Finally we have proof that Hogwarts exists, and it is in the shape of 400,000 Lego blocks. Alice Finch, a mother of two from Seattle who became a Lego aficionado after building blocks with her son, has unveiled her completed scale rendition of Hogwarts, and it is arguably the largest Lego structure built by a single person, measuring 4m in length. This is impressive enough, but when you look inside and uncover the magic of intricately detailed rooms and scenes from the world of Harry Potter, you can see that no block has been left untouched. Finch’s masterpiece took a painstaking 12 months of building, but that time let her perfect her Hogwarts by allowing her to research the books, films, and sets of the magical series to record the finest detail, from moving staircases right down to the old-fashioned slide projector in Lupin's Defence Against the Dark Arts class. This effort has not gone unrecognised either, with Finch taking home both the People's Choice and Best in Show Awards at Brick-Con 2012 — two awards much deserved for continuing the magic that J.K. Rowling first started more than 15 years ago. And why did she do it? "I wanted my kids to be able to play in all the spaces where the story takes place," she told Brick Brothers. You may not be able to play with your own giant Hogwarts, but you can visit Alice's by looking through the Mirror of Erised (your computer screen) at her photoset here. We've picked out a few of the best pictures below. Hogwarts exterior Feasting in the Great Hall. Durmstrang students enter Hogwarts Potions class Gryffindor noticeboard Gryffindor common room The greenhouses Astronomy towers and Ravenclaw
Victorians, South Australians, Tasmanians and Australian Capital Territory residents will all soon be able to holiday in New Zealand again, with the trans-Tasman bubble set to reopen on a restricted basis. Quarantine-free travel between Australia and NZ was put on pause on Saturday, June 26 due to rising COVID-19 cases in the former, with the NZ Government pledging to review the situation within 72 hours — which it has now done. From 11.59pm NZT/9.59pm AEST on Sunday, July 4, folks who live in the three aforementioned Aussie states and one territory will be permitted into NZ without quarantining — so if you're a Melburnian in need of a holiday after the city's lockdown earlier this month, that's great news. The trans-Tasman bubble will still remain suspended with all other Aussie states and territories, so with New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Those four regions all currently have some form of lockdown either in place or coming into effect — until Friday, July 9 in Greater Sydney and till Friday, July 2 in plenty of Queensland, for instance — so residents there can't travel far anyway. https://twitter.com/covid19nz/status/1409703615296532483 In a statement today, Tuesday, June 29, NZ COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins did note that the plan to resume the bubble could with selected Aussie regions could still change, depending on what the next few days hold. "The health advice today is that at this point, the spread of COVID-19 in those parts of Australia appears to have been contained. There is robust surveillance, testing and contact tracing to detect and manage cases, and adequate border controls are in place to prevent the spread of new cases," the Minister said. "Officials will continue to review the situation between now and Sunday." Victorians, South Australians, Tasmanians and ACT residents keen to head to NZ when the bubble kicks back in will need to provide evidence of a negative pre-departure test before they're able to fly. Also, you can't have been in Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia on or after 10.30pm NZT/8.30pm AEST on Saturday, June 26 — or in NSW after 11.59pm NZT/9.59pm AEST on Tuesday, June 22. Regarding the other states, "the pause with Western Australia, Northern Territory, New South Wales and Queensland will remain in place so that outstanding test results can be returned and to give New Zealand time to assess next steps. This will be reviewed again on Tuesday 6 July," said the Minister. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. To find out more about the virus and travel restrictions in New Zealand, head over to the NZ Government's COVID-19 hub.
With the Taronga Conservation Society recording 26 Australian shark attacks in 2016 alone, we don't blame you if you're starting to feel a little bit wary about jumping in the ocean. There have been countless attempts to keep surfers safe, from nets and drumlines to shark-deterrent wetsuits and, unfortunately, culling. But thanks to some innovative new shark-detection technology from the minds at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and The Little Ripper Group (the guys behind Westpac's Little Ripper rescue drones), beaches might be a tiny bit safer this summer. The SharkSpotter system — which has been years in the making and is ready to be implemented in the coming weeks — uses artificial intelligence to detect sharks in live video feed and images collected by Little Ripper's battery-operated drones. Working off UTS' algorithm and some state-of-the-art sensors, the unmanned aircraft can even tell the difference between sharks and other sea animals, boasting a 90 percent accuracy rate. Once a shark's been spotted, they'll be able to warn swimmers of the potential threat using an on-board megaphone and alert surf lifesavers and emergency services. According to Chief Executive Officer of Westpac Little Ripper Lifesaver, Eddie Bennet, the shark-friendly system is a total game-changer. "This smart algorithm gives us yet another capability in patrolling beaches which we have been doing regularly for almost a year," he said, calling the technology "a major milestone in addressing shark attacks with very real ability to save a life". The SharkSpotter will be used to patrol beaches across Queensland and New South Wales from the start of the surf life saving season next month. Exactly where the drones will be deployed will change each week, with locations only confirmed on the Friday before the weekend. However, it's likely they'll be places around Byron and the north coast of NSW, and around the Sunshine and Gold Coasts in Queensland. Via news.com.au.
Around the world, IDAHO is a big event. The International Day Against Homophobia and transphobia (IDAHO) reminds you how far LGBTI rights have come in some places, and how far they have to go in others. IDAHO asks you to do something big or small to oppose homophobia on May 17, the anniversary of the day homosexuality was declassified as a disorder in the influential psychiatric diagnostic manual DSM. There are activities, festivities and demonstrations of support going on all around Sydney — on Uni campuses, galleries, across Sydney's west and even at Parliament House. At Pine Street Creative Arts Studio in Chippendale, IDAHO Sydney is putting on its annual IDAHO exhibition, Fragility. Changing the way people do things is hard. If you'd like to start your thousand-mile journey with a simpler footstep, IDAHO Sydney's exhibition draws together art from across the queer and queer-friendly community. This year, as well as the art, IDAHO is calling out for stories. At the exhibition itself Pride History will be collecting queer oral histories on May 21. You can go in any day to get a look at the art, and if you go in Saturday the 21st you get a chance to be part of history in the bargain.
All the young'uns know by now that the smiley-dreadlocks-guy in Daft Punk's 'Get Lucky' music video has a long and venerable history of bringing feelgood vibes to the discotheque. That's because he's Nile Rodgers of Chic, legendary hitmaker, and he'll be headlining the 23rd Meredith Music Festival. Chic was formed in 1976 and at 60, Rodgers is still at the centre of the music biz. After recently rocking Glastonbury with Daft Punk and moving Golden Plains Sixxx to the core last year (prompting Nile to say, "Every show we've had a special connection to the crowd but oh tonight was spiritual"), Chic will get the crowd grooving at the Meredith Supernatural Theatre with their epoch-defining tunes, as well as classics produced by Nile for other colossal artists. 'Le Freak', Good Times, 'Everybody Dance', 'Let's Dance', Like A Virgin, 'Original Sin': are you sensing a theme here? A theme of awesome? Two hours of mirrorball-spinning sounds will ensue. If you can't make it to Meredith, fear not — Chic is touring Australia and will perform at the Sydney Opera House on December 7, sure to be a sultry Saturday night, as part of the Music at the House program. Meredith Music Festival runs over three days from December 13–15. To go in the ballot for tickets, visit the festival website and subscribe before 11.23pm on August 12.
If you've ever looked askance at your cookbook collection and thought "this does not speak to me on an emotional level," you're not alone. New York-based artist Automne Zingg feels ya — so much so that the artist, musician, and illustrator has recently published two cookbooks inspired by the thick, syrupy sadness of Morrissey and Nick Cave. 'Defensive Eating with Morrissey' and 'Comfort Eating with Nick Cave' are full of gems like "Boy with the corn in his side" and "Peas let me get what I want". Which, yes, are two great recipes for corn and peas. Oh, and if you hadn't guessed, the cookbooks are vegan. Zingg has provided the illustrations of sad Morrissey and Cave eating food, with Joshua Ploeg, of The Touring Vegan Chef, responsible for the recipes. But it's not all corn and peas, thankfully. Ploeg has unveiled some pretty sick vegan treat recipes like ice cream, cookies and cheesecake. Morrissey and Nick Cave were both almost involved, but in the end declined for different reasons. Of course, don't let that stop you from enjoying the below kind of sexy picture of Morrissey eating corn. We said kind of, remember.
Initially, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 was the most-anticipated new Australian movie of 2023. Now, it's taking that label for 2024 instead. After being postponed from its planned August 2023 release amid the current SAG-AFTRA strike, the Aussie film will hit cinemas in February 2024. Fans of Aussie mysteries, page-to-screen crime tales, Eric Bana (Dirty John) getting sleuthing and all things Aaron Falk, take note. The follow-up to 2021's The Dry, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 is now slated to reach the big screen Down Under on Thursday, February 8, 2024. If you're keen to see the film as soon as possible, you'll have the chance a few days earlier, with advance screenings also locked in from Friday, February 2–Sunday, February 4. When Bana stepped into Falk's shoes in The Dry, more movies were always bound to follow. On the screen, the film became a massive Australian box-office hit in 2021 thanks to its twisty mystery, determined detective, stunning scenery and spectacular cast. It was capitalising, of course, on the story's proven success on the page. And, to the delight of movie producers and audiences, the beloved novel by author Jane Harper was just Falk's first appearance. Accordingly, throw that formula together again and you now have Force of Nature: The Dry 2. This second effort sees the core duo of Bana and writer/director Robert Connolly (Blueback) return, with the latter again investigating a case. This time, as both the movie's initial teaser and full trailer explore, Falk is looking into the disappearance of a hiker from a corporate retreat attended by five women. Alongside fellow federal agent Carmen Cooper (Jacqueline McKenzie, Ruby's Choice), Falk heads deep into Victoria's mountain ranges to try to find the missing traveller — who also happens to be a whistle-blowing informant — alive. Also featuring in Force of Nature, which has a powerhouse list of Aussie talent just like its predecessor: Anna Torv (The Last of Us) as missing hiker Alice Russell, plus Deborra-Lee Furness (Jindabyne), Robin McLeavy (Homeland), Sisi Stringer (Mortal Kombat) and Lucy Ansell (Utopia). Richard Roxburgh (Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe), Tony Briggs (Preppers) and Kenneth Radley (The Power of the Dog) pop up, too, while Jeremy Lindsay-Taylor (Heartbreak High) is back in the role of Erik Falk. Reteaming not just after The Dry, but also 2023 release Blueback, Connolly and Bana make quite the pair when it comes to Aussie crime cinema — with Connolly the producer of one of the best local crime movies ever made, aka 1998's unnerving The Boys, and Bana famously the star of the similarly excellent Chopper. Fans of Harper's work also have The Survivors to look forward to, but on the small screen. It's heading to Netflix from the pages of the author's text of the same name, and isn't linked to The Dry or Force of Nature. Here, the Tasmanian-set story follows families still coping with the loss caused by a massive storm in their seaside town 15 years earlier, then faced with a new murder. Check out the full trailer for Force of Nature: The Dry 2 below: Force of Nature: The Dry 2 will release in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on Thursday, February 8, 2024, with advance screenings from Friday, February 2–Sunday, February 4. Read our full review of The Dry. Images: Narelle Portanier.
