Month: August 2024

Album Review: Enumclaw – Home In Another Life (2024 LP)

This week, American indie rockers Enumclaw released their second full-length album, Home In Another Life. Hailing from Tacoma, Washington, the band’s name references the small town of 12,000 people located about 45 minutes east of Tacoma. But beyond the census details of small-town America, “Enumclaw” is a Native American word meaning “thundering noise,” a fitting…

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Why late January is the best time to visit Dubai

Dubai is only 190 years old. Yes, the famously futuristic city really hasn’t been around that long. It started as a humble fishing village in the early 18th Century and has sprouted up to be a symbol of ambition and power, offering an experience unlike anything else in the Middle East. Or the world. It’s…

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Live Review: Make Them Suffer proved they are the country’s finest heavy act at The Tivoli in Brisbane

It’s only late August, but one thing is for sure: this is the year of suffering. Perth metalcore legends Make Them Suffer have been a local staple for over 15 years now, so it’s no surprise that they’ve established themselves as one of the best. Having supported the mighty Bring Me the Horizon on their…

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Why I’m more excited about the iPhone 16 Pro than any other generation

It’s now become an age-old debate: Apple vs Android. Which is better? More stylish? Offers better value for money? Has the better camera? This confected battle between Apple and Android has been given many angles over the year. The fiercest two seems to be over the camera and the operating system. Plenty of people prefer…

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Review: MĀUI at the Sydney Opera House is storytelling at its best

Seen as a hero and a trickster, Māui was a demi-god whose adventures have been told and retold for hundreds of years. Steeped in the culture of the Pacific, his acts of bravery and remarkable life form the inspiration behind MĀUI at the Sydney Opera House. Brought to life by the New Zealand dance collective…

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New Music Discoveries 30th Aug: DEM MOB, Mac the Knife, Georgia Betts, and more

As we are about to head into Spring in Australia, we’ve added ten new tracks to our Discovery playlist on Apple Music and Spotify. We are especially delighted to see four debut tracks from fresh artists this week. Our Track of the Week goes to “I’ll Get By”, a powerful new single from Indigenous hip…

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Frankenstein takes live theatre to unforgettable new heights

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, originally published in 1818, has been adapted into movies, TV shows, songs, firmly cementing itself as a staple in popular culture for over two centuries. While the films and original novel are daresay the most iconic, the themes of what it is to be human, still rings true today with identity politics…

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Class Act at the Sydney Opera House attempts to expose the pitfalls of the class system

Part of the September season of UnWrapped at the Sydney Opera House, Class Act is an exploration of class and social standing through the deconstruction of the classic 1964 film My Fair Lady, combined with personal anecdotes. Created by Melbourne-based, experimental art organisation, APHIDS, and staring Mish Grigor in the lead role, the performance opens…

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Interview: Clay J Gladstone talk new single and album, dealing with grief, and chaotic stage presence

Sydney-based emo punk quintet Clay J Gladstone have been making quite the name for themselves these past few years. Today, the band have finally announced their debut album Is This How I Die?, out 1 November via Def Wolf Records, accompanied by new single “Why Does Everybody Hate Me?”. These details come as they prepare…

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The 2024 Festival of Dangerous Ideas was both enlightening and sombre

Launching in 2009, the Festival of Dangerous Ideas (FODI) brings together thought leaders, culture creators and radical creatives from across Australia and around the world. Presented by The Ethics Centre, FODI creates a space for exchanging ideas and discussing topics often considered outside the everyday. It aims to cultivate critical thinking and a growth mindset…

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Long term review: the iPhone 15 Pro sets Apple up for a new era

It’s official, the Pro is the way to go when it comes to new-age of Apple. As Techradar reports, last year’s Pro Max had a 23% share of iPhone sales in the US in March 2024, while the Pro had 22%. Trailing behind was the 15 proper with 14% and then the iPhone 15 Plus…

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Poison Oak

Exclusive Single Premiere: Poison Oak “Wasted” (2024)

We are heading to North Queensland today, indeed Townsville where indie punk rockers Poison Oak hail from. We are very exciting to be premiering “Wasted”, a poignant, reflective and upbeat tune, and the first from their their upcoming second album.  They’ve also put together a video which we think is pretty amazing, so we are…

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OASIS

“The stars have aligned. The great wait is over.” Oasis reunion confirmed with a 2025 UK and Ireland tour

In 2009, the iconic UK rock band Oasis famously imploded after a heated fallout between the Gallagher brothers, Noel and Liam. With their intense sibling rivalry spilling out in public through interviews and social media spats, a reunion seemed highly unlikely. That is, until today. It all started with cryptic hints from both Noel and…

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Film Review: Hinckley: I Shot the President is a topical documentary that’s at once informative and entertaining

On July 13th, 2024, Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old loner from Pennsylvania, attempted to assassinate former U.S. President – and current Presidential nominee – Donald Trump.  Failing in his intended mission by only wounding Trump, though he did fatally strike one rally attendee before being killed by the Secret Service Counter Sniper Team, the still-unexplained…

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Interview: Kneecap director Rich Peppiatt on collaborating with the Irish band to tell their story and the importance of preserving indigenous languages

There are 80,000 native Irish speakers in Ireland. 6,000 live in Northern Ireland. Three of them became a rap group called Kneecap. From up-and-coming British director Rich Peppiatt, Kneecap is the real-life story of how this anarchic Belfast trio became the unlikely figureheads of a civil rights movement to save their mother tongue. The film won the Audience…

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Film Review: Kneecap is riotous and confronting as it bridges the gap between politics and crowd-pleasing

