AbbaWorld At The Powerhouse Museum, by Eva Rinaldi - 16th June 2011

ABBAWORLD, the Official Interactive Exhibition approved and supported by legendary ABBA, is currently showing at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum, a stones throw from Darling Harbour.

The expo is an amazing multimedia exhibition that enables visitors to experience the music and magic of ABBA in a completely fresh fashion. 

ABBAWORLD made its star-studded, world debut abroad in London on 26 January 2010 to rave reviews from fans and news media.

It's a wonderful mix of traditional and rare ABBA memorabilia and state-of-the-art technology. The highly interactive experience take visitors on a journey through 25 environments, showcasing rare footage, sets, stage costumes, images and memorabilia which has never been seen in Australia before. Some of the gems are actually from the personal collections of Agnetha, Benny, Björn and Frida.

ABBAWORLD captures the music, memories and magic that made the Swedish group a worldwide phenomenon. It explores where the four members of the group came from, the formation and success of ABBA and the post ABBA years. It features ABBA’s first major international live performance and Sweden’s first win at the Eurovision Song contest in 1974, their highly acclaimed concert tours including the Australian tour in 1977, and the impact of their music that has inspired several hit movies and a stage show - Muriel’s Wedding, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Mamma Mia.

On display are more than 20 original costumes, the epitome of 70’s glam, live concert footage, promotional and behind-the-scenes photographs, album artworks and other ABBA memorabilia, as well as exclusive interviews with members Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog.

The ABBA concert dressing room, the writing studio on Viggsö – an island in the Stockholm archipelago where many of ABBA’s songs were written, and ABBA’s recording studio Polar Studio in Stockholm where the group recorded its last two albums, are also recreated in the exhibition.

Visitors can relive ABBA’s music and sing and dance their way through the exhibition using a series of interactives including perform on a stage with ABBA, dance in an ABBA video, record a sing-a-long with ABBA, or be photographed on an ABBA album cover.

For more than 35 years, ABBA has maintained international success with their songs that remain a fixture on radio playlists today. ABBA is one of the top three selling artists in the world, having sold 375 million records worldwide. They still sell over 3 million records a year.

Band member Björn Ulvaeus said: "It always seemed to me that people in the music press and also in the music industry sort of took it for granted that ABBA would be a one hit wonder. Why would we be different from any other Eurovision winner?

"We really had an up-hill struggle after Waterloo and our follow-up singles didn’t do well. Then the Australians came to our rescue. They released SOS and Mamma Mia and both songs made the charts in a big way down under. Suddenly everyone else around the world realized there was life in the band that was supposed to be dead. I’m forever grateful to the Australians for that!"

Jonathan Parsons, Sydney Curator, ABBAWORLD said: "ABBA’s appeal was first and foremost because they were consummate pop artists producing some of the most well-crafted, memorable and enduring pop songs in pop history. They were pioneers in the pop form breaking new ground in recording, concert production and promotional music videos. For Australia this culminated in the extraordinary scenes of adoration for the group that traveled across the globe to perform in Australia in 1977. Their music spoke to the heart, through joy and pain, and left a musical legacy that is still vibrant today."

AbbaWorld will conclude in Sydney on the 26th June, so be quick. The expo truly has to be one of the better value for money entertainment experiences in Sydney.

Websites

http://www.abbaworld.com

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/abbaworld

http://www.evarinaldi.com

http://www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography

Australian fans get in a spin over Lady Gaga; Monster stunt at Sydney Airport by Eva Rinaldi - 4th June 2011

Seems most of Australia, if not most the western world, has caught Gaga mania as of late. Our modest entertainment and arts clique has certainly caught the fever and earlier today we were whipped into a frenzy as a monster load of excitement came over us.

Ok, you have no doubt heard about Lady Gaga's Monster Ball Bash that is set to hit Sydney Town Hall (Monster Town Hall for one night) on the 13th July, which will be an invitation only affair - competition hybrid, thanks to 2Day FM (Austero), Take 40 and friends.

The unique opportunity got us thinking and inspired me to put down my camera for a while and return to my roots as a bodyartist - bodypainter. The goal... to see our team secure passes to the exclusive Australian Monster Ball event.

