A new design-forward hotel brand is set for Australia and New Zealand, initially opening properties in Christchurch and Byron Bay. Drifter, a unique hybrid hotel concept, will add a unique lifestyle brand to these frequently visited locales, with plans to grow steadily with two more properties earmarked for 2025. Drifter Byron Bay and Drifter Christchurch…
Aussie Indie Artists is a series of interviews with lesser known Aussie creators across all forms and fields. The goal is to share exciting new works, find new angles towards the art, and peek behind the scenes. Tess Hannah’s music is grungy, moody, and frayed with overloaded electric guitars– often likened to Wolf Alice or…
Slowmango are a six piece band from SA that are having their debut Womadelaide appearance this weekend. We sat down to learn a little more about the band. How would you describe your music? Is it something that can be categorised? Slowmango’s music is a melting pot of global influences, incorporating rhythms and melodies from…
Have you ever lost the spark? Maybe the intensity of a relationship has started to fade. The job which you were so passionate about no longer shines as brightly. Or making your way as a musician is just proving too hard. Boorloo/Perth-based indie-rock band King Ibis have just the cathartic banger that encapsulates this so adroitly. We’re…
Given the longevity of her prolific career, it’s easy to forget that popstar-cum-media personality Ricki-Lee got her start within the Australian Idol space and that she didn’t win; Casey Donovan would ultimately be crowned the winner of said season. In the 20 years (!!!) since the commanding singer won us all over during her tenure…
When it comes flight prices, it’s all about competition. The more airlines flying in and out of a country, the better it is – for your budget at least. It’s a big deal when a major airline makes its debut in any market for the first time, and so one of the biggest news stories…
I just don’t think I’m an island person. Throw me into a warehouse rave in New York City and I’ll thrive. Take me driving through the dizzying hills of Tuscany and I’m good. Tell me about “island time,” however, and I’ll let out an audible groan. I’m not a patient person when I’m travelling. So…
This year marks the 35th edition of the Alliance Française French Film Festival, a significant milestone in their cinematic journey where 35 is not just a number – it is an emblem. From the days of 35mm film screenings to the marvels of today’s digital era, they have proudly showcased the very best of French…
UK Multi-disciplinary vocalist Sampha touched down in Melbourne for a beautiful night of music at Margaret Court Arena. The venue was transformed into an intimate theatre-like performance, with seated General Admission and reduced numbers. The evening was one for the books with Sampha captivating the crowd with his humbleness and stunning vocals. In celebration of…
Unfortunately we can’t always rely on technology. But for Peter Gray, it seemed like there were more sinister forces at play when he attempted to chat to Imaginary director Jeff Wadlow about his latest scarer. After a duo of failed attempts to chat all things Imaginary – the Truth Or Dare filmmaker’s original horror film…
Mona Foma finished off their month-long Tasmanian summer festival with a free evening concert in the beautiful Cataract Gorge in Launceston. The natural rock pool, enhanced with a shallow man-made wading pool made for a natural amphitheatre for the music event. It’s a popular destination, with a walking trail along the Tamar River, a swimming…
When three childhood best friends pull a prank gone wrong, they invent the imaginary “Ricky Stanicky” to get them out of trouble! Twenty years after creating this ‘friend,’ Dean (Zac Efron), JT (Andrew Santino), and Wes (Jermaine Fowler) still use the non-existent Ricky as a handy alibi for their immature behaviour. When their spouses and partners get…
There very easily could’ve been an air of farce and faux suspense about The Great Escaper. A true story centring on Bernard Jordan (Michael Caine) – a near-90-year-old who staged a “great escape” from his retirement home in 2014 in order to join his fellow war veterans on a beach in Normandy to commemorate their…
In the summer of 2014, Bernard Jordan made global headlines. He had staged a “great escape” from his care home to join fellow war veterans on a beach in Normandy, commemorating their fallen comrades at the D-Day Landings 70th anniversary. It was a story that captured the imagination of the world as Bernie embodied the…
The National have been regulars to our shores for 16 years, so the six-year gap since their last show in Australia is a fair enough gap to have revived the appetite for the Ohio via New York City group. Bringing Annie Hamilton along for the tour was a stroke of genius. Not only is she…
Last night, the 46th edition of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras took place. The event was a great success, bringing together the LGBTQIA+ communities to celebrate diversity and inclusiveness. The Dykes on Bikes, crowd-favourites for many, kicked off the parade. Following them were the 78’ers, the original marchers from the first edition, who…
The Lehman Trilogy opens in 1844, where a young man from Bavaria, Hayum ‘Henry’ Lehman (1844 – 1855), arrives in New York with a dream to work his way up in a bold new world. Lehman is joined by his two brothers, Mendel ‘Emanuel’ Lehman (1847 – 1907) and Mayer ‘Potato’ Lehman (1850 – 1897),…
PWEI (Pop Will Eat Itself) returned to Sydney in magnificent form playing their rap-rock indie anthems and were supported by fellow Brits and equally brilliant Jesus Jones at a very sweaty and humid Sydney Uni Manning Bar. Pete Dovgan brings you the action.
