Day: 15 December 2016

Max Dunn & Donnie Borzestowski reflect on 2016 for Gang of Youths and tease Album #2

Festival of the Sun this year saw Sydney’s Gang of Youths top the bill at Port Macquarie, drawing in strong numbers for what was to be one of their first festival shows of the summer. After spending 2016 on the road with The Positions and the Let Me Be Clear EP, the boys have hit the studio hard in recent months…

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Art Gallery of Ballarat director Gordon Morrsion talks Ballarat’s artistic vision (part 2)

Yesterday we published part one of an interview with the director of the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Gordon Morrison. In that first half, we heard his vision for the gallery and what its place will be for future exhibitions stemming from the gallery’s recent exhibition of the touring Archibald Prize artworks. For those art lovers…

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3rd Annual AU Award Winners Revealed: A.B. Original, Remi, NGAIIRE, Colin Lillie & more come out on top

What an absolute trip 2016 has been as we’ve immersed ourselves in incredible live music scenes around the country. We’ve seen some stellar artists emerge from all corners, really making the year their own. As 2016 approaches its final weeks, the Australian industry and its artists have been celebrated in all different forms; from multiple…

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State of Affairs: Australian Music Hall of Fame, St Kilda Festival & more

In this week’s industry wrap up, the Victorian State Government promised to provide $10 million funding to create the long awaited Australian Music Hall of Fame, St Kilda Festival released their first confirmed line-up for 2017, and more! An Australian Music Hall of Fame is finally coming After 15 years of lobbying from Australian music big-names Michael Gudinski, Molly…

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Keavy Lynch of B*Witched talks Australia, touring & all the denim

Irish girl group, B*Witched started the worldwide craze of bubble gum pop, dance moves and double denim in the mid-90’s. Coming off the success of the television series, The Big Reunion, which saw the band reunite after twelve years apart; B*Witched are set to return Australia, for the first time in 18 years, in February…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Zefereli “Oh Christmas” (2016)

The silly season is most definitely upon us, friends. While festive food comas await as Christmas Day continues to creep up on us, we’re looking forward for some time off (as are you, no doubt) just to kick back and look ahead to another year – a clean slate. What better to get into the…

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Single of the Day: Alex The Kid “Untitled” (2016)

Following their debut album Speak Up released earlier this year, Geraldton-hailing punk-rockers Alex The Kid have dropped single “Untitled” as part of the band’s label Pee Record’s compilation Pee Approved 5. It’s infectiously melodic from the opening bars and continues to soar with crashing percussion and endless guitars. Frontman Ken McCartney‘s vocals are honest and grungy,…

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Patty Walters of As It Is (UK) talks Okay, forming an identity, and the healing power of music

It’s 10pm in the UK when Patty Walters beamingly greets me on the phone, explaining he’s running on caffeine for a night of press. After cultivating a successful YouTube following by posting covers of emo heavyweights including Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance, Walters formed the pop-punk As It Is in 2012. We chatted…

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We reflect on Harambe and the memes of 2016 with Dan Ilic and Superwog ahead of BINGEFEST

Bingefest is set to take over the Sydney Opera House for an epic 24 hours this weekend, and part of this will be The Harambe Memorial Service: 2016’s Viral Hits, where Australia’s best, brightest and funniest internet stars will bring you the definitive story of what went down on the Internet in 2016 – from…

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Red Bull TV to stream highlights of BINGEFEST from the Sydney Opera House

From Monday 19 December, fans who are unable to attend this year’s BINGEFEST at the Sydney Opera House can tune in to Red Bull TV and stream some highlights from the event. This program (titled The Best of BINGEFEST) will be hosted by Marc Fennell and Ash London and it will feature some of the…

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The first full length trailer of Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk arrives, and it’s beautiful

The first full length trailer of Christopher Nolan‘s upcoming film Dunkirk was released today, giving Nolan fans a taste of what the filmmaker has done this time round. Known for his work in The Dark Knight and Interstellar, Nolan reveals a sharp and heart-thumping introduction to Dunkirk. The title has been shot using a mixture of IMAX® and…

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The Iris’ 2016 Game of the Year Countdown: The Top 10

It’s that time of year again. We’re making a list, and checking it 26 times because that’s how many good games there were this year. Through hours of painstaking research, office-wide arguments, dice-rolling, divination via goat bones, sacred pilgrimages and pleas for guidance to a small framed picture of Reggie Fils-Aime, we have collated our Top 10…

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Film Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (M, USA, 2016) is action packed and ruthless

The Star Wars saga is set to continue, this time with the first stand alone film in its ‘Anthology’ series. Singular films that will showcase interconnected stories or characters that basically provide an extended universe to our main trilogies. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is first out of the gates and has a lot…