We rallied some of the loyal team together at the 11th hour - Martin Vadam), Remziye Livsey and Greg Tingle (the monster, of course).
The storyline went like this...

A male Gaga held hostage trying to escape a monster, while our 'Lady Gaga' tries to save the day via a rescue attempt, complete with helicopter (thanks to James at Bondi Helicopters aka Heli Experiences).

The stunt was something to behold with sexy and brave Gaga doing her best to audition to be a 4th member of Charlies Angles, in a scene reminiscent of late night TV flick Air Wolf. It was quite an intimate affair, with only the helicopter pilot and his boss looking on for safety's sake, and not even a pouch, Gaga stalker or pap (arazzi) in sight, but our in-house photographer David Youdell did a dandy job.

Let it be known that this was a low budget (but high on passion) arts and photography creative work. No $100,000 budget here my friends.
The on stage up shot finale of today was that our 'Lady Gaga' did in fact save the day, but not before an impromptu visit from the Australian Federal Police who justifiably did a little probe into our art imitating life effort.

Will our modest production today pay off? Well, for our team it already has...participation is paramount, but of course if we get invited to the Gaga Town Hall gig that would certainly be the icing on the cake.

Our mums and dads will be proud of ''Lady Gaga Rescue', and if not proud, certainly shocked. If making an impact matters, we succeeded.  Hey, you can't blame us for trying - we were Born This Way. See you at the ball fellow monsters.

Websites

Lady Gaga
http://www.ladygaga.com/

2Day FM
http://www.2dayfm.com.au/

Take 40
http://www.take40.com/

Austero
http://www.austereo.com.au/

Sydney Town Hall
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/sydneytownhall

David Youdell: Live Music Photographer
http://www.livemusicphotographer.net/

Human Statue Bodyart
http://www.humanstatuebodyart.com.au/

Music News Australia
http://www.musicnewsaustralia.com/

Bondi Helicopters
http://www.bondihelicopters.com.au/

Sydney Airport
http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/

Australian Federal Police
http://www.afp.gov.au/

"The Amazing Spider-Man™" Swings Into Comic-Con®

"The Amazing Spider-Man™" Swings Into Comic-Con® - And You Can Get the Opportunity to Represent Spider-Man Fans Everywhere by Becoming the Face of the Fan®

"The Amazing Spider-Man" Face of the Fan Contest Begins Today

CULVER CITY, Calif., June 2, 2011 - In anticipation of the July 3, 2012 worldwide release of The Amazing Spider-Man™ in 3D, the cast and filmmakers will discuss the movie for the first time as they address the fans at Comic-Con® San Diego. One fan can be a part of the action by proving he or she is the ultimate Spider-Man fan in The Amazing Spider-Man Face of the Fan® contest. The contest winner will be the "face of the fan" at Comic-Con, and have the opportunity to meet the talent and filmmakers and conduct an interview with them.

US residents 18 years of age and older can go to www.faceofthefan.com/TheAmazingSpider-Man to enter the contest, which begins today and runs through June 27, 2011. To enter the contest, users submit a sixty-second video of themselves answering the question, "Why should you be the Face of the Fan correspondent at Comic-Con?" Complete rules and instructions are available at www.faceofthefan.com/TheAmazingSpider-Man

All entries will be judged and one winner will be chosen to attend Comic-Con San Diego 2011. The winner will meet the cast and filmmakers, and have a chance to ask them fan questions gathered from the social communities on the web about The Amazing Spider-Man.

The prize includes one trip for two (2 days/2 nights) to attend Comic-Con San Diego 2011, including hotel accommodations, roundtrip airfare, and transportation to and from the hotel, as well as two passes to attend Comic-Con.

Commenting on the announcement, Marc Weinstock, president, Worldwide Marketing for Sony Pictures, said, "We're thrilled to be bringing Spider-Man back to Comic-Con – it's an exciting place to give the fans an inside look into what the new Spider-Man film is all about."

