Take That’s final Aussie show was cancelled due to a mega-storm – but there were some silver linings.
Yesterday, Brisbane was the place to be for an iconic A Day on The Green lineup. That is, until Mother Nature had other plans for the massive crowd at Simmoret Winery just south of Brissie.
The event started with Melbourne-based sister-brother duo Dacy, who did a fantastic set of originals and mashups. The crowd warmed up to the vocals, making for a great night.
Ruby and Jack entertained the crowd with cute stories and even better performances. Their skill on the keyboards, guitar, and effects pads made for some unique tunes, and there are worldwide smashes in that catalogue for sure!
They have a natural Aussie bent, but I would be remiss if I didn’t say they reminded me of USA chart toppers, Karmin. And in my mind – that is a massive compliment.
These lovely siblings are solidly on our radar now and demand an instant follow on streaming services. It was also great to say hello to them backstage after their set. They are comfortable on a massive stage, and we cannot wait to see where these two go.
Following Dacy was another one of our all-time favs – Ricki-Lee! Now, we all know she has kick-ass live vocals, but she pulled out all the stops for this tour – a mix of her chart bangers and some covers of some really camp classics, like It’s Raining Men by the Weather Girls (ironic for sure) and I want to Dance With Somebody by Whitney… she even belted out a rendition of You’re the Voice by Farnsey.
It was Ricki’s Birthday, and being a Brissie Girl – the hometown crowd serenaded her with a ‘loose’ rendition of Happy Birthday. It was an absolute hoot.
She showed the crowd why she has had staying power in the business, not just as a host on TV and radio – but as the consummate performer she delivers on our country’s biggest stages.
Following Ricki-Lee was the UK’s dancefloor murderer, Sophie Ellis-Bextor. This pint-sized icon took to the stage in a mirrorball shimmer silver outfit and a full band to deliver nearly all of her hits with an impressively unique live vocal—and a band that was in on the fun. I don’t know if it was a Katy Perry tribute or some inside joke I was missing but check out the photo galleries, and you will see what I mean.
Alas, due to a mega storm rolling in, her set was cut short, so there was no murder in Brisbane for the waiting crowd, which, if I have a guess, was full of ex-pat English and Scottish people.
The crowd was determined to see Take That, but after checking for about half an hour whether the show could continue, the producers pulled the plug, and it was the right decision.
Hopefully, Take That will return to Brisbane sooner rather than later, but a big congratulations to A Day on The Green for what would have been one of the year’s best shows. The promoter has a stellar lineup coming in 2025, so keep your eye out on POPrepublic.tv gig guide for what’s coming up and more of our coverage.
Apart from being the founder and creator of POPrepublic.tv, Robert is an entertainment reporter, journalist and on air talent. He studied TV Presenting at NIDA and journalism and communications at USC. He has hosted red carpets globally, including the MTV Awards, Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, TONY Awards and other global events like Mardi Gras and NYC Pride. He was the host and executive producer of POPrepublic TV (a co-production with CBS Interactive) and has appeared on many TV shows, including the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Emmy award-winning episode of Kathy Griffin’s My Life on the D-List and Bravo’s The A-List New York.
Michelle Cop
Michelle is POPrepublic.tv's official photographer and has been shooting for us since the early 2000's, with her work appearing in many print magazine editions and online. She has photographed tours, events, in-stores, covers and editorials for not only Pop Republic but many other media outlets. An avid John Farnham fan and supporter of new and up-and-coming acts, she is primarily based in SE Queensland. Australia and is available for bookings.
