Sex on Toast

Sex on Toast takes us through their new album, Pegasus, track by track

With a relentless spirit, and wide range of influences, the collective Sex on Toast have been creating technicolour rock for twenty years now. Today they have released their latest album, Pegasus, that brilliantly showcases their deep talents and broad interests. The album is a glorious mix of funk and pop, big horns, RnB, jazz and…

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CHEZ

Exclusive Single Premiere: CHEZ “honeY” (2024)

Love sometimes strikes hard, and negative thoughts of ‘why me?’ can also accompany its deep pleasure. These feelings are expressed perfectly in “honeY”, the new track about to drop from Boorloo/Perth-based pop artist CHEZ. We are thrilled to be premiering this cracker of a tune ahead of its release on Friday. CHEZ’s ‘honeY’ is a sonic journey…

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Book Review: Gabi Ortiz has finally run out of lives in Stark Holborn’s Ninth Life

Gabriella Ortiz has gone by many names. General. Dolores Lazlo. La Pesadilla. Ortz. Nine Lives. Gabi. Child superweapon turned pit fighter, turned pirate, turned the Accord’s most wanted, she’s lived more than a few different lives. And she’s died a few deaths too. Havemercy Grey is, by any comparison, nobody. A Deputy Air Marshall on…

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Interview: Wildheart talk new singles, upcoming album and dispelling stigmas

Meanjin/Brisbane metalcore outfit Wildheart are one of the most prolific and vital local heavy acts right now. The band’s socially conscious lyrics and tireless work ethic has earned them the respect of their peers as well as industry recognition. Their debut album Global Crisis was named the 2022 Gold Coast Music Award’s Release of the…

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UPDATED: OASIS tour dates announced for Australia – how to register for the pre-sale

Yes, it has been hotly rumoured and at last confirmed that OASIS will be returning to Australia in 2025. There was pandemonium when the first UK concerts went on sale – apparently, ten million fans from 158 countries were pounding the keyboards and devices to get tickets. The Britpop trailblazers from Manchester will be playing…

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Claire Tonti

Claire Tonti is breaking down the barriers of motherhood through music

Naarm-based singer-songwriter, activist, and mother Claire Tonti is breaking down barriers, using her music to normalise the complexities of motherhood. Her debut album, Matrescence, released in 2023, is nothing short of powerful. Tonti dives deep, sharing her experiences of motherhood, loss, and yearning with raw emotion. It’s a beautiful body of work that captures immense…

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A Tiki Bar in a Shipwreck: We go behind-the-scenes of Anaheim’s Strong Water

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to enjoy an incredible night at the Californian tiki bar Strong Water. Just a stones throw from Disneyland in Anaheim – where so much of the modern tiki bar aesthetic was popularised – this James Beard Award semi-finalist is now one of the hottest destinations in the city….

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Book Review: Keshe Chow’s The Girl With No Reflection is intriguing and vivid but misses the mark

Keshe Chow‘s hotly anticipated debut, The Girl with No Reflection, is a dark fantasy inspired by Imperial Chinese history and mythology with a steady injection of romance for good measure. Its vivid imagery, unique world-building and courtly intrigue are no doubt what had US critics praising the book long before its release here in Australia….

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The Saga

Exclusive Single Premiere: The Saga “The Saga” (2024)

At the AU, we are big lovers of folk music, and hailing from Sweden and now resident in Berlin, is the artist known as The Saga, who delivers dreamy and ethereal folk music. We are thrilled to premiere a track named after their ‘pen name’, the gorgeous “The Saga”, before its release on Wednesday, 16th…

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Interview: Director Stefan Hunt and choreographer Vanessa Marian on their short film Yeah The Boys and exploring Aussie larrikinism and masculinity

Created by the Sydney’s husband-and-wife director-choreographer duo Stefan Hunt and Vanessa Marian, Yeah The Boys explores Aussie larrikinism and masculinity, while offering an insightful observation of Australian identity and the nation’s relationship with drinking culture, with a unique blend of choreography and screen storytelling, without a word being spoken for the whole film. Winner of Best Australia Short at Flickerfest, and nominated…

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Live Review: Bernard Fanning and Paul Dempsey stun Brisbane on the first stop of The Deluge tour (11.10.24)

When Bernard Fanning and Paul Dempsey released The Deluge—their first collaboration under the Fanning Dempsey National Park moniker—back in August, the unique sonic transformation they created immediately captured my attention. Beneath the excitement of two Australian rock legends joining forces, however, one key question went unasked: how would this new, synth pop mix and match…

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Interview: Christopher Scott on choreographing Wicked for the big screen and honouring the stage show through the film

After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu, Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part immersive, cultural celebration. Wicked Part Two is scheduled to arrive…

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Interview: Nathan Crowley on producing the design of Wicked; “You’re touching on something that everyone loves.”