Dwight Caines, president, Worldwide Digital Marketing for Sony Pictures, added, "The Face of the Fan® program is all about connecting fans from all over the country to the films they care about the most by using the web and social networking tools. We expect there will be exciting Spider-Man news coming out of Comic-Con, and the contest winner will be the fan correspondent giving moviegoers everywhere an inside look."

Face Of The Fan® is a Sony Pictures Entertainment initiative that lets moviegoers and TV viewers get involved with Sony Pictures' projects by participating in online casting calls and contests—turning today's fans into tomorrow's stars™. The concept was launched in 2007, tied to Spider-Man 3, when two fans were chosen to bring Spider-Man news to the fans following the film's website. In November 2010, Face Of The Fan began offering casting calls for various Sony Pictures Entertainment films, including such Screen Gems projects as Lakeshore Entertainment's Underworld and Rainforest Film's upcoming Think Like A Man, which is based on Steve Harvey's national best-seller, Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man. The site also features contests in which winners can have an opportunity to appear on the red carpet at movie premieres, meet or interview talent, filmmakers, and producers, or even go on the sets of their favorite shows. Many exciting opportunities are available through Face Of The Fan®, and this program provides fans with a way to share their enthusiasm and get face to face with key decision-makers and talent.

A Columbia Pictures presentation of a Marvel Studios production, The Amazing Spider-Man, starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans, is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt and Alvin Sargent and Steve Kloves based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. The film is produced by Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 140 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics). Marvel's strategy is to leverage its franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world, including feature films, consumer products, toys, video games, animated television, direct-to-DVD and online. For more information visit www.marvel.com

SOURCE Sony Pictures Entertainment

RELATED LINKS

http://www.sonypictures.com

http://www.marvel.com

Skins Bodypaint Launch

bodyart by Eva Rinaldi

skins bodypaint

http://www.humanstatuebodyart.com.au/

Levity Launch Levi's bodyart Oxford Art Factory

Bodyart By Eva Rinaldi

Window Bodyart Demonstrations By Human Statue Bodyart

Human Statue Bodyart

http://www.humanstatuebodyart.com.au/

Eyeballs Eyewear window demonstration

 

Eyeballs Eyewear is Sydney’s leading independent retailer in designer optical eyewear and sunglasses. Established for over 16 years in Paddington, providing quality primary eye-care and the absolute latest in fashion eyewear. We offer the most extensive high-quality frame collections, with trained friendly staff to help you select the perfect eyewear.

 

Eyeballs offers Australia’s hottest and most exclusive Eyewear collections. Brands such as Chrome Hearts, Chanel, Dita, Tom Ford, Dsquared, Ray Ban, Persol, Alain Mikli, Jono Hennessy, Marc Jacobs, Maui Jim, Mykita, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and YSL.

The store is centrally located on fashionable Oxford street in Paddington, near the corner of boutique William Street. We provide a complete package for your vision and the health of your eyes. Along with the careful fitting of prescription Optical glasses and Contact lenses, we provide our customers with the most fashionable eyewear, combining them with up-to-the-minute lens technology.

 

Description

The team at Eyeballs Eyewear are highly committed to maintaining quality service, providing customers with full explanations of treatment options; including spectacles, contact lenses, surgery and laser treatment. A full service Lens laboratory is on the premises to ensure fast and efficient service, using the highest quality lens materials. These include the latest and thinnest Easy-adapt Multifocals, Polarized sunglasses and Computer/Office lenses. We also make sure all coatings and tints are done to the highest industry standards, so you and your glasses always look their best!!

 

 

http://www.humanstatuebodyart.com.au/

 

Short+Sweet

Each year, we gather emerging and established actors, writers and directors to present seasons of the best local and international ten-minute plays in Sydney (Newtown Theatre, Seymour Centre), Melbourne (Arts Centre) and Singapore (Esplanade, Arts House, NAFA). In 2007 the first Regional S+S was held in the Central Coast, and a Community version in the Dandenongs in Melbourne.

