Blog — Page 169 of 277

Caldera Festival

Eveleigh Works

Sydney, Australia

December 1, 2018

Going by its etymological roots, “caldera” is a volcanic crater.

The lava that is produced by the boutique-y new festival that goes by the same name is an eclectic melange of emerging underground artists channelling their alchemy via a literal athanor in Eveleigh’s turn-of-the-century workshops.

Caldera Festival’s bits and pieces could be a small scale, condensed equivalent to MONA’s Dark Mofo Festival in Hobart.

Equipped with an excellent gin concoction courtesy of local artisan distillers Four Pillars, one wanders the dark locomotive workshop every nook and cranny of which offers something to discover, be it interactive art installations, pop-up performances, bars and surprises galore that can be explored via an interactive digital map, while one is serenaded by an industrial soundtrack.

If the mission statement of Caldera’s curators was to create something visceral, exciting and strange, they have certainly accomplished what they have set out to achieve.

Performances were spearheaded by burlesque performer Zelia Rose, Melbourne songstress Tanzer, as well as acts based on the utilizations of industrial machinery put to work by Bree van Reyk, with Alon Ilsar performing the AirSticks in the thick of the machinery.

Framed by themed bars that offer both libations and sustenance, the first incarnation of Calera gave a taste of what it could evolve in coming years – a dark, adult playground that one can get immersed and literally get dirty in.

---

Lead image by T, additional photos below by @k.a.vv

Bloc Party

Hordern Pavilion

Sydney, Australia

November 30, 2018

No matter how you cut it, if you like good music it proves to be hard to not acknowledge that Bloc Party has created an instant classic with their album Silent Alarm.

Period.

That was in 2005 and the interim has seen a myriad of ebbs and flows, near break-ups and line-up changes. However, tonight was a great example of how relevant the band still is and how easily Bloc Party gets the audience to get into it and turn the evening into what their name suggests.

Tight and the well-oiled machine the rhythm section is, the intricacy of their percussive patterns is performed with gusto and finds its culmination in the massive, epic sing-a-long choruses that are celebrated by the near sold-out audience.

A triumphant evening that at no point reeked of nostalgia but a contemporary display based on their debut album, which is not further wondrous as it was light years ahead of its time.

Bloc Party in 2018 is a force to be reckoned with and anyone harbouring an iota of doubt should expose themselves to Kele Okereke and his worthy constituents that condense the essence of Brit-cool, infuse it with their own DNA and create anthems galore.

Performing the songs of their debut in reverse order only helped to heighten the anticipation for the crowd pleasers that were delivered in spades.

It was hard to detect anyone in attendance that did not seem to be touched by British indie royalty holding court – a band that has stood the test of time and whose ferociousness is hard to not become a fan of no matter if you are into R & B, hip hop, electro or Brit-pop.

Andy Warhol – Ai Weiwei

Yale University Press

This tome is an ode to The National Gallery of Victoria’s (NGV) Andy Warhol – Ai Weiwei exhibition.

An exhibition that epitomized the confabulation between two greats that through osmosis, synergy and juxtaposition added not only additional levels and dimensions to their respective oeuvre but resulted in a whole that is more than the sum of it.

The metaphorical dialogue that was created through the exhibition transcending space and time finds its extension in book form here – a testament to modern day art rooted in very different contexts, both culturally and philosophically.

The book manages to capture that despite the obvious differences, the DNA of both, i.e. reshaping tool as a weapon, means to change and catalyst for change, activism, symbolism and polemicism.

The depictions of artistic emissions that are beautifully set in scene and whose sequence is thoughtfully stage are underpinned by essays that were written by a large range of luminaries from the realms of curation, academia and the arts shed light and decipher why both Andy Warhol and Ai Weiwei keep having such a profound impact on both the art landscape at large as well as au courant life.

An essential works for anyone who looks at art from a historical perspective and how the fight for freedom of both immunity and creative expression found two of its most vocal defenders, whose works have never lost an iota of relevance.

Not unlike the exhibition, the book offers something for everyone no matter if you are merely interested in the artists on a superficial level because you enjoy looking at their art or if you are inclined to delve deeper to unveil the nuances and commonalities between seemingly unrelated works.