As the Hunter Valley is Australia's oldest wine region, we can certainly assume they know what they're doing when putting on food and wine events. Ready to confirm this is Uncorked Balmoral, a day of celebration of the tasty things you can eat and/or drink that hail from the Hunter Valley region. Wine and food stalls will be set up on the day for drifting to leisurely, and there's a serious smorgasbord to attend to as well. Allandale Winery, Briar Ridge Vineyard, Colvin Wines, McLeish Estate Wines, Tyrrell's Wines and Vinden Estate are just a few of the names that will be serving up a slosh of your fave pinot. Restaurants and producers on display include the Hunter's Muse Restaurant, Bar Coco, The Cellar Restaurant, Hunter Valley Cheese Company and Pukara Estate — and while you're putting all of that in your gob, Soul Shack Entertainment will be providing the soundtrack. Wine tasting vouchers will be going for $4 each and Hunter Valley Riedel wine glasses for $15, while those who've got their sights set on a winey time already can pre-purchase glasses and 4 tasting tickets for $31. There's also a free shuttle bus from Mosman and Spit Junction to Balmoral Beach every 15 minutes, so you've really got no excuse.
Normally, you mightn't be a fan of American football. You may not care for it at all, in fact, or know anything about it beyond Friday Night Lights. So when the Super Bowl rolls around each year, you might only pay attention for the half-time show and the movie trailers. But if you've been enjoying HBO's video game-to-TV series The Last of Us — if you've been hanging out for new episodes each week, too — then you're now a massive supporter of the biggest US football match of the year. You still don't have to watch the Super Bowl if you don't want to. But HBO thinks that plenty of people will be in America, so it's moving the episode of The Last of Us that's slated to air on Super Bowl day — on Monday, February 13 Down Under, and the show's fifth instalment — to an earlier date. That shift has a ripple effect here in Australia, with streaming service Binge doing the same. Accordingly, mark 12pm AEST / 1pm AEDT on Saturday, February 11 in your diary. This is a one-off move, with The Last of Us returning to Monday releases in Australia for its remaining four episodes of season one from Monday, February 20. Still, for one week — this week — you'll get two instalments in the space of five days instead of seven. In similarly welcome news that was announced earlier in February, The Last of Us is locked in for a second season as well. That development was hardly surprising given the 2013 game that the show is based on also inspired a 2014 expansion pack and 2020 sequel — and also because HBO's version has been attracting viewers faster than any sudden movement attracts zombies — but it was still obviously hugely welcome. If you haven't yet caught up with the thoughtful dystopian series, which is character-focused, supremely well-cast and committed to exploring not just what's happening in its contagion-ravaged world but why life is worth fighting for, it's already one of 2023's big TV highlights. Set 20 years after modern civilisation as we know it has been toppled by a parasitic fungal infection that turns the afflicted into shuffling hordes, it follows Pedro Pascal (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent) as Joel, who gets saddled with smuggling 14-year-old Ellie (his Game of Thrones co-star Bella Ramsey) out of a strict quarantine zone to help possibly save humanity's last remnants. There wouldn't be a game, let alone a television version made by Chernobyl's Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog (who also penned and directed The Last of Us games), if that was an easy task. And, there wouldn't be much of either if the Joel and Ellie didn't need to weather quite the brutal journey. Check out the trailer for The Last of Us below: The Last of Us screens and streams via Foxtel and Binge in Australia, and will drop its fifth episode via Binge at 12pm AEST / 1pm AEDT on Saturday, February 11 — before reverting to releasing new episodes each Monday from Monday, February 20. Read our review of The Last of Us' first season. Images: Liane Hentscher/HBO.
The first rule of Fight Night is: you do not talk about Fight Night. But the second rule? You will have your voice heard. Theatre-goers exercise their voting muscles in this pugnacious work, a collaboration between Belgium's Ontroerend Goed and Adelaide's The Border Project. In a kind of popularity contest-meets-game show format, five contenders battle it out to win approval from the audience, who use handheld voting technology to keep their favourite candidate in the running. Described by the Independent as "a cross between Big Brother and an Italian general election", it's an interactive show that manages to make a profound statement about democracy without ever having to explicitly refer to it, inviting viewers to reflect on the complexities of choice itself. Politics is a game, says Ontroerend Goed's Angelo Tijssens, who was asked by director Alexander Devriendt to play the show's bowtie-clad MC. "People love to see winners and losers, and the tension of waiting for the results," says Angelo. "We cheer for that person, we don’t cheer for the other person. And very often it doesn’t have anything to do with what they actually stand for." With that in mind, the show's contenders never discuss a specific policy. Instead the focus is on the voting process, how we're influenced and how we choose — ideas so internationally relevant it's understandable that Fight Night will soon be translated into Turkish and Cantonese. With over 60 performances under his belt, Angelo remains struck by how reliably audiences succumb to the techniques contenders use to gain votes: usually the same ancient tricks of rhetoric, false modesty and charming manipulation that we fall for as voters. But ultimately, it's not a cynical show. "We still believe in that system [democracy]," he says. "That it’s really a wonderful system. People are prepared to die for it so it would be cynical to say that it just doesn’t work any more. That would be a crime." The Border Project first became acquainted with Ontroerend Goed years ago at Adelaide Festival and crossed paths again in 2012 when OG (the inevitable abbreviation of a very tricky name) performed A History of Everything with the STC's residents, several of whom were Border Project members. Working together this time involved a three-month rehearsal process, during which the Aussies adjusted to the freer Belgian practice of occasionally calling it a day at 2pm to go home and digest things. "I think we’re artists and it’s better to go home and think about it and have coffee and two packs of cigarettes and then get back to work," says Angelo. "Well, it works better for us." The Aussie contingent apparently also adjusted to the Belgian nicotine habit. "They’ve started smoking again. I don’t think they like it but they do it just to please us." If you saw The Smile Off Your Face at the 2009 Sydney Festival, the good/bad news is this time you won't be blindfolded and pushed around in a wheelchair. Fight Night won't provide the same sense of shock or potential outrage for audience members with a rigid sense of the theatrical rulebook, which might explain the drama-free reception so far in comparison to other shows Angelo recalls ("Audience was a lot worse. I remember in Edinburgh a guy actually started throwing his shoes — heavy, Scottish, I-shall-walk-in-the-mountains kind of boots — so that was pretty, um, full-on?") But the warm invitation to interact so essential to OG as a company is still there, just on a more subtle level. "We're still doing the same thing," says Angelo. "We still take them by the hand, and we don’t drag them along. They get to choose whether they join us or not. Luckily, most people come along." Fight Night is on at The Wharf Theatres' Wharf 2 from March 20 to April 13 as part of the Sydney Theatre Company season. Limited tickets are left. Our advice? Try to nab a Suncorp Twenties ticket: just $20, with a new batch made available weekly.
Dozens of independent arts organisations are looking down the barrel of extinction, after being ditched in the latest round of Australia Council funding. The news makes for depressingly familiar headlines, and marks the latest in a series of significant blows to the country's artistic community since the Federal Government cut the independent funding body's budget to the tune of $60 million over four years. Among the 62 previously funded organisations to miss out are the National Association for the Visual Arts, Melbourne's Red Stitch Actor's Theatre and youth-focused Express Media, and Sydney's Force Majeure dance company and PACT Centre for Contemporary Artists. Organisations lucky enough to receive funding, meanwhile, include Queensland's Metro Arts, Multicultural Arts Victoria, and Carriageworks in Sydney. In total $112 million will be invested between 2017 and 2020. The full list of recipients can be found via the Arts Council website. "In a country with an ever growing population we should be receiving ever greater cultural investment and government support," said Arts Party leader PJ Collins. "Instead we have constant and major cuts to our communities and opportunity in developing and recognising our native talent." A number of the affected organisations also spoke out against the cuts. "This is devastating news not just for Next Wave but for all artists and the Australian community," read a statement from the organisers of Melbourne's Next Wave festival (which is on right now). They also pointed out that the decision to drop funding comes even as the festival is being met "with critical and audience acclaim, and record-breaking box office numbers." Likewise, Kath Melbourne of Sydney theatre company Legs on the Wall told ArtsHub that they and many other organisations were the victims of "political decisions [made] behind closed doors." Australia Council CEO Tony Grybowski tried to put a positive spin on the announcement, stating that "while celebrating the success of the companies forming the new cohort, the Council acknowledges that the outcomes of this highly competitive process will be difficult for some companies and is committed to supporting the sector through this period of change. This support will take various forms, responding to the different needs of both individual organisations and practice areas." Via ArtsHub. Image: Next Wave.
