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Cities up stakes for A-list tours in tourism push

As A-list tours become increasingly hot commodities in cities’ efforts to boost tourism, it has emerged the Western Australian government paid A$8 million to subsidise two Coldplay concerts.

The band played two nights at Perth’s Optus Stadium – their first gigs in Western Australia since 2009 – in November 2023 as part of their Music of the Spheres World Tour, in what was hailed as a “major tourism coup” for the country’s fourth most populous city.

Presented by the WA government, through Tourism WA, and Live Nation, the Australian-exclusive gigs were promoted alongside hotel packages designed to encourage visitors to stay longer in Perth and explore the region further, creating additional economic benefits.

A new Guardian report has revealed that $8m (€5m) was paid to Live Nation in relation to the performances, which Tourism WA said injected “tens of millions of visitor spend” into the state’s economy. The body said the award followed “a rigorous assessment, cost benefit analysis, review and approvals process, including review and approval by the Tourism WA Board, Treasury and final sign off by the minister for tourism and premier”.

Coldplay are returning to Australia and New Zealand this October and November to perform in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland.

It follows a similar disclosure around Coldplay’s four nights at the 50,000-cap Estádio Cidade de Coimbra in Portugal in May last year. The concerts attracted controversy when it was revealed promoter Everything is New would receive €440,000 from the municipality and was exempted from “municipal fees and prices” for the shows. The authority also spent €28,000 on restoring the stadium’s pitch.

In return, the promoter had to ensure the council was included as a partner on press materials and within press communications, among other obligations. Coimbra City Council mayor José Manuel Silva called the agreement “one of the best deals ever in this area”, which he said would “place the city on the route of major world events”.

The shows were attended by 211,000 fans overall, generating €36 million for the local economy, with each visitor spending an average of €180, concluded a study by the Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração de Coimbra (ISCAC).

The Singapore Tourism Board authorised a grant for Taylor Swift to perform six nights at Singapore National Stadium in March 2024

In another high-profile case earlier this year, Singapore reportedly struck an exclusivity deal with Taylor Swift to make the island nation her only Eras tour stop in south-east Asia.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) authorised a grant for Swift to perform six nights at the 55,000-cap Singapore National Stadium in March 2024, allegedly on the condition she would not play any other countries in the region.

Thai PM Srettha Thavisin alleged the Singapore government offered $2 million to $3m (€1.4m to €2.1m) per show for exclusive rights, after enquiring why the tour would not be stopping in Thailand.

“[Promoter AEG] didn’t tell me the exact figure but they said the Singapore government offers subsidies of between $2m and $3m,” said Srettha. “But the Singaporean government is clever. They told [organisers] not to hold any other shows in [south-east] Asia.”

In a joint statement, the culture ministry and the STB admitted working directly with concert organisers, but declined to confirm either the amount of the grant or the existence of an exclusivity deal.

“It is likely to generate significant benefits to the Singapore economy, especially to tourism activities such as hospitality, retail, travel and dining, as has happened in other cities in which Taylor Swift has performed,” they said at the time.

 


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Live Nation Australia buys Face To Face Touring

Live Nation Australia has acquired Face To Face Touring, a concert and festival promoter headquartered in Perth, Western Australia.

Face To Face Touring was formed in September 2023 when promoters Zaccaria Concerts and Touring and Regional Touring joined forces.

The company’s portfolio of events includes Red Hot Summer Tour, SummerSalt, By The C, Castaway, Live in The Vines, One Electric Day, Sydney Spiegeltent, and the all-new Lookout Festival.

The firm, which also has operating offices in Ballarat, regional Victoria, has worked with artists including Jimmy Barnes, Nile Rogers & CHIC, Tina Arena, The Cat Empire, John Butler, The Teskey Brothers, Tame Impala, RUFUS DU SOL and more.

The partnership with Live Nation will focus on delivering a range of single-stage, multi-artist events to regional locations across Australia, according to a release.

“Our combined brands and businesses mean increased scale and relevance both in Australia and internationally”

LN will provide the Face To Face team with “global resources and industry knowledge to expand their offering, resulting in a more diverse portfolio of shows and music, while providing artists with greater unique opportunities to connect with fans across Australia”.

