2014 is looking to be a good year for music in Australia and New Zealand, with visits from Neko Case and Gold Panda. Indie rocker and singer/songwriter Neko Case (of The New Pornographers) has announced a tour of Australia and New Zealand for the release of her newest solo album, The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I fight, The More I Love You. Released this past September, this is Case's first album since 2009's extremely popular Middle Cyclone. The Worse Things Get... is full of tracks with the same vigour and bluntness that audiences appreciated in past hits such as 'People Got a Lotta Nerve' and 'I'm an Animal'. Her lyrical candour is particularly riotous in 'Man', where she declares, "And if I'm dipshit drunk on the pink perfume / I am the man in the fucking moon / 'Cause you didn't know what a man was / Until I showed you." Indubitably, Case is a force to be reckoned with. Meanwhile, electro highflier Gold Panda (aka Derwin Powers) first popped onto the radar in 2009, and has constantly thrown EPs and 7"s at us since. He's dropped two critically praised albums, 2010's Lucky Shiner and 2013's Half of Where You Live. This latest album holds truth in its name. Half of Where You Live is an electronic echo of the producer's experiences: having lived in Japan and travelled extensively, he's now based in Berlin. With tracks such as 'An English House', 'Enoshima' and 'My Father in Hong Kong 1961', our ears get an ambiguous, aural journey through Powers' experiences and geography. Neko Case February/March 2014 Tour Dates Perth: 27 February at Fly By Night Melbourne: 1 and 2 March at Corner Hotel and Melbourne Zoo Twilights Sydney: 3 March at Sydney Opera House Brisbane: 5 March at Hi Fi Adelaide: 7 March at Fowlers Live Mossvale: 8 March at Meeniyan Town Hall Meredith: 9 March at Golden Plains Festival Wellington: 12 and 13 March at NZ Festival Auckland: 14 March at Powerstation Tickets available from Handsome Tours Gold Panda March 2014 Tour Dates Sydney: 6 March at Oxford Art Factory Melbourne: 7 March at Corner Hotel Perth: 9 March at The Bakery Also appearing at Golden Plains Festival. Tickets available from Handsome Tours. https://youtube.com/watch?v=unNa-9qGkfI
The Sydney Tweed Ride is back, ready to add some sartorial elegance to bikes lanes across the city. As the title suggests, cyclists are implored to ditch the leaving-little-to-the-imagination lycra and dress in their finest tweed for a serendipitous cycle around Sydney. For one June Sunday, dapper will reclaim the lanes as pedlars wheel out the tweed and the odd penny-farthing in celebration of simpler fashion times. Gents, there will be no better opportunity to sport a handlebar than whilst gripping your handlebars so dress up ol' sports. If your wardrobe isn't replete with tweed then do not fret, you can still partake, just dress warm and be ready to say "jolly good show chaps and chapesses" at select intervals. The event is part of a growing global movement of tweed rides, and runs, that has proven very popular in both England and America and after a brief hiatus in 2012, the popular annual event is ready to peddle again. So if you feel like dropping the cleats for pleats, registration (which is compulsory, as is a helmet) begins on the day at 8am at Town Hall. Tally ho! UPDATE 2: The Tweed Ride has been postponed a second time, to a future date to be determined. More details here. Image courtesy of Garry Knight
It has been three years since Australia said a resounding yes to same-sex marriage, with results from the country's postal vote survey on marriage equality announced in November 2017 and the corresponding legislation passed through parliament in December the same year. Now, to commemorate the historic event, the City of Sydney is planning to create a permanent reminder — courtesy of a rainbow footpath through Prince Alfred Park in Surry Hills. Announcing the news, Lord Mayor Clover Moore called the proposal "a permanent tribute" — not only to the vote in favour of same-sex marriage, but "to the moment when more than 30,000 Sydneysiders gathered together to hear the results". She continued: "the path will represent both the progress we have made towards equality and the long way to go before our LGBTIQ communities are free of discrimination". Stretching across a 90-metre expanse, the path will feature six coloured bands painted over an existing footpath, to resemble a rainbow (obviously). It'll be curved just like the real thing, too. And, it'll be located in the area that was recently renamed Equality Green, with plenty of grass on either side. Inspired by an idea from the Surry Hills Creative Precinct, the path is at the proposal stage at present — and the City of Sydney is currently asking for community feedback until 5pm on Sunday, November 29. [caption id="attachment_788550" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Damian Shaw / City of Sydney[/caption] The revamped, brightly coloured footpath will join Sydney's rainbow crossing in Darlinghurst — so there'll soon be multiple spots around town where you can venture to the other side of the rainbow. Top image: City of Sydney.
With so much focus on pollution and how we can reduce it, bikes are a cheap, convenient and environmentally-friendly method of travelling that more and more commuters are choosing. Take a look at some of the emerging trends and ingenious modifications that have been made to the humble bicycle. Forget your fixie, these are the real deal. Silverback Stark Sub Zero Ever left the house only to realise that your iPod is out of battery? You won't have that problem with the Silverback Stark Sub Zero, which has a USB port for charging your iPod, GPS system or phone. This is powered through an electric generator built into the wheel, and the bike's lights are also charged this way. If you ever get lost on a deserted rural road with no means of communication, just keep on peddling until you have enough battery to call your best mate. Edward Kim and Benny Cemoli's INgSOC The INgSOC bicycle also has a charging dock and lights that can be powered by the rider. However, this bicycle also has the advantage of looking like a cross between a transformer and some weird alien offspring. The frame is made out of carbon fibre reinforced polymer, which is incredibly strong and lightweight. The rider can choose to pedal the bicycle for some healthy exercise, or have it run by a battery back when they're in a rush or feeling especially lazy. Conveniently, the battery pack is charged by the rider pedalling. Nippon Basic CycloClean Nippon Basic have managed to develop a bike with a social conscience. The Japanese company's invention purifies water using energy from its rider's pedaling motion. The CycloClean is designed for those living in areas which might not have drinkable water, or places which have been hit by natural disasters. In just 10 hours of riding time, it can purify up to three tonnes of water. Furthermore, it has tyres which cannot be punctured, making it ideal for use in places where surfaces may be rough and inhospitable. If Captain Planet rode a bicycle, you best believe that this would be it. Toto Toilet Bike Neo According to Toto, they are a company that has 'been evolving Japanese toilets', which is no mean feat in and of itself. Here they take it one step further, by building a bike with a toilet on top of it. Before you get really disgusted, rest assured that the bicycle does not run on human waste, but rather livestock waste. The whole point of the bicycle is to promote environmental sustainability, as plumbing products are responsible for much of the emissions that harm Mother Nature. While you may get a few strange looks riding the Toilet Bike Neo, this is the kind of unique and creative campaign that we don't see enough of in the toilet industry. [via PSFK]
No matter where you live, everyone knows that downtown is where the action happens. For the next few weeks you can score a Calvin Klein Downtown Prize Pack, including a delightful deluge of the new fragrance Downtown, simply by showing off your own creativity. In the competition, running from 22 September to 19 October (that means we're in the thick of it, so get cracking), five winners will be selected each week via Instagram. All you have to do? Post a photo of what you consider to be your 'Downtown' moment with the name of the city where it was taken (select the 'Add to Photo Map' setting and 'Name This Location' before sharing) and hashtag #CKdowntownau. You can enter as many times as you like. We think it's a pretty cool and refreshingly personal competition. Cue Petula Clark's insanely catchy hit — or better yet, scope out the hauntingly beautiful black-and-white campaign for the Downtown fragrance, starring Rooney Mara and directed by David Fincher. You can experience it here. I'm finding that my finger is awfully trigger-happy on the replay button. Prize Packs Include: 2x CK Downtown 90ml 2x CK Downtown 50ml 2x CK Downtown 30ml 1c CK Downtown Rollerball 10ml 2x CK Body Lotion 200ml 2x CK Shower Gel 200ml
There's nothing better than hearing the words free, tequila and mezcal put together. For one afternoon only, Tio's Cerveceria is hosting a free tequila and mezcal tasting. Going down on Sunday, November 13, it's the perfect time to unwind with your mates before the new week commences while tasting some quality mezcal. The Surry Hills Mexican-influenced bar from the team behind Bar Planet and Cantina OK! is set to take your tastebuds on a journey with Australia's best tequila and mezcal importers and brands including Agave Lux, Agave Cartel, Cerbaco, Altos Tequila and Del Maguey. Adding to the free tastings, Tio's is kicking its lively evening up a notch by serving up tacos from Bad Hombres. Get ready for an exciting afternoon and join the Tio's family from 2—4pm. Head over to the event page for more details. [caption id="attachment_794055" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bad Hombres - Supplied[/caption] Top images: Tio - Supplied
A quarter-century ago, Christmas changed forever. Sure, the end of the year was filled with plenty of festive cheer before Mariah Carey released 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' — but since 1994, that upbeat ditty has become everyone's go-to seasonal soundtrack. Just last year, in fact, the track topped the US charts. It didn't even achieve that feat back when it was initially released, making it the song that has taken the longest journey ever to the top spot. Carey has re-recorded 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' several times, and it just keeps spreading its festive melody. Yes, we know you now have it stuck in your head just from thinking about it. The singer has several holiday albums to her name, too, which keep prolonging the song's longevity. And if that's all 100 percent okay with you, you'll be particularly excited about her next Christmas-themed project. Sometime before this chaotic year is out, Apple TV+ will release Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special — aka the star-studded festive show you didn't know you always wanted until now. Just when it'll head to your streaming queue hasn't been announced but, if that's all you want from the rest of 2020, expect it in the lead up to Christmas (obviously). In its efforts to help salvage the trainwreck that is the past 12 months, Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special will feature Carey, of course, alongside a star-studded lineup of other guests. Apple TV+ isn't revealing too much there either — other than the fact it'll be co-directed and executive produced by A Very Murray Christmas alumnus Roman Coppola — but apparently the special "will combine music, dancing and animation driven by a universally heartwarming story that brings the world together". It's Apple TV+'s latest big-name project — with Sofia Coppola's new Bill Murray-starring movie On the Rocks also headed to the service later this year, and its recent live documentary Beastie Boys Story earning a couple of Emmy nominations. And because we already know you're humming it to yourself, you can check out the music video for 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special will hit Apple TV+ sometime later this year — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced.
