UPDATE, October 9, 2021: Space Jam: A New Legacy is streaming via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Prime Video, and is also screening in Sydney cinemas when they reopen on Monday, October 11. In the misfire that's always been 1996's Space Jam, basketball superstar-turned-unconvincing actor Michael Jordan is asked to hurry up. "C'mon Michael, it's game time! Get your Hanes on, lace up your Nikes, grab your Wheaties and your Gatorade, and we'll pick up a Big Mac on the way to the ballpark," he's told. Spoken by go-to 90s schemester Wayne Knight (aka Seinfeld's Newman), this line couldn't better sum up the film or the franchise it has now spawned. The Space Jam movies aren't really about the comedic chaos that springs when a famous sportsperson pals around with cartoons. That's the plot, complicated in the original flick and now 25-years-later sequel Space Jam: A New Legacy by evil forces that turn a basketball game into a battle ground; however, it's also just a means to an end. These features are truly about bringing brands together in a case of mutual leveraging, as product placement always is. Connect Looney Tunes with the NBA, and audiences will think of both when they think of either, the strategy aims. It has worked, of course — and with A New Legacy, the approach is put to even broader and more shameless use. Everyone who has ever even just heard of Space Jam in passing knows its central equation: Looney Tunes + hoop dreams. The first Space Jam's viewers mightn't also remember the aforementioned product name-drops, but Warner Bros, the studio behind this saga, hopes A New Legacy's audience will forever recall its new references. All the brands shoehorned in here are WB's own, with its other pop culture franchises and properties mentioned repeatedly. The company also has Harry Potter, The Matrix, the DC Extended Universe flicks such as Wonder Woman, and Mad Max: Fury Road in its stable. Its catalogue includes Game of Thrones, Rick and Morty, The Lord of the Rings, and Hanna-Barbera cartoons like The Flintstones and Scooby-Doo, too. And, it holds the rights to everything from The Wizard of Oz, Metropolis and Casablanca to A Clockwork Orange and IT. A New Legacy wants to forcefully and brazenly impress these titles into viewers' minds so that they'll always equate them with the studio. In other words, this is just a Warner Bros ad with LeBron James and Looney Tunes as its spokespeople. You don't need to be a cynic or have zero nostalgia for the OG Space Jam to see A New Legacy as purely a marketing exercise. Bringing brands together is what the movie literally focuses on. James takes over from Jordan as the flesh-and-blood figure who hops onto the court with the Tune Squad, including Bugs Bunny (Jeff Bergman, Our Cartoon President), Lola Bunny (Zendaya, Malcolm & Marie), Daffy Duck and Porky Pig (both voiced by Teen Titans Go!'s Eric Bauza) — and he's plunged into the game by Warner Bros itself. On-screen, the studio is run by an algorithm unimaginatively named Al G Rhythm (Don Cheadle, Avengers: Endgame), which wants to capitalise upon the Los Angeles Lakers star's popularity. The plan: digitising James' likeness and inserting it into some of WB's best-known fare, all via a computer realm called the Warner 3000 Serververse. While there's also a subplot involving the sportsman's fictional son Dom (Cedric Joe, Loving Him), who'd rather be coding than dribbling, is pushed towards the latter by his dad, but creates the basketball video game the elder James and his animated teammates eventually find themselves playing, that always comes second to Warner Bros doing exactly what LeBron condemns in the flick itself. Perhaps we're all supposed to be too distracted by constantly spotting the likes of the Iron Giant, Austin Powers, King Kong and the Gremlins to notice that A New Legacy makes corporate synergy the bad guy while also epitomising the concept. Perhaps we're meant to be so overwhelmed not just by the pointless intellectual property onslaught, but by the frenetic visuals and domineering soundtrack favoured by director Malcolm D Lee (Girls Trip, Night School), that we just succumb. Maybe, given that Wreck-It Ralph and Ready Player One have charted similar reference-heavy territory before — the first engagingly, the second to puff up a terrible movie — we should all be accustomed to blatant advertising passing itself off as films by now. Maybe Warner Bros just thinks that saying "hey, all these other well-known movies and shows exist" constitutes a narrative, even if it takes six credited screenwriters to come up with an abysmal script. A New Legacy operates as if all the above is true, and also tries to convince itself that it has genuine emotions at its core, but it's impossible to see this as anything other than a commercial. WB's parent company also owns US streaming service HBO Max and, wouldn't you know it, many of the pop culture titles referenced in A New Legacy are available on the platform. Now kids will link them all together, and to Warner Bros; advertising mission accomplished. Again, the original Space Jam is beloved only through the lens of nostalgia — it's a mess of a Nike ad, and little more — but A New Legacy didn't have to be like this. James was a genuinely funny scene-stealer in Trainwreck. Looney Tunes fare is too rarely seen these days, and the tiny snippets of the cartoon's old-school antics that do feature here, including with a cartoon James, are among A New Legacy's best moments. (That the toons' 1996 big-screen outing inspired 2003's Looney Tunes: Back in Action isn't as widely remembered, but everyone needs some animated slapstick in their lives every now and then.) A New Legacy really should've trusted its basic elements; however, that would've been bucking the trend established by the saga's initial flick. At least the new film does deploy one obvious but nonetheless excellent joke regarding Space Jam's original hoop shooter, although in a better movie, that wouldn't be as much of a highlight as it proves. It doesn't involve basketball, but a far better option than this designed-by-algorithm shambles is to just rewatch Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which remains the pinnacle of live-action/animated hybrids.
Twenty hours. That's how long it takes to travel from New York City to Sydney. Miguel Gutierrez, NYC-based choreographer, made the epic journey Down Under just two days ago. There are no detectable traces of jet lag in the CarriageWorks studios this morning, however, just an air of quiet anticipation. Today is the first day of rehearsal for the second collaboration between Gutierrez and Sydney's three-member dance group the Fondue Set. Gutierrez seems far from groggy; in fact, he's already hit the gym for a pre-rehearsal workout. He mentions taking particular notice of the music videos playing earlier on the gym's TV. He dismisses the "mechanistic" style of dance and overtly sexual portrayal of women that fills most of the music videos; the generic isn't what impresses him. What Gutierrez seems to value is an alternative approach to art, one with emotional validity. Now that's what piques his interest, he says. Gutierrez has certainly piqued Sydney's interest. His arrival in town marks the continuation of a 2010 collaboration with the Fondue Set. The original collaboration was created while Gutierrez was working remotely from NYC. Emailing daily videos, messages and inspiration, he meshed his imagination with those of the trio, creating a work that defied the difficulties of distance. This time around, Gutierrez and the Fondue Set have a series of three solos in the works. With the show only a couple of weeks away, and the pieces still in their nascent stage, there is a lot of work to be done. Where does one begin, exactly? "What really happens is that you tune into what is going on, what you want to do, what you perceive is possible to do, what you perceive that time is asking of you," says Gutierrez. "To sound a bit occult about it, I think in a way that you are a medium. You are channelling both the thing that feels important for you to explore and also tapping into the energy of the situation. "If you aren't open to accidents, and open to the weird causality that happens in any day of the week, I don't know what your work will look like … mine would be dead." 'Dead' is the last word that comes to mind when thinking of Gutierrez, or the Fondue Set for that matter. Jane McKernan, Emma Saunders and Elizabeth Ryan, the lovely ladies of the dance group, produce some of the most fabulously loud and ludicrous pieces around: a perfect match for Gutierrez's energy. The trio pop out from the rehearsal studio and coyly slip a piece of notebook paper into Gutierrez's hand. "Gone to get coffee. Want some?", it reads. Gutierrez requests a latte. "Decaf?" "No!" he exclaims, laughing. So that's what keeps this man ticking. Gutierrez describes the Fondue Set as they hurry to the coffee shop. "They're smart, they're funny, they're grown-ups," he says of the group. "This is not me being like 'Okay you guys, I'm going to show you what's what.' It's a conversation ... If I'm a great tennis player I want to play with great tennis players … In order for me to put my shit to the test, I have to do it with other good artists." In collaborating with other talented artists, Gutierrez admits that there can be challenges. His past collaborations have brought moments of conflict and disagreement, but he honours the progression those moments result in. That friction, he says, generates content. "I've been working recently around the senses," says Gutierrez, "and sort of using the senses as a way of exploring the environment … to create a different relationship to the way your body is investigating space." His current inspiration may sound a little mellowed to those familiar with Gutierrez's past works, many of which are considered to be explosively political. In 2004, Gutierrez choreographed his piece dAMNATION rOAD, which explored "the body in terror". Critics and audiences perceived the piece as a reaction to the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US a few years prior. Gutierrez, however, says that he no longer enters the studio with a political agenda. "I think that when people perceive politics in the work, it is because either through text or maybe a certain tone or sensibility in the work, there is a distinct relationship between what is happening on the stage and outside of the studio. And so people can make those associations, and they deem those political. Yeah sure, there are politics in that, but there's also just awareness and context. "I do feel like something that intrigues me right now about dance in relationship to what's happening in this world is that it is this confusing thing, and the world is confusing. More often than not, people are looking to art forms to be these repositories of clarity. Dance can be this space where confusion is honoured and explored and maintained." The creative process is slow and steady for Gutierrez. A self-proclaimed 'tortoise', he works in increments, piecing together his product. Aussies, Gutierrez has gathered, share a similar, dedicated yet relaxed approach to work. Not relaxed as in lazy, he clarifies, but a "self-assured" sort of relaxed. Dancers and choreographers from Oz are, in his opinion, "jovial, open, smart and never bitter." In the Fondue Set, Gutierrez has found his work-ethic soulmate(s). When asked if he might be making an appearance onstage with the Fondue Set, however, Gutierrez will not say 'yes'. But he won't say 'no' either. "I'm not going to answer that," he says, smirking his way back into the studio. The Fondue Set will take the stage at Carriageworks on Friday, April 20 at 7pm.
The music industry has spent a long time moving toward favouring the live performance over the recording to make their money. But Sydney Artists have also started going the way of the live performance, with while-you-wait graffiti wars and the seemingly inexorable rise of the Brown Council. Fresh from a series of water-based performances, Artspace is bringing you artists who put themselves back into their work for Nothing Like Performance. Artist Paul Donald will be spanning the space with ramshackle bridge, as frequent auto-portraiter Lauren Brincat gets on and off camera to satisfy her urge for art. Matthew Bradley renews his drive to make a windmill-like set of giant wheels, building it live as the next element in his Monster Bike, a project last exhibited as a Borgesian 1:1 model in his Victorian show Storm Machine. Will French likes big public statements with his art, having once driven a car through the wall of Firstdraft for art's sake, and here will elaborate on elements from his travels. Body-shaping performance artist Yiorgos Zafiriou will bring beginnings from Damien Minton's annex to conclusion at Artspace, painting classical German sculptures out in marble, while the Brown Council dot three shows over the course of the exhibition, honing in on a particular Aussie performance artist. The Brown Council perform opening night and December 4 and 18. Image: This Time Tomorrow: Tempelhof by Lauren Brincat.
Let's go party, indeed: Barbie is here, filling Australian cinemas with pink-hued cheer, and slaying both the patriarchy and the Australian box office. Greta Gerwig's Margot Robbie-starring take on the famous doll packed picture palaces not just with every shade of not-quite-red it could, but with people, breaking a Malibu DreamHouse worth records in the process. If you noticed plenty of fellow filmgoers watching this trip to Barbie Land, then Los Angeles, then back with you last weekend, that was the experience mirrored around the country. In fact, Barbie notched up the biggest opening at the Australian box office for 2023 so far, raking in $21.5 million including preview screenings. The stats keep coming, but the best is truly historic: Barbie enjoyed the biggest opening weekend for a film directed by a female filmmaker. It earned that same huge opening weekend title for films with any of Robbie, Gerwig and Ryan Gosling (The Gray Man) involved. Now that's some Kenergy. Also, Barbie helped smash even more records as part of the double feature of 2023: Barbenheimer. Thanks to both Barbie and Christopher Nolan's vastly dissimilar atomic-bomb thriller Oppenheimer, the Aussie box office saw its biggest-ever Saturday and Sunday takings. On Saturday, July 22, $11.1 million spent bested the $10.3 million recorded in April 2019 when Avengers: Endgame released. On Sunday, July 23, the $10.5 million gross topped the $9.96 million taken in December 2105 — on the Boxing Day public holiday on December 27, in fact — as fuelled by Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, plus Boxing Day releases. Specific cinemas also broke past records. At Sydney's Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, the independent theatre scored its highest-grossing weekend in its 88-year history. Oppenheimer in 70mm notched up the cinema's highest-grossing opening ever, while Barbie now sits second in that same category. At Melbourne's Cinema Nova, the also-independent cinema looks set to earn its biggest box-office week of all time. If it does, it'll break the record set in January 2020, when Gerwig's Little Women was playing alongside films like Jojo Rabbit and Parasite. Barbie also took the opening-week record from Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, and might become the first film by a female filmmaker to hit the venue's top ten of all time list. As for Oppenheimer, it's in the top ten biggest opening weekends. It shouldn't be lost on anyone that Barbie and Oppenheimer's successes mean that two movies that aren't part of long-running franchises have audiences flocking in. Neither film comes in as the fifth or 11th or 17th or 31st entries in a long-running saga, and don't we all know and love it. Here's the big takeaway: more of that please, especially given that oh-so-much of what reaches the silver screen is a sequel, prequel or chapter in a sprawling universe these days. Check out the trailers for Barbie and Oppenheimer below: Barbie is showing in Australian cinemas now. Read our review. Oppenheimer is also showing in Australian cinemas now. Read our review, too.
