Article on the Hunters and Collectors reunion for the 2013 AFL Grand Final.

Author: Paul Cashmere, Noise11.

Date: 2 September 2013.

Original URL: http://www.noise11.com/news/hunters-collectors-and-birds-of-tokyo-to-play-at-the-afl-grand-final-20130902

Article Text

Hunters & Collectors and Birds Of Tokyo have been announced as the acts to perform at the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne on September 28.

Hunters & Collectors will play at half time at the AFL Grand Final this year and Birds of Tokyo will open the event.

The Hunters & Collectors news comes shortly after it was announced that the band would reform and perform as special guests of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band for the February 2014 Springsteen shows in Melbourne.

Hunters & Collectors became well-known to AFL supports when their song ‘Holy Grail’ was a adopted as a theme for the football league.

Hunters & Collectors frontman Mark Seymour said the band was thrilled to be playing at the biggest Australian sporting event of the year.

“We’ll be playing the AFL Grand Final in front of the biggest sporting crowd you could ever play to. It’s a great privilege and an honour.

“The atmosphere is electric with anticipation as we prepare to be part of the biggest day of our national calendar, the AFL Grand Final.”

AFL Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Demetriou, said: “This year’s Grand Final entertainment has something for everyone and yet again showcases the best homegrown talent in this country.

“It’s fitting Australia’s Game has Australia’s music as it’s soundtrack on the biggest day of the year. Both Hunters & Collectors and Birds Of Tokyo are hugely popular Australian acts and I know how much they’ll add to what is the most important day on the AFL calendar.

“The AFL Grand Final truly is a celebration of this country’s Indigenous game and these bands, along with The Premiership Party, will ensure our fans enjoy every aspect of the day.”

Michael Gudinski, producer of AFL Grand Final entertainment, said: “From 1981 till their split in 1998, Hunters & Collectors were hailed as one of Australia’s greatest rock bands.

“After their amazing one-off performance at 2009’s Sound Relief concert at the MCG, they left us all wanting more. Their legacy of music lives on and has been further enhanced by a new album ‘Crucible – The Songs Of Hunters & Collectors’; a stunning tribute album to be released the day before the Grand Final. This album features an incredible line up of Australian and international artists, new and old fans of Hunters, who have each recorded their own special version of a Hunters classic.

“Birds Of Tokyo are one of the brilliant performers on this album and like Hunters & Collectors back in the day, are having a similar impact on today’s music audiences with their dynamic live shows and fantastic songs. I’m thrilled to have two of Australian finest bands, Hunters & Collectors and Birds Of Tokyo, performing at this year’s Toyota AFL Grand Final at the MCG.”

Birds of Tokyo have also contributed to the forthcoming Hunters & Collectors tribute album ‘Crucible: The Songs of Hunters & Collectors’ with their version of ‘Talking To A Stranger’. The album will be released through Liberation on September 27, the day before the Grand Final.

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