Sunday, September 30, 2012

Long Weekend Bloggin' - PART THREE {On the Fringe w/ Keys to a Woman's Heart}


Jennifer Trijo has a simply stunning voice, not only is this important to this show but she is simply divine with her 17 piece band and with the crowd, talking her way through so truly lovely songs.

The second half of the show reduced me to tears in her touching tribute to a late great musical theatre star and her close friend.

Jennifer Trijo played Kim in the recent Australian tour version of Miss Saigon which is still my favourite musical and I can see why she was cast, she is truly fab.

I can't say enough good things about this performance it is heads and tails above anything else Sydney Fringe wise I have seen in the past three years.

I just wish artists like this got more recognition and people cared less about the latest reality TV star.  Hmmmm thinking about that Karise Eden's five minutes of fame really was just that huh?

Anyway a perfect way to spend the long weekend was listening to the voice of Jennifer Trijo belt out Whitney classics, Alicia Keys & her own tunes.  The girl can sing, play piano and is simply stunning.  Big love to this fringe performance, however I think you belong in a spotlight not the Fringe honey, yep I am doing it 5 amazing stars.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Long Weekend Bloggin' - PART TWO {@ the Movies 2012 - Looper}


First stop: Sydney one, Melbourne nil, yes it's a FOOTY mad weekend and Sydney is staring off strong winning the grand final today in a nail bitter against Hawthorn.


Now to the movie I took in today at the start of this glorious and magic long weekend in the magic city of Sydney.



This comes out just moments after Joesph Gordon-Levitt did Magic Mike on SNL, is there anything he can't do???



So how does Joseph Gordon-Levitt go with this sci-fi flick?  Well it was a big one, it's a blockbuster of pretty epic levels, he makes a great leading man and I can't believe this child actor from 3rd Rock from the Sun has absolutely smashed it.

Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt also support him well and the movie has plenty of twists and turns and Inception like themes.

I think Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of those young actors on the up and up, he has great looks, great talent and seems to choose only great films.  He also stays out of trouble with alcohol and drug issues.  Scandal free and busting with oh so much talent Joseph shines in this leading role and I think Looper is definitely a cut above a lot of recent action films.

One for the older kids this school holidays, Looper rates 4 "this is better than Magic Mike" stars.

Long Weekend Bloggin' - PART ONE


Part One - Countdown to Parklife Vs 30 Minute television @ it's finest

To dance or to stay watching the amazing first season of HBO's very original program "Girls".


This show is truly epic and I can't believe it's taken me all this time to discover it and smash the entire 10 episodes in one week!  What an achievement when most nights I have been catching some interesting Sydney Fringe Theatre.

Now Girls is confronting, awkward and so relevant and I'm a hot blooded male.  22-25 year old ladies are going to love the shit out of this fine television achievement.

So to stay in all long weekend and watch some girls or stalk the torrents for Dexter series 7 leaks or dance your ass off at Parklife.

To help make up your mind here are some Parklife favourites of mine:















Until the next Long Weekend Bloggin' part be safe, take care of your friends and Australia let's just be nice to one another it takes a lot more energy to be a complete fuckwit than just say a simple thank you or please with a smile.  Rant over.

Friday, September 28, 2012

On the Fringe w/ Bard to the Bone


So I gave Shakespeare a go earlier this year and enjoyed it.  I got it I realised Hamlet was a fun show and I could get into more Shakespeare.  I enjoyed the Duchess of Malifi, so last night it was time to hit the Fringe Festival at the New Theatre in Newtown.

Bard to the Bone is playing two matinee shows over the weekend, it's $15 a ticket and who doesn't like a 60 minute no interval show.

I enjoyed the Post-Haste Players impro work and the most important thing was the guys had fun on stage.

After seeing a full professional production last night was interesting to see a fully scaled down show with a cast of four and one piano dude.

My rating is going to seem bad but I am a tough marker and two and a half Othello inspired stars is a pass mark.

If you think Shakespeare is a bit of fun and a tad on the funny side jump over here.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Private Lives (I'm Watching You)


Sorry to quote Hall & Oates @ this wee early hour, however they are always with me after seeing there fun show a wee while back.  So the new Belvoir show Private Lives opened last night and was it any good?

