Whether you’re from the city, the burbs, interstate or rural Australia we have something for you! Check out below with What’s On this week! If you would like to promote an upcoming event, let us know, email us & we’ll help you get the word around town.

Café Republic of Australia Book Giveaway

Sydney Festival 2009

Children’s writing and cartooning festival 2009

Fabrication exhibition

A murder of Crows exhibition

Rural

The Now Now Festival 2009 – Blue Mountains

Tamworth Country Music Festival 2009

Interstate

Dromana Strawberry Festival – Victoria

Bridgetown Film Festival 2009 – Perth

Kids Contemporary Australia Summer Festival – Brisbane

Raggamuffin 2009 – Brisbane

Rainbow Serpent Festival 2009 – Melbourne

Horror films are not normally my cup of tea, but don’t let that stop you from watching this little Aussie gem, low budget, no stars cast of a film set in one of the most beautiful places in the world, outback Australia.

Three everyday, exoteric Australians stop by to visit Mum. From there, they hump the bluey on a short holiday to the Northern Territory. They come across a little tour company & decide to embark on a spot of angling. There fishing trip turns into a thrilling adventure whereby a 12 foot Crocodile spoils there party. The cast of Diana Glenn, Maeve Dermody, Andy Rodoreda, Ben Oxenbould & Fiona Press turn this flick into one must see movie. They ensure that your eyes are glued to the big screen.

Black Water depicts mate ship, hard ache, love, terror, ingenuity & courage. Directors David Nerlich & Andrew Traucki debut with a wonderful effort showing that the Australian film industry has much to offer. Get out & grab yourself a copy of this Australian film today.

Article written by Liam Gibbs

The Australian Stencil Art Prize (ASAP) aims to recognize and reward stencil art in Australia.

The deadline for submissions is 3 February 2009.

You must be 18 years or older to enter and be an Australian resident.

CLICK HERE FOR ENTRY FORM

EXHIBITION:
From the entries received, a selection of finalists and one winner will be chosen and exhibited from 14 March – 9 April 2009.
The winner will receive a $500 cash prize. More prizes to be announced soon.

KEY DATES
3 February 2009: deadline for entries.
14 – 28 March 2009: Exhibition of finalists and winning stencil art works.

Drummer Kram from Spiderbait is releasing his debut solo album on the 14th March 2009.  Silk Suits is the first taste off Mix Tape, Kram’s debut solo album. The 15-track outing jumps from Prince-esque soul to fuzz rock, from country to funk-pop jams — hence the name. “I wanted it to be like a radio station where all the songs sound like different bands even though it’s all played by one person,” says Kram, who played every instrument and produced the album. So don’t be expecting any balls to the floor Blackbetty rip-offs from the Spiderbait skinsman on this album.

The first single from the album, Silk Suits is out now featuring a video in which Kram has a hit of tennis at Rod Laver Arena with tennis ace Alicia Molik – perhaps a reference to Spiderbait’s 1999 release Grandslam? So listen out for the song during the tennis & check out the video here.

Celebrate summer on Sydney’s fabulous harbour foreshore with the Sydney Shakespeare Festival 2009. The festival kicks off in January with performances on alternate nights of Shakespeare’s fiercely fun farce, The Comedy of Errors and his gruesome tragedy, Macbeth. FREE for children 12 years and under, people with disabilities and people aged 65 years and over, the festival is on Thursday to Sunday at 8pm from 8 January until 15 February 2009 in Bicentennial Park, Glebe Foreshore. Check the website to see what play is on each night.

Shakespeare’s plays have captured the imagination of millions of people throughout the world for over 400 years and are as exciting and provocative now as the day they were written. In The Comedy of Errors two sets of identical twins, each unknown to the other move in and out of each others’ spheres with dire, often ludicrous, farcical and increasingly nightmarish consequences. In Macbeth vaulting ambition and corrosive guilt culminating in murder and madness, along with witchcraft and ghosts provide spectacle and insight into the darker side of human nature.

In its second year, this annual outdoor festival is fast becoming a fixture on Sydney’s summer calendar. Outdoor theatre is the most accessible and historical performance style and is a great way to spend a summer evening. So bring a picnic and enjoy the magic of Shakespeare under the stars, all while taking in spectacular views of Sydney Harbour and the Sydney City skyline.

Fabrication is the first solo exhibition by textile/mixed media artist Martin Roberts. Coming from a background in costume and fashion, Martin has taken techniques and ideas from these disciplines and evolved them into a more contemporary visual context. The exhibition is a mix of illustrative and abstract textile imagery, layers of fabric applique and acrylics built up over each other and stitched together tell a personal story of people, places and events.

