Author: Larry Heath

Portland, Oregon had long been on my bucket list of destinations to visit. Renowned for great food and beer, arts, bookstores and scenery, and infamous for its hipster lifestyle, the city is one of the finest in the world. There’s so much to do in the city, but to help you on your way, here…

At the end of this month, Inhumans, the latest entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe will kick off as a television series on ABC TV in the US – the home of the successful Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. series, which will enter its fifth season later this year. Today, Inhumans – the third ABC studios series…

The Connect5 short film competition is back, giving two Australian filmmakers the chance to win $10,000 cash each and a trip to Singapore! Presented by Optus, the competition encourages anyone who wants to make a positive change within a five minute short film to enter. The theme for the films centres on the relationships people…

Australia awoke this morning to surprise news that half of the Foo Fighters had come to Sydney to promote their anticipated new album Concrete and Gold (out September 15th), fresh off wowing crowds in Singapore over the weekend. And though the full band couldn’t make it, Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins made sure they made the…

In a groundbreaking move for the industry, the first two episodes of the new Marvel TV series Inhumans have been filmed entirely with IMAX cameras, and this weekend (from September 1st) they’ll be released exclusively on IMAX screens around the world, almost a month ahead of its premiere on ABC TV in the USA. Marvel’s…

During out recent catch up with Fountaineer‘s Tony White in Sydney, the songwriter and frontman performed “The Cricketers”, taken from the band’s new album Greater City, Greater Love at Young Henrys. The album is out now and you can find out more about it with our interview with Tony, here. Check out this exclusive AU Sessions performance below!…

We at the AU are honoured to have Batch Brewing Co. on board as sponsors for our upcoming 9th Birthday Party in Sydney. Now a staple of the Marrickville scene, we caught up with Iain McKelvey to talk about the origins of the group, running a community minded brewery and producing damn good beer… How did Batch Brewing Co. get…

The AU’s Larry Heath recently sat down with Tony White of Fountaineer to talk about their long awaited debut LP Greater City, Greater Love (in stores now). On the release of the album, Tony notes the longevity these songs already have with the band, having formed some time ago. “The album’s been a long time in…

With days that hit minus twenty degrees Celsius, and nights that hit minus thirty, visiting Canada’s Yukon Territory in winter time is not for the faint of heart. But for locals and guests alike, it’s no time for hibernation. The territory, which is the smallest and westernmost of Canada’s three federal territories, and the smallest in…

Iconic Canadian group The Tea Party’s frontman, Jeff Martin, is an Australian Ambassador for Royal Enfield and owns a Classic 500. With Jeff now based in Byron Bay, and the full band set to return to Australian shores for a tour later this year, we caught up with Jeff, who delivered us his list of…

The story of Winnie The Pooh author A. A. Milne has long been optioned for cinema, and this November, British director Simon Curtis (My Week with Marilyn) will have his stab at the biopic, Goodbye Christopher Robin. The film stars Domhnall Gleeson in the lead role, with Aussie actress Margot Robbie playing his wife Daphne, Kelly Macdonald…

The newest domestic offering (and rebranded International inclusion from what was known for the year prior as “Economy Space Plus”) from Virgin Australia adds new benefits to the exit row and the first few rows of the economy section: some extra leg room, priority security screening, priority baggage and dedicated overhead storage. The new section of…

It might be the world’s most liveable city, but for an airport that doesn’t even have a train, the difficulties that Uber have faced with having their service at Melbourne International Airport has always seemed a bit ridiculous. Though the push back from the Taxi industry is of little surprise; the difficulties of getting to…

Neil Gaiman seems to be all the rage at the moment for Amazon Prime Video. Fresh off the success of their adaptation of his 2001 novel American Gods, the streaming service has plans to give a similar treatment to Gaiman’s much loved 1990 novel Good Omens, which he wrote with Terry Prachett. The comedy-horror fantasy…

There’s a warmth to the approach by the Doubletree by Hilton brand – though maybe I’m just blinded by the warm chocolate chip cookie they give every guest on check in. But it’s that sort of consistency – cookies, comfortable rooms, soothing colour schemes – that has made them the sort of chain that people become…