Well it was a step in the right direction for Belvoir it was an upbeat comedy which was great.  The bad thing is a 90 minute show should not feel like a four hour opera.

All the leads are good however the standout is Mish Grigor as the French maid who only appears in the second half.  Although there was a false ending and as I knew of this French maid role I thought what it's over and no Mish?  By this point I was drifting in and out, worried for the lady that fainted at the back of the theatre and more so annoyed by the fuckwit next to me updating their Facebook.

Yes young people (and some older) I am going on the record, this is a rant so beware.  It might come as a surprise to you but unless someone else is a stalker NO ONE and I mean NO ONE cares where you check in unless you are Keith Urban and you check in at some meth clinic.

Two your status updates might interest people for a short time but sitting in a theatre or the movies (for that matter) shows you have no manners or indeed no consideration of others.  Really a status update can wait to the end of a show/movie, also selfies in the movies during the movie FML, I really do think Facebook has made people feel so self important that like the title of this play no one has private lives anymore.

And end of rant and back to the play I enjoyed parts, I am sick of Toby Schmitz

playing Toby Schmitz on that stage, the show was fun and very general public, I could recommend this to anyone but it wasn't my cup of tea last night.  A Private 3 stars.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

@ the Movies 2012 - Bait {3D}


I love Aussie cinema and I love all styles of Aussie cinema and for an action/horror/shark film Bait is actually a surprisingly fun night out at the cinema.

The cast is massive with Martin Sacks from Blue Heelers, Xavier Samuel proving he is popular Australian property, Lincoln Lewis showing off his looks he definitely didn't inherit from Wally & some ladies most likely from Home & Away.

The plot is ridiculous, the fact a shark got into a shopping centre after a huge tidal wave is very unbelievable and the fact the shop flooded enough for the shark to have enough water to survive in.  But anyway, Julian McMahon and Dan Wyllie play the bad guys who also happen to at the time be robbing the said shopping centre.  Julian turns good but man has that man had work.  I know he was on Nip/Tuck but damn girl


So it's all sounding a little wrong and bad, actually though it was fun and I enjoyed myself for the full ninety minutes or so.

For Xavier and Lincoln fans here is a hump day relief




Here's to the long weekend and if you have some spare time, maybe give this one a go in place of all the other dodgy school holiday flicks, Bait in 3D rates 3 shark fin soup stars.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Highlights from the 2012 Moon Festival


Yes I am tired, it's been a massive few weeks, and the Moon Festival ended up being at the tail end of a very busy week, however here are some of the amazing moments of the Moon Festival held @ Cabramatta over the weekend:




And how much do I love SBS Pop ASIA

 
 
Oopss - Update forgot to add my own SBS Pop Asia Stuff :)
 
 
I Just can't wait for the 2013 Moon Festival!

Tomorrow it's back to the movies with the latest Australian offering!

Monday, September 24, 2012

It's a Moon Festival Top 20 - Sun 23 Sep


Sorry it's a few wee hours late as I usually post 20 amazing tunes of the week on a Sunday evening, but celebrating the Moon Festival in the sunny suburb of Cabramatta yesterday left me spent.

Watching Australia's Got Talent alumni Cookies n Cream and Justice Crew rip it up and then taking part in some ACE SBS Pop Asia fun!

So with further ado here we go with last week's killer 20:


20 - Parkway Drive - Dark Days

19 - Avicii - Silhouettes



18 - Missy Higgins - Everyone's Waiting
17 - British India - I Can Make You Love Me
16 - The Rubens - My Gun
15 - Rudimental - Feel the Love (Feat. John Newman)
14 - Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait
13 - Kanye West, Jay Z & Big Sean - Clique
12 - Icona Pop - I Love it!
11 - Ed Sheeran - Drunk
10 - Of Monsters & Men - Little Talks
9 - 360 - Run Alone

8 - Swedish House Mafia - Don't You Worry Child


7 - Wiley - Heatwave
6 - Fun. - Some Nights
5 - Marina & the Diamonds - Primadonna
4 - Florence and The Machine - Spectrum (Calvin Harris MIX)
3 - David Guetta/SIA - She Wolf (Falling to Pieces)
2 - Chiddy Bang - Mind Your Manners
1 - Calvin Harris/Example - Well be Coming Back

Until tomorrow, see you soon, this week it's time for another Aussie film and maybe just maybe I return to check out some live music, like this:



See ya round hey.....

