renowned winemaker Mac Forbes, who Shewry says has been an integral part of the whole project. Huge covered outdoor dining pavilions are ready for whatever Melbourne's sketchy weather decides to throw down, and a vine-covered pergola sounds primed for private picnic lunches. An on-site retail store will even be slinging goodies like Attica merch, house-made produce and take-home picnic hampers, so you won't be leaving empty-handed. Rounding out the offering is what the team's calling "the best and most uplifting soundtrack that a restaurant has ever heard". After the year Melbourne's had, that all sounds like exactly what the doctor ordered. Find Attica Summer Camp at 45 Davross Court, Seville from this December. We'll share more details as they drop and you can register your interest over at the website.
It's that time of year again — the sun is shining, work is slowing down (hopefully) and every single person in your life (and their next-door neighbour's cousin) wants to catch up. And when you're this busy, you'll exhaust all of your tried-and-true favourite spots for dinner and drinks in no time. But all is not lost. We've teamed up with Australian Venue Co to share some happenings around Sydney that are anything but boring. Whether it's celebrating the end of the work year with your colleagues, reuniting with an old mate who's visiting from interstate or just planning another night out with your usual crew, you can do much better than heading to your local for the fourth (or fifth) time this week.
If spirits are your poison of choice, you need to blank out the second weekend of July in your diary. The Sydney Spirits Festival is making an epic return to the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay. Launched only last year, the event was a sold-out smash hit. This time, it'll be bringing you even more spirits, more makers, and more masterclasses from Australia and the rest of the world. Highlights include single malt whisky masterclasses with Bill Lark, an oyster shell gin masterclass with Mikey Enright of Hickson House Distillery, and a mixology masterclass with Felix Clark of Ester Spirits, which won gold at the World Rum Awards in 2024. Plus, all weekend long, the Taste Theatre will host drop-in sessions led by the International Spirits Academy on all kinds of matters – from how to get more out of your tastings to how to make better cocktails. You can choose a ticket to suit your tastes – from the $55 early-bird special to the $180 masterclass ticket, which includes festival access. Just be sure to get in early – if last year is anything to go by.
BTS ARMY unite: you've got a new must-visit getaway spot, and Airbnb wants to make your dreams a reality. Fancy getting a dream glow because you're holidaying in the dynamite South Korean estate where BTS filmed season two of their reality show In the Soop? Of course you do — and, if you nab the overnight stay, you obviously have permission to dance. The series' second season dropped back in 2021, so if you always have 'Butter', 'Heartbeat' or 'Fake Love' on rotation in your head, you've probably been eyeing off a stay in PyeongChang for a while. Your chance now comes via Airbnb, with the accommodation service adding to its lengthy list of pop culture-themed one-off experiences — which also includes the Bluey house, the Moulin Rouge!, the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine and The Godfather mansion in the past few months. The idea with this listing: letting two BTS fans relax in the South Korean countryside like their idols did. Even if you're not a diehard devotee, it looks like a mighty luxe place to stay. Clearly, you'll get more out of it if you live, breathe and worship the band, given that it's largely decked out as it was during their time there. That includes some of the furniture seen on the show, so you can kick back with a book like RM, float on a unicorn in the pool like Jin and hit the trampoline like Jung Kook. Also included: a karaoke machine, sound system and all of BTS' songs and albums, right up to their latest record Proof; and a specially catered menu, including charcoal grilled Korean beef and tteokbokki. And, because there's seven BTS members, the one-night stay costs just US$7 — which is just over AU$10 / around NZ$11. Sadly, if you score the booking, you'll just miss out on the best spring day ever, with the trip taking place on August 29. If you're keen to make it right all night and stay gold in the scenic estate, you'll need to try to nab the reservation at 12pm AEST on Tuesday, August 2. As with all Airbnb special listings like this, you need to take care of your own travel costs there and back, including airfares — although this one does cover the round trip by car from KTX PyeongChang station to the BTS In the Soop property. For more information about the BTS In the Soop estate listing on Airbnb, or to apply to book at 12pm AEST on Tuesday, August 2, head to the Airbnb website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: Time of Blue.