The National have returned to Australia for the the first time since 2018, and last night played at the ICC Sydney Theatre, the first of two shows. It was an incredible gig, with leadsinger Matt Berninger as always stalking and prowling the stage as he brings the tunes alive. You had to feel sorry for…
Wednesday are Karly Hartzman (guitar/vocals), with MJ Lenderman (guitar), Xandy Chelmis (lap/pedal steel), Ethan Baechtold (bass) and Alan Miller (drums) they are all the way from North Carolina USA. Think shoegaze, indie rock combined with alt country and we are on a winner. Check out one of the great indie albums released 2023 Rat Saw…
We’re launching into March with ten more songs added to our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music, including two singles we exclusively premiered earlier in the week. Australian alt-rock artist Tyne-James Organ has released his first new music of 2024, the single “All On Me” and it’s our Track of the Week. “All On…
The Great Game on Cancer Giveaway has returned with more than 400 prizes on offer, valued at more than $30,000. The event will run from the 1st to the 31st of March and anyone who donates AUD $50 or more, will get a prize value at $50 or more, randomly selected from a pool of…
There’s no point throughout Sampha’s generously paced, highly detailed performance at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion where it feels like the UK singer has made any sort of mistake or taken a wrong turn. From the smart lighting to the composition of his achingly vulnerable songs, the man demonstrated exactly why he has emerged as one of…
A sparse looking bedroom; a bed, wardrobe and a mirrorless mirror stand are the only props on stage. A nun drags the bed by a rope slung over her shoulder. Gazing out to sea, she casts a rod, landing herself a wayward traveller, apparently lost at sea. He lands on the bed, dazed and confused,…
The Mona Sessions were held on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings on the lawns of the Mona Museum. Each night showcased a diverse range of artists, both local and international. The highlight of the Friday night was Scottish post-rock kings, Mogwai. Their set is larger than life with a sound that envelops everything, and…
Given the absolute majestic, expansive nature of Frank Herbert‘s 1965 novel, it makes sense as to why director Denis Villeneuve insisted that his story be told across a necessary 5 hour split. No doubt using David Lynch’s ambitious failure as something of a cautionary tale – the auteur continually rejecting his association with his own…
Scheduled for the tail-end of March, Souled Out by Whatslively will visit Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Perth with a solid line-up of on-trend R&B acts. I’ve typed similar sentences many times over the past decade, and I’ve watched sadly as R&B-flavoured festivals folded. Soulfest is the most obvious one, and slow ticket sales in…
If you’re having a stressful or gloomy morning, then listening to the latest single from Morning Blue, an Illawarra quartet, will have you back in your groove. The song “BLUE” combines soul, jazz and prog influences to create a sonic landscape that is refreshing and uplifting. The quartet started out as a demo on the…
If you’ve been in the Aussie pop punk scene for a while, there’s no doubt you’re familiar with the Sydney-based powerhouse Yours Truly. They’re no stranger to some of Australia’s most iconic venues and festivals, and have had a massive year touring with huge international acts. In early 2023, it was announced that two out…
After five years of hype and construction, no less than 54,000 m2 of LED on its exterior, and space for some 20,000 punters, the ambitious venue known simply as Sphere opened in Las Vegas last September, immediately becoming one of the world’s most recognisable structures. As the largest spherical building in the world, enjoying an…
