City Hub 9 April 2015

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2

Before

City joins push to keep Powerhouse

BY JOE BOURKE Lord Mayor Clover Moore and the majority of City of Sydney councillors have joined the fight against the planned relocation of the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta.

Clr Moore moved a mayoral minute at last week’s council meeting condemning the Baird government’s plan, saying decisions about metropolitan Sydney’s cultural life should not be made by “pitting region against region”.

“The decision to move the Powerhouse has been made without public consultation, without a completed business case, without a specific site being identified, and without a detailed current cultural strategy for western Sydney,” she said at the meeting.

Independent councillor Angela Vithoulkas said she was confused by the decision to “interfere with something that has made us leaders in the field”.

“It feels like we are a big lego board and they look at a piece and say ‘we’ll just move that over there’,” Clr Vithoulkas said.

Liberal councillor Christine Forster was the only councillor against the mayoral minute, and called the government’s decision a “big picture plan”. She told City Hub the Ultimo area needed the urban renewal which could be brought on by the move.

“Certainly as I look around that part of the city, I think it could well be much better activated if there were perhaps more residents, perhaps some retail – who knows?” Clr Forster said.

“That’s all for the future if indeed the move goes ahead, but it’s not a well activated part of the city at the moment.”

Clr Forster also challenged Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s “parochial” outlook on the issue, and said before rejecting the plan she wanted to wait for the business case promised by the government.

“At the end of the day, the state government has said that they’re going to put 10 million dollars into a business case,” she said.

“I just wasn’t prepared to go along with outright rejection of the idea, which is what the Lord Mayor

Source: Beth Kanter/flickr.com

was seeking, given [this is] before the business case was prepared, and given that I do very strongly believe that the City of Sydney has the responsibility to be the capital for everybody, not just the inner city residents.”

Clr Moore said she strongly supported cultural growth in western Sydney, but didn’t believe this was the way to do it.

“Rather than giving western Sydney residents

iconic new cultural facilities that they can regard as their own, the state government proposal would destroy a distinctive and valued inner city cultural institution and transfer the remnants west,” she said.

The city’s involvement with the movement comes after a great deal of community action against the museum’s relocation, including a forum at the Ultimo Community Centre, featuring speeches from historian Shirley Fitzgerald, Greens MP Jamie

Parker and City Hub publisher Lawrence Gibbons.

At the forum, Ms Fitzgerald brought Ultimo’s history as a “centre for technical education” to the fore, highlighting its heavy involvement with the industry since the late 1800s.

1893 saw the introduction of the Technological, Industrial and Sanitary Museum of New South Wales to Ultimo, and since then it has remained a hub for technical education, with TAFE, UTS, the ABC building and others within its parameters.

Ms Fitzgerald argued that the Powerhouse has great historical significance in Ultimo, and therefore belongs there rather than in western Sydney.

“This part of Ultimo continues to be an entwined place with its university, the headquarters of the ABC and what the economists call an ‘industry hub’ for the new economy – high tech industries in communications and computers, digital and data storage,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

“It is where it is because this is a perfect place for it to be. It belongs in Ultimo. Not just in the old part of Sydney. In Ultimo.”

In the recommendations following the mayoral minute, Clr Moore suggested an assessment be conducted of the museum’s heritage status.

Research into the “economic and tourism significance” of the Powerhouse Museum was also tabled.

This significance was a major issue brought up

by Mr Gibbons during his speech. He said that if the Powerhouse were to leave Ultimo, visitors would have one less reason to come, affecting local businesses substantially.

“Today if you look at the government’s official website, Sydney.com, Ultimo does not exist on the map. Chinatown borders Glebe and Darling Harbour is an isolated fiefdom. In the real world, the Powerhouse sits at the gateway between Darling Harbour and Ultimo,” he said.

“By relocating the Powerhouse, one more draw bridge connecting Ultimo to Darling Harbour and Chinatown will be pulled up – and Ultimo will be all the more isolated.”

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BY EMILY CONTADOR-KELSALL The City of Sydney unveiled a significant public artwork in Hyde Park last week paying respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander diggers.

Yininmadyemi is the creation of Aboriginal artist Tony Albert and consists of four sevenmetre tall bullets and three fallen shells which sit near the Anzac Memorial. The sculpture represents the diggers who returned to Australia and those who lost their lives.

Director-Chair of Indigenous History at the Wollotuka Institute Professor John Maynard is one of Australia’s leading Aboriginal history experts. He said Yininmadyemi’s launch and recognition was just one part of a long campaign by many individuals and communities to ensure their ancestors’ stories were written back into Australian history.

“This is a very significant moment,” he said.

“Aboriginal service men and women have served in every military campaign that this country has taken part in. Yet for so long their courage, bravery and sacrifice was overlooked, missed and sadly erased from both memory and Australian history.”

The City of Sydney commissioned the artwork that was requested by Redfern’s Babana Aboriginal Men’s Group, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans and Services Association and the Coloured Digger Committee.

The sculpture is part of the city’s Eora Journey program which hopes to address the need for better recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and heritage in Sydney Professor Maynard felt it was of high importance that Sydney-based Aboriginal Girramay artist Tony Albert created the tribute. “[It] ties to the fact that his own family has over 80 years combined military service,” he said.

Yininmadyemi. Source: City of Sydney

Mr Albert’s grandfather Eddie served in the Australian Army during World War II. His grandfather escaped from a prisoner of war camp in Germany but was then captured by Italian soldiers who lined him up with six other escaped soldiers to be executed. Eddie and three other soldiers survived.

The four standing bullets represent the soldiers who escaped execution by the Italian soldiers while the fallen shells represent the men who were executed.

The name Yininmadyemi means ‘thou didst let fall’, a name Mr Albert said acts as a reminder of how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicepeople were treated differently to white soldiers after the war.

“I feel that the most powerful artworks relating to war are those that use bold and evocative images to stir strong emotions in visitors,” Mr Albert said.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore believes the artwork will become a gathering place for tributes to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander diggers and their families.

“This is a striking and powerful work that not only evokes the reality of war, but is sure to stir strong emotions to those who come and pay their respects,” she said in a statement.

Professor Maynard agreed with the Mayor’s sentiment and thought the site would bring people together to remember service men and women across all military campaigns.

CITY HUB 9 APRIL 2015

3

Planning proposal marks “the beginning of the end of Bondi Junction”

BY EMILY CONTADOR-KELSALL A planning proposal for two 38-metre towers on West Oxford Street has begun to stir up controversy in the local community.

The proposal put forward by Stargate Property Group seeks to redevelop part of Oxford Street down to Nelson Street and intends to modify the Waverley Local Environment Plan 2012 (LEP) to raise the height standard from 15 metres to 38 metres, increase the floor space ratio and remove the heritage status of four terraces.

The development would consist of commercial and residential space, and potentially a public car park of at least 50 spaces.

Waverley Council tabled the West Oxford Street Design Charrette Report and recommendation at their Operations Committee last week.

Marcella McAdam, convenor for the Bondi Junction Precinct Committee (BJPC) attended the meeting and said the community was very concerned about the future of Bondi Junction and the threat of high-rise.

“The key thing that the community was happy with was that the council staff had recommended that the 2012 LEP be maintained on West Oxford Street,” she said.

“One particular section which starts at 194 Oxford Street down to 2 Nelson Street was omitted from the recommendations that came out on Tuesday night.”

Ms McAdam said the community was concerned that the area between Oxford Street and Nelson Street is not being considered as part of the revamp of Oxford Street but as a separate entity with differing standards.

“Height restrictions look like they’re going to be very different to the rest of West Oxford St,” she said.

In response to questions over potential changes to the 2012 LEP, Mayor Sally Betts said there was a lot of confusion at the meeting and no changes were recommended to the LEP.

Artist’s impression of the development. Source: Waverley Council

“The officers’ report suggested… we have to process the planning proposal that we received over the past few weeks [and] that any new decisions about the LEP should not be made until that assessment process is completed,” she said.

“For some strange reason, and I was certainly confused, there was a motion moved to not change the LEP, which we did not support because we were not going to change the LEP.” Currently, council officers are conducting the preliminary assessment. A report and recommendation will be prepared and presented to council in mid-2015.

Waverley has experienced several battles against over-development in recent years, most notably at Bronte RSL. Coogee MP Bruce Notley-Smith was heavily

involved in the community fight against the overdevelopment of Bronte RSL and has expressed “dissatisfaction with the procedure where planning proposals can be lodged calling for re-zoning.”

Mr Notley-Smith has not yet been briefed on the planning proposal on West Oxford Street but said he felt it would need change.

“There’s an LEP which was adopted in 2012 and as far as I’m concerned we should be sticking with the LEP,” he said.

“The planning laws need to change so we don’t have decisions like these being taken out of the hands of local council.”

Ms McAdam said she feared this planning proposal could evolve into a situation similar to that of Bronte RSL.

“We think the council could do a Pontius Pilate and wash their hands of it and send it straight to the state governnment for consideration, because of the size of it and the impact it will have,” she said.

“The community may not even get a say in this until it goes to state government and then we’re going to have to go through the same process that all the residents involved in Bronte RSL went through, and rally together and unite to try and fight, get restrictions, get the LEP changed back.”

Danielle Ecuyer, another member of the BJPC, also saw parallels emerging with Bronte RSL. “Should [the proposal] get the go-ahead, which it probably will, it opens the way for high-rise development of a very substantial nature, up to 50 metres or so, so 20 storeys, the whole way along West Oxford Street,” she said.

“So if you start at the furthest street almost across from Centennial Park, then they’re just going to work eastward, all the way down.”

Ms Ecuyer said the community was also concerned about the Waverley Bus Depot development, fearing that it was “the beginning of the end of Bondi Junction”.

Although the planning proposal is still in its early days, residents also feel threatened by the potential of the development to climb to 20 storeys.

“We know that [developers] buy extra height [via voluntary planning agreements], so what could now be a request for 38 metres… that’s nearly three times the current LEP, could potentially go to about 20 storeys by the time they keep on buying more and more height,” Ms McAdam said.

“It’s just a concern that once again, the whole West Oxford Street Charrette was just a charade, it was always developer driven. We have worked so hard as a community to try and maintain our amenities and work with the small businesses up there. They’re going to die once these developments go through.”

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We have some suggestions: how about lunch at the Crown Street Fish Shop offering Sydney’s best seafood as named by the City Hub? Or belly laughs for you and a mate at one of several comedy shows during the Sydney Comedy Festival? Or a date at the hottest band comp up at the Cross at the World Bar? These are just some of the items that are on offer if you join the HUB CLUB by putting $25 into the City Hub’s crowdfunding campaign.

All of the items that are on offer when you join the HUB CLUB have been contributed by local businesses to support the City Hub. And when you buy them, not only are you getting something of value, you are also doing something valuable for the local community by helping save the City Hub — Sydney’s last independent newspaper.

When you contribute to our crowdfunding campaign, for as little as $10 you automatically become a member of the HUB CLUB — entitling you to a weekly news update and an exclusive invite to our 20th birthday bash later this year. People who belong to the HUB CLUB are on the lookout for independent perspectives and alternative things to do. And we want you to join.

If you contribute $50 to our campaign, not only do you automatically become a member of the HUB CLUB, you and a friend can also get a $50 meal voucher to Three Williams, Redfern’s trendiest cafe.