“By bringing together our companies to form Face To Face Touring we are creating a strong platform for growth,” says John Zaccaria, promoter and founder of Zaccaria Concerts and Touring.

“Our combined brands and businesses mean increased scale and relevance both in Australia and internationally. We have massive respect for Duane and what he has achieved with the Red Hot Summer brand and really look forward to working together as we integrate the two companies into one. By teaming up with Live Nation, we are poised for even greater expansion with the ability to create something truly amazing and magical for artist and fans all over Australia.”

Duane McDonald, promoter and founder of Regional Touring Event Enterprises, adds: “We are thrilled with the unique opportunities this partnership will create for fans, as well as our employees, contractors, and business partners. There will continue to be a strong focus on delivering the high quality of artists and concert experiences that fans love, with the backing of the world’s leading promoter and live entertainment company.”

Live Nation’s portfolio in Australia includes event organiser Secret Sounds, JV talent agency Cult Artists, and venues Festival Hall and The Palais Theatre in Melbourne, the Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, the Hindley Street Music Hall in Adelaide and Anita’s Theatre in Thirroul.

 


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Deaf community compensated after Coldplay concert

A group of Deaf and hard-of-hearing Coldplay fans have been offered compensation after certain services were either delayed or not provided at the band’s recent Australian concert.

Coldplay performed two sold-out nights at Perth Optus Stadium as part of their Music of the Spheres World Tour‘s November 2023 Asian leg – their first gigs in Western Australia since 2009.

ABC reports that some fans paid A$220 each for Auslan-accessible tickets for night one, with the understanding they would include Auslan interpreters visible for the entire concert, including support acts, as well as a seat in a special section.

In addition, the tickets were meant to include use of haptic vests, known as SUBPACs, which translate sound onto skin via vibrations and are mentioned on Coldplay’s inclusivity webpage. However, SUBPACs were reportedly not provided, the interpreters did not start until midway through the final opening act, and there was insufficient light to see them when they did.

“Regrettably, it sounds like there were some Deaf fans who had an imperfect experience in Perth”

Promoter Live Nation immediately apologised to those affected and offered tickets to the next night’s show, with those unable to attend offered a refund or a ticket to one of Coldplay’s 2024 shows in Melbourne or Sydney, plus the cost of travel and accommodation.

“Coldplay are trying their best to lead the live music industry on accessibility support, with the artist team, venues, and promoters all contributing,” says a Live Nation spokesperson. “Regrettably, it sounds like there were some Deaf fans who had an imperfect experience in Perth. Specifically, the four Auslan interpreters were not in position for the support acts, nor were there sufficient numbers of SUBPACs to enhance the experience of all Deaf fans in attendance.

“We are in communication with fans who missed out on this support in Perth and have offered them tickets, travel, and accommodation to another Coldplay show in 2024.”

Coldplay recently confirmed a run of Australia and New Zealand dates for next October-November, which will see the group perform in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland for the first time since 2016.

 


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Coldplay launch contest to find Aussie support act

Coldplay have launched a competition to find a homegrown support act for their sold-out shows in Perth, Australia later this year.

The band will play two nights at Perth’s Optus Stadium – their first gigs in Western Australia since 2009 – on 18-19 November.

Western Australia residents are invited to apply for the “once in a lifetime opportunity” to open for the group at the concerts by completing a form and include YouTube links to one original studio recording and one original live performance by 4 September.

According to Live Nation Australia, all entries will be assessed by Coldplay’s team and a panel of music industry professionals before the winner is announced on 2 October.

In addition, the Western Australian (WA) Government will provide grant funding of up to A$15,000 (€8,900) through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries’ Contemporary Music Fund to support the victor.

The Australian-exclusive concerts are being promoted alongside hotel packages designed to encourage visitors to stay longer and explore further

Further support for the Perth dates will come from special guests Amy Shark and Thelma Plum.

Presented by the WA Government, through Tourism WA, and Live Nation, the Australian-exclusive concerts are being promoted alongside hotel packages designed to encourage visitors to extend their stays.

