The last few days have been a whirlwind of drama surrounding the series of epic Crowded House shows taking place at the Sydney Opera House.
We round up all the boss stuff Crowded House frontman Neil Finn said in response to Sydney Opera House complaints over the past week.
It all started last Thursday night when, after being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame the evening before, the band played an epic set on the Opera House forecourt.
During the show, frontman Neil Finn took the opportunity to urge the crowd to sing as loud as they could, saying “Let’s wake up Alan Jones” in order to “keep Sydney open”.
Far from a poorly judge piece of slander, Finn’s comments were a direct reference to the recent backlash against the Sydney Opera House’s open-air shows on the forecourt, which have been in the firing line of residents of The Toaster – the multi-million dollar Bennelong apartment neighbouring the SOH – of which include radio shock-jock Alan Jones.
The so-called ‘Sydney Opera House Concerned Citizens Group’ have recently criticised the outdoor Opera House shows – which have included Tame Impala and Flume – for being a “harsh visual impact” and for causing “noise and disruption”.
One Toaster resident didn’t take Finn’s proclamation too kindly, taking to Twitter to call him out for incorrectly besieging Jones as being anti-Lockout Laws (which he is not).
Finn, being the boss that he is, responded right away:
@whittonnicole alan jones is trying to stop concerts at the Opera House forecourt along with other Toaster residents you twat
— neil mullane finn (@NeilFinn) November 24, 2016
The Toaster resident then hit back, laughably saying:
“I live in the Toaster you said he is fighting to keep the lock out laws you have no idea I guess you are jealous of where we live” – Nicole Whitton (@whittonnicole) November 24, 2016
Of which Finn replied with a stinging response:
Ah, you live in the Toaster …look forward to annoying you for 3 more nights https://t.co/7TsHnbaSaY
— neil mullane finn (@NeilFinn) November 24, 2016
That’s gotta hurt.
Another Twitter user then joined the action with a superbly confused Tweet (which is now deleted) saying that Jones wouldn’t mind forecourt shows, as long as they could take place without anyone having to set up or pack up the stage. To which Finn replied:
can’t have one without the other I’m afraid . The Toaster is the eyesore https://t.co/JmRuNrQ9Cc
— neil mullane finn (@NeilFinn) November 24, 2016
Then, opting to take the higher ground, Finn finished by saying:
Actually I imagine some of the nearby residents to the SOH might be enjoying the music and I wish them well .
— neil mullane finn (@NeilFinn) November 25, 2016
However, the following night, Finn took the opportunity to ask the crowd, “If we came back every week, would you come? … What do you think, Toaster? Stoney silence!”
Then, later in the show, “I expect your all to form choral groups and sing outside the toaster at over 110db!”
Finally, during the band’s final performance last night, Finn made one last glorious dig:
“To all the nice people in the Toaster. When they bought their seven million dollar apartment they thought God there’s gonna be some nice music to listen to, let’s hear it for them,” before launching into a final rendition of Better Be Home Soon followed by an epic fireworks display.
Neil Finn – the hero we need.
