Australia News: Melbourne Remembers Gudinski, Brisbane Live Precint & More

In Death, Michael Gudinski’s Shadow Continues To Be Taller Than His Soul

– Ed Sheeran with Michael Gudinski

While Mushroom Group founder Michael Gudinski’s state memorial will be held evening of March 24 at the 14,820-seat Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne (he is buried at a private ceremony this week), the first weekend after his March 2 death saw his huge shadow loom large over his hometown of Melbourne.

Melbourne marked its first major return to live entertainment with the street Moomba Festival March 5 to 8. On a smaller scale this year (it drew 3.8 million in 2018) 24 acts of its acts were booked by Gudinski. During the sets many noted his promotion of female executives and First Australians acts.

Gudinski also partnered with City of Melbourne for pop-up busking shows to bring live music back to the CBD. The Rubens played a March 5 set behind a heart-shaped roses arrangement, remembering how his long time support led to their 0202 album reaching No. 1 and how they’d miss his exuberant 2 a.m. phone calls.

On March 6, Gudinski’s horse Homesman won the Australian Cup at Flemington, Melbourne. He previously won the Melbourne Cup with three other horses, the last in 2020. The racing media noted, “The A$900,000 ($692.63) first prize meant little. Instead it was the emotion of a final victory.”

iHeartRadio Australia set up a pop-up station on its website playing only his acts. Bruce Springsteen added an official dedication to Gudinski in the new video for “I’ll See You In My Dreams,” written about friends who passed.

In a March 6 Instagram post to 31 millon followers Ed Sheeran recalled after his tour sold 1 million tickets in Australia, Gudinski asked what gift he wanted. “I said a life sized bronze statue of him so I could always have a drink with him in my house. Me and him have had a drink together with the statue many times and laughed about how ridiculous it is.”

Olympics Bid To Hurry Brisbane Live Precinct

– Artist impression of an external view of Brisbane Live

Brisbane’s bid for the 2032 Olympics could see the long-awaited A$2.11 billion ($1.62 billion) Brisbane Live sports and entertainment precinct begin development by the end of 2023. Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk advised the International Olympic Committee two of the precinct’s venues could be used for aquatic and basketball events “but there are discussions that are ongoing.”

Brisbane Live was proposed in 2016 by the Harvey Lister-led ASM Global (Asia Pacific), then AEG Ogden, to be built above the Roma Street station and railyards in the city’s CBD as part of the larger Cross River Rail project. Its venues would include an 18,000-seat concert arena.

Numerous delays included a 2020 government economic report by Building Queensland costs far outweighed benefits. But during the Olympics bid, Palaszczuk said, “Queenslanders would love a music entertainment venue, which would be the legacy (of the games).”

Festival Industry Conference, Women in Music Awards, Make 2021 Return

– Festival industry conference founder Carlina Ericson

After having to cancel in 2020, both the Australian Federation Industry Conference and Australian Women in Music Awards return 2021. The conference moves from NSW to the Gold Coast, held Sea World Resort Sept. 1 to 3.

Founder Carlina Ericson said following the bushfires and COVID issues of 2020, “the industry is eager to physically reconnect. People are hungry to learn, share, and discuss common key issues as a means of accelerating the industry’s recovery.” Keynoter Ulrich Schrauth founded the world’s first virtual reality festival, Hamburg’s VRHAM!.

The awards stage Oct. 5 and 6 in Brisbane, spotlighting achievements before and behind the scenes. Their return come in the midst of high-profile sexual assault and bullying allegations in both entertainment and politics circles. “It is appalling that while AWMA is working to empower women in the music industry, the toxic culture that prevents women from succeeding, continues to prevail,” founding director Vicki Gordon said.

“Every new ‘disturbing’ revelation about the inappropriate behavior in the Australian music industry confirms the importance of AWMA and the work we are doing to empower, elevate, celebrate and give voice to women.”

Abstract Entertainment Winds Up Owing $700k

Abstract Entertainment wound up after entering voluntary liquidation, The Music Network reported. Its 95 creditors, owed A$696,382.12 ($535,929.73), included ticketing companies, musicians, radio networks and venues. Sole director Rocco Ortuso blamed lack of revenue post-pandemic. Related entity Abstract Touring continues to trade, recently announcing a Belinda Carlisle tour for February 2022.

Coronial Investigation Into Stunt Death During Video Shoot

The Brisbane coroner will investigate the 2017 accidental death of stuntman Johann Ofner during the video shoot by rap outfit Bliss N Eso.

During filming at the Brooklyn Standard Bar Ofner was shot in the chest with a prop gun.

Coroner Donald MacKenzie will determine if there are ways to prevent a similar death occurring and “the use of firearms in the entertainment, film and production industry”.

Live Nation NZ Lauds Muroki As One To Watch

– Muroki

Live Nation’s Ones To Watch scheme announced rock and R&B artist Muroki as its fifth recipient since it was introduced in New Zealand in 2020 partnering with Vodafone.

The act, who planted trees to afford new studio equipment, was discovered by pop singer Benee who took him on tour and signed him to her Olive Records.

LN’s Renée Hermsen said, “Watching Muroki and his band open for Benee night after night made it clear his songs and style are absolutely irresistible, even to those new to his music.”

Splendour Reschedules To November 2021, Bluesfest Adds Nine More

– Splendour In The Grass

Byron Bay’s Splendour In The Grass festival rescheduled for the third time. It moved to November 2020 to July 2021 and now to Nov. 19 to 21 but still retaining headliners Gorillaz, The Strokes and Tyler, The Creator.

Co-founders Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco said, “Since March 2020, not a single festival in Australia has been able to run at full capacity and the industry is currently operating at a fraction of pre-COVID levels.”

Bluesfest Byron Bay (April 1 to 5) is 85% sold out with Sunday’s one-day tickets exhausted. It added nine more acts, including singer songwriter Pete Murray, Mark Seymour & The Undertow and R&B singer Kate Ceberano.

Sudden NZ Shut Down Causes Delays, Axing

After lifting restrictions in June 2020, New Zealand brought in a 10-date close-down Feb. 28, leading to chaos in the live sector.

Northland Field Days and Pirongia Blues Festival cancelled. The first five shows of Crowded House’s To The Island Tour were rescheduled to late March.

Promoter Quiet Please pushed its inaugural Outerfields on March 6 at Auckland’s Western Springs – with a star lineup including Benee, The Beths, Fat Freddy’s Drop and Aldous Harding — to Dec. 4 to be certain of summer weather.

The six-hour The Bandquet moved from March 13 to Oct. 9. The inaugural Grrrl Fest and Punk It Up V indefinitely postponed.