Day: 12 December 2017

Festival Review: The Pleasure Garden lives up to its name in St. Kilda

The Pleasure Garden is what I imagine tea with the Mad Hatter would be like. Sitting on a couch in the middle of a garden, sipping on gin, greeting people dressed as exotic birds who offer you lollipops whilst Fat Freddy’s Drop plays in the background. Add Hula Hoops, delectable street food, a smooth musical…

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Live Review: British India play to their strengths at huge Sydney show at The Metro Theatre

British India returned to The Metro with songs from their latest album Forgetting the Future and two support acts, Deadlove and Planet, in tow. First support act Deadlove were loud and energetic, their set could be heard from the bar at The Metro. Playing to a small crowd that gradually grew throughout the set, the…

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Interview: Natalie Pearson discusses her new single, “Mr. Wrong”, and album Long Time Running

Natalie Pearson has been making a name for herself in the country music scene. Her album Long Time Running, released early last year, debuted at #2 on the Australian Country iTunes Chart and received the award for Best Country in the 2016 MusicOz Australian Independent Music Awards.

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Single of the Day: Sufjan Stevens “Tonya Harding” (2017)

Sufjan Stevens‘ new single “Tonya Harding” is an ode to the leg breaking, sex tape making figure skater from Portland. Her poor background, abusive mother and attention from the media are all aspect of her story which drew Sufjan Stevens to write the song. And those familiar with her story may be surprised at his…

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5 NSW Artists to Add to Your Playlist

New South Wales is a treasure trove of great new music, from the North Coast to Sydney, from Wollongong to Bathurst, we’ve rounded up five up and coming artists you need to jump on now! DANDE AND THE LION https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Peitat4QCQ Indie-rock five piece Dande and The Lion have a sound as sweet as their name….

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Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom finally gets a release date

Bandai Namco have confirmed this morning that Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, the long-awaited sequel to the hit 2013 RPG, will launch on March 30, 2018.

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Film Review: The Disaster Artist (USA, 2017) is a profound display of fearlessness

Tommy Wiseau’s laughably bad The Room has such a strong and passionate cult following that the “disasterpiece” is still being discussed, screened and dissected 14 years after its limited cinematic release. There aren’t many films that can boast that kind of staying power, existing in a singular universe where something is so bad it takes…

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Games Review: Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris (PS4, 2017): A pile of weird decisions

There’s almost no reason for you to play Destiny 2‘s first expansion, Curse of Osiris. I’ve tried to find a nicer way to frame the expansion’s futile attempts at justifying its own existence but there’s no getting around it. In a game as massive as Destiny 2, especially one that is designed to keep players coming back,…

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Tech Review: BlueAnt Pump Air True Wireless Sportsbuds: Comfortably average

I’m a bit leery of ear bud headphones in general. My ears are constructed in the exact shape that will rudely eject any bud the moment I put them in. Add to this the notion of earbuds that are wireless — the cord being the one thing that typically stops me from losing any pair…

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Games Review: RIVE: Ultimate Edition (Switch, 2017): A heady genre blend

It’s been five years since disaster befell Dutch developer Two Tribes B.V. and a large percentage of their staff were retrenched, spelling the end for the studio. They were not, however, prepared to go down without a fight and the remaining staff battled on to complete what would become Two Tribes’ last game, a twin-stick…

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Watch: The Empire State Building illuminated with light and music for The Greatest Showman

The Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. has recently presented a music-to-light show choreographed to the song “This is Me”, created by Academy and Tony Award-winning songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen) featured in the upcoming film The Greatest Showman. The show was designed by renowned lighting designer Marc…

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Meet the new fab five as Queer Eye announces its return to television

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was a wildly popular and Emmy Award-winning reality TV series, and will now return 15 years later, under the name Queer Eye. The series will make its return thanks to streaming service Netflix as its global influence will introduce new and familiar audiences to a modern aesthetic. The show…

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Games Review: Rumu (PC, 2017): I love feelings

Rumu is the second major release from Sydney-based indie developer Robot House. It’s a game about a little robot vacuum cleaner that lives in a smart home run by an AI named Sabrina — a little guy trying to make sense of a big and complicated place. Rumu, as a game, is much the same —…

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Film Review: In This Corner of the World (Japan, 2016) is thought-provoking anime for older audiences

Similar to the majority of other anime titles on offer, In This Corner of the World is suitably aimed at older audiences.  Whilst the animated medium usually suggests family-friendly viewing, Sunao Katabuchi‘s thematically heavy drama is more thought-provoking than visually reliant. Concerning itself predominantly with the bombing of Hiroshima towards the end of World War…

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Sydney’s Carriageworks unveils massive 2018 program including 10 world premieres

Carriageworks have revealed a dynamic program for 2018 and its going to be huge with the season spanning contemporary art, dance, performance, music, screen, food and ideas. The Artistic Program will support 690 artists and will present 70 projects, including 10 world premieres, 17 international works and 17 new Australian commissions. From January Carriageworks will…

