Month: March 2016

SXSW Music Interview: V. Bozeman (LA) on the Empire effect, working with Timbaland & more!

There’s a good chance you haven’t heard of V. Bozeman. The Californian R&B soul singer hasn’t had much exposure in Australia, but if you’re a fan of hip hop drama Empire, you’ll recognise this lady’s voice for sure. Bozeman has garnered much attention since her attention-snatching appearance in the show’s pilot episode and recently has been working…

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Gang of Youths reveal European and American tour details!

Sydney’s Gang of Youths has announced the dates for their May/June tour of Europe and America. Their debut album The Positions received five ARIA nominations in 2015, and won Live Act of the Year and Best Domestic Tour at the AU Live Music Awards last year. Along with all the praise and accolades, the boys have released…

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The Best of Bluesfest 2016 – our team names their picks of this year’s festival!

With this year’s Byron Bay Bluesfest in the bag, our team has returned back to Sydney and Brisbane full of highlights from the epic Easter Weekend of live music that brought together everything from hip hop to jazz, blues to country and almost everything in between. Larry, Andrew and Chris give us their picks of…

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Five Finger Death Punch cancel Australian tour due to hospitalisation of Ivan Moody

Australian Five Finger Death Punch fans received disappointing news this morning, with the US band having to cancel all of their upcoming Aussie dates (both headline and with Black Sabbath) due to the hospitalisation of vocalist Ivan Moody. The official statement says Moody is expected to make a full recovery, but they’ve unfortunately had to cancel all of their…

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Music Video of the Day: Sans Parents “Can’t Stop Moving” (2016)

Sans Parents have followed up the well-received release of their pop-tastic tune “Can’t Stop Moving” with an accompanying music video, co-directed by band members Alex Bennison and Kane Mazlin. Following the DIY method they’ve used in the past, the visuals for “Can’t Stop Moving” were captured on a 90’s camcorder in an effort to portray the brief of…

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Julia Jacklin, Gang of Youths, City Calm Down & more added to The Great Escape line up!

Brighton mega-festival and industry convention, The Great Escape, has just added a whole new round of artists to the 2016 bill because evidently 300 musicians on the first announcement signified that they were only getting started. The new announcement includes exciting artists including Thomas Cohen, Barns Courtney, SG Lewis  and Carnival Youth, while Australian acts like Julia Jacklin, Gang of Youths, City Calm Down, Vallis Alps and Kim…

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Live Review: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Adelaide Entertainment Centre (30.03.16)

You know you’re getting older when the prospect of a punctual show beginning at 8:30pm sharp is actually as endearing as the artist themselves. I could be home by 11pm on a weeknight? Sign me up. Noel Gallagher returned to Adelaide last night with his band, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, for possibly the only Bluesfest…

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BIGSOUND celebrating 15 years this September!

BIGSOUND returns this year with what stands to be its biggest run yet, celebrating 15 years in the valley in 2015. Taking place from September 7th through until September 9th, the southern hemisphere’s ‘biggest new music festival and industry conference’ has now thrown open the gate for artist applications. BIGSOUND of course, is known for…

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Single of the Day: SBTRKT ft. The Dream “Good Morning” (2016)

After releasing two stellar albums, his self-titled debut and 2014’s Wonder Where We Land, English producer mastermind SBTRKT unveiled his new project SAVE YOURSELF this week. In a statement on his website, SBTRKT explained that ,“While a complete piece with a beginning, end and visual concepts that have been worked on over many months, this is not…

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Lukas Nelson & The Promise of the Real discuss growing as a live band, Something Real & more at Bluesfest!

Since 2009, Lukas Nelson & The Promise of the Real have been touring and releasing music to an ever-growing fan base around the globe. For Nelson, music has been in his blood ever since a young age, touring with his father Willie Nelson early on, developing his own style along the way. The band, notable for performing…

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Shakey Graves on returning to Australia, the effect LA has on his songwriting & more!

Shakey Graves. Easily a performer you must see live if you ever get the opportunity. With a tight band behind him, the Austin bred musician is becoming a name more and more people are switching on to when they want their Americana music delivered via a fusion of rich blues, rock n roll and folk. The…

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The Force Awakens‘s Oscar Isaac joins Alex Garland’s new sci-fi Annihilation

Adapted from the first book in science fiction author Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach trilogy, Alex Garland‘s latest venture, Annihilation, is shaping up to be something great. Written and directed by Garland, the film will center around a biologist (played by Natalie Portman), who is seeking answers to her husband’s tragic disappearance. In a bid to find these answers,…

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Presenting the first ever audiobook narrated entirely by a parrot

Audible, the Amazon-owned company and provider of leading digital audiobooks have announced the launch of their exclusive audiobook performed entirely by a parrot titled Parrots Of The Caribbean. The audio is available exclusively on audible.com.au, with the parrot “coincidentally” being named Jack Sparrow. Audible Limited’s Tracey Markham said “Our celebrity-narrated titles are always well-received by Audible listeners. Pending Parrots…

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Golden Age Cinemas welcomes the Coen brothers with special movie screenings in celebration of Hail, Caesar!

Golden Age Cinemas will be saluting the writer and director duo Joel and Ethan Coen next week to celebrate the release of their latest film, Hail, Caesar!  Golden Age will be presenting the film with an all-star cast including Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson, Ralph Fiennes, Channing Tatum, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, Jonah Hill and…

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SXSW Interview: Four minutes with The Bandit director Jesse Moss

To wrap-up a wild week at  SXSW, we caught up briefly with director Jesse Moss to talk about his new film, The Bandit, and the process of bringing Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham‘s real-life friendship to the screen. What brought you to The Bandit?  Jesse Moss: Well, this started with a conversation about Smokey and the Bandit – which was a…

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Me Before You brings a heartwarming take in its extended debut trailer

Based on the critically acclaimed book with the same title written by Jojo Moyes, Me Before You stars Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) and Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games series). The romantic title is directed by Thea Sharrock, with the film being her directorial debut. The story follows 26-year old Louisa “Lou” Clark (Clarke) who lives in a…

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ABC TV introduces six brand new comedy pilots to Comedy Showroom!

