In November 1977, Australian rock fans were treated to one of the biggest live music events the country had seen. Billed as Rockarena, the two massive outdoor concerts brought together an impressive combination of international superstars and home-grown talent, with Fleetwood Mac, Santana and Little River Band sharing the headline billing.
The first concert took place at Sydney’s RAS Showground on Friday 11 November, followed two days later, on Sunday 13 November, by a Melbourne performance at Calder Park Raceway.
Rockarena‘s five-act line-up also included Australia’s Kevin Borich Express and the Japanese rock group Creation, making it a diverse musical bill. For Fleetwood Mac, then riding high on the success of their Rumours album, the Sydney appearance was particularly significant, marking the band’s first Australian concert. Santana, meanwhile, was enjoying considerable international popularity, while Little River Band were rapidly building their own overseas reputation.
Promoted by radio stations 2SM and 3XY, the Rockarena concerts were organised by leading Australian promoter Paul Dainty, who invested more than $1 million in the two events. Adding some international rock credibility, legendary American promoter Bill Graham, famous for his involvement with Woodstock and many major rock concerts, travelled to Australia and acted as compere.
The scale of the production was impressive. A huge sound system, supplied by American specialists Clair Brothers and Australian company Jands, was reportedly the largest ever assembled for an Australian concert. The Sydney event alone attracted more than 43,000 people, with Dainty estimating the final attendance at closer to 48,000. Melbourne reportedly drew more than 60,000, taking the combined audience beyond 100,000.
Rockarena was also a logistical exercise on a massive scale, with more than 100 touring personnel accompanying the international acts, extensive backstage facilities and considerable security arrangements. The Melbourne concert was also filmed for television.
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