City Hub 12 November 2015

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city hub 12 NOVEMBER 2015

Hostel hostility in Cross

BY CHRISTOPHER HARRIS Critics have slammed a push by the City of Sydney Council for more regulation of backpacker hostels in Kings Cross fearing this will force budget accomodation out of the area.

Last month, a German backpacker was hospitalised after falling four storeys from the veranda of a Victoria Street hostel.

Now City of Sydney Independent Councillor Jenny Green, a resident in the area, has said something needs to be done around responsibility for enforcing rules about drinking and drug use in hostels.

“The near death experience of a young German backpacker who, police inform me, was intoxicated and fell 10 metres from backpacker hostel into a neighbouring property, highlights the existing dangerous anomaly of the lack of legislation and regulatory controls for the good management of backpacker hostels operating under old DAs,” Clr Green said.

There are 25 hostels in the Kings Cross area, housing up to 3000 people at any one time.

A City spokesperson said that because hostels operate under old consents, which don’t require Plans of Management, the Council was left with limited enforcement options when problems arose.

“Regulatory and legislative amendments are urgently required to address unregulated backpacker accommodation providers, the safety of their guests, anti-social behaviour, and the impacts on neighbours,” the spokesperson told City Hub. Clr Green said that local residents’ amenity has been seriously affected by “continual backpacker anti-social behaviour every night of week”.

“The City of Sydney welcomes young travellers, and it is of great concern that their safety is at risk while in backpacker premises which potentially operate with minimal regulatory standards.”

But there are suspicions that the concern for the backpackers hostels is a guise to rid the area of the rowdy behaviour of primarily European youth on working holidays.

Victoria St, Potts Point. Source: Hasitha Tudugalle, Wikicommons.

City Hub understands that Clr Green has contacted numerous departments of the state government including the Minister for Local Government, Minister for Planning & Infrastructure, Minister for Fair Trading and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier.

But Clr Green’s campaign to do something about the sometimes dangerous activities of the backpackers has been questioned by others who live in the suburb.

Stephan Gyory, a Potts Point resident, told City Hub that existing laws for these venues have been adequate for the past 20 years, and it was only now that the area was gentrified that it had become a problem. “Now they’ve got rid of the bars and nightclubs, of course they’re going to get rid of the backpacker hostels,” Mr Gyory said.

“The problem in this state is that planning instruments are fully designed to aid rapid, cheap developers with no thought to development that

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protects existing venues and encourages late night trading; i.e. the local culture, so we get a city which is full of apartments owned by old people who go to bed at 10pm. Again, it’s screw the waiter who serves you your meal if she wants to go out for a drink after she’s finished cleaning up after you.”

“If every developer gets their way without significant changes to the State Planning laws to protect Live Music venues and culture in general we won’t have anything or anywhere to go to and we go to bed at 9pm.”

He said that the issue was emblematic of what was happening elsewhere across the city, and added that the increase in apartments was not conducive to tech startups that state and national politicians had been labelling as the saviour to Australia’s economic situation.

“The government wants to make Sydney a key player in the tech start up industry, it is young people that startup companies in the first place. It

is also young people who want to live somewhere where you can go out at three o’clock in the morning.”

“If every developer gets their way we don’t have anything or anywhere to go to at 9pm.”

Democratic Liberal Party Senator, and Chairman of the ‘nanny state Inquiry’ David Leyonhjelm told City Hub that there was no need to place more rules on hostels following one single incident.

“Something does not need to be done every time there is some kind of incident. That way lies insanity,” he said.

“Backpackers in Australia are already amazed at the restrictions we place on personal freedoms. Having police turn up whenever someone opens a beer in a hostel courtyard will make us a laughing stock, and show international visitors that there is no place in Sydney where they are allowed to have a good time.”

City of Sydney Greens Councillor Irene Doutney, who supported Councillor Green’s motion last month, said the behaviour of backpackers could be because the lockout had restricted where people could drink.

“The Cross used to be a vibrant place, and now it doesn’t have that appeal, and they have to party where they can. Unregulated hostels are going to attract that partying thing,” Clr Doutney said.

Clr Doutney said that a plan of management could be a good way to try and curb the excesses of antisocial behaviour taking place.

She told City Hub that the tolerance in the suburb where she grew up as a child was long gone.

“That’s what I worry about, there is less and less tolerance. They still want that bohemian atmosphere, they want the artists and everything that went with it.”

“When I was a kid we used to wander the streets, and we were just allowed to wander till tea time. It has changed so much. There are so many rules and regulations now. If you want a little stall you need a permit and a license. It has cut creativity and ingenuity.

Bad things happen, and you can’t make rules to stop bad things because that’s life. Accidents, bad things, people misbehaving, you can’t rule out the realities of life.”

Finger pointing continues over beleaguered Balmain club

BY KENJI SATO Leichhardt Council and Rozelle Village Director Ian Wright are locked in a contest over the redevelopment of Balmain Leagues Club.

Last week, Mr Wright said that Leichhardt Council had repeatedly rejected his DA proposals for the site’s redevelopment, destroying the future prospects of the club.

But Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne called Mr Wright’s claims ‘nonsense’, and said that it was Mr Wright himself who was ‘putting the nail in the coffin’ of the club.

The claims came in light of Mr Wright’s latest submission of a DA to the Land and Environment Court.

The DA proposes to build one 8 storey and one 12 storey tower in Rozelle, with 3658 square metres of floor space dedicated to the Balmain Leagues Club.

Clr Byrne said that these proposals would overdevelop the site and come at a heavy cost to the Balmain Tigers.

“Mr Wright’s position is the same as it’s always been. He wants the biggest development possible and if he doesn’t get his way he’s willing to threaten the existence of the Club,” Clr Byrne said.

“Council has consistently advocated for a new leagues club to be made available at low or no cost to the Balmain Tigers as part of the development, something Rozelle Village has continuously opposed,” he said.

Leichhardt Council’s DA proposes much smaller developments, with 6 and 8 storey towers and 2033 square metres of floor space dedicated to the Balmain Leagues Club at reduced rent.

President of Rozelle Residents Action Group Mark Wallis told City Hub that he was in favour of the smaller development plan, warning that Mr Wright’s proposal would place too much burden on Rozelle’s traffic system.

“For the council proposal, they looked at what the maximum

amount of traffic the site could bear without major disruption on the surrounding streets and on Victoria Road and Darling Street, and then they built their model based on that,” Mr Wallis said.

“I think if Ian Wright’s proposal goes forward it will turn the area into gridlock, particularly on weekends. Like his previous proposals, it all revolves around traffic and the inappropriateness of the size of the development in relation to the surrounding community.”

Leichhardt Council put forward an application to the Department of Planning and Environment to rezone Rozelle Village so that only smaller developments would be possible.

But the proposals were rejected, and Mr Wallis said that this will delay development even further.

“Council made a mistake in zoning the site up to the level they did originally. They’ve now recognised that and come up with a sensible rezoning of the site and I think that’s what we need to move forward with. Until the developer sees the light, that’s not going to happen.”

Mr Wallis said that the Rozelle Residents Action Group still strongly opposed Mr Wright’s proposal.

“We’re eleven years in and we’re still no further along to having a resolution. But I’m optimistic. We’ve shown in the past we haven’t slackened in our resolution to oppose this. Eleven years on we’re still here, the same group of us is still involved, and we’ll fight it as hard as we can.”

Leichhardt Council met with Rozelle residents last Wednesday, November 4, to discuss Ian Wright’s DA and the future of the beleagured leagues club.

In the lead up to the meeting, members of the Rozelle Residents Action Group led a “Save Rozelle” campaign, distributing flyers outlining the differences between Ian Wright’s DA and the council’s DA. The Rozelle Residents Action Group is urging residents to send their own submissions to Leichhardt Council. city hub 12 NOVEMBER 2015

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Sex worker community slams Brothel Inquiry findings

BY KIEREN ADAIR The findings of a parliamentary inquiry into the regulation of NSW brothels have drawn the ire of sex workers, and health professionals alike, after recommending the state abandon decriminalisation in favour of a licensing scheme for sex work.

The report, released on Tueday November 10, also pushes for an expansion of police powers, which would see cops made de-facto regulators of the sex work industry.

This last point is of particular concern to Janelle Fawkes, CEO of the Scarlet Alliance, the national peak body for sex workers. She fears a move back to the “paperbag days”, when sex workers either had to “hand over a bag filled with money, or provide sex for free” to police officers in return for having their businesses left undisturbed.

Sex work in NSW became fully decriminalised in 1996, following the exposure of mass police corruption during the Wood Royal Commission. Along with instances of bribery, money laundering, drug trafficking, and fraud, the Commission also found evidence of police extorting brothel owners and demanding sex from prostitutes.

“Alister Henskens [the chair of the inquiry] has made empty arguments about how his proposals won’t result in police corruption,” Ms Fawkes told City Hub. “As sex workers, we know the ugly face of police corruption, and these recommendations aim to bring it right to our door. We will not stand for it.”

The Scarlet Alliance has been critical of the inquiry since its launch earlier this year, arguing that it is a politically motivated attack on sex workers by conservative council groups. The chair of the inquiry, Alister Henskens, has been an advocate of the licensing model since the start of the inquiry, despite the growing evidence supporting decriminalisation.

Under current legislation, sex work in NSW is subject to the same laws and regulations as other businesses in the state. Since decriminalisation, the government’s approach has been to simply treat sex work as work, an approach

has been endorsed by Amnesty International and the United Nations. This has lead to NSW having the safest sex industry in the world.

According to ‘Sex Work in New South Wales’, a report issued by the Kirby Institute in 2012, “decriminalisation of the NSW sex industry has resulted in improved human rights, netted savings for the criminal justice and health systems, and enhanced surveillance and health promotion programs for sex workers.”

The report was also critical of schemes that require the licensing of sex workers, finding that these often open the doorway to police corruption, and lead to worse public health outcomes. “Jurisdictions that try to ban or license sex work always lose track as most of the industry slides into the shadows. Prostitution laws are the greatest allies of the exploiters. In NSW, by contrast, health and community workers have comprehensive access to and surveillance of the sex industry. That access has resulted in the healthiest sex industry ever documented.”