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By joining the HUB CLUB you

automatically get weekly updates, regular giveaway offers and so much more. If you want to find out more, come to the launch of the HUB CLUB on Tuesday 14 April upstairs at the Beauchamp Hotel (at the corner of Oxford Street and South Dowling).

Not only will half of the upstairs bar go to our campaign, but you’ll get a chance to meet other members of the HUB CLUB, Sydney’s coolest alternative group in town.

Here are just some of the items on offer when you join the HUB CLUB by contributing to our crowdfunding campaign. Each week for the next month we will provide additional details of the many perks that are on offer when you join the HUB CLUB. For more information, to get your Hub Club membership now and to check out all the perks we have on offer, visit https://www.indiegogo.com/ projects/don-t-make-your-news-limited.

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WHEN: Tuesday, 14 April 2015 WHERE:

from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM (AEST) Beauchamp Hotel 265-267 Oxford Street UPSTAIRS - Darlinghurst, NSW 2010

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU UPSTAIRS AT THE BEAUCHAMP HOTEL April 14th at 7pm for the HUB CLUB launch. Half of the upstair’s bar goes to our crowdfunding campaign plus HUB CLUB perks on offer. Free entry!

Don’t Make Your News Limited. Support the City Hub’s crowdfunding campaign on the night CITY HUB 9 APRIL 2015

5

Scott stands alone on green space targets

One Central Park Sydney. Source: Rob Deutscher/flickr.com

CEO of Urban Taskforce Australia Chris Johnson said despite population growth, the city’s green space could be improved, but building height restrictions would have to be rethought.

“Clearly cities need to breathe, they need to have clean air, they need to have a balance between the hardness of the built city with some relief from greenery,” he said.

“The trade off of course is all about density.

We can’t have two-storey buildings everywhere and expect to get enough open space.”

Additionally Mr Johnson said the greening of buildings would be key for Sydney’s future as a densely populated city.

“We have to do two things: the first is provide parks -- small, medium, large in the right locations -- and the other is to push the amount of greenery as living organic growth as much as we can, on roofs of buildings [and] on walls of buildings,” he said.

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Mr Johnson pointed to the example of Chippendale’s One Central Park, recently rated the best tall building in the world by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.

The building features hanging gardens and an internal water recycling plant and was awarded a five-star green rating by the Green Building Council of Australia.

Clr Scott said green spaces were a “driving agenda” for her and that she would not give up “looking to the future” on the issue.

“There are politicians in other parties who say that this is simply unachievable but we just shouldn’t throw in the towel,” she said.

“If the city continues to not provide leadership on this issue then we’ll end up with perhaps less green space than we even have now when actually what we need for the future is much much more.”

AnY tAStE, AnY SPACE

Cartoon: Peter Berner

BY JOE BOURKE A motion to set targets for green space in the City of Sydney collapsed in council last week after not a single councillor seconded it.

Labor councillor Linda Scott moved a motion to increase the amount of green space in the city as Sydney’s population grows.

Clr Scott said the need for these targets had become even more pressing following the re-election of the Coalition government, which has committed to many major inner city developments, including the Bays Precinct and the Central to Eveleigh urban transformation program.

“We’ve seen this week that the 10 most densely populated areas in Australia are actually in the inner city of Sydney and with the re-election of the state government, I think it’s even more important for the City of Sydney to be on the front foot about exactly how much green space we need,” she said.

Liberal councillor Christine Forster said she did not support the motion as while she was committed to preserving green space in the city, the idea of targets seemed to be “another piece of bureaucracy”.

“The city has a great habit of setting targets for all sorts of things and unfortunately they often end up as being inspirational and unrealistic and I’m not a fan of setting unrealistic targets,” she said.

Greens councillor Irene Doutney agreed with Clr Scott that the city’s green space should be put on the agenda, but said there were more important issues at the time.

The motion wasn’t moved until close to midnight – seven hours after the meeting began.

The day after the council meeting, the Australian Bureau of Statistics released data indicating Sydney would be the first capital city to reach five million people, as early as the end of 2016.

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Lockout laws killing Oxford Street’s heritage hotels

BY JAMES ELTON-PYM Small pubs and bars along Oxford Street have been hit hard by the NSW government’s controversial lockout laws, local business owners have reported.

The legislation was introduced in February last year to curb alcohol-fuelled violence and are now in effect across entertainment precincts in parts of Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, The Rocks and Kings Cross.

The laws were introduced partly in reaction to the one-punch killings of Thomas Kelly and Daniel Christie.

But businesses on Oxford Street claim the laws, which require venues to lock out patrons from 1.30am and stop serving alcohol at 3am, are punishing them for a problem outside their control.

“We’ve never had [a violent incident],” Claude Bereny, owner of the Beauchamp Hotel, told City Hub. “It’s quite gentrified around here but we’ve been hit by the sledgehammer. Oxford Street has been in decline for a long time... but the lockout has certainly worsened it. It’s just another reason not to come to Oxford Street.”

Mr Bereny said the Beauchamp was “cutting costs and surviving” but had lost 25-30 percent of its revenue since the laws were introduced.

In February, the Darlinghurst Business Partnership asked the state government to either repeal the laws or apply them statewide, saying the lockout laws were an example of “legislating for all based on the lowest common denominator”.

Mr Bereny said the laws had created an “uneven playing field” and were driving nightlife to suburbs outside the lockout zone like Newtown and Bondi.

The NSW state election last month saw Independent MP Alex Greenwich retain the seat of Sydney. Mr Greenwich opposes blanket lockouts in Darlinghurst and Kings Cross and has said they should only be applied to misbehaving venues.

Oxford Street

“I support lockouts for poorly run venues. We need to have diversity in our nightlife,” he told a meet-the-candidates forum hosted at an Oxford Street venue last month.

The lockout laws are supported by the Liberal and Labor parties.

Doctors at St Vincent’s Hospital earlier this year

reported a 20 percent decrease in extreme drug and alcohol-related injuries, which has been cited as evidence of the law’s effectiveness.

Lockouts have already been implicated in the closure of the Flinders Hotel, a well-known Oxford Street institution popular with the LGBTIQ community.

“It’s been a good run but [former NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell] got us in the end. We know it’s sudden but please come in tonight and pour one out for your fallen homie. Thanks for all the good times,” the owners wrote in a sudden January 8 Facebook post announcing the closure.

Former patrons lamented the news in the comments section below the post. “How sad! My first ever gay pub!” wrote one Facebook user.

Mr Bereny said the laws were threatening heritage hotels along Oxford Street. The Beauchamp has been running as a hotel for 120 years.

“Since the lockout was introduced the profitability is no longer there, which is why they’re being turned to alternative uses. It will affect the traditional uses of these heritage hotels because they’ll have to be converted to residential or some other commercial use,” Mr Bereny said.

“Once the businesses are gone where’s the GST revenue that the state government relies on?”

The laws were set to be formally reviewed at the end of a two-year trial period in February 2016, but a spokesperson for the Premier recently announced an early review of the lockout laws would be carried out in June this year using 12-month data from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Fairfax Media reported.

Ralph Kelly, father of one of the teenagers killed in an alcohol-fuelled attack in Kings Cross, said any softening of the laws would be “disappointing”.

Mr Greenwich said the area needed to be reactivated, saying he also supported measures to calm road traffic and encourage pedestrians to explore Oxford Street, including the construction of cycleways and a tram line. He also opposes the traffic clearway currently in place along the strip.

“I’ll continue to fight hard for better traffic conditions on Oxford Street as that’s key to the reactivation of the area,” he said.

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Free Wi-Fi coming to Sydney

BY KAYLA CANNE Sydneysiders can soon expect free Wi-Fi stations across the city after a motion was unanimously passed by the City of Sydney Council last week.

Councillor Jenny Green, a member of Clover Moore’s team, introduced the motion requesting council partner with the NSW government to investigate and explore programs to install free Wi-Fi hubs across the CBD. She said they would provide beneficial communication and access between tourists and businesses in the area.

“Everyone will benefit because … when you think about what you access online, you can find out everything, whether it’s restaurants, shows, bars, music,” she said.

“We go online to look up all sorts of things, so if people can’t do that or if it’s expensive, they’re less likely to be accessing events that are happening. So I think it’s critical.”

Clr Green said Sydney is the only major city in Australia that does not yet have free Wi-Fi and that it is very important for the city to “catch up.”

“It’s happened everywhere else, so it’s certainly doable in Sydney,” she said.

‘Smartpoles’ with Wi-Fi capabilities have already been set up around Sydney through past city initiatives. Parts of the Wi-Fi program run through state-owned land so the city needed to involve the state government in proceedings before moving forward, Clr Green said.

The cost of the program has not yet been determined, but if the city were to utilise the smartpoles already in place it would eliminate millions of dollars in infrastructure costs.

Clr Green said she hoped her motion would kickstart the discussions needed with the NSW government to establish relationships with telephone companies and get the program moving.

8

CITY HUB 9 APRIL 2015

Councillor Jenny Green. Source: City of Sydney

More accurate details regarding a timeline for free Wi-Fi across the CBD will come after more discussion between council and the state government, but Clr Green said she hoped to see the program completely released before September of this year, when the construction of a new light rail will shut down parts of George Street and potentially disrupt access to local businesses and any unfinished Wi-Fi installations.

“Parts of the city will be closed off and so

that then becomes difficult for retailers. You’ve got George Street starting to close down and be barricaded off due to construction, and so people are less likely to come into the city or stay longer and spend money,” she said.

“If you’ve got free Wi-Fi, that’s an incentive to keep people there and hopefully there will be quite a few events going on … but people won’t certainly know about it unless you’ve got Wi-Fi, particularly for tourists.”

Marrickville to debate fate of heritage houses

BY GEORGIA FULLERTON Marrickville Council may reassess the heritage value of three terraces situated on the site of the old Marrickville Hospital.The development application, put forward in September of last year, is part of a plan to redevelop the rear half of a site on Livingstone Road.

Marrickville Hospital closed in 1991 and was purchased by council in 1993. The rear end of the site is now being developed into a library, with three heritage terraces sitting between the two quarters.

Once the site has been awarded under a tender process, it will be decided whether to keep the three terraces or demolish them for more space.

Independent councillor Victor Macri said he objects to the way the project has been brought forward.

“It’s fundamentally flawed and I can’t support the knocking down of these buildings. If there was a better option and something that would enhance the plan, I would support it, but there’s nothing else in front of it at the moment,” he said.

Clr Macri is also concerned about the growing costs associated with the development.

“The whole process is based on a costing of the site which is four years old now, and was going to cost $31 million to develop,” he said.

“That rate has only increased since then. It’s going to cost much more now. You’re talking about $42 million and that’s provided you can bring it in on budget.”

Greens councillor Max Phillips said voting to progress the new library project going to tender should not be interpreted as forming a position on the terraces.

“The Greens have previously supported heritage protection for the terraces and will take very seriously any proposal to change that protection when it comes to the elected council,” he said.

The tender will be brought to council next month.

Firey protests hit Sydney CBD

BY LAUREN O’CONNOR A protest against Sharia law and the perceived ‘Islamification’ of Australia took place last Saturday at Sydney’s Martin Place.

A counter-rally was held nearby at Queen’s Square accusing the organisers of the original anti-Islam rally, Reclaim Australia of being racist, xenophobic and linked to neo-nazi groups.

