Month: April 2017

Vampires and World Domination: Society of Beggars on their new EP and upcoming tour

Before heading off on their new run of Australian tour dates, Society of Beggars took some time out for a quick chat about their brand new EP, vampires, and world domination. What can you tell me about the idea behind the name, An EP Called Night? The EP itself is supposed to reflect the rush in the…

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Girlpool sign to Anti-Records and tease new album Powerplant out May 12th

Since the release of their debut album in 2015, Girlpool have been continuously forging their own unique path to success. Amongst cross county relocations, deep diving into the DIY scene and the chaos of touring, all of their hard work has finally paid off. The Californian duo have just signed to Anti-Records and are primed to…

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Film Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (USA, 2017) evokes the weird wonderment of the original

Whilst the general consensus is that the Marvel cinematic universe as a whole is one of the more consistent entities for audiences and critics alike, their track-record for delivering underwhelming sequels (at least compared to their predecessors) is hard to quarrel against.  Iron Man 2, Thor: The Dark World, and Avengers: Age of Ultron are all…

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Film Review: My Pet Dinosaur (Australia, 2017) follows a well-trodden path

Australia is not widely known for its family fantasy films. But with a plot replicating that age-old story of a boy befriending and protecting a mythical creature from the government, surely this film would fit safely into the same mould, right? Unfortunately and somewhat unsurprisingly, the answer is, in the case of Matt Drummond’s new…

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Film Review: Free Fire (UK, 2016) avoids Hollywood action tropes in the best way

The films by British director Ben Wheatley have all been incredibly distinct from another and are all very well-done. Whether going through the genre of crime, psychological horror, dark comedy, dystopian drama or historical surrealism, you can never accuse Wheatley of doing the same trick twice. But the crucial through-line through all his films is…

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Film Review: Things To Come (France/Germany, 2016) is a quiet meditation on middle-age turmoil

Just like starting over. That’s the name of a John Lennon song but it’s also a line that could be used to sum up the French film, Things To Come (L’avenir). The story is a subtle character study about a middle-aged woman and how she negotiates a bunch of set-backs with a kind of understated…

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Jamie Oliver is coming to Australia to help kickstart a new era for Jamie’s Italian

If Keystone Group goes down, it certainly won’t be taking Jamie’s Italian with it. With six wildly popular restaurants across the country, Jamie Oliver’s dominant Italian restaurant chain is about to receive a substantial and much-needed shake-up now that is has been officially bought back by the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group. To celebrate, the renowned…

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Star-studded Bon Iver set and surprise appearances from Troye Sivan & Skrillex the talk of Coachella as Gaga closes Day Two of Weekend Two

When you replicate a lineup of a festival across two weekends, generally there aren’t too many surprises left for punters – especially when that event live streams the first weekend to the world. But Coachella’s diverse lineup proved that they had plenty of tricks up their sleeves with several surprises throughout the day. Arguably biggest of…

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Video: We hit the red carpet of the 59th Annual TV Week Logie Awards

Kara Bertoncini hits the 2017 Logies Red Carpet to ask the stars which Aussie TV show they’d love a remake of, and to ask the hard hitting questions like which is better; Home and Away or Neighbours, beards or no beards, Smarties or M&Ms? There’s never a dull moment on the red carpet with Kara!…

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Full list of the 2017 TV Week Logie Award Winners

Samuel Johnson took out the 2017 TV Week Gold Logie for Best Personality on Australia Television for his portrayal of music veteran Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum. It was all going so well until the moment was overshadowed by Meldrum himself who took to the mic in a mighty drunken state. At the night’s pivotal moment, let’s just say we kept it…

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Win a copy of the Bad Girl soundtrack composed by Warren Ellis & tickets to see the film

After selling out screenings at MIFF, Busan and the recent Mardi Gras Film Festival, Bad Girl written and directed by Fin Edquist will receive a national theatrical release in selected cinemas opening April 27. A brooding tale where old family wounds and an unyielding sense of dislocation escalate into a deranged and lethal game, Bad…

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Film Review: Festival bound Supergirl (USA, 2016) is an inspiring documentary about achieving the impossible

It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s Supergirl! The documentary, Supergirl is a film about an American girl with superhuman strength. It’s an inspirational story that is about kicking down barriers and achieving the impossible in the competitive world/sport that is powerlifting. This documentary is the debut feature length film by director Jessie Auritt. The story focuses…

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Netflix Review: Casting JonBenet is an ambitious, clever and exploitative, experimental documentary

Casting JonBenet is a film that requires you to know this unsolved murder case but also leave your expectations at the door. In the 20 years that have passed since the murder of the child beauty queen, JonBenet Ramsey there have been all manner of documentary exposés and coverage of this crime. Yet Casting JonBenet…

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Tech Review: The 2017 Subaru Impreza’s tech options are more than just bells and whistles

There are two kinds of people I know — people who care about cars and people who do not. I fall into the latter category — I have owned three cars in my life, all second-hand and none of them particularly fancy. But when an automaker like Subaru emails you out of the blue one…

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Hotel guests asked to disrobe in the name of art and self liberation

From the 1st May until the 15th June, the Art Series Hotel Group are inviting guests to sleepover, strike a pose and find themselves the subject of a life drawn masterpiece. This is all part of the hotel group’s ‘No Robe Package’ which asks guests to reveal the “real” them for a group of artists…

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Hannah Gadsby wins the 2017 Barry Award with her show Nanette

Hannah Gadsby has taken out the 2017 Barry Award for Best Show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Gadsby won with her show Nanette – a self described swan song. The award was announced during the traditional late-night ceremony at The Festival Club, and saw Gadsby edging out fellow nominees Damien Power, Anne Edmonds, Tom…

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Melbourne to host the first major Australian exhibition of the influential and popular Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai

The great wave off Kanagawa – It is perhaps the best known and most recognisable piece of Japanese art. It has adorned walls, notebooks and computer desktops the world over, and now Australian art enthusiasts get to witness it, alongside other works by its creator, in the flesh at Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria this July….

