Australia’s Always Live 2024 lineup revealed
Australian concert series Always Live is returning for a third edition, with more than 280 artists set to perform across Victoria later this year.
The series was launched in 2022 by the late Frontier Touring/Mushroom Group founder Michael Gudinski in a bid to revitalise the state’s live music scene.
This year’s 17-day extravaganza will feature concerts from acts such as Jack White, St Vincent and The Offspring between 22 November and 8 December.
International artists, however, only make up a portion of the bill, with 208 of the 289 acts hailing from Victoria.
Artists will deliver 65 free and low-cost concerts across cities such as Melbourne, Gippsland, Ballarat, Geelong and Bendigo. Notably, more than 35% of the 65 events will take place in regional Victoria.
“This year’s Always Live program not only reinforces our status as the music capital of Australia but brings an extraordinary array of unique and exclusive experiences to audiences across the State,” says Matt Gudinski, chair of Always Live and son of Michael.
“Always Live continues to be an Australian beacon for live music events”
“I am incredibly proud to be part of delivering this year’s program and continuing to build the legacy of Always Live. It’s a privilege to contribute to Victoria’s rich music history and to support our live music sector.”
Psyche Payne, CEO of Always Live, added, “Always Live continues to be an Australian beacon for live music events, with the very best local, national, and international artists coming together across an epic 17-day celebration of our world-leading live music scene.
“I’m thrilled to share part of our 2024 lineup today, which reflects our ongoing and deep commitment to showcasing and supporting our vibrant local venues and the entire live music ecosystem of this state.”
Emily Ulman, executive programme director of Always Live, concluded, “Our ALWAYS LIVE 2024 program is set to showcase the incredible vibrancy and diversity of Victorian music, celebrating our unparalleled home-grown talent alongside the best international acts.
“From intimate gigs in country pubs to major concerts in iconic venues, each event will create unforgettable memories and truly memorable music moments.”
Always Live has previously hosted concerts with Christina Aguilera, Foo Fighters and Jessie Ware.
Organisers claimed the inaugural Always Live programme delivered more than A$80 million (€48m) to the Victorian economy.
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Australia’s Always Live initiative returns for ’23
An Australian initiative envisioned by the late Frontier Touring/Mushroom Group founder Michael Gudinski to revitalise Victoria’s live music scene has returned for a second year.
The Always Live scheme launched in March 2022 at the GMHBA Stadium in Geelong, Victoria, with a concert by the Foo Fighters, who became the first major international music act to travel to Australia since the pandemic began.
The 2023 series, which features more than 60 free and ticketed events of all sizes, will run over 17 days from 24 November to 10 December. Opening weekend highlights include a show by Christina Aguilera at Flemington Racecourse (25 November) and Mushroom 50 Live (26 November) – an anniversary concert at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena celebrating 50 years of Mushroom Records.
“An event like Always Live is what makes our great city what it is,” says Always Live director and Mushroom Records CEO Matt Gudinski, son of Michael. “The Always Live programme ensures Victoria remains the music capital of Australia and will deliver a host of unique and exclusive experiences across 17 days.”
Mushroom 50 will bring together dozens of domestic artists, including DMA’s, The Temper Trap, Amy Shark, Jimmy Barnes, Kate Ceberano, Birds of Tokyo and The Teskey Brothers, who will perform 50 songs for 50 years.
“It’s set to fill venues across Victoria, attract visitors and boost business while celebrating our state’s outstanding music and events industry”
Other Always Live-associated events will include three nights by Eric Prydz at Rod Laver Arena, Amyl and the Sniffers in Meeniyan, Ballarat, Frankston, Warrnambool, Torquay, Wodonga and Thornbury, and Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett and his band The Alter Egos at Wangaratta Arts Centre. Elsewhere, Cosmic Psychos will celebrate their 40th anniversary over three nights at Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal.
