In 2021, the Aussie music industry lost its greatest pioneer and advocate of live music, Michael Gudinski. The Mushroom Records CEO and Founder’s death was a devastating blow to the music landscape but his legacy lives on in a new initiative, which is being brought to life by his son Matt.
Always Live will be the first – and largest – event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, and the only Australian Major Event dedicated to highlighting live contemporary music from home and abroad, spotlighting Victoria (Gudinksi’s home state) as the key cultural destination for audiences across the Asia-Pacific.
From big names to rising stars, arena-style shows to intimate performances on rooftops, in laneways and in small venues, the event will showcase Victoria’s unparalleled home-grown talent, the best acts from around the country and the most sought-after artists from across the globe — starting with Foo Fighters.
In a huge coup for the state, the 12-time Grammy Award-winning US rockers will perform a one-off concert, and the first-ever live music show, at Geelong’s GMHBA Stadium on Friday 4 March, joined by Amyl & The Sniffers and The Meanies.
This one-off, not-to-be-missed performance will set the stage for the world-class event in advance of its arrival later this year.
Not only will the concert will mark the inaugural live music event at the stadium, but the most significant concert ever held in regional Victoria. The Foo Fighters concert is the first of several key programming announcements that will be made over the coming weeks ahead of the full program being revealed.
“Dad worked tirelessly over many years to bring his vision and concept to life and to obtain the support of the Victorian Government,” said Matt Gudinski in a statement. “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. I know Dad would be very proud to see the event launched and form a major part of re-establishing a thriving live music scene.”
If you can’t make it to Geelong to catch the boys in action, you can see them on the big screen in their feature film debut, Studio 666, which is showing in select cinemas around Australia from February 24 for a one-week special event season.
The spoof sees the group working on their tenth album in a seemingly haunted house with frontman Dave Grohl becoming possessed by supernatural forces that threaten the completion of the record and the lives of the band. In the film, Grohl finds himself creatively blocked until his possession gets his inspo flowing.
Tickets for Foo Fighters at GMHBA on Friday 4 March are on sale at 12pm Friday 25 February at www.alwayslive.com.au.
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