Author: Chris Singh

Chris Singh is an Editor-At-Large at the AU review, loves writing about travel and hospitality, and is partial to a perfectly textured octopus. You can reach him on Instagram: @chrisdsingh.

The first full trailer for J.J. Abrams’ new time-travel series starring James Franco is here

Exclusive to streaming service Hulu, a time-travel thriller/drama created by Star Wars: The Force Awakens Director J.J. Adrams will be released later this year. Titled after and based on Stephen King novel 11.22.63, the eight-part series will star James Franco as a teacher who travels back in time to try and prevent the assassination of…

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Kanye West releases new track “Real Friends” and previews a Kendrick Lamar collaboration

It’s looking like the rumours of Kanye West bringing back his “GOOD Fridays” series are true, meaning that the superstar rapper-producer will be putting out new material every week in the lead up to his forthcoming album SWISH, which is scheduled for a release on February 11th, 2016. This week, that new material comes in…

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Tuka, Melbourne Ska Orchestra, Jinja Safari, and more to play The Rocks’ free Australia Day festival

Sydney’s historic harbour-side precinct The Rocks is always one of the most popular locations for public Australia Day celebrations year after year, and 2016 will be no exception as organisers of the suburb’s annual festival have curated a huge music program to go along with the (hopefully) sun-charged atmosphere of eclectic market stalls and delicious…

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Spotlight on Meriton Festival Village 2016 – Hyde Park (Sydney)

Sydney Festival is back for their huge 40th year anniversary, once again propping up their central hub in the leafy surrounds of Hyde Park, this year presenting a re-brand of sorts as what was once known as Sydney Festival Village now becomes Meriton Festival Village. Not much has changed aside from the name though, and…

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The official teaser trailer for The Conjuring 2 is here to haunt you

After the lackluster Annabelle last year, fans of the 2013 supernatural-horror The Conjuring have been anxiously waiting to see what Director James Wan would do for the direct sequel, The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist. Now, we get to a glimpse at what’s in store as the original’s stand-outs, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return…

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The first footage from Better Call Saul season 2 is here!

Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul was unsurprisingly met with massive acclaim with it premiered on AMC last year for it’s first season. Watching Jimmy McGill slowly but surely head down to path towards loveable dodgy lawyer (slash real life Lionel Hutz) Saul Goodman was fascinating to say the least, placing the show’s second season…

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Bloc Party, Disclosure, and Birds of Tokyo announced for special benefit show in Perth this weekend

Fresh off previewing their new album Hymns at Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory, UK band Bloc Party have announced that they will be playing a special benefit concert, organised by the team behind Southbound, this weekend in Perth in an effort to raise funds for those affected by the horrible bushfires in the South West. Annual…

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Kendrick Lamar premieres new song “Untitled 2” on Jimmy Fallon

Lyrical master Kendrick Lamar has once again premiered a new “untitled” track on one of the world’s most viewed talk show programs, appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to showcase the previously unreleased song, which doesn’t appear on his most recent project, the universally praised To Pimp a Butterfly. With the working title…

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David Bowie releases his 25th full-length album “★ (Blackstar)” in full

As the music icon turns 69, David Bowie has now released his hugely anticipated 25th full-length album ★ (Blackstar), allowing his fans to stream all seven tracks online via Vevo and Spotify. First previewed by the haunting 10-minute opener “Blackstar”, this new album seeks to further Bowie’s range with a fresh approach pulling in all…

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Bloc Party preview fifth album “Hymns” at Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory

While wrapping up their current Australian tour Bloc Party took to one of Sydney’s most intimate live music venues, Oxford Art Factory, in an exclusive showcase for their upcoming fifth album Hymns, a project which has had much speculation surrounding it given the band’s new incarnation. Taking place last night, on Friday 8th January, the…

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Chet Faker, Courtney Barnett, and Meg Mac join Kanye West, The Strokes, and Beck on the massive line up for Governors Ball 2016

Aussie acts continue to climb row by row on American festival lineup posters, with a great example being the massive new program for this year’s Governors Ball, which takes place in June on Randall’s Island Park in New York City. Headlined by the likes of Chicago rapper-producer Kanye West, indie rock gods The Strokes and…

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MasterChef Dessert King finds new kingdom in Chippendale with Koi Dessert Bar

MasterChef fan favourite Reynold Poernomo has achieved what many of his fellow contestants have yet to do, and opened up his own restaurant within a year of appearing on the popular reality TV show. His venue, Koi Dessert Bar, in the Kensington Street, Chippendale quarter of Sydney, is a two-level dessert-focused restaurant, with a ground…

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Film Review: Sisters (USA, 2015)

One would think that teaming Tina Fey and Amy Poehler on the big screen would have incredible results. Both are some of the funniest, wittiest, and charming comedians of our time, each scoring big on their respective breakout TV hits, with Fey lighting up 30 Rock and Poehler on Parks & Recreation. Though, their unmistakable…

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Single of the Day: Ghost Wave “Blues Signal ’79” (2015)

New Zealand band Ghost Wave are getting ready to release a new album, Radio Norfolk, via Flying Nun and have perked interest with the project’s first single “Blues Signal ’79”, presenting with a heavily psychedelic sound. “Everybody’s missing the countdown to the meltdown” is the refrain here, crafting a hook that fits in perfectly with…

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Live Review: Four Tet – Sydney Opera House (06.01.15)

Kieran Hebden’s Four Tet project has long been at the core of contemporary, experimental music, delivering some of the most meandering and diverse productions of this past decade, displaying a rare ability to direct emotion with subtle shifts of melody and rhythm. We’ve seen it on albums like Rounds and There is Love in You,…

