Historically Hayley Mary has never failed to deliver. One of the best vocalists of the past 15 years or so, she has always crushed a live show. Heading out on her own on the back of her debut solo album Roman XS, she brought the goods once more to Sydney’s Waywards club. After a couple of…
Can you believe it’s been 10 years since the last Dragon Age game? For as decent as Dragon Age: Inquisition is, I can understand the hesitation that many would feel when it comes to diving back into this, given developer BioWare’s recent track record. Mass Effect: Andromeda was average at best, while Anthem barely had…
There’s always a gamble when picking up a game aimed at younger audiences—wondering if it will transcend the typical “kids’ game” boundaries to captivate players of all ages. Classics like Super Mario, Spyro, and Crash Bandicoot have found this balance, creating worlds that invite a younger and older crowd. However, new releases often raise the…
A sinister wall of synths and strings shoots from the tiny Sydney Opera House forecourt stage. One of music’s most formidable creatives is cheering himself on as the flickering orange glow illuminates his half-cocked cackle, making him look like a mad scientist as he fiddles away with his equipment and twists his arms into the…
The Jungle Giants took their regional tour to Dee Why RSL on the Northern Beaches of Sydney on Thursday night. It was a fantastic show, and the crowd were well and truly up for it. There were plenty of Halloween costumes, and the band was on fire. There were some uber-fans present, plenty of love…
The poison chalice of rock and roll superstardom is the seductive, yet false, promise of eternal youth. Like lightning in a bottle, the volatile mix of youth and adolescent rebellion—capturing the pulse of a generation at precisely the right moment—feels unstoppable. Immune to time. But inevitably, that image cracks, and even the greats confront the…
On a recent visit to Buffalo in New York, right by Niagara Falls, I was lucky enough to spend a weekend in a historic 1898 mansion, InnBuffalo. This building is now a quaint Bed and Breakfast (or “BnB”) that sits within Buffalo’s vibrant Elmwood Village. It was as typical a BnB as you could expect…
Thom Yorke is on his debut solo tour of Australia, and tonight was his first Sydney show, at the iconic Sydney Opera House Forecourt. It was a brilliant set to a packed audience, with a number of Radiohead songs thrown into the mix. Bruce was there to bring you these images. Review is on its…
To celebrate the home digital release of The Wild Robot, thanks to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Organic. we have an exclusive piece of framed concept art to give away to one lucky reader, as well as a Digital Access Code so you can view the film at home. The film comes from a new…
As a kid who grew up in the 90s – between the US and Australia – I was gifted with a potpourri of ever-evolving options to celebrate a birthday with friends. Since the 1970s, there’s been all-you-can-eat pizza places with arcades and playhouses, from Pizza Hut to Chuck-E-Cheese. In the mid-1980s, laser tag entered the…
Following on from our red carpet chats with the cast and creatives of Gladiator II at the Australian premiere, Connie Nielsen sat down with our own Peter Gray to further discuss her return as Lucilla after over 2 decades, if she saw a change in Ridley Scott’s directing after this time, and if she could…
Today Sarah Blasko has released her sixth studio album, the beautiful I Just Need To Conquer This Mountain. It’s a deeply personal and cathartic album, as Sarah reflects on goodbyes and new beginnings. I had a chat with Sarah about the genesis of the album and it’s influences, her upcoming tour and much more. Links for…
Ushering in a new generation of heroes, legendary director Ridley Scott continues the epic Gladiator saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome with Gladiator II. Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his…
We’ve slipped into November and are barrelling towards Christmas at an alarming speed. In between gorging on leftover Halloween treats we’ve added ten more tracks to our Discovery Playlist on Spotify and Apple Music. Along with two singles we exclusively premiered earlier in the week, we also have “Only A Fool”, our Track of the…
For those who love music, beer and skating, this two day free event at Manly Beach this weekend – tonight and tomorrow, November 1st and 2nd – may be just the thing for you. Young Henrys and Volcom are hosting the event at Hotel Steyne, with DJ sets from Dune Rats, The Buoys, Haiku Hands…
