Year: 2016

Australia has played the crest to the wave of ‘indie horror’ films settling amongst international audiences. Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook was received as one of the best horror films of the decade, and the minimalist-horror ethos settles well with Australian roots in Outback Gothic; something that’s quite present in Joseph Sims-Dennett‘s Observance. The film follows…

If you haven’t heard, we have a new film that’s doing extremely well at the box office and smashing records left, right and center. That’s none other than, Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice.  Even though the reviews have had a mixed reception that hasn’t stopped a  plethora of people and popcorn from sitting in on DC’s…

With a surprise appearance from J.J. Abrams helping get the crowd in the mood, the premiere of Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey – an insightful, feature length documentary about the 7th Star Wars film, The Force Awakens – attracted a massive crowd at SXSW earlier this month, keen to learn the secrets behind…

When we last tuned into Better Call Saul, the show had left us on a cliffhanger with the consequences of Jimmy’s (Bob Odenkirk) initiative at Davis & Main and Nacho’s (Michael Mando) bid to kill Tuco (Raymond Cruz) hanging over our heads. If anything, the last four episodes of Better Call Saul have really hammered…

United Airlines’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arrived this weekend at Sydney International Airport, signalling the start of services to San Francisco and Los Angeles for the much talked about aircraft. The Dreamliners exclusively replace the Boeing 777-200s for all trans-pacific services from Sydney. “We’re excited that Australia has become United’s first country with multiple daily operations with Dreamliner…

Today we want you to join us for the unique experience offered by Hauraki Blue Cruises, based out of Auckland: an overnight cruise that takes you through the islands just outside of Auckland Harbour. Their cruise ship is a sizable catamaran named Ipipiri (in fact, she is the largest cruise ship permanently based in New Zealand),…

London’s hilarious and refreshing comedian, Luisa Omielan is in Melbourne for this years International Comedy Festival from March 30 until April 9. In 2015, she visited Australia as part of the Comedy Gala with her hit 4 minute video clip Thigh Gap, that accumulated over 30 million Facebook views, expanding her presence on the Australian comedy scene. Following on…

Calling all Brisbane mums. Desperately trying to keep it together? So is Jenny Wynter in Viking Mama! Join Wynter and release the mother warrior within from Wednesday 4 to Saturday 7 May at the Judith Wright Centre. Viking Mama sheds light on a day in the life of a Viking mother, as she tries to…

The National Theatre Melbourne for the first time in its history, has been transformed into a hub for 30th Melbourne International Comedy Festival, hosting five shows over the course of the festival. CEO Nic Clark has said that the affiliation with the iconic Comedy Festival has allowed The National Theatre to offer a variety of…

“Turandot!” cue gong in the form of a giant flame-throwing dragon. “Principessa!” cue Turandot’s dazzling appearance at the top of the tall metal tower to descend towards the stage. “Vincero!” cue the dramatic note of Nessun Dorma proceeded with fireworks in the night sky above Sydney Harbour. Handa Opera really knows how to put on…

Ever been to Work Shop on Cleveland Street? It’s just about one of the coolest, decked-out warehouse spaces in the area, regularly offering up masterclasses on a wide variety of activities, hobbies, and necessary life skills. From this Friday (April 1st), the space will also be home to Sydney’s newest pop-up party, aptly named Burgers…

Give El Camino Cantina  a big warm “hola” when it sets up shop in The Rocks this May; the Urban Purveyor Group will open its first Austin-inspired Tex-Mex restaurant in The Argyle precinct, replacing their acclaimed French gem Ananas Bar & Brasserie, which will be moving on down to Darling Harbour as part of a new development with indoor and alfresco…

At the Sounds Australia Aussie BBQ at SXSW this year, Larry sat down with Zach and Billy of Hockey Dad notoriety to find out how the Texan festival had been treating the lads from Wollongong! Playing multiple shows crammed into a short period of time, SXSW proved to be yet another learning experience in developing their craft as a live act…

Disturbed are set to bring album number six out to Australia and New Zealand for a long-awaited tour this November! The Chicago four piece returned from hiatus to record their first album in five years in Immortalized and are now brandished a killer live show to match, hitting arenas in the major Australian capitals (no Adelaide this time around,…

Here’s some steaming hot rock and roll out of Brooklyn for you this Wednesday, courtesy of one of our favourite new discoveries, Skunkmello. Bringing a vintage, brazen fusion of rock and blues with their new album Hot Chicken (due out this June), the band have released the first taste of what’s to come in “Slaughterhouse Blues”, premiering…

