Month: November 2018

Aussies Abroad: Jade Imagine to join Julia Jacklin’s UK tour this month

Melbourne indie pop outfit Jade Imagine will head to England and Scotland to support Julia Jacklin on her headlining tour across the island later this month. The shows in London and Manchester are already sold out and fans in Glasgow should hurry up to secure a ticket, because this combination attracts indie fans like a…

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Photo Gallery: Remi and Raiza Biza + Cool Out Sun – Landsdowne Hotel, Sydney (16.11.18)

Hip-Hop collaborators Remi and Raiza Biza dropped their single “Runner” in September, and their Black Hole Sun EP last month to critical acclaim. To celebrate the release, the Aussie/NZ duo have hit the road for an intimate run of shows around the country. On Friday night, they were joined by Cool Out Sun at the Landsdowne Hotel…

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Photo Gallery: Mullum Music Festival 2018 Day One – Mullumbimby (16.11.18)

The first official day of the Mullum Festival kicked off in fine style with local girl Cecelia Brandolini and Victoria’s Hannah Cameron. Amongst many of the other fine acts captured for this night-time session were Osaka Monaurail from Japan, Mad Professor from Guyana, Husky and Old Man River. The festival continues over the rest of the weekend. Photos by Bruce Baker.

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Games Review: Tetris Effect (PS4, 2018) is the Game of the Year contender no-one saw coming

Tetris Effect is extremely good and you should play it. I’m not burying the lede on this one. Tetris Effect is one of the best and most inventive entries the long-running puzzle series has seen in years, and if you are in any way interested in Tetris then you need to pick this up. Tetris…

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Photo Gallery: Mullum Music Festival 2018 Opening Gala – Mullumbimby (15.11.18)

The 2018 Mullum Music Festival got off to a flier last night with the sold out Gala Opening. MC’d by the incorrigible Mandy Nolan, it included samples of many of the fine acts set to play the festival this coming weekend. Including searing performances from William Crighton, Gideon Preiss and Husky Gawenda; not to mention Lior, Hat Fitz and Cara, Wanderers,…

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Film Review: Shoplifters (Japan, 2018) is a masterful and emotionally stirring look into an unconventional working-class family

It is incredibly hard to believe that we have a new Hirokazu Koreeda film coming out so soon after his last one, the 2017 courtroom drama The Third Murder, and yet we have one in 2018 called Shoplifters! Heralded as a film that goes back to socially relevant roots, similar to the 2004 heartwrenching drama…

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Track of the Day: The Moving Stills “Almost There” (2018)

The Moving Stills are Central Coast rising stars who have cemented themselves in the East Coast garage rock scene by adding their surfy playfulness to each and every track. These guys have done their job well, opening shows for the likes of Ocean Alley, Skegss, Bootleg Rascal and a heap of other industry icons. After the…

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Photo Gallery and Live Review: Paul Dempsey + Ro – Melbourne Recital Centre (14.11.18)

Wednesday night at the Melbourne Recital Centre, one of Australia’s best loved talents, Paul Dempsey, was joined by one of our finest rising stars, Ro for a very special night of music. Ro kicked the night off with a stunning set,  “Life Hack”, “Lover, All Over Again”, “Hollow Hearts”, “New Years Falls”, “Life of the…

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Magic Dirt to be inducted as Live Legends at the 2018 National Live Music Awards

An influential element to the roaring Australian music scene, acclaimed Geelong rock band Magic Dirt are to be inducted as Live Legends at the 2018 National Live Music Awards on the 6th of December. Known for their ground breaking, ARIA award nominated album Life Was Better (1994) with stand out tracks such as “Ice” and “Amoxycillin”, the…

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Aussies Abroad: Atlanta’s Shaky Knees drop epic 2019 line-up with headliner Tame Impala, Tash Sultana, Julia Jacklin and more

