A VIRTUAL who’s who of Australian rock ’n’ roll played at the Newcastle Earthquake Relief Concert in February 1990.
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Held at the International Sports Centre, now Hunter Stadium, less than two months after the earthquake devastated the city, the benefit attracted more than 42,000 people and raised $900,000 for the Lord Mayor’s Earthquake Relief Appeal.
At the time it was labelled the biggest and most impressive Australian rock concert ever staged and was seen as a reflection of the remarkable esteem in which Newcastle was held in rock ’n’ roll circles.
The line-up included Split Enz, Crowded House, Midnight Oil, Spy vs Spy, The Party Boys with guest singers Ross Wilson and Marc Hunter, Johnny Diesel and the Injectors, Jimmy Barnes, Ian Moss, Noiseworks and the Angels.
The Angels were slated for inclusion on the latest Guns N’ Roses tour, which will stop in Newcastle in March, but the group’s touring commitments were cancelled after it was revealed frontman Doc Neeson was battling an aggressive brain tumour.
Few have forgotten the moment back in 1990 when Neeson climbed the stage’s scaffolding, microphone shoved down his pants, to stand on a stack of speakers waving a Newcastle Knights flag while belting out Let The Night Roll On.