Cut Copy burst onto the scene, and into our hearts, with their chart-topping album In Ghost Colours all the way back in 2007. Six years later, they're dropping their newest offering, Free Your Mind, on November 1. Ahead of the group's international tour, we met up with Dan Whitford, the man behind the mic, to chat about the band's newest tunes, his feelings about success and why dance music isn't going around in circles. Free Your Mind is thematically stronger than the previous two albums. You've said that you never intended to make a concept album, but it has kind of come out that way. Did the concept evolve as a natural progression from the writing? Initially, it was an effort to get started, and we were hoping to have a few gems that we could work up into contenders for a record, but there's only so long you can go without considering that they all have to fit together on a record at some point. There was probably a point where we went, "Okay, how do these songs relate, and what are we doing?" We started out with a very open-ended plan, like, "Don't overthink anything, if you have an idea, try it," and that was sort of what we tried to do through most of our recording. But I think we then got to a point where we had a few different directions with these tracks, we were asking, "What's the common thread?" So I think it just ended up feeling like there was this sort of slightly euphoric, kind of uplifting, but also kind of a loose psychedelic feeling to most of the tracks. The sound of the record, as well as the theme, is retrospective as well as prospective. Are you looking to the music of the past to build your future music? Yeah. I think that dance music, probably all music … has always done that. Each era, from disco onwards … even in the disco era, you'd be taking an old song, and doing the new version of that for this period in time, and then the same with the 1990 version of a disco song, and now there's the 2001 version of the 1990s song. I think dance music naturally looks forward because it's a fairly fickle thing. Stylistically, it's always looking to evolve, but it's also very retrospective. I think that's something that Daft Punk, for instance, have done more than any other … artists in the past, and that's being so diversely influenced by not just dance music history, but pop music history like Beach Boys and KISS, some of these things that are glam rock. These are things that don't normally fit into dance music, but they pulled in for the hell of it, and created something new. I think we're nostalgic about some of these periods of music with this record, and I think the combination of things that we pull in hopefully ends up being something that people haven't heard. You've never actually trained to play any musical instruments. How do you think that this lack of training affects the way you write music? It's good because you don't have any preconception about what you're doing. My training was listening to records. My record collection … taught me how to play music and make music, so you're assimilating all these influences and creating your own thing from there. I think it's good not to have too many rules about what art should be, because I think you're inevitably limited by that. I know music is a popular art form, so I know that if you're making, say, a Lady Gaga song, then there are probably a few rules … if you want to get played on the radio, but I think that in a general sense, having fewer rules makes more interesting music because the possibilities are more endless, more infinite. So I feel there's a benefit to never really knowing what I was doing. In Ghost Colour and Zonoscope were both hugely successful. Is that something you think about when writing now? I think it's a trick having all … these artificial pressures on what you're doing creatively, and I think the best stuff, for me, is created amongst the band when we're just doing the stuff that we like. I guess you've just got to trust your own creative instinct and aesthetic to hopefully be something that's good. Ghost Colours went number one, but we never thought in our wildest dreams that it was even going to be in the charts, let alone in the top ten or number one, that was just ridiculous. We did that without thinking about it, so sometimes the best thing is to really not even consider it. I guess there is some pressure there, but I guess that, at the end of the day, we just come back to making the music that we like, and if there are ever points where we get confused, usually we just come back to, "What do we like?" And that's the best guide, and probably what the right choice is. Cut Copy's new album, Free Your Mind, is out November 1 through Modular. https://youtube.com/watch?v=xPRJVKtrCCk
Memory is the ghost of the senses. When the light of that summer day has long vanished, its traces hide amongst the folds of your brain, stirring the chemicals to action. And the tragedy is that memories never actually fade - they transform, grow stagnant, horrific or cruelly idyllic. Nothing is more haunting than the memory of light. Here, in the aftermath, can be found Alexandra Harrison's first solo work, Dark, Not Too Dark. A twelve-year veteran of theatre and dance, Harrison has devised and toured work across Australia and internationally with companies such as Legs on the Wall, B Sharp, National Theatre of Scotland and Branch Nebula. She is joined here by the creative mastery of Bob Scott (music), Richard Manner (light) and Kate Davis (design).
The chance to watch a comedian do stand-up in front of a dimly lit brick wall in Brooklyn is a dream out of reach for most of us. But which American is about to make that all change? It's Rick James, bitch. No wait, It's Dave Chappelle. Most known for his television series Chapelle's Show, the comedian, screenwriter, actor and television and film producer will be hitting Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth for his very first tour outside of North America. Now 40 years old, Chappelle's been performing since he was 14 and was tossed under the spotlight for his parodies of American culture, racial stereotyping and politics. Chappelle's most recent tour sold out venues all over the U.S. and Canada. So don't leave tickets to the last minute; shows like these don't often come knocking on Australian doors. Tickets for all shows go on sale 9am this Tuesday, January 28, with presale options released on Friday 24 via Live Nation. Dave Chappelle Tour Dates Thursday, 20 February QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane Saturday, 22 February Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre, Adelaide Tuesday, 25 February Riverside Theatre, Perth Friday, 28 February Palais Theatre, Melbourne Tuesday, 4 March Sydney Opera House, Sydney Wednesday, 5 March State Theatre, Sydney
You might not know that noted film banger of the 00s Bring It On has been made into a stage musical — and, having already done the rounds on Broadway in 2012, and hitting Melbourne last year, it's going to cartwheel into Sydney for two weeks this August. Responsible for the phrase "cheerocracy" and your unrealistic expectations of high school, it seems the original movie still has some decent cultural capital to give. If you've been wondering, in the last 19 years, what exactly the world of competitive cheerleading might have going on with it these days, this musical is for you. If you had a Kirsten Dunst poster on the back of your childhood bedroom door, this musical is for you. To be honest, if you've watched the film even just a few times, it's probably for you too. With music and lyrics by Tony Award-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda (of Hamilton fame) and the stage adaptation by Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q), the musical is only loosely based on the original film of 2000, which starred your girls Kirsten and Eliza Dushku. Unlike the five sequels that followed the movie — all of which went directly to VHS — the musical looks like it has a refreshing amount of sass, cutthroat rivalry and aerial stunts. Bust out your best spirit fingers and get them tapping on your keyboard if you want tickets — Bring It On: The Musical is making its way to Sydney's State Theatre, but it's only going to be step-pivot-split jumping around town for a strictly limited two-week run.
The Grifter Brewing Company is going gourmet with an American classic: the Philly cheesesteak. Hartsyard's renowned head chef Gregory Llewellyn is partnering up with the brewers for Philly Cheesesteak Saturdays at The Grifter this Saturday, 16 April from 1pm. The cheesesteaks will be made by Llewellyn himself, using his home recipe of rib eye steak, tinned mushrooms, caramelised onions and, of course, loads of ooey, gooey cheese. If you're a Hartsyard regular, or just love a Philly cheesesteak, you'll want to be trying this creation. Best part? You get to wash it down with some quality craft brews. The Hartsyard x Grifter collaboration is planned to become a weekly event at the brewery, with more menu surprises from Llewellyn to come. It's sure to include the down-home cooking that Hartsyard is known for, and we hope that means fried chicken and biscuit sandwiches. The only catch is that supplies are limited. Llewellyn is only whipping up these bad boys until they run out, so you better get to steppin'. For a sneak peek on the deliciousness to come, check out Hartsyard's guide to making the ultimate Philly cheesesteak.
If this year has taught us anything, it's that reality doesn't always run smoothly and to plan. But, also, that you won't find a much better antidote to life's mess and uncertainties than to focus on the beauty of those small, everyday rituals. A hot cuppa served in your favourite floral mug, an after-work cheese board shared with your bestie, or maybe that homemade dinnertime feast being pulled from the oven, delightful aromas and all. Whatever minutiae you're into celebrating, Finnish design house Marimekko has just unveiled a new collection of vibrant homewares that'll make those daily rituals feel as beautiful as ever. As with all the brand's creations, these kitchen and dining products offer a joyful nod to the art of printmaking, splashed in a range of striking original prints and awash with plenty of bold hues. And there's something here for every home, taste and colour palette. You can always bank on Marimekko delivering a diverse array of designs, as each of its artists gets free rein to express themselves through their prints, tasked simply with creating products that have soul. True to form, the new pieces are functional enough to fit your everyday life, but also have a stylish flair that's sure to add a little something special, too. You'll find the latest abstract florals, watercolour-style prints and charming woodland scenes adorning everything from kitchen towels and aprons, to oven mitts and tote bags. Pick up some matching ceramics, with a range of printed mugs, serving platters, plates and other tableware, that'll either inject some joy into your morning coffee routine, or liven up that next dinner party. Check out Marimekko's latest collection of homewares online now. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
The thought of craft beers provided by Lord Nelson Brewery and modern medieval food by Gilroys is enough to make us drool. The kitchen will be dishing up age-old recipes with a modern spin to complement the beer. This event is one of our top ten picks of Sydney Craft Beer Week. Check out the other nine.
