About the gig:

From 1974 to 1987 at 6pm on a Sunday night the streets across Australia were deserted. Mums, Dads, kids, housemates, and sometimes complete strangers congregated in lounge rooms across the nation as everyone prepared for the hour long, almost religious, experience that was the ABC television show Countdown. Fast forward to 2006 and The Frontier Touring Company is putting together the ultimate celebration of the iconic television show in the form of the much anticipated live concert tour, The Countdown Spectacular.

Promoter Michael Gudinski from The Frontier Touring Company said he was excited to be producing The Countdown Spectacular; “I’ve been waiting to create this tour for years. I wanted to get the lineup and timing just right. I think everything has come together perfectly for this year and the positive response I’ve had from the artists has been overwhelming.”

The ABC’s Director of Enterprises, Robyn Watts, said that 2006 - the year of the 50th birthday of television in Australia - was the perfect time to celebrate the landmark success that Countdown was… and bring it back to its countless fans in a live concert environment.

Across Australia this September, The Countdown Spectacular will enable fans to relive the glory years of Countdown as leading acts of the 70s and 80s come together in a three hour extravaganza performing the hits that made them Countdown favourites. Headlined by the specially reformed Sherbet, the tour will also include Hush, John Paul Young, Leo Sayer, James Reyne, Mondo Rock, Jon English, the Chantoozies, Cheetah, Joe Dolce, Choirboys, Jo Jo Zep, Swanee, Renee Geyer and Paul Norton.

Also appearing with a sizzling hot, house band are Alex Smith from Moving Pictures, Shane Howard from Goanna, Scott Carne from Kids In The Kitchen, James Freud & Sean Kelly from the Models, Brian Canham from Pseudo Echo, Dave Sterry from Real Life, Brian Mannix from Uncanny X-Men, Grace Knight and Bernie Lynch from the Eurogliders, Wendy Stapleton from Wendy & The Rocketts, Frankie J Holden & Wilbur Wilde from Ol’ 55, Stephen Cummings from The Sports and Billy Miller from The Ferrets.

Of course it wouldn’t be Countdown without the host Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum, the voice of Gavin Wood and the legendary Countdown dancers. Former Skyhooks member Red Symons will narrate a special tribute segment in the show.

The Countdown experience will also be extended through a range of merchandise releases throughout the year. Australia Wide Licensing (AWL) will be releasing a great range of T-shirts, trivia/DVD games and various memorabilia. The interest in product is already very strong and AWL plan on introducing phased product ranges over the next 12 to 18 months. Other Countdown products include The Wonder Years book (available July), CDs, DVDs, audio and tour-branded merchandise.

Do yourself a favour and snap up your tickets to The Countdown Spectacular when they go on sale on Monday 29 May! Update: 27/07/06 (Laurei)