For every Skrillex there’s a producer or DJ doing truly groundbreaking stuff for the world of electronic dance music, and Astral People and Niche Productions are bringing five of them to Sydney for one mind-blowing night of sonic exploration. Waving the flag for the UK’s mushrooming electronic scene are Pearson Sound (the Radiohead-approved alias of ex-Ramadanman David Kennedy), DJ Ben UFO, techno producer Pariah and UK garage game changer XXXY. The United States’ Slow Magic will round out the lineup with his swagger-infused dreamwave. Also along for the ride will be a few of Sydney’s own finest electronic artists including Dro Carey, Cliques and Astral DJ Ben Fester, plus some next-level lighting to ensure your eyes are sufficiently dazzled too. Concrete Playground has two double passes up for grabs. For a chance to win, make sure you’re subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address to hello@concreteplayground.com.au by 5pm Friday 14 December.
Sydney isn't typically a crowd-averse city, as anyone who has tried to move around town during a huge drawcard like Vivid knows. But, in 2020, gathering en masse hasn't been on the agenda due to COVID-19 — including at sporting events in the state's big stadiums. Today, Thursday, September 17, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced that's changing — for major ticketed and seated events at select venues. As the Premier explained, "the health advice now says that major stadia in NSW are able to go to 50-percent capacity rather than 25 percent". "In many ways, a large venue, so long as it has tickets and seats and zones, and very specific caveats, is available to be a managed and controlled event — and especially given it's outdoors, it also reduces the further risk," Premier Berejiklian noted. In terms of those caveats, the four-square metre rule applies, as does allocated chequerboard seating, clearcut zones splitting up the crowd's seating, and separate entry and exit areas. Also, for everyone attending, "there will be an expectation for people to wear masks when they're going to their seats," the Premier advised. She explained that once folks are seated, they won't have to keep their mask on; however "in getting to the venue and getting out of the venue, there is an expectation that everyone will be wearing a mask". https://www.facebook.com/gladysnsw/videos/335682434300669/?__xts__[0]=68.ARD5Ykoj1gaBxoq2OEObm1HZOxWHsIke2k7BAb8ohxhzy2Q_zqQSrM6i8vbXRkYHTGI0vLhJCSrEzOOiItPzMQ3PGMFb2qAJABhjkyg6hhpm49THd9LUTjqDP-gIiNK27GN-wRdYtPsgZGxQW-kAWfbX5g4PPR2yCrQxSmBUN_TPmgHXH2Q6LfBpBPi1N56GY3isoa8KAalcJmpGtsGWsv4DUW7mwWfYq2AbmcNZEnx8PelI18gUvP0kAI4Xbgf3x4zYW8hl2w3laO7-rYms29ASzEnngZKlmcujhGTw-cl2MxmsfPtA6G6-KNMBRsnjnhVerGVL9uoFt_tuvHe53PxFwoKXh-_B-ncTUQ&__tn__=-R The above changes, which come into effect from Thursday, October 1, mean that Bankwest Stadium will be able to host 15,000 people, while up to 40,000 folks can go to Stadium Australia. COVIDSafe plans for both venues have been supplied and approved, with the SCG's currently under consideration by NSW Health. If it is given the go-ahead, 23,000 will be able to head to the stadium. And if you're wondering why these capacities are being altered right now — and only for major events at major outdoor stadiums, rather than other events and types of venues — it's worth remembering the current time of year. Sure, it's spring, but NRL finals season is also approaching. It's due to kick off on Friday, October 2, with Sydney set to host the grand final on Sunday, October 25. On Wednesday, November 11, the city will also welcome one of this year's delayed State of Origin games. Indeed, it seems that the newly announced changes are wholly geared towards these major sporting events, rather than anything else. No word has been given as yet regarding whether NSW stadiums will also be able to fill to 50-percent capacity for cultural performances and concerts, with Premier Berejiklian specifically advising that she assumes "that outside of major annual events, the stadia won't be anywhere near that capacity. For ordinary matches or ordinary events, that capacity will not be achieved at all". Accordingly, it's great news if you're a Sydneysider keen to go to a big footy match in the coming months. If you're eager to attend a different type of outdoor event, like a gig or music festival, you'll have to cross your fingers that the same rules will soon apply to them as well. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Destination NSW.