It's impossible to pigeonhole Potts Point. The art deco architecture and decadent mansions have you feeling like you've stepped back in time. And the buzzing galleries, cafes, wine bars, theatres and clubs, all packed with the city's best artistic talents, will transport you to the creative pockets of foreign cities like London's Soho or NYC's Greenwich Village. But then, you'll catch an exhilarating glimpse of the harbour and you're reminded that you are, in fact, in Sydney. One thing's for certain: time spent in this area is never time wasted. The locals are friendly (and intensely passionate about the suburb they call home), the dining is top-tier and the creativity is palpable. To help you explore more of this part of Sydney, we teamed up with City of Sydney to ask Concrete Playground readers what businesses they love to visit and support around Potts Point and Woolloomooloo. Read on to discover some of the most popular picks to visit during the day. Then, flick the switch above and we'll dim the lights to show your favourite things to do once the sun goes down.
For many designers, their work is developed through experimentation with new materials, while for others their entire body of work is dedicated to exploring the potential of only one. Jan Gunneweg falls into that latter category, and his material of choice is wood. Gunneweg's workshop in the Netherlands is filled with beautifully crafted traditional wooden objects, such as benches, desks and tables. However, it is also filled with some fairly non-traditional ones, including sunglasses, which he creates by hand. His wooden bicycles, though, have garnered Gunneweg the most attention of late. Gunneweg's bikes are both technically and aesthetically beautiful, as well as practical, and are made out of solid walnut or birchwood. And while Genneweg's has plans to produce bikes which are far easier (and cheaper) to make, assemble and ship overseas, at present he is only making to order. Understandably too, as each takes between 160 and 200 man hours to create. Quite an impressive labour of love, and a rather nice way to get around town this summer - especially if you can afford the matching sunglasses.
During this summer's catastrophic bushfire season, flames encroached on Bundanon and Riversdale, the 1100-hectare properties that were gifted to the Australian public by by artist Arthur Boyd and his wife Yvonne Boyd back in 1993. Located in the Shoalhaven region on the New South Wales south coast, the heritage-listed sites were thankfully saved, as was the art collection within them — and now work is underway on their huge new bushland gallery. While the new addition to Riversdale was first announced back in 2018, this week marked the start of construction, with the gallery due for completion by the end of 2021 in time for an early 2022 opening. Well aware of its location and the climate conditions it faces, it'll welcome a purpose-built, 380-square-metre 'environmentally prepared gallery-of-the-future' — which'll be designed to ramp up the site's fire defenses, complete with a safe storage facility. With work underway — and new renders revealed, providing another glimpse of what the scenic spot will look like in two years — the Federal Government announced that it's also providing additional funding to help improve the properties' resilience. Specifically, it has earmarked $300,000 for the installation of an ember suppression system to protect the location's significant heritage-listed buildings. They include the Arthur Boyd Homestead, studio, artists-in-residence and musician cottages, and the art collection store. Costing $33 million in total, with $22 million supplied by the Australian Government and $8.6 million coming the NSW Government, the new site will house a huge art collection valued at $43 million. That hefty range spans around 4000 items, including more than 1300 works by Arthur Boyd himself. Pieces by Pablo Picasso, Francisco Goya and Brett Whiteley are also part of the collection — items that, at present, are on display in the existing Bundanon Homestead and in Arthur Boyd's studio, When the Boyds gave the rural site to the Australian public back more than a quarter-century ago, Bundanon and Riversdale became a haven for creativity, arts and education, as well as remaining a working farm. That's all remaining the same — just with the new addition built into the hillside. That said, although the new gallery is the main attraction — boasting windows that frame the artwork with glimpses of the natural splendour outside, it promises to provide quite the sight — that's not all that's being added to the property. Also under construction is a 140-metre-long by nine-metre-wide structure that'll branch out of the gallery, into a bridge spanning across the bushland and parkland, and across to 34 bedrooms, a teaching and dining space, and a public cafe. Stepped terraces, an openair arrival hall and an outdoor learning space are also planned. The Bundanon Trust's new gallery is due to open in early 2022 in Illaroo, New South Wales. For further information, visit the Bundanon Trust website. Images: Kerstin Thompson Architects.
The chance to watch a comedian do stand-up in front of a dimly lit brick wall in Brooklyn is a dream out of reach for most of us. But which American is about to make that all change? It's Rick James, bitch. No wait, It's Dave Chappelle. Most known for his television series Chapelle's Show, the comedian, screenwriter, actor and television and film producer will be hitting Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth for his very first tour outside of North America. Now 40 years old, Chappelle's been performing since he was 14 and was tossed under the spotlight for his parodies of American culture, racial stereotyping and politics. Chappelle's most recent tour sold out venues all over the U.S. and Canada. So don't leave tickets to the last minute; shows like these don't often come knocking on Australian doors. Chappelle is playing the Sydney Opera House on March 4 and the State Theatre on March 5 and 6. Tickets for all shows go on sale 9am this Tuesday, January 28, with presale options released on Friday 24 via Live Nation.
Sweet Christmas alert: when festive season gets into full swing for 2023, Wonka will bring its treats to the big screen. Here, Roald Dahl's chocolatier gets an origin story from writer/director Paul King and his co-scribe Simon Farnaby, who were also behind the wonderful Paddington films — with Timothée Chalamet making the goods and Hugh Grant getting bantering as an Ooompa-Loompa. He's had his heart broken during a lusty Italian summer, romanced Saoirse Ronan in a Greta Gerwig film not once but twice, spiced up his life in a sci-fi saga and sported a taste for human flesh. Now Chalamet is singing and dancing into a world of sugar. For everyone keen to see a new take on a childhood favourite starring one of the internet's boyfriends, Wonka will hit cinemas Down Under on Thursday, December 14 — and both the initial trailer and the just-dropped latest sneak peek are big on whimsy and pure imagination. First gracing the page almost six decades back, in 1964 when Charlie and the Chocolate Factory initially hit print, Willy Wonka has made the leap to cinemas with Gene Wilder playing the part in 1971, then Johnny Depp in 2005. The difference this time: not just Chalamet making sweet treats, but a film that swirls in the details of Wonka's life before the events that've already been laid out in books and filled two movies. The picture's main man has a dream — and, after spending the past seven years travelling the world perfect his craft, he's willing to get inventive to make it come true. Starting a chocolate business isn't easy, especially when the chocolate cartel doesn't take kindly to newcomers, selling choccies at an affordable price and sharing their wares with the masses. From there, brainwaves, optimism, determination, wild and wonderful Wonka inventions, and life-changing choices all spring, plus big vats of chocolate, chocolate that makes you fly — and Willy's dedication to making "the greatest chocolate shop the world has ever seen". Also accounted for: a mood of wonder, and not just due to the umbrella-twirling dream sequences and cane-whirling dance scenes in the first trailer, or the leaps through fairy floss and chats with Grant's (Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) Lofty. Indeed, the magical tone doesn't just fit the tale; it's exactly what King and Farnaby spun when they were celebrating a marmalade-loving bear. King helmed and penned both Paddington movies, while Farnaby also did the latter on the second (and acted in each). The duo worked together on wonderful and underseen 2009 film Bunny and the Bull as well, and on The Mighty Boosh, of which King directed 20 episodes. On-screen, Wonka's cast is as jam-packed as a lolly bag, with Chalamet and Grant joined by Farnaby (The Phantom of the Open), as well as Olivia Colman (Heartstopper), Sally Hawkins (The Lost King), Keegan-Michael Key (The Super Mario Bros Movie), Rowan Atkinson (Man vs Bee), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey: A New Era) and Natasha Rothwell (Sonic the Hedgehog 2). Yes, you'll want a golden ticket to this. Check out the latest trailer for Wonka below: Wonka releases in cinemas Down Under on December 14, 2023.
How do you solve a problem like Kings Cross? Well, that answer's clearly complicated, but there's one (very Sydney) good first step against which no-one can argue: have a festival. The Potts Point Partnership, with funding from state and local government, has announced plans for the inaugural Kings Cross Festival. It’s a big community that encompasses many visitors as well as residents of several intersecting suburbs, so it deserves a big community festival, to be held over five days from November 21-25. It’s a relaxed, spread-out sort of program that encourages you to spend a whole day in the district, your way. Special offers will be available in Kings Cross notable bars and restaurants — including Gastro Park, Barrio Chino, and Chez Dee — so you won't run out of fuel. The festival will be celebrating the arts in a big way, including with an Art Walk (Thursday evening/Saturday afternoon) led by Alaska Projects' Sebastian Goldspink that takes in the area's galleries, pop-ups, and artistic landmarks. Meanwhile, the natural pairing of 'Writers & Whisky' will see local writers chatting about their work at the Dandelion Bar. Among the more unique events are Gospel Sunday, which highlights the gospel music in local churches; the Seaside Family Picnic, held at Sydney's cutest marina, Beare Park; and Monica Goes to Rehab, a tribute to divas and drug use with the surprisingly rude ex-Playschool host Monica Trapaga. Under its festival director, iconoclastic Sydney Olympic Ceremonies co-creative director Ignatius Jones, the festival has an angle on the Kings Cross 'problem': embracing the area's contradiction. It celebrates a unique part of town that has for decades welcomed the creative, the genteel, and the deviant to sit "elbow to elbow without judgment".
