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.

Lineup and venue revealed for the AU’s 9th Birthday Party in Sydney

Guess what? We’re just shy of a decade old and to celebrate, we’re bringing the party to Sydney this month! Our ninth birthday is a special one – there’ve been many changes and developments over the last few years but our love for championing new music and artists has remained the same – strong as…

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The Australian Institute of Music (AIM) announces campus Open Days for both Sydney and Melbourne

The Australian Institute of Music (AIM) in Sydney or Melbourne will be hosting open days over the next two weeks, showcasing their school for future students of the music and creative industries. The event will feature live workshops, performances, meet and greets and more. Open days are open to everyone to attend and give an…

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Review: Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (PS4, 2017) offers an improved, welcome return to Ivalice

While millions were playing World of Warcraft, or even the first MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, my first true experience of the open world format was with the game changing Final Fantasy XII in 2006; a title that helped bring an end to Square Enix’s PS2 era with one of the series’ most impressive entries. I…

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Blu-Ray Review: The Sixth Season of Homeland is light on features but full of drama and action

The sixth season of the Showtime series Homeland is touted on its home release cover as its “timeliest storyline yet”; a big call from a long running series which has always lifted its storylines from the real world – albeit in a typically exaggerated, over-the-top, fashion. But in spite of a few speedbumps along the…

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Interview: We find out more about the WayHome Music Festival from Ryan Howes

Earlier this year, at Canadian Music Week, just after the event won at the Canadian Live Music Awards, I sat down with WayHome Music Festival’s creative director Ryan Howes. The event, which takes place this weekend (July 28th to 30th), will see a massive lineup descends an hour out of Toronto, Canada. We spoke about…

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Photos and Interview: LA based Bishop Briggs explores Kings Cross in her first ever visit to Sydney

While she was in the country last week for Splendour in the Grass, I took rising star Bishop Briggs – fresh from celebrating her birthday – around Kings Cross, on a cold Sydney afternoon. You’re in town for Splendour, and a few sideshows – including one where you’re supporting Catfish and the Bottlemen in Wollongong!…

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A massive line up of guests has been announced for the 2017 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF)

The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) kicks off next week, and along for the ride will be a slew of special guests for a run of red carpet events, Q&As and more. It all kicks off on 3rd August when the cast and crew of the MIFF Premiere Film Fund supported Jungle will walk Grey…

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Interview: Royal Blood talk a disdain for encores & becoming seasoned touring musos

Continuing our interview coverage from our time with Royal Blood in Sydney recently, Mike and Ben talk more on the development of their live shows and preparing for some of their biggest festival appearances yet, notably CalJam alongside Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age. “I think with another 10 songs that we get to play, obviously the set is going…

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Save the date: We’re turning nine and throwing a massive free party in Sydney!

We can’t quite believe it ourselves, but next month, the AU review is turning nine years old! With support from our amazing friends at the Batch Brewing Co., we’re going to be throwing a massive party to celebrate in Sydney, on Wednesday, August 30th! And its totally free if you RSVP. We can’t tell you where…

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Interview: Royal Blood talk How Did We Get So Dark?, returning to Australia & Game of Thrones in Sydney

While out in Australia for Splendour in the Grass (and some cheeky headline dates of their own), British duo Royal Blood found some time to catch up with us in Sydney. Also during their time out in Australia this month, Mike and Ben dropped the details of their largest Australian tour yet, which will see Royal Blood…

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A Tribe Called Quest just played their final ever show in Los Angeles; here’s the setlist

Surviving members of A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, hit the stage at FYF Fest today in Los Angeles – one of only a handful of times the pair have performed since the death of founding member Phife Dawg and the release of their sixth and final studio album We Got It…

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Film Review: Dunkirk (USA/UK, 2017) may be the most spectacular war film ever produced

When the name Christopher Nolan is attached to a film, you know you’re in for a blockbuster by any standards. Whether it’s a big budget sci-fi epic (as in Interstellar) or a comic book trilogy (The Dark Knight) to rival any of the genre, Nolan’s work has been virtually unmatched by any of his contemporaries….

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Live Review: Royal Blood prove why they’re the new Gods of Rock at the Metro Theatre

With today’s announcement of a massive tour in April/May (which may or may not coincide with Groovin’ The Moo), tonight’s relatively intimate sole headline show at the Metro for U.K. duo Royal Blood turned out to be something of a preview for their big shows ahead in the new year – playing venues five times…

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Interview: Future Islands talk The Far Field, Aladdin & more ahead of Splendour in the Grass

Future Islands have returned to Australia for an exclusive performance at Splendour in the Grass this weekend, but not before stopping by AU HQ for a catch up in Sydney. Having not been in Australia for a few years, the band reflects on previous tours out this way, where they have built up a strong and loyal fan…

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Live Review: Queens of the Stone Age tease new album Villains during heavy hitting show in Sydney with Ecca Vandal

Back in the country for the first time since their co-headline tour with Nine Inch Nails in 2014, Queens of the Stone Age are on the road this week for a run of shows which tease their upcoming album Villains (due out August 25th). The tour kicked off with their first ever show in Darwin,…

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Shadowhunters actor Dominic Sherwood on Jace’s difficult second season and his first visit to Australia

