City Hub 27 July 2017

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city hub 27 JULY 2017

Local creatives pushed out the back

BY DYLAN CRISMALE Local businesses are taking it upon themselves to fill vacant shopfronts on Oxford Street, as the City of Sydney continues to allow the streetscape to decline.

It has been reported that short-term tenants of 66 Oxford Street recently vacated the building impacting the profit of nearby café Greenhouse Coffee.

Darlinghurst Business Partnership (DBP) chairperson Stephan Gyory said: “They’ve just left all the spaces empty, I believe the ACP [Australian Centre for Photography] are still in there and then there’s a little café next door and then it’s pretty much empty both sides until Crown Street, which is disappointing…there’s a couple of other empty shops on the street but I’ve noticed a few of those are filling in. Past Taylor Square it’s a bit grim. The whole stretch is a bit of a dead zone unfortunately.”

A City of Sydney spokesperson said: “There are currently 13 tenants occupying space within this property [66 Oxford Street].”

The spokesperson explained that the City “runs a short-term empty properties program that is designed to provide creative tenants with affordable space for a limited period of time in between longerterm commercial leases or while properties are awaiting capital works or new tenants.”

However, City Hub understands based on the building’s directory that this would mean up to eight spaces at 66 Oxford Street remain empty, a third of the overall spaces.

The spokesperson said: “The City is in the process of confirming commercial tenants for a variety of Oxford Street properties.”

The DBP has partnered with local tech start-up DeepLine. Together DBP and DeepLine want to fill the mass of vacant shops along Oxford St by learning what locals and visitors want in order to invigorate the world-famous strip.

Mr Gyory said “Our council has an economic development strategy, but at the moment that seems geared towards tech start-ups and not really the brick and mortar retail, which form the basis of the interactions in the city. That’s where you meet people down on the footpath. American-Canadian

A new display at Foley Street Credit: Supplied

journalist, author, and activist Jane Jacobs (best known for her influence on urban studies, sociology, and economics) called this ‘social capital’, and the city is not investing in that at all unfortunately.”

“We are operating under one of their grants and they do invest more than any other council. But I believe the model is flawed and they’re not investing nearly enough if you consider that business rates net them $200 million a year,” he added.

Over the years the Council has been the subject of much criticism for failing to fill the streets shopfronts. In 2014 the Sydney Morning Herald reported that “89 store or restaurant fronts, from Oxford Street’s beginning to end, are closed, empty, for lease or closing soon.”

In a statement Cr. Christine Forster said: “It’s great that the DBP is being pro-active about engaging with the local community to see what’s needed to revive Oxford Street, because the Lord Mayor’s strategy has clearly failed. Millions of dollars have been spent upgrading Foley Street, and

yet it is still a ghost town and still shop after shop stands empty on Oxford Street.”

“The Lord Mayor has refused to consider many ideas that have been put forward over recent years, but hopefully she will finally listen when the people have their say this time.”

Christian Olea, is the owner of Spunky Bruiser, one of the businesses picked by the City of Sydney’s Creative Spaces program to fill Foley Street. He said “[On Oxford Street] at the moment it’s not very busy, it’s not what it used to be, who knows why? There are so many factors - lockouts, prices on shops increasing, traffic with the bus lanes which stop people from parking on the street,” he said.

The City of Sydney is reported to have spent around $3 million paving Foley Street in September, last year but the laneway sat empty for several months before the Creative Spaces tenants moved in.

Council moved Spunky Bruiser and four other tenants onto Foley Street three months ago. Mr Olea

is hoping the DBP and DeepLine initiative will attract more businesses (and shoppers) to the area.

Mr Olea said: “The fact is that things take too long. What’s happening in Foley Street- I don’t think there’s anything like it anywhere else in Sydney. This creative strip in the city, we’d love more of it and there’s lots of different things for council to think about.”

“Being able to be there with other creatives, everybody helps each other compared to before that when I was by myself… it just feels more secure now.”

Mr Gyory said the Council’s adherence to timeframes was lacklustre.

“The plan was always to relocate them to Foley Street, it’s just that it took the council 8 years to do Foley Street,” he said.

The council is the largest stakeholder in Oxford Street and owns most of the property on the north side between Hyde Park and Taylor Square.

Since opening in 2005 the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre has been blamed by Oxford Street businesses for the consistent downturn in trade. Only four months after the centre first opened, retailers in Oxford Street noticed a 30% drop in trade with the trend continuing over the past decade.

Mr Gyory said “For all they’re [Council] saying about the lockouts they’re not really doing very much about them, they don’t manage their villages, they have no sense of management or sense of strategy like Westfield, which has a centre management team - they do all sorts of things to ensure their shops are full.

“They’ve got the right business mix, they ensure that customers are going past people’s doors, unlike here on Oxford Street where we’ve seen foot traffic drop at least 25% since the lockouts.”

The DBP and DeepLine have installed a pilot display screen on Oxford Street adjacent to local clothing designer Spunky Bruiser, which asks the local community and visitors in Darlinghurst to use the DBP social media channels accompanied by the hashtag #IWishThisWas to help identify what is needed to curb the shop vacancies in the area.

Following the launch of the pilot display the DBP is hoping to install more screens along Oxford Street should the initial campaign prove successful.

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BY ALEX EUGENE Last week’s media announcement that the Powerhouse Museum would stay at its Ultimo site was met with more trepidation than celebration by community members.

Information that the museum would no longer be relocated to Parramatta, was prematurely leaked from a Ministers’ cabinet meeting. A source alleged that the leak had been deliberate to “test” the public response -- and that’s because it had been so negative, Ministers are said to have pushed back the meeting while they reconsider their options.

A spokesperson for the Minister of the Arts, Don Harwin, told City Hub that “Nothing has changed from the Government announcement in April.”

But Dr Lindsay Sharp, the founding director of the Powerhouse Museum, said in his opinion the leaked information most likely did resemble what would be brought to Cabinet in coming weeks.

“I am told that the Party Room will be asked to vote on Government’s enforced acquisition of the DJ’s Car Park site for a new museum in Parramatta,” he said.

The government’s preferred site for the new museum in Parramatta is an old David Jones carpark. Experts say the site is dangerously prone to flooding –- making it a disastrous choice for a building expected to house rare and irreplaceable historic artefacts.

Dr Sharp said the relocation would waste tens of millions of dollars, making the plan “a total waste of political capital and actual funds desperately needed by museums elsewhere throughout NSW,” he said.

The relocation could also require the demolition of several important heritage buildings in Parramatta, much to the lament of locals.

