The state memorial for Michael Gudinski, the late Australian music industry titan, will take place March 24 at Rod Laver Arena, the largest indoor arena in Gudinski’s hometown, Melbourne.
The impresario’s family have accepted the Victorian state government’s offer of a state memorial to remember the music man’s life, reads a statement issued Monday (March 8) by the company he founded, Mushroom Group. Further details on how to attend will be shared later this week.
Rod Laver Arena is a fitting venue for a send-off to Australia’s greatest music industry figure.
The 15,000-capacity first opened its doors for a concert back in 1988, when AC/DC rocked the house. In the years since, Gudinski’s Mushroom Group and Frontier Touring have brought some of the world’s biggest artists to Melbourne & Olympic Parks, including Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift, and Ed Sheeran.
Gudinski passed away last Tuesday (March 2), at the age of 68. As news spread, Rod Laver Arena and the neighboring AAMI Park were lit up as a mark of respect.
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Last Wednesday, Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the music man would be remembered “somewhere iconic that we can come together and celebrate his life.”
He continued, “It will be a celebration of his life; the details will be finalized in coming days. It’s got to be COVID-safe of course, but I think we will be able to come together in an iconic venue and celebrate his life and the mark that he made and the legacy he leaves.”
Artists, colleagues and friends around the globe took to social media to share their memories of Gudinski, from McCartney to Kylie Minogue, Foo Fighters and Springsteen, who dedicated “I’ll See You In My Dreams” to the Aussie impresario.
In a tribute to his lifelong friend, Ian “Molly” Meldrum, the former Countdown host, wrote that Gudinski’s legacy “will echo through the entertainment industry forever. He came and he conquered. He has left a giant footprint in the heart and soul of the music industry.”
Gudinski will be buried at a private family funeral this week.