In 2007 the Short+Sweet Theatre Awards Night at the Arts Centre in Melbourne was videotaped by the Movie Network and aired on the Movie Extra channel in March. The ten plays of the final were shown, two at a time, as five 30 minute episodes with hosting by Josh Lawson and featuring commentary by Alex Dimitriades, Pia Miranda and Suzi Porter amongst others. Similarly, the Sydney festival was videotaped this year.

But the Short+Sweet Theatre family has many more members than just the main festival!
Fast+Fresh Theatre is the youth version of Short+Sweet Theatre, and started in Sydney in 2005 under the direction of Neil Gooding at the Parramatta Riverside Theatre, and has been going strong since then.

In 2007 the first Melbourne Fast+Fresh Theatre was presented at St Martin’s Youth Theatre and the Fairfax Theatre (Arts Centre) in May under the guidance of Festival Director Miki Oikawa. The first regional Fast+Fresh Theatre was held in Geelong this year.
Shorter+Sweeter Theatre - the ‘Best Of’ touring version of Short+Sweet Theatre - the program was successfully presented at Long Paddock and accepted for a three month five-state regional Australian Tour which took place in the first half of 2008.

The first truly international S+S festival was presented in Singapore. The inaugural two week festival was at held in April/May 2007 at the NAFA Black Box with the Awards Night at the Esplanade Theatres by the Bay. Alex Broun traveled to Singapore as Artistic Director to guide the local crew in their first season.

With the addition of Singapore Short+Sweet Theatre has become, to the best of our knowledge, the first ‘trans-national’ Theatre Festival in the world, and will followed by Malaysia in August this year. Our plans for world domination (ten minutes at a time) continue apace with NZ, the UK and USA.

The first Short+Sweet Song was held at NIDA in 2007 to present 10 minute musicals. It was back again this year at the Seymour Centre under the direction of Michael Huxley.

Short+Sweet Dance is an opportunity for established and emerging choreographers & dancers to combine their creative talents to present 10 minute dance works. The first festival was held in 2007 under the direction of Olivia Ansell.

But wait… there’s more! Here are a few new additions to the family…
With Shorter+Sweeter Kids we’re creating a show that will consist of 10-minute-or-less plays for children. In fact, we’re really creating two shows: one aimed at 4-8 year olds, and one aimed at 8-12 year olds.

The Short+Sweet Theatre One-Act Festival is our experiment with a festival of longer plays: minimum of 20 to maximum of 30 minutes. This festival will be staged in Sydney (at Newtown Theatre) from July 21 to August 16, 2008.

In 2008 Short+Sweet Theatre launched itself into the realm of cabaret by staging Short+Sweet Cabaret at The Butterfly Club. To accommodate the festival’s growth it is moving to Chapel off Chapel in November 2009.

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IGT gets to the point

Gold Fever Human Statue Bodyart

SYDNEY, NSW -  IGT announces it now has a new module -for its Systems solution - called Xtra Credit^™, which delivers additional playing time for players and enables venues to reduce their liability held in unredeemed reward points.  Approved in NSW, Xtra Credit^™ is now differentiating the gaming experience in six NSW clubs, including Western Suburbs League Club Campbelltown, Merrylands RSL, Club Five Dock, Ryde Eastwood Leagues and Blacktown Workers Club.

Working in conjunction with IGT's Advantage Club, Xtra Credit^™ enables venues to create a personalised incentive program for players that rewards loyalty and allows players to convert their points on the machine. These are used as extra credits for more game play and longer entertainment.  IGT's Xtra Credit^™ is fully portable between any manufacturer's machines and across all games and denominations.  Players can stop and start redeeming points at any time; additionally, any winnings earned from playing in Xtra Credit^™ mode go to the game's credit meter and can be cashed out. 

Michael Cheers, IGT Systems sales manager commented: "From a player's perspective, Xtra Credit offers greater customer satisfaction, as they have the power to control how, when and where their reward points are used.  Xtra Credit benefits venues by reducing loyalty point liability, administration and marketing costs, and increasing carded play, as well as providing access to information improve service to meet members' needs." 

"One additional feature is that this also includes a voluntary pre-commitment solution which forward-thinking venues can offer to members," Cheers added. 

http://www.humanstatuebodyart.com.au/