“It will require very expensive and highly risk-prone remediation - reducing the new museum budget even more and endangering irreplaceable collections,” Dr Sharp said.

Dr Sharp said he was also concerned that the promise of keeping the Ultimo museum site as a “cultural facility” was far too vague, and at worst, could mean anything from an art gallery to a kid’s playground.

Kylie Winkworth, a heritage consultant and spokesperson for the Powerhouse Museum Alliance, said: “The concern with recent leaks on the government’s thinking is that it would seem they are still

The Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo is not confirmed to be safe yet.

Credit: Save the Powerhouse group

considering funding a new Parramatta museum by selling parts of the Powerhouse Museum site. This is not on.”

Ms Winkworth said the museum had always been a public asset and the government did not have any right to sell it off in order to fund its other projects. A museum for Parramatta should be a separate project made in consultation with locals in the area, and should not infringe in any way on the Ultimo Powerhouse site’s future, she said.

Patricia Johnson from the Save the Powerhouse group was similarly suspicious about the leaked information.

“We believe [the announcement] should not be interpreted too optimistically,” she said.

She was also sceptical about the government’s sincerity in consulting the public, given that they had ignored “over 1000 public objections and 20 speeches in opposition” to high rise development plans recently approved by the Government-appointed Parramatta Council Administrator, for the heritage-rich Cumberland Hospital, according to Ms Johnson. city hub 27 JULY 2017

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Bondi sleeps out

BY MEL SOMERVILLE 180 people from the real estate industry camped on Bondi Beach on Monday night, taking part in the Real Estate Sleep Out to fundraise for homeless young people.

By the time they put their heads down on the pillow, the group had raised $250,000.00, with celebrity Auctioneer Damien Cooley from Cooley Auctions leading the challenge with a whopping $12,278.00.

The event was as much about raising money as it was about raising awareness. All funds raised will go to Youth Off The Streets, giving disadvantaged youth the opportunity to turn their lives around and thrive.

Youth Off The Streets founder and CEO, Father Chris Riley, has high hopes for the future of the event and would like to see it “go national

and become a really big thing, on different beaches, all over Australia,” he said.

Monday night’s temperature was a chilly 8 degrees and sleep was a long way off for Martha Willder and Barbara Marcinkova from Black Diamondz Property Concierge Real Estate Agency.No proper bed, a sleeping bag on piece of cardboard covering the sand, not a heater or electric blanket in sight.

It seemed ironic that the crashing waves of North Bondi were going to prove the biggest challenge of the night in getting to sleep.

Ms Willder was happy to be in such a prestige location, and amongst those who were giving back to an industry that has served them so well.

She said, “It’s giving us a taste of what hundreds of young people go through every night, of what it’s like for someone who is forced to sleep out on the streets.”

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The Bondi sleepout raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for disadvantaged kids last week. Credit: Mel Somerville

Father Chris brought along his Great Dane dogs, making an appearance at 8pm, accompanied with several kids from his Blacktown Outreach Program.

The food van rolled up soon after, providing dinner.

This is a significant fundraiser for the homeless charity, a new venture for Cooley, taking the place of his annual Cooley Golf Classic that folded in 2016 after 10 years, having raised over half a million dollars.

Youth Off The Streets gets very little government funding but keeps adding to their services.

This year they opened two new schools, are about to set up a refugee centre, have a semitrailer that’s going to travel between Aboriginal communities, and have recently put half a million dollars into domestic violence- and that’s all with their own money.

Father Chris has been working with street kids for 40 years, starting as a 21 year old, with his first appointment at Boys Town. For him, being a parish priest was never going to be part of the picture.

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He founded Youth Off the Streets in 1991, offering care to young people aged 12-22 who were homeless, abused, suffering from addiction or in general need of help.

It has grown from a single food van delivering meals to young homeless people on the streets of Kings Cross to a major youth service.

“It’s not uncommon to see kids 4 or 5 years old roaming the streets at midnight trying to escape the violence at home,” he said.

“These kids have been told they don’t belong, that there’s no opportunities for them, they’ll make nothing out of their life. It’s about working together, sharing together, giving kids a pathway, making them feel they belong somewhere,” he said.

Father Chris believes it’s more a matter of feeding them and educating them, giving them homes and if you give them the basic human needs, these kids can be turned around.

“The work I do is more about values than religion,” said Father Chris.

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Sydney’s foodwaste reaching new heights

By Sathsara Radaliyagoda Wastefulness and Sydney have become synonymous, where food waste, in particular, has become an increasingly difficult issue to solve.

According to the NSW government’s ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ report, $1,036 of food is being thrown away yearly by the average Australian in New South Wales in spite of two million people relying on food banks each year, calling for urgent action.

Jenny Leong, the NSW Greens MP for Newtown says that although some residents of Sydney want to see change with Sydney’s growing wastefulness, there is still a long way to go.

“The issue of food waste and waste, in general, is a huge challenge we need address across the community...It’s something that I think there is a lot more we can be doing in the inner city of Sydney and I think that there is real desire for people to see this addressed,” she said.

Ms Leong highlights the importance of sharing community initiatives, either from the council or organisations like foodbank, for Sydney residents to take part in creating an environmentally friendly city.

On the 19th of July, a public meeting, held in Marrickville, had an open discussion which called attention to concerns from Sydney residents about Sydney’s growing food waste.

Cypress Bartlett, an advocate for the end to food waste, attended Wednesday’s meeting and notes that residents of Sydney are unaware of their food waste because of the “disposable” nature of society.

“Residents who waste food, who don’t realise it, would have a disposable income...thus, food waste is not a big issue in their weekly budget,” he said.

Mr Bartlett also believes any waste is a national issue, saying, “Wastefulness in developed nations is horrendous. The average Australian wastes $1000 of food per year.”

According to Food Wise, “Australians discard up to 20% of the food they purchase,” throwing away $8 billion of food every year.

Suji Jadhav, the Acting Program Manager of the Green Living Centre, a resource centre that educates on how to reduce food waste in Australia, thinks Sydney residents are still unaware of the impact of food waste.

“They are not aware because they don’t care. Or they have other things to worry about, or they don’t know how to tackle the issue.

A lot of what we hear is it’s “too hard” or “I’m too busy,” she said.

Ms Jadhav highlights the high production of food waste in Sydney will ultimately lead to waste being transported out of Sydney, contributing to higher greenhouse emissions.

“Between 40 and 50% of a typical household’s red bin is food waste. This food goes to landfill where it breaks down and turns into methane gas and leachate, Sydney...has finite landfill space and we have less than ten years of landfill space left,” she said.

