Year: 2015

Continuing the smooth, soulful vibes showcased on 2014 hit “Back in the Day”, western Sydney trio Soul Benefits have hit with their first official single since linking up with local label Big Village. “Step Up” once again taps into the lush, harmonic sound that fuels these three lyricists, bringing in a jazzy hook by 17…

Nowadays there seems to be a lot of acts falling into what I call ‘dada punk’. In essence dada punk is just that, Dadaist teachings and themes put into punk music. It’s no wonder why this marriage has come about, after all Dadaism was created when the artists felt that there was nowhere to go…

Finally, some fresh in-your-face Aussie rock. Cigars Of The Pharaoh are less than a year old (as a group) and are already making waves, mainly though their debut single “Mystery Highway”. Bluesy influence are clear in this riff-heavy track that from the opening note will probably make you stop and think ‘well, that was definitely…

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse Director Christopher Landen is perhaps best known for writing four back-to-back films in the now thankfully defunct (apparently) Paranormal Activity franchise (he also directed The Marked Ones). Knowing that, you’d be forgiven for going into this horror-comedy with low expectations, even when considering the film’s title and trailer. It’s…

Oh joyous occasion. HBO has announced that the network has just signed a four-year production pact with one of the sharpest, wittiest television personalities of the past few years, Jon Stewart. The deal will have him focusing on short-form digital content for the company’s HBO Go and HBO NOW channels, with the possibility of other…

Internationally renowned and distinguished acting coach Ivana Chubbuck will conduct a first ever Masterclass for both actors and directors in Melbourne in January next year, in collaboration with 16th Street Actors Studio. Having famously coached Halle Berry to her Oscar win for Best Actress in Monster’s Ball, Ivana Chubbuck is also the author of the…

B430 – Live Like a Local, the new 6-part series coming to Channel [V] will be the definitive guide to things you must do overseas before you turn 30. The show aims to unlock local knowledge tourists miss out on and how to  truly “Live Like A Local”. The show ventures to Tokyo, Rio De…

Blizzard’s annual fan convention BlizzCon kicks off this Saturday, November 7, and will bring all the usual goodies that fans of the developer crave – panels, tourneys and previews. Hit the jump to see what’s on where and you can watch it all online.

After four weeks on top of the box office The Martian has finally been dethroned by The Dressmaker, which is great news as Australian films continue to contribute to an already stellar year. Starring Kate Winslet and directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse, the adaptation of the novel of the same name made AU$3.1 million while The…

Need to catch a TV break and don’t know what to watch? Simon takes us through his top picks on must-see shows and films for the week. Click through to see what’s showing for your entertainment needs… Wednesday 4th November 2015 Blindspot-Seven-8.30pm AEST Starring Aussie soon-to-be superstar Sullivan Stapleton and Jaime Alexander, Blindspot is one…

The Evil Dead trilogy is a god damn institution for me. Not only is the 1981 classic my favourite horror movie, it is also hands down one of my most beloved movies of all time. So imagine my elation when Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell announced that they were bringing their wacky creation to the…

While he was in Sydney for the Telstra Digital Summit last month, Rackspace Futurist Robert Scoble sat down with Larry Heath to talk about the future of technology – from VR to Uber, Twitter and everything in between. To start off, tell us a little about where you work and what you do there… I’m…

Award-winning hidden gem Archie Rose Distilling Co., Sydney’s first commercial distillery in 160 years, have just announced the next stage in their constant evolution, adding to the whole experience of the bar-slash-distillery by offering you the chance to design your very own Vodka, Gin, or Whisky. By simply logging on to Archie Rose’s website (link…

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock in hibernation for the past decade, then you’ll be well aware that Melbourne is in the midst of a ramen revolution. All along Russell Street in the CBD, there are queues of people lining up come rain or shine, hoping for their next fix of this ubiquitous Japanese…

Sia has gifted us “Bird Set Free”, the second single off next year’s This Is Acting, and yet another powerful piano-driven ballad that uses all the nuance and depth of her vocals to stamp a firm message of confidence and self-acceptance. “I don’t care if I sing off-key, I found myself in my melodies”, Sia…