Arguably the mother of all European music festivals, Glastonbury, has announced its full line up for 2016 – the Worthy Farm event priming itself to host the likes of Muse, Adele, Coldplay and many, many more this June 22nd-26th. Newly confirmed acts for Glasto this year have included Beck, Foals, LCD Soundsystem, CHVRCHES, ZZ Top and Bring Me the Horizon, while many acts and performers are…

Newcastle power duo The Gooch Palms have been added to what is now a stomper sold out Australian tour by Violent Soho this year – for real, could this bill get any more raucous? The Gooch Palms, who we recently saw tear up at SXSW for another year, have been working on their second album Introverted Extroverts and so to…

Mutemath and Vic Mensa fans keen for both American artists hitting our shores next month have been disappointed this afternoon, with regional touring festival Groovin’ The Moo announcing replacement artists for both following the tour cancellations. Due to varying reasons, Mutemath and Mensa have pulled out of Australian shows, including their run of festival dates, while Jarryd James and What…

This has been a collaboration we’ve been waiting to be officially announced for some time now, so the fact that Briggs and Trials have finally gone and dropped details of their A.B. ORIGINAL project…we couldn’t be more excited. The two hip hop wordsmiths and fire live performers first came up with the idea to come together and make some brilliant music after…

Bluesfest favourite Allen Stone enjoyed another successful run of shows out in Byron Bay over the Easter Weekend; an incredible live performer and a general great dude to deal with on and off stage, the AU caught up with the US artist to see what’s been happening since we last saw him. With a new album…

Kamasi Washington‘s run of Australian shows recently, both headline, festival (for Bluesfest) and supporting Kendrick Lamar have earned rave reviews and have won the Cali jazz maestro a legion of new fans. His album The Epic demonstrated a music talent that took contemporary music fans by storm last year and with these live shows continuing to highlight…

Melbourne based musician and creative Zii is gearing up to launch his latest EP in Through These Eyes, coming through the Evelyn Hotel on April 1st. Embarking on to the local scene last year with successful releases in “Belief” and “This is Afrika”, Through These Eyes is undoubtedly going to be a perfect introduction for many to…

Easter weekend in Australia means Bluesfest, and for those of us down in Melbourne it means sideshows. So many sideshows. Personally, I was most keen for Cold War Kids‘ sold out 170 Russell venture off the back of their fifth LP Hold My Home and first ever chart topping single in “First”. Quite often I’m…

The fifth and final day of Bluesfest 2016 played heavy on nostalgia, with a double-bill headliner in Brian Wilson and Tom Jones, while some of the festival’s favourite returning acts kept the quality consistent throughout the day in the lead-up to a site-closing blues extravaganza by supergroup The Original Blues Brothers Band, who brought an…

Colin Lillie, via new single “Give Thanks”, further explores a songwriting talent already established as a heartfelt and honest one, but engages with a bit of edge on the new tune. Known for marrying folk with some great country tones, Lillie here injects some rockier rhythms into “Give Thanks” and embraces some painfully earnest lyricism…

It’s a sweaty Thursday afternoon and SXSW Music is entering its last corner for another year. I find myself standing out the front of Barracuda, listening to White Lung belt out their last five or so minutes of live show chaos on stage inside. Shortly after, Mish Barber-Way and Kenneth ‘Kenny’ William join me outside for a chat on the…

Three years since the release of their debut EP White Water, The Sinking Teeth have returned with “Good Grief”, a cut from their debut album due for release this year. The Melbourne three-piece have toured with the likes of Jimmy Eat World, Bodyjar and Kingswood and it’s not hard to see why, with “Good Grief” showing their confidence in their…

SXSW can be an overwhelming, sometimes unforgiving beast to anyone attending the Texan music festival for the first time or for the umpteenth time. For US-based Aussie musician Lo Carmen, the programme saw her performing her own showcases as well as connecting with some important industry individuals and of course, seeing some of her favourite musicians do…

In the lead-up to the release of the R-rated ‘Ultimate Cut’ of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice director Zack Snyder has released a scene cut from the film’s theatrical cut. Titled ‘Communion’, it sees Lex Luther (Jesse Eisenberg) getting up to no good in the heart of the Kryptonian spacecraft from Man of Steel. It adds some…

For the second time this week, The LEGO Batman Movie has a new teaser trailer. It comes with another fantastic introduction by Will Arnett‘s Lego Batman and might even be funnier than the first. Check it out below: The LEGO Batman Movie releases March 30th 2017. ———- This content has recently been ported from its original home…