Aussie stars join 14,000 people to watch Crowded House perform on Bondi Beach two months after the terrorist attack which claimed 15 lives - and call performance 'a warm hug'
Crowded House played to 14,000 delighted fans on Bondi Beach in the Golden Hour concert on Friday night - two months after the devastating terrorist attack on December 14 which claimed 15 lives.And it was a much-needed affair, with Neil Finn and co-founder Nick Seymour, Mitchell Froom, and Finn’s two sons, Elroy and Liam, lifting the spirits of the community and attendees alike with hit after hit, including Don't Dream It's Over, Weather With You, Fall At Your Feet, Chocolate Cake, and Something So Strong.Along with the sold-out crowd, several people packed picnics and enjoyed the set from the surrounding grassy knolls, while Bondi residents watched from their balconies and many listened to hit after hit from local bars. ‘It really is quite special to be here tonight,' Finn said as the band opened the show.‘I feel like this is a night we need to all sing together, even those on the beach who didn’t pay a cent. You look beautiful too.’Finn hit every note effortlessly, cementing his iconic rock star status, while the band delivered some truly incredible jam sessions to the adoring crowd. Crowded House played to 14,000 delighted fans on Bondi Beach on Friday night- two months after the devastating terrorist attack on December 14 which claimed 15 lives Several Eastern Suburbs socialites, including Deborah Symond O’Neil and Montarna Pitt (pictured), were in attendance Deborah posted several pictures of her and her friends at the event Tears were shed when one of the nation’s most beloved bands performed Don’t Dream It’s Over, which was dedicated to those who died and were injured in the attack and to the families who were affected.‘Love wins the day. I’d love it if you would sing this song with me,’ Finn asked the crowd.Finn also dedicated his hit song Four Seasons in One Day to the lifesavers and first responders.Organisers Fuzzy put on a seamless affair, treating concertgoers to various accessible bars, food trucks and facilities in the general admission area, while in the VIP area attendees got an up-close view of the band from a platform erected in front of the stage.Numerous famous faces attended the show, including Real Housewives of New York star Countess Luann De Lesseps, who performed at the Mighty Hoopla festival at the same spot on Saturday alongside Kesha, The Veronicas and Bardot.Award-winning actress Toni Collette raved about the concert on Instagram, calling the performance ‘a warm musical hug.’‘Crowded House played on Bondi Beach last night. It was a warm, musical hug for the 14 thousand of us in attendance, and just so sweet to sing and sway under the sky together,' she said. It was a much-needed affair, with Neil Finn and co-founder Nick Seymour, Mitchell Froom, and Finn’s two sons, Elroy and Liam, lifting the spirits of the community and attendees alike with hit after hit, including Don't Dream It's Over, Weather With You, Fall At Your Feet, Chocolate Cake, and Something So Strong Along with the sold-out crowd, several people packed picnics and enjoyed the set from the surrounding grassy knolls, while Bondi residents watched from their balconies and many listened to hit after hit from local bars'I first saw CH play from the second to last row at the old entertainment centre in Sydney when i was 15 & slept in their merch T till it fell apart. They feel and sound exactly the same but Neil’s hair somehow gets better & better?! Good vibes all the way. And yes, love wins the day.’Meanwhile, several Eastern Suburbs socialites, including Deborah Symond O’Neil and Montarna Pitt, were also in attendance, as were Shelley Sullivan’s ex-husband Anthony and his new flame.On December 14 a mass shooting occurred at a Chanukah festival event at Bondi Beach in Sydney, where two armed men opened fire on people gathered for the celebration.Fifteen people were killed and around 40 others were injured during the attack, which unfolded rapidly along the beachfront.Police responded to the scene, fatally shooting one of the alleged gunmen, while the second suspect was wounded and taken into custody.Authorities later confirmed the pair were related, and the surviving suspect was charged with multiple offences including murder, attempted murder and committing a terrorist act.The incident was declared a terrorist attack, prompting a large-scale investigation and national condemnation, with increased security measures and public vigils held in the aftermath.