Sunday, September 23, 2012

On the Finge w/ The International Jennifer Wong Book Tour


Long show titles & sweet ladies does this work for comedy in 2012?  After seeing the queen of lady style comedy Judith Lucy recently in one of the most polished comedy shows I have ever seen this was a very different look @ comedy.  Did I enjoy it though? Well yes and no.

Despite being heartbroken my Bunnies lost last night (however as the Celine Dijon song goes My Heart Will Go On) I can write a fairly encouraging review for this 31 year old comedian. 

The show itself and theme were a little loose and with some colourful language and some more shock factor Jennifer Wong could go from sweet and innocent to sweet, sexy and have some feisty factor that my hood rat and home girl Azealia Banks has.

The International Jennifer Wong Book Tour has promise, more promise is Jennifer Wong, a smart, Q&A friendly self confessed book and news nerd who I could see doing the Sydney Comedy Festival next year and with some fucks and cu&^s she could be a hit.  I mean imagine a stunning lady sweet and all wearing Newtown indie chic clothes and she calls Tony Abbott a cu%$ it's comedy gold right?

3 encouraging stars for Ms Wong.  And I don't mean Penny Wong my second favourite, sorry I am in love with Poh's Kitchen @ present!

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Spoilt for Choice - New MEGA releases


Ben Folds Fivc are back and killing it with their new release "The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind", here is the first taste from it:



deadmau5 is back from Canada with a great titled release LOL it's "album title goes here", here is a choice cut from it:



Green Day are on a mission to release a string of albums this year and I reckon they might return to form:



Mumford & Sons release that oh so difficult album, it's called "Babel", take a listen, is it the next "Little Lion Man":



Ben Folds Five had a BIG comeback, so have No Doubt with their new disc it's called "Push & Shove" what do you reckon?:



TZU are back with a mixed genre defining album:



Kanye West has gathered his pals and released a Hip Hop album to challenge this years biggest Hip Hop release, yes it's Mr Frank Ocean's dreamy "Channel Ocean":



Jessie Ware is new and she has one hell of a voice y'all!  Check her our her, her album "Devotion" got an Australian local release yesterday:



Lana Del Ray also dropped this new tune yesterday:



So happy these kids are back with this new tune hey!



Strange Talk are AMAZING!  Here is their new tune that dropped yesterday:






Friday, September 21, 2012

Monteverdi's L'Orfeo / Australian Brandenburg Orchestra














Thursday, September 20, 2012

On the Finge w/ THE MERGER


So the Sydney Fringe festival is back for another year.  After my last Fringe festival experience I was hopeful I would be more happy with the result from the last Fringe event I had attended.  The Merger did not disappoint, it was funny, current and a good tale of where Australia is in 2012.  It could have almost opened up a Q&A panel after the show.

The Merger is a one man show and that one man is Damian Callinan is he works the stage (room) very well by a little audience inclusion.  It felt to me it's part play part stand up.  As the stand up on the spot elements for me worked best in the first half.

It's an hour ten straight through and the second half really goes fast, my only concern was the start was a little slow, but it's a short enough work for this not to matter to much. 

The show is current and a good piece of Australian work, you can get along by jumping over here

The Merger rates a solid 3 stars.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

TV FINALES - The Good, the Bad & the Ugly


It's a really hard thing to get right, it's the way fans will remember the show forever.  As I write this I am currently watching the final ever episode of Weeds.  Finishing in it's 8th season Weed's has definitely had it's ups and downs.

For the farewell show they opted to do a flash forward.  An average way to go and as I am about halfway through I am finding the show very average and for the series which appears to have failed to find viewers.  It's finale attracted over a million which was still not great, showing Weeds it was defiantly time to go.

I recently sat down to the last ever Damages episode leaving us after 5 seasons and 5 years of Rose Byrne and Glenn Close fighting, which was great and after a network swap, lot's of amazing guest stars, the only bearable legal drama on TV.  Damages left our screens in a very dramatic manner but in a good way that only an actress on Glenn Close's level could achieve.