Alex Greenwich, a member of the inquiry and MP for Sydney, has already moved to distance himself from the report’s findings. In a joint statement with other dissenting MPs, he told the media that he is “concerned that increasing police powers, especially entry powers, could compromise the safety and privacy of sex workers, and ignores the historic links between police corruption and sex work as proven during the Wood Royal Commission.”

Community health organisations SWOP, ACON, and Touching Base have also voiced their objections to the proposals.

The Government has six months to respond to the findings of the report. So far, Victor Dominello, the Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, has been tight lipped about the their response, telling City Hub only that the “Government will respond to the report’s recommendations in accordance with Parliamentary requirements.”

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Leichhardt in two minds about merger

BY RYAN QUINN Leichhardt’s Labor-Liberal block is looking to submit a voluntary merger following the IPART declaration that the LGA is not fit for the future.

This is despite vast community opposition to the idea and independent consultant advice, along with fierce rejection from the Greens and Independent Leichhardt councillors.

According to former Greens Mayor Rochelle Porteous and Independent Councillor John Stamolis, Leichhardt Council’s priority under the 2014-2015 council was to remain as a standalone council.

Council was taken by surprise in a May meeting when a preferred merger option with neighbouring councils was tabled, with Clr Stamolis then launching his campaign to challenge it.

“We thought ‘hang on, where’s this all come from? You had plenty of time to have put this out to the people?’ They didn’t even discuss it with the Greens or Independent councillors, it was just sprung at the meeting,” Clr Stamolis told City Hub. “We didn’t even know it was coming. There was no preferred merger option, no one’s ever talked about this, no one ever raised this with our community and the consultation is all over,” he said.

It was decided after a Leichhardt Council Policy Meeting on Tuesday night to submit a merger option with Ashfield and Marrickville councils to the state government.

Council Chambers was at capacity with 60 energetic residents, chanting in opposition to any mention of the option.

One resident yelled “he’s bluffing” during a speech by Leichhardt Labor Mayor Darcy Byrne.

Clr Porteous said that community consultation held by the council, which closed in May, found residents were opposed to amalgamation.

Online and letterbox surveys found that 72 per cent of respondents preferred a standalone council, while 55 per cent of phone respondents were against a merge.

The community surveys found that 19 per cent of local residents supported amalgamation.

150 residents also attended Balmain Town Hall on Saturday to attend a Save Our Councils Coalition meeting, where there was unanimous support for the standalone option.

Save Our Councils Coalition meeting at Balmain Town Hall. Source: Facebook

Clr Byrne has said that while he maintained the policy of a standalone council, he was looking towards a fall-back option in the event of forced amalgamations, not a proposal.

“We presented a watertight case for Leichhardt to stand alone, but our hand has been forced by IPART finding us unfit for the future because our population just isn’t big enough for them,” Clr Byrne said in a statement.

Clr Stamolis said that there was not any evidence to suggest that amalgamations can or will be forced.

However, according to Clr Byrne, the council has received

Archway Theatre Left Out of Loop

BY RYAN QUINN The Archway 1 Theatre Company and Coffee Co. cofounders have said they will not go away without a fight, despite the City of Sydney Council’s attempt to leave them out of the loop in the relocation decision.

Theatre cofounders Rachel Jordan and Stefan von Reiche, as well as supporter David Misiluki, addressed the City of Sydney at an October 19 council meeting in an attempt to improve the theatre’s prospects.

A decision was made in their absence at a subsequent October 26 meeting.

It was decided that the City would help to relocate the theatre elsewhere within the area.

City of Sydney Deputy Mayor Robyn Kemmis told the chamber on October 26 that she had received an email that indicated that the cofounders were actually agreeable to the decision.

“I received an email from the ex-Mayor of Leichhardt, Maire Sheehan, who said ‘I think opening up the arches is now generally agreed. The open space areas will be very welcome, especially given the development at Harold Park’,” Clr Kemmis told the meeting.

“She [Ms Sheehan] also went on to say that ‘the theatre group, my understanding is that they understand that they must vacate by 2016 and are agreeable to that’.”

In an email to City Hub, the

cofounders denied this and said that they are not “happy with the compromise”.

“We have not compromised upon our ten year existence and the investment our community has made in our arts initiative, under the archways,” Ms Jordan and Mr von Reiche wrote.

They also denied coming to any agreement with council regarding a relocation, and as of November 3, had not heard back from council regarding relocation.

Ms Sheehan said that she understood from a conversation with Ms Jordan and Mr von Reiche that they were clear that their lease expired in 2016 and would have to leave.

Despite the cofounders being open to working with council, the theatre has been faced with several issues surrounding development consent and exclusion from the Johnstons Creek Parklands Master Plan 2013.

City of Sydney Greens Councillor Irene Doutney said she had “tried her best” to represent the theatre’s wishes in chambers over the past months.

“There was a really good little theatre, and they tick all the boxes for what our policy says, and they just get the flick,” she said.

“I’ve been trying to help them, and it’s like banging your head against a brick wall. The rules and regulations, they pick them out of their pockets—it stops people doing anything.”

legal advice stating that the State Government has the power to suspend council and appoint an administrator in its place.

“If we’re faced with the option of being placed into administration and shut out of the process, or taking an active role in determining the future for our community, then the choice is clear. We have to do what we can to protect our residents,” Clr Byrne said in a statement.

Clr Porteus said that while this is true, council has the power to challenge being sacked.

“Leichhardt Council has been sacked before, it’s challenged it in the courts and won. If the State Government tries to sack the council without good reason, it can and should be challenged in the court,” she said.

Liberal Leichhardt Councillor John Jobling told City Hub that local government is very much “a creature of the state”.

According to Clr Jobling, if council does not consider a merger option, it could miss out on $25 million which would be given to a merger involving three councils, and councillors could be replaced by an administrator.

“What is best for the residents of the area in the mid to long term and how it will affect their services, their rates and everything else; that’s where I come from,” he said.

“On this basis, we will have a chance of being there to develop these in an amalgamation with somebody else.”

However, Clr Porteous told City Hub that the $25 million “bribe” would not cover the costs of amalgamating three councils, which she estimated at a minimum of $33.5 million.

Clr Stamolis said that the Mayor had jumped the gun by considering this option and that he was “doing Mike Baird’s job for him”.

“Our council needs to go to the Premier and say we’ve gone through every process here, IPART have shown us that we are Fit for the Future on all our financial measures, we have done the analysis across all the options, and Leichhardt standalone is the best possible outcome,” he said.

Clr Porteous said that the only reason to amalgamate is because Mr Baird had “put a gun to the heads of local councils across NSW and said amalgamate or else, but hasn’t said what the ‘or else’ is”.

“People are interpreting the ‘or else’ as there will be forced amalgamation,” she said.

Save the greenspace in Moore Park: community

BY ANGIRA BHARADWAJ The Centennial Parkland and Moore Park Trust has invited the community to give its say on the ‘7 big ideas’ for the 150 year old park.

With 60,000 new residents expected on the Western side of the parklands over the next 20 years, the trust wants to understand what users of the park want for its future.

Community members have called for a greater focus on preserving parkland in response to proposed ideas for the future of Moore Park.

The governing body has introduced an online survey to invite community feedback on its plan for the park’s future management.

President of resident group The Paddington Society, Will Mrongovius, said he thought it was too early to comment on the effectiveness of the proposed ideas, but that the community needed to “critically review” the plans.

“This 7 ideas comes from Centennial Parklands so they will be trying to get the answers they want as well,” Mr Mrongovius said.

He said that removing on-grass parking and making the government accountable for the park’s funding were important issues.

“Giving Centennial Parklands a million dollars for a piece of land means that that million dollars can be spent in a heartbeat and you’ve lost that land forever.”

Mr Mrongovius told City Hub he was opposed to “reduction of any amount of parkland” to account for the light rail and other developments.

“How come Cenntennial Parklands can’t tell us exactly how much land has been lost over the years since it was set up?”

He said he thought the public should not limit itself to the governing body’s proposed ideas, but provide their own ideas as well.

“We welcome this but there’s a long, long way to go and there are lots of predators circling like the cricket ground trust and other sporting venues that only have their short term selfish views.”

• • • • • • •

The 7 big ideas

Uniting the Park through tree lined urban boulevards Creating a green destination for health and wellbeing Valuing our heritage and protecting our environment Linking the Parklands Re-thinking parking and access A place for all to play Securing the future

A spokesperson from the trust told City Hub that the next step for the future of Moore Park was the draft ‘Master plan’, due around April 2016.

He said that the community feedback would continue until December 2015.

“It’s an opportunity for the community to truly have their say and help shape the future of Moore Park,” the spokesperson said.

“We have a community consultation committee. Our interest is not just the immediate surrounds, but metropolitan Sydney, because millions of people come to use this place from Liverpool and Blacktown.” city hub 12 NOVEMBER 2015

5

It’s not a dog’s life in Sydney

BY KENJI SATO Bondi veterinarian and TV ‘heartthrob’ Doctor Chris Brown has revealed that Sydney is one of the worst places to own a pet in Australia.

The Bondi vet took to Bondi Beach on Monday November 9 to announce the findings of the 2015 Pet Positives Score report, which compared the ‘pet friendliness’ of Australia’s major cities and states.

Sydney ranked 15th out of the 16 areas surveyed, triumphing over only the state of South Australia (not inclusive of Adelaide), which was found to be the very worst place to own a pet in Australia.

The research based its rankings on nine ‘pet-friendly’ criteria, including the accessibility of pet friendly parks and the difficulty of owning pets in apartments.

Dr Brown said that he was surprised at the report’s findings.

“For a Sydneysider like me there’s some confronting news because Sydney hasn’t done so well,” he told City Hub. “The big surprise of this research is that pet populations are shown to be in Vet Chris Brown with Dog owners at Bondi Beach on Monday. Source: Kenji Sato. decline even though seemingly we love our pets more than we did before. In this day and age it seems like there’s no limit to what aren’t loving our pets as much as they should. will be happier and our population will be Australians will do for their pets.”

When you compare Australia to the rest of the healthier.”