In an entirely virtual meeting on Monday, March 30, Councillors at the City of Sydney voted on a new financial assistance package specially created for cultural and creative industries. Lord Mayor Clover Moore says the grants are to ensure the creative community is "ready for the renaissance" following the COVID-19 crisis, when we're all ready to see live music, go to the theatre and attend arts and culture festivals again. Though it feels like we're a world away from packing out a sweaty gig venue or sitting side-by-side in the cinema, that time will come and when it does we'll want to get out and support our local arts community — which means they need cash now in order to develop new work, pay supporting workers and keep the lights on for when we're ready for a socially intimate world. As part of a two-round relief package worth $72.5 million, the City of Sydney has set aside $3.25 million for local arts organisations, individuals, sole traders, artist collectives and small businesses. So who can apply? The new Cultural Sector Resilience Grants provide up to $10,000 for sole traders, and up to $20,000 for not-for-profit arts organisations with less than 20 full-time employees. That means performing arts organisations, creative producers, arts festivals, dance schools and galleries can apply for support with wages, admin costs or training and professional development. Artists, creative producers and other creative workers can apply for support from the Creative Fellowships Fund. Individuals and artist collectives who can demonstrate a significant loss of revenue during COVID-19 — such as cancelled events or closed venues at which they were due to perform — can apply for up to $20,000 to pay for materials or equipment, to pay themselves for their time to develop future projects, and to pay additional workers. The City of Sydney says they're looking for "innovative ways to keep creative professionals collaborating and working during restrictions on public gatherings," as well as other initiatives. When's the deadline? Applications close at 5pm on Monday, April 27 for both grants. The Council will meet on May 18 to discuss the grant applications and funds will be available from June 1, 2020. Is that all? No, there are more relief grants available to individuals and small businesses that have quicker pay-out times, too. The Quick Response Grants are available to individuals, community groups and organisations that can provide innovative, speedy responses to the COVID-19 crisis. You can apply for between $2000–5000 for programs that support vulnerable groups, deliver performances or classes online, or help people feel connected. These grants are available now until funds are allocated so get in quick if you're able to take action right now. There are also Community Service Grants of up to $50,000 per application. Not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises, or individuals and groups, can seek funds to help provide food, digital assistance and social connection to vulnerable people during the current crisis. The City has also made donations of $250,000 to Support Act NSW, the Artists Benevolent Fund and the Actors Benevolent Fund, who provide emergency relief and mental health support for cultural workers. It's provided $1 million-worth of rental support for artists and childcare tenants by waiving rent for the next six months. And it has donated $1 million to non-profit OzHarvest to help adapt its service model to continue to feed people reliant on the food rescue program. Where has the money come from? The Lord Mayor says the City will experience a significant financial dent from the crisis but that the aid has come as a result of 16 years of "sound financial management". Find out more about the City of Sydney's COVID-19 grant and how to apply, here. Top image: Destination NSW
Get ready to cosy up this winter at the Sydney Tea Festival. If you have a yearning for an Earl Grey or a passion for Russian Caravan, this event is sure to warm your cockles. When the festival opens at Carriageworks on Sunday, August 18, you'll find all manner of tea-related talks, workshops and tastings to extend your appreciation of the finest brew. One workshop, held by Lachie Beange from Archie Rose Distilling Co., will explore tea and gin pairings — because your next tea party could always use some booze. In another, you'll learn all about pairing your favourite beverage with vegan food. Or, take sessions on everything from Australia's green teas to reading tea leaves — when you're not sipping your way through the tea market, that is. There'll be plenty of stallholders showing their wares, a tasting table for small groups and a DIY tea blending station. Tickets range from $16.95 in advance to $20.95 on the door, and you should book ahead for the workshops and talks. Get ready to curl those frosty hands around a warm cuppa and escape Sydney's winter chill. Images: Madeye Photography.
A quarter-century since the world first met Monica, Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe, TV's most famous friends are never too far from anyone's thoughts. When the sitcom's catchy theme tune promised "I'll be there for you", it seems these New York pals really meant it — not just about each other, but for the legions of viewers who watched their antics between 1994–2004, then kept rewatching them afterwards. Over the years, you've probably caught reruns on television, binged your way through boxsets or let episode after episode play on Stan — but you probably haven't enjoyed a marathon of standout eps on the big screen. To celebrate the series' 25th anniversary, a heap of Sydney cinemas are letting Friends fans do just that. There mightn't be an orange couch for you to sit on, but you'll want to gather the gang regardless. Prices and session times vary per cinema, but the lineup remains the same. On the bill are 12 of the show's classic episodes, including The One With The Black Out, The One With The Prom Video and The One Where No One's Ready — plus The One With Chandler In A Box, The One Where Everyone Finds Out and The One Where Ross Got High. Running for five hours, the screening will also feature new footage, interviews and bloopers — so you'll get an extra dose of Friends fun.