Each winter Vivid draws Sydney out of hibernation with a festival of light installations, talks, workshops and performances. Now in its tenth year, the festival is bigger and brighter than ever. From the illumination of major city landmarks to international acts and challenging ideas, there's a lot to pack into the 23 nights. With the help of our friends at YHA Australia, we've put together a rundown to help you navigate the festival. From what to see and do and to where best to eat and drink. [caption id="attachment_670002" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sydney Harbour YHA rooftop[/caption] STAY With so much to see and do during Vivid, you'll want to be close to the action. Sydney Harbour YHA in The Rocks is the perfect home base; it's just a stone's throw away from the installations in The Rocks and walking distance to Circular Quay and the Botanic Gardens. It's also right in the thick of some of the most historic pubs in Sydney. The building combines modern comfort with the heritage of the area — it's set above archaeological remains of colonial Sydney. Choose from private or dorm rooms and head to the rooftop balcony to treat yourself to one of the best views in Sydney. From this bird's eye vantage point, you'll have an uninterrupted view stretching from the Harbour Bridge to the Sydney Opera House, Customs House and city buildings, all lit up for the festival. Grab a drink and settle in to soak it all up. If you'd prefer to stay a touch further away from the heaving Circular Quay, YHA also has locations in Sydney Central and Railway Square. Here, you'll be in walking distance of Haymarket (and its many dumplings, noodles and 30c cream puffs), Spice Alley and Darling Harbour's stunning light installations. All three YHAs are offering 20-percent-off during Vivid, too. [caption id="attachment_625341" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bodhi Liggett.[/caption] EAT You'll need to keep your energy levels up in order to fit in everything in during the festival. Luckily, there are heaps of great food options around. Start the day with quality coffee and a beautiful, picturesque breakfast at The Grounds of the City. If you're short on time, though, you can grab a cup of joe and a brekkie burger, bowl or muffin from the takeaway window. For lunchtime refuelling, head to La Renaissance Patisserie for house-made pies, baguette sandwiches and pastries. The tree covered courtyard is a sweet little place to retreat from the crowds for a little while. In The Rocks Centre behind Kendall Lane, you'll also find the Fine Food Store serving up sandwiches, salads and winter warmers like soups and stews. When the sun goes down, check out the new Bar Patrón by Rockpool for authentic Mexican eats, margaritas and views of the Vivid lights. Alternatively, head to The Morrison, located between The Rocks and Wynyard, for a mean sirloin steak or the $1 oyster happy hour from 6–7pm each Wednesday. And if you've really got cash to splash and a burning desire for views with some top eats, head to Cafe Sydney. Found above Customs House (which will be covered in a Snugglepot and Cuddlepie light show), this place serves up Australian haute-cuisine with a killer view. The restaurant also has a dedicated vegan menu for those looking for some fine dining that considers their dietaries. For another prime spot with more casual eats, head next door to Gateway — home to Neil Perry's Burger Project, Din Tai Fung, Four Frogs Creperie and Gelato Messina. DRINK The Rocks area is heaving with pubs — in fact, two of them, The Lord Nelson and The Fortune of War, lay claim to being Sydney's oldest. The best way to fit them all in is to head on a pub crawl — starting at The Lord Nelson, making tracks to the potentially haunted Hero of Waterloo, heading up to The Glenmore rooftop for excellent harbour views, passing by The Fortune of War and finishing up at the newly refurbished Orient. If you're after something more sedate and refined, hit Henry Deane, the rooftop bar at Hotel Palisade which boasts incredible views of the harbour and the lights of Vivid. Otherwise, check out Bulletin Place for intricately crafted cocktails, or cosy up at The Doss House, a new underground whisky bar set in an incredible heritage building in The Rocks. [caption id="attachment_624496" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Horan.[/caption] SEE The projections onto the Sydney Opera House have been the crowning glory of the Vivid light display since the festival's inception. This year the sails will feature the work of artist Jonathan Zawada, blending everyday objects with the pictures inspired by the Australian environment. Meanwhile, Skylark makes use of the high rises around Circular Quay, featuring a custom-built laser atop the Harbour Bridge projecting onto buildings in a stunning light show every half hour. The Southern Pylon of the bridge will be lit with Bangarra Dance Company's Dark Emu, melding dance and art and paying homage to the agricultural knowledge of Indigenous Australians. [caption id="attachment_623212" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Horan.[/caption] See bacteria writ large at Beautiful and Dangerous in The Rocks. The work takes you under a neon microscope to explore some of the deadliest diseases facing mankind and what's being done to curb them. While you're in the area, look skyward and see A Little Birdie Told Me — a work depicting the threat to many of our native bird species. The festival of light also makes full use of the glorious Botanic Gardens, with installations dotted throughout. Impressions shows a time-lapse of flora captured from the garden throughout the day, displayed across five huge canvases. Check out The Bloom, a giant metallic flower covered in LED pixels. And hanging in a canopy of trees is Hyperweb, a giant web combining light and soundscape. DO With so many artists and thinkers in town, you might want to extend your stay to fit more in. Top of the ticket is Solange, performing at the Sydney Opera House. Her shows are sold out, but festival organisers recommend checking the website daily for last-minute releases. Also in town are Grammy award-winning singer St Vincent and legendary rapper Ice Cube. There are heaps of local acts to check out too, including No Mono, Middle Kids and Stonefield. For one night only Heaps Gay will host a fabulous, not-to-be-missed fancy dress party, Qweens Ball, at Town Hall. Plus for a change of pace, this year's festival also includes a jazz series for the first time. [caption id="attachment_574541" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Bodhi Liggett.[/caption] Vivid Ideas will get your mind bubbling about the big issues. There are talks on everything from building a sustainable future and the threat to democracy to the art of creativity and understanding consciousness. For podcast nerds, the Audiocraft Podcast Festival features a line-up of industry heavyweights in a series of talks and workshops. If you're headed to Vivid this year, YHA is offering 20% off stays for Concrete Playground readers during the festival. The offer applies to all rooms (private and multi-share) at Sydney Harbour YHA, Sydney Central YHA and Railway Square YHA. Use the code VIVID to claim the discount when you book online, valid Sunday to Thursday between Sunday, May 27 and Friday, June 15. More info about the offer and other weekend discounts here. Image: Destination NSW.
Snorkelling. Private jets. Quokkas. Go-getters Heineken and boutique experience cultivators MrAristotle are at it again, and this time with a prize so appealing, you’ll want to move to Perth just to enter. To mark the release of SPECTRE — the 24th film in the iconic James Bond franchise — Heineken is celebrating its long-term partnership with the Bond brand to offer a few lucky fans a series of unbelievable and exclusive luxury experiences. Throughout November and December, Heineken have been hosting exclusive SPECTRE 007 events that are so mysterious participants haven't known what’s in store until they’re suddenly whisked away and thrown right into the middle of the action right as it happens. Having already revealed their helicopter pub tour and personal stylist session prizes, Heineken and MrAristotle have now unveiled their latest prize. Forget packing into the stuffy car and spending hours looking for a park, this one’s for the high-flyers... literally. It's a pretty fancy trip to Rottnest Island for lucky Perth people — we're talking luxury private jets, snorkelling in coral gardens, gourmet lunches, quokkas, the works. So what type of mission are you up for? You'll just have to sign up to find out — it could be anything worthy of the world of James Bond. Sure, that could technically mean you have to infiltrate villain lairs and have various tuxedo scuba suits on hand for 24 hours, but we’re pretty confident it’s referring to the fun stuff: parties filled with glamour, prestige, special guests and VIP performances. To be in the running, fans need to sign up via the Heineken's The Catch website and have your mates locked, loaded and ready to move at a moment’s notice. High fashion and jet skis aren’t essential, but they’ll certainly come in handy... Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Each year, the team behind Vivid Sydney clearly asks itself a question: where else can we dazzle with lights next? Ranging from gardens and tunnels to buildings and bridges, the answers brighten up not only the festival's annual program, but the Harbour City. Letting a train lit up with an immersive glow and pumping techno tunes loose on the New South Wales capital's rails is a new answer for 2024, however. Meet Tekno Train. This isn't your ordinary, everyday, average commute — this is a 60-minute trip filled with lighting and music that changes to match the train's speed and the landscape outside. And the tunes? Like the event itself, they hail from Paul Mac. The result is a 23-night-only railway experience that's an Australian first, with its music newly composed specifically for what promises to be a helluva ride. Here's how it works: between Friday, May 24–Saturday, June 15, you'll hop onboard a K-set train at Central Station, either opting for a scenic route to North Sydney and then Lavender Bay via a secret spur line (the slower, more family-friendly trip), or hitting up City Circle and South Sydney (which'll be the livelier and faster-paced journey). Whether you pick The Scenic Route or Tech Express, as the two choices have been named, you'll see Tekno Train's custom lighting beam and hear its electronic dance music soundtrack pulse through all of the locomotive's carriages. "Trains have always fascinated me. Their mix of rhythmic clicks and clacks, the screech of metal on metal, and the sound and smell of brakes are all interesting sensory experiences that everyone can relate to," said Paul Mac about the new addition to the Vivid Sydney 2024 lineup, which has been announced just days ahead of the fest's kickoff. "Tekno Train will take things one step further. It will drive the music and lights, turning a commuter journey into a sensory rollercoaster." If you're wondering how it links in with this year's Vivid theme of 'humanity', Tekno Train puts the power of music to unite — even when people are doing something that they don't normally think twice about — in the spotlight. It also celebrates public transport, mass transit and community. And, of course, it'll get you seeing riding the rails in a whole new light, literally. In 2024, other responses to the Vivid challenge to put lights anywhere and everywhere include the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, where Lightscape will again get radiant; the Sydney Opera House sails, the city's trusty large-scale canvas; facades including Customs House and the Museum of Contemporary Art; the Sydney Harbour Bridge; Barangaroo; and Sydney Tower, which will project a fan of 40-kilometre-long laser beams. And, for the second year running, Dark Spectrum will return to Wynyard's railway tunnels with a one-kilometre trail featuring eight chambers, 300 lasers and strobe lights, 500 lanterns, 250 search lights and 700 illuminated arrows. Tekno Train departs from Central Station, running for 23 nights during Vivid Sydney — which takes place from Friday, May 24–Saturday, June 15. Head to the festival website for further details and tickets. Images: Destination NSW.
If you've always wanted to follow in the footsteps of Rasputin, but just couldn't find the right Contiki tour, we're here to help. There's a certain stigma that, in order to travel through Russia, you need to simultaneously wield a knife and be prepared to denounce democracy at any moment. There's some weird idea that it's filled lunatics, haters of English-speakers and that every street peddler possesses a stare of death. Well, take it from our experience — that's a total load of rot. Russia is home to some of the world's most incredible architecture, highest fashion and interesting people, and flights are on par with the cost of a trip to London. English isn't widely spoken — and you might have to adopt a diet of carrot cake and Cornettos to avoid attempting the language — but if you're chasing great experience over a great tan, lock in Russia for your summer vacay. [caption id="attachment_554510" align="alignnone" width="1280"] farhad sadykov via Flickr[/caption] WHERE TO GO If it's your first time in Russia and you're strapped for time, stick to the Western side — that is, St Petersburg, Moscow and Sochi. St Petersburg is an artist's dream, Sochi is the adventurer's city and Moscow is the New York of Russia (though they'd never admit it). Each city has every scene you can imagine — dive bars, high-end food precincts, live music venues, and a cathedral on every corner. If you want to experience a less hectic and clustered Russia — but still want to survive as an outsider — travel around the small towns outside Moscow, commonly known as the Golden Ring. It's a great route if you're chasing the peaceful life in the Russian province, beautiful countryside views and ancient architecture. [caption id="attachment_554526" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Kyle Taylor via Flickr[/caption] HOW TO GET A VISA Nothing great comes without at least one hurdle — and this one is a toughy. You're going to have to print some forms, post them off and pay some cash money for a little piece of paper to stick in your passport. Normally you have to apply for a Russian visa in person, but the Sydney consulate kindly allows you to post your application in. Check out their guidelines here. On your application form, you'll have to make sure you list every single country you've visited before. Seriously, if you forget that brief stopover you had once in Singapore, there'll be no visa for you. Oh, and you'll need an invitation from the hotel or hostel you're staying at during your stay in Russia. If you're Airbnb-ing it, you will have to obtain an invitation online. Stress Free Visas is a reliable, UK-based company that will help you obtain an invitation compatible with your visa within a day (for $40). [caption id="attachment_554509" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Chao Mama Hostel[/caption] WHERE TO STAY Hostels in Russia are seemingly some of the cleanest and cheapest in the world, but, of course, you're always at risk of getting a flea-ridden dud. In St Petersburg, Chao Mama hostel should be your go-to — seriously, work your trip around their availability so you can stay here. Its location is walking distance to St Isaac's Cathedral and a bed in a six-bed dorm is around a stupidly affordable $9AUD a night. They have homemade Belgian waffles for breakfast and the entire place is slick, clean and modern. If you're willing to empty your bank account on a luxe stay, then W Hotel is by far the trendiest, most convenient stay this side of the Baltic. In Moscow, just Airbnb it. The best hostels are on Airbnb anyway, and there are truly some pretty remarkable, not-too pricey views you could be waking up to. It's pretty easy to sort the reliable hosts from those looking to lend their dirty couch out for some quick cash. Use your know-how and, for God's sake, don't take a chance on a place that only shows one pixelated photo of a kettle. And if the listing is written in Cyrillic, steer clear — purely because making contact is going to be more hassle than it's worth. [caption id="attachment_550676" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Severyanin[/caption] WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK Unfortunately, not all Russian cuisine isn't something to get excited over. It seems all the time they spent building cathedrals, museums and invading different countries meant they simply forgot to forge an interesting cuisine. Most meals are meat and potato based, and farm-fresh fruit and vegetables are somewhat of a myth. So you can either eat cheap Chinese (of which there is plenty of) or take our advice on where to find meat and potatoes done not so bad. The traditional, must-try Russian dishes are stroganoff, borsch (beetroot soup), meat dumplings and honey cake. You can order delicious interpretations of these meals in St Petersburg's Severyanin. Their honey cake is famous (with good reason), and every Sunday from 2-5pm they host a Russian tea ceremony, complete with the homemade pies, jams, bagels and sweets pictured above. Other great restaurants in the area include Zoom Cafe (for breakfast), Pelmenya (for dumplings) and Macarena (for seafood). [caption id="attachment_550687" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Cafe Pushkin[/caption] In Moscow, head to the Novokuznetskaya District for a great bite. You can grab anything from a Japanese curry from Tanuki to a croque madame from Paul French Bakery — and of course there's some great Russian restaurants around too. Cafe Pushkin is one of the more famous, pricey restaurants in Moscow with renowned borsch, a dining room as posh as a museum and service that will have you feeling as royal as Catherine II. They're open from breakfast for dinner, and we recommend booking a table a few days in advance. On the drinks front, here's a serious don't: don't drink homemade vodka. If you're a traveller that has a tendency to make friends with locals and hence accept their invitation for a meal in their cabin in the woods, then this is your hot tip. Stay away from the moonshine. It'll probably kill ya. Just stick to the store-bought spirits, beers, illegally-imported Moldovan wine and rooftop bars (of which, there are many). [caption id="attachment_554517" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Larry Koester via Flickr[/caption] WHAT TO DO St Petersburg is a marvel of a city, made of more colours than Faber Castell HQ. Its architecture is incredible — the kind of exotic avant-garde structures, alien sensibilities, and strict Stalin-era designs you really won't find in any other country. St Isaac's Cathedral, The State Hermitage Museum and The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood are all must-sees. You could easily stay here a week and still not have done everything in and around St Petersburg, but the necessary out of town stops include heading to Pushkin to visit Catherine Palace and Peterhof State Museum Preserve. If you're a solo traveller, make a hearty attempt at catching public transport there, but if you're in a group of three or more, a taxi is affordable (and makes the trip a lot easier). [caption id="attachment_554524" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Ana Paula Hirama via Flickr[/caption] In Moscow, allocate a good, sunny day to Gorky Park (pictured). Then another good, sunny day to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War. Hire skates or a bike (not a Segway) at both places as each are enormous and almost impossible to see properly without a set of wheels. If you're looking for more galleries and museum, The State Tretyakov Gallery, Tsarytsyno Open-Air History and Architectural Museum and Lenin's Mausoleum (where you can see Lenin's embalmed body) all deserve top rungs on the to-do list. [caption id="attachment_550679" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Adam Baker via Flickr[/caption] OTHER TIPS Bite the bullet, and learn to read Cyrillic as well as basic phrases and words.This isn't Bali. Most everyone speaks Russian exclusively, with perhaps a smidgen of German or English. Spa-see-ba is thank you. Stras-voot-yeah is hello. Make sure you have the Google Maps app on your phone. It gives the correct metro lines and stopovers right down to the minute. Use Uber, and always put your address in before you head out in case you don't have internet — it's much easier to have the address stored than having to pronounce a Russian street name. You might find yourself in a traffic jam with an Uber driver who is about to crack it because he's being dolled by the mile, not the minute. That's a good time to say spa-see-ba. He'll probably call you a prostituka. Don't lose your passport. That visa inside is the most important thing you have in Russia. If you lose it, you'll be detained in our embassy, promptly kicked out of the country and dished out a five-year ban from returning. No ifs, no buts — and don't even bother with the waterworks. These guys have dealt with more international disputes than you have Instagram followers. The empathy card is about as useless as a Georgian flag in South Ossetia. There's so much to see and do in Russia, and this is really only a snapshot of what this country has on show. It's a place everyone should venture to at least once — and there's no riskier/better time then now. Here's some Boney M to get the ball rolling. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yTVWXYctoY[/embed] Top image: haylee via Flickr
Hanging solo in Sydney can be a beautiful thing. When you're caught up in company you might not notice the little things — like the fact that your train is going over Sydney Harbour on the actual Sydney Harbour Bridge — and you definitely don't get the whole plate of dumplings to yourself. But Sydney ain't no Japan and we don't have a restaurant that will place a giant stuffed animal across from you so you don't feel awkward dining alone, so if you're seeking full loner solitude, it's best to choose your spots wisely. We got solo artist and new Sydney producer Wishes — who's doing some shows with Neon Indian next month and has just racked up some pretty sweet Spotify stats with his debut single 'I Want To Be Alone With You' — to give us the prime places for successful solo hangs. They're perfect for brooding, staring blankly off into the horizon or simply drowning your lonesome sorrows in a big, beautiful plate of dumplings. CHINESE NOODLE RESTAURANT(S), HAYMARKET Best dumplings in Sydney, hands down — and it just happens to be right near my studio. Dirt cheap as well. There are three Chinese Noodle Restaurants in close proximity of each other, but they all offer the same menu, so take your pick. It's communal seating and they pack people in, so they're are perfect for sneaking in a meal alone. I went by myself once and was allocated a seat at a two-seater table. Five minutes later a pretty girl sat opposite me and we struck up a conversation — things we’re going great until it became clear she had come to meet a Tinder date, and after realising I wasn't the guy she was suppose to be meeting, left abruptly. True story. OBSERVATORY HILL PARK, MILLERS POINT If you don't have a massive problem with people rocking selfie sticks, then I'd definitely recommend Observatory Hill. Great views of the harbour, and plenty of spaces to sit alone and stare off into the middle distance pensively. I went to the actual observatory (i.e. not the parklands surrounding, but the building housing the telescope) on a year six excursion and, from memory, it was great. So would recommend that too. THE LOCAL TAPHOUSE, SURRY HILLS I could have just done a list of five bars to drink in by yourself – but The Local takes the cake. The ambiguous seating arrangement in the downstairs section means that you're unlikely to get that I'm-alone-in-a-bar-and-everyone-is-starting-at-me feeling, as the orientation of the couches defies all logic. For the more outdoorsy solo drinker types, there is a great rooftop bar. Additionally, they have heaps of beers on offer, and they are constantly changing their kegs. Perfect for drowning your lonesome sorrows. HORNBY LIGHTHOUSE, WATSONS BAY There's a bit of a walk to get up there, but the Hornby Lighthouse has, without a doubt, the best views of Sydney. It’s pretty much a cliff with a lighthouse and a stone gazebo-like structure. If you stand on said cliff you can see Sydney in all its glory on one side, and the ocean/big wide world on the other. Perfect for loner reflection. Word of warning, though: it's probably a make-out spot at night, so maybe best that you make day of it. CHINESE GARDENS OF FRIENDSHIP, DARLING HARBOUR Feeling lonesome in Sydney? Then what better place to go then the Chinese Garden of Friendship. Right? I've never been inside, but the photos look amazing — and apparently they've got real live carp! I went once and baulked at the price of admission, and instead just walked around the outside of the place. I managed to catch a glimpse of a big lizard (Komodo dragon?) through the fence — so if you're cheap, maybe just do that. By Wishes. Wishes will be supporting Neon Indian in Wollongong on Monday, December 14 and Sydney at the Oxford Arts Factory on Tuesday, December 15. For more information, visit his Facebook page. Images: Chinese Noodle Restaurant, Alpha via Flickr; Hornby Lighthouse, Toma Iakopo; Chinese Garden of Friendship, Matt Chan.
Australian fashionistas no longer have to pay a fortune in shipping (or travelling) if they want to get their hands on COS — representatives of the Swedish fashion retailer have confirmed they'll be opening their first store in Australia. The chosen spot? That would be Melbourne, again, with the The Strand on Elizabeth Street the locale du jour. COS is the slightly higher-end arm of the more well-known retailer H&M, but with a simpler, more stripped-back aesthetic. As yet, they haven't announced an opening date for the COS store, but H&M is set to open their flagship Australian store later this year in Melbourne's GPO building, taking over three floors. H&M and COS are joining the Australian high street market at an extremely competitive time. In the past couple of years, a lot of big-name retailers have started to realise that not only do Australians want to buy their clothes but we also came out of the GFC looking pretty good. Sydney currently boasts the recently opened Topshop and Zara, and overseas brands H&M, Uniqlo (Japan), Marks & Spencer (UK) and Forever 21 (US) are all on their merry way over. Via Vogue.
For some people, IKEA is a bit like a nightmare, with the never-ending trek through mountains of flatpack furniture and that ever-elusive exit point. But for others, apparently, it's the stuff of sweet dreams, a haven of relaxation and the ultimate destination for a good night's shut-eye. If you're in the latter camp, you'll be all about the Swedish furniture giant's new Aussie competition, which'll see a handful of (lucky?) IKEA fans each win a sleepover experience at their local store. Yep, they'll get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to snuggle up and spend the night in a huge furniture warehouse (legally). The quirky competition is supposedly being held to highlight the importance of getting a good night's sleep, after IKEA's research showed that as many as one third of Australians struggle regularly with sleep issues. It's also a pretty good plug for IKEA's Complete Sleep Studio, which currently exists at its NSW Tempe store and is being rolled out across others in the coming months. Dubbed Wake Up With IKEA, the event is being hosted across six participating stores, at North Lakes and Logan in Queensland, Rhodes and Tempe in NSW, Canberra and Adelaide, with the sleepover prize going to one couple or family for each venue. Winners will also receive a $2000 Ikea Gift Card (you could buy 167 bags of meatballs with this). Winners will get to spend the night in their own high-tech tailored 'sleep zone'. Think, comfy mattress, your own choice of linen, and a pillow and 'sensory elements' optimised for your best shut-eye yet. To get you in the mood for some serious snoozing, you'll also score a program of pre-sleep activities, including dinner (meatballs, we hope), a movie, massages, tips and techniques from a sleep expert, and some all-important bedtime snacks. Breakfast in bed the next morning rounds out the fun. If you're not creeped out by the idea of all that, you can enter the competition by heading to a participating store — Logan (Qld), North Lakes (Qld), Rhodes (NSW), Tempe (NSW), Canberra (ACT) and Adelaide (SA) — on Saturday, February 23 or Sunday, February 24 and sharing why you fancy a better night's sleep with IKEA, in 25 words or less. You can check out all the terms and conditions here.
We're all going on a summer holiday: as long as you're keen to take your a vacation within Australia, Qantas has cheap flights on offer to help make your next getaway a reality for cheap. For a week, the Australian airline is slinging over one-million discounted fares to locations around the country. Byron Bay, Uluru and Hamilton Island, here you come. Maybe you've changed your computer backdrop to a picture of The Whitsundays. Perhaps you keep perusing snaps from a past Tasmania stay on your phone. Don't just think about your previous jaunts or the ones you want to take, however — here's the motivation that you need to book in your next one. Qantas has dropped the price on flights to over 60 Aussie destinations, with fares starting at $109 and 30-plus routes on sale for under $150 one-way. The cheapest cost will get you from Sydney to either Byron Bay or the Gold Coast. Other options include Melbourne to Launceston from $119 or Adelaide from $159, and Brisbane to the Whitsunday Coast from $129 — and to Hamilton Island from $169. The list of destinations and departure points also spans Cairns, Townsville, Kangaroo Island, Perth, Mackay, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, Toowoomba, Albury, Hobart, Port Macquarie, the Fraser Coast, Darwin, Wagga Wagga, Dubbo, Mildura, Broken Hill, Bundaberg, Whyalla, Longreach, Emerald, Mount Isa, Broome and more. You'll be able to travel between November 2024–June 2025 — so, you can also have an autumn or early-winter holiday — although the specifics vary per destination. If you're keen, you'll need to get in before 11.59pm AEDT on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. And yes, the usual caveat applies: if fares sell out earlier, you'll miss out. Inclusions-wise, the sale covers fares with checked baggage, complimentary food and beverages, wifi and seat selection. Qantas' Red Tail sale runs until 11.59pm AEDT on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, or until sold out. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world. Top image: hypergurl via iStock.
How many bricks of Lego does it take to build a bar? It probably wasn't the first Lego-related question we were going to ask (or test for ourselves) but The Brick Bar is proof that there are tangible answers to life's most ambitious questions. According to the creators of Australia's first bar made entirely out of Lego, it's a million bricks. And we'll actually be able to visit it when it opens in four cities around Australia — Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth — in autumn this year. It's early days so we haven't yet been able to find out where these bars will be located (will the roof be made of Lego?), what drinks they'll serve (surely these won't be Lego?), or who actually counted a million Lego bricks (is this even possible?), but we do know that when it opens there'll be DJs all day and elaborate Lego sculptures placed around the adults-only space. Punters will also be able to make use of a huge pile of surplus bricks to fashion their own Lego creations, in public, with no shame at all. Just watch out for sharp corners. Legobar opens in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth this autumn. Tickets will be given on a first come, first served basis. Register on the The Brick Bar website for further updates. UPDATE FEBRUARY 12, 2018: Due to a trademark infringement, the pop-up bar previously named Legobar is now the Brick Bar.
They headed Down Under to give the town of Yass a makeover. They toured their first-ever standup show our way back in early 2020, too. Now, to make 2022 a whole lot more fabulous, Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness is again venturing to Australia and New Zealand — bringing their latest live show Imaginary Living Room Olympian to Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland in September and October. On the agenda: not just tales from the Emmy Award-nominated television personality, hit podcaster and hairstylist to the stars' life, which'll definitely be included, but also gymnastics as well. Their last tour was inspired by a lifelong goal of becoming a figure-skating prodigy in time for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, after all. Clearly, that's not something you shake easily, and Van Ness has a gymnastics routine to show audiences this time around. The overarching theme of the show: that's it's not about the destination, but the journey. That might sound like standard advice, but fans of the rebooted Queer Eye know that no nugget of wisdom sounds average or cliched when delivered by Van Ness. The Imaginary Living Room Olympian tour comes after a big few years for Van Ness, including not only Queer Eye — which has notched up six seasons already — but this year's fellow Netflix series Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, which is based on their podcast of the same name. And, there's Van Ness' publishing career, too, courtesy of 2019's Over The Top: My Story and this year's Love That Story: Observations from a Gorgeously Queer Life (plus children's picture book Peanut Goes for the Gold, about a gender non-binary guinea pig). Expect Van Ness' new shows to be popular — their last tour, which played 40 cities worldwide, sold out theatres in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) JONATHAN VAN NESS' IMAGINARY LIVING ROOM OLYMPIAN TOUR 2022 DATES: Friday, September 23 — Riverside Theatre, Perth Sunday, September 25 — AEC Theatre, Adelaide Wednesday, September 28 — Plenary, Melbourne Thursday, September 29 — Aware Super Theatre, ICC Sydney Friday, September 30 — Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane Sunday, October 2 — Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Auckland Jonathan Van Ness' Imaginary Living Room Olympian tour heads to Australia and New Zealand September and October 2022. For more information or to buy tickets from 2pm local time on Friday, May 13, head to the tour website.
