‘Never got the call’: Peking Duk deny NRL grand final performance despite being on rumoured line-up
Electronic music duo Peking Duk say they will not be playing tonight’s NRL grand final, despite rumours linking them to the pre-show performance lineup.
In the latest twist in the ongoing entertainment debacle, Aussie electronic duo Adam Hyde and Reuben Styles took to Instagram hours before kickoff to shut down the claims while landing a cheeky jab at the NRL.
Adam Hyde and Reuben Styles of Peking Duk have denied they’re playing at the NRL grand final on Sunday night. Supplied
“Despite the rumours, Peking Duk will not be performing at the NRL grand final tonight. We have a few theories on why,” the post said.
The duo first pointed to their 2018 State of Origin gig, sharing a comment from a fan at the time who quipped that the crowd had no idea who they were.
The second theory was a cheeky jab at the NRL, who had initially lined up Tones and I to play, but the gig fell apart weeks before the event.
The singer said it was due to scheduling issues, while other reports claimed it was because she didn’t want to play her hit song Dance Monkey.
“Theory 2: We don’t play Dance Monkey in our sets,” the electronic pair wrote.
The post continued with the primary reason, adding: “Theory 3: We never got the call-up (probably the main reason tbh).”
They went on to say they are actually playing a gig in Cairns tonight, meaning they couldn’t perform even if they wanted to.
They concluded the post by showing who they wanted to win in the Knights vs Roosters showdown, adding: “UP THE KNIGHTS.”
The electronic duo released a statement on Instagram denying their performance, revealing they hadn’t actually been asked. Instagram/@pekingduk
It’s another bizarre twist in what has been quite the debacle of pre-show entertainment.
Tones and I pulling out prompted NRL boss Peter V’landys to scrap the entertainment portion of the night altogether, pledging to spend $1 million on grassroots rugby league instead of having that money allocated towards an artist.
However, he backflipped a few days later.
Days before the grand final, he promised fans a “big surprise” that would be “the highest-rating 11 minutes you will ever see”.
It came shortly after Kylie Minogue received rave reviews for her performance at the AFL grand final for a reported $3 million.
He later revealed the NRL would honour Rabbitohs player Jai Arrow, who was forced into retirement earlier this year after being diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease (MND) with a tribute before kick-off, including a performance of You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers. The artists will reportedly donate their appearance fees to MND causes.
V’landys has not confirmed who the performers will be, but The Australian reported it would be Amy Shark leading the charge alongside members from The Screaming Jets, Peking Duk, Grinspoon, and Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers.
Amy Shark and members of the Screaming Jets, Grinspoon and Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers are believed to be performing at the NRL grand final. Graphic: Polly Hanning
While Peking Duk have since debunked the claims, Amy Shark seemingly confirmed her place on the line-up shortly after comments resurfaced of her slamming the NRL last year.
Speaking to a room of VIP guests at the AFL’s Gather Round last year, the singer, whose real name is Amy Louise Billings, claimed the NRL had been underpaying music artists.
“I’m from Queensland, so unfortunately I’ve had NRL pushed in front of me, which kind of sucks,” she said at the time.
“I’m not just saying that because I’m playing tonight. You guys [at the AFL], you know what’s up. We don’t need to totally drill the NRL into the ground but you guys know what’s up.”
It’s believed Amy Shark will perform, despite her scathing comments about the NRL last year. Hanna Lassen/Getty
She then went one step further.
“In case someone is filming this … actually you know what, screw them,” she said.
“Honestly, they just screw around artists, you guys actually understand artists, thank you for doing that.”
On Saturday, she shared a video of herself celebrating the Brisbane Broncos at a match last year, writing over the clip: “11 months ago. I love the game… don’t believe the noise.”
While it’s not an official confirmation, the defensive post certainly wasn’t a denial – but we’ll all have to wait and see what actually happens before kickoff tonight.
