WA artists to take centre stage at AFL Grand Final

Saturday, 18 September 2021 13:56

By Monique Welhan

(L-R): Amy Manford, Kav Temperley, Abbe May, WA Premier Mark McGowan, David Templeman (Minister for Culture and the Arts), Ian Kenny Gina Williams, Guy Ghouse. PIC: AFL Photos

Western Australia's historic AFL Grand Final will strike a chord with music fans, with some of WA's best emerging and established acts set to take centre stage on September 25.

More than 60,000 fans at Optus Stadium and an estimated 7.5 million viewers around the country will witness what is the most-watched event on the Australian sporting calendar.

Home-grown act Birds of Tokyo will perform at the coveted Telstra AFL Half-Time Show, sharing the stage with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO).

Renowned WA musician Abbe May will open the Grand Final entertainment with a spectacular musical moment of celebration.

A WA supergroup featuring Stella Donnelly, John Butler, The Waifs' Vikki Thorn and Donna Simpson, as well as renowned Noongar musician Gina Williams accompanied by Guy Ghouse will perform Aussie anthems as part of the Telstra AFL Pre-Match Show

WA band Eskimo Joe will also feature, in addition to proud Yolngu man, rapper and Young Australian of the Year, Danzal Baker OAM - known as Baker Boy.

Men at Work's lead singer and successful solo artist Colin Hay will also play as part of the pre-match entertainment.

The Welcome to Country will be conducted by one of Australia's most esteemed Aboriginal performers, Noongar man Dr Richard Walley.

WAAPA graduate, soprano Amy Manford, who has most recently appeared in Phantom of the Opera in London and Sydney will be singing the National Anthem.

September favourite Mike Brady AM will conduct a special performance remotely from Melbourne.

About 100 Western Australian dancers, musicians and instrumentalists will add to the on-stage entertainment from the grounds of the Optus Stadium in a true Western Australian spectacular.

Noongar performers, Yabu Band, and Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse, will perform at separate Grand Final events on the day.

Leading up to the Grand Final, local rockers The Southern River Band will perform at the much-anticipated AFL Brownlow Medal award ceremony on September 19.

WA band San Cisco also got in on the action, performing at the preliminary final at Optus Stadium last week.

"Western Australia has some of Australia's best upcoming and established musicians and we have made sure our local talent is centre stage for the Grand Final spectacle," Premier Mark McGowan said.

"The Grand Final will live long in the memory for Western Australians and provide a terrific platform for our local artists on the national stage."

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