Dry Cleaning brought their sharp post-punk sound to RISING this week, taking over the Forum with the fuzzy, deadpan delivery that has made the London outfit such a distinctive force. Frontwoman Florence Shaw moved through the band’s surreal catalogue with cool precision to a crowd locked in from start to finish. The AU’s Eloise Coomber…

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt might be over 10 years old at this point, but that hasn’t stopped CD Projekt Red from announcing yet another expansion for the game, releasing sometime in 2027. The standalone story will take place after the events of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and its expansions, Hearts of Stone and…

KINGSWOOD played old favourites and new songs from Midnight Mavericks to an energetic crowd at Lefty’s Music Hall in Brisbane.  The night kicked off with a support set from country artist Briana Dinsdale. Dinsdale was even more hyped than the crowd to be seeing KINGSWOOD perform, as she told us between songs. She played a…

Gil Scott-Heron’s legacy was honoured at RISING this week, with longtime collaborator Brian Jackson joining Yasiin Bey to perform a stunning tribute at the Forum. The night moved through jazz, spoken word and early hip-hop influences. With Jackson returning to a body of work he helped shape and Bey carrying the material with a steady…

Japanese-American singer-songwriter Mitski performed the first of four sold-out nights at the iconic Sydney Opera House Concert Hall as part of Sydney’s Vivid Festival. The stage production was theatrical, setup like her own lounge room, inviting the audience into her own personal space. Her fans reacted with enthusiasm and were not disappointed after a 7…

The Call of Duty franchise is switching things up once again this year, with the reveal of Modern Warfare 4. It was revealed in the form of a new, cinematic trailer, which shows the iconic Task Force 141, including Captain Price and the gang, caught up in a surprise attack from North Korea upon South…

Melbourne dance punk band Gut Health headlined Tumbalong Nights as part of Sydney’s Vivid Festival on a rain soaked night surrounded by impressive vivid lights. One of Australia’s best new bands with frontwoman Athina Uh Oh leading the charge with an explosive performance backed by her brilliant band with pulsing basslines, wiry guitars and danceable…

Just months after welcoming her first child and collecting two Golden Guitar Award nominations, Sara Berki is wasting no time getting back to business. The rising Australian country star has released her latest single, “One Hand In The Cookie Jar,” via Warner Music Australia, delivering a sharp-tongued, steel-soaked anthem that proves some of country music’s…

Thanks to Paramount Pictures Australia, we have 5 double in-season passes (Admit 2) to see every line crossed in Scary Movie, in Australian cinemas June 4th, 2026, starring Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Damon Wayans Jr., Gregg Wayans, Kim Wayans, Benny Zielke, Cameron Scott Roberts, Cheri Oteri, Chris Elliott, Dave Sheridan, Heidi…

As we come to the final weekend of May and inexplicably move into the midpoint of 2026 we’re bringing you ten more brilliant new releases via our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music; including two singles we premiered exclusively earlier in the week. Meanwhile a band who have been described as “the most exciting…

“Stars Are Blind” by Paris Hilton is, quite simply, a perfect pop song – and pop history hasn’t quite known what to do with that fact. Released in 2006, it arrived wrapped in the baggage of Hilton’s celebrity persona: heiress, tabloid fixture, reality TV punchline. The song was a moderate hit (a Top 20 placement…

Friday marked the first anniversary of the opening of Universal Studios’ fourth Orlando park, Epic Universe. It promised one of the most ambitious launch offerings in theme park history, truly giving purpose to its “epic” name across five themed lands. So, a year in, how does it all stack up? Just before the one year…

John Carney has spent much of his career proving that music in film works best when it feels lived-in rather than manufactured. From Once to Sing Street and Begin Again, his stories understand how songs can become emotional lifelines, time capsules, or the language people use when words fail them. With Power Ballad, Carney once…

Punk rock legends Rise Against are returning to our shores at the end of 2026 and bringing their mates and fellow punk legends Dropkick Murphys along for the ride. In support of their 2025 album Ricochet, the Chicago legends are bringing more than 25 years worth of hits as they roll around the country this…

This is your friendly reminder that if you don’t already have your July Adelaide Beer and BBQ Festival tickets, then now’s the time to get on it. The organisers have sent us an updated list of music, food and beer offerings that will make your mouth water. In their new home at The Drive, right…

