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

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

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 […]

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 […]

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

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

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

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

Catchy and raw lyrics with some standout singles

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

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 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

Possession Andrzej Julawski 8 Movie

I have no idea what I just watched but wow was it powerful

The Last Dinner Party The Last Dinner Party 8 Show

Considering how short their only album is, they did a really good job of turning out a full set. Abigail the lead singer is so magnetic. Fully imagined a life together and a break up all in the one show

Fake: A Startling True Story of Love in a World of Liars, Cheats, Narcissists, Fantasists and Phonies Stephanie Wood 8 Book

A brave and incredible personal story of the author’s experience of dating a fraud Published: 2019 Completed: 15/06/2024 Pages: 325 This incredibly brave and personal book by Stephanie Wood goes through the author’s experience of dating a fraud, and her attempts to understand and come to peace with the ordeal once it ended. This novel […]

Scavengers Reign Joe Bennett 8 Television

Fascinating imagining of life on an alien planet. Lovely animation but irregular in parts where it felt like they ran out of money or struggled with quality control

Superliminal Albert Shih 8 Game

Really imaginative game with a novel mechanic that allows the gamer to alter the scale and perception of objects as if in a dream

Eternal Sunshine Ariana Grande 8 Music

Very easy listening, with lyrics that resonate with me at this point in my life

Messy Friends Gendermess Productions 8 Show

Probably the best drag show I’ve ever seen. So good to be reminded of the diversity in artistic drag expression https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/messy-friends-af2025

Zone of Interest Jonathan Glazer 8 Movie

Polished film as a work of art and possibly less about conventional narratives. The experience of this film is to make you forget the horrors of war and realise we are not unlike the perpetrators of crimes

Carol Todd Haynes 8 Movie

A lush and simultaneously spare slow burn movie. Lovely cinematography and soundtrack. Much better than I remembered!

Barbie Greta Gerwig 8 Movie

Visually fun, and perfectly pitched movie that manages to balance all the contradictions of making a movie about a doll

The Babadook Jennifer Kent 8 Movie

Really well produced South Australian horror movie

Dream Sequence Kristoffer Borgli 8 Movie

A wacky journey that was simultaneously comical, uncomfortable and touching. A great movie to start the year with

Of An Age Goran Stolevski 8 Movie

A predictable but very enjoyable depiction of first love. The early 2000s time capsule and the subsequent meet up in the 2010s were very relatable and subsequently resonated very strongly with me

Hereditary Ari Aster 8 Movie

An intriguing and well constructed movie about family grief. I think art house horror is actually pretty easy to tolerate and I get now why it’s so popular

Bully Larry Clark 8 Movie

Beautiful photography, with a 2000s time capsule sound track. Acting was a little irregular as too the actual editing and construction of the film. However, still intriguing and enjoyable

Revanchist Evian Christ 8 Music

Retro trance vibes with amazing cover artwork by David Rudnick. WOW

Robot Dreams Pablo Berger 8 Movie

Charming, original and touching movie about a friendship between a dog and robot. Did not end the way I would have liked, but any movie that can make me teary is good

Sunflower Gabriel Carrubba 8 Movie

Surprisingly well put together movie that had audiences sobbing by the end

Poor Things Yorgos Lanthimos 8 Movie

Absurd and rich production full of intricate details. However, this makes me hanker for the details from the original novel

Gag Order Kesha 8 Music

An eclectic album that is unexpected for me from a former pop star. Despite their bluntness, some lyrical gems that are like life maxims

Kids Larry Clark 8 Movie

Horrible but beautifully shot film. Very artificial and adult fantasy of teen sexuality but the visuals were so 90s/2000s the nostalgia got to me. Super cool

That Feels Good! Jessie Ware 8 Music

I didn’t like this album to begin with despite academically knowing it was very well made. However, the disco was infectious and I woke up with some of these tunes playing in my head. So funky

Templo Chris Chapple, Matt Breen, Tasmania 8 Food

This place was a food highlight of Hobart. It’s a very small venue, and more than likely you will be sharing a table with others or seated somewhere that is frankly, awkward. Yet somehow, the food more than makes up for this. Understated, but clean, bright and tasty. I also think for what you’re getting, […]

Vue de Monde Shannon Bennett, Victoria 8 Food

Absolutely no doubt, Vue de Monde is the best degustation restaurant I have ever been to. Twelve courses that play with flavours, textures and presentation over two and a half hours, in a glittering venue, 55 floors above Melbourne. Arriving at the Rialto towers, you travel in an elevator that shoots up like a rocket, […]

Weyes Blood Weyes Blood 8 Show

Sounded perfect but somehow and ironically bloodless? Still really enjoyed myself

Dogviolet Laurel 8 Music

Florence and the Machine vibes. Very mellow and soothing

Evil Dead Rise Lee Cronin 8 Movie

Expertly crafted slasher flick. Not something I would see willingly but I can appreciate the craft that went into making it

Insomniac City Bill Hayes 8 Book

Very nearly considered purchasing this book club novel. A lovely perambulation through the romantic relationship memories between two writers Published: 2017 Completed: 10/04/2023 Pages: 291 This book is a non fiction account of Bill Hayes’ relationship with the city of New York and his partner, the renowned Oliver Sacks. I really enjoyed this book. Reading […]

The Butter Miracle Tour Counting Crows 8 Show

Despite not knowing anything except “Mr Jones” this was a very enjoyable gig. Lead singer was highly expressive and the band was very engaging. Overall a very accomplished set. The poetry and talent really shone through

The Man from U.N.C.L.E Guy Ritchie 8 Movie

So much style and cool. Very fun to watch and very well put together

Cracker Island Gorillaz 8 Music

Probably the first Gorillaz album I’ve enjoyed in a while. First two thirds is great, the last third not so much

Cornucopia Björk 8 Show

A great show; suitably quirky and spectacular. Even songs I didn’t really like were enjoyable live

Hans and Gret Lally Katz 8 Show

Very modern funky and innovative staging. A predictable but still enjoyable young adult theatre experience

Hard Quiz Live Tom Gleeson 8 Show

Enjoyable and aggressively ruddy show. Great translation of the live show with some very good contestants https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/hard-quiz-live-hosted-by-tom-gleeson-af2023

Andrew Hansen is Cheap Andrew Hansen 8 Show

Enjoyable and intimate show with some genuinely funny moments. Only bad thing was that it was probably over rehearsed and had zero audience interaction https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/andrew-hansen-is-cheap-af2023