Powderfinger ‘a strong contender’ to play at Brisbane-based AFL Grand Final
As footy fans prepare to witness the AFL’s first-ever interstate and night-time Grand Final, attention is turning to which Aussie acts will provide the entertainment — with Powderfinger a “strong contender”.
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The 2020 AFL Grand Final entertainment will focus on Queensland musicians.
Promoter Michael Gudinski is finalising the line-up to play at the Gabba on October 24, which will be announced later this month.
It will be an Australian-only line-up, with internationals ruled out due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
“I’ve been waiting for the day the Grand Final is twilight or night,” Gudinski said.
“As a huge AFL supporter myself I totally understand that the game is more important than the entertainment, but a twilight game gives us a real chance to showcase the performers in a much better light, it really takes it to another level production and staging wise.”
Gudinski will have Zoom meetings with the AFL to lock in the entertainment line-up.
“Obviously it’ll be very oriented towards Queensland artists, I’m there to deliver the best result for the AFL and Queensland Government.
“But we learned from doing The Sound and Music From the Home Front you can do some amazing things with modern technology on TV too.”
Powderfinger, who reformed for an online charity show in May, are top of the AFL wishlist for fans.
The timing works – the band are releasing a deluxe anniversary edition of their album Odyssey No. 5 on Friday – 20 years to the day after its first release.
They have also announced plans to release a new album later this year consisting of unreleased songs found in the vaults while putting together the reissue.
“Powderfinger are obviously one of the greatest Queensland bands of all time,” Gudinski said. “There’s a slot of great artists from Queensland. I know there’s a lot of rumours about Powderfinger playing the Grand Final but it’s really too early to discuss specific artists. But obviously they would be a strong contender.”
Several Powderfinger band members now live in different states – singer Bernard Fanning lives in Byron Bay and Darren Middleton in Melbourne – and would be required to quarantine if they were to enter Queensland.
Other Queensland acts who could potentially perform include Keith Urban, Amy Shark, Violent Soho, The Veronicas, Thelma Plum Chris Bailey and Ricki Lee.
Last year’s AFL entertainment was also all homegrown – Paul Kelly, John Williamson, Dean Lewis, Tones And I, Mike Brady and Conrad Sewell singing the national anthem.
A triple vinyl edition of the Music From the Home Front album will be released on Friday, featuring Crowded House, Jimmy Barnes, Birds of Tokyo, Delta Goodrem and Colin Hay, DMA’S and more.
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Originally published as Powderfinger ‘a strong contender’ to play at Brisbane-based AFL Grand Final