Mushroom Had Biggest-Ever Year For Gigs In 2023

2023 was officially the biggest year for the Mushroom Group’s live event arm, Mushroom Events, having successfully put together more than 110 shows.

READ MORE: Michael Gudinski’s Life Story In 13 Tours

It’s a timely win for the most iconic Australian music company, having celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. That milestone itself culminated in one of the year’s biggest concerts, packing out Naarm/Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena for performances from the likes of Jimmy Barnes, Missy Higgins, The Rubens, The Temper Trap, Paul Kelly, Yothu Yindi and Amy Shark. That show was lauded by critics and drew in nearly a million viewers when it aired on TV.

According to Mushroom reps (as reported by The Music Network), the company’s shows drew performances from more than 190 artists, including international icons like KISS, Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Pavement, Blackpink, The Chicks and Paramore, as well as homegrown heroes like Julia Jacklin, Winston Surfshirt, G Flip, Pendulum and Tkay Maidza.

In a formal statement, Anna Toman – project director for Mushroom Events – vouched that there’s “nothing Australians like more than sport and live music”. She expounded: “Live music builds on the fan experience by adding excitement and energy to an event. The right artist at the right event can create a truly unforgettable experience.”

Mushroom Events as a company deals in much more than just live music – their portfolio currently boasts such venerable clients as the Formula 1 Grand Prix, AFL, AFLW and Melbourne Cup Carnival. Notably, last year saw KISS perform a once-in-a-lifetime show Grand Final, with Mushroom’s stable of production and creative companies collaborating to develop the entire show.

Explaining how such memorable events come together, Toman said: “We discuss the brief with the client and understand what their requirements are, what their goals are and what they’re trying to achieve. It can be a long process which sometimes takes years of development.”

As a whole, she continued, Mushroom always aims to honour the “values and ethics Michael Gudinski instilled in everyone” at the company, adding: “There is a huge appetite to incorporate live music at events, which is fantastic because it gives emerging talent an opportunity to showcase their music. On top of that, a lot of these opportunities also include a broadcast moment, which has incredible promotional value for new artists.”

Last year also saw Mushroom bolster its live entertainment offerings with the launch of a new devision, MG Live, to oversee its existing suite of event-focussed businesses (which alongside Frontier Touring includes Illusive Presents, Good Life Presents, Roundhouse Entertainment, I OH YOU Touring and Arena Touring) as well as the Fridayz Live brand.