It is no small feat to take over 30 years of cinematic history and turn it into a cohesive, brick-building adventure, but LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight manages to do just that. Moving away from the standard original stories of past iterations, this latest entry does the impossible: it successfully interweaves the overarching…

Phone batteries are only getting better, but we arguably need our smartphones more than ever. With that comes the importance of a good and reliable power bank. D-Link have the latest answer here, as they launch their newest DPP‑201 20,000mAh Power Bank. The DPP‑201 also features a few premium features, including a built-in digital LED…

There’s a certain exhaustion that comes with modern film discourse. Open any social media app after a major release and you’ll inevitably see somebody proclaiming a film the “best movie ever made” or the “worst thing ever created” within approximately six minutes of leaving the cinema. Every reaction has become immediate hyperbole. Every opinion has…

Robot vacuums are getting smarter at avoiding obstacles and mapping homes. However, a surprising number still struggle with the part most people actually notice day-to-day: cleaning hard floors properly. Too many mop pads simply drag moisture around until the floor smells vaguely cleaner, while corners collect grime and kitchen tiles slowly lose their shine over…

We are heading back to the USA, where Los Angeles roadhouse singer David Serby takes us into the smoky corners of Old Calexico on “Border Town Romance”, premiering today on the AU review. For those new to Serby, the Los Angeles-based country artist has spent more than two decades carving out his own brand of…

Kane Parsons’ Backrooms understands something many horror films about internet mythology completely miss: the fear was never just the monster. It was the feeling. The wrongness. The sense that you’ve stepped somewhere familiar that suddenly no longer obeys reality. Expanding a concept as abstract and collaborative as the Backrooms into a feature-length narrative was always…

After months of anticipation, 007 First Light is here and in the hands of gamers and Bond fans alike. Here at The AU Review, we strive to bring you a wealth of reviews, including video games, in a relatively timely manner, in line with both review embargo dates and game release dates. So where is…

Virgin Australia is bringing a little infinity – and beyond – to the skies. Ahead of the release of Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 on June 18th, Virgin Australia has unveiled a brand-new themed Boeing 737-800 decked out with some of animation’s most beloved faces, including Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear. It’s the airline’s…

It’s a big week for Beatles fanatics. The newest addition to an extensive and mind-blowingly successful discography, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, transports listeners back to where it all began for prolific artist and Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney, in post-war Liverpool. The album gives listeners personal insight into Paul’s beloved memories of growing up, playing…

Portland psych-surf outfit Trabants sound like they’ve stepped out of a lost grindhouse reel on “Fuzz 4 Daze”, a gloriously overdriven instrumental that crashes together garage rock swagger, surf cool and biker-movie menace. Premiering today on the AU, the track lands officially on May 28 ahead of the band’s forthcoming album Mirage, due June 12….

Cult art pop band Sparks featuring brothers Ron Mael and Russell Mael performed in the Joan Sutherland Theatre as part of Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House. Russell moved across the stage with impossible energy, while Ron sat motionless behind the keyboard, expressionless, intimidating and hilarious all at once. The contrast remains one of live music’s great…

If you’ve scrolled through TikTok skincare hacks recently, you’ve probably noticed Korean skincare is having a moment. But if you’re anything like us, you know that moment has been going on for a hot minute. There are so many options, steps, and trendy must-haves that it can feel impossible to know what works. You try…

A doorway appears in the basement of a furniture showroom, but what lies beyond it in Backrooms is far more unnerving than a simple descent into another space. Expanding on the internet-born phenomenon that has fascinated audiences for years, filmmaker Kane Parsons transforms familiar environments into something deeply alien – endless corridors of fluorescent-lit emptiness…

When Starfield first came out in 2023, I was so excited to play the game. I mean, I love open-world games, and I love space, so it felt like the perfect match for me. But I didn’t have an Xbox console or a desktop reliable enough to run it, so I abandoned the chance of…

Thanks to Madman Films, we have 10 double in-season passes (Admit 2) to see Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas in the feel-good story about music, self-respect, friendship, and the price of ambition, Power Ballad, in Australian cinemas from May 28th, 2026. When Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, meets fading boy-band star Danny (Nick Jonas)…