A recent ABC program, “War on Waste” highlights the damage that is caused by waste on the environment, another way Australian citizens are becoming more aware and educated on the negative effect of waste in Australia, and by extension the environment of the planet.

Fiona Nern, a spokesperson for OzHavest, believes educating Australians on the impact of food waste is the solution, saying, “If we find more ways to connect people to the production of food and understand the resources, land, water and energy that goes into it, they will begin to realise the true value of food and may not be so quick to waste it.”

The decision to eliminate single-use plastic bags from the stores by Woolworths and Coles highlights a national change to create an environmentally friendly nation is occurring.

However, Jenny Leong believes government action is critical for significant change to occur, saying, “What is clear is that we actually need government led responses to be able to support and help this, whether that’s through local council, state...or federal government initiatives.”

“We’ve seen with the move around pushing the state government for the ban of plastic bags where they have remained silent on that issue and kept their heads in the sand on it. What we need to see is actual real change so that it’s not just about individual choice, it’s actually about changing the way that we approach these things so that it is not acceptable for us to have this level of waste,” she said.

The latest ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ report conducted by the New South Wales government, “shows 97% of people in NSW practice at least one food avoidance behaviours and that the concern about food waste is on the rise.”

Ms. Nern believes change is possible through education, “The more people that know and care about the issue, the more we can help to eliminate hunger and food waste, as well as save our environment.”

Sydneysiders are wasting record highs of food. Credit: Supplied

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On a crash course: Inner West bus accidents skyrocket as light rail scrapped Bus crashes in the inner west have been rising in recent times.

Credit: Supplied

BY GEORGIA CLARK Commuters in Sydney’s Inner West are drawing the short straw, as the rate of bus crashes in the area skyrocket, while solutions to choked roads and poor public transport infrastructure are scrapped by the state government.

Recent data from State Transit reveals that collisions with buses are occurring at a rate of two crashes per day in Sydney’s Inner West.

Of the total 827 crashes in the past year, 17 resulted in an injury to a customer, employee or member of the public.

According to a spokesperson at State Transit, in the majority of these crashes, a third party was at fault.

“All State Transit bus drivers complete an intensive 2-3 week training program to ensure they have the skills needed to safely operate a heavy vehicle before they are allowed on the road. This is followed by further training throughout a two year traineeship… in addition, State Transit has a program in place to retrain drivers when a need is identified.”

Parramatta Road has been a known crash spot for years – yet, despite the surge in crashes, and the impending WestConnex road widening, which will increase car numbers on the already clogged M4, the NSW Government’s months of light rail planning are set to become nothing more than a broken promise.

The proposed light rail could have potentially reduced traffic congestion, and given dissatisfied bus customers an alternative mode of transport.

But according to a spokesperson for Transport for NSW, only preliminary assessments of the light rail were carried out, which later ruled out the project entirely.

“Only very early assessments of this potential approach were carried out and it has never been considered by Government,” they said.

A spokesperson at the Inner West Council said that a tram system on Parramatta Rd would have significantly eased congestion in the area.

“A game changing public transport such as this is needed to achieve the sort of urban renewal which is proposed for Parramatta Rd,” they said.

Dr Mehreen Faruqi, NSW Greens MP and

Environment spokesperson, said that that the state government’s failure to deliver the light rail on Parramatta Rd could worsen a public transport system already fraught with problems.

“Scrapping the much needed Light Rail Project on Parramatta road in favour of the wasteful WestConnex is yet another reminder of this Government’s obsession with toll roads. This is outdated and dangerous infrastructure which will not solve Sydney’s transport problems.

“Rather than alleviating congestion in the inner west, WestConnex will pump much more traffic on roads which are already struggling to cope,” she said.

As tensions rise amidst revelations that the NSW Government plans to privatise the Inner West bus line, a petition against bus privatisation has received more than 10,000 signatures. According to Dr Faruqi, the privatisation of the bus network would significantly worsen congestion problems.

“This Government is more interested in flogging off public transport to private operators, not solving Sydney’s traffic congestion.

“We know that privately run public transport is a disaster - you see the loss of routes, stops skipped and less services which disproportionately affect vulnerable people who rely on it, like the elderly and the unemployed,” she said.

With hopes that the new light rail could ease traffic congestion now crushed, a once feasible solution to a public transport system fraught with problems is pushed further away.

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Hide and Squeak – Rat Tales Increasing Across City

BY ALEC SMART Loiter behind a city restaurant after sunset and chances are you’ll encounter some of our oldest, and often most feared, companions rummaging for food scraps. Usually reticent and inclined to nocturnal wanderings, lately they’re becoming bolder, frequently seen scrounging in broad daylight.

An increase in rat activity across Sydney’s city and inner suburbs has coincided with an unseasonably warm winter. This follows a summer with some of the highest temperatures since record keeping began in 1858.

“Winter is the most active time of year for rats feeding,” said a City of Sydney Council spokesperson. “Generally, rats will seek out food and water close to the nest or in familiar locations.”

However, opinions are divided on whether the warmth has contributed to a surge in rat numbers, or merely encouraged the existing rodents to be more mobile.

There is plenty of anecdotal evidence from across the CBD and inner city suburbs that rats – the brown imported variety commonly known as the sewer or wharf rat - are swarming through public parks, congregating around restaurants, entering homes, and generally being a nuisance.

Brown rats are prolific breeders and females can produce up to five litters a year with a maximum of 14 babies in each. Females reach sexual maturity at five weeks of age, so an initial breeding pair whose descendants are predominantly female can potentially produce 15,000 offspring in a year.

Originally thought to be the source of the bubonic plague, which killed an estimated 50 million people across Europe, Asia and Africa in the 14th Century (later found to be fleas on black rats), the brown rat is, nevertheless, a transmitter of noxious, often fatal diseases, including Viral Hemorrhagic Fever, Toxoplasmosis, Hantavirus and Weil’s disease.

In a recent City of Sydney Council meeting, Councillor Christine Forster sought an

improvement to the City’s capacity to deal with what she declared was a worsening problem of rat infestations across the CBD. “It is clear from both my own observations and from feedback I’ve had from the community that rats are increasingly a problem in the City,” she said this week.

“That’s why Council, at my request, is reviewing the measures and methods we are using to ensure we are putting enough time, equipment and financial resources into tackling this problem.”

Brown rats live in social groups and dig extensive borrows, although they will rarely stray beyond 20 metres of their nest if regular food sources are available, and they eat almost anything. Within areas densely populated by people they can guarantee a virtually limitless cuisine.

