It happened. We are in the new year. It is 2018. We survived 2017. Congratulations.
And we kicked it all off with a bloody spenno, 12-minute-long, $7 million fireworks display. HAPPY NEW YEAR BABY.
Thankfully we had Charlie Pickering to introduce festivities:
And I want to get a round of applause for the Australian taxpayer, without whom this concert would not be happening, those fireworks would not be happening, none of this would be possible without you, ladies and gentlemen.
The admittedly breathtaking display was broadcast as part of ABC‘s NYE coverage, roundly regarded – for something completely different – as not terrible.
Have to say whoever is in charge of #NYEABC is doing a much better job than the past drivel we have encountered in the last few years #NewYearsEve
— ❤️🤍Guy❤️🤍 (@greysfan) December 31, 2017
Even former ABC Managing Director Mark Scott was on board.
Sensational work by the public broadcaster tonight. A great idea, wonderfully performed. Happy New Year. #NYEABC
— Mark Scott (@mscott) December 31, 2017
Yes, the people of the internet have spoken and they either did not watch ABC’s programming at all or were boomers stoked to hear music they recognised performed for Countdown Live, a remount of the classic music-on-the-telly format which ran from 1974 to 1987.
It was hosted by Pickering and Zan Rowe, and featured both people from the show’s OG run like Kate Ceberano and John Paul Young, as well as current triple j faves like the way-too-talented Montaigne.
While a reasonably vanilla programming choice, it did feel like a pretty refreshing change of pace for network coverage of NYE – no one had to scramble to fill the three-hour timeslot between Family Fireworks at 9pm and midnight explosions in the sky with barely veiled dick jokes, terrifyingly large/insincere grins or Richard Wilkins.
Also I am so here for the grainy celeb mugshots.
Barnesy! 🤟 @JimmyBarnes #NYEABC pic.twitter.com/eINP78euoE
— abctv (@ABCTV) December 31, 2017
😬 @philjamieson #NYEABC pic.twitter.com/YwROMp7xuX
— abctv (@ABCTV) December 31, 2017
Anyway, people liked it, in that they weren’t outraged, albeit not overly roused. And that, my friends, is enough.
In the end, the world is as it should be.
I honestly had no idea until now that literally everyone in Australia is legally bound to mention “oh there’s jimmy Barnes” but judging from my Twitter
1. That’s true, and
2. Jimmy Barnes is on tv in Aus right now— Linda Tirado (@KillerMartinis) December 31, 2017
https://twitter.com/rageABC/status/947422240395743232
