QLD: Crowe not too big for country pub gig

AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-2001
QLD: Crowe not too big for country pub gig

By Dale Paget

GOLD COAST, Aug 2 AAP - He's a sell out in New York and a hit in LA but Russell Crowe
isn't too big to support his home town pub.

Crowe's rock and roll band Thirty Odd Foot Of Grunts begin a sell out American tour next week.

But the Oscar winning actor and part time musician wants to kick off the road trip
with a single Australian performance at his local watering hole in Coffs Harbour.

Crowe called the owners of the Coffs Harbour Hotel last weekend with an offer too good to refuse.

"He said I want to do you a favour. I want to play in the band so you can make some
money. I want to play the band there instead of in Sydney," hotel partner, Ray Alaban,
said today.

"It's a favour to the whole town. He wants to support and help Coffs Harbour in any little way.

"He's trying to put money back into the town which is great. You can't knock that can you?"

The hotel had 1,000 tickets for the Sunday night show priced at $10 each, about a quarter
of the cost of Crowe's US performances. All the tickets were sold within hours.

"We've had calls from all around the country side, Sydney, America, Europe, trying
to get in, thinking it's a big turn but he's just here as a courtesy," said Mr Alaban.

After the performance on Sunday the band will fly to Austin, Texas for the start of
a 14 stop North American tour.

TOFOG will play to sell out crowds in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Boulder, Portland,
Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Asbury Park, New Jersey.

None of the gigs are likely to match the warm home town reception Crowe will receive
at the Coffs Hotel.

"We're calling it his hotel now," joked Mr Alaban.

AAP dp/bwl

KEYWORD: CROWE

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