‘Shame’: AFL fans slam Grand Final entertainment
The AFL Grand Final entertainment has left many fans fuming. Not even Sheppard could help the line-up lift its game. We needed a rock star who we never got.
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Melbourne may have lost the AFL Grand Final this year due to a “wicked” virus, but organisers were determined to put on a wicked musical pre-show entertainment.
But while it seemed to be too mellow, meh and modern for social media, thankfully it was no Meat Loaf.
You may have seen Electric Fields when they almost won the chance to represent Australia at Eurovision last year. You couldn’t get a more different audience than playing before an AFL Grand Final, but the voice of Zaachariaha Fielding is a national treasure.
And they played a national anthem in From Little Things Big Things Grow, by Indigenous musician Kev Carmody. They were joined by Busby Marou (with Jeremy Marou in a Brisbane Lions jumper) and Thelma Plum for some local flair. And the Queensland Symphony Orchestra added some real oomph.
The evening dusk – with the sun still peeking out behind the rain – provided a great setting for a brilliant opening that may have gone over the heads of those waiting for some rock, but as we’re told constantly it’s about the game not the music, so if anyone now discovers Electric Fields that’s a bonus.
There was a touch of Melbourne with Grand Final fixture Mike Brady performing Up There Cazaly at the MGC. While Mike couldn’t make it up north, unlike a patch of grass from the home of football, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra were his remote backing band 1400 odd kilometres away.
It wouldn’t be a Grand Final day, sorry, night without Mike. And hearing old mate singing his old song with an Orchestra plus didgeridoo from Ron Murray (also at the ‘G) gave it a welcome new spin. There seemed to be some synching problems between Mike’s vocals and what was on the telly, but it’s 2020 and we’re used to remote visuals being slightly on the fritz at times.
When Powderfinger offered a polite thanks but no thanks to performing at this year’s AFL GF they helpfully suggested Brisbane bands who are still active should be selected.
Cub Sport were a brilliant but bold choice. They’ve also had major success via triple J and their latest album Like Nirvana just missed out on topping the ARIA chart earlier this year.
And wisely they performed Powderfinger’s These Days – singer Tim Nelson has a stunning voice – and even singing in the rain didn’t dampen their effort. You could have probably picked a more rousing ‘Finger hit, but at least people got their dose of Brisbane’s biggest rock band, via one of Brisbane’s most exciting current bands. Shame we didn’t get to see them perform their own song, but still good recognition.
Sydney trio DMAs have built up a huge following here and overseas – Liam Gallagher, whose band Oasis DMAs have been heavily inspired by – is a major fan. However they may still be unknown to many mainstream viewers.
They’ve been in this position before – when they performed a Crowded House cover on the Music From the Home Front virtual concert on Anzac Day they gained instant online attention and You Tube views. Frontman Tommy O’Dell may look like a soccer fan but he sings like an angel.
Their third album The Glow was a Top 10 hit here and in the UK, and they also took the cover option – they turned Cher’s Believe from dance banger into a Britpop ballad – one of Triple J’s biggest Like a Version hits. Again, they’ve got their own songs which are faster but at least people knew the words to this one. And if they didn’t the words were helpfully screened behind them.
They performed their own recent single Criminals, great song but something up-tempo would have really lifted the mood.
Wolfmother haven’t had a big hit for a while, but by crikey we needed a recognisable rock anthem – which arguably the other acts haven’t had yet – so frontman Andrew Stockdale provided a welcome instant energy boost.
Joker and the Thief finally got the Gabba pumping – with some help from the Queensland Symphony Orchestra adding some drama, if you like your rock with a side order of symphony. Although the rotten weather kind of killed all the aerial shots of the fireworks.
That song is now 15 years old, so while we haven’t had a Paul Kelly or a Barnesy this year, they’re modern era Aussie favourites. They may have done a second song, but home viewers were treated to a string of ads so we’ll never know.
Tim McCallum delivered a sterling, old-school rendition of Advance Australia Fair to keep the purists happy.
Social media lit up with its own conclusions on the line-up:
Just wanting to say that I’m glad we live in a world with #wolfmother
— Chief Health Officer, Victoria (@VictorianCHO) October 24, 2020
If the pre game entertainment was supposed to capture the feeling of 2020 it has nailed it. #AFLGF
— Titus O'Reily (@TitusOReily) October 24, 2020
I wondering if I was watching pre game entertainment or the Rock Eisteddfod?
— Rob (@smallbettor) October 24, 2020
All we want from the @AFL pre grand final entertainment each year is Mike Brady and one of the following Aussie legends:@JimmyBarnes@INXS@powderfinger_au@Braithwaite_D@johnfarnham
— Richard Gough (@moneyfit365) October 24, 2020
This Grand Final Entertainment was worse than Meat Loaf
— bobby (@bobby29766997) October 24, 2020
It’s like a primary school grand final entertainment
— Anthony Treyvaud (@Treyvaud) October 24, 2020
For the half time entertainment Brisbane’s Sheppard had big shoes to fill after viewers were underwhelmed by the evening’s earlier musical acts who performed mainly mellow covers.
With their wacky hair and home ground advantage, fans of Sheppard’s hits Coming Home and Geronimo would have enjoyed it, but it felt Rock Eisteddfod-y. You almost wish Jimmy Barnes had followed through on his threat to go rouge and perform, even if his team didn’t make it.
It did demonstrate how an act can use the night to their advantage - by upping the lights and production with coloured balls and fireworks.
Wonder if those people carrying the balls were the controversial dancers asked to work for free?
At least Sheppard stuck to the hits, but imagine if they’d got Powderfinger after all... Maybe next year.
Originally published as ‘Shame’: AFL fans slam Grand Final entertainment
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