Brown rats are most comfortable in damp environments, such as sewers, basements and old buildings, but major construction works, including the upgrade of the Anzac War Memorial, the cross-city light rail project, numerous renovations and new high-rise developments might have disturbed old nests, provoking them to seek new territory.

The City of Sydney confers: “An unprecedented number of major demolition and construction works – including the Sydney Light Rail, Barangaroo, and developments on Martin Place and George Street – have been occurring throughout the CBD, stirring up rat populations and leading to increased rat movements.”

Jeffrey, a parking attendant near Hyde Park, claims underground car parks are favourite haunts of the wily rodent. “There are hundreds swarming through where I work. Sometimes we have to remove dead rats lying in the laneway behind – big heavy ones. One night, a rat came into my office and bit my toe.”

Peter, who lives behind a row of restaurants on Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, often sees rats congregating around neighborhood refuse bins.

“My dog caught three in my front garden a

Anecdotal evidence is that there is a rat problem in Sydney. Credit: Flickr

month back. The council placed baits in the street, so apparently there are a lot less around, but I still see them,” he said.

The City of Sydney Council uses a variety of measures to keep rats in check.

“Pest management is the responsibility of the pest control officer and 25 environmental health officers,” a spokesperson said.

“The City has a comprehensive pest control program that involves installing and monitoring bait stations in public places. Additional stations are placed in response to community complaints. The City’s parks are cleaned and monitored daily, with all food waste removed and all rat holes backfilled. The City has investigated new methods to track the rats to their burrows and nests, so that baiting and control measures can be more targeted.”

Councillor Christine Forster believes the City Council’s measures fall short.

“Sydney currently has only one staff member dedicated to vermin control. By way of comparison, New York is putting US$32 million into rat control measures, which suggests we just aren’t doing enough.”

However, Expert Pest Control, a pest eradication company that operates Sydney-wide, doubt that rats are on the increase.

“Rodent numbers, from our experience, are relatively standard,” a spokesperson said.

“We have had an increase in job work but not enough to claim a problem exists. Winter is the reason for people seeing more rodent activity; however this is normal as rodents move into warmer harborages during the colder months.”

Yet the rat problem isn’t limited to the inner city. In suburbs surrounding the business district, reports continue that there are significant increases in rat activity throughout areas both affluent and industrial.

“There has been a noticeable increase in brown rats in the area as well as a change in their behaviour,” Elizabeth of Rose Bay said.

“They are braver, brasher, and more visible during daylight hours and they’ve come inside and ransacked fruit bowls.”

“I found a huge one in my back room in Leichardt two days ago,” said Katy.

“I know of a cafe that found rats in their kitchen through health inspectors’ visits,” Maka of Dulwich Hill revealed.

“In the last year it has become ridiculous,” said Amanda of Newtown. “They use an area by my back door as a toilet, and have become so bold that they frolic and play in the garden during the day, making themselves just a bit too much at home.”

Expert Pest Control disagree that rats are increasing outside the CBD. The City of Sydney also disputes that rats are increasing elsewhere.

“Staff will continue to monitor the reported complaints and if there is an increase in complaints over the next 12 months we will again review the strategies to manage and control pest activity in the LGA,” the spokesperson said. *Report rodent concerns to the City’s customer service team on council@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au or (02) 9265 9333.

MEET the locals

Unique retail concepts driving change the creative industry maintain a “face to face” identity, which can be challenging in the age of the internet.

Ms Russo said Hypmotive Hub, for her, was a personal contribution to helping shape the local economy, but also a way to “curate our lives with more meaningful experiences and possessions.”

“The retail landscape is changing and these unique, non-traditional, retail and experience spaces, such as Hypmotive Hub, Makerspace

by Tommy Boutros In the heart of Marrickville, surrounded by a dense collection of creative studios and maker spaces, Hypmotive Hub have just opened their doors to deliver locally designed and made brands direct to the public.

The Hub is part of a unique new retail concepts to drive the growth of Sydney’s cultural scene, and to support the irreplaceable need for human interaction at a time when online shopping seems to be taking over. It also has the aim of supporting the growth of creative workers and local artists.

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“This creative platform has been developed to service local artists, makers and brands, along with the city’s other creative counterparts. It’s a vital platform to help support the growth and sustainability of the creative industries in this city- which is the fastest growing industry sector in New South Wales,” said Renee Russo from Hypmotive Hub. The new space provides a double sided opportunity: it allows creatives the chance to showcase their work and reap the rewards if the public likes it, but at the same time helps

The Hypomotive Hub in Marrickville.

Credit: Supplied

& Co in Marrickville, and the creative spaces on Foley Street in Darlinghurst are part of the collective that are driving change to make Sydney a unique and creatively rich city,” Ms Russo said.

She said that the space was driven by a daily understanding of the local surroundings and the needs of the community.

Hypmotive Hub are now open at155 Marrickville Road, Marrickville. Check them out at www.hypmotive.com, or on Facebook. hypmotive_hub facebook.com

FEATURE

Nightlife’s Stay of Execution

By Rita Bratovich

The screw on Sydney’s night life has been loosened a half turn with a 30 minute extension to lockout time being granted to selected venues in Kings Cross and the CBD. But the reprieve may merely be a stay of execution for businesses and precincts effectively already condemned by the contentious laws.

Lockout restrictions have been imposed only on nightclubs, but they’ve had a shockwave affect on peripheral businesses as well as impacting on the cultural profile of the targeted precincts.

According to Louise Shepherd of the Potts Point Partnership there was an immediate drop in foot traffic in the area as soon as the laws were activated.

Fast food outlets, tobacconists, newsagencies and other small businesses reported significant impact.

“Most of the businesses were affected by an average drop of 40% in revenue,” explains Shepherd.

The business structure of Kings Cross was set up for a late night economy and now both day and night based businesses are struggling.Worse still, because the laws were not universally applied across Sydney there’s an uneven playing field - these businesses simply can’t compete.

Shepherd believes the half hour extension will make little difference “because people’s habits have changed.They used to come to Kings Cross for dinner and then go out, now they just go to Newtown.”

Given the damage already done and unlikelihood of a return to the good ol’ days, businesses in the precinct have accepted the status quo and are rebuilding on a new economic model.

As for the violence that ostensibly led to the lockout laws, Shepherd argues that “the ‘in venue’ violence wasn’t an issue.That was being managed very well.”

Violence on the streets was a problem but could have been mitigated by measures repeatedly proposed, such as 24 hour public transport, stronger police presence, and, of course, an intelligent discussion about the endemic culture of binge drinking and violence.

Many in the area suspect there is an ulterior agenda behind the lockout laws. Kings Cross has been subsumed by residential development and gentrification.