The report found that 39 per cent of dog world, we’re falling behind in terms of how we But local Coogee dog owner Claire Parker owners and 40 per cent of cat owners view their see our animals. They’re almost seen as being a said Australia’s dogs and their owners were pet as a ‘family member’. 36 per cent of dog and burden when we go out in public,” he said. typically less well behaved than their European 26 per cent of cat owners see their pet like a “Pet owners can’t find pet friendly beaches counterparts. ‘child or a baby’. and parks. They don’t really find themselves “Dog owners in Europe are far more responsible Dr Brown attributed the decline in pet being allowed in cafes and restaurants. That than in Sydney,” she said. ownership to the growing difficulty involved needs to change, and we find when pets are “Council regulations in Australia say that dogs with owning a pet in Australia. included in everyday society the more they’ll should not be off leash, but if you look around “The issue is that our cities and our regulators feel rewarded as animals but generally the pets Bondi or Coogee, there are thousands of dogs

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off leash which are causing problems on a daily basis.”

“For example, you may think your dog is well behaved, but it will see a cat or another dog and it scurries on to the road toward it, and a motorist will swerve to avoid it, which is potentially dangerous.”

Melbourne and the Gold Coast were tied first for being the most pet friendly areas in Australia.

Sylvia Burbery, Managing Director of Mars Petcare Australia, said that access to public transport was the factor that pushed Melbourne over the winning line.

“While some cities like Melbourne have access to public transportation and a wide variety of indoor and outdoor public areas for pets, others still have a ways to go in ensuring pets stay front of mind,” she said.

“It is clear from the Pet Positives Score results that while Australians love our pets, we aren’t doing enough to ensure that our communities and families continue to reap the benefits of pet ownership.”

Commenting on the advantages of pet ownership, Dr Chris Brown said that pets were a “good investment” because of the health benefits of owning a pet.

“They seem to help our health as a whole.

People that own pets have better cardiovascular health, their blood pressure is lower and they handle things like anxiety and loneliness a lot better.”

Dr Hayley Christian, a Human-Animal Interaction Expert from the University of Western Sydney, told City Hub that pet owners exercised more, had greater self-esteem and were able to cope with social rejection better than nonpet owners.

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ARTS FEATURE

The 32nd Glebe Street Fair

BY JAMIE APPS This weekend the streets and parks of Glebe will be taken over by some of the finest artisans, creatives and musicians the local area has to offer. For the 32nd edition of the Glebe Street Fair, the organisers have decided to put an emphasised focus on the local Glebe community and everything that it has to offer.

“This event is a showcase of Glebe where a lot has changed in 2015, I think Glebe is coming through a puberty cycle and becoming a real adult suburb where we are aware of our identity and who we are as a community. We want to share that community with visitors or people who have lived in Glebe and loved it previously,” said event director and President of the Glebe Chamber of Commerce, Kris Spann.

In the past the event has relied heavily on selling spaces to market stalls in order to cover the expenses associated with the event and the road closure, however with the new community focus this year the event has welcomed aboard sponsorship from the Broadway Shopping Centre to offset these costs. “When we explained what we wanted to do with the event they were excited to come on board.

They haven’t just helped with the financial pressure, but also with logistic and marketing. You can’t walk through their centre without seeing our ‘Be You Block Party’ artwork, they have a 16-metre high banner in there which exposes the event to their audience of over three million visitors per year,” said Spann.

The Be You Block Party will take over the Peter Forsyth auditorium and basketball forecourt to showcase musicians such as Ngaiire and Dr Motte. Ngaiire is a local artist who first rose to prominence in 2013 with her debut record Lamentations, and she has quickly risen up the ranks having completed tours alongside the likes of Alicia Keys and John Legend. “I always love performing locally, I don’t get to do that too much, I haven’t played locally in the past 18 months so I’m really excited. I do enjoy a good community festival and love all the stalls so I’m really looking forward to it,” said Ngaiire.

Ngairre is extremely supportive of events such as this one, which encourage creatives to continue to pursue their passions, because she believes it is crucial that we as humans continue to “be creative and make no apologies for what we create regardless of how strange everybody else thinks it is.”

Sun Nov 15. 10am-5pm, Glebe Point Road, Glebe.

FREE. Info: glebe.com.au/streetfair

Uncle Stephen Williams and Kris Spann from Glebe Street Fair.

Photo: Chris Peken

Another exciting aspect of the event that provides this encouragement is the Loco Project Shipping Container Art Gallery, which is a shipping container (funnily enough) that has been converted into a 24-hour solar powered art gallery that is going to be in place for the next six weeks.

“We’ve got over 35 local artists being showcased over the six weeks and that’s really exciting because there is some amazing talent in our area and some quite famous talent that we’re not going to disclose, you’ve got to discover those for yourself,” explained Spann.

The popular Glebe Talks event, which is run monthly at the Glebe Justice Centre, has also been given it’s own stage for the day to allow local residents to convey their stories, insights and experiences to the wider community. Glebe Talks is usually run monthly on Wednesdays with six local speakers taking the stage for six minutes each to share their stories or insights with the wider community. For the Street Fair event these talks will have an added element with accompanying historical and drone footage visuals which have been created by the Glebe Society.

Throughout the day attendees of the fair will have an abundance of food and drink to choose from, with all from local producers. With everything from “a really great American corn roaster, to frozen fruit treats that look like Messina on steroids, to Messina itself”. Spann added: “There’s also going to be coffee from local roaster Little Marionette and a bar by The Rocks Brewing Company to get refreshed on what is hopefully a hot summers day.”

Finally, if shopping is more your element the fair will have over 250 street stalls, some of which have been coming to the fair for over 22 years. “We’ve gone for less stalls this year but more quality, we really focused on ensuring the stalls complimented the existing Glebe businesses,” explained Spann. “We’ve also got a really great artisan area where a lot of people from the Glebe markets are hosting tables, so you’ll get everything you love from them there.”

The Glebe Street fair is an example of the local community opening their arms, the gateway to the inner-west’s creativity for the rest of Sydney, and they are extremely excited to welcome you along and into their fold.

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MEET THE LOCALS Tis the season to get your house in order season like rosemary branches strewn on a wooden floor and oversized stuffed lounge with large pillows - the bigger, the better.

“An eye for proportion is an essential staple” said Kim, Senior Decorator at Annandale Interiors. Let each piece of furniture rest before you move to the next and never put furniture up against each other. Sit back, relax and enjoy the season and remember that in Summer, white is the new black.

You can drop by the Annandale showroom for some advice and consult about what will make your home’s interior really pop with understated elegance.

Get a sneak peak of the wonderful world of the Doctor Who exhibition later this month at Broadway Shopping Centre.

The Doctor Who pop up will feature all the things fans have come to obsess about from the show.

Step into a different universe at Broadway Shopping Centre, where you will find exclusive merchandise, toys gifts, DVDs and rare books.

There is something for the newcomer and the avid fan alike.

The pop up will feature a replica TARDIS photo booth with props and coats from the UK and Canada, where fans can have their photo taken on their choice of backgrounds.

Fans will have the chance to get their hands on the new Twelth Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver remote, as well as brand new range of vinyl figures.

Step into the TARDIS. Source: Supplied

EAT DRINK

EAT &&DRINK

By Jackie McMillan

Silvereye

By DJ Hookie Entering Sydney’s latest fine dining hotspot made me feel more like James Bond than a food writer.

Buzzing through the entrance, we’re ushered through a passageway of the fully restored yet still antiquated Old Clare Hotel, and placed in an elevator bound for the floors above. Silvereye, aptly named after an Australian native migratory bird, is the brainchild of ex-Noma sous chef Sam Miller. It offers tasting

DARLO, KINGS X & SURRY HILLS Mamasan Underlying kooky décor that includes glowing sakura in the upper bar, and erotic shibari prints down below, is both clever architecture and a raison d’etre.

Fusing Taiwanese street food and Japanese cuisine came about because owner Gemma Lin grew up in a tiny Taiwanese fishing village where, on a clear day, you can see the coast of Okinawa.Take a liquid journey flowing from the smooth Brand New Old Fashioned ($19) using Nikka from the Barrel, to Brewing Dude Kamoshibito ($36/300ml) from their interesting sake list. Include a steady stream of bar bites, from tender sashimi off cuts in Popcorn Fish ($19) to the

Licence No. 173676c

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By Jackie McMillan jackie@alternativemediagroup.com

menus: Short ($140/head) and Long ($175/head), ten or seventeen courses respectively. Obviously, I order the long, and so should you. Nods to local Australian flora are detected throughout the meal with dishes such as sunflower & geranium crisp bread, and the exquisitely presented peas with broad beans & seaweed; and any chef who can make a parsnip dish that I love, is instantly forgiven for serving it to me on a slab of fucking paperbark.The vegetable-based dishes were the stars here, with standouts like beetroot & blackcurrant raising my eyebrows even higher than the juniper smoked lamb. Fear not though evil sweet-toothed diners! Courses to satisfy your black heart’s desires include the textual and well-presented big raspberry, and the flavour of the celeriac & beer will prove as divisive a dinner conversation as Sean Connery versus Roger Moore.These guys have a license to kill it.

20 Broadway, Chippendale (02) 8277 8520 silvereye-restaurant.com.au Modern Australian $$$$

must-have Homemade Miso Soup ($7) and tender One Bite Beef ($31).

403 Crown Street, Surry Hills (02) 9331 8881 mamasan.com.au Taiwanese, Japanese, Cocktails $$$$ Geisha Haus Handsome bartenders spent a lot of time muddling, freezing and whirling smoke through a range of bespoke Japaneseinspired cocktails. Frozen using liquid nitrogen, into a pretty pink slushy, Kawaii Kisses ($19) with watermelon,T2 Just Rose tea, Belvedere vodka and sake, could well become the taste of Sydney summer.

Chef Rajendra Tamang’s resume includes time at Sokyo, which shows in modern Japanese-influenced bites like Maguro Hana ($18/4 pieces), tuna ‘flowers’ glued onto tempura rice squares with spicy mayonnaise; and blackened Miso Cod

($24) served à la san choy bau. Pro-tip: don’t breathe out while eating the Haus Cigar ($9) of tuna tartare resting over maltodextrin sesame ash - you risk being covered in suspicious white powder.

