Delta talks tour as stars flood market
By Nui Te Koha
07aug04
DELTA Goodrem is in talks to make her long wished for tour debut as the summer of rock gets hotter.
Goodrem, 19, is set to be the hottest concert ticket in town, amid looming visits by superstars Neil Diamond, Rod Stewart and Sting.
Goodrem’s mother, Lea, yesterday confirmed plans for Delta’s first tour.
A concert industry source said promoters have earmarked Goodrem as the must-have tour for next year.
“This, really, is the moment Delta fans have been waiting for,” the source said.
“All Delta has to do is name the dates.”
Goodrem’s tour plan to support her two-million-selling Innocent Eyes album was foiled by illness.
Last year, she was diagnosed and treated for cancer and is still recovering.
But Goodrem is keen to tour her next album, due later this year, and a swag of chart-toppers from Innocent Eyes.
“We are talking about a tour. We are hoping to, we would love to, all of the above,” Lea Goodrem said yesterday.
“But honestly, it’s early days yet. We have to consider things like schedules, timing and getting match fit.”
Australia’s summer of concerts includes planned tours by AC/DC, Julio Iglesias, Annie Lennox, Norah Jones, The Darkness, Bryan Adams, John Farnham and Tom Jones.
Diana Krall, Mark Knopfler, of Dire Straits, Alicia Keys, k.d. lang, Cher and Jay Z are also expected to confirm Australian dates.
That stellar line spells tour heaven for punters, but concert industry sources are warning that the market is flooded.
“It will be an all-out fight in February, March and April,” a source said.
“This summer, every act, their dog and dog walker wants to be in Australia.”
Superstar Neil Diamond will announce a summer tour soon.
It took two years of steady talks for the tour promoters to land Diamond. “It’s going to be hot August nights all over again, only in February,” a source said.
Crooner Julio Iglesias, Usher, Bryan Adams, John Farnham and Tom Jones are set to perform in Australia before the end of the year.
The superstar tour momentum rolls over into next year, with visits from Rod Stewart, Annie Lennox, Sting and US soul singer Alicia Keys.
Australia’s AC/DC, The Pixies, Beastie Boys and Scissors Sisters are strongly tipped for the Big Day Out.
A Slim Dusty tribute show, featuring the cream of country acts, is also planned.
Sources say the show celebrates Australian history, documented by Dusty’s music.
Pop chameleon Cher is expected to appear in the second quarter.
And Janet Jackson is also holding talks for a 2005 Australian tour.
U2 has reportedly agreed to do Australian dates in December 2005.
“This summer is heaven for punters and hell for promoters,” a source said.
“It is not so much a scramble to get acts, but a mad rush to book venues. There are only so many nights to cram everybody in. It will be an absolute nightmare.”
A string of sell-out November dates for US super group the Eagles means hope for a healthy summer tour circuit.
“Hopefully the industry will not be misguided and get carried away by ticket prices,” promoter Michael Gudinski said last month.
The Eagles offered four-ticket zones with top price seats at $600.
All shows sold out in record time.