Month: November 2018

BlizzCon 2018: Diablo Immortal takes the series to mobile, internet burns itself down

Despite Blizzard’s clear warnings that fans should “temper their expectations” regarding any announcements made at BlizzCon this year, the internet has gone nuclear over Diablo Immortal, a fully fledged version of the popular ARPG for iOS and Android mobiles. The announcement came at the end of today’s BlizzCon keynote address/show-and-tell and it was hard not…

Read More

BlizzCon 2018: Warcraft III Reforged is real, coming 2019

I told you. I bloody told you Warcraft III was coming back. During their keynote address at BlizzCon 2018, Blizzard Entertainment’s classic games team took to the stage to talk about what they’d been working on since completing last year’s StarCraft Remastered. Warcraft III Reforged revives the classic RTS series that gave birth to an…

Read More

Film Review: Fahrenheit 11/9 (USA, 2018) is a rousing call to action to take the world back from the dark side

Based on your personal feelings towards Donald Trump and the Republican Party, your reaction to (and presumably interest in) Fahrenheit 11/9, Michael Moore‘s latest bombastic documentary, is likely already predetermined. If you consider Trump to be a crusading saviour of the people and his presidency really is making America great again, maybe sit this one…

Read More

Hotel Review: Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge offers an unforgettable wilderness experience

The immense beauty of Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair National Park – a deserving UNESCO World Heritage Site – is a good trade-off for no Wi-Fi, phone reception or television. Throw in a charming lodge to rest your feet after iconic hikes, a deceptively understated restaurant serving up beautiful local produce, and an exceptional…

Read More

Album Review: E^ST’s Life Ain’t Always Roses (2018 EP) is an eclectic look at young relationships

As we look back on music in 2018, female indie-pop artists swarm my mind, with G-Flip, Nicole Millar, Mallrat, Angie McMahon, CXLOE, Amy Shark and E^ST all dominating airwaves. After really making a name for herself in 2017 with glowing single “Life Goes On,” E^ST‘s seven track EP Life Ain’t Always Roses was released last…

Read More

Sydney is getting a “Mamma Mia” pop-up with Greek feasts and Retrosweat classes

Head along to Waterloo from 8th to 10th November and you’ll find Sydney’s latest pop-up, inspired by none other than Mamma Mia. Designed to celebrate the home release of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, the temporary space will be themed towards the movie and host Retrosweat and Cork & Chroma classes (soundtracked by ABBA…

Read More

The best things to do in Sydney for November 2018

As we steamroll towards summer, and Sydney’s temperature really ramps up, some of the city’s most festive annual – and inaugural – events are being readied for crowds of locals and visitors to get across. Whether it’s watching a provocative Japanese film in the air-conditioned comfort of Event Cinemas, indulging in exclusive dishes by renowned…

Read More

Track of the Day: Eliza Hull “Going Soon” (2018)

“Going Soon” is the final single off of Eliza Hull’s recently released EP – How We Disappeared. Known for her huge swirling soundscapes and harrowing vocals, Hull brings a more rhythmic twist to her indie-folk sound in “Going Soon.” Enchanting and textured Eliza’s voice aims straight for the heart in the same way that Lana Del Rey, Angus…

Read More

Five Arts events not to miss around Australia this November

Summer is closing in, and you know exactly what that means. Australia is home to some of the biggest and brightest selections of entertainment and there is no doubt that coming up there will be something for everybody. From Jazz Festivals to Comedy shows, November is jam-packed with ah-mazing events and we aren’t going to…

Read More

Interview: Lime Cordiale chat about new music, hitting the road and Lost Paradise festival

Since releasing their first full length album last year, the boys from the Northern Beaches are hitting the ground running. Lime Cordiale have grown a lot since 2012 when it was just brothers Louie and Ollie strumming acoustic guitars. News Flash, they aren’t ready to stop just yet. With plenty of great stuff on the…

Read More

JIFF Interview: Sydney producer Stephan Wellink talks Sam Spiegel: Conquering Hollywood

Natalie Salvo recently caught up with Sydney producer Stephan Wellink to talk about his latest film Sam Spiegel: Conquering Hollywood, which is currently screening at the Jewish International Film Festival. We learn more about Sam Spigel, the iconic producer of films like Lawrence of Arabia, and the production of the documentary. Can you begin by briefly introducing…