I look to when I watch the last ever episode of Six Feet Under and the amazing finale they dished up, I am just beside myself to think what the Dexter crew will do (next year - after season 8) and see if Michael C. Hall can make it two from two perfect finales.

The ugly last EVER episodes, well "Everybody Dance Now" ended only after a handful of shows with no winner, no prize money handed out and no closure, it was just dumped.  The final episode of the recent Melrose Place season was disappointing, the CW also cancelled two little shows the Secret Circle and the amazing Ringer (Sarah Michelle Gellars return to TV) both had extremely lacklustre farewells.

I can only imagine how boring the season finale or last ever episode for "House Husbands" will be, talk about a fifty shades of grey alternative. BORING Channel 9, a show about men raising boring children, what a load of horse shit.

So there you go, TV shows out there if your planning your last ever cut, make it a good one cause if it's as bad as Nip/Tuck's final shot then all the great over the top moments go out the door.  Yes Ryan Murphy I am watching you, make sure you don't butcher Glee & American Horror Story's finales.

PS - New Glee, SO GOOD!  Go Dean Geyer!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Tuesday morning new music blitz


Sarah Blasko is back on board with this little hit:



These guys are mega big on the radio lately and this is there new one it's Full Tote Odds:

The Good Music boys are here and this is there new tune:

Remember Cody Chesnutt, well his back!
And last up this is new from Clubfeet!
More theatre reviews and movie reviews coming soon!

Monday, September 17, 2012

@ the Movies 2012 - Kath & Kimderella

Oh BOY! Just when the Aussie film industry looked on track with the Sapphires, then comes Kath & Kimderella along to spoil the run for everywhere. Despite the film hitting number one at the box office, it is just a terrible red HOT mess!

I knew this movie had to be bad when even hardcore fans were disliking it! So the film, the jokes are out of date, Magda Szubanski's gay gags, the entire plot is just insane. I found the original idea of the hit series Kath belittling Kim being funny and maybe they should have stuck to basics and kept the film simple. Instead it turned out to be a complete disaster. I am really interested to know if this film will back up it's opening success as I have not heard nor seen a good review for this picture.

So if your looking for a good, upbeat & funny Australian feature film, maybe walk straight past the foxy ladies from Fountain Lakes and get some Aussie Soul with the Sapphires. Kath & Kimderella a bit of a waste of time, 1 Star (for the good old days when this was good fun)

Sunday, September 16, 2012

A City Style RIOT of a Countdown - Sun 16 Sep


Religion, what, let's just riot instead hey, cool, right, well here is 20 songs that matter this week:

20 - Sticky Fingers - Caress Your Soul




19 - British India - I Can Make You Love Me

18 - Bats for Lashes - Laura


17 - The Rubens - My Gun
16 - Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait
15 - Missy Higgins - Everyone's Waiting
14 - Icona Pop - I Love it!
13 - Wiley - Heatwave
12 - Of Monsters & Men - Little Talks
11 - Rudimental - Feel the Love (Feat. John Newman)

10 - Parkway Drive - Dark Days



9 - 360 - Run Alone
8 - Ed Sheeran - Drunk

7 - Kanye West, Jay Z & Big Sean - Clique



6 - Marina & the Diamonds - Primadonna
5 - Fun. - Some Nights
4 - David Guetta/SIA - She Wolf (Falling to Pieces)
3 - Calvin Harris/Example - Well be Coming Back
2 - Chiddy Bang - Mind Your Manners
1 - Florence and The Machine - Spectrum (Calvin Harris MIX)

And here are some interesting and important new releases:

Bats for Lashes has a new track as well as a new entry this week, you go you Lily Allen look a like you -



I ironically loved "I Love It" by Swedish Kids, Icona Pop (@ #14 this week) but I don't know about there new one, it's a bit shit, but it might grow on me -



Seth Sentry, could be another Aussie Hip Hop KING!  Aussie Hip Hop is now proving you don't need to be a Hilltop Hood, Drapht or Bliss or Eso, there are so many Aussie Hip Hop stars in the Aussie galaxy right now!



And the Rubens have dropped their awesome debut and here is a cut from it now.



Until tomorrow when I drag you to hell, yes I sat through the Kath & Kim film tonight, all I can say is avoid it at all costs!

