I vividly remember the first time I saw Angie McMahon live. The Jezabels had announced a week-long residency at The Lansdowne in Sydney, and with each of these shows, a different act opened as support. Out walks Angie and her guitar. As humble and nervous as you’d expect someone to be supporting such an influential…
Running from Wednesday November 1st to Sunday November 5th, BAD Sydney is back and bigger than ever! It all kicks off in just a few days, with an infamous Literary Death Match at the State Library of NSW’s Metcalfe Auditorium. Writers Tim Ayliffe, Anne Buist, Candice Fox, and Rob McDonald will duke it out in…
There’s already been an abundance of films, television series and books that have detailed the greedy, unethical foundations of the pharmaceutical industry in America. And whilst Netflix’s Pain Hustlers may not be the most investigative and favours entertainment over education, it’s a further insight into the peddling of the opioid crisis and acts as something…
One of Sydney’s most upscale cafes, The Mayflower Darlinghurst, is paying tribute to the odd combination of whisky and peanut butter with a summer-ready pop-up bar exclusively dedicated to espresso martinis and ice cream. Yes, it may sound like a strange shot in any season, but Sheep Dog Peanut Butter Whiskey and Elato Ice Cream…
American new wave legends DEVO return to Australia celebrating 50 years of De-Evolution. In 1978 DEVO released their debut album Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! produced by Brian Eno after David Bowie and Iggy Pop convinced Warner Bros to offering them a recording contract. DEVO made their mainstream breakthrough with their…
The stars come out at night, and now so can Brisbane with the announcement today that Dendy Cinema, the home of quality cinema, are bringing an unforgettable new outdoor cinema experience to the iconic Brisbane Powerhouse, the city’s hub of contemporary art and culture. Nothing says you’re in Queensland more than gathering with your friends…
Watching Scarygirl it becomes even more increasingly annoying that Australian cinema hasn’t embraced animation as thoroughly as we should. Sure, we have the likes of Blinky Bill and Ferngully to claim as our own (and, yes, I’m aware of Happy Feet, but it feels like an entity separate from the more independently funded productions), but,…
Sydney’s FVNERAL are masters at creating music that fosters compassion, and which is imbued with love and care. Their latest track about to drop is “MERCY”, a song about the relief and beauty of having connections, being accepted, heard and having the ability to celebrate one’s own identity. This release follows their critically acclaimed tracks…
Broadcaster Mikey Robins has entertained many audiences over the years with his sharp tongue and trademark wit. The comedian has now written his third book, this time setting his sights on discussing some of history’s finest dolts. Idiots, Follies & Misadventures is another fun romp through the past with Robins as our guide, telling us…
Watching Dumb Money it’s not hard to be reminded of The Social Network. Aside from the fact that Craig Gillespie‘s comedic drama is produced by The Winklevoss Twins – the brothers who had a major role in the creation of Facebook, at least according to them – Dumb Money is similarly recounting one of the…
As someone who hasn’t played the Five Nights at Freddy’s video game series and, by extension, has no idea of the attached lore, I can’t comment on how faithful Emma Tammi‘s supernatural horror(ish) film truly is. I have to hope that the purists will enjoy themselves with what is put forward, but as a casual…
Soulfully inspired, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, Rob Edwards combines jazz, blues and R&B with the powerful art of storytelling to create a unique and authentic sound. The release of the raw and authentic “Dreaming” dives into the painful and all too common story of the Stolen Generation in Australia, and the effects it has passed on from…
We are blessed in Australia with psych-rock bands at the moment. There are the global superstars Tame Impala, the legendary King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, the fabulous Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and up and comers The Lazy Eyes. You can also throw into the mix the awesome Brisbane outfit, Annoying Neighbours, who are finding their…
Adelaide, and South Australia in general, are quite underrated destinations—as are many places that don’t benefit from famous attractions like the Sydney Harbour Bridge. With a city centre free from skyscrapers and a population of only 1.3 million, Adelaide has been labelled a ‘country town’ city—but maybe there’s a bit more to discover than meets…
I couldn’t imagine The Chicks ever receiving a poor reception, so the band’s recent performance at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, as part of a wider Australian tour, was as predictable as they come. And there’s nothing inherently wrong with that. 22 songs all delivered with seething wit and precision, nuanced by a tight band of…
