How the Hot Tomato airport gig with Sheppard came together

Former Assistant Editor
Hot Tomato and Sheppard

It started with an idea pitched by drive host Simon Baggs, when chatting with George from Australia pop act Sheppard. What if the band performed on the runway at Gold Coast Airport?

The idea came to the Hot Tomato when he realised that air travel may never be suspended again in the way it has been amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Here’s the idea right. You know the Gold Coast airport… the runway there where no flights coming in at the moment. What about Sheppard performing live on the Gold Coast runway?” he said.

George Sheppard was keen from the get-go. “Are you serious?” he said, as co-hosts Moyra and Mal laughed in the background.

“I think this is better than just asking someone a favour,” laughed Moyra. “If we can pull this off, this it the most rock star thing that has ever happened to me!” said George.

So the team at Hot Tomato got to planning, and they managed to get Gold Coast Airport chief executive Marion Charlton on board.

Calling into the station, Charlton revealed the airport was definitely keen.

“This is a very unique time and if ever we were going to pull off doing something exciting on our runway, now is the time.

We would love to be involved, and we would love to do everything we can to make this happen.”

Shortly after that, Dreamweavers came on board to film and broadcast the content, before Gold Coast Helitours offered their services to shoot the concert with specially mounted cameras on their choppers.

“Right now the Gold Coast is hurting with no visitors. I wanted to create a unique event to give us all something positive to focus on and remind people how beautiful our city is.

We can’t wait to have our visitors back,” Baggs told MyGC.

“The way our partners have come on board to help make this project happen shows the generosity of these businesses, wanting to help each other during these uncertain times.

“A huge thanks must go to the Gold Coast Airport, Dreamweavers Production and Gold Coast Helitours. Bring on Friday.”

The gig will go down this Friday, May 29 at 4:15pm, streamed live on Facebook Live as well as on 102.9 Hot Tomato.

1029 Hot Tomato Runway Gig with Sheppard – LIVE from the Gold Coast Airport Runway, in an exclusive performance for 1029 Hot Tomato.

Posted by 1029 Hot Tomato on Sunday, 24 May 2020

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Bella Frizza Fan
28 May 2020 - 9:45 am

Great idea. Credit to Baggs and the Hot Tomato team.

Bella Frizza should borrow this idea and host a MAFS reunion on the airport runway and film it on TikTok.

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