Author: Larry Heath

Founding Editor and Publisher of the AU review. Currently based in Toronto, Canada. You can follow him on Twitter @larry_heath or on Instagram @larryheath.

Introducing UK duo BONES: The next big thing

While in Austin, Texas for SXSW, we sat down with UK duo BONES at Australia House. In their chat with Larry, Rosie and Carmen talk us through their latest single, “Limbs” and more as we get to know more about this buzz act who are based in LA, but hail from London. And we reckon they might just…

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Review: Los Angeles’ Mari Restaurant blends Californian and Japanese Flavours in the InterContinental Century City

Opened in 2016, the on site restaurant at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles, Mari Restaurant blends together Japanese and Californian flavours for a truly original menu offering. They serve an evolving menu throughout the day, from breakfast, through to lunch and dinner – every menu getting slightly more Japanese flavoured than the…

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Interview: Musician Ben Dickey talks playing songwriter Blaze Foley and working with Ethan Hawke

Arkansas musician Ben Dickey is no stranger to the stage; releasing a solo record, performing in bands like Amen Booze Rooster, Blood Feathers and featuring as the vocalist and guitarist in Post-Hardcore group Shake Ray Turbine. But now the accomplished, if widely unknown, artist is taking the stage in a new role: artfully portraying singer/songwriter…

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SXSW Film Review: A Vigilante (USA, 2018) proves an inspiring, powerful debut for its Australian Director

Directed by Australia’s own Sarah Daggar-Nickson and starring Olivia Wilde, A Vigilante is a powerful drama that sees Wilde play the titular role – Sadie, a vigilante who helps domestic abuse survivors get out of their situation by literally bringing the abusers to their knees. Spurred on by her own experiences and a tragedy, the…

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Interview: Kunichi Nomura on playing the dog hating villain in Wes Anderson’s new film Isle of Dogs

While at SXSW earlier this month, we caught up with Japanese actor Kunichi Nomura, who appears in the new Wes Anderson film Isle of Dogs. He also helped write the film. Watch the full chat here as we talk about working with Wes, playing the “villain” in the film, and he also tells us about partying…

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SXSW Interview: Nilüfer Yanya on her first trip to Texas, tackling a new year of music & more

UK artist Nilüfer Yanya sat with Larry at SXSW this year, her debut performances in Texas for the massive music festival. Here, they discuss introducing her music to larger crowds, how her local scene differs to ones elsewhere internationally, and more. Listen to the full interview, below! ———- This content has recently been ported from its…

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When Willie Nelson throws a party at his ranch, it’s not a festival. It’s a reunion.

The annual event Luck Reunion returned to Willy Nelson’s Ranch in Luck, Texas earlier this month, delivering an afternoon of incredible performances, food and drink in what was the event’s sixth year. But describing exactly what Luck Reunion is to someone who hasn’t been is hard. And just to be someone who’s been is hard…

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Blockers director and former 30 Rock scribe Kay Cannon on bringing her debut film to cinemas

We recently spoke to director and former 30 Rock scribe Kay Cannon at SXSW about her directorial debut for Blockers, the latest comedy starring John Cena, as she touches on what making a funny, heartfelt film that viewers can not only laugh at but take seriously at the same time. Watch the full chat here: Blockers hits…

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Interview: We meet Sam Lewis at Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion in Austin

While at Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion festival earlier this month, we got to catch up with country artist Sam Lewis! Named as one of the new faces in the genre to watch through 2017, it’s been evident that Lewis’ music and subsequent shows have definitely been meeting the hype. Listen to our full interview up at…

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Review: Seth Lakeman steals the show as Robert Plant adds some rarities for his Opera House debut

Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant returned to Australia this week, for his first visit since 2013, and he marked the occasion with three shows in Sydney ahead of his visit to Byron Bay Bluesfest. For the second of these shows, Plant and his band, The Sensational Space Shifters, descended on the Sydney Opera House for his…

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Kenny Reunited: Clayton Jacobson talks about his new film Brothers’ Nest with writer Jaime Browne & producer Jason Byrne

Earlier this month at SXSW in Austin, Texas, I saw down with director and star of the new Australian film Brothers’ Nest, Clayton Jacobson. Accompanied by the film’s writer Jaime Browne & producer Jason Byrne, we spoke at length about the anticipated film – which brings the Jacobson brothers (the other half of course being Shane Jacobson)…

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Interview: Blockers‘ young actress Gideon Adlon on making her big screen debut

Hitting Australian cinemas this Thursday, we caught up with the young actress who stars in the new film Blockers, Gideon Adlon, to talk about making her big screen debut in the anticipated comedy starring John Cena and Leslie Mann. Blockers hits Australian cinemas this Thursday, 29th March ———- This content has recently been ported from its…

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SXSW Interview: Sybil Rosen & Josh Hamilson talk Blaze and working with Ethan Hawke

With the film screening at SXSW earlier this month, we hit the red carpet to meet Sybil Rosen, the muse of songwriter Blaze Foley, who co-wrote the screenplay for the new film Blaze, directed by Ethan Hawke. The film documents Foley’s life, and sees Rosen played beautifully by Alia Shawkat (pictured in character above with Ben Dickey,…

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Exclusive: Dermot Kennedy sits down with the AU ahead of his debut visit to Australia

While at SXSW earlier this month, I had the chance to sit down with Dublin musician Dermot Kennedy, just before he hit the stage at the Vevo House. We talk about his latest music, his time in Austin and about his highly anticipated debut visit to Australia (next week!). Listen to the full chat here:…

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SXSW Interview: CALMLY discuss their first trip to Austin, new music and that name change

WA’s CALMLY have been touring and introducing themselves to a wider international audiences over the last year – we last saw them at Singapore’s Music Matters conference and now, we were lucky to catch these talented ladies performing at SXSW. Larry caught up with the band on ground in Austin to see how their American jaunt…

