CAN FARNSY FOLLOW BARNSEY AT SURFERS?
WHAT do you call a free Daryl Braithwaite and Jimmy Barnes concert on a beachfront stage as waves roll in under the stars on a perfect autumn’s night? Just another day in Paradise!
Saturday night was all right in Surfers Paradise as musical mates and fellow ARIA Hall of Famers Braithwaite and Barnes treated fans of all ages to a rocking good time on Day 3 of the precinct’s fourth annual four-day LIVE music festival.
A perfect demonstration of how good events on the Goldie roll, the free street party – and the boost it delivered traders – put the lame Commonwealth Games Festival 2018 program to shame.
Families and long-time fans of Barnes and Braithwaite poured into the central Surfers precinct for their chance to see the music icons play the free Surfers Paradise Alliance event. CEO Mike Winlaw said the Alliance hoped to attract even bigger headliners next year.
“Having Barnes and Daryl on the one gig, we’re heading to the Johnny Farnhams or more, maybe even an international band next year,” he said.
High rise balconies and rooftop bars along the mall were filled with people enjoying a bird’s eye view of the performances, many of them over dinner or drinks.
Bruce Bishop Carpark was near capacity, on-street parking spaces were full as far north as Narrow Neck and trams into the precinct from Helensvale and Broadbeach were packed.
While official figures are yet to be finalised, Mr Winlaw said this year’s LIVE had drawn considerably larger crowds since it opened with the Gold Coast Music Awards ceremony and concert on Thursday night.
“The crowd for the awards on Thursday was about 8000, which was a good night. We’re really happy with that,” he said. “Last year we had 56,000 more people than the seasonal average across the weekend and the crowds this year have been much bigger.”
Mr Winlaw said the feedback from traders had also been positive.