Cocktail lists: sometimes it's difficult to narrow your choice down to one when all you really want to do is try them all, right? Luckily, the The Roosevelt Bar & Diner's new 'yum cha' cocktail nights every Thursday aim to let patrons sample a larger selection of drinks, with mini cocktails offered for $10 each. When owner Sven Almenning attended a yum cha dinner, he thought it would transfer wonderfully to a cocktail bar. "We love the fact that you don’t have to order anything and that drinks just constantly appear at your table for you to choose from," he says. Diverting from their usual a la carte service, the Roosevelt will offer a selection of cocktails based around a unifying theme. "In cocktail bars a lot of time can be spent perusing the menu, and as cocktails can be quite strong, many will only have a couple when they are out. At $10 each, the cocktails served are smaller, thus giving our guests the chance to sample a wider selection of drinks," says Almenning. Given that the elaborate drinks on the menu at luxe Roosevelt would usually set you back $20+ each, it's quite an appealing opportunity. Plus, with the 'three-sip' cocktails offered around on a roving trolley, the drinks come to you. "[We] feel it will inspire conversation more as less time is spent deciding and debating what to drink," he says. The first round of yum cha nights are inspired by the colourful past of King's Cross — a past that the original Roosevelt heavily contributed to. Some of the glamorous nightclubs and famous patrons will serve as the models for the drinks being passed around. The Carlotta Cocktail (a combination of citrus vodka, lemon, blueberry and sage) and the Whiskey a Go-Go (a cocktail that mixes scotch, kirsch, cherry brandy bitters and Fernet Branca) are just two interesting concoctions available for tasting. "The goal is to change themes and drinks every six weeks or so pending popularity," says Almenning. "We’re planning to put a selection of themes on Facebook for our guests to vote on in the next couple of weeks." Next time you pop into the Roosevelt on a Thursday night, sit back and let the bartenders make the difficult decisions for you. Cocktail Yum Cha is on every Thursday night at the Roosevelt (32 Orwell Street, Potts Point), commencing tonight, April 17.
Do you realise there are 17 different flavours of Vodka Cruiser? Raspberry, yes, but beyond that: melon, mulberry, something called 'ice', and diet bitter lemon (still saccharine, we're presuming). It's a specialised area of knowledge that's the preserve of the high-school aged, the drinking noobs, doing it loudly, colourfully, and — as A Current Affair constantly reminds us — badly. Now you can get reacquainted with this library of alco-pop flavours, and the art of appreciating them, with The Tender Age, which ruminates on that amid a wide range of under-20s knowledge: how to flirt online without scaring someone off, what it feels like to dance past the point your body's spent, what it's like to not be able to escape school bullies in a ubiquitously wired world. They're tackling the topics that get adults most in a tizz — sex, drugs, and social media — but with docu-theatre virtuosos Version 1.0 (The Table of Knowledge) and the Australian Theatre for Young People devising in collaboration, this is a notably non-hysterical, non-didactic and altogether incisive perspective on the conversation. It's a particularly great one for school groups and cross-generational theatre outings, but it also has a lot of merit as a piece of theatre that anyone negotiating the modern world can relate to. The prompt for the show was the infamous 2009 incident where a 14-year-old girl revealed she'd been raped while on-air for a gag on the Kyle and Jackie O Show. Transposed to the stage, it's still rawly stomach-turning, though it's not necessarily much connected with or illuminated by the work that unfolds. It's an outlier. Still, the bright, rough-and-tumble young cast (with two pretty cool adults among them) weave some telling scenes. They take the tack that the arrangement of moments of truth builds an argument of itself, and they're right. Appropriately, The Tender Age also makes some great, responsive use of technology, including from video artist Sean Bacon. It engages the audience and conveys much of the mood of constant social media surveillance. It's not quite the unbridled anarchy of Ontroerend Goed — there's still the feeling that this is a case of young people responding to an adult's questions rather than necessarily annunciating what concerns them — but The Tender Age clocks up a real achievement by not treating youth like a foreign land. If anything, the message is we're the same across generations. We repeat cycles of behaviour. Adults are just old young people who've had the privilege of not having their mistakes so thoroughly laid down on the public record.
Is your bookshelf filled with borrowed library paperbacks? You really should return them, you know. Do it this Saturday, September 1 and — provided you haven't racked up too many late fees — you can pick some books for keeps for as little as $1. From 10am, Ashfield Town Hall will be filled with a tonne of pre-loved books from the Inner West Council's eight public libraries. Sift through dog-eared novels, laminated travel books and food-stained cook books. The best part? If you're a member of any of the inner west libraries — that's Ashfield, Dulwich Hill, Balmain, Haberfield, Leichhardt, Marrickville, Stanmore and Sydenham — the books will only cost you one buck. If you're not, you can join online, otherwise books will be $2 each.
Ever since Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness hit Netflix in mid-March, the docuseries has become a true-crime phenomenon. Given the story it tells, that's understandable. Focusing on former Oklahoma private zookeeper Joe Exotic, the show spins a 100-percent true tale filled with eccentric characters, wild animals, assassination plots, polygamy and bad mullets. By now, you've probably not only binged your way through the series, but also watched the Joel McHale-hosted special and spent too much time checking out Exotic's music videos. If you're like everyone else with a social media account, you've likely also devoted a few hours to picking who should play Exotic, his pals and his enemies in a dramatised version of the story — because, unsurprisingly, that's in the works. Actually, more than one take on the tale is heading to the small screen, and one of them has pulled off one helluva casting feat, enlisting none other than Nicolas Cage to play the blonde-haired tiger aficionado, one-time US presidential candidate and current incarcerated felon. As reported by Variety, Cage will step into Exotic's tight pants and flamboyant shirts, all in a scripted drama series that'll chart the latter's efforts "to keep his park even at the risk of losing his sanity". Think of it as the Joe Exotic origin story, chronicling how he took on that moniker, became a larger-than-life version of himself and found himself on his present path. While Exotic has received plenty of media attention in his time, particularly recently, this series will be based on Leif Reigstad's 2019 Texas Monthly article 'Joe Exotic: A Dark Journey Into the World of a Man Gone Wild'. American Vandal showrunner Dan Lagana will hold the same role on this yet-to-be-named Joe Exotic drama, as well as writing and executive producing — but the big news is obviously Cage's involvement. After making more than 100 on-screen projects across four decades, this is the first time he'll be starring in a TV show on a regular basis. Plus, the Vampire's Kiss, Face/Off, Con Air, Mandy and Color Out of Space actor isn't known for his subtlety, which makes him a perfect fit to play Exotic. Cage also has some recent experience with jungle animals, at least of the terrible CGI kind, thanks to 2019 action-drama Primal. It casts him as a big-game hunter chasing a rare white jaguar, which then gets loose on a ship alongside a notorious murderer — and yes, it's the type of over-the-top Cage film that has to be seen to be believed. Just who'll be co-starring with Cage — who'll no doubt be at his overacting best — is yet to be announced. While Kate McKinnon is set to play Carole Baskin, the rival animal park owner that Exotic is in prison for trying to have killed, that's happening in a different series about the whole saga. And, according to Rob Lowe's Instagram, there's another project in the works that'll feature him in a mullet, as produced by Glee, American Horror Story and Pose's Ryan Murphy. If you need a reminder as to why everyone's rushing to turn Exotic's story into a drama series, check out the Tiger King trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acTdxsoa428 The Nicolas Cage-starring, yet-to-be-named Joe Exotic series doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when further details are announced. Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is available to stream on Netflix. Via Variety. Top image: Netflix.
Asghar Farhadi is not yet so passe, because the latest release to come from the Iranian director, The Past (or original title Le Passé to le snobs) looks as good as his 2012 Academy Award-winning A Separation. Dubbed an engrossing psychological drama about choice and responsibility, the critically acclaimed French film features Bérénice Bejo (The Artist), awarded Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival for her work in this film. The Past follows Bejo's Marie and her children, who are deserted by husband Ahmad (Ali Mosaffa) when he returns to his home in Iran. But in his absence, Samir (Tahar Rahim from The Prophet) hits the screen and, despite protests by her teenage daughter, Maria requests a divorce and Ahmad finds himself with renewed love for his estranged wife. The Past is in cinemas on February 6, and thanks to Madman Films, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
With COVID-19 testing ramping up in NSW over the past few weeks and new cases numbers dropping — with zero over the 24 hours from May 29–30 — the state is relaxing some more coronavirus-related restrictions from Monday, June 1. Just in time for the upcoming long weekend. As well as allowing regional travel within NSW, the state's cultural institutions can reopen and getting your nails done is back on the cards, too. Restaurants, bars and cafes are allowed up to 50 customers — and you can go out for just a drink. But there are, of course, some rules. So, what exactly can you do? We've broken it down. The below information is correct as of Monday, June 1. We'll update as any new announcements are made. Can I see my friends and family? Yes, visiting your friends and family has been considered a valid reason to leave your home since April 28. You're currently allowed up to five visitors in your home, which won't change from June 1. Limits on outdoor gatherings of up to ten people, which include socially distant picnics and yoga sessions, also remain. Can I have a dinner party? Yes, you can. At the moment you can have no more than five guests from outside your home, and that number remains. [caption id="attachment_653449" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shady Pines by Leticia Almeida[/caption] What about going out to restaurants, bars, pubs and cafes? Yep, parmas and pints are have been back on the table since May 15, when venues were allowed to open to up to ten people. From June 1, you can dine — or just drink — at bars, restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs, distilleries, breweries and cellar doors, with venues allowed to have up to 50 (!) people as long as that does not exceed the one person per four-square-metre rule. Venues are also required to take your name and details for possible contact tracing and they are not able to take bookings for groups of more than ten. Premier Gladys Berejiklian has also previously said that all customers must be seated — ie. no leaning on the bar having a pint. You can check out all the Sydney venues that are reopening for dine-in service over here. Can I go to the gym? Indoor gyms, not yet. Outdoor gyms, yes — they reopened on May 15. Outdoor gatherings of up to ten are allowed, so bootcamps and small sporting competitions in a park are OK as long as social distancing guidelines are followed. What other exercise can I do? Canoeing, kayaking, SUP, rowing, lawns