Led by frontwoman Amy Taylor, Amyl and the Sniffers are bringing riot-girl fury into the 21st century. Releasing their third album, Cartoon Darkness, last year, the Melbourne-based punk rockers are opening for AC/DC during the legendary rock band’s first tour of their home country in a decade. Wanting to do something special for their hometown fans, Amyl and the Sniffers spent the last few weeks promoting a free outdoor concert at Melbourne’s Fed Square. Unfortunately, the demand was so high that safety issues forced organizers to cancel the show just moments before Taylor and her bandmates were set to take the stage.
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Multiple Security Breaches Lead to Canceled Amyl and the Sniffers Show
Heading into the weekend, Melbourne fans anxiously packed into Fed Square to see Amyl and the Sniffers perform in their hometown. So many turned out, in fact, that the event evidently transformed into a major security concern.
According to reports from Rolling Stone Australia, organizers decided to shut down the Friday (Nov. 14) concert after a section of the barrier at the front of the crowd broke, causing a large number of fans to breach the barricade.
Screens at the venue displayed the message: “Due to unexpected circumstances the event has been cancelled. Please leave the Square safely and follow the directions of venue staff.”
10 mins before Amyl and the Sniffers take the stage. WTF @FedSquare? pic.twitter.com/867xgV8OVG
— Kathryn Kernohan (@kathrynkernohan) November 14, 2025
“We did not make the decision lightly and we are deeply, deeply sorry for any disappointment caused by this situation,” Katrina Sedgwick, director and CEO of Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation, told Rolling Stone AU/NZ in a statement. “However we simply could not continue.”
Band Puts $5K on Melbourne Bar Tabs After Scrapped Show
In a post to the band’s official Instagram page, Amyl and the Sniffers vocalist Amy Taylor apologized to fans for the abrupt cancelation.
“We’re so f—ing sorry that we couldn’t play. We did genuinely feel really bad, like, from the gut. It sucks to not be able to play in our hometown for free,” Taylor said.
While admitting to initially “chucking a tantrum like no tomorrow,” the “Jerkin’” singer added, “It just wasn’t safe. We just can’t have that. We don’t want anyone having a s— time.”
To help lessen the sting, Taylor said, the band put $5,000 worth of drinks on bar tabs at various establishments across the city. “So have a drink on us,” she said. “We’re so sorry.”
Featured image by Katja Ogrin/Redferns
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