Hard Rock Hotel New York Review: A music infused gem in the heart of Times Square

Many will know the Hard Rock brand for having delivered music themed cafes/restaurants around the world for the last 50 years – including recently closed locations in Sydney* and on the Gold Coast. However, the brand’s true star power these days is found in their hotel & casino brand. With locations from Sentosa Island in…

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Years & Years announce Brisbane and Adelaide shows for November

Secret Sounds is pumped to announce headline shows by trailblazing, Platinum-selling, British pop star Years & Years, taking over Brisbane and Adelaide in November 2022! The hotly-anticipated shows will see the singer, actor and cultural vanguard hit down under with a host of new tracks from his stunning new album, Night Call, released earlier this…

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Film Review: Bullet Train is brutal, tongue-in-cheek fun guided by a bombastically charming Brad Pitt

The Hitman Vs. Assassin subsect of the action genre is one that rarely deviates from its rather tried and true formula; aside from a hefty injection of cash and a star-studded cast, something as recent as Netflix’s throwaway actioner The Gray Man is proof that the genre, even in 2022, seems comfortable resting on its…

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Interview: Robert Patrick on respecting the acting process when making What Josiah Saw

One of the most recognisable presences within film, Robert Patrick has been dominating the screen with his oft-villainous and authoritative roles for nearly four decades now. Best known for his turn as T-2 in the groundbreaking Terminator 2: Judgement Day, as well as such films as Cop Land, Charlies Angels: Full Throttle, Walk the Line,…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Nicole Quigley “Sip Of Summer” (2022)

Nicole Quigley is an Eora/Sydney-based pop artist and is about to release her latest shimmering new single, “Sip Of Summer”, and we are thrilled today to be showcasing it for the first time. Nicole perfectly captures the brilliance of the first throes of a passionate romance, “You’re the sweetest taste I’ve ever had”, “You’re my…

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Film Review: What Josiah Saw subverts our horror expectations with a brutal subtlety

Though What Josiah Saw may include rather expected tropes of the haunted gothic subsect of the horror genre, Vincent Grashaw‘s self-contained chiller continually subverts our expectations with a brutal eeriness that’s likely to divide its audience between those who are enveloped by its slow burn mentality and those who prefer their horrors far less subtle….

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Holden Sheppard

Interview: “I’m doing what I want from now on” Holden Sheppard on what inspired his new book The Brink

Holden Sheppard is the award-winning author of Invisible Boys (Fremantle Press, 2019), which was published to both critical and commercial success. It won the WA Premier’s Prize for an Emerging Writer, was shortlisted for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards and was named a Notable Book by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. Invisible Boys is…

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Stray Review: A stroll through the neon lights

When you think of 2022’s game of the year contender, one real contender comes to mind; Elden Ring. But developer Blue Twelve Studio had to go ahead and drop this fantastic feline fiasco with little fanfare, in addition to being free for PlayStation Plus Extra subscribers. Since is release, Stray has turned into a viral…

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Toronto Pearson Delays: Flying to the USA with Air Canada – how early do you need to get to the airport?

It’s no secret that flying out of Toronto Pearson International is currently fraught with issues and delays. In fact, you may have seen the airport make headlines for having the most delays – affecting more than 50% of outbound flights – of any airport in the world. Simply put, due in large part to short…

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Review: The Bait Fridge x Slowmango is a treacherous journey of the appendix

With a title as diverse as “The Bait Fridge x Slowmango” (The hero’s journey of the Appendix), there should have been plenty of warning that this was to be no ordinary show. The procedural steps listed the “Wild West Waiting Room” as step one. Banjo players sitting around campfires, white coated cowboys pushing tumbleweeds and…

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Deadlights and Mirrors announce co-headline national tour The Ego’s Valley

Today local heavy giants Deadlights and Mirrors have announced a co-headline tour of Australia – The Ego’s Valley – in November, supported by Inertia. Brisbane hardcore outfit Deadlights and Gippsland metalcore act Mirrors have proved to be some of the country’s best heavy performers in recent years. With the former’s The Uncanny Valley and the…

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Live Review: Tyler, the Creator flexes his creative muscle at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena (29.07.22)

Tyler, the Creator has grown immensely as a performer and is not only capable of commanding an entire arena with just a – highly polished – stage design, a microphone and a ridiculous amount of energy. In 2022, the 31-year-old musician adds something to the confidence he’s so clearly expressed since he first stomped onto…

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Interview: Brianne Tju on making Gone in the Night, the comfort of the horror genre, and the “beautiful experience” of working with Winona Ryder

Quickly earning the title of “new generation scream queen” is something that Brianne Tju seems to be wholeheartedly embracing, and her continued foray into the darker subsects of the genre are only further cementing her status. Having slashed and screamed her way through the streaming series’ of both Scream and I Know What You Did…

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The Strokes

Live Review: The Strokes run through their greatest hits at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion (28.07.22)

Frontman Julian Casablancas doesn’t seem very happy these days, letting loose with some incoherent quips occasionally while his band, New York’s legendary The Strokes, play through a greatest hits set list for the first of two Sydney shows – sideshows, may I add, to the deflating Splendour in the Grass, which this year was marred…

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Squid The Kid reveals new single “Cater” and five things about him

Emerging Melbourne hip hop artist Squid The Kid has returned with mesmerising R&B single “Cater”, released 28 July. Already recognised for his talents, Squid was a finalist for the 2021 Vans Musicians Wanted competition (judged by the likes of Denzel Curry and Sean Miyashiro of 88 Rising), as well as St. Kilda Festival’s New Music…

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The Strokes

Photo Gallery: The Strokes + The Chats + The Lazy Eyes – The Hordern Pavilion, Sydney (28.07.22)

