AFL Grand Final music review: All-Aussie music line-up a winner

A Melbourne busker made good, a ballad from a Sydney boy and, of course, Paul Kelly: the AFL embraced an all-Australian flavour to the AFL Grand Final pre-game entertainment, but was it a winner? Cameron Adams shares his thoughts.

Tones and I performs before the 2019 AFL Grand Final. Picture: Robert Cianflone/AFL Photos/via Getty Images.

The AFL certainly adhered to their you-beaut all-Australian music policy for this year’s Grand Final entertainment.

The none-more-Aussie John Williamson turned Waltzing Matilda into an unexpected pump-up jam, with squatters, jumbucks, billabongs and tuckerbags becoming unlikely MCG singalong topics in 2019.

This year the AFL lucked out getting the act who is currently at No. 1 on the ARIA chart to perform that very song — and they happen to be from Melbourne, so everyone wins.

That’s Melbourne busker turned global breakthrough star Tones And I (aka Toni Watson) whose song Dance Monkey has now spent eight weeks at No. 1 in Australia (it also bulleted to No. 7 on the UK chart this week).

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Melbourne’s Tones and I performing before the AFL Grand Final. Picture: Mark Stewart

Before she busted out the big hit, Tones And I took the opportunity to air her new song (always a risk at the Grand Final) The Kids Are Coming, complete with choreography and backing dancers. It’s her most political song yet, with lyrics including “you create the law but can’t control our thoughts, we don’t protest for the fun, we’re here to get it done.”

Those who hate music and sporting events being used for messages will be doubly angry.

Her voice can be divisive — although the Twitter fools saying she was “worse than Meatloaf” need to look up his performance on You Tube. There’s a difference between a voice you don’t like and a voice that sounds like a dying moose.

Once the familiar opening notes of Dance Monkey kicked in the party really started.

While she may not have had her trusty keyboard with her, like another busker made good Ed Sheeran, she’s taken it from the streets to the MCG in just a few years. Kids were singing it, adults were singing it — that’s what happens when you have an unavoidable chart topper. You could see the emotion on her face at the end of the song, as a local girl, the moment wasn’t lost on her.

Paul Kelly sings during the 2019 AFL Grand Final pre-game entertainment. Picture: Mark Stewart

Sydney’s Dean Lewis is best known for his ballad Be Alright, and to be honest, any ballad on Grand Final day is a bit of a vibe killer. Especially one about a relationship ending. Lewis naturally removed the swear word from the song (it became ‘messed up’) but provided the big day with a ‘sway along’ moment. Lewis also played his first hit, Waves, which is at least more anthemic for the occasion.

Paul Kelly has an imminent greatest hits album, the only disappointment about his performance is we only got two of his hits — and sadly no How to Make Gravy on the menu.

Leaps and Bound was purpose-built to be played at the MCG — the venue is mentioned in the opening line — and the songwriter tweaks the lyric to give Andrew McLeod’s back-to back-Norm Smith medals in 1997 and 1988 a shout out at the end.

His all-too-brief set ended with Dumb Things, another classic and another moment to showcase the brilliance of having an actual live band actually playing live — it’s not always the case. His keyboardist Cameron Bruce kicked the day’s first goals, Vika and Linda Bull are national treasures.

Dean Lewis performs. Picture: Mark Stewart

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It’s no wonder Paul Kelly is known as the Great Man in the industry — a man with a bigger ego would have fought for more songs than newcomers Tones And I and Dean Lewis, but he just came, did the job quickly and left. And for those who want classic Australian rock at the AFL Grand Final each year they got plenty of ammunition — Paul Kelly was the perfect choice.

You could argue that Leaps and Bounds could join Up There Cazaly and be sung there every year.

Speaking of, of course the day isn’t complete with Mike Brady — it’s the 40th anniversary of Up There Cazaly this year and it was busted out again and united the crowd again. See you again next year Mr Brady.

Meanwhile the day’s most prestigious slot/poisoned chalice slot is the national anthem.

Do it badly and it’ll haunt you for your entire career.

Queenslander Conrad Sewell nailed it, with just the right amount of vocal inflection without major histrionics. And a nice touch having the national anthem signed alongside of Sewell, making it more inclusive.

Farnsey and Kylie next year, please AFL.

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Originally published as AFL Grand Final music review: All-Aussie music line-up a winner