Month: October 2023

Plenty is being said these days about gender and identity. Sydney alt-punk rockers Muscle Mary tackle this head-on, particularly perceptions held within the music scene, in their latest thought-provoking single, “Optics”. We’re excited to be premiering the track ahead of its release this Friday. Despite the advancement in conversations about gender, appearances and inclusivity, these…

While it felt inevitable, it is now official; Sony has announced that they will be releasing a new, slimmer version of the PlayStation 5. While it’s right around the corner in the US, hitting store shelves in November, we won’t see these down under until early next year. These new models will bear the same…

Quietly Hostile is Samantha Irby‘s fourth collection of hilarious, off-the-wall personal essays. Almost blog-style in its randomness, each chapter takes us on a journey through a variety of Irby’s loves, hates, flights of fancy, reimagined TV episodes, lists of food, embarrassing anecdotes, and misadventures in bodily functions that will give you whiplash as they switch…

UK rising star Bakar commanded the Forum stage in Melbourne last night. Draped in nothing but a single spotlight and microphone, he rallied off an impressive catalogue in celebration of his second LP Halo and his debut tour down under. Eloise Coomber was there to take in all the action. Bakar Setlist Oneinoneout Facts_situations All…

Meanjin indie-rockers Space&Ages are about to release their second song into the world, the sizzling “Trial & Error”. Continuing where they left off with their stellar debut, “High for Free”, the band is gifting us a song with a high-energy groove laden with guitar hooks, chest-bursting melodies and sweet harmonies. We are thrilled to be…

I’ll be completely honest; upon getting the opportunity to review the AMBEO Soundbar Mini and AMBEO Sub, it surprised me just how little I knew about Sennheiser’s latest offerings, in which their new range looks seemingly set to challenge the best that both Sonos and Bose have to offer in the Hi-Fi audio department. While…

First Nations artist Sunny Luwe has today released Flowers in the Sky, her much-anticipated debut album. The proud Wailwan pop-soul artist released a handful of singles earlier this year in the runup to the release of this joyful collection hitting the airwaves. The tracks have a united, joyful feeling to them. The vocals are pure…

Hold onto your hats, Australia, because your favourite indie pop duo Holy Holy have announced a huge national headline tour, and they’re bringing their buddy Tasman Keith along for the ride. Kicking off in Adelaide, the tour will see them hit all major cities and a few regional towns, before finishing up in Victoria with…

The world premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s Faraway Downs, an inspiring epic adventure and reimagined extended version of his 2008 film Australia, will be presented by the celebrated filmmaker in person, on closing night of the inaugural SXSW Sydney Screen Festival on October 21st, 2023. The film, told in six chapters, will premiere all at once…

Leather jacket? Check. Guitar? Check. Blue suede shoes? Uh-huh. Get ready to relive the life and music of Elvis Presley, the global phenomenon who would go on to birth a musical revolution. Going from his upbringing in Tupelo, Mississippi all the way to his iconic 1968 NBC Comeback Special, Elvis: A Musical Revolution tells the…

I’m not entirely sure how it’s the second week of October. But, here we are! We’re edging ever closer to Christmas and right into the busiest weeks in the publishing and bookselling (and book buying) calendar. Expect a glut of gift books, celebrity memoirs and celebrity penned fiction hitting the shelves any day now. With…

PAX AUS celebrated its 10th year this weekend at the Melbourne Convention Centre. For ten years, gamers have come from all across the country to celebrate all kinds of video and tabletop gaming. A big highlight of the weekend is PAX Rising, otherwise described as a huge indie area that offers a chance to chat…

I don’t want this review to feel like a cop-out, given we checked out the closed beta only a couple of months ago. But in the same breath, Payday 3 feels very much the same at launch, albeit now with the added variety of additional locations, gear and load-outs. Payday 3 is in many ways…

Adelaide Film Festival (AFF) announced today the 30 participants selected to take part in AFF EXPAND Lab 2023. This intensive five-day Lab brings together some of Australia’s most creative and inventive artists, filmmakers and XR and VR practitioners in a development and commissioning process to foster new ideas for moving image artworks. The national call for Expressions of…

Australians in Film (AiF), the Los Angeles based artist development organization, and their new presenting partner, Screen Australia, have just announced that they are adding two stand out conference sessions to the Festival line-up for SXSW Sydney 2023. Thursday 19th October: “A Spotlight on Blossom Films” Go inside the workings of Blossom Films with Australian screen…