bowls, golfing and surfing are all allowed. Swimming pools — including ocean pools — are open with a maximum of ten people allowed in the pool at each time. But not all pools are open, so check before pulling on your togs. What about driving to go for a hike or bike ride? Yes, you're currently allowed to travel to national parks for hiking and other recreational activities. From June 1, you're even allowed to stay the night, too. We'll get to that next. [caption id="attachment_764519" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mimosa Rocks Destination NSW[/caption] Can I go on a holiday to a coastal/regional town? Yes — and just in time for the Queen's Birthday long weekend, too. With the new eased restrictions from Monday, June 1, there is no limit on the distance you can travel within NSW and overnight stays are permitted. So, Sydneysiders can now book an Airbnb, go camping or spend a night at a caravan park, but, there can be a maximum of ten people at a holiday home and all NSW National Parks campgrounds now require bookings. Need some inspo? Here are some of our favourite glamping retreats and beachside camping spots in NSW. What about a trip to the snow? The NSW ski season is allowed to start from Monday, June 22, with Thredbo planning to open on June 22, followed by Perisher on June 24 and Charlotte Pass on June 26. Unfortunately, Selwyn Snow Resort in Kosciuszko National Park will remain closed due to severe damage caused by this year's devastating bushfires. On the topic of KNP, the park will be partially closed to visitor's on the long weekend, with no access to the southern part. From June 22, you'll only be able to access the park with a pre-purchased lift ticket or a registered trip intention from from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Services. Expect things to look a little different, though, with restrictions on lessons, equipment hire and the number of people allowed on lifts and T-bars — you can find out more over here. Or a trip overseas? Not yet. At the moment Australia's borders are closed, but the Federal Government has flagged the potential of trans-Tasman travel bubble in step three of the Roadmap to a COVIDSafe Australia — which could happen as early as July. [caption id="attachment_770825" align="alignnone" width="2000"] 'And Now' at White Rabbit Gallery by Kimberley Low[/caption] Will art galleries and museums be open? Yep, galleries, museums, libraries, zoos and aquariums are allowed to reopen for one person per four square metres. Most places are now requiring you to sign up for a free (or paid) timed ticket, so check the venue's website before heading in. What about going to the cinema? Drive-in cinemas are allowed to operate and there is no limit on the number of cars they can have. Sydney's one drive-in cinema Blacktown's Skyline Drive-In is showing screenings from Thursday–Sunday each week (plus a Monday night session on the Queen's Birthday public holiday, too) — with four flicks playing each night. Indoor cinemas, however, are currently not allowed to and the NSW Government has not yet announced a date for their reopening. Can I go shopping? Yes, you can go shopping. That said, not all shops are open and some have changed their opening hours, so we suggest giving them a call before you head out. The four-square-metre rule apply to all retail spaces, with patrons advised to keep a 1.5-metre distance. Can I get my nails done? Yes, nail, beauty, waxing and tanning salons are allowed to open for up to ten customers at a time. As this stage, though, tattoo and massage parlours and spas are only allowed to sell retail goods and gift vouchers, not provide services. Can I go to church? Yes, all places of worship are now allowed to open for religious ceremonies of up to 50 people or one person per four square metres. Weddings can also have up to 20 people, in addition to the couple and the celebrant, and funerals can have up to 50 mourners. If you have more questions, the NSW Government has an extensive list of FAQs on its website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Sierra Escape Mudgee
Sick of the winter weather? Then escape from the chill to a warm, dark cinema, where you can watch movies from places even colder than here. Returning to Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Chauvel Cinema, the Volvo Scandinavian Film Festival will once again showcase the best of Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Icelandic cinema, from award-winning dramas to esoteric comedies and the very best of Nordic Noir. One of the big highlights on this year's program is the Golden Globe-nominated The Fencer, a Finnish-German-Estonian co-production — dubbed by Finland Today as "the best Finnish film in a decade" — about a fencing instructor hiding from Soviet forces in Estonia in the years after the war. It's one of a number of critically-acclaimed titles in the program this year, alongside oddball Icelandic rom-com The Together Project which took home a screenplay prize at Cannes, and the excruciatingly tense Danish drama Land of Mine, which played in competition at the Sydney Film Festival earlier this year. For the complete Scandinavian Film Festival program, go here.
Each February, there's an easy way to find out what's hitting cinemas in the months ahead. When American football's biggest event of the year arrives, so does a heap of big-name movie trailers. In 2025, the week leading up to the Super Bowl has seen everything from Fantastic Four: First Steps to Jurassic World Rebirth debut sneak peeks. Also capitalising on prime timing: F1. The Formula 1 racing thriller already unveiled a sneak peek in 2024, but now another look has dropped linked to the Super Bowl. In it, Brad Pitt (Wolfs) feels the need for speed as a former driver who returns to the track. Filmmaker Joseph Kosinski clearly experiences the same sensation, too, given that this is his latest flick heading to cinemas after 2022 smash Top Gun: Maverick. "Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston and now McLaren all have a speed on the straights. Our shot is battling in the turns. We need to build our car for combat," said Pitt as Hayes in 2024's teaser trailer — if you're wondering how competitive the storyline will get. Zooming onto the silver screen at the end of June 2025, F1 focuses on fictional team APXGP, with Pitt as Sonny Hayes and Damson Idris (Snowfall) as his colleague Joshua Pearce. Also featuring on-screen: Kerry Condon (Skeleton Crew) and Javier Bardem (Dune: Part Two), giving the movie a recent Oscar-nominee (for The Banshees of Inisherin), plus another winner (for No Country for Old Men) alongside Pitt — and also Tobias Menzies (Manhunt), Sarah Niles (Fallen), Kim Bodnia (Nefarious) and Samson Kayo (House of the Dragon). If Kosinski's feats with his Top Gun sequel didn't already bode well for F1's racetrack action — and they do, and Top Gun: Maverick screenwriter Ehren Kruger (Dumbo) is also onboard here as well — then the fact that the movie shot during actual Grand Prix weekends should, too. F1's racing pedigree includes seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton's involvement, courtesy of his Dawn Apollo Films production company. The feature is also being badged as a collaboration with the Formula 1 community, spanning its teams, drivers and promoters. Check out the trailers for F1 below: F1 releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, June 26, 2025.
If you have your sights set on one day seeing your films on the big screen at Sydney's Film Festival, or on becoming the next big Aussie radio personality, then you need to get yourself down to AFTRS on Saturday, August 12 for the school's Open Day. During this free event you'll learn about AFTRS 2018 courses, network with industry leaders and imagine yourself in any of their premiere classes ranging from topics like screenwriting, creative producing and cinematography. You'll also get the opportunity to scope out their top-of-the-line studios that could one day help you produce some epic work. Degrees on offer at AFTRS include part-time diplomas in reality TV, animation and feature film, a full-time Bachelor of Arts Screen and postgraduate programs for screen and radio. Go for gold, make your dreams a reality, the world is your oyster — Open Day is just a sneak peek of what could be. And don't fret if you can't make it; AFTRS will be live streaming the whole day on their website and Facebook page. AFTRS is open from 10am – 3pm on August 12. Pre-register here.
After experiencing a whirlwind success with their debut EP Woodland, indie folk five-piece The Paper Kites are celebrating their shiny new offering Young North with a series of captivating shows. The new EP sees The Paper Kites retaining the qualities that brought them the love and admiration of their fans. With earthy-sounding instruments that serve as a perfect backdrop for their harmonic, strong and sensual voices, The Paper Kites maintain a romantic and whimsical vibe to their tracks and a raw energy to their live performances. In the past The Paper Kites have toured with the likes of Boy & Bear and Josh Pyke, and seen their song "Featherstone" featured on Grey's Anatomy. They'll be joined at Oxford Art Factory by The Art Of Sleeping and Battleships. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Y8A_8rbakgg
Sydney's newest hotel is so keen on the whole 'choose-your-own-adventure' idea that, when it opens next month, it will let guests select their own rooms. Billed as the city's "first authentic custom designed hotel", Camperdown's soon-to-open Collectionist Hotel wants to push that concept of individualised guest experiences to a whole new level, letting them pick a favourite from the assortment of designer suites on offer. It's slated to open next month in a former warehouse space, where a team of seven designers and 13 artists have been kept busy creating 39 unique rooms. But instead of being allocated a random suite, guests at The Collectionist will suss out the available rooms at check-in and choose exactly where they want to spend their stay over a welcome drink — a concept Collectic Hotels co-founder Daniel Symonds likens to browsing works of art. No two two rooms are the same, apparently, as each will boast its own unique colours, textures and style. A great idea if you're in the mood to choose, but probably less than ideal when you're crashing hard after a long-haul flight. Or if all the rooms have already been taken by people who arrived earlier than you. Unsurprisingly, The Collectionist has also done away with the usual room number caper, in favour of eclectic names like the Queenie Fah Fah, Cloud Runner and La Chamber Noir. Just don't expect them all to be your cup of tea. "I would be surprised — and a little disappointed, to be honest — if there weren't some divided opinions on the rooms designs," said Symonds. "We have purposely set about creating rooms that will challenge the 'norms' on hotel room design." The Collectionist Hotel will open at 9–13 Marsden Street, Camperdown in May 2018. You can't book a room yet, but you can check the website for updates.
A wool shirt that you can wear for 100 days straight. No washing. No dry cleaning. No wrinkles. No odour. That is the promise from new male fashion manufacturers Wool&Prince, who are transforming the button-down into a woollen wardrobe staple. They have created a wool shirt that they claim is incredibly soft, comfortable, does not need an iron or dry clean and, best of all, will still not smell or need a wash until after at least 100 consecutive days of wear. They know, because that's how long this guy wore his. You can feel good whilst looking good, saving money on your wardrobe and saving water for the world. This is all made possible by their development of CottonSoft wool fabric, which is anti-wrinkle by nature and far more durable. The lightness and breathability of the material is what enables the wearer to smell fresh (but remember, just because the shirt does not need a wash, does not mean that you can get away without one, too). Wool&Prince have already soared past their initial Kickstarter goal of US$30,000, raising more than US$265,000 so far, and after extensive testing around the world, the project is almost ready to go and one can be yours for only US$98. If you buy six, it should set you up for a wash-free year. Via Esquire.