“This partnership with the Western Australian Government is set to make history, by bringing one of the world’s most iconic and successful bands, exclusively to Perth in 2023,” said Luke Hede, Live Nation’s VP of touring earlier this year. “It’s hard to think of a better city for Australians to see Coldplay’s spectacular Music of the Spheres show, while making a weekend of it in our country’s sunniest capital city.”

More than 7.5 million tickets have been sold for the Music of the Spheres World Tour, with Coldplay recently confirming the run will extend to a third summer.

Earlier this month it was announced that UK-based agent Josh Javor, who spent 18 years at X-ray Touring, working closely with the late co-founder Steve Strange on acts including Coldplay, is joining WME as partner and co-head of the London music department.

 


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Live Nation partners on new Australian booking agency

Western Australia has gained a new booking agency and artist management company called Cut Above Collective.

The Perth-based operation says it will leverage the industry knowledge of Mellen Events and Live Nation to provide world-class representation for local artists.

The company’s roster includes emerging and established Australian artists such as Alter Boy, Boox Kid, Chaos Divine, Drea, Have A Good Day, Osaka Punch, Priscilla, Voyager and Yomi Ship.

“We’re so excited to be launching Cut Above Collective here in Western Australia,” says Josh Terlick, general manager of Cut Above Collective.

“We can’t wait to spotlight the amazing Western Australian artists we represent”

“With the support of Mellen Events and Live Nation Australia, we can’t wait to spotlight the amazing Western Australian artists we represent, along with some absolute gems from around the country.”

Cut Above will launch with an event at Perth’s iconic Rosemount Hotel on Saturday 29 April with live performances from Alter Boy, Priscilla, Boox Kid, Drea & Have A Good Day, plus DJ sets from band members of Yomi Ship & Chaos Divine.

Mellen Events specialise in the design, development, management and promotion of large-scale and boutique public events. The Western Australia-based company has worked on concerts for the likes of Alicia Keys, Lorde, Sting, Fleetwood Mac and Simply Red.

Live Nation Australia’s upcoming concerts include Lizzo, P!nk, Wu-tang Clan and Nas, and TWICE.

 


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Australia hosts first major “post-restrictions” events

Western Australia, home to the city of Perth, has become the first Australian state to host large-scale live events, allowing its biggest sport and entertainment venues to operate at 50% capacity.

The state saw the return of stadium concerts this weekend, with local musicians Crooked Colours, ShockOne, Slumberjack and Tina Says performing to over 2,000 fans as part of the WA Unlocked event at the HBF Stadium in Perth.

The event, organised by Zaccaria Concerts and VenuesWest, was billed as the first “post-restrictions” concert to be held in the country since lockdown measures came into force in March.

Seated tickets for the event cost AU$60 (€37), with standing tickets priced at AU$81 (€50).

Western Australia is now in its fourth stage of lockdown easing, permitting all events except large scale, multi-stage music festivals. Unseated performances are allowed to take place at music venues and concert halls, with gathering limits only determined by the state’s two-square-metre-per-person rule.

For the state’s biggest venues, however, a 50% capacity rule currently applies. Perth’s Optus Stadium admitting 25,000 football fans for a match on Sunday. The stadium is allowed to admit up to 35,000 for concerts and 30,633 for sporting events, with HBF Park given limits of 10,150 for sports and 16,500 for music events.

Western Australia is now in its fourth stage of lockdown easing, permitting all events except large scale, multi-stage music festivals

Phase five of Western Australia’s lockdown lifting, which was to see almost all remaining restriction removed, was recently pushed back from 18 July to 1 August.

Elsewhere in Australia, venues in Melbourne joined those in a number of major cities worldwide to be forced to re-close their doors amid a surge in new coronavirus cases.

The re-imposition of lockdown restrictions across the parts of the state of Victoria – which saw citizens permitted to leave their houses only for work, education, exercise or to buy essential supplies from 8 July – will last for six weeks.

Nightclubs in South Australia similarly faced a second wave of closures after briefly reopening over the first weekend of July. All venues now have to submit a Covid management plan before being allowed to operate.

In New South Wales, home to Sydney, venues are allowed to operate at 25% capacity, with a maximum number of 10,000 people in attendance, as long as social distancing measures are applied. All venue operators must submit a Covid-19 safety plan before organising an event.

