What was meant to be a huge Friday night in the city ended abruptly when the free Amyl and The Sniffers gig at Fed Square was cancelled moments before the band was due to take the stage.
The show, announced earlier this month on the official Fed Square event listing, had attracted thousands of fans and was promoted widely across Melbourne, including coverage by Secret Melbourne.
The event was set to run from 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm with support from Public Figures and was positioned as part of the city’s celebration around AC/DC’s Melbourne shows. The crowd was packed shoulder to shoulder, and the atmosphere had the feel of a street party that was ready to erupt the moment the band stepped onstage.
Watch: Crowd Push The Fence Over At Fed Square Free Gig
According to journalists on the ground, the issues began building before Amyl and The Sniffers were due to play. The front of the crowd pushed heavily against the barricades and security struggled to contain the movement. A section of fencing reportedly collapsed under the pressure and video from the scene shows fans spilling through the gap as the barrier gave way. Once that happened, staff weren’t confident that it could go ahead safely.
Moments later, the band posted a statement from backstage expressing their frustration at the situation.
“At Fed Square and fuming – ready to go!
We are so sorry the show is cancelled due to the event not organising the proper security and barriers and the barriers being broken in has made them deem it unsafe to play.
We are fuming and shattered and so so so so so so so so sorry!!!
Fuck cunt.”
With no safe way to continue the show and the risk of further breaches increasing, organisers made the call to cancel the performance. Fans were told the gig could not proceed and the square slowly began to clear. What was supposed to be a big moment for the band instead ended in disappointment for thousands who had packed into the CBD expecting a hard hitting set.
At this stage there is no update on whether the show will be rescheduled or if a formal safety statement will follow. It is still unclear exactly what sparked the collapse of the barriers, but if the actions of a small group caused the shutdown it will be especially disappointing for the fans who came to see one of Melbourne’s most explosive live acts give the city a free show.
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