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The Iris’ 2016 Game of the Year Countdown: The 5 Biggest Letdowns

2016 has, by now, a well-deserved reputation for being kind of a jerk. The last twelve months have taken beloved artists from us, presented a nightmare vision for the political future and tried its very best to defeat and demoralise us all. Amongst the gloom, we still had our lights — games we could look forward…

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Monster Fest Film Review: Dearest Sister (Laos, 2016) has an identity crisis

Laos director Mattie Do’s sophomore film Dearest Sister has an identity crisis. It just isn’t sure what story it wants to tell. And its an issue that is never repaired throughout its needless 100 minute running time. When Nok goes to stay with her blind and affluent sister Ana, the two begin fighting after Nok finds out…

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Brian Jay Jones talks Star Wars, George Lucas and the art of the biography

You might have noticed that the world has gone a little bit Star Wars crazy these last couple of months. There’s been novels, movies – just released – memoirs by stars, and now a biography of the creator, the man behind it all – George Lucas. George Lucas: A Life is the new biography from…

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Carriageworks to operate 12 new artist studios and community spaces in January 2017

Sydney’s iconic Carriageworks is set to open an enormous expansion in January 2017 following a recent partnership with UrbanGrowth NSW and the acquisition of The Clothing Store, a heritage part of the historic Railway Workshops network in North Eveleigh. Announced today, the arts destination will put out a public call for expressions of interest for…

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Award winning Japanese performance group SIRO-A to visit Australia for the first time

In a Sydney exclusive, SIRO-A will bring their theatrical spectacular Techno Circus to Australia early next year, performing at The Concourse from 10th to 29th January 2017. Described as Japan’s answer to Blue Man Group, SIRO-A was formed in 2002 by six classmates from Sendai. Aiming to break the barriers of conventional theatre, the group…

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Amanda Palmer and Missy Higgins to join The School of Life Melbourne for one-off event in January

On January 15th, singer-songwriters Amanda Palmer and Missy Higgins will speak on motherhood, music, and artistry at a one-off event for the Melbourne branch of Alain de Botton‘s School of Life. Both Palmer and Higgins have built their musical careers on going against the grain, boasting creative streaks that, Palmer at least, worried might be…

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Five Books You Need To Read This Month: December

It’s December! The Festive Season… The Silly Season… You get the point. Christmas or not, we’re back with another five books we think you need to be reading this month – or gifting – so if you’ve still got a few people left to buy for, keep reading. This month we’ve got a movie-set memoir…

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Eric Andre to return to Australia and New Zealand in 2017

After a sold-out debut run, comedian Eric Andre will return to Australia and make his first trip to New Zealand with dates set for May 2017. Known for his off-kilter humour, Andre has presented his cult hit talk show The Eric Andre Show since 2012, co-hosting with Hannibal Buress and boasting guests such as Jack…

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Here’s where you can cop the Yeezy Boost 350 v2 “Core White” release this weekend

The new Yeezy Boost 350 v2 “Core White” release is one of the sexiest pairs to come out of the now iconic, “queue for days” collaboration between adidas and Kanye West. The fever-pitch demand each time a different expression of these bad boys hits the worldwide market is kind of ridiculous, but easily justified if…

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On the Shelf: Jameson’s Cooper’s Croze

2016 has been a big step forward for Jameson, especially seeing as this year saw them unveil a whole new family of expressions celebrating the heritage and craft that swirls around the hugely popular Irish blend. Their whiskeys have always been greatly received around the world so watching them push their Whiskey Maker’s adventurous range…

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Queensland’s awarded Betty’s Burgers open first venue in Melbourne

One of Queensland’s most awarded burger shacks, Betty’s Burgers & Concrete Co. (often referred to as just Betty’s Burgers), has long been a staple for burger fiends and visitors up north. Their three stores, the flagship in Noosa and the subsequent openings in Surfers Paradise and Robina, have remained in such high regard that it’s…

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Review: Frisco Hotel (Woolloomooloo) pushes into a new era with an exciting new look and menu

A warm Summer’s day became cooler as the breeze off the Woolloomooloo water blew towards The Frisco Hotel that lies one block away from the water. Tightly-wound townhouses are stacked up the street, as the maritime blue poles of the nautical themed herald a new era for the long-standing pub. Under new management, the 13-week…

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Review: Bangbang Cafe (Surry Hills) remains on the front line in Sydney’s ferocious burger wars

Concealed on Reservoir Street in Surry Hills, Bangbang Café remains a refuge for fresh salads, take-away coffee and gluttonous burgers, a menu which in the past year or so has placed the modest business in prime position on the front line of Sydney’s ongoing burger war. It oozes casual cool from its open, sun-lit shop…

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