Half-Life: Alyx, the newest entry in Valve’s legendary Half-Life series, has set its release date. The first new Half-Life game in 13 years will launch on March 23, 2020. Valve revealed the release date via their official Twitter overnight, along with preorder bonuses for anyone who has purchased a Valve Index. The Index is Valve’s…
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Next month, the AU review will be returning to New York for our first party in the city since 2015, as we partner with The New Colossus Festival to showcase a few of our favourite emerging acts from around the world. Among them is New York City local Mattie Safer, a former member of The…
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We have a really beautiful Track of the Day today coming from Gold Coast indie rock band, Chutney. It’s called “Gone On Time”, and we’ve been totally crushing on this tune since it turned up in our inbox. The guitars on this track are ever so sweet, complimenting and contrasting the earthy vocals. The band…
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A month or so after wrapping up the release of its first season, it’s fair to say that The Mandalorian lived up to the hype. Baby Yoda? Amazing. Taika Waititi‘s episode? A highlight of anything Star Wars, ever. And though the waits for some may have been painful, the move away from the “series dump”…
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Sydney’s Vetty Vials releases her debut album Conversations With Myself tomorrow (14th February) and we are delighted today to be able to offer you a sneak peek at this gem of an album. The lead single “Pride” was released earlier last month, and it was a great lead-in to the rest of the album. This…
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There are few better ways of getting audiences into the cinema than to provide an underdog story. Even superhero films such as Avengers: Endgame (2019) are in their very nature an underdog story; triumphing over adversity and injustice. But the icing on the cake for such stories is that if the film is based on…
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It was one of the hottest tickets in town: experiencing US tween sensation Conan Gray’s only Australian show in Sydney’s intimate The Lair. With a clear divide in the crowd between lucky young fans and curious industry members, it was a night that united both sides through a diaristic performance by the 21-year-old Texan. In…
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Similar to how Greta Gerwig‘s Little Women proved that we did indeed need another adaptation of Louisa May Alcott‘s classic novel, Autumn de Wilde‘s Emma. (yes the period in the title is deliberate) is further proof that a fresh coat of paint can reinvigorate even the most familiar of structures. Arriving some 25-years after both…
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Not only is she one of Australia’s most successful DJ exports, the eternally vibrant DJ Tigerlily (AKA Dara Hayes) is now increasingly known for her sharp focus on all things wellness. Whilst travelling, performing and partying all over the world, the rainbow-haired DJ and producer has managed to maintain a noticeably healthy lifestyle, influential amongst…
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Last weekend on the Gold Coast, Australia voted for its Eurovision 2020 Contender. In its second year running, the Gold Coast hosted Eurovision 2020: Australia Decides live on SBS. The results ended up being neck and neck between Montaigne and Casey Donovan – but in the end, no one could stop Montaigne with her song…
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Arriving just in time from my Hawaiian Airlines flight, as I was en route back to Australia at the end of last year from New York, I was lucky enough to sit on the balcony of my room at the Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger, and witness the majesty of a Waikiki Beach sunset. That’s not…
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Before Moulin Rouge! premiered at New York’s Al Hirshfeld Theatre on July 25th, 2019, a theatre where Kinky Boots had called a home for the 6 years prior, the producers did something quite surprising: so sure they were of its popularity, they announced it would tour out of New York – including a 2021 run…
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One of Australia’s most awarded cruise operators, Coral Expeditions, have announced that in 2021 they will commence a “Revitalise on the Reef” program focusing on mixing wellness with in-depth experiences in the Great Barrier Reef. Curated in collaboration with wellness expert Kris Abbey, the 7-night voyage will travel onboard the yacht-like small ship Coral Discoverer…
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According to the end matter in her debut novel, The Secrets We Kept, author Lara Prescott was named for the heroine of Boris Pasternak‘s Nobel Prize winning novel, Doctor Zhivago. It was not until the CIA declassified 99 documents pertaining to the real story behind the publication of the Russian classic, however, that her interest…
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We are super pumped to be premiering the debut album Pink Elephant from Sydney psych-rock group WAWAWOW. These lads clearly don’t do things by halves, with their debut album being a 13-track wonder, packed with some epic grooves, lashings of humour, deft guitars and hypnotic rhythms. Their crafty musicianship brings this album back from the…
