Day: 3 April 2017

It’s only April, but the BIGSOUND train has begun generating steam for another year again, with the music conference’s first announcement dropping this week. In this first bit of news, BIGSOUND have announced the inaugural Levi’s Music Prize, offering BIGSOUND artist alumni the chance to land their share of $100,000. Supporting those artists who have surged forward in…

The 2017 APRA Music Awards hit Sydney’s  Convention Centre Grand Ballroom overnight to celebrate the songwriting achievements of some of our best artists and for D.D Dumbo and Flume in particular, the night proved to be extra special. With his acclaimed single “Satan”, D.D Dumbo was awarded the APRA Song of the Year gong. A choice cut from his 2016…

If you’ve never seen Phebe Starr perform live before, please do not miss out on this opportunity to do so when she hits the east coast this winter. A true talent who, as of this point, has never toured Australia in a headline capacity, Phebe has been enjoying a new run of momentum off the back of…

Taking off for its second year this June, Curve Ball returns to Carriageworks for a winter soiree featuring some of our best dance-inciting artists as part of Vivid Sydney. To be headlined by SAFIA, the mini-festival also features stellar talent in the likes of Tkay Maidza and Client Liaison, while emerging superstars of the game in Confidence Man, Thandi Phoenix and more…

A huge national tour is Wolfmother‘s way of letting Aussie fans know that they haven’t strayed far from their minds even when they’ve been touring relentlessly throughout 2016 abroad. The ‘Gypsy Caravan’ tour will be the band’s first full headline run backing an album since 2009’s Cosmic Egg cycle, so no doubt there’s going to be plenty for…

Holy crap, new Broken Social Scene. NEW BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE. In new single “Halfway Home”, we have been dealt the first piece of new music from the Canadian group since 2010. For me, that was second year uni – a year that became dedicated to the ins and outs of their acclaimed Forgiveness Rock Record. On this soaring…

One of the most famous and downright talented trios in the music industry for the past few decades has been Dixie Chicks. Natalie Maines‘ diverse vocal work complemented by Martie Maguire and Emily Robison has proven to be a powerful combination, working in perfect harmony to produce hits that have reached far beyond the famously…

In a sly way of encouraging listeners to “shake it off and dance your cares away,” !!!’s forthcoming album Shake The Shudder is shaping up to be the band’s most electronic/dance infused release in twenty years. Shake The Shudder will be released May 19th on Warp Records via Inertia Music and was recorded at the…

This week London Grammar announced their sophomore album, Truth Is a Beautiful Thing, will be released June 9th via Metal & Dust/Columbia Records. The title track of the new album has also been shared and as usual, it’s an emotional masterpiece. Using 30 minutes on the road as inspiration for this record, Hannah, Dot and Dan…

When Sonos announces a new speaker, the whole world takes notice. This is a company that has spent the last 15 years focused on quality over quantity, with years of R&D behind every new speaker that hits the shelves. And tomorrow we’ll be enjoying the latest addition to their product line: the PLAYBASE – a…

Straight from the set of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and from its pop-up at SXSW, the fictional fast food restaurant Los Pollos Hermanos is opening its doors in Sydney for two days only – and owner Gus Fring (played by Giancarlo Esposito) will be on hand to celebrate. The pop-up Los Pollos Hermanos…

Sometimes a new show comes along and it feels like a breath of fresh air in amongst a genre that has been feeling a little formulaic and stale. Legion created and developed by Noah Hawley (Fargo) takes a deeply dramatic dive into the world of mutants and superpowers. We meet David Haller (Dan Stevens) and…

In 1968 we received Rosemary’s Baby. It was the film that established Roman Polanski’s ability to bring madness onto screen and placed Mia Farrow as the paranoid mother, unknowingly carrying Satan’s spawn through nine months of fear and mental ruin. It was a landmark film, exploring the psyche and anxiety of an expecting mother. In…

A bold colour palette expressing traditional Chinese imagery overlays both the personal and political difficulties filmmaker Jennifer Zhang has with her mother in Tough, a short student film that redefines the documentary genre tag. In the space of four short minutes, Zhang manages to convey an alarmingly detailed view of her relationship with her mother,…

Walking into a luxury hotel is almost always accompanied by a dramatic, and instantaneous, sense of freedom. As such, the lobby – the face of any hotel – is one of the most important steps for any property, so grand design is almost a given. That idea is built upon even further for those heading…

Air New Zealand have just taken a big, comfortable leap forward for passengers hopping on the popular direct route between Sydney and Cook Islands hub Rarotonga. As of this past week the highly regarded airline have upgraded their aircraft on the route to operate a 787-9 Dreamliner, bringing a superior option for those looking to…

Walking into Josie Long’s show was a strange experience. Thinking that I was late, Long was singing and doing her funky moves while singing into the microphone. It’s certainly a different way to start a show, and I liked it. I’d not like to have the heart attack thinking I was late though next time…

Under The Green apartments at the Brisbane Showgrounds in Bowen Hills is where you’ll find the recently opened Super Combo, a burger bar that looks to Arcade classic Street Fighter for inspiration. Co-owned by Hao Vu and Michael Nham (of Melbourne’s NSHRY), who both grew up mashing buttons on Street Fighter II at their local…

Mjølner (pronounced Mjol-near), Asgard and Valhalla: three terms one would associate with storied Viking culture and the legend of Thor, and possibly some of the last things you’d associate with Sydney’s dining scene. That’s changed now that The Speakeasy Group, the same team behind Eau de Vie (both Sydney and Melbourne), Boilermakerhouse and The Roosevelt,…

Gone but definitely not forgotten, AMC’s now iconic Breaking Bad series is still making waves through pop culture, largely in thanks to currently running spin-off Better Call Saul, the third season of which will be premiering in Australia in Stan come April 11th. Cause the celebrate? You’re god damn right. After popping up at SXSW…

One of our favourite craft breweries here over at the AU is the consistent and imaginative White Rabbit. The sister brewery to Little Creatures, both occupying the same space in Geelong, have impressed with recent experiments like their red wine infused craft beer, so it stands to reason that this latest release is going to…

Maker’s Mark, the Kentucky company behind the handmade whisky, are showcasing an “old-fashioned” pop-up in one of Sydney’s oldest buildings. From the 27th of March to 23rd of April, Maker’s Mark will transform the courtyard of The Argyle in The Rocks into an open-air bar that will have more than just an extensive range of…

With spectacular harbour views and the Sydney cityscape as a backdrop, Carmen at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is a delight for the senses with vibrant costumes, spectacular fireworks, and as a result Spanish-inspired dining. Five different restaurant and bar areas, ranging from casual to fine dining, are on offer for pre-performance experiences. Casual options…