For palaces of glamorous consumption, Apple Stores sometimes play host to the occasional quality cultural moment. Overseas, they're regularly graced by authors and filmmakers. Here in Sydney, the Presets, Wolfmother and even the Wiggles have found space on the George Street's store's stage, before 2011 Sydney Film Festival directors like Joshua Marston started turning up as well. This year, they've teamed up with Aussie design community INfront to put on a series of talks from local creative types who have something interesting to explain to the world at large. For August, Interacting with the Past: Museums for the Next Generation brings you the Powerhouse Museum's new technologies guru Seb Chan, who is bound to take you to a digital place you hadn't imagined finding culture in before. A star of Sydney's first round of TEDx talks, until recently Chan also edited the electronic music buffet that is Cyclic Defrost, having earlier been at the centre of the early Sydney rave scene. So while its army of discreet cleaners may often make it more polished than your average venue, there can be some unquestionable substance to go with this Apples Store's shine.
While the end result might not be particularly impressive, you have to hand it to the folks behind Goosebumps, the film version of R.L. Stine's best-selling book series that everyone read as a kid. Director Rob Letterman (Gulliver's Travels) and writer Darren Lemke (Turbo) not only manage to capture a sense of nostalgia, but they also solve what must've been one of the biggest problems of the adaptation process. With 62 initial novels and more than 100 spin-offs published, choosing which tale to bring to the screen can't have been easy. Their solution? Bundle together as many as they can, then wrap them all up in a big meta-textual package. Indeed, Goosebumps both follows the formula set out on the page — i.e. a few kids find themselves in a scary situation — while still providing plenty of twists. The latter come in a couple of forms, including inserting Stine himself into the mix. Given that each of the printed volumes followed different characters, he's the series mainstay, after all. Here, played by Jack Black, he's a seemingly eccentric neighbour with a daughter, Hannah (Odeya Rush) he doesn't let wander far, and a bookshelf filled with locked manuscripts. When high-schooler Zach (Dylan Minnette) moves in next door to Stine with his widowed vice principal mother (Amy Ryan), he's more interested in Hannah than her father. In fact, he has no idea who Stine is, though he gets curious when the author tells him to stay away. After hearing screams, Zach thinks something sinister is afoot and is determined to investigate. With his new pal Champ (Ryan Lee) in tow, he breaks into Stine's house, opens some of his books and accidentally unleashes their spooky contents onto the world. Enter Slappy the living dummy, the abominable snowman, a giant mantis, a pink blob, an invisible boy and a whole host of garden gnomes to terrorise Zach and the gang. Yes, Goosebumps goes for the more is more approach to their monsters. Unfortunately, here, it doesn't really pan out. Fans of the novels might be pleased that their favourite foes make their way into the movie; they're less likely to be impressed with the scattershot and over-the-top way in which that's achieved. If it feels like the filmmakers have thrown everything they can at the screen, that's because they have. It makes for a jam-packed 103 minutes, with no time wasted jumping from one creepy encounter to the next. However it also makes for a chaotic array of set pieces and little else. Some scenes hit the mark, including the kitchen-set gnome attack. But they do so at the expense of fleshing out the characters, establishing a mood of anything other than silliness, and thoughtfully exploring themes of loss and inner turmoil. When Black hamming it up is among the feature's few highlights — doing double duty as the voice of Slappy, and saddled with some terrible one-liners as a result — then you know you're in trouble. Rereading the books would be a much more enjoyable alternative.
