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Brisbane to gain new 80,000-capacity stadium

Brisbane will gain a new 80,000-capacity stadium ahead of the 2032 Olympics, set to take place in the Queensland capital.

The new AU$2.7 billion venue will replace The Gabba, Brisbane’s 50,000-capacity AFL stadium, which will be demolished after the 2025 Ashes.

The state government says the stadium, which will be part of a rebranded precinct called East Bank, will be able to host up to 50,000 for sporting events and 80,000 for concerts and events, meaning artists like Taylor Swift would no longer be inclined to skip the city from Australian tours.

The new East Bank stadium follows a wave of other developments throughout the country

The design process is expected to begin in 2024 and last until 2026, with early demolition works commencing in 2025 and construction of the new building in 2026. The East Bank precinct is set for a 2030 ready-to-use launch.

The new East Bank stadium follows a wave of other developments throughout the country, including a new 30,000-capacity music venue in Lake Macquarie, New South Wales.

The event site is a $135 million development by the Cedar Mill Group (CMG) at the old Morisset golf course. The group hopes the venue will rival Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium with its built-for-purpose staging and rigging.

CMG has also set out plans for three more venues in NSW: The Domain in Sydney’s CBD, The Crescent in Parramatta Park, and Thompsons Creek Regional Parkland in Bradfield.

 


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Secret Sounds axes festival leg due to supply issues

Australia’s Secret Sounds has cancelled the Brisbane leg of its Heaps Good festival due to “supply chain and event equipment issues”.

The Live Nation-owned promoter behind Australian festivals Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival yesterday (15 November) shared the “not so good news” about the 2 January 2024 show at Sandstone Point.

The festival will still take place in Melbourne and Adelaide in December 2023 and January 2024 with performances from Flume, Foals, The Avalanches and more.

“We are working on two replacement shows in Brisbane city, stay tuned”

“We are having some supply chain and event equipment issues resulting in us not being able to deliver the best possible show for Brisbane,” reads a statement from Secret Sounds.

“We are incredibly sorry, please expect full refunds for your Brisbane tickets to the purchasing credit card in the next week or do.

“We are working on two replacement shows in Brisbane city, stay tuned. Once again, we are so sorry for any disappointment and inconvenience caused.”

Secret Sounds’ festival portfolio also includes Harvest Rock, Spilt Milk and Spin Off. The latter was added when Secret Sounds acquired event management company Kicks Entertainment in 2022.

 


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Australia gains new touring alt-rock festival

Leading Australian rock promoter Destroy All Lines has announced a new touring festival for alternative rock and punk fans.

New Bloom Fest will hit the East Coast of Australia between 15–17 March 2024, visiting Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, UNSW Roundhouse in Sydney and Melbourne Pavilion.

The inaugural event, co-presented with triple j and Short.Fast.Loud, will be headlined by US rock band Citizen for what will be their first tour of Australia since 2019.

Other North American acts on the bill include post-hardcore bands Movements and Touché Amoré, pop-punk outfit No Pressure, rock band Fleshwater and Canadian grunge duo Soft Cell.

New Bloom Fest is “a festival overflowing with exceptional fresh talent from the alternative and punk scene at home and abroad”

Domestic acts on the bill include Eat Your Heart Out performing at the Brisbane date, Amends in Sydney, Born Free in Melbourne and more.

Promoters have dubbed New Bloom Fest “a festival overflowing with exceptional fresh talent from the alternative and punk scene at home and abroad”.

Destroy All Lines’ festival portfolio also includes Good Things, currently Australia’s largest alternative and rock music festival, which will be headlined by Fall Out Boy and Limp Bizkit this year.

The independent promoter’s upcoming concerts include All Time Low, Dance Gavin Dance, Mayday Parade, Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls, The Aces, Bloc Party and Interpol.

 


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Record year for Stadiums Queensland venues

Stadiums Queensland’s (SQ) latest annual report has revealed record attendances across the Australian agency’s nine venues in the 2022/23 financial year.