The two groups came close to a confrontation.

Meanwhile in Melbourne similar protests led to violent clashes and serious injuries.

City Hub spoke with Sherman Burgess, a supporter of the Reclaim Australia rally and an online personality who calls himself the ‘Great Aussie Patriot.’

A truck driver from Canberra, Mr Burgess creates anti-Islamic videos for his Facebook and YouTube audiences.

He said the public was confused about the purpose of Reclaim Australia; that it was not a white-supremacist movement and was against “elements of Islam, not all Muslims.”

“We’re not white Australians, we’re Australians of all different skin colours. My mother moved here from New Zealand when she was 23. I’m a product of multi-culturalism,” he said.

In an online video Mr Burgess compares Islam to cancer.

“Many other countries have a worse Islamic problem than we do, however their biggest problem was not getting on top of it early,” he said.

He is part of a band called the ‘Eureka Brigade’, whose songs advocate the killing of refugees and defecation on mosques. Following the demonstrations Mr Burgess posted a video wearing a crucifix, saying “you can’t beat us, we’ve got God on our side.”

Organiser of the counter-rally Penny Howard said it was unacceptable that Reclaim Australia’s message be reported without an opposition.

Reclaim Australia protesters Photo: Lauren O’Connor

“We called our demonstration in response to them basically because we didn’t want those views to go out into the media without someone standing up and saying ‘that’s wrong,’” she said.

“When that gets repeated over and over on the TV and the radio it makes their fringe views appear much more mainstream.”

She claimed the group has a close association with neo-nazi groups in Australia and Europe but has marketed itself as being politically moderate to gain followers.

“They are linked to an organisation called the Australian Defence League (ADL) which has threatened to bomb mosques and kill clerics.”

Following the Lindt Cafe siege last year, Lakemba and Auburn Gallipoli Mosques were vandalised and the Grand Mufti of Australia were sent threatening letters by the ADL. “They’re known to have links to a far right organisation called Pegida in Germany, [whose] leader was recently disgraced because he posed as Hitler,” Ms Howard said.

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She told City Hub demonstrations organised by the ADL typically have low attendance rates but she was disappointed to see a relatively large turnout on Easter Saturday.

“Clearly they are better organised. They’ve got a lot more people out this time possibly because of the broader political climate and maybe because they’ve marketed themselves as being more respectable,” she said.

Kuranda Seyit told the counter-rally that attacks on Australian Muslims were becoming more common as a direct reaction to the political climate.

“September 11 is a clear example of that. We had a spike in Islamophobia. We had anti-Islamic rhetoric coming from various governments and they were trying to blame Muslims for the actions of criminals. Those people trying to hijack that message will get drowned out eventually,” he said.

“Because I work in a Muslim organisation we get lots of reports about Muslims being attacked or assaulted or mosques being graffitied, I see it all the time.”

“Excessive” penalty rates under attack

BY TANG LI The NSW Business Chamber launched an Easter campaign to end “excessive penalty rates” last weekend as the contentious issue picks up steam in public debate.

Dozens of restaurants, cafes and small businesses closed over the Easter long weekend in protest against penality rates that have seen junior staff paid up to $50 an hour for working on holidays.

The participating businesses were given posters to put up in their windows that either apologised to customers for being closed or explained that they were only able to stay open by having family members serve customers.

“We know that the Easter break . . . will create enormous pressure on the owners of cafes, restaurants and shops who want to remain open to serve their customers, but at the same time simply can’t afford to open their doors due to the excessive penalty rates for their staff,” NSW Business Chamber CEO Stephen Cartwright said.

But bartender Jakob Gaykowski, who worked 17 hours at Li’l Darlin in Surry Hills last weekend, said the higher pay was a good incentive.

“It’s harder work on holidays, so the higher payment means I can swallow the pain,” he said.

Mr Cartwright said the NSW Business Chamber’s submission to the Fair Work Commission did not call for a full abolition of penalty rates.

“We believe that sensible penalty rates should be paid for certain weekend and public holiday times, however it’s ridiculous that penalty rates are now so excessive that businesses are forced to close to avoid making losses,” he said.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry head Kate Carnell said the rates meant customers lost access to services, workers got less hours and businesses got “little benefit” from holiday traffic.

Mr Cartwright said the excessive cost of employing staff remained the number one issue for business owners across NSW. “This has a direct correlation to the unacceptably high levels of youth unemployment in many parts of our state,” he said.

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135 Broadway Ultimo www.essenrestaUrant.com.aU CITY HUB 9 APRIL 2015

9

ARTS FEATURE

Cheeky Observer strikes on Oxford

BY CARMAN CITA Next time you’re in Darlinghurst, you might feel like someone’s watching you. You’re not imagining things. Street artist Cheeky Observer has been in town, leaving a larger-than-life portrait on the façade outside of Lucky Tsotsi Shebeen & Bar. Emblazoned on a wall on a side street off Oxford, the striking new mural is the latest in a string of creative projects undertaken by the emerging artist also known as Alicia McFadzean.

“I had a design, which I’d been trying to find a space for – it was kind of African-inspired, so it all worked out really well,” McFadzean said. “They were happy for me to paint there, so they kind of just let me loose on it.”

Though she is a relative newcomer to the Sydney art scene, McFadzean is already making big waves with her art practice.

“A lot of my work is based on anthropomorphic imagery – I often incorporate some abstract shapes but I’ve always come back to the human form – particularly faces,” she says.

“There’s something about the complexity of a human face – when you create a representation of it, there’s this magical moment in the artistic process where it suddenly comes alive.”

McFadzean plays with illustration, typography and acrylic painting, drawing inspiration from mythology, olden fairytales, and different forms of street art.

“I’m a big believer in constructivism,” she says. “A lot of people pride themselves on being one hundred per cent original in their work but it’s my thought process that everything that we create is the sum of the many tiny fragments that we, kind of, draw in from the world around us.”

“I even find inspiration in stories - it doesn’t have to be visual. I loved the illustrative work of the old

children’s fairy tale illustrators – the likes of Arthur Rackham, Kay Nielsen and Edmund Dulac, the ones that did Grimms’ Fairy Tales. I love that it’s a bit darker, a bit more twisted - as opposed to a standard representation of what we see.”

McFadzean’s passion for visual art dates back to adolescence.

“The moment in my life when I realised that I absolutely loved art was way back in primary school when I won a colouring-in competition - that moment when I got to stand in front of the

rest of my primary school to receive my prize,” she says.

But when her school years ended, McFadzean didn’t dare dream of becoming an artist.

“When I was faced with the prospect of what to do for the rest of my life, the thought of trying to become an artist that young, when there’s so many stereotypes and stigmas about how artists don’t make any money, that diverted me towards something a little bit safer – and that’s how I ended up studying media,” she explains.

When she finished her Communications degree in Media and Art Production at UTS, McFadzean played it safe with a day job in the digital wing of a local ad agency.

She recounts, “I came out of my degree with a few web skills, a few production skills, I had a few advertising skills – and I thought: Okay, what am I gonna do with this.”

But after three years of climbing the ranks, McFadzean reached a turning point.

“I got completely burnt out – as you do in the advertising world,” she says.

And from that haze of fatigue, McFadzean somehow found the strength and courage to make some big changes.

“I did a typography class one day at Workshop, and it was at that moment that everything kind of hit me – it was like, what the hell are you doing with your life? You are not happy with your job. It’s draining.

Your passions are clearly somewhere else. And so, I quit and moved to a job that had better hours and pay, and I started to focus on my art.”

“And the day that I quit my job, I got an offer to do my first exhibition - so it was funny how all those little pieces started lining up. And from there, everything has been moving very quickly.”

McFadzean was recently commissioned by Surry Hills café, Cook & Archies to illustrate a new coffee cup design. She explains, “They’re actually my local; they’re right across the road from my work. I love the place, they are like a little family, so it was good to be able to give them something back.”

“Like every artist, I want to be commissioned for commercial projects. As much as I love making beautiful illustrations, for my own sake, it doesn’t pay the bills. I love working with people and brands who have values and ethics that are on par with my own.”

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EAT & DRINK

By Jackie McMillan

Nel Restaurant “People try and reinvent the wheel sometimes, and you don’t have to,” explains owner/chef Nelly Robinson when I quiz him on his beetroot, white balsamic and goat’s cheese dish. It’s a classic combination that suddenly isn’t boring, what with dueling beetroots, airy, whipped goat’s cheese, crisp brik pastry and a dab of raspberry taking it somewhere new.The 29-year-old’s highly worked 8-course Menu ($88/head) runs the gamut from

$ - mains less than $15

$$ - mains between $15-$22

ROCKS & CBD Chiswick at the Gallery Matt Moran and Peter Sullivan have brought the highlights of the garden-driven Chiswick over to the Art Gallery of NSW.You’ll find the communal dining elements they’re famous for – slowroasted Moran family farm lamb and whole roast chook – alongside cocktails and small plates.While SzechuanYellowfin Tuna ($20) with apple, cucumber and mint was muted, the dude food options surprised.Try Snow Crab Sliders ($9/ each) and crisp Fried Quail ($22) with lively jalapeños and sriracha mayo.They’re prefect against the passionfruit chilli punch of Picante de la Casa ($17).Alternatively, construct a light lunch of Oysters ($4/

pressed and crumbed pig’s head batons: ‘green peas, ham’, all the way to ‘pistachio, white corn and cherry’: a surprisingly delicious heap of chocolate soil, fairy floss, pistachio ice cream, cherries and marzipan, summoning Black Forest gâteau. It’s delivered to you in a stylish fine dining-lite basement setting, by an experienced floor team. The Matched Wine Package ($80/head) is a must-have, and not just because you get an amazing two wines per dish. “We go to wine auctions and look for obscure things,” says gun Restaurant Manager Che Vogler. He’s picked a lovely, easy-drinking wine in the 2013 Curlewis ‘Bel Sel’ Pinot Noir to match chef’s venison carpaccio with pepper, chocolate and pickled enoki, but it’s the companion 2012 Domaine Bertagna Haute Cotes de Nuits ‘Les Dames Huguettes’ that really complements the dish. Debating the best wine match provides fabulous at-the-table fun, before advancing to other forms of ‘conscious coupling’.

75 Wentworth Avenue, Sydney (02) 9212 2206 nelrestaurant.com.au Modern Australian $$$

$$$ - mains between $22-$30

each), Native Thyme and Garlic Flatbread ($6) and seasonal Peaches ($17) with bitter leaves and mint.

Art Gallery of New South Wales,Art Gallery Road,The Domain, Sydney (02) 9225 1819 chiswickrestaurant.com.au Modern Australian $$$-$$$$ Bowery Lane On-point plating means the Buttermilk Hotcake ($14) might have you whipping out your phone to document the artful tumble of fluffy hotcakes, edible flowers, berries, seeds, mascarpone and maple syrup – even if you’re not usually the food photography type. For the ultimate twocourse breakfast indulgence, split a serve after you all order something savoury. In that quarter, it’s hard to choose between their single-pan breakfasts: Harlem Hash

$$$$ - mains over $30

($16) with slow-braised pork, kale, kumera and puffed wild rice under sunny-side eggs, and Scouts Breakfast ($16) of spuds, mushrooms, prosciutto, goats cheese and poached eggs. Or their renovated Breakfast Roll ($14) is a satisfying avalanche of twice-cooked pork belly, apple ‘slaw and fried egg.