Queensland is allowing events of up to 25,000 people (where that is equal to 50% full capacity), as long as there is an approved Covid safe event plan, and enough space for one person every four square metres.

Photo: DaHuzyBru/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) (cropped)

 


This article forms part of IQ’s Covid-19 resource centre – a knowledge hub of essential guidance and updating resources for uncertain times.

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Australian live community rallies for wildfire relief

The live music community is showing its support for those affected by the Australian bushfires, as a multitude of benefit concerts crop up around the country and major artists pledge money to bushfire relief.

According to Australia’s Rural Fire Service, more than 8 million hectares of land has been burned since the bushfires began in September, with over half of the damage occurring in New South Wales alone.

A number of high-profile artists, as well as members of the wider entertainment world, have donated money to fire services in the country, including a US$1 million pledge by Elton John, A$750,000 (US$514,534) from Metallica, US$500,000 from Pink, A$500,000 (US$342,568) from Kylie Minogue and US$100,000 from Australian DJ Flume.

Many artists are also taking to the stage in order to do their bit for bushfire relief, as a growing number of benefit concerts pop up across Australia. Here, IQ provides a round up some of the biggest charity events…

 


Sound Relief

When: TBA
Where: TBA

First staged in 2009 in aid of the Victorian bushfires and Queensland floods, the Sound Relief benefit is returning to Melbourne and Sydney this year in response to the current wildfire crisis.

“In response to the devastating bushfires currently sweeping across the country, the Australian Music Community will band together once again under the unified banner of Sound Relief 2020,” reads a post on the Sound Relief Facebook page.

A collaborative music industry effort, a number of promoters including Frontier Touring, Chugg Entertainment, Live Nation Australia and New Zealand, IMC Music HQ and Secret Sounds will be involved in organising the event.

Artists including Coldplay, Taylor Swift and Kings of Leon performed at the 2009 event. Details about the line-up, locations and date of this year’s benefit will be released in due course.

“The Australian Music Community will band together once again under the unified banner of Sound Relief 2020”

Fire Fight Australia

When: Sunday 16 February
Where: ANZ Stadium, Sydney, NSW

As previously reported in IQ, Australasian powerhouse promoters TEG Dainty and TEG Live are hosting a charity concert at the 83,500-capacity ANZ Stadium. The promoters promise a “major musical event” featuring “globally renowned artists”.

The line-up has yet to be announced for the event, although speculation – to be taken, as ever, with a pinch of salt – are circulating as to whether Queen and Adam Lambert will top the bill, given they are playing a TEG-promoted show at the stadium the day before.

More information about the event will become available here in the coming weeks.

The promoters promise a “major musical event” featuring “globally renowned artists”

Out of Bounds

When: Saturday 18 January
Where: Campbelltown Athletics Centre, Sydney, NSW

Leading Australian promoter Frontier Touring, together with fellow Mushroom Group company I Oh You, is offering discounted Fire Relief tickets to the inaugural Out of Bounds festival.

The event, which will take place across two stages at the 8,000-capacity athletics centre, will feature performances from Australian hip-hop artist Illy, local alternative-rock band the Rubens and Brisbane singer and rapper Mallrat.

In response to the bushfire crisis, festival organisers introduced a special ticket offer, with AUD$10 ($7) of a new $69 ($47) ticket going directly to the Red Cross Bushfire Emergency Appeal.

Fire Relief tickets for the festival are available here.

“Our hearts go out to the families who have lost loved ones and the communities across Australia suffering”

Down to Earth

When: Wednesday 26 February
Where: Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, Victoria

Promoted by Handsome Tours in conjunction with Mirror Music Group, Lemon Tree Music, Arts Centre Melbourne and OneMusic Australia, Down to Earth is raising funds for the Australian Red Cross and the NSW Wildlife Information Rescue and Emergency Service (Wires), as well as other organisations focusing on long term solutions to the bushfire emergency.

Australian acts Angus and Julia Stone, Briggs, Gangs of Youths, Jack River, Ruby Fields and Tash Sultana will perform at the event, which will be held at the 10,000-capacity Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

“Collectively, our hearts go out to the families who have lost loved ones, the firies who have put their lives on the line and continue to, and the communities across Australia suffering,” reads a collective statement from artists.

