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The music of Mushroom, its mighty roster, and the chutzpah, energy and x-factor of its late leader Michael Gudinski was on display Sunday, Nov. 26 for Mushroom 50 Live, an all-star concert celebrating the independent music company’s half century.
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Billed as a “once-in-a-lifetime event,” the show at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena was a conveyer belt through a musical time machine, taking the audience for a non-linear stroll through the history of Mushroom, glued together with interviews, tributes, vintage reels and footage of MG.
When Jimmy Barnes delivered a fiery performance at the top of the show, a statement was made — strap in.
Barnes, the rock legend who boasts more No. 1 albums on the ARIA Chart than any other artist, and who fronted Cold Chisel, the quintessential Aussie rock band, performed two of his signature songs, “No Second Prize” and “Working Class Man.”
“It is so nice to be here celebrating 50 years with Mushroom,” Barnes told the crowd. “I was singing with Mushroom for 40 of those years. The other 10 I was watching Mushroom and watching the bands they were developing. It’s such an honor to be here. We’ve got a lot of friends in this room, a lot of friends here I can feel them, even the ones who aren’t here, I can still feel them,” Barnes noted, a nod to his old mate MG. “They’re in my heart.”
The hits kept rolling. Vika & Linda performed “I’m Living in the ‘70s,” a classic from Skyhooks, the glam rock band that gave MG and Mushroom its breakthrough. Amy Shark spun a fresh interpretation of Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” DMA’S turned their attention to “Silver” and “Lay Down,” Frente returned to “Ordinary Angels,” Paul Kelly hit “Before Too Long” and a cover of Sunnyboys’ “Alone With You,” Christine Anu sang “My Island Home.”
Anyone who has signed to Mushroom “will tell you that that it feels like a family, and tonight feels like an extension of that family” explained Missy Higgins, who made several trips to the stage.
Goanna’s Shane Howard, a late addition to the lineup, had the audience on its feet early with a rousing performance of “Solid Rock,” a statement song that sounds as relevant now as it did on its release in the early ‘80s.
Mushroom’s recognition of the great artistry of Australia’s Indigenous music community was in full view as Yothu Yindi got the room shaking with “Djäpana (Sunset Dreaming)” and “Treaty”, then Dan Sultan orchestrated a pin-drop moment with his rendition of the late, great Archie Roach’s “Took The Children Away.”
Both of MG’s kids, Kate and Matt, spoke on the night. “He created a family environment that extended to artists as well as his staff and the whole music industry,” Kate enthused. “Dad was incredibly proud that a song which was written in our family home at Mount Macedon by a Melbourne band became a global hit.” That song was The Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition,” and, naturally, Dougy Mandagi and Co. were on hand to deliver the goods.
On paper, and with 36 artists doing their part, Mushroom 50 Live looked like a logistical nightmare. No doubt it was, though the production team and the artists, the majority performing on a rotating main stage, with several others on a second stage in the round, pulled it off.
The evening reached its climax with Mark Seymour’s mini-set, which included Hunters & Collectors’ “Throw Your Arms Around Me.” Seymour performed the much-loved, often-covered song in a virtual duet with Ed Sheeran, whose own solo rendition of the song leads-off the recently-released Mushroom tribute album, 50 Years Of Making Noise. Gremlins did their sneaky work on Sheeran’s video link. No biggie. The audience lapped it up, both in the room and back home.
The free-to-air Seven Network hosted the marathon, four-hour special event and won the night. Mushroom 50 Live was the most-watched entertainment show of the evening, capturing 557,000 metro viewers, according to OzTAM data, with 490,000 tuning in for the late session and 350,000 caught the finale. Across the nation, some 830,000 people tuned in, according to Mushroom.
“We’re one of the great music countries of the world and Melbourne is the music capital of Australia,” Matt Gudinski, chairman and CEO of Mushroom Group, said as he looked down the barrel of the Seven Network’s cameras. It’s a business that was “created to nurture and promote Australian talent.” And today, “we’re passionate as ever about discovering new talent that can be embraced by the world.”
Mushroom 50 Live was part of the ALWAYS LIVE 2023 program, a 17-day statewide celebration of contemporary live music supported by the Victoria Government through Visit Victoria.
Hunters & Collectors’ classic ballad “Throw Your Arms Around Me” has had a life of its own since it was released into the world back in 1984. In the four decades since, Crowded House, Pearl Jam, Missy Higgins and many others have thrown their arms around the song.
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Enter Ed Sheeran, who contributes his own cover of the Hunters’ signature song, the leadoff track on Mushroom: 50 Years of Making Noise (Reimagined).
The climax of a year-long slate of activities to celebrate Mushroom Group’s milestone anniversary, 50 Years of Making Noise is a star-studded project that celebrates the independent music company’s iconic artists and standout songs.