Disney didn't need to add a new take on Peter Pan to its 2023 slate to tell audiences what we already know: the huge entertainment company doesn't want anyone to grow up. For further evidence, see its long list of live-action remakes of its animated hits, aka the films that filled our childhoods — a trend that will also see The Little Mermaid swim back into cinemas this year. Come May, the Mouse House's latest actor-led remake (see also: Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo, Aladdin, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, Lady and the Tramp, Mulan, Pinocchio) will get Halle Bailey (Grown-ish) slipping into Ariel's scales and tail, and take a dip into the story of a mermaid pining for a different life. And, after dropping two sneak peeks before — one in 2022, one earlier in 2023 — the upcoming flick has finally unveiled its full trailer. Given that viewers already know and adore the original 1989 movie — there's a reason that The Little Mermaid-themed events such as screenings with live orchestral scores and cocktail experiences at aquariums keep proving popular — then we are all well aware how this tale goes. Ariel dreams of being human, and is willing to make a deal with a sea witch to see her wishes come true. That involves a trade, though: giving up her voice to get legs in return, which'll allow her to live above the water. Accordingly, as well as Bailey as Ariel, this new version of The Little Mermaid features Jonah Hauer-King (The Flatshare) as Eric, the human prince that Ariel falls for; Javier Bardem (Lyle, Lyle Crocodile) as King Triton, Ariel's protective and unimpressed father; and Melissa McCarthy (Nine Perfect Strangers) as Ursula, said sea witch. Also among the cast, on voice duties: Daveed Diggs (Snowpiercer) as Sebastian the crab, Jacob Tremblay (Doctor Sleep) as Flounder and Awkwafina (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) as Scuttle. Based on all three trailers so far, this take on The Little Mermaid from filmmaker Rob Marshall (Chicago, Nine, Into the Woods and Mary Poppins Returns) — and not Sofia Coppola — promises vivid underwater realms, glowing light shining down from above, mermaid dances, bright coral, friendly fish and floating jellyfish. Also included: the flick's star singing 'Part of Your World'. As for the tunes, they come courtesy of Alan Menken — returning from the original movie, as do all those old songs — and recent Australia visitor Lin-Manuel Miranda. Check out the full trailer for The Little Mermaid below: The Little Mermaid will release in cinemas Down Under on May 25. Images: Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2023 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
If the waning summer temperatures have got you feeling frosty about the cooler months to come, here's something that'll warm up your outlook again. Melbourne's major citywide arts festival RISING is back and it promises to be the bright spark in Victoria's winter, unveiling the blockbuster 185-event program it's bringing to town from Wednesday, June 7–Sunday, June 18. RISING's 2023 instalment is set to be a monumental affair, assembling more than 400 artists for almost two jam-packed weeks of art, culture, music, performance and culinary goodness. There are 35 works commissioned exclusively for the festival and an impressive 12 world premieres set to hit. Alongside the already-announced Euphoria, which will take over Melbourne Town Hall with an immersive multi-screen film installation starring Cate Blanchett, the program is filled with a hefty and diverse array of happenings. [caption id="attachment_888892" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Euphoria by Katja Illner.[/caption] Large-scale events abound, not least of which is Shadow Spirit — a showcase of First Peoples-led projects across the realms of art, performance, music, food and more. Put together by renowned Yorta Yorta writer and curator Kimberley Moulton, it'll grace the legendary space above Flinders Street Station for eight weeks, displaying major works from artists like Brian Robertson (Maluyligal/Wuthathi), Karla Dickens (Wiradjuri), Vicki Couzens (Keerray Wooroong/Gunditjmara), Paola Balla (Wemba Wemba/Gunditjmara) and more. At Federation Square, a mass participatory work by composer Ciaran Frame will feature 10,000 biodegradable kazoos played simultaneously by eager locals, while Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde's SPARK takes the form of a wondrous floating light show, animating thousands of 'fireflies' crafted from biodegradable materials. Festival hub Night Trade takes over the grounds of St Paul's Cathedral for the duration, coming to life with super-sized surrealist art from Poncili Creción, performances from the likes of Debby Friday and London DJ ESA, hawker-style dining by Free to Feed and even a smattering of drag karaoke. [caption id="attachment_892640" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paola Balla[/caption] Head inside the cathedral to experience Anthem — an equally majestic installation of sound and video courtesy of singer Beverly Glenn-Copeland and artist Wu-Tsang, which comes to Melbourne fresh from the Guggenheim. RISING's ice-skating rink will be reborn bigger than ever, this time perched at Birrarung Marr, set beneath an installation of luminous orbs, and complemented by a wintery offering of mulled wine, hot chocolates and popcorn. Music lovers of all persuasions will be kept busy with RISING's sonic lineup, spanning everyone from bass legend Thundercat and Afrofuturist pioneer Flying Lotus to UK punk icons The Damned and hit US singer-songwriter Weyes Blood — and Ruth Radelet from Chromatics, too, performing her first-ever solo show. [caption id="attachment_892641" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Rink by Shannyn Higgins.[/caption] Uncle Kutcha Edwards is assembling an all-star lineup of First Nations talent for Waripa, Paul Kelly will take his mix-tape album Drinking live to the stage for two shows at Melbourne Recital Centre, and Japanese composer Cornelius joins Shintaro Sakamoto for a double bill at The Forum. The program is brimming with theatre and dance, too, including two Australian Ballet commissions by Daniel Riley and Alice Topp, Florentina Holzinger's famously unsettling body-horror ballet Tanz — while she's in Australia for Dark Mofo as well — and a deep-dive into the history of alternative Aussie tunes with Robyn Archer: an Australian Songbook. And, it features sound work Consort of the Moon, a communal listening experience by twilight at Fitzroy Gardens — plus Buŋgul, with live Yolŋu dancers and songmen celebrating the inspiration behind Dr G Yunupiŋu's album Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow). Meanwhile, catch Hear My Eyes give the Robert Pattinson-starring Good Time the live score treatment, then check out a 20-strong flock of three-metre-tall wallabies in a technicolour work by Archibald Prize finalist Matthew Clarke. You can also see Chapter House transformed into an ever-evolving living museum celebrating Haitian street culture, and take to the high seas with all-ages First Nations comedy Hide the Dog. Plus, you'll soon spot six striking new First Peoples artworks rolling through the city for the latest instalment of Melbourne Art Trams. [caption id="attachment_892650" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hide the Dog by Pat Stevenson.[/caption] RISING will descend on venues and spaces across Melbourne from Wednesday, June 7–Sunday, June 18. For the full program and to sign up for pre-sale, see the website.
Dream musical double alert: this winter in Australia, you can make a theatre date to see both Hamilton and In the Heights. Sydney is hosting the only Aussie return season for Lin-Manuel Miranda's second big Tony Award-winning show from late July — and now it's also welcoming his debut smash, too. Sydney Opera House will turn into New York City's Washington Heights for a six-week season of In the Heights, also kicking off the same month. Initially staged in 2005, then leaping to off-Broadway in 2007, then playing Broadway from 2008–11 (which is where it nabbed those 13 Tony nominations and four wins), Miranda's first stage sensation spends its time with Usnavi, a bodega owner from the Dominican Republic who dreams of going back — and who also sports a crush on Vanessa, who aspires to move out of the neighbourhood. Miranda himself originated the role of Usnavi, scoring a Tony nomination for his efforts. In Australia this winter, Ryan Gonzalez (Moulin Rouge! The Musical) will step into the part. When the show's Sydney Opera House run spans Saturday, July 20–Sunday, August 25, fellow Moulin Rouge! The Musical alum Olivia Vásquez will play Vanessa. Alongside Gonzalez, she'll be joined by Richard Valdez (All Together Now — The 100) as the Piragua Guy — another character that Miranda has brought to life personally, this time in the 2021 film version of In the Heights. On the stage and on-screen, the production not only follows Usnavi and Vanessa's connection, and their respective hopes for the future, but also the residents of Washington Heights, their family ties across multiple generations and their friendships. And the soundtrack — which helped In the Heights win Best Musical and Best Original Score Tonys — as well as the vibe and mood bring together salsa, soul, rap, hip hip, merengue and street dance. "In the Heights is an uplifting musical that celebrates collective joy in a truly genuine and spirited way. Community, culture, connection and colour explode on-stage in a vibrant setting, as we are enveloped into the lives of characters holding fast to their history and creating new traditions," said Sydney Opera House Head of Contemporary Performance Ebony Bott, announcing the season. If you're keen to watch the movie — or rewatch — in the interim, it stars Anthony Ramos (Dumb Money) as Usnavi and Melissa Barrera (Abigail) as Vanessa, as well as Leslie Grace (In the Summers), Corey Hawkins (The Color Purple), Jimmy Smits (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Stephanie Beatriz (Twisted Metal) and Olga Merediz (Somebody I Used to Know). Check out the trailer for the film below: In the Heights will play Sydney Opera House's Drama Theatre from Saturday, July 20–Sunday, August 25, 2024, with ticket presales from 9am on Tuesday, May 7 and general sales from 9am on Friday, May 10 — head to the venue's website for more details. Images: Daniel Boud.
We've scored giant slip 'n' slides, trampoline gyms and bouncing castle obstacle courses. Now, it's time to get on board the latest kidult craze to hit our shores, as Australia's biggest game of hide and seek takes over a cruise ship on Sydney Harbour next month. That's right: hiding and seeking is no longer just child's play. In fact, Australia's even got its own national hide and seek adults team, the Nascondingos, who took out eighth place at the most recent world championships, which are a thing. And on Sunday, February 18, these guys will be honing their finding skills, playing a team of 'seekers' as locals of all ages hide onboard one of the world's biggest cruise ships, Ovation of The Seas. It's thought to be the largest official game of hide and seek ever played at sea — and, yeah, it probably is. Applications to compete in the game are open to just about everyone, with one game for kids aged 8–14 and another for adults aged over 15. There's a solid prize pool, too, with the last person to be found in the adult's game taking home a cool $10,000 and a cruise. Of course, it's all part of a huge promo for Royal Caribbean, but that shouldn't stop it being a bit of fun. If you fancy yourself a hide and seek pro, don't be shy about it — enter here by February 5.
Memes might not be the first thing that spring to mind when you're thinking of ways to stage a hard-hitting political protest (you know, those times when you do that). But this unassuming cultural phenomenon, initially reserved for LOLcats, has spent over a decade mutating into a medium that netizens now actively use as a form of direct political expression. Straightforward and effective in their output, memes usually consist of a simple (or roughly photoshopped) image accompanied by some witty text using the IMPACT font. Memes are more and more becoming the people's answer to the realm of government-issued propaganda, distilling an issue down to its core message and dispersing it far and wide. Here are five of the best political memes that have recently infected social and mainstream media. CHINA: Free CGC So it would be super-embarrassing if one of the world's largest and most powerful military and security powers let an activist escape house arrest, right? And even more so if he was blind, right? Well this is what happened in April last year, when blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng escaped from house arrest right under the noses of officials. In an effort to keep word from spreading, search terms including his name, as well as related terms like 'CGC' and 'the blind man' were quickly blocked by Chinese online censors. But many web-savvy internet users and Chen supporters came up with creative ways to spread the message and to show their support. 'Free CGC' became a slogan attached to this appropriated KFC ad, which features Chen in his signature sunglasses, looking like the archetypal Western hero, Colonel Sanders. The meme proved a powerful way of dodging The Great Firewall, as images, unlike words are not easily searchable (for similar reasons, our favourite giant rubber duck became a subversive symbol this year). It soon went viral on Weibo (China's Twitter) and everybody found out about what happened. Here's the punchline: Chen sought protection from the US Embassy in Beijing, who allowed him to then seek asylum in the US. Ironic, as whistleblower Edward Snowden recently travelled to Hong Kong to seek asylum from US prosecution for similar offences. Bonus Snowden Meme: TURKEY: The Standing Man Throughout June, a protest movement formed in opposition to Turkey's ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party), who announced plans to redevelop the secularly symbolic Gezi Park located in Taksim Square with an Ottoman-era barracks and a mosque. The initial small-scale protest snowballed into nation-wide anti-government demonstrations after a heavy-handed police response left many seriously injured. But following a wave of arrests in an effort to clear out Taksim Square, performance artist Erdem Gunduz, now known as 'the Standing Man', staged an eight-hour silent vigil where he stood in Taksim Square facing a portrait of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern, secular Turkey. This simple symbolism inspired hundreds to join him, and has generated "the standing man" meme on social media. It's kind of like planking's cool vertical brother. Some of the images that best illustrate the development of this meme are collected in this Atlantic article. https://youtube.com/watch?v=QMjK0nmwzKU EGYPT: Harlem Shake In February, an Australian teen known on YouTube as TheSunnyCoastSkate, uploaded this averagely amusing 'Harlem Shake' video, triggering a mass of imitation uploads. Within two weeks, YouTube reported around 12,000 Harlem Shake videos had been posted, amassing more than 44 million views. Whilst the vast majority of these videos are by bored university students in need of an excuse to get krunk and semi-naked in their bedrooms, the video meme has also served as an avenue for political expression in Egypt. In March, protestors in Cairo staged a 400-strong flash mob-style Harlem Shake in front of the main office of the Islamic Brotherhood in what has been dubbed a "satiric revolutionary struggle", sending a powerful anti-conservative message not just to president Mohammed Morsi but also reinvigorating the country's weary press-corps. #TweetLikeAForeignJournalist Disappointment high among Kenyans as electoral body denies them chance to rig elections. #KOT — Major Mouz (@mosesmuya) March 4, 2013 KENYA: #tweetlikeaforeignjournalist In 2007, foreign journalists were accused of misreporting the Kenyan elections, exaggerating and presenting inaccurate information for the sake of dramatic narrative. So what did those savvy Kenyans do to combat the threat of misrepresentation in this year's March General elections? They used the hashtag #TweetLikeAForeignJournalist on Twitter to generate satirical election news. The meme spread rapidly amongst Kenya's 12 million Twitter users, with the groundswell catching out the global media to force more balanced reporting. #TweetLikeaForeignJournalist: Peace erupts in various parts of Kenya. The government is asking the international community to assist. — Vicarius Filli Dei (@Vicarius) March 7, 2013 #TweetLikeAForeignJournalist several foreign journalists reported dead from boredom across the country. — Miss Kibui (@rouzieroze) March 7, 2013 AUSTRALIA: Kevin Rudd wins at Game of Thrones Everyone's saying it, Australian politics is the new Game of Thrones, which is sad for Julia Gillard because she used to like Game of Thrones. But let's face it, K-Rudd has returned to the throne. And with him has arrived a slew of punchy memes, cutting through the onslaught of media babble surrounding the spill, poking fun at the ridiculous state of Australian politics. What with all the recent frontbench backbench slaying, we're just glad nobody's memed it with Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Yet. We'll leave you with these.