Read More

Hotel Review: Hotel Indigo embraces the Peranakan heritage of Katong Singapore

Around the world, Hotel Indigo is renowned for its ability to shape its design, architecture, style and even offerings around the city it’s built. But few do it better than the Katong Singapore location. This spot is one of the newer in the international chain’s catalogue, having opened in 2016 – and it’s fair to…

Read More

Hotel Review: Hotel Zed Kelowna (Canada) is a stylish motel refit with the playfulness of a hostel in wine country

There was a time in the travel industry when saying you ran a motel was anything but an attractive quality. Now, all over the world, clever hoteliers are bringing inspired re-fits to motels, helping not just reframe what we know a motel to be, but to go so far as to make it, dareisay, “chic”….

Read More

Flights between Australia and the USA right now are under $799

There’s a bit of a price war going on over the Pacific right now, and the winners are us as consumers. Whether you’re flying to Honolulu or Los Angeles from Australia’s East Coast, full service airlines such as Hawaiian, Qantas, Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand are offering fares below $800, and even as low…

Read More

Film Review: Bohemian Rhapsody (USA, 2018) is as spirited as it is sterilized

Biopics are a dime-a-dozen these days. And when one considers the marketable possibilities about them, it’s not hard to see why there are so many of them. Particularly when the subject of the biopic revolves around the entertainment industry. In the case of the music industry, we have had so many biopics revolving around that…

Read More

The world’s eSports industry is growing at a massive rate, and Hong Kong is ready to catch up

If you haven’t noticed by now, the eSports industry is on an exciting growth trajectory that won’t be slowing down anytime soon. Less and less people on the outside looking in are seeing eSports as a niche interest or trend, but a legitimate, lucrative and very, very entertaining sport that could easily eclipse traditional sports…

Read More

Tech Review: The Huawei Mate 20 Pro boasts three cameras and the clearest screen to date. But is it worth all the hype?

As is typical of this time of year, the last few months have seen a stack of new smartphone releases. Huawei‘s newest release is not only a competitor to other top brands, but it excels far beyond most recent handsets. From its in-screen fingerprint scanner to having three rear cameras (that consist of a 40-MP…

Read More

Interview: The Man From Mo’Wax director Matthew Jones reflects on his James Lavelle documentary

The Electronic Music Conference kicks off in Sydney next month, and as part of its evening program – EMCPlay – will be a screening of the documentary on Mo’Wax and UNKLE founder James Lavelle, The Man From Mo’Wax. Paris Pompor from Groovescooter is curating the film program of the festival, which will screen at the Surry Hills…

Read More

The Songs That Made Me “Need You”: Feather Touch’s Guest Playlist

Feather Touch has been making waves of late with his breakout single “The River” (featuring Aeora) and now “Need You”, a pulsating club banger laced with a good dose of future-pop. For this week’s featured guest playlist on the AU, the Sydney-based tropicalyso-disco producer takes us on a journey through his electric tastes that have led…

Read More

Book Review: Jessica Townsend throws open the doors to the Wundrous Society in Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow

After escaping Jackalfax for good, and discovering her powers as a Wundersmith, twelve-year-old Morrigan Crow is excited to finally be starting her training at the elite Wundrous Society. But, others within the Society are convinced Morrigan is dangerous, and with Wunsoc members going missing, her patron Jupiter North doesn’t have time to help her navigate…

Read More

Interview: Klaus Fluoride of The Dead Kennedys (US) talks causing chaos in Australia

There are a lot of stories about San Franciscan punks The Dead Kennedys’ chaotic debut Australian 35 years ago. There were riots and arrests, but one I had to know about was the legendary pineapple incident. While talking to bassist Klaus Fluoride about the band’s return to Australia I brought up the incident, hoping to…

Read More

Album Review: Oh Pep! – I Wasn’t Only Thinking About You… (2018 LP)

Melbourne Duo Olivia Hally and Pepita Emmerichs, known as Oh Pep!, are back again. Since they first met in a performing arts school in 2009, the girls have brought out two EPs, one full-length album, and concluded several international tours. Now the duo follow on from their critically acclaimed debut Stadium Cake with I Wasn’t Only…

Read More