The remaining members of INXS made a brief but spectacular return to the big stage on Saturday (Nov.
14) as the finale of celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of Australia's Mushroom Records, which was
dubbed "Concert of the Century."
70,000 at the massive Melbourne Cricket Ground witnessed the event first-hand, while a more vast audience took the occasion in via national television.
Vocal duties were handled by Australian rock icon Jimmy Barnes, whose own band, the hugely popular Cold
Chisel, played their first show in 15 years the night before. Barnes and INXS ripped through a take of "The
Loved One" and the Easybeats' "Good Times," which Barnes recorded with INXS a decade ago.
The appearance of INXS came just over a week shy of the first anniversary of the passing of Michael Hutchence on Nov. 22, 1997. The occasion was actually the second time that the band had performed together
since Hutchence's death. Last week, they played a brief benefit set at the Sydney Children's Hospital.
On the recording front, the Sun Herald in Sydney has reported that the band has been in a Sydney studio
working on and sifting through material that had been recorded with their former singer.
Meanwhile, a memorial service in memory of Hutchence will be held on the 22nd, but will be strictly a private affair. However, word is that the mooted all-star memorial show for Hutchence will be anything but private, and was slated to take place in January, but the event is currently up in the air.