Jenny Lewis, former lead singer of indie rock group Rilo Kiley, is about to release her first solo album in six years, so why not come back with a bang (and a viral video)? Her social media freakout-inducing clip for first single, the Beck-produced 'One of The Guys' has a few of Hollywood's leading ladies taking the piss out of gender roles by tracksuiting up and acting like real tough dudes. Unlikely accomplices Anne Hathaway, Kristen Stewart and Brie Larson casually make up Lewis's backing band, eventually winding up in drag, fly kicking, breakdancing and giving each other those perplexing man-hug-hand-shake things. Snaps to Lewis for fusing taking Taylor Swift-style famous friend collab cues. There are so many high-fivable things going on here, it's hard to know where to start. Lewis's rainbow pantsuit, Hathaway's rat-tail and keytar, and Stewart actually looking like she's having fun for once in her life — all good places to start. Despite all this nonchalant splendour, Larson takes the cake. The Short Term 12 star is completely hysterical in this clip as a boy, and is probably the most convincing lip syncher of the band next to Lewis. Despite the silliness, the single is actually quite a poignant note on being comfortable with yourself both in your womanhood and in your age. Just goes to show, dealing with heavy stuff doesn't mean taking yourself seriously all the time. 'Just One of the Guys' is the first single from Lewis' new record Voyager, which will be out by the end of the month. Watch 'Just One of the Guys' right here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Irvcf6dCk-k Via Rolling Stone.
Right now (in case you haven't been hanging on every tweet), the Consumer Technology Association is holding a huge conference in Las Vegas — CES 2017 — and while that might sound kind of abstract, it's an internationally-watched event with reams of huge new product announcements that are relevant to the everyday tech user (that's you!). The Consumer Technology Association (acronymed to CES, not CTA, for unfathomable reasons) is a trade union that promotes and standardises widely used technology, meaning high-end tech gets into your life sooner. This year has already been pretty epic. Here's a breakdown of some of the best tech reveals (so far), coming soon to a smart household near you. A SMART COLLAR FOR YOUR POOCH Now, this is a nifty little device for lucky, lucky pet owners. Whistle 3 is a new pet tracking collar that lets you monitor your puppo's or catto's daily activity levels and track them on your smartphone. It's the third iteration of the product and reports from CES indicate this time they've nailed it. Whistle 3 is compact, waterproof, clips to your pet's collar and syncs to an app on your phone. At the moment, it's only available in the US but we'll keep you updated on developments. In the meantime, remember to get your precious furbabies microchipped. AN AI-FITTED TOYOTA What business Toyota has building an AI, we don't know. But they have. Its name is Yui (pronounced you-ee) and, yes, we expect it will allow us to become best friends with our car like Shia Lebeouf and Bumblebee. No, but really. AI in a car is about risk assessment and will work in tandem with what they called 'human driving'. So it's not exactly automated but it will allow certain elements of automation when it's safe to do so. Yui warns the driver about potential hazards and can automate corrections to prevent them. But most importantly, it's super-duper cute and futuristic. A RELATIVELY FAST SCOOTER THAT CAN CHARGE YOUR DEVICES The URB-E might look a little goofy (like its Segway and Hoverboard brothers) but this compact little electric scooter could be the future of travel. Give up any dreams of your kids buying their first banged up Holden Commodore, the next generation will be driving these 30-pound scooties to school. Three years ago, the URB-E was debuted at CES. This year, they've revealed four new, updated models and a range of accessories. To fill you in, the URB-E is a foldable scooter/bicycle hybrid out of America. The cheapest, the URB-E Sport, retails for US$899 and can reach a top speed of 22 kilometres. A fully-charged URB-E Sport can travel up to 25 kilometres before needing a recharge. And you can charge your phone off it too. Damn. These iterations of the URB-E are more affordable and more powerful than ever, so you might as well embrace these tiny, goofy scooters because they ain't leaving anytime soon. A CASUALLY POWERFUL, 92-MEGAPIXEL, VR-SUPPORTING PHONE While we're not sold on the name ZenFone (imagine the roundtable on that decision), the newest phone out of the Asus camp is exciting for multiple reasons. First, it's built to support virtual and augmented reality technology (the future is here!) which means it's packing a considerable amount of processing power for such a little thing. Its three cameras (the most powerful of which takes 92-megapixel images and 4K videos) enables 3D mapping technology. Yeah. Your selfie game just jumped up a level. It's expected for release midway through this year. UH... A SMART HAIRBRUSH? Yeah, so L'Oreal has designed a smart hairbrush. Rejoice for now every part of your daily routine will be watched over by machines. The Keratase Hair Coach uses sensors, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a microphone to spy on you and determine a) how healthy your hair is b) whether your hair is wet or dry c) whether you're brushing too hard or too much and d) how many Keratase products you need in your life right now. Guive Balooch, the vice president of L'Oreal's Technology Incubator, said to Fortune the brush will also try to smooth your hair. All of this for under $200? Woah. The future really is stupid. Via IB Times, The Verge and Gizmodo.
There will be spice in 2023's sandiest movie, the eagerly anticipated sequel to 2021's Dune. With a war a-brewing on the planet Arrakis, seeing Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet, Bones and All) and the Fremen face off against the folks who destroyed his family, there will be blood as well. And, in the centrepiece to Dune: Part Two's glorious first trailer ahead of its November release in cinemas, there will be sandworms and wormriding — including the internet's boyfriend going for a cruise on one of the sci-fi franchise's mammoth creatures. When its predecessor hit the big screen, it was after a year-long delay due to the pandemic, and as a second movie adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel. Following in David Lynch's footsteps might seem a foolish move, even when it's making a new version of one of the most unfairly maligned sci-fi films ever crafted, but Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) managed what Alejandro Jodorowsky sadly couldn't (see: excellent documentary Jodorowsky's Dune), and a new science-fiction cinema classic arrived. Villeneuve's picture only told part of Dune's story, though, which is where Dune: Part Two comes in. The first film had Paul head to Arrakis because his dad Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac, Moon Knight) had just been given stewardship of the sandy celestial body and its abundance of 'the spice' — aka the most valuable substance in the universe — and then get caught up in a bitter battle with malicious forces over the substance. It also saw Paul meet the population of people known as the Fremen, including Zendaya's (Euphoria) Chani and Javier Bardem's (Lyle, Lyle Crocodile) Stilgar, which is who he and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson, Doctor Sleep) are with when the new flick's trailer begins. Amid that expansive desert landscape, those hulking sandworms, Villeneuve's reliable eye for a spectacle and Hans Zimmer's (The Son) latest likely Oscar-winning score, Paul, Chani, Stilgar and company have vengeance to seek — but Paul also has to choose between love and preventing a dark future. And, he has new players to face, with Austin Butler ditching his Elvis locks as Feyd Rautha Harkonnen, the nephew of Stellan Skarsgard's (Andor) Baron Harkonnen, plus Florence Pugh (The Wonder) joining the saga as Princess Irulen, daughter of Christopher Walken's (Severance) Emperor Shaddam IV. From the first film, which scored ten Oscar nominations and six wins, Josh Brolin (Outer Range), Dave Bautista (Knock at the Cabin), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Beau Is Afraid) and Charlotte Rampling (Benedetta) return, while Léa Seydoux (Crimes of the Future) also joins the cast. Off-screen, Villeneuve has brought back not just Zimmer, but Oscar-winning Australian director of photography Greig Fraser (The Batman), Oscar-winning production designer Patrice Vermett (Vice), Oscar-winning editor Joe Walker (The Unforgivable), Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert (First Man) and Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West (Song to Song). Check out the first Dune: Part Two trailer below: Dune will release in cinemas Down Under on November 2, 2023.
This Sydney Festival, you can explore this vast, light-filled inflated labyrinth of winding paths and soaring domes at Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour. Nottingham (UK) artists Architects of Air have created (and, impressively, handmade) the blow-up maze, which features overwhelming domes inspired by natural forms, geometric solids and Islamic and Gothic architecture. The beaming colours you see is light streaming in from the outside, so it's best to visit this neon-looking artwork in the middle of the day for the full effect. This sensory wonderland is free to enjoy. It's open from 10am–6pm Monday to Wednesday, and until 5pm Thursday to Sunday. If you want to skip the queue or get access 6.30pm and 7pm sessions, you can nab a ticket for $20. There will also be special relaxed sessions for those with access needs, on January 16 and 23. Check out our video below for what to expect. Images: Reuben Gibbes and Alan Parkinson. First published: November 4, 2019. Updated: January 14, 2020.
The idea that good things come to those who wait isn't just a piece of advice everyone's mum have given them at least once; over the past couple of years, it's also been the mantra behind Australia's live gig scene. And, yes, now that music festivals, concerts and shows are back in a big way, great things are indeed coming Down Under — including Fisher's rescheduled Aussie tour. The former pro surfer-turned-DJ will be hitting up Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Perth in November, throwing a huge outdoor dance party in each city. He'll be on the decks, of course, but he'll also have company in the form of Booka Shade, Pnau, Loco Dice and HoneyLuv. Also on the bill: Little Fritter, Richard Penny, Tina Says and Loco Dice. International names, local talents — they're all on this lineup. And if you're wondering how excited that Fisher is to finally bring the tour to fruition, it's all there in the name. Originally his first-ever Aussie national tour was called 'Bigger Than a Beach Party', but now it's the 'Australia, It's Fk'n On' tour. [caption id="attachment_860230" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Booka Shade[/caption] A few details have changed, however. Originally, the tour was headed to Wollongong, but Stuart Park can no longer play host to major gigs due to heavy rain earlier this year. So, Fisher will hit up The Domain in Sydney instead — which is obviously ace news for Sydneysiders. It's been a huge few years for the Gold Coast DJ, since the Grammy-nominated 'Losing It' brought him to international fame. He also launched his own boozy seltzer brand FIZZ during the pandemic, which your tastebuds might be aware of. Fisher heads around Australia after headlining the Under Construction festival in the US, and playing shows at Petco Park in Denver. And yes, expect dance floors at Melbourne's Catani Gardens, Brisbane's Riverstage, The Domain in Sydney and Perth's Langley Park to be busy. [caption id="attachment_860229" align="alignnone" width="1920"] HoneyLuv[/caption] FISHER'S 2022 'IT'S FK'N ON AUSTRALIA' TOUR DATES: Saturday, November 5 — Catani Gardens, Melbourne Sunday, November 6 — Riverstage, Brisbane Saturday, November 12 — The Domain, Sydney Sunday, November 13 — Langley Park, Perth Fisher's 'It's Fk'n On Australia tour heads Down Under in November 2022. The waitlist for tickets is open now, with tickets pre-sales from 8am local time on Wednesday, July 13 — and general sales from 8am local time on Thursday, July 14.
