More than 120 artists and musicians gathered at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on Sunday night for The Songs of John Farnham: A Living Legend – The Celebration Concert, an ambitious and deeply emotional tribute to one of Australia’s most beloved performers.
Produced by Cochrane Entertainment and TEG Dainty, the concert celebrated a catalogue that has become part of the country’s cultural fabric. Audiences beyond Melbourne were also able to share in the occasion through a live broadcast into HOYTS cinemas across Australia.
The night began with an expansive nine-minute sequence built around “Age of Reason”, immediately bringing the Rod Laver Arena audience to its feet. From there, performers moved through songs spanning Farnham’s extraordinary career—honouring the original recordings while bringing their own voices and personalities to the material.
The line-up included Vanessa Amorosi, Tina Arena, Jimmy Barnes, Mahalia Barnes, Kate Ceberano, Diesel, Dannielle Gaha, Hans, Human Nature, Jack Jones, Richard Marx, Jessica Mauboy, Ruby Rodgers, Jon Stevens, Mitch Tambo, Keith Urban, Mark Vincent and Ross Wilson.
Chris Martin, Celine Dion and Hugh Jackman also contributed remotely, adding an international dimension to the celebration.
One of the evening’s most personal moments came when Farnham’s son, Rob, took to the stage to sing “Love to Shine”. Backed by an adult choir and featuring a guitar solo from longtime Farnham guitarist Brett Garsed, the performance brought the musical celebration closer to the man and family at its centre.
Other highlights included Jimmy and Mahalia Barnes joining forces for “When the War Is Over”; Keith Urban performing “Burn for You” with Chong Lim on piano; Tina Arena singing “Angels”; and Richard Marx taking on “Pressure Down”.
Ross Wilson delivered “A Touch of Paradise”, while Kate Ceberano and Jon Stevens teamed up for “Everything’s Alright”. Human Nature performed “Every Time You Cry” and “Simple Life”, and Vanessa Amorosi brought her unmistakable power to “Playing to Win” and “That’s Freedom”.
Celine Dion appeared remotely for the first performance of “You’re the Voice”, accompanied by four pipers. Hugh Jackman contributed “Talk of the Town”, while Coldplay’s Chris Martin offered the specially titled “Better Singer Than Me”.
At the heart of the production was Farnham’s longtime musical director, Chong Lim AM, who arranged the material and conducted the 38-piece orchestra and the John Farnham Band. The scale of the production was matched by its attention to Farnham’s musical history, with longtime band members, backing vocalists, featured soloists, choirs, a drumline and bagpipers all contributing.
The finale began with “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’n’ Roll)”—a song Farnham has described as the best rock and roll song ever written—before the entire cast united for “You’re the Voice”.
Mitch Tambo led the final performance alongside Ezekiel Tambo on didgeridoo, an adult choir and 24 pipers. With the night’s artists assembled together on stage, the song once again became more than a hit: it became a collective declaration.
Lending a voice to Australians affected by cancer
The celebration carried a purpose beyond the music, giving Head and Neck Cancer Australia a national platform for awareness and fundraising.
The cause holds particular significance because of Farnham’s own experience with head and neck cancer. His openness about that journey has helped bring greater public attention to cancers that can profoundly affect a person’s ability to speak, eat and breathe, as well as the lives of their families and carers.
The concert marked the beginning of Head and Neck Cancer Australia’s Lend Your Voice campaign, a 12-month appeal aiming to raise $1 million to assist patients and families affected by the disease.
Funds raised will support the organisation’s work providing specialist assistance, trusted information and advocacy for people living with head and neck cancer.
“The concert is just the beginning of our $1 million, 12-month Lend Your Voice fundraising appeal to support patients and families,” Head and Neck Cancer Australia CEO Nadia Rosin said.
Donations can be made through the official campaign at lendyourvoice.org.au.
For Farnham, who has performed 94 shows at Rod Laver Arena before more than one million people, the venue has long felt like a musical home. On Sunday night, it became the setting for a national expression of gratitude.
The Songs of John Farnham: A Living Legend was more than a collection of famous performers singing famous songs. It showed the reach of Farnham’s music, the affection he inspires among his peers and the enduring place his voice holds in Australian life.
Setlist
- “Age of Reason” – opening sequence featuring Jon Stevens, Jessica Mauboy, Jack Jones, Mahalia Barnes, Human Nature and the Australian Girls Choir
- “Reasons” – part of the opening sequence
- “Have a Little Faith” – part of the opening sequence
- “Chain Reaction” – Dannielle Gaha, with Steve Williams and D² Drumline
- “When the War Is Over” – Mahalia Barnes and Jimmy Barnes
- “Every Time You Cry” – Human Nature
- “Better Singer Than Me” – Chris Martin, appearing remotely
- “Love to Shine” – Rob Farnham, adult choir and Brett Garsed
- “A Touch of Paradise” – Ross Wilson
- “Everything’s Alright” – Kate Ceberano and Jon Stevens with adult choir
- “No One Comes Close” – Jack Jones
- “Burn for You” – Keith Urban with Chong Lim
- “You’re the Voice” – Celine Dion, appearing remotely, with four pipers
- “When Something Is Wrong with My Baby” – Jimmy Barnes, Diesel and Mahalia Barnes
- “Dare to Dream” – Dannielle Gaha and Mark Vincent with adult choir
- “Playing to Win” – Vanessa Amorosi with Chong Lim
- “Have a Little Faith” – Jessica Mauboy
- “Help!” – Kate Ceberano
- “Simple Life” – Human Nature with Kathleen Halloran
- “You’ll Never Walk Alone” – Mark Vincent with adult choir
- “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” / “Sadie (The Cleaning Lady)” – Hans
- “Talk of the Town” – Hugh Jackman, appearing remotely, with Rachel Bostock
- “Hearts on Fire” – Ruby Rodgers with Michael Paynter
- “Angels” – Tina Arena with Jack Jones
- “Pressure Down” – Richard Marx with Chong Lim
- “That’s Freedom” – Vanessa Amorosi and Jon Stevens with adult choir
- “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’n’ Roll)” – Jon Stevens, Mahalia Barnes and the full company
- “You’re the Voice” – finale featuring Mitch Tambo, Ezekiel Tambo, the full company, adult choir and 24 pipers
All photos: Martin Philbey
