Live: Adele plays The Gabba, Brisbane, night one

JOKING about the weather and Aussies’ predilection for alcohol, Adele has taken the stage for the biggest show Brisbane has seen, with 60,000 adoring fans at The Gabba. ROLLING COVERAGE

THE clouds are heavy and the traffic heavier as pop superstar Adele packs in 60,000 fans at The Gabba for Brisbane’s biggest concert ever.

The RACQ has urged anyone not attending the show to avoid the area, as authorities grapple with gridlock before and well after the show. Major road closures will kicks off from 4pm — and continue until midnight — on Vulture and Stanley streets. There will also be partial closures of Main St and Wellington Rd. The Grammy-award winner will perform atop a 360-degree stage in the middle of the sports ground, while concert-goers will be seated on the field for the first time since its redevelopment. Gabba manager Blair Conaghan says an additional 23,897 seats have been shipped in, along with an extra 100 entry scanners and 1200m of temporary fencing. “There will also be 24 additional food and beverage stands, stocked with 20,000 glasses of champagne, 60,000 glasses of wine and 200kgs of cheese and crackers,” he said. The head of Brisbane’s public transport network has urged patrons to plan ahead and allow plenty of time to get to the venue. Matt Longland said TransLink had doubled the number of public transport options it usually provided for events at The Gabba. “This free public transport will be available from noon so patrons should consider making a day of it and get to the venue early and enjoy something to eat before the show,” he said. Shuttle buses are running to and drom Carindale, Chermside, Eight Mile Plains and Roma St bus interchanges. Train services have also been altered to accommodate late-night crowds. Ticketholders will travel for free. Gates will open at 5.30pm on both days with Adele to perform from 7.30pm. The Bureau of Meteorology has not ruled out the chance of showers during the concert. BOM weather forecaster David Bernard said there was a “reasonable likelihood” of rain near the Gabba tonight and the chance of a thunderstorm. “There’s a bit of uncertainty about the weather tonight,” he said.

Originally published as Live: Adele plays The Gabba, Brisbane, night one