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Theatre Review: Big Fish at the Hayes Theatre is whimsical delight, all kinds of magic, and an absolute must-see

Not too often can you honestly say that a smaller independent production of a musical is undeniably better than a full-scale Broadway production, but Big Fish at the Hayes Theatre has surely got to be one of those times. The signature intimate theatre and the sincerity of the performances gives this musical the biggest of…

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Garlands of flowers adorn the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House for the Academy of St Martin in the Fields led by Joshua Bell

The Concert Hall was adorned with garlands of flowers last night as the Sydney Opera House presented the Academy of St Martin in the Fields led by Joshua Bell. A picturesque premise to an evening of truly beautiful music. This is the renowned orchestra’s first tour to Australia, and there’s definitely something special about listening to them live. One…

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Book Review: The Mysterious Mr Jacob by John Zubrzycki brings to life the days of British India

Immortalised in Rudyard Kipling’s Kim as master spy and gem trader Lurgan Sahib, Alexander Malcolm Jacob lived a life every bit as exciting as anything any author could have imagined. Now, John Zubrzycki, a former Delhi-based foreign correspondent, has pulled together extensive research to tell the story of The Mysterious Mr Jacob, bringing Nineteenth Century…

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Book Review: Patty Yumi Cottrell’s Sorry to Disrupt the Peace explores that most universal question: “How do I go on, when they do not?”

One day, while waiting for her roommate’s new IKEA sofa to arrive, Helen Moran receives the news that her adopted brother has committed suicide. She orders a black turtleneck to wear to the funeral, leaves a message for her boss, and books a one-way flight back to Milwaukee. But her adoptive parents are surprised to…

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Review: Catalina is more than sparkling Rose Bay views and celebrity spotting (Sydney)

Sparkling views of Rose Bay stretch from Catalina, one of the most high-profile and sought-after dining spots in Sydney. The exclusivity may be overwhelming to some at first, but despite the dazzling clientele and prices to match, there’s a warmth to the restaurant that’s immediately welcoming. The charm undercuts what some people may see as…

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Reynold Poernomo opens Koi Dessert Kitchen in Ryde (Sydney)

After finding great success as part of the Kensington Street precinct in Chippendale, former Masterchef favourite and one of the country’s most celebrate “dessert kings” Reynold Poernomo has expanded upon KOI Dessert Bar. Now, in addition to the wildly popular Chippendale dessert destination, Poernomo has opened up KOI Dessert Kitchen Ryde. In partnership with members…

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Review: Burger Project proves essential to Parramatta’s growing food scene (Sydney)

For the past few years there has been a major shift in how Parramatta is being used. Western Sydney’s enormous hub has been crafted to a higher standard than it has in the past, pushing away from dusty old RSLs and substandard food to give locals and visitors a hospitality scene that’s actually exciting. With…

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Review: Tommy Ruff proves there’s more to affordable seafood than just fish’n’chips (Melbourne)

In February, following their success in the suburbs of Elsternwick and Mordialloc, John and Helen Stamoulis opened their third Tommy Ruff Fish Bar in Windsor. Located on Chapel street, the newest Tommy Ruff joint is a bright and relaxing addition to one of the busiest hospitality precincts in Melbourne. Despite its overall physically narrow structure,…

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Joe & The Juice is on the path to redefining Sydney’s juice bar scene

Joe & The Juice is a hip, healthy juice bar chain originating from Denmark that has been successfully blitzing up nutritious juices across America and Europe. The man behind it all is Kasper Basse, a former martial arts champion and black belt, who decided to create a healthy juice café that offers a unique experience….

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Pyrmont Festival set to host Mudgee Region in massive two-week showcase event (Sydney)

The Pyrmont Festival is back again in 2017 with a two-week long event to advertise the best of both the Pyrmont and New South Wale’s stunning Mudgee region. Pyrmont will play host to the event from May 13th – 27th, giving visitors the opportunity to experience the country charm of the Mudgee Region as well…

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Theatre Review: Sex Object gives audiences more than a happy ending (Shows until 29 April)

Charlie Falkner wants to talk about sex. Specifically, the kind of sex tech-savvy, self-obsessed Millennials are having (or not having). His latest play, Sex Object, produced by JackRabbit Theatre Company and showing at The Depot Theatre, is a fast-paced, uber-real, laugh-a-minute look at what makes people tick in the modern age. And it is furiously…

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The Fossicks celebrating the release of new EP, E.G.O, with Sydney launch in May

Alternative grunge rockers, The Fossicks, are bringing some shaking new music through to Frankie’s Pizza for a hometown launch show in Sydney next month! Launching their new EP, E.G.O, throughout May, the group will be touring further throughout May and June but best believe, this first show is going to be one hell of a tour opener….

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Single of the Day: BEL HAVEN “Could Be Love” (2017)

LA based producer Dom Liberati has been making music as BEL HAVEN for a minute now and in his new single “Could Be Love”, we’re met with a catchy hook-laden pop tune that’s worth a little share ahead of the weekend. The multi-instrumentalist combines influences and sounds from the 80’s (think Depeche Mode, The Police) in with…

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