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How Two Live are running an independent fashion pop-up store in Melbourne

Sisters Jess and Stef Dadon of popular fashion blog How Two Live have just brought a four week pop-up store to Melbourne with fashion and homewares from 20 independent Aussie labels including Pared Eyewear, Emily Green, Lovestar, From St Xavier, Kitsu, State of Georgia, and the girls’ own footwear label TWOOBS. Featuring a curated edit…

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Mr Black adds Coffee Amaro as the second permanent expression to the coffee liqueur brand

Mr Black Roasters & Distillers have grown immensely in the past few years, picking up quite a few awards along the way and selling out limited releases left, right and centre. Their latest expression is the second permanent addition to their growing line of specialty coffee liqueurs, pushing in a bit of a different direction…

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Barossa Boy: a new wine series launches out of the Barossa Valley

Sixth generation Barossa winemaker Trent Burge is spearheading a new passion project and wine series titled Barossa Boy, a collection that he hopes will mirror the same consistency and quality that’s been threaded through his family’s history in the Valley which dates back to 1855, when his great-great-great grandfather John Burge first immigrated to South…

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Gemtree Wines have released a new premium shiraz aged in a barrel buried underground

Family owned winery Gemtree Wines, located out in McLaren Vale, have just released the contents of the first wine barrel in the world to be returned to the earth and aged in the ground. SubTerra is a single-vineyard shiraz said to mirror the same premium quality that is often credited to wineries throughout the McLaren…

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Mr Crackles and Handpicked Wines are throwing a “Swine & Wine” party (Sydney)

In what is pretty much guaranteed to be one of the stand-out events on Sydney’s long list of December food and drink events, local institution Mr Crackles – considered an originator in the art of attracting enormous fucking queues – has partnered with Handpicked Wines for a huge pre-Xmas feast mixing swine with wine on…

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Over 115 producers and providores join the lineup for Carriageworks Farmers Market (Sydney)

Those who are looking for quality produce ahead of Christmas should keep this one in mind. Carriageworks are bringing back their annual free-entry Christmas Farmers Market on 23rd December, rounding up over 115 producers and providores for an enormous market kicking off at 8am and wrapping up at 1pm. Focused on food and produce, the…

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Anna Polyviou has opened a gingerbread dessert pop-up at Shangri-La Sydney

Renowned Punk Princess of Pastry Anna Polyviou will be helping Sydney’s lush Shangri-La Hotel, at which she has long been an Executive Pastry Chef, charge into the holiday season with a special pop-up store which will be marked by an enormous four metre gingerbread train out the front, combining 2,000 kilos of gingerbread bricks, 500…

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Johnnie Walker unveils two new Blenders’ Batch expressions including an Espresso Roast Whisky

Good ol’ Johnnie Walker. We can always rely on the iconic blended Scotch Whisky to constantly roll out new and exciting expressions towards the end of the year. They’ve already made waves with the newly relaunched Aged 18 Years and that hype is definitely looking to continue with the imminent arrival of two new experimental…

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Huxtaburger opens in Footscray (Melbourne)

Melbourne’s unstoppable Huxtaburger has finally made it’s way out to Footscray, with a new restaurant opening to locals this past weekend. The famed burger joint, which has locations all over the city, will be doing much of what made the brand such a juggernaut on the scene in the first place. The menu will be…

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The Duke of Clarence opens just in time for the holiday season (Sydney)

The year ain’t over just yet! Before we edge our way into 2018, the team behind Sydney’s award-winning The Barber Shop are introducing a new essential drinking destination to the CBD, inspired by and fashioned as a 19th century English tavern. Titled The Duke of Clarence the new pub, which is now open to the…

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Mary’s, Alpha, Bodega, Messina and more for Meriton Festival Village

In less than a month Sydney Festival will be kicking off their 2018 program, which is as diverse as ever with its intelligent blend of art, performance, theatre, music and more. Though for many it’s the festival’s beating heart, the pop-up village that will be set in Hyde Park, that’s most exciting. From 5th to…

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A new pan-Asian patisseri brings leychee crepe cakes, rendang pies and more to Kensington Street (Sydney)

Fusion food often gets a bad rap but most Sydney eateries seem to be able to get the balance in flavours belonging to two different cultures, just about right. The latest player to join this sub-cuisine is Chefs Pastry, an innovative new bakery combining centuries-old French pastry techniques with vibrant pan-Asian flavours. While this might…

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Review: Everyday Espresso brings unconventional brunch to Redfern (Sydney)

Some weekends you’re awake by 7.30 am, have had a run and a kale smoothie by 9 and you’re now ready for a productive day of adventuring. Other weekends, it’s a struggle to remember what happened the night before through the haze of  the world’s best (or worst) hangover and you’re praying Deliveroo does McDonald’s…

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