Level 1/5-9 Roslyn St, Potts Point (02) 8065 1812 geishahaus.com.au Cocktails, Modern Japanese $$$ Rosie Campbell’s Bright, sunshiny colours and a cosy, welcoming interior transform this difficult corner space into the type of spot you’ll enjoy spending time in.Throw in a waitress with a Caribbean grandmother, and you’ll soon have toasted coconuttopped Corn ($8) and vibrant, soupy Callaloo Greens ($8) on your table, with some idea about how to eat them. Hint: they’ll brighten up Grilled Jerk Chicken ($18). Snapper Ceviche ($20) accentuates

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Kansas City Shuffle

By Alex Harmon Down the business end of The Rocks you’ll find a hole in the wall café that looks like it has been plucked straight from Surry Hills. Outside you can order from the ‘Little City Window’, from stuff like P. B. & J. Toasted Sandwiches ($7.50) and House-made Doughnuts ($4.50) but it’s worth getting cosy inside on the recycled oak furniture. lovely fresh snapper with hot sauce. My hot sauce highlight is their house-made habanero guava sauce – smother it over the fries that come with your Soft Shell Crab Burger ($18).The kitchen outpaced our rum-based cocktail selections, but a Red Stripe ($8) will tide you over.

320 Campbell Street, Surry Hills (02) 8356 9120 rosiecampbells.com Caribbean, Jamaican $$

ROCKS & CBD LP’s Quality Meats If there’s a better BBQ Beef Short Rib ($44) in Sydney, I don’t know where to find it. Luke Powell coats his fat, juicy ribs in little more than salt and pepper, and sticks ‘em into the woodfire smoker for nigh on sixteen hours.

The extremely charming owner, Ben Sweeten, a veteran of hospitality (this is his seventh cafe) quickly makes you feel at home. As it’s brunch, we go for Beef Brisket Waffles ($20) with smoked chilli butter and a poached egg – Parks & Recreation fans should appreciate this marriage. The Quinoa Salad ($17) is crunch and tasty, but a little too goats cheese heavy for me. The celebrity of the menu has to be the Fried Chicken Sandwich ($17) served tall on a doughnut bun. No, this isn’t riding on the coattails of those omnipresent freak-shakes, this is a sweet brioche-style bun that also houses ‘slaw, pickles and jalapeno aioli – effing epic. Coffee is from Single Origin and you can get a clairvoyant reading for $15.

“Self-taught,” winks Sweeten. With plans for a bar next-door, according to my own crystal ball, this may be one of 2015’s most exciting openings.

195 Gloucester Street,The Rocks (0415) 362 038 facebook.com/kansascityshufflesyd/ Café $-$$

They’re charred, smoky and delicious.

And while this is definitely American BBQ, the lack of obvious Americana - well except the (must-have) Mashed Potato and Gravy ($12) – means it also speaks to Europeans. Smoked Sausage ($14) and generous slabs of silky Chicken Liver Pate ($16) go flying out.

Sides like Kale, Chickpeas and Anchovy Caramel ($14) serve the same purpose as Porteno’s famous crisp Brussels sprouts with vincotto – cleverly cutting the fat.

Suite 1, 12-16 Chippen Street, Chippendale (02) 8399 0929 lpsqualitymeats.com American $$$ Abode Bistro Hotel restaurants are curious beasts; and while Abode has been located as a stylish,

stand-alone restaurant, it’s still part of the Parkroyal Darling Harbour. So, alongside seasonal, well-handled proteins – including crisp-skinned Cone Bay Barramundi ($32) - you’ll find the occasional spark of interest, like Salt Baked Celeriac ($18) with toasted hazelnuts, sweet and sour dressing and ricotta. Mostly it’s straight-up, honest cooking of dishes you’ll recognise, like Braised Short Rib ($30) with buttery mash and glazed carrots. Sommelier Jasmin Leighton commands an interesting list, with by-the-glass selections like the 2013 Harewood Estate Chardonnay ($13) supplemented by Aussie benchmarks like the 2013 Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut Riesling ($52/bottle).The latter is great with Rhubarb Four Ways ($15).

159 Day Street, Sydney (02) 9260 2945 abodebistro.com Modern Australian $$$

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With summer on the horizon, it’s time to have a rethink of your décor for all the guests dropping by.

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“A large cane-back chair against a bare white wall next to a garden window with pooled draped curtains pulled casually back to one side is effortless elegance.”

“Let the materials speak for themselves” said Kim. “Don’t be afraid to always use cane on your balcony, it never dates.”

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EAT & DRINK

By Jackie McMillan Project, a Jesuit and Catholic youth network that sends volunteers all over the world to help out communities in need. My religion is a little rusty, but if that means cheap and tasty food that is made for snacking over Beers ($14/ student jug) and Sangria ($12/half litre), then I could be a late convert.With noble intent well established, what of the food? Along with a bunch of media types celebrating The Two Wolves’ opening, I chowed down on some favourites to see if godly intent translated to flavour. Blessedly warmspiced and flaky Pope Francis’ Spicy Empanadas ($11) were delightful. Unfortunately, the Korean Fried Chicken ($11) was disappointingly sweet and soggy, and an oddly vinegary dressing let down the vermicelli noodle salad: Sister Hien’s Bun Thit Nuong ($10). Fortunately, redemption was at hand with dessert, with the Eton-inspired Bellarmine Mess ($6) washing away all earlier sins. If you ever needed an excuse to drink booze and eat empanadas in good faith, this is it.

202 Broadway, Chippendale (02) 8039 3595 thetwowolves.com.au World $

The Two Wolves

By Ryan Kennedy At The Two Wolves: Community Cantina, the décor tells a worldly story: the ceiling boasts strings of flags and hanging plants, and the walls are festooned with action shots of volunteers and religious paraphernalia.The purpose here is to sell food and drink to raise money for The Cardoner $ - mains less than $15

$$ - mains between $15-$22

EASTERN SUBURBS & BEACHES Lotus @ The Galeries From slickly modern private dining rooms, to texture-rich ceramics and stone, highlighted by natural light, DS17 have outdone themselves. Equally so, in Head Chef Chris Yan’s hands, the menu builds upon the ideas germinated in the initial Lotus, yet surpasses them.The throughline is the dumplings – like Steamed Mud Crab and Pork Xiao Long Bao ($21/4) – loaded with premium fillings, but boasting even thinner skins. Compelling Baked BBQ Pork Bun ($9/3) are perfect against a richly herb-infused Tea Thyme ($18) cocktail.The real stars are the dishes that celebrate healthy Aussie ingredients, like supple Crystal Ice Plant Salad ($16)

$$$ - mains between $22-$30

and the vibrant green saltbush offsetting tender hunks of Wok-Fried Wallaby Rump ($29) sautéed in sweet-bean paste.

The Galeries, Level 1, 500 George Street, Sydney (02) 9267 3699 lotusrestaurant.com.au The Village Inn After a tough week due to his ‘no high vis.’ dress code, Leeroy Petersen showed me what his new venue should be known for – good food. Inside the once ‘durty’ old Irish bar, you’ll now be bathed in natural light as you tuck into The Underwood ($18) with braised, pickled beef, honey carrots and mustard on toasted soy linseed bread. Pet Two Four ($17): ham hock terrine with duck rillette win best tasting pun (ducks have two legs and pigs have four).The lighter Nordic

$$$$ - mains over $30

($17) cured salmon with smoked baby potatoes and crunchy capers, pairs nicely with Pfeiffer Pinot Gris ($12/glass); and the snazzy ‘tradies’ doughnut’: Chocolate Churros ($8) goes down a treat.

9-11 Glenmore Road, Paddington (02) 9331 0911 thevillageinn.com.au Pub Food $$ ACME While the much-lauded ACME’s Macaroni, Pig’s Head, Egg Yolk ($18) is undeniably delicious, you might be left wondering: where’s the rest of it? Engaging staff do give adequate warning duos need three pastas, three entrees, salad and probably dessert. Gnawing on a fistful of raw baby Turnips in Bottaga Butter ($12), it’s hard not to contemplate food costs - especially as a snack-sized half

on his menu to indicate dishes using more than 75% local produce – it’s buy-local on a whole new level.

Throw in quality art, showcased in a beautifully decorated room, and you start to get the impression that country life doesn’t have to be rustic. Modern techniques used in beautifully presented dishes like Textures of Corn ($25) and Potato, Leek, Onion ($25) help solidify this.

The former combines sweet corn and ginger puree with burnt corn, corn crisps, slow cooked egg, farro, sautéed cubed potato and wood ear mushrooms without losing the integrity and simplicity of the key ingredient: corn. Heaped pork rillettes prove the highlight of the generous Charcuterie Board ($25). Finish frosty green Apple ($18), cucumber, honeydew melon and sweetened goat’s cheese, a dish that will cleanse your palate and probably turn your mind to grapes – ideal with so many Orange wineries on your doorstep.

42 Lake Canobolas Road, Orange (02) 6365 3275 racinerestaurant.com.au Modern Australian $$$$

TRA

VEL

Racine Restaurant Our understated country waitress is effortlessly beautiful. She gestures casually out one window to show where the 2014 Logan Sauvignon Blanc ($12/glass) comes from, then the other to indicate the origins of the Pressed Duck ($36) with lentils and heirloom carrots. If we hadn’t guessed from picturesque grapevines, her nonchalant answer certainly reminded us we weren’t in Sydney anymore. Surrounded by a food bowl, Chef Shaun Arantz employs symbols

GREATER SYDNEY La Puerta Latino Flavours “We’ve taken our favourite dishes from the whole of South America and adapted them to the Australian palate,” explains Catherin Rodriguez, the Columbian wife of one of the owners. Before you can say ‘this one time in Cusco’, we were showered with share plates, including elaborate plantain chips with avocado dip - Platanitos ($9), and Cassava Flat Cheese Bead ($8) with incredible smoked butter.

Throw in cocktail twists like the Basil Passionfruit Caipirinha ($14) and the salty Chimichurri Margarita ($18) and you have yourself a party.

Wild Ceviche ($25) is “better

than anything you’ll find in Peru”.

End with the excruciatingly sweet, Merengon ($12), chef’s take on pavlova, which sums up this AussieLatino union perfectly.

Shop 5/2A Waters Road, Neutral Bay (02) 9953 8367 lapuertarestaurant.com.au South American $$ Mrs Mi Mrs Mi in Chatswood Chase brings the authentic taste of Northern China’s Shanxi region into what appears to be a bustling, vibrantly coloured street-side location.Their specialty is knife-shaved noodles, made by none other than the robot chef. Braised Beef with Noodles ($14.80) are the freshest you’ll

taste.You can see the (human) chefs preparing everything right before your eyes. Go for the naturally colourful Handmade Dumplings ($14.80) against palate-cleansing (and surprisingly delightful) Cherry Tomatoes in Plum Juice ($7.80) before diving into Taiwan-Style Fried Chicken ($15.80) - the perfect street food.You should also try the crowd favourite - Pan Fried Pork Buns ($11.80) – which ooze sweet, tender pork from inside their delicate casings.