Vance Joy, Amy Shark, Jimmy Barnes, The Temper Trap and Paul Kelly are among the Mushroom Group artists who deliver reimagined cuts to the 50 Years of Making Noise, out today (Nov. 24). Many will back-up for a special, one-off Mushroom concert later this weekend.
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Founded in 1972 by a then 21-year-old Michael Gudinski, the Mushroom brand has shaped Australia’s music culture ever since.
Today, the group is a two-dozen-strong collection of affiliates active in every conceivable area of the music and entertainment industries, from touring to booking agencies, publishing, merch and marketing services, venues, exhibition and events production, neighboring rights, branding, labels, talent management and more.
Matt Gudinski is now at the helm of the group, following the passing of his father Michael in 2021.
“What a remarkable collective of artists to reimagine some of the greatest Mushroom songs throughout our 50 years,” comments Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski. “To complete the series with the release of Ed Sheeran singing one of Australia’s greatest songs ‘Throw Your Arms Around Me’ is a reflection of the relationships we hold with artists all over the world. A truly special moment for a special song.”
Sheeran is a fully-fledged member of the Mushroom Group family. He was besties with MG, and counts the younger Gudinski as a brother. When Sheeran tours Australia (and breaks records), he does it with Frontier Touring, a division of Mushroom Group. In March 2021, during the height of the pandemic, the British singer and songwriter made the long haul to perform at a state memorial for Gudinski at Rod Laver Arena, in the late Australian music industry legend’s hometown, Melbourne. On the night, Sheeran premiered “Visiting Hours,” a song he wrote for Gudinski in quarantine, awaiting entry into the country.
Rod Laver Arena is the setting for the Mushroom 50 Live concert this Sunday, Nov. 26, the culmination of the Mushroom 50 festivities. Billed as a landmark event featuring “50 Songs for 50 Years”, the celebration is a partnership with Telstra and ALWAYS LIVE, the state-wide celebration of contemporary live music supported by the Victoria Government through Visit Victoria, and the brainchild of the late Mushroom Group founder and chairman, Michael Gudinski.
Mushroom 50 Live will be broadcast on free-to-air Channel 7 and available to stream on 7plus. Performers on the night will include Amy Shark, The Teskey Brothers, DMA’S, Frente and more.
International stars alt-J, Garbage and, of course, Sheeran will share exclusive recorded performances to air during the broadcast and on screen.
Stream Mushroom: 50 Years of Making Noise (Reimagined) below.
Mushroom: 50 Years Of Making Noise (Reimagined) tracklisting:Ed Sheeran – Throw Your Arms Around MeAmy Shark – Can’t Get You Out Of My HeadJimmy Barnes – Black and BlueVance Joy – Rock ItThe Temper Trap – Under The Milky WayMia Wray – DeleteMagic Dirt – (I’m) StrandedAlex Lahey – Ego Is Not A Dirty WordVika & Linda – Heading In The Right DirectionThe Rubens – One Step AheadMark Seymour – Even When I’m SleepingBudjerah & WILSN – Better Be Home SoonDan Sultan – Took The Children AwayGordi – Covered In ChromePaul Kelly – Alone With YouBliss n Eso – HoopsMissy Higgins – Wide Open RoadFIDLAR – Get Free
MELBOURNE, Australia — Mushroom Group will celebrate its half-century next month with a special all-star concert, its lineup representing the music company’s indie spirit and broad church roster.
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Jimmy Barnes, Amy Shark, The Temper Trap, Vika & Linda, DMA’S, Paul Kelly, Ross Wilson, Kate Ceberano, Missy Higgins and many others are confirmed for Mushroom 50, set for Sunday, Nov. 26 at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena.
Mushroom 50 will be an “incredible once-in-a-lifetime night,” comments Matt Gudinski, CEO of Mushroom Group, a commemoration of 50 years “of great Mushroom music and Australian talent.”
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The independent music juggernaut was launched by the late Michael Gudinski back in 1972 Mushroom Records, when the entrepreneur was just 20.
With MG, the brash, inspirational leader at the helm, Mushroom shaped Australia’s music culture like no other brand. Today, the group is a two-dozen-strong collection of affiliates active in every conceivable area of the music and entertainment industries, from touring to booking agencies, publishing, merch and marketing services, venues, exhibition and events production, neighboring rights, branding, labels, talent management and more.
Matt Gudinski is now the leader, following the passing of his father Michael in 2021.
“The Mushroom family is determined to bring together a special evening for all involved,” he comments. “With more than 20 artists performing as part of the event, this will be a true celebration of Australian music and a showcase our thriving local music scene and its history. I know my late father would be very proud of what we are putting together.”