In addition, Jessie Ware will headline outdoor music festival Summer Camp at St Kilda Marina on 2 December, while the Tones and I-curated Music In the Park will feature the likes of The Cat Empire, The Veronicas, Budjerah, KAIIT, The Pierce Brothers at Mornington Park on 9 December.
Last year’s inaugural Always Live programme delivered more than A$80 million (€48m) to the Victorian economy, attracting thousands of visitors to the state.
It is backed by $20m in the Victorian Budget 2023/24, which also included $7.5m for the Live Music Performers Fund, which backs thousands of Victorian musicians and artists to perform 10,000 gigs at venues across the state over the next four years.
“Always Live’s 2023 programme offers something for everyone – it’s set to fill venues across Victoria, attract visitors and boost business while celebrating our state’s outstanding music and events industry,” adds Victoria premier Daniel Andrews.
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Major events hand $1bn boost to Victoria’s economy
The Australian state of Victoria has reported that major events delivered an almost A$1 billion (€619,000) boost to its economy in the second half of 2022.
The year saw a record 6.9 million attendees at sporting, music, arts and cultural events across the state, with hotel occupancy averaging 67% in H2 ’22, peaking at at 93.7% on the evening of Billy Joel’s 10 December concert.
Promoted by Frontier Touring, the one-night-only show at Melbourne’s MCG was attended by more than 76,000 fans and formed part of Always Live, an initiative envisioned by the late Michael Gudinski to revitalise Victoria’s live music scene. Gudinski, one of the best-known and most-loved figures in the concert business down under, passed away in 2021.
“Sporting and cultural events have delivered an almost billion-dollar boost to our economy in the last half of 2022”
“Victoria is the home of major events and these blockbuster sporting and cultural events have delivered an almost billion-dollar boost to our economy in the last half of 2022,” says minister for tourism, sport and major events Steve Dimopoulos. “Major events deliver enormous value for Victoria by boosting local businesses and supporting jobs – and we’re set for another huge year in 2023.”
Always Live was intended to bring music fans into Melbourne and regional Victoria and help to support local jobs and tourism businesses. The event series featured more than 60 acts such as Foo Fighters playing at venues large and small across Victoria including – in a first for the town, a Kings of Leon concert at Mildura Sporting Precinct, which attracted in excess of 10,000 fans.
The six months of events generated over $980 million in economic impact, with the latest figures showing the visitor economy in Victoria has reached $26.5bn and is back to 84% of pre-pandemic levels.
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Ed Sheeran announces Australia & NZ stadium tour
Ed Sheeran is returning to Australia and New Zealand for the first time in five years after announcing the latest leg of his + – = ÷ x (Mathematics) stadium tour.
Sheeran, who dedicated his track Visiting Hours to late Frontier Touring founder Michael Gudinski, will visit in early 2023, stopping off first in New Zealand for dates at Sky Stadium in Wellington (2 February) and Eden Park, Auckland (10 February).
The trek will then switch to Australia for nights at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (17 February), Accor Stadium, Sydney (24 February), MCG Melbourne (2 March), the Oval in Adelaide (7 March) and Optus Stadium in Perth (12 March).
The announcement comes on the heels of Foo Fighters becoming the first major international music act to travel to Australia since the pandemic began. The US rock band performed a one-off concert at the GMHBA Stadium in Geelong, Victoria on 4 March to launch Always Live, an initiative envisioned by Gudinski to revitalise Victoria’s live music scene.
Sheeran sold more than one million tickets for his last tour of the region
Further gigs under the Always Live banner have since been announced including Nick Cave & Warren Ellis at Hanging Rock (25-26 November), Isaiah Firebrace at Girgarre Sound Shell, Echuca (4 December) and Tash Sultana at Ocean Sounds festival in Churchill Island (10 December).
Sheeran sold more than one million tickets for his last tour of the region in 2018, which formed part of his record-breaking ÷ (Divide) run from 2017-19. The global tour surpassed U2’s 360° as the highest-grossing ever, with a gross of US$776.2 million. It also set a new record for total attendance, at 8,796,567, according to Pollstar data.
