I Said I Love You First… Selena Gomez 5 Music

Clearly I was a prude when I was listening to this because I found the innuendo and triteness on this album cringy and embarrassing. I know very little about Gomez’s life but her image – my impression of her – is quite innocent. In this regard, I could almost forgive the album of its under […]

Ampersand Bastille 8 Music

This is such an erudite starting concept for an album, that I feel smarter just listening to it. Great ballads that feel really reflective of Rob who introduced me to it. Tracks on repeat Pretty much everything on this album but particular highlights are

The Stanley Parable Davey Wrenden, William Pugh 6 Game

This is a meta game that reminded me of a choose-your-own-adventure version of Italo Calvino’s “If on a winter’s night a traveller”. In this game, all your choices in the game are preempted by a narrator and you can choose whether or not to follow them. Most of the intended amusement comes this narrator and […]

Dog Man Dav Pilkey, Peter Hastings 7 Movie

I am just such a sucker for this glorious animation and visual style. Incredibly cute, almost perfectly casted with a story line that felt like it could have been written by a 5 year old (that’s a compliment by the way – cerealously!)

Hardships! Jenny Wilson 9 Music

Returned to this album after waking up day with one of the melodies in my head. The album artwork, lyrics and arrangements are perfectly evocative of the depression era and exist is such a weird space – I don’t really know what genre I’m listening to and I love it. Dirty cups, burnt soup, clattering […]

The Dictionary Of Lost Words Pip Williams, Verity Laughton 7 Show

This was an inventive and well produced theatre adaption of Pip Williams’ novel of the same name. I came to it with only a vague awareness of the feminist themes but left pleasantly entertained if somewhat tired due to the phenomenally uncomfortable seating in the Dunstan Playhouse. Coincidentally before the play, Paul and I had […]

Double Barrel Espresso Bar South Australia 8 Food

Strange name for a place that seems to specialise in burgers, but after a week of chasing a good burger meal, this was the only place that satisfied Location 146 Gawler Place, Adelaide SA 5000

Cascade Floating Points 7 Music

I didn’t realise I needed this until I heard it. Love the interpolation of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” on Birth4000 and the accompanying album visuals. Tracks on repeat

Girl With No Face Allie X 7 Music

80s music made now. Took a few listens for me to get into it, but the obvious Kraftwork and Depeche Mode (and others) homages were compelling hooks. Some very naff lyrics but I guess that’s true to the style. Tracks on repeat

Ritual Ritual Events 8 Show

Amazing and efficient production with great acting, costume and general presentation. Attended this without really knowing what I was getting into which I think is the best type of mindset to have for a Fringe show. When Rob and I arrived at the Latvian Hall (awesomely named “Tālava”), we were asked to don masks and […]

Messy Friends: Party Favours Gendermess Productions 7 Show

A lot of good music, set to very good dance / strip tease routines, with a simple and cohesive theme. Not quite drag and not as good as their last production, but still very fun https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/messy-friends-party-favours-af2025

Bob Marley Duane Forrest 6 Show

“How Reggae Changed The World” A good mix of Bob Marley covers and history about Jamaica, reggae and the artist. I learnt a lot of new things such as: I was not prepared for how cold the air conditioning would be in this tiny venue and I spent the majority of the show trying to […]

The Earth Above Electric Dreams 7 Show

“A Deep Time View of Australia’s Epic History” A decent depiction of indigenous stories presented alongside archeological findings. The 3d graphics made good use of the dome projection. https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-earth-above-a-deep-time-view-of-australia-s-epic-history-af2025

Star Dreaming Electric Dreams 3 Show

“Full Dome Experience” Very afternoon children’s television vibe. I was sleepy during and after https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/star-dreaming-full-dome-experience-af2025