Water of Life - Bushmills Irish

Whisky degustation  at nel. Restaurant, Sydney, Australia

Full disclosure: Bushmills Irish Whiskey had not been on my radar, neither had been Sydney’s restaurant nel. which hosted this six-course whiskey inspired degustation, the pairings of which were carefully orchestrated by Chef Nelly Robinson – a chef whose trademark style is comprised of fusing contemporary and traditional technique.

Inspired by the tasting notes of Bushmills’ individual expressions, Robinson aimed at not only matching his creations with the distilled emissions but create new personalities through the mélange that is created by fusing both components.

So far, so good.

Proceedings were kicked off with a Bushmills Irish Whiskey cocktail on arrival, followed by Peppered venison, sorrel. A good start, which was accentuated by pairing brioche with duck fat butter.

The first highlight of the evening was the pairing of the sweet and rich Oloroso Sherry Casks matured Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey with beetroot crème brulee, vinegar popcorn. High in malt content, Bushmills Black Bush is an exercise par excellence in rich smoothness and it won me over from the get go.

Next up was Bushmills Single Malt Whiskey 10-year-old with burnt hay snapper, lemongrass, grape, charcoal. One could see the rationale behind Robinson’s pairing but the snapper struggled keeping up with the heavy honey and milk chocolate nuances of the 10-Year-Old.

The heavily sweet yet soft Bushmills Single Malt Whiskey 16-year-old is a thing of beauty and the pairing with whiskey and coffee beef, macadamia, onion cabbage only enhanced its flavours, however, pairing Bushmills Single Malt Whiskey 21-year-old with banoffee pie was were the evening peaked.

The overly malty 21 -year-old by itself unfolds a complex symphony with notes of raisins, spices, nuts and a bit of Sulphur but pairing it with banoffee pie elevated it to the next level.

The second highlight was the final course, i.e. the pairing of Bushmills Old Fashioned cocktail with smoky cheese.

An evening that not only highlighted  why Ireland’s oldest licensed distillery is known for its signature style of smooth, malt-rich spirits, but also lend weight to the claim the whisky is underrated when it comes to not only complementing food or running danger of overpowering it,  but elevates it and adds an additional dimension to it, which results in a  flavor experience the total of which is more than the sum of its individual components would have you think.

Read more Water of Life entries here.

---

Photos by @k.a.vv

Star Wars Identities: The Exhibition

Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences

Sydney, Australia

Now, Star Wars – there are fan-related events and exhibitions aplenty in all shapes and forms.

The opening night 2018 incarnation of Star Wars Identities was an exercise is stylishly curated events that generated the excitement that an exhibition of this calibre warrants. Mingling with trademark characters of the franchise, e.g. Ewoks, Storm Troopers, Darth Vader et cetera, weaved through the crowds and interacted with willing participants. The Imperial March signified the beginning of the proceedings of the exhibition that completes the troika of Star Wars events at the Powerhouse museum.

The interaction of Star Wars characters with the audience was more than a mere indication of the nature of Star Wars: Identities, as the focus is heavily on creating an immersive and engaging experience that goes beyond merely showcasing token artefacts, which of course make up the lion’s share of the exhibition and which can be examined in meticulous details.

Based on psychological and neurophysiological approaches, visiting the exhibition should let you emerge with the knowledge of which Star Wars identity you are and will become saved on the wristband that signifies your DNA.

Given the fact that the Star Wars franchise has been going for well over forty years, the exhibition is testament to the longevity and significance it still holds and the phenomenon it has become.

Equipped with an exhibition specific headset, one embarks on a journey that does not feel dated and has not lost any of its relevance – au contraire.

A facet of the over two-hundred-piece strong exhibition I found particularly interesting is how conceptual design and concept changes individual characters underwent before they became the pop culture icons they have established themselves at and that have been hardwired into peoples’ mind in a way that would make it difficult for them to imagine them in any different form.

The fact that the exhibition is pervaded with the quest for identity and a deeper exploration of what constitutes it along with the never not intriguing nurture versus nature dispute based on the foundation that is the Star Wars cosmos, gives the exhibition an edge that makes it enticing even for the hardcore aficionados that have seen it all.