The Heiress won big at the 2018 Sydney Film Festival

The 65th Sydney Film Festival announced its award winners at the Closing Night Gala at the State Theatre earlier this month, with filmmaker Marcelo Martinessi taking home the prestigious Sydney Film Prize for his film The Heiress, selected from pool of 12 Official Competition films. The film was awarded the $60,000 cash prize for the…

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Industry legends and trailblazers set to gather in Adelaide for this year’s Indie-Con Australia event

This year’s Indie-Con Australia program has been revealed today, with the South Australian hosted event set to welcome industry legends and fresh faces through to the two day conference, thriving in Adelaide. Held at The Hindley on July 26th and 27th this year, Indie-Con offers attendees the opportunities to not only network with different sectors of…

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Single of the Day: J.F.K “Feel It Again” (2018)

In a similar vein to bands like The Delta Riggs and The Hives, J.F.K have stormed through to our attention with their latest single, “Feel It Again”. For the Perth group, the single signals a confident stride forward; fusing addictive riffs with catchy vocals and a melody, “Feel It Again” looks at a relationship that may…

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Adalita and Tkay Maidza may just be the TV duo you didn’t know you needed

Channel [V] is returning to Splendour this year, enlisting Adalita and Tkay Maidza to take the reins in handling all [V]’s official interviews on ground. The duo obviously come from vastly different musical backgrounds, but their status within the Aussie music scene is undeniable, so it will be interesting to see they dynamic flourish on screen. “Super…

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Full list of live music showcases announced for Melbourne’s CHANGES conference

It’s not long now before Melbourne’s CHANGES conference takes place in Fitzroy and Collingwood; two days of talks and networking, coupled with two nights of live music showcases that will see some of the city’s best on form. Over 100 artists are coming together with local agents, labels and industry members for CHANGES to direct and…

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To Adelaide, with love: SEVSONS list their SA music recommendations

Alt-rockers SEVSONS have been deep in new EP territory over the last few months, building upon the success of live shows and more recently, the release of their catchy as heck new single, “Evolution”. It’s a strong step forward from the Sydney band, who are sure to be extending their reach further around the country as…

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Malaysian restaurant PappaRich opens exciting new concept location at Southern Cross Station (Melbourne)

Southern Cross Station’s collection of casual eats just took a big step up with the opening of acclaimed Malaysian-born restaurant chain PappaRich. A 40-seater venue was unveiled earlier this week, bringing the authentic flavours of South-East Asia to Melbourne’s CBD with a new-concept lean towards fast service, best represented by self-serve kiosks, a first for…

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South-African burger bar RocoMamas makes Australian debut in Melbourne

The internationally recognised burger brand, RocoMamas has recently chosen Melbourne’s endless dining precinct, Chapel Street, to open its first flagship Australian joint. If you’re planning a visit, expect to get your hands, mouth and face dirty, as the idea behind this menu is to put down the knives and forks and attack their iconic ‘smashed…

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Review: Catalina has some new tricks but their signatures remain the highlight (Sydney)

We don’t all have the funds to be regulars over at storied Rose Bay restaurant Catalina, but while many may keep this as an occasional indulgence, it’s always well worth seeing how this dining institution is constantly evolving thanks to their unwavering commitment to change. Like most seasonally-focused restaurants, Catalina switches up their signatures with…

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Single of the Day: Elizabeth (Totally Mild) “Burn It All” (2018)

Out of the Split Singles Club has come a gorgeous offering from Totally Mild‘s Elizabeth, in “Burn It All”. It’s the first we’re hearing from her forthcoming solo project; an intimate and vulnerable song that absolutely shines with depth and heart. Released on a double-sided 7″ single with Stella Donnelly’s “Talking”, “Burn It All” is a…

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Electric Fields to headline Klub Koori in Sydney this July

Koori Radio’s annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in all its vibrancy is returning to Carriageworks in Sydney next month, with a stacked line up of artists ready and raring to go. Electric Fields will headlining Klub Koori this year, along with Melbourne’s Kaiit, who has been making a name for herself throughout…

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Head to St. Kilda this December to vibe with Northeast Party House and more in The Pleasure Garden

Looking forward to the warmer months? They’re so close, yet so far… The Pleasure Garden joins the festivals coming out of the woodwork this month in announcing their line ups for the tail end of 2018, encouraging music fans to start plotting out their summer days and nights out. For this jaunt, Northeast Party House, Sampa the…

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Queenscliff Music Festival tickets are set to sell out with the announcement of headliner Courtney Barnett for 2018

For those regular attendees of the Queenscliff Music Festival, the vibe of the event is unbeatable; perfect for music fans of all ages, the music festival is set against one of the east coast’s most beautiful backdrops and this year, the crew behind Queenscliff have ensured that the line up this year does not deviate…

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Sink Your Teeth Into Supanova’s Adelaide and Brisbane Early Guest Announcements

Merely days after Supanova Comic Con and Gaming wrapped up their June tours of Sydney and Perth, they have already whet the appetite of fans by dropping an early guest announcement for their November tour. With this being an initial announcement, we can of course expect more names to drop closer to the Adelaide (3rd…

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Interview: Roo Panes on bringing Quiet Man to fruition as LP #3

When listening to the opening notes of “A Message to Myself”, the album opener of Roo Panes‘ third studio record, Quiet Man, the listener is stung with the evocative punch behind the English songwriter’s artistry almost immediately. It’s a craft Panes has developed beautifully over the course of the last few years, being embraced by audiences around…

