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.

Win a double pass to see Wilson at the Palace Nova Cinemas in Adelaide

One film we’re particularly excited about here at The Iris is Wilson, a new comedy staring Woody Harrelson, Laura Dern and Judy Greer which hits select cinemas on Thursday, May 25th. The film chronicles the life of a lonely, neurotic and hilariously honest middle-aged man (Harrelson), as he reunites with his estranged wife and meets…

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Win a double pass to see Escape From New York back on the big screen in Sydney

The In The House series at the Event Cinemas on George Street in Sydney brings back cult classics to the big screen. The next screening is on May 26th and will see John Carpenter and Kurt Russell at it again in the 1981 hit Escape From New York. To accompany the screening, David “Quinny” Quinn from…

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Nick Offerman talks about working with his wife Megan Mullally on You, Me and the Apocalypse and Summer of 69: No Apostrophe

You, Me and the Apocalypse was an underrated 10 episode mini-series that debuted on Sky 1 in the UK back in 2015, before making its way to the US the following year. Now, the show seems to be doing the rounds around the world – and having caught the series on some flights recently, I…

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Exclusive Music Video Premiere: Osaka Punch “In or Out” (2017)

Brisbane’s Osaka Punch have spent the last nine years making a name for themselves as one of Australia’s best live acts, bringing together rock, prog, funk and everything in between to make a sound truly their own. Last year they released a seven track EP Death Monster Super Squad to critical acclaim and today we’re…

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Book Review: Simon Griffin’s Fucking Apostrophes makes us question the title of this article (because punctuation is hard)

Simon Griffin‘s pocket book dedicated to punctuation, Fucking Apostrophes, should be a permanent fixture on everyone’s desk. The 62 page resource is crammed full of just about every possible use of the apostrophe in the English language, delivered with a great deal of humour and ultimately leaving you with the thought: “Why the fuck are…

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Theatre Review: The Play That Goes Wrong is a painfully hilarious experience (Encore Season in Sydney until 21st May)

The experience of the hit comedy The Play That Goes Wrong, currently touring Australia, starts before you enter the room, as cast members walk around the foyer, greeting guests, engaging in arguments and letting you know that they’ve lost a dog from the second act – a sign that indeed, things are about to go…

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Blu-Ray Review: Assassin’s Creed (USA, 2016) delivers an impressively jam-packed single disc release

The majority of videogame films are, for a lack of a better term, complete tosh. From catastrophes like Street Fighter, Super Mario Bros. and most of Uwe Boll‘s filmography to films that are close to viewer satisfaction like Final Fantasy VII – Advent Children and Ace Attorney, the reputation of videogame films is not something…

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Six more films you can’t miss at the 2017 Sydney Film Festival

Last week we filled you in on the first films we picked for the annual Sydney Film Festival – but that barely scratched the surface on the amazing catalogue of feature and short films that will grace the event. So here’s another six films we think you can’t afford to miss at the 2017 event……

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A mammoth Australian & NZ contingency lines up for the 2017 Austin City Limits Festival

Though it was the late addition of Jay Z onto the Austin City Limits festival line up ahead of the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chance the Rapper, The Killers and sis-in-law Solange that has had everyone talking, a quick look at the mammoth ACL lineup for 2017 shows off an impressive list of Australian and New Zealander artists amongst…

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The best band you’ve never listened to, Tennis (Denver), talk Yours Conditionally and the development of their sound over four albums

While at Coachella last month, I caught up with Denver husband-wife duo Tennis, who in spite of releasing four breathtaking albums (their latest, Yours Conditionally, is out now), have never made many waves down here in Australia. We here at the AU think it’s about time they made some waves, so join us as we…

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And the first eight films we’ve booked on our Sydney Film Festival 2017 flexipass are…

The 64th Annual Sydney Film Festival launched its amazing program yesterday, and over 12 days this June, there’ll be more film premieres and screenings than you’ll know what to do with. Over the next couple of weeks we’ll be letting you know plenty of our highlights – and we’re starting off with counting down the…

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Bad Pony (Sydney) talk about their “Deficiency” single tour and writing with Marc Orrell (ex-Dropkick Murphys) in the USA

Hitting the road today on their national “Deficiency” single tour, the criminally underrated Sydney quintet Bad Pony were recently over on the other side of the world in Toronto, Canada for the annual music festival and conference Canadian Music Week. While there, I sat down with Jarred and Sam from the group to talk about…

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Watch Bishop Briggs look ahead to Splendour, reflect on her massive 2017 and talk about her new tattoos

Our very own Larry Heath had a one-on-one backstage at Coachella 2017 with emerging superstar Bishop Briggs to reflect on her amazing year, look ahead to her Australian debut for Splendour in the Grass this July, talk about her new tattoos and much more… You can watch our chat here: Don’t miss Bishop Briggs when…

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Koen van de Wardt talks Klangstof’s success as the first Dutch band to play Coachella

Backstage at a sweaty second weekend of Coachella, we meet Koen van de Wardt of Dutch indie group, Klangstof. Their presence at the American music festival was one of large significance, with Klangstof stepping up to being the first Dutch band to ever appear at Coachella in the history of the event. Speaking with Koen, we find out more…

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Lizzy Plapinger dishes on her new project LPX and her time in Nicaragua with What So Not

