While we wait for news on next year’s show, here’s the totally unofficial Gusworld Countdown Spectacular 2 awards.
Best singer: Martha Davis (with Kate Ceberano an agonisingly close second).

Best preserved: Samantha Fox (runner up: Plastic Bertrand).

Act with most dedicated Internet fanbase: Rick Springfield.

Act most likely to be mistaken for a Gold Coast plumber on karaoke night: [...]

As I type this, the final Countdown Spectacular 2 concert will be wrapping up in Perth. If last year’s final show in Brisbane is any guide, there’ll be a few on-stage shenanigans worth noting, so reports from any attendees would be very welcome! Tomorrow, I’ll wrap up coverage with the Countdown Spectacular 2 Awards, my [...]

Another quick search of the blogosphere hasn’t uncovered details of what went on at the Adelaide show on Sunday. OK, the main variables seem to be whether Graham Bonnet gets two songs or not and how Martha rejects Molly’s proposal, but people need to know these things. Any comments from attendees much appreciated! I’m really [...]

Several people have asked for pictures of Plastic Bertrand, but unfortunately this is as good as it gets, so you might have to wait for the DVD.

The Molly/Martha proposal reaches ultimate form as Molly dons a veil. Plus, naturally, some stranger’s head.

Believe it or not, this is Kate Ceberano and Jean-Paul Collins.

A couple of shockingly [...]

Once again, and reflecting Countdown’s production history, the DVD is being filmed in Melbourne. Possibly as a result, the show doesn’t kick off until 740pm, though as usual Melbournites show a complete inability to keep time and there are still people wandering in well after 820pm.

Not too much has changed. The DVD filming requirement means [...]

For the first time so far this tour, there was a Countdown Spectacular 2 show (in Hobart), and I didn’t see it. A quick search of the blogspace and newspapers doesn’t reveal any information, so I can’t get the burning questions answered:
Was Graham Bonnet given his second song back?

Did the crowd finally shut up for [...]

In Sydney’s Qantas Club today on my way to Melbourne, I walked straight past John Schuman and Hugh McDonald from Redgum, presumably en route to Hobart. I should have grabbed the chance to congratulate them and perhaps quizzed them for backstage gossip, but being the introvert I am, I said nothing. I’m always hopeless when [...]

For the many fans who’ve been asking for more pics of Rick Springfieldon the tour, there’s a bunch of them taken by me currently featured in the Spotlight section of Rick Springfield and Us. I figure it makes more sense for them to go somewhere where Rick fans can easily remember to find them — [...]

Sydney has a crowding problem. There’s some football match at the stadium next door, so everyone’s late and we don’t kick off until 0745pm. Fortunately, there’s an early cut: Graham Bonnet, shoutier than ever and now officially the show’s worst performer, has ‘Warm Ride’ dropped.

Other than that, there were no changes in the setlist or [...]

As promised, here’s some pics from the Brisbane show. I wasn’t in a particularly good position, my camera is pretty cheap, and I haven’t had time to do any digital editing. Apologies if your preferred 70s act isn’t here. Enough caveats, let’s commence.

Note that it’s still the local acts who bother to produce merchandise (Rick [...]