Before they went onstage, Oils drummer Rob Hirst had joked, “A cabinet minister going back to being a rock musician. Surely that's a world first."
Unexpected rain and chilly temperatures were no deterrent for the 81,000 fans who turned out today (March 14) for the Sound Relief bushfire benefit concert at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Thousands of ticket holders in the open-air section sheltered under bright plastic ponchos and umbrellas, but remained exultant — from when Jet kicked off their set at 12:15 pm with “Rip It Up" and “Are You Gonna Be My Girl" through to headliner Midnight Oil's encore “Sometimes." By that time, 25 millimetres of rain had fallen over the MCG.
Kings Of Leon, who played a sell-out show at the Rod Laver Arena later that night, opted not to play their chart-topping “Sex On Fire." Singer Caleb Followill explained, “We know it's a sensitive thing so we aren't playing that song." But Midnight Oil included “Beds Are Burning" in their set. “These songs stand in their own right, they stand in their own time," singer Peter Garrett told media backstage.
Acts acknowledged the magnitude of the show with interesting pair-ups. A set by Neil Finn's son, singer-songwriter Liam, became an unexpected Crowded House reunion. High-energy hip-hop duo Bliss'n'Eso brought soul singer Paris Wells out for a relevant “Field Of Dreams." Country music wife and husband team Kasey Chambers were joined by Troy Cassar-Daley for a set that included the title track of the duo's chart topping “Rattlin' Bones" album which included the poignant line “Sorrow came scratchin' at my door".
A string of artists used the platform of the concert to highlight the cause. Teen singer Gabriella Cilmi, whose family home was near the bushfires, threw in Led Zeppelin's “Whole Lotta Love". Jack Johnson, another international act who answered the call, finished his seven-song solo set with “Better Together".
Veteran local troubadour Paul Kelly wound up his five-song set with a biblical image- laden ode to the victims, “Meet Me In The Middle of The Air."
Kylie Minogue arrived in Melbourne, her hometown, earlier in the day from shooting a Bollywood movie in India. The pop singer delivered a rendition of the late Peter Allen's, “I Still Call Australia Home."
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