The Story Behind This Weekend’s Sound Relief Concerts

I thought you lot might find Patrick Donovan’s article in The Age about the Sound Relief concerts’ conception interesting, especially if you need something to occupy your time while you wait for the world’s most amazing collaboration ever to happen.

Gudinski’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing since he announced details of the concerts that will be held simultaneously at the MCG and SCG tomorrow on Channel 9’s Australia Unites telethon last month.

The first person Gudinski spoke to was his former Frontier Touring partner and sometime rival Michael Chugg, who was already planning a concert with ARIA Awards organiser Mark Pope. They decided to run the concerts simultaneously under the one banner in two cities.

Next call was to Midnight Oil manager Gary Morris to see if federal Arts and Environment Minister Peter Garrett could excuse himself from helping run the country for a couple of days. Then he spoke to bands from his Mushroom Records label. Hunters & Collectors, who he has been trying to get to re-form for years, overcame personality clashes to play their first set in 11 years.

Split Enz, who called Melbourne their second home, agreed to don the make-up for one last time. US singer songwriter Jack Johnson offered to fly down from his home in Byron Bay, and US rock group Kings of Leon agreed to play with their full production set-up even though they are playing a headliner show later that night at Rod Laver Arena.

Firstly, I should mention that I am stoked about Split Enz playing. Secondly, Jack Johnson lives in Byron Bay? Since when? Thirdly, I am so excited that Gabriella Cilmi is the only thing between an “emotional” Jet and Kings Of Leon reunion.

Kylie Minogue offered her support and will fly in on the morning to be guest MC and probably sing a song. Even ex-pats Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees and Olivia Newton John have arranged to fly to Sydney and perform at the concert that will be opened by Coldplay, the biggest-selling act in the world last year.

“I am truly proud and honoured to be a small part of such an incredible event,” says Gibb. “I shall be there with wings on my heels to help in any way I can the victims of this terrible disaster, let’s make it count for all of them. I’m coming home.”

And I could not be more pleased that organisers set out to find Barry Gibb with a fine-toothed comb, Islands In The Stream style, and managed to convince him to don wings on his heels and make the trip down under. Also, I would love for Barry and Olivia Newton-John to perhaps perform a rendition of the adorementioned Bee Gees penned Islands In The Stream at the concert. THINK ABOUT IT, BG/ONJ.

MORE: Between rock and a hard place