New PlayStation Plus tiers have been announced, with a catch for Australians

PlayStation has announced in a PlayStation Blog post this morning, multiple new tiers of PlayStation Plus subscriptions, with Australian gamers set to miss out on the highest tier, known as PlayStation Plus Premium. This is due to the fact that the Premium tier’s offerings tie into the cloud-based streaming service PlayStation Now, which we currently…

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GENIIE BOY

Exclusive Single Premiere: GENIIE BOY “Elevator to the Sky” (2022)

Last year electro-indie/pop duo GENIIE BOY released their debut EP, If You Have Something To Say, and they are back with new music, in the form of the futuristic “Elevator to the Sky”. We are thrilled to be premiering the track, and its zany video ahead of its release on Friday. “Elevator Sky” is another gem from…

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The Reindeer Hunters

Book Review: Lars Mytting blends myth and history beautifully in The Reindeer Hunters

Norwegian author Lars Mytting and his English translator Deborah Dawkin transport readers back to the modest village of Butangen in The Reindeer Hunters, the second book in Mytting’s Sister Bells Trilogy.  If you haven’t read the first book in the trilogy, The Bell in the Lake, I heartily recommend you do so before starting on…

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Canberra’s Kirrah Amosa releases her new track “Possessive” and shares her inspirations

Canberra’s Kirrah Amosa weaves an intoxicating R&B spell on her latest single, “Possessive”. A passionate and sensual song, it reflects the journey which Kirrah has been on. Not always smooth-sailing, this is a track that shows acceptance and great self-awareness. Kirrah gives us some background to the track: “2020/2021 bestowed on me the best of the…

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Guest Playlist: Jack Carty shares the songs that inspired Wake to a Bright Morning

Indie folk singer/songwriter Jack Carty has just released his latest album, Wake to a Bright Morning. At the AU, we’ve been crushing on this album, and believe it’s his finest yet. A prolific songwriter this is his sixth full-length album and was recorded between London and Brisbane over the past three years. He roped in…

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Festival Review: Under the Southern Stars hits Brisbane for big send off

Huge touring festival Under the Southern Stars brought its stellar lineup to the Brisbane Riverstage on Sunday 27 March for the final show of a 12-date run. Headlined by legends Stone Temple Pilots, Bush and Cheap Trick, this celebration of 90s rock was the first international tour of Australia in two years. An afternoon of…

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Dusty

Exclusive Single Premiere: Dusty “Anxiety” (2022)

Brisbane’s Dusty are back with another golden slice of indie rock. “Anxiety” is their latest tune about to hit the ether, an upbeat and on-point track that tackles the challenges of coping with anxiety. The band released their debut tracks early in 2021, with “Easier” and “Do You Care” and haven’t looked back. Renowned for…

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Kristo

Guest Playlist: Kristo shares the tracks that inspired his debut EP Restore

Earlier this month Belgian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kristin Deruytter a.k.a Kristo released his debut EP Restore.  It’s an eclectic and exciting release; one which highlights the talent and promise of the young artist, with Kristo playing with genres at will. On the one hand, you have the refined and controlled emotion of “Restore”, and on…

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The Way Spring Arrives

Book Review: Yu Chen and Regina Kanyu Wang showcase the creativity and passion of Chinese women and nonbinary SFF voices in The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories

The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories is a beautiful, intelligent and poignant collection of science fiction and fantasy short stories and essays by Chinese women and non-binary creators, edited by Yu Chen and Regina Kanyu Wang. The stories range from the fantastic to fable-like, with writing voices and styles that at times feel more…

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Win a double in-season pass to return to the Wizarding World with Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Thanks to Warner Bros. Pictures we have 5 double passes (Admit 2) to give away for the upcoming release of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, the anticipated continuation of the Wizarding World, starring Jude Law, Eddie Redmayne and Mads Mikkelsen, set for release in Australian cinemas from April 7th, 2022. Professor Albus Dumbledore (Jude…

