Ocean Alley and Bernard Fanning will headline two huge Sydney arena shows this summer as Australia’s live music industry restarts.
For the first time, TEG and LIVE NATION have come together in support of local live music (and with additional help from the New South Wales government). Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena will now officially host ‘The Greatest Southern Nights’, two huge concerts taking place over two nights for more than 12,000 fans.
On Saturday, November 28th, Ocean Alley will headline this historic return to live music. Special guests Jack River, Ruby Fields, and Jack Botts will also feature.
Then on Saturday, December 5th, one of Australia’s most celebrated songwriters, Bernard Fanning, hits the stage. He’ll be supported by Matt Corby and Merci, Mercy.
It comes as Australia officially celebrates a major decline in COVID-19 cases for the first time in months. These will be the first major indoor arena shows since the beginning of the pandemic then.
The concerts will be held with a commitment to a COVID-safe environment, meaning a reduced capacity of just over 5,000 in a venue that can normally accommodate about 21,000 people.
Geoff Jones, Chief Executive of Promoter TEG, said these ‘Greatest Southern Nights’ concerts are part of a crucial push to reignite the live industry. “These shows are vital for our industry because they will show that we can stage large scale live concerts safely and that Australians have a huge pent-up demand to get out and share great live entertainment experiences with their friends and family,” said Jones.
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Bernard Fanning said that these gigs were crucial to getting the industry back on its feet and workers back into jobs: “I’m so happy to be part of the reopening of the live music scene in NSW. It’s a great opportunity to get people safely together again, but just as importantly, to give the music industry workers whose lives have been so upended by Covid, a chance to get back to doing what they do best.
Ocean Alley added: “We’re absolutely stoked to be getting back on stage as part of Great Southern Nights. We’ve missed every part of touring – last year we spent every other day in a new city, so it’s exciting to see live music making a comeback in NSW.
The opportunity to headline Qudos Bank Arena in our hometown makes this show that extra bit more special for us, and we can’t wait to finally play our latest album Lonely Diamond in a live setting.”
Tickets for the November 28th show go on sale at 10am on Monday, November 9th. Tickets for the December 5th show go on sale at 10am on Tuesday, November 10th. Tickets and more information can be found at Ticketek.
‘Greatest Southern Nights’
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, NSW
Saturday, November 28th
Ocean Alley
Jack River
Ruby Fields
Jack Botts
Saturday, December 5th
Bernard Fanning
Matt Corby
Merci, Mercy
Check out ‘Wish You Well’ by Bernard Fanning:
