Concert in honour of John Farnham held in Australia — ABC News Australia
A sold-out concert in honour of singer John Farnham was held in Melbourne, Australia, with funds being raised to support the fight against head and neck cancer. Thousands of spectators filled Rod Laver Arena, while another part of the audience watched a live broadcast in selected cinemas across the country, ABC News Australia reports.
The event marked the launch of the Lend Your Voice campaign, which aims to raise $1 million for Head and Neck Cancer Australia over the next year. Farnham works with the organisation that supported him during his treatment. In 2022, the singer underwent a lengthy operation to remove a malignant tumour in his mouth, and the following year doctors said no signs of cancer had been detected.
Farnham’s health condition
The 77-year-old Farnham was unable to attend the concert in person. His family said the artist’s condition had deteriorated in recent months: he requires constant oxygen support, uses a wheelchair and receives round-the-clock care at home. During the concert, screens in the arena showed footage from the singer’s previous sold-out performances.
The evening’s host, Richard Wilkins, noted that Farnham had previously sold out Rod Laver Arena 94 times — more than any other performer. He called the charity evening the artist’s symbolic 95th sold-out performance at the venue.
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Artists’ performances
The concert was opened by Jessica Mauboy, Jon Stevens, Jack Jones, Mahalia Barnes and the band Human Nature, who performed a medley of Farnham’s songs. The singer’s son, Rob Farnham, sang Love To Shine from the album Whispering Jack and thanked the audience for supporting his father.
Kate Ceberano and Jon Stevens performed Everything's Alright from the musical Jesus Christ Superstar, in which Farnham played the leading role in 1992. Keith Urban sang Burn For You, while Celine Dion performed You're The Voice via video link from Paris. Hugh Jackman also joined remotely and sang Talk of The Town. Jimmy Barnes performed When Something Is Wrong with My Baby with his daughter Mahalia Barnes.
The arena also set up stations for express oral examinations for signs of cancer. Head and Neck Cancer executive director Nadia Rosin said that about 14 people in Australia are diagnosed with head and neck cancer every day.
