Crowded House Opera House telecast draws 643k metros

Source: Crowded House Facebook

Crowded House’s triumphant return to the Sydney Opera House forecourt drew 643,000 overnight metro viewers when the fourth and final show was telecast by the ABC.

Crowded House At Sydney Opera House was the top ranking non-news/ current affairs and sports program, and 7^th highest of the night.

Throughout the four sold-out Encore shows, the band ‘s playful demeanour indicated how happy it seemed to be back at the venue where 20 years ago, they bid farewell to 100,000. This time, security reasons saw each show capped to 5000. 

Twenty years ago when Finn first mooted a parting of ways, the late drummer Paul Hester had argued against it as Crowded House were well on their way to creatively and commercially overtaking REM.

Certainly the catalogue of songs at the Opera House shows, along with displays of their on-stage banter, and the strong bond between band and audience, suggested Hester had a strong case. 

Over the two shows was a magnificent relay of masterfully crafted gems – Weather With You, Don’t Dream It’s Over, Four Seasons In One Day, Something So Strong and show closer Better Be Home Soon as well as album tracks including Locked Out, In My Command and Hester’s song Italian Plastic. 

Last night, Finn mischievously kept up light-hearted attacks at the residents of the harbour-front Toaster building (now known as the Bennelong Apartments) who’d tried to stop the shows over concerns of noise and sleep deprivation. 

“There’s some nice people in there,” Finn quipped. “When they bought their $7 million apartment they thought there’s going to be some nice music to listen to. So let’s hear it for them!”

The response on Twitter was mostly on Finn’s side – including one which suggested the band should respond by buying the apartment below radio presenter Alan Jones, among those who reportedly was opposed to the shows.

Last night’s telecast drew 206,000 metro viewers in Sydney, 170,000 in Melbourne, 138,000 in Brisbane, 66,000 in Adelaide and 62,000 in Perth.