Month: January 2020

Live Review: Solange transcends at historic Sydney Opera House show

Although she may have cut her planned quad-run at the Sydney Opera House in half, citing health issues, Houston artist Solange was very much in fine-form as she danced across the Concert Hall last night. The first of two shows (the final one being tonight), Solange and her impeccable band managed to perfectly capture the…

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Look at this beautiful Animal Crossing: New Horizons inspired Switch

Nintendo has unveiled a special edition of its popular Switch console, inspired by the upcoming Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Look at it. So simple. So beautiful. As charming and soothing as any Animal Crossing game. The redress starts with pastel blue and green coloured Joy-Cons with white wrist straps. The Switch unit itself features a…

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Gaming4Life bushfire appeal

PlayStation’s Gaming4Life charity stream donating to Aus bushfire appeal

The Sony Foundation Australia’s annual charity stream event, Gaming4Life, kicks off tomorrow, February 1. The focus of this year’s event is on raising money for the Australian bushfire appeal. Gaming4Life is an open call to Twitch streamers around the world to use their platform and audiences for good. The Sony Foundation works with participating streamers…

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24 hours in Pattaya: Walking Street isn’t the only thing in this resort city

Many tourists unfortunately associate the beachside city of Pattaya with its notorious Walking Street. That’s understandable, but it’s also a massive overlook to what can be a fantastic weekend away from Bangkok’s kinetic social scene. The resort city not only has one of the country’s most spectacular temples, the eternally developing Sanctuary of Truth, but…

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Ben Catley

Track of the Day: Ben Catley “Run” (2020)

Following a massive 2019 where he played shows and festivals all across Australia, New Zealand, the UK and more, Perth-based singer-songwriter Ben Catley has dropped his new single: “Run”.  Describing “Run” as energetic and up-tempo is an understatement. Catley’s guitar work on the track is frenetic and blistering. Whilst, the track might be inspired by…

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Eurovision

Eurovision 2020 Australia Decides – Meet The Contenders

Last year, Kate Miller-Heidke took out the competition with her gravity defying song titled, well… “Zero Gravity”. Now, it’s that time of the year again – to choose who will represent Australia in this year’s Eurovision 2020. The 65th campiest, wardrobe malfunction prone music competition will take place in Rotterdam, Netherlands this year. That’s right,…

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PlayStation Plus

Free PlayStation Plus games for February send you back to Rapture

February means new free games on PlayStation Plus, and this month has some good ones in store. Starting on February 4, PlayStation Plus users can grab all three of Irrational Games’ masterful sci-fi shooters in BioShock: The Collection. This omnibus contains the original BioShock, BioShock 2 and BioShock Infinite. Three of the greatest games of…

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Star Wars Battlefront

February’s free Xbox Games With Gold titles are about bikes and horror

It’s the end of January and you know what that means — a fresh wave of free games are on their way to Xbox Games With Gold. February’s Xbox Games With Gold offerings are a genre grab bag. Motorcycle Grand Prix simulator TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge and Call of Cthulhu are…

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Stranger Inside

Track of the Day: Hailey Beavis “Stranger Inside” (2020)

Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter and visual artist Hailey Beavis released her new EP, Whatever You Feel I Do Too, earlier this month. Recorded at Pumpkinfield Studio, near Perth (Scotland), the EP is the second release on OK Pal Records, the label Beavis founded alongside her friend Faith Eliott in 2018. Kicking off the EP, is the beautiful…

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Turn Left At Venus

Book Review: Explore the secret life of an author in Inez Baranay’s Turn Left At Venus

Ada is dying. Watched over by her new nurse, Jay, Ada is preparing for the end. Ada has lived all over the world. Sydney, Bali, San Francisco. And the Old World she doesn’t remember, save for the boat journey as a child when she first met Leyla. But, Jay has no interest in Leyla, because…

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Terrence Malik

Film Review: A Hidden Life is Terrence Malick at his sublime best

Terrence Malick and his mystical signature can be off-putting to some; many, in fact. And that’s completely understandable. The auteur has long been considered a divisive director, but it’d be foolish to deny the unconventional and dreamlike wonder he brings to poignant stories both intimate and large in scale. Although, if you’re not already sold…

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Melbourne’s sustainable rooftop farm restaurant launches “AcreLand”

With the launch of Acre Farm & Eatery in December of last year, Melbourne’s Burwood Brickworks brought to life an urban, sustainable rooftop farm accompanied by farm-to-table dining experiences at Glasshouse Café and Farmhouse Restaurant. Now, Acre is taking things to another level with acreLand, a program of events utilising their rooftop farm. Beginning 1st…

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Five new Broadway shows to see in New York City

New York City’s famed Broadway Collection isn’t slowing down for 2020, with five new productions set to open throughout the year. From a musical based on cult comedy Mrs. Doubtfire, to an ambitious show tracking the creative process and indelible work of Michael Jackson, these five are well worth paying attention to for those planning…

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Seberg

Film Review: Kristen Stewart’s commanding performance overcomes Seberg‘s narrative flaws

Only one week after elevating the B-grade material of deep-sea thriller Underwater, Kristen Stewart further proves her innate ability of hoisting what little she has to work with on a script page to something of sublime quality in Seberg.  A biographical drama detailing a specific time period in the life of American actress Jean Seberg…

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Track of the Day: Vetty Vials “Pride” (2020)