The singer, who is represented by One Fiinix Live agent Jon Ollier outside North America, returns to the stage later this month, for a run of UK warm-up shows, playing intimate venues such as London’s 1,100-cap Electric Ballroom and the 600-cap Concorde 2 in Brighton. The Mathematics stadium tour will then kick off in Ireland at Dublin’s Croke Park on 23 April.
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Foos confirm Oz/NZ tour after Always Live launch
Foo Fighters have confirmed a 2022 stadium tour of Australia and New Zealand after kicking off Always Live, an initiative envisioned by the late Michael Gudinski to revitalise Victoria’s live music scene.
Last Friday (4 March), the US band become the first international act to play a stadium show in Australia since the pandemic began, performing a sold-out, one-off concert to 30,000 fans at the GMHBA Stadium in Geelong, Victoria.
They have now announced their first headline tour of the region since 2018. Promoted by Frontier Touring, the rockers will visit Perth’s HBF Park (30 November), Aami Park, Melbourne (4 December), Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (10 December), Accor Stadium, Sydney (12 December) in Australia.
They will then head to New Zealand for shows at Sky Stadium, Wellington (15 December) and Auckland’s Western Springs Stadium (17 December).
More events will be announced shortly for Always Live, a series of shows intended to bring music fans into Melbourne and regional Victoria and help to support local jobs and tourism businesses.
“Always Live was a passion project for my dad to ensure Victoria continued to be recognised as the music capital of Australia”
Gudinski, one of the best-known and most-loved figures in the concert business down under, passed away unexpectedly last year.
“Always Live was a passion project for my dad to ensure Victoria continued to be recognised as the music capital of Australia, and Melbourne as one of the leading music cities in the world,” said Gudinski’s son, Always Live chair Matt Gudinski.
“Dad worked tirelessly over many years to bring his vision and concept to life and to obtain the support of the Victorian government. The initiative has been in the works for a long time and has been impacted by Covid-19 leading to several postponements of its launch and delivery.
“I’m honoured to be part of now making it a reality at a time when the live music scene needs all the support it can get. The focus of this year’s instalment of Always Live is reinvigorating and reconnecting the state through the power of live music.”
Australia recently reopened its international border for the first time in nearly two years. The country imposed some of the world’s strictest travel bans after shutting itself off in March 2020 due to Covid.
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Gudinski’s ‘Always Live’ initiative set to launch
Always Live, an initiative envisioned by the late Michael Gudinski to revitalise Victoria’s live music scene, will launch with a concert from the Foo Fighters.
The US rock band will perform a one-off concert at the GMHBA Stadium in Geelong, Victoria, next Friday (4 March) with an audience of up to 25,000 fans.
The concert will see Foo Fighters become the first major international music act to travel to Australia since the pandemic began.
The show marks the launch of Always Live, a series of events intended to bring music fans into Melbourne and regional Victoria and help to support local jobs and tourism businesses.
Always Live chair and Michael Gudinski’s son, Matt Gudinski, says: “Always Live was a passion project for my dad to ensure Victoria continued to be recognised as the music capital of Australia, and Melbourne as one of the leading music cities in the world.”
“The focus of this year’s Always Live is reinvigorating and reconnecting the state through the power of live music”
“Dad worked tirelessly over many years to bring his vision and concept to life and to obtain the support of the Victorian government. The initiative has been in the works for a long time and has been impacted by Covid-19 leading to several postponements of its launch and delivery.
“I’m honoured to be part of now making it a reality at a time when the live music scene needs all the support it can get. The focus of this year’s instalment of Always Live is reinvigorating and reconnecting the state through the power of live music.”
Gudinski, one of the best-known and most-loved figures in the concert business down under, passed away unexpectedly last year.
An executive and promoter, Gudinski shaped the international careers of local music talent including Kylie Minogue and helped bring acts including The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Ed Sheeran to Australia.
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