Author: Larry Heath

With SXSW just around the corner – which takes place in Austin, Texas – we’re often asked the best ways to take the journey to Texas from Australia. Some are from people in a rush, others are from people who want to take the time to get there. Here are a few of the best…

Ahead of its screening as part of SXSW this week, we chat to the director of Clipping.‘s music video “Body and Blood”, Patrick Kennelly. Patrick takes us through the collaborative processes, artistic references and his favourite parts of the shoot. the AU review then gets stuck into specifics with Patrick, talking camera gear, challenges and post-production…

Flights between the East and West Coasts of Australia have long been supported by all our major airlines in Australia – however when Virgin introduced an overhaul to its service to the route, it changed the way we travel between. Moving away from the “budget” approach it had taken under the Blue moniker, the new…

It was an exciting proposition: a group of media being taken from the waters of Circular Quay on a Veuve Clicquot cruise to Manly, to enjoy the long awaited launch of the new Hugo’s Manly Deck, accompanied by a decedent sunset dinner to boot. Of course, such a proposition is “weather dependent”, but thankfully mother…

Pictured: METZ / Photo by Andrew Wade in Brisbane For the past four years, Laneway Festival has celebrated their internationally renouned festival by throwing a special party at SXSW. The event often serves as an indicator of some of the bands we might end up seeing at Laneway in Australia in the following year. Well,…

Today we’re proud to premiere a remix of the latest single from Australia’s Stonefox, “This City”, put together by US artist Infinitefreefall. Alreday enjoying the success of remixes that have hit the top of the Hype Machine charts, this track will surely be no different. Enjoy it here, exclusively on the AU: Can find further…

Hailing from Christchurch, New Zealand, musician Tom Lark is best known for transforming bedroom surroundings into “bedazzling” alt-pop music. the AU review’s Larry Heath chatted to Tom about his new “cheerful sounding ” EP, what lies ahead for 2015, and which actor would play him in one of his music videos. Of his new self-titled…

Coming out in a little over a week is Square Enix’s much anticipated English release of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, an offshoot of the traditional Final Fantasy series, allowing developers at the famed RPG company to play around with the mechanics of gameplay, much in the same way they did with the PSP release of…

The Aussie BBQ is returning to the park from whence it came… For the the 2015 event, SXSW will see The Aussie BBQ move from Saturday to the Friday and take over both sides of Brush Square Park for the first time ever – returning to the site for the first time since 2009. Here…

Adding to the list of amazing music we’ve been bringing you this week, we have the Exclusive Australian Album Premiere of Quiet Quiet Band‘s new record Low Noon. Hailing from London, this sextet have garnered comparisons to the illustrious likes of Violent Femmes, Nick Cave and Johnny Cash – and it’s well warranted too. Enjoy…

the AU review sits down with Sydney Singer/Songwriter Emma Beau to talk about her debut crowd-funded EP (available now), upcoming tour dates (playing The Bearded Lady in Brisbane on 12th March) and much more! Don’t miss Emma in Brisbane on the 12th as part of her EP launch tour! Grab all the details, and the…

the AU review sits down with Tord Øverland Knudsen and Dan Haggis of Liverpool outfit The Wombats to talk about the two music videos off their forthcoming Glitterbug LP (out 3rd April 2015 through Warner Music Australia): the surprisingly violent “Greek Tragedy” and the animated “Your Body is a Weapon”. Watch our chat about the…

While she was touring Australia at the end of last month, the AU review captured Lindsey Stirling performing a snippet of her track “Shatter Me” on a Balcony overlooking the Sydney, Australia CBD. Watch the exclusive video here as part of our sessions series:

Pictured: METZ in 2013, photographed by Andrew Wade This Friday, the SXSW (South by Southwest) Film and Interactive conference and festival kicks off in Austin, Texas… then the Music Mayhem starts next Tuesday! We’re just days away from flying to the great city ourselves for the 6th consecutive year of coverage, so we thought we’d…

