LATEST NEWS…HOMEBAKE RETURNS TO KICK OFF THE FESTIVAL SEASON: Festivals remind one of summer, sweat and….songs. Homebake is an annual festival that represents the Australian music scene showcasing an all-Australian line-up with the occasional act coming from our sister land, New Zealand. Homebake is set to commence on the 3rd December 2011 at the Domain in Sydney after a one year break in 2010. With an even bigger line-up than the preceding year Homebake is sure to be a sell out. A few of the renowned acts that make up the huge line-up are Nick Cave's Grinderman (pictured), Pnau, Gotye, Gurrumul, Icehouse and The Vines. The Homebake line-up literally hits home on how great the music talent in Australia is. Tickets are on sale now from Ticketek & Oztix. Check out www.homebake.com for more info…EVERYONE LOVES A BAD SEED: In more Nick Cave news, the bad, brooding Australian rock icon isn't even dead yet and they are already paying homage to him with tribute concerts set to tour his mainland Australia in November. The songs of Nick Cave are to be reinterpreted by some of Australia's top vocalist's including rock chick, Abbe May and You Am I's, Tim Rogers. Brought to you by Triple j the shows concur with their own Ausmusic Month. Nick Cave has had a busy life with 35 years experience under his belt giving the artists chosen a lot to work with; it will be interesting to see who can pay tribute to his work most respectively. Tickets are on sale now, sadly for the young folk all shows are 18+…CHICKS CAN DJ! - DJ MINX TAKES OUT SHE CAN DJ TITLE 2011: The She Can DJ final was held at cream of the crop Ivy bar, where ten finalists battled it out with twenty minute sets, proving that yes chicks can DJ. Supported by big name sponsors and full to the brim with industry super stars such as the likes of international guest ambassador and DJ direct from Pacha Ibiza, Sarah Main and Stereosonic Festival co-director Simon Coyle, the event was more than impressive. DJ Minx won the title however isn't the only fox that has a future to look forward to with EMI Music, the brain behind the competition. Alison Wonderland also scored a recording contract with the EMI family and recently accompanied DJ Minx and the She Can DJ crew to London & Ibiza where they will worked alongside DJ kings, David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia playing at Ibiza parties notorious for dance music…SO LONG KURT COBAIN. NEVERMIND IS HERE TO STAY: Nevermind is an album that will never be forgotten or put aside to collect dust. Twenty years on since the release date September 24, 1991, Nevermind is being celebrated and praised by living music legends as well as today's music geniuses. Following grunge record Bleach was Nevermind, the mastermind of Kurt Cobain who was the group's chief songwriter. Cobain, a self confessed heavy metal devotee wanted to write more pop driven songs but what really helped the band in its aim to create a mix of pop and rock with Nevermind was getting American producer Butch Vig on side. Entering the charts in November 1991, Nevermind remained there for 52 weeks but took three months to get to number one. Twenty years on and Nevermind still belongs at number one in many musicians and music lovers minds…TRIPLE J HAS 'UNEARTHED' A NEW STATION: Triple j Unearthed started as a band competition in the 1990s, which then turned into a music sharing website and is now becoming a new ABC digital radio station along with already established radio station Triple j. Triple j unearthed is a digital station dedicated entirely to playing unsigned and independent Australian music. Unearthed is a music commune open to musicians and the public to upload, download and review tracks. Triple j's new born station gives Australian bands an original and exciting avenue to get noticed in this dog eat dog world…TWO TAKES ON NEIL YOUNG @ BLENDER GALLERY: If you are into photography Blender Gallery is Sydney's mecca of the exhibition world, especially if you are heavily into music. Blender Gallery specialises in Fine Art Music Photography and Limited Edition Rock 'n' Roll Prints. Being home to a number of iconic Rock 'n' Roll photographers and their collections such as AC/DC EXPOSED! by Philip Morris and Pattie Boyd (The Beatles & Eric Clapton), Blender Gallery will soon be providing accommodation for music photographers Henry Diltz and Joel Bernstein and their limited edition prints of legendary musician Neil Young. Both men are multi talented who are photographers as well as musicians, which has given them an advantage to understand and capture Neil's visual persona. Make sure to visit Neil Young in all his glory at Blender Gallery, 16 Elizabeth St, Paddington, Sydney from Thursday, November 3 at 6:00pm - December 3 at 6:00pm…LEONARDO SWEEPS OUR SHORES: Leonardo Di Caprio has introduced many unknowing Australians to the novel The Great Gatsby just by arriving here in September to begin filming on the drama romance film adaptation of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic 1925 novel of the same name. With a $120 million budget and being directed by Baz Luhrmann, The Great Gatsby consists of a reputable cast, amongst them is Australian actor Joel Edgerton who will take on the role as Tom Buchanan. The Great Gatsby has before now been filmed six times and is due to be released for the seventh time on December 25, 2012 by Warners Bros. Pictures…CONCERNS FOR ADELE'S NUMBER ONE ASSET: Anyone who owns a radio would know Adele for her chart hits Rolling in the Deep and Someone Like You. Who truthfully knows any other of her songs as these are the only tracks that get any airtime and substantial amounts at that? Concerns surrounding Adele's voice have been the reason for her absence from the recent Q Awards and a run of performances in the U.S. Adele has been battling with a haemorrhaged vocal cord since January and still continues to struggle with throat problems. 21 is Adele's second studio album which was only released at the beginning of the year on the 21st January 2011. Die hard fans are hoping that she gets back to full health swiftly as they are anxious to have new tracks of hers replayed and stuck in their heads…STEVE JOBS, THE MAN BEHIND THE PC: Where do you begin with Steve Jobs? His career was so innovative and significant that there are not enough words to praise him with. Jobs' has had such an impact on the world that it feels a felony to try and summarise his life. Jobs' has been in the news not just since the day of his death but through out his career so it is not necessary to try and begin to summarise his remarkable life. Everyone knows his achievements and how he battled with a terminal illness. This piece is merely a tribute to his life and his contribution to the world. Jobs' was not only a genius inventor but a family man like everyone else. Jobs' creation is in most family homes in the form of a notebook, an iPhone, iPod, iPad, the list goes on and the Apple empire will continue to expand and continue to be apart of everyone's family and the way the world connects…TAME IMPALA: AUSTRALIA'S OWN WAVE OF PSYCHEDELIC: Tame Impala have proven that Australia has still got it by bringing back the sixties roots of when psychedelic music became a craze. The band comprises of four young, bare footed psychedelic rockers who have already made a name for themselves in the music industry and signed a worldwide deal with independent Australian label Modular People in 2008. Among the Modular team are well recognised acts such as Wolfmother, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Ladyhawke. In their short career Tame Impala have already played at Glastonbury, Big Day Out, Vivid Live, have had a slot on the Jimmy Fallon show and are headlining at Bengkel Night Park in Jakarta on the 29th October 2011. If you happen to be in Indonesia be sure to watch them take over its capital city…
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UP IN THE AIR (REVIEW)

