Month: June 2024

Photo Gallery: POND get Stung! at Melbourne’s Northcote Theatre (28.06.24)

Last night, one of Australia’s finest psych rock outfits POND lit up Melbourne’s Northcote Theatre for a massive sold out show. The group are currently on tour in support of their 10th LP, Stung! They hit the stage with an epic setlist that kicked off with “Daisy” and closed with “Toast”, before a two track…

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Album Review: Omar Apollo’s God Said No (2024 LP) offers the world a deeply personal journey

From humble beginnings uploading songs to SoundCloud while working at McDonald’s, Omar Apollo’s rise to fame has seen the artist swapping drive-throughs and bedroom demos for the Billboard charts and Grammy nominations. With the release of his sophomore album, God Said No, Apollo has put together his most cohesive and complete offering so far. With a…

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The 2024 Taiwan Film Festival announces longest-ever run for Australia

The Longest-Running Ever! The Taiwan Film Festival in Australia is Back for its 7th Edition, Traveling to Six Cities from July to September 2024! The 7th Taiwan Film Festival in Australia will take place from July 25th to September 14th, spanning six cities: Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, and, for the first time, Adelaide. With…

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Interview: Kate Kruimink on her new novel Heartsease, “I don’t think you can get away from yourself as a writer. I think you give yourself away.”

I recently spoke to Kat Kruimink about her brand new novel, Heartsease, a complicated book about familial ties, friendships, flowers, grief, trauma, memory, ghosts, and sisterly love. You can read my review of the book HERE, and read on for our interview! Hi Kate, thank you so much for taking time out of your day…

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New Music Discoveries 28th June: JD McPherson, Party Dozen, Little Quirks and more

For the last time this month we have updated our Discovery Playlist on Spotify and Apple Music with ten new tracks, including two we exclusively premiered. This week our Track of the Week is “Sunshine Getaway” from American rock ’n’ roll singer-songwriter JD McPherson. “Sunshine Getaway” is the first single from McPherson’s forthcoming new album…

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The Uniden Dash View 60+ is a fantastic dash cam in almost every aspect

There’s no real shortage of dash cameras on the market these days, and with the increasing amount of drivers out on the road, it never hurts to have a dash cam running in your car. While the Uniden Dash View 60+ is probably best recommended for its awesome 5K recording, there are a few features…

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Album Review: The Felice Brothers – Valley of Abandoned Songs (2024 LP)

As a music lover, I often find myself haunted by a persistent existential dread. I worry about the countless extraordinary songs in recorded music history that end up discarded due to artistic indifference or the constraints of genre standards and “radio-friendly” requirements. It’s a self-imposed anxiety, perhaps, but The Felice Brothers newest release, Valley of…

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Interview: Rachel House on her directorial debut The Mountain; “I set out to write a film for our country.”

Sam, a fearless young girl raised outside of her Māori culture, is determined to fulfil her mission of connecting with her mountain in the hope they can heal her from the cancer she battles. Along the way she meets some misfits and new kids in town – Mallory, hoping to find friends, any kind of…

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soy sauce fish heliograf

The Truth Behind the Iconic Soy Sauce Fish

If you’re Australian, you know those cute fish-shaped bottles of soy sauce you get with your salmon sushi roll– red cap, white bottle, maybe you even use the tail as a scoop for the wasabi. Google says that they were invented in 2008 by “Little Soya” in the US, but that’s a smokescreen. In fact,…

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Falling Through New England: Chasing the changing leaves in one of the world’s most beautiful regions

Last Fall, I was lucky enough to travel through the northeast of the United States  – an area known as New England – with my Mum. It was a trip we’d planned to do for many years. Originally, in the Spring, as the leaves on the streets were freshly growing and the flowers freshly blooming;…

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Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is Nintendo’s best port yet

The Nintendo Switch is getting on in its later years; it has been a solid seven years of some of gaming’s most remarkable games and has consistently been rolled out with a mix of new and old titles, upgrades to remasters and ports. While we know that the next generation of Nintendo’s console could be…

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Album Review: Camila Cabello lets her freak flag fly on the sonically exciting C, XOXO

During Camila Cabello‘s tenure on the US talent reality series The X Factor in 2012 as a member of girl collective Fifth Harmony, at-the-time judge Demi Lovato singled her out during a performance to note that only she shined on stage. Given her mammoth success as a soloist it’s often easy to forget that Cabello…

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Melbourne comedy duo Jon & Jero are back with their latest kids’ show The Forgotten Tales!

Melbourne comedy duo Jon Walpole and Jeromaia Detto, better known as Jon & Jero, are back with a brand-new kid-friendly show, set to kick off on July 4th. Specializing in physical comedy, Jon & Jero’s performances are family friendly – with anyone aged 5 and up encouraged to attend. If you caught them at the…

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Just announced seminal British rock band The Cult tour Australia in November 2024

Legendary British rock band The Cult have just announced their November Australian tour 8424 tour playing the iconic Sydney Opera House plus Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth and will be celebrating the band’s 40th anniversary Led by original members vocalist Ian Astbury, lead guitarist Billy Duffy with drummer John Tempesta and bassist Charlie Jones (Goldfrapp,…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Amanduh “Sparks” (2024)

Naarm/Melbourne singer-songwriter Amanduh is on a creative roll. Earlier this year she released her debut EP, Pantsuits, and this week she is following it up with a new single, “Sparks”, and we are thrilled to be premiering it ahead of its release on Friday. Amanduh’s songs are from the heart, and mined from her life…

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Dumplings arrive at Disneyland: Din Tai Fung opening in Downtown Disney California

