Lionel Richie for AFL rematch
Rumours that pop superstar Lionel Richie would perform at the AFL Grand Final rematch have proven true.
- Published by David Knox
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Rumours swirling this week that pop superstar Lionel Richie would perform at the AFL Grand Final rematch have proven true.
‘It is a great honour to be invited to perform at such an historic event in Australian football,” Richie said in a statement issued via the AFL yesterday. ”I am incredibly fortunate to have been available for this once-in-a-lifetime experience to share my music with my fans.”
Richie, who has been perorming in Hong Kong this week, will bring his full band and perform at least three songs at the MCG before the game.
After the match, he and the band will again perform in a mini-concert likely to last about 30 minutes at nearby AAMI Park.
Richie is a former guest at the Australian Idol finale at the Sydney Opera House.
No other acts have been revealed by the AFL.
The match will be aired on Seven.
Source: The Age
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- Tagged with AFL, AFL Grand Final, Australian Idol
23 Responses
Agree with Michelle.
Plus, could be worse. Could have been Barry Mannilow or David Hasselhoff.
If he doesn’t do Dancing on the Ceiling on the roof of the Great Southern Stand it will be a major disappointment.
@dr rudi. all afl fans have been saying it for years to him. the idiot thinks that the only entertainment on the day is the r4ubbish before the game
@MrChandler,
Don’t tell me – tell Andrew Demetriou. That is what he’s been saying all week. You pay more to go the GF, therefore you get more entertainment.
No matter what the AFL does there will always be people complaining
Under 30, but i am a Lionel Richie fan!
Can’t please everyone i guess, AFL have gone for the safe option. Nobody really remembers the AFL entertainment once the game is under way.
You’re not going to get NFL Superbowl quality, so make the best of the situation
David S: I wrote on Monday that the game would only be in SD on Seven. There is a scramble for HD equipment and crews this weekend with NRL, AFl, Cycling and even Comm Games.
A better entertainment would have been to take 200 people from the ground and get their opninions on whether we should have 1 grand final or 2. would have made for some good commentry.
Wow. Last week, everyone was complaining about INXS performing (they’re past it, we need someone contemporary!”) and now it’s “We need an Australian act!” People are never happy. As for choosing ARIA nominees, I defy anyone to find 10 average Aussies who have even heard of all five nominees for Group of the Year. Of the 15 acts nominated for Best Group, Male and Female, most Australians would know Powderfinger, Kylie Minogue and Guy Sebastian and that would be it. “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage, ARIA Award Nominees, Tame Impala, to perform their hit, um….well….they haven’t actually had a hit single, but they’re still pretty good, so enjoy!” 🙂
@Dr.rudi. the fans are already getting value for money by being at the grand final. they don’t want to see has beens singing before the game every year. all you have to do is look at what happened with the national anthem last week to see there should be any pre game entertainment
To think of the Millions the AFL is going to reap from a re-match, it is absurb that the best they could do is an out-of-date foreign singer. Yes yes, we have all danced on the ceiling a couple of decades back, but it is 2010, we can achieve much more brilliance.
And whilst I am at it, i just hope and pray that the AFL gods decide a rousing standard versin of Advance Australia Fair is needed. It seriously fell flat last week with the changed arrangement. Albeit, a great, but not at teh GF – it was a let down. Some of us like to be able to sing a long and have some patriotism. Following ANZAC Day, this is arguably the biggest day of the national pride for the country (or at least in the top 5!).
They gotta get this right…. (and yes, Mike Brady with Up There Cazalay is good enough as a support act)
INXS was great last week really enjoyed their performance, I think someone of Lionel Richie’s Calabar is a coo for the AFL and to also have him performing later at AAMI park gives the whole day that extra event feel. The AFL grand final is one of the best sporting events why shouldn’t there be entertainment before and after, Australian or International as long as they good and entertaining I for one can’t wait.
I was quite happy with Mike Brady and his guitar doing a footy medley, but, thats just me.
Any news on who is performing the national anthem? I’m just hoping its not an encore performance from TV talent show finalists.
“The match will be aired on Seven” but not in HD (?) Herald-Sun just mentions this in passing today and Yahoo!7 web site schedule implies it won’t be on 7Mate (HD channel) either. Mmmm. Can anyone confirm?
Amazing. Richie was big in 1984. Is this the best the AFL can do? What about an Aussie artist?
perhaps he can bring some HD equipment with him and loan them to seven so they can show the game in HD…… what a farce….
We don’t need foreign acts for an Australian sport. What’s so bad about Aussie artists?
The ARIA nominations came out two days ago…surely they could have approached any of them to perform…..
Can’t wait to be pumped up before the game with a performance of ‘Hello’!
abosolute cr** MR. Chandler pre game entertainment is good. Obviously you havent been to many/any grand finals….sitting there before the bounce you want some excitement before the bounce.
@ MrChandler – the AFL are trying to give you value for money. If only they would give you the Rolling Stones or Paul McCartney, or U2 or Prince or … but Lionel Ritchie? Please.
Just wondering, will the grand final rematch be broadcast internationally? Will all overseas markets be coming back this week?
Love Lionel’s work, but why go for the international srtist when there are so many great Aussie Acts who would be more than adequate?
Geeze, M
i wish the afl would get a clue. us the afl fans don’t want a pre game entertainment. i wish they would stop thinking they wil turn the grand final into the superbowl