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Conversation Piece - PRE iPhone 5


Yes a piece of theatre which concludes tomorrow so if your keen get your matinee on or tonight or hit up tomoz.

Conversation Piece is an interesting piece of work, I had heard only good things but upon returning home from the theatre the net was downing in bad reviews.

However this is my review and for some of the recent theatre I have seen this wasn't half bad.  It was extremely different because it was across genres, it had dancers, actors and multi media with the 6 (I'm presuming iPhone 4S's, in anticipation of the BIG iPhone 5) and three rows of chairs.

The show is based on a conversation that changes nightly that features through multi media and the show.

I enjoyed the dancing the most and the acapella homage to Kylie's "Come into my World".  I think I may have even gone to school with one of the dancers, random.

And from the actors Alison Bell is just dreamy.  Have a lot of love for her!

So the show overall, it's a bit all over the show, but hey most 2012 Belvoir shows have been a bit random.  Conversation Piece rates a solid and beautiful dance lines and direction 3 stars.

Friday, September 14, 2012

RE: R U OK DAY Playlist


R U OK Day is a great idea and in it's shadows today I wanted to give you the ultimate Friday Feel good hit list, so set the speakers to eleven y'all and get down on it.

Let's start with something easy like Sunday morning



Oh Hark, it's Lisa Mitchell



A contender for song of 2012 and they are on tour with Lisa Mitchell real soon!



R U ready to dance



It's a song husband for 2012, it's MORE Calvin Harris madness!



Sing a long to break up the dance action



I want Frank Ocean's babies NOW!



Get yo Ass back on the dance floor



To Sweden we GO!



I HEART this



And to leave you with an awesome sing a long feel good Friday jam, it's Sticky Fingers!



Until the weekend, be safe, enjoy the on and off Spring weather and if you want to feel good, tune up your speakers to twelve and enjoy this feel good hitlist XO

Thursday, September 13, 2012

@ the Movies 2012 - The Sapphires


Yes for real, it has made over 10 million dollars at the box office and it has been a month or so since it's release and the first time I saw it, so it was high time I saw the film again and laughed, smiled and was almost (yes almost) moved to tears.

This movie is one of the country's best, for Bazs Luhmans horrible Australia, this is a movie for Australians, showing Australia off and has such international appeal.  It looks at the time it was set and does the era such justice.

Jessica Mauboy is just magic and her voice and screen presence are right on.  Me predicts she ditches the dodgy Aussie RnB, attempted hip hop scene and brings some soul on her next release.

Deb Mailman is fab and her and Chris O'Dowd have this amazing connection.  Last time I rated this film 4.75 Australian All Stars, but this time around seeing more and checking out the eye candy or Tory Kittles again, was amazing.

So this time, it's a film to be remembered, it's an instant Aussie classic, 5 stars!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Mid Week New Release Explosion!


Hold onto your hats here is some of this week's most amazing new tunes!

Kanye teams up with Jay Z again and this time brings Big Sean along for the ride



This is a nice indie tune which has just hit our shores



How good is Deep Heat, and I don't mean the muscle relaxer, it's the new release from Oh Mercy and here is "My Man"



I may have already shared this with you, but Yolanda be Cool are back and this is high camp, high energy fun :)



Lastly some more local music with Jinja Safari



Oh and despite really bad reviews, Kath & Kim is the number one movie in the nation!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

K-Popping all over Martin Place


So I was tossing up on whether to BLOG about a recent sensation taking over Australia live and direct from Asia (Tony Abbott you'll be happy it didn't arrive on a boat) or pay tribute to an amazing man who I was lucky enough to work with for a while.

I won't name my tribute as I heard other discovered his passing on Facebook and that's not cool.  So in tribute to you out there, you were an incredibly handsome, talented young man who made my working life at a sometimes challenging company enjoyable.  You were one of the fittest and biggest competitors I had on the Goulburn Street tower fire stairs.  You were truly amazing, my thoughts are with your entire family and close friends. R.I.P

And now to the craze taking this fine brown land by storm.



It has over 133 million hits on Youtube, it's a top 20 hit on the Australian iTunes chart and it could be this year's answer to LMFAO.

Australia and in particular Martin Place get your Gangnam Style on!



I love me some K Pop but this is juts too much I love it!