SQ venues hosted more than 4.9 million people over the last 12 months, contributing A$1.1 billion (€664.7 million) to the state’s economy and prompting a temporary easing of the concert cap at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium “to capitalise on the extraordinary post-Covid concert resurgence from some of the world’s biggest music acts”.

Highlights included Heritage Bank Stadium staging Guns N’ Roses first Gold Coast show and Harry Styles’ only Queensland gig, with the latter attracting a record 49,957 crowd.

In addition, Cbus Super Stadium staged KISS’ Australian farewell in front of 13,200 people and Suncorp Stadium hosted three back-to-back Ed Sheeran concerts, breaking the venue attendance record by pulling in a total of 173,387 fans across three nights.

“We’ve witnessed a steady stream of concerts including international acts like Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran and The Red Hot Chili Peppers,” says SQ chair Cathy McGuane. “The period has also seen incredible demand from international music promoters, so much so that we’ve worked with government to temporarily increase the concert cap from six to 12 major events per year to ensure Queensland does not miss out on opportunities to host world-class acts.”

“The music came back with a vengeance, with concerts from international heavy hitters Red Hot Chili Peppers, Elton John and Ed Sheeran kicking off the year”

The 14,500-cap Brisbane Entertainment Centre (BEC) also hosted around 550,000 fans and 43 main arena performances during the period, and has upcoming shows with acts including The Chicks, Sam Smith, Paramore, 50 Cent, Blink-182, Jonas Brothers and Niall Horan.

“They’re incredibly impressive figures, which are the highest since inception and reflect our importance in the community and across the events industry,”adds McGuane. “Live experiences are well and truly back on the agenda, with ticket sales, event attendance and onsite spend all indicating incredible demand for live events.”

SQ’s venue portfolio is completed by The Gabba, Sleeman Sports Complex, Queensland Tennis Centre, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre and Nissan Arena.

“In stark contrast to recent years, 2023 started with a bang,” adds CEO Todd Harris. “The music came back with a vengeance, with concerts from international heavy hitters Red Hot Chili Peppers, Elton John and Ed Sheeran kicking off the year, helping to smash several years of pandemic-induced quiet on the entertainment front.”

 


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City Focus: Brisbane

Paris, Los Angeles, Brisbane. Holiday destinations, yes. And all three are future Olympic cities.

For those keeping score, Brisbane will host the summer Olympics and Paralympics for the first time in 2032, becoming the third Australian city to host the quadrennial sporting feast, after Melbourne (1956) and Sydney (2000). The capital of Queensland, the so-called Sunshine State, has an enviable reputation in music and sport. When Brisbane hosts the Games, it’ll showcase the best in both fields.

Brisbane summers can be scorching; and its music scene is hot. Powderfinger, Savage Garden, The Veronicas, Mallrat, Thelma Plum, Ball Park Music, Busby Marou, Katie Noonan, The Chats, Lobby Loyde, The Jungle Giants, Confidence Man, Sheppard, Kate Miller-Heidke, Violent Soho, and Kev Carmody are just some of the stars who’ve emerged from Brisbane.

Keith Urban spent his formative years in Brisbane before moving to Nashville and becoming a superstar of country music.
The Bee Gees’ legendary career in music began when, in the late 1950s, the brothers Gibb landed a regular gig at the Redcliffe Speedway, north of Brisbane. Barry, Maurice, and Robin signed their first record contract on the family’s kitchen table in Redcliffe, not far from a commemorative walkway that recognises the trio’s achievements, Bee Gees Way.

The capital of Queensland, the so-called Sunshine State, has an enviable reputation in music and sport

Critically celebrated indie-rock band The Go-Betweens hail from Brisbane and are remembered with a bridge named in their honour. Punk trailblazers The Saints were formed in Brisbane and are feted with a colourful mural on Upper Roma Street, near the band’s Petrie Terrace shared house where they honed their legendary live performance.

Roma Street, in the Central Business District, will be a major hub when the Olympics come to town. A new 18,000-capacity arena complex – Brisbane Live – will be developed above Roma Street railway station and serviced by underground rail and bus.