Shop 1, Level 4, 1 O’Connell Street, Sydney (02) 9252 8017 bowerylane.com.au Breakfast, Café $$ DARLO, KINGS X & SURRY HILLS The Butler This leafy balcony is the perfect place to sink cocktails, and The Grand Butler ($18) with Bulleit Rye,Antica Formula and salted

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678 Sydney Korean BBQ Korean comedian Kang Ho-Dong greets you at the door in cardboard cutout form. He’s also a cartoon on the storybook menu, where his American chain is given a distinctly Aussie twist.The shiny silver extractors and polished concrete floors give the space a quasiindustrial look. Even banchan arrive in metal, well except

caramel proves a sophisticated way to begin. For something more smashable, La Mule ($17) pretties up Ciroc Vodka with St. Germain and housemade ginger beer. Cognac cocktails are also well represented; wrap your lips around the roasted almond sugar rim of the Butler Side Car ($16) as a way in.The loosely French Caribbean menu produces a saucy bowl of vividly orange Tabasco Prawns ($22) with mango salsa and coconut quinoa; and gently ‘Creole’ Spiced Lamb Ribs ($24). Or stick with Boudin Noir ($6/each) sliders and plentiful drinks.

123 Victoria Street, Potts Point (02) 8354 0742 butlersydney.com.au Cocktails, Bar, Bar Food $$$ Zahli Restaurateur Mohammad Issmail had transformed the former Al Aseel, using

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for earthenware bowls of gyeran jjim (steamed egg) that make nice counterpoints to the charcoal grilled meats.

And make no mistake; you have come here to eat meat, constructed into ssam (leaf wrapped) with kimchi and radish in gochujang (hot pepper). Start your big beef adventure with Beef Tartare ($27) before advancing to the grill.While Wagyu 8+ Rib Eye ($27) is the most popular, the Wagyu 8+ Beef Flower Marble Scotch Fillet ($34) really melts on the tongue. While you’re cooking, get into the lively spirit of the place by necking a few Hite ($6) beers or some Korean Herbal Wine ($20).

After you’ve tangled with thinly sliced Beef Tongue ($18) kick on with some pork. Don’t be afraid of the Pork Jowl ($19) - it has good meat to fat ratio and scrubs up well in a shiso leaf. By the way, the icy banchan bowl isn’t a hand-wash! It’s radish water (dongchimi) and aids digestion, so try spoonfuls between your ssam.

Level 1/ 396 Pitt Street (enter Goulburn Street), Haymarket (02) 9267 7334 facebook.com/678Sydney Korean $$

ornate blue tiles, marble and quirky dangling desk lamps, into arguably the slickest-looking Lebanese restaurant in Sydney has to offer.Throw in smooth, flavoursome hommos - best in a Mixed Dips ($20) arrangement with companion smoky baba ghannouj and lightly tangy labneh - and vibrant Fattoush ($15), and you have the makings of a meal. Falafel ($12), adorned with sesame seeds, are brightly aromatic with cumin and coriander seed, while compelling Coriander Potato ($12) is bright with chilli, suiting Almaza ($10) beer. Round it out with moist chicken Shish Tawook ($26) or tender lamb Lahem Mishwee ($27).

529 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills (02) 9318 2228 zahlirestaurant.com Lebanese $$$

Malabar Despite moving up the road, Malabar Darlinghurst has retained its loyal regulars.

They seem delighted with the new setting, wall-sized murals, natural light and city skyline view.The menu has made the hop too, with a few new South Indian dishes like Kovalam Barramundi ($14). Mellagu Prawns ($16) combines peppercorns, tomato and fennel seeds into an aromatic dish that complements crustaceans. Pull back with a signature crispy Bangalore Dosai ($14) – before diving into richly flavoursome Goat Mappas ($23), a Keralainspired curry.With the distinctive sour tang of kokum, the Goan Fish Curry ($24) is worth the trip alone.

1/274Victoria Street, Darlinghurst (02) 9332 1755 malabarcuisine.com.au Indian $$-$$$

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11

EAT DRINK EAT &&DRINK

By Jackie McMillan

Runcible Spoon As a loyal fan of Golden Cobra coffee, you’ll find me at this Camperdown café quite regularly, tucking into owner/chef Alex Watts’ famous Thai-style fried eggs.

Hearing they’re now opening on Friday nights between 5pm and 10pm, encouraged me to revisit. Kicking back with a Mountain Goat India Pale Ale ($8) on the large shared table with a crowd of easy-going locals,

INNER WEST PizzAperta The entry-level Manfredi is stylishly crafted to fit into the alcove below older sibling Balla, on the outside edge of The Star; right behind the large letters tourists love posing in. So grab an Aperol Spritz ($15) or a jug of Birra Moretti ($24) and a front row pew.Your pizza is served in a box, irrespective of whether you eat in, or take it with you.The point of difference is the lightness of the pizza - even my favourite double carb. - Potato, Rosemary and Gorgonzola ($19) - looked like a Neapolitan pizza, but sat much less heavily.

Meaning you can squeeze in an airy Roman focaccia, topped with Prosciutto, Burrata and Eggplant ($20) too.

BY RYAN KENNEDY It’s the Festival of Guilty Food Pleasures, and as a result the shoestring fries at Firefly, usually Parmesan-dusted and truffle-oiled, come additionally bacon-enriched with a paprika aioli. Labelled Cheesy Bacon Truffle Fries ($14), the resultant plate somehow outdoes the description.Another Festival special is carbon-carb action from a Duo of Lasagne Burgers ($16) - sliders of saucy lasagne patties with yet more bacon; but it’s the fried smoked onion ring perched atop that steals the limelight. Enormous open windows front the street, and peopleGREATER SYDNEY Dachshund Coffee Despite two gleaming russet gold Hungarian Vizslas sitting at the door, co-owner Rob Stein explains Dachshund Coffee is “just a name, though one that’s a little preppy and playful.”

The resulting café has injected some Surry Hills-style into the changing face of Hunters Hill.

Their carefully selected produce starts with Fat Poppy coffee, scrubbing up quite nicely in a Latte ($3.50). Handcrafted Brickfields bread makes an excellent platform for Reformed Avocado ($18.50), buried in a 12

CITY HUB 9 APRIL 2015

epitomized everything I love about the Inner West.

The concise menu is inspired by the path Alex takes to work, past Faros Bros in Marrickville. The resulting Salmon Belly ($22) is nicely fatty, and turned slightly Japanese with miso, tahini and a spattering of bottarga.

Enjoy it with Heirloom Tomato,Whipped Feta & Herbs ($14) using tomatoes plucked from his mother’s garden.

Mum is also responsible for the tart rhubarb employed in his Rhubarb and Fig Upside-Down Cake ($8). It’s based on a simple Margaret Fulton recipe, and dished up nighttimes with a lovely vanilla anglaise. If there’s an overall theme to the dishes, Alex tells me it’s “things I like to eat.” And I certainly did like eating his fluffy pillows of Gnocchi ($24) with broccolini, tomato and judiciously applied anchovies; and deeply smoky Duck ($29) set off by tart blood plum and bitter radicchio.

Think healthy, homey, and relaxed.

27 Barr Street, Camperdown (02) 9519 2727 facebook. com/runciblespooncafe Modern Australian, Café $$$

The Star, 80 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont (02) 9777 9000 star.com.au/pizzaperta Pizza $$ One6Eight Balmain Balmain boy, Chef Leigh McDivitt, has come home to roost. Being back on the peninsula suits him. Dishes like his Hop Smoked and Blackened Rump Cap ($36) benefit from being less fussy on the plate.

Grilled baby leeks and golden ale gel make good foils for the rich, blackened beef, especially with compelling Thrice Cooked Chips ($12).A slightly busier Seared Scallops ($20) on burnt apple puree with torched prawn and pork dust, modernises our Aussie obsession with surf and turf.

Wife Amanda delivers a great Bacon Old Fashioned ($18). She’s also picked a beauty in the 2010 Lillian Marsanne Roussanne ($16/glass, $68/bottle) from Pemberton,

Firefly

By Jackie McMillan jackie@alternativemediagroup.com

great with the Braised Pork Neck with Apple Cider Cloud ($36).

233 Darling Street, Balmain (02) 9555 8750 one6eight.com.au Modern Australian $$$$

NEWTOWN & ENVIRONS Three Williams This unassuming space on the fringes of Redfern is sparse, with wooden furniture, brick walls and a post-apocalyptic tree branch above the counter. However if you look closer, you’ll find a certain charm.

Green smoothies and salads peppered with the season’s freshest ingredients abound, like the Super Smoothie ($8) with kale, apricot, apple, almond, banana, ginger and cinnamon, and the Organic Tofu Salad ($15) with charred broccolini, almonds, Japanese

watching is best enjoyed over a smooth Vinicola Poletti Sangiovese ($12/ glass), while a Feral Brewing Hop Hog ($9.50) is the ideal foil to their healthy (okay, healthier) alternative to the aforementioned cheesy-truffle mountain: Zucchini Fries ($15).

Heartier share plates come conveniently portioned; Lamb Backstrap ($23) with buckwheat, artichoke puree and mint yoghurt is nutty and fresh, while Slow-Cooked Pork Belly ($21) has that all-important crisp crackling piece nestled upon a pleasingly piquant pear chutney, topped with a tousle of sauerkraut. Friendly staff recommendations are on point, so we finish with the appropriately decadent Warm Chocolate Brownie ($10) and a surprisingly sweet Mr. Black Double Espresso Martini ($21).The Festival might soon be over, but Firefly is still certainly worth a visit.

24 Young Street, Neutral Bay (02) 9909 0193 fireflybar.com.au Bar, Bar Food,Wine $$-$$$

flurry of vine-ripened tomatoes, tabbouleh, quinoa and crisp sage leaves, topped with an optional poached Egganic Egg ($4). Or there’s Zucchini and Goat’s Feta Fritters ($19.50) with smoked ocean trout-spiked red leaf and dill salad.

Shop 4, 64-68 Gladesville Road, Hunters Hill (02) 9879 4619 facebook.com/dachshundcoffee Café $$ Chinaman Dumpling Dumplings, in and of themselves, make me happy. Boil ‘em, fry ‘em—just let me at ‘em. So it didn’t take much to get me across the bridge to Chinaman Dumpling. The menu is rife with

the usual suspects, including a compulsory set of Pork and Chive Dumplings ($13) with nice onion bite. Chunks of shrimp and water chestnut-crunch give way to a nutty whisper of roasted sesame in Shumai ($9); while Duck San Choy Bow ($14) are bright with fresh chilli and spring onion. Unctuous Crispy Pork Belly ($23) arrives capped with golden crackling, conveniently pre-sliced so there is no time wasted between its arrival and your shameless indulgence.

Shop 3, 4 Rangers Road, Cremorne (02) 9953 7072 chinaman.com.au Chinese $$

Pu’er Despite good instructions from enthusiastic floor Manager Quinton Van Schalkwyk, most of my meal is spent debating and creating the perfect cup of tea with my British dining companion.We started with Osmanthus Phoenix ($9) - a little too flowery for me - but it scrubbed up better in a Peaches & Phoenix ($17) cocktail, where fruit rather than flowers took the lead. By the time we hit our favoured second pot

seaweed and peas. Don’t want to work on your physique? The Chicken Schnitzel Burger ($15) has your back - crispy and delicious with wasabi and avocado mayo; and the Brioche French Toast ($16) is a textural masterpiece with caramel bananas, hazelnuts and Belgian chocolate.