When news dropped that Adnan Syed's murder conviction had been overturned, an obvious announcement followed: Sarah Koenig's grimly addictive podcast Serial, which spent its first season exploring the killing of Baltimore high school student Hae Min Lee and the extremely complex legal matters surrounding her ex-boyfriend Syed, was returning for a new episode. That new instalment, called 'Adnan Is Out', is available to listen to now — and Serial isn't the only recent Syed-focused hit that's making a comeback as a result. Here's another expected but also welcome development: The Case Against Adnan Syed, HBO's four-part documentary series about the case, is also making a new chapter. The US network revealed that a follow-up episode is in the works, with filmmaker Amy Berg (Phoenix Rising, Dogs, West of Memphis) returning behind the lens. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Amy Berg (@amy_berg) "We knew the end of The Case Against Adnan Syed was not the end of this story, and we've been closely following every twist and turn in the case since the series premiered in March 2019," said Berg in a statement. "It's gratifying to see many of the questions and issues probed in the original episodes come to bear on the events of this week," the filmmaker continued. HBO revealed that the new episode will arrive sometime in 2023, but hasn't dropped any further details — including how long it'll run for or the exact release date. Where it'll stream Down Under hasn't been announced yet, either. HBO also advised that Berg has been filming the follow-up episode in Maryland since early 2021, and was in the courthouse when Baltimore City Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn vacated Syed's murder conviction. The Case Against Adnan Syed's new episode will not only chart the lead up to that decision, but will also follow Syed after his release. [caption id="attachment_668625" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Adnan Syed. Via: Syed Family / Courtesy of HBO.[/caption] If you missed the HBO series when it premiered in 2019, it examined 18-year-old Lee's death in 1999 and Syed's conviction in 2000, as well as the latter's ongoing quest to have his conviction reassessed in the years since he was found guilty. Lee and Syed's relationship, tothe original police investigation and trial, the developments up until the show hit the air — they all featured, with the documentary gaining exclusive access to Syed, his family and his lawyers. Yes, it made for gripping viewing, with Berg working on the original four episodes since 2015. It was always bound to be compelling and thorough, given her excellent doco background — helming 2006's Oscar-nominated 2006 Deliver Us from Evil, about molestation in the Catholic Church; examining the West Memphis Three's quest for freedom in 2012's aforementioned West of Memphis; and tackling the sexual abuse of teenagers in the film industry in 2014's An Open Secret. Check out the trailer for The Case Against Adnan Syed's initial run below: HBO's follow-up episode to The Case Against Adnan Syed doesn't currently have a release date, other than arriving in 2023 — we'll update you when it does. In the interim, the original series is available to stream via Fetch in Australia . Images: SBS / HBO
Candlelight dinners, walks in the park, roses and chocolate. That's the old Valentine's Day. We're in 2023, the age of doing things differently. And what date concept is more unconventionally romantic than an evening of hurling a sharp object into a wooden target? The good folks at MANIAX Axe Throwing are getting in the mood and celebrating the season of love with the offer of Valentine's Day date nights at their nationwide axe throwing venues — and you can win one for free. In addition to pelting a heavy weapon at a wall with your S.O., the prize will include the added benefits of the MANIAX date night package: a 60-minute session with a lesson from an instructor (nobody throws until they're ready), two drinks of your choice and a piping hot pizza to share. MANIAX has locations in Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. So, whether you're looking for an unconventional date, have a thing for sharp weapons, or are well-versed in the world of axe throwing and simply want to show off, MANIAX has your Valentine's sorted. To earn your place in this hall of warriors, complete the form below. [competition]886696[/competition]
Four shows at Gaffa focus on half-seen worlds and the sort blurry places that can overwhelm the eyes. Armando Chant's Phase Change is dominated by a series of etchings of Banksia, shifting in and out of focus. The plates seem to have been progressively eaten away by the acid process between printings. Some have a sculptor's eye for detail. On others, the picture has faded until only rough dots or distant hazy forms remain. Arranged as a grid, the eye moves down the rows and the images dissolve. The clear topmost row of images denature down through a middle splodgy row to a lower one where almost nothing is left but soft, lumpen forms. At photo collective the Photo Group's show Eight Andrea Klucis' Where Land Meets the Sky shows a strip of a city ridge specked with trees and houses. Just above, it's touched by low rough clouds, under the bulk of the photo dominated by an endless sky. Its series of photos, Sometimes Sweet Silence, are each dominate by the 'golden hour' of light after the dawn, or before sunset. Asim Aly-Khan's Homeworlds of the Holograms makes globes from shaky streaks of light, while Mirjana Tann plays with lens flares spiking off the sun in When Darkness Lifes. Caroline McLean Foldes' domestic moments in Clifton Gardens - Home dot tiny cameos with gentle light, Mim Stirling's El retablo de los animalitos (The Altar of Little Animals) offers intimate photo portraits of tiny animal toys and Philipa Margan's lens gives M&Ms the sort of loving treatment that makes you realise how much their strange granary shape and rough aftertaste had always deserved such treatment. Plan is a joint show divided among A.W. and Kim Connerton. A.W. has images of frames within frames, empty boxes and a hollow plinth alongside correspondence between early photographers Fox Talbot and Herschel. It's a kind of unearthed bones from the world of early photography. Lotuses are the theme of Connerton's tiny sculptures, where miniature people aim to draw you into a pre-birth world. Images by Andrea Klucis and Philipa Margan.
Does anyone love biscuits as much as dads love biscuits? Probably not. But when Gelato Messina is making bikkies, everyone's tastebuds should be tempted. Each Father's Day for the past few years, the sweet-treat fiends have turned their attention from ice cream to tasty wares that don't require freezing — and 2023's haul is a trio of baked goods. Are mint slice biscuits a staple of your parents' pantry? Do they make you feel nostalgic for that exact reason? Well, now you can get your dad the Messina version again. But that isn't all that's on this year's menu, with the dessert chain also doing salted caramel and rum and raisin biscuits, combining the trio into one pack. The gelato brand does love taking other beloved desserts and giving them its own spin; see also: red velvet cake, honey joys, Bounty and Chokito bars, Iced VoVos, Viennetta and Golden Gaytimes, just to name a few. Messina's choc mint bikkies feature a chocolate base, mint centre and then 65-percent single-origin Messina dark chocolate over the top. The salted caramel goes with a salted caramel filling, of course, then, Messina caramelised white chocolate. And what's inside the rum and raisin biscuits is also obvious, with Messina milk chocolate doing the encasing. All three types are whipped up in-house by the the Messina Chocolatier team, and are being sold together in boxes of 12 — four of each — for $29. You can only purchase them up online from 9am on Monday, August 21. Then, they'll be sent to your door in advance of Father's Day on Sunday, September 3. Gelato Messina's Father's Day biscuit packs are available to order from 9am on Monday, August 21 — head to the Messina website for further details.
Both big air and big bands are on the agenda for Australia's newest festival offering. This August, the global Air + Style Big Air Competition is set to make its southern hemisphere debut, descending on The Domain for three huge days of snow sports, live music, culture and fashion. And it's being headlined by none other than Irish/Scottish alt-rockers Snow Patrol and US artist Flo Rida, each heading to town for their first Aussie shows in over five years. From August 3 to 5, the 34-hectare space on the edge of Sydney's CBD will be sporting a very different look than what locals are used to, featuring a 16-storey snow-covered ramp and multiple music stages. More than 60 of the world's best snowboarders and skiers will land here, to compete as part of the 2018 Air + Style Global Tour. Plus, the event has quite the pedigree — three-time Olympic gold medallist and all-round champion snowboarder Shaun White has been the majority shareholder since 2014. But let's not forget about the equally tempting music component. Previous incarnations of Air + Style in the likes of Beijing, Los Angeles and Austria's Innsbruck have drawn big-name artists such as Flume, Major Lazer, Portugal. The Man and Kendrick Lamar. The Sydney outing promises to follow in their footsteps, with Snow Patrol and Flo Rida just the first of many acts to be announced. Both single day tickets and multi-day passes are available, starting at $150. The Air + Style Big Air Competition comes to The Domain, Sydney from August 3-5. Head to the festival website for tickets and further information.
Sydney cycling has come a long way. It used to be a smoggy, niche activity elbowing its way through aggressive traffic, trying to come to terms with how such a beautiful city can be so hilly. While these things are all still there, now Sydney also has long-delayed bike lanes across the CBD, regular free defensive riding lessons, a Newtown bike library holding fort until the inevitable bike share scheme arrives and even plans for a cyclist change room in Taylor Square. And just when you thought that the City of Sydney couldn't get any more Amsterdam in its love of two wheels, flowers and separated bikeways, its gone and started off its own Sydney Rides Festival. The festival is has a quadricep-straining spread across the city's geography, from its bike heavy Greenup in Darlinghurst to the borrow-a-bike sessions in North Sydney and south of the bridge. Free breakfasts for Ride to Work Day also feature under the Harbour Bridge and all over Hyde Park on Wednesday, and any number of flickering nights cohosted by the Sydney Bicycle Film Festival — not the least of which will be Sydney Rides' launch at the Bicycle Film Fest's annual street fair. You can pimp your ride in Ultimo and get the chance to introduce your bike to culture all over town. Image by plugimi.
