Live Review: Ball Park Music and San Cisco deliver powerhouse performances in Melbourne with Ruby Fields

It’s not always that bands manage to get the ideal opener for a tour, but headliners San Cisco and Ball Park Music hit the winning ticket with Ruby Fields. The pocket rocket of a musician had it all for her sadly short opening set, with failed jokes, rocking guitars and her usual Aussie charm. Ruby’s…

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Six things you need to do in Melbourne this September

Melbourne’s dynamism and constant revolving door of things to do is one of the reasons why it has remained one of the world’s most desired cities. Now that Spring is here, there’s going to be a bunch of things happening across town, and we’ve picked out six of our favourite things to do this month….

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Book Review: I’m With the Band is like going to bed with your favourite rock star

Did you know Pamela Des Barres inspired the Penny Lane character in Almost Famous? Rock’s original groupie, Des Barres released her first-kiss-and-tell memoir I’m With the Band back in 1987. Earlier this year the book was re-released with additional chapters, and a new introduction by music journalist Roisin O’Connor. The result is one warm and rollicking read,…

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Aussies Abroad: Skegss announce November UK and Ireland Tour

After recently tearing up London’s Moth Club with their punk and garage sound, Sydney outfit Skegss are set to return to the UK and Ireland. Starting from the 20th of November, they will be hitting several cites across the island. And with a brand new debut album My Own Mess in their luggage, the Byron Bay…

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I Died 50 Times in Fortnite, and Loved Every Minute Of It

At this point in time, Epic Games’ Fortnite needs no introduction. Frequently demonised and lambasted in mainstream media, Fortnite‘s PvP Battle Royale mode has become a scapegoat for everything wrong with modern gaming. Tales of addicted children, provoked violence and money lost to microtransactions are rampant, and it paints a picture of an incredibly violent…

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5 Retrowave Artists to get you ready for Cyberpunk 2077

We still don’t know when Cyberpunk 2077 will finally land on retail shelves. Developer CD Projekt RED have indicated 2019 at the earliest, but they don’t want to rush it. Frankly, good choice, nobody likes a rushed game. But after that Gamescom trailer from a couple of weeks ago, we’ve got Cyberpunk 2077 on the…

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Five Aussie acts you can’t miss at Falls Music & Arts Festival 2018/19

Every time New Years rolls around, Australians don’t turn to each other and say “should we go to a festival this year?” We good people of Australia turn to each other and say “oi mate, which festival are we hitting up this New Years?” New Years festivals like Falls Festival, Field Day, Lost Paradise and…

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Album Review: Lakyn’s & Pains (2018 EP) demonstrates real beauty through his lyrics and growth in his sound

Emotion is often at the centerpoint of many artists works, with Lakyn’s upcoming EP & Pains drawing heavily on his feelings and experiences, causing the listener to be enraptured by Lakyn’s sound throughout six delicately cultivated tracks. Lakyn has been in and around the industry for some time, but his powerful songs have helped him open…

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Games Preview: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey feels like the series is ready to perform its own leap of faith

If Assassin’s Creed Origins was to be the new franchise blueprint, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey feels like series with its mission statement clarified. It stands on the edge of a big leap, the way one of its protagonists might. So what’s it waiting for? Its release date, probably. The build of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey I played…

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Exclusive Music Video Premiere: Ukulele Death Squad “Not Afraid” (2018)

Australia’s most powerful uke quartet, Ukulele Death Squad, are about to tour “the world’s most dangerous Ukulele show” around Australia, to celebrate the release of their debut single “Not Afraid”. Today, the AU is excited to premiere the group’s brand new music video for that very track. Inspired by the memorable fight scenes in Anchorman, the…

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Five Books You Need To Read This Month: September

Somehow it’s September already, and the quick descent into the holiday season has begun. September also sees the announcement of the 2018 Man Booker Prize, which is pretty exciting for us literary types. Indeed, this month two of our five titles were included on the longlist back announced back in July, so we’ll be eagerly…

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Photo Gallery: Music Matters Live in Singapore feat. Darling Brando, Chores, Ben Catley, Gracenote and more

Music Matters Live kicked off in Singapore this weekend with a two night free festival that took over a number of venues in the city’s iconic Clarke Quay precinct. Amongst the international run of performers were Japanese act Amnesia, New Zealand duo Chores, Australia’s Ben Catley and Darling Brando, Singapore local acts ORANGECOVE and ShiGGA…

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Live Review: MUTO resuscitated Canberra’s night life on Friday armed with his new EP Arcane

I made it just in time to Mr Wolf in Canberra on Friday night to let MUTO ease my frustrations (caused mainly by the door girl at the venue), as the Sydney artist performed his live show on the back of his debut EP Arcane.  With his velvety, moody electronic tones being unsuited to resident…

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Game of Thrones star and Aussie director of new J. J. Abrams produced Film are coming to Sydney

This year, J.J. Abrams and Paramount Pictures are bringing us a new film in collaboration with the Australian director Julius Avery and starring Danish actor Pilou Asbæk; Overlord, a horror film set in World War II. After the Nazis have launched a secret experiment, Asbæk and co. have to fight off troops of horrifying and…

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Film Review: Teen Titans GO! To the Movies (USA, 2018) is the breath of levity DC needs right now

There are children’s animated movies made exclusively for kids, which generally lead to a rather torturous experience for parents and caretakers alike (I’m looking at you, Hotel Transylvania 3). Then there is something deceptively ingenious and utterly delightful as Teen Titans GO! To the Movies, which successfully entertains both young and old, whilst also offering up a…

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Live Review: Hayden James kicks off “Just Friends” Australian tour in Melbourne with Happiness is Wealth and Carmoflague Rose

Hayden James’ Just Friends Tour kicked off in Melbourne last night at iconic venue The Forum. Once doors opened, fans began filtering in with more denim jackets and white Adidas Stan Smith’s than a North Shore Sydney house party. The opener, Happiness is Wealth, kicked things off with some nice melodic EDM, reminiscent of Client Liaison, complete with…

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Games Opinion: Will Fallout 76 be problematic for Modders?