Martin Roberts is an Irish born textile and mixed media artist based in Sydney. He has an extensive background in costume and fashion, having worked in these fields throughout Europe and Australia for 15 years. His artwork is a continuation of his work with textiles, an evolution of traditional techniques and ideas placed into a more contemporary visual context. He combines layers of fabric collage and paint as a medium creating both 2 and 3 dimensional works. “Everyone has a different story to tell. I take inspiration from moments in my life, from the people, places and events that I see in it.”

Thursday 15 January to Tuesday 27 January
Gaffa Gallery
Level 1 – 7 Randle Street Surry Hills, NSW
www.gaffa.com.au

The Bubble is a mentoring initiative that throws new talent a life raft. If you are a bright young thing engaged in photography, writing, art in all mediums, filmmaking, graphic design, fashion design, music or a form that defies categorisation, take your work to the world in The Bubble gallery. Every two months the creators of the most interesting work, as determined by the voting public, are commissioned to produce material to be displayed in stores, supported to stage their own exhibitions, gigs or readings, as well as being featured in the pages of the bubble’s media partners, Russh and Monster Children. Submit your work now.

According to the owner Khaled Sherbini of Coco Loco, the planets first certified organic fair trade chocolate bar. He pays tribute to his grandfather; Mostafa Sherbini, who was a world champion ballroom dancer in Paris in 1929 and recipient of the Egyptian Medal of Honor for hospitality in 1969. Alchemist Khaled continues his family’s legacy in the art of chocolate, entertainment and hospitality.

From his extensive travels and secret family recipes Khaled conjures spells of magical drinks and foods, with a wide selection of gluten free and vegan options. Coco Loco’s main secret is exclusive Kashew Mylk is non-dairy based milk on his grandmothers’ recipe made from cashew nuts. Made fresh on premises Kashew Mylk is vegan and is preservative, wheat, gluten, and cholesterol free. The unique Kashew Mylk embraces rather than over powers Coco Loco creations spanning delicacies such as chocolate truffles, mousse, gelato and renowned hot and iced drinking chocolate.

The specialty here is chocolate luscious, hot chocolates in flavours such as Paramour (vanilla chocolate), Love Fire (chilli chocolate), and Mysticoco (river mint chocolate), imported from South America and the Caribbean. After the first sip of the silky smooth Marquis de Chocolate (the pure hot chocolate) made with Kashew Mylk I was transported back to a happy childhood memory and was left with a bitter sweet lingering sensation. My second course was an addictive vegan and gluten free chocolate mousse made with Kashew Mylk possessing the lightness and texture of any quality chocolate mousse, unforgettably mysterious!

There are both vegan Kashew Mylk and dairy cheese platters, which are meals in themselves when matched with one of the interesting wines. On weekends the crew dishes up crispy caramelized sourdough sweet waffles that are healthy, light and satisfying, topped with chocolate ganache, fresh fruit (and liqueurs optional). The Coco Loco’s extensive menu of sweet and savory crepes that are matched to wines, champagnes and French ciders were to live for. The Kama Sutra (spiced pumpkin feta) and LocoLove (white and dark chocolate with Lycee liquor) were healthy and delicious.

Late at night the atmosphere changes into a cocktail jazz scene where the formidable Coco Loco Chocolate Martini is released infused with the finest liqueurs. This is my new drink! The sensual Walnut bar, furnishings art and terracotta roof mural create an amazing space for hosting various functions and parties.

219 High Street, Northcote, Victoria
Tel: 03 9482 7033
www.cocoloco.net.au

Article written by Rose Myles

Andrew Fairclough is the face behind Kindred, a creative graphics studio focussing on mostly youth oriented branding, design, illustration and art direction for print and web. There’s a wonderful sense of symmetry amongst the sharp lines and clean, crisp graphics of Sydney-based designer, Andrew Fairclough’s work. Do yourself a favour & check it out!

The Tamworth Independent Artist Recognition Awards were inaugurated in 1998 by a group of Tamworth based musicians, performers and industry based individuals. They saw that a number of artists were overlooked by some sectors of the Country Music Industry and hence felt they should be recognised for their considerable talents and achievements.

These awards are for the grass roots sector of the Australian Country Music Industry, which happens to be around 90% of performers today. There are only a very small number of “BIG” name artists who have the prestige and backing that goes with it. The remainder are those artists who work two, three, four and five nights a week taking their music to the people to raise the finance to record their own album/mini-album or single and then organise distribution and sales of their final product.

Independent artist are more often found setting up in a corner of the local bar in the local pub on the corner or singing at a local bowling club. Some draw their inspiration from the great Australian showmen of yester year or from the pioneers of American Country Music. It is for these people the TIARAS have been created.

The TIARA Awards 2009 will be held at the new Capital Theatre in Tamworth on Tuesday, 20th January at 8pm.