613a Elizabeth St, Redfern (02) 9698 1111 threewilliams.com Cafe $-$$ EASTERN SUBURBS & BEACHES

Banana Blossom After starting at the Good Food Markets, then setting up shop on the Northern Beaches, Ben Thomas has now brought his ‘Eat More Green’ mantra to Bondi.

Using fresh, local ingredients and lots of

– High Mountain Red Tea ($9) - we’re sure the second steeping produces the best tiny glass cup of tea.While my interest was most captured by the teas (imported from Yunnan, China), this surprisingly charming teahouse tucked under the garish-orange awning also does competent pan-Asian tapas with a bit of a Western twist.

Beyond the ever-popular Shanghai Soup Dumplings ($7) you’ll also find wackier Pork and Peanut ($7) versions in their nine-strong dumpling list. Street food options like panko-crumbed pork Hong Kong Mini-Burgers ($15/4) or BBQ Duck ‘Tacos’ ($16/4) in steamed white buns, probably please groups more than couples. Never fear there’s always Stir-Fried Green Beans ($18) with pork mince in XO sauce… Nicely savoury but slightly undercooked black sticky rice let down our Coconut and Kaffir Lime Leaf Sorbet ($10) conclusion, as we alighted our Chinese saddle-stools, well hydrated but slightly stiff-legged.

20a Danks Street,Waterloo (02) 8399 1331 puer.com.au Chinese,Yum Cha, Pan Asian $$-$$$

Asian flavour, these huge salads are great option when you want something healthy but filling. Ben promises the popular Tokyo Classic ($14), loaded with chicken coated in black sesame seeds, Chinese cabbage, avocado, cherry tomatoes and green soba noodles in a sesame dressing, won’t disappoint. On the sweeter side, Coconut Chicken with Crispy Egg Noodle ($14) is brimming with crunchy egg noodles in tamarind and sesame dressing. Super hungry? Start with Tofu Rice Paper Rolls ($8).

18/2a Jaques Avenue, Bondi (0409) 908 364 eatmoregreen.com.au Pan Asian, Salads $ Harry’s Bar and Dining A Bondi institution has joined the 21st century – this launderette-cumconvenience store is now a dining

FOOD NEWS

destination complete with organic produce, cold-pressed juices and paleo. options.The turquoise espresso machine delivers coffee married with almond and macadamia milk – the barista goes through five litres a day and it’s still not enough. For a fancy breakfast, try the Crispy Rolled Egg ($19.50) with black beans, chorizo, avocado, cherry tomatoes, coriander and lime. Lunchtime, the talk of the town is plump Seared Scallops ($18) with turmeric puree, and crispy parsnip and pomegranate chips. Dinner is small but excellent with Pan Roasted Holmbrae Chicken ($29) the standout.The Eton Mess ($12) is anything but untidy with micro herbs and Chantilly cream.

Shop 2/136 Wairoa Avenue, Bondi (02) 9310 2180 harrysespressobar.com.au Cafe $-$$

By Jackie McMillan

LATE NIGHTS With the Baird Government being granted another term in NSW, you might have given up all hope of the lockout laws ever being rescinded; especially as you watch Kings Cross rapidly morphed from being our entertainment district into a ‘sought after’ residential address using high-rise developments.

However it’s not all gloom and doom: The Powder Keg, a Kings Cross small bar you can enter after the witching hour on Friday and Saturday nights, has a great late night menu running until 2.30am.

Chef Elijah Holland will be banging out some burgers - wild boar and fennel burgers with Cheddar cheese and smoked ketchup, that is.You’ll also be able to munch on duck schnitzel lollipops as you imbibe Grant Collins’ fabulous gin creations.

And during the witching hour itself (12am-1am) you can enjoy a burger’n’Mary combo for $25, or some mature Cheddar puffs with Volcano Punch for $20. Thank Collins for small mercies… www.thepowderkeg.com.au

BAR FLY

By Amie Barbeler

THE ROYAL BOTANICAL I’ll admit that the colour did drain from my face as I arrived at The Royal, a new date in tow, to be greeted by a gauntlet of half-cut construction workers. But there’s a lot more to this pub than meets the eye.

Head upstairs and you’ll find a beautiful bar/restaurant called The Royal Botanical.

Expect gorgeous views of the sunset, friendly staff, great cocktails and pub food and an atmosphere that is very conducive to an easy and relaxed date. My date and I kicked off the night with a few vanilla vodka and passionfruit Passion Martinis ($17) each with a shot of Prosecco on the side, before I inhaled the Crispy Pork

Belly ($24) with roasted root vegies and she attempted the mountain of meat that is the Black Angus Sirloin ($24) with mash and dark beer gravy. Pro tip: Stick

to the side door if you want to impress your date.

156 Norton Street, Leichhardt (02) 9569 2638 theroyalleichhardt.com.au

CITY HUB 9 APRIL 2015

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT HAIRCUTS

After a hugely successful outing at Sydney’s Short and Sweet festival, playwright Con Nats knew he had a hit on his hands.

“The short play did well and played at the Edinburgh Festival,” he explains, “and I had so many people telling me to turn it into a full-length play that I pretty much had to!”

Haircuts tells the story of a Greek barber and his customers and business, under the looming threat of a new shopping centre development. For Nats, the contrast of community and commercialization hits close to home. “I grew up close to Parramatta Road and my parents had a shop. I saw the Broadway Shopping Centre just suck the life out of the area.”

Nats spent one year doing research, chatting to many current and former barbers about their lives and work, and a further two years writing the play. “Sometimes it was tricky trying to get them to sit down and talk but they’ve all got stories to tell.”

Those who saw the original production can expect more of what made the original so popular, according to Nats. “I hope they get the same joy. I hope they are even more moved by the drama. It‘s a deeper experience.” (SW) 15 – 26 April,The Greek Theatre, Addison Road Community Centre, 142 Addison Road, Marrickville,Tickets $25-$30, www.trybooking.com/GSOA, www.conats.wix.com/haircuts.

EVERYBODY‘S TALKIN‘ ‘BOUT ME “Everybody‘s talking at me I don‘t hear a word they‘re saying only the echoes of my mind” are the iconic opening lyrics to Harry Nilsson‘s Everybody‘s Talkin‘.

The Hayes Theatre Co will have the standout production from the 2014 Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Everybody‘s Talkin‘ ‚bout Me starring the legendary Tim Freedman.

As the lead singer of the Australian band, The Whitlams, Tim Freedman portrarys the life of the American recording artist and Grammy Award winner Harry Nilsson. Freedman encapsulates the essence of Nilsson as he takes on the role whole heartedly.

“Harry Nilsson had an interesting life, a wonderful voice and is relatively unknown these days,” Freedman explained, “When I took on this role, I wanted to do a different type of artistic activity and cabaret was a great option.”

Tim Freedman and David Mitchell wrote the production and wanted to give Nilsson a new limelight.

“As Harry, I walk onto the stage, reminisce about his life, play a few of his iconic songs and then leave,” Freedman said.

Barry Humphries, also known by the alter ego name Dame Edna, was moved by this performance he attend twice. This production is well worth watching and cannot be missed! (EV) 13 April – 19 April, Hayes Theatre Co, 19 Greenknowe Ave Potts Point, Tickets $40*, www.hayestheatre.com.au or phone 02 8065 7337

a&e

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CITY HUB 9 APRIL 2015

ORPHANS

Orphans is described as “a dark and gritty thriller” by lead actor Thomas Unger. The Dennis Kelly play explores violence in a low socioeconomic environment, and how humans relate in harsh urban settings.

“When I was first given the script I couldn’t put it down; I just picked it up and read it from cover to cover,” says Unger.

“From the very first scene there are tensions before anyone even speaks… and this tension carries through to the end of the play.”

Helen and Danny’s quiet night in is interrupted by the arrival of Helen’s younger brother Liam. Spattered in blood, he claims to have found someone injured on the street. As the story unfolds, what happened on the street seems less clear.

Author Dennis Kelly (Matilda the Musical, Osama the Hero) always aims to entertain, and the themes in Orphans are designed to keep the audience wondering and worried. The play raises questions of class and family loyalty, and whether all humans have the potential for racial discrimination and violence.

A psychological thriller that pits morality against family ties, Orphans is not for the faint of heart. (HC) Jul 2-20, Old 505 Theatre, 32 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills, $18-28, venue505.com/theatre NB: Due to Thomas Unger‘s exit from the production, the role of Danny will now be played by Oleg Pupovac.

NB:TAP Gallery has announced that Orphans has been cancelled.

15 STAGE 16 SCENE 17 SCREEN 18 SOUNDS

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

Contributors: Alexis Talbot-Smith, Anita Senaratna, Carmen Cita, Ciaran Tobin, Craig Coventry, Georgia Fullerton, Greg Webster, Hannah Chapman, Leann Richards, Marilyn Hetreles, Mark Morellini, Katie Rorison, Mel Somerville, Michael Muir, Michelle Porter, Nick Jewlachow, Peter Hackney, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Ruth Fogarty, Sarah Pritchard, Sharon Ye, Shauna O’Carroll, Siri Williams, Peter Scobie, Lisa Seltzer, Olga Azar, Elyssa King, Brendan Modini

DEATHTRAP Deathtrap is a cheeky look at a thriller written in the same vein and around the time of Dial M for Murder (Hitchcock) and Witness for the Prosecution (Agatha Christie). It’s a cheeky wink at that style, a comedy thriller, a mix of dark comedy that’s popular now and the thriller part has plenty of twists and turns.

“Just like Witness the Prosecution had a massive twist right at the end, in a way that’s what happens in Deathtrap. It’s not obvious who dun nit, there’s multiple twists, it constantly rolls through,” explains Timothy Dashwood, who plays Clifford Anderson, the young wannabe playwright. The beauty of it is the audience will think they know exactly what’s happening and then that knowledge will disappear right underneath them, the floor will fall out and they’ll have to start working out everything again multiple times.”

The original Deathtrap (1978) is Broadway’s longest running comedy-thriller and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play. Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve starred in Deathtrap the movie in 1982. “It’s still the same script as the original but has a modern feel. The set is beautiful and the play has a modern chic 70’s feel, ”says Dashwood.

Deathtrap is presented by Eternity Playhouse in a recently converted church in Darlinghurst. “It’s for people who are ok with a little bit of death, there’s some violence, some alluded violence, violent weaponry, there could be some fake blood,” explains Dashwood. (MS) 10th April till 10 May, Eternity Playhouse, 39 Burton Street, Darlinghurst, Adult $45/ Conc & Groups $38/ Under 30 (Tue-Thu) & Previews $30. www. darlinghursttheatre.com or 02 8356 9987

JERRY & TOM American writer, Rick Cleveland, has enjoyed a successful career, which includes scriptwriting for television cult programs like Mad Men and House of Cards. This month, Insomniac Theatre will be bringing his 1990’s play turned film, Jerry and Tom, to black comedy life at The Exchange Hotel.