Anyone schooled in the US Punk scene of the late 70’s and 80’s probably knows a thing or two about the significance of Washington D.C. As the U.S. Capital, its influence on the scene as an anti-political voice is an obvious one; local groups and bands from all over the region – especially Maryland, Pennsylvania,…

It’s been hard to avoid all the negative talk about Sydney’s night economy since the lock out laws came into effect in 2014, keeping people out of venues and restricting alcohol consumption. Countless venues have closed, entire sections of the city have lost their nightlife, and hundreds of jobs have been lost along the way. If…

On June 1st, one of the most influential and celebrated albums of all time – The Beatles‘ Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band – celebrated its 50th Birthday in the USA. As a self-confessed Beatles obsessive, I took to the skies and headed to the permanent Cirque du Soleil production in Las Vegas, Love, which…

“The hope is that the audience doesn’t know who to root for in that sequence,” says co-Executive Producer Bryan Cogman in a new fifteen minute behind-the-scenes special from HBO, all about yesterday’s game-changing battle sequence they’re calling “The Loot Train Attack”. Of course, there are a pile of spoilers in this video, but it’s essential…

As we reported earlier this week, The AFI-AACTA #socialshorts competition is back for its fourth year, which will award winners across three categories later this year – and voting is now open! To learn more about what the competition has meant to those who have successfully entered and won their category, we caught up with…

“Oh, rustic,” I murmured as I entered my room at The Farmer’s Daughter on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. The room is indeed rustic. A twin share, the room has more in common with an old world cabin than it does an upmarket hotel room. Nevertheless, the luxuries are there even if they aren’t apparent…

2017 marks the 150th anniversary of the federation of Canada, and much as they did in 1967 when Expo came to town, the 150th birthday celebrations have been enjoyed far and wide across the entire country. Canada 150 flags can be seen everywhere, and special events are popping up from coast-to-coast to ensure this birthday…

Guess what? We’re just shy of a decade old and to celebrate, we’re bringing the party to Sydney this month! Our ninth birthday is a special one – there’ve been many changes and developments over the last few years but our love for championing new music and artists has remained the same – strong as…

The Australian Institute of Music (AIM) in Sydney or Melbourne will be hosting open days over the next two weeks, showcasing their school for future students of the music and creative industries. The event will feature live workshops, performances, meet and greets and more. Open days are open to everyone to attend and give an…

While millions were playing World of Warcraft, or even the first MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, my first true experience of the open world format was with the game changing Final Fantasy XII in 2006; a title that helped bring an end to Square Enix’s PS2 era with one of the series’ most impressive entries. I…

The sixth season of the Showtime series Homeland is touted on its home release cover as its “timeliest storyline yet”; a big call from a long running series which has always lifted its storylines from the real world – albeit in a typically exaggerated, over-the-top, fashion. But in spite of a few speedbumps along the…

Earlier this year, at Canadian Music Week, just after the event won at the Canadian Live Music Awards, I sat down with WayHome Music Festival’s creative director Ryan Howes. The event, which takes place this weekend (July 28th to 30th), will see a massive lineup descends an hour out of Toronto, Canada. We spoke about…

While she was in the country last week for Splendour in the Grass, I took rising star Bishop Briggs – fresh from celebrating her birthday – around Kings Cross, on a cold Sydney afternoon. You’re in town for Splendour, and a few sideshows – including one where you’re supporting Catfish and the Bottlemen in Wollongong!…

The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) kicks off next week, and along for the ride will be a slew of special guests for a run of red carpet events, Q&As and more. It all kicks off on 3rd August when the cast and crew of the MIFF Premiere Film Fund supported Jungle will walk Grey…

Continuing our interview coverage from our time with Royal Blood in Sydney recently, Mike and Ben talk more on the development of their live shows and preparing for some of their biggest festival appearances yet, notably CalJam alongside Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age. “I think with another 10 songs that we get to play, obviously the set is going…