Year: 2022

Disney Cruise Line to (finally) sail in Australia and New Zealand for a limited season in late 2023

Families and Disney fans have a reason to celebrate today, because after two and a half decades of operation, the Disney Cruise Line is finally set to arrive in Australia and New Zealand in late 2023. The only bad news? It’s for a limited time only. In operation since 1998, the Disney Cruise Line has…

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Interview: Director Brett Morgen on his David Bowie documentary Moonage Daydream; “Chaos and fragmentation were his through line”

Moonage Daydream is not a documentary.  It is a genre-defying cinematic experience based on one of the most iconic and global rock stars of all time: David Bowie. Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Brett Morgen, director of Cobain: Montage of Heck, and featuring never-before-seen concert footage, Moonage Daydream is an immersive cinematic experience; an audio-visual space…

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Sisu is a shamelessly playful and violently unpredictable exercise in modern exploitation cinema: TIFF 2022 Review

There’s both a sense of adhering to the temperaments of action films gone by and embracing the current and future state of the genre present in Jalmari Helander‘s Sisu. Matching its dark sense of humour (and I mean dark) with a violently bloody mentality (and I mean bloody!), Sisu manages to present the simplest of…

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Photo Gallery: Jessica Mauboy + Becca Hatch – Night At The Barracks, Manly (09.09.22)

The opening night of the inaugural Night At The Barracks kicked off at North Head, Manly on Friday night. The headliner for the night was the fabulous Jessica Mauboy, supported by Becca Hatch. As always, Jess performed a high-energy set. What a voice! The series runs until the 9th of October, with performances to come from…

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Budjerah

Photo Gallery: BIGSOUND 2022 – Day 3 ft. Budjerah + The Terrys and more (08.09.22)

Day 3 of BIGSOUND 2022 continued to deliver. A highlight of the conference was the keynote speech from Jaguar Jonze. To say it was moving is a gross understatement. She told the story of her youth, a series of struggles as the Australian court system refused residency to her Taiwanese mother. It’s not possible to…

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Unwrapping all the major announcements from the Disney and Marvel Games Showcase 2022

D23 has rolled around for 2022, highlighting some of Disney’s biggest upcoming projects, from Pixar films to Marvel epics and everything in between. This time however, we got a look at the first ever Disney and Marvel Games Showcase, giving gamers, Marvel fans and Disney lovers alike a glimpse at the future of their interactive…

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On The Come Up harnesses a strong, fierce voice that cuts through narrative familiarities: TIFF 2022 Review

Author Angie Thomas has become something of a contemporary prose lyricist for the new wave of young coloured youths through her breakout novels The Hate U Give and On The Come Up.  Breathing a certain life into their own coming of age stories, her words prove a promising soundboard for actress Sanaa Lathan‘s foray into…

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Photo Gallery: The Church – The Metro Theatre, Sydney (08.09.22)

The Church showcased songs from the band’s forthcoming 26th studio album, The Hypnogogue plus all their jangly guitar classics including, “Unguarded Moment”, “Under The Milky Way” and “Almost With You” at the Metro in Sydney last night. The fans were treated to a two-and-a-half-hour set. Steve Kilbey the only original member left and long-time collaborator…

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New Music Discoveries 9th September: Hailey Beavis, Conrad Sewell, Surf Shop Cops and more

Another ten tracks have been added to our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music, including two singles we exclusively premiered earlier this week. Our Track of the Week is “Crow” from Scottish indie-folk artist Hailey Beavis.  The release of “Crow” accompanies the announcement of Beavis’ debut album i’ll put you where the trombone slides,…

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Film Review: The Quiet Girl is a low-key gem that proves the smallest gestures can warm the biggest hearts

Set in 1980’s Ireland, The Quiet Girl tells the story of Cait (Catherine Clinch), an emotionally and socially withdrawn child who lives with her destitute family in a rural village. The family is vast with many siblings and are struggling financially, leaving Cait feeling neglected and forgotten. When her mother becomes pregnant again, Cait’s parents…

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Album Review: Eat Your Heart Out are matured and ambitious on awaited second LP Can’t Stay Forever

Newcastle emo-punk quartet Eat Your Heart Out have returned with their highly anticipated sophomore record Can’t Stay Forever, out today via Fearless Records. It’s the band’s first new music in three years as a result of lockdowns and a more independent approach, but the album was well worth the wait. Opener “Forget Me” begins with…

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The City will return in NBA 2K23 along with new Australian Boomers content

NBA 2K23 will be bringing back The City to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S players. As a result of community feedback, The City will look to make a number of changes and improvements for a smoother, more enjoyable experience. With wide, expansive environments and deeper levels of exploration and variety, The City has been…

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Photo Gallery: BIGSOUND 2022 – Day 2 ft. Full Flower Moon Band + Andy Golledge and more (07.09.22)

Day 2 of BIGSOUND 2022 provided many musical highlights. Again, there were so many choices to make and so limited time. The conference was packed with options during the day. From learning about spatial audio with Dolby Atmos, discussion on Web3, NFT’s and the opportunities they provide, to the Roundtable discussions, it was a busy…

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Slow Cinema

Exclusive Single Premiere: Slow Cinema “Balta” (2022)

Newcastle’s alt-rockers Slow Cinema have been rapidly making new fans since the release of their debut song, ‘Howlin’” in March of 2021. We’re thrilled today to be premiering their latest track, “Balta” ahead of its release tomorrow. “Balta” is infused with passion, angst, melancholy and introspection, as the protagonist aims to survive and possibly thrive….