“It’s hard not to see what’s happened in Kings Cross in the last few years,” says Greg Turton, Managing Director of World Bar. He argues that residential development may have been the stronger motivation for the lockout laws.

“The venues - certainly in Kings Cross and a lot of the busier ones in the CBD - have a very good record, you know, incredibly safe places,” says

Jaxon Carr (aka Deckhead).

Photo: Kaytlin Middleton

Turton detailing the legal requirements for security guards, RSA monitors and CCTV. World Bar was one of the first to receive the extension, back in February, but saw little benefit.

“It’s certainly a start, it’s not ideal….until more venues in the area are allowed to trade later I can’t see it having much impact,” says Turton.

Damage has clearly been done. World Bar has seen a 25% reduction in staff. Taxi drivers, food vendors, DJs, musicians and many others have been adversely affected.

And it’s possible the violence problem has not been resolved but simply relocated. Gaming venues were exempted from the start and Turton claims “the assault rate at the Casino almost doubled in the first twelve months after the [lock out laws] came in.”

Turton is also aware of an increase in parties in warehouses, private homes and even vacant houses. These are unsupervised and very dangerous places for young people.

Focusing on the negative, however, won’t help and Turton is investing energy in optimism and renewal.

“I think it’s going to be slow, small, steps, I think that’s what the half hour thing is,” says Turton.

DJ Jaxon Carr used to play sets until dawn at many of the major nightclubs in Sydney. “Now the latest I’ll play to is 3am.”

Carr echoes sentiments expressed above about the shifting cultural landscape in Sydney. While he has managed to pick up work playing in bars

and ‘chilled’ venues, many of his DJ friends have given up or moved away - and he doesn’t believe a half hour concession will make any difference.

“I think that people know when they come to Sydney, they’re not coming to party, they’re coming to see the sights and visit the beach and stuff. Not our night life.”

Carr is dubious about whether violence really was the issue, and, if it was, whether the government has actually addressed the problem.

“I’ve been going out for 11 years. During my whole time of going out I’ve got into one altercation where I got punched and it was by a girl.”

“Sometimes I go to the Casino late to watch sport because I’m a big sports fan and I feel more unsafe in venues like that than at other venues.”

Laura Patterson is a very successful DJ and musician, known more commonly as Sippy. She shares the observations of reduced foot traffic, venue closures and job losses within the industry as a result of lockout laws and sees the result as counter-purpose: “I have noticed I now feel less safe when travelling to and from venues late at night due to the lack of foot traffic as well as lack of police presence.”

It is also damaging Sydney’s image and credibility as a major city: “I am constantly taking around acts that are touring from other countries and our nightlife is almost embarrassing now.”

There are those for whom the lockout laws have been something of a boon. The nocturnal run off from the CBD and Kings Cross has mostly coursed through to Newtown. Turnstile clicks at Newtown Station suggest an increase in visitors in the order of 300%.

Newtown Business Association Coordinator Simon Shaw attributes Newtown’s success in dealing with the sudden influx of visitors in the last few years to a strategic, community based, consultative approach - an imperative to ensure that they “weren’t given the same knee jerk lockout laws that were put in place in the CBD.” Measures included training staff in how to manage premises, recognise intoxication and prevent problems; secure taxi ranks at certain times; a chill out area in Newtown Square provided by Newtown Neighbourhood Centre to occupy and entertain people who have been displaced from venues and can’t get transport home.

Shaw believes the diversity of products and services available in Newtown feeds the possibility of 24 hour retail trading. Ultimately he sees an evolving nocturnal subculture as the future - serviced by a continuous, reliable public transport system.

“Hopefully the Newtown project will help identify what makes a good night time economy and that will be a model for other precincts in Sydney.”

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Neil deGrasse Tyson: A Cosmic Perspective contenders in a re-launched space race; the threat to our own existence through rapid advances in artificial intelligence; and other prophecies of doom.

But rather than pull his audience into a black hole of gloom, Tyson enthrals them with intriguing details, startling humour and an irrepressible optimism that makes you believe everything is going to be okay because he has a plan.

The event is divided into three segments. Tyson will make a presentation on his own, followed by a fire-side chat with a local media identity and finally a Q&A with the audience. Ticket options In the world of science and astrophysics, Neil also include a limited number of “meet and deGrasse Tyson is a superstar (excuse the pun). greet” add-ons which will give holders special His academic brilliance and rigour have earned access after the show, and also an option to him esteem among his peers. His infectious purchase Tyson’s latest book, Astrophysics for passion, congeniality and down to earth sense of People in a Hurry. humour have earned him celebrity status among You don’t need to be a geek or know anything budding astronomers, citizen scientists and those about science, physics or spacey things to enjoy who like hearing how Hollywood gets space a talk by Neil deGrasse Tyson. He makes the travel all wrong. complex simple and fun and the experience Tyson is currently in Australia on a speaking totally out of this world! (RB) tour during which he will discuss topics such as Jul 29, 7pm. International Convention the protocols of interacting with alien life; Centre, 14 Darling Dr, Darling Harbour. religion, politics and science in a “post truth/ $64.75-$369.42.Tickets & Info: alternative facts” world; the rules and www.thinkinc.org.au

A Queensland property developer and a nun from the Daughters of the Divine Sorrow raise some eyebrows in the world premiere of Acts of Faith.

Larger than life, Arthur Hamilton (Joseph JU Taylor), pitches a proposal to buy a large conglomeration of properties that includes eight convents, belonging to an order of Belgian nuns, established in the 1800s. Sister Thelma (Taylor Owynns) is the last nun of her order, she has a gambling past and seems to indulge in inappropriate behaviour whilst conducting her business dealings.

The two share their life stories and Sister Thelma divulges some very personal history, including losing her virginity to a Burwood newsagent Adonis, and the audience cringes at her indiscretion.

Is she a wild card, or is it just an act for the sake of business; what is behind her unusual behaviour? The pair consort over dinner at a bar and grill, accompany each other to the races, and Arthur even takes Sister Thelma back to his place for drinks. All the while we are questioning the appropriateness of her behaviour.

When Arthur morphs into a new persona, Terry, he loses some of the swagger and over

Queen: It’s A Kinda Magic

Bluebeard

Queen was a band like no other. They took the gothic glam-rock of the 70s and merged it with the stagey camp of the 80s to create a repertoire of songs ranging from visceral rock to operatic ballads. Lead singer and songwriter Freddie Mercury was the quintessential entertainer. Flexible and flamboyant on stage, he had a voice that could float a feather or knock down a barn.