Last chance, Swifties: just days away from Taylor Swift's first Eras gigs in Melbourne, more tickets to the entire Australia leg of the singer's tour are going on sale. If you missed out when her Aussie visit was first announced, then when extra shows were added and also when the first batch of new tickets were released, you'll be wishing on your friendship bracelets that your luck comes through now. The additional ticket drop comes as setting up Swifts shows is underway, meaning that exactly which seats are spare has been worked out. Some have restricted views, and will cost only $65.90. There's tickets available for all shows, going on sale on today, Tuesday, February 13. Folks eager to attend this weekend's shows at the MCG in Melbourne — which take place between Friday, February 16–Sunday, February 18 — will want to try to grab tickets at 2pm AEDT on Tuesday, February 13. In Sydney, for dates across Friday, February 23–Monday, February 26 at Accor Stadium, you'll be getting clicking at 4pm AEDT on Tuesday, February 13. [caption id="attachment_940473" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paolo Villanueva via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] Perhaps it won't be a cruel summer after all for Swift fans who've haven't nabbed tickets so far. When Sydney and Melbourne stops for Swift's career-spanning showcase were announced in June 2023, it sparked a rush for seats. Indeed, before general sales even started, the 'We Are Never Getting Back Together', 'Shake It Off' and 'Bad Blood' musician had announced an extra gig in both cities. And, the Victorian Government even declared her Melbourne stint a major event so that anti-scalping legislation would apply to tickets. It's Swift's world and we're just living in it at the moment. She was a major feature of this year's Super Bowl. Melbourne is getting a pop-up offsite merch store ahead of her MCG concerts. Both Aussie stadiums hosting her tour are doing presales on merchandise in advance. And the Victorian capital is also extending its free tram zone to the MCG to help the 86,000 people expected each night to get to the shows. If you manage to snap up a ticket in the new drop and fill that blank space in your calendar, you'll see Swift working through her entire career so far, playing tracks from each of her studio albums in a three-hour, 44-song, ten-act spectacular. This is Swift's first tour Down Under since 2018, when she brought her Reputation shows to not only Sydney and Melbourne, but Brisbane and Perth, too. And if you're wondering what's in store, then you clearly haven't seen Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour as a movie, aka a concert film of her latest shows that hit cinemas Down Under last October, digital in December and is on its way to Disney+ in March. [caption id="attachment_906254" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ronald Woan via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Australian Dates 2024: Friday, February 16–Sunday, February 18 — Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Friday, February 23–Monday, February 26 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Taylor Swift is bringing The Eras Tour to Australia from Friday, February 16–Monday, February 26. Additional seats will go on sale on Tuesday, February 13 — at 2pm AEDT for Melbourne shows and 4pm AEDT for Sydney shows. Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Ronald Woan via Wikimedia Commons.
A coastal mainstay has returned to the northern beaches just as the region exits its weeks-long lockdown and the city is (finally) blessed with summer weather. Freshwater's almost century-old pub Harbord Hotel (fka Harbord Beach Hotel) was bought by real estate investors Glenn Piper and Lachlan Cottee earlier this year — and it's now swung open its doors, offering a surfy atmosphere, sun-filled spots to eat and drink and a soon-to-open restaurant and cocktail bar. Occupying the new-look ground floor is a sprawling main bar, summery terrace and Balsa, a seafood restaurant and bar that is set to open in the coming weeks, which will serve up a menu starring foraged coastal herbs and sustainably sourced produce with salt, wood and smoke at the forefront. The drinks menu will follow a similar theme with margaritas rimmed with smoked chilli salt, volcanic coastal wines and crisp Australian beers on the docket. A dedicated list of non-alcoholic drops will also be on offer. At the main bar, patrons will find a menu crafted by head chef (and Freshwater local) Adam Rust (ex-12 Micron) that delivers coastal twists on the classic pub feed. From your classic steak and chips done right to the green bowl with broccolini, avocado, kale, quinoa, green goddess dressing and woodfired salmon, the menu celebrates the close relationship between the pub and the surf. Located just steps from the beach, the venue plays into its suburb's claim as the official birthplace of surfing in Australia. The sport was popularised in Freshwater back in 1915 by Duke Kahanamoku, a native Hawaiian who famously carved a surfboard from Aussie timber and hypnotised crowds at the beach. Designed by architects Alexander & Co, the fit-out include's a mural by Sydney artist Ash Holmes and a new "sun-bleached" exterior. The refurb has also unveiled sections of the pub that have been covered for decades including a heritage staircase and arches. And patrons are encouraged to rock up straight from the ocean, with spots to leave surfboards while you wine and dine. Live music will be a major focus here, too, with a full calendar of free events showcasing local northern beaches talent booked in throughout the summer. Down the track, the team will also open a cafe and boutique accommodation in the space. Find Harbord Hotel at 29 Moore Road, Freshwater from 7am–12am daily.
Finding an effective way to cope with the ever-growing issue of urban density isn't easy. The more that big cities expand, the more crowded that they become. In a place like Tokyo that crams more than 37 million people into its metro area, it requires savvy thinking — such as a building that's also a vending machine, printing out the homes within its walls onsite and to order, perhaps? Designed by architecture student Haseef Rafiei, the pod vending machine house-dispensing skyscraper dispatches new, customisable, affordable pods that are chosen by its residents. After deciding upon size and inclusions — if you don't want a kitchen, you don't need to get one, for example — each modular dwelling is made there and then, and then added to the building. The printer sits on top, and will get higher it adds more apartments to the structure; aka, it grows as the need for more housing grows. It's just a proposal at this stage, but it sounds impressive. Expanding your home, or using the pods for offices, is also mooted. Basically, Rafiei has taken a busy city, 3D printing and tiny apartments, and thrown them into a futuristic blender to conceive the ultimate mashup. Taking inspiration from the avant-garde capsule structures proposed by Japan's Metabolist Movement in the '60s, his concept earned an honourable mention in architecture and design journal eVolo's 2017 Skyscraper Competition. The innovative skyscraper offers an addition to Tokyo's skyline, provides a potential solution to the city's cramped housing situation and reflects its penchant for robotics and technology; however if you've ever been to the Japanese capital, you'll recognise that it nods to another important facet of everyday living in the bustling locale. That'd be its love of vending machines. Spotting them on every corner, even in residential areas, is just part of walking through the city. Maybe one day, spotting buildings that double as apartment-printing vending machines will be as well. Image: eVolo.
In April this year, we were mightily impressed by one American couple’s scheme to cover every asphalt surface on the planet with solar panels. As they continue to execute their master plan, one car park at a time, a crew on the other side of the Atlantic is preparing to launch the world's first solar-powered cycle way: SolaRoad. Set to open in Amsterdam on Wednesday, November 12, the path will initially serve a 70-metre stretch between the city's northern suburbs of Krommenie and Wormerveer. About 2,000 cyclists use the route each day. Of course, 70 metres doesn’t sound like enough length to power anything much, but it's just a pilot. The development team, which hails from the Netherlands' Research Institute for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), estimates that every 100 metres of SolaRoad will, ultimately, generate sufficient energy for two or three houses. Applied nationwide, it could cover anywhere between 400 and 500 square kilometres. The cycleway is made up of concrete slabs, which are topped up with crystalline silicon solar cells and protected by tempered glass. The cells are connected directly to the grid, and extensive testing has demonstrated that the glass is tough enough to handle being pounded with steel balls. Meanwhile, a special coating ensures that cyclists won't be sent skidding all over the place, even when the weather's giving it its best shot. The only catch is that SolaRoad won’t be the cheapest gift that Amsterdam's getting this festive season. A cheeky $3.75 million went into creating the pilot. That said, the cost is likely to drop once production gets into full swing. Via Gizmag.
Don't have the time or cash to jet-set around the globe visiting the best cocktail bars? The good news is that some of the world's most acclaimed shakers and stirrers are making tracks for Sydney. Running across April 7-13, the third edition of the Maybe Cocktail Festival showcases an incredible array of bartending talent, with representatives from 12 venues on the World's 50 Best Bars list flying into town. Bringing an abundance of creative ideas and powerful concoctions, this international affair will feature leading figures from Argentina, Indonesia, Spain, the UK, the USA, Italy, Japan and Mexico. Naturally, this diverse collective will ensure keen drinkers experience their fair share of global cocktail culture, from little-known spirit makers to inspired ingredients that give classic tipples an inventive twist. "Maybe Cocktail Festival is about bringing the best drinking experiences from around the globe to Sydney," says festival director Stefano Catino. "We're talking top-tier bartenders serving up world-class cocktails without anyone needing to clear customs." The line-up is still to be announced, but these acclaimed names will take up residence in some of Sydney's most happening cocktail bars for five days of events, collaborations and exclusive experiences. And there's no shortage of stellar venues getting involved in the fun. For instance, Maybe Sammy's 1950s Hollywood glamour landed at number 26 on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2024, while Dean & Nancy on 22 was named Hotel Bar of the Year at the 2024 Australian Bar Awards. Also playing host is El Primo Sanchez with tequila cocktails, Maybe Frank with Italian-inspired aperitivos and digestifs, Little Cooler with punchy dive bar drinks and lush Latin American creations at Hacienda. So, whether you're a cocktail aficionado or just excited for a big night out, finding the ideal spot to indulge in an experimental drink is made easy. "With the cost of living and the sheer distance of Sydney from so many of the world's great drinking destinations, it's not always easy to visit these bars in person. But for one week, they're right here in our backyard. The lineup is stacked, the drinks will be flowing and we can't wait to see Sydney turn it on once again," says Catino. [caption id="attachment_990037" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Credit: Steven Woodburn[/caption] [caption id="attachment_990043" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] [caption id="attachment_990046" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Credit: Steven Woodburn[/caption] Maybe Cocktail Festival runs from April 7-13 at various venues across Sydney. Head to the website for more information.
A conglomerate of sights, sounds and savouries, the Auckland cityscape of things to do is vast. From Waitemata Harbour in the north, to Manukau Harbour in the south, there's a bounty of things to eat, drink and discover, not to mention see, with stellar views in pretty much any direction you look. But forgoing the tour guide route, how does one navigate their way through the City of Sails? We all know access to a local's knowledge is the best way, so we've partnered with Adina Apartment Hotels to locate some must-dos from Parnell to Britomart, Devonport to Waiheke Island. What's more, Adina Auckland has a new penthouse to book into, so you can up your city exploration with a stay in this three-bedroom apartment featuring Auckland's crème de la crème at its doorstep. So, break out of the tourist bubble, and venture out to take in the city like a local, order that top-notch coffee, soak up the key vistas of our fine city, and indulge in first class dining experiences. Herein lies our local's guide to some of the best hot spots to add to your itinerary. FOR INNOVATIVE, HANDCRAFTED COCKTAILS: MEA CULPA Cocktails aren't just a drink at Mea Culpa in Ponsonby, they're an art form. A New York-style hole in the wall, the intimate narrow bar is a local favourite thanks to their innovative, ever-changing cocktail list, rustic interior and an eclectic music selection to boot. It's the kind of place where barman and owner Tim knows most by name and will happily stop for a chat while whipping up some spectacular creations. Here, cocktails are king and creativity, presentation and quality produce reign supreme. Everything is made from scratch and everything is organic, plus the team is passionate about supporting local suppliers and buy small batch made product — nothing is mass produced. This is a true neighbourhood gem you'd be crazy to miss. FOR WEEKEND BREAKFAST: WINONA FOREVER When you're feeling a bit dusty on the weekend, you want a big breakfast, you want it central, you want it tasty, and a bit of atmosphere doesn't hurt either. Introducing Winona Forever, a little Auckland eatery making big waves on the food scene. Competing for your attention, sugar-dusted pastries and flaky filo treats sit pretty in the front cabinet, but the real drawcard, however, is on the main menu. Expect beetroot salmon on kumara sourdough, pistachio almond ricotta doughnuts and breakfast bowls brimming with broccolini, kale, avo and lime. The beauty and flavours of each plate will render you speechless, but don't worry the restaurant comes strapped with an alcohol license to get the conversation flowing again over a sneaky breakfast tipple. FOR COFFEE WITH CHARM: ODETTES If you want to be charmed while you have your morning coffee, look no further than Odettes. Boasting the prettiest botanicals and Scandinavian fit-out in the city, there's no argument that this is an Auckland gem. You'll go for the textures, timelessness and luxury of the venue, but rest assured, you'll stay for their eclectic and extensive coffee and tea offerings. Caffeine and fare alike, everything is sourced from local and artisanal producers. A true pleasure to behold, Odettes should be on everyone's coffee itinerary. Image: Anna Kidman. FOR EXPERIMENTAL ICE CREAM: GIAPO Sweet, salty, spicy, sour — whatever ice cream your heart desires will be found within the emporium that is Giapo. Treating every customer like their first —even though they've been open for nine years — the team goes above and beyond to make your visit memorable no matter how short. With feijoa and chamomile, black Perigord truffle, peach and bush honey yogurt, you'll want to taste the lot before making that important final decision. And with their relocation to Gore Street earlier this year, there are even more unexpected food and ice cream pairings to discover, like ice cream with fries, jacket potatoes, gyoza dumplings or arancini balls. These cone connoisseurs have fine tuned the talent of combining technology, art and science into innovative batches of creamy cold goodness, bringing Auckland the tastiest cones in town. FOR DRINKS WITH A VIEW: DEVON ON THE WHARF The City of Sails offers high-ranking bars aplenty, serving up some killer drinks, but if you really want to impress and be impressed, there's one spot you should set your sights on. Make your way to the little bubble of Devonport, the fairy tale town perched on one of the city's most prized peninsulas, adorned with historical villas. Stepping off the ferry, you need not stray far before meeting your destination, Devon on the Wharf. Along with seaside inspired delicacies, crowd pleasing platters and a full gin and tonic menu, DOTW offers double views, either overlooking the city or the wide ocean expanse. Settle in with your drop of choice, and ready yourself for a lengthy afternoon session you won't want to leave. Image: @nattti / Instagram. FOR A WINE-FILLED DAY TRIP: WAIHEKE ISLAND Touring wineries surrounded by lush rolling hills, wandering from one vineyard to the next via pathways through the vines, indulging in several delicious, local drops — not much else compares to a day spent on Waiheke Island. Is there anything better than an entire island dedicated to wine? Rent a bike and wind your way through the hills dotted with vineyards, or jump on the bus that takes you from the ferry, all the way to Onetangi Beach. Stop off at Stonyridge for a glass of their award-winning Larose (best enjoyed on the deck among the olive grove), then wind your way through the vines to Casita Miro to sample their tapas and Spanish sherries, like their famed Madame Rouge. And if you opt for the car ferry from Auckland's CBD, and have a designated driver, the stunning, coastal Man O' War at the end of the island is certainly worth a trip. FOR VOLCANO VIEWS: MOUNT VICTORIA Marked by rolling hills and surrounded by ocean, Auckland holds some extraordinary views from One Tree Hill to Waiheke, but Devonport's Mount Victoria on the North Shore offers some pretty special sights. Challenge yourself, and take the steep 15-minute walk up to the volcano's summit for sweeping ocean views with the dramatic CBD skyline to contrast. Spanning the Hauraki Gulf, Rangitoto Island, the city and the rest of the shore, this picture-perfect panorama is well worth that post-climb burn. Image: russellstreet / Flickr. FOR WEEKEND MARKET EATS: LA CIGALE FRENCH MARKET There's no mystery as to why La Cigale French Market has been voted Auckland's best market for eight years running. Held Saturday from 8am to 1.30pm and Sunday from 9am to 1.30pm, the Parnell market has become so popular it's expanded to a new location in Britomart. Here you can expect produce in abundance, fresh breads and pastries hot from the oven, cheeses, cured meats smoked salmon, giant pans of paella, organic salads and French delicacies galore. Teeming with live music, crepes sizzling, coffees brewing and the scent of fresh baked pastries wafting through the air, La Cigale is a sensory explosion just waiting to be explored. FOR A HIDDEN, SUNNY PICNIC SPOT: CORNWALL PARK Undoubtedly, the city's best place to park up and picnic is at Cornwall Park. Escape to the beautiful expanse of rolling green hills, just a 15-minute drive from the city. The parklands feature wildlife, stunning scenery, walks both on and off the beaten track, and to sweeten the deal, an ice creamery. No matter the season, locals flock here to spend their afternoons sharing the park with herds of friendly cows, roaming sheep and, in parts, free-range chickens clucking about. Lay out your rug in your own hidden valley, and embrace the feeling of leaving the city long behind you — despite being right on its doorstep. FOR NEW ZEALAND'S FRESHEST PASTA: AMANO Housed in a building more than a century old, Amano is one of the most beautiful eateries you will lay eyes on in Auckland. Picture bunches of dried wheat and Nelson hydrangeas hanging gracefully from the ceiling, and Mother of Pearl countertops emerging from Terraza marble flooring reminiscent of Saint Peter's Basilica. Amano means both 'made by hand' and 'with love' in Italian, which suits the fare perfectly. Claiming to have the freshest pasta experience in New Zealand, the restaurant dishes out pastas made with flour straight from their on-site mill and free-range eggs from Whangarei. Pair that with only seasonal and local ingredients — see Wairarapa Coast crayfish and Auckland Island scampi — plus big windows overlooking the port, and you're set for a decadent dining experience by the sea. Book yourself in at the Adina Apartment Hotel Auckland and tick all of these hot spots off your list. Words: Izzie Aldridge, Kristy Mayo and Quinn Connors.