Shop B-040, Lower Ground, Chatswood Chase, 345 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood (02) 9904 6375 facebook.com/mrsmiaustralia Chinese $-$$

Popolo Diving into an established all-male Italian kitchen as the new head chef could be daunting (especially as a half-English, half-Welsh woman) but Naomi Lowry has taken it in her stride. She’s maintained the menu’s confident Southern Italian focus, notching it up with Sardinian Fregola ($27/$35) resplendent with perfectly cooked cuttlefish, calamari, prawns and mussels, and topped with a generous helping of bottarga. Bottarga also features (albeit with a lighter touch) over beautifully toothsome Pappardelle Verdi ($26/$34) roasted Beetroot on Macadamia Butter ($14) lands, accentuated by grated coffee bean.The winning aspect is Chef Mitch Orr’s imaginative combinations: Beef Tartare, Prawn and Burnt Onion ($24) and Spaghetti ($24) with calamari and Korean bolognaise. Foamy Coconut Rice Cream ($10), hiding a treasure trove of caramelized white chocolate, nails dessert.

60 Bayswater Road, Rushcutters Bay (02) 8068 0932 weareacme.com.au Modern Australian $$$

INNER WEST Capriccio Osteria Cannolo alla Mortadella ($4/each): balsamic cannoli rolled in pistachio and filled with imported Italian mortadella pâté are the first hint of the modern sensibilities neatly interwoven with rustic,

served like a ragu with tender baby octopus. Both go gangbusters with a smooth, cherry-like 2012 Cos Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico ($110) blend of Nero d’Avola and Frappato from Sicily. Produce-centred cooking starts with Naomi receiving a 7am call each morning from her seafood providore, giving her the lowdown on the catch of the day. It ends in plump Yamba Whitebait ($22) joining the menu as an entree special, alongside Coffs Harbour Swordfish ($36) as her fish of the day. Deep crosshatched grill marks and a juicy moist centre ensures the swordfish sings against a summery panzanella salad and bright green watercress purée.Where you will see a change at Popolo is in the desserts, where chef Naomi smiles about “getting to play”. And her spherical Coconut Panna Cotta ($17) is a showstopper, cracked open tableside to reveal hidden mango purée.

50 McLachlan Avenue, Rushcutters Bay (02) 9361 6641 popolo.com.au Italian $$$$

produce-centred cooking, at this vibrant Norton Street newcomer. Juicy rounds of pork sausage with pickles on tasty maltdarkened lentil buns ensure Cotechino Sliders ($8/each) sing. Or, if you prefer bread and meat the old-fashioned way, wood-fire oven baked Foccacia ($5) with Porchetta ($10/100g) eat wonderfully, too. Sardinian 2013 Terresinis Cantine Vernaccia ($14/glass) is a fruit-driven companion to delightfully cheesy Cacio Fave e Pepe ($19) - rigatoni with Pecorino Romano and broad beans. Finish with the modern Cappuccino ($12) - brownie, condensed milk gelato and crisp milk skin.

159 Norton Street, Leichhardt (02) 9572 7607 capriccio.sydney Italian $$-$$$ Da Vinci’s With the upsurge of enthusiasm for pizza certified Napoli, it’s easy to lose sight

FOOD NEWS

of styles popular across the rest of Italy. Nicola Piteo is set to change that using bases crafted using unrefined, stone-ground Petra 1 flour, and a 48-72 hour dough maturation process. The resulting pizzas are crisper, without being dry. They’re perfect for exploring high quality toppings, like Norma ($19) featuring fior de latte, deep fried eggplant, basil and shaved salted ricotta or Ortaggina ($23) which dribbles eggplant, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red onion and fire-roasted capsicum with stracciatella di bufala (the gooey heart of burrata cheese). Buffalo milk cheese is also featured on Nicola’s antipasti plate - Montagna ($28), against great Italian salumi.

25 Lackey Street, Summer Hill (02) 9716 9000 davincispizzeria.com.au Italian, Pizza $$

By Jackie McMillan

Kombucha

You’ve probably noticed kombucha popping up at farmers’ and organic markets across town. It’s a fermented tea beverage, popular among a range of cultures (Chinese, Japanese and Russian to name a few) for thousands of years. It’s full of live enzymes and probiotics, and is usually drunk with the intention of improving both digestion and aiding general health. Many of my friends are already nursing their own SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) at home, and creating their own favourite kombucha flavours. If this sounds a little scientific, you might want to try a commercially produced variety. Herbs of Life in the Blue Mountains produce the best kombucha I’ve tried, across four different flavours. Ginger and Lime is the easiest to drink, though the Ginger and Turmeric is possibly the healthiest drink on the market; as not only is kombucha good for you, ginger and turmeric are too! In fact, turmeric has been lauded as one of nature’s most powerful anti-inflammatories, due to the bioactive compound curcumin. It is also an incredible antioxidant, neutralising free radicals, and stimulating your body’s own antioxidant enzymes. Oh and if all the health benefits don’t

bar fly

ZANZIBAR

sway you, the Herbs of Life Kombucha range make great vodka mixers too! You can pick them up at Alfalfa House in Enmore for around five bucks a bottle. www.herbsoflife.com.au

By Amie Barbeler Rooftop Bar, 323 King Street, Newtown (02) 9519 1511 zanzibarnewtown.com.au Everyone knows that getting drunk during the day is one of the best things about summer, and Zanzibar’s recently relaunched rooftop bar provides the ideal setting for daytime drinking.

While the 1950s backyard Australia-styled rooftop is the star of the show, Zanzibar is essentially three bars in one. Fun fact: the site was first established in 1832 as “new town store” – from which Newtown actually took its name. I started my afternoon in the sun with what has become my new favourite drink – the Passionfruit Lynchburg ($18) – Jack Daniels, Tuaca, lemon juice, passionfruit pulp and lemonade. Next up, I tried the vibrant Gimlet Grenade ($18) – Bulldog Gin, pomegranate syrup, plum jam and bitters - it tastes like summer and sherbet in a tall glass. Once the sun goes down and you find yourself craving something a little stronger, head down to level two and grab yourself a whiskey at the 1920’s themed Lounge Bar.

city hub 12 NOVEMBER 2015

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Duck Hunting

Duck Hunting is a timeless classic that has never before been presented in Australia, and has rarely been performed outside of Russia since its premiere in 1976.

The Australian Premiere of Duck Hunting, by acclaimed Russian playwright, Aleksandr Vampilov, will be presented by the Contemporarain Theatre Company throughout the month.

“The most intriguing aspect of Duck Hunting is the production itself,” explained Director, Shai Alexander. “It’s a very famous and complex play. But the way we have brought it to life has never been done this way in Australia.”

Taking place in modern day Melbourne, the play follows the story of Craig, a thirtysomething who has lost the will to live. His only hope is his annual duck hunting trip, which he hopes will restore a purpose to his life.

“Duck Hunting itself is considered to be a modern day Hamlet,” explained Alexander.

The play explores the timeless themes of religion, sexuality, marriage and insanity. It’s a tale about the purpose of life, and has translated superbly for a modern day audience. “Classics are classics for a reason,” said Alexander. “They survive the tests of time.”

Alexander has no doubt that the audience will be emotionally entrenched in Duck Hunting, “My personal indication of good theatre, or gauge…is goose bumps.”

Led by an all-star cast, including awardwinning British actor Christian Heath, Duck Hunting is not to be missed. (NB) Until Nov 29. King Street Theatre, Level 1, 644 King St, Newtown. $30-$45.

Tickets and info: contemporarian.com.au

Harvey Milk -

The Opera in Concert

Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in America. His life tragically ended ten months later, but his legacy still lives on. The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir and Left Bauer productions will come together to perform Harvey Milk - The Opera in Concert.

Based of Stewart Wallace and Michael Korie’s three act Opera, the concert will be presenting pieces performed by five of Australia’s music theatre and operatic talent backed by a chorus of 60.

Producer Cameron Lukey believes this is the perfect time to be performing Wallace and Korie’s works in Australia as it highlights our countries’ current gay marriage situation.

“The outpouring of grief following Harvey’s death and the passion his achievements

inspired continue to fuel a movement the world over,” said Lukey. “And with the upcoming plebiscite looming, Harvey’s story could not be more timely for an Australian audience.”

Lukey is excited for the moment to arrive as it took a while to get this project off the ground.

“To be bringing this performance to the Sydney Town Hall is a full circle moment for us,” he said. “I first approached the City of Sydney with the idea in 2010. After six years and several attempts, we’re finally able to share this incredible music and story with a Sydney audience.”

(AMal) Nov 15, 5pm. Sydney Town Hall, 483 George Street, Sydney. $30.

Tickets and info from eventbrite.com.au

Ronny Chieng – You Don’t Know What You’re Talking About Off the back of the announcement that he has joined The Daily Show with Trevor Noah as a regular external correspondent, multi-award winning Malaysian-born Chinese comedian Ronny Chieng returns to Australia for his smash solo show, You Don’t Know What You’re Talking About.

Tackling everyday idiocy and the human inability to say, “I don’t know”; this encore show is one of your last chances to see Chieng in Australia this year as he relocates to the US for his new Comedy Central gig.

Endearing to a tee, Chieng has seen his comedy career skyrocket in the last year. Winner of the Directors’ Choice Award at he 2014 Melbourne International Comedy festival and Best of the Fest Local Award at the 2014 Sydney Comedy

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city hub 12 NOVEMBER 2015

Festival, he was also nominated for the Helpmann Award for Best Comedy Performer for the second year running.

After appearances at Montreal’s invite-only Just for Laughs, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and London’s Soho Theatre, Chieng also released his debut live comedy album, The Ron Way, which garnered an ARIA Award nomination for Best Comedy Release.

Following a sold out show at The Concourse late last month, you can try your luck with his Enmore Theatre Show, which had to be rescheduled from September after his successful Daily Show audition. (ES) Nov 19. Enmore Theatre, 118-132 Enmore Rd, Newtown. $35. Tickets & info: enmoretheatre.com.au or (02) 9550 3666.