The story was inspired by Cleveland’s time working as a barman at an Ohio club/steakhouse comedy club. After spending time at the bar, Cleveland befriended some of the regulars before learning of their involvement in a string of gangland killings. Cleveland was forced to reconsider his criminal ring of friends.

Actor Boris Brkic plays the role of Tom, who is fast to commend Cleveland’s creative approach. “He’s an intelligent writer” Brkic says, “He doesn’t do the obvious thing. There’s an innate cleverness in the way he constructs things.”

Directed by Maggie Scott, Jerry and Tom promises to be a entertaining night full of violent laughs. “It’s smart, it’s sharp, it’s clever, it’s well observed and it’s pointedly written,” Brkic says, “I guess in the juxtaposition of words that he uses, along with the actions.You get remarkably mundane things being discussed while really morbid things are being done.” (CW) 9-30 April,The Craftsman’s Bar,The Exchange Hotel, Balmain.Tickets $30 Adult, $25 concession, www.trybooking.com/116838 or (02) 9555 9009 THEATRE & PERFORMANCE ALL THAT JAZZ: JAM NIGHTS AT THE WORLD BAR The World Bar has a strongly grounded reputation as one of Kings Cross’ most popular weekend venues for drinking and dancing.

However, there is more to this unique venue than dance music and teapot cocktails. Ankle down on a Monday evening and you’ll discover one of the Sydney jazz and Latin music communities best kept secrets.The weekly Latin & Jazz

Open Mic Jam Sessions are a welcoming place where anyone and everyone can come along to enjoy some timeless Jazz standards, whether they are performing or observing..Whether you plan on taking the stage or not, you can enjoy the open atmosphere in the venue’s main bar (front room) where the doors open onto the terrace and the standing piano is rolled out. In the colder months you can enjoy the ambiance of a roaring fire. A diverse lot of performers take the stage every week – from students of the Australian Institute of Music, to former X-Factor contestants and regulars like Valda, a

spritely woman in her nineties who plays a mean French horn.This regular event fosters the artistic side of the city’s musical community, free of cover charge. Even if you’re just looking for somewhere to enjoy a fine glass of wine on a Monday evening, it’s worth a look. If you’d like to join the ‘cats’ on stage, all you need to do is call or email your sheet music and/or ideas to latinjazz@theworldbar.com up to the day of the jam session, and the jazz house band will prepare to accompany you. (AM) Every Monday, 6-11pm at The World Bar, 24 Bayswater Road Potts Point.

FREE.

FREAK WINDS Determined to revive the seminal productions of its edgy history, Red Line Productions has managed to lure Marshall Napier’s classic Freak Winds back to the Old Fitzroy Theatre. In a deserted neighbourhood on a stormy night, brash insurance salesman Henry Crumb (Ben O’Toole) invades the home of the reclusive Ernest (Napier) and his enigmatic companion Myra (Anna Bamford).

Before long, the evening takes on a series of surprising and increasingly macabre turns, blending humour with genuine horror in the claustrophobic venue that is ‘the

Old Fitz’. “It’s the ideal venue for a play like this”, says Napier, who having created the play, is also acting and directing. From its humble beginnings, Freak Winds has found audiences internationally, including a season in New York. “The exposure was unexpected”, admits Napier.

“When I wrote it, I genuinely thought it would have a very small audience. It’s hardly mainstream but its appeal was a lot broader than I had imagined”. A writing twist brought upon by a nasty accident has seen some last minute changes to the storyline. “I smashed my tibia so I had to do a rewrite to accommodate my incapacity”, says

Napier. (GW) Until 11 April,Tuesday – Saturday, 7:30pm, Sunday 5pm, Old Fitzroy Theatre, 129 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo, $32, www. oldfitztheatre.com, 0422198955 RIVERRUN Riverrun is an avant-garde, up and coming production at Sydney Theatre Company that is highly theatrical and not unlike a rock gig.

(MS) Until 11 April 2015. Opening Night: Thursday 12 March 2015 at 8.15pm, Wharf 2, Sydney Theatre Company, Pier4/5 Hickson Road,Walsh Bay, Box Office: 02 9250 1777. sydneytheatre. com.au Tickets: $40 - $55 CITY HUB 9 APRIL 2015

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THE NAKED CITY

WHATEVER HAPPED TO THE LATE, LATE SHOW?

BY COFFIN ED AND MISS DEATH AND JAY KATZ Perhaps it’s just the collateral damage of a changing lifestyle dominated by the new technologies. Then again it could also be a huge conspiracy to lock us all into a rigid nine to five workplace in an effort to boost productivity. It seems we are losing the late night hours especially the once vigorous post midnight nocturnal playground of culture and old school socialising.

Socialising like sitting around in Kings Cross’s Piccolo Bar until 5.00am in the morning, charged with expresso and listening to John Coltrane on the juke box. Culture like jazz musicians jamming at the Paradise Club in Darlinghurst Rd right through until dawn or the remarkable Deadly Ernests (yes there five of them) and their late night TV shows which introduced thousands of young Australians to the joys of schlock horror.

We might just be wallowing in a nostalgia but it does seem that the once fruitful wee small hours have become a wasteland for those insomniacs, shift workers or bohemian ravers who are not safely tucked into bed by 11pm. Television is a great reflection of our society but is now almost unwatchable after midnight unless you have developed an insatiable lust for info-mercials and the endless home shopping pitch. Who would have guessed that the new celebrities of Australian TV are the Nutribullet and the Shark vacuum cleaner.

Maybe they deserve their own special category at the Logies!

The once loved late night movies that plundered a treasure chest of B grade, cult and classic film noir have long given way to these wretched infomercials. It seems only the gullible are tuned in after midnight and the rest of us need to grab a good book or add some quirky photos to our Facebook page.

That might be a suitable diversion for some night

owls but there are many who crave a much deeper intellectual stimulation. You can download just about anything these days but there’s something special about turning the TV on at 2.00am and discovering a rare screening of The Tingler or The Blob.

The 1.30am lockout may have curtailed the boozy weekend madness in Kings Cross but there was a time when late night clubs flourished all over Sydney, free of any real controversy involving alcohol or violence. Clover Moore has often talked about Sydney becoming a twenty four city with late night restaurants, cafes, bars and various cultural attractions. That paradigm worked briefly during the Sydney Olympics in 2000 with thousands of international visitors in town but has long since dissipated.

We are now so locked into a rigid framework of opening and closing hours that any departure from that regime is considered almost revolutionary. The Sydney Festival has tried it with post midnight shows in the Spiegletent, all of which have been highly successful and Melbourne recently ran its White Night festival which ran from dusk right through until dawn.

Maybe we need to set aside a precinct of this city purely for the nocturnal, far from the madding crowd of Kings Cross and heavily subsidized and promoted by our good City Council. You would find restaurants, a cinema, cafes and bars with live music, as well as selected specialist shops trading exclusively from midnight to dawn. At first it would operate only on weekends but once Sydneysiders cottoned on it would expand to seven days a week.

The area would become a haven for anybody looking for late night nourishment or intellectual inspiration from insomniacs and travellers through to those who simply eschew the daylight hours.

Eventually hotels and apartments would spring up in the area and a whole new apres midnight culture would emerge with not a Nutribullet to be seen.

CHIPPENDALE NEW WORLD ART PRIZE This year marks the third annual Chippendale New World Art Prize, which was made possible by a $100 000 donation from the philanthropist Dr Stanley Quek.

2015 is the year of Phenomena, a theme which is both broad and intriguing. The finalists include Tanya Chaitow, the surrealist painter, whose evocative works have been shown in several galleries. Korean born Hyun Hee Lee, whose ethereal pastels delve into aspects of memory and sensory illusion, has also made the cut and they are joined by photographer of the intricate and neglected, Emilio Cresciani. A plethora of other artists in fields as diverse as sculpture, animation and installations are also contributing to this kaleidoscopic exploration of the extraordinary.

Their amazing creations will be displayed at three locations in Chippendale including the NG gallery and Carlton Project Space from opening night, April 9, when the winner will be announced. That lucky artist will gain the opportunity of a residency at the Ionian Center for the Arts and Culture in Greece.

The exhibition will be an inspiring look at some of Sydney‘s bright and emerging talent and a spectacular feature of the Chippendale art precinct throughout the month. (LR) April 9 till May 2, NG Art Gallery and Carlton Project Space

EXHIBITIONS CIRCUS FACTORY The display is interactive. On the ground level visitors can experience a live thrill from the talented Circa acrobatic team, swirl a hula hoop, get lost in a hall of mirrors, juggle and ride a fully operational carousel. The next section features a historical collection of costumes and information about the famous 16

CITY HUB 9 APRIL 2015

Wirth circus family, including an amazing, century old photo of the world renowned equestrienne May Wirth, tumbling backwards from one galloping horse to another.

Meanwhile, the basement hosts a collection of odd coin-operated animatronics. Down here the skull of truth will tell your fortune while Tommy will throw a tantrum for the right price. This is an exploration and adventure through the colour, joy, eccentricity and

chicanery of itinerant performance in an Australian setting. The opportunity to play, combined with the carnivalesque atmosphere is a reminder of older times when entertainment was not confined within a hand held device. (LR) Until May 3, Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris St, Ultimo, $35/Free for up to 3 children, powerhousemuseum.com TOWERS OF TOMORROW A plethora of multicoloured, glistening bricks, begging to be

A COLOURFUL X JENNA YONA BLOOM Some characters are larger than life and artist Jenna YoNa Bloom demonstrates this with her stencil art.

Her latest project takes the denizens of Kings Cross and transforms them into vibrant works of portraiture.

The subjects of the exhibition, A Colourful X, are as individual as the notorious suburb. They include Reverend Graham Long of the Wayside Chapel, former striptease dancer Elizabeth Burton, and author Louis Nowra. The diversity of people echoes the chameleon nature of their environment and is a testament to the lasting bohemian appeal of the Cross.

Faces, old and young, stare evocatively from the spray painted backgrounds. Each piece tells the story of a breathing soul whose features reveal narratives of inspiration, desperation, love and creativity, emotions which are integral to Sydney and its surrounds.

The street art technique adds to the appeal, as does the familiarity of the visages. Each belongs to the locality, yet transcends the parochial and becomes a part of an overarching story of a community experiencing the vicissitudes of the 21st Century.

A testament to time and history, life and provocation, A Colourful X is sure to be a unique and powerful illustration of one of the city‘s most interesting and iconic corners. (LR) Jenna YoNa Bloom. A Colourful X GKJE Gallery 1, Mercure Sydney, Potts Point, Level 2, 226 Victoria Street, Potts Point. April 1-28 fondled and clicked are an irresistible lure to both children and adults and are sure to be the most popular aspect of the show.

The display features prominent edifices of Australia and South East Asia which have been built to scale

by Lego engineer Ryan McNaught.

It includes the beautiful, shining, Petronas Towers, Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, the Eureka building in Melbourne, and a model of Barangaroo. The highlight is the

opportunity to play with 200,000 rainbow pieces. This is an immersive experience which will appeal to enthusiasts of architecture and design and is sure to inspire the creativity of the next generation. (LR) Until April 19, Museum of Sydney, Cnr Philip & Bridge St, Sydney, $5-15 or $45 family ticket, sydneylivingmuseums.com.au TECHE NOBLE Técha Noble has worked across all

manner of mediums; from textile design, to performance art and set design. Despite getting attention from rap superstars and Australian label heroes, Noble insists that this flitting between channels and constructions is all part of being an artist today. CRYSTAL ROMEO sees Noble examining new ways to depict Australia’s landscape, eschewing the masculine narratives of colonialism for glitter and high camp.

