Australian pub rock band Amyl and the Sniffers turned a last-minute cancellation of their Melbourne show into a fully funded, boisterous bar crawl free to fans across the city.
The Grammy-nominated band was slated to play a free gig on Nov. 14 in Melbourne’s Federation Square when the show was canceled last minute due to overcrowding concerns and attempted breaches of the perimeter, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Thousands had already rushed to the square to see Amyl and the Sniffers, who are currently the opening act on AC/DC’s world tour, when the cancellation was announced over a loudspeaker.
“Fed Square was forced to cancel Amyl and The Sniffers’ show after multiple breaches of the perimeter fences caused a very high risk of crowd crushes,” Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation chief executive Katrina Sedgwick told the outlet, noting they “did not make the decision lightly.”
The band quickly took to social media to ensure their fans would still have an unforgettable night, proposing their fans take to the town and go booze-crazy on a funded $35,000 bar tab at seven local pubs.
“We’re so f–king sorry that we couldn’t play… It sucks to not be able to play in our hometown for free,” frontwoman Amy Taylor said in an Instagram video.
“Have a drink on us, in an AC/DC fashion,” she said. “Just have some fun tonight.”
The local bars — The Tote, The Curtin, The Old Bar, Labour in Vain, Hell’s Kitchen, Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar, and Cherry Bar — each received $5,000 and were soon infiltrated with excited customers.
The lucky joints reported experiencing packed rooms, long lines, and the generous tab running dry within hours of the announcement.
The legendary bar crawl comes as Amyl and the Sniffers blast through one of the biggest years of their career.
Their 2024 smash hit, Cartoon Darkness, reached Australia’s ARIA Albums Chart at number two and muscled its way into the UK top 10. They also recently played a sold-out gig at London’s 10,000-seat Alexandra Palace.
The rock band is currently nominated for a Grammy in the stacked Best Rock Performance category for their song, “U Should Not Be Doing That.”