After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu, Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part immersive, cultural celebration. Wicked Part Two is scheduled to arrive…

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Interview: Wicked Hair and Make-up Designer Frances Hannon on finding her own vision within the land of Oz

After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu, Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part immersive, cultural celebration. Wicked Part Two is scheduled to arrive…

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Win tickets to see Michael Keaton’s Assassin’s Plan

Thanks to StudioCanal Australia we have 5 double in-season passes (Admit 2) to see Michael Keaton‘s crime thriller Assassin’s Plan, in Australian theatres October 17th, 2024, co-starring James Marsden, Marcia Gay Harden and Al Pacino. Diagnosed with a rapidly debilitating illness, a contract killer gets the chance to redeem himself by saving the life of…

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PAX Aus 2024 : The Steam Deck is coming to Australia

Steam has officially confirmed that the highly anticipated Steam Deck is coming to Australia. At PAX Australia, the company confirmed that it will begin selling the PC handheld device locally starting next month. Currently, the only way to get one is to pay some heavy import fees or pay double, sometimes triple from an unauthorised…

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Google has finally stepped up to the competition with Pixel Buds Pro 2

For a company that’s ahead of the curb when offering a refined Android experience for Pixel users, Google has been slow to move in the hyper-competitive space for truly wireless earbuds. Attempts to distinguish the Pixel Buds from other earbuds, like the high-performance Sony WF series and Apple’s paradigm-shifting Airpods, have led Google to rely…

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Interview: Damien Leone on pushing the boundaries in Terrifier 3, being cautious of “icon” status and paying homage to classic horror

The little horror movie series that could, Terrifier has taken both the terrifying Art the Clown and its creator, writer/director/special effects artist Damien Leone, to gory heights as each film pushes the boundaries on what it is to truly unnerve genre audiences. As Terrifier 3 massacres its way into Australian theatres this weekend (you can…

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Top 5 things to do at PAX Aus 2024 this weekend

It’s that time of the year again. PAX Aus is back for another epic event of gaming and pop culture at the Melbourne Convention Centre. Starting today, the event runs Friday 11 October through Sunday 13th of October with live panels, interactive events, competitions, cosplay and so much more! If you are tight on time…

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New Music Discoveries 11th October: Loose Content, Press Club, Thomas Headon, & more

As we speed through October on our way towards Halloween we’ve added another ten tracks to our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music, including one single we exclusively premiered earlier in the week. Loose Content a three piece alt-rock band from the Byron Bay hinterland is our Track of the Week with their brand…

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Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred succeeds at strengthening and expanding upon the core experience

I’ve dabbled in the Diablo games for almost two decades now. But I have to say, Diablo 4 still stands as my favourite. It simply refined and deepened every mechanic and aspect of the overall franchise, and kept me around for months after my official review. Over a year later, Diablo 4 has released its…

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Undisputed manages to throw a few nice jabs, but misses on the stronger hooks and upppercuts

I’m a huge boxing fan, and I still jump on Fight Night Champion to this day. While that’s still accessible on my Xbox Series X via backwards compatibility, I’ve eagerly awaited the next great boxing game. Enter Undisputed. From developer Steel City Interactive comes that next big swing, attempting to receive the sport in the video game…

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Album Review: Touché Amoré – Spiral In A Straight Line (2024 LP)

With Lament crowned Pitchfork’s Best New Album in 2020, Touché Amoré set the bar high for their upcoming release, Spiral in a Straight Line. Forming in 2007, the post-hardcore group has consistently made waves in the scene, earning critical acclaim for each of their four previous studio albums. While they re-recorded and re-released their debut…

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Film Review: Hellboy: The Crooked Man; low budget limits ambitious horror take on classic character

The fourth live-action adaptation of the much-loved comic creation Hellboy, and the third iteration of the character following two well-received Guillermo del Toro-helmed, Ron Perlman-starring outings and a less-said-about-the-better reboot with David Harbour, Brian Taylor‘s take on the character in Hellboy: The Crooked Man has a distinct personality of its own and a well-suited Jack…

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Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo dazzles Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on night one of four (09.10.24)

The atmosphere in Melbourne was electric last night as Olivia Rodrigo kicked off the first of her four highly anticipated shows at Rod Laver Arena. Since the tour was announced earlier this year, fans have eagerly waited for their chance to see the pop sensation, with tickets selling out in minutes. By showtime, eager crowds…

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Akimbot recreates the golden age of an older generation of games in places, but lacks some of the polish

In a media age where remakes, sequels, and reboots dominate, the weaponising of nostalgia has brought both glee and despair to gamers everywhere. When handled with care, recycling the old can be a fun exercise but there is something to be said for finding something new in the familiar. Akimbot, the latest release by Evil…

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Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed justifies its return with gorgeous visuals and updated controls

Released in 2010, the original Epic Mickey was a magical experience and one of the most creative and underrated platformers at the time. The Wii-exclusive game was a dark, twisted version of the cartoon character we all know and love. The game was a journey through long-celebrated franchises and characters with a sci-fi twist, the popular game…

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Cirque du Soleil’s Mad Apple reflects a modern Las Vegas; and it’s a wild fun time

For decades now, Cirque du Soleil has been the king of the Las Vegas strip – producing almost a dozen residency shows for the city since 1993, with close to 10,000 people witnessing the Montreal company’s spectacle every night. Residency shows are typically designed for the destination, usually in a room custom built for the…

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Charli XCX to headline Laneway 2025 – full lineup revealed

The rumours are true  – Charli XCX will be headling Laneway festival 2025. She will only be playing Laneway, so that’s your only chance to see Charli down under next summer. Joining the lineup is British bedroom pop star Beabadoobee, who won legions of fans when she performed in Australia in 2022. Also returning to Laneway…

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Interview: Jack Kesy on inhabiting comic book royalty in Hellboy: The Crooked Man; “There’s always an element of wanting the validation of the people that really want to see it.”

Actor Jack Kesy is no stranger to dabbling in the realms of the action (The Killer), comic book (Deadpool 2) and horror genres (TV’s The Strain) across his career thus far.  But what about an amalgamation of all three? Following in the footsteps of Ron Perlman and David Harbour before him, Kesy is stepping into…

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