1o STAGE 12 SCENE 13 SCREEN 14 Sounds

Arts Editors: Jamie Apps - Alannah Maher For more A&E stories go to www.altmedia.net.au and don’t forget to join the conversation on Twitter at @AltMediaSydney

Contributors: Brendan Modini, Carmen Cita, Craig Coventry, Greg Webster, Hannah Chapman, Alicia Sim, Nyssa Booth, Lauren Edwards, Peter Urquhart, James Harkness, Lauren Bell, Leann Richards, Lisa Seltzer, Mark Morellini, Matthew Bernard, Mel Somerville, Michael Muir, Olga Azar, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Sarah Pritchard, Sinead McLaughlin, Siri Williams, Athina Mallis, Leigh Livingstone, Joseph Rana, Jemma Clarke, Jacqui Rothwell, Anvi Sharma, Emily Shen, Silvia Cheung.

Double Bill at Brave New World Theatre

Rounding out Sydney’s newly asserted ‘theatre district’ in the midst of Kings Cross, KX Theatre throws open its doors with debut production, Roadkill Confidential. Provocative theatre creators Lies, Lies and Propaganda present this black comedy along with the in-house bAKEHOUSE Theatre Co. Trevor’s new artwork is about to be unveiled, and the bodies are piling up.A top government agent won’t rest until she takes him down… Like any good horror, Roadkill Confidential takes one of society’s greatest fears and puts it under the microscope, tackling the fear that surrounds art and artists.

Roadkill Confidential at KX Theatre Brave New World have done something a little different with their most recent production; instead of one new script to showcase, they have two. Both scripts––Last Drinks and Two Mouths, Four Hands–– have been written by local Sydney talent Jordan Shea and Nicole Dimitriadis respectively.They will be performed on the same night, back to back.

Last Drinks is about three men, Daniel, Chris and Matt and their pub, The Avalon. The pub isn’t making any money, and suddenly things start to happen for the guys––they all have individual problems, but the Avalon stands in the way.

Two Mouths, Four Hands revolves around two very

close flatmates who share every personal story between the two of them. However, there are a couple of stories that have yet to be discussed. He has boyfriend issues, and she is not as carefree as she thought she was––together they tackle these problems.

Both plays will be performed on the last two weekends of November at the Exchange Hotel Balmain.

You can also opt for a dinner and drinks package when you watch the show. (AMal) Nov 17–19, 24–26. 7pm. Exchange Hotel Balmain, 94 Beattie St, Balmain. $15-$20.

Tickets & info: bnwtheatre.com.au

“I think in Australian society we tend to be suspicious of anyone who is willing to express strongly held beliefs or values, and that makes artists suspicious,” said Michael Dean, who directs this play.

The production has been developed in a unique atmosphere, with the theatre being “slowly created around them” as the play was developed. Located on the second floor of the Kings Cross Hotel; Lies, Lies & Propaganda recognised the potential of the space immediately, and have sought to “show off the place” with their staging. “A theatre is a bit like a house…it doesn’t have to have all the bells and whistles, it just has to have character,” elaborated Michael.

Dean was also eager to work with bAKEHOUSE Theatre: “I’m really excited

for the people they’ll be getting in next year. They’re interested in young artists and emerging artists but also diverse artists, international stories… I think Sydney needs a venue that is pushing those kinds of things…”

Roadkill Confidential will certainly launch the new venue with a bang. “The way that Callaghan uses language is fascinating, it’s aggressive and fun, it demands a certain heightened physicality from the actors…” said Michael.

Michael encourages people attending to “bring one person who is deeply suspicious of theatre”. (AM) Nov 11–28 (Wed-Sat 8pm, Sun 5pm).

Kings Cross Theatre, Level 2, 244-248 William St, Potts Point. $20-$30.

Tickets & info: liesliesandpropaganda.com

Rockdale Opera Company presents T he M arr i a g e of F i g aro Director Paulo Montoya and Conductor Steven Stanke, alongside some of Australia’s’ best up and coming opera singers, will bring to life Mozart’s hilariously chaotic opera The Marriage of Figaro at Rockdale Town Hall.

The talented David Macy will be playing Figaro and the brilliant Phoebe-Celeste Humphreys will play Suzanna. Do not miss the chance to see these two amazing performers, who will no doubt knock your socks off! The luminous cast includes Kirsten Jones as the Countess, Bernice Zandona as Barbarina, Blake Parham as Don Basillo, Ian Fisher as Bartolo, and Megan Chalmers as Marcellina.

Mozart composed The Marriage of Figaro following the plot of his previous opera,The Barber of Seville.This is an intense and comic story set on one hilarious day in the palace of Count Almaviva. Figaro and

THEATRE & PERFORMANCE GOOD WORKS An emotional and exquisitely told Australian story by acclaimed playwright, Nick Enright. Good Works follows the pasts and presents of two boyhood friends, and travels between several decades and generations in order to explore the family histories that have helped to shaped them as men. It presents a moving story that deals with timeless issues.The play will offer the audience a complex ride, with an underlying emotional through-line, giving an insight of what it’s like to be different while growing up in a small country town. (NB) Until Nov 29. Eternity Playhouse, 39 Burton Street, Darlinghurst. $38-$45. Tickets & info: darlinghursttheatre.com

A GIRL WITH SUN IN HER EYES This play offers insight from the rare perspective of a woman who chases down violence, and the psychological repercussions of being faced with it every day. Lucy, an undercover cop, poses as a prostitute in an attempt to get a very terrible male off the streets.This play leaves you wondering how far you would go to protect what you have and love; and how much of yourself would you give up in order to fight for a cause you believe in. (MS) Until Nov 14 (Tues-Sat 9pm, Sun 6:30pm). Old Fitzroy Theatre, 129 Dowling Street (Corner Cathedral Street), Woolloomooloo. $25-$28.

Tickets & info: oldfitztheatre.com/ girl-with-the-sun-in-her-eyes

Suzanna are faced with immense challenges during this day of folly, however love’s persistence conquers all in the end.

It is important to note that Rockdale Opera Company is not just any opera group. They were founded in 1948 under the conductorship of the great Cedric Ashton M.B.E. In 2008 The Company celebrated its 60th Anniversary by staging a production of its inaugural Opera, Faust.

Rockdale Opera Company supports the development of ‘up and coming’ vocalists, giving them a platform to perform alongside some of Australia’s most established performers. (PU) Last shows: Nov 14 & 15. Rockdale Town Hall, Crn Princes Hwy and Bryant St, Rockdale. $25-$45.

Tickets & info: rockdaleopera.com.au or (02) 4730 6932.

VELVET An electrifying boogie wonderland of glitter and glamour, an amalgamation of variety and concert forms set to a pumping disco soundtrack.

It also charts a young man’s (Brendan Maclean) journey of self-discovery as he is guided through the evening by a fairy godmother like figure (Marcia Hines).

“Velvet is a nightclub, but it’s a state of mind, it’s a fantasy”- director Craig Ilott has assembled a handpicked cast of ten including “an astonishing bunch of Australian singers and performers” accompanied by astounding international circus and variety acts.With an extended season just announced, this is an unmissable experience. (AM) Until Nov 22. Studio, Sydney Opera House. $35-$89.

Tickets & info: sydneyoperahouse. com or velvettheshow.com

MY ZINC BED Sam O’Sullivan plays Paul Peplow, a recovering alcoholic, poet and freelance journalist. Paul gets taken under the wing of Victor Quinn (Sean Taylor), a self-made software mogul.Victor challenges the nature of Paul’s addiction. Paul gets introduced to Victor’s wife Elsa (Danielle Carter), who is also a recovering addict––they inevitably form a connection that quickly becomes inappropriate. “Dramaromance-comedy is the genre…

People will have… a good time seeing how we deal with the situations we get ourselves into,” said O’Sullivan.

(MS) Until Nov 22. Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall Street, Kirribilli. $55-$69. Tickets & info: ensemble.com.au or 9929 0644

CATS A teeming, oversized junkyard spills out of the stage as the musical returns to Sydney with an all-Australian cast for its 2015 revival. CATS can be enjoyed on three levels–for the spectacle, the form (the dizzying competency of the performers), and the story. The relentless singing (although flawless) may make it difficult for some to comprehend what is happening, but just settle in and enjoy all the various sub-plots about the many and varied Jellice cats. New and old audiences should be impressed.

(AM) Until Nov 29. Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell Street, Haymarket.

From $74.90.

Tickets & info: ticketmaster.com. au or catsthemusical.com/australia

STC’s THE WHARF REVUE Celebrating 15 years and 21 shows of irreverent political satire, the Sydney Theatre Company is putting on a special birthday edition of The Wharf Revue.

Offering a mix of new sketches alongside the most beloved highlights of previous productions, this year’s show features all three original creators: Jonathan Biggins, Phillip Scott and Drew Forsythe, with Amanda Bishop.The show displays an immense demonstration of satiric versatility and has outlasted the last few Prime Ministers, challenging the performers to swiftly adapt their shows to reflect the tumultuous events of Australian politics. (ES) Until Dec 19.Wharf 1, Sydney Theatre Company, Pier 4/5 Hickson Rd,Walsh Bay. $48-$65.

Tickets & info: sydneytheatre.com.au or (02) 9250 1777 city hub 12 NOVEMBER 2015

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THE NAKED CITY

THE MEDIUM IS THE MASSAGE With Coffin Ed, Jay Katz and Miss Death It’s hard to walk through the streets of the Sydney CBD these days without having a flyer, advertising “Thai Oil Massage - $49”, thrust into your reluctant hand. Likewise, young men and women decked out in sandwich boards or holding placards congregate on numerous street corners, hawking a similar service. The ‘massage’ biz is obviously booming.

Not only is it booming, it’s obviously extremely competitive, given the enthusiasm and at times ferocity of some of the flyer distributors. We would prefer to think that it’s all essentially therapeutic–– without the kind of “add-ons” offered by other higher priced services, a.k.a. the bona fide knock shops. But hey, that’s something that only those who frequent these exotic lubritoriums can reveal.

We’d be interested to know just what the City of Sydney Council thinks of the proliferation of these premises, given that they not only operate from private apartments but in run of the mill office buildings as well. Cast your eyes upwards as you stroll down George Street towards Broadway and you’ll soon spot their seductive signs flashing brightly from numerous windows. Like the so called ‘convenience stores’ which spread like a rash during the 90s, the massage biz is eating up the real estate.