So today I pay tribute to two great people, tomorrow will mark the second screening of the Sapphires so look out for the take two review of this amazing Australian film which has just taken over ten million @ the box office!

Monday, September 10, 2012

@ the Movies - Killer Joe


Killer Joe was an epic play at Belvoir Street a few years back and I really wish Belvoir continued it's B Sharp plays as they really were a lot better than most of their recent upstairs plays.

Anyway the film is great, it's ultra gritty, graphic (deserving every inch of it's R rating) and works really well on the big screen.

It's a shame this film is only @ Newtown Dendy in Sydney cause I think there is an audience for people wanting to watch gritty dramas that aren't so prime and perfect like the increasingly dull House Husbands.

With a great cast and a great look into the desperate lengths us humans will go to when in need of money, Killer Joe really stands up and deserves a bit of attention.

The graphic ending may be a bit much for some but the tension and the lead up to this bloody ending was inevitable.  I had a refreshing time at the cinema with this number, yes it was tense, yes it was hard to watch in parts but I do like a film that challenges it's viewers, Killer Joe rates 4 Texas Stars.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

A Smokers Healthier than a Gay Countdown


20 - British India - I Can Make You Love Me



19 - The XX - Angels



18 - Icona Pop - I Love it!


17 - Avicii - Silhouettes
16 - The Rubens - My Gun
15 - The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
14 - Of Monsters & Men - Little Talks


13 - Ed Sheeran - Lego House
12 - Wiley - Heatwave
11 - Missy Higgins - Everyone's Waiting
10 - Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait
9 - Marina & the Diamonds - Primadonna
8 - 360 - Run Alone
7 - Rudimental - Feel the Love (Feat. John Newman)
6 - Ed Sheeran - Drunk
5 - Fun. - Some Nights
4 - David Guetta/SIA - She Wolf (Falling to Pieces)
3 - Chiddy Bang - Mind Your Manners
2 - Calvin Harris/Example - Well be Coming Back
1 - Florence and The Machine - Spectrum (Calvin Harris MIX)

Until tomorrow when you will get a look at a great play turned into a gritty film, it's Killer Joe.

But to leave you with some K-Pop

Saturday, September 8, 2012

@ the Movies 2012 - Total Recall


Oh boy what a blockbuster!  The remake of the original Arnie sci fi flick is super slick, looks fantastic and really for me on a Friday night just what I needed some fantasy to escape the fact that Sydney really is becoming a strange place, but onto that later in this review.

So it's a remake, it's a big budget epic sci fi smash, it's really a sit back don't think just watch shit get shot up and blown up.  It's a bit political, it's a bit too unrealistic in parts i.e. 1,000 bullets being shot at the lead and all miss him bar maybe a little scrap here and there.  However on the lead Colin Farrell is just dreamy in this role.


Yeah we all remember him from that sex tape, all I can say is wow!

Okay so back to the movie and not the leads sex tape, I enjoyed it, it's a little long (especially with 25-30 minutes of ads/trailers/Hoyts promos/general filler shit before the actual film) but really I had a good time and that's the main thing.

It rates a fairly solid 3 sci fi stars and now to dinner afterwards and why if one chooses to have a later dinner in this city (Sydney) is everyone completely shit faced.

We entered a restaurant on Glebe Point Road, past all the juvenile kids on the street (they make the River Boys on Home & Away look like Play School hosts), entered a nice quiet Polish restaurant and it was on.  The table never to us kept saying how classy they were and then started on a racist rant, yes racism is classy you fuck sticks.

Not too mention every ten minutes they would all leave and the peace would return before they returned from smoking and then it was more shots, ehhhhhh so I have to pose the question to the Australian Christian Lobby, I a gay male who has had five runs this week, had two glasses (max) of wine, don't smoke or do drugs, am I less healthy than the overweight, smoking, binge drinking straight people next to me?

I think us gays care a little more about our health than the nations smokers.

Smoking Bogans



A gay



HMMMM to the Australian Christian Lobby, I think the answer is pretty obvious, but that's just me.

End of rant...