Music is used in every given scenario: weddings, birthdays, parties. Now, thanks to a pair of intuitive electrical engineering students, the power of bass can be used in a more practical way - dousing flames. Seth Robertson and Viet Tran from George Mason University in Virginia have invented a fire extinguisher that uses low-frequency sound waves to engulf a blaze. Instead of an air tank spewing out foam, water and chemicals, the device uses has a loudspeaker the size of subwoofer to pump out sound waves. It produces a low hum like a regular blast of air, that when pointed in the right direction, will make flames vanish. As well as of being an everyday utility, the extinguisher has the potential to be used in outerspace, where sound waves can be directed without gravity, in comparison to normal extinguishers that would spread chemicals in a disorderly fashion and possibly damage equipment. Despite initial doubt from classmates and professors, the pair now have a preliminary patent application and backing from the university.
Samsara provides a great counterpoint to the usual summer blockbusters at cinemas. For those who are overfed on the sugar and fat of blockbusters, prepare to cleanse your mind and heart with another kind of richness. This latest film by director Ron Fricke and producer Mark Magidson (previously partnered in 1992's Baraka) is a non-verbal meditation on our planet and the billions who share it with us, and while only 99 minutes long, Samsara stares you in the eye for longer than most find comfortable. Casually moonlighting as the name of an exotic scent or clothing range, samsara is Sanskrit for "the ever-turning wheel of life", and it is this motif that led Fricke and Magidson through a five-year shoot in twenty-five countries on five continents. Samsara is the wheel of life, death and rebirth, but it is also the grinding wheels of commercial labour, of fickle trends, and of the literal vehicles that the production crew commandeered in their often gruelling efforts to obtain 70mm footage for a few seconds of screen time. This herculean dedication to cinematography has certainly returned great wonders. Samsara flows from one luscious image to the next, carried by intuitive editing rather than plot, and is supported by an original score. Concrete Playground has five in-season double passes to give away to Samsara. To be in the running, make sure you're subscribed to our newsletter and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. You can read our full review of the film here. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qp967YAAdNk
Bel Ami is the adaptation of a nineteenth century French novel by Guy de Maupassant. And before you get all judgey about nineteenth century novels, you should keep in mind that while the Victorians were drinking tea and worrying about exposing their ankles, the French were all about sex, drugs, alcohol and general decadence, in their fiction at least. So you're in for a far more salacious film than you might be expecting. The story follows the rise into high society of George Duroy, aka Bel Ami (Robert Pattinson). Handsome, smart and resourceful he uses his job as a journalist on one of France's premier newspapers to manipulate his was into the very best that Paris has to offer. Surrounded by colleagues, financiers and mistresses with barely a moral to bless themselves with, Bel Ami quickly becomes an adept blackmailer and seducer of just about every woman in town. In some ways your heart does ache for the cast of Twilight: actors who might otherwise have been perfectly respectable will be tainted forever by, well, Twilight. Frankly it's hard to see Robert Pattinson as anything other than a pallid, lovesick vampire who sparkles in sunlight. But he's trying to break the mould, and you have to give him credit for that. Bel Ami sees Pattinson break some new ground in a period drama, and also sees him hook but with not only Christina Ricci, but Kristin Scott Thomas and Uma Thurman as well. Taunting aside, Bel Ami looks set to be a fantastic film, and an old-school French one at that. Concrete Playground has five double passes to giveaway. To go in the running to win tickets to Bel Ami, make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Held back in 1990, Apple’s first ever WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) saw a mere 1300 developers get together to shoot the breeze about System 7. These super brains have kept chatting, tinkering and growing in numbers over the decades and this year 1000 Apple engineers and 5000 developers have converged on San Francisco to talk about two different platforms — iOS and OS X, plus a whole bunch of whiz-bang Apple developments. So what's new? New fonts, schwanky icons and smooth notifications in OS X 10.10 Yosemite First up, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi unveiled the new OS X 10.10, dubbed Yosemite. It’ll be hitting Australia this spring. The operating system's makeover has resulted in a slick new look with a different font, see-through sidebars and redesigned icons, as well as a 'dark mode' option (think a black dock and black toolbars to match). An improved notification centre incorporates iOS 7’s 'Today' view, while Spotlight now features an enlarged toolbar smack bang in the middle of your screen. Oooo. Among the brand spanking new features are iCloud Drive and Mail Drop. The former lets you access all of your iWork documents on all of your devices — including Windows. The latter enables you to store and send large mail attachments via iCloud. But perhaps the most important word of the OS X 10.0 section of the speech was ‘Continuity’. You can now use Airdrop to connect Mac and iOS, meaning that all of your documents and photos will sync without you having to touch a thing. Predictive searching and smoother messaging with iOS 8 Next was the official announcement of iOS 8. When it comes to searching, you’ll find that Spotlight now covers a lot more ground, including contacts, business details, film listings and recommendations for Apple stores (of course). Most other major changes were relevant to messaging and email. You can record video or voice and send it super easily via iMessage. A new predictive text feature called QuickType takes into account the context of your conversations and responds to questions. You also have more power when partaking in threads — give each thread a name, while removing yourself and silencing other participants freely (kind of like Facebook Messenger with a Twitter mute button). In addition, choose your ten favourite chat buddies and pin them to your main screen so you can call your mum in a moment (call your mum in a moment. Do it.). Monitor your heart rate and turn off our house lights with your iPhone Perhaps the freakiest announcements were those dubbed HealthKit and HomeKit. The first can monitor individual health statistics, like heart rate and blood pressure, and collate the data for organisations such as the Mayo Clinic. Yep, your iPhone can track your heartbeat. What. The second allows your iPhone to control, well, your whole house (kind of). You're snuggled into bed, ready for sleep. Instead of lumbering out of those bodywarmed sheets, ask Siri to close and lock the garage. You’ll soon hear the door rolling and all your dimmers down. Kind of Simpsons Ultrahouse-like. But what inspired perhaps the loudest applause of the talk was the announcement of a new programming language, called ‘Swift’. As the crowd screamed and cheered Federighi described it as "Objective C without the baggage" and claimed that it "crushes Python". It's a programmer's world.
Kano — "a computer anyone can make" — will soon be a widespread reality, following a Kickstarter campaign that's raised more than US$1 million. London-based tech geniuses Alex and Jonathan came up with the concept about a year ago. They felt that, in comparison with the toys they had growing up, today’s technology is inaccessible. Alex’s seven-year-old cousin, Micah, clarified the issue — and set the challenge — when he asked why couldn’t computers be “as simple and fun as lego”? Over the following 12 months, Alex and Jonathan travelled the world, talking to children, parents, educators and artists. All the research led to the development of Kano. According to Alex, "It’s based on three principles — simple steps, storytelling, physical computing — and tying them all together, with a sense of play and exploration.” Kano arrives in the consumer’s hands as a kit. Starting from scratch, the user builds the computer, powered by Raspberry Pi, as well as a speaker, a wireless server, HD video, music, and a custom-designed case. A basic introduction to coding enables the step-by-step construction of simple games such as Pong and Snake, as well as the modification of more complex games like Minecraft. Beyond that, the possibilities are limited only by the user’s imagination. Kano is open source, so there’s access to an abundance of software. Back in May, Alex, Jonathan and their team released a run of 200 prototypes, which sold out quickly and inspired plenty of positive reviews. When it came to expanding their scope, they turned to Kickstarter. Upon going live last month, the campaign achieved its initial goal of US$100,000 within 18 hours. Since then, a stretch goal of US$1 million has been conquered. Open until December 19, the campaign is still accepting donations of $119, which buys a Kano kit.
'Tis the season for many things, though at one particular pop-up Christmas market, the festivities are entirely, deliciously gin-related. Held at famed gin bar The Barber Shop and hosted by Sydney's own gin expert The Ginstress (aka Elly Baxter), the inaugural Christmas Gin Market is a one-stop pressie shop, with a very distinct flavour. Taking over the space from 6–9pm on both December 7 and 14, expect a careful curation of gin-themed delights — products from top local distilleries, Treat Dreams' handcrafted gin-filled chocolates, gin-based marmalade from Four Pillars and gin-scented grooming products from the folks at Enright's Original Gin. You'll also be able to get your hands on the soundtrack from hit Sydney Festival show, Mother's Ruin: A Cabaret About Gin, and there'll be meet-and-greet opportunities with some of your favourite Aussie distillers. Browse top-notch gifts for your ginthusiast mates, while sipping gin cocktails crafted by The Barber Shop team and you'll find yourself very much tapping into the Christmas spirit.
Based on a novel by Hunter S. Thompson, The Rum Diary follows the wild adventures of journalist Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp) as he takes on a freelance job in Puerto Rico for a local newspaper during the 1950s. Struggling to find a balance between island culture and the expatriates who live there, Kemp forms a passionate yet dangerous attraction to Chenault (Amber Heard), the fiancée of Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart), a wealthy entrepreneur. When Kemp is recruited by Sanderson to write favorably about his latest unsavoury scheme, the journalist faces a dilemma: to use his words for the corrupt businessman's financial benefit, or use them to take the bastards down. The Rum Diary is a fast-paced filmic cocktail of comedy, adventure, romance and action. The incredible cinematography and choice of soundtrack in Bruce Robinson's film paints the exotic landscape of Puerto Rico with colours and sounds that exemplify Kemp's experience in the foreign land. With a cast of well-known Hollywood talents, lead by the charismatic Johnny Depp, this movie is sure to take you on one hell of a rum-fuelled ride. Read the full review here. To win one of ten double passes to see The Rum Diary, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=0YUx36yLLug
Reunions aren't always joyful occasions. In Another Simple Favour, that looks set to prove true for Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick, Woman of the Hour) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively, It Ends with Us), after the latter surprises the former with an unexpected return, as well as a request. For audiences, however, this sequel to 2018's A Simple Favour can't arrive fast enough and couldn't be more welcome. Until it hits streaming queues on Thursday, May 1, 2025, Prime Video has dropped the film's full trailer to tide viewers over. As well as stars Kendrick and Lively, filmmaker Paul Feig also returns in this long-awaited follow-up to a movie delight, and to a deliciously engaging and entertaining mystery. This time, as both the first teaser and the new sneak peek show, the frenemy antics are heading to Italy for a wedding filled with murder and betrayal. Out of prison and about to get married to a wealthy businessman, Emily crashes Stephanie's book reading to task her with being her maid of honour, but it might just be a revenge plot. Using the Italian island of Capri as a backdrop, Another Simple Favour not only boasts Feig (Jackpot!) back behind the lens, but also Andrew Rannells (Girls5eva), Bashir Salahuddin (How to Die Alone) and Henry Golding (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) returning alongside Kendrick and Lively among the cast. Equally part of this big comeback: more secrets, as little is ever as it seems with Stephanie's glamorous and mysterious friend. While the first film released in cinemas, this seven-years-later sequel is heading to Prime Video, hitting streaming queues on Thursday, May 1, 2025. It did have a date with the silver screen first, but only at this year's SXSW in Austin, where it was the opening-night movie at the event's Film and TV Festival. If you missed the initial picture — which was adapted from Darcey Bell's 2017 novel of the same name — it followed a widowed mum who is also a vlogger and becomes friends with a fashion executive. Then Emily asks Stephanie to do her a simple favour, changing everything. Screenwriter Jessica Sharzer (Nine Perfect Strangers), who penned the first film, is also among Another Simple Favour's returnees — this time penning the follow-up's script with Laeta Kalogridis (Altered Carbon). Check out the full trailer for Another Simple Favour below: Another Simple Favour will stream via Prime Video from Thursday, May 1, 2025.
