Last night, the sky lit up with fireworks as countries celebrated the end of 2025 and the start of 2026. Just in the United States, people welcomed the new year with Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. For country music fans, there was Nashville’s Big Bash. Just a sample of the celebrations that took place, thousands of people gathered on Sydney Harbour in Australia to ring in the new year. While excited to entertain fans, Matt Corby used his set to highlight the lives lost during the Bondi Beach terror attack.
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While a night of celebration, the New Year’s Eve event paused the festivities for a moment to remember the people who were sadly killed during the shooting. Offering a moment of silence, many in attendance held up white lights as a sign of peace. And for Corby, he added to the tribute when performing INXS’ hit song “Never Tear Us Apart.”
Just a few weeks ago, over 1,000 people traveled to Bondi Beach to participate in the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. During the event, two gunmen entered the area and opened fire. Taking the lives of 15 people, four individuals rushed the gunmen, trying to disarm them. Of the four, three were killed.
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Millions Of Aussies Gather To Honor Victims With Matt Corby
Thankfully, the New South Wales Police Force caught the two gunmen, detaining one attacker and killing the other. During the investigation, police reported that the gunmen had made homemade bombs and thrown them into the crowd. None of the bombs detonated.
After the attack, the citizens of Australia rallied together with more than 50,000 people offering to donate blood. With countless vigils held, citizens honored not just the victims but those who paid the ultimate price while trying to stop the gunmen.
With the investigation ongoing, the detained shooter now faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder.
Aside from Corby’s cover of “Never Tear Us Apart”, the New Year’s Eve event also included performances by Melanie C, Peach PRC, Marcia Hines, Casey Donovan, Don West, Jem Cassar-Delay, and more. Early reports suggested that 4.6 million Aussies watched the special.
(Photo by Lorne Thomson/Redferns)
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