Year: 2017

Good Food Month is once again fixing to take over Sydney with a ridiculous amount of exclusive food and drink focused events. In addition to the always jam-packed Night Noodle Markets, the program each year gives the best chefs from Sydney and beyond a chance to collaborate, showcase, and experiment to feed the masses (or…

Sam Prince Hospitality Group, the team behind Sydney heavy-hitters INDU and Mejico, will be adding a Japanese restaurant to their portfolio later this year when Kid Kyoto opens on Bridge Lane in spring. Promising their most ambitious project to date, the group plan to mesh a “rebellious” take on Japanese cuisine with an “unplugged” grungy…

Be they flocking or fleeing, birds are always a sign of impending danger. Hell, if you grew up in Brisbane, the clicking sound of a magpie’s beak and the beat of black wings are a certain sign of danger. The Bluebird Mechanicals is no less than this. A neat artist’s palate of danger organised, devised…

As part of the National Theatre Live broadcasts, we have been privy to some of the West End’s most prestigious plays from playwrights that span far and wide. However, Tony Kushner’s multi-award winning two-part play Angels in America is something else. You will never see anything like this in your life. Ever. Directed by Olivier and Tony award winner…

Bram Stoker’s Dracula has been interpreted many times over the years on stage and screen. This time, Queensland based Shake and Stir Theatre Company have breathed new life into the ageless classic. A single lit window on a darkened stage is the only clue to what is to come. There are shocks a plenty –…

Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley saw out one final day and night live music and conferencing on Thursday, with BIGSOUND entering its last round, sending hundreds of musicians and delegates throughout participating venues to witness some great emerging artists, buzz bands and established favourites. The SA Music showcase in the afternoon took place at Ric’s Backyard, bringing together…

“This world is full of cynics- full of people who don’t want you to be alive, to be real,” yells Dave Le’aupepe to a thumping heavy crowd full of youthful faces, each looking up at him adoringly, hanging on his every word. “Don’t let them stop you from living your life. Don’t let anybody ever…

Brisbane breeds great music. First Beige are no exception, the psych-soul outfit slowly making their transition from bedroom project to the real world. Today, we’ve got an exclusive taste of their lead single from upcoming debut EP Press!, “Rumours”. It’s a taste of some very colourful sounds to come. Ignore the whole ‘Beige’ thing. There’s jazz flute, disco-influence,…

Having spent a good part of the Australian autumn in the UK, the indomitable trio that is Sensible J, Remi and Sampa the Great were savvy enough to have their journey documented, eventually to be cut together for fans as Sensible J’s debut music video for “Fire Sign”. Following the trio around London and Brighton, as they took to stages…

Prehistoric VR, a new virtual reality experience, will open at ACMI in Melbourne later this month. Introduced  by one of Australia’s most innovative performing arts companies Erth Visual & Physical Inc, the exhibition will open on Saturday 23 September and run until the 8 October 2017. Also opening up alongside the exhibition, will be a…

Whilst not exactly top-notch cinematic fare, the Ryan Reynolds/Samuel L. Jackson action film The Hitman’s Bodyguard shot to no. 1 in its premiere week at the box office, earning $2.33m in the process. It beat out last week’s no. 1, American Made, which now sits at no. 2 on the box office ladder.  In its second week in cinemas, it made $1.52m…

Seven artists have been shortlisted for this year’s NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Mid-career/Established). One artist or partnership will score a cash amount of $30,000 from Create NSW,  a major Artbank commission of up to $20,000 and a residency at a NSW regional gallery. The work of Zanny Begg, Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro, Jonathan Jones,…

Offering a fascinating glimpse into the art and lives of a princely Florentine family, The Art Gallery of WA has announced a new exhibit,  A Window in Italy- the Corsini Collection: Masterpieces from Florence, set to open on Saturday 24 February 2018. The exhibition will kick off with an Italian Festival Day and a series of visitor programs…

A leading Australian bibliophile goes on a tour of thousands of libraries. The result isn’t a punchline but in fact a book called The Library by Stuart Kells. This volume is a fascinating text that draws together Kells’ scholarly essays on a range of different topics related to the storage of books, reading in general…

