Over a million Aussies tune in for TEG’s historic fundraiser concert

75,000 music fans turned out at ANZ Stadium in Sydney to witness a historic day of music.

Sets from Queen and Adam Lambert, Alice Cooper, Guy Sebastian, John Farnham, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Tina Arena, k. d lang, Peking Duk, ICEHOUSE, Olivia Newton-John and more delighted revellers in attendance, as well as millions more watching on at home on Seven or Foxtel.

Initial figures indicate that the FIRE FIGHT Australia concert raised $9.5 million, with that number expected to rise with international broadcasts to air between now and mid-May.

According to OzTam, the gig helped Seven to a 30% primary share on Sunday, with a peak of 1.006 million Aussies tuning in across five metro markets for the prime time evening session.

Things weren’t all rosy for the Seven Network. As TV Black Box points out, Seven chose to tag its broadcast with a ‘Live’ bug, even though viewers outside NSW and Victoria weren’t seeing the action in real-time.

Instead, Seven chose to delay the broadcast based on timezones, ensuring that high billing acts like 5 Seconds Of Summer, Queen and Michael Bublé would go out during prime time.

Alice Cooper / by Jared Leibowitz

The broadcast, which brought back memories of Sound Relief in 2009, was hosted by comedian Celeste Barber, who helped raise over $52 million on Facebook for Australia’s rural firefighters.

Her hosting skills polarised attendees and viewers, with social media divided on her performance.

Nonetheless, the day was an unmitigated success, with all concert profits going to Rural and regional fire & rescue services in affected states, Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery; RSPCA Bushfire Appeal; and The BizRebuild program.

“We are overjoyed at the response from all of the fans here tonight at ANZ Stadium in Sydney and around the world. From the first conversation with Queen’s manager, Jim Beach, the band’s immediate response to support this amazing event was what set everything in motion,” said Paul Dainty, president and CEO of TEG DAINTY

“What a day and what a night it has been,” said CEO of TEG, Geoff Jones.

“Our huge thanks are owed to the 23 artists and bands and to the many companies and people who donated their time and services to make FIRE FIGHT AUSTRALIA happen. It has been an enormous effort from the music industry to pull this concert together in five weeks and we are just so proud of what has been achieved through our collective effort,”