The chilly weather has arrived, so that calls for hearty comfort food that can get us through these winter months. Across the city, Sydney's best bars are revamping their menus for the cooler days ahead, bringing you dishes that will heat you up — and also pair well with toasty winter cocktails, warming glasses of red and fiery drams of rum. Since the best seat in the house is usually at the bar, we teamed up with Samsung to find the best bar menus to try in Sydney's CBD this winter. We also brought along the new Galaxy S9 and S9+ with its tip-top low light camera to get some snaps of said bar menus to show you what's in store. BENTLEY Bentley is synonymous with fine-dining in Sydney, with executive chef and owner Brent Savage turning out an ultra-refined menu in his cubist-painting-esque O'Connell Street digs. But the extensive (and pricey) tasting menu isn't the only way to dine here — our favourite seat in the house is at the bar. It's a regular haunt for the CBD after-work crowd and is one of the best spots for a solo drink and nibbles in the city (and a snap of said nibbles to invoke some great food envy via your story). Bentley's winter bar menu spans from casual to high-end, with the likes of house-made rye served with black sesame butter, hand-cut chips with aioli and glazed wagyu beef buns sat with Western Australia's Angasi oysters with finger lime, slow-cooked beef tongue with fermented saltbush and even premium $240 Italian caviar with accompaniments. Pair your eats with a glass (or two) of wine from Bentley's extensive wine list featuring over 1000 drops on offer and a focus on organic and biodynamic vineyards. SMOKE It's tricky to look past a bar menu created by a chef who cut his teeth at Copenhagen's Noma, and the elegant small bites at Smoke nod to pared-back Nordic fare with an Aussie twist. Roo dog or barramundi sliders, anyone? The sea urchin and orange jam toastie is the signature dish you need to try at least once, that is if you can pass up the ham and cheese doughnuts. If you're not too hungry, we wholeheartedly condone the spiced macadamias or house salt and vinegar crisps. Smoke, as the name would suggest, has tipples to warm the cockles of your heart on cooler evenings, like the Smokey Martini, Autumn Spritz and Seasonal G&T with a splash of apricot liqueur. And if steaming food is your aim, perhaps the prawn melts are a goer, or just give in to your true self and order the baked brie with truffle. We won't judge. DUKE OF CLARENCE Hidden down the laneway courtyard that also houses The Baxter Inn and The Barber Shop, the Duke of Clarence is an impressive newcomer to the Sydney drinking scene. The 1800s-style British tavern comes straight out of England, with nearly the entire interior shipped over from pubs and churches in the UK. Since the British know a thing or two about cold, dreary weather, you can't go wrong with their menu of English bar snacks. Think wood-fired bone marrow (our personal favourite of the bunch) or potted crab served alongside soda bread, along with your requisite scotch egg with spicy english mustard and signature ploughman's plate. With over 500 spirits on offer, including an extensive whisky and gin selection, the focus is definitely on the hard booze here. If you're more into cocktails, try the Custard Ale Flip, a wintry concoction of cask ale, Talisker whisky and marmalade custard, spiced with brown sugar syrup and allspice. KITTYHAWK Kittyhawk is a throwback to 1944 and the Liberation of Paris, so it basically feels like you're in a time capsule at an endless party in the French capital. Behind the long oak bar, you'll find wartime posters and memorabilia, plus over 900 spirits that help make some of the best in Sydney. For eats, the bar menu of Parisian brasserie food is available all day and night and includes steak tartare, chickpea pancakes with horseradish creme fraiche and a very special steak frites — made with grass-fed flat iron steak and red wine jus. It's also got a late-night menu served from 11.30pm onward, which is an ideal choice for those looking for a legit after-hours meal. It includes bar menu items like charcuterie platters, baked camembert with truffle and quince paste; shucked-to-order Sydney rock oysters; and even rose water creme brûleé for dessert. To drink, check out the specialty rum and rye menu (with your choice of the two liquors mixed with bitters and orange zest) or the flaming Old Grogram cocktail with spiced rum, stout vermouth, fresh lemon and cinnamon garnish. Head in on Thursdays or Saturdays from 8pm for jazz night. RESTAURANT HUBERT Restaurant Hubert's subtle wooden door intrigues from Bligh Street and transports you straight to Paris as you descend the winding staircase into the old-world opulence of a genuine French bistro. It's exactly where you want to be on a cold winter's night, and Hubert offers one of the city's best aperitivo hours, too. Its daily aperitif hour runs from 4–6pm and serves up heaps of affordable and hearty dishes and drinks — including $5 G&Ts, $10 negronis, $5 glasses of riesling, $3 deviled eggs, $5 chicken liver parfait and $10 burgers. This winter, the bar menu also includes French staples with a twist, like duck liver mousse with maple syrup jelly, roasted snails in XO sauce and fried gruyère with dijon mustard, plus heavier plates like steak frites and wagyu tartare. Don't be surprised if you forget that you're in Sydney altogether — your photos will certainly say otherwise. Camera tip: if you want to take some snaps of your dimly-lit surroundings, a longer exposure will help capture the light and create a dynamic motion effect. Adjust your settings by swiping your S9 into Pro Mode. Lower the ISO, increase the shutter speed and keep very still as you take your shot. Instead of spending your winter nights on the couch, discover all the after-dark happenings in your city here — and don't forget to document it all on the new Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, designed especially for low light so you can capture your best moments no matter what. Images: Cole Bennetts.
For four decades, Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami explored his homeland — and sometimes the world as well — through a deeply thoughtful, probing and humanist lens. His features don't simply peer on at people and the places they call home; the late, great director's films truly see both his characters and the spaces they inhabit. And when he passed away in 2016, he left cinema with an exquisite body of work. This year, Sydney Film Festival and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image are teaming up to pay tribute to the inimitable auteur, in the sixth of their collaborations to-date. Thanks to a retrospective season called The Long & Winding Road: The Films of Abbas Kiarostami, the two organisations will screen eight of Kiarostami's features and three of his shorts — and gems abound across the lineup. In Sydney, the program will play during SFF — so, between Wednesday, August 18–Sunday, August 29 at a variety of Sydney cinemas — and spans early works, award-winners and seminal Iranian features all-round. Among the highlights: Kiarostami's debut The Traveler, about a boy who desperately wants to attend a soccer match; Close-Up, which blends fiction and documentary; Ten, his snapshot of the lives of contemporary Iranian women; and Taste of Cherry, the first Iranian film to win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Kickass fish and chips will no longer be out of reach for inner city dwellers. North Bondi's celebrated fish and chippery, Bondi's Best, is set to join the Barangaroo lineup. One of North Bondi's local gems, a beloved alternative to the half-hearted seafood takeaway joints of Campbell Parade, Bondi's Best is close to locking in a contract with the CBD waterfront development, according to Good Food. BB will join already confirmed Barangaresident Matt Moran, amongst the epic food and drink precinct planned for the area. Barangaroo marks the third chapter for Bondi's Best, after owner-chef Joel Best opened a second eatery on Bondi foodie strip Hall Street. Snuggled beside Maurice Terzini's Da Orazio Pizza + Porchetta, A Tavola and China Diner, Bondi's Best opened its TomMarkHenry-designed doors just one month ago to lazy, lazy cheers from the South Bondi community. While the Barangaroo/BB residency has not been signed on the dotted line, we can expect confirmation pretty soon. We're predicting the menu will stem from the existing Bondi's Best slam dunks — nothing about beer battered hoki and chips with tartare needs improving. Via Good Food.
Ten venues in Wollongong and surrounding areas, as well as one cafe in southeast Sydney, have been named as potential COVID-19 transmission sites by NSW Health after a returned overseas traveller tested positive to COVID-19 two days after leaving hotel quarantine. The returned traveller tested positive on day 16 of their return to Australia after testing negative twice during their 14-day hotel quarantine. They did not present any symptoms, but were tested again as part of a new precautionary day-16 testing measure introduced by the NSW Government. The test results indicate the person has a low level of infection and their household contacts have all returned negative results, Those who attended Headlands Hotel in Austinmer between 1–3pm on Tuesday, February 2 or Bulli Beach Cafe between 1.30–4pm on Saturday, February 6 are required to get tested and self-isolate until provided with further advice from NSW Health. Visitors to Mootch & Me in Brighton Le Sands between 10.54am–12pm on Tuesday, February 2, the Optus store in North Wollongong between 1–1.15pm on Thursday, February 4 or Officeworks in Fairy Meadow between 3.45–4.05pm on Thursday, February 4 or 2.10–3pm on Friday, February 5 are required to get tested immediately and self-isolate until they receive a negative test result. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1358362726481817601 Six other venues have been listed as potential venues of concern, with those who visited Bulli Woolworths, Corrimal Memorial Park, Thirroul Beach, Sublime Point Walking Track, Fedora Pasta Factory or Figtree Grove Shopping Centre being asked to closely monitor for symptoms. NSW Health will continue to update the full list of venues that you can find online if more possible exposure sites are revealed. Anyone in NSW that presents symptoms including coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste is urged to get tested and self-isolate until a negative test result is returned. You can find a rundown of testing clinic locations online as well. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. Top image: Bulli Beach Cafe via Google Maps.
