Year: 2023

Brisbane International Film Festival’s uproarious reception as the sunshine state centres on cinema

The BIFF is back! As the Brisbane International Film Festival continues to go from strength to strength as an industry must-do, newly appointed CEO Luke Wheatley and Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney made sure the festival’s 29th year was worthy of an Uproar-ious reception. A celebration of films for audiences seeking new perspectives and memorable…

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Live Review: The Corrs leave Sydney ‘Breathless’ – Qudos Bank Arena (29.10.23)

There has to be something said for the power of nostalgia. Despite not having any major success in Australia as of late – at least comparatively to when they first burst on the scene in the mid-90s – The Corrs packed out Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena to practical maximum capacity as they delighted fans with…

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Game Review: Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 is still a worthy package

Providing some of the most memorable titles across nine generations of consoles, from the NES to the PlayStation 5, Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 wraps up a significant portion of this franchise’s history in one convenient package. While there are plenty of reasons to return for the ride, this collection feels like a missed…

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How to travel in style with Levi’s 501 jeans

Compromising on your personal style while travelling has always been a big issue. You’re limited by luggage, it’s often hard to get a sense of the weather each day, and sometimes you’re too rushed to even think about what to wear. That’s why it’s a good idea to find a balance when you’re travelling. You…

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SXSW Sydney 2023: Our top 5 experiences

SXSW celebrated its inaugural event in Australia with events happening all across the city of Sydney. While there were over 500 events to choose from, we managed to whittle it down to the five best gaming experiences we had during our time across the various events. Please note, these are in no particular order. Troy…

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SXSW Sydney 2023: Lenovo launches Legion Go

Fresh from its showcase at SXSW, Lenovo has revealed the launch of the Legion Go, a handheld gaming device that offers console-level performance with a beautiful touch display. The console itself may remind you of another certain hand-held on the market as it “Switches” up its format with two detachable controllers on each side of…

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Photo Gallery: The Lemon Twigs – Corner Hotel, Melbourne (26.10.23)

New York quirky rockers The Lemon Twigs packed out the Corner Hotel on Thursday, swinging past the Melbourne venue on their Harvest Rock sideshow tour. With equally enigmatic Jack Ladder as support, the Southside bandroom was truly rocked by the Long Island twins. Eloise Coomber was there to capture the action.

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Live Review: Paul McCartney – Allianz Stadium, Sydney (27.10.23)

How does someone with more than 60 years of music fit it all into a headline show? The answer is, dear reader, they don’t. It’s simply not possible. Playing night one of two at Allianz Stadium, the legendary Paul McCartney did however manage to warm the hearts, ears, memories and nostalgia of the Sydney crowd…

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Win a slick new gaming mouse from Logitech valued at $199

Speed, accuracy and as low an input lag as physically possible. These are the qualities you’d want from a high-end gaming mouse, such as Logitech’s G303. Luckily for you, it’s part of our run of giveaways in the lead-up to Christmas. And we’ve got two units that’ll go straight to some of our lucky readers….

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You can now get Vietnamese pho-inspired beef wellingtons in Sydney

The fusion between French and Vietnamese is well-recognised but hardly represented as well as it should be in Sydney. There are exceptions. One of my favourite Vietnamese restaurants in Sydney, Hello Auntie, offers a masterclass in Vietnamese cuisine while paying homage to its French roots. And sister venue Hey Chu does it just as well….

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Bring Him To Me‘s masculine energy can’t mask its genre unoriginality: Brisbane International Film Festival Review

Having dealt with a duo of alien invasions for his Occupation films, it makes sense that Australian filmmaker Luke Sparke would want to look at something a little more grounded for his next cinematic feat.  Whilst still working with an exaggerated mentality, Bring Him To Me is a crime thriller that bathes in a smaller,…

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Interview: My Cousin Vlad chats about his journey from real estate agent to comedian

Landing by accident on the comedy scene in 2019, My Cousin Vlad is Australia’s first official ‘Immaculagent’. A real estate agent by day, and an observational professor by night… actually… by day as well. While on his CATASTROPHA National Tour, and ahead of his shows in Newcastle, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth, we called him to…

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Album Review: Taking Back Sunday’s 152 is a tremendous return to form

Taking Back Sunday‘s triumphant return to the music scene is marked by their eighth studio album, 152 This long-awaited release, their first full-length endeavour since 2016, is a nostalgic ode to their roots and the memories of their formative years in North Carolina. The album’s title, a reference to the road connecting Highpoint, Chapel Hill,…

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Film Review: The Killer is a precise and darkly comedic antidote for genre expectation

With its tried and true premise, and graphic novel origins, one may expect The Killer to fall into the expected traps and tropes of the hitman subsect of the action genre.  And though that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, with David Fincher at the helm, as well as reuniting with his Se7en screenwriter Andrew…

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Uproar is an uplifting coming-of-age dramedy grounded by a sublime Julian Dennison: Brisbane International Film Festival Review

Outside of New Zealand it’s highly likely that the political clash at the centre of Hamish Bennett and Paul Middleditch‘s Uproar is one that’s never been heard of. Set in 1981, the ultimately uplifting, oft-powerful coming-of-age dramedy centres around the controversy that arose from the South African rugby team touring New Zealand at the time. …