Outside of their locations in Hong Kong and Shanghai, one doesn’t think of dumplings when planning a trip out to Disneyland. But this all changes this week as one of the world’s best, Michelin star winning, dumpling spots Din Tai Fung opens at Downtown Disney in California. With the soft launch taking place earlier this…

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Film Review: The Mountain is a warm, welcoming experience that speaks to Māori culture and the whimsical nature of adventuring children

Given that Rachel House so consistently makes an impression on screen with her oft-deadpan delivery, it stands to reason that her move behind the camera garner significant interest too.  Though the regular Taika Waititi collaborator has a slew of short films under her belt, The Mountain stands as her debut in feature filmmaking, with the…

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Tokyo’s all girl group Hanabie announce Australian Headline Tour this November

After impressing fans at Good Things Festival 2023 Hanabie return to Australia to embark on their first headlining Australian tour in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. Formed in 2015, the Tokyo based all girl Harajuku-metalcore band consists of Yukina (lead vocals), Matsuri (guitar), Hettsu (bass) and Chika (drums) have released two studio albums Girl’s Reform…

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Flight Review: Air Canada’s updated Airbus 321-200s are changing the in-flight experience

Air Canada have been giving their Airbus 321-200s a much needed overhaul, from head to tail, featuring everything from larger baggage compartments, to a camera on the tail and belly – a first for a narrow body aircraft. This will help bring the aircraft up to the standard of their newer narrow body aircraft, both…

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Updated: Glass Animals announce 2024 Australia tour

Surprise! After a sold-out, and by all accounts insane, pop-up show at Sydney’s Liberty Hall last month Glass Animals are heading back our way much sooner than expected – this November! We’ve got all the ticket details below. Updated: 6/7 – additional Sydney Opera House Forecourt show – 27th November The UK favourites took out…

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Dune Exposures

Book Review: Dune: Exposures is a diary and memory album for Dune 2’s production        

A diary is the only place that someone writes with complete candour. So, only in a diary do we often get the truest insight into a person’s life and motivations. Dune: Exposures may be billed as a photo book, and although it’s true that Dune 2 cinematographer Greg Fraiser has taken some gorgeous photos capturing…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Have A Good Day “Punch-Drunk In Love” (2024)

Pop duo Have A Good Day made a splash last year on their debut, with four stellar singles, kicking off with “Somebody, Nobody” and rounding it off in November with the high-energy dance tune “Head Shoulders Knees & Toes”. In great news for fans, they are back this week with a new gem, the sparkling…

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*Updated*: Viagra Boys announce Australian East Coast Tour 2024

Swedish punk outfit Viagra Boys return to Australia on The Australia Shrimp Grand Prix tour, with three headline shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Sebastian Murphy (lead singer) and the boys last played in Australia in 2019 and we can expect mayhem from one of Europe’s great live bands, with their high powered punk rock…

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The Alienware M16 R2 pulls double-duty, satisfying the market for both fun and play

Alienware has long been a top choice in the high-powered, portable gaming rig market, often with a hefty price tag to match. As competition grows and demands for better, cheaper, and faster devices increase, Alienware’s redesigned M16 R2 is certainly a pivot. It’s a sure sign from Dell that there is an interest in expanding…

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Interview: Birder director Nate Dushku, writer Amnon Lourie and actor Michael Emery on violent choreography and the importance of an intimacy coordinator

Consent has never been deadlier. Winner of Best 1st Feature at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, Birder is an erotic thriller that pushes the limits of queer sexual intimacy on screen and tells a compelling story about what it means to be queer, sex positive, and vulnerable. Starring Michael Emery in a chilling turn as Kristian…

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Film Review: Birder is a grisly, queer chiller that offers refreshing conversation and genre thrills

“Live Free or Die” So says the state motto of New Hampshire, something that some people take a little too seriously, especially those within the realms of Nate Dushku‘s Birder, a grisly, queer thriller centred around an enigmatic serial killer and the nudist camp he preys upon. The “birder” of the title introduces himself as…

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Live Review: Reliqa mesmerize on the Brisbane stop of their Secrets of the Future Tour (20.06.24)

Escaping from a brisk Brisbane winter mere minutes before showtime, I found myself wedged far from the stage between the mixing desk and merch table, surrounded by a sea of eager fans filling the upper and lower decks of Brisbane’s iconic venue, The Brightside. In this little corner of Fortitude Valley, Sydneysiders Reliqa continued their…

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Dining Icons: Is celebrity-favourite L.A restaurant Giorgio Baldi worth the hype?

Welcome to ‘Dining Icons’ where our writers take a look at some of the world’s most iconic food and drink experiences – both reputable and under-the-radar – and report back to answer the simple question: is it worth it?. For our first edition, we’re taking a look at Giorgio Baldi, an Italian restaurant just outside…

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Lifely’s Deep Dream Super Firm mattress is perfect for back sleepers on a budget

Dominant mattress-in-a-box brands like Koala and Emma have helped take what was once a niche offering for bed-and-mattress buyers and push the category forward. To the point where I don’t think anyone would bother heading for a furniture store and buying a mattress anymore. That goes double for renters. You buy one online, it’s shipped…

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Photo Gallery: Marlon Williams – Melbourne Recital Centre (20.06.24)

Marlon Williams graced the Melbourne Recital Centre for night two out of three of his An Evening with Marlon Williams tour. Presented as a stripped-back version of his usual energy-filled sets, the stunning historic theatre setting warmed up the chilly Melbourne crowd. Williams’ was his usual affable self, garnering laughs and applause interspersed with immense quiet from…

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