Brisbane Live “promises to place Brisbane among the elite cities of the world as an entertainment precinct,” Tim Worton, ASM Global (APAC) group director arenas, tells IQ. “It won’t just be a venue, it will be a destination – one that will be the envy of all cities in our region. It is a seriously exciting project.”

The existing 13,000-capacity Brisbane Entertainment Centre (BEC) in Boondall, north Brisbane, is one of the world’s most successful arenas. When Pink sold out 11 dates at the BEC on her 2009 Funhouse tour, the venue paid thanks by dedicating its Door 6 ladies’ toilets to the Philadelphia pop superstar (she even cut the ribbon on the “Pink Toilets”).

The existing 13,000-capacity Brisbane Entertainment Centre in north Brisbane is one of the world’s most successful arenas

Brisbane has a rich recent history of organising major international events, including the 1982 Commonwealth Games, the 1988 World Expo, and the 2001 Goodwill Games. Neighbouring city the Gold Coast, home of Amy Shark, hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games and is part of the mix with the 2032 Olympics.

Fortitude Valley is the beating heart of Brisbane’s live music scene; it’s Australia’s only designated entertainment precinct and the home to a growing Walk of Fame, an initiative of trade body QMusic. Each September, artists and executives from around the globe gather in the Valley for Bigsound – the conference and showcase event.

The city’s range of venues cater to new, local talent through to the biggest acts in the world. The Gabba, which hosted Adele’s concerts in 2017, will be demolished and rebuilt in time to serve as the main, 50,000-capacity venue for the Olympics. The 52,500 Suncorp Stadium hosted Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ed Sheeran earlier in 2023 and will welcome Foo Fighters later in the year.

The outdoor Riverstage, inspired by the floating concerts venue from the 1988 Expo, can hold 9,000 punters. Other popular venues for top-tier local acts and internationals include the Fortitude Music Hall, the Tivoli, the Zoo, the Triffid, the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, and the newly refurbished Princess Theatre.

Brisbane’s top promoters include club and dance music expert Michael Watt and D-J Wendt

Brisbane’s leading scene builder is Paul Piticco, co-founder of Secret Sounds (with Jessica Ducrou), founder of Dew Process, and former manager of Powderfinger. Piticco is also a member of the leadership team behind the Triffid and 3,300-capacity Fortitude Music Hall.

The Comiskey Group, a family-owned company based in Brisbane’s north, operates a string of venues, including Eatons Hill Hotel, a popular live venue with a 2,100-capacity ballroom and Sandstone Point Hotel, a sprawling spot across from Bribie Island, which hosts a range of concerts and festivals throughout the year.

Elsewhere, Woodford Folk Festival founder and director Bill Hauritz recently passed the baton to the event’s general manager, Amanda Jackes, following his 35th year in the job. The most recent event, held over six days from 27 December 2022, the first after a two-year pause due to the pandemic, welcomed more than 120,000 attendees.

Brisbane’s top promoters include club and dance music expert Michael Watt and D-J Wendt, owner of Demand Pty Ltd, a company that specialises in producing and promoting concert tours and theatrical productions in Australia and both sides of the Atlantic for theatre and arena productions.

Brisbane is also home to ASM Global’s Asia Pacific headquarters; Australia’s leading independent ticketing company, Oztix; and Stephen Green’s SGC Media Group, one of Australia’s largest independent music marketing and media firms.

 


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Untitled Group launch new electronic festival

Untitled Group is spearheading the launch of a new international dance and electronic festival called Sweet Relief!.

The one-day event will take place at Maritime Green in Brisbane, Queensland, on 16 September 2023.

UK electronic music titans Groove Armada top the bill in what will be an Australia exclusive, with support from The Avalanches, Ladyhawke, Cut Copy, Nina Las Vegas, Latifa Tee and Yo! Mafia.

Sweet Relief! is produced in collaboration with Brisbane Festival, Brisbane City and QLD Music Trails.

