Australia’s first large-scale arena concerts since March are to take place from this month, with TEG Live and Live Nation announcing a pair of shows at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney under the banner of ‘Greatest Southern Nights’.
The first is set to take place Saturday, 28th November and will see Ocean Alley perform alongside Jack River, Ruby Fields and Jack Botts. Tickets for those are on sale now here via Ticketek.
“We’re absolutely stoked to be getting back on stage as part of Great Southern Nights. We’ve missed every part of touring – last year we spent every other day in a new city, so it’s exciting to see live music making a comeback in NSW,” commented Ocean Alley in a statement.
“The opportunity to headline Qudos Bank Arena in our hometown makes this show that extra bit more special for us, and we can’t wait to finally play our latest album Lonely Diamond in a live setting.”
The second of the shows will be headlined by Powderfinger’s Bernard Fanning alongside Matt Corby, supported by emerging songwriter Merci, Mercy. That’ll take place the following week, on Saturday, 5th December. Tickets for that show will go on sale tomorrow morning at 9am, also via Ticketek.
“I’m so happy to be part of the reopening of the live music scene in NSW,” commented Fanning.
“It’s a great opportunity to get people safely together again, but just as importantly, to give the music industry workers whose lives have been so upended by COVID, a chance to get back to doing what they do best.”
Both concerts will be held with COVID-Safe protocols in place. For one thing, they’ll be at a significantly reduced capacity – while the arena can usually hold around 21,000 punters, these shows will have an audience of just over 6,000.
The shows mark a return to large-scale live music events after a year that has devastated the country’s entertainment industry. While Australia has seen the successful return of crowds to major sporting events, these will be the first live music events to draw such an audience.
Greatest Southern Nights 2020
Ocean Alley with Jack River, Ruby Fields and Jack Botts
Saturday, 28th November
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
Tickets: Ticketek
Bernard Fanning, Matt Corby with Merci, Mercy
Saturday, 5th December
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
Tickets: Ticketek