If you like your art digital, interactive and immersive, you should make tracks to the Heide Museum of Modern Art, where Terminus: Jess Johnson and Simon Ward is now on display. Open till March 1, 2020, the virtual reality exhibition is a collaboration between New York-based visual artist Jess Johnson and Wellington animator Simon Ward. Johnson's hypnotic drawings have been transformed into five interactive virtual reality works, which make up five distinct realms filled with "alien architecture, humanoid clones and cryptic symbols". Visitors are invited to explore the artworks through a 30-minute 'quest', venturing between the realms. The choose-your-own adventure exhibition includes journeys into the Fleshold Crossing, Known Unknown and Scumm Engine. Plus, there's a towering piece titled Gog & Magog and the psychedelic Tumblewych. Johnson's drawings and textile works will also be on display alongside Terminus — including quilts made with her mother and garments from her 2016 collaboration with Australian fashion brand Romance Was Born. A public program of artist talks and workshops will accompany the exhibition as well. Events include a virtual reality cinema workshop on February 1 — during which participants will create a VR short — a virtual reality symposium on February 8 and a free screening of the cult 1986 film Labyrinth on February 15. Terminus will go on to tour nationally, too. So, if you're not based in Melbourne, keep an eye out for when it'll head to your city. Image: Installation view, Terminus: Jess Johnson and Simon Ward, Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne. Photograph: Christian Capurro
The National Cabinet was set to meet and decide on how to relax some of Australia's social distancing and public gatherings restrictions on Monday, May 11 — inline with the end of Victoria's second four-week state of emergency — but Prime Minister Scott Morrison decided today, Friday, May 1, to bring this date forward to next week. "Decisions on relaxing restrictions will be made next Friday [May 8]", the Prime Minister said. "Australians have earned an early mark for the work they have done." Some states have started to ease minor restrictions — such as allowing two-person house visits in NSW and more outdoor recreational activities in Queensland — but next Friday's announcement could see some larger decisions made on the federally mandated public-gathering and social-distancing rules. The Northern Territory, which has had a total of 28 cases, has already outlined its own roadmap to the "new normal", with the reopening of restaurants, bars and cafes set to take place on Friday, May 15. The Prime Minister would not comment on exactly what restrictions could be wound back, but that "room density measures" — such as the previous one person per four-square-metre rule for indoor venues — and requirements to remain 1.5 metres apart will not be lifted. This could impact if it's financially viable for restaurants, bars and cafes to reopen, even if they are allowed to. Before any restrictions are lifted, though, the Prime Minister said that more people need to download the government's contact-tracing app COVIDSafe. He said that while 11 of the 15 previously outlined conditions under which restrictions could be eased had been met, the final piece in the jigsaw puzzle of contact tracing was not in place. "There are currently over 3.5 million downloads and registrations of the COVIDSafe app, but there needs to be millions more," the Prime Minister said. He reiterated that if Australians want to go to the pub, they have to download the app. For now, the current COVID-19 restrictions will remain in place for at least the next four weeks. And fines are still in place for disobeying these in NSW, Vic and Queensland. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Kimberley Low
Twelve years after RuPaul's Drag Race first sashayed its way onto US television, viewers Down Under have finally been gifted a local version. Currently streaming via Stan, RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under is exactly what it sounds like — the hit series, still hosted by RuPaul, but featuring Australian and New Zealand drag queens. And, if you'd like to see more of this year's competitors, you'll be able to head along to the program's new live stage show. All ten of this year's drag queens will be hitting up Sydney's Hordern Pavilion, Melbourne's Palais Theatre, Perth's Crown Theatre, Brisbane's QPAC and Canberra's Canberra Theatre as part of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Live on Stage. It too is rather self-explanatory, and it'll obviously have quite the cast when it hits the road this September. If you've been watching the TV series, you'll already know which contenders have been strutting their stuff for drag supremacy. The lineup spans seven Australians and three New Zealanders, including Art Simone from Geelong, Melbourne's Karen from Finance, and Sydney's Coco Jumbo, Etecetera Etcetera and Maxi Shield. Newcastle's Jojo Zaho and Perth's Scarlet Adams round out the Aussie queens, while Auckland's Kita Mean, Anita Wigl'it and Elektra Shock comprise the NZ contingent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdcgf5I6Qb8&feature=youtu.be RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE DOWN UNDER LIVE ON STAGE TOUR DATES: Saturday, September 18 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Tuesday, September 21 — QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane Thursday, September 23 — Crown Theatre, Perth Saturday, September 25 — The Palais, Melbourne Tuesday, September 28 — Canberra Theatre, Canberra RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Live on Stage will tour Australia from September 18–28. For further details — and to buy pre-sale tickets from 12pm on Friday, May 21 and general tickets from 12pm on Monday, May 24 — head to the Live Nation website.
Calling all building enthusiasts, constructionophiles and design devotees — the seventh annual Sydney Architecture Festival is set to erect itself in the Harbour City from November 1 through to November 10. The ten days of celebration will be curated around the theme 'Your City, Your Community', allowing Sydney residents and festivalgoers to "actively engage and interact with their local architecture and built environment," says NSW Architects Registrations Board registrar Kate Doyle. Launching this engagement on Friday, November 1, is an outdoor party hosted in and around Temperance Lane's hidden watering hole Grasshopper celebrating Sydney's burgeoning laneway culture, where a specially commissioned light installation designed by Steensen Varming will be unveiled outside the bar. Other program highlights include the continuation of 2012 festival initiative Super Sydney, which invites Sydneysiders to submit ideas for places that could transform their community's identity. The 40 most original and thought-provoking entries will be displayed as a digital exhibition symposium at Sydney's most iconic building the Sydney Opera House on November 9 as part of the building's 40th anniversary. Art will also play its part throughout the festival. The Powerhouse Museum will host a Beaux Arts Ball on November 7, a Parisian neo-classical architecture inspired ball featuring food, drinks and live entertainment. The Museum of Contemporary Art will also host the annual Lloyd Rees Memorial Lecture and a re-enactment of the 1976 artwork Man with Mirror (by Guy Sherwin) as (Wo)man with Mirror. The ever-popular Rocks Pop Up Space will host the Expanded Architecture artworks exhibition and Michael Holt will be presenting an experimental play outside the traditional theatre space, as the audience follows the action on foot. The festival will also branch out of the city with a hub at Parramatta hosting talks, tours and exhibitions on Saturday November 2. The popular Archkids event also returns this year for its Parramatta debut, offering children the chance to reimagine their city 37 years in the future. There will also be plenty of chance to explore Sydney's construction highlights, with a host of architectural tours populating the program. You can visit and learn about Sydney's CBD, Cockatoo Island, Granville and Neutral Bay. There are plenty more events and you can find out more information and a full listing at www.sydneyarchitecturefestival.org. So get out and explore the beautiful building work in Sydney. Image: The Generator, raumlaborberlin, 2010, part of the User Generated Architecture exhibition at Tin Sheds Gallery.
There's a small chance Sydney's main nightlife woes could soon be a thing of the past, with a bill to remove the city's ever-problematic lockout laws set to go before Parliament this Thursday, October 25. A proposal by MP Robert Borsak, of the Shooters, Farmers and Fishers Party, will be put before the Legislative Council at around 11am tomorrow. Mr Borsak, who said in a Facebook post that the lockouts are "killing our city", is hoping to have the support of the Berejiklian Government, after reports earlier this month that Deputy Premier John Barilaro also wanted the laws scrapped by the end of the year. While the specifics of this bill are yet to be revealed, nightlife lobby collective Keep Sydney Open is hoping it's a strong step towards saving the city's ailing night time economy. The existing laws, which force 1.30am lockouts on venues in the CBD and some surrounding areas, were brought into effect back in 2014, as part of a suite of liquor law reforms by the NSW Government. Their aim was to curb booze-related violence. Last year the laws were relaxed slightly, with 20 or so venues in Kings Cross and the CBD granted an 'exemption' on the grounds that they provide legitimate live entertainment. This pushed last drinks for these venues from 3am to 3.30am and lockout from 1.30am to 2am. But between the time the laws began and May this year, figures from Liquor & Gaming NSW show that 418 licensed premises had shut up shop in the Sydney CBD and Kings Cross — closures that many in Sydney's hospitality, music and nightlife industries attribute directly to the legislation. "The effect on culture, small business and our civil liberties has been undeniable. We feel patronised — like our city has been taken away from us," explains Tyson Koh, spokesperson for Keep Sydney Open. "This is our chance to reinforce at this crucial time how deeply despised these laws are and how they have crippled Sydney." If you'd like to show your support for scrapping the lockout laws, you can join the Keep Sydney Open: Bye By Lockouts rally happening at the top of Martin Place on Macquarie Street, before making its way up to Parliament House. The exact meeting time will be announced on Keep Sydney Open's Facebook page, as soon as parliament's order of business for the day is announced. The Shooters, Farmers and Fishers Party is, of course, a minor party, so it's hard to say how much support the bill will get in parliament. The party has two members in the upper house, where the bill be introduced, and only one in the lower house — so it will need to win the support of the Berejiklian Government to get the bill through both houses and made into law. Nonetheless, this will give the members of the Legislative Council a chance to explain their views on the lockout laws to their constituents and Sydney's small business owners — that is, those that have been most affected by the lockouts. We'll keep you updated on what happens in parliament this week. UPDATE: OCTOBER 25, 2018 — This article previously stated that the Shooters, Farmers and Fishers Party had no seats in the NSW lower house, when it in fact has one member, Robert Borsack. The article has been amended to reflect this. Image: Kimberley Low.
Ever been at an outdoor cinema, and wished you could just jump into bed? Well, of course you have — bed is the one thing we can rely on to always be there for us, and we all wish it could follow us around for intermittent lie-downs. That's presumably why the geniuses at Mov'In Bed Cinema decided to incorporate beds into their outdoor setup when they launched the event back in April. Well, that, and they're probably aware of the struggles of keeping your head propped up on a packet of chips while lying on a picnic rug trying to drink wine. And, after a wildly successful, sold-out debut season, they're bringing back the beds. Mov'In Bed Cinema (previously known as PicNic Cinema) will take over The Crescent at Parramatta Park for an extended season of 45 days in March and April 2017. Instead of just the usual picnic rug and bean bag sitcho, the cinema will bring in a whopping 150 queen size beds to relax on. And because it's happening at the end of summer when the nights are cooling down a little, you'll even get a blankie in case it gets chilly. Next year's film program is quite varied and international, with everything from Star Wars: Rogue One to Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke to Oscar-nominated Turkish film, Mustang. The food lineup was similarly diverse last season, with Cuban, African, Brazilian and Lebanese dishes on rotation, but the edibles have not yet been confirmed for 2017. Tickets are on sale now for $34.90 per person, which gets you a spot in bed and a pillow and blanket. Better snap them up quickly though — last season sold out in about two weeks. Mov'In Bed Cinema will run from March 3 till April 23 at Parramatta Park, Parramatta. To book tickets, visit movinbed.com.
As NSW's COVID-19 numbers have started to drop — with a total of seven new cases in the past 48 hours — and testing and contact tracing ramps up, the government is beginning to slowly (slowly) ease some social distancing and public gathering restrictions. Some beaches have reopened, schools are set to return from May 11 and from this Friday, May 1, you can go and see your friends and family — but there is some fine print. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said this morning, Tuesday, April 28, that from this Friday two adults will be able to go and visit another household. So, for example, you can take your sister to go and visit your parents in their house for dinner, or you and your partner could go to a friend's house for a puzzle night, but a maximum of two adult visitors, with additional small children if they have them, can go and visit a second household at any time. How far you can travel to see friends and family is a little vague at the moment, though, with the NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys saying there's no "exact limit" in terms of kilometres, but police will determine what is reasonable. While these eased restrictions mean friends and family can gather again in homes, the Premier has said if you have even the mildest sniffle or are feeling fatigued to not risk it and that it's important to practise "really good" social distancing if you're visiting someone over 70 years of age or with comorbidity (existing health conditions). The Premier also said the government is confident Sydneysiders will do the right thing with the new restrictions, as there is "too much at stake". "We don't want to see the numbers suddenly spike up because people are being irresponsible," the Premier said. She also noted that Friday's relaxation on private gatherings in homes is "not a licence to go wild and have massive parties". In fact, having a party — with more than two adult visitors from another household — could still see you cop a $1000 on-the-spot fine, as will disobeying any of the other social distancing and public gathering restrictions. From Friday, May 1, a maximum of two adults in NSW can go and visit another household, but all other social distancing and public gathering restrictions are in place for now.
