South Australia’s live sector joins call to revive Adelaide 500 speed race

Image: MusicSA

The Australian live sector has joined with the speed car racing industry to call for a return of Adelaide 500 V8 Supercars.

A rally at Civic Park in Modbury saw Dave Gleeson of Screaming Jets, Vince Contarino from Zep Boys, an assortment of young musicians and 400 live sector reps join drivers such as Nick Percat, Todd Hazelwood and Scott Pye.

Others like Jimmy Barnes and Killing Heidi’s Ella Hooper also lent their support.

“Everyone’s starved of entertainment after the last couple of years, so it’d be great to see the Adelaide 500 back in the streets of my old hometown,’’ Barnes told the Advertiser.

“It’s not just about the car racing of course – the event always supported live music and featured lots of local bands.”

Peter Malinauskas, leader of the opposition, told the rally he would reinstate the race for December if Labor got in, in the mid-March state elections.

“Hosting of the event typically costs between $10 million and $15 million and that money is already sitting there in the budget,” he said.

The Adelaide 500 would pull between 270,000 to 287,000 a year, and injected $45.9 million into the economy in 2019.

For the music industry, its importance were the four post-race Bands On Track concerts which each year would showcase 40 acts.

Musician and promoter Rob Pippan told TMN that the loss of these concerts “left a gaping hole for musicians and production companies, probably the worst loss for us financially”.

“The bands were paid very well, and they were well-looked after.

“When the event was cancelled in October 2020, the entire music industry was devastated because the decision was made without consultation with us.”

Flashpoint Events’ Peter Darwin, who was site and production manager of Brands On Track, said the shows were very successful.

“They were regarded as a gig to get on, for the media exposure and because they’d get you in front of people you wouldn’t normally play to.”

Crowds ranged from 40,000 to 50,000 for internationals acts including Robbie Williams, Santana, KISS, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Motley Crue.

Major Australian names Cold Chisel, Jimmy Barnes, Hilltop Hoods, Birds of Tokyo, The Angels, Grinspoon, The Superjesus, Sheppard, Illy and Hunters & Collectors would generally draw between 10,000 and 15,000.

Through a tie-up with Music SA, a number of emerging acts would be chosen as openers. Each year over a hundred acts would apply.

Bad//Dreems, Colourblind and Seabass got their first taste of a high budget production and huge crowds.

Darwin said the return of the concerts was “essential” in helping the state’s live sector pull itself out of the post-COVID doldrums.

“The shows would mean employment for 30 to 40 people to build the stages, 80 security, 10 to 15 caterers, 60 to 70 lighting plus electricians.

“The concerts ran over four days but it would mean a month of work for crew, that’s one- twelfth of their annual income.”

Australian Hotels Association’s Ian Horne called for a long-term funding commitment for the race.

“Tourism, hospitality and accommodation operators will be desperate for events, any events, that put the last two years of shocking trade and a devastated workforce behind them,” he pointed out.

Pippan applauded Labor’s decision to move the race from March to December.

“It’s a masterstroke,” he said. “It means it won’t have to fight for the share of the entertainment dollar, which is used to when it was part of all the events during Mad March including Adelaide Fringe, Adelaide Festival and WOMADelaide.”