Inimitable though they were, Queen has been the subject of musicals and tribute shows ever since Mercury’s untimely death in 1991. One very successful show, Queen: It’s A Kinda Magic, based on their legendary 1986 tour, will play in major cities around Australia until August.

The show has been acclaimed for its authenticity, much of which can be attributed to the involvement of Mercury’s former PA and

friend of 12 years, Peter Freestone. Credit is also due to Giles Taylor, notable British musician in his own right, who accepted the formidable challenge of performing as Mercury five years ago and hasn’t looked back since.

“There’s a lot of study that goes into recreating any character on stage - especially one as iconic as Freddie Mercury,” says Taylor. “I myself am a huge fan of his and grew up on his music, so it’s important for me to do justice to his legacy. I will be the first to say there will only ever be one Freddie Mercury.”

The performance is very physical and vocally demanding. Taylor has a strict exercise and dietary regiment while on tour.

“Freddie’s level of fitness was insane: he was constantly running about the stage when he wasn’t seated at the piano,” Taylor explains.

Taylor describes the show as a highlight of Queen’s history, with authentic costumes and equipment and incredible lighting, sound and graphics on a LED back wall.

“Put simply, the show is a must for Queen fans,” adding that non-fans should come too because he guarantees they’ll hear songs they “have loved for years and just not realised that they were Queen tunes.” (RB) July 29, 8pm. State Theatre, 49 Market St, Sydney. $79-$89+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.statetheatre.com.au

a&e

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REVIEW: Acts Of Faith

city hub 27 JULY 2017

12 STAGE 13 SCENE 14 Sounds 15 SCREEN

The shower block of the Bondi Pavilion building will be transformed into a dramatic performance space as part of the annual Bondi Feast Festival which showcases an array of local theatre, comedy, music and food. Explore a hidden part of a seaside historic building, prerenovation in this upcoming dramatic thriller performance.

Bluebeard; or, the Marriage Mistakes of a Nameless Bride is a collaborative play with five local artists from diverse interdisciplinary backgrounds. The creative team aims to challenge preconceived notions about the limitations of traditional theatre.

Based on the famous 17th century French folktale of a similar name, it tells the story of a wealthy man who habitually murders his wives, and the attempt of his current wife to escape the same violent fate. Audience members are asked to question who is Bluebeard and what does he mean for a contemporary audience?

In this way, the play references modern day murder cases such as that of Oscar Pistorius who shot and killed his girlfriend in the bathroom on Valentine’s Day in 2013.

By innovatively transforming the shower block into an theatrical platform, it subverts a traditionally private space thereby inviting voyeurism and intrigue.

“The play challenges performance spaces and perspectives of them,” said Curly Fernandez

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

the top mannerisms and they realise they have a hell of a lot in common.

Acts of Faith has the opportunity to create something poetic out of this rich and imaginative tapestry. The sound designer, Martyn Wilson, uses interesting, cryptic voice overs, that lets us peer inside the actors’ heads, while announcing personal epiphanies and forewarning of plot tangents.

That the nun is out of character is cause for tension but there is richness, spirituality and religious symbolism just begging to be explored.

The themes deal with what lies within loss of faith, alcoholism, gambling, greed, regret and deceit. (MS) Until Aug 4,Tue-Sat 7:30pm. King St Theatre, 644 King St & Cnr Bray St, Newtown. $28-$35.Tickets & Info: www.kingstreettheatre.com

who plays the lead male role in the performance, “the site informs the story.”

The play includes an intimate live clarinet performance, fusing space and sound to powerfully immerse audience members.

The creative team intends for the play to pay homage to the iconic location in Bondi.

“So part of it is about artistically saying goodbye” said director and North Bondi local Michael Dean. (EB) Until Jul 29, 8:30pm. Bondi Pavilion Men’s Shower Block, Ground Level. $15 Tickets and Info: www.bondifeast.com.au

Contributors: Alannah Maher, Alicia Sim, Athina Mallis, Barbara Karpinski, Caitlin Burns, Chantal Walsh, Craig Coventry, Daniel Jaramillo, Emily Shen, Georgia Fullerton, Greg Webster, Irina Dunn, Jade Morellini, James Harkness, Joseph Rana, Leann Richards, Lisa Seltzer, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Olga Azar, Peter Urquhart, Rita Bratovich, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Sarah Pritchard, Shon Ho, Zeiya Speede, Jade Morellini,Vanessa Powell, Olivia Lyle, Alex Eugene, Ellouise Bailey, Manuel Gonzalez, Tommy Boutros.

PWA - Pro Wrestling Australia: Call To Arms Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and John Cena became household names as wrestlers performing with the WWE, but they all had to begin somewhere.

Pro Wrestling Australia (PWA) in recent years has established itself as the hotbed for rising Australian talent with multiple alumni of the company now performing with WWE. PWA’s recent success is thanks to their longstanding legacy within Australia, next week in fact they celebrate their 10 year anniversary.

“To get to something this big and to know how hard the guys and girls have worked for it is a shining star for the passion they’ve all put into their trade” said Robbie Eagles, PWA Heavyweight

Champion and trainer at the PWA Academy.

To mark the occasion PWA is welcoming international talent Will Ospreay who has plied his trade in some of the biggest companies around the globe such as New Japan Pro Wrestling and Ring Of Honor. As Eagles explained this is a rare move for the company, “Due to our geographical location it can be difficult to bring these types of performers over but we know how good the talent is here so we’re confident building around them.”

That confidence in the talent is certainly not unfounded given that PWA has had a number of talents go on to

PWA Heavyweight Champion Robbie Eagles

sign for the WWE and perform incredibly well there.

“Looking at our roster now it’s just a matter of time before WWE or New Japan need to fill a certain role and we know we already have that person ready and waiting.”

So even if you’re not a wrestling fan now PWA’s anniversary event next week could be the perfect show to hook you, and you never know you might see the next Stone Cold or John Cena before the rest of the world.

Aug 4, 8pm. Paddington RSL, 220-232 Oxford St, Paddington. $30.

Tickets & Info: www.prowrestlingaustralia.com.au

THE NAKED CITY

MOMENTS OF MUSIC MADNESS!

With Coffin Ed There have been a number of books written, and numerous articles, by music writers and fans alike as to the ‘defining’ gigs they have attended over the years. Some can claim to have witnessed the legendary performance of Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock back in 1969 whilst others recall the revolutionary sound of Charlie Christian at Mintons Playhouse in 1949.They are iconic moments in the history of music, indelibly inscribed in the minds of those who cherish the heritage of twentieth century music.

