The weather is warming up and the nights are getting longer – spring is well and truly here, baby! It’s time to warm up for the festive season and get used to being out and about 24/7. Embrace the chaos, people. From gigantic Oktoberfest parties to brewery throwdowns, we’ve found the best things happening in Brisbane on the October 10–14 weekend. more
Let’s be honest – 95 years is a bloody long time to be doing anything, let alone in the often-fickle and ever-changing arts scene. The local legends at La Boite Theatre have been champions of fearless and unforgettable storytelling for almost a century, and throughout that time have managed to represent the adventurous and alternative while always keeping things fresh. Coming into 2020, you’d best believe that this team of creative wizards has pulled out all the stops to assemble a program that kicks serious ass – including two world premieres, one Australian premiere and the return of a family favourite. more
September may have been a jam-packed month for Brisbane, but we’ve got good news for you folks who like getting out and about – October is set to be just as full of rad events to experience. While those who work better on the fly can always refer to our handy round-up of the best things happening every weekend in Brisbane, we also recognise that some folk prefer to plan ahead. Get these dates locked in your diary – here are five unmissable events happening in Brisbane this October. more
If you’ve noticed a sudden spike in the amount of people getting around in dirndls and lederhosen, we can assure you it’s not something in the water – it’s Oktoberfest season, baby! Despite the fact that we are nowhere near Germany, us Australians love to get amongst the spirit of the traditional European holiday – hey, if there’s beer, pretzels and schnitzels involved, we’re all in! We’ve scouted around to find the best Oktoberfest celebrations happening in Brisbane this year, so raise your stein and get ready to party. more
The word ‘prolific’ can tend to get thrown around when it comes to musical output, but one band that has truly earned this adjective is The Flaming Lips. From humble beginnings in Oklahoma way back in 1983, the band has continued to shock, surprise and innovate over the course of its 36-year tenure in the often-fickle music scene. Amongst The Flaming Lips’ wildly experimental (yet always entertaining) catalogue lies The Soft Bulletin, the band’s beloved 1999 album that saw them break through to a whole new audience. To celebrate the album’s 20th birthday, The Flaming Lips are coming to The Fortitude Music Hall to play a one-off show on Saturday September 28 – and you’re going to want to be there. more
If current world events have you feeling a little bit flat or you're in need of some serious inspo, Museum of Brisbane's latest exhibition New Woman, is guaranteed to have you feeling all of the female vibes. The exhibition officially opens on Friday September 13 and runs through til March 2020. more
If you are a parent or a carer, you understand all too well how challenging it can be to constantly find activities to entertain and stimulate small people with even smaller attention spans. Well, we hear you. Allow us to introduce you to the Island Fashion installation at the Children's Art Centre at QAGOMA. more
Calling all movers, shakers, thinkers and lit-lovers – the Brisbane Writers Festival is rolling into town with a huge line-up of guests and activities that will make your brain melt and your heart sing! Some of the world’s most brilliant minds will be congregating to share their wisdom, but don’t fret if you haven’t snapped up tickets just yet – we’ve whipped up a little list of amazing events that still have some spots available. more
Each of those photographs and posters could tell a thousand words, or more ...~ Lars Brandle more
It's an absolute delight isn't it, living in a city nestled on the shores of the sea. The bayside only a short drive out of the CBD, trips to the islands in the summertime, and of course, a trawl of the freshest seafood readily available for any ocean-specific food cravings. We don't take our seaside locale for granted for many reasons, least of all for its many culinary gifts, which is why Brisbane City is getting another pop-up dining trail celebrating two of the most delicious things to be hauled from the watery depths – bugs and oysters! more
The weather is warming and the days are lengthening. A palpable energy is returning to our city streets as we work our way into spring, which will soon fold to the most victorious season of the year – summer. Hot days and nights heaving with fun, this is the time for a little self-indulgent celebration after another year spent steeped in deep devotion to the daily grind and responsibility. As always, we are here to help you in these pleasurable pursuits, bringing you a little suggested hedonism to pop in your end-of-year celebratory calendar. more