A far deeper, more important film than many may be expecting from what is being sold on the surface, Rich Peppiatt‘s Kneecap speaks to the importance of language preservation within the fictionalised biopic framing of its titular rap group. There’s an undeniable energy to Peppiatt’s direction as he throws an array of substances at the…

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Sparxsea

Exclusive Single Premiere: Sparxsea “Essence of Me” (2024)

Leaving behind your emotional baggage and moving on runs through the veins of “Essence of Me”, the new single from Portland’s Sparxsea. We are thrilled today to have the first listen, with accompanying video of this beautiful and meditative track, ahead of its release on Thursday, 29th August. Sparxsea grew up in a  small town…

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Game Preview: Funko Fusion is shaping up to one of the most unique games of 2024

Funko Fusion is a mixture of Travellers Tales Lego games and Lego Dimensions, with a much more adult sense of humour in a collector fest with many controlling mechanics and things to collect.  The game is officially born from the Funko Pop! franchise, with each character one of the real-life figures, and some other Funko-owned…

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Film Review: The Blind Sea is an inspiring documentary that celebrates the tenacity of the human spirit

The ocean is already a wild, unbridled space for those of us that can see its dangerous beauty.  Such intensity would only be exacerbated when removing the sense of sight, but for Australian surfing athlete Matt Formston it’s his reality, and one that he’s more than willing to exist within. Formston’s impressive athleticism and against-the-odds…

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Interview: Neil McGregor on uncovering history for his provocative documentary John Hinckley: I Shot the President

In March 1981, John Hinckley shot U.S. President Ronald Reagan in a failed assassination attempt driven by a dangerous obsession with the Martin Scorsese film Taxi Driver and actress Jodie Foster.  The attack shocked the world and forever changed American history.  Found not guilty by reason of insanity, John spent thirty-five years in a psychiatric…

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Teenage Dads rock Brisbane on the first stop of the MajorDomo Australian tour – The Tivoli (23.08.24).

Coinciding with the release of their new album MajorDomo, Teenage Dads kicked off their Aussie tour in the River City this past Friday at The Tivoli. I have a special place in my heart for The Tivoli, the 1500-seat venue nestled in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. The venue’s intimacy always highlights how powerful live music can…

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Kimpton Hotel Theta is a pop of cloud-like tranquillity in New York’s Theatre District

Named for the Theta brain waves produced during deep relaxation, the latest Kimpton hotel to open in New York City is a welcome escape on the edge of the Theatre District. It’s sister, Kimpton Hotel Eventi, is just a few blocks from Empire State Building and is often referenced as one of the best value…

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Photo Gallery: Teenage Dads + aleksiah + Phoebe Go – The Tivoli, Brisbane (23.08.24).

Teenage Dads took to the stage at The Tivoli in Brisbane last Friday night to kick off the national tour’s first stop in support of their new album MAJORDOMO. The venue was packed with enthusiastic fans eager to see the band live after their sold-out shows in Brisbane last year. Known for their unique blend…

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Wolf at Nordstrom is a beautiful slice of Pacific Northwest in Manhattan

Coming from Australia, it’s always fascinating to see just how different hospitality concepts are over in the USA. Particularly New York City. I always return with ideas on how to change a city like Sydney and make it much more the world-class destination it pretends to be (it’s getting there, just not there yet). But,…

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Untitled at 3 Freeman makes New York’s LES so much more accessible (and affordable)

Staying anywhere in Manhattan will break the bank. I don’t care whether it’s a budget hotel, a mid-range or a luxury stay. If you want to stay even one night in Manhattan, you’ll need a hefty savings account. Blame the cost of living, of course. Visiting New York City is prohibitively expensive right now, but…

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Win tickets to see the return of Michael Keaton in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

The ghost with the most is back! To celebrate the release of Tim Burton‘s ghoulish sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, in Australian theatres from September 5th, 2024, starring Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, Winona Ryder, Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci, Justin Theroux and Jenna Ortega, thanks to Warner Bros. Pictures Australia we have 5 digital double passes (Admit 2)…

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Interview: Bryn Soden of Sturt Avenue chats about the latest single “Passenger Side”

I chatted with Bryn Soden, lead singer of Adelaide band Sturt Avenue, where we talked about the band’s origins and the nostalgia-heavy nature of their music. We also discussed his songwriting process, how it varies from the spontaneous to the deliberate. For their latest single, “Passenger Side”, Bryn reflects on a drive with a friend,…

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Is Travis Scott the best performer in hip hop right now?

He calls it “raging”. But there’s been a few words that have shaped this explosive performance style over the years. “Lit” “Turn Up” (or T.I’s twist, “Turn It”) “Crunk” Decades ago, a mosh pit at a hip hop concert would be a bit confusing to see. Even if Onyx was on stage shouting “Slam,” you…

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Cirque Bon Bon

Live Review: Cirque Bon Bon dazzles at Canberra Theatre (22.08.24)

Cirque Bon Bon, a 75-minute delightful cabaret-style show packed with exhilarating acrobats, contortionists and dancers, has been a wild success so far. Since its creation in 2021, it has attracted over 14, 000 patrons across Australia. It’s a French-themed yet Aussie-made circus/cabaret act, brought to life by Cirque Du Soleil Assistant Creative Director Ash Jacks…

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Brisbane Powerhouse announces 2024 MELT program: Welcome to Paradise

It’s here and it’s queer – LGBTQIA+ celebration Melt is back for 2024! Running from October 23rd to November 10th at 70+ venues across Brisbane/Magandjin, tickets are already on sale for another stacked salute to community, diversity, inclusivity, and artistic expression. Artist from across the world are set to appear, with the festival lining up…

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