Amongst the many signs that flicker provocatively

from building windows, we recently noticed one which flashed “Hong Kong Massage”. How this style of therapy differs from the traditional Thai variety, we aren’t too sure, but our imagination leads us to suggest an interesting innovation. How about the “King Kong Massage”, where a man or woman (you will never know) comes out in a gorilla suit and gives you the kind of vigorous primate to primate rubdown that even Dian Fossey could not imagine.

Totally above board of course, with the happy ending derived purely from your more spiritual interaction with an evolutionary species. Warning–– this kind of massage is unlikely to appeal to creationists.

So here’s the rub––pardon the expression. If the numerous CBD massage services are to survive they definitely need to innovate. There’s definitely an opening for the more colourfully costumed masseuse, whether it’s a monkey suit, a character out of Star Wars or something more Disneyesque, like Goofy or Minnie Mouse. And as for the oil itself, who’s to know whether you are being lubricated with the finest premium massage oil or something that would usually kick off a stir fry. The “Gourmet Thai Massage” would offer patrons the choice of everything from Nutella to Dencorub when it comes to soothing those aching muscles and joints.

Imagine the sensory experience of having a whole tin of Teriyaki Spam manipulated gently through your toes, with the leftovers presented in a complimentary jaffle.

The possibilities are endless, and whilst we are not encouraging the plague-like spread of the “Thai Oil Massage” we do admire their enterprise. Where is that big girl or guy in the gorilla suit?

Artist in Wonderland

BerzerkaCon A new tabletop gaming and art convention is coming to Sydney this month. Founded by Hannah Smith, BerzerkaCon offers a wide variety of tabletop and role playing games, as well as art displays, miniature workshops and a fancy dress competition.

“The main games played will be roleplaying games, which are a type of tabletop game where players create fictional characters and work together to create a story,” explained Smith.

BerzerkaCon is not only for sci-fi and fantasy fanatics, as there are several opportunities for people of all ages to learn and enjoy tabletop gaming. The convention welcomes newcomers with friendly ‘Game Masters’ and volunteers,

THE ART OF SHAKESPEARE The Bell Shakespeare Company presents this exhibition to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Featuring renowned Australian visual artists such as Ken Done and Wendy Sharpe, it showcases fourteen artworks inspired by a line, speech, character or play from Shakespeare. Inspired by Bell Shakespeare’s Mind’s Eye arm, 12

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who are there to encourage first-timers to give these games a go.

For Hannah, tabletop gaming has encouraged her to become more confident and allowed her to express her creativity through the characters she plays.

“I love how I can so easily forget my shyness and become excited and heavily involved in whatever is going on in the game,” she elaborated.

BerzerkaCon will also include art workshops, raffles and face painting––appealing to guests of all ages. (NB) Nov 14–15. Balmain Town Hall, 366 Darling St, Balmain. Free Entry.

More info: bezerka.com

which uses the works of Shakespeare as an artistic starting point for all disciplines, the exhibition is a showcase for both Australian visual art and how Shakespeare has culturally resonated with audiences for 400 years. (ES) Until Nov 15. Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point. Free.

Info: bellshakespeare.com.au

UNDERNEATH THE FIG TREE Local experimental artist Michelle Genders brings to us her latest solo multi-media art exhibition; an explorative and imaginative take on a metaphysical fig tree in the Marrickville local government area.

The interesting (and from first glimpses, visually appealing) exhibition is about Michelle’s experiences through this space, and

Artist Sheo White’s latest work, ‘Artist in Wonderland’ at Alpha Gallery Newtown, is a mix of vibrant colours and even though immensely abstract, has a sense of belonging to a natural environment, with a humane essence to it.

At first look, the words ‘ethnic’ and ‘colour’ spring to mind when observing Sheo’s art. It’s different, to begin with, and the preview art pieces impress all along.

In the artist’s words: “Creativity is the art of creation. Creation is the action of creativity.” As complex as the statement is, so is his art.

Artist in Wonderland is more about dealing with the natural; interpreted by a visually sparkling display of numerous tones and shades. It’s also about connecting the dots, linking the macro with the micro.

“Celebrating individual freedom of choice...of creativity, as brush connects with canvas, as people connect with community,” explained Sheo.

Working with a variety of mediums—oil and acrylic canvases, mixed media paper works—this exhibition is a true testament to the talent of his 45 year artistic journey.

Working beautifully with the use of shapes, the works have an intricate but dilemmatic quality to them.They seem to be presenting a dichotomy of sorts, an unrest yet harmony between human and she takes us through her own journey of memories associated with this metaphysical fig tree and what it symbolises in her life. The preview art piece seems almost to read as if a grid of human life is spread across a green canvas of nature. (JR) Until Nov 15, Thurs to Sun, 11am to 4pm. Chrissie Cotter Gallery, Pidcock Street,

nature.Venture out to be amazed and awed. (JR) [Also an accomplished musician, Sheo will be performing live music at the Opening Night––Nov 12, 6-9pm.]

November 12–20 (Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm.

Sun, 10am-2pm). Alpha Gallery, 226 Union St, Newtown.

Camperdown. Info: marrickville. nsw.gov.au/chrissiecottergallery/ ALASKA PROJECTS FUNDRAISER AUCTION The city’s most unique non-profit exhibition venue, situated in the middle of the Kings Cross carpark, is seeking crucial funds to support its multidisciplinary 2016 program in the form of it’s first ever fundraising

auction. A great way to acquire work by some of Australia’s most exciting indie artists and to support the contemporary art community at the same time. Artworks have been generously donated by cutting-edge artists. (AM) Nov 18, 6-9pm. Level 2, Kings Cross Car Park, 9A Elizabeth Bay Road, Elizabeth Bay. Info: alaskaprojects.com

5 to 7 FREEHELD

5 to 7, a new movie starring Bérénice Marlohe (best known for her work in Skyfall) and Anton Yelchin (Star Trek), is a sappy and at times sweet story of a diplomat’s wife and her lover.

Brian Blum (Yelchin) is a young unemployed writer, who has never had a story published yet still seems to live an easy life in New York City. He meets a gorgeous diplomat’s wife and starts an affair. Arielle (Marlohe), is a French woman and mother of two that

can only see Brian between the hours of 5pm and 7pm, hence the title.

Whilst trying to be whispy and romantic like Breakfast at Tiffany’s, unfortunately Yelchin and Marlohe are unevenly matched. The film is lifted by Glenn Close and Frank Langella who play Brian’s parents, but their time on screen is not enough. Not a bad movie, but not a great one either. (LB) WW

Freeheld is a very society-relevant drama centred around Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore), a New Jersey police detective that learns of her diagnosis with lung cancer, and struggles to have her domestic partner, Stacie (Ellen Page), made beneficiary for her pension.

A true story that had the resources and foundation to be a noble masterpiece, but instead fell into a political speech pageant, aimed at an audience who already concurs. There are strong performances from the leads in the film, but little to propagate an

ongoing connection to the characters soon after their introduction.

It seems to have highlighted the politics (which in itself falls short fairly fast) instead of sending a political message through a tender narrative about two people in an important, pertinent situation. Steve Carrel’s role was superfluous from his unveiling, and he distracted from the tone of the film–– using the excuse of comic relief, in a story where the relief craved, was from justice. (RM) WW

He Named Me Malala He Named Me Malala chronicles the life of Malala Yousafzai, human rights activist and the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

The documentary explores Malala’s life, growing up in the Swat Valley in Pakistan before the Taliban took control, and her home now in Birmingham in the United Kingdom. Malala and her family were forced to flee Pakistan after she was shot by the Taliban.

Featuring interviews with Malala, her family and interspersed with beautiful animations depicting past events, it’s a fascinating insight into how one young girl was able to get the world to stand up for her cause, advocating

NOW ADD HONEY Life falls in further disarray for a dysfunctional family when Honey, a US based popstar, comes to visit down under.This is quintessentially an Australian film which highlights the difficulty in writing a funny script. Some scenes extracted the occasional chuckle, but the laugh-out-loud comedy mandatory for films of this genre, was non-existent. Erik Thomson was wasted in a small role as the cheating husband and the rest of the cast, including Portia De Rossi who played Honey’s mother, could do nothing to salvage this minor train wreck. (MMo) WW MAN UP Nancy (Lake Bell) is a 34-year-old wise-cracking, selfconfessed loser in romance. Fred (Simon Pegg) is a 40-year-old emotional jig-saw and soon-to-be divorcee, on his way to meet his blind date.When fate intervenes and Nancy is mistaken as Fred’s mystery date, an instant connection develops.They’re

the right to education for all women and children.

The relationship between Malala and her father Ziauddin is a central part of the film and it’s very touching to see how Ziauddin has always been her biggest supporter, empowering her from a young age to think for herself.

Upon accepting the Nobel Peace Prize last year, Malala said: “I tell my story, not because it is unique, but because it is not. It is the story of many girls.” This reason alone is worth watching He Named Me Malala, as so often we take the rights of freedom and education for granted. (ASim) WWWW

fun-loving and audiences will enjoy their frolicking, as this likeable couple acquaint themselves through heavy drinking, partying and fast-talking sexual chit-chat.This fast-paced comedy overloaded with cheeky dialogue and silly scenarios leads to a heart-warming but slightly cheesy and predictable finale. (MMo) WWW1/ 2 LEAD ME ASTRAY Troubled protagonist Alexis Willard (Jace Pickard) is a 23-year-old veterinary student whose violent and troubled past comes back to haunt him after he inadvertently kills a gang member whilst defending his girlfriend Lacey (Alannah Robertson) from an assault.

The truth of his past slowly unravels, culminating in a deadly game of cat and mouse in an abandoned prison.

Not your usual indie thriller, the small budget is offset by the meticulous detail and crafting in all aspects of production. Hang in for a spectacular ending twist. (AM)

WWW THE LAST WITCH HUNTER Vin Diesel stars as Kaulder, an 800-year-old witch hunter cursed with immortality, currently fighting modern-day black magic in New York City.When Kaulder’s priestly advisor retires (Sir Michael Caine), and a dark witch queen threatens to return, things get action-packed. Full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing, with athletic action scenes complemented by truly touching human moments. An easy-to-watch film whose horror scenes mercifully won’t keep you up at night. (LS) WWWW THE DRESSMAKER Based on the novel by Rosalie Ham, this is an outback drama about revenge with dark comedic undertones. Fashionable femme fatale and dressmaker, Myrtle ‘Tilly’ Dunnage (Kate Winslet), returns to her dusty country home of Dungatar to take care of her unstable

mother (Judy Davis) and confront the demons of her past.The black hole of a town is full of morally bankrupt souls, and as the colourful Tilly transforms the loathsome people with sartorial skill, her story begins to unravel, leading to a satisfyingly deranged and over-the-top ending.

