Incubus Australia Tour With Special Guests Antemasque & Le Butcherettes

Iconic rock gods, Incubus are unparalleled in their ability to shift moods and textures at the drop of a dime, proving that they have become a rare thing: a modern rock band that actually grows and improves with each album.

Through their double decade-long rise to the top, Incubus have notched up over 13 million album sales and have amassed an arsenal of sing-a-long hits including Drive, Nice To Know You, Wish You Were Here, Are You In?, Pardon Me, Megalomaniac, A Certain Shade Of Green... come on, you know you're guilty of belting out any one of these tunes on a drunken Karaoke night!.

The musical genius of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala formerly of At The Drive In and The Mars Volta, needs no introduction! During the 90's, as members of At The Drive In, the pair raised the bar on the post hardcore genre with the release of their third (and final) album Relationship of Command to critical acclaim; an album now regarded as one of the most influential rock albums of the 90's.

In 2001 they teamed up again and the Prog-rock experimentation of The Mars Volta was unleashed! The band went on to release 6 studio albums with the single Wax Simulacra earning the band a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.

Fast forward to 2014 and the creative collaboration appears in its newest incarnation, ANTEMASQUE. With the release of their debut self-titled album mid 2014, ANTEMASQUE again proved themselves as the masters of musical diversity. The band spent the latter half of the year touring the US and Europe, bringing their unmistakable live intensity and a vibe that's virtually unmatchable!

"the performance thrived with punk energy like a bull in a china shop playing 70s prog." - consequenceofsound
"Like true rock stars, ANTEMASQUE left the stage with fans wanting more." - examiner.com

Mexican garage-punk trio Le Butcherettes are like the brilliant offspring of surrealist Luis Bunuel and intrepid rock icon PJ Harvey with the band's songs and wildly cathartic live shows often drawing comparisons to Karen-O, Patti Smith and Bikini Kill.

Renowned for their electrifying and anything goes live performances; they have toured the US with The Flaming Lips, Omar Rodriguez Lopez and Jane's Addiction and performed at countless festivals including Lollapalooza, Coachella, Fun Fun Fun Fest and many more.

"Le Butcherettes are never to be missed and are heretofore not to be ignored. Utterly stunning." - sfweekly

Incubus Events:

28 Feb-01 March Soundwave Brisbane

28 Feb-01 March Soundwave Sydney

27 Feb The Enmore Theatre Sydney

25 Feb  Forum Melbourne Melbourne

21-22 Feb  Soundwave Adelaide 2015 Adelaide

21-22 Feb  Soundwave Melbourne 2015 Melbourne

BESydney Scores $50 Million Nu Skin Mega Incentive

BESydney Scores $50 Million Nu Skin Mega Incentive

Direct selling company, Nu Skin, has confirmed that its 2016 incentive trip will be to Sydney.

The announcement was made at a recent Nu Skin Academy event in Macau.

This is one of the largest incentive wins in BESydney’s 44-year history and one of the largest incentive groups Australia has ever hosted.

Business Events Sydney (BESydney) CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith said, “It’s a milestone in the making. Sydney shines as a strategically-important destination for Asian corporates looking to reward, motivate and inspire their top sales people. The city is a firm favourite for Asian companies, and this win is testament to this.”

The incentive will see Nu Skin’s qualifying sales people travel to Sydney for a five-day program in April 2016. Delegates will travel from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.

Nu Skin Greater China Regional President Andrew Fan said, “Sydney has exceeded every expectation. Throughout this journey its stakeholders have united for a cohesive, whole-of-city approach which we have not witnessed before. I am confident that Sydney will deliver an outstanding incentive program. Our sales people will feel motivated and inspired by Sydney as the 2016 host destination and this is sure to drive sales performances.”

The winning bid was the result of collaboration between BESydney, Destination NSW, Tourism Australia, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and Sydney Airport Corporation Limited.

In addition to the 2016 Nu Skin event, BESydney has secured $278 million worth of confirmed business for the future.

Wicked | Crown Theatre Perth

Wicked | Crown Theatre Perth

The most awarded new musical and Broadway’s number one show will thrill Perth at the Crown Theatre from May 2015. Awe-inspiring and spectacular, WICKED is the untold story of the witches of Oz.

Long before Dorothy dropped in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood.

The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. WICKED tells the enthralling story of two unlikely friends and how they became the wicked witch of the west and Glinda the Good. Experience it now.

“The Defining Musical of the Decade” - The New York Times

Location: Crown Theatre Perth

Date: From 3 May 2015

Tickets: From $69.90

Plus a one-off service/delivery fee from $8.45 per transaction and a credit/debit card processing fee from 1.95% applying.