The Koreans do violent. The Italians do romantic. The French do flowery and pretentious. But when it comes strange, no one make movies like the Greeks. Characterised by a deadpan, absurdist sense of humour often punctuated by moments of unsettling violence, the so-called Weird Wave has led to a renewed interest in Greek cinema in recent times — and what better place to get acquainted than at Australia's very own Greek Film Festival. Standout wave films on the program include Luton and the aptly named Miss Violence. The latter title caused quite a stir at the Sydney and Melbourne Film Festivals earlier this year for its extremely graphic content, which caused a number of audience members to walk out. It's a remarkably well-made film for anyone who can stomach it. Just don't say we didn't warn you. Thankfully, there's more to the Greek industry than brutality and existential angst. Opening night film Little England is a lavish period romance set during the Second World War, while Block 12 mixes Bollywood dance numbers into a comedy about the country's economic crisis — because really, they just seem like a natural fit. For the full Greek Film Festival program, visit their website.
It swept cities across the nation into a sugar-dusted frenzy when its pop-up 'dessert museum' travelled the country. Now, the team behind the nostalgic Sugar Republic and festive Christmasland is taking its sweet-toothed fantasies to a whole new level, announcing plans to open Australia's first-ever sweets-inspired accommodation. Not a whole lot of info has dropped just yet, but we do know the Sugar Republic Sweet Retreat will be opening its doors in Daylesford, Victoria, this autumn. And it's set to be a true candy-coated affair, complete with sugar-themed suites you can stay in, play in and take some rather dashing snaps in. https://www.facebook.com/SugarRepublic.au/posts/456179658379936 Expect a B&B-style getaway, decked out with sweet additions like private ball pits, free candy and even cherry-scented wallpaper. If the original Sugar Republic pop-ups are anything to go by, you can bank on some pretty wild, OTT styling, with a healthy dose of pink, lots of textures and primo selfie opportunities aplenty. While only one has been announced for now, we're hoping more will open across the country in due time, too. Sugar Republic Sweet Retreat is set to open in Daylesford this autumn. We'll keep you posted with more info as it drops. Top images: Sugar Republic's Christmasland by Kate Shanasy.
Catering to our fierce love of seafood over the holiday period, Sydney Fish Market is once again pulling its annual all-nighter so you can get your hands on the freshest ocean treats for Christmas lunch. Each year, the Fish Market — which will be relocated to a $250 million new site come 2023 — capably serves over 100,000 buyers looking to snag a deal. Between 5am on Thursday, December 23–5pm on Friday, December 24, the market is yours to scout out the most sumptuous fish, king prawns, oysters and calamari. It's not only fish here, though. You can also peruse cold meats and cheeses at the deli for a grand charcuterie platter or stop by the onsite bakery and greengrocer. Or, if you're more of a Northern Hemisphere traditionalist, you can even pick up a turkey from the butcher. They sell basically everything here. If you're stuck for gifts, there are plenty of opportunities for that last-minute find. Head to the gift shop, florist or bottle shop. "We're proud to be a part of the holiday tradition for so many Sydneysiders," Sydney Fish Market CEO Greg Dyer says. Like most things in the past two years, the seafood marathon will be a little different. To keep things COVID-19-safe, you'll need to register upon arrival via QR code, social distancing will be enforced including controlled queuing and there will be a limit on how many people can be in the market at any one time. "We expect visitor numbers to be high and urge customers to plan ahead by allowing extra time for arrival, shopping and celebrating," says Dyer.
The atmosphere of a writer's den, insanely long opening hours, fun and flavoursome food, a drinks menu that will keep even the most inspired drinker guessing, and not even the slightest degree of pretension. In short, Hemingway's must be one of the best spots in town right now. And it's perhaps not where you would expect it to be. A far cry from the back lanes of Darlinghurst or even the fame of King Street, this bar is firmly situated on Manly's main strip, right across from the beach. Despite this, it's about as dissimilar from a tourist trap as you can imagine. For a start, the prices. The house cocktails are $15 and the suggested mixers, almost good enough to be cocktails themselves, are a mere $10. Hemingway's Cup is the ten to one favourite cocktail, spotted in the hands of almost every lady in the place. It's gentle mix of Hendrick's gin, rose and apple tea, sugar, and spice, served in a tea cup and saucer with slices of cucumber alongside. While it's very good, my pick would be the Miffy: house-infused vanilla rum, Falernum, orange, lemon and egg white whisked into a cloud-like dream. On a summer's day, the Creaming Soda might be more your style, with vodka, crème de cassis, home-made lemonade, wild berry foam and a paper cocktail umbrella. As far as mixer ideas go, Aperol and Fanta isn't a bad choice, and neither is Rum, Spicy Bitters and Ginger Beer. Both pack a flavoursome punch. Click here for full review and details
Staying back after school has never been more stocked with good art and a cheeky tipple. The National Art School is launching Sydney's newest after-hours art party: Twilight Sessions. A free series of mid-week soirees featuring art, live music, workshops, talks and film, Twillight Sessions has all the art party trimmings, with one marked difference: it's all going down in the old Darlinghurst gaol. Created to coincide with the International Year of Light (which it is, apparently), Twilight Sessions is launching on Wednesday, February 25 — the first of four dotted throughout the year. So what's in store for this Wednesday hootenanny? Sticking around after Sydney Festival, celebrated, light-based installation artist Bill Culbert will be showcasing his largest solo work in Australia to date — after he blitzed the 55th Venice Biennale. You can partake in free twilight drawing sessions in the gallery, inspired by Culpert's exhibition and led by artists and NAS faculty Lynne Eastaway, Margaret Roberts and Tania Rollond, or a photography workshop with respected Australian photographer Peter Solness (places limited, bookings essential, $25 per person). Once you're all arted out, you'll find Astral People's Mike Who spinning a few tunes at the pop-up bar. Mike Who has warmed up stages for the likes of Action Bronson, Oneman and Peanut Butter Wolf, so it's a pretty big pull for NAS. For the nibblers and noshers, there'll be tasty treats and wine and beer available on the night. Now you're nice and wine-fuelled, wander through NAS's Chapel for an an exhibition from Margaret Olley Drawing Week, and upstairs, Sydney artist Gary Warner invites you to make music on the social 'lamellaphone', an interactive musical instrument made from discarded street sweeper bristles, designed to be played by several people in tandem in a manner similar to an African thumb piano. Twilight Sessions will launch on Wednesday, February 25 and run from 6-9pm. It'll be back four times in the year to coincide with NAS Gallery’s 2015 exhibition program, including the Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize, New Disciples: 50 Years of Ceramics and Rosemary Laing. For more info, head to nas.edu.au.
There are many, many great things about Nicolas Cage. But if you could only pick one, the sheer erratic nature of his almost four-decade-long filmography has to top the list. He has an Oscar to his name, for 1995's Leaving Las Vegas, but he can also be seen getting goofy in madcap comedies, crooning tunes in David Lynch movies and swapping faces with John Travolta — and playing a deluded literary agent who thinks he's a vampire, yearning over Cher, trying to keep a plane full of criminals in check and grappling with escaped wild animals on a boat. For his latest role, Cage is battling space ninjas. That isn't the type of sentence that you get to write or read every day but, to be honest, it's also a surprise that it hasn't come up multiple times in the actor's career. The reason for the martial arts face-off with aliens: new action flick Jiu Jitsu, which has just dropped its suitably over-the-top first trailer. If you're a Cage fan, you're probably already sold. Watching Cage at his most Cage-esque really shouldn't need much convincing. But if you need more details, the actor also wears a headband, sports flowing locks, dispenses words of wisdom, talks about alien politics, proclaims that he's crazy and claims that he can fly. Of course he does. Story-wise, Jiu Jitsu follows an ancient order of experts in the eponymous martial arts style, who are forced to fight alien invaders for control of earth every six years. Humanity has always won, but when that changes, Wylie (Nicolas Cage) has to help fallen hero Jake Barnes (Alain Moussi) prepare for one last showdown with these violent visitors from a distant gallery. As well as Cage and Kickboxer: Retaliation's Moussi, the film stars The 100's Marie Avgeropoulos, Avengers: Endgame's Frank Grillo, Alita: Battle Angel's Rick Yune, Wu Assassins' JuJu Chan, and Ong Bak and xXx: Return of Xander Cage's Tony Jaa. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywhTeWg8970 Jiu Jitsu releases in the US via video-on-demand on November 20 — we'll update you with release details Down Under when they come to hand.
Neither insurgent nor collaborator, Picasso kept painting in occupied Paris. He wrote Desire Captured by the Tail, a play staged in an apartment and directed by Albert Camus. Damiano Bertoli's Continuous Moment: Anxiety Villa at Artspace draws inspiration from the play, its art splayed across an abstract moment. Thick cross-hatched lines occupy the floor of the piece, a picnic is unwrapped in one corner and a slender dummy stands with a thin mirror for leg. In the background images play untethered from their sound. It feels like a dreamspace from a surreal movie of the sixties; a drawing exercise sprung to life on an infinite plane. At the other end of the gallery, Justene Williams Hot Air Hillbilly Weekend Workshop features a wall of TVs, looping scenes of a paper-covered yellow-pink creature ambling around a papered room. The creature makes a cacophany of light and colour to go with the dazzle and sound of ethereal tv-glow, which dominates the room. The theme of the work is anti-consumerist, but the work itself grabs your eye with a short Gruen all its own. Meiro Koizumi's Voice of a dead hero draws on a letter from Toshio Anazawa — a Kamikaze Pilot — to his one-time fiancé Chieko, full of love and regret. From rough focused images of pedestrians, Meiro's Toshio emerges in an out-of-focus world clutching his face, like a soldier slipping out from a fog. His frantic, laboured breathing covers all other sounds on the streets and subways of Tokyo, as he walks to a shrine for the war dead. He calls for Cheiko. Meiro's Theatre Dreams Again of a Beautiful Afternoon features two screens showing either side of the inside of a Tokyo train carriage. A man in a business suit breaks down one one side, a woman watches him from the other. There is only one problem: each side of the train is going in opposite directions. Still image from Voice of a Dead Hero by Meiro Koizumi.
