Rock Against Racism advertisement

The 1982 Rock Against Racism concert in Brisbane was a powerful blend of music, protest and activism. Radio 4ZZZ staged the event on 25 September at Souths Football Oval in West End, five days before the start of the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. It underscored the growing alliance between Brisbane’s alternative music scene and Indigenous rights movements, with all proceeds going to Aboriginal organisations and supporting land rights protests taking place during the games.

The ad captures the raw energy of youthful activism with its DIY aesthetic, colourful animation and overlapping sound. It promises a marathon of rock, reggae, theatre and dancing, and the stellar line-up included No Fixed Address, Redgum, Hunters and Collectors, Mantaka, Screaming Tribesmen, and Bapu Mamoos Popular Theatre Troupe. The event ran all day and into the night, culminating in a dance featuring Aboriginal performers like Kuckles (from CASM, Adelaide), Dennis Conlon and the Magpies (Cherbourg), alongside traditional music and dance.

The concert reflected 4ZZZ’s commitment to using its platform for social justice and the ad helped amplify Aboriginal voices during a time of intense political activism.