Ningaloo Electric Dreams 5 Show

“Australia’s Other Great Reef” Watching presentations on ecological systems now always makes me feel a bit sad due to how they are all being destroyed. Content aside, this “full dome” planetary movie seemed a bit dated and low resolution. I also don’t think it took advantage of the immersive medium. https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/ningaloo-australia-s-other-great-reef-full-dome-experience-af2025

Sabrina Nick Drnaso 8 Book

I have a prejudice about graphic novels in that they feel both too short and too long at the same time. The artwork often seems to take up too much space and the plot happens either too quickly or too slowly as a result. This graphic novel by Nick Drnaso is a masterful reversal of […]

Hotel Jesus Mario Flores, Victoria 7 Food

A great example of how offering an experience (dining in a hyper realised, authentic Mexican eatery) in addition to a good meal can elevate and justify eating out. Would 100% visit again Location 174 Smith St, Collingwood VIC 3066

The Charge That Binds ACCA - Exhibition

I struggled with this exhibition. It is actually hard to say anything more than that

Mayhem Lady Gaga 8 Music

Sonically, a return to Gaga’s original pop sound with occasional Prince, Blondie and 70s disco detours. Visually, Hellraiser crossed with a Nazi pride rally. There were some days when I woke up with a track in my head Tracks on repeat

Yayoi Kusama NGV International - Exhibition

Do exhibitions matter now unless you can take a good selfie in it or turn it into social media content? The elitist part of me enjoyed what happened to art after it became detached from mastery over physical media. It gave art the scope to become purely about intellect, concept and story. Of course this […]

Agathé Pâtisserie Petite Agathé Kerr, Victoria 8 Food

Beautiful pastries in Melbourne without the ridiculous queues Location Shop 49A Royal Arcade, 3000 CBD, 335 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3004

The Ladyboys of Bangkok Gandey World Class Productions 5 Show

A pretty expensive ($60) Fringe show of trans (?) Thai women lip syncing and dancing to various songs in some pretty amazing outfits. It was fun and spectacular but not something I would pick myself, especially at this price point because I’m such a tight ass. At the very start of the show, a voice […]

Max Richter World Tour Max Richter 6 Show

Max and a small ensemble performed the albums “In A Landcsape” and “The Blue Notebooks”. The first was nice, but featureless and I fell asleep several times. The second was okay but felt like a inferior experience to my memory of the album, sounding in part like it had been very cheaply produced

Hedwig and the Angry Inch Dino Dimitriadis, Shane Anthony 7 Show

Staged at the Queens Theatre, this was an immersive and powerful adaptation of the movie. It was very sparely produced with no set or costume changes, but was still engaging nevertheless. The actor who played Hedwig was incredible and carried the majority of the production

In The Blue Light Kelela 8 Music

Luxuriously smooth

Momoto South Australia 8 Food

The perfect sushi train. The quality of the food here is so good and at an incredibly fair price that makes you wonder why you’d even consider take away sushi at those places that either use the wrong rice or cook it wrong and make it gluggy. Service is speedy and faultless. Restaurant fit out […]

Return to Oz Walter Murch 8 Movie

This movie was terrifying to me as a kid but as an adult, I can now appreciate what was being attempted

Darling Girls Sally Hepworth 6 Book

Compelling page turner but but strangely empty for me Sally Hepworth’s novel “Darling Girls” is an extremely easy-to-read thriller, that investigates the discovery of human remains at the childhood foster home of three adult women. The book’s blurb has a quote from the New York Times that perfectly describes the book: “A blueprint for how […]

Flow Gints Zilbalodis 10 Movie

An incredibly beautiful and touching animated movie about a black cat in a rapidly flooding world devoid of humans. Perfect

Ghost Cat Anzu Nobuhiro Yamashita, Yôko Kuno 5 Movie

The trailers made this anime look a lot more interesting and charming than I actually found it. Rob liked this movie simply because the cat was oafish, drinking beer and pissing like a drunk man against neighbourhood trees

Ice Anna Kavan 2 Book

A very strange hallucinatory novel. I wish I could have liked it but I really struggled to finish it. Analysed through the lens of the author’s heroin addiction, this novel makes a lot more sense, but no less difficult to read

