Year: 2016

While in the UK and Europe for a run of festivals last year, including The Great Escape and Primavera Sound, Australian group HOLY HOLY documented their experiences while on the road and share with us their tour diary. From driving through Europe and being regular tourists, to pre-show exercises and visiting the great John Bonham’s grave,…

This autumn French bistro Midnight Starling is offering Flop House bed and breakfast guests a two-course meal with a cocktail for just $65 per person. Situated in Kyneton, a town located in the marvellous Macedon Ranges region of Victoria, the quality establishments provide the perfect destination for a peaceful long-weekend or afternoon escape. Their collaboration…

The luxury experiential travel company &Beyond have just announced their new private jet expeditions which offer exclusive experiences in Africa’s most iconic destinations. With set departures, the tours carter to a maximum of 12 guests who are guided by &Beyond from the beginning to end, and are designed with privacy and authenticity in mind to remove the…

Destination: Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand Origin: Auckland, New Zealand Travel Time (Each Way): About 40 Minutes Last month on AU Abroad we took you on a cruise through the Hauraki Gulf off the coast of Auckland, New Zealand. This week we’re taking you to the region’s most populated island – Waiheke –…

Jet Airways is the second largest airline in India, behind IndiGo. Flying in India is a different experience to many other places in the world, and so Johnny Au takes us on an adventure to find out exactly what it’s like… Airline: Jet Airways Route: Mumbai to Kolkata, 9W 0615 Seat: 38B (Middle) Aircraft: Boeing…

2015 Auckland photographer of the year Ilan Wittenberg will present his latest portfolio Bare Truth as part of this year’s Head On Photo Festival, exhibiting his work in Sydney in late May. Photographed over a year, Wittenberg’s pieces feature striking monochrome portraits of a diverse selection of New Zealand men, all stripped to the waist. The men are made…

In 2010, a family of green-skinned creatures crash landed at Woodford Folk Festival and, for the past six years, have been trying to get back in the air. After appearances at the Adelaide Fringe and Cairns Festival, Anywhere Festival has invited the Gremlins back to make another attempt at taking to the skies, and Brisbane…

For more than twenty years, a locked wooden dresser sat ignored in the home of broadcaster and musician Joel Carnegie. When it was finally opened, a treasure trove belonging to Joel’s grandfather, swing musician Col Brain, was revealed. Now, in a unique event as part of Geelong After Dark, Joel, along with the Geelong West Brass…

“Empowering through the arts.” That’s the motto of Melbourne based group the School of Hard Knocks, who aim to engage and encourage people through performance, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, boosting their confidence and offering them a place in a welcoming community. This year, the school’s International Singers Festival, already a success in Melbourne, will, for the first…

This autumn French bistro Midnight Starling is offering Flop House bed and breakfast guests a two-course meal with a cocktail for just $65 per person. Situated in Kyneton, a town located in the marvellous Macedon Ranges region of Victoria, the quality establishments provide the perfect destination for a peaceful long-weekend or afternoon escape. Their collaboration…

When Jardin St James opened in the forecourt of Sydney’s oldest church in October of last year, it immediately gained a steady following thanks to its unique setting, even allowing for seating inside the crypt of the iconic St James Church. The relaxing atmosphere quickly established the café in the CBD, putting them in the…

The city of Sydney has a huge stock of high quality food trucks zipping all over the place nowadays so it’s only right that iconic Erskineville venue The Imperial Hotel channels all that into a new weekly festival. Every Saturday and Sunday from 4pm to 8pm, the new team behind The Imperial will be rounding…

Dublin-born Celeb Chef and My Kitchen Rules (MKR) judge, Colin Fassnidge has joined the team at the stunning Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains – McGallery for an exclusive collaboration that will see him highlighting his nose-to-tail cooking philosophy and the very best of the region’s fresh local produce. Taking place on Saturday 9th July, Fassnidge will…

One of Perth’s unmissable food events is back as Taste of Perth will take place from April 29th to May 1st. Over these short three days, some of Perth’s greatest restauranteurs, of such places as Bib and Tucker, Bistro Guillaume and Manuke Woodfire Kitchen, will create 3-4 signature dishes in ‘taste’ sized portions starting from…

Sydney bar culture is such an ever-changing landscape that is still continuing to thrive and adapt no matter how much the government tries to destroy it, and 2016 should no exception when it comes to new and exciting bars, either perfecting trends, creating new ones, or just reviving old ones. Early 2016 already saw the…