On the night, performers will hit a mix of originals and classic songs from across the Mushroom catalog, including “Working Class Man,” “Holy Grail,” “Sweet Disposition,” “Riptide,” “Hoops,” “It’s Only the Beginning,” “Before Too Long,” and “Living In The 70s.”
Mushroom 50 is the culmination of a months-long program of releases and activities, which have included limited-edition merchandise and frontline artist covers of classic Mushroom songs.
The milestone anniversary was also celebrated with the release of Ego, the feature length documentary on MG, a larger-than-life character whose death was mourned by many of the giants he worked with, from Paul McCartney to Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl and his bestie, Ed Sheeran.
Mushroom Group hasn’t missed a chance to celebrate its big moments. In 1983, Mushroom hosted its 10th birthday bash, with the Mushroom Evolution Concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Then, in 1998, the Mushroom 25 Live concert at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a concert that, at the time, entered the history books as the largest ever ticketed concert in Australian music history, with 73,000 in the stadium. Mushroom Group still holds the record, thanks to Sheeran’s Mathematics Tour earlier in the year, when the Brit played to 105,000 on one evening, then topped it with 109,500. Frontier Touring, a division of Mushroom Group, produced that tour.
From every ticket sold to Mushroom 50, A$2 will go towards Support Act’s Ausmusic T-Shirt Day campaign.
The Telstra Plus presale starts Friday, Oct. 13, ahead of the Frontier Touring members presale on Monday, Oct. 16. The general public on sale begins Wednesday, Oct. 18.
For more visit mushroom50.com. Mushroom 50 Live is in partnership with ALWAYS LIVE and Telstra.
MELBOURNE, Australia — Mushroom Group spawns a new live entertainment company, MG Live.
Unveiled Thursday, July 27, the independent music powerhouse consolidates a string of its events and touring businesses under the umbrella of MG Live, including Illusive Presents, Roundhouse Entertainment, Good Life, I OH YOU Touring, and Arena Touring.
The fresh collective will focus on developing branded events and experiences alongside its domestic and international headline touring, and will continue to deliver tours in conjunction with sister company Frontier Touring, the powerhouse concerts specialist.
“Throughout the last eighteen months we have worked to consolidate a number of Mushroom’s live interests outside of our leading touring business Frontier Touring,” comments Mushroom Group chairman and CEO Matt Gudinski, who helms MG Live, along with an experience executive team.
“We looked at how to best move forward with our other specialist touring and leading event companies,” he continues in a statement, “and decided the time was right to combine their strengths and bring them under one banner.”
Matt Gudinski
Brian Purnell
Speaking with Billboard ahead of the announcement, Gudinski says the seeds for MG Live were planted before the COVID-19 pandemic. And as the Melbourne-based company celebrates its 50th anniversary, expect more change and evolution.
“The consolidation that we’re looking at across a number of different areas of the group,” he explains, “you’ll see a number of other things over the next six to 12 months which will really drive greater success, ensure we’re combining our strengths and, really, allow myself and the other leaders of the group to better manage all the different businesses that are part of Mushroom.”
Those businesses number more than two-dozen affiliates active in every conceivable area of the music and entertainment industries, from touring to publishing, merch and marketing services, venues, exhibition and events production, neighboring rights, branding, labels, talent management and more. In recent weeks, Mushroom Group added a new agency, MBA, a partnership with Guven Yilmaz, founder and managing director of Vita Music Group.
Frontier Touring, a partnership with AEG Presents which is unaffected by the new live entertainment company, has teamed with MG Live’s companies which, in the past 12 months, have sold more than 1.3 million tickets combined, according to the business, and produced tours over that time that include Tyler, The Creator, Fatboy Slim, Ed Sheeran, Billy Joel, Richard Marx, Pavement, and more.
The MG Live touring slate for the months ahead includes Robbie Williams and the Chicks performing at a day on the green, plus Fridayz Live and Boiler Room events, as well as tours by 070 Shake, The Teskey Brothers, DMA’S, Valley and Earl Sweatshirt.
As for the brand, is MG Live a reference to Michael Gudinski, the late, legendary founder and chairman of the group, his son Matt, or the broader business itself, Mushroom Group?
“It might be a combination of all of those,” says Matt Gudinski, cryptically. “It just clicked.”
MELBOURNE, Australia — Mushroom Group, the mighty, Melbourne based-independent music company, sends-out the invitations to its 50th birthday party, an occasion that will include a “once-in-a-lifetime” all-star concert.
A raft of releases, both musical, visual and branded merchandise, will drop in the lead-up to the major live event, set for November.
The action starts from today (March 23) with the release of The Temper Trap’s interpretation of The Church’s Billboard Hot 100 hit “Under The Milky Way,” the first in a collection of starry covers of classic Mushroom songs.
In the weeks ahead Missy Higgins, Bliss n Eso, Paul Kelly and others will share their contributions, which, ultimately, will form a Mushroom 50 compilation album.
