This morning saw the full line-up announcement for Vivid Live, the ten day musical extravaganza that sits under the Vivid Sydney umbrella alongside Vivid Ideas. Vivid Sydney is the annual mid-winter festival of lights, music and ideas, which this year will run from May 25 to June 11. Beginning in 2009, each successive installment of Vivid has seen the sails of the Opera House lit up like a psychadelic rainbow and one super-special person or two curating the festival's musical component. Past curators have included Brian Eno, Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, and Stephen Pavlovic. This year, however, the idea of musical curator has been done away with, and in 2012 Vivid Live will be overseen by Festival Director, Fergus Linehan. Linehan, who was Director of the Sydney Festival during its boom years of 2006-2009, has been Head of Contemporary Music at the Opera House for the past two years. In collaboration with the programming team at Sydney Opera House, Linehan is this year charged with "cultivating artist-driven projects including unique collaborations, one-off projects and special events." The first Vivid Live announcement on February 29 revealed that this year's Vivid Live will showcase specially commissioned new work from Sufjan Stevens (pictured), Bryce Denner of The National and Nico Muhly, a composer who's worked with the likes of Bjork, Grizzly Bear and Anthony & The Johnsons. Today, the entire festival program was unveiled at the Opera House. Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Florence & the Machine, The Temper Trap, Janelle Monae and Amon Tobin were added to the already stellar line-up, along with Australian screenings of the LCD Soundsystem doco, Shut Up And Play The Hits. Full line-up as follows: KAREN O IN 'STOP THE VIRGENS' FLORENCE + THE MACHINE THE TEMPER TRAP BRYCE DESSNER, NICO MUHLY, SUFJAN STEVENS JANELLE MONAE & THE ARCHANDROID ORCHESTRA AMON TOBIN LIVE BEYOND 3D 'ISAM' EFTERKLANG & SYDNEY SYMPHONY PVT SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND SEEKAE DANNY BROWN MED ELLESQUIRE HALFWAY CROOKS DJS ZOLA JESUS LIGHT ASYLUM FORCES MODULAR FUTURE CLASSIC GOODGOD DANCETERIA URBANSCREEN General public tickets go on sale at 9am, Thursday March 22. A look at the full Vivid program will follow shortly. https://youtube.com/watch?v=SWRZhqq1tAw
Tequila: 1. You: 0. That's right, champ, you're hungover. And when your head is throbbing and your stomach is promising to reject your carb-loaded breakfast, it is near impossible to resist the urge to crawl right back into bed, and stay there. All day. This plan of action isn't always the practical choice, however. Especially if you are in, say, Las Vegas. There's more booze to be drunk, more shenanigans to get into. Lucky for you, there's a solution. And no, it isn't ibuprofen and a Vitamin Water. Enter the fleet of magical buses, Hangover Heaven. The brainchild of Dr. Jason Burke, Hangover Heaven buses are available for walk-in visits, or to drop by the hotel rooms of those in need. The 45-minute IV treatment rehydrates you, all the while pumping you full of hangover-busting vitamins. The treatment is FDA-approved, and available for a charge of US$150. Get in. Get out. Go rage. [via Gawker]
Watching a movie under the stars just got that little bit swankier. In partnership with the new Volkswagen Polo, Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinema have introduced a new premium ticket that lets you relax in comfort and style. Think Gold Class in the great outdoors. For the low price of just $27, Volkswagen Polo Class ticket holders get the best seats on the beach. The special ticket includes extra comfy bean lounger seating, a cushion and a blanket, plus a delicious Ben & Jerry’s shorty tub (we recommend New York Super Fudge Chunk) and a soft drink of your choice. Best of all, $2 from every ticket sold gets donated to WWF-Australia. There are only 30 of these prime pozzies per session, so book fast. Speaking of swanky, Openair Cinema will also be giving two lucky film-lovers a trip to Europe. It’s in partnership with Contiki, who in addition to the free return airfares will also throw in a 16-day tour hitting up locations in The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy, France and Morocco. All you have to do is visit the Openair website and tell them which film inspires you to take the trip of a lifetime.
In January this year, Internet freedom activist Aaron Swartz committed suicide while awaiting trial. Having downloaded millions of papers from digital academic journal archive JSTOR, he had been accused of computer fraud. His death caused outrage among those passionate about public access to information and inspired Internet inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee to write, 'Aaron dead. World wanderers, we have lost a wise elder. Hackers for right, we are one down. Parents all, we have lost a child. Let us weep.' Now, in order to honour Swartz's memory, poet Kenneth Goldsmith is planning on printing out as much of the Internet as possible. Between July 26th and August 30th, he will occupy 500 square metres of space in Mexico City, where the piles of pages will be on display. Members of the public are invited to send in as many Internet print outs as they can. Length is not an issue. 'There are many ways to go about this,' the project's Tumblr pages read. 'You can act alone (print out your own blog, Gmail inbox or spam folder) or you could organise a group of friends to print out a particular corner of the internet, say, all of Wikipedia, the entire New York Times archive, every dossier leaked by Wikileaks for starters. The more the better.' Some argue that the concept promises to make a vital statement about our right to know; others are concerned about the potential environmental costs. A petition against the project has been started at Change.org. [Via PSFK]
If you, like The Who, think you've played every pinball machine there is to play, you'd be dead wrong. This December Sydney's Belvoir St Theatre is bringing you a '70s-inspired pop-up arcade heaven to slake the lust of any pinball wizard. Belvoir's Downstairs Theatre will be transformed into the ultimate basement games room, complete with an original NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) and a bar to quench the thirst that can only come with intense gaming. The beers will be provided by Coopers at $6 a pop, and local lads Poor Toms Gin will be slinging a deliciously retro punch for $10. The Bumper Bar pop-up will run from December 2 right up until Christmas Eve to coincide with Belvoir's last show of the year, Girl Asleep. On top of that, the cash you drop will go to the theatre's Arts Access Program, which provides theatre tickets to students who may not be able to access them otherwise. Then bucks gets you entry to the bar and unlimited gaming, so get those supple wrists working — there's pinball to be played.
iPad max volume just not loud enough? Nonlinear Studio's Amplifiear promises that you'll never struggle to hear movies and music on your iPad again. Surprisingly simple and low-tech in its design, Amplifiear simply clips on to the side of the iPad - no wires or batteries required. The device works to increase volume by reflecting and redirecting the sound from the iPad's back-facing speaker forward. Relying on the basics of physical acoustics, Nonlinear Studio's head designer Evan Clabots designed the Amplifiear out of lightweight, recyclable plastic. It's extremely transportable, and features a tension clip to accommodate all three iPad models. Currently on Kickstarter, the Amplifiear project awaits sufficient funding in order to begin production. It will remain open to donations through May 12.
Daniel Craig might be done saying "Bond, James Bond" after bowing out of the 007-focused franchise with No Time to Die, but he hasn't finished playing Blanc, Benoit Blanc yet. After first stepping into the Southern investigator's shoes in 2019's Knives Out, then sliding back in in 2022's Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, he'll slip into the part again in 2025's Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Yes, every three years we get a Knives Out movie, or so the trend is playing out. The sleuthing saga's writer and director Rian Johnson announced both the new flick's name and that it'd release in 2025 via social media. "I love everything about whodunnits, but one of the things I love most is how malleable the genre is. There's a whole tonal spectrum from Carr to Christie, and getting to explore that range is one of the most exciting things about making Benoit Blanc movies," the filmmaker who also brought audiences Brick, The Brothers Bloom, Looper, Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi and TV's Poker Face (which has been renewed for a second season) noted. The next Benoit Blanc mystery, the follow-up to Knives Out and Glass Onion, is called Wake Up Dead Man. pic.twitter.com/pdDXRDmwcI — Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) May 24, 2024 That's all there is details-wise for now, however, with no news about the setting or who Blanc will be pointing the finger at — aka which famous names will play Wake Up Dead Man's suspects — unveiled as yet. And, exactly when in 2025 the flick will hit, and also whether it will reach cinemas before arriving on Netflix, also hasn't been revealed. But, the streamer is teasing that this will be Blanc's "most dangerous case yet". So far, Johnson has plunged his detective into a familiar scenario twice, but always ensured that the end result was anything but routine. His trusty setup: bring a group of people together in a family home, mode of transport or lavish vacation setting, then watch on when one thing that always occurs in a whodunnit happens. That'd be a murder, in a formula that Agatha Christie also loved, as book-to-film adaptations Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile and A Haunting in Venice have shown. The author's play The Mousetrap and recent flick See How They Run, which riffs on it, make the same point. And, so does this clearly Christie-inspired franchise. The cast across Knives Out and Glass Onion has been impressive. Chris Evans (Pain Hustlers), Ana de Armas (Ghosted), Jamie Lee Curtis (Haunted Mansion), Michael Shannon (The Flash), Toni Collette (Mafia Mamma), Don Johnson (The Collective), Lakeith Stanfield (The Changeling), Christopher Plummer (Departure), Katherine Langford (Savage River) and Jaeden Martell (Mr Harrigan's Phone) all featured the first time around. In the second flick, Edward Norton (Asteroid City), Janelle Monáe (Antebellum), Kathryn Hahn (Tiny Beautiful Things), Leslie Odom Jr (The Exorcist: Believer), Jessica Henwick (The Royal Hotel), Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks), Kate Hudson (Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon) and Dave Bautista (Dune: Part Two) all co-starred. If you saw either — or any murder-mystery involving a motley crew of characters brought together in one location when someone turns up dead — then you'll know how this movie series works from there. There's a standout setting, that big group of chalk-and-cheese folks, threats aplenty and just as much suspicion. There's obviously no trailer yet for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, but there is a video announcing the title, which you can check out below — alongside the trailers for Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will release sometime in 2025 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced. Read our reviews of Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Images: John Wilson/Netflix © 2022.