Frequent flyer points get a workout in this tremendous new film from Jason Reitman, the director of the quirky hits, 'Juno' & 'Thank You For Smoking'.

George Clooney plays 'career transition expert', Ryan Bingham. His job involves flying around the country firing employees whose bosses are too weak to do it themselves. All the while claiming being laid-off is an 'opportunity', Ryan looks them in the eye and shakes their hands before calmly delivering the knockout blow.

Jetting about all over the U.S, Ryan Bingham is one of those smooth operators of the modern age who skips between airline courtesy lounges, to hotel suites, to dreary conference rooms without any distain of where his life is going next. 322 days a year he finds himself away from his sterile shoebox apartment in Omaha, but he relishes every minute while leaving behind thoughts of a family, a home, and productive relationships. Bingham's mantra in his own words is, 'Make no mistake, moving is living'.

After a suggestion of cost cutting to affiliate terminations via telecommunications, Ryan undoubtedly wants to prove a point of personal authority and agrees to take a young protégé, Natalie, showing her the ropes of his grim business. Natalie, (Anna Kendrick) is a 23 year old firebrand who dismisses Ryan as 'old'. She gets under his skin with her direct observational comments towards her new mentor. In charge of an ultra smart wit and piercing eyes, Natalie appears to be stone cold.

Adding to the flippancy, Ryan breaks routine by teetering on falling in love with the mysterious Alex, a woman he has bumped into habitually on his round trips who also happens to be his female equal. Instead of the usual fly by night romance, it is particularly clear he adores her. Played by Vera Farminga (The Boy in Striped Pajamas) she provides a romantic turbulence that loosens up a rare compassionate side within him. Neither want the weight of a union and a solid future together - or do they?

Humour is used to hide the deeper and darker message of economic hard times and the terror of unemployment. The film is filled with priceless reactions when the axe falls on those people who are 'let go', the newly fired individuals who seem momentarily isolated when pleading 'What am I going to do now'. Dispassionate empathy within the dialogue besotted script helps keep things fairly light during these jolting situations and actually entertaining.

George Clooney is whimsical in his approach to comedy and deep into his romantic lead persona, a perfect choice and without a doubt, Oscar worthy. Best known as Jessica, from the 'Twilight' saga, Anna Kendrick, shows maturity as the unconventional Natalie, but remains vulnerable herself when it comes to love. Minor scenes involving Jason Bateman and veteran Sam Elliot are memorable, but the most entrancing is the performance from the radiant Vera Farminga as Alex.

An unlikely comedy and deeply romantic film, despite the subject matter. Travel bugs are sure to adore Ryan's way of negotiating car rentals, how to obtain extra frequent flyer points and even best ways to navigate airport security. Up in the Air is fantastic and deeply romantic, but no member of the mile high club. The enjoyment lasts much longer.

Shane A. Bassett

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