Month: April 2019

Book Review: Editor Maxine Beneba Clarke celebrates voices from the African diaspora in Growing Up African in Australian

Edited by Maxine Beneba Clarke, with Magan Magan and Ahmed Yussuf, Growing Up African in Australia is a new anthology from Black Inc., following on from Alice Pung’s Growing Up Asian in Australia, Benjamin Law’s Growing Up Queer in Australia and Anita Heiss’ Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia. Whilst, Carly Findlay, who also contributed to this…

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Interview: Aloe Blacc (USA) on his latest single, creating a Christmas album and spending his Dollar.

Aloe Blacc is on a mission to inspire positivity around the globe. The Grammy-nominated artist uses his upbeat tracks to “be the light” in the world and his latest single with Mathieu Koss, “Never Growing Up”, is no exception. Celebrating it’s release, Aloe gave us a glimpse into it’s creation and the other works that he has…

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Final Fantasy VII Review: At home on the Switch

Arguably the best title in the series long history, and inarguably its most popular entry, Final Fantasy VII has never been far from the gaming popular consciousness since its release in 1997. It was the first time Squaresoft (now Square Enix) had been able to truly convey every part of the world they’d created. Previous…

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Track of the Day: STUMPS “Your Old Man” (2019)

It’s a big day for Sydney four-piece STUMPS who have announced their signings to Vita Artists bookings company. released the new track “Your Old Man” and announced two shows in Sydney and Melbourne. “I’ve had the pleasure of watching STUMPS develop over the past year, so I’m ecstatic that I can now assist in their growth as…

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Film Review: Terry Gilliam’s passion project The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (UK/France/Spain, 2018) is surprisingly void of any heart

“And now…after 25 years in the making…and unmaking” So says the wry on-screen text preceding Terry Gilliam‘s The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, a near-three decade trek for the eccentric filmmaker whose hope of bringing his off-kilter adventure-comedy to fruition has languished in development hell since its beginnings in 1989. Once intended to be a…

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Theatre Review: West Side Story‘s limited run in Melbourne highlights why it is still the best of the best

Widely regarded as one of the greatest musicals of all time, the original 1957 production of West Side Story stunned audiences and changed the game for American musical theatre going forward. Since then there have been a multitude of productions focused on retelling this timeless story to new audiences. In 1961 it received a film…

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Adam Liaw’s favourite Sydney spots for some top quality beef

Is there any source of food recommendations as reliable as a master chef? Adam Liaw, he who took the crown on the second series of MasterChef Australia in 2010, has been a beacon for good food around the world through numerous TV appearances and cookbooks over the years. So it makes perfect sense to grab…

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Debut author Vicki Laveau-Harvie takes out Stella Prize

At an event held last night ats Art Centre Melbourne, the $50,000 Stella Prize was announced. First time author Vicki Laveau-Harvie snapped up the title, for her dark, yet moving, memoir The Erratics. It is the first time a memoir has won the prize and only the second time it has been awarded to a…

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Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy Review: Please the court

The last time I properly played the original Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney trilogy was on the Nintendo DS Lite. It was a visual novel that felt at home on the handheld, an exciting courtroom drama that was never held back by the hardware it was on. Funnily enough, though those DS versions were the first…

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Photo Galley: Top End Wedding Sydney Premiere, The Ritz Randwick (09.04.19)

Miranda Tapsell, Gwilym Lee and cast members head to The Ritz, Randwick to walk the red carpet for the Sydney premiere of their new film Top End Wedding directed by Wayne Blair

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Track of the Day: Eleri Angharad “Earthbound (Acoustic)” (2019)

Ahead of the release of her Earthbound on Friday, April 12th, Swansea based singer-songwriter Eleri Angharad has released an acoustic rendition of the album’s title track in anticipation.  Inspired by a North American road-trip, which saw Angharad perform in Nashville, Greensboro, Chicago and New York, the album is a blend of traditional country music, with…

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Photo Gallery: Mallrat + Basenji + Kota Banks + NYNE – Corner Hotel, Melbourne (06.04.19)

Mallrat‘s massive ‘Nobody’s Home’ national tour hit Melbourne’s Corner Hotel at the weekend for a run of four sold out shows. Support came from Basenji, Kota Banks and NYNE. Danny Hanssen brings us these photos from the night.

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Live Review: Mallrat + Basenji + Kota Banks + NYNE – Corner Hotel, Melbourne (06.04.19)

Mallrat brought the party atmosphere to the Corner Hotel over the weekend with a run of four sold out shows in Melbourne, catering to both under-age fans and those over eighteen. The massive pop draw card brought with them a long list of talent on an expanded list of artists that displayed all the right…

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Game of Thrones Season 8: Five theories on the end

George R.R. Martin loves his irony. It’s pretty much the only reliable rule that runs throughout A Song of Ice & Fire, and hence Game of Thrones. Arya kills Polliver the same way he killed Lommy; Ramsay Bolton is mauled by his dogs; Jorah is sold into slavery at one point – Martin loves drawing…

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Capturing Paris with Huawei’s shocking and stunning P30 Pro

It’s arguably the most picturesque city in the world. Renowned for its unique architecture, beauty, art, history and culture, Paris was the host city for the unveiling of Huawei’s newest flagship release the P30 and P30 Pro. Whilst on-site for the announcements, we left our DSLR at home for the duration of the trip and…