If you're heading to Brisbane for a tropical weekend of indulgence, there are a few institutions you simply have to visit. A lot of the best food, drinks and company will take you off the beaten track, so don't be afraid to rent a car and hit the road. One such institution you must travel to is the Southside Tea Room on Wynnum Road, Morningside. Co-owned by couple Patience Hodgson and John Patterson, formerly of The Grates, the Southside Tearoom is known for its relaxed atmosphere, unusual events (including the incredibly popular Always Sunny in Philadelphia trivia night) and vintage tropical aesthetic. "We wanted to create a relaxed, unpretentious suburban oasis," Patience says. "When we lived in the States we fell in love with all the neighbourhood bars, and that's what we were dreaming of replicating in Brisbane." Like any loyal Brisbanite, she also loves to talk about the weather. "I love the weather," she says. "I'm so conditioned to good weather in Brisbane that I feel like I get micro-seasonal depression when it rains for stretches longer than two days. We all joke about it, but I think it's a genuine thing!" Patience and John have just welcomed a new baby into the fold, but that hasn't slowed them down. Here are Patience's five steps to the perfect weekend (even if you have a baby in tow). To experience them for yourself, head to the Visit Brisbane website and get booking. DIP YOUR TOES IN WYNNUM'S FAMOUS WADING POOL Well worth a day trip, Wynnum is a suburb just 30 minutes drive out from Brisbane's CBD. "The Wynnum wading pool is a rad glimpse into ye olde Brisbane," Patience says. "Basically it's a pool that fills with sea water that's been there for almost 100 years. It's still got loads of character even though they renovated it about ten years ago. The locals are a hoot, and there's plenty of classic fish & chip shops close by." While you're there, check out the quality op-shopping on offer along and just off Bay Terrace. EAT LUNCH AT PERRETT'S PIES "While in Wynnum go to Perrett's Pies," Patience says. "It's one of the oldest bakeries in Brisbane, dating back to 1970. They still use the same pie trays and cake moulds so you'll notice everything is a little smaller then modern times. It's run by a hilarious Irish man and their Neenish Tarts are to die for." There ain't nothing more Queensland than eating a sauce-slathered pie by the ocean, so tuck in. DINNER AT POPOLO IN SOUTH BANK When you get back into town, be sure to head down to South Bank, the precinct that boasts the famous inner city beach, Streets Beach. There are plenty of places to have dinner while gazing over the twinkly Brisbane river, but Patience recommends Popolo. "Popolo in South Bank is a must do. It's right on the river with spectacular views of the city. My mouth is watering just thinking about their truffle polenta and their chilli clams, and they also make great cocktails." ARCHERFIELD SPEEDWAY "Head down to Archerfield Speedway on a Saturday night," says Patience. This is one seriously decibel-raising, out-of-town adventure. "Super loud, and, once you've forked out your ticket price, super cheap inside. Heck, they serve beer out of a shipping container that's emblazoned with a faded 4XXXX Gold logo. Kids run around playing footy with empty coke bottles and lifers bring their own ice boxes filled with home-brand soft drinks even on nine degree nights. It's amazing. And yes, the chips are covered in chicken salt!" TREAT YOURSELF TO A PROPER HAIRCUT AT BAREBONES BARBERS "Barebones Barbers in Morningside is great," says Patience. "It's an original barber shop run by fresh young blokes. Steve, one of the owners, was the last man in Australia to actually get qualified through a barber course; they've since pushed it into the hairdressing accreditation. He was trained up by the old bloke who used to own the place, and a year ago, he retired and left the shop for Steve to take over. Even if you don't need a haircut, just get one because these guys are the real deal — ex-ship makers and tradesmen who now find satisfaction in other people hair." Book your own Queensland weekender at the Visit Brisbane website or follow them through the Visit Brisbane Facebook page or Twitter at @VisitBrisbane and hashtag #brisbaneanyday.
New Zealand-born writer-director Andrew Dominik has amassed a stellar crime thriller line-up for his latest offering, Killing Them Softly, which opens in cinemas October 11. Brad Pitt heads up the the film's brutal 'heist movie gone wrong' plot alongside the best of small and silver screen bad guys: Ray Liotta, James Gandolfini (aka Tony Soprano) and Ben Mendelsohn, to name just a few. From the director who brought us Chopper and The Assassination of Jesse James, Killing Them Softly sees Pitt play Mafia hitman Jackie Cogan, who is called in to 'fix' the upset caused by a couple of amateurish criminals when they hold up an illegal card game. In an America on the verge of political and economical crisis, the 'enforcer' navigates between his indecisive bosses and the lowlifes behind the heist in order to maintain the status quo of the criminal underworld and take back control. Thanks to Hoyts Distribution, Concrete Playground has ten double passes to giveaway to see Killing Them Softly. To go in the running, just subscribe to Concrete Playground's weekly newsletter (if you haven't already) then email your name and postal address to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Travel junkies now have another big-ticket festival to add to their overseas itineraries as organisers behind legendary California music fest Coachella announce plans for a new London festival to launch next year. Kicking off on May 25, 2018, All Points East will feature a three-day, multi-genre music festival held across six stages in east London's Victoria Park. On top of that, the festival will span an extra week of free entertainment for the community before culminating in a trio of standalone headline shows. Already confirmed on the bill for the first portion are London heavyweights The xx, Jamaican MC Popcaan and Swedish pop act Lykke Li. Punters will be able to grab tickets to one, two or all three days. There'll then be free access to the site over the following week, as it plays host to a diverse program of comedy shows, food and drink events and an outdoor cinema. Finishing strong from June 2, the APE Presents headline shows will feature the likes of American indie rockers The National and The War On Drugs, synth-pop trio Future Islands, LA act Warpaint and Pennsylvania rock outfit The Districts. Further All Points East artist announcements are set to drop next week. Stay tuned. Via The Guardian.
Homegrown pop rock crew Ball Park Music are making the rounds in Australia (and probably shouting a few rounds along the way) with their wonderfully-named, national Trippin The Light Fantastic Tour. If you've never seen these Brisbanites live, you're missing out on one heck of a party. A longtime triple j favourite, BPM took home Unearthed Artist of the Year in 2011 and have been frequently nominated in the Hottest 100 countdown — most recently in 2012 with tunes 'Coming Down' and 'Surrender'. The past two years have seen the five-piece delight crowds at Aussie music festivals including Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival, Southbound, Homebake and Big Day Out, not to mention some pretty kickass US appearances. Hailing from Brisbane, BPM cite the success of their third album Puddinghead (released in April this year) to "twelve months sitting naked before a pedestal fan in a lucid, humid fantasy," having spent one year recording in a cheap tiny shack in the northern suburbs of Brisbane (which they lovingly refer to as a proverbial sauna). Ball Park Music will hit Sydney on September 26 at the Enmore Theatre with old favourites, latest singles 'Trippin' the Light Fantastic' and 'She Only Loves Me When I'm There' and dance moves you can only dream of. Counting Millions and Pluto Jonze as supports, BPM are set to crank out their energetic tunes with unpretentious gusto. A breath of fresh air in an often tightly-wound industry, this is music that doesn't take itself too seriously — especially from a band that cites its interests as "pizza and yelling at farm animals". Supported by Millions + Pluto Jonze. https://youtube.com/watch?v=aNZ6Tr3cTT0
The French know how to serve up a damn good meal. They also, by the sound of it, organise a pretty sweet festival. The Bleu Blanc Rouge French Festival is a tribute to France's national day, Bastille Day, which falls on July 14. Festivities run from the weekend of July 11-13 at Customs House Square in Circular Quay. The festival celebrates the many arenas that the French hold dear to their cultural identity. There's live music concerts, DJs, cabaret and open-air movie screenings. But let's get to what really brought you to this page: the culinary delight that is French cuisine. Cooking courses, headed by Emmanuel Mollois (from ABC's Poh's Kitchen), will give you the opportunity to channel your inner chef. If cooking isn't your thing, you can take advantage of someone else's culinary skills by picking up some French goodies at the festival village market stalls. We're talking French cheese, wines, bread, pastries, crepes and chocolate. Not to mention a little jus d'orange, boeuf, soup du jour, le camembert, Jacques Cousteau, baguette, mais oui.
The acquisition of good vintage clothing can be a difficult feat. Much like the metaphoric fog, sometimes you have to sort through a whole bunch of crap until you find something good. Fortunately for us, the guys behind Foe, Like The Enemy have trawled through Asia and the Americas to source the best vintage clothing they could get their hands on. No longer will you have to wander around market stalls aimlessly on a Saturday morning trying to find vintage steals. No more fighting for mirror space as you try on clothes on top of what you are already wearing. From 6:30pm on July 16, Foe, Like The Enemy will be holding a pop-up sale in Foveaux Street, Surry Hills. For a limited time you can walk into a real-live shop and try on vintage clothes in an actual changeroom. If you're lucky, you might even get a mirror to yourself. Don't just come for the unique finds. Come for the drinks, courtesy of Havana Club. But stay for some very special sets from two of Sydney's best beatlovers — electropop queen Catcall and one half of smooth electronic Nicholas Jaar-like producer duo Phondupe. That's some serious Sydney talent behind the decks for a launch. Swing down to Fouveaux, get amongst the beats and one-of-a-kind threads and celebrate the worldly fashion travels of one of Sydney's best merchants of vintage. Launch night runs from 6.30pm, Wednesday 16 July. The pop-up shop is open Wednesday 16 — Saturday 19 July.
We've seen a damn lot of cuteness this week. First, Sydney went ahead and landed us our very first cat cafe. Then, Uber decided to deliver kittens to our very offices. But dumpling monarchs Din Tai Fung have gone ahead and created cuteness we can put in our mouths — take that Uberkitty OUT of your gob. To celebrate the 2015 Lunar New Year, Din Tai Fung have created the sweetest buns we've ever been able to sink our teeth into. Offering up Lunar Lamb Sweet Buns every day from February 11 to March 5, DTF have fashioned little lambs out of their bao buns. Just LOOK AT THEM. They're called 'Baa Buns' because sometimes life just gets it right. Good news, you don't have to connect the dots between the lamb inside and out of the bun — they're desserty little blighters. Baa buns come steamed-to-order with a formidable filling of molten dark chocolate and taro, $3.20 each or $6 a pair. The little edible lambies will be available World Square, Central Park, Westfield Chatswood and their new Westfield Miranda outpost. There'll be limited quantities at each venue, available daily. But if you visit on the same day as us, we take no prisoners.