As we have been told across filmic media for years, “The truth is out there”, and referencing the tagline for The X-Files feels more than appropriate when discussing Matt Vesely‘s science-fiction leaning chiller Monolith, an intimate, isolated feature that flirts with the notion of an alien invasion without complete penetration. Such a tease. An incredibly…
It’s been a horrific year for Australian actress Lily Sullivan – and she wouldn’t want it any other way! After surviving the bloody carnage of Evil Dead Rise earlier in 2023, the Queensland-born starlet is capping off the year with another horror entrant, Monolith, but to say it’s far removed from the “groovy” gore of…
Can you survive five nights? The terrifying horror game phenomenon becomes a blood-chilling cinematic event, as Blumhouse, the producer of M3GAN, The Black Phone and The Invisible Man, brings Five Nights at Freddy’s to the big screen. The film follows a troubled security guard as he begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. While spending his…
After announcing themselves as a queer filmmaking collective that weren’t afraid to take risks with both the horror genre they clearly adore and certain dynamics within their own community with their campy, giallo-inspired slasher Death Drop Gorgeous (now streaming on Shudder), Monster Makeup, LLC have more proven they aren’t a flash in the pan –…
True-crime docu-drama SPEEDWAY is based on the unsolved murders that claimed the lives of four teens working in a burger restaurant in 1978. The town of Speedway is the location of the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This feature debut from Adelaide’s Luke Rynderman and co-director Adam Kamien tries to piece together the 40-year-old cold case…
Welsh alt-rockers Holding Absence have gone from strength to strength and their third album The Noble Art of Self Destruction – released 25 August via SharpTone Records – is no exception. With a hectic tour schedule and exceptional live show, the band are turning heads and capturing hearts all over the world. Featuring the singles…
Alternative rock legends Mayday Parade are gearing up to tour Down Under early next month, opening for All Time Low’s highly anticipated tour. I had the immense pleasure of chatting with bassist Jeremy Lenzo about life on the road, family and new music! You guys have had a really busy year! You’ve played a bunch…
Housekeeping for Beginners is set in a chaotic family home in Macedonia. However, this is no ordinary household. Dita lives with her girlfriend and her two daughters, tiny troublemaker Mia and rebellious teen Vanesa. The house is a sort of drop-in centre for the queer and homeless, with Toni, who tends to pick up younger guys…
Hen (Saoirse Ronan) and Junior (Paul Mescal) are farming a remote piece of land that has been in his family for generations. The land is under drought, and globally the environment is struggling. In the middle of the night, an uninvited government agent (Aaron Pierre) shows up at their door with a surprise. Junior has…
Ahead of their forthcoming sophomore album, Bury Me in the Garden, scheduled for release on November 23, indie family folk band Sturt Avenue have released two singles. The soul-stirring tracks “Against the World” and “Still in Love” are two quite different sounding tracks. “Against the World” is an evocative track that explores the importance of…
There was something darkly, deliciously special about the way writer/director Emma Seligman and actress Rachel Sennott announced themselves with 2020’s Shiva Baby. A claustrophobic black comedy that indulged in a spiralling, horrific temperament, their collaboration set a certain precedent for the boundary-pushing, topical humour that’s furthered in Bottoms, a wild, oft-violent, sexually liberated high-school comedy…
From the humblest of beginnings, where Australia’s ABC network weren’t sure on investing in their talent, to multi-million selling music artists that sold out Madison Square Garden and can count the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, John Travolta, and Sarah Jessica Parker as fans, The Wiggles defied the expectations of many to form a global brand…
With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, the Tony Award winner, A Little Night Music at Hayes Theatre Co. encompasses love, desire and regret. Indeed, regret is the most poignant emotion of the production, touching everyone in different ways. Directed by Dean Bryant, we follow the story of two couples, each with their own secrets and…
The Torquay Hotel bore witness to a night of punk rock nostalgia and exhilaration on Thursday night. Descendents, the legendary pioneers of the genre, graced the stage, leaving a trail of unforgettable memories in their wake. Even in a small venue, this show was not just about the music; it was a testament to the…
Emma Young’s second novel, The Disorganisation of Celia Stone, is so much more than an updated homage to Bridget Jones’s Diary. Though it may start off with a number of similarities – chief among them, the diary format, and witty, self-deprecating tone, the book goes beyond the ground covered by that beloved 90s classic, exploring…
