Well done Gillon McLachlan and the AFL; you are officially are out of touch with what is popular these days.
We have gone from Ed Sheeran to Bryan Adams to Ellie Goulding to The Killers to… Jimmy Barnes?
Jimmy Barnes has been a fantastic performer for so long at big events, but it is 2018 – and that is something the AFL need to get their heads around.
Gang of Youths are the biggest Australian band in the world right now, they won seven ARIA Awards last year for their phenomenal album Go Farther in Lightness. Rumours of The Black Eyed Peas would be a bad decision financially for the AFL.
The Black Eyed Peas won’t be the same without Fergie fronting them, and will.i.am would not make the trip to Australia for a weekend.
Last time will.i.am was in Australia, he spent four months as a judge on The Voice.
This is why the NRL is fantastic with Good Charlotte, Slash, Myles Kennedy and Macklemore – all being great additions to their Grand Final performances.
The AFL need to take a leaf out of the NRL’s playbook and spend some money to get an international act making waves in music right now as the headline act.
Imagine how much bigger the pre-game and the premiership party post-game performances will be; last year The Killers attracted over 15,000 at their premiership party.
The AFL need to have a good hard look at themselves regarding performers, and need to up their game.
Gil should probably go to the Super Bowl and get some ideas on who would be perfect to perform in front of 100,000 people on the last Saturday in September.
Sausage-sizzle Bill
Guest
I'm always unhappy with the grand final entertainment!? Should have some pole dancers, topless go-go girls, Christian folk singers, some performing mexican dogs and Marilyn Manson all on stage together!...that should light up the crowd?
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
"The AFL need to take a leaf out of the NRL’s playbook and spend some money to get an international act making waves in music right now as the headline act" So the NRL chose a local band - gangs of youth - because are they allegedly RL fans > This article reeks of NRL central
Josh Mitchell
Roar Rookie
In recent years, Super Bowl half time performances have been given by such greats as Madonna, Springsteen, The Who and the Rolling Stones. Jimmy Barnes is a great choice for the GF, and far better than what happened with Slash - did you even see that “performance?” Barnes will go down well. Big, classic, Australian voice singing anthems that every crowd member will be able to join in with. As long as he’s better prepared than Meatloaf, he’ll be fine. ????
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
Of course this doomsayer neglects to mention that Jimmy Barnes was at the 2016 NRL GF. You can guess his real agenda as he praised the NRL acts as if everyone agrees with NRL choices. The AFL gets plenty of stupid criticism including this for not thinking of country Richmond/Hawks members - what about other considerations and Melbourne and Geelong members https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/fans-fall-foul-of-the-afl-money-machine-20180904-p501nd.html
gameofmarks
Roar Guru
Absolutely.....PK performing Leaps and Bounds would have the whole stadium rocking....
Paul D
Roar Guru
There's always someone unhappy with the grand final entertainment.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
I'm of a certain vintage when guitar bands were everywhere, every night. Rock ruled and all was well with the world. For me, the last couple of decades have been mostly abysmal. The great aussie rock bands have disappeared or been buried beneath changing tastes. So I was encouraged when The Killers (already veterans) popped up and really nailed it. I was hopeful that the trend might follow with "Fall Out Boy" (also more than 10 years on the road but who's counting). They have a fine range of rock anthem hits that suit the occasion. Alas. Saw Cold Chisel recently and they (and Barnsey) were in ripping form so I'm sure he will go down well.
me too
Roar Rookie
who cares. the grand final crowd is there for the game, and given the average age of the crowd i would suggest the afl have it more right than some flash in the pan group most of us have never heard of. all the performer has to do is be able to perform, and we know them well enough to sing along. so far only one act has failed to do the first, and while it provided a laugh, and gave the shallow gossip media a story, it had no impact on the actual game, which is all that really matters.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Just give it to Paul Kelly for the next five years for the same money it would cost for one year of the Black Eyed peas and move on.
Peter
Guest
Im a big Slash fan and was at that NRL grand final. He played for 2 minutes total which was one song (that the NRL was using on their commercials at the time), with no vocals or other band members, and other instruments played on a backing track. It was rubbish. Side note Killers were a massive step in the right direction, they completely killed (heh) it. B.E.P wont be too far of a misstep, they have a big catalogue and some recrnt enough mega-hits to be relevant. U say to go to the superbowl for band ideas, it wasnt that many years ago when the Black Eyed Peas played the superbowl, its probably where the AFL got the idea from
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
The interesting thing is, though, the NRL used Cold Chisel in 2016 and it was regarded as arguably the best pre-game show the code had ever had. I think there's appetite for the audience of both gf's to alternate between local and international, and classic and contemporary.