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Obscura Hail

New Music Discoveries 27th October: Obscura Hail, Crusher, Yard Act and more

November is just around the corner, and this week we have added another ten tracks to our Discovery playlist on Apple Music and Spotify, including two singles we exclusively premiered earlier in the week. Our track of the week is “Playing Dead”, the title-track from the forthcoming album from Melbourne indie-rock trio, Obscura Hail. The…

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Tech Review: The DJI Osmo Action 4 sets a new standard for action cameras

The action camera market has been dominated by a few key players over the years, and DJI, known for its high-quality drones and imaging technology, has made a significant impact with their Osmo Action series. Their newest addition, the DJI Osmo Action 4, continues to raise the bar for action cameras and solidifies itself as…

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Angie McMahon

Album Review: Angie McMahon – Light, Dark, Light Again (2023 LP)

I vividly remember the first time I saw Angie McMahon live. The Jezabels had announced a week-long residency at The Lansdowne in Sydney, and with each of these shows, a different act opened as support. Out walks Angie and her guitar. As humble and nervous as you’d expect someone to be supporting such an influential…

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Crime writers festival BAD Sydney returns for a five day run this November

Running from Wednesday November 1st to Sunday November 5th, BAD Sydney is back and bigger than ever! It all kicks off in just a few days, with an infamous Literary Death Match at the State Library of NSW’s Metcalfe Auditorium. Writers Tim Ayliffe, Anne Buist, Candice Fox, and Rob McDonald will duke it out in…

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Film Review: Netflix’s opioid crime drama Pain Hustlers benefits from Emily Blunt’s passionate performance

There’s already been an abundance of films, television series and books that have detailed the greedy, unethical foundations of the pharmaceutical industry in America.  And whilst Netflix’s Pain Hustlers may not be the most investigative and favours entertainment over education, it’s a further insight into the peddling of the opioid crisis and acts as something…

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A whiskey and ice cream pop-up is coming to Darlinghurst’s The Mayflower

One of Sydney’s most upscale cafes, The Mayflower Darlinghurst, is paying tribute to the odd combination of whisky and peanut butter with a summer-ready pop-up bar exclusively dedicated to espresso martinis and ice cream. Yes, it may sound like a strange shot in any season, but Sheep Dog Peanut Butter Whiskey and Elato Ice Cream…

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DEVO

DEVO announce Good Things Festival sideshows

American new wave legends DEVO return to Australia celebrating 50 years of De-Evolution. In 1978 DEVO released their debut album Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! produced by Brian Eno after David Bowie and Iggy Pop convinced Warner Bros to offering them a recording contract. DEVO made their mainstream breakthrough with their…

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Dendy Cinema announce new Brisbane outdoor cinema venue

The stars come out at night, and now so can Brisbane with the announcement today that Dendy Cinema, the home of quality cinema, are bringing an unforgettable new outdoor cinema experience to the iconic Brisbane Powerhouse, the city’s hub of contemporary art and culture. Nothing says you’re in Queensland more than gathering with your friends…

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Film Review: Scarygirl invites its viewers to embrace the power of positivity in even the darkest of days

Watching Scarygirl it becomes even more increasingly annoying that Australian cinema hasn’t embraced animation as thoroughly as we should.  Sure, we have the likes of Blinky Bill and Ferngully to claim as our own (and, yes, I’m aware of Happy Feet, but it feels like an entity separate from the more independently funded productions), but,…

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Fvneral

Exclusive Single Premiere: FVNERAL “MERCY” (2023)

Sydney’s FVNERAL are masters at creating music that fosters compassion, and which is imbued with love and care. Their latest track about to drop is “MERCY”, a song about the relief and beauty of having connections, being accepted, heard and having the ability to celebrate one’s own identity. This release follows their critically acclaimed tracks…

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Mikey Robins

Book Review: Mikey Robins’ latest book considers those dumb and dumber tw*ts from history

Broadcaster Mikey Robins has entertained many audiences over the years with his sharp tongue and trademark wit. The comedian has now written his third book, this time setting his sights on discussing some of history’s finest dolts. Idiots, Follies & Misadventures is another fun romp through the past with Robins as our guide, telling us…

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Film Review: Dumb Money is a cautionary tale as much as it is one of conquest

Watching Dumb Money it’s not hard to be reminded of The Social Network.  Aside from the fact that Craig Gillespie‘s comedic drama is produced by The Winklevoss Twins – the brothers who had a major role in the creation of Facebook, at least according to them – Dumb Money is similarly recounting one of the…

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Film Review: Five Nights at Freddy’s may be too long a stay for the uninitiated viewer

As someone who hasn’t played the Five Nights at Freddy’s video game series and, by extension, has no idea of the attached lore, I can’t comment on how faithful Emma Tammi‘s supernatural horror(ish) film truly is.  I have to hope that the purists will enjoy themselves with what is put forward, but as a casual…

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Interview: Adelaide musician Rob Edwards on latest single release “Dreaming” and his musical journey

Soulfully inspired, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, Rob Edwards combines jazz, blues and R&B with the powerful art of storytelling to create a unique and authentic sound. The release of the raw and authentic “Dreaming” dives into the painful and all too common story of the Stolen Generation in Australia, and the effects it has passed on from…

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Annoying Neighbours

Exclusive Single Premiere: Annoying Neighbours “The Plea” (2023)

We are blessed in Australia with psych-rock bands at the moment. There are the global superstars Tame Impala, the legendary King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, the fabulous Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and up and comers The Lazy Eyes. You can also throw into the mix the awesome Brisbane outfit, Annoying Neighbours, who are finding their…

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