Christmas, as inevitable as death and taxes, is upon us again and for many, this time of year means arduous shopping challenges followed by drunken Christmas parties that are only bearable if your blood alcohol limit clocks in at a merry 0.15. 'Tis the season to be jolly and deck the halls with buckets of hangover vomit. But fear not, ye merry gentlefolk of Sydney, because the Hangover Clinic has opened for those times when you’ve really, really over done it. The clinic allows you to hook up to an IV cocktail of hydration fluid, vitamins B and C, anti-headache and nausea medication, oxygen treatment and antioxidant boost. Treatments can take anywhere between half an hour to an hour and are administered by trained and registered medical professionals (who probably didn’t envisage this for their career while slogging through medical school). The downside? That means the cost is pretty ridiculous — between $140 and $200 for a treatment. You’d want to be reeeeeeeally sick — and rich enough that knowing your actions have no consequences doesn’t bother you — to make it rain for this. Although it does mean you can schedule your bucks party for the night before the wedding, safe in the knowledge that you can buy your good health back the next day and ensure no whacky antics go down at the ceremony. The clinic has been accused of encouraging binge drinking, something for which Aussie’s need little encouragement, but co-founder Max Petro said denies it, telling The Sydney Morning Herald, “We don't serve alcohol. We are not a pub. We encourage binge drinking as much as hospitals encourage people to get sick." Touche. There are a few less, ahem, self-indulgent applications for the treatment, including reversing the dehydration effects of jetlag, cold and flu and sports recovery so it's not all bad. Via SMH. Book your hangover treatment in advance here. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Fans of the Avengers franchise are getting a special treat on Saturday, August 3, when cinemas around the country will screen double bills of Infinity War and Endgame. You'll get to watch all six glorious hours of the last two Avengers films, and you'll be doing it for a good cause to boot — with 100 percent of ticket sales going towards the Curing Homesickness initiative. In an attempt to get kids home from hospital sooner, Curing Homesickness is raising funds for research, equipment and more health professionals at eight children's hospitals across Australia. And you can help by stocking up on popcorn and watching the Avengers (Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow — everyone) and the Guardians of the Galaxy team up in an attempt to destroy Thanos in Infinity War. Then, in Endgame, more stuff happens with Thanos — we won't reveal too much, in case you haven't seen it — and you'll get to watch a fitting sendoff to the 22-film, billion-dollar Marvel Cinematic Universe. [caption id="attachment_718483" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Avengers: Endgame[/caption] This Disney and Marvel Studios screening will take place at Sydney's Event Cinemas George Street, South Yarra's Village Cinemas Jam Factory and Brisbane's Event Cinemas Chermside. Alongside Disney, other brands involved in the campaign include Assembly Label, which has released a limited-edition line of t-shirts (in-stores and online), and Sydney's Pasta Pantry — who is donating funds raised from its pasta and lasagne, too. The Avengers double bills will take place on Saturday, August 3. Tickets are $20 and available at the Event Cinemas website for Sydney and Brisbane and the Village Cinemas website for Melbourne. For more information on Curing Homesickness and to donate, head over here. Top image: Avengers: Infinity War
Have you ever noticed how much Brad Pitt eats in his movies? He's like some sort of human garbage disposal, slamming down burgers, cookies, chips, Twinkies and whatever else he can find into his (perfect) cakehole. He also has a knack of making whatever it is he's eating (from gruel and stale bread to cheesy nachos) look like the most delicious, sensual food in the world. Go on, look: He eats without restraint, without delicacy, as we all should sometimes, and for that reason he's the central figure in a new cookbook called (appropriately but incorrectly) Fat Brad. The team from Long Prawn have collaborated on the project with photographer Ben Clement, PractiseStudioPractise, Tristan Ceddia, Ali Currey-Voumard and Mietta Coventry. The cookbook is a tongue-in-cheek collection of recipes based on Brad's most iconic food moments on film. You'll find instructions for a knuckle sandwich (Fight Club), game bird with taters and Guinness gravy (Snatch), Bellagio Shrimp Cocktail (Ocean's 11), roast turkey drumstick and Grecian salad (Troy) and bloodied roast (Mr and Mrs Smith) amongst others. As well as being straight-up hilarious, the Fat Brad cookbook is also just a really good looking (like its namesake) addition to your cookbook shelf. It's the first in a series of pop culture cookbooks by the Long Prawn crew, so keep an eye out and grab your Fat Brad: The Cookbook here. Have a little preview:
For the third time in the 2020s, Fatboy Slim is heading to Australia to break out 'Right Here, Right Now', 'The Rockafeller Skank', 'Praise You' and plenty more dance-floor fillers. After touring the country in 2020 and 2023, the dance music legend is returning in March 2025 on a five-stop trip, four of which will get him spinning tunes in wineries. "Like the crazy drunk uncle who turns up every Christmas, I'm coming back to my Aussie fam once again. Expect the usual inappropriate behaviour and interpretational dancing," said Fatboy Slim, aka Norman Cook, announcing his latest Down Under visit. [caption id="attachment_975623" align="alignnone" width="1920"] neal whitehouse piper via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Trying to dance like Christopher Walken, pretending you're in Cruel Intentions, being transported back to the late 90s and early 00s: that's all on the agenda again. So is making shapes to DJ Seinfeld, CC:DISCO! and Jennifer Loveless, who'll be supporting the British legend at all five gigs. The tour is kicking off in Perth, at the only show that isn't at a vineyard, on Friday, March 14. From there, Fatboy Slim has a date with Centennial Vineyards in Bowral, Peter Lehmann Wines in the Barossa Valley, Mt Duneed Estate in Geelong and Sirromet Wines in Mount Cotton. [caption id="attachment_878696" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Carlos Luna / Secretaría de Cultura CDMX via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Cook has been making music since the 80s, but took on the name Fatboy Slim in the mid-90s, starting with 1996 record Better Living Through Chemistry. His 1998 album You've Come a Long Way, Baby was the club soundtrack to end the 20th century — a staple of every 90s teen's CD collection, too. As for 2000's Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars, it gave the world 'Weapon of Choice' and its iconic Walken-starring (and Spike Jonze-directed) video. Fatboy Slim's discography also spans 2004 album Palookaville and 2013 single 'Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat'. [caption id="attachment_878697" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Secretaría de Cultura de la Ciudad de México via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] You might not be able to dance along the walls when Cook hits the decks — but you'll want to thanks to his big beat sound. Indeed, alongside the Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, The Propellerheads and Crystal Method, he helped bring the style to mainstream fame. If you've seen Cook live before — or the epic live video from his 2020 Melbourne gig at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl that's notched up more than 3.2-million views — then you'll know that any Fatboy Slim tour is always news to get excited about right about now. Fatboy Slim 2025 Australian Tour Friday, March 14 — Langley Park, Perth Saturday, March 15 — Centennial Vineyards, Bowral Friday, March 21 — Peter Lehmann Wines, Barossa Valley Saturday, March 22 — Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong Sunday, March 23 — Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton Fatboy Slim is touring Australia in March 2025. Early-bird tickets start from 1pm local time on Friday, October 11, 2024, then presales from 2pm on Tuesday, October 15, then general sales from 10am on Friday, October 18. Head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Selbymay via Wikimedia Commons.
Playground Weekender 2012 has been cancelled. The sixth iteration of the festival, which has become a cult favourite of Sydneysiders, was due to get underway on Friday and run for four days at the Del Rio Riverside Resort on the Hawkesbury River. The Bureau of Meteorology, however, has issued a Flood Watch for the Nepean and Hawkesbury Rivers, which would put the festival at risk. The Music Network first sparked rumours that the event was cancelled, quoting a representative of the Hawkesbury Council as saying that it has been cancelled as far as they're concerned. Festival promoters were working with the NSW State Emergency Services to make a decision. An SES warning says that "there is a greater than 70% chance of flooding developing in the Upper Nepean River with minor flooding and the Nepean and Hawkesbury River valleys from this Wednesday onwards with minor to moderate flooding possibly resulting in closure of the Richmond and Windsor bridges during Thursday and Friday". Playground Weekender then officially cancelled via the Festival's Facebook page "due to adverse weather conditions", adding that they were "trying to urgently seek a replacement venue for some of the planned festivities to take place". [Via The Music Network]
It's no secret that women in the music industry have a tough time, and sometimes it feels like all we talk about is rampant sexism, female underrepresentation and, well, men. But not today. Nope, today is International Women's Day and you'd be damned to take that away from us. And to help out with the whole amplifying women's voices thing, triple j is dedicating an entire day to the ladies. But this isn't some kind of Richard Mercer Love Songs and Dedications situation. Rather, triple j will bring Girls to the Front and hand over all the programming and content to Australia's biggest boss ladies of music. All day. Can you think of anything more angelic? Running the day will be the radio station's female presenters. You'll have Linda Marigliano on Breakfast, followed by Zan Rowe on Mornings, Gemma Pike at Lunch, Veronica will be joined by Gen Fricker on Drive, and KLP will do her thing on Good Nights. Plus, there'll be a special edition of The Racket hosted by High Tension's Karina Utomo. The music will also be an all-lady affair, with Tkay Maidza, Alpine, Sampa The Great, Tired Lion, Sarah Blasko, Lauren from Chvrches, Little Simz and more sharing their favourite and most inspiring female artists and music. The magic will be carried out on the airwaves over at triple j Unearthed and Double J as well. On Unearthed, garage punk legendary ladies LAZERTITS will play some of their local female faves, while over on Double J Myf Warhurst will speak with Natalie Prass and Ibeyi before music journalist Jessica Hopper programs two epic hours of female music-makers. So turn off Spotify this arvo and listen to some kickass local lady talent — and remind yourself that the music industry isn't just run by dudes. You can get involved by using the #GirlsToTheFront hastag.