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Robert Rodriguez talks about his new series Rebel Without a Crew as the first episode starts streaming

Last week at SXSW, the new Robert Rodriguez TV series Rebel Without a Crew (inspired by his book of the same name) launched at a special press event featuring Rodriguez and the five young directors who have taken part in the series. The series coincides with the 25th anniversary of Rodriguez’s groundbreaking film El Mariachi, which…

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SXSW Film Review: Ethan Hawke’s Blaze (USA, 2018) is a powerful and effective tribute to a musical great

In the first scenes of Ethan Hawke’s new film Blaze, a biopic about oft Austin based, relatively obscure American musician Blaze Foley, we find out that this story doesn’t have a happy ending. Foley’s life was one cut violently short. It’s a choice that Hawke said was made to keep the film from being emotionally manipulative,…

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Interview: Blockers‘ Evan Goldberg & James Weaver claim to be Australia’s “favourite movie makers”

While at SXSW, we caught up with Evan Goldberg & James Weaver to chat about their work as writers and producers of the anticipated and acclaimed new comedy Blockers, which hits cinemas on Thursday. During our chat, the pair talk about casting an Australian actress (Geraldine Viswanathan) in the film, and go on to say that…

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South Park takes aim at James Woods in new Fractured But Whole Casa Bonita DLC

Earlier this week, the second South Park: The Fractured But Whole DLC, “From Dusk Till Casa Bonita”, was released – featuring a brand new story line that pegs the goths against the vamps, adding a class that you can take back to the main game with you, and introducing Henrietta as an ally. It also brings…

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Interview: Hurray for the Riff Raff’s Alynda Segarra on her acting debut in Blaze and Bluesfest in Australia

Last week at SXSW we caught up with Hurray for the Riff Raff‘s Alynda Segarra to talk about her acting debut in Ethan Hawke‘s new film Blaze, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year. The film documents the life of songwriter Blaze Foley. While on the red carpet to promote the film, we also chatted about…

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Japanese actor Kunichi Nomura was partying with The Avalanches before Isle of Dogs Premiere at SXSW

While at SXSW, we met Japanese actor (and film co-writer) Kunichi Nomura, to chat about his new film Isle of Dogs – the anticipated stop motion film from acclaimed director Wes Anderson. While on the red carpet, once he learnt we were Australian, he took the opportunity to let us in that he’d just flown in from…

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Winners of the AU review’s 5th Annual SXSW Awards announced

We’re excited to reveal the winners of the AU review’s 5th Annual SXSW Awards, which celebrates the best performances and events we caught at the Austin, Texas festival – and some of the disappointments too. BEST AUSTRALIAN GROUP Bad Pony I knew Sydney indies Bad Pony were good live, I just didn’t know they were…

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Luck Reunion Interview: Sunny War and Micah Nelson on collaboration, new music and more

Performers and now-fierce collaborators Sunny War and Micah Nelson (aka Particle Kid) have been bringing their own brands of rich music together in LA for a minute now, with SXSW being the latest platform for the artists to strut their stuff. And now they’re releasing a split LP under the name “Particle War“. With shows throughout the Austin festival…

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Live Review: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club make a heroic return to Sydney as Wrong Creatures hits the road

It’s been a long five years between drinks for iconic American rockers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – both in terms of the album releases and visits to our shores. Their tour this month in Australia comes just weeks after the release of their brilliant LP Wrong Creatures, with songs like “All Rise” amongst the best…

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Win a double pass to see The Neverending Story on the big screen at Sydney’s In The House

The classic family adventure The Neverending Story is returning to the big screen on Friday, March 30th at 7pm as part of the In The House series at the George Street Event Cinemas in Sydney. Tickets are only $15 (or $12 if you’re a Cinebuzz member) and selling quickly! Buy them here. Or, for your…

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Larry Heath’s Picks: Ten acts discovered at SXSW and Luck Reunion 2018 (and everyone needs to listen to)

Over nine nights in Austin this month, I caught dozens upon dozens of live performances from bands from all over the world. This year I found myself discovering more talent than I have in the past few years – both at the SXSW Festival, and at Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion event, which happens at his…

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SXSW Interview: Fatai chats about life in Chicago, the role music plays in her day to day, and more!

Talented singer and songwriter Fatai has been calling Chicago home for some time now, but the Melbourne-born artist has maintained strong links with home, even from the other side of the globe. A newcomer to the SXSW fold, Fatai caught up with Larry recently to touch base and share her experiences in the States. What are the…

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SXSW Interview: Benji Lewis talks being an Aussie in L.A., releasing new music & “Deep Blue”

One of the Australian artists who stood out at SXSW this year was L.A. based Australian producer, songwriter and vocalist, Benji Lewis. Off the back of his latest single “Deep Blue”, Lewis takes us through his new music and what’s still to come! Can you tell me a little bit about how things have gone for you so…

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SXSW Interview: Mallrat reflects on her first time in Texas, and upcoming international tour dates

Mallrat is a name fast gaining traction and renown amongst Australian music fans but for Texans and those visiting SXSW this year, this was a perfect introduction to the Aussie currently preparing to take more international sectors by storm. We caught up with Mallrat to find out more about her time in the US, and what’s…

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SXSW Interview: Jeff Goldblum on working with Wes Anderson on Isle of Dogs, filming Thor in Australia

Last night, Isle of Dogs held its premiere as the Closing Film of SXSW. We briefly caught up with actor Jeff Goldblum on the red carpet to chat about talking with Director Wes Anderson, while Goldblum briefly muses about his time filming Thor in Australia and Menulog. Watch the chat here: Isle of Dogs hits…

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