Following on from the disastrous performance by Meat Loaf last year, and a petition urging the AFL to book local talent for their Grand Final, pundits have begun to spread rumours about who might hold the poisoned chalice this year in the last week of September.
Organisers were left red-faced last year when the “bat out of hell” delivered a less than stellar performance that drew the ire of punters, organisers, and fellow musicians alike.
A very public spat followed the performance, with Meat Loaf blaming the AFL for sound difficulties – labelling the sporting code “jerks” and vowing to “go out of my way to tell any artist do not play for them”. Of course the AFL responded in kind, calling the 64-year-old singer “absolutely terrible”.
Since then the AFL have focused their attention on local musicians, at least during the regular season, following on from the success last year of the inaugural ‘Live At The G’ series that saw the likes of Little Red, Stonefield, and Airbourne, playing in front thousands of crazed footy fans at the MCG in Melbourne.
Now many are wondering if the sporting code will continue on that theme for the biggest sporting event on the calendar, with The Temper Trap being touted as a strong contender.
“This is what I’ve heard. I believe there will be half time entertainment, there will be a performance by the band Temper Trap,” radio presenter Mick Molloy told Triple M in Melbourne. “Temper Trap will be performing at half time at the AFL in scenes reminiscent of the NFL in America.”
If true, The Temper Trap would make perfect sense. They’re high-profile enough to play the nationally televised event, and they’re also one of the brightest stars in Michael Gudinski’s Mushroom Group, who happen to book the entertainment for all AFL games.
With a new album dropped just a few month ago, the AFL Grand Final would provide the kick the band have been looking for following a series of unfortunate setbacks, including having their sets cancelled due to weather at both Lollapolooza in Chicago and at Triple J’s One Night Stand – the later costing them precious national airtime on the youth station.
You can listen to Mick Molloy on Triple M this morning below.