I got the chance to try Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name later in the day, and I’m glad that I did. While it still retains much of the insanity and variety that the series has been known for so far, it also retains many of the string combat mechanics that have…

It wasn’t long after Super Mario Bros. Wonder, that I caught the SEGA booth and the offering to try out the upcoming Sonic Superstars. I’m certainly a fan of both the character and the broader franchise, but haven’t seen as much of this leading up to PAX AUS 2023 as I would have liked. With…

While it’s always great to be at PAX AUS, some of my fondest memories of the show came from 2017. It was my first PAX AUS with The AU Review, and Super Mario Odyssey was out that weekend. While it had actually come out that Friday, the first day of the PAX AUS weekend, I…

The National Live Music Awards (also known as the NLMAs) – an annual celebration of the Live Music industry in Australia – will be returning for the first time since October 2020 this Wednesday, 11th October. Eight events will be happening simultaneously around the country – with one event in every State and Territory. More…

For as much hype as Baldur’s Gate 3 had been building in the months leading up to its release, to its strong early days on PC and now to its release on console, it never really interested me. Allow me to explain. Although I’m a fan of certain titles within the genre, I’m generally not…

The newly reimagined building that now houses Hotel Alba is a bright spot on South Terrace, a shining row of pointed white roofs across from the peaceful expanse of Kurangga / Blue Gum Park. Just a quick 15-minute drive from Adelaide airport, the hotel sits conveniently at the edge of the city centre, and combines…

Detective Pikachu Returns is the long-awaited sequel to the beloved Detective Pikachu game from 2016, which was released on the handheld Nintendo 3DS system. For the sequel, it has been beefed up for the Nintendo Switch system and certainly doesn’t disappoint. Developed by the team at Creatures Inc. and published by Nintendo, this game brings…

Lost Paradise have announced a fantastic event, Shambhala Fields at Glenworth Valley (Darkinjung Country) this New Year’s Eve. With movements, workshops, talks, first nations culture, soul sanctuary and after dark ambience, it promises a holistic experience for the mind and soul. This year’s instalment will see an array of talks and workshops spearheaded by Pottery Boy, Mimi…

On Saturday night, tens of thousands of dedicated, long-time fans graced Sydney’s Accor Stadium for the last-ever Australian concert of rock and roll icons KISS. An electrifying buzz was in the line as the most dedicated fans arrived around 6 a.m. The excitement and energy was absolutely palpable as fans reminisced on the fantastic, record-breaking,…

In recent news, Vietjet have announced new flight routes between Vietnam and Australia. The new routes are between Ho Chi Min City and Perth and Adelaide respectively. Both routes will commence on November 21st, with five weekly return flights from each destination. Flights to Adelaide and Perth leave Ho Chi Minh City at 6.35am on…

The heart of the outback is set to come alive again in 2024, with the two Outback Bash Festivals announcing their all-star Australian lineups. The Birdsville Big Red Bash is set for July 2-4, 2024, and the Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash runs from August 15-17, 2024. Tickets for Birdsville go on sale at 10…

On Friday 6th, October, I had the pleasure to witness Peter Hellier, one of Australia’s favourite hosts and comedians, live on stage at the iconic The Comic’s Lounge. Peter is well known for his time as the co-host of The Project on Network Ten, a role he retired from in 2022 after eight years. Before…

KISS returned to Sydney for their last ever show in Australia. Playing their greatest hits from over an incredible 50+ year career the KISS army of fans danced and sang through the night to their favourite classic rock and roll hits including “Detroit Rock City”, “God Of Thunder”, “I Was Made for Loving You” and…

If you haven’t heard of Sorry, you’re missing out. This delightful indie group from the UK consists of Asha Lorenz, Louis O’Bryen, Lincoln Barrett, Campbell Baum and Marco Pini. Their second studio album, Anywhere But Here, was released in late 2022, and let me tell you- this is a special one. Forging an artistic path…

Somehow it’s October already; and we’ve added another ten tracks to our Discovery Playlist on Spotify and Apple Music. Our Track of the Week is “Yes”, the timely and uncompromising new track from award winning Black activist group A.B. Original. “Yes” is a mission statement from the duo – Yorta Yorta man Briggs, and Ngarrindjeri…