While the announcement of the Grand Final public holiday elicited cheers from the working stiffs of Victoria, yesterday’s Grand Final entertainment lineup announcement was instead the cause for groans and bemusement around the country.
As Tone Deaf reported yesterday, the AFL have now confirmed the three international acts who will headline the 2015 Toyota AFL Grand Final entertainment at the MCG on Saturday, 3rd October – Bryan Adams, Ellie Goulding, and Chris Isaak.
Rock The Granny, who earlier this year launched a campaign to see more local alternative bands make the Grand Final entertainment lineup, criticised the decision to omit any Australian acts from this year’s entertainment roster.
“Really AFL? This sounds like a bad joke… A Canadian, an American and a Brit? (All who have probably never watched an AFL game in their life),” the group wrote on Facebook. “What happened to this being Australia’s game?”
The sentiment was echoed by footy fans and Australians in general on social media and even by official bodies like Music Victoria, who called this year’s entertainment lineup “disappointing” and criticised the lack of homegrown acts.
“It is disappointing to see the absence of Australian acts on the entertainment line-up announced for the AFL Grand Final 2015,” the organisation wrote. “MOR acts Bryan Adams and Chris Isaak and UK electro/pop Ellie Goulding?”
“Where are the Victorian bands? Hunters & Collectors, The Temper Trap and Birds of Tokyo all went down well in recent years. courtney barnett, Cold Chisel, The Smith Street Band, Sia or Grinspoon would have all been good local options.”
“At least KISS would have been an entertaining international that would fire up the crowd. A national event in a world leading music city such as Melbourne should include at least one upcoming or established Australian artist.”
As Nine News reports, one Australian music fan has since launched a Change.org petition asking the AFL to include homegrown acts. “Make the AFL Grand final pre-match entertainment homegrown again,” the petition, launched by Melburnian Leigh Ryan, states.
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“Let’s promote to the world Australia’s amazing new musical talent on our biggest sporting stage. We have a bunch of world class rad bands in this country that have been brought up with the love of footy.” Among the acts Ryan suggests are Pond and King Gizzard.
The reaction on social media has been similarly harsh, with many footy fans, including triple j’s Zan Rowe, slamming this year’s entertainment as a letdown. It’s not hard to see where their anger is coming from, especially considering the hefty fees these international acts will walk away with.
As Tone Deaf recently reported, US rocker Meat Loaf, who made an infamous appearance during the 2011 Grand Final, pocketed a $600,000 performance fee for his shambolic 12-minute medley of hits, which included ‘Bat out of Hell’ and ‘I Would do Anything for Love’.
