If you ever have to suffer the fate of a canceled show, let it be one from Amyl and the Sniffers.
On Friday night (November 14th), the Aussie rockers were meant to play an all-ages show at Melbourne’s Fed Square. However, as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports, that gig was canceled with mere minutes to go after organizers noted a series of “security breaches.” Katrina Sedgwick, an executive with the Melbourne Arts Precinct group that’s responsible for booking local events, said that the decision “was not made lightly,” and that safety concerns affected not only concert attendees but the band and the nearby neighborhood.
So, how did Amyl and the Sniffers respond to this spot o’bad news? By picking up an entire $35,000 bar tab, of course.
As ABC notes, the band first took to their Instagram to apologize, adding, “We’re devastated. We were really excited to play. We’re so sorry. Grrr.” But then, just a short while later, they dropped yet another post (see below): They were relinquishing their performance fee, and $35,000 would go to pick up drinks at seven live music venues across Melbourne. (Those were The Old Bar, The Tote, The Curtin, Cherry Bar, Labour in Vain, Last Chance Rock and Roll Bar, and Hell’s Kitchen.)
“Have a drink on us,” singer Amy Taylor said in the video update. “Just have some fun tonight.”
And, based on the responses by some folks interviewed by ABC, a fun time was indeed had by all.
Some of that praise seemed direct enough. One fan that ABC spoke to, referred to only as Louie, said that it’s “awesome that they’ve pumped a bunch of money into these local venues. Bloody good onyas.”
Related Video
Meanwhile, a bouncer named Fergus over at The Old Bar said the moment was huge given that so many local venues had closed down post-COVID. Fergus added that the “government should really do more to support them. It’s great that Amyl are doing it, but they shouldn’t have to, you know?”
Australia’s live music scene has been hurting in recent years. Some reports indicate that 10% of Australia’s hospitality businesses shuttered in 2025. And while there’s recent signs that prove promising enough (like increased bar sales nationwide), issues like halting a much-anticipated concert don’t help an already-weakened live ecosystem.
Finally, an unnamed patron at The Curtin had perhaps the greatest compliment ever: “Other acts couldn’t shut down Fed Square. Robbie Williams couldn’t shut down the city! Then you turn around and give everyone a shout at the pub? Like, that’s nuts!” Guess it’s your move, Mr. Williams.
Amyl and the Sniffers are truly having a moment. They’ve opened for both AC/DC and Turnstile during separate fall tours of Australia and the U.S (respectively). And, just last week, they snagged their first-ever Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance for 2024’s U Should Not Be Doing That. (The title track ranked as our second favorite metal/hard rock song of last year).
Cheers to ya, Amyl and the Sniffers.
