Melbourne’s iconic Festival Hall is back in the hands of the music industry with Live Nation taking over the management of the historic venue now owned by Hillsong Corp.
At a function in Melbourne last night, Live Nation Asia Pacific President Roger Field officially reopened the venue for the music industry.
Hillsong, a business that profits from Religion, bought the building in 2020 for $23 million. Over the decades Sex Pistols, Ozzy Osbourne, Ian Dury, Foo Fighters, Radiohead and the demon himself Gene Simmons, have performed at Festival Hall.
Last night’s event happened 59 years to the day when The Beatles performed at the very same venue on the very same stage. The night was marked with a tribute performance by Aussie supergroup ARC, featuring members of Jet, You Am I and Powderfinger, performing the exact same 10 song set The Beatles played in 1964.
The songs were ‘I Saw Her Standing There’, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, ‘You Can’t Do That’, ‘All My Loving’, ‘She Loves You’, ‘Till There Was You’, ‘Roll Over Beethoven’, ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’, ‘This Boy’, and ‘Long Tall Sally’.
Festival Hall was also known as a Boxing venue in its day. Roger Field confirmed Boxing and Wrestling will return as regular events in the Hall. The Stage Door has now been named The Lionel Rose MBE Stage Door in his honour.
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- ARC at Festival Hall reopening 15 June 2023
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- Darren Middleton of ARC at Festival Hall reopening 15 June 2023
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- Mark Wilson of ARC at Festival Hall reopening 15 June 2023
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- Davey Lane of ARC at Festival Hall reopening 15 June 2023
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