Alex Cameron has long been considered one of the country’s most intriguing songwriters and musicians and now, it would seem that we’re about to see a whole lot more of what the artist is planning on doing throughout 2016. The Seekae musician has released his new solo single in “She’s Mine” – as well as an…

The last time I had the pleasure of having a bit of a groove in the moo was in Maitland, 2012, when the likes of Public Enemy, City and Colour, Kimbra, The Maccabees, Kaiser Chiefs and Andrew WK headlined, amongst a plethora of other guns. Even looking back on the line up now, I wish I could go back…

UK electronic-chill duo Snakehips are heading to Western Australia this July for a one-off performance at Villa nightclub. The pair will be in the country for Splendour in the Grass after a killer performance at the Coachella festival n LA. Presented by Wonderland, the worldwide acclaimed Snakehips are best known for the huge hit ‘All…

After playing some of the world’s premier music festivals the LA-based collective The Internet will be returning to Australia this July. After their first show in Melbourne sold out almost immediately, The Internet have now added a second and final show in Melbourne and Sydney. Fronted by the seductive Syd tha Kyd, the 6-piece collective…

Byron Bay’s Parkway Drive have now added an additional show to their upcoming All Aussie Adventure tour which kicks off on Wednesday, June 15th.  The extra show is planned for Chelsea Heights on July 4th at Chelsea Heights Hotel, the second show at the venue on the tour. The upcoming tour will be the first time in over…

Celebrating the release of their breakthrough album, Shihad are touring the affectionately regarded The Fish Album around the Australian east coast this year! The album, the NZ band’s debut self-titled effort, turns 20 this year and is going to be seeing a special reissue on both vinyl and in digital formats. The tour will be the first for…

Ooh, now here’s one for the fans. The Used will be bringing a very special tour to Australia at the end of the year, encouraging fans to not only bath in some hectic nostalgia, but also to experience that unique joy of appreciating an album as a whole performed live. This November and December, the US band will be…

NZ artist Eden Mulholland has been having quite the album campaign, bringing the lush sounds of Hunted Haunted to more and more ears off the back of successful headline dates and support gigs with Boy and Bear. Today, the Sunshine Coast-based pop musician debuts his new music video for “Singularity” with us – a little insight into what…

Toronto punk act PUP have recently had their latest tune premiered by Zane Lowe on Beats 1, “Doubts”. It’s a gritty and aggressive release from the band and one we’re digging on heaps this week. Taken from the forthcoming new PUP album, The Dream is Over (due out on May 27th), “Doubts” is as defiant as it is hard-hitting. Visceral…

Nintendo of Japan have officially confirmed that their next console, codenamed “NX” is slated to ship in March 2017. The news was quickly followed by the announcement that the forthcoming Legend of Zelda game for Wii U has also been delayed into 2017.

Following some pretty intense fan backlash after last fortnight’s DOOM multiplayer open beta, Bethesda are switching gears. The Fallout publisher will be running a Twitch stream tomorrow morning to spotlight the game’s “intense” single-player campaign. The stream kicks off at 4am AEST because of course it does, and will be hosted by DOOM‘s executive producer Marty Stratton and…

Torchwood, Doctor Who and Arrow fans, gird your loins. John Barrowman has been the latest addition to Oz Comic Con’s 2016 event for Melbourne! The actor joins fellow recent addition Robert Patrick on the still-building line up of international stars set to travel out to Australia for the pop culture expo this June. Of course, Barrowman is a beloved figure…

Turner Classic Movies has put together The Velvet Underground of classic movies with their new streaming service, FilmStruck. A supergroup composed of The Criterion Collection, Warner Bros, Fickle Alley and a range of independent classic film catalogues forming the crux of their new streaming service, FilmStruck. The service will be free from advertisements and while pricing…

When the minds behind the always-unpredictable BBC comedy, The Mighty Boosh, had been saying that they were planning on working together in the near future, fans of the long defunct, much missed TV series must have been feeling at least a little nostalgic. Had the pair had it their way though, we would have seen…

In the lead-up to Stan’s exclusive mini-series of Aussie horror Wolf Creek, the streaming service will be opening up two undoubtedly creepy immersive pop-up bars next month, the first in Melbourne across four days, and the second in Sydney across four days. The fully-immersive Wolf Creek Roadhouse Bar will be transposing the rugged outback setting…