Described as colourful, outspoken and rebellious, Jon Molvig was an artist with an extraordinary vision. His work dominated the city's art scene in the late 1960s and inspired a generation of artists. Now, almost 50 years after his passing, QAGOMA has unveiled its latest exhibition paying tribute to the prolific expressionist painter. more
It's been 25 years (yes, really) since Muriel Heslop and the original mean girls captured the collective heart of ABBA-loving Australians with the cult classic film and now, QPAC is giving you the chance to relive all of the sequin-encrusted glory with Muriel's Wedding The Musical. more
Attention all trendsetters and trailblazers – James Street RESORT, one of Brisbane's most anticipated celebrations of cutting-edge culture, is set to return on October 10–12. The team behind the annual event series has revealed the first of its esteemed guests, announcing that disability advocate and activist Sinéad Burke will make her first (and only) Australian appearance at RESORT this year. more
It's the 1980s in a housing estate on the outskirts of Brisbane. A young boy and his mute brother are soon to be erroneously inducted into a complicated world of drugs, crime and domestic violence. Their mum is about to end up in Brisbane's infamous Boggo Road Gaol, and they will be sent to live with their estranged alcoholic father thereafter. This is the story described by award-winning journalist-turned-novelist Trent Dalton in his debut book, Boy Swallows Universe. It is also the story that is about to have its own stage adaptation, having just been announced as the theatrical event of the coming Queensland Theatre 2020 Season. more
For some people, Easter is all about chocolate eggs and hot cross buns. For others, the April long weekend heralds one of our country’s greatest musical gatherings – we’re talking Byron Bay Bluesfest, baby! Good news for those who have been hanging out to see who will be gracing the stage in 2020 – the first announcement for the five-day affair has just dropped, and you’d best believe it’s worth saving the date for. more
For Brisbane locals, the cultural feats of our humble riverside city have always been aplenty, and we have spent decades dedicated to establishing ourselves as a capital with just as much cultural sway as the nation’s other heavyweights. This is especially true of Brisbane’s burgeoning music scene, which has kicked, screamed and shouted its way into popularity - from the local scene we know and love - through to national and international hearts and stages. There are many musical sons and daughters birthed from the shores and streets of Brisbane to be proud of - and thanks to the Museum of Brisbane, we now have the chance to celebrate them. more
Cinephiles, one of the most exciting events on our calendar is almost upon us once more – the annual Brisbane International Film Festival is back in town, baby! Our city’s flagship film festival is returning to its (very apt) home QAGOMA, setting up shop from October 3–13 and bringing a huge roster of inspiring entertainment our way. more
Folks, we weren’t joking when we told you that this year’s Brisbane Festival is an absolute showstopper. The annual outing brings an extra explosion of colour and life to our city, spreading a program of world-class entertainment through the streets for three glorious weeks. Whether it’s visionary installations, racy cabaret or international musical superstars you’re after, this year’s Brisbane Festival has got you covered – we’ve had a look through the program and sorted it into handy sections depending on what you love. Block out September 5–28 in your diary because you’re going to be very busy. more
There are so many things to love about the Ekka – the food, the animals and the rides are right up there, but it’s the public holiday that we’re most grateful for. If you’re not up for braving the crowds at the showgrounds on Wednesday August 14, we’ve whipped up a little list of things that are happening around town on the public holiday and the night before – you get a sleep-in, after all … more
We've all been victims of the fast fashion cycle - that dangerous ritual of constant consumption, whereby we think we need to buy the latest item on the retail rack every other week. And it's not just our finances that feel the sting from this - when we get sick of those over-worn threads, they tend to get discarded and, eventually, end up in landfill. Thankfully, those interested in breaking the cycle and finding redemption for their fast-fashion crimes are invited to atone at the fourth-annual pop-up Revive Second-Hand Fashion Festival. more