In this or any other galaxy, whether here, near or far, far away and a long time ago, Star Wars streaming shows can't all be Andor. In cinemas, the franchise's movies can't all be Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, either. So, in both formats, they aren't always the weightiest and most grounded instalments that the series has ever delivered, all while demonstrating about as much interest in nostalgia as Jar Jar Binks has in not being annoying. The latest TV effort in the George Lucas-started space-opera saga, Ahsoka doesn't want to follow exactly in the last new Star Wars small-screen entry's footsteps, however, even if it's another sidestep tale about battling evil that champions folks who are rarely thrust to the fore. Instead, it has intertwined aims: serving up a female-led chapter and drawing upon the franchise's animated realm. For many, Star Wars is 11 live-action movies, the bulk of which arrived in three trilogies that splashed around Roman numerals aplenty. For those with a Disney+ subscription, the pop-culture universe covers the streaming platform's live-action shows, too, with not just Andor but three seasons of The Mandalorian, 2021–22's The Book of Boba Fett and also 2022's Obi-Wan Kenobi connected to those flicks. Star Wars has always expanded further since its 70s beginnings, though, via TV specials and films, books (Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope's novelisation actually released before the feature) and animation. So, from the latter — and specifically from animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the TV series it spawned, plus fellow animated shows Star Wars Rebels and Tales of the Jedi — springs Ahsoka and its eponymous ex-Jedi padawan Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson, Clerks III) from Wednesday, August 23. Ahsoka appeared in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett as well, with the series that the character now anchors also spinning off from the former. The show's inter-franchise Star Wars links are strong, then, but it isn't just for fans who've watched every frame that the saga has ever sent hurtling across screens — thankfully so. Ahsoka creator Dave Filoni has given himself a tricky task, diving deeper beyond the obvious Star Wars fodder while still engaging more-casual franchise viewers. Nods and references abound for diehards, and to key figures and beloved creatures alike, yet so does a supremely well-cast spin on the space opera's well-loved formula. As Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill, The Sandman) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness in the original 1977–83 big-screen trilogy), Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen, Obi-Wan) and Kenobi (Raymond & Ray's Ewan McGregor since the 1999–2005 prequel trilogy), the latter and Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson, Marlowe), and Rey (Daisy Ridley, Chaos Walking) and Leia Organa Solo (Carrie Fisher, Catastrophe) have all demonstrated — such pairings go on — Lucas and his successors in steering all things Star Wars love a master-and-apprentice story. Ahsoka provides two tied to the force, with its namesake once a pupil to Anakin before he went to the dark side, and also a mentor to her own student in rebellious, flame-haired Mandalorian Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Guns Akimbo). Thanks to the man who became Darth Vader, Ahsoka is wary about the Jedi order and unsurprisingly cautious in general. Via her prior time with Sabine, she knows the difficulties of being a guide to a headstrong protégée. While the show gives its central figure nefarious foes to battle, it also has her grappling with her past traumas, mistakes and regrets. She's guarded there, too; when rebel crew member and now-New Republic general Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)) suggests that the way forward might involve enlisting Sabine's help, Ahsoka is reluctant. But only the youngest of the main trio can unlock a pivotal orb that holds a map that could lead to exiled Imperial officer Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen, The Kingdom) and Ahsoka's fellow one-time padawan Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi, The Inspection). With just the 2015–19 sequel trilogy and animated series Star Wars Resistance set after it, Ahsoka's plot hones in on fending off the fallen Empire's attempts to rebuild and strike back again. Hoping otherwise: Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto, The Last Tour), who starts the program imprisoned but is swiftly freed thanks to former Jedi-turned mercenary Baylan Skoll (the late Ray Stevenson, RRR) and his own his trainee Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno, The Reunion). Bringing back Thrawn from banishment is their next step, putting them on a collision course with Ahsoka, Hera and Sabine — amid early Indiana Jones-style treasure hunting, vivid lightsaber duels, reminders of how insidiously that greed can lure people in, a stunning hoverbike race, a loth-cat's cuteness, a tad too much exposition and droid Huyang (Good Omens' David Tenant, lending his voice again as he did in The Clone Wars) hanging around, all in the first two episodes. If the storyline sounds all Star Wars 101, that's because it is, yet a change of perspective and a stacked cast ensure that Ahsoka never feels like it's lazily sticking to a template. Filoni, who also worked on both the film and TV versions of The Clone Wars, as well as Rebels, Resistance, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Tales of the Jedi and more, clearly knows the drill — and how to make this take on it stand out. It isn't just that this is the first series focused on a woman connected to the Jedi, and one of the few within its ranks. Ahsoka cares about the way that conflict has scarred and wearied its hero and her colleagues, and shaped them and stretched their bonds in the process. It could easily be called Ahsoka, Hera and Sabine, which would suit three of its core performances. Still, beneath the character's head tails, Dawson turns in a portrayal to build a show around — serene, wry, fierce, thoughtful, purposeful, formidable, haunted and determined — which Ahsoka wisely does. Perhaps a Sabine offshoot will join the Star Wars fold in the future, with Bordizzo that magnetic in her stubborn, impulsive and daring role. In one of his final performances given his passing in May, the reliably commanding Stevenson is similarly arresting — and Sakhno, too, even if largely through her presence, a killer glare, and pitch-perfect costuming and lighting that helps her instantly look the entrancing part. Ahsoka gets that last aspect right throughout and across the board, taking as many visual cues from Star Wars' animated forays as its live-action jaunts, yet always sporting its own glow. This isn't Andor, but after those franchise-best heights it's still a series that intrigues, engages and often soars. Check out the trailer for Ahsoka below: Ahsoka streams via Disney+ from Wednesday, August 23. Images: ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd & TM. All Rights Reserved.
Not knowing where your bag is when you disembark from a plane is a downright travel nightmare, and also now hopefully a thing of the past if you're flying with Virgin Australia. In 2023, the carrier rolled out a free baggage-tracking tool to fix this much-hated situation, starting with a heap of domestic routes. Now, it's available across its whole network. Flying to Japan? Bali, Fiji, Samoa or Vanuatu? Queenstown? The bag-tracking app covers those destinations. Wherever you're heading, you'll get notifications when your luggage is ready to fly, then when it's on the plane and again once it is at the baggage carousel. Virgin started testing the new technology in May 2023, then launched it in August domestically on almost 70-percent of flights before January's full rollout. Unsurprisingly, the feature has been popular. Since last year, the app has been used around 1.3-million times by Aussie travellers. Obviously, this feature covers checked luggage only. If you're carrying your bags into the cabin with you, you'll know where they are. For those stowing their suitcases in cargo, however, you'll be able to see where they are across your entire journey. Here's how it works: you'll need that aforementioned app, and to check your bag. You'll also want to enable push notifications. From there, expect to be buzzed with all the relevant info — the app will tell you which baggage carousel to head to as well, solving another airport annoyance. "Australians find comfort in the ability to track food deliveries, postal deliveries, technology, even their heart rate, all via apps, and it made sense for travellers to be able to do the same thing when flying Virgin Australia," said Virgin Australia Group Chief Customer and Digital Officer Paul Jones. Virgin Australia's baggage-tracking tool is now available across all flights. Find out more via the airline's website, and download the app online as well.
Eli Manning and the Giants. Tom Brady and the Patriots. No, we're not talking indie alternative pop rock folk jam bands. We're talking football, of the American variety. Yesterday, New York rose up and once again again beat New England to take out the biggest sporting event of the year. In what has been dubbed by some as the greatest Super Bowl of all time, it was, as usual, the half time antics and ad breaks that captured the imaginations of those outside of the 50 US states. This year's Ad Bowl, the name given to 'the battle of the big ads', was taken out by Volkswagen, who charmed audiences with 'The Force' last year. This year's winner, 'The Dog Strikes Back', pipped Doritos to make VW the most talked about brand of Super Bowl XLVI. Relief for their marketing team, no doubt; the average 30 second ad slot goes for US$3.5 million. Here are the ten best ads of 2012 for your viewing pleasure. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0-9EYFJ4Clo 1. Volkswagen - The Dog Strikes Back https://youtube.com/watch?v=y3bqbJduK2w 2. Doritos - Man's Best Friend https://youtube.com/watch?v=hyFWSys3TJU 3. Bud Light Rescue Dog https://youtube.com/watch?v=P6C2G5I1Z1g 4. M&M's - Ms. Brown https://youtube.com/watch?v=MlYCBJSYWBQ 5. Skechers - Mr. Quiggly https://youtube.com/watch?v=4GIeIpcRv7o 6. Doritos - Sling Baby https://youtube.com/watch?v=VhkDdayA4iA 7. Honda - Matthew's Day Off https://youtube.com/watch?v=tFAiqxm1FDA 8. Chrysler - Clint Eastwood Halftime https://youtube.com/watch?v=lHZbXvts0LE 9. Kia - Dream Car https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ae52ourE3Pw 10. Chevy - Happy Grad
When it comes to street art exhibitions, it really doesn't get any bigger than this. A retrospective of Banksy's work is making its way to Australia, featuring more than 80 of the artist's off-street masterpieces. From October 7 to January 22, The Paddock in Melbourne's Federation Square will play host to The Art of Banksy, a massive collection of pieces by the art world's chief enigma — including the darkly satirical, overtly political work that has turned the stencil-loving artist into such an infamous icon. Endeavouring to take audiences on a journey through Banksy's output and mindset, the exhibition will include the well-known Girl with Balloon, Flag Wall and Laugh Now pieces, as well as three efforts that have never before been displayed to the public. If it sounds epic, that's because it is. The art featured has been sourced from over 40 different private collectors around the world, and comprises the largest showcase of Banksy pieces to ever make its way to our shores. As curated by the artist's former manager Steve Lazarides, the exhibition is also a little controversial. While every piece is original, unique and authentic, The Art of Banksy proudly boasts that the entire show is 100% unauthorised. No, Banksy hasn't signed off on the event. As well as displaying Banksy's work in a custom-built enclosure, The Art of Banksy will also shine a light on a range of pieces by well-known and emerging local street artists. Expect to find them on the surrounding external surfaces and the inside walls of the exhibition's own Circle Bar, which will serve craft beers and cocktails. Outside, the Welcome to Thornbury team will corral a heap of food trucks into an area called 'The Railyard'. Plus, on Friday nights and Saturday arvos, DJs will also provide appropriate tunes to suit the occasion. Of course, Melbournites will know that this isn't the mysterious figure's first dalliance with the city. The artist's stencils have popped up around the city previously courtesy of a visit in 2003, though many have been destroyed and damaged in the years since. The Art of Banksy will run from October 7 to January 22 at The Paddock in Federation Square, Melbourne. For more information or to buy tickets, visit the exhibition website.
