Crowded House farewell concert

Crowded House stage their Farewell to the World concert on the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House.This excerpt from Network Ten's coverage of the event shows the 100,000 plus crowd enraptured by the sounds of the popular band who formed in Melbourne in 1985.

They begin the concert with their very first single 'Mean to Me', written by lead singer Neil Finn in 1986. He's joined on stage by Nick Seymour on bass, Mark Hart on keyboards and guitars and Paul Hester (1959–2005) on drums. The band are at the height of their powers musically, managing a tight, buoyant sound that has the crowd singing along and moving as one.

Finn's mention of the New Zealand town of Te Awamutu in the lyrics juxtaposes nicely with the iconic Sydney views. Crane and helicopter shots of the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and harbour filled with boats successfully build excitement for the concert to come. The intercutting of multiple zooming shots gives a very 1990s look to the presentation.

The 'small world' of the Australian and New Zealand music scene in the 1990s is beautifully summed up by the colourful, irreverent logo for the farewell tour, designed by New Zealand-born artist and musician Reg Mombassa. Mombassa is also a founding member of Australian rock band, Mental As Anything.

This clip shows a good example of professional live production. Both the live editing and sound quality is first rate.

Notes by Beth Taylor