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Quick Look: Hob: Definitive Edition is a magical, but often confusing journey

Entering the world of Hob is a magical experience. With no dialogue, a minimalist soundtrack and a towering, robotic companion as your only companion, the world is beautiful – but empty. The wind whistles through the grass, trees sway and the earth breathes, but you appear to be the only humanoid around. It’s a world…

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Mars Underground Review: When Strange Things Happen…

Mars Underground is a fascinating and fantastic tale from Canberra-based developers Moloch Media. The first time I saw the game was at PAX AUS 2018, but in the hub-bub of the show floor, it was difficult to give it the time it deserved. I’m glad I was able to revisit Mars Underground so many months…

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Flight Review: Korean Air – Hanoi, Vietnam to Seoul (KE 484)

I’ve always heard Korean Air offered one of the best in flight experiences, and last month, with my flight from Vietnam to Korea being requisite of a Delta Air Lines ticket, I got to try them out for the first time. So how do they compare to other Asian airlines in the market? Read on!…

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Track of the Day: Greta Stanley, “Kick” (2019)

Okay, admittedly we’re a little late to the party on this one, but “Kick” found its way onto our radar after a shout-out from writer Clementine Ford, and now we can’t stop listening to it, or watching the stunning video, shot in Cairns. Born in Townsville and raised in rural Mena Creek, singer-songwriter Greta Stanley blends…

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Razer Basilisk Essential Review: Haus of Mouse

Razer’s cornered the market on sleek gaming peripherals, and the latest Basilisk Essential mouse is no exception. It’s smooth, gorgeous and comfortable, with some great design that includes a soft little nook to rest your thumb in as you game. As is common with most Razer products, it’s also powered by Razer Chroma and features…

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Interview: Eves Karydas (AUS) talks VANFEST, synaesthesia and working on her new album.

Eves Karydas has been taking the Australian indie-pop world by storm since re-emerging on to the scene in 2017. In the past year alone, she’s dropped her debut studio album summerskin, supported the likes of Dua Lipa and Cub Sport, and garnered national and international praise for tracks such as “Damn Loyal”, “Couch” and “Further Than The Planes Fly”….

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HBO releases special Game of Thrones collection of single malt whiskies

While wine may be the drink of choice in HBO’s phenomenal Game of Thrones, the various textures of the show’s universe are best expressed through Whisky. Diageo have recognised this, and so has HBO; which is why they’ve teamed up to officially release several expressions from different iconic brands, each making up a limited-edition collection…

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Interview: Sevendust on returning to Australia, Justin Timberlake and celebrating 25 years together

It’s now 25 years since iconic alternative metal titans Sevendust formed in Atlanta, Georgia, and they’re going stronger than ever. Following the release of their highly successful twelfth studio album “All I See Is War” last year, the band has gone full throttle in what feels like the dawning of a new era for the…

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Samsung launch Australia’s very first 8K televisions

The Australian market has officially welcomed its first ever range of 8K televisions, representing a substantial leap in tech trends, with the expected price bump that comes with it. And while LG, Sony and Hisense have yet to unveil their models for this year, Samsung has gotten the jump with their new Q900 range which,…

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Hotel Review: The Fullerton Hotel is bursting with history and modern innovation for the Singapore Bicentennial

With Singapore’s Bicentennial commemorative events in full swing, one hotel which promises to keep you in the heart of the action is the The Fullerton Bay Hotel. The hotel, which opened in 2001, sits in Singapore’s GPO building, built some 100 years ago – a tradition which will continue in Sydney later this year when the…

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Hawaiian Airlines introduce longest U.S interstate route with Boston-Honolulu

Hawaiian Airlines has introduced five weekly nonstop services between Honolulu and Boston, opening a substantial link to the New England region. It is now the longest regularly scheduled domestic route in U.S history. Clocking in at a whopping 5,095 miles, the HNL-BOS (HA90) route takes means almost 10 hours in the air for those heading…

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Flight Review: Does flying in AirAsia’s Quiet Zone make the seven hour Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo flight more bearable? (D7552)

When I think about taking a budget flight, I tend to fly for a maximum of 4 hours – about the length of a flight from Perth to Sydney. Anything longer than that and I’d never think twice about flying any budget carrier. But I had a 7 hour flight from Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo…

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SXSW Interview: Aussie country star Catherine Britt on how America has shaped her as a songwriter

Aussie Country star Catherine Britt has spent a lot of time in the USA over the years, but last month marked her first ever appearance at the iconic SXSW conference in Austin, Texas. While at Australia House, I sat down with Catherine to talk about playing the event, her experiences in the USA and what…

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Track of the Day: Sal & The Mandas “Smash Repairs” (2019)

“Smash Repairs” is the swaggering debut single from Sydney newcomers Sal & the Mandas. The track, which explores themes of mental health and recovery with humour and wit, is a strong opening salvo from a band fresh onto the scene.  Influenced by the likes of Queens of the Stone Age and The White Stripes, the…

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Van Duren’s Guide to Memphis, Tennessee

Currently doing the film festival rounds – with its Australian premiere happening at the Gold Coast Film Festival on Monday – is Waiting: The Van Duren Story, from first time Australian directors Greg Carey and Wade Jackson. The film documents the life of Memphis based songwriter Van Duren, a much loved artist by those in…

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