For every roamer and traveller hoping to get off the beaten track this summer, travel website Hooroo has uncovered 40 of Australia's best-kept holiday secrets. In a nationwide search for Australia's favourite 'secret spots', the Qantas Group's new online accommodation site has called out to Australians to submit their most beloved clandestine travel destinations. What came back were hundreds of hidden gems and attractions, from spectacular waterfalls, untouched coastlines and unreal rock formations, to hip milk bars, hearty B&Bs and dozens of tucked-away travel lodges. An expert panel of travel and lifestyle writers and presenters cut the list down to the Top 40 secret destinations and now it's up to the public to decide which of these beautiful and jaw-dropping locations is Australia's favourite hidden holiday treasure. Have your say at the Hooroo Facebook page for a chance to share in over $14,500 in prizes. The Top 5 destinations will become an official Hooroo 'Secret Spot'. Voting closes at 5pm on December 17, 2012 so get in quick to have your say.
Been spending every spare moment lately dreaming of summer getaways, and also making travel plans right into 2023? Haven't we all. It's the time of year when holidays are on the brain in multiple ways, all thanks to the festive season and the warmer weather — and if you're happy to jet off sometime next year, then Virgin has quite the array of sale flights to tempt you. More than 800,000 fares are currently up for grabs as part of the Bring On Wonderful sale, covering a heap of Aussie and international destinations. Yes, that means that you've got options if you're keen to holiday somewhere on home turf, including Byron Bay, the Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Hamilton Island, Alice Springs, Hobart and more. And, if you're eager to journey overseas, you can hit up Bali, Fiji, Samoa and Queenstown. One-way domestic fares start at $55, which'll get you from Sydney to Byron Bay (which is always the cheapest route in these kinds of sales). Other discounted flights include Brisbane to either Cairns or Hamilton Island from $95, Melbourne to the Gold Coast from $89, Adelaide to Darwin from $139 and Perth to Launceston from $195. Internationally, return flights are on offer — including Adelaide to Bali from $569, Brisbane to Fiji from $539, Melbourne to Queenstown from $469 and Sydney to Samoa from $579. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, there's a range of dates in 2023, all varying depending on the flights and prices. Some legs run right through until next spring, if you really are thinking ahead. As always when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick. Virgin's discounted fares are now on offer until 11.59pm AEST on Monday, October 31 or sold out, whichever arrives first. Virgin's Bring on Wonderful sale runs from until 11.59pm AEST on Monday, October 31 — or until sold out. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Supermarkets, big name brands and well-known food chains the world over are making moves to ditch the plastic and opt for a more eco-friendly existence. And now the British Parliament is jumping on board as well, announcing it's set out to become the world's first plastic-free parliament. The authorities have revealed plans to trial a 'latte levy' of 25 pence on any takeaway coffee cups, and then to then introduce a total ban on all plastic water bottles. Parliament authorities will kick off the ban next month, and, eventually, it plans to scrap disposable coffee cups completely, purchasing only compostable alternatives. From coffee cups and straws to plastic bags and water bottles - Parliament has announced measures to drastically reduce single-use plastics in @HouseofCommons & @UKHouseofLords. Find out more at: https://t.co/GVasOezu43 pic.twitter.com/kbwZAJKjvz — UK Parliament (@UKParliament) May 15, 2018 It's thought the move could slash the parliament's annual waste by more than 125,000 single-use plastic bottles and countless coffee cups. Plus, shops on the estate will also phase out single-use plastic bags as well as condiment sachets in a effort to "drastically reduce its consumption of single-use plastics by 2019". "We all have a responsibility in this, so it's time to really start to think about the steps everyone can take to reduce their plastic use," The House of Lords' Lord Laming told The Independent. "I hope that the measures parliament will implement over the next 12 months will inspire other organisations and people to make changes in their everyday lives." This moves comes after UK Prime Minister Theresa May announced a 25-year plan to phase out single-use plastics across Britain earlier this year. So far, most states (including Queensland and Victoria) and major Australian supermarkets have committed to ditched plastic bags, and Hobart even plans to ban all plastic containers, but the Federal Government has shot down the likelihood of a national ban. Let's hope this news also inspires some changes in our own parliament.
Bummed that you missed out on Splendour In The Grass tix? Luckily, Secret Sounds, the guys behind the Byron Bay music festival, have announced a stellar line-up of Sydney sideshow gigs in July and August. Get in quick - it's anticipated that tickets will literally self destruct like a mission impossible audio tape if you wait too long. Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but you get the gist - book now or forever miss out. Tickets go on sale on at 9am on Friday, May 4. THE AFGHAN WIGS In Australia for the first time, the recently reformed Wigs are one of the most acclaimed alternative bands of the early '90s. They'll be at The Factory Theatre on July 26 with material from across their back catalogue including Congregation and Gentlemen. BAND OF SKULLS Also playing at The Factory, the UK trio Band Of Skulls will be back on July 27, fresh from performances at Coachella, a UK tour and a mass of North American shows. This will be the first taste of their new album Sweet Sour, live for Australian audiences. COMMUNION: Michael Kiwanuka with Ben Howard London label Communion is presenting a series of special Splendour sideshows featuring artists Michael Kiwanuka, Ben Howard and Australia’s Tim Hart. As the brainchild of Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons, this show on July 24 at The Factory Theatre is part of Communion's first fully curated tour. DJANGO DJANGO On August 1 at Sydney's Oxford Art Factory, art-rockers Django Django will be joined by The Cast of Cheers for their first performance down under. No doubt they'll be the happiest, clappiest East Londoners in town following the buzz they created at South By Southwest recently. HOWLER with ZULU WINTER From both sides of the Atlantic - Howler from Minneapolis and Zulu Winter from the UK - come two indie rock bands with a strong following from fellow artists like Arcade Fire and the Kaiser Chiefs. They play Oxford Art Factory on July 25. FRIENDS After blazing out of Bushwick in 2011 with singles ‘I’m His Girl’, ‘Friend Crush’ and a reputation for turning live gigs into spontaneous DIY parties, Brooklyn’s Friends will be coming to Australia for the first time, playing at The Standard on July 26. ELECTRIC GUEST Electric Guest have been working with the likes of Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, Gorillaz, The Black Keys, U2) to produce their debut album Mondo. They'll be bringing their seamless fusion of Motown, indie rock and '60s French pop to Oxford Art Factory on July 31. FATHER JOHN MISTY Having departed Fleet Foxes in 2011, Joshua Tillman celebrates the release of his debut album Fear Fun under the new moniker of Father John Misty. Come and experience the playful melancholy and soulful musings at Oxford Art Factory on July 27. YOUTH LAGOON Youth Lagoon, the moniker of 22-year-old Trevor Powers, return with a full band for an intimate gig on July 28 at The Factory Theatre.
Thirteen years after Stephen Chbosky wrote his endearing best-seller The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the writer-turned-director has adapted his modern coming-of-age classic for the silver screen, starring Emma Watson, Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller. Set in Chbosky's hometown of Pittsburgh in the early '90s, the story follows 15 year-old Charlie (Lerman) as he navigates the social minefield of a new high school. The introvert freshman is used to living life as a wallflower. Taken in by two seniors, the beautiful and enchanting Sam (Watson) and her step brother Patrick (Miller), Charlie finds out what it really means to live, love and to enjoy being a misfit. Concrete Playground has ten double passes to giveaway to see The Perks of Being a Wallflower. To be in for a chance to win a double pass, make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground's weekly newsletter, then email your name and postal address to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Eiffel 65's 1998 hit 'Blue (Da Ba Dee)' doesn't play over the first trailer for Avatar: The Way of Water, but you're forgiven if you get it stuck in your head anyway. The 97-second clip comes with a sweeping score by composer Simon Franglen (a veteran of the first film) that's designed to set an ethereal and epic mood — but blue really is the colour of all that it wears. If you saw James Cameron's initial entry in this sci-fi franchise back in 2009 — and given that the original Avatar quickly became the highest-grossing film of all time, it's highly likely that you did, because seemingly everyone did — then all those shades of blue won't come as a surprise. They're splashed across the movie's CGI-filled waters, skies and Na'vi people, and across the first look at its long-awaited sequel as well. Yes, 13 years after the first flick became such an enormous hit, there really is evidence that the long-floated follow-up will reach cinemas this year. Avatar: The Way of Water is one of those movies that you might only truly believe exists once you're sat in a theatre watching it, though, because it has been in the works for that long. It's currently set to reach the silver screen Down Under this December, stepping back into the story of the Sully family, aka Jake (Sam Worthington, Fires), Neytiri (Zoe Saldana, The Adam Project) and their children, on the habitable moon Pandora. This time around, staying safe and alive remains a focus — and, from the just-dropped trailer, it looks like more battles are a-coming. The initial clip, which started screening in cinemas with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness but has only just made its way online, doesn't spell out much in the way of plot, however. Given that Avatar wowed viewers mainly due to its imagery and special effects (and definitely not its "Dances with Wolves but in space"-style narrative), that too is hardly astonishing. Also set to feature amid all those pixels: Sigourney Weaver (Ghostbusters: Afterlife), Stephen Lang (Don't Breathe 2), Cliff Curtis (Reminiscence), Joel David Moore (Bones), CCH Pounder (Godzilla: King of the Monsters), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Kate Winslet (Mare of Easttown) and Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement. And, obviously, James Cameron is back in the director's chair. If the sneak peek has you excited about re-entering Avatar's blue-heavy world, get ready for more where that came from. A third movie is due in 2024, a fourth in 2026 and a fifth in 2028. Also, the original Avatar will return to cinemas in September, in the lead-up to Avatar: The Way of Water. (And no, there's no word yet whether a team-up with The Smurfs, Sonic the Hedgehog and the Blue Man Group might ever be in the works.) Check out the trailer below: Avatar: The Way of Water releases in cinemas Down Under on December 15. Images: Photos courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Long-running music festivals aren't just events. They become more than just beloved dates on everyone's calendars, too. Attending a fest like Golden Plains is a ritual and a pilgrimage for devotees, and it unfolds in steps. Here's the first for 2025's three-day takeover of the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre: the launch of the Golden Plains ticket ballot. Come Saturday, March 8–Monday, March 10, 2025, it'll be time to dance among the autumn leaves in regional Victoria again, in the same place that Meredith Music Festival also calls home. While the lineup isn't here yet, you can now put your name down for the chance to nab tickets. This round of Golden Plains will mark the fest's 17th year. Your best clue as to what's to come is, as always, the brief description offered by the festival team while announcing the opening of the ballot. "A premium long weekend of music and nature, sense and non-sense, in the supernatural-est habitat on earth," starts the latest word from the Aunty team. "Party largesse at the one and only Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre. Right size, right shape, with no commercial sponsors, free range camping, BYO, the No D---head Policy, and One Stage Fits All," it continues. The online ballot for Golden Plains 2025 remains open until 10.17pm AEDT on Monday, October 14, 2024, which means that clicking ASAP is recommended. Once the ballot is drawn, the lineup will be announced. Catering to 12,000 punters each year across three days and two nights, the fest has long proven a favourite for its one-stage setup, which skips the need for frantic timetabling. And, like Meredith Music Festival, its sibling, Golden Plains is also known for the Aunty crew's star-studded bills. If you're wondering how the roster of talent has shaped up in past years, 2023's fest boasted Bikini Kill, Carly Rae Jepsen, Soul II Soul and Four Tet, while 2024's featured The Streets, Yussef Dayes, King Stingray and Black Country, New Road — and plenty more. Golden Plains will return to the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre from Saturday, March 8–Monday, March 10, 2025. Head to the festival's website for further details, or to enter the ballot before 10.17pm AEDT on Monday, October 14, 2024. Images: Chip Mooney and Ben Fletcher.
If water pipes make you think of creepy clowns, then the latest tiny apartment design mightn't be for you. In Hong Kong, architect James Law has come up with a compact housing solution made out of old concrete tubing. A proposed solution to the country's affordability issues, they're cheap to construct — and, thanks to their shape, easily stackable too. Don't worry, these pipe-based abodes will be located above ground, so you can wipe your IT fears out of your mind. Called Opod, the proposed system is made from piping up to 2.5 metres in diameter, features between nine and eleven squares of cosy living space capable of housing one or two people, and comes complete with a bench that converts into a bed, a mini fridge, microwave, bathroom with shower and open-shelf storage. Currently on display and open to the Hong Kong public until April 1, it's envisioned that the former stormwater drains could be used in narrow spaces, and even on top of existing buildings, using space that's otherwise going to waste. Or, if you wanted to move, they could also be relocated to other sites or cities. https://www.instagram.com/p/BdNP0t1g4EL/?taken-by=cybertecture The cosy, circular homes are the latest innovative design in what's proving a growing field, with sustainability, affordability, eschewing mass consumerism via downsizing and embracing mobile living all motivators. An Australian start-up lets you stay in a tiny house in the wilderness, while flat-packed tiny homes are also available locally. Tiny mobile homes and Muji flat-pack houses and pre-fab huts can also take care of your compact needs. And, in the short-term accommodation arena, you can stay in New York's first shipping container home, seek out a portable shipping container hotel or head to a tiny house campsite in the US. Via Reuters. Images: James Law Cybertecture.