As the waves of BIGSOUND continue to crash in Australia, our Singaporean mates are beginning to gear up for a huge music festival of their own, in Music Matters Live. As part of the wider All That Matters conference event that takes place in Singapore from September 9th – 13th, Music Matters Live is the premier independent…

It’s not just all showcases at BIGSOUND, some of the most important and crucial days of the year for Australia’s music industry. Issues facing the industry are discussed and picked apart through various panels, keynotes and informal mixers, and it’s the results of these talks each year that have a big impact on how the…

She’s one of Norway’s most respected artists and next month, Hanne Hukkelberg will be releasing her much anticipated fifth album Trust. Taken from the album, her new single “Embroidery” is a gorgeous indicator of what is to come, and features singer-songwriter Emilie Nicolas too – another talented Norwegian currently making some excellent pieces of music. “It’s about us…

Night Two of BIGSOUND brought some huge voices out to The Valley on Wednesday night. Split between heavy hitting vocals and fleshed out bands, we were spoiled for choice; when you have the likes of Total Giovanni and The Belligerents rolling alongside buzz artists like Body/Type and Willaris.K, you know that the Australian band scene is heaving. We made sure…

Rockstar Games has announced overnight, seemingly out of nowhere, that its 2011 open world crime procedural L.A. Noire is coming to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch (!!) and the HTC Vive (!!!) this year.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been genuinely surprised by a video game but Monster Hunter Stories achieved just that, and then more. From the distinct, beautifully designed world to the fun combat and exploratory gameplay, the Monster Hunter spin-off left me genuinely floored. For those new to the franchise, Stories marks a perfect…

In the early part of a person’s life, there is always that one scary story, whether it takes the form of a book, a campfire tale or a film, that will inherently scar a person for life when experienced. In my case (and that of many others), that story is Stephen King‘s IT.

Stepping into the foyer of Sydney’s Mantra 2 Bond Street, immediately, I am felt like I have been swept up and away from the sheer amount of roadworks happening just outside the door. Unfortunately for the hotel, the road works on George Street don’t seem to be stopping any time soon, but watching the amount…

TEDx is a forum that is all about “Ideas worth spreading.” In 2017 TEDxYouth Sydney was launched as its own unique event and showcased the talents of many young people. We put together the top 14 things we learned at TEDxYouth Sydney: 1. Sixteen year old inventor Macinley Butson is an inspirational young woman. She…

“BITCH!”, one of the most complex insults in the English language, predominately used as a derogatory term towards women. But where did it come from?  And why is it used in this way? BITCH: The Origin of The Female Species reflects upon the relationship between humans and animals, exploring the idea that women and dogs…

Now based in London, Australian songwriter Georgia van Etten has been continuing to craft her music with precision, warmth and an impressive vocal quality. Exuding the type of richness only soul and blues music can, van Etten has been killing it with live performances through Europe and it’s no wonder why her music has been resonating…

We chat with Aussie musician Jess Green, who has been working away on her anticipated EP release, Dragon Year. The seasoned musician has been part of the Australian scene for years now and as we learn, her career has brought her a wealth of musical experience, from jazz right through to composing for dance works. This,…

Heading to their hometown of Yamba in NSW, indie electronic twosome Nocturnal Tapes laid down the foundations for their new music video for the catchy “Wake Up”. Directed by James Buckingham, the clip leans into the 90’s vibe of the music’s production; as Buckingham describes, the nostalgic element was definitely intentional. “Nocturnal Tapes have a lot…

Talk about tour news to wake up to! One of your favourite Canadians will be back in the country this year, making the tailend of 2017 OVO and XO season in Australia! Ahead of The Weeknd‘s December shows, Drake will be touring select east coast shows in Australia at the end of November. Having been making his way…

The Yours & Owls Festival is returning to Wollongong this month with one of its strongest line ups yet – featured on it is Phoenix’s own AJJ. The band formerly known as Andrew Jackson Jihad have been hyping up their wider Australian tour dates for a few months now, their return to our shores marking their first dates in…

Monster Hunter World is all about sanding down some of the series’ rougher edges. Gone are loading screens between areas, replaced with a single, expansive world (hence the game’s title). Combat remains a visceral experience, perhaps even more so than ever. The crafting retains the depth that makes it so rewarding to spend the time prepping…