Founding Editor and Publisher of the AU review. Currently based in Toronto, Canada. You can follow him on Twitter @larry_heath or on Instagram @larryheath.
The newest domestic offering (and rebranded International inclusion from what was known for the year prior as “Economy Space Plus”) from Virgin Australia adds new benefits to the exit row and the first few rows of the economy section: some extra leg room, priority security screening, priority baggage and dedicated overhead storage. The new section of…
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It might be the world’s most liveable city, but for an airport that doesn’t even have a train, the difficulties that Uber have faced with having their service at Melbourne International Airport has always seemed a bit ridiculous. Though the push back from the Taxi industry is of little surprise; the difficulties of getting to…
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Neil Gaiman seems to be all the rage at the moment for Amazon Prime Video. Fresh off the success of their adaptation of his 2001 novel American Gods, the streaming service has plans to give a similar treatment to Gaiman’s much loved 1990 novel Good Omens, which he wrote with Terry Prachett. The comedy-horror fantasy…
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There’s a warmth to the approach by the Doubletree by Hilton brand – though maybe I’m just blinded by the warm chocolate chip cookie they give every guest on check in. But it’s that sort of consistency – cookies, comfortable rooms, soothing colour schemes – that has made them the sort of chain that people become…
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Anyone schooled in the US Punk scene of the late 70’s and 80’s probably knows a thing or two about the significance of Washington D.C. As the U.S. Capital, its influence on the scene as an anti-political voice is an obvious one; local groups and bands from all over the region – especially Maryland, Pennsylvania,…
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It’s been hard to avoid all the negative talk about Sydney’s night economy since the lock out laws came into effect in 2014, keeping people out of venues and restricting alcohol consumption. Countless venues have closed, entire sections of the city have lost their nightlife, and hundreds of jobs have been lost along the way. If…
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On June 1st, one of the most influential and celebrated albums of all time – The Beatles‘ Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band – celebrated its 50th Birthday in the USA. As a self-confessed Beatles obsessive, I took to the skies and headed to the permanent Cirque du Soleil production in Las Vegas, Love, which…
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“The hope is that the audience doesn’t know who to root for in that sequence,” says co-Executive Producer Bryan Cogman in a new fifteen minute behind-the-scenes special from HBO, all about yesterday’s game-changing battle sequence they’re calling “The Loot Train Attack”. Of course, there are a pile of spoilers in this video, but it’s essential…
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As we reported earlier this week, The AFI-AACTA #socialshorts competition is back for its fourth year, which will award winners across three categories later this year – and voting is now open! To learn more about what the competition has meant to those who have successfully entered and won their category, we caught up with…
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“Oh, rustic,” I murmured as I entered my room at The Farmer’s Daughter on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. The room is indeed rustic. A twin share, the room has more in common with an old world cabin than it does an upmarket hotel room. Nevertheless, the luxuries are there even if they aren’t apparent…
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2017 marks the 150th anniversary of the federation of Canada, and much as they did in 1967 when Expo came to town, the 150th birthday celebrations have been enjoyed far and wide across the entire country. Canada 150 flags can be seen everywhere, and special events are popping up from coast-to-coast to ensure this birthday…
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Guess what? We’re just shy of a decade old and to celebrate, we’re bringing the party to Sydney this month! Our ninth birthday is a special one – there’ve been many changes and developments over the last few years but our love for championing new music and artists has remained the same – strong as…
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The Australian Institute of Music (AIM) in Sydney or Melbourne will be hosting open days over the next two weeks, showcasing their school for future students of the music and creative industries. The event will feature live workshops, performances, meet and greets and more. Open days are open to everyone to attend and give an…
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While millions were playing World of Warcraft, or even the first MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, my first true experience of the open world format was with the game changing Final Fantasy XII in 2006; a title that helped bring an end to Square Enix’s PS2 era with one of the series’ most impressive entries. I…
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The sixth season of the Showtime series Homeland is touted on its home release cover as its “timeliest storyline yet”; a big call from a long running series which has always lifted its storylines from the real world – albeit in a typically exaggerated, over-the-top, fashion. But in spite of a few speedbumps along the…