X+Y Nathan (Asa Butterfield) is unique. But whilst his skills with numbers are of Olympic proportion, his skills in human relationships are non-league.

Diagnosed with a mild autism and suffering the loss of someone close, he is unable to express even the slightest affection, preferring to interpret the world in terms of mathematics. But when he is introduced to unconventional teacher Mr. Humphreys (Rafe Spall) a friendship develops and lessons other than maths are learned. Soon he discovers there is such a thing as the International Mathematics Olympiad and he sets his sights on representing the United Kingdom. Leaving home for the first time and traveling to Taipei with other young prodigies hopeful of a place, he struggles to overcome his issues with the help of new friend and Chinese competitor, Zhang Mei (Jo Yang). Director Morgan Matthews perfects the art of creating a heartwarming tale without straying into over-sentimentality. (CCov) WWWW

BLACK SEA The motley crew of a run-down submarine embark on a perilous mission to salvage Nazi gold from the depths of the Black Sea in this taut, high-stakes thriller from director Kevin MacDonald.

Greed, superstition and lingering Cold War paranoia quickly breed disharmony aboard the claustrophobic vessel, but it’s the captain’s wounded pride that poses the greatest danger.

Estranged from his family and laid off from work, he has a chip on his shoulder and a score to settle.

Sporting a thick Scottish accent and a burly physique, Jude Law tempers earnestness with blue-collar machismo in the film‘s central role, which rates amongst his best performances.

Unfortunately, despite strong turns from Law‘s co-stars, the ship’s crew – a broadly sketched mob – aren’t nearly as compelling as its captain.

Black Sea is an entertaining boys’ own adventure with a refreshing sense of social realism.

(JH) WWW ½

A WILL FOR THE WOODS Is it something of a contradiction that we recycle our waste products only to have our humanly remains embalmed in toxic fluids and buried in caskets made from two trees?

Alternatively should we cremate our loved ones when fuels burn at high temperatures releasing gases into the atmosphere?

This thought-provoking documentary explores green burial, an unconventional but natural way of handling the deceased, unhazardous to the environment and restoring the dead to re-useable materials in the cycle of life.

Audiences will journey with Clarke Wang, a strong willed psychiatrist and musician suffering with lymphoma, as he prepares for his own green burial.

Through insightful interviews, family movies and photos we connect with this brave and inspirational man, whose last act is not to pollute the planet.

Desperately moving and humorous at times, this multiaward winning documentary aims to spread awareness as a staggering 86% of Americans are oblivious to green burials. (MMo) WWW½ A MOST VIOLENT YEAR It’s the winter of 1981, the New York heating oil industry is not necessarily for gangsters, neither is it scrupulously honest. Abel Morales owns Standard Oil and stakes his future on purchasing an oil terminal, pays a 40% deposit, agreeing to settle in 30 days – or lose the deposit.

Meantime, his delivery trucks are being hijacked and his drivers are

terrorised by an unknown adversary. Then the Assistant DA, the ubiquitous David Oyelowo, decides to investigate his business practices. What will the bank he needs to fund the terminal purchase make of all this? It’s a ripping yarn of almost Shakespearian proportions with a Godfather/Mario Puzo ambience. Abel (Oscar Isaac) is someone you warm to; he has cojones – three of them! Writer/ Director J. C Chandor also made last year’s brilliant All is Lost (Robert Redford) and I cannot wait to see what he does next.

It’s unlikely 2015 will see a drama more thrilling than this.

(MM) WWWW½ EASTERN BOYS Eastern Boys is a controversial new film from France which will intimidate and unnerve audiences. When middle-age Daniel (Olivier Rabourdin) invites a young male prostitute named Marek (Kirill Emelyanov) into his apartment for a discreet meeting, he inadvertently falls into a trap and has a gang of illegal immigrants to contend with. This is the catalyst to a psychological journey of danger and desire Performances are powerful, notably from Daniil Vorobyev who is incredibly frightening as ‘Boss’, the deranged leader of the gang. The script is risqué and gritty, effectively combining gang culture and the story of a building homosexual relationship.

Sexual content is highly graphic which may offend some viewers.

Eastern Boys is a suspenseful and provocative film which will leave audiences cautious about who they invite into their homes.

(MMo) WWW½ FOXCATCHER Heir to a massive fortune and leading a life of privilege, John DuPont decides to fund and ‘coach’ a group of American wrestlers to Olympic glory. Wrestling is merely the setting for a story that explores notions of wealth, privilege, power, weakness, manipulation and aspiration. The story revolves around three characters: DuPont (Carrell), wrestling bothers Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and his older brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo).

Carrell most certainly deserves an Oscar nomination. He portrays Du Pont as selfimportant, controlling, needful and distinctly creepy; but ultimately – pathetic, sad and tragic. Both Carrell’s performance and the film itself are totally mesmerising. Don’t miss this. (MMu) WWWW½ INSURGENT This actionpacked sequel to the 2014 box office hit Divergent contains many twists which should leave legions of fans anticipating the next instalment.

Set days after the end of Divergent, Tris (Shailene Woodley) leaves the compound with boyfriend Tobias (Theo James) in search of allies, while scorned leader Jeanine Matthews (Kate Winslet) is on their trail.

This respectable sequel contains numerous death defying action sequences and is visually stunning, especially in the 3D format.

High-calibre actress Kate Winslet leads a predominantly young cast in this fanciful science fiction film, which loses momentum in the

second half as the plot intensifies. Intricacies in storylines overshadowed by mesmerizing visuals may lead to confusion, notably for moviegoers who have not read the books.

Aimed at the younger audience, this film is made to a winning formula like The Hunger Games Trilogy, achieving a successful transition from literary to cinematic platform. (MMo) WWW PAPER PLANES Sam Worthington takes time off from his busy filming schedule in Hollywood to star in a small Australian film which should delight holiday movie-goers. The story surrounds 11 year-old Dylan (Ed Oxenbould) and his dream to participate in the world paper plane championships in Japan.

Worthington delivers his best performance to date as Jack, Dylan’s father, who is grief stricken after tragedy strikes. The love of his child and his involvement in this sport helps Jack rebuild his shattered life.

The original and simplistic nature of the story ensures audiences of all ages warm to this children’s film, which is written with just the right balance of sensitivity and humour. Paper Planes encourages children to be imaginative and is one of the better Australian films produced in recent years. (MMo) WWW½ MR TURNER The latest masterpiece from director Mike Leigh (Another Year) is a stunning, albeit warts-and-all, portrait of J.M.W. Turner, the eccentric English artist whose creative endeavours polarised

public opinion throughout his tumultuous life. The meandering pace and sombre tone won’t appeal to everyone but Mr. Turner is a rewarding experience for patient viewers with Dick Pope’s cinematography a particular highlight — the meticulously crafted shots channelling the grandeur of Turner’s haunting landscape paintings are simply breathtaking.

(JH) WWWW SELMA The third feature from LA filmmaker Ava DuVernay chronicles Martin Luther King Jr’s legendary struggle to secure equal voting rights for AfricanAmericans, with a focus on his frustrated efforts to lead a peaceful procession from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.The era’s pervading climate of racism is convincingly depicted – scenes of police brutality unsettle, as do King’s vitriolic adversaries (“He’s a political and moral degenerate,” one spouts) – but it never feels gratuitous nor does it detract from the film’s core objective: celebrating the dignity and courage with which King and his cohorts faced great injustice.

Selma is a stirring and nuanced docudrama anchored by strong performances, especially David Oyelowo as King and Tom Wilkinson as conflicted U.S. President, Lyndon Johnson. (JH) WWWW ROSEWATER IranianCanadian Journalist Maziar Bahari was detained in an Iranian prison for 118 days under suspicion of being a spy. Set in 2009, this drama details his plight as he was blindfolded and brutally interrogated daily whilst an

aroma of rosewater permeated the air. High production values abound and solid performances are delivered from a cast led by Gael Garcia Bernal. Actual footage cleverly edited into the film complements and adds credence to a shocking story.

Adversely, the script contains many humorous moments which detract, slightly tarnishing the dramatic impact of the story. Part of a wave of similar films depicting the horrendous maltreatment of people, their survival and resilience, Rosewater may have very limited appeal. (MMo)WWW THAT SUGAR FILM This is the film which the food industry may not want people to see.

Insightful and compelling, the health issues relating to sugar are raised by an investigation when a man embarks on a highsugar diet for 60 days. Damon Gameau directs and fronts this documentary, consuming foods and drinks with a combined 40 teaspoons of sugar each day and the results are astonishing.

Brilliantly written and researched with fascinating interviews, audiences will be enthralled as mindboggling facts and figures are revealed. Innovative in its format, this frisky and upbeat documentary doesn’t attempt to distil negativity and hopelessness, but instead aims to spread awareness about the choices we make concerning our diets and the need for change. With surprise appearances by Hugh Jackman and Stephen Fry, this is the most important and lifechanging film you will ever see.

(MMo) WWWW CITY HUB 9 APRIL 2015

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SYDNEY LIVE MUSIC GUIDE LIVE WIRE

BY JAMIE APPS The Murlocs: Ahead of the release of their second album later this year, June specifically,The Merlons will hit the road to showcase their newest single Adolescence.The Melbourne 5-piece bring an interesting new twist on garage rock in the track about the “mood swings of a 20 something dropkick.”

Thu,Apr 9, Newtown Social Club Betty & Oswald: Having built a loyal following on the local Sydney scene this band is set to explode onto the national and international scene with an upcoming national tour kicking off this week.

Following the national tour they will be heading to Canada to perform at Canadian Music Week, so it is imperative fans jump at the chance to see them now.

Fri,Apr 10, Brighton Up Bar Iron Reagan: Made up of members from Municipal Waste, Cannibal Corpse and Darkest Hour this is more than just another metal super group. Having recently signed with metal powerhouse Relapse Records the group is set to return down under to take hardcore thrash to a whole new level.

Fri,Apr 10, Bald Face Stag Kagu: A creation from the mind of Sean Heathcliff, known as a co-vocalist and multi-instrumentalist of Snakadaktal, Kagu is a new musical direction for an already accomplished artist.Touring to celebrate the release of his four track EP Heathcliff’s talent for lush, layered and

UNKNOWN RECORDS TAKEOVER THE WALL

BY JAMIE APPS

whimsical songwriting creates a beautifully intimate soundscape.

Sat,Apr 11, GoodGod

The World Bar’s weekly midweek party institution The Wall welcomes a special takeover event by independent record label Unknown Records. For Unknown Records this night marks a special occasion in their existence as they will be celebrating their second birthday with this night being the first of a series of takeover events planned nationally for this year.

Over the years,The Wall has built a fantastic reputation as Sydney’s preeminent midweek party spot, with the likes of Peking Duk,Tigerlily, Sigma, Emoh Instead and a host of others gracing their decks.

