In the event you ever should endure the destiny of a canceled present, let it’s one from Amyl and the Sniffers.
On Friday night time (November 14th), the Aussie rockers have been meant to play an all-ages present at Melbourne’s Fed Sq.. Nonetheless, because the Australian Broadcasting Company reviews, that gig was canceled with mere minutes to go after organizers famous a sequence of “safety breaches.” Katrina Sedgwick, an government with the Melbourne Arts Precinct group that’s answerable for reserving native occasions, mentioned that the choice “was not made frivolously,” and that security issues affected not solely live performance attendees however the band and the close by neighborhood.
So, how did Amyl and the Sniffers reply to this spot o’unhealthy information? By selecting up a whole $35,000 bar tab, in fact.
As ABC notes, the band first took to their Instagram to apologize, including, “We’re devastated. We have been actually excited to play. We’re so sorry. Grrr.” However then, simply a short time later, they dropped one more put up (see under): They have been relinquishing their efficiency charge, and $35,000 would go to choose up drinks at seven reside music venues throughout Melbourne. (These have been The Previous Bar, The Tote, The Curtin, Cherry Bar, Labour in Useless, Final Probability Rock and Roll Bar, and Hell’s Kitchen.)
“Have a drink on us,” singer Amy Taylor mentioned within the video replace. “Simply have some enjoyable tonight.”
And, based mostly on the responses by some of us interviewed by ABC, a enjoyable time was certainly had by all.
A few of that reward appeared direct sufficient. One fan that ABC spoke to, referred to solely as Louie, mentioned that it’s “superior that they’ve pumped a bunch of cash into these native venues. Bloody good onyas.”
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In the meantime, a bouncer named Fergus over at The Previous Bar mentioned the second was large provided that so many native venues had closed down post-COVID. Fergus added that the “authorities ought to actually do extra to help them. It’s nice that Amyl are doing it, however they shouldn’t should, you realize?”
Australia’s reside music scene has been hurting in recent times. Some reviews point out that 10% of Australia’s hospitality companies shuttered in 2025. And whereas there’s current indicators that show promising sufficient (like elevated bar gross sales nationwide), points like halting a much-anticipated live performance don’t assist an already-weakened reside ecosystem.
Lastly, an unnamed patron at The Curtin had maybe the best praise ever: “Different acts couldn’t shut down Fed Sq.. Robbie Williams couldn’t shut down the town! Then you definitely flip round and provides everybody a shout on the pub? Like, that’s nuts!” Guess it’s your transfer, Mr. Williams.
Amyl and the Sniffers are really having a second. They’ve opened for each AC/DC and Turnstile throughout separate fall excursions of Australia and the U.S (respectively). And, simply final week, they snagged their first-ever Grammy nomination for Greatest Rock Efficiency for 2024’s U Ought to Not Be Doing That. (The title monitor ranked as our second favourite steel/exhausting rock music of final 12 months).
Cheers to ya, Amyl and the Sniffers.