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Earlier this year, at Canadian Music Week, just after the event won at the Canadian Live Music Awards, I sat down with WayHome Music Festival’s creative director Ryan Howes. The event, which takes place this weekend (July 28th to 30th), will see a massive lineup descends an hour out of Toronto, Canada. We spoke about…
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While she was in the country last week for Splendour in the Grass, I took rising star Bishop Briggs – fresh from celebrating her birthday – around Kings Cross, on a cold Sydney afternoon. You’re in town for Splendour, and a few sideshows – including one where you’re supporting Catfish and the Bottlemen in Wollongong!…
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The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) kicks off next week, and along for the ride will be a slew of special guests for a run of red carpet events, Q&As and more. It all kicks off on 3rd August when the cast and crew of the MIFF Premiere Film Fund supported Jungle will walk Grey…
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Continuing our interview coverage from our time with Royal Blood in Sydney recently, Mike and Ben talk more on the development of their live shows and preparing for some of their biggest festival appearances yet, notably CalJam alongside Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age. “I think with another 10 songs that we get to play, obviously the set is going…
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We can’t quite believe it ourselves, but next month, the AU review is turning nine years old! With support from our amazing friends at the Batch Brewing Co., we’re going to be throwing a massive party to celebrate in Sydney, on Wednesday, August 30th! And its totally free if you RSVP. We can’t tell you where…
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While out in Australia for Splendour in the Grass (and some cheeky headline dates of their own), British duo Royal Blood found some time to catch up with us in Sydney. Also during their time out in Australia this month, Mike and Ben dropped the details of their largest Australian tour yet, which will see Royal Blood…
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Surviving members of A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, hit the stage at FYF Fest today in Los Angeles – one of only a handful of times the pair have performed since the death of founding member Phife Dawg and the release of their sixth and final studio album We Got It…
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When the name Christopher Nolan is attached to a film, you know you’re in for a blockbuster by any standards. Whether it’s a big budget sci-fi epic (as in Interstellar) or a comic book trilogy (The Dark Knight) to rival any of the genre, Nolan’s work has been virtually unmatched by any of his contemporaries….
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With today’s announcement of a massive tour in April/May (which may or may not coincide with Groovin’ The Moo), tonight’s relatively intimate sole headline show at the Metro for U.K. duo Royal Blood turned out to be something of a preview for their big shows ahead in the new year – playing venues five times…
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Future Islands have returned to Australia for an exclusive performance at Splendour in the Grass this weekend, but not before stopping by AU HQ for a catch up in Sydney. Having not been in Australia for a few years, the band reflects on previous tours out this way, where they have built up a strong and loyal fan…
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Back in the country for the first time since their co-headline tour with Nine Inch Nails in 2014, Queens of the Stone Age are on the road this week for a run of shows which tease their upcoming album Villains (due out August 25th). The tour kicked off with their first ever show in Darwin,…
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Currently screening in Australia week-by-week on Netflix, Shadowhunters is a fantasy series that has amassed a sizeable following. It’s based on the book The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, which also inspired a film, City of Bones, back in 2013. Now in its second season, the Last week, I sat down with Dominic Sherwood, who…
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Currently in the country in advance of their exclusive performance at Splendour in the Grass this weekend, we sat down with Future Islands today to talk about their long awaited return off the back of their new LP The Far Field. While talking about the Splendour show, the band let slip that they’d be back…
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While in Australia, the stars of the new film Baby Driver, Ansel Elgort & Lily James sat down with The Iris’s Larry Heath to talk about the ending of their new film Baby Driver, directed by Edgar Wright. So: was the ending real or imagined? Naturally, there are some spoilers here, so only watch after you’ve…
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Brought to our screens by producer Ridley Scott, writer and co-creator Stephen Knight of Peaky Blinders fame (read our interview HERE), actor Tom Hardy and his father Edward “Chips” Hardy, the new eight part series Taboo takes us back to 1814, where Hardy’s character James Keziah Delaney returns to his hometown after the death of his father to lay…
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