As of Wednesday 27th April at 9PM, ABC TV will be launching six brand new comedy pilots to its Comedy Showroom. This will include exclusive content by some of Australia’s most exciting comedians, comedy writers, producers and directors. Viewers won’t have to wait a week with each pilot release as all them will be available…

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Seven people we want to see return to Game of Thrones that aren’t Jon Snow

It’s a testament to the scope of George R.R. Martin‘s work that Game of Thrones that you can literally lose track of major characters. Throughout the series’ six seasons, people pop in and out of differences places and plotlines constantly. In some cases, viewers are left wondering what happened to so-and-so for seasons at a time. Given the…

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Aussies Abroad: Julia Jacklin, Gang of Youths, City Calm Down & more added to The Great Escape line up!

Brighton mega-festival and industry convention, The Great Escape, has just added a whole new round of artists to the 2016 bill because evidently 300 musicians on the first announcement signified that they were only getting started. The new announcement includes exciting artists including Thomas Cohen, Barns Courtney, SG Lewis  and Carnival Youth, while Australian acts like Julia Jacklin, Gang of Youths, City Calm Down, Vallis Alps and Kim…

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We go behind-the-scenes at the Bundaberg Rum Distillery in Queensland

As part of our weekend up north for The Spirit of Bundaberg Festival last year, we got an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the distillery as well as tastings of their new release the Master Distillers Collection Black Barrel – Distilled 2005 as well many other internationally award-winning top shelf rums Bundaberg Rum is now making….

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Flight Review: Virgin Australia – Sydney to Brisbane (VA931)

We return domestically with an East Coast capital city service from Virgin, who have kicked things up a notch in recent times to compete with Qantas more aggressively on the domestic market. Airline: Virgin Australia Route: Sydney-Brisbane, VA931 Seat: 7A (Window) Aircraft: Boeing 737-800 Flight Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes On Schedule? Yes, departed aircraft…

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Hotel Review: Premier Loft at the Studio M (Singapore)

Part of the Millenium group of Hotels and Resorts, Singapore’s Studio M Hotel is a perfect example of the city’s unique ways to make the best of small spaces, something which is typical both of the city’s hotel rooms and the apartments that line the streets. But Studio M takes this concept to another level, bringing…

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MICF: Five Quick Questions with Brian Lobel

We recently talked to Brian Lobel about his performance piece You Have to Forgive Me, You Have to Forgive Me, You Have to Forgive Me where he spent time in people’s beds watching episodes of Sex & The City. As part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Lobel is performing another brazen piece of performance…

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MICF: Five Quick Questions with comedian Alex Edelman

Since the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is in full swing, we here at the AU Review have decided to give a whole bunch of performers who have travelled far and wide to the most funniest month in Melbourne’s year five quick questions ahead of their performances. The first of these is with Alex Edelman who…

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Comedy Review: Matt Okine – Supper Room, Melbourne Town Hall

Boy, was it nice to put a 3D human being to the voice that is Matt Okine. Over the years we have become so fond of his vocal prowess and Instagram snaps, but seeing the boy wonder himself in the flesh, staring us right in the face, was an absolute delight. Having spoken to Okine…

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Belles Hot Chicken wiz Morgan McGlone announces first menu for Harpoon Harry takeover (Sydney)

Next Wednesday 6th April will see a big change to the food offerings at Harpoon Harry as Morgan McGlone (of Belles Hot Chicken) takes the reigns as food curator for 2016 at the venue’s Public Bar, then eventually moving up to refine the upstairs Dining Room menu as well. The partnership was announced earlier this…

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Review: The Platinum Club Dining at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour (2016 Menu) – Mrs Macquaries Point (Sydney)

With spectacular views of Sydney Harbour and the Sydney Opera House, The Platinum Club at Handa Opera is pop-up dining at its most exclusive. The undercover restaurant offers unique opera dining experiences themed according to the production. Indulge in a pre-performance three-course meal, a signature buffet, or a dessert high tea during the interval, all devised by…

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Royal Mail Hotel’s Robin Wickens brings Regional Victoria to Melbourne in April for two special dinners

Award-winning chef Robin Wickens will take the culinary prowess that made him so popular at the Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld and showcase them at Eureka 89 in Melbourne, where he will prepare a sumptuous 5-course dinner of locally sourced produce. The dinner, to be held on Monday 11th and Tuesday 12th April, will give Melbournians a rare chance to experience Wickens’…

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SXSW Music Interview: DZ Deathrays (Brisbane) on their 4th trip out to Austin, the new LP & touring with Violent Soho!

DZ Deathrays had SXSW in the bag this year. In Austin for their fourth time at the festival, Shane and Simon may not have gone done the 50 shows in 4 days type route this year, but the gigs they did fit into their time in town were as high octane as you’d expect from the band by this…

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Single of the Day: Slowly Slowly “Pussy Makes the World Go Round” (2016)

Absolute tune. Slowly Slowly have done it again with new single, memorably titled, “Pussy Makes the World Go Round”. Featuring Tom Lanyon of CERES on this tune, “PMTWGR” highlights some great guitar work and that enticing punk rock delivery that for any 20-something, may evoke those angsty bands we were all listening to in high school during the early 2000’s….

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