The Strokes made a triumphant return to The Hordern Pavilion in Sydney last night, after performing at Splendour in the Grass.  With lead singer Julian Casablancas in fine voice, the band as tight as ever, a set-list of their classic hits, and a spectacular laser light-show, it was a memorable performance. They were well supported…

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Beddy Raes

Beddy Rays release self-titled debut album and share 10 things you didn’t know about them

Brisbane’s 4-piece, Beddy Rays have today released their self-titled debut album. The band, from Redland (Reddy) Bay has been cranking out the hits, and continuing with the puns, since the breakout single “Sobercoaster” in 2020. That release has racked up an astonishing 3.5 million streams. They’ve got to the stage of delivering their debut album…

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Interview: Grizzlyshark talk new EP, bad parents and video games

Brisbane easycore quartet Grizzlyshark have been bubbling away at the surface these past few years, but today they boil over with their sizzling debut EP MOSAIC. Featuring the singles “TMS”, “What’s the Plan Gogglehead?” and “There’s No ‘I’ in Quaranteam”, the five-track project is a platter of fervent emo with pop punk hooks to satiate…

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Georgia Fields

New Music Discoveries 29th July: Georgia Fields, Emma Ayz, Tove Lo and more

We’re closing out July with ten more tracks getting added to our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music; including two exclusive premieres from this week. Our Track of the Week is “Persuasion” from Georgia Fields.  “Persuasion” is the third single from Georgia’s upcoming album, Hiraeth, which is due to drop in November of this year….

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Dinosaur Beard offers new single “Translucent Skin”, announces EP and shares five influential albums

Melbourne singer-songwriter Dinosaur Beard (aka Adam Finnegan) has today released the alt-rock single “Translucent Skin” and announced his debut EP A Mountain of Cotton Gold, due 14 October. Written during Melbourne’s last lockdown, the track’s brooding melodies and poetic lyrics comment on the decline of political structures in modern society. Heavily influenced by the effects…

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As Dusk Falls Review: The heart of the heist

As Dusk Falls is in many ways a perfect representation of its setting and characters. Tucked away in Arizona, the small town of Two Rock paired with a deep and nuanced cast of intriguing characters bring to life one of the better video game stories in recent memory. Tied to many of the developer Telltale’s…

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Interview: Australian filmmaker Kriv Stenders on directing Lee Kernaghan’s concert film Boy From The Bush; “His story is still being told”

Part concert film and part road movie celebrating the life and music of multi-award winning and much loved Australian country music artist Lee Kernaghan, Boy From The Bush is a unique and personal insight into one of the country’s most celebrated artists. Ahead of the film’s local release, Peter Gray spoke with its director, Kriv…

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Fleeting Persuasion

Exclusive Video Premiere: Fleeting Persuasion “Hollow” (2022)

Fleeting Persuasion is the brainchild of Melbourne-based singer-songwriter James Spencer Harrison. He has previously released music as J M S Harrison, and has recently rebirthed under the new moniker. “Hollow” is the second single for 2022, and will be on the forthcoming album for this exciting new project for Harrison. We are excited today to…

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Among Us

Taiwan Film Fest Review: Among Us is an intimate look at the daily lives of those on the spectrum

They say if you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism. Director, Lin Cheng-Sheng’s latest film certainly confirms this by offering up the stories of four young men who are on the spectrum. The result is a touching fly-on-the-wall documentary. Cheng-Sheng is no stranger to this particular subject matter. In 2010…

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Interview: Director Andrew Traucki on changing the expected narrative of his shark thriller The Reef: Stalked

Having directed the landmark 2010 shark thriller The Reef and the similarly themed Blackwater and Blackwater: Abyss, Andrew Traucki is no stranger when it comes to navigating the murky waters of the creature feature. However, for the upcoming sequel The Reef: Stalked, the acclaimed director wanted to do more than just retread similar water, instead…

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Exclusive Video Premiere: Debbies “meaning of love” (2022)

Debbies are a two-piece band hailing from Jervis Bay, south of Sydney. They’ve been cranking out anthemic pop-punk since emerging as finalists in 2019’s triple j Unearthed High. Their pop-punk sound is fresh yet familiar. This is a band in a hurry, with shredding guitars, driving beats, and stories that resonate, they are an excitement…

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Interview: Citadel talk new single, influences and holy metal

Brisbane melodic metalcore band Citadel are one of the country’s most promising heavy acts to emerge in recent times. With their latest single “Parasyte” out in the world, we caught up with them to chat all things about the track and what else they have in store. “Parasyte” touches on some deeply personal topics and…

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KIAN drops new single and video “Shine” and announces EP

Growing up in Castlemaine, Victoria and first exploding onto the scene at just 17 years old, singer-songwriter KIAN’s progression is nothing short of incredible. The person behind the 4x Platinum single “Waiting” and winner of multiple APRA awards returns with another taste of his sophomore EP Shine, out 26 August. Produced by Willie Tafa (ONEFOUR,…

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Photo Gallery: Aitch – Enmore Theatre, Sydney (26.07.22)

Continuing on from the Splendour celebrations, British rapper Harrison James Armstrong aka Aitch played his first Sydney show to a sold-out crowd at Enmore Theatre. We’re hoping it’s not long before he is back on our shores again. Mikki was there to bring you these photos  

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The 10 best moments of Splendour in the Grass 2022

With the 20th Splendour in the Grass now behind us, we look back on the 10 best moments of the weekend that was. 1. The Chats calling out NSW Police Every cop in the Amphitheatre shuffled awkwardly when The Chats frontman Eamon Sandwith told them how he really felt – and the roaring crowd with…

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