Receiving three million hits per month, San Francisco-based Indie Shuffle is one of the music blogsphere's biggest movers and shakers. They're not about delivering harsh reviews or shaping Gen Y's tastes. They're mainly concerned with sharing new music and supporting upcoming acts: in their own words, "hopefully a few of us can help you find something new". Hence, Indie Shuffle Presents, a night of independent Aussie music, organised by the blog's Sydney-based cohort. The first event in this series, held in November 2012, featured local pop groups, including Made in Japan and Palms; the second is to be an electro fest. Melbourne's Rat and Co. are bringing their "homemade ambient beats" to the headline spot, fresh from the launch of their debut film clip. Support acts include Kilter, Lanterns and The Gate DJs. https://youtube.com/watch?v=D42NQXKmc3M
If you fancy yourself a bit of a cocktail connoisseur, Lûmé is about to jump to the top of your must-visit list. Last night, bartender Orlando Marzo, from the South Melbourne restaurant, was crowned the world's best bartender. Which means Melbourne is now officially home to some of the tastiest cocktails in the world. Marzo took out the gong at the World Class Bartender of the Year competition in Berlin, where he beat more than 10,000 other bartenders from around the world for the prize. World Class, which is in its tenth year, is the biggest bartending competition in the world and culminates in four days of finals, during which Marzo impressed judges with a particularly notable Zapaca rum aperitif in a challenge called 'Before and After'. You might see this pre-dinner tipple pop-up on Lûmé's menu one day very soon. Before Marzo heads back Down Under to join the ranks of Australia's bartending elite — which includes Maybe Frank's Andrea Gauldi, who took out best bartender in Australia at last year's competition — he'll be travelling the world, making cocktails and judging competitions. When he's back, we'll let you know what drinks has plans to serve up at the South Melbourne restaurant and what pop-ups he plans to host. Who knows, he may even follow in Gauldi's steps and open a bar. You can check out the full list of past and present winners at the World Class website. Image of Lûmé: Josie Withers, Visit Victoria
When you're watching Blade Runner 2049, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and The Creator, or playing Cyberpunk 2077 and Saltsea Chronicles, possible futures unfurl before your very eyes. As these imaginings play out in cinemas and on televisions, how prophetic will they prove? No one can know for certain what tomorrow will bring; however, the tales told on screens big and small, and through games and comics as well, have delivered plenty of visions of what might come. At The Future & Other Fictions, these peering-forward works are in the spotlight. Will androids dream of electric sheep? Will a Keanu Reeves (John Wick: Chapter 4)-voiced rock star and terrorist make their presence known? Will Afrofuturist technologies transform life as we know it? These are some of the potential scenarios conjured up by beloved pop-culture titles — and they're all part of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image's world-premiere exhibition as well, which is filled with 180-pieces, such as artworks, sets, costumes and props, as well as scripts, clips and original design materials. Open since Thursday, November 28, 2024 and running until Sunday, April 27, 2025, this is a love letter to and deep dive into futuristic storytelling, including pondering the significance of humanity's thoughts about what could be in store. It's also the Melbourne screen museum big summer showcase. "Film, TV, videogames and art spark our imagination and help shift our thinking about how the future might, or should, be. The crafts of screen culture — visual effects, costume design, character creation and model building — are powerful tools that bring future visions to life," explained ACMI Director and CEO Seb Chan. "The Future & Other Fictions asks us to consider some of the worlds we're familiar with and imagine the worlds we'd like to see." "For thousands of years cultures have shared ideas through storytelling. It is an extraordinary common language. I hope a key takeaway of the exhibition is the importance of sharing stories about the futures we want to live in — be they greener, more sustainable, more harmonious or more diverse. Stories are products of culture and in turn produce it. As we write stories, we write the world," added director and artist Liam Young, who co-curated The Future & Other Fictions with ACMI's Amanda Haskard and Chelsey O'Brien. Before he was just Ken, Ryan Gosling (The Fall Guy) starred in the 35-years-later sequel to Blade Runner — and before he brought Dune and Dune: Part Two to the screen, Denis Villeneuve directed Blade Runner 2049. The Future & Other Fictions lets attendees follow in their footsteps via miniature sets, which are one of the exhibition's definite must-sees. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever gets the nod thanks to Academy Award-winning costumes by Ruth E Carter, while sketches from comic series NEOMAD also features — as does concept art showing The Creator and Cyberpunk 2077's cityscapes, plus more from Saltsea Chronicles. As it celebrates how screens imagine the years ahead, The Future & Other Fictions also features a film season focusing on Björk, complete with Björk: Biophilia Live on the lineup. Within the exhibition's halls rather than in ACMI's cinema, the Icelandic icon also pops up via the dress and headpiece from her music video for 'The Gate'. This showcase isn't just about well-known renderings of the future, though, thanks to work by Olalekan Jeyifous, Osheen Siva and Tāgata Moana art collective Pacific Sisters. Plus, via new commissions, DJ Hannah Brontë has her own take, and so do Young and Natasha Wanganeen (Limbo). The first, Birth of Dawn, is all about the circle of life. After the End, the second, muses on a future without fossil fuels. On The Future & Other Fictions' events program, visitors can look forward to four days of short films in February that highlight Australian cinema's future, a video-game showcase focused on emerging developers, the return of ACMI's annual symposium, and talks on topics as varied as artificial intelligence and pop-culture predictions. Fancy making your sci-fi movie — or, to be accurate, playing a text-based choose-your-own-adventure game about that very scenario? That's part of the exhibition, too, via INT. SPACESHIP — NIGHT, which you can access for free via the QR code in the ACMI foyer. The Future & Other Fictions is on display at ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne, from Thursday, November 28, 2024–Sunday, April 27, 2025. Head to the venue's website for more details. Images: Eugene Hyland.