If your commute to work usually involves catching the train, we're sorry. Not just because it's a tedious process in general, but because on Monday, January 29, Sydney's train drivers will go on a 24-hour strike. The strike, which will kick in at 12.01 and last for 24 hours, is the Rail, Tram and Bus Union's response to failed negotiations with rail management, according to SBS. Problems with staffing and conditions of the trains have been rife since a new, more extensive timetable was introduced in November last year. Commuters have been directly impacted by these issues this year, battling a string of delayed and cancelled services. "We're disappointed it's had to come to this, but management and the NSW government haven't left us with any other options," NSW union secretary Alex Claassens said today, as reported by SBS. "Workers are being stretched to capacity trying to deliver the shambolic new timetable, and now on top of this they're all being told they can't be guaranteed fair conditions and pay." The strike will go ahead unless the RBTU reaches a fair agreement with the NSW Government and Sydney Trains. For more details and updates, check Transport for NSW. Via SBS. Image: Wikimedia Commons.
The NSW Blues will do everything in their power to prevent a Queensland Maroons three-peat when the NRL's fiercest rivalry resumes on Wednesday, June 5, at Accor Stadium in Olympic Park. Despite the Maroons leading the way in overall Men's Origin wins, things have been more evenly matched in recent years, with each state winning three of the last six series and no whitewash occurring since Queensland's 2010 demolition of NSW. The last time the teams met in Sydney in Game 3 in 2023, the Blues took the win, but it was a dead rubber with the Maroons' 2-0 lead going into the final game, meaning Sydney hasn't seen a competitive home win since 2020. Michael Maguire takes charge of his first Origin series off the back of five years coaching the New Zealand national team and faces a tough call over whether to drop captain James Tedesco. Origin games are always one of the highlights of the Australian sporting calendar. This year, for the first time, the Women's State of Origin expands to a three-game series, with Game 2 taking place at Newcastle's McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday, June 6. Images: Destination NSW
Have you ever wondered how Concrete Playground articles comes to life? It's not quite as glamorous nor thrilling as TV shows such as The Bold Type and Succession make out, but, hey, indulge us for a second. Of course, most of the time we're writing about exciting and important things happening in the city right now. We keep an eye on breaking news — and what our readers are enjoying reading — and go from there. Every now and again we start off just by knowing we want to use certain imagery. And sometimes, ideas for articles come from somewhere completely random — like passing conversations with colleagues and mates. That's right boss, sometimes shooting the shit pays off. "I was looking back at some of our past articles with illustrations and it became clear that commissioned artwork can really lift a piece of content," says Concrete Playground staff writer Ben Hansen. "Later, I was having a conversation with a colleague about surf 'n' turf and wondering where the idea for the RSL staple came from. Knowing I wanted to do something fun with illustrations, a deep dive into the origins of much-loved dishes and drinks sort of just fit." And so Ben came up with a plan to up our illustrated article game whereby cartoons came first and concept came (sort of) second. Why? Well, why the hell not. The result: Seven Highly Entertaining Stories Behind Some of Australia's Most Loved Dishes and Drinks. THE BACKSTORY Before the fun fact-filled, beautifully illustrated article graced our homepage, Ben had a bit of work cut out for him. After he figured out the overarching idea, he had to decide what food and drinks to include. Luckily, we have a pretty good idea here at CP. For instance, we've had some luck with doughnut stories in the past, we know many Sydneysiders have heated debates over who does the best bahn mi in town and our readers go wild for bottomless espresso martini brunches. And, of course, the food-obsessed CP editors had some suggestions: footy fan Ellen Seah suggested the almighty Four'n Twenty pie and Cordelia Williamson threw in the prawn cocktail because of its retro pool party-vibes. It was looking good, the bread and butter was sorted. But there was one hold up, which was the fact that CP doesn't have an in-house illustrator. Considering this conquest all began with Ben wanting to level up our illustrated content game, he needed to find a freelancer — and fast. So, who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters Fiverr. For those not in the know, Fiverr is a freelance marketplace that connects you with experts from a range of disciplines — and we were in search of an A-class digital doodler. "The advantage of Fiverr is its huge database of freelancers, so you can find someone with your required skill set easily and quickly." After doing some digging, Ben put together a shortlist of illustrators and reached out to them. Most responded within about 30 minutes or, as Ben puts it, "almost too quickly". Once he had nailed down the talented asu_ad, based in Italy, as the chosen one, Ben says it was smooth sailing from there — and that "collaborating with an illustrator through Fiverr gave us the opportunity to flex our creativity". THE TAKEAWAY All up, the article took about a week to come together, with Ben describing the experience as "pretty seamless". He continues: "Fiverr made it simple to communicate with the illustrator, from briefing and commissioning to feedback and then receiving the final illustrations." He also mentioned Fiverr's integrated messaging system was a cinch to use, particularly as you can upload any file type. "It's also pretty affordable." Ben also shared some hot tips: "Just check your finances before you commit. We made the assumption that our chosen illustrator's rates were in AUD, when they were actually USD. And also be sure to factor in Fiverr's service fees, too." The good news? With basically no feedback on initial illustrations, and a tasty-looking end product, it was all worth it. With experts in everything from social media marketing, SEO services and website design to illustration, music and audio, and video and animation, Fiverr is a one-stop spot for when you need to outsource some work. "If there's a skill set you — or your team — don't have, then Fiverr makes it easy to find someone to fill that gap," says Ben. In our case, it was great to have so many illustrators at our fingertips. And the result was better than we expected. So, watch this space (AKA our website) for more illustration-packed articles in the future. Have your own booming side hustle or small business and need a task done stat? Check out the Fiverr website and connect with freelancers around the world, all just a click away. Want more? See how two Aussie businesses — The Dough Co and The Zythologist — used Fiverr to give their side hustles a leg up. Images: asu_ad
Guess who's back? Marshall Bruce Mathers III, better known mononymously as Eminem — or as his alter ego Slim Shady — is back, again. So, get ready to relive your angsty teen years when the controversial rapper brings the second instalment of his Rapture Tour Down Under in February, 2019. While we can't promise any renditions of 'Without Me', Eminem will be performing songs off his tenth (and latest) album Kamikaze, which was produced by Dr. Dre and features hits like 'Fall', co-written by Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, and 'Venom' from the new Marvel movie of the same name. The album also features appearances by American rappers Joyner Lucas and Royce da 5'9 and Canadian singer Jessie Reyez — and Ticketek has promised special guests will be joining Eminem on this latest tour, too. When Eminem last visited Australia — in 2014, for the first instalment of Rapture to promote The Marshall Mathers LP 2 — he brought Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and Action Bronson with him, so we can expect some big names to join this time round as well. EMINEM RAPTURE 2019 DATES Brisbane — QSAC, February 20 Sydney — ANZ Stadium, February 22 Melbourne — MCG, February 24 Perth — Optus Stadium, February 27 Wellington — Westpac Stadium, March 2 Rapture 2019 pre-sale tickets are available from 10pm on Sunday, October 21, and general admission tickets will go on sale at 2pm on Monday, October 22. NZ tickets go on sale at 10am on Tuesday, October 23 and can be found here.
Last week in Sydney, a Heartbreak High-themed uniform shop in Newtown was handing out free threads. This week, handmaids are taking over the Pitt Street Mall in their red-hued attire. Ever wondered what the Harbour City would look like if it fell under Gilead's reach — and no, we're not talking about the Sydney's masterplanned community called Gilead? Then you just need to pop by the CBD to find out. Whether you're a local or you'll just be visiting this week, you can spot SBS' The Handmaid's Tale pop-up opposite Myer until Sunday, September 25. The show returned just last week, on Thursday, September 15, for its fifth and penultimate season, if you're wondering why Australia is currently under his eye. Visitors to the Pitt Street Mall will spot two things: a shop window filled with red-dressed mannequins, all wearing the requisite handmaids' getup, and also a real-life handmaid keeping watch. The inspiration for filling a store display with handmaid attire, other than celebrating the series? A quote from the show: "they should have never given us uniforms if they didn't want us to be an army". And the vibe? Not quite on the eerie level of the show's 2017 SXSW promotional stunt, which saw the Austin festival filled with handmaids — a concept that hit Sydney as well in 2018 — but expect to feel tense anyway. It's been a big year or so around Australia for these kinds of pop culture-themed displays, including a Rick and Morty #wormageddon scene in Sydney also this month, and everything from House of the Dragon, The Gray Man and Everything Everywhere All At Once through to Squid Game, Stranger Things and Borat-inspired fun across both the NSW capital and Melbourne. This is the only one that'll have you saying "praise be" and "blessed be", though. Find SBS' The Handmaid's Tale pop-up in Sydney's Pitt Street Mall, Pitt Street – opposite Myer — until Sunday, September 25. The fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale airs weekly in Australia via SBS TV and SBS On Demand.