“We hope to give you the greatest thing we can in this time of great need – our voices and our songs.”

Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. on Thursday 10 a.m. (AEDT) January local time, available here.

“We hope that throwing this Raise ‘Em Up show provides people another way to support their [the charities’] critical work”

Raise ‘Em Up

When: Saturday 25 January
Where: The Tivoli, Brisbane, Queensland

The Tivoli, a 1,600-capacity music venue and theatre in Brisbane, will host artists including Megan Washington, Matt Corby and the Kit String Triangle in an effort to raise AUD$100,000 ($68,568) for bushfire relief.

Dave Sleswick, co-owner and creative director of the venue says all ticket, bar and merchandise profits from the evening will be shared between the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal and Wires.

“Both Wires and the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal are hugely worthy causes and we hope that throwing this Raise ‘Em Up show provides people another way to support their critical work,” comments Sleswick.

Tickets go on sale on 9 January at 9 a.m. (AEST), available here.

“A gig like this is the least we can do for all the communities that have suffered and fought these fires”

Fire Aid

When: Friday 31 January
Where: Fremantle Arts Centre, Perth, Western Australia

Artists from Western Australia are banding together in solidarity with the worse-affected eastern part of the country. John Butler Trio, the Waifs, San Cisco and Stella Donnelly are performing at the 400-capacity Freemantle Arts Centre in Perth to raise money for the NSW Rural Fire Service, the Victorian Bushfire Appeal and Wires.

“A gig like this is the least we can do for all the communities that have suffered and fought these fires,” comments John Butler. “Our hearts and prayers go out to all those that have fallen victim to this national disaster and hopefully gigs like this can make even smallest of meaningful difference.”

Tickets go on sale on Thursday 9 January at 9 a.m. (AWST). Tickets cost AUD$96.90 ($67), with a live recording of the event available for AUD$20 ($14).

“As much as raising funds, this FireAid2020 concert is about community spirit”

FireAid2020

When: Friday 24 January
Where: Bong Bong Picnic Racecourse, Bowral, NSW

John Waters, Daryl Braithwaite, Leo Sayer and Megan Washington are among artists performing at a similarly named event in New South Wales, which will be hosted by Australian television presenter and actress Julia Zemiro.

“All of us want to do something; but I realised I had the power of public recognition and that I had a lot of friends in the music and entertainment industry with a lot more of that power than me, and the idea of FireAid2020 ‘The Concert’ was born,” says Waters in a statement.

“As much as raising funds, this FireAid2020 concert is about community spirit; about unconditional love for each other; about fire-in-the-belly action. Rock On Australia!”

Tickets for FireAid2020 are available here for AUD$65 ($45).

“There has been a lot of devastation in Australia lately that is very saddening to witness”

Tones and I Bushfire Benefit Concert

When: Tuesday 28 January
Where: 170 Russell, Melbourne, Victoria

As reported by IQ yesterday, Australian singer Tones and I will be performing a charity concert at the 1,050-capacity 170 Russell in Melbourne, with proceeds going to the Australian Red Cross, Country Fire Authority and the NSW Rural Fire Service.

Tones and I, real name Toni Watson, will be supported by Adelaide singer Adrian Eagle, with more acts yet to be announced.

“There has been a lot of devastation in Australia lately that is very saddening to witness,” the singer, who calls recent events in the country “apocalyptic”, writes in an Instagram post. “We are in this together.”

Tickets for the concert, which went on sale yesterday, have now sold out. Fans can make a charity donation here.

Photo: J.E.T. 603/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

 


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AC/DC tribute concert to take over ‘Highway to Hell’

Forty years after the death of AC/DC frontman Bon Scott, the band will be celebrated in a moving tribute concert on the Canning Highway, or ‘Highway to Hell’, in Perth, Australia.

The ten-kilometre stretch of road will be closed to accommodate the roving concert on 1 March 2020. AC/DC referenced the infamous road in their 1979 album ‘Highway to Hell’, the group’s last to feature Scott, who died in early 1980.

The tribute concert, which is set to take place on the closing day of Perth Arts Festival, will feature eight bands reinterpreting AC/DC songs from the top of moving semi-trailers.