(LL) WWW SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE Our story begins with a conventional meet-cute: Lainey (Alison Brie) is hammering on the door of college guy Matthew (Adam Scott), yelling about losing their virginities. She’s about to get kicked out of the dorm when she’s saved by Jake (Jason Sudeikis), who invites her into his room. Hours of conversation later they realise they’ve got amazing chemistry––too bad Lainey bolts the next day without so much as a goodbye note.They don’t cross paths again until 12 years later––at a sex addiction meeting, ironically––and

they’re very different people. (SC) WWW BRIDGE OF SPIES Tom Hanks plays attorney James Donovan, an insurance lawyer who is thrust into the middle of the Cold War when he’s asked to defend a captured Soviet spy known as Colonel Abel (Mark Rylance).When an American pilot is shot down over enemy territory, Donovan is sent to Europe to negotiate Abel’s exchange for the captured pilot. Steven Spielberg has a natural affinity with retelling historical events, and Bridge of Spies delivers a strong narrative with solid performances from a top cast. (LL) WWWW ALEX & EVE Aussies take the backseat in this enchanting Australian romantic comedy which centers on a forbidden inter-racial relationship. Alex (Richard Brancatisano) is a maths teacher who meets Eve (Andrea Demetriades), a prominent lawyer.

Their relationship is doomed from the moment they meet, as Alex is Greek Orthodox and Eve is a Muslim Lebanese. Based on the hit play by Alex Lykos, this is not an original concept, but it is hysterically funny and a delight to watch. (MMo) WWW1/ 2 ONLY THE DEAD Australian journalist Michael Ware was on assignment for seven years in the Middle East, reporting on the American war against terrorism.Ten years on he has produced this extraordinary documentary which will shock and arrest audiences.

Detailing the origins of Islamic State, this film touches on the shattered lives of civilians and how American soldiers have been desensitized and depersonalized by the extremities of war. Provocative, insightful and seemingly uncensored, this is not a film to be enjoyed, but one which must be seen. (MMo) WWW1/ 2 city hub 12 NOVEMBER 2015

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Sydney Live Music Guide LIVE WIRE

By Jamie Apps Mid Ayr: This dreamy pop rock trio from Brisbane (where they have built a reputation as an intense and emotionally charged live show) come to Sydney tonight.

Initially created as a simple side project to release Hugh Middleton’s creative energy, they have quickly grown into a formidable musical force in their own right.

Thu, Nov 12, Newtown Social Club

Sat, Nov 14, Vic On The Park At First Sight: Bringing together some of the most exciting acts from across the country––such as Nicholas Allbrook, Palms and Rolling Blackouts––this boutique music festival and record fair is for anyone who will buys vinyl and loves live music.

Sat, Nov 14, Carriageworks

L-Fresh The Lion: Known for his powerful presence, inspiring live performance and thought-provoking lyricism, this Western Sydney artist has grown from the underground hip-hop scene to large national tours and festivals.

Taking inspiration from late-90s and early 2000s high-hop, but also injecting influences from his Sikh and Punjab roots, this is a truly unique artist.

Fri, Nov 13, Goodgod Small Club

King Social: The three time Triple J Unearthed chart toppers are bringing their acclaimed Big Man Tour to the east coast this weekend. The five-piece outfit have quickly gained traction with their sound that transcends genres from country to indie.

Sun, Nov 15, Newtown Social Club

AKA Baz: After two years in the making, AKA Baz are finally releasing their second album with a launch show tomorrow evening. Featuring some of Sydney’s best singer/songwriters, who have all had a hand in co-writing the album, this truly encompasses the Sydney music scene.

Fri, Nov 13, Red Rattler

Image attribution: Still from AFTRS student film Over the Hills. Photo by Jack Atherton

Jackson Firebird: Having just released their second studio album packed full of stoner-garage-blues, the Mildura duo are now hitting the road and bringing their infectious energy to Sydney. Cultivating their distinctive live show and sound over nine years, the pair certainly know how to liven up any Saturday night.

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FCxMCA: Record label Future Classic and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia combine forces starting this weekend for a run of monthly Sunday sessions on the MCA Sculpture Terrace. Kicking things off with Kenton Slash Demon and Harvey Sutherland for the first edition of the summer.

Sun, Nov 15, MCA Sculpture Terrace Sydney Chamber Opera – Index of Metals: The widely anticipated and thrilling work by cult composer Fausto Romitelli (who describes the work as an “electric poem”) starts its run Monday.Taking inspiration from everything from rave parties to ancient initial rights, this is certainly an ambitious but wonderful work.

Mon-Thu, Nov 16-19, Carriageworks

Suzannah Espie

BY JAMIE APPS “It’s sort of a confessional covering a particular point in my life,” said Suzannah Espie when describing her newest LP, Mothers Not Feeling Herself Today.

After becoming a mother four years ago, the alt-country pop starlet began to struggle with navigating the emotional rift she felt between life as a new mother and as an artist.Whilst never officially diagnosed with postnatal depression, Espie has described her struggle with feelings of guilt, fear and failure:“I realised that every day of my life was a fight with my darkest thoughts. I couldn’t go out into the world without feeling people were seeing me as a failure as a mother.”

During this period of her life, Espie eventually began to have some clarity

Cat Thompson – Walk Away

As I matured I was able to ‘Walk Away’ from pop music, that was until Cat Thompson got her hooks into me with her new single.

This single immediately had me flashing back to my early teen years with it’s R&B and hip-hop influenced pop sound. Lyrically, the single is rather simplistic, but when combined with a very well produced hip-hop beat, it is extremely easy to get caught in the groove of the song––it works very well.

Walk Away is certainly built to dance to, and could very well be a radio darling with more exposure. (JA) WWW

and says she “decided to write about it almost before I talked about it”.

Some would say this method is strange, but she says she simply felt “compelled to do it”.

Since Espie was writing the album while she was coming to terms with everything, she says it wasn’t particularly difficult to explore the emotions more deeply.“I wasn’t looking back on something that happened a long time ago.The hardest part was staying on track and not thinking about how it would be perceived, I felt strongly about writing certain things but worried about how it would come across,” she explained.

“I decided before I’d even written the songs that I wanted an emotional roller coaster ride coming across musically, with some of the songs being quite sparse and stripped back and other ones to have lush string arrangements,” said Espie. In order to achieve this and complement the lyrical content of the record, Espie invited her friend and fellow singer/ songwriter Georgia Fields to create string arrangements for four of the tracks.

Since releasing the record, Espie has been both surprised and humbled by the responses she has received from other mothers who have gone through similar experiences in their life.“I had people come up to me at shows or send me messages telling me that I’ve put into words things that they’ve never been able or willing to admit to,” said Suzannah.“I really did think that I was alone in it, but it seems that’s not the case at all.” (JA) Nov 12. Django Bar, 19 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville. $22.70+b.f.

Tickets & Info: camelotlounge.com/django-bar/

Lo Carmen – Everyone You Ever Knew (Is Coming Back To Haunt You)

Airy and whimsical, Lo Carmen sings to the music. Her playful sound gives her album a magical counterbalance to the repetitive and sometimes resigned rhythm that provides the background.

She speaks conversationally, accenting seemingly at random with a delightful effect resulting. It is insistent but not demanding.

Several steps ahead of the listener, she dances vocally––moving this way and then not all before taking a few more steps ahead, independent and yet respondent to the consistent drums and often despondent guitar.

Carmen is lovely to listen to, giving the impression of minimal polishing, instead performing the songs just as they are. Spontaneous and individual, the combination of sounds intrigues and interests.

Ethereal and magical, childish and haunting, Everyone You Ever Knew (Is Coming Back To Haunt You) gives life to stories that may not otherwise exist. (SP) WWW

Places limited. Entry on merit.

aftrs.edu.au/specialise

city hub 12 NOVEMBER 2015

Kings Court Massage Phone: 02 9660 0666 Kings Court Massage where the first time customer meets the first time massage girl!

At Kings Court you can sit down on one of our luxurious leather lounges, have coffee and enjoy a friendly chat or a game of pool with the beautiful massage ladies. One of our approachable managers will help you choose a pretty girl for your massage.

OPEN 7 days, 9am - 1am weekdays 24 hours on weekends expect a $20 cover charge after 9pm each evening We’re on Broadway – to find us enter 18 Grose Street Glebe into your GPS and park securely in the Broadway Shopping Centre.

A taxi from the CBD to our front door should be about $15.

If you get up early you can take advantage of our Early Bird Discount of 20% OFF 9AM-NOON every day. Check out our website for news, special offers and useful information for your first time www.kingscourt.com.au or call and speak to one of the managers: 02 9660 0666.

Kings Court is the only place of its kind to have 22 massage rooms and 11 spas. We don’t do full service, but ask one of our helpful managers about Kings Confidential if that’s what you’re looking for.

We’re hiring Kings Court is the best place to learn adult massage. You can work part time or casual, and suit your hours around studying or caring for children. When you start with us one of our experienced girls will show you around and teach you massage. All the girls here are nice, girl-next-door types and everyone gets along really well – plus we have the sweetest clients because we expect them to be on their best behaviour! To find us enter 18 Grose Street Glebe into your GPS and park securely in the Broadway Shopping Centre. If you start working with us we have free staff parking available. Call us on 02 9660 0666 if you’re interested, or check out our website www.kingscourt.com.au

www.facebook.com/KingsBigJohn

Twitter: @kingscourtlive

Have an Affair Responsibly kingscourt.com.au 02 9660 0666 city hub 12 NOVEMBER 2015

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NEW THEATRE NEWTHEATRE.ORG.AU “You will love every minute of it”-The Australian

DINKUM ASSORTED

BOOK, LYRICS & MUSIC BY LINDA ARONSON 17 NOVEMBER – 19 DECEMBER 2015