With its pristine rivers, wild surf and lush valleys, Tassie's east coast produces some of the freshest, tastiest food and wine in Australia — if not the whole darn world. We're talking oysters that melt in your mouth, unbelievably decadent cheeses and Pinot Noirs that James Halliday can't get enough of. Plus, all you have to do to sample them in one fell swoop is drive onto Spirit of Tasmania at Port Melbourne, which will sail you across Bass Strait to Devonport and make your journey to Australia's southernmost state one to remember. Here, you can get a jump on your foodie road trip before you've even hit land. Partake in Tasmanian oysters in the ship's restaurant, indulge with ice cream from The Pantry shop, and enjoy the brews and sea views in the ship's bars. May to October there's even a Flavours of Tassie showcase, where you can sample everything from local cheeses and chocolates to wines and spirits. Once off the ship, head east until you hit the Great Eastern Drive, which travels for 176 blissful kilometres from St Helens in the north to Orford in the south. Here's your guide to eating, drinking and sleeping along the way. [caption id="attachment_665949" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Flow Mountain Bike[/caption] PYENGANA DAIRY Make your first destination Pyengana Dairy, which lies between Devonport and St Helens. Here, the Healey family has spent more than a century perfecting the art of cheese production. It's now in the hands of the fourth generation, Jon Healey and his wife, Lyndall, and you get to reap the rewards. Sample a range of cheddars — from four-week-old mild to an intense one-year-old dubbed Devilish – and stock up on non-homogenised milk. If you're hungry, slip into the Holy Cow Cafe for brekkie or lunch overlooking the farm's fertile pastures. You can also watch the cheese-making process in action. Pyengana Dairy is at St Columba Falls Road, Pyengana GALA ESTATE VINEYARD Your next stop is Gala Estate Vineyard in Cranbrook, a pretty area about 100 kilometres south of St Helens. The cellar door is a cute weatherboard building that once served as the local post office and general store, where you can now try an award-winning Pinot Noir or two. If the tasting couch happens to be free, then make sure you claim it and take your time. Once you're done, grab a bottle or two of your favourite drop and a gourmet hamper packed with local produce, then set off for a picnic – either in Gala's idyllic vineyards, at a nearby beach or further afield. For spectacular wilderness, head to Freycinet National Park. Gala Estate Vineyard is at 14891 Tasman Highway, Cranbrook SPRING VALE WINES From Gala Estate, it's just five minutes' drive south to Spring Vale Wines. This fifth-generation vineyard, founded in 1826, is all about producing wines that express the local area (technically referred to as terroir). Taste their latest creations at the cellar door, which is a heritage-listed stable built by convicts in 1842, or settle in for a long lunch at the seafood restaurant, which pops up among the vines. Loosen your belt: you can expect to be overwhelmed by a cornucopia of crayfish, scallops, oysters, octopus and woodfired lamb, with an array of matching wines. Spring Vale Wines is at 130 Springvale Road, Cranbrook MILTON VINEYARD Right nearby is Milton Vineyard, which began as a sheep farm back in 1826, but, like Spring Vale, is now dedicated to interesting small-batch drops. In fact, its 13 hectares inhabit a microclimate, where pinot noir, pinot gris, riesling and gewurztraminer grow. Handpicked in April, they're the only grapes that go into Milton's bottles. If you've time for lunch, book at Sophie's Restaurant, where you'll be feasting on the creations of head chef Sophie Bermudes, who turns premium local produce into French-inspired fare. Milton Vineyard is at 14635 Tasman Highway, Swansea MELSHELL OYSTERS Next up, oysters. We don't mean just any old ordinary bivalves, but some of the best on the planet, served up at a humble shack, a stone's throw from Coles Bay. Melshell Oysters spend their entire lives in superbly clean water, starting out in the Swan River before transferring to Great Oyster Bay, where they enjoy views of the Hazard Mountain Range. You'll get to sample them in the simplest, freshest way possible, shucked to order and accompanied by a slice of lemon. Most of the time, you'll catch the oyster farmers at work. Melshell Oysters is at 9 Yellow Sandbanks Road, Dolphin Sands [caption id="attachment_666231" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] by Eugene Hyland[/caption] SLEEPING Freycinet Lodge has been around since the 1990s, but its brand new Coastal Pavilions take things to the next level. Surrounded by national park and fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, they look out over either forested wilderness or sparkling Coles Bay. Either way, you can count on a king-sized bed, an outdoor bath, a spacious deck and plenty of native timbers. Yep, it's pretty much luxe designer hotel meets glamping, immersed in world-famous scenery. THE NITTY GRITTY DETAILS HOW TO GET THERE: The most adventurous way to travel to Tassie from the mainland is on Spirit of Tasmania, which journeys between Port Melbourne and Devonport. Take your car with you and drive right off the ship. Added bonus: no weight restrictions means that for the journey back, you can load up your car with food, wine and souvenirs to your heart's content. WHEN TO GO: The Great Eastern Drive is beautiful at any time of year. WHAT DOES IT COST: This varies, depending on how many award-winning pinot noirs you plan on buying. Expect to spend anywhere between $50 and $200 a day (plus accommodation). To book your Tasmanian adventure today, head to the Spirit of Tasmania website.
Sydney vino makers and switched on marketers Cake Wines have always been pretty savvy when it comes to marketing activations — from label art comps to pop-up bars at All of the Creative Launches Around Town. But their latest brims with pure love for the little guy - the support band. In a new Australia-wide campaign dubbed 'Support the Support', the Redfern-based crew are rewarding the punters who turn up early and check out the support band instead of wasting the time pre-drinking at a mate's. "By heading to gigs earlier in the night and checking out the support act, no matter what happens...everyone wins," says Cake. "The artist plays to a crowd, you'll be supporting the venues that showcase music, the more people in the venue the better the vibe, and maybe, just maybe, that little support act no one’s heard of yet, could well be the next Radiohead or James Blake or Fugazi or Arcade Fire...and you saw them first." Support the Support runs through May across 35 music venues in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Early birds turn up to check out the support, post a sweet, sweet filtered pro shot to Instagram with the hashtag #cakewines, show the bartenders and you'll get a free wine. FREE (ACTUALLY GOOD) VINO. Egads. The actual support bands get some love too, gig listed and given a shout out in the Support the Support calendar and given bespoke posters of their band to help bring in more of a crowd than their obligated high school chums. Fashionably late ain't so any more. You can support the support here: SYDNEY Good God Small Club, Oxford Art Factory, The Green Room, 505, Civic Hotel, 616 Foundary, Beach Rd Hotel, Spice Cellar. MELBOURNE Howler, The Toff, Revolver, The Retreat, Bennetts Lane, Wesley Anne, The Post Office Hotel, The Old Bar, The Evelyn, New Guernica BRISBANE Dowse Bar, Black Bear Lodge.
Your dog-child shuns the common doghouse you expect it to live in, and this leaves you feeling hurt and confused. But luckily Dogchitecture, a new exhibition in Mexico City, is presenting revolutionary doghouse proposals by ten design firm to help dogs feel at home. It must have been interesting getting inside the mind of man's best friend to create these functional and visually intriguing puppy palaces. Inspired by Kenya Hara's Architecture for Dogs project, which paired designers with a particular breed for all kinds of unexpected results, the firms exhibiting in Dogchitecture include BNKR Arquitectura, Rojkind Arquitectos, Broissin, PRODUCTORA, a-001, Taller 13, PMS Arch Buro, ROW Studio, Laboratorio Arquitectura Básica and ESOS. Polyforum Siqueiros in Mexico City hosts the exhibition until August 18 2013, when it goes on the road. Below is a look at some of the proposals on offer to tempt the fastidious chihuahua in your life. Productora 'Pencil House' PRODUCTORA's 'Pencil House' aims to please the eye. a-001 'Tangle Nest' a-001's Tangle Nest looks fun and interactive, like those alarming foam pits you used to be forced to leap into during gym class. ESOS 'El Wokdog' This ESOS doghouse is called "Wok" by day, cosy "Igloo" by night. BNKR BNKR Arquitectura channels dogs' enjoyment of burrowing and chasing their own tails. Broissin Broissin's proposal bypasses functional concerns and opts for aesthetic bewilderment, befitting the more esoteric dog. Beneath One Fern And here is Beneath One Fern, hosted by Zach Galifianakis. Via PSFK
Can you feel a tingling in your toes as your feet start to defrost? That's the feeling of winter slipping away (or maybe you've been sitting cross-legged for too long) and with its demise comes the return of Australia's beloved Moonlight Cinema. Heralding the coming of the warmer months, Moonlight Cinema is a summertime tradition that is thankfully making a comeback despite everything that 2020 has thrown our way. The season will run kick off on Thursday, November 26 and run right through summer until Sunday, April 4 in its annual home, Centennial Park. Nosh-wise, Moonlight Cinema will again let you BYO movie snacks and drinks, but the unorganised can also enjoy a plethora of snacks from food trucks — perfect, messy treats made for reclining on bean beds. Unsurprisingly, this year's Moonlight will be a socially distanced affair. That includes seating and queuing, plus there'll be hand-sanitiser stations, increased cleaning measures and contactless payment — with online bookings recommended. We'll update you with program details when they're announced later this month.
Despite what governmental and mainstream media outlets may have you believe, Australia isn't the only nation where people are desperately seeking asylum. Europe's currently in the middle of a very real refugee crisis, with the civil war in Syria leaving over four million Syrians displaced and looking for a new, safe home. That's an absolutely unfathomable amount of people. And while most of us have gawked and sat around wondering what we can do to help refugees, three Dutch twenty-somethings have actually gone and done something about it, creating a new non-profit accommodation platform for refugees. Refugee Hero essentially works like Airbnb. It looks a lot like it too. The website allows people to advertise their spare room to refugees looking for a place to stay when they arrive in a new country. It's geared around people putting up rooms available in their residential homes, but organisations are encouraged to open up their facilities, such as churches, mosques, schools and universities as well. And the best part is, the service 100 percent free. In that regard, it's more like Couchsurfing than Airbnb — but with hosts that are socially conscious legends with hearts of gold. The Netherlands-based startup was founded by Germaine Statia, Jamal Oulel, and Ayoub Aouragh, who are all aged 23-25. "We want to give back humanity to mankind," says Germaine Statia on their website. Since launching in September last year, Refugee Hero has rooms listed everywhere from Bulgaria to Johannesburg to Maryland in the States. And while there aren't any Australian listings yet, we can't see any reason why you can't get involved. Hop to it! Via PSFK.