More recently independent record label Unknown Records, run by good friends Trent Elliott, Boyd Barnes and Alex Preston, have been curating a deep roster of talent and have achieved phenomenal chart success in a short period of existence.The most accomplished of their artists Baytek (Chad Harlow) was the first act signed to the label in its infancy.“It just so happened that as we begun expanding our

FrankTurner: In the decade since his departure from Million Dead, the hardcore quartet he fronted,Turner’s solo career has progressed in leaps and bounds.

With an increasing dynamism with each release as a solo artist his records have continued to see progressive success.

Sat,Apr 11, MetroTheatre Benny Walker: Blending blues, americana, folk and gritty rock-n-roll Benny Walker creates his own distinct sound which he will be touring nationally over the coming months with a stop in Sydney this weekend.

Sun,Apr 12, Newtown Social Club Sydney Jazz Orchestra ft. Melinda Schneider: The acclaimed Sydney Jazz Orchestra paris up with renowned singer Melinda Schneider for a one off performance. Schneider accepted the invitation to perform with the orchestra because it gave her an opportunity to reflect on and honour some of the early influences on her path to singing.

Mon,Apr 13,The Basement

promotion efforts into a bonafide label we met Chad and immediately recognised his talent.” said Trent Elliott.

During the two years since then the label has added more names to the roster with Pantheon (Joseph Karam) and Colour Castle (Chris Pilot) joining the ranks.When asked Mr Elliott said that for the team the biggest highlights of the past two years has “definitely been watching our artists grow, particularly Chad who has gone from never DJing and being a bedroom producer to now working with massive labels, having tracks chart

success and also embarking on national tours.”

The opportunity to partner up with The World Bar and the team from The Wall has been a long time in the making according to Mr Elliott who said “we’ve been wanting to do what we do here in Wollongong in different cities for a while now and we’ve worked with The Wall a lot in the past.

They have always backed our brand from day one so that was one of the first places we wanted to tick off our list.”

For the team at Unknown Records fostering a welcoming and loyal community has been the key their success as has been demonstrated by their successful weekly event Institute Of Dance in Wollongong.As Boyd Barnes described a successful night for them is not defined by, “Monetary gain but by the way people remember their time at our parties.Anyone can feel comfortable at our parties as long as they are looking for a good time, good music and a welcoming family atmosphere.”

Apr 15,The Wall atThe World Bar, 24 Bayswater Road, Kings Cross, unknownrecords.com.au

COURTNEY BARNETT Courtney Barnett has a knack for making her listeners understand her. Her lyrics seem to follow onto each other as if occurring to her in the moment, they are easy to like, easy to hear and easily make the listener feel understood.

Her voice is all one colour, it doesn’t rise or fall very far, staying put in such a conversational tone.

Listeners should add this music to times when they just want to sit, it is subtle, surprising and uplifting like a musical conversation at just the right moment. (SP)

Michael Griffin Sextet: Showcasing his debut album Unexpected Greeting this young musician has been making waves around the globe with his alto saxophone mastery.

Wed,Apr 15,Venue 505

WWWW

FREEWILLASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Uitwaaien is a Dutch word that means to go out for a stroll in windy weather simply because it’s exhilarating. I don’t know any language that has parallel terms for running in the rain for the dizzy joy of it, or dancing through a meadow in the dark because it’s such nonsensical fun, or singing at full volume while riding alone in an elevator in the mad-happy quest to purge your tension.

But in the coming weeks, you don’t need to describe or explain experiences like this; you just need to do them. Experiment with giving your instinctive need for exuberance lots of room to play.

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your nasty, nagging little demon isn’t nasty or nagging any more. It’s not doing what demons are supposed to do.

It’s confused, haggard, and ineffective. I almost feel sorry for the thing. It is barely even keeping you awake at night, and its ability to motivate you through fear is at an all-time low.

Here’s what I suggest: Now, when the demon’s strength is waning and its hold on you is weak, you should break up with it for good. Perform an ultimate, non-reversible exorcism. Buy it a one-way bus ticket to the wasteland and say goodbye forever.

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CITY HUB 9 APRIL 2015

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When he was in his fifties, French painter Claude Monet finally achieved financial success. He used his new riches to buy a house and land, then hired gardeners to help him make a pond full of water lilies. For the first time in his life, he began to paint water lilies. During the next 30 years, they were his obsession and his specialty. He made them a central feature of 250 canvases, which now serve as one of his signature contributions to art history. “I planted my water lilies for pleasure,” he said. “I cultivated them without thinking of painting them. And then suddenly, I had the revelation of the magic of my pond.” I regard the imminent future as a good time for you to do something similar, Gemini: Create or find a source of beauty that will stimulate your sense of wonder and fuel your passion to express yourself for a long time.

C

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Everything we do in life is based on fear, especially love,” said Cancerian comedian Mel Brooks. Although he was joking, he was also quite serious. More often than we like to admit, desperation infects our quest to be cared for. Our decisions about love may be motivated by a dread of loneliness. We worry about whether we are worthy of getting the help and support we need. It’s a fundamental human problem, so there’s no

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reason to be ashamed if you have this tendency yourself.

Having said that, I’m happy to report that you now have the necessary power to overcome this tendency. You will be able to summon tremendous courage as you revise and refine your relationship with love. It’s time to disappear the fear.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Do you ever feel reverence and awe, Leo? Are there times when you spontaneously yearn to engage in acts of worship?

Is there anyone or anything that evokes your admiration, humility, and gratitude? The coming weeks will be a good time to seek out experiences like these.

According to my reading of the astrological omens, you will get tender jolts of transformational inspiration if you blend yourself with a sublime force that you trust and respect.

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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A lot has happened since you were . . . uh . . . indisposed.

You’ve missed out on several plot twists. The circle has been broken, repaired, broken again, and partially repaired. Rumors have been flying, allegiances have been shifting, and riddles have been deepening. So are you ready yet to return to the heated action? Have you learned as much as you can from the commotion that provoked your retreat? Don’t try to return too early. Make sure you are at least 70 percent healed.

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Rent, but don’t buy yet. That’s my $250-per-hour advice. Keep rehearsing, but don’t start performing the actual show. OK? Flirt, but don’t fall in love. Can you handle that much impulse control? Are you strong enough to explore the deeper mysteries of patience? I swear to you that your burning questions will ultimately be answered if you don’t try to force the answers to arrive according to a set timetable. I guarantee that you will make the necessary connections as long as you don’t insist that they satisfy every single one of your criteria.

g

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The Guerrilla Girls are a group of prankster activists who use humor to expose sexism and racism in the art world. Every so often they take a “weenie count” at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. During their first survey in 1989, they found that five percent of the artists who had work hanging in the galleries were women, while 85 percent of the nudes depicted in the paintings were women. More recently, in 2012, their weenie count revealed that four percent of the artists were female, but 76 percent of the naked people in the paintings were female. The coming week would be a good time for you to take a weenie count in your own sphere, Scorpio. Conditions are more favorable than usual to call

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attention to gender disparities, and to initiate corrective action.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The English term “engine” refers primarily to a machine that transforms energy into mechanical power. But its roots are in the Old French word engin, which meant skill or wit, and in the Latin word ingenium, defined as “inborn talent.” I’d like to borrow the original meanings to devise your horoscope this week. According to my reading of the astrological omens, your “engine” is unusually strong right now, which means that your cultivated skills and innate talents are functioning at peak levels. I suggest you make intensive use of them to produce maximum amounts of energy and gather more of the clout you’d love to wield.

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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): What I’m about to say is not a hard scientific fact, but it is a rigorous poetic fable. You don’t need to go to the mountain, because the mountain is willing and able to come to you. But will it actually come to you? Yes, but only if you meet two conditions.

The mountain will pick itself up and move all the way to where you are if you make a lot of room for it and if you are prepared to work with the changes its arrival will bring.

j

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): If you were a four-year-old, cookies might be a valuable treasure to you. Given a choice

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between a bowl of stir-fried organic vegetables and a plate full of chocolate coconut macaroons, you’d probably choose the macaroons. For that matter, if you were four years old and were asked to decide between getting a pile of macaroons and a free vacation to Bali or an original painting by Matisse or a personal horoscope reading from the world’s greatest astrologer, you’d also opt for the cookies. But since you’re a grownup, your list of priorities is screwed on straight, right?

You would never get distracted by a sugary, transitory treat that would cause you to ignore a more nourishing and long-lasting pleasure. Right?

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): On June 23, 1917, Babe Ruth was the starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox in a Major League Baseball game against the Washington Senators. After the first batter drew a walk, Ruth got upset with the home plate umpire and punched him in the head. Ejected! Banished!

The Babe had to be dragged off the field by the cops. The new pitcher was Ernie Shore.

He proceeded to pitch a perfect game, allowing no further Washington player to reach base in all nine innings. In the coming weeks, Pisces, I see you as having the potential to duplicate Ernie Shore’s performance in your own sphere. Coming in as a replacement, you will excel.

Chosen as a substitute, you will outdo the original.

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Kings Court Massage Kings Court is the only place to have twenty two massage rooms and eleven hot tubs, spas, and bubble baths.

Wall to wall beautiful ladies, pool tables and luxurious leather lounges.

Have a coffee and enjoy the friendly atmosphere. Approachable managers help you choose a lady for your massage. There is a fair queueing system and no hidden charges. Just along from Centrail Railway at 261 Parramatta Rd Glebe, Sydney NSW 2007 Phone 02 9660 0666 Its a $9.00 Taxi Ride from the CBD Visit our web site at www.kingscourt.com.au We are open 10 am to 1 am and 24 hrs on Weekends. 20% off 9 am to 12 noon & FREE ENTRY before 9 pm each day. After 9pm there is a $20 entry fee that protects the massage ladies from dealing with men who have no intention of being polite.

Parking is available in the Broadway Shopping Centre near our discreet rear entrance at 18 Grose St Glebe.

Check out the website for information, funny stuff and pictures of pretty women. There are no photos of the regular girls as they are too shy.

Also check out the Kings Big John Facebook to see a mixture of really funny pics, photos, stories and links to the best pages of our website. This is updated regularly: www.facebook.com/KingsBigJohn Kings Court: Where the first time customer can meet the first time massage girl!

Hi, this is Big John the owner of Kings Court Massage.

As I mentioned last week, when we started to make cartoon advertising, we developed a range of characters based on the mix of men who actually came here. It quickly became apparent that one third of our new business came from word of mouth but the regular guys were also careful to not tell anyone who they thought would embarrass them. This gave us the idea to have a recurring theme of this kind of unwanted client in our full colour adverts that occured monthly in Australian Penthouse. St. James began to try to figure out where the boys were going for fun. Next week you will see more of him and find out why everyone below is having a great old laugh!

The best new thing at the moment is all the funny stuff on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/KingsBigJohn VACANCIES We are currently looking for new ladies who would like to do a massage with a happy ending. It is a safe place to work, where you do not do full service and everyone knows someone who could handle a bit of a discrete financial boost. It is ideal as a part time or casual job and you are paid daily on a cash basis. When you start we get one of the regular girls to show you how to do your first massage. We have off street parking for ladies with cars and for your interview you can park in the Broadway Shopping Centre near our discreet rear entry at 18 Grose Street Glebe 2037. This address is the best way to find us using GPS plotting. The website is www.kingscourt.com.au When you get to the home page click on “is this your first time� this will take you to a page of ten tips which we like our customers to know about when they come here.

We have the best and sweetest customers of any massage place.

CITY HUB 9 APRIL 2015

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