These days, when a fine dining institution announces a temporary closure and a 'refresh', it usually means they're ditching the white tablecloths in exchange for more accessible, casual fare. Rockpool Est. 1989 just did it, reopening as Eleven Bridge last week (although, admittedly, the word 'casual' is used subjectively), Bennelong took things down a notch last year, and in February Sepia announced they'll be closing and moving onto a more casual venture when their lease runs out next year. But that won't be the case with Matt Moran's ARIA, which was this morning revealed to be closing for a mammoth ten-week refurbishment. In announcing that his harbourside restaurant will be shutting up shop for ten weeks from this Sunday, August 21, Moran has assured punters that he won't be pulling away from fine dining. In fact, he'll be doing just the opposite. "When we opened ARIA just before the Sydney Olympics, we made sure we had a design that was contemporary, cutting edge and would last." said Moran. "We won't be moving away from fine dining at all, if anything, we'll be upping the ante." What will be changing though is the interiors. Moran and co-owner Bruce Solomon have brought interior architect George Livissianis — responsible for the black and white cake icing interiors of the newly-renovated Dolphin Hotel, as well as other institutions like Cho Cho San and Apollo — on board for the revamp. He'll be fitting the 170-seat venue out with a new colour palette, new furniture, bespoke plate and glassware and work from local artists and ceramicists. Moran has also reassured diners that the harbour, bridge and Sydney Opera House will still take centre stage — so those who like a dramatic Sydney view with their fine dining dinner will not be left in the lurch. The restaurant should be back up and running in early November. ARIA Sydney will close this Sunday, August 21 and reopen in early November. For updates, check ariarestaurant.com/sydney.
Although by date it's officially spring, Mother Nature has continued to mix it up with both clear skies and dreary ones, making it hard to believe we're at the beginning of October and a whole month into spring. It's difficult these days to predict the true turn of the seasons, but in the lead up to balmy summer nights The Beresford will be screening classic Italian arthouse films throughout the month of October. Classic films like La Dolce Vita and Life is Beautiful appear on the line-up, as do some American flicks set in or inspired by Italy, like The Talented Mr Ripley and The Last Kiss. To accompany the screenings, the Italian trattoria at The Beresford will serve up a $15 food menu to match what's on show every Monday night until the end of October. For your chance to win one of ten double passes for dinner and a movie at The Beresford Italian Film Nights, just make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name through to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=0Y9aKqawdUQ
Want to be whisked away to another, more fantastic realm? Le Salon Dada is all your surrealist dreams come true. Taking over French restaurant Claire's Kitchen every Sunday, the three-hour dinner-and-show experience promises unpredictable performances and art, plus canapes, heady cocktails and a five-course feast. Best of all? We're giving you the chance to go to this eccentric night out for free. Should you get your mitts on this lavish prize, you and your date will be heading to Le Salon Dada on Sunday, December 15, where you'll be greeted with a cocktail and some snacks. Then, expect a playful French feast, with each course inspired by a famous piece of art, from Dali's Mae West Lips Sofa to René Magritte's The Son of Man. In between dishes, you'll be transported into an alternative world, inspired by the over-the-top costume parties of the Rothschilds in the 70s as well as the art of Dali, Miro, Duchamp and Magritte. There'll be a mixture of circus, cabaret, deviant art and bizarre theatrics, so don't expect to get bored at this dinner party. And, if you're not lucky enough to win tickets, fret not. As a loyal Concrete Playground reader, you'll get $30 off your first Le Salon Dada visit. If you're keen to book for Sunday, December 1 head here. Or, if you want to go on Sunday, December 15, book here. To be in the running, enter your details below. [competition]750414[/competition]
For anyone that grew up in a Nintendo household where the company's consoles reigned supreme, getting your Super Mario fix beyond mashing buttons has long been easy. You've been able hit up Google Maps and mobile phones, if you really can't tear yourself away from the games. Mario Kart made the leap to reality, too. There's also the Super Nintendo theme park in Japan, as well as the upcoming second site in Hollywood — and, since 1993, the live-action Super Mario Bros film. Come March 2023, watching the new animated The Super Mario Bros Movie will join that list, and it'll reach the screen bearing a hefty weight of expectations that don't actually cover whether it's any good or not. Yes, hopefully it's entertaining. But, does it look like a Mario game? Does it sound like one? Does it include tunnels and coin blocks, floating bricks and superpowered stars? Does it do the Mushroom Kingdom justice? These are the questions that every Mario fan has. For a couple of months now, The Super Mario Bros Movie has been dropping teasers and trailers giving viewers a glimpse at what's to come, and all of the above essentials look to be taken care of. Still, if you still have any doubts, the just-dropped latest sneak peek — a scene from the movie, with Mario getting a tour of the Mushroom Kingdom — ticks all of the above boxes and then some. The most recent trailer included a rainbow road, and racing along it Mario Kart-style, too — so the film is nodding to plenty of Mario games. Indeed, haunted houses have also featured in snippets so far; fingers crossed they also come with the appropriate music. The new The Super Mario Bros Movie has enlisted Chris Pratt (The Terminal List) to voice the Italian plumber, sees Bowser (Jack Black, Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood) proclaim his desire to rule the world and casts Luigi (voiced by Charlie Day, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) as the Mushroom Kingdom's comedic sidekick. Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Menu) is determined to take on the challenge, and dispense words of advice in general, while battling Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen, Pam & Tommy) also features. The Super Mario Bros Movie's voice cast also includes Keegan- Michael Key (Wendell & Wild) as Toad, plus Fred Armisen (Wednesday) as Cranky Kong. And, it hails from directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (Teen Titans Go!, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies), is penned by Matthew Fogel (Minions: The Rise of Gru) and is produced by Illumination Entertainment (aka the studio behind the Despicable Me and Minions flicks, and the Sing films). Check out the latest sneak peek below: The Super Mario Bros Movie releases in cinemas Down Under on March 30, 2023.
Syncretism is a synthesis of old and new. It's usually used for new religions borrowing parts of older ones, like Haitian Voodoo, or Japanese Ryobu Shinto. It's also a way to talk about musical movements appropriating from other influences. You know, like every sort music. Musician Gavin Russom combines his own synthesis of technical know-how and personal influences like Brazilian Candomble and bata drumming, into the musical collective The Crystal Ark. The group has staged its shows in high-profile modern art hang-outs like MOMA's PS1, and for Sydney's Vivid they've been commissioned to layer 90 minutes of noise onto the new surrounds of the Opera House Studio. Gavin Russom is the Jonathan Creek of electronic music. While other artists buy his complex instruments, Russom works out the mechanics behind the scenes. He performs as well, most notably on the keyboards of LCD Soundsystem, but also in his own projects like the Black Meteoric Star and the Crystal Ark itself. At this show, you can get to see the contents of his mind rattle out together. And if too much isn't enough, the show continues til 3am at the follow-up Mad Racket party.
Horses, sand and a whole lot of beige; it's time for a spot o' polo. From the creators of the nationally successful Polo in the City series comes the more summery Polo by the Sea, set to ride into Palm Beach on Saturday, January 10 at Hitchcock Park. Celebrating nine years of PITC, the team now count more than 15,000 in attendance over their mostly sold-out events — and we'd like to hope less dramatic horse thieving than a Gossip Girl Vanderbilt charity polo match. Having raised significant thousands for various charities, creator Janek Gazecki's polo matches took out a few Best State Event trophies at the Australian Event Awards last year. Seems the offhand comment 'polo is the new racing' might have some weight to it. The oceanic version of the city polo 'do, Polo by the Sea was first staged on the Gold Coast in 2013 with the aim to replicate the success of PITC in coastal towns and holiday destinations. The last two events attracted some big name guests — apparently even some royal faces. This time around, Palm Beach PBTS has wrangled some of Australia's best polo players to team up on the day — while you avoid dropping the Grange on your beige chinos. With a front row beer garden dubbed the 'Polo Lounge', live music and everyone's favourite 'fashion on the field', knowing the actual rules to polo isn't really that necessary (just make new buds with those in the know). Importantly, polo days mean superbly executed opulence; we're talking seaplane transfers from Rose Bay to Careel Bay, front row VIP tables, designer-briefed social photographers. Yep, your paycheck might be entirely going on this excursion, but guys, there'll be horsies. If you're wondering what to wear, it's this and only this: The Sydney Polo in the City event booked for 15 November is already sold out, but Polo by the Sea at Palm Beach's Hitchcock Park on Saturday, January 10 is on sale now here.
Pick up a new pair of kicks, show your favourite band some love and help Aussie communities recovering from devastating floods: yes, just by adding some shoes to your wardrobe, you can do all of the above. If you're a Dune Rats fan, you'll already be mighty excited about the Brisbane band's just-launched Volley collection — but the fact that both Volley and Dune Rats are donating funds from each pair of sneakers to flood relief helps make a great thing even better. First, the shoes. Two different styles are available: a black pair of hightops decked out with the Dunies' logo, which'll set you back $99.99; and a white pair of heritage-style sneakers with red and yellow touches, which cost $74.99. Whichever you choose, $10 will be donated to folks in need after the catastrophic weather across Queensland and New South Wales, via both the Red Cross Flood Appeal and GIVIT. "We would normally be so stoked to announce a partnership with such an iconic brand as Volley (we are very proud of this collab), but what is happening right now in our home city of Brisbane and neighbouring towns down in the northern rivers has been devastating," said the band on Facebook. "To do help do our part, Volley is donating $5 from each pair of shoes sold to the Red Cross Flood Appeal and we will match that dollar for dollar ($10 a pair). We ask everyone to do what you can to help these communities. The music industry over the last two years has been decimated, but pales in comparison to loss these great communities are going through. Our hearts are with you," the statement continued. If you're keen to green light some new Dunies shoes for your cupboard right now, and do a great deed in the process, the limited-edition Dune Rats x Volley range also spans three different types of socks ($19.99 each) — including a black pair with lightning strikes — and a Dunies backpack ($69.99). And, this is just the first drop, with the band and brand launching an ongoing partnership. For more information about Dune Rats' Volley range, or to buy a pair of shoes, socks or a backpack online, head to the Volley website.