We’re excited to announce that Courtney Barnett is our artist for the month of March 2015, in anticipation of the release of her debut LP Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit on March 20th. She’ll be taking over our digital radio station from time to time this month to play you some of…

When it comes to international popularity, it might be fair to argue that the Americana scene is the strongest it’s been in some time. Not that they’re perhaps the best examples of the genre (nor from the South), but nonetheless, the popularity of artists like Hozier and Mumford and Sons has helped solidify the sound…

The Iris is proud to support the In The House series at Event Cinemas on George Street in Sydney – helping bring classic films back to the big screen. This week, Taxi Driver was screened, and the trivia question was: “Are You Talking To Me” is easily one of cinema’s most famous phrases? But what…

With their brand new record in stores now, we caught up with Fremantle’s San Cisco while they were in Sydney a couple of weeks back to talk about Gracetown (said new record), their upcoming travels to Mexico, SXSW, touring with Groovin’ The Moo and much more. One can assume that Nick Gardner did not expect…

It’s exactly a week until the SXSW Film Festival kicks off in Austin, Texas – and it’s hard to know where to begin with the absolutely incredible lineup that – as usual – fills its program. Last year, both Boyhood and The Grand Budapest Hotel had premiere screenings at the festival and went on to win a…

We’d like to give five stars to director Alex Smith for this truly amazing video for “The Edge”. For anyone who grew up watching Rage, this will warm your heart and soul. And thanks to the collaboration of Donny Benet and Kirin J Callinan, the music ain’t bad either. I’d like to go as far…

Photo Credit: Andrew Wade Currently touring Australia with the Foo Fighters and Rise Against, Sydney’s The Delta Riggs are doing big things for Australian rock n roll. So, when they’re getting ready to hit up these massive stadium stages, what gets them in the mood? Here now is an exclusive playlist – courtesy of the…

While Apple are only just about to launch their anticipated “Apple iWatch”, Sony are already on the third model of their SmartWatch series, with the SWR50 arriving to provide a self described “contextual and personal” experience, with “a groundbreaking combination of technology and style.” So does it live up to its proposition? We’ve had the…

Our writers have travelled the mean streets of Melbourne to bring you the best, greasiest, finest – dare we say most mouth watering – fried chicken in their city. Here are their top five, presented to you in no particular order. Because it’s all just too damn good. Can I get an Amen? Belle’s Hot…

We’re excited to bring you the exclusive premiere of the fast and solid new single from Blue Mountains surf punks Birds With Thumbs, “Glasses” – officially released this Friday, March 6th. It’s a killer track and we don’t want to waste any more time with this introduction… let’s get to the good stuff. Listen now!…

Sydney artist Lauren Webster has delivered a colourful and unexpected installation to public art space Lane Four, transporting a surreal desert landscape to the heart of the city with The Wayward Way. Through a series of painted and hand drawn works in her signature stylistic and expressive renderings; Webster presents a romanticised Western dreamscape –…

Photo: Johnny Au the AU review’s Larry Heath sits down with DJ and Keyboardist Chris Kilmore and the Bassist and “Voice of Reason” Ben Kenney (donning a Midnight Oil shirt, no less) from California group Incubus to talk about their new EP “Trust Fall (Side A)” – coming out later this month – their experiences…

Like anything deemed “popular” in contemporary music today – especially by such mainstream media as Triple M – it’s fair to say that the Foo Fighters are a band that you either love or you hate. Though they hardly inspire the same sort of vitriol of, say, Nickelback, they certainly have their detractors. But being…

We’re now less than 24 hours away from the 87th Annual Academy Awards in Hollywood – the glitzy and usually entertaining affair that sees Hollywood pat itself on the back for its year on the silver screen in front of millions of viewers. Once again in Australia, Channel Nine will be live screening the ceremony…

Anticipating her performance at this month’s AU session taking place next week, the AU review caught up with Imogen Clark, fresh of a celebrated run at the Adelaide Fringe. We talk about writing, musical influences, favourite Australian artists and her new handmade acoustic CDs. Further information about the performance below. How old were you when…