You just love seeing artists make massive leaps forward from one album to the next. Here on her second album Stop and Smell the Lightning, Annie Hamilton has done just that. An album filled with vast arrays of whirling sounds and samples, both human and not, Stop and Smell the Lightning is hard to describe,…
With the release of the much-anticipated EP Boy’s In Love, Melbourne/Naarm’s Keelan Mak returns to the forefront of Australian pop armed with a fresh brand of club-ready pop tunes primed for summer listening. Proving a worthy successor to 2022s Brave Face EP, the strong introductions from singles “Drift” and “Straight with Me” were excellent showcases…
SIX has arrived for a Sydney season at the Theatre Royal. Inspired by the six wives of Henry VIII, this fresh new musical, which debuted in London in 2017, is a vibrant, energising show that captivates and charms. Written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, “SIX is more than just brilliant music, it’s also a…
From the ICC to multiple UTS venues, the Palace, and beyond, the energy of Australia’s film industry was unmistakable at SXSW Sydney 2024’s Screen Festival. Here are some of our highlights from panels, interviews, and sessions featuring indie pioneers and industry giants alike. Creative folks talking candid shop What better way to open a festival…
A young Aboriginal couple brings home their second baby. What should be a joyous time takes a sinister turn, as the baby’s mother starts seeing a malevolent spirit she is convinced is trying to take her baby. Such is the logline for Jon Bell’s The Moogai, a new horror film from the producers of The…
Whether you’re a seasoned gamer, industry veteran, or somewhere in between, SXSW Sydney 2024’s Games Festival delivered and injected sweet fuel and fire into the Australian and Sydney side of our beloved games industry. With the dust now settled, here are some of our personal highlights and standout moments from the week that was. 3…
Uniden has released their latest wireless doorbell with integrated camera, audio and storage to deliver an affordable and no-fuss option that doesn’t require an ongoing payment to a backup service to access the interactions saved on the device. I was fortunate enough to be able to check out the Uniden App Cam SOLO X2K Bell…
Super Mario Party has always been a staple for gaming in my household. Friends and family have duked it out on Nintendo consoles on game nights with Mario and company for many years. While it has been touch and go with the last few titles failing to reach the high standard that these games usually…
One of history’s most highly influential UK rappers is returning to Australia after a painfully long absence. During the peak of his popularity, Dizzee Rascal was a regular in Australia and in remarkably high demand thanks to classic albums such as Boy In Da Corner and Maths + English. And while those projects still hold…
Do you love a good drop? I certainly do, so I was shocked to hear during the recent launch event for NSW Wine Month how little local produce us Sydneysiders drink. Steve Cox, the CEO of Destination NSW, was on hand for the event and revealed to the gathered press that only 12% of the…
Singer Chit Chat Von Loopin Stab sat down with the AU review to discuss Machine Gun Fellatio’s reunion and recent performances, including a secret gig in Newcastle. The band members, who hadn’t played together in 20 years, felt a sense of nostalgia and rejuvenation, with standout moments like rehearsing with Marshall stacks and the entire…
Hot off the heels of their brand new album Memory of a Day (read my review HERE), we caught up with Sarah and Jon of New York’s Phantogram. We talked about the cinematic new record, the influences behind it – as well as their recent tour in North America with Kings of Leon. Firstly, congratulations…
A band very much on the rise is Meanjin/Brisbane’s Mid Drift. The cleverly named indie-pop outfit started releasing relatable earworms in 2023, and haven’t looked back. We are thrilled to be premiering their latest tune, packed with all the feels, the anthemic “Nicotine”, ahead of its release tomorrow. The band has drawn inspiration from artists…
Tasmanian singer-songwriter Marcus Wynwood is not one to be put in a box. Formerly a member of punk act Captives, his latest EP Never Stood Out and Never Fit In – independently released 17 October – is a mixed bag of backyard wisdom and playful experimentation. The seven-track project is a self-produced collection of densely…
2024’s iteration of Good Things Festival is scheduled to roll through the country commencing the first week of December. With a stellar lineup featuring some of the biggest bands from today, yesterday and tomorrow, the curators have managed to book a lineup that is diverse and ready to please everyone in attendance. From headliners Korn,…