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Yeasayer are back with a bizarre music video for new song “I Am Chemistry”

It has been awhile since we’ve properly heard from Brooklyn band Yeasayer and their fantastically weird experimental indie-pop. Following a round of curious song previews over the holiday period they’ve decided that now seems a good a time as any to start rolling out new material from forthcoming album Amen & Goodbye. Titled “I Am…

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Ice Cube and Kevin Hart are coming to Australia in February to promote Ride Along 2

Ice Cube will be returning to Australia after coming down here with his son, O’Shea Jackson Jr, last year to promote Straight Outta Compton. However, this time the legendary rapper will be accompanied by comedian Kevin Hart, his co-star for the forthcoming Ride Along 2. Arriving on February 8th, Cube and Hart will be doing…

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The Argyle plans trio of beach-themed parties to celebrate summer (Sydney)

Renowned venue The Argyle in The Rocks has announced a big trio of parties spread across this month, all designed after iconic beach locations around the world. Taking place over three big weekends, each party will draw inspiration from either Rio, Miami, and Ibiza as they transform the unique hot spot into a medley of…

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Live Review: Pusha T – Metro Theatre, Sydney (05.01.16)

Just a few weeks ago the strong contingent of hip-hop releases that kept coming throughout 2015 ended with the likes of Pusha T, who gave us Darkest Before Dawn, a ten-track prelude to his now highly anticipated third album King Push, which should be coming later this year. As strong as his first solo album,…

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Gelato Messina, Knafeh, Porteño, and more announced for Sydney Festival 2016

There’s going to be some serious eating to do at Sydney Festival’s 40th anniversary this year as some of the city’s best and most innovative food outlets spread out over the festival’s four separate entertainment hubs, from Parramatta to Barangaroo, and of course Hyde Park. Everything from Gelato Messina’s carnival candy inspired creations and gelato…

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Gelatissimo create two new limited edition flavours inspired by Brazil and Havaianas

Havaianas have teamed up with awarded artisanal gelato maker Gelatissimo for a little beach-side pop-up this January, inspiring two new Brazilian flavours to be offered for one month only across Australian Gelatissimo’s stores, including a tasting session Bondi Beach this weekend. Both creations are available from today, and are aimed at capturing the spirit and…

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Sunrise Asian – Elizabeth Bay (Sydney)

Widely referred to as a “Chef’s Secret”, Sunrise Asian is a name well known amongst the A-list of Australia’s kitchen-heads; from Neil Perry to Peter Gilmore, some of the country’s finest have been regulars to Fiat Malaniyom’s business for years, relying on him and his team to source hard-to-find produce and rare native ingredients from…

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Bloc Party announce a last minute, intimate album preview show at Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory

Down here for Falls Festival and Southbound Festival, renowned UK rockers Bloc Party have been taking new and old material across the country to great enthusiasm, and it seems to have had made the boys wants to extend their Australian tour, adding one final – and very intimate – show at the last minute, to…

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Live Review: Slum Village + Briggs + Conkarah – The Basement, Sydney (02.01.16)

You can’t have a conversation about hip-hop in Detroit without special mention to Slum Village; though the group’s line-up may have changed over the years, they are still an essential part of the city’s sound and play a big role in keeping the legacy of J Dilla, a former member, alive and well, in turn…

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FBi SMACs Festival announce last minute line-up addition, new food outlets, and rave cave

Sydney’s first local music festival of 2016 will be taking place this Sunday 10th January at Carriageworks. As part of Sydney Festival, the FBi SMACs will using the renowned art precinct for a massive display of local talent across various styles of music and art, bringing in the likes of Future Classic‘s Wave Racer, hip…

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Sydney’s Goat Island to host a new Australia Day festival

In the coming weeks we can expect a whole heap of Australia Day (January 26th) events to be announced, but for now this is a nice way to kick start the Sydney options. Sydney Harbour’s Goat Island will be the site of a new small-scale music festival titled Goat Island Sounds, presented by NSW National…

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Australia’s first Breaking Bad themed restaurant, Heisenberg Haus, opens in Brisbane

As of mid-December, last month, Ipswich near Brisbane has welcomed a new German restaurant with big, big difference. Named Heisenberg Haus, this hub of schnitzels and biers has been inspired by none other than Vince Gilligan’s masterful television series Breaking Bad. Opened by The Fechner Family, this addition to Ipswich’s dining scene is part of…

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George Costanza themed bar opens in Melbourne

Many bars across Australia have themes, but none quite like this. A new bar in Melbourne, named George’s Bar, has opened in Fitzroy, and it’s entirely dedicated to television’s legendary neurotic, Seinfeld’s George Costanza. Opened on New Years Eve with a massive party, George’s Bar sports various memorabilia and quotes from Jason Alexander’s famous character,…

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AMC release trailer for the mid-season premiere of The Walking Dead Season 6

We now have our first look at episode 9 of The Walking Dead, which will air when the show releases the second half of season 6 from February 2016. Warning: spoilers for the first half of Season six follow. With Alexandria now absolutely overwhelmed and overrun by walkers, Rick and his group are as close…

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Kanye West starts 2016 with new track “Facts”

Kanye West started 2015 with a new song, the melodic “Only One” with Sir Paul McCartney, and it seems like it’s kicked off a new trend for the superstar rapper-producer. To kick 2016 off for his fans, West has released “Facts”, a welcome trap infused track that wouldn’t sound out of place on Future and…

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