Australia: Melbourne Hall, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, One Love Fest

Melbourne Festival Hall To Face Wrecker’s Ball

During its time, Melbourne’s 5,400-capacity Festival Hall played host to boxing and wrestling matches and some 1956 Olympics events as well as Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, Kanye West, AC/DC, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Ed Sheeran and Lorde.

But owner Stadiums Ltd. filed plans to demolish much of the 103-year-old building as part of a $65 million 179-apartment project to include a 16-storey tower, shops and office space. Only the stage, boxing ring and street façade are retained.

There were protests from the music industry. Music Victoria CEO Patrick Donovan asked Stadiums Ltd. to reconsider, arguing that Melbourne was chosen to host the international Music Cities Convention in April partly because of its success in protecting venues.

But Stadiums Limited director Chris Wren told a media call that the venue was no longer profitable. 

“I draw the analogy [that] an old boxer facing up to a younger, bigger, stronger opponent is going to get well and truly pummeled and with the (1987) opening of the (7,500-capacity) Margaret Court Arena, and (11,000-capacity) Hisense Arena (in 2000) to a lesser extent, we’re being pummeled. We can see the writing on the wall … in due course, as responsible directors we’re going to have to probably close the shop.”

Booked at the venue through February are Tiesto, Macklemore, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Young Thug and the Pro dance party.

The Festival Hall news comes a month after news broke that Sydney also was to lose a long-term music venue. The 5,500-capacity Hordern Pavilion has been put for tender. Sports teams the Sydney Swans and the Sydney Roosters want to use the Hordern as their offices, and it seems likely it will cease to be a music venue after 2021.

The Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore wrote to the New South Wales government asking it to reconsider. She pointed out that the Hordern filled a gap, and “so many performers – groups too big for the Enmore Theatre, but wouldn’t fill an arena – would stop visiting Sydney.”

Eric Clapton. Joni Mitchell, Carole King Among 130 Named For New Adelaide Walk Of Fame

International names as Eric Clapton. Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Roy Orbison as well as major Aussie names as Cold Chisel, Nick Cave, Paul Kelly, Olivia Newton-John,  John Farnham and the late Divinyls singer Chrissy Amphlett were among 130 names whose names are on the Adelaide Festival Centre’s illuminated walk of fame.

The walk is a new addition to the venue as part of a A$1 billion (US$809 million) revamp. The named honoured were those who performed at the Centre since its 1973 opening, and included jazz singers and rock musicians, cabaret performers, classical music identities comedians, dance ensembles, designers, composers, playwrights, and directors. They were chosen by public vote, arts critics and Centre management. Other international names honoured were Ella Fitzgerald, Eartha Kitt, Gene Pitney, Joe Cocker, Billy Crystal and John Denver.

Australia Day Honours For Music Industry Names

A number of musicians and live industry executives were honoured with the Order of Australia medals as part of the Jan. 26 Australia Day for their longstanding careers and championing of charity causes.

They included singer-songwriter Russell Morris, artist manager and production company founder Dominic “Mick” Mazzone (who was also co- founder of the Music Managers Forum), and  jazz advocate Diana Allen who founded the Jazz Australia association in 1985 to source more performance opportunities, and emeritus executive producer at The Gordon Frost Organisation Walter Van Nieuwkuyk.

A Sellout For NZ’s One Love

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Despite headliner Shaggy pulling out a week before, the seventh instalment of New Zealand’s roots and reggae festival has been another sellout. According to promoter Pato Alvarez of Pato Entertainment, more than 18,000 patrons attended – many from overseas including the United States, France and Germany. The festival was Jan. 27-28 at Tauranga Domain – a week earlier than usual, as it was initially set up by Alvarez to celebrate Bob Marley’s birthday Feb. 6.

Acts included international and New Zealand acts as Katchafire, Sammy J, Aswad, Black Uhuru, Stan Walker, Herbs, Sons of Zion, Kora, Spawnbreezie, Common Kings, Magic!, Fiji and House of Shem. One Love is estimated to inject NZ$5 million ($3.6 million)  into the local economy.

Shaggy also canceled on the inaugural four-date RNB Vine Days winery concert series in Australia with Boyz II Men, TLC and DJs Horizon and Yo! Mafia (Feb. 3-11), Illusive Presents and Frontier Touring replaced him with Blackstreet, explaining his absence to “a last minute media opportunity in the U.S.”