Launching into its seventh year, Shaky Knees Festival is back and bigger than ever with one of the most epic line-ups we’ve seen this year. Situated in Central Park, Atlanta from the 3rd – 5th of May 2019, the festival not only boasts tonnes of high quality acts, the best bites in town and an…

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Track of the Day: Slum Sociable “Afterthought” (2018)

Melbourne duo Slum Sociable have released their new uptempo and dance ready summer single, “Afterthought”. The track, out now via Liberation Records is striking, combining a playful sound with slightly melancholic lyrics, all of which shine thanks to Miller Upchurch‘s impressive vocals. Full of drum machines and synthesisers, “Afterthought” is a summer-party-ready track that is…

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It’s not just Peking Duk: 5 musicians you didn’t know wrote children’s books

Musicians seem to be a pretty multi-talented bunch. Some of them find themselves in television and movies el la Cher and others find themselves walking the runway like Young Thug. What you might not expect however, is the amount of musicians who have delved into a different sort of profession. Writing children’s books! Rockstars expanding…

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Games Review: Australian fantasy genre mashup Armello (Switch, 2018) makes a perfect travel companion

Armello, the fantasy-steeped digital board game by Melbourne studio League of Geeks is very, very good. We’ve known this for a while. The game is available on almost every platfom there is and if you haven’t availed yourself of its strategic, card-based suspense and dice-roll intrigue since its launch 2015 then you really should. Conveniently,…

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Album Review: Larkin Poe’s Venom & Faith (2018 LP) is a modern interpretation of traditional blues music

The blues sisters from Atlanta are back with their long-awaited fourth studio album, Venom & Faith, which follows up on the critical acclaim of last year’s Peach, which was nominated for a Blues Music Award, with a collection of ten bluesy tracks. Don’t be fooled Larkin Poe is not a man, but instead two sisters, Megan and Rebecca…

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Live Review: Maxwell’s stylish live show dominates Las Vegas’ legendary Pearl Concert Theatre

Back in 1998 when Maxwell released Embrya, a follow-up to seminal debut Urban Hang Suite, the famously suave purveyor of sophisticated and mature R&B (casually referred to as “Grown Folk Music”) was met with piles of critical backlash. Although the album was a success, reaching platinum status and earning the Brooklyn artist a Grammy nod,…

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Album Review: The Beatles White Album Experience delivers for Beatles fans on 50th anniversary

50 years ago, The Beatles released what is considered by many, one of the greatest albums of all time. The double album featuring 30 tracks, although technically self-titled, quickly became known as simply, The White Album. Now, five decades later, Spotify has facilitated the release of The Beatles White Album Experience, a 107 track audio-visual playlist that has attempted…

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Future, Lil Uzi Vert and more announced for Rolling Loud’s Australian debut

Following the announcement that Rolling Loud, the world’s largest new-wave hip hop festival, will be making its Australian debut in 2019, the one-day event has unveiled the first wave of big names that’ll be taking to the Sydney Showgrounds for the event. Set for 27th January, over the same weekend once dominated by Big Day…

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Tech Review: The Razer Mamba Wireless Gaming Mouse + Goliathus Extended Chroma will complete your burgeoning Twitch setup

Over the last month or so I’ve been roadtesting two of Razer’s top tier PC gaming accessories. The Razer Mamba Wireless gaming mouse and the Goliathus Extended Chroma soft mouse mat.  Together, they provide the kind of aesthetic that most Twitch streamers fall over themselves for — the cool, industrial black suffused with customisable LED…

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Film Review: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald (UK/USA, 2018) is a dark and shambolic affair

2016’s Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them was the beginning of the expansion of the Harry Potter universe and an opportunity for fans to return to the wizarding world. It’s reception although somewhat mixed, was generally positive Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald is a jaunt back into the magical realm and where the first in…

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Track of the Day: Diamond Vargas “Don’t Tell Me” (2018)

Oozing in a blend of electronic, urban soul and RnB, Melbourne’s Diamond Vargas has launched onto the scene with her debut track “Don’t Tell Me”. Written about the experience of having a strong connection with someone that is so deep that it threatens to corrupt your identity, this song is a luscious and exposing introduction…