Within its first 15 seconds, the trailer for Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain states the obvious: "there's no happy ending". June 2021 marks three years since the American chef, author, host and documentarian passed away, and this doco can't explore his work and legacy without also touching upon on his unexpected death. To the surprise of no one, the film's sneak peek quickly gets emotional. The latest project from Oscar-winning 20 Feet From Stardom director Morgan Neville — who also directed affecting Mister Rodgers doco Won't You Be My Neighbour? — Roadrunner steps through Bourdain's ups and downs, successes and struggles, and passion for both food and travel. It showcases his frank, no-nonsense approach and his sense off humour, too. In one clip, just before he jumps into the ocean, he pre-empts an obvious question. "Some of you might ask: how is this food related?" he notes. Then, he replies to himself: "fucked if I know." Indeed, thanks to his long stints in front of the camera in everything from A Cook's Tour and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations to The Layover and Anthony Bourdain: Parks Unknown, Roadrunner won't lack archival footage. The just-dropped trailer certainly doesn't. Bourdain's face and voice feature in the two-and-a-half-minute clip far more often than its talking-head interviewees, in fact, not that there's any shortage of those. Neville's aim: to peer behind the scenes at the man behind the world-famous personality, and to understand his life and impact — including via using his own words. The end result is set to hit US cinemas in July, with release details Down Under yet to be confirmed. Fingers crossed that the documentary turns up locally sooner rather than later. Check out the Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain trailer below: Roadrunner will release in US cinemas on July 16. Release details Down Under are yet to be confirmed — we'll update you when more details come to hand. Top image: Focus Features.
How much we do we really know about Arab Near Eastern culture? Probably not nearly as much as we should. Don’t start fretting though, as the Brisbane Powerhouse is hosting an evening exhibit by the hands of talented Amber Hansen that encapsulates this experience in a no means conventional way. Sounds of dis-ORIENTation is an innovation that strays beyond predictable art platforms, to explore a cultural unknown. Hansen is a jack of many artistic trades. She incorporates elements of music technology, traditional, contemporary and experimental contexts of Arabic performing arts. More specifically, she presents this particular work as ambersound – an experimental music guise that utilises sound art, electronic, acoustic and visual elements in a cross-cultural context. And while, on her own, this is a more than impressive exhibit, it goes beyond following Amber’s own life long journey and relationship with her Lebanese heritage, with guest artists from around Australia and overseas will featuring live on stage and via skype to share there own experiences as a native, diaspora or foreigner. Sounds of dis-ORIENTation will be held at the Powerhouse Brisbane for one night only - grab your ticket pronto.
What's in a name? He titled Coriolanus by any other name would smell as proud, fierce and crazy scary. This, I'm guessing, would have been a line in Shakespeare's Coriolanus, had he not already used it to prettier effect in Romeo and Juliet. One of the lesser known of the Bard's works, Coriolanus is the story of a heroic Roman general, Caius Martius, who is decorated with the surname of Coriolanus. But when he's unable to translate his prowess for war into political popularity, he loses his title, is exiled from the city and from outside its walls plots his revenge. Like Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet and Richard Loncraine's Richard III, this Coriolanus puts Shakespeare's words into a modern context, aiming for accessibility, resonance and impact. Set "in a place calling itself Rome" but looking like the Balkans, the assured directorial debut from Ralph Fiennes pits himself as Coriolanus against Gerard Butler as his mortal foe, Tullus Aufidius, leader of the Volscian army. Coriolanus is a brazen Shakespeare/action movie hybrid that mostly works and works beautifully. It creates a highly stylised world where grey urbanism butts up against sweat and rawness and tribalism and men lovingly sharpening daggers of medieval thickness and detail. It's certainly redolent of those parts of the world that identify with European cosmopolitanism yet struggle to reconcile it with the barbarism that emerges in enmity. The modern makeover is elegantly done, with newscasts relaying the lines of citizen commentators and bazookas laying waste to apartment blocks that stand in for razed villages. There are a few moments, however, where the imagery and allegory lose the plot and you wish Fiennes and writer John Longan had thought more laterally about their revision. In particular, one little mob of protesters seems to hound Coriolanus in places (parliaments, TV studios) a mob could not normally be, soon running him out of town. As a representation of how public opinion works, it jars completely. It's disappointing because the whole point of Shakespeare's historical tragedies is to communicate how the lessons of a past event apply to the present, and one slip is enough to pull you out of a near-meticulous world. Fortunately, these inconsistencies are overcome in a tighter second half. Once Coriolanus is exiled from Rome, things get intense. He forms an alliance with Tullus Aufidius to march on the city that betrayed him, and only the intervention of his devoted (and devotedly militarist) mother (Vanessa Redgrave) and sweet wife (Jessica Chastain) can save the peace. The real pleasure in Coriolanus is savouring Shakespeare's words in a medium that zooms in close enough for you to properly hear them. They're spectacularly relayed by the impressive cast, whether by Fiennes' theatre-filling intensity or Butler's casual gruffness. https://youtube.com/watch?v=bsYrGIQnmxo
If you missed last year's Yoko Ono/Opening Ceremony collaboration entitled Yoko Ono Fashions for Men 1969-2012, let me give you a minute to follow the link and get back to me. Wow. Right? LED nipples on a bandeau bra, thigh-high boots and some arseless chaps topped off with some good ol' fashioned ball grabbing! Who knew men's fashion had changed so little in the past 40 years. Half absurdist, half straight-shooting statement on fashion and all Ono, the line was based on sketches made during her relationship with John Lennon. The 80-year-old revealed the songwriter served as her muse, inspired by "love for his hot bod". I bet Sean loved hearing those Lennon family classic stories. Just under six months later and she has jumped back into bed with Opening Ceremony to bring us the next instalment, Yoko Ono Make-Up Tips for Men. It's 1 min 30 of tips on how boys can make themselves pretty, with a noticeable lack of eyeliner and set to a remix of Ono's own 'The Sun Is Down'. The video moves through three sections/moods: day make-up, evening make-up and dawn make-up — or, rainbow time, sparkling time and erasing time. In many ways this video looks like a Family Guy parody of itself, and a stupefied Peter Griffin at the 1 min 27 second mark is an easy edit we can all look forward to seeing on YouTube. But, sarcasm aside, this video is definitely worth some of your conversation time — proof that Yoko still has a lot to say about the Y chromosome, sexuality, self and that she still knows how to say it Ono style. War Is Over (If you want it), an exhibition of Yoko's work across multiple disciplines, will be on at Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in November 2013. Cross fingers, the artist herself will also be present. Via HuffPo Culture.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi, a hagiographic portrait of 85-year-old sushi master and three-Michelin Star restauranteur Jiro Ono, could and should have been a short film. If you just clicked that link and watched the trailer for this film, then you've basically seen the film. We know straight up that Jiro is a perfectionist and a workaholic and yet the film wastes valuable time declaring its subject's mythic status in the Japanese culinary scene and confines 80 percent of the action within his hidden-away 10-seater restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro. Shot using the latest-and-greatest RED Cam, the texture of the film has all the trappings of a very slick commercial. It's overladen with a slew of heavy-handed cinematic conceits, such as super slow motion, shallow depth of field photography, and more than its share of time-lapse montage sequences set to an incredibly self-important and hackneyed iteration of a Philip Glass score. At one point, and this just exactly encapsulates the tone of the film, we hear a naff food writer say, "every mouthful of Jiro's sushi is like eating his philosophy" and see a glistening piece of soy sauce-slicked blue fin tuna land on a porcelain plate with just the right amount of bounce-on-impact-captured-in-extreme-close-up to make doe-eyed popcorn-guzzling viewers stop mid-mouthful turn to their buddy and spit, "wow, that's really fresh tuna." Portraits of obsessive people are most interesting when they offer insights into the life of the subject outside of his or her specialty area. I wanted to see how Ono deals with the chaos of the world beyond the borders of his hallowed restaurant where he isn't a reigning deity. The film does give a rudimentary backstory, but it doesn't go nearly far enough fleshing it out. Are there any unrealised wishes in Ono's life? Secret diversions? Regrets? If you find an occupation you love and spend your entire life working at it, is that enough? To have positioned Ono at the centre of modern-day Japan would have given this film some much-needed weight and context. That is, how does the working culture of Sukiyabashi Jiro illuminate a broader cultural tendency? Alas, this is a very lazy debut by director David Gelb. https://youtube.com/watch?v=hbV6knbeUFE
It's that time of year again — the State Library of NSW is about to play host to the annual globally-touring World Press Photo exhibition. From May 27 to June 25, the library will display over 150 images painstakingly selected from 80,408 submissions by 5034 press photographers, photojournalists and documentary photographers from 126 countries to World Press Photo. That's a lot of photos. See what took out first prize in the contest's 60th year across categories including nature, sport, daily life and contemporary issues. Of course, the winner will be on display too — Burhan Ozbilici's chilling An Assassination in Turkey, which captured Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş mere moments after shooting the Russian ambassador to Turkey in an Ankara art gallery. Lighter fare includes a photo by Tomas Munita of The New York Times titled Cuba on the Edge of Change, which won first prize in the Daily Life: Stories category. The image depicts a barber shop — barber shop photography is quite the trend this month — in Cuba's Old Havana, taken shortly after the death of Fidel Castro.