One of the planet's fastest growing problems is e-waste. In fact, it's piling up at a rate of 40 tonnes per year, which is particularly disturbing because of its potential to leak nasties — like mercury, lead and arsenic — into our environment. The good news is that the folks at Stockholm-based studio People People want to help in any way they can — via your personal sound system. So they're crowdfunding a transparent, wireless speaker that can be totally disassembled and repaired. Instead of throwing the whole thing in the garbage because one tiny part has conked out, you can simply replace it, put the speaker back together and keep the music going. What's more, internal sensors figure out when there's a glitch and promptly let you know — via a notification on your phone. Have a go at solving the problem yourself by pulling the speaker apart or, if you think it's safer to leave it to those genius Swedes, then send it to your nearest manufacturing location. All materials contained in the speaker can be repeatedly recycled to their original quality, creating a 'closed loop' system. "The challenge of our generation will be to stop trashing our planet, and leave it in a good shape for coming generations," the studio said on its Kickstarter page. "Consumer products are too quickly becoming waste and mostly dumped in landfills. In fact, there is a full football field of electronic waste generated every minute. This linear system has to stop." The speaker is available in white or black. And, thanks to its minimalist Scandi aesthetic, you won't have to worry about it throwing off your interior design. There's a knob for volume adjustment, a rocker-style on-off switch and a 3.5-millimetre jack, as well as WiFi and Bluetooth capability. Two 2.5-inch drivers, a passive bass radiator and a built-in amplifier with embedded digital signal processing (DSP) deliver cracking sound. People People are hoping to raise $250,000 to get the project off the ground. With 17 days to go, 319 backers have promised a total of $80,456. Pledges from $2 are welcome and, with $250, you can land yourself your own speaker. The Transparent Speaker is currently being funded on Kickstarter up until January 22. To pledge money or find out more, visit their campaign page.
The films of one of the most influential directors in motion picture history will be the subject of a special retrospective coming to Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra this year. Curated by beloved film critic and former Sydney Film Festival director David Stratton, the Essential Kurosawa lineup will showcase ten iconic films from Japan's legendary Akira Kurosawa, including several efforts that could contest the title of greatest film of all time. The retrospective — which is a collaboration between Sydney Film Festival, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne, and the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra — will span almost the full length of Kurosawa's incredible career, from his groundbreaking Rashomon (1950) to his sweeping feudal war epic Ran (1985). Further highlights include Seven Samurai (1954), The Hidden Fortress (1958), Yojimbo (1961) and Kagemusha (1980). A number of titles will screen on specially imported 35mm film prints courtesy of The Japan Foundation and Toho Co. "The best of Kurosawa's films possess a grandeur combined with a common touch," said Stratton in a statement accompanying the announcement. "No-one filmed action scenes like he did – his use of multiple cameras, long lenses and intricate editing combined to make these sequences unforgettable." The films in Essential Kurosawa will screen at ACMI in Melbourne from May 26 to June 8 (ticket here), Dendy Opera Quays and the Art Gallery of New South Wales as part of Sydney Film Festival from June 7–18 (tickets here), and the NSFA in Canberra from June 14-30 (tickets here).
Six Hunter Valley winemakers will take to the road this month for New Generation's Caravan of Courage tour. The whistle stop trip will engage wine lovers in a series of pop-up bars and dinners held all along the east coast of Australia, from Melbourne to Noosa. The events will be hosted by the six winemakers themselves, a rogue crew of thrill-seeking, bus-dwelling winos. There is no doubt that they know their stuff when it comes to wine, though. Hailing from the famed Hunter wine region, each winemaker promises event-goers the very best of their product, straight out of their big green bus accomodations. The Caravan of Courage will be making stops in Sydney on May 11 and Brisbane on May 17, each held at a secret inner-city location. To win tickets for you and a friend, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your city preference to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Summer is literally only days away, but it seems that the sizzling weather has hit Sydney early in 2020. Temperatures have been climbing in recent days, heading up from 25 degrees on Wednesday, November 25 to a scorching 40.8 degrees on Saturday, November 28 — and, overnight as Saturday turned to Sunday, the city endured its hottest November night since records started being recorded. Feeling toasty? Obviously there's a very good reason for that — because the mercury only dipped to 25.3 degrees last night, at 1.09am, as recorded at Observatory Hill. That immensely warm temperature pipped the city's previous highest November minimum of 24.8 degrees, which dates back a huge 53 years to 1967. Unsurprisingly, the baking overnight minimum heralds another very hot day, with a top of 40 forecast. At the time of writing, Sydney has already hit 35.8 degrees at 10.50am. The Bureau of Meteorology says that the high temperatures are part of a heatwave, which is presently reaching severe conditions in southern Northern Territory, northeastern South Australia and southwest Queensland through to coastal New South Wales. It's also upping temps in western Queensland, northern NSW, the bulk of the NT, and the northeast parts of WA and SA, but it's considered a low-intensity heatwave in those spots. https://twitter.com/BOM_NSW/status/1332775671106588675 For Sydneysiders, things are expected to cool down significantly on Monday — just before summer officially lands, for those in need of a reprieve, aka everyone. Monday is forecast to only hit 24 degrees, jump up to 29 on Tuesday, then sit at 25 on Wednesday, 24 on Thursday and 26 on Friday. For more information about Sydney's weather, head to the Bureau of Meteorology website.
Five decades after it was first released, Lou Reed's 'Perfect Day' is still a perfect song. It rarely bodes well when it pops up in movies, TV shows or trailers for either, though. Take the just-dropped first sneak peek at Westworld's fourth season, for instance — where the words "you're going to reap just what you sow" feel especially eerie. Since it first hit HBO back in 2016 — and channels/streaming services such as Foxtel, Binge and Neon Down Under that bring the US network's series our way, too — Westworld has been unnerving from the get-go. It's all there in the concept, which first unfurled on-screen back in 1973 thanks to the Michael Crichton-directed movie of the same name. Here, in the eponymous android amusement park, humans pay to live out their fantasies while surrounded by supremely realistic-looking androids. What could go wrong? Everything, obviously. Across its second season in 2018 and third batch of episodes in 2020, the TV version of Westworld has built upon this premise, twisting in wild, strange, violent and surreal directions. Naturally, with season four set to start arriving from Monday, June 27, that's only going to continue. The first teaser trailer isn't big on plot, but it does set a huge mood — or reinforce the tone that Westworld fans already know and love, to be more precise. While narrative details are scarce, the show is bound to keep wading through the fallout that's been shaping its story from day one, after some of the robot theme park's electronic hosts started to break their programming, make their own decisions and question their creators. What it lacks in plot specifics, Westworld's first look at season four makes up for in atmosphere and recognisable faces, including Evan Rachel Wood (Kajillionaire), Thandiwe Newton (All the Old Knives), Ed Harris (The Lost Daughter), Jeffrey Wright (The Batman), Tessa Thompson (Passing), Luke Hemsworth (Young Rock), Aaron Paul (Truth Be Told) and Angela Sarafyan (Reminiscence). Joining them as a newcomer this season: newly minted West Side Story Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose. If you feel like you've been hanging out for new Westworld for years, that's because the show always seems to bring its android dramas back in two-year intervals. Still, it's worth remembering that the first season of the show arrived 43 years after the Michael Crichton-directed movie that it's based on, and 40 years after the film's sequel Futureworld. If you haven't done so already, both are worth viewing while you're waiting for the TV series to return. Check out the teaser trailer for Westworld's fourth season below: Westworld's fourth season will start streaming via Binge in Australia from Monday, June 27 — and via Neon in New Zealand.
Whatever else the past couple of years have served up, it has been an impressive time for folks who like staring up at the sky. 2016 ended with a huge supermoon that had everyone looking to the heavens, then 2018 began with an extremely rare super blue blood moon (a supermoon, a blue moon and a total lunar eclipse all at once). Next, at the end of July, an epic lunar eclipse will mark the next notable celestial happening. In fact, the Saturday, July 28 event will be longest lunar eclipse of this century — with the penumbral eclipse lasting just shy of four hours (236 minutes, to be exact) and the total lunar eclipse spanning 103 minutes. If you're wondering what the difference is between the two (because we're all more familiar with The Mighty Boosh's take on the moon than actual lunar terms, aren't we?), a penumbral eclipse is when the earth's outer shadow falls on the moon's surface, while a total lunar eclipse involves the moon passing directly into the earth's actual shadow. During the main event, which is expected to kick off at 5.30am local time, the moon will also turn a blood-red shade thanks to sunlight that's filtered and refracted by the earth's atmosphere. So yes, as well as a total lunar eclipse and a full moon, it'll be a blood moon as well. Australians will be able to spy the penumbral eclipse from 3.14am and the partial eclipse from 4.24am, before the full thing at 5.30am, with the maximum eclipse occurring at 6.21am. We won't be able to see the end of it, however, as the moon will be below the horizon when the full, partial and penumbral eclipses end (at 7.13am, 8.19am and 9.28am local time, respectively). While it's a great excuse to go stargazing, the 103-minute total eclipse only just pips the 100-minute event that took place on June 15, 2011 — and falls just short of the 108-minute event on July 16, 2000. Still, when the super blue blood moon did come around earlier in 2018, its full eclipse only lasted 72 minutes. If you miss it, 102-minute total lunar eclipses are expected in 2029, 2047 and 2094 — but nothing this long will occur again this century. Via Space.com and timeanddate.com.
If Audrey Horne, Lula Pace Fortune or Lady Jessica decided to head downtown for some yoga, David Lynch has them covered for threads. In one of the most unexpected endeavours from the director yet, Lynch has designed a brand new sportswear collection for women. Seems the man who recorded tunes with Karen O, opened his own whimsical Parisian nightclub and exhibits photographs of dissected chickens as art (among many other wonderful, weird and WTF Lynchian things), can still surprise us. A paired-down, monochrome collection of threads we'd absolutely prance to the gym in, Lynch's fitness line whips up floral geometric design (a collaboration with New York artist Jason Woodside), grey marle and flattering seams in a truly great assortment of basic gymwear. Lynch's activewear line includes corset and scoop bras, geometric leggings and bike shorts all sporting the special edition Lynch Floral print, going for around $100 — $200 a piece. There's more afoot than mere fashion here; Lynch is working in collaboration with Live the Process, an online hub self-described as "a guide to wellness and holistic health from a curated group of experts in beauty, fitness, meditation, nutrition, energy therapies and quantum physics, as seen through a modernist lens." It's a thing, quantum physics included. But fashion isn't where the collab ends for Lynch, really teaming up with Live the Process for a good cause — with some of the proceeds going to victims of abuse. Teaming up with Live the Process shouldn't come as a surprise for those in the Lynch-know. The Twin Peaks creator is a big meditator, having practiced for over 40 years. His method of choice, transcendental meditation, is his pet awareness project with his namesake charity, The David Lynch Foundation. He even penned a book about it. "I have experienced many benefits: more happiness within, more energy, more love of life, more understanding and more of a flow of ideas and intuition," he says. "I see people as friends not enemies. I feel and understand a bigger and bigger picture forming, and experience life as more of a great game than a great torment. For me, TM serves my work and life. It cleans the machine of garbage and brings in pure gold." Shop the David Lynch collection at Live the Process. Go for a scroll here: Via Dazed.
If you've ever enjoyed a few drinks and wondered just what impact they've had on your blood alcohol limit, prepare to wonder no longer. Meet Proof, the wearable alcohol sensor that not only tells you how drunk you are — it (somewhat frighteningly) predicts how drunk you'll be later, and when you'll be sober if you stop drinking. Plus, it can also remind you when you're back in the safe realm. This is how it works: the slim band, which looks just like a fitness tracker, reads alcohol molecules through your skin. It then sends those readings to an app on your phone, where you can check whether you're okay to drive, and when you will be. You can also set it up to send vibrations through your wrist and flash an LED light when you reach pre-set blood alcohol levels. The band itself relies upon on disposable cartridges that last for 12 hours, and is powered by a rechargeable battery with a four-day continuous-use lifespan. Proof, which was among the technological advancements featured at CES 2017, has been in development by Milo Sensors for two years, with a crowdfunding campaign planned for 2017 to help it come to fruition. Once it reaches the market, it is expected to sell for US$100 to $150. Milo Sensors CEO and founder Evan Strenk told Mashable that the product aims to "empower people to make educated decision about alcohol," and is on par with consumer breathalysers. The last part is key, and not just in terms of effectiveness. Sure, plenty of blood alcohol testing products already exist; however who wants to blow into a tube when knowing just how those after-work drinks are hitting the spot is as easy as wearing a wristband and checking your phone? Via Mashable.
There's no end to innovative musical apps, but one of the most successful we've seen must be John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes, a new iPad app that gorgeously visualises the creative process of a true legend. Made with input from Yoko Ono and with all proceeds going to the Imagine No Hunger campaign, the app is an interactive musical journey resurrecting Lennon’s unreleased demos from his mysterious trip to Bermuda in 1980. Here, he began writing material for the first time in five years and reworking earlier demos, cultivating inspiration from his new surroundings. It is this inspiration that director Michael Epstein has sought to harness, inviting you to steer Lennon’s yacht as he battles thrashing waves solo (in fact, he almost lost his life voyaging through these treacherous waters). Perhaps venture through Bermuda’s gardens and record your own musical fancies, or witness Lennon’s moment of realisation when he recognises Ono’s wailing vocals influencing the music of the B-52’s, pumping through '70s disco speakers. What has been referred to here as 'The Bermuda Tapes' blossomed into John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s final studio album, Double Fantasy. Released in 1980, the album received largely negative reviews for its perceived lapse into sentimentality and familial bliss. However, the shock murder of Lennon three weeks after the album’s release swiftly transformed these criticisms into tributes and reflections on a staggeringly influential career cut short. The fact that the album became coloured by the murder is something Epstein hopes to counter, aiming to reclaim some of the music and spark fresh appreciation untainted by the tragic circumstances. Contemplating what makes a successful album app, Catherine Moore, an associate professor of music business at New York University, told Time magazine.,“My feeling is that unless the app is visually really engaging, really fits with the music, that there’s better ways to spend your creative resources.” It may just be that John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes meets this criteria. It is an impressive feat of digital storytelling, consisting of six chapters driven by interviews with Lennon and Ono, who comment on their being apart and how this impacted their artistic process. It is a searing portrait of the intimacy and dynamism of their relationship. The app errs more on the side of interactive storytelling than gameplay. There is a profound sense of nostalgia imbued in the gentle and harmonious rhythm of images constantly forming and reforming. Epstein has also achieved a skillful balance between narration, music and interaction — there is no one component that feels intrusive or overbearing. It is an appropriately exploratory aesthetic in accommodating these fragments of lost music and commentary. Epstein also insists upon the need to experience music in a new way, telling Fast Co.Create, "I think this is the logical evolution of the digital platform for music." John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes offers the industry a much-needed injection of warmth and vitality. It is a technological revival and revamping of one of our most beloved artists and musicians — the best of the past and the future moulded into one. See more of Yoko Ono's works at her exhibition War Is Over! (If You Want It) is on at Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art Australia until February 23, 2014. Via Fast Co.Create.