When Bethesda first teased Fallout 76 earlier this year, people were absolutely thrilled. A new Fallout game within just three years of a mainline title? Unheard of. Was this a follow up to Fallout 4 or a project by an external developer, like Fallout: New Vegas? But then the game was announced. An online, multiplayer-only version…

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Tech Review: Razer Core X is a gaming device for a very specific audience

On paper, the idea behind the Razer Core X might sound like the pinnacle of PC Gaming Master Race wank. At first blush, it seems like Razer took the PCMR drive to squeeze every last ounce of power out of one’s gaming rig, no matter the cost, and made it a physical device. I sound…

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BIGSOUND 2018 Day Three: Virginia Grohl parties, HANDSOME grooves, G Flip inspires, and much more

As great as BIGSOUND 2018 has been, the party had to end. The third and final day proved to be just as action-packed as the previous two, with many delegates mustering up their last ounce of energy for a day filled with workshops, connecting, and performances from Australia’s best emerging artists. The conference-side of day…

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Hitman 2 releases a ‘How to’ on the Assassin’s Mindset

‘Have you ever wondered how the mind of an assassin works?’ HITMAN 2‘s newest trailer gives us a glimpse of what goes through the assassin’s mind. Let’s give it a look. It looks like the new game will feature a new mechanic called “Picture-in-Picture”, which “Alerts you to important events as they happen”, as the…

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Emerson Snowe wins Levi’s Music Prize at BIGSOUND ahead of tonight’s AU Review 10th Birthday appearance

Brisbane artist Emerson Snowe has been making big waves at BIGSOUND 2018, and today he has a lot to show for it. The performer has been announced as the winner of the Levi’s Music Prize‘s first round, receiving $25,000 towards growing his project. Also known as The Creases‘ bassist Jarrod Mahon, he has been making waves over the last…

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Album Review: Troye Sivan welcomes a new age of Dark Pop in the remarkable Bloom (2018 LP)

With the journey his new release takes, Troye Sivan’s sophomore album Bloom comes to encapsulate and define a new age of dark pop. Released last week, the 10 track record creates a more danceable and synth driven atmosphere with tracks like “Bloom” and “Dance To This” featuring Ariana Grande. But the album does take its moments…

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Photo Highlights: BIGSOUND Day Three feat. Regurgitator, HANDSOME, Sweater Curse and more

The final night of official showcasing at BIGSOUND 2018 has come and gone, but along the way our photographer Jasmin Osman managed to capture a few of the highlights from the night including surprise guests Regurgitator at the OzTix party, buzz act Sweater Curse, Sydney’s HANDSOME, Korea’s Wedance and East Brunswick All Girls Choir.

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Games Opinion: Is Interactive Anger a Selling Point?

An Immersive, Interactive experience brings with it the opportunity for Players to make  their own decisions, choose their own paths, play with the freedom they want – but is it problematic when the player is thrust into playing an Angry Protagonist? The above video is from the gameplay showcase of DOOM Eternal, developed by id…

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Games Review: Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2 (PS4, 2018) charts the rise and fall of one gaming’s greatest franchises

The Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2 is a warts-and-all look at a series that began with an instant classic and ended with a sad trombone sound in the mid-00’s. I don’t think it was Capcom’s intention when they created a retro package of all eight games in the X series, but it’s…

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DVD Review: Agatha Christie’s Crooked House (UK, 2018) is a mysterious trip down the garden path with a family of eccentrics

We all know the story where the butler did it. But Agatha Christie’s Crooked House isn’t like that. Published in 1949, the novel was one of the author’s favourite stories. This is also a beautifully-shot period film. It’s an adaptation that leads you down the garden path and around the maze of an eccentric family’s…

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Track of the Day: Chloe Lilac “Summer” (2018)

Before we even had time to think about new music, Brooklyn-based teen Chloe Lilac has backed up her recent single “Stolen Liquor” with another vibrant new track “Summer”. From humble beginnings, sneaking out to perform on the streets of New York at just 14, Lilac’s passion for music and performance is echoed in her soulful…

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Evita and the Opera Australia productions you need to see in Sydney in the year ahead

Unveiling its 2019 season, Opera Australia has announced its most exhilarating and innovative program to date, with an incredible selection of productions set to take the stage at the Sydney Opera House. Exploding onto the scene with an array of classics and diverse, new inclusions for the year ahead, Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini has said:…

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Games Review: There are no Fighting Dreamers in Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Strikers (PS4, 2018)

Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Strikers feels like a massively missed opportunity for a fun and robust multiplayer Naruto game. Building off the success of the Ninja Storm series, Shinobi Strikers is a weak follow up that rarely capitalises on the unique appeal of the Naruto franchise. Essentially, Shinobi Strikers is a multiplayer fighting game that…

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Photo Highlights: Day Two of BIGSOUND broughts the likes of Wax Chattels, Sahara Beck, Tape/Off and more

Day Two of BIGSOUND brought crowds out in full force, some venues packed to the brim. Featured in this gallery are Carla Geneve, Tape/Off, Pool Shop, Wax Chattels and Sahara Beck:

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