A few years ago, facial recognition technology seemed like the stuff of the future, some nifty application you'd see only on the big screen. Now, we're using it in real life, to unlock our phones, to hustle through the passport queue at the airport and even to order our morning latte. That's right — cafes across the country are getting high-tech, implementing facial recognition systems in an effort to improve customer service. And the one system that's being used by most was developed right here in our own backyard. Geoff Cropley, owner of Sydney's Bahista Cafe, told the Sydney Morning Herald he spent two years working with developer John MacLean to create his own system prototype, NoahFace, which he first started using on customers in July 2016. "I searched the world for a low-cost face recognition [system] and there was nothing out there, all the solutions were multimillion-dollar ones," he explained. "So I went about creating what we have today." Willing customers simply have their face scanned by an iPad as they approach the front counter, with information, including their name and go-to coffee order, then instantly relayed to the barista. NoahFace is now in use across the country, having raised more than $1 million in seed funding, not to mention the backing of big names like Toby's Estate founder Toby Smith. Currently, you'll spy it operating at venues like Sydney's Bar Bellaccino, Adelaide's Hotel Richmond and a whole swag of Toby's Estate cafes — and, it'll spy you too. Via smh.com.au
You can listen to outgoing director Edmund Capon by downloading one of his audio guides to the Art Gallery of NSW. But to hear what he's really saying, visit Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris. The Musée National Picasso is one of the lushest collections of Picasso's work in the world. Its appealing building, almost as appealing as the artwork itself, is closed for renovations for the next two years. So a sizeable chunk of its collection is on the move. Having just finished a Taiwanese engagement, it's taking on Sydney as a summer home. The show promises to cover all of Picasso's highly varied styles and periods — 'blue', 'rose', Expressionist, Cubist, Neoclassical and Surrealist. Picasso collections tend to see his styles travel backwards in time, from the rose and blue periods' powerful realism, to arrive at his famous rough-brushed, cubist strokes. Realism came easily to Picasso, but the seemingly simpler stuff was the real work. He's said to have said "when I was just a child, I could already draw like Raphael, but it took me a whole lifetime to learn to draw like a child." And as Paris comes to Sydney, you too can get overwhelmed by some of his child-like wonder. Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso opens in November, but timed-entry tickets are already on sale, and are likely to fill quickly. Image via Jean-Gilles Berizzi and Réunion des Musées Nationaux.
For all of you who've been obsessing over the case of Steven Avery, you might now have the chance to get the answers you crave. Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos, the filmmakers behind the addictive and highly frustrating Netflix true crime series Making a Murderer, have just been announced as a last minute addition to the Spectrum Now Festival talks program. The pair, whose ten-part series has become a cultural phenomenon since premiering on Netflix in December, will travel to Sydney for an hour-long interview and audience Q&A session with festival ambassador and The Weekly host Charlie Pickering. Set to take place at 7pm on Thursday, March 10, tickets for the event will cost $49.90 and go on sale on Wednesday, February 24 (or you can sign up to their newsletter to access the pre-sale one day earlier). If you've been living a nomadic lifestyle out in the bush for the past few months and thus haven't heard, Making a Murderer follows the infuriating case of Wisconsin native Steven Avery, who served 18 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, only to be arrested and tried for murder shortly after he was released. If you've got a spare ten hours, you can binge watch it on Netflix right now. Just don't expect to finish with your faith in humanity intact. "We always wanted Making a Murderer to start a dialogue around important issues in our criminal justice system," say directors Ricciardi and Demos. "We are thrilled that so many people all over the world are responding to the concept of fairness and equality, and we can’t wait to come to Australia to continue this discussion." Making a Murderer: In Conversation with Charlie Pickering will take place at 7pm on Thursday, March 10 at The Star Event Centre as part of Spectrum Now Festival 2016. For more information and to buy tickets, visit their website.
Sydney's Mardi Gras is one of the city's biggest festivals, and one of the country's most important celebrations of diversity and equality. In 2017, it's taking the party to a whole new level, with more stars, guests and performers than ever before helping to highlight the theme of "Creating Equality". Mardi Gras kicks off on February 17 and will run until March 5, hosting more than eighty events. For two fun-filled weeks, expect everything from the now iconic Little Black Dress Run to the Papa Party and Queer Art After Hours, plus anything you can think of in between. The festival culminates, of course, in the epic annual parade on Saturday, March 4. As part of the 2017 lineup, Koori Gras @ 107 makes its Mardi Gras debut. The week-long festival within a festival is a joint effort between Moogahlin Performing Arts and Redfern's 107 Projects, celebrating Australia's First People's part in the LGBTQI community, and telling the stories and the history of members that fit into both groups. Expect an evening of drag, cabaret and DJs, as well as a feed and open mic night on February 25. Before hitting up the parties that form the backbone in the festival's night life, there'll be plenty of history and culture to soak up. From In Difference, a choreographed story that explores the debate on marriage equality, to the traditional Mardi Gras Film Festival, there's plenty of ways to discover and learn the stories of struggle faced by the community throughout history. The theme of the 2017 festival, "Creating Equality", is a loud and clear message that resonates with everyone — and continues Mardi Gras' four-decade endeavour to offer a peaceful protest in the form of a celebration of people and culture. "As we continue to push our federal politicians to represent the wishes of the overwhelming majority of Australians — by legislating equality through a free vote in Parliament — celebrations like Mardi Gras are as important as ever," says Sydney Mayor Clover Moore. So, whether you're a member of the LGBTQI community or not, get ready to get dressed up (or undressed, for those attending Extra Dirty) and party for equality. Mardi Gras 2017 runs from February 17 to March 4. For the full program, and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
Embedding sustainable practices in the hospitality industry is a quest many a bar, cafe, eatery and associated organisation has taken up, spanning bans on straws, an attempt to recycle takeaway coffee cups, rewards for carpooling customers and more. One Japanese watering hole has taken the concept and not only run with it, but built their entire establishment out of it. Yes, the Kamikatz Public House is made out of 100% recycled rubbish. From the windows and walls to the furniture found inside, everything in this pub, brewery and sundries store would probably be considered trash in any other town. You'll find the environmentally conscious structure in the town of Kamikatsu, which is committed to not only reducing their wastage, but eliminating it — attaining an 80% recycling rate, and sorting their waste into 34 categories, for starters. Of course, when you fashion a dwelling with in such an eco-friendly manner, you want everyone to know about it, which is why Kamikatz Public House features an eight-metre-high wall of windows, all sourced from abandoned homes. You'll also find discarded tiles used as flooring, a chandelier made out of bottles, and newspapers doubling as wallpaper. Other design elements, such as an elevated ceiling and double-layered window fittings, are designed to increase ventilation and insulation respectively. No wonder the building won World Architecture News' Sustainable Buildings Award for 2016. As well as a cute pub to put on your must-visit list if you're ever in the vicinity of Tokushima prefecture on Japan's Shikoku Island, it's also great motivation to think about more creative ways to recycle. Images: Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP. Via: Inhabitat.
Cast your eyes on the YouTube diary of Canada Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield and you will never be impressed by the notion of man placing a flag on the moon again. Canada's first commander of the International Space Station has been furiously tweeting and video blogging live from Expedition 35 for the past five months, creating the closest thing the world has seen to the Big Brother diary room in outer space in the process. While the CSA website lists the mission's objectives as "to carry out scientific experiments" and "perform robotic tasks", Renaissance man Hadfield has also managed to produce the astronaut's answer to Cindy Crawford's Buns of Steel and show his tender side in an attempt to find out what happens to tears in space (hint: not the same as what happens in heaven). Most recently, Hadfield has been busy staging a music video of 'Space Oddity' by David Bowie. Turns out Bowie's understanding of outer space is pretty bang on — the clouds look very different up there, Hadfield floats in a most peculiar way and while planet Earth is blue, there's nothing left to do, hence the Soyuz capsule is set to touch down to Earth tomorrow. Via Slate.
Ever wish you could teleport out of the office and into, say, the idyllic surrounds of the Versailles Palace? Well, that need no longer be the stuff of dreams. Using Street View technology, Google has launched the World Wonders Project, an initiative that aims to bring the world's most breathtaking heritage sites directly to you. In a virtual experience like no other, users will be able to access high resolution photographs, 3D imagery and YouTube videos of up to 132 landmarks and architectural sites from 18 countries around the globe. Partnering with Getty Images and UNESCO among others, the World Wonders Project is part of Google's mission to preserve ancient and modern heritage sites, and to make these cultural landmarks accessible for future generations in an ever-expanding digital archive. Whether you're an avid traveller or average procrastinator, Google's highly interactive application is designed to virtually transport you into new, exciting worlds from the convenience of your desk. The Project site has a range of user-friendly functions to navigate your chosen destination. To embark on your virtual globe-trotting experience, you can access information compiled about the site, flick through albums of stunning photos, or for the more adventurous - click on the 3D modelling option and experience the wonders of navigating your dream location in all its 360 degree, street-level glory. Visit Google World Wonders
AFC Richmond supporters, rejoice — and get ready for a hefty rivalry. If you're a fan of the fictional soccer team, then you're obviously a fan of Ted Lasso, the award-winning hit Apple TV+ sitcom that tells its tale. After a year gap, sitting on the bench in 2022, the Jason Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live)-starring show is finally set to return in 2023. Even better: Apple TV+ has confirmed that season three will arrive sometime in autumn Down Under, which is sometime in the next few months. There's no exact release date as yet, but the streaming platform has dropped an initial image for the new episodes which teases quite the clash in the works — between perennially optimistic American Ted and his former offsider Nathan 'Nate' Shelley (Nick Mohammed, Intelligence). View this post on Instagram A post shared by Apple TV+ (@appletvplus) While Ted Lasso has felt like streaming's biggest warm hug across its first and second seasons, it wasn't afraid to skew darker in the latter, including as Nate felt pushed aside, ignored and unloved by Ted. Viewers will know that the last batch of episodes culminated with Nate's defection to opposing club West Ham United, as owned by Rupert Mannion (Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anthony Stewart Head), ex-husband to AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham, Hocus Pocus 2). Also part of the Ted Lasso crew: sweary now-retired veteran champion Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein, Uncle), recent hotshot player Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster, The Devil's Hour), Jamie's ex-girlfriend and Roy's current partner Keeley Jones (Juno Temple, The Offer), Ted's laconic second-in-charge and long-time friend Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt, Bless This Mess), and AFC Richmond Director of Football Operations Leslie Higgins (Jeffrey Swift, Housebound). As the sitcom's first two seasons have shown, viewers definitely don't need to love soccer or even sport to fall for this series' ongoing charms — although if you obsessed over the 2022 World Cup, it might help fill the gap until the 2026 version arrives. Kind-hearted in the way that Parks and Recreation, Wellington Paranormal, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Abbott Elementary have also proven, Ted Lasso will be in for a significant obstacle in 2023, thanks to Ted and Nate's battle. Usually, this series celebrates people who support each other, are always there for each other and form close bonds as a result. Indeed, that's what has made it so instantly likeable. But with Nate now working for the competition, change is afoot — don't expect to see the show mess too much with its winning formula, though. There's no trailer for season three just yet, but you can check out the trailer for Ted Lasso's second season below: Season three of Ted Lasso will stream via Apple TV+ sometime in autumn 2023 Down Under — we'll update you with an exact release date when one is announced. Read our full review of season two.