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The Phantom of the Opera

Opera Review: Opera Australia delivers The Phantom of the Opera as you’ve never seen it before

The Phantom of the Opera is the longest-running show in musical history. It tells the story of a mysterious and terrifying masked man who lives beneath the Paris Opera House and of a young, talented singer who becomes his obsession. This Opera Australia interpretation, directed by Simon Phillips, is presented on a floating stage on Sydney…

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Hamilton Review: The untold story of America’s founding father finds a new home in Melbourne

Hamilton has a new home in Australia – officially opening in Melbourne’s theatre district after spending much of 2021 and the early months of 2022 based in Sydney. The Tony Award-winning blockbuster, at the centre of a premiere bragging rights battle between the two capital cities, was eventually won by the New South Wales Government….

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Live Review: Trophy Eyes + Waxflower – Eleven Dive Bar, Maroochydore (24.03.22)

Newcastle punk favourites Trophy Eyes know how to put on a show and seeing them live is a rite of passage in the local heavy scene. The esteemed four-piece kicked off their first tour since 2020 at a packed Eleven Dive Bar in Maroochydore with Waxflower on Thursday 24 March. It was the first of…

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Film Review: Ti West’s X is a horny, gory throwback to the 70’s era slasher movie

Taking it back to the basics of the horror genre – i.e. sex and blood sprawled out on a big cinema screen – Ti West‘s return to the fray (his last horror effort being the 2013 found footage outing The Sacrament) indulges in the slasher mentality of eras gone by whilst fusing it with a…

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New Music Discoveries 25th March: There’s a Tuesday, Estella Dawn, Andrew Gurruwiwi Band and more

Christchurch’s There’s a Tuesday have dropped the beautiful “Baby Blue”. The warm harmonies from Natalie Hutton and Minnie Robberds deliver another ripping song from the quartet, and it’s our Track of the Week. Of the song, the band says “‘Baby Blue’ is a song that explores a relationship and the anxieties within it. We find these…

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Harry Wild

TV Review: Harry Wild is a cosy murder mystery elevated by a relatable and amusing main character

The British have always excelled at the cosy murder mystery – the sort you watch routinely on a weeknight with a cup of tea – but this time its Ireland that’s produced a stellar addition to the genre. Giving off strong Rosemary & Thyme vibes, the Acorn TV original Harry Wild stars Jane Seymour as…

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Camp Cope

Album of the Week: Camp Cope – Running with the Hurricane (2022 LP)

Camp Cope recently covered Sam Fender’s track “Seventeen Going Under”. There’s a line in the song that’s gone TikTok viral, but also equally represents the progression of Camp Cope pretty well. ‘That’s the thing with anger/ it begs to stick around’. It’s poignant and pertinent but easily highlights the longevity and mentality of the Melbourne…

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Film Review: The Duke is a crowd-pleasing affair stirred by the incomparable Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren

Blending his knack of humour, tenderness, and dramatic stakes that speaks to his strength as a storyteller, there’s a bittersweetness to Roger Mitchell‘s The Duke.  Sadly passing away prior to the film’s release, his swan song couldn’t seem more perfect as it encapsulates his talents in all the best ways possible. And The Duke just…

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The Leviathan

Book Review: Encounter an ancient evil in Rosie Andrews’ The Leviathan

As civil war tears 17th century England apart, Thomas Treadwater returns home, summoned by his young sister. Esther, concerned by the growing closeness between their father and a new servant, has spun quite the tale. And Thomas, though glad of a reason to escape the battlefield, thinks little of it. But when he arrives to…

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Yours and Owls

Yours & Owls 2022 Announces Set Times!