25th Art of Sydney Awards Exhibition

25th Art of Sydney Awards Exhibition

The 25th “Art of Sydney” Awards Exhibition is a unique opportunity to view over 300 original artworks. All artworks are offered for sale.

It is an annual celebration showcasing the wonderful diversity of Sydney’s leading local artists and features artworks from 13 Art Societies around Sydney. In addition the “Art of Sydney” exhibition also raises funds for CareFlight.

CASS (Combined Art Societies of Sydney Inc.) is celebrating its Quarter Century! 25 years is an amazing success story especially as CASS is a non-profit group run totally by volunteer lovers of art.

Time: Daily 9.30am to 7pm on Sat 24 & Sun 25 Jan.
From: 9.30am to 10pm on Australia Day, Mon 26 Jan.
From: 9.30am to 6pm on Tues 27 Jan – when Exhibition closes

More Information on the Combined Art Societies of Sydney website

City of Sydney Chases Chinese Business and Tourism

Chinese business and tourism relationships remain a focus for the City of Sydney into the new year with the Lord Mayor visiting the country and speaking at a business forum.

 In November finance company executives, leading academics and government officials met for the fourth annual Sydney China Business Forum. Lord Mayor Clover Moore opened the forum of 200 business and political leaders from the two countries by saying Sydney must compete with the Asia-Pacific for Chinese investment.

“Sydney is competing to be the top location for business in the Asia-Pacific and our work to bring together industry and political leaders from Australia and China is a crucial part of that,” Moore said.
“We are the gateway to Australia’s financial, education, creative and tourism sectors and we are delighted to back an event that shows off our city’s credentials. The Free Trade Agreement between our two economies means growing business connections now presents huge possibilities, and the City is determined to help businesses seize them,” a spokesperson for the Mayor’s office said.

 Following visits to Chinese cities Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xi’an and Wuhan the Lord Mayor also hosted Chinese delegations, including the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Hubei Province in Sydney.

 The signing of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) between the countries, the text of which was concluded in November 2014, is due to take place later this year. This will mean the removal of tariffs on commodities exported to China including energy resources, dairy, iron ore and the delicacy that is Tasmanian rock-lobster.

 An announcement at last year’s G20 summit that Sydney would be the global infrastructure hub has significant repercussions for the city’s financial relationship with China. Chris Johnson, the CEO of Urban Taskforce, said the endorsement could lead to extensive offshore opportunities for developers across Asia, particularly in digital, technological and creative industries.

“As well as the potential for increased markets for developers there is the increased work potential for consultants like project managers, planners, engineers and architects, ” Mr Johnson said.

 The ongoing strength of Australia’s bilateral partnership with China has particularly strong implications for the higher education trade. International students are a significant source of revenue for the Australian economy, with course fees being significantly higher for international students than for domestic students.

 A 2011 report by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship stated that the highest number of applications for a student visa came from China, with 49,852 visas granted in 2010-11.
Professor Kerry Brown, Executive Director of the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, said that a good quality lifestyle and good economy are amongst the main incentives for Chinese students coming to Sydney.

“With so many Chinese students having graduated from largely business and economic based degrees in recent years, it is not surprising that finance has been able to employ good quality students to work particularly in centres like Sydney and Melbourne,” Prof Brown said.

“Expanding trade links to China [mean] that in the future, [links to Australia] are useful for Chinese students in their careers,” Prof Brown said.

Although study costs are high, it is more financially accessible for Chinese students who can afford to study overseas to do so in Australia than in other global cities.

At the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), tuition and course fees are approximately AUD$64,000 per annum for undergraduate courses. Kings College London, offer clinically-based courses such as medicine and dentistry at a cost of approximately AUD$67,000 per annum. 

For international students, the expense of studying courses such as dentistry and engineering at the University of Sydney is approximately AUD$39,700 per annum. A science degree at UNSW costs approximately AUD$37,440 per annum.

 Considering comparative affordability for international students, Sydney is particularly attractive. “With so many Chinese students having graduated from largely business and economic based degrees in recent years, it is not surprising that finance has been able to employ good quality students to work particularly in centres like Sydney and Melbourne,” Prof Brown said.

Rates of Chinese tourism to Australia remain strong and Sydney continues to have strong appeal for travellers, the majority of whom come from Shanghai and Beijing.

 A major research project by Tourism Australia, the findings of which were published in May 2014, found that 57% of Chinese respondents ranked ‘world class beauty and natural environments,’ as two of the most important factors when selecting a travel destination. The availability of good food and wine, safety, and ‘spectacular coastal scenery’ were also considered.

 According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), rates of short-term tourist arrivals from China have grown at a pace faster than that of any other country to Australia, climbing from 2.4% (of the total proportion of visitors to Australia) in 2000 to 7.7% in 2010. Notably, this figure jumped to 24.7% by the end of September 2014.

