Top 10 Australia Culture On this week 16/08/2020 (COVID-19 EDITION)

The truth is out there. But so are lies, EDM music, astrologists and Phil McGraw.

 

10) Perseverance: A Martian Rover to Find Life?

20th August

What: The Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover successfully launched on July 30, 2020, is now en route toward Mars. The mission will pave the way for future human expeditions to Mars and demonstrates technologies that could be used by future Mars explorers. In anticipation of its landing, scheduled for Feb 18, 2021, two SETI Institute researchers will discuss the potential of the mission to find evidence of microbial life and employ new techniques to explore Mars.

Why: If nothing else, this’ll remind you that David Bowie’s music is a hell of beautiful thing.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=52572f60-dd02-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

9) We Still Need To Talk About Climate Change

16th August

What: In Australia, despite the work of our world-leading scientists, climate change is a vexed political topic, rather than a question of science and policy. As we grapple with the new normal of bushfires and water shortages, on top of pandemic recovery, how can we take the politics out of these important issues? How can we bring communities together to think about change? Join climate scientist and author of The Future Eaters and The Weather Makers, Tim Flannery, marine ecologist Adriana Vergés, and social researcher and author of How to Talk About Climate Change in a Way That Makes a Difference, Rebecca Huntley to find out how we might turn these pressing climate conversations into climate solutions.

Why: Like all babies have to learn, just because mummy or daddy has left the room and there’s colourful blocks on the ground, doesn’t mean mummy or daddy has disappeared from existence and now there’s only colourful blocks. Similarly, just because we’re all wearing masks and social distancing, doesn’t mean this summer isn’t going to BURN US TO THE F**KING GROUND AGAIN.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=033835f0-dd02-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

8) In Conversation with Robin DiAngelo

21st August

What: Race and social justice educator, Robin DiAngelo, helps audiences understand White Fragility and move beyond it toward awareness, accountability, allyship. Based on her #1 New York Times bestselling book White Fragility: Why Its So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism. In this session, DiAngelo will help develop an antiracist framework and accountability practice based on authentic relationships, education, and honest self-reflection.

Why: For all you white folks, this is something to gently pitch to your elderly relatives whose selective deafness kicks in when anyone darker than the colour of Kourtney Kardashian’s bleached anus starts speaking.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=e393d190-dd02-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

7) Royal Albert Home: Storytime with David Walliams

22nd August

What: David Walliams will read an extract from his children’s stories as part of the Royal Albert Home sessions. David published his first children’s book The Boy in the Dress, illustrated by Sir Quentin Blake, in 2008. His novels have since been translated into 53 languages and sold over 37 million copies worldwide. Described as “the fastest-growing children’s author in the UK”, with a literary style compared to that of Roald Dahl, David was awarded an OBE for his services to charity and the arts in 2017. He will be participating in this special storytelling session as part of the Albert’s at-home shows.

Why: Writing increasingly tiresome one-dimensional sketches and sucking Simon Cowell’s disturbingly rectangular dick clearly hasn’t afforded Walliams the variety he’s looking for.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=9d735020-dd00-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

6) An Antiracist Teach-In with Ibram X. Kendi and Isabel Wilkerson

17th august

What: An Antiracist Teach-In is a weeklong virtual conversation series featuring dialogues between Professor Kendi and other prominent thought leaders and activists. Check in to Zoom for Night One of the series, as Isabel Wilkerson, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents , joins Ibram X. Kendi on the virtual stage.

Why: You know why.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=ba000250-dd01-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

5) Black Laughs Matter: Virtual Comedy Show

23rd August

What: The live comedy scene has been devastated by the closure of all of the comedy clubs, so if you’d like to support black comics, join in on a special ‘Black Laughs Matter’ online comedy show live from San Francisco. Berkeley native and host for the comedy show, Chris Riggins, has opened for legend Dave Chappelle, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Mos Def and Talib Kweli and perfromed at Cobbs, SF Sketchfest and Oracle Arena. This edition will feature Alexandria Love (SXSW / SF Sketchfest) and Quincy Johnson II (NBC / ABC / VH1 / BET).

Why: Experience laughter that isn’t just bitter, perverted sorrow.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=fd723d50-c7b2-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

4) Royal Albert Home: Fatoumata Diawara 

24th August

What: Malian vocalist Fatoumata Diawara will deliver an exclusive set from her home as part of the Royal Albert Home sessions. Her spectacular 2011 debut album Fatou made the Malian singer and guitarist the most talked about new African artist on the planet. Since then she has recorded with Bobby Womack and Herbie Hancock, played the Glastonbury Festival, and toured with Cuban pianist Roberto Fonseca. Fatoumata’s most recent album, Fenfo (Something to Say), was released in 2018, and her performance on online music platform COLORS reached over a million views. Experience her live.

Why: Fah-too-MAH-tah. You’re going to use her name in conversation to impress people, so correct pronunciation is vital.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=306347a0-dd01-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

3) An Antiracist Teach-In with Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds

22nd August

What: An Antiracist Teach-In is a weeklong virtual conversation series featuring dialogues between Professor Kendi and other prominent thought leaders and activists. Check in to Zoom for Night Six of the series, as Jason Reynolds, the National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature and #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books, including Long Way Down and Look Both Ways, joins Ibram X. Kendi on the virtual stage.

Why: You know why.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=8387ead0-dd01-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

2) Royal Albert Home: Emilie Nicolas

21st August

What: Norwegian electro artist Emilie Nicolas will deliver an exclusive set from her home as part of the Royal Albert Home sessions. Renowned for her unusual vocal style – inspired by jazz vocalists like Billie Holiday – and inimitable electro-pop sound, Emilie shot to domestic fame in 2013 with her debut single, Pstereo, and topped the Norwegian album charts the following year with her first album, Like I’m a Warrior. She will be performing an intimate set as part of the Royal Albert’s season of at-home gigs.

Why: A Norwegian electro-pop Billie Holiday. The hipster trifecta.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=5ab1c640-dd00-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

1) Royal Albert Home: Joe Bonamassa

23rd August

What: Guitar legend Joe Bonamassa will deliver an exclusive set from his home as part of the Royal Albert Home sessions. The celebrated blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter first played the Hall on a special night in 2009 – a night which saw him play with his idol Eric Clapton. Regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of his generation, Joe has released more than 40 albums on his own label, J&R Adventures. He will be performing a special lockdown set for his fans.

Why: If you’re going to be made to feel inadequate, you might as well be made to feel inadequate by the best.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=f14d3990-dd00-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536