The WAM Awards Hall of Fame Inductees have been revealed! Jazz icon, Helen Matthews, and producer Paul Sloan, will be inducted into WA Music’s Hall of Fame this Thursday, November 5th. In addition, the winners in the Craft categories have been announced. See the winners below. BEST SOUND ENGINEER (live) Presented by RTRFM Adam Round…

Man, the Irish have something good going on. They’ve always seemed to be the little red engine that could; the little guy that produces quality goods for the rest. From Guinness, to Jameson Whiskey, to U2 and Ronan Keating, the country has always been on the money with what they do. And going by The…

Byron Bay four piece PLTS have just released their first new music since their Nick DiDia produced 2013 EP in the form of the new single “On & On”. Produced by Jean-Paul Fung (Last Dinosaurs, Birds of Tokyo), the new track is a ridiculously huge sounding guitar anthem. Check out “On & On” here before…

Perth duo Lilt‘s second single of 2015 “Capture” is aptly titled, because it will capture your attention. The atmosphere they create is dark, punctuated by piercing electronic beats and the engulfing voice of frontwoman Louise Penman, which echoes throughout the track, causing a haunting effect. A solid track, and well worth a listen, so give it…

The Darkness kick off their Australian tour this week, returning Down Under following the cancellation of their 2013 tour. Their return from hiatus with 2012’s Hot Cakes album saw the band refreshed; they had original bassist Frankie Poullain back in the fold on the recording for the first time since their acclaimed debut and overall…

Sonos has long been the go-to device for in-home music streaming. The company’s whole mantra is built on filling every room in the home with music but takes that concept and makes actually setting that up very easy. The problem with is that great sound, at least in this case, comes with a hefty price…

There’s been a resurgence in games that trade in the nostalgia surrounding the 8-bit NES-era in the last few years. Where many of the games that seek to capitalise in the look and feel of those games, they rarely capture what really made them special. Shovel Knight isn’t one of those games. Shovel Knight doesn’t…

Greens senator Scott Ludlam had some very choice words for the Australian government on the Boss Level panel at PAXAus on Saturday, saying in no uncertain terms that they are not doing enough to support the local games industry.

The fallout from “Thank You” will have to wait for a few weeks while The Walking Dead follow their tried-and-tested formula of breaking apart the present storyline and exploring other paths. Here, the path winds all the way back to the Morgan we saw in Season 3’s stand-out episode “Clear” and fleshes the character out…

Next week, a 35th anniversary screening of the 1980 reggae drama Babylon will be co-presented by Groovescooter and Foreigndub, with a free dub-reggae DJ set in the bar to follow. The film confronts issues of race and police brutality during the politically charged Thatcher years. It features a soundtrack composed by Dennis Bovell, plus tracks…

It’s been out for a while, but alternative rock outfit The Owls have managed to deliver a solid, bass-heavy and majorly rockin’ EP that will have you wanting to head bang or show of your killer air guitar skills, whatever you fancy. Own The Streets features 6 songs, delivering the perfect recipe of a well-rounded,…

Canadian alt-folk band Half Moon Run released their sophomore album last week. After critical acclaim on their first LP Dark Eyes it seems Sun Leads Me On has searched for a lighter, brighter direction. Dabbling in synths, finger plucking and everything in between the 13-track album creates a diverse and wonderfully lyrical experience for fans…

It’s been a huge year for Gold-Coast rock band, Double Lined Minority. Releasing their EP, Caught in the Ceasefire in February and sharing the stage with Motion City Soundtrack and As It Is, the band have been highly motivated musicians who have shared their catchy, punk influenced tunes around the country. Speaking with frontman, Eddie…

New Zealand via Brisbane artist Eden Mulholland performs his single “The New Old Fashioned” Live and Acoustic on the AU sessions. The track is taken from his brand new album Hunted Haunted (out now). Watch this exclusive video now! Upcoming Tour Dates: 15th November 2015 – Bulimba Festival, Brisbane 20th November 2015 – Oxford Art…

Here’s the latest list of the best US late-night TV music performances of last week. In this edition: Chance The Rapper, Alabama Shakes, Rod Stewart, Seth MacFarlane and Jack Garratt. Our own talk show fiend Lachlan scours the masses of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Late Show with James…