The AFL featured the American rock band KISS, and the NRL had a musical performance by Tia Turner. Three decades after Tina Turner’s memorable appearance at the 1993 Grand Final, the NRL went back in time by having a tribute act as the main act for the pre-ga,e show.
However, fans who were watching could not believe what they were seeing. Many criticized the league for choosing a tribute act as the main performance for the pre-game show.
Fans were unhappy with various aspects of the entertainment, including the fake Tina Turner wig and the league’s inability to provide anything more impressive than a tribute act.
Before the tribute act began, it was the Northern Territory rock band King Stingray who performed on stage, and this performance had mixed reactions from fans.
One fan commented, ‘King Stingray did a terrible job. Really bad, like Meatloaf 2.0’. Another person said, ‘King Stingray is so bad, they’d have trouble filling up a local RSL.’
Another frustrated fan wrote, ‘Surely, they could have found someone better than King Stingray for a game that costs over $100 a ticket’.
The band performed just one song and then left the stage. Fans also mentioned audio problems during their performance. NRL legend Wendell Sailor had strong criticism when the decision to have a tribute act was first announced.
He mentioned that while he was a fan of Tina Turner, he believed the game made a mistake by not securing a headline act for the Grand Final day.
Who is Tina Turner?
Tina Turner was a singer, songwriter, and actress who earned the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” title. She became famous as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue and later found success as a solo artist.
She was known for her confident presence, sensual style, powerful and raspy singing voice, and boundless energy.
Tina Turner was also famous for her well-known documented relationship with her ex-husband, Ike Turner, and her iconic legs. Küsnacht, Switzerland, starting in 1994 until her passing. In 2013, she became a Swiss citizen and gave up her American citizenship.
Tina Turner’s career started in 1956 when she joined Ike Turner’s band called Kings of Rhythm. She initially used the stage name “Little Ann” and first appeared on a record called “Boxtop” in 1958. In 1960, she adopted the name Tina Turner and had a big hit with the single “A Fool in Love.”
The duo of Ike and Tina Turner became known as one of the most impressive live acts in music history. They produced popular songs like “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine,” “River Deep – Mountain High,” “Proud Mary,” and “Nutbush City Limits” before going their separate ways in 1976.
Who is King Stingray?
King Stingray is a rock band from Northeast Arnhem Land in the northern territory of Australia. They describe their music as “Yolŋu surf rock”, and sing songs in both English and Yolŋu Matha.
They came out with their first single, “Hey Wanhaka,” in October 2020 and their first self-titled album on August 5, 2022. Two of the band’s original members have known each other since they were kids. The lead singer, Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu, is the nephew of Dr. M. Yunupiŋu, and the guitarist, Roy Kellaway, is the Stuart Kellawayson.
Both Dr. M. Yunupiŋu and Stuart Kellawayson were founding members of Yothu Yindi. Yirrŋa and Roy grew up in Yolngu country, in the community of Yirrkala.
In 2020, they joined forces with a guitarist and didgeridoo player Dimathaya Burarrwanga and bassist Campbell Messer to create King Stingray. They also signed with Bargain Bin Records, which is associated with The Chats, in 2020.
