Akon Ban Upheld

Traveling Australian R&B festival Summerbeatz will play its Melbourne show Nov. 25 at the Rod Laver Arena without headliner Akon.

The venue’s operators, Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust, banned him last year after his October gig at its sister venue, HiSense Arena. Two rival gangs fought in the audience, causing the singer to jump from the stage to break them up. Eighteen audience members were injured.

Akon will headline Summerbeatz’s stops at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Acer Arena in Sydney and Perth’s Burswood Dome Nov. 19-23 on a bill that includes Flo Rida, Jay Sean, Ciara and Travie McCoy.

Promoter Dwayne Cross called the Melbourne ban “a personal thing against Akon,” as he had performed at the Showground in Melbourne this year without a problem.