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. Ahhh balmy nights on the grass, we have missed you. 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 — hitting up screens in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. Nosh-wise, Moonlight Cinema will again let you BYO movie snacks and drinks (no alcohol in Brisbane, though), but the unorganised can also enjoy a plethora of snacks from food trucks — perfect, messy treats made for reclining on bean beds. The overall season runs from November through to April, although it varies city by city. After announcing vague dates last month, Moonlight has now revealed exactly when it's hitting each part of Australia — and expect to hear about what it'll be showing on Thursday, November 12. And, 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. MOONLIGHT CINEMA 2020–21 DATES Sydney: Thursday, November 26–Sunday, April 4 (Centennial Park) Brisbane: Friday, November 27–Sunday, February 21 (Roma Street Parkland) Adelaide: Friday, December 11–Sunday, February 14 (Botanic Park) Perth: Thursday, December 3–Sunday, April 4 (Kings Park and Botanic Garden) Melbourne: Thursday, January 7–Sunday, April 25 (Royal Botanic Gardens) Moonlight Cinema kicks off in November 2020, running through until April 2021. For more information, visit the cinema's website — and we'll update you with program details when they're announced later this month.
Some innovative internetters have thrown their support behind tougher laws on firearms in America by photoshopping classic movie moments so that our favourite gun-toting characters serve their enemies a friendly thumbs up instead of a barrage of bullets. The light-hearted approach by photoblog Thumbs & Ammo comes at a time when America is heatedly debating gun control, and its amusing advocacy of stringent gun control provides a refreshing and entertaining new angle as to why Americans do not need guns. "Real tough guys don't need guns, they just need a positive, can-do attitude," the crowdsourced blog's tagline declares. Let us hope that art can imitate life. In the meantime, take a look at some of our favourites below.
Opera's old-school reputation as an exclusive pursuit with a high barrier for entry (i.e catering for the obscenely rich only) is no longer. Head to a performance these days and you won't find women in elaborate gowns or men sporting excessive wigs, but rather culture vultures of all ages (and dress senses). Opera is now for the masses; classic storytelling and captivating performances will never go out of fashion, after all. In partnership with Opera Australia, we've rounded up five epic performances for you to catch across the next 12 months. Whether you're an opera fan or you're wanting to dip your toe into the world of fanciful costumes and falsettos for the first time, these shows are sure to impress — from ones performed on an island on Sydney Harbour to Puccini classics in the halls of Sydney Opera House. [caption id="attachment_573639" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Jeff Busby[/caption] 'LA BOHÈME' January 4–February 4, 2022 We're lucky enough to have one of the world's most iconic opera houses on our doorstep, and there's no better place to see Puccini's famed production, La Bohème. The 19th-century tale follows two couples fighting to keep love alive amid a backdrop of poverty and struggle in Paris. Sound familiar? Baz Luhrmann borrowed elements from La Bohème when working on smash-hit film Moulin Rouge!. Rent also takes some cues from the famed opera, transplanting the bohemian story in late-80s New York. This particular production takes Puccini's classic and places it in 1930s Berlin. So, you can expect the meticulous costume design to reflect the burlesque stylings of the era — fairy lights, fishnet stockings and all. [caption id="attachment_841547" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamilton Lund[/caption] 'THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA' — HANDA OPERA SYDNEY HARBOUR March 25–April 24, 2022 Yes, The Phantom of the Opera isn't actually an opera, but this really is a cultural experience not to be missed. The long-running musical, soundtracked by one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most renowned scores, will be taking place on a floating stage in the middle of Sydney Harbour. The Opera House, Harbour Bridge and the lights of the CBD become the backdrop as a live orchestra, hidden from view beneath the stage, play much-loved favourites such as 'Masquerade' and 'All I Ask of You'. As well as the dramatic performance, there'll be pop-up bars and food aplenty, and each night will culminate in a spectacular firework display. 'MADAMA BUTTERFLY' June 29–July 30, 2022 It may now be one of the best-known operas in history, but when Madama Butterfly first premiered in 1904, composer Puccini referred to the chaotic performance as "an orgy of lunatics, drunk on hate." Thankfully, he saw fit to rewrite parts of it in light of a disastrous opening night, and it's this definitive version about impossible beauty that will be playing at the Opera House next winter. The tale of American naval officer Pinkerton and his new wife, former geisha Cio-Cio San, Madama Butterfly is set in Nagasaki and features Japanese bells and makes use of the pentatonic scale to create an evocative soundscape. This production by Graeme Murphy takes a contemporary look at the classic, using a towering digital set to create one helluva memorable performance. [caption id="attachment_805194" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prudence Upton[/caption] 'LA TRAVIATA' July 5–November 4, 2022 Verdi's La Traviata is the world's most-performed opera — so, if you're not an opera buff, there's no better introduction. After all, it was good enough for Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, with the film taking inspiration from the famed opera. A rich and textured story of wealthy socialite Alfredo Germont and young courtesan Violetta, the opera flits between the lavish parties of Paris and the bucolic countryside and, in this production by Elijah Moshinsky, the exquisite set design and costuming promise to be as captivating as Verdi's compositions. Fun fact: La Traviata wasn't an instant success, having had a troubled first performance. However, it went on to be such a hit that it attributed to the 300,000 people lining the streets for Verdi's funeral procession in 1901. 'CARMEN' ON COCKATOO ISLAND November 25–December 18, 2022 If you know any piece of music from an opera, chances are it's from Carmen. The opera's prelude is even played on the podium as the drivers spray champagne at the end of every Formula 1 race. Bizet's tale of fate and freedom — and the eponymous femme fatale — features toreadors, flamenco, fire and drama aplenty, making it an entertaining spectacle even for opera newbies. Attending the show on Cockatoo Island is an event in itself — the venue puts on a range of eateries and bars before you take in the show under the stars. If you're lucky enough to own a boat, you can even book a mooring and watch the masterpiece from the water. For more information on Opera Australia and its upcoming productions — and to buy tickets — head to the website. Top image: 'Carmen' on Cockatoo Island, Opera Australia
With the NSW Government's controversial new music festival licensing regime taking its toll on events around the state, local industry bodies have taken it upon themselves to prevent more damage being done. First, Bluesfest's director Peter Noble published a scathing open letter to the State Government and, just last week, 17 festivals and touring companies organised the Don't Kill Live Music rally, which got 20,000 people down to Hyde Park. And now, a gig at the Metro Theatre is being thrown in the same vein. Taking over the CBD live music venue on Thursday, March 7, the gig will feature performances from the likes of Gordi, Josh Pyke and Eskimo Joe's Kav Temperley, as well as stand-up stars Tom Ballard, Cameron James, Matt Okine an Mel Buttle. The night of local tunes and stand-up has been organised by the Night Time Industries Association (NITA), which represents Music NSW, Sydney Fringe, hospo groups Solotel and Applejack and venues including Mary's, The Lansdowne, Oxford Art Factory and Giant Dwarf. With all artists donating their time, proceeds from the $50 tickets will go towards funding NITA's 'Unite for the Night' campaign. This will include media and communications activities that raise awareness about current policies affecting the association's members in the lead-up to the March 23 election.
Do you live in a dog-friendly house? Do you have some spare time on your hands? Do you fantasise about taking a pup to the pub with you? The good folk at Guide Dogs NSW/ACT need you. They're always home to pups that'll grow into companions as part of the Guide Dog program, and they're in need of carers to raise them. In other words, they're giving away puppies. If you put up your hand, you'll get a puppy for about a year — from its eight-week birthday until it turns 14 months. During that time, you'll be responsible for introducing the sights, sounds and smells it'll meet when it starts working as a guide dog (and giving it heaps of cuddles). Of course, it's not all just fun, games — it's a lot of commitment and hard work. You'll have to be responsible enough to take care of regular grooming, house training and exercise, and be available to attend local training days, along with vet checks and Puppy Pre-School. A car and a fenced-in property are mandatory, too. And, you can't be away from home for more than four hours at a time. In return, the organisation provides a strong support network, food, vet care and prevention of fleas and ticks. "We are looking for people that are home most of the time and who are interested in putting effort into training and socialising the dog. What you get in return is a life-changing experience and knowing that you've positively contributed to your community," said Karen Hayter, Puppy Development Manager at Guide Dogs NSW/ACT. Guide dogs are provided free to those in need, but each costs around $50,000 to raise over two years. If you can't afford to sponsor a pup or donate to the charity, but you've got a bit of flexibility and time on your hands, this could be your calling. Keen? Apply online. And send pics, please. Guide Dogs NSW/ACT is looking for puppy carers now. For more information and to volunteer, head to the organisation's website.
UPDATE: March 6, 2020 — Burwood Chinatown have announced an additional 500 free scoops and two extra flavours, strawberry sorbet and salted caramel with white chocolate. Chinese eateries and precincts have been doing it tough of late, with some restaurants reporting an 80 percent drop in customers due to fears surrounding the coranavirus. To encourage people to head back to the area and support small local businesses, Burwood Chinatown is giving away scoops of Gelato Messina on Saturday, March 7. The inner west precinct, which cancelled its Lunar New Year celebrations earlier this year because of community health concerns, will be handing out a whopping 1000 free scoops from 4–7pm (or until it's all gone). You can choose from four flavours, including pandan and coconut, milk chocolate with choc peanut fudge, boysenberry, and cookies and cream, and not pay a cent. Dietary requirements are accounted for, too, with vegan and gluten free options available. Of course, it wouldn't be a party without decorations and activities, so there's also going to be a bouncy castle, balloons and face painting. Burwood also has a heap of bubble tea shops, restaurants, bars and cafes, so make sure you swing by one of those and support a struggling business while you're there. Free Messina Ice Cream Party will run from 4–7pm.
Read more: Vivid Sydney 2015 overview The ten best gigs to see at Vivid Sydney 2015 The ten best events to go to at Vivid Ideas 2015
As part of the Belfast Festival, Northern Ireland’s capital city is currently playing host to WISH, a public art project by Cuban-American artist Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada. Already nicknamed by local residents as 'The Face from Space', the portrait of an anonymous Belfast girl is so enormous at its 11-acres that it can only be viewed from an aeroplane (or from a mountaintop). It was first plotted on a grid using some very swish technology and 30,000 manually placed wooden stakes. After that volunteers spent a month helping to 'draw' the portrait using nearly 8 million pounds of soil, sand and rock. Now that's patience. Rodríguez-Gerada is known for his giant-scaled portraits in public spaces. In a statement, he says of WISH, "Working at very large scales becomes a personal challenge but it also allows me to bring attention to important social issues; the size of the piece is intrinsic to the value of its message. Creativity is always applied in order to define an intervention made only with local materials, with no environmental impact, that works in harmony with the location." Via Colossal.
