Harassment Concerns at Amyl and the Sniffers Concert in Brisbane

At a recent concert by the Melbourne punk rock band Amyl and the Sniffers at The Tivoli in Brisbane, several female attendees reported incidents of harassment and non-consensual touching. Despite the band's efforts to create a safe environment through explicit warnings about unwanted contact, many fans felt unsafe.

Warnings and Harassment Reports

Amyl and the Sniffers' frontwoman, Amy Taylor, usually opens each concert by reminding the crowd, "If someone falls down, help them up, and don’t touch anyone who doesn’t want to be touched." This past show included signs of their zero-tolerance harassment policy, and instructions were given to venue staff to manage any reported incidents swiftly. However, some fans, like 20-year-old Ameya Jaurigue, reported being subjected to unwanted touching and racist comments.

Ameya attended the concert with friends but got separated while in the mosh pit. She stated that the harassment began during the opening acts, escalating as the concert continued. She particularly felt targeted after an Indigenous singer spoke out about racism, which seemed to encourage negative remarks from those around her.

Personal Accounts of Distress

Ameya described her experience, saying, "There was not a moment where I didn’t have a drunk man touching me, rubbing themselves on me, holding themselves upright by my waist.” She recounted a specific incident where she was touched under her clothing and had her belongings taken. After publicly sharing her experience, Ameya received an outpouring of similar stories from other women across Australia.

Another concert-goer, Rachelle, voiced her concerns about being harassed by multiple intoxicated men throughout the evening. She noted that her attempts to seek help from venue security were unfruitful, as they were unable to leave their designated posts.

Industry Reaction to the Incidents

Music industry observers have highlighted that such behavior is common across live music events. Ben Green, a music researcher, noted that the issues being reported are part of a broader societal problem related to sexism and male entitlement. He emphasized that live music venues should not be seen as exceptions to the rules of respectful behavior.

Dave Sleswick, creative director for The Tivoli, expressed deep concern over these reports, stating they take such incidents seriously and had taken measures to ensure safety, including increased security presence during the show. After the event, he began discussions with venue staff and reached out to Ameya to address her experience.

Moving Forward

As the conversation about safety at music events continues, many female fans hope that increased awareness and proactive measures will help create more respectful and secure environments at concerts. The testimonies from Brisbane highlight the urgent need for concert venues and performers to reinforce their commitments to protecting attendees from harassment.

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