On the other hand there are those less significant musical events that we have all experienced that will never make it into the realm of the iconic, but are nevertheless memories we will never forget. Over the years I have experienced some weird and wonderful happenings at music gigs in Sydney, and I am happy to share just a few of them here. Whilst I am unsure of the chronology I can honestly vouch that they all took place and there are witnesses to back up my story.

Lucky Peterson – Live On Victoria Road: Around three decades ago US bluesman Lucky Peterson, then a somewhat impetuous young man, played a series of shows in Sydney, including Balmain’s Bridge Hotel. At the time his act incorporated an Albert Collins style guitar walk in which he would leave the stage and parade amongst the audience courtesy of a 100 foot guitar lead. At the Bridge Hotel gig, he soon found himself on the pavement outside, egged on by an enthusiastic crowd, and then onto the median strip in the middle of Victoria Road. As he lay horizontal on the concrete, still playing his guitar, the speeding traffic ran right over his guitar lead.

Fortunately he lived to complete the gig but sadly no photographic record remains.

Big Jay McNeely Invades An Oxford Street Sex Shop: The remarkable Big Jay McNeely, who recently turned 90, was a regular visitor to Australia in the 80s and 90s, captivating audiences with his honking r’n’b style sax and eccentric showbiz

antics. Like Lucky he also enjoyed a ‘stroll’ from the stage, this time using a radio mic and whilst the band kept playing he would often circulate through the entire venue. At a show at Oxford Street’s Klub Kakadu (the old Patches nightclub), he not only walked through the crowd but down the stairs and out onto the street – with the punters in hot pursuit. At one moment it looked like he would get onto a bus that had just pulled up but he soon disappeared into a neighbouring sex shop. His loud honking sax soon sounded a mass evacuation from the various private cubicles and an angry manager who chased him back out onto the street.

Nude Chesting At The Soho Bar: It was a bizarre ritual that often followed a performance by bands like Lubricated Goat at a weekly ‘grunge’ night at the Soho Bar in Potts Point’s Piccadilly Hotel. A couple of the band members would strip completely naked and in full view of the audience, usually somewhere right near the bar, engage in a kind of mock chest to chest combat. That was the slightly more liberal 1980s and one can only wonder what would happen if a similar exhibition happened today!

Bare Bums & Beer Cans: No More Bandicoots were an 80s Sydney band who delighted in building enormous sets for many of their performances.

At a late night appearance at the ‘Love Box’ at Chippendale’s Graphic Arts Club, they had constructed an elaborate pirate ship, complete with a series of portholes. At the climax of their show, those portholes became an opening for their bare bottoms as the audience were encouraged to pelt them with empty beer cans. Needless to say the manager of the Club was not impressed but the punters loved it!

Robyn Sweaney The Summer That Was Summer is the season of blue skies and constant excitement.

However, the sun slowly changes, and autumn fills the air with melancholy. Autumn is the season to remember the summer. A season to embrace the marching of time and accept our mortality.

Arthouse Gallery presents, The Summer That Was, an incredible new series of paintings by Robyn Sweaney.

Robyn Sweaney, excavates on the complexities and contradictions of the Australian identity. Tightly refined homes and streetscapes that function as repositories of identity. The paintings are incarnations of the beliefs, behaviours, emotions and spirit of the Australian vistas. The exhibition displays the mundane beauty of suburban, rural landscapes during a dark autumn.

The paintings rejoice the beauty of simplicity which awakens strange sensations of timeless calm, silence and nostalgia.

Finally, the paintings are a journey to the artist’s past. The Summer That Was, explores the psychological currency of the artist’s pilgrimage to Victoria. A place where she spent the summers reconnecting with the landscapes of her childhood. The paintings celebrate the desire to escape and to reconnect with unchangeable places far away from the chaos of the current times.

“Even though a pilgrimage is usually voluntary. There can also be a strong urge or desire that feels involuntary” says Sweaney.

Until Aug 12. Art House Gallery, 66 McLachlan Avenue Rushcutters Bay. Info: www.arthousegallery.com.au city hub 27 JULY 2017

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Live Music Guide LIVE WIRE Sydney

My Friend The Chocolate Cake

By Jamie Apps

Georgia Fields & Phia

Miles & Simone: Melbourne alt-country folk and heart-breaker duet Miles and Simone are back with their latest sublime single She and I, accompanied by a live performance in Sydney this evening.

Thu, Jul 27,The Golden Age Cinema Josh Pyke: It’s the 10 year anniversary of Josh’s highly successful Memories and Dust album which he will be playing in full tomorrow night at the Enmore Theatre. For Pyke himself, performing songs from his early albums affords him the opportunity to travel back in time and remember the context in which they were written.

Fri, Jul 28, Enmore Theatre Andrey Gugnin: Internationally renowned concert pianist, Andrey Gugnin will return to Australia in celebration of Sydney International Piano Competition’s 40th Birthday. The multi-award winning performer has collaborated with orchestras and ensembles across the world, been welcomed as a guest artist at numerous international festivals, received increasing numbers of concerto engagements.

Sat, Jul 29, Sydney Conservatorium of Music

Real Friends: Illinois based pop punks Real Friends are heading down under to see their Aussie fans. Completely taking their sound to a whole new level, Real Friends never fail to display their overwhelming sense of talent and raw energy for the world to hear and this is nowhere more evident than in their live show.

Sat, Jul 29,The Factory Theatre Pete Murray: Byron Bay singer-songwriter and one of Australia’s most loved musicians has returned with his new record, Camacho, releasing early last month. Ahead of his tour, which arrives in Sydney this weekend, Murray said “I’m really excited about playing the new music for the first time and cannot wait to get out there and see the crowd’s reaction.”

Sat, Jul 29, Enmore Theatre Sydney Rock ’n’ Roll & Alternative Market: This Sunday music fans have a unique opportunity to see some great live music from Dallas Fracas, Frank Sultana & The Sinister Kids, The Satellites and The Hellcat III. Alongside the live music you’ll also have the chance to explore a treasure trove of products and records.

Sun, Jul 30,The Manning Bar

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had then week by week we added more people until the room was full.”

For their new record, The Revival Meeting, the band wanted to recapture this sense of fun so they chose to take a few days away together in the rural Victorian town of Flowerdale.

“We all live in different corners of Melbourne so it can be really difficult to battle the traffic for weekly rehearsals,” said Helen, “Going out to Flowerdale is a great opportunity for us all to reconnect with each other and also get things done really efficiently.”

An added bonus for the band by doing things this way is that they get to enjoy the other talents of drummer Greg Patten and double bassist Dean Addison, who are both gourmet chefs.