One of the best presents that Australians received in 2023 came from the Matildas, who had a record-breaking 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on the field and on-screen, and are also the reason that Matilda was named the country's word of the year. Australia's national women's soccer team isn't done giving us gifts yet, however. To see out 2023, the squad is taking on Canada in two friendlies, gifting fans two more chances to watch, don green and gold, and celebrate Alanna Kennedy, Ellie Carpenter, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler and company. Mark these dates and times in your diaries: Saturday, December 2 at 2pm AEDT / 1pm AEST / 11am AWST; and Wednesday, December 6 at 1.30pm AEDT / 12.30pm AEST / 10.30am AWST. Both games are taking place in Canada, but they're timed around lunchtime Down Under — which is particularly handy for the Saturday game, and will level up your lunchtime on Wednesday. This is only the second set of matches that the Tillies have played since making the Women's World Cup semi-finals, Australia's best-ever result for either the men's or women's soccer teams. Back in October and November, the Matildas returned home for Olympic qualifiers against Iran, The Philippines and Chinese Taipei in Perth, wining all three. A few familiar faces won't be taking to the turf for the Canada matches, with both Sam Kerr and Mackenzie Arnold injured and unable to play. But Kennedy, Carpenter, Catley, Foord and Fowler are all in the 23-person squad, as are Kyra Cooney-Cross, Katrina Gorry, Hayley Raso, Emily van Egmond and Tameka Yallop. The last time that the Matildas played Canada was in the Women's World Cup group stage, where they won 4–0 thanks to two goals to Raso, and one apiece to Fowler and Catley. To watch the friendlies in Australia, 10Play and Paramount+ are your destinations — plus Network 10 on regular TV. After this, the Tillies will face off against Uzbekistan in February 2024 in the next stage of Olympic qualifiers, playing two games. If you're in Sydney, you can also see Arnold, Fowler and Kennedy doing a live fan stadium event on Thursday, December 21. THE MATILDAS VS CANADA FRIENDLIES: Saturday, December 2 — 2pm AEDT / 1pm AEST / 11am AWST Wednesday, December 6 — 1.30pm AEDT / 12.30pm AEST / 10.30am AWST The Matildas' friendlies against in Canada take place on Saturday, December 2 and Wednesday, December 6 — and you can watch via 10Play and Paramount+. Images: Tiff Williams / Little Blinky via Wikimedia Commons.
Inspired by the life of a dear friend, Maureen: Harbinger of Death is a one-person show that celebrates the wisdom and acerbic life advice of older women in a society that often dismisses its female elders. Co-creator and performer Jonny Hawkins takes to the stage in minimal costume — bar for a herbal ciggy — to embody Maureen in her boho living room. Expect storytelling of the most entertaining and heartwarming kind as Hawkins and director and co-creator Ranney bring back their friend's passion for life as a self-described 'working class glamour queen'. Image: Joe Engstrom
The thing about Brisbane is that, whether you think of yourself as an indoor person or an outdoor person, you’re inevitably going to spend most of your time outside. As Brisbane is almost constantly blessed with the kind of weather you see on the classic Microsoft screen saver, we’ve naturally become an outdoorsy city. Nearly every café and restaurant has an al fresco area, every house worth its salt has a verandah and everywhere you walk has long green expanses that are perfect for soaking up the sun. It’s no wonder, then, that when we spoke to Last Dinosaur’s bass guitarist, filmmaker and all-round cool guy Michael Sloane (above, right) about his perfect weekend in Brisbane, it was mostly spent outdoors and under the sun. The Last Dinosaurs are just about to release their second studio album “Wellness” and embark on a national tour, so Michael’s wholesome outdoor weekends may be something to do with the hectic schedule of touring band member. "Coming back home to Brisbane after being away is like a moment of decompression, in a good way," he tells us. "It has a feeling of laid-backness." The Last Dinosaurs are a Brisbane born and/or bred cohort and Michael (above, second from right) says for him the culture of comradery between Brissy-based bands is a huge influence on the music scene. "You can't help but be influenced by the place you live and grow up, but I'd say our biggest inspiration from Brisbane is other Brisbane bands,' he says. "It's a cosy enough city to cross paths with other bands of the same mindset and it's always nice to share touring moments or shows with other Brisbane bands, even when we're not in Brisbane." Indeed, much like the bar from Cheers, Brisbane is the kind of intimate city where everybody knows your name – and if you’re in an incredibly successful local band, they might just scream it at you as you walk past. You can grab the Last Dino’s new album Wellness on August 28 or catch them on tour from September 25 to October 18. In the meantime, here are Michael’s five steps to the perfect Brisbane weekend. To experience them for yourself, head to the Visit Brisbane website and get booking. TAKE THE CITYCAT TO SOUTH BANK Brisbane has a good mix of city and bush, so my little tour of Brisbane would have a bit of both. Take a CityCat from wherever you are over to South Brisbane. (Yes, the CityCat is part of the experience if you can be bothered.) Choose your own adventure here.. Either you can wander through South Bank, eventually getting into the cultural precinct to check out GoMA and the museum, or you can venture deeper into West End and find a place for lunch along Boundary Road. TAKE A CITYCYCLE RIDE ALONG THE BRISBANE RIVER From there, get on a CityCycle and ride along the river until you reach a bridge; we have plenty of them to choose from. Ride across the bridge of your choosing and continue around the Riverside of the CBD until you feel like having a look at the city centre itself. STOP IN AT WAGAYA Straight from the city to Fortitude Valley for dinner in Chinatown mall. Wagaya is a favourite. It's a pretty authentic Japanese 'Izakaya', and you get to order off a touch screen. After that, you're in the centre of nightlife for Brisbane and, for good or bad, it's worth experiencing. There's a bar for every type of night you'd like to have. CHECK OUT MOUNT COOT-THA Maybe I'm biased living close, but I'm a big fan of Mt. Coot-tha state forest. The Mt. Coot-tha Botanic Gardens at the base of the mountain are actually Botanic Gardens, unlike the CBD version. That means there's a huge array of environment types and plants. They also have a planetarium and library, if you're into that. From there, Mt Coot-tha has a lot of wood fire stoves dotted around, so cook up some grub on the barbie and get the Aussie out of your system. Slaughter Falls (don't be scared) picnic area has a bush track leading up to the lookout of Mt Coot-tha. It's actually a pretty great view if you don't mind a few tourists taking selfies. Image via Facebook TAKE A DAY TRIP TO NORTH STRADBROKE ISLAND Assuming you have a long weekend or can chuck a sickie, try to get the ferry from Cleveland to North Stradbroke. I'm always surprised when I go to Straddie that I don't go more often. It really does have awesome beaches, with campgrounds right on the edge of the beach.
Growing up is a pretty weird thing to do, and it's even weirder when you look back on it as an adult. You'll find nostalgia littered with inevitable cringing and unanswerable instances of "what possessed me to do that?" Matthew Whittet's acclaimed play, the final instalment of a critically-acclaimed trilogy and now a quirky and incisive feature film, dives head first into this quagmire of hormones and helplessness, a quagmire that is otherwise known as the life of 15-year-old Greta Driscoll. As if the ever-changing, ever-raging cusp of adulthood wasn't enough of a swirling vortex of emotion, Girl Asleep is set in the 1970s, and follows Greta's experiences exploring a new town, a new school, boys and the crushing notion of having to leave the safety of childhood for the terrifying reality of being a grown-up. You know, nice and light. The story is brought to life by the Windmill Theatre company and directed by Rosemary Myers, who was also the director behind the film version of the play. Head behind the scenes of Girl Asleep, check out our interview with designer Jonathon Oxlade. In conjunction with Girl Asleep, Belvoir has opened their very own '70s-inspired arcade pop-up bar. Take a look.
Another day, another new film festival announcement — and while we've probably made that claim before, it really is beginning to prove accurate. Come August, movie buffs will be able to immerse themselves in the big screen wonders of Latin America courtesy of Palace Cinemas' newest fest. Meet CINE LATINO: A New Festival of Latin American Cinema. Not content with adding an American indie showcase and an Aussie offshoot of the documentary-focused Hot Docs to the mix already this year, the arthouse cinema chain is keeping the festivals coming. Screening in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane and Adelaide, CINE LATINO is the first country-wide event dedicated to Latin American cinema in Australia, featuring films from Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, Chile, Guatemala and more. Given that Latin America is made up of 20 Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries with over 600 million people — and has given rise to recent Oscar winners Alejandro González Iñárritu and Alfonso Cuarón — there's certain to be plenty of flicks to choose from. That'll be the task of Alex Castro, who previously oversaw the Melbourne Latin American Film Festival from 2004 to 2007. That makes quite the number of cultural touring film fests gracing the cinema outfit's big screens in 2016, with the French Film Festival currently doing the rounds, the Spanish Film Festival rolling out from April, and the Scandinavian, Israeli, Italian and British festivals also on Palace's slate throughout the year — not that we're keeping count or anything. And while you'll never hear us complaining about too many film festivals, we are mighty curious about what new niche they might move into next. CINE LATINO: A New Festival of Latin American Cinema will screen in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane and Adelaide from August 11 to 31. For more information, keep an eye on the festival website. Image: Ixcanul (2015).