Sydney’s Vetty Vials has hit the ground running in 2020. Next month, she’ll take to the road in support of Conversations With Myself, her debut album. But before all that, we have “Pride“, a glimpse of what we can expect from next month’s release. Of the upcoming album, the pop punk singer/songwriter says: “Conversations With…

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Motorola Razr lifestyle

Motorola Razr launches February, brings the flip phone back

The Razr, the latest mobile phone handset from Motorola, is very much riding the current 90’s throwback trend. It’s a flip phone, modeled on classic designs people carted around in the late 90’s and early 00’s. But the way Moto have come at modernising the flip phone is through foldable screen technology, an arm of…

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PAX Aus 2020 returns to Melbourne October 9-11

  PAX Aus, the largest video games convention in the nation, will return to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in 2020. The convention has revealed the dates of this year’s show via its social media channels. The show will open its doors at the MCEC from October 9-11, 2020. #PAXAUS 2020 – Australia’s Biggest…

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The Offspring announce greatest hits Australian/NZ tour

Enduring punk legends The Offspring will be returning to our shores later this year. In their first Aussie headline tour in sixteen years, the California band will put together a set list of their greatest hits. Expect the likes of “Self Esteem”, “The Kids Aren’t Alright”, and “Original Prankster” to blow up venues across the…

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Made In Paris and First Beige to headline Arcadia 2020

Later this year, Arcadia will return to the idyllic Goomburra Valley, for a long weekend of music and merry-making. Headlined by Made In Paris and First Beige, the BYO festival promises an exciting roster of live music and DJs. Taking place over the QLD Labor Day weekend, Arcadia will run from Saturday 2nd May until…

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Theatre Review: The Shakespearean circus is in town, with Brisbane Immersive’s Midsummer Carnival

The Midsummer Carnival is in town, and the big top has set up shop at Brisbane Powerhouse. A troupe of pixies and players invite audiences to wander through their carnival, filled with sideshow games, fortune tellers, and death defying stunts. But hidden amongst the crowd are four young lovers, and as the mischievous Puck sets…

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Heaps

Track of the Day: Heaps “Softly” (2020)

“Softly” is the new single from Canadian band Heaps. Formerly known as The Kents, this is the group’s first single under their new direction, with a full length album to follow.  The forthcoming album, What Is Heaps, and the new single, were recorded at Union Sound in Toronto. The quartet enlisted Leon Taheny (Fucked Up,…

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February 2020 Australian cinema releases: Five films you need to see

2020 is primed to be a big year for cinema, both in the realm of big-budget blockbusters and under-radar indies. Each month we’re going to be taking a look at five upcoming films that you need to see in cinemas, encouraging Aussies to get out and experience these stories on the big screen. February brings…

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Akin

Book Review: Emma Donoghue’s Akin is a historical story told from the present day

Akin is Emma Donoghue’s tenth novel for adults, but only her second set in the modern day. Known by most readers for her 2010 novel, Room, Donoghue has published countless novels which examine little known pockets of history, such as 2014’s Frog Music and 2016’s The Wonder. At first glance, Akin is something entirely different to Donoghue’s back catalogue, including…

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Flying Lotus

Live Review: Flying Lotus proves 3D is no gimmick at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre (24.01.20)

After a five year break between releases, during which he released a polarising feature film, Flying Lotus (real name Stephen Ellison) finally reacquainted himself to fans with the album Flamagra. Ever one to place visuals central to the musical experience, he has returned to Aussie shores with a new 3D live show. UK/Aussie Warp Records…

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Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training for Nintendo Switch Review: Nostalgia, that is all

Nintendo has leaned heavily on nostalgia to make the Switch one of their most successful systems to date. There’s nothing wrong with that, and for the most part it has worked remarkably well. Ports and remakes have been leading the pack, tiding us over while new IP is few and far between. Yes, it can…

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Famed New York cocktail bar Death & Co. is coming to Australia

Influential New York cocktail bar Death & Co. is the latest institution from the states to plan an Aussie visit, announcing a pop-up tour that will leap across late January and early February at some of the country’s best bars. Brought down in partnership with Australian Venue Co. and Aviation Gin, the pioneering speakeasy-style bar…

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Uncharted

Uncharted movie delayed yet again

Nathan Drake just can’t catch a break. The movie adaptation of Uncharted has been delayed into 2021. According to Aaron Couch of The Hollywood Reporter, the film’s new release date is March 5, 2021. The change comes after Travis Knight became the sixth director to depart the troubled project since 2011. Sony are now reportedly…

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Australia to L.A. return flights are going for as low as $765 right now

Travellers keeping a key eye on cheap flights from Australian the to U.S. today might have noticed a particularly exciting pop-up over at trusty deal-slinger iknowthepilot.com.au. The bargain tracker regularly comes with the goods, but this one seems almost too good to be true. A return flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles on Air Canada…

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Live Review: Wafia + MAY-A + Banoffee – 170 Russel St, Melbourne

In 2017, Brisbane-based R&B singer-songwriter Wafia was starting to build her career, singing alongside acts like Vancouver Sleep Clinic and supporting acts like Daughter. Now, in 2020, she’s running her own show and practically selling out 170 Russel St on a Friday night. Modest yet engaging, Wafia truly captivated the audience with both her music…

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Gran Turismo Sport header

The best Gran Turismo players in the world are coming to Sydney

The best Gran Turismo players in the world are coming to Sydney in February. The FIA Certified Gran Turismo Championships will pull into the Big Top at Sydney’s Luna Park on February 15-16. It’s rare to see the worlds of motorsport and video games collide like this, but here we are. The event will be…

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