This weekend My Friend The

Lincoln le Fevre & The Insiders Come Undone

It’s hard to put a finger on exactly where in the scale of genres the latest record from Lincoln le Fever and The Insiders falls, but it is certainly worth the listen to try for yourself.

The record opens with a slow country-esque sound using a single guitar and Lincoln’s voice as the two main focal points. As Come Undone progresses folk and pop-punk influences begin to creep in, which is when the record’s overall genre starts to get fuzzy.

Throughout the record Lincoln’s vocals and exquisite, detailed storytelling are the force majeure. Two songs in particular where the vocals blend perfectly with the instrumentation are Useless Shit and the penultimate track Alone At The Back.

Come Undone is a very well produced record that tells a compelling story about rebuilding after falling apart. The fact the record doesn’t fit into a distinct genre space may deter some listeners initially though. (JA)

Death Grips: Following the success of their first four studio albums, the Californian group returned anew last year with Bottomless Pit. Praised by critics as their best work yet, the band continues to push the boundaries, refusing to conform to a specific sound.

Wed, Aug 2, Enmore Theatre

All Areas Free Quotes

• Tree Lopping • Yard Clean Up

By Jamie Apps Naming a new band can be an arduous process or it can be done out of pure necessity, for Melbourne band My Friend The Chocolate Cake it was the latter. As band member Helen Mountfort recalls, “David [Bridie] came up with it the night before our first gig together and now 28 years later here we are.”

Whilst Helen even says it is a “silly name” it has become a name that is incredibly recognisable with the band becoming three time ARIA Award winners as well as being featured on countless film and television soundtracks.

The foundations of the band were laid on a mantra of simply “doing it of fun” reflected Helen, “David and I got together around a piano to muck around with some material we both

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Chocolate Cake’s tour arrives in Sydney which Helen says the band is really looking forward to.

“The shows so far have been so much fun. We’ve been doing a sing-a-long section for the first time ever which the audiences and the band have all loved.”

This sing-a-long element was introduced into the live show because the band simply didn’t want to “take ourselves too seriously.” Combining this with their already theatrical influenced live show has worked a treat because as Helen put it, “We’ve been having a lot of fun so hopefully the audience have been too.”

Jul 29, 8pm. York Theatre, Seymour Centre, Corner of City Rd & Cleveland St Chippendale. $45-$60+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.seymourcentre.com

Michael Harvey Honey

Sydney’s local artist Michael Harvey is a multi-instrumentalist and uses his sweet soulful singing voice to great effect.

Dropping a new album titled Honey with a few gigs around town before heading to Europe, Harvey is a busy man who doesn’t fail to deliver his soothing tunes.

The first single also titled Honey sets the tone for the rest of the album, Harvey has an eclectic style that ranges from blues-rock, blue eyed soul to jazz-dub with each song on the album sprinkling in all these ingredients. From the infectious blues guitar playing on the song Sweet Taste to the instrumental dub flavoured track The Treehouse, it’s worth giving Honey a few spins.

As some of the songs are more singer/songwriter based I was hoping to hear more of Harvey’s multi-instrumental chops but overall it’s a decent effort and is a good soundtrack for a weekend getaway. (DJ) WWW1/2

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Dunkirk

Christopher Nolan continues on his journey to become this generations defining film director with his war epic Dunkirk. For those unfamiliar Dunkirk tells the tale of the Battle Of Dunkirk which saw almost 400,000 allied soldiers surrounded by Nazi forces on a beach in North Western France.

Whilst this is a war epic it unconventionally doesn’t focus on direct head to head combat, instead the German infantry are never seen and only ever referred to as ‘The Enemy’.This decision allows for Dunkirk to be a timeless film which is primarily about the terror of war felt by the individual soldiers.

Nolan has chosen to implement a storytelling technique he first utilised in Interstellar, which is an important piece of knowledge

to have heading into the film.

The story unfolds from three perspectives - land, sea, and air with each unfolding at a different rate - one week, one day, and one hour, respectively.

Implementing this technique can create a sense of confusion as you question whether the moments you’re witnessing unfold are new or simply from a new perspective. The trio of timelines does however add to the sense of urgency and anxiety as the threads slowly begin to interweave.

Dunkirk overall is 104 minutes of sensory and emotional overload as you take in both the breathtaking visuals whilst also being bombarded by the thunderous sound design and musical score by Hans Zimmer. (JA) WWWW

War For The Planet Of The Apes With a title that begins with the word ‘war’ the final film in the Planet Of The Apes reboot trilogy could have easily slipped into CGI battle over saturation.

Thankfully though with Director Matt Reeves and co-writer Mark Bomback at the helm they’ve shown restraint whilst also focusing on the emotional undercurrent.

War takes place two years after the events of Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes with Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his fellow apes simply trying to survive away from humans. Unfortunately for the apes though an armed force known as Alpha Omega led by The Colonel (Woody Harrelson) is still hunting them down. Following a heartbreaking moment at the apes hidden home a blood feud is set in motion between Caesar and The Colonel.

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Throughout the film there is an incredibly solemn tone, which is fitting for a war film that draws inspiration from history and religion.The phenomenal CGI

by Weta Digital plays into this solemn tone as you quickly forget that these are CGI generated apes and simply embrace the characters and performances.

Whilst the film is rather long there are very few moments where it feels like it’s dragging thanks to the smatterings of emotional moments with impactful action sequences.The end of the second act being the primary exception to this statement though.

War For The Planet Of The Apes is a rare final instalment in a trilogy which wraps up the story neatly without wearing out it’s welcome. (JA) WWW1/2

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This is an emotionally arresting film which centres on Conor (Lewis MacDougall), a 12 year-old boy who inadvertently summons an imaginary tree monster to aid in the acceptance of his mother’s impending death from terminal cancer.

Writers have been very vindictive to this young lost soul, who is also being bullied at school, is friendless, rarely sees his estranged father and doesn’t sympathise with his grandmother.

In all its grandeur, this dark fantasy drama which boasts mesmerising cinematography and a marvellous cast headed by Liam Neeson (who lends his vocal talents as the tree monster) and Sigourney

Weaver as the stern but loving grandmother, may struggle to find an audience.

The scary and depressing nature of this film will deter families from attending and adults will assume that it’s a holiday flick for children, owing to the titular role being that of a young boy.

Regardless, the technical inventiveness and breathtaking nature of the production and the originality of the story which resonates themes of love, hope, loss and the inevitability of death, deliver a heart-wrenching cinematic experience which will leave audiences emotionally fatigued.

(MMo) WWWW

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