Were you there the night Amyl and the Sniffers shouted the city of Melbourne thousands of free drinks?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Perhaps like Woodstock, the number of people who say they were \u2014 who will tell mates they scored a beer from one of Australia’s most thrilling guitar bands \u2014 might stretch beyond reality.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What is true is that, in the space of a few hours, a bitterly frustrating moment was reconfigured into a lasting memory that summed up the very best of Melbourne’s live music community.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Amyl and the Sniffers have been nominated for a Grammy. (Supplied: John Angus Stewart)<\/p>\n
To recap \u2014 last night should have been a triumphant, crowning communal homecoming.<\/p>\n
A free, all-ages gig at Federation Square in Melbourne’s CBD <\/a>for an in-demand band celebrating an implausible ascent to stardom.\u00a0<\/p>\n Take your pick from their recent honours.\u00a0<\/p>\n Amyl and the Sniffers just sold-out a 10,000-capacity venue in London, capping off a mammoth run of international tour and festival dates.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, they supported no less than AC\/DC at their earth-shaking MCG gig<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Last weekend they were nominated for a Grammy<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n They currently have a song sound-tracking a Japanese car ad. Not bad for a Melbourne pub band.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fans were notified minutes before the band was due to perform. (ABC News: Peter Healy)<\/p>\n On the Friday morning of the Fed Square gig, they encouraged fans on social media to be considerate of younger attendees, clearly mindful that this could be a big one.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mere minutes before they were due to hit the stage, the show was abruptly cancelled.<\/p>\n The Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation (MAP Co), which operates Fed Square, said there had been multiple breaches of security barriers.<\/p>\n Amyl and The Sniffers Fed Square show was cancelled eight minutes before it was scheduled to start. (ABC News: Jason Katsaras)<\/p>\n The decision to shut it down was “not made lightly” according to MAP Co chief executive Katrina Sedgwick, but the view was “it was unsafe for the audience, the staff and the band to continue”.\u00a0<\/p>\n The band quickly took to their Instagram page.\u00a0<\/p>\n “We’re devastated. We’re really apologetic,” said their magnetic lead singer Amy Taylor, sandwiched among some coarse language.\u00a0<\/p>\n “We were really excited to play. We’re so sorry. Grrrr.”<\/p>\n Stunned crowds were seen on Fed Square’s livestream after the event’s sudden cancellation. (Supplied: Fed Square)<\/p>\n ‘Have a drink on us’<\/p>\n Then, a new post.\u00a0<\/p>\n Taylor, still jittering with apology, announced the band was relinquishing their performance fee.\u00a0<\/p>\n Five thousand dollars would go behind the bar at seven of the city’s small live music venues immediately.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHave a drink on us,” she said in the video, that has since reached over one million views.<\/p>\n “Just have some fun tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n Amyl and the Sniffers Instagram post, which has reached more than one million people.\u00a0 (Supplied: Instagram)<\/p>\n That meant $35,000 worth of free drinks at The Tote, The Old Bar, The Curtin, Labour in Vain, Hell’s Kitchen, Last Chance Rock and Roll Bar, and Cherry Bar.<\/p>\n For a scene hanging on by a frayed guitar lead, that isn’t just generous \u2014 it’s unfathomable and unprecedented.<\/p>\n A few kilometres up the road at The Curtin, publican Benjamin “Rusty” Russell found out his establishment was one of the venues.\u00a0<\/p>\n Benjamin ‘Rusty’ Russell and bar staff from The Curtin in Melbourne. (ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n “I was like \u2026 Jesus, that’s wild. Absolutely wild,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n “We talk about Melbourne music community \u2014 well that is it. [The band] cut their teeth in places like this, so to see them give back like that is amazing.”<\/p>\n Celebrations rang out across the front bar and drinks (“nothing top-shelf” according to Rusty) began to flow.<\/p>\n This group of mates travelled in search of free drinks after the Fed Square gig was cancelled. (ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n In Fitzroy, Louie and his mates were among those lining up outside The Old Bar, having left the “frustrating” Fed Square debacle in search of a free drink.\u00a0<\/p>\n “We looked up on Instagram and saw they’d put $5K down at a bunch of pubs and bars around town, so we were like, we’ve got to go for one,” Louie said.\u00a0<\/p>\n “It’s awesome that they’ve pumped a bunch of money into these local venues. Bloody good onyas.”\u00a0<\/p>\n Staff at the Labour in Vain in Fitzroy celebrate the $5k bar tab being run dry. (ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n Around the corner, the $5k tab had already run out at the Labour in Vain, but the pub was still heaving.\u00a0<\/p>\n “We couldn’t have received any more love than what we’ve received tonight from them,” said JP, one of the bar managers.\u00a0<\/p>\n “We are one of the first pubs they ever played in. We love them, love what they’ve done for the pub, whether it be for publicity or for the community.”Bar tab comes amid pub woes<\/p>\n There is every chance Friday night will spill into Melbourne’s sticky-carpeted music mythology.<\/p>\n But the once proud label of ‘Australia’s live music capital’ has become something of a grim cliche.<\/p>\n Fergus from The Old Bar said the live music industry is doing it tough. (ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n Speak to anyone involved in live music for longer than a politician’s photo shoot, and you’ll find an industry that is hurting<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n “It’s terrible right now,” said Fergus, who was working the door at The Old Bar.\u00a0<\/p>\n “There are so many live music venues closing down, and 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?”<\/p>\n The Tote Hotel, which closed in 2010, was one of the venues given a $5k bar tab. (ABC RN: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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