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South by Southwest (Austin, Texas, March 13th-22nd 2020) has announced the last round of Keynotes and Featured Speakers to be added to the 34th edition of its annual Conference, which celebrates the convergence of technology, film, and music industries. Oscar, Grammy, and Golden Globe-winning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have been added to the…
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For today’s Track of the Day, we’re showcasing the latest from Melbourne singer-songwriter Eilish Gilligan. A lush slice of dream-pop, “I Just Want To Look At You” follows on from singles including “Someone Else” and “S.M.F.Y”. Perhaps better known as the Frida frontwoman, or as a touring vocalist with Japanese Wallpaper, Gilligan branched out on…
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A December 2020 has been set for the opening date of the long-awaited Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Announced by film legend and co-chair Tom Hanks at the 92nd Academy Awards, the date will see an historic new institution come to life, celebrating the art and science of movies through exhibitions, screenings and public and…
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Following their recently announced partnership with Lonely Planet, Intrepid Travel have revealed a major growth to their leading sustainable tour portfolio with the addition of adventures in Pakistan. A 17-day expedition from Islamabad to Lahore, travelling through the remote reaches of the Karakoram Mountains and searching for snow leopards, bears, wolves and rare Marco Polo…
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Last month, for the first time in the almost 12 year history of the AU review, we were thrilled to offer one lucky winner a coveted Track of the Day spot on the AU review. And today we’re excited to announce that the winner of that competition is Georgie Fahey, a 16 year old artist…
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The weather was warm and overcast in Adelaide which made for perfect conditions at Laneway Festival. This year there were four stages playing a good variety of genres. There were so many highlights, from Hatchie, Kučka, and local favourites, Stabbitha and the Knifey Wifeys early in the day. Hockey Dad and DMA’s rocked, Ruel was…
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When the 92nd annual Academy Award nominations were announced, it was difficult to not note the elephant in the room. Within moments, #OscarsSoWhite was trending and more memes than you could possibly create were birthed making a mockery of the Academy’s decision to snub people of colour and women in a majority of categories; despite…
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The rumours were true. IEM Melbourne is real. For the last few years, IEM has been held at Sydney’s Olympic Park. It’s the Aussie leg of the world’s biggest Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament. IEM Sydney drew sellout crowds and became known for its electric, competitive atmosphere. In August, IEM becomes the headline event at the…
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BioWare has announced that it will be redesigning its embattled online shooter Anthem from the ground up. According to an official blog post from BioWare general manager Casey Hudson, the decision has been made to perform a larger overhaul of the entire game rather than focusing a series of smaller updates or expansion packs. Hudson…
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Busabout have just changed the way they approach their popular guided tours around Europe, launching a world-first “design your town trip” booking platform in response to a new survey suggesting 8 in 10 travellers prefer to move away from set itineraries and take control. Titled Adventure Planner, the newly launched platform will allow travellers to…
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Emerging Melbourne alternative-pop artist Max Lawrence has been gigging around town for a few years now and it was his performance at the 2019 Gaytimes Festival which led to a collaboration with Evan J Lawson and the Forest Collective orchestra for the Midsumma Festival. Forest Collective is a not for profit arts organisation focusing on…
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Historic Melbourne pub The Albert Park Hotel will finally enter its new phase next month when it reopens after an extensive transformation that has been in the works ever since it was purchased by Colonial Leisure Group in 2014. The venue, which dates back to 1883 and is widely considered the beating heart of the…
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Often when dating and relationships are portrayed on screen they appear to be so perfect. But we all know that the reality of modern romance is quite different. A Guide to Second Date Sex is refreshing because it showcases human foibles and offers a more realistic and funny view of dating. This dramedy will appeal…
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In Journey to the Savage Planet, you are an explorer employed by Kindred Aerospace, the galaxy’s the 4th best interstellar exploration company. Your task is to explore the unknown planet ARY-26 in the hope that it can sustain human life. Theoretically, the job is a milk run. In practice, not that simple. A Sudden Stop…
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When Suicide Squad (2016) hit our screens it was mostly panned by critics and audiences didn’t favour it much either. But one universally acknowledged good thing in that movie was Margot Robbie’s portrayal of Harley Quinn. After that film’s release Robbie had been adamant she was keen to continue discovering more about this character. Lo…
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