Founded in 1972 by a then 21-year-old Michael Gudinski, the Mushroom brand has shaped Australia’s music culture ever since.
Today, the group is a two-dozen-strong collection of affiliates active in every conceivable area of the music and entertainment industries, from touring to booking agencies, publishing, merch and marketing services, venues, exhibition and events production, neighboring rights, branding, labels, talent management and more.
Matt Gudinski is now at the helm of the group, as CEO, following the passing of his father Michael in 2021.
The Mushroom 50 concert, says Matt Gudinski “will feature a huge line-up of sensational artists, celebrating some of Australia’s most iconic songs – this will be a once in a lifetime event.”
He continues, “We’ve teamed up with some of the best artists in the world to deliver these reimagined Mushroom hits. Each artist is bringing their own distinct sound and vision to their cover. I’m sure you’ll love them.”
A snapshot of the Mushroom Group story is told in a 90-second promo, which carries the strapline “50 Years of Making Noise.” Keep an eye out for cameos from the likes of Missy Higgins, Jimmy Barnes and Ed Sheeran, whose most recent tour of Australia, produced by Mushroom Group’s Frontier Touring company, was a record-smasher.
The celebration continues with the release later this year of a feature documentary on Michael Gudinski, a legendary character whose death was mourned by many of the giants he worked with, from Paul McCartney to Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl and his bestie, Ed Sheeran. The film project, which traces MG’s remarkable life and career, was green-lit last year and will premiere in cinemas across the country.
Also, a limited-edition range of Mushroom 50 merch is now available on mushroom50.com.
“This news is just the beginning,” reads a statement, “expect more exciting announcements to come in the months ahead.” The line-up, venue and ticket details for the anniversary concert will be revealed in due course.
BRISBANE, Australia — Mushroom Group, the Australian independent music juggernaut, has struck a partnership with Valve Sounds, the reactivated alternative-R&B, hip-hop and soul label.
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Co-founded by Sasha Chifura and Shelley Liu, Valve Sounds is “committed to the growth” of those genres within Australia, and “dedicates to carving a space for these artists to make an impact at an international stage,” reads a statement.
With its resurrection, a string of artist signings and a release slate. The Melbourne-based label relaunches with a roster featuring Sydney R&B multi-hyphenate Maina Doe; Nigeria-born, Melbourne-based producer, vocalist, and performer IJALE; and Brisbane indie/R&B newcomer King Ivy.
To celebrate the return of Valve Sounds, the trio will release a special collaborative number, “WYA” (Where You At), next Thursday (Feb. 2).
Mushroom Group has “been looking for the right hip-hop/R&B partner for some time now to complement our other labels,” notes Mushroom Labels COO Chris Maund.
Valve and its co-founders “stood out because they are entrenched in that scene and have a clear vision to break fresh hip-hop/R&B artists globally. Valve are signing artists whose sound is both authentic and borderless, giving them real opportunity to cut-through and deliver internationally,” he tells Billboard.
Maund points to the success of the recent Maina Doe single “Primal Design.” Mushroom Group serviced the track, which went on to land “a load of global playlists,” he explains. “That, will be the start of many.”
Following its launch in 2015, Valve Sounds released recordings from UV Boi, Nasty Mars, ESESE, Villette and Maya Hirasedo, and earned a reputation for its events and parties in Melbourne, spotlighting international and local artists.
Among the highlights were events at Melbourne Music Week’s 2016 and 2017 flagship venues State Library of Victoria and St Paul’s Cathedral, and its team curated a stage at Falls Festival, featured in VICE.
“Some of my fondest memories have been at Valve Sounds parties that we threw back in the day,” recounts Liu. “Feeling grateful to be working with Maina Doe, IJALE and King Ivy – three artists who I truly believe represent the future of music coming out of Australia and beyond.”
Through the new arrangement, Valve Sounds will have access to Mushroom Labels’ full suite of services across marketing, promotion, audience building, social strategy, distribution and analytics as well as global promotion, marketing and audience label services via UMG’s Virgin Music Label & Artist Services, an alliance forged in 2022, in tandem with Mushroom’s existing U.S. and U.K. teams.
Previously, Valve Sounds had a label partnership with Sony Music.
Valve Sounds now operates among the 25-strong group of companies within Mushroom Group, established 50 years ago by the late Michael Gudinski.
Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski, the son of Michael, heaped praised on his new partners. “Their clear vision for the label and expertise in the R&B and hip-hop scene excels them as key industry leaders of the future,” he comments. “It’s with great pleasure we welcome them to the family and look forward to a longstanding relationship.”
Mushroom Labels includes Liberation Records, Ivy League, I OH YOU, Soothsayer, Bloodlines, Liberator Music and 100s + 1000s.
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