Currently screening in Australia week-by-week on Netflix, Shadowhunters is a fantasy series that has amassed a sizeable following. It’s based on the book The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, which also inspired a film, City of Bones, back in 2013. Now in its second season, the Last week, I sat down with Dominic Sherwood, who…

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Future Islands set to return to Australia later this year

Currently in the country in advance of their exclusive performance at Splendour in the Grass this weekend, we sat down with Future Islands today to talk about their long awaited return off the back of their new LP The Far Field. While talking about the Splendour show, the band let slip that they’d be back…

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Ansel Elgort & Lily James talk about the ending of Baby Driver

While in Australia, the stars of the new film Baby Driver, Ansel Elgort & Lily James sat down with The Iris’s Larry Heath to talk about the ending of their new film Baby Driver, directed by Edgar Wright. So: was the ending real or imagined? Naturally, there are some spoilers here, so only watch after you’ve…

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Five things to expect from the new BBC First series Taboo

Brought to our screens by producer Ridley Scott, writer and co-creator Stephen Knight of Peaky Blinders fame (read our interview HERE), actor Tom Hardy and his father Edward “Chips” Hardy, the new eight part series Taboo takes us back to 1814, where Hardy’s character James Keziah Delaney returns to his hometown after the death of his father to lay…

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Art thrives in Salt Lake City as new theatres invigorate the community

Walking around the streets of Salt Lake City, it’s hard not to think of The Book of Mormon; the Utah capital, headquarters to the Mormon religion, which serves to parody Wicked‘s Emerald City in the celebrated musical. Many may ask if the musical had made it to Salt Lake, and indeed it has – with…

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Doctor Who fans, the 13th Doctor has been revealed

After much rumour and speculation, the 13th actor to play the iconic Time Lord in Doctor Who was revealed this morning, following Federer’s win in the Men’s Wimbledon Singles final. While we know we’re not alone in wishing they’d wait until the Christmas regeneration episode to surprise us with the next Doctor, the reveal was nonetheless…

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There’s a freemium Futurama RPG available on mobile right now – and it doesn’t totally suck shiny metal ass

While The Simpsons have had their own long running freemium game in Tapped Out, the IP of Matt Groening’s other beloved series Futurama had yet to be mined for gold. That all changed a couple of weeks ago when Worlds of Tomorrow launched for mobile devices, and its fair to say that fans of the…

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Interview: Baby Driver stars Ansel Elgort and Lily James on working with Edgar Wright and becoming action car drivers

While in Australia, actors Ansel Elgort and Lily James sat down with The Iris’s Larry Heath to talk about working with writer/director Edgar Wright in their highly acclaimed new film Baby Driver (in cinemas today). We talk about playing straight characters for a director who works with comic actors and scenarios, while Ansel also reveals…

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Interview: The Kite String Tangle dishes on his long-awaited debut self-titled album

It’s been a long time coming but finally, Danny Harley aka The Kite String Tangle, will be releasing his debut album to fans and newcomers alike. Officially out today, The Kite String Tangle’s self-titled record has been a labour of love, a challenge and a creative journey for Harley, one he told us more about during a recent…

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Danny DeVito directed a short film about two grumpy old men in love, and you can watch it here

Current the star of FX’s hilarious Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and boasting decades of incredible film, TV and stage roles, actor Danny Devito recently returned to the Director’s chair for the short film Curmudgeons. The 17 minute short, which did the festival rounds last year, stars DeVito alongside his lifelong friend David Marguiles, in what…

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Flight Review: Jetstar’s late night service from Hobart to Sydney (JQ724)

On this week’s flight review we travel from Hobart to Sydney with Jetstar, on the final flight of the night to depart the Tasmanian airport. Airline: Jetstar Route: Hobart to Sydney (JQ724) Type: Airbus A320 Class: Economy Seat: 11A (Window 3-3) Flight Time: 1 hour 50 minutes On Time? Departed and arrived about 45 minutes…

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The 10 best TV shows of 2017 (…so far) from Australia and around the world

Many out there reckon we’re in the golden age of television right now, and given the difficulties our team had in creating this list, we don’t disagree. After much debate, here now are the ten TV shows that have aired so far this year on TV and streaming services, that we consider to be the…

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“Savour Singapore in Every Bite” for two weeks during the 24th annual Singapore Food Festival

Next week, the 24th edition of the Singapore Food Festival (SFF) will launch and take over the city for two weeks of incredible eats, all under the theme “Savour Singapore in Every Bite”. Those who know the city as we do realise that you don’t need a festival to tell everyone how good the food…

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The 20 Best Singles of 2017 (So Far) from Australia and Around the World

Earlier this week, we unveiled our list of the 20 Best Albums of 2017 so far – as voted by our team – with The Smith Street Band reigning supreme with their acclaimed album, More Scared of You Than You Are of Me. Breaking things down even further, today we throw the spotlight on some of the…

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Alison Avron talks about the state of Sydney as her live music venue The Newsagency returns bigger and better

Amidst all the talk of venue closures in Sydney in the past couple of years, there have been a couple of bright lights in recent weeks, one of which is been the return of the Lansdowne Hotel, which originally closed in 2015 after almost 90 years of live music. Another venue which recently closed, The…

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