Sydney is set for one of its biggest trading weeks of the year, with Metallica and AC/DC expected to inject an extra $90 million into the local economy as tens of thousands of fans descend on the city.
The back-to-back concerts at Accor Stadium — Metallica on Nov. 15 and AC/DC on Nov. 21 and 25 — will deliver a major boost for hospitality, retail and accommodation providers.
Krissie Jones (pictured), NAB executive small business, said the next 10 days will be among Sydney’s busiest.
“Music makes Sydney go round… having both in quick succession will supercharge business activity,” Jones said in a media release. “We expect [spending] to increase by about 26% to about $424m, boosting an extra $90m into the economy.”
NAB data shows strong spending increases expected across the CBD, inner suburbs and the Accor Stadium precinct, including:
Jones said concerts of this scale drive additional benefits across the economy.
“That’s millions of dollars going to local businesses… more shifts for casual staff, more orders for suppliers and a boost in confidence across the sector,” the NAB executive said.
With more than 210,000 fans expected across the three shows, the spike in foot traffic will be substantial.
Businesses preparing for their biggest weeks of the year
NAB customer Gema Group, which manages catering at Accor Stadium, is scaling up operations with nearly 1,900 staff.
Paul Valenti, managing director, said the team was ready for “a huge few weeks.”
“Across the five concerts, concertgoers will eat about 58,410 buckets of chips, 14,505 burgers, and drink about 110,000 litres of beer,” Valenti said. “This is a great time of year… customers are feeling positive.”
The concert-driven spending uplift comes as business conditions strengthen nationwide, with NAB reporting conditions rising to +9 — the highest since March 2024 — and trading and profitability posting solid gains. Consumer sentiment has also turned positive for the first time since early 2022, signalling improving confidence across households and businesses.
This broader economic momentum is helping reinforce the upswing in spending, hiring, and business activity — a positive backdrop for small businesses heading into summer.
Jones urged concertgoers to stay vigilant.
“It’s sad but true that criminals will target Metallica and ACDC fans desperate for tickets… only buy from authorised resellers so you can rock in peace.”
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