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Album Of The Week: Vance Joy – Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre (2018 LP)

Vance Joy has been round the world over the last eight months, putting on an impressive 83 shows on the back of his most recent album, Nation Of Two. If you somehow missed this massive run of shows or are just suffering from post concert depression, he is now releasing a 16 track live record which…

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Disney takes on Netflix: Everything you need to know about the exclusive new content coming to Disney+

Production giant Disney has finally confirmed the name of its long talked about streaming device. The name, Disney+, might not be the most creative, but it will contain the beloved classics and well as new features and might put other streaming platforms to shame. The new direct-to-customer service will go online in late 2019. CEO Bob…

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Album Review: Imagine Dragons’ Origins (2018 LP) is disappointingly unoriginal

Las Vegas four-piece Imagine Dragons are probably best known for their incredibly overplayed songs “Radioactive” and “Thunder”. They fuse genres from Pop, to EDM and Hip Hop on one LP, and strike up a wide angle of important topics like world peace, depression and love. A mixture that might sound intriguing, but the outcome is…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Girl York “Lost At Sea” (2018)

Indie rock trio Girl York have teased the release of their upcoming, sophomore EP, Dreaming in 505 with new single “Lost At Sea”, which we’re pleased to premiere today ahead of its release this Friday. With elements of gritty 90s shoegaze, this track, the last little taste before the EP’s release at the end of the month,…

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Interview: Slaves (UK) chat about Download Festival, being pals with DMA’s and playing Cal Jam 18

Last month, we sat down with UK rock duo Slaves while we were backstage at the Cal Jam Festival in Los Angeles. Today, the group have been announced alongside the likes of Sum 41, Pennywise and Thy Art is Murder in the second round of announcements for Download Festival, being held in Sydney and Melbourne…

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Photo Gallery: In The Round ft. Melanie Dyer + Brendan Maclean and more – Leadbelly, Sydney (13.11.18)

Oh, the power of music. This is what happens when you get four songwriters in a room and see what happens. Photos from Bruce Baker from the incredible night at “In The Round at Leadbelly”, inspired by the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. The event featured Melanie Dyer, Brendan Maclean, Sarah Belkner and James Van Cooper .

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Atmospheric Mexican joint El Camino Cantina opens on Manly Wharf

Rockpool’s energetic Mexican concept El Camino Cantina has expanded to a spacious waterfront eatery in Manly, with promises to equal the good vibes that made The Rocks original such a hit when it opened. Making the rooftop on Manly Wharf its new home, the Tex Mex joint promises frozen margaritas, taco Tuesdays and sunset soirees just…

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Cine Latino Film Festival Review: Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma (Mexico, 2018) is an utter masterpiece

If there’s one film in 2018 that is guaranteed to garner Oscar buzz due to director recognition alone, it’s Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron‘s Roma. Ever since making his mark with his critically acclaimed drama Y Tu Mama Tambien, Cuaron has gone on to making fantastic films that are commercially viable as well as technically proficient;…

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Spyro The Dragon Celebrates 20th Birthday With This Smokin’ Hot Cake

Feeling old yet? Everybody’s favourite purple dragon Spyro turns 20 today, and to celebrate his birthday – and the release of the highly anticipated Spyro Reignited Trilogy, baking sensations Raymond Tan and Vickie Liu have teamed up for a one-of-a-kind Spyro cake. Baked with cassis grape swiss meringue buttercream, chocolate shards and delicate isomalt sugar…

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Could Netflix’s The Witcher become the first successful live action video-game-to-TV adaptation?

When Netflix announced that they would be taking on The Witcher as a TV series, fan excitement was overwhelming. Since then, Henry Cavill has been confirmed as playing the big man Geralt himself, with a character reveal recently shown off on Twitter. Get your first look at Henry Cavill in The Witcher! pic.twitter.com/1O2eWS1MkP — Netflix (@netflix)…

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