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Book of Night

Book Review: There’s a reason to be scared of your own shadow in Holly Black’s adult fantasy Book of Night

Holly Black breaks away from YA and into adult fiction in her latest novel Book of Night, a gritty urban fantasy about a woman who just can’t seem to stay out of trouble. After a life of petty crime nearly gets her killed, Charlie Hall decides it’s time to go straight. But when she stumbles…

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Interview: Dominic Harper from The Comfort talks new album, tour and Coldplay

Brisbane’s heavy scene is flourishing right now and one of the most exciting acts is emo punk quartet The Comfort. The lads are back with their first new music in three years in the form of their sophomore record, Experience Everything. Live and Die., out 11 November via Greyscale Records. We caught up with vocalist…

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Interview: Neighbours star Matt Wilson on backing WWF Australia’s National Threatened Species Day

On September 7th each year, people stop and reflect on the fact that on this very date in 1936, Australia’s Tasmanian tiger slipped over the extinction line.  Sixty years later, in 1996, WWF Australia (World Wildlife Fund) founded in partnership with the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust the National Threatened Species Day to commemorate the…

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Review: Phantom Of The Opera grows in a new light at Sydney Opera House

Over three decades Phantom of the Opera has been solidified as a paradigm-shifting theatre production without equal. I know many people who don’t care for the theatre who would relish in every single second of any iteration of this story, no matter the time, setting or season. And those who do have a particular love…

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Book Review: Runaways is an evocative and emotive story of female friendship across cultures

Runaways is the true story of two powerful modern day woman who escape the confines of culture and history. In this memoir, co-authors Shelley Davidow (from South Africa) and Shaimaa Khalil (from North Africa) delve into their pasts and recall how their friendship has shaped them as individuals. Over two decades their loving friendship has…

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Photo Gallery: BIGSOUND 2022 – Day 1 ft. Teenage Joans + Marlon Williams and more (06.09.22)

The 21st edition of BIGSOUND kicked off yesterday in emphatic style. It opened with a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country. There was a moving tribute to the late Archie Roach, and performances from Kutcha Edwards, Fanny Lumsden, Loren Ryan and Beddy Rays with a guest appearance from Jen Cassar Daly. The artist showcases were…

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Live Review: The Dreggs deliver an set full of humour and vulnerability with Jordy Maxwell & Kiera Jas

The Dreggs are story-tellers in every sense, and there’s no better platform to share your intimate, personal tales than a sold-out gig with an adoring crowd. That was the case on Friday night at Freo.Social. The Sunshine Coast duo rounded out their ‘Hold Me Closer’ tour with two dates in the WA harbour town, the…

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First Impressions: Amazon’s The Rings of Power is a sensual feast of Tolkien goodness

Set in the middle age of Middle Earth, thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and the One Ring, Amazon Prime Video’s new series The Rings of Power. After watching the first two episodes, it is clear the studio squeezed every cent out of the reported $465 million dollars for its first season…

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Tug

Exclusive Single Premiere: Tug “Emanate” (2022)

Tug have been weaving their intoxicating psychedelia rock since releasing their debut album You’re Not Exceptional, Man in 2018. 2022 has proved to be a busy year for the band. They’ve already released one album, To Burn Oneself, and are en route to releasing album number three. We’re stoked today to be leading with their…

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Film Review: Three Thousand Years of Longing is a vibrant and refreshing celebration of storytelling

When so many of the exciting new projects at the moment are TV series, it feels like a rare gift to watch a movie as bold and refreshing as Three Thousand Years of Longing. The film is the story of a ‘narratologist’ named Alithea (Tilda Swinton), who travels to Istanbul for a conference and unwittingly…

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Theatre Review: Razor Gang Wars will immerse you in the world of Sydney’s criminal underworld

It’s a cold, dark night in Sydney. As the wind whips around St James’ Cathedral, there’s a whisper of something sinister. The shadows appear to be moving and an overwhelming sense of anticipation hangs in the air. This is Deadhouse: Tales of Sydney Morgue and we are about to step into Razor Gang Wars: The…

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Review: Sydney Theatre Company’s A Raisin in the Sun is as urgent as ever, 65 years later.

A Raisin in the Sun was the first play in Broadway to be written by an African American woman, premiering in 1959 and starring Sidney Poitier. Sixty-five years later, it finally makes its Australian mainstage premiere, presented by Sydney Theatre Company. Three generations of Youngers live in a cramped 2-bedroom apartment on Chicago’s gritty south…

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IRFXXN reveals bouncy debut single and video “Latest Song”

You may not have heard the name, but there’s a good chance you’ve come across IRFXXN’s “Latest Song” before. A teaser of the bouncy debut single from this Sydney RnPop singer already amassed over 1 million TikTok views before its official release last Wednesday. The track was produced by BeatswithSheph and features glossy vocals from…

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Kaeda Daze

Why the Perth music scene is so exciting right now according to Kaeda Daze

Kaeda Daze is the new musical project for singer/songwriter Kendra Fewster. You might have come across her when she was in the WA folk/pop band The Hunting Birds. She originally hails from WA, but more about that later, and these days finds herself based out of Melbourne. “Running From Something” is the first track to…

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Jane Eyre

Theatre Review: A re-imagining of Jane Eyre that will leave you in the dark

There would be few people who are not familiar with Charlotte Brontë’s classic story of Jane Eyre. Even if you have not read the original novel, there are numerous film adaptations and stage productions that have re-imagined this haunting and Gothic tale. I was interested to see what this latest offering from director Michael Futcher…

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Gesticulations

Track by Track: Gesticulations take us through All That Rings True

Gesticulations is a music project founded by Graham Ashton who has roped his good mate Benny D Williams into the fold. Essentially Graham provides the lyrics and vocals, and Benny drives the music. They are swimming against the tide in terms of frequency of delivery. This is the fourth album they’ve dropped since February 2021….

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