One of our favourite Wollongong festivals, Yours & Owls 2022, has just released their set times, giving you less than a fortnight to rally your troops. Whether you’re a fan of Hilltop Hoods, San Cisco, The Jungle Giants, or Nosedive, you’re sure to have a great time. This year, the festival returns to Stuart Park…

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Just A Leo Missing Out

Exclusive Single Premiere: Just A Leo “Missing Out” (2022)

Should you take life by the horns, or take the safe route? Melbourne-based pop band Just A Leo ponder that question in their latest track, “Missing Out”. The track will be on their second EP, due to be released later in the year. It follows on from “Hear Me” which dropped in January, and we…

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If You're Happy

Book Review: Fiona Robertson’s debut collection If You’re Happy explores lives that are anything but

“They are having sex when the wind starts up, whispering and sighing outside.” So opens the first story in Fiona Robertson‘s Glendower Award-winning collection, If You’re Happy. The University of Queensland Press team are no strangers to publishing powerful short fiction that challenges the conventions of the form in this country; counting among their authors…

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Interview: GAYLE on going TikTok viral, heartbreak and her debut EP

She boasts close to 33 million monthly listeners, almost one million TikTok followers and over one billion streams on her viral hit ‘abcdefu’. And she’s not even 18-years-old. GAYLE is among the most popular internet music sensations of the past year, thanks to her playful angst-anthem that continues to dominate radio play and social media…

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Film Review: Panama indulges in an excessive aesthetic that speaks to Mel Gibson’s unbridled energy

Sporadically seen but frequently heard throughout via storytelling-like narration that speaks to the throwback era of filmmaking Panama adheres to, Mel Gibson waltzes in and out of Mark Neveldine‘s action effort with little care as to how his scene chewing is going to disrupt the heavy lifting supplied by co-star (and actual lead) Cole Hauser….

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Ghostwire: Tokyo Review: Saving the city, one soul at a time

Tokyo might just be one of the busiest and most popular cities in the world. Known for its dense population, vibrant nightlife and iconic culture, you’d be hard-pressed to find a place with less to do or see. Enter Ghostwire: Tokyo. A supernatural force has left the city empty, devoid of human life. Their souls…

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Racing Birds

Exclusive Single Premiere: Racing Birds “Rarely Never Loaded” (2022)

“Rarely Never Loaded” is the debut track from Sydney duo, Racing Birds, and we are thrilled to be premiering it today. Comprised of accomplished and established songwriters Bobbie Lee Stamper and Jeremy Strothe, the pair have created an emotive alt-country guitar-driven track, that has a heady nostalgic feel for Southern California of yesteryear. The track is…

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Adelaide Fringe Review: Sky Song is an inspirational way of telling First Nation Stories

Song Lines are the way of sharing knowledge along generations of Indigenous people. In this multimedia performance, the relationship to the land is explored, not just in song, but in visual poetry. Drone art specialists, Celestial and First Nations Artists have collaborated to tell these stories from First Nations peoples. Renowned singer, songwriter, Archie Roach…

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CD Projekt Red has confirmed a new Witcher game is in development

It’s official. Developer CD Projekt Red has confirmed this morning that a new game in The Witcher franchise is indeed in development, highlighting that a “new saga” is beginning. What this means for the franchise itself is anyone’s guess. CD Projekt Red had also noted that this new entry will be utilising the Unreal Engine…

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Theatre Review: An American in Paris is a magical fusion of ballet and musical theatre

The worlds of ballet and musical theatre collide in An American in Paris, creating an extraordinary blend of timeless music, breathtaking choreography and a captivating love story set against the romantic backdrop of Paris. Inspired by the 1951 Oscar-winning film of the same name, and incorporating music from George and Ira Gershwin, An American in…

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PLANET

Interview: PLANET’s Matty Took on Information Overload, moving to the UK and recording at AIM

Sydney quartet PLANET have just released their long-awaited debut album, Information Overload. The album was produced by legendary engineer and producer Adrian Bushby (New Order, Placebo, U2, Spice Girls) and has a large guitar-driven indie sound. With nostalgic brit-pop feels to it, it’s a superb debut from the band. I caught up with Matty Took,…

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