MS MR have long held a love-love relationship with Australia but when we catch up with one half of the band, Lizzy Plapinger, we’re in a different environment altogether. She’s at Coachella and as the world is getting to know her new music project, LPX, the vocalist and songwriter tells us about her new sounds and what’s in store…

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Film Review: Becoming Bond (USA, 2017) is hilarious, original documentary filmmaking

Getting a release on Hulu today in the US is the hilarious documentary Becoming Bond, which screened at SXSW earlier this year. It takes a look at the life and times of Australia’s only Bond, George Lazenby, in his own words. The film takes the spirit of Drunk History to deliver an original and entertaining…

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Nik & Ryan of Local Natives (USA) on the growth of Coachella & their live shows

While at Coachella last month, we were able to catch up with Ryan Hahn and Nik Ewing, who had been impressing crowds with their new album Sunlit Youth, as well as a stomper live show. Taking some time out backstage, Larry chatted with the guys about their experiences on the growing festival stage and how their own live…

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Anna Lunoe reflects on her time at Coachella & planning new music around motherhood

Anna Lunoe remained a standout artist of Coachella 2017 – from afternoon slam circles in the Sahara Tent to performances of new music, the Australian expat made sure her time out in the Cali desert counted. Backstage at Weekend Two, Jaime Lewis caught up with Anna to find out how the experience had treated her, and…

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Lee Fields on Special Night and takes us through his time at Coachella 2017

When we get the opportunity to sit down with our favourite artists, of course, it’s not something we take for granted. And then there are the opportunities we get when we get to speak with someone as legendary as Lee Fields, backstage at what he describes as one of the best, if not the best, musical…

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We catch up with Hobart’s Heart Beach at Canadian Music Week in Toronto

While out in the decidedly colder climates of Toronto recently, we managed to link up with Tasmanian group, Heart Beach. One of the local Aussie highlights of this year’s Canadian Music Week, the band filled us in on their time in the city and what their plans are for moving the band forward in 2017. Welcome to…

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Talking with POND’s Nick Allbrook and Jay Watson about The Weather at Coachella

POND have become one of Australia’s most popular exports, particularly when it’s come to the international festival circuit. Of course, being cut from the same cloth as Tame Impala has long driven much of the press surrounding the WA band but in recent years and over their last few albums, the Nick Allbrook led group has really stepped…

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Sydney Comedy Festival director Jorge Menindis talks about the just-launched 2017 season

The Sydney Comedy Festival has been around for thirteen years and has amazingly grown from a festival with humble beginnings, into a force that itself has grown to a major arts festival in Australia. Director of the festival for all that time, Jorge Menindis details the history while making some last minute plans prior to…

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The most affordable way to attend Dark Mofo may just be by a P&O Cruise

Dark Mofo hits Hobart in June, a winter festival that has fast become a favourite and mainstay of the national circuit; attracting incredible music, arts and food events, and an iconic nudie run that is always the talk of the town. There are a lot of ways that punters can get to the event from…

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CMW Discovery: Dublin’s Elm on track to be the next big thing

The annual music industry festival and conference Canadian Music Week brought with it a slew of incredible talent, from Canada, Australia and around the world. One act that caught our eye in particular ventured to the Toronto based event from Dublin, Ireland, and made a splash with a series of showcase performances, while also closing…

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Backstage Polaroids: Meet The Bands of Coachella 2017

We spent the weekend backstage at Coachella Music & Arts Festival in California, and while there, Jaime Lewis grabbed some Polaroids of a tonne of our favourite artists backstage. Take a look through the photos below – from the legendary Lee Fields, to Local Natives, Tennis and up-and-coming artist Bishop Briggs – and many more……

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Coachella closes up their 2017 festival with Lorde, Kendrick Lamar and Australia’s What So Not

The second weekend of the 2017 Coachella Music & Arts Festival wrapped up in Indio, California last night, with an eclectic mix of performances around the festival. On the main stage, New Zealand pop star Lorde and headlining rapper Kendrick Lamar closed the festival with big budget sets full of pyrotechnics, fire and a slew…

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The nine best performances across Coachella’s second weekend

This past weekend, Jaime Lewis and I enjoyed our first ever Coachella. Having desired to attend the festival since its inception 18 years ago, the well-organised, well-oiled event proved itself worthy of the hype, and indeed worth the wait. From the picturesque, desert oasis that made up its location, to the quality of the bands…

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Star-studded Bon Iver set and surprise appearances from Troye Sivan & Skrillex the talk of Coachella as Gaga closes Day Two of Weekend Two

When you replicate a lineup of a festival across two weekends, generally there aren’t too many surprises left for punters – especially when that event live streams the first weekend to the world. But Coachella’s diverse lineup proved that they had plenty of tricks up their sleeves with several surprises throughout the day. Arguably biggest of…

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Matt Lowe on the new Keston Cobblers’ Club album, Almost Home and hitting the road

As their British tour kicks off (with our own Jack Carty) in support of their new album Almost Home, we catch up with Matthew Lowe of the Keston Cobblers’ Club to find out more about the fitting follow on record to Wildfire.   Congrats on the new album! It’s fair to say that things feel a bit more stripped back on Almost…

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Award winning Master Of None‘s anticipated second season gets a trailer

Aziz Ansari’s Emmy award-winning comedy series Master of None is returning to Netflix next month, and the streaming service are teasing us with what to expect via an all-too-brief 70 second trailer that was released earlier this month. After traveling abroad, the show’s second season sees Dev (Aziz Ansari) return to New York to take…

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