“We hope that Sweet Relief! can establish itself as a place where people travel from around the country to experience Brisbane’s local flavour”

Untitled Group, Australia’s largest independently-owned music and events company, also produces Wildlands, Grapevine Gathering & Beyond The Valley.

Joel Edmondson, CEO of Qld Music Trails, says: “Brisbane’s history is littered with iconic festival moments such as Livid, Boundary Street Festival and Valley Fiesta that gave the Brisbane community an opportunity to bring their weirdest and wildest selves out to create an electric atmosphere of togetherness, diversity and inclusion.”

“We hope that Sweet Relief! can establish itself as a place where people travel from around the country to experience Brisbane’s local flavour and global appeal.”

Alongside the musical offering, Sweet Relief! will feature carnival rides, market stalls and more.

 


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ASM Global re-appointed Suncorp Stadium manager

The Queensland government has re-appointed ASM Global as manager of Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in Australia.

ASM Global Asia Pacific, which runs venues across Australia, New Zealand, the Asia Pacific and Middle East, has managed Suncorp Stadium since its redevelopment in 2003 and has now been granted a five-year extension following a formal tender process.

ASM Global Asia Pacific chair and CEO Harvey Lister AM says the company is honoured to be re-appointed as venue manager, which he said reflected the Queensland’s Government’s continuing faith and trust in the firm’s ability to manage the stadium to a world class standard.

Suncorp Stadium GM Alan Graham paid tribute to the work of the stadium management team.

“ASM Global has assisted us in continuing to take advantage of the latest innovations and cutting-edge technology”

“It is also fortunate that we are part of a world-wide network in ASM Global which has assisted us in continuing to take advantage of the latest innovations and cutting-edge technology ensuring the Suncorp Stadium team remains amongst the most elite in the world,” adds Graham.

It was recently revealed that the number of concerts permitted at the stadium could be set to double over the next two years to meet increased post-pandemic demand.

The 52,500-cap stadium is currently allowed to host a maximum of six gigs per year and already has shows lined up for 2023 by Elton John (21 January), Red Hot Chili Peppers (29 January) and three dates with Ed Sheeran (17-19 February).

But with a growing number of high-profile artists looking to tour the country post-Covid, the government is surveying residents and businesses for their views on temporarily raising the venue’s live music quota.

 


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Oz stadium could up concerts limit to meet demand

The number of concerts permitted at Australia’s Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane could be set to double over the next two years to meet increased post-pandemic demand, under plans being considered by Queensland government.

The 52,500-cap stadium is currently allowed to host a maximum of six gigs per year and already has shows lined up for 2023 by Elton John (21 January), Red Hot Chili Peppers (29 January) and three dates with Ed Sheeran (17-19 February).

But with a growing number of high-profile artists looking to tour the country post-Covid, the government is surveying residents and businesses for their views on temporarily raising the venue’s live music quota.

“Suncorp Stadium is well equipped to host major concerts and has been doing so since 2006,” notes the survey, which is being conducted by sport and recreation within the department of tourism, innovation and sport.

“Following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions on international travel, there are increasing numbers of major international artists seeking stadium-sized concert venues in Australia”

“Following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions on international travel, there are increasing numbers of major international artists seeking stadium-sized concert venues in Australia,” it continues. “This survey is to understand whether Queenslanders, and in particular local residents and businesses, support a temporary increase in the maximum number of concerts permitted at Suncorp Stadium from up to six concerts per year (current maximum) to up to 12 concerts per year in 2023 and 2024 only.

“The results of this survey will be used to inform future decisions about the maximum number of concerts that can be held at Suncorp Stadium.”

The venue has previously hosted the likes of Robbie Williams, Coldplay, U2, The Police, Bon Jovi, Eminem, Foo Fighters, Taylor Swift and Paul McCartney, and is due to hold its first post-pandemic concert with the visit of Guns N’ Roses on 22 November.

According to The Music Network, the current annual cap of six was imposed in 2014 under the Major Sports Facilities Regulation due to concerns over traffic management, noise, pitch condition and operational hours.

