A free Amyl and the Sniffers concert at Melbourne’s Federation Square descended into chaos on Friday night, forcing the performance to be cancelled after crowds breached security barriers and stormed the venue.
Police, event organisers and the Allan Government are now awaiting a full review into how the situation spiralled out of control and whether similar events can safely continue at the iconic public space.
The Melbourne punk-rock band, recently nominated for a Grammy and fresh from opening for AC/DC, was scheduled to perform at 8.30pm. However, capacity at Federation Square was reached well before the band took the stage, with hundreds of fans locked out by 7.45pm. Tensions escalated when event staff halted the performance for “safety reasons,” prompting frustrated fans to push through fences and barriers.
As a staff member attempted to address the crowd from the stage, sections of the audience surged forward, breaking through the perimeter and forcing security into retreat. Moments later, the giant Federation Square screen flashed the message: “Event Cancelled,” triggering widespread booing and angry chanting.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said the force would await the results of the official review before making decisions about future events.
“There was a clear risk to public safety,” Mr Bush said, adding that such incidents required careful assessment before any further concerts could be approved.
Emergency Services Minister Colin Brooks Carbines condemned the behaviour, saying there was “no excuse” for the breaches. He praised Federation Square management for prioritising crowd safety but would not comment on whether long-term restrictions could follow.
On Instagram, Amyl and the Sniffers expressed frustration, attributing the cancellation to inadequate security and broken barriers. Lead singer Amy Taylor posted an emotional message apologising to fans, saying the band was “so f—ing sorry” and that the decision was heartbreaking.
“We genuinely feel really bad … It sucks to not be able to play in our hometown,” Taylor said. She added that the band was using its performance fee to “shout drinks” at several Melbourne music venues, placing a $5000 bar tab at each of seven pubs including Last Chance, the Tote and Cherry Bar.
Meanwhile, Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation chief executive Katrina Sedgwick, who was pelted with drinks when she announced the cancellation, defended the decision.
“It is very disappointing … but given the breaches, the event simply could not continue,” she said. No injuries were reported despite the crush.
Sedgwick insisted that dozens of trained security guards had been deployed and rejected suggestions that the genre or the demographic of fans was to blame. Instead, she described the issue as one of entitlement among a minority of attendees.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece said he was “gutted” by the cancellation, praising the patience of fans who waited for hours to see the band. He noted that security concerns left organisers no choice.
The fallout continued on social media, where many Victorians blamed the City of Melbourne and Federation Square for inadequate planning. Some described the result as “the biggest let-down,” while others labelled it a “total failure.”
The concert had been heavily promoted online, billing the show as a “sweat-soaked celebration of Aussie rock” and highlighting the group’s global success following performances at Glastonbury and Coachella.
While Federation Square has not ruled out hosting the band again, Sedgwick confirmed that processes for free concerts will be reviewed and strengthened.
“We are committed to continuing free events,” she said, “but last night shows we must change how we manage extremely popular acts.”