Friday, September 7, 2012

Friday - A Look back at the week's best NU music


A BIG one to start with, Lisa Mitchell is back with another divine slice of pop paradise



This is high camp fun from Yolanda Be Cool, remember these guys spoke No Americano



Elizabeth Rose is getting a name for herself, she teams up with Sinden on this gem



This song by Hot Chip is so damn catchy!



And stay tuned for Sunday's countdown, there is finally a new number one plus many more ace tunes for your ears on this second weekend of Spring, bring on the sunshine!

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Uni Kids go Gay in Mister Sister Act




So I decided to check out what the upcoming gays in society have to offer the world and I was admittedly pleasantly surprised.

Sydney Uni groups and facilities are currently in their revue season and living across the road from the massive building it was time to embrace it.

So the Queer Revue was the only choice.

With singing, dancing and lot's of fun being poked at Channel 10 and Gina R it was a fun amateur night at the theatre.

As another review of the revue said, some jokes did fall flat but that is comedy and it's all trial and error.  As I saw with Judith Lucy last week comedy has a really fine line of what is funny and what is out right offensive.

With a good young crowd in the room the students all performed well with and without their clothes on.

Mister Sister Act is a lot of fun and offers a refreshing night out in the Sydney theatre scene, 3 stars.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Face to Face with Sydney Theatre


Another night @ in a Sydney Theatre and another attempted suicide.  Really do all Sydney plays need to be about death and the acts leading up to death?

Is Sydney that much of a depressing city that all theatre programmers need to put on extremely depressing plays as part of their yearly seasons?

Now I have had my rant, the show itself was overly long, 1 hour 50 minutes straight through is good in a way.  It means no interval and an overdrawn out event.  However if the play is not engaging enough this 1 hour and 50 minutes can seem extremely LOOOOOOONNNNNNGGG

Editing would have worked well on this play and the endless opening of lolly wrappers, people squirming all around me made me feel I was not alone worrying about washing building up at home and what I would dish myself up for lunch tomorrow.

In my final sentence it was nice to see a play @ STC and nice to see some solid acting, but the play itself just really wasn't my cup of tea.  2.5 Face to Face stars.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

What's on the Idiot box this week?


So I've been watching a lot of TV lately, I have finally caught up on the amazing final ever season of Damages and with two episodes left to air in the US I am left wanting more.

Finally finishing the adult version of Glee "Smash" before Channel Seven started showing it so many months after it has finished.  Much like the short lived GCB and they wonder why no one is watching.

Now onto local content and it's only days away that I think "I Will Survive" will face the Shire's fate and be the 100th Channel 10 show to get the axe in 2012.  Channel 10 just really can't do anything right, all their shows have failed miserably to make an impact, the Breakfast show is an expensive red hot mess and Puberty Blues is also losing viewers as Australia releases it's basically Home & Away based in yester year.

House Husbands rated well for Nine but after one episode I know I will never be tuning in again, such a horrible dull Aussie drama.  It felt like 50 Shades of Grey porn with women at home being excited at the thought of men actually looking after the bratty kids on screen.  Who steal a bus?  And drama, the only drama was in the massive amounts of ad's shown during this 40-42 minutes worth of actual programming.

So it looks like the States are killing it this year, they missed the mark a bit with True Blood but it came good in the end, Damages season five is smashing, Smash (late last year/early this year, returning January 13) was a fun and high camp look at musical theatre and Weeds is also rounding up with a funny last season.  Australian TV producers need to take risks and give shows time, pulling Everybody Dance Now after four episodes was crazy. 

Australians wake up and smell the roses talent shows are dying, cooking shows are lame and local dramas lack drama so they are just local.

Here is a bit of music for your tight ass Tuesday, it's my album of the week, the Presets



Monday, September 3, 2012

@ the Local Theatre - the Tender Age


The infamous moment on the Kyle & Jackie O show of the lie detector and the 14 year old rape victim was one of many all time lows for the high rating breakfast program and this was at the centre of the Tender Age which has now wrapped up at one of Sydney's hidden gems Carriageworks.

The play was a very random mash up of lot's of the dramas and trials of growing up in 2012.  Thank god I grew up in the 90's it was so much easier back then.

In 2012 kids don't just have to worry about what they say and do in the playground it's what they say and do outside school, what they upload to social media and how their Facebook profile reflects them as an individual.