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Music Video of the Day: Kaiit “OG Luv Kush p.2” (2018)

Kaiit continues to nail each release with a fresh level of individual flair that has propelled the Melbourne songwriter onto the radars of tastemakers around the country. With “OG Luv Kush p.2”, Kaiit further explores a vocal territory drenched in rich soul and a musical palette formed off the back of some of hip-hop and…

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G Flip set to break further into the European market with Pitchfork Music Festival spot in November

G Flip‘s emergence as one of the country’s most exciting new names this year has been incredible to watch. Off the back of two singles, she’s managed to lock down acclaim at two of the world’s biggest new music discovery festivals – SXSW and The Great Escape – while also building up a steady roster…

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5 of our favourite pre-“This is America” Childish Gambino videos

Only days after claims of plagiarism emerged focusing on Childish Gambino‘s “This Is America” and Jase Harley‘s “American Pharoah”, Donald Glover and his team have once again proven that they keep things pushing, with the announcement of a run of massive shows that will take the rapper right through the UK and Europe, as well as Australia. Already…

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Film Review: Ideal Home (USA, 2018) is an average comedy with some chuckles, thanks to the leads

Considering the political climate that were in, you figure a mainstream comedy like Ideal Home, a film about two gay fathers that borders on stereotypes would be a bad idea. At least, that’s what people have been saying out there, due to impressions from the trailers and the posters. But considering that this is a…

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Review: MOXY Tokyo Kinshicho – a creative, colourful and playful hotel in Sumida Ward

Tokyo’s iteration of Marriott International’s energetic and youthful Moxy brand has done well to distinguish itself among the many traditional hotels that lie across the sprawling city. Located in the Sumida Ward, just five minutes on foot from JR Kinshicho Station, the property is a creative and playful entry to a neighbourhood most tourists wouldn’t…

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The More You Know: This Small City in Finland Was Just Named the World’s “Capital of Metal”

After a month-long competition resulting in fierce competition between the many different metal scenes of Finland, the official “Capital of Metal” has been named. Lemi, a small municipality with a population of just over 3000 in rural Southeast Finland, has walked away with the honour based upon them having the most dense metal scene in…

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Win a double pass to see STOMP in Sydney

The Broadway, West End and international sensation STOMP is back, set to return to Australia with its unstoppable energy. The show will tour to Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Adelaide and Sydney from May to August, running at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from 31 July to 5 August. Eight performers use an array of ordinarily mundane objects,…

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Win a family pass to see Sleeping Beauty: A Knight Avenger’s Tale in Sydney

Awake from your enchanted slumber and get read for the family fun fairy tale panto adventure, Sleeping Beauty – A Knight Avenger’s Tale. Bursting into Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre for a strictly limited season from 29 June to 8 July and Sydney’s majestic State Theatre from 13 to 22 July 2018. Featuring dazzling costumes, stunning sets,…

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Book Review: Kitty Flanagan’s Bridge Burning & Other Hobbies is a loose look at some funny episodes from Flanagan’s life

Kitty Flanagan is an accomplished stand-up and regular on TV shows like Utopia and The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. She is a chronic over-thinker in the best possible way, and this is evident in her first book: Bridge Burning & Other Hobbies. A collection of funny anecdotes and personal stories, readers will find this book as relatable…

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Single of the Day: CLYPSO “Pop Roll Flow” (2018)

Continuing to build hype, Sydney producer and vocalist CLYPSO has dropped a catchy new single in “Pop Roll Flow”. Soon to be out on the road with PNAU and What So Not, you can envision the direction CLYPSO’s career is heading and man, she’s only getting started. The bass is gritty and enticing, bringing together electronic…

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Behind the Scenes with Byron Bay’s PLTS during the making of “Maelstrom”

Ahead of their July tour, Byron Bay’s PLTS delve into their latest single “Maelstrom” with us, taking us behind the scenes of making this hectic new tune. Writing the single in Sydney with JP Fung and recording at the renowned Forbes Street Studios with Matt Redlich at the helm, “Maelstrom” did not come without challenges and but as we…

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Interview: Suming Rupi on bringing traditional Taiwanese music to the Barunga Festival

Suming Rupi is an Amis Taiwanese musician who has played a handful of shows around the world in his fifteen years as a performer, including Glastonbury and Fuji Rock Festival. He is kind, humble and generous with his time as AU Review sat with him at Barunga Festival over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend –…

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Live Review: The Presets harness massive energy at hometown show at the Enmore Theatre

Irrespective of their time away from the musical spotlight, The Presets will always have a place in the hearts of the Australian dance music community. And despite the best efforts of some members of the crowd to dampen the nights of others in attendance, the two-piece definitely crushed the Sydney leg of their Hi-Viz album…

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Live Review: City Calm Down display prowess as one of the country’s best live bands at Sydney’s Metro Theatre

I’m going to let you in on a little secret here: I was quite late jumping on the City Calm Down train. I’ll happily admit that. My first real exposure to the band was at Splendour In The Grass a few years back, when they covered David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”. At the time, I was…

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Tech Review: Cygnett FreePlay Wireless Earphones: Puzzle bobble

One thing a pair of earphones should do the first time you put them in your ears is make a good impression. Before you even turn them on, they should sit comfortably in the ears with minimal wobble and, ideally, not make you feel like Lobot from Star Wars (though I’ve reviewed my share that…

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