TMN also reports that the City of Gold Coast is also investigating a new 8,000-12,000-seat stadium to stage mid-ranged shows, and the Victorian Government embarking on a programme of turning old regional buildings for music and arts purposes.
In Melbourne meanwhile, the City of Port Phillip has given the go-ahead for a feasibility study on a new music venue being built next to the Palais Theatre in St. Kilda.


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Australia set to gain two major rock festivals

Australia is set to gain two new rock festivals in 2021 and 2022.

Leading Australian promoter Destroy All Lines is bringing a two-day alternative music festival to Victoria this winter.

Knight & Day will take place at Kryal Castle (Australia’s only medieval adventure park) in Ballarat between 30 and 31 December 2021.

According to the festival, attendees will be able to enjoy “a mesmerising maze, medieval performances, dungeons, torture museums, knights towers, secret dragons and a labyrinth,” alongside full-band and acoustic performances, as well as DJ sets.

Parkway Drive, Polaris and Alex Lahey are set to headline the event.

Early Bird pre-sale tickets are available on Tuesday 21 September at 10:00 AEST. Camping is not available. Find out more information here.

“The time was right to introduce a new summer festival, one which will appeal to a wide cross-section of rock fans”

Australian rock fans can also look forward to the inaugural edition of Uncaged, produced by Silverback Touring.

The East Coast touring festival will feature “a diversely curated blend of hard rock, punk [and] metal” acts, exclusively from Australia and New Zealand.

The three-city run will kick off in Brisbane showgrounds on Saturday 22 January 2022 before stopping off at Melbourne’s Coburg Velodrome (Saturday 29 January) and Sydney’s Olympic Park (Saturday 12 February).

Danny Bazzi, head of Silverback Touring, said in a statement today (15 September): “The time was right to introduce a new summer festival, one which will appeal to a wide cross-section of rock fans.”

The first line-up announcement for Uncaged will be made next Wednesday 22 September. Tickets are yet to go on sale. More information can be found here.

 


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Suncorp Stadium sets record attendance

Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane has set a record for the highest attendance since the outbreak of Covid-19 in March.

The 52,500-capacity stadium welcomed 49,155 fans to last night’s State of Origin rugby finale between Queensland and New South Wales, eclipsing the 46,000 figure for last month’s Bledisloe Cup rugby union match between New Zealand and Australia at Auckland’s Eden Park.

The open-air stadium was permitted to operate at full capacity after Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk lifted the 75% capacity restriction the day before (17 November).

Palaszczuk also announced that seated and ticketed indoor events like concerts are permitted to increase patron numbers from 50% to 100% and outdoor events can host up to 1,500 people. Social distancing has increased to one person per two square metres.

Suncorp Stadium will also host a date of the first stadium tour announced since the outbreak of Covid-19.

“GNR’s 2021 Australia and New Zealand tour is the light at the end of the bleak tunnel we’ve all negotiated this year”

Guns N’ Roses (GNR) will embark on a stadium tour of Australia and New Zealand in November 2021, stopping off at the Brisbane stadium as well as ANZ Stadium (cap. 83,500) in Syndey, Optus Stadium (60,000) in Perth and more.

Paul Dainty, president and CEO of TEG Dainty, which is promoting the tour says: “As the first stadium tour announcement since the advent of Covid-19 and border closures pressed pause on touring, it’s fair to say our appetite for live music performances by international megastars has peaked and in GNR we trust!

“GNR’s 2021 Australia and New Zealand tour is the light at the end of the bleak tunnel we’ve all negotiated this year. All aboard the Nightrain to Paradise City for what promises to be a heaving celebration of the unbreakable human spirit!”

Australia is also set to host its first arena shows since the shutdown of the concert business in March, organised by TEG, Live Nation and the government of New South Wales (NSW).

The Greatest Southern Nights shows will play to more than 12,000 fans at Qudos Bank Arena (21,000-cap.) over two nights in a seated, ‘Covid-safe’ setting on 28 November and 5 December.

 


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