Melbourne punk act Amyl and the Sniffers, indigenous Australian band the Pigram Brothers, Perth singer Abbe May, Japanese rock trio Shonen Knife, Finnish country band Steve n Seagulls and the Perth Symphony Orchestra are among acts confirmed to play the event.

The tribute concert, which is set to take place on the closing day of Perth Arts Festival, will feature eight bands reinterpreting AC/DC songs from the top of moving semi-trailers

Beginning at 5 p.m., the convoy of trucks will travel from historic, former live music venue the Raffles Hotel to the Fremantle Traffic Bridge, a journey made frequently by Scott in his youth.

The concert will also serve as a tribute to AC/DC’s ‘It’s a Long Way to the Top’ music video, which features the band performing on the back of a moving vehicle.

Fans are advised the arrive at the free-to-attend event at 3 p.m. to secure a spot.

Perth Arts Festival is taking place from 7 February to 1 March 2020 in venues across the city. New Zealand gothic folk singer Aldous Harding and US experimental rock band Yeasayer are among artists playing throughout the festival.

 


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Frontier resurrects touring festival success with RNB Fridays Live

The days of touring festivals dominating the Australian outdoor season may be confined to history but Frontier Touring is enjoying phenomenal success with its RNB Fridays Live series.

The concept just wrapped up its third annual instalment in Australia and the company reports that the 2018 edition went to another level – scaling up to stadiums, selling out nationally and moving 200,000 tickets, making it one of the biggest touring festival brands in the region.

Since its debut in 2016, RNB Fridays Live has become arguably Australia’s most successful concert series. For three consecutive years, Frontier has used the brand to bring some of the biggest names in contemporary RNB to the stage, raising the bar with each line-up.

This year, Frontier gambled by stepping up the production for acts including Usher & Lil Jon, Salt-N-Pepa, Trey Songz, Eve and Taio Cruz

The inaugural events saw Nelly and TLC headline an 11-act show that visited arenas in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne, playing to about 68,000 fans in total. Last year, the tour visited the same cities but played seven nights, with back-to-back performances in Sydney and Melbourne, attracting almost 120,000 fans, thanks to appearances by Craig David, NE-YO, Sean Paul, Kelly Rowland, Kelis, En Vogue and others.

But this year, Frontier gambled by stepping up the production for acts including Usher & Lil Jon, Salt-N-Pepa, Trey Songz, Eve, Taio Cruz, Naughty By Nature, Ginuwine, Estelle, Next and others, and sold out Perth’s 20,000-capacity NIB Stadium, Etihad Stadium in Melbourne (45,000-cap), Adelaide Showground (15,000), Brisbane Showgrounds (27,000) and Spotless Stadium in Sydney (40,000), cementing the brand as one of the year’s biggest parties and allowing RNB acts to play to record-sized audiences in the southern hemisphere.

 


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Aus festival fights slippery fence-jumpers

Arcadia – it of giant-mechanical-spider-at-Glastonbury fame – is taking drastic measures to deter fence-jumpers at its debut event in Australia this weekend.

Arcadia Australia promoter The Event Agency has revealed plans to cover fences with a non-drying lubricant ink, which – apart from making the surface slippery – will temporarily stain hands and clothes for up to three weeks, making it easy to identify fence-jumpers. It will also erect a two-storey shipping container along Perth’s Esplanade to “create an impenetrable barrier” to those without tickets.

Commenting on the measures, The Event Agency managing director Nikki Graski says: “Fence-jumpers display aggressive criminal behaviours and are disruptive and inconsiderate to everyone who has bought a ticket. Attitudes towards staff have become disrespectful and dangerous and over time it will also increasingly harm Perth’s reputation as a place to hold major outdoor events, and that will affect the vibrancy of our entertainment scene.

“Fence-jumpers display aggressive criminal behaviours and are disruptive and inconsiderate to everyone who has bought a ticket”

“I would encourage all West Australians to consider what this unsafe behaviour means for the future of events in Western Australia. If it continues, it will deter event promoters and the incredible events in this state will cease.”

Arcadia Australia will take place from 25 to 27 November at Elizabeth Quay. Headliners are Leftfield, Shy FX and Alison Wonderland.

 


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