I enjoyed this but found some bits tricky to watch as growing up is hard and so was this play at times.  It was interesting, unique and used the massive space of the Carriageworks stage well.  The cast were all varied shapes and sizes too which was great.  Overall the Tender Age was a interesting 60 minute piece of theatre.

More theatre to come this week with the final week of Face to Face @ STC.  My review should land Wednesday, for now the Tender Age rated 2.5 pass mark stars.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Happy Spring it's the week's Best 20 - Sun 2 Sep


20 - Muse - Madness

19 - The Presets - Ghosts



18 - The Rubens - My Gun
17 - Avicii - Silhouettes
16 - Temper Trap - Trembling Hands

15 - Evermore - Follow the Sun



14 - The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
13 - Wiley - Heatwave
12 - Ed Sheeran - Lego House
11 - Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait
10 - Marina & the Diamonds - Primadonna
9 - Missy Higgins - Everyone's Waiting
8 - 360 - Run Alone
7 - Rudimental - Feel the Love (Feat. John Newman)
6 - Ed Sheeran - Drunk
5 - David Guetta/SIA - She Wolf (Falling to Pieces)



4 - Chiddy Bang - Mind Your Manners
3 - Florence and The Machine - Spectrum (Calvin Harris MIX)
2 - Calvin Harris/Example - Well be Coming Back
1 - Fun. - Some Nights   And a look at some of this week's new killer releases:   Bang on bitches with new Boyz Noise     Why is this SOOOOO good, it's so good it hurts I love XXXchange!     No Doubt's "Settle Down" didn't set the world on fire for their big comeback but does the title track of their new release tinkle your you know :)     Last up some chilled Sunday night sounds from Beth Orton     PS as I am writing this I am watching Nine's new series "House Husbands", my review in one word BORING!   In the current TV climate I give this 4-6 weeks before being cancelled or rescheduled to a new look 9:45pm time slot.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Winters Coolest 20 - 2012 Edition


It's the first day of Spring and love is in the air :)

Here are the 20 COOLEST songs of the last three months.

20 - Major Lazer - Get Free



19 - Skrillex - Bangarang
18 - The Black Keys - Lonely Boy
17 - Calvin Harris/Ne-Yo - Let's Go
16 - Ed Sheeran - Drunk
15 - Chiddy Bang - Mind Your Manners


14 - Florence and The Machine - Spectrum (Calvin Harris MIX)



13 - Matt Corby - Brother
12 - Azealia Banks - 212
11 - Missy Higgins - Everyone's Waiting
10 - Marina & the Diamonds - Primadonna


9 - Temper Trap - Trembling Hands
8 - Rudimental - Feel the Love (Feat. John Newman)
7 - Fun - We Are Young
6 - Coldplay - Princess of China
5 - The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
4 - 360 - Child



3 - Florence and the Machine - Never Let Me Go
2 - Ed Sheeran - Lego House
1 - Fun. - Some Nights



Now for some tasty new Spring Releases:

From Hobart, she won Triple J's Unearthed High this year and she is great:



Calvin & Florence have done it again, this is the club banger "Sweet Nothing"



Kid Cudi continues to shine (Vanessa Amorossi Style LOL)



Until tomorrow HAPPY SATURDAY!

@ the Movies 2012 - The Bourne Legacy


2012 has been a big year for action films, we have seen the end to the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy (please make more though), I reviewed the new Expendables movie that opened this week and The Avengers has broken all box office records.  Then comes this a reboot, a sequel or a continuation of a former action trilogy.

The main problem with this film is it's length and it's trying to be a James Bond film when it should have just concentrated on it's excellent action sequences and dishy lead man Jeremy Renner.


And Jeremy Renner is now appearing in all the big action films, this, The Avengers, Mission Impossible, Thor and more!

So is it worth seeing this weekend if the weather turns like it did yesterday afternoon?  Yes and No, if you have 2 and a half hours to kill yes, if you haven't seen the Matt Damon Bourne films like me No.  It's an interesting idea and I like to think I hadn't have needed to see the original trilogy to enjoy this film but there seemed to be a lot of crossover.

The Bourne Legacy, it's no action blockbuster in my books and with the very open/incomplete finale a sequel is most definitely in the works.

2.5 pass mark action filled stars for the Bourne Legacy.