Eusexua FKA twigs 6 Music

Possibly have not given this album enough time to grow on me, but a slight disappointment when considered against the title single

This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway Lola Young 8 Music

Catchy and raw lyrics with some standout singles

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl Merlin Crossingham, Nick Park 5 Movie

In contrast to Sonic, this short movie felt surprisingly long. Predictable with the visuals unfortunately unable to overcome the very silent and boring story

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Jeff Fowler 7 Movie

Surprisingly entertaining – did not feel as long as I thought it would

Bangkok Snap South Australia 7 Food

This place is great. Tasty food, for very fair prices, in an amazing quirkily designed restaurant that is worth going to alone for that. I don’t know what food mafia they’ve upset to receive the bad reviews they have. My experience was not negative at all and I’ll look forward to coming back. Location Churchill […]

Saigon Bread Rolls South Australia 8 Food

Honestly the best Viet bread rolls in the area. Rolls are very distinctively saucy (hoisin), but this is a perfectly valid and authentic take. They are also the perfect level of crispness, and full of fillings. Service is friendly and great as well. Their spring rolls are pretty ordinary though, as is the dining in […]

Longlegs Osgood Perkins 8 Movie

A spare but efficient supernatural thriller. I really enjoyed it

The Contestant Clair Titley 4 Movie

Interesting topic, but falls prey to the same voyeurism it implicitly criticises. Also, it did not need to be as long as what it was

One Hundred Years of Dirt Rick Morton 3 Book

A short autobiography that felt like a very long boring rant “One Hundred Years of Dirt” by Rick Morton is an auto biographical novel about Morton’s largely fatherless, poor and difficult life to date. It is only a short book but felt like a really long and unenjoyable rant. The dry writing style, characteristic of […]

I Who Have Never Known Men Jacqueline Harpman 9 Book

Desolate and bleak novel about a group of women inexplicably imprisoned in a featureless prison who then escape to an earth like barren wilderness. The novel promises no answers from the very beginning but in doing so, asks what is our purpose for living

Tarot Anna Halberg, Spenser Cohen 2 Movie

A waste of time and resources

Terrifier 3 Damien Leone 5 Movie

A gory student movie

Yianni’s on Hindley South Australia 8 Food

If I have a craving for yiros, this is where I go. Filling, flavourful and fast. The yiros here is about the size of your bicep and full of tender meat – and not the processed kind – grilled on a giant spit over charcoal behind the counter. The kid sized, small yiros is about […]

The Change Kirsten Miller 6 Book

A promising story about a group of three women with supernatural powers tasked with avenging the rape and murders of girls. Unfortunately ended up being very predictable and misandrist. “The Change” by Kirsten Miller tells the story of three women (Harriet, Jo and Nessa) with super natural powers, inexplicably drawn together to avenge the rape […]

I Am Not Everything I Want To Be Klára Tasovská 9 Movie

It is a testament to the strong narrative that a subtitled, foreign film that is essentially a black and white photo slide show should be so engaging. Amazing – this is exactly what film festivals are about

I Saw The TV Glow Jane Schoenbrun 3 Movie

I’m not sure what I just watched and without the knowledge that it was potentially an allegory for the trans experience, I would have got even less than what I did out of it

Hundreds of Beavers Mike Cheslik 6 Movie

A unique black and white movie with people in mascot outfits enacting Looney Tunes plot lines. I didn’t expect it to be as funny as what it was but the movie was too long in the end

The Substance Coralie Fargeat 8 Movie

Feels like a graphic designer produced this movie. Wes Anderson, David Cronenberg, Patricia Piccinini, Eric Prydz

Dinner in America Adam Carter Rehmeier 8 Movie

It was hard to watch the unlikable and antisocial main characters to begin with but over the course of the movie they became endearing despite their flaws – a transition that I think is a hallmark of a good movie