New Music Discoveries 18th Feb: Gag Salon, Ye Vagabonds and more

This week we have added ten new songs to our Discovery playlist; including an exclusive single premiere. Our Track of the Week goes to London newcomers Gag Salon and their debut single “Horses”. Recorded in Glasgow’s Green Door Studio by Chris McCrory (Catholic Action, Walt Disco) “Horses” is an off-kilter delight of a debut, with its frenetic guitars,…

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22 Artists To Watch in 2022

Now a month and a half into the year, 2022 has started off well with plenty of notable albums and singles released so far both domestically and abroad. But what about those acts that we think are going to burst out and make waves this year? Below we’ve compiled a list of 22 artists that…

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Film Review: C’mon C’mon is a textured drama about the importance and beauty of listening to your surroundings

Whilst C’mon C’mon is the type of film that ultimately holds you down to listen to what it has to say, Mike Mills constructs it in such a way that it’s a more emotional and gradual experience.  There’s a texture in the way he presents his narrative, culminating in a manner that when stepped away…

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Interview: BROODS talk new album, worldwide tours, and sci-fi films

New Zealand indie-pop siblings BROODS, comprised of lead vocalist Georgia Nott and multi-instrumentalist Caleb Nott, are ready to give 2022 their all and then some. The Nelson duo are set to return with their highly-anticipated fourth album Space Island on Feb 18th, three long years after their last record Don’t Feed the Pop Monster. Their…

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Theatre Review: Kate Mulvany’s adaptation of Mary Stuart is a refreshing, deeply affecting perspective on an iconic rivalry

WA playwright Kate Mulvany’s adaptation of the classic Friedrich Schiller play Mary Stuart has come to Perth Festival and it’s ready to live up to the reputation of its predecessor. The two hour production focuses on the last days of Mary, Queen of Scots and explores her complex relationship with cousin Queen Elizabeth I of…

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Interview: Baz Luhrmann and Austin Butler on bringing Elvis to the big screen; “The greatest joy is to be an outsider and live it”

As Baz Luhrmann stated prior to the release of the trailer for his anticipated biopic Elvis, that they are “the invitation to the movie”, Peter Gray was fittingly invited to attend a global press conference with Baz and lead actor Austin Butler to discuss their 3-years-in-the-making musical epic. Touching on the decision to make a…

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GODZ

A taste of Adelaide Fringe’s 20th Garden of Unearthly Delights

We were invited to a special media preview in The Garden of Unearthly Delights, celebrating 20 years as being part of the Adelaide Fringe. Director Scott Maidment introduced a few selected acts in the gorgeous Spiegeltent. First up was Mirko, direct from Berlin and part of the Blanc de Blanc Encore, with his newly developed…

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Wahlburgers opens its first Australian restaurant in Sydney’s Opera Quays

With some 60 locations already in North America, the burger and bar restaurant Wahlburgers opened its doors for the first time in Australia today, and our very own Nathan Atkins was there for the opening. Located in Sydney’s Opera Quays, Wahlburgers was founded by brothers Mark, Donnie and Chef Paul Wahlburg, and was the subject…

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Film Review: Flee is an ingenious piece of storytelling of survival and self-discovery that mixes animation and documentary brilliantly

Flee is the latest hybrid of both documentary and animation, giving it a similarity to the 2008 film Waltz with Bashir. They both involve storytelling of factual narratives through the medium of animation that stirs up the animation of audiences as the subjects recollect their experiences. In the case of Flee, the animation not only is…

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Interview: Sofia Carson on “Loud”, staying private and her tricks to productivity

Sofia Carson is the ultimate multi-hyphenate from singer to actor to dance to UNICEF ambassador, Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation ambassador and scholarship co-sponsor. You might recognise her from starring in NETFLIX’s Feel The Beat, Michael Bay’s Songbird, Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, and from her most notable project Disney’s global phenomenon Descendants. But on top…

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First Impressions: Amazon Prime’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 4 is vibrant and witty but suffers from series-long character issues

Amy Sherman-Palladino’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has returned for a fourth season of lighthearted 1960’s shenanigans and based on the first two episodes it looks set to be just as quick-witted as ever. The spirited comedian Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) is back in New York City after she was abruptly removed from Shy Baldwin’s…

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Joe Mungovan

Exclusive Live Video: Joe Mungovan performing “Taste of You” as he embarks on his A Flower In The Weeds tour

Last November south-coast artist Joe Mungovan released his beautiful debut album A Flower in the Weeds. At the AU we crushed on the singles in the leadup to the album dropping, including the catchy “You + Me”, summery “Lemon + Lime” and the dreamy “Soaking Up the Sunshine”. Joe is keen to tour this record….

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Waxflower

Guest Playlist: Waxflower share their favourite 2000’s Pop Rock tracks

Brisbane’s pop-punk Waxflower have today released the soaring 2000’s influenced pop-rock song, “Ring”. The track has a warming nostalgic sound to it, with the gift of feeling familiar, yet has you wondering what is sonically just ’round the corner. It’s got all the feels, it soars and carries their trademark energy and killer musicianship. “Ring”…

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Nick Carver

Exclusive Single Premiere: Nick Carver & the Mean Street Butchers “Two Legged Dog” (2022)

We’re stoked today to be premiering “Two Legged Dog”, the latest high-powered stomping track from Melbourne-based roots/ rock band Nick Carver & The Mean Street Butchers. It has a gorgeous dirty country blues feel to it, with big earthy guitars and rough-edged vocals. It’s foot-stomping, it’s a riot, yet comforting and personal. The track was…

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Secrets of Bridgewater Bay

Book Review: A one hundred year old tangle of secrets is unravelled in The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay

“Two women set sail for a new life in Australia, bound by a secret that will change everything.” In Julie Brooks‘ debut work of historical fiction, The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay, amateur historian Molly is gifted an historical mystery by her late grandmother, Queenie. Amongst Queenie’s possessions, Molly finds a photograph of two young women…

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Potato Dreams of America is an artificially sweet tale that proves fact is stranger than fiction: Mardi Gras Film Festival Review

There’s that old chestnut saying that truth is stranger than fiction, and it would appear that no one knows this more than writer/director Wes Hurley.  An autobiographical tale of growing up queer in the USSR in the 1980’s, Potato Dreams of America is an often bizarre, occasionally sad, but completely unique feature that, however trite…

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Red Dust set to auction exclusive NBA 2K22 inspired shoes for charity

2K Australia has announced a collaboration between Gamilaroi and Wiradjuri Indigenous artist and basketball fan Allan McKenzie, to design a one-of-a-kind NBA 2K22 inspired shoe for charity. McKenzie has customised a pair of Harden Stepback 2.0 basketball shoes with a vibrant and exclusive design, with all proceeds from the auction to go towards the nominated…

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Film Review: The Greenhouse is an ambitious, fantastical exploration of grief and self-acceptance

Whilst The Greenhouse isn’t always cohesive in its fantastical exploration of grief, Thomas Wilson-White‘s drama is nonetheless an impressive, ambitious debut that takes bold swings throughout its narrative, detailing how the coping mechanism regarding loss is always a uniquely and individually tailored experience. Still grieving the loss of one of her mother’s from years prior…

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Win a double in-season pass to see the new musical romance Cyrano starring Peter Dinklage

Thanks to Universal Pictures we have 5 double passes (Admit 2) to give away for the upcoming release of Cyrano, starring Peter Dinklage, set for release in cinemas from February 24th, 2022. This musical adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s classic play tells the story of Cyrano de Bergerac as he pines for the affections of the…

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Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett

Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett kicks off in Sydney tonight

Sydney Fringe kicks off in Sydney tonight with Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett. Coming direct from London’s West End, it promises to be a night of debauchery, laughs, and just the tonic we all need from the repressed times we have been living in. With Club Kabarett, you can expect breathtaking circus, gender-bending aerial trickery and…

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5 affordable ways to bring luxury interior decor into your home

Luxury does not have to be exclusive or costly. A sense of style, thoughtful detail, or a lively splash of color can all help to boost the indoor and outdoor life of your house. House décor may be done on a shoestring budget, and a few basic tactics can add a touch of luxury to…

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Horizon Forbidden West Review: A remarkable sequel

The Horizon franchise has returned with great anticipation, continuing the story of one of the most successful and beloved PlayStation exclusives of the last generation. With that being said, Horizon Forbidden West is well on its way to becoming the fan-favorite of both last generation and next-generation PlayStation owners alike, presenting an intriguing narrative, functional…

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The Alliance Française French Film Festival has a packed program, kicking off in Sydney on 1st March

The 33rd Alliance Française French Film Festival kicks off on the 1st March, running through until 6th April. 42 films will be shown, including several Australian premieres, and many world premieres. This years program features four directors who are making their feature film debut. In a time when our enjoyment of the arts has been…

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Zac Efron knows better than to play with fire in first Firestarter trailer

In a new adaptation of Stephen King’s classic thriller from the producers of The Invisible Man, Firestarter tells of a girl with extraordinary pyrokinetic powers fighting to protect her family and herself from sinister forces that seek to capture and control her. For more than a decade, parents Andy (Zac Efron; Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile;…

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Win a Suunto 7 Titanium worth $699 so you can nail those fitness goals in 2022

A smartwatch and fitness tracker is one of the most essential pieces of tech you can own in 2022. No doubt you’ve been trying to unleash some pent up motivation, getting out and about to nail those fitness goals this year. Tracking your activity is the best way to do that nowadays, using tech to…

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Jordan Peele’s mysterious Nope trailer asks “What’s a bad miracle?”

Oscar® winner Jordan Peele disrupted and redefined modern horror with Get Out and then Us. Now, he reimagines the summer movie with a new pop nightmare: the expansive horror epic, Nope.  The film reunites Peele with Oscar® winner Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah), who is joined by Keke Palmer (Hustlers, Alice)…

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The nightmare begins in latest Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer

A new dimension of Strange is upon us. With Spider-Man: No Way Home STILL going strong at the global box office, the Marvel hype for the anticipated Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is at an all-time high, with Sam Raimi‘s sequel seemingly looking to pick up where Benedict Cumberbatch‘s Strange left off. A…

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Book Review: Vanessa Len’s Only a Monster is YA at its very best

Melbourne’s Vanessa Len takes all the tropes you know and love and manages to make them feel new and exciting in her debut novel Only a Monster. This urban fantasy adventure features enemies-to-lovers romance, a hidden magical underworld, time travel, hot monster boys, and a mysterious monster king surrounded by a frightening monster court. The…

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Zal & Ardor

Album Review: Zeal & Ardor’s new self-titled LP is the genre mashup you didn’t know you needed

There are very few bands that can take diverse elements from a wealth of musical styles and blend them in a way that creates something new and compelling. Swiss experimental metal duo Zeal & Ardor, consisting of frontman and multi-instrumentalist Manuel Gagneux and drummer Marco Von Allmen, are one of them. Their self-titled third studio…

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Live Review: Pond – Fremantle Arts Centre (11.02.22)

WA-based psychedelic rockers Pond opened the Perth Festival at the wondrous Fremantle Arts Centre on Friday night in front of a gig-starved audience on a glorious late summer’s evening. Pond are much more than a Kmart version of Tame Impala and they showcased that to their tune-thirsty audience, with a fun and groovy display that…

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