The chance to tap into terror without actual bodily danger is what keeps us returning to horror films and roller-coasters, but neither do it as pervasively, intimately, and thoughtfully as Tamara Saulwick in Pin Drop. Primarily using sound design, the Green Room Award winner for Outstanding Production awakens a catalogue of fears learnt through interviews with subjects aged six to 92. Pin Drop is part of the Performance Space season Show On. Read about the other shows here.
Opera on a regular stage is one thing, but opera performed on a floating openair theatre atop Sydney Harbour, under the stars? Well, that's some unforgettable stuff. Especially when it's Giuseppe Verdi's famed classic La Traviata that's being given the overwater treatment. The glamorous three-act show is the latest production announced as part of Opera Australia's Handa Opera series. It was set to pop up on the harbour in March 2020, but, because of COVID-19, it was postponed. Now, it has been announced that the show will (finally) go on in March 2021. Handa Opera has pulled over 400,000 guests since debuting with La Traviata back in 2012, its mix of drinking and dining options, breathtaking views and nightly fireworks making it one of Sydney's must-try cultural offerings. It's also considered one of the world's best openair opera venues. [caption id="attachment_729347" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'La Traviata' by Opera Australia[/caption] The upcoming season will see director Constantine Costi heading up a bold new production of La Traviata based on celebrated director Francesca Zambello's original. It tells the famously heartbreaking tale of a free-spirited Parisian courtesan and her tragic love affair with a nobleman. Expect to be wowed by a glittering nine-metre-high chandelier decked out with 10,000 crystals on stage, while world-class performers deliver soaring renditions of legendary tunes like 'Sempre Libera' and 'Brindisi'. Carmen, Aida and La Bohème are just some of the hits to grace the Handa Opera stage in recent years, with 2019's production of West Side Story selling a huge 62,000 tickets. La Traviata on Handa Opera will run from Friday, March 26 to Sunday, April 25. Tickets are on sale from the Opera Australia Box Office from $99.. Handa Opera's 2012 'La Traviata' by Lightbox Photography
Checking surf conditions is a thing of the past for Sunshine Coasters, there's a multi-million dollar wave pool on its way. Best part is, you choose the size of the waves and customise how long they roll for. Really. The hugely-anticipated Webber Wave Pool has found a spot to make its own, snapping up a 24 hectare piece of land in Glenview — a colossal corner of fun right near Australia Zoo and the Big Kart Track. Developer Waterplay Pty Ltd is behind it all, the water-happy brains behind Malaysia's Sunway Lagoon and Wadi Adventure Park in the United Arab Emirates. Surrounded by waterslides, a 120-room hotel, canoeing rapids and a holiday village, the epic wave pool is the premier focus of the park. Pumping out consistently perfect and regulated waves, grommets and old hats alike will be able to choose their level of difficulty surfing the waves. Purists might be severely facepalming right now, but honestly, this is some pretty badass technology. Webber's drive system, according to their website, allows control over the hull speed, draft and trim angle of the wave. "These additional controls will transform our ability to change the wave shape during the ride," they say. "As a result, we will be able to make the wave angle and wave size shape change in a similar way as happens in nature." If you're bored of a particular set-up (yeah, if you're bored of your predictable ol' wave), just tweak a few details and you're riding a totally different beast. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZA4PoRBVY-M Webber's shiny new systems also allow the team to create waves of different sizes in the same pool at the same time. The coolest part? Your settings are saved on your wrist. "When linked to the profile of each patron by their RFID wristband, the software driving the new drive system will immediately adjust the ratio of the wave sizes to match with the changes in demand during the day." Rad. The Waterplay team hope to have you carving things up within a few short years, with the wave pool first on the to-do list. "All things going well, our team hopes to begin work next year and have the first Sunshine Park guests splashing, surfing and sliding on what will be Australia's latest waterpark during 2016," Waterplay spokesperson David Baird, told the Courier Mail. Fine, I guess we'll just have to surf in the real beach until then, whatever. Stupid, unruly, natural waves. Via Queensland Blog.
Holy Ghost are back with some ridiculously catchy music, The National have us swimming in a sea of love, and Sam Smith goes acoustic to show us the beauty of strings. Put down the iPod; these five tracks are your playlist for the weekend. 1. 'DUMB DISCO IDEAS' - HOLY GHOST Holy Ghost are back with their impending album Dynamics, and this week they treated us to the first delicious slice of audio pie from the record in 'Dumb Disco Ideas'. It is eight minutes of subtle hooks, groove and simplicity and the accompanying video is equally as fantastic, with a time lapse of the Manhattan skyline punctuated by cleverly synchronised disco lights. 2. 'SEA OF LOVE' - THE NATIONAL The National are experts at making music for all occasions. 'Sea of Love' is another one of those gems that you can listen to whilst jogging, brooding over a break-up or taking a road trip to the greatest festival of your life (at which they are probably playing). The track coasts along nicely until its final third when everything lets loose and the band just take it up a few thousand notches. The National are back to their very best. Also, the kid at the front of the video is incredible. 3. 'LATCH' - SAM SMITH Sam Smith provided the vocals for Disclosure's electro smash 'Latch'. This week he decided to strip that track back, take out all of the technologically created sounds and head in an acoustic direction and we should all be glad he has. Whilst the original is enjoyable in its own right, Sam's haunting voice and strong string accompaniment take it in a direction you never imagined the song could go. This is music as it was meant to be made. 4. 'FALL FOR YOU' - YOUNG GALAXY Canadian indie band Young Galaxy know how to have fun and thankfully they are kind enough to share what their fun creates. 'Fall For You' is from their new album Ultramarine and it creates all kinds of good feelings when you hear it. If you watch the video whilst listening you will never be sad again. 5. 'RUN AWAY' - SUNSTROKE PROJECT It's Eurovision weekend, which means its time to reflect on one of the greatest moments in recent competition history — epic sax man. When Moldova took to the stage in 2010 nobody expected much; how wrong we all were. Not only did we get a spinning violinist but we were also treated to the most epic saxophonist ever. Many have tried to replicate his hips, but none have succeeded and it is doubtful that anybody ever will.
When Meredith celebrates its 31st festival in 2023, it'll do so with a live set more than half a century in the making. Doing the headlining honours: none other than German electro pioneers Kraftwerk, who have not only announced a solo tour of Australia this December, but also locked in a key slot in Meredith's Supernatural Amphitheatre. Aunty Meredith comes bearing two big pieces of news, with Kraftwerk leading the bill — aka the only artist that's been revealed for 2023's fest so far — and the ticket ballot opening. Book that long weekend now, pop your name in the running and cross your fingers that you'll be spending Friday, December 8–Sunday, December 10 at The Sup. "Kraftwerk, quite simply, are the reason music sounds like it does today. Progenitors of pop. Of music as we know it," the Meredith team advised, announcing the Düsseldorf-formed group as the event's first big name for 2023. They're not wrong. "Specks of Kraftwerk DNA hurtle through the space-time continuum, embedding themselves into Bowie, Spacemen 3, Afrika Bambaataa, Prince, Daft Punk, New Order, Radiohead, Missy Elliott and every Meredith Music Festival for the last three decades." [caption id="attachment_847588" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Fletcher[/caption] As for who else will join Kraftwerk, watch this space. In 2022, Meredith's first festival since 2019 due to the pandemic, the Caribou-, Yothu Yindi- and Courtney Barnett-led lineup dropped in mid-August. To nab tickets to the beloved three-day BYO camping festival, you've got until 10.31pm AEST on Monday, August 14 to enter the ballot. [caption id="attachment_865642" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chelsea King[/caption] MEREDITH 2023 LINEUP: Kraftwerk and more to come Meredith Music Festival will return to Meredith on Friday, December 8–Sunday, December 10, 2023. To put your name in the ballot to get your hands on tickets, head to the festival's website before 10.31pm AEST on Monday, August 14. Top image: Steve Benn.
To not enjoy the whistful sounds of Emma Louise may as well be cardinal sin. Her ranging tempos matched with an eerily sweet voice, make for a sound that's encapsulated an audience far beyond the Triple J circuit she's been most frequented on. Now, fresh from firing her music at the flower folk in Toowoomba, Emma Louise is conquering the other side of the Great Dividing Range at Brisbane Festival. On the tail of her latest album release Emma Louise vs. Head vs. Heart this 21-year-old artist has played to sold out audiences across Australia. Her listeners have remained addicted to the pure and pared backed tunes that fuse the sounds of Sarah Blasko and the Jezabels to produce something that is uniquely Emma Louise. From her breakthrough single 'Jungle' to her latest stunners indluding 'Mirrors' and 'Boy' she's captured the hearts of everyone from angsty teens to a more mature fan base. Join a crowd of loyal fans as she treats Brisbane to two intimate shows at The Spiegeltent. Check out Emma Louise's 'Boy'
Featuring over 800 shoes from the 16th century to now, Recollect: Shoes will showcase its diverse collection at the Powerhouse Museum this November. From the first elastic-sided boots in the world (worn by Queen Victoria) to a pair of Charles Jourdan heels worn by Nicole Kidman in the film Moulin Rouge, a pair of cricket boots signed by Sir Donald Bradman and designer names such as Louboutin, Yves Saint Laurent and Prada, this event is one design lovers, fashionistas, artists, shoe fetishists and history buffs alike won't want to miss. But shoes don't just make themselves. The exhibition comes full circle without a range of shoemaking equipment, including an early 20th century clicking press, shoe lasts and patterns to demonstrate the process of making bespoke shoes, in addition to a collection of recent acquisitions, fashion photographs and an special exhibit about caring for shoes. DIY types will want to attend the shoemaking drop-in sessions by designer Jodie Morrison (10 January and 18 April).