 Destination NSW has implemented a comprehensive tourism strategy, the China Tourism Strategy and Action Plan (2012-2020), to continue to cater to the large Chinese market. The strategy is aimed at capitalising on the existing market and ensuring ongoing growth for the industry.

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Thriller Live | Sydney Lyric Theatre 2015

THRILLER LIVE, a spectacular theatrical production now in its record breaking 6th year in London’s West end, celebrates the career of the world’s greatest entertainer, Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five.

THRILLER LIVE is over two hours of non-stop hits that pays homage to Michael Jackson’s legendary live performances and the magic of his 45 year musical history.

Featuring all of Jackson’s favourite songs including: I Want You Back, ABC, Can You Feel It, Off The Wall, The Way You Make Me Feel, Smooth Criminal, Beat It, Billie Jean, Dirty Diana, Bad and Thriller!

Australian star of Michael Jackson 'Thriller' show says it's a dream come true

It's not impersonation, it's celebration. That's the heavily underlined message from performer MiG Ayesa and executive producer Torben Brookman about Thriller Live, a touring stage show featuring the songs and stylings of pop great Michael Jackson.

"We don't want to impersonate Michael Jackson. First of all I'm not black so it's a different thing," said Filipino-born, Sydney-raised Ayesa, who is one of five singers taking on Jackson's legacy.

"I'm not pretending to be Michael Jackson, I'm being MiG singing Michael Jackson songs with four other singers and 16 dancers. Having said that we need to hint at his style, try and emulate his flavour without ever mimicking. It's a really careful balance because of course he has those serious fans who will know if you've hit the wrong angle on a particular dance move."

Running Time: Approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes (including a 20 minute interval)

Show Dates: 26 February - 16 March 2015

- See more at: http://sydneycbdhotels.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/thriller-live-sydney-lyric-theatre-2015.html#sthash.H0aRuFZV.dpuf

Perth International Arts Festival 2015

As part of the line-up for the $22.4 million festival, World War I themes feature prominently, with giant puppets set to roam the streets and the stories of Indigenous soldiers presented on stage.

In total, more than 1,000 artists will feature in the festival's 63rd year.

"We're very fortunate this year that almost everyone we wanted to come to the festival has said yes, so actually the scale of it and the intensity of it is increased by the fact that people around the world, artists around the world really want to come and play in Perth," festival director Jonathan Holloway told the ABC.

"It's by far the largest festival Perth has had."

This is the fourth and last year Mr Holloway will sit as director of the festival, before handing over the reins to a yet to be announced successor.

His first festival included the grand spectacle of Place Des Anges, which saw high-wire performers dump nearly two tonnes of feathers on ecstatic crowds above St George's Terrace on a hot summer night in 2012.

He said while Perth audiences have always been "incredible", there was a courage and willingness to engage with performances that had emerged during his four years at the helm.

"We've seen them really engage in unusual and unexpected ways of connecting with arts," he said.

"Whether that be through iPads, or under feathers or on the beach at dawn, whether that be rolling about with death in wheat, or breaking bread with deaf-blind Israeli performers, it's been an audience all along that's really taking creative risk

A Word from the Director:

My four Festivals as Artistic Director in Perth have been about two things – stories and experiences

The stories have spanned millennia and have explored who we are, where we have come from, our current situation and where we might be going.

They are stories about this land, between the desert and the sea, defined by and beholden to both. Stories of our relationships with each other and with the rest of the world. The truth of our digitally complex, environmentally conscious, culturally diverse world and how we reconcile with it.

While the stories are intellectually complex, it is the visceral experiences that have the power to transform and define us.

Curating experiences is less straightforward than telling stories. No two people approach a Festival moment in the same way, and no four people will agree on the meaning – or indeed value – of the experience they just shared.

No two Festival journeys will be the same, and our hope is that your travels through this Festival will include experiences both intimate and epic. Experiences that whet the appetite and stimulate all five senses. Moments that allow us to remember something we all knew as children – that the map is not the territory, that the best discoveries are made by straying from the path or committing to a fantastic voyage.

Stories and experiences in perfect collision can propel us around the world in one Festival. In our constant search for and celebration of the extraordinary, we have looked far and near, seeking out ever new ways to harness the greatest talent from around the world and nurture the best artists from Western Australia.

Perth International Arts Festival is a beautiful and much loved thing, and I have been honoured to spend half a decade getting to know its character and its desires, and to have guided it to new places.

And so we come to another crossroads, and the beginning of our next great adventure …

Bon voyage.

EVENT DATES - 13 Feb–7 March 2015

Find out what is on at the Perth International Arts Festival 2015 at the official site