Francis Leach, of Triple J and Grandstand Breakfast fame speaks eagerly as he enunciates the program for Presentation Night, a panel show about AFL and music . With over 30 years’ experience in the sporting and musical professions, Leach is well-equipped to host the upcoming series.
Due to commence on Wednesday July 10 at the Corner Hotel in Richmond, Presentation Night is an evening of live discussion and friendly debate that promotes the unified relationship and association between two of Melbourne’s most quintessential obsessions, football and music.
The brainchild of Andy Kelly from Ivy Records and Winterman & Goldstein management, the idea was born of a desire to talk about the two much-loved passions in a public forum, and Leach speaks enthusiastically as he highlights the pair’s interaction regarding the evening.
“Andy and I have always been passionate about sport and music and have always had conversations about each of the subjects converged and intertwined,” Leach proclaims. “It’s always struck us as something rather unique in the Australian sporting and musical context, in that football fans and footballers are often big music fans, while musicians are also huge footy fans.”
“I’m expecting conversation that draws more deeply into what they did beyond the back pages of the sports or music sections.”Such sentiments are indeed echoed by Kelly on Teenage Kicks, an experimental website dedicated to sharing stories about the various interactions between the two.
“Like pretty much everyone I know who shares a love of the indigenous game and the music caper, a lot of my childhood and teenage childhood memories are bound up in these two pursuits,” writes Kelly. “I also noticed that when footballers and other sporting luminaries met their favourite musicians, the respect and admiration between both parties was incredibly genuine.”
The first of three monthly programs will be panelled by highly revered Australian musician Paul Kelly and Western Bulldogs footballer Bob Murphy. Forecasting “a lot of mutual admiration” between the pair, Leach notes the many similarities of their two professions.
“They have a lot in common in regards to the nature of their careers and their passion for their chosen field of expertise,” he asserts. “Both are deep thinkers about what they do and they’re both interested in the meaning of what each other does.”
Irrefutably, the pair is well known to be fond of their respective counterparts. While Kelly performed at the 2012 AFL Grand Final and lists Norwood Football Club as his team of choice, Murphy is an avid music fan whose personal favourites include Justin Townes Earle, You Am I, and Bruce Springsteen amongst others. He is also known to write regular newspaper columns that draw clear parallels between the sporting and musical fields.
“If you read Bob’s writing, he’s often drawn on his experience through music in trying to understand what’s happened to him through his football career,” Leach declares. “He internalises a lot of his experiences and tries to express it in the same way as musicians with the songs they write.”
“It will give a deeper understanding of their favourite footballers and musicians and why they’re so interested in one another.”Anticipating an evening of intellectual discussion and thought provoking analysis, Leach also expects an occasion far removed from the stereotypical sportsman night.
“There’ll be no men dressing up as women,” he jokes. “I’m expecting conversation that draws more deeply into what they did beyond the back pages of the sports or music sections.”
To examine the significance of both professions to the overall composition of the wider community, the panel will also determine how kicking a ball or writing a song can come to define us, and while love, life, death and politics may also be discussed, Leach is unsure how a typical forum may evolve.
“We’ll take it one game at a time,” he says in the first of many sporting analogies. “Hopefully it’s a physical conversation that will give a deeper understanding of their favourite footballers and musicians and why they’re so interested in one another.”
While Leach has already accepted the many resemblances between sportsmen and musicians, he excitedly predicts stimulating discussions well beyond the usual reportage of their daily activities and motivations.
“It will be fascinating for me to just explore each other’s understanding of what each other does, what sacrifices they make, and how it works.”
Though remaining tight-lipped when questioned about forthcoming panel members, Leach implored punters to make the most of the Presentation Night opportunity.
“Come along for an insight into the life and loves of your favourite sportspeople and musicians,” he advises. “It should be a lot of fun.”
Presentation Night
Featuring Paul Kelly and Bob Murphy hosted by Francis Leach
WEDNESDAY JULY 10TH CORNER HOTEL, RICHMOND
Tickets on sale Friday 14th June from The Corner box office
